The City of Monsters

by Matthew McCollum

  He shrugged. “I'd be happy to, but you know I'm terrible at kemo battle sign.”

  She glared at him. “You promised you were going to learn.”

  “Well, I haven't yet. Wouldn't one of you two be better?”

  “She just needs someone to ask the guy to get it from the back. And we're eating.”

  Alex leaped deftly out of the van. “Fine by me. Let's go, Kat.”

  Once they were out of sight around the corner, George raised an eyebrow. “What was that about?”

  Kelly frowned as she finished her burger. “What do you mean?”

  “I meant, what was that about?”

  “I know. What are you asking about?”

  “I'm asking about Kat. Why'd she leave all of a sudden?”

  Kelly was beginning to get annoyed. “She's gonna buy a video game. Weren't you listening?”

  George rubbed his forehead. “Yes, I... why did she choose right now to go get it?”

  Ah. That was a question she understood. “Some of the more popular vampire games come out at noon. You know, a midnight release kind of thing.” She glanced at her watch. “She's a couple hours early, but the line is probably long.”

  He nodded and settled back. “Right, that makes sense. I just lost track of time. Still having trouble getting used to the Insomniac gland.”

  Jarasax perked up. “When did you get yours? Before you got this assignment, right?”

  “A couple weeks ago,” George said. He tried to stretch, but the van wasn't built with giants in mind. “Still not quite used to not sleeping.” He frowned. “Which reminds me... I've been meaning to ask—”

  “I don't have the gland,” Jarasax said in a blunt tone. “I'm not going to break my oath over eight hours of sleep.”

  “Hey now,” George said apologetically. “No need to get worked up. I know you guys don't use toys. Just curious how you've managed to stay up with us, that's all.”

  The changeling pulled an empty drink bottle out of a bin in the floor. “Insomniac energy drink,” he said. “Pretty much does the same thing as the gland, just as a drink.” He shrugged. “Less effective, and more expensive in the long run, but it works well enough.”

  “It also melts your brain if you stop taking it,” Kelly said, scratching the fixer on her arm.

  Sax grinned a little weakly. “It's not that bad, but... yeah. It's technically a drug, and it has some side effects. They're not having much success marketing it to non-changelings.”

  “I've heard that a lot of people have been using it to test how they'd react to the Insomniac buff,” Kelly said. “I'm not sure of the exact number, but something like six percent of all people are addicted to REM sleep, and go crazy without it.”

  Jarasax nodded. “The dreamsick riots. That was a weird couple weeks.”

  “Seems a weird way to do it,” George said, taking the bottle from Sax's hands and looking at it a little closer. “Wouldn't pills be easier?”

  “Doesn't work like that,” Kelly said. “Right now, if you want to take it as a pill, you have to take one every hour. They can do it as a shot, though, but they were trying to market it to a wide base, and most people don't like needles.”

  “I hear they're gonna start selling the shots,” Jarasax said. “Alongside the drinks, I mean. See which one sells better. Apparently some kid drank some of his dad's or whatever, so there's been a bit of backlash.”

  George shivered. “Chems freak me out. Why do you people do that to yourselves?”

  Kelly glared daggers at him. “Hey. Some of us are reformed.”

  He winced. “Sorry, ma'am. It's just, I can't understand doing anything that would screw with my brain chemistry.”

  Kelly sighed and decided he deserved a real answer. “Well, for most chems, the side effects are minimal at first. Even when full-addiction sets in and everything starts going sideways, the benefits can still outweigh the costs.”

  He made a face. “I know, I know. I just can't imagine ever wanting to...” He shrugged. “It's a preferences thing, I guess.”

  Kelly bit her tongue to keep from snapping at him. Preferences? He thought people got addicted to every chem on the market because they liked it?

  Thankfully, before she could lose her head, Jarasax noticed her consternation. “George, why don't you go take a walk? Check in on Kat and stuff?”

  George glanced at them and looked like he was going to say something, but then just shrugged and crawled to the van door. He grabbed his claymore and belted it to his back before walking away. The sword was useless against screamers for obvious reasons, but it was a great deterrent against more mundane muggers who might think he was an easy mark otherwise. And easier to carry than the minigun.

  Jarasax finished up the last of his sandwich and eyed Kelly warily. “You gonna be all right there, boss?”

  She frowned. “Yes, of course. Why do you ask?”

  He nodded to her hand. “I was afraid you might do something... unwise.”

  She slowly managed to release her death-grip on her pistol. “Don't be ridiculous. I was just holding it for... comfort.”

  “Comfort,” he said dryly.

  “Yeah, it makes me feel better.”

  He rolled his eyes. “Look, I know George has been pushing your buttons for the last few days, but don't let it get to you. He means well, and he's a good soldier.”

  She sighed. “I know, I know. I read his file and everything I'm just...” She shrugged, at a loss for words.

  “...not used to command?” he finished politely.

  Kelly nodded. “Yeah. We're specialists. Grunt commandos. You're in your element, but I'm not supposed to be in charge. My officer credentials consist solely of surviving the biter attack and saluting Huntsman when he shouted at me.”

  He shrugged. “You're the best we've got, though. Alex isn't exactly leadership material, and the bosses still remember that time I tried to shoot my lieutenant. Kat's a sniper, not to mention mute, and George doesn't have a head for tactics. Who else would it be?”

  “I don't know—anyone else?” She fished around in the lunch box and managed to find her water. “C'mon, Sax, I know Necessarius has a reputation for letting in any ragtag bunch of misfits and putting them to use, but there are better options out there than me.” She shook her head and took a swig of her drink. “At least a freakin' corporal.”

  Sax didn't say anything, and she glanced over at him, frowning. What was wrong?

  After a moment's silent contemplation, he looked her straight in the eye. “Kelly. Do you even know what is going on with the rest of the city right now?”

  She raised an eyebrow. “...no? I mean, I'm assuming you're not talking about the screamers.”

  A frustrated look passed over his face. “Gods of men and darkness, you need to start paying attention to the news.”

  She took another drink from her water bottle, using it as an excuse to break eye contact and get away from that piercing gaze. “Fine, I'll get on that. Just tell me what you're talking about.”

  He brushed his hair out of his eyes. “Kel, we're all that's left.”

  “What?” She shook her head. “No, don't be ridiculous. Necessarius is stronger than ever.”

  “In pure numbers, yes,” he said. “But that's not what I'm talking about. We've taken some heavy hits recently, lost a lot of our officers. Putting down the old gangs was costly, and we still have to deal with the cultures.”

  “Yes, I know,” she said as patiently as she could. “But recruitment is way up.”

  “That's the exact problem. Everyone we have is completely green.”

  Then it clicked, and she put down her water. “Oh.”

  “Yeah,” he said dryly. “Oh. Right now, the five of us are some of the most experienced soldiers the Big Boss has, period.” He sighed. “Alex snooped around, and said that if we hadn't been put on this job, we'd all have been bumped up to sergeant at least.”

  “Put the veterans in charge of the greenies,” she said.
“Definitely a better idea than promoting a couple of snot-nosed kids a few ranks up the ladder.”

  He nodded. “Exactly. But then the whole thing with the screamers started, and everyone was scrambling to figure out a solution.” He shrugged. “We're most useful here. If they sent anyone else, they'd just get killed.”

  “And we wouldn't react well to being commanded by a completely green corporal or whatever.”

  “Exactly. So don't be so hard on yourself. We need you to stay strong.” He shrugged. “If it makes you feel better, remember that technically we're under the command of the Paladins. You're not actually in charge.”

  “That—” She paused before she could finish her retort. “...actually, that does make me feel better. Thanks.”

  “What makes you feel better?” George grunted. He slid open the door to the van using the side of his body, his arms filled with candy and chocolate.

  “Never you mind,” Kelly said. “And what's with the snacks?”

  He grinned. “The nearest 24-7 store had a sale. I figured we may as well have something better than protein bars and ratburgers.”

  Jarasax snorted. “You might have the buffs to eat a couple pounds of chocolate at once, but the rest of us will get sick.”

  “I didn't mean for us to eat it all at once. Besides, we need sugar because of the Insomniac buffs, right?”

  Kelly shrugged. “He's got a point, Sax.”

  “I also got a job at the board. A quick delivery a few blocks away.”

  Jarasax raised an eyebrow at Kelly. “Still think he's got a point?”

  “Just because he's wrong about one thing doesn't mean he's wrong about everything,” she said a little angrily. She turned to George. “We're supposed to be keeping an eye on the Paladins in case of an attack, not taking on side-quests.”

  “Ten minutes,” he promised. “No more. Maybe a little less if we drive.”

  He certainly looked eager. And a nice, easy delivery mission might be just the thing to get morale up after the burner attack...

  Finally, she sighed and flipped out her phone to text Alex and Kat. “Fine. But this is it. If you have an idea like this again, make sure to ask first.”

  The ogre grinned and buckled himself in. “Yes, ma'am.”

  Chapter 21: FUTURUM

  SEENA

  Seena Lancaster was a Mal, a vampire assassin. Technically. Her current duties were... complicated. Still, she was personally recruited by Abigor the Bellows. He entrusted her with restoring some small bit of glory to the subculture, and she felt honored by the privilege.

  Her friends, however, felt otherwise.

  “I still can't believe you joined a subculture without telling me,” Delphie said as she set her drink down. She was a skinny little slip of a girl with a long braid of brown hair. “Didn't you say you were thinking about going with your brother?”

  Seena shrugged. “I don't know... thinking about flesh crafting makes me nauseous. No offense, Jelena.”

  Jelena—who was the assistant to Glasya herself—just grinned and brushed her black and white streaked hair out of her face. “None taken. I'm just glad you joined a vampire culture. Weren't the angels trying to recruit you for a little while?”

  Seena blinked. If so, that was news to her.

  Pam, her roommate, finally spoke up. “Aren't any of you freaks the least bit worried that she joined assassins?”

  Pam was completely baseline, as far as anybody could tell. They had only met on Sunday, so Seena had only known her for about five days now, but she was a bit... critical of others. She wasn't very pretty, which might have been part of the problem. She wasn't exactly ugly, but average was something of the exception in a city where you could buy a prettier face for a couple week's allowance.

  Jelena grinned even more broadly. “C'mon, it's the Mals. They just kill racists and angels.”

  Pam glared back. “Yeah right. Because assassins are so well-known for their honor and dignity.”

  Before Seena could say anything, Delphie spoke up. “She's got a point, actually...” When she noticed Seena's glare, she winced. “I mean, I'm sure they're as upright as they've always claimed to be. But without Baal leading them, maybe that will change.”

  It was surprising to hear her have an opinion on the matter. Normally, she ignored politics Maybe she really was trying to turn over a new leaf.

  “Okay, see, that's a good point,” Jelena said. “Give the mouse some cheese.”

  Delphie glared daggers at her but didn't retort. Wise move. Jelena was just trying to get a rise out of her.

  Seena rubbed her forehead in consternation. “Yes, the subculture is going through some tough times right now. But I think Abigor and the others know what they're doing.”

  Pam tried to steer the subject onto slightly safer grounds. “You have a brother, right? What's he have to say about it?”

  Ugh. Simon. Seena rolled her eyes. “He's overprotective. As usual.”

  “He's just worried,” Delphie said. She slurped some of her fruity drink through the straw before speaking again. “You're all he has, really. Besides, he's usually right. Remember when you were dating Nikoli?”

  Seena groaned. “Don't bring him up again, please...”

  “But Simon was right about him, wasn't he?”

  Pam frowned. “You going to let the rest of us know who this guy is?”

  “Yeah,” Jelena said, frowning as well. “I don't remember this either.”

  “It was when you were on vacation a couple years back.” Seena rubbed her forehead. “You've probably heard of him, actually. These days, he's better known as Amduscias.”

  Jelena nearly choked.

  Seena winced. “It's not that bad...”

  Pam raised an eyebrow. “The name's not familiar to me.”

  Jelena got her breathing under control. “He's... the Traitor Hawk. He betrayed Soaring Eagle and joined Tiamat.” She tweaked one of her horns with her fingers. “White night Seena, you dated the Reconciler of Foes?”

  She threw up her hands. “No! I dated an ave named Nikoli! He seemed nice enough—he's always had a silver tongue.” She shook her head. “Besides, he was an ave. I felt sorry for him.”

  “Yeah, well, he's a lace now,” Delphie said a little bitterly. She hadn't been enamored of him in the first place, and after he joined the lizards it just got worse. “And one of the worst of the lot.”

  “How'd you even get out of that relationship alive?” Jelena asked, tapping the table with her claws. Well, they were more like long fingernails. “Amduscias has a reputation for being patient, but he does not let go once he's got his talons in you.”

  “Oh. Yeah. He... decided I wasn't worth the trouble.”

  Jelena's eyes narrowed. “Seena. What did you do?”

  Seena shifted uncomfortably. “Nothing! Much...”

  Delphie looked at her sideways. “Wait, I seem to remember you telling me you shot him in the leg. But—”

  “Wouldn't have worked,” Jelena said. “If she was lucky, that would have just pissed him off. More likely, he'd like her spirit and start trying to recruit her for real.”

  Thankfully, Lily chose that moment to walk up to the table, pad in hand. “Anything else I can get for you guys?”

  “Yes!” Seena said immediately. “Uh... I want...”

  Her friends wouldn't let her go that easily. Delphie leaned forward angrily. “Don't try and change the subject. What did you do? What's so bad you had to lie to me about it?”

  Unfortunately, Lily quickly took the hint and scooted away. Unless Lizzy decided to show up after all— Seena had invited her, but she had said she was busy—she was out of distractions.

  Seena sighed. “Fine. I made a deal with the Queen-Mother of Dayborn Light.”

  Pam looked like she had just shot her. “You WHAT?”

  Seena winced. “Look, it's really not that bad...”

  “Not that bad?” Pam shrieked. “You made a deal with a fey, and you think it's not that b
ad?” She started pulling at her hair. “Men and monsters, I need a new roommate. Is there any way I can request a minimum IQ on a roommate form?”

  “The fey aren't...” Jelena started, then stopped herself. “No, actually, I think the baseline's got the right idea. You're a fig-witted idiot, Seena.”

  Seena scoffed. “Oh, come on. The Glasyans make deals with the fey all the time.”

  “Yeah, as a group. Everyone working together, making sure the deal is as fair as possible, checking for loopholes and making sure we don't innocently give them the last piece for a nuke or whatever. But one on one?” She shook her head. “You got cheated, bad. Blood and shadow, I don't care if all you gave her was a bottle cap—it wasn't worth what you got in return.”

  There was a long pause. The only sound was Pam slowly getting her breathing under control through what looked like some sort of meditation exercise. Seena expected her to say something, but it was actually Delphie who first broke the silence.

  “So what did you give her?” she asked as she finished off her drink. “I'm assuming it was a bit bigger than a bottle cap.”

  Seena looked away. “...it's not important.”

  Jelena chuckled. “It's like you don't know us at all. Obviously, that's not going to stop us from asking.”

  “Just tell us now,” Delphie said tiredly. “Save us all some time.”

  Seena shrugged awkwardly. “I gave her an egg.”

  Pam raised an eyebrow. “An egg? Like a chicken egg? No, it was probably some rare monster egg.”

  “Yeah, that's it,” Seena lied, nodding.

  She might have convinced Delphie and Pam, but Jelena saw right through her. “What kind of egg, Seena?”

  She winced. “Look, you need to understand, I was in a very tight spot with Nikoli. He was already joining up with Tiamat, and it was clear he wasn't going to let me go—”

  “Get on with it,” Pam ordered. “What kind of egg?”

  Seena twiddled her fingers. “Ah... mine.”

  Everyone stared.

  “Yours,” Pam said. “As in... under the proper conditions, it could grow into your child.”

  Seena nodded.

  Delphie opened her mouth, but no sound came out, and soon closed it again.