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"Eden In Flames"
"Eden In Flames"
9/3/2020
I.
Ashley picked an afternoon when she thought no one would be in the headquarters building on East 38th Street. Lugging a suitcase and a duffle bag, with the Unicorn horn in its leather sheath strapped across her back, the petite blonde trudged up the staircase to the third floor. Here were the private quarters for the KDF members. Hers were last on the right hand side. She opened the unlocked door and dropped her luggage on the floor but carefully placed the irreplaceable Unicorn horn on the still neatly made double bed.
When was the last time she had been in here? March? Yes. The rooms did not smell stuffy or musty. Maybe Sable came in and left the windows open on nice days. In the closet still hung several changes of clothes for different situations, and she knew the dresser was packed with bras, panties, socks and folded T-shirts. The gleaming white-tiled bathroom still displayed her very specific array of shampoo, skin care products and toothpastes. Even the unfinished 500-page paperback EDEN IN FLAMES by Lorraine Royce Hyer still sat on her dresser with a scrap of paper marking how far she had read.
EDEN IN FLAMES, Ashley thought. How appropriate. That was her life, all right.
The Unicorn went over to regard her reflection in the long gilt-framed mirror across the top of her dresser. Forty years old. Untl a few months ago, her internal outlook had remained that of a teenager but now she felt deflated. Did she still look the same? The slim curvy body in the white jeans and white pullover with a front zipper had not put on a pound. The straight hair hanging to her shoulders was still a glossy platinum blonde that might as well have been white, the perfect little gamin face with its pert nose and cleft chin had not changed. But, she leaned closer and the crystal blue eyes staring back at her were those of a stranger. And there was a dark shadow under those eyes that had never been there before.
Ashley plopped down full length on the bed. She always felt tired anymore. The spark which had made her jump up to tackle each morning had dampened. At her belt, the flat square Link beeped twice and she unclipped it. "Hello?"
"Hi," came Cory's voice as clear as though he was standing in the room. "Didn't want to pester you, but April has a message."
A second later, the high clear voice of a nine year old rang in her ear. "Mommy! Did you make it okay?"
"Sure, gremlin, I'm in my old room right now. Thanks for asking."
"We're going for Mexican food! Daddy said I might be in the bathroom all night so I thought I better call you now."
Despite everything, Ashley laughed. "You'll love Mexican food but I guarantee you will also be making funny noises out your butt. It's worth it."
"Hee hee. We have to go. The taxi's here. Love you THIS much," April squeaked.
"Right back at you, my gremlin. Cory? Hi. Thanks for calling. I'll be out there Friday."
"I'll have her ready for the day with Mommy. So long."
"Take care. I wanted to ask..." But she stopped as she realized he had already hung up. That stung. For ten years, their calls had always ended with 'love you' and 'love you too.' Ashley cried silently for a few minutes, big tears running down the sides of her face, then she wiped them off and blew her noise in a tissue from the box on the dresser. No one knew, but she cried a little bit at least once a day. Anything could trigger it. Hearing an old sentimental song, thinking about a restaurant, even catching a glimpse of a baby stroller. She felt better when it had passed.
Unicorn had been sitting on the edge of her bed. At the chime from the front door opening, she shot to her feet and checked herself in the mirror. It took a few seconds to repair her mascara. Familiar voices sounded from the front hall. Satisfied that at least she was presentable, Unicorn rushed out onto the landing and sprinted down three flights of stairs with much of her old nimble step.
There they were in the front hall, Sable and Timothy Limbo. Realizing that Demrak Jin's absence was probably because she was tending her own one year old, Ashley felt a sharp twinge which she tried to disregard. "Hey, you guys! You just can't get rid of me, can you?"
"Ashley! Hi!" said Sable.
"Glad to have you back," added Timothy.
"Yeah. Sable approved me to return to full duty effective immediately," she said.
"I know you've kept in shape and up to date on Midnight War. We don't stand much on ceremony here," the leader of their team said. Lauren Sable Reilly was a few inches taller than Ashley, a few years older. Her black hair was brushed straight back off a high forehead and although those dark eyes rested only for an instant on the blonde, everyone knew Sable's enhanced perception enabled her examine Ashley with microscopic thoroughness. "Full stipend and benefits are restored but of course it also means you have to stand monitor duty one night each week."
"Not a problem," Unicorn replied. "I want to keep busy."
"You have come back at exactly the right time, Ashley. We're starting a new mission."
II.
In the conference room on the second floor, the three of them arranged themselves at the long oak table at which four previous generations of heroes had met. Sable took her seat at the head, folded her hands in front of her and waited for Tim and Ashley to settle down flanking her before beginning.
"It's too bad Jocelyn is still looking into those sightings in Arizona," she said. "And this is the day when both Galvan and Jin are off so they can spend some together. They've been alternating days on duty so one of them is with their son. But with Ashley ready, at least we have a three person team. Now. Our network of observers has been relaying rumors to me for the past month. None of them have found out any details but something described as 'unbelievable' and 'nightmarish' is going on at the Isla Suerte Mal."
"The Island of Bad Luck?" Ashley repeated. "Umm, isn't that on the outer fringes of the Caribbean? North-East of whatever? I thought there was nothing there but a few billionaire's resort homes."
"So everyone thought. That's what all the reference books and government records say. But in the last six weeks, the super-rich have been paying a ridiculous amount to stay there for a day or two. They come back and don't talk about it, but of course there are pilots and valets and personal assistants who are not above letting some information slip."
The little blonde grinned for the first time that day. "This sounds like it's going to be good."
"The vague rumors are that there are monsters of some sort on the island. No idea what. Bored millionaires pay to get a good look but they are shaken enough that they not only don't go back, they don't discuss it at all." Sable unclasped her hands and leaned back. "I've done some research on these thrill-seekers. They all seem to be incredibly jaded elite who were born to wealth and who think they have seen everything. But Isla Suerte Mal rattles them. We need to look into this."
"Excuse me, captain," interrupted Timothy Limbo. He was a slightly built young man of average height, with a mop of yellow hair that kept falling into his blue eyes. "Maybe I'm misunderstanding. No one has been reported killed, have they?"
"No. I haven't even heard of any injuries," Sable said.
"Then I'm not sure we have any business investigating. Don't we deal with immediate threats? I thought our team mission was to protect Humans against threats that the regular authorities can't handle."
"That's true." Their captain looked over her team thoughtfully. "And no one has asked us to investigate. We would be taking it on ourselves to butt in on private property with no legal justification."
For the first time that day, some liveliness came back to Ashley's voice. "Heck, when has that ever stopped us before? Tel Shai knights serve justice, not law."
"A vote it is then," Sable said. "I will go last. Ashley?"
"Sure, you bet. A mysterious island with mysterious shenanigans and mysterious mystery, who could resist?"
"Timothy?"
"Hmmm, I guess so," he grudgingly agreed. There might be something there we can stop before it becomes a real menace. God knows that's happened before."
Sable broke into a grin. Her slight overbite made her smile immensely appealing. "I wait in case I have to break a tie but obviously that won't be necessary. Both of you get into your field suits. I will inspect the CORBY and get her ready for wheels-up. Departure in twenty minutes from right now."
Holding up one hand, Timothy manifested one of his caspers. Hovering over his palm, it seemed to be a barely visible whirlwind that stretched and contracted, then took off through the open door. "My buddies wanted to tell me that someone was on the steps outside the front door. But what I see is a flyer about some politician wanting donations. Nothing for us to worry about."
"Oh, I missed your friendly ghosts," Ashley chuckled. "I don't know if they're pets or friends or what exactly, but they're so cute."
"I have not had to pay for a concert or a movie in years," said Timothy. "Whatever they see and hear gets relayed to me. The other day, I watched an IMAX screening of ARCTIC ORDEAL. Better than being there in person."
The Unicorn pointed an impeccably manicured index finger at him. "As long as they stay out of my shower!"
III.
With no identifying logo or ID numbers, not showing any external lights, the stealthcopter CORBY skimmed over the Caribbean at barely one hundred feet. The sharklike shape of the matte black craft gave it a sinister air which was enhanced by its eerie silence. The rotors barely whispered. At the combined collective/cyclic stick, Sable kept the CORBY level while Timothy sat in the co-pilot seat next to her. He was watching the row of tiny monitor screens and assorted gauges and indicators which glowed pastel green and blue. Any sudden flash of red would instantly catch the eye and be dealt with.
"Everything nominal," he said to give her reassurance, although it wasn't really necessary.
Behind the clear divider separating the cabin from the rear compartment, her back against the cabinet of equipment drawers, Ashley Whitaker sat on the floor with her legs crossed in a full lotus. They were wearing the KDF field suits of black boots, snug pants and waist-length jacket of tough durable material. But Ashley's outfit was white. The Unicorn horn resting under one leg was in a cylindrical leather sheath of the same color.
"My mom wore all white, back when she was the first Unicorn," Ashley explained. "I'm wearing this to keep up the tradition in her memory."
From the cabin, Sable said, "Ashley, I'm sorry about your mother's death. But be honest. You insisted on wearing all white back when you first joined as a teenager. And Jeremy kept making you change into our standard black suits. I'm going to have to start doing the same."
"Well, if you're going to confuse the issue with FACTS..." Ashley said.
Timothgy was watching her with amusement. "You know, I remember reading in our files that Unicorn horn being part of a treasure hoard of several important Midnight War talismans. As I recall, Mark Drum said it was very ancient, perhaps dating back to the Darthan Age. He thought the Eldarin ensorcelled it and added the ensalir cap on the flat end."
"Hmm," Unicorn made a non-commital noise.
After running his gaze over the instrument panels again, Timothy looked back at her again. "Ash, didn't you tell us that your mother got the horn from a real Unicorn in Okali?"
"That was what she told me as a kid," the little blonde admitted. "She said the juvenile Unicorn got fond of her and followed her around. It died of natural causes. She told me the horn then fell off by itself and she claimed it. I dunno. I loved my mom, but sometimes her stories didn't always match up. She was a little shady, you know?"
"There could be two such horns," Sable offered diplomatically. "After all, Okali has herds of Unicorns. No reason why some sorcerer or adventurer couldn't have brought back another horn at some point."
"Sure, could be." Ashley said. "That occured to me at some point. I guess we'll never know the full story."
"Coming up on destination," Sable called back to her. "I estimate another six minutes. Tim, you want to rattle off some facts?"
"Sure. I've looked it up. Isla Mal Suerte is a hundred and three miles north of Barbados. It's four miles long and six miles at its widest point. Typical wildlife. Kind of a gruesome history, the native people living there all died in some unspecified disaster in the 18th Century and no one settled there until recently. It's technically unassimilated land, although the UK has made some noise about claiming it."
"I am spellbound," Ashley said.
"Hush. Anyway, in 1978 a film production company put up some buildings as part of a project to provide stock footage and cheap location sites. Then, ten years ago, an ex-intelligence broker from Eastern Europe expanded and rebuilt everything into a plush complex where he used to bring his girlfriends and or business partners to mostly drink and fall asleep on the beach. His name was Piotr Malinowski."
"Yawn," added Ashley, pronouncing the word.
"Will you be good?" Timothy said. "Here is where it gets interesting. A month ago, the property was visited by someone from the Midnight War. A woman calling herself Cadaverina."
"Pull my other leg."
"Settle down, Ashley," said Sable, using exactly the tone a teacher would reserve for a mildly rowdy child. "Cadaverina is implicated in a torture ring that skinned its victims and made masks from their faces. Over thirty missing persons tied to her group."
"Oh. Okay," Unicorn muttered. "Go on, Timothy."
"We're almost there now. Cadaverina has been associated with Red Sect and at least one Neksrosan. She likely has some gralic ability, although there's no telling what. So we all need to be ready for an assault if we meet her."
"And you said before that she has some creatures on this island?" asked the blonde.
Sable said, "That's what we're going to find out. There it is on the horizon. I'm going up to one thousand feet so we can get a good view. Hang on."
The CORBY rose smoothly at a steep angle without any sense of the craft straining. The Trom-designed CORBYs worked with technology advanced beyond anything available to Human designers. They had been described with good reason as 'spaceships disguised as helicopters' because of their capabilities.
Pressing up to the cabin divider, the three members in the back saw a dark green sickle of land in the turquoise sea. White rectangles on the southern yellow beaches were the buildings which had changed hands so many times. As they passed overhead, the lush tropical foliage and pristine beaches impressed Sable.
"What a beautiful spot. A regular Eden," she said, drawing a quizzical glance from Ashley. That word 'Eden' again. "Tim, are you picking up radar aimed at us?"
"No, no I don't get any readings like that," he said. "Nothing on any radio frequencies, either. We could try broadcasting and asking for permission to land."
Lauren Sable Reilly pushed the stick and tilted the nose of the CORBY down. "I believe we will drop in unannounced. Everyone stand by. Ashley, have your talisman ready. Touchdown in a few seconds."
When the CORBY's three-wheeled landing gear settled onTO the hard sand a hundred yards from the building, there was no feeling of impact at all. The craft were uncanny in their handling. As Sable drew down the impulse engines and the overhead rotors slowed, she unstrapped the belts across her chest and around her waist.
"Whoa. Armed guards at three o'clock," Timothy sang out. "I count seven."
"We have the Trom armor under our suits," Sable said. "Let's see what they have to say."
Three hatches hissed open at the same time, releasing the pressurized air. The KDF members hopped out and formed a loose group facing the uniformed men. The guards were wearing plain khaki shorts and shirts, knee socks and short boots, as well as billed caps. Their clothing bore no identifying words or logos at all. Each wore a .45 automatic in a flap holster on a wide black leather belt. One was carrying a M-1 rifle but with its barrel up away from everyone else. They were big, sturdy men in their late twenties and thirties. Most were European white with brown hair but two were black men who looked Jamaican, and those two were also the tallest and most imposing.
Holding up her empty hands, Sable called to them. "Easy, easy. No need to get excited, boys."
"This is private property. Identify yourselves at once," the guard with the rifle demanded. This close, it could be seen that he was also the oldest, with fleck of white in crisp curly hair. Strapped high up on his chest by his left shoulder was a walkie-talkie.
"Mr Malinowski will want to see us. We have information he's been trying to obtain." Sable casually lowered her hands and placed them on her hips. She could smell the degree of adrenaline present in the sweat on these men, she could gauge how rapid their heartbeats were and see the degree of tautness in the tendons on their hands. Long experience in tense situations led her to conclude that these guards were not about to open fire. They would need a sudden threatening move to push them into action.
To her team, she said quietly, "Stand down. This is a business deal we need to handle."
"I wasn't informed of this," the leader of the guards snapped. "I need a name."
"Tell your boss we are the Tel Shai knights he expected to meet."
That obviously meant nothing to the armed men, but Sable's obvious confidence was making them untense with each second. The leader pressed a button on his walkie-taklkie, got an incoherent squawk and said, "Palmer here. Five intruders in a black helicopter. Leader says they're Tel Shai knights."
"Hang on, Palmer." An internminable thirty seconds dragged by, then the static-distorted voice continued, "You are cleared to escort them to the big top. Repeat, you are cleared to escort them to the big top."
"I copy." He had rested the butt of his rifle on the hard-packed yellow sand, and now he raised it again but did not threaten the newcomers with it. "Open up them jackets, please."
"Let's go along with it," Sable told her team. Under the field suit jackets, the KDF members were wearing simple cotton crewneck shirts. Two of the guards approached and walked around the newcomers, not patting them down but giving them a suspicious visual examination.
Earlier, Sable had told her team that they would not be wearing the dart guns this time out. Of course, their jackets still held a dozen miniaturized gadgets such as smoke bombs or resonance grenades if it came to real conflict.
One of the guards pointed at the leather cylinder strapped across Unicorn's shoulders. "We need to get a look at this."
After giving Sable a dubious glance, Ashley swung the sheath around and tugged out the horn. Ivory-colored, the three foot length narrowed to a sharp point. Its opposite flat end was covered with a silver cap. She slid the ancient talisman back into place and snapped the sheath shut without comment.
Actually, the guards were staring at Ashley more than giving the horn a full inspection. While Sable and Jocelyn were attractive women, the Unicorn was naturally gorgeous enough to draw attention anywhere. She raised one elegant eyebrow at her teammates and smiled.
"Not much of a threat. Let's go." The guards moved to place two of themselves behind the KDF team, two on either side and the leader in front with the rifle.
Fifty yards away was a huge circus tent which had been erected far enough up far the shore that tides would not reach it. Blue and white striped canvas, it stretched one hundred and twenty feet to each side. Its entrance was closed by a flap, which two more of the guards flanked. Nearby, three olive-drab open Jeeps stood ready. There was also a folding table under a wide plastic beach umbrella and two lightweight chairs, where Cadaverina was awaiting them.
IV.
It was no surprise that the notorious Cadaverina wanted to be shielded from the sun. Her smooth skin approached albino levels of whiteness, contrasting sharply with the lank black hair which hung lifelessly down to the middle of the back. She was wrapped in a tight black dress which reached her ankles and the low scoop neckline revealed surprising cleavage considering how bony her arms were and how her waist seemed to be no more than nineteen inches.
In a long narrow face, over a mouth delineated in dark red lipstick and over a prominent nose, two pale green eyes regarded the newcomers. Those eyes had the same gleeful calculating look that a cat gives an unsuspecting mouse. She did not rise but simply held out one hand palm up. "Knights of Tel Shai! I had not thought you really existed."
"And I had thought the same of you, darling," responded Sable calmly as she stopped in front of the table. "You are a sort of urban legend in the Midnight War."
"In a creepy way," Ashley whispered to Timothy.
"We came here because it's our duty to investigate rumors of Midnight War phenomena," Sable went on. "We hope you'll enlighten us about what is going on here, and whether it's anything we need to be concerned about."
The strange ghoulish woman narrowed her eyes and studied the three newcomers. "You are trespassing, darling. No one invited you here, no one gave you permission to land in that fancy black helicopter of yours. I would be within my rights to have my security team march you back to your copter and urge you to leave for your own safety."
She did not show it, but Sable was aware that the guards had each dropped their hands to their belts and unsnapped the flap holsters. "To be honest, we would return with some more of our team here to check things out. The Dire Wolf, Galvan, the Red Spectre, perhaps our Gelydra warrior-woman. The three of us here now are actually the mildest and least likely to give you trouble."
"Mmmm, so true. I have met Jeremy Bane, years ago. It was only sheer luck that I am still here with my head attached to my shoulders to speak with you." Cadaverina glanced over at Timothy and Unicorn. "Your younger partners seem uneasy. Is it my, shall we say, striking appearance? Let me reassure you that I am a living Human, mortal as anyone else. My real name is Liselotte Podesta. 'Cadaverina' is a sort of stage name. I dabbled in cabaret for a short time."
Sable had been drawing on her gralic ability to enhance her senses and she was getting alarmed at the rank odor drifting out from the circus tent. "This can be resolved by simply showing us what you have in there."
Rising, Cadaverina was revealed to be as tall as the guards, easily reaching six feet. Her unusual build made her look even taller, if top-heavy. "I was thinking that might be the most expedient course. No one wants Jeremy Bane sneaking around at night. He tends to leave a few dead bodies wherever he goes."
"Hey, no fair," Unicorn objected. "We leave as many dead bodies behind as he does."
"Therefore, let us compromise," the pale woman continued as if she had not heard. "I will not charge you the usual fee for seeing my pets. That will be five million dollars I am passing up. But, if you are satisfied that I am harming no one, you Tel Shai knights will go about your business and leave me in peace."
"Sounds reasonable," said Sable. She had been standing with her arms folded across her chest. Now she lowered them and looked over at her teammates. "Tim, Ashley, do you have any objections?"
Timothy lowered his voice, "Captain, my little guys have already-" but Sable interrupted him. She had caught a glimpse of one of the ethereal caspers whirling around the tent entrance.
"Let's keep a few cards up our sleeves," she said. "Not everyone knows all our abilities." One of the guards undid knots holding the front flap of the tent shut and motioned them toward the opening. A low hissing growl sounded from within. Then a weird high-pitched ululation made their hair stand up.
The floodlights on their fifteen-foot high metal poles were off as enough diffused sunlight came in through the tent canvas to show the scene clearly. In front of the enclosure were two rows of ten folding metal chairs, unoccupied. Nearby stood a panel truck, with five gallon jugs of water and long wire brushes sitting next to it.
The enclosure itself was ten feet high and forty feet to each side, constructed of sturdy steel bars with a single door held shut by a bar through two loops. But none of this registered immediately with the three KDF members as they entered the tent.
Inside that enclosure, two reptilian creatures larger than the average adult Human paced and glared at them with shiny golden eyes.
The heavyset bodies were covered with rough pebbly grey hide, the thick tails stood out stiffly to balance the horizontal posture. While the hind legs were much bigger, the front limbs were still powerful looking and all the paws had five toes with were capped with curved talons. The creatures walked on their toes, mostly using the front legs for support but sometimes standing more erect and waving those claws as if craving to use them. The heads were crocodilian, with long narrow snouts bristling with fangs. One of the creatures had a bony plate on its forehead which rose to form a pair of backswept horns.
Even more startling was a pair of skin-bound batlike wings on each animal's back. They were folded flat at first, but when people entered the tent, the creatures spread those wings with a snap and flapped them tentatively. They did not seem capable of flight.
"There you go," announced Cadaverina with unrepressed glee. "We will be feeding them after the guests arrive. They will only touch live prey, so I have procured a supply of possums and raccoons from the States. Heh heh, if I really wanted to give our guests a show, I would provide cats and dogs."
She unexpectedly threw back her head and laughed at the thought, then collected herself. "Well, heroes from Tel Shai, what do you think?"
"These are Dragons, not any natural beasts," Sable said.
"Absolutely." Ashley Whitaker ignored the guards motioning her to stay put and moved closer to the enclosure. "Daumiri. I have seen the adults."
"Wait. What do you mean, you have 'seen the adults?'" demanded their host.
The petite blonde glanced over at her captain before explaining. "These are hatchlings. Almost newborns, still learning to walk. Wait until you see the grown-ups!"
V.
Half an hour later, the buffet tables were being set up. Men in dress trousers and neat white jackets were laying out silver trays of assorted cold cuts and canapes, crackers and buttered rolls, bowls of fruit and various cheeses. A head-high standing cabinet with a wide variety of wines, champagnes and hard liquor was wheeled down from the house, complete with an aproned bartender busily inspecting everything one final time.
An uneasy truce continued between Cadavarina and the KDF members. They were encouraged to take plates and help themselves to the food, and they did so without hesitation. Years on the Tagra tea regimen had enhanced their healing factors to the point that their bodies either rejected poison or weren't noticeably affected by it.
Their host asked them to sit at one of the two long redwood tables with benches. "I have no illusions that you three like me," she said. "But we can co-exist. Certainly you have heard rumors about my having an unsavory past, but that is not enough to act, is it?"
"No," Sable admitted as she dabbed some pate on a cracker. "I can't justify attacking anyone without more evidence than hearsay. Thank you for the food, this is quite fresh."
"Heh, to be honest, I am charging visitors enough to provide a little class. Don't any of you want some champagne? It's a Breval from '93, a reasonably good year."
"Any of us might be required to fly our craft on the return trip," Cheval said. "Cadaverina, I want to stress again that you and your staff here are likely to be in immediate danger. Listen."
The eerie rise and fall cries of the juvenile Dragons sounded from within the tent.
"Rather haunting," the strange woman observed. "Sounds like a cello, don't you think?"
Timothy spoke up almost for the first time. He had been unusually reserved on this case. "I've done some reading on these Daumiri. Most of their vocalization is beyond the range of Human hearing. We hear only a tiny bit of the calls those animals are making. Their calls are spreading out for miles."
"Really," Cadaverina said. She had made a plate for herself and was picking at some crab salad.
"You saw the wings on those babies," Timothy continued. "Adults are fully capable of flight. And most possess dragonflame. This is not regular oxidation-based fire, it's a gralic blast that can soften steel. I've never heard of any defense against it."
"They sound like imposing beasts indeed," their hostess said, still unperturbed. "But I would be a fool to pass up wealth the way this operation amasses it. Six suckers are being brought in today to see those animals. At five million a head, tax free at that! If any larger Dragons do turn up, my men are well armed. Perhaps such an adult could be captured as well."
Sable finished the small sampling she had gathered on her plate and wiped her mouth with a linen napkin. She seldom wore lipstick or much make-up of an sort. "We tried to warn you. Your safety is your own concern. I doubt if it would do much good to try and caution your guards?"
"Not in the slightest." Cadaverina straightened up. "They are mercenaries who are well paid. To be blunt, they're slightly brutal and hate showing any weakness. Don't bother with your plates. The staff will gather them up."
Sable rose as well, with Tim and Ashley coming around to stand beside her. "I don't see where there is anything more for us to do here, then. We should be leaving."
"Yes, that would be best," Cadaverina started to extend a hand, then thought better of it. "I am glad that this encounter has concluded without violence. You may not realize it but you of the Kenneth Dred Foundation.. and Tel Shai knights in general.. are regarded as unpredictable vigilantes, quite dangerous to cross."
"Wolves don't like sheepdogs," Ashley told her, refastening the sheathed Unicorn horn across her back. "But the flock is glad for the protection."
The tall gaunt woman smiled with her lips but her eyes remained cold. She gave a slight bow, then turned and minced off to supervise the preparations.
"That dress may look slinky but it's got to be a pain to walk around in," Ashley added in a low voice to her teammates.
Sable led her partners back to the CORBY, untouched where they had left it. "I've decided our next move."
"Yes! I knew this wasn't over yet. Are we going to free those animals?" asked Timothy.
"Not right now. Probably before we're done. It's not healthy for them, they need to socialize with their parents. Both male and female Dragons stay to raise their young for a year or so. No, right now I'm worried about the visitors who are their way here."
"What about them? Here, let's get this bird warmed up. I'll take the stick if it's okay." Ashley punched in a code to the keypad on the side of the CORBY and the right front hatch slid open.
"You can fly, I'll take co-pilot this time," Sable said. "We are going to circle this island in a widening pattern. I want to intercept the plane bringing those rich tourists and warn them off."
"What if they don't listen?"
Moving around to the other side to open the co-pilot hatch, Sable made an exasperated noise. "We're going to say we're Federal agents. DEA maybe. Everyone on the island is being rounded up because of a massive drug deal that got busted. I'm sure the pilot will be more than happy to make a sudden U-turn back to Florida."
"Hold on, wait just a second," Timothy said. "Whoa! What is that out there on the water? Over there. It looks as big as a battleship!"
As he finished speaking, they heard a distant roar like steam brakes being released.
VI.
"Ashley, give me wheels up in thirty seconds." Sable began rapidly tapping indicator panels. "No time for a preflight check. Everything seems nominal..."
"Impulse engines still warm," Unicorn replied in the most serious tone she had. "Rotors engaged, we're wheels up now. Retracting landing gear. Ready to move, captain."
"Take us up to one hundred feet and hover." Sable bent forward and peered through the windscreen. "Yes. Two adult Garmiridrak, one with the horns of a male. The parents. Going by what's showing above the water, I'd estimate their length at... two hundred feet, two hundred and twenty feet. They're swimming toward the shore, using their tails for propulsion."
From the back, Timothy Limbo said, "At least the civilians didn't arrive yet."
"They're moving slowly. Ash, bring us to within hailing distance of the tent. That's good." Sable had slipped her helmet on and attached the communications cable to the port in its back. Now hooked up to the CORBY, she switched on the external loudspeaker. "Attention, attention," she said and her amplified voice boomed out.
The guards and the waiters swung around at that thunderous voice and froze as they saw the ominous black helicopter hovering at treetop level. Some of the mercenaries reached for their sidearms but did not draw.
"You are in immediate mortal danger. Move as far away from that tent as possible, get on the other side of this island if you can," Sable warned.
None of them moved. As they stood paralyzed with indecision, the wailing of the juveniles in the tent was answered by a deep hissing that rolled over the ocean and struck the guards like a hot gale force wind. All eyes turn in the deepest terror any of them had ever known.
Standing half out of the water as they neared the shore, the adult Dragons loomed up so high they could have peered over the top of a ten-story building. Batlike wings of leathery hide over ribbed bones spread wide and beat in anger, and tails longer than a bus swung up out of the water and crashed down again.
That was enough. Every man in the area wheeled around and ran as fast as they possibly could. In a few seconds, they were up on the hill where the house stood, then out of sight completely.
"Bring us up a little higher," Sable told her teammate. "Level off at five hundred. We don't want them noticing us."
The mother and father Garmiridrak strode out onto the sand, water pouring off them by the gallon. The adults moved with a ponderous slowness that gave them a sort of natural dignity. At the wailing of the young ones, the parents moved toward the tent, making a thump that shook the ground at each step.
"Isn't that Cadaverina?" asked Ashley. "Oh my God, she's heading for the tent. Is she insane or what?"
"I hate her more than ever. We can't let her be killed if we can help it. Timothy, open your hatch and tie yourself to a restraint strap."
"All set," he called from the rear compartment. "I guess we're going to scoop her up?"
"We're going to try. Ash, get close as you can, with Timothy's side facing her. This is so risky. If the rotors get too close..."
The Unicorn simply said, "Got it, Sable. Here we go."
Only a few seconds elapsed before they had descended to the point where the CORBY's undercarriage barely cleared the ground. Cadavarina had gotten within a few yards of the big top before the sheer size and menace of the Dragons overwhelmed her and she froze into place with her hands up by her face. She didn't resist as Timothy stretched far out to grab her under the arms and hoist her bodily into the rear of the compartment.
"We're good back here," he said as calmly as if he had bent to pick up a piece of paper from the ground. I'm closing the hatch now."
Swinging around in her co-pilot seat, Sable frowned. "Her pulse is one hundred and thirty. Skin temperature dropping. Turn her head toward me, Tim. Yes, pupils fully dilated. She's in shock."
"We have the anesthetic darts back here," he said. "I can put her under."
"Go ahead. We don't want her going into cardiac arrest. Ashley, take us up again. Level off at five hundred. The parents have reached the tent."
As the CORBY rose, all three KDF members stared down in complete fascination at the sight of the titanic beasts pulling the big top apart with their fangs and strewing long ribbons of canvas to the side. A second later, the Dragons were bending the bars of the enclosure without any apparent effort far enough that the juveniles squeezed out.
"You know, as scary as this is, that's actually a heartwarming sight," Timothy said.
"Everyone loves their babies," whispered Ashley.
Sable turned her head toward her team-mate. "You okay, hon? Your voice cracked."
"I'm going through a rough phase," the blonde replied. "I'll be fine."
Yellow light flared below them, and a rush of superheated air rocked the helicopter. The adults were loosing bursts of brilliant flame from their muzzles. They turned to play the energy over the forest, and it exploded into fire instantly. Within seconds, a conflagration raged over half the island. The mansion was lost from sight beneath black smoke.
"Man! That's something I'll never forget if I live to be old and grey," Timothy said.
"Hull sensors read one hundred and thirty, even at this distance. Let's back off. If they spot us and get annoyed, that dragonflame could easily incinerate us."
"Not to mention, they can fly and chase us if they want to," Ashley added. "Heading out to sea, due west. Sable, you want to go check on how the guards are doing?"
"Not yet. They had time to get to the beach on the opposite side of the island. I noticed one of them had a satellite phone. Even if they don't have motor launches to reach Barbados, they can call for evacuation." Sable gave an unexpected chuckle. "The whole family is back in the water. Look at the parents herding the hatchlings."
"Too bad about the fire, though." Timothy said. "I get it that the adults were ticked off, but there was plenty of wildlife in that forest. Everything's going up now. What a loss."
Suddenly Ashley could not hold back a sob any longer. The tension and drama of this mission had allowed her to push her personal problems out of her thoughts while it lasted, but suddenly she remembered the half-read paperback on her dresser two thousand miles away. "Eden in flames," she said.
10/8/2020
9/3/2020
I.
Ashley picked an afternoon when she thought no one would be in the headquarters building on East 38th Street. Lugging a suitcase and a duffle bag, with the Unicorn horn in its leather sheath strapped across her back, the petite blonde trudged up the staircase to the third floor. Here were the private quarters for the KDF members. Hers were last on the right hand side. She opened the unlocked door and dropped her luggage on the floor but carefully placed the irreplaceable Unicorn horn on the still neatly made double bed.
When was the last time she had been in here? March? Yes. The rooms did not smell stuffy or musty. Maybe Sable came in and left the windows open on nice days. In the closet still hung several changes of clothes for different situations, and she knew the dresser was packed with bras, panties, socks and folded T-shirts. The gleaming white-tiled bathroom still displayed her very specific array of shampoo, skin care products and toothpastes. Even the unfinished 500-page paperback EDEN IN FLAMES by Lorraine Royce Hyer still sat on her dresser with a scrap of paper marking how far she had read.
EDEN IN FLAMES, Ashley thought. How appropriate. That was her life, all right.
The Unicorn went over to regard her reflection in the long gilt-framed mirror across the top of her dresser. Forty years old. Untl a few months ago, her internal outlook had remained that of a teenager but now she felt deflated. Did she still look the same? The slim curvy body in the white jeans and white pullover with a front zipper had not put on a pound. The straight hair hanging to her shoulders was still a glossy platinum blonde that might as well have been white, the perfect little gamin face with its pert nose and cleft chin had not changed. But, she leaned closer and the crystal blue eyes staring back at her were those of a stranger. And there was a dark shadow under those eyes that had never been there before.
Ashley plopped down full length on the bed. She always felt tired anymore. The spark which had made her jump up to tackle each morning had dampened. At her belt, the flat square Link beeped twice and she unclipped it. "Hello?"
"Hi," came Cory's voice as clear as though he was standing in the room. "Didn't want to pester you, but April has a message."
A second later, the high clear voice of a nine year old rang in her ear. "Mommy! Did you make it okay?"
"Sure, gremlin, I'm in my old room right now. Thanks for asking."
"We're going for Mexican food! Daddy said I might be in the bathroom all night so I thought I better call you now."
Despite everything, Ashley laughed. "You'll love Mexican food but I guarantee you will also be making funny noises out your butt. It's worth it."
"Hee hee. We have to go. The taxi's here. Love you THIS much," April squeaked.
"Right back at you, my gremlin. Cory? Hi. Thanks for calling. I'll be out there Friday."
"I'll have her ready for the day with Mommy. So long."
"Take care. I wanted to ask..." But she stopped as she realized he had already hung up. That stung. For ten years, their calls had always ended with 'love you' and 'love you too.' Ashley cried silently for a few minutes, big tears running down the sides of her face, then she wiped them off and blew her noise in a tissue from the box on the dresser. No one knew, but she cried a little bit at least once a day. Anything could trigger it. Hearing an old sentimental song, thinking about a restaurant, even catching a glimpse of a baby stroller. She felt better when it had passed.
Unicorn had been sitting on the edge of her bed. At the chime from the front door opening, she shot to her feet and checked herself in the mirror. It took a few seconds to repair her mascara. Familiar voices sounded from the front hall. Satisfied that at least she was presentable, Unicorn rushed out onto the landing and sprinted down three flights of stairs with much of her old nimble step.
There they were in the front hall, Sable and Timothy Limbo. Realizing that Demrak Jin's absence was probably because she was tending her own one year old, Ashley felt a sharp twinge which she tried to disregard. "Hey, you guys! You just can't get rid of me, can you?"
"Ashley! Hi!" said Sable.
"Glad to have you back," added Timothy.
"Yeah. Sable approved me to return to full duty effective immediately," she said.
"I know you've kept in shape and up to date on Midnight War. We don't stand much on ceremony here," the leader of their team said. Lauren Sable Reilly was a few inches taller than Ashley, a few years older. Her black hair was brushed straight back off a high forehead and although those dark eyes rested only for an instant on the blonde, everyone knew Sable's enhanced perception enabled her examine Ashley with microscopic thoroughness. "Full stipend and benefits are restored but of course it also means you have to stand monitor duty one night each week."
"Not a problem," Unicorn replied. "I want to keep busy."
"You have come back at exactly the right time, Ashley. We're starting a new mission."
II.
In the conference room on the second floor, the three of them arranged themselves at the long oak table at which four previous generations of heroes had met. Sable took her seat at the head, folded her hands in front of her and waited for Tim and Ashley to settle down flanking her before beginning.
"It's too bad Jocelyn is still looking into those sightings in Arizona," she said. "And this is the day when both Galvan and Jin are off so they can spend some together. They've been alternating days on duty so one of them is with their son. But with Ashley ready, at least we have a three person team. Now. Our network of observers has been relaying rumors to me for the past month. None of them have found out any details but something described as 'unbelievable' and 'nightmarish' is going on at the Isla Suerte Mal."
"The Island of Bad Luck?" Ashley repeated. "Umm, isn't that on the outer fringes of the Caribbean? North-East of whatever? I thought there was nothing there but a few billionaire's resort homes."
"So everyone thought. That's what all the reference books and government records say. But in the last six weeks, the super-rich have been paying a ridiculous amount to stay there for a day or two. They come back and don't talk about it, but of course there are pilots and valets and personal assistants who are not above letting some information slip."
The little blonde grinned for the first time that day. "This sounds like it's going to be good."
"The vague rumors are that there are monsters of some sort on the island. No idea what. Bored millionaires pay to get a good look but they are shaken enough that they not only don't go back, they don't discuss it at all." Sable unclasped her hands and leaned back. "I've done some research on these thrill-seekers. They all seem to be incredibly jaded elite who were born to wealth and who think they have seen everything. But Isla Suerte Mal rattles them. We need to look into this."
"Excuse me, captain," interrupted Timothy Limbo. He was a slightly built young man of average height, with a mop of yellow hair that kept falling into his blue eyes. "Maybe I'm misunderstanding. No one has been reported killed, have they?"
"No. I haven't even heard of any injuries," Sable said.
"Then I'm not sure we have any business investigating. Don't we deal with immediate threats? I thought our team mission was to protect Humans against threats that the regular authorities can't handle."
"That's true." Their captain looked over her team thoughtfully. "And no one has asked us to investigate. We would be taking it on ourselves to butt in on private property with no legal justification."
For the first time that day, some liveliness came back to Ashley's voice. "Heck, when has that ever stopped us before? Tel Shai knights serve justice, not law."
"A vote it is then," Sable said. "I will go last. Ashley?"
"Sure, you bet. A mysterious island with mysterious shenanigans and mysterious mystery, who could resist?"
"Timothy?"
"Hmmm, I guess so," he grudgingly agreed. There might be something there we can stop before it becomes a real menace. God knows that's happened before."
Sable broke into a grin. Her slight overbite made her smile immensely appealing. "I wait in case I have to break a tie but obviously that won't be necessary. Both of you get into your field suits. I will inspect the CORBY and get her ready for wheels-up. Departure in twenty minutes from right now."
Holding up one hand, Timothy manifested one of his caspers. Hovering over his palm, it seemed to be a barely visible whirlwind that stretched and contracted, then took off through the open door. "My buddies wanted to tell me that someone was on the steps outside the front door. But what I see is a flyer about some politician wanting donations. Nothing for us to worry about."
"Oh, I missed your friendly ghosts," Ashley chuckled. "I don't know if they're pets or friends or what exactly, but they're so cute."
"I have not had to pay for a concert or a movie in years," said Timothy. "Whatever they see and hear gets relayed to me. The other day, I watched an IMAX screening of ARCTIC ORDEAL. Better than being there in person."
The Unicorn pointed an impeccably manicured index finger at him. "As long as they stay out of my shower!"
III.
With no identifying logo or ID numbers, not showing any external lights, the stealthcopter CORBY skimmed over the Caribbean at barely one hundred feet. The sharklike shape of the matte black craft gave it a sinister air which was enhanced by its eerie silence. The rotors barely whispered. At the combined collective/cyclic stick, Sable kept the CORBY level while Timothy sat in the co-pilot seat next to her. He was watching the row of tiny monitor screens and assorted gauges and indicators which glowed pastel green and blue. Any sudden flash of red would instantly catch the eye and be dealt with.
"Everything nominal," he said to give her reassurance, although it wasn't really necessary.
Behind the clear divider separating the cabin from the rear compartment, her back against the cabinet of equipment drawers, Ashley Whitaker sat on the floor with her legs crossed in a full lotus. They were wearing the KDF field suits of black boots, snug pants and waist-length jacket of tough durable material. But Ashley's outfit was white. The Unicorn horn resting under one leg was in a cylindrical leather sheath of the same color.
"My mom wore all white, back when she was the first Unicorn," Ashley explained. "I'm wearing this to keep up the tradition in her memory."
From the cabin, Sable said, "Ashley, I'm sorry about your mother's death. But be honest. You insisted on wearing all white back when you first joined as a teenager. And Jeremy kept making you change into our standard black suits. I'm going to have to start doing the same."
"Well, if you're going to confuse the issue with FACTS..." Ashley said.
Timothgy was watching her with amusement. "You know, I remember reading in our files that Unicorn horn being part of a treasure hoard of several important Midnight War talismans. As I recall, Mark Drum said it was very ancient, perhaps dating back to the Darthan Age. He thought the Eldarin ensorcelled it and added the ensalir cap on the flat end."
"Hmm," Unicorn made a non-commital noise.
After running his gaze over the instrument panels again, Timothy looked back at her again. "Ash, didn't you tell us that your mother got the horn from a real Unicorn in Okali?"
"That was what she told me as a kid," the little blonde admitted. "She said the juvenile Unicorn got fond of her and followed her around. It died of natural causes. She told me the horn then fell off by itself and she claimed it. I dunno. I loved my mom, but sometimes her stories didn't always match up. She was a little shady, you know?"
"There could be two such horns," Sable offered diplomatically. "After all, Okali has herds of Unicorns. No reason why some sorcerer or adventurer couldn't have brought back another horn at some point."
"Sure, could be." Ashley said. "That occured to me at some point. I guess we'll never know the full story."
"Coming up on destination," Sable called back to her. "I estimate another six minutes. Tim, you want to rattle off some facts?"
"Sure. I've looked it up. Isla Mal Suerte is a hundred and three miles north of Barbados. It's four miles long and six miles at its widest point. Typical wildlife. Kind of a gruesome history, the native people living there all died in some unspecified disaster in the 18th Century and no one settled there until recently. It's technically unassimilated land, although the UK has made some noise about claiming it."
"I am spellbound," Ashley said.
"Hush. Anyway, in 1978 a film production company put up some buildings as part of a project to provide stock footage and cheap location sites. Then, ten years ago, an ex-intelligence broker from Eastern Europe expanded and rebuilt everything into a plush complex where he used to bring his girlfriends and or business partners to mostly drink and fall asleep on the beach. His name was Piotr Malinowski."
"Yawn," added Ashley, pronouncing the word.
"Will you be good?" Timothy said. "Here is where it gets interesting. A month ago, the property was visited by someone from the Midnight War. A woman calling herself Cadaverina."
"Pull my other leg."
"Settle down, Ashley," said Sable, using exactly the tone a teacher would reserve for a mildly rowdy child. "Cadaverina is implicated in a torture ring that skinned its victims and made masks from their faces. Over thirty missing persons tied to her group."
"Oh. Okay," Unicorn muttered. "Go on, Timothy."
"We're almost there now. Cadaverina has been associated with Red Sect and at least one Neksrosan. She likely has some gralic ability, although there's no telling what. So we all need to be ready for an assault if we meet her."
"And you said before that she has some creatures on this island?" asked the blonde.
Sable said, "That's what we're going to find out. There it is on the horizon. I'm going up to one thousand feet so we can get a good view. Hang on."
The CORBY rose smoothly at a steep angle without any sense of the craft straining. The Trom-designed CORBYs worked with technology advanced beyond anything available to Human designers. They had been described with good reason as 'spaceships disguised as helicopters' because of their capabilities.
Pressing up to the cabin divider, the three members in the back saw a dark green sickle of land in the turquoise sea. White rectangles on the southern yellow beaches were the buildings which had changed hands so many times. As they passed overhead, the lush tropical foliage and pristine beaches impressed Sable.
"What a beautiful spot. A regular Eden," she said, drawing a quizzical glance from Ashley. That word 'Eden' again. "Tim, are you picking up radar aimed at us?"
"No, no I don't get any readings like that," he said. "Nothing on any radio frequencies, either. We could try broadcasting and asking for permission to land."
Lauren Sable Reilly pushed the stick and tilted the nose of the CORBY down. "I believe we will drop in unannounced. Everyone stand by. Ashley, have your talisman ready. Touchdown in a few seconds."
When the CORBY's three-wheeled landing gear settled onTO the hard sand a hundred yards from the building, there was no feeling of impact at all. The craft were uncanny in their handling. As Sable drew down the impulse engines and the overhead rotors slowed, she unstrapped the belts across her chest and around her waist.
"Whoa. Armed guards at three o'clock," Timothy sang out. "I count seven."
"We have the Trom armor under our suits," Sable said. "Let's see what they have to say."
Three hatches hissed open at the same time, releasing the pressurized air. The KDF members hopped out and formed a loose group facing the uniformed men. The guards were wearing plain khaki shorts and shirts, knee socks and short boots, as well as billed caps. Their clothing bore no identifying words or logos at all. Each wore a .45 automatic in a flap holster on a wide black leather belt. One was carrying a M-1 rifle but with its barrel up away from everyone else. They were big, sturdy men in their late twenties and thirties. Most were European white with brown hair but two were black men who looked Jamaican, and those two were also the tallest and most imposing.
Holding up her empty hands, Sable called to them. "Easy, easy. No need to get excited, boys."
"This is private property. Identify yourselves at once," the guard with the rifle demanded. This close, it could be seen that he was also the oldest, with fleck of white in crisp curly hair. Strapped high up on his chest by his left shoulder was a walkie-talkie.
"Mr Malinowski will want to see us. We have information he's been trying to obtain." Sable casually lowered her hands and placed them on her hips. She could smell the degree of adrenaline present in the sweat on these men, she could gauge how rapid their heartbeats were and see the degree of tautness in the tendons on their hands. Long experience in tense situations led her to conclude that these guards were not about to open fire. They would need a sudden threatening move to push them into action.
To her team, she said quietly, "Stand down. This is a business deal we need to handle."
"I wasn't informed of this," the leader of the guards snapped. "I need a name."
"Tell your boss we are the Tel Shai knights he expected to meet."
That obviously meant nothing to the armed men, but Sable's obvious confidence was making them untense with each second. The leader pressed a button on his walkie-taklkie, got an incoherent squawk and said, "Palmer here. Five intruders in a black helicopter. Leader says they're Tel Shai knights."
"Hang on, Palmer." An internminable thirty seconds dragged by, then the static-distorted voice continued, "You are cleared to escort them to the big top. Repeat, you are cleared to escort them to the big top."
"I copy." He had rested the butt of his rifle on the hard-packed yellow sand, and now he raised it again but did not threaten the newcomers with it. "Open up them jackets, please."
"Let's go along with it," Sable told her team. Under the field suit jackets, the KDF members were wearing simple cotton crewneck shirts. Two of the guards approached and walked around the newcomers, not patting them down but giving them a suspicious visual examination.
Earlier, Sable had told her team that they would not be wearing the dart guns this time out. Of course, their jackets still held a dozen miniaturized gadgets such as smoke bombs or resonance grenades if it came to real conflict.
One of the guards pointed at the leather cylinder strapped across Unicorn's shoulders. "We need to get a look at this."
After giving Sable a dubious glance, Ashley swung the sheath around and tugged out the horn. Ivory-colored, the three foot length narrowed to a sharp point. Its opposite flat end was covered with a silver cap. She slid the ancient talisman back into place and snapped the sheath shut without comment.
Actually, the guards were staring at Ashley more than giving the horn a full inspection. While Sable and Jocelyn were attractive women, the Unicorn was naturally gorgeous enough to draw attention anywhere. She raised one elegant eyebrow at her teammates and smiled.
"Not much of a threat. Let's go." The guards moved to place two of themselves behind the KDF team, two on either side and the leader in front with the rifle.
Fifty yards away was a huge circus tent which had been erected far enough up far the shore that tides would not reach it. Blue and white striped canvas, it stretched one hundred and twenty feet to each side. Its entrance was closed by a flap, which two more of the guards flanked. Nearby, three olive-drab open Jeeps stood ready. There was also a folding table under a wide plastic beach umbrella and two lightweight chairs, where Cadaverina was awaiting them.
IV.
It was no surprise that the notorious Cadaverina wanted to be shielded from the sun. Her smooth skin approached albino levels of whiteness, contrasting sharply with the lank black hair which hung lifelessly down to the middle of the back. She was wrapped in a tight black dress which reached her ankles and the low scoop neckline revealed surprising cleavage considering how bony her arms were and how her waist seemed to be no more than nineteen inches.
In a long narrow face, over a mouth delineated in dark red lipstick and over a prominent nose, two pale green eyes regarded the newcomers. Those eyes had the same gleeful calculating look that a cat gives an unsuspecting mouse. She did not rise but simply held out one hand palm up. "Knights of Tel Shai! I had not thought you really existed."
"And I had thought the same of you, darling," responded Sable calmly as she stopped in front of the table. "You are a sort of urban legend in the Midnight War."
"In a creepy way," Ashley whispered to Timothy.
"We came here because it's our duty to investigate rumors of Midnight War phenomena," Sable went on. "We hope you'll enlighten us about what is going on here, and whether it's anything we need to be concerned about."
The strange ghoulish woman narrowed her eyes and studied the three newcomers. "You are trespassing, darling. No one invited you here, no one gave you permission to land in that fancy black helicopter of yours. I would be within my rights to have my security team march you back to your copter and urge you to leave for your own safety."
She did not show it, but Sable was aware that the guards had each dropped their hands to their belts and unsnapped the flap holsters. "To be honest, we would return with some more of our team here to check things out. The Dire Wolf, Galvan, the Red Spectre, perhaps our Gelydra warrior-woman. The three of us here now are actually the mildest and least likely to give you trouble."
"Mmmm, so true. I have met Jeremy Bane, years ago. It was only sheer luck that I am still here with my head attached to my shoulders to speak with you." Cadaverina glanced over at Timothy and Unicorn. "Your younger partners seem uneasy. Is it my, shall we say, striking appearance? Let me reassure you that I am a living Human, mortal as anyone else. My real name is Liselotte Podesta. 'Cadaverina' is a sort of stage name. I dabbled in cabaret for a short time."
Sable had been drawing on her gralic ability to enhance her senses and she was getting alarmed at the rank odor drifting out from the circus tent. "This can be resolved by simply showing us what you have in there."
Rising, Cadaverina was revealed to be as tall as the guards, easily reaching six feet. Her unusual build made her look even taller, if top-heavy. "I was thinking that might be the most expedient course. No one wants Jeremy Bane sneaking around at night. He tends to leave a few dead bodies wherever he goes."
"Hey, no fair," Unicorn objected. "We leave as many dead bodies behind as he does."
"Therefore, let us compromise," the pale woman continued as if she had not heard. "I will not charge you the usual fee for seeing my pets. That will be five million dollars I am passing up. But, if you are satisfied that I am harming no one, you Tel Shai knights will go about your business and leave me in peace."
"Sounds reasonable," said Sable. She had been standing with her arms folded across her chest. Now she lowered them and looked over at her teammates. "Tim, Ashley, do you have any objections?"
Timothy lowered his voice, "Captain, my little guys have already-" but Sable interrupted him. She had caught a glimpse of one of the ethereal caspers whirling around the tent entrance.
"Let's keep a few cards up our sleeves," she said. "Not everyone knows all our abilities." One of the guards undid knots holding the front flap of the tent shut and motioned them toward the opening. A low hissing growl sounded from within. Then a weird high-pitched ululation made their hair stand up.
The floodlights on their fifteen-foot high metal poles were off as enough diffused sunlight came in through the tent canvas to show the scene clearly. In front of the enclosure were two rows of ten folding metal chairs, unoccupied. Nearby stood a panel truck, with five gallon jugs of water and long wire brushes sitting next to it.
The enclosure itself was ten feet high and forty feet to each side, constructed of sturdy steel bars with a single door held shut by a bar through two loops. But none of this registered immediately with the three KDF members as they entered the tent.
Inside that enclosure, two reptilian creatures larger than the average adult Human paced and glared at them with shiny golden eyes.
The heavyset bodies were covered with rough pebbly grey hide, the thick tails stood out stiffly to balance the horizontal posture. While the hind legs were much bigger, the front limbs were still powerful looking and all the paws had five toes with were capped with curved talons. The creatures walked on their toes, mostly using the front legs for support but sometimes standing more erect and waving those claws as if craving to use them. The heads were crocodilian, with long narrow snouts bristling with fangs. One of the creatures had a bony plate on its forehead which rose to form a pair of backswept horns.
Even more startling was a pair of skin-bound batlike wings on each animal's back. They were folded flat at first, but when people entered the tent, the creatures spread those wings with a snap and flapped them tentatively. They did not seem capable of flight.
"There you go," announced Cadaverina with unrepressed glee. "We will be feeding them after the guests arrive. They will only touch live prey, so I have procured a supply of possums and raccoons from the States. Heh heh, if I really wanted to give our guests a show, I would provide cats and dogs."
She unexpectedly threw back her head and laughed at the thought, then collected herself. "Well, heroes from Tel Shai, what do you think?"
"These are Dragons, not any natural beasts," Sable said.
"Absolutely." Ashley Whitaker ignored the guards motioning her to stay put and moved closer to the enclosure. "Daumiri. I have seen the adults."
"Wait. What do you mean, you have 'seen the adults?'" demanded their host.
The petite blonde glanced over at her captain before explaining. "These are hatchlings. Almost newborns, still learning to walk. Wait until you see the grown-ups!"
V.
Half an hour later, the buffet tables were being set up. Men in dress trousers and neat white jackets were laying out silver trays of assorted cold cuts and canapes, crackers and buttered rolls, bowls of fruit and various cheeses. A head-high standing cabinet with a wide variety of wines, champagnes and hard liquor was wheeled down from the house, complete with an aproned bartender busily inspecting everything one final time.
An uneasy truce continued between Cadavarina and the KDF members. They were encouraged to take plates and help themselves to the food, and they did so without hesitation. Years on the Tagra tea regimen had enhanced their healing factors to the point that their bodies either rejected poison or weren't noticeably affected by it.
Their host asked them to sit at one of the two long redwood tables with benches. "I have no illusions that you three like me," she said. "But we can co-exist. Certainly you have heard rumors about my having an unsavory past, but that is not enough to act, is it?"
"No," Sable admitted as she dabbed some pate on a cracker. "I can't justify attacking anyone without more evidence than hearsay. Thank you for the food, this is quite fresh."
"Heh, to be honest, I am charging visitors enough to provide a little class. Don't any of you want some champagne? It's a Breval from '93, a reasonably good year."
"Any of us might be required to fly our craft on the return trip," Cheval said. "Cadaverina, I want to stress again that you and your staff here are likely to be in immediate danger. Listen."
The eerie rise and fall cries of the juvenile Dragons sounded from within the tent.
"Rather haunting," the strange woman observed. "Sounds like a cello, don't you think?"
Timothy spoke up almost for the first time. He had been unusually reserved on this case. "I've done some reading on these Daumiri. Most of their vocalization is beyond the range of Human hearing. We hear only a tiny bit of the calls those animals are making. Their calls are spreading out for miles."
"Really," Cadaverina said. She had made a plate for herself and was picking at some crab salad.
"You saw the wings on those babies," Timothy continued. "Adults are fully capable of flight. And most possess dragonflame. This is not regular oxidation-based fire, it's a gralic blast that can soften steel. I've never heard of any defense against it."
"They sound like imposing beasts indeed," their hostess said, still unperturbed. "But I would be a fool to pass up wealth the way this operation amasses it. Six suckers are being brought in today to see those animals. At five million a head, tax free at that! If any larger Dragons do turn up, my men are well armed. Perhaps such an adult could be captured as well."
Sable finished the small sampling she had gathered on her plate and wiped her mouth with a linen napkin. She seldom wore lipstick or much make-up of an sort. "We tried to warn you. Your safety is your own concern. I doubt if it would do much good to try and caution your guards?"
"Not in the slightest." Cadaverina straightened up. "They are mercenaries who are well paid. To be blunt, they're slightly brutal and hate showing any weakness. Don't bother with your plates. The staff will gather them up."
Sable rose as well, with Tim and Ashley coming around to stand beside her. "I don't see where there is anything more for us to do here, then. We should be leaving."
"Yes, that would be best," Cadaverina started to extend a hand, then thought better of it. "I am glad that this encounter has concluded without violence. You may not realize it but you of the Kenneth Dred Foundation.. and Tel Shai knights in general.. are regarded as unpredictable vigilantes, quite dangerous to cross."
"Wolves don't like sheepdogs," Ashley told her, refastening the sheathed Unicorn horn across her back. "But the flock is glad for the protection."
The tall gaunt woman smiled with her lips but her eyes remained cold. She gave a slight bow, then turned and minced off to supervise the preparations.
"That dress may look slinky but it's got to be a pain to walk around in," Ashley added in a low voice to her teammates.
Sable led her partners back to the CORBY, untouched where they had left it. "I've decided our next move."
"Yes! I knew this wasn't over yet. Are we going to free those animals?" asked Timothy.
"Not right now. Probably before we're done. It's not healthy for them, they need to socialize with their parents. Both male and female Dragons stay to raise their young for a year or so. No, right now I'm worried about the visitors who are their way here."
"What about them? Here, let's get this bird warmed up. I'll take the stick if it's okay." Ashley punched in a code to the keypad on the side of the CORBY and the right front hatch slid open.
"You can fly, I'll take co-pilot this time," Sable said. "We are going to circle this island in a widening pattern. I want to intercept the plane bringing those rich tourists and warn them off."
"What if they don't listen?"
Moving around to the other side to open the co-pilot hatch, Sable made an exasperated noise. "We're going to say we're Federal agents. DEA maybe. Everyone on the island is being rounded up because of a massive drug deal that got busted. I'm sure the pilot will be more than happy to make a sudden U-turn back to Florida."
"Hold on, wait just a second," Timothy said. "Whoa! What is that out there on the water? Over there. It looks as big as a battleship!"
As he finished speaking, they heard a distant roar like steam brakes being released.
VI.
"Ashley, give me wheels up in thirty seconds." Sable began rapidly tapping indicator panels. "No time for a preflight check. Everything seems nominal..."
"Impulse engines still warm," Unicorn replied in the most serious tone she had. "Rotors engaged, we're wheels up now. Retracting landing gear. Ready to move, captain."
"Take us up to one hundred feet and hover." Sable bent forward and peered through the windscreen. "Yes. Two adult Garmiridrak, one with the horns of a male. The parents. Going by what's showing above the water, I'd estimate their length at... two hundred feet, two hundred and twenty feet. They're swimming toward the shore, using their tails for propulsion."
From the back, Timothy Limbo said, "At least the civilians didn't arrive yet."
"They're moving slowly. Ash, bring us to within hailing distance of the tent. That's good." Sable had slipped her helmet on and attached the communications cable to the port in its back. Now hooked up to the CORBY, she switched on the external loudspeaker. "Attention, attention," she said and her amplified voice boomed out.
The guards and the waiters swung around at that thunderous voice and froze as they saw the ominous black helicopter hovering at treetop level. Some of the mercenaries reached for their sidearms but did not draw.
"You are in immediate mortal danger. Move as far away from that tent as possible, get on the other side of this island if you can," Sable warned.
None of them moved. As they stood paralyzed with indecision, the wailing of the juveniles in the tent was answered by a deep hissing that rolled over the ocean and struck the guards like a hot gale force wind. All eyes turn in the deepest terror any of them had ever known.
Standing half out of the water as they neared the shore, the adult Dragons loomed up so high they could have peered over the top of a ten-story building. Batlike wings of leathery hide over ribbed bones spread wide and beat in anger, and tails longer than a bus swung up out of the water and crashed down again.
That was enough. Every man in the area wheeled around and ran as fast as they possibly could. In a few seconds, they were up on the hill where the house stood, then out of sight completely.
"Bring us up a little higher," Sable told her teammate. "Level off at five hundred. We don't want them noticing us."
The mother and father Garmiridrak strode out onto the sand, water pouring off them by the gallon. The adults moved with a ponderous slowness that gave them a sort of natural dignity. At the wailing of the young ones, the parents moved toward the tent, making a thump that shook the ground at each step.
"Isn't that Cadaverina?" asked Ashley. "Oh my God, she's heading for the tent. Is she insane or what?"
"I hate her more than ever. We can't let her be killed if we can help it. Timothy, open your hatch and tie yourself to a restraint strap."
"All set," he called from the rear compartment. "I guess we're going to scoop her up?"
"We're going to try. Ash, get close as you can, with Timothy's side facing her. This is so risky. If the rotors get too close..."
The Unicorn simply said, "Got it, Sable. Here we go."
Only a few seconds elapsed before they had descended to the point where the CORBY's undercarriage barely cleared the ground. Cadavarina had gotten within a few yards of the big top before the sheer size and menace of the Dragons overwhelmed her and she froze into place with her hands up by her face. She didn't resist as Timothy stretched far out to grab her under the arms and hoist her bodily into the rear of the compartment.
"We're good back here," he said as calmly as if he had bent to pick up a piece of paper from the ground. I'm closing the hatch now."
Swinging around in her co-pilot seat, Sable frowned. "Her pulse is one hundred and thirty. Skin temperature dropping. Turn her head toward me, Tim. Yes, pupils fully dilated. She's in shock."
"We have the anesthetic darts back here," he said. "I can put her under."
"Go ahead. We don't want her going into cardiac arrest. Ashley, take us up again. Level off at five hundred. The parents have reached the tent."
As the CORBY rose, all three KDF members stared down in complete fascination at the sight of the titanic beasts pulling the big top apart with their fangs and strewing long ribbons of canvas to the side. A second later, the Dragons were bending the bars of the enclosure without any apparent effort far enough that the juveniles squeezed out.
"You know, as scary as this is, that's actually a heartwarming sight," Timothy said.
"Everyone loves their babies," whispered Ashley.
Sable turned her head toward her team-mate. "You okay, hon? Your voice cracked."
"I'm going through a rough phase," the blonde replied. "I'll be fine."
Yellow light flared below them, and a rush of superheated air rocked the helicopter. The adults were loosing bursts of brilliant flame from their muzzles. They turned to play the energy over the forest, and it exploded into fire instantly. Within seconds, a conflagration raged over half the island. The mansion was lost from sight beneath black smoke.
"Man! That's something I'll never forget if I live to be old and grey," Timothy said.
"Hull sensors read one hundred and thirty, even at this distance. Let's back off. If they spot us and get annoyed, that dragonflame could easily incinerate us."
"Not to mention, they can fly and chase us if they want to," Ashley added. "Heading out to sea, due west. Sable, you want to go check on how the guards are doing?"
"Not yet. They had time to get to the beach on the opposite side of the island. I noticed one of them had a satellite phone. Even if they don't have motor launches to reach Barbados, they can call for evacuation." Sable gave an unexpected chuckle. "The whole family is back in the water. Look at the parents herding the hatchlings."
"Too bad about the fire, though." Timothy said. "I get it that the adults were ticked off, but there was plenty of wildlife in that forest. Everything's going up now. What a loss."
Suddenly Ashley could not hold back a sob any longer. The tension and drama of this mission had allowed her to push her personal problems out of her thoughts while it lasted, but suddenly she remembered the half-read paperback on her dresser two thousand miles away. "Eden in flames," she said.
10/8/2020