"I know. We'll have to be careful, Traje. He gets tired. Needs sleep. Just like anybody else. We can't expect him to work day and night."
"Yeah. The Thompson's will be here first thing tomorrow, at least."
"Thank goodness. We can order pizza tonight. Get extra. We can always put leftovers in the fridge."
* * *
Sali wolfed down the first burger and was halfway into the second before taking a long pull on the large soda Ashe brought for him.
"Dude, I'm sorry. Really sorry. I messed up," Sali bit into his burger again and chewed while he watched Ashe's face.
"Yeah. We all do, sometimes." Ashe leaned against Sali's headboard. Sali ate at his desk beside the bed, leaving the bed for Ashe. His mother hated it if he dropped food on the comforter. Sali watched as Ashe raked fingers through his slightly curly, light-brown hair and closed his eyes. "Sal, I watched a vampire die last night. Six others, too. Those vamps don't mess around when they kill somebody."
"Dad said they were here." Sali took another bite of burger. "I really want to ask about the full moon incident, but I won't. I'm not giving Dad another thing. If he wants to know, he can ask you himself."
Ashe opened his eyes and turned toward Sali. "It's called releasing particles. Reducing something to its most basic level and letting the energy float away. Only a few can do it, Sal. None of the Elemaiya have ever been able to. Feel free to tell Marcus that, if he really wants to know."
"I heard something else, too. About your mom. And Buck."
"Don't bring that up. It's painful."
"Yeah. Understood."
"Sali, what would you do if you found out your dad, well, that your dad was really depressed? Thinking about ending it all."
"My dad isn't depressed. He's just an unbending tyrant," Sali muttered before stuffing the last bite of burger in his mouth.
"I'm not talking about your dad."
"Oh. You're talking about yours, aren't you?" Sali blinked dark eyes at Ashe. Aedan, depressed? That wasn't good. It was ridiculously easy for a vampire to end it all. Took minutes, at the most, if what he'd heard was true.
"Do you have us shielded?" Sali finally thought to ask.
"Since I showed up. Your bedroom is soundproofed, dude. You could scream your lungs out and your mom still won't hear," Ashe grinned wryly.
"That's kind of amazing," Sali observed. "What are you gonna do about your dad? I'd probably ask Marco to help, and then go tell dad he couldn't do that crap. People need him."
"That's an interesting idea," Ashe said, leaning against the headboard again. "I was out late last night, and Mr. Winkler thinks I'm reading a book in my bedroom. I'm gonna leave, Sal. Maybe I can sleep for an hour before Mr. Winkler orders pizza."
"Dang. Pizza for dinner sounds good. Mom's probably fixing meat loaf or something."
"Meat loaf sounds good to me. I guess the days are gone when I could invite myself to your house for dinner."
"Yeah. Life sucks, sometimes, doesn't it?" Sali shook his head at Ashe.
"It sure as hell does."
* * *
"Is it okay if I take a nap for an hour or so?" Ashe's hair looked a bit wild, as if he'd raked fingers through it several times before walking into Winkler's study. Winkler tapped figures into a spreadsheet on his computer as Ashe stopped beside his desk.
"Not a problem," Winkler looked up from his work. "I'll order pizza around that time, so you can get up and shower before we eat. The Thompson's will be here tomorrow, so you'll get decent meals during the week. We'll go out to eat on weekends if the vamps haven't hauled you to another state. Make sure they remember to feed you if you're gone overnight."
"I'll do that," Ashe replied dryly.
"I have something else, too." Winkler lifted a folder off his desk and offered it to Ashe. "An investigation into unusual expenditures. Not mine," Winkler added as Ashe took the folder and opened it. Ashe's eyes unfocused briefly while Winkler watched.
"Mr. Winkler, this one is playing with fire." Ashe handed the folder back to Winkler.
"What does that mean?" Winkler took the folder with a puzzled frown.
"It means he has known criminals on his payroll. From everywhere. The criminals get a big payday for information, because they know they'll be protected by the one paying them. That he won't reveal information on them to anyone else, and he'll let them know if other authorities are getting close. In other words, he's keeping them in business, for the few pieces of useful information they might be willing to hand over. People are still getting killed, kidnapped, drugged, raped and enslaved, and they're getting a bonus for doing it."
"You're joking?" Winkler was stunned by this revelation.
"Mr. Winkler, he's playing with fire." Ashe misted from Winkler's study, leaving a worried werewolf behind.
* * *
"Matt, that's what Ashe said. That he's playing with fire, and paying criminals big money for small amounts of information while protecting them. You didn't give me any pertinent information so I don't know who this is, but if the kid's right, it sure doesn't sound good." Winkler had shut his study door so his call to Matt wouldn't be overheard or disturbed.
"Damn. It's too bad my vamps can't work during the day. I really need my best investigators on this. I think I'm inclined to believe the kid—I just got good information from this source, after I'd exhausted all avenues. The incident in South Carolina was looking like an unsolvable crime when bingo, this guy hands me pure gold. This makes more sense than you might think. Damn, I need that kid."
"The vamps sort of have him for the moment," Winkler grumped.
"I heard. I also heard the Grand Master forced them to share. Wish I had that much clout."
"If you need him for only a day or so, we might be able to work that out. The kid doesn't need a jet to get around anymore."
"True. That boggles my mind. It makes me wonder if this guy knows anything about Ashe." Winkler easily heard Matt Michaels tapping a pen on his desk as he considered the thought. "I don't want him to know about this kid. If he has contacts with criminals, how much damage do you think he might do if he tells them?"
"That doesn't sound good at all," Winkler growled. "I'm concerned, now. How highly placed is this guy?"
"High. Too high. Has too much authority, without enough controls. I only got wind of this when our esteemed congressman let something slip in a vampire-assisted questioning session. It always pays to follow the money."
"Doesn't surprise me that Jack Howard was involved. This makes me think that Zeke Tanner is on the payroll," Winkler speculated.
"That's a frightening thought," Matt agreed. "We never could discover how all those drugs were funneled across the border from Juarez. The kid figured it out quick."
"Yeah. Just drive werewolves a few miles south, strap a backpack on their wolf and send 'em across. No problem."
"Too bad we didn't get Zeke when the Grand Master sent his trackers and those vamps. We didn't know Zeke wouldn't be at home when they came to call."
"Somebody may have. Jack Howard comes to mind."
"Now it all makes sense. Howard is in this guy's pocket. Information is passed to Howard, Howard passes it to Tanner. Tanner makes the move he plans to make anyway, going after the shifter kids and Ashe in Star Cove. Leaves only a few of his behind, just to make it look good. Man, this gets worse as it goes along," Matt said. "At least Obediah didn't see it coming."
"Obediah had his own source of information, who only failed once," Winkler stood abruptly. "The source managed to escape, too, and is probably working for somebody else right now."
"Wildrif," Matt's voice was flat. "He had the best security we could provide around him, and he still managed to get away. He's like a ghost. If you manage to catch him, you can't hold onto him."
"Trouble seems to follow him, too. Do you think that maybe—yes. That has to be it. Wildrif can't sense the kid. That's what this is. The best informant ever can't sense the kid. I'd bet money that he can sense th
ose around the kid, though." Winkler muttered a string of expletives. "What the hell is going on here, Matt?"
* * *
"Six of the Dark King's subjects were murdered by the Ir'Indicti. For no reason. How soon do you think it will be before he begins to murder yours, too?"
Wildrif's poisonous lies poured forth as Friesianna listened on her cell phone; the cell had been a gift from her Jewels. All four were now dead—at the hands of that hateful boy if her sources were correct—and she still mourned their loss. At first, she'd been unwilling to believe the boy responsible. After the events in Canada, that was no longer true.
"He is after your crown, Bright Queen, and he will stop at nothing to obtain it," Wildrif continued. "The six who died blocked his path to the Dark Crown, and paid for their protection of Baltis with their lives. If the boy is not stopped, he will achieve his objective."
"I curse the day he was born," Friesianna paced inside her tent as Parlethis and Rabis looked on. "Why is this happening to me? Why?" She flung out an arm in frustration.
"You must send your best after him. He must be stopped before he attacks. He appeared in Canada, with none the wiser. Your captains tell you this. How simple will it be for him to come for you? How easy will he find it to wrest the crown away while he grinds you into the dirt beneath his heel? My Queen, I have read the H'Morr, and I have seen much. Your Miriasu cannot see him—he depends upon the H'Morr for guidance. Yes, parts of that book are true, but it is not completely accurate and has not predicted everything. You think to stay alive if the Ir'Indicti comes after you?"
"I will gather my best. The boy will die." Friesianna jerked her head at Parlethis, who took the phone and ended the call.
"Rabis," Friesianna snarled, turning to her Miriasu. "Tell me true. Will the boy have my crown if I do not stop him?" Friesianna employed le'meruh as she commanded Rabis. Le'meruh was a gift few Elemaiya had ever possessed. It was extreme coercion, and by nature had to be used sparingly. While several among the race might hold the gift of compulsion, le'meruh could not be denied—even among the strongest and most talented. Friesianna had gained the Bright crown by employing her gift. Rabis, as strong as he was, was unable to deny Friesianna's order.
"If the boy survives, he will take your crown," Rabis muttered unwillingly.
Chapter 9
"Talked to Sal earlier." Ashe elbowed Marco as Marco took a seat at the kitchen island and snagged a large slice of pizza.
"How?" Marco blinked at Ashe for a moment. "Never mind. He's grounded, but you can get around that, can't you?" Marco bit into his pepperoni pizza with a sigh.
"Took him a couple of burgers. I heard he was starving himself," Ashe grinned. Marco almost choked as he laughed with a mouthful of pizza.
"What's that?" Winkler strode into the kitchen and opened a box containing a sausage and mushroom pizza. Pulling out a slice, he folded it in half lengthwise and took a bite.
"Sali got grounded," Marco swallowed and chuckled.
"Heard that already," Winkler grinned. "Kid, the vamps are up in England. Wlodek had money transferred into your account. You'll have an extra hundred grand to spend for helping take down Rydley. I can put half that in your savings and let you decide what to do with the other half."
"Mr. Winkler, I'd like to buy a car," Ashe said right away.
"You serious?" Marco stared.
"Yeah. And I know what I want already. Price might be right, too."
"What is it?" Winkler took another bite of pizza.
"A classic car. A red, 1959 Cadillac convertible. The fins are awesome."
"Where is this car?" Winkler asked.
"It's in Austin. Belonged to a collector there, who died recently. His heirs are selling his collection. The price they're asking is seventy-five thousand, but I might get it for less."
"All original?" Trajan walked in and grabbed a slice of pizza. He'd heard the conversation as he walked to the kitchen.
"Yep. The price is a bargain. Others are selling for more," Ashe grabbed a slice of sausage and mushroom before Winkler could get it.
"I'll let you buy the car for whatever you can get it for, and put the rest in your savings account," Winkler agreed. "You deserve it. Planning to drive much?"
"Nah. It's just to show off," Ashe grinned.
* * *
"I'm not kidding, Sara. Mr. Winkler will lend us his condo in San Antonio. It won't be the beach, but I know things didn't go so well when you were here. You trusted me with something, and I feel like I let you down." Randy gripped his cell tightly as he spoke with Sara.
"Randy, stop worrying about it, all right? San Antonio sounds fine when I visit again."
"Sara, I wish we were together. Right now. I want my hands on you, baby."
"Randy, don't do that. It's hard enough as it is, being this far apart."
"I know. I never should have let Mom talk me into moving."
"Randy, she's your mother, no matter what. I'm just the girlfriend, remember?"
"Sara, don't ever say that again. You have no idea how important you are."
"I'll remind you that you said that after our first big fight," Sara teased.
"You do that. It'll still be true."
* * *
"Here's the information." Gavin set a folder in front of Ashe while Tony lifted an eyebrow in surprise. Gavin, the crusty old vampire, never allowed anyone except another vampire Assassin to see information provided by Wlodek and the Council.
"Kieran Ormonde?" Ashe blinked at Gavin as he flipped through three pages of printed information.
"May be responsible for murdering six people in the San Francisco area. Considered quite dangerous. He was last heard from when he reached Oakland, where we lost touch. You see his financial status, before and after the crisis." Gavin barely nodded.
"I see it. He has more money now than he did before the meltdown, with not much in between."
"Precisely. All the victims have made recent large transactions, transferring funds into specific investments. We believe Ormonde has placed compulsion on a human, who is in charge of these investments. Most of that money has disappeared, leaving the human in the hands of local authorities. He has been charged with fraud and running a Ponzi scheme."
"Doesn't sound good for old Kieran, does it?" Ashe shook his head.
"No, it does not."
"I'd say you're right. Except Kieran isn't the only one involved. Got any other folders containing the names Brinkley Addison and Ellis Kline?"
"Those are only suspects at this point, with recently reported locations in Ireland," Tony said. "Are they involved?"
"I'd say so. You know for sure that they haven't been to the U.S. in the past four months?" Ashe's eyes were filled with stars.
"Not completely." Gavin only blinked once at Ashe. "Private jets leave the country all the time."
"Yeah." Ashe's eyes were back to their normal blue.
"Are we traveling to two locations tonight?" Gavin asked, taking the folder from Ashe's outstretched hand.
"Yes. San Francisco and Dublin."
"I haven't been to Dublin in a while. Kid, dress warm. For both places," Tony said. "Maybe we should hit Dublin, first. It's ten p.m. here. We have less than two hours before sunrise in the U.K.," Tony consulted his watch.
"I'll go change," Ashe hunched his shoulders. He was destined to see more vampires die.
* * *
"Hi, Thomas," Wynter said brightly when Thomas Williams called her cell. "I heard you had some trouble in Amarillo. Are you okay?"
"I'm good. The vamps did most of the work. Weldon and I only got two and that's because Dalroy and Rhett were too polite to interfere," Thomas chuckled. "How about you?"
"School starts again in a week. But I'm almost done."
"Good for you. What I called about, well, I'll be looking for a ring. Is there anything special that you like?"
"I love chocolate diamonds surrounding a diamond," Wynter squeaked. Thomas was buying her a ring!
; "I'll see what I can do, then."
"Did Daddy give you a hard time?"
"Not much of one. I told him I'd take good care of you. Twice. And he said you can fly out one weekend a month, as long as you're supervised by my sister."
"Daddy has to stick his nose in everything. It's not like I'm an adult or anything."
"Sweetheart, we have to get to know each other. I want you to be sure when I put that ring on your finger."
"I'll be sure."
* * *
"We know where he is, but he's guarded most of the time," Parlethis informed the four who stood before him. "By werewolves and vampires. We have devised a plan to draw him away from that place so your attack will be easier. You are the fastest we have at relocating, and you must take him by surprise. I have these." Parlethis handed capped darts to each Bright Elemaiya soldier. "These darts contain lion snake poison and will kill almost anything quickly."
"We know about lion snake poison," one of Parlethis' chosen assassins handled the dart carefully, examining the cap and how solidly it was positioned over the point.
"Good. You go in two days. Here is the map and photographs we received from one of our contacts." Parlethis handed out paper copies of what he'd been given. He'd also sent two darts to the contact in question by return mail. It was the first time he'd mailed anything, and found it quite simple to accomplish. He'd lied, too, telling the clerk the box contained photographs.
* * *
"You'll do it because I tell you to do it," Zeke snarled at Josiah's contact over the phone. "Wildrif is here, and he was happy to give me your information. You'll hit the target I told you to hit. You get two darts, in case somebody else is there."
Zeke listened for a moment while the contact argued on the other end. "Look, either you do this or my trackers come hunting you. If they don't get you, I can always send information anonymously to the Grand Master. I'd say that one of us will have you. You don't stand a chance." Zeke listened again while the contact called Wildrif many names. Most of them had profanity involved and none of them were nice.
"You gonna do this?" Zeke's mouth turned up in a smile when he received a sulky "Yes."
Legend of the Ir'Indicti 5 - Destroyer Page 10