Song and Key

by Connie Bailey

  “If you would, Mr. Song,” Fitzroy said, “I’d be more comfortable if you’d… revert.”

  In a blink, Seva was back in his chair. Fitzroy cleared his throat. “If I may ask the obvious question, Mr. Song: where does your clothing go and how does it return?”

  “I don’t know, sir. I’m just glad it does.”

  Keller smirked. “It didn’t always come back at first. That’s why we needed longer than two weeks’ vacation.”

  “There haven’t been any instances in weeks,” Seva said. “I feel confident the problem has resolved itself.”

  “Very good.” Fitzroy sat back in his chair. “Am I mistaken in feeling that you have a much more congenial working relationship with Mr. Key?”

  “That’s exactly how I would put it,” Seva said. “We are like piss and parrots.”

  “I daresay.” Fitzroy looked flummoxed for just a moment. “Well, I’m glad to hear it. I’d like to pair you again in the future.”

  Keller and Seva exchanged a glance, and then Keller spoke. “We’d be prepared for that. In fact, we’d prefer it.”

  “Very good indeed.” Fitzroy looked from Key to Song and back again. “It occurs to me that you have some very special abilities that might serve you well on a mission.”

  “We were thinking the same thing, sir,” Seva said. “As an example, Keller can’t become invisible, but he can move so fast that most people can’t see him.”

  “That would certainly come in handy.” Fitzroy cleared his throat. “I’d like to talk for a moment about your condition, Mr. Keller.”

  “Is it about the bloodsucking, sir?”

  “Well, yes, rather.”

  Keller grinned. “It’s not a problem.”

  Fitzroy tapped the ends of his fingers together. “Of course I trust your word, but—”

  “One of the many reasons we want to be partners,” Seva started to say.

  Keller cut Seva off. “A few sips of blood are all I need.”

  “How serendipitous.” Fitzroy cleared his throat again. “All this new information has convinced me GLEN is in need of a new division. At a minimum, this revelation merits study to determine what sort of threat or benefit the supernatural world represents. Naturally, I’d like you to head this new department.”

  “Me, sir?” Keller touched the knot of his tie, flustered. “I’m honored, and of course I’ll—”

  “You and Mr. Song… as a team. Of equals.”

  Keller wilted a bit. “I assumed that’s what you meant, sir.”

  Seva kicked Keller’s ankle and smiled. “I look forward to it.”

  “Very good! You’ll be responsible for assembling your staff. Ms. Shapely has a file with details of your budget and the location of your suite of offices. You’ll have a great deal of autonomy, but ultimately you report to me. How does that suit?”

  “Like a tailored glove,” Keller said.

  “The first person we hire will be Alex Balancal,” Seva said.

  “We will?” Keller turned in his seat to look at Seva, raising an eyebrow. “Shouldn’t we discuss it first?”

  Seva shrugged. “Name anyone as well qualified as Alex.”

  “Cosmina?” Keller pursed his lips and gave his partner a challenging look.

  “Is something amiss, Mr. Key?” Fitzroy said.

  Keller narrowed his eyes. “Let’s just say Seva might have an ulterior motive in hiring Alex.”

  “And what might that be?” Seva asked, all innocence.

  “I’d like to hear it as well,” Fitzroy said.

  “I’m not sure how to say this…,” Keller stalled.

  “Does it concern your new relationship with Mr. Song?”

  “Sir?” Keller looked startled.

  “You do realize I have full access to your personnel folders, and that includes your psychiatric evaluations, as well as your complete medical histories.”

  “It wouldn’t surprise me,” Seva said with a nod.

  “You don’t think I could have anticipated this outcome? Minus the, er, supernatural elements, of course.”

  “Of course,” Seva said. “Any opinions, sir?”

  “Upon the short amount of time I’ve been able to observe the new partnership, I would say that it has not only made you better agents but better people.” Fitzroy paused. “Particularly you, Mr. Key.”

  “How so?” Keller bristled a little.

  “I assume if you don’t ‘keep it in your trousers,’ as they say, Mr. Song will burn those trousers while you’re wearing them. I call that a definite improvement over the old Keller Key.”

  “Morality enforced by physical punishment,” Keller said, shaking his head. “What will they think of next?”

  “I have no problem knocking sense into you, Kel,” Seva said, “but I’m sure I won’t have to.”

  “No, you won’t.” Keller gave Seva his most charmingly boyish smile. “Because I don’t want anyone but you.”

  “And that would signal the end of this discussion,” Fitzroy said quickly. “I regret bringing up the subject.”

  “Sorry,” Keller said, clearly not a tiny bit sorry at all. “I didn’t realize you were uncomfortable with—”

  “What I’m uncomfortable with is your transparent attempt to mollify Mr. Song with some imagined schoolboy charm. It’s frankly embarrassing to see a grown man—”

  “Point taken, sir,” Keller said, pouting. “So… when do we get started?”

  “As soon as you like.”

  Seva took out his phone. “I’m calling Alex.”

  “Got him on speed dial?” Keller remarked with a glare.

  “Yes.”

  “I knew it!”

  “I have Cosmina on speed dial as well.” Seva gave Keller an innocent look. “So what?”

  “Gentlemen.” Fitzroy got their attention. “Please accept my thanks once again. I had no right to ask a personal favor of you, and you had no obligation to go, but you did. I am forever indebted to you for finding the answer to the riddle of my friend’s death.”

  Keller hesitated, unsure what to say.

  “You’re welcome, Mr. Fitzroy,” Seva said.

  Keller glanced at his partner. “You’ve always got a smart answer, don’t you?”

  Seva nodded. “Yes.” He turned to Mr. Fitzroy. “May I ask you something, sir?”

  “Of course.”

  “You appear to take recent developments in stride. Your normal reserve notwithstanding, I’m surprised you could remain so calm when someone transforms into a wolf.”

  Fitzroy cleared his throat. “I thought I might wait a bit longer, but I see no point now. If you have a few moments, I have a story for you.”

  Keller settled back in his chair as if prepared to sit there until doomsday.

  “Please go on, sir,” Seva said.

  Fitzroy rifled through a drawer, withdrew a small box, packed his pipe, and lit it before he began to speak. In marked contrast to his usual confident speech, his words came out slowly, punctuated by many hesitations. “It was in London in 1867 in which the story begins. Victoria was on the throne and the world was England’s oyster. London bustled with activity of all manners. Great strides were being made every day in every field. It buzzed with the energy of a hive. One of the spheres being explored was that of the occult.” He glanced from Seva to Keller as if waiting for a comment. When neither spoke, he went on. “People called theosophists appeared and established temples and cults based on new knowledge gleaned from Egyptologists. Psychics, mediums, alchemists all made their way to London, drawn by the energy swirling around the city.

  “Of course, such societies had always existed, but never in numbers. There had always been those who believed in spirits, but now it had become the vogue in society. Even the queen put faith in the table-tappers, as they were called.

  “The oldest of these was an offshoot of an order of the medieval Crusaders, more a martial than spiritual organization. They were and indeed are known as the Knights of Day to the ini
tiated. To the world, they became the Gentlemen’s League for Endangered Nature. They were pledged to serve and to defend the Light, i.e., ‘all creatures great and small.’” Fitzroy looked at Seva and Keller from under his brows. “There were eight ranks or divisions, but only one concerns us at the moment. The Vigils were chosen for their affinity for the spiritual world, and functioned as bodyguards and scouts to such people as exorcists and those who claimed to have paranormal powers. It isn’t fashionable these days, but I have always believed that our current understanding of science does not explain everything. As you know from the true work of GLEN, the battle between the Light and Darkness is very real.” He paused. “I have always been proud to be a soldier in that army.”

  “A Victorian secret society?” Keller started to grin but thought better of it. “Fascinating,” he said instead.

  “Yes, it is,” Seva agreed. “Did you inherit your position, sir?”

  “Indeed I did. Each generation of Fitzroys has had a son invested as a Knight of Day.”

  “I’d like to know more,” Seva said.

  “And so you shall, Mr. Song, but not today.” Fitzroy rose.

  Keller and Seva stood. “When could we talk about this again?” Seva asked.

  “Soon, I should imagine. Now go and see Ms. Shapely,” Fitzroy said, making a shooing motion with one hand. “And the best of luck to you.”

  Keller turned to Seva as soon as the office door closed behind them. “What did he mean by that?” he asked.

  “Can you be more specific?”

  “Why would he wish us luck?” Keller asked.

  “It’s the traditional thing to do?”

  Keller shook his head. “You don’t think he sounded a little, I don’t know, sarcastic? Do you think he meant us?”

  Seva blinked at him. “You really should talk to someone about your paranoia.”

  “You mean my very useful paranoia?”

  “If you say so. Come on. Let’s get the files and get started.”

  “So you’re not the least bit worried?”

  Seva made an impatient noise. “Seriously, it’s called therapy. You should look into it.”

  “You aren’t even a little suspicious that everything is going too well?”

  “No. I’m very pleased… and excited.” Seva put an arm around Keller’s shoulders. “Time to saddle up, cowboy. We’ve just been handed our own division.”

  “Yeah.”

  “Yeah?”

  Keller grinned. “Yeah!” he said with enthusiasm.

  “Excuse me?” Ms. Shapely said, and Keller and Seva turned toward the sound of her voice. “Mr. Fitzroy instructed me to give you this.” She held out a large stack of file folders. “I’ve also sent you several emails with more information; these are just the budget reports.”

  “Thank you,” Keller said, brushing her fingers with his as he took the envelope. “I guess you already know how beautiful you are.”

  “You’d be right.”

  “I think your reputation has preceded you,” Seva told Keller, laughing at her brush-off.

  “Take the express,” Ms. Shapely said and pointed to the only elevator with a brass door.

  “Come on.” Seva took Keller’s arm. “Let’s go find our offices. You look at the map while I call Alex.”

  “What? You were serious about that?” Keller asked as they walked to the elevator.

  “Yes.” The elevator doors opened just as Seva reached them, and he walked right into the car as though he’d expected it. “Unless you can think of someone better qualified.”

  Keller huffed. “Sadly, I don’t know any other supernatural creatures.”

  “I have a feeling that will change,” Seva said as the elevator carried them up to the top floor.

  “Listen.” Keller held down the Door Close button. “Seriously. I don’t like the idea of Alex being around. He stirs people up.”

  “What are you saying?”

  “He’s a loose cannon.”

  “I’m still not getting your point.”

  “He’s got the hots for you!” Keller blurted.

  “There you go.” Seva moved Keller’s hand from the button and the doors opened. “I knew you’d say it eventually. You have nothing to worry about,” he said as he walked out.

  “Are you sure? What if there’s some weird attraction between therianthropes that we don’t know about? What if someday you’re with him and you both wolf out and some bizarre mating compulsion comes into play? What if you go into heat? What then?” Keller speculated, waving his hands around in agitation.

  Seva stopped walking and stared at his partner. “Is this really the kind of thing that occupies your mind?”

  “Like you don’t think about it,” Keller scoffed.

  “I never figured you for the jealous type. How wrong can one man be?”

  Keller crossed his arms over his chest and said in a lofty tone, “It’s not jealousy. It’s a legitimate fear for your safety.”

  “You’re utterly shameless.”

  “You forgot to add that you love me for it.”

  “I don’t.” A shadowy dimple appeared at the corner of Seva’s mouth. “I love you for that ass.”

  Keller laughed. “And that’s why I love you.” He smiled at the startled look he got from a passing member of the clerical staff.

  “And what about my ass?” Seva asked archly when the young woman was out of earshot.

  “Sublime.”

  “And?”

  “Flawless.”

  “And?”

  “Irresistible.”

  “Dingo!” Seva exclaimed.

  “I think you mean bingo.”

  “Not if I’m calling you an indigenous wild dog.”

  “My bad.” Keller laughed.

  “You’re forgiven.” Seva glanced across the hall. “There’s our suite.”

  “Let’s have a look.”

  “After you.”

  Keller brought his badge close to the pad on the door and the lock disengaged. He turned the knob and grabbed Seva’s arm as he swung the door open. The dim room was empty except for a conference table and chairs. Keller pulled Seva toward the table as the door locked itself behind them.

  “Time to christen our new office,” he said with a lascivious grin.

  ALIX BEKINS lives and writes atop a treacherous hillside in the Santa Cruz mountains. Her days start with a cup of proper British tea and end with knitting while watching TV. In real life, Alix is a no-nonsense, judgmental-eyebrow, whip-cracking admin whose turn-ons include glitter nail polish, hiking, dogs, chocolate, and sensual walks in the rain. Without the rain, because that sounds cold.

  Alix is pretty sure she’s the only person in the world who wears a plastic Viking helmet as a thinking cap when she battles writer’s block. She always wins.

  Facebook: www.facebook.com/AlixBekins

  E-mail: alixbekins@gmail.com

  CONNIE BAILEY is a Luddite who can’t live without her computer. She’s an acrophobic who loves to fly, a faultfinding pessimist who, nonetheless, is always surprised when something bad happens, and an antisocialite who loves her friends like family. She’s held a number of jobs in many disparate arenas to put food on the table, but writing is the occupation that feeds her soul.

  Connie lives with her ultralight-designer husband and Ickle the Wonder Whippet at a small grass-strip airfield halfway between Disney World and Busch Gardens. Logic and reality have had little to do with her life, and she likes it that way.

  Blog: baileymoyes.livejournal.com

  By Connie Bailey

  DREAMSPUN DESIRES

  #11 – Finding Family

  Published by DREAMSPINNER PRESS

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  Coming in February 2018

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  A legendary love.

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