Strong yet tender hands grasped her arms, and she leaned into Nathanael as he guided her back to the bench. “Here, take a swig of water and rinse out your mouth.”
After pouring some onto a bandana, he handed her the bottle. Then, he took the wet rag and wiped down her face, just like her mother used to do when she was sick. She sipped a bit of water, swished it around her mouth, and spat. But it did little to clean away the vile taste of betrayal and utter disappointment in someone she regarded as family.
Nathanael didn’t speak. He didn’t try to comfort. He simply kept his distance. It was as if he knew exactly what she needed: space and time to absorb it all. How did one reconcile the duplicity of one who had been so near and dear? She rubbed absently at her heart. It literally ached. All these years she’d been pining away for a chance to reconnect with the only family she had left. And now, to know he had been the one to cause the cataclysmic change in her life shook her to her very core.
A strong breeze stirred, whipping her hair across her cheeks, temporarily cloaking her face from view. Underneath, her disposition changed. And when the wind blew the curtain of hair aside, she looked at Nathanael with a new resolve, a new sense of purpose and determination. She would turn the tables on dear Uncle Eddie and personally rip his life to shreds piece by piece. Until there was nothing left but to rot in jail forever.
Chapter Twelve
If mere intention alone could kill, Nathanael knew Ariana just handed Eddie Murati a death sentence. Her leg had brushed against his ever so briefly, and then she leaned against him, allowing him a glimpse into her state of mind. It was not a pretty place at the moment. He completely understood. He’d been there himself a time or two over the millennia. The hardest lesson to learn in life, no matter how long the life, was the idea that you couldn’t trust most people. Unfortunately, she’d been given that lesson more times than he cared to count, and he’d exposed the last link to her past as a fraud and a murderer. No soothing or comforting words would make the news any easier, so he sat there and watched her carefully.
“Let’s get the hell out of here, Nate.”
“Okay. Where do you want to go?”
“I don’t know. Sounds as though Uncle Eddie has the Elixxir at this point. I believe a visit to his shop is in order, to be certain.”
“I’ll take Gabriel with me. You are most definitely hanging back until we have conclusive evidence that he’s our man. Please don’t argue with me on this. The Brethren have our ways, and we can keep emotion out of it. I have a plan.”
“For now, maybe that’s for the best. I’ll stay in our room while you go about your business. I honestly don’t trust myself not to kill him if I see him. That won’t serve us at all in finding the flask.”
“Now you’re thinking like a soldier! Okay, I’ll call Gabriel and have him meet us back at the hotel. Let’s go.”
She smirked and headed to his bike.
***
Gabriel, Yofi, and Nathanael arrived in a limo, shielding their true identities, at Murati’s Curiosity Shop. Gabriel took on the role, as only he could, of a wealthy businessman with money to burn, while Nathanael and Yofi played up their assets as his bodyguards. The two made quite a show of Gabriel’s arrival for a couple nosy onlookers by getting out of the car and walking around to open his door. The trainee took a visual sweep of the area. With the coast clear, he ushered Gabriel, wearing his finest navy blue Armani suit, into the store. A bell announced their presence.
Yofi, with his mile-wide shoulders and bulging muscles, made a perfect sentry and stood watch outside the door. As the latest addition to the Brethren Warriors, he impressed Nathanael. He seemed to be a good listener and knew the rudimentary skills necessary for the job. Nothing like the immersion process, though, to see if he could stand up to the rigors of Brethren life.
“Good afternoon, gentlemen. May I help you?”
A tiny, silver-haired lady with the delicate voice of a young child appeared from behind the cash register and smiled.
“Good afternoon, ma’am.” Nathanael and Gabriel sauntered up to the counter. “Mr. Lamb here, of Lamb Oil, has been looking for a very specific, shall we say, oddity, and this store came highly recommended. He hopes you can come through for him. Mr. Lamb?”
“Yes, thank you, Miles. I am looking for a piece that is one of only two known in the world. It is a piece from ancient Gaul. A Hadrian votive statuette. Stands about five inches tall.”
“Hmm, I know we don’t currently have anything like that here, but maybe you should speak with the owner of the shop, Mr. Murati. He’s occasionally called upon to seek out odd or rare pieces for customers. Let me tell him you’re here first, Mr. Lamb, and see if he’s available. Excuse me.”
The pixie of a woman shuffled out from behind the counter to a door, with a painted sign that read OFFICE, way in the back of the store. It took her quite a few minutes to get there, and Nathanael stood, shaking his head and pinching the bridge of his nose. Gabriel nudged him and gave an amused look.
“Don’t get me started, brother. Once you get me started, I won’t be able to stop.”
“What? I didn’t say anything!” Gabriel played innocent.
“You didn’t have to. Your smile said it all. This is serious business. So don’t even think about putting the words old woman, antique, and shelf together in a sentence, okay?”
“Okay, I won’t say a word. I’ll just think it. Actually, she kinda reminds me of one of your grammies from long ago. I’m thinking Middle Ages?”
“You know, you’re right. Grammie Aggie. Man, I loved her. What a soft-spoken old lady, but a spitfire when you crossed her. How the heck did you remember that? You were barely here during that time period.”
“I guess she made an impression on me. Nothing much else did. No, this current time is exactly what I’ve been waiting for. Hey, she’s coming back.”
The woman stopped after a few feet and waved them toward her. “Gentlemen, come to Mr. Murati’s office. He has a few minutes to speak with you. Just knock on the door.”
“Thank you so much.”
They were able to make it to the office and knock before the little old lady made it back to her counter.
“Come in,” a deep voice from behind the door called.
Nathanael opened the door and let Gabriel walk in. A quick look around surprised him. He’d expected a cluttered space filled with bizarre objects and what-nots. But it wasn’t like that at all. There were two chairs facing Murati’s desk and a framed lithograph of a Monet painting hanging on the wall to the right. That was all. Curious.
“Have a seat, please.” He cleared his throat. “What can I do for you today…?” He looked at Nathanael, and then his regard settled on Gabriel, perusing the suit and the Rolex on his wrist.
“Lamb. Austin Lamb of Lamb Oil. I’m in search of an odd piece, a relic, if you will, of which there are only two in existence. It’s a Hadrian votive statuette. From ancient Gaul. I’m told you are the man to see when finding what you want proves difficult.”
Murati raised his eyebrows. “I see, Mr. Lamb. The search for a piece such as this can take quite a while and include extreme measures. And then, in the end, the piece might be difficult to acquire.”
“Money is no object, but I do know what this kind of search entails. So I would say name your fee, within reason, and then we’ll talk.”
Greed flashed across Murati’s face as he figured numbers on his notepad. “I require a retainer of this much. No time limit due to the difficult nature of the search. When I retrieve the piece for you, I will figure its value and let you know.” He folded the notepaper and pushed it toward Gabriel.
He, in turn, took the paper and looked at the amount. He didn’t flinch, but looked up at Murati. “Agree to half up front, the other half when it’s found, and you have a deal.”
“Deal.”
“Let’s shake on it, then, and you can draw up the paperwork.” Gabriel extended a hand to him, and the Brethren
watched as Murati came out from behind his desk to take it in a hearty handshake.
Nathanael extended his, as well, and Murati hesitated.
“I don’t conduct any business without my man here. Shake with him or there is no deal.”
He cautiously clasped the Warrior’s hand. When they connected, Nathanael quickly ascertained that his suspicions were correct. All of them. He alerted the other Brethren telepathically and just about had the information on the Elixxir’s whereabouts when he sensed something disturbing and evil. Thick, oily goo teased at his shields, while an instantaneous pressure squeezed his hand. Suddenly, Murati’s mind closed and locked up tighter than Fort Knox. A red glimmer flashed deep within his eyes, and told him Satan had taken hold.
“So it’s the Hadrian you’re after?” he asked with a suspicious tone, and clung to the Warrior’s hand.
“Yes.”
“Nothing else?”
“Maybe after you retrieve this for us we’ll consider you for another piece.” Nathanael’s tracking threads exchanged tugs of war with Murati’s possessed soul, with each trying to reveal the other’s secrets. But neither would budge an inch or give anything away.
Gabriel stepped toward them after an uncomfortable silence descended upon them. At the very same time, Yofi entered the office. With two massive angels now flanking Murati, and Nathanael nearly crushing his hand, the older and diminutive man slowly backed down and eased the pressure on Nathanael’s.
“Everything all right in here, boss?” Yofi frowned and took an imposing stance over the salesman.
“Yes, everything is fine. I’ll leave a check with the lovely woman at the counter, Mr. Murati. We’ll be in touch. I like to keep a close eye on my investments. In a tangential way, you’re one of them.” Gabriel turned to leave. “Gentlemen, let’s go.”
Once outside the shop, Nathanael moved the limo to an inconspicuous corner and reviewed next steps. “Gabriel, we can’t leave here. We have to track him. Otherwise we’ll never find the flask. Damn it!” He punched the armrest.
“What happened back there? It all seemed to be going fine. You were feeding us good information and then, all of a sudden, nothing.”
“Murati is evil on his own, but Satan’s gotten to him. I saw the red glow in his eyes for the briefest of moments. He shut him down. I couldn’t get anything about where the Elixxir is hidden. But he’s definitely got it.”
“So now what do we do? Split up? One of us follows him while the others look through his store?”
“Yofi, I’m impressed, man. That’s one way to play it out.”
“If he’s got it in there right now, you know he’s gonna take it with him when he leaves.”
“Guys, there’s something else. I detected something in him that has me very concerned.”
“What is it?”
“The Elixxir.”
“What? Are you saying he drank the stuff?” Gabriel scooted to the edge of his seat. “Shit! If you’re right then I have some heavy research to do on how to kill someone who’s taken from the flask.”
“Immortality and evil possession. Not a good mix. Remember that, Yofi.”
“Got it.” He took out a little notepad and started writing, then stopped. “But he looks old, guys. I thought the Elixxir gave a person immortality.”
“It does, at the age-point it’s taken. He’s never going to age beyond what he is right now. But it doesn’t make him any less dangerous. He’s immortal now. And he’s Satan’s puppet.”
“Shit. Hey, we didn’t leave a deposit for the fake search! Nathanael, go back inside with this and see if you can get any more information.” Gabriel handed him a checkbook.
“Okay. Be right back. Hey, wait. Yofi, raise your shields and go in with me. You can hang out in there and keep a real close eye on things.”
“Got it.”
He liked second chances. And he would do his damnedest to make this one pay off.
***
Waiting around was not a strong suit of hers. Why Ariana had agreed to stay back and didn’t fight to go along, she didn’t know. Maybe the shock of it all had numbed her brain. She paid the price for that now. Impatience ate away at her control like a flesh-eating virus. She had to do something or she would explode. Uncle Eddie had killed her parents and had wanted her dead for twenty years. Time to start ripping his life to shreds right under his nose, and without him realizing it.
She knew her way around computers and the Internet a bit, using it all the time at the tour company. If she could get into Murati’s store and on to his computer, she could do some major, irreparable damage. Embezzlement, maybe? Tie him to organized crime? Oh yes, she could have a grand time! Itching to get started, she grabbed her bag and rushed out of the room.
Once downstairs, she bought herself a big T-shirt, bug-eyed sunglasses, and a floppy sunhat. She put her hair up in a bun and the items she bought did the rest to conceal her identity. Next, she hired a cab before any second thoughts could creep into her brain. The Brethren were all over the Elixxir angle. Good for them. But all they wanted was to retrieve the flask. She would have her revenge, and it would be sweet. Her knee bobbed furiously up and down as the cab pulled to a stop in front of the store. Doubt seeped into her plans and she sat frozen in her seat.
What the hell do you think you’re doing? What if the Brethren are still inside? What if Murati is inside? She took a look out the windows at the cars parked along the street. No one sat waiting in them.
“Hey lady, we’re here.”
“Could you wait for me, please? Here’s what I owe you for the ride so far. I’ll pay you for waiting and the trip back to the hotel when I come back. Okay?”
“Yeah, sure. It’s your dime.”
He took the twenty she handed him. “Keep the change, and don’t move. Please.” The driver grumbled something unintelligible.
She opened the car door and scanned the area. All looked clear. It’s now or never, girlie. Got your balls strapped on? Check. Then let’s go ruin a life that ain’t worth livin’. She took a deep breath, got out of the car, and marched into the store. As the door closed behind her and hit her in the butt, she stood transfixed, immediately thrown back to her childhood days.
She kept her sunglasses on in the dimly lit store. Everything looked the same! After all this time, as she scanned the stock on the shelves, nothing had changed! The monkey claws were on the same shelf. Right between the glass eyes and the skeletons of small animals. The furnishings hadn’t been updated, nor the layout of the place. The ticking of a grandfather clock rustled up a faded bit of memory regarding a hide-and-seek game she used to play. Even the musty smell that she loved as a child remained, only now, it choked her. She coughed and tried breathing through her mouth.
“Good afternoon, young lady. May I help you find something?”
Jesus! This lady is probably as old as…. Oh, my God! It can’t be. Grammie Murati? She’s still alive?
“Miss, if you have something in mind, I can help you.”
“I…uh…well. Yes, can you help me find a mummified cat, please?” It was the first thing that came to mind.
“Of course. We keep those way in the back. If you’d like to join me….”
“I think I’ll look around these aisles here, if you don’t mind. Pick the cat that’s in the best condition for me.”
“Okay, then. I’ll be right back.” The old woman hobbled out from behind the cashier’s counter and made her way to the Egyptian Oddities section of the store.
Ariana scanned to see if the store’s video surveillance cameras still hung where they had twenty years ago. Dust and all, they were still there. She took out her foam antibacterial hand sanitizer, ambled nonchalantly toward and under the one focused on the checkout counter and sprayed a good dose in the lens. She wouldn’t have much time to scurry over to the computer and look for what she wanted. The items in the store hadn’t changed at all, and neither had Murati’s bookkeeping. She sneaked behind the counter and sat dow
n in front of the keyboard. Grammie had forgotten to log out before going on her cat hunt, making quick work to find the files Ariana needed.
A click here, a click there, transferring money from one bank account to another. Switching things around in an Excel spreadsheet took mere moments to accomplish. The hard part entailed linking those changes to Murati’s bank account so it looked like he’d stolen from his own store. She needed a Social Security number to complete the transaction. Where the heck was she going to find that? She hoped Grammie would be indecisive about which cat to bring up to the front.
Clicking at the speed of light, she searched through files in the hopes of finding one with those nine golden numbers. Aha! A tax form!
A wobbly voice called in the distance. “I think I found you the perfect cat, miss.”
Scrambling to finish, Ariana’s fingers flew over the keyboard and hit enter. At the last moment, she remembered to return the screen to its original view and scurried back around the counter just as Grammie came into view. Breathing heavily, she willed herself to calm down.
“Wonderful, thank you!” She smiled broadly.
By the time the woman and the cat made it to the front of the store her normal breath had returned. But frenetic nerve-endings still fired prickly sensations across her skin. She had to get out of there before Murati made an appearance. She couldn’t stop glancing over at the office door, swearing that at any moment it would open and he would come walking out, see her, and kill her on the spot. The killing her on the spot part took her delusion a little too far, but her perspective was way off at this point.
“Now isn’t this a lovely piece?” Grammie set the mummy down on the counter.
“Yes, I’ll take it. How much?”
Elixxir (The Brethren Series) Page 11