Galefire II : Holy Avengers

by Kenny Soward

  Lonnie dropped her shirt, took two steps, and met her on the roughshod mat, their lips touching briefly, her scent wrapping around him once more. His mind tingled with possibilities. Her friendship. Her body. Their future. He’d found a new addiction. Selix. They must never be apart from this moment forward.

  “I’m supposed to be getting something for Bess," he whispered as he kissed her face.

  Selix placed her palms on either side of his head, fingers rifling through his hair. “What was it?”

  “I, uh, can’t remember.”

  Hands roamed Lonnie’s shoulders and arms. His shirt lifted, and he straightened to let Selix drag it off him. “Then fuck Bess.”

  “Yeah, she can—”

  Their lips met. A chill ran through him, a thrill knowing she’d be his again and again and again if he wanted her. Of course he did. It wasn't a question. They were together now, his head screwed on right, and nothing would tear them apart. Not even the drugs.

  Lonnie forgot Bess. Forgot the threat of things above and below. He forgot the world and its curious obsession with time and wrapped the woman he loved in his arms.

  Laying together in the aftermath of their passion, the room grew cold. Lonnie shivered. Must be night. It certainly felt that way. He pulled Selix closer, covered her shoulders with a sheet. When was the last time he’d felt so content? This must be as close to his previously made up life as he'd ever get. He and Selix would never be normal, would always be on the run, but as long as they remained close, things would be okay.

  “Sinners pick the worst time to sin.”

  Lonnie rolled over, dragging a murmuring Selix with him.

  Bess stood at the threshold, holding aside the coverlet, backpack slung over her shoulder, lip curled in mild disgust. Yet, her eyes soaked in the couple an extra moment, as if betraying what she’d just said about sin.

  Annoyed, Lonnie smirked. “Leaving so soon?”

  The `Venger shrugged. “You were supposed to bring me some information.”

  “Oh yeah.” Selix’s voice was dreamy.

  Lonnie grinned but was still not thrilled with the intrusion. “I had little choice in the matter.”

  “Well, let's go. Get dressed. You need to see this.”

  “What is it?”

  “Just, come on.”

  Lonnie eased Selix off him and slid from the bed, stood naked in front of Bess and rolled his shoulders, stretching them and working out a couple kinks. Bess’s eyes did a quick assessment of Lonnie’s body. He wasn’t a grand specimen, after so many years of drug abuse, but he was lean.

  Bess blinked, then tilted her head toward the tunnel. “I’ve got him in the rec room. I suggest not screwing around any further. I’m going to get some information out of him whether you’re there or not. Your choice.”

  And then she left.

  Lonnie watched her go. “Him who?”

  Selix shrugged. "Can you toss me my shirt?"

  Chapter 25

  “I need to find my clothes. My real ones.”

  “They’re a couple rooms over.” Selix pointed. “Gruff had them cleaned. Mended them.”

  “All right. Can you get the ladies and Crash, fetch the gear, and make sure it's ready to go in case we need to scram.”

  “It's fetched.” Selix stretched on the bed. “It’s all we had to do while you slept. Clean the guns, pack them up again. Take inventory, blah, blah.” She waved her hand.

  "Still, I'm worried about where they've gotten off to, if you know what I mean.”

  "I do," Selix laughed and swung her legs over the mat's edge. Opened her hands while Lonnie fetched her shirt and tossed it to her.

  "Thanks." Lonnie pulled on his sweatpants, grabbed his cigarettes, gave Selix a kiss on her forehead, then made his way to the purported mending room. He’d passed it a couple different times, but this was the first time he’d had a peek inside. It was a strange place with stacks of clothing folded neatly on tables or tossed into various piles. Others were (and there was no better way to put it) soaking inside the wall.

  A clear, gelatinous layer held the articles in suspension. Clusters of tentacles whipped and churned the pieces almost like they were in a regular washing machine.

  “What the fuck?”

  A pile of wet shirts lay on the floor beneath a clothes line, and a small sewing table littered with spools of thread, pincushions, and other tailoring tools rested in the center.

  So, Gruff tossed the garments in the weird Jello, which then agitated them through various cycles to spit them out at the other end?

  Lonnie's brow furrowed. He crossed to the clean clothes and found his things. Threw on his jeans. Couldn’t find his socks so he took a pair he thought might fit and put them on, pulling his boots on over those.

  He swiped his T-shirt and jacket from the table and inspected them. Even the bullet holes had been repaired. Lonnie lifted the cloth to his face and breathed deep, finding the scent strangely neutral and fresh. A little like rain striking hot pavement. He had to give it to Gruff, he’d done a bang-up job with this stuff. Some operation he had going on here. Lonnie threw on the shirt and jacket as he exited the washing chamber, bumping into Crash in the hallway.

  "Hey."

  "Hey."

  "Selix said you were looking for me."

  "Yeah. Something's up. You got my back?"

  "Always."

  Together they found Bess in the rec room, pacing over a slight figure who sat in the same chair Bess had occupied just a few hours ago. The guy sipped from a cup, one hand holding his side. He was soaking wet, clothes hanging from him. He looked miserable.

  Gruff was busy at his little stove setup, but Lonnie noticed he watched the new arrival with a wary eye.

  “Hey.”

  Bess stopped her pacing, eyes tracking Lonnie. “Hey,” she said, regarding him with a hint of disdain. It didn’t matter. He wasn’t here to make Bess happy. He owed her nothing. In fact, aside from the small gesture from Bess to search a few things for them, she owed him. He’s the one whose ears had picked up the sounds of the TV and found their web connection.

  “This our visitor?”

  “Yeah. This is Jedi.”

  The guy raised his hand and gave a slight wave and a half-smile. He appeared to be of Asian heritage, deep brown eyes and skin a shade of olive. Soft demeanor. Just another wayward soul come to the River Bottom Health Care Facility.

  “I’m Lonnie.”

  “Oh, hey man. Good to meet you.”

  “I’m Crash.”

  “Hey there. You’re huge.”

  Crash nodded, pulled out a seat, and parked his wide body in it.

  “So, what’s the story, Bess? Guy looks harmless enough.”

  Bess shifted from leg to the other. “Remember when I was telling you what happened to me?”

  “Yeah. Your problem with Anderson, and Krag.”

  “Well, this is his little helper.”

  “And you haven’t blown his head off yet?”

  “No. I can't. He saved me. Although he wasn’t exactly a hero about it.”

  Jedi smiled and shrugged. “Sorry. Couldn’t be too obvious. Krag doesn’t handle betrayal well, and I’m not that eager to die. But they’re assholes. It was an easy call.”

  Lonnie nodded where Jedi held his side. Blood seeped through between his fingers. “What happened to you? You wounded?”

  “Oh, those things wouldn’t let me down here unless I was injured, so…”

  “So you hurt yourself to get a ride in?” Unease crept up Lonnie’s spine.

  Jedi checked his wound, lifting his hand away to expose a four inch cut. Bloody but not deep. “Uh, I guess so. Yeah.”

  “Why would you go and do something like that?”

  “That’s what I’ve been wondering,” Bess said through tightly pressed lips. Her hand fell to her belt, where her gun was tucked. One of the many guns no doubt strapped to her person.

  “Oh," Jedi said, leaning away. “You don’t have to
worry about me. I helped you because you seemed cool.”

  “Then why are you here?”

  Lonnie’s eyes ticked back and forth between Jedi and Bess. The story she’d told about her capture gave sense to her icy disposition. She wanted to pick Jedi's brain or information about the ECC’s infiltration. Lonnie wanted to find the connection between the Turu Tukte and his sister, if there was one.

  Once again, similar problems.

  “Bess, let me ask him a few questions.”

  Bess let out a contemptuous laugh. “Oh, now you’re interested. You weren't thirty minutes ago.”

  “I got distracted.”

  “Typical fade ripper bullshit.”

  Jedi leaned forward to inject himself into the conversation. “Hey, uh, sorry to interrupt. Did I hear right? You go by Lonnie?”

  “Yeah.”

  “Oh, man. Might be a long shot here, but any chance your real name is Mardokh?”

  “Why?”

  “Well, if you’re him, then I might have something for you.”

  Lonnie exchanged another look with Crash. The man shrugged his big shoulders.

  “Yeah, I’m Mardokh. What's it to you?”

  “Great.” Jedi looked relieved. Reached into his pocket.

  Bess’s backpack hit the dirt. She drew her gun faster than Lonnie could follow, pointed the barrel inches from Jedi’s head.

  Jedi froze. “Hey, easy."

  "Slow," Bess said.

  Lonnie trusted Bess on this one. He leaned forward. “Might want to be careful, man. She’s pretty fucking high-strung.”

  Jedi’s terrified expression relaxed. “You’re right. Sorry.” He raised his hand, carefully put it in his jacket pocket, and pulled something out. Lifted it for everyone to see. It was a small, fleshy disc about an inch thick and three inches in diameter. Its skin was pockmarked and putrid looking. Diseased. In the center bulged a yellowish yolk resembling a rheumy eye.

  “It’s just this," Jedi said as the thing in his hands twitched. It was alive!

  Crash and Bess both stepped back, twin expressions of disgust on their faces.

  Lonnie leaned closer. “What the fuck is it?”

  “It’s for you.” With a whip of his wrist Jedi tossed the disk at Lonnie.

  Lonnie tried to bat it away, but at the last second it stretched and contorted, slipping past him. The disc slapped wet against his stomach, sticking there, just below his bandage.

  “What the fuck?” Lonnie said, starting to peel it off him. Barbs sprung from the edges and sunk a half-inch or more into his flesh. He picked at it, trying to find a spot dig it off, but it had sealed itself tight against his skin, tighter than a leech.

  And it hurt like a motherfucker.

  “Glad that’s over.” Jedi, said, sighing even though Bess had him by his hair with her gun against his temple.

  Lonnie surged across the corner of the table, snatching Jedi out of Bess's grasp, lifting him clean off his seat. “Look, fucker. You better get this off me or I’m going get real creative.”

  “I can’t do that,” Jedi sputtered. “Wouldn't know how.”

  A sudden rumble shook the Under River. Tunnels quaked. The room tossed them, sent them staggering. Leaks sprung from the ceiling and walls, dribbling at first and then became outright spray. Something rushed by, slithering overhead, causing the mud to bulge as it passed. Some leaks stopped and sealed. Others didn’t.

  Lonnie caught a jet of muddy water in the face, ten levels of panic shooting through his brain. He imagined the entire Under River collapsing on their heads, millions of gallons of water washing them away.

  The walls shook once more, but stabilized. The rumbling faded, thunder growing distant, leaving them in the quiet with the leech clinging to Lonnie stomach.

  Gruff waddled in, wringing his hands in despair. He took one glance at Lonnie and slapped his hand to his forehead. “Oh no.”

  Lonnie stood straighter. "Any idea what this is?”

  “Skin tracker. You’re who they want.”

  “What did you do?” Lonnie reeled to snatch up Jedi but the little guy was gone, escaped in the turmoil.

  Bess shot him an apologetic look. “Sorry.”

  “Damn, Bess." He turned to Gruff. "What does it mean? Are we in danger?”

  The old guy’s eyes darted around, panic setting in. “I don’t know.”

  “Can your children tell?”

  Gruff, remembering himself, shuffled over to the shelves, thrust his hands between the spaces, palms against the wall, and closed his eyes. His drooping bottom lip quivered as he reached out to his children. There were shimmers through the baked mud infrastructure, distant sounds, and Gruff reacted with a twitch to each one. Finally, he withdrew, turning to them, worried. “An attack.”

  “Who?”

  The old man shrugged. "Can’t tell. Things summoned from the Fade. Things that shouldn’t be here. Things driven by a great power.”

  “My sister?”

  Gruff shrugged again, eye brows raised in worry.

  “Can we do anything?”

  Gruff’s hands came together, fingers fluttering in nervous tension. “Dark places. Safe chambers.”

  “You’re saying you have a safer place?”

  The old man nodded, hesitant and unsure.

  Bess interjected. “We need to get there fast. Better if we can get topside.”

  Gruff’s eyes turned to the passages that led to the operating room and Arboretum. “Blocked. Can’t go that way. The children are protecting.”

  “Crash, get the others.”

  "Aye," Crash said, jogging off.

  “Safe places aside, Gruff has a portal down here somewhere. You said as much, didn’t you?”

  Gruff nodded. “I made myself a portal, yes.”

  "I'm not entering a portal," Bess said. "Not with you people."

  "I hope you're a good swimmer then," Lonnie shot back.

  Another rumble shook the place, new leaks formed. Gruff’s eyes peered at the ceiling and circled, following the route of something as it moved through the water above them. He mumbled, “Go, Charlotte. That’s a big girl. Yes…”

  Lonnie put a hand on his shoulder. “It might be your pets can keep us safe from whatever the hell is happening up there, but we need a backup plan.”

  Crash returned with Elsa, Ingrid, and Selix, all wearing modified versions of their street clothes. The whorchal sisters with their black corsets, billowing sleeves, and skirts now held together by brown leather ties and steel rivets, boots wired at the buckles. Selix was the same with her jean shorts and sneakers. She’d kept the blue T-shirt but had tied it around her hips.

  Crash toted their bag of gear, gripping his big pistol in one hand.

  Lonnie smiled because Elsa was half shoving a squirming Jedi before her. “Did you lose something, dearie?”

  “Fuck yeah I did.” And then Lonnie lunged.

  The little guy saw him coming. Tried to rip free from Elsa’s grasp, but it was no use. She had him locked in her taloned grip.

  Lonnie’s fist crashed against the guy’s face. Blood spewed as his head rocked back. Lonnie added a left cross which knocked Jedi to the floor. Lonnie kicked him once in the chest. Again, but this time Jedi got his arms up to protect himself as he crawled away. Lonnie would’ve kept at him if Crash hadn’t intervened. And then Bess was there, gripping Jedi around the neck.

  “No more Code o’ Peace,” Gruff shrugged.

  Selix went to Gruff, put her arm over his shoulder, and turned him from the fight, whispering to him as slight vibrations shook the place.

  Bess sneered as she held Jedi in front of the whorchals. “Ladies. This is Jedi. The guy who helped me get free back at Krag’s. He tagged your boy with something nasty. Probably knows why the damn river’s about to crash on us. Right?”

  Jedi spoke, but it was indiscernible with his nose spouting blood.

  Selix approached Lonnie, bent and inspected the fleshy disc attached to his side. Eyes narro
wed, she tried to work her fingers beneath the ugly thing.

  “It’s no use,” he told her, brushing her hand away. Then he reeled on Jedi. “Did my sister, Makare, send this?”

  Jedi looked half-knocked out, sputtering on his leaking nostrils. He swiped at the mess but only smeared it more across his cheek.

  Lonnie drew back a fist.

  Jedi threw up his hands, head shaking. ”I don’t know.”

  “What do you mean you don’t know?”

  “Look, man. They don’t tell me shit.”

  The Under River heaved just then, a cataclysmic rushing of sound above them. More leaks sprung up everywhere, turning the floor to mud. It groaned, and Gruff groaned right along with it, seeming to feel every stress and strain put on the place. He broke free from Selix, started pace-waddling, one hand coming up to slap at his scraggly-haired head. He stopped and moaned, “Nooooo…”

  “We need to go.” Selix’s voice held a quivery calm.

  “Yeah, people.” Crash’s eyes locked upward. He hardly noticed an arc of river water hitting him square in the shoulders and running down his back. “We're gonna drown unless Gruff's got inflatable rafts hidden somewhere.”

  “Or some of those nice arm floaties, yes?” Elsa said.

  “Oh, yes. I like those.”

  The River King nodded. Backed away from the hall leading to the inner chamber and Arboretum where most of the rumbling originated. “They’re hurting the children…”

  The Under River heaved again, this time followed up by a tremendous impact. Selix grabbed Gruff by the arm and yanked him hard. “Gruff!”

  The old man’s demeanor did a Jekyll and Hyde. Determination hardened his face. He spun, growling, “This way.”

  Chapter 26

  They chased Gruff into the only other passage they hadn’t explored, one that appeared to wind south along with the flow of the river. Selix first, then Elsa, Ingrid, and Crash. Lonnie and Bess trailed behind, carrying Jedi between them.

  “I’m sorry," Jedi squeaked, "I didn’t have a choice.”

  Lonnie kneed him in the leg. “Shut the fuck up.”

  Bess jerked Jedi back the other way. “You ready to tell the truth? You’ve got about thirty seconds.”