Mortal Imperative: An Alastair Stone Urban Fantasy Novel (Alastair Stone Chronicles Book 24)

by R. L. King

  He examined it for a while longer, as if committing their images to memory, then handed the phone back.

  “So…” she said tentatively, “are we good? Are you okay with this?”

  He looked at Amber, then Stone, then finally at her. “I guess I have to be. I’m not sure I want to meet them yet, but it doesn’t sound like that’s a big deal.”

  “I…was thinking of inviting them up here to visit at some point. If I do, should I let you know?”

  Jason hesitated, then sighed. “Yeah, I guess so. I mean, even though they’re not my half-siblings, they’re still related to you. So I guess if they’re gonna be part of your life, I should at least meet them.”

  Verity gave a faint smile. “Thanks, Jason. For understanding. I feel a lot better now that you finally know.”

  “Yeah, well, you should have told me before. But like I said, I guess I get why you didn’t.”

  They all returned to their food for a while, almost as if putting some space between the difficult discussion and normal dinner talk. For several minutes, the only sounds were the clinking of silverware and the faint music from the living-room stereo.

  “So,” Verity finally said to Stone, “you’re going away for a couple days? Doesn’t the quarter start soon?”

  “It does. I shouldn’t be away more than a day or two.”

  She narrowed her eyes. “On the phone, you said you hoped it wasn’t anything exciting. Feel free to tell me to mind my own business if you want, but is it magic-related?”

  “It…is.” Stone finished his wine and poured another glass. “It’s odd, actually—got a call today from someone I hadn’t heard from since I first moved here.”

  “You mean when you first moved over from England, like ten years ago?” Jason asked.

  “Yes, exactly. I helped him and some other friends with a problem back then, and they ended up leaving the area shortly after that. We didn’t maintain contact.”

  “But now they want you to help them with something?” Verity asked.

  “Yes. Two members of their group have gone missing, and he knows I can do tracking rituals. He’s worried, and he’s asked me to help.”

  “Huh,” Jason said. “So that’s why you hope it’s not exciting? You think you’ll find them safe and sound and that’s all there is to it?”

  “That’s my hope.” He chuckled. “But I’m not putting any money on that happening. It doesn’t seem to be something that occurs often around me.”

  “I wasn’t going to say it,” Verity said with a sly grin, but then sobered. “I hope your friends are okay, though.”

  “So do I.” He frowned at Jason, who’d just exchanged a meaningful glance with Amber. “Something you two want to share with the class?”

  Jason looked at Amber again, then turned back to Stone with a pensive expression. “Just…something we’ve been talking about for a while. Are you taking the portal to visit this friend?”

  Stone narrowed his eyes. “Why?”

  “Are you?”

  He wondered where Jason was going with this. “Er…I suppose I am, yes.” It wasn’t strictly true, but as far as his friend was concerned, it might as well be. “But what difference does it make? I take portals all the time.”

  “Yeah. I know. That’s what we’ve been talking about.”

  Now Verity was looking at her brother oddly too. Obviously, whatever he meant to bring up, she wasn’t in on it.

  “Jason,” Stone said, “I don’t see what you—”

  “You mentioned before that some FBI agent came to see you, back when we were looking for Ty Ellerman.”

  “Yes…”

  “You said he knew about you being in various places where bad stuff happened, over the past few years.”

  “Yes, but what difference does that make? He can’t prove anything.”

  “That’s just it,” Amber said. “Maybe he can’t…but that might not stay true. You need to protect yourself better.”

  “Protect myself? I’ve got no idea what you two are on about.”

  “Neither do I,” Verity said. “What’s this about, Jase?”

  Jason continued to address Stone. “I know you don’t know that much about technology and what it’s capable of—especially in the hands of somebody who knows what they’re doing. I’ve learned a lot since I opened the agency.”

  “Yes, and—?”

  “And,” Amber said, “one of the things they can do—it’s not even that hard if you’re in law enforcement—is track cell phone signals. Not to mention things like credit-card usage.”

  “Come on.” Stone waved them off. “Surely they’ve got better things to do than—”

  “Maybe they do,” Jason said doggedly. “But maybe they don’t. Do you want to take the chance?”

  “They can’t just start poking their noses around in my affairs with no provocation, can they? Don’t they need some kind of probable cause for it? A warrant?”

  “They do if they want to use it in court. But given how many dangerous situations you’ve been in proximity to, it might not even be all that hard for them to get one.”

  Stone snorted. “Preposterous. Mages pop all over the place through portals. We’ve been doing it for decades. I’ve never heard of any of them getting into trouble.”

  “Are any of them involved in as many high-profile things as you are, though?” Amber asked. “How many other mages were in the vicinity during more than one mass murder event?”

  Obviously they didn’t plan to let this go. “So…what do you propose I do about it?”

  “We’ve been talking about that too,” Jason said. “We think you should get some burner phones…and consider setting up a fake ID for doing things like renting cars. And use cash for anything you can.”

  Stone had to stop himself from laughing. “A fake ID? Jason, I’m not in some kind of spy movie.”

  Jason didn’t seem perturbed by his flippant answer. “Look. I can guarantee if this FBI guy told you they were on to you, you’ve already got a file somewhere. I’ll bet it’s a pretty thick one. Obviously, I can’t say whether they’ve got flags set to let them know when your credit card or phone pings somewhere weird, but I wouldn’t be at all surprised. Maybe they won’t do anything with it. As long as you don’t commit any crimes, they probably won’t. But do you want them having that much information on you? Eventually, they’ll gather enough of it that even the most stubborn mundane will start getting suspicious.”

  Stone almost laughed it off again, but stopped. He supposed Jason had a point. The mundane world got smaller every day. He’d never worried about it before because he didn’t think he had to, but this wasn’t the first time somebody in authority had suggested they knew more about his activities than he was comfortable with. And especially now, with his new freedom to travel much more easily than before, it could become an issue. Even if they couldn’t prove anything because it was impossible in the mundane world to travel that quickly, he didn’t think it was out of the question that they employed one or more mages among their ranks.

  “Suppose…” he said slowly, “…I did want to do something like that. Where would I even start? You’re right—I’m not exactly well-versed in this sort of thing. Bloody hell, I’ve only had a computer at home for a year or so.”

  Jason pulled something from his pocket and slid it across the table. “There’s a burner to start with. It’s bought with cash, and preloaded with minutes paid for with cash. Don’t turn it on now—save it until you’re wherever you need to be. Before you come back, destroy it. And don’t forget to leave your real one home, or at least keep it turned off. You can buy burners at most big-box electronics stores or convenience stores if you want more. Just remember to pay cash and not give them any identifying information when you activate it.”

  Stone studied the little thing. It was a primitive, flip-style device, with a tiny screen and a small series of physical buttons. He hadn’t seen one like this since before he’d finally broken down and bo
ught one of his own. He remembered a few of his fellow professors at the University had carried them years ago. “This is a bit…ancient, isn’t it?”

  “That’s the idea,” Amber said. “All it does is call and text. No apps, no bells and whistles to track.”

  “I…see.” He examined it a moment longer, than set it aside. “Well…thank you. I appreciate the thought. But I don’t see how having something like this is going to help me when I’ll need to use my credit card. I can pay for most things with cash, but rental cars and whatnot require more information.”

  “Yeah. We’ll need a little more time with that.”

  “With…what, exactly?”

  “Figuring out how you can set up the fake ID. The obvious person to check with is Gina, but I don’t want to do that because she works for me and I don’t want to get her involved in this—for her sake and mine.”

  Stone chuckled. “Jason, it’s all right. I’m willing to take the chance. And besides,” he added, as a sudden thought occurred to him, “I think I might have someone I can consult about this, assuming I decide to do it. Someone I trust completely, who has all sorts of connections, and who has a vested interest in not revealing me to the mundane authorities.”

  “Who’s that?” Verity asked, perking up. “Anybody I know? Oh, wait—Mr. Harrison, right?”

  “No.”

  “No?”

  Stone shook his head. “Harrison is…out of communication for the foreseeable future. I don’t know when that’s likely to change, if ever.”

  “Really?” She frowned, narrowing her eyes. “That’s not good, is it?”

  “It is what it is. It was necessary. I don’t want to go into why. But while you’re right, he probably would have been a good choice, he’s off the table.”

  “Who are you talking about, then?”

  Stone considered whether he wanted to tell her. But he had to trust somebody, and he trusted these three more than almost anyone else in the world. “Kolinsky.”

  Jason snorted. “He does fake IDs?”

  “No, but I’m certain he knows someone who can. Either him or Madame Huan.”

  “I thought Madame Huan disappeared,” Verity said.

  “She’s back. She turned up recently, and we’ve chatted a couple times.”

  “Okay,” Jason said. “Well, if you want our advice, you should get on with that pretty soon. Every time you get pinged somewhere there’s no way you could be, they’re gonna get more suspicious.”

  “Yes. Well, I suppose you’ve got a point. I’ll get on it right away—as soon as I get back from helping my friend. With any luck, I shouldn’t have to alert anyone else to my presence. I’ll ask him to pick me up instead of hiring a car. Happy?”

  “Yeah, I guess.” Jason didn’t sound convinced, but clearly there wasn’t much he could do about it. “I know it’s a pain in the ass, Al. But you’ll be grateful for it if somebody does take too much of an interest in what you’re up to.”

  5

  Stone took Jason’s words to heart. Before he left the following morning, he called Grider back. “Do you think you could pick me up if I call you once I arrive?”

  “Uh…sure. At the airport? That’s a bit of a drive, but I can’t very well ask you to get a rental if you’re helpin’ us out.”

  “No, not the airport. I’ll be a few miles outside Weekesboro.”

  There was a pause. “You’ll be out there, but not at the airport? If you can get there, how come you can’t just drive out here?”

  “Long story, and one I’d rather not go into, if you don’t mind.”

  “Yeah, okay.” Grider didn’t sound happy about it, but he could hardly object given the secrets he was asking Stone to keep. “Give me a call when you get here, and I’ll pick you up. Later today, I assume?”

  “No—I should be there in less than an hour.”

  This time the pause was longer. “Stone, I have a feeling there’s a lot more to you than I thought.”

  “You’d probably be right. But best if we don’t discuss it too much. I won’t ask too many questions about your affairs, and you don’t ask too many about mine.”

  “Can’t argue with that, I guess. See you soon, then.”

  It hadn’t been long since Stone had learned his new, ley-line-based form of travel, but he didn’t think it would ever get old. He picked up his overnight bag, where he’d stashed the burner phone Jason had given him, and bent to stroke Raider.

  “You be good,” he told the cat. “Should only be gone a day or two, but if that changes, I’ll make sure someone pops by to visit and tidy up your commode.” Ever since he’d spent the time to build a magic-based feeder/waterer, he no longer needed to worry about Raider going hungry without a cat-sitter while he was gone, but even the notoriously solitary feline enjoyed some company if his human servant was away for long. “Or I’ll just come home myself. Because I can do that now.” He grinned at Raider, who didn’t seem impressed. “Anyway, I’ll see you soon.”

  He gripped his bag and headed upstairs to his workroom. He could have done it from the living room, but he didn’t want to take the risk Raider might choose that moment to be affectionate. Once he was behind the closed door, he stood in the center of the room, closed his eyes, and visualized the complicated pattern required to take him where he needed to be. He’d already studied the ley-line map and memorized the location.

  Ley-line travel required a small preparation time—two to five minutes, usually, depending on where he was trying to go. That meant he couldn’t use it to pop around inside a room, which was a tiny disappointment. But given what he could do now compared to before, he wasn’t complaining. He wondered if the dragons required the same preparation, but hadn’t asked. As curious as he was about them and their capabilities, he knew it would be pointless. If they wanted him to know something, they’d tell him. Until then, he had this wondrous and useful new toy to play with, and for that he was grateful.

  The trip itself was nearly instantaneous. One second he was standing in his workroom, and the next he’d reappeared in a clump of trees near a road a few miles outside Weekesboro. There was no feeling of disorientation or confusion—the process felt similar to the times he’d used Trevor Harrison’s teleporters on Calanar.

  He glanced around to make sure no one had spotted his arrival, then pulled the little flip phone from his bag and called Grider.

  “You here already?” The man sounded surprised. “You weren’t kidding. Where can I pick you up?” When Stone gave him the location, there was a pause. “Seriously? Just…out in the middle of nowhere outside town?”

  “That’s right.”

  “Er…okay. Give me fifteen minutes and I’ll be there. I’d forgotten what a strange guy you were, Stone.”

  “Yes, and I’m sure I’ve become nothing but stranger in the last ten years.”

  “I’m sure too. Hang out and I’ll be there as soon as I can.”

  Stone waited under a disregarding spell until he saw the late-model Ford SUV pull off the road twenty minutes later. After verifying it was, in fact, Grider behind the wheel, he hurried over and got in, tossing his bag in the back seat.

  “Mr. Grider. It’s good to see you. You’re looking well.”

  He wasn’t lying. Frank Grider hadn’t been a young man when Stone had known him—in his early to middle sixties, and ready to retire soon. Now, ten years later, he looked like he’d barely aged since then. He wore a light-blue polo shirt and slacks, and his thinning gray hair was neatly combed.

  “I could say the same for you. You sure you’re not one of us?”

  “Despite a taste for rare meat, I can guarantee I’m not.”

  Stone studied Grider as he drove, shifting to magical sight to get a look at his aura. It looked unsettled, which wasn’t surprising. A baseball game played softly on the radio, but he didn’t seem to be listening to it.

  “So,” Stone said. “Have there been any new developments since we spoke last?”

  “Not rea
lly. Not too many people know Orville and Chris are missing yet. Our group all lives in the same town, but we’re spread out and we have our own things to do. Only reason I know is because we had a meeting scheduled and they didn’t show up.”

  “Who besides you knows they’re missing?”

  “Laura knows, obviously. Aside from that, I can’t be sure if anybody else does. I’ve asked around, discreetly, in case they mentioned something to somebody else, but nobody’s heard from them.”

  “When is your next…er…gathering scheduled?” Stone shuddered inwardly as he remembered the ghouls’ monthly get-together in Los Gatos, where they shared fellowship and expertly-prepared meals of human flesh. It had all been very civilized—which had made it all the creepier.

  “Not for a couple weeks. We don’t get together once a month anymore—usually every six weeks or so. Folks are busy, and it’s harder since we don’t own a restaurant here and nobody has a big enough house for all of us to fit.”

  “I see. Have you added anyone to your group since we spoke last?”

  “A few—but not by creating them,” he added quickly when Stone frowned. “We’re one of the bigger colonies in the country. There are two others, one back East and one in the Midwest. Sometimes we…cross-pollinate a little. We’ve lost a couple people over the years, and gained a few. But far as I know, no ‘new’ ones.”

  “So you haven’t heard of any other semi-ferals.”

  Grider shook his head. “Nope. Once we took that group out, I’m pretty sure that was the end of ’em. It’s easier to watch for news stories that might look suspicious now that everything’s on the internet. Chris got pretty good at it. There’ve been a couple stories that might have been something to worry about, but I checked in with a couple old friends in law enforcement and found out they were just animal attacks.”

  “Well, that’s…good, at least.”

  Grider turned on a meandering street lined with mature trees, and soon they pulled into the driveway of a neat, two-story yellow house with a large yard.