Dimension Fracture

by Corinn Heathers

  I frowned and studied the images. According to Star, they were official AEGIS operatives, so they weren't likely to be anyone I actually knew. As an indie, I wasn't really supposed to have any contact with the agency's front-line hunters unless it was for a mission.

  “They weren't killed by a specter,” Misaki observed.

  “We know that.” Star tapped a few keys and highlighted a computer-enhanced visual of one of the corpses. The extent and placement of the injuries was puzzling. Specters usually killed as cleanly as they could, using miasma to wither the soul and destroy the mind without damaging the body this much.

  I frowned. “They look like they were mauled to death, but no animal could do that kind of damage short of a really big grizzly, or maybe a lion or tiger. Last time I checked, there weren't any of those roaming around major metropolitan areas.”

  “We don't know what killed our people,” Star admitted, “but I'm getting reports from Control that suggest it's happening all over the world. Something or someone is making it their mission to murder our people.”

  “Are they exclusively targeting front-line hunters?” Misaki asked.

  “Several external collaborators in the northwest haven't checked in. We're trying to make contact with them; I'm not privy to more information than that. I'm sure Control will let me know if it's deemed necessary.”

  I tapped my fingernails on the composite tabletop. “What about spirit hunters who aren't affiliated with AEGIS? Have they been targeted as well?”

  “Our observers have reported that nearly all of the most influential arcane houses in the United States have completely closed ranks. It looks like something has them rattled enough to bring all their strongest members home.”

  “Something like losing control of their pet specters?” I guessed.

  Star nodded primly. “Very good. I've reviewed several case reports that match the experience you had with the wayward Achelar summoner. The number of general incidents have been starting to decline over the past few months. Perhaps now we know why.”

  “Why, but not how,” I added.

  “The two occurrences are almost certainly related.” Star frowned and tapped on her console again, bringing up a list of all the incident reports where other spirit hunters reported disappearing specters. None of the actual encounter data was listed, but the sheer number of reports troubled me.

  “So we've got disappearing specters and… what, some new kind of monster replacing them? Something powerful enough to slaughter three AEGIS operatives with impunity?”

  Star shook her head. “I doubt that. These unknowns are acting against the interests of AEGIS as well as all major arcane houses still operating today. If it was the work of human summoners, we would have undoubtedly found a link by now.”

  “Well, whoever or whatever is doing this,” I ventured, “I think we should assume they're targeting anyone who packs a lot of magical firepower—spirit hunters and mages. The question we need to be asking at this point is for what purpose.”

  Misaki's ears flicked slightly and I knew something had occurred to her. I glanced over at my fiancee and gave her a look, silently prodding her to take the initiative and lay it out on the table, regardless of how hypothetical it might be.

  “Was there any miasmic ash found at the scene?”

  “None that we could detect,” Star told her.

  I pointed toward the strange mauling-like wounds. “If they weren't killed by a specter or by a human, then what the fuck killed these people?”

  “We don't know,” Star admitted. “Something we've never seen before, something new and damned powerful. The information we're getting from our sources inside the police department suggest that whatever killed them left absolutely no traces behind.”

  “What?” My eyes widened in shock. “No hair? No fibers? Nothing at all? That shouldn't be possible.”

  “Such a feat would be possible for a specter, but we already know that isn't the case.”

  “So we've got some kind of killer new monster out there that is extremely dangerous and leaves nothing behind when it kills, and that monster is after any human with any inkling of involvement with magical matters, but specifically spirit hunters.”

  “Yes.”

  “And we don't know who is controlling them or why.” I rubbed my temples, feeling the headache from the day before try to sneak back into my skull. “Can't we just get some nice normal cases of some corporate asshole using his specters to try and make his fat bank account even fatter?”

  Star ignored my complaints. “We need to find out as much as we can about this, preferably before even more of our people are struck down.”

  “You're putting us on the case.” It wasn't a question.

  “I am. Before you object, Misaki, I know.” She offered Misaki a sympathetic look. “I know that Karin is still recovering from the injuries she sustained during the Tsukimura operation. Under ordinary circumstances I wouldn't be giving you two this assignment.”

  I gave Star a dirty look. “I'm hearing a 'but' in there.”

  “I wanted to keep the two of you on analysis duties for the time being, but I don't think that's possible any longer. As you already noticed, whatever we're dealing with is specifically targeting mages and spirit hunters.”

  “Which means these things will eventually come after me whether I'm investigating or not,” I finished for her. “Star, do you ever tire of using us as bait?”

  Star's cheeks flushed slightly and she looked away. “That wasn't my decision, but I take responsibility for it nonetheless. This is simply a matter of prudence; the mysterious killer or killers will eventually come after you. Wouldn't it be better to get to them first and maintain the advantage?”

  “I'm not sure they haven't already gotten to me first.” I glanced over at Misaki and she nodded.

  Our boss's expression darkened. “Explain.”

  “The reason Misaki sent a message to you in the first place,” I explained. Her tail curled around her thigh and she began to stroke the fur nervously. “Last night I had a dream that Misaki believes was a sending from a very powerful mage.”

  Our boss's expression became even more grim as I went over the details, making certain to leave absolutely nothing out, at least as far as I could remember. When I was finished, Star looked more anxious than I'd ever seen her.

  “This is troubling. You think it may be related to these other occurrences?”

  “The timing's pretty convenient, don't you think?” I closed my eyes and rubbed my temples. “Yesterday we watched a specter vanish right in front of us. Last night, three AEGIS people get torn apart by something big and scary. Then I get a psychic telephone call from a weird person who claims killing Isao Tsukimura inadvertently weakened the astral boundary.”

  Star tapped the keys on the tabletop and the display behind her shut down. “I'm officially assigning you two the case. I don't think this is the time to concern ourselves about jurisdictional posturing, and Control instructed me to assign the two of you specifically.”

  That was not exactly unexpected, but unnerving to hear. AEGIS was usually very strict about the division of labor and who was assigned what sort of cases. It wasn't like I expected Star to deal with us dishonestly, at least insofar as her orders allowed.

  Well, she did use us as bait for the Tsukimura operation. It didn't bother me as much as I guess it should have. I think a lot of it was due to how much I actually liked Star, but more than that it was just how it was to work for the government dealing with national-security type issues. Maybe not quite as glamorous as dealing with the heads of nuclear-armed nation-states, but it was much the same. You spent most of your time not knowing what the fuck was going on while still being expected to produce results.

  “All right, we accept the case,” I said after a moment of silence. It's not that I really had much of a choice. I could have told her exactly how bad I was still messed up and she'd very likely do everything in her power to assign it to someone els
e, but if Control wanted us on the case, there was nothing she could do about it.

  Besides, it was a very interesting puzzle, and I loved puzzles. Unfortunately, Misaki's expression—and the way her ears laid flat and back against her hair—told me that she wasn't quite as intrigued as I was.

  “Karin,” she said in a warning tone.

  “I know, love. Star knows. We don't have much of a choice. Her bosses aren't going to let us off the hook and it'll just waste her time to even try.”

  Misaki didn't respond to that. The silence, coupled with the fact that she wasn't moving her tail at all meant she was not in a good mood. I expected this, but there wasn't a whole lot we could do about it.

  “Couldn't you at least assign us the case as of tomorrow?” Misaki pleaded, affecting a look so sad and forlorn that would have melted anyone's heart. Our handler, despite her elegant and cool-as-ice demeanor, was in no way immune to Misaki's skillful emotional manipulation.

  “I really don't think we have the luxury of time, but… okay. You win, Misaki. You'll be officially on the case as of 1100 tomorrow. Make sure the two of you get as much rest and relaxation in as you can tonight; I have a feeling things aren't going to stay peaceful for very much longer.”

  “Thank you, Star!” Misaki's grin was wide, for she was magnanimous in her victory.

  “You're q-quite welcome,” Star managed as Misaki predictably pounced upon her, wrapping her arms and tail around our boss in one of her trademarked hugs, despite the fact that Star was still sitting down.

  I stifled a giggle at the sight of Misaki pretty much curled up in Star's lap. “Okay, okay, don't embarrass the boss too much.”

  Misaki disentangled herself from Star and I stood up, standing next to my fiancee. Star remained seated. I suspected she would stay for a few moments after we left to finish her report on the case assignment.

  “I'll be sending you data on the case as it becomes available,” Star said. “I know we have very little information to work with, but I have faith in the both of you. I know you two will get to the bottom of this quickly.”

  We left the conference room and the door sealed shut behind us. Neither Misaki nor myself spoke for a long moment as we walked back to the car. Misaki stood by the driver's side door and turned a querying gaze on me.

  “Do you feel okay to drive?”

  I shook my head. “No, you go ahead. I'm still fuzzy from the medication.”

  Misaki smiled and opened the door, settling into the driver's seat, her tail curling around her thigh as she buckled her seatbelt. She disengaged the door locks and I settled into the passenger's seat. The vehicle's electric motors powered up almost silently and Misaki expertly backed out into the street, merging easily with the flow of traffic.

  I reached out to turn on the radio, but Misaki placed her hand on mine and glanced at me out of the corner of her eye.

  “Karin, I think we should go visit So-yi and Yoshiko tonight, not this weekend.”

  I blinked. Sometimes Misaki and I thought so similarly it was scary. I'd been thinking the same exact thing considering the succession of extremely unusual events. Weird shit happening all at once usually worried most rational beings, including Karin Ashley.

  “I think so, too.”

  “Really?” Misaki's ears flicked in surprise. “I was expecting you to protest such a spur-of-the-moment decision to go. Are you really feeling okay, Karin?”

  “I'm fine. I think. I just… have a feeling that we should go visit them now.” While we have the chance, I didn't add, but Misaki probably already knew that. With this case we'd been assigned, things were going to get very busy. More than that, things could also get very dangerous and it would be a good idea for us to keep a bit of distance between bystanders until we had enough for AEGIS to go after the perpetrators.

  “Do you want to go back to the apartment first, or just go?”

  I thought about that for a moment. “Let's just go. I'm sure Mama will make us stay the night, but we can just use the laundry the night before. No big deal.”

  “Should I call ahead and let them know?”

  I was about to nod, but I stopped myself and grinned evilly. “No. Let's just go. I will absolutely not waste this chance to make jaws drop.”

  Misaki giggled and turned off the surface street onto the freeway on-ramp, goosing the accelerator and sending the car rocketing onto Interstate 5 that'd take us almost all the way to my sister's house. I sent her a sidelong glance that she understood immediately, dropping speed to match that of the slower lanes as she merged into traffic.

  “You can play around when you get a real license,” I grumbled. “I really don't want to have to try and explain to the police why I let a fox-eared girl without a driver's license race across the freeway at a hundred and sixty kilometers per hour.”

  “Fine, fine,” Misaki grumbled. “You never let me have any fun.”

  “Oh, so what I was doing to you last night wasn't fun? I'll have to remember that.”

  My fiancee blushed and her ears laid flat and forward, but she said nothing, only hunkering down on the wheel, her driving becoming even more careful and exacting. Score one for Karin.

  from love

  It only took two and a half hours to get to So-yi's house, not a surprise considering it was a weekday. As Misaki pulled the car off the freeway and onto the Portland surface streets, the traffic began to thicken considerably. I pulled out my phone and glanced at the time; it wasn't quite rush hour, but things would start getting more and more congested the longer we tarried.

  Fortunately the last leg of the trip was uneventful and Misaki parked the car on the street outside. There were two cars in the driveway, a small sedan and a minivan that belonged to my sister and Nicole, respectively. At least someone was home, then.

  “I don't think they know we're here just yet,” I pointed out. “Come on, let's go bang on the door before they decide to peek out the window and see my car.”

  Misaki nodded, giggling, and the both of us stepped out onto the concrete. It was chilly, but not quite cold just yet. It was October, and with November would come cooler and even shorter days. The snow probably wouldn't start until the end of December. A not-insignificant part of me hoped that it would snow on Christmas Day. Misaki would absolutely love a white Christmas and I couldn't think of a better present for myself than a chance to see her so happy.

  I walked up to my sister's front door and knocked loudly three times, then waited. A few moments later, the door opened and So-yi's jaw dropped open in complete shock. Score two for Karin. If I could surprise Mama, a difficult task indeed, we'd be three for three.

  “Karin! What are you doing here?”

  “Hi, little sis,” I said.

  “This is a shock! You never just come over to visit like this! Come in, you two, come in out of the cold.” So-yi ducked back into the house with Misaki and I trailing after her. “Nicole is in the bath right now—”

  “Where's Mama?” I wondered.

  “She's out taking Kaede for a walk. I'm sure she'll be surprised when she gets back to find you and Misaki here like a bolt out of the blue!”

  I grinned wickedly. “That's what I'm counting on.”

  The three of us sat down around the dinner table—the very same table where I first explained my new-found secret life of weirdness—and So-yi retrieved drinks for all of us from the fridge. This time she came prepared; I gawked at the lovely ice-cold bottle of amber ale she sat in front of me.

  “I was actually going to see if you wanted to come visit soon, so I bought supplies,” So-yi admitted. “Imagine my surprise when you show up on my doorstep without so much as a message.”

  I took a sip from my beer and grimaced. “It wasn't completely arbitrary. We caught a case this morning, a big one. It's a foregone conclusion that we're going to be extremely busy for a while.”

  So-yi sat down and took a swig from her beer, one of those mildly-flavored Japanese lagers that she and our mother favored.
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  “I convinced our supervisor to delay until tomorrow morning,” Misaki added. Her tail swished lightly through the open lower back of the chair as she contemplated the vibrant reddish-pink, slightly frothy drink So-yi gave her. Usually she was okay with beer, but it wasn't her favorite; she generally preferred sweet drinks.

  “Mama's favorite cocktail. It's watermelon and yuzu with soju,” So-yi explained in response to Misaki's hesitation. “It's cold, quite tart and very sweet. You'll like it, trust me.”

  Misaki took an experimental sip from the glass. Her expression shifted from wary curiosity to real interest the moment the sweet-tangy mixture of pureed watermelon, yuzu juice and potent soju, a type of Korean distilled rice liquor, hit her tongue. I could barely hold back my laughter as Misaki drained half of the glass in one shot.

  So-yi gawked at the sight. “A-are you going to be able to handle that?”

  “Trust me, sis, it takes a lot for her to actually get drunk. She could easily drink all of us, including Mama, under the table and still fool the savviest highway patrolman into thinking she was dead sober.” I took another sip from my beer and watched as my fiancee downed the rest of her drink and gave So-yi her best pleading look, silently demanding more.

  I couldn't stop myself at that point and burst out laughing. My sister joined in as well as she retrieved the entire pitcher and set it on the table next to Misaki. My fiancee promptly refilled her glass, but I noticed that she went at her second one a bit slower, likely to prolong her enjoyment of the flavors than over any real concern about the alcohol content.

  “Mama should be back pretty soon,” So-yi said, and sure enough, I caught the sound of a passkey being tapped against the auto-lock on the front door. A skittering sound heralded the arrival of my mother's overly excitable Shiba Inu, Kaede.

  “So-yi dear, I'm back,” my mother's voice called out.

  “I'm in the dining room.” So-yi gave me a sly look and I nodded approvingly. I could hear my mother opening the sliding glass door leading to the back yard as she released Kaede into the wilds of her domain. The door shut and I waited, sipping at my beer calmly as Yoshiko Ashley walked into the dining room. Her eyes narrowed at the sight of me, showing absolutely no hint of surprise.