Elect II—16 Night Creatures, part 3 of 3

January 25, 2017January 3, 2017M G Kizzia Leave a comment

Lisa heard the sound of a baby cry. Her drooping eyelids sprang open and her head jerked up to attention. Her mom-sense kicked in. It was not one of her babies. Pictures of her own babies flashed through her memory and made her smile. Her head began to droop again until the baby cry rose up the scale and became an unearthly wail. Her eyes opened wide.

Lisa heard the crash downstairs. Her watch said eight o’clock. She almost went to sleep sitting there, but the crash brought her fully awake. She strained her ears and heard a sizzling sound. A moment later, she could smell the burning hair. She did not know if any of her other traps worked, but she thought she better not wait around to find out.

“Quickly. Up the stairs,” Lisa shouted. Though unclear how intelligent the night creatures were, Lisa felt that even if they did not understand the words, they might think she was talking to someone. She stood on the attic stairs and closed the door behind her. She made running sounds on the steps until she heard a crash against the door and the door developed a wicked crack. “Enough. Out.” She shouted to herself. She ran and another crash came, followed by a growl.

Lisa reached for the bicycle handle bars even as she heard scratches scrambling up the stairs. She went out the window and slid down the rope hoping only that she stayed inside long enough for the rear guard to catch up. Lisa landed just behind the line of firs and found a surprise. There were people there with high powered rifles. Emily and Heinrich were also there. She smiled briefly for Emily and felt glad for the first time to see Heinrich. Without a word, she picked up the box she set at the base of the rope that afternoon. Then they all waited, but they did not have to wait long.

The night creatures burst out the side window with such speed and ferocity, the entire window frame got wrenched from the side of the house. There were four on the lawn, roaring, but hesitant, as if they sensed the danger. Lisa dared not wait.

“Everybody get down!” she yelled over the roars and pushed the red button. The entire side lawn of the house exploded. It became impossible to see for a moment as dirt, grass, snow and stones flew everywhere.

The trees protected the people for the most part. Sergeant Holmes got a deep cut in her arm as a shard of rock whizzed past. Rob Parker took a stone in the leg, but that did not prevent his fingers from pulling the trigger when Heinrich yelled at full volume, “Fire!”

Bullets filled the air like rain. Most put holes in the house, but there was no place for the night creatures to hide. They charged. One had been blown to pieces by the explosives. A second looked crippled in three of four legs, but it still dragged itself forward, growling and snapping its terrible jaws. A third had a gash in its side that poured out blood, but that did not impede its mobility. The fourth appeared only stunned by the explosions and it went straight for Lisa.

Lisa got her knives out, but the creature was on her and leapt. She had no choice but to fall to her back to avoid the outstretched claws and teeth. Her knives went up and cut along the underbelly of the beast, using the creature’s momentum against it, but the creature was so full of muscle and cartilage, little of the guts spilled on her. Her knives got torn from her hands.

Heinrich swung his broadsword up from the throat, having surmised the spinal cord might be stronger than his steel. The blow, not as hard as one would have been from above, caused the broadsword to slice through most of the neck before it hit the spine and snapped in two. That creature collapsed and trapped Lisa under its hind quarters.

The one with the terrible gash leapt at Emily who was barely quick enough to step aside as Riverbend’s arrow penetrated the creature’s eye. Mitzy held tight to the spear despite the sweat pouring from her palms. When the creature opened its mouth to roar, and just before it twisted to follow Emily, Mitzy rammed the spear in that open mouth. Again, the creature’s momentum drove the blade deep into its throat until Mitzy got lifted from her feet and driven back through the air. The creature snapped its jaws shut and easily broke the shaft of the spear, but it could not dislodge the blade down its throat. Mitzy, driven wildly to the earth, broke her wrist. Her ribs cracked on the side where she clung tenaciously to the spear.

Emily stabbed with her sword, and all the strength she had. The sword entered the creature’s side and pinned it to the oak tree. Officer Scott stepped up and riddled the creature with bullets until the creature stopped moving.

“Look out!” Heinrich let out his own roar. The crippled one had nearly reached Lisa’s feet where she was pinned beneath the back side of the beast that she gutted and Heinrich beheaded. With another roar, Heinrich pushed the creature off. Lisa pulled up her feet and rolled away. Ashish and Millsaps came up and filled the creature with enough bullets to make its body bounce on the ground. It, too, eventually stopped moving and everyone sighed relief. Until Margaret Holmes shouted.

“Another one.”

Everyone’s eyes turned toward the front of the house where a figure stood in the dark and a night creature sat beside it like a faithful puppy dog. The figure wailed an unearthly sound and pointed, and the night creature started toward the group. No one had a weapon left. The rifles had been emptied. Knives and pistols were pulled, but everyone imagined they might not survive this encounter.

Just before the creature charged, a bright flash of light shone at the end of the trees. The creature became a pincushion of arrows. It roared but did not deviate from its path. A second volley of arrows, and the creature staggered. Pistols fired as Emily finally yanked her sword free of the beast and the oak tree as a third volley of arrows sent the creature to its knees.

Half of the elf troop charged the figure in the dark who wailed again and vanished. The other half charged the creature with swords drawn, even as Emily charged. Emily sliced the creature’s throat. The elves cut elsewhere until the creature finally stopped moving forward.

Heinrich, Riverbend and Lisa arrived at the same time, along with one of the elves who turned back from following the vanished figure.

“Ghoul,” that elf reported.

“Damn!” Heinrich swore.

Riverbend turned to Lisa. “And where there is one, there are ten.”

Heinrich finished the couplet. “And where there are ten, there are a hundred.”

Riverbend got their attention with her next word. “Empress.” She spoke to Lisa, and Emily grinned. “This is Lieutenant Aurora. She and her troop are assigned to you until this crisis is passed.”

“What?” Lisa looked uncertain.

“Do not turn down the help. Ghouls are terrible to face alone.” Heinrich still looked in the direction the ghoul had escaped. He did not see Riverbend and Aurora both bow their heads.

“Lord,” Aurora breathed.

“No,” Emily spoke up and still had the grin. “I think she is objecting to the title, Empress.”

Lisa turned to Emily. “Queen,” she said, but she grinned too before she turned to her house and shrieked. “My house! My yard! Josh is going to kill me!”

“Hey! Who are you?” Margaret Holmes shouted and every eye turned. The Pizza delivery man had his mouth open. No one could tell how long he stood there, or if maybe he saw the whole battle. He did have one thing to say.

“Wicked!”

************************

Next Monday, the Amazon troop begin to set about their Zoe assigned task in the Elect II-17, Closing the Door. Happy Reading

Elect II—16 Night Creatures, part 2 of 3

January 24, 2017January 2, 2017M G Kizzia Leave a comment

The sun got ready to set. Heinrich sat with his back to the oak that grew in the midst of the row of fir trees that acted like a fence between the yards. He quietly gathered himself in anticipation of what was to come, when Sergeant Holmes came and sat beside him.

“You seem so calm,” she said.

“I learned long ago to conserve my strength before battle,” he answered. “But surely you have learned such things in your years on the force.”

Margaret let out a slight smile. “If that is your way of saying I am a bit old for police work, no offence taken.”

“That is not what I meant,” Heinrich excused himself.

Sergeant Holmes just let out a bit more of her smile. “To tell the truth, I was destined for a desk a few years ago.” She paused to rub her knee. “Getting old is hard. Captain Williams let me train a couple of rookies, but after Scott.” She shrugged. “I’ll probably be forced to sit down.” She sighed. “How about you?”

“At the university. History professor,” he admitted.

“Oh? I thought you were a police officer. I assumed. So what are you doing here? How did you get mixed up in all this?”

Heinrich put his finger in the air as if to say, wait, he would show her. “Emily,” he called, “Your majesty.” He added that designation on purpose as he stood and jumped thirty feet straight up to the top of the oak.

Emily stopped quietly talking to Officer Scott, trying to explain the inexplicable, when Heinrich called. Sebastian’s jaw dropped seeing Heinrich’s jump to the top of the tree. “Excuse me,” Emily said. She could not make the treetop in one leap, but she could reach one big branch, and another, and meet Heinrich on the third jump. She looked all around and said, “I see no sign of them yet.”

“No, and you won’t until dark.” At that moment Ashish finished telling a joke and Millsaps, Mitzy and Rob Parker all laughed out loud. “And I dare say we will never see them if this crowd does not become inconspicuous.”

Emily nodded. “I will see what I can do, if anything, but meanwhile, how are you and Sergeant Holmes getting along?” She could not help the tease.

“Not funny,” Heinrich responded and he jumped back to the ground. Emily could follow him that distance down without too much trouble.

Officer Scott stepped over to sit beside his Sergeant. She had nothing to say, either, but Emily took advantage of that to address them both. “I don’t know if I can reach her, but if I can, no screaming.” She turned, spoke up a bit and shook her finger at Ashish. “No more jokes. We need quiet from now on.” She looked around to see that everyone was paying attention before she called, “Captain Riverbend.”

“Here, majesty.” Riverbend appeared out of nowhere, or as Emily guessed, became visible beside her. “But I have no such magic to make this many mortals inconspicuous. I will have to call in the troops.” It was a request.

Emily sighed. Riverbend appeared in her jeans, that fancy winter cape and her glasses, but she knew the troop would not be disguised. She turned again to the police officers around her and spoke firmly and frankly. “A troop of elves will be disguising our presence here in some way. I don’t want anyone freaking out, and no screaming. Have you got that?” Most nodded, but Emily wanted to be sure the State Troopers were prepared. Millsaps, Rob Parker, Mitzy and certainly Ashish had seen things so they might not be so surprised. When Emily felt they were all as prepared as possible, she spoke again to Riverbend. “All right.”

Riverbend took out her little flute and played a tune. Immediately the air beside her began to brighten until it became a hole between here and there. A dozen elves burst from the hole, arrows at the ready. Several people gasped, but at least no one screamed. Riverbend explained and then invited everyone to stand by the oak tree. The elves formed something like a line and began to dance in a circle around the people. They danced with absolute grace through the trees and chanted in a sing-song kind of way. It was both creepy and fascinating at the same time. It did not take long, though, and the elves went back through the hole which promptly disappeared.

“Now keep quiet,” Heinrich concluded as Emily and Riverbend went to sit beside a fir tree. It took a few minutes for Officer Scott to build up the courage to sit beside them.

“Captain Riverbend, elf. Sebastian Scott, State Trooper.” Emily whispered the introductions.

“Wonderful to meet you,” Riverbend stuck out her hand to shake and said an aside to Emily. “I think I’m getting good at that.”

Emily shook her head. “Keep practicing,” she whispered.

Sebastian withdrew his hand and looked at it for a moment before he verbalized what was on his mind.

“Majesty?”

“Amazon queen,” Riverbend poked her nose in. Sebastian looked like he wanted to laugh but something told him he should know better. “Certified by Zoe herself,” Riverbend concluded with a grin and a nod of her head.

“Zoe?” Sebastian asked.

“No need to go into that,” Emily shut down that conversation. But Sebastian was curious. He spoke again after a moment.

“Captain?” He looked at Riverbend. This time Emily butted in.

“Military. And she leads an all-female troop.”

“Lady Alice says we can’t be real Amazons. Only humans can be real Amazons,” Riverbend looked down at her hands where she worried her fingers. Emily ignored her until Riverbend sighed.

“What?” Emily asked.

“I hope David has not forgotten me.”

“David?” Sebastian asked.

“My brother,” Emily answered. “Not a chance.” She spoke to Riverbend. “I have talked to him twice since Christmas and all he talks about is you.”

Riverbend brightened, but only for a moment. “I hope Lady Alice will make it so we can be together.” Riverbend finished her thought.

“Lady Alice?” Sebastian looked confused.

“Zoe,” Riverbend answered which did not help at all.

“Zoe?”

“No need to go into that,” Emily repeated.

Elect II—16 Night Creatures, part 1 of 3

January 23, 2017January 2, 2017M G Kizzia Leave a comment

Ashish picked up Emily and Heinrich and drove them to Lisa’s, taking great care to park where the car could not be seen from the house. A police car had already parked there. Ashish offered an explanation.

“Rob Parker, Millsaps and Mitzy.” Then he added a further thought. “Mitzy took the afternoon off. Carmine is covering the front desk.”

Emily nodded as she got out from the back seat. She helped Heinrich. He did not look well. He was sweating and his eyes did not appear to be in focus.

“I’m fine. I’m fine,” he insisted, but he was terribly old and for the first time he began to look that way. Emily got out their weapons. Ashish got out the two boxes of donuts and the big box of coffee with cups. Heinrich suddenly looked very much better, and commented. “Activated.” Only Emily knew what he meant, but she was glad to hear it. Once a member of the council got activated, he became even stronger and faster then she could ever hope to be.

The clothesline strung from Lisa’s attic to the ground ended in the trees that edged that side of the yard. Mister Murray next door liked his privacy. Josh’s motorcycle sat parked on the street, not far from the end of the trees. They all figured the bike was Lisa’s means of escape in case her traps did not finish the job. Even as Heinrich, Emily and Ashish stepped up to where Mitzy, Millsaps and Rob Parker were hiding behind the trees, an unexpected visitor arrived. A state police vehicle roared up, blocked Josh’s motorcycle, and left the lights flashing while two troopers stepped out.

Mister Murray chose that moment to come tumbling out of his house and yell. “Get them off my yard!”

Millsaps ran to the newcomers and showed his badge while Ashish grabbed the young one and forced him to turn off the flashing lights. Rob Parker and Mitzy blocked off Mister Murray’s approach and told him to shut-up. Heinrich slid up alongside Millsaps thinking he might be better able to answer any questions. Emily just stood there, cruller in hand, and frowned.

“Scott!” The Sergeant, a woman of about fifty, yelled at the young one when the lights went off. “Rookie,” she shook her head. “So what is this all about?”

“You get on the phone with Captain Rogers,” Millsaps encouraged the officer to return to her car. “Tell him Detective Schromer is on a stake out and does not want a bunch of state troopers getting in the way.”

“Captain Rogers?”

“Your Captain Rogers,” Millsaps nodded. “Or I could call the Governor.”

The older woman did not look too certain, but she got back in the car and shut the door to make a private call.

“You know the Governor?” Heinrich asked, casually.

“No, but Lisa saved his life about three years ago. Long story.”

The rookie walked with Ashish up to where Emily stood, still frowning. “So, drug dealers?” The rookie asked.

Ashish smiled. “Worse than that.”

Ashish and the rookie stopped walking where Ashish could go for a donut. “Terrorists?” the rookie tried again.

“Worse, worse,” Ashish said through the jelly.

“Emily Hudson,” Emily introduced herself and stuck out her hand.

“Sebastian Scott.” The rookie took her hand, but stared at her sword and the wicked looking spear that leaned up against the tree before he took in her face.

Millsaps and Heinrich stopped their quiet conversation when the window in the patrol car went down. The woman looked pale. “The Captain said to ask if it is like vampires or like aliens.” She swallowed and clearly did not know what else to say. Millsaps looked at Heinrich who took up the explanation.

“Tell him it is like werewolves except stronger, faster and hungrier.”

“And tell him to keep away,” Millsaps added before he turned to Heinrich. “I am already afraid there are too many of us. The creatures might sniff us out and not come, do you think?”

Heinrich nodded slowly. “According to Mister Mousad, Lisa told no one. She did not want to risk anyone else’s life. The only way Mister Mousad found out was because she used the police helicopter to pick up her husband and children so it would look from the ground like they never left the house.”

Emily and Sebastian let go of the handshake and a stray thought passed through Emily’s mind. At least this one wasn’t manufactured.

“Look,” the man turned to Ashish. “What could be worse than terrorists?”

“Night Creatures,” Emily answered to regain the man’s attention. “And don’t think that pea shooter of a pistol will help you.” She pointed and he looked.

“You new on the force?” Ashish asked. Sebastian’s head turned again to the man.

“Since the first of the year. Officer Holmes took me on because she said it was better than sitting behind a desk.” He saw her open the trunk of the patrol car.

“Margaret,” she was saying.

“Heinrich.” He shook her hand and smiled. “Welcome to my world,” he said at the same time Ashish spoke to Officer Scott.

“Welcome to the really dark underbelly of the world.”

“Scott!” Margaret Holmes pulled two semi-automatic rifles from the trunk. “Move this vehicle quietly down the street. Around the corner would be better.” She turned to Heinrich and Millsaps. “Captain said we have to stay.” She turned to Mister Murray, still waiting behind the wall of Rob Parker and Mitzy. “I suggest you lock yourself in for the night.”

“Better,” Heinrich interrupted and stepped up with a wad of bills in his hand. “Grab a few things and spend the night in a motel.” He handed over the bills. Mister Murray retreated to the house, and Rob Parker encouraged him.

Mitzy got on her phone. She covered it as she spoke to Heinrich, Millsaps and Officer Holmes. “I ordered Pizza delivery for eight o’clock. I figure I better add another pie.”

###

It was nearly five when Dickenson drove to Latasha’s home. Wendy and Mini were there, and even Keisha made the trek because they were all worried. Latasha felt bad. She had her phone with her but neglected to phone home. Once it got explained, that Latasha was fine and she got a ride home from the officer because she helped solve a mystery and not because she was in trouble, Latasha’s mother became her warmest and most welcoming self. Soon enough, they were all sitting down to supper, and it would have been trouble free if John and Leah had not kept trying to touch Officer Dickenson’s gun and baton.

“Tom,” Officer Dickenson introduced himself to Latasha’s mother and in that moment, Latasha, Wendy, Mini and Keisha all decided Tom was the most wonderful name in the world.

After supper, they talked briefly on the porch and left Latasha’s mother to put the little ones to bed. Tom had to be at the station by nine to go on duty, but he told them something of his background. Latasha thought especially that he was talking to her.

“I grew up in Newark. In my neighborhood a person either ended up in front of the bars or behind them. I chose in front. I got an associate’s degree, went straight through the police academy and landed a job here. I’ve been on the force for three years, but until now I always did my job and minded my own business. I don’t think I can do that anymore.”

Latasha spoke because the others seemed too tongue tied. “All I can say is I am glad you were there with the spiders. I was scared.”

“Spiders?” Mini shrieked softly. She had a phobia about spiders, and most things.

Officer Dickenson laughed nervously. “I am deathly afraid of spiders, too,” he assured Mini. “I was just thinking I was glad Latasha was there.” He looked at her, and for the first time in her memory, Latasha blushed.

Elect II—15 Spiders and Webs, part 3 of 3

January 18, 2017January 2, 2017M G Kizzia Leave a comment

Latasha, Harmony and officer Dickenson spent the morning doing some hunting of their own. Latasha cradled her axe the whole way as they tried to follow the trail back to the spider lair from Latasha’s house. It petered out on the back streets by the University.

“Pavement is very difficult,” Harmony admitted, and the others agreed.

They went to officer Dickenson’s lodgings. He was broken up about his landlady, but there was nothing he could do. When they found the house empty, apart from webbing everywhere, he called Mitzy back at the station. The investigators had already been there and found nothing, and for the record they told the news reporters it was an ordinary break-in. Dickenson had no doubt the investigators would catch up with him when he got back on duty. He hoped the news reporters would leave him alone. He asked Mitzy to continue to try and get in touch with detectives Schromer and Moussad and hung up. He was not expected back on duty until evening. He worked the graveyard shift, but he knew he would not sleep until this matter got settled.

Curiously, the big police officer felt much safer with this skinny high school girl around. He was not entirely comfortable with this Harmony girl, but thus far she had been a help. She was certainly a better hunter than he was. She said the trail from the house should be fresher and it should lead them right back to the lair. They would not have to try and follow it backwards. He had not considered that.

“I would feel better if Fiona was here. She is our hunter.” Harmony spoke to Latasha and it appeared as if she was asking permission. Latasha took a long look at officer Dickenson before she agreed.

“She will have to have a glamour to look human,” Latasha said, and the officer took one step back.

“I will tell her.” Harmony pulled a small flute from some unknown pocket in her coat. The tune was nothing to speak of, but at once, a shimmering of light appeared beside them. Latasha barely had time to think it was a good thing they were in the back yard and mostly hidden by bushes before the light became a hole between there and somewhere else. A half-dozen elves jumped out with their bows in hand, ready for action.

“I need Fiona, and she needs a glamour to appear human.” Harmony spoke right away with her own glance at officer Dickenson’s amazed face.

The elves straightened up and the one who spoke might as well have saluted. “Yes, mum. I will fetch her.” They went back into the hole and a moment later one came out looking like she was ready to go to a seventies disco to dance the night away. As the hole or light snapped shut, Harmony helped Fiona shape her clothes into a more sensible soft T, Jeans, running shoes, and a plain winter coat.

“What are we hunting?” Fiona asked with a flip of her long blonde locks and a not entirely innocent look at officer Dickenson.

“You will have to excuse her,” Harmony apologized. “Her last visit to earth was a few decades ago.”

Fiona looked at Harmony, clicked her tongue, made a face, and repeated her question.

“Spiders,” Latasha answered and used her hands to show the approximate size of the things.

“Spiders?” Fiona asked with a look at Harmony.

“Not spiritual creatures,” Harmony answered.

“Not native to earth,” Officer Dickenson interjected.

“A mystery,” Fiona genuinely smiled and began to look around. It took a moment before she started off. The others followed and only stopped now and then when Fiona squatted down to check something close to the ground.

By three, even as Lisa sat down on her attic step, and Jessica assigned the Amazons their various tasks, Fiona brought them to the same warehouse Latasha and Dickenson had visited before.

“I guessed,” Officer Dickenson admitted.

Latasha just nodded her agreement. “But this time we go in more carefully.” The door was still unlocked. Latasha opened it a mere crack and they listened. They heard a voice, and it did not sound human.

“I was just getting ready to eat him. Males can be very tasty.”

“Okay, but look. We got a deal.” Latasha recognized the voice of Carlos.

“So you say,” the other voice responded, and Latasha heard enough. Harmony and Fiona had their bows out and ready and Dickenson had his gun out when Latasha kicked the door wide open. They saw the spider. It looked enormous, being a good three feet from mouth to abdomen. Given its bulk, though not quite as tall, it appeared to dwarf Carlos. But it was Carlos who saw them and yelled.

“Get them!”

Some thirty or forty little ones began to run toward them. Both people and elves froze for a second. It took long enough to hear a shout come from a walkway above their heads.

“Get out! Get out!”

They heard the gunfire before Latasha got the warehouse door closed. She did not recognize the rapid fire sound, but officer Dickenson had heard an AK-47 before. Latasha heard the voice of Bobby Thompson before.

Harmony got out her flute and in short order there were a dozen elves at their backs. Arrows were notched and knives were ready to come to hand when they went back in. The gunfire had stopped. Twenty-seven spiders littered the floor, but a dozen still needed killing, including the five that drained Bobby Thompson dry. The big spider, the one Latasha now guessed was the mother, was not there. Latasha and Jessica had killed the father, the tasty male. She hoped the babies were now all dead, but there was no telling. Some spiders produced huge egg sacks.

“Carlos is gone,” Latasha said out loud.

“The drug dealer?” Officer Dickenson wanted to be sure. She said yes even as one of the elf troop found the back door.

************************

Next Monday brings us to a showdown. Don’t miss the Elect II-16, Night Creatures. Happy Reading

Elect II—15 Spiders and Webs, part 2 of 3

January 17, 2017January 2, 2017M G Kizzia Leave a comment

Across town, Latasha’s little sister Leah, the early riser, saw the spiders in the pre-light of dawn and screamed. Latasha rushed to the closet and got out her ax while Leah woke the family. Mother corralled the two little ones in the kitchen at the back of the house while Latasha stepped out on to the front porch to face the threat. She dared not send her family out the back door for fear they might have the house surrounded.

The spiders were at the edge of the property and looked like they were waiting for something. It turned out to be someone. It was Carlos, the last person in the world she expected to see.

“I just wanted you to know.” Carlos spoke with a real swagger in his voice. “They are young, but I figure one of them will bite you. I doubt even you can kill them all when they swarm. All right,” Carlos waved to the spiders and laughed as he walked away. The spiders came rushing in. They were certainly smaller than the one she killed in the warehouse, but there were so many of them, Latasha also doubted she could kill them all.

Latasha split the lead spider easily enough, but wished she had a gun, or something. The second also got split and the third lost its front limbs and fell back. The fourth got some webbing on the ax and prevented Latasha from lifting it right away while the fifth jumped.

Latasha heard nothing, but saw an arrow enter the spider’s body and throw it into another one that was about to leap. Then the air was full of arrows, and in only the short time it took Latasha to wrench her ax free of the webbing, the rest of the spiders were dead, full of holes.

“Show yourselves,” Latasha shouted. “I mean it. Show me who you are.” She paused for a second before she shouted the only name she knew and what she knew. “Ms. Riley! Elf!”

There was a rustling in the bushes and one female elf stepped clear of cover. To Latasha’s surprise, the elf went to one knee. “Elect,” the elf said before she rose again. “We were always counted as good luck by the Amazons for just this sort of reason. Lady Boston, Ms Riley, asked me to keep an eye on you.”

Latasha looked around at the dead spiders. “Thanks,” she said as she heard shuffling inside the house. She jumped. “Quick, can you make an illusion?” She had to think of the word Ms Riley used. “A glamour.” The elf grinned a very elfish grin and waved her hand just before Latasha’s mother opened the door.

“Honey? Are you alright?”

“Yes,” Latasha responded. “All over. I had help.” She pointed to a simple girl dressed in human looking clothes. The girl looked Asian in human form.

“Lieutenant Harmony. Pleased to meet you.” She stuck out her hand and Latasha’s mother shook it after only a brief pause. Harmony whispered to Latasha as if Latasha’s mother was not there. “My Captain taught me the human tradition of hand-shaking.” She grinned again. Fortunately, Latasha’s mother had something else in mind.

“Honey. I don’t care if you got elected. This club of yours is too dangerous. You need to quit that club.” That was when Officer Dickenson roared up in front of the house.

###

When Lisa, Josh and the children pulled up in front of the house, Josh paused to stare at the rope that was strung from the top of the open attic window to a tree on the edge of the neighbor’s yard. It looked like a steeply slanted laundry line. “Christmas movie,” was all Lisa said as she unlocked the door and let the children run wild inside the house. It had been a while since they had been home.

Lisa and Josh made holes in the side yard all morning and Josh kept trying to talk her out of it. “We can’t just move,” she said. “They are hunters. They would find us.” Eventually, he gave up and they had lunch.

Lisa sent the children upstairs after lunch so they could pack a few things for the night. The dirty laundry stayed on their beds and Bobby in particular complained about having to wear his cruddy old clothes. “No,” Lisa told him. “I am not doing the laundry. They need to smell your presence strongly in the house to believe you might still be here.” At least she hoped that was true.

While the children got ready, Lisa set a few traps downstairs and then called for the helicopter. It dropped a rope ladder to the attic window opposite the one with the clothesline. Bobby and Adam, with their backpacks, enjoyed the climb. Josh and Lisa took a deep breath when they were safe. They dropped a rope for Megan, to secure her in case she slipped on the ladder. She never slipped, but Josh almost did.

When the helicopter finally took off, Lisa got her book. She opened a romance novel she had been meaning to read for some time. She sat at the bottom of the stairs to the attic, though the light was not the best. She knew the night creatures would have to break into the house and she would no doubt hear that, but she did not want to be too far away from her means of escape. That would not be until after dark, and that would not be for a while, so she read and sipped from her thermos of coffee.

Elect II—15 Spiders and Webs, part 1 of 3

January 16, 2017January 2, 2017M G Kizzia Leave a comment

Saturday morning, the young women met in the gym for their training and workout with Professor Schultz. They were all very quiet, Jessica’s ROTC troop especially so. Sara called them somber. Maria had broached the subject of a possible rogue member of the council with Heinrich two days earlier and as a result, he was not his usual affable self. In fact, he yelled now and then when one of them got it “All wrong.”

Diane and Natasha stood on the workout mats, dressed to wrestle, but did little wrestling. They mostly whispered. Hilde and Greta had the staffs, but it was half-hearted. Mindy and Melissa had spears and took turns charging the practice dummy which Amina moved and jerked around with ropes tied from behind. The dummy moved like a puppet and rolled on wheels, so it was not as easy to hit as one might suppose. Maria kept trying to get one of them to wrestle, but they were not interested. Jessica, the most somber of the lot, stood ten feet further away than normal from the target and kept trying to hit a perfect bulls-eye with her arrows. After a time, she went over to the dart board and started up the same routine.

“Damn.” Heinrich threw his staff down in disgust and turned his back on the priestess.

“What?” She tried to be cheerful, but it was hard given the vibe in that room.

“She may be right, you know.” Heinrich spoke without explanation and lowered his voice. Sara guided him to sit away from the others. “Men are very single minded when it comes to doing one’s duty. I believe the gods may have chosen such men to fill the council. But I recall Father Martin saying that good is only one thing and found in only one person whereas temptation is everything else. There has never been a traitor in almost five thousand years, but I have to admit, there may be a traitor among the council members.”

“The Linear A?”

“The Linear A. There is no language like it in modern times. You cannot get there by deriving it from another tongue, and it is very different from Greek, even the most ancient Greek.”

“Still,” Sara got thoughtful. “It might also be the one who is blocking Amina, and maybe Zoe.”

“Eh?”

“That is how the girls put it. They believe it may be one of the ancient gods.”

Heinrich frowned. “They are all gone,” he said.

“There is Zoe,” Sara argued.

“Special case,” Heinrich responded. “But some of the Spirits are very long lived, if not immortal. I suppose it might possibly be one of them. We do seem overrun with spiritual creatures of one sort or another.”

“Yes,” Sara said, thoughtful again. “And I am beginning to wonder if all of that may be a distraction to keep us from getting at the real problem.”

“Yes, I have begun to wonder the same. We need to find apples and a recipe, and keep whomever from making ambrosia. I have known thousands in all of my years and I would not trust one of them to become a god, not even Father Martin.” He stood and picked up his staff.

Emily came in a short while later. Everyone felt glad to see her, but she seemed more somber than the lot of them. She said nothing, went straight to the weapons cabinet, and took out her sword. She strapped it on her belt, and made sure her knife was well tied to her calf. Then she stepped over to Heinrich and whispered.

“Ashish just called. Lisa is going to act as bait tonight.”

“What?” Sara got a bit loud. Heinrich said nothing. He simply went to put on a bamboo chest protector. He added a helmet and fingered a sword made of Damascus steel. It had an edge that could cut through a tissue in mid-air. He chose a short broadsword. It was far more solid and less likely to snap in battle.

Emily hushed Sara and whispered again. “I need you to keep the troops busy. I have no intention of letting any of the others near a night creature. They would get themselves killed and distract me for worry which might get me killed. Besides, Bernie just informed me that Sergeant Valenko appears to have vanished. We need to find that door and close it, and Jessica and Mindy’s work last night is our best bet.” She looked at the priestess with big eyes. “Please.”

Sara nodded. “I will.”

Heinrich returned to the private conference. “Does Latasha know?”

“No. And I asked Ashish not to tell her.”

“Good. She is too young and not strong enough nor skilled enough for this.”

“I worry about her too,” Sara said as she turned to the others who were all stopped and staring. Emily walked out, Heinrich beside her, and without a word while Sara clapped her hands to get everyone’s attention, which she already had.

Elect II—14 Creatures Strike Back, part 3 of 3

January 11, 2017January 2, 2017M G Kizzia Leave a comment

The kids were in the seventh floor rooms getting ready for bed. Josh stepped down to the hotel lobby for a coffee and a moment of quiet. He imagined Bobby and Adam were likely watching some action movie on the television, but eight-year-old Megan needed a bath. He sighed and wished Lisa was there. He pushed the button for the elevator, waited, and sipped his coffee slowly because it was hot.

The window behind him cracked, and as the elevator doors opened, the window shattered. People screamed as something like a lion bounded into the room. He watched as a woman stood in the wrong place at the wrong time. The night creature tore the woman’s arm off like a person might bite off the arm of a gingerbread man. Two other creatures followed the first through the broken window and the elevator doors closed.

Josh pushed the buttons for the seventh floor and the top floor and got out his phone.

“What?” Lisa yelled into his ear. “Get the children to the roof. I’ll call you back.”

The elevator stopped at the seventh floor and Josh stuffed his shoe into the door so it would not close. They had this planned, but he feared the creatures would be on them before they could execute the plan. He banged on the door to the boy’s room and yelled. Bobby came to the hall. Adam followed. Josh told them to hold the elevator while he slid his card in the lock and rushed into the room he and Lisa shared with Megan. She was being a big girl. She was already in the tub.

A moment later, he ran to the elevator with a very upset Megan wrapped in a towel. The elevator doors closed, but not before they heard roars in the stairwell. Once on the top floor, Josh rushed his little troop to the door that gave access to the roof. It was only a wood door, but it opened into the hall so unless the creatures could turn the knob, they would be slowed breaking down the door, he hoped.

Megan looked over her father’s shoulder as Bobby reached for the doorknob. She screamed as the door to the stairwell crashed open. The creature roared. They got in, slammed the roof door behind them, and began to climb the ladder to the roof even as there was a different sort of crash on the door at their backs. It cracked the door on the first bang. Adam had seen something. He went up the ladder like a rabbit. Bobby was motivated by the splintering door behind him. Megan balked. She had no clothes on, but Josh threw her to his back like a backpack and threw the towel over his shoulders to cover her. She strangled his neck with her small arms, but he was too scared to care. Even as they slammed the roof hatch shut, the creatures burst into the small room below. He hoped they could not climb ladders.

The police helicopter was just landing and Bobby and Adam knew enough to get down. The helicopter door swung open as they heard a tentative clunk on the roof hatch. No one waited for the blades to stop. Indeed, the pilot never turned them off. They barely got in when the roof hatch sprang open and the first creature emerged. They went up. The beast leapt, but missed by inches and fell off the edge of the roof. Josh prayed the fall would kill the beast, but it was never proved. The body was not found.

###

Officer Tom Dickenson pulled his patrol car into the driveway and stopped the engine. He just sat there for a while. He had spiders on the mind and he was afraid he might have that nightmare again. He hated feeling helpless. The problem was he did not understand what was going on. He only understood enough to be scared. He got out slowly.

Three years ago, back in the academy, even a year ago, he would have shut his eyes and his mouth and done his job. He was not a snitch, and he always found it safer to not know in the first place. They called it plausible deniability. Five years ago a man died. He might have been able to stop it before it went that far. Now? He put his hand to the front door knob and got out his key. Now, he was not sure. He unlocked the door and went in.

This time he felt certain there was far more than one man’s life at stake. He felt afraid to imagine what the consequences of his inaction might be. “Hell.” He said that out loud as he shut the door behind him and turned on the light. He went straight to the kitchen. He got hungry, even if he could not sleep.

Dickenson got out the cereal and milk. The clock said 6 AM, on Saturday. The sun rested on the edge of the horizon. Why not breakfast? “Hell.” He said it again. He was going to have to see Detectives Schromer and Moussad. They would know what was going on. They always seemed to be at the center of spooky things. He would ask. He would ask how he might help. Maybe knowing what was happening might at least get rid of the nightmares. Then again, actually knowing might make them worse. He paused. He heard a scratching noise above his head.

Dickenson drew his gun without making any sudden move. When he finally managed to convince his eyes to look up, he sighed. Whoever or whatever it was, it was upstairs.

“Ms Hartman!” He called out to his landlady, a sweet old woman. The scratching sound stopped. “Ms Hartman!” He called again, but no one answered. He became concerned. If the woman was trying to move the furniture or something, why wouldn’t she answer. He pictured her on the floor, face down because of a stroke or something, unable to move more than to scratch with her nails.

He started up the stairs one at a time, carefully. “Ms Hartman. Mildred?” He took the last few steps two at a time and yanked open the door to her room. Spiders had covered the room with webbing. Ms Hartman lay there, mostly shriveled looking, dead eyes staring at the ceiling. He saw one spider and fired his gun. It let out a high pitched shriek and fell to its back on the floor. The spider legs wiggled in the air. There was another, and a third. He emptied his revolver and slammed the door shut. The stairs proved no obstacle, and neither did the front door. He slammed that door as well and ran for his patrol car. As his tires squealed on the driveway, he saw a spider crash through the living room picture window. Several more followed, but by then he was gone.

************************

Next Monday, The Elect II-15 brings us to Spiders and Webs. Until then, Happy Reading.

Elect II—14 Creatures Strike Back, part 2 of 3

January 10, 2017January 1, 2017M G Kizzia Leave a comment

Jessica found three different sets of tracks in the slush and mud of mid-winter before the week was out. She remained unconvinced that she was much of a hunter, but she was willing to let Artemis guide her eyes, just in case.

The first set of tracks were too small for a student. She found it where it crossed a plowed and paved campus path. It did not follow the paved paths that snaked from building to building, but walked across country instead. She lost it somewhere between the science building and the library and guessed it followed the paved path after that. She considered looking to see if it left the main path again, but it got late and dark, and she had studying to do.

The second tracks were a group of prints. It looked like three orcs. This time she felt fairly certain they were orc prints because one was barefoot and the print looked more like a monkey print than a human print. She followed these orcs to the walkway that circled the library, and lost them between the library front doors and a small stairwell that went down to a basement door. She checked. The basement door had no outside handle and had words on it that said, “Emergency exit only. Do not enter.” She put her hand to the door and felt there might be some connection there, but she could not say what, and there was certainly no way in.

Her third chance came just after sundown on Friday when she was hurrying home to change. Jack wanted to go out. He promised to take her to the Hive for a night of dancing and general carousing. But as she hustled past the library, she smelled something. Something felt wrong. She froze and turned her eyes slowly to that basement door—what she could see down the well. It looked like a creature as big as the door, and it looked strong enough to rip the door off its hinges. Instead, it appeared to walk right through the door, which was a bit of a shock for Jessica.

As soon as it was gone, Jessica rushed down the well. The door was still solid. She already knew that. The door had no way of being opened except from the inside. She knew that, too. She imagined it had one of those bars on the inside that would set off the fire alarm. But this big and ugly ogre of an orc went in from the outside all the same, and Jessica stepped back and spoke to herself.

“No, it can’t be that easy.” A moment later, she had Mindy on the phone and found her, as she suspected, still down in the sub-basement with the archives and missing dinner.

“I’ll be right up,” Mindy promised and very few minutes later they found their way inside to the door. It turned out to be located in a dark hallway at the back of the building, behind the circulation desk and near the library offices. It also stood near the loading dock and the freight elevator.

“I didn’t know we had one of these,” Jessica said, as she put her hand to the elevator doors. They also had words written on them that said, “Restricted access. Key needed for use.”

“Of course, we had to get the big stuff down to the archive room somehow.”

“Of course.” Jessica said, but her eyes and mind followed some path, backwards. She got back to the hall and wondered if there was more light. Mindy found the light switch, but then she had a question.

“You say it went through the door. Do you think it was a ghost?”

Jessica shook her head as she got back to that emergency exit. “It was substantial enough to drag some snow and mud in on its feet.” She knelt to examine the floor. “In fact I would say any number of feet have come in this way and gone straight to your freight elevator. See here, and here.” Jessica pointed out some things and Mindy saw enough of it to be convinced.

“But from all I have studied, any opening to Avalon would have to be focused on something that has been to Avalon. Something that came from there and, in a sense, wanted to return would be even better. I doubt this freight elevator has been to Avalon.”

“No,” Jessica agreed. “But your archives are two flights down. Don’t you think one of your artifacts might have been there or come from there?”

“Likely, but which one?” Mindy wondered and added a thought. “Of course, if it was a small thing it might be moved from place to place and the door might move with it. That could make it very hard to find unless you know what you are looking for.”

“Something more for you to do. It is circumstantial evidence, but the signs suggest the door is somewhere in your underground.”

“I hope Bill isn’t the one moving the artifact around.”

“What? Where did that thought come from?”

“Well, Amina lost Joel, Maria lost Owen, Emily had to kill Pierce. Our record with boys has not been good.”

“Things not going well with Bill?”

“No, I mean we are going well enough, he is just so slow.”

“I like it when they are slow.”

“Jessica!”

Elect II—14 Creatures Strike Back, part 1 of 3

January 9, 2017January 1, 2017M G Kizzia Leave a comment

Second semester started like the first, only this time everyone pledged to work hard to get ahead of the game, not just Emily. They knew now they were a team, a tribe of women bound together with a common purpose and they never knew when something might come up. The night creatures were still out there, and though the creatures were quiet through the holidays, everyone figured it was only a matter of time.

As soon as they all got back to school, Sara came by. She added her voice to their sense of urgency as they unpacked. Mindy shared her conclusion that the golden apples of youth were certainly the main ingredient for ambrosia.

“I studied it as well as I could when I was home,” she said. “The old record is clear. Consuming ambrosia not only confers immortality, it makes one a god.”

Anna in New York came out of her coma just before Christmas and confirmed Mindy’s suspicion in a phone call to Emily that the scroll stolen from her was the recipe. The scroll contained the recipe of Hera herself, and while Anna never figured out the Linear A, she did understand that the golden apples of youth were indeed the key ingredient.

When the women had everything put away, they sat around the lounge area in their proper places except for Emily who paced. This time, Sara had the orange soda. Melissa had the water.

“Bernie the campus cop was at the airport when I arrived,” Emily said, as she ran her hand once through her hair and Maria wiggled her glasses in response. “He was decked out in a trench coat and sunglasses.” Emily smiled. They could all picture it. “He said he was in a stall in the men’s room in the security office just before break. Sergeant Valenko came in with another man whose voice Bernie did not recognize. Bernie assumed they thought the room was empty, and he kept quiet.”

“The Ambrosia will not be easy to make,” the unknown man said. “You may need to fetch a second supply from that place.”

“Understood,” Sergeant Valenko answered, and that was the whole conversation.

“But I thought you told me Anna said the recipe was written in Linear A,” Mindy’s eyebrows cocked and her face looked curious, like there was something she was not grasping.

“What is Linear A?” Jessica asked, and added, “Tell me in English so I might understand.”

“Same here,” Melissa said, and when the others looked at her, she added, “or math. I might be able to understand the math.”

Mindy spoke softly. “Briefly, Linear A and linear B are ancient forms of writing that may be related but no one knows how. Linear B is also called Mycenaean; it is a most ancient form of Greek. But Linear A is older. It is Minoan and no one in modern times has been able to translate that dead language. We have modern Greek, but there is no modern Minoan to compare.”

“There is one person,” Sara sounded hesitant. They had to encourage her to come out with it. “At the Christmas luncheon Lisa had for Latasha, Heinrich told us about a report he got on a night creature some twelve years ago. He read from a letter. He said it was in Linear A. He said the council corresponds in that language because no one else can translate it.”

Emily stopped pacing and put her hand to her head. She did not want the headache, but suddenly she understood why Lisa had such hard feelings for the council. Heinrich just moved to the top of her suspect list. Emily paused, sat, and tried to get a handle on it all. She spoke when she was ready.

“Last semester we ran around like chickens without heads. We looked for apples. We looked for a door. We tried to figure out the circle with three squiggly lines society. We fought defensively and reacted to the things thrown at us. This semester, I want us to be proactive. We need to forget the things we can’t find or figure out and focus on the people we suspect may be involved. Your thoughts? Jessica?”

Jessica sat up a bit straighter. “I agree. Next time we see an orc we should not be so quick to fight it as to follow it. It might lead us straight to the door.”

“Track the orc,” Emily smiled. “Spoken like a true hunter.” Jessica returned the smile but dropped her hand to her side where she had been wounded by an orc arrow. No scar remained, but she remembered. Emily moved on. “Amina?”

“You know I have no real control over what I see and cannot see,” she hedged. “My sight regarding apples and doors and even people has been blocked. I can feel the block. I think I would be upset if I did not know that Zoe herself must be blocked or she would have told us more of what is going on. All she says is it is a mystery.”

Mindy interrupted. “But the only one who could block Zoe would be another god or goddess. I can’t imagine anything we can do about that.”

“No,” Jessica agreed. “But we might be able to identify who it is.”

“That might help,” Emily also agreed. She looked at Amina who simply looked down, so she moved on. “Melissa?”

Melissa looked thoughtful. “Doctor Piedmont,” she said, and then she explained. “I know you said no one has translated Linear A, but Piedmont is brilliant in a way I have never seen before. He is writing all the software for the robot Doctor Harper is building and he just might break through to sentience or a sort.” Melissa fell silent like she was thinking something through.

“I don’t get the connection,” Amina admitted.

“Well. It’s just, before he came to the university I understand he worked for the government in encryption. That’s code making and code breaking. He has access to the most sophisticated decoding software on the planet. I know a language is different from a code, but I suspect he might be able to figure out a recipe.”

“One to watch,” Emily said and turned to the other side. “Mindy?”

“Papadopoulos, definitely,” she said. “I looked up to him all last year because he is a real genius, but now I am not sure I trust him. I think he is hiding something. That tattoo. I showed it to Professor Schultz right away, but hesitated on showing Professor Papadopoulos. I don’t know why, but when I did he said he did not know anything about it, and I think he is lying.”

“So you think he knows something?”

Mindy nodded. “And I think if there is anyone on earth who could translate Linear A, it would be him.”

Emily mirrored Mindy’s nod. “Maria?”

“I guess that leaves Professor Schultz for me, though I can’t imagine Heinrich being one of the bad guys.” Everyone agreed with that. “That would require him to play one of those games he could not possibly keep straight. I mean, he helped kill orcs and freely gave Mindy what he knew about the tattoo.”

“And shared with Lisa what he knew about the night creatures,” Sara added.

Maria held her hand up for quiet. “But I was thinking about what you told me, Emily, about the members of the council keeping an eye on the elect in case one should be tempted to go rogue, and what I was wondering is who watches the watchers? I mean, what if there is a rogue member of the council out there tempted by immortality, not to mention possibly becoming one of the gods?”

“I hadn’t thought of that,” Emily admitted. The thought made her feel better, though she knew she could not remove Heinrich from the suspects list for the time being. “Follow that line of thinking.” Maria nodded and Emily turned to the priestess. “Sara?”

Sara took a deep breath. “You all know you have left the most suspicious name off the list. President Batiste. Emily, you said he was up to something at the beginning of last semester. I don’t think that anything has changed.”

“He may be behind it in some way,” Emily agreed.

“At least I work in the same building. I could keep an eye on him and I think Nancy, his secretary might help.”

“Good,” Emily nodded. “But I have revised my thinking on that a little. There is also Captain Gouldos, head of campus security and the ever present Sergeant Valenko, the only one we know who has actually used the word ambrosia. Right now, I don’t know if Batiste is in charge or maybe Gouldos is pulling the strings from behind.”

“Oh, I have no connection to the security office,” Sara said quickly.

Emily waved off her concern. “We have Bernie to keep an eye on security. But now I want to add one more name because the name keeps coming up, and because he was likely behind the attempt on my life over Christmas. Ferdinand Franco. I think I need to have a talk with Lisa.”

“So we all have our jobs,” Jessica said. “Though I don’t know where to start looking for signs of orc passage.”

“That’s easy,” Maria said. “Just follow the orc droppings.”

Amina put her hand up as Jessica made a face and a comment. “Eww, that’s disgusting.”

“What?” Emily ignored the exchange.

“How can I possibly find out anything about a rival god or goddess if they don’t want to be found, and it seems to me they don’t want to be found.”

“Just focus on what is blocking you. You may have more control over what you see than you realize.”

“But I don’t want to look there.”

Mindy nodded. “That tells me that what Sara said is true. Whoever it is, they don’t want you to look too close. You might not have to do anything but look. You might not be able to do anything about it, but maybe you can identify the block. I can show you all sorts of renderings of the ancient gods and goddesses. Maybe one will ring a bell.”

Amina started to nod, but then froze. The look on her face was like one whose hair suddenly stood on end and she shivered like a ghost just walked through her. Amina sprang up and tore the door open. There was no one there.

“Who is it? Who is out here? Show yourself.” No one answered, and no one crashed the door to rush down the stairwell to escape either. The women were stymied, but no one doubted that someone had been there. No one doubted Amina.

Elect II—13 Christmas Too, part 3 of 3

January 4, 2017January 2, 2017M G Kizzia Leave a comment

The following day, Emily got packed and Riverbend pulled her carpetbag out of the closet. They went to the airport where Riverbend, not surprisingly, had a ticket to New Jersey. She also had the required identification to go through the TSA checkpoint and to the gate, so they said good-bye to the family, Riverbend lingering on hugging David, and David looked like he did not want to give her up either, but after that, they walked to the plane. They had an hour.

They sat quietly for some time until Emily finally spoke. “So do you really love him?’ Rivebend nodded. “And does he really love you?” Riverbend just got that elfish grin on her face. “You know you neglected to return that dress.”

“I’m going to keep it. David likes it on me.”

Emily sat up. “What? You showed it to him? Well no wonder.”

“No wonder what?” Riverbend sounded innocent. The truth of the matter was not always easy to discern with an elf.

Emily did not answer right away. Her plane was pulling up to the gate and would board as soon as the luggage was aboard. “I wish I knew what that felt like,” Emily said wistfully.

“What what felt like?” Riverbend asked. She was eating ice cream. It was about the only thing she ate apart from salads.

“Love.”

“Oh. I think it probably feels the same. Maybe I’m an elf and he is human, but I think love is just love.”

“Not what I meant.” Emily said as Marion walked up from security and sat on Emily’s other side.

“They were hired guns,” Marion said without preliminaries. “The FBI figures they were hired by one Ferdinand Franco who runs a drug syndicate out of Atlantic City, but there is probably no way to prove that.”

“Franco? I’ve heard that name. Where have I heard that name?”

“The question is; why would they be gunning for you? I thought you told me your friend Latasha was fighting the drug people with your Detective Schromer.”

“That is a good question.” Riverbend leaned into the conversation. Marion had tried to whisper but Riverbend had elf ears.

“All I can say is you better keep your eyes open when you get back to school. I don’t know what all you are into, but if they think you are getting close to whatever it is, they will probably move the kill Emily plan to Trenton.”

Emily nodded. She knew that, but she had apples to find and a door to close and a mystery to solve. She did not see that she had much choice. She was thinking, Marion was sipping her latte, Riverbend was flipping through a magazine when a little person in overalls with a clipboard stepped up.

“Miss Emily Hudson?” The man asked.

“Yes?” Emily looked up as the man looked down at his clipboard.

Marion stopped in mid slurp. “Friend of yours?” She looked over at the elf.

Riverbend looked up from her magazine, squinted and spoke up. “Mister Picker. I didn’t expect you.”

The Little Person squinted in the same way. “Why, Captain Riverbend. It is a small world after all.”

“Please don’t start,” Riverbend put her hand up as if fending off disaster. She confessed to Emily and Marion. “Danna, the one you know as Zoe, accidentally sang that song about three-thousand BC when she was around some fee, that is, fairies. They say for the next two thousand years you could not go anywhere on the planet without hearing fairies, dwarfs, imps or some others singing. It must have been maddening.”

“Report,” Mister Picker coughed and frowned at the interruption. He got to business as he checked his clipboard. “Airplane has been checked left to right, top to bottom, front to back, round and round, wing tip to wing tip. No explosives or other potentially offensive materials found.”

“You checked the baggage?” Riverbend asked.

“Of course.” Mister Picker looked offended. “All is fine. You should have a smooth, safe trip.”

“You checked my bags?” Emily sat up.

“Of course, with all the others. How do you think you got your sword back and forth this year and last without the TSA stealing it?”

“Don’t you mean confiscating?” Marion asked.

Mister Picker grinned for her, and it was a startling face. “I am an imp, if you don’t mind. I know stealing when I see it. I’m not bad on lying and cheating, too.”

“Could use you on the force,” Marion said as she sat back and returned to her latte.

Mister Picker pulled two business cards out of his pocket and handed one to Marion and one to Emily. “Picker, Block and Bluetooth. Reconstruction and restorations are our specialty.”

“Poor Block,” Riverbend said.

“Yes,” Mister Picker said. “Died in 1973 along the Jersey Central when the Kairos was disarming that atomic bomb.”

“What? Marion sat up again.

“Kairos?” Emily asked.

“The one you call Zoe,” Riverbend answered quietly, and then they called to start boarding the flight.

Riverbend did not board. When Emily was away and Mister Picker had blended back into the background, Marion turned to the elf.

“What now for you?”

“I will meet her there, but disguised. She won’t know me, but I have been told to shadow her. I know it is ludicrous to think anyone can guard an elect, but a second pair of eyes never hurts.”

Marion just nodded as a shimmer of light appeared in an unused corner of the terminal. She was getting used to that kind of coming and going. “Hope to see you again.”

“Oh, I hope so. I mean I plan to.”

“David?”

Riverbend wrinkled her brow. “How did you know?”

“I’m a detective.”

“I’ll have to remember that.” the light flashed when the hole between here and there closed. Two TSA agents came running. Marion just showed her badge and walked passed them as she finished her latte.

************************

Next Monday, everyone is back at New Jersey State University in Trenton, and it seems despite the snow and cold, things begin to heat up in the Elect II-14, Creatures Strike Back.

Happy Reading