Sticks and Stones

by Alexie Aaron

  “We don’t want to start a war with Soren.”

  “We?”

  “I’m in this with you. Soren is upset because Mia caught on to his plan and stopped it.”

  “The future broodmare of the new realm?” Ted asked. “I would hate to see her future as being nothing other than the equivalent of a puppy mill after I die.”

  “Mia sensed that your death may be hurried along by agents interested in pleasing Soren.”

  Ted paled. “Surely this is speculation.”

  “I’ve thought about it. Even though I know that Soren isn’t a murderer, there are a few birdmen who wouldn’t think twice about taking out a human. Altair thinks Mia is right. He warned me to keep an eye on you.”

  “It’s hard to wrap my mind around my wife taking on primal demon genes in order to prolong my life.”

  “She loves you, Ted. You know that.”

  “It’s mutual.”

  “Mia is going to teach me this poltergeist trick.”

  “Ah, the half-veil portal. Excellent.”

  “She moved tons of snow and rock in seconds. Gabriel was very impressed. Mia maintains she wouldn’t have thought about it at all, but she had just come from a PEEPs meeting. You guys are so good for her. Tell me, is Mike still sniffing around?” Sariel asked.

  “No, he has a girlfriend, but he’s still throwing metaphorical stones at Mia.”

  “Ah, punish the one that got away.”

  “Did you have one that got away?” Ted asked.

  “Maybe passed away. I’m so old.”

  “Got any Nephilim hidden away?” Ted asked.

  “No. I’m pretty responsible.”

  “Any designs on my wife?” Ted asked.

  “Altair would kill me.”

  “He doesn’t have designs on Mia, does he?”

  “No. He’s her friend for life. His problem is that he sees her as a twelve-year-old needing to be protected. That dual timeline really messed him up. Did you know that if she didn’t succeed in breaking the candle, he was going to marry her off to Sticks to protect her? Sticks is the demon who she refused to let go of when I first met her.”

  “I know Sticks well. He’s the one she was accidently engaged to while being married to me.”

  “That’s right. The one who looks like you.”

  “It’s the nose,” Ted said, running his finger along the top of his nose. “Mia has a type.”

  Chapter Ten

  Mia walked through the living room of Debra’s house and angled her head. She didn’t see a damn thing, but something was making the figurines dance. “That’s a lot of energy,” she said. Burt filmed Mia as she ran her gloved hand under and over the moving porcelain.

  Debra looked at the young woman with the look of wonder on her face. She knew that would soon change. She too had been amazed by the floating china in the beginning.

  “How long have you had this beautifully decorated home?” Mia asked.

  Debra was caught off guard by the question. “Six months. I bought it as an investment. I’m used to living in more austere apartments.”

  “Did you decorate it?”

  “Yes. I didn’t do the painting and papering, but I did pick the colors and paper out.”

  “You have a wonderful eye for color. My godfathers have a good eye for color. Me, I’m happy if it’s not pink.”

  “I think pink is overused,” Debra commiserated.

  “I just had twin girls, and eighty percent of the gifts were pink. I’m not fond.”

  “You look like you’re a blue jeans type of girl,” Debra said.

  “Actually, I’d be wearing cargo pants if they still made them.”

  “They’ll come back. They always do.”

  “Ms. Carter, what did you do before you retired?”

  “Marketing. I can sell anything at quite a profit.”

  “Was it nerve-racking?”

  “Stressful at times. Honestly, retirement is more stressful for me anyway.”

  “It can be. I used to manage half a million souls, and when I took leave, I had a hard time managing myself. I was used to go go go, and when I had to sit sit sit, it tied me in knots.”

  “Me too.”

  “Sometimes when we are really tense or tied in knots, we release a little energy. This energy seems to attach itself to previous energy from other stresses, and in very rare cases, over time, a poltergeist develops.”

  “But I read up on poltergeists, and they normally focus on teenagers.”

  “Yes. But not exclusively. I understand that you were quite the entrepreneur when you were a student.”

  “Yes. I made enough money to go to college, and then I received scholarships and just banked the money.”

  “Did you have time for teenage hijinks?”

  “No.”

  “School dances?”

  “I arranged for a photographer and made a lot of cash.”

  “Sports?”

  “I had my own concession stand. I gave the teams a percentage and bankrolled the rest.”

  “I’m not a shrink but maybe you’re going through your teenage angst now.”

  “I never thought of that. I’m paying this expensive shrink and she hasn’t said anything worth pondering the entire time!”

  “As my colleagues can tell you, I’m pretty immature. I had a horrible school life, and I think I’m enjoying the things most teens enjoy now, in my thirties.”

  “My god, you look twenty-two at the most.”

  “You’re officially my favorite person,” Mia said.

  “And cut,” Burt said. “Ms. Carter, how are you feeling?”

  “Relaxed. Mia is a tonic.”

  Cid walked through and took readings. “The activity is constant.”

  “It’s behaving. It knows it’s being watched,” Debra said.

  “We don’t doubt your claims,” Mia said. “We’re just trying to see if we can do anything that may ease the occurrence. Poltergeists are very interesting. They don’t behave like ghosts do. I’m a sensitive. I can see ghosts.”

  “Really?”

  “Yes, there is an old lady who has been peering into the front window for a while now. I’m going to go out and speak with her. Would you like to join me?”

  “Can I?” Debra asked Burt.

  “Yes of course. Do you mind if I film this?” Burt asked.

  “No, of course not,” Debra said, patting her hair.

  Mia did mind, but she couldn’t see a way of gracefully declining. She just gave Burt a look that he knew all too well.

  “Hello, I’m Mia Martin from PEEPs, and this is my friend Ms. Carter.”

  “Can you see me?” the ghost asked.

  “I can see you and hear you. Ms. Carter can’t, but if you don’t mind, you can talk through me.”

  “My name is Gertrude Ann Philips.”

  “Hello, Gertrude,” Mia said.

  “Hello, Gertrude,” Debra parroted.

  “I used to live in this house.”

  “Gertrude says she used to live here,” Mia relayed.

  “I wanted to tell the lady of the house she has kept it real nice.”

  “Ms. Carter, Gertrude compliments you on your housekeeping.”

  “Thank you, Gertrude, the house is so beautiful. I’m sorry that we have a pest problem at the moment.”

  Mia watched the ghost while Debra was talking. She listened, but her eyes kept moving to the window.

  “Can you see who is moving the figurines?” Mia asked.

  “No. I would say it was a ghost, but that has to be exhausting.”

  “Would you like to come in?” Debra asked.

  “No, there’s something in that house that scares me.”

  “Gertrude, can you tell me what it is?”

  “It wasn’t there when I was a girl. But now, beneath the cellar stairs is a darkness.”

  Burt watched Mia who wasn’t sharing wh
at she was hearing. He knew if she wasn’t sharing, it wasn’t a good time. He trusted her experience on this.

  “Gertrude, can I help you to move on?”

  “No, dear, I’m just visiting. I go and see all my old homes. I’m waiting for my husband Walter. He’s in hospice.”

  “I wish both of you a peaceful passing,” Mia said and walked into the house. She put her hand on Debra’s arm. “Have you had any bad feelings in the cellar, in particular, under the stairs?”

  “I really haven’t been down there. It has an odor. Like cheap, car wash air fresheners.”

  Mia tapped her earcom. “Ted, have Audrey look and see if there was a Gertrude living here maybe seventy years ago.”

  “Will do, pumpkin.”

  Mia turned and looked into the camera. “I asked Gertrude if she saw anything moving these figurines. She couldn’t see anything. She assumed they were ghosts, but she said that it would be exhausting to be moving all these porcelains all the time. I asked her in. She declined. She said that there was something disturbing in the cellar under the stairs but wouldn’t elaborate. I asked if I could help her to move on, and she said she was waiting for her husband Walter who was in hospice. I wished her a peaceful passing, and she left. I think we’re going to gather some information before we investigate the cellar. I don’t think it’s driving the poltergeist, but it could be a dangerous complication.”

  “And cut,” Burt said. “Very good, Mia. Ms. Carter, Mike Dupree will be here soon to do an interview. He is going to backtrack and discuss what happened to put you into the hospital. We can have the interview here or in the command center. I believe Ted has a table and chairs set up in the back.”

  “In the truck. I don’t want this thing overhearing,” Debra said. “Mia, you’re not going to be here?” Debra asked.

  “I’m going home to be with my family. I’ll be back tomorrow. Hopefully, we will have more information on the history of your home before we examine the cellar. I’m going into the city; can I bring you anything back in the morning?”

  “No thank you, you’re very considerate.”

  Mia grabbed Debra’s shaking hands. “Mike is a handsome man who reads. He is a great interviewer and a compassionate listener. Try not to fall in love with him. His ego will explode.”

  Debra giggled.

  Burt was shocked. He didn’t think the woman had a sense of humor. She was a demanding person one could label with a B if one was so inclined, but here she was giggling at Mia’s comments about Mike.

  Mia kissed her husband who was pretending to be barfing into the trashcan after hearing her comments about Mike.

  “Liar, liar, pants on fire,” Cid said, walking out of the back.

  “I call it creative conversing. She was worried that I was leaving her with an asshole.”

  “But you are. How are you getting to Angelo’s?” Cid asked.

  “His chauffeur, who should be arriving any minute now.”

  “How did you manage that?” Ted asked.

  “Nanny.”

  “But she’s not there, is she?” Ted questioned.

  “No, but she didn’t like the idea of me traveling into the city alone.”

  “And Angelo is footing the bill.”

  “Yes.”

  “I think Nanny is my new superhero,” Ted admitted.

  “I’ll tell her. Have a good night, and play nice with the other boys. I’ll see you in the morning.”

  Ted watched her walk to the end of the drive. Angelo’s regular driver got out and opened the door. Mia looked back and waved at Ted before she left.

  “They say it’s a sign of a good relationship when they look back at you,” Burt said.

  “I hope so. Things have been so good between us, I’m starting to get paranoid,” Ted admitted.

  Mia rang the bell before she let herself into the apartment. She would use Angelo’s penthouse patio to safely enter the between and fly home. She decided to use his guest bathroom before she left. She smiled when she saw that someone had left a few items for her to freshen up with. “You are so considerate.” She penned a thank-you note and left it on the sink.

  Mia walked through the grand apartment and stopped to breathe in the atmosphere before she stepped out on the patio.

  “Mia, can I speak with you?” Enos asked, walking out from the grape arbor.

  Mia rushed over and hugged him.

  Enos held on to her trembling frame.

  “I’m so sorry. This is all my fault,” Mia said. “Do you hate me?”

  “I thought you would hate me for leaving.”

  “I know you have responsibilities to the flock. I have been living in a delusional world where I could simply wish things were otherwise and they would magically happen. How did you know I was here?” Mia asked.

  “Nanny.”

  “Come inside where it’s warm.”

  “I wouldn’t feel comfortable without Angelo’s permission.”

  “That’s understandable. How long do you have?”

  “As long as I need.”

  “I’m sorry this has happened,” Mia began, “Had I known that my quitting Warrior Flock would result in you being recalled, I would have never done it.”

  “Why?” Enos asked.

  “You’ve become part of our family.”

  “Not another lapdog?” Enos teased.

  “I really hate that term. No one is my lapdog. I’m fortunate to have friends of such noble stature. What Nicholai doesn’t understand is that Angelo indulges me because he cares what happens to me. Victor knows that I respect him, and he puts up with my foolishness because deep down he is kind. They are not lapdogs, and neither are you.”

  “Victor told me that if you go to Soren and explain yourself, there is a small chance that Soren will let me come back.”

  “What about Victor? Doesn’t he need you?”

  “He thinks you’re a good influence. As long as I don’t develop romantic feelings for you, he is fine with me living at the aerie. I will have to come when I’m summoned.”

  “Arrange a meeting with Soren.”

  Enos’s face showed his appreciation.

  “It may not work, but I’m going to at least try,” Mia promised.

  The lights went on in the apartment. Enos and Mia saw Angelo approach. He opened the door. “Good, you’re still here. I have just been given a mission that the two of you would be perfect for.”

  “Nicholai doesn’t want me anywhere near Enos,” Mia warned.

  “Child welfare will override any objections he could have. Mia, call home and tell them you’re going to be gone for a few days.”

  “Whoa. Can I tell Ted why or where?” she asked.

  “The upper peninsula of Michigan. A school hiking trip hasn’t reported in. We were asked to look in as there is a young settlement of demons in the area.”

  “What kind of demons?” Enos asked.

  “Arbor cortice.”

  “That’s Latin for tree bark,” Mia said. “Sticks is lignum genere, which are near cousins to arbor cortice.”

  “They aren’t normally dangerous,” Angelo said. “Except when they feel threatened, and the size of this group may just do that.”

  “How many?”

  “Twenty thirteen-year-old boys from a private school specializing in rehabilitating juveniles whose parents have deep pockets. They were on a wilderness hike when they disappeared.”

  “Surely they weren’t alone.”

  “No, they had two teachers and a guide. The guide was found semiconscious floating down a river by some bowhunters two hours ago. He was raving about sticks throwing stones.”

  “So, we have privileged pimple-poppers lost in the woods during bowhunting season.”

  “Very crudely put,” Angelo said, trying not to smile.

  “And demons who will blend right into the forest,” Enos added.

  “Yes. The two of you will pose as backpacke
rs. Once you find them, assess what level of danger the children are in and report back to me.”

  “I’m in,” Enos said. “Come on, Mia, it may be the last time we’re together.”

  “Mia, your ability to speak three levels of Demon and your primal demon smell may come in handy,” Angelo said. “This would give you a taste of what being part of my flock would entail.”

  Mia sniffed her pits. She was hoping this would put Angelo off. “I need clothes.”

  “My driver is on his way back from Dick’s.”

  Mia opened her mouth, and Enos put his hand over it.

  Chapter Eleven

  Clothed and outfitted as backpackers, Mia and Enos stood on Government Peak and looked out. The deciduous trees had lost their color and most of their leaves in the area they were to search. The boughs of the tall pines cast long shadows across most of the land. Smoke rose from the fire rings in the approved camping sites. Mia imagined that the bowhunters were making camp. She didn’t understand hunting. Her blood brother Ed tried to explain that if you eat your prey, then you were honoring their spirit. He also tried to point out how the meats she ate didn’t magically arrive on her plate. This brought up unpleasant memories of the meat-processing plant where she had been attacked, and the discussion died.

  She could see the beautiful shallow inland lake, aptly named Lake of the Clouds, and also the great Lake Superior looking north from her vantage point.

  “The rangers think that the group left the trail thinking they were heading north to Lake of the Clouds. The guide was found in Little Carp River, which tells us they were heading south. How an experienced guide could make a mistake like that is beyond my understanding,” Enos said.

  “Ley line,” Mia said, seeing the minute disturbance around them. “If no one is using the line, your magnetic instruments would be fine, but if a, let’s say, demon spur is running along with the natural ley line, then it could produce a momentary disruption.”

  “You sound like Ted,” Enos said.

  “Jake,” Mia said, tapping her ear. “He’s hooked up to the satellite phone Ted sent via Nanny Berta.”