The Returned (12 page)

“Hide in plain sight,” Caitlin said. “Pretty smart. No one would think a French Quarter voodoo maven was the real deal.”

“You'd be surprised,” Henry said. “Some traditions run deep here. Lots of good, God-fearing people also have altars at home to different loa, the voodoo spirits.”

“I think I'm going to see what I can find out about Four and One,” Wraith said.

Edward shook his head. “Bad idea.”

“That'll be a first for me,” Wraith said.

“I'm not joking,” Edward said. “We need to tread carefully.” He looked at everyone at the table in turn. “They told us not to step on their toes or interfere with the investigation. I take them at their word and believe the threats they made.”

“Well, for me it's personal,” Wraith said. “And I plan on finding out who they are and what they want.” She lifted her hands. “But don't worry, Dad, I'll start by asking around town. You'd be surprised the kind of information you can get from street kids and homeless people.”

“Just be careful,” Caitlin said to Wraith, then winked. “Don't make us ground you.”

“Yes, ma'am,” Wraith said. “I'll call you if I find anything.”

“Let me give you my cell number,” Edward said.

“Got it already,” Wraith said as she got to her feet.

“Yep,” Caitlin said. “Really going to have a talk with Brigid.”

“Let's plan to meet back here around . . . ” Edward checked his watch. “It's eleven now. Say, four?”

“You two stay out of trouble,” Wraith said to Caitlin and Edward. Then she turned to Henry. “And don't worry. If the bad guys lock you up, I'll bust you out.”

“Thank you,” Henry said. “But I'd prefer that not be necessary.”

“Wuss.”

W
raith stepped through the door of the women's room at Edward and Caitlin's hotel and out the door to the janitorial closet in the Louisiana Law Library. She got more than a few curious looks as she made her way to the exit. After stepping out of the building, she made her way up Royal Street. She wandered up and down side streets and well-trafficked corners, hoping to come across Benji. After a brief pause for something to eat—and deeming shrimp po-boys possibly the greatest sandwich ever—she came across a couple of musicians, both girls. Wraith didn't know the violin player, but she did recognize the one playing the mandolin. When they paused between songs, Wraith walked over and dropped a five into the hat.

“Hey, Joker,” she said.

“Wraith,” Joker said and gave a wry smile. “You want to go get a drink?”

“Not on your life,” Wraith said. “You guys are insane or have superhuman livers.”

Joker laughed.

“I'm looking for Benji,” Wraith said.

“He's not gonna be around for a while,” Joker said. “In fact, he's probably just waking up. What's up?”

Wraith glanced around to make sure no one was listening in. The other girl was, but Wraith could see she was a slinger. “I'm trying to find out some information. I figure since you all are local, you'd be the best place to start.”

“What kind of information, darling?”

“Do you know anything about some suited slingers?” Wraith asked. “Call each other numbers instead of names—”

Joker's face went a little pale.

“So that's a yes.”

Joker took her arm and led her around a corner and into a small alcove. “Yeah, we call them number men,” she said.

Wraith didn't think it was the most original name, but who was she to judge?

“We don't see them often,” Joker said. “But more so in the last few months. And when we do, we make sure to get scarce, right quick.”

“Are they like cops?” Wraith asked.

Joker shook her head. “Nah, they don't harass. Those with enough stones to stand their ground hardly even get a look.”

“Then why bail when you see them?” Wraith asked.

“Because of Ellie,” Joker said.

“Who's Ellie?”

“She's a slinger,” Joker said. “Showed up in town a year or so ago. Girl has the voice of an angel, and made friends right quick because of it. We all wanted her with our crews because that voice meant serious cash.”

“What happened?”

“She got snatched,” Joker said. “Twice. And not by the same people.”

Wraith's blood went a little cold. “Twice?”

Joker nodded. “First time was down on Poydras, behind the casino. She'd scoped out a spot out of the way to sleep. Someone saw her get grabbed and dragged into a shadow. Quick and quiet with no trace left behind.”

Wraith knew an Order-snatching story when she heard one.

“A couple weeks later, she shows up again,” Joker said. “No idea that it had been a couple weeks.” She leaned in close. “But she was packing a hell of a lot more power and didn't have much control over it.”

Wraith felt a sudden kinship with Ellie. She was almost afraid to hear the rest of the story, lest it match up even more with her own.

“Go on,” she said, despite her reluctance.

“As if that wasn't bad enough,” Joker continued, “not even a full week after that, she's walking down Madison, minding her own.” Joker's face twisted a little. “Out of nowhere three number men come up on her, box her in. This dark van comes rolling up, and it's like in a movie. Door opens, they toss her in, and then jump in themselves. Then they were gone, tearing down the street.”

“Damn,” Wraith said. This just made her wonder all the more about her own memories of that van and what it meant. It was becoming clear though that Ovation and his crew weren't part of the Order. She wasn't sure if that was better or worse.

“I ain't done yet,” Joker said. “She turned up again.”

“What?”

Joker nodded. “Yep, except now she's totally out of it. Her power was back to normal, but she wasn't right anymore: talking to herself and hearing things. Didn't take long before everyone started calling her ‘Crazy Ellie.' ” She shrugged. “Which I guess is true, but always seemed like a cruel name to give her.”

“I hear you,” Wraith said. “You said there were witnesses?”

Joker nodded. “Yeah, both times. They were ru we knew back in the day, so we knew they was telling the truth. No one saw her get dropped off though.” She shrugged again. “That's why when the number men show up, we make sure we ain't around. No one wants to end up like Crazy Ellie.”

Wraith chewed her lower lip, not sure how to ask.

“Damn,” Joker said. “You want to talk to her, don't you?”

Wraith just nodded.

Joker sighed. “Well, you can try. No idea if she'll be coherent. Some days are better than others. State locked her up at a hospital in Metairie.” She narrowed her eyes. “Some of us are kind of protective of her. We forge IDs and say we're family so we can visit her from time to time.”

Wraith opened her mouth.

“But it doesn't always work,” Joker said.

“That won't be a problem.”

Joker pursed her lips. “Fine, but I'm going with you.”

“I'm cool with that.”

“And,” Joker said, “if she's having a bad day or gets upset, we're out of there. She's been through enough already.”

Wraith nodded. “Deal.”

Joker led them back to the corner where the other girl was waiting, and rather impatiently.

“Sorry about that, Disco,” Joker said. “This here is Wraith. She's the Seattle slinger.”

“Bullshit,” Disco said.

“Nah, it's her,” Joker said.

Wraith nodded, a little embarrassed.

“Badass!” Disco said and smiled at Wraith, then turned to Joker. “Now, you mind if we get back to playing? Lots of cash has already walked by.”

Joker picked up her mandolin and turned to Wraith. “Come back here in a few hours and we'll—”

“Um, actually, time is sort of an issue,” Wraith said.

“I ain't gonna bail on Disco,” Joker said.

“Not unless you want your ass kicked,” Disco said. “You promised you'd help—”

“Do I look like I'm leaving?” Joker asked.

Wraith let out a deep breath, then surreptitiously slipped a hand into her pocket and drew out some cash. She counted it without looking.

“Here's eighty bucks,” Wraith said, offering the cash to Disco. “Can I borrow Joker for an hour? I promise to bring her right back.”

“Hey!” Joker protested. “I'm not a freaking car—”

“Deal,” Disco said and took the cash.

“You suck,” Joker said to Disco.

Disco pocketed the cash. “Only in your dreams, baby girl.”

“O
kay, that was like, the coolest thing ever!” Joker said in a whisper as she and Wraith stepped out of a door inside the hospital. After the door closed, she opened it again only to find an office inside. “How do you do that?”

Wraith shrugged. “How much do you know about quantum mechanics and chaos theory?”

“Is that a polite way of saying I wouldn't understand?”

“No,” Wraith said. “That's my way of asking what you know about quantum mechanics and chaos theory.”

“Yeah, moving on,” Joker said. “How do we find her? I've only come through the front door, and then they bring her out to us.”

“I have an idea,” Wraith said. “Follow me.”

The halls were empty as they walked, and Wraith felt an odd sense of déjà vu. It wasn't that she'd been here before, but the feel of the hospital was very familiar. Between the smooth floor, white tiled walls, and the pervasive smell of antiseptic and industrial-strength cleaner, it was like stepping back into a memory. Overall, the building had seen better days, but she'd been expecting worse.

Along the hallway were doors with small windows in them. Wraith glanced in some as they walked by. A few were empty, but inside most were people in pajamas or loungewear. Some sat in a lone chair or lay on the bed and just stared blankly into space. Others paced their rooms, muttering to themselves. A few looked completely normal to Wraith, reading books or writing on a piece of paper. She couldn't help but wonder why they were there and feel a connection to them. The sense of reality crumbling around you was something she was well acquainted with.

As they came to a T-intersection, they heard footsteps from down the hall. Wraith chanced a look around the corner and saw two men in white uniforms walking together and talking between them. If they went around the corner, Wraith and Joker would be spotted instantly.

Wraith turned around and found the hallway was a lot longer than she remembered. They might make it back if they ran, but their footsteps would give them away. They could use a door, but that would mean leaving, and they hadn't found Ellie yet.

“Get close,” Wraith whispered.

Joker gave her an odd look but stepped up next to her.

“Closer,” Wraith said, wrapping an arm around Joker and pulling her tight against her.

“Honey, if you were looking for a cuddle,” Joker whispered, “you just had to ask.”

Wraith drew up her cloaking equation and wrapped it around Joker and herself. The equation had to be expanded—she normally used it only on herself—which made it more complicated.

“Are you going to tell me to kiss you now?” Joker asked. “Hope they just walk by? Or do you mean to distract them?”

“Stop talking,” Wraith said and focused on the equation. She hadn't expected another person to provide so many variables. The footsteps drew closer. Then she felt the familiar tension of the formula settle over them.

Joker was still visible, and Wraith hoped that was only because they were both inside the spell, not that it hadn't actually worked. When the girl opened her mouth, Wraith gave her a hard look, and she closed it.

“You've got to be kidding me,” one of the orderlies said as the two turned the corner and headed toward Wraith and Joker.

“No,” the other said. “Biggest damn redfish I've ever seen in person. Weighed in at twelve pounds!”

The two men continued their conversation as they walked right by Wraith and Joker without so much as looking their way. Eventually they disappeared around another corner. Wraith waited for a long minute after that before releasing the cloak and her held breath.

“Did you make us invisible?” Joker asked with wide eyes as she stepped back.

Wraith nodded.

“Too cool!”

“Come on,” Wraith said and headed the direction the orderlies had come from.

That's when she noticed the cameras. Luckily technology was easy to manipulate. Computers and everything that connected to them dealt with raw data that was coded, compiled, and processed. She drew together a small hexing equation and lobbed it at the nearest camera. The light didn't go out; there were no sparks and no smoke. But then, there wasn't supposed to be. The spell wasn't meant to fry the camera. Instead, it sent an embedded command to the receiving unit to repeat the same few frames for the next half hour. It was the magical equivalent of playing a video snippet on a loop.

A few minutes later they came to another corner, and when Wraith peeked around it, she saw an orderly's station.

“Wait here,” Wraith said to Joker. “I'll be right back.”

“What? Are you crazy?”

“At least I'd be in the right place.”

“That isn't funny!”

Wraith turned and rounded the corner. As she did, she drew up a glamour equation. This time she drew on her memory of one of the orderlies she'd seen just a few minutes ago. It probably wasn't perfect, but hopefully it would work for what she needed.

As she approached the station, she found it unattended. She moved quickly, examining the papers and charts that were stacked around the station. It didn't take long to find a patient roster, names listed next to room numbers. Unfortunately, it listed only last names and first initials. There were a dozen patients with the first initial
E
, and they were all over the hospital.

She cursed herself for not asking Joker what Ellie's last name was. Then it occurred to her that Joker probably didn't know. In fact, if Ellie was as messed up as Joker said, Ellie probably didn't know either. Wraith looked over the list again and smiled when she came across “Doe, E—416.”

“Hey, Shaun,” a woman said from behind Wraith. “Forget something?”

Wraith pushed back the rush of panic. Her cloak wouldn't change her voice. She thought back to the man whose face she was borrowing and did her best to mimic him.

“Lost my wallet,” she said in a deep voice she was sure was a terrible impersonation. She turned and found herself looking at a woman with a matronly smile.

“Did you find it?” the woman asked.

“Must've left it at home,” Wraith said and started back the way she'd come. “I need to get back to my rounds.”

“Um, okay,” the woman said. “Get some tea. You sound like you're coming down with a cold.”

Wraith nodded and waved back, but she didn't breathe until she came back around the corner to find Joker waiting. That's when she dropped the glamour.

“This is easily the coolest day ever,” Joker said. “Do you do this kind of stuff every day?”

“Room 416,” Wraith said, ignoring the question, and walked past Joker.

“Rude,” Joker said as she caught up. “I'd have thought you'd be nicer after our loving embrace.”

Wraith just chuckled and shook her head.

L
uckily, the hospital had some logic to its layout. It didn't take them long to find the stairs, and after reaching the fourth floor, they found Room 416 in short order. Wraith peered through the window and saw a girl of an age with her, maybe a little older, but still in her teens. Her long dark hair was unkempt and matted in places. She sat on the bed, knees drawn up to her chest, back to the corner of the room. Her pale eyes stared off blankly.