A Woman of the Swamp

9. The Start of an Ugly Day

Nick sat on the suite’s balcony overlooking a cloudy New Orleans morning. He held on to the strong cup of coffee in his hand like it was a strong anchor in a tempest. The fury of the previous evening’s hangover wasn’t as bad as expected, and the damp chill of the morning air refreshed him. You’ve got to stop doing this to yourself. He looked down at his wrist and discerned no difference in the hourglass’s sand. Whatever he was doing hadn’t changed his odds that much. Nick enjoyed the slow, peaceful moment with his coffee.

“What’s the deal with the hourglass?”

Nick jumped, pulling his sleeve down. He hadn’t even heard Marie open the sliding glass door.

“Sorry,” she apologized, coming to sit next to him with a coffee cup of her own. “In my previous misadventures, being quiet was a necessity. Old habits die hard.”

Nick allowed a moment for his heart to slow. “It’s alright.” He took a deep breath in through his nose and let it out through his mouth, feeling the coppery taste of adrenaline on his tongue.

“You ok?” she asked.

“Most people who sneak up on me aren’t looking to share my company.” His breaths were heavy, but he slowed them. Lopsang tried to impart many meditation techniques, but breathing was the only thing that stuck. “You ready for one of the strangest days of your life?”

Marie drank her coffee, thinking it over. “A long time ago, I might have said no. But, given how I’ve spent the last few years of my life, it feels like there’s a bizarre destiny about all of this.”

“I don’t put much stock in destiny, but it always comes knocking just the same. Cosmic beings love to throw dice and bet on the outcome. I wouldn’t be surprised if a few bearded gentlemen are sitting in the clouds watching us play out like a little game.”

“Two men?”

Nick waved it off. “Women wouldn’t create a life this cruel, and if they did, they wouldn’t be betting on it.”

“How benevolently sexist of you.”

Nick shrugged. “You’re probably right, but something about this life feels petty and mean.” He sighed. “Or at least, that’s what I tell myself when I’m feeling morose and haven’t had a decent drink yet.”

“The coffee’s not bad.”

“No, it’s not, but it’s a temporary means to an end.” He ignored the shaking in his hand. “You seem to be taking all this rather well.” Nick planted his palm firmly on the chair, pushing into the steel until the shaking stopped. Should’ve thrown some whisky in this.

Marie shrugged and leaned back in her chair. “What else is there to do really? There’s nothing for me at home, and it seems clear that the specter of my past is determined to hang on at all costs. If getting rid of another necromancer is what gets it to go away, then I might be able to find some peace.” She went silent for a minute and then added: “It’s what Ray would have wanted anyway.”

Nick felt a familiar pang in his gut that he wished he didn’t. “Who’s Ray?” His words came out awkward and stilted.

Marie didn’t respond immediately. When she did, her voice was lower and wavered. “My husband. He was one of the best men I ever knew.” The word ‘was’ hung heavy in the air, uninterrupted. “Before prison, I was trying to treat his cancer.”

It all clicked together. “Books weren’t cutting it, were they?”

“No, they were not.”

“The Baron comes to people in weak moments.”

“He’s a bastard.”

“No argument there.” Distant thunder rumbled, rolling across the city. “It’s not the same, but I know a thing or two about trying to save someone you care about.”

“James?” she asked.

“Yeah, getting him back sucked, and cheating death always has consequences.”

“He seems to be doing ok.”

“James? Sure, but something hasn’t felt right since we all got back. I can’t put my finger on it. It’s almost like we’ve offended the universe if that makes sense. James isn’t supposed to be here, by the laws of nature and the laws of magic. I’m not sure if anyone else has done what we’ve done.” Despite the pungent coffee, an air of heavy gloom settled over Nick.

“I can’t disagree with you there. I’ve been living the consequences of my attempt for the last three years. Now Ray’s gone and I’m contracting for secret societies just to keep everything afloat.”

Nick scoffed. “Please, don’t call The Sixth Side a secret society. They aren’t half as cool as that. No, they’re just a bunch of goons with a lot of money who want to see the world run according to US government interests. If you want a secret society, ask me about The Order after all of this.” Saying the name, Nick realized he hadn’t checked in at The Order’s headquarters for years. Going back without James wasn’t an option. They loved him there. Now that the kid was back, maybe an Order contract was exactly what they needed.

“After this, I’m hoping to take some time away from the strangeness for a lifetime or two.” The weariness was clear in her voice

Getting away from the strangeness. Sounds nice. Nick had tried a few times himself with little success. Something about the life always pulled him back, and he had a feeling it was going to be the same for Marie. “I think we could all use some time away from all this. It’s going to be a long few days.”

“Shorter if I can help it.” Marie’s voice held determination.

“I’ll drink to that. You keep yourself safe out there, Marie. The undead are dangerous business as I’m sure you know, but those who raise them are worse by a mile.”

She smiled at his implication. “Oh yes, never trust a necromancer. They’re the lowest of the low.”

Nick had more to say. He could have stayed on the balcony talking to Marie all day, but time was short. He wanted to tell her that she was one of the good ones and that they were all going to make it through, but he had a sinking feeling that wasn’t true. “Well, I’ve got a dusty old vampire to brunch with, and I’d be loath to miss one of Jackie’s spreads.” Nick checked the hourglass on his wrist out of reflex. Nothing had changed.

“Good luck.” Marie gripped her coffee cup with both hands and drank, looking over the city.

Nick took a last look and gave Marie a nod. He opened the sliding glass door to find Shirley, reading through thick files spread across a long table.

“Your friend, Jackie, is a real piece of work,” she said without looking up.

Nick walked over and looked down at the files. “Jesus, a little light morning reading?” Grisly scenes of murder were captured in high-definition photographs with hand-scrawled notes across the margins. “Let me guess, The Sixth Side employs vampire hunters, just in case?” Next to the pictures was a photocopied list that read: ‘How to dispose of vampires quietly’.

“A few,” admitted Shirley. “But you didn’t hear that from me.”

“From what I’m seeing, they’re amateurs anyway.”

Shirley rolled her eyes. “How in the hell do you associate with a man like this in good conscience? These aren’t even all the murders we know about. I thought vampires were supposed to be suave creatures with legions of followers.”

Nick nearly choked on his coffee. “Sure, maybe if you’re doing your research through the library of Hollywood excess.”

“Well, I’ve known of a few vampires to live in dilapidated old castles and terrorize small villages, so I figured Hollywood couldn’t be that far off.”

“I’m going to ask you about that someday.” Nick tried to keep tabs on active vampires in his area as a matter of personal health. After one incident in Alaska, he had no desire to repeat the experience. “But, in general vampires are just trying to get by without ending up crisped by sunlight or a sudden stake through the heart. Jackie is a special case. He’s been around long enough that he knows everyone important, and everyone important knows him. If he wants to drain us, use us as appetizers, or keep us in a cage for amusement, he will.”

“That’s why I’ve got backup on standby. He tries any shit like that and he’s going to be taking a longer dirt nap than expected.” Shirley shuffled the files together and put them back in the folder.

“Sure, whatever you say.”

“What’s that supposed to mean?”

Nick looked directly at Shirley. “I know you’ve been with The Sixth Side for a while, and you think they’re generous because they gave you a new life instead of killing you. Jackie is much higher on the food chain than you or I. The person that took those notes,” Nick tapped the folder, “had everything they needed to kill him, but didn’t. When I say he knows everyone, that means everyone, Sixth Side included. If Jackie wants us dead, we’re dead.”

Shirley chewed the inside of her lip.

Nick looked around the suite, wondering how many cameras and microphones The Sixth Side had hidden, and how much Shirley could protect him from their wounded pride.

“You’re probably right,” answered Shirley eventually. “But, just in case, I want to be prepared to fight rather than roll over and die. It always pays to have an exit strategy.”

“They do say fortune favors the bold. Wouldn’t be the first time I escaped The Sixth Side.”

“They stopped chasing you because they had me. Besides, they knew people would think you’d completely lost your mind if you told anyone that Bigfoot story.”

“Still don’t understand why they feel the need to keep these legends alive.”

“Join up and I could tell you.” It was only half of a joke.

“I think this will be my last rodeo with government agencies for a while.”

“We’ll see if you say that when the check clears.”

“Let’s try and survive brunch first.”