“I’m um… I’m sorry,” he said, just loud enough for me to hear. “We didn’t get a chance to finish talking earlier, but I just wanted to let you know that I… well, I’m aware that I’ve been acting like an ass and I have no excuse.”
“No, Seth, I should be the one apologizing. You had every right to be upset,” I said, daring a glance at him. “I should not have hidden the truth from you. I thought I was doing the right thing. Obviously, I was mistaken.”
“Perhaps,” he said with a shrug, turning away from my gaze under the guise of studying one of Myrna’s creations. “Or perhaps everything truly does happen for a reason.”
At that, I raised my eyebrows and let out a chuckle. “You sound a bit like the Creator,” I chided.
“That was a bit cliché, wasn’t it?” he said with a smirk. “Of course, don’t tell the Creator I said so.”
“I’m rather sure it already knows.”
“Point taken.”
“But you were saying?” I prompted.
“What I was saying is that maybe you were right to keep the truth from me,” he said, turning back to look at me with eyes narrowed in thought. “I was upset, yes. I felt betrayed and hurt that you found me untrustworthy, but had you told me when you discovered the truth… Well, I can’t rightly be sure that I would have taken the news any better back then. Given the state I was in…” he trailed off with a grimace. “All I’m saying is that I don’t want there to be any more strain between us. I’ve grown to accept who I was. Who we’ve always been, for that matter. And perhaps in time, I might… Well, let’s just get through the war. If we survive that, we’ll have all the time we need to figure out the rest.”
“I think that’s a solid plan,” I said and meant it, feeling at least one immense strain lifting from my shoulders. I didn’t have to say much more as Seth felt the same shift in my emotional state. “However, we really should be preparing for the inevitable,” I said as the ground rumbled again. “I don’t know how much longer we have.”
As if to answer, the ground gave another great pitch and I turned back toward the clearing. I thought perhaps Clyde had given the witches a fight, but the women were already making their way out of the woods.
“That one wasn’t us!” Donna called as they filed past us.
“Come on,” Myrna said, beckoning us to follow her back to where the others congregated. “I’ve got a bad feeling that was just a warning shot.”
“You don’t think…” I began, but Myrna cut me off.
“I won’t know what I think until I have a chance to get to my glass.”
“Well, it’s a good thing we’re already gathered,” Louise said loud enough for everyone to hear as we came up on the group. “We should start planning.
“Eurgh! Do we have enough time for a nap at least?” Donna asked. Although she looked relieved to be shod of the incubus, there was no denying the whole experience had taken its toll on her. “I’m pretty much wasted after that last spell.”
“Go lay down, dear,” Myrna told her daughter in a soft voice, ushering her into the house before turning back to the rest of us. “There’s tea on the kitchen counter and something stronger in the cupboard over the sink for those who need it. You’re welcome to stay in the garden or come inside, but I’d appreciate it if no one left just yet.”
I was inclined to agree with Myrna, though I didn’t think we really needed the consultation of a divining glass to know what was happening. The pieces were falling into place and there was no time left for strategy. We needed an endgame and we needed one before Chaos could play their hand.
“There’s still the imbalance created by the soul walker’s death,” Harry reminded us. Though I was reluctant to take stock in the game of numbers, I could not deny that Myrna had presented compelling evidence that Blackbird was not immune to the very real effects of such superstitions.
“I don’t think we have to worry about that,” Seth said with a thoughtful frown. “I’ve got a strong feeling that we’ll have the balance we need to have a fighting chance against what is coming. But I’m afraid I can’t shake the feeling that it is going to come at a cost.”
“Agents of Order have sight now?” I asked, but kept my tone light as not to put any strain on our relationship. This was not the first time that Seth had made odd and cryptic comments. I wish I could have easily dismissed his feelings as nothing more, but even I couldn’t deny that what was once black and white was no more.
“I’m beginning to wonder,” he said with a small, strangled sound. “I’m not having visions, exactly,” he clarified, “but these gut feelings have been coming more and more frequently and I have to say, I’ve never had intuition that was quite this… insistent.”
“You ain’t the only one,” Harry added, but shrank as everyone’s eyes turned to him. “I mean, I’m not claiming any psychic mumbo jumbo,” he amended.
“But something told you to give Donna that book of spells,” Betty prompted.
Harry just shrugged. “Eh, mighta just been one of those things.”
“Yeah, but I think we all need to acknowledge that too many of these things have been happening to write it off as a statistical anomaly,” Eller noted. Turning to me he added, “Didn’t you have a vision not too long ago?”
“Donna had a vision that she seems to think I had a hand in,” I corrected.
“Yeah, see; methinks the Warrior doth protest too much.”
“Excuse me?” I turned to where Bogie was standing, still wearing the ridiculous getup of the high priest. “What does that mean?”
“Des, you ain’t foolin’ no one,” he said, shaking his head and sighing as if I was an errant child. “That vision were your vision, not Donna’s.”
“Regardless,” I started, but before I could formulate a protest, the ground tremored once again and I couldn’t help but wonder if we’d actually headed off the outcome that everyone thought I’d envisioned. Or if we had, were we just making way for something worse. In fact, I had a very strong feeling that the war was no longer coming. It was already here.
Were it not so disturbing, I might have laughed at the irony of having a strong gut instinct in the midst of protesting my ability to do so.
“I hate to say it, but I should have expected the quakes.” Betty looked up from her phone with a frown. “The rally did no good. The council gave Down to Earth the go ahead to move back within the city limits earlier today. These quakes are just gonna get worse.”
“Speaking of Down to Earth Energy,” Seth turned to me. “I’d nearly forgotten. I was able to get to the fracking records earlier. Does the name Astor Roth mean anything to you?”
“Astor Roth? No. Should it?”
“Astor Roth is the name of the head of the fracking company. It just seems familiar for some reason, but I can’t put my finger on it.”
“Ah, seriously?” Bogie said with a wince. “Astor Roth? Astor Roth? How is that not obvious to yous guys?”
“How is what not obvious?” I asked, but rather than simply answer, Bogie stared at me so hard that it would not surprise me if his already bulging eyes didn’t fall out of his misshapen skull.
“Astor Roth, Des! Ajhtyraeth! Geez! Could it be any more obvious? Somethin’ like fracking is right up Ajhtyraeth’s alley.”
I’ll be damned if the little runt wasn’t on to something. There was no question in my mind that the connection between fracking in Blackbird and the rise of the Discordant activity was not coincidence. Until now, though, I’d had no way of proving the connection. Ajh being behind this made sense on many levels. Unfortunately, it didn’t make the job of defeating the Discordant any easier. The ruler of the demons was no slouch, despite having dominion over some of the lowest creatures on the Discordant hierarchy.
The ground below us gave another violent pitch. I was about to use this to punctuate the fact that we needed to begin putting a plan together, but as I took my breath, Seth collapsed to the ground, clutching his head in his hands.
“My god, Seth! Are you okay?” I asked as I dropped to my knees next to him.
“Eurgh! Give me a moment,” he groaned, sitting up slowly. “Do you feel them?”
I had no idea what he was talking about and started to say as much, when I realized he was not speaking to me. Nai had her hands over her ears and a pained expression on her face.
“Kinda hard to miss,” she hissed, falling to her knees and looking as if she was about to become physically ill.
“Please tell me this isn’t…” I began to ask, but just as quickly, I shut up. Though I did not have the same sensitivities as Seth and Nai, I felt them as well. Discordant, by the thousands, were flooding into Blackbird. There was no longer time to plan. The barrier beneath the mill had opened.
“Anyone got the time?” I heard Myrna ask behind me.
“Midnight,” Eller said with a snort. I didn’t even have to ask what that had to do with anything.
Midnight.
Happy Halloween, Blackbird.
Rise of the Discordant
Book #5
Frack You
Chapter 1
Battle Plans
Ever since I first stepped foot in Blackbird more than seventy years ago, I’ve known that this day would come. The hopeful optimism the town had been founded on never stood a chance against the crushing reality that would come to shape the twentieth century. The economic and environmental issues that would plague Blackbird were nothing I hadn’t seen before and it was only a matter of time before the façade of calm would crumble. If anything, it was more of a testament to our tenacity that we survived into the new millennium. The end had been coming for a long time.
And yet, as the hordes of Discordant flooded into town, I was just as unprepared as I would have been had they taken us by surprise. Certainly, their timing was inconvenient as we were all mentally exhausted and in need of a good night’s rest. We certainly weren’t going to get any now and it didn’t help that the crushing weight of their chaotic emotions was quickly turning my gray matter into soup. Even with my receptors in as close to the off position as I was allowed, the mental turmoil took its physical toll on me and I collapsed.
Luckily, I actually had been prepared for such an event, somewhat. I reached into my shirt and pulled out a small vial on a chain that I’d taken to wearing soon after I realized this day would come. Carefully, as not to spill the precious liquid inside, I removed the stopper and dabbed a single drop on each temple. Instantly, the cacophony muted to reasonable levels and I could stand without feeling seasick. I went over to where Nai was curled in on herself and dabbed the shielding potion on her temples as well.
“Eurgh! Thanks, Seth,” she said, swallowing back the urge to be sick. Eventually, the color returned to her face and I helped her to her feet. As soon as the waves of nausea passed, her expression hardened and I recognized the ambitious glint in her eyes. “So, are we going after these bastards now or what?”
“Not so fast,” Desmond said with far more calm than I would have thought possible, given the situation. The portal was open. Thousands of Discordant were pouring into Blackbird by the minute and I didn’t have to see or even sense them to know that a large number were werewolves. “We need a plan of action.”
“Are you kidding me?”
Nai’s frustration was expected, but in this instance, I couldn’t say that it was necessarily out of line. In fact, she wasn’t even the only one in attendance staring at Desmond as if he’d grown another head. Every second of inaction meant more Discordant descending on a defenseless Blackbird, lowering our odds of preventing the town’s ultimate demise. But at the same time, I understood the need for a plan and was grateful for Desmond’s level head.
“As it stands, we are unequipped to close the portal that has opened,” he said, raising his voice so that all of the mystics could hear him. “I personally believe that the reason for this is our own communal stumbling block regarding the numerological superstitions that have been allowed to manifest. As such, our main concern must be to vanquish the Discordant, which threaten the lives of our citizens. And for that, we need organization.”
“Those are some long odds,” Eller muttered absently. While his comment seemed offhand, the faraway look in his eye told me he was calculating as he spoke.
“Not necessarily,” Louise countered, consulting her phone. “There are spells that can cast a wide enough net to incapacitate large quantities of Discordant before they can act. At least it’s late enough that most folks will be home and in bed. We have that in our favor.”
“True, but keep in mind that in two hours, all of the bars will be letting out and we’re going to be knee-deep in inebriated souls. Besides,” I reminded her, “you are one witch short right at the moment.”
“No, I’m here.”
All heads swiveled and a collective gasp went up as Donna emerged from the house. Despite the ordeal she’d gone through and the now well-known fact that she’d had little to no restful sleep for some time now, Donna actually looked more refreshed than I think I’d ever seen her.
“You sure?” I asked, taking into consideration that the bright eyed and bushy tailed façade may be nothing more than a thin disguise.
“Yeah, I’m good,” she assured me with a tight smile. “When I laid down, I realized I was too amped to sleep and when the quake hit, I knew there was no way I was going to be able to rest. To tell you the truth, without Clyde in my head, I feel great. So what’s this about casting a spell?” she asked, turning to Louise.
“Now hang on,” Desmond said, holding up his hand. “We don’t even know what we’re up against and we are not going to lead off with a blind attack. That’s exactly what they want. A similarly unplanned attack at the beginning of the Battle of New York is what set in motion the events of the Second World War.”
Desmond’s restraint was downright impressive at this point. Given the immeasurable number of werewolves that were at that moment pouring into town, I had no doubt that he was suppressing a nearly uncontrollable urge to hunt. Then again, perhaps his restraint had less to do with the wolves themselves and more to do with the fact that they were no longer the sole target of his regrets.
As quickly as the dark and irrational insecurities bubbled to the surface, I stomped them down again. The opening gambit for the end of the world was not the proper time to be worrying about the complexities of our interconnected souls. Besides, it wasn’t as if Desmond was doing anything other than echoing my own thoughts of caution. We needed to tread lightly. Allowing Chaos a foothold in Blackbird would be devastating to the world at large and already there was enough instability in enough key regions that this could quickly conflagrate into war on a global scale.
If that were to happen, Blackbird would be lost. Instead of sending reinforcements to keep the problem contained, I’d learned in an earlier meeting with the Creator that agents were being sent to the larger population centers in anticipation of what will happen once Blackbird falls. This did not surprise me. It certainly didn’t comfort me, but it was business as usual for Order. No one noticed the complete annihilation of several small and seemingly insignificant towns just before the Battle of New York either. Well, no one, that is, aside from the residents and the unfortunate agents who had been assigned to defend the territories.
As disheartening as it was to know we were on our own for what seemed to be a no win situation, I could not find fault with Order for showing caution. Sending too many agents into a small population center had historically proven to be a logistical nightmare. Centralia had proven in my lifetime that one wrong move by an agent of Order could be just as, if not more, disastrous than allowing the Discordant to overtake an unstable area. No, for the time being, we were on our own. The odds were stacked against us and I’m sure that no one in Administration expected our survival, but I, for one, wasn’t ready to roll over and let fate run its course.
But there was no sense in dwelling on that which I did not control, so
I pulled myself out of my own head and focused all of my attention on the situation at hand. Myrna’s kitchen was in the process of being transformed into a war room. A map of the area had been laid out on the table and Eller appeared to be using bingo chips to mark the various locations where planned attacks would be most effective.
“The mill itself is destabilized, so there would be no point in trying to get close,” he said, marking off a large swath of the south side with a marker. “Our highest population centers are going to be downtown, the waterfront, and the university area. We’ll need to protect those.”
“Agreed,” Donna said with a nod. “But protection is only going to go so far. We need to close that portal.”
“We don’t have the fire power,” Desmond reminded her.
“I’m not so sure about that.” Betty joined the group around the table and picked up one of the markers. “May I?” she asked Eller, who moved back with a nod. “We have three points of destabilization currently surrounding the mill. As we all now know, the shady mill owners had dug a series of tunnels to take polluted water away from Blackbird. Most have caved in, but the one directly to the south is still open. To the east, we have the reservoir and the dam holding back most of what used to be the river. To the west we have all of the damaged area where fracking is happening. Now, I don’t want to flood the town or poison the water supply, but I’m thinking if we hit these areas with enough force, we can cave in the mill fissure long enough to come up with a spell strong enough to close the portal for good.”
She turned to Eller, who had been scribbling in a notebook as she spoke.
“It won’t be easy, but it ain’t impossible,” he said with a shrug.
“Yeah, except I gots a bad feelin’ about what would happen if we tried.”
Bogie wedged his way into the circle around the table and picked up the bag of bingo chips. “First of alls, this is us,” he said, counting out eleven red chips. “And this is them.” He dumped the entire bag of blue and green chips on the table.
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