Dead of Night: The Nephalem Files (Book 3)

by Douglas Wayne

  Come to think of it, it did kinda make sense. He hadn't been exactly active the last few years, minus to spend an inordinate amount of time with the Milwaukee vampires. But the last couple of years had also been rather quiet, except for my misadventures in Boulder and Cincinnati. In Boulder, the council was far more concerned with my actions than Bradley Tuckers and they had sent Cedric to handle it, as they knew Max and I had a close relationship.

  Cincinnati was another matter entirely as I was sent there to handle the vampire Alfred all on my lonesome. But even there, he could've stepped in to help, yet he stayed home. I'd always assumed it was because the council didn't want him involved. Hearing Abby talk about his weakness to the death aura made me wonder if there wasn't something else going on.

  I pushed the thought aside to deal with the threat in front of me. When I was back home, and safe, I could have that conversation with him. The keyword being safe.

  "I don't know what you want with the necklace, but I can't let you take it."

  "And how do you propose to keep it from me," she said, eyes starting to glow the same sickly green glow as the broom and the fire raging just behind her.

  Without my sword, or even a gun, I didn't have a way to take her down. Sure, I could rush in to take her down with my awesome hand-to-hand moves, but I suspected her spell would be done long before then. Being surrounded by waves upon waves of undead is daunting enough without seeing them rise from the grave, to take a sickening first breath for the first time in their unnaturally extended life.

  I held my ground until the first hand poked through the otherwise packed soil. The hand was a dirty mess of rotted flesh and bone. A ring on it caught the moonlight and glimmered enough to point out that the hand belonged to a woman.

  At least, it used to be a woman.

  Now it was nothing more than a frame of flesh and bone, returned to a false life for one purpose. To fulfill the demands of the caster, in this case Abby.

  When a second hand poked out of the soil just to my left, my nerves broke and I ran. All around me I noticed more and more hands sticking out of the ground. I knew, in the matter of minutes, this place would be swarming with the bodies of people's loved ones. I made it to the damaged gate when I heard an unnatural voice echoing from the sky, unmistakably Abby's.

  "Return the necklace to me by tomorrow evening or I will unleash my horde on the unsuspecting masses in the city. Countless thousands will be gathered in one location, along the riverfront, making it easy for my warriors to feed. The city will fall in mere hours and it will all be on you."

  For a moment I considered turning around and trying to stop her, but as I squeezed through the bent gate I noticed eight of newly animated dead approaching. I'd missed my window to take her down without even a struggle. Because of that, everyone in the city of New Orleans was now at risk of becoming one of these creatures.

  - 26 -

  By the time I reached the Cadillac, I was soaked with sweat and covered with dirt, twigs, and the silky strands of spider webs. As much as I hated looking, and even smelling, like this, I had work to do. Namely figuring out what was so important about the necklace she would desecrate Cedar Valley not once, but twice.

  When I started my car, the time on the dashboard said it was nearing four in the morning which gave me about seventeen hours to figure this all out before her attack on the city began. While she wasn't specific about telling me when she would attack, I had a hunch she would wait until the fireworks display was in full effect. Waiting to move her massive horde until its movement is masked by the sound of exploding projectiles and cheering onlookers.

  The only problem I faced was needing a safe place to work. Going back to the hotel would be risky at best, especially being on one of the upper floors without the benefit of a magical escape. My computer full of information on magical items and a secure wi-fi connection would be nice, but it didn't seem worth risking my life to retrieve them.

  Once day broke, I would call Stacy and put her on the case as well. I figured a few extra hours of sleep would do her a bit of good, just knowing how I act when I'm on the computer after getting little to no sleep. There is just not enough coffee in the world to keep me from wanting to smash my monitor with a hammer.

  Double that if the computer decides it wants to act up.

  After a short debate, I opt to stop at a Wal~Mart to pick up a new laptop and park my butt in a Denny's not far away. An hour into setting up the laptop and dealing with the non-stop updates, I decide that maybe I should've risked the trip to the hotel, if only to get the computer and leave. This type of thing falls squarely into the tasks I hand off to Stacy, along with the phones and trying to collect the money. Of course, she refuses to handle collection calls or the actual back and forth with potential clients as she believes, rightfully so, that it would be more beneficial to business if they were to talk to me in person before I take a case.

  I was on my fourth cup of coffee, and second grand slam, when the computer was finally ready to go. After one last fight setting the thing up to the restaurant's wi-fi, I was finally off to work.

  First order of business was to connect to the council database. The council maintains a large database consisting of every type of creature and magical item ever known to exist. Modern scientists would kill to see just half of the data pertaining to species that existed on this planet ever since the beginning of time. This is before you even consider the amount of information they have on the history of the world in general. The information on magic and magical items would cause any sane scientist or researcher to discount everything in the database which is part of the reason the council has never offered to share.

  The other reason is how humanity in general treats information like it is a special. Like it should be kept secret and protected, not much different from how a rational father tries to hide his daughter from the eyes, arms, and other body parts, of would-be suiters. Even going so far as to kill other people to keep it safe.

  I started by examining the part of the database that details the skills and powers of necromancers. Once there, I spent nearly twenty minutes trying to find specific information about witch versions of the abilities, yet come up empty. Apparently there has never been a witch that has been able to control the dead period. Even when I read all the information they have on necromancers in general, it stated that the record for the most bodies controlled at once was seventeen. The group of bodies consisted of three dogs, six cats, and eight mice. Human sized control was listed to be limited to three. Abby was not only able to control dozens, if not hundreds, of bodies at once, she was able to control large groups of dead humans. Just knowing that had me worried about the prospectus of the fight.

  My next search was around known weaknesses, specifically how to combat her death aura as that was really the only thing keeping me from taking her out or at least dealing with the minions. I knew I could combat the latter from just outside of her range, but unless I was willing to kill innocents as well as the dead, tossing fireballs around the crowded riverfront was going to be impossible.

  I was three pages down into the specific details of the ability when it finally comes up with known ways to combat it. The first, and dead obvious way to disable the aura is to kill the person it is created from. Of course, it doesn't go over ways to disable the caster while handing groups of minions like she would be. The second way, however, has more promise.

  It is possible to disrupt the death aura by merely incapacitating its creator. Using spells that can stun, blind, or disrupt the concentration of the caster should disrupt the aura long enough for you disable its creator.

  The only thing keeping this from being a surefire victory was one simple word.

  Should.

  The database talks in absolutes with well over 99% of the entries. The few that it doesn't use the words 'should' and 'may' in place of the word 'will.' Still, it was the best plan I had. I just needed to find a way to incapacitate her. One that didn't involve magic.<
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  An idea hit me right as I was about to send Stacy an email and a text, both with an attachment showing her the picture of the necklace at every conceivable angle. I'd try to do some more research later today, but I needed to find a way to take her down first. After sending her the messages, I pulled up Agent Cummings' number and dial it.

  "Cummings," he answered on the third ring.

  "This is Raymond Gilmore. We might have a problem."

  "What kind of problem?"

  "The kind of problem where thousands of people are going to die if I don't do something," I said, stalling for just a moment. "Tonight."

  "The festival?" he asked.

  "That'd be my guess. Half the city is going to be at the riverfront for the fireworks display. Another quarter probably close enough to see it, but not in the immediate danger zone. The key to this whole thing is that if someone dies, they become one of her creatures. She could devastate the city in a matter of hours."

  "I'll make a call. We can have the festival shut down. Cite an unnamed terrorist threat. Nobody has to know the truth."

  "Doubt that works. It's the fourth. The one day of the year where we celebrate our freedom from evil and tyranny. Even if we were to stop the festivities, the people would still gather and have one of their own. The only thing we would do is put a dent in the economy. After Katrina, I doubt the mayor would be willing to do anything that hurts it."

  "Then what's your call?"

  "We need to get some people around the festivities. I'm not sure how fast you can get a few hundred agents here, but the more guns on the street, the better."

  "I can't make any promises, but I'll make the call."

  "I also need access to anything that could incapacitate someone. Ideally from range though I'm not against getting up close and personal." I'd be going in with my sword in hand, but if I had something non-lethal I might be able to bring her back to the council for questioning.

  "Come to the station and I'll get you set up with a few things. Taser for up close, a bullet loaded with rubber rounds for a bit of range, I could even rustle up a cattle prod if you think you'll need it."

  "I'll take one of everything," I said. "How about grenades? Stun grenades, flash bombs, tear gas?"

  "I can probably sneak out a few flash bombs, but tear gas isn't going to happen." There was a moment of silence before he spoke again. And when he did, I could hear the concern in his voice. "Why do you need all this stuff?"

  "The thing keeping me from doing anything to her is her aura. If I'm able to break her concentration, I should be able to get in close and take her down."

  "Man to man, Raymond," he said, "you going to kill her?"

  "Honestly?" I asked.

  "Honestly."

  "I'd rather not. The people I... work for," I continued, "they will want to question her. The scope of her abilities is well beyond normal levels. They are going to want to know why that is."

  "We'd also like to ask her a few questions. Not to mention file formal charges against her for the deaths she caused at the police station."

  "My people may listen to what you have to say, but they'll want the final say on punishment. Your prisons are not up to the task of holding someone like her. One slip up and she will be back on the streets. Next time, she won't give us any warning."

  "Would you speak up for me?" he asked. "I'd like to be present at her hearings. To speak for the atrocities she caused here this week."

  "I could do that."

  "I appreciate it," he said. "Anything else?"

  "Actually, yeah. Right now, she is pretty ticked off at me. Tonight, if you could post a few officers close to me, to cover my back, it would mean the world."

  "I'll watch your back personally. Shit, might even talk Ross into coming."

  "Does he have to?" I said, mimicking a childlike whine.

  "No, but after the save after your botched arrest, I'm sure he wants to help too."

  "I can deal with that."

  "Sounds good. Give me a few hours to get your shopping list together before you come to the station. Around noon should give us plenty of time."

  I looked down at my watch, noticing it was rapidly closing in on nine. "I'll be there."

  The phone line went dead long before I could turn off the phone. I felt loads better than I did just a few moments ago, just knowing I'd have a little backup. There was even a chance they could save some innocents while I worked my own magic. It was the best I could ask for, given the circumstances. I knew if I had heard about an attack of epic proportions, like the one that would happen later tonight, that I would get in my car and get as far away from the place as I could. Cop or not. Even given our differences in the last week, that was something I already admired in the Federal agents. They were devoted to the cause if nothing else.

  Now that I had a few different ways of incapacitating her being whipped together, I needed to focus on the necklace. I already had Stacy on the case. By now, she would be well into her end of the research, though I didn't expect for her to find much. She wasn't able to access the council database as I'd been forbidden to share the information, even with those I throughly trust.

  There was one person who could quote half of the database by memory and pull up anything in the other half with but a thought. The only problem was that I kinda snubbed him during our last conversation. If nothing else, the next call I made was going to be interesting.

  - 27 -

  "What kind of trouble are you in now?" he asked the moment he picked up the phone. A twinge of anger washed over me, fading nearly as fast as it appeared. Ever since Boulder, I've made it a point to call him a lot more often than I had. Shoot, I'd called him up two times just last week, making this a personal record. Sure, I may have been calling him for information about the case, but it was almost the same.

  Wasn't it?

  "I'm not really in trouble anymore," I said. "More like the city of New Orleans is in trouble."

  "Go on," he said, irritation clear in his voice.

  "Last night I believe I found the thing the necromancer was looking for." I described the necklace as best as I could, promising to send him a picture as soon as we were off the call. "She said if I didn't give it to her, she would kill hundreds of people tomorrow night."

  "If she does that, I guarantee the council sends everyone down there. That woman won't survive another week."

  "Call them up, tell them what I just told you. If they sent a few of the hunters down here, we might be able to take her down before she kills anyone."

  "They won't believe me," he said. "Rather, they won't believe your story. You need to remember Cedric is down there somewhere. They are going to revert to him for every call. Unless she does something brash, he is the man in charge. I'm kinda surprised he's let you get as far with the investigation as you have."

  "He probably thought I was dead. I was attacked another time since the last time we talked. Feds had me this time."

  "How'd you get out of that one?"

  "The driver, Agent Ross, ran into her horde on the north side of the city. He must have tried to swerve to miss one and crashed the car. Took everything we had, not to mention Ross' amazing marksmanship, to get out of that one alive. I think that was just a fluke though. That she was going to wait to get to me until I was locked up like before."

  "Maybe," he said. "Maybe not. She already attacked a police station to get to you the first time. I've seen the reports from that, at least five dead, including two police officers. There is a full on manhunt looking for her already. They were looking for you, but that was called off just yesterday. Imagine the Feds believed your story?"

  "One of them, anyways. The other is still reserved, but was willing to let things play out. I think it has a lot more to do with me destroying a bridge to save us from the horde than anything?"

  He sighed. "You have to stop that. One of these days your destructive tendencies will come back to haunt you."

  "Hey now, I gave them the option.
They just decided that blowing the bridge was better than leading the horde through the University of New Orleans."

  "I would've blown the bridge too," he said, without a hint of hesitation. "Then again, I wouldn't be down there."

  "Not this again..."

  "Look, Ray, it's the truth. I'm not saying this to give you a hard time. This time, you are really out of your league. You almost died twice for Christ's sake. Does it take you dieing to prove my point?" His voice was sincere, not mocking, like it had always seemed before. I almost felt bad for ignoring his advice, but this time I was in far too deep. Getting out of town would do nothing more than to confirm Ross and Cummings' suspicion that I was involved the whole time. They would probably even find a way to charge me with attempted murder for the car attack and subsequent attack by the horde, even though I was in as much danger as they were.

  Even worse, if I were to just get out of town, thousands of innocent people would likely die in a way that no person should ever have to die. Other than fire, anyway. Fire is definitely worse though I'd put being eaten alive at a close second.

  "It's too late for that," I said, apologetically. "But I'm all in for advice on how to deal with her and her minions. One that doesn't involve me picking up a gun or finally learning how to teleport anyway."

  "That's all I got. You either have to take her out while she isn't aware of your presence, or you need to find a way to get in close enough to cut her throat or stab her through the heart. Either way, it's going to be difficult unless you are able to control her undead."

  It was the same advice he had given me before. I doubted it would help me any more than it did the first time. Getting close to her was definitely out of the question though at least I had a better idea of who she was and what she looked like. At least, it would be easier to pick her out in the crowd of zombified corpses this time around.

  While I understood that he wasn't going to be of any help, especially after hearing he had trouble with the death aura too. Sure, the source was the person I was currently tracking, but it made sense why he wouldn't want to come here to help. Any other time, he would be offering to take the next flight down, as long as it didn't interrupt one of his required stints for the council. This trip, however, he hasn't even offered to come down once. Did the great Maxwell Harper actually have a match that didn't go too well? Is that why I was sent to handle Alfred Jacobs instead of him? Because Alfred was undead as well? In our fight, he never used the death aura on me that I know of. If he did, his power was nowhere near as potent as Abby's.