by Sheryl Lee
Dismissed, they all filed out and did as they were bid. Zora changed into comfortable clothes and sat in the chair by the window to wait. Powers did likewise and they sat in silence. It was not as long a wait as Zora expected when Axel sent word that it was time to leave by mist travel. She sighed at the mode of transport but made no comment. Cameron and James were not present, dispatched to collect the other defenders and their guardians. Nobody was inclined to talk and Axel quickly arranged them into little groups.
This time Arthur and Powers, Axel and Zora went first, followed by Shax and Sunny, Clare and Marcus and Samantha and Jake. They materialised in an alley next to the murder site, Cameron and James arriving with their charges soon after. Relieved that she felt only slight nausea - perhaps because it was only a short distance to travel - Zora waited with the others while Cameron and James went to check that it was safe to approach the site. Jake chafed at what he considered an unnecessary delay. Zora could see why the wolves were often described as impatient and impulsive.
Approaching the site Zora felt nervous and queasy but apart from the police tape it didn’t look any different to the alley they had just left. This time however the scent of blood and fear filled her nostrils and she hesitated, noticing that Sara and Jane were looking anxious beside her. Reasoning that such a recent murder would make the visions very powerful she felt even less inclined to go further, but as Sara and Jane rallied and continued she did so as well.
Zora remembered that she had closed the bond and decided that was not a good idea at this time so she opened it again. Immediately Powers reached for her hand and held it protectively. She sighed a small sigh, all issues notwithstanding it did feel good to be completely understood without any words being used.
They came to a stop at the police tape and looked to Axel for instruction. He directed the fairy guard to keep watch and told Sunny to stay close to Shax. Marcus and Jake ranged themselves on either side of Axel, which left her and Powers, and the visiting defenders and their guardians. It was a lot of bodies to fit into the alley, Zora was relieved that there was very little pedestrian activity out in the street.
Axel looked at her. “Little Zora, please, we need you to go inside the police tape and open your senses. For now Sara and Jane, please watch Zora. Powers, stay close to her.”
Pushing down her anxiety and fear Zora approached the police tape and slipped under. She didn’t have to search for the exact spot, her sense of smell was guiding her but even more she could feel the pull from her pendant. She closed her eyes and followed where it led, stopping as it seemed to weigh heavier against her skin. It flared then, hot, and the visions hit her with the force of a cyclone. Zora swayed for an instant, her hair lifting and skin glowing. Sara, Jane and Jake gasped at the sight she made, like a marble figure with swirling molten hair but Zora did not hear, lost in the vision.
When it stopped she collapsed to the ground, all her energy gone. Powers lifted her and carried her to Axel, who placed his hand on her forehead. “She is fine Powers, just drained from the force of the vision. Give her some of your jelly babies when she comes to, but save some for the other ladies. Unless you guardians have a supply of glucose?” He raised an eyebrow to Sam and Joe who each shook their heads sadly.
Sara and Jane approached the area together, hands linked. Before they entered Sara looked to Axel. “Should we go together or separately Axel?”
He smiled at her gently. “You may go together Sara, I merely wished you utilise this rather unique opportunity to witness and then experience the process. You have seen there is an energy drain, Powers has been prepared with jelly babies since Zora’s first vision - your guardians will in future always carry a supply of glucose with them. That is correct Joe and Sam?” Both guardians nodded soberly.
The women nodded and without further words slipped under the tape and stepped to where Zora had stood. Like Zora, they both swayed a little as the vision hit, and their skin began to glow. Jane’s jet curls shone and danced on her shoulders, while Sara’s strawberry locks glowed with soft fire. Zora, who had rallied after eating a few jelly babies and absorbing a small amount of Powers energy gasped as she watched, and turned to him. “Is that what I look like?”
He looked down at her and smiled gently. “Actually you glow much brighter and your hair looks like flame. You look like a fiery angel.”
She looked from him back to the two women, noticing that Sam and Joe were standing close to them with identical expressions of concern on their faces. The vision lasted only a short time which made her wonder if her vision was as short a duration, since it had seemed to last several minutes at least. Both women staggered as their hair fell back to their shoulders and their skin lost that other-worldly glow. Sam and Joe were by their sides instantly, supporting them to where Powers was waiting with the jelly babies. As did Zora, they rallied quickly after eating a few, although she was sure their guardians were also giving them a burst of energy.
Jane looked to Zora, shock still showing on her face. “Is that how it always is for you? I don’t mean the vision, I mean the exhaustion afterwards, and man I could eat three double quarter pounders from McDonalds!”
Sara pushed her fringe off her forehead with a hand that still shook slightly. “And Zora, how do you cope with all the other senses with the visions? It was bad enough without them, I am in awe of your strength.”
Zora smiled slightly and couldn’t help but steal a quick glance at Jake, who did not try to hide his shock at what he had seen. She swallowed down a small spurt of satisfaction at that and returned her attention to her fellow defenders. “Oh I get absolutely ravenous! And yes, it is draining, even more so tonight, I think because it is so recent. Axel, we should go back now and get some food into these ladies before we compare visions. If that is what you wish us to do?”
Axel nodded. “Yes, we will go back now, the kitchen has been instructed to prepare protein rich food and you are correct little Zora, I am curious as to how different defenders see the visions. It is quite rare that we have more than one at the same site.” Clapping his hands he got everyone’s attention and within seconds they had all vanished from the scene.
Back at the house they gathered in the library, where the kitchen staff had brought a delicious looking and smelling supper. The three women tucked in heartily, but everyone else also appreciated the food. The night-time adventure had worked up an appetite for them all, despite the tragic circumstances.
Once they had finished and the food had been cleared away Axel addressed Zora. “Little Zora, please tell us now what you have learned. Jane and Sara, we will hear from you both next.”
Zora reached for her teacup and took a fortifying swallow. This vision had been by far the most vivid and disturbing. She wondered if she would ever get desensitised to what she saw in the visions or if instead she was going to develop sleeping problems. Pushing those concerns away she closed her eyes to replay the vision in her mind before starting.
“I believe the werewolf lured the man into the alley in her human form, I think I witnessed the change.” She broke off and looked to Jake. “Is there light when you change? I didn’t see it with Powers but he also didn’t completely change.” She missed the look of respect Jake flashed to Powers, focused still on the picture in her head.
Jake gazed at her intently. “Tell me exactly what you saw Zora.”
“I saw her briefly in her human form, but I couldn’t make out features because she was changing. I could see the wolf outlined over her skin and a flash of intensely bright light, and then she was on the ground. For a few seconds it was like the wolf was rising up out of her body and then she just – changed. She was the wolf, so quickly.”
Jake nodded soberly. “You saw the change Zora, which is how it goes for wolves.”
Zora looked at Axel. “I’m sorry I couldn’t make out much of her human form. Only that she has blonde hair which makes sense since she is a golden wolf. And I think she is pretty tall as a human as well.”
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“No matter little Zora, anything you see is more than we knew before.” Smiling at her Axel gestured for her to continue.
Closing her eyes again Zora went on. “The man was panicked of course when she changed but she, well she herded him to where he was killed. She told him the same as the others, that his death was important, that it would help to change the world. She apologised to this one, she told him he was just at the wrong place at the wrong time and that he should never try to pick up strange women. Then she laughed a little and said that he wouldn’t be picking up another woman again anyway so it was a lesson learned too late.”
Opening her eyes Zora looked at Axel. “I guess she met him somewhere and decided he would be her next victim.” She shuddered at the thought, closed her eyes and finished recounting the vision. “She killed quickly this time. He suffered but she didn’t seem to enjoy it as much as last time. She slit his throat and he bled to death. She took his blood while he was still alive, then sat beside him and waited for him to die before she took all the body parts.”
Zora didn’t recount the helpless expression in his eyes as he died, or the strange shimmer around his body in his final seconds. She didn’t try to explain the way all expression left those eyes once he was dead, or the odd flash of light that surrounded him and hovered over the werewolf before disappearing. That was more fodder for her nightmares.
“She took the body parts as before, and put them and the blood into the same esky. She patted his arm and then she left but she didn’t go into the street. She went towards the end of the alley but I didn’t see how she left, the vision ended.” Zora didn’t say how the werewolf seemed again to stare straight at her before striding away. Axel had seemed certain she couldn’t really see Zora and she didn’t want to worry Powers. Opening her eyes she met the intense ones of Axel. “I’m sorry Axel, the vision ended too soon and I didn’t see which way she went.”
Smiling gently at her Axel shook his head dismissively. “It’s ok little Zora, she probably went to the end of the alley to change back to human and then left without anyone seeing anything unusual. Little Zora, did the music play again?”
“Yes Axel, and this time it was definitely a country style of tune but I didn’t recognise it.”
Shrugging, Axel asked another question. “And did you see where she will go next?”
Zora nodded. “I did Axel but I’m not sure I read it correctly.”
“Tell us what you saw little Zora.”
Swallowing hard, and hoping that Jane and Sara had seen the destination as well Zora complied. “She’s going to Egypt.”
“WHAT??” Shax was out of her chair and pacing agitatedly. “I knew it! I knew there was a reason I was drawn to that country. This is why!” She swung around and faced Axel. “I’ve spent months there, going all over the country. I was sent there so I could be your guide.”
Axel looked a little surprised at her vehemence. “Perhaps so Shax. Let us now hear what Jane and Sara learned. Maybe they will have something to add to what we know.”
Jane and Sara were already shaking their heads. Taking the lead Jane responded. “Axel, if Sara had the same vision as I did, we have nothing to add and I for one am grateful Zora is here. I saw the vision as she did, except that there was no sound. I would only have been able to tell you that she killed, that she took the body parts and blood, and that she is going to Egypt. Without being able to hear anything my vision lacked the clarity of Zora’s. And it was horrible enough to see it without that. Zora my already high opinion of you has just gone up.”
Axel looked at Sara. “Sara? This was the same for you?”
Sara nodded. “Yes Axel, I saw the same that Jane did. I didn’t even see the change, my vision began when the werewolf killed the victim and ended when she picked up the esky. Was that yours Jane?”
Jane nodded her agreement. “That’s all I saw too.”
Jake had been listening without moving but now he reached out and grabbed Shax by the arm as she passed him. “Egypt is a big country. Even with Shax here to guide us, how will we know where to go once we get there?” Shax pulled at her arm but he held on. “Please stand still or sit again, your pacing is waking my wolf and I feel quite agitated.” Shax stared at him silently with huge grey eyes, then pointedly pulled her arm free and returned to her seat.
Axel had been tapping his finger thoughtfully on his lower lip. “Jane, Sara, did you see any more clues to where the wolf is going?” Both women shook their heads. He looked at Zora who met his eyes, sighed and said, “She’s going to Cairo, to the pyramids. I saw palm trees and the pyramids.”
Axel permitted his eyes to widen, everyone else reacted with varying degrees of surprise and curiosity.
“The pyramids!” exclaimed Sunny. “Isn’t that a really well protected area? And loads of tourists and touts? Hardly a place to murder anyone without being noticed.”
Jake looked disgusted. “That’s the biggest tourist area in the country. Are you sure Zora? Maybe you just want a holiday.”
Powers glared at Jake and growled a low primal growl which Jake met with one of his own. Jane and Sara were silent, each trying to remember all the details of their visions to see if they could find something to corroborate Zora’s. Shax whirled to the centre of the room, put her fingers in her mouth and whistled a shrill whistle that had the more animalistic members of their group clapping their hands over their ears in protest.
She glared unapologetically at them all. “Everyone shut up! Who here, apart from Alex who’s been everywhere, has even been to the pyramids?”
Jane stirred. “I have, a long time ago.”
Shax looked at her. “Do you remember what it was like?”
Jane shook her head. “Not really, just the sight of the biggest one, and the weather was soooo hot even for me and I was born in the tropics.”
Shax smiled. “Oh it gets hot there, it’s the desert after all. Well I’ve been there, lots of times. And let me tell you, yes there are tourists and touts and security guards and police and guides. The city comes almost to the base of the pyramids. But on the other side, what is there? Desert. Miles and miles of empty desert. Sure, the werewolf would have trouble doing anything when it’s busy but at night? She could take a security guard for heaven’s sake and the others would be so busy playing on their phones they wouldn’t even notice. Think everyone - we suspect dark magic, where better to perform it than an ancient place like the pyramids?”
Axel spoke for the first time since Zora’s pronouncement. “Shax is correct. The werewolf may have selected the pyramids for the magic that still envelops the area. She may have another reason, we cannot say at this point. But I am sure Zora’s vision has not led her astray and Jake that was a remark in very poor taste. Remember what I have said. We need to trust each other if we are to prevail.” Jake looked embarrassed to be singled out so, and shot a look of apology in Zora’s direction. She nodded in return, not ready to say any more to him at that point.
Axel continued, “Can anyone think of any kind of a pattern here? This wolf has zigzagged over the country and now she is headed to Egypt. It seems to make no sense but there must be a reason.”
The group was silent, until Sara raised a tentative hand. Axel smiled gently at her. “Sara, please share. I value all input no matter how unimportant you may feel it to be.”
Looking slightly embarrassed Sara began, “Jane, remember I was happy to go with you to see Daciana because I missed her concert in Sydney?” Jane nodded and Sara continued, “Axel I don’t know if this has anything to do with the murders or is simply coincidence. But Daciana was performing in Sydney when the murder occurred there, and she is here now too. I don’t know about Mackay but I do know that she is doing a performance at the pyramids next week.”
Complete silence met her words, each person there thinking it through. Shax spoke first. “Daciana is not a werewolf guys, I think we all agree on that. It can’t be her, so I think it’s just coincidence.”
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nbsp; “She travels with a big entourage, it would probably be easy to get a casual job with her while she’s on tour.” Jane was looking thoughtful, and Shax nodded her head in agreement.
Jake spoke up. “But the rogue werewolf is a woman, surely Daciana does not hire casual female staff when she can easily get men who are much stronger to act as roadies.” Zora frowned at Jake resenting the sexist comment. However she kept her mouth shut, not wanting to further antagonise him.
Shax had no such problem. “Don’t be an idiot Jake. Daciana will need all kinds of casual workers for this tour – wardrobe and makeup assistants as well as roadies. There are female roadies too you know. There are a lot of strong women out there who do physical jobs. Plus this is a werewolf we’re talking about. Even in human form she will be stronger than most women.”
Axel stood up, commanding everyone’s attention. “Sara, thank you very much. You have brought something to our attention that we should have already thought of. I believe it could well be more than simply a coincidence that the werewolf is striking in places where Daciana is performing. I think we must consider it a very real possibility that she is using the tour as a way to accomplish her goal, whatever that may ultimately be. Again I say, everyone please, no matter how trivial you think it may be, tell me everything that comes to your mind. This is a puzzle and every piece is important.
So, we must decide who will go to Egypt, and who will stay here. We need people on the ground here to monitor the activities of the loner wolves and also that lawyer. I must know more about him. Tomorrow we will all meet here again for breakfast and I will tell you what I have decided. For now, go to bed, get some rest. Jane and Sara, Joe and Sam – I will require you back here also for breakfast. Please be here at seven am sharp. You four are now part of this investigation.” He smiled briefly at them all and then gazed expectantly at them. Getting the message that they were all summarily dismissed they left as a group, filing out the door and into the hallway beyond. Zora was the last to leave, and on looking back saw Axel sitting in an armchair, silver mist swirling around him.