by Ken Lange
Glancing from pillar to pillar, I frowned. “What do I need to do? Are there special words or something?”
She laughed. “No, this isn’t the movies. Just walk through, and poof, you’re there. It’s like strolling across the room… You can manage that, right?”
Rolling my shoulders, I sighed. “We’ll see.”
She leaned over and kissed me again. “Call me when you get settled.”
I smiled. “Sure thing.”
With that, I stepped into the scene, and…nothing. Well, not exactly nothing. My skin tingled for a second as I passed through the paper-thin image. Turning around, I tried again, and nearly walked into Heather.
I sighed. “Houston, I think we have a problem.”
Raising an eyebrow, she frowned. “What’s going on? You can’t just walk back through without opening the gate from the other end.”
Holding up my hands, I said, “I didn’t actually make it to New Mexico.”
She shook her head. “I don’t get it.”
I thumbed back at the gate. “When I walked into the image, I felt tingly and then nothing.” Stepping to the side, I pointed at the lagoon. “All I managed to do was get a good look at the moss growing on the water there.”
Frustrated, she blew out a long breath. “Stay put. I’ll be back in a minute.”
She moved into the shimmering scene then there was a low pop as it vanished. A few seconds later, it reappeared, and she stepped into view.
Placing a hand on her hip, she let out a laugh. “I hadn’t expected this to be a thing.” She pointed at my bags. “Give me those.”
Furrowing my brow, I asked, “Why?”
She snickered. “Because, silly, they won’t make it through airport security.”
I blinked. “What?”
Heather fought off a case of the giggles. “It appears you can’t use the gate. I’m guessing it’s due to your…unique nature.”
That was a polite way of saying that I didn’t possess any actual magic.
Handing her the bags, I grumbled, “Damn. All right.”
She kissed my cheek. “You might want to get online and book the next available flight.” Pausing, she pulled out her phone. “Smile.” There was a flash, and she lowered the device. “I’ll send this to Cole so he’ll know who to look for.”
She was gone a good ten minutes, giving me plenty of time to pay way too much for a one-way ticket to Santa Fe.
What a mess.
It shouldn’t have come as a shock that the gate wouldn’t work for me. They were created long ago to be used by those with magic in their blood. Until this moment, I’d thought being a member of the Archive and a vigil would be more than enough to allow me passage. Apparently not.
The fastest route to Santa Fe came with a connecting flight through Dallas on a civilian aircraft. Due to my size, I’d be lucky if they didn’t charge me for an extra seat. The only thing in my favor was that I didn’t have any luggage for them to lose.
The gate hummed, and Heather reappeared with her hand out. “Keys.”
I stuffed my hand into my pocket to retrieve them. “Be careful with her.”
She rolled her eyes. “I’m not sure who you like more, me or that car.”
I laughed. “You, of course. But you have to admit, the car is special.”
Heather nodded. “That she is.” Eyeing my phone, she asked, “All set?”
Frowning, I ran my hand around the back of my neck and nodded. “Yeah, I’m on the 5:15 flight out. I should get there around 11:30 tonight.”
She squeezed her eyes closed and winced. “Ouch… Flying isn’t my favorite thing, but there are worse ways to travel.”
I shrugged. “I suppose you’re right…I could be forced to make my way there by camel.”
Pursing her lips, she asked, “Other than the time, what’s so bad about that?”
“For starters, they smell, they’re irritable, and generally bad tempered.”
She snorted and waved a hand at me. “Ever stop to think that you’re massive, and that’s why they’re pissed off?”
Glancing down at myself, I sighed. “Could be…” I checked my watch. “I’ve got a little over five hours before I have to board. Want to grab a bite before you drop me off?”
She gave me a half-hearted grin. “Wish I could, but I have a triumvirate meeting. We still haven’t agreed on a replacement for Martha, and it isn’t as if you can keep doing it forever.”
I nodded. “I suppose that’s true.”
She thumbed over at the car. “Come on, let’s get going.”
The thirty-minute trip to the airport was far too short, or maybe it was the following hour in TSA hell that was too long. Since this was my first trip via civilian aircraft, it took me a few tries to make it through. The final attempt required me to remove my steel-toed boots, belt, and empty my pockets before the scanner stopped beeping. Thank God, because I wasn’t in the mood to be taken aside for a cavity search.
With that hurdle behind me, I passed through the checkpoint and found a place to eat. For some reason, I was finding myself hungry more often than not lately. The great thing about being in New Orleans was that almost every establishment in the city sold booze, and the airport was no exception. I couldn’t think of a better way to pass the next several hours than to eat fried chicken and have a couple cocktails. Probably not the healthiest of combos, but it did soothe my frayed nerves.
At around three, I finished my last drink and meandered over to the gate to check in. Not long after we boarded the plane, a nice lady changed places with me, allowing me to have an aisle seat.
Believe it or not, I arrived in Santa Fe on schedule. Which was a shock, considering the puddle jumper we were flying sounded like it was about to fall apart at any moment. The pilot taxied up near the terminal, where a set of stairs were pushed into place, and we were allowed to disembark. That was when it hit me. I was an incredibly stupid man… While Cole knew me, I didn’t have a clue what he looked like. Hell, I didn’t even have his phone number. My head started to ache, and I massaged my temples. You’d think I would’ve learned my lesson by now and started doing my homework beforehand instead of jumping into shit and hoping it would work out.
To make matters worse, my stomach was growling. The booze and fried chicken had long since run their course. Hopefully, there was a place close by where we could stop and get something to eat. That was, if I ever found the guy. Standing in the middle of the airport wasn’t going to help anything, so I made my way outside to see if anyone was there to flag me down.
The place was tiny, and it took less than a minute to make my way through the front doors. My mouth fell open slightly at the size of the parking lot, which was barely big enough to hold twenty-four cars across, and was only three rows deep. What sort of backwater town had I landed in? I’d seen forward bases that took up more space. Considering how famous the city was, I’d been expecting a massive airport in a thriving metropolis. Instead, what I got was a sleepy little town that had to have the best PR firm ever.
The quiet purr of a well-tuned engine floated in off the highway. Scanning the darkness, I was focusing on the entrance to the airport when a gorgeous 1957 Chevy Task Force turned in. Behind the wheel sat a rather small man, with shoulder-length black hair, dark eyes, and deep brown skin. His high cheek bones and angular jaw were made more pronounced by the odd shadows from the overhead lighting.
He coasted to a stop next to me and flashed me an easy smile. “Evening.”
Apprehensively, I asked, “Cole?”
“Yep, pleasure to meet you.” He thumbed at the bed of the truck. “I stowed your gear back there in case you needed it right away.”
My gaze flicked over my bags, and the tension in my shoulders eased. “Mind if we grab a bite to eat before we dig into whatever it is you want me to check out?”
Grinning, he motioned for me to get in. “I think we can manage that.” He paused, and his voice was full of wonder. “It’s great to fin
ally have one of our people as a vigil.”
I popped the door and slid into the seat. “Thanks…I think.”
Cole appeared confused for a moment. “Your grandfather is Isapo-Muxika, isn’t he?”
Wincing, I nodded. “Yeah, he is.”
He gave me a sad smile. “I suppose being blood doesn’t make him any easier to get along with then.”
“Not in the slightest.” My stomach chose that moment to growl loudly.
He raised an eyebrow. “You weren’t kidding about being hungry. Didn’t they have snacks?”
I shook my head. “Nope.”
Cole harrumphed. “In that case, I’ve got the perfect place to grab a bite.”
Patting my stomach, I chuckled. “Sounds great.”
Twenty minutes later, we parked on West Alameda and walked the remaining half block to the Del Charro Saloon. On our way, I took stock of my companion. He was around five-foot-six, and maybe a buck thirty soaking wet. He was dressed in a pair of dark jeans, a red flannel shirt, and a black leather fur-lined jacket that came down to his thighs. He grabbed the door and pulled it open, waving me ahead.
We found ourselves a nice table in the far corner.
Taking a seat, I picked up a menu. “What’s good here?”
He grinned. “Everything, but my favorite is the stuffed green chili burger, extra spicy.”
The way he said the last bit made me nervous. “The first half of that sounds great, but I’ll skip the extra spicy.”
Laughing, he said, “Smart man.” He let out a long breath. “Once we finish here, we’ll collect the trailer.”
I grinned. “Don’t tell me you called me here to help you move.”
He chuckled. “Hardly, but where we’re going, there aren’t a plethora of places I’d like to stay, so we’ll be bringing my airstream with us.”
I leaned my forearms against the table, and my smile faded. “Sounds like this is going to take a minute. Care to fill me in on what’s going on?”
Cole quickly scanned the restaurant to make sure we couldn’t be overheard and lowered his voice. “In the last few years, the number of missing people in the area has spiked. A lot of the locals have brushed it off as tourists getting lost on hikes, or people trying to disappear in the hopes of finding a new life.”
Frowning, I cupped my jaw in my hand. “But you’re not buying it.”
He shook his head. “Never have. One of the tribal elders and his wife went missing a few months back. And after a lot of poking around, I thought it best to call in some help since no one around here wants to listen.” His voice turned hard. “Isaiah, another elder, seems to think they’ve gone on vacation without telling anyone. In his words, I worry too much.”
I opened my mouth, but he held up his hand to stop me from speaking when an exceptionally beautiful woman with deeply tanned skin and long dark hair made her way out of the back. She wore a pair of faded denim low rise jeans with a light blue top that showed lots of cleavage and stopped at the bottom of her ribcage. Her nametag read Danielle P.
She dipped low and kissed Cole gently on the lips. When she spoke, her soft voice lilted across the table. “About time you showed up.” She straightened and winked. “Your usual?”
Cole’s cheeks darkened. “Yeah.” He waved a hand at me. “This is Gavin, the man I was telling you about.” He turned to me. “This is my wife, Danielle.”
She stuck the pen behind her ear and held her hand out in my direction. “Pleasure to meet you.” Her eyes narrowed, but her tone was light. “He’s been awfully coy about why you’re here, but don’t go getting him in any trouble or you’ll answer to me.”
I held up my hands and grinned. “I’ll do my best.”
She clucked her tongue and smiled. “See that you do.”
Cole sighed. “You’ve got it backward. I called him…so it’s me who’s getting him into trouble.”
Irritation flickered in her eyes. “It would be in your best interest not to remind me.” Keeping her eyes on him, she gestured at me. “Why are you involving the Archive at all? Everyone who’s gone missing is human.” Her tone softened. “Maybe if you told me what was going on, I’d be able to help.”
He shook his head. “Not a chance in hell. I don’t need, nor want, you to get on the elders’ bad sides… One of us there is enough.”
She gritted her teeth. “Like I give a shit about them.”
Cole folded his arms. “I’m not going to involve you in this if it’s at all possible.”
Flipping him the bird, she said, “Fine.”
He pointed at the pad in her hand. “Gavin is having the same…minus the habaneros.” Turning to me, he asked, “How would you like yours cooked?”
Wanting nothing more than to stay out of their disagreement, I shrugged. “Medium rare, if it isn’t too much trouble.”
She smirked, and mumbled, “At least one of you knows how to eat a burger.” Danielle spun on the heel of her boot and marched off to the kitchen.
Once she was out of earshot, I leaned in. “She did bring up a good point. If everyone who’s missing is human, why am I here?”
He frowned. “That’s something best shown. You’ll have to trust me for a few more hours, but believe me, you’re here for a damn good reason.”
I shrugged. “That’s fine with me.”
He started to say something else, but Danielle returned with our drinks, pausing long enough to stare daggers at Cole before leaving without a word.
Once she departed, I shook my head. “I’m guessing whatever you called me in for is bad enough to suffer her wrath.”
His expression hardened. “It is.”
If his tone was any indication, whatever he was going to show me would most likely mess up my entire week. Armed with my greatest weapon, sarcasm, I said, “Fantastic.”
A tiny smile broke through his dour expression. “It’s good to see you have a sense of humor. You’re going to need it.”
I frowned. “I’m guessing you’re not a motivational speaker.”
He snorted. “Nope. Danielle and I own this place. Bought it about a year ago. She runs things here, though.” Pausing, he sighed. “Mainly because my darling wife thinks I’m not a people person.”
I raised my tea glass in his direction. “If it helps, people say the same about me.”
Cole grinned. “Then we should get along wonderfully.”
“Ha.”
A couple of minutes later, Danielle arrived with our food and sat next to her husband. “I hope you two enjoy it.”
Cole raised an eyebrow. “Why’s that?”
She folded her arms. “Because that’s the last meal I’m making either of you until you tell me what’s going on.”
Doing my best to change the subject, I asked, “How long have you two been together?”
He picked up his burger and shrugged. “One hundred and eight years July. How about you and Heather?”
Wow. That was…impressive. I’d be lucky if she kept me around for the first year, let alone a hundred plus. Christ.
“We’ve been together about eight months…barely.”
He smiled. “Still in the honeymoon phase. That’ll pass, and you’ll discover if you’re meant to be together. If so, count yourself fortunate. A good partner is hard to find.”
Danielle cut her eyes at Cole. “Tell me about it.” Her expression softened, and she sighed. “This is the first time you’ve ever kept a secret from me.”
Cole mumbled, “I’m sorry. If it helps, I don’t want to be involved in this at all, but it’s not in my nature to turn a blind eye.”
She grimaced. “I know, but you don’t have to protect me. You know damn good and well I can take care of myself.”
He held out his hands, attempting to calm her. “I’m not trying to protect you. Goddamn, is that why you’re so pissed off?”
Confused, she stammered, “Then…what?”
Cole chuckled. “I’m more worried you’ll go wrecking stuff, and then Ga
vin here would have to come and arrest you instead of the actual bad guys.” He shrugged. “So you see, I’m actually protecting the general populace from your wrath.”
Danielle rolled her eyes. “Please, you’re making me out to be some sort of hothead.”
His voice was heavily laden with sarcasm. “You? Never. You’re cool as a cucumber in deep winter.”
She punched him in the arm. “Smart ass.” Turning to me, she said, “I may occasionally be…overzealous, but only when someone deserves it.”
I nodded and smiled. “I’m sure.”
Cole laughed. “The last time you lost your temper, you burned down half the house.”
Shaking her head, she said, “That was an accident.”
He winked at her. “I know, but it’s always good for a laugh.”
Her voice turned catty. “For you, maybe. The rest of us aren’t laughing.”
The last part was true. I’d taken the liberty of keeping my mouth full in order to participate in this conversation as little as possible. When their gazes fell on me, I shrugged and took another bite of my burger, which, I might add, was awesome.
Danielle grinned. “He’s a smart one.”
Cole sniggered. “What makes you say that?”
She pointed at me. “He knows when to keep his mouth shut.” Leaning over, she kissed him on the cheek. “At least I don’t have to worry about you as long as he’s around.”
I swallowed my food. “Maybe you’ve got me confused with someone else. You do realize I’m new to the Archive…right?”
Danielle gave me a dismissive wave. “Please, if even half the stories about you are true, my husband will be fine.”
And there went my appetite. “Care to be more specific?”
Arching her eyebrow, she said, “There are a few circulating, but my favorite is when you supposedly showed up at the triumvirate and burned a man to the ground… Is it true Andrew’s kept his remains on display?”
I frowned. “Sort of. Brad was burned to a crisp, and the process fused his charred skeleton to the floor. With all the enchantments in my uncle’s place, they’re having a hell of a time removing it.”