“What was that?” Ashton added.
“An old family recipe,” Jennie explained. “Tweaked by Hendrick, of course. It’s great for hangovers, but mostly it’s designed to bring life to the parts of you that are hurting or sore. It may taste like shit right now, but give it a few minutes, and you’ll feel ready to take on the world again.”
Ashton furrowed his brow. “And is this FDA approved?”
Jennie didn’t reply, but her amused stare told him everything he needed to know.
Footsteps on the stairs signaled the arrival of another. A moment later and Lupe appeared in the room. “Man, you guys look like shit. Rough night?”
They nodded.
He waved a finger around the room, counting the assembled. “Where are the others? Already hit the hay? Ula’s been growing antsy without her two men around her. It’s cute, really. They make quite a team. I’m not sure they’re going to be able to get used to being separated so often.”
Jennie took off her glasses and cleaned the lenses. Annoyance coursed through her as she noticed the scuff and crack at the top of the upper right-hand lens. All things considered, she had been lucky, but that scratch irritated her.
“Rhone and Roman are in the hospital,” she explained. “Triton is with them.”
She explained to Lupe what had happened in the tunnels and the journey they had gone through to get back to the manor. Lupe’s face fell as she filled him in on the two men’s injuries.
“Roman’s our powerhouse,” Lupe replied, stunned. “He can’t be injured.”
Jennie shrugged. “He’s not immortal. Pain and injury are hazards of duty. He’ll be okay, I’m sure. We should count ourselves lucky that we all managed to make it out alive. That explosion could have taken every single one of us.”
Baxter, Carolyn, and Sandra gave each other sideways glances. “Yeah…super painful stuff…”
Jennie rolled her eyes and smiled. “Are the others around, or are they sleeping? I think we need to call another meeting to order. Things are escalating more quickly than I’d like, and I need to know we’re moving forward. Where’s Julia? Has she made any progress in finding out about this Dreadnought guy?”
Lupe glanced over his shoulder then shrugged. “I have literally no idea. Hendricks has been whipping me into shape, and this is the first time I’ve been outside that room since you guys left. Last time I saw her, she was upstairs in the library with Tanya. Want me to go get them?”
Jennie poured herself another drink, then drained it. She shook her head. “No need. I’ll go to them.”
As she swept out of the room and up the stairs, Ashton and the others sat on the couches staring at Lupe. After a few awkward moments, Lupe dismissed himself and returned to the lab.
Ashton yawned and stretched. “Well, I guess I should probably get some…” He paused, warmth running through his body. His eyes widened as his aches and pains melted away. From the looks of Jack and Ruby, they were experiencing the same thing.
“Actually,” Ashton continued, a big grin on his face, “anyone up for a run?”
Chapter Fifty-Four
Richmond, Virginia, USA
Tanya and Julia were sitting at a table, their faces only inches away from an iPad. Scattered around the pair of them were piles of papers with scribbles and sketches on them. A few bottles of Hendrick’s energy potion lay on the floor.
“You guys have been productive.” Jennie smirked and leaned against the doorframe.
They looked up at once, the same excited glint in their eyes. It was the same look she remembered Tanya giving her back in New York when they had first met and she had poured over her stacks of ancient tomes.
Tanya jumped out of her chair and hugged Jennie. “You have no idea how long I’ve waited to have a study buddy. Julia is amazing. Between us, we can divide and conquer the internet and share our knowledge of different realms of specterdom.”
Jennie laughed. “Sounds like a productive pairing. Doesn’t mean you keep tidy though, does it? I would have thought you’d have some kind of a filing system or something for all of this.”
Julia, who was less bouncy than Tanya but by no means less alert, saluted Jennie and grinned. “We’ve made tremendous progress. All of this stuff, it’s documentation on Rathbourne. Scattered through history have been…”
“Breadcrumbs,” Tanya interjected. “Dozens of tiny clues. At first, we thought we were chasing a myth. Someone with such power should have left some kind of imprint on history, right?”
Julia picked up a stack of papers and pointed at various sections. “History is written by the victors, and Rathbourne is a loser. Well, not in a high school sense, but he wasn’t victorious in his mission, that’s how he found his way into a box in the first place. Someone stuffed him in there. They defeated him, and deliberately kept him out of history.”
Jennie took a seat across from the pair. “If that’s the case, then how have you got some many notes?”
“Because others remembered him,” Tanya replied. “Over the years, there have been accounts of his whereabouts. Whispers and traces kept in old diaries and journals. We’ve pieced them together, tried to make some kind of logical sense of it all. I think we have it, Jennie. I think we’re there.”
Julia nodded eagerly.
Jennie waited patiently for them to continue.
Julia took the reins. “Rathbourne Valerius is the alias of one Richard Haybourne. Way back in the fifteenth century, Richard assembled himself a mighty army using tactics that were…less than favorable. His followers were loyal out of fear, rather than genuine affection, and over the span of a few months, he had swollen his army to triple the size and dominated a dozen nearby villages and towns.”
“Born not far from this place,” Tanya continued. “Richard had his sights set on a woman who lived in what would later become the city of Richmond. At the time, it was nothing more than a hamlet surrounded by fields. He set his eyes on the woman and, in an effort to win her affection, tried to win her over with a monstrous display of power.”
Julia took over. “The village burned. Dozens of citizens died. Only one house remained. Richard knocked on the door and demanded to see his maiden, howling with laughter and drunk on destruction.”
“The rest of the story is unclear, at that point,” Tanya explained. “There are a few accounts of what may have happened at the time, but each one is as strange as the next. The overall theme we can find among the papers and documentation that we found accounts to magic, and on that doorstep, a spell was cast on Haybourne. He died on the spot. His men cursed. His army disbanded.”
“Vague tracings of journals suggest that the woman he loved was a witch and knew of a world beyond mortal living. She was concerned that his specter would rise, and so enlisted the help of her family to find somewhere deep below the ground to bury him.
Julia’s voice turned solemn. “They had built him a wooden casket, but it wouldn’t contain him. It had only been a temporary measure, and already he escaped. When they found him again, they managed to lure him back, and a stone tomb was built to weigh him down and hold his power within.”
“Time moved on,” Tanya continued. “The years passed. His maiden died, but a few of his most loyal followers never forgot him. They hoped that one day their master would rise again, but were fearful enough that they didn’t want to be around to experience the day his wrath was set free.”
Julia nodded gently. “Lucky for us, we might get to witness the full extent of his power.”
“Not on my watch,” Jennie replied.
Tanya flicked through her notes. “The only thing I can’t work out is what kind of specter he is. By all accounts, I can’t find mention of a specter who can possess so many others and glide through the city as he does.”
“I don’t think that’s the part you should be focusing on,” Jennie commented, eyes deep in thought.
Throughout the entire story, one thing had leaped out to her. There was vagueness in that story that didn’t mak
e sense to her. If there had been a witch, and that witch was the suspected love of Richard Haybourne—later known as the Dreadnought—then shouldn’t she be documented? Shouldn’t this woman be in the history books with them?
Tanya raised an eyebrow. “Why not? Once we know the type of specter we’re dealing with, we’ll know how to kill it, right?”
Jennie’s eyes met Julia’s. “The woman. What was her name?”
“Who?” Julia replied.
“The Dreadnought’s love. Who is she?” Jennie asked.
Julia rifled through her notes, running a finger along passages until she found the one she was looking for. “Susannah.” When Jennie’s face dropped, she added, “Why? Who is she?”
Jennie hadn’t seen Susannah since that fateful day beneath the Lincoln Memorial when she had been under the ground with the specters, hiding from the experimental weapons of the Umbra.
She had confessed she was a witch of sorts. Hanged during the Salem Witch Trials at the end of the seventeenth century, Susannah had carried over her spells and magic into specterdom.
Susannah had not been present when the Washington specters had been met by the SIA and given a choice between representing their kind for the US government or going on their way to live life as they might.
Jennie hadn’t thought about her since that day. There had been far too much going on at the time, and far too much going on since. Susannah had been friendly and had helped her find out the truth of the Umbra, and Jennie had never had the chance to say thank you.
Of course, the chances that the Susannah she knew would be the same one mentioned in the story were slim. Still, there was a niggling sensation in her stomach that they were on to something. How many cases of witch activity would there have been in that era? Was it just a coincidence that the woman the Dreadnought had fallen in love with went by the same name?
Jennie didn’t know, but she sure as hell wanted to find out.
“Where in the world would she be?” Tanya asked after Jennie had finished filling them in on her thoughts. “Back in Washington?”
“I don’t know,” Jennie conceded. “I guess so. She’ll likely be in hiding.”
Julia scoffed. “That’s going to make it easy to find her then, isn’t it?”
Tanya and Julia laughed. Jennie narrowed her eyes. “I don’t think I like you two working together. I may have to separate you into two different libraries. We still have a couple of spare rooms.”
Their faces fell like two schoolgirls’ who had just been told they would need to sit apart until the end of the semester. “You’re kidding?” Tanya protested.
Jennie held her composure, then broke out into a grin. “Of course, I am. I’m not your mother.” She scanned the pages. “You have done great work, but this has only left more questions to answer.” She sighed. “At some point, this will all be over. It always is.”
“But when?” Tanya asked.
“I don’t know,” Jennie admitted. “What with Rhone and Roman out of commission, we’ve lost two of our best—”
“Oh, goodness!” Julia interjected. “Roman? Is he okay? What happened?” She caught herself, regained her composure, then cleared her throat. “Are they okay?”
Jennie looked over the top of her glasses. “I think so. Triton is with them. Pretty sure Rhone has a busted rib.” She stopped, wondering if there would be another outburst from Julia.
“Is Roman okay?” Julia repeated, trying to keep her cool. “What’s wrong with him?”
Jennie let out a long breath. “His leg was crushed by a boulder. I’m not sure what they’re going to be able to do to help him, but he was out cold when I left him there.”
Julia put her hand to her mouth. “Concussion? Unconscious?”
“Maybe,” Jennie replied. “We didn’t allow him much chance to speak when he woke up in the cave-in. I put a little something special in his system to alleviate his pain by putting him into a temporary coma.”
Julia’s and Tanya’s eyes widened.
“A cave-in?” Tanya asked.
Jennie waved a hand. “Details, lots of details. Look, we’re reconvening in the lounge in ten minutes. Meet us down there and you’ll hear the full story. Where’s everyone else?”
Julia didn’t answer, her mind was clearly elsewhere. Tanya pointed at the ceiling. “In the dorms, I believe. Haven’t heard a peep from them since they went upstairs a few hours ago.”
“Great,” Jennie replied spritely. “Downstairs in ten. See you then.”
Tanya placed a hand on Julia’s leg. “Is everything okay?”
Julia started as if awoken from a dream. “Sure. Yeah. Everything’s fine."
* * *
Jennie filled everyone in on the events that had occurred that night. When she was finished, she cast her gaze across the group.
“In light of these incidents,” Jennie instructed, “We’re going to have to rethink how we do this. I don’t care whether or not you’ve had any battle experience, you’re now on the front line of duty.”
Krissie and Lyla raised their hands.
“Yes?” Jennie asked.
Lyla answered. “I’m sorry, but I’m not comfortable with this. To be honest, we stayed here for protection. Not to enlist in this strange army you’re recruiting.”
Jennie mentally counted the heads of those present. Hardly enough to be considered an army.
“I understand,” Jennie replied. “But the truth is that we need all hands on deck. I’m not saying we’ll all charge out there and slaughter the enemy. Clearly they’re well-equipped, and it’s all too dangerous for that. What we do need are analysts. People to monitor the news media, look online, help Julia and Tanya with their research. Krissie, Lyla, you’re locals. That’s useful to us. Keep your ears to the ground and your eyes glued to anything that might lead us to them. Tell us the places in the city where large groups of people can hide. Anything that you know could aid us in this mission.”
Jennie addressed the rest of the room. “I’ve just had word from Sturgeon and Lionus that orders have been issued and our backup is on their way. Greet them kindly. Give them space. Ula, assign them rooms.”
“Fuck that,” Ula retorted, showing signs of rebellion for the first time. “I’m going to the hospital to see Roman and Triton. They’re my comrades, and they’re down.”
Jennie straightened to her full height, her eyes taking on a terrible darkness. “Then they won’t need you there, will they? I know times are hard, but we all need to contribute. Ula, you’re one of our strongest. With Rhone and Roman out of commission, I need you to step up. Greet them when they come, settle them in, keep the peace.”
Ula looked conflicted. She stamped one foot and saluted. “Yes, ma’am.”
“What about you?” Carolyn asked. “What are you going to do?”
Jennie raised an eyebrow.
“Well, clearly you’re heading off somewhere,” Carolyn continued. “You’ve got that look on your face.”
Jennie smirked. “Am I that predictable?”
“Yes.” Carolyn sighed. “Where are you going? What aren’t you telling us?”
Jennie side-eyed Baxter, the only other person apart from Tanya and Julia she had told her purpose. “I’ve got a lead. It may be of great relevance. It could be the key to unlocking this madness.”
Jennie disbanded the group and set them into motion. Hendrick had been instructed to stock up on his energy elixir, with Jennie keen to ensure they maximized the output of everyone throughout this time. She answered questions from her team, gave Ula her specific instructions, and made her way through a few cocktails before she finally grabbed Baxter and headed out of the back door.
Ashton was waiting for them, his Airbus propellers already spinning. “Ready to go?” he shouted over the noise of the blades.
Jennie climbed inside with Baxter. “I think so.”
She wouldn’t let the others know she had never been more unsure in her life. For a short while, at least, she was
going to have to command from long distance. Hopefully, with the overwhelming talent they had enlisted to join their cause, things would work out in their favor.
Jennie jumped on a call with the other factions, filling in Sturgeon and Jimmy Dean with her plan. She made them promise to keep quiet and listened to their updates from the other cities.
If there was one good thing to come out of that call, it was the knowledge that Tommy Vincenzo had been spotted by Sturgeon’s men in Pennsylvania. They were closing in on his location, and soon they would have another one of the Seven out of the equation.
Jennie glanced back longingly at the manor as it shrank to a dot in the distance. She hoped to a god she didn’t believe in that this wouldn’t take too long and they’d be able to find her.
Chapter Fifty-Five
Richmond, Virginia, USA
Julia waited until the excitement in the house had settled. She had never seen so many people at the manor, and soon there would be even more of them—suited and booted agents with expressionless faces and gadgets holstered around their waists, touching everything.
She needed to get out.
She hadn’t told the others, but ever since Jennie had informed them of the cave-in, she had felt a pull toward the city. One thing was on her mind, and one thing only.
A half-hour later, she hung around the back door in the kitchen. She listened for any sign of company, waiting for the right moment to make her move.
She was alone.
Julia turned the door handle and exited the manor. The lawn was cloaked in shadow. She clung to the bushes around the edge of the building, keeping an eye out for the McFarlene brothers. This would be the trickiest part of her escape. Ever since they’d been freed from the basement, they had flown in endless loops around the property, never tiring of their race.
She made it to the corner before she heard them again. Ducking into a bush, she peeked out and watched them whizz by, leaving only their cackling behind. The minute they were gone, she ran to the next corner and hid again.
Agents, Agreements and Aggravations: In Her Paranormal Majesty’s Secret Service™ Book Three Page 42