The Blood Eagle in the Big Easy

by K. A. Lange

  Gregory looked at me curiously and started to open his mouth to speak. Shaking my head disapprovingly, he closed it quickly. Looking out of the window to the left I could see that the sky had finally let the promised rain become a reality. Torrents of water poured down the large plate glass windows giving them the impressive appearance of infinity waterfalls.

  Robert’s deep baritone voice was marred by his thick Cajun accent. "Mr. Aaron, you will need to come with me.” He waved Gregory over next to him. “Viktor, these two men will be escorting you to the Master of Arms. From there you will be escorted to the Gatekeepers council chambers."

  Since when did I need an escort? “Is that really necessary?” I asked. Robert and his cronies blanched under the weight of my glare. “I would think that I’ve been here often enough to know my way around.”

  “The Gatekeeper has instructed us...” Robert stammered.

  “If the Gatekeeper is worried about something he can come personally tell me. Until that comes to pass I will be alright on my own. Am I clear?”

  Robert took a few steps back as his face turned chalk white. “I'm sorry sir...” His voice shook as his nerves got the better of him. “I didn't mean to insult you...” Robert seemed to shrink as he stepped back into the wall and tried to make his escape. “I’m just following protocol. You of course can find your way if you wish it. Please forgive my impertinence.”

  “Calm down.” I waved dismissively. “You needn’t work yourself up over this. You have other things to worry about, like my friend here.” Pointing at Gregory I let a dark smile work its way across my face. “He is to be afforded every courtesy you would extend to me.”

  My smile slid out of sight as I stepped forward and jammed a finger into Robert’s chest pinning him against the wall. His two friends flinched as they too looked around for an escape route. “If he is insulted or mistreated in anyway I will hold not only you but your entire Krewe responsabile.” My voice was cold and hard as all trace of emotion faded from my face. “Further he will not choose a Krewe until such time I see fit for him to make a well informed choice.” Pushing my finger in harder against his chest Robert stifled a groan of pain. “This my right as Progenitor!” Releasing him his knees nearly buckled. “You can test him and do whatever paperwork that needs to be done but nothing more than that.”

  For a moment I thought Robert was about to faint or have a seizure as his face contorted. He was flush and turning pale all at the same time. I was quite an impressive feat! Finally able to find his voice, even if it came out a little squeaky, he stammered “But sir that isn’t protocol. I am sure that is against the Gatekeepers wishes...”

  “I believe that if you inform the Gatekeeper of my ‘wishes’ he will make an exception, at least this one time.” I growled. “Robert, please do not mistake my statement as a request.”

  The man blanched white and stammered. “Sir?”

  “Please carry out my orders. If you have somehow misunderstood them please let me know. Otherwise this particular conversation is over!” Turning on my heels I proceeded to the end of the hallway, leaving Gregory with his escorts and more confused than ever.

  I was sure that the guards would be more than a little flustered by my ‘request’ such as it was. It was well within my right to postpone Gregory’s choosing of a Krewe until he could make an informed choice. The Gatekeeper of course would be furious but what the hell was new about that? There was little he could do about it now! If he were to go against my wishes he would be overturning the law of Comus which was something I was sure he wouldn’t dare attempt. It is the price that the MCC pays to have me around whenever I might be needed, whether they like it or not.

  I suppose we should set a few things straight at this point. The use of the word Gatekeeper within the local courts was purely a ceremonial title and every decade or so there is a change of the guard. The Gatekeeper sits upon the Throne of Comus as a symbol of authority and that particular honor fell to whoever was currently in the greatest favor of the majority of the Krewes. While it is true that Rex and Zulu are the face and body of the Mardi Gras celebration all the Krewes answer to the Throne of Comus.

  In the 1990’s a new parade and Krewe named Orpheus was created by several of the old guard wishing to return to the glory days.They wrestled control of the Throne of Comus from the previous watchers of the city. They did it quickly and quietly, with such a display of force as to not find themselves on the receiving end of the combined krewes retaliation. It also showed how much the previous leaders were actually despised. The Court of Comus isn’t a court in and of itself, but an amalgamation of all the other Krewes higher echelon, combined into a Congress of sorts that allows the Krewes to act with one mind. This is one of the real reasons behind all the secrecy of the identities of the members of Comus. The current ‘Gatekeeper’ is a member of the of Orpheus, and has been since its creation and the man despises everything about me!

  It wasn’t long before I navigated through the maze of hallways to the office of the Master of Arms. This title, unlike some of the others in the courts, isn’t ceremonial. Everyone who has ever held the post has been exceptionally familiar and comfortable with the practice and implementation of violence. Nathan Williams, who currently held the position, was in his mid forties with a heavily muscled physique, cold dark eyes, his square jaw line and calm demeanor that inspired confidence and loyalty in his men both now and when he was in the military. We met prior to his service to the courts and in the years since we had fought alongside one another on several occasions.

  Nathan hardly glanced up from the file he was reading before nodded for me to take a seat. He finished the file and set it aside as he leaned back in his chair eyeing me carefully. “How are you today Viktor?”

  “Well enough I suppose and you?” I could tell he had something on his mind but the dance of polite conversation needed to be adhered to, especially here where tradition and pleasantries ruled the day.

  He pulled his chair closer to the desk as he leaned forward to push his phone to the side. The screen lit up revealing an open line. I nodded to let him know I understood we were being monitored as Nathan started the conversation. “It would appear that you not only put Robert and myself in a bit of a bind but disobeyed a direct order from the Gatekeeper.”

  Cocking my head to the side I gave Nathan one of my ‘what the fuck’ looks along with the ‘you have to be kidding me’. He shrugged his shoulders as he leaned back in his chair. “All I asked for as per my right as Progenitor was to delay Gregory Aaron’s induction until he could make a well informed choice.”

  Nathan smirked as he tried not to laugh. “I’m sure that the Gatekeeper would accommodate your request if we could put a reasonable time constraint on it.”

  Holy shit, the Gatekeeper was even more petty than I had previously believed. The guy was going to try and force me into defying him openly so he could run me out of the organization to allow him free reign. “And what do you suggest is ‘reasonable’?” I asked as I spoke into the phone a little louder than necessary just to be an asshole.

  “Sixty days should be time enough for him to make up his mind. Don’t you?”

  I knew that would be more than enough time if we actually lived that long. Gregory would have time to study the Krewe’s background and history to find a good fit for himself here in the Big Easy. “Sounds fair to me.”

  Nathan sniffed as he leaned forward and hit the end button on his phone terminating the call. “Thank god that’s over!”

  “I take it that Robert is one of his lackeys?”

  “Don’t get me started on that slimy little bastard but yeah he is.” Nathan was clearly disgusted by the whole affair. “Just as a heads up something big is going on. I’ve seen several of the Krewe’s leaders showing up this morning.”

  “Thanks, I guess I should get going.” I stood up and shook his hand.

  “Oh and one last thing. They are meeting in the council chambers down the hall instead of the fo
rmal reception area.”

  That was just odd, but hell the Gatekeeper was an odd little man. “Thanks again, we should catch up after this is over and grab some lunch.”

  “Sounds good.” Nathan settled back into his chair as he sifted through more paperwork as I headed out.

  At the end of the hallway I opened the stairwell door and made my way up to the third floor. I’m not exactly a huge fan of elevators given the fact that if things go wrong you’re pretty much stuck there all alone at someone else's mercy. Over the years I had spent far too much time alone and stuck in places I didn’t want to be. Opening the door on the third floor my feet were met with a plush crimson carpet. I turned the corner and I found myself in the lobby of the courts, the walls painted a deep rich cherry with several comfortable chairs and sofas for waiting delegates. Across from the brass elevator doors were an impressive set of double oak doors, heavily embossed with intricate carvings of Mardi Gras celebrations.

  If this were a more formal occasion I would have been escorted through these doors where my title would be announced just prior to being received by the current king and his court. Today, it would seem, wasn’t such a day, so I turned right and made my way around the corner that led to what appeared to be an emergency exit. Even though I knew it wasn’t going to sound the alarm, somewhere in the back of my mind I waited for the sound as I pushed the handle.

  Chapter 5

  Closing my eyes for a second I was able to adjust to the low lighting of the council chamber. Scanning the room quickly I had to agree with Nathan. Something very big was up. Not only were the first two rows of semi circular seating filled with the ranking members of the courts but every seat in the house was full. Someone had called in every King and Queen of the MCC, giving me a very full audience today. If the Gatekeeper had something up his sleeve, today would be the day to execute it, to be witnessed by the entirety of the courts. This was a rare occasion as it had to be at least ten years since such a conclave had been called. Personally I didn’t believe Helena’s murder rated the full attention of the courts at this point in the investigation but someone in the room believed differently.

  Though the members of Comus hid their identities from the general public, such things were forbidden within the confines of this room. As a matter of protocol proper names were not used but usually substituted with their title, since each King or Queen spoke for their Krewe and not as an individual.

  The first row of seats consisted of four dark brown leather bound comfortable looking chairs which were reserved for the upper echelon of Comus. The seat furthest to the right sat the King of Zulu, and his immediate neighbor was the Gatekeeper. The seat to the furthest left and closest to me sat the King of Rex. The remaining chair, which sat empty, was held for the absent Comus. His was the eldest of the four chairs and while it looked well used and comfortable but it was rarely filled. If this meeting had taken place within the Ceremonial Reception area down the hall, the Gatekeeper would occupy the extremely ornate and uncomfortable looking Throne of Comus. I bowed as a sign of respect and greeting, but the Gatekeeper barely moved his head in acknowledgement. Pulling the USB drive out of my pocket I handed it to the nearest guard who quickly disappeared while I made my way to the podium.

  As I waited I took a moment to look around the room where I saw faces I hadn’t seen in ages, such as the King of Rex. He was rail thin and stooped with age, with a few wisps of gray hair atop his head. His body appeared frail, and his right leg was missing from the knee down. One shouldn’t consider this injury a hindrance. Even in his aged crippled form the man is a force to be reckoned with. His powder blue eyes glittered in the dim light of the room and his mental faculties are as sharp as any living member of the courts. He is feared and respected and usually in that order.

  To his right sat the King of Zulu, a man in his mid forties, powerfully built, with dark eyes and a strong jawline. He looked to be just as accustomed to any boardroom than perhaps a seedy underworld syndicate of organized crime. The latter was his real job even though he is a well respected attorney most days. He, like Rex, commands respect and fear and usually received both it in abundance. These two men were the sharks in the room. When the hard choices had to be made, one, if not both, of these men were the ones to make them.

  The squat, balding, overweight and jittery little man seated between the empty chair for Comus and Zulu was the Gatekeeper, better known as the King of Orpheus. Contrary to his public persona as a retired factory owner he, like Zulu, was in the “family business”, which rivaled Zulu’s criminal organization outside of the courts. This was more often than not a point of contention between the two as Orpheus currently controlled the courts. I felt that one day the situation between the two would end badly for the Gatekeeper, and frankly I was surprised it hadn’t already done so. One day the Gatekeeper’s luck would surely run out and that Zulu would gladly lead the second line at the man’s funeral. It was a show of true restraint on Zulu’s behalf that an all out war for control of the courts hadn’t erupted after the creation of the Krewe of Orpheus. It was my opinion that this creation was a master stroke of genius and one that very few had seen coming. In fact I had been out of town dealing with this very case.

  In the second row sat the Queen of the Nine Muses. She was a particularly stunning woman with long red hair, piercing green eyes, perfectly shaped ruby red lips and a body that would make even the most devout man or woman consider the most sinful of things.

  Throughout the room many men and women of power and prestige were arrayed in a semicircle and awaiting the news of the day. I had to imagine that it was only by the voice of King Rex that they’d gathered so quickly. Everyone in the room feared Rex, and he once told me that respect only gets you so far, but carrying around what others fear the most gets the job done. As I said before, sharks.

  “Good morning ladies and gentlemen, such as it is. If it pleases the court I would like to proceed with what information I have at hand.” I spoke clearly and with the reverence due the situation.

  Both the Kings of Zulu and Rex looked at each other, and then nodded for me to proceed. Turning my head toward the guard I confirmed that the information had uploaded. As the lights dimmed further the front wall turned opaque before flickering to life as an oversized monitor with file folders flooding half the display. At the same time smaller screens embedded into the desks of each Royal sprang to life. No matter how often I visited the courts headquarters I am always amazed at the level of ingenuity created by man. This room was nothing short of one of the most technologically advanced places on earth. Air Force 1, and even the White House’s Situation Room would be envious of the gadgets and technological advances held within the walls of this once forgotten building. Each royal could elect to send this information along with my supposition to their respective members.

  Using my phone I remotely opened the first folder containing this mornings crime scene photos, garnering more than a few choice words and sharp intakes of breath. For a moment I thought a few of the less seasoned members of the court were going to be sick but to their credit they were able to reel it back in.

  “As you can see the perpetrators of this crime are vicious, but this is not the first time I have encountered them.” I turned and gestured to an elderly man in the far corner of the room. “If the scribe would please pull up the records from my trip to Maine twenty years ago each of you will understand the full extent of our problem.”

  Pushing my finger atop of the next folder icon on my phone the room was flooded with photos and files related to the earlier case. Many in the room winced as they bore witness to the brutality of man. Rex never looked down as he kept his eyes riveted on the big screen before him. A mixture of rage and sadness painted his face.

  These were not the standard crime scene photo’s from the Marshals service but the ones the remainder of my team had taken to truly document that days events. Another set of sharp intakes of breaths and queasy looks made their way around the room. T
he King of Zulu spoke in a deep gravely voice as he gestured toward the old photos. “I was under the impression that all of the business in Maine had been tended to at the time.” He leaned forward in his seat as he gave me a grave look. “Understand that I was a recent addition to the courts during that time, but from what I was told the threat was terminated. And now you expect us to clean up your mess?”

  Taking a deep breath and slowly exhaling to control my anger I shook my head. “I have no idea who gave you that particular impression sir, but it was and still is a mistaken one.” I quickly motioned for the others to follow along. “If you open the files from the original case you will see that there were at least five of the higher ranking members that were never accounted for.” I caught myself clenching and unclenching my right hand as I spoke as 20 years of anger threatening to take over. I took in another breath and steadied myself. “To make matters worse I never discovered the confluence of their power. It always left me feeling uneasy and today is a perfect example as to why.”

  I was caught by surprise, much like everyone else, when I heard an aged voice no more than a whisper drifting across the still air of the room to completely fill the emptiness. All attention turned to the aged Rex who glared at the Gatekeeper. The Gatekeeper visibly shrunk as he tried to make himself as small as possible, trying to avoid the aged man's wrath.

  “It would seem that our previous scribe may have been a little premature in my counterpart, King Zulu, tutelage. Isn’t that correct Gatekeeper?” Rex seethed.