The Bringer of War (The Sheynan Trilogy Book 2)

by Dylan Birtolo

  “Please, Susan, don’t come with us on this trip. I know that you’re going to be worried and that you want to come along to make sure that I’m safe, but the reality is this could be a trap. Richard and I are going in there expecting it to be one.”

  “That’s all the more reason why I should go with you. I’ll stay far away. As long as it’s a straight shot, I can keep an eye on you and provide support if needed.”

  “If things do go south, then Richard and I plan to get out of there in a hurry. I know that I can do it, and I know Richard can carve a way out if necessary. But what about you?”

  Silence filled the room, broken only by the sound of Richard tapping on the thick paper. Darien knew this was an old argument, and he had stopped having it, conceding her point. But traveling through the sewers seemed to make it that much worse. It would be confined quarters with limited ways out and no safety available by being in public. Darien reached out and pulled Susan up to a standing position with her hands in his.

  “Please tell me you understand.”

  “I do. I get it. I won’t go with you, but I’ll be damned if I’m going to just sit here and wait for you to come back.”

  “Now that you two have that settled, I think I know the general area where our stranger might be waiting for us.”

  Darien and Susan went over to examine the maps splayed across the bed. Richard pointed to the two red circles, making the paper crackle as he tapped it with his thick finger.

  “These are the spots where the two Shadows were found. These tunnels are where the subway goes. I don’t think our friend is hiding there because it’d be too public. These markings indicate sewer tunnels that run underneath the city. If I’m correct, we all think that he’s probably hiding out there. Considering the location of the bodies, I suggest we start searching in this area, on the east side of the subway tracks. Unless he’s crossing the tracks, or is away from what seems like his territory, he’d be in this area.”

  “Correct me if I’m reading this wrong, but that seems like it covers an area of at least ten city blocks. That’s a lot of ground.”

  “I said it was a hell of a long shot, but it’s all we have to go on unless we want to wait for another note.”

  The three friends looked at each other, but no words needed to be exchanged. After so much waiting, Darien didn’t care how long the shot was. Ten city blocks was smaller than an entire city. They grabbed their jackets and went down to the truck. Susan hopped into the driver’s seat. The sun was nearing the end of its decline and hugged the horizon in a brilliant cascade of red and orange. Streaks of purple shot across the sky as the sparse clouds reflected the fading light. Taking directions from Richard, Susan drove them to the entrance of a small side street. Richard opened the door, and the two men stepped out of the truck. Darien shivered as soon as he was outside and the wind whipped around him. He pulled his jacket closed and turned around to face Susan.

  She leaned forward for a kiss, and their lips touched briefly.

  “Be careful.”

  “I will.”

  Richard pulled a tire iron out from the back of the cab. He tucked it under his arm, hiding it behind his back.

  “This is the best place around to enter and leave the sewers with the least amount of notice. We’ll be back in a couple of hours. If we haven’t found anything by nine, we’ll meet you back here. Otherwise, we’ll give you a call.”

  Susan nodded and Darien slammed the door shut. She drove down the street and was lost to them as soon as she turned the first corner. The other two walked down the side street. When they got to the manhole cover, they looked around to make sure no one was within sight. Richard put the tire iron in the hole on the edge and wedged the lid open. Both of them worked together to slide it halfway off to the side. Darien climbed down the ladder and Richard followed, stopping to slide the cover back into place.

  Both of the men reached into their pockets and retrieved a pair of Mag-Lites. They twisted the heads and bright beams swept down the hallway. Rats scurried away from the intrusion, scampering back into the welcoming darkness.

  “Which way should we go?”

  Darien’s whisper echoed back at them from multiple directions. He winced as he realized just how well the sound carried. He’d need to be even softer than he anticipated.

  “One tunnel is as good as any other until we find something. Pick a direction and keep your right hand on the wall. Makes it easy to find our way back.”

  They walked down the tunnels close together, hugging the right wall at all times. Every intersection they reached, they examined the alternative paths, but always chose the one leading to the right. Beyond the various collections of trash—tossed in through the grates and gutters above them—nothing seemed different about the tunnels they traversed. After a while of searching, Darien spoke in a hushed whisper.

  “Do you think we’re ever going to find our messenger?”

  “If you have a better idea than wading through sewage and trash, I’d love to hear it.”

  Darien glanced down at his wrist and shined the light on his watch. It was a few minutes past eight. They had been down here for nearly an hour.

  “We should turn back soon if we don’t find anything, or at least let Suz know.”

  Glancing over his shoulder, he saw Richard nod. Darien continued to march down the tunnel in silence. In the quiet, his mind ran wild. He couldn’t stop thinking about the memory dream and what he had seen. After two more turns, he spoke up again.

  “Why do you think the Shadows need to be stopped?”

  The question must have caught Richard off guard because the large man stumbled and scuffed his feet across the stones.

  “You can’t be serious with that question.”

  “I am.”

  “This isn’t the time or place, kid. Shut your mouth.”

  Darien was about to turn around and suggest that they head back when he heard splashing coming from up ahead. He looked over his shoulder, and Richard nodded, gesturing with his flashlight to indicate Darien should walk on. At the next intersection, they turned left, heading towards the noise. Darien brought his flashlight up to shine the beam down the tunnel. It ended in a large room with two other exits and a small standing pool of water. An older man wearing rags and with unkempt hair jumped around in the water in front of a drain pipe. The drain pipe was covered with an iron grate. When the beams fell on the man, he stopped leaping about and raised an arm in front of his eyes.

  “Come, come Darien! It’s so good to see you! I’m so happy you could make it to my home, and so quickly too! I’m sorry I don’t have a proper party for you. I don’t have food, but there’s plenty to drink!”

  With an open palm, he spread out his arm to indicate the water flowing around him. He giggled and Darien was reminded of the Mad Hatter. It seemed a safe bet that this was their mysterious note author.

  “I see you brought the bear with you, the good old predictable bear. Yes, he is easy to predict. We know which way he will jump, but not you Darien. You’re different, on so many levels. Different is good. My mother used to tell me I was different, that I was special.”

  Darien and Richard walked into the chamber, lowering their flashlights so they did not shine on the man’s face. They stayed near the entrance, not wanting to get too close. Daren glanced around the room again, looking for any sign of other people or animals, but everything appeared empty. He gripped the flashlight so tight that the beam wavered as his hand shook.

  “Who are you?”

  “Of course, where are my manners? I’m so sorry. I was raised better than that. I’m Twitch, of course. Everyone calls me Twitch. I am him and he is me.”

  Darien glanced at Richard out of the corner of his eye and his companion shrugged his shoulders. He seemed as baffled as Darien felt about this character. The notes, or at least the nature of them, seemed to make a lot more sense.

  “Are you the one who’s been leaving me messages?”

  “
Yes, I have. We have much to discuss, you and I. Much important stuff to talk about.”

  Twitch took a few steps forward and his face became serious. Darien tensed, but the older man stopped when he was still a few steps away. Twitch looked around and dropped his voice to a whisper.

  “But we must talk in the dark, and be quiet, or else the Shadows will come. And they must not come. They won’t like what we talk about. They’ll try to stop us if they know.”

  Richard let loose a growl that rumbled in the small room. Even Darien felt a bit intimidated by the sound. Twitch stumbled back a step, visibly cowed.

  “What’s your game? We’re under the city, somewhere you’ve been killing Shadows from what I heard. Where else did you want to take us?”

  “We’re in the dark yes, but it’s not dark!”

  Twitch gestured with a shaking hand at the beams of light coming from the two companions. Was he serious? He continued to stare and point at the flashlights, so Darien sighed and clicked his off. Richard grunted and followed suit. With the lights off, he could just make out Twitch’s silhouette.

  “Ah yes, the dark. The dark is comforting don’t you think? It’s where we all start, and where we all end. Everything comes from the dark. Dark is the greatest and grandest mother of all.”

  The sooner they got the information they needed, the sooner they could leave. Of course, getting answers from this basket case would be a Herculean effort.

  “Alright Twitch, now that it’s dark, what did you have to say?”

  “I know something you want to know about. It’s a secret and you need to know if you want to survive. You’re different, you aren’t like the bear. You’re so much more than a bear. You can be one, but be more too, anything your heart desires. Anything that moves and breathes. You have so much power, we’re all in awe. Your power is beyond reckoning!

  “You are rare, but not the only one. And, not likely to live long. Death will come, death will sound the trumpet calling you to the other world and you’ll answer even though you don’t know why. It’s unavoidable, like the setting of the sun, but not as pretty. Uglier and more chaotic.”

  As he talked, Darien’s skin began to crawl. He squirmed, shifting his weight from one foot to the other. The acoustics made it sound like Twitch’s voice was coming from every direction at once, adding to the discomfort of his words. Darien half-expected someone to jump out of the darkness and attack, sending him to the early grave Twitch seemed to prophesize.

  “What are you talking about? Did you bring me here to try and kill me?”

  Twitch gasped and took several steps back with his hand raised to his chest. He shook his head back and forth several times.

  “I could never do that to one like you! You have nothing to worry from me. I just want to help! I want to be your friend! I want to serve you so when you reign on high you look down and say ‘Good Twitch.’ How could a lowly beast like me possibly think to go against you?”

  “Then tell me what you’re talking about.”

  “I told you. Death is coming for you. It’s knock-knock-knocking on your door and you don’t know it. It will drag you down to crazy town and bring others with you. You are the chicken and you’ll lose your head. You’ll flap around in every direction. Are you ready to run around in circles? Or do you want to step sideways?”

  He took a jump sideways and landed with a splash. He ran around in small circles, spreading his arms out to either side and tilting them inward.

  “Why do you think I’m going to go crazy?”

  Darien had to shout to be heard over the splashing. Richard tugged on his sleeve and made a small semicircle with his hand. He pointed to the left. Darien nodded in understanding. He stayed where he was, blocking off this exit as Richard crept along, trying to be quiet as he circled around the old man.

  “It’s unavoidable. You all go crazy! Every one! You’re nuts, nuts just waiting to crack. But I know how to stop the nutcracker. If the nut doesn’t crack, you’ll stay sane. Do you want to be a whole nut? Do you want to keep your shell? Stay in your shell and keep the cracker away.”

  With a splash he dropped down to sit in the water. It came up just past the top of his legs. He looked up at Darien.

  “I like pistachios.”

  “Sounds like you’ve already taken the trip to crazy land.”

  “Sometimes the world is so crazy that the insane are the ones to see everything as it really is.”

  “Okay, crazy man, so you think I’ll go crazy. When does this happen? How come I’ve never heard of it?”

  “I think you’ve said enough, Twitch.”

  The three in the room turned to face the new voice. Richard turned on his light and bathed the newcomer in the white beam. Standing at the entrance to Twitch’s left were four men. The man in front didn’t flinch when the light fell on him and he seemed the epitome of calm. His thin arms were crossed in front of his chest. Each of the three men behind him carried a small gun that looked more like an air pistol than a firearm. They looked like upgraded versions of pistols Darien had seen at a paintball range years ago.

  Twitch yelped and back pedaled until he collided with the grate. He folded into the fetal position and covered his face with his hands. Darien glanced over his shoulder at the tunnel behind him—it was empty. He took a step back and looked at Richard. His friend was stranded halfway between two tunnel entrances.

  “Who are you?” Darien asked.

  “My name’s Cameron, and I’m a Shadow.”

  “Sounds like an AA introduction.”

  “Twitch and Darien, I suggest you come with me peacefully. It‘ll make things easier on yourselves and your companion. As for you, Richard, you’re of no importance and are free to go.”

  “I’m only leaving with Darien.”

  One of the guards behind Cameron raised his sidearm. He pointed it at the cowering old man in front of the grate.

  “Don’t even think about it. You’re not getting away this time.”

  When Twitch didn’t respond or open his eyes, the man pulled the trigger. A small dart shot out of the gun and struck Twitch in the shoulder. He howled and jumped to his feet. He ran away from the Shadows. Someone fired a second shot that struck him in the leg. The impact from the syringe made him stumble and slide through the water. He struggled to keep moving, but his movements were sluggish. He crawled forward, slowing to a stop within a couple of feet.

  Cameron shifted his attention to Darien. The other Shadows twisted and aimed their guns at him. It was still a few feet to the corner and Darien doubted he’d be able to reach it before he was hit multiple times.

  “You’re coming with us.”

  “Where have I heard that before? I’m getting a strange case of déjà vu, but last time it didn’t smell this bad.”

  “Walk toward us, and keep your hands visible.”

  The guards fanned out to allow themselves a better angle. Two of them stepped into the room and walked along the edge of the wall. Darien took a step forward. Richard did as well, approaching the center. Darien held his hands up to either side of his body as he walked, showing that he was unarmed. The Shadows watched every step.

  Darien jumped to the side and angled his flashlight so the beam landed on the closest Shadow’s face. The Shadow shouted and brought his hand up to shield his eyes from the sudden light. His gun fired, and the dart sparked when it struck the stones. Before the other two men had a chance to fire, Richard hurled his flashlight at one of them. It struck him in the head and drove him to his knees. As soon as he threw the makeshift weapon, Richard dropped to all fours and shifted into a black bear. He let loose a deafening roar and stampeded forward in an earth-shaking run.

  The third guard fired. Darien shifted in a panic, trying to avoid the dart. It passed through his translucent human shape and slowed down, but didn’t stick. Darien rushed forward as a grizzly, joining his friend in the melee. He felt a slight stinging sensation in his shoulder, but ignored it as he gave into the rage and p
ower he felt coursing through his veins. With two strides he was on the closest Shadow, the one he blinded with his flashlight. The Shadow looked up in time to see a giant maw come down on him. He tried to jump to the side to avoid the attack, but Darien’s mouth closed on his shoulder with a satisfying crack. A warm metallic taste flooded his mouth, and he loved it.

  Another sting intruded on his consciousness, this one in his right arm. Darien turned away from the wounded Shadow to look at his attacker. His new quarry was loading another dart into the gun. Darien stalked forward, the darts didn’t matter. He licked his lips in anticipation. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Cameron step forward, carrying some type of weapon.

  A large black blur filled Darien’s vision as Richard jumped in front of him. The unmistakable crackle of electricity and odor of burnt hair filled the air. Richard jerked but retained enough control to turn his head and growl at Darien.

  “Run, kid!”

  He swatted at the grizzly’s face. The blow forced Darien to turn and snapped him back to his senses. Richard’s command rang in his head, so he turned and ran. In midstride, he shifted again, turning into a cheetah. The switch made him stumble, but he kept his footing. He rushed forward, taking corners without any thought. It wasn’t long before he was drained and felt he couldn’t run anymore. His shoulder and front leg burned with a cold fire. Every muscle in his body cried out to sleep, and his mind could only offer a mild protest.

  Darien lay down on the stones, closing his eyes. In a few seconds, he shifted back into his human form. The change helped to wake him up, so he struggled to his feet, keeping both hands against the wall for support. He heard footsteps ahead of him. Darien lifted his head and tried to force his eyelids open. He saw a silhouette against the light filtering down from above. It was a woman a little shorter than him, with shoulder length hair. Her form was shapely while maintaining an athletic grace.