by S T Branton
“Still so gross,” Ally muttered, but I ignored her.
“Thank you, buddy. I’ve missed you recently. Want to come along with me this time?” I asked.
He crawled into my pocket and smooshed himself into the corner like he was trying to be inconspicuous. I patted the pocket affectionately.
“I want to go.” Pip moved to the edge of the seat like she was readying to get up.
I shook my head. “No. Stay here with Ally and Archie.”
“The toilet brush gets to go, but I can’t?” Her voice bordered on whining.
“Splinter stays in my pocket most of the time. Besides, he’s seen more combat than you have in your life. Hopefully, that’s not what this comes down to. Hopefully, I’ll go meet up with Dog, it will be smooth and easy, and it will be done,” I explained.
“Just like that,” Ally agreed.
“Yep. Remember, Pip. You know the plan. We have to follow it if we’re all going to stay safe.” I thought of something and smiled at her while leaning a little closer. “And if you stay here, you can watch Archie work on the rune.”
Her face lit up, and she slid over toward Archie.
“Don’t touch anything,” the Philosopher grumbled.
“All right.” I carefully climbed my way over the assistant. “Keep the assistant warm for me. I’ll be back.”
I opened the door and dropped out of the van.
“You need to hurry,” Ally said. “The Ambassador will get suspicious if his assistant is gone too long. We don’t want his security detail coming after us. Especially since I’m pretty sure there are surveillance cameras behind the hotel, and it won’t be long before they see the two of you taking this dude down.” She suddenly grinned and waved cheerfully. “Okay. Good luck! Off to save the world!”
No pressure.
Chapter Twenty-Seven
Strolling around carrying a crossbow wasn’t on my list of the top most subtle things I’ve ever done in my life, but it wouldn’t fit under my jacket, so I didn’t have much choice. Fortunately, it was still dark and there weren’t many people out and about. The very few I saw didn’t pay attention to me as I oriented myself and made my way toward the meeting spot to find Dog.
As I approached, I hoped the little map I was using was wrong. Then I saw the unmistakable figure standing several yards ahead of me, his back to me and his silhouette dark against the water. It was Dog. Dog waiting for me at a harbor.
I let out a sigh and reached for my radio to call Ally.
“Hello?” her voice crackled over the line.
“If I end up in the water again, I’ll be pissed. I don’t think Splinter will recover too quick, either.”
“I’m sorry,” she apologized.
“Well, you will be if he decides he wants you to cuddle him and feed him chicken noodle soup to warm up,” I warned.
I disconnected before she could say anything else. Mostly because Splinter had never had chicken noodle soup and I didn’t know if he would have a taste for it. But the image of him wrapped in a blanket with a heating pad on his head and Ally having to pour tiny spoonfuls of broth into his mouth made me warm and fuzzy inside.
I looked around and saw lots of shipping containers and not a lot of people. We were talking prime horror movie real estate here. Maybe psychological thriller. Either way, I didn’t think this would be a nice relaxing visit to the waterfront.
Dog turned to look over his shoulder at me as I approached. He turned the rest of the way around, and the tiniest hint of light on the horizon from the sun preparing to come up drew his features out of the darkness of his face. I fought the urge to hug him. But it felt like a hug moment.
“I’m glad you called. There isn’t a lot of time. The sun will rise soon,” I said.
I wasn’t entirely sure all those pieces went together in the same thought, but they’re what came out of my mouth. Being around Dog made making words harder recently.
“I know. Come on,” he agreed. Oh, good. It did make sense. “I tracked the Shapeshifter’s scent here.” He looked down at my hands. “Nice crossbow. Steal it from Archie?”
“I didn’t steal it. I borrowed it. This might not be a smooth experience, and I don’t want to be caught off-guard. The last weapon Archie made for me almost blew me up, but he made this for himself, so I figured it had a better chance of not blowing my fingers off. The bolts are electrified through magic. It’s pretty neat. Not only does it pierce the skin like a normal arrow, but then it gives them a helluva shock.”
“Like a taser?”
“Yeah. But cooler. On account of it being a crossbow.” I glanced at the weapon and back up at him. “Apparently, the bolts’ explosive effects are connected to range.”
Dog smiled. “Archie can’t keep the boom up over a long distance?” I shrugged. “You could have brought the awesome axe.” His eyes slid over to me, then back ahead of him.
“I could have. But I’m switching things up. Staying unpredictable,” I bluffed.
“Well, if there is one word I would use to describe you, Sara Slick, that is it,” he told me.
The heat on my cheeks returned, and I pulled my eyes away from him.
“Where are we going, exactly?” I asked.
He gestured at the shipping containers as we started walking toward their looming shapes.
“Right there.” He pointed to the area. “It’s where I tracked her.”
“Why here? What would the Shapeshifter want around here?” I asked.
“What are those containers?” he asked.
I looked at the wall of multicolored metal containers stacked on each other and scattered around the harbor.
“Um. Shipping containers?” I replied.
“And what are they for?” he led.
“Shipping?” I asked.
“And what else?” he asked, and I shook my head. “Storage. And that’s what the Shapeshifter needs. Odds are, they’ve kept Cabot alive for information. They couldn’t do away with her because if they did, they would lose any access to details they need to continue infiltrating the summit. She needs to be alive to tell them what to do and how to fit in, and probably information about the government and how it works so they can blend in and do the most damage.”
“So the Shapeshifter stored her,” I concluded. Dog nodded. “We need to free her.”
“Then we need to find her,” he said.
We walked along for a few more seconds in silence before I turned to him again.
“Thank you,” I told him.
He glanced down at me. “What are you thanking me for?”
“For saving me.” Heat splashed across my cheeks and I swallowed hard. “I mean, for helping us.”
Dog made a slight grunting sound and his lips curled up into something that might have been a smile.
“It feels good,” he confessed.
“It does?” I asked.
He met my eyes again, and my heart jumped slightly.
“I’ve spent so much of my life consumed by hate. It was a part of me, something that defined who I was and almost everything I did. There wasn’t a single day of my life that I didn’t have rage inside me. I didn’t connect to anyone or even want to. I always distrusted and disliked people on sight because I figured it was only a matter of time before they did something that gave me a reason to feel that way about them,” he admitted.
“So, you got a head start,” I said.
“You can say that. This is different. It feels good to do something to help others,” he told me. “To work with others.”
“Well, I know I for one am glad to have you as part of our team. I’m glad to have met you.” I hazarded only a glance toward him.
“You are?” he asked cautiously.
I nodded, and he took a step that brought us closer so the sides of our bodies barely brushed against each other. But it didn’t last for long. Seconds later, dawn broke, and when I glanced away from the new rays of sunlight at Dog, the handsome man was gone. In his place
was the massive shaggy black dog with a dark intensity in his eyes.
A touch of sadness pulled on my heart. This was the form I’d originally met him in, but there was always a little disappointment when he changed from the man I could talk to and connect to more strongly to the huge animal.
Dog wriggled out of his human clothes, turned and trotted away from me. I tucked his garments into a bag, then followed close behind him, knowing his animal form had a stronger sense of smell and would be better able to track the Senator now that we were close. The seemingly never-ending assortment of shipping containers stretched as far as I could see and towered over my head.
There was no way we would find the one where the Shapeshifter kept Cabot by playing Let’s Make a Deal and selecting lucky doors as we went. That might work out for the man dressed like a toaster or the woman who poured the entire contents of her junk drawer in her purse to prepare for the mini-game, but this was a touch more pressing.
“Do you know where you’re going?” I asked. Dog snuffled. “Of course, you do.”
We made our way past the neat lines of shipping containers and crates, but soon found ourselves at what looked like the entrance to a huge maze made out of the metal boxes. Perfect. Because the stacks of them weren’t enough. Now we got to frolic through the labyrinth.
Which, actually, in other circumstances, would probably be fun. I was not above a good, mature game of hide and seek. Only, I would much rather be doing the hiding than the incredible amount of seeking I saw in my future.
Before we could go through the entrance into the maze of shipping containers, Dog stopped. He sniffed the ground and looked around, then moved to either side and continued to sniff. Coming back close to me, he hunched down nearer to the ground, his fur bristling as a low growl rumbled around in his chest and reverberated in his throat. He might not have been using words, but I knew exactly what he was saying. There was danger close by.
There was only one choice, only one thing we could do. We couldn’t see anyone, but there was a heaviness in the air and in Dog’s growl that said someone was here who wouldn’t be happy to see us. It was treacherous to take one step further.
I tightened my grip on the crossbow and patted the pocket where Splinter still curled out of sight.
“Ready?” I murmured, and we headed forward into the maze.
Chapter Twenty-Eight
While dipping through various parts of the maze, I realized how brave Dog was. He’d pushed his nose almost flat against the ground, and he walked blindly toward whatever danger was before us but did it willingly so he would encounter it first. I didn’t want anything to happen to him, but part of me was thankful that for once I wasn’t the one in the lead, first to get attacked. Knowing my luck, whoever was at the end of this maze would wait until we were both in and try to surprise us by attacking me from behind.
Darkness overtook us as we moved farther away from the streetlights and into the depth of the maze. I held tight to the crossbow, knowing I needed to keep my wits about me. I only had so many bolts, and they were exceptionally powerful. I didn’t want to waste them. That left the glove, which I couldn’t depend on, and my switchblade, along with hand-to-hand fighting and Dog, who was a weapon all to himself. Whatever was lying in wait would have a battle on their hands. The question was how quickly I would end it.
Dog whimpered. Not a fearful one, but to get my attention without barking. The early morning light was all but completely hidden by the maze, and I could barely make out the shadow of him sitting and looking at me. I stopped where I was and looked around quickly. No one was near.
“What is it?” I whispered.
Dog whined again, only this time he stood, and I heard the clicking of his nails on the concrete as he led me toward a corner. He stopped before he went around it, and I thought I figured it out. I had to choke back the desire to say “good boy” and instead, laid myself against the wall and tried to peer around it.
A dozen or so yards away, two vampires stood guard in front of a metal storage container. They looked like the lower level ones I’d met in the alley, although these seemed a little more put together. The ones in the alley were animalistic and vicious, but entirely organic and weak. Something about these said they were stronger, smarter, perhaps imbued with some dark power from their master.
Archie had said something about the longer a vampire was around, the stronger it got. These must have been around a long time because they looked like they were a lot more solid than the weak, frail-looking ones I’d met before. They looked nearly human—almost indistinguishable. Only their pale skin, red eyes, and fangs gave them away.
Before I could come up with a plan, Dog trotted out from behind me and walked directly up to them. Their backs were turned at first, and I tried waving frantically to get his attention before he presented himself to them like a Thanksgiving turkey. Instead, he stopped and turned to me, motioned with his head to indicate a darkness-shrouded path to the side, then swung back to the vampires. I got what he was saying, but damn if I didn’t like it.
I took off from the shelter of the wall and ran as silently as possible to the shadows. Dog would get their attention for me, so I only had to put myself into position. I closed in as far as I could on the metal storage container, then accidentally kicked a bottle. The noise attracted the attention of the vampires, whose heads turned in my direction. Before they could get all the way, Dog barked and ran toward them, his tail wagging.
“What the hell? Get out of here, you stupid mutt,” one of them said, apparently assuming the dog made the noise. Dog barked again, twice, and leaned down on his front paws, his tail still wagging. He was trying to get them to come pet him and give me the chance to get behind them, but they didn’t seem like they were budging.
“Go on,” one of them growled. “Get out of here before I kick the shit out of you.”
“Why don’t you kick the shit out of him anyway?” the other said, and they both laughed.
“I don’t need to get bit,” the first one said. “I’d rather rip the stupid thing’s head off.”
“Bet you can’t,” the second one said.
“Easy,” the first one said, and stretched his arms. “Watch this. Come here, stupid little doggy.”
Dog stayed where he was, and the vampire grimaced.
“Fine, I’ll come to you, fucking mutt.”
He took a few steps forward. As he did, I snuck as close to the second one as possible. When things happened, they would happen fast, and I needed to be in position. The first vampire put out his hand like he was going to pet Dog, and I tensed and flipped the switch on the glove. It was go time.
“Let me pet your stupid little he—” he began, then screamed as Dog clamped down on his hand. As the scream began, I reached under the second one’s arm and shoved the gloved hand up to his throat. Even if the shock didn’t happen, it would surprise the hell out of him to suddenly be choked by someone behind him.
I barely needed to think about what would come next as his body convulsed, then smoke appeared on his clothes and skin. I let go as he crumpled to the ground, finger marks burned into him and sparks shooting off his now rigid hair.
The first vampire was on the ground kicking at Dog, who jumped around and yanked his hand in his mouth. One foot landed hard on Dog’s side and he skidded across the ground, letting go of the hand. I rushed over to them as the vampire got to his feet. He turned to me, bared his teeth, and hissed.
I swung the gloved fist and connected with his jaw, sending him barreling backward. The glove short-circuited and smoke billowed out of it, so I yanked it off and stuffed it in my jacket. This jerk would get the business the hard way.
I ran at him and tried to adjust my direction as he leapt up, dove over me, and rolled behind. His power gave him exceptional agility. Dog latched onto his ankle and shook, which gave me enough time to stop, spin, and charge him again. I reached him as he tried to leap up again after kicking Dog away hard. I grabbed him by the
belt and yanked him back down. As his surprised face came into view, I threw my head forward and smashed his nose and mouth with the top of my head.
He swung at me and connected with my ribs as I shoved an elbow toward him, hit him in the nose, and sent him reeling backward. As he hit the ground, I pulled the switchblade out and jumped. Before he could roll out of the way, I landed hard on his stomach with my knees and buried the knife in his chest. I pushed it deep into him as his hands reached up and grabbed my throat. I held it there as he struggled, slowly losing strength as dark, almost brown blood pooled around him. Finally, he stopped struggling, and his arms fell by his sides. I relaxed, turned to Dog, and smiled.
“That was easy.” I wiped the knife on my jeans. Rattling sounded from inside the container like someone was trying to open the door.
“Hello, is someone out there?” came a voice from inside.
“Hang in there, I’m trying to get you out,” I shouted while looking through the vampire’s clothes for a pair of keys. He had none, and I realized his buddy must have been the one with them. The door rattled again, and I turned toward it, meaning to reassure them I was coming as I walked toward the other fallen vampire when something rushed across my vision and sent me flying backward.
I landed hard on the ground and looked up. In the darkness, light barely illuminating his face, stood the assassin from before. He smiled and bared a set of terribly sharp teeth, then licked his lips. I reached for my knife and realized he had knocked it out of my hands, and now it was somewhere behind him. He walked toward me with a determined focus.
Well, shit.
Chapter Twenty-Nine
I scrambled to my feet, only to get knocked back hard by a stinging kick to my stomach that simultaneously knocked the wind out of me and made me lose my footing. Dog leapt at him as I hit the ground, and the assassin swiped at him with the back of his hand. He connected hard and sent Dog flying into the shadows while yelping. Suddenly, he was in the air and diving at me. I rolled barely in time to avoid his foot, which stomped into the ground so hard it made a small crater.