by Raven Bond
“You want me to place you down?” Owen asked innocently. Victor moaned. “Yes I can see where that would be an uncomfortable position to be in with a broken hip.” Owen moved so that his legs were wide apart, his hands firmly on his cane, which he put in front of him as if waiting. When he finally spoke, it was in a voice like steel. “First though, you will tell me who hired you to kill me.” Victor’s body shuddered in what might have been a laugh.
“You. Don’t. Know.” Victor gasped out with a grin. “Enemy. Powerful. Not stop with me. Kill. You. Dirty.”
“I am sure.” Owen returned dryly. He hefted his cane, aiming the tip at the Assassin. “Give me a name and I will put you out of your misery.” Owen felt Jinhao ghost up beside him.
“Owen,” she said calmly. “You do not want to do this. You are no killer of the helpless.”
“Jinhao,” He returned coldly, still looking at the floating man, “while I value you we have not known each other that long. I must point out that you have no idea what I am or what I have done. A death for him would scarcely begin to pay for the death of a man like James.”
“Yes,” she conceded, “that is true. Still who you have been is not who you need to be now. Do you truly wish the others to see killing as the answer?” Owen saw Mary, Mike, and Mei out of the corner of his eye. He hesitated to cast the Fire spear he held ready. His attention was caught again by Victor’s outburst.
“The Black Rose!” Victor shouted out.
“What?” Owen repeated, “What did you say?” The headhunter grunted out each word in pain.
“Black Rose! Is. Name. Of. Employer. Now. Kill. Me!” He gasped.
“Who hired you is called Black Rose?” Owen pressed. “Is that a person or a group?”
“Yes!” Victor all but screamed. “Now kill me!” The Assassin fainted away, hanging limply. Owen looked to his side to see Mei staring at him with wide eyes. With a muttered curse Owen gestured violently with both arms. The glowing circle vanished, the unconscious Assassin fell to the floor like a sack of wet clothes. Owen turned to the little gang member.
“Mei,” he said calmly. “Would you be kind enough to go to the local police station and bring back Inspector Gregg please?”
~ ~ ~
Inspector Gregg closed his notebook, then looked at Owen and Jinhao carefully before he spoke.
“Well Milord,” the tired policeman said, “it is a good thing that you were able to subdue such a rascal. He is a famous assassin you know. I just received a notice to look for him if he showed up in Hong Kong.”
“Really, Inspector?” Owen replied incredulously. “I can’t imagine him being that dangerous. I was able to stop him rather easily.”
“And it was just luck that the big Northman that was his companion was shot by someone as well,” Gregg returned. “Of course, it’s a pity that you didn’t see who that was.”
“Yes it was,” Owen said. “We are thinking that it must have been some sort of gang member. The villains must have run afoul of them somehow.” Gregg nodded.
“Typical of their kind I suppose. The Sorcerer seems to have survived, and perhaps he’ll talk before we hang him.” The all watched as a group of uniformed officers picked up Victor on a palette, carrying him out the door. Gregg looked around the factory floor.
“Speaking of gangs, where did that little girl run off to?”
“Oh, I’m sure she’s gone to spend the silver piece I gave her,” Owen remarked. “Lucky for her that she came along.”
“Yes,” Gregg responded, “Lucky. I had best return to the station.” He began to turn away then stopped and turned back to face the pair. “I understand that the Dragon and the Court look upon you both pretty favorably after the other day,” he said seriously. “Still, I would not have too much luck if I were you.”
“Do not concern yourself, Inspector,” Owen said reassuringly. “We intent to go back home and enjoy a bottle of wine. I happen to have a lovely Vinland ‘23.” He turned to look at Jinhao. “Does that not sound suitable to you?” Jinhao nodded.
“Owen is attempting to teach me his Western wines,” she said to the Inspector. “I am a most dedicated student.” The police Inspector smiled at this and tipped his hat towards them.
“Well, I wish you a happy experience Milady.” He nodded to Owen, “Milord.”
Mike and Mary came out of the shadows after the police had left. Mei trailed along behind them
“Thank you for not tell him about our part in things,” Mike said to them. Owen raised an eyebrow in greeting.
“You are welcome,” the British Sorcerer replied. “I thought that including you all would simply confuse matters. Besides,” he continued, “While Gregg is a good sort, I am sure that he would arrest you simply for coming to his attention so soon after that business at the Court.” Mike nodded agreement.
“You are likely right,” he responded heavily to Owen. “What will you do now?” Owen shrugged.
“I expect pretty much what we told the Inspector,” Owen said. “We shall return home and consume an outrageously expensive wine.” He cocked his head at them. “Would you like to accompany us?” Mike sneered at his offer.
“I doubt that we would fit very well in your fancy house,” the ganger said. “I suppose that you should just go and enjoy it, forgetting all about the likes of us. We know how to avoid our betters.”
“Nonsense,” Owen responded firmly. “I am inviting my comrades-in-arms to enjoy a victory drink with me.”
“Besides,” Jinhao continued. “You still have to hear what I have to offer you from the Dragon. He was impressed with you.” She smiled at Mike and Mary, “Being the Dragon’s Eyes and Ears will not be easy I can promise you. But his service will leave you all very well to do. No more will you have to steal to live.” Finally, Mike nodded agreement.
“All right, I will hear what you have to say,” he said.
“Capital!” Owen exclaimed. He extended an arm to Jinhao, who gracefully accepted it. “Now, let us be off.” He turned to Jinhao.
“While we are on the subject,” he said, as they moved towards the door, “what is all this Dragon’s Claw business?” Jinhao sniffed.
“While I value you,” she recited, “We have not known each other that long.” Owen grunted at this.
“You are not going to tell me are you?” he asked forlornly. She just tilted her head and with a secretive smile turned and sashayed out of the building, without answering.
“I didn’t think so,” he muttered, following her into the night.
Author’s note
Thank you for reading Strong Mystery, the collected first three books in the Steampunk Magica series. If you enjoyed it, I would very much appreciate it if you would review it to help others find it. Strong Mystery is lending enabled, so do please share it with a friend or family member. If you write a review, I’d like to thank you by sending you an early peek at a new story. Send me an email to [email protected] with a copy of the review, and I’ll send along something new I’m working on.
You can also sign up for my (very occasional) mailing list and follow me on my author blog at http://ravenbond.com.
Raven Bond—June, 2015
Books by Raven Bond
Steampunk Magica Series
Strong Adept (1)
Strong Magic (2)
Strong Justice (3)
Strong Mystery (omnibus 1-3)
Steampunk Secret War Series
Wind Dancer (1)
Alien Devices (2)*
*coming soon
CONTENTS
Book 1 – Strong Adept
Book 2 – Strong Magic
Book 3 – Strong Justice
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