by Alex Steele
“So you have no way of tracking down who did it?” Swift asked, raising her brow.
“Welllll...I might, but it’s going to take some time, and just because we figure out which hacker did it, doesn’t mean I can figure out who hired them.”
I turned away and dragged my hands down my face. This case was frustrating, especially with the valkyrie refusing to cooperate. The Mage’s Guild was being even more difficult than usual. And, to top it all off, our informant for the stupid drug ring case had exploded.
“Try to figure out the hacker. I’ll go and string them up by their ankles and shake the truth out of them if I have to,” I said, grabbing my suit jacket and yanking the door open.
“There is another thing I can try to figure out,” Bootstrap said.
I paused and turned back around. “What?”
“Who runs Moira,” he said, tapping his slimy, chewed on pen against his cheek.
“The Mage’s Guild runs Moira,” Swift said, shaking her head as she joined me by the door.
Bootstrap shrugged. “That’s the party line, but they didn’t create Moira. They don’t even know how it was created, they just planted their flag there when they found it –– another thing no one can explain –– and started selling off little pieces of paradise.”
“You can screw around with whatever conspiracy theories you want in your free time, but I need to know who or what cut the camera feed before the attack.” I left the room with Swift close behind. Instead of heading downstairs, I led her toward my father’s study. She had dealt with magical artifacts for a long time, and I wanted to get her opinion on that chest I’d found.
“He’s probably right,” Swift said as we walked.
“I know, but we need him to focus on the case first. Besides, I think we both have some idea who might have pointed the Mage’s Guild toward Moira whenever it was first discovered.”
“Fate?” Swift asked with a frown.
“Or something like him.” We hadn’t discussed the incident since it happened. And I hadn’t told her about Fate’s second visit. I knew I should, but it felt like a distraction. I wasn’t thrilled with the idea of telling her that she was doomed, especially since I didn’t believe it was true. I refused to.
I paused in front of the door to the study. Last night I'd spent hours trying to get into the damn chest and hadn't had any luck. “I have something to show you, that I need your help with, but I’d like you to keep it to yourself.”
She looked surprised, but nodded. “Of course. What is it?”
“It’s better if I just show you,” I said, pushing the door to the study open. Swift walked in behind me and I shut the door behind us. “I found this by accident the other day, and I’m not sure why it’s here.”
I walked over to the shelf and placed my hand on the corner. Magic warmed under my palm and I felt the wards unlock. I pushed the shelf inward, revealing the hidden room.
“You didn’t know this existed?” she asked as she walked over to peer inside.
“No. I was looking through some of the books and felt something odd.” I held up the hand with my family signet ring. “This appears to be the key.”
She grabbed my hand and examined the ring closely. “There are most likely runes etched into the metal. Probably on the inside of the band where they can’t be easily spotted. I imagine it requires someone from the family line as well, so that not just anyone with the ring could open it.”
“I’d figured out that much, it’s this that I need your help with.” I drew a quick rune for light and a small orb appeared, illuminating the narrow room, and the chest at the end of it.
“Oooh, a chest,” she said, hurrying over to it. She crouched down so that it was at eye level and began examining it. “Have you opened it?”
“I can’t figure out how to.”
She slid her fingers along the seam of the chest, muttering something under her breath. “Mind if I try a few things?”
“Not at all,” I said, crossing my arms and leaning against the wall. “I knew you had experience with these sorts of magical artifacts, so if anyone could get it open, it’d be you.”
“That almost sounded like a compliment,” she said as she cracked her knuckles and began tracing runes in the air all around the chest.
“I’ll go back to insulting you after the free labor,” I said with a grin.
She threw a glare over her shoulder, but there was no heat in it. Turning her attention back to the runes, she drew the final one, linking them all together, then took a step back. She held her hands in front of her and twisted them slowly. The runes moved in sync with her hands. Finger-like tendrils of magic extended from the runes down to the chest. They poked and prodded every inch of it, some of them shimmering as they touched a certain place, others crackling in alarm.
She pushed her hands forward and the runes attempted to press into the chest. They glowed brightly as she pumped magic through them, but then they started to shake. She leaned forward, putting a little more oomph behind it. The chest vibrated and the gold engravings on it lit up, almost blinding me.
Swift immediately dropped her hands and hastily canceled the runes. “Well, that didn’t work.”
“What happened?”
“That chest has some serious protections woven into it. There’s no way to open it without destroying it, and whatever is inside. Which I’m assuming you don’t want to do,” she said with a shrug. “It’d probably take out this wing of the manor too.”
“Why would my father leave the family ring for me so I could get into this room, but not leave a way to open the chest?” I asked, frustrated. “It doesn’t make any sense.”
“There are a few possibilities,” Swift said, taking on a different demeanor than I was used to. She sounded a little like Professor Gresham, the old guy that owned the rare book store and was suspiciously good at robbing archeological sites. “First, he didn’t leave it for you. It’s something only he could open, and the fact that the ring lets you into the room is merely coincidence.”
I didn’t like that option at all. The idea that I might never get into the chest was more than frustrating. It was infuriating. “I can’t believe he’d do that.”
She nodded. “Some chests like this are constructed so that they’ll only open if certain parameters are met. The trigger could be a life event such as marriage, becoming a father, or even the death of a loved one. It could also require a certain spell or rune, which may be hidden somewhere else in the house. The possibilities are almost endless. I could think of a dozen ways to keep something locked until I was ready for it to open.”
I sighed and dragged my hand down my face. I’d hoped she would have an easy solution, but of course, that wasn’t how my life ever turned out.
“I can keep looking for a solution––”
“No, you don’t need to do that. I’ll figure it out. If he left it for me, I should be able to.” I shoved my hands in my pockets. “Thanks for trying.”
“Sure, but it would actually be really interesting to take a look around the manor and see if there is anything connected to the chest,” she said, already walking out of the room. “I haven’t worked on a project like this in ages. The whole idea of chests and the skill it takes to create them is fascinating. Actually, wasn’t your mother an enchanter? It would add a whole new dynamic if she actually built the chest for your father. The familial bonds could make the magic even stronger.”
I sighed and shook my head, slightly exasperated. It looked like I was going to get help whether I wanted it or not. As usual.
Eleven
Swift smacked her hand down on my desk, startling me. "I found some interesting information, but it's going to have to wait until after we talk to Bradley. We've been summoned."
I rose, grabbing my jacket off the back of my chair and pulling it on as we walked. "What did you find out?"
She picked up her pace, almost like she was running away from me. "I'll tell you after the meeting."
"You can't just drop a bomb like that and not tell me," I said, glaring at her as she opened the door to Bradley's office.
She grinned. "Sure I can."
I followed her inside, tempted to trip her or something equally petty. Every time she was remotely helpful, she ruined it by being infuriating.
All thoughts of Swift's mysterious statement fled as soon as I saw Bradley. He was facing the wall, his thick fingers smoothing down his mustache. That was a bad sign. That meant he was more than just angry, he was nervous.
Swift and I exchanged a look, then went and sat down across from his desk, waiting with our hands in our laps like unruly school children sent to the principal's office.
An uncomfortable silence lingered in the air until Bradley sighed deeply.
"I intended to have this conversation with you the day of the attack, however, I've been busy." He turned toward us and inspected our faces for any signs of guilt before settling on Swift. "You were supposed to keep him in line, but instead, you are asking around about Moira, who built it, and all sorts of other top secret information."
That must be related to whatever surprise information she had for me. When we’d first been partnered, I’d thought she was a stickler for the rules. In reality, she liked to break them just as much as I did.
"Well, I––"
He rose from his chair and loomed over us. "This is one situation where I cannot condone you going off on your own. I made that clear in the gathering!" He smacked his hand down on his desk for emphasis, then...winked. "Do not make me have this conversation with you again. I absolutely will not tolerate this kind of behavior." He jabbed his finger at us and...winked again.
Maybe he was having a stroke. Or he was trying to tell us we were on the right track and definitely should keep going rogue. I was going to assume the latter.
I cleared my throat. "Well, despite my partner's failings, I will do my best to ensure we don't let you down, Chief Bradley."
Swift elbowed me then smiled sweetly at our boss. "Is there anything else, Chief?"
"Yes. Care to explain why our potential informant is splattered all over the inside of one of the interrogation rooms?" He crossed his arms and looked at us expectantly.
"I actually have a theory on that," Swift said quickly, pulling the evidence bag with the little white orb out of her pocket. "This device can receive and send a faint signal, and I believe it was a failsafe for whoever he was working for. Blackwell and I have an appointment with the coroner to see if there's any evidence in the...remains that can tell us how it managed to kill him. I may be wrong, but we need to at least check it out."
Bradley nodded. "Alright, I expect some information on my desk before the day is over. Do not go making any more trouble."
I stood. "Would we ever do something like that?"
Bradley simply glared at me, his mustache twitching ominously.
Swift grabbed my arm and dragged me toward the door, tossing a nod over her shoulder. "Thanks, Chief."
I was shoved unceremoniously out of the office as she pulled the door shut behind us. "You've gotten very pushy."
"We need to go meet Viktor at the morgue. I'll explain the...other stuff once we’re done," she said, ignoring me and hurrying toward the elevators.
I sighed but followed her.
Viktor, the Russian necromancer who was the coroner I worked with most often, was stuck in the Moira office for the foreseeable future. There were dark circles under his eyes and the sickly smell of disinfectants and rotting flesh clung to him like a toxic cloud.
He smacked the bin down on the table between us and crossed his arms. "Why have you brought me a bin of...goo?" His accent was thicker than normal, probably from exhaustion. "You do remember what I've said about keeping their heads intact?"
"This one just exploded all on his own," Swift said quickly as his glare strayed to her. "I didn't squish him."
"You definitely hit him in the head with your mace," I said, smirking at her.
"That wasn’t what killed him though." She turned back to Viktor and pulled out the evidence bag that held the white orb and slid it across the table. "I was hoping you could help us determine the cause of death, actually."
"What is this?" He picked up the bag and examined the orb, eyebrows pinched tightly together.
"We're not sure, but it can send and receive a faint magical recording. During the interrogation, the guy seemed really frantic, and when I showed him that he went crazy, as if he had to have it, then...boom." She mimed the explosion with her hands.
Sighing, Viktor took off the lid to the bin. The smell of death grew even stronger and I resisted the urge to cover my nose. The necromancer grabbed a handful of the remains and plopped them on the table.
He poked the goo, letting a little black spark of his magic jolt through it. Dark, black smoke curled up from the remains.
Viktor frowned. "How long did you say this man has been dead?"
"About twenty-four hours now. Less than two days for sure," I said with a shrug.
The coroner's frown deepened and he scooped out another bloody handful, repeating the process. The smoke remained dark black. "Are you certain this is the same body?"
Swift nodded resolutely. "Yes, I'm positive, unless the morgue mixed it up somehow. Why?"
"This body has been dead for months and shows signs of necromancy." Viktor began scooping the remains back into the bin.
"What? For months? There's no way," I protested. "He was very obviously alive and making his own decisions. He was walking around in Las Vegas dealing drugs."
Viktor shrugged. "You have my professional opinion. This man has been dead for a while. It's not my job to figure out the rest."
I glanced at the white orb still sitting in the evidence bag. Before I could second guess myself, I grabbed it and dumped the orb out onto the table. It rolled once, coming to a stop only inches from the last bit of remains Viktor hadn't put back yet.
The bloody sludge rolled toward it with a wet splat, then went still once again.
"That is not normal," Swift said, her voice sounding strained as she put her hand over her mouth.
I was glad I hadn't eaten breakfast yet.
"Hmm, interesting," Viktor said, leaning down to inspect the orb. "This flesh was bound to that item at some point. Just as a corpse I had reanimated yearns to feel my touch once again, these remains are seeking out this orb."
I took a deep breath I immediately regretted. "That seems...unusual. I've never heard of an object being used to reanimate someone. And the fact still remains that he looked very much alive when he was arrested."
“If he did truly appear alive and act on his own that is not only unusual, it is impossible. Send me the video of the interrogation and I will look for signs of necromancy when I get a chance," Viktor said, scooping up the last of the remains, then stripping off his gloves. "I still have victims of the Rune Rail attack to examine, so, unfortunately, I cannot spend any more time on this today, even though it interests me."
"Thanks for making time to see us at all," Swift said with a smile.
"I am always happy to help Agent Blackwell," Viktor replied before walking away.
Swift watched him walk away with an unhappy expression before turning to me. "What the hell did I do to him?"
I laughed. "Honestly, I have no idea."
Twelve
As we walked toward the Rune Rentals counter, I looked around. The place was deserted. Normally, around this time of day, the Rune Rail and this area would be packed with people. The few that had braved coming here were hurrying through the place like something might jump out at them at any moment.
I couldn't blame them. Even I felt an itch between my shoulder blades that made me want to be anywhere but here. The magisters standing near the entrances and exits didn’t help the feeling. Added security was necessary, but it gave the entire place an ominous feel.
A familiar face popped up behind the Rune Rentals desk. We hadn’t
seen Billy since the whole New York City incident. Relief spread across Billy's face as soon as he recognized us.
"Hey, Blackwell, Swift," he said, nodding to each of us in turn. There were dark circles under his eyes and his shirt was stained.
"You look exhausted," I said as we stopped in front of the desk.
Billy sighed. "Everyone else keeps bailing on their shifts, so I've been here for the past sixteen hours."
"Were you here during the attack?" Swift asked, concern clear on her face.
"Yeah. It shook the whole city and I could hear people screaming, but by the time I got there, it was already over. It all happened so fast." He shook his head, as if to clear the memories, then leaned in conspiratorially. "What attacked the Rune Rail?"
"No clue, unfortunately," I said with a shrug. "None of the witnesses survived."
Billy's face fell. "I wish I'd been there. Maybe I could have done something."
I reached across the counter and put my hand on his shoulder. "I don't think there's anything any of us could have done." I hesitated briefly before continuing, glancing over my shoulder to make sure no one was within earshot, then cast a muffling spell just to be sure. "Look, this isn't something I should share, but whatever attacked also killed a valkyrie. There is something really bad going on. If something happens, you run. Got it?"
His face paled slightly at the mention of the valkyrie, and he nodded. "Got it. But I still don't like it."
"Neither do I."
Billy took a deep breath, then put on his business face. "You're not here for that. You need your car?"
I canceled the muffling spell and nodded, then glared at Swift. I hated being left in the dark. It was almost as bad as surprises. "Apparently, though I have no idea where we're headed."
Swift grinned smugly. "We're going back to your favorite city."
I narrowed my eyes at her.
She sighed and gave me a condescending look. "Tokyo."
My confusion only increased. "They're in Tokyo?"