The Time Traveler's Club: Chapter 38 -- Tackling Bruno

At six-foot and with a bulky build, Bruno had a great deal of "street smarts" as well as being the toughest and strongest of Dr. Herkeimer's minions.  Bruno stuck out in a crowd and looked odd hiding on the other side of a Volkswagen.

"Looks like we have company," said Trenda, rubbing his chin.

"Is he trying to spy on us?" said Rose.  "I'm puzzled why Bruno cast the incantation?  I'm surprised he knew it. Why not wait until we leave then cast it?"

"Who knows. I think we can handle him," said Trenda, standing up to get a better look.

Xavier got up, straightened his jacket and hat, and sipped the last of his chai.  "How about a little fun with our boy Bruno?"

Trenda grinned.  "I'm in."

"Out of my way."  Rose squeezed her way between them, feisty and ready to rumble.

Outside, Bruno somehow managed to hide behind an old pick-up truck on the other side of the street.  When the trio came out, they acted nonchalant, pretending to be chatting.  The people on the street had slowed to a complete standstill, barely moving to the naked eye.

"He's hiding somewhere," said Rose.  "He probably thinks we didn't spot him.  Part one of the plan.  Let's pretend to walk away like we didn't notice him. Let's go over to the park"

Bruno now peeked around the van's bumper and watched them stroll to the corner then cross towards the square.

"And the next step?" asked Xavier.

"I don't plan that far ahead," said Rose. Annoyed, Xavier glanced at Trenda who just shrugged his shoulders.

Bruno ducked behind cars parked along the street, watching them stop to chat. It wasn't long before he was close enough to hear their conversation.

"My thoughts are we should ditch the boy," said Rose, winking.  "He's no good to us."

"I agree," said Xavier, looking again at Trenda.  "Why should we let him have all the fun?"   Xavier and William glanced over at Rose, then at each other.

Xavier mouthed.  "I don't know.  Just play along."  Trenda signaled with his eyes towards Bruno's hiding place.

Smirking, she strutted in Bruno's direction.  "I think that is a perfectly grand idea.   The boy knows nothing, so why should we involve him."

Continuing up the sidewalk, they noticed that the slow incantation began to wear off, just in time for Xavier and Trenda to encounter an unsuspecting kid who almost ran into them.

"Sorry old chap," said Xavier.  The kid smiled, caught off guard by their sudden appearance.

Rose spied Bruno's blurry reflection in a window.

"We have company over there.  He's hiding behind the parked cars across the street.  I can see his reflection in that window."

Playing it cool, Trenda and Xavier turned to look.

"I think it's time to slow things down," said Xavier.  "Shall I or would you like to do the honors?"

"Don't mind if I do," said Trenda.  With that, he spoke that slow incantation and once again everyone around them crept again to a snail's pace.

Bruno saw everything slow down and stood up from behind a yellow convertible.

They knew the fight would be tough since Bruno could deflect their orbs.  In recent history, no one had mastered that incantation.  Bruno was the only one.  However, he had one weakness.  He feared being ganged up on -- something he experienced a lot when he was a kid in the orphanage.  Mrs. Steers discovered this by pure coincidence. Bruno had been extremely weak and frail as a child.

Walking out into the middle of stand-still traffic, Rose graciously greeted him.  "Welcome.  Are you sight-seeing?  Enjoying the city?  Or perhaps you have been listening in on our conversation?"

"I had no idea you were here," said Bruno.

"Nice try, Bruno," said Rose.  "I noticed that you seem to be playing a game of hide and seek.  Or were you checking tires?"

Bruno grinned, knowing he had been caught, and took a swing at her. She instantly ducked and Bruno almost hit Xavier instead.

Xavier leaned back, missing the huge fist by inches. "Excuse me. It’s bad manners to strike a woman."

"I don't have none," Bruno chuckled. 

Before Xavier could finish, Rose had kicked Bruno in the shin.

Bruno bent over, grabbed his now-aching shin, and fell back against a nearby car.  "Why do you always go for my shins?"

Rose ran back out into the street and leaned against a passing car.  Using it for leverage, she leapt from the car’s fender into the air and kicked Bruno in his side.

Trenda threw the first orb, a yellow one about the size and shape of a lemon. It sailed towards Bruno's legs. He quickly separated his legs for the orb to sail between them and hit the pavement right below him.  Bruno leapt sideways to avoid the sparks.

Xavier watched, not moving. "Nice jump.  Ever try out for the ballet?"

"Yea," said Bruno.  "I did once."

"Really," said Xavier, surprised.

"Wouldn't take me.  Too tall.  Made all the ballerinas look short."

Xavier laughed at the thought of seeing a six-foot towering brute of man gracefully pirouette across a stage.  

Rose, on the other hand, was ready to fight and hurling another orb at him.  It barely missed him.  Bruno was caught off guard and grunted at her.  Rose simply grimed and cocked an eyebrow.  Trenda hurled another orb but missed Bruno and crashed into a wooden park bench, sending flares out in all directions.

Rose sprinted with Bruno chugging right behind her. She dashed between trees until she reached the center grassy area of the park. She turned to face Bruno as he barreled towards her.

Taking a stance like a baseball pitcher, Rose began hurling orbs from both hands.  Bruno skidded to a stop, bouncing back and forth as orbs bounced on both sides of him.  Rose laughed at him.

Trenda and Xavier hid behind nearby trees.  For an instance, Xavier thought Rose had gone mad.   Her red orbs flew all over.  Some striking trees, some metal lamp posts, and one even exploded in the water fountain causing water to splash up like bombs going off in old war movies.  Amazingly, her aim was so fine-tuned that she never hit anyone, including Bruno.

Bruno frantically surveyed the scene then stood up.  By this point, Rose had slowed to only one orb every five seconds, still aiming at non-human objects.   Bruno started walking towards her.  Rose aimed her orbs directly at his broad chest. The orbs burst into flames in front of him.

Trenda and Xavier marveled at his ability to use the deflecting incantation so well.  However, the spell had one weakness.  It could only deflect orbs in the front, leaving his rear vulnerable.

Trenda finally tugged at Xavier's coat sleeve.  "Hey.  Don't you think we'd better help her?  Judging by the looks of it, our pal there has mastered that incantation very well and he's not slowing.   Lucky for us to be on his back side."

Xavier grinned.  "Shall we dance cheek to cheek?  To quote an old song."

Trenda and Xavier came out from their hiding place, each forming orbs the size of apricots, and aimed for each of Bruno's back cheeks.

With his eye on his target, Trenda said.  "I think this will be the right size to sting.  What do you think?"

"I agree," said Xavier.  "One for the money..."

"Two for the show..." followed Trenda.

"Three to get ready..."

"And four to go."  Their orbs struck their targets dead-on.

Bruno jumped and yelped as his pants began to smoke.   Losing his concentration on the Deflecting incantation, the pain from the flames now blazing on his behind, sent him jumping into a fountain.

"Good work, boys," said Rose, pointing at Bruno.  "Looks like you caught a big one."

The three met at the fountain.  Now was their chance to pump Bruno for information about Dr. Herkeimer's plans.

Splashing about in the fountain, Bruno’s arms flailed above his head.  Finally, he sat up.  By now, they surrounded him and stood ready for an orb attack.

"Give up?" asked Rose.

Bruno ran his hand over his wet, flushed face, wiping the dripping water from his eyes. "Never!"

"Well, aren't you being quite contrary," said Xavier.  "It wasn't really a choice."

"Ha. I can zap outta here at any moment," said Bruno. Around them, people began to pick up speed.  Time returned to normal, but the foursome paid no attention. No one was close enough to them to care.

"We know you can't zip away," said Trenda. "One of your buddies will have to come get you.  Who dropped you off?  Your friend, the Doctor?"

Bruno glanced at Rose and smirked.  "Your friend."

Rose knew immediately who he was talking about.  Dreda. "She wouldn't dare show up here. Besides, we only want to talk to you."

"What is your foolish master trying to change?" said Rose.  "Why does he want a complete copy of the book?"

Bruno shrugged his shoulders.  "I donna know. Only he knows."

Rose formed a tiny orb and rolled it between her fingers.  "Want to give me a better answer?"

Bruno watched the rolling orb.  "Honest.  The Doc doesn't let us look at the book.  He only tells us what to do.  Saying "You all make the world a better place by helpin' me."  I don't know what his plans are.  Honest."

Rose believed him, not surprised by the insane secrecy of the Doctor.

"I say we let this fight end in a draw," said Trenda.

Although Bruno had no manners, he did have respect for the rules of the fight.   Never kill any innocent bystanders.  Never transition during the fight.  And always respect any deaths.  And Bruno appreciated the draw.

As they backed away, Bruno crawled out of the fountain, soaked to the skin.

"Have a good day," said Rose sarcastically.  Xavier and Trenda took her by the arms and led her away.

"You just don't give up, do you?” said Xavier.

Rose rolled her eyes.

"How about some lunch?" said Trenda.

"If you're buying, I'm with you," said Xavier.  They left Bruno to dry out, not noticing they were being watched as they left.

Rose yelled back to Bruno.  "Thanks for the fun."

Not caring, Bruno wrung out as best he could.

"I see that didn't go well?"  Vincent appeared out from the other side of the fountain.  "Did you find out anything?"

"No. I told you it wouldn't work."

Vincent stood prim and proper, watching Bruno wiggling back and forth trying to dry off.  

"Obviously my only concern is that we accomplished our mission for the day which was to spy on them. Maybe get some information.  And obviously that didn’t go well.  Let's get out of here.

Vincent put his hand on Bruno's arm, and they were gone.