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Burning Bridges
A "Kendrick" Story
By
Jennifer Brozek
Start at the beginning of the Kendrick series

"Normally, I would ask if you had come for another story about the Todari deck but I can see by the look on your face you haven't."  John Corso said.

"What look on my face? You can't see me. Your back is to me." Karen put her cell phone away. Reginald seemed very uneasy, warning her that her actions were going to bring a more direct consequence soon. It had not been one of their better conversations and she had hung up on him in a snit.  'Why couldn't he just give her a straight answer? Maybe because he doesn't have one.' That last thought worried her. If Reginald was not sure about the state of the city, it was bad news indeed and it was probably her fault.

"Yes, but I saw you in the mirror to my left as you came in. There's a lesson in that for you, young lady." He gestured to the mirror on the pillar.

"Yeah. Yeah. There's a lesson for me in everything these days."

John turned around and smiled at her. "So, what can I do for you, O'Speaks-for-the-City?"

Karen stepped back, shocked. "Why'd you call me that?"

"Isn't that your Makah name?"

"How do you know that? Why are you talking to them?"

"Why are you talking to me?" He countered and then answered. "Information, of course."

"You went to the Makah to ask about me?" Her tone of voice insinuated that she would be very offended if the answer was yes.

"No. I went to the Makah to talk about the badness that's rising since you declared war against the Order on their behalf."

"Oh." Karen did not know what to say about that. "Um. Ok. Were you successful in the talk?"

"I think so. But, you're not here to talk about the Makah and you're not here to learn more about my wonderful Todari cards."  He gestured to the well appointed display case with the 'Not for Sale!' sign in front of him. "So, why are you here? You know I don't know where Paul Maloy is and I've looked. That boy has gone to ground."

She paused for a moment to admire the thin wooden tarot cards in the long display case. Each was a work of art by the unknown Italian artist, Rinaldo Todari and John Corso was the world's leading collector of this particular deck of tarot cards. He had thirty-seven of the seventy-eight cards. Fourteen of them were from the Major Arcana.  Each card had an amazing history to it as well as other supposed, less believable, qualities. For a moment, she thought to abandon her original quest and ask for another Todari story instead.  But, duty called. A duty she had created. "I wanted to know what you know about the Children of Anu."

John whistled low. "You don't ask for much, do you?"

"I don't know. Do I? It's why I'm asking. What can you tell me about them?"

"Can? A lot. Will? Not so much."

"Why not?"

"Because I've made certain agreements with them and, no matter how this war turns out, I intend to uphold my end of the bargain. It is not healthy to break your word with the Children."

Karen nodded, understanding. Promises and agreements were very important here in Kendrick. "Ok. What will you tell me about them?"

"Why do you want to know?"  John held up a hand. "I'm not trying to be coy. I'm trying to figure out your motivations so I can give you the information you want.... need."

She swallowed her annoyance. "Ok. Ever since I started this thing I'm on, I've heard mention of 'The Children.' But no one will tell me who they are or whose side they're on."

"Ah, now we come to the crux of the matter. Ally or foe. First, the Children of Anu are one of the few truly secret groups I know. You don't know of them and people don't talk about them because they play their cards close to the chest. What's the use of having a secret organization if your membership keeps blabbing about your most sacred rites?"

"Point conceded." She leaned against the display case, looking down at the Major Arcana card called 'Strength.' It had a woman holding the reigns of a rearing horse. She looked like she was controlling and calming the horse while the horse was fighting and losing to her.  "So, they're supernatural? Or religious?"

"Yes. Both. But not all of their members." He took off his glasses and cleaned them more out of habit than necessity as he thought about his words. "What do you know about the god Anu?"

"Pretty much nothing."

"Do a Google search when you get home. The short answer is in Sumerian, Assyrian and Babylonian mythology, Anu was a sky-god, the god of heaven, lord of constellations, spirits and demons, blah-blah-blah. Anu defeated another god - goddess to be exact, Tiamat and became the King of Gods as well as the head of the Babylonian pantheon. Sometimes, Anu can be referred to as Marduk, depending on the culture.  In truth, the whole history of Anu is a bit convoluted. What's important is that Anu is not a happy, shiny god. He supposedly created the stars as soldiers to punish the wicked. He is most often represented as a man with a crown decorated by bull's horns. At least, in the context that you and I are speaking of."

"The Children of Anu."

"Yes. I don't know what they are at the heart of their group, but from what I have seen, they're brutal, secretive, territorial and they have a cause."

"What cause?"

"I don't know. But I know they are not just a force of chaos or anarchy. They have a code and rules they live by. They have their own goals."

"Do you think they've picked a side, yet?"

"Probably and not yours... ours. They've probably already made a deal with the Order based around territory. If they support the Order, most likely, the Order has promised them autonomy in some part of the city."

She looked down at the impossibly vibrant tarot cards, weighing her options. "Which territory?"

"What are you thinking? Karen, you can't go to them. You can't reason with them. You have nothing they want."

"What territory? If I'm to stay away, I need to know. So, I don't accidentally wander over there." Her words were logical but untruthful and they both knew it.

John looked at her for a long time, deciding. But before he could answer, his face contorted into conflicting expressions of outrage, fear and dismay. "Shit!"

Then, everything seemed to happen all at once.

A car screeched up to the front of the Teller's Fortune. John slapped at something behind the counter. Karen turned towards the door to see what was happening. A trapdoor beneath the Todari tarot cards in the display case dropped opened. Karen saw two small round objects crash through the front windows. John leapt over the counter in front of her, knocking her over. The cards fell into their hidden compartment. The car squealed away from the store. Karen hit the floor as John shouted a word she did not understand.

Then, the world exploded in light, sound and heat.

When all of it receded, she found herself being picked up off the floor of a surprisingly intact store by a ruffled but seemingly unhurt storekeeper. The front windows and front displays were blown outwards as if the explosion had hit a particularly hard barrier and rebounded back out the way it came in. She looked up at John. "Are you alright?"

"Yeah. A bit singed and pissed off. But fine." Put her hand on the display case to steady her as he let go and walked around the backside of the counter and opened a couple of sliding doors beneath the now empty display case.

She could see he was gathering up the Todari tarot cards with care and quickly putting them in a leather satchel. "That's some trick."

"In truth, these cards are neigh impossible to destroy by mundane means but it pays to be careful.  Andreas Parlor had over half of the Danforth deck when it was stolen from him and they're indestructible, too. But it's up to the owners of these special tarot cards to take care of them." He stood, pulling the satchel over his shoulder.

"The Danforth deck? What's that?" She was still dazed but could hear sirens in the distance.

"A story for another time. I think you need to get out of here. I'm pretty sure those grenades had your name written all over them and I don't think I'm being facetious."

"How did you stop the explosion?"

"I didn't. I redirected most of it away from my store and you." He came back around and snapped his fingers in her face. "Yeah, I think it was mostly directed at you. Come on, wake up!" He gave her arm a small but violent shake.

The pain in her arm and the snapping of her head back and forth shoved the cobwebs from her head. "Ok. Ok. I'm Ok."

"Good. I'm staying here. You be elsewhere. You weren't here when the attack happened. Ok?"

Karen agreed and hurried through the rubble out the front of the store. There, she stopped and stared across the street. David and Aaron were standing there, glaring at each other. With a sinking feeling, she strode across the street to them. When they looked at her, she pointed at them. "You two. The Colonel's Park. Right now." She could not keep the fury from her voice and she did not even try.

*****

They were barely inside the tree line of the park when Karen whirled on them both. "What the hell are you two doing here?" She demanded and watched their faces.  Her heart sunk even more when neither of them would look at her. If either of them had been in town on their own business, one or both of them would have reacted in confused defensiveness.  Instead, they hung their heads in guilt.  "You both were following me. Are you guys conspiring behind my back or something?"

"No!" David said.

"No. I was just worried..." Aaron said at the same time.

The two of them looked at each other then back at Karen. "Oh, good. Brilliant. Both of you decided to do what? Shadow me and come to my rescue when I needed it? Do you two think so little of me and my ability that I need to have people following me around to rescue me from myself?"

"No. I heard that..." Aaron began.

"It's just that things are getting ..." David said.

"I don't want to hear it!" Karen interrupted them both. "Do you guys realize what kind of danger you're putting yourselves in by following me? Or what kind of danger you're putting me in by distracting me? By being here at all when maybe, just maybe, I should be dealing with another danger? Like someone, oh, I don't know, throwing grenades at me?"

She started pacing, the numbness of shock was wearing off. Her body was trembling with unused adrenaline. Her mind was racing and she was furious at the world. "What do you think would have happened if you had been in front of the Teller's Fortune when John deflected the blast? All of those shards of glass could have killed you! Then, not only would John have felt bad, I would have been ... God! I don't know! You two.  Both of you! I care about you. Maybe I even love you but I can't have this. I just can't! What if John saw you and didn't want to sacrifice you two by deflecting the blast back out? He might have had to sacrifice himself or both of us. You could have killed us!"

"I'm sorry but I know I can help." Aaron said.

"I'm not unprotected." David said. "I want to help you, too. I was there that night."

"Yeah and you almost murdered the Guardian yourself instead of the Order doing it."  Karen was immediately sorry she shot that at David but could not take it back. Instead, she took a shot at Aaron. Just to be fair. "And if you heard something that I needed to hear, you could have picked up a phone to let me know immediately instead of tracking me down and spying on me. Was it about this attack? Could you have saved John the pain he's got to deal with now?"

Karen knew she would regret her next action but could not stop herself. She was too angry. Too fed up with the dichotomy these two men represented in her life and too unwilling to choose one over the other. Her choice was not to choose. "You know what? I wanted to do this with a bit more delicacy and I sure as hell never expected I'd be breaking up with both of you at the same time but that's what's happening.  I can't have either of you in my life right now. It's too dangerous for you guys. It's too dangerous for me. I guess it's better this way. You both know exactly what I'm saying to the other one. I can't deal with this thing, this war, and a confusing love life at the same time. I'd never forgive myself if either of you got hurt because of me."

Aaron stepped forward. "Karen, please..."

"No." She stepped back from them both. "No. No please. No second chances. No nothing. I don't want to see either of you anymore except in passing. I don't want to go on dates. I don't want to meet for coffee. I don't want any phone calls. I don't want... can't do... any of that anymore. I just can't. All of my time and energy has to go to finishing what I started.  I don't expect either of you to really understand but that's the way it's going to be.  That's it. Period. End of story. Good-bye." 

She turned and walked quickly away from them.  She heard David call her name once but she did not turn around to look.  Not looking would be easier. She would not see their hurt, confused faces anymore and they would not see her tears.  She did not turn around, so she did not see that both of them had started after her, only to be blocked by a small, grey gargoyle named Sebastian with his wings unfurled in an aggressive stance and snarling; protecting her as only he could.

*****

"So, that was two days ago?" Susan asked as she got Karen more coffee. "You got attacked and took your pain, fear and anger out on the two men who love you and broke up with them? Is that what you really wanted to do?"  Her voice had that careful 'I'm just making sure I understand the situation' tone to it.

Karen nodded, miserable. "I shouldn't have broken it off with them like that. But, they could have died because of me."

"Well, they are both adults. At least one has supernatural skills and the other knows about the supernatural. From what you've told me."

She sighed and covered her face with her hands before rubbing her eyes. "I know. I know. I feel like hell but I don't know what to do now."

"Have they called?"

"Yes. But I haven't answered the phone. I've only answered when it's been you or Reginald."

"How is the Master of the City?"

"Concerned. Whatever is going to happen is going to happen within the next couple of days. He thinks it's happening on the next full moon.  Once I stop that, whatever it is, I can figure out what to do about the men in my life. All of them."

Susan sat back down. "Yeah. It's partly why I called you. There is something big happening in the next couple of days. I've devised something I think will be useful." She looked towards the back part of the museum storage. "Alexander, please come out now. Bring the couriers with you."

Karen was glad she had put her coffee cup down. Otherwise, she would have dropped it at the sight of the seven foot tall stone monstrosity walking with eerie silence towards them from back of the large room. "Oh my god."

"Yes." The other woman said with a smile. "I thought it was time for you to see part of the forces you have mobilized. Alexander is one of the elder gargoyles in the city. He has been observing you for some time. At my request." Susan added. 

"Oh. And?"

"He approves."

"Oh. Good." She did not know what that meant.

The two of them gazed at the huge man-shaped gargoyle in silence. He gazed back at them without expression. Karen suddenly felt that Susan and Alexander were having their own separate conversation, mind to mind. She took a sip of her coffee, not tasting it. She would not look away from him, examining him with an artist's eye because she was certainly going to draw this scene when she got home. 

Alexander bent and opened his hand above the table. From it jumped the three tiniest gargoyles Karen had seen yet. Each one was no more than one to two inches tall.  While she was looking at the three little ones, trying to pick out their differences, the huge gargoyle disappeared. Karen was certain that he had just walked away but he had done it so quickly, quietly and smoothly that she might not have seen him do it even if she had been looking directly at him.

"I call them Huey, Dewy and Louie." Susan said. "It's easiest that way until they pick their own names. These little guys are couriers. They are the fastest gargoyles in the city. They are young and can't speak but, you can speak to them - either verbal or mind to mind - and they will take your words to the person you want them to go to. Assuming they know the person in question. Let me show you." 

She held up a hand and one of the couriers, the one with tiny horns, jumped into it. Susan and Louie, Karen believed, looked at each other for a couple of silent moments.  Then, Louie jumped from Susan's hand and ran over to Karen.  He stared up at her and Susan's voice blossomed in her head.

'These guys know me, Lamiel, John Corso, Walks-the-Ocean and Reginald. They also know all of the gargoyles as well as a few other people that you aren't familiar with like the Steward family. All you have to do is tell them you have a message for me, state the message and end with the words "Done and go."'

Karen was impressed. "Wow. That's amazing. He got your tone of voice exact."

"I know. He is remembering what he hears as he hears it. So, be careful how you send your message and don't add anything extra you don't want the person getting the message to hear. I'm loaning you these guys for the next couple of weeks. The main ...event... with the Order is probably going to happen on the full moon but that doesn't mean everything will be done then.  There'll be fall out and echoes of consequences. It's probably best that you have a fast way to send messages.  Also, don't be surprised if others come to deliver messages to you. I have a whole fleet of these little guys. I intend to use them."

"Susan, thank you. I don't know what to say."

"Don't say anything. Just finish what you've started. Like it or not, you're in charge of this thing. Probably because you don't know enough to be afraid of it."

"Do you?"

"Yes."

"Are you scared?"

"Terrified. Just terrified."

The blunt nakedness of the answer startled her. "I'm sorry. I - "

Susan cut her off. "Don't be. This was needed. If I didn't believe that, I wouldn't be putting myself, my museum or my gargoyles on the line for it. The Order has to be stopped."

Karen nodded, looking at the three tiny gargoyles curled up together on the table, and wondered just how bad the next couple of days were going to be. That was trouble of naivety. You really did not know enough to be scared. "Alright. Our main goal now is to find out where the Order is doing whatever it is they're doing on the night of the full moon. We have to know that within the next twelve hours so we have some time to make some sort of plan of attack or disruption. Ask everyone you know to use every means at their disposal to help with this."

"Alright. I can do that." Susan looked around and a tiny creature zipped to her from somewhere in the room. It had been too fast to see. When it stopped moving, Karen saw that it was another one of the tiny courier gargoyles. She watched as Susan and the new gargoyle stared at each other for a long time. Then, it was gone.

*****

Elsewhere...

"What about the gargoyle? Sebastian probably won't let me near her."

V'ger handed the younger man a gray candle. "Have her light this. You won't have to worry about the beast or any of its kin after that."

He looked at the tag on the candle. "Gargoyle protection?"

"It's from a new age shop. The tag that is. The candle is homemade."

"It won't hurt Karen?"

"No. It won't. I promise. It'll keep her guardian away from her and us." V'ger looked at the hesitant man and pressed the advantage. "I'll give you all the stuff you'll need. She's confused. She's been lied to. Reginald has used and manipulated her from the beginning. He's the one keeping her from loving you. After the rite, Reginald's hold on the city, and on her, will be broken. She'll be free. But, we've got to keep her safe and away from the rite. She'll be hurt, maybe killed, if she goes there."

"No. I won't allow that."

"Then, help us help you. My daughter is twelve years old and I would do anything for her. I know what it's like to love someone who's being threatened. After the rite is done, neither you nor Karen will have to worry about Reginald's interference ever again. I promise." V'ger gazed at him. "Are you willing to help us and free Karen? I have to know now. I have to have your word. Otherwise, I'm going to have to do this on my own."

The other man was quiet, considering. Then, he nodded. "I'm with you. I'll do what I have to do to save Karen from what's happening to her. I give you my word." He held out his hand.

V'ger took it in a firm grip and shook it. "Good. Now, here's my plan...."  The two of them sat in the back booth of the quiet bar, conspiring to save a woman they both knew did not wish to be saved.

Story by Jennifer Brozek, Copyright 2006
Photo by Rory Clark, Stopped Motion Photography, Copyright 2006