Sticks and Stones

by Alexie Aaron

  He smiled. “Have you driven it yet?”

  “I can’t really be trusted until I can stop seeing double, and my balance is awful.”

  “It could be your eyes,” Quentin said. “I had that trouble when I was a child. Tell Baxter about it.”

  “I will.”

  “Don’t take off your coat,” Quentin said to Ted. “We’re going to Dave and Busters. These two will be at it for hours.”

  Ted looked at Mia.

  “Go ahead, enjoy yourself. You’ve been burning the candle at both ends.”

  “I’ve hired us a cab,” Quentin said.

  A horn sounded.

  “And it has arrived right on cue. Mia, Baxter is waiting in his office.”

  Mia waited until Quentin and Ted left to navigate the hall. She did fine until she tried to walk in the door. She hit the doorjamb on the way in. “Ouch.”

  Baxter watched her, and when she was reaching in front of her to hold something that wasn’t there, he shot out of his chair. “What’s going on?” he asked.

  “I thought there was table there. I saw it, but it was fuzzy. Maybe I need glasses.”

  Baxter sat her down and turned her head and asked, “What do you see there?”

  “I see a grandfather clock. When did you… no, it’s gone.”

  He turned her head again. “Tell me what you see?”

  “A drinks cart, but it wasn’t here when I came in?”

  “Sit back and close your eyes. I have some thinking to do.”

  “Can I nap on the chaise lounge over there?” Mia asked.

  “That’s a printer table.”

  “Damn.”

  Mia drew in her feet and hugged her knees.

  “At home, have you been seeing things?”

  “Sometimes I think I see the old farmhouse. My room is in the same spot as the old one. The stairs, however, are fucked up.”

  “Mia.”

  “Sorry, messed up.”

  “Mia,” Baxter started again. “You’re seeing things that were in this room a year ago. I’m going to bring over my laptop. This is the security footage. I had the opening made smaller to accommodate the beautiful door Quentin bought at an auction.”

  Mia looked at the footage and nodded. “I knew you had a chaise.”

  Baxter returned to his desk.

  “The ground around the farm feels wrong. They excavated when they built the new house. The third floor is sometimes dim, like the empty attic. Any part of the house that is built in a new space I have no problem walking on. Although, what if I walk out into open space thinking there was a house there?”

  “You’re either experiencing time slippage, which is bad, or dual time which is worse.”

  “Great. I was looking for a silver lining and you gave me tar. Here’s a thought, could my memories be bleeding into my consciousness?”

  “Yes. Yes! Who’s the best mind walker?”

  “I am.”

  “Besides you.”

  “Angelo, he really is the best walker but…”

  “Nevermind.”

  “That shut me down,” Mia pouted. “He’s in Europe searching for a book Orion needs to prove Ted’s guardianship. Michael is still healing and can’t travel. I’d have to go there. There is someone, but I’m not sure…”

  “Who?”

  “Gerald. He’s never walked my mind, but he knows a lot about minds. He showed Bev how to bury her memories in her organs.”

  “You said he’s a fallen.”

  “Yes, but he studied as a wizard. What about you? You walked Ted’s mind successfully. I assure you, mine is much easier.”

  “I’m going to be needed to be the control person.”

  “Ted’s never going to agree. He doesn’t trust Gerald.”

  “Well, Gerald did do some very untrustworthy things,” Baxter said in Ted’s defense.

  “Ted has acted as my control person. Why don’t you want to walk my mind?”

  “Mia, the Minotaur may come on and I’ll…”

  Mia raised her hands. She stumbled her way to Baxter. “Call Gerald. I’ll take the fallout.”

  “Where?”

  Mia drew out her wallet and handed Baxter a card. “I got it from Takemi. They are partners.”

  “You want me to call a man who is partners with a crossroads demon.”

  “Yes. I would make the call, but the card keeps disappearing on me.”

  Baxter pulled Mia down on his lap so she didn’t fall. He kept one arm around her and dialed. He put the phone on speaker. It was answered in a strange tongue. Mia answered in High Demon, “This is Mia Cooper Martin. I’m looking for Gerald Shem.”

  “One moment.”

  “He must just be doing business with demons right now,” Mia guessed, breaking out in a cold sweat.

  “Mia?” Gerald answered.

  “Gerald, I need an expert mind walker.”

  “Angelo is the best.”

  “He’s in Europe. I need someone now.”

  “Why?”

  “Can you talk to Baxter?”

  “Sure, go ahead, I’m listening.”

  Baxter told Gerald everything he knew about Mia’s condition. “I think her wall of memories may have been weakened, and if we don’t move quickly, it will collapse and…”

  “That’s bad. Do you want me to come to you?”

  “Come to my father’s condo. We’ll meet you there,” Mia said quickly.

  Baxter hung up. He looked at Mia who was still on his lap.

  “I didn’t think you wanted a rival wizard checking out your shit.”

  “Mia…”

  “Stuff.”

  Baxter took her chin. “Let me finish. I wasn’t scolding you about your language. This time I was going to say, Mia, thank you.”

  “You’re welcome.”

  ~

  The super’s wife stared at Mia. “Bringing your new lover to daddy’s condo?” she asked.

  “I wish. This is my shrink. We are going to work out some father issues. Speaking of fathers, I contacted him, and he should have called you.”

  “He did. He’s fine with it. Whatever happened to that tall blonde man who loved my cookies.”

  “He’s in the FBI. Would you like for me to give him a call?” Mia asked.

  “No, just curious. So, things didn’t work out between the two of you?”

  “No.”

  “Mind telling me why?”

  “Big ego, small penis.”

  “Then don’t give him my number,” she said and shut her door.

  Baxter was very amused. A taxi pulled over and Gerald got out. He was dressed like Mia was used to seeing him, expensive suit, immaculately groomed, and his Haitian skin was rich and smooth. Mia liked looking at his fingers. The nails were groomed, and they were always moving, flexing and grasping as if he were caressing the air.

  “Thank you for coming,” Mia said, grabbing Baxter’s arm for support. “Someone moved the furniture since I was here last year.”

  “We did when Mike was pulled into the portal,” Baxter said.

  “That’s right,” Mia remembered.

  “Mia, you have your old wings back,” Gerald noticed.

  “The thing is, Raphael had them all this time. He warned me that they were not fully realized when Michael cut them off me. He says they may not be finished evolving. Could the wings be causing my problem?”

  “That’s Baxter’s area.”

  “But yours is the mind,” Mia confirmed.

  “I know a lot about the human mind. Full disclosure, I studied it to be able to maneuver people to get the results I wanted. I’m not a good guy, Mia.”

  “Did you wish to harm me?”

  “No. I never wanted to hurt you.”

  “Then I wasn’t wrong all those times I trusted you?”

  “Foolhardy, but not wrong.”

  “Thank you, that’s good enough for me.
Remember, this is my favor not Baxter’s.”

  “This is a return favor,” Gerald insisted. “Baxter, how would you like me to proceed?”

  “I’m worried about her memory wall. It could be failing. She has had contact with Lucifer recently.”

  “He didn’t touch me,” Mia argued.

  “He doesn’t have to,” Baxter said. “Look what he did to you just entering your eyes.”

  Gerald watched Mia all but crumble.

  “Do you have to be so cruel?” Gerald asked Baxter.

  “He isn’t being cruel, he’s reminding me,” Mia said softly. “He’s saved me physically and mentally.”

  “I’ve heard about your amazing work,” Gerald said to Baxter.

  “He’s a regular Dr. Frankenstein,” Mia said proudly.

  “But Dr. Frankenstein was the monster not his creation,” Gerald reminded Mia.

  “She knows,” Baxter said, cleaning his glasses.

  “Let me enter your memories when you caught sight of your underskirt in the shiny marble of my floor. Do you remember?” Gerald asked her.

  “I’ll never forget.”

  Gerald and Mia turned sideways on the couch. He crossed his legs yoga style. Mia managed a clumsy replica, and they linked arms. Mia took a last look at Baxter before she closed her eyes and thought about Gerald’s inner chamber.

  She was watching herself there. Her knees were jammed together with hopes of hiding the reflection of her underpants from the shiny marble floor.

  Gerald saw the two Mias, the insecure young woman with her knees jammed together and the strong confident woman dressed in armor. He realized that the real Mia fell somewhere between the two.

  Mia felt a warm hand on her shoulder. She turned and Gerald was there. Mia moved into his arms and enjoyed the transfer of apologies and love. He broke them apart. “We don’t have much time. Take me to were you were a year ago.”

  “I was in Hell. Gerald, I’m not sure this is going to work. Lucifer is in here. I can feel him now.”

  ~

  Mike and Audrey walked down the cellar stairs. The stairway was enclosed. They opened the door at the bottom. Mike switched on the overhead lights, and the place was clean. There were a few moving boxes not yet opened, but otherwise, the space was just a place to hold the furnace, new air handler, and other utilities.

  Mike walked around the stairs and found a door. “Audrey, there is a door down here.”

  “We need to wait for Burt.”

  Burt started down the stairs. “Sorry, guys, I got a phone call. Ethan Aldridge was confirming an appointment for me to see Sparrow Cottage.”

  “Why?” Mike asked.

  “I’m moving out of Mia’s place into a place I can afford.”

  “But you don’t pay her rent?”

  “I…”

  “Is she kicking you out?” Mike asked.

  “Let the man talk,” Audrey interrupted.

  “I need to grow up and pay my own way.”

  “What happens to the peninsula house?”

  “She’s going to sell it so she can help Ed out with finishing his house. She also is putting money away for college.”

  “So, she’s selling…”

  “You’re not thinking of buying it,” Audrey said. “It’s way too quiet for you or your mother.”

  “You don’t know that,” Mike argued.

  “Cid to team.”

  “Go ahead, Cid.”

  “You’re supposed to be investigating, not putting more angst into the mix.”

  “He’s right,” Burt said. “Thanks, Cid.”

  “Shall we?” Mike said, opening the door. “Ladies first.”

  Audrey took one look inside the dark space and said, “Age before beauty,” and stepped back.

  “Burt, you want to film us coming in,” Mike said. “You go in first.”

  Burt pulled a light disc out of his pocket. “Light it and get your ass in there. Honestly, you’re a ghost hunter for cripes’sake.”

  “I’m used to…”

  “Mia or Murphy investigating the scary places for us,” Audrey finished. “Man, we’ve gotten lazy.”

  Mike lit the disc and slid it into the space. He stepped forward as a black mass flew out at him. Mike screamed, and Audrey was stopped in mid-laugh when she saw that it was a swarm of bees.

  “Bees!” she screamed and ran up the stairs.

  The bees stung Mike a few times as he chased her. Burt set the camera down in front of the open door before following them upstairs, swatting at the creatures as he climbed. He shut the door, but it didn’t sit flush to the threshold, and the bees moved under the door. He ran out of the house, slamming the door behind him.

  Cid ran towards them with the first aid kit. He had an EpiPen if needed. “Do any of you have a bee allergy?”

  “No,” Audrey said, wincing as she pulled up her sleeve.

  “I’m okay,” Mike said. “A couple of stings on my back. Do they leave stingers?”

  “I’m fine. I did get stung by my lip,” Burt said wincing.

  “We do need to remove the stingers and wash the area. I think we should head for the local urgent care, just to be safe,” Cid said. “I’m driving.”

  “Where’s Debra?” Burt asked.

  “She left before you started filming,” Cid said. “I’ll text her and warn her not to open the door until I can get the place checked out with a professional beekeeper. Let me lock up the house.”

  “She wasn’t here,” Burt said. “I did notice that there wasn’t any activity in the living room as we passed. Did she cause the bees? Are they a natural phenomenon? Is there a beehive under the stairs and we surprised them? Or is it something else?”

  Chapter Eighteen

  Mia told Gerald about Lucifer’s mind game that he played with her. “I thought it was amazing that I, or any creature, could travel in another’s thoughts. But what I didn’t know is that you can get hurt there. Your body doesn’t show the torture, but your mind will relive it over and over. I needed Roumain to pull me out of Lucifer’s torture room thoughts, but we left the door open. By it being open, Lucifer had control over my mind, my dreams and, I feared, my body. Baxter helped me to close the door. We have to make sure not to open it.”

  “Why?”

  “It’s cripplingly horrible. I rather not explain.”

  “I respect that. Remember that you did survive and saved the world.”

  “Barely. I think the key is that I’m seeing things that were in place one year ago. We need to look at the memories of the preparations leading up to the battle. Do you think the memory of one of the death spirals is collapsing the wall?”

  “I won’t know until we go there,” Gerald said honestly.

  “Okay, follow me.”

  Baxter had one hand placed on Mia to monitor where they were. He wasn’t pleased that Gerald and Mia hugged. It wasn’t unusual for mind walkers to interact with their hosts, but it still bothered Baxter. Gerald was a wild card. Baxter did not know the extent of this wizard’s talents. Would he take out some sick revenge on Mia while she was in this vulnerable state? How could she trust this man who facilitated most of Beverly Cooper’s attacks on Mia and her family?

  They watched Mia’s memory of her first spiral with Victor. The memory wall was fine and solid here.

  “You did this again?” Gerald croaked. “You barely survived.”

  “Twice more. The last one pushed all the giants back in and the doorway was closed.”

  “I saw that. I also saw a general instead of the gutter rat I was used to. I had no right, but I was proud.”

  “Come on, the next spiral is with…” Mia stopped.

  Gerald watched as Mia’s visage changed quickly from one of deepest sorrow to one of resignation.

  “Mia?”

  “It’s with Nicholai. He and I have had a parting of the ways…”

  “I’m sorry, I know you looked
up to him.”

  “Baxter, can you hear me?”

  “I think he can see us but is not able to respond,” Gerald said.

  “Gerald, I think I’m causing this. I have all this power that I don’t know how to really use yet. I may be trying to erase him from my mind and in doing so…”

  “You’ve created a memory rift,” Gerald finished. He turned Mia around and there was her memory of her and Nicholai climbing upwards to start the spiral. It was torn in the middle, flapping like a ripped sail in the wind.

  “We need to leave quickly. I think Baxter will be able to fix this,” Gerald said, pulling Mia along. She wasn’t watching where they were going. She kept looking over her shoulder, trying to make sense of how her disappointment and sadness over losing her connection with Nicholai was destroying her mind.

  Gerald and she plunged into darkness. They found themselves in a dark room.

  “No, no, no, no,” Mia said. “How did we get here?”

  Gerald looked around and saw a naked Mia huddled in the corner. He was paralyzed as the torn and bloodied Mia lifted her head. He could tell that the creature heard them but was too beaten to see anything. “Run,” she rasped. “He’s coming.”

  A door opened and Lucifer Morningstar walked in. He looked down at the creature on the floor and then over at Gerald and Mia. “My darling, we have guests.”

  Baxter groaned. How could he have been so stupid? It all made sense now. Mia survived the debasement because she could replace the horror with joy, using her crush on Nicholai as the core. And when she started to purge all her good memories of her and Nicholai, she unwittingly eased open the door to the torture room. “Mia, remember how you got out of there.”

  Mia was terrified. The strength she had managed in the yurt was gone.

  Lucifer looked from the naked Mia to the trembling armored woman on the arm of the fallen. “Brother, have you brought me a present?”

  “No. I’m sorry we disturbed you, Lucifer.”

  “It has been a while, Forneus. I lost track of you when you climbed out of the sea. Have you met my little pet?” Lucifer asked, pointing to the corner. “Come, Mia, it’s time to play. She thought she could best me in my own mind. Stupid creature. She’s Michael’s. Mia screams but she…”