The Blood Eagle in the Big Easy

by K. A. Lange

  Chapter 7

  Kira wheeled the giant pink Elsie the Cow Hummer off the I-10 at the Little Woods exit dumping us off onto a desolate stretch of Paris Road heading toward the lake. About half a mile later we found the first vestiges of a neighborhood on the mend. The houses in the neighborhoods closest to the lake were larger and better maintained. While waiting at the stop light on Hayne Blvd we could see the choppy dark waters of the lake as a steady north wind whipped across the jagged surface.

  We were about a block away when Kira nudged me, nodding at our destination. The parking lot was filled with flashing red and blue lights. Today was turning out much worse than I’d anticipated when I woke up this morning. Pretty much everything was going to hell in a handbasket and taking me along for the ride. Taking a deep breath I pulled out my cell and hit the quick dial for Gregory to break the news to him that our best lead was smack dab in the middle of dozen or so NOPD officers.

  Since the NOPD cruisers and fire trucks were blocking the entrance of the facilities parking lots, Kira pulled off onto a side street, parking on the shoulder. After a few quick words with Gregory, he assured me he was on his way and would handle the situation enroute. As I stepped out of the Elsie mobile I tucked my phone away in a jacket pocket.

  Unfortunately Kira hadn’t pulled far enough down the street to be completely out of sight and we were drawing more than a few snickers from some of NOPD’s finest. Of course who could blame them, the beast was hardly subtle. If anything I had to commend them for not hurting themselves in fits of laughter or horror as the case may be. As we approached the perimeter of the crime scene tape one of the officers tried to put his game face on as he stopped us from crossing.

  “I’m sorry but you folks will have to come back later.” He was tall, heavily muscled and determined to do his job. “Visiting hours should resume sometime later today or at the very latest sometime tomorrow.” Pulling out a notepad he scribbled down a number. “Here’s the number to the front desk.”

  Moving slightly to one side I was able to get a better view of the chaos behind the officer. I caught sight of the head detective, Tony Costa. Tony was on the large size of the human condition. He towered some six feet six inches vertically, and not to be outdone horizontally the man’s heavily muscled frame only filled out his overly large bone structure. His shoulders were wide enough to stand on and his limbs, all of them, were the size of small tree trunks. He was former military, Marines if I remembered correctly. With his perfectly maintained flat top, which I often suspected he cut himself, and the angular jaw line he was a good looking version of Sgt Rock from the comics. Bottom line-he was a very large man.

  I recalled a few years back that his brother-in-law was nearly beaten to death near the River Walk. It was all over the news when Tony brought in the men responsible. Well I guess ‘brought in’ would be a term to be used loosely in this particular case. All the men had suffered multiple injuries during the course of their arrest, but who could blame him? I had heard that he had recently been promoted to Lieutenant and had a squad of detectives that answered to him these days. Whatever was happening here was big enough to get him out of the office and into the field once again. Tony and I had worked together a few times and he had always made one thing perfectly clear. He took his job very seriously and anyone who crossed the line would find his overgrown, calloused hands there to meet them in a highly unpleasant manner.

  The officer turned to see who I was looking at. “It would seem I’ve found the man I need to speak too.” I waved at Tony and he smirked when he caught sight of me, quickly excusing himself from the conversation he’d been embroiled in and made a beeline for us.

  Tony put his hand on the back of the officers shoulder and said to me “It would appear that your ears were burning.” Waving at the other detectives behind him. “We were just talking about you, and for all intents and purposes it would appear I drew the short straw to have to come and talk to you.” Tony nodded at the officer who started to profusely sweat when he realized who I was and quickly made an excuse to be anywhere else.

  “I’m sorry?... Did I miss something?” It was odd that the NOPD would ‘want’ to contact me about anything. Even though we worked together on occasions I wasn’t exactly popular. I would guess so unpopular it would seem that they were forced to draw straws to see who would have to deal with me. “So I take it you won the cupie doll.”

  Tony laughed as he shook his head. “Hardly.”

  Kira sauntered over to Tony and draped an arm around him as she laughed. “You’ll have to forgive my father. He is under the immensely mistaken impression that everyone loves him as much as I do.”

  Watching the crowd of Tony’s compatriots, I found more than a few eyeing my daughter. Trying not to be annoyed I focused on Tony who seemed completely immune to her charms, either by smarts or the fact that he was happily engaged. Having men ogle your daughter is something you never get used to! It would seem that someone caught sight of my displeasure and the crowd dispersed almost as quickly as it had formed to go find less dangerous things to do.

  Tony chuckled as gave Kira a wink and a quick one armed hug before sticking one of those beefy hands out in my direction. “I like him just fine, many of us do.” I took his hand and he shook it mechanically. “The thing is, when he’s around shit just seems to get strange and complicated.” He waved his hand behind him as he spoke. “And this little shindig is hardly an exception.”

  Given that the NOPD was here in such force I had already grown concerned. And Tony was right. Things always seemed to be strange and complicated in the arena’s I played in but given the sensitive nature of my work such things are hardly avoidable. “You guys wouldn’t know what to do without a little excitement in your lives.”

  Tony shrugged as he turned toward the main building. “I believe I speak for everyone when I say, the type of ‘excitement’ you bring to the table all of us could easily learn to live without.”

  We fell into step with the large man as he made his way through the maze of emergency vehicles. “Tomato, tamato...” I retorted. That barely garnered a smirk from Tony which meant playtime was over and it was time to get to work. “What type of bat shit crazy is on the menu today?”

  Tony took a deep breath as he stopped at the front doors, turning toward me with concern etched across his face. “Well for starters it’s not only a murder investigation but a kidnapping as well.” Tony rolled his head around slightly trying to stretch the tightening muscles in his neck. “The man who runs the place and our kidnapping victim, Dr. Galvez, was in his office when this whole thing started.” Tony gestured at the interior of the building through the glass front doors as a heaviness came over him as he spoke. “According to the security cameras and eyewitness reports, a blond amazon like woman entered through these doors.” Tony gestured at the doors in front of us. “One of the security guards met her just inside there.” Tony pointed at what could only be a dead body hastily covered by a blood soaked sheet. “She didn’t even slow down as she slammed some type of clawed weapon into the man’s throat ripping it out before kicking him aside leaving him there to bleed out.”

  That just sounded painful as I shifted my weight to one side to get a better view of the lobby. “He probably suffocated or drowned on his own blood well before he bled out.” I mused.

  Tony took a deep breath as he ran his hand over the top of his head as he grumbled. “Thanks for the visual.” He gritted his teeth as he glared at me before continuing. “She advanced unchallenged to the nurses station around the corner where two more guards tried to subdue her only to have their stomachs ripped open and their intestines spilled on the floor for their trouble.” Stepping forward he grabbed one of the handles and opened the front door as he made his way through the carnage. “She stopped long enough to add insult to injury by kicking each of them a few times as they lay dying before making her way to the doc’s office.”

  “I take it the others got the hint not to get in her
way?” Kira asked soberly.

  Looking back over his shoulder Tony nodded. “Yeah they took the hint. Once she was here she tried the door and found it locked, she kicked it so hard she removed the door frame and all.” Tony stopped short at the nurses station. “If disembowelment weren’t strange enough not only did she abscond with our victim but she left you a present.” Stopping and turning to look at me for the first time since we entered his face was dark and stormy as rage and anger welled up inside him. “He looks like the man in the photo the Marshals put out this morning in connection with the murder in City Park.”

  I was starting to see what he meant by complicated but it was hardly the time to start looking like I didn’t have a clue what was going on. “After we see him I’ll be able to confirm his identity. Where is he?”

  “They have him in a private room. Two of the doctors are attending to his wounds.” Tony replied.

  “Is he badly injured?” I asked. It was hardly a surprise he was hurt but I was hoping he knew something that would help us track down the witch.

  “Tortured is more accurate, and he won’t speak to anyone but you. We removed one of your business cards that had been wrapped in plastic and sewn into the flesh on his chest.” Tony grimaced as he tried not to look sick. “Looks like he was beat and cut on for several hours before that.”

  “I guess I should get to him then.” I said as I gestured for Tony to lead the way.

  “Look before we go any further, I want to go on the record that if the Marshals want this case they can have it. My guys and I would love to opt out of this particular nightmare if at all possible.” He looked tired and his eyes spoke of a weariness I hadn’t seen in him before. This was just one case too many for him and he really needed to unload it. “We have a serial murderer involving male prostitutes that’s bad enough. I don’t think we need to get involved with both the City Park murder and what has happened here if it can be helped.”

  “From the sounds of things this and the case in City park are connected so we might be able to lighten your workload at least a little.” Standing next to the nurses station I took in the brutality of the attacks. Someone was clearly enjoying themselves. “As soon as Deputy Aaron arrives you guys can hash it all out! Sound fair?”

  He relaxed and the tension in his face slipped away as he drew comfort in the fact he could be free of at least one nightmare. “Deal.” He moved past the nurses station, made a left and opened the door. “The person you are looking for is in here.” Tony touched his earbud. “If you will excuse me it seems that Mr. Aaron just arrived and I would like to work this ASAP.”

  “Thanks Tony.” I said.

  Tony nodded and walked back around the corner and vanished from sight. Kira and I stepped in the room with our two guards in tow, one of which closed the door behind us. To my surprise I recognized Nicholas almost instantly as Helena’s son. He had of course filled out into a well proportioned adult, probably around six foot seven or eight with two hundred and fifty pounds of pure muscle, shoulder length blonde hair with the classic good looks of a swedish male model. He reminded me of a buff version of Eric Northman from the television show True Blood, played by Alexander Skarsgard.

  “You have grown since we last saw each other.” Putting my hand on the nurses shoulder I was able to convey to her that her services weren’t needed at the moment. She reluctantly scurried away after giving me more than a few dirty looks as she crossed the room. “Other than the obvious how are you Nicholas?”

  Nicholas’ face was a mixture of pain, anger and disappointment. “You said we would be safe from all this! You said we wouldn’t have to worry about them finding us.” His deep voice shook with anger and sadness, wincing as he sat up in bed he glared at me. “You promised this wouldn’t happen.”

  Putting a gentle hand on his shoulder I tried to calm him. “You were so young at the time you probably don’t remember when I told your mother that the protection only went as far as the Alabama state lines.” He was angry and alone, two things that I knew far too much about. I understood better than most the feeling of loss of losing a loved one. “Once she crossed the state line that protection crumbled and vanished. I am sorry, truly I am. If she had only called one of us before things got this far out of hand.”

  He choked out the next words. “She was so sick, it had been so long, she thought it would be okay.” His face hardened. “I begged her to call you! I did! She told me she didn’t want to be a bother.” Tears fell in a steady stream down his cheeks. “Why did she have to be so stubborn?”

  “I don’t know. I wish I had answers for you but I don’t...” I heard the door open as Gregory, Tony and three NOPD officers entered the room. Kira and my security team were quick to stand between the newcomers and my conversation with Nicholas as I turned to address them. “We haven’t had time to finish our talk. If you will give us a few more minutes I am sure he will be up to answering whatever questions you might have. Isn’t that right Nick?”

  He lay back in bed as he shrugged, seeming not to care what happened next. Suddenly he looked up at me. “I was told to give you a message by the woman who brought me here.”

  Turning back to Nick I gave the boy my full attention. “Nicholas, I want you to take yout time and concentrate, and slowly tell me exactly what that psychopath said to you?”

  Nicholas’ voice was grave and shook with anger and hatred dripping off every word. “She said to tell you, she knows your true name!” He stopped and looked at me pleadingly not wanting to continue. “She said she’s coming for you soon and she wants to see you suffer.” He bowed his head and sniffed loudly. “She instructed me to tell you she wants to finish what she started all those years ago.” Anger welled up inside him as rage filled his voice as he lost himself to the memory of his encounter. “She wanted me to tell you her name was Gullveig the Witch and she is coming for her pound of flesh...”

  I felt weak as the room spun out of control. My vision swam as darkness flooded in on all sides causing me to lose my footing. My body convulsed and tighten as I fell back slamming into the floor rigid and gasping for air. Darkness enveloped me at last and I sank into her warm embrace...

  My eyes watered and I gasped for breath as I ducked low trying to avoid the acrid smoke and fumes from filling my lungs. The aircraft was doomed to crash and there was nothing I could do to change that fact. The fuselage was leaking and the cockpit having been damaged earlier by gunfire was about as useful as a Light Bright. Gullveig had escaped her containment chamber and as if on cue the murderous bitch had tried to put a few bullets in my skull. Huge surprise the extremely violent, angry little hag chose now of all times to try and settle an old score. God I wish they made smarter criminals.

  Over the years many tried to bring her to justice only to be sent home in a body bag or found displayed in some act of cruelty. She rejoiced in the most vile acts of man and reveled in the blood spilled during the most heinous acts of violence. It was hard to believe she had once been a trusted ally but that was long ago. It had take me the better part of two years of hard work and determination to capture her but in the end I’d done it. She was to stand trial for her crimes but the plans had changed at the last moment with the attack on our homeworld. She was summarily tried and convicted and my last duty was to drop her off at her new home, The Pit, before proceeding to the rendezvous point with the rest of my people.

  The Pit was a prison so secret that only a few knew of its existence. My grandfather created the place deep within the core of the planet for criminals so vile that placing them with other prisoners would be cruel and unusual punishment for the other inmates. Once you were placed in The Pit, you never left. There were no cells and no guards just a wide expanse where the laws of reality rarely applied. The prisoners governed themselves and on a few occasions everyone in the Pit had died at each others hands, leaving nothing but a vast expanse.

  Gullveig knew of its existence and from what I could tell she didn’t have any intention of mak
ing it to the prison. One way or another she would find a way out of her punishment. We were about to crash but she did nothing to try to save herself and everything in her power to ensure that we were both going to die here today. The alarm for the rear hatch sounded as it opened. As I made my way to the rear of the craft the air thinned and grew colder. We were barely within the atmosphere and what little precious oxygen we had was being quickly sucked out. I opened the bulkhead door and the roar of the wind whipped around me pulling me towards the open bay doors. The bitter cold winds filled my lungs making it hard to breath, the pain almost unbearable. I stopped to look around the empty bay and focused my will, my shields erupting around me, keeping me safe from the elements and more importantly holding onto what precious oxygen I had left.

  My jacket settled down as the wind no longer lapped at me but instead seemed to bend around me, allowing me to move quickly and quietly around to the control panel of the cargo bay. It appeared that I was alone. Not seeing anyone else I turned to shut the bay doors. As I reached out to press the close button I was slammed face first into the hull’s metal wall. Even with my shields at full strength my head reeled from the impact.

  I felt Gullveig lean against me as she whispered in my ear. “I knew you would rather see us both die in the crash rather than allow me to escape.” She shoved my face against the wall again, pain exploding in my head as I both heard and felt my nose shatter. “I want you to die knowing you failed!” She whispered as she licked the side of my face. “I want you to know before you take your last breath that it is your fault that every man, woman and child will die at my hands.” She laughed as only the truly insane can. “You, and you alone have unleashed me into their midsts. They will suffer and die at my hands! I want you to suffer too!” Gullveig hissed.