by J M Bannon
Rose felt the color leave her face and shock set in. She began walking out of the office. Jimmy’s words weighing on her.
“Witch lady, I didn’t mean to make you mad, my point is that to make a difference you need to take audacious action that no one expects. Don’t tell them what you're going to do, do it. Don’t say I’m going to punch him in the face. Pick up the nearest hard object and smash his nose in,” said Jimmy.
She heard what he said, but his voice faded as she plodded up the stairs. He was right, there was someone inside, only she knew the one who could help. Without knocking she opened the door to Angelica’s room, “Angelica you must help me.”
“What?”
The girl awoke from her slumber and fumbled to light the side table lamp.
“Rose what are you going on about?”
“I need you to look at me. Use your gifts and look deep into my soul. I fear I have been a pawn to Caiaphas that he has used me. You… can you see if he has used his power of control on me,” said Rose.
“I don’t understand Rose how…”
“Damn it, just do it!” Rose screamed.
Angelica threw back the covers of her bed. Before the sheets hit the duvet the girl's white nightdress turned to black and tar-like tentacles shot from her and wrapped around Rose’s head and neck. A shapeless fog of black ichor floated Angelica so that her face was but an inch from Rose’s. Rose was suddenly scared as she looked into Angelica’s eyes and only saw their whites. Whispered muttering in French came from Angelica’s mouth. Then it was in Rose’s head. She noticed movement, and she shifted her eyes to see black tentacles bringing Angelica’s Ju Ju staff to her. When Angelica grabbed the staff, Rose felt a jolt and then there was a chorus of foreign chants in her head. As the chants repeated, her skin began to itch and burn. Rose’s breath shortened. She was overcome with the urge to scream.
With all her might she screamed and as the last sound escaped her mouth the scene had changed. She was still in Angelica’s room, but her ichor tendrils were gone as was the pain and the fear.
Rose’s eyes met Angelica’s.
“You are no one’s thrall,” said the Voodoo Queen.
“He has to have influenced me, he told me that I would be his willing assistant. I built the automaton with Alfie, I fitted him with the arm, and I saw that he made Alfie choke himself to death and now it looks as if I helped him by being party to our building of the Westminster Nexus. I built It all,” the words came out of Rose’s mouth between sobs.
“He said you were a willing pawn, did he? I know more than anyone what Caiaphas is capable of. Do you understand what he did to me? He used my anger and need for revenge against me. Yes, he helped me, but while I was busy doing what I thought would reset the scales, he stole from me the one thing he wanted and the only thing that mattered, my son. Don’t be ashamed that he has out thought you. He — it, is not a man and should not be seen as our equal, he is something else,” said Angelica.
We should go have a look ourselves and see what is up at the clock tower,” said Rose. She reflected on Caiaphas’s comments that she would help him with his plan. Could this be it? “We don’t want to tip off anyone that we are on to their trail.
* * *
4:00 A.M.The Parliament Clock Tower, Westminster, England
Burton walked up from Scotland Yard to Parliament. Across the road below the Westminster clock tower, he saw Rose and Angelica standing on the sidewalk next to Rose’s coupe. Rose was wearing her long overcoat and was all geared up leaving him with sudden concern. On the other hand, her teenage ward Angelica, was dressed in a conservative lace top fitted with a full-length tailored skirt.
He straightened his tie as he stepped out on the road and crossed quickly. He was still wearing the same suit he had on the day before. He hadn’t slept and came over once a constable brought him the wire-type.
“Did you get any rest?” asked Rose.
“None, what is she doing here?” he replied.
“I need people I can trust. I have the location.”
“How?” Burton asked although with Rose she likely figured it out some witchcraft, “Let me guess tea leaves?”
“No, Detective I had some help, and the results led us here,” Rose pointed at the clock tower.
“Big Ben?”
“Not the bell but what’s under it. You were never privy to this information, so I know I can trust you. You see when we visited the villa I learned of the workings of his gate system, the term the inventor, a Dimetri Pavlovitch, calls a Nexus. The system is like a wagon wheel, this Nexus sits at the center hub and opens doors at the end of each spoke. To get to the end of any point to another, you need to go through the hub…”
“What does this have to do with standing at the foot of big ben at four in the morning?”
“Right, the significant bit is I helped the Admiralty build a replica of Pavlovitch’s device, there in the clock tower. The clock drives the workings of the contraption.”
Burton smiled, “all kinds of secrets. Does Dolly know?
“Yes, and that’s why he’s not here. I can’t trust anyone who knows of Project Sundial because after we worked through the coordinates, it looks as if this location either has someone working for Caiaphas or somehow, they have gained control and have been using our gate.”
“You think Dolly is working for them?”
“No, but I don’t know who is and the more I talk about this within the channels that know about Sundial, the more likely it is that the conspirator will hear.”
“Alright, what are you proposing Rose?
“That You, Angelica and I go up there and open a portal to these coordinates,” Rose took out a slip of paper.
“Her?” asked Burton.
“Yes, I trust her, and she has a vested interest in seeing us find this bastard.”
Burton cocked his head and thought, without anything else to pursue this would have to do, “So we’re going all the way up there? I guess we should start hoofing it.”
“One tick,” said Rose. She went to the back of the coupe and opened the boot and pulled out a device that Burton had never seen.
“Sweet Jesus Rose, what is that?” He said looking at the contraption that she held in both hands; it looked like a cross between some type of harpoon gun but with brass cylinders and a wooden stock.
“I don’t mean to worry you but if we run into the Caiaphas fellow. The actual thing and it's like this Pruflas that I dealt with in Prussia, you can’t even look at him. The mere thought of what it is will send you bonkers. You see it’s from some other plane,” said Rose.
“Like hell?” asked Burton.
“The exact home address isn’t important; the point is he won’t be coming back in handcuffs. Now, this invention is similar to those bullets in your pistol. You do have your pistol don’t you, as I expect if he has an army of those mechanist men your only choice will be to use the arcane shot if your life is in danger.”
Burton drew his gun and checked it while Rose continued.
“This will pack a punch, but I expect that it won’t kill him, so that is why I took a page from his own book and this reel of cable will act as a conduit. Once I put this into him I’ll throw this valve in this tank; inside is a mixture of compressed seureleum mestificatos and ammonia that passes through another little wonder I baked up. It’s a cross between a valve and a gemulet. As it throttles the fluid from the high-pressure tank to the low-pressure vessel, it will pull arcane energy down the cable sucking that demon up into this chamber here where I’ll trap him,” Rose finished with a confident smile.
“Was any of that supposed to make sense to me?” asked Burton.
“Well, it should, its sound metaphysics, and as the Detective in charge of the Special Branch for Supernatural Activity, you should get educated. Just because Dolly was dense about these matters doesn’t mean you need to make it a prerequisite for the position,” said Rose.
“Will it work?” asked Burton.
<
br /> Rose faked a smile and gave a shrug, “in theory.”
Burton shook his head and turned to walk towards the bell tower.
“One moment,” said Angelica.
Turning, he watched her pull out a weathered staff adorned with human skulls, beads, and feathers.
“And what the hell is that?” asked Burton.
Angelica looked at the staff as she walked past Burton and spoke, “This mon chere, is the Ju Ju staff, imbibed with the spirits of my predecessors, and through it, I will unleash a force upon my enemy that it will wish it were in hell.”
Burton turned to Rose, “Now that is an explanation I can understand. I see why you trust her.”
* * *
4:20 A.M.The Parliament Clock Tower, Westminster
At the top of the landing, a marine stood at attention. Rose was worn out from all the flights up and the weight of her gun. She felt she was a bit shortsighted when building the gizmo, having never thought about it being used in the field and how heavy it was. She set the gun down and pulled out a folded sheet of paper to show the marine.
Handing back the paper the soldier unlocked the door to reveal another set of stairs.
“God’s sake not more stairs,” said Burton.
“This is the last flight,” said Rose as she picked up her oversized gun and trudged up the stairs. Burton followed, and Angelica was last.
At the top of the stairs, Rose opened the door into Project Sundial.
“Oh, you startled me,” said Dennison.
“What are you doing here?” asked Rose.
“Well, I work here. I’m responsible for proper maintenance of this equipment.”
“No, I mean this early.” said Rose.
“Oh my, I must have lost track of time again,” said Dennison pulling out his watch and looking at the time, “For a man who works on timepieces, I lack any sense of time myself. How can I help you? Bringing some friends on a tour?”
“No, we’re in need of a quick trip,” said Rose.
“To Greenwich?” asked Dennison
“No, here.” Rose passed him the paper.
Dennison gave Rose a confused look, “I don’t see how this will work without there being a portal to connect to?”
“Please just put in those coordinates, I think you will be surprised,” said Rose moving over to the gate.
Dennison took the paper and stepped behind the control station. His hands moved over the panel twisting knobs and throwing switches. Equipment in the room began to run, and a low thrum filled the room in concert with the pulsing of the gas in the nexus bulb. Rose looked to the copper sheet on the wall just as the water began to trickle down and form a layer. With a snap and an electric pop arcs crackled on the surface of the water, then it materialized into a portal to another space.
Rose stepped up and peered through. It was a laboratory of some kind. Well-lit and filled with equipment similar to the machines in this room. Then she saw the Russian. Without a second thought, she yelled, “that’s him,” and leapt through.
* * *
5:48 A.M. Dimetri’s Laboratory, Palazo Corsini, Rome, Italy
"Stop!" Rose yelled.
Pavlovitch ran across the laboratory and began throwing levers.
Rose’s first reaction was to fire the weapon she held, but she hesitated, it only had one shot, and she needed that for a far worse foe. She fumbled a bit as she set the device down and move towards Pavlovitch drawing the Rod from her holster.
“Get your hands off that panel mate, I won’t say it again,” it was Burton, and he had stepped through portal with his Beumont-Adams Pistol drawn.
The Russian’s hands went up in the air as he smiled.
Angelica stepped through sidling up next to Rose, “Caiaphas is here, I feel him.”
“Detective, I suggest you take our friend here back right now and get that marine to call for additional help,” said Rose.
Rose put away the Rod and picked up her cannon arcana.
Burton waved his pistol, and Pavlovitch understood to step around. Burton moved behind him and kept some distance, “off you go, you’ll be spending tonight in a London cell,” Burton turned to Rose, “You never said where this place is?”
“Italy, we’re in Rome, Detective,” said Rose.
“Well then say arrivederci, Mr. Pavlovitch,” said Burton. The two men stepped through the gate. Rose looked and could see the distorted images of Burton and Pavlovitch in the bell tower.
“I need to find Gerrard,” said Angelica.
“I really think we should stick together,” replied Rose.
“Azul is here. He is down with that thing. I feel Gerrard, upstairs,” pleaded Angelica.
“Angelica let’s deal with Caiaphas and then your boy,” suggested Rose just as an object caught her attention off to the side.
Away from the multiple gateways and the machinery to operate the gates was that terrible device she had seen used in Harpsichord. The Necronost soul siphon, just sitting on a workbench. The words of Jimmy played in her head - audacious action. Rose was unsure of the outcome when she faced Caiaphas. Would she even get the chance to try the cannon arcana before her sanity melted away? Here and now she could act. She set down the cannon and stepped up to the Necronist machine. Peering into the crystal, she saw nothing. Her hand went to the rod and drew it. She focused on the chamber and knew in her heart that the device was empty. The tortured souls forced into those metal suits.
With all her strength she struck the device. No magic, just the brute force of her anger. Rose brought the Rod down on the crystal chamber. Metal bent, shards flew, she was unsure how many times she struck the diabolical device, but when she stopped, it was impossible to identify as what it was before meeting her fury.
She turned to Angelica, but she was gone.
* * *
4:51 A.M.The Parliament Clock Tower, Westminster
Burton stepped through the gate back to the clock tower. It was a strange experience to feel this peculiar resistance then with a pop you were elsewhere. He was getting his bearings when he noticed the Russian giving a nod to Dennison who was frantically adjusting the controls.
Something changed; the sound of the machinery, its frequency, even the color of the orb filled with that strange gas Dennison had done something, “You there step back, or I swear I’ll shoot you where you stand.” Said Burton.
Dennison stepped back smiling “It's done!”
The Russian made a strange sound as if he was trying to laugh but no sound came out.
“Marine!” yelled Burton. The young soldier was in and up the stairs in a flash.
“I’m Inspector Burton of Scotland Yard and these two gentlemen are under arrest. I need you to alert you superiors and contact the Yard,” The sound changed again, and the portal behind Burton changed from a window into Pavlovitch’s laboratory to a warbling pattern of energy almost as if you were looking down on a whirlpool, “immediately!” Burton yelled.
* * *
6:03 A.M. The Library of Palazo Corsini, Rome, Italy
Angelica stepped into the library it was a grand room similar in scope to the one she saw at Gilchrist manor. While Preston’s library held more tomes this one was grander in scale. Baroque architecture and a dazzling array of marbles decorated the room. Sitting at a long library table was a woman. Angelica had been fooled, what she sensed as her son what another of Caiaphas’ thralls.
“The bait was your son’s memories and musings about you,” said the woman looking up at Angelica, “You see this is where I educated the boy and like all boys when he should have been studying, he daydreamed. He thought about his mother and where she might be and what it would be like to have a different life. One with her, rather than here with all these dusty books. It was quite easy to pull all those faint traces and hold them here for you to sniff out,” the woman said tapping the side of her head.
Angelica reacted like an octopus squirting ink, when endangered. Instantly she released her energy send
ing out a wave of black ichor. Her rage was peaked, and it showed. Black fog spilled from the eyes and mouths of the skulls on her staff.
“Now, now, control yourself, young lady.” Caiaphas warned.
“Where is he?” Angelica yelled.
“You should be so proud of your boy. I see you want to punish me for taking your boy away. You want to punish yourself for neglecting him, but I would suggest this is a better outcome. I was an excellent tutor.”
“How is that better? How can my knowing you've been corrupting his soul make me feel good?”
The woman stood up, “Corrupting his soul. He was tutored by the finest educators in America and Europe. This library was where I opened his mind to its full potential, and now your son is the first of your kind to travel the aether in his mortal form. A great explorer who has seen what most cannot even dream of. A better existence than living in some mud hut in the sweltering jungle.
“Where is he?” Angelica demanded.
“You must understand and be honored; your son crossed to my home world, as the leader of a conquering army. An army of spirits whom he figured out how to enthrall without your help or mine. That should make any voodoo queen proud for her prince …” the older woman didn’t finish her sentence. Her body dropped like a rag doll to the floor.
Angelica’s black dress stretched out tendrils that wrapped the body of the woman, and her inky touch told her that the life from the body was gone.
* * *
6:03 A.M. The Catacombs of Palazo Corsini,
