Dead Waters sc-4

by Anton Strout

  “Well, we’ve seen plenty of Charybdis in her female form,” I said. “I wonder what’s become of Scylla, other than knowing the professor fed it the still-conscious remains of George. Why he’s feeding it, I have no idea. Maybe so it grows up big and strong.”

  Godfrey flipped open one of his books to a page he had marked off with a Post-it. “I think I may have an answer for that,” he said. “Remember how I told you that the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers had been blasting away at the strait back in the mid-eighteen hundreds? I think that blasting may have hurt both of the monsters over a century and a half ago, incapacitated them. Charybdis seems to have risen back to some of her power, possibly because she can take aquatic form. I’m not sure. I think Scylla is still mostly dormant. Charybdis is its keeper. Its nurse, in this case.”

  “Not for much longer, I suspect,” I said. “I think Charybdis recovered because Mason Redfield discovered her while investigating the Hell Gate Bridge. In return for his help providing sacrificed students like George to her monstrous companion, she gave him secrets to help him be reborn. I’ve seen the watery pit where he’s been feeding students to something out in the river. A something named Scylla. I imagine that sea monster is probably growing up big and strong.”

  Godfrey shook his head. “If Scylla is as monstrous as legend and myth has it, it would take more than simply feeding it blood. It’s certainly a start, but for something so grand in scale, there would have to be a larger summoning ceremony of sorts. Something to raise it. I think you hit the nail on the head, Simon. The water woman marked Jane so that she herself would have a vessel to inhabit herself once the ceremony is performed to raise Scylla. From what I’ve read, Scylla, supposedly because she’s a daughter of Poseidon, needs a vessel to keep herself material. Something greater than water. Flesh.”

  “What kind of ceremony are we talking about here, Godfrey?” I asked.

  “It would definitely be magical,” he said, “but not on the scale we use regularly up in Greater and Lesser Arcana. We’d have to start a whole new division to classify it. Maybe Super Greater Arcana or Godlike Arcana …”

  “We can name it later,” I said. “Focus on the ceremony.”

  He thought for a moment before answering, but there was uncertainty in his voice. “I would think this type of large-scale ceremonial magic is best performed at liminal times and places, but I’m not sure.”

  “Liminal?”

  “It means being at a crossroads,” he said. “On the cusp of great change.”

  “Like a threshold?” I asked. He nodded. “You said those two monsters guarded the Strait of Messina. That’s a threshold of sorts. And isn’t a bridge like the Hell Gate another one? I think you may be right about liminality. By their very nature, those two creatures are bound to liminal places.”

  “You’re right,” he said, counting off on his fingers. “For instance, the shores of bodies of water …”

  “We have that,” I said. “Check.”

  “Not just places,” Godfrey said. “Time is important, too.”

  “Like when?”

  “There’s a whole list,” he said. “Solstices, equinoxes, full moons, midnight …”

  I pulled out my phone to check the time, date, and weather. “We’re near the September autumnal point of the equinox.” I checked the phase of the moon on my weather app and relaxed when I saw it. “Oh, thank God. We’re only at a new moon, not a full one.”

  Godfrey didn’t relax. “I was getting to that on my list,” he said.

  “I was hoping you wouldn’t say that,” I said. “Dammit. I think the crossing over of all these various thresholds may be enough.”

  “Tonight may be the night she attempts the ceremony, then,” Godfrey said.

  I checked the time on my phone again. “The good news is midnight is almost six hours from now. There’s still time, but we have to act now. Any idea how one goes about killing sea monsters, God?”

  “Nothing on record that I know of,” he said, “but the two of them may be at their most vulnerable right before the ceremony. If that doesn’t hold true…Well, when in doubt, go for the heart seems to be the advice that works best.”

  “I’m not all that keen on getting that close,” I said. “And as a matter of perspective, I’d need a pretty goddamn big stake to pull something like that off.”

  “Sorry,” he said. “Clearly this is why I don’t teach any of the paranormal combat classes.”

  I nodded and smiled. “Don’t worry about it,” I said. “I’ve got to hurry, but thanks for the information, Godfrey. I feel good now.”

  “You feel good,” he repeated with a wary tone. “Why?”

  “Because there’s a power in knowing what something is,” I said. “A power that’s going to help me kill it before it gets a chance to rise and take on New York, and most important, a power to save Jane. Do me a favor. Go up to Allorah Daniels’s office and let the Inspectre know about this.”

  I ran off for the stairs.

  “Where are you going?” Godfrey called out after me. “What are you going to do?”

  I didn’t bother to turn back. I was already bounding up the steps, a hint of hope finally in my heart after days of frustration. “Looks like I need to prep the boat with something sea monstery,” I said. With all this talk of mythological connections, I only wished I had some Argonauts on my side to go with it.

  29

  Affixing a pointed ram to the front of the Fraternal Order’s boat was a daunting task. It wasn’t like there were IKEA instructions on how to mount one, but after a fair amount of Googling, I felt relatively secure with my handiwork when I finished a few hours later. By the time I got back from the docks, I was surprised to see that along with the students, the Inspectre, Connor, and Jane were all still in Allorah’s office, each of them off working in separate corners on small piles of files and folders. Allorah Daniels was at her desk and looked up when I walked in.

  “Please tell me you are here to take them away,” Allorah said.

  I nodded. “Not the kids. Just Connor and Inspectre. What’s going on? Why are the kids still with you?”

  The Inspectre looked up. “Holding is a bit backlogged so we kept everyone here away from Wesker and the like. In the meantime, I thought we all could get a little work done.”

  “Way to multitask,” I said.

  “It is the foreseeable wave of the future,” Connor said, standing up and walking over to me. “The cuts and all.”

  “Did Godfrey come up and tell you about our sea monster problem?” I asked.

  The Inspectre nodded.

  “Does that mean I get to be a sea monster, too?” Jane asked, looking a bit panicked.

  “I don’t think so,” I said. “I hope not, but I’ve just spent the past few hours rigging our boat to contend with them, so we need to act fast.”

  “So what happens to us?” Heavy Mike asked from over in his chair. The hand Elyse had stabbed him through was now bandaged, and he cradled it in his lap.

  “That’s the good part,” Connor said. He walked over and tapped Mike on the forehead. The student flinched back, squinting his eyes shut.

  “Ow,” he said. “What’s that for?”

  “Notice how my hand didn’t pass through you?” he said.

  “Yeah,” he said. “So?”

  “Well, for one thing, it means you’re not a ghost,” he said, “which in turn means you’re not really one of my cases.”

  “That’s a relief,” Mike said.

  “Don’t be too sure about that,” Connor said. “Whether all of you knowingly engaged in dark paranormal activity in the Tri-State area remains to be seen. That will be up to the Enchancellors to decide.”

  “Dude,” Trent said. “I helped you people out.”

  Connor threw up his hands. “I’m not judge, jury, and executioner,” he said, in the worst faux-Stallone accent I had ever heard. “That’s for them to figure out.”

  “We’re to be executed?” Elyse said, n
ervous. She leapt out of her seat and made a break for the door out of Allorah’s office before I could grab her. Jane, however, moved with lightning speed and grabbed Elyse by the hair. The actress’s body flew out in front of her as her head snapped back and she fell to the floor with Jane still holding on to her. Elyse lay there, writhing around. Jane let go of her hair and gave her a vicious kick to the stomach.

  “Jane!” the Inspectre called out, but she wasn’t paying attention to him. Her eyes were fixed on Elyse, burning into her.

  “It’s because of you and that professor of yours that I’m in this mess,” Jane said. “People hungry for power, going for the quick fix. When are you going to learn that there are no simple solutions? Power corrupts. Magical powers, doubly so.”

  I’d never seen Jane like this before—so angry, violent. I went to her and pulled her away from Elyse.

  “Easy,” I said. “Calm down.”

  “I’ll calm down when I’ve got this mark off of me,” she snapped. “Not a second sooner.”

  Allorah Daniels looked over at the Inspectre. “Go. I’ll try to take them to down to Holding again,” she said. “Then I’ll gather the Enchancellors to discuss what needs doing about this in the grand scheme of things. I can’t not report this threat of sea monsters to the board, but listen, Argyle. I know this thing with Professor Redfield is personal for you. If you want to handle this with any discretion before I drag them all into this, I suggest you and your people leave now.”

  The Inspectre nodded. Allorah turned from him and headed out the door, leading the four bound students. Once she was gone, the Inspectre turned to me. “Is the boat ready?” he asked.

  “I think so,” I said. “I’ve never built a giant spear or ram before, but it’s functional. It will hold.”

  “Good,” he said.

  Jane looked nervous. “So, now what?” she asked.

  “From what Godfrey told me, you think Mason Redfield is in alignment with these creatures,” the Inspectre said, “that he traded his help in raising them for the secrets to youth for himself. Saddening, but I am heartened to hear that one of those is still somewhat dormant.”

  “I hope,” I said. “For all I know, Professor Redfield’s been providing her with a student a day and George was just one on a long list of monster snack Lunchables. I don’t know how regular a feeding schedule Scylla is on, but Godfrey and I think the ceremony could possibly happen as early as tonight.”

  “We should strike now,” Connor said, “before either the creature can rise or the overworked members of the Enchancellors bog this case down in red tape.”

  The Inspectre checked his watch. “Meet me in half an hour at the docks,” he said. “I have a few things I need to take care of first for this. Things of a volatile nature.” Without another word, Argyle Quimbley left the room and Connor followed him out.

  “Don’t worry,” I said, turning to Jane. “We’ll take care of this tonight.”

  “Yes,” Jane said. “We will.”

  “Wait, what?”

  “I’m coming with you,” she said.

  “Definitely not,” I said. “Not in this condition, not the way you were affected last time we were on the water out there.”

  Jane slugged me in the arm. “Enough of the male macho bullshit,” she said. “I’m coming. This is happening to me. If there’s a chance we can get answers or do something about this thing, I need to be there. End of discussion.”

  “Fine,” I said. “Hell hath no fury greater than a woman marked.”

  30

  Within the hour, the four of us had made our way back to the boat and headed out onto the East River as a heavy rain broke out over the city. All of us crammed into the boat’s small wheelhouse as the growing storm raged even heavier on the river, pitching our boat back and forth with the ferocity of an ocean voyage. Jane wanted to stay out in the storm, and even though I had pulled her in, she still stood by the cabin door with her head out in the rain, her hair soaking wet. It calmed her and kept her from freaking out too much, so I let it slide.

  “You think the ram’s going to stay on?” I asked Connor, who was manning the wheel once again.

  “I’m not worried about the ram,” he said.

  “Oh, no?” I adjusted my Indiana Jones-style satchel out of the way as Jane ducked her head in and moved to stand closer to me.

  “No,” he said. “I’ve got bigger things to think about, like keeping the rest of the boat together right now, at least until we get to the bridge. Then we get to worry about if this summoning ritual is really happening.”

  Jane squeezed my arm. “I shouldn’t have come,” she said.

  “Seasick?” I asked.

  Jane shook her head. “No,” she said. “I know what I said in the office, but it was out of frustration. I just wanted this mark off of me so bad, but that was just plain selfish. I’m putting us all at risk again by being here. What if I can’t help but get sucked into her ritual?”

  “Relax,” I said, rubbing her shoulders. “You won’t this time. You’re stronger than that.”

  “I won’t relax,” she said, shrugging me off. “Last time we were out here, I could have killed you and Connor. Now I’ve got the Inspectre to worry about.”

  “My dear,” the Inspectre added from the other side of the cabin where he held on to one of the interior railings to steady himself, “please don’t worry about me. I’ve dealt with greater horrors than what’s happening to you. Fear not. Rest assured we will get that woman in green to release her hold on you.”

  Jane didn’t look too sure about that, but nodded anyway. “I hope so,” she said. “For Simon’s sake, if not mine.”

  “It’s okay,” I said. “Even though I’ve dated a lot of girls in my time, you’d be my first aqua-woman.”

  Connor shook his head. “Way to be reassuring, kid.”

  “So, what’s the plan?” Jane asked, impatient. “I take it from the tarp on the front of the boat that we’re packing a little extra cargo this time.”

  “A little insurance,” the Inspectre said. “Blasting caps, detonation cords, underwater charges, and a slurry composition of explosives …”

  “Explosives?” Jane repeated. She turned to Connor at the wheel. “Can you control the roll of the ship a teensy bit more, please? I’d like to get to the bridge in one piece. Piece, as in singular.”

  Connor cranked the wheel of the ship. “Believe me, no one’s going to be happier than me if we can keep the boat from capsizing,” he said, “but don’t worry. Those explosive materials need something a little more powerful than the roll of the ship to set them off.”

  “Good,” Jane said, “but what are they for?”

  “My idea,” the Inspectre said. “I read the report about unearthing those aqua-zombies. If we encounter any more, we’ll be able to take care of them this time.”

  “Unearth?” Jane asked. “Don’t you mean unwater?”

  “Whatever,” he said. “Either way, we’ll be ready for them.”

  “Brilliant,” she said.

  “That’s not the only reason,” Connor added at the wheel.

  “No?” Jane asked.

  “No,” I said. “Connor has a theory.”

  He steadied the boat before looking over at us. “We blast up some of those sunken ships,” he said. “It may just help me in freeing up some of those spirits still lingering on the bridge that died at the hands of both those creatures.”

  The Hell Gate Bridge came into sight though the pouring rain. The entire expanse was covered with a sea of ghosts, and out on the middle of the bridge was Professor Redfield himself.

  “Looks like a double feature so far,” I said. “The ghosts of all the shipwrecks and the professor to boot.”

  “Looks like we have a little company for me,” the Inspectre added.

  “Crowded tonight,” Connor said. “When we get up there, mind your footing or prepare to be skunked by a ghost.”

  “That’s the least of my worries,” Jan
e said.

  “Just get us to the shore safely,” the Inspectre said. He clapped Connor on the shoulder and went back to staring out into the storm.

  Connor angled toward Wards Island on our left, but he wasn’t heading for the docks we had landed at before.

  “Where are you going?” I asked.

  “Trying not to puncture a hole in your F.O.G.gie boat,” he said, wrestling with the wheel. “We’re going to need it if we can’t stop the ritual up on the bridge. If I go for that broken old dock, we’re going to tear apart with the roll of these waves. I’ve got to go for a deeper part along the shore. I’ll need you to jump off and secure us to something more solid.” He took one hand off the wheel and pointed off toward another section of Wards Island. “Those trees there, for instance.”

  I ran out of the wheelhouse. The storm rained down on me and in seconds I was soaked though, but I was still determined. We needed to tie off. I ignored the sting of rain in my eyes and worked my way around the outside of the cabin to the casting line at the front of the boat. Connor brought up the left side of the boat against the shore, and when we were close enough, I leapt for it. I hit the ground and ran for the closest and heaviest tree I could find. I tied the line to it as best I could while Connor killed the engine and the three of them came ashore to the island.

  I stared up at the underside of the Hell Gate Bridge and whistled.

  “Well?” Jane asked.

  “The climb looks treacherous,” I said, “especially in this downpour.” I looked over at the Inspectre, who was using his sword cane to steady himself as the last one coming off the boat. “You sure you don’t want to skip this part, sir?”

  He picked up the cane and walked over to me without using it, but I noticed he was a little wobbly despite the brave face he put on. “Nonsense,” he said. He tucked the cane through his belt, wearing it like a sheathed sword as though he were a modern-day musketeer. “I’m old, not dead.”

  “That’s the spirit,” Jane said.

  The Inspectre smiled at her. “However,” he said, “why don’t the three of you start up first? This may take me a while.”