Sticks and Stones

by Alexie Aaron

  “What’s not how I play what?” Cid asked walking in.

  Murphy told him.

  “Ted tried that on me. I will cite the example of Hessians and Revolutionaries. Washington’s troops beat the Hessian mercenaries because the Hessians were boozed up on Christmas Eve celebrations.”

  “Well, smarty pants, who would win in a fight, Nicholai or Altair?” Ted asked.

  “Altair, he is good and evil. He wouldn’t let the honor of a warrior stand in his way from winning.”

  “Wait, Nicholai fights dirty,” Victor said, leaning on the doorjamb. “He’s the one who taught Mia to take a combatant’s balls off.”

  “I thought that was Ed,” Ted said.

  “No Ed taught Mia how to kill birdmen,” Murphy said, grinning at Victor.

  “Who would win, Victor or Ed?” Cid said.

  Murphy, Ted and Cid said in unison, “Draw.”

  “Are you high? I’d win,” Victor said.

  “Ed’s a god,” Murphy argued.

  “But I’m a god killer,” Victor said, brushing his talons on his sleeve.

  ~

  Altair looked surprised when Mia came into the aerie. “Well, look what the cat dragged in, a little bird.”

  “Shut up,” Mia said.

  “Have you come to raid my liquor cabinet?”

  “Already did,” Mia said and plopped on the couch. She pulled off her shoes and pulled her shirt out of her pants.

  “Mia, the sex machine is in the lab,” Altair said dryly.

  “Honestly, can’t a girl get comfortable?”

  “Please stop taking clothes off. There is only so much an archangel can stand.”

  Mia laughed. She lay on her back and propped her feet up on the arm of the sofa. “I have a question to ask you. Feel free to say no.”

  “That means I better say yes.”

  “Actually, I meant what I said.”

  “Go on.”

  “When you’re up and running, teaching-wise, would it be an imposition if Romulus sat in on a few classes?”

  “The di inferi?”

  “Yes. The question was presented directly from Dis Pater, so Rom isn’t going behind his back.”

  “How would he communicate? You’re basically claw free. And my hands are delicate.”

  “I was going to see if Mr. Wizard could come up with something. Rom understands us; it is we who need to be able to understand him.”

  “Maybe we could work something out. He can write, can’t he?”

  “I’m not sure? Maybe in Sanskrit.”

  “He can sit in. I think it will do you good to have another student in the class.”

  “To challenge me?”

  “It’s no fun giving a dunce cap to one student all the time,” Altair said.

  “Now you’re being mean,” Mia said. “I think the di inferi are evolving. Dis Pater is just making sure they move beyond barbarism.”

  “If only the human race would,” Altair said. “Come over here and play some chess.”

  Mia rolled off the couch, winced as she walked but sat down and picked up the black pieces.

  “Which Mr. Wizard?” Altair asked.

  “Ted.”

  “He’s not a wizard. Ah, you were just being ironic. What do you call Baxter?”

  “Dr. Frankenstein.”

  “That’s right. Do I have a clever little name?”

  “Nope.”

  Altair frowned.

  “You’re not around long enough to become annoying,” Mia pointed out.

  “And Mia leads with a double backhand to the ego,” Altair said.

  Mia looked over at him. She studied his face while he was looking at the chessboard.

  “Stop staring at me.”

  “Make me.”

  “You’re trying to distract me, and it won’t work.”

  Mia smiled. “Okay, teach, I’ll behave, but you’re going to get bored.”

  Altair lifted an eyebrow. “I believe that’s impossible when you’re around.”

  ~

  Sariel waited until Mia walked down the hill before he entered the aerie. Altair had just poured himself a measure of whiskey.

  “I expected you hours ago,” Altair said.

  “Mia was here. And I didn’t want to be seen by the birdmen.”

  “Why?”

  “Because the less that know we are having this conversation, the better.”

  Altair waved his hand. All the blinds dropped, and the doors and windows locked. Altair handed Sariel a glass.

  “Michael’s up to something.”

  “Do you mean collapsing Mia’s memory system, forcing the torture chamber door open?”

  “How do you know about this?” Sariel asked amazed.

  “Angelo came to see me after Baxter asked him some pointed questions.”

  “Tell me what you know.”

  “No.”

  “Why?”

  “You’re just going to report to Michael. You can’t help it.”

  “The thing is, I can.”

  “I don’t understand. You’re an archangel, born obedient, and a dogsbody to Michael.”

  Sariel’s eyes flashed. He calmed down and spoke, “Ever since Mia brought me back from the point of extinction with the energy from the Blue Star, I have been thinking first instead of blindly obeying.”

  Altair accepted his explanation and weighed what he told Sariel very carefully before he said it. “Mia may have injured Lucifer when she found herself back in the memory of his torture chamber thought.”

  “Michael suspected that Lucifer would revisit that thought. His intention was to be there himself. Mia was never supposed to be in danger.”

  “She was almost rendered mindless by his little stunt!” Altair shouted. “If not for Baxter.”

  “Was Baxter in her mind?”

  “No, someone else.”

  “Who?”

  “I don’t know,” Altair lied.

  “Angelo?”

  “No. Which brings up a question. Did Michael work with Soren to threaten Mia so Angelo would not be available to walk her mind house?”

  “It didn’t occur to me because Michael thinks Mia doesn’t trust Angelo anymore. Why?”

  “He not only sacrificed Mia but her children if he did,” Altair said.

  “Michael is capable of sacrificing Mia to get to Lucifer but not her children. Who was with Mia? I know you know.”

  “Forneus.”

  “Impossible! How does Mia know Forneus?”

  “The question is, how come we didn’t know Forneus survived the fall?” Altair asked.

  “Lucifer must know. Who kept track of the fallen?”

  “I was too busy crawling out of the earth’s crust to notice,” Altair said, getting up and going to the library. He pulled out a few books.

  “You have been a buddy of Lucy’s since recorded history.”

  “The fall changed all that. He allows me in Hell, but he doesn’t listen to me anymore. He is too far gone really to listen to anyone these days.” Altair flipped through a few more pages.

  “But Michael was right, he still thinks of Mia.”

  “Only as a weapon against Michael,” Altair said. Altair tapped a page. “It says here that Forneus is listed as lost. He was last seen as a great sea demon in the fourteenth century.”

  “What a waste. He was a master of languages and debate. He was very smart, but most of us are,” Sariel mused. “I can see Mia falling into step with him. Mia has scales. Do you think she’s possessed by Forneus?”

  “No. That’s from swimming in the Second Day Sea,” Altar said. “She could have met Forneus if he was hiding out there. He was never one for taking orders. He’s his own being.” Altair was enjoying lying to Sariel. Eventually, it would get out that Gerald walked Mia’s mind, but until then, Altair would keep that information to himself.

  “When do you go back to Franc
e?”

  “I’m not going back. I’m staying here to educate Mia. I’m going to give her a reason to live beyond Ted.”

  “I have an idea of how to do that.”

  “Really?”

  “It involves that little dip in the between out there.”

  “You want to create a sanctuary.”

  “No, I want Mia to want to create a sanctuary out there. It runs in her family. She’d be brilliant at it. With you to guide her and the support of this rising new breed of birdmen, it’s a perfect fit.”

  “She’s going to know she’s being played.”

  “We just need to nudge her in the right direction. The need for sanctuaries to protect people and their children is growing.”

  “Can you keep Michael and Lucifer from destroying her in the meanwhile?” Altair asked.

  “You can by educating her. I will watch Michael.”

  “When you report back, what will you tell him?”

  “That Baxter found someone local to walk Mia’s mind house and fixed the problem. How did Angelo know we had been in there?” Sariel asked.

  “Forneus saw your footprints. Two sets. But only one at the site of the memory wall. Oh, and tell him, Mia’s not going to let either of you anywhere near her mind again.”

  “Understood,” Sariel said and left Altair.

  Altair put away his books but not before looking himself up. “Wrong, wrong. If they got this wrong, I wonder how much of Forneus’s information is correct?”

  Chapter Twenty-six

  Mia showed up with five minutes to spare at the Carter house. She and Ted had decided that, for a while, they would not leave the children without one of them near. Since Mia could fly home in a flash if needed, she offered to take the long evening shift. She climbed in, bringing an insulated bag full of Cid’s ribs that were left over after feeding the angels and birdmen. She thought she was scheduled with Burt and tried not to show her disappointment when Mike was sitting there.

  “Cid’s ribs, best in the state,” she said.

  “There goes my girlish figure,” Mike said.

  Mia looked at the schedule Burt had made. It was displayed on the small monitor. “I see we’re expecting Debra in an hour. This poor woman, she’s been homeless for weeks. I hope she’s getting a deal at the Red Roof Inn.”

  “I imagine it’s a Marriott. The gal’s loaded,” Mike said.

  “How’s Gates?” Mia asked, settling into her chair.

  “She’s fine. I take it the family has settled down after…”

  “After being under siege? Sure, we Martins take a kicking and keep on ticking,” Mia said. “This small talk sucks, Dupree. Come on, go ahead, get whatever verbal onslaught out of your system.” Mia turned and stared at him.

  “I’m so far out of the loop with you that I don’t know where to begin. Hello, Mia, I heard you were picked up for solicitation with a minor.”

  Mia was impressed at Mike’s starting volley. She responded with, “Enos is hardly a minor, and no, I didn’t fly the mating spiral with Enos. We did, however, save twenty teenagers in the Porcupine mountains.”

  “That was you?” Mike asked gobsmacked.

  “Yup.” Mia pulled a card out of her wallet and handed it to Mike. “On my honeymoon.”

  “Mia Ahlberg? That makes Victor…”

  “My father in-law.”

  “Whose idea was that?” Mike said, lifting an eyebrow.

  “Angelo’s. I didn’t see the ID until it was too late.”

  “Why do you still have the ID?”

  “One never knows when one needs to disappear. That would make you happy wouldn’t it, if I disappeared.”

  Mike frowned. “I’m sorry, Mia,” Dupree started. “I’ve been a nasty piece of work to you.”

  “I forgive you, Mikey. Will you forgive me for being inattentive?”

  “Yes. I’d like to explain my bad behavior. I was offered a deal with Arlo’s group, but I had to bring you in on a contract to have it.”

  “Well, that was shortsighted of Arlo. You’re the best talking head and lead investigator around. I’m a flash in the pan. Someone will make a sex tape, lie it was released without their knowledge, and no one will remember the Ice Queen anymore. Maybe you and Gates?”

  Mike laughed. “That’s not going to happen.”

  Burt climbed in. “I see things are back to normal. Mia, good to see you.”

  “I brought Cid’s ribs.” Mia pointed to the hot bag she placed at the end of the table.

  “Wonderful. I heard you had quite a party there last night.”

  “Not a party, but we had to feed the bird boys after they flew in to save us.”

  “Did they save you?” Mike asked.

  “No. The angels were already there, and Ted killed a witch tree, so basically, everything was under control.”

  “Witch tree?” Mike questioned. “I hate those things.”

  “Me too,” Mia said. “Anyway, I’d like to thank you, Burt, for this whole poltergeist investigation. If not for me trying to figure out how the poltergeists make it rain stones, I wouldn’t have been able to teach Sariel how to do it, and he dropped a quarry’s worth of sticks and stones on the elemental dragon riders.”

  “Elemental dragons? I hate them more,” Mike said shivering.

  “More than me?” Mia asked.

  “No.”

  “Good. Keep it that way. Where are we with the investigation?” she asked Burt.

  “Pretty much the same place as when you were last here. I don’t know if I can in good conscience cut and run. Debra has been very patient and kind to us.”

  “I hear she’s sweet on Mikey.”

  “Stop calling me Mikey,” Mike growled.

  “We could push the critters a little,” Mia suggested. “Suck them into a veil pocket and send them out to sea.”

  “Can you do that?” Mike asked.

  Mia shook her head. “Even if I could, Burt would say…”

  “No. I’m supposed to be running a serious investigation,” Burt said.

  “Would you mind if I looked through the past tapes?” Mia asked.

  “What are you looking for?” Mike asked.

  “I’m not sure. I’ll know it when I see it.”

  ~

  Angelo sat in his Italian Alps aerie office staring at the birdmen in front of him. Nicholai, Victor and Orion sat solemnly.

  That morning, evidence of Quazar’s confession had been presented in the tribunal. The Twelve were incensed. Quazar didn’t mention Claudius directly but purebred supremacist pretty much nailed him.

  Soren barely managed to get order. He looked at Claudius and didn’t know what to say. Claudius had been Soren’s friend for most of his life. He knew that Claudius’s family had pressured Claudius to marry a purebred birdwoman from a Royal family. This meant, once again, that third cousins were marrying. Claudius’s son was born without wings. He was taken away, and the whole thing was hushed up.

  Cumhur Osman, the other council member seated, had waved Soren over. “I think that we have a problem on our hands. Let’s meet with the leaders of all the flocks and decide on the next course of action.”

  “It took us all night to calm the room,” Nicholai said. “I’m glad Ted sent the evidence to you, Orion, and didn’t mention it to the squadron who arrived to protect the Martin children. I think we stopped a military coup.”

  “I don’t think we did the right thing stopping the Warriors from seeking justice,” Victor said. “Once again, the old guard has closed ranks and is protecting the vile Royals.”

  “When we reformed a few hundred years ago, we had to keep a Royal on the Council of Elders in order to keep them from fighting the new regime,” Orion said. “Nicholai and I remember barely managing to stop a civil war.”

  “The accusations against Mia were obviously trumped up. Liú Bo is out for blood. Mia was able to make a statement on the record about birdwomen
and that they should have the right to control their own bodies,” Orion said proudly. “She’s starting a movement that we all better pay attention to. Soren is going to rue the day he tried to make an example of her.”

  “It has never set well with the Royals that it was a mixed breed who was chosen to lead the half-million,” Victor said. “Or that she welcomed Refugia into her life after she escaped the Gray Ladies. She started the females talking and demanding to have a choice of positions, instead of the heads of the flocks telling them what will be.”

  “Not long ago, Soren thought the best solution was to contract her to you, Victor. The council thought you would have the power to still her tongue,” Angelo said.

  Victor laughed. “Me? Training her was a nightmare. I can’t imagine what living with her would be like.”

  “He sold it to the Royals as a way to breed a whole new warrior, one with Mia’s Blue Star power within them. It was Claudius who urged Soren to take Mia as his third wife,” Angelo said.

  “Mia is a human first,” Orion said. “She doesn’t see having children as breeding warriors. She had children because she loves her husband. Soren pressured her to the point of seeing conspiracies that may or may not be true. She retaliated the only way she could. We didn’t give her much choice.”

  “Then I am to assume that the three of you take the word of Quazar over the word of Claudius,” Nicholai confirmed.

  “Yes,” Victor said.

  Orion and Angelo nodded.

  “Liú Bo has sequestered The Twelve. They will be making recommendations to the council and to the Brotherhood of the Wing about the council,” Angelo said.

  “We are going to have interesting days ahead,” Orion said.

  “I fear we are,” Nicholai warned.

  ~

  Mia finished her report and handed it to Burt.

  “What’s this?”

  “Something I would like you to consider,” Mia explained. “Here, take my seat, discuss it with Dupree. I’m going to walk a little of this fuzz out of my brain.”

  Burt sat down and read about Mia’s theory that the poltergeist needed more than human angst to fuel the moving objects. She attached old ley line surveys and marked the poltergeist incursions on the maps. She summed it up.