Mari led Cries Havoc deep into the park. They passed couples walking, kids playing Frisbee, men and women jogging or walking dogs, gangs of black or white males hanging out listening to loud boom-boxes and even a few people reading quietly by themselves on park benches. Of course, the homeless were everywhere, ignored by most people but given quick nods of respect by Mari. Some looked at her confused or angry, but others winked back or nodded solemnly.
Finally, they reached a well-wooded area, a camping ground for the homeless. Makeshift tents of cardboard and hanging blankets spread out across lawns between the trees. Mari leapt over a tall curb and walked up a small hill toward a large cardboard refrigerator box. She rapped her knuckles loudly against it.
A head poked out of a square hole, a curious-faced old wino. When he saw Mari, a grin broke across his cracked, weathered features. “Hey, Ms. Cabrah! Watchoo doin’ here? ” He crawled out of the hole and stood up, his head reaching only to Mari’s shoulders.
“Hey, Fengy, ” Mari said. "I need to see Mother Larissa. It’s important. Is she in? ”
“Oh, yeah, ” Fengy said. “She’s gotta be here, what with all the weird reports cornin’ in. ”
“What reports? What’s going on? ”
“Who’s your friend? ” Fengy said, lifting a chin in Cries Havoc’s direction.
“Oh, ” Mari said, looking slightly embarrassed. “Fengy, this is Cries Havoc of the Silver River Pack. ” “No kiddin’! I heard of them. You’re those cubs that went up against that Jo’cllath’majjiggy, ain’tcha? ”
Cries Havoc looked like a spotlight had been thrown on him. He didn’t like it. “Um, yeah. Jo’cllath’mattric. ” “Wow, you kids’re celebrities! ”
“Fengy, " Mari said. “Larissa? Remember? "
“Oh, yeah. C’mon, follow me. I’ll take ya right to her. ” He turned to lead them farther up the hill, motioning them along behind him. Without looking back, he continued speaking. “So, where’s the rest of your pack, Mr. Havoc? They cornin’ too? ”
“Yeah, they’re on their way. They had to find parking. "
“Parking? Shit, they coulda checked with us. We gotta number of tricks for leavin’ cars nearby where they won’t get towed. ”
“Oh? Well, maybe next time. ” Cries Havoc said, looking at Mari with a “can’t-you-distract-him” query on his face.
Mari smiled. “Fengy, what’s with these reports you mentioned? What’s going down around here? ”
“A whole lot of shit hittin’ the fan is what, ” Fengy said as he ducked under a tangled bush, its branches so low to the ground that Mari and Cries Havoc were forced to get down on their knees to pass through it. “But you can ask Mother yourself. ”
Beyond the bush was a circle of pristine lawn, surrounded by more thick bushes on all sides. In the center, two women sat by a shopping cart filled to the brim with clothing. One was a truly ancient looking woman dressed in a motley collection of Salvation Army chic; she slowly knitted a needle and thread through a buttonhole on a ratty old jacket. The other woman appeared to be in her mid-fifties, but was quite stocky and well built, wearing a black-leather trench coat and boots. Her hair was long and black, but with a pure white streak descending from either side of her forehead.
The old woman looked at the visitors with one skeptical eye, then smiled. “Ah, Mari Cabrah, ” Larissa said, putting aside her knitting and standing up on creaky old bones. She held out her arms for a hug. Mari came forward and let the woman wrap her arms around her. “Been too long, child. You don’t come by enough. ”
“I’m very busy, Mother, ” Mari said. “You know that. ” Mari looked at the other woman, a quizzical expression on her face. “Loba? What brings a Silver Fang here? Albrecht’s the only one of your kind who usually comes out this way. ”
“Oh, don’t paint me with that tired old brush, Mari, ” Loba said, standing and offering her hand, which Mari took. “You know my work takes me all over. ”
“How’s that going? Any inroads? ”
Loba shook her head, looking down. “Nothing. It’s as if my enemies have disappeared. The Seventh Generation is more subtle than ever—if it even still exists. I can’t tell anymore. But at least they’ve loosened their clutches on the children. I’ve saved nine kids from the Defiler’s clutches in the past few months. ”
“You do good work, Loba, ” Mari said, putting her hand on Loba’s shoulder. She knew that Loba had long waged a battle against an enigmatic conspiracy, a sect of Wyrm cultists who specialized in compounding the trauma of victims of psychological and physical abuse. For many years, few other Garou believed such a conspiracy even existed. “Nobody else wants to admit it, but those kids would grow up to be real monsters if it weren’t for you. Keep up the fight. ”
“Thank you, Mari. But what about you? What brings you here? ”
“Well, ” Mari said, looking at Mother Larissa, “I’ve got bad news. ”
Larissa shrugged her shoulders and walked over to Cries Havoc, patting his shoulder. “Who doesn’t, girl? I’ve heard it all these days. Here, child, ” she said to Cries Havoc, “why don’t you sit down and rest a spell with old Mother Larissa? I know who you are. I recognize them horns under that hat of yours. No, don’t be surprised; I doubt other folks can figure out that’s what they are, hidden and all. But Mother’s got a good eye on her. "
Cries Havoc smiled and removed his hat, revealing two curving ram’s horns on his forehead. His birth disfigurement marked him as a metis, a half-breed bom from the forbidden union of two Garou. He could only be himself among other Garou, but was usually judged harshly by his fellows. Mother Larissa seemed completely nonjudgmental. He sat down next to the cart and helped her lower herself back onto her sofa cushion.
“Mother, ” Mari said, squatting down to look her in the eyes, “Cries Havoc’s pack and I just busted up a Pentex factory. Problem is, they’d already done their job. There are thirteen pollution banes of some sort crawling around in your sewers. ”
“Only thirteen? ” Mother said, waving her hand dismissively. “Best news I’ve heard all week. They’ll have to wait in line, behind the fomori on Wall Street, the scrags in the Bowery, and the Black Spiral Dancers in the Bronx. Girl, there’s a boatload of hell breaking out all over the city. ”
Mari frowned. “What’s going on? Why so many assaults at once? Are they coordinated? ”
“Not that I can tell. None of these folk seem to know one another. The Black Spirals weren’t happy to hear about the scrags—seems they got in the way of their own plans. But we’re on it—my boys and girls are mopping things up with help from the Glass Walkers. Those skyscraper wolves told me something even more vexing than banes in the sewers, though. They say the Leeches are gone. They done up and disappeared. They ain’t hunting no more. Now, they’ve always been real tricky and hard to find, but the Glass Walkers keep an eye out for them, sharing the same territory and all. But now it’s like they all burnt up one morning and didn't even leave the ashes behind. My own scouts, they say that even the ugly ones who live down under are gone. ” Larissa shook her head, as if she'd finally heard it all. “Imagine that. ” “There’s got to be some mistake, ” Mari said. “They’ve got some new plan, some new way of hiding from us. If they can cover their own corrupt scent from spirit senses, they’re going to be harder to find. But I can't believe they’re completely gone. Vampires have always preyed on cities. ”
“I was just telling Mother, ” Loba said, "that I'm hearing reports of weird events going on upstate. I just drove here from the Finger Lakes, on my way back to Vermont, and they’re talking about bad things going on in Europe. ”
“Europe? " Mari looked worried. “Any word from Albrecht yet? ”
“Not that I’ve heard. I’ll know more when I get to the caern tomorrow. They should have heard something from him by now, assuming all has gone well. ”
“He could be in real trouble ”
“I wouldn’t worry about Albrecht. I know you’re his pac
kmate, but I think the king can take care of himself. He’s got a retinue of our best with him. That’s what worries me, actually. Since they’re not home to guard the caern, who knows what’s happening in the North Country. I’ve got to get back there and find out. ” Loba stood up.
Fengy, who had stood back by the bushes and done his best not to be noticed, coughed. Larissa looked up at him, eyebrows raised. “Mother, ” he said apologetically, indicating the bushes behind him, “they’re saying out there that someone just came through the moon bridge, from way up north. ”
Larissa stood up and threw her knitting onto the ground with disgust. “Dam it all, nobody gives me time to digest nothin’ anymore! When he, she or it gets here, let ’em in. And it better be good! ”
Fengy nodded and slipped out under the bushes. Mari looked at Loba, who returned the look and nodded. She made no motion to leave, clearly intending to stay and find out who the visitor was.
Fengy came back through the bushes, smiling and cackling. “This way, this way, ” he said to someone behind him. A figure on his hands and knees crawled under the bushes and quickly stood up as soon as he was through. As he rose to his full stature and began to brush the dirt off his knees, peering about in the dim glade to see who else was there, Mari rushed forward and wrapped her arms around him.
“Evan! ” she cried, practically lifting him from his feet.
“Mari! ” he said, surprised. “What are you doing here? I thought you were in Jersey.... ”
Mari put him down. “And you were supposed to be at that important Wendigo moot. What happened? Why are you here? ”
Evan’s smile vanished. “It’s not good, Mari. ” He noticed the other Garou, and bowed to Larissa. “Mother, thank you for receiving me. Loba, it’s good to see you. And Cries Havoc, you look great. Where are the oth“Parking, ” Cries Havoc said. “They should be here soon. "
Mother came over and hugged Evan. “Of course we’ll accept a moon bridge bearing you, boy! You’ve shown us nothing but respect from your First Change. You’re always welcome here. Now, tell me what’s going on. I hope it’s not worse than what’s happening here or elsewhere. ”
Evan looked confused. “Uh, oh. I don’t like the sound of that. ”
“Don’t worry about us. Just tell us what you came so far for. ”
“A Talon of the Wyrm. It’s free. "
Larissa moaned and almost collapsed. Evan and Mari caught her and eased her back to her seat. Loba’s face became grim, and her eyes had a faraway look, as if she was absorbed in thought. Cries Havoc looked confused.
Evan continued. “It killed the Uktena banetenders guarding it and now runs free, heading south. The Wendigo are gathering a war parry to hunt it, but they can’t do it alone. We need help from the other tribes. ” Larissa rocked back and forth, shaking her head. “Oh, Gaia, I wish I’d never lived so long to see this day. It’s hitting us on all sides, with all it’s got. Spreading us thin, splitting us up. That damn fool Wyrm’s gonna get us all in the end. ”
“Don’t say that, Mother, ” Loba said, her words icy. “I’ve fought its tricks and strategies all my life. I’m not going to let it fool us now. And neither are you. ”
Larissa nodded. “I hope so, Carcassone. I really do. Oh, Evan, I’d do anything I could to help you, but I can’t spare any people. I just got done telling your packmate here just how many fires we’re all trying to put out ourselves. ”
“You don’t understand, ” Evan said. “The last banetender. He had a prophecy—that the Wendigo couldn’t fight it alone. I’ve got to get the other tribes to help. ”
“I know. I know you do. And I’ll put out the word. Maybe there’s still some packs out there, those who don’t answer to anyone, who’ll gather ‘round you. But it’ll take a while. You go to the Finger Lakes. That’s where you need to go, to get the others to listen to you. The Black Furies and Children of Gaia will help, and Alani Astarte will call the others all in. When she calls, everybody’s got to listen. Most of them don’t care what an old crone like me says, but they’ll listen to her. ”
“That’s not true, Mother, ” Mari said. “You’ve got a lot more respect than you think among the Garou tribes. ” “And all of it grudging at best. No, you get to the Finger Lakes and send out the call. I’ll do what I can here, but I can’t make no guarantees. You go, and you go now. Hurry. ” She shooed Evan away, pointing to the bush under which he’d crawled to get to the glade. “Take a moon bridge there. And you go with him Mari. Packmates need to be together in times like these. ” “We’ll come, too, ” Cries Havoc said. “My pack, that is. As soon as they get here, I’m sure. ”
“Thanks for the vote of confidence, ” Evan said. “But you better talk it over with them first. ”
“Are you kidding. 7 John North Wind’s Son can’t turn his back on his tribe and we can’t turn our backs on him. Of course we’ll go. ”
“I’m sorry, Evan, ” Loba said. She grasped his hand with urgency. “I would come, if I could. But I have to get back to the North Country. With Albrecht gone, who knows what’s happening there. I... I’ve got to go. ” She bowed quickly to Larissa, nodded at Mari, and then flung herself through the hushes, not bothering to crouch or crawl.
“That’s a woman with a mission, ” Larissa said. “Something’s haunting her, more so than usual. But then, I guess it’s time we came face to face with all our own demons. " She pointed again at the bush. “Go! Get out of here! Time don’t wait for none of us! ”
Evan gave her a weak smile and then dropped down to crawl out of the glade, followed by Mari and Cries Havoc. Fengy already waited just outside the circle of bushes.
“You get yourselves over to the moon bridge, ” Fengy said. “I’ll put the word out throughout the park to herd the Silver River Pack over there as soon as anyone sees them. And, uh, good luck. ” He started to put his hand out, but then got flustered and ran off, grabbing each homeless person he passed and whispering in their ears.
Cries Havoc sighed and pulled his cap back on, covering up his horns. "I sure hope Julia found a long-term parking lot. ”
Loba’s Ford Ranger pickup squealed into the parking lot in front of the Morningkill Estate, leaving tire marks as she spun it into a tight space between two BMWs. She could see the wince on the nearby security guard’s face, followed by the sigh of relief when it became clear that she hadn’t nicked or dented the perfect paint jobs on the Beemers.
Loba swung the door open, almost slamming it into the adjacent car, and jumped out of the cab, flinging the door closed again behind her with a loud, metallic thunk. She stormed over to the mansion, the huge home built from the Vermont marble quarries that had made the family fortune—the fortune that Loba’s own kinfolk also had a piece of.
She paid only bare attention to the two Silver Fangs standing by the porch, both smoking expensive cigars. They nodded at her but clearly hoped she wouldn’t do something so gauche as to actually acknowledge them and force them to strike up a conversation. She walked past them and into the huge foyer.
“My lady Carcassone, ” said a middle-aged man with a shock of white and gray hair. He came down the large staircase, dressed in an immaculate white suit. “You are hack from your travels. ”
Loba’s frown disappeared for a moment as she nodded at the man. “Lord Abbot, it is good to see you. Has there been any word from King Albrecht? ”
Abbot’s tightened features were all the answer she needed, but he spoke nonetheless. "I am afraid not, lady. We had expected... something by now. A moon bridge opened briefly between our caern and the Crescent Moon in Russia, but it... closed before any travelers arrived. Our attempts to reopen it have been unsuccessful. "
Loba shook her head and put her hand on her forehead, rubbing her left temple. “This is not good, Abbot. I've just seen Mari Cabrah and Evan Heals-the-Past in New York. There’s bad news from up north. A Talon. A goddamn Wyrm Talon is loose. I think you had best prepare the sept to defend the caern at the highest
level of alertness. ”
Abbot’s face whitened. “I thought all the Talons had been... bound or destroyed. ”
“Legend says they were. This one was... until a few days ago. ”
Abbot’s hand tightened on the banister. “We have already called in what defenders we can. Our seers have noted dire omens. At least we now have a form to put to our fears. ” He paused for a moment, as if trying to figure out how to say something, but then just held up his hands and spoke frankly. “What’s going on, Loba? We’re hearing word of attacks on Silver Fang septs as far away as Chicago. The king should be here. ”
“I don’t know, ” Loba said. "I wish I knew. There are many terrible things afoot, there and upstate. And Europe. It could be even worse there. I don’t know. ” Loba looked Abbot straight in the eyes. "I have to go, Thomas. I have a duty to fulfill. ”
“A duty? Your duty is here, with your tribe. ”
“You don’t understand, ” Loba said, shaking her head vigorously. “I've spent years—hell, decades—working against my foe. I won’t have that work tom down in a single night. No, I have someone who needs me more. ” She turned to go, heading for the door, still speaking. “I’m sorry. I’ll come back when I can. ”
Abbot said nothing for a few moments. Then, before she disappeared from his sight completely, he spoke. “Go with Gaia, Carcassone. I pray we meet again, in this life or in the Summerlands. ”
Loba did not hear him.
• • •
It was well past twilight when Loba turned off the state road and onto a dirt lane that wound into the thick woods. She shut off her headlights, driving slowly in the dark. She concentrated and her eyes shifted, becoming wolfish. She could see better now, her pupils drawing in more light. After traveling a half mile, she stopped and shut off the engine, and then stuck her head out the window, listening. After a few minutes of silence, broken only by the night sounds of insects and other creatures making their way through the woods, she shifted the transmission to four-wheel drive, started the pickup truck again and continued down the lane.
World of Darkness - [Time of Judgment 02] - The Last Battle Page 9