Halak knocked on the Alchemist’s door. It was old and rotting, overgrowing with vines along the edge, despite probable complaints from nearby tenants. All very typical Alchemist. Halak rocked on his heels before raising his fist to knock again.
The door swung open. “Knock again like that and I’ll cook up something that will make you disappear, and I not talking about an invisibility potion.” The man behind the door croaked. Halak looked down at him. He was hunched over and glaring at them. “What?”. He said with unsubtle impatience.
“Are you Bacchus?” Halak asked. The old man watched them without a answering. The air grew stale between them. Halak shifted on his feet, unsure whether he had been heard. “Are you-“
“Come in.” Bacchus said, turning and walking into the house. Halak exchanged a glance with Arlo, who only shrugged. They followed the old man inside.
As they stepped into the house with Bacchus leading the way, the ripe smell of rotting wood hit Halak. He expected expected to see moss hanging off the walls but instead was greeted by a surprisingly sterile interior. Arlo shut the door, cutting off any outside street lights that were filtering in through the doorway. Inside, the walls were lit by wall lamps that glowed blue. As Halak walked, he passed tanks under each lamp that grew various plants and colonies of things that were slimy or otherwise oscillating. He passed one and the source of the rotting wood smell became clear. Inside the glass encasement, which looked like a large fish tank minus the water, there were pieces of dead bark. Among them, things not quiet like slugs stuck to the surfaces and made subtle but audibly sucking noises. Halak turned away and tried to ignore the smell, passing into the room beyond.
Bacchus stepped up to a metallic counter, took a beaker that was placed above a burner, and waved it around it circles. The mixture inside was still boiling, but the old man didn’t seem to mind. Once the bubbles died away he downed the concoction and placed the beaker back on the counter. Bacchus turned back to them.
“I’m going to need a good reason for why you decided to stop by my shop this late.” He said. His voice suddenly sounded much healthier and full.
Halak frowned. “I need to know if someone’s been tainted.”
“I just want to make sure we’re using the same vocabulary here, young man. By tainted you mean-“
“By a demon.” Halak finished. Bacchus eyed him. Halak wasn’t sure, but Bacchus looked like he was standing a little straighter.
“You let me finish my sentences, son.” The man said. “I don’t care if you’re some kind of mind reader, you don’t need to try and prove it.” He didn’t relent his disapproving look until Halak finally nodded his consent. “Good.” He said.
Bacchus turned back and, this time, Halak was sure he wasn’t as bent over. Halak glanced at Arlo who lifted his hand to his mouth and pantomimed throwing back a couple drinks and then pointed past Halak and the old man. Halak looked to where he was pointing and saw the empty glass from which Bacchus had drank earlier. Bacchus acted as if he didn’t see the exchange, but his thinning white hair began to regain it’s color.
“I thought youth serums weren’t possible to make.” Halak said, watching the hair as it slowly, almost imperceptibly, turned to a hazelnut brown and regained some of it’s fullness. Bacchus reached out and plucked the tie from Halak’s hand, careful to hold it by the small section where none of the blood had smeared. He turned back to his table.
“It’s not possible, yet.” Bacchus said, pulling his eyewear down from the crown of his head. “But an aging potion can be quite easy once you’ve done it enough. And the antidote for that, is equally so.”
“Why would you want to age yourself?” Arlo asked from his place seated atop the counter. Bacchus turned and looked at him from over his spectacles.
“To understand those who have gone before us maybe? To get a glimpse into the hard future that our loved ones and parents are suffering through or will be suffering through? You ever think of that?” Bacchus snapped. “Now get off my table!” Arlo made no remark, but lazily slid off the table. Bacchus turned back to the counter where he took a new beaker and began shaking various powders into it. Next, from a jar, he poured a thick, molasses like liquid. He upturned the jar with an expert flourish of his hand that left none dripping on the side of the jar. He reminded Halak of an experienced bartender. After moment Bacchus turned back to them, sucking at his teeth.
“So…” He said. “What are you up against?”
“What?” Halak asked.
“What are you looking for?”
Halak looked to Arlo and then back at Bacchus.
“Look.” Bacchus said. “You wake me up in the middle of the night, you have to give me a little more than just money. I want to here a story.” Halak furrowed his brow, watching the not so old man. He shared all his stories with Abdiel, but they had cultivated a friendship over years. He never just demanded it like this. Bacchus was a curious one.
“Demons.” Halak finally said.
“Great story.” Bacchus mocked. “You could win an award.” Halak arched an eyebrow. “Because you would be coming to me for a number of other reasons, of course.”
“Look Bacchus-”
“Just give me a story, kid.” Bacchus demanded. Halak smiley wriley. It wasn’t funny, it was unprofessional. He thought about not telling him just to spite him. They weren’t friends, they were possibly business partners. Possibly. Halak shook his head, deciding he had no good reason not to.
“There have been some mysterious deaths lately.” Halak said. “The people lose control, start glowing a deep red, and die.”
Bacchus nodded, putting a finger in the air. “Ah.” He said, turning back to his mixture. “I’ve heard of this. Guy over at that club down on Baker’s right?”
“How could you have heard of that?” Arlo asked. “It happened less than an hour ago.”
“I make it my business to know.” Bacchus said with a shrug.
“Have you heard of any other’s like it?”
“Not yet. There was another at a bar I guess. Wasn’t quiet the same, but I hear both bodies were bleeding on one of their hands.” It made Halak weary to know that Bacchus knew so much about both deaths. He wasn’t sure he wanted to work with him in connection with this case. On the other hand, someone was giving him information and by not hiring him it wasn’t going to stop his source from passing information. Maybe this was an opportunity.
“So what makes you suspect demons?” Bacchus asked. “They don’t do that.”
“Does anything else?” Halak asked.
“Good question. There are a few compounds that might, but I’ve never seen them in action.”
“Really? like what?” Arlo asked.
“The Tree of Life can supposedly melt the bones of the unworthy.”
“That’s real?” Arlo said.
“Can’t say. I’ve never seen it.”
“Good lead.” Halak nodded with a full serving of sarcasm.
“It isn’t any more farfetched than your story.” Bacchus said, picking up a thin glass rod and stirred the solution for a few seconds before turning to face them. He narrowed his eyes.
“So which one of you can offer innocent blood?” He said. Arlo and Halak exchanged looks, again. Bacchus chuckled. “I’m just kidding. You have the sample from victim?” Halak shrugged off the growing discomfort. He pulled the tie from his pocket, sill damp though some of the blood had began to dry, and handed it over. Bacchus held it up and examined it curiously.
“Now how did you come across this?” He asked.
“I was there when it happened.”
“You were there, huh?” Bacchus said, glancing passed the tie at him. “You sure you didn’t kill the guy?”
“I’ll give myself a real stern interrogation later.” Halak said.
“You mock, but it’s been known to happen.” Bacchus said, laying the tie on the metal table in the center of the room. He took his mixture and poured it over the top, washing some of the blood off the tie so that the liquid pool around it. A moment later the dark red liquid turned black. Bacchus nodded, returning his beaker to the counter.
“It’s tainted all right.”
“Is it possible he was Demonic?”
“It’s possible but not likely. Demonic blood doesn’t have the some reaction as blood that’s recently tainted.” He said. “Whether it was the cause of his death or not, a spirit from below has touched that man, and it was recent.” He turned back to them. “Anything else I can do for you?”
“No.” Halak said. “Thanks Bacchus.” Arlo hopped off the table.
“So, who are you with?” Bacchus said, steal leaning against his table.
“Almost all of your question’s confuse me.” Halak said.
“Who are you with? What organization? What’s your connection to this guy? Or are you one of those nut jobs like Nightshift.” Bacchus put finger quotes around the name Nightshift as he said it.
“None of those.” Halak said.
“But more nut job than the other options.” Arlo added. Bacchus stuck his lip out, and squinted at the ceiling.
“I like those ones, they make my job a lot more interesting. None of that jurisdiction junk and swearing me to silence.” He said. Halak hesitated.
“Could you try to keep quiet about this, though?” He asked
“Nope.” Bacchus said. “Have a nice day.” He smiled and Halak frowned, but decided he had enough of the Alchemists over friendly yet straightforward attitude. They turned to leave but Halak stopped. He turned back and walked over to Bacchus, slipping something into his hand. Bacchus looked down at the card and the roll of money.
“You’ll let me know if you hear about any bodies?”
“Sure will.” Bacchus said and shoved the money back at him. “But I’m too old to care about getting rich. When I’ve done my job you can pay me with bills, but tip me with stories.” He said with a wink. Halak held the money in his hand a moment, but eventually turned and walked passed Arlo. Bacchus was a strange man, but something about him earned Halak’s trust. Some of it at least.