Then she jumped out of bed, threw on a Firefly hoodie that proclaimed “I aim to misbehave” and a pair of jeans and sneakers. She grabbed the key ring and her backpack and went into the garage. She fumbled with the keys but only briefly thanks to the power key fob. She adjusted the mirrors in the mid size SUV, hit the automatic garage door opener clipped to the driver side visor and headed toward town. She sped passed the single blinking light in the center of town and parked haphazardly outside of the mayor’s office. She let herself in and rushed to the desk. She logged into the laptop before her butt even hit the chair.
“What the hell is this place?” she muttered to the ether. “How do you invoice a client without a name. Damn UIDs, why isn’t there a spreadsheet key. Let’s see what Google satellite view has to say.” She often talked to herself.
A square image of the West Texas desert popped up on the screen, the window overlapping the PDF documents she had snared in her search. She clicked on the zoom button until the image revealed a non-descript and seemingly windowless building painted brown to blend in to the surrounding environment. There were no signs visible from any of the camera angles visible to her from the static image and street view was clearly not a priority for some place on an un-named road.
“Damn it!” she cursed.
She switched back to the electronic invoice and called the number provided for the client. It rang several times and Liesel almost hung up before a click signaled the connection was made and an automated message began to play. “Thank you for contacting the Bureau for Indian Affairs. Our offices are closed at this time. Business hours are from…” Liesel disconnected the call and stared blankly at the laptop’s glowing screen.
“Bureau of Indian Affairs my ass,” she said with a snort as she printed out screenshots of the satellite image and copies of the invoices on the cheap laser printer sitting on top of the filing cabinet. She dug around until she found a manila envelope to shove the printouts into, then she put that into her messenger bag. She left a semi-coherent note for Bianca saying she had been there at odd hours and to blame her if anything was askew on the desk. Then she locked up and headed home to pass out. If they had a sheriff, they probably would have stopped her for erratic driving but Liesel knew therians stayed away from the roads and no one else should be driving around at that time of night or morning.
The sun was high in the sky when Liesel woke next, on top of the bed sheets and in her clothes from the night before. It was a few moments until she realized knocking on the door was what had woken her. Figuring the local populace was already aware she was no style icon, she didn’t bother changing before going downstairs to answer the door, just finger combed her hair so it wasn’t sticking out in wild directions. She didn’t look through the sidelights before opening it and was suprised to find the so called US Marshals making a repeat appearance.
“Two house calls in less than 48 hours?” she said, yawning and raising her right eyebrow. “To what do I owe the displeasure?”
Grimsley just watched a bit too intensely while Martinez took a small step closer. “We have a report that our person of interest may have other criminals harboring them in the area,” said Martinez.
Liesel’s eyes narrowed. “You think the people in our town are potential felons?” she asked slowly and coolly.
“No, of course not, at least none of the long time residents or we would have learned about this quaint setting sooner. But there is quite a lot of land for someone to hide on,” said Martinez.
Liesel rolled her eyes. “What are doing at my door?” she asked.
“We just wanted to make sure you were safe and not being coerced in any way,” said Grimsley, finally, in his deep gravelly voice.
“Uh huh,” said Liesel.
“Did you sleep well Miss Bohm? You look tired for this time of day,” he continued.
Liesel glared at the men, they didn’t react. “I was out with friends. It’s not suspicious activity to eat dinner at someone else’s house is it?” she said. Then she sighed and stepped back. “Go ahead. Search the house quickly if it makes you feel better. Just don’t go rifling through my underwear drawer or anything like a couple of perverts,” she said.
She followed them around, particularly when they were upstairs, standing in the doorway of whatever room they were in so she could watch and make sure they didn’t leave anything behind. She did the same when they searched the downstairs, then stood by the front door. They gave only a cursory look around the various rooms, opening closets and cupboards quickly, eying flat surfaces like tables and counters. It didn’t take long. She opened the door for them but they just stood inside the threshold and looked down at her. “If you are quite done either insulting me or condescending to me, I’m not sure which, I would like you to leave,” she said, gesturing toward the front porch for emphasis.
Grimsley walked out with Martinez after him. As he passed by Liesel he turned to ward her. “Do not hesitate to call us, Miss Bohm, if you see anything out of the ordinary,” he said. Liesel snorted indelicately in response and looked pointedly out the door again. After both were over the threshold, she shut it forcefully and contemplated locking it but figured there wouldn’t be any point.
She picked up the phone and called Bianca.
“Bianca? Can I ask you to do me a favor?” she asked, then listened for Bianca’s reply. “Great. Please see if any scenting therians can get out to Gertrude’s homestead. Those bogus government agents were just here all over the place. I will let the therians in and then come into the office while they work. I need to run their license plate to see where it is registered to, then make some phone calls after I suspect,” she said. “Thank you, again.” Then she hung up and sat drowsily in the kitchen eating breakfast cereal because it was the least smelly thing she could think of while she waited for the therians to arrive. No point in asking someone to come over and smell your house if you were going to fill it with food smells before they did. Soon there was a quick rap on the front door. She opened it to find three individuals she didn’t know personally but recognized from the Dixon compound. She waved them inside. “They didn’t touch much but did go throughout the house and are the only males who have been inside. The only people at all in fact besides myself and Trish Dixon,” said Liesel.
There was one female and Liesel got the impression she was the dominant member of their little trio. She was of average height but had broad shoulders like a wrestler. Her straight brown hair was in a low pony tail, she wore no make up, and was wearing a button up shirt tucked into a pair of worn denim jeans tucked into a pair of scuffed brown cowboy boots that were clearly for use and not show. Liesel guessed the woman was in her late thirties. Next came a male that was probably around the same age as Liesel, in his mid twenties. He was dressed in a similar fashion to Lauren and their physical similarities suggested to Liesel that they were related. He had straight brown hair slightly overgrown and curling along his shirt collar. Lastly came a younger male. He had sandy blond hair peeking out from underneath a worn ball cap. He wore jeans like the other two but sneakers instead of boots and a blue t-shirt.
The female therian leaned in close to Liesel and breathed deeply through her nose, then did some strange huffing breaths with her mouth open. The older of the two males immediately went upstairs while the younger one began prowling around the ground floor. Liesel looked at the woman once she was done and had taken a step back. “Y’all can just let yourselves out when you are done. Come find me and let me know if you get anything useful. I’ll be at the city office,” said Liesel. The woman nodded. “Thanks,” said Liesel, grabbing her bag and keys, and practically jumping into the SUV.
When Liesel walked into the office Bianca made a move to stand but Liesel waved her down and instead plucked the laptop from the desk before settling into a nearby chair. Liesel plugged the faux Marshals’ license plate into her software, then leaned back. Bianca was on a call but Liesel wasn’t listening to her half of the conversation so she wa
s surprised when Bianca hung up the receiver with more force than necessary.
“What happened?” asked Liesel.
“There is a public information session tonight with the GEC shills and we are just now being told. They said it wasn’t a formal hearing so any prior notice regulations don’t apply to the event,” said Bianca in disgust.
Liesel opened her mouth to speak, then closed it with a snap when the laptop dinged at her. She looked at the plate registration in the results box. “Effing Bureau of Indian Affairs,” she shouted.
“What?” said Bianca.
Liesel didn’t answer immediately, she was staring into space, her forehead wrinkled in thought.
“I need to make a call,” she said. She stood, put the laptop on the corner of the desk and walked out the door and around to the alley out back. She hit a number in her contacts list and paced while it rang.
“Yes, Miss Bohm?” the feminine voice asked.
“I need to speak to a Trustee,” said Liesel. “It is urgent.”
“One moment, please,” the voice replied. There there was a click and recorded music, then another click.
“Miss Bohm,” said a firm but elder sounding female voice.
“The government is targeting us,” said Liesel unceremoniously.
“I beg your pardon,” said the Trustee on call. “What makes you think this?”
“Since coming to this town after Gertrude’s apparent abduction, I’ve twice been visited by men claiming to be United States Marshals driving a vehicle with plates registered to the Bureau of Indian Affairs even though I’ve only been here two days. I also have circumstantial evidence of a previously unknown facility of some kind in the desert registered to the BIA as well that is implicated in the abduction of Gertrude and two of her charges,” said Liesel in defense of her statement.
“One moment” said the Trustee. She must have put her hand over the receiver instead of putting Liesel on hold again because Liesel could here muffled voices but could not make out any words.
“It is more likely the government is aware of supernaturals and the Steward was caught in a trap intended for them. This has happened before but they never obtain enough biological materials to reach a critical mass and create any useful research.” Said the Trustee. “You will be promoted from provisional steward to permanent status. We suggest moving vulnerable charges to new homes or at least reinforcing defenses in the area.”
“Why are you changing my status? When I retrieve Gertrude and the others, they could very well be prepared to return to their normal duties in the future,” said Liesel.
“Retrieve them,” the Trustee said in surprise.
“You want me to abandon them?” said Liesel, her voice rising higher with her growing sense of righteous indignation.
“Stewards protect their charges from human detection where possible and ease their way in human society. Those taken are now known entities and we are certainly not instigating conflict with the federal government,” the Trustee said haughtily. “We are stewards Miss Bohm, not body guards or vigilantes.”
“We used to be Paladins, didn’t we trustee?” asked Liesel, somewhat rhetorically. “How can we care for those in our charge if they can’t trust us to defend them.”
“You are not suggesting defensive action Steward Bohm but proposing offensive actions. Defense would be following the Council’s directives,” said the Trustee. “We do not sanction any retrieval attempts or direct interaction with any government officials or employees regarding this matter. Are we clear Miss Bohm, on the finite duties of a steward?”
“Quite,” said Liesel. Then both parties disconnected the call.
Liesel stomped back into the office. Bianca lifted her eyebrows in a silent question.
“Bianca, where do we have town meetings?” asked Liesel through gritted teeth.
“The whole town? I don’t know, sugar. Trudie usually met folks in groups to avoid internal conflict,” said Bianca.
“Oh there’s going to be conflict all right, just not amongst us,” said Liesel.
“Jose Chow’s Fusion Restaurant next door is probably big enough to hold at least half the town. Folks use it for receptions and the like,” said Bianca after some thought.
“Start making phone calls. I want everyone able bodied and not caring for children or invalids here now, well, there. We don’t have time to waste, especially if your Pherein folk are going to attend the hearing this evening as well. WE have a lot to discuss,” said Liesel.
Bianca nodded sharply and got on the office phone. Liesel paced. Soon the trio of therians who had come out to Gertrude’s old homestead walked into the office.
“I’m sorry, I never asked your names,” said Liesel.
“Lauren,” said the female Liesel took to be in charge of the small team. “Austin,” said the one who had taken the upstairs rooms and the one who had examined the downstairs lowered his eyes to the floor and said, “Tyler, Miss.”
Liesel acknowledged each with a nod of her head. “Did you come up with anything?” she asked.
“We could identify them both if we scented them again,” said Lauren, “but you already know what they look like.”
“I think one of them has been in a hospital or a lab of some kind. Like he’s used disinfecting chemicals or something on his hands,” said Austin.
“Who are they?” asked Lauren.
“The enemy, Lauren. They are the enemy,” said Liesel. “We will talk soon. Thank you for your help,” she said again. “By the way,” she said as they turned to leave. “It’s nice to see different clans working so well together.”
CHAPTER SEVENTEEN
Soon the area’s residents filled the tiny one block downtown of Zell and they were just the adults minus caregivers, children, the elderly, the injured, and others that needed to remain at their homes. They crowded into the restaurant, which was able to handle a couple hundred people. All of the movable furniture had been temporarily stacked outside in the alley. The air was filled with an agitated buzzing energy and though everyone seemed to be talking amongst themselves in small groups the noise was overwhelming. Liesel stood at one end and surveyed those before here, looking for familiar faces to use as mental touchstones while asking these people to take an active stand even though they have always been taught it was better to be safe and passive. She thought their natures would lead them to agree with her tactics but it was still nerve wracking.
Liesel climbed onto the bar since she was so much shorter than those assembled. The bar hugged the long sidewall shared with Bud’s Hops next door and was positioned in the middle. Jose had taken one look at Liesel and decided she would not be able to project over the crowd assembled. He gave her the microphone hooked up to the sound system he used for karaoke on Ladies Night.
She raised the microphone to her face. “All right, settle down and listen up,” she said. All eyes looked at her, some of them glowed. She took a deep breath and tried to project a calm exterior. “Our town,” she said followed by a few grumbles. “Yes, OUR town, it is my responsibility now despite my age and previous distance. Our town is facing two suddenly urgent matters. The drilling company is making a play to bypass us and our people have been gone for almost 72 hours.” This time she heard murmurs of assent. “Tonight, there is a surprise public hearing, at least a surprise to us, and the company is going to use it to sway the public, they already have the railroad commission. I know my grandmother, Steward Trudie, would call a lawyer to get an injunction of some kind against the company and put a hold on their activities before the actual drilling starts but I don’t think we can afford to be distracted by this now. We need to shut them down solidly here and if we do it right, it can spread to the rest of the state and region,” she said.
“So, how do we buy time shutting them down?” called a voice.
“As interim mayor, I will attend tonight’s hearing. Of course I will do so with the town secretary and a few local residents who will happen to be pherei
ns,” said Liesel.
“You actually want us to influence people?” another voice asked.
“I’m proposing more than that,” she said. “I want you to get residents seeing red and prepared to riot against Guyer Energy.”
Shock rippled through the crowd. “The Gauners have already determined that GEC is a completely human holding with human employees and we will recognize anyone attending who is not human,” said Liesel.
“Well, shit, sugar, I’m in!” said Bianca loudly from near the bar top Liesel was standing on. Liesel saw other phereins, easy to identify by their gloved hands, agreeing.
“Good, Now that we have that settled. I have a lead on our kidnapped people. I will be asking some of you to help in my investigation but I have to warn you that,” she paused and looked around those assembled, “It looks as if it was done by someone with special knowledge. Our entire town may have been exposed by an outside force.”
The phereins gasped in shock but they were drowned out by the snarls and growls of the Therians.
Liesel raised a hand after a few moments. “Before we get side tracked by our emotions. Bianca King will accompany me to the hearing this evening with a few more phereins based on their level of skill inciting anger. Tomorrow I will be contacting those who will assist me in following the leads on our missing family members. In the meantime, everyone needs to be very careful and on the defensive against outsiders. Report anything out of the ordinary and do so to the town Emergency Alert System number just in case. We will not be caught unaware again.”
That last statement elicited a few hoots and small cheers. She turned off the mic and stepped down from the bar. Bianca came up and arranged a time to meet and attend the commission hearing as the town’s representatives. As she walked toward the door she spotted Gideon in the corner. He smiled and turned away to help reassemble the restaurant before the dinner hour. Bud and Jose were about to see a spike in business. She saw Pearl Dixon in a corner by the door behind a semi-circle of clan members. Liesel walked up and Pearl came forward shooing away the younger therians in front of her. As she did so, Zachary and Danielle Moore approached. The fraternal twins walked toward Liesel and Pearl with appropriately feline grace. They both had glossy black hair that fell straight and long, Zachary’s pulled back in a low tail. Their eyes were bright green and their skin a naturally golden tan. The feline therians were more loosely structure than the canids. The Moor twins were their chosen representatives as they were more social than some of the others.
Welcome to Zell Page 6
