Turbulence: Book One in The Renegades Saga

by E. M. Whittaker

  Contents

  Copyright

  Chapter One

  Chapter Two

  Chapter Three

  Chapter Four

  Chapter Five

  Chapter Six

  Chapter Seven

  Chapter Eight

  Chapter Nine

  Chapter Ten

  Chapter Eleven

  Chapter Twelve

  Chapter Thirteen

  Chapter Fourteen

  Chapter Fifteen

  Chapter Sixteen

  Chapter Seventeen

  Chapter Eighteen

  Chapter Nineteen

  Chapter Twenty

  Preview: Drift

  Author’s Note

  Turbulence

  Book One in the Renegades Saga

  By E.M. Whittaker

  All rights reserved. This book or any portion thereof may not be reproduced or used in any matter whatsoever without express written permission of the publisher or author, excluding the use of brief quotations in a book review.

  The following is a work of fiction. Any resemblance to persons living or dead is purely coincidental, or used in the form of parody.

  Copyright © 2016 E.M. Whittaker

  ISBN: 978-1539604075

  For more information or to contact the author,

  Please visit http://www.emwhittaker.com.

  Cover art and page break images designed by Holly Heisey at

  http://hollyheiseydesign.com.

  Editing and proofreading by Shay VanZwoll at

  http://evproofreading.com.

  Chapter One

  Aviere Mye gritted her teeth and cursed Edith Eisen, regretting being her capodecina instead of donna of her own territory… My former territory, she reminded herself.

  The lithe, longhaired brunette released a short breath when her lanky, sloppy brother babbled an answer to her simplistic question. She poured sulfate into a plastic shell before sealing the completed amphetamine pill.

  I swear, if Limere keeps blubbering, I’ll shoot him with a tranquilizer.

  Aviere leaned back in her leather chair and raised her chin, snorting at her brother’s torn blue jeans and disheveled, long-sleeved shirt. She pressed a finger to her temple and created a circular gesture with her free hand, indicating to try again.

  Halfway through Limere’s next incoherent sentence, Aviere held up a leather-gloved hand and resisted the urge to stab him.

  “Limere, start from the beginning… and without stuttering, this time.”

  Sullen, ice-blue eyes trailed to her dark brown suede boots.

  “Look at me, Limere. A donna deserves respect.”

  “You’re a capodecina, Sis,” he said, voice harsh. “You’re working your way up the ranks again after your husband lost Central Baltimore.”

  Aviere parted her bangs and narrowed her cerulean eyes. “You have thirty seconds before I use you as my next test subject for my latest concoction.”

  Limere gulped, then paled at her statement.

  “Now, answer the question. Did you meet with Eisen or not?”

  He lowered his head and scratched the back of his neck. “No. There were cops at her place. Someone almost followed me back here.”

  Aviere rubbed her throat, tightened her lips, and lowered her silver-rimmed spectacles. “What do you mean ‘almost followed’ you here? How could anyone track you when you cloak your presence with magic, Limere?”

  Limere skittered back. “Sis, I didn’t mean to! I swear! Don’t claw me, all right?!”

  “Then answer the damn question, Limere.”

  “Feds. There were feds there.” He wiped beading sweat off his brow. “I booked it before they arrested me, though.”

  Aviere glanced at the test tubes and various liquids, reminding her of orders she needed to fill. One side of her desk contained herbs and gelatin pill capsules, while vials and typed papers rested on the other. She splayed her hands and snarled, pointy canines resting on her bottom lip.

  The mention of federal agents made Aviere reconsider being Eisen’s capodecina again, considering she almost resigned from the mafia two days earlier.

  I wanted to leave and search for Gunther on my own terms. I could have said no, but Eisen coerced me by being my racing sponsor.

  Goosebumps made her shiver the longer she reflected on the federal agents. Then butterflies fluttered in her stomach, hoping her suspicions weren’t correct.

  I finally convinced Eisen to let me street race as a way bring in money, but I can’t shake the feeling someone’s messed it up.

  Aviere met Limere’s light blue eyes and rested a finger on the bridge of her glasses. “Why were federal agents at Eisen’s place?”

  Silence lingered between them. Limere fidgeted with his fingers before staring into her eyes.

  “Edith’s dead, Aviere. Her entire family got iced this evening.”

  The color drained from Aviere’s face. “No!”

  “The feds were investigating the gruesome scene when I got there. One was taking pictures while the other chased me out of the house.”

  She took off her glasses and held them delicately in her leather-gloved hand.

  Shit. I didn’t think they’d get Eisen with Martinez guarding her.

  “I grabbed something from the house.”

  Aviere held out her hand. “Let me see.”

  Limere reached into his pocket and offered two thin tubes in a plastic baggie. “They were next to her dead teenage kids. You use these for liquid forms of black bryony, don’t you?”

  Aviere snatched the plastic bag, tempted to crush it like her shattered dreams.

  Without Eisen, the dons will assume I’m extracting revenge for our family losing Central Baltimore. So much for my sponsorship. No one’ll help me once they find out Eisen’s dead.

  She rose from her leather chair. “Find out what killed them. Our lives depend on it.”

  Limere edged closer until she smelled musk and earthy tones. “You know they’ll have a hit on you by morning, Sis.”

  “I know.”

  “The feds mentioned you as a prime suspect. They’re on their way here to take you in for questioning.”

  Christ. I guess it’s expected. I’m Charm City’s best poisoner, after all.

  Aviere shoved the chair against the desk, disregarding the contents inside her test tubes. The contents on the desk seemed insignificant, compared to her latest crisis.

  Once news spread about Edith Eisen, she’d be the target of a citywide manhunt. If they didn’t catch her first, her family would pay the price. She glimpsed at the digital clock on the computer and scowled.

  Judging from her calculations, Aviere only had four hours to find Maurice and Limere a sanctuary until morning.

  “Limere, take Maurice somewhere safe. I don’t want you guys involved in this manhunt.”

  “Yeah, but I need to tell you something, Sis.”

  Aviere reached for her purse. “This better be good.”

  “One of the feds… he’s a mage, like me.”

  She stiffened before whirling back to her brother. “You’re sure?”

  “Yeah. Not sure how developed he is, though. I booked it before I could test him.”

  Aviere opened a drawer and retrieved a black and green-cased iPhone, studied her notifications, and growled at an incoming text message. “Can we buy the feds off, Lim?”

  “Mages rarely take money, unless they’re necromancers or bounty hunters.”

  “You’re telling me this one hides behind the law.” Aviere went through scattered papers on her desk, jotting down notes on a pink sticky pad. “Once we have a name, I can find out if we can buy
his silence. If not, I’ll handle him myself.”

  Limere shuffled his feet again before removing his filthy blood red baseball cap. “I don’t think that’s a good idea, Aviere.”

  Cerulean eyes changed shape, morphing into feline eyes. “Explain, Limere.”

  “Mages are tricky bastards.”

  “Yet you’re still here.” She did her best to revert to normal. “But you have your uses.”

  Icy blue eyes sneered at the capodecina. “That’s cold to say to your older brother.”

  “You had your chance to take over,” Aviere snapped, patting her chest. “It’s not my fault you sold drugs to undercover law enforcement officers for more cocaine.”

  “Look, the mage—”

  “Hell, Gunther didn’t trust you when our family ran Central Baltimore. He caught hell from every don in the city when he appointed me as his Underboss. But I did better as donna when Gunther disappeared until your drug bust cost us our position. My husband’s gambling didn’t help, though.”

  Limere’s face turned scarlet. “I don’t need a trip down memory lane when we’re on limited time, Sis. You can’t kill me because you’re upset something’s not going your way.”

  “Stop questioning my orders,” Aviere commanded, powering down her tiny laptop. “I’m losing patience and there isn’t much time.”

  “The other guy’s a skilled fed, but he’s more of an information specialist. I’m guessing he may have worked forensics before becoming a field agent for the feds.”

  Thank god, something useful, Limere.

  “Martinez should be able to get him reassigned after contacting our mole.”

  Aviere busied herself by taking out the laptop battery and crammed it inside her handbag. Then she knelt on the ground and kicked up a wooden floorboard. “So, the mage is our problem.”

  “Yeah. Maurice and I should have something between us by tomorrow.”

  She hid the laptop underneath the flooring before knocking the floorboard back in place with her boot. “Why is Maurice digging on mages when those are your specialty, Limere?”

  She watched Limere reach in his back pocket for a slim, silver case. “Well, you know—”

  Aviere snarled when she tried snatching his case. She missed, but ripped part of his long, cotton sleeve. Claws poked through her gloves and Aviere flushed, scolding herself for her careless mistake.

  I had these made two weeks ago. One day, I’ll slip my claws out in front of the wrong people.

  “Goddammit, Sis… I loved this shirt!”

  Aviere curled her upper lip, scurrying to put her supplies away. “Weed’s pungent, Limere. Creatures smell shit and I don’t need shifter politics along with a bloody mage.” Once her desk was clear, the capodecina cleaned her glasses and scrunched her nose, trying to block out her brother’s skunky scent.

  The iPhone vibrated and chimed three times. Aviere pocketed the device after reading another text message. “Darren’s waiting upstairs. Get rid of him. If the feds are on their way, he’ll get arrested, too.”

  Limere ran his hands through his scraggly brunette hair, dandruff flaking on his shoulders. “What’s he doing here? I spoke with him and got our supplies for the week an hour ago.”

  Aviere closed her eyes to hide her surprise. When we get home, I’ll remind Limere about maintaining good hygiene.

  “Probably what everyone else wants,” she said brutally, pointing to the door after opening her eyes. “Get going. You and Reese have work to do.”

  “All right.” Limere put his baseball cap on backwards. “Sis, be careful. Stay safe. I’ll call you when I find a safe spot to meet us.”

  “I will. You too, Lim.”

  As Limere left the room, Aviere dropped the faux purse next to her seat, trying to forget the unpleasant bile and her trembling, icy fingers.

  Trust Limere. He’ll take care of Reese. Focus on the assassins. It’s my job to fix these problems, so I’m not afraid of them or the feds coming after me.

  She pulled out a vial gun and smiled at the single vial of ammunition. The Poisoner shouldered her purse before drawing a set of keys seconds afterward.

  Just find out who’s responsible for murdering the crime lords before the dons take you out, Vi. Whoever killed Eisen might be responsible for Gunther’s disappearance, too.

  A sour expression crossed the Poisoner’s face as she pocketed her Post-it notes, determined to find out who killed her boss and turned her life upside down two days before her first race.

  A half hour later, Aviere left her workshop, stomach churning after overhearing the discussion between Limere and Darren through her security camera. She slid gloved fingers over a brick, waiting for the wall to camouflage the back door to her shop.

  The iPhone vibrated against her butt, but Aviere pressed forward, wrinkling her nose at the dank, earthy air.

  While the damp, cool air soothed her flushed, frustrated face, the stinging scent of aftershave made her wrinkle her nose. She took a deep breath, trying to place the brand to better find her stalker.

  Did they have to use the harshest chemicals on the market? Seriously, this could curl nose hairs.

  Aviere brushed stringy bangs from her eyes, appreciating the vast buildings and sophisticated electrical lighting in the underground street. There weren’t tall skyscrapers, but she wouldn’t have wanted tall buildings in a shifter population. A puny boy waved to her when she strolled down the street.

  She put on a soft smile and hid her anxiety, waving back before footsteps diverted her attention.

  The aftershave strengthened the closer she walked to the parking lot, almost concealing her brother’s skunky scent when he approached her. Limere’s footsteps quieted when she raised her hand, stiffening when the aftershave almost forced her sneeze.

  Vi, stop. Christ, that’d make a great story for the fed. He caught me unaware after I sneezed because of his freaking aftershave.

  “See who’s around, Limere.”

  Limere’s bony fingers grasped her shoulder. “It’s the mage I mentioned, Sis. He’s standing by your car, seeing if you’ll show up.”

  She pinched her nose and inhaled through her mouth, resisting the urge to sneeze. When the sensation passed, Aviere rolled her shoulders, darting back and forth to make sure no other innocents suffered from her situation.

  A loud scraping noise made Aviere wince before she scurried toward the man running his nails across the body of her automobile.

  The fed’s going to get it for digging his nails against Jet’s expensive body! It’s a custom paint job, for Christ’s sake!

  In the middle of storming toward the trench-coated fed, Limere dug his fingers into her shoulder, then spun her around to face him. “Stop.”

  Aviere bared her teeth, shoving her older brother aside. The blood pounded in her ears as she continued pointing at her cerulean 250 LM Ferrari. “That mage is ruining my—”

  “Chill,” Limere whispered, touching his fingers to her temple. “Don’t go after him yet.” The hair on her arms rose when he gathered power to his fingertips. Within seconds, her vision stopped tinting red.

  She swatted his hand away, scowling at Limere. “Do not manipulate me into calming down, Limere. He’s scraping against Jet’s body! Do you—”

  “Sis, listen to what you’re saying,” Limere hissed in her ear. “Christ, don’t expose me, damn it!”

  I’m betting the mage already knows, Limere, she reflected, eyes blazing.

  “Besides, even the police know you have a complex about your Ferrari,” Limere added with a groan. “You beat the crap out of the last few cops who frisked me against the car. It’s in my record to watch for my bitchy, crazy sister.”

  “Hmph.” Aviere clutched her peridot necklace, covering her mouth when the agent punched a hole in her driver’s side window. She smirked when the assailant stumbled back at the shrieking car alarm, yelling at the alarm to quiet down. When he tipped his head down, she spotted the thin cord fixed to his ear.

/>   I’m glad I listened to Joe about installing an alarm for the ’67, she told herself, rooting through her handbag to retrieve her vial gun. The question is—when did the agent stumble across the Underground? And who tipped him off about my shop, anyway?

  “Limere, go get Maurice and find someplace safe to hide,” she instructed quietly, drawing a scope out of her purse. “I bet I can stop Dick Tracy before he does more damage.”

  “I don’t think—”

  Christ, Limere, he’s about to get away!

  Aviere blinked when the agent tried getting in her automobile, but the broken glass from her driver’s side window made her snicker. The broken shards provided her an advantage—the ability to examine various openings in his neck as he maneuvered around her car.

  Oh, agent. Your trench coat’s cute, but won’t protect you from my vials.

  She attached the scope to the vial gun, using the broken glass as a guide for the agent’s movements. While she hoped for a frontal opening near the jugular vein, the possibility seemed unlikely the longer his back remained to her.

  I need one entry… then the paralysis poison can finish the job.

  All Aviere needed to do was account for the difference in timing before the agent apprehended her.

  Maybe we can buy his silence. The only way to know is to keep him alive and remove his link to his co-workers. But if he’s developed, then—

  “Aviere, don’t—”

  “Shut up, Lim,” Aviere muttered, narrowing her eyes at the agent. “Get out of here before I miss my shot.”

  “What if it—”

  “Stop.”

  The agent opened the driver’s side door, and Aviere’s eyes twinkled with mirth when a sliver of flesh exposed itself. Her pulse quickened, and a grin crossed her lips when she aimed, shooting before Limere’s objections distracted her again.

  Let’s see how well you manage with paralysis liquid, agent.

  The trench-coated agent jumped and the wide tan cowboy hat fell next to her tire. The vial emptied halfway by the time he discarded it from his neck.