"I'm not in league with anybody," I laughed, walking over to her. "But not all magic is dark. I'd offer to show you more, but I doubt you would accept."

  "Hah! I accept nothing from a Sorcerer… or a Witch," she replied. "It is known that false prophets will arise and will show great signs and wonders…"

  "So as to mislead," I finished for her. "I'm familiar with Matthew, but I'm no false prophet. Nor am I a Sorcerer or a Witch. I can’t tell fortunes, either, for what that's worth. That magic you feel is not mine. It simply is."

  "So you claim," she said, then paused. She looked confused for a moment. Then her forehead wrinkled and she pointed at me. "How did you find me?"

  "Thank Charlie," I said, glancing at the dog. "He's got an excellent nose."

  "I do not think so," she said, pointing east toward the mountains, just visible in the moonlight. "We are miles from where I was discovered. There is no way you just happened to be there. She began to pace. "Not even the most powerful Demon can sense my presence. Yet you found me and let me live…." She stared up at me, her eyes wide. "If not a Demon, then what are you?"

  I was interrupted from answering when Lucius came out of the house.

  "The EAB is here," he said.

  "You are turning me over to the government?" she asked.

  "Best I can do," I replied, as two agents came into the backyard. "But I warn you. Next time you try anything like that, I may not be so forgiving."

  She didn’t reply.

  I gave the agents a quick rundown, then turned over her property to one as the other led her to their vehicle. They were pros, barely speaking as they took her into custody and placed her into the SUV. She never said another word, just stared at me the entire time, even as they drove her away.

  "What did you learn?" Lucius asked as I came back into the house.

  "Zip," I replied. "They got here quicker than I expected."

  "Well it was fun, but I'm heading out. I've got a meeting with Ella," he said as we stopped in the kitchen. "Want me to pass anything along?"

  Since my last meeting with her, Ella, the leader of the Lilin, had negotiated a deal to run a nightclub at the Neptune. I'd heard she'd be in town to work out some of the details. "So you decided to go back?"

  "Yes," he said with a grin. "I forgot how much my knees hurt as a human. Besides, there's no real call for Legionnaire's these days." He shook his head. "A pity, but true. She asked me to run her security operation. Is that going to be a problem?"

  "Of course not," I replied, before heading up the stairs. "Can’t really say I blame you, and you'll be working with Siegfried and Michael. Just when I thought I was finally getting rid of you."

  "That's what you get for rescuing me from Hades," he shouted up at me.

  "I'll never make that mistake again," I yelled back. I could hear him laughing as I went down the hallway.

  ****

  Some nights a catnap is better than nothing. See what I mean about the glorious life of a P.I.? But at least the house was quiet. I poured some coffee into an old Eastern Airlines travel mug and went out the door and got in my car. I wanted to get to the Neptune early and touch base with Jay and the others about last night's events. I was also curious about what Walter might say about the sword. I turned onto the 95 toward the Las Vegas Strip and the Neptune. A few minutes later, I was on the Rainbow curve, when suddenly… I wasn't. I pulled over to the side of the road I was on and took stock of what had changed. Well, this was different.

  I found myself on a two lane road in the middle of the desert. The freeway was gone and the city was nowhere to be seen. There were mountains in the distance. Route 66? No, more like the old L.A. Highway. That was route 91 if you care about such things. The car fit anyway. My Lexis was gone. In its place was a pearly white 57 Corvette. It had maroon side panels and leather tuck n' roll upholstery. I couldn’t remember the last time I'd seen a car with whitewalls. A nice touch, and familiar as well. My father in law had refurbished an almost identical Corvette back when my ex and I were first married. Time travel? Probably not… No, I was guessing it was Gaea. What did she want this time?

  I looked up and down the road. Except for sagebrush and the occasional yucca, I was alone. Where the hell was she? I shook my head, got back into the car, and started it up. It even sounded like the car I remembered, the V8 purring like a kitten. I clicked the lap belt and put it in gear, spinning rubber as I continued in the direction I had been heading. About 10 miles down the road I spied my first something. As I got closer, a square white building came into view with some kind of shed or garage in the rear. A minute later, I saw the overhang and the gas pumps, as well as the sign, G's Diner and Gas. Hmm… food and fuel, or maybe fortune telling. Hard to tell where she was concerned.

  I parked across from the stack of tires next to the pumps and walked through the empty lot, passing the faded red soda machine on my way to the entrance. The inside was nothing special. A small counter with a few sundries stood across from the actual diner. It being nothing more than a lunch counter and a few stools. Only one booth, it sat in the adjacent corner with one of those tabletop jukeboxes on it. Next to a door, a coffee pot and a selection of mugs were stacked below a small window where an empty order holder sat. I went the rest of the way in and plopped down in a stool across from the window.

  "Just a sec, hon," I heard a voice say.

  A moment later, an attractive blonde wearing a pink waitress uniform came out of the back. Her outfit was complete with white collar and sleeves and a little pink cap. She grabbed the pot and poured some coffee in a cup, adding sugar and cream before putting it on the counter in front of me. Based on the length of the dress, and the too much cleavage she was showing, I didn't think this one came from the neighborhood uniform store, if they even had such a thing wherever we were. Cliché or not, I couldn't imagine why Gaea had chosen this theme, or why I had to go through something like this every time she wanted something.

  "One blonde with sand," she said, pushing the mug toward me. "Just the way you like it."

  "Cute outfit," I said, reaching for the mug. I almost said something snarky, but I remembered how mad she got the last time I didn’t play along. I paused to sniff the aroma of the brew, not sure if the trope she'd dropped me in was simply a diner, or worse, a greasy spoon.

  "Like it? You don’t think it makes my butt look too big, do you?" she asked with grin. Then twisted to display her derriere. "I've got a date later and he likes…"

  "Whoa!" I said. "A little too much information there. Can we get back on topic, please?"

  "You're no fun," she said in a disappointing voice, but then leaned over the counter. "Fine! What'll it be?"

  "I'm good with the coffee," I replied, taking a sip. Okay, definitely not a greasy spoon, this was good.

  "It's Guatemalan," she replied, leaning back and crossing her arms. "But I don't think so. Do you have any idea how much effort it takes to make a place like this? And don’t even get me started on the car. Besides, after that muck up in Hades, maybe you should start thinking about eating better."

  She held up a finger before I could respond and then turned her head toward the window.

  "Flop two! Have 'em kiss the pan and burn the pigs. Two dough with a cow to cover!" she yelled, then turned back to me, giving me a once over. "Wait, you need some carbs." She looked to the window again. "Spike an oval. Nope, change that, make it Georgia ice cream." Then, jotting down whatever she had just said onto a ticket, she tore it out of the pad and stuck it on the order holder, spinning it as she did so. She leaned forward on the counter again. "Now, where were we?"

  "I think you mentioned something about me mucking up in Hades?" I said in an irritated voice.

  "Oh, that," she replied with a sudden southern drawl, batting her hand. "Don’t take offense. I was just funnin' ya."

  "Yeah, right. Look, if that's what this meeting is about, can we just…" Suddenly, there was a ding, as a bell rang.

  "Hold that thought," she replied, putting up her hand to shush me again. "Order's up."

  I looked up at the window and saw that the ticket was now gone and several plates had appeared. She walked over and picked them up, then placed them on the counter in front of me.

  "Eat, then we'll talk."

  I looked down at the plates, bacon with two eggs over easy, buttered toast and grits. What the hell? But I knew she'd never get to the point if I didn't play along, so I dug in. Well, at least they tasted good. What was I saying? They were damn good! When I finished, I laid down my fork… and then I was somewhere else again.

  This time, I hadn’t gone far. Just over to the booth in the corner. Gaea was sitting next to me, decked out in a red polka dot dress and, as I saw when I peeked under the table, white socks and saddle oxfords. Her wavy blonde hair was pinned back and adorned with a matching ribbon.

  "Now, where were we," she asked, reaching over and grabbing my arm. She leaned against my shoulder.

  "I think you were about to tell me how I screwed up in Hades," I said, hoping that she was finally going to get to the point.

  "Oh, that," she replied with a long sigh. "It wasn't really your fault. She was going to make it across one way or the other."

  "And you're telling me this why?" I asked. My stomach wrenched as I absorbed the bad news. I probably should have heeded the sign in front of the place, already regretting eating breakfast.

  "Just a heads up, as the humans say," she replied, lifting her head and letting go of my arm. "But Marissa isn't the only one that will escape from that place. As a matter of fact, others already have. But I'm sure you can clean up any mess before they become a threat. That's what heroes are supposed to do, isn’t it?"

  "Could you be a little more specific? Like… I don’t know… maybe who exactly I'll be looking for, or even where to find them?"

  "Don’t be silly," she said, swatting my arm. "Why spoil the surprise? Besides, they'll find you."

  "Of course they will," I said, with just a hint of sarcasm. "And you brought me here just to tell me that?"

  "No," she said, drawing out the word and batting my arm again. "Come on, take me for a ride in that shiny new car."

  The next thing I knew I was standing outside the passenger door of the Corvette. I looked over to see Gaea, this time in her Marilyn Monroe guise, wearing a black, long sleeved top and jeans walking up to the passenger door.

  "I do so love the feel of the wind in my hair," she said with a wink. "Don’t you?"

  I opened the door for her and she got in. What else could I do? I wasn't exactly happy about what she'd told me so far, but it's not like I could rush her. If she hadn’t brought me here to warn me, just what the hell did she want?

  "Anywhere special?" I asked, keying the ignition.

  "No. Just drive fast."

  I pulled back out onto the roadway in the direction I'd come from and floored it, shifting gears until I got up to a nice, totally unsafe speed, at least for the human world. Here, I wasn't sure it mattered.

  "Fast enough for you?" I asked, looking down at the speedometer. It was pegged at 140.

  "Perfect," she replied. She placed her arm on the seat behind me and lay her head on it. "I need you to do something for me."

  "Housekeeping?"

  "Not exactly," she said, now looking up to face me. "But dispatching anyone else that escaped could be considered so. No, this a personal favor."

  "A personal favor?" I said aloud.

  "I want you to find someone."

  "You want me to find someone?" I repeated. This was something new. "Since when does the great Goddess need me to…?"

  "Why is not important!" she interrupted, then frowned and turned her head away. "Do not be so impertinent! If you are unable to do such a thing, perhaps you are not the right hero after all."

  "I never said I couldn’t do it," I replied, noting that she'd twisted things around. "Who do you need me to find?"

  "My granddaughter."

  I couldn’t help it, I hit the brakes and the car skidded to a stop, the lap belt barely keeping me in my seat as we weaved and slid. "Sorry about that," I said. I shouldn’t have bothered. The motion of the car had no effect on her at all. "Did you just say your granddaughter?"

  "Close enough," she snapped back. "You've heard of Typhon?"

  "Sentenced to Tartarus by Zeus wasn't he?" I didn't mention that he was rumored to have been Gaea's last son.

  "Yes," she said, waving her hand. "But that is not important. What matters is that he had a daughter born to him there by the name of Metea. Thanks to the jewel, she has fled that terrible place. She is now in your world. In your city. You must find her for me."

  "Okay…" So I hadn't really failed in Hades after all. I just hadn’t been allowed to succeed. There is a difference. Even so, I sighed. Sometimes I really hate this job. "Tell me about her."

  "She is a creature of the deep, with a woman's body and a sea serpent's tail," she replied. "She can take human form, but will not be able to retain it for long. She will seek out water. That is where you must search for her."

  "Water? It's the desert! Wait! Do you know how many pools there are the city?" Great, now I have to find a Sea Monster. In Vegas, of all places.

  "Fresh water will not do," she replied. "It is sea water she will search for."

  "Why would she stay there then? The ocean is only 250 miles away. What's to stop her from heading toward LA?"

  "No," she said, shaking her head. "She will not lose sight of the city. The concentration of magic there is too strong, it will… comfort her." She reached under her collar and pulled out a roped, leather necklace with a coin pendant. Unclasping it, she removed it from her neck and placed it around mine. "When you find her, give her this. She will know where it came from. Once placed around her neck, it will send her back to me."

  I looked down at the necklace. On it was an ancient Greek or Roman coin bearing the bust of some Emperor, set in a gold pendant.

  "Listen well. Born in Tartarus, your world will be foreign to her. She is not immortal; she cannot survive on your world for very long." She reached over and grasped my arm in a vise like grip. "Most importantly, do this alone. No one must know she is there."

  "I'll need Charlie," I said.

  "Fine. The hound can aid you. His is a keen nose, but tell no other."

  "I got it," I said, surprised at the way she was acting.

  She relaxed her grip and moved closer. "You have three days. Bring her to me and I will find a suitable reward. Fail me, and..."

  "I got it, I got it," I said, before she could finish. It just wasn't something I needed to hear at the moment. This was not the Gaea I was used to, or even the one from just a few minutes ago.

  "Good," she said, then reached over to the rear view mirror and turned it. She looked at herself, straightened her hair a bit, then turned the mirror back. "Then it's settled. We can go now."

  I had no sooner flipped a U-turn, when, without warning, I was back on the 95 again driving through the Rainbow curve. The sudden change caused me to drift too close to the adjacent lane, the car next to mine's horn snapping me back to this reality. Looking at the clock, I was saw that no time had passed during our little chat. I shook my head. Frigging Gaea! How the hell was I supposed to find a Sea Serpent in Vegas in three days?

  Chapter 5

  Twenty minutes later, I turned off of Dean Martin Drive and onto the Neptune's lot. Putting aside my latest task for the moment, I followed a familiar black SUV through the tunnel and up to the executive parking lot. I pulled in back of Jay and got out, using my access card to open the gate. Getting back in my car, I followed him in and parked next to the SUV. During my call to him last night, I'd asked him to come to the meeting. He was waiting for me as I got out of the car.

  "Any word on the Knight?" I asked as we walked to the elevator.

  "Nothing good," he said. "You were right. She is a Null, but apparently we have some kind of arrangement with her Order. We're going to have to turn her back over to them." He stopped to gauge my reaction.

  "I kind of expected that," I said. I had to put Gaea's little meeting this morning behind me, so I played it cool. "Besides, I'm not eligible for the bounty anyway."

  "I thought you'd be pissed," he said as the elevator opened.

  "Nah," I said, stepping in. "It's not like she was trying to kill me. But I do need a favor when it comes to her."

  "What's that?" he asked.

  "We need to discuss her being here, but I promised Rael I'd keep her out of this. Can you bring her up if they ask?"

  "Smart move. Rael's a bitch when it comes to her privacy. Don’t worry Dad, I've got your back. I'll cover that for you when it comes up."

  "Thanks," I said. I hated to keep things from the others, but they weren't just my friends, they were professionals, and understood the concept of compartmentalization.

  "There's something else," I took out the sword I'd taken from the Goblin and showed it to him. "I did a little undercover gig before all that happened last night. You remember Bob's Market?"

  "The one on Charleston?" he asked.

  "The same," I replied. "I had a run in with a couple of Goblins last night. One was carrying this. They were trying to squeeze Bob out of a free paycheck, so he called me."

  "He have any idea what he was dealing with?" He whistled when he saw the sword.

  "No, he just thought they were a couple of thugs. But the Goblin tried to intimidate me when I wouldn’t cough up the money. Flashed me his true face. It went downhill from there."

  "Did he know what you were when he did it?"

  "No, and that's the problem. He thought I was human."

  We were interrupted by the elevator door opening. I put away the sword and we went down the hallway to Siegfried's office. His secretary pointed us to the conference room door.

  "Looks like the gang's all here," Michael said as we entered. Siegfried and Walter were already sitting at the table. I had to admit, I felt a little out of place. I was the only one not wearing a suit.

 

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25