by Alexie Aaron
Murph turned and followed the man’s outstretched hand. It was Angelo’s building he was pointing at. It must have been when she was confessing to not totaling killing Quentin. “That’s a birdman’s nest.”
“What’s our beauty doing there?”
“Business, I expect.”
“So, did you and she mend your ways or are you still calling her a strumpet?”
“I didn’t come here to discuss my love life. I came to see my friends.”
“Well, Harley’s still navigating the Pride, and Riff’s moved on to the Midnight Sun. I think there are a few fellas you may recognize. George lost the Peacock to Captain Fox, and now she’s no longer dealing in slaves. She’s working with us on a mutual venture. Fox caught wind of a treasure and asked the Pride to sail with her since we’ve been in these waters before. What have you been up to?”
“I spent some time in France. Other than that, I’ve been taking care of the farm,” Murphy related.
Harley walked out on deck, bringing with him a blue haze. “Stephen, so good to see you.”
Murphy shook the man’s hand. “So you’re navigating the Great Lakes?”
“Small seas but equally tricky, man. Lots of traffic on them.”
The three made their way to the captain’s quarters where they shared a bottle of rum and told tales. Murphy enlightened them on how to kill a Nephilim, and Waite was surprised to hear that the information on how to do so came from Mia. “You see, when I met her again on the island, I knew I was dealing with something special. She was sad. I expect, it was you causing that. If you don’t treat her better, I’m going to steal her away.”
“She comes with three children,” Murphy warned. “One with a thousand questions.”
“Are you saying I’m afraid of domestic bliss?” Waite asked.
“Yes.”
Waite slapped the table and roared with laughter. Harley’s eyes twinkled.
Waite calmed down, grabbed the edge of the table, leaned in, and recited, “I’m all about the sailor’s life, but being gone for months is no way to keep a wife.”
“Ah, but if you love ‘em hard and fill them with child, you’ll have a reason to go and get wild,” Waite continued.
“I want to kiss her, but she’s married. I won’t cross the line until he’s buried,” Murphy added. “Holding her felt like a thousand suns exploding in my head. It took all my self-control not to drag her into bed.”
“Ah, Mia of the seven seas, one look from her brings us poor sailors to our knees,” Waite said reflectively.
Chapter Ten
Mia locked up the truck and turned to go when Mike surprised her.
“Hello, Cooper.”
“Hello, Dupree. Thanks for waiting.”
“You’re looking very businesslike. Very stylish.”
“Thank you for the compliment.”
Mike felt an invisible wall between them. Was she mad at him?
They walked into the building, and Mike held up the security pass Mary Westfield had made for him. “Watch,” he said before he swiped it. Instead of his name showing in the readout, it said: LIMPDICK.
“That is so mean.”
“Burt would say that’s what I get for dating the clients.”
“It was her choice. I warned her.”
Mike stopped and looked at her. “Was I so horrible?”
“You were a player, Mike, a player.”
“You said were.”
“I’m sorry for the verb confusion,” Mia said. She walked halfway up the backstairs and sat down.
“Are you tired?”
“No, I just know right here there is no camera.” She patted the stair. “Sit.”
He sat.
Mia turned to him and said, “I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have labeled you. I’m sorry, I didn’t see the person inside. I was an immature brat.”
“Was?”
Mia stared at him. “Are you wearing makeup?”
She reached out, and he caught her hand before she touched his face.
“Don’t touch it!” he shouted.
Mia stood up and backed away. “Sorry.”
“No, I’m sorry, just a little eczema breakout. I’m a little sensitive about it,” he lied. Was this part of the prophesy? Mia catches Mike with a face scratched by a woman’s slap.
“Fine, sure, whatever,” Mia said and ran up the stairs. She had to wait for him to open the door. She wouldn’t make eye contact.
Mike swiped the badge, and they walked out into the office area. “Do you want to say hi or head right for the gem room?”
“I better take care of Bill and Shelley while I still have energy,” Mia said.
Mia saw Bill pacing in front of the Grainger Hall of Gems. Shelley was sitting atop a display case of blue topaz. There was an increased guard presence as the employees worked feverishly inventorying the collection.
Mia connected an earbud to her iPhone and walked up to Bill, pretending to be on the phone. “Bill, it’s Mia. Do you remember me?”
“My god, if it isn’t the little screamer. You’ve grown up and filled out that sweater nice.”
“Bill, don’t. You’re embarrassing the girl,” Shelley scolded. “She saved me.”
“Shel, I was only giving her a good ribbing. I’m not liking the glamor boy she arrived with. He looks too pretty to be honorable.”
“He’s a colleague. I’ve got three kids now with Ted. You remember him? Tall, auburn hair…”
“Hat on backwards, blue jeans, and a tight little tushy,” Shelley added. “Sure, we remember him.”
Mia turned her phone and slowly showed both ghosts pictures of her kids.
“Mia, don’t take it the wrong way, but those kids’ noses could open cans,” Bill said.
Shelley hit him on the arm. “Shame on you. They’ll grow into their noses. Good thing there isn’t a girl yet. Take it from me, she’s going to have a beak like the rest. My cousin Marla married a hawk-nosed shoe salesman and had six kids. All of them big noses, and Marla had a Hollywood nose. Poor kids.”
Mia thought it was time to move away from noses. “I heard something happened here last night. Did you see anything?”
“Did we. Bill busted a guy’s nose for trying to feel me up,” Shelley claimed.
“Ah, Shel, he was just trying to move you so he could see the diamond,” Bill said. “Your bodacious body was in the way.”
“Was it just one guy? I saw a lot of damage,” Mia said.
“There was a gang of them roaming the museum, but just the one checking out the loot up here. I think I surprised him. He fought like a tiger. I ended up picking him up and tossing him at Sue’s feet. It surprised his boss.”
“Tell me about his boss.”
“He had on a long coat and shiny boots. Expensive boots, wouldn’t you say, Shel?”
“I thought he was a movie actor. Douglas Fairbanks Jr. comes to mind.”
“You’re telling me he looked like a pirate?” Mia asked for confirmation.
“Yes.”
“Thank you. Did you see anything else interesting?”
“Not see, feel. Since they brought in that giant box they have downstairs, Shel and I have been feeling very energetic. Quite a few of the other hangers-on have been feeling their oats. Once it hit three in the morning, they were up and ripping the place apart.”
“Where is this box?”
“It’s in the big lab. They brought it in with a crane. Big to-do over nothin’ if you ask me.”
“Thanks, Bill. Oh, Bill, watch the gem room. If I know pirates, they will be back to clean this place out.”
“I’m thinking, in a few days, I’ll be strong enough to do that myself,” Bill said.
“Good luck to you then,” Mia said.
“You know, doll, you’re alright for a screamer.”
Mia smiled.
Mike, who had heard Mia’s side of things, waited until they had descended the stairs onto the main floor before he asked, “Pirates?”
�
�Yes. And I know where they came from. Can you take me to see the big lab downstairs?” Mia asked.
“My security card won’t let me in. We’ll have to ask Bernard.”
“Or me,” Charles Cooper said behind them, carrying a carafe of coffee and box of pastries.
“Father!” Mia said, trying to hug him around his baked goods.
“I thought I wouldn’t be seeing Ted until tomorrow.”
“You won’t. He’s finishing a project for MIT. He’ll be here tomorrow.”
“What are you doing here then?”
“PEEPs stuff. Your box is causing problems with the local ghosts,” Mia claimed.
“Has Ted told you about it?”
“No. I heard about it from a gangster up there on the second floor. Can I see it?”
“You wouldn’t understand it. Had you gone to college like I asked you to, you’d be welcomed to work with us. You’ve wasted your life.”
Mike felt bad for Mia. Her father was in a parental mood. His disappointment that Ted wasn’t there was very apparent.
“I’d still like to see it,” Mia insisted.
“Come back tomorrow when Ted is here,” he said and walked off.
To give Mia credit, she didn’t cry. “Mike, I’d like to see if Bernard can get me in. They may be hiding something dangerous.”
“Come on, Bernard said he may be in a meeting. We’ll go and wait in the office. Unless you want to have something to eat first?”
“I’m not hungry,” Mia said.
Mike started to worry. “Honey, when is the last time you ate something?”
“I ate breakfast.”
Mary looked up when they entered. “Well, look who the tomcat dragged in.”
“Hello, Mary,” Mia said. “I’d like to have a few words with Dr. Wesley if he has time.”
“I think I can squeeze you in. You’re looking a little pale.”
“I’m always pale,” Mia dismissed.
Mary picked up the phone. “Mia’s here.” She hung up and went to open the door. “Dr. Wesley will see you now.”
Mia walked in and waited for the door to close before she asked, “What the hell did my father bring back from Iceland?”
“Norway, technically,” Bernard said. “Why?”
“It’s energizing your house ghosts. Plus, you have pirates.”
Bernard closed his eyes and shook his head. “What?”
“Pirates. Ghost Ship Dimension pirates. They were following your ship when I flew down from Traverse City. The Peacock and the Devil’s Pride.”
“Three ships!” Mike blurted out.
Mia looked at Bernard’s face, which was fighting between horror and doubt.
Mike looked at her and asked, “Have Angelo and Murphy done anything odd lately?”
“If you call being supportive odd, then yes,” Mia answered.
“We have to show her the book,” Mike said. “Bernard, she reached out to me in the stairwell.”
“Whoa, it’s not like I was doing anything wrong. You’re wearing makeup. I was just trying to blend it in a bit. What book?”
“Show her. The worst that can happen is that she’ll laugh in our faces.”
“I’m not sure this is a good idea. First, let me get her into the basement lab. I’ll call Charles. I think he’s in the building.”
“We already saw him. He won’t let me in. He’s hiding something. Charles played the if-only-you-went-to-college-you-may-understand-stuff card. He said I had to wait and come back with Ted tomorrow.”
“Don’t take his attitude seriously. Father Santos thinks Amanda has been the victim of a permeation spell.”
“Well Father Santos is under Gerald’s thumb, so don’t expect any help from that quadrant. Sorry, but there is no way I’m letting Ted come here. I’m not losing him again. I can’t deal with that Cynosura shit again.”
“We sent Victor over to look through Amanda’s stuff. She arrived in Chicago ahead of Charles. Maybe it was in the mail,” Bernard said.
“According to Angelo, it was indeed in the mail. A package from France with ballet slippers in it. But she received the package before they left for Iceland.”
“I suspected something was wrong when they came over.” Bernard told Mike and Mia what happened, and when he had finished, Mia was silent.
Mike could tell she was thinking. He watched her face as various expressions formed. Mia would never be able to play poker; her face showed everything.
“First, what are the Cynosura up to? If it’s to get Ted to stop Jake, why work through his mother-in-law? No one listens to their mother-in-law, especially if she’s bitchy. Second, there is something that my father brought back from the far northeast that is influencing your ghosts. I don’t want Ted anywhere near it.”
“Ted thinks it’s a door. Charles thinks it’s a treasure chest. There is a complex lock on it that Ted may be able to figure out.”
“The pirates are waiting until it’s open. I bet they think there’s treasure there, more treasure than the Hall of Gems. But I must warn you. They will take everything of value out of this museum when they leave. Treasure box or not.”
“I think it’s a door,” Mike said.
“Have you seen it?” Mia asked.
“No, but… Bernard, you must show her. It’s all about her.”
“What?” Mia asked.
“There is a prophesy in an illuminated manuscript. I showed it to Mike, and together, we may have reached a bit but have put together that you’re involved somehow. We dismissed it until you told us about the three ships.”
“You guys have to show me this.”
“You may not be able to read it,” Bernard said. “Often the objects of prophesies can’t.”
“Show me the manuscript or read it to me if you have to. Come on, do it now. I have a bad feeling we are behind, and we’re not going to catch up anytime soon.”
Mia fired off some texts to Cid and Lazar about watching out for Ted. No one touches anything without gloves on. She looked up from her phone to see the safe of Bernard’s office was open. Mike and Bernard had on gloves. Mia turned the lock on the office door and walked over.
On the cover were wings. More importantly, they were the wings Victor gave her - or were they his wings?
“My old wings,” Mia said. She heard Henry Waite’s voice in her head:
“There is a prophesy about such a set of wings.
“Did they belong to a birdman?” Mia had asked.
“No, they were on an angel.”
Mia wasn’t paying attention and tripped over the leg of a chair.
Mike rushed over and caught her. Mia brushed off her clumsiness, but her soft hand on his arm told him she appreciated the save.
“You know those pirates I was telling you about?” Mia said. “Well, one of them told me about a prophesy that included my wings.”
“I got this book thirty years ago from a seafaring man,” Bernard said.
“Did he have expensive, shiny boots?”
“Yes, he was quite a handsome man.”
“Captain Henry Waite of the Devil’s Pride. But he may have been a first mate then. I’m starting to fear fate has been playing with me. Nyx may have set me up or saved me. I’m not sure what? The more information you can give me, the better equipped I’m going to be.”
Bernard opened the book. He explained that the text would only make sense to those with a romantic nature. “You have to look at one of the images, and then you’ll be able to read the words.”
Mia did and shook her head. “Sorry, evidently I’m not romantic. Show me the pictures.”
Bernard flipped carefully through the book to the tarot card. “The reflection wasn’t complete when I originally read it,” he explained.
Mia looked at it and felt faint. She sunk to her knees. Mike helped her to a side chair.
“I just posed for an artist named Acalan who has been commissioned to paint a new tarot deck. He chose me for The Star. That’s me. M
y hair should be pooling in the water and then spread over my naked body and touching the earth behind me. A blue star is in the heavens.”
“My god, you’re describing it to a tee,” Bernard said. “Another picture appeared today. It’s of you. On one side is a birdman, the other…”
“Murphy,” Mike filled in.
“The birdman could be Angelo, but there are two others that could fit,” Mia said. “Bernard, don’t think ill of me, but I could really use a drink before you tell me what the prophesy is.”
Bernard poured them all a measure of bourbon. He tossed his back like a shot and went back to the manuscript.
“As it is written right now, the prophesy says that when things are the darkest for the planet, Nyx will birth a child to bring back the light. The child will be an angel who will arrive on a winged horse leading a hundred legions of warriors.”
“I never stood a chance at normal,” Mia complained. “Fate has pulled all the strings. As hard as I fought it, I was just treading water. Bernard, Abigor, the duke of Hell, held me in his arms when I was a babe. We bonded. He will give me his legions to use. He rides a winged horse.”
Bernard studied the new words which were appearing right now.
“Mia, when I looked at the last picture, I saw something different from Bernard. Maybe things aren’t written in stone.”
“What did you see?” she asked Mike.
“You were reaching out to me, but I don’t know why. Bernard saw you smile at him, and it gave him a peaceful feeling.”
“Can I see the picture now?” she asked. Mike helped her up, and she approached the desk.
Bernard flipped the page back. Mia saw a more complete picture. She saw herself standing with her arms linked not with Angelo but with Victor. Murphy was standing there with his axe at his feet. They looked as if all three were waiting for something. “Is Ted anywhere in this book?” she asked.
“No,” Bernard answered. “Not yet.”
“He’s not romantic. He wouldn’t be able to see what you two see,” Mia said. “I fear he’s going to open the door that will end the world. I’m going to have to stop him. Or fight whatever is coming through that door using Abigor’s legions.”
“It’s only a silly magical book,” Bernard said. “If I don’t let Charles open the box, then this doesn’t have to happen.”