“But what if-”
“What if nothing, Nai,” I cut her off before she could start an argument that I did not want to engage in. “I made a mistake, long ago when I was a new agent and I refuse to make another. Especially when the justification is purely laziness. We have not even begun to exhaust all resources available to us. You would do well to remember this.” I did not have to rehash my own mistakes because she had already once, without my consent, looked far enough into my past to have seen for herself. However, whether my words or prior actions had any impact or not was unclear.
Admittedly, Gary Marsden was not an easy man to track down. His last known address, the one that was still listed with his employment records, turned up what appeared to be an abandoned bungalow on the south side of town. Neither his sister nor his mother, who both lived in town, had seen him since the day after the police released him into their care. He had not returned to the Five Penny since the last time Seth had seen him weeks before. Even stranger, there were no eyewitness accounts of him ever coming or going from the school. This disciplinary meeting, it seemed, was the only way I was going to be able to meet the elusive counselor.
As I entered the school, it did become apparent that the Guardians had not exaggerated the extent to which the student body was lost. The oppressive emotional turmoil was strong enough that even I could pick up on it. Had Seth been there in my stead, I doubt he would have been able to walk through the doors without suffering a crippling headache. But that was not my concern. I assumed that I would sense the presence of a Discordant. What I wasn’t prepared for was the presence of several creatures, mostly vampires, but at least one pixie in the mix.
Discordant were traditionally not active during daylight hours, but I’d suspected that if the situation was as bad as the teens had said, that eventually they would come. After all, the draw of so many lost souls in one convenient location was certainly enough to change their predatory patterns. However, I had given them explicit instructions to contact me as soon as they discovered that anything was amiss. That no one had mentioned the Discordant’s presence to me was alarming. Both were well versed enough to recognize Discordant and Nai spent enough time studying their habits that neither had any excuse for not telling me. I would address this oversight as soon as I could, but first, I had an appointment to keep.
Like the last time I had been in the administration office, there had been an overall sense of foreboding. The woman behind the counter did not seem to notice, but whether or not she was a lost soul, I did not know. Her air of distraction as she led me back to the guidance office raised no suspicions. She seemed unaware of the dark energy that became overpowering as she opened the door.
“Go right on in,” she said with a pleasant smile.
As I entered the office, I immediately understood what it was that puzzled the Guardians. Mr. Marsden stood and gave me a practiced smile.
“Mr. Hawthorne, thank you for taking time out of your day to meet with me.” I took the hand he offered. It was cold and clammy, as was the general aura that surrounded the man. This was not a lost soul, of that I was sure.
“Likewise,” I said, projecting the impression of a concerned parent. “As I understand it, Nai has been giving you difficulty?”
“Have a seat, Mr. Hawthorne.”
“Please, call me Desmond,” I said, sinking into the chair in front of the desk. At the utterance of my name, a small spike in the room’s energy flared around me, confirming my suspicion. Hawthorne was a name I had chosen. It was meaningless. Desmond was the name given to me in my last life cycle. Much like fairy legends, there is a significant amount of power in our names. By speaking mine aloud, I revealed myself as an agent for Order and the spike in energy indicated that there was indeed a demonic presence in the room and it recognized my designation.
“Mr. Hawthorne, I’m afraid this is not a social call and as such, I will address you as I feel appropriate. As you know, Nai’s behavior is appalling. I dare say, in most cases of disobedience of this level, the problem usually stems from issues at home.”
No, Gary Marsden was no lost soul. He was a damaged puppet, spouting words meant to bait me into self-doubt. He was acting as the mouthpiece for the demon inside, completely unaware that said demon held no power over me.
“You’re absolutely correct,” I said with a smile that would not be appropriate if this situation wasn’t a complete farce. “I’m afraid that I’ve exhausted all of the disciplinary resources at my disposal. What do you suggest that I try?”
While the puppet prattled on, I took a look around the office, noting the ‘artifacts’ that Donna had mentioned. Every available space on the bookshelf behind the desk was covered with common rocks, shards of glass, and even one intact 7-UP bottle that appeared to be from the ancient era known as the nineteen seventies. Unfortunately, what was missing was any real and meaningful relic that would give me a clue as to what allowed him to be possessed. Though when he pushed his hair from his forehead, I spied a fading pink scar at his hairline that gave me pause. I’d seen similar injuries in the past. Perhaps his memory loss had not been supernatural in origin.
I’d come prepared for an exorcism, but I was hesitant. I turned the small piece of wood over in my right hand. Anything lower than a wraith would normally be drawn to the artifact as soon as I released the cloak. However, I had a very bad feeling that this was not normal circumstances. Hoping I was wrong, I whispered the incantation and removed the cloak.
Nothing happened. If anything, it felt as if the demonic presence knew what I had attempted and was mocking me. The pieces of the puzzle were falling into place and I didn’t like the implications. I was going to need some higher-level help before I could attempt another move.
Out in the hall, the period bell rang. There was not much I could do here at the moment, but there was still the matter of the Discordant that my Guardians had failed to bring to my attention.
“Mr. Marsden, you are correct and I have failed to be a proper influence in Nai’s life. My apologies. I will do better. Thank you for your time.” To be honest, I hadn’t heard half of what he said, but it didn’t matter, as he had no idea what he was saying either.
Before I left the office, I stopped back at the reception counter. I was nearly willing to stake my position on my theory, but only just. I would feel much better if I could get Seth’s opinion as an Observer. “I’m going to do my best, but I’m afraid this will not be the last time I’m in the office,” I said to the attendant with an apologetic smile.
“I raised three of my own hellions,” she said with a sympathetic smile. “At least I know they grow out of it eventually.”
“I do hope you are right. I’m afraid, though, that I may not always be available, so I’d like to give you my partner’s information. He has my permission to handle disciplinary issues on my behalf.”
Her eyebrows raised as she parsed the hidden meaning in the words ‘partner’ and ‘he,’ but she took the information and made the appropriate notation on Nai’s record.
The cafeteria was situated off the main hallway and I managed to catch Jem as he was walking in with a group of students.
“Where is your sister?” I asked.
“I don’t know. She’s usually here before me.”
I sighed, hoping this didn’t mean what I thought it meant, but as I did, my phone buzzed with a text from Nai asking if I was still at the school. When I replied in the affirmative, she asked me to come to the parking lot immediately.
"Come with me, please,” I said to Jem and took off toward the door.
Outside, I saw no sign of Nai and thought for a moment that she was playing some sort of game, but Jem spotted her, crouched beside a car, staring at two students a few rows away. No, there was only one student. The other figure, I quickly realized, was a vampire. When she saw us, she motioned for us to be quiet and to get down.
“They’re heeeereeee,” she said, mimicking the singsong tone of the movie line she quo
ted.
“Who’s here? Oh!” Jem asked, but caught on as he too sensed the vampire. “I thought they didn’t come out during the day!”
“You mean to tell me this is the first either of you have seen of Discordant preying upon your classmates?” I asked, feeling rather skeptical.
“No, I noticed him last period,” Nai said. “But it’s not like I could do anything in the middle of class.”
“I sensed several when I walked through the door,” I said flatly. “With this many lost, it was inevitable that the Discordant would be drawn here, despite the hour.”
“Um, I think I might have blocked too much,” Jem admitted with a blush. “I’ve been so overwhelmed with trying to keep up with the lost.”
“Understandable,” I said. With Jem, I believed the honest mistake. After all, Seth did teach them to turn down their receptors for a reason. “But from now on, I need you to be more vigilant. If you sense Discordant, send me a message immediately. I’ll take care of the situation. Do not,” I stressed more for Nai’s sake than Jem’s, “under any circumstances, go after them yourself.”
Dispatching vampires during the day was not an easy task, but by comparison to the possibility of exorcizing a demon, it was child’s play. I let the teens help by having them send influence to keep the other students away from the area. When we were finished, I sent them back to their lunch break, but not before reiterating my warning not to engage the Discordant and a promise that I would fill them in on what I had learned from my meeting with the guidance counselor later. With at least one sliver of my peace of mind restored, I headed back toward downtown and the county office building.
I found Seth hunched over his computer, hands flying over the keys, with his own lunch sitting mostly untouched on the desk next to him. He hadn’t even heard my approach.
“Busy?” I asked after a full minute went by. At the sound of my voice, his shoulders gave a slight twitch of surprise.
“Always,” he said with a sigh, but flashed me a grim smile. “But the woes of the unemployed can wait. I imagine you aren’t here to chit chat.”
“No, I’m afraid not,” I said as I closed the door. “Gary Marsden is indeed a Discordant host, but that is the least of our worries.”
Seth’s eyebrows shot up. “How were you able to figure that out and what exactly do you mean by the least of our worries?”
I sat down and carefully considered my next words. Nai’s earlier suggestion to kill the man, while against not only our laws but also my principles, was in this situation, perhaps the most humane approach. It was at times like this that I cursed my geographical restrictions.
“When he returned, the police report indicated that his injuries were consistent with those of someone who fell or otherwise hit their head and did not have immediate medical attention. To me, they tell a different story.”
“Such as?”
“I have reason to suspect that he stumbled upon the Ultimate Truth and tried to take his own life.”
“Not a chance,” Seth countered immediately. “Bogie and I both read the guy. He was lost. If he’d learned the truth, he would have been stark raving mad.”
“True, but I saw his injuries. I think he somehow discovered the forbidden knowledge and tried to end his life. Instead of killing himself, he managed to luck out and do enough damage to give himself amnesia,” I explained.
“That would have to be an amazing stroke of luck.”
“Not necessarily,” I argued. “There was a fissure in Los Angeles that we discovered after the quake in ’33. I was one of those recruited to accompany the closure team. Inside there were skeletal remains of the Truth’s victims. Almost all had damage to their skulls. I was told that this was common. When faced with the Ultimate Truth, mortals will try to smash open their heads to let the information escape. Blunt force could mean instant death if done correctly, but it could also mean temporary brain damage, which is what I think happened to Gary Marsden.”
“Okay, that may be a possibility,” Seth conceded. “But still doesn’t explain why you think he’s hosting the wraith. Again, when Bogie and I saw him, he definitely wasn’t possessed. Lost yes, but not possessed.”
“I have every reason to suspect that he attracted the wraith that very night, but you and Bogie both were too busy with its previous victim to notice.”
“Mary,” Seth said with a heavy sigh. I could practically see the wheels turning in Seth’s mind as he pieced together everything that I had considered earlier. “So his soul was damaged and now he’s become a puppet,” he said finally. “You realize we’re screwed, right?”
Screwed was a bit of an understatement. A damaged soul was a demon trap. It would bend easily to the Discordant’s will, making it impossible for a possession spectrum demon to resist. However, once inside, it can’t get out. For a seeder demon like a wraith, this means adapting. Instead of jumping from soul to soul, the possessed becomes the tool through which they spread their influence.
“On the bright side, I feel much more confident in identifying Gary Marsden as the host, but yes, the damage to his soul does present additional problems.”
“Additional problems may be an understatement,” Seth said with a low whistle. “Supposing we are able to secure a corpus vessel, we’re going to end up with a damaged soul on our hands.”
“True,” I acknowledged. “But remember, I can only see so much. I’ll feel more confident after you have a chance to assess the situation. If I’m right, we can begin making preparations.”
“I thought that outside the school, this guy doesn’t exist.”
“That’s why I gave the office your name and phone number in the event that I am unable to be reached for another disciplinary meeting. I have no doubt that Nai would be willing to act out to expedite this happening and I can make myself conveniently unavailable.”
“But I’m not their legal guardian,” Seth said with a frown. “These days, schools take issues of student privacy and safety pretty seriously.”
“Yes, that’s true…” I said, faltering. My impulsive solution seemed brilliant at the time, but faced with explaining my deception to Seth, it seemed that I hadn’t thought through the consequences. “I might have insinuated that according to recently passed legislation, you had as much legal authority as I did when it comes to their upbringing.”
“Recent legis…” Seth’s brow furrowed in momentary confusion before realization dawned on him. “You told them we were a gay couple?”
“It seemed…. convenient…” I said lamely. “I’m sorry. I made a snap decision and did not consider the discomfort it would cause you. I have to remember that I’m not in LA anymore and things I accept as commonplace are still fringe.”
“No, I’m not… that is, I…” Seth stammered. For a moment, a knot formed in my stomach as I worried that Nai had gone against my wishes. Seth did not seem the type to hold a narrow view on homosexuality, yet his reaction was automatic and decidedly negative. “It doesn’t bother me. I mean, you’re right, it’s a logical tactic, and Blackbird isn’t completely backwards in its collective thinking.”
“In any event, I suspect it won’t be long before the school tries to contact you,” I said in an attempt to put that part of the conversation behind us. “For the time being, I think it would be for the best to keep my suspicions between the two of us. I know this goes against our directive, but given the unusual circumstances and Nai’s blatant disregard for the limitations of her role as Guardian, I would consider this less deliberate deception and more damage control.”
“Good point,” Seth said in a heavy sigh. “But speaking of unusual circumstances and disregard for limitations, I think we need to address the very real fact that both Nai and her brother are not constricted by the limitations of Guardianship. Harry’s observation was on point. There is something different about these two and it has nothing to do with the fact that they are a split soul. If anything, their being a split soul should place more limitations on the
m.”
Seth wasn’t saying anything that hadn’t already been in the forefront of my mind. Seeing Nai with her hand in the holy water made my blood run cold. If she was to discover that this meant she had the potential to use my weapons then it would become all but impossible for me to keep her from doing just that. I’d voiced these concerns to the Creator, for all the good it did me. As usual, its non-answer was simply an admonishment for daring to question its divine authority.
“We do,” I admitted. “But what do we address? I’ve looked up everything I could find on split souls. Never in recorded history has there been an example that deviates from the usual order of things. Unless…” There was, of course, a wildcard that I hadn’t thought of. “I need to pay a visit to our resident demon specialist.”
* * *
I’d expected to find Bogie up in his apartment, watching daytime television, but when I entered the Five Penny, I heard low voices and found him talking to Donna. This was serendipitous because her perspective might also have been helpful, however, when they noticed me, their conversation stopped and both looked as if they hadn’t been expecting company.
“Hey there, boss. Wasn’t expectin’ to see yous here so early.”
“Likewise,” I said, nodding hello to Donna, who looked a bit uncomfortable. “Anyone want to fill me in on what the secret meeting was all about?”
“Meetin’?” Bogie looked genuinely confused.
“I, um…” Donna spoke up. She was blushing, which was uncharacteristic to say the least. “I had an idea and I wanted to see what Bogie thought before I talked to you, so…”
“Talk to me about what?” Donna was not typically vague with me, so I found her evasion both suspicious and annoying.
“About adding another bartender,” she admitted.
“Oh! This here meetin’! Gotcha.”
“I suppose you know someone?” I asked warily. I recalled the reason Donna had been let go from her last job. “You aren’t planning on lecturing my clientele on the dangers of consuming alcohol, now are you?”
Rise of the Discordant: The Complete Five Book Series Page 26