by Alexie Aaron
Paolo Santos and he became friends so many years ago. The priest had sought out the fabled birdmen to aid in the rescuing of a group of isolated villagers who were being used by a demon called Mirth. Mirth had minions, dangerous creatures recruited from the dark corners of hell. Together they fed on the terror of the people. Their fear of Mirth and the antics of his servants fed the demon and made him strong.
“If it were a simple exorcism, I would not bother you,” Paolo had said to the emissary of the Brotherhood of the Wing. “Mirth has ceased to perceive Lucifer or his keepers as a threat. When you lose your fear of retribution, you become very dangerous. A simple spanking from Heaven isn’t going to stop this thing.”
“We are amused that you would call what you do a spanking,” Angelo said, speaking for himself and his comrades.
Angelo didn’t merely send his birdmen with Paolo but went himself. Together they battled Mirth and successfully put him and his followers back into the pit for a timeout of a few hundred years or more.
After that, they formed an alliance where the birdman could call upon the sanctity and knowledge of the priest, and the priest could benefit by the strength of Angelo and his associates. By and by, they made the connection with Gerald Shem and, with him, Beverly Cooper and Sabine. The five of them battled the paranormal under the radar. Only the rumor mill kept track of their activities. In the world of ghost hunters, they were the elite team.
Things changed between Paolo and Angelo when they stepped foot into Charles Cooper’s apartment where Angelo first met Mia. It wasn’t lust that drew the birdman to the emerging sensitive; it was something deeper. She radiated power that Paolo couldn’t see. The woman herself was only just becoming aware of the gifts that were bestowed upon her. In another place and time, Mia would have been a goddess, an immortal that could be called upon to fight for good. Along with Angelo, they would be able to rid the world of evil, send it into the pit for Lucifer to deal with. Paolo sensed this and counseled Angelo away from these thoughts. The priest served one god, and Angelo was treading on blasphemy.
Santos did more than counsel the birdman. He found a way for Mia to be forever out of his grasp. He encouraged her marriage to Theodore Martin. As a married woman, Mia was protected by Birdman law. She held a position higher than warrior; she was a wife and probable mother. There was no higher calling in their culture than this. To break this law would mean banishment for Angelo.
Angelo tried to hate Paolo for this betrayal, but it wasn’t in his heart to do so. A man so steeped in his religion could not be faulted. Even if they did disagree on Mia, the two agreed on the most important thing. Good must win. The fragile people of the earth needed to be protected from the paranormal world and the evil within it.
“Ah, Paolo, was your betrayal the precursor to your end?” Angelo asked the man who might never be able to answer him.
He-who-walks-through-time stood on the shore and waited for the launch to bring Angelo to the beach. He stood tall and solid. His time on the island had not weakened him. He balanced his study of the time he existed in with the physical training of his past. His mate, Refugia, worked out with him. In her birdwoman persona, she made an excellent training partner. In turn, she asked him to explore this world she wanted them to assimilate into. He acquiesced. Together they hoped to find a place in this century where they could live and thrive in peace. As part of this new existence, he had to take on a new name. Refugia wanted to be called Judy and he, Ed. They would be a modern couple off this island. On it, however, they would live the life they were brought up to.
He stood garbed in only enough deerskin to cover his genitalia. His large muscular body didn’t seem to feel the cold wind. The sun shone on his battle scars, and he knew he looked damn impressive. It wasn’t just vanity that made him pump up his muscles and present the form of the warrior. It was to show the approaching birdman that He-who-walks-through-time would defend the island and all on it. He felt it was a subtle warning, an unspoken telegraph of his intentions towards Angelo.
Angelo stepped off the launch. He nodded to Ed and fell behind the warrior who led him up the beach through the maze and into the fortress.
Judy looked up from her hand sewing. She hadn’t yet mastered the machine Ed had brought back with him the last time he visited the mainland. She didn’t mind the handwork, and her stitches were neat and uniform. “Welcome back, Angelo,” she said, setting her work aside. “Can I bring you a hot beverage?”
“A coffee would be nice, Refugia,” he replied and walked over to the large fireplace to warm his hands. He turned and took in the large room. Oversized furniture was placed to take advantage of the heat that emanated from the hearth.
“It’s still such a pleasure to have a fire. The island is suffering from the overlong winter, and the very walls of the castle seem to reject any amount of warmth the central heating can put out,” Refugia explained, walking into the room. She set the tray, laden with a large coffee pot, cups and some slices of rich fruitcake, on the table between them.
“Refugia…”
“Please, call me Judy. I am no longer she.”
Angelo looked sad but nodded. “Judy, thank you for your hospitality. Is he here?”
“Komal is always here,” she said, waving her arms around her.
“No, Roumain. Has he arrived yet?” Angelo asked.
“No, not yet. You are early, Angelo.”
“I didn’t want to show disrespect. The last time we met…”
“No need to explain; I was there,” Judy said. She poured a cup of coffee and handed it to him along with a dessert plate with a few slices of cake on it. “This is an awkward situation, but do try to make the best of it.”
“I have fallen into a solipsistic nightmare of my own making. I realized that I had lost touch with, as they say, the big picture.”
“That’s easy to do considering how isolated your life with the Brotherhood has kept you. I too have missed too much of what this world has to offer. Please don’t misunderstand me, Angelo. I do not regret my prior position as a Gray Lady healer. I just wish we weren’t so isolated. All the good we could have done. All the children we could have saved…”
“There you and I agree,” Angelo said. He eased back into the chair and took a sip of the coffee. “This is good.”
“The coffee…”
“No, the conversation. To be able to converse with someone that shares, or shared, my world is wonderful. Paolo and I had many a spirited conversation, but the lack of common ground was disheartening at times.”
“Do you miss him?”
“I feel like part of me has been taken away, and I am falling.”
“I’m sorry, Angelo, I didn’t know you two were that close.”
“Neither did I. Not until he was no more did I understand how much a friendship like ours meant to me. I’ve been lonely.”
Judy looked upon her former boss and felt pity. “There is another that has felt this loneliness but survived.”
“I’m sure many survive loss.”
“Don’t dismiss what I am saying, because I may be breaking a confidence in doing so,” Judy warned.
“Then don’t do it,” Angelo counseled.
“I feel I must. I spent quite a lot of time joined with Mia Cooper, now Mia Martin. I walked her memory halls and felt the pain that resided there. Living the role of the unwanted child, the shunned schoolmate and spurned lover, was the cause of her loneliness. She had no one to converse with, no one with common ground. The loneliness of being at the edge of things is extreme. She didn’t put herself there like you have, but when the opportunity came to become part of something, she took it. She still has trouble relating to people, but she has quickly put distance between her and her lonely world.”
Angelo looked uncomfortable. Judy knew she would have to come to her point quickly or he would not understand why she brought Mia up in the first place. “What I am trying to say is, follow her example. She reaches out and makes friends
each and every time a situation is presented to her. She is rebuffed more times than she is accepted, but it doesn’t stop her.”
“I would have taken her away from all that pain, given the chance.”
“You cannot take a wildflower out of the field and expect it to survive, Angelo. Mia needs people, living and dead. The aerie would suffocate her. Although, I expect she would by now have liberated all the Gray Ladies and plucked a few of your feathers in the process.”
Angelo laughed. “She’s already done that, I assure you. But I understand what you are trying to tell me. There are more Paolos out there; I just have to be patient and keep trying.”
“Yes, if Paolo is gone, then don’t let his death push you further into your cave. Mourn his loss, then go out and make new friends. Find people that can do more than advise you. Seek out people who you can share a laugh with. Enrich your life with memories made.”
“You are very wise, Re… Judy.”
“I’ve existed a very long time, but I’m only now living. Do you understand?”
“Before you answer that, Birdman,” Judge Roumain warned as he glided into the room, “think about it awhile. It’s a riddle, a point to ponder and a very wise declaration.”
Angelo got to his feet and offered the entity his chair. Roumain instead chose to stand. The warm hearth fire reflected in his expensive suit of clothing as he leaned against the mantle. He removed his hat, and Angelo saw for the first time the braided crown of hair. It too shone, not with reflected fire, but starlight. He seemed to be an entity caught between two worlds. He set the top hat on the mantel and faced Angelo.
Roumain put a long finger to his temple and asked, “How can Judy here live for four hundred years, gaining knowledge and watching the world struggle out of the dark ages, but claim until now she hasn’t lived? This itself is puzzling. Her point is that you have to connect with the world physically, not just view it from the sidelines, in order to live. Risk hurt, Angelo, risk it. Judy, I could not have said it better,” he praised, reaching for her hand and planting a kiss on the back of it.
“Thank you for coming…” Angelo started.
“It was a gracious request. One I could not turn down,” Roumain said. “I’m sure you have many questions. Let’s have some refreshments and wait for Komal. Do not get your hopes up, Birdman. What I have to tell you won’t make you happy.
Chapter Ten
Mia looked at the people that had gathered inside Glenda’s rental. The hostess had excused the butler for the evening. Mia tried to remember his name, but it wouldn’t come to her. Normally she was great with names, but today she was too distracted. Ted sat beside her, monitoring the command center from the iPad. Burt eased back and seemed happy. Mia reached into her pocket and pulled out her lucky Lincoln 1963 penny and placed it on the table before him.
Burt looked down and picked up the penny, still smiling. “I’m thinking, even though we almost met our maker in there, that for the first time in a long time, I’m enjoying myself.”
“And what do you attribute to finding this newfound ease?” Mia asked.
“I think it’s letting go of the mantle of leadership, being on the investigator side. I love being behind the camera, the chase, the retreat, and seeing you in over your head.”
Mia was about to say something when she felt Ted’s hand squeeze her knee. Instead she nodded. “Things are always over my head. That’s normal for us hobbits.”
Burt laughed a deep rich laugh. The others couldn’t help joining in. Ted let go of Mia’s knee, and she took a deep breath.
“Audrey, I know you’ve not had much time to research this, but I’d be appreciative for any information you can give us right now.”
Audrey opened her folder and scanned her notes briefly before speaking. “The Malone house hasn’t had that many owners, only three before them. This isn’t unusual as the homes were originally built as family estates. The house would pass from father to son, male cousin if there wasn’t an heir. This practice stopped after World War II, but in this house’s case, the oldest male inherited. These men lived long lives, and I haven’t yet had a chance to check the scandal sheets to see if there are any black marks on their otherwise sterling reputations. Oh, the family name was Belington.”
“If this is a family estate, then how did the Malones get their hands on it?” Burt asked.
“Auction. Evidently the last of the Belington heirs didn’t believe in paying taxes of any kind. He’s sitting in a white collar prison in Indiana, courtesy of the IRS.”
“I’d say that qualifies as scandal,” Glenda said, looking sideways at Beverly Cooper.
“Back off, old lady,” Bev said. “Some of us weren’t out to cheat the country but had a hard time reconciling paying into a system that really didn’t give anything back at the time.”
“I’d like to use my bullshit card,” Glenda said. “You weren’t making a political statement, else you wouldn’t have been perpetually shopping on the Magnificent Mile.”
“Ladies…” Mia warned. “Let’s get back to the investigation. Cid, do you have anything to share? I believe you have collated a lot of data for us.”
Cid stood up and pulled out the white board he had brought with him. He balanced it on the back of the built-in seat. “This is a mockup of the blueprint Ronald gave me of the house. It’s a three story with a full basement under the house. There was a carriage house, but that was sold off with the land. It now resides in the neighbor’s backyard. They are using it for a pool house. I took readings of the Malone house and found paranormal activity on every floor. In the early hours the energy is low, but after four pm, I found high concentrations of energy. Very similar to the readings Ted recorded during the Lucky’s Bar investigation.”
Mia and Burt groaned.
“I understand the spirits were quite mobile,” Cid mentioned.
“The ones that weren’t trapped in the place,” Burt amended. “Are these spirits trapped?” he asked, looking at Bev.
“My feeling is that they don’t know that they aren’t. They seem to be protecting the place. I sense loot. Yes, loot. That’s the word that kept coming up in the minds of the rascals.”
“Excuse me,” Glenda said. “But if there was loot, money of some kind, don’t you think the owners would have found it and spent it already?”
“Could be, but the ghosts’ arrival just as the walls were being taken down, lends me to think that the loot was in the place at one time,” Mia offered.
“Loot would denote something stolen. There are a lot of ghosts there, so I’m thinking a robbery gone south,” Cid said.
Audrey nodded. “I’ll look into that. Do we have a time period? It would save me time if we could narrow it down a few generations.”
“Loot was first used in 1788 if that helps,” Ted contributed.
Audrey paled.
“The guys were wearing checked suits like those vaudeville performers,” Bev said.
“Do you think they’re performers?” Mia asked.
“Performers…” Bev thought a moment before answering, “Not comedians in the vaudeville sense, clowns perhaps? Audrey, look around 1880-1910. Unless these were costumes, I believe they were wearing Sac Coats,” Bev said.
“What about the feet?” Cid asked Mia.
Bev turned to her and asked, “What feet? The ones that had fully manifested were wearing shoes with spats.”
“Ted, could you pull up the footage Cid took?” Mia requested.
Ted found the footage. He programed it to run in a loop before passing the iPad to Bev.
Mia watched her face. She looked up at Mia and shrugged her shoulders and passed it to Burt. He looked at it without comment and passed it to Audrey.
“Gorilla,” she said triumphantly. “Either costume feet or… nah.”
Mia sighed.
Bev smirked. “You didn’t think those were demon feet, did you, munchkin?”
“Well…” she tried to defend herself but stopped befor
e she looked more foolish in front of her aunt.
“In Mia’s defense, we’ve had a few demons in the last year to deal with,” Ted said. “Come on, how many of you thought the same?” he asked the group.
Cid and Burt raised their hands.
Audrey spoke up. “If I hadn’t spent so much time at the Brookfield Zoo as a child watching the great apes, then I think demon would have crossed my mind or Bigfoot.”
Mia smiled at her friend. “Good thing for us that you enjoyed the zoo. Now let’s get back to our zoo. Fake or not, I find it puzzling that the ghost is walking around in gorilla feet.”
“Costume party,” Bev offered.
“Could be. Audrey, look into whether there was a disaster involving a fancy dress party in or around the turn of the twentieth century,” Mia requested.
“And robbery,” Burt reminded her.
Audrey nodded and jotted the information down.
“This meeting stuff is thirsty business,” Glenda said. “How about a round of drinks before we go to our corners?”
“I’ve got to drive,” Ted said. “Mia and I are going to take Maggie back and get some shuteye. We’ll be back before midnight to take the night watch.”
“Burt, if it’s alright with you, I’d like you to take first watch with Cid and Audrey,” Mia requested. “Bev, you can take it easy. Be back tomorrow around eight. Eight in the morning,” she clarified. “I think we’ll investigate the basement while the spectral energy is at its lowest. Glenda, I need you ready to go at midnight. I have an idea I’d like to try.”
“Sounds mysterious,” Glenda said. “Well, you two better scoot, and take that Murphy with you. He’s been up to nonsense. Every time I make a drink, the bugger puts gin in it.”
“Doesn’t sound like Murphy,” Mia said softly to Ted. “I’m sure he’ll be coming with us anyway,” she told Glenda. “Okay, if there isn’t anything more to talk about, you’re all free.”