+1+
“Okay, Aria”, I said, “But if I can’t find them in 24 hours we’re going to the police. Okay ?”
Aria could only nod, since just the two of us were on the street she let the tears fall. I sat her down on the closest stoop.
“I got to go.” I said, “Okay ?"
She just nods and I force myself to move. I run back down the block and jump into the waiting taxi.
“Take me to the Lullwater Hotel”, I bark, “And hurry up—“
I look up and realize the driver is gone. The keys are in the ignition and the meter is going. I look around and see the driver running for his life and a black SUV peel away from the corner.
“The fuck. . .”
Then I heard it.
Tick tick tick
I barreled out the car and make it two steps before the car makes a low fizzing sound then explodes in a plume of gray ash and violent red and orange flames. Pedestrians started screaming and I can already hear sirens in the distance. No time. No fucking time for this.
I run down two blocks and vault down the closest subway station. I keep my wits about me and catch the express to Brooklyn. I try dialing Sera’s phone, but it’s turned off or she’d lost it again.
When I make it back to the Lullwater Hotel, I pray that Seraphina is there .The gym is empty so I run up to the hotel suite. When I force the door open I see Seraphina sitting at the counter staring at one of Anne’s henchmen. Anne kept a henchmen posted at all times and they were usually innocuous and covered in their balaclavas.
The one Sera was staring down was masked and holding a
polyurethane 3D gun, clear so we could see the while gold bullets. Sera is sitting at the kitchen counter by an artisanal knife block with a bright
gold bow on it. A present from the German chancellor. Seraphina was staring at the man… waiting for him to make a move.
“Sera”, I said low and deliberate. She snapped to me like I’d commanded her to stand to attention, “Anne took Athena and Helen—“
Before I could finish Helena’s names, before I could even process what she was doing Seraphina stood unsheathed a carving knife from the knife block and jammed it in between the masked man’s ribs. He raised his gun and she put the paring knife through his palm pinning him like an insect. The plastic gun falling to the floor.
“I’ve been waiting for a reason all day.” She whispered to him.The man made this gurgling sound beneath his mask, breaking the stoic code Anne’s men usually lived by.
“Where are they”, Seraphina whispered.
The man was silent, I wasn’t even sure he could even talk over the mask. With a slight bit of estimation she jabbed a deboning knife through the mask and into the man’s eye. He grunted and screamed but was pinned down so hard he couldn’t move.
“Stop screaming and talk”, she says, “There is a whole knife block over there and I can find a place to put every last one.”
“Caverns. . .” he said through the balaclava, “She took him to the caverns in Inglewood Park.”
“I know that place. It’s been under construction for 15
years”, I tell her.
“I know it to”, Seraphina said, “It’s where Isaiah created the daemons and tried to kill Paris. It’s where this all started. . .”
“How do we know we can trust him?” I ask her.
“It’s not him we should be worried about.” Sera starts, “Why would Anne tell a lowly henchmen her schedule? She wanted him to tell us. She wants us to find her.”
“Is this a trap?” I ask rhetorically while Seraphina puts her black leather jacket over her gym clothes.
“I don’t know.”
The guy groaned and Seraphina quickly pulled the three kitchen knives out of him, prompting him to scream louder.
“Him”, she said quietly as the guy curled into himself on the floor. He’d bleed a lot, but he’d live.
“What?” I said, “ What is it ? We need to go.”
“He said ‘she took him’ who is him? Sera asked the man curled up on the floor.
The Balaclava coughed as blood seeped through his mask. I motioned for Sera’s guardsmen to come patch the guy up.
“Dumb cunt”, the Balaclava said, “Anne Lynne kidnapped your son two days ago. When no one noticed the boy was missing she took those little bitc-”
I slammed my shoe into the guys face before could get another word out
“Let’s go.”
+++
Seraphina’s motorcycle was the fastest way to get uptown to Inglewood Park. The park had been a big tourist spot in the 90’s, it was known for its underground caverns and tunnels. It had been under construction for years, a no man’s land. The perfect place to hide kidnapped children.
I’d drove at top speed. Weaving through traffic and blowing past red lights. Sera’s arms tightened around me and she leaned into each hard turn with me.I realized this wasn’t about me, not even a little bit. Anne had been trying to get Sera’s attention. Problem was Anne had taken the wrong thing. Damn it. I should have checked on the kid like I said I was going to. Fuck, the school must have also not realized he was gone.
Bright orange and black construction tape is set up over the park’s entrance. It’s dark by the time we manage to cut through the tape. Sera feels her way out to the caverns. I wasn’t sure how well she’d fare in gym clothes, and since royals in New Aeterna still weren’t allowed to carry weapons, I decide to give her my pocket knife and one of my guns.
+2+
Inside the cavern, trespassing signs from the early 2000s are still up along with splashy ads from the cavern’s glory days. We follow the staircase down to below the earth, the farther in we moved the more I begin to hear something in the air. It was a sound. A soft eerie sound with an up and down lilt. A strange mix of music and voice.
When we reach the end of the staircase I see them.
Athena is sitting on the floor in the center of the cavern and holding
her baby sister. Athena didn’t look like a child in that moment, she was
covered in dust and looking at the murky underground lake infront of her with a fear a babe shouldn’t have. I
was so proud of her, how she held on protectively to her little sister and listened
to the song coming from the mouth of the boy she was chained to. Sera put her
hand on me, a soft warning not to charge in and fuck up the first person I saw.
Metal links were wrapped tight around Arrows waist chaining him to a stalagmite, then a few links connected him to Athena, a depraved pink lock at her feet. I had to look away and my eyes found Arrow. I couldn’t believe the soft voice was coming from the nearly invisible long haired eleven year old boy I’d never heard speak in my life.
Focus focus focus
I saw a glowing exit sign on the other side of the cavern and another staircase that must lead out the park. A quick scan showed no one else in the room.
Shit. I should have bought a bolt cutter.
Shit.
Maybe I could pick the lock?
The boy lifted his head and spotted us. His lips stilled suddenly and the cavern was filled with an eerie silence. Seraphina shot him a dark unforgiving look and motioned for him to keep singing , to not warn their captors.
He began to sing again but it was too late, I heard footsteps but fuck it if I wasn’t going to save my girls. I bolted forward and considered my options. Athena was tied pretty tight with Helena in her lap . . . under the chains. I could easily slip out baby Helena but then what? Fuck it. I opened my Swiss army knife and began working the lock. Helena whined a little and then gun shot rang out.
“Everybody freeze”, Came from above in Anne’s neat ugly accent.
+3+
Three women now stood by the other exit at the top of the steps. Anne was in the center with her hand neatly folded in front of her, Solstice LeCroix was to her right yielding the gun the shot had come from ...and Private First Class Kelley Vassey coward behind them sobbing on her knees.
“I-I-I’m sorry . . . they made me”, Vassey screamed and Anne yanked her off the floor. It suddenly hit me how Anne had kidnapped Arrow and the girls. She’d sent Vassey. She’d sent a hero. She’d sent someone no one would question. We’d saved Vassey from the Unification Party and this was how she fucking repaid us.
“Have some tact dear.” Anne said shaking her head at Vassey.
“I’m going to kill every last one of you fucking bitches”, I shout up to them.
Anne laughs while Solstice’s eyes dart around the cavern then focus Seraphina who is still piecing out the situation. LeCroix pointed the gun in Sera’s direction and pulled the trigger, she missed and Sera hadn’t even seemed worried. Solstice was a bad shot. I’d keep that in mind.
“Oh, Sera”, Anne said taking the stairs one by one, her silk
fan in motion, “I bet you didn’t even know I knew you had a child. Judging by
his age I can only assume how it happened. You always thought you were stronger
and tougher but I guess that’s just not
true.”
Sera couldn’t even meet Anne’s eyes, it was the first time I realized that Anne
and Sera had some real history. That maybe this whole time Seraphina was really
trying to prove something to Anne.
“I do believe all Angel children are miracles”, Anne said as Solstice and Vassey followed her down the steps, “But the bastards of Helios’ loyal lieutenants should certainly pay the price for their father’s sins. Here is how this works. I’ll let Seraphina take the place of one child.”
Anne took Solstice’s gun from her and she carefully walked
over to Seraphina with a set of handcuffs like they were precious jewels. Anne checked over the magazine and smiled.
“Let’s see there are five bullets in here. So let’s not
waste any”, Anne said shoving the handcuffs at Seraphina.
Sera stepped forward and dropped the pocket knife and gun I’d given her. She held out her hands surrendering to Anne.
“Take the baby”, Sera said to me. LeCroix and Sera shared a long look as Anne steps forward and secures a single handcuff around Sera’s right hand
I shook my head. I couldn’t choose one. I couldn’t just take one back to Aria.
“No”, I managed
“Do it”, Sera ordered.
Fuck. I slip Helena out of Athena’s arms, I think maybe Athena
realized I was leaving her behind. She whined a little. Arrow didn’t look so
great, his eyes were blank and he was breathing heavy.
I turned back to Athena
“You did good, baby girl”, I said trying smiling at Athena even though it felt wrong, “You did so good taking care of your sister. Take a nap, okay? When you wake up you won’t . . . be here. I promise. Close your eyes. Close your eyes for me.”
She looked so confused and I couldn’t explain this to her. She’d never understand.
“Give me the gun, Anne”, Solstice said, “Seraphina is mine now.”
Anne sighed and passed her the gun, then Anne wiped her hands on a silk pocket square in her blazer.
“What do you want from me”, Sera snapped at Solstice. Sera
still only had one hand cuffed. I kept an eye on that hand.
“Giuliani”
Sera laughed and somewhere in his haze it made Arrow tense.
“Hmm”, Sera smiled, “Bart Giuliani. I remember him. I shot that ugly fucking bastard in the face 6 times and I’d do it again.”
“You bit-“, before Solstice could finish Vassey snuck up behind Solstice and slammed a rock into the side of her head knocking her to the ground. Vassey tried to flee but Solstice grabbed her ankle. Vassey kicked herself free picked up another rock and slammed it into Solstice's shoulder and Solstice dropped the gun.
“Stop”, Anne shouted at Vassey and Solstice, “Order, ladies. Order”
Anne went to pick up the gun while scolding the women. I put Helena on the ground, lunged forward and grabbed Anne’s wrist from behind and twisted it as she pulled the trigger, the bullet hit the cavernous ceiling.
Four
She only had four shots left.
The gunshot jump stared Athena who started screaming, Seraphina used her uncuffed hand to try and soothe her... Anne’s wrist felt surprisingly fragile in my grasp, with a surge of adrenaline I kneed her in the stomach and tossed the bitch into the murky underground lake.
Vassey was clutching a set of keys, her hands trembling as she tried to unlock the children. She got Athena free first and then tried Arrow’s lock.
“I’m sorry”, Vassey muttered, “I’m sorry. . . I’m sorry.”
Anne was climbing out the water looking like a wet cat. Her hair had deflated and her cream colored suit hung heavy on her. She still had the polyurethane gun in her hand and she looked feral. Anne pulled the trigger but it hit a stalactite
Three bullets left in that gun
Solstice managed to pick herself up off the floor and ran to help Anne out the water. But it wasn’t Anne she wanted.
“Give me the gun”, Solstice said to Anne, “I’m going to kill her. I’m going to kill them. Angels, Supernaturals, Helions. . . you are all abominations--”
“Have some decorum, Solstice”, Anne said as she and Solstice struggled over ownership of the gun. Anne for all her years and determination took hold of the weapon and shoved Solstice into the murky water.
Vassey was still working on Arrow’s lock when Anne pulled the trigger. I don’t know who she was aiming at but a bullet caught Vassey in the shoulder.
“Go”, I shouted to Vassey who was doing her best to ignore the bullet hole in her shoulder, “Take the girls. Go.”
“No, I—“
“GO”, I said pulling out my gun. It would be no good against Anne with its steel bullets but it was all I had at the moment.
Vassey pulled herself up and picked Helena off the floor with her good arm. I put Athena on her back and Vassey strained under the weight.
“Sir”, she said, “I’m. . .”
“Go, Vassey. You’re going to bleed out, so unless you want to die a traitor you’re going to get my girls to safety right fucking now.”
I covered her while she ran for the steps, shooting a few distraction shots at Anne. I dropped to my knees, picked up the keys and tried to get Arrow and Seraphina free. I heard Anne’s polite laughter and she aimed the gun at Sera, shot again and missed again.
“You only got one shot left, Anne”, I shouted at her while trying all the keys.
Anne got closer with the gun still aimed at Seraphina. She was a foot away from me now and I could see the barrel of the gun. She motioned for me to move out of the way . . . so I did.
“You’re a terrible shot”, Seraphina said to Anne
“Well, shooting isn’t very lady like”, Anne said tossing back her wet hair. Her glowing face was melting off and I saw her age more than I ever had before.
“I beg to differ.” Seraphina said
Anne smiled.
“Oh, Seraphina. I spent my entire youth sacrificing to keep you girls alive and safe. Oh, Hmeju may have shown interest when he wanted, but do you know how hard it was being a woman for so many centuries. “
“Still is”, Seraphina said
Anne laughs, then sighs.
“It’s funny. Helios comes along and creates this paradise for us and what does he do? He made you girls his breeder’s and whores. I mean. . . I made you into perfect Angel women; beautiful, creative and charming. Did he see that? Do men ever see that? No. All you poor girls got was what all other women get. Nothing.
Anne turned her gaze to Arrow who was unconscious, his skin slick with sweat. His eyes opened every now and then but he was out of it.
“I was trying to free you and Aria from this fate.” Anne said, “ Mothers of bastards, wives of powerful men. I wanted you both to die with your names and dignity intact. I can make it all go away. Kill this one before he becomes the monster he was concieved to be.”
Sera stood up, there was enough slack in the chain for her to walk towards Anne. I kept trying the locks on Arrow’s chains but no dice. The final bullet was locked and loaded. Anne pressed the trigger, before she could release it Seraphina slipped her finger through the trigger stopping the gun from firing. I kept working on Arrow’s handcuffs.
“That’s all bullshit”, Seraphina said, “ You just wanted to frame me for murdering children. LeCroix might want to kill me, but you Anne? You want to ruin me.”
Anne laughed.
“Well”, Anne said, “You did send your personal assistant to pick him up from school two days ago and that’s the last time anyone ever saw him. Seems like a solid case to me. They don’t let filicides be queens . . . anymore.”
Sera released her finger from the trigger and before Anne even noticed that Sera had pick the lock on her cuffed hand, Seraphina threw a fist into Anne’s face and shoved the older woman against the cavern wall. Startled Anne dropped the gun but Sera caught it before it could hit the ground, and pressed it to Anne’s temple.
It was the longest I’d ever seen Anne silent. She looked at Seraphina like she was something else entirely.
“What did I ever do to you?” Seraphina said pressing pressing on the trigger, “All these years you’ve always hated me. You always berated me, you always punished me; married me to the worst men, burned my books and humiliated me . I was always too tall or to dumb to do anything right. Why? What did I ever do to you. Why did you hate me so much?”
Sera pushed the barrel of the gun into Anne's forehead, Anne's eyes traveled up to it and back to Seraphina.
“You didn’t deserve it acension", Anne said, “Hmeju always went on and on about Paris Prince’s big destiny and not for a second did he think I had a place in it. Hmeju thought you were special for some reason. He gave you so much attention, spoiled you. You should have died back Home. . . there is just something evil about you Seraphina. You're monster and a pretty one at that.
Men have wanted you ever since you were thirteen years old and you never appreciated it. You spit in the face of everything you could have been. You gallivanted with women and now look at the way you dress yourself? You just had to be different, had to get Hmjeu’s attention and what about me? Hmm? What about the sacrifices I made?
The funny thing is you thought rebelling would save you from the fate all beautiful dumb women get. But now a man turned you into a sow, that boy made you a mother and your husband made you his wife and his queen. All of them made you the monster who’d turn on her own mother. They did this to you because that’s what they do and I hope you suffer.”
“You think men have changed me”, she said her eyes wide with confusion or compassion, “They didn’t’ change me, Anne. I’m just becoming who you would never let me be.”
Sera pushed the barrel of the gun harder into Anne’s forehead. Anne chocked on her next words, seeming to sense that her long life was in danger of ending.
“Don’t do this”, Anne said her eyes darting around, “That bastard child is still going to die. I poisoned him. Only I can save him. “
“I don’t care”, Seraphina said her voice turned grave.
“Sera we can work something out, dear”
“No we can’t”
Anne’s eyes tightened her lips pursed.
“NO”, Anne roared, “No. You wouldn’t dare. Ravi is still out there. The Unification Party is still out there. If you shoot me they will come for you. They will come for you Seraphina.”
Sera smiled and ran a finger down Anne’s damp face.”
“Anne . . . no one comes for me unless I call for them.”
"I-"
The bullet pierced Anne Lynne’s skull with a loud crack, Anne’s weathered blue eyes went vacant and she elegantly slid down the wall leaving a bright red trail. I’d expected more. Like a light or a great sigh when you kill a creature that has lived on this earth for 1000 years.
The quiet sound of dripping water cut through the silence. Sera hadn’t moved, her hand still in the same position it was in when she shot Anne.
Something caught my eye and I looked up to see Solstice LeCroix climbing out of the dirty underground pool. Shit I’d forgotten about her.
“Solstice, Run”, A new voice enters the fray. I turn to see a slim kid wearing a gold bandanna.
“Ravi”, I shout recognizing him.
Ravi sets something deep into the rock and motions for Solstice to follow him out the opposite exit.
“No”, Solstice says watching Seraphina who is still frozen in place, “They are not getting away with this”
“Come on this place is going to blow in thirty seconds”, Ravi says pointing at the little device he’d planted.
I take out my gun and shoot off a few rounds. Ravi scatters towards the back staircase, Solstice pulls herself out the water and follows him.
“Leon”, Sera snaps back from whatever haze she was in, “We have to get out of here.”
“Right”
I put the gun away and follow her through the exit we came through, I stop on the steps when I remember Arrow is still chained to the stalagmite.
“Shit”, I run back over to him with the keys.
“Leon”, Sera snaps, “What the hell, leave him. You heard Anne. She poisoned him. He’s going to die anyway.”
“No”, I said trying another key. I step back and shoot at the lock and it bends.
“Leonidas Argos you have a fucking family to get back to and this place is going to blow up in 20 seconds.”
“I’m not leaving him”, I whisper I reach for another key, then another and another, “Fucking Christ.”
I try another key a try and when the lock pops open I immediately believe in God. I throw the kid over my shoulder and follow Sera out of the cavern, when I hit the last step I feel the ground shake and the cavern roars with heat and the ground shakes beneath us as the cavern collapses on itself.
Up ahead I see a pair of headlights cutting through the park and out the exit. Ravi is leaning out the window of the car and woops as he and Solstice speed away. Sera follows the car running as fast as she can, but they head for the interstate and Sera stops running midway down the block. I take out my small flashlight and search the area for Vassey. It’s really quiet and I can hear Helena crying, I follow the sound until I find Vassey flat on her back starring up at the night sky.
Vassey is bleeding from her shoulder and her blood covered hands are clutched to the wound. Athena and Helena are huddled under a tree watching her.
“Vassey”, I tap her with my foot.
“Sir”, she whispers, “Tell my parents. . . I’m sorry. I just. . Anne threatened my family ... and me. . . I’m sorry”
She tries to sit up but the blood continues to pour
“Shut up, kid. I’m getting you to a hospital and you’re retiring.”
+++
I can’t let Aria see the girls this way, so I hold off on telling her. Athena and Helena are comfortably sharing a bed, Vassey and Arrow are in their own. Sera is contently sitting in a chair next to Vassey. Sera’s eyes are blank, the only sign that she’s alive is her blood flowing up a tube and into Kelley Vassey.
Going to Damien had been the only choice. During the resistance days I’d made a point to avoid the snide Demon doctor, but he lived in a brownstone above his own private practice and had blatantly disregard for the Hippocratic oath and basic ethics
“Tell me”, Damien said after we knocked on his door and got him to take us to his exam room, “Why I shouldn’t call child protective services on you?”
“Because your last girlfriend was 16 years old”, I’d been holding that one in for a while.
“Yeah, well so was Paris’”
“She was nineteen.”
“Right”, Damien said rolling his eyes.
Sera pushed me aside and stepped up to Damien. He started to say something smart mouthed and she shoved two fingers down his throat and into his esophagus then she pushed him back into the exam room.
“Shut up and do your dam job”
He started chocking and she slipped her fingers out in time for him to vomit in a nearby plant. “Jesus fucking Christ”, he said, “Fine, but the human is going to need some blood and Angels are universal donors.”
Sera took off her jacket
“Take what you need.”
Damien put Helena and Athena on IV. I hold them when he does it and they are brave like Sera, but I can tell they want their Mom. In the second bed Vassey’s color is slowly coming back, I help patch her up and Damien serves her a buffet of FDA unapproved painkillers. I decided to sit next to Arrow since he seemed to need . . . something the most. Damien had hooked him up to an ECG, and IV then he stuck a tube down his throat then hooked him up to a ventilator. Then he begrudgingly put in a catheter.
“Give it to me straight, doc”, I say because I know he hates that.
“Sorry”, he quips, “I can only give information to family . . . care to chime in, mommy”
If Sera had heard him she didn’t react. She was sitting next to Vassey’s bed, her eyes blankly facing forward, her hands demurely folded in her lap, her posture perfectly straight. Maybe she’d fallen asleep with her damn eyes open. Or maybe she was somewhere else entirely.
“Stop being a jackass”, I said to Damien, “Is the kid going to be okay?”
“Kid’s got Botulism. But he’s on so much ketamine I doubt he even feels it, lucky bastard… No offense.”
“Botulism?” I say again.
Damien gives a stupid one sided grin.
“I guess Anne poisoned the kid with her Botox treatments and used the ketamine to keep him knocked out. I had to intubate him and he just needs an antitoxin, then I’ll plow him with charcoal like we used to do the hippies in the 70’s.” Damien’s grin turns manic as he opens a medicine cabinet and sticks a giant needle into Arrow’s IV.
Sera pulls the tourniquet and pressure cuff off of her arm, unceremoniously stopping the flow of her blood into Vassey. She puts her jacket back on, covering the dirt and blood on her shirt.
“We need to take care of something”, Seraphina speaks for the first time in an hour
I stood reading her expression. I looked over the girls again. They needed to get a little bit more color back before I took them home anyway. I slow up when I see Arrow’s hand move, he reaches out just in time to clumsily grab Sera’s hand as she walks past.
To my surprise she doesn’t shake him off. When his eyes open I know she sees the same thing I do. The wide brow, small eyes, high cheek bones, the produced widow’s peak and small nose. Sera is probably wondering the same thing I am. Did he hear her try and leave him behind? She tried to walk away, but he turned getting caught up in the all the wires and tubes and held on to her shirt with both hands. Sera tried to pull away knocking over a tray of tools.
“Make him stop”, she said to Damien.
Arrow tighten his grip and Sera stepped back and knocked over an IV.
“Make him stop”, she snapped a Damien
“I—what do you--” Damien started
“Knock him out, you idiot”, she tried to loosen his grasp and Damien filled a syringe with something, set up the IV and stuck it in.
Arrow’s grasp immediately slackened and he fell into what looked like a peaceful sleep.
Damien is highly amused and before he can make a joke I hurry Sera out the room.
+4+
Paris Prince jumps when Seraphina slams Anne's bloodid silk fan on his office desk. It’s past midnight in The Capitol building and he’d been hiding in his office in the observatory.
He looks down at the fan, he’s confused at first and just before he starts to speak he recognizes the fan. His eyes run side to side putting two and two together. Paris reaches out and touches the edge of the silk fan and the blood that hadn’t yet dried. His eyes slowly go to Seraphina. To her calm expression. His hand starts to tremble-- a bad mix of stress and fear.
He had a right to be afraid.
Because this was how his problems would get fixed. This was how she fixed his problems when he couldn’t.
“I didn’t ask you to—I mean I didn’t—“, he mumbled his way through something for the first time in years.
“It had to be done.” Seraphina said, “For the country.”
“Thank you. I didn’t know how I was . . . thank you”, he looked over at me.
I had to look away. I’d just been doing my job.
Sera placed both her hands on the desk and leans into him, “That’s not how I want to be thanked.”
“I—“
Sera reaches across the desk and warps the length of his thin
black tie twice around her wrist and pulls him up out of his chair and onto the
smooth oak desk and before he can say anything else her mouth is on his. Her
free hand parting his lips; his hand stopped shaking and he closes his mouth
over hers, biting her lip and fighting to keep up with her. He pulls off her jacket and she pulls him closer
and shoves her tongue into his mouth.
“God, Sera I love yo--"
"Shut up"
Sera loosens her grip on his tie and pushes him back on his desk. Anne’s silk fan crushed underneath his fancy black suit. His laptop and numerous coffee cups tumble on to the carpet. She carefully opens the pocket knife I’d given her earlier and cuts off his tie. If Paris is even slightly worried I decide not to stick around long enough to find out
+++
Ares and I get stupid drunk that night.
After leaving Seraphina and Paris I went back to Damien’s. Vassey was already sitting up and Damien had deemed her healthy enough to start flirting with. I promised Vassey I’d put her retirement papers in the minute I had a chance. Arrow was still under, and I swore to the kid I’d see him once he was back at school.
Then I bundled up the girls and took them home.
The door to Aria’s apartment was unlocked. I opened the door a crack and peered in. Aria was in the dark crying under her tiny kitchen table. I pushed the door open and when she saw me—us-- she crawled her way out and to the door, I get on the floor with her and put the girls in her arms and it was like Aria had taken her first breath in hours. Athena smiled because Aria was smiling and I wasn’t sure if Athena felt the weight of the situation.
“Aria”, I said my voice sounded so pained. I felt like I was choking and catching a fever behind my eyes. She looked up at me and I realized now probably wasn’t the best time to tell her Anne was dead, “I..I’m sorry it took so long, baby doll.”
“What are you doing”, she asks putting her hands on either side of my face
“Nothing”, I said she's settles into my lap withone arm around the girls and the other firmly around me. I don't move even though I’m dirty and stained with other people’s blood.
“Look I’ve got to get cleaned up. I’ll be back by
tomorrow. . . it's been a rough night.
“Okay”, she said but she didn’t let me go. She just grasped
me and the girls tighter and I patted her on the back.
“You’re my hero, Leon.”
“If you really knew me, you would know I ain’t nobody’s hero, sweetheart.”
She just shakes her head and adjust her grasp on us.
“Aria?” her name came out as a question, "You alright ?"
“Just a little while longer”, she said
“Okay”
“Okay”
When Aria finally let me go an hour later, I got to my apartment to clean up. I shower in the dark then go out and found Ares at his favorite bar and boy did I have a fucking story.
“I feel like I killed my mother-in-law”, I told him the whole story over a bottle of Jack Daniels. I had to tell someone.
“Fuck that shit”, Ares said, “Fuck, you sons of bitches get stuff done. What the fuck is Paris even doing?”
“The pansy ass shit none us are bullshit enough to do.”
Ares laughs and slaps me hard on the back. We pour out the last few shots and Ares proposes a toast.
“Long live the queen”
“Long live the fucking queen”
+++
I poured myself back into Paris and Seraphina Lullwater hotel suite, where that fuckup young guardsmen had nothing to report to me about his surveillance shift. . I crashed for a few hours, but like clockwork was up at 5am.
When I walk into the hotel suite living room Callum is siting on the couch in a wrinkled sweatshirt that was halfway zipped, showing off his bare chest and a pair of tight black jogging pants.
“The fuc-“
I stopped mid curse when I notice a petite blonde woman trying to figure out the hotel suite’s fancy coffee machine. She frowns at the machine, presses a button and frowns deeper when hot water spurts out.
“Am I in the right place?” I ask.
“Yeah”, said Callum not taking his eyes off the phone.
“Who is the blonde--“
“Gemma.”, he said answering another text.
Gemma pressed another button and this time coffee dripped out and she let out a sigh of instant relief that made Callum smile. She took two Styrofoam coffee cups off the rack and started pouring.
I rubbed my eyes as she bought the coffee over to Callum and kissed his cheek.
“See you later, Gem” He said.
“Bye, Cal”, she said picking up a bag, “Nice to meet you again Captain Argos”, she said
“Yeah”, I said as she hurried out.
“That your girlfriend?” I ask getting a better idea of what I’d missed
“Yeah.”
“Why does she know my name?”
“She’s a second lieutenant with the medical corps.” he said shrugging his shoulders, “She did my military physical.”
“So you two…”
“Yeah”, he said still on his phone.
“With. . .”
“Yeah”, his fingers kept moving on his phone
“I don’t know how you can do that”, I said
“Two rules. Stay hydrated and —“
“Nope. Too much information.”
Callum stuffed his phone in his sweatshirt.
“I got a lead on Ravi and Solstice LeCroix in Port Chester. I’m going to check it out.”
I see Sera had found time to get him up to speed.
“Don’t go alone”, I said.
“I’ll get Paul.” He offered then made for the door.
I poured out the remaining coffee into an oversized travel mug. I cautiously knocked on the master suite door before elbowing my way in. The room was neat, the news played silently in the background and on the nightstand Paris’ phone buzzed with appointments. Paris was sound asleep in the gray sheets that were twisted in a not-so strategic way around him. The sun spotlighted the olds scars along his skinny torso and thighs. It also highlighted the very fresh scratch marks on his chest
Sera was standing by the window, I smelled the smoke of her cheap cigarette before I saw her She was wearing a tight black cutoff t-shirt and a pair of dark gray briefs. She was barefoot, her hair was wet and slicked back.
“Please tell me he’s still alive.” I said placing the coffee
cup next to Paris’ buzzing phone.
“I’m alive”, Paris said his eyes still closed.
“You’re late for like 20 appointments.” I told him.
“It’s fine I could run this country with my hands tied behind my back.”
“Are your hands tied behind your back?”
He shifted his shoulders and twisted slightly.
“Not anymore.”
Sera put out her cigarette and climbed back into bed with her husband, she slid in between his legs and kissed his wrist, going up his arm and carefully kissing the scratches on his chest, then moving over to his mouth. It was, slow and perfectly practiced in a way it was when you kiss the same person for eight years.
“Where have you been?” Sera asked pushing away
from Paris, she made to bring the cigarette back to her mouth but remembered
she’d put it out. I’m not sure how Paris found another one fast, he carefully
put it between her lips and lit it for her before I could question it.
“Ares”, was all I had to say
“What did you tell him?” Sera asked.
“The essentials. You okay? You seemed pretty shaken after uh. . . Anne”, I said
“I—Paris, don’t you have a country to run”, she said switching her focus from me to him.
He nodded and got out of bed, picking up a robe from the floor but not really bothering to tie it properly
“Leon”, Paris said not making eye contact, “If you don’t mind me asking— how’s the kid”
I’m shocked Sera told him about the details of last night.
“Damien texted me last night. He’s fine.”
“That’s wonderful”, Paris said, “Do you think maybe I should--”
“Paris”, Seraphina snapped
“Sorry. I’m going”
I moved to sit on the bed next to her.
“Callum said Ravi and Solstice might be in Port Chester. He’s going to check it out with Paul”
“Tell him we don’t need to get any authorities involved.”
“Will do. I’m going to ask you again—you alright?”
She nods, but at the same time there is an empty bottle of Jack Daniels tangled in the sheets.
“Killing Anne… wasn’t easy”, she said, “I always thought it would be. She always had it out for me and I always wanted to prove to her I didn’t need her or her rules. And I would never become a whore, or a wife or . . . mother. I fought against it so hard and she was right. Some things are inevitable...”
“You love Paris”, I said, “and you don’t have to say anything but I know you love that boy in your own way. You’re a heartless enough bitch that if you didn’t want him, he wouldn’t be here. There is nothing wrong with that, don’t let Anne ruin that shit for you.”
She shook her head and finished off the bottle
“You just . . . don’t understand”, she said.
“Yeah, well your so damn good at whoring yourself out you
could probably earn enough to pay that this whole counties GDP on tips alone.—“
“Shut up”, she said giving me halfhearted shove.
She thinks pensively while lighting another cheap cigarette. I think maybe I owe her some Cuban cigars. Paris reappears cleanly shaven, shiny black hair heavily coiffed dressed in another form fitting black suit with too many epaulettes. He smells predictably like lemons and mint. His unmarred skin was perfectly unblemished and stretched tight over his glass cut features. The scars at least humanized him
“The last thing Anne said“, Sera said giving Paris a lingering glance as he put his watch on,“She said the unification party would come for us.”
Paris drops a cuff link when he hears this, but he shakes it off and quietly continues to dressing himself
“That what got your worried, Sera?” I ask.
“Who says I’m worried?”
“How many cigarettes have you had?” I challenge her.
“None of you damn business.”
Paris seamlessly puts his contact in and his eyes are instantly brighter and whiter. Sera blows out a steady stream of smoke, watching Paris fold a dark red pocket square, her eyes following his long overly manicured fingers. In the mirror he notices her noticing him. Her ankles are crossed and her arms are folded. She’s guarded despite herself.
“I’ll walk you to your car”, I said to Paris sensing Seraphina wanted to be alone
“Lead the way”, he says giving himself on last look in the
mirror before and kissing his wife good-bye.
Before we get in the elevator he turns to me.
“Is there anything I should know?”
“No”, I said, “But this is the last time Seraphina kills someone for you. Next time you get yourself into some shit. You deal with it.”
“We’ll see about that”, he muses and takes a handful of Damien approved painkillers and mood stabilizers.
Paris hums to himself and calls the elevator when he steps in I don’t follow.
“Coming?” he asks
“I gotta take care of some shit."
“What’s going on, Leon?” He asks, "Anne's gone. This is all done isn't it ?"
“It's nothing you should worry your fragile hands about.”
His face breaks into the terrible sly scar stretching smile as the doors close. I didn’t have time to babysit Paris Prince. I had 3 days before the Official Liberation Day. Solstice LeCroix and Ravi were still alive and on the loose. As far as I was concerned I had to prepare for one more fight.
+++
Yes, there is a major pothole in this chapter
How does Leon get everyone to Damien’s brownstone? They rode a motorcycle to the caverns. I mean they can’t get in a cab they are covered in blood and dirt? In my head they stole the car Anne used to get there because Anne and Solstice didn’t ride together but I couldn’t fit it into the narrative
Also, Inglewood Park is where the last chapter of Lux Aeterna takes place. Except I could have sworn it was a real place. Now yes, there are caverns in Central Park but I guess I had to make up my own
Also this part where Sera feels anxiety about the pressure of conforming to female gender norms
“Killing Anne… wasn’t easy”, she said, “I always thought it would be. She always had it out for me and I always wanted to prove to her I didn’t need her or her rules. And I would never become a whore, or a wife or . . . mother. I fought against it so hard and she was right. Some things are inevitable...”
“You love Paris”, I said, “and you don’t have to say anything but I know you love that boy in your own way. You’re a heartless enough bitch that if you didn’t want him, he wouldn’t be here. There is nothing wrong with that, don’t let Anne ruin that shit for you.”
She shook her head and finished off the bottle
“You just . . . don’t understand”, she said.
Leon is wrong here. He's mansplaining. So a slight unreliable narrator here.