by Alex Siegel
"Technically, we don't get vacations."
He sighed. "Until we die."
"You're in a gloomy mood," she said.
"I'm still recovering from the last mission. There are memories I wish I could forget."
"I have lots of those."
The orderly returned pushing a rolling stretcher. The body was under a blue sheet, but a hand sticking out hinted at its condition. The fingers were partially gnawed off.
The orderly transferred the body to the autopsy table and then pulled off the sheet. Aaron and Marina approached for a closer look.
Most of the meat and organs were gone, and the victim's face was stripped down to the bone. Even the bones had been gnawed in spots. Tiny bite marks proved small animals had done the grisly work.
"We'd like to be alone," Marina said.
"Yes, ma'am." The orderly left and closed the door.
"What kinds of carnivorous animals live in the mountains?" Aaron said.
Marina shrugged. "We need to find out. Obviously, a lot of them were involved. I'd guess they ate at least a hundred pounds of flesh. There's almost nothing left of the legs."
"Hmm." He leaned in for a closer look at the victim's right leg. "This bone is cracked." He touched a spot with his finger encased in a latex glove. "And this indentation looks like a bullet mark. He was shot in the leg, and the bullet hit the bone."
"Interesting." She examined the shredded remains of the victim's clothes. "Arterial spray. He was still alive when he was eaten."
"Maybe he was shot so he couldn't run away."
"Then why didn't the police find any bullets?"
"The shooter was careful," he said. "He cleaned up the evidence."
Marina frowned at the body. The chest cavity still had leftover scraps from the lungs and the heart. She recognized some of the anatomy, but the rest was just hamburger. The animals had tried to dig their way into the braincase. The bowels had ruptured, and she was glad for the air suction drawing away odors.
"We have to see the scene of the crime next. It's not too far from here."
Aaron sighed with obvious unhappiness.
"I'm afraid duty comes before love, darling," Marina said. "You'll like the Santa Cruz Mountains. The air is so fresh and clean. It's certainly less depressing than this place."
* * *
"Damn," Aaron said. "This guy must be a hermit."
He and Marina were hiking along a dirt trail in the southern part of the Santa Cruz Mountains. She looked at the trees all around and tried to name them. Redwoods stood the tallest, and the rest fought for sunlight between their giant cousins. Many species of pine and Douglas fir scented the air with their needles. A few oak trees had also found a home on the dry, rocky land.
Other peaks surrounded them. The Santa Cruz Mountains went from sea level all the way up to 3,700 feet. Earthquakes along the San Andreas Fault had pushed up the mountains over millions of years. Marina was still waiting to feel her first real earthquake, but she had experienced some minor tremors, and those had been pretty exciting.
She heard a sound like monks chanting. She and Aaron turned a corner and saw Dr. Midler's cabin.
It was made of rough logs which had been sawn and stacked. The windows were just openings with primitive wooden shutters. Tree bark, leaves, and dried mud covered the roof. A stone chimney ran up through the roof, and the mortar between the stones was the only modern building material.
The chanting was coming from a group of men and women dressed entirely in white. They appeared to be performing a religious ceremony.
A woman spoke in a willowy voice, "Time has passed, the Wheel has turned, and Andrew Midler has moved on. He walks hand-in-hand with his ancestors who came before him. Great Mother, welcome Andrew Midler back into your womb..."
"Ignore them." Aaron pointed at the cabin. "Let's go in."
He and Marina pushed past some yellow police tape and entered the cabin. The interior was just one room. A bed was on the right, and a desk was on the left. A lamp on the desk had a light bulb, suggesting the cabin had electricity, but she hadn't seen a wire. The line is probably buried, Marina thought. Simple, wooden shelves were stuffed with books, papers, binders, and notepads. A shower with a curtain around it was in the corner, but there was no toilet.
A huge bloodstain marked the dusty, wooden floor. Some tiny scraps of meat were wedged between the boards.
Aaron walked over to the narrow bed which was also stained with blood. There were no blankets or sheets. He rubbed his chin and stared solemnly at the evidence.
"Somebody cleaned up in here," he said. "I would guess Midler was lying in bed when he was shot. He tried to escape and fell on the floor. Notice the stains on the bed are in the leg area."
Marina went to the desk and examined the loose papers on it. Some appeared to be handwritten notes about animals and plants. He also had professional journals with titles like "Journal of Zoology" and "Zoomorphology."
"He was a nature lover."
"Strange choice for a murder victim," Aaron said.
Marina opened the desk drawers. She found a stack of pamphlets entitled, "Save Our Mountains! Stop Boulder Creek Development!" Another stack read, "Say No To Scotts Valley Rezoning!"
"He was an activist fighting urban sprawl," she said.
"Maybe he pissed off the wrong developer."
"A developer who uses an army of killer gerbils?"
She took out her phone and called Min Ho back at headquarters.
"Ma'am?" the hacker said.
"We're investigating a murder. Look up Dr. Andrew Midler. You should be able to find a police report describing the circumstances of his demise. See if he had any powerful enemies, and look for similar deaths in the area."
"Aren't you on a date with Aaron, ma'am?"
"Yes," Marina said. "We just took a little detour."
"I'll get right on it," Min Ho said.
"Thanks." She hung up.
The chanting outside the cabin hadn't stopped. The singers had terrible voices, but they made up for it with passion, enthusiasm, and genuine sorrow.
"Maybe the chorus knows something," she said.
Aaron shrugged. "It's possible. Let's find out."
They walked outside. A cool breeze raised goose bumps on Marina's arms. Summer in the San Francisco Bay area wasn't a lot warmer than the winter.
A woman in a billowy, white dress was leading the chant. Her skinny, bony face was somewhat wrinkled from age. Her blonde hair stuck out stiffly like pieces of straw.
Marina walked over. The chanting stopped, and everybody looked at her.
"Is this some kind of funeral service?" she asked somberly.
The woman in white nodded. "Andrew was our medicine man. He guided us in life, and hopefully, his spirit will continue to guide us."
"That's a lovely thought. We're from the California Department of Justice, and we're looking into Dr. Midler's death. It sounds like you knew him well. What's your name?"
"Florid Moon or just Moon."
Marina raised her eyebrows. "OK, Moon. Did he have any powerful enemies?"
"The greedy real estate developers and environmental exploiters hated him. He was the enemy of those who sought profit at the expense of clean air, water, and land. He spoke for nature in a loud, clear voice." Moon raised her chin. "He was a great man and a visionary. The world is a darker place without him in it."
"I think it was aliens," a man in white said.
Marina faced him. "Aliens?"
"They saw his greatness and took him up into their spaceship. He's travelling between the stars now."
"I'm pretty sure he's dead. I saw the body just a little while ago, and it wasn't in any condition to travel between the stars."
The man winked. "That's what they want you to think."
Marina rolled her eyes. "Does anybody else have something to contribute?"
"Animals didn't kill him," Moon declared. "They wouldn't. He was Mother Nature's best friend."
"He was eaten by lots of things with small teeth. I'm quite sure of that. Again, we just saw the body, so I'm not making this up."
"Then it must've been an evil spirit. The Dark Powers rose up to take Andrew from this world because he was too good."
"Of course." Marina sighed.
She noticed Aaron had wandered off. He was examining the dirt on the side of the house, so she went to see what was so interesting.
"What's up?" she murmured.
He pointed down. "Animal tracks."
She crouched down for a closer look. She saw many tiny paw prints in the dirt, and they were all pointed the same direction. "I'm not an expert, but I think these are from mice or rats." She used her phone to take a picture.
"Let's see where they came from."
They followed the trail backwards into the woods. The prints were numerous, but they were shallow and faint. The low angle of the sun didn't make the task easier.
Eventually, Aaron and Marina came to a road, and the trail stopped. They walked in circles but couldn't find where it continued.
"Hmm." He furrowed his brow.
Her phone rang. She checked the caller ID and saw Min Ho's code number.
She answered, "You found something?"
"Yes, ma'am. A couple of German tourists were eaten this morning in the same way as Dr. Midler. They were camping in the Santa Cruz Mountains at the time."
"Damn." Marina's shoulders sagged.
Aaron was glowering at her. He clearly didn't want to hear that their date was going to be postponed again.
"We'll follow up on that in the morning," she told Min Ho. "I think Aaron and I will spend the night in Santa Cruz."
"Yes, ma'am. I'll gather all the information I can before tomorrow. I'll make sure you know where to go and who to talk to."
"Bye." She hung up. "Let's talk to the flakes in white a little more," she told Aaron.
They walked back to the group of mourners. The chanting had stopped, and now they were just standing with their eyes closed. Some mourners were moving their lips in silent prayer.
"Ahem," Marina said.
The "flakes" opened their eyes.
"You mentioned angry real estate developers," she said. "Could you be more specific?"
"Andrew was fighting the Boulder Creek Development Project," Moon said. "A lot of money is involved. Even the dirty politicians in Sacramento are behind it. They want to rape the forest just to build soulless tract housing."
"Interesting. Thanks. I'm sorry for your loss, really."
Marina took Aaron's hand, and they walked away.
"It's not fair," he murmured sadly. "I had six hours of vacation, and now it's back to work."
"Tomorrow. Tonight is for us." She got up on her toes and kissed him.
* * *
Aaron and Marina were walking under a bright moon on the Santa Cruz beach. She had taken off her shoes and socks, and cool, wet sand was being squeezed between her toes. When a particularly big wave crashed onto the shore, the water would run up to her ankles. Small groups of young people had gathered on the beach, but there were no campfires. Instead, the people were using cleaner and safer charcoal grills.
The famous Santa Cruz Boardwalk was on her left. The biggest ride was a white roller coaster called the Giant Dipper. Marina had heard that the coaster had been built in 1924, and several Hollywood movies had featured it. There was also a tall tower drop ride which she wanted to try. Other rides spun and swung wildly, and she was less interested in those. She was old enough to not enjoy motion sickness.
The Boardwalk was packed with people. Aaron and Marina had retreated to the beach to escape the unruly crowd. She wouldn't be surprised if a fight broke out, but at the moment, the cool weather seemed to be keeping tempers in check.
Even from a distance, she was enjoying the lights and sounds. The people were obviously having a great time on the classic boardwalk.
Aaron sighed. "This is great."
"Yes," Marina said.
"I wonder if we'll ever live together again permanently. It doesn't seem likely. Even if one of us became legate someday, the other would still be a commander stuck in one spot. The legate is always travelling."
"It would take a miracle, certainly, but let's not think about that now. We have each other for a few days at least."
They kissed.
"It's not fair," Aaron said. "God approves of our love, but He's keeping us apart."
"Maybe He has a plan?" Marina said.
"I wonder what it is. Maybe I don't want to know. Spending time with Wesley reminded me of how cruel and surprising fate can be. You think you have everything under control, and then a freight train hits you from behind. In this case, we have two commanders who love each other. Two of God's finest warriors are willing to break the rules to be together. That will have serious consequences."
She furrowed her brow. "You're right. Now I'm afraid."
He gave her a hug.
Marina felt something in the sand. It was like a herd of giants were stomping on the ground. People started yelling on the boardwalk, and all the rides immediately shut down.
"It's an earthquake!" she yelled excitedly. "My first real one!"
Aaron had an alarmed expression, and clearly, he wasn't as enthusiastic as her.
The earthquake wasn't as loud as she expected. In the movies, earthquakes roared like thunder, but in real life, the experience was felt more than heard. The shaking motion loosened the sand, and her feet sunk a little, but her balance was good enough to keep her upright. A few charcoal grills on the beach fell over. The awesome power of the seismic event made her feel very tiny and helpless. She was just a flea on the surface of a living Earth.
The earthquake ended after half a minute, and Marina took a deep breath. Car alarms were wailing all over Santa Cruz. The crowd on the boardwalk was looking around with anxious expressions.
She noticed the water beside the beach was gone. The ocean had pulled back, exposing smooth, wet sand as far as she could see into the darkness.
She pointed. "Look at that."
Aaron looked. "Tsunami!" he cried. "Tsunami! Run!"
The two of them sprinted towards the boardwalk.
Marina glanced back to make sure the others on the beach had got the message, and most of them had. The beach was clearing as fast as people could run on sand.
She spotted one young girl who was just standing in place. The child was staring at the black ocean as if mesmerized.
Marina turned and ran for her.
"Marina!" Aaron yelled. "Come on!"
"Keep going! I'll catch up!"
Marina started to hear a roar. The water was returning, and she pressed hard to go as fast as humanly possible. She reached down deep and used God's breath to go even faster. Her legs pumped like pistons. She was an unstoppable instrument of His divine will.
Marina scooped up the girl in her arms and turned hard on the sand. Marina headed towards the boardwalk.
She glanced back and saw a black wall of water coming at her. She wasn't going to make it.
"Hold me tight!" she yelled.
The girl's thin arms grasped Marina.
When the water hit, Marina was swept off her feet and plunged into darkness. She tumbled helplessly underwater. She instantly lost all sense of direction and had no idea which way was up.
She remained calm. Panic would only make her use up her oxygen supply faster. She could survive without breathing for two minutes if necessary, and that was plenty of time.
She and the girl were still holding each other tight. Stick with me, baby, Marina thought. I'll get you out of this.
She bounced off sand, and that told her which way was down. She immediately kicked off in the other direction. A few seconds later, her head broke the surface, and she took a deep breath of sweet air.
The lights of the boardwalk allowed Marina to orient herself. The ocean began to pull back, and she reached out with her feet until she felt sand. She pressed
her toes into it and braced her body against the flow. It felt like a giant was trying to drag her to a watery grave. The strain on her muscles was tremendous, but she held firm.
Finally, she was free of the water. She stumbled forward with the girl still in her arms. The poor, little thing coughed and sputtered, but she was alive.
Eventually, Marina reached the boardwalk. The wooden deck was well above sea level, and the wave had gone underneath. She climbed. As soon as she was on dry, solid ground, she collapsed in exhaustion. The girl was lying on her chest, still holding tight.
Marina stared up at the moon, which was very beautiful tonight.
A strikingly handsome man with straight, brown hair looked down at her. "That was very heroic," Aaron said. "Reckless, perhaps, but certainly heroic."
"Thank you," she said weakly. "Now I know what clothes in a washing machine feel like."
He gently helped Marina and the girl to their feet. For the first time, Marina got a good look at the child.
She was as exquisitely beautiful as a porcelain doll. Her blonde hair was dripping wet and full of sand, but it was still pretty. She was wearing an adorable blue and white dress, but her shoes had been lost. Marina judged the girl was eight or nine years-old.
Her eyes were very peculiar. One had a white iris, and the other had a black iris. The combination made Marina think of Chinese Ying and Yang.
A man and a woman ran over. Marina could tell they were the girl's parents from the family resemblance, although the parents didn't have strange eyes.
"Thank you!" the mother cried. "You saved her life!
She squeezed her daughter against her chest and sobbed.
The father gave Marina a serious look. "How can we repay you? Anything. Just name it."
"The life of a child is reward enough. Next time, don't leave her behind."
"We thought she was with us. We told her to come."
Marina stared at the father. He blushed.
The girl pushed away from her mother and looked up at Marina. There was something a little weird about the child's unblinking stare.
"What's your name?" Marina said.
"Olivia."
"Why were you just looking at the water when everybody else was running?"
Olivia shrugged.