by Chloe Garner
“Shake that.”
He did.
“How do you know?” she asked, leaning back on her palms.
“The world…” he said, then saw her face. “I don’t know. Nothing is quite right and then it’s normal again. I don’t have words.”
“Is it something I can do?” Samantha asked.
“I don’t think so,” he told her, looking at the herbs in suspension.
“They’re curing,” he said.
“Good,” she answered. She started the next thing.
“Can you tell, from here, if he hits a fragment?”
“I don’t know,” Kelly said. “I don’t like being around it. It’s not right.”
“No, it isn’t,” Samantha agreed. “He’ll get through it.” She looked up. “Can you tell if he’s injured himself?”
“No,” Kelly said. “But maybe it’s because he hasn’t. I didn’t know what it would be like, if he broke time, until he did.”
“A bar fight,” Samantha scoffed at the floor. “Only Jason. Were you there?”
“Yeah,” Kelly said. She looked up at the tone of his voice. His eyes were distant, now. “It was like the world ended.”
She waited, hoping he would say more. This one was different, she could tell, but she had no idea why.
“Light,” he finally said. “Breaking light, and I couldn’t see anything. Noise and silence. No day. No night. Endlessness and nothing.”
The words ended.
“Did it hurt?” Samantha asked.
“Only when the guy decked him,” Kelly answered. “I guess.”
“Yeah, that probably hurt,” Samantha said, looking back down at what she was doing. She didn’t often think about what it was like, to be an angel. She was a little surprised. Usually her empathy was better-tuned than that.
“Thanks for looking out for him,” she said.
“Of course,” Kelly answered.
<><><>
“Sam,” Jason called, walking down the hallway. “She said you were here. This place is swanky. Where’s Sam?”
“Shut up, Jason,” Samantha answered. She looked at Kara, who nodded.
“He just about tore his shoulder,” the woman said. “I don’t know how to keep him from hurting himself.”
“Get him to write down the count in his notebook. What are we on?”
“This is eight.”
Samantha shook her head.
“Is that a lot?” Kara asked.
“No,” Samantha said. “I knew of a guy who had four-hundred, but he fought it a lot more than it seems like Jason is.”
“How long should it take?” Kara asked.
“Could be another day or two, could be months,” Samantha said, watching as Jason mussed Kelly’s hair.
“Months would be bad,” Kara said.
“It’s hard, no matter what,” Samantha said.
“No,” Kara said. “We’d miss Little Rock. He’s been looking forward to it, and so have I. I want to meet Tanner’s girlfriend.”
“Tanner’s whatnow?” Samantha asked. Kara grinned.
“He promised to bring her to the next event,” the woman said.
“How did Tanner get a girlfriend?” Samantha asked.
“The usual way, I imagine,” Kara said.
“And what is that, for Rangers?” Samantha asked her. Kara grinned.
“Usually by saving her from a creature that wanted to kill her. You know. The perks of the job.”
“Does Doris approve?” Samantha asked.
“Why wouldn’t she?” Kara asked, giving Samantha a challenging look. She knew exactly why Samantha asked and was pushing back against her assumption.
Relationships were dangerous.
Getting close to people was bad.
Kara had been around Samantha’s people enough to know that they kept to themselves and tended to be severely prickly. Samantha had to silently admit that it wasn’t just a coincident personality trait.
They were all going to die, sooner rather than later, and for the lucky ones, it would be fast and without collateral damage. Demons had used Sam against Samantha more than once, already. She felt bad about it, knowing that she had dragged Sam and Jason - and now Kara - deep enough into her world that demons would recognize them as leverage against her.
There was a reason Carter had resisted having an entourage for so long, and that he had kept it as small and as close as he had. The bastard had a heart down there under all the sludge.
But the Rangers didn’t live like that.
They lived big, enjoying every day all the more for knowing that few of them would make it to old age. Doris herself had lost her husband to a demon attack just a few years prior. The pain of it would have closed Samantha off permanently, but she knew, just as Kara knew, that Doris would celebrate the new relationship, so long as the girl really was suited to Tanner.
Doris and Arthur had been supportive of Samantha, all that time ago, when she’d turned up with Sam and Jason.
“I need to go see her,” Samantha said.
“You should do that,” Kara said, watching her carefully. “We should go dancing.”
“When I have time,” Samantha said sarcastically. Kara grinned.
“Dancing is something you make time for, my dear,” she said. “Where are we going?”
“I’m going to go find the guy who’s helping to build the room where they’re keeping Isobel,” Samantha said. “I’m going to drop the two of you off at Abby’s apartment on the way.”
“Like hell,” Kara said. “We aren’t letting you go out without backup.”
“I’ll take Kelly,” Samantha said. “And I’m really not expecting any trouble. Benjamin knows me.”
“Can I point out how well that’s been working out for you, lately?” Kara asked.
“No fair,” Samantha said. “Besides, this is me being prudent. I won’t make you stay with Carter, because that really would be cruel, but Abby’s apartment is safe. Jason isn’t fit to fight.”
“He did fine last night,” Kara said.
“He got stabbed,” Samantha said. “You really shouldn’t have let him on the weights yet. He needs at least a week of healing before that’s going to be okay, even with me helping him.”
“We didn’t lift weights,” Kara said playfully. “We sparred.”
Samantha looked at her with a sigh, and Kara smiled brightly.
“Kiddo, we know our stuff, just as well as you know yours. We know our limits. And I don’t like you going out looking for a fight on your own.”
“Who’s looking for a fight?” Jason asked, suddenly in front of them and walking backwards.
“Sammycat,” Kara said. “And she’s planning on ditching us on the way there.”
“Like to see her try that,” Jason said. “I need a good fight.”
“You just had one,” Samantha muttered, unable to control herself. His hand went to his shoulder and she tipped her head to the side. “You aren’t fit, Jason. Even if you weren’t going through everything in the wrong order.”
“It’s so weird,” Jason said.
“We’ll talk about it once you’re clear,” Samantha said. “Until then, you keep your mouth shut and your head down.”
“It was one bar fight,” Jason said. “I’ve been in a hundred of them.”
“More than that,” Kara said.
“Why can’t the kid look at me?” Jason asked.
“It bothers him,” Samantha said. “You having broken time. Like, I think he’s aware of it more than we are.”
“Not more than me,” Jason said. “My head actually kinda hurts.”
“You’re staying at Abby’s,” Samantha said.
“Who are you hunting?” Jason asked.
“Witch named Benjamin,” Samantha said.
“Benjamin’s a boy’s name,” Jason said.
“He’s a boy,” Samantha said.
“Witches aren’t boys,” Jason said. “That would be a wizard.”
&n
bsp; “No such thing as wizards,” Samantha said. Jason grinned.
“We’ll stay at Abby’s place,” he said. Kara stopped walking.
“What the hell, Elliott? I was working on her.”
Jason looked Samantha in the eye, the level expression that always took her off-guard.
“You know him?” he asked.
“Yes,” she said.
“He afraid of you?” Jason asked.
“Yes,” Samantha told him.
“You taking the kid?”
“Yes,” she said.
“You’ll be careful?” Jason asked.
“Of course.”
He shrugged.
“Then we’ll go order takeout and watch TV at Abby’s place. I trust you, Sam.”
“I don’t like it, Elliott,” Kara said.
“You do it all the time, Kara,” Jason said, going and putting his arm across her shoulders. “Sam’s got this.”
It looked like she wanted to, but she couldn’t argue with him.
“I need to get my head around some stuff,” Jason said. “I’m not really at my best, right now, and if you’re this worried about it…” he shook his head, tipping his head back to wink at Samantha. “We’ll just have to make a mess of Abby’s guest room.”
“Jason,” Samantha said quickly. “That’s not why I’m taking you there.”
He shrugged.
“Could do your apartment, instead.”
“No, I gave the keys to Celeste,” Samantha said.
“Who’s Celeste?” Jason asked.
“Never mind,” Samantha said. Still needed to be more careful. “This is what we’re doing, and then Kelly and I will go give Benjamin a good scare and see what I can shake loose.”
“Tell me again why Sam isn’t here?” Jason asked.
“Carter needs him,” Samantha said.
“So? He should be here,” Jason said. “I haven’t seen you look this stressed since… Damn, Sam. When don’t you look stressed?”
“When I’m asleep,” she said mirthlessly.
“That ain’t true,” Jason said. “Believe me, sweetheart. You look more stressed when you’re asleep, not less.”
She sighed.
“Can’t be helped. We need to go. Kara, you’re still driving. Kelly. Where did he go?”
“I threw a ball…” Jason said, making a wide motion with his arm. “That way.”
She sighed.
“Are you ever going to let up on him?” she asked.
“Probably not,” he said. “We can make our own way over to Abby’s place. Can Kara get in? You know, without Abby to let her in?”
“If you go in first and invite her,” Samantha said, digging in her backpack to find the key and handing it over.
“Be safe,” Jason said, giving her a quick hug. “We’ll see you soon.”
There was another of those steadying looks, and she nodded.
“Be safe, Jason,” she answered, then turned back to go get Kelly.
<><><>
They stood in front of the impressive building for a moment.
“He’s human?” Kelly asked.
“He’s fully gray,” Samantha answered. “You’re good.”
Kelly shook his head.
“I don’t like dealing with humans like this,” he said.
“I know,” Samantha answered. “With any luck, this will be more of an argument than a fight.”
Kelly nodded.
“Is that what you expect?”
She pulled her mouth to the side.
No.
She didn’t expect anything about this to be simple.
“I can take Ben on my own,” she said after a moment. “That’s beyond easy, if he lets me get close. I need you watching my back and I need you helping me to find any magic issues before we trigger them.”
“Traps?” Kelly asked.
“Yeah.”
He nodded, a look of quiet focus, and they started forward again.
She put her hands on the elevator doors, feeling for anything there, but they just felt like cool metal to her palms. Kelly’s head was up like he was scenting something, but he shook his head and pushed the button for the elevator.
“Something isn’t right,” he said. “I can’t tell you what.”
“You want to do the stairs?” Samantha asked.
“Can,” Kelly said. Sixteenth floor. Samantha was plenty fit to do it, but it would take a long time and sap a decent amount of energy heading straight into a fight. Plus, anyone with the forethought to put a trap on the elevator would hit the stairs, too.
She just didn’t like kill boxes.
“You mind riding on the roof of the elevator?” she asked. Kelly shrugged again.
“That’s fine.”
She nodded.
They’d discussed him glitching in on his own to see what was there, but it was pretty common knowledge that she had an angel with her, these days, and she didn’t want him to get trapped up there by specialized magic without her there to help.
So he was going to have to go the long way.
He looked over his shoulder as the elevator doors opened, but the lobby had people in it. Samantha stepped into the elevator and found the camera, looking pointedly at it. Kelly watched her, waiting for a signal, and she sighed, looking up at the camera and narrowing her eyes.
Lens. Cable. Sensor. Something would jump out as sensitive. She cleared her mind, opening it to inspiration. Something would jump out.
And it did.
“Sleep,” she said in angeltongue, feeling the draw of power from somewhere deep in her chest. Kelly stepped into the elevator without further guidance and glitched out of sight. Samantha breathed a sigh of relief, knowing that Kelly had an open-air view of the top hatch of the elevator, and pushed the button for the sixteenth floor.
“You okay up there?” she asked.
“There’s nowhere to sit,” Kelly answered. “It’s gross up here.”
Samantha smiled.
“Sorry. It’s just a minute.”
The elevator started move, and she heard Kelly stumble and fall.
“Ow,” he complained. She pressed her lips between her teeth.
“You okay?” she asked after another moment.
“There are signs of a huge battle up here,” he said. Her head jerked up.
“What do you see?” she asked.
“Between the rats and the cockroaches. I can’t say who’s winning,” Kelly said. She let her head drop to the side. Heard him laugh.
“You’ve been spending too much time with Jason,” she said.
“Thank you,” he answered.
She couldn’t help but grin at that.
She watched the lit indicators above the door.
“You ready?” she asked.
“Are there going to be people out there?” Kelly asked.
“Can’t say,” Samantha said. He appeared beside her again, putting away his sword. She nodded approval. The elevator dinged and the doors opened.
The hallway in front of them was empty. Samantha put a hand out, just breaking the plane of the elevator, feeling nothing. She glanced at Kelly, who shrugged.
She stuck her head out to find a well-dressed woman rushing toward the elevator. The woman hesitated, then frowned and kept coming.
“Excuse me,” she said, brushing past Samantha and giving Kelly a strange look. Samantha wondered what the two of them must have looked like to the woman, as on edge as they both were.
“Sorry. Wasn’t sure we were getting off here,” Samantha said, motioning to Kelly. He followed her off the elevator and they waited just out of sight as the elevator doors closed.
“Where is he?” Kelly asked. Samantha consulted a plaque across from the elevators to find Benjamin’s office.
Not only was he a highly talented witch; the man was also a notable lawyer.
This way,” she said, glancing over her shoulder again. There was noise from the offices on the floor, but only a low hum of i
t, people talking, machines working, the ventilation running. They found the door with Benjamin’s name on it and Samantha tried it.
It was locked.
The frosted glass windows didn’t show any shadows. Samantha wished Jason was there to open the door - there was something about dragons and doors - but she could manage on her own. She tested the door with her palms, feeling for anything that might have been there, but there was still nothing. She looked at Kelly.
“Anything?”
“It’s wrong,” he said, blinking quickly as he listened to something she couldn’t hear. “It’s really wrong.”
“What is?”
“It’s making me sick,” he said.
“Can you fight?”
He looked insulted and she pressed back a smile.
“If you need to get out, get out. There aren’t many demons who can handle me, even in numbers,” she said. “I promise I’ll look for an exit.”
He resisted for a moment, but she waited for agreement before she returned to the door.
She had tools in her backpack for picking a lock. She had brought a smaller kit that fit on her back without looking quite so obtrusive as her backpack in an urban setting, and that didn’t have her picks, so instead she took out a jar of green goop and spread it around the door handle. Kelly seemed to know by smell what it was, and he stood close. She put the jar back away and reshouldered her bag, taking one quick step back and kicking the door in. The goop melted the wood to a malleable softness and helped mute the noise.
The door flew open and she darted across the threshold to catch it before it hit the wall, bending time to give her the best reaction time she was going to get, exposed like that.
The room was empty.
Benjamin’s office was divided into a waiting area and an office, proper, and the waiting room was empty. Again, frosted glass gave her no clues. Kelly followed her in, his hand unconsciously gripping his stomach.
“It isn’t right,” he muttered, expounding on it in angeltongue. Samantha didn’t listen closely, because whatever it was that was bothering Kelly was beginning to tingle for her, as well.
And it was coming from Benjamin’s office.
It smelled bad, literally.
She edged the door back against its frame and went to try the door to his office.
The handle here turned easily. She turned her face away against the stench, then looked back, checking for whoever might have been waiting for them in there.