Agents, Agreements and Aggravations: In Her Paranormal Majesty’s Secret Service™ Book Three

by Anderle, Michael

  They left the museum, hopped in a cab, and sped toward the Baltimore HQ. Jennie messaged Ashton to follow.

  Chapter Forty-Four

  Richmond, Virginia, USA

  Triton took the wheel while Tanya rode shotgun with Hendrick’s spectral compass in her hand.

  The silvery substance inside was strange. It moved and flitted like a fish, but it had no defined shape. Watching it reminded her of lying on the grass in Central Park and watching the clouds float ahead as they morphed and twisted into creatures and items.

  They hadn’t detected anything of note yet. They were slaloming up and down the streets, working their way toward the quarry. Business was going on as usual, the citizens of Richmond strolled along the sidewalk without a care in the world for the hidden horror that had been unleashed underground. There had been little in the papers, too, other than a brief nod at the breaking of the yoga studio windows.

  “I still don’t get why they’re choosing to remain at the manor,” Tanya muttered. “I thought they wanted their freedom.”

  Ula replied from the back seat of the car. Roman was beside her with Feng Mian accommodating the final seat. “They’re scared. They should be, too. After what we’ve let them in on, how are they going to continue their normal everyday lives in the city?”

  Triton grumbled in agreement. “Do we think they’re more susceptible now? Y’know… Considering they’ve been possessed once, could it happen again?”

  Tanya considered this, staring out of the window at the buildings as they blurred on by. “I don’t know. We hardly know everything. I’ve updated Julia and she’s looking into it, but who knows how long that will take?”

  They rounded a corner and headed toward the rising slopes on the north side of town. Mansions and luxury condos littered the rises, and the streets were emptier up here.

  The box reacted in her hand. Tanya felt the energy give small pulses as the silver liquid coalesced at the far side of the box and pointed toward the hill.

  Roman side-eyed the box. “That way?”

  “Worth a shot,” Tanya replied.

  They hadn’t been expecting what they found. The box led them to a street where three cop cars were gathered in front of a house with their lights flashing but their engines off. The cops were interviewing well-to-do neighbors who stood with arms folded and disbelieving faces.

  They parked nearby, leaving the cube in the car. It was obvious where it was directing them to once they’d noticed the shattered glass winking in the sunlight.

  “From out of nowhere,” one woman explained, her eyes lit up with excitement. Surely there was little adventure in a neighborhood like this. “I heard it from my place ten doors down.”

  “Definitely a gunshot?” a portly cop asked.

  The woman nodded emphatically. “Oh, yes. I’d know that sound anywhere.”

  The cop raised an eyebrow.

  “Oh, I don’t mean I’ve heard one personally,” she continued, her shock causing her to ramble verbally. “My son is big on those video games. Y’know the ones where they’re in the army and they play on the front line? Headsets and keyboards and controllers. Isn’t technology amazing?”

  Tanya glanced at the others and made her way toward a cop leaning against the hood of his car and scribbling notes. He looked up at their approach, studying the strange array of individuals before him. “Can I help you?”

  Tanya opened her mouth to talk, but Roman cut in.

  “Yeah, we’re former associates of the lady who lived here,” he explained, taking on a tone that Tanya had not heard in him before. He sounded friendly and approachable. “Former colleagues, as a matter of fact. We’re just wondering what happened here?”

  The cop eyed him curiously, then shifted his attention back to his pad. “Sorry, folks. That’s classified at this point. Unless you have information to give us on the individual that lived here, then you’ve got no business, and I recommend you walk on by.”

  From across the other side of the cop car, the lady mimed a bird flying across the sky. “Straight over our heads, I promise you. I know how it sounds. I saw her.”

  Tanya drew closer to Roman and the others. She whispered, “Come on, let’s find another way around. We’ve got no jurisdiction here.”

  They sent Feng Mian to explore the perimeter, but every inch was covered by cops or witnesses. Upon his return, they asked if he’d take a look inside the building.

  Feng Mian did as asked, walking straight past the boys in blue and up the steps to the front door. He melted through and disappeared from sight.

  * * *

  It was a dream home, something that might have been pulled directly from the Perfect Homes catalog. Everything was neat and pristine, light poured into the house, and there was a smell of lemons and pine in the air.

  Feng Mian ascended the stairs and searched for the shattered balcony. It wasn’t difficult to find. The door had been left open, and glass covered the carpets.

  He examined the room, taking note of the myriad weapons displayed on the wall. On a large oak desk, a lamp, a pot of pens, and a Mac took center stage. The view from the balcony was beautiful.

  Feng Mian rifled through the open drawer and saw the neatly collected ammunition. It was clear that something had been taken from the drawer recently, and given the range of weapons missing from the brackets on the wall, Feng Mian had a good guess as to what.

  He examined the surrounding rooms, half-expecting to find the guy they were looking for, but there was nothing here. Was the specter strong enough that he left a spectral signature behind, even after he was gone? It was possible. They’d seen that with Zhao.

  If only Jennie were around to aid in this capture…

  Feng Mian headed into the sunshine and examined the view from the balcony. The quarry was somewhere to the south-east, too far to see from here.

  So why would he come all this way to attack one person?

  A final glance at the empty brackets on the wall made Feng Mian’s heart sink. He glanced down at his comrades, lurking in the shadows by the houses below, and shook his head.

  * * *

  Tanya frowned, her teeth grinding behind closed lips. “Why? Why would this damn compass pick up residual spectral frequencies? Is this guy really that strong?”

  “We need to be alert,” Ula warned. “Not only does he have slaves, but he also has weapons, too. This is getting out of hand. If we don’t move fast, we’re fucked.”

  Roman gave a curt nod. “Agreed. I think it’s time that we call in reinforcements. Our reconnaissance can only go so far. If they’re recruiting more people to their cause who come with their own weapons, then we’re soon going to be vastly outnumbered. Tanya, hit up Jennie and see what she can offer, would you? Tell her it’s of vital importance.”

  Tanya sighed. She had wanted to try and wrap this one up without Jennie’s help, but it seemed there was no other choice.

  Ula seemed to read her mind. “It’s not a failure to ask for help. It’s a failure to not accept help when the time calls for it. We’ve done what we can alone, but now we need to bolster our numbers and fast. There’s no room for hubris in war.”

  Tanya sent the message, deciding not to call Jennie considering her team was already wrapped up in their own problems. On her lap, the silver liquid swam around its tank, hunting for specters.

  They had scanned the vast majority of the city, finding nothing more after the visit to the house, and now they were heading back to the manor. They drove through the center of a town, and through a local market. Traffic was thick and slowed their progress home. Tanya wound down her window to let the fresh air soothe her skin. It was refreshing.

  Outside the window, market stalls displayed their wares under candy cane striped awnings. Vendors offered fresh veggies, locally sourced meats, cheeses, and more. Dozens of customers crowded around the stalls as the vendors shouted their deals and drew in more custom.

  “The world keeps turning,” Tanya muttered, restin
g her chin on her hand. “How is it possible? These people have no idea what’s coming.”

  “What’s already here,” Triton added.

  Tanya turned over her shoulder, confused. Triton nodded toward her lap, where the fish had started circling in a crazy whirlpool of excitement. At last, it settled toward the far side of the market square.

  Tanya glanced over the canopies, already sensing a change in the air around them. A second later, they heard the first scream.

  * * *

  Taylor stared out from eyes bordered with shadow.

  This felt good. The market was packed, which would make gathering more victims to her purpose simple. That’s how she thought of it—her purpose. She had yet to discover that she was nothing more than the puppet, and someone was pulling her strings.

  In her left hand was her trusty Glock. In her right hand was her faithful Kalashnikov rifle from her days serving out in Iraq. The market warped before her, turning into a scene from the sandbox. The cobbles and paving were replaced with sand and sun-bleached stone, the air warping from the heat.

  These would do just fine—if they knelt before her, that was. She spoke with words that didn’t sound like her own, but that was okay. She sounded more powerful, terrifying, even. These people would have no choice but to bow to her power.

  “On the floor,” she declared, making no attempt to hide her weapons.

  A woman screamed and threw herself to the floor. Her forehead pressed to the ground, she made her obeisance.

  Taylor smiled. Good. One down…

  Eyes were drawn to the screaming woman. The realization of what was happening pulsed out from Taylor in ripples. Some stared with disbelief, others with fear, a strange few stared with mild amusement, as if the bullets in those firearms were nothing more than marshmallows.

  “On. The. Floor,” Taylor repeated, her voice rising with each word. “Now.”

  Chaos erupted. People sprinted in all directions. The stallholders abandoned their stock and fled into the stampeding crowd away from the woman. The unfortunate hundred nearest to Taylor froze, not daring to move a muscle.

  Someone in the crowd fired at Taylor, missing her right shoulder by inches.

  Taylor fired back with the accuracy she had honed over decades of service. The bullet found its mark, catching her assailant on the cheek as he moved toward the bullet’s trajectory by accident.

  More screams broke out. Those who had frozen worked their way to the floor, hands spread out before them and lips kissing the floor. A select few of the older population struggled, but even they managed a crooked curtsy.

  In the distance, the sirens blared.

  Good, Taylor thought. My first victims. She examined the herd fleeing from her and strafed them with bullets, reveling as her targets collapsed and fell to the floor.

  Taylor laughed. The sound of it was more masculine than she had ever been, but she paid it no mind. She took a step toward the cowering shoppers and raised her voice for all to hear. “Faithful subjects, you have been selected to bear witness to the great and powerful glory of old. You are the second wave of my army, and you shall cower before the terrible wrath of the Dreadnought Conqueror.”

  She dropped her weapons and swept a hand over the crowd. As she did, dark shadows flitted from her fingertips, snaking their way toward the bowing citizens. “Loyalty will be rewarded. Betrayal will end in death. You are now bound to me, and I to you, and together we shall join together on our noble quest to make Him rise.”

  “Who?” a brave man shouted from the back, his eyes fixed to the asphalt. “What the fuck are you talking about?”

  Taylor struggled to suppress a grin. She aimed the Glock and fired at his head. He flopped sideways and lay still. “Answers will be given in time. Faith will take you a long way toward victory, my brothers and sisters in arms.”

  The shadows from her fingers grew thick, and a haze of dark smoke settled around those on the floor. They held their breath, but soon could hold them no longer. Their eyes turned white when they were forced to inhale, and one by one, they got back to their feet and stood obediently awaiting their orders.

  Good, the Dreadnought’s voice said in Taylor’s head. And so it begins.

  * * *

  At the sound of gunfire, Roman, Ula, and Triton leaped out of the car.

  Tanya stayed behind, staring in wonder at the flood of people running her way. Those in the vehicles in front and behind were fleeing, but Tanya knew they had to help out.

  Feng Mian waited outside the car. “Are you coming?”

  Tanya looked uncertainly at the pistol at her waist. What could she do with that? She wasn’t trained. She wasn’t as adept with a weapon as the conduits, and the person shooting the gun seemed ready and willing to fire at anyone who stood in their way.

  Tanya closed her eyes and steadied her breathing. The conduits had gone from sight. She thought back to the battle at Alexandria, a time when she had played a part in protecting the city and much of the United States by helping take down Koa. “I’m nothing without Sandra.”

  Feng Mian poked his head through the door. “You don’t need Sandra to be great. All you need is to find the strength within your heart.”

  Tanya raised an eyebrow. “You’re going to make me puke.” When Feng Mian said no more, she opened her door and joined him. “Fine. But if I die today, I’m coming back to haunt you.”

  Feng Mian smirked as they ran against the tide of people.

  It was almost impossible to gain any momentum. Not only did they need to swerve around the market stalls to gain any progress, but people ran into them, blocked them, scurrying toward them in their desperate bids to run away from the crazed shooter.

  At one point, blood splattered near Tanya as a man went down to her right. She only saw him for a half-second before he was down, and more screams erupted around her.

  A man’s voice rose above the din. It was authoritative and commanding. Tanya saw the light at the end of the tunnel as she passed the last few civilians but was pulled back suddenly as a pair of hands clutched her waist and dragged her behind a stand selling handcrafted wooden toys.

  She was about to protest when she saw Ula’s face beside hers, a finger to her lips. The stampede was clearing, and in their wake, they left behind a bowing crowd covered in a thin layer of dark smoke.

  “What the…” Tanya muttered.

  Roman was on the other side of Ula, lining up his shot. He waited, clearly curious to see what was going to happen next. Tanya stared at the woman to whom the rest were bowing, wondering where the man’s voice had come from. When she opened her mouth and spoke, Tanya discovered the answer.

  “Take the shot,” Tanya urged.

  Roman hesitated. “She’s innocent. It’s the beast inside that needs expunging.”

  “Take it,” Ula echoed.

  Roman rose slowly, about to bellow out his commands for the woman to surrender when the rest of the crowd began to rise. His shot was blocked by rows of heads, and he appeared reluctant to step into the smoke surrounding them.

  “Shit,” he growled.

  Tanya whipped her head to Feng Mian. “I’ve got an idea. It’s risky as shit, and I need you for it. You in?”

  Feng Mian nodded.

  Before the conduits could pull her back again, Tanya ran out toward the back of the crowd. She couldn’t get a visual on the woman, but judging by the direction the others were staring, she could find her way there.

  She waited by the edge of the smoke. Feng Mian joined her and activated his shield, surrounding her in a bubble of white light. She pushed her way forward, alarmed by the vacant stares on the faces of the crowd. Only the whites of their eyes showed.

  Just like Krissie and Lyla…

  She had to use some muscle to nudge people out of her way, but soon she neared the front. She broke free of the final possessed and caught the attention of the woman standing before them.

  Her eyes flickered to the weapons at the woman’s feet. “Le
t me guess. You live in the northern quarter of the city? High balcony? Smashed glass? Are those the missing weapons?”

  Alarm came over the woman’s face, as though some memory was triggered inside her. A second later it was gone, replaced by a dark grin. A man’s voice leaked from her feminine lips. “You are unaffected by my magic?”

  “I have my methods,” Tanya replied, wondering if she could see Feng Mian and his barrier around her. Without her SI glasses, she knew she wouldn’t be able to. “What is it you want, Rathbourne? What is the purpose of all of this?”

  The woman’s face contorted into a twisted set of features. For a moment, another face became visible, staring at her with eyes larger than they should have been. “What I was promised so long ago. Dominion. Rule. The world to bow at my feet.”

  Tanya shook her head and muttered. “It’s always the same with you ancient guys.” She addressed Rathbourne. “Times have changed. You are no longer the dominant just because you can fight and force people to your will. We have methods and means to contain you, and we will use whatever is necessary to do so. If sending you back into that stone tomb is the only way to make it so, we will ensure it happens. Give up now before this gets messy.”

  Rathbourne’s laugh came unnaturally from the woman’s mouth. The face twisted back into her true presence. The woman blinked confusedly. She made a move to bend down and grab her weapons, when a powerful voice shouted, “Freeze! Hands in the air, now!”

  To her right, Roman aimed his gun at the woman. To her left, Triton covered the side. Ula stood on top of one of the stalls and locked her rifle on the woman.

  “Surrender,” Roman commanded. “Come along quietly or take the consequences.”

  The woman paused, mid-crouch. She raised her hands and laced her fingers behind her head, rising to her full height. For a moment, the woman behind the mask came through and a single tear rolled down her cheek. “You can’t stop him. It’s too late. Look at what he’s managed already.”