The Blood Eagle in the Big Easy (39 page)

His eyes glazed over as he convulsed as his body continued to starve from oxygen deprivation.

“Dad, please!” Kira’s voice broken as I could see her wipe tears from her eyes. “Please stop.”

Anger continued to course through me but I pulled it back as I spun the knife in my hand before driving it through Smith’s left eye. He convulsed as his body objected to this last grievous insult before going still. 

“Thank you.” Kira whimpered.

“He deserved worse.” Nicholas growled as he opened the car door. “Let’s move.”

Nicholas was angry and he had every right to be, Smith had cut his mother open and Gullveig had made him watch. Kira was confused and angry. She had never been baptized in the heat of battle and as such didn’t realize that to fight monsters you sometimes had to become one. She was a healer not a warrior and it showed through her mercy toward a man who threatened her harm. I could only hope that she would one day gain a balance between the two.

Nicholas looked back at Kira who was still sitting in the drivers seat. “We need to go!” His voice was hard and reserved. “We have a job to do.”

Kira looked back at him. “I don’t know if I can do this.”

“You can stay back if you need to.” It was a lot to ask of someone to force them into a situation they weren’t ready for. “Nicholas and I can handle this alone. Make sure the others stay put till we're done.”

“Thank you.” Kira whispered as she adjusted herself before getting out of the car to meet with Gregory.

“I’m coming through the gate now.” Nicholas strode through the turnstiles breaking the arms off one as he passed through. “We end this today!”

With barely a thought I faded into the background as I hurried through the haunting remains of the park to catch up with the wrathful young man intent on finding justice for the wrongs heaped upon him. Justice doesn’t always fall in line with the law of the land. For example O. J. Simpson was able to buy a not guilty verdict. What I did to Smith was more akin to justice even though it went against the letter of the law. He was owed a very long and painful death which he was denied. My daughter had granted the man a small mercy which was more than he deserved.

Nicholas paused as he entered the park reading a heavily graffitied welcome sign which read, ‘Welcome to Zombieland Kids’. Shaking his head he continued through the eerily empty streets. Kicking a half rotted teddybear out of his way as he passed the Cosmopolitan Hotel and Metropolitan building to the pathetic inoperable fountain.

Cutting through the grass I was forced to jump over one of the fallen bungee swing arms. From there I took the long way around the broken parachute ride which littered the ground with several rusted chains and broken plastic seats. Shimmering into view a few feet away from Nicholas I slowed my pace to an easy walk as he turned to greet me with hardened steel in his eyes. His resolve to see this to its end was clearly seen in his demeanour. He was hardly at peace with it but understood what had to be done. I had to admire his tenacious nature in one so young.

A strong north wind churned the gray skies above as thunder rolled in the distance. The chill in the air had less to do with the temperature and more to do with a deep foreboding sense of an impending doom. I could smell the muddy waters of the lake as Mother Nature put on a spectacular display of her powers as a steady wind seemed to push us toward our destiny. Shivering as the adrenaline rush subsided from my encounter with Smith I studied the virtual overlay of the Metropolitan Building.

Communicating with Nicholas via the Nexus we formulated our plan of attack. Once inside we would split up and attack Gullveig from different directions in the hopes of gaining the upperhand. Even now I was able to feel her power through the broken building before us. Her anger and hatred rolled through the land in waves like some sort of perverted heartbeat. Nicholas could feel it whether or not he realized it as he swayed in time with its rhythm.

As we entered the building through the side entrance we kept a close eye on the glowing figure of Gullveig at the heart of the dilapidated structure’s virtual overlay. My senses were nearly overwhelmed as the scent of rotting meat, mold and feces hung heavily in the air. For a moment I thought Nicholas would pass out, but he quickly regained control of his body.

Without Mir's visual guidance we would have been hopelessly lost. The place was barely recognizable. The flood waters of Katrina had collapsed walls, filling the hallways with debris. Add to that the fact that the trespassers had been less than kind as they vandalized what little remained. Piles of trash, broken sheetrock and left over mud made our progress tedious. As we approached the first intersection Nicholas found his path blocked by part of the roof that had collapsed. He was forced to backtrack through one of the broken offices, cutting through one of the many gaping holes.

Officially on my own I steadied my nerves, focusing on the task at hand. Allowing my senses to stretch out before me the only life force I could detect was Gullveig’s. As a side note, when even the rodents have left the building you might want to reconsider your destination. I however didn't have that particular luxury. Keeping an eye on Nicholas I was able to monitor his progress, what little there was. He was being forced to take alternate routes due to the copious amount of debris.

Considering my history with Gullveig I wasn’t sure she would expect me to bring anyone along for the ride. I was really hoping that would be all the extra edge we'd need to put her down once and for all. If she were expecting me to try and take her alive to be brought to some type of justice... Well she was sadly mistaken. Things had gone much too far and she was too dangerous for anything but her eminent demise to be an option.

I couldn't wait all day for Nicholas to get in position so I proceeded on my own. Quickly able to traverse the path she and Smith probably used during their tenure here, I was soon at one of the last working doors. The filth covered rusty door was all that stood between my ancient enemy and myself. Taking one last deep breath to steady my nerves, I pulled the door from its hinges. This had once been a overly large room for private parties but now the bare cement floors were covered in dried mud from the lake and recently discarded food containers. Obviously she had been living here for sometime now.

Gullveig on the other hand looked as if she had taken a bath or three since she'd kidnapped Galvez. Someone had trimmed her hair, applied makeup and dressed her in the latest tactical gear. If it weren't for the fact she was a remorseless killer I could have appreciated her supermodel beauty. Damn, I had to give Helena extra credit for birthing such attractive children. She stood there in middle of the room smiling at me. It was the type of smile that sent shivers up your spine. Pulling off her jacket she tossed it to the side.

"You haven’t changed in all these years!" Giving me a wide berth she slowly started to circle the room. "However do you do it?"

Dropping my coat I fell in sync with her movements. "I dunno, good living, eating right and not being a total douchebag psycho killer?"

She gave me a quick smile while cracking her knuckles. "Oh don't be like that. I remember when you couldn't get enough of me!"

My mind was flooded with clouded thoughts and strong lust filled emotions. What the fuck was that? Shaking free of the carnal fog I gave her the finger. "Cute trick, but let's try to stay out of the fiction section."

She moved so quickly that it barely registered that she was behind me before she tenderly kissed my neck. "I'm hurt that you don't remember." I felt a sharp pain on my face as her blade dug into the soft flesh of my right cheek before she returned to her position opposite me.

I was definitely feeling out classed and I was clearly fighting out of my league. She held the advantage since she seemed fully aware of her abilities and I was only just now beginning to see my potential.

She adopted a condescending tone as she gave me a less than sincere frown. "Ahh, honey don't be like that."

"Be like what?" I growled.

"You always had that sour little look when you were worried about something."

Before I could blink she sped towards me as she produced her signature weapon. She planted the cane's blunted surface into my abdomen like a speeding truck. Doubling over I flew across the room, landing in a heap as pain coursed through me.

"You needn't worry too much just yet." She added

Picking myself up off the ground, I grunted in pain from the freshly broken rib. "Yeah? Why's that?"

"You have a few things I would like returned." Holding up her cane as if I should know what she was on about.

It suddenly occurred to me that she wanted the nanites Nicholas now claimed as his own. I couldn't help myself as a smile danced its way across my mouth. "About that..." Forcing my will through Gungnir it took its true shape, hungering to be wielded in battle. It pulsed with a life of its own healing my wounds. "I think I'm going to have to refuse your oh so subtle request."

This time when she bolted across the room at me I was able to keep up blocking the blow meant for my skull. Sparks rained down between us as our weapons clashed against one another.

Suddenly I felt an explosion rock the building as she quickly retreated several yards away. It didn’t take me long to understand what had happened. Nicholas, though still alive, lay several rooms away and buried under newly fallen debris from an exploded landmine. Who the hell uses landmines inside a building?

She sneered as she spoke. "How unlike you to bring a guest along. You know, that was very rude of you as the invitation was for you alone!" Shrugging she made a hmmp noise as confusion set in. "I guess Smith was right about you after all, but this isn’t the way it's supposed to happen."

I hadn't a clue as to what she meant but guessed that this was about the only opportunity I would have in the way of a surprise attack. Swiping Gungnir through the air an arch of pure white energy slammed across her chest lifting her off the floor before slapping her against the exposed metal I beams.

Even running at top speed I felt clumsy and slow compared to Gullveig, though it was fast enough to get me to her before she had time to recover. Holding Gungnir lengthwise in both hands I slammed her hard enough against the beam for it to groan as it gave ever so slightly.

I followed it with a vicious uppercut with the glowing green counterweight. A nasty cut bloomed to life just under her eye. Blood flowed freely from the cut down her left cheek and for the first time I saw fear in her eyes.

“I guess that wasn’t supposed to happen either.”

Time slowed to a crawl for me as our bodies sped across the room at each other. Part of me registered the fact that we were moving faster that what should’ve been possible, but the part of me that was connected to Gungnir told me this was my natural state. Spinning Gungnir I slashed across her midsection with the glowing sapphire tip in the hopes of ending this quickly but she was faster than I’d anticipated. Sidestepping my attack I was only able to graze her right ribs with barely a flesh wound.

She gave me a hard sidekick to the chest lifting me several feet off the ground, but with my heightened senses and added agility I kept myself righted and landed on my feet none the worse for wear. Forcing my will through the spear as I built up momentum I slammed the hilt into the floor sending a shockwave through the room, knocking her off her feet. Things were finally evening out or so I thought.

Gullveig rolled to her feet and sent a wave of the same inky darkness I’d seen Smith use earlier across room at just about chest level. I dove to the side allowing her precious seconds to right herself while I scrambled out of harms way. She continued to press her advantage, hitting me with a beachball sized fireball. Slammed against my shields it carried me across the room and through the weakened wall.

And there it was again! That nagging feeling I was fighting out of my depth. So yippee for me! Dragging myself back to my feet and pissed off as hell, I now wanted my pound of flesh. Gungnir pulsed, urging me back into battle as it hungered to be used for the purpose for which it was created. O.D.I.N. was working overtime as I calculated the percentage of success of various attacks, all of which were less than dismal. I quickly checked on Nicholas who was still immobile and apparently unconscious. The only promising news was the fact he would probably live to see another day. I wasn’t as confident about that as far as I was concerned. Even with the nitrous Gungnir supplied I was clearly out of practice and Gullveig knew it.

“It’s hard to believe you were once the most feared being in the known universe.” She sneered. She stalked around the room waiting for that perfect moment to put me down. “It’s a shame really!”

“What’s that?” I couldn’t help myself. She clearly knew something I didn’t.

She stopped as joy crossed her face. “You really don’t remember do you?” She bit her lip as she eyed me closely. Something about the gesture was familiar to me but I couldn’t place why with my jumbled memories.

“That wasn’t an answer!” I growled.

“No, I guess it wasn’t. It’s a shame you will never realize your potential.” Her expression softened as she let her guard down just for a moment. “We could change things, you and I.”

Confusion set in as I wondered what she was talking about. “How’s that?”