Accession of the Stone Born: The Vigiles Urbani Chronicles (34 page)

A half hour later Alexander showed up with half a dozen clan members. He stepped inside and I guided him through to the kitchen. He stopped in his tracks, stunned to see exactly what I’d described to him lying dead on the kitchen floor.

He shook his head in disbelief. “Goddamn, boy! You’ve had a real interesting first few weeks on the job. First Marcus, and now a fucking harpy! Jesus Christ, you like your prey on the lethal side.”

What was I supposed to say to that? All I could do was muster a weak smile and nod. “I guess this last week or so has been eventful. As for the prey, I don’t go looking for fights.”

Alexander couldn’t take his eyes off the fallen creature. “Maybe not, but you sure as hell finish them.”

Waving him back to the last room I showed him what I’d found. “I’m betting this is the missing enchanter Martha was looking for.” Pulling out the blueprints, I let Alexander get a good look at them. “I’m not sure what these belong to.”

He followed my finger to get a good look at the papers. He studied them for several minutes before looking up at me. “Appears to be an old set of prints of Charity Hospital.”

The name didn’t sound familiar, but then again I was new to the city. “Never heard of the place.”

His smile was bitter when he caught my eye. “Not surprising since it closed after Katrina ten years ago.”

“There ya go.” I shook my head in frustration. “Fat lot of good that’ll do anyone.”

Alexander nodded. “Want me to send someone to check the place out?”

“I’d rather you didn’t. If anyone’s there I want first crack at them.”

Alexander looked back at the kitchen. “You’ve got a knack for making a hell of an impression.”

I gave him a thumbs up, headed for the door, and stopped suddenly. “What do you do with the bodies?”

Alexander grinned. “How about we chalk that up to one of those mysteries in life?”

It was clear he wasn’t inclined to tell me, and I couldn’t risk him not handling the situation. “For now that’ll be fine.”

“You going back to Andrew’s?” Alexander asked.

“Probably.”

“Good. I’ll catch up with you there when I’m done here,” Alexander said.

Getting into the car, I turned the key and drove to Andrew’s. I got about halfway there when I saw a local bar and pulled into a parking space out front. I walked in, ordered a double, and downed it before making my immediate exit and heading home.

Chapter 27

Tuesday June 9th

Rousing myself from bed, I glanced at the clock: 4:30 a.m. I’d spent the majority of last night going over blueprints for Charity Hospital. Much to my displeasure, it was a massive complex. The surrounding area wasn’t much better, as it was a maze of buildings and an active medical facility, Tulane Hospital.

The one good thing about the evening was the fact I’d turned in at a decent hour, rested well, and didn’t have any freaky dreams. Maybe the denarius was right and it was just my subconscious clearing away the old nightmares with the newest boogeyman.

Picking up the Surface Pro, I clicked through the Wikipedia page for Charity Hospital. The place had gotten its start in 1736, making it the second oldest in the nation. It had gone through several incarnations, the sixth and final being in 1939, with 2,680 beds making it the second largest at the time. From the sounds of things, they were all about being second to everyone else.

Like a great deal of the New Orleans area, Katrina inflicted heavy damage on the hospital in 2005, and it had never reopened. The presence of Tulane Hospital, which was practically across the street, would make it tough for anyone to just walk in and take over a section of the abandoned monument without discovery. Then again, stranger things had happened.

Unfortunately for me, I didn’t have access to real time satellite feeds or even basic intelligence on the place. What I did have was a bunch of notes, some blueprints, and a shit ton of ground to cover. Basically blind as a bat who’d lost its voice.

After a quick shower, I got dressed and headed for the kitchen, and found it to be overly crowded. Heather, Kimberly, and Andrew were sitting at the table, while Isidore prepared sausage, eggs, and toast for breakfast.

Isidore glanced over his shoulder and thumbed at the table. “Find a place to sit and I’ll bring you something shortly.” He flashed me an evil grin and looked back at the pan. “Hope you like scrambled eggs.”

Someone was full of themselves this morning…the joke was on him though. While it was true I preferred fried eggs, I’d spent years eating scrambled in the mess hall where ever I was stationed. It would take far more than scrambled eggs to put a speed bump in the road I was traveling. Let’s face it, going to find an evil bastard who could summon spirits from beyond the veil was shitty. Scrambled eggs, not so much.

While I wasn’t sure who, someone had stocked the kitchen with several metal folding chairs, which made for a tight fit. Andrew scooted to one side, allowing me to move my seat between him and Heather. I caught the sly smirk on his face as he and Kimberly exchanged knowing glances. Fucking great, now they were playing matchmaker. That’ was the last thing on my mind at the moment.

Isidore broke the scowl I shot Andrew when he leaned over to serve me a plate with two fried eggs, three sausages, and a couple of strips of bacon for good measure. When I glanced up at him, he waved with a flourish at the plate. I mumbled my thanks and he turned to finish breakfast.

Thankfully, the others were busy talking amongst themselves, leaving me to eat my feast in peace. Well most of them anyway…Heather was noticeably quiet. Every now and then she’d catch my eye before glancing between Andrew and her mother. Kimberly and Andrew couldn’t have been more obvious about their intentions without taking a full page ad out in the paper announcing our engagement.

When I finished, Andrew put aside his attempts at matchmaking and steered the conversation into a fishing expedition. “So, what’s on the agenda for the day?” He paused, grabbing his half-empty plate in a ruse to join me. “Anything I can help with?”

I felt bad for the guy; he wasn’t used to being in the dark about anything. People were always so willing to tell him their secrets. With me being immune to his talents, he had found it a blessing at first, but now the burning desire to know that which he was denied appeared to be putting a strain on his normally pleasant demeanor.

Trying to sound disinterested, I said, “I’ve got a couple of boring errands to run. If you really want to help you could check the local DMV and see what I need to do to get a driver’s license.” He looked crestfallen at the request. Taking a deep breath, I softened my tone. “I know this is hard for you, but you running around out there only gives Walter a target. Besides, leg work rarely produces anything interesting.”

Andrew’s expression turned into a scowl. His voice loaded with sarcasm, he said, “If that’s what you call your visit to the Bywater or even the river, then yes, by all means, don’t bore me.”

Like I said, this was hard on the guy, and I probably deserved worse than a good tongue lashing. Rallying my defenses, I did my best to play it off. “That’s unfair.” It really wasn’t. “That’s like watching a football team’s highlight reel.” Crossing my arms, I did my best to appear convincing, if not a little offended. “Those incidents are the exceptions to the rule. Most of my time is spent pouring over paperwork, stopping at libraries, and generally spinning my wheels. If anything important turns up, I’ll tell you.”

Andrew cocked his head to the side. “What about Charity?”

Goddamn Alexander!

I huffed and grabbed a piece of bacon. “What about it?”

Andrew wasn’t deterred. He was desperate to find a way to help even if it meant putting himself in harm’s way. “Charity is a massive place. It would be difficult for anyone to search the place thoroughly alone.” He gave me one of those casual shrugs, like he was doing me a favor with his next words. “If you wanted an extra set of hands, I’ve got plenty of time.”

He had to go and fight with logic, what an ass. “While I appreciate the offer, I couldn’t possibly let you go anywhere near that place. On the off chance Walter is there, it would be the equivalent of walking you straight into the hangman’s noose.”

Isidore cut in, anger rippling through his words. “You aren’t going. Give it up already.”

Andrew shoved his dish in the sink hard enough to break it. Glaring at me, he said, “I’m not a helpless old man. I can handle myself.”

This whole dealing with family thing was far more difficult than I remembered. Having to fight him every step of the way made me uncomfortable. I hated telling him no, but it had to be done. I had a job to do whether he liked it or not. Holding my hands up in surrender, I sighed. “I never meant to imply that you were, but if you’re out there it would make what I have to do that much harder.”

The fight left him and his body sagged. “All right, but if you need me promise you’ll call.”

Putting a steady hand on his shoulder, I said, “I will.”

Andrew reached over and patted my hand. “I suppose that’s the best I can hope for.”

I felt like a heel, but there wasn’t anything to be done about it. “For now I suppose it is.”

With that I was out the door and back into the blissfully quiet hallway. I had no immediate plans to visit the abandoned hospital. If necromancers were strongest at night, then the sun being at its pinnacle should negate some of their power. And then again, it may not do shit, but it would provide me with enough natural light to search the place without too much trouble.

Stopping, I turned around and stuck my head through the kitchen door. “Andrew, there is one other thing you could do for me today.”

His eyes lit up and he stood a little straighter. “And what’s that?”

Damn, he was getting his hopes up. “I’m going to need George’s services for a special project.”

Andrew’s face fell, his expectations dashed. “That shouldn’t be a problem. Any specifics I can give him?”

My cheeks flushed and I found myself unconsciously tugging at my shirt. I couldn’t believe how awkward I felt. “It would appear that I’m hard on clothes.” Sweat beaded on my forehead. “I was thinking he could design a uniform and perhaps some work specific gear.”

Kimberly gawked at me. “A uniform? Why?”

I felt perspiration on the back of my head and the burning on my cheeks intensify. “If I had one, I could destroy those instead of my street clothes.” My throat was dry. “If they were perhaps more rugged they’d last longer than a week.”

There was that, and then there was the real reason. I may not have served any specific branch of the military but I’d definitely had a uniform, even if it was a dark suit and tie. The concept of any uniform was to convey acceptance by a larger force, a support system. That message would tell others that I was not alone and there would be others should anything happen to me. It was empowering. But saying that out loud would just sound stupid.

Andrew chuckled. “I’ll make the call.” He paused, thinking about my words, and frowned. “I’ll need to order some Kevlar and other armored material to protect you from more mundane weapons.”

“Thanks.”

The thought of rifles, knives, and pistols being mundane were amusing considering how I’d spent the last several years. Stepping back, I let the door swing shut behind me. A couple seconds later, I heard the door swing open. Turning, I saw it was Heather, who’d followed me out. “Good morning.”

She beamed, caught up quickly, and kissed me on the cheek. The touch of her lips against my skin sent a rush of blood throughout my body.

Heather’s eyes fixed on mine. Pulling back, she sucked in her bottom lip in a way to let me know she’d enjoyed herself. She glanced over her shoulder before locking her arm around mine as we made our way down the hall. “Those two old betties need to mind their business.” Her voice dropped to a whisper. “I know you don’t have any intention of calling anyone for help, and I think that’s a mistake.”

Tugging her closer, I tsked. “What makes you think I won’t call?”

She clucked, turning her fierce gaze on me. “Don’t lie to me or to yourself.”

I was both happy and a little irritated that she knew me so well already. Not wanting to ruin the moment, I kept my voice low so only she could hear. “I’m not lying.” I paused, enjoying her warmth against me. “Even if things got bad, who would I call? It’s not like I’m going to invite Andrew to his own execution.”

“We aren’t helpless, you know!” she growled.

Her words took the wind out of me. “I never thought you were, but you’re injured.”

She took a long breath and leaned her head against my shoulder. “That’s true, I’m on the disabled list currently, but there’s always Alexander.”

That was true, and after the ceremony I’d be able to call on Gabriel. Squeezing her arm, I opened the door to her room. “I’ll call him if the need arises. I’m not above asking for help.”

With a squeeze in return, she slipped past me and sat on the edge of the bed. “You never said anything about my mother and Andrew playing matchmaker.”

“Not much to say about it. I’m with you, though; they should mind their business.” Daring to push my luck. “I’m sort of hoping their involvement isn’t necessary.”

She bit her lip, blushing hard. “It isn’t….”

Well, there you go. I’m a grown man who just asked a girl if she likes him. “Good to know. Maybe once this is over we can go out on a proper date. You know, one where you don’t end up getting stabbed.”

Her mouth fell open in shock and then she started to giggle. “Ass!” Still beat red, she nodded. “I’d like that.”

This felt odd. I’d spent most of my life without friends or girlfriends, and here I was in the course of a couple of weeks picking up both. The years I’d spent doing the hard things people didn’t want to talk about seemed suddenly far away. Life was changing, and all I could do was hope I could keep up.

Her amusement faded and she frowned. “What’s on your mind?”

It was alarming how observant she was. “I was just thinking how different the world is here on the outside.”

She didn’t press, simply stood and gently kissed me on the lips before wrapping her arms around me in a powerful hug. “I hope you find the change a pleasurable one.”

I’m not sure my heart skipped a beat, but it certainly sped up, and I fought the urge to let things go any further…she was injured, for Christ’s sake. Stepping back, I placed my hands on her shoulders. “That was never in question.” Cocking an eyebrow at her, I grinned. “Get better fast, and maybe no drinks at our dinner.”

She smirked. “I can do that.”

“I should go,” I stammered.

With that I turned and headed for my room, then grabbing my gear I made my way out to the car. Five minutes later I was out on 4th Street heading for Elmwood. I kept going through my mind, deciding what to take to with me. It wasn’t as if I even knew what I was running into. That’s when I decided to turn the car around to head for Charity Hospital. How could I make a plan if I had no frame of reference for what I was getting myself into?

Andrew was right earlier; I’d need help securing the place, so I pulled out my phone and dialed Alexander’s number. I needed to find a way to turn the odds in my favor, and he could help with that. The call itself took less than five minutes. He and his men would secure the perimeter, ensuring no one escaped while I cleared the building. He assured me he would have a crew there in twenty and set up in thirty. The man was efficient, I had to give him that. At this rate I needed to find a way to put him and his people on the payroll.

The ride back through the city took nearly half an hour, but I found my way to the front of the hollowed out hulk that had once been a place of healing. It took another twenty minutes to find a decent parking spot. I may have cheated on that, considering I paid to park in Tulane’s garage across the street.