A Dream of Ashes: An Ava James Mystery (Chronicles of the Modern Mystics Book 1)

by Orlando A. Sanchez

  “Sebu…are you saying my Uncle Sebastian is this Sebu?”

  “You would have to ask him that yourself,” he said. “I can only present you with information I have found.”

  “Bullshit,” said Ross suddenly. “If Sebastian were part of the Kurokami, the Enforcers would have known.”

  “You overestimate the ability of the Enclave,” Rafe said. “It took me considerable effort to get this information and I am better equipped than the Enclave by several orders of magnitude.”

  Rafe stood and pushed the folder to me. He looked me in the eyes before he spoke.

  “I lost good people getting this; read it,” he said. “We won’t meet again. Here is what I suggest you do.”

  “He’s going to tell you to run,” said Ross. “Fucking coward.””

  “I like you, Ava,” said Rafe. “Thaddeus, not so much, but he’s right. I suggest you run. In that folder are two clean passports, money, and IDs. Take tall, dark, and surly here and get out of the country until this all passes.”

  “You want me to abandon my uncle…my family?”

  I could feel the anger rising at his suggestion.

  “You still don’t understand. Your uncle is part of the Kurokami, and the only one powerful enough to take him is Kaze,” he said. ““Read the files—your uncle is gone.”

  I kept my breathing and power in check. What Rafe said made perfect sense, except I would never abandon my family.

  “I’m going to have to see a body before I believe that,” I said. “Thank you for the information, Rafe.”

  “I wish I could say this has been pleasant”—he gave Ross a quick look—“but it hasn’t. I’m going to be on an extended vacation. I left you the coordinates of several caches around the city, just in case.”

  I murmured my thanks again and grabbed the folder.

  “Oh, one more thing…Because I know you are just insane enough to try and take on the Kurokami, I left you a number, front page.”

  I opened the folder and looked. The number was about twenty digits long. Underneath it was the capital letter T.

  “Who is this?” I asked, closing the folder.

  “He’s like him,” Rafe said, pointing at Ross.“except he is skilled and deadly, all offense meant. You only call him if you have no other options and I mean he is the last resort.”

  “What does the ‘T’ stand for?” I asked.

  “Titus,” Rafe said. “Rumor has it he was an Enforcer once, before going rogue. He is so dangerous even his enemies have him on speed dial when they need help.””

  “Impossible,” Ross whispered. “No one knows where he is. Enforcers have been looking for him for at least twenty years.””

  “I didn’t say I knew where he was,” Rafe said. “I just gave you a means to contact him when it all goes to shit. And it will if you try this, Ava.”

  “I can’t just run,” I said. “He’’s all I have left. Without him, I’m alone.”

  “In the end that’s what we all are…alone,” he said. ““I don’t see you walking away from this one.”

  “Thanks for the vote of confidence,” I said.

  “Don’t call me, and I won’t call you,” he said and spoke to the twins in a language I didn’t understand. “Try not to get dead.”

  I saw Buck come back downstairs as Rafe headed to the hidden panel in the wall that led to the exit. He placed his hand on the wall and the door slid back, allowing the bright light of the tunnel to spill into the room. He gave a slight bow and headed out, followed silently by the twins. The door slid closed behind them and threw us back into semi-darkness.

  “How did you use your ability down here?” Buck asked. “The Nine is supposed to prevent that from happening if you are a primary mystic.””

  “I don’t know,” I snapped. “I’’m sorry…it’s just, I don’t know. It got away from me, and then you came down.””

  I was as concerned as he was. The nonagon was not preventing me from using my ability. I could feel the presence of the block around me, but I could also feel the gaps where my power could flow. It scared me because I didn’t know what it was and had never felt my power behave this way.

  “Unless,” he said, rubbing his chin, “you aren’t really a primary, but dormant. That could explain a lot, actually.”

  “Right now I need to find my uncle, not worry about how your basement or my ability is broken.”

  “My basement is not broken—ask him,” Buck said, pointing at Ross.

  I cocked my head and lifted an eyebrow at Ross.

  He shook his head. “Couldn’t move a pebble in here if I wanted to,” he said. “Everything is shut down.”

  “Fine, then, it’s me,” I said. “We need to go.””

  I headed to the hidden panel, placed my hand on the same place Rafe had just moments earlier and opened the door.

  “She’s not supposed to be able to do that either,” Buck whispered to Ross. “Primaries can’t open that door. You had better watch her. Something is going on with her ability.”

  “I heard that,” I said as I walked down the tunnel with Ross behind me.

  We got to the end of the tunnel and I pressed the door. It opened with a whisper into the large basement of the Sixth Avenue building and sealed behind us. I looked at the wall and saw the wards surrounding the entrance to the tunnel.

  “Can you see them?” I asked Ross. “Look over here.”

  “See what?”

  I pointed at the wards on the wall.

  “Right here,” I said and felt the frustration creep into my voice. “The wards are right here.”

  He peered closer at the spot I was pointing to but I could tell he didn’t see anything. He shook his head after a few seconds. At least he didn’t lie to make me feel better.

  “Sorry,” he said. “Don’t see any wards there.””

  By the Nine, what does this mean?

  “I need somewhere to study this folder,” I said. “You drive while I study.”

  I handed him the keys and opened the door just in time to see the cloud from the launch of the RPG from across the street. I threw my hands up reflexively. It’s funny what people will do when under stress. My first instinct should have been to jump out of the way. A blast of air rushed out in front me and diverted the grenade to the side and into the wall next to me. The blast slammed me into the wall, and I lost track of Ross as the entrance to the building collapsed around me.

  THIRTEEN

  I HEARD THE familiar chirp of the calibrator and realized that Enforcers were close by.

  I really need to keep track of this cloak.

  “Imagine my surprise when I get a call telling me you were at this location.”

  A call?

  It was Darius.

  “Your aim still sucks,” I said as I picked myself out of the rubble. I looked around for Ross, but I couldn’t see him. I heard groaning to the back of the hallway and saw his body partially buried under what remained of the staircase.

  “Glad to hear you are still alive,” Darius said. “I really would prefer to kill you up close and personal, but this method works too.””

  I could only imagine the collateral damage involved in firing an RPG in the middle of the day on Sixth Avenue.

  “How many?” I yelled. The image of bloodied bodies strewn across the street flashed in my mind.

  “How many what?” he asked. “Oh, how many did the deranged terrorist injure while trying to make her escape from the authorities? Let me check——just a few citizens out here, dying to meet you.”

  “You sick bastard,” I said as I pulled Ross free. “Ross, get your ass up—we are in trouble.”

  “What was your first clue?” he said. “Enforcers firing RPGs or the building collapsing in on us?”

  He slurred his words as he tried to focus on me and failed. He shook his head a few times and managed to track me.

  “Hilarious,” I said. “Solidify the bricks and make sure they can’t enter.”


  He took a moment and concentrated. The bricks became one sheet and joined the walls, floor, and ceiling, making one solid wall several feet thick.

  “Done, but that will only hold until they get an Earth Mystic down here.”

  “I know,” I said. “Can you punch a hole into the building next door?”

  “No,” he said, and sat down. “I’m not you. I don’’t make a habit of getting exploded. How did that grenade miss us, anyway?”

  “No clue,” I lied. “He can’t shoot to save his life.””

  I had no way to explain the blast of air that diverted the grenade.

  “C’mon, get up,” I said. “We can’’t stay here.”

  I picked him up by the shoulder and got him to his feet. He took a few shaky steps and rested his hand on the wall before steadying himself. I grabbed the folder, stuffed it in my coat, and climbed the destroyed staircase to the next floor. We kept climbing until we got to the roof.

  He fell down next to me and that’s when I noticed the blood. I opened his jacket and saw his shirt. The left side was soaked in blood.

  “You’re hurt,” I said and crouched down to tend to his wound. He pushed my hands away. “I need to stop the bleeding.”

  “You need to get out of here,” he said. “Leave me, and I’ll catch you later.”

  “Ross, no,” I said. “I can fix this.”

  “No time,” he said and coughed. “I was in pursuit and you wounded me. Everyone knows how dangerous you are.”

  He tried to laugh, but it came out as a series of wheezes and gasps.

  “I’m not going to leave you,” I said, and part of the parapet came apart and hovered around him. “Goddammit, Ross.”

  The bricks hovered in front of me, blocking my path to him.

  “Now leave before they get past the wall downstairs,” he said as sweat ran down his face. “Don’t forget to charge the Heart.”

  I turned and ran across the roof just as the door slammed open. Ross sent the bricks at the entrance and bought me some time as I leaped across the gap between roofs. I landed in a roll and ran. I jumped another gap and dropped several stories down into the metal grating of a fire escape stairway.

  I oriented myself as I raced down the steps. When I got to the last landing, I leaped over the edge and crashed about as gracefully as a refrigerator, into several piles of garbage. By my calculations, the Rhino was two blocks over. The alleyway was clear for the moment and I wasted no time. I let some of my power flow into the Black Heart and felt a gust of air rush across my body. The smell of urine and garbage overpowered me for a moment and caused me to gag.

  This is getting out of control.

  I exited the alleyway and turned the corner. I saw the Rhino parked down the block. I didn’t see Enforcers or PTF near my vehicle. I looked down at my aura and saw the shimmer effect. It reminded me of Rafe’s bodyguards. I needed somewhere to go to read the file. I made it to the Rhino without Enforcer bullets trying to punch holes into me and gave a silent thanks to Buck for the Heart. If I could remember to keep it charged I could stay off their radar.

  I pulled out the phone and called the only person I could…my Sensei. The phone rang a few times before she picked up.

  “Hello, Hana Sensei, I have a problem,” I said. “Can I come over?”

  “A problem?” she replied. “I would say that’s being optimistic. Meet me at the dojo.”

  I avoided the circus of activity near the collapsed building and took the side streets until I crossed the bridge and headed into Brooklyn. The dojo occupied an old loft space in what used to be the industrial section of the waterfront. It was now a residential neighborhood with expensive apartments taking over the old factory buildings and converting them into overpriced closets for the new generation to live in.

  The dojo occupied the second floor of the building, which my Sensei owned, thanks to her father. I parked the Rhino around the corner from the entrance and headed upstairs. I took off my boots in the small alcove provided for that purpose and hung up my coat and guns, feeling particularly vulnerable while I did so. I bowed at the edge of the floor, but didn’t see her as I stepped onto the glistening hardwood. The sunlight came in through the large windows and filled the space with warmth. The dojo smelled of citrus, which meant that Sensei had recently changed the oil in the ceremonial shrine.

  I took a moment to calm the butterflies performing maneuvers in my stomach. The dojo always filled me with a feeling of equal parts fear and excitement.

  “Hello, Ava,” her soft voice floated over to me. “You are looking well, considering.”

  I turned to her and bowed. She had on a pair of sweatpants and a large sweater. She returned the bow and removed the sweater, revealing a plain black T-shirt underneath. The muscles in her arms rippled with the motion. She stood several inches shorter than I did. The best way to describe her body was: dense. Hitting her resembled hitting petrified wood. Being hit by her was an exercise in pain.

  “Hello, Sensei,” I said. “I didn’t have anywhere else to go and this situation has gone to sh—hell.”

  She raised an eyebrow at my near slip and gestured to the changing room.

  “Get dressed, then we talk,” she said.

  “Hai, Sensei,” I said.

  There was no avoiding it. Her idea of ‘talk’ always involved fists, elbows, knees and feet. On occasion our ‘talks’ included weapons and powers as well. I came out of the changing room in my old loose-fitting robe. I placed my truncheons on the edge of the dojo floor and approached her.

  “I can’t believe you kept this after all this time,” I said as I walked on to the dojo floor. “I haven’t worn this in ages. Look—it still fits.”

  She stood in the middle of the dojo floor and waited for me to finish. It was my ‘nervous talk’ and she knew enough to wait it out until I shut up. She was still dressed in the T-shirt and sweats. She bladed her body toward me and raised her hands, palms facing me.

  “Kihon,” she said.

  This meant basics and, for me, pain. I attacked with several knife-hand strikes. She deflected them with ease. A look of mild disapproval crossed her face and she stepped out of range.

  “Too slow, you haven’t been practicing,” she said. “Strike with intention or not at all.”

  She slid in and hit me. A fist crashed into my abdomen, depriving me of air. She followed this with spearhand strikes to my arms, numbing them. I managed to twist my body in time to avoid the crushing leg kick only to find myself out of position for a punishing sidekick that landed me on my ass.

  “You are out of balance,” she said in her soft voice as she padded over to me and lifted me up. “Sticks.”

  She padded back to the center of the dojo floor and waited for me.

  “Sensei, maybe we should avoid the weapons?”

  “Touching—you fear you may injure me?” she asked and smiled.

  “What weapons will you be using?” I asked as I gathered my truncheons from the edge of the floor. As soon as they were in my hands, they gave off their violet glow.

  “You have not shown me that I need weapons besides these,” she said, showing me her hands. “When you are ready, please begin.””

  I inched close to her and bowed. My Uncle Sebastian had taught me stick fighting ever since I could grip one. I didn’t relish the idea of hurting my Sensei, but I knew she wouldn’t let me off the floor until I really attacked. I decided to hold back and only use non-lethal techniques.

  I lunged for her midsection and swung down with the other stick to hit her shoulder. She stepped in and to the side, avoiding the lunge while smashing my forearm with her own. She raised the other hand and stopped my downward swing with an open palm strike that traveled down the stick and into my face with a resounding slap. White lights danced across my vision. She grabbed my neck, flipped me over her hip as she bent forward, and dropped me onto the dojo floor……hard. The air rushed out of my lungs from the impact. In one fluid movement, she followed me down an
d stripped the sticks from my hands before standing up again. She bowed, and held them out to me. I bowed and she gently placed them in my extended hands.

  “Powers,” she said. This time there was an edge to her voice so I didn’t bother with trying to convince her otherwise. I placed the sticks at the edge of the floor and took a deep breath. She was in the center of the floor, waiting.

  I really hate these ‘talks.’

  I let my power flow. The symbols on the backs of my hands flared. The wards in the robe I wore changed color to prevent the garment from bursting into flame. The symbol on the back of her hand didn’t flare, but gave off a subdued light. I sent a stream of fire at her from my outstretched hands.

  How’s that for intention?

  She extended a hand and let a gust of wind divert my flames. With a graceful twist of her wrist, she enveloped them, and snuffed them out. With her other hand she sent a blast of air that punched me in the chest and pushed me across the floor. I raised my hand against the wind, and somehow pushed it aside. She stopped her attack and stared at me.

  “Come with me…now,” she said. “You need help. You need Arashi.””

  “What is an Arashi?” I asked as I followed her off the dojo floor and upstairs to her living space.

  “How long have you been manifesting a secondary power?” she asked. “How long have the winds been around you?”

  “What winds?” I asked, confused. “Hana, Sensei, you aren’t making sense.”

  She raised a finger to her mouth and looked at me.

  “Less this” —she made the gesture for speaking—“and more listening,” she said. “Sit—over there and think about my question. I will be right back.”

  She directed me to a chair on the other side of the floor while she went into another room. When she came back, she held a small dog in her arms. She placed him in my hands and orange light flowed from my symbols to him. I saw his eyes shift color and wards coruscated across his body. I dropped him on the floor and my symbols calmed down.

  “He’s warded?” I said in disbelief. “I’’ve never seen a living thing that’s been warded. What is that?”