His name was Alabaster. His skin was whiter than snow, his eyes orange with a glow of fire to them. His hair was the only thing normal about him, blond and short.
The PRIMUS registrar looked him over. “You have a secret identity?” he asked.
“I checked that box off,” the man snapped. “Are you going to let me into UNITY or not?”
“That’s not up to me to decide,” he said, as he typed the information into the computer. “All new people usually have to go through security checks–”
“That’s bull.”
“Sir, those are the rules.”
“I’m beyond your stupid rules,” said Alabaster, leaning forward in his chair. “Do you have any idea what I can do?”
“It says here you can summon demons and the walking dead.”
Alabaster slowly rose.
“You don’t have to prove i–”
Alabaster raised his arms and uttered something quietly, then brought his arms down. Appearing behind him stood a beautiful angel. The PRIMUS registar looked from the angel to the man, and back to the angel, who had now attracted everyone’s attention in the room. The angel smiled benevolently to the registrar.
The registrar said again, calmly, “You didn’t have to do that.”
“Who else can call angels?”
The registrar continued typing. “You didn’t say you could summon angels. Shall I add that to your abilities?”
“No,” said Alabaster, plopping into the chair, the air seemingly pulled out of his sails. The angel hovered over Alabaster, a look of concern on his face.
“After passing security checks, you will get an invitation to join UNITY if they feel you warrant it.” A plastic embossed card spit out of a slot and the registrar handed it to Alabaster. “Your PRIMUS ID, sir.”
Alabaster snatched it from the man. “Thanks.” He got up and started to walk out.
“Sir, don’t forget your angel.”
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Dr. White examined the new files. Her husband, Dr. Black, came into the room. “Honey, you’re up late.”
“I’m checking this over,” she said, and pointed to the screen. “This man wants to join UNITY.”
“So, after the usual checks–”
“He’s only been here for a week, and he already wants to join us.”
Dr. Black peered at the file. Blond hair, orange eyes, white skin. “He’s not human.”
Dr. White looked back at her husband. “I want to meet him before anything.”
Dr. Black made a sick face. “You’re not going to that dive again, are you?”
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Grim settled in with his Coke and looked out across the dance floor at Caprice. Just like the D. He didn’t miss it. But the stupid little jobs PRIMUS gave him were a waste of his time and ability. He wanted to do what Scott was doing, work for UNITY and get the big, important things. Hotspots: quick, fast, and lucrative.
He felt that someone was watching him. He looked around the bar and saw her, a woman half-dressed – as most of the women there – but tastefully done. She wore her long white hair in a high pony tail and a tank top. She raised a glass to him.
He responded, raising his glass, and she left the side of the bar and came over to his end of the bar. “You must be Alabaster.”
“Yes,” he said. “You have me at a disadvantage.”
“White Witch,” she said, and held out a dainty hand.
He shook it gently. “We’re too white to be here, don’t you think?”
She giggled, “Sometimes that’s true. I’ve heard some things about you, Alabaster. I wanted to see what you were about for myself.”
“I assume you deal with magic.”
“Yes.”
“What kind of magic?”
She shrugged. “Oh, mostly the occult. I’m still learning.”
“I can teach you.”
She looked up at him. “I’m sorry?”
“I said I can teach you.”
“Don’t…magicians not tell anyone about what they learn?”
“I’m a different kind of mage. I believe that everyone should know. My last student has surpassed me already. There’s nothing better than that feeling.”
“You are a different kind of mage. Tell me, what do you think about taking life, though?”
“Depends.”
“Depends? On what?”
“Whether that life is worth taking.”
She peered at Grim, as if seeing him for the first time. “I see.”
“You’re not a real white witch, are you?”
She placed her wine glass down on the bar. “In fact, I am. I think I’ve seen enough of you, Alabaster.”
Grim raised an eyebrow and watched as the woman walked away from him. Chalking that up to a merely strange encounter, he thought no more of it.
Two days later, PRIMUS passed on a message to him from UNITY. He tore it open and read the simple words: “We cannot extend an invitation to UNITY at this time.”
Grim tore up his PRIMUS ID, set it on fire, and walked out of the main office, never to return.