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NOTE: These stories are
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Broken
A Kendrick Story
By
Jennifer Brozek
Start from the beginning of the Kendrick Series

Tony and Buzz looked around at the vacant lot. It had taken them a week beyond their scheduled time to tackle and finally defeat the monstrous hedge that surrounded this block. By the time they were done, Tony was privately certain that the hedge had been sentient and fighting back as best it could against man and machine. In the end, it felt like he murdered the plant, rather than simply done his job. It hurt and he did not know why.

"That was a hard job well done." Buzz said with satisfaction.

"Yeah." Tony agreed automatically, his eyes roaming the visible ground for signs of the hedge suddenly sprouting and growing before their eyes. Part of him wished it would. If it does, he thought, I'm not pulling it down again. I can't. I'll walk off the job. I don't care what anyone says.

His thoughts were interrupted before they could spin out of control. The sound of Betsy starting up blocked out all else. He watched as the boss drove the giant machine to the middle of the open lot and broke ground. The wound in the wet earth brought to mind bleeding flesh so vividly that Tony had to look away.

By the time he got his composure back, he had decided that he was going to get out of the construction business and get into the gardening business. Open that little garden store like Margaret always wanted, he thought with firm determination. He did not know why but these last few jobs had taken root in his brain and he could not shake the idea that what he had been doing, that they all had been doing, was wrong on a fundamental level.

***

"Can we talk?"

Karen was contemplating another one of Kahili Coffee House's fabulous mochas when an unwelcome voice interrupted her internal debate of the benefits of yummy coffee versus the drawbacks of too much caffeine. She looked up at Corelli and did not say a word. She could not think of anything that was not inexcusably rude.

Taking her silence as assent, Corelli slid into the chair across from Karen, her words came in a rush. "I'm sorry I had to do what I did but I wouldn't have hurt Sebastian for the world, and in the end, it was better for both of us. Now, neither of us owes anyone anything."

Karen, her emotions and thoughts in a jumble, still did not say anything. She put some effort into not simply reaching across the table and smacking the girl. It was unfair of her to blame Corelli because they were not able to save the Abbot from the horrific sacrifice by the Children of Anu. Part of her knew it. The other part of her silently railed at the girl for stopping Karen from using her own powers to look for the Abbot and using a threat against Sebastian to do it.

"Please. I'm sorry I had to do it but it had to be done. I don't know how else to make up for it."

Karen finally found her voice. "You can leave."

"Karen, please. That's not going to solve..."

"You and all of the Order. I want you gone."

That got Corelli's attention. Suddenly, gone was the girl who was trying to make up to Karen. In her place sat the Second in Command and the Mistress of Magic in the Order of the Sacred Eye. "That's not going to happen. The Order belongs here as much as you do."

"You wanted to know what you could do for me? Well, now you know." She began gathering her stuff.

"You, Kendrick, needs the Order. It would be foolish to throw away such good allies."

"Allies?" Karen looked like Corelli had slapped her. "What makes you think you all are allies to me and mine?"

"Look at  all we did in the last year to help..."

Karen was no longer listening. "Allies don't try to sacrifice people. Allies don't blindly follow some rule that no one knows where it came from. Allies don't deal with the enemy. Allies don't stop you from using your powers to try to save an old man's life and allies sure as hell don't threaten to take someone like Sebastian away from me!"

"But..."

Karen stood, cutting off all of Corelli's protests. "I don't want to hear your explanations. I'm sure you've rationalized them to death - just like your predecessors did just before they tried to murder me. I don't want to hear from you or your Order again." She turned and strode away from the table and out the door without giving Corelli another chance to explain.

Corelli sat there, stunned and hurt. She pressed her lips together and thought, If that's the way you want it, Karen. You got it. The Order will neither help nor hinder you in the future.

***

Doctor Mercer sat behind his desk in his office, focused on the person in front of him. Instead of the usual arrogant attitude that he unconsciously took with all his patients to establish his authority over them, he sat with his head slightly bowed with his eyes not quite meeting the person opposite him. "Everything's going as planned. Our sweeps of the forest made sure that no rituals could be completed. We detained ten people and arrested three of them for possession of illegal substances."

"Cool. Well, those sweeps can stop now. The Lady of the Grey Manor is no more." Vicki said with some satisfaction. "Her last sanctuary fell this morning. Now, it's on to bigger and better things." She stretched like a well fed cat.

"Of course." The doctor said. "Hail Anu."

She sat up straight. "You aren't one of my Children but if you're going to say that, say it like you mean it!"

Doctor Mercer recoiled from the look on Vicki's face that was not entirely her own. "I'm sorry. No disrespect intended."

She snorted in contempt at him. "Don't forget who put you where you are now, Doctor." The last bit came out as a sneer.

He sat up straighter. "I won't. We have a deal. I stand by my word."

"See that you do."

After an uncomfortable pause, Doctor Mercer prompted, "Bigger and better fish to fry?"

She nodded. "The Grey Lady, if not dead, is as good as dead and is no more threat or use to me now that I have her power. She was of the land. Now, it's time to shift our focus to something a little more city based."

"The Bacchanalia Coven?"

"No." She shook her head. "They'll come in time. I'm looking at something older and much more powerful. The silent, but deadly, gargoyles. They've been a thorn in my side for too long. They stopped me once before in another life. I cannot allow that to happen again. Besides, their power is old and deep."

"Abominations." He muttered.

Ignoring the doctor's comment, Vicki continued on. "I'll speak to Mason about the new threat focus to the city. It's time for the Special Unit to turn its attention from the forests to the city and high places. They move mostly at night when they are near invisible. They stay only within the city proper where the tallest buildings are. That is where the Special Unit will have to start concentrating their sweeps."

"I'm assuming that there won't be any arrests?"

"Oh, there might be. Some gargoyles bond to humans. Use that to control the gargoyles."

"And if they aren't?"

The teal haired girl shrugged. "Use stuff that destroys concrete. Also, when you find their dens, close them. Cut the gargoyles off from their homes. That'll weaken them."

He nodded. "How will that deal with them as a whole and transfer their power to you?"

"Leave those details with me, Doctor. You've got enough to worry about as is." She stood. "I wouldn't want you getting distracted now that we've got such a good working relationship going."

"Of course." He stood as she stood.

"Keep me informed." Vicki said before turning and leaving without waiting for his response.

Doctor Mercer watched after her, frowning. "Abomination," he whispered at her retreating back.

***

He arrived at the converted train station on the western end of Kendrick with little fanfare and looking much different than when he left. Gone were the multicolored dreadlocks, dramatic makeup and face piercings. He stood there a clean cut young man with short blond hair.

He paid the taxi driver, gave him a small tip and turned to look at his former, and once again, home. On the outside, it was perpetually under renovation. Scaffoldings 'supported' parts of the building while signs of continuing improvement were everywhere. In fact, they had begun a new wall that would eventually encircle the grounds, giving them more of the privacy, protection and solitude they needed.

Smiling at the workmanship on the nascent wall, he knew that on the inside of this beautiful brick building, the renovations had been completed for years. It was austere but sound. The former train station had easily transformed into a serviceable monastery. He walked towards the entrance of the building but Brother Jeffrey, who must have been watching for him, was already exiting to greet him.

"Welcome home Abbot Peter. Welcome home." Brother Jeffrey extended his hand.

The man called Abbot Peter took the monk's hand and shook it. "Please, we're all brothers in spirit here. I prefer the title of 'Brother'..." He paused and chose his words carefully, "Also, I am still Simon within these walls. Until I have earned the right to lead you all in the same way that my predecessor did, I will kept my apprentice name. It is only proper and fitting."

Brother Jeffrey nodded slowly, gauging the man who now led the fight against the malevolent spirits who had murdered the former Abbot. He had grown in several ways since they had last met. That much was clear. "Yes... Brother Simon. I'll let the others know. We have prepared a small celebration for your return."

"Thank you very much." He smiled and then asked. "Do you have the report on the current state of Kendrick ready?"

"Yes, Brother. It's on your desk."

Simon nodded. "Does it include the current information on Karen Wilson?"

Again, the monk nodded. "It does."

"Thank you." He smiled. "Let's go in and enjoy this small celebration you all have planned for me." The man soon to be called Abbot Peter, now called Brother Simon was also known by another name. One that Karen Wilson knew well - Aaron Patterson. He just hoped that she would be happy to see him. They did not part on the best of terms. The feelings between them were complex and deep.

***

Chief Walks-the-Ocean sat on his porch looking very somber. He seemed to have aged decades in the last couple of months.  Already the council was starting to look more to his second for decisions. No one understood the sudden decline of their leader but they all understood that he was carrying a very heavy burden that he would only share when he was ready.

A huge man and member of his tribe, Lumbering Bear, walked up on silent feet and stood before Chief Walks-the-Ocean. He waited patiently for his leader to acknowledge him. After a few moments, Chief Walks-the-Ocean lifted his head.

"I came." Lumbering Bear said.

"Thank you. I need you to find Speaks-for-the-City and deliver this message, 'The Grey Lady wishes to speak with her where Sparks-of-the-Moon fell.'"

Lumbering Bear nodded once but did not leave.

"Is there something?"

"The people wish to know why you no longer walk the oceans as you once did."

Lumbering Bear's simple statement was a like a physical blow to the old man. He reeled back a little before settling into an old man's stoop again. He opened his mouth to speak, then shut it. He thought about his words before saying, "I don't deserve the oceans or the peace they give me."

Lumbering Bear nodded once then turned away to his task. Chief Walks-the-Ocean watched him go before returning to his home. He walked through the neatly kept house to his bedroom. In his own bed, the Grey Lady lay. "A message has been sent to Karen Wilson."

She turned her head, her face a mask of pain. "Now I understand why you did what you did; why you betrayed us. I forgive you for it. Because of it, you may be one of our only saving graces. You, with your protected lands as sanctuary, and Karen Wilson. You two may be Kendrick's only hope of surviving." She closed her eyes as if the mere act of speaking was too much for her.

He nodded. "You and yours may stay on Makah land as long as you wish." It was the only thing he could say. It was poor repayment for their years of alliance and his understandable betrayal of the supernatural beings of the city of Kendrick but it was all he had.

***

Elsewhere...

"Happy Valentines' Day, hon." John said as he handed Karen a small wrapped present. "I know that I don't usually like these kinds of holidays but somehow it's much better with you here."

Karen leaned over and gave him a kiss. "Thank you so much. I hate to admit it but I'm such a girl sometimes when it comes to these things. I've totally bought into it. I love the chocolates and flowers." She turned and handed him a wrapped gift. "I got you one as well."

The two of them unwrapped their respective boxes and started laughing. The exact same cute fabric friend stared up at them from two different boxes. Karen caught her breath first. "Oh my God! That's just too funny!"

John laughed as well. "I know. I know. But that's not all that's in the box!"

Karen pulled out her new fabric friend and found a smaller box inside. She caught her breath as she saw the small silver circle pendant necklace within. "Oh, John. It's beautiful." She hugged and kissed him again.  "Your box has more in it as well."

He grinned. "I know. I found the symphony tickets. Box seats, even. Perfect! I love it."

"I love you."

John grinned at her, "I love you, too, Karen. I really do."

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