by R. J. Wolf
“Plea—” Noll started.
“Yes?”
“Nothing.”
Cohnal made a quick jerk of his hand. The dagger sliced through the bundle of hair and he dropped the severed locks onto the floor like a climbing rope.
Noll closed his eyes and winced. He felt a rush of weakness and slumped forward in the chair. He’d been growing his hair since birth and as he stared at the brittle fibers on the floor, a stream of tears rolled down the side of his face.
“Now that wasn’t so hard, was it?” Cohnal heckled. “What else shall we cut, huh? Or would you like to tell me who you’ve told about the diamonds?”
“I didn’t tell anyone.”
Cohnal laughed then slashed Noll across the face with his dagger. Blood sprayed into the air and Noll roared in pain.
“I swear to you…I swear I told no one.”
Cohnal stabbed the dagger into Noll’s thigh then grabbed him by the side of the head. He leaned forward and stared into his eyes.
“We will see.”
Noll felt a sharp jolt in his head. He reeled back and fought against the wave of dizziness that crashed down on him. His eyes burned like they’d been set on fire then suddenly he was standing in a dark room all alone.
“Hello? Hello, is anyone there?” Noll called out, his voice echoing into the black abyss.
No one answered. There was no one there except him. He was alone and that scared him more than he’d ever admit. Unlike most dwarves, Noll was a coward.
The room was filled with a silence that Noll had never known. A deep silence that hurt his ears. It was so quiet that it was loud. The still pressed in on him, squeezing his head, crushing his thoughts until he screamed for help, help that wouldn’t come.
A chill crawled like icy spider legs up his back. He shivered and grabbed his head. His fingers brushed against his bare scalp and he collapsed to his knees. It was gone, all gone.
“I’m sorry,” he shouted. “The warlock…I had to use the warlock to bring the diamonds into the port. If anyone told, it was Gary. But you knew about him. Pongo promised me!”
A clap sounded in Noll’s ears and he jumped and blinked his eyes. When he opened them, he was back in the room tied to the chair. Cohnal was standing a few feet away smirking and Pongo was at the door, leaning on the frame.
Cohnal stared at Noll for a minute then turned to face Pongo. “Do what you will with him. The council no longer needs his services,” he said in a dark tone.
CHAPTER 7
BUSINESS AS USUAL
Eric stalked back and forth. He rubbed his hands across his head and sighed. “We need to get back to New York.”
“We need to figure out what’s going on out here,” Gary replied. “Noll was into some weird stuff and I’m sure this is all related. Zoey is more than capable, Noll’s safe.”
“I’m not worried about Noll.”
“Trust me, Eric, Zoey can handle herself. And for all we know that little mole hung up on me. Don’t jump to conclusions.”
“Fine, then what do we do? Just sit here and wait for somebody else to try and kill us?”
“No. We go after them.”
“After who?”
“The commission, obviously. It’s time we go on the offense.”
“What does that even mean? The commission, how do we know it’s them? You wanna go to war against the commission on the word of some drug addict? What the hell is the Oracle anyway? She told us to get demon tears and come hang out in this hotel that’s supposed to suddenly become the gate to hell. We’re not one step closer to getting Anna back. I’m only here for that.”
“We’ve got two weeks, Eric. Two weeks until All Hallows Eve. We’ll never make it that long if the commission has their way. What if they destroy the shade? What if you can’t even get in? We have to deal with them.”
“That’s just it, Gary. Deal with who? We don’t actually know anything. You keep saying the commission but you don’t really know that, do you?”
“Come on,” Gary snapped and suddenly headed for the door. “I wanna show you something.”
Eric threw his hands in the air and shook his head, but begrudgingly, he followed. They left the hotel and drove into the city. Eric stared out of the window at the changing landscape as the desert faded and was replaced with towering buildings and gridlocked traffic.
Between the hum of cars rolling by, the honking, and the shouting voices, Eric could hear the city’s magic strumming through the air. He could feel it calling to him or maybe it was his inner voice, begging him to reach out and use it. There was always magic, and something deep down inside of him always wanted more.
“If there ever was a time to apparate,” Eric complained.
“We are keeping a low profile. Use magic and you might as well wear a tracker.”
“Well we might as well walk at this point. What were you gonna show me? What’s gonna make me change my mind?”
“You haven’t seen it yet? You used to be so much better at this.”
“Seen what?” Eric asked and started looking out of the back window.
Gary grinned then pulled off the freeway and turned down a side street. He stopped the car at a curb alongside a shopping plaza. Twisting the key, he cut the engine then turned to face Eric.
“What?” Eric asked in annoyance.
“Just wait.”
A few moments later a white sedan slowly crept by and parked on the opposite side of the road. Gary laughed, but Eric stared at him with a clueless expression.
“Are you even a cop? It’s a tail, Eric, a freaking tail. They’ve been following us all week. I’m sure it’s the commission.”
“How do you know?”
“Cause it’s what I do. They have agents that investigate agents. You didn’t think they’d send someone out here to follow us?”
Eric stared at the car and frowned. Scratching his head, he looked back at Gary and shrugged. “So, what are we gonna do?”
“Well, I think it’s time we get some answers. You up for some enhanced interrogation?”
Eric smiled. “I’ll follow your lead.”
Gary jumped out of the car and straightened his jacket. He slicked back the wild strands of blond hair then looked across the street to the car.
In the driver’s seat was a pudgy man with dark brown hair and glasses. He was talking on the phone to someone and his chin wiggled every time he spoke. Beside him was another hefty man with a bald head and a thick, gray mustache. They were both wearing generic gray suits and had an official, government air about them.
“Come on,” Gary said and headed across the street.
Eric followed and before he knew what was going on Gary had already opened the back door to the Chevy Malibu and jumped inside.
“What the hell are you doing?” the driver shouted.
“Calm down,” Eric said as he slipped in beside Gary.
“Calm down? Have you two lost your mind?”
“Calm down,” Eric said again and reached out, pushing their consciousness aside. Once he had them under his control he turned to Gary. “What do you want to know?”
“Let’s start with who?” Gary replied.
Eric dove into the driver’s mind and started to sift around. Where he would usually find random thoughts and memories, he only saw a cloud of haze. Focusing, he pushed harder, trying to force his way through, but the deeper he went the more convoluted the man’s mind became.
Switching tactics, he tried to brain hack the passenger’s mind. He found the same thing, a dull cloud, like fog floating over a cemetery.
“Something wrong?” Gary asked as Eric squinted and shook his head.
“Yeah…there’s nothing there.”
“What do you mean there’s nothing there?”
“I mean, there’s nothing there! Just, just a cloud, a cloud of nothing.”
“That’s not possible, is it?”
Eric thought about the question for a second. “Well, it’s not like
amnesia. I’ve seen that before, that’s just empty head space. This is different. Somebody is actively blocking their thoughts.”
“I gotta learn that trick.”
“It’s not funny. I think they’re using these guys to watch us right now.”
Gary’s smiled faded and he pulled his service pistol from the holster. Like he was playing a game of whack-a-mole, he hit both agents in the head with his gun and they slumped over in their seats.
“Show’s over now,” he said. “Guess we’ll have to use some old school tactics.”
Gary reached into the front seat and grabbed the man’s cell phone from the center console. He pressed his thumb against the home button then used a bit of magic to unlock it.
“I knew it,” he grumbled. “Last call was a commission number back in New York.”
“We need to find one of these guys that hasn’t had his brain scrambled. Or…” Eric paused and stared out of the window.
“Or what?”
“Or I can use a little boost from the hotel and maybe force my way in.”
“I don’t think it’s worth it, Eric. Not until we find out more about your, your condition.”
Eric narrowed his eyes then looked the other way. “Fine,” he said angrily. Opening the door, he stepped out of the car and left.
They rode back through the city in silence. Eric’s face was pressed up against the window as he watched the urban sprawl fade to empty swatches of sand. Every moment that passed he felt more like a pariah and Gary never missed an opportunity to remind him that he was.
“You gonna act like this all day?” Gary asked as he made the final turn toward the hotel.
“Act like what?”
“Like a spoiled brat.”
“Just drive the car.”
Gary didn’t reply. Instead he pulled out his cell phone and gave Noll a call. The phone went straight to voicemail.
“Noll, it’s Gary. Not really happy about you hanging up on me. At this point I hope Zoey finds out everything you did and pulls your head off for it. Call me back.”
He hung up then did his best to avoid Eric’s gaze. With nothing more than a few awkward glances, they drove back to the hotel in silence.
“Ah, Mr. Abbott, Mr. Strange,” Safron announced as they walked inside. “I’ll have you know my associates have made headway into locating the perpetrator from the other night. We should have him shortly.”
“That’s good,” Eric snapped as he marched through the lobby and hopped onto the elevator.
Shrugging, Gary followed after him. “Don’t mind Eric. He’s just having a bad day.”
Safron nodded then turned and headed back to the desk. Eric slumped his shoulders and stared at the control panel with a blank face. He smashed his fingers into the button and leaned back against the wall.
As soon as the doors closed, Gary rounded on him. “What the hell is with you? Safron might be the only friend we have out here.”
“I don’t know…maybe I’m possessed or part demon or trying to bring hell back. I’m evil, Gary. Don’t you get it?”
“Ok…Ok. I’m sorry. But this, this pulling magic out of the air and setting people on fire. That ain’t you, Eric.”
“What do you want me to tell you? It’s me now. I’m not some weak psychic anymore.”
Eric let out a deep breath as he felt his temper rise and the shadow inside of him shiver with greedy power. It was always waiting for him to lose control, so it could lash out. The only thing that his darkness knew was destruction.
With a ding, the elevator opened, and Eric stepped into the hallway. Frowning, Gary stared after him but didn’t move. He let out an exhausted gape and rubbed his hands across his face.
“You coming?” Eric asked.
Gary lifted his head and sighed. “Sure.”
Eric turned around and headed off down the hall. He walked into his room and left the door open behind him. A minute later Gary stepped inside and took a seat at the desk. He sat for a few minutes silence then cleared his throat and leaned forward.
“You remember why we’re here, right?” Gary asked.
“What?” Eric turned to him and narrowed his eyes. “Of course, I remember why we’re here.”
“I’m just trying to make sure there’s some of you left for Anna to come back to. There’s dark power all around Eric…I can feel it. Just remember who you are.”
Eric looked away. “I get it, okay? And I don’t want to keep hearing about it. So, this commission problem, what are we gonna do about that?”
“Like you said, we’ve gotta find another agent. We won’t be able to get anything done until we figure out why they’re snooping around. And I’ve got a spell to practice, otherwise you’re not making it back from hell and the entire plan is ruined,” Gary replied then stared toward the window. “What did you do with the demon tears?”
Eric twisted his face and bit his lower lip. He scanned the room for a minute then narrowed his eyes in confusion. He’d forgotten all about the bottle.
“Eric?” Gary said in a wary voice.
“It was um…I had it.”
“Eric!”
“I had it…then that, that druid attacked us. I think he took it.”
“Damn it!” Gary snapped. “Do you know how long I had to work Neiman just to get that? And now he’s dead.”
“Gary…a damn wizard, ninja, druid tried to kill me. I wasn’t really worried about a stupid bottle when he shoved that dagger into my stomach.”
Gary shrugged then jumped to his feet. “I need to find a better place to hide those diamonds.”
“And if they’re gone too? See…this losing stuff isn’t just my fault. It happens, Gary.”
“Shut up!”
Gary rushed to the door and Eric followed. They took a quick jaunt down the hall and stopped outside of Gary’s room. He fumbled with the ancient lock and turned the knob. The door creaked angrily as he pushed it open.
“What’s that?” Eric asked. Right inside of the door there was a beige envelope on the floor with Gary’s name written sloppily across the front.
“I don’t know,” Gary said as he bent down and picked it up. He took a quick glance around the room then tore the package and pulled out a folded sheet of paper. “This is from Cortez. He’s here…in L.A. and wants to meet.”
CHAPTER 8
BLOOD RANSOM
“You’re not seriously considering this are you?” Eric asked with a scathing look.
“We need all the help we can get.”
“It’s Cortez…when is he ever helpful?”
“Well, he didn’t steal the diamonds.”
“We don’t know if he even came inside.”
Gary shrugged and grabbed the bag of diamonds off his bed. Twisting his face, he rattled off a string of incomprehensible words and carved his finger through the air. When he was done, he shoved the bag forward and it vanished into the air.
“Whoa!” Eric said in shock. “What did you just do?”
“Nothing much. It’s like an invisible locker. The spell is the key to accessing it. That should keep these diamonds safe enough.”
“Any word from Noll?”
“Not yet…doesn’t mean much. He usually pops in and out.”
Eric shrugged. He trusted Gary, but something told him Noll wasn’t just avoiding them and if he was in trouble that meant Zoey was in trouble. A part of him wanted to go back to New York, it was all he knew and his time in California had only served to turn him into something he didn’t want to be.
“Tomorrow,” Gary suddenly said.
“What?”
“We’ve got a lot to do. So, get some rest.” Gary opened a drawer and pulled out a bottle of brown liquid. He poured a glass and downed it then poured another. “See you in the morning, Eric.”
“What about Cortez?”
“I’m not gonna meet him now. I’m too damn tired. It’s time for cocktails and reflection.”
“And demon tears?”
Gary grumbled. “Tomorrow is just as good as any day. Get the light on your way out.”
Eric took the hint and headed back to his own room. He was pretty exhausted himself and he fell into a deep sleep the moment his head hit the pillow. His dreams were filled with dark images and places he’d known as a child. They weren’t quite nightmares, just disturbing memories that his mind had kept hidden.
He found himself in a strange land surrounded by faces he couldn’t quite place. There was magic everywhere he turned, and the people spoke a language that he didn’t’ understand. He knew he was home, he could feel it. But his memory of the place was blank.
Time didn’t seem to exist wherever he was, at least not in the way we know it. He could see everything, all at once. The past, present and future streamed continuously, a constant loop of every life and not one of them was Anna.
Eric awoke a few hours later to a loud bang at his door. He bolted upright and blinked wildly then yanked the twisted covers off his leg. Squinting, he stared toward the door, but there wasn’t another sound, so he yawned and laid back down.
He closed his eyes and not a moment later, another bang rattled the hinges. Eric jumped out of bed and ran across the room. Twisting the lock, he swung the door open, ready to rip the soul out of whoever was on the other end.
But there was no one. Only an empty bottle sat on the carpet right outside. Eric knelt and picked up the bottle then stared down the hall.
“Hello?” he called as he looked back and forth.
He rolled the bottle around in his hand and examined it. It was the same bottle Neiman had brought them in the diner, but it was bone dry. Every drop of demon tears was gone.
“I’m gonna find you!” he yelled. “And I’m gonna kill you!”
Growling, Eric stepped back inside and slammed the door shut. He let out an angry roar then stormed across the room and sat on the edge of the bed.
“Gary,” he mumbled and grabbed his phone from the nightstand.