by Alex Siegel
"Damn. At least everybody got some sleep." Ipo looked across the computer tables. "Jia, what about you? You're still looking at ships, right?"
"Yes, sir," Jia said, "but there are thousands in the Bay Area. They're coming and going all the time. The ports are always busy. If we investigated every ship that was sketchy, we would never finish. I'm trying to narrow the list."
"Keep at it."
"Yes, sir."
Ipo sighed with frustration. He wanted to do something, but there was nothing to do but wait for a lead.
He remembered he was in command. With Marina gone, he was the senior member of the team. He wasn't comfortable with his new responsibility, however temporary. A lot was riding on his decisions.
He walked over to the west end of headquarters. Atalanta was lying on the floor in front of the door of Marina's bedroom. The Japanese warrior was apparently asleep despite being fully clothed in a gray sweat suit. A highly polished katana was an inch from her right hand. Ipo knew a few things about swords, and he recognized hers as the product of a master.
Ipo decided to test her. She had a reputation as a sword fighter without peer, and he wanted to see for himself. He grabbed an apple from a bowl in the kitchen, and he hurled the fruit at her face.
Atalanta responded faster than his eye could follow. Her sword swept through the air and bisected the apple cleanly. She was on her feet and in a perfect attack stance an instant later. Her reputation was apparently well deserved.
"Careful," she said. "I could've cut you in half instead of the apple."
"Noted. I need to talk to Wesley."
Atalanta knocked on the door of Marina's bedroom. A moment later, Wesley came out in the middle of a big yawn. He was wearing floppy red pajamas which reminded Ipo he was still a young boy. Wesley's power was far out of proportion to his age.
"How are the winds of fate blowing this morning?" Ipo said.
"The same," Wesley replied in a sleepy voice. "Marina and Olivia are still alive."
"You know what's going to happen, don't you?"
"I have a pretty good idea."
"Then why don't you just tell everybody?" Ipo said. "You could avoid a lot of trouble and bloodshed."
"Because the trouble and bloodshed serve a purpose. I'm not supposed to interfere."
"You told us about Olivia. You kicked off this whole mission."
Wesley nodded. "I was supposed to do that."
"How do you know the difference?"
"I just know."
Ipo was very frustrated with Wesley. For a prophet, the kid was surprisingly useless and annoying. Ipo felt a small amount of pity for Wesley's protection team who was stuck with him.
"When everybody gets here," Atalanta said, "we should spar. I'll take on all of you."
"The whole team at the same time?" Ipo raised his eyebrows.
She nodded. "I like a little violence in the morning."
He wondered if she was being overconfident. Fighting four legionnaires at once would be a challenge even for an elite warrior.
Wesley glared at her. "Don't hurt them," he warned. "I need them healthy."
"You know I'm always in control," Atalanta said.
He continued to glare.
She snarled. "I won't. I promise. A few small bruises at the most."
Ipo was suddenly less sure that sparring with her was a good idea.
* * *
A cab dropped off Marina and Olivia. Marina pulled out her suitcase, paid the driver, and watched the cab drive off.
She looked up and down the quiet, narrow street. They were still in Berkeley but much closer to the Bay where the land was flat. She saw a Mexican restaurant, a used furniture store, a flower shop, a liquor store, and several other small businesses. Trees were growing through the sidewalk, but some desperately needed water.
Marina was most interested in a place called "UC Towing and Service." It was a white stucco building with a single sliding garage door. There was a parking lot on the side, and a chain-link fence protected another lot in the rear.
"Why are we here?" Olivia said.
Her hair had been dyed black, and Marina still wasn't used to the change. Her own hair was now the same color, and they looked a little like mother and daughter. The girl also wore sunglasses to cover her distinctive eyes.
"This is a chop shop. I bumped into this place during an investigation. I'm going to rob them."
"What's a chop shop?"
Marina smiled. "You're so innocent. They steal cars, cut out the valuable parts, and sell them off."
"That's terrible!"
"Yes, and they always keep plenty of cash on hand to pay for stolen vehicles. If we're lucky, they'll have some nice guns for me, too. Wait here. This won't take long."
Marina opened a red door in the front of the building and went inside. A man in a blue mechanic's uniform was sitting behind a counter. His bushy beard and overgrown mustache were impressive.
She didn't give him a chance to speak. She reached across the counter, grabbed his beard, and slammed his face down. She drove her fingernails into his neck and injected a nonlethal dose of venom. With a sigh, he slid to the floor and passed out.
She left her suitcase there.
She quickly went through another door into the area where cars were repaired. There were two lifts, and a brown Beetle with a soft top was perched on one. A mechanic was working underneath the car.
Marina attacked. He tried to fend her off, but she took him down with a leg sweep. She put him to sleep just like the first man.
She looked around for more adversaries. The loud whine of a power tool drew her attention to a metal door in back of the shop, and she approached cautiously. Somebody was working on the other side.
She tried the handle, but the door was locked. Interesting, she thought. She knocked politely.
After a moment, the door opened and a third mechanic looked out. He had a revolver in a holster. Two seconds later, he was lying on the concrete floor, unconscious.
Marina wondered at her own abilities. Defeating these thugs seemed childishly easy to her. The consort of King Edward was supposed to be a lover, not a fighter.
She heard a soft noise in the next room. Somebody was creeping around in there. She put her back against the wall and waited patiently for her adversary to make the first move. She decided she wanted to talk to this one instead of knocking him out. She drew a knife from a holster strapped to her thigh under her skirt.
After several long minutes, an arm holding a gun emerged from the open doorway. She slashed her opponent's wrist, forcing him to drop the gun. He cried out in pain.
Marina used her knee to break his elbow. She twisted his other arm around until the shoulder dislocated. Finally, she plowed her foot into his chest with enough force to break a few ribs. He fell flat on his back.
She took a good look at her opponent for the first time. He was a young, skinny, Hispanic man. A curled mustache was ridiculous on his pimply face. Like the others, he was wearing a mechanic's uniform.
"The money," Marina growled. "Where is it?"
She looked into the room beyond the doorway. It was a large, open space containing three cars in various states of destruction. Panels and parts had been removed, and one of the cars had been reduced to little more than a frame.
"I'm not telling," the mechanic squeaked in fear.
She leaned down and put her knife against his throat. "I've been nice so far. Do you want to see my nasty side?"
Marina hoped she wouldn't have to show that side because it belonged to the wrong identity. Sheila was a nice girl, and Marina was not.
"In the office," he said.
"Show me."
She helped the mechanic to his feet, and he grunted in pain. His injured arms hung uselessly at his sides.
They went to the front office where she had entered. He showed her a secret panel in the floor which looked like part of the tiling. She found the latch and pulled up the panel. A floor safe was un
derneath.
"The combination," Marina said.
"I don't know!" the mechanic said.
She slashed his cheek. "Don't lie to me."
"The boss never showed me!"
Tears rolled onto his wound. She imagined he was regretting some of his life decisions at this point. She injected venom into his neck, and he collapsed to the floor.
Marina went to the door and opened it. "Olivia! Come in here!"
The girl trotted over and entered the shop. She looked at the bodies with wide eyes.
"Don't worry," Marina said. "They're not dead. I don't kill common thugs if I can avoid it."
She locked the door so nobody would bother them. She went into the repair area to find a tool she could use to cut open the safe. She discovered a portable circular saw with a cutoff blade, and it was obviously meant for slicing apart cars. She smiled.
She put on protective goggles and went back to the front room. When she turned on the saw, Olivia screamed and covered her ears.
Marina began to cut. The hardened steel resisted, but she knew it was just a matter of time. She was an expert on safes and didn't make any useless cuts. Twenty minutes later, she put down the saw and pulled open the door. Her arm muscles were shaking from holding the heavy saw, but the experience had been satisfying.
The safe contained nice, neat bundles of cash, bags of drugs, and a gun. She estimated the total amount was ten thousand dollars, and she stuffed all the money in her suitcase. This should keep us going for a while, she thought.
The gun was a beautiful, two-toned Ruger SR9 with a suppressor. She took the gun and checked the magazine. It was fully loaded with copper-jacketed bullets.
"Now we just need a car," she said.
"Which car?" Olivia said.
"We'll see."
Marina guessed the man with the beard was the boss and had the nicest car. She searched his pockets until she found a set of keys. Carrying her suitcase, she led Olivia out to the back lot.
After trying a few cars, Marina found that the keys fit a black Cadillac Escalade. The car was so new, it still had dealer plates.
"Nice," she said.
Olivia needed a little help climbing into the car. Marina tossed her suitcase into the back, and then sat in the driver's seat. The leather interior was gorgeous.
She drove off.
"Won't they tell the police we stole a car?" Olivia said.
"Not likely. They're car thieves. They don't talk to the police. Now, let's go meet the detective."
* * *
Ipo, Hanley, Katie, and Yang were standing in a square formation with Atalanta in the center. All the legionnaires were wearing white karate uniforms with gray belts. Despite being outnumbered and surrounded, Atalanta didn't look the least bit nervous.
Yvonne was watching. She was wearing a yellow sundress which did little to hide her distended musculature. Her curly blonde hair looked more natural.
"You want some advice," she said cheerfully.
Ipo glanced at her. "Sure."
"Don't punch her. You'll break your hand. Kicking her is almost as bad."
Ipo faced Atalanta. Her black hair was braided in a long rope which went down her back. She was perfectly still in a defensive stance with her eyes forward.
"Then how are we supposed to defeat her?"
"Grappling works well," Yvonne said, "if you can hold onto her. Try to pin her on the ground."
Ipo frowned. "OK. We'll do that." He used his gift to make himself much lighter and therefore quicker. "On my mark. Ready?"
Hanley, Katie, and Yang nodded, but none of them looked confident. Ipo felt equally nervous, but he put on a brave face.
"Go!" he yelled.
All four members of the San Francisco team rushed forward. Atalanta lashed out at Ipo first, probably because he was the greatest threat. She flipped and planted her foot in his chest. The startlingly nimble technique caught him off guard and sent him staggering backwards. He had never seen anybody move like that, not even Marina. He struggled to recover his balance and inhale.
Atalanta attacked Hanley next. She simply slapped him on the face, and the impact sounded like a gunshot. He went down hard.
Yang actually managed to get his hands on Atalanta's arms, but his advantage lasted only briefly. She twisted and hooked his legs. As he fell, she punched him in the chest. He slammed into the floor with his eyes bulging.
Atalanta turned to Katie, and for an instant, the two women just watched each other. Ipo saw his opening. He rushed forward and leapt at Atalanta. While in the air, he used his gift to make himself much more massive. His plan was to squash her.
She seemed to sense his presence without looking at him. She jumped straight up and landed on his back. As he fell, he twisted in the air and grabbed her leg, but it was like holding onto a statue. Her skin was as hard as rock. He landed on his back, and simultaneously, her knee crushed his chest. Pain made his eyes cross.
Atalanta jumped up, chased down Katie, and knocked her to the ground.
"I win," Atalanta announced casually.
The legionnaires of San Francisco could only groan in response.
"That wasn't very good," Yvonne said. "Maybe you should've had a better plan."
Ipo rolled over and glared at her. His chest still hurt, but he didn't think any ribs were broken. As promised, Atalanta had just left him with bruises.
"Move out of the way," Yvonne added. "I'll show you how it's done."
The fallen heroes crawled off the battlefield. Ipo had thought he was a pretty good fighter, but Atalanta had shown him what it meant to be an elite member of the Gray Spear Society. She was a monster among monsters.
As soon as there was space, Yvonne squared off with Atalanta. The latter had the clear advantage in size and mass, but Yvonne was such a freak, it probably didn't matter.
Without a word of warning, they attacked each other. Atalanta immediately landed some kicks that would've killed or at least crippled most people, but Yvonne shrugged them off. She grabbed Atalanta by the arm, spun, and hurled her like a throwing hammer. Atalanta flew through the air and crashed head-first against a concrete wall. Ipo could hardly believe his eyes.
Atalanta recovered immediately and charged Yvonne. The battle continued as the women exchanged crushing blows. Anybody else would've been dead by now, but they were smiling.
After a couple of minutes, Yvonne backed away. "That's enough. I think you broke a few things. I need to recharge."
"Good fight." Atalanta nodded. "Very good."
"My pleasure. I'll see you later."
Yvonne walked to the door and left headquarters.
Wesley had watched the fights. The boy hadn't shown much expression beyond mild boredom, as if he knew exactly what would happen.
"Where is she going?" Ipo said.
"To eat somebody," Wesley replied calmly.
"Huh?"
"That's how she regains her strength and heals."
"Who, exactly, is she going to eat?" Ipo said in a tone of disbelief.
Wesley shrugged. "She usually wanders around in bad neighborhoods until somebody tries to mug her. Then she drags them into an alley and sucks them dry."
"That's horrible."
"At least she's selective."
"Barely," Ipo said.
"The most powerful gifts come at a high price." Wesley walked off.
Ipo sighed. Marina, where are you?
* * *
Marina parked the car in front of the Marin County Civic Center. It was a very long, skinny building which housed most of the offices for the county government. The exterior was brown, and the façade had many arched openings. The arches on the bottom floor were the largest, and the ones on the top or third floor were the smallest. Circular openings formed a line just beneath the blue roof. The architecture struck her as elegant and functional, and she wondered who had designed it.
Marina and Olivia got out of the car and walked across the large parking lot. It was the middle
of the work week, and the lot was nearly full. The entrance to the building used golden metal grills instead of regular doors. The weather was always nice in Marin, so letting in fresh air wasn't a problem.
Marina looked up. The interior was open all the way to the glass roof, and sunlight was pouring in. The design reminded her of an indoor mall.
"I like this place," Olivia said.
Marina smiled at the girl who looked adorable in pink sunglasses. "So do I. Be quiet when we're with the detective. Let me do the talking."
"OK."
They found the Sheriff's Office at the north end of the building. Marina politely asked for help until she was directed to the Adult Crimes Unit. The man in charge of the unit was Lieutenant Scott Brown. She asked to meet him in a public conference room and explained that she had important information for him.
Marina and Olivia waited quietly in the room. It had light brown walls except for the front wall which was made of glass. The padded chairs were nice by county government standards.
"Do you think the detective will be able to help us?" Olivia said in her sweet voice.
Marina was dubious, but she didn't want to depress the girl. "We'll see. It never hurts to ask questions."
Olivia paused. "Thank you."
"For what?"
"Saving me. Protecting me."
"You're welcome." Marina smiled. "I don't have any children, but I wish I had a daughter just like you."
"But I'm a freak, a monster."
Marina held up her black fingernails. "Freaks and monsters are my favorite kinds of people. When the detective gets here, pretend you're blind."
"Why?" Olivia said.
"Just do it."
A man in a blue police uniform entered the conference room. He seemed about thirty-five or forty years-old. He had well-groomed, dark hair and a handsome face. He would've made a good politician.
"Hi," he said. "I'm Lieutenant Brown. You have information for me?"
Marina stood and politely shook his hand. "Actually, we have questions, but before we get to that, this little girl would like to touch your face. She's blind, and physical contact is important to her. She needs to feel the person she's talking to."
"Oh, OK."
The lieutenant knelt in front of Olivia and guided her hands to his face. She did a good job of acting blind despite the lack of preparation. She was a clever kid.