During our late breakfast in the hotel restaurant I told Angela that I was going to have to leave for a while for a meeting.
“But Emmy will stay here with you,” I assured her.
“This hotel is famous for its spa,” Emmy said. “That is what we can do while Leah is taking care of business. I think that would be quite enjoyable.”
“I should only be a few hours,” I said. “We have early-ish reservations for dinner tonight, and I should definitely be back in time.”
After eating, I went downstairs to the lobby and Emmy and Angela went to make arrangements for their spa treatments.
In the elevator, I called Michael. “How soon can you pick me up?”
“I can be down by the Loop in thirty minutes, my queen,” he said.
“O.K. I’ll walk down to the River Museum. Let me know when you get close and I’ll meet you outside.”
It might seem like paranoia, but I didn’t want any of The Boss’ people knowing where we were staying. They wouldn’t know me from a hole in the ground, but Emmy was a very conspicuous figure, so the less she paraded around in public the better. If they were somehow keeping an eye on Michael’s movements I wanted to be nowhere near the hotel when he picked me up.
The black Chevy Suburban was both comically obvious and yet, there in the Upper Midwest, also blended in with the other traffic just fine since cars like that were a dime a dozen, from what I’d seen.
Climbing into the middle row seat, I said hello to Michael and the other Night Children, and also Grant Henry, sitting shotgun.
“Anything new?” I asked.
“We scouted out the meeting place,” Eddie volunteered. “It is a run-down old warehouse in a run-down industrial area near the train tracks, in a terrible part of town,” he said.
“It’s not nearly as nice as Eddie makes it sound,” Grant said. “It’s absolutely the kind of place you’d expect an ambush, some murders, and most likely some arson as well.”
I sighed, and said, “Sure, that’s what we usually do. So what do you think we can expect from The Boss’ crew?”
Grant chuckled a bit and said, “See, I knew there was a reason I liked you.”
“She wasn’t joking,” Michael said. “That’s exactly what happened the last time we had a meeting like this. Plus some kidnapping. And a breakdown in international relations.”
Grant looked at Michael, but didn’t detect the slightest whiff of bullshit, so he turned to me.
“Maybe you ought to tell me what did happen the last time you had one of these get-togethers.”
“Of course, what I’m about to tell you is a complete fabrication and in no way reflects reality and I will deny all of it if ever questioned in a court of law,” I said. “But yeah, there was a kidnapping and a demand for a meeting. We showed up, killed some people, freed the hostage, took a hostage, then set fire to the building on our way out. We took our hostage to Istanbul and dropped him off, telling him that if we ever heard from him again I’d nail his balls to the floor before setting the place on fire around him.”
“So, all this was allegedly another Night Children power play?”
“Allegedly,” I agreed.
“Fatalities?” Grant asked.
“One on our part, but the other guys lost five that day. Allegedly.”
“All right. Let’s quit dancing,” Grant said. “You brought me into the fold because you thought I could help you out in just these sorts of situations, right? That’s what I’m here to do. Now, I don’t know how many guys I’ve actually put in the ground over the years, so I understand that sometimes arguments only really get settled when one side or the other isn’t around to argue any more. Michael has brought me up to speed on what we’re facing here, and I understand what it is you’re doing, and honestly, I approve.”
“That’s good to hear,” I said.
“Right. So let’s cut the legal and ethical horseshit right out. This is a turf war, and you’re the invaders here. You’re here to intimidate this ‘Boss’ guy and get him to roll over. How well did that go last time you tried something like that?”
“Very poorly. Negotiations broke down,” I said.
“Right. So let’s assume the same will happen tonight, and prepare for it. If things work out, then great- all we’ve done is spin our wheels a bit, right? But if things turn to shit, and it sounds like that’s the way it’s most likely to pan out, then you want to be the one with the bigger shovel.”
“Exactly,” I agreed.
“So let’s find a place to talk and do some planning, then get what we need to make this operation a success.”
We found a neighborhood park nearby that had a roofed area with a handful of park benches in the shade where we could work out our plans, and after maybe an hour I thought we had a reasonable strategy. Yeah, ‘no plan survives contact with the enemy’, sure, but at least we came up with some workable objectives and implementations.
“If it comes down to a fight,” I told the crew, “Protect Emmy. She can fight, and quite well, but she is the one among us that has to be able to continue past tonight. Our nation dies if she does. Not if I do, and not if any one of you guys do, so we’re all expendable, at least in comparison with Emmy. Understand?”
“Yes, my queen,” Eddie answered for everybody.
“You, Grant, I can’t ask you to do this tonight, so I’ve got something else for you.”
“What do you mean?” Grant asked. “I’m in this to win this.”
“You sure?” I asked.
“Sure as shootin’”
“O.K. I think we all understand. We won’t be the ones to pull first, but if knives come out, it’s no fucking around. They die by our hands,” I said, and looked every one in the group in the eyes, making sure they understood. The only two I knew without a doubt could hold their own in a fight were Eddie and Grant, so the three of us were going to be the main players if it got all stabby. The others knew their jobs were to stay alive and to protect Emmy, but that was about it.
“Pick Emmy and me up at nine at the Starbucks just two blocks north of the hotel, and for fuck’s sakes, don’t forget your protective gear, everybody. That turtleneck pullover might be hot, uncomfortable and scratchy, but you won’t care about any of that if it prevents a would-be fatal stab wound.”
“Pullover?” Grant asked.
“I bought the guys anti-slash gear,” I explained. “I have an extra anti-stab vest you can wear under your jacket.”
“I packed mine already,” Grant said with a chuckle. “I’m just surprised you have ‘em for all the guys.”
“Any advantage,” I said. “Any advantage.”
“That is rule number one,” Grant agreed as the car pulled up to the River Museum again.
“See you guys at nine. We’re gonna do this.”
“Yes, we are,” said Michael. “We are, indeed.”
When I got back to the hotel room Emmy and Angela were cuddled up on the couch together, looking at something on Angela’s phone. Apparently Angela was giving Emmy lessons on how to social, and setting up accounts for Emmy.
"Hey, babes,” I said, leaning down and first kissing Emmy, then Angela. “How was the spa?”
“It was very nice,” Emmy said, smiling.
“It wasn’t just nice,” Angela protested. “It was glorious! You should totally do it!”
“I don’t think I’ll have time, unfortunately,” I said. “After dinner tonight Emmy and I have our meeting to attend to, then tomorrow morning we fly to New York.”
“I can’t wait to see your house there!” Angela said. “The pictures Emmy showed me are amazing!”
“I’m not sure how amazing it is right now, since it’s being remodeled and a lot of the furniture has been donated,” I said. “But the place is pretty cool.”
“Why are you guys having a meeting late at night like that?” Angela asked.
“I told you that my people prefer the night,” Emmy said, letting me know that she’d explained at least some things about the Night Children. “We will be meeting with the local leader, and it is polite to do it after dark.”
“O.K., I guess,” said Angela, but she didn’t sound too convinced.
“Hey, you two. Don’t forget we have a six o’clock dinner reservation,” I said. “I’m gonna take a quick shower and get ready.”
When I turned away from the shower head to rinse my hair, I caught Emmy and Angela watching me through the glass enclosure. The ‘uh oh, busted!’ looks on their faces were hilarious, so I just had to laugh. I continued on washing myself, maybe putting on a show for my wife and our new lover. Just a tiny bit of a show, though, since I’m not actually an exhibitionist, despite the rumors.
Once we were all dressed, which did involve a little bit of fooling around, we descended to the lobby to wait for our car. The driver was a few minutes late, but we managed to get to our destination on time. Occupying the entire 95th floor of one of Chicago’s tallest buildings, the views from the floor to ceiling windows were absolutely incredible. When Emmy had made the reservations she’d told me that the sunset dinner times were the most desirable, and I could certainly understand why. The maître d’ sat us on the lake-facing side, away from the setting sun, assuring us that the twilight over Lake Michigan was the better view.
Stolen content warning: this tale belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences elsewhere.
I can’t say that’s true, since I haven’t seen the sunset from there facing west, but the eastward panorama was superb.
The food was good. Not great, but good enough. The real appeal of the place was its location, and not necessarily the dining itself. Still, the view was spectacular, and the place was ideal for a romantic dinner. For three.
I was still having a bit of a hard time wrapping my mind around the idea that we were now a threesome, but I was willing to give it a shot and see if we could make it work.
Angela hadn’t announced her new relationship status on social media, and although we hadn’t discussed it, I got the impression she wasn’t in any hurry to tell the world she was having an affair with both members of a same-sex marriage. I was just fine with that. It would become public knowledge eventually and we’d have to deal with whatever fallout happened then, but for now, we could pretend that moment was never going to happen.
In the limo ride back to the hotel, Angela said, “We should have sex. I’ve always thought the idea of getting it on in a limousine is just so sexy!”
“It’s an eight minute ride,” I objected. “It’d be hard to get much done in that short a time.”
“When we get back to LA, then,” Angela said with a saucy grin. “We’ll hire a driver to take us all over town while we screw like rabbits.”
“I’m sure the driver would be used to it,” I said with a laugh. “Except he’d expect us to have a cameraman, too.”
“We have to do it!” Angela said. “It’d be so hot!”
As Emmy and I got dressed for the meeting, Angela looked at us with some skepticism.
“You don’t look like you’re going to a business meeting,” she said, eyeing the gear we were putting on. “You look like gangsters, or something like that.”
“We’re dressed just right for this kind of business meeting,” I said. “You dress to match the company you’re going to keep, right?”
“These guys are street thugs?” Angela asked.
“Pretty much, yeah,” I agreed.
“Be careful,” Angela cautioned.
“It’ll be fine,” I said. “It’s all just posturing, you know? We’ll be back in a couple of hours. See you then,” I said, and leaned down to give her a kiss.
Emmy gave Angela a kiss that was just a little bit longer and sexier, and asked her, “Could you please do us a very big favor?”
“Sure, of course!” Angela replied.
“Could you please have the bed nice and warm when we come back?”
Angela’s expressive face showed her puzzlement, until she realized what Emmy had meant. “I’ll keep it nice and warm for you two,” Angela said. “I promise.”
“Thanks, Ange,” I said, giving her another little peck. “See you in a few.”
I texted Michael while we walked to the Starbucks, and he responded that he was already there. Without wasting any time, we climbed into the Suburban to get the rest of the crew and head to the meeting place, which was a few miles south and a little west of the Loop.
I walked Emmy through the plans we’d worked up, explaining what her role was, and the specific actions she should take at certain moments.
“You are really prepared for a fight,” Emmy said, checking the edge on her folding knife.
“I hope it won’t come down to that, but I’d rather be prepared than surprised,” I admitted.
We stopped at the motel the guys were staying at that night to pick up the others. When Michael and the guys ran into the first sign of resistance there in Chicago I’d instructed them to stay at a different place every night, just for security reasons. Michael hadn’t even grumbled about the hassle, understanding the point immediately. ‘Better safe than sorry’ is universal.
Everybody was dressed in their tactical gear, with a variety of hoodies and jackets over the top to hide the anti-slash layers.
“It looks as if you’re all ready,” I said, as everybody settled into the car. “You all know your jobs, right?”
Looking around at the group, I got nods from everyone. “You good, Grant?”
“Ready and able, ma’am,” he said, and he looked it. In fact, everybody seemed to have their game faces on, giving me looks of determination and commitment to the cause.
Michael pulled up a little ways away from the old warehouse and we all got out, Danny climbing back into the driver’s seat.
“Remember- don’t stop moving, but don’t get more than a mile away,” I told him. “And keep an eye on your phone.”
“Got it, my queen,” he said, then drove off, leaving us to walk the half a block to the warehouse.
As we approached, Grant and Maggie peeled off to circle around the run-down warehouse yard, Grant slipping his goggles on as they went. Their job was to make sure there were no surprises waiting for us back there, and secondarily to open a second exit for us just in case we needed it.
Eddie led the way, unhooking the rusty chain holding the metal gate closed. I had to suppress a chuckle at the security. The chain had a big padlock, but was hooked to the back side of the gate on a simple hook, so the lock was purely for show.
We slipped in through the gate, looking around to make sure nobody was watching. The area seemed to be completely abandoned- if there was anybody watching, they had a good hiding spot and there was no way we’d see them.
Closing the gate behind us, I took the chain from Eddie and instead of replacing the end on the hook, I left it dangling so we could just bull the gate out of the way if we needed to run. Eddie saw what I did and nodded that he understood.
I’d been living with Emmy for years by this point, but I still found it very impressive how silent Night Children could be, and how good they all were at non-verbal communication.
Signaling to move forward, I slipped my goggles on before we entered the dark building. Inside, the only light was provided by the streetlamp on the corner shining dimly through the dingy wire glass clerestory windows. Without the night vision goggles I wouldn’t be able to see a damned thing, so I was very grateful I’d been training with them off and on ever since Vancouver. That piece of Israeli military tech had cost me quite a penny, but it was the very best in the industry and worth the money.
A voice called out something in the Night Child language that always sounded a bit like Arabic to me, and Michael responded in English.
“We are here, as agreed,” he said as we approached the back of the warehouse, which had been cleared of the detritus filling the rest of the space.
There were four Night Children waiting for us, standing in a sort of semi-circle.
Emmy stepped forward and demanded to know which one was The Boss. The Night Child woman in the center answered in their language, with what was obviously a dismissive tone.
“If he is not here, then we have nothing to discuss,” Emmy said. “We are simply wasting time. Tell him that his failure to meet us here is an insult, and we will no longer consider his concerns as we move into and take control of this region.”
The Night Child woman said something I couldn’t understand, stepping forward to get into Emmy’s face.
“Chicago and the Upper Midwest is ours now,” Emmy told her. “Tell The Boss that if he wishes to accept our shadow, we will be generous and grant it. If he does not, he may continue to do whatever it is he does, but he may not interfere with us or ours.”
While Emmy was facing off with the woman, I was looking around, noticing that pretty much everyone had one hand in a pocket, or tucked into their jacket, or otherwise hidden. ‘Knives in their hands, no doubt’, I thought. I knew my guys were just as ready to throw down, But I was still hoping that it wouldn’t come to that, even as things were going down the toilet.
The woman replied to Emmy, her voice hostile.
“I think we are done here,” Emmy declared. “Chicago is ours now.”
The woman swung a slap at Emmy, who easily ducked and stepped back out of range. This was the signal we had prepared for, so we were all ready when the other guys all produced knives.
Just as quickly, our knives were out and we faced each other warily, ready to react. I heard a scuffle behind us and spun around to see Grant taking down a Night Child who’d been sneaking up on us from behind.
Just like that, it was on. Another couple of Night Children appeared from where they had been hidden in amongst all the junk, unsure whether to rush the group containing Emmy and me (their original targets), or refocus on Grant and Maggie behind them.
I rushed the nearest, capitalizing on his indecision. Without any hesitation, I slipped Old Stabby straight up under his ribs, pulling it out again just as fast, job done. This got the attention of the second ambusher, who came at me with a wild swing. Again, I put my great grandfather’s dagger to work, and guy number two suddenly had an eight inch piece of steel poking its way through his heart.
Maggie and Grant were working their way around the outer edges of the larger space, looking for more hidden assailants, so I turned back to the main fight. Emmy and The Boss’s spokeswoman were facing off, swinging at each other but not getting in close enough to actually connect, so I charged in past Emmy and laid the woman out with a solid front kick to the face, which sent her flying onto some rusty old machinery.
Seeing she was down, I turned to the next target and saw Michael wrestling on the ground with a tall, lanky guy, both fighting for possession of a big Ka-Bar. I ran over and stomped the guy’s head flat against the dirty concrete floor, ending that fight then and there.
Scanning the scene, it looked as if it was all over. None of the enemy were still moving, and our guys were, so I’d call that a total victory. Eric was holding the back of his hand and blood was flowing at a decent rate, so we hadn’t gotten out totally unscathed, but good enough.
Signaling for Eric to come over to me, I asked if anybody else was injured. When I got the good news that everybody else was O.K., I told the rest to pair up and search the warehouse. I wanted to make sure we’d gotten everybody, for one, and for two, if this was their headquarters or base or something I wanted any intel we could glean.
Wrapping Eric’s hand, I said, “I’m really proud of you, Eric. I saw you holding off that guy who wanted to get past you and get to Emmy. You did exactly what I asked of you. That was awesome.”
“What you said earlier today really struck me, my queen. Emmy is more important than any of the rest of us.”
“She is, that’s true. She is the very embodiment of our movement. Without her, we have nothing,” I said. “Now, I want you to go with Michael to an urgent care clinic and get this taken care of as soon as we get out of here. If you feel up to it, you can continue our work here in Chicago, but if the injury is too bad, go back home to California. I don’t want you to risk injuring yourself further.”
Michael had drawn close by this time, and said, “I will take him to get medical care immediately, my queen.” Then, after a moment, Grant and Eddie joined us.
“The place is clean,” Grant said. "This was just a place of convenience. There’s no sign that this shithole has been used on any sort of regular basis.”
“All right,” I said. "Go check the bodies- take everything. Take their knives, too- everything. We’ll leave the bodies here.”
“Should we burn the place down?” Eddie asked.
“No, this place has been abandoned for years, by the look of it. We just walk away, leaving it locked up. With any luck, nobody will come around for a really long time, and by then we’ll be long gone. If we torch the place, that’ll bring the authorities, and they’ll investigate immediately, instead of next year when the bodies get found.”
“Makes sense,” Eddie said, then hustled off to follow my directions.
Michael had found an empty plastic crate, into which everything the enemy Night Children had possessed got unceremoniously dumped.
Making sure we took everything of ours with us and left no trace of our own behind, we locked the place up as best as we could on our way out, securing the door with the new-looking padlock we’d found on one of the dead guys.
Danny pulled up as soon as we emerged onto the empty street and we hurriedly piled into the Suburban. We dropped Michael and Eric off at a neighborhood twenty-four hour urgent care clinic, then the rest of us went back to the motel for debriefing.
“Well, that went exactly as expected,” I said. “Except for the part about The Boss not even showing up.”
“How do we know?” Eddie asked, and I thought that was an observant question.
“I suppose the woman Emmy talked to might have been The Boss,” I admitted.
“I do not think she was,” Emmy said, speaking for the first time since the fighting started. “I think she was acting on his orders. I think she was his enforcer, nothing more. She was not… flexible enough in her responses to have been doing anything but parroting what she was told to say.”
“Makes sense,” Grant agreed. “She was a piece that this Boss guy was willing to lose if things went wrong. My bet is that she was second or third on the totem pole, and his main guy is still around.”
“All right,” I said. “Let’s assume The Boss is still out there, and still able to project some force. He just lost seven-”
“Eight,” Grant said, interrupting. “There was a guy guarding the back door outside.”
“Eight of his enforcers, then. Estimates ran as high as fifteen of these guys in the organization, but that’s probably on the high side. That means we wiped out half or more of his troops tonight, and that’s gotta sting. He has two options at this point. Slink away and hide, or strike back. Or, third option, he just up and leaves, but I doubt that one is likely,” I said. “My guess is that he retreats, regroups, and tries to come at us when we aren’t prepared. This means that we need to bring in more people, and only work in groups. Never solo, not even just in pairs.”
“It’s gonna be real damned hard running this guy down,” Grant said. “He could hide anywhere.”