by Jon Chaisson
*
“I really shouldn’t be here,” Nick said, perfectly deadpan. “It’s a wonderful crowd and the eats are great, but I don’t have a single iota of Mendaihu or Shenaihu blood in me, I tell you. Some ancestor five hundred years ago on my mother’s uncle’s side was from Mannaka, but that’s about it!”
Sheila giggled and backslapped him on the arm as they walked down the closed street, past the many booths and tents that lined the sidewalk. Her mind and spirit buzzed with frenetic energy, and she didn’t care this time if it spilled out. When there were this many Mendaihu surrounding her, she couldn’t help but drink in the Light. “It’s our day off,” she said with a wide smile and took his arm. “I’m having fun for the first time in months. Besides, I’m considering this grunt work just in case something does happen.”
“Oh, I’m quite sure something will happen,” he said. Sheila started to respond, but stopped when she saw Nick’s distant look as he scanned the crowd. His take on things was always opposite of hers, which was why they were perfect partners. She had come to understand his cold, clinical way of analyzing situations, all the while knowing that it was just part of his job, a part he kept distant from his private life. So when she had noticed his emotionless and wary glances, she had to take notice. She let go of his arm and faced him.
“Talk, kid,” she said under her breath.
He exhaled. “They’re getting ready for something. This isn’t just a street carnival or a celebration. You know, like Landing Day. You don’t notice it, do you?”
“No, not really…” she frowned.
“Thought not. No offense,” he added with a patient half smile. “I’m just guessing that the sheer number of sensitives here is a bit numbing. It’s obscuring your sense of why you’re here in the first place. Just the fact that all these Mendaihu are here and letting their energies run rampant is causing many of them to lose their sharper focus.”
“Getting caught up in the moment, you mean?”
“Exactly what I’m talking about,” he pointed at her. “And that’s what’s worrying me. I can’t help but feel that something isn’t going to go as planned tonight.”
His words made her shiver. “You mean the One of All Sacred? If all that buzz about the Ninth Coming is true…Nick! Think of how exciting that is! Think of what she can do to end this imbalance once and for all!”
Nick pursed his lips and looked away. As much as he wanted to argue that point in particular, he kept his words to himself. Instead he turned and began walking away, towards the far corner of the warehouse. Sheila watched him for a moment, dumbfounded by his actions, then caught up with him.
“What aren’t you telling me, Nick?” she said flatly, latching on to his arm again.
Back in character, Nick flashed smiles everywhere around the crowd. “From what I’ve heard, Nehalé is expecting some opposition tonight when the One arrives. Probably the Shenaihu, maybe the nuhm’ndah, though he didn’t exactly say who or when.”
Sheila tried not to think of the images she saw yesterday at the church. She motioned for him to stop at a shaded booth selling flavored ice drinks. She bought for the both of them, and led him to a fleet of folding tables littering the street. They found a less crowded corner with an empty table and sat down.
“What do you want to do about it?” she said after a long silence.
“I’d sit tight,” he said. “No doubt the rest of our team will be here before long. Besides…I think our sightsensing is working just fine, don’t you think?” He winked at her as he took another sip from his drink.
She smiled at his pathetic and obviously self-deprecating joke. “I’d have to disagree,” she said. “I don’t think sitting this one out is a good idea. We’re team two but it’s our duty to work as if we were team one. We’ve got to talk to Nehalé.”
Nick let out a snort. “And say what, exactly? What good will talking do? Look around us. Five thousand against two? Oh yeah, I’m fine with those odds.”
“You think…?” She stared at him, angered by his remark. “You can’t be serious! You really think that all these people would be against you if we just up and took him in for questioning right now? Don’t be stupid.”
He pursed his lips and shook his head. “We wouldn’t be able to do it anyway, not the way things are now,” he said quietly. “Not to mention the, shall we say, selective listening going on.”
Annoyed as she was, he had a point and she wasn’t about to contest it. She may be Mendaihu-sensitive to a certain degree, but she wasn’t an adept. There was no way to be sure they could question Nehalé without soulsensers listening in. A wave of paranoia swept over her at the possibility of being overheard at that very moment, but he shrugged that off just as fast and forced herself to forget about it.
Nick worked his jaw and stared at the table. “What if he willingly goes through interrogation?” His eyes brightened as the germ of a plan imbedded itself in his mind. “That could be an advantage for us.”
“Advantage? How?”
Nick did not answer, but only smiled.
“You’re an insane man,” she said flatly. “I hope you know that.”
A third voice entered the conversation behind them. “Oh, that he is.”
Sheila perked up and turned to see a woman behind her, about to sip from a large flask of water she’d pulled out of the satchel draped over her shoulder. She was tall with a long tangle of curly blond hair tied back, and offered her a wide, inviting smile. Sheila did a double take, amazed by the presence of this enigmatic woman she’d last seen nearly six months ago. Christine Gorecki was the last person she’d expected to see.
Christine ran a private investigation firm in the lower half of the Waterfront District, just a few blocks from this warehouse. A former ARU agent, she went freelance some six months ago after a case she’d taken on had become extremely personal. Sheila did not know what had happened exactly, and had never brought up the subject. Christine had maintained minimal contact, mostly with Poe, but she’d been scarce the last few weeks.
“Christine!” Sheila exclaimed as she sprang up to give her a hug. “Have a seat! Pashyo, I haven’t seen you in ages!”
“I’m only stopping by, but thanks,” she said, genuinely happy to see the two of them. She reached over and gave Nick a hug as well. “I’ve been keeping busy the last few days. Getting the vibe, doing a bit of recon since it’s so close to home.”
Sheila nodded. “Got it. You working on anything new? Last I knew, Poe said you were taking some downtime between cases.”
Christine shook her head in amusement. “Downtime is not an adequate description, but to answer your question…I’ve been doing a few things here and there…soulreadings, a bit of reiki, what have you…nothing impressive.”
“You still down on Haden Street?” Nick asked. “Near Bosko’s Music?”
She nodded. “Still in the same apartment. You guys should stop by once this all blows over, have a party or something. It’s been too long.”
“That it has,” he said.
“Right,” she said, and hitched the strap of her satchel higher on her shoulder. “I really hate to take off so quick, but I prefer to keep moving in situations like this. So hey — do me a favor? If you run across Alec or Caren, have them call me as soon as they can? Nothing too important, just thought I’d offer help if they needed it.”
Sheila smiled at her. “Of course. Goddess, it’s good to see you, Chris, you’re looking great. We all miss you down at HQ!”
Christine barked out a laugh. “Like hell they do!” She waved at them and began to turn away. “Take care, you two.”
Sheila watched her disappear into the crowd before turning back to face Nick. She greatly respected Christine, even if they hadn’t become close friends or even close coworkers. The woman was extremely intelligent, strong, and soft-spoken, and one hell of an impressive former ARU agent. She live
d under her own rules, however, shunning authority wherever possible. Sheila remembered a particularly sticky incident between Christine and the Assistant Director that had nearly gotten her fired because of her refusal to go along.
“Think she’s doing her own research?” Nick asked. “Certainly seems that way, doesn’t it?”
“Of course she is,” Sheila smiled. “We’ll be hearing from her soon enough.”