The Bringer of War (The Sheynan Trilogy Book 2)
Page 2
Outside, in the bland hallway, a young man shifted from one foot to the other. His clothes were shabby but functional: a stained leather coat with a few tears in it and jeans so faded it was impossible to tell their original color. His short, sandy hair was dirty and matted, and he looked up and down the hallway with a frantic, wild-eyed stare. He raised his hand to knock again, but before his fist landed, Richard yanked the door open.
He grabbed the young man by the wrist and pulled him into the room. Before the stranger had a chance to say anything, Richard slammed the door shut with his foot and twisted the intruder’s arm behind his back. He clamped his free hand down over the man’s mouth. His quarry offered no attempt at resistance. Instead, he shook so hard that Richard had to hold him upright. He reeked of sweat and alcohol.
“Who are you and what do you want?” Richard snapped, moving his hand off his hostage’s mouth.
“Please don’t hurt me! Oh God, please don’t kill me.”
Richard eased his grip on the arm but remained in control. “Answer my questions and you’ll be fine.”
“My name’s Phil. I don’t know you, dude! I, I was just told to come here and give you something. Honest! Guy said he’d give me twenty bucks. I needed the cash. It’s just a note. I don’t even know you guys! Come here, give Damien a message, that’s it.”
Richard let go. Phil turned and pinned his back against the wall. His palms pressed hard against the surface, as if he wanted to sink into it. His knees visibly trembled. Richard stood squarely in front of him, ready to jump if there was any sudden movement. Before he had a chance to respond, he heard movement behind him and Darien spoke.
“I’m Darien. What’s this message?”
“Yeah, Darien, that’s it,” Phil stammered as he reached into the pocket of his jeans. Richard leaned forward and grabbed the edge of Phil’s jacket in his hand. He watched as Phil removed a crumpled piece of paper. Phil’s hand shook and the paper rattled until Darien took it from him. Richard eased up and let go of the newcomer, but kept himself positioned between Darien and the visitor. When Darien tapped him to hand him the message, he took it without removing his eyes from Phil.
“Who gave this to you?” Darien asked.
“Some guy on the street. I don’t know who he is, honest! I was just sittin’ down taking a break and this guy comes along and asks me if I wanted twenty bucks. I was nervous, you know, but twenty bucks is twenty bucks. So I asked what he wanted. He said all I needed to do was give you a piece of paper. He said you’d be here. I asked him why he didn’t wanna do it himself, but he said you and he didn’t get along. I didn’t ask too much, I just wanted the cash. I ain’t about butting my head into someone’s business, you know? I didn’t even read it.”
Darien held up a hand to stop Phil’s near constant stream of words. “So you’re going back to him to get your money?”
Phil’s eyes darted from Darien to Richard and back. “Well, he said you’d pay me.”
Richard curled his lip. Darien reached into his pocket and pulled out a twenty. As he was extending his hand, Phil’s eyes focused on the money. He snatched it from Darien’s grasp.
“Thanks, dude. I’ll just get going.” He kept his attention on Richard as he reached back and fumbled for the handle. Once he found it, he pulled the door open and sprinted down the hallway to the stairs. Richard heard the stairway door slam against the opposite wall before their room door closed.
Richard whirled on Darien. “What the hell were you doing?”
“What?”
“What if he had a gun and I couldn’t get it away from him in time? Why the hell did you stand up like that? You’re not invincible, kid.”
“Richard, relax. The guy was scared out of his wits. He almost wet his pants with you pinning him against the wall. He wasn’t a threat.”
“You ever think it might just have been an act?”
Darien tightened his lips together and looked away.
“As much as you’ve learned, sometimes you remind me how little you know. Next time, wait a little longer before standing up and saying ‘I’m here’, okay?”
Darien nodded. Only then did Richard look down at the piece of paper in his hand. Susan stood behind him, trying to read over his shoulder.
“That’s different.” Richard handed the note over to Susan.
She took it and read out loud. “‘Darien, I know who you are and more importantly, I know what you are. Then again, is there one of us who doesn’t know what you are? But I know what it means. Do you know what it means? No, no you couldn’t. You know the power but not the price. You can’t have power for free—it doesn’t grow on trees. You don’t know about the disease. But she does, and she is here. She is after you, and she can be anywhere. She is the only one who can help you. Come to me and I can tell you about her. I have something you need. But will you believe? We shall see.’”
Susan tossed the note on the bed. “That takes the cake for the craziest thing I’ve read in a while. Someone isn’t all there upstairs. Plus, his hand was shaking when he wrote it.”
“True, but it could still be important. He obviously knows who I am. There’s that whole disease thing. And what about this ‘she’? Who do you think the she is?”
The three stared at each other for a while, no one having an immediate answer.
“He says he has information I need, and the best way to find out who this mysterious woman is would be to ask him. Besides, we all know it wouldn’t be the first time I walked into a trap. I’m sure it won’t be the last, either.” Darien smiled.
Richard felt the tension creep into his shoulders at Darien’s cavalier attitude. If he wasn’t careful, it was going to get him killed. He forced himself to take a deep breath. There was only so much he could do. He reached into the closet and grabbed his leather coat.
“I’m going to go keep an eye on our messenger. You two, stay here.”
He walked out without waiting for a response. When he got to the stairs, they were empty and silent. At the landing between flights, a dirty window gave a glimpse of the city and thin wispy clouds scattered across a deep blue sky. He looked into the alley but saw no movement. For half a minute, he stood still as a statue and kept his vigil. Not seeing anything out of the ordinary, he went down the stairs, shrugging his muscular shoulders into his jacket as he descended. He left it open and flapping at his sides. As he walked through the lobby, he gave a slight nod to the woman who stood behind the counter.
Richard stepped outside and was greeted by the sound of rumbling engines and blaring horns echoing all around him. A harsh blend of carbon monoxide and people’s sweat assaulted his nose. His eyes shifted from one side to the other as he scanned the cars and people for the messenger. He turned to his right and walked up the street. A man in a business suit bumped into his shoulder and backpedaled a step to keep from falling over. Richard continued without a second glance.
At the corner, he looked in both directions but saw a mass of unfamiliar people. He scratched at the stubble on his face, and it sounded like sandpaper dragged across rough wood. The wind whipped around his body, flaring his jacket out to either side. When the light changed, he crossed the street as another member of the herd.
Up ahead, on the opposite side of the street, red neon letters flashed bright enough to be noticed in the late afternoon light, repeatedly spelling out LIQUOR. Richard tucked his hands into his pockets and waited, staring across the street. His eyes narrowed and his legs tensed when he saw Phil step out of the store with a bottle in a brown bag. He tossed the bag in the general direction of the trash can but missed. Before he got a few steps from the door, he took a large swallow. Wiping his mouth with the back of his hand, he walked down the street. Across from him, Richard prowled, never removing his eyes from his quarry.
At the next gap, Phil turned to his left down an alley. Richard waited for an opening in traffic and then sprinted across the street. He moved up to the corner, peering around it.
P
hil walked down the alley then pressed his back against the brick wall. He took several gulps from the bottle as he slid to the ground. It was a full second after he sat before he removed the bottle from his lips. He closed his eyes and relaxed.
Richard crept down the alley, making sure not to jar Phil out of his reverie. He towered over Phil, looking down and blocking out the light with his bulky silhouette.
Phil’s eyes opened at the change in light and he blinked several times as he tried to focus on Richard’s face. He shrieked and pushed against the pavement to get away. The back of his head struck the wall and he dropped the bottle with a clatter.
“Hello, Phil. I think there’s something we need to discuss.”
Phil glanced to either side. His hand shook as he tried to drink the liquid comfort that was no longer there. He looked down at his hand. When he raised his eyes, he refused to meet Richard’s gaze.
“What do you want with me? I already told you everything. The guy asked me to give you that scrap of paper. Then I’d get some cash. That’s all I know, dude.”
“That’s the thing. You said that you’d get paid, and I want to know who your employer is. When are you meeting him?”
“No, I told you. He said you guys were gonna pay me.”
Richard reached down, grabbed Phil by the front of his jacket, and picked him up until his toes dangled above the ground. Phil grabbed Richard’s wrists and tried to pull them apart as he kicked his feet in a vain attempt to find footing. The veins on his arms bulged as he strained against the grip of steel. Richard breathed in and twisted his wrists, tightening the collar of the jacket around Phil’s throat.
“Where are you supposed to meet him?”
“I… I… I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
Richard growled and gave his victim a solid shake ending with a slam against the wall. Phil winced. His hands fell to his sides. He stammered unintelligibly.
“Just tell me where you’re supposed to meet this guy. I’m not interested in you. I want to know who sent you.”
“I don’t know who he is! Honest, man!”
Richard pulled Phil close enough to smell the whiskey on his breath. “I didn’t ask who he was. I asked where you’re supposed to meet him.”
“Here! In this alley! The guy said to come back here and he’d pay me twenty bucks. I don’t know where he is! I’m serious! I’m telling you the truth, guy! You gotta believe me!”
Richard lowered the man and bent down to retrieve the bottle. He handed it to Phil who leaned against the wall for support. “I believe you. Now get out of here. I don’t think you want to be around when I introduce myself to your employer.”
Phil snatched the bottle and ran out of the alley so quickly that his feet struggled to keep up. At the mouth of the passage, he toppled over and fell on his face. The bottle clattered as it rolled away and the crowd rushing down the sidewalk kicked it. As Phil scrambled forward, the crowd parted around him with a combination of fear and disgust. He clasped the discarded bottle and gathered his feet beneath him. As soon as he could, he shouldered his way through the crowd at a faltering run.
Richard scanned the alley. His eyes lingered at every shadow before continuing to the next potential hiding spot. His hands clenched into fists as he stalked the entire length of the dead end.
“Where are you?”
Chapter 2
Bridget stood in the shadows of the alcove, trying to keep from touching the sewer walls. Torn blankets and long empty fast food wrappers littered the floor at her feet, clear indicators that this was someone’s living space. This was the latest place Twitch called his home, and it was just as disgusting and vile as every other place he had lived. Did he even know how to clean up after himself? She wrinkled her nose in response to a particularly rank odor blown her way. She didn’t want to be down here any longer than she needed to be.
She reached up and brushed at some dirt on her white blouse. It was a futile effort, given her surroundings, but she appreciated how her business suit contrasted with the location. It made her stand out and served as a visual reminder of her superiority. Such measures weren’t necessary with Twitch, but it never hurt to have some additional reinforcement.
The muscles in her jaw tightened and her foot tapped against the ground as the minutes ticked by. Punctuality was not his strong point. He seemed to only have a vague concept of time which was not in conjunction with most people. But, his current mission was critical. If all was going according to plan, he would be delivering a message to Darien and leading him down the trail Bridget wanted. She didn’t want to engage him yet; for now it was better to work through an intermediary.
She heard a rustling sound as several of the wrappers were brushed around and a mouse scurried into the alcove. Bridget leaned forward and snatched it by its tail, picking it up off the ground. The animal squealed and twisted in her grasp. She got a glimpse of its eyes and recognized the sentience there. She tossed Twitch into the pile of rags where he landed with a soft thump. In less time than it took to take a breath, he shifted back into an old man.
Twitch had earned his name long before Bridget had met him because of how he jumped at everything. She didn’t know his real name, or his age, but he looked to be well past fifty. He wore a patched and hooded jacket that was stained so heavily it was impossible to guess its original color. When he opened his mouth, she could see his half-yellow teeth.
“Please don’t hurt me!”
He curled his body into the fetal position and covered his face, peeking out through the cracks between his fingers. When he saw Bridget, there was a flash of recognition. He uncurled his limbs and sat up. He held his arms out to her, palms up. His sentences streamed together as fast as he could form the words.
“It’s so good to see you again! If I knew you were coming I would’ve prepared tea. Tea and biscuits would be very nice. Sometimes I find biscuits three streets from here. They’re hard, but still tasty. Would you like some?”
Bridget reminded herself what a useful tool Twitch could be and forced herself to stay calm. He was her most fervent supporter, but required special handling.
“You know why I’m here.”
Twitch rubbed his hands together. He sniffed between each sentence and his eyes refused to remain still. “Yes, I know. I always know what you want to know. I give you the knowledge you need, and then you give me what I want, what I need.”
“I’ve kept your existence a secret. I think only last week I got rid of a few Shadows poking their noses around here looking for you.”
“Yes, yes. You did dispatch them.” He giggled. “Dropped their bodies into a canyon. A deep, dark canyon for the dark ones with no life left. I remember. But there’s another. A new one gets close. I can’t get caught. I know things still! Things you must know! Things you want to know. Perhaps, even things you need to know.”
The line of her jaw hardened. “If memory serves, you still owe me for the last favor, unless you did your job. Did he take the bait?”
“The big one did. The bear took the meat. The bear always goes for the meat. He can’t help himself. Bears like meat. They don’t see the traps. Separating them is easy, the bear moves like we want. Bears are easy and foolish.”
It was just as she expected. Based on what she was able to learn about the Darien and his friends, Richard was the most predictable and the easiest to manipulate.
“Good. Did he see you?”
“No, no, no. The bear did not see me. He was blind. He looked like a bear looks: only focused on what’s in front of his big, useless nose.” Twitch giggled and held the back of his hand up in front of him so it covered most of his face.
Her hands clenched into fists at her sides and she leaned forward. “Twitch, focus.”
He continued to ramble as if Bridget hadn’t said a thing. “The bear doesn’t look when the rat runs beneath his feet. He doesn’t notice and the rat scampers away, under the rocks. Safe and sound back under the rocks.”
“Yes, Bridget. I’m sorry. I did what you asked. The bear followed, just as we thought he would. Darien has the message. He knows now. He knows that I know he’s here, and where he’s staying. I’ll contact him again, like you wanted. I’ll get him away from his friends. You’ll have your time with him—I’ll make sure of it.”
“When that happens, I’ll make sure he joins me.” He had to, if he wanted to avoid the sickness. She’d make him see it was his only option.
“Of course! Who could resist you?”
“Now what about the things I need to know?”
“No, Bridget. Not yet. It’s not time to share that knowledge with you. It’s not time for you to know. I have one of the dark ones coming close. A dark one who won’t run away. Stubborn. He wants to find me. He looks and looks in the darkness, into alleys and alcoves—looking through the water and soaring though the air. He must go away. You get him to go away, and I’ll tell you more. I’ll tell you about it.”
Bridget leaned forward so that she was towering over Twitch. She waited for him to look her in the eyes before she spoke. When she did, she kept her words slow and measured.
“I hope you know at least half of what you claim. Otherwise, you won’t be worth the effort I’ve already spent on you. Remember who you owe and how much you’re in debt.”
Twitch cowed from her as much as he was able, sinking even further into the pile of rags. But he refused to break eye contact.
“I won’t forget. I owe you much, very much. I’ll repay what I owe. You know how much it’s worth. It’s worth your life. It’s worth more than just your life.” He regained some of his composure and sat up straight, breaking the gaze to stare at the ceiling. He lifted both of his hands as far as he could reach. “Once you’re cured, you’ll be queen of the beasts! You’ll take Darien and rule as king and queen!”