The Link Pt. 03: The Huntress

"Hi," I said to the woman that was in the hall when Caleb and I finally got the guts to exit in our matching attire. She smiled at us, though I thought it was a short-circuited laugh.

"Evening, Ms. Fuller, Mr. McGuire," the woman said. She was about the age of my mother but had one of those old lady perms. Frozen curls that looked like they belonged on a statue and wouldn't budge in a hurricane. She was dressed in pleated brown slacks from the 90s, matched with a tan blouse with a silken shimmer.

"Teegan, please." I said, "and this is Caleb."

"Of course, Teegan," she said. "I'm Evelyn, more or less the housekeeper." Her eyebrows raised as did her smile. "Though in this house, the title is more of a suggestion."

"Are you responsible for our clothes?" I asked trying to keep my tone neutral and nonjudgmental.

"They looked better on the rack," Evelyn answered while nodding. "Sorry." This time, her smile was all humor.

"It's not quite our style," Caleb said, "but they'll do for now." Evelyn covered her mouth with her hands. Her eyes were laughing hard enough.

"I should have steered clear of the matching," Evelyn said. "I wasn't given enough time and obviously didn't put enough thought into it."

"Is it really that bad?" I asked.

"Well," Evelyn considered, "if you act like you're about to go out for a run, maybe convince everyone you're on the same track team..." I had to laugh. Her description was dead on. I was supposedly the new ruler of an empire, and I looked like an idiot. Next to me was the man I loved, who now doubled the idiot part.

"Blame me," Evelyn continued, "and I'll quickly wash your other clothes. Tomorrow we can talk and get you something a little more flattering."

"We'll just own it," I said, repeating Caleb's words. I took his hand, and we headed back down the stairs to find Vincent.

"Good luck with that," Evelyn called as we began to descend. Caleb was chuckling, not overly concerned with our look. Men rarely are.

Victor was waiting in the entry hall, struggling to hide a smile. He didn't mention our attire, and I decided to let him ignore it. It would only be for one night. Anyone could live with that.

"Where's Captain Garcia?" I asked. "I promised him an explanation."

"His orders preclude accepting our hospitality," Victor replied. "I promised you a tour of the house." He waved his hand toward a hallway. I sighed loudly.

"He was told to stay outside?"

"Ordered too," Victor answered, nodding.

"That's stupid," Caleb said. I had to agree. Both Caleb and I moved in sync, straight to the front door. I could almost feel the frustration in Victor. Everyone seemed to have a plan on how I was supposed to act. Well, I had news for them, there is no plan. I'm not organized enough to have one.

We burst through the front door to find Jason sitting on the steps, watching the two humvees and the four soldiers sitting on the bumpers.

"Nice outfits," Jason commented with a smile. "You two joining a jogging group?"

"Stow it," I said, wishing he wasn't there to see our matching gear.

"Yes, ma'am," Jason said with a chuckle. I rolled my eyes. I may regret asking for a partnership instead sticking with an employer-employee relationship.

"Captain," I called as I neared the vehicles, "I understand you have declined to come inside."

"Orders, ma'am," Garcia replied. I was beginning to hate that word. It made me feel so damn old. I didn't have near the wisdom or the number of wrinkles to deserve it. All the soldiers rose as I neared. They trained respect well.

"Call Righthouse again, maybe I can talk some sense into him," I said, looking back at the house. "The place is huge. It's not like we lack the room and you're already on the property."

"He's worried about undue influence, ma'am," Garcia said formally. There was a wall being built with his words. Too formal, no warmth and no give. Way too many ma'ams.

"Just let me talk..." I started. One of the soldiers advanced quickly, a glint of the waning sun off the metal in his hand made me suck in my breath. I saw the surprise in Garcia's face, and I felt that horrible anger flair in Caleb. The knife was thrust forward toward my chest.

Jason leaped in front of me, his hands moving in a fury. I stepped back in shock, looking at the soldiers, wondering what orders they had been given. Each of them dropped to their knees, motionless, and I heard a scream from my attacker. I could feel Caleb ripping him to shreds from the inside. Jason stumbled to the left, and the attacker fell to the ground in an epileptic fit, his mouth foaming and blood pouring from every hole in his head.

I turned to Caleb. He was smiling, relishing the power he pulled from me. His thoughts were lost in a world of vengeance. The desire to protect me superseded all that he was. He meant to kill them all.

"Stop!" I yelled. Caleb was hidden in a world of hate, blood dripping from his eyes and nose. I hated him this way, something so horribly wrong was warping him, changing the man I loved into a weapon to be feared. I did the only thing I could think of. I grabbed him, merged my lips with his, flooding him with all the love I had.

Caleb's concentration faded, replaced by confusion, then I found him again. My love returned to me, then collapsed. I followed him to the ground making sure he landed softly. I could taste his blood in my mouth. I rose, and my own anger flared.

"What the hell?" Garcia said.

"You tried to kill me," I said, "I either capitulate or die. Are those your orders?" My anger was more for what it did to Caleb than the attack itself. Jason fell to the ground.

"I couldn't move. None of us could," Garcia said, his mind trying to digest what had happened. I rushed to Jason as Garcia collected his thoughts. He was obviously more confused about that attack than I was. Jason lay in a quickly growing pool of blood. Victor was running down the front steps, a phone to his ear hopefully talking to 911.

"You okay?" Jason sputtered. There was blood coming from his mouth. My eyes lost their anger and began to flood.

"I'm fine," I said, then coughed to clear my throat. "You saved me. Just lie still, help is on the way." At least I hoped it was. I rolled him onto his back and blood shot out with force hitting me in the shoulder. I covered the wound with my hand and could feel his life pumping out. "I can't stop it," I cried, adding my other hand over the first.

"Show me again," Jason said weakly. I could see the life leaving his eyes. The knife had found something vital. I panicked and sent out my mind in a fit, looking for help.

It took only a second for the physiology of the human body to fill my mind. Hundreds of years of medical science were at my disposal, and it was useless. The knife had snaked around the protective cage of bones and severed the aorta. Jason would need to be on an operating table yesterday, not a minute from now.

"Show me," Jason begged again, blood accenting the words from his lips. My tears flowed as I joined my song to his. I took his pain, and our thoughts merged. He had dreams, and he shared them with me. I saw his jealousy of Caleb, fleeting thoughts of he and I together. They weren't as strong as his responsibilities, the real reason he left the army. A mother, his mother, in a facility which cost so much more than a military salary would provide. I saw memories of how she raised him without a father, instilling all that he was into him. Devotion to her, devotion to country, and a love of life. For the last minute of Jason's life, I Ioved him as deeply as I could. It nearly tore my heart apart when his thoughts faded to nothing and no matter what I did, his song couldn't be found. I screamed.

I stood, Jason's blood on my hands, Caleb's on my lips, and tears pouring from my eyes. "You did this," I shouted at Garcia. Victor dropped down next to Jason, trying to shake awake what I knew was dead. "What are your orders?" I asked for the final time. My anger was beginning to rise. The other soldiers were moving away from me and the bloody mess of their moaning comrade.

"He told me it was a bad idea to invite you here," I growled, pointing at Jason's lifeless body. "I wanted peace, and you brought war." Garcia's eyes were wide as he matched my steps forward with his own backward.

"This wasn't supposed to happen," Garcia said, raising his hands, palms opened. "Colonel Righthouse is on his way. I was only supposed to verify your location, make sure you didn't move."

"Who's this assassin?" I asked, p ointing that the man Caleb nearly killed.

"A good soldier," Garcia replied, "at least he was until a moment ago. I had explicit orders that no harm come to you or anyone around you." I relaxed my posture and stopped moving forward.

"Jason died," I said as if everyone didn't already know. The link had made it feel like I'd known him my whole life.

"You need to get inside," Victor yelled. I could hear the concern in his voice. It was too late for concern. I should have listened to Jason, and now he's dead because of it. I dropped to my knees and was deluged with all the thoughts of the pain that was focused on me. My brother, Jason, and the attackers themselves. Death hovered around any who were near me. My power was a curse.

Arms surrounded me. It was Terence trying to lift me to my feet. The soldiers were giving me more space, a buffer that fear had created. I looked up with my tear filled eyes into Terence's.

"Run," I told Terence, "I'm not worth dying for." More men were gathering, some standing between the soldiers and me. Probably from the front gate or other parts of the property.

"Stand up," Terence said and pulled harder, "Jason thought you worth it, so get on your goddamn feet." I rose in shame. Some of the guards had guns out, trained on the soldiers who now had their hands up. I started a war against my own country. Some of the guards looked like they would prefer to shoot them out of spite. Jason had instilled great loyalty.

"Stop," I said, shaking out of Terence's arms. "Captain Garcia, take your men off this property. Call Colonel Righthouse and tell him that if he comes near me or anyone I love, I'll use everything Corbett left me to make sure he's demoted to private." Garcia blanched at my words. Money was power, and he knew it.

"Victor," I called "do I have lawyers?"

"Plenty of them, ma'am," Victor replied.

"If you want to speak to me again," I told Garcia, "call my lawyers and drown in the red tape that I'll make sure they create. I'm done being civil."

"But..."

"Terence," I said, "please escort these trespassers off my property."

"With pleasure, ma'am" Terence replied. He looked at Garcia. "Do I have to call the police or have you shot?" Garcia signaled to his troops, and they moved toward his man writhing on the ground.

"Leave him," I told Garcia, "the police will deal with him." Victor nodded to me to confirm he had called them. Garcia left hesitantly, one man short. I watched the Humvees until they drove through the gate. Victor moved next to me and whispered that Caleb was being carried upstairs and seemed to be sleeping. I nodded.

"Jason has a mother," I said, "I need to visit her and make sure she wants for nothing."

"I'll make the arrangements," Victor said.

"It's probably best if we dispense with using my first name," I said.

'Yes, ma'am," Victor replied.

Pain makes a ma'am. Do ma'ams cry? This one does.

Chapter 6 - Caleb

Teegan movements woke me. I smiled as she curled her body deeper into mine, maximizing the contact of our skin. She was warm, but not uncomfortably so, and very naked. I tried to feign sleep and enjoy the closeness.

"Jason's dead," Teegan whispered. Her voice was raspy like she had overused it. The memories came back, that soldier with the knife. I remembered sinking my hatred into him, ripping his mind into shreds of rambling thoughts. I sucked in my breath; I was going to kill them all. They were on their knees, frozen by my will, waiting for me to finish off the attacker.

"Oh god," I said with a long exhale.

"You left me again," Teegan whispered, her head buried in my shoulder. "You became something horrible."

"I'm sorry," I said. Teegan lifted her head above mine. Her eyes had dark circles and tinged with red. I could see them filling again as they must have done most of the night.

"Jason died," Teegan repeated, then the dam burst and I pulled her tight to me. Her whole body began to sob in exhaustive fits. My tears began, more for what Jason's death meant to Teegan than the death alone. I could see her memories of the bond with him. In a way, a lifetime of love was shared. Teegan's soul was scarred. Her scars became my scars.

"No," I said forcibly when her thoughts led toward her thinking the world would have been better if the bullet hit her instead of Zane. "All of this...this crap isn't your fault."

"No," Teegan agreed, "but the fact remains that people are dying. Lives are ruined because I exist."

"I'm better off," I said. My selfishness leaked into the words. Her love was part of me, and I don't think I could live without it.

"Yes," Teegan said, "I have cursed you as well." I was going to contradict her but knew words were useless in the grief. She knew my feelings well enough and right then, she needed to be held while she suffered. Jason's death required mourning and Teegan required me. Neither would be denied.

*****

The sun was battling with the curtains when I woke again. Teegan's dark eyes were closed and her mouth open, drooling on my chest. It would have been funny had I not known that she had passed out from exhaustion. I held her until I was sure her breathing was steady. Sleep would do more for her than my weak attempts at consoling. I shifted slowly, carefully replacing my chest with a pillow. Teegan barely moved, I couldn't even sense any dreams. I chanced a kiss on her forehead then moved off to get dressed. My clothes from the day before lay clean and folded on the dresser. Evelyn was true to her word. I left the room quietly and headed downstairs to explore.

"Mr. McGuire?" A woman surprised me when I reached the lower steps. She was dressed in dark blue slacks with a gold badge on her hip, wrapped around a black belt. Her collared white polo shirt was a little tight, emphasizing parts a man shouldn't be eyeing. It's not that she was well endowed, it was the blatant advertising. I was glad that Teegan was asleep and not privy to my thoughts.

"Yes," I said, forcing my eyes to hers. She looked to be in her thirties with straight blondish-brown hair that was pulled back into a ponytail. Her eyes were alert and intelligent, though her face wanted me to think otherwise. It's the look a teacher gives a student when she's trying to find a new way to explain a complex topic. Condescending eyes, but compassionate face.

"Hi," she said brightly, "I'm detective Cruthers, Portland PD." She held out her hand, and I hesitantly shook it, knowing I was at a knowledge disadvantage. "I'm investigating the death of Jason Tisdale."

"Yes, of course," I replied. Cruthers paused a moment, maybe thinking I would offer information without being asked. "I'd ask you to sit down," I added, "but I'm new here and don't know my way around."

"New?" Cruthers asked.

"Just arrived yesterday," I replied.

"With a...Teegan Fuller?" Cruthers had to look down at the small notebook in her hand to remind her of Teegan's name.

"Yes," I answered. Cruthers paused again. I wasn't sure if she was hoping I would elaborate or was trying to frame her next question.

"You don't seem overwrought about Mr. Tisdale," Cruthers observed.

"I had only just met him," I said, "It was shocking, as any death is, but I hadn't had time to form any emotional bond." Cruthers examined me, her eyes locking on mine like some kind of human polygraph. After another brief silence, I had to look away before it took on the feel of a staring contest.

"This isn't the first death you've experienced," Cruthers said. Her tone was leading, like she expected me to fill in the blanks.

"Detective!", Victor said, announcing his presence," I thought we agreed to interviews with our counsel present." Cruthers smiled and turned to Victor.

"I did agree to that, Mr. Watterson," Cruthers admitted, "I was just introducing myself to Mr. McGuire." She turned back to me, "Innocent people don't usually need lawyers."

"They come with the house," I said adding a smile. Cruthers laughed and nodded her head.

"It will be about 20 minutes before our counsel arrives," Victor said to Cruthers, "I have some refreshments being brought into the library. Would you like to wait there?"

"I could use some coffee," Cruthers replied, "though it won't sway my questioning."

"Of course," Victor smiled, "what about scones?"

"Same questions," Cruthers said, "but I won't be as cranky." Victor chuckled as he showed Cruthers to the library. He gave me a subtle hand signal that indicated I shouldn't follow. I waited for him to return, glancing at the paintings and poking my head in doorways to try and get a lay of the land.

"She was here last night," Victor said quietly when he returned. "Needless to say, the military is hiding behind national security. Whatever you did to that Corporal that attacked Ms. Fuller, has the detective on edge. I wouldn't doubt that she's researched all of us. She's probably aware of what happened in Bangor."

"She's not stupid," I observed.

"That's why we'll leave it to the professionals," Victor said as he nodded in agreement, "It's best to say as little as possible. No lies, mind you. Maybe suggest some alternatives that might tie everything together."

"Protect Teegan," I summarized.

"At all costs," Victor agreed. I was beginning to like Victor.

*****

"It's nice to meet you, Mr. McGuire," Samuel Fortunato said as his hand engulfed mine. His suit was as Italian as he looked. His height was imposing, as was the confidence that he emanated. Dark black hair that looked as if it had just left the stylist and an olive tinge to the skin that must have come from the morning runs that kept his body in model shape. He must be hell to deal with in court.

"Mr. Fortunato has decided to keep the meeting small," Victor said.

"Too many lawyers make the police nervous," Samuel said with a smile. "It's best to remain cordial as long as things go our way." He looked like a one man army to me. I wasn't sure if any meeting could be small with him in it. "Will Ms. Fuller be joining us?"

"She's asleep right now," I said, "It was a long emotionally draining night. I'd hate to wake her."

"Let's see if we can keep her out of it," Samuel said. "Harassing victims doesn't play well." He looked toward Victor. "Anything changed from what you explained on the phone?"

"No," Victor replied, "you know what I know."

"I think you left a few points out," Samuel said.

"You know what we can tell you," Victor rephrased. Samuel nodded and turned away, rubbing his jaw, deep in thought. He turned back to us with determination.

"Could Ms. Fuller's inheritance have leaked before the first attack?" Samuel asked.

"Doubtful," Victor answered.

"But possible," Samuel said, "and there's probably people in the world who might not like the changing of the guard. Someone who likes the status quo. A new empress could throw a very expensive wrench in the works. There must be people whose livelihood is dependent upon Corbett's machine running without a hitch."

"Maybe the police should be looking for someone that can't afford any business disruptions," I said. Samuel smiled at me. "The first attack did come out of nowhere, before Teegan and I even knew about the inheritance."