by Kal Aaron
“What is it?” Bill set his fork down and gave her a concerned look. “I promise to take it seriously, whatever it is.”
Lyssa took a deep breath and locked eyes with him. She let the silence stretch between the two of them. “What’s your favorite ice cream flavor?”
“Strawberry,” Bill replied without hesitation. “Why?” He laughed. “Am I kicked to the curb for not liking chocolate? Please don’t tell me it was supposed to be vanilla. That would hurt too much. Not that it’s wrong for you to like vanilla.”
Lyssa grinned. “No, I think I can live with you picking strawberry. It’s my favorite.”
“Really?” Bill grinned. “That’s interesting. Sounds like we’re already compatible in a vital, important way.”
She said, “You seem nice, Bill. And for whatever reason, you can tolerate me even when I’m a frazzled mess. That’s an attractive quality.”
Bill frowned. “It sounds like a ‘but’ is coming.”
“Yeah, one is, but not the kind you think.” Lyssa shrugged. “I’ll be taking a lot of business trips over the next couple of weeks, maybe months. I’m willing to take a chance on seeing you again, but I can’t promise anything soon. I just want to be honest and not lead you on since you seem like a nice guy.”
Bill rubbed the back of his neck and looked away, his dimples again on display. “This is going to sound corny, but I’m willing to wait. You’re worth it.”
“You sure?” Lyssa was surprised by the doubt in her voice. “I’m not sure I am.”
“You know what they say,” Bill replied. “Sure, you’re a hot rich biker chick with a good sense of humor, but I have a feeling you’re really special, and good things come to those who wait. I got this second shot with you. I’m not going to mess it up now by being impatient.”
Lyssa nodded at his pocket. “You have my number. Don’t abuse it, and please don’t contact me for the next two weeks. I know that sounds like a lot of conditions, but it’s the way things have to be. I’ve got to be in the zone for my job right now. Just imagine me saying ‘crunch time’ and a lot of other buzzwords.”
“Fair enough.” Bill grinned. “I’m still going to brag to my buddies.”
Lyssa laughed. “You do what you want.”
Her compact mirror vibrated halfway back on her way home. She didn’t bother checking it until she’d arrived. Being distracted while driving and using an obvious shard in public were a bad combination.
Strolling into her living room, she ran her finger across the mirror and invoked the activation incantation. She tapped her foot, waiting for the glowing, swirling Lemurian words to form. She could get used to Samuel being helpful.
Your additional evidence suggesting a potential rogue is duly noted. Based on your previous report, the presence of additional monsters cannot be ruled out, and additional investigation should be carried out with support to maximize your chances of success.
Due to the sensitivity of the issue, rapid resolution of the incident is desired. To accomplish that, additional resources will be provided for another inspection of the mine and to confirm the elimination of the primary threat.
Proceed to site at 9:00 AM local time on the 27th to ensure resolution. The resources will be waiting for you or arrive shortly after.
The Shadow authorities, including the EAA and the Cochise County Sheriff’s Department, have already been informed, and the necessary contracts have been coordinated. Confirm the arrival of the additional resources by invoking the passphrase pair angel and lighthouse in English, as necessary.
“Additional resources?” Lyssa asked. "Could you be any vaguer, Samuel? It’s a freaking shard communications mirror. You didn’t have to do that.”
“Elder Samuel might be providing shards,” Jofi said.
“That would be handy.” Lyssa nodded. “Okay, this works. I’ll swing by the EAA to drop off the shard and tell Damien to see what he can turn up, then we’ll go check out the mine again and see what’s up.”
Chapter Twenty
Waiting in front of the fence around the mine entrance, Lyssa drummed her fingers against her handlebars. She hated having to be on time, only to wait for something else. It was 9:20, and the promised additional resources hadn’t arrived.
Two different deputies were guarding the mine that morning, but they’d parked their cruiser farther down and were watching from a distance with obvious suspicion.
She didn’t care that much. Befriending Ortiz and Adams was a start to establishing a good relationship with the local sheriff’s department. She didn’t know the next time she’d need to do a job in Cochise County, but at least she wouldn’t start with zero allies. Networking was a slow, iterative process that didn’t always pay immediate dividends.
She wasn’t a child. She understood there would always be Shadows who distrusted her. Considering she was in the middle of hunting a rogue who’d created an army of monsters, she couldn’t claim she didn’t understand their fear.
The best thing she could do to improve people’s opinions of Sorcerers was to find the rogue and bring him to justice. Everything else was secondary, including her comfort.
A black car with tinted windows drove up the road. Light pressure filled her chest. Lyssa narrowed her eyes, reached for her guns, and looked at the deputies. They stepped out of their car and put their hands on their weapons. At least they were following her lead. There was no way she was going to let two cops get killed right in front of her.
Had Samuel somehow tricked the rogue into showing up? That would be convenient. Of course, it could also be her shard delivery.
“If it is the enemy, I would recommend rapid termination,” Jofi said. “A blatant engagement would suggest confidence in a technique that can overcome you.”
“I’ll keep that in mind,” Lyssa replied. “But info’s good, too. I don’t know what’s going on yet, but I’m hoping our guy isn’t that arrogant. If he is, a couple of penetrators and we’ll call it a day.”
“And if you need more?”
“We both know I’ll use a showstopper if necessary,” Lyssa replied. “But let’s not go there unless we have to.”
The car slowed to a stop about ten yards away. The door opened, and a man stepped out in a dark ankle-length overcoat, arm-length black gloves, and a beaked mask with opaque black eyes—a plague doctor outfit. Two large black bandoliers ran over his body, each filled with black frosted-glass vials instead of bullets.
Lyssa had expected different possibilities, but not a Sorcerer showing up in full regalia. He didn’t have a weapon, and he didn’t seem to be in a hurry. That took guts, arrogance, or both.
“Stop right there,” Lyssa shouted, her hands on her guns and ready to draw. “Identify yourself.”
The plague doctor laughed and offered a merry wave that didn’t fit the image of his outfit. Lyssa didn’t move her hands from her holsters. He might not be able to pull off a spell instantly, but she didn’t trust the vials. She’d seen a lot of deadly potions in her Torch career. Some were terrifying weapons.
He raised his hands above his head. “The Shadows know me as the Plague Doctor, but I bear the Challenged Healer regalia. Greetings, Hecate, and please don’t shoot me. It hurts.”
Lyssa drew her guns and aimed at him. She crept toward him, ready for him to make a move. “I’ve been looking for someone who can make monsters. A Sorcerer in a plague doctor-looking regalia fits the bill. You have to understand my suspicion.”
“But I don’t make monsters.” The Plague Doctor kept his hands up. He didn’t look at the deputies. Once Lyssa was less than a yard away from him, he whispered, “I’m Antoine Keller. Elder Samuel sent me to help you out.”
She narrowed her eyes. She’d heard the name but didn’t know much about the man other than he had a life essence and spent most of his time in the Seattle area. Fortunately, Samuel had provided the final key she needed.
“Angel,” Lyssa whispered.
“Lighthouse,” he replied.
Lyssa holstered her guns. “This would have been less tense if Samuel had explained he was sending backup. I thought I was getting some shards dropped off.”
The deputies murmured to one another before getting back into their car. They looked annoyed at having to deal with both a skull-faced witch and a plague doctor, not the most attractive pair.
Antoine chuckled. “Sorry to spook you. I forget how touchy you Torches can be. Not that I blame you. If I was getting shot at all day, I’d be pretty jumpy, too.”
Lyssa frowned. “That’s right. You’re not a Torch. Why are you here, then? This is a monster hunt, a bug-splattering, cover-the-walls-with-viscera kill-fest.”
Antoine reached into the backseat of his car and pulled out a wooden quarterstaff with a silver snake entwined around it, a Rod of Asclepius. Holding it with one hand, he rested the bottom of the staff on the ground. “Elder Samuel thought you’d need someone with my skills and sorcery specialties.”
“Are you any good in a fight?” Lyssa asked.
“Not really,” Antonine replied cheerfully. “I’ll need you to take care of me, but as long as I’m not dead, I can bring you back from the edge of death.”
“I’ve got healing herbs, among other things,” Lyssa replied. “What else you got?”
“Ever try taking an herb when your arm is ripped off?”
“Almost, but I see your point.”
Antoine lifted his and twirled his staff with both hands. “Healing’s nice, but that’s not why I’m here. Elder Samuel told me you weren’t sure you had cleared everything out. He figured it’d be real nice if you had someone along who could sense living things even through walls.”
“Oh. That makes sense.” Lyssa nodded. “I crawled all over the mine, including into holes most people can’t fit through, but during my first inspection, I didn’t find a huge monster until she bashed through the wall.” She shrugged. “I’m grateful you’re here, but I’m surprised he pulled you into this kind of job.”
Antoine pointed his staff at the mine. “That means he’s taking this seriously. Is me helping you going to be a problem?”
“Why would it be a problem?” Lyssa asked. “You’re a lot better than a shard.”
“I’ve heard you’re a bit of a loner,” Antoine said. “I’m not here to pretend to be a Torch or steal your thunder. I’m here to track down the monsters and lead you to them to finish them off or verify you already cleared them out. I need you to do all the heavy killing, but it’s not like I’m going to fall and break my ankle in there. I might not be a Torch, but I’m still a Sorcerer, and I have my pride.”
“That works, and I’m glad you’re on board for my kill-fest.” Lyssa patted her pockets. “I’m loaded and ready to finish off anything else we find in there.” She drew her guns and turned to the mine entrance. “There’s no light in the mine. Are you going to be okay? I can see in the dark thanks to the Night Goddess.”
Antoine raised his staff and chanted in Latin. A faint pulse of sorcery followed.
“Now I can, too,” he replied. He pointed the tip of his staff at his mask. “I’ve changed my eyes temporarily.”
“Good. Let’s go find some monsters. Or better yet, let’s not find some.”
Five minutes into the mine, Antonine whistled. “There are all sorts of critters down here. It’s funny when you realize how much life there is underground. It’s enough to make a man think.”
“Critters as in bugs or as in monsters?” Lyssa asked. “The snake-roaches—”
“Snake-roaches?” Antonine laughed. “This is why Torches shouldn’t name things. You people are always too serious. There’s no pizzazz in that name.”
“Forget my naming ability.” Lyssa snorted. “The smallest ones are about the size of a dog, and they get larger than that. I figure there can’t be anything natural in this mine that’s that big. Are those still around?”
“I can’t tell the size of things unless I’m pretty close,” Antoine replied. “But I can tell you there are a lot of living things still in this mine, and they are clustered pretty close together. It’s way too much to just be bugs. You run into any bats in here before?”
Lyssa shook her head. “I didn’t.”
“Bats are fun.” He pointed down a tunnel. “That way.”
“That’s the general direction where I fought the monsters the last time.” Lyssa nodded. “At least we’re not going to have to worry about crawling through tunnels.”
“I can do some crazy things with my body to get through tight spaces, but it’s tiring,” Antoine told her.
Lyssa nodded. “Same here.” She motioned down the tunnel. “Just don’t run out too far in front of me. These things aren’t super-fast, but they’re relentless. I’m not willing to bet you’re sensing bats.”
Antoine whistled and headed down the tunnel. He tapped his staff on the ground in a rhythmic beat.
“Let’s stay as quiet as we can when not talking about the mission,” Lyssa said. “We’re both using night vision, but these things can see in the dark, too. They’re also sensitive to sound. I’d rather decide when the fight starts.”
“Ah. My bad,” Antoine said.
They continued, the only sound the light scuffle of their boots and the occasional drip of water. Antoine pointed his staff along the way, but Lyssa didn’t need much help. He was leading her back to the hatchery and queen’s chamber, further removing the chances of a hidden bat colony she’d somehow missed.
She moved in front of him as they closed on the first chamber, the decaying bodies managing to smell even worse than the last time she’d been there. The only good news so far was she didn’t see any new monsters or eggs.
Lyssa swept the room with her guns, regretting not remembering to bring nose plugs. “Does that mask block out smells?”
Antoine chuckled. “Not in itself.” He made precise motions with the staff. “But now I’m not suffering.” He whistled at the sight of the dead queen. “You really can fight. Way to go, Torch. I would so be dead if I had come here.”
“You’re sensing the life from here?” Lyssa asked. She didn’t hear or see anything. “Are they in the tunnels?”
He pointed the staff toward the far wall of the queen’s chamber. “Beyond there. There are lots of living critters, and now that we’re closer, I can single out some big ones.”
“Big ones?” Lyssa groaned. “You’ve got to be kidding me. Like as big as the queen?”
“Around that size, yes.”
“Damn it.” Lyssa jogged toward the queen’s chamber and traced the edge of the water to have to avoid wading through the muck. “I wonder why they didn’t come out the first time. There’s got to be some sort of secret lever or activation sigil. That rogue bastard’s smarter than I thought.”
“You’re complaining because you didn’t have to fight more than one giant monster at the same time?” Antoine asked. “You’ve got issues, Hecate. Just saying.”
“He has a useful perspective,” Jofi said. “Depending on the concentration of lesser enemies on the other side, you could easily be overwhelmed. He has already expressed his lack of significant combat ability. Immediate pursuit of the enemy is not a wise course of action.”
Lyssa frowned. “We’re supposed to finish this, not postpone it.”
Antoine shrugged, not realizing she wasn’t talking to him. “I can do okay, and you’re a Torch, but if you felt what I felt, you wouldn’t be so eager for a meet and greet. There’s a lot of meat on the other side of that wall. That’s all I’m saying.”
“We can’t just let a huge monster horde continue to breed.” Lyssa kicked the wall. “It’s like the bastards set this up with different levels to convince people it was over and stall us.” She kicked the wall again. “Did Samuel tell you about what happened in the first fight?”
“He gave me the bullet points. I’m not saying you’re right, but if the Shadows sent in troops or cops, they might have gunned down some of the small ones and called
it a day.” Antoine shoved a snake-roach over with his staff. “Now that we’re here, it’s like…” He shook his head, and a hint of wonder infiltrated his voice. “They’ve got a lot of monsters over there. From what I can feel and based on what I see, I think it’s a lot more than you fought before. You were damned lucky, Hecate.”
“This one is smart,” Jofi said. “Listen to him.”
Lyssa stomped toward Antoine. “All the more reason not to leave them. I was already worried about them attacking people. If there are even more, it’s only a matter of time before somebody else gets hurt.”
“I’m not saying we let them do what they want. I’m saying you should call in backup. I’m not trying to tell you how to do your job… Actually, yes, I’m trying to tell you how to do your job.” Antoine smiled. “Sometimes you just need a team.”
“Most of the nearby Torches are recovering,” Lyssa replied. “We’re running out of time. Halloween’s coming up. I’m not sure there’s a ritual involved, but we can’t ignore the possibility.”
“Then get ones who aren’t close. It’s not like I live in Arizona,” Antoine said. “Call in some friends even if they aren’t Torches. Elder Samuel has pull. It’s not like you’re asking people to help you move. I know you Torches like to do everything yourself, but I heard you cleared a big contract with help not all that long ago.”
“The use of the showstopper isn’t recommended in this environment,” Jofi said. “It risks severe structural damage to the cave system that might result in your death. Additional allies would be prudent.”
Lyssa hadn’t thought about using it since returning to the mine, but Jofi must have been thinking ahead. She hadn’t ended up needing it last time, but she’d come close while fighting the queen. His point was well-taken, as was the healer’s. His final comment had even pointed to a specific solution.
“Okay,” Lyssa said. She holstered her guns, confident Antoine would have sensed anything coming for them by now. “I’ve got at least one idea for help, but she’s not going to like having to wear shoes.”