Strong Mystery: Murder, Mystery and Magic Books 1-3 (Steampunk Magica)

by Raven Bond

  “Do not answer that!” Hu-San directed Deter. He moved to stand between Owen and his charge.

  “The Austrians hold that those who can wield the western sorcery are fit only for burning as they violate their code of holiness. They themselves proclaim this publicly!” Hu-San protested. Owen smiled a predatory smile at this.

  “Yes they do, do they not?” He asked rhetorically. “Which is something that Deter could have counted on us assuming, that dealing with a sorcery wielder no matter how simple their talent was something a good follower of the Church would not do. Thus he could preserve his mission even after being caught.” Owen stopped and leaned on his cane as he spoke.

  “Deter was kind enough to brag that he had a special dispensation from his Bishop,” Owen continued. “This got me wondering, what else could he have a dispensation for? Perhaps setting up an asset that can be as useful as a street gang for terror and sorcerous assassination would be worth a little soul uncleanliness. Wouldn’t you agree Ambassador?” He turned to address the last towards the Austrian Ambassador. Rather than reply, the cowled figure started moving towards the exit.

  “I believe that you should wait until Lord Owen is finished Ambassador,” Lohan ordered from his elevated chair. “It would be a pity if you were to leave just as things were becoming interesting.” A pair of constables crossed their air rifles barring the exit. The Austrian Ambassador bowed towards Lohan, her bodyguard glowering at the exits guards.

  “You will forgive me Mighty Lohan,” her sweet voice came from under the cowl. “I have recalled that urgent business awaits me at the Embassy. I do not have the time to listen to the ranting of madmen.”

  “None the less,” the Dragon insisted. “I require you to await Our pleasure in this matter.” The Ambassador bowed again, gesturing to her soldier to stand easy. Owen turned back towards the Dragon.

  “If I might continue Mighty Lohan?” he requested of the Dragon.

  “Please do Lord Owen,” Lohan replied. “I am eager to hear what you have to say.”

  “Thank you Mighty Lohan,” Owen said. He smiled again at the Ambassador. “I wonder if the esteemed Ambassador would still characterize my dissertation as the ‘ranting of a madman’ when I assert that Deter did not kill the boy Huang!” Again Bailey had to call the room to silence at this pronouncement. Owen waited before continuing.

  “Make no mistake, My Ladies and My Lords,” Owen began pacing the center of the room again. “Deter came prepared for murder. Why else carry an Aether pistol to meet with your contact? But the intended target was not Huang, but Jimmy the Horse. If you killed the beloved gang leader, what better way than to do so by fire? If you are lucky than no one is the wiser. If not,” he looked over at Mary, discreetly holding Mikes hand, “then you can blame the enemy gang’s fire caller. Bu there was one thing that neither Huang nor Dieter counted on.” Owen raised his cane and pointed it at Lohan. Owen’s voice rose over the murmurings of the Court.

  “Think of that night,” He pressed on. “Huang is sitting exactly where you are now, Mighty Lohan. If you are Deter, you want to have control of your contact’s attempt at subversion, so you hide in the hidden passageway, where you can hear every sound.” At this, a loud thumping came from the wall behind the courtiers causing them to jump away from it.

  “While you hide there, you are ambushed by one who takes you unawares, rending you unconscious.” Another loud thump comes from the wall. “He takes your weapon and then bursts out, pistol blazing!” The wall parts and Jinhao stands in the suddenly revealed opening in the wall. She mimed aiming a handgun at Lohan. The Dragon leapt to his feet roaring in surprise at the swiftness of the attack.

  “But who would do this?” Lohan demands. Owen lowered his cane.

  “The only person who could know everything,” Owen explained. “The one who knows all the comings and goings that night, the leader of the lookouts in Jimmy’s gang that night. I call to witness the gang member known as Jo,” he pronounced. Jo attempted to bolt for the door upon hearing this, only to find Deputy Inspector Gregg and a constable conveniently placed to restrain him. Jo yelled as they struggle to bring him to the center of the room.

  “I did it for you Jimmy!” he screamed. “I knew they were going to kill you and I burned down that bugger Huang first, that’s all! I did it to protect you Jimmy!” The boy stopped screaming as they reached the center of the room. Owen looked at him, then at the Dragon.

  “I submit, Mighty Lohan,” Owen said tiredly, “that his outburst constitutes a confession. Thus are the ancient laws of the Han fulfilled, as well as what I hope will become the more modern proceedings of criminal justice.” Owen bowed as the room exploded in noise.

  Chapter 24

  Owen inhaled his cigarette with satisfaction as he stood outside in the cool of the courtyard. The shadows were just becoming long as the summer day spun to its ending. The Court of Lohan, Lord of Hong Kong was slowly dispersing back to the richer parts of the city, secure in the knowledge that the Dragon still dispensed justice to all regardless of class or standing.

  After the sentence of Lohan was carried out, and Jo was beheaded in the very courtyard where they now stood, the Dragon had called Owen to come closer. Staring at him without speaking, Lohan had then said something that Owen was still puzzling over.

  “She may be right,” the Dragon had grumbled. “We shall meet again Owen Strong.” Leaving Owen with no explanation of who she was, or what she was right about naturally. One did not cross-examine a Dragon, not if you wished to remain breathing. Now Owen stood in the courtyard with Jinhao, Mike and Mary.

  “What will happen to us now?” Mike asked. It was Jinhao who answered him, before Owen had a chance to speak.

  “I suspect that you will find that the Dragon has taken a special interest in you,” Jinhao said. Deputy Inspector Gregg strode up to them while she was speaking. Mary flinched away at the sight of his uniform while Mike placed a hand on her shoulder in comfort. He gazed at the policeman with cold eyes.

  “Are you the one they call Mike, leader of what’s called Mike’s Gang?” the Inspector demanded. Gregg’s face radiated extreme displeasure as if he hated what he was saying.

  “Yes,” Mike replied evenly. “I am he.”

  Gregg reached into a pouch on his uniform belt, pulling out a small scroll bound in red ribbon. He extended it towards the gang leader as if Mike were a large rat that Gregg was afraid would bite him.

  “This is a city wide safe-conduct.” Gregg explained. “The Dragon said you were to have this. If any city police give you difficulty show them this.” Mike took it with wonder in his face.

  “Thank you,” he said shakily.

  “Don’t thank me,” Gregg said shortly. “If I had my way you would all go to the lock-up.” He dipped his hat towards Mary. “Begging your pardon, of course, milady.” He turned towards Owen. “Good bit of business that with the Court, My Lord. What will happen to that Austrian dog do you suppose?” Owen exhaled a cloud of smoke, his eyes distant.

  “Oh, I imagine that he will be traded for someone or something from the Austrians,” Owen replied in a lazy voice. “Such arrangements are done all the time. It would not do for Deter to come to a public trial for espionage you know.” Gregg shook his head.

  “I suppose so, My Lord,” the policeman said. “Still, it seems that he gets away with it.”

  “Do not imagine that the Austrians accept failure gladly, Gregg.” Owen said with a wintry smile. “I do not doubt that his masters will vent the full force of their displeasure on him.”

  “As you say, My Lord,” Gregg allowed. “I must go now to direct the bloody convoy that will wind its way back up the Hill.” The Inspector gave a heavy sigh and moved off. Mike looked down at the residing back of the Inspector and then down at the scroll in his hands. He held it up before Mary.

  “Do you realize what this means?” he said to her excitedly.

  “It means that the Dragon wishes you to assume a new role.” Jinhao inter
jected quietly. “At another time and place I shall tell you of the Eyes.”

  Owen looked sideways at Jinhao. Was it Jinhao that Lohan had referred to when he had said ‘she may be right’, Owen wondered? He knew very little about his companion when it came right down to it. Certainly she had some kind of connection to the Dragon that he was unaware of, another mystery to be solved.

  “You have kept your word to Jimmy regarding the Dragon’s justice,” Mike said. “But you did not tell him that it would result in the Pinchers taking him away. Is this more of the same?” He said looking at her defiantly. Jinhao gave a twist of her shoulders.

  “Jimmy never asked,” she retorted. “As for you, I remind you of the old saying: ‘Dragons are subtle and powerful. Beware of any dealings with them’.” She met Mike’s gaze.

  “In this I remind you that I speak as the Dragon’s Voice, not as my own.” She looked at him ruefully. “In this, we will both have little freedom.”

  “Alright,” Mike allowed. “I shall listen to what you have to say about these Eyes you speak of.”

  “At least it shall mean that we don’t have to worry about being pinched ourselves,” Mary said to him. “Be grateful.”

  “You need not worry about that,” Owen said. “Due to western influences, there are no provisions anymore for holding females in the city gaol, a grievous oversight in my opinion.”

  “Well, yeah,” Mary said, “But that only applies to us girls.” She squeezed Mike’s arm. “That’s no comfort to Mike here.” Owen finished his cigarette, grinding it out with his foot.

  “Oh I would not be too sure of that,” Owen said off-handedly. “Mostly you should be afraid of some disgruntled father or brother claiming Mike as one of theirs, I imagine.” Mike stiffened visibly.

  “How long have you known?” Mike asked him softly.

  “Almost since the beginning actually, when I read your aura,” Owen explained. “Auras have three components you see. One part that reflects your mind, which is decidedly male in aspect. One part that reflects your body which is decidedly female in aspect. Unfortunately the city’s law still only recognizes the latter.” Mary looked at Mike wide-eyed.

  “You mean, you are like me?” Mary hesitated, unsure how to continue.

  “Yes,” Mike said to her, refusing to meet her eyes. “I was born female, does that matter to you?”

  “Well, yeah,” Mary said exasperatedly. “I’ve been wondering why I feel the way I do about you,” she abruptly stopped talking, pulled Mikes face towards her, and then kissed Mike firmly on the mouth. After a startled moment, Mike returned the kiss heartily. When they stopped, they turned to find Owen and Jinhao still facing them.

  “However can we ever thank you?” Mary asked huskily. Mike nodded agreement his fingers entwining with Mary’s.

  “Whatever we can do, just ask,” The gang leader vowed. Owen smiled at them both.

  “I was hoping that you would say something like that. How would you like to help confound a Sorcerer-Assassin?” He asked. “I will not lie to you, it will be dangerous.” Mike and Mary looked at each other and shrugged their shoulders.

  “Tell us more,” Mary demanded.

  “We will need Mei I think,” Jinhao mused.

  “Mei?” Owen turned towards Jinhao. “Isn’t she a bit young for this?”

  “She dealt with you handily enough it seems,” Jinhao pointed out. “Wait until you hear my plan.”

  “Very well,” he conceded. “Mei it is.” He gripped his cane in both hands. “What plan is this?”

  They all listened carefully as Jinhao began speaking.

  Chapter 25

  Mei looked up at the Westerner called Mr. Victor with a blank face. He was just another pasty-faced man who wore funny clothes and smelled bad. She knew that he was supposed to be some sort of scary Sorcerer/Assassin type, but so far she was unimpressed, even if he did carry one of those fancy canes that Sorcerers used. Even that was unimpressive, looking like an old wooden stick with the red magic metal set in bands around it. Owens had been much more impressive, being made entirely out of the glowing red metal, which she knew was very expensive and powerful.

  Mr. Victor had believed her easily enough when she had said that she was peaching on Mike to get rid of Owen Strong, just as Owen had said he would. Westerners apparently had no sense of honor, near as she could tell. Of course, there were some like Owen who clearly had spent long enough around civilized people like Jinhao that the concept must have rubbed off. The smelly Sorcerer had even followed her eagerly down to the factory district with his pet ape, the giant man he’d called Mr. Percy. Mei didn’t like him, he reminded her too much of the big trolls that she’d heard tell of in the stories, all mean and tricksy-like. She forced herself to pay attention as Mr. Victor jabbered at her again in trade-Mandarin, which he didn’t speak nearly as well as she spoke English.

  “So, they’ve made an old factory their home have they?” the man asked, hovering over her. “And there is a back entrance you say?” Mei nodded and pointed again, then spoke in slow English. Once she sent them down this alley, which she had been told was full of traps, she was to circle around to the front door, her part done.

  “Yes. Go down that alley, turn right, and follow it until you come to back-door. No one watch now. All sleeping or out stealing.” She stuck out her palm. “Give me money.”

  In response, Victor grabbed her arm roughly, holding up the cane towards her face. A blue flame spouted from its tip. Mei felt the heat of it and whimpered.

  “Oh, I don’t think so my little pretty,” the man breathed. “I think that you will lead us to this back-door first, and make sure that there are no traps. Else I will burn off your beautiful little face. Do you understand that?” He shook her arm Mei nodded silently.

  “Very good,” The man said as the flame went out like a candle, “You first.” Mr. Victor turned to his hulking partner. “Come along, Mr. Percy,” He ordered. The giant grunted in response, pulling a huge air pistol from inside his suit. Still gripping her arm tightly, he thrust Mei out before him as the three of them started down the alley. They carefully walked its length, Mei scarcely breathing as she waited for them to trigger some horrible deadly explosion. They came to the door without incident, which left her both puzzled and dismayed. Mr. Victor shoved her up towards the back door, keeping himself well back from it. He pointed the end of his cane at her like a gun.

  “Not quite what you were thinking, eh?” he said to her. “Now open the door. I’m willing to bet that they’ve set it up as some sort of mouse trap and you are going to spring it.” Mei looked at him and then at the door hesitantly.

  “Open it!” Victor snarled, his cane tip never wavering.

  Taking a deep breath, she touched the doorknob. Nothing. She turned it. Nothing. As the door opened just wide enough for her to slip through she paused. Nothing.

  Quickly tuning back towards Mr. Victor she made a rude gesture, sticking out her tongue at him, then dived through the opening, closing the door behind her. His cry of rage cut off by the door shutting. She squinted in the gloom of the factory.

  “Mei, quickly over here!” Mary’s voice cried out from the crates stacked along one wall. She ran towards Mary just as a blow shuddered against the back door. On the second blow the door came crashing back on its hinges. The hulking shape of the giant named Percy strode in, his gun searching in the gloom. Like a giant spider Jinhao dropped on him from above, her short swords gleaming in the light of the open doorway.

  With a speed that was amazing for someone of such size, Percy brought his arms up to catch her slashing blades, throwing her into the side wall with great force. As Jinhao scrabbled to regain her footing, the giant silently raised his pistol. There was a crack of displaced air. The giant staggered, his pistol dropping from his lifeless fingers as he looked down incredulously at a hole that had appeared in the white of his shirt. He looked at the blood pouring from it then fell face down on the floor with a crash.

 
Mary came out of the shadows holding Mei’s pistol towards the roof. As she swaggered forward she smiled at Jinhao who shouted a warning at her.

  “Get back,” the Adept shouted, just as a wind like a typhoon burst from the open doorway. Mary was flung backwards by the blast into the shadows, her weapon flying from her fingers. Jinhao struggling to remain upright, turned to see the sorcerer, Victor, enter the room, his cane raised before him like an avenging spirit. Then, Jinhao watched as an amazing thing happened.

  As his foot touched down inside the factory, a circle of light filled with strange lines sprang up on the floor. Victor’s body was thrown into the air as if a strong wind came from the circle. He hung there suspended and howling, his cane rolling across the floor away from the circle. Owen sauntered out from the shadows, twirling his cane easily, to stand in front of the Assassin.

  “You really are very predictable you know,” he drawled towards the suspended man. “It is a failing for someone in your line of work that can be fatal, as you’ll soon find out.”

  “What. Did. You. Do?” Victor bit out each word as if in great pain. He hung in mid-air above the glowing circle, his hair moving as if in an invisible breeze.

  “After our last encounter, I surmised that you would be reluctant to attack using an Earth spell again,” Owen glanced around the factory. “Untidy things that they are, they might have brought down the whole building around our ears, and you would still have no head to fulfill your contract with. When Jinhao told me how you attacked her almost instinctively with what sounded like an Air spell. I cast a rune that would only work on someone who had opened themselves up to element of Air. The rune would be undetectable, as all it does is reflect back that element which you called forth. I presume that Air is the Element you were born channeling?” Victor screamed again. Owen clicked his tongue.

  “Dear me,” he remarked with poisoned honey tones, “it does sound as if you are in some pain. Are you?”

  “I. Think. Hip. Is. Broken.” The Assassin ground out. “Down.”