The call ended and the image disappeared from the screen, but I could still see it: the blood, his eyes… I just kept staring at the phone in my hand. I could tell Gail was saying something, but I couldn’t really hear her, my ears rang like I had been standing right next to the gunshot. I gripped the phone tighter, to stop my hands from shaking, and I heard the plastic case crack in my grip. I focused on breathing. In, out, in out. It didn’t help. What seemed like only a moment later, I felt a hand on my shoulder.

“We’re here.”

I started, looking up to find Gail standing by the open passenger door, gently taking the phone from my hand. I wasn’t exactly sure when the car had stopped.

“Are you alright?” Gail asked.

“No, not really,” I replied, unbuckling my seatbelt, and stepping out onto the pavement, trying to reorient myself.

We were in the parking lot outside the event venue. It was relatively empty, though I suppose that was to be expected, with the evacuation in effect. Ideally, all civilians would be gone by the time the announcements began. For their protection, and ours. Who knew how people were going to react? I took another breath. That helped, focus on the job, focus on what had to be done.

“You know not to listen to what he was saying, right?” Gail said softly. “It really wasn’t…”

“Don’t say it,” I interjected, raising a hand. “Just don’t.”

“Right, sorry,” she glanced back as the second vehicle pulled into the lot. “We should probably get inside, somewhere safer.”

She motioned Liz and Simon out of the vehicle, they joined us, offering me sympathetic expressions that curdled in my stomach. I wasn’t interested in sympathy. What difference did it make? Gail approached the other vehicle.

“Get everyone into the command centre,” she instructed.

“Yes ma’am,” one of the agents nodded and began herding the others towards the building.

Gail motioned for us to follow, and we headed inside. The ‘command centre’ was just a small conference room, containing two curiously divided groups on the left and right sides of the room. The people on the right, I recognized, at least some of them. Gail’s people. The other side of the room seemed to be cut from the same cloth as the two agents who had accompanied Gail today, dark suits and nervous expressions. This was all new to them, and they were still struggling to process the situation. I would feel bad for them, being thrown in the deep end like this, but it wouldn’t be long before the rest of the world joined them. At least they got to have it personally explained to them. Everyone else would be getting an urgent broadcast on a TV station or news site. As I watched, I could see they moved in pairs, which was good. Gail and her people had surely given then the talk, explained how to protect themselves from ubarae influence. It wasn’t foolproof, they could never be entirely protected from the ubarae, but there were ways to minimize the risk. Stay together, keep an eye on your partner, check any judgements with them before you act, if they seem unduly influenced by a stranger, get them out of the situation immediately, that sort of thing. Ubarae could control a single person quickly and easily, but multiple people were a challenge. It took them time to solidify their control of each person and turn to the next, time that person could use to react. The more people were involved, the less likely the succubus or incubus could control them all, certainly not before they had time to fight back. It was why they operated in secret, why they feared what we were about to do. They could easily control a single person, and with time, preparation, and skill they could even influence entire groups, but they had no real defense against an angry mob. And angry mobs were what they were about to get. This was going to be a bloodbath. I shook my head. This was not helping me regain focus. Look for another distraction. I turned and spotted Gail across the room, she had pulled Mark and Wallace aside. I couldn’t hear what they were saying, but from the looks on their faces, I knew what she was telling them. At least I didn’t have to do it. I watched Wallace slam a hand down on the table and storm out. He had known James longer than any of us, they had come up together in the Organization. They didn’t seem to have been friends, more like rivals, but even so his anger was understandable. Gail clapped Mark on the shoulder, and he nodded solemnly, then they both moved to join the group on the right. My eyes drifted again, then a tap on my shoulder pulled me out of my reverie.

“Maybe we should sit,” Liz suggested softly, gesturing to a cluster of unclaimed chairs near the wall.

Not seeing a reason to argue, I collapsed into one, covering my face with my hands. What else could I do? Distractions weren’t helping. The conversation with Carmine just kept running through my head, no matter how much I tried to stop it, so I just let it play. I don’t know how long I sat like that, reliving the moment, before I remembered one particular thing he had said. At the time I had only considered it a taunt, but now… I knew exactly what I had to do. One last thing, before it was too late. With renewed purpose, I opened my eyes to find Simon and Liz sitting across from me, watching in silence. Jessica had apparently joined them at some point, and she reached out to touch my arm,

“Liz explained. How are you holding up?”

I shrugged, not sure how to answer that.

“I am sorry about James,” Simon added. “He was a good man.”

“He was,” I nodded slowly. It was my fault.

“I didn’t know him for long,” Liz offered. “But he seemed like a kind person, I am sorry for your loss.”

“Thanks, everyone,” I ran a hand through my hair. “Really. But there will be time for that later. I have wallowed long enough, for the moment.”

I clapped my hands and rose to my feet,

Taken from Royal Road, this narrative should be reported if found on Amazon.

“I think I’ll go and take a walk, clear my head.”

“I’m not sure that is…” Simon began, but I turned and headed for the door.

I only made it a few steps before Gail intercepted me.

“Where, exactly, do you think you are going?”

“I thought I would take a look around, see if there is anyone I recognize.”

“You think he’s here, don’t you?”

“What?”

“Don’t play dumb with me, Ray. I was there, I heard everything. He knew where we were heading, and he said he would ‘see you soon’. You think Carmine will be here.”

“Yeah, he’ll be here,” I admitted. “I’ve considered it, and I’m sure he doesn’t know about the announcements. He believes that we are just locking the place down, protecting the dignitaries, so he still thinks he has time to put his plan in motion. You found his explosives, so he’ll be looking for other opportunities to assassinate his targets, maybe take out a few of us as well. He will be waiting for us to make a mistake.”

“So, you thought you’d go out there and make a few?” Gail raised an eyebrow.

“Not exactly my plan,” I touched my sidearm.

“Bad idea, Ray,” Gail shook her head. “He wants you to go after him, you know that. He was taunting you. You think he won’t be ready?”

“We’ll see. Either way, I have to try. Once he hears the announcements, he and the Domini will go to ground, lay low until they can come up with a new plan. I am not letting him get away.”

“I can’t spare you for a vendetta, right now, Ray. There is still a lot to do, to get ready for the broadcasts. And Carmine won’t get away. We are almost finished evacuating everyone, soon anyone in the halls and event spaces will stand out like a sore thumb. He won’t be able to hide from us, here. We’ll find him. To that end, I want you watching the surveillance cameras.”

She gestured to a bank of monitors on the other side of the room.

“It will be better if I am actually out there. I can’t spot an ubarae through a camera lens, you know that.”

“Maybe not a stranger, but you can certainly spot Carmine, and there are others you would recognize on sight. Just stay in here where it is safe. Let the people he isn’t directly targeting handle the last of the evacuations.”

I scowled. I knew what she was doing. It wasn’t going to work.

“I am going to lose my mind if I stay in here. I need to move, to do something.”

“Ray…”

“Don’t ‘Ray’ me, Gail. I’m not a child, I know what I am doing.”

“Normally I wouldn’t dispute that. But you aren’t thinking clearly, Ray. I think you need to stand down, for now.”

“You should listen to Gail,” Jessica said softly. “Please.”

I sighed; they weren’t going to make this easy. Perhaps I had another angle, though.

“Gail, I thought you were going to bring Jess to one of the safe rooms?”

“I am working on that. I need to find her an escort, but someone is currently distracting me,” she gave me a pointed look.

“Well, that’s perfect then, isn’t it?” I smiled. “Two birds, one stone. I can escort her to one of the safe rooms. Let’s me stretch my legs, and you know I wouldn’t do anything risky, with her there.”

I didn’t make any promises about what would happen after I left her. Gail raised a skeptical eyebrow,

“You don’t think I am especially clever, do you Ray?”

“I never said that.”

We stared at each other for a moment, finally Gail sighed,

“Alright, I guess I can’t keep you here, unless I chain you to something. And I am not yet prepared to do that. You can escort Jess, then stay with her and keep her and the others safe, understand?”

“Yes ma’am.”

“Give me a minute to contact the guards and let them know you’re coming, then I’ll give you directions. Jessica, come with me for a moment,” she turned to Liz and Simon. “And if Ray won’t do it, maybe you two would be willing to watch the surveillance monitors?”

“Of course,” Liz replied. “Anything we can do to help.”

Simon nodded.

“Come with me, then. I’ll be right back, Ray. Wait for me.”

Gail turned and Liz and Jessica followed her across the room towards the glowing monitors, but Simon hesitated, turning back to me.

“Don’t do anything stupid, Ray.”

“Me?” I laughed. “No need to worry. I’ll be fine, Simon. Just keep yourself safe. This will all be over soon.”

“That’s what I am worried about.”

“Yeah,” my smile faded. The end of this was not going to make life easy for any ubarae, least of all Simon. “I suppose things are going to be… difficult, for awhile. I’m sorry it came to this.”

“Me too. I wish that I had done things differently. Better.”

“Don’t we all? Whatever happens, Simon, I am grateful for what you did, what you risked, for us. Thank you,” I put a hand on his shoulder. “Take care of yourself. You and Liz watch out for each other.”

“Why does this sound like a goodbye?”

“Who knows what the future will bring?” I shrugged. “You may need to go into hiding after today. We may not get to meet again. I just wanted to make sure I said my piece, just in case.”

“Please be careful out there,” Simon held my eyes, earnestly.

“Simon!” Liz called. “Hurry up!”

Simon took a step, but then turned back,

“Carmine said you would wonder if people blamed you; I hope you know that no one does.”

“Simon!” Liz called again.

He gripped my shoulder for a moment, then turned and jogged off to join Liz and Gail. I watched until he was out of earshot.

“I do,” I muttered quietly.

Gail returned quickly, holding a map of the venue. She walked me through the directions to the safe room.

“When you arrive at the door, knock three times, give them the passphrase ‘Cerberus’ and they will let you in.”

I nodded,

“No problem.”

“Go straight there, no detours.”

“I know, mom,” I rolled my eyes.

Gail scowled,

“This is serious, Ray. We are only about an hour, maybe two, away from the broadcasts going live. After that, no one knows what will happen. We need to have the place locked down by then, and we need to be prepared to ride out whatever storm comes. Do not take any unnecessary risks, and do not make things any harder for our people than they already are.”

I flinched, that one hit its mark. She was trying to make me feel guilty, and it worked. Whatever risks I would take on myself, I wouldn’t want to expose anyone else unnecessarily. Still, the guilt I would feel for that paled in comparison to my current burden.

“I’ll be careful, Gail. I promise.”

She didn’t seem to fully believe me, but then Gail was a smart woman. Before she could press me further, Jessica returned, fiddling uncomfortably with the stun gun she held in her hands.

“Ah, good,” Gail smiled. “Agent Carmichael was able to get you set up, then. Did he show you how to use it?”

Jessica nodded,

“It’s pretty easy. Just press the prongs in and pull the trigger.”

“Good. We’ll do all we can, of course, but you should have a way to defend yourself. Be careful, out there.”

“I will, thank you Gail.”

“Ready to go?” I asked her.

Jessica nodded.

“Alright then. Good luck with the broadcasts, Gail. And watch out for the Domini, I don’t think they’re done.”

“They may not realize it, yet, but they are done,” Gail replied firmly.

I smiled in spite of myself,

“I’ll see you on the other side.”

“You’d better. We’re going to need you, in the days to come.”

I nodded, but I wasn’t sure I had the energy for that, no matter how things turned out today.

“Alright, Jess, we’d better be on our way. We need to be at the safe room before everything kicks off.”

Jessica nodded and we both headed out into the hall. Whatever she said, it was clear that Gail had things well in hand here, she didn’t need me. So, once Jessica was somewhere safe, I would be free to pursue my own concerns. I still had one last score to settle.