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"War Dance of the Feral Boys"
"War Dance of the Feral Boys"
12/1-12/3/2005
I.
"He doesn't look like much," said one of the gunmen. "Take away his fancy bow and arrow, and what have you got?"
In the meeting room upstairs at Keator Motors, it was eleven-thirty, hours past closing. The lot full of cars was deserted, none of the staff were on duty. Only the lights required for insurance reasons still burned. But, behind the locked door of that room, where the chairs around the oval table were usually filled with sales representatives and managers hammering out terms, five heartless men with guns in hand stood around an outsider.
Josef Jubilec stood in their center with hands slightly raised, a faint smile on his weathered face. He looked older than he was, as his stressful life had left deep lines down his cheeks and around his eyes. Josef was a few inches over six feet tall, wide-shouldered and deep chested, as shown in the subdued tan business suit he wore without a tie. The short sandy blond hair and cloudy dark blue eyes stood out vividly in the fluorescent lighting. Josef said nothing.
"Easy there, Paul" said one of the thugs.
"No, seriously. Without his scary bow and arrow, what have you got here?"
From behind him came a quiet, menacing voice. "One of the most dangerous men you will ever meet."
All the thugs in that room gave a start and came to attention. Entering from a plain unmarked door on the other side was an elderly man with only a fringe of white hair at the back of his head. Standing behind him, holding a chair out from the table, was a bodyguard twice his size.
As the gunmen stood alert, turning to face the old man, Josef folded his arms across his chest. "Hello, Mr Sabino."
"Ah... Josef Jubilec. Please relax. This is not a confrontation." The old man placed his withered hands flat on the table in front of him. "Your organization does not often come to Miami."
"No," Jubilec agreed. He stepped closer to the table, ignoring the shuffling and stirring as the gunmen reacted to his move. "Your operation here is not related to our agenda."
"I know, I know," Sabino sighed. "To you, we are mundane criminals. Certainly not the mighty warlords like John Grim or Wu Lung that you clash with. But I have asked you to meet with me because something inexplicable is going on in this area."
Josef did not move any closer. He could see the thugs were tense enough as it was. "Mr Sabino, I appeciate that you said 'asked' me to come here and not 'ordered.' I would like very much to hear what you have to say."
The elderly man sat up straight. He was in his mid-seventies or so, but not bent or frail. "You are one of the Blind Archers of Chujir. Most of us who live outside the law believe your sect to be mere legend. But I know better, and so do the ones I serve."
Josef said nothing but waited. He could sense that the men surrounding him had eased back a little.
Sabino continued, "Have you heard of the Feral Boys?"
"Only vague rumors," the Blind Archer answered. "Nothing of any substance."
"In the past few months, there have been many strange crimes in and around Miami. Murders, missing people, thefts on a grand scale... but these crimes make no sense. There is nothing tying them together. My people do not think it is a new gang trying its hand, nor do they think it is some lone mastermind. It is something new and unexplained."
Josef nodded. "I have heard that the Feral Boy tribe is descended from Indian refugees driven south from Georgia in the early 1800s. Apparently they did not join up with the formation of the Seminoles. Two of these Ferals abducted the daughter of the Torres clan leader and no trace of her has been found. One Feral Boy killed a Colombia gang courier and took a briefcase holding sixty thousand dollars.. or so I am told."
"This is all true. Many of the Feral Boy tribe hide in the Everglades and live as their ancestors did. But there are those who live in cities and towns, blending in, posing as regular people. A lot of Feral Boys are so mixed they don't look like Indians at all but they remain loyal to their tribe." The gangster scowled even more than before. "And they are wicked. They proclaim themselves as devil worshippers who sacrifice captives to the Old Ones. Worse things are going on than the papers ever report. A child was skinned and left dead in a stream. Animals have been found with their eyes removed, still alive, suffering. I do not know any possible reason any of my business rivals would do such things, Mr Jubilec."
"It does sound like the worst type of black magick," the Blind Archer agreed. "And it is why my team has come to Florida."
Sabino pushed his chair back slightly and all the thugs shifted their stances in response. "Good. These dreadful events have woken the police from their usual torpor. It is always awkward when they start trying to do their job. Even the FBI have been reported arriving here to investigate. Those fanatics from Department 21 Black are likely to interfere with usual business. And there are even whispers about the Mandate taking an interest..."
"My team is already investigating," Josef said. "It doesn't matter what I think of your operations, our agenda is limited to the supernatural. You are not Midnight War."
"Ha ha, no. We are just making money in a normal if not legal way. That is all I can tell you, I am afraid. Except for two more items. Many signs point to the area around east Flagler Street. And we have heard a name in connection with these deformed men. ."
Josef could not hide a smile. "'May Doosa.' It must be an alias, an obvious pun."
"Be that as it may," Sabino finished, "our paths need not cross. We will not confront your Tel Shai knights and you will not interfere with our business."
"Sounds entirely reasonable, Mr Sabino. Perhaps you can leave any further information at our public number?"
"I will do so." The old gangster got to his feet smoothly enough, tugging down his jacket. "These men will see you to your car, of course."
"Of course." The Blind Archer made the slightest possible bow and turned to open the door behind him. All five thugs surrounded him again, their pistols pointed at the floor near his feet rather than directly at him. Josef gave the gangster underlord a polite smile as he went down a metal staircase to the display room of the dealership. Waiting at the door to the lot was one more man. They were all dressed presentably, clean shaven and with recent haircuts, but they still could not pass as normal citizens.
Escorted to the parking lot, Josef headed for the black Ford Escape he had leased early that morning. He was reflecting that it was too bad the KDF didn't tackle regular run-of-the-mill crime but their mission from Tel Shai targeted what was beyond law enforcement. He thought that these Feral Boys did sound like the weirdness he usually faced. As he reached for his keys to beep his car doors unlocked, the thug called Paul spoke up again.
"I don't think he showed the boss enough respect."
"Goddamit, Paul, you are just desperate for trouble tonight," another one snarled. "Let it go."
Stepping around next to Josef, Paul raised his Glock 19 and waved it in the Blind Archer's face. "You don't have that famous bow and arrow in a pocket, do you? I think you're a fake." The barrel almost touched Josef's cheek.
A faint sigh escaped Josef despite himself. He had hoped to skip this. Suddenly the thug who was called Paul was on his knees, clutching at his face. Josef was now holding the Glock. He ejected the magazine and pocketed it, then dropped the unloaded weapon on the asphalt next to the stunned man. No one had clearly followed his moves and they took long enough to react that he was behind the wheel before they started talking. The Blind Archer started up the Ford Escape, backed up carefully away from them and pulled out onto the highway before the gunmen had fully gathered their wits.
II.
On a stretch of Flagler Street that alternated strip malls, apartment buildings, supermarkets and pharmacies with more of the same, Josef grudgingly pulled into the private parking lot of the South Gate Complex. He had leased an apartment here for the month rather than a couple of motel rooms because it was very close to where most of the Feral Boy sightings has been.
Parking the leased car, the Blind Archer opened the back door and took out a large backpack that had a strange device folded around its top. He didn't care for the collapsible bow at all. Raised by the Chujir sect that had taught him how to sense life force without using sight, Josef was very traditional. When at all possible, he used one of the longbows he had crafted himself from yew but, working in big cities, it usually wasn't feasible to walk around with a longbow in plain sight. The trick bow snapped open and locked into place as soon as he unclipped it from the knapsack which was actually a disguised quiver.
Slinging the apparatus over one shoulder, Josef walked toward the door of Apartment 17. It had its own little patio with two folding lawn chairs and a potted plant, as well as a chest-high brick ledge dividing it from neighboring apartments. He had insisted on getting rooms on the ground floor. As he crossed the dark silent parking lot, Josef was as alert as if he had been warned of an ambush. He constantly scanned the area, checking windows and doorways, suspiciously watching parked cars to see if anyone was sitting in them, and staying ready to react instantly. He wasn't even aware of doing this. Training from childhood to be an assassin and then a decade self-employed as a bodyguard and courier had made him this way.
Nearing the door, he saw that the curtains on the window had not been closed completely. Through the gap, shining platinum hair moved as Unicorn was evidently sitting on the floor. She should know better, he thought sourly. Exposed like that through an ordinary window! But then she raised two fingers to her head in a wry salute and he recognized that she was keeping an eye on the parking lot. He unlocked the door and stepped in.
The apartment complex was evidently brand new, everything was fresh and looked unused. No stains on the couch or rips in the fabric or even tiny scrapes on the woodwork. Everything was in shades of tan and darker brown, with a gleaming kitchenette. There were two bedrooms, a large bathroom with a shower and even a writing desk under the other window. On the dresser was a huge TV that got well over a hundred channels.
As Josef entered, Unicorn glanced up from where she was sitting cross-legged on the rug and gifted him with a flash of perfect teeth. That blissful smile meant trouble, he had come to learn.
Ashley Whitaker had always been pretty and at twenty-five, she was gorgeous. Just over five feet tall and just over one hundred pounds, she had the slim athletic figure many women despaired to achieve. The glossy hair was so fair that it was white, crystal blue eyes shone in a perfect little face with a pert nose and cleft chin. To her credit, she didn't abuse the effect her looks had, she just took it for granted.
"What on Earth are you doing, Unicorn?" he asked without enthusiasm.
"Hah! Just in time! Here." She sprang nimbly to her feet and handed him a bizarre object she had been working on. He inspected it. Mostly, it was one of his standard arrows, wooden shaft and plastic fletching, 90 centimeters long. But where the head should be, a child's leather mitten had been fastened. He squeezed the mitten and found it hard.
"It's filled with rubber," Ashley told him, almost hugging herself with glee. "Right now, you use five types of arrowheads. The simple points and the wide blades. The round metal knobs for knocking people out. The ones with the little explosive cap on the end and the ones with the tear gas. Here's a new one."
Josef hefted it experimentally. "You must be joking, Unicorn."
"Certainly not! I call it the Boxing Glove Arrow. Do you like it or do you love it?"
The Blind Archer swung the weird arrow from side to side. "The balance is hopeless. What makes you think this novelty would possibly work?"
"Because you're YOU! You're Josef Jubilec. I've seen you pull off shots that were beyond impossible." The little blonde's smile faded just a bit. "Wait, you don't like it?"
Hearing the catch in her voice, he relented. "Ashley. Thank you for the idea... but, seriously, this is useless. I will have to teach you the basics of archery someday so you can see why this gimmick wouldn't work. It would be pointless to even try."
Unicorn shrugged off her disappointment in a second. "But wait, there are others. Trom Girl has been helping me fabricate a dozen new trick arrows. She knows chemistry and she can work a lathe. You have to at least try them."
"When we're back in New York," he said firmly. "In the field is not the right time to experiment with untested weaponry." He handed the Boxing Glove Arrow back to her. "Any word from Sable and the rest of the team?"
"Nope. Last I heard, they expected to be leaving Androval tomorrow night at the earliest. So, what did you find out, Josef?"
The Blind Archer hung up his jacket as he told her what Sabino had said. "He basically confirmed the rumors we have already heard. Feral Boys. Senseless crimes. He had nothing substantial to add, I'm afraid."
"Heh," she said. "You have to admit that's funny. For those of us who have a sense of humor. At least we have one witness who's willing to talk to us. He sounded pretty anxious on the phone. He really is worried about his safety."
"We'll be meeting him soon," Josef told her. "Two AM, near the Stinecreek Park. I'll approach him while you stand by near the car and-"
"Hey! You do NOT outrank me, Mr Jubilec. We joined the team on the exact same day. Sable is the only captain."
He turned, surprised at her objection. "What do you suggest?"
"How about I meet the witness while you watch from concealment? You're the one with the long range weapon. This bird Feddes will open up better to me anyway, because, let's face it... I'm cute." She stood with folded arms and narrowed eyes, watching his reaction.
"All good points," the Blind Archer agreed without argument. "We'll have to get moving soon. Are you wearing the armor and weaponry?"
"You bet. All I need to do to sling my Unicorn horn over one shoulder. No, wait, a bathroom session first." She galloped across the apartment and slammed the bathroom door behind her. Josef sighed. He knew he was not good company to be with, but he didn't care. Getting people to like him was not on his agenda, in fact it could be a liability because having friends meant having possible hostages to be used against him. Emotionally, he was always alone and never considered it a problem.
Going to the kitchenette, he washed his face and hands in the sink. He had eaten a light supper just before meeting Sabino and wouldn't be hungry until the next morning. Getting his suit jacket, he tugged it back on. Under his clothing, of course, he had on the silk-thin Trom armor all the KDF members were required to wear in the field. In various concealed pockets and slits in his clothing were a dozen of the specialized gadgets, and the communications Link was clipped to his belt. But he declined to carry one of the anesthetic dart guns. It would feel so wrong to bring another weapon with him.
A second later, Unicorn rushed out of the bathroom. As she often chose, she was wearing all white... boots, jeans, a long-sleeved pullover and a light windbreaker, all trimmed with Navy blue on the cuffs and collars. The three-foot-long leather sheath strapped across her back held the actual Unicorn horn that was her talisman and namesake. "Let's agitate the pavement, Josef."
Near the door, the Archer picked up his backpack and was dismayed to see Ashley fetch an identical pack from near the couch. It even had a collapsible bow clipped across its top. He raised both hands in exasperation. "Now what are you doing?"
"Oh, I took the liberty of stocking your spare quiver with our trick arrows," she answered blithely. "You never know, they might be exactly what the situation needs. Did I show you the Firecracker Arrow? It makes a noise like a gunshot when it hits so crooks go looking the wrong way."
"Damnit, Unicorn, I wish you wouldn't do things like this. Oh, never mind, though. We don't want to be late." He watched her hurry through the door with the spare quiver, then turned off the lights and followed her. The door clicked shut behind them, and he automatically made sure it was locked. There was no use getting angry at Unicorn. She was so self-assured and oblivious that people being mad at her made no impression. The little blonde was already waiting eagerly by the leased car as he stepped into the night.
III.
At ten to two in the morning, traffic was sparse and no one was on the street because a tropical storm was expected to hit before dawn. A damp breeze was blowing in off the ocean. Josef parked just outside the border of Stinecreek Park, warily studying the terrain. Biscay Bay was visible just beyond a vacant field. The park itself was mostly an open stone-flagged plaza with green-painted wooden benches, a few trees with wire guards around their bases and a life-size bronze statue of some 19th Century military officer on a horse. This was presumably the Stinecreek that the park was named after. In the center was a ornate marble fountain which was turned off, and the water still glittered with coins people had tossed in to make wishes.
Sitting hunched over on the rim of that fountain was a small man in a long coat, hat pulled down over his face. He was gazing down at his feet, seemingly unaware of being watched.
Getting out of the passenger side of the car, Unicorn closed the door quietly. "I've got my ear plug in, Josef. We can whisper and the Links will relay it."
"I'm picking you up," the Blind Archer said. Before stepping away from the car, he reached in the back seat and picked up his backpack with the collapsible bow across its top. "You know, these Feral Boys don't have any gralic powers."
"I know, which means my horn will not be any use against them. Oh well," Ashley said, "I still have my dart gun and a pair of resonance grenades."
The Blind Archer strapped his disguised quiver on and gestured to his left. "I am going to sneak around the park. You see that little rise on the north edge, with the shrubbery and trees. Excellent vantage spot to cover you from."
"Gotcha," Ashley said. "And Josef, I do feel a lot safer knowing you're watching me."
"We have each other's back." With that, the Archer took a few steps and melted into the shadow of a building. Unicorn was used to his stealth and had stopped being startled by the way he seemed to vanish between steps. She squared her shoulders and marched across the open plaza toward the fountain where their informer waited.
In her earplug, Josef's voice whispered, "I'm sensing a lot of life forms in the area. More than a a dozen adult men not far away."
"Okay, thanks." She approached the man sitting by the fountain and stopped as he raised his head. He was in late middle age, with white stubble showing he had not shaved recently.
"Richard Feddes? Hi, I'm from the Kenneth Dred Foundation," she greeted him as she came closer and squatted down with the ease of youth. "You wanted to meet with one of us."
"Eh? Isn't Jeremy Bane here? He was the one I knew a while ago."
"Nope, he has stepped down from KDF activities." Ashley dropped to her knees in front of the old man. "So, what's the deal? You have some information for us about these Feral Boy characters?"
Feddes turned his head as far as it would go. "Did you hear something? I'm sure the Ferals know I saw them kill that child. I am sure they suspect I am going to talk about them..."
Ashley placed a hand on his sleeve. "Someone has to start talking about them. They get away with these atrocities because no one speaks up."
"This was a big mistake. I have to go." The man pressed his palms on his knees and levered himself up with a moan. "I know it! They'll be coming here."
Even as he spoke, a dozen dark figures stepped forward from behind buildings and trees, stood up from where they had been crouching behind trucks and cars, and stalked closer. They were small wiry men wrapped in heavy coarse robes that hung to their ankles. All had cowls pulled up over their faces as they formed a circle around the fountain.
"Run, young lady! Run as hard as you can!" the old man hissed. "It's me they want."
Unicorn had drawn her anesthetic dart gun but she hesitated. "Josef, you seeing this? They're wearing burlap. The darts won't penetrate material like that."
"Stand by," came the calm reassuring voice in her ear. "If you see a shot at a face or hand at close range, take it."
"These bozos do NOT make a good first impression," she answered.
The Feral Boys were carrying a brutal assortment of blunt weapons. Axe handles, baseball bats, crowbars, even a tree branch or two that had been stripped and peeled of its bark. As Ashley watched, they began to circle the fountain in a counter-clockwise direction. She turned to keep them in sight as much as possible. After the first lap, the weird figures began to stamp a foot at every third step. Then they added waving their weapons overhead.
Ashley scowled and extended the dart gun, hoping to see exposed skin for a target. "They're getting themselves all worked up," she said. "Working up enough nerve to attack."
IV.
Kneeling between two trees on the small hill overlooking the park, Josef Jubilec forced himself not to act just yet. He didn't want any of these Feral Boy brutes to escape. Once they started their war dance around the fountain and he was certain that Ashley was waiting for him to act, he reached behind his right shoulder. The collapsible bow came loose from the velcro strap that held it closed, and it snapped open to click into place. He strung it and tested it experimentally. The Blind Archers were a sect with a heavy emphasis on tradition and he would greatly have preferred to be using one of the longbows he had made himself.
Now, the Feral Boys were stomping in rhythm and whirling their weapons overhead. In a moment, they would start swinging at their intended victims but missing at first to unnerve them. Josef reached behind him to unclasp the flap of his disguised quiver with its twelve arrows and reached for the one furthest to his left. That would be a basic steel pointed shaft.
His heart sank. This was the wrong quiver.
Somehow he had snatched up the quiver which Unicorn had brought along, the one with the stupid gimmick arrows she and Trom Girl had crafted. How could he have been so careless? There must be enough difference in weight that he should have noticed. Well, there was no time for recriminations against either himself or Ashley. And there was certainly no time to race around the park back to the car to fetch his genuine quiver. He would just have to make do. Maybe some of these foolish gimmicks would fly straight enough to at least scare the Feral Boys away.
The first arrow he notched to the string had a thick plastic shaft and a round button on the head. God only knows what it was supposed to do. He drew the string back to his ear and closed his eyes so his enhanced perception would guide the arrow rather than his vision. To his surprise, the shaft hissed right where he had intended. It struck one of the Feral Boys on the side of the head and, as the button sank in, the shaft popped open to spray a burst of thick heavy white glue. The man's eyes were sealed shut instantly, as were his nostrils. He frantically began clawing at his mouth to get it open so he could breathe.
Despite himself, Josef grinned. He immediately whipped out another weird arrow and let it fly. This one had a bulbous head that made accuracy difficult, but he found this arrow also sped exactly where he had aimed it. He knew Megan Salenger was a genius, and this proved it. She had designed these gimmick shafts so they were workable. The second arrow smacked hard against a Feral Boy's chest and exploded open with a muffled thump. Six long strands of a sticky plastic whirled out of the arrowhead and wrapped themselves around the man, pinning his arms down to his sides. Off balance, he fell heavily against the Feral Boy next to him and they both hit the ground.
A few seconds had elapsed, enough for the cultists to realize they were under attack. In the instant that they froze before reacting, the Blind Archer emptied his quiver with one trick arrow after another. There was a thick shaft with a metal head studded with two blunt points. When that one hit a Feral Boy, the man convulsed and screamed and fell twitching to the ground. Evidently a potent electric shock had been given.
Two of the arrows released gas. One was the same anesthetic they used in their darts, judging by the way the Feral Boy reeled and dropped to lie face down on the cold stone flagging. The other dispersed a thick black cloud that clung to a cult member's head and upper body as if moving with him. He staggered off, trying to disperse the smoke by waving his arms.
One arrow was not effective. It had a cylindrical body pierced with holes and, as it flew, it made a loud piercing whistle. Maybe it would be useful as a signal or a distraction. Another of the odder arrows had two wide leaf-shaped vanes on its shaft, one pointing forward and one pointing back. This arrow got nowhere near its target but looped around in a wide arc and skidded to stop at his feet. What possible use was a boomerang arrow, he wondered.
To his further annoyance, he noticed that Unicorn was enjoying this immensely. Instead of trying to escape or use her dart gun on the Feral Boys at close range, she was cheering and applauding. As the cultists dropped one after another, she stuck two fingers in her mouth and made a shrill whistle of approval. He decided he didn't want to work with her again. Let her team up with Argent or Trom Girl.
Only one of the Feral Boy killers remained on his feet. He swung his crowbar in a figure eight pattern and then raised it back behind his head. In another instant, that weapon would whipping right at Ashley's face. She was poised to move in any direction, but the odds were against her being able to evade that attack.
Josef drew back the bowstring and loosed the last remaining trick arrow. As the Feral Boy sensed something approaching, he turned his head and a mitten filled with hard rubber crashed right into the center of his face as fast as a bullet. The cultist hopped up off the ground and fell hard on his back with a broken nose.
"Woo-HOO!" howled Unicorn. "Yes! Boxing Glove Arrow in the nick of time."
Suddenly feeling weary as the adrenalin surge died down, Josef began trudging across the park to join Ashley and the old man. Eleven weird figures were either sprawled senseless on the plaza or struggling hopelessly to get loose from their bonds. None of them had said anything yet.
"Way to go, Josef! I did NOT plan that, if that's what you're thinking." The little blonde rushed to meet him and just stopped short of giving him the hug he obviously did not want.
"Time to call the Miami police," the Blind Archer said. "They have been aching to round up these Feral Boys for decades. I suppose it means a week of filling out affadvaits and answering the same twenty questions over and over again." He broke down the collapsible bow and clipped it to his quiver, then began retrieving the arrows from where they were scattered.
"And I'm afraid we may be dragged into court to testify in a month," Ashley grumbled. "Just the downside of being a beautiful but dedicated crime-fighter. BUT! Josef, admit it. Those arrows came through in the pinch, eh? Megan and I know what we're doing, right?"
Replacing the trick arrows to their slots in the quiver, Josef did not answer for so long that it seemed he was not going to. Then, grudgingly, he said, "I have to admit it. They worked fine. Maybe I'll start using a few of them in special situations."
"Always bring the Boxing Glove Arrow," Unicorn laughed. "It's my favorite."
4/21/2016
12/1-12/3/2005
I.
"He doesn't look like much," said one of the gunmen. "Take away his fancy bow and arrow, and what have you got?"
In the meeting room upstairs at Keator Motors, it was eleven-thirty, hours past closing. The lot full of cars was deserted, none of the staff were on duty. Only the lights required for insurance reasons still burned. But, behind the locked door of that room, where the chairs around the oval table were usually filled with sales representatives and managers hammering out terms, five heartless men with guns in hand stood around an outsider.
Josef Jubilec stood in their center with hands slightly raised, a faint smile on his weathered face. He looked older than he was, as his stressful life had left deep lines down his cheeks and around his eyes. Josef was a few inches over six feet tall, wide-shouldered and deep chested, as shown in the subdued tan business suit he wore without a tie. The short sandy blond hair and cloudy dark blue eyes stood out vividly in the fluorescent lighting. Josef said nothing.
"Easy there, Paul" said one of the thugs.
"No, seriously. Without his scary bow and arrow, what have you got here?"
From behind him came a quiet, menacing voice. "One of the most dangerous men you will ever meet."
All the thugs in that room gave a start and came to attention. Entering from a plain unmarked door on the other side was an elderly man with only a fringe of white hair at the back of his head. Standing behind him, holding a chair out from the table, was a bodyguard twice his size.
As the gunmen stood alert, turning to face the old man, Josef folded his arms across his chest. "Hello, Mr Sabino."
"Ah... Josef Jubilec. Please relax. This is not a confrontation." The old man placed his withered hands flat on the table in front of him. "Your organization does not often come to Miami."
"No," Jubilec agreed. He stepped closer to the table, ignoring the shuffling and stirring as the gunmen reacted to his move. "Your operation here is not related to our agenda."
"I know, I know," Sabino sighed. "To you, we are mundane criminals. Certainly not the mighty warlords like John Grim or Wu Lung that you clash with. But I have asked you to meet with me because something inexplicable is going on in this area."
Josef did not move any closer. He could see the thugs were tense enough as it was. "Mr Sabino, I appeciate that you said 'asked' me to come here and not 'ordered.' I would like very much to hear what you have to say."
The elderly man sat up straight. He was in his mid-seventies or so, but not bent or frail. "You are one of the Blind Archers of Chujir. Most of us who live outside the law believe your sect to be mere legend. But I know better, and so do the ones I serve."
Josef said nothing but waited. He could sense that the men surrounding him had eased back a little.
Sabino continued, "Have you heard of the Feral Boys?"
"Only vague rumors," the Blind Archer answered. "Nothing of any substance."
"In the past few months, there have been many strange crimes in and around Miami. Murders, missing people, thefts on a grand scale... but these crimes make no sense. There is nothing tying them together. My people do not think it is a new gang trying its hand, nor do they think it is some lone mastermind. It is something new and unexplained."
Josef nodded. "I have heard that the Feral Boy tribe is descended from Indian refugees driven south from Georgia in the early 1800s. Apparently they did not join up with the formation of the Seminoles. Two of these Ferals abducted the daughter of the Torres clan leader and no trace of her has been found. One Feral Boy killed a Colombia gang courier and took a briefcase holding sixty thousand dollars.. or so I am told."
"This is all true. Many of the Feral Boy tribe hide in the Everglades and live as their ancestors did. But there are those who live in cities and towns, blending in, posing as regular people. A lot of Feral Boys are so mixed they don't look like Indians at all but they remain loyal to their tribe." The gangster scowled even more than before. "And they are wicked. They proclaim themselves as devil worshippers who sacrifice captives to the Old Ones. Worse things are going on than the papers ever report. A child was skinned and left dead in a stream. Animals have been found with their eyes removed, still alive, suffering. I do not know any possible reason any of my business rivals would do such things, Mr Jubilec."
"It does sound like the worst type of black magick," the Blind Archer agreed. "And it is why my team has come to Florida."
Sabino pushed his chair back slightly and all the thugs shifted their stances in response. "Good. These dreadful events have woken the police from their usual torpor. It is always awkward when they start trying to do their job. Even the FBI have been reported arriving here to investigate. Those fanatics from Department 21 Black are likely to interfere with usual business. And there are even whispers about the Mandate taking an interest..."
"My team is already investigating," Josef said. "It doesn't matter what I think of your operations, our agenda is limited to the supernatural. You are not Midnight War."
"Ha ha, no. We are just making money in a normal if not legal way. That is all I can tell you, I am afraid. Except for two more items. Many signs point to the area around east Flagler Street. And we have heard a name in connection with these deformed men. ."
Josef could not hide a smile. "'May Doosa.' It must be an alias, an obvious pun."
"Be that as it may," Sabino finished, "our paths need not cross. We will not confront your Tel Shai knights and you will not interfere with our business."
"Sounds entirely reasonable, Mr Sabino. Perhaps you can leave any further information at our public number?"
"I will do so." The old gangster got to his feet smoothly enough, tugging down his jacket. "These men will see you to your car, of course."
"Of course." The Blind Archer made the slightest possible bow and turned to open the door behind him. All five thugs surrounded him again, their pistols pointed at the floor near his feet rather than directly at him. Josef gave the gangster underlord a polite smile as he went down a metal staircase to the display room of the dealership. Waiting at the door to the lot was one more man. They were all dressed presentably, clean shaven and with recent haircuts, but they still could not pass as normal citizens.
Escorted to the parking lot, Josef headed for the black Ford Escape he had leased early that morning. He was reflecting that it was too bad the KDF didn't tackle regular run-of-the-mill crime but their mission from Tel Shai targeted what was beyond law enforcement. He thought that these Feral Boys did sound like the weirdness he usually faced. As he reached for his keys to beep his car doors unlocked, the thug called Paul spoke up again.
"I don't think he showed the boss enough respect."
"Goddamit, Paul, you are just desperate for trouble tonight," another one snarled. "Let it go."
Stepping around next to Josef, Paul raised his Glock 19 and waved it in the Blind Archer's face. "You don't have that famous bow and arrow in a pocket, do you? I think you're a fake." The barrel almost touched Josef's cheek.
A faint sigh escaped Josef despite himself. He had hoped to skip this. Suddenly the thug who was called Paul was on his knees, clutching at his face. Josef was now holding the Glock. He ejected the magazine and pocketed it, then dropped the unloaded weapon on the asphalt next to the stunned man. No one had clearly followed his moves and they took long enough to react that he was behind the wheel before they started talking. The Blind Archer started up the Ford Escape, backed up carefully away from them and pulled out onto the highway before the gunmen had fully gathered their wits.
II.
On a stretch of Flagler Street that alternated strip malls, apartment buildings, supermarkets and pharmacies with more of the same, Josef grudgingly pulled into the private parking lot of the South Gate Complex. He had leased an apartment here for the month rather than a couple of motel rooms because it was very close to where most of the Feral Boy sightings has been.
Parking the leased car, the Blind Archer opened the back door and took out a large backpack that had a strange device folded around its top. He didn't care for the collapsible bow at all. Raised by the Chujir sect that had taught him how to sense life force without using sight, Josef was very traditional. When at all possible, he used one of the longbows he had crafted himself from yew but, working in big cities, it usually wasn't feasible to walk around with a longbow in plain sight. The trick bow snapped open and locked into place as soon as he unclipped it from the knapsack which was actually a disguised quiver.
Slinging the apparatus over one shoulder, Josef walked toward the door of Apartment 17. It had its own little patio with two folding lawn chairs and a potted plant, as well as a chest-high brick ledge dividing it from neighboring apartments. He had insisted on getting rooms on the ground floor. As he crossed the dark silent parking lot, Josef was as alert as if he had been warned of an ambush. He constantly scanned the area, checking windows and doorways, suspiciously watching parked cars to see if anyone was sitting in them, and staying ready to react instantly. He wasn't even aware of doing this. Training from childhood to be an assassin and then a decade self-employed as a bodyguard and courier had made him this way.
Nearing the door, he saw that the curtains on the window had not been closed completely. Through the gap, shining platinum hair moved as Unicorn was evidently sitting on the floor. She should know better, he thought sourly. Exposed like that through an ordinary window! But then she raised two fingers to her head in a wry salute and he recognized that she was keeping an eye on the parking lot. He unlocked the door and stepped in.
The apartment complex was evidently brand new, everything was fresh and looked unused. No stains on the couch or rips in the fabric or even tiny scrapes on the woodwork. Everything was in shades of tan and darker brown, with a gleaming kitchenette. There were two bedrooms, a large bathroom with a shower and even a writing desk under the other window. On the dresser was a huge TV that got well over a hundred channels.
As Josef entered, Unicorn glanced up from where she was sitting cross-legged on the rug and gifted him with a flash of perfect teeth. That blissful smile meant trouble, he had come to learn.
Ashley Whitaker had always been pretty and at twenty-five, she was gorgeous. Just over five feet tall and just over one hundred pounds, she had the slim athletic figure many women despaired to achieve. The glossy hair was so fair that it was white, crystal blue eyes shone in a perfect little face with a pert nose and cleft chin. To her credit, she didn't abuse the effect her looks had, she just took it for granted.
"What on Earth are you doing, Unicorn?" he asked without enthusiasm.
"Hah! Just in time! Here." She sprang nimbly to her feet and handed him a bizarre object she had been working on. He inspected it. Mostly, it was one of his standard arrows, wooden shaft and plastic fletching, 90 centimeters long. But where the head should be, a child's leather mitten had been fastened. He squeezed the mitten and found it hard.
"It's filled with rubber," Ashley told him, almost hugging herself with glee. "Right now, you use five types of arrowheads. The simple points and the wide blades. The round metal knobs for knocking people out. The ones with the little explosive cap on the end and the ones with the tear gas. Here's a new one."
Josef hefted it experimentally. "You must be joking, Unicorn."
"Certainly not! I call it the Boxing Glove Arrow. Do you like it or do you love it?"
The Blind Archer swung the weird arrow from side to side. "The balance is hopeless. What makes you think this novelty would possibly work?"
"Because you're YOU! You're Josef Jubilec. I've seen you pull off shots that were beyond impossible." The little blonde's smile faded just a bit. "Wait, you don't like it?"
Hearing the catch in her voice, he relented. "Ashley. Thank you for the idea... but, seriously, this is useless. I will have to teach you the basics of archery someday so you can see why this gimmick wouldn't work. It would be pointless to even try."
Unicorn shrugged off her disappointment in a second. "But wait, there are others. Trom Girl has been helping me fabricate a dozen new trick arrows. She knows chemistry and she can work a lathe. You have to at least try them."
"When we're back in New York," he said firmly. "In the field is not the right time to experiment with untested weaponry." He handed the Boxing Glove Arrow back to her. "Any word from Sable and the rest of the team?"
"Nope. Last I heard, they expected to be leaving Androval tomorrow night at the earliest. So, what did you find out, Josef?"
The Blind Archer hung up his jacket as he told her what Sabino had said. "He basically confirmed the rumors we have already heard. Feral Boys. Senseless crimes. He had nothing substantial to add, I'm afraid."
"Heh," she said. "You have to admit that's funny. For those of us who have a sense of humor. At least we have one witness who's willing to talk to us. He sounded pretty anxious on the phone. He really is worried about his safety."
"We'll be meeting him soon," Josef told her. "Two AM, near the Stinecreek Park. I'll approach him while you stand by near the car and-"
"Hey! You do NOT outrank me, Mr Jubilec. We joined the team on the exact same day. Sable is the only captain."
He turned, surprised at her objection. "What do you suggest?"
"How about I meet the witness while you watch from concealment? You're the one with the long range weapon. This bird Feddes will open up better to me anyway, because, let's face it... I'm cute." She stood with folded arms and narrowed eyes, watching his reaction.
"All good points," the Blind Archer agreed without argument. "We'll have to get moving soon. Are you wearing the armor and weaponry?"
"You bet. All I need to do to sling my Unicorn horn over one shoulder. No, wait, a bathroom session first." She galloped across the apartment and slammed the bathroom door behind her. Josef sighed. He knew he was not good company to be with, but he didn't care. Getting people to like him was not on his agenda, in fact it could be a liability because having friends meant having possible hostages to be used against him. Emotionally, he was always alone and never considered it a problem.
Going to the kitchenette, he washed his face and hands in the sink. He had eaten a light supper just before meeting Sabino and wouldn't be hungry until the next morning. Getting his suit jacket, he tugged it back on. Under his clothing, of course, he had on the silk-thin Trom armor all the KDF members were required to wear in the field. In various concealed pockets and slits in his clothing were a dozen of the specialized gadgets, and the communications Link was clipped to his belt. But he declined to carry one of the anesthetic dart guns. It would feel so wrong to bring another weapon with him.
A second later, Unicorn rushed out of the bathroom. As she often chose, she was wearing all white... boots, jeans, a long-sleeved pullover and a light windbreaker, all trimmed with Navy blue on the cuffs and collars. The three-foot-long leather sheath strapped across her back held the actual Unicorn horn that was her talisman and namesake. "Let's agitate the pavement, Josef."
Near the door, the Archer picked up his backpack and was dismayed to see Ashley fetch an identical pack from near the couch. It even had a collapsible bow clipped across its top. He raised both hands in exasperation. "Now what are you doing?"
"Oh, I took the liberty of stocking your spare quiver with our trick arrows," she answered blithely. "You never know, they might be exactly what the situation needs. Did I show you the Firecracker Arrow? It makes a noise like a gunshot when it hits so crooks go looking the wrong way."
"Damnit, Unicorn, I wish you wouldn't do things like this. Oh, never mind, though. We don't want to be late." He watched her hurry through the door with the spare quiver, then turned off the lights and followed her. The door clicked shut behind them, and he automatically made sure it was locked. There was no use getting angry at Unicorn. She was so self-assured and oblivious that people being mad at her made no impression. The little blonde was already waiting eagerly by the leased car as he stepped into the night.
III.
At ten to two in the morning, traffic was sparse and no one was on the street because a tropical storm was expected to hit before dawn. A damp breeze was blowing in off the ocean. Josef parked just outside the border of Stinecreek Park, warily studying the terrain. Biscay Bay was visible just beyond a vacant field. The park itself was mostly an open stone-flagged plaza with green-painted wooden benches, a few trees with wire guards around their bases and a life-size bronze statue of some 19th Century military officer on a horse. This was presumably the Stinecreek that the park was named after. In the center was a ornate marble fountain which was turned off, and the water still glittered with coins people had tossed in to make wishes.
Sitting hunched over on the rim of that fountain was a small man in a long coat, hat pulled down over his face. He was gazing down at his feet, seemingly unaware of being watched.
Getting out of the passenger side of the car, Unicorn closed the door quietly. "I've got my ear plug in, Josef. We can whisper and the Links will relay it."
"I'm picking you up," the Blind Archer said. Before stepping away from the car, he reached in the back seat and picked up his backpack with the collapsible bow across its top. "You know, these Feral Boys don't have any gralic powers."
"I know, which means my horn will not be any use against them. Oh well," Ashley said, "I still have my dart gun and a pair of resonance grenades."
The Blind Archer strapped his disguised quiver on and gestured to his left. "I am going to sneak around the park. You see that little rise on the north edge, with the shrubbery and trees. Excellent vantage spot to cover you from."
"Gotcha," Ashley said. "And Josef, I do feel a lot safer knowing you're watching me."
"We have each other's back." With that, the Archer took a few steps and melted into the shadow of a building. Unicorn was used to his stealth and had stopped being startled by the way he seemed to vanish between steps. She squared her shoulders and marched across the open plaza toward the fountain where their informer waited.
In her earplug, Josef's voice whispered, "I'm sensing a lot of life forms in the area. More than a a dozen adult men not far away."
"Okay, thanks." She approached the man sitting by the fountain and stopped as he raised his head. He was in late middle age, with white stubble showing he had not shaved recently.
"Richard Feddes? Hi, I'm from the Kenneth Dred Foundation," she greeted him as she came closer and squatted down with the ease of youth. "You wanted to meet with one of us."
"Eh? Isn't Jeremy Bane here? He was the one I knew a while ago."
"Nope, he has stepped down from KDF activities." Ashley dropped to her knees in front of the old man. "So, what's the deal? You have some information for us about these Feral Boy characters?"
Feddes turned his head as far as it would go. "Did you hear something? I'm sure the Ferals know I saw them kill that child. I am sure they suspect I am going to talk about them..."
Ashley placed a hand on his sleeve. "Someone has to start talking about them. They get away with these atrocities because no one speaks up."
"This was a big mistake. I have to go." The man pressed his palms on his knees and levered himself up with a moan. "I know it! They'll be coming here."
Even as he spoke, a dozen dark figures stepped forward from behind buildings and trees, stood up from where they had been crouching behind trucks and cars, and stalked closer. They were small wiry men wrapped in heavy coarse robes that hung to their ankles. All had cowls pulled up over their faces as they formed a circle around the fountain.
"Run, young lady! Run as hard as you can!" the old man hissed. "It's me they want."
Unicorn had drawn her anesthetic dart gun but she hesitated. "Josef, you seeing this? They're wearing burlap. The darts won't penetrate material like that."
"Stand by," came the calm reassuring voice in her ear. "If you see a shot at a face or hand at close range, take it."
"These bozos do NOT make a good first impression," she answered.
The Feral Boys were carrying a brutal assortment of blunt weapons. Axe handles, baseball bats, crowbars, even a tree branch or two that had been stripped and peeled of its bark. As Ashley watched, they began to circle the fountain in a counter-clockwise direction. She turned to keep them in sight as much as possible. After the first lap, the weird figures began to stamp a foot at every third step. Then they added waving their weapons overhead.
Ashley scowled and extended the dart gun, hoping to see exposed skin for a target. "They're getting themselves all worked up," she said. "Working up enough nerve to attack."
IV.
Kneeling between two trees on the small hill overlooking the park, Josef Jubilec forced himself not to act just yet. He didn't want any of these Feral Boy brutes to escape. Once they started their war dance around the fountain and he was certain that Ashley was waiting for him to act, he reached behind his right shoulder. The collapsible bow came loose from the velcro strap that held it closed, and it snapped open to click into place. He strung it and tested it experimentally. The Blind Archers were a sect with a heavy emphasis on tradition and he would greatly have preferred to be using one of the longbows he had made himself.
Now, the Feral Boys were stomping in rhythm and whirling their weapons overhead. In a moment, they would start swinging at their intended victims but missing at first to unnerve them. Josef reached behind him to unclasp the flap of his disguised quiver with its twelve arrows and reached for the one furthest to his left. That would be a basic steel pointed shaft.
His heart sank. This was the wrong quiver.
Somehow he had snatched up the quiver which Unicorn had brought along, the one with the stupid gimmick arrows she and Trom Girl had crafted. How could he have been so careless? There must be enough difference in weight that he should have noticed. Well, there was no time for recriminations against either himself or Ashley. And there was certainly no time to race around the park back to the car to fetch his genuine quiver. He would just have to make do. Maybe some of these foolish gimmicks would fly straight enough to at least scare the Feral Boys away.
The first arrow he notched to the string had a thick plastic shaft and a round button on the head. God only knows what it was supposed to do. He drew the string back to his ear and closed his eyes so his enhanced perception would guide the arrow rather than his vision. To his surprise, the shaft hissed right where he had intended. It struck one of the Feral Boys on the side of the head and, as the button sank in, the shaft popped open to spray a burst of thick heavy white glue. The man's eyes were sealed shut instantly, as were his nostrils. He frantically began clawing at his mouth to get it open so he could breathe.
Despite himself, Josef grinned. He immediately whipped out another weird arrow and let it fly. This one had a bulbous head that made accuracy difficult, but he found this arrow also sped exactly where he had aimed it. He knew Megan Salenger was a genius, and this proved it. She had designed these gimmick shafts so they were workable. The second arrow smacked hard against a Feral Boy's chest and exploded open with a muffled thump. Six long strands of a sticky plastic whirled out of the arrowhead and wrapped themselves around the man, pinning his arms down to his sides. Off balance, he fell heavily against the Feral Boy next to him and they both hit the ground.
A few seconds had elapsed, enough for the cultists to realize they were under attack. In the instant that they froze before reacting, the Blind Archer emptied his quiver with one trick arrow after another. There was a thick shaft with a metal head studded with two blunt points. When that one hit a Feral Boy, the man convulsed and screamed and fell twitching to the ground. Evidently a potent electric shock had been given.
Two of the arrows released gas. One was the same anesthetic they used in their darts, judging by the way the Feral Boy reeled and dropped to lie face down on the cold stone flagging. The other dispersed a thick black cloud that clung to a cult member's head and upper body as if moving with him. He staggered off, trying to disperse the smoke by waving his arms.
One arrow was not effective. It had a cylindrical body pierced with holes and, as it flew, it made a loud piercing whistle. Maybe it would be useful as a signal or a distraction. Another of the odder arrows had two wide leaf-shaped vanes on its shaft, one pointing forward and one pointing back. This arrow got nowhere near its target but looped around in a wide arc and skidded to stop at his feet. What possible use was a boomerang arrow, he wondered.
To his further annoyance, he noticed that Unicorn was enjoying this immensely. Instead of trying to escape or use her dart gun on the Feral Boys at close range, she was cheering and applauding. As the cultists dropped one after another, she stuck two fingers in her mouth and made a shrill whistle of approval. He decided he didn't want to work with her again. Let her team up with Argent or Trom Girl.
Only one of the Feral Boy killers remained on his feet. He swung his crowbar in a figure eight pattern and then raised it back behind his head. In another instant, that weapon would whipping right at Ashley's face. She was poised to move in any direction, but the odds were against her being able to evade that attack.
Josef drew back the bowstring and loosed the last remaining trick arrow. As the Feral Boy sensed something approaching, he turned his head and a mitten filled with hard rubber crashed right into the center of his face as fast as a bullet. The cultist hopped up off the ground and fell hard on his back with a broken nose.
"Woo-HOO!" howled Unicorn. "Yes! Boxing Glove Arrow in the nick of time."
Suddenly feeling weary as the adrenalin surge died down, Josef began trudging across the park to join Ashley and the old man. Eleven weird figures were either sprawled senseless on the plaza or struggling hopelessly to get loose from their bonds. None of them had said anything yet.
"Way to go, Josef! I did NOT plan that, if that's what you're thinking." The little blonde rushed to meet him and just stopped short of giving him the hug he obviously did not want.
"Time to call the Miami police," the Blind Archer said. "They have been aching to round up these Feral Boys for decades. I suppose it means a week of filling out affadvaits and answering the same twenty questions over and over again." He broke down the collapsible bow and clipped it to his quiver, then began retrieving the arrows from where they were scattered.
"And I'm afraid we may be dragged into court to testify in a month," Ashley grumbled. "Just the downside of being a beautiful but dedicated crime-fighter. BUT! Josef, admit it. Those arrows came through in the pinch, eh? Megan and I know what we're doing, right?"
Replacing the trick arrows to their slots in the quiver, Josef did not answer for so long that it seemed he was not going to. Then, grudgingly, he said, "I have to admit it. They worked fine. Maybe I'll start using a few of them in special situations."
"Always bring the Boxing Glove Arrow," Unicorn laughed. "It's my favorite."
4/21/2016