It started with a mutter, a mutter that was meant to be heard.
"F*cking freaks."
Mason was standing in line to pick up his pay at the window when he heard the comment. He looked over at the group of dock workers passing. He didn't recognize them. But there were lots of guys at the docks.
A mage pushed off from his lean against a piling, and flicked away his cigarette. "'Scuse me?"
"What' I didn't say nothing." The worker grinned, jostled from behind by a friend. Mason exchanged a glance with the his friend Tony in line behind him. He gently elbowed Tony and jutted his chin towards some of the workers mingled in that group. Tony's jaw tightened, and he gave a small nod.
Earlier that day while they were sitting around eating their lunches Mason had noticed them. He hadn't recognized the faces but something about them had been all wrong. The tell was their boots. Not a scuff mark on them. Brand new. They had filtered through the groups of workers eating lunch and relaxing before getting back to work and from what Mason and Tony could hear, in each of the groups one of these men were in, the talk turned to how the mages were taking jobs. Food out of their families mouths. And then Prop 37 would sneak into the conversation.
"That's what I thought." The mage settled back against the piling to wait for his friends.
The mutterer snickered, and started to head off with his buddies. "Magic f*cking leeches."
"You want to say that to my face?" The mage launched from his lean and shoved the worker's shoulder.
The shoved man turned around slowly as others in his crowd started to close ranks behind him. "Yeah, I do. Bob got replaced by you last week, he's got a pregnant wife and they're gonna lose their place cuz you lot came along."
"If Bob could do his job as well as I can, I wouldn't be here."
Mason glanced at Tony. This couldn't be good. More and more of the dock workers around them, magic and non-magic, had stopped what they were doing and were watching the escalating exchange.
Another man stepped towards the mage as some of the mage's friends eased into place behind him. "What about Jack" One of you assholes dropped a cargo load on him. He ain't never gonna be able to use that leg again. Bob may be a slacker sometimes but at least he can get another job!" The gathering crowd was starting to grumble amongst themselves.
It was like dominoes then. One push led to a shove back. Which caused someone else to get jostled so they shouldered into another. Words and curses started getting thrown by both sides until there weren't any sides. Just posturing and threats being hurled all around.
This had grown to much more than two stubborn fools butting heads. Mason caught sight of a few of the New Boots in the crowd. They were speaking low to several workers while they were making their way out of the crowd. He tried to see which way they went when Tony hit him in the chest to get his attention. "Vinnie," he said, and then started into the crowd. Mason looked over and saw what Tony was after. Vinnie, Tony's 13 year old son, must have been on his way to meet his dad like usual and gotten caught up in the crowd.
"Sh*t." Mason muttered and followed Tony into the crowd. People were grabbing and shouting back and forth. Someone grabbed hold of his shirt and pulled hard enough to split a seam. Mason elbowed the guy off of him and moved on till he caught up to Tony and Vinnie. Tony had his arm around Vinnie's shoulders and the other wrapped to protect his head. Mason caught his eye and nodded a direction. Then he ducked his head and acted as bulldozer to get through the crowd. Pushing and shoving any and all out of his way so that Tony could take Vinnie out behind him safely.
They had made it to the fringe of the crowd when the sound of Watch whistles started sounding. Mason smirked at Tony. "The cavalry has arrived." He didn't bother to look, his attention was on Vinnie as Tony knelt down in front of his kid to see the damage. The boys shirt had a few rips, just as Mason's had. But someone had elbowed the kid in the nose because blood was streaming down his face.
By the time Mason finally got to the window to collect his day's pay, the Watch had managed to break up the crowd before it had become a full blown riot. There were a few walking away that would have a new black eye or bump on their crooked noses for a few days, but no one had been seriously injured.
Mason pocketed his pay and started his walk home. His mind kept going back to the sight of Vinnie caught in the crowd and he couldn't help imagining Eva getting caught in the same situation. In some ways, Eva was well capable of handling herself. But in a mob like that, surrounded by angry people" Mason didn't want to think about it.
That night over dinner, Mason told Eva what had happened, what he had seen at the docks that day. And he told her to tell her bosses so they could keep an eye on things. Neither of them wanted anything bad to happen at the warehouse. Mason just hoped the warning would help. The city was a tinderbox, and it would only take one spark to set it on fire.
These were ugly times, and the docks were just waiting for that lit match.
"F*cking freaks."
Mason was standing in line to pick up his pay at the window when he heard the comment. He looked over at the group of dock workers passing. He didn't recognize them. But there were lots of guys at the docks.
A mage pushed off from his lean against a piling, and flicked away his cigarette. "'Scuse me?"
"What' I didn't say nothing." The worker grinned, jostled from behind by a friend. Mason exchanged a glance with the his friend Tony in line behind him. He gently elbowed Tony and jutted his chin towards some of the workers mingled in that group. Tony's jaw tightened, and he gave a small nod.
Earlier that day while they were sitting around eating their lunches Mason had noticed them. He hadn't recognized the faces but something about them had been all wrong. The tell was their boots. Not a scuff mark on them. Brand new. They had filtered through the groups of workers eating lunch and relaxing before getting back to work and from what Mason and Tony could hear, in each of the groups one of these men were in, the talk turned to how the mages were taking jobs. Food out of their families mouths. And then Prop 37 would sneak into the conversation.
"That's what I thought." The mage settled back against the piling to wait for his friends.
The mutterer snickered, and started to head off with his buddies. "Magic f*cking leeches."
"You want to say that to my face?" The mage launched from his lean and shoved the worker's shoulder.
The shoved man turned around slowly as others in his crowd started to close ranks behind him. "Yeah, I do. Bob got replaced by you last week, he's got a pregnant wife and they're gonna lose their place cuz you lot came along."
"If Bob could do his job as well as I can, I wouldn't be here."
Mason glanced at Tony. This couldn't be good. More and more of the dock workers around them, magic and non-magic, had stopped what they were doing and were watching the escalating exchange.
Another man stepped towards the mage as some of the mage's friends eased into place behind him. "What about Jack" One of you assholes dropped a cargo load on him. He ain't never gonna be able to use that leg again. Bob may be a slacker sometimes but at least he can get another job!" The gathering crowd was starting to grumble amongst themselves.
It was like dominoes then. One push led to a shove back. Which caused someone else to get jostled so they shouldered into another. Words and curses started getting thrown by both sides until there weren't any sides. Just posturing and threats being hurled all around.
This had grown to much more than two stubborn fools butting heads. Mason caught sight of a few of the New Boots in the crowd. They were speaking low to several workers while they were making their way out of the crowd. He tried to see which way they went when Tony hit him in the chest to get his attention. "Vinnie," he said, and then started into the crowd. Mason looked over and saw what Tony was after. Vinnie, Tony's 13 year old son, must have been on his way to meet his dad like usual and gotten caught up in the crowd.
"Sh*t." Mason muttered and followed Tony into the crowd. People were grabbing and shouting back and forth. Someone grabbed hold of his shirt and pulled hard enough to split a seam. Mason elbowed the guy off of him and moved on till he caught up to Tony and Vinnie. Tony had his arm around Vinnie's shoulders and the other wrapped to protect his head. Mason caught his eye and nodded a direction. Then he ducked his head and acted as bulldozer to get through the crowd. Pushing and shoving any and all out of his way so that Tony could take Vinnie out behind him safely.
They had made it to the fringe of the crowd when the sound of Watch whistles started sounding. Mason smirked at Tony. "The cavalry has arrived." He didn't bother to look, his attention was on Vinnie as Tony knelt down in front of his kid to see the damage. The boys shirt had a few rips, just as Mason's had. But someone had elbowed the kid in the nose because blood was streaming down his face.
By the time Mason finally got to the window to collect his day's pay, the Watch had managed to break up the crowd before it had become a full blown riot. There were a few walking away that would have a new black eye or bump on their crooked noses for a few days, but no one had been seriously injured.
Mason pocketed his pay and started his walk home. His mind kept going back to the sight of Vinnie caught in the crowd and he couldn't help imagining Eva getting caught in the same situation. In some ways, Eva was well capable of handling herself. But in a mob like that, surrounded by angry people" Mason didn't want to think about it.
That night over dinner, Mason told Eva what had happened, what he had seen at the docks that day. And he told her to tell her bosses so they could keep an eye on things. Neither of them wanted anything bad to happen at the warehouse. Mason just hoped the warning would help. The city was a tinderbox, and it would only take one spark to set it on fire.
These were ugly times, and the docks were just waiting for that lit match.