Gun first, I turned the corner. Two middle-aged rent-a-cops were on their knees, ankles crossed, with their fingers laced together on top of their heads. They knew the drill.
“Where is Cassie Grey?”
“Behind that door,” one of the guards said nodding with his chin.
I walked down the hall gun still pointed at the guards. When I reached the door I saw the padlock.
“Keys?”
“Left shirt pocket.”
“Take them out, one handed, fingers only.”
The guard slowly reached into his pocket and handed me the key. I took it and opened the lock without ever taking the gun in my other hand away from the men, then knocked on the door. If she was on edge as much as I was, she might shoot me as soon as I walked through the door if she didn’t have a little warning.
“Cassie, it’s Kieran. I’m coming in.”
I pushed the door open with my foot, never letting my eyes off the guards.
“I’m okay Big Sister.”
Slowly I edged into the room.
“I got your back,” Tanaka called from down the hall.
I turned then and saw Cassie sitting in a chair, hands folded in her lap facing the door as she waited patiently. She looked so sweet and innocent. I knelt in front of her.
“You sure you’re okay?”
“Yea, I’m fine.”
“What are you doing in here?”
“Waiting for you.”
“What happened?”
“The boy was beating on Shelly because she is poor. I went to check on her. She was not suffering from any life threatening injuries. The boy yelled out that someday he was going to kill her. I asked her if she wanted my protection. She said yes. I assessed the situation and acted. A single blow with only enough power to give him a black eye, nothing permanent. I believed that a sufficient show of force would disrupt his actions. Bullies are well known for being cowards. Was I wrong?”
Right, now how do you answer that?
“Yes and no. You should have tried going to the administration before resulting to violence.”
“The teachers had already made it clear to me that they would not become involved in anything against that boy. Who was he?”
“A detective’s son.”
“Is he alright?”
“No. His father abused him. That’s probably why he acted the way he did. He will need some help to straighten out his life.”
“And Shelly?”
“Her parents are with her at the hospital. Her arm is broken. We’ll make sure she is taken care of. You are armed right? So why did you let them lock you in here?”
“Because I knew you would come for me, and I wasn’t in any real danger.”
I pulled her out of the chair and hugged her to me as I choked back tears.
“I’m not going to go to school here, am I?” she asked, not sounding disappointed at all.
“Perhaps it would be a good idea to look around. There are two other schools that you can attend. Would you like to go look at them?”
“Yes. This place is . . . stuffy.”
I laughed and hugged her tighter. “That it is.”
“Um, I have a suggestion. It’s not a prep-school atmosphere, and the teaching style is somewhat unorthodox by western standards, but it is close to your place, and it has the proper security clearance,” Tanaka chimed in from the doorway.
“Can’t hurt too much to check it out.”
Can it?
* * *
“Welcome to the Rising Sun Martial Academy,” the bald monk greeted us while bowing to us each in turn.
He was dressed in silken robes like a monk from feudal Japan. It was unique, but it fit the decor. The Academy was built like a traditional Japanese Fortress.
Who knew that something like this existed inside the city? Downtown even.
“It is good to see you again Sempai Tanaka. I trust you had a pleasant trip to your homeland,” the monk bowed even deeper to Tanaka.
“The journey was pleasant indeed. We wish to speak with Sensei Sora. If he is available.”
“He always is for you Sempai. Please, this way.”
The monk left the entry room and started to shuffle down the hall. I shrugged and started after him. Tanaka’s arm wrapped around my waist and pulled me back before I set a foot on the raised wood floor.
“What’s the deal?”
“This is a traditional old-world Japanese school. Show some respect,” he said pointing at Cassie.
She was sitting on a bench taking off her shoes.
“What? Am I supposed to go barefoot or something?”
“No. Here, change into these slippers, and leave your boots along the wall there with the other shoes.”
“You really expect me to leave my boots here? What if someone steals them?”
“No one will steal them here. I guarantee it.”
“Fine.”
I sat down next to Cassie and switched my hiking boots for the slippers. For some reason I had a feeling I would never see my beloved boots again as we left to follow the monk.
It was like being in another world. Almost like I stepped into an old samurai movie. Everyone was dressed in traditional Japanese clothes, students and all. And it wasn’t like those sailor uniforms you see in modern times. The girls wore clothes Tanaka called miko, they looked like shrine priestesses with the flowing red pants and white blouses wrapped around them.
“Tanaka, this place isn’t on the list of schools accepted by the GCP. Are you sure they have the clearance? And just how did you find out about this place, it’s amazing.”
“I am very sure they have the necessary security clearance. Sensei Sora and I go long way back. I helped him build this place about twelve years ago. It’s a little piece of home in the big city. The school also doubles as a Japanese inn. Older students work at the inn instead of having regular part-time jobs outside the school. Every weekend there is a small festival for tourists. Students work the festival for money and extra-credit. There is even a traditional outdoor style hot springs here with a fully functional spa. It’s a manmade hot spring with imported water, but it’s hard to tell the difference.”
“If anyone would know about that it would be Sempai Tanaka. He certainly spends enough time in the hot springs,” the voice came from an old man sitting on a rock in the middle of a reflecting pond at the center of the elaborate gardens.
I had only seen pictures of gardens like that one in magazines. Water fountains bubbled down into small ponds all around the room in-between the growing plants and bamboo structures.
“Did Sempai Tanaka mention that he saved my life years ago? He saved me, then arranged to have my family safely brought here to the States. I am forever in his debt, even though to this day he claims that he was only doing his job. It is good to see you again Sempai,” he said while standing up on his rock with practiced grace then giving Tanaka a deep bow.
He stepped quickly across a group of lily pads to the water’s edge. Not a single ripple crossed the mirror-like surface of the water.
Was it a trick? Or is he good enough to basically run across the water? The water always rippled when I walked across it with my shields.
“Sensei allow me to present Hunter Class Officers Kieran and Cassie Grey of the GCP,” Tanaka introduced us with a sweeping bow.
Not knowing what else to do, I bowed to the old man the same as I did with Yuric. Bowing without ever taking my eyes off of the old man. He met my bow, and bowed to Cassie. She was copying me, or had she actually bowed before I did?
“Two Hunter Class Officers, and such beauties they are. Tell me, what brings you to our school? Are you here to sample our hospitality? Perhaps to take in a day at our spa? Or, could it be you are here to learn?”
“Senassay–”
“Sensei,” Cassie quickly corrected me.
I glanced down at her then started over. “Sorry. Sensei. We are looking for a school for my little sister here.”
/> “I see. We teach the basics here just as any school. But we also teach discipline, defense, and philosophy. Also, our students all learn to read and write Japanese as part of our core curriculum.”
Cassie said something in a lengthy gibberish I didn’t understand. I did recognize that she said Sensei and Yuric in there somewhere. The old man replied, and Tanaka said something as well. I felt so alone all the sudden.
“Uh, excuse me. I only took a semester of Spanish back in high school, can we switch back to English for the dumb girl here?”
“Your sister is well trained. Her Japanese is perfect, without even a hint of a foreign accent. Come, join me in a tour.”
Cassie speaks Japanese? I didn’t know she could do that. I knew she could speak other languages, but I didn’t ever ask which.
We were led on a whirlwind tour of the entire school by the Sensei. Apparently he was the headmaster of the school. We stopped to watch a group of students sparing in what looked to me like a Judo class.
“Sempai, perhaps you would honor the students by sparing?” the Sensei asked Tanaka.
“You can’t be serious. They’re only kids, Tanaka would kill them!” I blurted out without thinking.
Everyone started laughing.
What did I say that was so funny?
“Kieran, they teach here that there is honor even in defeat. It allows you to see what your own faults are, so you can improve yourself. Besides, I would never kill them, I know how to restrain myself.”
“Perhaps then you would like to give us a demonstration Officer?” the Sensei asked me.
I threw up my hands in mock surrender. “No thanks. I don’t follow a set style or anything.”
“Young one?”
“Can I Big Sister?”
“Uh, alright. But don’t hurt anyone!”
“Okay.”
Tanaka leaned in to whisper in my ear. “Old Mother Grey.”
I punched his arm as hard as I could, then smiled sweetly like nothing happened. If anyone noticed, they weren’t talking.
Cassie entered the fighting circle. There was more Japanese spoken that I couldn’t understand. Cassie then bowed to a referee type guy, and then to her opponent. A guy almost twice her size and weight was her opponent. If I didn’t know what Cassie could do, I would have called it an unfair match.
Someone grunted and the fighters were off. For some reason I felt like I should be placing a bet somewhere. Both of them punched, kicked, and blocked back and forth. Then the boy threw a punch. Cassie sidestepped. The punch went wide on the outside. Cassie brought her knee up into the boy’s stomach and brought her elbow crashing down into the middle of his back at the same time with a loud CRUNCH! The boy huffed and doubled over.
The fight was over. The boy got to his feet after coughing several times and everyone bowed again. I felt like I was still missing something.
Sensei Sora started to clap. “Most impressive. I do believe you will be a most interesting student, if you would like to attend classes here.”
“Cassie, what do you think?”
“I like it here Big Sister. It’s pretty here, and it looks like fun.”
“That settles it for me then. When can we have her start classes?”
“Our semester has already begun, but we can make room for her to start on Monday if you like.”
“Please Big Sister!” Cassie begged with those wide eyes.
“Yes. Alright, what will she need for supplies and books and stuff?”
“Her uniforms and supplies can be purchased in our store. This way.”
* * *
We went for supplies for Cassie, yet I ended up stripped to my underwear in a fitting room as well. A lot of measurements were taken, and even more Japanese was spoken. Then suddenly I was told to put my clothes back on, and that was it.
I ran into Tanaka at the cashiers’ desk. “Care to explain what happened?”
“It’s a surprise. You’ll find out.”
“I hate surprises.”
“I know,” he said with an evil grin.
My glasses started ringing. I put them on. The never changing computer generated Julie smiled at me without a hair out of place. At first it bothered me that she always looked just exactly the same day after day, but I finally accepted that she was just a computer program, and it would be weirder if she did change. She transferred a call from Ren. My best friend and local police contact filled the viewer. She looked like hell.
“Ren, what’s up? I haven’t heard from you in over a week.”
“I-uh-we-there-bodies-bad-mess-bloody-smell-it–”
“Ren you’re rambling at a million miles an hour. Slow down.”
She took a deep breath. “It’s, it’s bad. Really bad. So bad. I wasn’t supposed to call you. It isn’t your jurisdiction. But, we need help. We really need help here. I’ll even make it official and ask for your help; I’ll sign whatever you need me to. This is the fourth massacre by this monster.”
“Four killings already, why didn’t you call me earlier if you needed help?”
“Not four killings, four groups of killings. Multiple victims at each site. The first two crime scenes were destroyed by arson last week. The other crime scene was found yesterday in the suburbs. We are in way over our heads here. SWAT refuses to even enter the apartment here. We need help bad.” She started shaking in the little picture window inside my glasses.
“Relax. Cassie and I will be there as soon as traffic allows. Where are you at?”
She told me the address, then hesitated, “Kieran, do you know where Tanaka is?”
“Yea, he’s right here with me. Why?”
“Can you bring him with? I–uh–we could use his help.”
That confused me a second, but I blew it off as her nerves. “Yea I s’pose. Look we’ll be there in a few minutes. So just hang tight.”
I closed the line and caught Tanaka and Cassie in the parking lot after retrieving my boots.
Tanaka was right; no one stole them after all.
“Problems?” Tanaka asked in an all business tone. I was thankful that things were starting to move. As long as I was busy, I couldn’t think about what had happened between us.
“Yes. Ren is totally freaking out at a crime scene that SWAT is even refusing to enter. She officially asked for help, and that you come with.”
“Lead the way.” No questions, no hesitation, just let’s go. That was still one of Tanaka’s best qualities.
Chapter 8
The apartment building was in the low rent district. It was only six stories tall, like every building on the block, and other than all the cops around, it didn’t stand out at all. We pulled up and with a flash of a badge were allowed to drive right up to the entrance.
“Officer Grey,” a uniform called out waving as he ran up to greet us. “Detective Michaels sent me to escort you up. They’re on the fourth floor. The entire building has been evacuated until the apartment can be declared safe. I don’t suppose you can tell me what’s going on?”
“I won’t know ‘til I see it myself.”
“I hear that even SWAT is refusing to enter the apartment again, that they are scared of the ghost that did the killings.”
“Ghost? I’ve never heard of a ghost killing anyone. Are ghosts even real?” I asked over my shoulder to Tanaka.
“Hard to say,” he answered with a shrug.
“Let’s go find out.”
* * *
The fourth floor was filled with cops. Every murder scene is. However, there was an air of fear unlike anything I had even noticed around the police before.
“Ren!” I called out to her waving my arm so she could see us over the crowd.
She broke out in a run straight towards us, and then right past me and into Tanaka’s waiting arms.
WHAT?!?! Did I miss something? What in the hell is she doing? And just why in the hell am I so jealous of her doing it?
She tore her gloves off and rubbed her bare hands on his ba
re face and arms. After a minute she turned to me, still holding his hand.
Why does she have to hold his hand? And why in the world is he letting her? And why in the hell does it bother me?!
“Sorry, I needed to clear my head. I can’t think about what’s in there. Remember, touching Tanaka is like white-noise to my clairvoyance. It helps me think clearly.”
RRRIIIGGGHHHHTTT!!! Nice excuse to cuddle up to my not-really-boyfriend-who-I-just-had-sex-with-the-first-time-yesterday.
“The first two cases were last week. During the beginning of the investigation, an officer snapped and burned the entire scene. All evidence was lost. The papers reported it as death by arson. The officer is under psychiatric evaluation now. The scene found yesterday was about three days old. We locked down the house and posted guards. We’ll get back to it later. That brings us to this apartment.
“The landlord received a complaint about excessive heat from the apartment. When no one answered, he went in. What he saw drove him insane. The blood on the bricks down the hall there is where he ran headfirst into the wall at full speed. A witness said he kept screaming about something being in his head as he repeatedly smashed his skull into the bricks trying to get whatever it was out. He died before the paramedics arrived.
“The heat is coming from the oven. It was left on and the door is open. It’s electric, so there is no danger of a gas explosion. I was in the area so I ended up being first on the scene. I went in with two patrol officers. Between the heat and the smell, we, we were sick soon after entering. Then we started hearing the voice . . . the voice. . . . After that we each started seeing things. . . . Then SWAT showed up and pulled us out. They went back inside to sweep the place, but. . . .”
She turned and hugged herself against Tanaka. Tears ran down her face as she cried. Millions of questions ran through my mind, but were left unasked when someone joined our little group.
A cheery looking woman in a bright pink business suit clicked her heels as she walked up extending her hand with an impossibly happy smile. Not to mention the fact that she was way too upbeat to be at a crime scene. Especially with all the cops around freaked out the way they were.
Immortal Death (Kieran Grey Psionic Hunter Book 3) Page 7
