Linx's body began to shake. He hated being yelled at.
"You stupid, mangy animal. How could you not know that she had transferred her powers?" Haze yelled, throwing the nearest object that he could reach; a chair from Lavenda's kitchen table.
Linx let out a yelp as the chair hit him in the rump. He ran for cover under the end table by the couch. A whine of complaint came from his throat.
"Shut up." Haze roared. "You had one job and one job only."
Haze's six foot frame towered over the table as he cursed under his breath. He began to pace the length of the house and back again. His long strides ate up the distance between each outside wall. Frustration poured off the man in waves. Linx let out another whine. The anger that came off the man was beginning to scare him. He tucked his tail between his legs and tried to shrink even further away. Haze paused in the middle of the room. If he couldn't have the power that Lavenda had acquired, then he would just take the daughter's. The idea made an evil smile curve his thin lips.
Now he had to figure out how he was going to get to the daughter. She would either be guarded or hidden from him. If she was guarded, he would have no problem getting to her. His minions would be the ones that went in after her, but he was the one that would get her power. Now all he had to do was find her. He turned to look at the end table where the brown wolf was hiding.
"Linx." He said softly. "Come on out Linx. I'm no longer upset with you."
Linx cautiously crept out from his hiding place. He kept his head down and showed his teeth a little to let Haze know that he hadn't appreciated being yelled at. He gave a light growl. His tail lifted as he moved towards the man. Haze's hand came down to rest on the scruff of Linx's neck as he kneeled down beside the wolf. The man's fingers tangled in the fur.
"I want you to find Lavenda's daughter. She is the key to finding where Lavenda put her powers."
After carefully considering it, Linx bobbed his head in agreement. He shook off Haze's hand, and headed for the open door. There was a light breeze blowing through the city. It carried many scents on it and all he had to do was figure out which one was most like Lavenda's. He took a moment to sort through the different scents on the wind before he began moving toward the buildings at the edge of town. His pace was a slow trot as he moved through back streets, alley ways and across yards that looked like mini jungles. The scent led him to a dilapidated apartment building that looked like it was about to fall over. It floated down to him from a fourth floor window that was open.
As the sun began to sink below the tree line, he could hear voices from the window. He decided to settle down for the night and see what happened in the morning. A bush nearby offered a great cover for him to sleep in. He curled up in the slight hollow spot in the center of the bush. With a sigh, he put his head on his front paws and curled his tail around. Another long night of being in wolf form.
~*~
Dream rolled her shoulders. She needed sleep.
"I should get to bed." She said, hoping that Anubis took the hint.
"Do not worry about me." Anubis told her. "I am used to finding places for myself."
"Okay." She stood up.
He stood as well. "Sleep well. I shall see you in the morning."
Anubis walked to the door of the apartment. After walking into the hallway,and making sure she locked the door, he faded into the shadows. It was time for him to check the safety of the building before he headed off to feed. Nothing caught his attention as he patrolled the other floors. It wasn't until he had reached the side of the building that had Dream's window on it, that he found anything. A large wolf that wasn't native to the area was curled up in the cover of a dying bush. Anubis didn't stop his recon to check the wolf, but continued on his way around the rest of the building. The wolf may be a threat. That threat wouldn't be established tonight though. The rain would be a disadvantage to a wolf used to dry weather. It was best not to worry about it until it was an important happening.
He walked through the shadows and checked the rest of the street. Once satisfied that all was well, he headed for a battle field in the next plane. The demon warriors were now fighting with the lesser wizards. All of the warriors would be living off of their adrenaline for the next few weeks. He would feed today. That should hold him over for the next few days. One perk of being what he was, he could go days without feeding. Adrenaline had more nutritional value than fear.
He stepped out onto the largest shadow of the battle field. Before beginning to feed, he looked around to figure out where all of the key players were. His father stood tall on top of the nearest hill, looking out over his army. The leader of the Wizards was in much the same position, but on the other side of the field and hovering above the ground. The wizards were trying their best to fend off the demons, but their efforts were generally wasted. The demons were stronger. Anubis kept to the shadows and began to track the one person with the most adrenaline in their system. A demon nearby was yelling in triumph, pumping a fist into the air. He turned with the spear that he was using and charged a new target. The metal tip of the spear went straight through the man's heart. The demon let out another war cry before turning and running down the battle field again to choose another victim.
The adrenaline coming off of the guy was almost intoxicating to Anubis. When he had his fill, he let the shadows transport him back to the apartment building. He knew that going back to Dream's would only freak her out, so he continued to patrol the outside. Satisfied that the wolf was still in its place, he let his wings stretch to their full width. It had been a while since he had stretched his wings. With a sigh of relief, he gave one powerful flap of his wings. The force of that single flap lifted him high enough to land on the roof of the building while scattering the water droplets. A light wind brushed his face and he closed his eyes. Living on the edge of the world didn't allow time for just thinking.
He let his mind wander. The first thing that came to mind was his mother. He needed to go visit soon. Things were about to get complicated. If that wolf down there was any indication of what was coming, he needed to know if there was a being after the girl. Of course, she would tell him that it was for him to figure out, but she would also give him something important that would help him in the end.
~*~
Dream shifted in her bed. Mist was swirling around her again. Something was calling to her. She closed her eyes and let the mist take her to the building that the God of the Dead had shown her. Lights poured out of several windows. How strange that the lights would be on now. She walked forward to the double mahogany doors that were slightly familiar. They opened by themselves again as if welcoming her. She greeted the shadows that reached out to her. Her hand lifted on its own as if reaching for the shadows in return. Voices whispered in her ears. The words were blurred together without meaning. She couldn't make out what they said or why they were talking to her. She reached the first door that was open and light was coming out of.
She leaned into the doorway, to see what was on the inside. The brightly lit room held a few things. There was a desk that sat at the back of the room. Twin winged-backed chairs were positioned in front of it. No one sat behind the desk, but she had the feeling that someone was there. She took a deep breath, and then stepped into the room.
"Hello?" she called.
Nothing answered her, but she knew that something was in the room. She moved farther into the light to look around. The wall to her left was lined from floor to ceiling with books. Some were thousands of years old and others were new. Odd. The wall to her right had two large windows. Deep red cloth curtains hung on either side of the windows. She noticed that although the room was pretty clean, there were a few books still open on the desk. She thought it was odd that no one was in the room.
"Hello?" she tried again.
"Hello, Miss. I see you found the room just fine." Someone said from behind her.
She whirled around to face the person. "Who are you?"
The indefinable face seemed pleased by her reaction. "That is a question that has stumped many people over the years." The person said. "My name is Novel. I am the only person that knows everything that has happened to every race that has ever been."
Novel stood at about five foot. Dark brown hair reached the top of tanned ears. A long white robe trimmed in deep purple with ancient symbols from many of the dead languages covered his body. Dream knew that those symbols meant that this person was a scholar that documented all of the major events in history. The accounts of which were stored in the large leather bound books lined on the wall. Certain parts of history were given to history book writers for students to study; however, some of the most significant events that tell of the magical side of the world were never released.
"You are the Keeper of the Books?"
Novel nodded. "I am indeed." Novel told her with a small smile. "I am the one that documents the occurrences of the entire universe."
Dream nodded. "I feel honored to be here, but I should ask why I'm here."
"You are here to help me."
"Help you?"
"Yes. I am asking you for your help. Several things have gone missing from this office." Novel told her. "Look at the books. There are two holes." Novel walked over and gestured to the holes. "These books hold everything. The two that were taken, were documents of a couple key battles between the demons and other races."
"Which races?" Dream asked looking over the books.
"The elves and giants." Novel told her. "The information in those books could end the world when in the wrong hands."
"Why ask me to help? I have no powers."
Novel smiled. "Having powers does not make any one person more suited for one job or another. Having the ability to think logically without letting emotion run your decisions does. You, dear, are able to think things through without giving in to what you feel." Novel walked back to the desk. "I am requesting that you find the books and return them. It is of the utmost importance."
Dream looked out the window. The mist was still swirling around and it seemed to call to her. She walked to the window like she was in a trance. Though she knew that she should be listening to Novel, the voices seemed to come out of the mist. They were calling to her; trying to tell her something.
"Dear?" Novel said. "Come away from the window, my dear. There is nothing out there for you. Those voices are not the ones you should listen to."
Dream shook her head to clear it. "You're right. I'm sorry."
"Perfectly understandable." Novel told her. "Those voices have lured many a medium out to their ranks. Do not let them distract you from what you have to do or who you listen to. The voices do not belong to any living being that needs help."
"I will do my best."
"Good. Now, go back to your reality and find my books for me. I am counting on you to return the books to me."
"I will." Dream assured Novel.
Novel nodded. "Good. I shall send you back now."
Novel put a hand on her shoulder before she felt a warm dizzy feeling sweep over her. She closed her eyes as she seemed to fall back to sleep.
~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~
Dream felt sweat slide down the back of her neck as she sat up in bed. She pushed the blankets back from her body and swung her legs over the edge. When her feet touched the carpet, she immediately felt that something was off. She rubbed a hand over her face and stood up. After stretching, she walked over to the window that overlooked the small garden that the older women looked after. The temperature in the room was suddenly stifling hot. She opened the window. The cool breeze felt good against her face. She closed her eyes and let the cool wind wash over her.
She found herself wondering where Anubis had run off to. Then she rolled her eyes at her own stupidity. Anubis was a half demon that had pretty much invited himself into her life. Before he had showed up, everything had been pretty normal. She had needed food and only food. It hadn't been her intention to lure a demon back to her house. She couldn't believe the way the day had turned out. A half demon that had followed her home, two dreams that had led her to the same building and still no ideas for her book. She sighed. Martin was going to shoot her if she didn't get the new book idea ready by next week.
She rubbed her lower back as an ache began to throb. Aspirins were kept in her bathroom in the medicine cabinet. She headed towards the door to her bedroom. Just as she would've touched the door knob, a gust of wind blew over her.
"Do not touch the door." A low voice said from behind her.
She tensed and slowly turned around to face the voice. Anubis stood just inside the room by the open window. She sighed. Of course he had come through the window. She rolled her eyes again. Anubis was a half demon. Entering a room through the window was normal.
"Why not?" she asked, putting her hands akimbo.
"There is something unsavory on the other side." He told her. "A young gremlin trying to earn his place among the ranks of the army has found his way into your living room."
"Great." She stretched the word out
Anubis walked forward. "Do you realize how dangerous young gremlins can be?"
"No." she told him. "This morning I didn't even know that demons exist."
"I am a half demon."
"Whatever floats your boat." She said.
Anubis sighed. "Gremlins are notoriously determined to be the best. None of the ones on the army now have ever collected a hair from a medium without waking her." He explained. "This young gremlin tracked you while you were sleeping. Did you speak with one of the gods while you were sleeping?"
"No. I spoke with Novel."
He nodded. "They tracked your power."
She sighed. "Great. Now I have gremlins in my apartment. Just what I need."
"The gremlins will not harm you." He assured her. "I shall not let them."
"So noble of you. Don't worry yourself about it. I've got it handled."
He arched one dark eyebrow.
"What? You don't think I can?"
"I think you are being overly cocky." He told her. "I have fought gremlins. They do not fight fair and you have no fighting experience whatsoever."
"Sure, fine. I never learned to fight." She said. "Go ahead. I'm not going to stop you from getting yourself hurt."
Anubis shook his head at her dramatics. Fighting gremlins could get messy and he didn't want her to get hurt. She was obviously important in some way. His better instincts told him to just get the girl out of the building and let the gremlins do what they wanted. Against those instincts, he slowly opened the door. He wanted to get some information out of them before things got out of control. The young gremlin was rooting around in a drawer. Anubis slipped through the crack and walked quietly to the end of the short hallway.
"She's not here." The younger one said.
"Yes, she is. I can feel her." One of the older gremlins walked closer. "She is here."
The gremlins continued to argue back and forth about Dreams presence in the apartment. Anubis let his wings unfurl from his body as he stepped into the room. The gremlins stopped their arguing long enough to look at him. They faced him and spread their legs. It was the sign of battle readiness. He sighed. Fighting gremlins was not how he wanted to start the night. Gremlins never let anything go. The fight would continue until he either gave up or died. The older gremlin stepped forward.
"A message for the medium." He said. "You cannot protect her forever, demon. She has been marked for death. Do not think that she can escape."
Anubis bared his teeth. "Do not threaten me, you cretin."
"It is not you that I threaten. The medium is the one that is marked." The gremlin said. "Nothing can change that."
The younger gremlin let loose a growl. "Tell her that she is to hand over the necklace."
With a dramatic eye roll, the older gremlin backhanded his companion sending his companion to the floor. "Shut up, Dearg-Dur. That information is for the medium only. You heard what the wizard said. No one else is to know of the necklace."
Anubis listened. He could hear Dream shifting in the bedroom behind him. The span of his wings kept her from being seen as she peeked around the door. The gremlins continued to argue. They didn't even notice that he had moved back away from them. He slipped back through, quietly closing the door.
"What are they talking about? I'm marked for death?" Dream's eyes were wide as she looked at him.
He sighed, folding his wings against him. "Yes. You are marked for death. I had not seen it before now, but it is clear. Only a few races are able to mark others; Demons, Angels and Gods."
Dream shook her head and backed away from Anubis. She couldn't believe someone wanted her dead. When the back of her knees hit the bed, she sank down to sit. As if sensing her confusion, Anubis walked over. He sat beside her. A feeling of safety washed over her with him beside her. She focused on what the gremlin had said. Someone wanted a necklace from her. She didn't wear jewelry. Never had. She blinked.
"I don't have the necklace." She said quietly. "I don't own any jewelry."
"Do not worry." Anubis lightly rested a hand on her shoulder. "You are safe with me. We will find the necklace they are after."
"What could be so special about a necklace?"
~*~
A large black wolf lifted her nose to the wind. She looked at the building. Dream's scent was mixed with a demon's. That was what she had expected. The scent of gremlins puzzled her a little bit. They usually kept to the forests. Why would they be in the city? Noir stepped forward. Something was different about their scents. She couldn't tell what it was, but she knew that something was off with the gremlins. The necklace hanging around her neck flashed. She looked down. It flashed again. With a bob of her head, Noir decided that now was not the time to deliver the powers. Danger hung over the building like a large black cloud. She sneezed and backed up into the shadows.
Before she could fade away, another wolf walked by. The brown fur was ragged and muddy. Seeming to smell her, the wolf stopped and looked at her. She bared her teeth in warning and dropped her head. The male took a step toward her. A menacing growl rumbled through her. This was her territory. She hated it when other wolves entered the area. This wolf had a bad feel to him. He was working with a wizard; doing the dirty work for a man that only wanted evil things. Another menacing growl sent the male away from her. She scanned the area before fading into the shadows.
When Dream needed her, she would be there. Before the girl could access the powers, she needed to learn to trust in herself. Confidence was essential. Learning to trust another was also something she needed. Being wary of everyone took its toll on a person's sanity. Dream couldn't live her entire life alone. She needed to see that leaning on others could be a good thing. Until those lessons were learned, Noir decided that she would hide in the ghostly limbo plane. She would be able to watch over the girl without being seen. A portal opened beside her. The swirling vortex swallowed her as she walked through.
~*~
Dream rubbed a hand over her face. A throb had begun in her temple.
"The gremlins have left." Anubis said beside her.
"Good."
She stood and walked into the bathroom. When she tried to open the door to the medicine cabinet, it wouldn't budge. She gave a frustrated tug on the door, only to have her hand slip. Her body slammed against the wall. She slid to the floor and brought her knees to her chest. A sob caught in her throat.
"Are you okay?" Anubis asked from the doorway. "I heard a thud."
Dream put her forehead on her knees. "I couldn't get the cabinet door open. When I tried to tug it open, I fell." Her voice was small.
She felt, more than heard, Anubis walk into the room. The creak of metal told her that he had forced the door to open. Anger at her helplessness welled up within her. She felt tears prick at the back of her eyes. The rustle of cloth brought her head up. Anubis was crouched in front of her. He had the bottle of Aspirin in one hand and water in the other. She looked at him.
"How did you know what I was getting?"
"I can feel your pain." He said. "I actually just guessed that you wanted these."
She laughed. Her entire body shook with the force of her laughter. The confused look on Anubis' face only made her laugh harder. When she finally caught her breath, she wiped the tears that had slid down her face. She took a deep breath. Anubis was looking at her like she had gone mad. Maybe she had. Dream took another deep breath.
"Thanks." She took the bottle of pills and the glass of water from him.
"You okay?" he asked after she took two pills.
She nodded. "I'm just stressed. I guess the shock finally wore off."
"What was so funny?"
"I was just realizing the absurdity of a half demon guessing what I wanted." She explained. "Most people would be screaming about how you had read their minds. Instead, I ask how you knew." She hiccupped another laugh.
"I do not see the way that is funny." Anubis frowned.
"You wouldn't." she said. "How do we find a necklace I know nothing about?"
Anubis helped her to stand. "We visit my mother. She can give us a general direction."
"She seemed pretty vague the last time that I saw her."
"She cannot give away too much."
Dream nodded. She walked back to her bedroom and gathered her outfit. After shutting the door on Anubis, she changed. The butter soft jeans allowed her to move freely. Her maroon t-shirt was tight enough to fit her body, but still loose enough that it didn't hinder her movements. She chose her broken in tennis shoes. If something went wrong, she wanted to be able to run. She opened the door and let Anubis in.
"Do I need anything? I mean, are we coming back?" she asked.
"It may not be safe to return here." Anubis said. "You may want to take anything important with you."
She grabbed a backpack from beneath her bed. There were only a few things that she prized. She grabbed her mother's family crest - a small piece of cloth - and her father's leather bound book. The book contained his family tree, the family crest and all of the important documents in Dream's life. She zipped up the bag. Anubis led the way into the living room. Dream made a stop in the kitchen to grab food, just in case. He paused in the middle of the room to allow her time to grab her wallet and keys. After putting on her jacket, Dream followed him out of the apartment. The hallway was quiet as they walked to the elevator. Dream pushed the call button. Anubis listened to the rattle of the metal cage. An involuntary shudder rocked his body. He hated small enclosed spaces.
"You okay?" Dream asked.
He nodded. "I am fine."
Dream let it go, but she could see the sweat beginning to bead on his forehead. The elevator dinged and the doors opened. She glanced at him again. Instead of stepping into the car, she turned toward the door that led to the stairs. She felt Anubis follow her and heard his sigh of relief. She thought about that. It never occurred to her that a demon would be claustrophobic. She had always thought that demons would be fearless.
"You're claustrophobic?" she asked when they reached the ground floor.
Anubis opened the door for her. "Claustrophobic?"
"Afraid of small places." She walked through. "You begin to sweat, your chest seems to close and you start to breathe rapidly."
"Yes." He said. "I am."
"I thought demons were supposed to be fearless."
"Most are. When we spend a lot of time in the human realm, it is easy for us to develop human anxieties. For a half demon, it is even easier. The anxieties we develop are pre-existing, but the emotions that fuel it are buried."
Dream thought about that. She supposed it made sense. As they walked through the lobby, she tried to wrap her mind around everything she had learned. The rain was still falling as they stepped outside. Dream pulled the hood of her jacket up.
"Which way?"
"To the airport."
"You want me to walk all the way to the airport."
He lifted an eyebrow. "Can we not take a cab?"
She laughed. "This is the suburb. Taxis don't stop here. They drive straight through." She laughed again at the shocked look on his face. "Come on. We'll take the subway."
He dutifully followed her to the final subway station on the route. It amazed him that the humans actually rode in trains that ran underground. Dream led him onto the train. They settled at the back of the car. At the other end, Anubis noted a group of young men. Each one had a white t-shirt and a black hoodie with neon green bandannas around their left bicep. Strange clothing. He watched them for a few minutes. They kept glancing at him.
"Stop staring." Dream said in a low voice. "Don't make eye contact."
"Why?"
"The gangs on this side of the city are very violent. They'll take any excuse to pick a fight."
Anubis couldn't understand that. His father fought, but only on good grounds. The army didn't attack until, or unless, war was declared. It didn't make sense for people to fight over things that were minuscule. The gang on the other side of the car began to move toward them. Dream noticed the red color of their eyes. She sighed. The boys were high. They would be walking into the fight blinded.
"You got a problem, dude?" the biggest one asked. "Staring is rude, you know."
Dream shifted. "Look, we don't want any trouble." She said. "He was just admiring your bandannas; it's something he's not accustomed to."
The guy looked her over. "Is that so?" he said, leaning toward her. "You're kinda pretty. Why don't you join me and my friends?"
She rolled her eyes. "No, thanks."
"Come on, babe." He trailed a finger down her cheek. "I can show you a good time."
She saw Anubis stand out of the corner of her eyes. His hands clenched into fists. His stance was rigid. The man lifted an eyebrow and glanced at his friends. The others gave snorts of disbelief. Dream almost felt sorry for them--almost.
"You gonna fight me?" the man sneered.
"Do not push your fate." Anubis' voice was dead and calm.
"My fate? Man, where are you from?" he laughed.
Dream put a hand on Anubis' arm as she stood up. "It's not worth it. Come on." She moved past him to the door.
The man snaked an arm around her waist. He pulled her flush against him. Her hands went automatically to his chest. He smiled.
"See? I'm better for you than him."
"I disagree." She said. "He doesn't attack me. I suggest letting me go."
"I don't think so." The man tightened his arm and leaned his head down to her.
Before she could protest, she was pulled away from him. She blinked. Anubis had him pinned to the side of the car with a hand around his neck. She saw the man's eyes widen in shock. Then he began to fight back. Anubis easily kept out of reach and bared his teeth. The man's face began to turn red. Dream put a hand on Anubis' shoulder. He turned his head to look at her.
"Let him go."
"What?"
"Let him go. He's not worth it. Our stop is next."
Anubis looked back at the man. "You are lucky the lady has a heart. I would rather finish you off." He removed his hand.
He allowed himself to be led to the door. The coughing and sputtering he heard from behind him has his lips lifting in a satisfied smile. Normally, he hated violence, but seeing that man handle Dream the way he had, set his teeth on edge. Anubis folded his wings closer and put his hands in his pockets. The subway stopped, making them sway a little. Dream shifted her backpack a little on her shoulder before walking through the doors. People milled about as they waited for their trains. As she wove her way through the crowd, Dream knew that Anubis was behind her. Once they reached the sidewalk, she moved into an alleyway.
"What was that all about?" she asked. "You can't just use your demon speed and strength on people."
"He would have hurt you." He said sounding unrepentant.
"You can't attack people. It's not right." She told him. "If I need your help, I'll say so. But you can't just lift people off the ground. Okay?"
Anubis nodded. "I shall not do it again."
"Good." She smiled. "Now, let's catch a cab. The airport is still a few miles away."
She walked out to the curb. A taxi pulled up to the curb after she lifted a hand. She opened the back door and climbed in. Anubis climbed in as she slid over.
"To the airport, please." She said.
"Yes, ma'am."
Dream settled in for the ride. She watched the buildings fly past. The driver tried to initiate small talk, but Dream refused to talk. Giving up, the driver tuned the radio. Silence, except for the hum of the radio settled over the car.
~*~
Linx paced in front of the door. He hated it when Haze made him wait in the hallway. It made him feel so insignificant. With a sigh, he rolled his shoulders. It felt good to be back in human form. He had a feeling that Haze was going to yell at him again. Rubbing his hands together, he did another lap. Just as he walked past the door again, the knob turned. Haze opened the door and motioned him in.
"Hello, Linx." He said. "So you lost the girl?"
"No, sir. She left with a man."
Haze crossed to his oak desk. "Have a seat, Linx. We need to chat." He sat in his leather chair and waited.
"I have some people in place to watch for the girl. She was spotted on the subway." He continued when Linx took his seat. "Any idea where she's going?"
Linx shook his head. "No, sir." He said. "I heard nothing from the gremlins that suggested anything."
Haze sighed. "That's disappointing. She's getting away." He rubbed the back of his neck. "The gremlins said that she was with a demon. If that's true, then we may have a harder time tracking her."
The shrill sound of the phone pierced the silence. Linx jumped at the sound. Haze rolled his eyes at the shifter as he answered the phone. His face seemed to turn into stone as he listened. Linx shrank into his chair. The news couldn't be good. Either someone had messed up, or they had done something stupid. Most of the time the two were the same thing. When dealing with Haze, they were very different. Messing up was letting the target know you were there too soon. Stupid was losing the target all together. Haze put the phone back on the cradle. He looked at Linx.
"She took a cab to the airport. Why would she go there?"
Linx shrugged. "Maybe they are catching a flight."
"I am unamused." Haze told him. "Demons do not take planes. They have wings. Even with another person with them, a demon would fly with their own wings." He stood and moved to the window. "There might be a portal within the airport building." He mused. "But if so, which portal? And why would they need it?"
Linx shrugged. He knew better than to talk when Haze began thinking out loud. The wizard was a ticking time bomb. One word out of place and he would fry you where you stood. Hell of a way to live. Everyone walked on eggshells. Haze began to pace the spacious office. His long strides made quick work of the space.
"Someone will have to follow them." Haze stopped by Linx's chair. "It would have to be someone I trust." He looked at Linx. "Think you can do it?"
Linx swallowed. "Yes, but how am I going to get to the airport in time?"
"Do not worry about that." Haze smiled.
~*~
e