by Jan Stryvant
Ruthelma sighed heavily and looked embarrassed, "I'm sorry, Lou. But you have to admit, he's one hell of a handsome young man, and obviously knows how to please a woman, or he wouldn't have so many of them at his beck and call!
"But, I promise, Lou, it won't happen again."
Louise smiled as Maitland, Ruthelma's father, shook his head.
"How come you'll listen to your cousin, but not me?" he grumbled.
"Because," Ruthelma smiled winningly, "you won't follow through on your threats, but Lou will. If she tells you something will cause you pain, it will. Even if she has to beat you over the head with it."
Philo laughed at that and Louise grinned. Ruthelma might be a royal pain in the ass at times, but she was still one of Louise's closest friends, even after all these years.
Plus annoying Uncle Maitland had been a favorite pastime of the two of them for decades.
"So," Philo asked, "is that amulet everything your son said it is?"
Louise pulled the coin back out of her pocket and looked at it. "It's encrypted, so I really can't tell all that much about it."
"Encrypted?"
"Ben figured out a way to scramble the spells on a device so that while they still worked fine, no other enchanter could copy them. Sean told me that Ben had left him clues to find where his spell book was hidden and that he has it now and read it. I know from experience that this is definitely one of Ben's spells."
"Do you think that's where he learned how to enchant an item so quickly?"
Louise shook her head, "No. Ben didn't know how to do that, it was the biggest obstacle in his quest." Louise smiled, "His father would be so proud of him discovering this! If only he were here to see it."
Maitland sighed, "Well, let's hope that it doesn't inflate your son's ego too much. Otherwise our helping him and protecting him isn't going to be easy."
"I'm not so sure he needs our protecting, Father," Ruthelma chuckled.
"Be that as it may, we're here, and he's family. Louise has asked for our help, and we all agreed to give it."
"Yes, Father."
"Yes, Uncle."
"Thank you," Louise smiled, "Uncle Maitland."
Not Responsible
"What the hell do you mean that you don't know where my son is!"
Harris tried not to flinch as Kurt yelled at Matt and Stan, both of whom were sitting there looking completely nonplussed.
"We left when the fire department showed up," Matt said with a shrug. "That was the plan. Allen, Stan, and me, we did what we could to keep the noise down. Allen must have messed up or something, because the spell failed sooner than expected."
"Maybe one of them called the fire department?" Stan said.
Matt nodded, "That or they had a fire alarm. Anyway, we left. They didn't show up at the rendezvous point, so we figured they just drove back here."
"My son's been missing since Monday night, when you last saw him, and that's all you can say?" Kurt yelled again, and then turned to Harris.
"You tell them!"
"Tell them what?" Harris said looking at him patiently, "Have you tried calling him? Or calling Allen?"
"Of course I've tried calling them!" Kurt yelled, "I've been trying to call them since Stewart didn't come home last night! We're talking about my son here, Harris. Not some dog and not some two-bit handler! I want to know what you're going to do about it!"
Harris sighed, "Okay, okay, Kurt. I'll have someone look into it. Now go home. For all we know they simply broke down in the mountains on the way back, and we all know how spotty the reception is up there. I'm sure they'll all turn up soon enough."
"You better do something! And soon!" Kurt said and storming out of Harris' office he slammed the door behind him as he went.
Sighing and shaking his head, Harris turned his focus on Matt and Stan, who were both sitting there, and waited until they both started to look nervous. They hadn't shown up until late last night, apparently they'd stopped and spent the night at a hotel before driving back. Knowing the two of them, Harris wouldn't be surprised to find out that they'd actually spent the night at a whorehouse and hadn't even realized that Allen and Stewart, as well as a truck full of werewolf soldiers had gone missing.
"What?" Stan finally asked.
"What happened? Where the hell is Allen, Stewart, and the rest of them?"
Stan shrugged, "How the hell should I know. When we left they were still tossing bodies into the back of the truck."
"Bodies?" Harris asked, taken aback.
"Well yeah, we lost quite a few. I mean, there's always some dead when we do one of these, this time there was just a bit more than normal."
"A bit more?" Harris said leaning forward and glaring at the two of them, "and just how many are a bit more?"
Stan shrugged, "I don't know, six? Seven? How many do you think we lost Matt?"
Matt shrugged, "At least seven, probably eight or nine."
"Eight or nine?" Harris looked at them aghast, "You lost at least half of the team and you didn't think it was important to make sure that Allen and Kurt's kid got out of there before you ran off to a whorehouse and spent the night banging hookers?"
Harris was pleased to see that Matt finally started to look at least a little bit uncomfortable.
"We went to the meet up point," Matt repeated. "They didn't show, they didn't call. We figured that they were still dealing with bodies and well, we didn't want to. So yeah, we left. They could have called us if they needed our help. They didn't.
"Look, Jace was in charge of the strike team, he's one of my best. I don't see what you're so worried about. He knows how to get back here."
"What I'm worried about, is that the son of one of our most important, and most volatile senior council members is missing, and might even be dead."
"So?"
"So, just what do you think is going to happen to the two of you if his son doesn't turn up?"
Matt shrugged, "I don't know, what?"
Stan gulped and looked at Harris, "Are you saying he'd kill us?"
Matt snorted, "He ain't got the balls."
"Actually," Harris sighed, "he not only has the balls, and the ability, but he's got the money and the connections to have the both of you painfully put to death."
Matt opened his mouth, then shut it again, then looked around the room a moment, then just threw his hands up in the air.
"Fine!" Matt sighed, "We'll go back to Reno and see if we can find them."
Harris smiled, a little frostily. Matt might be one of the better handlers that he had, but the guy had no sense of responsibility at all. Usually Allen was good at keeping him in line, but Allen had been riding herd on Kurt's son, so Stan and Matt had been paired up. Obviously that had been a bad choice.
"One thing, Matt, Stan." Harris told them.
"Yes?"
"Don't come back without him. Don't just go drive around town a couple of times and then turnaround and come home. You find him, understand?"
"Yes, Harris," they both grumbled.
"And find out what the hell is up with Allen that he hasn't bothered to call in either. Now go!"
They went.
"So, now what?" Stan asked Matt as they headed back out to their car.
"Well, stop by the apartment, take a shower, pack a bag, and let's go see if we can find the kid I guess."
"Yeah, but what if we can't?" Stan said.
Matt shrugged, "Who cares? This long and I'm guessing both the kid and Allen are dead, maybe Jace and the rest of them too. That or they all just ran off."
"How can you say that?" Stan protested.
Matt shrugged again, "Hey, it happens. The guys all hate Stewart's dad, he treats them like shit. I wouldn't be surprised if they took the time to get even."
"You think they killed him?"
"Could happen."
"Well then, what happens to us?"
"Us?" Matt snorted, "If we don't find Jace and the guys, I'm going to Alaska. Always wanted to go to Alaska
. Might as well go there now." Matt looked at him, "You can come too if you want. I hear that the covens up there are always looking for good handlers."
Stan sighed, shoulders drooping, "Dammit, I hate snow."
"Sean," Daelyn said, coming over to him, "Garth called me, he's got about a thousand tags and necklaces if we want to come pick'em up."
Sean blinked, "Already? Rox's dad only spoke to him yesterday!"
"These are left over from the first run, you said you'd be buying more, so they just produced until they ran out of raw materials and held on to the extra until you put the next order."
"Huh," Sean considered that a moment, "How long would it take you to whip together another one of those spool deals?"
Daelyn snorted, "Twenty minutes, tops. But you don't have a workshop."
"I could borrow Roberta's," Sean said, thinking.
"And introduce her to your mom?" Daelyn teased.
Sean blushed, "I hadn't considered that, but yeah, I guess I could. Course that means staying the night."
"Oh, of course," Daelyn teased.
"Hey, she's having my kid, I love her too you know. Isn't fair that she hardly ever gets to see me," Sean said looking at her.
"Ack! Sad cat eyes! Make it stop!" Daelyn said holding her hands up and laughing.
Sean sighed heavily. "The abuse I take."
"You been taking lessons from Roxy? Or is that just a natural ability?" Daelyn giggled.
"Come on, let's find the others, we need to figure this out."
"What's to figure out?"
"Who stays and who comes," Sean said. "I can't leave this place with no one in charge."
"Oak's in charge when you're gone, isn't he?"
"Do you see Oak standing up to my uncle, or the others?"
"Oh! Good point."
It took only ten minutes to find Roxy; she was going over the heavy machine guns that Sawyer had sent them, along with the two mortars and the several dozen remote controlled landmines. There were also several magic heavy weapons that Maitland was going over rather carefully. Sawyer had not skimped in the slightest and had promised to send over more gear tomorrow morning.
"What's up?" Roxy asked as he and Daelyn came over.
"I need to go to Garth's factory and pick up some necklaces and tags, then off to the guild to borrow their workshop."
Roxy nodded and then smiled, "You want to spend the night with Roberta, but you need me and the others to stay here and ride herd on things."
"That was quick!" Daelyn laughed.
"He has that long look on his face when he's going to ask for something he doesn't want to," Roxy teased.
"Am I that transparent?" Sean asked.
"Only to me, Hon. Only to me. Let Jo know that she's staying. You taking Peg?"
"I haven't decided, I guess I'll see what she wants to do. You figure out where you're going to set that stuff up yet?"
"Chad's coming out after lunch to go over Dae's plans and give us his opinion."
Sean snorted, "What'd Maitland say about that?" he asked in a soft voice.
"Surprisingly he was all for it. Said it's always good to have someone to argue with over where to place the fixed defenses."
"Really?" Sean said surprised, "Well, hopefully that's a good thing. Just remember, you're in charge and make sure they understand I'll kill anyone who doesn't listen to you, Love."
"Aww, you say the sweetest things!" Roxy laughed.
Sean kissed her and went and found Jolene and Peg to let them know what was going on. Peg elected to stay, surprisingly.
"She's probably planning another heist," Daelyn chuckled.
"Am I going to have to talk to her about that?"
"That depends on whether or not you want to be ignored!" Daelyn giggled.
"Let's get my mom and go," Sean said shaking his head.
A few minutes later they had gotten Sean's mom and were on their way.
"You don't know what happened to my car, do you Sean?" His mother asked as they headed south through Reno.
"Yeah, we left it in the garage for Jo's place. We didn't know if anyone knew about it, so I figured it would be safer to leave it there for now."
"So, I can just go get it, wherever her place is?"
"Umm," Sean thought about that, "I'll have Oak detail a team and go check it out. Make sure it's safe first."
"I'd use Sampson's car, but I left that in Sacramento."
"Actually, Mom, it's at Steve's place."
"How'd it get there?"
"I hired people to find it, how else?" Sean chuckled. "I was worried about you, Mom. I spent a fair amount of cash trying to track you down."
"Oh!" Sean felt his mother's hand patting him on the shoulder, "It's been a rough few months, I'm sorry about that, Sean."
"Actually, it's been a rough twelve years," Sean admitted. "But it's time to move on. Not like we can change the past."
"So where are we going?"
"To pick up the items I need to make the collar and the tag that dad invented."
"And then?"
"Then we're off to the Sorceress Guild, so I can introduce you to Roberta, borrow their workshop, and make a bunch more so we can sell them."
"And then?"
"Well, I'm spending the night with Roberta, then we'll all head back home and I'll start planning our next move."
"You make it sound easy," his mother laughed.
"The only thing easy was falling in love with Dae here," Sean said and put his hand on Daelyn's leg.
Louise noticed the way Daelyn's eyes softened and how she patted his hand for a moment as they drove. Not only had her son finally started pursuing women, but he was apparently catching them and obviously knew how to keep them happy once he had.
She'd have to take some time to get to know each of these women that her son had taken as his own. She had heard that lions did in fact take multiple mates, but Sampson was the only one she'd ever really known, and he hadn't done any of that.
Then again, she knew his history had some rather dark spots in it, so he might not have been the best example.
But her son had definitely become a lot more self-assured and confident. In the past he'd avoided fights, and avoided confrontations, because she'd always told him to. Now? Now he was very much his own man and a much stronger willed and forceful one.
"So, just how did my uncle Philo end up with a pooka for a friend?" Sean asked, rather curious.
"Your uncle Philo has a tendency to hang around in bars and give his money away to anyone who looks like they need it," his mother signed.
"And that got him a pooka?"
Louise smiled, "I really don't get it either. Markey doesn't speak to anyone really but him, from what I've gathered. I never met him before returning home this time. Apparently they've only been friends for the last eight years or so."
"Does his being half faerie have anything to do with it?"
"Possibly, but who knows? My family lived out in the sticks, and when my father died, mom returned to her people, and for the most part, it was just Philo on his own, though some of our mother's relatives, as well as our father's visit."
"So my grandmother was a faerie? Just how does that work?"
Louise sighed, "I have no idea. Dad was devoted to mother, and the fact that she never left him, well that says a lot. Usually a man who attracts one of the lake faeries only keeps her for a while. Maybe they have a child or two, but for one to stay his whole life?" Louise shook her head, "Apparently that's completely unheard of."
"Sorry I never got to meet him; he must have been someone very special."
"Uncle Maitland still can't figure it out, and well, mom's still mourning dad's passing, so she's not talking to anybody, not that I think she'll ever be able to explain it to Uncle Maitland."
"I hope you've warned his daughter off," Daelyn grumbled, as she turned off the highway and onto the back roads that led towards the dwarven hills.
"Yes, I talked with her, and she's pro
mised to behave. She said she just couldn't help herself."
"Honestly, Mom, I don't even know why you brought them; I don't see how they can help."
"They're all very well trained and practiced in the art of using magic in combat, something that I'm not afraid to admit that I'm not. Life as a faerie in Ireland is not an easy one; the underhill where they live and spend most of their time is very contentious. Uncle Maitland and Ruth have both fought in several wars. Even my brother has fought in one of them, and if you're planning on taking on the Vestibulum and any of the surrounding areas, you'll be thankful for their help.
"Well, here's hoping," Sean said with a nod as they pulled into the factory parking lot.
Might Just Take Your Life
Chad noticed a wolf running along the side of the highway as he headed north out of town to Sean's new place. He'd taken the time to drive past the building Sean had been using before, the damage didn't look too bad, but then Chad didn't pretend to know anything about fixing buildings.
He debated pulling over and asking the wolf just who the hell was he and what the hell he was doing, but decided against it. He'd call Claudia and Ryan and find out if the idiot was one of his or not. He had better things to do than to crack the whip on the people at the bottom of the organization chart.
That was why he had the damn chart in the first place.
It didn't take him all that much longer to get to the place, Roxy hadn't been kidding about the location, it was way up high on the side of a hill, and it was remote, for all that it was close. You had to take a dirt road to get there, and while the road was obviously maintained, it was still dirt.
Pulling up next to the other cars and trucks, he could see that there was a lot going on. A survey team was putting down markers and boundary lines, while others were putting up what looked to be a tent city. There were a couple of porta-potties and two construction trailers were being set up as well.
He snagged one of the guys walking by, not surprisingly, he was a werewolf.
"Where's Sean?"
"Roxy is in the garage, Sir," he said and pointed.