I landed on the roof of my building with a thud. Pulling down the sweat-drenched gaiter, I bent over hands on my knees trying to catch my breath. Tonight's activities demanded more use of the talisman than I had ever done before, and clearly its power wasn’t inexhaustible. Or, at least I wasn’t. Moving sluggishly, I crossed over to the roof hatch and pulled it open.

“Well that was fruitful,” Leo said, arriving behind me.

“Yeah well, only if I can get the Chief what he needs,” I said, climbing down the ladder to the landing in front of my door.

I keyed my way inside, and Leo transported himself in ahead of me. “Yes,” he said from my desk, “On that front, I have given it some thought and I believe I know who this trio of detectives have aligned themselves with.”

I stripped off my coat and accouterments, throwing them unceremoniously in the trunk. “You mean you know who they work for?”

Leo shook his head, “No, I mean the Watchers. After contemplating the Aether I think I have them identified. If I am correct, they are three of the worst corrupters this world has ever seen, which is why they are strong enough to hide from you.”

I took off my boots and pants, inspecting the bullet hole in the trouser leg, “I’m listening.”

“They go by many names, but the one who showed his face is called Bal-Zabul.” Leo Said, “He is a spirit of edacious appetite who drives men to consume their pleasures until they perish. If this, Detective Chase, has given himself to Bal-Zabul he will be required to devour a great deal of his preferred vice.”

I went to the bathroom and turned on the shower, inspecting the wound on my calf as the water heated. The graze was already healing.

“I remember Chase,” I said as I climbed into the shower, “He had a reputation as a drinker.”

“If Bal-Zabul wanders the earth again, I would say the remaining two are Sakhr, Watcher of Licentiousness, and Aljashae, Watcher of avarice.”

I covered my head under the shower jet, feeling the warmth ease my aching muscles. “Speak English please,” I shouted through the open door.

I could almost hear Leo’s exasperation from the living room, “sex and money!” he shouted.

I quickly cleaned off the blood and sweat, then climbed out and wrapped myself in a towel.

“Was that so hard?” I asked, exiting the bathroom. “so, sex, money, and booze. No wonder they crash at a casino.” I went to my dresser, grabbing fresh undergarments and pants.

“Oh it's more than that,” Leo said, turning his back while I dressed. “While bound to willing human hosts the three Watchers have increased influence. Not only are they drawing from the detectives, but they will drain every debaucherous soul they come near.”

Dressed in a clean base layer, I flopped exhausted onto the bed, “so, it’s bad then.” I simplified.

“Yes,” Leo said flatly, “It is very bad. Working with your Chief and uncle is best. Dividing them is your best chance to defeat them.”

I rubbed my face. “And find where they're hiding Annabell...”

Leo nodded.

“What did he mean when he said ‘Your Malakh won't save you’?” I asked, looking up from the bed.

“Watcher’s say all sorts of nonsense. They are rarely worth listening to,” Leo replied, waving his hand dismissively, but not quite meeting my eyes.

I frowned at him as my phone started to buzz from my pocket. The Chief had sent me a message over the burner number.

“An anonymous tip went out that you were seen south of the city. Patrol is searching it now. Don’t make me regret this.”

‘McKinney cleared our path to the casino,” I told Leo. “Time to go.”

I got up and recovered a duffle bag from under my bed. “Now that you know who the Watchers are, is there any way we can track them?” I asked, changing the subject as I returned to the wooden chest.

“Not through the Aether, no.”

I filled the duffle with my equipment and uniform, the talisman still pinned to the coat. “Ok then,” I said, zipping up the bag, “I guess we’re going analog.”

With no time to rest, I left my apartment, Leo following close behind.

“Once more into the breach then!” he quipped.

A case of literary theft: this tale is not rightfully on Amazon; if you see it, report the violation.

***

Thunder River Casino was nearly an hour's drive north of Sacred River City, so I wasn't getting there on foot, even with the talisman. Fortunately, Old Town was only about a half-hour walk from where I left my car. So, dressed down, and with a duffle bag in hand, I trekked back to the alley where I left the car.

I didn't bother using powers to get there faster, deciding instead to save my strength for what lay ahead. By the time I got to my car, It was almost three in the morning, and the streets were blissfully devoid of traffic.

Once I had my ride, it was an uneventful drive out to Wilson City where the casino sat amid mostly undeveloped land. As with most casinos’ I knew the place was crawling with cameras and security, so it wasn’t worth parking my car in the lot or garage where the license plate would Identify me. Instead, once I was close, I pulled off the dark road and parked between thick bushes, obscuring me from the prying eyes of passersby.

In the thicket, I geared up quickly, then set out along the dark open grassy plain that lay between my hiding spot and the beacon of lights that was the Thunder River complex.

I had been here a few times before and had a basic idea of the layout. The casino itself was located on the main floor of the complex, while the fifteen stories above it were largely hotel suites. My goal was to find the Trio’s rooms and break in without running into one of them directly.

Since I couldn’t sense them in the Aether, I’d have to find their rooms the old-fashioned way. Even so, with the talisman, I thought, it should be a piece of cake... a piece of very deadly, mission impossible-esque cake.

Keeping low and using the environment to hide my movement, I skirted along the road brush across the street from the complex until I found what I was looking for, a loading dock for deliveries.

After a quick scan of the back entrance, I located an employee door along the loading bay, controlled by a small rectangular proximity card reader. That was my way in.

Checking the coast was clear, I shot a small spurt of will into the talisman and sent the nightstick flying like an arrow across the street. It quickly bounced between the corners of the dock, knocking out the surveillance systems. As soon as I heard the crunch of the cameras, I sprinted across the road.

At one end of the dock, opposite the employee door, sat a large metal trash compactor. I lept to the top of it in a single bound and lay flat, concealing myself. The baton zipped back and sheathed itself at my side.

Hidden in place, I extended my senses into the Aether in all directions like a spider web, waiting for someone to wander by and snag on my line. It wasn't long before I felt a tug, and the agitated sense of a nicotine fit crossed my path. It was a Bellhop headed down the corridor for a cigarette break. Bingo.

The door swung open as the Bellhop exited. He walked over to the trash compactor, blissfully unaware of what was about to happen.

As he clicked his lighter, I slipped off the compactor and landed silently behind him. Snaking my arms around his neck, I squeezed his carotid artery just enough to render him unconscious.

“Sorry bud,” I whispered as I pulled the subdued man behind a garbage can. I gently laid him on the ground and stripped off his belt, restraining him with it to delay him from sounding an alarm when he woke. I retrieved his prox card from his uniform jacket and moved to the door.

Keeping my Aether sense extended ahead of me to ensure a clear path. I swiped my way inside and began sneaking down the dingy white service corridor.

I could feel people moving about in neighboring rooms and hallways. Their passing emotions and sense memories provided me with enough information to navigate the long corridors. Though several times I had to duck into unoccupied closets, or jump up and cling to the ceiling to avoid collisions along the way.

Eventually, I found the back office I was looking for, occupied by a sole hotel manager. Peering inside the cracked door, I watched her typing away at the computer.

Her Aether scent told me she was a single mom of two, just trying to make ends meet. I needed her computer access, but I couldn't bring myself to scare her. Instead, I stayed crouched at the door for a pause, weeding through her sense memories, searching for an opening.

In her emotions, I felt a brief flash. It was a memory of when she heard the news of Annabell’s death. I could see her holding her own young daughter tightly in fear as she watched the news report.

That was it.

Slowly I slipped into the office. She was so focused on the screen, I was able to sneak in unnoticed. I slunk into position behind her and quietly stood up at the back of her chair.

As she finished her entries, she logged out of the screen. The monitor blacked out, and in its reflection, she saw me standing behind her.

Her chair crunched as she jumped in her seat and spun around to face me.

“D-don’t hurt me!” She stammered, awash with fear.

I leaned back against the wall, giving her an extra inch, and lifted my palms up, “I won’t,” I said.

Her eyes darted around the room, I could see she was contemplating screaming for help. I didn't have much time.

“That girl from the news, Annabell. She’s alive and I’m trying to save her.”

Whatever she thought was about to happen, that had not been it. Her brow furrowed and her posture stiffened.

“There are bad people in this hotel.” I continued, “They take children, like her. I need to find them. I need to get her back.”

That hit home.

Her face sank in recognition and the focus of her fear shifted. She knew exactly who I was talking about...

“W-what do you want from me?”

“There are three detectives who stay here on the regular. Real creeps.” I glanced at her computer. “I need to find their rooms.”

She was visibly trembling now. My window was shrinking and she was on the verge of clamming up. I needed to close the sale fast.

I knelt down to her level and shrunk in her seat, trying to recoil from me. “I’m just trying to get a little girl home. If it was your daughter, wouldn’t you want someone like me out looking for her?”

Knife. Twist.

Her shoulders slumped. Hesitantly she nodded and logged back into the computer. “I know who you're talking about,” She said as she typed. “These are scary guys... They can’t know I told you this.”

I nodded over her shoulder, reading off the room numbers when their names flashed across the monitor. I memorized the room numbers.

“Tell your boss you feel sick. Go home.”

“What are you going to-” She began as she turned around.

But I was already gone.