The Medusa Files, Case 3: Escaped From Stone

by C. I. Black

  No movement from the house, and the darkness remained quiet, too.

  Good.

  They dashed around the hedge, across the lawn to the side of the house, and crouched against the front of the porch.

  Silence.

  Randy didn’t come roaring out, and Lisa didn’t start screaming inside.

  Morgan glanced through the railing onto the porch. They were just past the curve from the front. A set of stairs sat a few feet away, leading to a narrow side door. The hint of light they’d seen from the street didn’t glimmer from any of the windows at this angle. Randy had to be in a room down the hall.

  Morgan caught Kate’s gaze. This was it. Kate was ready, her gun held securely in the standard double grip.

  They’d done this numerous times before. Well, not this, exactly. Not for a frost giant and not with backup at least ten minutes out. They hadn’t done well during their first encounter with Randy, and their odds weren’t any better now.

  Maybe Randy would be fine, and all they had to do was monitor him and ensure Lisa’s safety until Gage arrived. And really, they had no other choice unless they wanted to kill Randy.

  “You’ve got the better chance of making a connection with him,” Kate said, her voice low. “Because you’re… you know.”

  “A freak just like him.” But that wasn’t what Kate had meant. Sure, Morgan was a freak… Kin, but she also hadn’t had any idea what she was and what all of that meant. Just like Randy.

  “I didn’t mean—”

  “It’s all right. I’m the partner who deals with the monsters. It’s our thing.”

  A hint of a smile pulled at Kate’s lips. “It is our thing.”

  “If this goes south, a head shot is the only thing that’s guaranteed to take him down.” At least it was the only thing that took the ogres down. Morgan really should have taken the time to re-read the entry on frost giants in the encyclopedia.

  “You couldn’t have told me that back in the car?”

  “I’m hoping it won’t come to that.” Morgan scurried up the stairs to the side door.

  The wood groaned under her feet. She froze, her senses straining. No sound from the house. No movement in the dark room inside.

  Sweat slicked her palms, chilling in the pre-dawn breeze. Her ribs ached. So did her head, and fire licked at her eyes. Kate was a few steps back—Morgan didn’t have to look to know.

  She’d done this before and could handle everything, including her powers. She shoved them back and inched to the door.

  It was locked.

  Morgan tried again. Maybe it was just stuck.

  “I think it’s locked,” Kate said.

  “I suppose I shouldn’t have hoped every door in the house would be unlocked. Got your picks?”

  “Of course I do.” Kate holstered her gun and pulled out her department-issued lock picks. Morgan eased out of the way, keeping her attention on the shadows inside the house. Still quiet.

  The lock clicked, and Kate cracked the door open. Morgan stepped into the entrance, a side hall with the left wall mostly open to a dining room. At the end, where the light was the brightest, the floor changed from dark hardwood to black and white tile, adding more evidence to Morgan’s guess that it was a kitchen.

  She crept down the hall, her teeth gritted against her racing pulse and the fire in her eyes. The floor creaked. She froze.

  Still no sound.

  No, that wasn’t right. There was something soft, at the edge of her hearing. Sobs? Sniffling?

  “Lisa,” a soft voice said, the tone a deep bass. “Please. You have to understand.”

  “I don’t understand anything.”

  Morgan inched closer. A few more feet, and she’d be at the entrance to the kitchen.

  “I did this for you.”

  “For me?” Lisa asked, her voice pinched.

  “All of it.”

  One more step. Morgan eased to the arch’s edge and peered in. It was indeed a kitchen. Lisa sat on a simple wooden chair on the far side, at the end of a long butcher’s block table. She hunched in on herself, her shoulders shaking with sobs, her long hair trembling around her head, hiding her face.

  Randy stood beside her. He ran a hand over his wild blond dreadlocks and knelt. “You’re safe now. It’ll be all right.”

  Lisa hiccupped a sob. “How am I safe? How is any of this all right?”

  “I’ll protect you.”

  “Protect me?” Lisa jerked her head up; her eyes were red and her face blotchy. “You murdered my father and Brandon. You hurt my mother.”

  Randy reached for her. “You need protecting.”

  She wrenched back. “From you!”

  Ah, shit. From one second to the next, Lisa had just escalated the situation.

  Randy growled, and Lisa scrambled from the chair. He seized her arm and yanked her close. She screamed. Mist curled from Randy’s nose and mouth.

  Morgan stepped fully into the kitchen. “Hi, Randy.”

  His attention jumped to Morgan, away from Lisa. Good. Next steps: de-escalate the situation and get him to release Lisa’s arm.

  “This is none of your business,” Randy roared. Mist billowed around his head, and ice snapped on the tiles around his feet. His eyes widened, and more mist poured around his face. God, the kid was terrified of himself.

  Lisa whimpered, and Randy trembled.

  Hostage negotiation basics flashed through Morgan’s mind: stay calm and create a rapport. And nothing put more distance between two people than a gun.

  She lowered her weapon to her side. Heat billowed around her eyes as if in compensation. She sucked it back and focused on Randy. “I’m Morgan, and I’m with the U.S. Marshals.”

  “You’re one of them,” Randy said.

  Them had to be Kin.

  “And yes, I’m one of them. Half, actually.” The fire flickered.

  Randy jerked back. Lisa moaned, clutching at Randy’s hand around her forearm.

  Morgan had no idea what he saw, but something had to have informed him that her powers were manifesting. She slid her sunglasses down and concentrated on controlling her abilities. “I’m new to being one of them, too. The sunglasses help control it. Can you let Lisa go so we can talk about it?”

  Randy pulled Lisa close. “She needs to understand.”

  Lisa’s teeth chattered, and blue edged her lips.

  “We can help her understand. But I think she’s cold.”

  He slid his gaze to Lisa, pain and desire in his eyes. Everything he’d done, he had done for her. Whether his frost giant nature had fully compelled him or not, his feelings for her were clear.

  “Please,” Lisa gasped.

  “But we’re supposed to be together.”

  “She’s cold. Offer her the chair, and then we can help her understand.”

  He pursed his lips. More ice crackled across the floor.

  Tears spilled down Lisa’s cheeks. His touch was burning her. Morgan needed to get him to calm down and control his powers before he shattered her flesh as he had the roof of the correctional facility’s van.

  Her powers licked around her eyes. Jeez, she needed to stay calm, too. “I need you to take a deep breath and let Lisa sit. Your touch is giving her frostbite.”

  His gaze locked on her wrist where he held her. “Her shirt will protect her.”

  “I’m sure it’s still really cold. Releasing her arm doesn’t mean you’re letting her go. Why don’t we all sit at the table and talk.” It was easier when the fugitives were running and Morgan could tackle and slap handcuffs on them.

  Randy’s gaze leapt to the chairs at the table then back to Morgan.

  “I want to help you.” She couldn’t be more sincere. It was difficult enough for her, coming into her Kin abilities as an adult. She couldn’t imagine doing it as a confused, hormonal teenager.

  “Okay.” He grabbed another chair, pushed it beside the first one, and tugged Lisa down.

  Morgan pulled out the chair closest to h
er and sat, positioning herself away from the table in case she needed to get to Randy in a hurry. In an ideal world, she wouldn’t have sat and there would be a tactical team to protect her and Lisa, but standing would look too aggressive.

  In an ideal world, she and Randy would be normal and wouldn’t have to deal with their crazy Kin natures. But the world wasn’t ideal, and she still had to get Randy to let go of Lisa’s arm.

  “Lisa is going to sit right there, aren’t you, Lisa?”

  Lisa sniffed and nodded.

  “She’s not going anywhere, Randy. Release her arm, help make her comfortable.”

  “I’m not going anywhere,” Lisa said. “Promise.”

  “Promise?” Randy asked. “You made promises at prom, too.”

  “I—I kept those,” Lisa said in a tiny voice.

  “No, you didn’t.” Mist poured around Randy. “You moved in with Brandon.”

  “You killed my dad.”

  Randy jerked to his feet. “He was hurting you.” Ice snapped over the kitchen table.

  “Randy.” Morgan had to regain control. “Your abilities are triggered by your emotions. Look at the table.”

  His gaze jumped to the table.

  “I’m not sure Lisa’s shirt is protecting her. I know you don’t want to hurt her.”

  “I don’t.” Randy sagged back into the chair and released Lisa’s arm.

  She tensed, as if she wanted to run. Morgan shook her head. If she bolted now, Randy’s instincts would kick in again, and he could lose what little control he had of his abilities. The girl trembled but stayed put, hugging her arm to her chest.

  Thank goodness. Now to build a rapport and get Randy to completely release Lisa. “I’m new to all of this, too. My mom wasn’t around to tell me anything. How much do you know about them? About Kin?”

  “Kin?” He drew out the word, as if rolling it across his tongue would make it make more sense. “They have a name?”

  “Yes.”

  “They’re monsters… we’re monsters?”

  “Yes and no. It’s complicated.” Really complicated. “I only found out about all this a few weeks ago.”

  Randy snorted, and mist burst from his nostrils. “Yeah, right.”

  “I know. I’m probably the least qualified person to talk to you about this. Or maybe I’m the best person. It all started four months ago for me.” Build a rapport. Make a connection. All she had was her experience, and there was no guarantee sharing would get Randy to give himself up. And really, it didn’t matter so long as she stalled until Gage arrived. “I was working on a case.”

  “With the marshals?” Randy asked.

  “Yes. I chased after someone I shouldn’t have, without backup, and ran into an ambush.”

  From the corner of her eye, Kate shifted. That had been a bad night for everyone.

  “What happened?” Randy asked.

  “I was losing the fight.” The scar above Morgan’s heart ached. Lost was more like it. If that man had plunged the knife a fraction lower and to the left, she would have been dead. “But then my Kin abilities, abilities I didn’t know I had, kicked in, and I hurt the man.” Killed him, actually, but she wasn’t going to burden Kate with that particular detail. Her friend knew too much already about Kin.

  “You hurt him?” Randy leaned forward.

  “Badly. I was angry and scared, and I had no idea what I really was. No one had told me. Because I didn’t come into my abilities when I was a teenager, everyone assumed I wasn’t Kin.”

  “No one told me, either. I see monsters. I look in the mirror and see a monster. I need—” He glanced at Lisa. “I need you to understand. I need you to see me, who I was before. I get so scared, thinking about you being alone with all these monsters around.”

  “My father wasn’t a monster,” Lisa said.

  “He was a different kind of monster.”

  “No, he—”

  “I understand you want to protect Lisa,” Morgan said. She couldn’t let Lisa start another argument. “I know you really care about her.”

  “I want her safe.”

  “She can be. But I don’t want to lie to you. She can’t be safe with you until you learn about your abilities and how to control them.” Morgan held her breath. Here was hoping this hard truth didn’t send him over the edge again. She wasn’t going to mention that by tomorrow night, Lisa wouldn’t remember anything about Kin or Randy’s abilities.

  Ice snapped across the table, once, twice, then stopped. “I’m not crazy.”

  “No, you’re not.”

  “I didn’t mean to hurt anyone.”

  “I know you didn’t.” Neither had she. “Will you come with me?”

  His gaze jumped to Lisa. She hugged herself, still trembling, her lips still blue.

  “I just wanted to protect you,” he said.

  She frowned, her teeth chattering.

  Morgan held her breath. Please, don’t say anything stupid.

  “I just—” Randy reached for her again, and Lisa jerked back.

  “I know,” Lisa gasped out. “I know.”

  Morgan stood and held out her hand. She didn’t know if Lisa really understood or not. And really, it didn’t matter. What mattered was getting Randy to let her go. “Come on, Randy.”

  “Okay.”

  Thank God.

  Randy rose, reaching for Morgan’s hand.

  A boom exploded through the house. The front door crashed open, ripped from its hinges, and clattered to the floor. A massive figure stood in the entrance, white smoke… no, mist billowing around his head. Ice raced across the floor and walls, and the temperature in the room dropped.

  CHAPTER 11

  Randy jerked away from Morgan and grabbed Lisa. Kate turned her gun on the figure and lengthened her stance. Ice licked over the ceiling.

  “I’m taking the boy.” The figure in the doorway marched into the light. Stroud Boyson. Ice slicked his face and spiked from his shaved head like hair, and icicles hung from his goatee.

  Fire roared over Morgan’s eyes and bled across her cheeks. “I can’t let you do that.”

  “I’m not going anywhere with that monster.” Randy pressed Lisa behind him, shielding her with his body.

  “I’m your father, boy.” Stroud’s hands clenched into fists. “And you’re coming with me.”

  “You’re—No, you’re a monster,” Randy said.

  Stroud growled. Mist poured around his head.

  Morgan leveled her gun on him. “Back off, Stroud. This is the marshals’ business.”

  “This isn’t marshals’ business, gorgon. It isn’t even Kin business. This is family.”

  The temperature in the room dropped even more, the air stinging Morgan’s face and burning her nose and throat. Her breath clouded around her head. Lisa whimpered, and Randy squared his shoulders.

  “And your gun isn’t going to stop me.” Stroud lunged at her.

  Instinct kicked in. She pulled the trigger. Once, twice. The bullets slammed into his chest—center of mass like she’d been taught. He didn’t even stumble. Two more bangs roared through the kitchen. Kate’s gun. Her bullets hit his chest and shoulder.

  Stroud stumbled for one step, roared, and threw himself at Morgan. She jerked out of the way, but he grabbed the front of her jacket and tossed her at Kate.

  Kate twisted aside. Morgan crashed to the floor and slammed against the kitchen wall. Pain shot through her chest, and her powers leaked from her eyes through her glasses.

  The floor turned grey. Shit. She yanked her powers back.

  Stroud grabbed for Randy, but he shoved his father back.

  “Leave us alone.” Mist poured around Randy’s head.

  Stroud stiffened. “Us?”

  “Just leave us alone,” Randy said.

  Stroud’s eyes narrowed, and the muscle in his jaw twitched. “This is about the human?”

  “I won’t let you hurt her.”

  Kate jerked forward. Morgan grabbed her leg. “Don�
�t let him touch you.” Kate wouldn’t survive a fist fight with Stroud. Morgan was sure she wouldn’t, either. The fire beat against her will, threatening to explode.

  “You’re coming with me.” Stroud lunged at Randy, seizing his arm. Randy twisted, and Stroud wrenched his son’s hand behind his back.

  Lisa screamed and scrambled toward Morgan.

  “Get her to safety.” Morgan staggered to her feet and pushed Lisa toward Kate.

  Randy slammed his head back, skimming Stroud’s nose. He roared and shoved Randy into the counters behind them. The counters shattered, splinters flying through the air.

  “Release him, Stroud,” Morgan said.

  “Fuck you.” Stroud bashed Randy’s head into the wall. Randy sagged, and Stroud ripped a cupboard door free and whipped it at Morgan.

  She jerked out of the way. The door crashed into the wall behind her, imbedding into the drywall.

  Footsteps clattered from the front hall, and Gage raced into the kitchen. Darkness and power flooded around him, and his fire whip burst to life.

  Stroud grabbed Randy and yanked him to the back door. He crashed through it, dragging Randy with him. Gage cracked his whip, but missed Stroud’s leg. They were getting away.

  Morgan bolted after them, out the door, leaping down the five steps to a patio. Beyond lay a massive yard, cloaked in darkness. If they didn’t catch him now, they might not be able to find him again.

  Stroud raced around a patio set, and Clayton’s enormous shadow stepped out from behind a tree. Stroud lowered his shoulder and barreled into him. Clayton stumbled, caught his balance, and grabbed for Stroud’s arm. The frost giant twisted away, shoving Randy at Clayton.

  Gage’s whip flew past her, snagged Stroud’s leg, and toppled him to the ground. The frost giant seized a patio chair and hurled it at her and Gage.

  She dove out of the way, twisting to roll on her good shoulder. The move knocked her sunglasses off. Her powers roared through her, down her chest, and across her face.

  Stroud howled, and Morgan’s gaze jumped to him on instinct. A massive beam slammed out of her eyes into Stroud. In the pre-dawn light, it was impossible to tell if his face had turned grey, but he froze, one arm up at an awkward angle. She was petrifying him. She had to control it. Stop it. She couldn’t kill anyone else.