The Arkana Mysteries Boxed Set

by N. S. Wikarski

  Daniel shrugged him off impatiently and took off in the direction he’d last seen the trio. The square was filled with people milling about in the evening air. He had to dodge a multitude before he could reach the building where he’d glimpsed them. By the time he arrived at the spot, they were gone.

  Hunt caught up with him, his voice slightly slurred from drink. “What the hell is the matter with you, boy?”

  Daniel searched his companion’s face. “Did you see them?”

  “See who?” Hunt asked irritably.

  “The three people from Karfi.”

  “From Karfi!” Hunt echoed in disbelief. “They’re all takin’ a dirt nap in the bosom of Abraham, boy. You’re a brick shy of a load if you’re seein’ dead folk now. You call your daddy and get him to pray over you or some such. Maybe whack you upside the head with a cross and clear them demons out of your noggin.”

  “Perhaps that’s what he needs to do,” Daniel murmured softly. Demons. What else could it be? A doctor might call it a hallucination prompted by a guilty conscience. He knew better. The devil had marked him as damned and was beckoning him to Hell.

  Chapter 41 – A Gifted Friend

  Shortly before sunset, Faye and Maddie sat out in the garden enjoying one of the last warm days of fall. Maddie blew a smoke ring into the air. “How’s Hannah doing now?” she asked.

  “A little better, I think.”

  Faye’s uncertain tone caused the operations director to sit up straight and peer at her. “Once more with less conviction?”

  The old woman smiled ruefully. “To be perfectly honest, she’s like a rudderless ship on a stormy sea. In her heart, she doesn’t feel she’s reached a safe harbor yet.”

  “I guess that takes time,” Maddie observed softly. “At least Cassie got to visit her while the team was waiting to have the artifact replicated. She’s good for Hannah.”

  “I do believe our pythia’s sisterly attitude is a comfort to the child,” Faye agreed. Wishing to change to topic she asked, “Speaking of Cassie and Company, what news of our gallant team in the field?”

  Maddie shrugged. “Well, they made it back to Spain without incident. They’re planning on going up to the mountain tomorrow to plant the fake relic.”

  “Will they have enough time?” Faye asked worriedly.

  “They’re cutting it kind of close,” the operations director agreed, “but I think they’ll be OK. Last I heard, Daniel and Leroy had just arrived in Bilbao, but they hadn’t linked up with their Nephilim contact yet. They still have to figure out the riddle that will take them to Anboto.”

  “We can only hope they’re slow to solve it.”

  At that moment Faye’s notice was drawn by a figure advancing across the grass.

  “Hey, Gamma,” Zachary called out in greeting.

  “What’s he doing here?” Maddie asked suspiciously.

  “I’ve asked him to spend some time with Hannah. He probably came by for a short visit.”

  More loudly Faye said, “I didn’t hear your car coming up the driveway.”

  The boy stopped in front of the pergola where the two women sat. “That’s because Tivo and me kicked in some cash for a new muffler.”

  “You remember my associate—”

  He cut her off. “Maisie, right?”

  “Maddie,” the operations director growled.

  “Oh, yeah.” Zach grinned impudently. “That’s right. Maddie. I bet you came over to borrow some sugar.”

  “Drop the act, kid. You know I work with Faye, so a little respect is in order.”

  The grin faded. “Yes, ma’am.”

  Maddie scrutinized his appearance. “At least your hair looks better.”

  Zach grabbed the top of his head in alarm. “Jeez, why is everybody up in my grille about my follicles?”

  Transferring her attention from his head to his hands, Maddie’s eyes narrowed. “Whatcha got in the bag, kid?”

  “Nothing,” Zach replied guiltily. He was carrying a wrinkled paper sack which he shifted behind his back.

  Maddie raised skeptical eyebrows but held her peace.

  “Is Hannah around?” he asked Faye hopefully.

  “Upstairs, I think,” the old woman replied. “Go on inside. I’m sure she’d like to see you.”

  The two women watched silently as he entered the house.

  “Maisie!” The operations director snorted. “That kid really knows how to grate my cheese.”

  “Can it be possible that you find my descendent irritating?” Faye asked in mock surprise.

  “Irritating?” Maddie echoed. “He could be the poster child for birth control.”

  “It’s too bad you think that,” the old woman retorted slyly. “He’ll soon be part of our organization. I promised him he could train as a tyro.”

  “Oh good, I can hardly wait,” the operations director replied through gritted teeth. “Teaching him the ropes is gonna be a barrel of laughs.”

  ***

  “Hannah?” Zach called out uncertainly as he entered the kitchen. There was no answer. He advanced into the living room and called up the stairs in a louder voice. “Hannah, are you around?”

  “Just a minute,” came a muffled reply from above.

  He heard her door close, and then she trotted down to greet him. “Hello, Zachary,” she said primly. “How are you today?”

  “I’m good,” he said. “C’mon and sit down for a while.”

  She gave him a quizzical look but followed him to the sofa and sat down beside him.

  “Are you feeling better now?” he asked cautiously, remembering her tearful exit the last time he’d paid a visit.

  She blushed slightly. “It was very silly of me. I’m sorry I caused such a fuss.”

  “No, it’s OK, really,” he hastened to reassure her. “In fact, I brought you something that I thought might make you feel better.” He paused to consider how to express himself. “I remembered what you said about losing everybody who meant something to you. How everything got taken away without any warning. Pets are great for cheering somebody up, but your life is a little too...” He hesitated, searching for the right word. “...eventful right now. Pets need to be in a place that doesn’t have a lot of change going on, and at this point, you’re definitely in flux mode.”

  “Flux mode? What’s that?”

  “It means that all the plates are spinning in the air at the same time.”

  She tilted her head and regarded him dubiously.

  “Right,” he chuckled self-consciously. “That didn’t help explain things, did it? I guess I mean that everything must be really confusing for you so putting a live pet into the mix wouldn’t be a good thing—at least not for the pet. So instead I got you this.” He held the paper sack out toward her.

  “What is it?” she asked cautiously.

  “Open it and find out.”

  She peeked inside the bag first and then drew out a stuffed animal. It was a plush black and white cat. “Oh, my,” she said softly.

  “See, she’s black and white like your Sparkle only nobody can hurt her or take her away from you. And she plays music.” He reached over and flipped a switch on the cat’s stomach, and a melody became audible along with a purring sound.

  “It was meant for a little kid which is why it plays a lullaby, but I thought you might like it anyway...” He trailed off. Looking at her earnestly, he asked, “Do you? Like it, I mean.”

  At first, Hannah said nothing. She merely gazed at the stuffed animal in her lap. Then a tear slid down her cheek.

  “Oh no!” Zach exclaimed in despair. “God no, not again!”

  She reached out and grasped his forearm. “No, Zach, it’s alright. I’m not crying because I’m sad.” She dashed away the tear and smiled at him. “Nobody has ever done anything this nice for me before. Thank you.” She hugged the cat to her heart. “Thank you.”

  The boy relaxed and breathed a sigh of relief.
“Whew, I’m glad because if I had to explain to Gamma that I sent you around the bend again, she’d probably ban me from the house.”

  A puzzled look crossed Hannah’s face. “Does this mean... um... Is this a sign that you’re courting me?”

  “What!” Zach leaped off the couch as if it had been set on fire. He stared at the girl in disbelief. “No. Of course not!” He realized that his protest sounded a bit too vehement. He sat back down. “Look, in our world, it’s OK for guys and girls to just be friends. That’s all this was. I mean, we hardly know each other. It’s way too early to talk about... about...” He couldn’t bring himself to say the word.

  “Among the Nephilim, if a boy isn’t your brother and he’s friendly to you, that means he wants to court you,” she explained.

  Zach squinted at her. “You do know you were living with crazy people, right?”

  She giggled. “It’s starting to seem that way. Though if you did want to court me...” She paused and added shyly, “I wouldn’t mind.”

  The boy blushed in silent pleasure. “Listen, I can’t believe what I’m about to say. I mean, if I was walking around school with arm candy like you, I’d be the king of the uber-jock table.”

  Hannah gave him a quizzical look, clearly not following.

  He continued. “What I’m trying to say is that your life has been insane lately. You need to catch your breath. You need to find out who you are and what you want. You don’t need some guy, any guy for that matter, mackin’ on you right now.”

  “I only understood about half of what you said.” She absently rubbed the fur around the stuffed animal’s ears. “But I think you meant it kindly. I’ll take your advice.”

  “Friends?” he held out his hand.

  She shook it. “Friends,” she agreed.

  Although he didn’t say it out loud, he wouldn’t have minded if they were courting either.

  Chapter 42 – Grudging Assistants

  Even though two hours had elapsed since Daniel saw the apparition of the three people from Karfi at the Plaza Nuevo, he still felt shaken by the experience. Since he was in no mood to make small talk, he sat silently with Hunt in the hotel lobby waiting for their Nephilim contact.

  In contrast to Daniel’s state of mind, Hunt’s attitude had improved immeasurably under the stimulus of alcohol. He chaffed Daniel good-naturedly about his recent hallucination. “Seein’ any dead folks now? How about flyin’ monkeys? Bats wearin’ frilly dresses? You be sure to let me know if you feel an attack of the willies comin’ on, Brother Dan’l. I’ll get out my magic ray gun and zap ‘em for you.” Hunt guffawed at his own humor.

  The scion made no comment. He focused his attention on a man in a black suit advancing toward them. The stranger appeared to be in his fifties. He wore a pointed black beard and walked with an air of authority. “Are you the scion?” he asked with a soft Spanish accent.

  Daniel rose to shake hands. “Yes, I’m Daniel Metcalf. You must be Brother Sergio.”

  Hunt didn’t rise but stuck his hand in the air. “Leroy Hunt. Put ‘er there, pardner.”

  The newcomer stared at Hunt’s hand as if it were crawling with lice. He turned to the scion and whispered, “You have taken one of the Fallen into your confidence?” His black eyes glittered, perhaps with anger or disapproval. Daniel couldn’t be sure which.

  “That was my father’s idea,” the scion replied in a voice loud enough for Hunt to hear. “Mr. Hunt acts as my bodyguard.”

  Sergio lowered his head in submission. “It is not my place to question the judgment of the diviner.”

  “Maybe somebody should,” Hunt mumbled. “That ole boy’s got a hole in his sack of marbles!”

  Sergio forced a smile in Hunt’s direction. “I am pleased to meet the protector of the scion.”

  Hunt gave him a look suggesting that he doubted the sincerity of Sergio’s remark. He sized the man up through half-closed lids. “Ain’t you kind of long in the tooth to be helpin’ Brother Dan’l on this particular mission? I mean we been dealin’ with kids and crazies up til now.”

  Sergio paused to consider his reply. “I am in charge of the Spanish compound—its archwarden. I do not allow any of my flock to travel to the cities of the Fallen. There are too many temptations in your world.” He emphasized the word “your.”

  Before Hunt could take umbrage, Daniel interposed. “Perhaps our discussion should be conducted in private. We can go to my room.”

  “You got a minibar?” Leroy asked skeptically.

  “I have a stocked minibar, Mr. Hunt.”

  “Well, alright then.” The mercenary rose unsteadily. “Let’s move this party upstairs.”

  ***

  After Hunt had inspected all the small bottles of alcohol in Daniel’s refrigerator, which he dismissed as “midget juice,” he then dialed room service to send up a bottle of whiskey. To pass the time before it arrived, he threw himself on the couch to catch what he called “twenty winks.”

  Sergio and Daniel did their best to ignore his antics. They sat at the small table near the balcony and discussed the relic search. After Daniel recited the complete riddle for his Nephilim contact, he added, “I’ve already solved the lines referring to Eurus and Eberos. That’s what led me here, but I was hoping you might understand the reference to the dragon’s wing or the spinner’s peak.”

  Sergio listened intently and then sat for several moments puzzling over the matter. “I do not know the meaning of the dragon’s wing, but the spinner’s peak clearly refers to mountains.”

  “Yes, that’s what I thought,” Daniel agreed. “But northern Spain is full of mountains, and I have no idea which one to search.”

  Sergio’s eyes narrowed. “This riddle was made by pagans, was it not?”

  The scion nodded.

  “Los Vascos are still pagans!” He spat out the last word.

  “Vascos?” Daniel echoed.

  “Bean-eaters. They live in the mountains all around here. In your language, they are called ‘Basques.’”

  “Ah, yes. I did come across them in my research. They are a distinct ethnic group within Spain and France.”

  “They are stiff-necked and stubborn. Many have still not converted to the true faith.”

  “Surely you can’t hold it against them that they aren’t all Nephilim,” Daniel demurred.

  “I mean Christianity,” Sergio’s eyes glittered again. This time Daniel could read his repressed hostility. “Whether Nephilim or Christian, we all believe in a common savior, but not the Vascos. They are still pagan!”

  The word gave Daniel an idea. “What deity do they worship?”

  “The whore they venerate is called Mari.”

  Thinking there might be a parallel to Crete and Turkey, Daniel asked, “Does she have a sacred mountain? Perhaps one with a cave near the summit?”

  “Last week, we welcomed a new convert to the Nephilim who was a Vasco. He told me about a place where this goddess is supposed to live. Yes, I think he said there is a cave. The mountain is called...” He paused and frowned in concentration, trying to recall the name. “Amboto or Anboto. It sounded like that.”

  Daniel tried to rein in his excitement. “Is that near here?”

  “I do not know, but we are in the provinces controlled by the Vascos, so it must be nearby.”

  Daniel switched on his computer. “I think there’s a way to find out quickly.” He searched for the name of the mountain. “Anboto you say?”

  Sergio nodded. “Si, or Amboto.”

  At that moment there was a tap on the door. Hunt was already snoring loudly and didn’t hear it. Daniel rolled his eyes. “Would you mind getting that?” he asked Sergio.

  The archwarden nodded gravely, radiating disapproval in every step he took toward the door. He received the bottle from the waiter and signed the receipt wordlessly, sending the man away without a tip. Placing the bottle on the coffee table beside the sleeping Hunt, he came to stand
beside Daniel’s computer.

  The scion had located the mountain. “Yes, Anboto is very close to this place. The internet has detailed trail maps and driving instructions to get us there. It appears the hike to the summit will take a few hours.”

  Daniel hesitated about including Sergio in the trek to the cave. While his previous Nephilim contacts had presented very little risk because of their naiveté, he didn’t want to involve Sergio too deeply in the hunt for the artifact. The scion was no longer a babe in the woods when it came to the outer world. One bodyguard was bad enough. He didn’t need two.

  “Thank you, Brother Sergio, you’ve proved most helpful.” Daniel stood to bid his contact farewell.

  Sergio looked puzzled. “But I thought you needed a guide while you were traveling among the Fallen in my country.”

  “The information I’ve just found on the internet is very straightforward. We should have no trouble finding our way to the mountain without your assistance.”

  He patted the man on the back and ushered him to the door. “Good night and thank you. I’ll tell the diviner just how helpful you’ve been.”

  Sergio brightened at the comment before the door closed in his face.

  “Wake up, Mr. Hunt.” Daniel nudged Hunt’s foot with the toe of his shoe.

  “Wha...” the mercenary opened one bleary eye. “Whazzup?”

  “You are.” Daniel held out the bottle of whiskey. “Time to go to your own room. I suggest you not consume the entire bottle tonight. We have a mountain to climb in the morning.”

  Chapter 43 – Summit Meeting

  “This is a momentous occasion,” Griffin observed, laying the relic in its hiding place.

  Iker stood pensively regarding the process. “I never expected to see the treasure return in my lifetime.”

  “It’s a faux treasure actually,” Cassie corrected. “Within a day or so, if the Nephilim take the bait, it’ll disappear again.”

  The sentinel gave her a philosophical smile. “It does not matter. My family has faithfully kept watch all these years, and now our duty is done. The task is finished.”