The Resistance Kids and the Haunted House, Part 4

Finn was worried. Poe hadn't come home last night. No one had seen him at all since he went to Mrs. Solo's office yesterday afternoon. Snap called Mrs. Solo, and she hadn't seen him, either. Even worse than that, Lor San Tekka, the guy Poe was supposed to be interviewing, had been killed the night before in a shootout by the docks.

Hank brought the New York World-Telegram over with the news as they were working on the Falcon the next morning. “Didn't your buddy say he was interviewing this guy?”

Finn grabbed the paper first. “Oh man.” The others all leaned over his shoulder. “What if he's a wet spot on the pavement right now?”

“We should go out looking for him.” Jess pointed to a slightly blurry photo of two men, one of whom was obviously about to run away. “I think that's him. He might be lost, or hurt somewhere.”

“Aw, come on, guys.” Snap shook his head. “Poe's lived here for most of his life. He knows this town like the back of his hand. He's probably hiding from the bad guys and will show up when the heat's died down.”

Rey nodded. “I don't think we should worry just yet. If he's hasn't arrived by the time of the party tonight, then we'll worry.”

“I guess so.” Finn returned to the Falcon's engine. “I still don't like it. Something doesn't feel right. What if the cops want to talk to him? After all, one of their own died last night.”

“And who would have killed Lor San Tekka?” Jess poked a finger at the front page. “The newspaper only says it was a local gang. San Tekka was one of the nicest cops in the area. He never hurt anything worse than a jelly donut.”

“I only hope Poe's ok.” Finn banged on the radiator. “He's my best friend. He got me out of the First Order Gang and offered me the room with him and Snap. I sorta owe my life to him.”

The bell on the back door rang. The group looked up as big Charles strode in. He was a huge old Russian with a grizzled gray-brown beard and long graying hair. You could barely see his blue eyes under all that hair. He carried a shivering Baby. “Hello, children,” he said in his thick, booming accent. “I think this mite belongs to one of you. I found her huddled in the alley behind the garage.”

“Baby! Oh, you poor girl!” Rey jumped up and gently took the frightened puppy out of Charles' hairy arms. “Let me check you over.” She gently rubbed her fingers around the dog for bumps, cuts, or bruises. Baby seemed to be ok, just scared. She was pressing her fingers around her collar when she found the scraps of paper.

Her eyes widened as she read it. “Ohhh...ohh!” She turned on her heel to Hank. “We have to get to Mrs. Solo's office!”

“Leia?” Hank looked over her shoulder. “What's so important?”

The others crowded around her. “Only someone who might know where Chief Luke Waller is.”

“I know Artie Baker.” Hank turned the sign on the front door to 'closed.' “Charles and I can take you there. He's an old buddy of ours.”

Jess washed her hands. “I think we should go to Mrs. Solo first. She ought to know that Poe's probably in trouble.”

“Don't forget the party.” Rey tucked Baby under her jacket. “We have to set up for that around 4.”

“Maybe one of us ought to call Mrs. Solo.” Finn grabbed his jacket. “It might be kind of shocking to have all of us in there at once.”

“Nahh.” Hank pulled on his own brown leather jacket. “She's been subjected to worse things. Did I ever tell you about the time we drove from here to Buffalo in a snow storm, trying to out-run her dad? The Falcon must have broken down twenty times on that trip.” He sighed, his eyes far away. “She kissed me under the hood, when we were working on the engine together. It was our first kiss.”

“I remember that.” Charles laughed, his booming guffaws rattling the shelves. “It took you long enough, Solovich. I thought you were never going to do it.”

Finn grinned as the kids climbed into the back of the truck. “Could you tell us about it on the way to Mrs. Solo's place?”

“Why not?” Hank plucked the keys off the back table. “It all started when Darren Veder invaded Echo Base, what we were calling the 39^th Precinct at the time. He was the most corrupt Chief of Police ever in New York City. He didn't like how we were taking out his rackets...”

~*~*~*~*~*~

Leia wasn't surprised to see her soon-to-be-ex husband, his massive best friend, four young adults, and a puppy crowd into her office. The Kids happily noted that Leia couldn't take her eyes off Hank...and he couldn't do anything besides stare wistfully at her. “Mrs. Solo,” Rey began, “we have news about Poe.”

The older woman's still lovely mouth turned down. “I heard. I've made calls all morning, trying to locate him.”

“We haven't been able to find him.” Rey handed her the paper. “But we did find this. Baby had it on her when she showed up at the Garage this morning.” The puppy barked at her name. The girl scratched her between the ears.

Leia unfolded it and read it, then dropped it into her purse. “Artie Baker was a close friend of Luke's, going back to the late teens. He knew my father before that. He knows everything that goes on in the Bowery. I could call him and see if he would mind us appearing on his doorstep. I thought he died years ago.”

It only took one tense phone call for Leia to convince this Artie to let them come. All she needed to do was mention Luke's name, and the next words out of her lips were “we'll be right over.” She looked up at six hopeful faces. “He's open. He said we can come, but not for long. He's working on something big, and it's very hush-hush.”

“Oh, wow!” Snap opened the door to let the kids out first. “I wonder if it's something for the government?”

“Maybe he's creating a secret ray gun or a laser,” Finn added, “like in the movies?”

Rey rolled her eyes. “You boys have seen way too many Saturday afternoon serials.”

“Shhh!” Jess put a finger up to her lips. They all poked their heads in the office – even Baby. “I think Hank and Leia are going to make love!”

They stood at opposite ends of the office. Hank got a little closer first. “You changed your hair.”

Leia had a little smile on her face. “Same jacket.” She ran her perfectly manicured nails down the battered leather.

“No, new jacket.” Hank's loving smile changed to concern. “Leia, I saw him. In the newspapers. I saw our son.” He took her hand. “He went back to that gang of his. He was one of the ones who killed Lor San Tekka last night. I didn't want to tell the other kids. They're upset enough about Dameron.”

“I don't want to lose Poe the way I lost you, Luke, and Ben. Poe's a good boy. He doesn't deserve that.” She gathered her purse. “I'll meet all of you on Hester Street. I have to stop somewhere first.”

“All right.” Hank went to open the door for his wife...and had to jump aside as four bodies and one dog toppled in. He gave them his famous little smirk. “Hear anything interesting, kids?”

Finn rubbed his knee. “Man, warn us the next time you want to leave!”

Hank rolled his eyes. “Warn me the next time you decide Leia and I are a peep show!”

Rey cuddled the warm, furry body in her arms. “Are you ok, Baby?” The little corgi barked and nodded, almost as if she understood. Rey looked up at Hank and Leia. “Your son is a killer? Is that why he was in reform school?”

“We'll explain some other time.” Leia looked at her watch. “I have to get going.” She ducked out the door before anyone else could ask questions.

Snap made a face. “It was just getting good! Aren't you going to kiss her?”

“Maybe later.” He shooed the group downstairs. “Come on. Let's catch Artie before he gets cold feet.”

“You should kiss her.” Charles brought up the rear. “I've said that for years. One good kiss, and she'll be back in your arms. You're just damn afraid, Solovich. Ever since you walked out, you been afraid. Maybe it's time you stop running away.”

Hank glared at him as they made for the stairs to the garage. “Shut up, Charles.”

~*~*~*~*~*~

“Yeah, mate, I know Luke.” Artie Baker was the smallest and oldest man any of the Kids had ever seen. He barely came up to Rey's knee, and Rey was pretty short. “Known him for years. Ever since he came here from Omaha, seeking his fortune. Don't think he was expectin' to find it as a cop, but he was a good one.”

Artie's place was filled with junk in every possible size and shape...and every last bit of it looked like it was being made into a robot. “Luke wanted me to make a bunch of these for the force, before he left. He said they'd help with smaller tasks, like giving out parking tickets.”

“You haven't changed a bit.” Leia pushed a pile of nuts and bolts aside and settled gingerly on the torn plaid couch. “You're still the biggest pack rat in New York City.”

“I like this one.” Jess leaned over a robot that looked like a little black box and squeaked like a mouse. “It's cute.”

Finn looked up – and up – at a tall turquoise robot with a medical symbol on its chest. “I think Kay would like this one. He could give injections to really tall people.”

Rey inspected a small, squat blue and white device that had a million tools on small arms. “This one looks like a Swiss Army Knife on wheels!”

“This is my favorite.” Artie patted the dome-shaped Swiss Army Knife. “I call him R2-D2. He only looks like a Swiss Army Knife.” He pressed a button. A red light flashed on his dome, and a small drawer popped out. “He can also carry secret information and signal to other robots about approaching danger.”

Rey had her arms around him, her eyes shiny and hopeful. “Can we keep him, Hank? Please? He'd be great around the Garage! Think of what all those tools could do for cars!”

Hank tugged the girl off the robot. “Sorry, kiddo, but he's not a pet.”

Artie was inspecting R2. “He's blinking.” He ran his hands over the shiny white and silver dome. “He only does that if there's another robot in the area. None of my robots are activated.”

Leia was inspecting the small paper that came out of the drawer. “Skywalker Manor.” She shook her head. “Do you really think he's there, Art?”

“He's there, miss, if he's anywhere.” Artie opened a panel in the back of the robot and pushed a few wires aside.

Rey stuck her head in. “This is fascinating!”

Artie took a wrench and twisted a bolt inside. “You like robots, miss?”

“Well, I like building things.” Finn peered over her shoulder. He liked messing around with cars, but not to the degree that Rey did. He couldn't understand a word Rey and Mr. Baker said for the next ten minutes.

Jess looked at a clock on a coffee table. “I think it's time we got going. We have to get ready for the party.”

Leia looked up from the paper. “Isn't that party of yours at Skywalker Manor?”

“Yeah.” Finn finally tugged Rey reluctantly away from R2. “Maybe we'll see Mr. Waller there tonight!”

“I get first crack at him.” Leia gathered her purse. “And by 'crack,' I mean I'm going to crack him in his jaw so hard, that idiot will be eating his dinner through a straw for a week! He could have told me where he was. I've been worried sick about him for three years.”

Hank grinned and put his arm around Leia's shoulders. “If you get first crack, I call second. I love the guy like a brother, but he shouldn't have taken off. We needed him here.”

Leia shook Artie's hand. “Thanks again. I'll get Luke to call if or when we find him.”

“Please do that, Leia.” Artie patted his head. “You know where R2 and I will be.”

The kids watched the two as they headed for the stairs. “Hey, do you have a date for this shindig the kids are cooking up yet?”

“Uh, no.” Leia grinned up at him. “I was just invited yesterday morning. I don't even know what I'm going to dress as yet.”

“Mind going with me?” He gave her that lopsided grin. “Charles will be there, too. I could get him to bring his wife Malla, and we'll double-date.”

She finally gave him a grin of her own. “Why not? I'll be doing business and pleasure. Maybe by the end of the night, Luke will be joining us.”

“The three musketeers, together again.” Hank took her arm. “Some things never change.”

His wife kissed his cheek. “Thank goodness for that!”

They were too busy looking into each others' eyes to notice that they had an audience. “Would you look at that?” Jess nudged Snap's arm. “They'll be living together again before you know it!”

“I knew it.” Charles might have been beaming somewhere under that woolly beard. He hugged Leia and Hank. “That is more like it, you two.”

“We should do something special for them at the party.” Finn leaned over Rey. “Maybe we could do a slow dance just for them, or set up a fancy Halloween dinner in a separate room.”

Rey nodded. “I wish Poe was here. He's such a romantic. He'd probably be great at coming up with ideas.”

Finn frowned at the mention of their friend. “I hope he's ok.”

Rey squeezed Finn's shoulder. “If he's not home by the time of the party, we'll call the police as soon as it's over, ok?”

“All right.” Finn rubbed his stomach as they climbed into the back of the Falcon. “I can't help it. I have this feeling in my gut like something's wrong. I don't know what it is. Some kind of...force, I guess.”

Rey put her hand on her slender middle. “So do I. It's probably just nerves about the party tonight.”

“Yeah. That's all it is.” Finn groaned as the Falcon started. “I hope.”

As they bumped down Hester Street, Finn swore he saw a golden figure, one that glowed metallic against the afternoon sunlight.. He was tall, with one red arm, and moved stiffly. His eyes even flashed red. Must be some kid practicing for Halloween tonight, he told himself. That's a great costume. He really looks like one of Artie's robots!