by T. G. Ayer
Taking a deep breath, I returned to Kai’s side. “I’ve left him on one of the sofas. It didn’t seem right to leave him on the floor.”
Kai nodded, her expression hopeless and weary. As much as I wanted to help, I needed to get back and contact Saleem. Find out what the hell he was doing.
I felt guilty now, leaving her for personal reasons, but I had little choice. “I hate to desert you, but I really have to go now.”
Kai threw me a bright smile, a little ray of happiness in a bleak time. “Thank you, Mel,” she said. “If you need me, I’m there.” Though her voice didn’t convey her gratitude her eyes did well enough. I didn’t need any more than that.
I leaned toward Kai, gave her a quick hug and a teary smile.
Then I jumped back home.
I landed in my living room, my mind in a tailspin.
I’d kept it together all this while, but now that it was all over, the reality hit me. Storm had abducted Lily. Storm had killed Anjelo.
Storm had frozen Logan in a cryo-chamber for some reason I couldn’t fathom.
I sank onto the sofa, my legs shaking so much they could no longer bear my weight. Glancing around the room, as if grasping desperately for something to hold onto, I took a shuddering breath.
Focus.
I needed to focus my mind, to get a plan in place, find out what I needed to know in a methodical and level-headed manner.
Never mind that all I wanted was to interrogate him myself.
I stiffened, thinking about all the people that could have been responsible for setting the poltergeist on me.
Could Storm be one of them? The one person I’d never thought to obtain samples from.
But even if he wasn’t the one responsible for my own issues, he was still instrumental in inflicting pain and suffering on so many others. Even people I care about.
But I didn’t get time to think.
My phone beeped and I barely registered the time as just after 1am. A message from Erik appeared on the screen.
Ready when you are. Can you pick me up at the bar in Venice?
Showtime.
Chapter 25
I got to my feet, grabbed my satchel and yelled for Steph.
She came running downstairs, hair mussed and face puffy with sleep.
“What happened?” her eyes were wide.
“I have to go. Erik’s meeting me and we’re heading to Hong Kong. I’ve got that appointment with Elise and hopefully we’ll have some decent progress on this case.”
“Don’t move,” Steph yelled, turned on her heel and sped up the stairs. I waited as she flew to the comms room, puttered around in there, then came thudding back down to me.
“Here,” she handed me a small black device, then bent over, struggling for breath, and waving a hand at me as if the movement would fill in the blanks, “signal jammer . . . for cameras and phones . . . thought you might need it . . .”
“Thanks. Brilliant idea,” I grinned as she finally straightened.
Steph nodded. “I’m just hoping he was wrong about captive Agamas elves.”
“You and me both, girl. You and me both.”
I met Erik in the same shadowed booth we’d so recently occupied. I only materialized long enough to project first to find a good spot and grab hold of him.
I jumped him to a deserted hallway beyond the reception area at the Garner-Royal Sun Hotel in Hong Kong. The irony that the hotel technically belonged to Erik wasn’t lost on either of us.
We hurried to the reception desk and booked the cheapest room I could find, posing as brother and sister on vacation. I’d had enough of luxury the last time I’d been here, and I wasn’t about to indulge my expense account for a mere hour’s sleep, if that.
I headed upstairs with Erik in tow, the boy’s eyes remaining focused on his phone as we rode the glass elevator. I studied Erik Garner during the ride. Gangly limbs, pale skin, a gamer or a nerd. Smart, bright, caring. And I found myself wondering how any mother could turn a blind eye to a child like him.
I hid a smile as I realized he wasn’t that much younger than I was, yet he seemed to still belong in childhood.
We entered the room and I dropped my satchel beside the bed. Erik grabbed a piece of hotel stationery and a pen, and proceeded to draw a rough sketch of the floor-plan of Elise’s floor.
After we went over a tentative plan, I got to my feet. “Anything else we need to do? Should we be scoping the place out before we get there? You know what you need to do?”
He nodded, ruffling his hair as he spun his phone on his fingers. “We’ve been over this before. Let’s get something to eat.” He was beginning to get short-tempered and I understood.
Young people wanted things to happen quick-fast. And considering he could phase, I didn’t think he’d ever let things come to him. He appeared to be the kind of kid who’d go out and get what he wanted when he wanted.
Then I stiffened. “What about cameras inside her office?”
Erik smirked. “Mother would not like cameras catching her at her most vulnerable” he shook his head, “trust me . . . no cameras inside the office.”
I nodded slowly, relieved. “Okay. You should get something to eat. I am going to see if I can get some rest.
I freshened up as Erik called room-service and ordered a burger and fries. Sinking into one of the double beds, I used the eye mask I’d found in the nightstand to shut out the light.
Lying there, I dozed as Erik pieced together his plan and wrote everything down. I’d insisted that he put it all down on paper so I knew exactly what we both needed to do.
This was dangerous
And I had no backup.
No time to call anyone, not even pull in a few favors with Logan or Kai.
Logan.
I’d forgotten about Logan and his current frozen state. Things had avalanched since I’d left Kai and I hoped she and Lily were handling Anjelo’s death okay.
Plus I worried even more about Saleem. Alone in Mithras without backup.
But what could I do but wait to hear from him? Other than running off to Mithras to find him, I had little choice but to wait.
And deal with things on my own.
I knew Tanaka was around the corner, so I probably could get his help if need be. I only hoped I wouldn’t have to. The fewer people involved the better.
Thankfully, I’d come well-equipped, my satchel filled with all the necessary weapons and ammunition.
I must’ve fallen asleep, because what seemed like seconds later, Erik was gently shaking me by the shoulder.
“It’s time.”
I dragged myself off the bed, my hand instinctively going to my nose to check if it had bled.
It had.
Glancing down at the pillow, now soaked with blood, I felt the urge to scream. How much longer could I put up with this?
I got to my feet and rushed off to the bathroom, leaving a very confused Erik staring from the bloodied pillow to me and back again. He hovered in the doorway as I washed my face and cleaned the bloodstains off my nose.
“Are you okay?” he asked softly, his face dark with worry.
I dried off and turned to face him. “I’m fine. You don’t need to worry. It was the jump from Venice to Hong Kong that did it for me.” Not to mention jumping three people at once, plus all those jumps so close to together carrying people around.
But I figured a little bit of information wouldn’t hurt.
He lifted an eyebrow, folded his hands and leaned against the doorjamb. “I thought you were a powerful SoulTracker?”
He was trying to be facetious, but I could see that he was worried.
I nodded. “I just haven’t been too well in the last few weeks. If I jump too many times within a short period, I tend to get nosebleeds. It’s not a big deal.”
He frowned. “Are you sure? I don’t need you to come with me, you know.”
I shook my head. “No way in hell I’m going to let you go alone. If I felt unwell at
all, I’d tell you. I wouldn’t jeopardize the mission in any way.”
He straightened and nodded, appearing satisfied with my answer as he turned and headed deeper into the room. I followed him, grabbed my bag and packed everything, slipping my dagger into my boot and checking to ensure that my gun was loaded.
This was one of those missions where I really had no idea what I was up against. It tended to get a little complicated for weapons and ammunition. Stab a demon in the gut, and he’ll keep coming. Some would need decapitation to stay down.
And what do I remove his head from his shoulders with? I can’t exactly walk around with two-foot swords that could do the job well.
Then there was the ammunition. What could bring down a demon would not necessarily incapacitate a dark elf, let alone kill it. Pity none of my ammunition would work on my evil spirit.
I bit back a bitter smile and slung the satchel over my shoulder slapping Erik on the shoulder.
“You ready for this?”
He nodded but refused to look at me. I sidestepped into his line of sight and peered at his face. “There is no shame in being nervous. This is a really big deal. And it’s not easy for anyone to face their parent down in a situation like this.”
He gave me a grateful smile. “Thank you for being there for me. For taking my side.”
I shook my head. “It’s not really a matter of sides, Erik. Good and right always win.”
I hid my tiny flinch as I said those words. Good and right didn’t always win.
Sometimes good and right lost big time.
Chapter 26
It was a dull evening, but the murky sky up above the tops of the high-rises were barely visible. The city was already filled with neon lights blinking and flickering in every direction. The beauty of the Hong Kong sky at sunset was a combination of man meets concrete and garish neon lights.
Strangely enough it worked, giving the entire skyline an eerie, almost magical atmosphere. Down on the streets though, the magic disappeared, leaving us with the cab-infested, people-infested street-party and nothing beautiful to admire for miles.
Erik and I lurked around on the street opposite the entrance to Trinity Towers, his mother’s office building. I scanned faces while we talked. Then I leaned against the wall and beckoned Erik closer.
He shifted toward me, pretending to give me a hug. It was the only way I could project into the building without anyone seeing my face. Although my eyes didn’t go all white the way Samuel’s did when I projected, my expression did change.
According to Steph, I looked as if I’d partied with Synthe, the latest walker drug.
I scanned the ground floor of the building, and floated toward the elevator shaft. Inside, I studied the rectangular metal box and was glad to see that the interior of the shaft had been constructed in order to help maintenance workers move up and down. There were plenty of ladders and handholds.
I returned to my body and gave Erik a run down. Then we headed down the street and around the corner, looking for the nearest shadow-filled alleyway.
The place was filled with people, walking, talking, and eating, and I couldn’t distinguish between resident and tourist. I gave Erik a glance, a little worried now that we couldn’t find a place that was quiet enough to disappear into.
“We should have stayed at the hotel and jumped directly from there,” I murmured.
He held my shoulder and tipped his head at the entrance to a small hotel. An exclusive boutique hotel, all glass chandeliers and dark plum upholstery, wasn’t the best choice but Erik and I entered, smiling at each other as if we were enjoying a night on the town.
Thankfully, the reception desk was busy and we snuck past the gaggle of guests checking in, and headed down the hall toward the restrooms. We ended up ducking into the ladies’ room at the last minute, and I hid a smile as Erik made a disgusted face.
“Oh, please. At least women don’t have urinals. Now, that’s disgusting.” I snorted.
He opened his mouth to respond, then closed it.
I took a firm hold of his waist and gave him a nod, then jumped straight into the elevator shaft inside the Towers. I held onto him tightly, and thankfully he managed to retain his balance long enough so that, when we materialized, he could secure his footing along the ledge that ran around the base of the elevator box.
“Are you good?” I whispered. He merely nodded, his lips twisting. But I had no time to baby him. If he was feeling nauseous from the jump, there was nothing I could do about it right now. Not even if I’d wanted to.
I rummaged in my bag with my free hand and retrieved the camera, handing it over to him carefully. He looped the strap over his neck and said, “Please be careful. The woman is like a shark in the water. She’ll sense something is wrong, so be careful.”
I nodded and patted him on the shoulder. “You be careful, too. And just remember, if you have any trouble with the elf send me a text. Try and assure him that we’ll do everything possible to keep his daughter safe. If she’s being held, we’ll extract her. If he doesn’t believe you, tell him we’ll send him proof. And explain to him that we need her caught on tape, making him create the diamonds.”
Erik rolled his eyes. “We’ve been all over this already, Mel.”
I shook my head, ignored him and said, “After I meet with your mother, I’ll go in search of the elf’s daughter. Hopefully I can find her and secure her location fast, so you can placate him.”
He nodded and I didn’t give him any more time to question the plan. I jumped back to the restroom, straightened my clothing and strolled back out into the foyer. The concierge gave me a suspicious, haughty glare and I picked up the pace, giving him little chance to run after me. I was pretty sure walk-ins weren’t allowed to avail themselves of the facilities, especially not in hotels as posh as this.
I hurried along the busy street, barely seeing the people around me. I had so many things on my mind that I was seriously considering not taking on any more cases until my own issues were resolved.
I reached the glass high-rise building that housed Elise Garner’s Hong Kong offices, and went straight to the reception desk on the ground floor to report in and receive my visitor’s badge. I headed to the bank of elevators, giving the button a quick stab.
As soon as the doors opened, I stepped inside and punched Elise’s floor. Then I used the signal jammer Steph had given me and hoped it worked. I couldn’t afford for the elevator camera to catch me in action.
Projecting quickly, I peered beyond the metal doors and the high-end elevator carriage.
Erik, hung onto the outside of the elevator, holding on tightly as it surged upward sending his hair flying. I made a mental note to flick him a quick text, letting him know that I was in the elevator.
It worried me that he had to hold on while the car shot up thirty-six floors, and I prayed he’d be safe. A part of me prayed he’d just phase himself to safety if something went wrong.
The ride up to Garner International was both faster than I expected, and slower than I wanted. Something about the woman put me on edge, and I wasn’t looking forward to this meeting.
Give me a demon any day.
I stepped off the elevator, my low-heeled boots sinking deep into plush carpets—a deep coffee color this time. The woman seemed to have a thing for overly plush carpets.
Before I left, I did a quick projection to confirm that Erik had moved away from the car, and had climbed along the side of the shaft. I frowned, hoping he knew where he was going.
A second receptionist watched me from behind a long white desk, her expression cool and almost disdainful.
The woman got to her feet, tossed her long black ponytail over her shoulder and straightened her short skirt, which had ridden up, revealing a little too much thigh.
“Miss Morgan, I presume?” she asked, one of her painted eyebrows lifting slightly.
I forced myself to smile and nod and follow when she beckoned me through a pair of gigantic golden doors.
Carved with dragons and depicting legions of soldiers at war, it seemed extremely out of place in a diamond company headquarters.
Still this was Hong Kong, and it was probably Elise’s homage to the citizens of her adopted country.
More plush carpets, and when we entered a small waiting room—more like a very luxurious lounge—the receptionist waved her hand in the direction of a white leather sofa.
I took a seat, resolving to control my temper and to be patient. No matter what. Too many chess pieces were riding on this one conversation.
A few moments later, the inner door opened and the young girl exited, pausing to wave a hand in the direction of the office. As I walked over the threshold I caught a glimpse of the expression on Elise Garner’s face as she watched her assistant leave. A glance over my shoulder confirmed the sultry glance was shared.
So that’s the way it is.
I schooled my features and headed over to the pair of deep red leather armchairs in front of Elise’s desk.
She stood with her back to floor-to-ceiling windows providing a view onto the Hong Kong night. The view wasn’t very much different to the one that I’d had from Darius’s apartment two days ago.
Erik’s mother sat and shifted her chair forward, resting her elbows on her gleaming redwood desk. “To what do I owe the honor, Miss Morgan?” she asked, a cool smile on her face. She had to be wondering why I’d returned so quickly.
I smiled. “Don’t worry, I’m not here to tell you that I don’t want the job any longer.”
She let out a cool laugh, but I didn’t miss the flicker of relief in her eyes. “That was the least of my concerns.” She sat back, relatively relaxed and studied me.
“How can I help you? Is there information you need to help you get this job done?” Then she paused and frowned. “Has there been a problem with the payment?” She seemed annoyed as if pre-empting the problem.
I shook my head. “No, not at all. In fact, I would have preferred not to have received payment as yet. At any rate, I’ve sequestered the funds just in case things don’t pan out.”