Cross Keys

by Ally Shields

  He parked in front of the Lormarc guild and looked up and down the street. A uniformed officer exited a warehouse four buildings away, and Seth started toward him, waving his hands to draw attention.

  Since the guild master had already determined none of their people had seen the incident or the black van involved, Seth was able to satisfy the officer’s questions, and the young patrolman was more than happy to cross the Lormarc Guild off his list.

  Shaking his head over the wasted time, Seth slid back in his car and hoped Rhyden had succeeded in making the management change. This matter wouldn’t have required office attention if they’d had the right guild master.

  He glanced at his watch. He’d been there less than twenty minutes. Maybe Crain and Kam Ryndel were still talking. If so, he’d think up some excuse to stop and satisfy his curiosity this time. But when he turned the corner, they weren’t in sight, and Crain’s black government car was gone.

  Seth lightly smacked his palm against the wheel. Damn. Now he’d have to continue to speculate on what those two had found so interesting.

  * * *

  Saturday night, Kam was eager for another chance at catching the crossbreeds. By dusk she was already slipping over the fence and flood wall onto the wharfs.

  She crossed the train tracks and drew back into the shadows of a row of transport trailers as a car sped past. She hadn’t realized the docks had so much night time activity. Dressed in black and fully armed, she blended into the dark which should keep her presence hidden from the smugglers and authorities…and anyone else looking. She wasn’t fooling herself that she was the only one on the hunt. Crain and his people were out there somewhere, maybe even Lormarc. It was a tricky situation. None of the elves—good or bad—could be captured by the human authorities.

  Night deepened, making it easier to slip between buildings and stacks of semi-trailer cargo containers. She avoided the access streets that Crain would be watching and completed one entire circuit of the area, her magical bracelet cutting the time to a fraction of what it would have taken anyone else. Since the smugglers had probably switched vehicles, she kept an eye out for any small transport that could carry roughly the same size cargo.

  As she stopped to watch from the shadows of a storage unit, several large loaders rumbled past, then two vans—one beige, one white, single occupants. She mentally labeled them as unlikely suspects. She stepped out of her sheltered spot and walked along a truck lane parallel to the water.

  A dark blue sedan pulled alongside. The driver rolled down the passenger window and leaned over. “Want a ride?”

  The voice caused a flutter in her stomach, and she briefly closed her eyes, annoyed with her reaction.

  “No, thanks.” She kept on walking. The car rolled slowly beside her.

  “I figured you’d be here. Seen anything yet?”

  She stopped, bent down and looked through the window at Seth Lormarc’s smiling face. “If I had, I wouldn’t be likely to share the information with you. As I’ve mentioned before, you’re a civilian. Go home.”

  “Would you be interested if I said I’d seen some suspicious activity?”

  “Have you?”

  “Maybe. Three rows over. A group of men are standing around, smoking cigarettes in the dark. I wouldn’t have noticed them except for the cigarette glow. Looks to me like they’re waiting for someone.”

  She peered into the car again. It was too dim inside to clearly read his face. “Are you telling the truth?”

  “Why would I lie?” He shrugged, nonchalantly. “Get in. I’ll show you.”

  “This better be good.” Kam opened the door and slid onto the leather seat. If he was making it up, she’d know soon enough. She glanced around and cocked her head at him. “I don’t know much about cars, but I expected you to drive something flashier than this.”

  “It’s a rental. I was going for inconspicuous.” He reached behind him on the back seat and handed her a black scarf. “I believe this belongs to you.”

  “Thanks.” She tied it around her neck. “Where’s my shoe?”

  He chuckled. “Oh, that’s a different story.”

  Kam darted a quick look at him. Why was he so hard for her to read? “Are you demanding a ransom?”

  “I haven’t decided yet.” His lips curved, but his gaze stayed straight ahead.

  Her stomach fluttered. What did that mean?

  They rode in silence for another block, then he pointed ahead. “They’re one row over from here. I don’t think I should drive by a second time, so I suggest we walk.”

  “Suits me.” She got out, straightened and scrutinized the area. “Why don’t I—”

  “Don’t even suggest I stay behind.” He keyed the door locks. “You might also keep in mind, just in case you were planning on ditching me, that I have ways of finding you.” He turned toward her and patted his pocket.

  Kam narrowed her eyes. Yes, he’d probably use the amulet to follow her wherever she went. Extremely annoying, but there was no way to block his magic. If he intended to skulk around, she might as well keep him in sight. “Fine. Then let’s go.”

  They cut through to the next truck lane, coming out near a busy area where large cranes were loading and unloading from a line of semi-trailer trucks.

  “Surely you don’t think they’d use a busy place like this.”

  “No.” Seth looked up and down between the rows. “I miscalculated. They’re on the far side of the next stacks.” He started walking.

  “Wait.” She nudged his arm and pointed farther down the wharf. “Isn’t that Crain’s car?”

  His eyes flashed to the vehicle and back to her. “I don’t know. Is it?”

  “You think I’m wrong?” She frowned at his odd tone and peered at the vehicle again. “It looks like the car he was driving when I last saw him. Of course, there are a lot of black cars.”

  “What did you two talk about?”

  “When?”

  “Two days ago. I drove past. You seemed very absorbed.”

  He sounded suspicious, and she gave him a sharp look. “It was no big deal. I was checking out the place where that homeless man was kidnapped. I think he was doing the same.”

  Seth frowned. “Why all the interest in the homeless? Is there a connection I’ve missed?”

  She hesitated. Should she tell him her idea that the captors might be elves? She shrugged. “I don’t know yet. But right now I’m more concerned with catching the elf smugglers before the CIA or local police have them. We can worry about the rest of it later. Let’s split up. You take that side.” She pointed across the truck access. “I’ll circle around this row of stacks.”

  “Not on your life. We’re sticking together.”

  She scowled and lengthened her stride.

  He caught up easily. “Look, Kam, I know we didn’t get off to the best start, but our goals are similar. We both will do whatever it takes to protect Elvenrude. You’re outnumbered if you face this group alone. I can help to even the odds.” He flipped his jacket open and showed her a gun in a shoulder holster.

  She straightened in surprise, but kept her voice casual. “You know how to use that?” It hadn’t even occurred to her that Lormarc might carry a firearm. He might be decent backup after all. Unless he was the enemy.

  “I do. I’ve spent a significant amount of time Cityside for the last five years. Dock workers aren’t always the most peaceful crowd. You learn to adapt.”

  She studied him a moment. She just couldn’t believe that he would betray Elvenrude. “Well, don’t shoot me by mistake.”

  Seth’s quick grin told her he knew he had conditional approval. He jerked his chin toward the scene just ahead, where a pale blue van was backing in between two rows of containers. “The men I saw are right behind there.”

  Kam and Seth cut behind the stacks and moved up until they were next to the specified containers. She pointed upward, and he nodded. Kam flexed her knees and leaped, landing lightly on the top. She dropped to a pr
one position and wiggled to the edge until she could look down at the activities below.

  A human crew from the blue van was carrying heavy wooden crates toward four elves unloading small round barrels from a black SUV. The elves were wearing caps but their hands were uncovered and revealed an unmistakable blue tinge. What she could see of their hair was brown or reddish brown. Definitely crossbreeds. Their size and general appearance matched the group of smugglers she’d seen before. She compressed her lips, tamping down a stab of anger. They also matched Homeless Joe’s description of the kidnappers.

  The exchange was moving quickly. She and Seth needed to be ready to grab the elves the moment the humans’ vehicle pulled away. Kam shifted to scoot back from the edge, but stopped when she spotted movement below to the right. A furtive figure. Not Seth. Damn! More trouble. If her gut was right, the CIA had just arrived.

  She might have to depend on Seth to run interference with the feds. She worm-crawled backward and dropped over the far edge. Straightening, she looked for Seth, but he wasn’t where she’d left him. Damn the man. Now she’d have to deal with Crain before she confronted the smugglers.

  She ran toward the corner the farthest from the cargo exchange and peered around. No one in sight. Crain would be on the far side of the row by now, moving toward the smuggling operation. She eyed the open space between rows. She’d be out in the open, but her speed should keep her from being seen. She made it and leaped on top, instantly crouching low. Someone was already there. She held still until she realized it was Lormarc, then she crawled up beside him.

  “How’d you get up here?” She hardly breathed the words.

  “Climbed.”

  Well, that would work too.

  “Have you seen Crain?” she whispered.

  He pointed to the side. They moved over and looked down. The agent was leaning against the side of the bottom cargo unit on the stack, punching numbers into his phone. Someone must have answered, for he listened a moment, then said, “I found them.”

  Kam didn’t wait to hear more. She nodded once at Seth, and they dropped over the side, knocking Crain to the ground. The CIA agent rolled over, came up with his gun in hand, but Seth was on top of him and kicked the weapon away.

  “Get the gun, Kam, and pull the trigger.” Seth slammed into the agent, and the two men struggled, jabbing and grasping at one another.

  Kam snatched the gun, but she had no idea what to do next. “Shoot who?”

  “Just fire it. Make noise.” Seth gasped, sucking in his breath as Crain landed a blow to the abdomen.

  OK. She could do this. Kam gripped the unfamiliar weapon in two hands, pointed it at the warehouse across the roadway, and pulled the trigger. Her arms jerked, her eyes blinked, but it was the deafening noise that nearly made her drop it. She grimaced, but squeezed the trigger again. She stood uncertainly for an instant, then stuck the pistol in her jacket pocket. Frantic shouts, car doors slamming, and the squeal of tires proved the smugglers had gotten the idea. Springing to the top of the stacks, she was just in time to see the van and SUV speed away. She scanned the area and noted the police barricades at the gate and the responding cruisers with lights and sirens flashing one row over.

  The escaping vehicles headed in the opposite direction, toward the water. Kam followed them by running across the tops of the stacks and an occasional storage roof. A single police cruiser raced toward them, and the blue van swerved to the right, the elves’ SUV to the left. The cruiser missed the turn, backed up and followed the blue van.

  Kam muttered a soft, “Thank you,” and sprinted after the elves. At the moment the SUV was running free from pursuit on a course parallel to the water. Two minutes later the vehicle doused its lights, slowed, made two more turns and stopped behind warehouse 197. The loading doors opened, the SUV rolled inside, and the doors closed.

  Kam caught her breath, crouched low on a nearby stack, and calculated her next move. There were at least five people inside, four elves from the SUV and someone who’d opened the doors. Maybe more. She’d need help to take them alive.

  From her vantage point, high above dock level, she could see pinpoints of light moving inside the otherwise dark building. They must be unloading and hiding their cargo. Maybe she had time to find Seth to help with the takedown. She was actually a little worried about him. Crain would be furious with their interference. If he or his reinforcements had overpowered Seth, they wouldn’t let him go this time. That could be as disastrous as the CIA catching the elf smugglers.

  She glanced at the warehouse again. The elves should be laying low for a while, waiting for the police to lift the barricades. With any luck, she could check on Seth and be back long before they attempted to leave. She began to retrace her steps.

  * * *

  Seth didn’t have all the commando skills that Crain had credited him with, but he was younger, and bigger, and his elven body was naturally stronger. And he had a gun. It didn’t take him long to get the upper hand with Crain. Shortly after Kam left, he bashed the CIA agent in the head with the butt of his pistol. When two black cars squealed around the corner, he assumed Crain’s cavalry had arrived, and he took off running. His first thought was to put as much distance as possible between himself and the authorities.

  Seth looked down the wharf toward the rental car. A black van was parked behind it. CIA. Even if it wasn’t, Crain and his backup would be calling the gates and road blocks by now with Seth’s name and description. He’d never be allowed to drive out of there.

  He lifted his head, a smile parting his lips. Nothing like a good challenge.

  So where had Kam gone? He pulled the amulet out of his pocket and slowly turned until it emitted a glow. His smile broadened, and he struck off in that direction, staying close to structures and in the shadows. He glanced at the amulet frequently, knowing it would go dark instantly if he made a wrong turn.

  Had Kam caught up with the elves? And if they found them, how did they get them beyond the blockades and keep everyone out of police custody?

  * * *

  Kam spotted Seth long before he saw her. She was about to drop down to street level, when her pulse spiked. Two officers on foot were on an intersecting path. Seth and the police would run into one another on the far side of the next four-level stack, if she didn’t do something.

  She judged the distance across the access road to the next stack. It was wider than she’d normally try, but this was an emergency. Maybe with a running start. Sprinting across the metal roof, she leaped across with a few inches to spare and raced to the far edge. She dropped to street level and grabbed Seth’s arm just short of the fatal corner. He swung a fist at her. She ducked.

  “Seth, it’s me,” she hissed.

  He froze. “Sorry.”

  “Shh, come on.” She tugged on his sleeve. He followed as she scurried the other direction and ducked between more stacks of goods awaiting transport.

  “That was close.” She flattened against the bottom container for a moment. “There are two officers just on the other side.”

  “Then I’m twice as glad to see you.”

  His voice sounded steady as ever. Not a man who rattled easily.

  “Police are everywhere,” he said. “I assume you’ve figured out how we’re going to get out of here.”

  “Not yet. I haven’t had time to think about it. First, we have to catch some arms-dealing elves before they cause more trouble. I followed them to a small storage building, then I came to get you.”

  He chuckled. “I’m flattered you thought to include me.”

  Kam grinned, tossing her hair as she turned away. “Don’t be. I only need your muscles and gun.” She started toward the back of the row.

  “At least you need me for something,” he muttered.

  “I heard that.”

  “I intended for you to hear it.”

  She swallowed a laugh.

  They worked their way back through the roadways and around the rows of stored cargo. On the way
she explained what had taken place during the arms deal and that the elves involved were definitely crossbreeds. He told her about his fight with Crain. Kam finally stopped and pointed. “That’s the building. They drove the SUV inside.”

  “How many?”

  “At least five, but I think I saw more flashlights than that moving around.”

  He seemed to think about it. “Do you still have Crain’s gun?”

  She patted her jacket pocket to be sure she hadn’t lost it somewhere. “Yes, but I couldn’t hit anything. I’ve never held a gun before.”

  “They don’t have to know that, just act like you do.” He started to edge forward.

  “I’d rather use the crossbow,” she insisted. “I’m a good shot with it.”

  He looked back at her, his rugged features dimly caught in the street lights. “So am I. But since we don’t want to kill them, we should use the guns.” He stepped toward her to argue his point. “We’re outnumbered. If we don’t get their immediate attention, they’ll resist, and someone will get killed. They’re familiar with bows, the gun is a more terrifying weapon. It could give us an extra second of advantage.”

  She nodded. “OK.” He thought like a warrior, something she understood and respected. She took the pistol out of her pocket. “Then I guess I’m ready.”

  They ran silently across to the warehouse and crouched against the wall. “I’ll go in first,” he whispered. “I know how to shoot if necessary. I’ll immediately move to the right. When you come in behind me, check the wall for a light switch. If you find one, switch it on.”

  “And then duck,” she said.

  “Yeah, that probably would be a good idea too.”

  She heard the smile in his voice.

  “Ready?”

  “After you.”