A Division of Souls - A Novel of the Mendaihu Universe by Jon Chaisson

  *

  Poe did not expect to be so relieved to hear Caren’s voice over the comm, but he felt himself tearing up the moment she called his name. He truly hadn’t expected her to, once she entered the warehouse. Her primary motive, after all, had been to be with Denni, no matter what the cost. The Key already forgotten, Poe moved to a corner of the small shed, settled down on a pile of pillows, and leaned up against the wall. Just outside the one window, he could see Christine pacing back and forth in her own thoughts.

  “Pashyo, Caren. It’s great to hear your voice,” he said, and meant it. “Thank the Goddess you’re okay.”

  “This has been a very weird hour, Alec,” she said. “You’re on Haden Street, right? Two or three blocks down?”

  “Yeah,” he said. “I’m still at Christine’s, up on the roof. The Key is holding.”

  “Tell her I said hello, and thank her for me…for all of us! Anando and I are heading out, we’ll meet you there in about ten or fifteen minutes. I suggest that if there’s last minute things that need to be done, you do them now.”

  Poe frowned. In the back of his mind he remembered the name from Matthew’s data crystal. “Who’s he? And what’s going on?”

  “You’ll meet him soon enough,” she said. He could just about hear the smile on her face. “In the meantime, I suggest you hold your position if you don’t have anything else going on. I’m going to get a hold of Kai and Ashan and get them up to speed.”

  “Caren, what’s going on?” he asked again. “What aren’t you telling me?”

  “It’s too complicated right now, but I’ll explain when I get there. You’re going to be involved, Alec,” she said.

  Poe bristled at the comment, but let it pass for now. “Did you happen to see our second team, by any chance?” he asked. “They should still be at the warehouse.” He had been about to say something else when Christine walked back in, noticed him in the corner, and lifted her head at him in question. He mouthed Caren’s name, tapped on his watch, and waved an open palm at her. Frowning, she nodded and left the shed again.

  “Alec?” she called.

  “Sorry. Just telling Christine we’re getting more company. Anyway, last I knew, they were inside the warehouse, or at least nearby.”

  “They shouldn’t have come,” Caren cursed. “I just came from there. It’s too late to go back now.”

  “Don’t worry about it,” he said quickly. “I’ll try to hail them again.”

  “Right. See you in ten,” she said, and signed off before he could say any more.

  “Damn!” He pushed himself up and headed out of the shed. He cursed again as he strode towards the edge of the roof, wiping his brow with his shirt sleeve. With the last of the Rain calmed, the air had gotten humid and uncomfortable. Everything was a discomfort right now…Denni was off in an otherwhere, Caren had left the warehouse, Kai and Ashan were too far away, and team two were in the wrong place. So many things could go wrong right now. The chances of Nick and Sheila getting out of the warehouse so quickly were slim and falling. He blessed is luck when Nick answered after a few tries on different frequencies. He hurriedly explained the situation to him and tried talking him out of staying at the warehouse, at least for his own protection.

  “Sheila’s right here,” he said. “She wants to stay.”

  “Caren told me to get the two of you out of there, Nick,” he warned. “Now, I’m hoping that nothing will happen…perhaps you’ll all be safe there, I don’t know.”

  “So what do we do?” he asked.

  “Use your judgment. If you think it’s safe to stay, fine. I just wouldn’t recommend it if you’re not ready for it.”

  Nick did not answer right away.

  “We’re all meeting at Christine’s place, on the roof,” Poe added. “She’ll have the door open.”

  “Sheila still wants to stay,” Nick finally answered, his voice quiet.

  “Fine,” he growled. “It’s your own choice then.”

  Nick paused again before answering, leaving Poe in an uncertain predicament. Had he just broken up the second team? Had he just put Sheila in danger, inadvertently or not? By rule of seniority, it had fallen on him to make such decisions. But this had not been a normal situation, even by ARU standards. He could only hope he had made the right decision.

  “I’ll try to be there as soon as possible,” Nick said, almost sullenly. She must have almost talked him into it.

  Poe gave him directions and let him sign off. He cursed one more time, trying to keep a handle on this rapidly deteriorating situation. He pulled out a cigarette from his inside uniform pocket and lit it, leaning heavily on the railing. A moment later Christine joined him. Without a word she plucked the cigarette from his fingers, took a long drag, and placed it back in his hand. He pulled another out, lit it, and handed it to her.

  “Thanks. A Closing ritual,” she said before exhaling.

  He nodded and took another drag. “I just signed off the fate of two of the best people I work with, Chris.”

  She squeezed his shoulder. “They’ll be fine, Alec,” she said. “They’ll be changed…but they’ll be fine.”

  “I sure as hell hope so.”