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NOTE: These stories are
intended for a mature audience.

Transcript
A "Kendrick" Story
By
Jennifer Brozek
Start from the beginning of the Kendrick Series

[Transcript Begin]

Karen Wilson: What the hell is he doing here?

Corelli: This meeting was for the heads and seconds of the invited groups, right?

Karen Wilson: Yes.

Corelli: V'ger is the head of the Order of the Sacred Eye.

Karen Wilson: Dammit Corelli! He's also the man who shot a cop in my kitchen and kidnapped me from my home last December.

Corelli: He's the head of my Order. I am its second. Is -

V'ger: (interrupting) Please, if I may. Yes, I have done many wrong things in the past. While I was ordered to do them, I'm not innocent. At this time, I can do nothing more than apologize and state before this entire room that I owe you. It is something we should work out in private. We have much more important matters to deal with than the wrongs I have done to you and yours.

John Corso: Karen, this isn't the time or place.

Karen Wilson: Shit. All right. Anyone else need to spring anything else on me? [pause] No? Good. I'm assuming you all know who the other groups are in this room. Quick introductions. Pay attention. There's a quiz later. I'm Karen Wilson; I represent the Master of the City. This is John Corso; Independent. Lamiel and Juliet; Bachannalia Coven. Brother Luke and Brother John; Brotherhood of Light. Walks-the-Ocean and Standing Stone; Makah Tribe, Corelli and V'ger; Order of the Sacred Eye. Susan; representing the Gargoyles of the City. Lady Grey, Theodore and Theodora; the Grey Manor. 

John Corso: I suggested this meeting because I'm connected to a lot of you in minor ways and, as such, am able to see what you all are seeking. Over the past couple of weeks, I've seen a trend amongst you all. There's aconcern over a growing power in this city.

Susan Moore: The Children of Anu.

John Corso: Thank you, Susan. Yes. The Children of Anu. Until recently they have been a quiet and secretive, if brutal, group. Suddenly, they've been seen all over the city. They've attacked some of us or our places of business. I know several groups did a scrying or divination recently. I think it is time to share what we know and see what we should do about this.  We need to have a plan and we need to protect the city from what the Children are doing. We need to work together and let each other know what we are doing so we don't re-invent the wheel.

Corelli: I am the Mistress of Magic in my Order. I was the one who received the vision. I am willing to share.

Lamiel: My Coven had a successful divination. I am willing to share.

Walks-the-Ocean: The Elders have agreed to share our wisdom.

John Corso: I had a vision as well. I will share. Who's first?

V'ger: The Order of the Sacred Eye offers all of the knowledge they know that they can give.

Karen Wilson: All right.

V'ger: Corelli.

Corelli: The vision I had showed a great power moving from the spiritual plane into this one. The Children of Anu is guided by this power and will do anything for it. They are offering power and rewards for those who assist. They are going to make a change that will affect all of Kendrick and possibly the world. The Order of the Sacred Eye is tied into this somehow. We see that we can help or hinder this coming. We have elected to hinder it in all the ways we can.

Lamiel: We saw something similar. Except that we saw that this power is specifically targeting the oldest groups in the city: The Grey Manor. The Makah Tribe. My coven. Even the Master of the City. Places of power will be destroyed. That which is sacred to us will be violated. There's something more. We saw two people sacrificed to this power. A young man and an old one.

Brother Luke: What did the old one look like?

Susan Moore: Very old. Balding. Blue eyes.

Brother Luke: Was he wearing a robe? Like this?

Lamiel: I don't remember but I remember it was ... brown like that.

Brother Luke: Then the urgency of action is even greater. We need to find and stop them. Brother Peter, the Abbot of my Order, was kidnapped two days ago. He was already injured from a previous battle. I believe that he is one of these sacrifices.

V'ger: Do you have something that belongs to him? We can seek him out that way.

Brother Luke: Yes.

Lamiel: We can't help. Your order would put mine to death!

Brother Luke: Wait! That's not true! We only protect this world from things on the spiritual plane that people like you let in.

John Corso: Please people!

Karen Wilson: Lamiel! Brother Luke!

[Babble of yelling voices.] [Silence.]

Lady Grey: My apologies for having to invoke Silence on this meeting but we are here to fight a common enemy. Not each other. I believe that Walks-the-Ocean was trying to tell us the wisdom of his elders.

Walks-the-Ocean: Thank you. Listening to what everyone has said has brought new meaning to what the Spirits have told us. There will be two sacrifices: One will be the greatest enemy of the Children. The other will be the greatest love of the Children. Both sacrifices will be made at the same time. When this is done, a great evil will walk the lands, corrupting that which is good and protects. No one will be safe.

Karen Wilson: When is this sacrifice to be made?

Walks-the-Ocean: Soon. I believe on or near what some view as the Death of the Year.

Lady Grey: The Changing of the Courts.

Lamiel: Samhain.

John Corso: Halloween.

Brother Luke: All Saints. There's still time!

John Corso: Yes. There is still time but we all have to work together. No more bickering.

Karen Wilson: All right. Here's what I think we need to do: Find Brother Peter. Find out where this sacrifice is supposed to be made. Find out why the Children are targeting the oldest of the supernatural groups to see if it is beyond the obvious they-want-power thing. Find out what this change or evil they are bringing into the world is and find out if there is a way to stop it before it happens.

John Corso: No one group can do all things. We'll need to split this up.

Corelli: The Order will find out where the sacrifice is to be made.

Karen Wilson: I'm going to look for Brother Peter.

Susan Moore: I'll help you.

Karen Wilson: Ok.

John Corso: Brother Luke, I think your group needs to focus on how to stop this evil before it breaks through.

Brother Luke: But-

John Corso: No buts. You're too close to Brother Peter. Plus, we need you to do your part as the greatest threat to the Children of Anu.

Brother Luke: As you wish.

Lady Grey:  I believe that Walks-the-Ocean and I can research why it is targeting the oldest of us.

Lamiel: What do you want the Bacchanalia Coven to do?

John Corso: I think that your group should help Corelli and the Order as well as research a second way to stop the evil from coming through to this side and what to do about it if it does make it through. Like, how to identify it.

Lamiel: We can do that.

Theodora: There's someone outside, watching!

Theodore: They just ducked down again.

[Babble of voices.] [Static.] [Silence.]

"Is this it?" Mayor Stewart asked as he took the headphones off.

"Yes sir." David said.

"Who did the transcription?"

"I did."

He looked down at the paper. "It sounded like the meeting was already in progress."

"I arrived a little late with my team. Traffic. Also, I had to be very careful setting everything up. I could not be seen. Only the greetings were missed."

He nodded. "Who was the person who stood up then?"

"Sergeant Mueller. He has already been spoken to for breaking cover and interrupting the surveillance."

Mayor Stewart gazed at David. "How do you feel about all this?"

He tilted his head. "All this?"

"The conversation. Their plan of action." He paused then added, "V'ger."

David's mouth compressed into a thin white line before he forced himself to relax, "I think they have the beginnings of a good alliance. I think they have a decent plan of action. I think V'ger... I don't think about V'ger."

"You don't think about the man who betrayed you, shot you and kidnapped your girlfriend for a ritual sacrifice? I think you do need to think about him." He gestured to David's tightly clasped hands. "Judging by your reaction, I'm ordering you to think about it and to talk about it with the S.U. psychologist."

"Yes sir."

"I'll have a call into her office by tomorrow afternoon. If you don't have an appointment set up with her by then, you'll be put on a leave of absence, pending a psychological evaluation. I can't have an unstable detective running the S.U."

"Did you know, sir?"

"Know what?"

"That the man... that V'ger... was alive and active."

"No."

"Would it have made any difference to you?"

Mayor Stewart gazed at David for a few moments, then shook his head. "No, Detective, it wouldn't have."

"Ah."

"Make sure all transcripts and recordings come to me alone. Remind Sergeant Mueller that this is one of those silent missions."

"Yes sir."

"Anything else?"

"No sir."

"Dismissed." Mayor Stewart watched the detective leave his office. He wondered if the young man could be trusted with the upcoming missions. He had so much emotion bottled up and most of it revolved around his unrequited love for Karen Wilson. She, on the other hand, had apparently forgotten all about her former lover.

***

"Who do you think was out there?" Karen asked as she sat on the couch next to John.

He shrugged. "I don't know. Most likely, it was a member of one of the groups we invited. Maybe they were patrolling. It was a good time to stop the meeting anyway. That many different supernatural groups in one room is dangerous."

"It went surprisingly well. Did you have a card in play?"

John smiled. "Maybe. I think a little bit of rift healing was needed."

Karen scoffed, "There's no way the rift between V'ger and me is going to be mended. He's lucky I didn't have a building fall on him."

"Can you do that?"

"I don't know. Maybe." She took a sip of her wine. "I noticed that you didn't tell anyone what your vision was."

"I know. I didn't want to bring the focus back to you. We all need to work together and we all need not to be dependent on just one person." He put his arm around her. "Besides, that's also why I didn't volunteer to do anything. One, I'm a good foil for you and for plan making. People trust me. Two, I already have a job."

She smiled at him. "What might that be?"

"Keeping you out of trouble and, barring that, rescuing you if you need it."

"I won't. I'm not a damsel in distress."

"I know. By virtue of the fact that you have a knight protector, you won't need me. It's like carrying an umbrella to ensure it won't rain."

"Is that what you are now? A knight protector?"

He half smiled at her. "For some." He took her glass from her. "For very few, actually."

Karen did not move. She watched his face, his mouth, his eyes. "John, I really like you. A lot. And this would be the most inconvenient time ever to get involved with someone."

"I know." His face hovered near hers.

"Especially with some possible apocalypse happening on or around Halloween."

"I know." He leaned closer.

"You're a pain in the ass."

"I know," he said and kissed her.

She returned his kiss, wrapping her arms around his neck.

***

Elsewhere...

"Who do you love most?" Vicki asked.

"You, of course." Reggie answered.

"Well, if I wasn't here, who would you love most?"

"You, still. I love you whether you're here or not."

She grinned. "Touché. Ok. Who do you love second most?"

He looked around the warehouse at the half of the Children that where here instead of at the sacred cave, guarding it and nursing their captive back to health. "In truth, me. Selfish, I know. But true."

"I love you most of all."

"I know you do, kiddo."

"I don't know what I'd do without you."

"You'd manage. You're strong. Beside, I'm not going anywhere." Reggie ruffled her teal hair.

"What about you, Sam?" Vicki turned to look over her shoulder. "Who do you love most?"

He grinned at her. "Reggie."

She mock pouted at him and then asked Mike the same question.

"Love is stupid." He obviously did not want to play Vicki's little game.

"I don't think so," Reggie said. "You love Anu, don't you? Or do you only fear him?"

"No. I love Anu." Mike looked very uncomfortable.

"So, who here do you love the most?" Reggie made a gesture to encompass the entire warehouse.

"You, man. I guess it's you."

"See? That wasn't so hard, was it?" Vicki asked, a malicious gleam twinkling in her eyes. "We all love Reggie best."

"I'm gonna go get something from the store." Mike said and stomped off.

"Bring me Twinkies!" Vicki called.

"Yeah! Twinkies and apple pies!" Reggie yelled after him.

They all laughed as Mike made gesture to indicate that he had heard and to tell them all to fuck off.

"Man, I like Mike. He's a good Second but, dude, he needs to lighten up." Reggie laughed.

Vicki and Sam nodded, exchanging a gleeful look.

Story by Jennifer Brozek, Copyright 2007
Image by Rory Clark, Stopped Motion Photography, Copyright 2007