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"Hey, Corelli. Reggie wants to see you." Mike said. Mike and Sam, she identified. Reggie's Seconds. She looked back behind her and recognized Vicki's teal hair. This was quite the group to send out looking for her. Obviously, it was important enough to send his top guns but not too dangerous for the younger sister he doted on. Not good at all. "What's the magic word?" She stood her ground. "Now." Mike reached forward and grabbed her arm. "Careful. You don't want to get burned, do you?" Corelli said with a deceptive calmness. Mike's hand, the one holding Corelli's arm, burst into flames. She watched while Mike danced around trying to put his hand out. Cerridwen always hated Corelli's brand of sympathetic magic. It was too chaotic and too improvised for the old woman's liking. Cerridwen was always going on about the Will and the Word. It sounded like something out of one of the fantasy books the old woman liked to read. Whatever. She's dead and I'm not. "Please." Vicki stepped up. "Please, would you join us for a talk?" Corelli smiled briefly. "Certainly." She blew on the tip of her index finger and Mike's hand stopped burning. "However, need I remind any of you that you are speaking to me as a member of the First Circle of the Order of the Sacred Eye or the fact that I have already passed your Test of Worth some time ago?" She saw Sam and Vicki shake their heads but kept her eyes on Mike. He was the one she was delivering her message to. Mike held his hand down by his side. It was burned, bright red and already blistering. "No. Sorry." His tone, sulky and petulant, held a note of wary respect. "Good. I'll heal that after my conversation with Reggie - if you ask nicely." Mike did not respond. Sam stepped forward. "We have a car waiting." "Let's go then." Corelli nodded. She could not show an ounce of the fear she was feeling right now. The Children of Anu respected strength and destroyed weakness. They were like human sharks and she hated dealing with them. She had no choice but to be strong and fearless. She was not certain what Reggie wanted but she had an idea what it might be. "That was really cool." Vicki said as the walked down the street. "Can you teach it to me?" "Only if you give up being a member of the Children and become a member of the Order." "Oh. Never mind then." "Yeah. Sorry. We all have our secrets, don't we?" Vicki gave her a sidelong glance and smiled, bright red lips half hidden by unreal hair. "I guess we do." *** Susan and her assistant, Monica, went through the inventory of the museum's storage room box by box and compared it to the detail records they kept at the Kendrick's Museum of History and Art. Most museums do not display everything they have on hand. There was far too much of it and most of it was not "on theme" or of that big of an interest. Also, museums liked to circulate various pieces in and out to keep the displays fresh and interesting for frequent and infrequent visitors. Over the last several hours the two women had performed a visual inspection of each and every box, artifact and bundle in the storage room against the printed manifest. They were tired, dirty and frustrated. But, at the same time, Susan had taken the time to reorganize the storage room to make things easier to find in the future. "So, that's it. What haven't we found?" Monica looked over the printed list with scribble marks all over it. "Ok. Either they took the box with the antique salt and pepper shaker collection, the box filled with artifacts from the Babylonian exhibit or the box with the antique bed warmers." Susan frowned. "It's not the shaker collection. That box is in my office getting ready to be shipped over to SAM in Seattle. So, Babylonian artifacts or bed warmers." "It's the bed warmers. Gotta be. Those things go for a mint on the black market." For a second Susan just stared at Monica. She frowned. It was true that bed warmers did command a relatively high price for what they were. Then, the light dawned. A joke. Monica was joking. "Oh, yes. Those damn bed warmer thieves!" "We need to put an APB out on them immediately. It is the Pacific Northwest. They may already be use!" The two women laughed, tired and hungry. "Well, actually, you should keep an eye on eBay for them. Just in case. People are weird about what they collect. Maybe someone did beat up a gargoyle to get a box of antique bed warmers. I don't know." Susan said. "Not likely but OK, boss." "Shoot me an email on the contents of the Babylon exhibit box that is missing. I'm going to need to make a full police report. I'm also going to have to call the alarm company and let them know they've been out magicked - again." "Yeah. I'll let you deal with them. We need to do something about this sort of thing. I'm tired of this place being such a target." "Why did you come to work here?" The question left Susan's mouth almost before she realized she was going to ask it. "Huh?" Monica stopped. "Why?" "I'm curious. Why did you come to work at a museum?" "History is my passion. I love being around all of this stuff. It links us to our past. Maybe tells us about our future. I'm always learning something new." Susan nodded. "Yeah. Me, too. We aren't the only ones with this passion or need to connect with our past. That's why this place is such a target. Now, I need to go figure what was so important about that box of Babylonian artifacts." *** "Thanks for coming by." Reggie said from his spot at the table in the front part of the warehouse where at least he and Vicki lived. Sam and Vicki peeled off to go do whatever it was they did on a normal basis. Mike stood off to one side. Close enough to be there if needed but not close enough to be part of the conversation. "Thanks for sending people who can't remember how to respect the leaders of a different Order." Corelli glanced at Mike. Reggie looked from Corelli to Mike and back again. "What happened?" "He touched me when he shouldn't have." Corelli sat down across from Reggie at the table. "I told him I'd heal his hand after we talked, if he asked nicely." She added as she dug out her lip gloss and a small mirror from her purse. "We'll see. He fucked up. Maybe he should suffer." She shrugged as she put the lip gloss on. This was not vanity. This was more of Corelli's personal magic. The lip gloss would help her speak the correct words she needed to speak, even if she did not know everything that was going on. She paused as she saw Vicki, in the mirror, spying on them from a vantage point behind Corelli. She said nothing. She did not care what the teen heard of the conversation. In fact, it might be in her best interest in the future to cultivate Vicki as an ally. "Don't care. What I care about is why you wanted to meet me." "Coffee?" He gestured to the pot. "Yes. Thank you." She had started to say no but her magic overrode her. Apparently, drinking coffee with Reggie was the more correct thing to do. Perhaps it meant he was treating her like a peer. She allowed him to pour the coffee. She accepted it and added two teaspoons of sugar. She liked her coffee sweet and, if necessary, there was magic she could link to the taste of coffee and sugar. He watched her fix her coffee and sip. "The Children of Anu and the Order of the Sacred Eye have had a long history, haven't they?" She nodded. "We were promised much based on our support of your Order in the December ritual." Corelli nodded again, listening to her inner voice for the needed words. "Yes. You were promised much based on the success of the ritual." "Nothing was said about what happens if the Order failed." She listened for the words. None came. She remained silent, watching. "The Children and the Order have been allies for a long time. I don't want that to change. We were promised a lot based on the success of the ritual. The ritual failed. We got nothing. Yet, we supported the Order." "What do you want?" "Acknowledgement of this debt! We won't walk away empty handed. Some of the Children died that night." Reggie put his coffee down and clenched his hands under the table. It was clear to Corelli that he was working hard to control his anger and to work within a society not his own. Corelli internally cringed as she spoke the words she did not want to say. "The Order of the Sacred Eye acknowledges that it owes the Children of Anu a debt." "A significant debt." She ignored his interruption. "A debt. This debt is acknowledged. What is it that the Children want in exchange for it?" Reggie sat back and looked at her for a long moment. She could see him fighting with himself over the semantics of 'debt' versus 'significant debt.' In the end, he decided not to quibble over it. He did something worse. "Nothing at this time. I just wanted the Order to acknowledge the debt owed to me and mine." Damn. Open ended debts were the worst thing someone could agree to but she had no choice. "The debt is acknowledged." "Thanks." She put down her cup. "Anything else?" He shook his head. "No." "Then, if you don't mind, I do have other things to do. I wasn't standing around waiting for your people to come fetch me." She glanced at Mike and his burned hand. Reggie looked over at Mike who stood up straighter. "Anything from you?" Mike stepped towards the table and addressed Corelli. "I'm sorry I touched you. I won't do it again. Will you heal my hand?" The words, though spoken smoothly, looked like they hurt to say. She almost agreed but her lip gloss magic, still working, prevented her from speaking. Instead, she just looked at him but turned her attention to Reggie out of the corner of her eye. "Are you willing to heal him, Corelli?" "Only if that's what you want, Reggie." "No. He fucked up. He should suffer. If Anu wishes, he will heal his Child." Mike looked at Reggie then quickly away. He clenched his uninjured hand into a fist but said nothing. "As you wish." She gathered up her purse. "Thank you for the coffee." "I'll have Sam drive you back." Corelli shook her head. "No thanks. I'll get a taxi." She held up a hand. "No need to get up. I know my way out." She turned and walked out through the front door without looking back or to the sides. She did so like a woman leaving a store she was no longer interested in. She knew Reggie and several of the Children watched her with great interest and a new regard. She had lived up to her new position and that was a factor to be considered within their plans. They all knew it. Once outside, she did not bother trying to hail a taxi. They rarely came this way. This was too dangerous an area for them. Instead, she headed for a bus stop she knew to be a couple blocks away. She realized, with a smile to herself, that she was not breaking down in trembles as soon as she walked away. In fact, she was feeling confident and self-assured at her performance. It was a good feeling. But, she could not bask in this glow for long. She needed to report to the rest of the First Circle and tell them what happened. *** Elsewhere... Karen sipped from her mug of coffee as she read the instant message from Susan and grimaced. Her coffee had gone cold. She did not like cold coffee. It always tasted too bitter to her. Instead of getting up to get more coffee, she reread the instant message. "Either it was a box of stolen bed warmers or a box of Babylonian and Sumerian artifacts." Susan typed. "My bet is the bed warmers." Karen responded with a smile. "Why is it that people always go for the bed warmers?" Karen laughed when she read the reply and typed, "Because it's funny." "Ha-ha." "Obviously, it would be the artifacts. Do you know why?" "No. That's the stupid thing about it. There wasn't much in that box. Just a mummified bull's head, some vases and a couple of plates. Valuable, yes. But, obvious and hard to sell afterwards." It was clear from Susan's response that she was frustrated and tired. " "Ritual components?" "Maybe." "Did you call the police?" Karen's 911 training was kicking in. "Yes. They weren't helpful." "Sorry." "Not your fault, is it?" "No. Wish I could help." Karen paused her typing as Sebastian hopped up on her desk and dropped something next to her hand. It landed with a metallic clink. "What's this?" 'Found. Found in the corner.' Sebastian thought at her before scampering off to complete his patrol of the apartment and the surrounding areas. Ever since he recovered, he had returned to his duties as her guardian with enthusiasm. It looked like an old coin. She picked it up and looked at it. She could not tell what kind of metal it was. She took another sip of her coffee and grimaced again. She had forgotten that it was already cold. She turned the coin over and saw the bull's head beaten into it. She suddenly knew exactly what it was and how it had gotten in her home. "I'm sorry I had to drug your coffee. But, it is war, Karen; between this supposed 'Master of the City' and the Order of the Sacred Eye. If you go tonight, you'll be hurt or killed and I love you too much to let that happen. I'm sorry it had to be this way but once his hold on you is broken..." David's words were interrupted by the unexpected sound of the front door being unlocked and opened. Heather came in, calling for her. "Karen! Karen! I got it! It fucking sucked and hurt like a bitch but I got you the meeting with the Children of Anu." Her voice traveled through the apartment as she looked for Karen. "But, something big is going on tonight. So, we have to go..." She reached the doorway between the small dining area and the kitchen, "... right now?" David and Heather looked at each other in silence for a couple of seconds. David could see that Heather had been through something unpleasant. She was dirty, bruised with a black eye and her clothing was torn. "What happened to you?" David asked, unable to help himself. "Test of Worth. I passed." She said, frowning at him and the scene. "What the hell's happening here?" She gestured to Karen slumped on the kitchen table. "Nothing you need to concern yourself with, girl." The voice came from behind Heather. Paul Maloy, known as Todesengel within the Order of the Sacred Eye, stepped into sight and grabbed Heather as she turned. Without hesitation, the man slit Heather's throat from ear to ear and held her captive as the blood gushed from her throat. Whatever she had been holding tumbled from her hand and skittered off to the far corner of the dining area as she struggled with the man killing her. The coin was some sort of pass key to meet with the Children of Anu. Heather had been bringing it to her when Karen had been betrayed by David and then David had been betrayed by the Order of the Sacred Eye. It had been Karen's worst nightmare come to life - to watch a friend die while she had been helpless to stop it. Both Heather and David had been left dead in her apartment. One shot. One with her throat slit. Both bodies had disappeared by the time Karen had been rescued and made it home again. Karen reread the log between Susan and her. A box full of Babylonian and Sumerian artifacts. John had told her that the Children of Anu worshipped a Sumerian God named Anu. The connection seemed clear enough to her. "I wish you could, too." Susan's message had been sitting there for a couple of minutes. "Maybe I can." She typed. "What do you mean?" "I'll explain as soon as I know more." "Be careful!" Karen could hear Susan in her head with that last admonishment. "I will. I promise. Talk to you later." Karen read Susan's parting respond and then looked down at the coin sitting on her mousepad. John warned her away from the Children of Anu. She could not do that. Not anymore. It was time to see what else he would tell her.
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| Last updated on 1/3/2008 9:07:57 PM by Jennifer Brozek |
| Return to the Library. Go to Kendrick Archives. |
| Other documents at this level: 01 - Caller ID: Unknown 02 - Eye of the Engraving 03 - Arbiter 04 - Forgotten School Days 05 - Sacrificium Memoriae 06 - The Inspiration of Insanity 07 - The Running Feeling 08 - Afternoon Tea 09 - Sins of the Brother 10 - Burning Bridges 11 - Betrayal 12 - Warfare & the Rite 13 - Beginnings and Endings 14 - Heart's Desire 16 - Many Happy Returns 17 - Many Unanswered Questions 18 - Concessions 19 - Blue Moon Revelations 20 - First Blood 21 - Transcript 22 - Ultimatums Part One 23 - Ultimatums Part Two 24 - Too Little Too Late |
It was never a good thing when her tattoo started itching. Corelli looked down at the simple line tattoo of an eye inside a pyramid on the back of her right hand. When the All-Seeing Eye woke, it meant that people, she was not already aware of, were watching her with a very specific intent. She raised her head and looked around as she walked down the street. There, before her, two guys in scruffy clothing walking towards her. She looked behind her and saw a third, a girl, closing in. Corelli did the only thing she could do now: She dug in her purse, pulled out a few Red Hot candies and ate them. The cinnamon flavor burned in her mouth and gave her confidence as it warmed her body.