The Coalition
Chapter 2 : SO WHERE DO WE GO FROM HERE?

The Safehouse

The motley crew of agents piled out of the dirty yellow bucket. Kyle stares blankly and Winter staring blankly at Dugan staring blankly at Jade. They all reach for Charles wallet and, after a moment of discussion, send the cabby away with a 300% tip and the biggest grin this side of the Mason-Dixon Line.

The building is a drab 3-story affair, baby-shit brown in color and shaped like a child's wooden block. Nothing spectacular here. A clutch of citizens from acroos the alley are whooping and hollering as the group hauls Charles into the apartment building. Number 4 is a rat-hole. Kyle drops Charles to the ground. "You can’t be serious! The wallpaper is missing, the windows are stained black, the furniture that IS here is tattered and worn. What the fuck?"

Jade's smirk is punctuated by the opening of a closet door to the group's left. A cool breeze blows up from a black, shining metal stairway leading down. Kyle looks around sheepishly and picks Charles back up. Dugan, who was attempting to retain the laughter building in his belly, begins to laugh. The four plus one decend into the Underground, Dugans laughter echoing acutely in everyone’s ears.

The Underground is a comfortable complex with seven personal rooms (each with bathroom and walk-in closet) a large kitchen, community room, three-man office with top-of-the-line auspex machines, and really really really comfortable chairs (all the same unobtrusive blue velveteen).

"Welcome to your new home," Jade says, dropping the luggage she was carrying in a most unceremonious manner. "Shall we tie this useless waste of flesh up or what?"

Turn 5

Dugan strolled into the kitchen area, musing to himself about the massive structure. Needs windows, he thought.

Winter stood next to the unconscious Charles, her eyes closed, her face intent. Sweat beaded on her forehead and aside from the fact that her clothes were dry, she looked like she had strolled through a sprinkler.

"Can someone watch him? I need to take a shower. I feel sick," Winter said, her voice low and lifeless. She held her hands to her head, one if front and one in back, like her head was being squeezed in some car graveyard's car compactor.

Kyle looked up from his disassembled weapons. "Yea, sure, Winter." His face curled up into a strange smile the Winter deftly ignored.

"I've got some security things to take care of and a bit o' paperwork to deal with. Make yourselves at home," Jade mumbled as she entered one of the side rooms. Sitting at a terminal she began to type with blinding speed. Kyle heard the sound and looked up for a moment, letting the strangely relaxing sound of the keys wash over him.

Dugan opened the ‘fridge and after ignoring such delights as Clamato Juice, he pulled out a Pepsi. Ahh, generation Next. As he popped the tab, he crossed to the secure phone sitting on the desk. After slurping some of the foam from the can's rim and side he lifted the receiver and punched in the security code.

***

Winter stumbled through the huge expanse of their underground hideout looking for a bathroom with a shower. Once found, she began to shed her clothes even before she had closed the door behind her. She slumped against the cold tile and let the hot water rain down on her. The tiny drops of water beat on her head and skin like nervous fingers on a desktop. There was peace here. She could let the running water symbolize the filth running off of her, the purging of the contaminated mind that she had embraced. Before she could stop herself, the wave of vomit had already coursed up through her and she let that be washed from her as well.

I hate my life, she thought. It's the only one you got, kiddo, an inner voice told her.

"Go fuck yourself," she replied.

Not before you gotten the evil from your soul, sweets.

Winter's weary form shot up straight, eyes wide.

***

"Initiating defense pulse." Dugan held the phone at arm's length as a viciously high pitched squeal fills the room. Kyle switched his focus and grimaced. Charles moaned a bit and was promptly struck on the noggin by the butt of Kyle’s pistol.

"Thank you. Please hold for an operator," the robotic voice from the phone informed.

After a few seconds, a woman's voice said, "Yes?"

"Louise? Can you patch me through to Keiko?"

"Dugan?" Louise drawls. "How was your flight, sweetie?"

"Oh, you know."

"I'll get Keiko. Ya'll be careful."

A handful of heartbeats passed, during which time the door to the office in which Jade was typing slammed shut, cursing and swearing was unleashed at an unsuspecting computer terminal, and the door was reopened. “Everything is fine. Javascript error.” Jade sat back down and continued typing.

"Dugan?"

The voice on the phone returned Dugan’s attention to the impending conversation. "Yeah, it's me Keiko. Just wanted to make sure you're feeding my fish."

"You don't have any fish, Dugan," Keiko says. "Why are you calling? I'm quite busy."

"Charles tried to kill us, Keik. He gave us the whammy with his “power" - made us think we were in a fantasy land. Luckily Jade showed up to chop-suey the prick before he carved us up with his Mandrake the Magician sacrificial dagger and decoder ring. Any idea why Chuckles would want us dead, Keiko? What's the story?"

"Let's begin with this, Dugan : My name is not Keik. Charles' power is that of Calabarian Mysticism. He has been loyal to the Coalition for over twenty years. I find it difficult to believe that he has alternative loyalties to anyone based simply on his history with the organization and his track record."

"Yes, that's fine, but Mr. Freaky tried to gut me, any ideas?"

"Perhaps, although this is a longshot at best, the other members of his order have been chatting with him. We know of two other humans that have the knowledge of the Calabani. Under the circumstances their names may become important to your investigation.

"Jack Ellis is the name that the younger one is going by these days. He is passing himself off as a traveling mentalist, performing simple magic to keep the crowds pleased. The other was last calling himself Gabriel, and had a small cult following in L.A. Convinced quite a few of the locals that he was the archangel, cast from heaven. Quite a frightening performance from what I hear.

"That is all the information I have on those two. Please keep me informed of updates. Charles was one of our best.."

Homebodys

Keiko made one last comment before hanging up. "I’ll send someone over to help with backup. Contact password will be based on the delta-tango-bravo-niner cryptography pattern. Good luck. Deal with Charles as you see fit." She hung up.

Kyle was just finishing the last touches of binding Charles’ hands together with a lamp cord when Jade popped out of the office. She walked past to the kitchen area and began rummaging through the dry goods cupboard. "Somewhere . . . in . . . here . . . ahh!" Jade removed a squat round canister and began to walk back to her office.

Dugan slowly hung up the phone and stared at the container. Jade looked at him rather disdainfully as she passed.

"Food for the fish."

"Oh."

Kyle stood, his foot placed in the center of Charles’ back to give him support as he tightened the cord about the caster’s wrists. Charles let out a low groaning sigh. "A job well done, wouldn’t you say, Jade?"

Jade rolled her eyes and reentered the office.

* * *

Winter stepped carefully out of the shower, the beads of water cooling her skin as they evaporated. She looked about the bathroom, moving past her discarded clothing. Her mind slowly crept out through the compound as she moved slowly into the bedroom. She ignored the insignificants, rodents, insects, Kyle, and searched for what was invading her mind. There were the others, Charles was still out cold. Charles’ mind was far from inactive, and still coated with that greasy feel. She stayed clear, but the pull was amazing. She should just look for a moment. Make sure he was out. That’s right. A little closer.

Winter broke the connection, blood poured from her nostrils. "You sonofaBITCH!" she roared. "You can’t get me that easily." Quiet now. Mustn’t let the others know about this. She felt the pressure on the back of her brain subside just a bit. Winter cleaned her face on the bed sheets and began dressing.

* * *

"Where should we put him, Dugan?"

"Well, I’m sure there must be a detention area in here somewhere. Jade? Could you co--"

A ringing noise, not wholly unpleasant, but impossible to ignore filled the complex. Jade popped her head out of the door. "Someone is here. Could one of you get that, I’m not quite finished in here."

Turn 6

Jade whacked the computer on the monitor while saying "work, damn you!" She had been trying to log onto the Coalition's database and look up Charles' credentials/odd habits/why he would be such an asshole, but she was having trouble with the new encryption system.

"What do you mean 'access denied-unable to verify user?' this is a perfectly good bogus password!" Ok, so her security clearance wasn't quite high enough, but she had managed to find a stupid administrative assistant who kept her boss' passwords in the memo function of her computer. "I love idiots!" she thought as she tried to use the password, after several unsuccessful tries, she finally got in.

Subject: Garcia, Charles-see bio. For additional information see Ellis,
Jack; Order, Simezian; In Ovo; Mysticism, Calabarian.

"Well, this is completely useless..." thought Jade as she sipped her soda.

Subject: Ellis, Jack - member of the
--Session timed out----

"Damn, just when it was getting good"

login:**********
password:**********

access denied-unable to verify user

"AAAAAAAARG!!!!!!!" "I hate this crap!"
Jade left the room to see who the new visitor was.

"I'll get it," Dugan says, crossing to the door. He peeps through the security window, then says, "Looks like our backup's here." Dugan's wink readied Kyle for any possible trouble.

Dugan opened the door and ushers the newcomers inside. "Come on in. There's Clamata in the fridge. Help yourself."

Kyle nodded to the stranger who was obviously not a Coalition member. The Latino youth looked stern, his years on the street toughening him enough for most situations. Even this one.

"Have a seat, kid," Kyle waved at the couch with one of his pistols. Grabbing Charles by the collar, he began to haul him out of view. Jade glanced at the scene, unfolding in the apartment and shook her head.

Dugan, ignoring the guest, sat himself in front of the computer. Ok, what do we know, he thinks. The guy we're trying to find was messed up with the In Ova -some sort of magical tradition. Wait. Didn't Charles say something about "things" on the other side of the...oh, magical barrier, I guess you'd call it - nasty Lovecraftian things that could slip into our world when someone used In Ova magic? Maybe that would explain the worm thing that latched on to Chuck before he went schizo on us. Or were we already in fantasyland when we saw that? Hmm...

Kyle walked back in and stared at the youth. "You are not supposed to be here friend. This place doesn't exist. Who are you?" Obviously frustrated with the situation, the youth sat silent, a frown roaming over his features.

Dugan logged on to the web, and says, "Who wants to come along with me on a little field trip? I'm going to hit a couple of the occult book stores in the area. Maybe they've had contact with our target. If not, they may be able to shed some light on what happened to us at the airport."

"Perhaps we should worry about our visitor, first, Dugan."

"Good point, Jade. So, as you've so keenly dodged this question before, who are you?"

Winter walked out into the room, a satin bathrobe clinging to her still wet features. "He's a Blank. I get no reading from him. I don't like that." Her appearance took the boys in the room off gaurd. Kyle's jaw visibly dropped.

Entrances & Exits

Dugan left the newcomers and seated himself again at the computer. "The others should be able to handle the newcomers, " he thought. Let's see what I can find out about those Calabani members Keiko mentioned. Dugan began to hunt and peck with furious passion and a slight grin on his face.

Jade reached over and grabbed the cigarettee from Enrico's mouth. "I believe the question is not about what we're doing here, but what you're doing here. What's your deal?" she said, blocking Enrico's way off the couch with her (rather muscular yet attractive) leg. Jade ground the smouldering smoke into the heel of her boot. Jade, still looking at Enrico, shot at Winter, "Go put some clothes on girl. Can't you see we got company?"

Enrico lights up another smoke.

"Baby you got nice legs you work out much?"

"Ya know I think if the chica wants to walk around in the buff thats fine by me, it sure beats paying a ten dollar cover at a strip club. Anyways, I told you that some dead spirits told me to drop by here. If yah tell me what your up to maybe I can tell ya what I'm doin' here."

"Hey you ever thought about dancing? I know a guy down at the Voo. I hear the chix make good money." Enrico's grin, meant solely to antagonize, spread ear to ear.

"Oh, my, I believe my womanhood has been offended." Jade replied in a perfect monotone. To Enrico: "Listen, Slimeball, I've had just about enough of your punkass attitude.

Kyle stands and walks a few feet. He turns, his arms crossed and one of his pistols is tap tap tapping his cheek in contemplation. "Dead spirits? Winter says he's blank? Something is'nt quite right here. Of course, that isn't saying much, all things considered. " Kyle chuckles a bit then, "Did these spirits of yours tell you anything more thanto come here? Can we speak to these spirits? Do you any idea of what invoking spirits is like? Can you even begin to prove what you are saying?" Kyle's questions came fast and furious, losing sensibility until, "...and if these spirits are so damn smart how come I can't find my fucking keys? Huh? "

Winter placed her hand on the pistol Kyle was pointing at Enrico. "Settle yourself. " Kyle relaxed a bit and Winter stood in front of the calming Kyle. Oblivious to current state of dress (or lack thereof) Winter adressed the crowd.

"Everyone back off for a moment. We're getting nowhere. " She wiped away a trickle of blood from her nose. "Who exactly sent you here, Enrico. Dugan, come here. " Winter rached in Dugan's direction. Her other hand covered her bleeding nose as her balance was lost.

Dugan looked up from the computer, "Hold on a sec - Jesus, Winter, you look like crap." He stood and loped to Winter, grabbing her arm to steady her. "Are you ok? You're not...you know...in a "family way", are you?" He pulled a slightly used Kleenex from his pocket and offered it to Winter.

"What the hell are we supposed to do now? This mission is completely FUBAR! Winter is out, Charles is trying to gank us, and this puke," Kyle gestures wildly at Enrico with his pistol,"shows up out of nowhere. I've just got a bad feeling about all of this. And when the hell is our backup supposed to arrive, anyway?" Kyle throws his arms up in frustration and stomps out to the kitchen.

"You should learn to relax more Kyle.", says the newest arrival. "Otherwise, you're going to give yourself an ulcer." The man is standing in the entrance to the hallway that leads to the living quarters of the complex. He is about 5'8", 155lbs, mid to late twenties, with brown hair and blue eyes. He is wearing a tailor-made black suit and a pair of leather gloves that completely cover his hands. In his left hand he is holding a leather briefcase and in his right, a silenced pistol which is currently pointed at Enrico.

"Keiko sent me, and I would have been here sooner if I hadn't seen our guest snooping around outside. I therefore took the liberty of using the "back door" in case there was trouble. By the way, my name is Michael Stewart." Glancing around, he lowers his gun and says to Dugan. "We should maybe put Winter in one of the bedrooms so that she can rest." He pulls up a chair, sits down, puts his briefcase down beside it and then turns to Enrico. "Keiko gave me a briefing on the way over here and you, my friend, were not part of it. I personally don't like it when things don't go according to plan. So, why don't you enlighten us as to how you fit in to the current situation."

Enrico breaths a little sign but not of relief.

"I haven't had this many guns pointed at me since those damn cops busted that drug hous...but I wasn't there to smoke I was there to get my stupid sister...damn crackheads 'll do anything for a hit. But cops never listen to the Latino. Don't cha think the chica should get to a hospital? Anyway, look...I talk to these spirits every once in a while. I was a grave digger out in Cali and I picked up some crazy stuff up from the people I worked with, yah wouldn't believe the stuff this one guy would tell me about the dead after they die. Well so Cali gets all wild with gangs and shit and I messed with some guys I shouldn't have. So I move out here trying to get away from all that shit. So like a week ago, my friend gets murdered and being the good natured fellow I am I want to know who did it. I consult with the spirits and they tell me to come to this address. I don't know nuthin' about you guys. And what do you mean the chica gets a blank from me, whats that suppose to mean? And you guys really need to quit trippin' and just chill."

Dugan picks up Winter as gently as he can. "Ok, I'm going to put Winter in a bed, try to cover her up. Jade, where's the medical kit in here? It's not a good idea to take her to a hospital...anyone know first aid?"

Dugan takes the unconscious woman out of the room.

"All right Enrico," Michael says as he puts his gun into a shoulder holster concealed under his jacket, "I have a feeling you might have some of the answers we need." He stands up and walks over to the closet next to the front door. "Last time I was here, this is where one of the first aid kits was...", he says to himself. He opens the door and rummages around for a few seconds. Pulling the bag of the top shelf, he states to those in the room but no one in particular. "I do happen know first aid so I'll go to see if there is anything I can do for Winter." Walking across the room, Michael seems to be lost in thought. As he reaches the hallway that leads to the bedrooms, he turns again to Enrico and asks, "By the way, what was the name of your friend who was murdered?"

Kyle says "I'll take care of Winter, buddy. Tell you what. This whole mess is getting to me to be perfectly honest. I'll watch Winter and Unconscious Charles and you boys and girl can go play Secret Agent." With that Kyle wanders out of the room and begins to check Winter over, keeping an eye and pistol pointed at Charles.

"Great" says Jade, heading out the door, "let's go"

"Ok, I say we go investigate the crime scene. Sorry 'bout being so harsh on you at first Enrico, What kind of ride are you in? This is sort of a dicey neighborhood. We've had two new car shell burnouts just this week."

Surprised at the speed at which the room became empty, Michael hesistates for a moment and glances at Dugan. He then calls out to Jade, "Hey! Wait a minute!". He walks over the chair he had been siting in and drops the first aid kit on it. He casually picks up his briefcase and comments, "Why is evetbody in such a rush?". Not waiting for an answer, he makes his way to the front door. He pulls out a set of car keys and goes outside. "Enrico," Dugan hears him say, "I still need to know what the name of your friend was."

"Ok, Kyle. Lock up behind us, and stay out of the Clamato," Dugan says, as he follows the others out the door.

"My Friends name was Jesus Martinez a.k.a Spoon. He's into drugs, I thought he wanted to get out and thats why he came with me to Minneapolis. But, Oviously the idiot messed with someone, probably couldn't stay away from that crap," Enrico says to Micheal.

Turning to Jade Enrico says, "I got a nice car. I picked up a saturn, I hear they got good sales people. Hey if your lookin' for anything I got connections, its crazy what you can get in this city."

"Enrico, has the Saturn been chopped yet," Dugan asks, "or is it hot off the street? If it's freshly stolen, we may want to get a cab or rent-a-car. Don't want to be attracting the 'man', if you know what I mean." He winks conspiratorially at Enrico.

"We could take my car. Here it is." Opening the door of the hereto unnoticed garage, they all see a cherry red 1965 convertible. "Unless you think that would be too obvious." She says, handing the keys to Dugan.

"So Dugan", Michael adds with a grin on his face, "where's your car?" He then states matter-of-factly, "I have no objection going in different vehicles but I have some trepidation about being associated with stolen property. I would like to reduce the chances that I come in direct conflict with the law if you don't mind. No offense, but I have to maintain a reputation in order to keep my "public" identity." He absently rubs his right temple with his gloved hand. "I have an extra cell phone we can use if we go in separate vehicles. What do you think?"

"You have a public identity?" Dugan asks Michael. Then he adds in a whisper, "Are you Batman? You can tell me, I won't tell."

"Two cars is fine with me," Dugan says to the group as he tosses the keys back to Jade. "I call shotgun on the convertable!"

"Aren't we funny?", Michael says with a hint of sarcasm. Opening his brief case, he pulls out a cell phone and a business card which he hands to Dugan. The card reads: "Michael Stewart, Attorney at Law, junior partner, Winston-Richards-Anderson" and lists an address and several numbers. "Call the cell number on the card if you need to reach me. Maybe you should give Keiko a call and tell her what's going on. I'll follow you Jade but where are we going anyways?"


Index
Chapter 1
Chapter 3
The Coalition main page.
Dale’s Homepage.