Episode 002 Previous Episode	Next Episode
“Knight (nait) – A defender, champion, or zealous upholder of a cause or principle; a person of noble birth trained to arms and chivalry” American Heritage Dictionary As soon as Everett opened his front door, his senses were assault with the music and effects of video games. On the far side of the living room, two men dressed in red shirts and black pants sat on the edge of the glass coffee table, furiously pounding on the game controllers as they leaned into the motions of their characters. “Turn if off,” Everett called over the music and the sound effects of fighting. “Or at least turn it down.” Just inside the front door, a couch sat against a long bay window, facing a matching set of chairs and a loveseat, with the glass table in the center having been converted into seating. To Everett’s left was a simple glass-topped dinette set and a computer desk against the far wall, while a half-cordoned off kitchen waited in the far corner, the bar facing out the only obstacle keeping it from the rest of the room. He walked to the computer desk, a stack of letters waiting on the keyboard. He flipped through them, picking out two and tossing them immediately into the trash. On the other side of the room, the game ended violently and the white man on the left held up his hands in celebration. “Yes!” he exclaimed. He hopped up instantly and pointed at his darker-skinned compatriot. “Suck it, Armand.” He held up his hands defiantly, looking to Everett. “I officially own your video games.” “Rephrase that please, Roland,” Everett said, looking through the mail. “I own most of those games.” “He’s just speaking metaphorically,” Armand said, walking into the kitchen. “Oh, one of those is from the state. I don’t know if it’s about…” “It’s about the grant,” Everett confirmed, looking at the letter in question. “We got it.” “Kick ass!” Armand said, slapping Everett on the back. “Yeah,” Everett nodded unenthusiastically. “You and me get to eat for another six months.” “Speaking of freeloading,” Roland said, coming around the living room arrangement to stand next to the glass-top dinette set between the computer desk and the open kitchen. “When are you gonna get a place of your own?” he asked to Armand. “Actually, we were talking about getting a three-bedroom,” Armand said, taking a bottle of water out from the refrigerator. Roland looked at Everett. “Who’s moving in?” “No one,” Everett said, putting the letters aside. “Just we’d have a spare room. Probably for training.” “Well, duh,” Roland said with a laugh. “I was just hoping it would be Marilyn.” “Oh, god!” Everett yelled, shoving past Roland as he and Armand chuckled. “I can’t go one damn day without you people bringing her up.” “It’s because you’ve been a stick in the mud since you guys last talked,” Roland said, turning as Everett headed into the single bedroom. “Yeah, man, how long’s it been?” Armand asked. “Four months?” “I don’t know,” Everett disputed, taking his trench coat off and tossing it onto the closer of the two beds in the small, sparse bedroom. It landed against the wall, rattling the sword hidden in the lining of the coat. “That’s a lie,” Roland declared, making Armand smile. “No, I just…” Everett came out, shaking his head. “It’s not going to happen,” he stated certainly. “She’s got her life and I’ve got mine.” “Yeah, the point is for those lives to intertwine from time to time,” Roland said. “More specifically, more than the lives should intertwine. I mean, do you not have a clue what we’re talking about? Am I being too subtle, because I can draw you a diagram if you’d like.” “That’s okay,” Everett dismissed. “She’s not moving in; nobody is.” “Are you sure you want it that way?” Roland asked. “Hey, as long as Ledger’s not the one moving in, I’m cool with whoever,” Armand maintained to Everett before looking at Roland. “Excluding you, of course.” “Well, yeah, naturally,” Roland accepted. He looked at Everett, grinning. “So how’d it go tonight? Did you see the Red Lilac or whatever?” “Crimson Rose,” Everett corrected. “And yeah, I saw him. He, uh, he stopped these three incredibly inept guys from robbing a pawn shop downtown. Took out one of them in the shop I guess, I didn’t see it, then used caltrops to blow out the getaway car’s tires. Tied up the guys and left the rose, like always, and ran off.” “You followed I assume,” Armand said, engrossed. “Yeah,” Everett nodded. “I followed him about four or five blocks and he ducked into a closed alley. I got to the end and he just disappeared. No idea.” “That’s wild,” Roland said, yawning. “Did the police show up?” Everett nodded. “They were nearing the scene when I got out of there.” “What did he look like?” Armand asked. “I don’t know,” Everett said, rubbing his face. “He was wearing a mask. Kind of like a mix between the ones spray painters wear and Bobba Fett’s.” “Wild,” Roland repeated. He thought for a moment. “Think he’s a knight?” “I don’t know,” Everett said, leaning back on the computer desk chair. “Seems likely. Black and red, carries a saber or a rapier or something, apparently over-riding sense of justice. But if he was a knight, seems like we’d know about it or something. He’d have introduced himself or we’d have seen him around town or something.” “You’d think,” Armand agreed, scratching the scraggly facial hair that was growing on the tip of his chin. “He started showing up about three weeks ago, makes some kind of appearance every two or three days.” He shrugged. “Maybe he just hasn’t gotten around to it. Or maybe he doesn’t care. It’s not like there’s a clause in the Oath of Chivalry about getting along with other Knights.” “No, but we’d still have noticed him at some point,” Roland said. “Knights stand out, especially to other knights.” “Do you have any idea how big this city is?” Armand retorted. Everett shook his head, uncertain. “Did Sydney call?” “No,” Armand said, going back into the kitchen. “She and Edgar are both wrapped up with their classes. I imagine we won’t see too much of them for a while.” “You want to track this guy down tonight?” Roland asked. “We can go get Ledger. He’s just two buildings over.” “No, it’s after two,” Everett said, standing in the tiny hallway to the bedroom, his arms extended as if using the doorless entryway for support. “He’s gone to bed, more than likely.” “Ledger or the Rose?” Roland asked. Armand thought for a moment. “You know, we could call Morgan,” he offered. Roland and Everett both glared at him. “No, there’s nothing to be done tonight,” Everett said finally, dismissing Armand’ suggestion. “We just need to do something about this guy pretty soon. Black and red, fighting crime; people are going to think he’s a knight and that means somebody’s going to be knocking on our door at some point.” Roland shrugged, then turned. “I’m out, my peeps,” he announced, collecting his black trench coat from the couch. He swung it over his shoulders, then collected the pristine katana that rested beneath it. “I will see ye tomorrow.” “Peace,” Armand called, thinking absently. Everett waved as Roland headed out. Once the door shut, Armand looked at Everett. “Seriously, dude, you should call her.” “Oh god,” Everett moaned, turning away.
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