The Vigiles Urbani Chronicles- Year One

by Ken Lange

  A few minutes later, I was inside. Blue flames wrapped around me, and I appeared in the middle of the aisle on the floor above. Apparently, the energy that had emanated from Father George was some sort of radiation from Muspelheim. Meaning it wasn’t the glyphs that’d kept me tethered to the spot that night, but whatever Duncan had thrown at me.

  Needless to say, I was just as puzzled about the situation as Kur and the Grim. But it was a relief to know we couldn’t be held by some random magical ward. Walking out to the car, I checked the area once more before driving back to Heather’s. I made my way in through the back door, hoping not to run into anyone. It wasn’t meant to be rude, I just wanted to clean up before being social.

  Thankfully, Heather was busy in the kitchen making dinner, and Gabriel was nowhere in sight. Maybe he was with Alexander and the rest of the centurions. Whatever the case, I was glad no one stopped me.

  Heather stepped into the bathroom just as I finished getting dressed.

  She offered me a smile. “You were quiet coming in. Is everything all right?”

  I wobbled my hand back and forth. “Mostly.”

  Leaning against the counter, she gestured for me to continue. “That’s not really an answer.”

  A small chuckle escaped my lips. “True, but it’s the best one I’ve got.” I closed my eyes and shook my head. “Some seriously weird shit has been going on today.”

  She bumped her shoulder against mine. “Such as?”

  My jaw tightened, and annoyance crept into my tone. “Such as…Lake Creek Mall.”

  Furrowing her brow, she asked, “The place out in the east?”

  “The very same.”

  She frowned. “I got a feeling I’m not going to like what’s next.”

  I sighed. “You’d be right.”

  Her stomach growled. “Mind if we finish this conversation downstairs?”

  “Not at all.”

  It took most of dinner to go over everything I’d found. At one point, I retrieved the chart for her to review. Not that it did a lot of good. The only thing she could tell me was that the paper used was old stationery Touro had phased out about ten years ago. On the upside, she did promise to give it to her mother.

  Chapter 12

  May 5th

  When I opened my eyes, the brightness of the early morning sun forced them closed again. Squinting, I glanced over at the clock; it was a quarter past six. More rest would’ve been nice, but it was time to get the day started.

  After getting dressed, I went downstairs to make some breakfast and call a couple of folks. I was about halfway to the kitchen when the scent of bacon, sausage, and ham reached me. When I pushed open the door, I found Isidore at the stove with Alexander and Gabriel at the table, waiting to be served.

  Waving, I said, “Good morning, gentlemen. How did things go last night?”

  Blood rushed to Isidore’s cheeks. “All things considered, not terrible.”

  I grabbed a jug of tea out of the refrigerator and poured myself a glass. “That’s good to hear.”

  Isidore handed me a dish piled high with meat and eggs. “Sorry about borrowing everyone, but I needed help with Commander Kevlin.”

  Alexander, Gabriel, and I took our seats while Isidore set about making sure we were fed. Once we were properly situated, he sat next to me.

  He leaned his forearms against the table. “After Andrew received confirmation that Commander Kevlin’s orders had changed…” He gestured at the others. “I asked Alexander if he’d help me ensure the commander followed his new directives.”

  Taking a bite of my food, I said, “Uh-huh.”

  Isidore tilted his head from side to side. “Given the number of men the commander had at his disposal, it made sense to call for backup.” He sighed. “And, other than a couple of hiccups, everything went according to plan.”

  That was a curious way of putting it. “What kind of hiccups?”

  Isidore frowned. “There were a few playing hide and seek, but they were quickly rounded up. After that, a half dozen tried to ditch us prior to Belle Chasse. Again, they were disappointed.”

  Swallowing, I said, “I’m sure that went over like a lead balloon.”

  Alexander shrugged. “It wasn’t like we didn’t give them a chance to move out on their own. We gave them an hour to start packing up, but when they didn’t, we had to insist.”

  I shook my head. “That must’ve pissed Kevlin off pretty good.”

  Gabriel snorted. “Yeah, he wasn’t happy. He kept saying he had work to do here. When I informed him you weren’t going to give up the box to him or Mr. Smith, he just did this crazy laugh…then tried to punch me in the face.”

  I furrowed my brow. “That was rude.”

  Gabriel nodded. “Tell me about it.”

  Patting Gabriel on the shoulder, I said, “Sorry for the trouble.”

  He shrugged. “All part of the job, boss.”

  I glanced over at Isidore. “Am I to assume everyone’s on the flight back to Italy this morning?”

  Isidore nodded. “More like late last night, but yes.”

  Sipping my drink, I said, “Thank god he’s out of town. Now we can focus on the task at hand. Speaking of which.” I turned to Alexander. “Could you get in touch with Baptist and see if he needs a hand over at the Lake Creek Mall?”

  He glanced over at me. “What’s happening there?”

  About halfway through my recounting of yesterday’s events, Alexander picked up his phone and fired off a set of texts. I was just finishing up when the sound of Heather making her way down the stairs caught my attention.

  Gesturing at Isidore, I asked, “You got anything left on the stove?”

  “Of course, I’m not an idiot.” Grinning, he got to his feet, walked over to the microwave, and turned it on. “It’ll be ready shortly.”

  Heather stepped into the kitchen and smiled. “Good morning.” She glanced over at Isidore. “Smells delicious.”

  He puffed out his chest and grinned. “Thank you. Have a seat, and I’ll bring you a plate.”

  “Thanks.” She glanced around at the rest of us. “So…what did I miss?”

  Alexander thumbed over at me. “Gavin was just catching us up on his outing yesterday.”

  Isidore slipped a plate filled with bacon, sausage, and eggs in front of her. “And we were explaining that Commander Kevlin won’t be an issue any longer.”

  She looked at her plate and frowned. “No hash browns?”

  Isidore huffed out a breath. “Absolutely not. That’s just filler. If you want more, there’s plenty of real food on the counter.”

  She paused then nodded. “Good point. Now, about Kevlin…you’re sure he’s gone?”

  Gabriel pointed at his chest. “I marched him onto the plane myself. Why?”

  Her voice turned hard. “After going through the records in the box, I found he’d been involving himself in Gavin’s life for at least ten years prior to Naples.”

  My body tensed. “Seriously?”

  Heather swallowed a bite of food. “According to the files, he started poking around in your business while he was an analyst at the Pentagon. Twelve months before you were let go, he took a promotion from out of nowhere and transferred to Naples, where he oversaw the special operations group you worked for.” She shrugged. “From there, you already know how things went. What you don’t know is that Mr. Smith has been tracking you your entire career.” She held up a hand to stop me from asking a question. “I don’t know who he is, or why he’s taken such a keen interest in you. The one thing that is clear is that he’s responsible for a lot of your training, and most of your assignments. It was under his orders that you were left to fend for yourself twenty years ago.”

  I knew exactly what she meant even if the rest of the table didn’t.

  A cold fury burned inside me. “Really?”

  She nodded. “Yeah.”

  What the hell? Why leave me in a place where I could’ve died only to turn around and
save me two decades later?

  My plate was empty, and I pushed it to the side. “I don’t get it.”

  Heather sighed. “Neither do I, and that worries me.” She turned to Gabriel. “Ever since Gavin came home, Kevlin’s been compiling information about him. Now, a lot of it has to do with what he was ordered to do. But the other stuff he’s been digging into…well, let’s just say he’s taking this a bit personally.”

  Gabriel arched an eyebrow. “How so?”

  Heather’s expression faltered. “A month after Gavin arrived in New Orleans, Kevlin tried to freeze his assets. It didn’t work because he’d already transferred them into the Archive’s accounts. There are a bunch of little things, too, like random credit checks, calls to the NOPD—Hotard, in particular—and putting his name on the watch list. There are more, but they’re all just as petty and small.”

  I blinked. “Why?”

  She shook her head. “I’m not sure. He was under strict orders to release you from service and cut all ties with you. But he’s been dragging his feet for the last year when it came to gathering your files and destroying all hard copies of any documentation related to your service. In fact, if you were to research yourself, you’d find that you attended two years of college, and you weren’t a great student. You’ve never traveled abroad, and you’ve had difficulties maintaining a regular job due to mental issues. Overall, your profile makes you rather forgettable within the system.”

  Okay, that wasn’t what I’d expected. “So, you’re saying Mr. Smith wanted my records deleted and/or replaced with something less…colorful?”

  There were snickers from around the table.

  Heather smiled. “That’s a good way of putting it.”

  I was doing my best to wrap my mind around what she was saying. “And Kevlin was in charge of this, but he’s been delaying…for what purpose?”

  Irritation flashed in her eyes. “No idea. But with his connections to Hotard, and the fact that your records were stolen from his office, it’s nothing good.”

  I grimaced. “You’re probably right. But he’s on a plane back to Italy, so he’s out of the equation for now.”

  Alexander’s phone chimed. He picked it up, scanned through a few things, and got to his feet. “Sorry, duty calls.” He patted me on the shoulder as he walked by. “I’ll be in touch when I’m done at the mall.”

  I nodded. “Stay safe.”

  He grinned. “Always.”

  Heather got to her feet and hugged him. “It’s good to see you.”

  He gave her a wink. “And you too, little one.”

  Heather had grown up around Alexander. Robert, her father, had enslaved his entire clan, but he’d been freed when Andrew changed the laws in North America. Heather had always adored them, and they’d stayed on good terms.

  Gabriel checked his watch. “Time to make the rounds. Back in a bit.” He glanced over at Isidore. “If there are any leftovers…”

  Isidore snorted. “Of course.”

  Heather finished her food and glanced over at me. “What’s on the agenda for the morning?”

  I was about to open my mouth when Isidore cut in. “Actually, Andrew would like to see him…that is, if you haven’t got something more pressing.”

  She shook her head. “Not at all.”

  He turned to me. “And you?”

  I got to my feet and put my plate in the sink. “Dishes then Andrew from the sounds of things.”

  He smiled. “I’ll help.”

  Heather grinned. “While you two take care of this, I’ve got to get in touch with Cole about a situation in Nevada.”

  As I flipped on the water to rinse the dishes, I said, “Hey, when you talk to him, ask him to call. He was supposed to be in touch about Duncan’s father and I haven’t heard anything.”

  She nodded. “I’ll do that.”

  She waved and left the room.

  After we finished cleaning up the kitchen, I followed Isidore to my uncle’s place.

  When we walked in, Andrew was working at his desk.

  He offered me a warm smile as he gestured at the nearest chair. “Glad you could make it.”

  I thumbed over at Isidore. “He bribed me with food.” Sitting, I asked, “So, what’s up?”

  His gaze fell on Isidore. “Would you mind giving us a few minutes?”

  Isidore simply nodded and walked toward the kitchen. The man was constantly hungry—though it wasn’t like I had a lot of room to talk.

  Andrew pulled a box out and set it on the desk. “These are from Mr. Nguyen. He didn’t know where to send them, so he dropped them off here.”

  “Are those the prototype uniforms?”

  He grinned. “They are.”

  Tempted as I was to see what they looked like, I stayed put. “I’m going to assume you didn’t send Isidore out of the room to make fun of my fashion sense.”

  His expression faltered, and for a moment, he looked tired. “No, I didn’t. In fact, the uniforms are quite nice.” He reached into his pocket and produced a jump drive. After placing it on the desk, he slid it toward me. “This is why I called you here.”

  I leaned forward and picked it up. “What’s on it?”

  He didn’t say anything for several seconds. “That’s…” His voice cracked. “That’s a video diary of your internment.” He looked ill. “There are one hundred and thirteen entries.”

  Even though I was cold, sweat ran down my back and my palms were suddenly clammy. “Where did you find it?”

  Andrew took a deep breath and steadied his voice. “In the church. It was hidden in the padre’s desk.”

  I nodded. “Has anyone else seen it?”

  He shook his head. “If you mean any of our people, no.”

  Squeezing it in my hand, I nodded. “Thanks. Ah—if you don’t mind, I’m going to go back to the house.”

  Andrew got to his feet and walked over to me. “If you ever need to talk…”

  Dazed, I stood. “No, I’m good. I made peace with that a long time ago.”

  He wrapped me in a hug and whispered in my ear, “I’m so sorry you had to go through that.”

  I hadn’t expected the embrace, and my knees nearly gave out. “It’s not your fault. I survived it, and that’s the important part.”

  He let me go and stepped back. “That you did. I’m proud of you, son, and I’m sure your father would be too.”

  I fought back the tears that wanted to fall. “Thanks.”

  After turning, I numbly walked down the stairs. The next thing I knew I was in Heather’s driveway, with the drive clutched in my hand. After twenty years, my time as a guest of a foreign government was back in the forefront of my mind. It’d reared its ugly head last year when I became a vigil, but here it was in all its digital glory. In a haze, I made my way through the house, not stopping to talk to the others on my way to the office.

  There, I closed the door, pulled out my computer, and plugged in the drive. The first entry was when they’d brought me in. I’d been unconscious from an explosion that’d killed the rest of my team. It was all in Arabic, and while Kur could’ve translated it for me, I really didn’t want to know what they were saying. I got the gist anyway. Each recording was of my sessions with the man who’d tortured me for nearly four months. I didn’t watch them all, as it was several days’ worth of video.

  On the final day, my session had been cut short. At the time, I’d had no idea why, but now, on the recording, fear came across the man’s face as my eyes burned fiery orange. It was just after this that Anubis visited me, and the base became a pothole in the desert.

  I unplugged the drive and stashed it in the top drawer. Closing my eyes, I placed my forehead against the desk and tried not to hyperventilate.

  Chapter 13

  A soft knock pulled me from the nightmare I’d been reliving. The clock on the corner of the desk read 11:59. Damn, I’d lost track of the time. Getting to my feet, I did my best to shake free of the memories clouding my vision befor
e walking over to open the door. Heather stood there, patiently waiting with a glass of tea and a sandwich.

  Her expression was neutral as her gaze met mine. “Hungry?”

  Taking the food and drink, I nodded. “Yeah, I am. Thanks.”

  She gave me a weak smile. “Come down when you’re finished. Maybe then we can talk?”

  I did my best to return the gesture. “Sure. Give me a few for my food to settle and I’ll be down.”

  Heather put her hand on my shoulder. “Don’t be long.”

  “I won’t be.”

  Closing the door, I stood there for a moment then returned to the desk. It took a few minutes to calm my nerves, finish the sandwich, and generally get my shit together. Once I was certain the jump drive was secure, I picked up the dishes and walked downstairs.

  After putting the dishes in the sink, I went looking for Heather. Finally, I found her sitting in the gazebo out back. Thankfully, it wasn’t too hot just yet, and the humidity was low. All things considered, it was a typical spring day. Birds sang in the distance. The wind blew gently out of the south, carrying the scent of flowers in bloom with it. White cotton ball clouds blocked out the direct sunlight and there was a sense of calm in the air. In short, it was one of the most pleasant afternoons I’d ever experienced in the city.

  She smiled and waved me over. “Feeling all right?”

  I shook my head. “Not really, but thanks to you, I’m doing better.”

  Heather patted the seat next to her. “Want to talk about it?”

  I blew out a long breath. “Not really.”

  Her gaze swept over the brightly colored plants by the garage. “Okay, but if you change your mind, I’m here for you.”

  Forcing a smile onto my face, I said, “I’m guessing Andrew told you what he found?”

  She leaned her shoulder against mine. “In general terms, yes. It was mentioned in your file, but since it wasn’t in the box, I’d thought it’d gotten lost or, better yet, destroyed. You should be aware that there’s a rough accounting of those one hundred and thirteen days in there as well. So, I more than understand why you don’t want to discuss it.”