“You strike me as the dangerous type, Aareth.” Gunny stared deep into Aareth’s eyes. “Say, what’s wrong with your eyes?”
“Would you believe me if I told you I was bitten by a genetically enhanced wolf, and now something I can’t even begin to explain is happening to me?” Aareth asked, scanning the room for anyone that might be trying to eavesdrop on their conversation. The Vixen Tavern was a seedy bar where the ale was cold and the customers even colder-hearted. Aareth had been searching for hours. A tip told him a local muscle named Gunny had information on this “Order.” Luckily for Aareth, he and Gunny went way back.
“Genetically engineered wolf, huh?” Gunny repeated, spitting up beer into his massive beard. A laugh escaped his lips. “You always were a strange one, Aareth. Drop off the face of the planet, and now you’re back out of the blue, years later, talking about enhanced wolves.”
Aareth scanned the room again while Gunny spoke. They were sitting at a table in the far corner of the bar. It was quiet. The locals were only now getting off work. Only a few of the most dedicated to their craft lined the barstools.
“I need some information.” Aareth directed his attention back to Gunny. “Word on the street is you may have access to a group calling themselves The Order.”
“Nope, sorry friend, can’t help you there.” The words were already coming out of Gunny’s mouth before Aareth finished. “You’ve heard wrong.”
“You’re a horrible liar.” Aareth reached into his pocket. His fist came back, holding a brown leather bag of coins. “I can make it worth your while.”
Gunny was now scanning the room to make sure no one else had heard the words come out of Aareth’s mouth. The man was a mountain of muscle, though in that moment, he looked like a terrified child.
“I don’t want your money.” Gunny placed his beer on the table. He stood to leave. “I have to be going.”
“I need your help here, Gunny.” Aareth caught the man’s thick wrist as he prepared to leave. “You’re a friend. I’d rather not have to insist on this, but I’m prepared to do whatever I have to do to get answers. What I’m after, it’s … it’s about Brenda. ”
The mention of her ate at Aareth’s heart. He hadn’t spoken her name in years. He had pushed her memory as far from his mind as possible during his waking hours. It was only in his dreams where he relived the events of her death that he was haunted by her.
Gunny hesitated. The two men had come up together through the police ranks to reach the level of city inspector. Eventually, Aareth had gone his own way, as had Gunny.
The mad look in Aareth’s eyes must have been enough. Gunny heaved a sigh. He shook off Aareth’s hold on his wrist and retook his seat.
“Brenda, huh?” Gunny glanced nervously at the door of the bar and its other occupants. “She’s gone, Aareth. You need to let her go.”
“I know, I know that.” Aareth felt his pulse quicken in frustration. “It’s complicated. But if I can put her memory to rest for good, I need to know what you know about The Order. Who are they? A street gang?”
“Nothing like a street gang.” Gunny grabbed his beer mug. In one giant gulp, he drained the contents. A loud belch ensued. “Listen, I don’t know much, but I know enough not to get caught up with these guys. They’re dangerous, Aareth. They’re dangerous, like you and I, maybe worse.”
“I need to find them, Gunny.” Aareth leaned forward. His long, black hair fell from his ponytail to cover part of his face. “I need to know for sure.”
“You saw her body.” Gunny lowered his gaze. “We all did.”
“I saw her body,” Aareth agreed, pushing the hair from his line of sight. “More recently, I saw something that I can’t explain.”
Gunny looked solemnly at Aareth.
“Okay, I don’t know much, but I’ll tell you anyway. The name started drifting around about a year ago. Nobody really knew what The Order was back then. It was talked about in whispers. It almost became a joke. When someone went missing we’d say, ‘The Order must have grabbed them.’ It was funny, until one day it wasn’t.”
Gunny took a break to lean back in his chair. A moment of silence passed before he shook his head free from whatever sense of dread had given him pause.
Aareth knew Gunny well. He had been fearless during their time together as inspectors. Whatever it was that now made him afraid was something to be taken seriously.
“Urban legend became something real. Our nightmares grew legs and started walking among us. These people in masks started being sighted. Metal masks. Most people who saw them didn’t live to talk about it. Word is, they’re a sect bent on taking over New Hope from the inside, but who really knows?”
“Where have they been sighted?” Aareth spoke so fast his sentence sounded like one word. He was finally getting the answers he so desperately needed. “Any gang or sect needs manpower. Where do they recruit?”
“I would try to talk you out of it, if I thought there was any point to it.” Gunny ran a scarred hand over his bald head. “Rumors are, they hang out in the old manufacturing district. I heard they might be meeting tonight.”
Chapter Sixteen
Jack
The events of the day were blurring together as Jack took a shower and ate dinner in his room. The ball was approaching quickly. Jack was expected to make an appearance as the savior of Burrow Den.
A suit had been prepared for him. It hung off his bathroom door, ready to make its debut. Jack dressed robotically, his mind on Abigail and Elizabeth. After the tests were complete, Abigail just wanted some alone time with her sister. Jack couldn’t blame her. If Elizabeth could really read minds, what kind of life would she be able to live?
Jack’s fingers fumbled with the clasp of his slacks and his tie. He was used to summoning magic and hunting the paranormal, not this. A mirror showed him exactly how feeble his attempts really were. The clothing fit well, but his bow tie looked like a noose. His hair wasn’t much better.
Jack grimaced at the burning pain he felt in his scalp as he combed his hair into place. The bow tie was beyond saving. Coattails trailing behind him, Jack exited his room. A glance to his left told him Aareth wasn’t back yet. A silver platter holding dinner was still on the carpet in front of his locked door.
Looking the other direction, Jack knew something was wrong. Two guards stood in front of Abigail and Elizabeth’s room. One he recognized as the limping Sergeant Harrison.
“Hello, sergeant.” Jack did his best to act unconcerned. “What’s with the armed escort?”
Sergeant Harrison shifted uncomfortably as if he wished he could do anything now except answer Jack’s question. The guard beside him did the same.
“Hello, sir,” the sergeant said with a nod. “We’re under orders to accompany the girls … wherever they travel.”
“Under whose orders?” Jack pressed.
“Fenrick Trillion gave us the commands,” Sergeant Harrison answered. “They aren’t in any kind of trouble, if that’s what you think. We’re only here to accompany them. They are free to move about and attend the ball.”
At that moment, the door to the room opened. Abigail stepped out, looking like a recently bloomed flower. Her dress was sleeveless, tight-fitting on top, and flared out at the waist. Once again, Jack felt like the bumbling idiot who’d fallen over backwards in his chair the first time he saw her.
“I see you’ve met our new friends.” Abigail rolled her eyes, completely ignoring the guards. “I feel like I’m being babysat.”
“I have.” Jack tore his gaze from her red ball dress and matching earrings, but not before he noticed a scratch mark on her slender neck. “Don’t worry, we’ll figure this out. Is Elizabeth coming?”
“I’m here!” the younger Ahab sister shouted as she ran from the room. Her dress was the same style as her sister’s, but blue instead of red. Her fiery crimson hair was curled and fell behind her back like a waterfall. She looked to Abigail. “Jack thinks you look really, really nice, by t
he way. But he didn’t use the word ‘nice.’”
Jack felt heat rise to his face. “We need to go over ground rules now that we know what you can do.”
The three began to walk down the hall, followed by Sergeant Harrison and his clone.
“Actually, we don’t know where the ball is being held.” Abigail addressed their shadows for the first time. “Would you mind showing us the way?”
The guards complied, leading the group down the palace halls.
“The less people who know about Elizabeth, the better,” Abigail whispered.
“I understand.” Jack lowered his voice. “What happened to your neck?”
“And hands.” Abigail extended her palms, showing Jack her knuckles on both hands. Angry red scratches told a story all their own. “If I’m going to be able to protect Elizabeth, I have to learn how to fight. Sloan and I had our first lesson this afternoon.”
Elizabeth skipped next to the pair, oblivious to their conversation.
“Protect her?” Jack repeated the words. “She’s safe here in the palace. The queen won’t let anything happen to her.”
“Jack, I know you want to believe the queen has nothing but the best intentions at heart, and maybe she does, but not everyone will see Elizabeth’s abilities as a gift. They’ll want to use her. Look at what’s already happening,” Abigail said, motioning to the backs of the two soldiers. “We’re already being monitored.”
“They won’t try anything,” Jack reassured her. “Nothing is going to happen to Elizabeth; we won’t let it. Sloan and Aareth will be on our side, too. And the queen, she wouldn’t allow it.”
“I hope you’re right.” Abigail straightened her back as the group rounded a corner. “For all of our sakes.”
The low hum of dozens of muffled voices talking at once could be heard. A set of double doors were opened for them by palace guards as they approached.
Jack thought he was past being impressed by the city of New Hope and the palace. He was wrong. The ballroom was something out of a fairytale. The ceiling in the room was so high, Jack imagined Doctor Livingston’s entire building could fit comfortably in the chamber.
Everywhere Jack turned there were guests, soldiers, and the wait staff walking around with silver platters of sparkling drinks. Although Jack didn’t recognize anyone in the group, the whole room seemed to know who he was.
“There he is.” An elderly man sporting a cane approached Jack as if they were long-time friends finally reunited. “Berry Lovegood,” he said, extending a white-gloved hand. “We met briefly this morning.”
“Oh, right.” Jack shook the man’s hand as recognition struck. The owner of the store the assassination attempt had originated from had completely ignored him earlier that day. Jack wasn’t sure why he was being so polite to him now. A moment later, he understood perfectly.
A gaggle of middle-aged men and women approached. They all seemed to be dressed to outdo one another. The women wore obnoxiously vivid colors, their gowns ranging from bright copper bronze to deep purple. The men wore suits of black, gray, or brown.
Jack looked for an escape route from the oncoming conversations he had no desire to partake in.
“Good luck.” Abigail gave his hand a quick squeeze. “I think I’d rather face another mutated wolf than this group.”
“You’re going to leave me here?” Jack whispered out of the corner of his mouth. The gathering of city elites grew around him, chattering away like that annoying bird squawking outside of your window in the mornings.
“I want no part of this bloodbath.” Elizabeth began backing away slowly. “Good luck.”
“I have to go watch her.” Abigail feigned a wince as if she were actually sorry to go. “Courage, Jack.”
The next few minutes felt like hours. Jack recounted the story of what was now being called The Burrow Den Beast. The men and women looked on in awe. When the story was finished, there was no shortage of comments.
“What a ghastly tale,” Berry Lovegood practically shouted. “It’s a shame we don’t have one of those monsters here to clean up our city.”
“Oh, Berry, you don’t mean that,” stated an elderly woman with enough jewelry to make even the queen jealous. The proximity to which she stood next to Berry Lovegood and the familiar rebuke in her voice told Jack she was his wife. He was right.
“My dear Daisy, you must agree, this city has been in a rut since the creation of that horrid locomotive. The need to expand past our own walls to assist the rabble in the Outland has been our downfall,” Berry Lovegood said as if it were a matter of fact rather than opinion. He looked around the group for support. “You all know it’s true. Tax the rich to feed the poor and all that nonsense.”
“Hear, hear!” a few men in the group agreed.
Before Jack could open his mouth and disagree with the statement, Doctor Livingston appeared, accompanied by his bodyguard, Commander Brookhaven. The doctor was dressed as smartly as ever. The thing that caught Jack’s eye was the transformation the commander had undergone. Vanished was the rough exterior of the battle-hardened soldier. She still wore her uniform with her mage sword’s hilt poking over her shoulder, but her hair was down. A lethal beauty haunted her features.
“Now, now, ladies and gentlemen,” Doctor Livingston soothed the groups with a playful reprimand on his tongue, “let’s not immerse young Jack in our city politics just yet.”
The group was all smiles when it came to the doctor. It was clear to see they respected the man on a deep level.
“I was wondering if I might steal the sorcerer away from you for just a moment,” Doctor Livingston told them more than asked. “I have some news for him.”
“Of course,” Berry Lovegood answered with a quick smile. “Come now, Daisy, friends, let’s leave the good doctor and Jack to their conversation.”
Like magic, the groups were gone, lost in the crowd.
“That’s better.” The doctor smiled. “I hope they weren’t too harsh with you. They can talk politics until one turns to stone, if you let them. Their views can be rather extreme.”
“It’s okay.” Jack shrugged off the comment. “Everyone is entitled to their opinion. What do you think about the queen extending the locomotive to the Outland?”
The doctor remained quiet for a moment. He studied Jack behind his gold-rimmed glasses. The intensity of the doctor’s stare told Jack he was in a debate with himself on how much to say.
“I think that we have a solid economy and a city full of hardworking, good people.” The doctor spoke slowly, choosing his words carefully. “It would be a shame to see such dedication spoiled by giving handouts to those less willing to apply themselves.”
“But what if they need help?” Images of the many dilapidated small villages outside the city of New Hope came to Jack’s mind. “What if they’re trying? What if they just need that nudge to set them on the right path?”
“We can’t protect or provide for the entire Outland.” The doctor motioned to the silent Commander Brookhaven with an open hand. “But this is not what I wanted to speak with you about.”
The commander reached a hand into her breast pocket and withdrew a folded piece of paper. She handed it to the doctor, looking at Jack with a blank stare.
“I did some digging into the scientist you and Charlotte came looking for earlier today.” Doctor Livingston accepted the paper from his bodyguard and handed it to Jack. “We did, in fact, employ an Aaron Jebson a few years back. His methods, however, were not on par with Livingston Industries’ ethical standards. He was relieved of his duties ten months ago. The paperwork is stamped with dates and signatures of his hire, then eventual termination.”
Jack opened the paperwork, examining the contents as he listened to the doctor’s explanation. Everything seemed in order. Once again, the doctor had a solid excuse as to why he had no part in the laboratory in Burrow Den.
A grunt from beside him drew Jack’s attention from the paper to the commander. She was grimac
ing. A gloved hand was pressed to her right temple as if she were trying to relive the pain from an invisible attacker.
“Are you all right?” the doctor asked.
“I’m sorry, sir. Yes, I’m fine.” Commander Brookhaven opened her jaw wide, then closed it several times. “Just another headache.”
“Ladies and gentlemen.” The queen’s familiar voice broke through the chatter of the crowd. “If I might have your attention for just a moment.”
Jack turned to a raised platform where the queen stood addressing the room. Beside her, both Sloan and a much younger version of Edison Reeves stood by an intimidating man and woman. They were a pair of pale-skinned soldiers wearing the queen’s uniform of black-and-grey.
Jack had to remind himself not to gawk as he took in Edison Reeves’ new appearance. He seemed to be the only one in shock as everyone waited to hear the queen’s next words.
“Today is a special day as we celebrate our success in Burrow Den, marking yet another step toward uniting the Outland.” The queen paused as the room broke into polite applause. Jack couldn’t help noticing Berry Lovegood and many of his cohorts had refused to clap. “We gather today to celebrate another advancement, as well. To better explain the project, I will turn to Edison Reeves, the head of the Department of Paranormal Study and Magic.”
The queen took a step back as another volley of applause followed. Edison was smiling wildly. He wore a black suit with long coattails and a top hat.
“Thank you, Queen Eleanor.” Edison rocked on his feet, heels to toes. He smiled so wide, his lips showed off nearly all of his teeth. “Before I start, I see a few shocked expressions. It’s called Phoenix Serum, makes me a few years younger. It’s not on the market yet, before you ask. All right, now that that’s out of the way, I am utterly, totally, most definitely beside myself to be bringing to you the future of our great city. In collaboration with Livingston Industries, allow me to introduce to you the results of the Vampire Project.”
The Complete Vampire Project Series: (Books 1 - 5) Page 26
