Inside Access

Chapter 1: Wrong

Chapter 1: Wrong

Warren's fists flew fast and true, the punching bag before him absorbing the blows without protest. Sweat dripped down his face, down his body, as he worked out the frustration, the helplessness, the overall sense of failure that permeated his very being.

The obviously well used punching bad was just one of the many pieces of workout equipment that Warren kept in his garage. He spent a fair amount of time working out yet lately he seemed to spend more time working out than not.

Unbidden, unwelcome, the familiar image of Josh, dead and cold laying on the wooden porch of his enemy's house flashed into his mind.

Warren cried out in personal agony as his last punch flew and he stopped, leaning against the abused bag just a bit as he shook his head.

He and Josh hadn't really been close. Though they had spent every day together for a little over a month, there had always been a sort of clash of personalities between the two men. Warren considered Josh more of a coworker than friend. In fact, he was closer to Ilia and Dallas, though he hadn't seen either of them since that night, than he ever had been to Josh.

The night Josh died, the night Warren failed in his task.

The Mythical Creatures Regulation Committee, the MCRC, was tasked with the job of promoting mythic relations, laws, and rights throughout the world. Warren worked for the criminal division of MCRC, under Jack Cross, and dearly loved his job.

Warren, himself, was a mythic. A haltija, a mythic that was a close cousin to the elves. His kind shared many of the same traits with them. They both had long, pointed ears, longer even than other mythics such as fairies or sirens. Both species had jewel bright eyes, Warren's were a spectacular shade of green, and both could be poisoned with alcohol.

However, the key difference between the two was that of nature and coloring. Elves tended to be pale, with fine hair, and were the most peaceful of all the creatures on the planet. Musically inclined, artistically superior to nearly everyone, and deeply philosophical; elves were a species of mythic most every one loved and respected.

Haltija, on the other hand, couldn't be more different. Warren had thick, black hair that he really needed to get cut at the moment, as well as dark, olive colored skin. The biggest difference, though, was that of personality. Haltija were aggressive, protective, and, more often than not, domineering.

All haltija, regardless of gender or religion of background, developed, right around puberty, a connection to something. A connection so strong and deep and lasting it bordered on obsession. This bond, this mania, this reason for living, was called a vaki. It was intensely personal, incredibly important, and completely unforgettable.

Sometimes it was a simple thing. Warren's father's vaki was his house, the building itself and the small plot of land around it was what he connected to. Other times, it was obscure and odd. Warren knew of a haltija is who's vaki was the migrational path of monarch butterflies. Not the butterflies themselves, but the path they used to migrate along.

Warren's vaki, his reason for living, the thing he must protect above all others, was MCRC itself. The people, the building, the idea, the rules they set in place for the mythics they helped. This made him incredibly valuable to Jack. Because of the vague nature of his vaki, he could be called upon to protect any and all parts of MCRC. A building, done, a person, done, argue for hours for the advancement of mythics, done.

Warren's last assignment, only a week ago now, had been to protect the MCRC employee Josh. Easy enough to do, the guy was a computer expert, it wasn't like he was going to be in very many dangerous situations.