The Golem: A Montague & Strong Detective Novel (Montague & Strong Case Files Book 10)

by Orlando A. Sanchez

  “That’s not a bad idea, but then I couldn’t move around,” I said, giving it some thought. “No, I’d like to get a call saying ‘Hey, no need to worry, the city isn’t on the verge of obliteration today.’ Just once. You know?”

  “I think that’s being overly optimistic. The world you exist in now is not a world of rainbows and unicorns. It’s a dark, dangerous, and lethal place ready to impale you with death at any moment.”

  “Whoa, dial back the dark side a bit there, Darth Monty,” I said, glancing at him. “I know the things we do and face are dangerous, but seriously? A dark, dangerous, and lethal place ready to impale you with death?”

  “Too much?” Monty asked. “It does sound a bit oppressive.”

  “You think?”

  “I didn’t finish my cuppa,” he said, looking out of the window. “I can’t be held responsible for my words until I’ve had some proper tea—with my digestives.”

  “Fine, I’ll make sure to get you your cookies.”

  “They’re not ‘cookies,’ and your ‘hellhound ate them’ excuse was a load of rubbish.”

  “Wow, you are cranky today. I’ll get you two boxes of digestion cookies. I’ll even throw in some lettuce for roughage since you need digestive help. Happy?”

  “I just can’t make heads or tails out of the shortcut failing.”

  We arrived at the Bowling Green hub with little traffic. Ursula’s vehicle was parked outside, the black sheen reflecting the early morning sun. I tried to read the runes on the surface of her vehicle, but came up empty. They kept shifting and changing as I looked at them.

  “What do those runes say?” I asked as we passed her car. “The symbols keep shifting around.”

  “Wait a second,” Monty said, stopping mid-stride, snapping a finger, and turning back to examine Ursula’s car. “That’s it—that’s what I’ve been missing in the shortcut. Permutational persistence!”

  Monty moved to place his hand on the surface of Ursula’s car.

  “Do not touch the Widow,” Ursula said. “She doesn’t like strangers, and I don’t like smudges.”

  “Permutational what, now?” I asked as we followed Ursula back to the hub. Sprawly McPeaches was still snoring in the back of the Dark Goat. I thought that hitting XL, tangling with the golem, and then overstuffing himself with Ezra’s pastrami was taking its toll on him. He was actually tired.

  “I’ll explain later,” Monty said as we entered the hub. He turned and focused on Ursula. “Now, what is this catastrophe you were mentioning?”

  We approached a small, nondescript building in the center of Bowling Green. It was basically a plain, small, rectangular structure about twenty feet square, on the outside. Inside, it was considerably larger, and I figured it sat sideways, somewhere adjacent to our plane, taking up more space somewhere else.

  “This building is called an Oracle, and it houses a nexus point,” Ursula said, pointing. “In this case, a nexus hub. One of several.”

  In the center of the Oracle rested a confluence of energy with extensions running in different directions. It basically looked like an active orb of violet energy with extensions shooting out from its center.

  Nothing appeared to be happening.

  “So, you called us down here to see your orb of energy? Where is the—?”

  The orb in the center of the Oracle blasted a beam of energy straight up into the top of the structure.

  “That—is not supposed to happen,” Ursula said, her voice grim. “These pulses have been regular, every five minutes, since they began.”

  “Maybe it’s bleeding off excess energy?” I suggested. “You know, clearing the energy plumbing?”

  Both Monty and Ursula stared at me.

  “When did they begin?” Monty asked, ignoring me and narrowing his eyes, examining the orb in the center of the building. “Do you know where they are going?”

  “We calculated that they started around the time Simon fought Toson,” Ursula said, looking up into the ceiling. “As for where they’re going—look again. They aren’t going anywhere.”

  I looked up when the next pulse blasted into the ceiling.

  “What do you mean ‘they aren’t going anywhere’?” I asked. “I just saw it go up into the—”

  “Bloody hell,” Monty said, his voice laced with fear and anger. “That was the purpose of the attack. It wasn’t a scouting mission.”

  “What?” I said, still not seeing it. “What did he do?”

  “Look,” Monty said, pointing to the ceiling. “Really look.”

  I did my best Eastwood-Monty impression and narrowed my eyes at the ceiling. For a few seconds, all I saw was the smooth surface of the ceiling, and then slowly, like seeing something out of the corner of your eye, figures formed—two human sized golems. Floating in space above our heads.

  Another pulse blasted, and a stream of violet energy channeled into each of the golem bodies, bathing them in the energy until it was absorbed completely.

  “What the fu—?” I started.

  “Toson must be using the energy of the hub to feed them,” Monty said, letting his gaze trace the blast of the last pulse back to the confluence. “Is it possible to shut down this hub completely?”

  “Too dangerous,” Ursula said. “We have line regulators which allow the regular nexus points to be isolated if they became corrupted or fall under attack.”

  “We need to shut this hub down,” I said, pointing up. “Toson is creating more golems up there.”

  “It’s not that simple,” Ursula said. “Every nexus point is interconnected. The hubs are unique; they hold up the framework.”

  “This is a poor design. Each nexus point should be able to be shut off independently.”

  “I’ll be sure to pass on your design feedback to the originators of the nexus network,” Ursula snapped. “I’m sure they’ll be eager to hear your ideas.”

  “Can you contact them? Maybe they know a way to shut this thing down?”

  “Is he always like this?” Ursula asked.

  “Only when awake,” Monty answered, still looking up. “You get used to it. She can’t contact the original designers, Simon. This network was established a millennia ago. They’re all dead by now.”

  “You must have incredible patience,” Ursula added. “Anyway, I tried to find everything and anything on this situation. Nothing about a siphon attaching itself to a hub.”

  “We can’t shut this down, then,” I said. “It’s too dangerous.”

  “Exactly—this is a hub with some strange siphon casting happening. I don’t know what will happen if we try isolating it. It could isolate the hub, activate those golems, or just explode, and then the city will end at Canal Street.”

  “These points contain that much power?”

  “More,” Ursula answered. “If it sets off a chain reaction throughout the network…New York will be known as the city with four boroughs.”

  “Three, really,” I corrected. “No self-respecting New Yorker thinks Staten Island is part of the city.”

  “True,” Ursula admitted. “I’m going to have to stay here and try to bleed the energy off the line with my hammer. This means—”

  “You won’t be able to face Toson at Times Square,” Monty said, putting it together. “Toson is either very clever or extremely desperate.”

  “I’d rather deal with very clever,” I said. “Clever people take steps to not make mistakes and fail. Desperate people usually accept failure as an acceptable outcome.”

  “Or a combination of both,” Ursula added. “Maybe he knows he’s cornered or running out of time, and this is a Hail Mary play.”

  “The orbs he fired,” I said. “What if he knew Jen was close to the end of her shift? He mentioned it when we fought. He fires the orbs and starts the clock on these golems. You saw how hard it was to stop one golem. Can you imagine what he’ll be like—with three?”

  “I have my team looking for a way to interrupt this process,” Ursula said. �
�In the meantime, I’d suggest you find a way to combat these things. One that doesn’t require the equivalent of a runic nuke.”

  “I have an idea,” Monty said, and I groaned inwardly. “It may be risky, but I think it can work.”

  “Does it involve permutational peristalsis?” I asked. “I only ask because you sound overly excited, which is usually a bad sign.”

  “It’s permutational persistence, and rubbish, I don’t sound overly excited.”

  “Sure, you don’t.”

  “What does he want to do?” Ursula asked, looking at me, then at Monty. “You do sound a little on edge there, Tristan.”

  “This hub is a power source, correct?”

  “Yes…a considerable power source,” Ursula answered, clearly still unsure of where Monty was going. “One that shouldn’t be tampered with—if you know what I mean?”

  “It’s almost identical to the Earth’s Breath in design,” Monty said, gesticulating. Something he did when he encountered a new theory or the possibility of blowing up the city. “I have a way to shortcut the energy output so that the energy being shunted to the golems is stopped.”

  “How exactly?” Ursula said, stepping in between Monty and the hub. “What is this shortcut?”

  “Using permutational persistence in runes, instead of numbers, I can, in essence, ‘confuse’ the hub into constantly redirecting its energy through these conduits instead of into the golems above.”

  “Have you tried this before?” Ursula asked, and I braced myself. “Has this permutational persistence worked anywhere else?”

  “This would be my first attempt,” Monty admitted. “But I know it will work.”

  “Get out of my hub,” Ursula said, forming her hammer with a crack of lightning. “Don’t make me tell you again.”

  THIRTY-TWO

  “I’d say that went rather well,” Monty said when we got into the Dark Goat, and I pulled away from the near-hammering at the hands of Ursula. “Don’t you think?”

  “Oh, sure,” I said, nodding. “Getting flattened by an angry werebear wielding a hammer of devastation is how I like to unwind, you know—take a load off. Maybe an arm or leg, too.”

  “I know my permutational persistence sequence can work, I just need a large enough stable power source to test it on.”

  “Tell me you aren’t thinking what I think you’re thinking.”

  “We need to flush out Toson.”

  “Agreed,” I said. “How about we just give him a call? You know, something friendly and non-threatening, like: ‘Hey, Toson, come out so we can shred you’?”

  “This would be the equivalent of giving him the most urgent call. Without the central hub, his plan falls apart. If I can make it appear like the main hub is losing power—”

  “Ursula and her team will ride in, slamming you upside the head with her hammer?” I asked. “Is that the outcome you’re looking for?”

  “No, Toson will come to us,” Monty said. “He will think the hub has siphoned too much energy from downtown and come to investigate the central hub.”

  “He won’t come alone—he has a golem with him,” I said. “With two in the oven downtown.”

  “We won’t allow him to activate the other two.”

  “Who’s going to be there to stop him?”

  “We’ll be there to stop him,” Monty countered. “The shortcut should nullify the effects of the golem’s siphon.”

  “We didn’t do so hot last time—well, you did, but I don’t think that was the plan, Human Torch.”

  “What do you think is going to happen tonight?” Monty asked. “Once Toson knows Orahjene completed her shift?”

  “He’s under time pressure,” I said. “He’ll try to take the central hub and increase his power to match hers.”

  “Precisely,” Monty said. “We can’t let that happen.”

  “How strong will she be?”

  “Stronger than his level right now, and clearly beyond me,” Monty admitted. “This is the only window we have.”

  “We can’t go around playing with a nexus point—not just a nexus point, the central hub,” I said. “Did you forget what Ursula said about these points going off? You’ve never done this before.”

  “I find your lack of faith…disturbing.”

  “Did you just Vader me?”

  “When have I been wrong?”

  “I seem to recall facing Toson, and InvisiMonty was nowhere to be seen because his shortcut didn’t work. Does that count?”

  “I wasn’t wrong,” he said. “I was missing information. My permutational persistence sequence is correct. I can make it work.”

  “I wish we had something stronger than your permutational persisting theory,” I said. “Something that could solve this without all the agony and pain I sense coming our way.”

  “Life is pain,” Monty said. “Besides, contrary to popular belief, a runic nuke does not exist.”

  “A runic nuke sounds like a good idea right now,” I said. “Or at least one that wipes out magic. That way—”

  “Don’t,” Monty said, his voice slicing through the Dark Goat. Even Peaches’ ears perked up at his tone. “Don’t ever make that suggestion in the presence of a mage or any magic-user.”

  “What?” I asked. “All I was suggesting, is that we use something that removes magic from the equa—”

  “Simon,” Monty said with a sigh. “That…is how the Supernatural War started: with those ideas. Normals felt it was better to remove magic from the equation, that life would be easier or better. The outcome of those thoughts and of the war, were horrific. The cost in life, on both sides, immeasurable.”

  “I understand.”

  “Not really, you don’t—but you will. Please watch your words in the future. Some of the older mages would have taken offense. Violent offense.”

  “Duly noted,” I said. “What are we going to do about the new golems and Toson?”

  “Call Ramirez,” Monty said. “Tell him we need Times Square shut down tonight.”

  “Are you insane? Tonight? There’s no way he can pull that off.”

  “He can, if he uses just the NYTF.”

  “He doesn’t have the manpower. We’re being hasty. Think this through, Monty.”

  “We don’t need all of Times Square shut down, just the center, near the station.”

  “Just the center? Are you listening to yourself?”

  “Orahjene wants revenge,” Monty said. “Toson wants power. I say we give them to each other.”

  “What the hell are you talking about? Did you get hit by a stone during my fight with Toson?” I asked. “Or maybe he fried some of those brain cells when he tried to barbecue you?”

  “Call Ramirez,” Monty said, his voice certain. “I’ll make the other arrangements. We end this tonight.”

  THIRTY-THREE

  “Are you sure about this?” I asked again before connecting the call. “Ramirez is going to go ballistic.”

  “I’m willing to risk the Director’s ire if it means saving the city,” Monty answered, his jaw set. “I’ve made calls to the five movie production companies. They will start bringing in the trailers and trucks around six.”

  “That should block the Square, but not for long,” I said. “This permutation thing. How long before it takes effect?”

  “The effect is immediate. Once we interrupt the flow of energy, I anticipate Toson will appear shortly after. He will think the tampering was done by Orahjene.”

  “…who will show up not too long after he gets here.”

  “She was being dishonest about her shift,” Monty answered. “I’m sure she had her reasons for the subterfuge, but it still stands—her shift is complete. With her heightened power, she will know where he is once he surfaces.”

  “You know that once you tamper with the central hub, the hammer-wielding, werebear protector of the nexus points, Ursula, will arrive too…right?”

  “It will be some time before she gets here, due to her keepin
g the flow of energy regulated downtown. We should be done before she gets on site.”

  I took a long breath and let it out slowly.

  “Here we go,” I said, connecting the call to Ramirez. “I hope you’re ready.”

  “Strong,” Ramirez growled. “To what do I owe the displeasure?”

  “Tristan wants to speak to you, Angel.”

  “The answer is no,” Ramirez said, preemptively. “I don’t know what you want, but the answer is no.”

  “Hear me out, Director.”

  “No,” Ramirez said. “You can’t imagine the number of favors I had to call in to get Times Square closed in three days.”

  “What if I told you this could be an NYTF operation only?” Monty asked. “You keep your favors uncalled for another day and we only use your people?”

  “I’d say I don’t have enough people to shut down Times Square.”

  I was noticing a distinct lack of screaming and ranting.

  “You do, if a major blockbuster film will be shooting there tonight.”

  “We don’t have a major—wait, you mobilized all those production companies?” Ramirez asked. “How did you get the permits?”

  Monty glanced my way. “I know a gentleman who knows a gentleman.”

  I sighed and shook my head.

  “Angel,” I interrupted. “We aren’t closing Times Square for the whole night. One, maybe two hours, tops. The movie trucks and trailers will be the outer cordon keeping out pedestrians. NYTF and EMTe will form the inner cordon around the police station. What do you think?”

  Asking Ramirez his opinion wasn’t going to change the outcome of Monty’s actions tonight. I knew Monty well enough to know he had entered his “hurricane track” of execution. His plan was going to go through with or without NYTF cooperation—like a force of nature. It would just be easier and contain much less screaming if Ramirez was on board.

  “I think you’re both insane,” Ramirez said, pausing for a few beats. “But it could work. How soon do I need to re-route my people to Times?”

  “The trucks will arrive at six,” Monty said. “By the time they set up and shut down the streets, we’re looking at a few hours. The NYTF should be there half-past five to start redirecting pedestrian and vehicular traffic.”