“It’s going to be okay. I won’t let anything happen to your parents. One way or another we’re going to get them back. Okay?”
“Okay.”
The sadness on her face told me that she still wasn’t entirely convinced. So I kissed her again, briefly, before meeting her eyes again.
“We’ll get them back.”
“Okay,” she said through a forced smile.
The food I’d ordered and totally forgotten about finally arrived and I stayed to eat with her. I meant to get going, but it was clear the mention of her parent’s safety left her rattled. We ate in relative silence. Once her belly was full and she seemed to be in better spirits, I headed towards the office. Since Vlad was out of commission for a bit, I was back to riding the metro. Life is so much less fun when you have to leave your dragon at home.
CHAPTER 3
GHOST HQ was located at the corner of 15th street and Constitution Ave. It took up the entire southwest corner of a Department of Commerce building. It’s a large boring government building, perfectly unnoticeable and plain. Even the gargoyles perched on the roof remained hidden to the regular passerby. I entered the lobby and instantly felt the eyes of several security guards upon me. It had been a little while since I used the lobby entrance, so I didn’t know if any of the guards on duty would recognize me. It wasn’t a huge deal since my badge and ID meant that they’d have to let me through. But when you’re a white guy named Chang, like myself, there’s always a song and dance as they try and verify your identity. Fortunately, I got a couple knowing nods after they checked my ID and they waved me through. I nodded thanks as I made my way to the elevator.
While there are several elevators in the lobby, there is only one that will take you to the lower levels of our facility. The rest are part of the public façade and they will happily take you to any of the six above ground levels of the Special Investigations Agency, our cover. I currently had the secure elevator all to myself, as authorized GHOST traffic wasn’t very plentiful through the lobby. The doors closed and I stood there staring blankly at the control panel. I wasn’t entirely sure where I should start.
When I left last night, most of my team was still recovering in sickbay. Our last mission had taken a toll on ‘em. Kara, our Witch, had just about killed herself with the strain of constantly using magic to heal everyone. The drain on her body was immense and it would be several days before she was back to her old self again. Danny, our Mentalist, had several claw slashes across his chest and neck, and he wasn’t getting out of bed anytime soon. But, if I was being honest with myself, it was Erika, our Tracker, I really wanted to check on. She’d gotten the worst of it, heading into the wolf’s den with me and my brother. This of course was why Dutton, the boss, ordered us all to take a few days off. The team needed time to recover.
My first instinct had been to go check on them all. But, I wasn’t sure I could be around them right now. Specifically, be around Erika right now. With Vix in town I wasn’t sure what to say to her. I realize we weren’t dating or anything, but there seemed to be something between us. Whether to avoid the situation or because my priorities were straight, I decided to leave the problems of my love life for another time. There were more urgent matters to deal with. So, I held the button for sublevel-five and the retinal scanner did its thing. After everything checked out, the elevator was heading towards the library.
Our elevators move at the blazing speed of bureaucracy, so I had plenty of time to think about what I was going to say. Honestly, I had no idea how to convince Freddy to help me. Sure, we were teammates and work associates, but I wouldn’t necessarily call us friends. That of course was my fault. I could hear Vector’s parting words echoing in my head. My brother said the team would never gel until I stopped holding them at arms length. So, I tried to convince myself that this would be the perfect opportunity to bring us closer together. Well, Freddy and me anyway. He wasn’t a bad guy, he was just really, really, boring. But, that boring knowledge was exactly what I needed right now. So, it was time for Freddy and me to become friends. I can’t believe I just said that.
The elevators reached sub level five and the doors opened to reveal our enormous library. I was instantly struck by the musty smell in the air and the soothing weight of the silence. Books of various sizes and colors were crammed onto wooden bookshelves that reached all the way up to the fifteen-foot high ceilings. The colossal size of the library was quickly forgotten as you walked down the narrow aisles. The bookshelves were close enough together to give the place a comfortable intimacy. Even the lighting varied, often feeling more secluded and dimmer as you drifted towards dark and more ancient tomes. These things combined with the seemingly random layout of the library to give it a very labyrinth-y feel. Luckily, I knew where I was going.
While I’m sure a mathematician’s head would explode if they ever heard us use the term middle aisle when describing any of the Library’s rows, that’s what we called it. It sort of snaked its way through, almost as if it owned the place. I traveled down the middle row until I took my seventh left and headed straight on till morning. Or I guess more accurately straight on until I hit the east wall. There was a large wooden table, piled high with books, and bathed in light perfect for reading. This was our spot.
When we were working, most of our days started off here with a morning meeting. There were plenty of conference rooms and offices on various floors that we could have used instead. But this is where we meet. I guess Freddy deserves the credit for that. You see, his nerdiness is sort of a twenty-four-seven kind of thing. So, since he spent every waking moment down here, it was the easiest and most predictable place for the rest of us to head every morning. Plus, even though I give Freddy plenty of crap for being a bookworm, the truth is that I just love libraries and ours was extraordinary. It was the kind of place my younger self would have run around seeking adventure in every dark undiscovered corner. Libraries had that feeling about them. As if there was a new mystery at every turn. And let’s face it, there’s great comfort in being surrounded by walls of words.
So, even though my team was on a mini vacation, I wasn’t surprised at all to find Freddy sitting there with his head buried in a book. Although he had his butt in a chair at the moment, when he stands, he’s a bit taller than me, at a little over six-foot. He has close cut black hair, brown skin, and one of the friendliest smiles you’ve ever seen. Freddy was in his mid twenties, always clean-shaven, and wearing a pair of round black framed glasses. I’d never seen him in anything other than a three-piece suit, and today was no exception. He had a russet colored jacket and slacks, although the former was currently draped across the back of his chair. His vest was a rich red and matched his bowtie. Black shoes and argyle socks completed the outfit.
While finding Freddy reading a book was about as normal as you could get around here, this particular book was definitely worth a moment of scrutiny. The cover was chiseled stone and the pages inside were some type of thin, dried leather. The book looked heavy, which was probably why Freddy was resting the bottom of it on the table, leaning forward in his chair so that he could lose his face in its pages. I tried to make out what it said on the cover, but even if the title was in a language I understood, it was so worn down that I doubt I’d have been able to read it anyway. So, I stood there for a minute, waiting to see if my presence was noticed. Since Freddy often went into the field with me, I’d been hoping to improve his situational awareness. The book must have been one heck of a page-turner, because after making several faces at him to no avail, I gave up and just said hello.
“Hey Freddy, how’s it going?”
“Oh,” he said, clearly startled from his book, “Mr. Chang, how nice to see you. Things are going very well, thank you,” his British accent ever present.
“Freddy, what did we agree on regarding the formal names?”
“Yes, yes of course. My apologizes. You prefer Bruce,” he smiled.
I realized that scolding him for being polit
e was probably not the best way to start off a conversation where I planned to ask for a favor.
“You know what Freddy, I should probably be more fair about this. You can call me whatever you are comfortable with.”
“Are you sure?”
“Yup. Whatever strikes your fancy.”
“Would you be terribly offended if I called you BD?”
I couldn’t help but laugh, “No, I wouldn’t be offended at all.”
“Thank you BD,” he smiled.
BD was of course short for Black Dragon. It was a nickname I’d earned during a very dark part of my life, when I was the premier assassin for the Black Dragon Society, a ninja cult. Visine, my sidekick, made my team aware of it on our very first mission. Once they saw how much I disliked the name, Danny and the girls couldn’t stop using it. It gave them great joy. Honestly, I was happy with anything that increased team morale. Plus, it seems fitting that I attempt to atone for my past sins with the very name that I used when I committed those atrocious acts. It just struck me as odd that Freddy would want to use it. He never even said it out loud until my brother pressured him into it on our last mission.
“Just for my own curiosity, why BD?”
Freddy cleared his throat and shuffled uncomfortably in his chair a bit before he answered.
“Because that is what your brother and your friend chose to call you. They seem to be giving you a hard time, but in a very playful manner. I have often interpreted your use of Freddy, instead of my proper name Froedrick, to be in the same spirit. Such names are often a sign of camaraderie and friendship.”
“Yes they are.”
“Although, I am not normally comfortable with such informal monikers, especially in a work setting, the rest of the team seems to have already taken to it. Perhaps if I too choose to participate in its usage, you and I might become closer work associates,” he said hopefully.
“You never know Freddy, we might even become friends.”
“I would like that.”
There was a slight sadness in Freddy’s face, as if friends were some abstract concept and not something he had much experience with. It suddenly occurred to me that Freddy might not actually have many friends. He might not have any at all. I instantly felt like a jerk, because I was basically down here to befriend him just to exploit his knowledge in my mission. But, if I was being honest with myself, I really did like Freddy as a person. He sort of felt like one of those chipper little kids that follows the older kids around trying to make friends. Eventually you get used to their presence and even feel the need to look after them.
“Sorry to interrupt your reading there. What were you so engrossed in that you didn’t notice me standing here?”
The smile returned to Freddy’s face and I could tell from his level of excitement that he was hoping I’d ask about his reading. Like I said, a chipper little kid.
“Well, I am currently verifying the translations of some of the oldest books in our library. It is a bit of a hobby of mine. Due to the decaying nature of our older texts, they have been scanned and translated into newer reprintings so that the original book is handled as few times as possible. However, even the best copies can sometimes lack the subtle nuances of the original text. Since these are key sources for our research, it is important to confirm that the copies and translations are as accurate as possible. There are several in the GHOST academia community who spend their free time in such endeavors. In fact, there is a bit of an informal competition each year to see who can find the most errors. I am currently in second place behind Gilbourn Flinthall. I swear, that man never sleeps.”
“Freddy, did you just reveal the name of your arch-nemesis?”
“Of course not,” he attempted straight faced, “That would be very unprofessional. We are colleges and working towards the same end. A victory for any of us is simply in the best interest of the organization. I wish all my colleagues well…”
“You hate him.”
His shouldered slumped slightly as he quietly said, “Hate is such a strong word.”
“Ha. I knew it.”
“I simply use his success as a barometer to set my own personal goals,” Freddy tried.
“Right. Well, if me kicking anyone will help in anyway, let me know.”
“I appreciate that BD.”
“What are friends for? Speaking of which, I’m actually bothering you on your time off because I need a favor.”
“It is no bother. I am always here to help a teammate,” Freddy replied genuinely.
“I know Freddy. You’re a good dude. But before you say yes, I need to tell you that this favor isn’t strictly for me. It concerns a woman.”
“Well, I am not entirely sure it would be appropriate for me to help you seduce an innocent lady. While I appreciate that you would want my help in this matter…”
“Relax Casanova, it’s not like that. This is someone from my past. I guess you could call her an ex. She needs my help and I’m not very good at saying no. Not when she asks anyway.”
“Understood,” he nodded.
“So, I’m not trying to take up a ton of your time. I was just thinking you could give me a bit of information, point me in a few directions, and then I’ll leave you to your translations. What do you say?”
“Of course…,” he said, me talking over him.
“I don’t want to bore you with the details. Let’s just say it’s complicated.”
“I see.”
“Okay. So, you’ll help?”
“I would very much like to help. But I would feel more comfortable if I could ask a few preliminary questions about the nature of this favor,” he said.
“Um, sure, I guess. What do you want to know?”
“First, I am afraid I must ask if this is something for which I might incur legal difficulties.”
“What? No, this isn’t anything illegal. At least I don’t think so.”
“Will I be required to defraud or steal from the GHOST organization in anyway?” he asked.
“What the hell? Freddy, what exactly is it that you think I’m asking of you?”
“I cannot be sure. But in the short time I have known you, I must say that I have never seen you quite like this.”
“Quite like what? I’m just asking for a bit of help with some information.”
“I understand that. I also understand that you do not believe I am very perceptive or intuitive in most matters. Strictly speaking, I think we all realize that my people skills could use a bit of work.”
“Okay. What’s your point?”
“My point BD, is that even I can tell that something is wrong. You have never appeared so uneasy before. I am not looking to pry into your life or your past. But I think, under the circumstances, that it would be best if you explain to me exactly what is happening,” he asked, concern on his face.
I sighed heavily. Spilling my past wasn’t exactly how I wanted to convince Freddy to help me. Honestly, I was hoping he’d just be so excited to bore me with details that he wouldn’t care why. But, I guess he deserved to know what was going on. This is what I get for being honest about who the favor was for.
“I really don’t know where to start. I guess the short of it is this. Back when I was an assassin, I met a woman and fell in love. I don’t mean my usual flirt with every girl I meet love, I mean the real deal. The kind of thing where your heart beats so fast you’re afraid it’s going to tear out of your chest. It changed my life forever. And when she died, my world ended. But, last night, after thinking that she was dead for the last few years, I found her standing in my living room. Somehow, someway she survived the fall that I thought took her life. And before you ask, yes, I’m sure it’s really her.
“It turns out she’s back in my life because she needs my help. Apparently she left the deadly world of assassination and became a thief. She stole something from the wrong people and now they want the scales balanced. They’ve taken her parents hostage and if she doesn’t acquire a specific a
rtifact in the next three days, they’re going to kill them. So, here I am.”
“You do not find it curious that she waited this long to reveal her survival to you?” he asked.
“Oh, interestingly enough that is one of the few parts of her story that makes sense. You see, the reason she showed up now, is because of you.”
“Because of me? I do not understand.”
“Apparently this artifact that she needs to find is something that you know a great deal about. She claims you’re the world’s leading expert on the…”
“The Keys Of The Five Phases,” he said with awe.
“Yeah, I guess. She called it the Wu Xing key.”
“The Keys go by many names. I have devoted my life to their study. I have in fact written five separate books on the keys if you would care to read them?” he asked.
The childhood wonder in Freddy’s face was almost inspiring. This was obvious a really big deal to him. Hopefully that meant he would be willing to help.
“So, you’re saying I came to the right guy?”
“Why yes, yes you did.”
“Awesome. Well, I got three days. So, if you could just point me in the proper direction, I’ll be off to grab the key and get out of your hair.”
Freddy burst out in laughter, “BD, while I admire your bravado, I am afraid it is not as simple as all that.”
“Why not?”
“I think perhaps it is best if you take a seat. We have quite a few things to go over.”
“So you’ll help me?”
“Absolutely,” he smiled.
CHAPTER 4
Freddy’s stories often included an overabundance of detail, so I grabbed a seat. He carefully put the old stone book down and off to the side. Then, rapidly and methodically he shifted all of the books on the table into neat piles along the edges and out of the way. After a few moments, we could talk without having to look around towers of tomes. The smile on his face hadn’t faded. It was clear he was looking forward to telling me all about the key. If I would have just mentioned the key first, I probably could have avoided talking about Vix altogether. Live and learn.
G.H.O.S.T. Teams (Book 3) Spirits Page 3
