Tales Of The Sazi 02 - Moon's Web (15 page)

"It is my cell phone. I guess I'd forgotten it in here."

Her eyes narrowed and her nostrils flared like a Sazi. "You're lying. What's going on?" This wasn't going to work. I had to tell her. I couldn't afford to go to the airport and leave her alone. I leaned in her close to her. "When we leave here, I want you to go somewhere with lots of people. Maybe the mall. Take your cell phone and stay there until I call you." I extracted the phone from my pocket. "This is a little gift from a mutual friend. I don't know how he found us, or why he's here, but I don't want you alone."

"Mutual friend?" Her eyes widened.

I nodded grimly. "Scotty's in town and he's already been inside this house." She almost dropped the sandwiches. I caught them in time. "What does he want?" I shook my head and hefted the tray in one hand while dragging Sue to the farthest corner of the room. "I don't know. He wants me to call him when I'm alone. That won't be for awhile, so I need you to stay low. You know him, though, so you don't have to be too worried. Just keep your distance. It's me he wants— I think. But I don't want Bobby and Asri to know. Bobby would have my head for talking to him. I'm supposed to be dead."

Sue's scent was a jaw tightening fear that nearly made me attack a sandwich. I shook my head in annoyance and set the platter on the nearest counter and then turned my back on the sandwiches deliberately.

"What's with the fear, Sue? Scotty didn't bother you before. Not like this." She turned from me and kept spreading mayonnaise on a slice of bread. "C'mon, Sue. Give. We can't walk into the next room like this. We can't afford for them to ask questions. You don't lie worth a damn." I wasn't all that worried about Scotty— he was nothing to me. But until I learned his plans, Sue could be in danger. While I had known Scotty for a few years, Sue had met him only six months ago. She'd been trying to find an assassin to perform an unusual task. Out of a deep and bottomless depression came the need to end it all. But she feared she would only have one chance to get away from her family and didn't think she could kill herself without messing it up. She believed that the money she'd won in the lottery would help with one final purchase, to find a killer to kill her. Scotty was recommended by someone. He had turned down the job— it would be too easy, no fun. I'd turned it down, too, but against my better judgment at the time, I'd agreed to listen to her story. I wound up liking her. A lot. With the help of my psychiatrist friend, John Corbin—

John-Boy to me— we'd managed to get her to a point where she wanted to live. I planned to keep her that way.

After a series of bad surprises and worse enemies, I wound up on the dead rolls. Sue is 'missing and presumed dead.' While this might have nothing to do with Scotty's visit, I just didn't know.

"I can't help it, Tony," she whispered frantically. Her hand clutched my arm and I felt her nails in my skin. "He scares me."

"Since when?" I stared at her wide green eyes. They showed too much white and her nostrils were flared slightly. While a part of me wanted— no, needed— to protect her, I knew that she was better than this.

"I'd thought he was a messed up little kid until you told me he likes to kill. I saw the look in his eyes and all I've been able to think of since was that guy in that horror book who made "girl suits" from the skin of his victims."

I grabbed my fear by the throat and chained it to the floor of my mind. "Nah, Scotty's not like that. He's not into torture." I snapped my fingers. "His marks go down just like that. No pain. Just startled. Aren't you curious why he's here?" I asked her.

She nodded. Her whisper made the fear inside my head fight against the chains that bound it. "Do you think someone else has hired him to come after me? Just after I finally decided I want to live?" I shook my head. "No. He wouldn't accept the job for the same reason that he turned you down the first time. It wouldn't be any fun for him. You know him. You'd see him coming and he couldn't sneak up on you. Otherwise, why wouldn't he come into the apartment when I was out of town? Scotty gets a high out of watching people die. He likes to see the lights go out personally."

Her eyes widened again, but this time in surprise. The hot and sour soup of her fear dissolved. "That's right. Then why was he here?"

The thick antifreeze scent of curiosity chased away the lingering fear scent. I raised a finger and tapped her nose gently. I smiled at her started expression. "Just hold onto that question when we go into the next room. You should also be curious about why Bobby and Asri are about to drag me to the airport to pick up Bobby's boss."

"They haven't explained why? I missed the first part of the conversation. What possible use could you be?" I turned away from her and picked up the tray of sandwiches. I could think of a thousand reasons why Nikoli might send me with Asri and Bobby. I was only worried about the one that I might not have thought of.

« ^ »

Nobody was more surprised than me when we exited Asri's silver Lexus in front of an airport in Gary, Indiana. Bobby stepped out of the car, once again bundled in his thick down coat, hat, gloves and garishly bright muffler.

He saw my small smile as he wound it again and again around his neck so he didn't trip over it. "Not a word about the scarf, Joe. My niece in Gabon knitted this for me."

"I thought you didn't have any relatives— that whole last of my kind stuff. And you still have siblings alive?" He pulled the scarf down to reveal his mouth for an instant. "I have human relatives, stupid. Just not Sazi relatives. And she's my… " he counted his fingers. "Great-great-great-grand niece." Asri came around to the back of the car, her hood drawn so closely around her face that she reminded me of the kid in the South Park cartoon.

Bobby's voice struggled through the layers of cloth and icy wind. "I didn't even know this airport was here."

"It's a way to get to Chicago quickly without notice," came Asri's likewise muffled voice. "It may be over the state line, but it's only about twenty-five minutes from downtown."

"Are you certain that the Wolven jet is scheduled to arrive tonight? I'd just as soon go back and sit on those heated seats in the car. Man, I've got to get me some of those."

Asri's face took on a sarcastic visage. "You weren't very interested when I first suggested it, Agent. I nearly had to tie you to it while you were trying to escape to the back seat." I turned my face into the icy wind, feeling the fast-moving snow bite at my cheeks. A shiver ran down my spine and blended with the weight of the moon on my back. Both Bobby and Asri were preventing me from changing form. But they couldn't stop the scent of frost on the wind, or the pulse-pounding rush as power flowed over my skin, raising every hair on my body. It felt incredible to be outside, away from the oven of the car's interior. "I'm just glad you didn't stick me in that seat. How can you guys bundle up like that? This weather feels incredible."

"Damn mammal," came a chorus of reply. They looked at each other with a startled expression until I laughed. Bobby's deep chuckle and smile brought color to Asri's cheeks. They both quickly looked away. Combined with their almost panicked condition in the car, I was realizing that Sue was right about them. Asri recovered quickest. She turned and walked toward the airport as the sound of jet engines began to fill the air. "Come— we are already late. We must hurry before he has a chance to depart." He? I thought Bobby's boss was a she. I glanced at Bobby with raised brows, to find that he was similarly confused.

He muttered to me under his breath as we followed Asri's form, disappearing into the brightly lit snow. "I don't like this, Tony. Fiona should be the only one with access to the company jet. Who are we coming to meet?" I shrugged my shoulders. "Don't look at me. I still don't know why I'm here at all." Being the good enforcer, Asri held the door for us so that she could be at the rear of the group. Her voice was a hiss of air as I passed her. "You're fortunate that the bad weather delayed flights tonight, Tony. I was not pleased to spend the extra time at your house while your wife found a companion to shop with. You must begin to take your duties to the pack more seriously. I know you are lying to me about something. You should hope I do not find out what."

I stopped to face her. The cold wind and snow poured into the building because my body was blocking open the door and preventing her from entering. "I explained that already. She doesn't know many people here and I didn't want her going out alone." That was the truth. Not while Scotty was on the loose. Asri shook her head and sniffed haughtily. "The truth— but only barely. Your wife is an adult human in a human world. She has little to fear which shopping with another human would solve. You seem not to credit her with common sense or intellect. You will alienate her affections if you continue on this trend. She will leave you."

I snorted at the judgmental comment when she knew nothing of our relationship. I lobbed a bow shot of my own. "Big words coming from someone who puts up with Nikoli. Why don't you leave?" Her face took on a look that said that she'd heard the same question many times. She leaned in until the scent of moldy lutefisk nearly made me gag. "My relationships— and my reasons for them— are none of your affair, young wolf." She released the door so that it hit me on the shoulder and slipped around me to enter the building.

Relationships? As in plural? Useful. Very useful. I allowed myself a small smile before I turned to join the reptile duo.

Minutes passed while Bobby and Asri checked with the desk to determine whether a private plane had arrived. We moved over to the Jet Center. After looking over the scene, Bobby decided that we should wait in the Pilot's Lounge. Asri was stunning in her portrayal of the confused step-daughter of our pilot. But he doesn't know we're coming, she had sobbed. What if he doesn't come into the passenger lounge? Eventually, we were told we could wait in this room.

I followed along grudgingly. Nobody was telling me anything, and it was starting to annoy me. I spent a little time checking in with Sue in my head. It turned out that Pamela was Yurgi's wife. She was human and also worked in an office. She was delighted to have someone to shop with. Sue swore she was being extra careful and looking at every male teenager she encountered, just in case Scotty had changed his appearance. A pilot was phoning for a taxi when we arrived. He was fine when we first arrived, but not after a few minutes. As he waited on hold he started getting really fidgety, glancing our direction and gnawing at his lower lip. The hot and sour soup scent of his fear roared through the room, hitting me like a brick between the eyes. I was suddenly very glad we'd eaten the sandwiches. Even so, it took all my willpower not to attack him, rip his throat out. I forced myself to sit down and closed my eyes to blot out the images, but I heard the bang of the receiver as he hung up the phone in a panic and bolted from the room. I couldn't blame the guy. I was feeling twitchy, and it showed. The moon was roaring over my skin, even through the snow, and I longed to race out into the cold to chase the quickly moving workers.

Once he was gone I rose and began to pace. Hunger burned through me and it was only Bobby and Asri's power that kept me in check. My skin itched and burned. I wanted to rip it off, tear it to shreds and let the fur escape.

The room we were in wasn't much to look at. A single couch sat next to a potted plant and a short row of chairs faced a small table holding the phone and a directory. The roaring of jet engines as they passed the building rose and fell painfully in my ears as I watched the activity outside. I was glad for my ear plugs. One long window faced the runway, so it was easy to watch for arriving planes. Fortunately, a pilot would be too busy following directions and driving the jet into the hanger to look in the lounge. There were no windows between the lounge and the hanger, so we would remain hidden until he stepped in the room. My ears perked up when the sound of one jet didn't match the rest. I stared out the window, squinting into the swirling snow, and saw a small private jet quickly moving in for a landing. I whistled silently as it passed by. I'd seen one of the custom-made Maverick Leader jets only once before. They're pretty, but pricey— over two million a pop. Still, my friend swore by his.

I focused my eyes on the cockpit, barely lit by the instrument panel, as the wheels touched down and it glided to a stop on the wet pavement with a descending roar. A Latino man with salt and pepper hair was surrounded by thick band of blue-white… no, wait— I blinked and he was suddenly different. The face was still broad, but the sweep of the nose was different, the lips fuller. The hair was dark brown and wavy. This man was white with an "I-spend-all-my-time-in-the-sun" tan, and the band of color surrounding him was now thin and golden. What the hell? Had I only imagined the first image? The jet passed by me in seconds, leaving me little time to muse on it.

"Is that your guy?" I pointed to the jet. Bobby and Asri, who were once again trading whispered barbs at each other, stopped in mid-battle to look out the window.

Bobby nodded and quickly began to zip up his jacket and return his hat to his head. "That's the plane. Was a woman piloting it?"

"No," I replied, both shaking my head and furrowing my brow. "It was a man."

"What did he look like?" came the muffled words from behind the ever growing layer of knitted color. I gave a short sniff of exhaled air, not quite a chuckle. "Good question." A very good question. Asri spoke when her jacket was again secure. "The storm is growing worse. The timing of this visit could be better. Tony will need to hunt soon and it will take time to reach a park." Bobby glanced at her sharply. "Don't you mean that we will need to hunt?" Asri's eyebrows raised. "I seldom hunt on the moon. Usually I swim." I pursed my lips. I guess it never occurred to me that other species might treat the moon differently. Maybe dragons need to swim the way wolves need to hunt. I know they can swim. It hadn't occurred to me it might be necessary.

Bobby was equally surprised, and opened his mouth. But he didn't get a chance to ask his question, because the door to the lounge opened.

The man I saw last in the cockpit entered the room. He saw Bobby first, and a blue streak of muttered swearing caught my ear. His eyes flowed over Asri briefly, but spent a much longer moment looking at me. I've spent my whole adult life trying to remain unnoticed, so I'm acutely aware when someone does. It's all in the eyes, and his showed recognition. All of my senses went on full alert. His scent was like fresh cardboard coated with lemon oil. He was dressed in worn blue jeans and a denim shirt under a leather bomber jacket that is the twin of mine, except brown. He looked away when he caught me staring, and his face went to schooled blankness. I continued to study him, watching for any chink in the armor. Bobby's mouth was still open, and his eyes had too much white. His jaw moved, but nothing came out.

"Bobby. You're looking well." The voice was as white bread, ail-American as the face and perfectly matched his football quarterback body.

"But… but you're dead! For Christ sake, Greg— I saw you die!"

I didn't know anyone named Greg, but it was apparent that Bobby did. Asri was also studying the man. She seemed confused, which told me that she was expecting to meet someone else. Her narrowed eyes relaxed and returned to normal. She was going to wait it out and see what happened.

"No, Bobby, you didn't. You only thought you saw me die."

Bobby's surprise turned to anger in the blink of an eye. "I know what I saw, damn it! You ran back into the house and it exploded. I know you're powerful, Greg, but nobody could have walked away from that!" He took two steps toward the man and stared at him, his eyes flashing.

"Unless that person planned the explosion," came the quiet reply. "It was the end of the road for me, Bobby. I'd been in Wolven too long— made too many enemies. It was time for me to die." Bobby's face was contorted in fury. I was surprised when he took a swing intended for Greg's face. The bigger man caught Bobby's fist and held him effortlessly.

Ah ha. His eyes flashed for a moment when he got angry. If I hadn't been watching so close I would have missed it. A brief flash of blue-white flared from his pupils before it settled back to gold. The voice dropped a few notes past the normal solid baritone, and betrayed his growing annoyance.

"Knock it off, Bobby. Other people have left the company and nobody ever cared. Why am I any different?"

"You devastated us, man! Fiona wouldn't talk to anyone for nearly a month. Raphael quit the agency and has never been the same. You self-righteous, self-centered son of a bitch!" Wow. I guess I didn't realize that they were close. Bobby's never really been close to any of the guys since I've known him. Now I knew why.

Greg shook his head— small, quick movements that ended with a harsh release of breath. "You've got it all wrong, Bob. Fiona knew. You think I walked away without my pension? Why do you think Fiona does the payroll herself? I'm not the only dead agent, you know. And as for Raphael— we both know his leaving the company had nothing to do with my death. He brought about his own downfall." Bobby's arms were crossed tight over his chest. His initial fury of pain had gone cold. "Why now, Greg? Why show your face after all these years?"

The reply was sarcastic and biting. "I didn't intend to show my face, Bobby. You surprised me, remember?

And— speaking of which… " He turned to Asri. "I don't know you. Who are you and why are you here?" She stepped forward slightly and raised her face to meet his. "I am Asri Kho. I was sent here to welcome you to Chicago on behalf of Nikoli Molotov and drive you back to meet him." A shadow of a smile passed over his face. "Fair enough. I did ask who and why. Perhaps I should have asked how? How did you come to be here— in Gary, Indiana— at this time— in a snowstorm? How are you here?" She shrugged her shoulders, which drew a frown from Greg's face. "I'm afraid I know very little. I was instructed by Nikoli to pick up the pilot of the jet that just arrived. I didn't know who would be in it. You would have to ask Nikoli about the details."

Greg nodded his head briefly as his nostrils scented the air. I couldn't quite tell whether he'd spotted Asri's lie, but I could see it in her eyes. He pursed his lips and casually sat down on the stiff wooden chair at the table. He leaned back against the wall and crossed his arms. "Let's try that again. I think we should all sit down and have a chat before we go see Nikoli."

Bobby sat down on one of the chairs automatically. He was still angry, but the thick antifreeze of curiosity won out. Apparently Asri had been bullshitting us all evening.

I couldn't sit. I was too edgy, but I did at least lean against the wall near the towering ficus in the corner.

"I would prefer to stand," Asri said calmly.

The blinds on the window suddenly dropped and snapped shut, just like Bobby had done at my house. "And I would rather you sit." The word ended with a dagger edge and I watched Asri's face grow startled and her eyes change from defiant to nervous. I knew why. A blaze of light emanated from Greg. It surrounded her and began to compress. She slowly, but methodically began to sit on the couch. Her every muscle fought the action, but she was outclassed. He had finesse, I had to admit. Once seated and leaning back into the cushions, one of her legs crossed over the other and her fingers interlaced and hugged one knee. Only her face showed the fight she was putting up. Her teeth were gritted and sweat painted her brow. Her panic made her bold. A furiously bright glow of amber light struggled and strained against a wash of blue-white. I had to shut my eyes against the blaze. Bobby didn't even seem to notice the light, but he did notice the struggle. He looked a little uneasy, which surprised me.