Red Queen

  “The way you talk, you act like your Syn began to chase pain the way a vampire does blood,” I said.

  Kendor was bitter. “She’s no longer my Syn. But yes, your analogy is appropriate. Syn left me in search of pain. Why? It fed something sick inside her. Don’t ask me what; I don’t know. And it opened doors inside her.”

  “Doors?”

  “Powers no one else has.”

  “Bafflement?” I asked.

  “Precisely.”

  “But Hiroshima and Nagasaki happened more than sixty years ago. The Council never experienced bafflement until Lara was taken.”

  “That’s not exactly true. When I discovered that Syn had been at Hiroshima, and survived the blast, I flew to Japan. At the time I had numerous contacts in the American air force. They got me into the country. They even alerted me as to the possible target sites of their next atomic bombs. Kokura was the prime target for the second bomb but my instincts told me to go to Nagasaki. As it turned out, Kokura was covered in clouds and was bypassed. Nagasaki became the next ground zero. Syn must have sensed the same thing I did.”

  “Weren’t you worried about dying in the blast?” I asked.

  “I had to see her, to save her.”

  “How can you be sure she was there?” I asked.

  “Because I met her for tea the morning of the blast.”

  “You’re joking.”

  “No. She seemed cheerful. Happier than I’d seen her in years. Yet there was a weird glow to her eyes that made me dizzy. When she gazed at me, my sense of perception twisted and became distorted. I can’t even tell you when she and I parted that morning. One minute we were talking and the next she was gone.

  “But I remember the blast. It came at eleven in the morning. The bomb was plutonium-based instead of uranium-based, like the one dropped on Hiroshima, and was considerably more powerful. But it was dropped two miles off target in the Urakami Valley, an industrial area, and much of the city was protected from the blast by the hills. That’s the only reason I survived. Still, the weapon created a devastating blow. I was five miles from the center of the blast and I felt as if my skin caught fire. The pain was greater than anything I’d ever known. Nevertheless, I experienced something in that instant that was worse than all my physical pain combined.”

  “Bafflement?”

  “Yes. The disorientation was worse than the agony. It was like a door to another dimension, to hell itself, had been yanked open and I had been shoved inside. I was lost in a red fog. All sense of distance and time shattered. My brain couldn’t process them because they no longer existed.” Kendor paused. “I wasn’t to feel that again until Lara was taken.”

  “But the blast happened sixty years ago!” I repeated.

  “It doesn’t matter! Some doors you open, they can never be closed again. It’s my belief that Syn gained access to a power or place that day that she’s never let go of.”

  “Then how can she be defeated?”

  “I don’t know if she can. I only know we must try.”

  I tapped my hand impatiently. “You still haven’t told me why Syn turned so evil,” I said.

  “You asked for her history and I gave it to you. She suffered a great deal. She witnessed tremendous suffering. Maybe one day it just became too much for her and she snapped.”

  “But you said how strong she was. How full of life. Other witches in her position didn’t crack, and she had you to sustain her. And the love of a man like you, Kendor . . . Well, we haven’t known each other long but I do know that any woman would have died to be with you.” I stopped. “We’re missing something.”

  Kendor stared at me. “Jessie, have you ever had a close friend who became a drug addict?”

  “Two friends. Tom got hooked on heroin and Lisa got addicted to crystal meth. It destroyed both their lives.”

  “Why did they take the drugs?”

  “Because they were idiots,” I said.

  “Wrong. They took them because they were in pain and the drugs took away the pain. It might be hard for you to understand because you’ve never been an addict.”

  “Were you?” I asked.

  “After the plague struck, Syn and I both became addicted to opium. The addiction lasted years. We finally gave it up because we saw that it was ruining us. But for a long time the drug was our lives. I remember having to tie Syn down for weeks at a time to keep her from smoking.”

  “She had more trouble breaking the habit than you?”

  “Yes.”

  “You’re saying Syn found a new drug when she discovered how to open these doors inside her mind? These ones fed by pain and suffering?”

  “Yes.”

  “I still don’t buy it,” I said.

  “Recall your description of Dr. Susan Wheeler at the morgue they took you to. When her partner was having a heart attack, she sat blissfully beside him, soaking up his fear and pain. The same as when Russell died. It’s the major symptom of her addiction to an evil force.”

  “But who led her to this addiction?” I asked.

  “Why do you ask that?”

  “Few addicts start alone. Usually it’s a friend or dealer who shoots them up the first time.” I paused. “She must have had a mentor. You know who I’m talking about.”

  Kendor shook at my suggestion. “No! The Alchemist died two thousand years ago.”

  “You assume he died, but his stink is all over Syn. Why, I wouldn’t be surprised if she was the one who revived red queen. You have to admit it’s awfully popular in witch world. And don’t tell me she didn’t know about it. She lived with you in Rome during Claudius’s reign.”

  Kendor shook his head. “It’s not possible. She wouldn’t have followed that man, not back then. All he wanted to do was torture people. He was sick.”

  “So is Syn,” I said gently.

  Kendor didn’t respond, and I feared I had hit a nerve that was too painful to expose. Eventually, though, he spoke.

  “There were the dreams,” he said.

  I was suddenly alert. “What dreams?”

  “We had them over the years, Syn and I. They made no sense. It was as if the Alchemist was in our room when we were sleeping. Then we’d both awake at the same instant and he’d be gone.”

  “Did either of you actually see him?”

  “No. Maybe. It was more like we felt him.”

  “What about the dreams themselves? What were they about?”

  Kendor frowned. “I remember bright lights, objects in the sky, noise, lots of noise. But I recognized none of it.”

  “Weird.”

  “Then there was the lost time. Whenever we had these dreams, we would not know what day it was.”

  “I don’t understand. Didn’t you keep track of the date?”

  “Syn did. She could tell the date just by studying the position of the stars at night. Except when the dreams came. Then she said the sky would change overnight. Only it couldn’t have been one night.”

  “So this loss of time must have been significant?” I asked.

  “Yes.”

  “Are we talking days?”

  “Maybe weeks. Maybe more.”

  “God.”

  Kendor nodded. “We were never able to explain it.”

  “Did you talk to the Council about it? Cleo?”

  “Cleo, once.”

  “What did she say?”

  “Nothing. But she looked worried.”

  “Like she knew what was causing it?”

  “Yes.”

  My butt was beginning to ache. I stood and stretched. “I assume everything you told me is confidential,” I said.

  Kendor got to his feet and replaced his sword in its sheath. He seemed uncertain how to respond. “Yes.”

  “I’m shocked you told me so much.”

  “I told you because you need to know what it is that you have to face.”

  “Tell me the truth. Does the Council have a plan for tonight? In witch world?”

  He paused.
“We’re considering a fusion.”

  I felt anxious. “Cleo spoke against that. She said it could force Susan’s hand and cause her to kill Lara.”

  “Then we’ll probably have to try it without Cleo.” Kendor added, “Syn won’t wait forever for Lara to obey her.”

  “That’s insane! She’s an infant! She doesn’t know enough to obey anyone!”

  “You asked me to be honest with you. I know Syn. I know what she was trying to tell you with her threats. Lara’s a genetic novelty that might eventually produce interesting results. But Syn would rather see her dead than let us have her. That’s why I told the Council to attack. If my wife has a sudden stab of impatience, she’ll kill your daughter.”

  “That’s the first time you called her your wife.”

  “After what she’s become, the word doesn’t come easily.”

  “Too bad the Council doesn’t understand that you know what you’re talking about.” I shook my head miserably. “There’s no hope, is there?”

  Kendor patted my back. “I feel hope and I shouldn’t, which makes me wonder if our odds are better than we know. In either case we’ll meet this evening in witch world and face our demons. Mine will come from my past. Yours are connected to your future.”

  “I don’t understand,” I said.

  “You’re a flower that’s just begun to bloom. I know you’ve asked what your powers represent, and you’ve been told to let them manifest in their own time. But I can say that you possess the same genes Syn does.”

  “Are you saying I’m destined to become a monster?”

  “You’re the thorn who can pluck out the thorn. You’re so much like Syn, you’re the perfect antidote to stop her.”

  “When did you realize that?”

  “The instant I met you.” He turned toward the way we had come. “Follow me, I know a shortcut out of here.”

  I grabbed his arm. “Can you at least give me a hint as to how I can stop her?”

  “I just did.”

  “Please. Tell me about a power I possess that I don’t know about,” I insisted.

  He smiled. “You can become invisible.”

  “Are you serious? No one could see me?”

  “Not exactly.” He took me by the hand. “Come, we have to get out of here. Our friends, and our enemies, are looking for us.”

  CHAPTER TWENTY

  AN HOUR LATER I WAS finally alone with Alex in her room and about to explain that I was a witch when she told me she already knew. I have to admit that in a long weekend full of surprises, this one took the prize.

  “How do you know?” I said.

  “Al’s a witch too.”

  “Your new boyfriend? The suave drug salesman?”

  “Yes.”

  “And you believe him?” I asked.

  “He gave a pretty convincing demonstration of his abilities.”

  “What did he do?”

  “He told me not to tell you. He said you were a newborn witch who’s just beginning to discover your powers. He told me you’re going through a very delicate stage.” Alex paused. “I can’t believe I just said all that with a straight face.”

  “Does Jimmy know?” I asked.

  “Not yet. But Al wants to tell him.”

  “Where’s Al right now?” I asked.

  “He’s in your room with Jimmy and the little boy with the tail.” Alex blinked. “Is there a joke somewhere in all of this that I’m missing?”

  “I wish. Where’s Debbie?” I asked.

  “She went home with Ted.”

  “Is she happy?”

  “Yes. He’s talking about going to school with her in Santa Barbara.”

  “Ted got accepted at MIT.”

  “Love knows no reason.”

  “So we have the suite to ourselves?” I asked.

  “I guess. As long as someone’s still paying the bill.”

  “The bill has been taken care of.” I paused. “Can you play with Whip for a few minutes? Jimmy and I really need to talk to Al.”

  “Sure.” Alex took my arm as I went to stand. “What’s it like?”

  “Wonderful. Horrible. I can’t tell you everything right now but I’ll be able to tell you a lot more tomorrow.”

  “What’s special about tomorrow?”

  “Let’s just say if I’m alive twenty-four hours from now, then a lot of my questions will have been answered, and I’ll be in a much better position to tell you what’s what.”

  Alex stared at me before shaking her head. “I knew you’d get back at me for inviting Jimmy to ride in the car with us.”

  Minutes later Jimmy and I sat with Al in my bedroom. To my surprise, Jimmy didn’t chew me out for going off on my own, even though the fact that I had failed to return to the MGM had caused him to rush back to the hotel ahead of schedule, and with Whip. He said my father had alerted the Council that I was missing.

  “Kendor will tell them I’m okay,” I said.

  “Is that who you were with?” Jimmy asked.

  “Yeah. He wanted to have another talk.”

  “About what?” Jimmy persisted.

  “His life. He told me a lot about his past.”

  “Wow. You’re so lucky,” Al said, impressed. “The guy’s a legend. Can you introduce me to him?”

  I studied him more closely than before. Al was still short and plump and had a baby face that wasn’t aided by his mass of curly brown hair. He wasn’t Alex’s usual type but he had a certain style about him. I noticed the alertness in his blue eyes and the fact he sat calmly beneath our scrutiny.

  “That depends,” I said. “Are you a good witch or a bad witch?”

  “I’m supposed to be a bad witch, but the Lapras don’t know I work for the Tar.”

  “Who’s your contact with the Tar?” I asked.

  “Hatsu. Call him on my cell, he’ll verify what I’m saying.”

  I did just that. Hatsu assured me I could trust Al. After thanking Hatsu, I gave Al back his phone. “I assume Hatsu told you to make contact with Alex,” I said.

  “Frankie did. He’s a Lapra, you wouldn’t know him.”

  “Actually, we’ve met. Were you close to him?” I asked.

  “No one’s close to Frankie. He’s an asshole.”

  “Then you wouldn’t mind hearing that he’s dead.”

  Al blinked. “Kendor?”

  “Took his head.” I made a slashing motion. “It was quick.”

  “Wait a second,” Jimmy said. “I thought you and Kendor met for a friendly chat. You didn’t say anything about a guy dying.”

  “Did I have to?” I asked. “You saw what he did to those two who were parked in front of my father’s condo.”

  Jimmy nodded. “You have a point.”

  “Kendor’s famous for killing any Lapra on sight,” Al said.

  “Is that why you’ve thrown your hat in with the Tar?” I asked.

  Al shook his head. “I fell in with the wrong people when I was connected. I want to make up for things that I’ve done. I’m here to help.”

  “What kind of things did you do?” Jimmy asked.

  “Nothing I want to talk about,” Al told him before turning back to me. “Hatsu vouched for me, and no one on the Council would have done that unless they were sure about the person.”

  “Have you met other members of the Council?” I asked.

  “I only got to meet Hatsu because the Council knew I had been sent by Frankie to spy on your people.” Al added. “But I know your father.”

  “How?” I asked.

  “Dr. Michael Major happens to be a customer of mine in Malibu.”

  “Sounds like a hell of a coincidence,” Jimmy said.

  “It’s just one of those things,” Al said.

  Jimmy looked at me and rolled his eyes. This distrust was unlike Jimmy. He usually gave people the benefit of the doubt. I think his fear for my safety was causing him to overcompensate.

  “Did Frankie know my father was on the Council?” I asked.
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  “I don’t mind the test questions, but your father isn’t on the Council.” Al paused. “Look, Jessie, I know you’ve had a rough time here in Vegas and I understand your suspicions. Right after I got connected, I was suspicious of everyone I met. It’s a shame I happened to know your father ahead of time because it does look kind of convenient. But Hatsu has good reasons to trust me.”

  “What are they?” Jimmy asked.

  “I’m afraid I can’t tell you right now,” Al said.

  “More secrets,” Jimmy said. “Don’t you guys ever get sick of them?”

  “Hatsu has to be careful,” Al said. “We all do. You don’t know what the Lapras are capable of.”

  “What instructions did Frankie give you?” I asked.

  “To infiltrate your group and report back to him.”

  “What did you tell him about us?” I asked.

  “Nothing. I was supposed to meet with him this afternoon but at the last minute he canceled on me.”

  “So your affair with Alex is what? A lie?”

  “From the outside it must appear that way. But I’ve already explained to her that I was sent here to meet her in order to keep an eye on you. She doesn’t care, as long as I really care for her.”

  “It’s hard for us to believe that you do,” Jimmy said.

  Al shrugged. “Believe what you wish.”

  “How much do you care?” I asked quietly.

  Al sat up straighter and a note of pride entered his voice. “I’m risking my life talking to you like this. Simply by staying here, after receiving no further orders from Frankie, puts me in danger. But I’m willing to stay because I think I can help you guys.”

  “How?” Jimmy asked.

  “I know how the Lapras operate. I’ll know if they’re tailing you or try to place someone else close to you. I can help in lots of ways.”

  He sounded sincere, at least to me, although there was something about him that filled me with foreboding. It was weird but I felt like I knew his face, or rather that it would be a face I would never forget. I sensed he could impact my life.