Forty-Eight years before…

 

            Wyshok Meen felt Kel shift in the seat beside her. She was glad he was there. The invitation from her former lover was unexpected, slightly daunting but irresistible. It had been seven years since the break up and  Wyshok had moved on, with the occasional pang. Frank and his wife were making a concerted effort to be adults and include old friends. That’s what she and Frank were now, old friends who rarely spoke. It was for the best. Their history still leant itself to sniping, but on the occasions when she had seen them, everyone was civilized. In the seven years that followed she had gone out with several men. None were ever as intense as her relationship with Frank or as long. After a few years she devoted most of her time to work as a Sweeper for the BCPD. Her partner, Kel was really the only man in her life.

 

            The other reason she wanted to come to the ceremony was a chance to see Hogarth, the head of the Sorcerer’s Guild.  They had met years ago during a case where the son of a movie producer was kidnapped and had nearly fallen victim to a strange body switching ritual. Since then she had seen him on several occasions and was able to now call him a friend. In a few weeks time the Wizards would all be leaving. Frank and Hogarth had worked together to create an amicable moratorium on the use of magic in Big City and the two had worked to design a transition that would be as painless as possible. Hogarth was leading his people to someplace new. This was Wyshok’s chance to say goodbye.

 

            Even with all of that, she wouldn’t have come if Kel hadn’t. She knew he was uncomfortable. He didn’t like Frank. Kel had been been her partner since Frank and Wyshok were still together and was there during the break up. He had listened to every detail of the relationships since. He was Wyshok’s best friend and she was grateful that he was there as support. 

 

            They sat with several other guests in the central tabernacle at the Wizard’s Guild compound in the hills outside Big City. The room was circular and natural light streamed in through narrow windows at the top of the round central “Tower of Focus”. This tower was said to pull in and focus universal energies down onto the round marble platform that stood beneath. The Johnsons sat just off of the central altar. Hogarth smiled at them as he stepped up on the marble and addressed the small crowd.

 

            “Welcome everyone. As well as being a beautiful ceremony at a beautiful time for my dear friends,” Hogarth motioned to the Johnsons, “this is also an historic moment. This will be the last official magic ceremony in Big City. Many people don’t understand why I am happy about this or, even, why I am leading the great exodus. At some point parents must leave children to their own devices. My feeling is that magic and the manipulation of magic was a way to survive for many millennia, a way for all beings to cope with the harsh realities of our world. Now, science and technological ingenuity have made magic a luxury, a temptation and something outdated." As always, Hogarth's father-like demeanor was calming. Wyshok always thought it admirable that he always spoke to people in this way, never in a tone more befitting someone of his stature. "So I am pleased to lead the magic users of our world into our next great adventure. And I am pleased to leave this world to its own devices, to allow failure and through adversity, success. Magic will not leave, but I leave the magic to others to discover.” Hogarth turned and smiled to his friend Frank. “When my good friend Frank asked me to perform this ceremony, I was excited. Not just because it was going to be the final ceremony here, but because it was for my friend. For those of you who do not know, this is the Ceremony of The Veil. It hasn’t been performed in many years. When Frank asked me to perform this on his new born son, Robert, I was honored.” He stepped back and indicated a marble plinth with a large crimson cushion on top. “Frank, Judith, please place Robert on this cushion.” The two did so.

 

            Kel looked over at Wyshok. She tensed slightly. He knew that she still wondered if that could have been her son. He placed his hand on hers, it was all he would ever let himself do. The infant Robert was placed on the cushion. Vampire Ambassador Vzlass Sobzn, who was heading up the Vampire Inclusion Movement with Frank, joined in the semi-circle around young Robert, as a witness. While this was a beautiful moment for the Johnsons it was still, after all, a good chance for a photo opportunity.

 

“This is the Ceremony of The Veil. For eons it was said over heroes before they went into battle. It is a protection spell that the Knight carries with them that will keep them safe from the ravages of evil.” Hogarth placed his hand over the child and looked at both Frank and Vzlass. Both also placed their hands over the child. Hogarth chuckled. “In truth, this spell needs only one…but over the years the ceremony has grown slightly grandiose.” The room chuckled. Hogarth shut his eyes and intoned a quiet incantation. He opened his eyes and looked at the other two. In unison they spoke;

 

            “Hero. Take this light into the dark places. Into places of fire. Into places of dread. Fear not. Know that the veil of good is over you, to protect you. To keep you safe. To fight evil once again.” The words echoed up into the tower. The rays of light seemed to swirl for a moment, suspended in the air like a snowball, gathering in size. The room seemed to vibrate for a moment. Then the ball of light fell on the infant Robert Johnson. “As darkness may fall…so too shall light and deliverance.”

 

 

            Smiles could hear his breath. It quivered. The cave was cold and dry. The blood gushing out of the wound in his belly was growing cold as it ran down his sides and pooled in the small of his back. He was too stunned to cry. The air was almost gone. Smiles could feel the end.

 

            He was dying. He thought of Gina. He thought of his mother. He thought of his father. When the wave of regret hit him, it was more painful that the bullet and he howled in sorrow.

 

            When Robert Johnson died his heart and thoughts were filled with sorrow for wasted time. 

 

After that, it was like being washed away in warm indigo. There was no lifting up. There was no slip downward. Smiles felt himself move outward in all directions. When he was done there was only the stillness and the gentle repetition of his breath.

 

            A gentle voice whispered…”Robert?”

 

            Smiles jolted up and gasped like he’d been held under water. He looked around. The room was friendly, filled will huge, hand carved bookcases and maroon tapestries. It smelled of pipe tobacco. It wasn’t exactly what he expected from the afterlife.

 

            “Oh no. I’ve died and… gone to the library,” he mumbled.

 

            An older man sat down on the bed next to him and smiled. “Yes, and it’s my library.” Hogarth said.

 

            Smiles yelled in shock and fell off the bed.

 

*

            Manzetti took a desperate, life-affirming breath.  His hands were bound. He screamed. He heard a familiar voice call to another to help get the restraints off.

 

            “I felt it. G’luh help me! I felt it. He shot me,” he wailed in disbelief. He stopped. The voice was different. It wasn’t his voice. He felt the ropes leave his wrists. A sturdy hand on each elbow helped him sit. Manzetti took a deep breath. The rattle was gone. The pain that had been in his chest for years was gone. Every sensation seemed to be different in some way. He was naked but he could feel the ring, hot on his finger.

 

            Slith leaned in. “Boss?”

 

            Manzetti shivered, his hair was wet with sweat. His eyes focused on Zahn, who nodded.

 

            “It’s him. Nicholas? Welcome to your new body.”

 

Big City

BEGUILED

by Eric Schwartz

 

            “Big City ACTION NEWS with Ken Powter and Rachel Targo’thka.”

 

            Needless rolled his eyes and tapped on the bar to indicate to Tuck that it was time for another. He was four drinks into a sweet painkiller buzz. He turned his attention back to the TV.

 

            Rachel Targo’thka had some seriously drastic bangs, sprayed to rigidity and shiny. “We begin tonight with a special report from Elnt Shad’ryr. Elnt?”

 

            Elnt stood in front of the City building. “Tomorrow the trial of Detective Sergeant Adam Forray will get underway, here. Three months ago Sgt. Forray, known by his brothers on the BCPD as Stack Fury, allegedly killed a former mob boss in cold blood.” Stock footage of Stack being taken to his arraignment. Cut to: Several police walking out of Police Headquarters. “For nearly eight years mob boss Nicholas Manzetti was missing, believed to be dead. Nearly a year ago Sgt. Forray found out that Manzetti had returned to Big City and began an all out manhunt for him, using city money for a search that, according to some, should have been handed over to The Bureau.”

 

            The shot cut to an overweight, graying man in a fluorescent lit office. Several books were thrown haphazardly into a bookshelf behind him. Beneath his talking face appeared the words: Ned Kindler – Bureau Agent (Retired). “Clearly Sgt. Forray disobeyed protocol. This was the Bureau’s case eight years ago when Manzetti disappeared it should have been the Bureau’s case this time, regardless of Mr. Forray’s feelings.”

 

            Elnt appeared again, this time walking along the sidewalk outside City Hall. “The ‘feelings’ that Bureau Agent Kindler spoke of, deal with Forray’s fiancée whom many believe Manzetti killed before vanishing. But the outcome of this trial is not clear cut. Yes, Forray pulled the trigger. Yes, he killed Manzetti. But several action groups in the city have rallied around his cause.”  The scene cut to some demonstrators outside the city building. “These demonstrators have been here for nearly a month, showing their support for a man, they believe, is a hero to the people.”

 

            A middle-aged lady goblin appeared. The words “Goblin Hill Resident” appeared under her. Needless rolled his eyes. “They made sure to point that out.”

 

            “Look, I don’t care what they have to do to clean up my streets. This man took a stand and did what he felt was right.”

 

            Elnt again. “Even the man who arrested Forray, his former partner John D’yen, has launched a campaign to free him. D’yen claims that Forray was drugged over several months and manipulated into killing Manzetti…by Manzetti. Autopsy reports do show that Manzetti was suffering from a terminal cancer. For now, city officials believe they have enough evidence to hold Forray and prosecute. His supporters believe he will be exonerated. Either way, as of eight AM tomorrow, it’s for the jury to decide… and the cards…may be STACKED…against him. Elnt Shad’ryr – Big City Action News.”

 

            Needless waved his hand to Tuck who promptly turned off the TV and shook his head. Needless swallowed the last of his drink.

 

            “How is he?” Tuck asked, transferring the empties to that magical place behind the bar where empties go.

 

            Needless took an overly long blink and smiled a sloppy smile that quickly turned sad. “I don’t know. As the arresting officer I’m an automatic material witness for the prosecution. Stack and I are…not  allowed to mingle.” Needless slipped off the barstool and slid some cash across the bar. He smiled ironically again. “Even if he wanted to.”

 

            “Couldn’t you refuse to testify?”

 

            “Not if I want to continue to be a cop.” The half-elf cocked his head at Tuck. “I suppose…I do still want to be a cop.”

 

            A few uneasy moments later Needless wobbled out of the Tap and into the chill of the late autumn Big City dusk.

 

*

            Charlie ran his fingers through his hair and stared at the glass. He had just had his first haircut since the surgery and it felt great. Things were finally starting to get back to normal. Almost. Smiles had been gone for three months. After Charlie’s sudden recovery at the hospital he spent weeks trying to track his boss down. The trail seemed to end at Thrombis. No one there remembered him. There was talk of a bar fight whose antagonist matched Smiles’ description. But no one knew what happened after the fight. The leads dried up.

 

            So he set about saving Smiles’ business for him, if he came back. Charlie was now the lead investigator for Big City Eyes. It was a job that kept him moving. He had taken on more cases than he should have to make up for the lack of work that had gone on for months. He was tired and worn out and he knew that things were about to get a whole lot worse. Stack’s trial started tomorrow and Charlie dreaded it. Needless would be testifying for the prosecution. Sure, he could talk about the drugs they found in Stack’s water supply, but not until cross-examination. Callisto, the only strong witness that the defense had, was in the hospital having suffered a massive, stress related heart-attack in jail.

 

            Charlie was sure that the only person who had any clue how to help Stack was dead, having disappeared into the Black Flats three months before. No matter how he tried, Charlie always felt like a bad replacement when he came to see Stack. As Stack sat down on the other side of the glass and lifted the receiver to his mouth, Charlie smiled weakly.

 

            “Hey, Charlie. Nice to see a friendly face.” Stack grinned a tired grin.

 

            “How you holding up?”

 

            “I’m beat. I’ve been going over things with my lawyers all day. They try to be upbeat, but I know that there’s not much hope. But I get a haircut and a new suit tomorrow. That’s a plus.”

 

            Charlie chuckled. “How about Bledsoe and the Mayor? Any word from them?”

 

            Stack shook his head. “Janet’s hands are tied. If they try to do anything, it’s going to look like they’re covering for a dirty cop. They have to let this go to court. Plus there’s a lot more evidence to contradict my defense.” Stack looked down for a moment. “Still no word on Smiles?”

 

            Charlie shook his head. “Nothing. I’m paying a couple guys out in Thrombis to keep checking, but… you know, it’s been three months.”

 

            “So it looks like Needless and Smiles were right not to tell me. It was a trap.”

 

            Charlie shrugged. “Maybe. Nothing is for sure.”

 

            “How is Needless?”

 

            “Bad. He’s in a bad way. He’s pleading your case everywhere, but the city won’t let him anywhere near the investigation. Him and Laura still can’t be in the same room together.”

 

            “It’s not her fault.”

 

            “Yeah, but you know Needless.”

 

            “Yeah. Tell him I said hi.” He smiled an ironic smile. “If he wants to hear it. How is Laura?” There was more than just casual curiosity in his voice, and he hoped Charlie hadn’t noticed.

 

            Charlie nodded. “She’s good, you know. One day at a time. Some publisher wants her to pull together all her stories relating to you and Manzetti for a book. She keeps refusing.”

 

            Stack nodded. There was an awkward silence between them for a few moments. Stack chuckled. “Look, Charlie, I appreciate everything that you’re doing. Really I do. But I know that you’ve got a lot on your plate right now. You don’t need to keep working on this.”

 

            Charlie smiled. It was unfortunately true. All any of them were doing was spinning their wheels. It was in the hands of the court now and they had to hope that the evidence would be enough to cast reasonable doubt. “Smiles wouldn’t give up,” Charlie muttered.

 

            Stack knew it was true. But he looked down at his hands. “Yeah. And look where that got him.”

 

            Their goodbye was silent. Stack hung up the phone, gave Charlie a half wave and moved to the guard who would take him back to his cell. Charlie walked to the door and checked his watch. He had enough time to get back on shore and get to The Herald to pick up Laura.

 

*

            Laura had finally moved into her end of day routine. She was engaged in loading her purse for the evening with everything that had made its way out during the day. Keys, billfold, checkbook, pens, notebook. It was such a mundane task but it always brightened her day because it meant that the day was coming to a close. She would meet Charlie downstairs soon. They will probably go back to her place. Another routine that brightened her day.

 

She finished the packing, pulled the strap onto her shoulder and looked up.

 

            She gasped and jumped.

 

            The old man standing across the desk from her smiled. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to scare you.”

 

            Laura caught her breath. “No. That’s okay.” She dropped her purse back on the desk. “What can I do for you?”

 

            The old man’s face grew sadder. “Ms. Medrano, I am a former BCPD Sergeant and I believe I can help YOU. I have information that I believe will help your friend Sgt. Forray.”

 

            Laura sat down. “All right.”

 

            ‘We shouldn’t talk here. Is there someplace quiet? Perhaps we could go get coffee.”

 

            “Sure, no problem.”  She stood again, lifted her purse and looked at him quizzically. “Why so secret?”

 

            The old man nodded in understanding. “I believe Nicholas Manzetti is alive.”

 

            Laura shifted her weight to one hip and stared at the old man who stared back at her with complete conviction. He was serious.

 

*

           

            The smells of pipe tobacco and cigarette smoke mingled and floated up into the vaulted ceiling of the study. Smiles sat on the edge of a hideaway bed. From his growth of beard, he’d been here a few days. The two sat smoking in silence. They hadn’t spoken since Smiles had fallen out of bed almost half an hour before. Smiles ran his hand again over the bullet hole in his shirt and then again to his stomach. There was no wound. Only the scorched hole in his shirt proved that anything had happened at all.

 

            Slowly the events began to seep back into his mind. The cave. Gina. Autumn. Smiles chuckled with disgust which caught Hogarth’s attention. He pulled the pipe away from his lips and broke the silence.

 

            “Something has amused you?”

 

            Smiles shrugged. “I lied to my closest friend for months because I was worried that he would walk into a trap and I wound up walking into it myself.”

 

            “Is that how you were killed?”

 

            Smiles cocked his head at the old man. “I did die.”

 

            “Yes. That’s how you came to be here.” Hogarth laid his pipe in the ashtray and moved to his desk. “I’m sure you didn’t know this but a spell was cast on you many years ago, when you were a baby. It was really just a simple ceremony, some…pageantry but the spell was very real. It’s called The Hero’s Veil. You father requested the ceremony.” The old man pulled a picture from his desk and moved to Smiles. He slipped the picture into the detective’s hands. “It was a lovely ceremony. The last official magic ceremony in Big City. You were famous briefly. Your father was always good at rallying the press.”

 

            Smiles’ mouth fell open as he gazed on the black and white picture. His father and mother stood center holding him. Hogarth and a vampire stood on either side of them. Nearby, Wyshok Meen and another man stood with other friends and family. Smiles looked up at the old man.

 

            “Hogarth. You’re Hogarth the Sorcerer. Aren’t you?”

 

            The old man smiled. “Yes I am, Robert.”

 

            “That means that this place…”

 

            “Is Ethedra. Yes.”

 

            Smiles felt the air almost suck out of him. Ethedra. The place the Wizards went. He shook the amazement away. “So how did I get here? I was shot. I was in a cave…”

 

            Hogarth held up a hand and sat on the bed next to Smiles. “The Veil spell was created to protect heroes of war that were going in to battle. If the hero was mortally wounded in an act of violence, the knight or soldier would be transported directly to the spell caster. That wizard would then be bound by the spell to tend to the wounds. As I said, your father thought that this was a beautiful idea and he loved you so much, he asked me to perform this on you. I too thought it was a lovely idea. I never thought in my wildest dreams that you would actually wind up here.”

 

            Smiles chuckled which grew into a laugh which sprouted a tear. “My dad.”  He shook his head again and looked at the young face in the picture. The face that he’d learned to despise. The face of the man whose long lost love had just saved Smiles’ life.

 

            “You had a nasty gunshot wound to the stomach.”

 

            Smiles again felt his gut. “It… seems to have cleared up.”

 

            Hogarth grinned. “Yes. Your father was a good friend. The only time I have ever gone back to Big City was to attend his memorial service. He was quite a man.”  Smiles nodded. It wasn’t the time to launch into his “well, you didn’t know him” speech. Frankly, he didn’t want to. Hogarth sat again across from Smiles. “In any case, you’ve been asleep for the last few days.”

 

            “I appreciate it. I need to get back and warn Stack.”

 

            Hogarth looked at his hands. “I’m afraid it’s not as easy as that. To the people in Big City, you have been gone for three months.” Smiles could only blink. Hogarth grinned weakly. “Time moves a little differently in Ethedra.”

 

*

            Laura gazed across the table at the old man who was sipping his coffee. Her extra long notebook, was open on the table. She hadn’t pulled a pen out yet. She reserved that moment for the moment she was convinced the story she was hearing wasn’t bullshit. That moment hadn’t arrived. This was probably some old codger, looking for a free cup of coffee and a little company. After all, how could Manzetti be alive? Stack shot him. The body was bagged and tagged, she saw it. Except for the assault on the third shift morgue attendant the night of the shooting, everything was normal. She took a short drink of her tea.

 

            “So,” she began. “What would lead you to the conclusion that Nick Manzetti might still be alive?”

 

            The old man dumped another sugar into the coffee and began stirring. “Instinct. It’s a theory. I used to be a detective for the BCPD.”

 

            “So you said Mr…. Uh?”

 

            “Kel. My full name is Rath Kellington but everybody has always called me Kel. I was Wyshok Meen’s partner fifty years ago.”

 

            The name hung for a moment as Laura quietly repeated it. “Wyshok Meen? She helped some friends of mine with the Lake Monster attack last year.”

 

            “Yes. I know. The Skiv was found to be the cause, wasn’t it.”

 

Laura nearly choked on her tea. “Yes… but that was never released in any press.”

 

“During the day that she made the discovery about the Skiv she sent me this note.” Kel slipped the piece of paper to Laura who opened it.

 

                        Kel,

 

                        I may have found The Skiv. Someone has stolen it. More soon.

 

                        Wy

 

            Laura shook her head. “Why would she send this to you?”

 

            “Presumably because she was worried that what happened would happen. I’m the only other person that she trusted with that information. I received this in my mailbox the day she died. It was the first time I had heard from her in nearly twenty years.”

 

            Laura pulled a pen out from the loose, makeshift bun of hair on the back of her head and began writing. “So how does this lead to Manzetti being alive?”

 

            “After Wyshok’s death, I began to follow Sgt. Forray in the paper and became aware again of Robert Johnson. I… knew his father somewhat. I was interested in who these people were and how Wyshok came to work… and die with them. Then three months ago I read your articles about Manzetti returning to Big City and how he had that city official assassinatedand. Then I read about Sgt. Forray killing him and the story that lead up to it. I also read your report that Manzetti was responsible for the Lake Monster deaths. I assumed that Manzetti had somehow stolen and  used the Skiv.  As more and more reports came to light on TV, and as it turned into the media circus it is now, one thing struck me. Sgt. D’yen’s insistence that Manzetti had led Forray to kill him, even going so far as making him susceptible to suggestion by drugging him. “

 

            “I’m still not seeing the connection.”

 

            “I began to consider how someone could make that claim. It’s something I do. The cop in me. I then realized it would be the perfect plan on the part of Manzetti. Take the cop who knows you best and will stop at nothing to get you, and send him up for murder. Better yet, your murder.”

 

            “But there’s a body. I identified it because he’d kidnapped me not long before. I know that Nicholas Manzetti is dead. He did not frame Stack and fake his death.”

 

            “You’re right. Sgt. Forray killed him. There is no doubt of that. The body you identified was, in fact, Manzetti. Manzetti, however, is not dead.”

 

            Laura dropped her pen. “Kel, you’re not making any sense.”

 

            “Look, if Manzetti had the ability to steal a precious relic like The Skiv, he could have information about and get his hands on other massively powerful relics. This is my theory.”

 

            “What is?”

 

            “That Nicholas Manzetti drove Adam Forray to kill him because Manzetti had found a way to cheat death and continue the rebuild of his empire with Forray behind bars.”

 

            “Cheat…how could he cheat death?”

 

            Kel leaned in across the table and his eyes glistened for a moment. “The Ring of Nahn Dal Ka - The Soul Box.”

 

*

            Manzetti stared out of the window of his office. He turned back to the small group that he had gathered. Slith sat facing him. Zahn stood near. A group of eager to please thugs also seemed to hover around the office.

 

            “Forray’s trial starts tomorrow. This is the final stage, and I plan to attend every day.”  The group mumbled. Manzetti rolled his eyes. “The police have no idea that I will be attending. They can’t. They have no concept of what we have done. They don't know a spell from hole in the ground. For all they know, Treden Vost is coming to see a trial. The place will be mobbed. We will all slip in undetected. However, on the off chance that something goes wrong, I will take a small number with me. You all are my private detail. The others will work on other aspects of preparation while this group travels with me. At a distance, but with me.”

 

            Zahn smirked. “Do you think it’s wise to revel in your victory so boldly?”

 

            Manzetti cocked his head. “Is that what I’m doing, Zahn?  I want to watch his face through all of this. After the way he hounded me, made me a hunted man, I am going to watch him suffer. I am going to watch him give up hope, and I am going to watch him die inside. There is nothing more important. To the BCPD I’m dead, my organization is dead and anybody left has run to the hills. For the last three months we have systematically shut this organization down to a standstill. Why? To lull the cops into a sense of false security. Do you people have NO FAITH in my plan?! Forray is going to prison. Johnson is dead. D’yen has been reassigned and is not investigating the case anymore. When this trial is over we’ll have the run of this town.” Slith and Zahn exchanged glances. “Be dressed and ready to leave by 7 tomorrow.”

 

            As they all emptied into the hallway outside, Slith overheard one of the meathead foot-soldiers say what Slith had been thinking. ‘You catch the ego on that guy?’ Slith looked back at the soldier and caught the gaze of Zahn, who had apparently heard the comment also. The two moved through the main foyer to the grand staircase.

 

            “Hey, Zahn, did the boss seem really…” Slith struggled for the word.

 

            “Confident,” Zahn finished without batting an eye. “Yes. Very much so. But I suppose that cheating death will do that to you.”

 

            “What do you think is going to happen?”

 

            Zahn stopped and turned at the head of the stairs. “I don’t know. He’s right about the police. They don't understand what we’ve done. None of them have ever experienced anything like body switching. They're clueless. On the other hand, I believe that discretion is the best approach to anything. No matter what happens, I am leaving in a few days. I won’t be around to see what happens.” Zahn recovered his head with his cowl and moved away down the hall.

           

            Slith moved up the long hallway toward his room. While more and more people had started to descend on the compound in the last three months, it remained quiet and still. He still resented having to live here. He opened the heavy wooden door to his room and moved inside. As he loosened his tie his eyes dazed lazily at the skyline of Big City as it rose above the treeline.

 

            It had been three months. Three months since the boss had been killed. Three months since he went to the morgue, beat up one of the overnight people and took the ring. Three months since he’d watched Zahn slip the ring onto Treden Vost’s finger, and three months since the boss came back in a new body.

 

            Out of everyone,  Slith felt that he had lost the most. He couldn’t go home anymore. He couldn’t call his mother. He was stuck in this empty estate like a squatter. Now the boss wanted to dangle him out in front of the cops. Concern gurgled in the Goblin’s stomach. He laid down on the bed and listened to the wind.

 

*

            “Three months?” Smiles stood up. “I’ve missed three months.”

 

            Hogarth nodded. “Ethedra was built in a different level of existence. Another world. Time does not adhere to the same movement. I’m sorry.”

 

            “They think I’m dead.”

 

            “I’m sorry. It will be quite an adjustment when you go back.”

 

            Smiles began to move around the room, dazed at the thought that he had missed so much time. He kept glancing at the picture Hogarth had handed him. He ran through the faces. His father. Hogarth. He assumed that the Vampire was Venect’s father. He didn’t know the fourth man. The one in the background with Wyshok. Wyshok. Something clicked on in Smiles’ head.

 

            “The Skiv,” Smiles blurted.

 

            Hogarth stood in shock. “What do you know of the Skiv?”

 

            “The Skiv is supposed to be yours. Wyshok had a picture.”

 

            “Wyshok?”

 

            “She had a picture of you and my father and…” Smiles closed his eyes and saw it in his head. A yellowed photo of Hogarth, his father and The Skiv. “A year ago. This mobster, Nicholas Manzetti, he had this shape-shifting assassin implant it into the tooth of an inmate. The inmate killed dozens of people and tried to wipe out my friend Stack and his partner. That inmate killed Wyshok. That shape-shifting assassin is the one that shot me and sent me here.” Smiles looked at the box. “But how could Manzetti have gotten here, to Ethedra? How could he have stolen The Skiv?”

 

            Hogarth moved to the sideboard and poured himself a glass of wine. “He didn’t.” He took a long, desperate drink. When it was done he turned back to Smiles. “My son did.”

 

*

            The sun had long since disappeared into the bay. The glow of the television was the only source of light in Needless’ apartment. The detective was asleep, his face wedged into the inside corner of his wing back sofa. His drinks at Tuck’s had turned into a string of maintenance beers at home. The pounding jolted him upright on the couch. He hand reached for a gun that wasn’t there. He sat for a moment, collecting himself in the flickering television light. The pounding on the door and awakened him, but he didn’t remember it. He sat trying to figure out what had shocked him.

 

            Then the pounding came again. Harder this time. He moved slowly to the door and grudgingly opened it.

 

            “Yeah?” Needless grunted.

 

            It was Charlie. “Needless, get your pants on. We have to meet Laura and some old cop at her place.”

 

            “What? Why?”

 

            “Laura didn’t say. She just told me to get you. She said it’s about Stack.”

 

            “Is her book being published?”

 

            “Needless.”

 

            “Fine. Gimme a minute.”

 

            Two minutes later Needless and Charlie were flying through the Big City night. The ride across town was fairly silent. After a time, Needless rubbed his face like he expected to rub it off and turned to Charlie.

 

            “So, have you been to see Stack?”

 

            Charlie glanced over to judge Needless’ face and then looked back at the road. “Yeah, Needless. I saw him today.”

 

            “How is he?”

 

            “I think he’s scared about tomorrow.”

 

            Needless lulled back on the seat and gazed out the window. “Aren’t we all.”

 

            “You know, he’s not angry at you. He asks about you every time.”

 

            The half-elf chuckled. “You didn’t see his face that night.”

 

            Charlie slammed on the brakes and turned in his seat. “You know, for three months you have been screaming to the world that Stack was manipulated into the killing. That he’d been drugged beyond the capacity for rational thought. How can you possibly take anything he did or said that night at face value. For pity’s sake! You know that’s true. Give Stack some credit would you?” Needless shook his head. “Needless, it didn’t matter what you said or didn’t say about Gina. Manzetti would not have left that warehouse alive. Manzetti would have found some other way to push Stack’s buttons. He needs you. We all need you. We are treading water here. We need to find out what Manzetti did and save Stack from spending the rest of his life on Thieves’ Rock.”

 

            Without another word Charlie stepped on the gas and continued the trip to Laura’s. Needless kept watching the passing lights.

 

*

Hogarth sat down behind his desk. “My son, Zahn, was very upset when we left Big City. He was younger then, obviously, but he always saw himself as eventually inheriting my prestige and position. When we came here he was… disgruntled. He felt as if I had denied him his birthright. Which, I suppose I did.”

 

Smiles lit another smoke and sat back on his make shift bed. “So, why did you leave?”

 

“Science had surpassed magic. It was that simple. Followers of magic were becoming listless. There were only a few options left to them anymore. They could become personal healers to the rich, entertainers or criminals. A thousand years ago magic was medicine, law, everything. I was watching witches, wizards and magic sensitives wasting away. The faith, the culture, the discipline was spiraling downward. Your father and I worked out the plan. We slowly phased magic out of Big City. We phased it out of law, government, everything. In the meantime I would prepare my people for the exodus. We built Ethedra as a homeland. Some of us still travel to… places. Worlds. For the sake of research and learning. Others enjoy an existence that is as close to normal as any of us come.”

 

Smiles cleared his throat. “Worlds?”

 

Hogarth simply grinned and winked.

 

            “So you think your son stole the Skiv and then somehow hooked up with Manzetti?” Smiles flicked an ash into his makeshift coffee mug ashtray.

 

            “I know he stole it. When he went missing a few weeks ago…”

 

            “A few weeks?! This has been going on for…oh right… the time thing. Sorry.”

 

            “Anyway, when he left the Skiv also disappeared, along with some old books on relics.”

 

            Smiles stubbed out his cigarette and stood up. “Well, I think it’s time I got back home and shed some light on this.”

 

            Hogarth also stood up. “I am coming with you.”

 

            “I don’t know what I’m going to find when I get back, and I don’t know…”

 

            “Mr. Johnson, this is my son. If you were to find him, you would be helpless to stop him. He has powers you can’t imagine. You need someone to bind him. To render him harmless. I will be the one to do that.”

 

            Smiles shrugged. “Okay. Then… what do we do?”

 

            “Do?”

 

            Smiles blinked and found that he and Hogarth were now standing on the planks of Big City harbor. He looked around. It was night; colored paper lamps lined the harbor and lit the faces of young lovers who walked along the water. He looked up and the night skyline of Big City. It felt like three months had past. He glanced over at Hogarth.

 

            “I miss the ocean. There are no oceans in Ethedra.” He chuckled. “Take note Robert; if you are ever designing your own home world… include an ocean.”

 

*

            The newspaper clippings were laid out on Laura’s table. All of them were nearly 60 years old. Charlie scanned the headlines:

 

BODYSNATCHERS

BODY SWAPPING CASE ENDS WITH THREE DEAD

CITY LAW PASSED : NO BODY SWITCHING SAYS LAWMAKERS

 

            Needless leaned over Charlie’s shoulder and shook his head. “Holy crap.”

 

            Laura switched on the coffee maker and moved back to the table. She looked at Kel, who seemed concerned over Charlie and Needless’ reaction.

 

            “So what happened to the ring?” Charlie asked, looking at Kel.

 

            “Luckily, the city at that time had the foresight to put it in the hands of The Guild. They knew they couldn’t handle it. You can thank your friend Johnson’s father for that. He was always a champion for the Wizards in the government.”

 

            Needless folded his arms and moved away from the table. “So you think that Manzetti got wind of this ring and turned it up?”

 

            Laura nodded. “It makes sense. We know that he was dying. We know that he was manipulating Stack, we just couldn’t figure out why. This ring allowed him a free ticket out of cancer, away from the eyes of the law and to get rid of Stack.”

 

            Charlie leaned back. “Where do the pictures of Gina figure in to this?”

 

            Laura shrugged. “A back up plan if the main plan didn’t work. Lure him out to nowhere and…” She didn’t go on. “Getting rid of Smiles was probably just gravy.”

 

            Needless shot Laura a look. “And what about you? Where does tipping you off fit into all this? How does that further his plot?”

 

            Charlie stood up and faced Needless. “By printing that Manzetti was behind the assassination it would mean that his killing would be up front in the news. He must have known that reports of Stack killing an assassination suspect would be all over the news. Everything about Stack's past with Manzetti would be out. The press would eat it up. It left little doubt in anybody's mind that Stack killed him with forethought and intent and the press coverage would force the city to prosecute fully for fear that it would look like they were covering up the actions of a dirty cop.”

 

            The room fell silent. The only sound was the dripping of the coffee maker. Needless leaned on the sink and stared into the drain, looking deeper into the darkness inside.

 

            Charlie looked back at the newspaper clippings. “He thought of everything.”

 

            “He had long enough.” Kel mused.

 

            Needless continued to stare into the drain. “Kel, I’m sorry about Wyshok. I’m sorry that Manzetti had to stick his fucking hands into your life too.”

 

            Kel seemed to get lost in the table cloth, the way the fibers of the green and white moved in and out of each other. When Laura put his coffee down and he picked up the mug, he watched the dark ring spread out like fingers and sink into the fibers. He placed the mug back down on the same spot. “Wy and I didn’t speak much over the last 15 years. After she was let go from the force we continued to socialize. We were best friends. But time moves on. You make new friends, you find new… people to fill your life. I continued with the force, she did some teaching and some odd jobs here and there. She never found anything she was as good at as being a Sweeper. When I read how she died I was so happy that she died doing what she loved.” Needless turned around and Kel met his gaze. “ She was meant to help you. There was an air of destiny about it all.”

 

            After a few silent moments Charlie sat back down. “So, Manzetti is alive… what do we do?”

 

            There was no answer that any of them could think of.

 

*

            Lights-out descended around the prison. Stack stared at the ceiling of his cell, his mind a storm of thoughts, theories, images. Every time he closed his eyes he could see Manzetti’s face as he pulled the trigger. He could hear the echoing explosions from the gun as it bounced of the metal walls and the bay. His hand quivered slightly, which it had done since the withdrawal.

 

            He made a fist. Nothing to stack. Nothing to quiet and organize his mind. He sat up on the edge of the bed and listened to the curiosities and horrors of a prison night. He thought of his friends. The all seemed a million miles away. He shook his head. They were all spinning their wheels. Everybody seemed to know it but them.

 

            He was a murderer and there was really nothing they could do. He was starting to get used to the thought.

           

*

            Morning news radio was filled with reports of the trial starting that day. According to “Traffic on the 7’s” there was no getting near the courthouse, except by foot. Crowds of supporters, the anti-gun lobby, the pro-gun lobby and countless other protesters had crowded around the building .

 

At Big City Eyes the keys jangled in the door. Charlie opened the door and held it as Emily moved inside.

 

            “How was your night?” Charlie asked, closing the door behind her.

 

            “Oh fine. Nothing happened. Just got Dex off to bed and crashed out in front of the tube.” Emily dropped her bag on the desk and had turned on the phones even before she sat down.

 

            “Can you clear my schedule today? Some stuff has come up about Stack and I may have to go down to the courthouse real fast.” Charlie moved to the door of his office.

 

            “What’s going on?”

 

            “I’m not sure yet.” He turned the knob. “ It could be good…” He opened the door. Smiles, stood up behind the desk.  “…holy shit.”

 

            Emily turned to see Charlie’s shoulders slump. “Charlie?”

 

            Charlie raced to Smiles and threw his arms around him. He squeezed him. “I tried to find you. I swear, I looked everywhere.” His muscles shook and he felt his eyes well up.

 

            Smiles pulled back. He took Charlie’s face in his hands and looked into his eyes. “You’re okay? You can… see? You’re not crazy?”

 

            Charlie could only shake his head. Like a small boy who just scraped his knee, his look of surprise turned sad. “I thought you were dead,” he said, his voice cracking with emotion.

 

            “So did I, kid.” Smiles grinned and hugged Charlie again.

 

            A moment later, Emily ran into the room and hugged Smiles with all her might. When the teary reunions were done, Smiles held out his hand and motioned behind them. Hogarth stepped up to them.

 

            “Charlie, Emily, this is Hogarth.” They all nodded to each other.  “I know we all want to catch up, but we don’t have a lot of time. So…” Smiles sat down behind his desk and held up that morning’s paper. The headline read SHOOTER COP TRIAL STARTS TODAY. “…tell me what’s been going on.”

 

*

            It took hours. They put all the pieces out on the table. They went over and over the time line. It was now cemented.

 

            Manzetti was alive. They knew how. They knew why.

 

            The blinds on Smiles’ windows were closed just enough to hold out the late morning glare of the sun. Once it was all there they all stopped and looked at each other. Then they looked at Smiles. He nodded.

 

            “Before we take another step I want you all to understand something. Each one of us in this room is risking our career, our freedom and possibly our lives. I don’t want to paint this any other way. Is everybody here ready to face what this information could lead to? If any of you back out, I will understand.”

 

            The faces looking back at him spoke volumes.

 

            Needless cleared his throat. “Stack would do it for any of us.”

 

            Smiles nodded. “Okay then. Now, we can’t do this alone.” He spun his desk phone around to Needless, who cocked his head in confusion.

 

*

            Breen moved out of the courtroom with the journalists and others who came to attend. Outside more press and supporters and detractors were gathered, clogging the marble halls. Opening arguments had been as he expected. Rule of law. Vigilante justice. Druggings. Susceptible to suggestion. Manipulated. The terms were becoming commonplace in the courtroom, and in the media.

 

            As he expected, Stack sat quietly and listened to it all, taking it all in. Breen was heartbroken. While the system was working for once, it was working against a man who had been manipulated. They all seemed to play into Manzetti’s hands. Breen stepped out of the courthouse and moved across the open plaza toward his favorite greasy spoon. It was no wonder he had stomach problems.

 

            His phone vibrated in his coat. He flipped the cover open. “Breen.”

 

            “Captain. It’s Needless. Are you in the middle of something right now?”

 

            “We just got let out on the lunch recess.”

 

            “Great. Can you get over to Smiles’ office? It’s important, really important, and I think you need to be here.”

 

            Breen’s brow furrowed. “Don’t expect me to approve a secret investigation.”

 

            “I don’t. Just get here.” Needless hung up.

 

*

            Smiles opened his window with a bang. The number of people in his office had jacked up the temperature. The lynch pin was on the way. Quietly they all shared their concerns. Glances moved about the room. Charlie, Laura, Smiles, Needless, Breen Hogarth, Kel. They all waited for the knock.

 

            For Smiles, the breeze that rolled into the room was welcome. He stepped out onto the fire-escape and lit a smoke. Below, the sidewalks were alive with the usual mid-afternoon crowd. Thirty-somethings ducking in an out of boutiques and coffee houses and The Flower Bar. Smiles stared out. He had only been gone for a little while, but he could feel the three months weighing on him. So awkward. So much had changed.

 

            He took a drag and chuckled. Three months dead.

 

            Finally the knock came.  They all looked at Breen who stood up and held a quieting hand out to the others. Smiles ducked back inside as Breen opened the door.

 

            Janet Bledsoe stepped into the room and looked around. Confusion and steadily seething anger began to show on her face. “Dennis. What is this?” Her eyes fell on Smiles who was just stepping to the floor. “I thought you were dead.”

 

            “Commissioner,  we have news about Stack’s case and I think you need to hear it,” Breen said.

 

            Bledsoe looked at her watch. “Forray’s case is already in front of a jury. It’s in the hands of the court. I wish you people will just trust in the system. The Manzetti investigation is complete. There is nothing you can do at this point. I’m sorry.” She shook her head in a pitied frustration and turned to leave.

 

            “If these people are wrong about this, you can have my badge.” Breen blurted.

 

            Bledsoe turned to face Breen. “I don’t like idle threats.”

 

            “No threat. I am willing to hand over my badge. I’m sure Needless feels the same.”

 

            Bledsoe scanned the faces. “Fine. What have you found?”

 

            “Nick Manzetti is not dead.” Needless blurted.

 

            Bledsoe burst into laughter. “What?!”

 

            Smiles cleared his throat. “Commissioner. After Manzetti disappeared from the warehouse he went south of the border for many years. We know this from Agent Spencer’s records. During this time he must have been diagnosed with cancer and he began to search for a cure. He met up with an underground Wizard for hire. Master Wizard Hogarth’s son, Zahn. “ Breen motioned to Hogarth. The name struck Bledsoe, who’s mouth dropped open. “Zahn was tired of the quiet life in Ethedra, so he left there and hooked up with Manzetti. During that time, Zahn relayed the story of the Nahn Dal Ka. This ring allows the wearer to escape death. Through a series of rituals, the ring becomes active. We believe that one of these rituals, the Innocent’s Record, where the wearer “cleanses” their soul to an innocent, is the reason Laura was kidnapped. This ring allows the soul of the wearer to move into the ring until a new body can be found. Then the soul is transferred into a new host. When Manzetti heard this story he began to conceive a plot in which he was killed by Stack and then continue his work in a new body while Stack went to jail. It was the best way to get Stack and the BCPD off his trail while he rebuilt his syndicate. Even better than just faking his own death, it offered Manzetti everything he could want. He would survive and beat his cancer in the most dramatic way, he’d get his revenge and control of Big City’s underworld. Before heading to Big City, Zahn returned to Ethedra and stole the Skiv. Manzetti then used Callisto to look into cases that Stack and Needless had put away. The entire Lake Monster incident was a smoke screen for Manzetti to move back into play.

 

            “When he got back to town Manzetti began a campaign to frustrate and anger Stack. First he framed Needless as a werewolf. Then he sent  me pictures of Gina that were taken recently. He left just enough clues for me to follow. He had his operatives load a steady supply of drugs into Stack’s system, increasing dosage over the course of several months. He then had Laura kidnapped, Charlie tortured, me shot, and kept Stack running around all day to places that would disorient him and distill his hatred for Manzetti. When it was all over Manzetti brought Stack to the warehouse where Gina disappeared, and kept inciting Stack to take action.  Once Stack killed him, the Ring of Nahn Dal Ka would then be transferred to a new body. Stack can’t be on trial for a murder that didn’t happen. Nick Manzetti is walking around in a new, healthy body and he is very much alive.”  Smiles lit a smoke.

 

            Janet could only blink. “This… Ring… Do you have any proof that such a thing exists?”

 

            Kel stepped up. “It’s a documented fact. The ring was used in a kidnapping fifty-odd years ago. I worked the case with Wyshok Meen. While Hogarth here hid the ring, it was photographed and the files filed. That means there is a police record of this object and what it does, so this is no merely speculation. This ring is a real thing. There is still a law on the books that helps litigate if it is used. It’s arcane, but no one ever bothered to remove it.”

 

            Janet moved further into the room. All eyes watched her. “You need Manzetti. You need some way to know it’s him. What would he look like now?”

 

            “Leave that to me.” Hogarth interjected.

 

            Bledsoe sat on Smiles’ favorite vinyl couch. “Where is he? How do we get to him?”

 

            Needless nodded toward Hogarth. “Hogarth seems to be of the mind that they would be using the old Wizard Guild compound. Laura’s description of the room she was kept in jibes with what he remembers. The problem is, if we try to take him at the compound we will have another warehouse situation on our hands. Tons of  henchmen and he’s in control of the location. We need him in a common area. Someplace that he hasn’t prepared in advance.”

 

            Laura leaned against the wall. “I’m telling you. He’s planning to be at Stack’s trial every day. His ego is that big and so is his loathing of Stack.”

 

            Breen looked at them all. “We would need to isolate him at the trial and take him out of play. Commissioner, we will also need Special Weapons to storm the old Guild mansion at about the same time.”

 

            Bledsoe sighed and stood up. “You can coordinate with the Special Weapons captain. You people are out of your mind. Let me know your plan before you execute. I will give you the support you need. Understand that, if anything goes wrong, it will mean my job.” She looked at her watch and moved to the door. She looked back at the group and shook her head. “Why is this group always causing me problems? Do what you need to, Dennis.”

 

*

 

            Stack couldn’t sleep. The first day was still swirling in his head. They really were going to put him away. He should have pled guilty and spared himself the anxiety. He soon became aware of guard boots moving his direction. The clatter of show leather on the iron of the floor stopped outside his door.

 

            “Forray. Come with me. “  The guard unlocked the door to Stack’s cell.

 

            Stack had heard about the Midnight Visits. Prisoners disappearing in the middle of the night. His hands weren’t cuffed, so Stack figured that he could take the guard if need be. The guard stopped at the visitation center and opened the door without a word.  Stack looked back at him in confusion as the guard let him into the room, motioned toward the visiting booths and shut the door behind him.

 

            Stack moved down each cubicle waiting to see somebody on the other side of the glass. Near the center of the room he stopped at a cubicle and looked through the window into the sad eyes that watched him. He cocked his head, bemused at what was happening. He sat down and pulled the phone to his ear.

 

            “Needless?”

 

            His former partner smiled sadly. “It’s amazing what you can do when the bribe is high enough.”

 

            “We’re not supposed to be talking, are we?”

 

            “That would be a concern, but I am not going to be testifying against you.”

 

            “No?”

 

            “Manzetti’s alive.”

 

            There was a long silence in the dark, gray room. Stack tried to read his friend’s face for signs of alcohol or madness. Nothing outward indicated that Needless had lost his mind, so Stack decided to take the direct approach.

 

            “John, have you lost your mind?”

 

            “Nope. Doodles got himself a wizard and a nice little ring that allows you to jump to a new body when the old one dies. He’s strutting around town wearing a new face.”

 

            Stack pulled his focus from Needless’ face to the imperfections and handprints on the glass that stood between them. He shook his head in confusion. “But… how…”

 

            “Smiles. He’s alive and brought us the Hogarth guy that Wyshok said originally had the Skiv. His kid is the one working with Manzetti.”

 

            “Well, this… is …great. Confusing but great. So what do we do?”

 

            “I  just wanted to let you know that we’re gonna take him. Tomorrow morning at the courthouse.”

 

            “What can I do?”           

 

            Needless looked at his hands. “Nothing.” He met Stack’s gaze. “We’re taking care of this one. If we do anything out of the ordinary before the right time, he’ll be on to us.”

 

            “So you have a plan?”

 

            “We do.” Needless nodded solemnly. “Just hang tight for now.”

 

            Silently the two nodded to each other. Needless hung up the phone and began to move away. He was stopped by a tapping behind him. Stack was motioning for him to pick up the receiver. Needless returned to the booth and picked up the phone.

 

            “I’m sorry I hit you.” Stack smiled.

 

            “What?”

 

            “At the warehouse, I’m sorry I hit you. I wasn’t myself.”

 

            Needless shrugged and grinned. “That’s okay.”

 

            Stack smiled. “Are we cool?” Needless nodded his response. “Tomorrow…all of you… please be careful.”

 

*

 

            Mazetti’s voice thundered through the catacomb-like hallways of the compound. His temper had grown. Perhaps it was something chemical in Vost that was causing it. Something that Vost himself didn’t know about. Slith slid out of his room and moved down the hall toward the staircase that glowed from the main foyer light. As he got closer, Manzetti’s voice took shape and words began to form. Slith felt like a kid again, sneaking to the top of the stairs to listen to his parents fight.

 

            He thought again about Manzetti. The old Manzetti. The one who took him in when nobody else would. The human who had lived and worked amongst them in Goblin Hill, had loved it and protected it. He thought sadly about how that man was now gone. The man downstairs was him, true, but it wasn’t the same.

 

            He still couldn’t tell what the boss was saying. It was still bits and pieces. He stared at the warmly lit steps for a moment until he realized that Zahn was standing at the entrance to the opposite hall. Zahn nodded.

 

            “Can you imagine what he is feeling?”

 

            Slith just shook his head.

 

            Zahn looked deep into the goblin’s semi-shaded face. “All fear is gone. Fear is an outgrowth of death. Either the fear of death itself or the fear of death without … I don’t know… glory. He beat it.  He’s on the other side of death now. He’s unaccountable, unafraid. There is nothing in the world that can control him now because law, religion… those are all based on fear.” Zahn  smiled with a hint of envy. “He is truly free of everything.” Zahn nodded to Slith and moved back through the shadows to his room.

 

            Fear echoed in Slith’s ears. He turned and moved back to his room, Manzetti’s muffled ranting fading into the distance. Slith stepped into his room and sat on the edge of the bed. He took a deep breath, picked up his cell phone and dialed the number.

 

            “Hi. It’s Slith. I’m ready to make a deal.”

 

*

           

            Uneasy morning came to Big City. Goblin priests always claimed there was a ghost at dawn. A vagrant spirit that rode the fog and slid along everything in the city, touching everything and removing the knots in stomachs before heading out to sea. Evidence of the sun began to drift over the mountains. Laura’s eyes fluttered open and she heard Charlie breathing in the bed next to her. Through the gap between the curtains the purple birthings of dawn began to streak toward the bay.  She noticed that the comforter had gathered between her and Charlie and she was sleeping under the wisp of a sheet, by herself. It didn’t feel uncomfortable, just a different kind of comfort.

 

            She pulled her hand from under the sheet and brushed the sleep from her eyes. She turned over on her side, pulled some of the thick comforter around her, rubbed her legs together between the cool of the sheets and took a deep breath. A big day.

 

            Out on the bay Stack stared out of the tiny prison window at Big City as it began to glow. He hadn’t been able to sleep since Needless had visited. Manzetti was alive. He glanced over at the suit he had to wear to the trial. He looked back out the window and sighed. Big day.

 

            Slith stood and watched the sun rise over the city. From the hills it was always beautiful. The sun rose behind you and you could watch the night shadows recede from the city in the valley below. He took a deep breath. Big day.

 

            Needless sat staring into a bottomless cup of coffee at the Gobblin Goblin. He hadn’t had a cigarette in months and he was enjoying his first in all that time. He motioned to the waitress for a refill. As the orange haired late night beauty filled the cup again she laughed.

 

            “You best watch that your bladder doesn’t blow up.”

 

            Needless took a luxurious drag. “It’s a big day.”

 

            Kel sat in his apartment flipping through his box of police memories. Department photos, awards, newspapers. He lifted up a yellowed picture from a much younger time. A beautiful Wyshok Meen smiled back at him, her special deputy badge displayed proudly on her blazer. He could relive the moment like it happened ten minutes ago. He could remember all the moments like that. A tear tumbled down his cheek as he ran a finger across the picture. He pulled back the rest of the tears and took a breath. A big day.

 

            Manzetti was still sleeping when the sun rose. He was comfortable. He had no concerns. It was just another day to him. As his clock changed times and began blaring its alarm, he opened his eyes and stared at the ceiling. Another day.

 

            Smiles was lighting his third cigarette of the day as he watched the sun come up from his office window.

 

            “You are thinking about your friend?” Hogarth said sipping his coffee.

 

            Smiles nodded and furrowed his brow. “That and…my father.”

 

            Hogarth set his coffee down on the steamer trunk that acted as a coffee table. “Ah.”

 

            “I didn’t see my father for years before he died. I didn’t go to his funeral. There was no love left by the end. Yet, here I am again, feeling him from the grave. This plot against us all was brilliant. I’m not surprised, Manzetti is brilliant. He left little to chance, but just enough that it was flexible. It’s incredible… the patience. More than a year from opening move to endgame. And in the end there is only one thing that saved us all. One simple thing that allowed us to figure this all out. The one thing that Manzetti and I never counted on.” Smiles turned back to Hogarth. “My father’s love.” He turned back to the sunrise. “Even if it was love from fifty years ago, it’s like my father had one more trick up his sleeve.”

 

            “I’m sorry that things went so wrong for you and your father.”

 

            Smiles took a drag. “Yeah… me too.”

 

*

            As the crowds descended on City Plaza and the courthouse, dark clouds threatened. Protesters of all kinds lined the steps up to the courthouse doors, kept orderly by the police. A path was cut a few dozen yards down to the circular drive that cut through the center of the open air plaza. The crowd spilled out in all directions; those that supported Stack and his vigilante act, those that were angry at the corrupt cop that took the law into his own hands, journalists, students looking to be a part of something, those with their own agendas - they were all there.

 

            Stack stared out the window at the mass of people who had gathered. The weight of the crowd shifted toward the unimaginative gray van that Stack rode in. A few moments later the din hit him like a micro-burst of wind. Taunts. Cheers. Questions. As the guards and his lawyers rushed him up the forcibly created pathway, Stack felt like he was no longer there. He couldn’t seem to wrap his mind around it. As he was swept through the doors into the building, the crowd quieted. His lawyer was wrong. The second day wasn’t easier.

 

            Across the plaza Manzetti, Zahn and Slith made their way toward the doors. Slith glanced around at the crowd.

 

            Manzetti looked over his shoulder. “I have to say, I was surprised when you said you wanted to come.”

 

            The accountant shrugged. “Well, I figured, you were right. They aren’t actively looking for me, so why not revel?”

 

            “Plus, the Knockarounds are around. They won’t lose sight of us and they'll take care of business  if need be.”

 

            Slith nodded. Zahn looked over at him and seemed to look right through him. Slith shuddered slightly. ‘Can he read my mind?’ By the time the thought had crossed his mind, Zahn was no longer looking at him.

 

            The three made their way through the crowd, up the stairs and into the courthouse.

 

            At ten to eight Dennis Breen stepped out of his favorite greasy spoon, Anch’ana’s, and looked across the plaza at the courthouse and the river of people that surrounded it. He checked his watch. Smiles, Hogarth and Charlie stepped out of a car near him. Charlie checked his watch. Laura would already be inside, having used her press credentials. Together the four moved across Central Roundabout and into the gathering storm.

 

            Somewhere, in the middle of the crowd, Needless checked his watch. The plan was simple: diversion, isolation, interference, arrest. Why was his stomach killing him then? And where was Kel? The old man hadn’t turned up. Needless couldn’t blame him. He looked at his watch again. Half an hour. He broke free from the crowd and moved toward the doors.

 

*

            The courtroom took their seats as the judge settled in behind the bench. Stack watched. It was so mundane for them. The Judge checked a few things with the court reporter. A box full of evidence rested near the bailiff. It was their job. The jury seemed even less enthused. He blinked calmly to hide the swirling anxiety that was ripping his gut to shreds. ‘We’re gonna take him,’ Needless had said. Stack scanned the crowd. ‘He’s here? Somewhere in the audience?’

 

            The bang of the gavel pulled Stack’s attention back to the front of the room.

 

            “Your honor, the People would like to call their first witness; Dr. Harold Runfinny.” The Prosecuting Attorney turned toward the doors and followed the doctor’s movements as he approached the podium. “Dr. Runnfinny, you are a toxicologist, correct?”

 

            “That is correct.”

 

            “In fact you teach Toxicology at Big City U and you have worked as a consultant to both the BCPD and the Bureau, is that correct?”

 

            “Yes.”

 

            “Are you familiar with a drug called Claphrondaxil?”

 

            “It is a psychotropic drug. It has been in use for the last thirty-five years.”

 

            “When you say ’in use’, what does that mean.”

 

            The doctor shifted his weight in the chair. “Well, there are a variety of uses. One of the best things about Claphro is that different dosages can produce a variety of effects. Small dosages can curb ADD in children while stronger dosages can help epileptics keep seizures under control.”

 

            “So it is, what could best be termed a ‘mind-altering’ drug?”

 

            “Yes it is.”

 

            The Prosecutor turned to Stack and pointed. “The accused’s defense and a great deal of press lately states that this drug was secretly administered to Sgt Forray over an unknown period. The conspirators would increase the dosages gradually and feed it to him through his own water system. Now the defendant did, in fact, have a great deal of Claphro in his system and went through detox in jail. The real question is, can Claphro bring out violence in a person? Can it cause delusions?”

 

            “There are no known cases of Claphro having a non-calming effect on a person.”

 

            Stack could hear the reporters’ pens gouging the paper with the soundbyte. Evening Edition: no known cases of Claphro having a non-calming effect on a person. Trial TV got their daily bombshell. He looked at his lawyer’s watch. It was nearly 8:30. He wondered when and how it would happen.

 

            Several rows behind Stack, Manzetti was watching. His eyes never left Stack. Watching was like twisting the knife.

*

            Out on the plaza they were all scattered to the points they would be needed. Over the endless minutes they had all found each other in the crowd. As the time had counted down they exchanged nods and glances. When 8:30 hit the alarms they had all set on their watches and cell phones began ringing.

 

            Needless switched his off. “Boom.”

 

*

            Glass smash. Sssssh!

 

            Elbow hurt.

 

            She took a deep breath and pulled the lever. The sound blared through the building. The instantaneous cold shot of blue coloring to her hand made her jump.

 

            “Crap! How am I going to get that out?” With that Laura Medrano bolted for the nearest exit.

 

*

            When the fire alarm sounded the Bailiffs immediately took Stack into custody. The Judge was shouting orders at the audience who were scrambling for the door.

 

            “People! We need order! Make your way to the door in an orderly fashion.”

 

            A moment later the sprinklers sprang to life, drenching everybody inside. Manzetti looked at Slith and Zahn who both shrugged. They rose and made their way to the door with the others.

 

            Just outside the courtroom door Laura found herself being pursued by the police. She tried to blend into the courtroom observers who were streaming for an exit. She thought she was home free until she felt a hand on her neck. The cop threw her up against the wall.

 

            “What the hell are you doing lady?” He burbled as water cascaded down on them both. He spun her around. She caught sight of Stack who was being escorted from the building by the Bailiffs.

 

            Laura winked at the cop. “Scooping the competition,” she smiled.

 

            The cop then began to read her her rights as he moved her out to the plaza.

 

            Fire engines rumbled on to the plaza as Stack emerged from the building, his hands in cuffs. Police were herding people away from the building. His eyes scanned the crowd for Needless. A moment later Laura and her arresting officer stepped out of the building. A dozen firefighters began to leap down from the truck. The cop who was holding Laura with one hand held up the other.

 

            “It’s a false alarm!  It’s a false alarm. THERE IS NO FIRE,” the cop bellowed.

 

            Many in the crowd turned to look at Laura, who was still at the top of the steps. Stack turned to see Laura and he shook his head.

 

            “Oh no,” he muttered.

 

            Manzetti, Slith and Zahn turned around to see who had pulled the alarm. Their eyes rested on Laura. Manzetti’s shoulders slumped.

 

            “Oh shit.”

 

            Laura’s eyes scanned the crowd for only a moment, finally resting on a face she had hoped not to see again. The goblin who had helped Manzetti keep her captive. Their eyes met for a only a moment and…

 

Laura was never a screamer. Not on roller coasters. Not at scary movies. But she let out a manic cry that seemed to expel every ounce of air from her body. She poured every drop of rage at her disposal into one word, “SLITH!”

           

Needless and Breen on opposite sides of the crowd followed her line of site, drew their guns and began to move quickly through the crowd toward what she was looking at: Manzetti. The crowd began to clear a path to Manzetti and the others.

 

“Shit!” Manzetti exploded and began to distance himself from Laura in the crowd.

 

Breen and Needless tried to move as fast as they could. The crowd gasped as an old man suddenly appeared on the steps. Hogarth held hand out and swept it as if he was moving a curtain. “Reveal,” he intoned.

 

Manzetti felt a change. He stopped and turned. He felt incredible heat. He looked at the courthouse steps. Zahn turned also and let out a yelp.

 

“What?!” Manzetti yelled. “What is it?”

 

Zahn stood petrified. “My father.” Zahn looked over at Manzetti, his face pinched with confusion. Slith turned and saw the same sight. The face of Treden Vost was gone. The face of Nicholas Manzetti was back. The crowd gasped at the sight of the change and stepped back. Manzetti and the others were now standing in a small clearing of people. The mobster put his hands to his face.

 

“No. NO! NOO!!”

 

One of the crowd standing near finally shouted. “It’s Manzetti.”  The crowd was growing into a frenzy.

 

Manzetti spun hard to Zahn. “Do something!”

 

“What?! What do you want me to do!?”

 

“Something!”

 

Zahn raised his arms to cast a spell when he was suddenly lifted from the crowd in a ball of light. His arms were now locked at his sides. He drifted, helpless, above the amazed crowd, finally coming to rest at Hogarth’s side.

 

Manzetti lifted a walkie-talkie to his mouth. “It’s all gone to shit. Kill Forray.”  Several of Manzetti’s thugs began to move in the crowd toward Stack.

 

Behind everybody else, Charlie climbed to the top of one the fire engines and scanned the crowd. He was connected to Smiles by cell phone and an ear piece. He spotted Smiles in the crowd and looked for what Smiles told him to look for: any large guys moving purposely through the crowd, toward Stack and away from the commotion. Finally, he spotted just the thing.

 

“Smiles! Slam Hardface! Four people to your right. Making a bee line for Stack.”

 

In the crowd Smiles darted to his right, found the guy and smashed him in the temple with his gun. The thug dropped to the ground and his gun fell free. Smiles looked at his face.

 

“You think he looked like a Slam Hardface? I would say he’s more of a Meat Poundfist.”

 

“Whatever you say. It’s your game. I got another one. About 15 yards from you. He’s nearing the edge of the stairs. Go right.”

 

Smiles began to push his way through the crowd again. “Name. I need a name.”

 

“You are a sick man. Fine. Slosh Hitneck.”

 

Smiles spotted the thug as he was pulling his gun out of the back of his pants. Smiles barreled into him, tackling him the ground. Some of the surrounding crowd yelled and ran for safety. “Slosh” pulled back and cold cocked Smiles who fell back for a split second before driving his forehead into the soft bones of the thug’s face.

 

“Slosh” made a few more attempts to fight back but was finally over come. His eyes rolled back and he slipped into unconsciousness. Smiles stood over the guy and nodded to a woman who had been watching in disbelief. He reached down and disarmed the thug. He looked back at the fire engine.

 

“Charlie, there’s got to be more. Manzetti wouldn’t just bring a detail of two. “

 

“Boss, I don’t see any others.”

 

“Shit.”

 

Slith and Manzetti were now standing in a large opening in the crowd. Manzetti waited for the shot to ring out that would drop Stack, but it didn’t happen. He drew his gun. The crowd shrieked and ran even further away. Needless and Breen stepped into the opening in the crowd.

 

            “Don’t even think about it!” Needless and Breen trained their guns on Manzetti. The mobster stuck his gun in Slith’s back.

 

            “Boss?!” Slith yelped.

 

            “Sgt. D’yen, of all people, you should know that I don’t make idle threats. And I have no fear of you, because I…” Manzetti held up his hand, but the ring had gone. His eyes bulged. It hadn’t left his hand since he had moved into this body. He glanced at Hogarth, who held up the ring between two fingers. Manzetti shook with rage. He forced the gun harder into Slith’s back. “I’ll kill him, I swear it.”

 

            “And you of all people should know that I really don’t care if you air out your accountant. One more dead crook to me.”

 

Manzetti cocked his gun. Slith’s eyes pleaded with Needless. “I have to admit. You got the drop on me.” Manzetti chuckled nervously and looked around. “I really wasn’t expecting this.” His eyes fell on Stack who watched him from the top of the stairs. “Forray,” he bellowed. “You know I own you!” Stack didn’t say a word. “Forever. You know it. Inside that overactive mind, you know that you killed me…you might as well have married me. From that moment on I was under your skin forever.” Manzetti chuckled. “I own you. I own this town!”   

 

The man’s name was Galmer Abb. He was a plumber from Elftown. He had come to the trial because he believed that no cop is above the law. He was protesting that Stack should get the gas chamber. He was the first one to turn.  He stepped out of the crowd and grabbed Manzetti.

 

Manzetti’s gun fell free and Slith scrambled away. Abb spun Manzetti hard. “Hey dickbag! I don’t know who you think you are, but I don’t like being played.”

 

“What the fuck are you talking about?! Get your hands off me.”

 

Galmer Abb sent his fist into Manzetti’s nose.

 

Needless and Breen watched helplessly as Big City descended on Manzetti. A few punches were thrown as Manzetti struggled against the wave of hands that reached for him. The crowd lifted the mobster above their head and threw him down at Needless’ feet.

 

From the steps they all watched in amazement as Nicholas Manzetti was apprehended by a group of pissed off citizens. Stack looked over at Laura, both were stunned.

 

Once Manzetti was subdued Abb turned to the stairs. “Free Stack!” More people from the crowd began shouting as well. Soon the crowd was chanting, “Free Stack! Free Stack!” The roar became deafening.

 

Above the crowd, on the fire engine, Charlie glanced down in time to see the third man making his way toward Stack.

 

“Smiles! I got the other one. He’s 10 yards from you to your left.. He’s nearing the stairs.”

 

“What?! I can’t hear you over this. Is there another one?!”

 

“Smiles you have to go now! I can see the gun! Holy crap! He’s got a machine gun with a silencer and a modified clip. He’s going to kill everybody up there.” Charlie sank for a moment. “Laura.”

 

“Charlie! Are you still there?!”

 

“Shit!” Charlie leapt onto the hood of the truck and slid to the ground. He bolted through the crowd. He felt his revolver slip into his hand from his shoulder holster. He felt like he was standing outside himself. The harder his heart beat and the more the adrenaline pumped, the slower things seemed to get to him. He ran full tilt through the spaces between people.

 

Manzetti’s man raised his gun and assumed the stance to pivot for a clean spray.

 

Charlie slammed into the killer like a train. The crowd screamed as the gun went off, chipping some of the concrete steps. The guy managed to turn over and fling Charlie off of him. He scrambled for his gun, but Charlie was too quick. Two fast repeated blows to the head and the thug dropped.

 

            Smiles broke the line the police were maintaining in time to see Charlie flatten the guy. Their eyes met. Smiles opened his arms in a sign of  “so?” Charlie chuckled.

 

            “Grunt Footshock.”

 

            Smiles looked at the guy's face and nodded with a smile. “Grunt Footshock.”

           

            Breen lowered his gun and pulled handcuffs out of his belt. Needless’ gun remained aimed at the mobster’s head. As Breen edged toward Manzetti, Needless’ muscles tensed. He wanted so bad to shoot Manzetti. It took all his concentration to remember why he shouldn’t.

 

            The amplified shout of “PUT YOUR WEAPON DOWN!” shattered his concentration. At nearly the same moment a fleet of black SUVs screeched to a halt in the roundabout.

           

            Needless’ eyes grew wide as armor clad Bureau agents appeared out of nowhere all around the courthouse plaza. Manzetti watched the confusion on Needless’ face and looked around. This was unexpected. The mob boss looked around. His eyes finally fell on Slith who looked nervously at him. He laughed.

 

            “You?!” He laughed. “You sold me out?” Manzetti’s laughter turned to anger. “I hope you got what you needed, Slith.”

 

            Slith turned and disappeared in the crowd.

 

            On the stairs Smiles rushed to Hogarth.

 

            “You gotta go. You don’t want to get tangled up with these guys. If you want to police your own, you need to go now.”

 

            Hogarth smiled sadly. “That’s hard for a father to hear.” He opened his palm and handed Smiles a small stone. “If you ever need me, use this. The Heroes Veil is spent, but you will know how to use this if the time comes.”

 

            The detective smiled. “Thank you for everything.”

 

            A blink later Hogarth and Zahn were gone.

 

            “Stand down!” Came the voice of an agent near Needless and Breen.

 

            Needless kept his gun on Manzetti but noticed that the agents near him had turned the guns on him.          

 

“Stand down!!”  An agent yelled again. Needless’ muscles locked, his gun trained on Manzetti.  The agent bellowed again. “Sgt. D’yen! This is a Bureau investigation and we are taking the prisoner into custody.”

 

“You’ve got to be kidding me! ” Needless spit through gritted teeth he looked over at Breen who closed his eyes in disappointment and lowered his gun.

 

“Put your weapon down or we will be forced to shoot you. You are threatening a Federal prisoner.”

 

Manzetti placed his hands on his head. He glanced up at Stack who stood still, hands cuffed in front of him. Their eyes met. The crime boss grinned. He then turned and smiled at Needless. A moment later Bureau agents cuffed Manzetti and began to lead him away. Needless followed, screaming in the face of the nearest Bureau agent.

 

“So we go through the effort to drag him out and subdue him and his men and you swing in and escort him away. That’s my collar, you shitbag Bureau fuck!”

 

The agent turned and shoved Needless away. “Step off city-pay or I’ll drop you like yesterday’s breakfast. Now, you might want to check your records or maybe your law books. This dirtbag was OUR collar 8 years ago. Unless you want the Bureau to file federal obstruction charges against you and your little vigilante squad, you should consider shutting that mouth of yours.”

 

Needless fell back.

 

Helplessly, they all watched as the Bureau agents placed Manzetti in the car. He looked one last time over his shoulder at them all. They still lost. He could cut a deal easier with the Bureau. He chuckled at their stunned faces. Like they had all been kicked in the stomach. He eased himself into the car and gently drummed his fingers on his lap as the door shut.

 

            They all stood in silence as the car pulled away. Needless crashed down on the stone steps of the courthouse and sat for a while. A moment later Stack sat down beside him, rubbing his wrists. They nodded to each other in greeting.

 

            “Nice suit.” Needless intoned.

 

            “I should trying going up for murder every year… just for the tailoring.”

 

            The two chuckled and stared out as the police and the Bureau began to make sense of what had happened and the crowd began to dissolve back into Big City.

 

            A few blocks away Manzetti stared out at the passing buildings of Big City. This was a minor setback. Just a setback. They couldn’t possibly make the body jumping stick. Could they? The murder of Garrett Spencer and the assassination. There had to be some way out. He would get his lawyers on it tomorrow.

 

            “Deep in thought, eh?” The agent driving inquired. Manzetti’s gaze caught the cop’s eyes in the rearview mirror.  The crime lord chuckled and looked back out the window. “Those people back there must really hate you.”

 

            “You’re perceptive.”

 

            It was like a flash of lightning. No one saw it coming. A garbage truck rounded a corner and plowed into the Bureau car. Glass shattered. Manzetti felt the car spin out of control. There was a deafening crash  as the car stopped spinning and slammed into the corner of a brick building. The car lifted up on two wheels for a moment and then dropped back to the pavement. Then there was silence. His eyes fluttered open. Not far away Manzetti heard the truck door slam shut. His head throbbed and, he could feel blood spilling from a gash in his head. The blood began to run into his eyes.  Instinct kicked in and he began kicking at the back window. He had to get away. As always he was taking the opportunity that presented itself.

 

            As he squirmed to crawl out of the back before the agents woke up, he felt a pair of hands reach down and help him out. Kel pulled Manzetti from the wreckage and threw him to the ground. Manzetti wanted to desperately to wipe the blood out of his eyes but his hands were still cuffed behind him. He didn’t see the gun leveled at his head, but he heard the hammer pull back.

 

            “What is this?! Who are you?!”

 

            Kel steeled himself and thought of a thousand things to say but said none of them. He shook his head and sighed. “I’m just tired.”

 

            Manzetti shifted his weight until he was on his knees. “Look, I don’t know who you are, but believe me when I say that I can get you anything you want. What do you want? It’s yours.”

 

            Kel chuckled. Wyshok filled his mind. “How about the last 40 years? Can I get those back? How about 10 more minutes to say what I needed to? You got that covered?” In the distance sirens began to grow louder. Kel looked over his shoulder and looked back at Manzetti who shook his head to clear his eyes. Kel cleared his throat. “Any other offers on the table?”

 

            “So, you’re gonna be the big man who brings me down, hero?”

 

            Kel chuckled. “I’m no hero.”

 

            BCPD black and whites and Bureau sedans descended on the scene as Kel squeezed the trigger and ended Manzetti. No ring, no plan,  just a loud bang and death. Kel stopped listening. He couldn’t hear the shouting of the police and the hollering of the agents that rushed toward him. Instinctively he dropped the gun, fell to his knees and clasped his hands on his head.

 

            As officers and agents circled around the shaking old man kneeling in the spreading pool of blood, the sky opened up and a torrent of rain fell on Big City.

 

*

            Mayor Denizen turned back from his window and looked across his desk at Commissioner Bledsoe and Captain Breen. He chuckled.  “That’s quite a story.”

 

            Bledsoe nodded. “Yes, Mr. Mayor. I don’t actually know how much damage control we can really do. We all have egg on our face.”

 

            The Mayor nodded. “Yes we do. But there’s no shame. We were taken by surprise. Even Sgt. Forray had no idea that he had been used. He’s not making sounds like he might sue the city, is he?”

 

            Bledsoe shook her head. “No. He wouldn’t do that. He’s gotten all the compensation he required. I have reinstated him.” Bledsoe sighed. “He’s back on duty with his partner Sgt. D’yen.”

 

            The Mayor turned back to the window. “It frightens me how unprepared we were for a crime like this.”

 

            Breen finally piped up. “With all due respect, Mr. Mayor. There used to be a group within the police force that could have handled this. Manzetti could never have smuggled two relics of this magnitude into town. It never would have gotten as far as it did, not without raising flags. It could have been dealt with a long time ago.”

 

            The Mayor turned back. “You’re talking about Sweepers.”

 

            “Yes, sir, I am. Getting rid of them was short sighted on the part of previous administrations. Sweeper teams could have wrapped this up months ago. ”

 

            Bledsoe shook her head. “I understand what you are saying, Dennis, but there haven’t been trained Sweepers in thirty-plus years. There is no place to go to find any. How could we even begin recruiting?”

 

            “We know now that we can contact Hogarth and the magic community if need be. Plus there are former relic pushers and handlers who could be trained. However we do it, Mr. Mayor, it has to be done. More and more magic is re-surfacing all the time and we are getting further and further away from being able to handle it.” Breen stopped talking because it had started to sound like begging.

 

            Denizen turned back and looked out the window at the skyline of Big City. He took a deep breath and nodded. He chuckled to himself. Out of the horrible things that had just taken place in Big City, something good was going to happen. He tried to take a picture in his mind of the moment because he knew that it was going to be historic. He turned back to his desk and buzzed his Press Secretary.

 

            “Don, call a press conference.”

 

*

 

            The sky was a beautiful, deep two o’clock blue as white petals from the surrounding Effendell trees, in full autumn bloom, fell on to the casket. The moment was lovely, far lovelier than it should have been. Few mourners turned out. Nicholas Manzetti had no family. Sadly, he had no real friends. No one who would mourn him. Maybe a few cronies who had been swapping stories over cigars somewhere, but no real friends. Strangely, the only person who really attended was Slith, who was free to walk around because of his deal with the Bureau.  He seemed to have no emotion at all. There was no sadness in his face. He was there because he figured it was what he was supposed to do. Slith did keep his distance from the others that attended.

 

            Some ways off, standing between the gravesite and the parked cars, the others in attendance waited for the ceremony to be over. Only Laura had really dressed in anything that resembled mourning attire, and that was only a dark gray blazer. There was a lot of silence in the group. It was Charlie who finally broke the quiet tension.

 

            “Is anybody else expecting him to bust up through the coffin, like some kind of slasher movie?” 

 

            Stack let loose a weak chuckle, his eyes transfixed on the box, as if he was expecting it. “Nope. He’s dead. The Ring was no where near him when he died.”

 

            Needless stood at a ninety-degree angle to the others, his body poised to walk away at any moment. “So how is Kel?”

 

            Stack shrugged. “I don’t know. The city is asking for leniency because of his record and his age but those agents in the car he rammed were pretty messed up. We’ll see. I’m hoping that they go easy on him.”

 

            Needless looked into the face of his partner. “That good enough for you?”

 

            Stack finally lowered his eyes. “Kel had his own reasons to kill Manzetti.”

 

            “I’m sure hundreds of people did,” Laura piped up.

 

            Charlie chuckled. “They should just keep using that ring until everybody had a chance to kill him.”

 

            “Speaking of which,” Needless interjected. “What did it feel like to kill the guy?”

 

            Stack smiled gently. “Not as good as you’d think. I was out of my head. Like I wasn’t really there. I had seen a moment like that in my head for so long, that when the moment presented itself…”  Stack trailed off.

 

            Smiles took a long drag. “That’s what he wanted you to feel.” Stack grunted an acknowledgement.  Smiles glanced at him. “He was wrong, you know. About owning you.”

 

            A breeze blew through Stack. “I don’t know. He’s owned me for a long time. What he said is true. I still see his face just before I shot him. I might as well have married him.”

 

Smiles shook his head. “Then it was all for nothing. You let him win now, everything that’s happened will have been a waste.”

 

“It wasn’t?”

 

“I don’t think so. Now we know now that Gina didn’t die in that warehouse. Where she went before turning up at the Mooghans, I don’t know. Where she went after, I don’t know. And I don’t know how Garrett Spencer enters into all of this. But in trying to drive you to kill him, Manzetti opened a lot of doors. I can feel in my gut that she’s out there.” Smiles took another puff. “We will find the answers, Stack. I know we will. ”

 

            “In the meantime,” interrupted Needless. “There is a city of murderers, thieves, rapists and pushers out there and decent hard working beings who need protecting,”  Slith glanced over at them for a moment and Needless grinned and waved back at him. “And a whole new slew of Sweepers to break in.”

 

            Laura rolled her eyes. “As much as I hate to agree with Needless, he’s right. There’s plenty of run of the mill crap out there to deal with.”

 

            Smiles flipped his spent cigarette in an arc through the air and into the open grave with Manzetti’s remains. A moment later the first shovel full of dirt fell back into the hole. “And plenty of dirty pictures of lying cheaters to be taken. Right Charlie?”

 

            Charlie felt a pang. At some point he was going to have to discuss things with Smiles. Now was not the time. Maybe tomorrow. He smiled and nodded.

 

            Stack simply peered through the falling white blossoms at the diggers piling dirt on Manzetti’s corpse. An easy smile moved his lips as a cautious contentment fell on him. Slith and Stack’s eyes met. A strange understanding. Two owned. Two killed him.

 

            They all stood for a moment in the early afternoon breeze watching the chapter close. After a moment Needless shook his head.

 

            “Okay. I’m gone before we all laugh and freeze frame like some shit TV show.” He turned and moved back toward the car.

 

            Charlie squeezed Laura’s hand. She looked back and nodded with a smile. The two followed Needless to the cars.

 

            Smiles turned away from the grave and put his hand on Stack’s shoulder. Their eyes met. “It’s time to go, bro.”  Then Johnson smiled, patted his former partner on the back, lit a new smoke and stepped toward the car.

 

            Stack stood for a long time and watched the brown dirt slowly filling up the hole that held Manzetti’s body. When he heard Needless protest loudly that he was hungry, Stack chuckled. He moved away from the sight and never looked back.

 

The End

Go To: BANE

© 2004 Eric Schwartz

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