Relentless

by Michael Arches

  Sure enough, I found Christina’s office a little farther down the hall than her dad’s, and Dana’s new digs were right across the hall from her new boss. I knocked on Dana’s half-opened door and entered.

  She waved at me and pointed at a chair in front of her desk. She held a phone against her ear and said, “Great, Marcia, we’ll expect that bouncy castle at two in the afternoon next Friday. Call me if anything changes.”

  After she hung up, I asked, “Aren’t you a little old for that kind of thing?”

  “Ha, ha. The kids want to celebrate the start of spring break. They raised half the fee, and the clan is paying the rest of the money. Actually, they’re using their share of the funds you gave them after beating Turnbull.”

  That made me feel warm and fuzzy inside. Some of his money would go to help kids. Wang had turned out to be broke.

  Moving along, I told her the news about the price on my head and the others’.

  Her eyebrows drew closer together. “Makes me sick to hear it. Is there anything we can do about those bounties?”

  “Don’t think so, and any sorcerer who comes near to try to collect will be taking a hell of a risk. Even though that’s unlikely, I’m always careful when going out in public. I’ll keep a closer watch than ever.”

  She still frowned.

  “And speaking of going out,” I said, “I know you want to see some of the local sites. I thought maybe we could head out this afternoon after school is over. We can take my boy toy and your new boss.”

  She leaned back in her fancy leather chair. “Sounds great. How about we go to the ocean? I’ve barely seen it.”

  “Sure. A beach or rocky cliffs?”

  “Ooh, cliffs, crashing waves.”

  I knew the perfect place. “You’ll love Point Lobos. It’s a state park near here with lots of scenic trails. When do you get off work?”

  She smirked. “It’s a part-time job. I’m paid by the hour, and I can come and go as I please.”

  “Then let’s say we’ll leave at four. That gives me time for a shower after the Garda’s afternoon run. I’ll let Philippe and Christina know.”

  -o-o-o-

  I HAD TIME to kill, so I went back to our suite and began a basic Internet search about Montréal. Everybody on the travel sites seemed to think it was a great old city with lots of charm. They didn’t mention sorcerers, so I assumed the bastards were keeping a low profile. That would make it harder to find both them and Cara.

  Too much happy talk, so I switched to the Dark Web. There, I found some hints about sorcerer activity in French Canada, but nothing about Breaux or his family. We’d need a much better detective than me to uncover the truth.

  -o-o-o-

  FOR OUR AFTERNOON run, I showed up out front as Inconspicuous Me. No Tito. Ian motioned for us to head out.

  “Wait,” I said. “Where’s our fourth?”

  “He decided he wasn’t cut out for this life,” the boss’s voice stayed even. “I’ve already replaced him with someone from our waiting list who claims to laugh in the face of danger, but he won’t arrive for a day or two. Come on. No more stalling.”

  Tito hadn’t struck me as a modern-day Rambo, but I was still surprised that he’d bolted. A price on his head was a problem, but it was more than outweighed by the chance to learn from a warrior as gifted as Ian.

  He took off at breakneck speed, as usual. The afternoon runs were shorter than our early morning jaunts, and only the Garda members participated. So, Fearless Leader pushed every one of us to our physical limits.

  By the time we returned to the inn, I couldn’t help but wonder why the air was so thin. Each breath I sucked in felt like it might be my last. But it wasn’t, and I didn’t throw up either. That was progress.

  After a quick shower, I met Phillipe, Dana, and Christina in the staff parking lot next to my Mercedes. I’d inherited it from a sorcerer I’d beaten the last time I’d visited Point Lobos, and I hoped this trip would be a lot less stressful.

  Luckily, the weather was balmy, a sunny Sunday afternoon in the sixties. The park was packed, but I didn’t mind. We wandered along several trails that gave us great views of Carmel-by-the-Sea and Pebble Beach, both miles away across the water.

  No sorcerers this time, and I finally began to relax after the fiasco in Vegas. Then it hit me—this was how Ian coped with stress. He let nature soothe him.

  In the past, I’d tried to connect with the great outdoors several times, but it’d never clicked. In fact, it’d seemed that Mother Nature was out to get me. But that was nonsense. Maybe it would work this time. I couldn’t ask for a more perfect day or a prettier place to mellow out.

  For inspiration, I watched Christina skipping along the trail in front of me. She was a nature nut and knew how to live in the moment. Dana and Philippe chatted together, and he told her about growing up on the coast farther south.

  We wandered through groves of gnarled cypress trees that had survived thousands of storms. Their rugged stoic natures inspired me even more to find a place nearby to meditate.

  Christina held a kid-sized walking stick, and all of a sudden, she pretended it was a sword, and she fought what she claimed was an ogre. It looked more like an old stump, but who was I to spoil her fun? The girl radiated happiness.

  I needed to get myself a little of her joy. Then I stopped for a moment to take in a view of a rocky cliff sticking out into the ocean to the north. Waves were slowly wearing it away, but it would no doubt exist long after all of us were gone.

  Maybe I had to take a longer view of life, not get so caught up in the day-to-day struggles.

  Christina began singing Born Free, a song that had been written long before we’d been born, and it would survive us, too. She didn’t seem to think about it. She simply stayed in the moment. The girl was her father’s daughter, in spirit although not genetically. They both inspired me.

  It was time for me to try their way again. So, I found a spot right off the trail that gave me a panoramic view, including an old church across the water to the north. It had white walls and a red tile roof that contrasted beautifully with the green, grassy hillside in front of it.

  I told the other three, “I think I’ll sit and meditate here for a while. I want to try to get in touch with my inner John Denver.”

  Too late, I realized that wasn’t the best image to have in mind. He’d died years ago when his experimental plane had run out of gas over the ocean only a few miles away from where we were standing. I might even be able to see the spot where he’d crashed, but I pushed that gruesome thought out of mind and focused on the peaceful old church instead.

  Philippe, Dana, and Christina let me be and continued to wander nearby. I relaxed and gazed north, staying as still as possible.

  -o-o-o-

  EVENTUALLY, I SPOTTED a golden eagle headed straight toward me. The birds were common in the area, but as it came closer, I recognized this one as Lazarus, Ian’s semi-wild eagle. Those two had some mystical connection, and I didn’t doubt that the boss had asked him to keep a protective eye on us. Christina, being a kid, couldn’t be attacked by sorcerers, but the rest of us were fair game.

  Lazarus circled overhead and provided extra security. No one could sneak up on me while he was watching. That allowed me to calm down even more. I let all my worries go and reached a higher state of consciousness. I’d always been good at meditating, and this afternoon turned out to be perfect for connecting to my magical core.

  Then someone talking loudly on a phone passed by and broke my concentration. I realized I’d taken advantage of my companions’ patience too long, so I hopped up. “Hopefully, you haven’t been too bored. I’ve had a lot on my mind lately, and this pause has helped me put it in perspective.”

  Phillipe gave me a hug. “Indeed, you look much happier. You’ve been pushing yourself too hard lately.”

  Dana and Christina walked toward me holding hands. Everybody seemed to be enjoying the
park, but a fog bank was moving in.

  “Are you ready to go?” I asked.

  Christina shook her head. “We still need to check out the seals and otters. We can usually see them from the trail south of us.”

  The girl knew what she wanted and wasn’t afraid to say so. We headed south, and after a few minutes, we stood on a bare hillside close to where I’d fought during my last visit. This time, the place was serene. A gentle breeze blew from the southwest, and the ocean was calm. Threads of fog reached out to cover the sun, and the air cooled suddenly. None of us had brought jackets. It was about time to go.

  Christina seemed immune to the temperature, although she was only wearing a t-shirt. She used a pair of binoculars to search for wildlife, and she ignored my hints that we should be on our way.

  I saw no reason to rush, so I enjoyed the view with Philippe and Dana. We stood high above several narrow fingers of land sticking out into the sea, and south of us, a dozen small islands poked out of the water. A few marine animals were basking on the rocks or bobbing in the gentle swell, but they were so far away, I couldn’t tell what they were.

  The kid, though, could see better. “Four otters today, plus at least six California sea lions. Many different birds.”

  She offered to share her field glasses with the rest of us, but I preferred to take in the broad view of the coast to the south. We were truly blessed to live in such a gorgeous area.

  The kid would’ve stayed until full dark, ignoring our gentle urging, but her mom called. “Having any trouble dragging my daughter away from Point Lobos?”

  The woman was a mind reader. “A bit, but we’re enjoying ourselves, too. Dana hasn’t spent much time by the ocean, so this is a real treat for her.”

  “You’re welcome to indulge your sister as long as you like,” Laura said, “but let me talk to my daughter.”

  I handed her my phone and pretended not to listen as she argued with her mom. Finally, the kid said, “Okay, I’ll tell her. Bye.”

  She hung up and gave me back my cell. Then she turned to Dana who was holding her arms close against her body to stay warmer in the stiffening breeze.

  “I’m supposed to tell you that I can come back here practically anytime. No need to hang around for me.”

  “That’s very generous of you,” my sister said. “I am getting a bit chilly…and hungry, too. Maybe we should leave in a few minutes.”

  Christina shrugged. “Whatever works for the grownups.”

  The light faded as the fog hid the sun, but much of the coastline remained brightly lit. I took several pictures to capture the magical moment. Maybe I was turning into a nature nut, too. After one particularly strong gust of cold air, the kid headed back to the car.

  -o-o-o-

  Monday, March 1st

  BY LUNCHTIME THE following day, Thao still hadn’t called me back to tell me about his niece, and he was usually very responsive. I needed him a lot more than he needed me, particularly since Breaux was moving on such a fast schedule. So, I called Thao.

  No answer. That wasn’t like him either, so, I left a message and kept my voice as happy as possible. “Hey, Thao, it’s Moira. How you doing? I was hoping you’d been able to connect with your niece and convince her to come out. It’s the perfect time to visit sunny California, at my expense…but you know that, don’t you? Don’t mean to ramble, anyway. Please call when you hear something.”

  I cringed as I hung up. I sounded too much like a little kid asking for a prize I knew I didn’t deserve. His voicemail system hadn’t given me the option of deleting my message and starting over, so that was that. What a ditz, Moira.

  Without Tito there for breakfast, the O’Rourke family’s table seemed empty. When I asked Ian for more details about why his disciple had left, he simply said, “Some good people just don’t like running toward trouble. It’s best he left before I spent any more time training him for a calling he’d hate.”

  I was surprised that the boss had described our work that way, as a calling, like we were priests or nuns. I hadn’t thought of fighting scumbags as a holy crusade, but Ian obviously did. For me, it was the only job I could do pretty well. Although it was dangerous work, it paid great.

  Maybe that was why he was the boss and I was the flunky. I tried to talk to him about that more, but Jin was asking his advice about spinning karate kicks. Plus, it didn’t seem like the right time or place for a philosophical discussion. I’d have to wait to get my questions answered.

  When he got a call, he stepped out of the dining room. I checked my watch. Still a few minutes before an appointment with Sadie to hear more about Holar history. I needed to understand the guild much better before my induction. Holar had lived eight thousand years ago, and the guild contained thousands of members. I had a lot to learn.

  As I was walking out of the dining room, Ian came back in. Another question occurred to me. “Any word about when Gill and Katie will show up?”

  “Definitely after dinner tonight. They’re having trouble collecting all their baby gear. It’s a big job to haul around a little punk.”

  He’d had plenty of experience with Samuel, so he knew. I wasn’t the maternal type, but I’d liked watching Samuel interact with his parents. Once I collected Cara and Mom, I’d have to think about a family of my own. Until then, girl, you need to focus more on bashing heads than soothing babies.

  Chapter 8

  ALL THROUGH DINNER, I waited for Ian’s phone to ring. That would probably be our first signal that our guests had arrived. The minutes seemed to drag. They’d come to my rescue once when I was in terrible shape, and I’d never be able to repay that kindness. While I wasn’t nearly as desperate anymore, I still wanted to see them safe at the inn. Driving on the Coast Highway was always risky.

  No news came. Finally, I asked, “Ian, have you gotten any updates on Gill and Katie?”

  He shook his head. “I’ll text them.”

  He did, and a moment later, his phone beeped. “Oh, they’re just arriving in Santa Cruz. The freeway was shut down near the San Fran airport by an accident. By the gods, I hate driving up there.”

  Our friends were still an hour away, so I wandered over to Philippe’s table and plopped down in an empty seat next to my sister. There were never any empty seats close to my boyfriend, but he beamed at me. Most of his groupies ignored me. I smiled back, magnanimous in victory. Every night, he whispered sweet French nothings into my ears instead of theirs.

  Dana put an arm around me, and I savored the moment. I’d worked my ass off to get her back, and it’d paid off so beautifully. Together, we listened as a teacher talked about an art history program at old San Carlos Cathedral. From her description, I realized that it was the church I’d seen earlier. According to her, it was one of the oldest buildings in California. Just another reminder I should take a longer view of life.

  -o-o-o-

  EVENTUALLY, CHRISTINA ENTERED the almost-empty dining room and approached me. “They’re here!”

  I grabbed Dana and Philippe, and we hurried behind the little girl to the portico. Oran and Travis’ nanny were unloading the back of a big-ass SUV. Gill and Katie were hugging Ian and Laura. Christina and Philippe and I joined the scrum. After everyone stopped talking over each other, I introduced them to my sister.

  As I hugged them, relief washed through me. They’d made it. The four parents were particularly close to each other, so I stayed back as Laura led our visitors into the inn. Philippe, Dana, and I helped carry their luggage.

  Travis whimpered in Katie’s arms, but everybody else laughed and talked with multiple conversations going on at once.

  We all headed to a suite the clan had provided. While our visitors got settled, my sister whispered to me, “You’re glowing. Did you know? I didn’t realize you were so close to them.”

  I suppressed a giggle. “It’s a mixture of sharing tough times then much better ones. After I got beat up trying to save you that night at S
uarez’s farm near Coloma, they put me back together. Plus, I’m hoping Gill will help us connect with someone who can find Cara. For tonight, though, I won’t bother him. He’s over a century old. The trip must’ve worn him out.”

  But soon, the older couple seemed to catch their breaths. Ian said, “We’re having a little welcoming party in our courtyard. No rush, come whenever you can.”

  Gill and Katie looked at each other. “Now’s fine,” they said together.

  Again, I held back, not wanting to intrude, but Katie glanced at me. “You two are also coming, right?”

  “If you like,” I said. “You’re sure to be mobbed by the clan. They’ve heard so much about you. We can talk later if that suits you.”

  She smiled sheepishly. “I prefer to keep you close. I’ve been dying to see you since you left our house to fight Eichmann. Have to know everything that’s happened since.”

  I threw my arms around her and hugged her again. Words couldn’t capture how I felt for her. She truly was my mom away from Mom.

  When I let go of her and Travis, she took my hand with her free one. We all followed Christina to the huge gazebo in the courtyard.

  I’d been right, about half of the clan was already there waiting. Philippe, Dana, and I grabbed an empty table while Laura and Ian took our guests around to introduce them to everyone. And Samuel’s nanny brought him to our table to wait for the others to join us.

  When they did, I grabbed a bottle of wine from the bar and poured glasses for everyone who wanted one. Katie held my hand while I described my victory in Riverside and the disaster in Vegas.

  A couple of times, I had to stop to take a few deep breaths. My throat kept tightening to where I couldn’t talk. We’d been so close to Cara. My sense of loss kept making me dizzy.

  Katie listened without interrupting until the end. Then she hugged me. “Listen, I hate to say it, but your odds of success were never very good. It was much more likely you two would’ve been enslaved again. Gill told me several of the most powerful sorcerers in the country were in Vegas last weekend for a big meeting. Most of them probably wanted to watch the gladiator matches Saturday evening.”