"They're meeting at the abandoned house in the Bramblewood," Etta said dreamily. "The one they've been using as a base to watch us here. They'd left but they're back now. Wolfgang and the Barovs. Max V is there. He has Crowe with him."
"It's a bad guy reunion," Jake breathed softly.
"There are two other men," Etta continued. "A crewcut man and an angry man with scars."
"That's George," Corrie said in a hushed tone. "The man with scars... that's George. The crewcut man is his guy, Damien."
"OK, can we talk about how she knows this?" Orange asked. "Also, how is she floating?!"
"She's a witch," Aadi said brightly.
Some sleep, clean clothes and food hadn't been enough to make Orange really feel better. He'd imagined that sitting in the comfortable dining room of the rambling Mill Lane farmhouse would have helped. It wasn't helping. He was worried about Genie and Jenny, still in the City. He was worried that George T and the Altos were sure to track them down, bring trouble down on all of them.
He was also freaking out about the fact that Etta was, in fact, floating... and was seeming to follow George's movements through some kind of psychic vision.
"Not a witch," Etta muttered softly.
"Girlfriend, you're floating," Aadi pointed out with a grin. "You have visions. You brew potions..."
"Herbal tinctures," Etta countered.
"... and you do that voodoo you do," Aadi finished cheerily.
"Vodou is a religion. One that I'm not a member of," Etta said, continuing to float serenely. "I use poppets... dolls... to do sympathetic magic. Anyone can do it."
"Anyone with ten-plus years of occult training and experience," Demarco pointed out. "You know, Aadi has a point."
"None of this is possible," Orange groaned.
Unfortunately, the fact that none of it was possible didn't seem to be preventing it from happening.
"I'm sorry Orange," Jake said gently. "I know it's a lot to take in. I wish we had more time to help you through the culture shock, but we don't. In my experience, Etta's visions are completely reliable. That means we'll soon have some very serious trouble at our door, and we need to decide how to deal with it."
"I'm sorry to interrupt," Corrie said softly, "but what did you mean when you said it was a bad guy reunion?"
"I've had a run-in with Crowe before," Jake said. "A few years ago when he, Max V and Wolfgang kidnapped our friend Miranda."
"And the Barovs are old friends," Demarco added. "A charming couple, they used to stick up convenience stores back before they became werewolves. We ran in the same pack, until they betrayed us. Come to think of it, Crowe was involved in that too. Which does make things interesting," she added to Jake.
Feeling that he was obviously the last person holding onto reality, while deep down starting to wonder if he was actually the one losing his grip on it, Orange decided against saying that werewolves were also not possible.
"A little too interesting," Jake said seriously. "Kind of makes you think."
"Unfortunately, right now what I'm thinking is that we're pretty majorly outnumbered," Demarco nodded. "I mean, we've got the Barovs, Crowe and four probably armed gangsters against you, me and Etta. No offense folks, but I'm guessing none of you are fighters."
"No offense taken," Aadi said earnestly. "Aadi's a lover, not a fighter."
"We're not completely useless," Jordan said, "but you're right, we're not fighters."
Corrie just shook her head.
"I'd own them on a football pitch," Orange said.
"Not the same thing, big guy," Demarco said gently.
"Might not be quite that bad," Jake said. "The sun's coming up. That might take Crowe off the field, and if he does come he'll be weaker."
"What, are you saying he's a vampire or something?" Orange joked, then blinked. "Are you kidding me? He's a vampire? An actual vampire?!"
"So he'd, like, burn up in the sun, right?" Corrie asked.
"Only in the movies," Demarco said. "Vampires can move around just fine in the sunlight, but it weakens them. I'm guessing he'll stay out of things, unless they wait for nightfall... which would be great. Gives us time to get help."
"Is it too obvious to suggest calling the cops?" Orange said, still struggling to reassert some sense of sanity on the whole situation.
"George and the Altos own the cops," Corrie said softly.
It was an objection she'd raised before, back in Jenny's apartment when they'd been coming up with their whole crazy plan. She'd insisted that the criminal Families all but controlled the National Police. She'd said George had even introduced her to prominent detectives who were on his payroll.
"In the City, sure, I believe that," Orange said. "But here in Henford? They can't control the entire National Police force."
"It's not a horrible idea," Jordan nodded.
"They're coming," Etta interrupted dreamily. "Max, Wolfgang and Crowe are all still in the abandoned house, but the Barovs are coming with the scarred man and the crewcut one. The Moment approaches."
"That evens the odds a bit," Demarco smiled. "Jake and I have taken the Barovs before."
"Which leaves me facing off against only two violent, probably armed, gangsters," Etta said, drifting to the ground. "A typical Friday, I guess."
"Wait, you're... what? Going to fight them off," Orange asked, stunned, as she took a place at the table. "What are we supposed to do?"
"Well, we've got our escape plan," Aadi said. "Jordan and I have escape kits stashed out in the barn."
"There's a pickup truck parked about a mile from here," Etta said. "You make for that. Aadi and Jordan know the way. Hopefully, Jake, Demarco and I can run off these guys and we'll call you to give the all clear. If you don't get a call from us in a half hour, you drive like hell for Moonwood Mill. Ask for Rory and Beth. They'll protect you."
"I still don't like running," Jordan said as they rose from the table.
"I respect that," Jake said, leading them all into the front hall, "but we're out of time. This is almost certainly going to get violent fast. We'll be better able to handle things if we don't have to worry about protecting you too."
"Alright," Jordan nodded, picking up their cat Isak. "I don't like it, but I get it. We'll go."
"Remember, get to the truck and if you don't hear from us, run," Etta added.
"Good luck, to all of us," Jake said with an encouraging smile.
"You all ready for this," Jake said, rolling his shoulders.
"After what Orange and Corrie said about this George T guy, I'm looking forward to it," Demarco said with a savage grin. "I've come up with a list of body parts that guy doesn't need anymore."
"No killing," Jake said firmly, "or maiming."
"That's not what Rory would say," Demarco said, thinking of her fierce friend, mentor and pack leader.
"If Rory was here in my place, she give you a good bite to remind you not to question her orders," Jake replied. "So it's probably best all around that she's not. My territory, my lead. Let's get this done."
"Welcome to our lovely barn," Aadi said with false good cheer. "Escape kits are in the corner and the path to our getaway pickup is that way. Plus vite, mes amis."
"I'm not coming," Orange said.
"What," Corrie gasped. "But... but you're not a fighter. You said so. Back in the City, you said Genie was a better fighter than you."
"She is," Orange nodded. "But I'm big. I'm tough. I can help. I can at least even up the numbers. George already doesn't like me. So, maybe I'll distract him... at least enough to give the others a fighting chance. You'll be OK, Corrie. We've got this."
"Good luck, big guy," Aadi said earnestly. "We'll be cheering for you."
"Get Corrie to the truck," Jordan said to Aadi.
"I'm done running," Corrie said softly.
"OK. No more running," Jordan agreed, pulling out their phone. "I'm calling my brother."
"Really? Big bro five-o?" Aadi asked with a smile. "Well, I guess we're staying, Anyone hungry? I've got granola."
No comments:
Post a Comment