by TR Cameron
He was too close to avoid the force blast she fired with both hands, and it hurled him violently away while he twisted to slow his momentum. From nearby, Cali called, “Switch,” and as he landed, he spun and charged the man she’d been fighting. The attack clearly surprised the enforcer, and Fyre’s claws scored the boots at the backs of his calves as he flashed past. The Draksa changed direction, anticipating a counterattack, and took a glancing blow from a blast of energy released by the trident.
He whirled with a growl and snaked in toward the man, who spun his weapon several times before he thrust it out in a stabbing motion. The dragon lizard was faster, and he dodged easily while he continued to close the distance. He stopped suddenly and breathed heartily, and a cone of frost surged toward his adversary. The Atlantean spun the trident again, and it redirected the icy blast upward before he countered with another force bolt. Fyre vaulted up to avoid it, flapped his wings once, and extended his claws toward the man’s face.
The pain in her arm had turned to numbness and her brain mercifully shut off the warning system once it discovered that she didn’t pay attention. She rocketed into an attack on the witch and counted on the change of opponents to give her an edge. When the woman raised her arms, she hurled her stick at her enemy’s face. The surprise move made the witch flinch, and although she batted the projectile away, it was enough distraction for Cali to get close. She delivered a front kick to the woman’s stomach that doubled her over, then a snap kick to the side of her leg that brought her down to one knee.
Before she could deliver a decisive blow, her adversary managed to raise one hand and fire a shadow beam that burned into her leg. The damaged limb buckled, and she turned it into a forward tackle. Her opponent landed a weak elbow to her head while she maneuvered into position, then squealed in pain when Cali’s legs clamped around hers and her right arm slithered around her throat. Her feet pressed the woman’s knee in one direction and her shin in the other, locked the joint, and caused her to flail madly from the pain. I only have to hold it long enough until she passes out. Chokeholds were always the last resort for her because the danger of accidentally killing the other person involved was significant. Still, if there was ever anyone she’d want to do serious damage to, the sneering witch ranked high on the list.
Her foe keened again as she readjusted her legs. When the woman wrenched against the hold, the leg lock slipped. Although her lower leg broke with a loud snap, the desperate move allowed her to wriggle free of the chokehold. She blasted her adversary’s face with shadow and thrust her head against the floor hard enough to fill her vision with stars. Cali summoned her stick to her hand and lashed out before the attack could be repeated, and the woman rolled off her. She sensed the witch gathering power for a final blow and whispered, “Aspida,” to activate her shield charm.
Quickly, she segmented a piece of her mind and focused on finding her partner. His uniqueness among the creatures in the room made him easy to identify, and she pushed a thought into his brain. The wash of approval that returned to her signaled his acceptance of her request. Moments after the witch detonated a force blast that battered her shield and knocked her back several feet, the Draksa coated the woman in ice. Meanwhile, from her position mostly hidden by the dragon lizard and the enemy witch, she let her shield fall, summoned all her magical strength, and thrust it in a punch at the Atlantean enforcer. It caught him directly in the forehead and he staggered and fought to keep his balance. She tried to rise, but her leg buckled again. Instead, she threw her stick at him, and while his groggy brain focused on the incoming projectile, she delivered another force punch. He fell, unconscious before he landed.
Fyre stepped beside her and used his snout to help her into a seated position, then eventually, to stand using him as support. Danna stepped forward from the crowd, her slow clap the only sound in the room. Grudging respect was present in her tone. “I didn’t believe you would survive this round. Congratulations. The next battle will be three on three, and you have two weeks to prepare for it. During that time, as long as you do not attack any of us, none of us will attack you.” She pointed at several of her underlings, and one of them opened a portal while two others went to assist the defeated Atlantean champions.
Cali growled, “When does this end?”
The woman in the suit laughed. “Why, when you lose, of course.”
“That won’t happen. I won’t lose to any of you.”
“It is inevitable. There are many of us and not that many of you. Eventually, you’ll run out of allies, but I never will.”
It took several minutes for the Atlanteans to vanish. Cali and Fyre kept their guards up the whole time, fearful of a surprise attack despite the woman’s words. In the end, though, it didn’t materialize, and she collapsed with a loud moan. She swallowed the healing potion she’d brought and was surprised that even after the rush of warmth flowed through her, neither her arm nor leg felt fully healed. With her good hand, she dug her phone out and called Dasante. When he asked if she was okay, she laughed. “Not quite. Call Zeb, tell him where I am, and ask him to bring another healing potion.” She dropped the cell and turned toward Fyre. “I’ll take a little nap. Wake me up when…” Her voice trailed off as darkness filled her vision and she fell into unconsciousness.
Chapter Seven
Tanyith rose from his chair when the Drow arrived and extended a hand. “Thank you so much for meeting me.”
Nylotte nodded and took the seat across the table as he reclaimed his own. He’d chosen one of the city’s better under-the-radar seafood restaurants for their meeting. The exterior was dilapidated and the hand-painted Stephan’s sign weathered and in need of renewal. Inside, though, the eatery was cool and crisp, both in temperature and in design. The square tables that filled the dining floor were a little closer together than he would’ve preferred, but their starched white tablecloths and bright red elegantly folded cloth napkins communicated a subtle elegance that made a customer feel as if they’d wandered into a retreat from the outside world.
And, after more failures than successes in tracking down Sienna’s ex-boyfriend, a break from those pressures was very welcome. The Dark Elf across from him looked like a performer or a rock-and-roll star with her long white hair unconfined and wild and a form-fitting scarlet tunic with far too many silver buttons over black leather pants. Her expression, as it had been most of the times he’d been in her presence, gave away nothing useful other than a vague sense of irritation atop the fundamental intensity that radiated from the woman.
She flicked her napkin open and deposited it in her lap in an elegant movement, then put her elbows on the table and laced her fingers. Nylotte looked over them and met his gaze. “So, Tanyith, what’s so urgent that I needed to come to this sweltering city of yours?”
He laughed. “As if you don’t have enough magic to be at whatever temperature you like.”
Her wave was casually dismissive. “Magic is for important things, not petty comforts.”
His reply was forestalled by the arrival of their server, a tall man in a white dress shirt and black trousers. His Atlantean heritage was visible in his thick braids that every so often seemed to twitch with a life of their own. He took their orders and departed quickly, seeming unmoved by the presence of a Dark Elf in the restaurant. Even in New Orleans, which was home to a wide variety of magical species, Drow sightings were comparatively rare. She stared at him, and he sighed.
“My continued efforts to set up my own information sources have not met with grand success. Too much has changed since I was sent to Trevilsom prison. Not only the people I knew but the…” He paused to search for the right word. After a moment, he continued, “The currents, I guess, are unfamiliar and difficult to chart.”
She nodded. “It was similar for me when I first went to Stonesreach.” Before meeting her, he hadn’t been aware of the presence of a kemana beneath the city of Pittsburgh. The discovery had made him wonder whether one of the magical underground ci
ties could be present in New Orleans, but with the high water table, he deemed it unlikely. Although Atlantis and New Atlantis were built underwater, so who knows?
“How did you overcome it?”
The woman shrugged. “Time, really. Plus, I established contacts among a wide variety of people with different circles of friends. Then, I found a way to make myself invaluable to all sides.” She referred to her role as seller and trader of things magical, which had given her access to any number of individuals she otherwise might not have met. Ultimately, that was part of the reason she had been more or less compelled to help break him out, so he was grateful for whatever brought her to that point.
“That’s good advice, although with the conflicting sides that have emerged here, it’s a little difficult to bridge the gap. Speaking of which,” he said and winced at the clumsy transition, “have you learned anything more about what went on at the docks? No one here has been able to shed any additional light on it.”
Her reply was interrupted by the arrival of their lunch. They had elected to share a seafood boil, and the waiter cut a large net filled with crawfish, shrimp, lobster, corn, and potatoes and discharged the contents onto a silver platter he had placed between them. He provided each with a set of tongs to retrieve their food, freshened the ice waters both had selected, then departed quickly and professionally. They loaded their individual plates and tasted their first mouthfuls, and the smile on her face indicated that he had chosen the right restaurant.
Nylotte swallowed and took a sip of her water before she spoke. “Diana and her team have looked into it since then. They traced the ship’s movements and it did make a scheduled stop at Jamaica, so it appears the story the people you rescued told you was true. There is a channel leading from New Atlantis to the islands and from there to here. Neither the agents nor I have any connections in the Caribbean, though, so we haven’t been able to generate any more progress on that front.”
He nodded. “Still, it’s good to know the information we have is correct.”
She speared a small potato and popped it in her mouth, then made an unexpectedly funny pleasure-face. He suppressed a laugh while he waited. She licked her lips. “Their computer tech managed to access satellite footage that gave partial recordings of the cruise ship while it was at sea. He caught a smaller vessel docking with it in the middle of nowhere. It positioned itself near one of the cargo doors, apparently. They’ve concluded that things were transferred between them, but the coverage was too sporadic and the image quality too poor to make out anything more definitive than that.”
Tanyith drummed his fingers on the table. “So, not only do they bring people here illicitly, they bring stuff, too.”
The Drow pointed her fork at him. “Very elegantly said.” Her sarcasm was dry as the desert.
“I know, right?” He laughed. Something about her always made him feel off-center. “Is there anything else?”
“Actually, yes. They looked into the local police force and found that your detective Kendra Barton is a good one. She has a clean record, considerable interaction with other agencies, and doesn’t seem particularly interested in anything other than getting the job done and moving onto whatever is next. The rest of the organization is basically what you’d expect. There are some great officers and some less great officers but overall, it’s positive. Which is impressive given how hard policing must be in a city like this.”
He lowered his head in acknowledgment. While he had been part of the criminal element in the past, his gang had merely done what they needed to do to help recent arrivals to the city from New Atlantis. Technically, they skirted the edges of the law and hadn’t become entangled with anything truly nefarious. Speaking of which. “Have you heard any whispers about drugs?”
She nodded, and the corners of her mouth turned down. “Unfortunately, yes. The human gang is involved in distributing all the usual drugs to both magicals and non-magicals. The Atlantean group, though, has really upped their game. They have something specifically for magicals that’s already out on the street. It’s highly addictive from what my sources say, and the demand is growing fast. And there are rumors that they’re getting ready to sell a version that works on humans, too.”
Tanyith shook his head. “That’s all bad.”
“It is. Diana says the local authorities are aware but there’s not all that much they can do beyond the usual.”
“I imagine they’ll use a secure distribution system for the human version, much like they have for the magicals.” He’d been present when several of those deals went down, and it had involved people very high up in the gang structure. So high, in fact, that it had been a shock to see them personally linked with the trade. Maybe that’s a way to destroy them—if we can put the police in the right place at the right time. Even as he thought it, he knew it was too dangerous. The local authorities weren’t well-equipped to handle magical threats, which was why the Atlantean gang and others like it had prospered for so long. And while they try and fail to deal with the magical gangs, the Zatoras take advantage of the opportunity.
Nylotte shrugged. “Only time will tell on that one.”
“How is it that you have better sources of information in my city than I do?”
His companion laughed. “I know people who know people. More importantly, I know people who know people who owe them favors.”
“You’re talking about Chadrousse,” he commented with a chuckle
“Not only him but others like him as well. You meet many different folks in my business and some of them know people in your city.”
“Speaking of different folks, what more can you tell me about the black-suited people, the agents who joined us at the docks?”
She leaned back and folded her arms. “Is there something specific you want to know?”
Tanyith sensed suspicion—or maybe it was merely protectiveness—and hurried to explain. “They seem incredibly capable and highly knowledgeable about magical threats. I guess I wondered how they might be able to help us in the future or how we might be able to help them, besides providing a convenient portal location.” He’d been surprised and pleased when Zeb had agreed to allow the unexpected arrivals at the docks to use the tavern as a location for transits to the city.
The Drow sighed and ran her fingers through her hair. “The leader is my student. She and her team have kind of a wide mandate to deal with magical trouble wherever it crops up. So far, they’ve operated mainly in this country and primarily in the Northeast. But their footprint is expanding rapidly. You could help them by continuing to report anything weird to me so I can pass it along. Whether or not they’ll be able to help you depends on many factors that are outside of your control and mine. Unless it’s something catastrophic, I wouldn’t count on their assistance. They’re a fairly small unit and have significant challenges to contend with already.”
“But if we had a lead, you’d be willing to take it to them?”
“Within reason.” She scowled. “I’m not a bloody messenger service.”
He smothered a laugh. Initially, he’d totally bought into her projected animosity. But the way her student had laughed at her without retribution at the docks had confirmed his suspicions that it was an act—or at least mostly an act. “Of course. I would certainly try to resolve whatever it was on my own first.”
Nylotte shook her head slowly. “Unless it’s about the drugs. If you hear anything more about them, definitely let me know. For some reason, that situation worries me.”
“Will do.”
The conversation lagged as they finished their meal and they went their separate ways thereafter. Tanyith had hoped for more concrete information and a peek into her perspective on the gang’s future plans but chose not to push for it when it hadn’t been volunteered. It might simply be that no one knows. Which means we’ll all wind up surprised together. He sighed and pushed the concern out of his mind. It’s time to track down another ex-gang member. Hopefully, this one won’t
run.
Chapter Eight
Usha leaned back in her oversized bathtub—which was easily capable of holding at least two more people her size—and luxuriated in the hot water and the steam that filled the room. The well-appointed apartment wasn’t far from the Shark Nightclub and was in fact owned by the same shadowy corporation that ran the business. Unlike the previous leaders of the Atlantean gang, she thought big and hired big-thinking financial wizards to help her.
This residence was one of many fringe benefits she’d instituted after winning the position of leader. Her wardrobe was another, as was Danna’s. And she’ll wind up taking us out of the black and into the red at this rate. That woman is a veritable clothes horse. She snorted fondly at the thought of her second in command. They’d been partners since the beginning and she trusted no one more, except the Empress herself.
A chill ran through her. And she’s not likely to be all that pleased with me at the moment. The incident at the docks had been an embarrassment for her and would reflect badly upon her ruler if anyone in New Atlantis took notice and was brave enough to mention it. The former was feasible but the latter far less so. Political machinations with words were rare in the underwater city, as insults tended to be answered with fast and brutal violence. The failure of the enforcers to kill Caliste Leblanc was another negative reflection on her superior since they came from the second tier of the Empress’s people.
What I wouldn’t give for one of her personal guards for a week. The city would be ours and our enemies absorbed or destroyed. She shook her head to clear the happy vision. Focus on reality, Usha.
While her brain was on the line between fantasy and reality, she again took up the idea of converting the girl to their cause. She had proven stronger than expected, and strength was always a virtue in Atlantean culture. Admittedly, she’d need to learn her place, but that was true of all people as they transitioned from young adult to adult and discovered the deeper, faster-moving currents of life. So far, unfortunately, the child was as great an annoyance as her parents had been.