by J G Barber
Paul gets out to find the rabbit he just killed. He lifts it off the road, digs a makeshift grave in the mud, and buries it. Paul walks over to the edge of the abyss he almost drove into. He throws the glass vial into the shadows where he saw his life end.
Back in the car, he looks in the rear view mirror. Erik’s eyes stare back at him. “Thank you, Erik. You saved my life.” Paul feels the snake collar choking him. In the mirror, Paul sees the oscillating energy of the ouroboros around his neck.
It is no longer necessary for you to wear this. It has served its purpose. Erik guides Paul’s hands as he chants an Icelandic spell-breaker. The snake head separates from the tail.
Paul throws the collar aside, and it dissolves in the air. He considers asking Erik what the purpose of wearing it was, but he breathes to center himself instead. With the collar removed, the cocaine no longer has the same effect. He starts the Lamborghini and continues to Whidbey General.
Paul parks in front and runs inside. He does not see Alexei stationed in the parking lot, but Alexei sees him. Alexei snuffs out his cigarette and readies his crossbow, in case Paul brought company.
A nurse escorts Paul into Laura’s room. He sees Ellen sitting bedside, facing the window and clutching the spyglass. His heart almost beats out of his chest as he assesses Laura’s condition. She is breathing through nasal tubes and hooked up to monitors and intravenous drips. He pulls up a seat on the opposite side from Ellen and takes Laura’s hands. He studies the bandages on her belly and looks up to the nurse.
A friendly old doctor enters the room. “Doctor Whitman.” He shakes Paul’s hand. “Mr. Douglass, your wife suffered a mild concussion. Fortunately, the lacerations did not harm the child. I’ll tell you, I’ve seen nothing like it. Can’t remember the last time we had a cougar sighting.”
“A cougar attacked my wife?” Paul exchanges looks with Ellen.
“There’s no other explanation, Mr. Douglass,” the doctor insists. “I’ve lived in these parts all my life. A large cat caused the claw marks across her stomach. I understand she protected herself by diving into a swimming pool.”
Paul leads the doctor towards the door. “Well, thank you for taking good care of her.”
“Stay with her as long as you like. Press the call button if you need anything.” Dr. Whitman nods to the nurse and they exit.
Paul rounds on Ellen once the door closes. “What the hell happened?”
“Where the hell were you?” Ellen fires back. “Your Sirenian friend is one frightening character.” She holds up the spyglass. “It’s a good thing we had this. It doesn’t like these runes, at all.”
Paul walks over to the window. He sees Alexei stationed by his car, the crossbow by his side, smoking a Sobranie. They exchange a salute. He returns to Ellen. “What do you know about the Sirenians?”
She rocks her head. “Don’t ask me, ask Alexei. He told me the whole story. All I know is, these—things—you’ve been hanging out with are fucking dangerous.”
Paul recalls the bird-woman he saw on Art’s boat on Possession Sound. Followed by his first encounter with Lorelei, when she presented herself as a mermaid. He puts those experiences together with her collection of artwork and artifacts showing various half-woman, half creature forms. The truth hits him hard. “Holy shit. They can shape-shift.”
“Uh huh.” Ellen points the spyglass at him. “And your little sailor’s toy here is the only way to stop them.”
Paul grabs the spyglass from her. He runs his fingers along the engraved symbols. The runes evoke nothing in him. The Atlantean symbols light up something inside him. They don’t invoke terror and gut-level dread as they do for others. They infuse him with energy. He feels something long dormant stir to life in the cells of his body. A vague and distant memory floods his perception, its imagery too foggy for his mind to interpret.
Laura stirs to consciousness. “Paul?”
He and Ellen leap to the side of her bed, all smiles. They connect in a silent understanding. Whatever the Atlantean symbols caused him to feel, Laura felt it too. Ellen observes, curious about what she just missed.
“Are you high?” Laura asks Paul.
Paul laughs. “She’s back! How are you doing?” He surveys her equipment and checks her head to toe.
Her body shakes in fear. “The last thing I remember, Leucosia turned into a lion and attacked me.” Her vitals spike.
Paul and Ellen silently agree not to tell her about what just happened in the other hospital room. “You’re safe now,” Ellen says with confidence. She guides Laura to practice her breathing technique. After a few breaths, Laura calms down.
Paul tells her only part of the truth. Not the time to tell his life about impregnating Monica and declining their offer to join them in raising his illegitimate siren hybrid son. “We closed the deal, Laura. We’re rich. The last thing I have to do is fly down to L.A. for the contract signing.”
“You shouldn’t face them alone,” Laura says. “They are fucking dangerous.”
“I already did. And here I am.” He holds up the spyglass. “Ellen’s right about this spyglass. It’s the key. I don’t know how yet, but I know these symbols contain the power to protect us.”
The light in Laura’s eyes fades. A look from Ellen tells Paul it’s time to wrap it up and let her rest.
He strokes Laura’s hair and kisses her forehead. “My brave love. This is mine to do, not yours. I have to leave you now. I’ll be back.” Paul hands the spyglass back to Ellen. “You’ll stay with her?”
Ellen holds the spyglass at the ready. “Yes. I know what to do. And Alexei’s right outside.”
Paul runs out the door and down the stairs to the parking lot. He climbs in the Lamborghini and speeds off to prepare for his return to L.A. He survived the sirens’ seductions and their attempts on his life and Laura’s. Now it’s time to execute the contracts, collect the money, and move on before the sirens cause a tragedy in their lives.
Chapter Twenty-Four
Paul deconstructs Erik’s plan as he packs his travel bag. “The runes are an invocation to take Leucosia out. Erik separated us for a reason. Lorelei and Leucosia are invincible together. That means they are vulnerable if they’re apart. He set this up for me to confront Lorelei alone. Shit. Like Alexei said, all I need to do is evoke Lorelei’s deepest grief. How the hell am I going to do that? I’m an emotional cripple.”
He sets his luggage in the foyer. “Lorelei has pushed my buttons from the start. Alexei was right. She found every one of my weaknesses and secret desires. The mansion contains her objects of power. Doesn’t matter. I know all her moves now; she’s got nothing left to manipulate me with. Erik said she’s like him. I’ve seen the woman inside her, she’s not happy about her life being run by Lorelei. What happens to Lorelei when she’s on the other plane and no longer restricted by a human suit? I have no idea how to deal with that scenario.”
Paul does a final pass of the house to make sure he has everything he needs. “First, we complete the deal-signing today and put that behind us. Then I need to deal with Lorelei in L.A. I’ve got to isolate her and leverage my connection with the woman she’s possessing. I’ve got to motivate her to take a stand and kick Lorelei out.” He grabs his bag. “I can do this.”
Paul heads out to Lorelei’s Lamborghini to drive to SeaTac Airport. He uses the driving time, and the flight, to practice the techniques he learned from Laura and Ellen to center himself. By the time he arrives at the New Century offices, he feels ready for anything.
Paul enters the New Century conference room in his centered state. He’s surprised to find the meeting has already started. Art and Scott sitting together at the far end of the conference table. Lorelei, Jerry, Donald and their lawyers surround them. He sees a snake collar wraps the neck of everyone in the room except Lorelei. Paul breathes a silent sigh of relief that Monica isn’t there.
“Sorry I’m late, ladies and gentlemen,” Paul says. “10AM meeting invite.” The room responds w
ith a long, awkward silence and looks exchanged around the table. Lorelei smiles with glee. He’s no longer wearing his snake collar. Their game isn’t over yet.
Scott continues. “ADMS agrees to the following concessions in exchange for the change in terms for preferred shareholders. One: the purchase price agreed upon June 17, 2018 will include the cost of custom software development and employee incentives required to deliver New Century’s functional requirements. Development will start on July 14, 2018 and finish no later than September 12, 2018. Two: To reduce the number of shares to meet the target price per share, ADMS will exercise its right to nullify its unvested stock options and exercise its share buy-back rights for employees that will not join New Century as part of the merger.”
Paul’s center wobbles. He sits at the table. “Scott, what are we discussing? We shook hands on terms last week.”
Art shuts Paul down. “You are not a part of this negotiation, Paul. Jerry, does this resolve your concerns? Can we move forward?”
Jerry avoids looking at Paul. “Yes. We have a deal.”
Art signs the documents. Scott passes them to one of Jerry’s lawyers. Jerry takes his turn. Everyone in the room except Paul applauds as Art and Jerry shake hands. A quick round of congratulations and handshakes that exclude Paul, and then Jerry leads the New Century team out of the room. Lorelei directs Art to remain with a look, as she exits with Scott.
Paul loses his center as he reads a copy the document. “This is insanity!” he screams at Art.
“You weren’t here. We needed to move the deal forward,” Art replies with dead eyes.
“The deal was done. How did it become undone?” Paul attempts to make eye contact with Art. It’s as if he’s in a trance. “Explain it to me. How did Lorelei’s company end up with over 50% of the deal?”
“The revisions protect our preferred shareholders,” Art says.
Paul launches out of his chair. “What about the rest of us, Art? The ones who built your company from the ground up.”
Art remains expressionless. “I did what I had to do to save the deal.”
Paul’s about to lose it. “Save the deal? We had a deal! What did you do to fuck it up?”
“Paul, I saw the surveillance video.” Art says with a strange tone in his voice. “I hope Laura’s getting the care she needs.”
Paul’s gut flip-flops as he realizes Lorelei outsmarted him again. “Yes, she’s being cared for at Whidbey General. She was attacked by one of Lorelei’s… housemates.”
Art stands to confront Paul. Emotion returns to his demeanor. “Have you seen the video? Laura broke into Lorelei’s home, stripped naked, and then ran through a glass door into the pool.”
Paul stands toe-to-toe with him. “What the fuck are you talking about?”
Art’s face turns beet red. “Are you both having psychotic breaks? Lorelei told me about your transgressions. How you’ve been stalking her. How you used your position of power to intimidate and threaten her. I couldn’t believe it when she told me how many times you forced yourself on her during the last month.”
Paul’s jaw drops to the floor. No fucking way.
“She agreed to settle out of court.” Art continues, as if he’s reading from a script. “We’re transferring your vested shares to her as compensation. I revoke your unvested options. We used your cash bonus to finance the custom development you said was necessary.”
Betrayal mutes Paul’s ability to speak.
Art slides a manila envelope across the table. “To put this behind us, you must take this document to her, apologize for your behavior, and both sign it. If you do that, you’ll avoid a lawsuit against ADMS and criminal charges against you and Laura.”
Paul fights to regain enough composure to speak. “Art, you’ve worked with me for ten years. You know me.” There is no response from Art, verbal or otherwise. Paul lowers his voice. “It’s the exact opposite of what she said. Lorelei manipulated me into having sex with her. She drugged me at the celebration and coerced me into some kind of bizarre sexual ritual. She’s manipulating all of us.”
“What celebration?” The snake collar tightens around Art’s neck.
And Paul loses it again. “The celebration of desire. The private party they did not invite you to because everyone thinks you’re a ridiculous fool that fucks up everything you touch. Like this situation right here, Art
Art shouts back. “You’re responsible for this! I trusted you, Paul.”
Paul grabs his jacket. “Stop lying to yourself! You just stole my hard work and the work of everyone loyal to you.”
The snake collar lights up around Art’s neck. Paul can see it, even in his agitated state. “Not everyone,” Art says. “Only the people we don’t need any longer.” Art turns to Paul before he heads out the door. “You have no idea how disappointed I am in you.”
Paul opens the manila envelope. The signature document confirms his vested shares will transfer to Lorelei’s company upon signature of the document. Lorelei left him with nothing. Paul feels his entire world collapse around him. His hands slap the conference table as he catching himself from falling to the floor.
The turn of events flips Paul into rage—this time his own, not Erik’s. He runs down the hallway, catching up with Lorelei in the parking garage. Paul grabs her shoulder as she approaches the Gemballa. “What the fuck?” he spits, jamming his face into hers.
“You rejected our offer and broke sister Monica’s heart.” Lorelei pushes him away, opens the door, and slides in. “You are poison, like the rest of your kind. You got what you deserved. Nothing.”
He grabs the door before she can close it. “I deserve one point five million dollars and all my shares.”
“Fuck off and die.” She punches the accelerator before he can grab hold, spinning him off the car and onto the ground.
Paul coughs out a mouthful of exhaust as he struggles to his feet. He assesses his options. I have to go to the lobby to get my bags. Ask around and try to find her? Won’t go well, I was just discredited in front of everyone. I could ask Monica. She wasn’t in the room. No, don’t want to go there. Try to track down the Gemballa? Maybe, but will take time. She’ll be long gone by the time I find it. He holds up the manila envelope. Shit. There’s only one option.
This has always been the plan, Erik confirms. You must face it in their place of power. Paul heads to lobby, relieved to avoid any interactions with New Century personnel. He retrieves his luggage and calls a car to LAX airport.
The airport bar has been Paul’s constant companion during his ten years on the road, traveling as much as he did to build Art’s business. He thought all those company-paid drinks were necessary, to numb himself so he could do his job. Today, he stirs his drink, watching the alcohol create its hypnotic wrinkles in the ice and coke, tempted to drink and never stop. No.
Paul’s mind shifts into siren hunter mode. For the first time, he’s no longer confused about Lorelei being a woman. Stealing my shares was its primary plan for my self-destruction. It knew I would never join up with them. If I didn’t drive off the cliff in her Lambo, I’d off myself when I learned my ten years of hard work resulted in nothing.
Paul pays the bill and leaves his drink. As he marches to the departing gate, he steels his will. No way. This is not happening. This fucking bitch will not steal my money.
Chapter Twenty-Five
As a young man counseled by his father, Alexei accepted that siren hunting required long periods of waiting, sometimes years between significant events. He lights another Sobranie as sunset turns the sky orange. He smokes to digest the loss of his friend and partner, Dutch. His mind analyzes their situation, to identify the fatal error in Erik’s plan, and to anticipate the sirens’ next moves.
The siren hunters knew the celebration of desire was taking place. There was no choice but to leave Paul to his own devices and Alexei to protect Laura. They expected the celebration to hyper-energize Leucosia and embolden her to come after Laura. Allowing D
utch to separate was the error. They did not expect Leucosia to target Dutch. Fortunately for Laura, Leucosia did not anticipate that Ellen would arrive with the spyglass and a mastery of reciting the runes.
The sirens do not know Alexei mastered a polyphasic sleep technique used by the military. A twenty-minute power nap every four hours keeps him on the move, for months if necessary. Alexei smokes away his concern for Ellen. Her state of health does not support the stress and sleep disruption she’s experienced over the weekend. So far, Ellen has held her station, remaining by her sister’s side. But at some point she could become a risk to the mission. Leucosia need only wait until Ellen collapses to attack again.
After Laura moved to the new room, Alexei charted his course inside the building, timing how long it took to run from the parking lot inside. 47 seconds. He surmises that Ellen could hold off Leucosia again, long enough for him to get there. What he does not know is if he could defeat her without Ellen. They need the power of the runes. Or better yet, the Atlantean incantation. Neither he nor Ellen knows how to read those symbols. Only Erik does. And Erik is with Paul.
Lorelei’s Lamborghini pulls up in front of the hospital. Paul spots Alexei and parks in back near him. The envelope Art gave him lies on the passenger seat. “Why are you driving its car?” Alexei asks as Paul gets out.
Paul stretches his body. “She intended to end my life in it. So she could steal all my money.”
Alexei withdraws the pack of Sobranies from his pocket and lights it. “The nixe have always planned to steal your wealth and end our lives. It is what they do.”
Paul motions Alexei for a cigarette. Alexei lights him up. They smoke together in silence. “How does Erik move?” Paul asks, hoping to negate the terror in his heart that he will hear the answer he already knows.
