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NOTE: These stories are
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Breaking Point
A Kendrick story
By
Jennifer Brozek
Start from the beginning of the Kendrick series

"This has got to stop." David said. His voice was tight with guilt and anger. He had known this was a possibility but it never occurred to him that he would feel guilty about it.

"Yes." Mason said. The mayor did not look up from Doctor Mercer's corpse. His face was grey with his own guilt and sorrow. When David received the call telling him that Doctor Mercer's body had been found in the Colonel's Park, Mason knew he had to go. Together, the two of them would give the official identification to the coroner.

"Permanently." David pressed.

Mason looked up but did not say anything.

"Permanently," he repeated. "I'll do it myself if I have to."

Mason turned away, nodding. "If you have to, but give Aaron a chance first if you can."

"If I can, I will. If not, no. She's a monster we've let run loose too long."

***

There is little a pair of eight year old boys can do when a van pulls up beside them and a couple of adults open up the side door to grab the first boy and then the second one when he tries to help his twin brother. There is little a pair of eight year old boys can do against the strength of two men intent on tying them up without regard to the damage they cause the children. There is nothing a pair of helpless boys can do in the face of men who have a gun pointed at them except be as quiet as possible through their frightened tears.

There is little a mother can do when a man knocks on her door and tells her to come quietly or one of her sons will be shot. There is little a mother can do except try to soothe her boys as she is bound up next to them in the back of a beat-up gray van. There is nothing a mother can do except obey when she is ordered to call her husband and tell him what has happened and then look on in horror as her husband is ordered to meet the kidnappers at a warehouse in the Camden District.

There is nothing a father can do when he receives such a phone call but listen. He can only beg the men not to hurt his family and then suppress his impotent fury when one of the men breaks one of his wife's fingers to make a point to ensure that the father, a police officer, comes alone to the warehouse. There is nothing a father can do but agree while silently swearing that he will do whatever is necessary to free his terrified family. He knows he alone has this responsibility.

But the father is not alone in his fear and worry. Another pair of twins saw what happened to the boys and their mother. This set of twins, Theodore and Theodora, love the twin boys for their exuberant energy and willingness to play with them whenever possible. They also love the twin boys because of a seed of specialness buried deep inside that has not yet revealed itself to the world.  Theodore and Theodora understand that there are forces at work here that are following a preset path. This does not mean they have to like it. This does not mean they have to follow it. They are outside space and time and they know they can do something about it. And they do.

***

Aaron gazed at Brother Luke, his second in the Brotherhood of Light, and frowned. "When did this happen?"

Brother Luke pointed a hand, trembling due to age rather than fear, at the third man in the room. "Brother Thomas was the one who found him while he was patrolling his territory in the city center."

"Doctor Mercer's body had been laid out in front of the Colonel's statue like an offering," The younger monk said.

"What did you do then?" Aaron asked.

"Called the police like any other normal citizen would."

Aaron nodded. "Good man."  He scowled to himself. "This isn't what I wanted. When we freed him of the spirit, I thought he had a chance to go back to a normal life. He wanted to but he wanted to make up for what he had done while ridden."

"There is a bigger problem here, Abbot." Brother Luke said in the tone of a schoolmaster gently chiding a student who had missed the obvious answer to a question.

"What?"

"Doctor Mercer was beaten bloody and almost boneless except for his face. His face was completely intact and identifiable."

Aaron gazed at the older monk and thought about that. "They wanted him to be identified." He said more to himself than to the other men in the room. "They don't care that we know they killed him. They wanted us to know they killed him. They aren't afraid of us knowing." He looked at Brother Luke.

He nodded. "When they reach that point of fearlessness either they have become stupid or they are about to succeed in what they set out to do."

"Or they've already succeeded." Brother Thomas murmured, remembering the bloody corpse of Abbot Peter, their former leader murdered almost a year ago.

***

"I'm worried," Karen said. "Things seem too quiet right now. Something should've gone wrong." She petted the cat-sized gargoyle in her lap.

"Maybe we're just not seeing what's wrong yet." John said from his usual spot behind the counter of his store. "Just wait a couple of hours and all will be revealed."

The bell on the front door of the Teller's Fortune jingled as it opened and a pair of fair-haired children walked in. Karen recognized them immediately as one of the sets of twins that were part of the Grey Lady's household. "More like a couple of seconds," she said to John. She stood and put Sebastian down on the chair. To any normal person, he would look like a statue of a sleeping gargoyle put in a chair as decoration.

She watched them walk directly to her and stop. "Afternoon, children," she said, gazing down at them, knowing that trouble was now here.

Theodore began, "We need your help."

"Not us, specifically." Theodora continued.

"Another set of twins."

"Taken by the Children of Anu."

Theodore nodded to Theodora, "They took the mother, too."

"We think they're in bad trouble."

They both added, "Please help them."

Karen, somewhat used to the Grey Lady's twins speaking as one, nodded slowly. "Which twins? Where were they taken to?"

"David and Darrin Mueller," Theodore said.

Theodora nodded, "The Children took them to the Camden District."

"We can't go in there."

"It's too dangerous for us."

"But please help them. They're our best friends." Again, the twins spoke as one.

Karen did not need any more convincing. Yes, she would have answered this plea for help no matter what. Children were in danger, but she recognized the last name from the time she was questioned at the police department the year before. Sergeant John Mueller. He was good to me, she thought. The last name's unusual enough. It can't be coincidence. Karen nodded. "I'll help, but let the Grey Lady know we're going to need her help, too. If she can manage it."

"We will." Theodore said. He gave her a little bow while Theodora gave Karen a curtsy. Then the two of them turned and left the shop without a backwards glance.

"You know," John said, "I was just kidding earlier."

Karen nodded. "I know but sometimes, my dear, you are prophetic." She searched her coat for her cell phone. "I need to call David. If it is Sergeant Mueller's family, he'll want to know. He'll help, too."

"Yeah, I don't relish the idea of storming the Children on their own turf alone."

"We won't be alone. Everyone has been looking for a reason to go after the Children ? 'collateral damage' be dammed. If they did take the family, this is the best reason to do it. The Muellers are mundane. Innocents. It's time we do what we're supposed to do." She opened her phone and dialed David's number

He nodded. "Save the innocents from the dark."

***

David hung up his phone with a sinking feeling in his stomach. He dialed Sergeant Mueller's cell phone number and was sent directly to voicemail. He almost hung up but then he said, "John, it's David. Call me. It's important." It was possible that it was not the Sergeant's family on the line but, it if was, he needed to know.

He left his office and walked to the common room. He saw John's desk was empty. Across from his desk, sat Sergeant Taylor, Sergeant Mueller's partner. "Hey, Taylor. Where's Mueller?"

The young man looked up. "John? Got a call from his wife. Then he ran out of here like his ass was on fire."

"How do you know it was his wife?" David asked, his heart sinking while his fear rose.

"It was her ringtone." Sergeant Taylor sat back and looked at his superior. "What's up, Detective? Something wrong?"

David nodded, "Yeah. Something's wrong. Get the S.U. together and outfitted. We've got a couple of extractions to make tonight."

It was Sergeant Taylor's turn to look alarmed, "Tonight? What's up? Is it Mueller?"

"I don't know." He shook his head. "It could be coincidence or it could be that one of our own was targeted. Him and his family. Whoever they are, we're gonna get them back. Tonight." He turned away and then turned back to Sergeant Taylor. "Let the boys know that we're going to have specialized company helping us on this one. It's going to be a big, semi-organized mission. We need to be able to pull our part without overreacting. Got it?"

Sergeant Taylor nodded, his face a mask of professional neutrality. "Got it. The Unit will be ready and loaded for bear. Just give us the word."

***

Susan stood with Alexander's statue behind her. She faced a pair of identical gargoyles. The oldest of them. The pair looked uneasy. "I called you two here this afternoon for a reason. An important reason. I understand the difficulties that you and yours are going through right now. However, something bigger is going on. I need your help. You two and the rest of the gargoyles. All of them."

The first one, Edmund, finally answered, 'You, who are the chosen of Alexander, we respect your place. We respect your call. But, we do not answer to you anymore unless you speak with the words of Alexander.'

The second one, Edgar, continued, 'But, as you have been with Alexander most of your life, we will listen.'

"Thank you." Susan bowed her head to think and then raised it when she was ready to speak. "I have helped advise Alexander and all of the gargoyles for almost twenty years. You have become mine even if you do not consider me one of yours. What you do matters to me. This current leadership difficulty needs to be put aside for now. Kendrick and her people need you and your people to become the guardians you once were before the devastation of your people. Is that something you can do?"

Edmund and Edgar looked at each other. Edmund answered, 'We listen. How does the city need her guardians?'

"The Children of Anu have struck again." She pressed on over twin growls of anger. "A family. A mother and two boys for certain. They were taken today. We fear for them. We fear they will be murdered tonight. Will the gargoyles stand and fight against their enemy?"

Edgar answered this time, 'Though we are few, we will fight. The people of Kendrick are ours to protect.' He looked at Edmund. The twin gargoyle nodded his agreement.

"Thank you. Sebastian will be the courier tonight." She paused. "When this fight is done, I would like to speak to you two more. I want to help you through your present difficulty. If you will have me. I love you all and I wish nothing but the best for you all. You are mine."

Edgar and Edmund looked at each other for a long time. Susan knew they were privately speaking and waited. Finally Edmund said, 'We will consider it. Until then, we will gather for the fight.'

"We'll meet at the Teller's Fortune and move from there towards the Camden District."

***

"There is a danger to those of the Coven and the club owners," Walks-the-Ocean said, "But, at this point, we believe the danger will be in the attack and not the draining power Vicki used against you recently."

Lamiel nodded. "Enemies of Makah Tribe are enemies of the Bacchanalia Coven. Tell us what we need to do."

Walks-the-Ocean smiled a tired smile at the determined look on the girl's face. He knew she was scared but she was also strong-willed. "The Children have taken a mundane family. A cop's family. We don't know why but we suspect that it works into their plans to take over Kendrick. We don't know how. But we know they have become brazen in their confidence. If they succeed, even our lands may not be safe anymore."

"Save the family. That's the first goal. Kill the bad guy ? girl ? " she amended, "and then what?"

He shook his head. "I don't know. I do know that we will be working with many different factions within Kendrick. All of them have a claim against the Children." He paused, "Including the Brotherhood of Light."

Lamiel curled her lip in distaste but said nothing.

"There will be no problem with this?"

She shook her head. "No."

"Good. Please let all know that it is voluntary. This will be dangerous. People will die. We'll be meeting at the Teller's Fortune in an hour."

She nodded. "All right." She left in a swirl of black lace and velvet.

Walks-the-Ocean sighed. He was feeling too old for these sorts of rescues. But, it was what he needed to sooth his guilty soul.

"The land will forgive you." The Grey Lady said from her place to his left.

Her voice startled him. When he recovered, he asked, "How can I forgive myself? My betrayal stains my soul and dishonors my ancestors."

"You are the only one who can answer that but I believe your betrayal, in order to save Makah land, has become a boon to those who need it."

"Still, a man, a good man, was murdered because of me."

Clear grey eyes gazed at old brown ones for a long time. "Perhaps, you will need to seek forgiveness from the people you wronged."

"The Brotherhood of Light." He looked away from her, unable to allow those eyes see into his soul any longer.

"Yes." 

He nodded. "Once we get this family back, perhaps that is what I will do."

***

John Mueller was brought before Vicki in the warehouse. She was lounging on her throne, looking like the cat that ate the canary. He was terrified more for his family than for himself. "So good of you to come when called, Sergeant Mueller."

"I came. Where's my family?" He fought his fury to keep from launching himself at the smug demon in teenager form.

"They're safe. Right over there." She gestured off to the side and several members of the Children moved to allow John to see his family. They were all sitting on the floor, tied up, looking disheveled and frightened. Other than that, and a bandage on his wife's hand, they looked well enough. John ran to them, heedless of those who started to keep him from them but they backed off at a gesture from Vicki.

He hugged his wife and the boys, whispering, "Daddy's here. You'll be OK. I promise. You'll be OK."

Vicki raised her voice to get John's attention. "Whether or not they are OK is entirely up to you, John Mueller."

He stood and faced her, putting his body between his helpless family and those who would do them harm. "What do you want?"

"We want you, John."

He looked confused. "I-"

"Don't understand. I know. You don't need to understand," Vicki said, swinging herself from her lounging position and standing up. "What I want, John, is you, a normal cop with Kendrick's best interests at heart; the perfect representation of Kendrick because you are normal but you know what else lurks in the darkness of this city. I want you to offer yourself to me. To give yourself over to me in sacrifice. Only then will your family be safe."

"John, no!" Cheryl cried.

"John, yes!" Vicki cried, mocking John's wife. "If you do not willingly sacrifice yourself to me, I will kill each of your family in front of you. Starting with that one." She pointed at Darrin.

***

Elsewhere?

Corelli sat across from V'ger. "What do you want us to do?" V'ger asked.

The blond haired girl was as pretty as she had always been but, there was something more to her now. She had grown in wisdom and experience through pain. "Have any contacted us for help?"

He shook his head. "The Order of the Sacred Eye is still neutral."

"Then it is our choice." Corelli was still the second in command of the Order in name only. For all practicality, she was their leader. She chose to remain officially second for her own reasons.

"Yes."

She could hear his unspoken question and made an instinctual decision. "The debt the Order owed the Children has long been paid. The Order owes no one, other than itself, loyalty. However, the Children have always been a threat to the Order. It has been good to allow them to take the eyes of Kendrick off of the Order but they have now overstepped their bounds. Mundanes are to be protected."

"So, we'll offer our assistance to Karen and the others?"

"No." Corelli smiled inside at V'ger's confusion. "We've been asked never to bother Karen or hers again. Instead we'll watch and wait. We'll be conduits of power for those who can accept such. And, if it is possible, we will take as much power from the Children as we can. We are on our own side, V'ger. We help Karen and hers only because it suits the will of the Order."

V'ger smiled in understanding. "I will gather the circles together and we'll prepare for the fight."

She nodded, "Make sure you prepare a vessel for capturing and imprisoning a spirit. A powerful one. If the opportunity arises, I don't want to miss it."

Story by Jennifer Brozek, Copyright 2008
Image by Rory Clark, Stopped Motion Photography, Copyright 2008