I could throw the flare at the troll, but that wouldn’t do much good. There were rocks, but I didn’t want to hurt him. Logan would have to take the troll out with his tranquilizer gun.
A threatening cry reverberated out of the darkness. I wheeled around, trying to find the source as the sound bounced around the cave.
Logan took aim and fired.
There was a guttural wail. The troll tried to make a run for it, darting through the water.
“Cassie, out of the way!” Logan yelled.
Adrenaline pulsed through my veins. The troll barreled toward me, his head down, ready to ram me.
I dove to the left, once again landing in the water. The troll was nearing the entrance of the cave when he slowed. Logan’s tranquilizer took hold. He fell forward with a splash. Then only my rushed breathing and trickling water could be heard for a few heartbeats.
Breaking the silence, Logan dashed through the water-filled cave toward our quarry. I mirrored his actions. The troll landed face down in shallow water. Logan flipped him over. My hands shook as we checked his breathing and pulse. Both steady, relief flooded through me. It seemed like a small job on paper, but being out in the field was still new for me. It sucked not knowing immediately what I should be doing, but my partner was a good mentor.
Logan checked him over for injuries. He pronounced the troll in good health and we moved him onto the damp cave floor.
Logan lit more flares around the cave while I looked over the troll. Many of the Lost had human appearances. Logan and his kids passed for human every day. This guy had two arms and two legs, but his torso was blockier than humans had, with too much skin hanging in folds. His squarish head had a face that looked smashed in.
“Morgan is from the same dimension as this guy, isn’t he?” My friend Morgan was also a troll. He was the second Lost I met on the job. “They look completely different.”
“Comparing Morgan to this guy is like comparing humans to monkeys. Two different lines of evolution. I’ll make him safe for transport.”
“I’ll check out the cave. Make sure we aren’t leaving anything behind.” Moving deeper into the cave, I lit another flare and crept forward.
Closing my eyes and concentrating brought me to the Path again. After some probing, I found the strongest Paths the troll had taken. He visited these areas frequently. I started down one dark crevice. A horrid stench brought me up short, no need to go digging into that area. Why he visited was no mystery. The next spot was where he tossed his garbage. Small bones and tufts of fur littered the floor.
Dark repeated layers of color told me that he sat next to the water, or possibly slept next to the water most of the time. Close to the entrance, far from the water, was a small niche in the cave wall. That is where I found his stash.
“I found his treasures.” With a blink, I closed the Path. Small crystals sparkled when I held up a small rock from the pile. Each of the rocks held a shiny aspect.
This type of troll couldn’t talk, and was more animal than their more evolved counterparts, but they tended to keep small ornamental rocks or crystals. According to others from their world, each piece held an emotional memory for the creature.
Logan came over to examine the contents. “He’ll appreciate those in his new home. You grab the rocks, I’ll grab the troll.”
Pulling a plastic evidence bag out of my pocket, I gathered the rocks.
“Was he placed here, or did he come through a natural portal nearby?” Logan tossed the heavy troll over his shoulder with ease.
“The file said his parents were placed here by the office about ten years ago. The dimensional portal opened up somewhere in central Kansas.” I took one last look around the cave, making sure I missed nothing. “They crossed into this dimension and when the rumors started, AIR swooped in.”
“We have a tendency to do that,” Logan said. We splashed out of the cave into the late summer sun. “We should get a signal now. Call it in.”
My cell phone had fared even worse than my gun from the fall into the water. I punched a few buttons, but nothing happened. Maybe this will get me an upgrade, I thought wistfully as I stowed the dead phone. Using Logan’s phone, I hit speed dial.
“Hank speaking.”
“Hey, Hank, we have our Lost. We’ll be heading to the Sanctuary to get him settled into his new cave.”
“He give you any trouble?” Hank asked.
“No, it went pretty smoothly.”
“Really?”
“Sure.”
“Then why are you calling from Logan’s phone?”
I gritted my teeth. “I, uh, dropped mine… in the water.” Which was true. I didn’t add that I dropped into the water with it. “Is the doctor enroute?”
On his end, Hank clicked a few buttons. “He’s already waiting for you back at the truck.”
“All right, got us logged?” I asked.
“You’re logged.”
“We’ll check back in after he’s settled.” I looked at the time on the cell phone. “In about an hour.”
“Talk to you in about an hour.” Hank signed off.
Dr. Yelton was waiting for us. His sleek town car looked out of place next to our SWAT style truck.
“Mr. Seale, Miss Heidrich, good to see you two in the field. Any trouble?”
We described what happened, including the troll’s collision with me, while we stowed the rocks. Then I helped Logan maneuver the troll into the back of the truck. We cuffed the troll down and the doctor examined the patient, taking temperature, blood pressure, and checking the injection site.
“Everything looks good. Now for you.” He turned to me.
“I’m fine,” I said automatically. “I only fell into the water.”
The doctor frowned. “It’s a warm enough day, but get dry as soon as possible. Let me clean up your arm so you can get on your way.”
I looked down at my arm. I hadn’t noticed the scratch. It would only slow things down if I protested, and I would look like an idiot for doing so. Doctor Yelton cleaned the scrape, slapped on a few bandages, and then was on his way.
Logan had the vehicle started. When I slipped into the seat next to him, I rolled down the window and soaked in the sun’s heat. I breathed a sigh of relief and pulled off my wet shoes and socks.
Logan put the truck in gear and headed toward the Sanctuary.
“So this guy’s tagged for relocation to the Sanctuary,” Logan said. “Lots of fairies there. They been notified?”
“Yeah, I’ve got the papers here.” I pulled a folder out of my messenger bag. Most AIR offices were paperless. We needed an equipment upgrade badly. “Relocation to the Sanctuary west of town. Headquarters warned the fairies two days ago. Travis will keep an eye on our friend here until he gets settled.”
“Travis will like having another Lost in the area,” Logan said.
“Probably, the park seems a little empty lately.” Travis worked for AIR as a park ranger. The Sanctuary is set up to house Lost that need to be relocated. Sometimes it’s a temporary stop, and sometimes the Lost get a permanent residence. “There’s a werewolf living not too far away from the Sanctuary. Our next assignment is to stop in to check up on him. Should we warn him about the troll?”
“The werewolf will probably be ticked off about the warning. No doubt a werewolf would like to get into a troll tussle.” Logan laughed again. Elven laughter had such a musical tone that it was hard not to join him.
“Well, if he wants to tussle, he can join the agency. Or apply, anyway.” I paged through the paperwork, making sure I wasn’t missing anything.
“That would mean fewer adventures for us. I’d rather he find his own fun.”
I could have done with a little less of Logan’s idea of fun, but I would never tell him that. This job was a way for me to use my gift without doing palm readings or working the Psychic Network hotlines. Readers are rare and useful in this line of work, but I’m sure I wouldn’t want to face down a Lost, or any perso
n, armed only with my gifts. If used for too long, my power sapped the energy out of me.
Logan started singing under his breath, something about tumbling tumbleweeds. Elves grab onto things and stick with them for ages. He had been stuck on Westerns for over a month.
His solo didn’t last long. “Our troll is up early.” Logan’s hearing was well beyond my range, even with his ears mostly tucked away.
“I’ll take your word for it.” I rummaged around in my bag for my med kit.
After we exited the interstate, our drive didn’t take long. We reached the Sanctuary’s drive and wound around a copse of large trees before ending in an empty parking area near a cabin. Logan pulled to a stop in front of the building. Travis came out and greeted us by the truck. His long brown hair was not so neatly pulled back.
“Cassie, you look as lovely as ever. Logan, it’s a pleasure to see you again. You’ve brought a new friend to join us?”
“Didn’t put up much of a fight,” Logan said as he walked up to Travis and shook his hand. “But we’ll have to put him out before taking him back to your cave. ATVs ready for us, or are we taking the horses?”
“I didn’t know how the horses would react, so the ATVs are ready to take our new friend to his home.”
“Are we all clear?” I asked. Sometimes, regular people entered the area despite the warning signs at the entrance.
Travis spread his arms wide. “It’s just us.”
Med kit in hand, I walked to the back of the truck. Our troll slumped in the corner of the truck looking dismal. Pushing myself into the Path, I took a read on the atmosphere. I could see agitation and fear rolling off him in waves. Taking a deep breath, I closed my eyes and felt around inside myself for a feeling of safety and trust. I let that warm feeling fill me up and roll out of me, spreading it out onto the surrounding Path. My energy eased away the other emotions.
After dropping the Path, I crept into the truck with my syringe, approaching the troll quietly. My hand trembled. I had given the shots before, but not often enough to be confident as I approached. It only took a moment. I stuck him with the needle. It took about thirty seconds for him to fall asleep again. Logan carried the troll out to the ATV.
Travis led the way through the Sanctuary. The ATVs roared through a forest for a while. We rounded close to a lake glittering in the sunlight and headed for some bluffs. It was hot enough that I was dry by the time Travis pulled to a halt at the bottom of a white rock cliff. We cut off our ATVs.
“The cave is through the woods. We have to go by foot from here,” Travis said. “Too much undergrowth.”
Logan lifted the troll. His curious elven strength made the task easy. “Sounds like a prime place.”
He was right; we couldn’t have asked for a better location. The hike through the woods was about a half mile with the cliff base remaining always to our right as we walked. Large gray boulders, weathered with age, lay among the trees. The cave had only a small opening. It was dry, but the air was cooler at the entrance. Travis assured us that it went back far, but dead ended. A few tunnels led off the main cave, but none of them was more than fifteen yards long.
I couldn’t tell what fifteen yards looked like unless I was standing on a football field. Even then, I might not be certain, but if the cave tunnels all dead ended, then that was good enough for me.
Logan went into the cave to settle the troll with his stack of treasured rocks.
Travis and I stood in awkward silence for a moment. Curious, I took the opportunity to read his Path. Cool greens and warm oranges drew in around him. He felt good-natured and a little excited. There was a slash of dark gray buried in the middle. He was hiding something in the core of his being, but most people were.
“Have you met our new werewolf?” Travis asked.
“We’re stopping by to see him after we’re done here.”
“He’s come out here to run a few times.” Travis leaned against a tree. He smiled, but looked uncomfortable. Around him, the orange colors started to roll together, making their presence stronger. “Do you run?”
“I like the idea of running, but I suck at the execution.”
Travis laughed. “If you ever feel like hitting the trail, this is a good place for it.”
Logan emerged from the cave. “He’ll be waking up soon. We should—”
An echoing crack cut through the conversation.
A chill rolled through me. “Gunfire? Here?”
Chapter 2
Noise rebounded from the bluff. I tried to figure out which direction the shot came from while pushing back the rising panic.
“That couldn’t have been in the Sanctuary.” I tried to sound resolute, but couldn’t quite pull it off.
Logan was on the balls of his feet, and his ears at their points, alert for any hint of noise.
“Call it in.” Logan tossed me his phone and took off toward the ATVs. “Travis, what’s the shortest way to the fairy homestead?”
I called while running to catch up with Travis and Logan. The chill dug deeper into my system.
“Hank here.”
“Shot fired in or near the Sanctuary,” I panted, trying to keep up with the others. “Troll is secure. We’re heading to the fairy homestead.”
“Do you know the location of the shot?” Hank’s usually calm demeanor turned demanding.
“Logan, which way was the shot?” I asked as I jumped onto an ATV.
“Couldn’t pinpoint with only one shot. Tell him western central toward the fairies.”
The ATVs roared to life as I relayed the information.
Over the noise, I could hear Hank. “We’ll try to grab a satellite and pull up the area. Stay safe. Call on the fives.”
Mashing down the throttle, I stayed within sight of Logan and Travis. It felt like pixies were running wild in my stomach as I started second-guessing our approach. A silent approach would be better, but what if someone was hurt?
Wind pulled through my hair as we charged through the landscape. The other ATVs came to a halt in front of me. Logan jumped off and started heading into the woods. I cut the engine and followed. My heart battered my chest.
Travis started to follow, but stopped short when Logan looked back and shook his head. “Stay with the ATVs.”
“Do you have a weapon?” I asked as I hurried by, pulling out the cell phone again.
“I’m covered.” Travis fell back as I pressed speed dial.
Hank didn’t wait for an introduction. “We’ve got a team moving in your direction. Tell Travis to meet part of the team by the front entrance.”
I paused and yelled back to Travis. Immediately, he headed out.
“The other team members will be entering the area through an old logging trail on the west side of the property. We have no satellites in position for the next twenty minutes.”
“We’re heading toward the homestead. Going silent.” I left the connection to Hank open, trusting that he would mute his end, and shoved it into my pocket.
Logan slowed and listened. The woods were denser as we reached the fairy forest. Tall trees cast shadows, making the air cooler. A soft buzzing noise, which one might mistake for bees, could be heard in the branches and behind the tree leaves. This meant the fairies were keeping a close watch on us. I tried to calm my breath and slow my racing heart--not an easy task. The still sounds and gentle whir of fairy wings helped.
Closer to the heart of the fairies’ realm, Logan pulled up and turned to me. “Keep that brain of yours open.”
I closed my eyes and took a deep breath, opening the part of my mind that reads the Path. I mentally kicked myself for not having the Path open.
Logan left no trace, but occasionally, I caught a fleeting glimpse of movement over the fabric of the Path. Fairies barely left their mark on the Path, but it was enough to let me know they were here.
Logan stopped short as several fairies flew out in front of us. They buzzed around, blocking our way. They rushed at us through the air, turni
ng moments before smacking us in the face. From my view, angry orange sparks burst and dissipated as they flew. Their little bodies and colorful butterfly wings created a beautiful display, but from their chirping and hisses, it was obvious that we should move no further.
“We seek an audience with the Speaker,” Logan said. One of the fairies disappeared in a blur. Essy, the Speaker, appeared moments later.
“Logan and Cassie, I recognize you as AIR servants,” she said, her tone formal, but she too was emitting angry orange sparks. “We have a complaint against the walkers of this world.”
“We will oversee any complaints,” Logan replied.
“A human has entered our territory and assaulted our tribe.”
An immense billow of red fury sprang from Logan into the Path. I took a few nervous steps away. The red turned dark and swelled, and then it stopped. Logan had bottled his emotion up once more. His rage marred the landscape. The eruption of red was frozen. The rippling waves of the Path did nothing to push it away. I bit my lip and eyed the blight.
“Is he here?” From the sound of Logan’s voice, you would never know his fury lurked beneath.
“It is gone,” Essy chirped angrily in between words. “One of our own is dead.”
I sucked in a sharp breath. “Was he shot?”
Essy quivered from head to toe. “The metal missed. He was struck by flesh.”
Logan turned to me. “Let’s go track the person who did this.”
Essy took off from her perch. “It attempted to ensnare Uriah while he was in the wildflower field.” Essy led us to a blanket of flowers that covered a small meadow.
As we approached, I could see the Path the person had created and I motioned to Logan to stop.
“It appears to be human, or someone who’s at least lived in this dimension its whole life.” A chill curled in my stomach. “Not one of the Lost. I can see that in his Path.” It was the feeling of his Path more than a physical manifestation.
AIR Series Box Set Page 10
