Joshua II

by T. G. Ayer

“The fact that they had stopped glowing so soon was strange enough, but . . .each body we found was covered in a strange oily substance.” Joshua wished Kristina had been here so he could share his horror with her, but he suspected she’d be well aware of the meaning of that black sludge by now. He focused on Ingrid as she continued, “We have been unable to identify the liquid. We assume it is the reason the Warriors do not glow any longer.”

  With a short look, Ingrid handed over to Fen and Joshua could feel the tension rippling through the warrior, more than the crossing of his arms ever could reveal. “I have not been able to identify it, either. And neither has Odin. It is indeed a strange poison, and though I have also seen it myself, I have been unable to decipher what we are dealing with.” Fen paused and took a deep breath, then let out a weary sigh. “For this reason, we need to get moving. We need to learn more. Tracking Medeia is the most important thing right now, not only because she is our only new einherjar at the moment. Her life is in jeopardy, too. We need to find out how they are getting to the new Warriors, and who is it that is killing them. Valkyrie Ingrid has her teams spread out around the city, and we will help to keep a close eye on Medeia. Do not interfere, no matter what. All you are here to do is to watch.”

  Bryn voiced the question on everyone’s mind. “So what do we do next? We stake her out?”

  Fen’s voice was implacable as he replied, “Each team will take a locality that Medeia is known to frequent, and will keep an eye on her. You will have satellite phones and cell phones to keep in touch.”

  Joshua headed to the table to select one of each phone and moved to the side. He met Fen’s eyes for a moment, but the warrior only nodded in response. Translation: we’ll talk, but not now.

  “We will follow her until she meets her end,” Fen said. “It is imperative we retrieve her as soon as it’s time for her burial. Any longer and there is a chance we may lose her too. Whatever is happening to them seems to happen between the funeral and the time we go to get the body.”

  Ingrid and Fen huddled with the rest of the teams, pairing Sigrun and Aimee together, with Joshua going with Fen himself. Joshua should have been honored but there wasn’t a single part of him that could see any of the day’s events as positive. Not even the Ulfr general’s endorsement.

  Joshua’s gaze drifted over to Bryn as Ingrid scanned the Midgard team. “Medeia is our only Warrior left in Cairo. This Retrieval must not fail.” Then she approached Bryn. “Valkyrie Brynhildr, you and Mika will observe Medeia today.” As she handed Bryn an old satchel, the Valkyrie said, “Protect her. We have lost too many Warriors these past weeks, Valkyrie Brynhildr.”

  Fen shared a look of concern with Joshua. “Einherjar? You look troubled.”

  Joshua hesitated. “Dying warriors is a reason to be troubled.”

  “Evasive tactics won’t work with me. Your troubles are more than that.”

  Joshua glanced at Bryn and Mika before meeting Fen’s eyes. “Is it a good idea? To send Mika and Bryn together?” Joshua asked, his gut twisting.

  Fen scowled. “Evasive and now cryptic. What’s troubling you, Joshua?”

  Joshua lifted a shoulder in a half-shrug. “Something that could destroy people.”

  “Other than the black poison?” asked Fen. Then he leaned closer. “I want you to tell me what troubles you. Let’s get to our station, and we can continue this conversation.”

  Joshua swallowed then forced his head to move in agreement. There may be no turning back now.

  Chapter 13

  An hour later, Joshua found himself sitting across from the little coffee shop into which Bryn and Mika had disappeared. When Joshua had followed the silent warrior out of the safe house, he’d been prepared for an experience that was uncomfortable and tense, given that he’d intended to tell him the truth about Mika. Instead he found himself discovering that he was upset, even a little afraid. And Joshua was not sure what he was supposed to do with that. Finding himself having to be the support person for the warrior that he admired for so long put him off balance.

  For the most part, the warrior had remained silent, leading Joshua at a fast pace through the residential area into a sector of the city that appeared to be a tourist haven. The streets were lined with tiny little shops filled with curios and clothing, carpets and artworks.

  Across the road from the coffee shop was a tiny shop that sold what appeared to be every variety of dates on the planet. They went inside, enjoying the cool conditioned air and headed through toward the back of the store. They received short expressions from the hawker before they headed out the back stairs to the floor above. Which turned out to be a small kitchen and rest area with a bed against one wall. Before them a large window gave out onto the street with a clear view to the coffee shop.

  Dusty lace curtains hung on the window, so caked with dirt you would never guess that they had once been white. The warrior and Joshua stood behind the curtain and studied the woman who sat beside the window inside the shop. They positioned themselves so that they would be in place before Bryn and Mika Arrived.

  “I hope this is going to be a successful retrieval,” muttered Fen.

  Joshua groaned. “Ever hear of jinxing things?”

  Fen smiled. “I am far too old for such superstitions.” Then the Ulfr shifted his attention from the woman across the street to Joshua. “So tell me, einherjar, what is troubling you.”

  Joshua let out a sigh and began to pace. “You are not going to like it.”

  Fen grunted. “Is it true that you are afraid of me? I confess I never thought you were, but I am not too stubborn that I cannot accept when I am wrong.”

  At Fen’s prods, Joshua stopped in his tracks and turned to stare at the warrior. “No,” Joshua chucked. “I’m not afraid of you.”

  “Well that is quite a relief, I must admit. I would not have liked to know that I inspired fear in you.”

  “Well, in this particular instance you inspire something more like terror in me.”

  “Young man, you are now confusing me.” Fen scowled.

  Joshua threw his hands in the air and then grabbed his head, pressing his temples as though he suffered from a headache. It was more brain ache than anything though.

  Then he let out a low groan. “It’s Mika.”

  Fen began to laugh. “So you do have feelings for my daughter.”

  Joshua snorted. “I don’t think the feelings I have are anywhere close to what you think.” Joshua fell silent, wondering if he may have insulted Fen with his words. “Please could you sit down?” he asked softly.

  Fen smiled. “Is it that bad?” Joshua merely nodded, his expression dark. Fen’s amusement faded and he rested against the window frame at his back.

  From the warrior’s stance, Joshua accepted Fen wasn’t about to sit down. So Joshua cleared his throat and said, “Mika is up to something and I think it’s not good at all. In fact, I think it’s seriously bad and she must be stopped before she does something she regrets, something you regret.” The words had come surging forth, an unstoppable flood, and when Joshua fell silent, he did feel as though a weight had been lifted.

  But only for a short moment.

  Fen’s eyes grew golden, the veins in his neck bulging.

  “Er…Fen?” Joshua asked softly. “Do I need to run for my life?”

  Fen shook his head sadly. “Do not fear me, boy. You have clearly been troubled and have found it hard to approach me about this. Had this been a joke, you would not have struggled so much with it.” Fen glanced across the street to check on Medeia’s arrival status, then said, “Please tell me everything you know.”

  Joshua swallowed and nodded. “What I really want is for you to blow holes in my theory. I don’t want this to be true.”

  Fen grunted. “That’s not promising for Mika’s innocence.”

  After taking a deep breath, Joshua said, “I met Mika on the fields. We sparred a few times but she kept to herself. One day I was in the village to get my sword fixed when I s
potted her near a tavern. I almost called out to her but someone came up to her. She went off with them, and I was worried that she might be in danger, so I followed them to a small house on the edge of the village. They went inside and I eavesdropped at an open window. I couldn’t hear much but what I did make out wasn’t promising.”

  “Who were the two?”

  “I discovered that they were jotunn. I didn’t know what they were until Aimee mentioned jotunn as possibly being responsible when Brody disappeared and she described them.” Fen’s face was a study of nothing and Joshua wasn’t sure what to say. Then he kept going, “I kept an eye on her after that, but I think she may be onto me.”

  “Why would you say that?”

  “Because when we met in your hall to prepare, Mika pretended that we didn’t know each other. She pretended she was attracted to me and Bryn fell for it. I think….”

  “You think?”

  “I think she was threatening me by implying to Bryn that we like each other. Just the way she looked at Bryn so…pointedly. Like she thinks she can drive Bryn away from me. I don’t know.” Joshua shook his head and looked away from Fen’s penetrating stare.

  “So Mika made a show of not knowing you even though you’re well acquainted and this was only because Bryn was at the table?” Joshua nodded. “And Mika pretended to be attracted to you so Bryn would think you two were an item?”

  Joshua found it hard to continue with the conversation with Fen, unsure what was worse: Mika’s manipulations or the pretense that she and Joshua were together.

  Fen let out a low grunt. “Thank you for telling me Joshua. I can see it has troubled you.” He glanced out the window and said, “Bryn and Mika are here.”

  Joshua nodded, then approached the window in time to see Mika and Bryn enter the coffee shop, their bicycles propped up against the wall outside. “We have fifteen minutes before her arrival is estimated,” he said softly, more reminding himself than his Ulfr superior.

  On guard now, Joshua stood inhaling the warm dusty odor of the unwashed curtain, studying what he could make out of the shop’s interior. Bryn and Mika sat at a table just beyond his line of sight, and he couldn’t help being nervous that the Ulfr would take some opportunity to hurt his friend.

  “Do not worry. Mika, would not dare to hurt Bryn while I’m watching.”

  “We can’t see inside anyway. If she does something to Bryn we’ll never know.” The comment had fallen from Joshua’s lips before he’d even registered the thought. He flicked a glance at Fen but didn’t apologize.

  “What are your thoughts on her motivations?” asked Fen softly.

  “Maybe she’s jealous because you’ve taken Bryn under your wing? So she’d want to hurt the people who care for Bryn.”

  “Which would be a reason for taking Brody. And also for hurting your relationship with Bryn.”

  Joshua nodded. “But how does that explain the jotunn? I thought they weren’t even allowed inside Asgard unless they were confirmed allies of the All-Father?”

  Fen grunted. “That is the rule. Clearly it’s been broken.”

  “Maybe it’s just something innocent. Maybe they are just friends and she has nothing to do with Brody’s disappearance.”

  A soft laugh rippled from Fen. “Unfortunately, this makes all too much sense. The pieces just fit together too well to deny that something is going on. Loki escaped, which he could not have done himself. Brody was taken. Mika is meeting jotunn who have to have permission to enter the realm. Mika is now blatantly manipulating both you and Bryn. There’s too much there.”

  “I’m sorry, “ Joshua whispered, glancing at Fen again out of the corner of his eye.”

  “No need to apologize, boy.” Fen rested a hand on Joshua’s shoulder. “You went above and beyond in your duty and for that I thank you.”

  Before Joshua could reply, movement on the street caught his attention. A group of people entered, a woman accompanied by four burly guards.

  “Target arrived,” Fen said, his voice low.

  Joshua watched Medeia sit at a table near the front window of the shop and place her order. Over the next twenty minutes, Fen and Joshua watched as Medeia ordered then consumed a coffee and a sandwich, checking her watch intermittently.

  “Waiting for someone?” asked Joshua.

  “Perhaps. Or merely being aware in order to not miss an upcoming engagement.” There was a trace of amusement in Fen’s voice, which led Joshua to believe that perhaps he had been forgiven for breaking the warrior’s heart.

  Fen was about to continue speaking when a shot rang out, the glass front of the shop exploded and Medeia fell to the ground, beyond their line of sight.

  Fen shifted away from the window slowly, his movements heavy. There was no point in racing off to help. From their viewpoint it was clear that nothing could be done for their final warrior.

  “Let’s hope the rest goes to plan.”

  Joshua’s eyes widened and he opened his mouth, only to be stopped by Fen’s raised finger. “I didn’t say anything,” the Ulfr said, his expression innocent.

  Chapter 14

  When Joshua entered the comms center, he heaved a sigh of relief, hurrying into the cool air. Aimee had sent him an inquiring glance. He didn’t miss Bryn sitting on a stool to his right, but he wasn’t yet ready to have a conversation with her while Mika was around.

  He knew what the Ulfr would do; she’d just intrude and try to redirect the conversation toward the sudden blossoming of their romance. Joshua suppressed a shudder as he reached Aimee.

  “How’d it go?” she asked, her brows furrowed.

  “It went well. Although I must admit the sight of a person being killed so ruthlessly isn’t something one can witness without it having an emotional impact.”

  Aimee’s eyes clouded and the warrior beside her gave a low grunt. “When you see death as often as I have, a simple assassination like that is nothing,” he said, his expression blatant and honest.

  Aimee shook her head. “Joshua, meet Olaf. He’s one of Ingrid’s senior einherjar.”

  The two warriors shook hands and Olaf asked, “So, the hospital?” He lifted his eyebrows to emphasize the question.

  “All going as expected. The family has been notified, and the preparations are being made to hand over the body for the funeral proceedings.”

  “That soon? No autopsy?” asked Aimee.

  “I believe the family has refused an autopsy on religious grounds, and the hospital has been only too happy to comply.”

  “Now all we have to do is wait,” Olaf said, nodding at the map. “She’s our last hope. Whatever this black goop is, we have to figure it out and do it fast or it may end up affecting the outcome of Ragnarok.”

  “Bite your tongue, young Olaf,” murmured Sigrun as she drew alongside the tall man.

  Olaf’s cheeks went from pale to dusky rose in the space of two seconds. He mumbled something Joshua couldn’t understand, then turned and hurried away to where Ingrid stood, staring at her laptop, her pale wings shivering as they shifted at her back.

  Suddenly, the valkyrie stiffened, glanced up to scan the comms room, then made a beeline for him. “Fenrir, could I have a word, please?”

  The valkyrie’s tone meant only one thing. More bad news.

  The team, being forced to play hurry up and wait, resorted to carbing up, but they didn’t have long to wait before the teams headed out into the steamy African sunshine. The drive to the city center wasn’t all that long, but with the way either clogged with well-wishers or redirected away from the route of the funeral procession, the journey was painfully slow.

  The team alighted onto the sidewalk and mingled with the crowds, Joshua feeling the heat in the perspiration that coated his clothing beneath his armor.

  The sound of songs and wailing filled the streets as Medeia’s coffin—draped in white and blue—was carried by on the shoulders of eight men who looked to be desperately grieving.

  Joshua and Fen, both wearing
grim expressions took the other side of the street, opposite from Bryn and Aimee.

  Just as they positioned themselves, Joshua heard a yell from the front of the crowd. “Odin’s beard,” muttered Fen. “Bryn is on the move. Let’s go.”

  Joshua sprang forward, threading through the crush, the heat and the smell of bodies overpowering him. Armed soldiers lined the streets, but none moved despite the undulating crowd.

  The casket was being carried into a hall when Fen and Joshua reached Bryn. The Ulfr drew Bryn’s attention, beckoning her to follow. They were done here, and there was nothing to do but to wait for their opportunity later in the day, once Medeia’s body was interred at the graveyard.

  Much later that day, Joshua accompanied Bryn, Fen and Olaf to the graveyard. The moon bathed the graves in silver light, turning the cemetery into a place filled with fearful shadows.

  The team had broken into the private burial ground and was now standing around Medeia’s stone sarcophagus. Bryn was standing, spine stiff, the green fabric that had been draped over the tomb folded carefully over her arm.

  Nobody enjoyed breaking into holy ground.

  Joshua gripped his end of the stone lid, Fen the other, and together they eased it free. Joshua paused, momentarily aware that his strength was greater than anything he’d ever expected.

  They laid the lid on the ground and reached for the handles of the coffin within the tomb. They unlocked the lid and revealed the body within, Medeia wrapped tightly in a white sheet.

  Olaf tugged the fabric from the woman’s face, then stiffened as they saw the glistening black substance covering her skin.

  Then Bryn yelled, “Wait—” and Joshua’s heart tightened.

  Joshua surged toward Olaf who was wincing as he fell to his knees. But Fen grabbed a hold of Joshua’s arm before he could get close. Olaf stared at his hand, the skin simmering as though melting. The muscles in Joshua’s bicep tightened but Fen didn’t let go.

  The team watched as Olaf fell to the ground, unable to do a single goddamned thing to help him.