“It’s our main business contact information,” Raul said.
Ed moved back to the other side of the desk and fumbled around for a minute gathering papers and putting them into a pleather portfolio. He scooped up a jumble of keys and headed toward the door, waving at them to follow. “The units are very similar, but they have different locations in the building, if you have a preference.”
“Higher up and in the back,” Raul said.
“I have the perfect one.” Ed used one of the keys to open a side door to the office that led into the main part of the building.
There was an elevator and next to that stairs. Ed pointed out the customary features all apartment buildings had, laundry room, storage lockers, postal area before stepping into the elevator. Raul made note of where and how many security cameras there were. From the way Brandon looked around, Raul knew he was doing the same thing. All the while Ed chattered away about the building, the location, the amenities, seemingly oblivious to what Raul or Brandon might actually be doing.
The building was three stories with apartments front and back. There were two apartments on the second floor, one was more toward the center and the second was at the end. Ed took them through the end apartment. It was pretty standard, a pullman style kitchen open at both ends, one large room that comprised living room with enough space for a small bistro style table and chairs at one end. Against another wall was a simple shelving unit with a television and portable speaker dock. The furniture was nice, nothing fancy but functional and simple. A couch, coffee table, armchairs and end tables.
Down a short hall, which was lined with a closet accessible by folding doors, were the bedrooms. They were much the same, simple furnishings but good quality. Each had a bed, dresser and a nightstand with a lamp. Raul walked to the window and used two fingers to push apart the blinds, looking out onto the parking lot and pool.
Ed motioned to the bedroom door. “There is bedding in the hall closet and—”
“We’ll take it.” Raul turned to face Ed. Brandon raised his eyebrows but didn’t argue.
“Are you sure you don’t want to see the others?”
Raul shook his head and smiled. “Nope.” He pulled his wallet free and plucked out a credit card. “Can we get started on the paperwork?”
After another hour in the rental office completing the necessary checks with Raul’s grandmother then the required paperwork, Raul and Brandon were moving in. Leaving Brandon to work his cyber magic, Raul went for supplies.
He was back within the hour and there was still no word from Bisset.
“Find anything?”
Raul tossed the apartment key on the kitchen counter and began putting groceries away.
“I’m going to need more than just your laptop. No offense, it’s a nice machine, but not what we need for this. I can use your satellite hookup, I don’t think diving into the building Wi-Fi is a good idea. It’ll be too easy to find us if someone is looking. Bisset contact you?”
“No.” Raul shook his head. He cracked open a bottle of water, and took a second one to Brandon, glancing over his shoulder as he set the bottle on the table. “What’s all that?”
“The feeds from the security cameras on this property. I can set it up so we can monitor them all the time. I was checking to see that each of the cameras worked. I’ll use your satellite connection, but we should use a second one to do some snooping and a second computer,” Brandon explained. “One or two bigger monitors would be helpful too.”
Raul’s phone chimed, and he looked at the screen. “Finally,” he grumbled.
“If anything goes south and we’re separated we’ll meet back at the loading dock.”
“Sounds good,” Brandon agreed.
“Fierro,” Raul answered his phone.
“We checked the information you provided.” It was Tala. Raul mouthed the name to Brandon and put the speaker on, holding the phone out so Brandon could hear too. “It wasn’t a hundred percent accurate—”
Raul cut her off, “He can only mine what’s out there.”
“We realize that. It may not have been completely accurate, and we were dealing with teenagers, some are pretty savvy when it comes to what information they have online about themselves, more so than adults sometimes. They use fake addresses and stock photos to cover their tracks, mostly from their parents I suspect. So, the information was accurate enough,” Tala said. “We’ll be putting together a shipment to go out within the week. Your… partner… already knows some of what is needed. We’ll provide a list of the rest. I’ll be in contact to arrange another meeting.”
Raul opened his mouth, but he wasn’t fast enough. Tala disconnected the call. Raul gave his phone’s screen a poke, completely severing their connection. He flipped his arm over and checked his watch. “We’ve got time to hit an electronics store to get what you need.”
“Did you hear how she said the word ‘partner’?” Brandon asked softly.
“I did.”
“I can’t decide if I should be happy that we convinced them or pissed she sees me as some frightened little rabbit of a pawn.”
Raul pulled in a breath and let it out slowly, buying time to find the right words. He put one hand on the back of Brandon’s neck and squeezed gently. “It won’t matter what she thinks of you—or me for that matter—when their ring is broken, and they’re incarcerated. They’ll let down their guard around you, at least she and Bisset will. Bob might be a harder sell, but in the end, who’s going to be the winner? You. Besides, this whole undercover thing was your idea, so be the best at it you can be.”
Brandon looked up at him and smiled. “Thanks.”
Raul wasn’t too sure Brandon believed his little speech, but he would when their prey was caught.
Chapter 11
Raul gently broke off the connection between Brandon and him, but it didn’t matter how much he struggled to make the transition smoother. Every time Brandon went into the digital world, he sank deeper, faster and with less assistance from Raul. Getting him out from under Raul’s guidance and back to the real world was rougher each time if there wasn’t a physical release. A powerful shudder coursed through Brandon and he sucked in a few quick breaths. Letting go of the computer he moved his hands to the arms of the chair, gripping so hard his knuckles were white. Brandon was tense, his skin was clammy, and his breathing turned shallow. He appeared in shock, though Raul knew he wasn’t, it was simply a reaction to breaking their connection. Some food, water and rest followed by physical release and Brandon would be himself.
“He’s done,” Raul announced.
“We need more. We’re on the clock here!” Bob snapped then partially shifted and backed his words up with a snarl.
Raul ignored him and cupped Brandon’s chin, turning his head so they could make eye contact.
“How are you?”
It was an unneeded question. Brandon’s eyes wouldn’t stay focused on Raul’s face for more than a second or two before sliding sideways. Each day it took Brandon longer and longer to return to normal. Raul had a few theories about why, but his questions to Brandon had gone unanswered. He was feeling like a pressurized bottle of soda ready to explode.
“I said—” Bob made the mistake of grabbing Raul’s arm, trying to turn him away from Brandon.
Raul didn’t think, he reacted. Letting go of Brandon, Raul used the momentum from Bob’s grip, spun around and smashed his fist into Bob’s face. Bob staggered back, recovered fast, shifted to werewolf and came at Raul.
“Hey!” Bisset barked. He pulled a handgun from under his shoulder and fired into the ceiling then pointed it at Brandon. “The next one goes into his head.”
Brandon flinched away and in one fluid movement Raul put himself between him and Bisset. The gun swung in Bob’s direction.
Bob stopped but didn’t return to human form.
“Stop acting like a pair of rabid dogs. Both of you!” This time Bisset’s voice was low and dangerous. Raul didn’t believe
he’d put bullets in all their heads and start over, but he wasn’t going to test that conviction.
Raul clenched and unclenched his fists, gulped in air to get control over his anger and stayed rooted to his spot.
Bisset didn’t waver. “Even a werewolf won’t survive a headshot.”
Bob growled but shifted to complete human form and stayed put.
Bisset waved the gun at the door and ordered Bob, “Go cool off. Now!” He turned to Raul. “You’ve got twenty-four hours to get him straightened out. We’ve already lost one shipment; we’re not losing another. I’ve got a schedule to keep and we will keep it.”
Bob gave Raul a parting growl and stormed away. Raul partially shifted and moved quickly to Bisset, snatching the gun from his hand before resuming human form. He grabbed Bisset’s shirt collar and yanked him close.
“Threaten him again and you’ll eat this fucking gun.” He shoved it against Bisset’s chest and pushed away from the man at the same time. “And I don’t give a damn about your fucking schedule. We’ve been at this for two weeks. One hour every twenty-four hours, that was the deal and you’re not breaking it.” He wasn’t about to tell Bisset the amount of time it took Brandon to recover was getting longer.
When Bisset began to protest, Raul waved him off and strode back to Brandon. Bisset needed Brandon, and therefore Raul. In the first days of their association Raul had tread carefully, afraid Bisset would hurt Brandon. Now he knew the information he provided via Brandon protected them both and afforded Raul the ability to make his own demands.
Up to a point.
Slugging Bob probably came too close to crossing the line.
Raul reached down and took hold of Brandon’s arm.
“Can you walk?”
Brandon looked up, his eyes were clearer, and his color was better. Raul knew without touching Brandon’s skin it was no longer clammy. He licked his lips, swallowed and nodded then let Raul help him stand.
The last thing Raul wanted was to have to carry Brandon to the van with Bisset and Tala watching, along with Bob, wherever he was lurking. Bob was who Raul worried about. He didn’t have as much invested in Bisset’s operation and could find work as hired muscle anywhere. There wasn’t the incentive to stop him from harming Brandon that Bisset had. The fact he was a werewolf was more than concerning, since in theory he was capable of wielding the same manipulation over Brandon as Raul. Only with much less care and finesse.
Raul, with Brandon at his side, made his way to their van as quickly as possible. They were working in a different location than the little office Tala had taken them to at first. This building was bigger, a former printing factory with multiple floors and a maze of rooms. Raul had already identified where Bisset would likely store his ‘shipment’ until they transported four or five teens to his buyers. Brandon had found their virtual sale site; it was another thing he’d set up to be monitored at their apartment. What Bisset didn’t know was Brandon was also collecting information on him, his buyers and, most importantly, his backers. It was one reason Brandon needed to go into the digital world so completely and deeply. So far the identity of Bisset’s backers hadn’t been found. The best Brandon had discovered was that person, or persons were in the United States. Whoever they were they could manipulate information in the digital world just as well as Brandon.
Bisset wouldn’t deal in magical humans and Raul knew of several offers to procure magicals Bisset had turned down. Raul didn’t blame him one bit and it made perfect sense. Teenagers, as a group, were mentally and emotionally in a state of constant upheaval. Add in the fact a portion of the human population had magical abilities and it was a recipe for disaster. The risk of a magical teenage human escaping was much greater. Such an event would bring all sorts of unwanted attention to Bisset and his phantom backers.
The man was scum, but he wasn’t stupid. In other circumstances Raul could’ve had respect for Bisset and maybe even become his friend.
One of the tricks Brandon used to sway Bisset away from a target was planting evidence of being magical. He’d explained to Raul it wasn’t such a difficult task. Alter a photo in a school yearbook, plant a few key words on someone’s social media and it was enough to lay suspicion and steer Bisset away. While most magicals didn’t advertise their abilities, they didn’t keep them hidden either. Each of the four groups had slang terms and phrases they used among themselves and their kids were no different. Once Brandon identified the keywords used by the age group Bisset hunted it was easy to work those words into what the public could see about them. A crooner referred to the group of magicals who manipulated sound, the acoustics. Lucky charmers often meant a prism, bender of light. Tea light indicated a scintilla and if a person was called an airstream it wasn’t the camper, but an aether who could influence air in a variety of ways.
There were other terms, of course, but figuring them out was easy once one knew the basics. The general idea ran across race and culture and had for centuries. None of it was a secret. It was simply a matter of deciphering what terms were used by which culture and generation.
After he saw to it Brandon ate and rehydrated, Raul left him safely ensconced in their apartment for much needed rest. While Brandon slept, Raul left to track down the most recent kids Brandon had been hunting online.
He set the security cameras in the stairwell to the pre-recorded loop Brandon had created. No one would see Raul until he was in the common areas on the main floor. It was one way to ensure which floor they lived on was kept secret.
Raul moved slowly, inhaling deeply as he went, trying to pick up Ed’s scent. The problem was all the public areas of the whole damn building smelled like Ed. He stopped at the lobby’s entrance and gave an extra-long sniff, but it was useless. The only way he’d know for sure if Ed lurked somewhere was to shift to complete werewolf. That wouldn’t be a wise move, however, since the security cameras in this area were still active. Those cameras they needed operational at all times to warn Brandon and Raul of possible intruders.
Raul peered around the corner. “So far so good.”
He stepped into the open, walking silently, eyes on his target, the exit.
“Mr. Fierro,” a familiar voice called.
Raul froze, shoulders slumping as he sighed and turned around.
“Hello, Ed.”
“Good evening, Mr. Fierro—Raul?”
Raul nodded once, assenting to Ed’s use of his first name.
“What can I do for you?”
“Oh, nothing. It’s me who should be asking if I can do anything for you. Have you settled into your apartment? Is there anything you need? How’s your location search coming along? Maybe I can show you around town?”
“Yes. No. Fine and I’ll let you know if we need a tour guide,” Raul said. It was an effort to keep the agitation out of his voice.
Ed’s face fell, but the emotion showed for only a few seconds before he put a smile on his face once more.
“I…uh…don’t see your friend much.”
“He’s working, but I’ll tell him you asked after him.” Raul stepped around Ed. “Now, if you’ll excuse me.”
“Oh, oh, sure. I’ll catch up with you more tomorrow.” Ed put one hand on Raul’s forearm.
Raul smiled and took a few steps away from Ed.
“I’m sure you will,” he mumbled as he headed for his van. Ed managed to find him daily since they’d moved into the complex. Raul’s little hide-and-go-seek game with Ed was tedious, but harmless. Still Raul felt they might need Ed as an ally, so he channeled his patience and held his tongue.
Right now, he had a more important mission than dodging Ed.
One of the kids had already been tagged as magical, but Raul wanted to locate her for observation. She, like most of Bisset’s victims, appeared to be a homeless teen. Except she wasn’t homeless. Raul wasn’t sure her situation was much better, but she wouldn’t be spirited away and sold as property. She lived with two women, probably in their mid to late forties. T
hey were in some kind of threesome relationship she’d kept out of all her social media and disguised any traces of on her phone. She had the freedom to come and go, still looks could be deceiving, so to that end Raul would place an anonymous call to the local police and child services.
Raul’s other target for the night was a boy. Tracking this one from Indiana to El Paso was what Brandon had worked on for most of the last week. He was more typical of the children Bisset targeted. Before he’d left his home, he’d had an average, or less, amount of social media than others his age. Raul learned quickly that teens didn’t want to live without their phones and they tended to take them along even when they were runaways. However, phones came with bills and not all parents continued to pay those bills. It was another of Bisset’s qualifications, no cell phones still on family plans.
Even without their bills being paid, smartphones still picked up Wi-Fi and free Wi-Fi was everywhere, so were Bluetooth connections. It wasn’t as difficult for homeless teens to stay connected as the average person might think. On top of that fact, many were incredibly tech savvy. Bisset knew this and another thing Brandon was forced into doing now that he hadn’t before, was to create fake profiles and pose as another homeless teen to draw potential victims out. All of what he found was secretly sent to the server at the El Corazon hacienda for safe keeping. Yet, another reason Brandon used Raul’s protection to go continually deeper.
This kid, he called himself B.Lock.Chain.. Blockchain. Raul was sure there was more to the name than was obvious, but it didn’t matter beyond helping Raul locate the kid. Decentralizing the internet, this boy followed every bit of information on that movement. That led Raul to an independent cell phone store carrying mostly pre-paid devices in the same neighborhood that was Tala’s hunting ground. It was a seedy little place with bars on the doors and windows and Raul was quite sure along with pre-paid cellphones there were drugs and fake IDs in the inventory.
Mr. B.Lock.Chain., wearing a denim jacket two sizes too big stopped at the front door and cupped his hands against the glass to peer inside. Raul almost missed his slight nod before B.Lock.Chain. slouched to the back of the building.
Scintilla Page 15