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"To Dust We Return"
"To Dust We Return"
6/14/2023
I.
Jeremy Bane was in a restless, troubled mood. The hyper metabolism which gave him his enhanced speed and reflexes also charged him with excess energy that had to constantly be burned off. Already that morning, he had gone through his DohRa form, showered and changed into what was practically his uniform of black slacks, turtleneck and sports jacket. And now he was at a loss what to do for the rest of the day. There were no threats in the air as far as he could see. The Midnight War had certainly quieted down since the hectic days when he had led the KDF against the likes of Karl Eldritch, the Preincarnators or Wu Lung.
Pacing around a living room so free from clutter that it seemed no one lived there, the Dire Wolf tried without success to calm down. At sixty-five, he still showed few signs of age other than a scattering of white in the short black hair and lines at the outer corners of those pale grey eyes. He was still lean to the point of seeming gaunt and he circled the room with the easy stride of a much younger man.
The day before, he had called Sable to see if the newest KDF team had anything on hand and had been regretfully told no. He had phoned Sheng at the Fist For Hire agency and gotten the same wry answer. It had been weeks since any sightings of paranormal activity, crypto-beasts or new criminal masterminds. Maybe it was time to return to Tel Shai for a week. He would spend some welcome time with Cindy, get more intense training from Teacher Chael, maybe add annotations to the Great Archives. Yes. That was a good idea.
Bane paused in front of the picture window which looked out on Pierpont Street. A dark blue Subaru Outback was coming to a stop against the curb. That was Police Detective Chatcuff's car and there was the short stocky form of Harvey Chatcuff himself getting out to walk up the short flagstone path across Bane's tiny front yard. The Dire Wolf felt his spirits lift as if hearing a bugle calling charge. Something was up!
As he waited by the door, Bane thought again about how Megan Salenger had repeatedly tried to install Trom scanners on the steps outside to check for ID matches in NYPD or Mandate files, as well as sensors to read off a visitor's height and weight, blood pressure, heartbeat and whether or not large bits of metal were on his person. Bane had refused. He had thought at the time he was actually retiring from the Midnight War. Now, when he remembered Megan, he wished he had humored her. It would have made her happy.
As the doorbell rang, the Dire Wolf took a deep breath. He was counting on his Kunmundu training to be sure that this was Harvey Chatcuff and that the
body language indicated no intention to attack. Opening the door, he swung sideways and gestured for the man to enter. "Detective Chatcuff! I know there's trouble when you drive all the way out here to Forest Hills."
"Hiya, Bane," came the strongly New Yawk accented voice. "Nobody else here?"
"No. Sit down and tell me what disaster you want me to stop."
Lowering himself to a chair facing the leather-covered couch, Chatfuff unbottoned his suit jacket to let his paunch breathe a little. "I have to give the usual speech first. This is unoffical, off the record, unauthorized and all that. The Department does not use you as a freelance vigilante. In fact, I didn't even come here today."
Bane dropped down on the couch, clasping his hands together as he felt alive for the first time in a week. "Understood."
"I don't even have any photos or reports or anything to show you. But I know your memory is good. First victim was Howard John Nivens, 48, lived on Sycamore Avenue in Glenville, Long Island. He was found Monday morning between two residential houses. Both lungs were crammed full of dry dirt."
The Dire Wolf's pale eyes lit up. "That's something new."
"I sure never heard of such a thing. And the ME is so stumped he yells at anyone who asks him how it was done. Then, last night at two-thirty in the morning, a man's body was found behind a Chinese restaurant on Broadway in Carlinton, Long Island. Name was Stan Woodrow. Age 41. His chest was crushed flat, sternum cracked and every rib broken. And like Nivens, it's a mystery how he was killed."
"Yeah? Why is that?" It never occurred to Bane to offer coffee or tea to his visitor. His manners would never be polished.
"Well, the captain has an idea that someone put a flat piece of wood or metal on his body and then drove over it with a car. Sounds plausible. But Woodrow was found sprawled up against the wall of the Chinese restaurant and the forensic guys found fibers from his coat pressed into the bricks. Some blood as well."
Despite himself, the Dire Wolf got up on his feet and began pacing. He couldn't help it, being restless under the best of conditions. "Oh, this is interesting. Let me think about it. I suppose it could still be done. Two guys hold the victim up against the restaurant wall with a board across his chest. Then a third man drives a car or truck forward slowly to press against the board. The victim falls, they grab the board and ride away."
"Could be. But there's one more interesting detail. Bane, dirt was found pressed into the fabric of the front of Woodrow's coat and shirt. Lab says it's identical to the soil that killed Nivens."
II.
At ten-thirty that night, Bane was driving his dark green Ford Mustang down the Main Street of Glenville. This part of Long Island had always seemed slightly unreal to him. The small, placid towns were so clean and well-kept with the immaculate lawns and freshly-painted houses that they seemed like something out of a Hallmark movie. But then, he had grown up in some rough areas of Manhattan, so he recognized his perspective was jaundiced.
He signaled for a left and headed down Partition Street. The numbers of the houses were odd on the right, even on the left and he spotted 11 Partition Street as a two-story white frame house with an attached garage and a trampoline in the back yard. No one was in sight, but parked in front of the open garage door was a red Explorer. Bane reflected that it had been years since he had been out here, almost a decade in fact.
As he pulled up next to the Explorer and got out, a famiiiar figure emerged from the house's front door and waved for him to approach. At fifty, Lisa Lawson was still a handsome woman who had stayed in good shape. The auburn hair was cut shorter and styled, the lime-green eyes were hidden behind round-lensed glasses but she had changed very little. Lisa was wearing white slacks and a colorful Hawaiian-style shirt left untucked. "Jeremy! Good to see you."
"Hi, Lisa. I left right after I got your text." Bane accepted the kiss on the cheek and gestured toward the house. "What's the situation?"
"I'm worried and I can't hide it," she answered. "Let's head out to Glenerie. You drive. I feel things are in good hands with you here."
"All right." The Dire Wolf watched as she locked the front door, leaving on a single light in a cast iron fixture and they both went briskly to get into his car. He backed up and eased out onto the street. "Glenerie is east from here, right? We'd be going this way?"
"Yes. It's a good-sized town not quite an hour's drive from here. Haley got an apartment there with her boyfriend Chester because it's so close to her office. She walks two blocks and she's at work." Settling back in the passenger seat, she exhaled sadly. "I said a thousand times that she and Chester could stay with me for free. He's a good man, I have no problem with him at all. But I think Haley wanted a little distance to feel fully grown-up."
"She's what, twenty-seven now?"
"Twenty-eight last February. I don't think you've seen her in a while."
"No. She used to come for Pizza Night on Wednesdays but then she started skipping them more and more." Bane's voice held an uncustomary wistfulness. "Timothy rode his bike out here a few times to see her, but he hasn't mentioned doing that for a long time, either."
"People do drift away, Jeremy. Sometimes I run into someone from college and it's awkward. You don't know what to say. It wasn't that Haley stopped liking you or the others on the team. You'll always be her heroes. But she met Chester and it's the first time I've ever seen her commit to a relationship. They're pretty serious."
"Glad to hear it," Bane said. "So, about right now. A case has turned up that I thought Haley might be able to give a few tips on. I texted her and tried calling her but never heard back. That's not like her."
"You're right," Lisa agreed. "She's a social butterfly and always replies right away. I couldn't reach her today, either. When you texted me if I would be home, I knew it was about Haley. And I can tell you're as worried as I am."
"Hmm. Does she usually wear the Air Gem?"
"All day every day."
"Then we might relax a little. With that talisman, Haley was one of our most powerful members. She could summon tornado winds or subzero air from the Antarctic or heat from right above a volcano."
"Still.. I can't help but worry. Maybe it's nothing. Maybe her phone is out of order and she has to get a new one. But in any case, I'm glad to have you on hand, Jeremy."
As they rode along the highway between towns, where only an occasional strip mall or car dealership broke the woods and fields, Bane changed the subject. He started talking about his first meeting Lisa when she had been fifteen. Her family had somehow stumbled upon the four Elemental Gems crafted by Malberon in the Darthan Age. The jewels had last been wielded by a legendary hero called Buliwyf, and the Lawsons had called themselves the Heirs of Buliwyf because of that. Charles Lawson claimed the Earth Gem and his wife Cathy took the Water Gem. Their nephew Jimmy had claimed the Fire Gem and that left the Air Gem for niece Lisa.
"You four did good work for a few years," Bane said. "You weren't warriors by nature, but you explored the adjacent realms, rescued lost travelers and secretly helped avert natural disasters."
"And that didn't work out!" Lisa broke in. "Weather is too big and too complicated. When we tried to divert a hurricane or stop a volcanic eruption, we just made things worse. The last time I used the Air Gem, I was trying to break up a tornado in Kansas. Instead, I split it into three tornadoes which did more damage!"
"Was that why the four of you retired?"
"No. No, it was something else. Something we all swore to never discuss."
Bane's voice remained even. "I won't press you on it, Lisa. It's one of the mysteries of the Midnight War, why the Heirs of Buliwyf just dropped out of sight in 1993. I know you moved here from California and basically started over but I never knew why."
"I'm not going to discuss it. We vowed that to each other. I'm sorry, Jeremy."
"Well, it's up to you," he said as they passed a small shield-shaped sign reading WELCOME TO GLENERIE. "Anyway, right now, Haley's whereabouts are what we're concerned with."
"Not this traffic light, the next one, turn left. There's an apartment building with its own little parking lot. Yes, right there. Pull in."
Two long buildings of red brick faced each other in a complex that looked as if it were brand new. Bane made a three point turn to back into an open space. Although he did not explain, this habit had developed from a career where he often had to peel out, either chasing someone or being chased. Lisa got out and brushed back her hair with a hand, "They have an apartment on the first floor. Come on, we have to find out what the problem is."
Bane followed her through a foyer with a bank of mailboxes and into a hall with doors facing on either side. Lisa Lawson stopped before a door marked only 108 and pressed the white doorbell. She gave Bane an anxious glance and pressed it again, holding it down longer.
From its clip on his belt, the Dire Wolf raised his Link. An advanced Trom device, this was no thicker than a few playing cards stacked upon each other. He pressed a button on its side, then tapped the screen several times. "No body heat in there. No carbon dioxide from anyone's breath."
"Oh, I forgot that you have Trom tech. I wish I had thought to bring the key with me, but I'm not thinking straight," Lisa said. "I know Haley wouldn't mind us looking around to see anything that might relieve our minds."
Replacing the Link to his belt, Bane dug into one of the dozen inner pockets of his jacket. He took out what looked to be an old-fashioned metal lighter and pressed it up against the keyhole. Lisa could not know it but this gadget extruded thin flexible wires that shaped themselves to fit the lock, then stiffened and rotated.
The door unlocked as quickly as if Bane had used a key.
Before opening the door, he gently pushed Lisa back behind him. "Maybe I'm being too cautious. Midnight War does that." Bane pulled the door open a crack, stuck his head in and instantly closed it again after seeing the corpse on the floor.
III.
"Don't say anything," he whispered, then opened the door a few inches and thrust his Link inside, swinging it from side to side and then up and down. When he closed the door again, Bane wiped the knob with a fine silk cloth from his breast pocket.
Pivoting, he took Lisa by one hand and led her quickly from the building and back to his car. She was obviously dying to ask questions, but she was also experienced enough to wait. Bane headed back to the main street and eventually pulled in front of a twenty-four hour laundromat before shutting off the engine.
"This is bad. Very bad," he said, then bluntly continued, "There's the body of a man face up in that apartment. I'd say about thirty, six feet tall, one hundred and ninety pounds. Light complexion, medium brown hair, dark eyes."
"That sounds just like Chester! Oh God..."
"I scanned the area with my Link," Bane continued. "I don't think you want to see the images."
"I should... but wait. Wait a minute. I need to let this sink in. Chester dead? How? He was in perfect health."
Bane was studying the readings his Link had taken. "The right side of his head is depressed. Skull fracture. And he's covered with the same dry loose dirt that was on the two victims the police told me about. I'm looking at the images. The apartment was searched. Drawers open, furniture overturned, everything scattered."
"We need to call the police, Jeremy."
"Not now. I didn't see any security cameras in the hall. But the way I was standing, they would only show me trying the door and then leaving. There's no proof that either of us looked in there. And I'm used to being a suspect or a material witness at crime scenes. My lawyers have come to expect it."
Lisa showed anger more than grief. "We need to find Haley right now! I want to know my baby is safe this minute."
"Where's the first place to look that comes into your head?"
"Umm, Gina's house. Absolutely. They've been friends since high school. Gina is still living at home. Let me call her."
Starting up the Mustang and easing out into traffic, Bane said, "I don't think that's a good idea, Lisa. Better we go there and approach quietly. Where else might Haley be?"
"It's almost midnight. If she wasn't with Chester and she wasn't with Gina, I don't know where else she'd be."
Driving just enough over the speed limit to not get pulled over, the Dire Wolf scowled more than his usual grim expression. "Lisa. Do you have your Uncle Charles' number?"
"Sure. We talk every now and then. Should I call him?"
"Yes. Don't mention the situation but ask him if he has been using the Earth Gem recently."
Lisa made a call, talked for a few minutes and then ended the conversation with a promise to call back soon. Her hands were shaking visibly. "Oh God. What is going on? He said his back door had been forced a few days ago but the only thing that was taken was his Earth Gem! He had it locked in a cabinet but the thieves went right for it. I could hear in his voice how worried he is."
"And Cathy's Water Gem?"
"That's still safe as far as she knows. She has it in a safety deposit box at her Credit Union. She won't be able to check on it until tomorrow morning when they open. I know what you're going to say, I'm calling my brother Jimmy now. Hold on? Jimmy? Yeah, it's me. Have you heard about the Earth Gem? You have. What about your Fire Gem? Oh. It's on the ring you're wearing? Be careful. Be very careful. I'll come see you as soon as I can."
Meeting the anxiety in her eyes for a second, Bane said, "From what I remember of Jimmy, I feel sorry for anyone who tries to rob him of his gem. There'll be nothing left but some ashes."
"He can take care of himself, that's for sure. He's tougher than I ever was. Oh Jeremy, is someone trying to get our elemental gems? Is that what this is all about?"
"That's how it looks," he replied. "But I promise you, whoever is doing this is going to regret it more than they ever regretted anything in their lives."
IV.
As they returned to Glenville, Bane slowed to a stop across the road from the old Lutheran Church that sat on a hill overlooking the town. "That's Gina's house down there, right? The one with white aluminum siding, you said."
"Yes. I see a light on upstairs, that's Gina's room. The rest of the house is dark, I guess her parents turn in early. I don't see Haley's car anywhere. It's a 2018 Nissan. Bright red."
Jeremy Bane reached up his right sleeve and drew out a slim throwing dagger with a rounded grip but no hilt. The blade shimmered in the gloom. "The blades are warm, getting hot to the touch."
"I remember them. Your silver daggers."
"More than just silver," he said as he replaced the weapon to its sheath under his sleeve. "Ensalir. Blessed by the immortal Eldanarin. They've been effective against everything from Skinwalkers to Ghouls to Kulan demons. And the way they're warming up tells me something dangerous is in the area."
"There are two even more dangerous things in the area and that's us!" she snapped. "I'm a mama bear protecting her cub. Let's see if Haley is in there. Maybe she left her car somewhere and rode here with Gina."
Bane started to open his door, then paused to give Lisa a stern look. "You walk up and ring the doorbell. I'll sneak around behind the house and watch for any creatures of the night."
"I'm not going to mention Chester," Lisa Lawson said. She closed her door and came around to the front of the car. Bane was gone. This didn't surprise her. Wearing all black in the murk, trained in Kumundu for decades, the Dire Wolf was as stealthy as a shadow. Remembering the times she had seen him in action, Lisa felt immensely reassured.
There were no sidewalks this far out of the town itself. Lisa walked briskly alongside the road and swung onto the flat stone walk up to the porch of the Giacomo house. She was surprised by how little agitation she was feeling. Worry about Haley, knowing about Chester's death, concern over what could happen if their gems got into criminal hands... everything happening at once seemed to leave her numb. Maybe it was all too much to process yet.
Before she could step up onto the porch, she glimpsed something moving from the corner of her eye. Almost within reach, a section of the lawn bulged upward. The grass split and fell away as a column of earth rose up. It reformed into a humanlike shape. Within seconds, something that resembled a crude statue made of dirt was moving toward her. It reached out with clutching thick-fingered hands.
And a lean dark shape hurtled forward to bodyslam the creature back ten feet. Jeremy Bane crossed his arms and whipped out both silver bladed daggers as the earth golem recovered its balance.
Lunging forward, the creature swung its massive arm with the square fists hard as rock. Bane slid one of the silver daggers along that arm's length and the monster squealed an unearthly wail of pain. The Dire Wolf whipped his knives in a figure 8 pattern, keeping the dirt golem back.
Then from nowhere came a roar like a freight train at close range. Ferocious tornado winds tore across the yard, knocking Bane down and scattering the creature into grains that flew out of sight. A branch broke off a nearby elm and leaves were ripped off to swirl in circles. As abruptly as it had manifested, the storm subsided. Standing in the front door of the house was a tall young woman with the same auburn hair and bright green eyes as Lisa Lawson.
"What's this all about?" demanded Haley more in puzzlement than in anger. "Mom? JEREMY? What's going on?"
Lisa rushed to embrace her daughter as if keeping her from being pulled away. "Honey, you're okay! You're not hurt. I was so afraid I'd lost you."
"Mom? Don't cry. I'm fine." Haley patted her mother on the back. "Why would you think otherwise? Jeremy, what's this all about?"
As Lisa reluctantly disengaged, Bane filled his former teammate in on the situation. When he told her about the body in the apartment and said he was sorry about Chester's death, Haley interrupted.
"Oh, there's been some mistake," she said. "I talked to Chester on the phone not ten minutes ago. He's drinking beer with those biker friends of his. They're listening to awful heavy metal music in someone's garage."
Bane held up his Link and lit the screen. "Here, you're going to see a dead body."
Haley peered at the image. "That's not Chester. Not even close. I never saw him before. What's he doing in my apartment? Who tore the place up like that?"
"I think someone is looking for you to get your Air Gem," Bane said. "They already stole your uncle's Earth Gem. That's how they animated that dirt creature. It's a Targhul."
Automatically, Haley touched her fingers to a velvet choker she wore under her shirt collar. The small smooth oval jewel shone blue.
"Let them try! I'll blow them all the way up to the lake."
"Honey, we should get going." Lisa Lawson wiped at her face with the back of a hand.
"Your mother's right," Bane said. "Whoever animated that dirt golem can form another one. I don't know how long the process takes."
"I thought I was through with this sort of thing," grumbled Haley. She turned around to address a shorter black-haired woman in the doorway. "It's okay, Gina. It's my mom and Mr Bane. I have to go."
"Hi, Mrs Lawson!"
"Hi, Gina. No need to worry, Haley may not be back here tonight," Lisa called.
"Tell me about it," said Gina cheerfully enough. "I saw that monster. I saw Haley blast it away with a hurricane or something. It's just like her old Windcatcher days."
"Those days are gone and they are NOT coming back," Haley announced. "I'll call you tomorrow, Gina. We'll finish that movie some other time." As her friend closed the front door with a wave, Haley planted her fists on her hips. "You guys must have a car nearby. Let's get this over with."
VI.
With Haley in the front passenger seat and her mother in the back, Bane swung his Mustang around in a U-turn. "Now we need you to focus on where the Earth Gem is."
"Yeah, give me a minute. I'm way out of practice on this. When you're in contact with one of the gems, you can sense where the other ones are but only if they're close enough. Let me try to open up."
From the rear seat, Lisa Lawson asked, "Say, if that wasn't Chester -- and I'm glad it wasn't-- who is the dead man in the apartment?"
"I'm guessing it was a henchman," Bane said. "Let's call whoever is behind this X. X was searching Haley's apartment with at least one goon. They couldn't find the Air Gem of course, because Haley is wearing it. For some reason, X took the failure out on his stooge. I've seen a few so-called masteminds with such bad tempers they sometimes kill their goons for letting them down."
"Hey, I'm feeling a tug," interrupted Haley. "Keep going this direction."
"Okay. So, right now we're not that concerned with the body. It'll be a day or two before there's enough of a smell for anyone in the hall to notice. Probably I'll contact the Mandate or Department 21 Black and they'll clean up the scene." He sounded disgusted as he added, "And they'll expect a favor from me in return."
"Yeah, I remember them, with their buzzcut hair and dark sunglasses. Creeps." Haley's voice softened as she looked over at Bane. "Captain? I'm sorry I didn't make it to Megan's funeral. I did send a card."
"That's okay, Haley. She didn't have a service. Megan didn't believe in ceremonies. Archie had her urn buried next to his parent's graves. He spent a lot of time at KDF headquarters after she died, working on our cars, I think keeping busy helped him."
"Keep going straight," the former Windcatcher said. "Not much further."
From the back seat, Lisa said, "Say, Haley, why weren't you answering your phone today?"
"Aw, the battery won't hold a charge. So annoying. I need to get a new one. Captain, we're really close now, slow down."
"Got it. I think I know who we might be dealing with. A week ago, a talisman thief was released from county jail up by Albany. She was doing ninety days for burglary. Years ago, you and Sheng caught her when you were just getting involved in the Midnight War."
Haley snapped her fingers and for an instant her voice regained some of its old zest. "Babe Lincoln! Right. That witch. She shot a gun right at me and Sheng jumped in between us. Oh my GOD, that was so long ago, I was still in high school."
"I tangled her with her twice since then. Minor cases. She is probably the best thief around when it comes to stealing occult talismans. Her real name is Ruth Marie Coutant, I don't know where she picked up that 'Babe Lincoln' handle. She's been arrested a few times but somehow gets out on plea deals and settling for probation."
"So, she's the one who stole Uncle Charles' Earth Gem and she's after my gem," the former Windcatcher growled. "This time, I'll use a tornado and blow her out a hundred miles into the Atlantic!"
Bane allowed the faintest tinge of amusement to enter his voice. "Do that after we question her, Haley. I need to find out what talismans she had hidden away."
From the back seat, Lisa Lawson spoke up. "Say Jeremy, knowing you, I bet you have a theory about those three dead men... including the one who is still lying on the floor in Haley's apartment."
"Ick," added Haley.
"I haven't forgotten them. I'd need to dig through my records to be positive but the names of the first two are familiar. Minor burglars and shoplifters, if I'm remembering right. Babe Lincoln had a modus of hiring some assistants for her heists to drive cars and stand lookout, that sort of thing. Why she killed them, I can't figure. That's another thing we need to find out and of course the police will be asking her about them, too."
"But it definitely was her!" Haley blurted. "You said the one guy's lungs were full of dirt. How else could anyone do that except with the Earth Gem? And the other guy was crushed and had dirt pressed into his clothing. We just saw the construct she made out of dirt, it's called a Targhul, right?"
"Now you're sounding like the Windcatcher I knew," Bane remarked.
"I'm not going back to the Midnight War. It's just not for me. Never ever. This is a one time thing because that witch stole Uncle Charles' gem and is after mine. I'm leading a dull boring mundane life after tonight."
"To be honest, I envy you," the Dire Wolf said. "I supposedly retired more than seven years ago but here I am still at it. The old horse pulling the plow one more time.."
Few people felt comfortable touching Bane without his obvious permission, but Haley had always been one of them. She reached over and stroked his shoulder. "Aw captain, I'll tell you the truth. The world is a better place and Humans sleep safer because you're out there. Maybe you're tired of it but I swear you're doing angel's work. Oh, slow down. There! Up on that hill, that's where the Earth Gem is."
VIII.
On a flat area atop a twenty foot high hill were three rows of low buildings with corrugated steel doors under bright lamposts. Beside a road was a sign, STORAGE UNITS with a phone number. In the second they observed the place while driving past, all three saw there was no fence around the facility, only a few NO TRESPASSING signs. Bane rolled on another half-mile before pulling off the road and shutting off the motor.
"Here's my plan," the Dire Wolf said. "I'll climb up the hill there and sneak around behind the storage place. Lisa, you take the wheel and drive up there. Haley, I want you to be ready for instant reaction in case of attack. What do you two think?"
"Okay with me," responded Lisa Lawson.
"Yeah, it'll work. But, Mom! Do not get out of the car no matter what. We're dealing with a hag who has already murdered three people that we know of. I'm not giving her an opening, okay?"
The mother sighed. "Fair enough. I haven't been in a life or death moment of truth for thirty years. So I'll stay out of your way."
Bane stepped out of the driver's seat, took two steps and seemed to vanish like a magic trick. Dressed all in black, stealthy from decades of Kumundu training, he could not be spotted even though his two friends knew he was racing up the hillside not twenty feet away. Nor did he make the slightest sound.
"I could never be as good at that as he is," Haley said a bit wistfully. "No matter how much I practiced, I'd still rustle a leaf or step on a twig...."
Settling in behind the wheel, Lisa Lawson turned out on the road and swung around back in the direction they had come from. "My hands are shaking from adrenalin. I've been through an emotional wringer tonight."
"It's almost over, Mom," Haley said. "We're both okay, Chester's okay. And we've got the Dire Wolf on our side. Everything's going to be fine."
"Ready?" her mother asked as they went up the drive to the storage facility.
"You bet. Let's get this over with."
At the far end of the three buildings was a square metal hut with a sign OFFICE, and its single window dark. Parked next to it was a white panel van and no one visible in its cab. Lisa stopped Bane's car and turned off the engine as soon as they were in sight. "What do you think?"
"Oh, I can feel the Earth Gem in there," Haley answered. "Stay put, Mom. This won't take long." The former Windcatch got out, quietly closing her door and stepping toward the van. She had decided not to do any dramatic that would damage the vehicle on the slight chance they were wrong and an innocent civilian might be sleeping in there. Haley pressed her fingers to the Air Gem on its choker around her throught and narrowed her thoughts to a tight focus. She could see the van's windows were halfway lowered. Slowly and carefully, she began siphoning the air out of the van.
After half a minute, the rear door slid up and a tall woman with long dark red hair leaped out. She was bent over and visibly breathing hard as if struggling to catch a full breath.
Haley marched toward her stiff-legged with anger. "Don't try anything, lady. I'll pull the air right out of your lungs before you can blink."
"You! I remember you," Babe Lincoln managed to get out. She was wearing tan jeans and a loose flannel shirt with the cuffs rolled up. Her chest was heaving but her voice was steady as she got more oxygen.
"Yeah, I bet you do!"
The talisman thief straightened up and thrust out her right fist. On its second finger was a silver band bearing an oval onyx. At that instant, a sinewy grip clutched her arm at the wrist, forcing her fist to open. With his other hand, Bane yanked the ring off. Before she knew what was happening, he had kicked her feet out from under her and dropped her flat on her back.
"It's over for you," the Dire Wolf said, stepping back closer to Windcatcher.
"Hey, she doesn't have to be touching the Earth Gem..." began Haley but her words were cut off as a patch of the asphalt cracked open. A huge wave of soil heaved up and crashed down on Bane and Haley, burying them beneath five feet of dirt.
Just as abruptly, that mass of earth flew up and scattered like buckshot in all directions. A deafening roar of hurricane force rattled the storage buildings. Exposed to the open air again, both Haley and the Dire Wolf were coughing up dirt and struggling to rise.
From where she had been knocked down, Babe Lincoln groaned and got up on her feet again. The ground in front of her shuddered. But there was a dull clunk and the thief slumped to her knees and then fell over on her side. Behind her, Lisa Lawson hefted a fist-sized chunk of rock and spat, "That's what you get for trying to hurt my daughter and my friend!"
By that time, Bane had recovered from being buried beneath that wave of dirt and was helping Haley up. It took her a few more seconds to get her bearings. With comical bewilderment, she looked back and forth from her mother to the groaning Babe Lincoln on the ground. "Mom? Don't tell me YOU knocked her out. I'm surprised and amazed and impressed."
Lisa Lawson glanced down at the rock still in her hand and grinned. "Once an Heir of Buliwyf, always an Heir of Buliwyf."
7/27/2023
6/14/2023
I.
Jeremy Bane was in a restless, troubled mood. The hyper metabolism which gave him his enhanced speed and reflexes also charged him with excess energy that had to constantly be burned off. Already that morning, he had gone through his DohRa form, showered and changed into what was practically his uniform of black slacks, turtleneck and sports jacket. And now he was at a loss what to do for the rest of the day. There were no threats in the air as far as he could see. The Midnight War had certainly quieted down since the hectic days when he had led the KDF against the likes of Karl Eldritch, the Preincarnators or Wu Lung.
Pacing around a living room so free from clutter that it seemed no one lived there, the Dire Wolf tried without success to calm down. At sixty-five, he still showed few signs of age other than a scattering of white in the short black hair and lines at the outer corners of those pale grey eyes. He was still lean to the point of seeming gaunt and he circled the room with the easy stride of a much younger man.
The day before, he had called Sable to see if the newest KDF team had anything on hand and had been regretfully told no. He had phoned Sheng at the Fist For Hire agency and gotten the same wry answer. It had been weeks since any sightings of paranormal activity, crypto-beasts or new criminal masterminds. Maybe it was time to return to Tel Shai for a week. He would spend some welcome time with Cindy, get more intense training from Teacher Chael, maybe add annotations to the Great Archives. Yes. That was a good idea.
Bane paused in front of the picture window which looked out on Pierpont Street. A dark blue Subaru Outback was coming to a stop against the curb. That was Police Detective Chatcuff's car and there was the short stocky form of Harvey Chatcuff himself getting out to walk up the short flagstone path across Bane's tiny front yard. The Dire Wolf felt his spirits lift as if hearing a bugle calling charge. Something was up!
As he waited by the door, Bane thought again about how Megan Salenger had repeatedly tried to install Trom scanners on the steps outside to check for ID matches in NYPD or Mandate files, as well as sensors to read off a visitor's height and weight, blood pressure, heartbeat and whether or not large bits of metal were on his person. Bane had refused. He had thought at the time he was actually retiring from the Midnight War. Now, when he remembered Megan, he wished he had humored her. It would have made her happy.
As the doorbell rang, the Dire Wolf took a deep breath. He was counting on his Kunmundu training to be sure that this was Harvey Chatcuff and that the
body language indicated no intention to attack. Opening the door, he swung sideways and gestured for the man to enter. "Detective Chatcuff! I know there's trouble when you drive all the way out here to Forest Hills."
"Hiya, Bane," came the strongly New Yawk accented voice. "Nobody else here?"
"No. Sit down and tell me what disaster you want me to stop."
Lowering himself to a chair facing the leather-covered couch, Chatfuff unbottoned his suit jacket to let his paunch breathe a little. "I have to give the usual speech first. This is unoffical, off the record, unauthorized and all that. The Department does not use you as a freelance vigilante. In fact, I didn't even come here today."
Bane dropped down on the couch, clasping his hands together as he felt alive for the first time in a week. "Understood."
"I don't even have any photos or reports or anything to show you. But I know your memory is good. First victim was Howard John Nivens, 48, lived on Sycamore Avenue in Glenville, Long Island. He was found Monday morning between two residential houses. Both lungs were crammed full of dry dirt."
The Dire Wolf's pale eyes lit up. "That's something new."
"I sure never heard of such a thing. And the ME is so stumped he yells at anyone who asks him how it was done. Then, last night at two-thirty in the morning, a man's body was found behind a Chinese restaurant on Broadway in Carlinton, Long Island. Name was Stan Woodrow. Age 41. His chest was crushed flat, sternum cracked and every rib broken. And like Nivens, it's a mystery how he was killed."
"Yeah? Why is that?" It never occurred to Bane to offer coffee or tea to his visitor. His manners would never be polished.
"Well, the captain has an idea that someone put a flat piece of wood or metal on his body and then drove over it with a car. Sounds plausible. But Woodrow was found sprawled up against the wall of the Chinese restaurant and the forensic guys found fibers from his coat pressed into the bricks. Some blood as well."
Despite himself, the Dire Wolf got up on his feet and began pacing. He couldn't help it, being restless under the best of conditions. "Oh, this is interesting. Let me think about it. I suppose it could still be done. Two guys hold the victim up against the restaurant wall with a board across his chest. Then a third man drives a car or truck forward slowly to press against the board. The victim falls, they grab the board and ride away."
"Could be. But there's one more interesting detail. Bane, dirt was found pressed into the fabric of the front of Woodrow's coat and shirt. Lab says it's identical to the soil that killed Nivens."
II.
At ten-thirty that night, Bane was driving his dark green Ford Mustang down the Main Street of Glenville. This part of Long Island had always seemed slightly unreal to him. The small, placid towns were so clean and well-kept with the immaculate lawns and freshly-painted houses that they seemed like something out of a Hallmark movie. But then, he had grown up in some rough areas of Manhattan, so he recognized his perspective was jaundiced.
He signaled for a left and headed down Partition Street. The numbers of the houses were odd on the right, even on the left and he spotted 11 Partition Street as a two-story white frame house with an attached garage and a trampoline in the back yard. No one was in sight, but parked in front of the open garage door was a red Explorer. Bane reflected that it had been years since he had been out here, almost a decade in fact.
As he pulled up next to the Explorer and got out, a famiiiar figure emerged from the house's front door and waved for him to approach. At fifty, Lisa Lawson was still a handsome woman who had stayed in good shape. The auburn hair was cut shorter and styled, the lime-green eyes were hidden behind round-lensed glasses but she had changed very little. Lisa was wearing white slacks and a colorful Hawaiian-style shirt left untucked. "Jeremy! Good to see you."
"Hi, Lisa. I left right after I got your text." Bane accepted the kiss on the cheek and gestured toward the house. "What's the situation?"
"I'm worried and I can't hide it," she answered. "Let's head out to Glenerie. You drive. I feel things are in good hands with you here."
"All right." The Dire Wolf watched as she locked the front door, leaving on a single light in a cast iron fixture and they both went briskly to get into his car. He backed up and eased out onto the street. "Glenerie is east from here, right? We'd be going this way?"
"Yes. It's a good-sized town not quite an hour's drive from here. Haley got an apartment there with her boyfriend Chester because it's so close to her office. She walks two blocks and she's at work." Settling back in the passenger seat, she exhaled sadly. "I said a thousand times that she and Chester could stay with me for free. He's a good man, I have no problem with him at all. But I think Haley wanted a little distance to feel fully grown-up."
"She's what, twenty-seven now?"
"Twenty-eight last February. I don't think you've seen her in a while."
"No. She used to come for Pizza Night on Wednesdays but then she started skipping them more and more." Bane's voice held an uncustomary wistfulness. "Timothy rode his bike out here a few times to see her, but he hasn't mentioned doing that for a long time, either."
"People do drift away, Jeremy. Sometimes I run into someone from college and it's awkward. You don't know what to say. It wasn't that Haley stopped liking you or the others on the team. You'll always be her heroes. But she met Chester and it's the first time I've ever seen her commit to a relationship. They're pretty serious."
"Glad to hear it," Bane said. "So, about right now. A case has turned up that I thought Haley might be able to give a few tips on. I texted her and tried calling her but never heard back. That's not like her."
"You're right," Lisa agreed. "She's a social butterfly and always replies right away. I couldn't reach her today, either. When you texted me if I would be home, I knew it was about Haley. And I can tell you're as worried as I am."
"Hmm. Does she usually wear the Air Gem?"
"All day every day."
"Then we might relax a little. With that talisman, Haley was one of our most powerful members. She could summon tornado winds or subzero air from the Antarctic or heat from right above a volcano."
"Still.. I can't help but worry. Maybe it's nothing. Maybe her phone is out of order and she has to get a new one. But in any case, I'm glad to have you on hand, Jeremy."
As they rode along the highway between towns, where only an occasional strip mall or car dealership broke the woods and fields, Bane changed the subject. He started talking about his first meeting Lisa when she had been fifteen. Her family had somehow stumbled upon the four Elemental Gems crafted by Malberon in the Darthan Age. The jewels had last been wielded by a legendary hero called Buliwyf, and the Lawsons had called themselves the Heirs of Buliwyf because of that. Charles Lawson claimed the Earth Gem and his wife Cathy took the Water Gem. Their nephew Jimmy had claimed the Fire Gem and that left the Air Gem for niece Lisa.
"You four did good work for a few years," Bane said. "You weren't warriors by nature, but you explored the adjacent realms, rescued lost travelers and secretly helped avert natural disasters."
"And that didn't work out!" Lisa broke in. "Weather is too big and too complicated. When we tried to divert a hurricane or stop a volcanic eruption, we just made things worse. The last time I used the Air Gem, I was trying to break up a tornado in Kansas. Instead, I split it into three tornadoes which did more damage!"
"Was that why the four of you retired?"
"No. No, it was something else. Something we all swore to never discuss."
Bane's voice remained even. "I won't press you on it, Lisa. It's one of the mysteries of the Midnight War, why the Heirs of Buliwyf just dropped out of sight in 1993. I know you moved here from California and basically started over but I never knew why."
"I'm not going to discuss it. We vowed that to each other. I'm sorry, Jeremy."
"Well, it's up to you," he said as they passed a small shield-shaped sign reading WELCOME TO GLENERIE. "Anyway, right now, Haley's whereabouts are what we're concerned with."
"Not this traffic light, the next one, turn left. There's an apartment building with its own little parking lot. Yes, right there. Pull in."
Two long buildings of red brick faced each other in a complex that looked as if it were brand new. Bane made a three point turn to back into an open space. Although he did not explain, this habit had developed from a career where he often had to peel out, either chasing someone or being chased. Lisa got out and brushed back her hair with a hand, "They have an apartment on the first floor. Come on, we have to find out what the problem is."
Bane followed her through a foyer with a bank of mailboxes and into a hall with doors facing on either side. Lisa Lawson stopped before a door marked only 108 and pressed the white doorbell. She gave Bane an anxious glance and pressed it again, holding it down longer.
From its clip on his belt, the Dire Wolf raised his Link. An advanced Trom device, this was no thicker than a few playing cards stacked upon each other. He pressed a button on its side, then tapped the screen several times. "No body heat in there. No carbon dioxide from anyone's breath."
"Oh, I forgot that you have Trom tech. I wish I had thought to bring the key with me, but I'm not thinking straight," Lisa said. "I know Haley wouldn't mind us looking around to see anything that might relieve our minds."
Replacing the Link to his belt, Bane dug into one of the dozen inner pockets of his jacket. He took out what looked to be an old-fashioned metal lighter and pressed it up against the keyhole. Lisa could not know it but this gadget extruded thin flexible wires that shaped themselves to fit the lock, then stiffened and rotated.
The door unlocked as quickly as if Bane had used a key.
Before opening the door, he gently pushed Lisa back behind him. "Maybe I'm being too cautious. Midnight War does that." Bane pulled the door open a crack, stuck his head in and instantly closed it again after seeing the corpse on the floor.
III.
"Don't say anything," he whispered, then opened the door a few inches and thrust his Link inside, swinging it from side to side and then up and down. When he closed the door again, Bane wiped the knob with a fine silk cloth from his breast pocket.
Pivoting, he took Lisa by one hand and led her quickly from the building and back to his car. She was obviously dying to ask questions, but she was also experienced enough to wait. Bane headed back to the main street and eventually pulled in front of a twenty-four hour laundromat before shutting off the engine.
"This is bad. Very bad," he said, then bluntly continued, "There's the body of a man face up in that apartment. I'd say about thirty, six feet tall, one hundred and ninety pounds. Light complexion, medium brown hair, dark eyes."
"That sounds just like Chester! Oh God..."
"I scanned the area with my Link," Bane continued. "I don't think you want to see the images."
"I should... but wait. Wait a minute. I need to let this sink in. Chester dead? How? He was in perfect health."
Bane was studying the readings his Link had taken. "The right side of his head is depressed. Skull fracture. And he's covered with the same dry loose dirt that was on the two victims the police told me about. I'm looking at the images. The apartment was searched. Drawers open, furniture overturned, everything scattered."
"We need to call the police, Jeremy."
"Not now. I didn't see any security cameras in the hall. But the way I was standing, they would only show me trying the door and then leaving. There's no proof that either of us looked in there. And I'm used to being a suspect or a material witness at crime scenes. My lawyers have come to expect it."
Lisa showed anger more than grief. "We need to find Haley right now! I want to know my baby is safe this minute."
"Where's the first place to look that comes into your head?"
"Umm, Gina's house. Absolutely. They've been friends since high school. Gina is still living at home. Let me call her."
Starting up the Mustang and easing out into traffic, Bane said, "I don't think that's a good idea, Lisa. Better we go there and approach quietly. Where else might Haley be?"
"It's almost midnight. If she wasn't with Chester and she wasn't with Gina, I don't know where else she'd be."
Driving just enough over the speed limit to not get pulled over, the Dire Wolf scowled more than his usual grim expression. "Lisa. Do you have your Uncle Charles' number?"
"Sure. We talk every now and then. Should I call him?"
"Yes. Don't mention the situation but ask him if he has been using the Earth Gem recently."
Lisa made a call, talked for a few minutes and then ended the conversation with a promise to call back soon. Her hands were shaking visibly. "Oh God. What is going on? He said his back door had been forced a few days ago but the only thing that was taken was his Earth Gem! He had it locked in a cabinet but the thieves went right for it. I could hear in his voice how worried he is."
"And Cathy's Water Gem?"
"That's still safe as far as she knows. She has it in a safety deposit box at her Credit Union. She won't be able to check on it until tomorrow morning when they open. I know what you're going to say, I'm calling my brother Jimmy now. Hold on? Jimmy? Yeah, it's me. Have you heard about the Earth Gem? You have. What about your Fire Gem? Oh. It's on the ring you're wearing? Be careful. Be very careful. I'll come see you as soon as I can."
Meeting the anxiety in her eyes for a second, Bane said, "From what I remember of Jimmy, I feel sorry for anyone who tries to rob him of his gem. There'll be nothing left but some ashes."
"He can take care of himself, that's for sure. He's tougher than I ever was. Oh Jeremy, is someone trying to get our elemental gems? Is that what this is all about?"
"That's how it looks," he replied. "But I promise you, whoever is doing this is going to regret it more than they ever regretted anything in their lives."
IV.
As they returned to Glenville, Bane slowed to a stop across the road from the old Lutheran Church that sat on a hill overlooking the town. "That's Gina's house down there, right? The one with white aluminum siding, you said."
"Yes. I see a light on upstairs, that's Gina's room. The rest of the house is dark, I guess her parents turn in early. I don't see Haley's car anywhere. It's a 2018 Nissan. Bright red."
Jeremy Bane reached up his right sleeve and drew out a slim throwing dagger with a rounded grip but no hilt. The blade shimmered in the gloom. "The blades are warm, getting hot to the touch."
"I remember them. Your silver daggers."
"More than just silver," he said as he replaced the weapon to its sheath under his sleeve. "Ensalir. Blessed by the immortal Eldanarin. They've been effective against everything from Skinwalkers to Ghouls to Kulan demons. And the way they're warming up tells me something dangerous is in the area."
"There are two even more dangerous things in the area and that's us!" she snapped. "I'm a mama bear protecting her cub. Let's see if Haley is in there. Maybe she left her car somewhere and rode here with Gina."
Bane started to open his door, then paused to give Lisa a stern look. "You walk up and ring the doorbell. I'll sneak around behind the house and watch for any creatures of the night."
"I'm not going to mention Chester," Lisa Lawson said. She closed her door and came around to the front of the car. Bane was gone. This didn't surprise her. Wearing all black in the murk, trained in Kumundu for decades, the Dire Wolf was as stealthy as a shadow. Remembering the times she had seen him in action, Lisa felt immensely reassured.
There were no sidewalks this far out of the town itself. Lisa walked briskly alongside the road and swung onto the flat stone walk up to the porch of the Giacomo house. She was surprised by how little agitation she was feeling. Worry about Haley, knowing about Chester's death, concern over what could happen if their gems got into criminal hands... everything happening at once seemed to leave her numb. Maybe it was all too much to process yet.
Before she could step up onto the porch, she glimpsed something moving from the corner of her eye. Almost within reach, a section of the lawn bulged upward. The grass split and fell away as a column of earth rose up. It reformed into a humanlike shape. Within seconds, something that resembled a crude statue made of dirt was moving toward her. It reached out with clutching thick-fingered hands.
And a lean dark shape hurtled forward to bodyslam the creature back ten feet. Jeremy Bane crossed his arms and whipped out both silver bladed daggers as the earth golem recovered its balance.
Lunging forward, the creature swung its massive arm with the square fists hard as rock. Bane slid one of the silver daggers along that arm's length and the monster squealed an unearthly wail of pain. The Dire Wolf whipped his knives in a figure 8 pattern, keeping the dirt golem back.
Then from nowhere came a roar like a freight train at close range. Ferocious tornado winds tore across the yard, knocking Bane down and scattering the creature into grains that flew out of sight. A branch broke off a nearby elm and leaves were ripped off to swirl in circles. As abruptly as it had manifested, the storm subsided. Standing in the front door of the house was a tall young woman with the same auburn hair and bright green eyes as Lisa Lawson.
"What's this all about?" demanded Haley more in puzzlement than in anger. "Mom? JEREMY? What's going on?"
Lisa rushed to embrace her daughter as if keeping her from being pulled away. "Honey, you're okay! You're not hurt. I was so afraid I'd lost you."
"Mom? Don't cry. I'm fine." Haley patted her mother on the back. "Why would you think otherwise? Jeremy, what's this all about?"
As Lisa reluctantly disengaged, Bane filled his former teammate in on the situation. When he told her about the body in the apartment and said he was sorry about Chester's death, Haley interrupted.
"Oh, there's been some mistake," she said. "I talked to Chester on the phone not ten minutes ago. He's drinking beer with those biker friends of his. They're listening to awful heavy metal music in someone's garage."
Bane held up his Link and lit the screen. "Here, you're going to see a dead body."
Haley peered at the image. "That's not Chester. Not even close. I never saw him before. What's he doing in my apartment? Who tore the place up like that?"
"I think someone is looking for you to get your Air Gem," Bane said. "They already stole your uncle's Earth Gem. That's how they animated that dirt creature. It's a Targhul."
Automatically, Haley touched her fingers to a velvet choker she wore under her shirt collar. The small smooth oval jewel shone blue.
"Let them try! I'll blow them all the way up to the lake."
"Honey, we should get going." Lisa Lawson wiped at her face with the back of a hand.
"Your mother's right," Bane said. "Whoever animated that dirt golem can form another one. I don't know how long the process takes."
"I thought I was through with this sort of thing," grumbled Haley. She turned around to address a shorter black-haired woman in the doorway. "It's okay, Gina. It's my mom and Mr Bane. I have to go."
"Hi, Mrs Lawson!"
"Hi, Gina. No need to worry, Haley may not be back here tonight," Lisa called.
"Tell me about it," said Gina cheerfully enough. "I saw that monster. I saw Haley blast it away with a hurricane or something. It's just like her old Windcatcher days."
"Those days are gone and they are NOT coming back," Haley announced. "I'll call you tomorrow, Gina. We'll finish that movie some other time." As her friend closed the front door with a wave, Haley planted her fists on her hips. "You guys must have a car nearby. Let's get this over with."
VI.
With Haley in the front passenger seat and her mother in the back, Bane swung his Mustang around in a U-turn. "Now we need you to focus on where the Earth Gem is."
"Yeah, give me a minute. I'm way out of practice on this. When you're in contact with one of the gems, you can sense where the other ones are but only if they're close enough. Let me try to open up."
From the rear seat, Lisa Lawson asked, "Say, if that wasn't Chester -- and I'm glad it wasn't-- who is the dead man in the apartment?"
"I'm guessing it was a henchman," Bane said. "Let's call whoever is behind this X. X was searching Haley's apartment with at least one goon. They couldn't find the Air Gem of course, because Haley is wearing it. For some reason, X took the failure out on his stooge. I've seen a few so-called masteminds with such bad tempers they sometimes kill their goons for letting them down."
"Hey, I'm feeling a tug," interrupted Haley. "Keep going this direction."
"Okay. So, right now we're not that concerned with the body. It'll be a day or two before there's enough of a smell for anyone in the hall to notice. Probably I'll contact the Mandate or Department 21 Black and they'll clean up the scene." He sounded disgusted as he added, "And they'll expect a favor from me in return."
"Yeah, I remember them, with their buzzcut hair and dark sunglasses. Creeps." Haley's voice softened as she looked over at Bane. "Captain? I'm sorry I didn't make it to Megan's funeral. I did send a card."
"That's okay, Haley. She didn't have a service. Megan didn't believe in ceremonies. Archie had her urn buried next to his parent's graves. He spent a lot of time at KDF headquarters after she died, working on our cars, I think keeping busy helped him."
"Keep going straight," the former Windcatcher said. "Not much further."
From the back seat, Lisa said, "Say, Haley, why weren't you answering your phone today?"
"Aw, the battery won't hold a charge. So annoying. I need to get a new one. Captain, we're really close now, slow down."
"Got it. I think I know who we might be dealing with. A week ago, a talisman thief was released from county jail up by Albany. She was doing ninety days for burglary. Years ago, you and Sheng caught her when you were just getting involved in the Midnight War."
Haley snapped her fingers and for an instant her voice regained some of its old zest. "Babe Lincoln! Right. That witch. She shot a gun right at me and Sheng jumped in between us. Oh my GOD, that was so long ago, I was still in high school."
"I tangled her with her twice since then. Minor cases. She is probably the best thief around when it comes to stealing occult talismans. Her real name is Ruth Marie Coutant, I don't know where she picked up that 'Babe Lincoln' handle. She's been arrested a few times but somehow gets out on plea deals and settling for probation."
"So, she's the one who stole Uncle Charles' Earth Gem and she's after my gem," the former Windcatcher growled. "This time, I'll use a tornado and blow her out a hundred miles into the Atlantic!"
Bane allowed the faintest tinge of amusement to enter his voice. "Do that after we question her, Haley. I need to find out what talismans she had hidden away."
From the back seat, Lisa Lawson spoke up. "Say Jeremy, knowing you, I bet you have a theory about those three dead men... including the one who is still lying on the floor in Haley's apartment."
"Ick," added Haley.
"I haven't forgotten them. I'd need to dig through my records to be positive but the names of the first two are familiar. Minor burglars and shoplifters, if I'm remembering right. Babe Lincoln had a modus of hiring some assistants for her heists to drive cars and stand lookout, that sort of thing. Why she killed them, I can't figure. That's another thing we need to find out and of course the police will be asking her about them, too."
"But it definitely was her!" Haley blurted. "You said the one guy's lungs were full of dirt. How else could anyone do that except with the Earth Gem? And the other guy was crushed and had dirt pressed into his clothing. We just saw the construct she made out of dirt, it's called a Targhul, right?"
"Now you're sounding like the Windcatcher I knew," Bane remarked.
"I'm not going back to the Midnight War. It's just not for me. Never ever. This is a one time thing because that witch stole Uncle Charles' gem and is after mine. I'm leading a dull boring mundane life after tonight."
"To be honest, I envy you," the Dire Wolf said. "I supposedly retired more than seven years ago but here I am still at it. The old horse pulling the plow one more time.."
Few people felt comfortable touching Bane without his obvious permission, but Haley had always been one of them. She reached over and stroked his shoulder. "Aw captain, I'll tell you the truth. The world is a better place and Humans sleep safer because you're out there. Maybe you're tired of it but I swear you're doing angel's work. Oh, slow down. There! Up on that hill, that's where the Earth Gem is."
VIII.
On a flat area atop a twenty foot high hill were three rows of low buildings with corrugated steel doors under bright lamposts. Beside a road was a sign, STORAGE UNITS with a phone number. In the second they observed the place while driving past, all three saw there was no fence around the facility, only a few NO TRESPASSING signs. Bane rolled on another half-mile before pulling off the road and shutting off the motor.
"Here's my plan," the Dire Wolf said. "I'll climb up the hill there and sneak around behind the storage place. Lisa, you take the wheel and drive up there. Haley, I want you to be ready for instant reaction in case of attack. What do you two think?"
"Okay with me," responded Lisa Lawson.
"Yeah, it'll work. But, Mom! Do not get out of the car no matter what. We're dealing with a hag who has already murdered three people that we know of. I'm not giving her an opening, okay?"
The mother sighed. "Fair enough. I haven't been in a life or death moment of truth for thirty years. So I'll stay out of your way."
Bane stepped out of the driver's seat, took two steps and seemed to vanish like a magic trick. Dressed all in black, stealthy from decades of Kumundu training, he could not be spotted even though his two friends knew he was racing up the hillside not twenty feet away. Nor did he make the slightest sound.
"I could never be as good at that as he is," Haley said a bit wistfully. "No matter how much I practiced, I'd still rustle a leaf or step on a twig...."
Settling in behind the wheel, Lisa Lawson turned out on the road and swung around back in the direction they had come from. "My hands are shaking from adrenalin. I've been through an emotional wringer tonight."
"It's almost over, Mom," Haley said. "We're both okay, Chester's okay. And we've got the Dire Wolf on our side. Everything's going to be fine."
"Ready?" her mother asked as they went up the drive to the storage facility.
"You bet. Let's get this over with."
At the far end of the three buildings was a square metal hut with a sign OFFICE, and its single window dark. Parked next to it was a white panel van and no one visible in its cab. Lisa stopped Bane's car and turned off the engine as soon as they were in sight. "What do you think?"
"Oh, I can feel the Earth Gem in there," Haley answered. "Stay put, Mom. This won't take long." The former Windcatch got out, quietly closing her door and stepping toward the van. She had decided not to do any dramatic that would damage the vehicle on the slight chance they were wrong and an innocent civilian might be sleeping in there. Haley pressed her fingers to the Air Gem on its choker around her throught and narrowed her thoughts to a tight focus. She could see the van's windows were halfway lowered. Slowly and carefully, she began siphoning the air out of the van.
After half a minute, the rear door slid up and a tall woman with long dark red hair leaped out. She was bent over and visibly breathing hard as if struggling to catch a full breath.
Haley marched toward her stiff-legged with anger. "Don't try anything, lady. I'll pull the air right out of your lungs before you can blink."
"You! I remember you," Babe Lincoln managed to get out. She was wearing tan jeans and a loose flannel shirt with the cuffs rolled up. Her chest was heaving but her voice was steady as she got more oxygen.
"Yeah, I bet you do!"
The talisman thief straightened up and thrust out her right fist. On its second finger was a silver band bearing an oval onyx. At that instant, a sinewy grip clutched her arm at the wrist, forcing her fist to open. With his other hand, Bane yanked the ring off. Before she knew what was happening, he had kicked her feet out from under her and dropped her flat on her back.
"It's over for you," the Dire Wolf said, stepping back closer to Windcatcher.
"Hey, she doesn't have to be touching the Earth Gem..." began Haley but her words were cut off as a patch of the asphalt cracked open. A huge wave of soil heaved up and crashed down on Bane and Haley, burying them beneath five feet of dirt.
Just as abruptly, that mass of earth flew up and scattered like buckshot in all directions. A deafening roar of hurricane force rattled the storage buildings. Exposed to the open air again, both Haley and the Dire Wolf were coughing up dirt and struggling to rise.
From where she had been knocked down, Babe Lincoln groaned and got up on her feet again. The ground in front of her shuddered. But there was a dull clunk and the thief slumped to her knees and then fell over on her side. Behind her, Lisa Lawson hefted a fist-sized chunk of rock and spat, "That's what you get for trying to hurt my daughter and my friend!"
By that time, Bane had recovered from being buried beneath that wave of dirt and was helping Haley up. It took her a few more seconds to get her bearings. With comical bewilderment, she looked back and forth from her mother to the groaning Babe Lincoln on the ground. "Mom? Don't tell me YOU knocked her out. I'm surprised and amazed and impressed."
Lisa Lawson glanced down at the rock still in her hand and grinned. "Once an Heir of Buliwyf, always an Heir of Buliwyf."
7/27/2023