Chapter 2: Time to Spare

  April 4th, 1398. Mason walks into the lobby of the Guard Post at 8 AM, wearing his iron detective's badge.

  Mark: Morning.

  Mason: Has a case come in?

  Mark: Not yet, but a letter came in for you.

  Mark gives Mason a sealed envelope with “From Jess, To Mason Dreemurr” written on it.

  Mark: Also, your new partner arrived. He should be in your office.

  Mason: Partner?

  Mark: I know you don't need one, but an extra hand is always nice.

  Mason: We'll see.

  Mason walks through the door on the right into the office room. He then walks into his office in the left corner of the room. The carpet is purple and the walls are white. The wall behind Mason is made of glass. There are two wood seats in front of a mahogany desk and one leather seat behind it. There's a computer and a phone on the desk. A red and brown cat in a suit stands on its hind legs in front of Mason and he lets out a smile.

  Mason: How'd you get in here?

  Dante: The receptionist let me in.

  Mason's expression turns to shock.

  Mason: A talking cat? Never seen that before.

  Dante: Neither have I. And, mirrors don't count. Anyway, name's Dante.

  Dante holds out his paw.

  Mason: I'm Mason. I don't shake, uh, paws.

  Dante retracts his paw.

  Dante: It's 'cause I'm a cat, right?

  Mason: Aphenphosmphobia. Look it up.

  Mason's expression goes back to normal as he walks to his seat and sits in it. Dante jumps into the seat on his left.

  Dante: You want my credentials?

  Mason: Were you a guard who earned his way to a detective's apprenticeship?

  Dante: Pretty much, yeah. What about you?

  Mason: I walked in here, solved a case, and got the job.

  Dante: What?! I didn't know you could just do that!

  Mason: IF you can solve the case...

  Dante: So, we got work to do?

  Mason: When that phone rings. Until then, we wait.

  Dante: Good for me.

  Dante curls up into a ball in his chair as Mason opens the envelope, takes out a letter, and throws the trash in the can under his desk. He then opens the letter and reads it in his head.

  Hey, Mason!

  I found this guy who looks just like you. Calls himself “James.” We hit it off and are kinda a thing now. Y'all should come over one day and meet him. Also, Donna's doing a whole lot better since that fall earlier this year. She sure was talkative after you left the farm. You must've shaken something out of her. Anyway, how are things with you?

  I'll let you get back to work now.

  Mason: (I should visit them again sometime)

  Mason puts the letter in a drawer on the right side of his desk.

  Mason: Maybe I should get-

  The phone suddenly rings and Dante jumps up. Mason grabs the phone and puts it to his ear.

  Mark: To all guards, five dozen donuts just arrived in the lobby. Get them while you can!

  Mason, disappointed, puts the phone back down. A few guards in the office room make their way to the lobby.

  Stolen novel; please report.

  Dante: Donuts sound good.

  Mason: You heard that?

  Dante: I can hear the captain cheating on his wife... Kidding, but I could.

  Mason: I see... Might as well get a snack.

  Mason and Dante get up and walk to the lobby. Ned is talking to Mark while guards take napkins and donuts and Mason and Dante get in line.

  Mark: Thanks again for the discount.

  Ned: For our best protectors? Anytime.

  Mark: Business must be going well.

  Ned: Very well. After the break in, a stranger donated some money to the bakery. We were able to get that window fixed, some new furniture, and some advertising. Things are looking up.

  Dante jumps on the counter and grabs a donut as Mason grabs a napkin and wraps it around a one. Then, Mason and Ned look at each-other.

  Ned: ... Anyway, Mark, do call again.

  Mark: Will do.

  Ned walks towards the front door.

  Mason: Hey!

  Ned stops and turns around as Mason holds up his donut.

  Mason: Thanks for the dough.

  Ned leaves and Mason and Dante walk back to their office. Mason sits at his desk and Dante takes a seat in a chair. After two hours pass, they remain in wait. Mason is leaning back in his seat as Dante is curled up in a crescent shape.

  Mason: (What am I doing here?... What's my end goal in life? Have I already met it?... What is my purpose?... What is my purpose?... What is my purpose?...)

  Mason closes his eyes and contemplates.

  Dante: You got any games in here?

  Mason opens his eyes.

  Mason: What?

  Dante: Games. You got them?

  Mason: Not really.

  Dante: Well, this blows... So, where'd you come from?

  Mason: Manus. You?

  Dante: If you're gonna play like that, Megalo. You know what I mean. What's the origin story?

  Mason: I... I'm not comfortable with that.

  Dante: We've all got baggage, man. Wanna know about mine?

  Mason: Go ahead.

  Dante: Alright. You see, there's this big, old research place on the island of Svartalfheim. They got animals from all over the world. Tested all kinds of drugs and products on them. Then, there was the more experimental area. I was just a kitten when they started pumping me with who knows what drugs. Then, there was the machine with a clear door on it. I saw them put older cats in there. They blew up every time. Not like a bomb. More like a balloon. When it was my time to go in the machine, I scratched them up good. Still got me in there, though. I thought I'd die right then. Didn't really think much else 'cause I was a dumb animal. But, I didn't pop. I got smarter. I could talk. First thing I noticed was how naked I was. They tried to cage me up again, but those things were designed for dumb animals. First chance I got, I ran outta that place. Hid on a boat to the mainland. Found a place to hide. Twenty years later, here I am.

  Mason: That place still around?

  Dante: No. Some chemical explosion happened there a few years ago. A worker they hired to fix the place reported the conditions of the animals. Finally got them shut down. Still, I keep wondering why I was the only one who survived that machine. Must be alive for some reason... Anyway, I told you mine, you tell me yours.

  Mason: That's fair... I grew up in a foster home. Never knew my parents. Never saw them either. I had tons of chances to make good friends, but I pushed them all away. Pushed what family I had away. I felt like the loneliest man in the world. Then, I was diagnosed with brain cancer.

  Dante: Crap, man. How long do you have?

  Mason: It, uh, turned out to be a false positive. Then, I won the lottery and came here.

  Dante: That doesn't sound that bad. At least you didn't get probed, or was that a thermometer?

  Mason: It sure felt bad.

  Dante: I get that, but there's always a greater pain. I could have half the limbs I got.

  Mason: What keeps you going?

  Dante: Well... There's people out there who need me. Good people. What about you?

  Mason: Same thing I guess. It just doesn't feel like I'm doing much.

  Dante: Not everyone can be a hero. Unless you got some eye lasers I don't know about.

  Mason: I guess you're right. I should use my lasers more often.

  Dante: Wait, really?!

  Mason: Just kidding.

  Mason and Dante spend the next two hours hanging out in the office. Dante is playing a card game on the computer as Mason head stands against his door. He looks at the time on his phone.

  Mason: Hey! It's 12 PM already.

  Dante: You wanna get lunch?

  Mason: Yeah. We should probably clock out, too. We can handle any cases that come in tomorrow.

  Dante: Amen to that.

  Dante shuts off the computer as Mason gets himself right-side up. They then walk out to the lobby and meet Mark.

  Mason: We're taking the rest of the day off. Put any cases that come in on our desk.

  Mark: Alright. I'll sign you out.

  Mason and Dante leave the Guard Post.

  Dante: You know any good food places? I'm pretty new here.

  Mason: There's a pizza place next to the theater.

  Dante: Ugh. They have lasagna?

  Mason: Yeah.

  Dante: I'm in.

  Mason: Are there any good movies out?

  Dante: There's the Jester movie. But you might not like it. It's based on comic books and all that.

  Mason: I'm in.

  At 3:34, Mason and Dante walk out of the theater, which is seven structures to the left of the Guard Post. Mason has a big glass bottle of soda and Dante has a small popcorn bucket.

  Mason: Huh. That was better than expected.

  Dante: Yeah! That part where he put the knife in that guy's neck was awesome!

  Mason: I'm more into what lead up to that.

  Dante: I can see that. Anyway, I'm heading home.

  Mason: Me too. Tomorrow should be exciting.

  Dante: Better be. Later.

  Dante walks away somewhere and Mason walks to his apartment. He steps over to his couch, sits down, and turns on the TV to the news. He then takes a sip of his soda.

  News: Tonight, a story on Odin and the truth behind Solid Man.

  Mason: (I have no purpose)