Chapter Forty-Five
They all spun toward the open barn door, but Maeve was the first to charge. She didn’t pull out her gun, just raced forward with her bare hands curled into claws.
And ran right through him.
His image flickered as she ran through. “Oh, that was wonderful. Tell me you enjoyed it too? Come on, Maeve, you miss me. Admit it.”
Maeve ran through him again, but all he did was laugh. “Yes, I’ve had my people push hologram technology further than anyone, even the great Caradoc Larfin. I’m not here, obviously, but just wanted to see how you all are doing.” He leaned toward the table of computers and analysis equipment, but the others blocked him from seeing anything. He couldn’t move from the spot that he landed in judging by the way he was twisting around but not taking any steps.
Dailten hissed and stepped forward. “Nicolox Langhit, you never should have crossed over with us. You should still be rotting beyond the veil.” In her anger, her wings extended, their hooks looking ready to tear him apart if they could. She stalked forward. “I remember you from before we came here. I know what you did.”
“Dailten? I’m surprised you’re still alive. Still working on your potions and earth spells?” Nix looked bored. If he were flesh and blood, having a harpy come at him with wings out would end up with some serious pain. If not death. “I know technology isn’t your friend, but you can’t hurt me like this.”
She stalked closer and the laugh would have been perfect in a kids’ show on evil witches. “Oh, but I have friends now. And they do know technology. This won’t hurt a bit. Actually, that’s a lie, I hope it hurts you a lot. Rot in hell, you bastard.” She was a few inches away from him when she threw a handful of what looked like dust at his hologram and spat out some dark spell words. The dust managed to go through the hologram and settle on him. He screamed as the spell forced the dust to sink into his flesh. He twisted to brush the dust off himself.
The spell she’d cast wasn’t affected and appeared to be burning into his skin.
“I found you once, I’ll find you again!” Then Nix vanished.
“Could whatever you just did have killed him? Because I would like him dead, painfully is preferred, but I was sort of hoping I could do it myself.” Maeve didn’t look as upset as usual when Nix was involved.
Dailten shook her wings and folded them back up. “Caradoc would be a better one to ask about that—that was his rock dust. I just added some magical assistance. Good to know ground goo breaks through holograms.”
“Yup. I know we shouldn’t mess with it, but Dailten had a hunch.” Caradoc grinned at her. “Dailten’s spell kicked it through. It should still be stinging him. Sadly, I think he’ll survive the encounter.”
“Is there any way to stop him from reappearing?” Bart went over to the area where Nix had been and kicked about the straw. “Does he know where we are?”
Jones shook his head. “I wouldn’t think so. He was tagging on to one of us to appear here, not the location. He now knows we’re inside a barn though.”
“What do you mean he’s tagging one of us?” Maeve looked around. “Do you think he planted something on someone?”
“I don’t think we have a spy, but I think we’ve been compromised.” Jones looked to Bart, Stella, Caradoc, and Aisling. “The only time one of his clones got close to any of us was the one that blew up on Caradoc. My bet would be him, since he definitely was exposed directly. But it could have been transferred to anyone.”
Caradoc dug into his bag of gizmos. “I was stupid. I should have thought to scan before we left the area. But first I was dying, then Aisling’s magic went crazy. Things were a bit hectic. Still, no excuse on my part.” The device he held up was large for one of his toys. Twice as wide as his hand and almost as long. “This might take a few adjustments, as I’m going to have to scan for all frequencies. We have no idea what he used.” He first passed it over himself, then the other three who had been there, then the rest. “At this point, we’re checking everyone.”
Nothing pinged the first sweep, and the second sweep just pointed out the possession-alert-slivers all of them had. The third sweep, however, brought pinging when he swept himself, but then also Aisling, Stella, and Bart. The others were clean.
“He blew up one of his clones just to track you four?” Maeve asked once she’d been found clean.
“That’s what it looks like.” Caradoc adjusted the readings, scanned again, and got the same results on the four of them. “Aisling would have been hit the same way I’d been since she healed me. Stella pushed Aisling, so that connects, but Bart didn’t touch any of us.”
“In the air.” Both he and Dailten said at the same time.
“Let’s see what we can put together to remove whatever trackers he’s made. Before he recovers enough to return. That bit with the dust and magic worked once, but I doubt it’ll work again,” Caradoc said as he and Stella took over two of the computers and started working. Harlie watched carefully.
The sound of cars pulling up caught everyone else’s attention. Bart nodded to Reece and Jones and they stepped out of sight behind the open barn doors with their guns drawn. Caradoc, Stella, and Harlie stayed working. No one would get to them unless they got through Reece and Jones first.
The rest of them walked out to greet their guests.
Narissa was the first out of the foremost car. She nodded to Aisling. “Good to see you made it. These were the only agents I could find. Eight, besides myself.”
Aisling nodded hello and Bart walked up to greet them.
“She’s okay, right? Damn, how are we going to know who to trust?” Maeve whispered next to her. She wasn’t grabbing her gun, but she was twitchier than she had been. Maeve might have downplayed Nix’s appearance, but it had thrown her off.
“Yeah, she seemed fine.” Aisling turned to Stella. “You have the box and the slivers, right? Do we have enough?”
Stella patted the side bag she wore. “We have plenty. One thing I’ve learned from years in the diner business, always plan for four times what you think you’ll need. Once Bart has finished sniffing them out, we can check them all more scientifically.”
Bart motioned for Stella to come forward. He had Narissa step up. Stella briefly explained what she was going to do, then held up the box. Even a bit back as they were, Aisling heard the “all clear”. Then Stella put the sliver in her cheek.
Narissa nodded toward a tall human man. He was older, but moved like an athlete. He shrugged, looked in the box, passed, got his sliver, and stood to the side.
Three more agents were checked and passed, but Aisling got an odd feeling up the back of her neck as the next one—a gnome woman—hesitated before she approached. Aisling took a step forward. She didn’t reach for her gun, but her hand was ready to do so. The gnome woman was an inch or two shorter than Bart, and didn’t step as close to Stella as the others.
“Come on Nari, you know me. This is ridiculous.” She turned her smile to Narissa.
“Dhila, everyone needs to do it. You might not even know if you’ve been possessed. Just step up and let her scan you with that box.”
Dhila took a step back toward the car. “But I’m fine.”
Aisling pulled out her gun and so did Maeve. “I would advise you to stop moving right now. Bart, there is something wrong with her.”
Harlie came running out of the barn. “You’ve got a problem...oh, yes, you know. Her mind isn’t right.”
Dhila looked around but the two remaining untested agents moved away from her with weapons raised. “But I’m me. Just me.” She was fast, but not faster than Aisling. Dhila had her gun out and raised as Aisling shot her arm, and the gnome’s gun dropped to the dirt. The scream that followed was nothing a gnomish, or elven, voice could make.
Dhila, or what had been her, mutated as she stood there. Cracks crept along her skin and red flames appeared through them.
“At least it’s not green goo?” Maeve kept her gun trained on
the two untested agents.
“What in the hell are you?” Narissa had her gun out and was already extending her wings and lifting off the ground.
“Exactly.” Dhila screamed again and fiery wings appeared from her back.
Chapter Forty-Six
Reece and Jones came running out of the barn at the first flap.
“Oh hell no. Everyone fire!” Bart yelled as he started shooting at whatever the gnome woman had become. Everyone, even the two agents who hadn’t been tested yet, shot into the fire creature. The shots seemed to make little impact beyond damaging her wings, but the holes grew back each time. It was enough to keep her from getting any real altitude however.
Dhila drifted closer to Aisling as she fought to get into the air. Aisling stuck her gun in the back of her jeans and leapt for Dhila. Her skin wasn’t as hot as she looked, but Aisling felt the burns starting on her skin. She quickly retaliated. Anti-healing magic flowed much easier now that her magic was unblocked—she just hoped someone could break her free before she died magic-locked with Dhila.
“What are you doing?” Dhila yelled between her shrieks of pain. “What are you?!” Aisling kept sending magic into her until they dropped to the ground. Dhila reached out and grabbed the pendant, then gave an ear-piercing scream and exploded into ash.
Aisling rolled away from the ash storm, checked to make sure the pendant was still there, and fell back panting.
“Damn it, Stella, heal her!” Reece was the first to get to her, even though he wasn’t the closest. He lifted her head up. “She’s awake.”
Stella looked down at her with a grin. “That was a very impressive show, my dear. But you need to use some caution. Let’s take you inside and get you fixed. Bart? Can you test the last two?”
Stella chased off Reece, then led the way and got Aisling settled on the sofa. Her healing magic was less intense than before, but aside from feeling massively bruised, Aisling didn’t feel that much worse for wear from her battle with whatever that had been. The burns she’d felt hadn’t been real.
“What was inside her?” Aisling rubbed the back of her head. She’d fallen back harder than she thought. “I’ve never seen or heard of anything like that. The pendant didn’t like her either. I could feel part of her mind, she thought the pendant would help her. It had other plans.” She shuddered. Yes, it had been a life-or-death fight, but having your necklace blow up your opponent was disturbing.
Stella finished healing her then sat back. “We should ask Dailten to confirm, but I’d be willing to guess that was a full possession. Not something Nix made, but something he might have let come through. Or he might have nothing to do with it. There were beings, other Old Ones beyond the vallenians, who could possess souls. I’d say Dhila had been taken a while ago, possibly months for that level of control to have settled in.”
“But do they have a name? And if Nix didn’t bring it here, what did?”
“Logazins. Nasty creatures, the books my aunt had showed them as much larger when fully hatched—this one was forced to expose itself too early. Although this one had probably been inside Dhila for months, it still wasn’t fully grown.” Her tiny face went serious. “A fully grown logazin, in complete power, would have destroyed all of us. Even you, I’m afraid. Although your pendant there is an unknown entity, so there is that.”
“That’s so reassuring.” Aisling looked at the pendant, then tucked it back into her shirt. “Still not sure if it’s on our side or the other side. But it’s doing a damn good job saving our collective asses.”
“I’d say it’s on its own side.” Harlie came into the room. “You do look much better by the way. The other two agents tested fine; it was just that one logazin. Nasty things. Glad you destroyed it.”
“You knew what it was?” Aisling shook her head. “Never mind, of course you did.”
Reece stuck his head in. “Bart is having all of the agents, excluding you two, go do a field search and make sure the area around here is cleared and we’ve checked any remaining civilians in the town. He and Maeve are staying here until Caradoc and Dailten can find a way to block Nix. You are okay, right?” The look on his face said he didn’t want the others to be here right now.
Aisling smiled. “Just tired and trying to figure out my new best friend.” She tapped the pendant under her shirt. “Stay out of trouble.”
He nodded, then left. Harlie turned for the door as well. “I’ve actually been some help to them on the breaking of the trackers, I’ll come get you when we’re done.”
Stella waited until he was gone. “Everything good with you and Reece?”
Aisling laughed. “Nice to know we’re fighting for our lives and folks are more worried about my love life.”
“It’s a distraction of the non-threatening kind. And people care about you. So?” The way she leaned forward she reminded Aisling of a teenager getting gossip on a first crush.
“So when I healed him, I realized I love him and that it wasn’t something a siren could make. Even if his genetics started it, the feelings are real now.” She couldn’t tell most people about Reece’s weird hybrid powers, but she trusted Stella completely. So did he.
“Good. Magic is strong, love is stronger.” Stella patted her knee. “Shall we go see how the others are doing?”
Caradoc, Dailten, and Harlie were gathered around the computer filled table. Maeve and Bart were off to the side in some chairs talking intently. Aisling had meant to ask if Maeve had reached any MI-6, or Closen, yet. That Maeve hadn’t said anything probably meant no.
“How goes the search?” Aisling stood behind them; the way they were darting back and forth between computers made her afraid to get too close. Stella stayed with her, probably for the same reason.
“This is quite interesting. Did you know that Caradoc has found a way to separate out individual psychic energies? Fascinating!” Harlie’s enthusiasm was almost tangible.
“And this helps us right now...how?” Aisling was all for research, but things needed to be fixed quickly, not wandering off into other areas.
“Oh, it doesn’t, not really. But it is interesting.” He beamed at them again and went back to the computers.
Caradoc looked back. “Actually, it does help me separate out what is each one of us and what is the tracking agent. I already sent the specs to Mott for modification. It’s a tricky one. However, I’m trickier. A bit more narrowing the targeting down and I should be able to breakdown the trackers on all of us.”
“I don’t think I want tracker bits inside me, diluted or not.” Aisling tried to look at the screens but they were so full of computer code and magical notations that they were a blur.
“Well, in this case it’s the only way to get rid of them. They were airborne as predicted but they settled on the skin. We have to break them down on the dermis level, but then the body will destroy the pieces through natural regeneration. Once we break it down, he can’t track you anymore.” Dailten had that same crazy happy grin the other two had.
Aisling shook her head. As long as they were happy and productive. “Great. So when? And is there any way to weaponize that dust or does it only work on holograms?”
Maeve came over at the end of her sentence. “I heard weaponize?”
“You two are spoiling our surprise. But yes, I think it can be weaponized. But no more about that until we get these trackers off and this barn resealed.” Caradoc turned back to the others and they returned to working on more magic/cyber babble.
“It is interesting how tech and magic are working together on this,” Maeve said.
“It is, but right now, I feel like everyone is focused on fixing things, and I’m still not sure what the hell is going on.” Aisling was used to a more direct type of crime solving.
Bart came over. “None of us are. We’re facing things no one has dealt with before. Harlie explained to me what that agent turned into. Those were supposed to be children’s stories, not real.”
“I think all of the old
stories are right.” Dailten stepped away from the bank of laptops. “I was young when we crossed, but not so young that I forgot what we left. The veil is failing.”
“When Nix’s hologram was here, you said you knew what he did,” Maeve said. “What was it?”
Aisling knew Maeve didn’t need another reason to want Nix dead, none of them did. But she had been curious as well.
“It’s not a pretty tale, and when we’ve destroyed him for good, I’ll share the full story. But, in brief, he slaughtered an entire village of harpies and gnomes simply to see how much energy he could draw from their deaths. I lost two cousins and an uncle in the murders.” She clenched her fists and her wings briefly appeared behind her. Then she took a deep breath and they vanished again. “It took a few decades of isolation to get past the anger, but the fact he made it through to here, and is still alive is making things difficult.”
“This confirms that he had help from the Council then, and is still working with them one way or another. There’s no way he would have been able to have crossed during the migration without the Council allowing him and hiding him from everyone else.” Harlie looked like he’d like a crack at killing Nix too—an extremely uncommon sight.
Silence filled the barn as everyone settled on their own thoughts.
“Ha!” Caradoc had been focused on his computers and finally started waving his hands in the air. “I have it. Let me just make one more tweak.” He started muttering to himself as he fussed with one of his gizmos, then held it up in triumph.
“It looks like a giant bug.” Maeve gave it a longer study. “Yup, a bug.”
It was a foot long, appeared to have been created from a number of smaller gizmos, and had what looked like legs and antennas all around it.
“It really does look like a bug.” Aisling didn’t need to step forward, it was too buggy for her liking.
“But it works!” Caradoc aimed it at himself for a few seconds, grinned then aimed it at Aisling, Stella, and Bart. “You won’t notice it, but it’s breaking down the trackers. And, best of all, I can modify it to take out other trackers as well.”
An Uncommon Truth of Dying (Broken Veil Book 2) Page 35