A subtle agency omnibus, p.53
A Subtle Agency Omnibus, page 53
part #1 of The Metaframe War Series
Events were in motion. Forces were on the move. Soon Li Wu must join her father in an unmarked grave. She was certain Li Wu would be dead within days.
Chloe waited for Anton and Li to return to the safe house. Once she was alone, she dropped down to the ground on the far side of the barn. She then used her perfect memory to retrace her steps past the sensors to the outer perimeter of the farm.
Well away from the farm lights, she looked up at the clear, night sky. She stretched her senses to full awareness. The stars above glowed in an achingly beautiful river across the sky. The night sang with the rustles, clicks, and chirps of insects and night birds. A faint breeze caressed her face, ruffling her hair.
The beauty of the world filled her to overflowing, her heart aching with it. Such beauty could not be lost. Such beauty could not be put at risk. Chloe vowed to herself that she would make sure it could never be lost.
Nothing would ever be lost.
* * *
Early morning sunlight speared through the kitchen windows.
The weekend was over. It had been two nights since the arrival of Deon Lamar, the Order spy hunter. Francis and Juliette had gone around the team and quietly advised them to be themselves and allow the traveler to do his work. They trusted their team and were confident that any inquiry was groundless and that Lamar would eventually leave empty handed.
Anton speared a sausage with his fork, spread some mustard on it and wolfed it down. Workouts that involved the Ramp burnt calories like a freight train, and he needed fuel. The sausage joined four fried eggs, three slices of toast, fried tomatoes, spinach, half a dozen rashers of bacon, honey, jam, buttered crumpets, a big glass of fresh whole milk with the cream settling on top of it and a pair of fresh, ripe oranges.
Across from him, Peter pushed his second plate away and tapped his taut stomach with both fists. “Damn that was good.”
“Peter Lamb! No swearing. Not in my kitchen,” Mary Jorgensen commanded, her gray eyes flashing.
Dismay flashed across Peter’s face, and he apologized, “Sorry, Ma’am.”
“You will be. I need a new load of firewood cut. Please see to it today.”
“Yes, Ma’am. I’ll see it done after lunch.”
“Good.”
Peter sighed and turned his attention back to Anton. He stroked his chin, his eyes gleaming mischievously, and suggested, “I think we should all have code names when we go on missions.”
“Yeah,” Anton said, “such as?”
“Well, I would be Axeman, Li would be Bladestrike and Chiara would be Deathtouch.”
“And what about me.”
“Oh, … I think you would have to be Tiffany.”
“Tiffany?” Anton said, pulling a face.
“C’mon - what’s wrong with Tiffany? We could call you Tiff for short.”
Anton rubbed his face, and then stated baldly, “Go for it. I’ll be the most,” Anton dropped his voice to a whisper, “bad-assed,” and then raised it again, “vampire hunting, Tiffany on the planet.”
“Speaking of,” Peter mouthed, bad-assery, “it’s time for more helicopter sims.”
“Boys,” Mary declared in exasperated tones. “I’m neither deaf nor blind. You’ve had your fill, now get out of my kitchen.”
“Yes, Ma’am,” Anton and Peter chorused together.
Anton got up from the table and asked, “What’s the point of these sims? We don’t have any helicopters.”
Peter tilted his head. “You’ve heard of thievery, haven’t you?”
Anton grinned. “You’ve stolen a nightfalcon?”
“Not yet. But I’m prepared to at the first opportunity.”
Anton smiled and remarked sardonically, “I can just see it. It will work really well,” he waved his right hand through a pair of figure eights and then smashed it into his left hand. “Until you run into something.”
“Well let’s test that out. You either shoot me down today, or I’m calling you Tiffany for the rest of the week.”
Anton grinned and punched Peter’s fist. “Done.”
“That’s the spirit,” Peter enthused, clapping Anton on the shoulder. “Let’s get to it.”
“Sure,” Anton followed Peter from the kitchen.
Lamar watched them leave, his face impassive as he nursed a cup of coffee.
* * *
There are no vampires in New Zealand.
The members of Justin Blake’s extended family kept the islands clear of any bloodsuckers. Those were his mother’s brothers and sisters, and his cousins on the Maori side of his ancestry. A family for whom the Order of Thoth and Ramp mastery were seamlessly integrated with their ancient Maori beliefs.
His father, a US citizen, had brought his young Maori bride back to the west coast, and Justin had been born a year later. He’d lived most of his life in the US. Initiated into the Order at seventeen years of age, he’d taken command of his own force team at the young age of twenty-eight.
Now ten years later, he was on a personal mission for an old friend. He carried with him, tucked in a pocket inside his leather jacket, a letter. A letter addressed to Li Wu from her father. To be delivered in the event of his death.
The engine of Justin’s Harley-Davidson motorcycle rumbled as he pulled the bike to a halt in the farm yard. Motion to his right caught his eye. There was a lithe figure practicing with a katana in the shadows of a barn.
He parked his Harley and pulled off his helmet.
There was a squeal of delight. “Uncle. You’re here!”
Suddenly there was a young Asian-American woman spread across his chest with her arms around his neck. He’d first met Li when he’d spent time training with Gang. She’d shyly asked him his name and he’d said casually to just call him, ‘Uncle,’ because Gang was like an older brother to him, and the pet name had stuck.
He hugged her back, a broad smile spread like sunshine across his face and he said, “Li, you’ve grown so much since I saw you last.”
Li wrapped her legs around his flanks. She was a bundle of fierce enthusiasm in his arms. He placed one broad forearm under her hips and rubbed her back with his free hand. He whispered gently, “I know what happened. I share your loss. Gang was a great friend.”
Li turned her head so that she could see his face. “You’ve been gone so long; why didn’t you tell me you were coming?”
“Because it’s a secret,” Justin answered, pulling his head back and staring at her seriously.
Li scrunched up her nose and slid off him like a puma dropping off a tree.
Wrapping an arm around his lower back, Li looked up at him and asked, “What secret?”
“Have you somewhere we can talk?”
Li frowned. “How secret do we need to be?”
Justin shrugged his massive shoulders and advised, “Just needs to be private.”
“The library. It’s normally deserted this late in the morning. Let’s go there.”
“Lead on.”
Li stepped forward toward the safe house. Justin following her, shedding his black biker jacket. He wore a black T-shirt like a second skin. His heavy muscles rippling beneath the fabric as he followed Li into the house. Ducking his head reflexively as he walked through the door, his thick, dark curly hair still brushed the lintel. In moments, they were down the hall, and Li was showing him to a comfortable lounge chair in the library.
Justin started to sit down. Li reached out, grabbing his arm and declared, “I’m a terrible hostess. Can I get you something to eat or drink? You must be thirsty after your ride.”
He smiled. “Just some cold water for now. I’ll join you for lunch later.”
“Sure, I’ll be back in a moment.”
Li ducked out of the room.
Justin looked around the library. He’d been at this safe house many years ago, before he’d become a force leader. He’d helped stock the armory under the barn. Justin had trained with the members of the Mirovar force team. Ticking off names in his head, most of them had survived. There had been some attrition, but less than most of the other teams. Only his own team maintained a better kill/casualty ratio. He glanced at the shelves lining the walls. The books looked worn and he recognized most of the titles. There was only a handful of new books; not much had changed in over a decade.
Li came back into the room with a tray which she placed on a low table in front of him. On the tray were a plate of dry crackers smothered in smoked trout pate, thick slices of aged cheddar, a large pitcher of ice water, and a pair of glasses.
Justin grinned. “You can take the girl out of the restaurant …”
Then he faltered. Li sat down in a second lounge chair next to his. He saw memories of Gang in her eyes. Her grief was still quite raw. He reached over, picking up his leather jacket from where it was draped over the back of a desk chair. Opening it up, he pulled a thick, double-folded, buff-colored, A4 envelope out of an inside pocket and gave it to Li.
“Your father wanted you to have this,” he stated simply.
Li took the envelope and sat quietly for a long moment, staring at it.
Justin waited patiently.
She opened the envelope and pulled out a sheath of typed pages. Pinned to the top of the sheath with a paper clip was a hand-written note.
There was a brief message which read, ‘I hope this letter finds you well little one. I wish I could be there with you, but I know that if you have survived to read this note, then my life has not been in vain, and my death was not a waste. The letter is all my research on the comings and goings of Ramin Kain and Samuel Luther. I only told you a fraction of what I found out. I didn’t want you to lose all faith in what the Order stands for. The bearer of this message is a man who I would trust with your life. He, like the Mirovars and the Slaynes, understands the true soul of the Order. He lives for the protection of the innocent and come what may I would be pleased if he is with you.
BTW, I know you had a huge crush on him at fourteen.
Always your father.’
The note was signed ‘Gang Wu. The luckiest father in the world.’
A tear fell onto the page, smudging the ink of Gang’s name.
Li thrust the papers away. Wiping her cheeks with her hands, she sniffed, squeezing her eyes shut for a long moment. Taking a deep breath, she shook her head, her long hair swinging across her shoulders. She took another big breath, sniffing once more and composed herself. She picked up the pages of the letter. Separating the hand-written note from the rest, she placed it carefully back into the envelope. As she did so, something caught her eye. It was a tiny data stick the size of her thumbnail inside the envelope.
She fished it out and quickly moved to the desk in the corner of the room. On the desk was an open laptop. She logged in and accessed the data stick. A program ran, and map after map flashed up onto the screen. All marked with red path-lines.
Justin stood up, moving to stand behind her. He asked, “What is it?”
“I don’t know yet,” Li noted. Turning to the body of the letter she began reading the first page.
* * *
The Raven recognized Justin Blake.
They had met at the last Order conclave. The Raven had not been briefed about him while they were still within the Red Empire citadel. Blake had been too young for the Red Empire to establish a file on him.
Blake was a concern for the Raven. The young force leader’s career had risen like a flaming meteor streaking across the sky. His ascension established on the foundation of the loyalty he inspired in his team mates and his personal abilities for strategy, tactics, and combat.
He was an obvious rival for the position of the Head of the Order of Thoth. One day the Kain/Luther cabal and their soulless supporters would be swept away. If Francis Mirovar didn’t take the position of Head, then Blake would be the next logical choice.
The Raven stood in the shadows of the training barn. Li welcomed Blake like a long-lost brother, and they whispered something the Raven couldn’t hear. They made a decision and went into the house. The Raven moved closer, spying on them through one of the library windows.
Blake gave Li an envelope. What did it contain? Was this the opportunity the Raven had been waiting for? Li was by far the least well known of the Mirovar force team. Li would be the easiest to sacrifice.
Where was Lamar?
The Raven went in search of the Order traveler, passing Li in the hallway as she headed toward the kitchen.
They nodded to each other in friendly greeting.
She looked happy. She looked to be happier than the Raven had ever seen her. The Raven’s guts twisted. It was wrong to tip off Lamar, they pulled to a stop near the end of the hallway.
They ground their teeth in indecision. Their mission could not fail. They would honor their sacred duty regardless of personal feelings.
There would be no more weakness.
They walked through the back door. Lamar was meditating in the backyard. It was a practice that he did each day before lunch. The Raven walked up behind him. In minutes, Lamar’s whole attention could be focused on Li.
The Raven prayed silently, that whatever Blake had brought Li would cast her in the worst possible light before the Order traveler.
* * *
Li finished reading the last page, quickly turning back to the laptop.
“The letter is a summary and a guide,” she remarked. “The real information is on the stick, and it’s dynamite.”
Justin squatted down beside her so that he could see the laptop screen clearly. “Like what?”
“Father spent time tracking Luther and Kain over the last decade. However, most of the data is more than five years old.” Li sucked on her bottom lip for a second, her eyes narrowing. “He stopped after Mother and Qiang died.”
“He wanted to focus on you.”
Li nodded. “I suppose that makes sense.”
“Hmmm, what did he find out?”
“Kain never made a mistake when he looked for vampires. Every time he searched for vampires, he found them.”
Justin frowned and asked incredulously, “How does anyone do that?”
“Father tracked him fourteen times in six years. It’s here on the maps. The red path-lines show exactly where Kain and Luther went based on Father’s own GPS as he followed them. Each time he went straight from New York to the lair of the vampires.”
“Show me the maps.”
Li flicked through the images, and Justin studied each of them.
“They’re all over the United States, and even in Canada and Mexico,” he said, his voice rumbling in his chest like distant thunder. “These three here,” he pointed at the screen, “in Los Angeles, Phoenix and Mexico City were handled by my team. All three were small covens of new vampires.”
“They’re all new vampires, less than six months old. And there is no evidence of these new vampires spawning other vampires.”
“Following instructions, were they?” Justin asked, half suspicious, half joking.
“… It’s very odd. Young vampires are notorious for being undisciplined. They must have been frightened of something to keep them in line.”
“Or someone?”
Li stared at Justin for a long moment and whispered, “Crane?”
Justin nodded. “Who else could get away with it. Unsanctioned vampire creation would have Chloe Armitage and the praetorians hunting the vampire down. All this evidence points to consistency and planning, and an ability to get away with it.”
“There is nothing linking Kain to Crane. Father mentioned it several times. All the evidence is circumstantial.”
“With quantum technologies, they could be communicating with text messages, and no one would know.”
“Yes.”
Justin shook his head. “This is bad.”
“It’s terrible. Kain’s in league with the Vampire Dominion.”
“That’s not what I mean,” Justin declared and shook his head once. “What I really mean is that there is not enough here to impeach Kain with. It paints a horrible picture, but it doesn’t nail him to the wall.”
A hurt look shadowed her face, and Li asked, “Why didn’t Father tell me about this?”
“This is dangerous information, he probably wanted to keep you safe,” Justin replied. “He’s kinda tossed you a live grenade with the pin pulled out.”
They looked at each other quietly for a long moment.
* * *
The door to the library burst open. Deon Lamar rushed into the room.
“Treason!” he shouted. “Conspirators! Traitors! Criminals!”
He blurred forward, reaching for the pages of Gang’s letter lying on the desktop.
Li’s heart skipped a beat.
Justin caught Lamar’s hand before it reached the desk. He blurred to the side, dragging Lamar with him and away from Li. A moment later they separated, Lamar flying to the opposite side of the Library.
Li ripped the data stick off the table, stood up and moved to the side. Lamar regained his feet. The air in the room crackled with menace as the two men faced off.
Lamar snarled. “Stand down. Force leader or not, you have no right to obstruct an officer of the Order.”
Justin raised an eyebrow and moved into the center of the room. His eyes gleaming, his voice rumbling as he observed, “You lack manners.”
“Manners!” Lamar shouted, stepping toward Justin. “Sedition is at work in this room, and you talk of manners. Are you mad?”
Justin stared down at Lamar and declared flatly, “Are you calling me mad?”
“I’m not frightened by you,” Lamar cried out, his eyes flashing. “The Order of Thoth stands behind me.”
“Actually,” Li observed with a nod of her head. “It’s the Mirovar force team that’s standing behind you.”
The room shrank around Lamar as the Mirovar force team swarmed into the room.
“What on earth is going on?” Francis demanded.
