Black Friday

by Jan Stryvant

  "My mother. You killed my neighbor, and you kidnapped my mom, where is she?" Sean asked, and for good measure he hauled off and kicked the guy in the side.

  "I don't know where your mother is!" the man gasped.

  "Look, you tell me where she is, I let you live. You don't, you die," Sean growled and kicked him again, harder.

  "I swear," the man coughed, "I swear to you that I don't know! We didn't kill him! That wasn't us!"

  "Oh? You're tracking me down, sending men after me, you have my blood from the van, and you want me to believe you're not involved?"

  Sean kicked him again, and he was pretty sure he felt a rib break, the guy gasped in obvious pain.

  "Please! Please, don't kill me; I'm just a tracking mage! I don't know what's going on, they don't tell me anything! All I know is they wanted us to get you before the Litho's did."

  "The Litho's? Who the hell are they?"

  "I, I think they're some gang in Lithuania, I don't know! I'm just a hired helper! They said they had to get you first, but we weren't to kill you! Just bring you in!"

  "How'd you get my blood?"

  "I told them I needed something physical of yours, so we snuck into the impound lot and I used a spell to gather up all of yours," he was babbling now, Sean guessed that he really thought Sean was going to kill him.

  "How did you hide from my spell?" the guy asked him suddenly as Sean tried to decide what to do with him.

  "Trade secret," Sean told him. "Do you know why they want me?"

  "No, no I don't!"

  Sean prodded the spot where the broken rib was, making the man gasp in pain.

  "Want to reconsider that answer?" Sean asked. "I'm not a very patient man anymore Mr.," Sean opened the wallet and looked at the license inside, "Mr. Smith. Damn, is that your real name?"

  "Yes, it's my real name," he gasped. "And I don't really know, but I overheard someone saying something about they didn't want you finishing your father's work, that it was too dangerous!"

  Sean looked in the wallet. There was a fair bit of money there, he took half of it, and memorized the man's name and address. Surprisingly he lived in Sparks.

  "Okay, Mr. Smith, here's the deal. You get to live today," Sean heard him exhale in relief, "I am relieving you of some of your cash as a fine for helping them. Do it again, and well, I'll kill you. Also, I know where you live now, so don't think I don't know how to find you.

  "Oh, one other thing, who the hell hired you?"

  "I can't tell you that!" he protested.

  "Oh please, don't make me into a liar by forcing me to kill you. I want a name."

  "The Vestibulum! It was the Vestibulum!"

  Sean pondered that, it sounded like Latin; he'd have to look it up when he got home.

  "Swear you'll never track me again."

  "I swear! I Richard Smith swear I will never track you, Sean Valens again! Ever!"

  "Good. This isn't your car, is it?" Sean asked as he lit the first flare and tossed it into the front seat.

  "What? No! What's that sound?"

  "I'm starting a fire. You might want to get to your feet and start walking away, before the gas tank goes up," Sean said as he lit the second flare and tossed it in, followed be the third one.

  "Oh, here's your wallet," Sean said and picking the guy up, he stuck his rings, necklace and wallet in his pocket and pointed him to the south. "Better start walking."

  Sean tossed the third flare in, and then took off running, before Mr. Smith could pull off his blindfold, putting the now merrily burning car between them.

  Sticking the bills in his mouth he shifted again and loped off, heading home, making only a slight detour to hide the money on the roof of a bank by an ATM. Last thing he wanted was Smith trying to find Sean via the cash he'd stolen. Let him think he'd deposited it.

  "Where have you been?" Roxy asked, sitting on the bed with her tail curled around her as he pulled himself in through the window.

  "Having fun," Sean purred and then shifted back.

  "Is that smoke I smell?"

  "Yeah, have you ever heard of a gang called the Litho's from Lithuania?"

  "That's not a very original name," Roxy chuckled and shifted back into human form as well.

  Sean shrugged, "That's what the guy I caught told me."

  "Guy you caught?" Roxy asked eyes wide.

  "Yup, was easy too," Sean grinned, and coming over and sitting next to her on the bed, he told her about his encounter with Mr. Smith and the others working for the Vestibulum.

  "Vestibulum means 'Static' in Latin," Roxy sighed. "I better call my dad, he'll know."

  "I think that can wait until morning, don't you?" Sean grinned as he leaned in closer and started nibbling on the side of her neck.

  Roxy sighed and slipping her hand into his lap, she started stroking him, not at all surprised to find him already excited.

  "Yeah, why ruin his sleep?" Roxy agreed and let Sean pull her back down onto the bed.

  Sweet Tuesday Morning

  Jolene sighed and looked at the door; it said 'Sawyer's Antiquities' in faded green letters across the light gray metal door. Easy to miss if you weren't looking for it, but then the place was located in the back of an industrial park, so if you didn't know it was here, the odds of stumbling across it were slim.

  She didn't like dealing with Sawyer, but she made a point of stopping here every month because Sawyer kept an ear on the comings and goings of all things magical in Reno. Some of that was so he knew what opportunities there might be out there, but most of it was simple self-preservation. Sawyer dealt in rare and illicit items, most of which were stolen and he was fencing.

  Squaring up her shoulders, she pushed the door open and stepped inside.

  As shops went, it looked like most pawnshops. There were rows of glass cases to either side of the room, as well as a center platform, which held larger items. There were no windows, but the lights kept it from being too dim.

  "Hi, Jolene."

  "Hello, Marx," she said to the brutish looking fat man sitting by the door. Jolene knew he only looked human, he wasn't, Sawyer wouldn't employ humans ever. Marx was a wereboar, and while he looked fat, Jolene knew he could move very quickly when he wanted to.

  "Well, if it isn't my favorite harlot, fresh off the sheets no doubt to grace my humble establishment!"

  "Well, you're in a good mood today, Sawyer," Jolene said, taking her time as she strutted down the aisle towards the chest high counter in the back. She didn't notice anything different in the displays, but she wasn't surprised by that. They rarely changed, as their primary purpose was camouflage for what really went on here.

  "Listen, Tart, I don't have time for you today. Can't you see I'm busy?" Sawyer waved his short arms around the empty store. Goblins weren't very tall, Sawyer stood all of four-foot, and for a goblin, he was a tall one. He was bald of course, most goblins were, and he almost looked normal, in his expensive dress shirt and fancy silk tie. But his skin was green and his nose and ears were both a little too long and a little too pointed to be human. With a large hat and the proper skin color, Sawyer would simply be a short and fairly ugly human. But as goblins went, Jolene had heard he was considered to be rather handsome by the women of his race.

  Not that she'd ever seen any here during any of her visits.

  The floor behind the counter was set high, so Sawyer could loom over his clients, who were usually much taller than he was.

  "I love you too, Sawyer," Jolene smiled at him. "So what has you in such a snit today? I thought you'd just had a big score last week on some very juicy information?"

  "And just why would I tell a cheap floozy about that?"

  Jolene laughed, "Oh please, they hate me just as much as they hate you, you know that. Besides, I just might have some information on all the excitement that's been going on. Maybe we could work out a deal?"

  Sawyer's eyes narrowed a bit, "And just what would a tramp like you know?"

  Jolene smiled and
played with her hair a moment, then took a slow look around the store while ignoring his jibes.

  "Well?" Sawyer demanded.

  "Tramps like me, we get around Sawyer, you know that. You know those guys who died up in the school yard in Sparks?"

  "Yeah, what about 'em?"

  "They said that they were working for you."

  Sawyer didn't give much away, but Jolene thought she could detect a slight hint of concern.

  "They're all dead, who cares?"

  "Well the people who killed them, I'd think. So, Sawyer, just why do you think that they'd finger you in all of this?"

  "Maybe I did a little business with them, what's it to you?"

  "You doing business with humans? Sawyer," Jolene laughed, "are you slipping on me?"

  "Money is money, it all spends the same. And it spends even better when I can get it by stirring up mischief with all those stuck up mages!"

  "Come on, Sawyer, no freebies. I got some hot info for you, but first you gotta' tell me what you did?"

  "Just how hot are we talking?" Sawyer was all ears now.

  "Hot enough to burn you," Jolene smiled.

  "Okay, Okay," Sawyer said. "But this'd better be good, or you ain't ever walking in here again!

  "Ya see, there used to be this big mage in town, high powered alchemy type. But the councils and all, they didn't like him much. Said he consorted with the 'animals' too much."

  Jolene clearly heard Marx snort from over by the front door at that.

  "So, word got out that he was working on something that the councils didn't like and one of them had him rubbed out."

  "They killed him?" Jolene exclaimed in shock.

  "Well they didn't kill him themselves; they're too prissy for that. They hired some guy from Chicago to come out here and deal with it for them."

  Jolene nodded, "Okay, but that's all ancient history, what does that have to do with today?"

  "Simple, they didn't kill his wife and kid. Oh, they did a number on them; put them in the poor house!" Sawyer laughed, "I bet that must have been quite a shock for a couple of humans, going from rich and pampered to being broken bums! But the kid, the kid's about to turn twenty-one, and a couple of those seer types on the magic councils and in the wizard gangs? They said that the kid is gonna find something from his old man's work. Finish what he started, and they either want to stop him, or get their hands on it. Take your pick."

  "And what's your part in this?"

  "I told them how to find the kid, that's all. Wasn't hard either," Sawyer laughed, "I just looked them up on the internet! Took me all of five minutes, and I got a quarter-mil out of those idiots! Some geniuses! They can't even figure out how to use Google!

  "Now give," Sawyer said.

  "What was it his father was making?"

  "Not another word until I head what you got!" Sawyer growled.

  Jolene smiled, "That kid? He's dating a friend of mine."

  "Awesome! I can earn another couple hundred thou! I'll even split it with 'ya! What's the address?"

  "Her name is Roxy Channing."

  "Ya, okay, that helps, I can use Google if you don't want to rat her out."

  Jolene laughed, "Sawyer, for a goblin that sells intelligence, you are one damn stupid idiot, do you know that?"

  "He's a human, Jolene. There's no need to be getting sentimental on me. So he's dating some broad that you know? Call her up and take her out for lunch or something, I'll make sure she's left alone!"

  Jolene sighed and rolled her eyes, "She's Bill Channing's daughter. You know, your 'friend' down in Las Vegas? The Sheriff?"

  Sawyer froze, and his eyes suddenly got very wide.

  "Did you just say that this kid is dating Sheriff Channing's daughter?"

  Jolene nodded.

  "But, she's a lycan, like her dad! And this kid is a human! Lycan's and human's don't date! They just don't!"

  Jolene smiled at him, "Actually, it's more like 'mated' at this point. They've kinda moved on past the dating stage."

  "You telling me that the kid is a lycan?" Sawyer said and Jolene could see that he was starting to sweat.

  "Yup."

  "That ain't cool, Boss." Marx said from his seat at the other end of the store.

  "Screw that!" Sawyer yelled, "We're talking about Tooth and Claw Channing! He threw me out of Vegas just cause I mentioned to that Paulson idiot that he had a daughter! If he finds out I'm involved in...."

  Sawyer looked at Jolene, "Please, Jolene, Honey, tell me that he doesn't know, that you're the only one!"

  "Sorry, Sawyer. That guy who ratted you out before he died?"

  "Uh-oh," Sawyer said and swallowed.

  "Yeah, Roxy killed him."

  "Marx! Get up off your ass! Bar the door! We're going on a vacation! NOW!"

  Jolene almost laughed as Sawyer started to gather up a bunch of things and started to throw them into a suitcase that he'd pulled out from under the counter.

  "Thanks for the info, Kid. I gotta run, the backdoor's through there!" Sawyer said, jerking his thumb over his shoulder.

  "So, just what is this work that the kid is supposed to do?"

  "I ain't got time for that now, I gotta run!"

  Jolene laughed as Sawyer closed the suitcase and grabbing a hat stuck it on his head.

  "Oh, right, laugh it up, rub some salt into the wounds why don't 'ca."

  "Sawyer, did you hear me say that she's a friend?"

  "Ya, so?" Sawyer said heading for the back door. Marx was already there, and he had a much larger suitcase in hand.

  "She's a very close friend, very close."

  "What are you telling me?" Sawyer stopped and turned, eyeing her warily.

  "I could talk to her, tell her that you didn't know, get her to tell her father to back down and leave you alone, perhaps?"

  "You'd do that for me? Why?" Sawyer asked, looking suspicious.

  "Cause you're probably the only person in town those sanctimonious bastards hate more than me," Jolene laughed.

  "And that's the only reason?"

  "Well, now that you mention it, there are a few questions you could answer."

  "I don't know what they're afraid of; I don't know what his old man was working on. Whatever it is, it's something that they've been keeping secret for a long time now. It had something to do with the Lycans."

  "What? Something bad?"

  "Hardly! That guy loved lycans! Had several of them working for him, word was his best friend was a lion-were. No, something that was going to help get the human mages' and wizard's foot off of their necks. Change the status quo."

  "And you were helping them stop this, Boss?" Marx growled and looked down at Sawyer who rolled his eyes.

  "Look, I don't believe that the kid has squat, or will do squat. I thought he was just another human kid doing human things. If they'd had something like that, they would have sold it off years okay, it's a myth, okay?"

  "What if it's not a myth?" Marx growled.

  Jolene held up her hand, interrupting the budding argument.

  "Do you know who's after him?" Jolene asked Sawyer.

  "Everybody. Every magic user's council, good and bad, their criminal gangs, all of them or damn well near all. They either want to get it for themselves, to gain more power over the lycans, get it to stop it from ever getting out, or they just want to stop him. And a lot of the groups out there aren't picky over how they stop him either. They killed his father, right? So why would they worry about killing his kid?"

  "Boss," Marx started, but Sawyer did a sudden double-take and held up his hand.

  "Wait a moment; you said this kid is a lycan now, right?"

  Jolene nodded.

  "And if they're worried about him, that means he's a magic user?"

  Jolene shrugged, "It's a possibility, why?"

  "A lycan magic user? Are you kidding?" Sawyer howled with laughter, "Oh man! Would that ever get their panties in a bunch!

  "Tell you what, Jolene, if this kid does
come up with something, bring him here and I'll make sure every damn lycan in the state gets whatever the hell it is."

  "For a price, of course," Jolene said wryly.

  "Hell yeah! Of course for a price! I'm not doing charity work here! But don't worry, Marx here will probably kill me if I try to rip anybody off."

  Jolene looked at Marx, who nodded, "When it comes to family, I keep him reasonably honest."

  Jolene nodded, "Okay then."

  Sawyer smiled, "Sure, Hon, anything. Just as long as you get Sheriff Channing off my ass."

  "You learn anything; you let me know, okay?"

  Sawyer smiled, and actually looked happy, "Jolene, darling? You keep that crazed cheetah from killing me and it's a deal!"

  Jolene smiled and stuck out her hand, which Sawyer quickly shook.

  "Have a nice day, gentlemen," Jolene smiled and turning started walking slowly back towards the front door as she pulled out her cell phone and called Roxy.

  "Yes, Jolene?" Roxy answered.

  "Could you do me a favor, Hon?"

  "Sure, what?"

  "Could you call your father and tell him to leave Sawyer alone?"

  "And just why would I want to do that?"

  "Because he's being more than helpful, in fact, you might even say he's on our side."

  "Oh! I gotta go then!" and Roxy hung up.

  Stopping at the barred door, Jolene looked back at Marx, who looked at Sawyer, who nodded at him.

  Walking down to the front door, he unbarred it and opened it, and then jumped back a good ten feet. There was a werecheetah in the doorway, a very large and well-armed one, with a cell phone to his ear.

  "If that's what you want, Honey, fine, I won't bother him at all."

  "Why, Sheriff Channing, so nice to see you again," Jolene smiled. "Could you give me a ride home perhaps?"

  Sawyer watched wide-eyed from the back of his shop, hiding behind the counter.

  "Why, I'd be delighted to, Jolene."

  Marx closed the door behind Jolene as she walked off with the Sheriff and turned to look at his boss, who was panting behind the counter and wiping his brow.

  "Next time, Boss, maybe you should do more than just Google it?"