“I’ll get to the bottom of this!”
2016
Aiko opened her phone. “Hm.”
Loki peered over her shoulder. “What?”
The local news was covering a story about the pizza place Alberto’s catching on fire. Suspected arson.
Aiko gasped. “Aw shit, I actually like that place!”
Loki raised an eyebrow. “Did this ruin your afternoon?”
Aiko turned. “This wasn’t you, was it?”
Loki grinned playfully. “What do you think?”
“I hope that’s a no..”
“Geez, Aiko- yes! It’s a no!”
“Okay, okay! Sorry, just wanted to check.”
Aiko gently kicked one of the many storage bins that was inhabiting her bedroom’s floor space. It was scooted out of the way before she stood up and plugged her phone in.
Loki burst up and swung her backpack over her shoulder.
Aiko looked over. “Where are you going?”
“I’m gonna check out the scene! I might have competition!”
Aiko chuckled. “Loki this is why people STILL think you’re gonna blow up the city.”
Loki rolled her eyes. “C’mon, that happened like, once?”
“Twice.”
“Okayy! But I didn’t, like, target the local pizza place.”
Aiko shrugged. “You aimed for the boba place, which is arguably more evil.”
“Yeah, but setting Alberto’s on fire? That’s a sin to every Chicago style pizza and their mother.”
Aiko laughed again.
“You wanna come with?”
“Nah, I got an 8 hour shift tomorrow morning. I should pack more while I can.”
“Work sucks.”
“Don’t I know it…” Aiko suddenly snapped, indicating to herself she had just recalled something. “Metro card”, she said.
Loki got off the train station and tapped her pocket to make sure her metro card was still there.
She plugged her headphones into her phone and blasted alternative rock music while she walked through the city. It wasn’t long until after she passed a number of blocks and saw Alberto’s was blocked by police tape.
There was an older man who sat at one of the small outdoor tables, pinching the bridge of his nose.
Loki stepped towards him, hoping he wouldn’t give her any issue if she were to disregard the tape.
“Yo,” she said.
The man looked up. “Sorry, we’re closed.”
“I can see that.” She peeked behind him into the glass door, noting the arson investigators walking around the kitchen.
He sighed. “I’ve been trying to tell them there’s no arsonist.”
Loki turned her head back to the old man. “What do you mean?”
“Exactly that. The fire started because of the gas in the sink.”
“Sorry- what?” She decided to pull out another chair to the small outdoor table.
The old man huffed. “My kid- Bryce- he heats up the pizzas here on weekends.” He noticed Loki seemed to be giving her full attention. “The bum lit a cigarette and tried dousing it. And somehow the sink water just PAM! Lit up.”
Loki’s eyes widened. “Can’t you tell them it was an accident??”
“They’re gonna find some way to blame him.” He shook his head. “He shouldn’t be smoking but I don’t want him accused of being some arsonist.”
“What about the gas in the sink? Can’t you prove it?”
“I can’t prove nothing unless they’re willing to put a lighter in the sink. And I’m not willing to see the place set on fire again.”
The investigators started making their way back outside.
“You should get outta here before they give you a hard time.”
Loki stood. “You gotta at least tell them what happened.”
“Knock knock.” Loki poked her head in.
The blonde cashier at the convenience store crossed her arms. “What the hell do you want, Loki?”
“Remember that favor you owe me?”
Kira rolled her eyes. “If it’s another free snack, this is the last time. Also you owe Ty five bucks.”
“Actually! I gotta prove there’s gas in your sink.”
Kira blinked. “Gas… in the sink?”
“Look, the pizza place on the block caught on fire, and they’re really keen on believing there’s an arsonist on the loose.”
“I mean- to be fair,” Kira muttered, “three years ago, you and Zero did set a lot of shit on fire.”
“Yeah but it’s Alberto’s! No one has anything against those guys.
Kira pondered. “This is true… so what’s your plan?”
“If there’s gas in Alberto’s water, there’s probably gas in the whole block’s water! I just need another incident to prove my hypothesis.”
“Woah woah- why does my job have to prove there’s gas in the water??”
“Cause I know you. And I can tell your boss you and Ty smoke on the job.”
Kira sighed. “You owe me. Big time.”
Loki nodded. “I‘ll make it up to you. Just light up the sink water and see what happens.”
Aiko sat at the living room couch, watching the TV. Loki opened the door to the house, and waltzed inside.
“Loki, what did you do?”
Loki smirked. “What are you talking about?”
Aiko motioned to the local news on her TV. “There’s an anonymous survey on every place’s door on the block.”
Loki shrugged. “Could be anyone.”
“The bathroom at Kira’s job caught on fire somehow.”
“So?” Loki made her way next to Aiko on the couch.
“The survey asked if there’s gas in the water.”
“Intriguing indeed,” Loki replied.
Aiko poked Loki’s nose. “It’s your handwriting.”
“Fuck.”
“Mhm. Loki are you trying to set the block on fire?”
“Nope! I’m trying to get the officers to consider that Alberto’s fire wasn’t caused by an arsonist.”
Aiko placed her hands on Loki’s face, and moved her bangs out of her face. “Interesting way to do it.”
“Would you rather me shoplift vinyls?”
Aiko chuckled and kissed Loki’s forehead. “Silly.”
Loki leaned her head against Aiko’s hands. “Aren’t you proud of my vigilante-ism?”
Aiko kissed Loki’s cheek. “I feel like the same outcome could’ve been achieved if you wrote an article instead.”
Loki grinned. “I’ll think about it!”
Aiko rested her head on Loki’s shoulder. “Maybe apply there.”
Loki looked at the cardboard boxes plaguing the living room’s floor, stacked in the corner. It was June now. After tomorrow’s shift, they’d have to ask Mae if they could load the car and unload in the city. Then the next morning they’d finally do it. After months of carefully planning.
Loki tapped her pocket again, and realized she had lost the metro card Aiko reminded her about. She held her breath. They wouldn’t need it after tonight. But still it felt wrong. You had one job, Loki.
“If it’s by the new place… I will.”