The Siege

by Alexie Aaron

  “Some Christmas carol. Speaking of Christmas, we are seriously late on our Christmas cards, Teddy Bear.”

  CRACK!

  The trio of humans jumped and Maggie barked.

  “I think that’s his way of getting us back on the subject,” Mia interpreted. She looked at Murphy and asked, “Can we eat first?”

  He stubbornly shook his head.

  “Okay, you might as well sit down, Cid. This isn’t going to take long to tell you what happened, but explaining why it’s happening is another matter.”

  Cid walked over and sat in the chair opposite Mia. Ted moved up onto the sofa, and Maggie curled up in the warm spot he left on the carpet.

  “I’m going to work backwards. Tonight I was approached by an entity called Other in most cultures. It’s not a bad guy, nor a good one, but it is definitely other. It’s a wheeler-dealer who works both sides of the fence.”

  “Like you do,” Cid said.

  “Yes, I think that’s the problem here. I’m all for team good, but I can see team evil’s point of view, so I’m a fence sitter.”

  “Tell us about these Others.”

  “According to my grandmother Fred, they are creatures that are beyond classification. If they were to participate in a census, they would check…”

  “Other,” Ted and Cid chorused.

  “They work similar to reapers, but instead of following natural law, they make deals.”

  “Deals? You mean, we can make a deal?” Ted questioned.

  “Like crossroad demons?” Cid asked

  “No and… no. We’re the commodity brokered,” Mia answered.

  “Okay, I get what they are. But why is one after you?” Ted asked, squeezing her hand.

  “Someone has made a deal for me.”

  “Angelo!” Cid spat.

  “No, I don’t think you understand. The deals are made between agents of heaven and agents of hell. What we think of heaven rarely intrudes so…”

  “It doesn’t make any sense. You’re a good person,” Ted argued.

  “I am now, but I wasn’t always,” Mia stated. “Before you ask me more, I’d like to tell you more about the way an Other does business. We may be able to stop this if we can subvert him. He’ll get bored and realize, to continue, he’ll lose more than he will gain in the deal.”

  Ted pulled out his smart phone and started to take notes. “Go ahead.”

  “Others have to be invited into your home to present the deal. They will then notify you of the interest in you and offer earthly compensation for your soul. They will give you some time to consider the deal. If you turn them down, they are then able to simply take you. You can battle them and their thugs, but Grandma never knew of anyone that had won.”

  “Why did your grandmother think you needed to beware of an Other?” Cid asked.

  Mia crossed her arms. “To get that out of me, you’ll have to feed me first.”

  Cid got up and headed to the kitchen.

  Ted pulled Mia close to him. “Don’t worry, no matter what, I’ll not let anything bad happen to you.”

  Mia felt a depression on the other side of her. She looked over, and Murphy sat there with his hat in his hands. He put his hand on his heart and then on the edge of his blade. Mia felt a shiver run down her arm. Murphy intended to pay for Mia’s freedom with his own soul.

  “Sorry, old friend, but it doesn’t work that way.”

  Chapter Sixteen

  He watched her from the darkened corner of the small wallpapered room. She smelled faintly of smoke, and her face was awash with tears. Her room in the McGuire rooming house faced the back alley, not much of a view unless you enjoy hundred-year-old brickwork.

  Seventeen-year-old girls didn’t normally register on his radar, but this one had sent alarm signals up, and he was compelled to come and see her for himself. Mia Cooper was an underweight yet overdeveloped woman/child. Her moss green eyes were amplified by the black circles under them and hollow cheeks. If he were capable of love, he would have loved her, crossed the veil and taken her away to his lair where he could study her in the firelight.

  A knock on the door brought the teen out of her self-pitying trance and pushed him further into the shadows.

  Mia sniffed before calling out, “Come in.”

  A very stout woman bustled into the room.

  “I’m sorry, Mia, but there is a policeman here to talk to you. It’s about the fire. I put him in the front parlor.”

  “Thank you, Mrs. McGuire.”

  He could see the woman fight the battle between being a landlady and a mother. Her strong but soft hands flexed, fighting between keeping a professional distance and enveloping the child in her strong arms. He admired the woman and found her plumpness beautiful. Too often, women angled their bodies with diets and, in doing so, made their faces age prematurely.

  Mia rose from the bed and stopped a moment and turned in his direction.

  “Is there something wrong, dear?” Mrs. McGuire asked.

  “No, I just thought I saw something.”

  “Could be a spider. No matter how I keep at them, those daddy-longlegs find their way in. I assure you, no one has ever died from being bitten by one of those.”

  “I don’t like spiders, but I agree on the placid nature of those type of spiders.” Mia turned back and walked out the door.

  He pondered the worth of taking her now. She was young, and even though she had come from a great lineage of talented sensitives, she hadn’t developed. He would wait, watch and then act upon the need when the time was right.

  He brushed the snow from his shoulders. It didn’t melt into his garments because he had no body heat. He examined his immaculate nails as he waited for the three stooges, a nickname he never spoke aloud. These ghosts had been with him for centuries. They were bunglers, but they had talents. As long as he was there to guide them, they got the job done. First, the cell tower had to be taken out of play. Next, the landlines, and now Mother Nature was providing a much needed element. Plan A, isolation, was reaching fruition.

  ~

  In the kitchen, comforted by the aromas coming from the oven, Mia told her story of Misty Mom again for Cid’s benefit. After, she moved on to explain why her actions would have attracted an Other. “It’s when a person does a horrible thing in order to do the ultimate good. Burning down a house to release a trapped spirit certainly qualifies. The method by which Angelo works puts him on the list too. But in his case, he has the Brotherhood to protect him.”

  “You have us,” Ted said.

  “I know. That’s why I’m not cowering in the corner.”

  “What does he intend to do with you if he gets you?”

  “I don’t know. I haven’t heard his proposition yet. But it’s not going to be roses and sunshine, I assure you.” Mia frowned. “What gives anyone or anything the right to enslave a person or a soul? It’s not natural, but still they do it. So much tragedy and hate has been the result of this kind of greed.”

  “Amen,” Cid said and set a large helping of the lasagna in front of her.

  “Where’s Murph?” Mia asked, looking around.

  “He left to check on our unexpected ally while you were talking,” Ted explained.

  “We really need to work on figuring out the young man’s name,” Mia said. “I’m sure once Audrey is feeling better, she will embrace the search and come up with it.”

  “Oh, oh, Audrey is already on the case. She sent an email,” Cid said, methodically patting his pockets. “Wait, it’s in my coat.” He walked to the mud room and dug into the red parka’s deep pockets. “Here it is.” He unfolded it as he walked back and set it before Mia.

  Mia read the email.

  Nancy Drew has received the information and is hot on the trail. The Mystery of the Armory Tunnels has struck a chord with one of my dad’s friends. He’s a civil war - get this - conspiracy theorist. I’ll have more to tell you soon. Have Murphy cut more wood, I hear you’re going to get buried in snow this e
vening. Love, Audrey

  “Looks like Audrey may still be hyped up on pain meds,” Mia observed. “But there is no stopping that positive enthusiasm, we have all come to love.”

  “Optimism is always appreciated,” Ted said, serving himself the last of the lasagna. “As is fuel.”

  “Speaking of, perhaps we ought to get more wood under this roof.”

  “Mia, Murphy filled half of the basement and most of the mud room before I made him stop,” Cid informed her.

  “I wonder how the windmills are handling the snow?” Ted queried.

  “The wet snow isn’t helping, that’s for certain. But we’ve stored a lot of battery power,” Cid said, looking at his iPad. “Why?”

  “Heavy snow and electrical lines don’t mix well. Come to think of it, phone lines are a problem too if they ice up,” Ted said.

  “I don’t like the sound of that,” confessed Mia.

  “Don’t worry, Minnie Mouse, aside from a few comforts, we can be off the grid for a week or more without inconvenience,” Ted assured her.

  “I’d like to give Angelo a call and consult him on our little problem here.”

  “I told you, Cid stays,” Ted teased.

  Cid shook his head at once again being the butt of Ted’s joke.

  “Really?” Mia challenged. “Cid’s a big problem.”

  “Hey!” Cid said in mock surprise.

  “If Angelo has a solution for Cid, then I’ll take back a third of the things I’ve said about him,” Ted said.

  “I’m feeling a little underappreciated,” Cid warned.

  Mia got up and gave Cid a reassuring hug before she walked over and picked up the wall phone. She listened and was relieved to hear a dial tone. She pulled out her cell and dialed the local number she had stored there for Angelo. She didn’t get an answer so she left him a message, “Angelo, this is Mia. I’d like to consult you on what information you may be able to obtain about Others. That’s o t h e r. If you can’t get through, it’ll probably be that the storm brought the phone lines down. And before I forget, the Other’s goons already took down the cell tower. I fear mischief is afoot.”

  “If I heard that, I’d be sprouting feathers,” Ted said.

  “Good. I think that we’re overmatched here,” Mia said honestly. “Now, I suggest we prepare the nursery for the three of us.”

  Cid paled. “You are worried, aren’t you?”

  “Cid, I’m just preparing for the worst. You know. If you have insurance, then you probably won’t ever need to use it. But if you’re foolhardy, then catastrophe strikes.”

  “Good advice,” Ted said. “I’ve got a few things to take care of over in the barn.”

  “Don’t leave without Murphy,” Mia insisted. “MURPHY!” her voice bounced off the walls.

  Stephen Murphy appeared at her side immediately. “Please go with Ted to the barn, and while you’re there, juice up. I know Cid brought cubes over, but we should hang on to those just in case.”

  He nodded and moved towards the door.

  Ted pulled on his black parka and exchanged his ball cap for a knit slouch cap. Mia looked fondly at her husband. He may not be handsome in a conventional sense, but he stopped her heart every time he looked her way.

  Maggie wanted to follow them, but Cid held her back. “You’ve just been out.”

  Mia cleared the table and put the plates in the dishwasher. She found just enough room. Cid didn’t like to use the machine unless it was packed. She started it.

  “How are you feeling?” Cid asked her, spotting her well-placed hand on her lower back when she stood up straight.

  “A little unbalanced but good. Little Martin isn’t going to be a small baby.”

  “He’s going to be a healthy one, Mia, so don’t worry. The larger the baby’s birth weight, the better.”

  “I’m worried that the kid’s going to come out Alien style. He certainly will be a tight fit otherwise.”

  Cid blushed.

  “I’m going upstairs to start on the room. Thanks for thinking ahead and making it ghost-safe.”

  “It was Murphy’s idea,” Cid said humbly. “I think that, considering our vocation, it was well worth the extra trouble.”

  “You and he should team up on some designs for some of the actively haunted spots to give the homeowners and museum workers a break from constant irritation.”

  Cid stopped what he was doing and nodded. “That sounds like a great idea, Mia.”

  “I heard that if you’re going to invent something, look for a need that hasn’t been addressed yet,” she said.

  “That’s smart. Where did you hear that?”

  “Ted,” Mia said smugly and left the room.

  “I’ve been set up!” Cid called after her.

  Mia started up the stairs and was met halfway by the Confederate ghost. He stopped, turned around and extended his elbow.

  Mia concentrated and was able to connect with the physiology of the spirit. She didn’t want to hurt him and his gentlemanly manners with the near impossibility of the action.

  At the top of the stairs, she disconnected and asked him, “How are you doing?”

  “I’m dead with a gaping hole in my chest; I guess I’m a bit breezy.”

  Mia laughed at his joke. “That would be a good nickname for you. Breezy, no, Breeze. I like that. It’s very now. In the last few decades, people have been naming their kids very unusual names. I do worry that they will have extra challenges in school because of them.”

  “Call me Breeze. I’d like that.”

  “And you can call me Mia. Ma’am makes me feel so old.”

  “It’s respectful,” Breeze reminded her.

  “You and Murph are two peas in a pod.”

  “Stephen and I share certain ideals.”

  “I do see that.”

  “Mia, may I ask you a personal question?”

  “Depends on how personal,” Mia said. “But go ahead and ask.”

  “Why do you risk yourself helping us?”

  “I don’t consider it a risk. A duty, maybe, but in actuality, it’s a joy. I had a less than enjoyable first quarter of my life. I’d like to spend the next three quarters doing what makes me happy. In part, that includes helping the lost.”

  “I’m lost.”

  Mia resisted the easy smart-mouth answer. Instead she said, “Not for long, Breeze, not for long.”

  ~

  Burt and Dave literally slid into the drive. Dave popped out of the car and cleared a mound of snow so the gate could function. Burt pulled the car right into the garage. Dave caught up to him. He used the push broom to move the chunks of snow away from the car and out the door of the garage. Burt wasn’t surprised by his hard work. The boy wasn’t lazy, just an asshole at times. However, he was surprised that Mia had given up on the kid. Charles Cooper would demand a lot of the boy; he hoped that Mia’s father hadn’t taken on too much.

  The sheriff’s reception of Burt’s offer was staid. John Ryan never showed his hand too soon. “I think that after we get through this approaching storm, then we’ll have something to talk about. The Brown family, to my understanding, still own the property. You’ll have to go through them or their attorneys. If they ask my opinion, I’ll be honest with them.”

  Honest with them? What exactly did that mean? Burt asked himself. He got out the ladder and moved it towards the loft of the garage. That was where Mia’s extra stuff was stored. Dave didn’t have any extra clothes with him, but Mia did have a box full of PEEPs sweats that were a tad too large. Both sensitives were small in stature. Burt had theorized that this was the way with sensitives, but that was until he met Father Alessandro who had to be six feet tall in his prime.

  “Steady there, old fellow,” Dave teased, putting his hands on the ladder to steady Burt’s descent.

  “I’ve got some of Mia’s clothes. Don’t give me that face. It will keep you warm while your clothes are drying. Actually, I think most of these are boy’s clothes.” Burt tossed
the box to Dave who grunted at the weight.

  “My apologies on the old fellow label; you are freaking strong.”

  Burt smiled. He was, wasn’t he? “Let’s go inside, have a few beers and settle in for the night.”

  Dave liked the sound of that. Burt was treating him like an adult, unlike Saint Cid.

  ~

  Matt drew the shawl around Audrey’s shoulders. He had convinced her parents that he could look after their daughter. After all, he was a doctor. Audrey was whisked away to his home where the family ghost was actually glad to see the houseguest. The only problem was that Matt’s great uncle brought a chill with him. No matter how much Matt boosted the thermostat, the chill remained.

  “Thank you, honey,” Audrey said. She was sitting at his computer researching the Brown family. “Your uncle wouldn’t know anything about the Thaddeus Brown line of Browns, would he?”

  Matt repeated the question to the squeaky floor above them. The pacing stopped a moment, and Matt thought he heard a couple of books drop.

  “Amazing,” Audrey said, trying to get up.

  Matt caught her with one hand and sat her back down. “I’ll go, you stay here. Uncle is rather clumsy,” he explained. “I’ll not have my best girl leveled by a bookcase.”

  “Good thinking.”

  Matt took the stairs two at a time. He found the second floor library a mess. It looked like a whirlwind went through the room. There were books pulled out of their normally neat alignment, papers on the floor and the furniture askew. But neatly stacked in the middle of the floor were four old volumes. Matt picked them up and walked over to the desk and used the light there to read the titles. Burke’s Peerage, Battle for Chicago (Story of Chicago’s Money Peerage), Civil War in Illinois, and Funding a Losing Battle.

  “All of these have something about the Thaddeus Browns in them?” he asked the chilly room.

  A tiny tone of fingernail on fine crystal sounded.

  “Thank you,” Matt said and headed down to the first floor library where he had set up his office.

  Audrey had moved to one of the wingback chairs by the fireplace. She had a notebook on her lap. “I thought this would be warmer. I think, after that exercise, Uncle is going to be looking for energy. He’ll suck up more heat,” she said good-naturedly.