by R. J. Wolf
“I can show you.” Castillo turned and started back toward the lobby. He paused and looked back to Eric and Gary and held up his hands. Groaning, they downed their last drink and stood up.
“Charge it to the room Edgar,” Gary said.
The bartender nodded then wet a rag and cleaned off the countertop. Begrudgingly, Eric and Gary followed Castillo into the lobby. He hurried ahead, but when they caught up, he was standing in front of a swarm of assorted henchmen with a satisfied smile on his face.
“This is we.”
CHAPTER 11
WE HAVE OURSELVES AN ARMY
Eric stared into the group of ten underworlders with shock strained across his face. It didn’t make sense, even in the hotel a group like that shouldn’t be possible. It wasn’t that they were sitting together, or even talking, but they’d all agreed to help. They’d agreed to fight alongside each other against the commission.
A full blown lycan hulked in the center of the motley crew. His heavy breath brought with it the scent of the forest and whatever he’d eaten last. His thick hair was twisted and knotted, and his knife-like claws twitched with agitation.
Beside him, Gary recognized one of the three hunters that showed up. She was a slim blonde, dressed in tight denim jeans and a white tank top. Her saddle-brown holster held an assortment of weapons and she cast Castillo a wary eye every time he spoke.
A witch, another vampire, two elves, a fae and a dangerous looking shifter rounded out the group. It was a sight Gary hadn’t seen since the accords. And a sight he’d probably never see again, especially if they failed.
“Where? How?” Gary asked.
“The shade affects us all,” a dark-haired shifter replied. She wore a sundress and heels, but it was obvious she knew how to handle herself. “The commission has to go!”
The others grunted and mumbled their agreement.
Gary turned to Castillo and grinned. “So, you brought us an army?”
“I figured you needed one.”
“Richard has rules about his coven, you know? He won’t look on this kindly.”
“I’ve always been more of a lone…vampire. Coven’s are overrated. Besides, I can handle Richard.”
“Okay then,” Gary said eagerly. “We can get started tomorrow. There’s a diner in Manhattan Beach, it’s called Molly’s Place. Heard of it?”
Castillo nodded along with the others.
“We should probably keep discussions to a minimum in here. So, we’ll meet there at nightfall tomorrow,” Gary replied as he tried to suppress a smile. “This, this could work.”
Castillo looked pleased with himself. He stared back at the group as Gary’s words resonated and mumbled, “This could work.”
One by one the group started to head out. They said their goodbyes and left the hotel, following the call of the night. Castillo hung back until everyone had gone. He stopped near the door and turned to Gary and Eric before leaving.
“Just make sure we are doing this for the right reasons,” he said in a low voice. “All of them have their own issues with the commission and if what you say is true, then the commission needs to go. But this is just the beginning. I’ve seen this story before, Gary. Let’s make sure it has a different ending this time.”
Gary frowned. “All I know is if we fail, the story is gonna have a very different ending. I’ll see you tomorrow night.”
That night, Eric had his first good sleep in a long time. With Castillo and his friends helping, maybe things would start moving in the right direction. In the end, he was there for Anna. Nothing mattered more than that. Not the shade, not the rest of his memories, not even his life.
As he slept, he caught glimpses of Anna in his dreams. She was always screaming, always calling out to him but he could never hear what she was saying. Whenever he got close, she vanished, leaving him with more questions than answers.
The next morning came quickly and Eric found himself speeding down the highway with Gary. They had a plan and as half-baked as it was, Eric was happy to be doing anything that felt like they were moving forward. If things went right, pretty soon the commission would be busy chasing their own tail.
“Pull over right here,” Eric said as he unlocked the door and got ready to jump out.
Gary slowed the corvette to a crawl and Eric hopped out and darted behind a newspaper stand. As soon as he was out of sight, Gary hit the gas and sped away.
“Showtime,” Eric mumbled and squeezed his hands together. With less effort than he expected, he projected an image of Gary’s corvette onto the road. A black sedan screeched around the corner just as a holographic Gary and Eric appeared in the phantom car and drove off.
The commission car quickly gave chase. Two more sedans joined in, blowing through red lights to keep up. Eric flicked his hand and sent the corvette racing throughout the city with the oblivious agents trailing along.
Meanwhile, the real Gary pulled into an alley and put his car in park. Closing his eyes, he focused every bit of power he could, and mumbled beneath his breath. With a deafening pop, he apparated himself and the car back to the spot he left Eric. As the car settled onto the pavement, Gary wiped a trickle of blood from his nose and took a deep breath.
“You have any trouble?” Eric asked and opened the door.
“Gonna need some Aspirin, but I’ll be fine. What about you?”
“Nope. By the time they catch that car they’ll be in Oregon.”
“Good. Hop in, we gotta meet the rest of Castillo’s little army.”
Without a tail from the commission, Gary made his way across the city to a diner near Manhattan Beach. He parked around the back then waited a few minutes before heading inside. His head was still a bit foggy and he was starting to consider the effects drinking might have on his ability to apparate.
“Took you guys long enough,” Castillo said as they stepped into the building.
“Didn’t think you’d be out so early,” Gary replied, dismissing him with a wave of his hand.
“Sun was pretty low when I left, and Julie’s car has some very dark tinted windows.”
The shifter smiled and flicked her long, black hair over her shoulder. “This vamp grows on you,” she said with a laugh. “Maybe I’ll keep him around.”
“Ok, if you could all stop with this lovefest, can someone tell me why we’re all here?” Shanna, the blonde hunter growled.
Castillo stood up and addressed the group. “This is, Gary,” he said loudly. “We never did make any formal introductions. Gary’s a friend, and this is Eric his partner.”
“Partner?” a harsh voice called from the back of the room.
Castillo shot them a warning glance then continued. “Most of us know Gary, if nothing else by reputation.”
“What is the point already?” Shanna asked in frustration.
“Calm down,” Gary snapped. “This is the beginning of the fall of the commission,” Gary started. “Right now, the commission office is probably getting raided…thanks to a call we placed to the FBI. And they’re spending all their resources wiping memories of a bunch of zeroes that Castillo compelled to attack any commission agent they see.”
“So what?”
“So, now we figure out what they’re really doing.”
Shanna grumbled and cocked her head to the side. Gary ignored her and ordered a shot of whiskey from the frail waitress. “Look,” he said as he turned back to the group. “I’m meeting a friend as soon as I leave here. A friend that should be able to tie all of this together.”
Shanna stood up and threw her hands into the air. “Tie what together, Gary. I’m here because of Castillo. I don’t even know you. But Castillo says somethings going on, so I showed up. You need to start talking.”
Gary glared at her for a moment and tried to breathe away his temper. He glanced at Eric then leaned forward in his chair. “Look, the commission is corrupt. I’m sure we all feel that way. But just how corrupt? Well, back in New York we had an informant,” he pau
sed and took a deep breath. “The commission wants to destroy the shade to keep it open. They want all darkkin to take over the world.”
The room shifted uncomfortably. There were gasps and exaggerated coughs as they all shared confused looks.
“We’re not gonna let that happen,” Gary finished.
“What are we talking about here, Gary?” Castillo asked. “How far are you willing to take this?”
“As far as it needs to go. The shade is thinning and the commission is everywhere. It’s not a coincidence, they’re making their move. Just, just let me talk to my friend first.”
“And what are we gonna do until then?”
“We start poking bears. They’re out here following us around, let’s return the favor. We’ve gotta go on the offense. Not a war yet, I don’t think everyone is in on it. But we’ve gotta start pushing back. Because I promise you, the commission won’t hesitate to put one of us in the ground.”
“So, this is your idea of a war, pranking the commission to get even?” Shanna asked.
“This is my idea of a distraction, and right now that’s what we need. So, go ahead, Shanna, just be your lovely self, that’s sure to garner some attention. Walk around in broad daylight with a belt full of weapons…what the hell are you doing with that anyway?”
Shanna cut her eyes and pulled out one of the blades from her belt. She twirled it around and rubbed her finger across it. “I like to cut things, Gary.”
Gary sighed and shoveled a drink down his throat. “They brought the New York office out here, to your home. All I’m asking is that you send a few of them back east. We keep them busy, second guessing, and chasing their tails. Give us time to piece everything together.”
“And how do we do that?” Chuck, the massive lycan asked. He swept his stringy brown hair over his shoulder and scratched his beard. Chuck was the leader of the Hills Pack, a group of ruthless biker-lycan that had no issues going to war with just about anyone.
“Harass some zeroes, get em spooked, get em scared. Hell, bite a few if you need to. Just get the commission involved. And when they show up, do what you do best.”
“We didn’t get up to play hide n seek with some commission agents,” Shanna growled. “We all have our reasons, but the commission needs to pay. That’s why we’re here!”
“And they will pay,” Gary said as his voice started to rise. “I promise you that. Give us time to figure out what they’re up to, how far this corruption goes. Then we’re going after them and taking the whole thing down. This is just the beginning.”
Shanna let out a low grumble then looked up at Gary and shrugged. The group wasn’t happy, but eventually they all agreed. They were ready for war and Gary knew he wouldn’t be able to hold them back for long. He also knew the risk of guys like Chuck mingling with commission agents but he was out of options.
“Any questions?” Gary asked as everyone prepared to leave.
A tall elf with long blonde hair and one green, one blue eye stood up. He stared around the diner then looked to Gary and bowed slightly. “What happens after that?” he asked in a soft voice. “What happens once the commission falls?”
Gary cocked his head to the side. “I’m sorry, what’s your name?”
“Aranel,” the man replied. “And this is Ellania.” He nodded to a female sitting beside him. She smiled and flashed a pair of pure white eyes.
“Well, Aranel, I’ve never thought about that. The commission has always existed in some form or another. I don’t think anyone has planned for a world where they don’t exist.”
“They weren’t always so,” Aranel replied. “There was a time, a time before the commission.”
A chubby, freckled faced hunter named Betram stood up and shook his head. “Oh, no. No, no…no. I know exactly what he’s talking about.”
“The time before the signing of the accords,” Theo added. He was Bertram’s best friend. A formidable hunter with a very unassuming appearance. He was medium height and hid his muscular build beneath a heap of mismatched, baggy clothes. His dark skin was riddled with rune tattoos and due to his upbringing by gypsies he was known to cast a spell every now and then.
“Yeah,” Betram continued. “Before the signing of the accords. I heard it was a scary time to be alive.”
“That’s an understatement,” Dennis laughed. He was the only other vampire there but he looked like he was ready to file taxes not go to war. He was a middle-aged man with thinning hair and glasses that were always askew no matter how many times he fixed them. His polo shirt was a size too small and tucked into his pants and his shoes were likely the last pair of Velcro in existence.
Gary shrugged. “The short answer is, I don’t have an answer.”
“That’s unacceptable!” Kendal snapped. She was a pale-skinned fae with green hair. “I hate the commission to my core. But I don’t want to find out what will rise in their absence. You need a plan, Gary.”
Gary started to reply, but Castillo cut him off. “That’s enough for tonight,” he said and waved his hands in the air. “We’ve been here too long and don’t wanna start setting off any alarms. I think it’s time we clear out.”
Kendal stood up with annoyed look on her face. She shrugged then turned around and left the diner.
“She’ll get over it,” Castillo grumbled. “Anyway, until next time.”
One by one the group left the diner and went their separate ways. Eventually, the only ones left were Eric and Gary.
“I didn’t want to say this earlier,” Eric started as the last of their team drove off. “But have you lost your mind?”
“What?”
“There’s no way you can meet with, Cortez. Especially after everything that’s gone on. It’s a setup, Gary. And what the hell do you mean your friend? Cortez is not a friend.”
“I can handle myself, Eric. Did you forget that too?”
Eric lowered his head into his hands and closed his eyes. “Gary,” he said lowly. “I’m not saying you can’t handle yourself. But what the hell do I do if you go missing again?”
“I’m not gonna go missing again. Look, I know it’s risky, but what else do we have? Noll is missing, druids are trying to kill you, the commission is all over the place, and we have to find Anna. Like you said, Eric, we’re running out of time.”
Rubbing his hands across his face, Eric lowered his head and sighed. Gary’s words hit home. They were desperate, and they needed answers, he was right about that.
Gary left a few dollars on the table and stood up. He patted Eric on the back and rested a hand on his shoulder.
“Be safe,” Eric mumbled.
Gary smiled. “Take the vette. I’ll meet you back at the hotel in a few hours.”
CHAPTER 12
AN OLD FRIEND
Gary left the diner and walked for a bit down the sidewalk. He listened to the ocean and felt the breeze on his face, reminding him of how much he had to lose. He stared out to the moonlit night and thought about home and his family. He’d lost so much already but he’d learned to push those feelings down.
It wasn’t until he saw Richard’s face earlier, that he realized how much pain he still felt, but he also realized how much he missed his brother. Underneath the stars, his heart ached for the life that fate had stolen from him. There was a time when he and Richard inseparable. The vampire curse had stolen that from him.
Gary took a seat on a bench and watched the water lapping up against the shoreline. The sound was calming, and he relaxed into the metronome like flow and closed his eyes.
He smiled as his mind brought back memories of a life long ago. A life of purpose and fulfilment that he soaked in every day. He wanted that life back, or at least some semblance of it and that started with taking down the commission.
Swallowing the lump of fear, he stood up and started back down the sidewalk. He walked until he found a narrow path that allowed beach access and he followed it toward the water. He walked alongside the lonely pier then stopped abou
t halfway down.
“I know you’re already here,” he said calmly.
“You never disappoint, Gary,” Cortez replied and stepped out of the shadows.
Gary clenched his fists and tensed up. He scanned the shoreline and the dark spots underneath the pier. The hair on his neck stood on end but the night seemed empty.
“I’m alone,” Cortez said calmly. Besides, I’ve never known you to be so nervous.”
“Well, these are dangerous times we’re living in.”
“I’m certain…especially for you.”
Gary sighed. “You asked me here, Cortez. So, what is it?”
“I know what you and Strange are out here doing.”
“Yeah…so what?”
“I know the real reason, and if I figured it out so can the commission. They’re piecing it together, shouldn’t be long. Of course, they don’t know about Anna yet. How could they? They’ve never understood true power. Just another dead witch to them.”
Gary swallowed and clenched his jaw. Something told him to set Cortez on fire or turn him into a pile of blood but he needed answers. So, he continued to listen, for the moment.
“He’s gonna bring her back, isn’t he?” Cortez asked.
“I thought you had something to tell me. All you’re doing is shooting in the dark.”
“Call it what you will. Look, I know we’ve never agreed completely.”
Gary laughed. “That’s the understatement of the year.”
“Anyway, my point is…I’m with you on this, Gary. The commission, they…they’ve gone mad. Opening the shade, releasing countless darkkin, enslaving the zeroes.”
“When did you become an advocate for humanity?”
“I’m not. But I love the status quo. We drain who we drain and keep to the shadows. Why ruin a good thing? Why flood this world with demons and every other worthless creature? I’ve got a cozy life; I’m not trying to mess it up.”
“So, you’re not as stupid as you look, huh? But what does that have to do with me, Cortez?”
“Everything. They’re unleashing the fallen.”