The Blood Eagle In The Big Easy Part 7

Keeping an eye on the clock on the wall I watched as the hours pa.s.sed, falling asleep somewhere around ten in the morning. The turning of the lock in the door brought me out of my slumber about two thirty in the afternoon. My lawyer, Henry, strolled through the open door with the precinct captain in tow. Henry stood just over five feet tall, with a stocky build to compensate for his stature. His s.h.i.+ny bald head gleamed even in the dim lighting of the room, his face was cleanly shaven not needing a beard to accentuate his angular features. His steel gray eyes swept the room thoroughly appraising the situation. "Captain, I believe Mr. Warden has been detained long enough."

The captain nearly tripped over himself when he tried to walk around Henry without b.u.mping into him. "Mr. Warden, I would like to apologize on behalf of the NOPD for any inconvenience we may have caused you today." He fumbled at his keyring as he looked for the proper key.

Pulling my hands free of the broken shackles I decided to save the poor guy the trouble. Looking over at Henry who gave me the slightest nod. "I take it you were able to prove my innocence."

Henry chuckled. "Innocence is a stretch don't you think?" He pulled out a notepad and thumbed through it. "The NOPD has graciously agreed not to press charges against you for disturbing the peace." Henry looked at the captain shaking his head. "Really? You were going to go with disturbing the peace with the plethora of other charges?" He laughed as he continued thumbing through his notes. "Breaking and entering, destruction of public property, unlawful discharge of a firearm." Henry looked over at the captain who seemed to visibly shrink. "Since when is self defense unlawful?" The captain started to open his mouth when Henry waved him off. "The list goes on and on like this so you kind of see my point."

"Don't I pay you well enough?" Rubbing my wrists from where the cuffs had dug in earlier felt good, like finally getting to that itch you hadn't been able to scratch. "I thought I was your favorite client."

Henry pocketed his notepad and gave me a grave look. "I don't understand what you mean."

Henry was exceptionally good at his job and perhaps more than a little terrifying. The one thing missing from his repertoire was a sense of humor. "Never mind." I laughed taking a step toward the door as I gave the captain a nasty little smirk. "I am free to go, right?"

"Oh yes sir everythings been taken care of" the captain stammered.

Henry and I walked through the corridors and out the front door where Gregory was waiting for me, leaning against a light post. "Well Mr. Warden this is where I shall leave you" as Henry stuck out his hand. "Mr. Aaron has asked to speak with you and has offered to drive you home."

Shaking his hand Henry gave me the briefest of smiles. "Thanks Henry, I don't know what I would do without you."

"I suspect you would spend many a year behind bars sir." Henry waved as he crossed the street.

As I said before Henry didn't exactly have a sense of humor so the thought of prison time pretty much depressed me. But that was neither here nor there as Gregory made his way over to me with a look of both amus.e.m.e.nt and concern written across his face. "How did they treat you?"

"The NOPD always has the finest accommodations." I looked at his face trying to discern what kind of mood he was in. "How was your day?"

Something about the question brought a big smile to his face. "Pretty good actually! I got to watch a lot of very entertaining video." Gregory's eyes sparkled as he spoke. He was enjoying this far too much. "Did you know that you flailed through the air before you bounced off the pavement?"

"Glad I could amuse you." Turning to follow him down the street I clapped him on the shoulder hard enough to make him take a couple of quick steps to keep his balance. "Did you learn anything of any importance?" I inquired.

"Like you getting thrown around like a rag doll or the fact you really can take a punch?" His amus.e.m.e.nt suddenly faded away as if someone had hit an off switch as he stopped to face me once more. "The poor guy inside the Beauregard Keyes House didn't stand a chance." Gregory choked back the nausea that threatened to overwhelm him. "He didn't even slow down when the guard fired. He just slammed into him with such force it broke nearly every bone in the man's body."

The good news had been that the guard hadn't suffered. "Sorry about that." Anger crept through my soul as I thought about how cheap Creepy George valued the lives of others. "He will answer for all of his crimes as soon as we get our hands on him."

Gregory turned and walked further down the street in silence. "So it's back to *we' is it?"

"More like a figure of speech" I hoped that Gregory realized how dangerous George was. Going after him with the SOG or any standard law enforcement would end in more deaths. "This man is too dangerous to be brought in by the normal authorities, and he's too dangerous to go into the formal justice system." What can I say? I'd hoped this conversation could have waited until Gregory was acclimated to the way things were done here but from the dark expression on his face I knew it wasn't possible. "You obviously saw what he did when he encountered that guard. Just what do you think would have changed if you or your men were along for the ride other than more deaths?" Not waiting for the sting to wear off I pressed on. "Creepy George is basically in my weight cla.s.s and look how well that worked out for me. Would you have preferred that to be one of your men on the autopsy table today?"

Gregory sadly shook his head. "No, not at all." He sighed as he pulled his keys out clicking the b.u.t.ton to unlock the SUV. "I've been the one everyone turns too when they need help." He turned and leaned against the front wheelwell as he trembled. "I'm scared, I've never been this close to whatever this is."

I propped myself against the car next to him as he spoke. "You should have died last night." He looked at me with suspicion in his eyes. "You bounced off the street for G.o.d's sake!"

"I'm sure I did." Opening the pa.s.sengers side door I gestured for him to get in so we could get whatever this was on the road. "It's a long story that I suppose is overdue."

He climbed in after me and started the car before giving me a worried look. "How bad is this going to get?"

"Depends on how much you really want to know." Gregory was due for some truth but I wanted to give him a chance to slowly step into the pool before he drowned by suddenly jumping into the deep end. "Before you say you want to know everything, you really might want to try and take it in small chunks."

"How about we start with how you survived last night?" Gregory kept his eyes on the traffic trying to act casual even as excitement built in his voice. "You were thrown through a window and took a huge chunk of wrought iron railing with you when as you went... and you bounced!"

"Oh for heavens sake!" After thinking about it I must have looked pretty amusing as I skipped across the asphalts surface. "I a.s.sure you it was much less amusing last night!" I relaxed into my seat trying to figure out where to start. Finally I decided on my course of action as I took a deep breath. "I suppose we should start with a few basics."

"Sure, talk down to me, that's really going to win me over!" Gregory snarked. "Kidding... Please continue."

"First thing you need to accept is that there are things that we just don't understand." I gestured at the world around us. "Some people call it magic, I call it science."

Gregory slammed on his breaks as he nearly rear ended the car in front of us. "So you're telling me magic is real?" He pulled off the road and into a nearby parking lot. "So you survived last night due to magic? That's what you're going to tell me?"

Taking a deep breath as I waited for him to run out of steam I shook my head slowly. This is why I prefer to wait and let things sink in slowly. No one ever takes it well in big chunks. "Hold on... As I was saying I call it a science, and in this particular case you can think of it as a personal force s.h.i.+eld..."

"Like in the story Dune?" Gregory demanded as he opened the door and stepped out needing room to think.

Wrapping my s.h.i.+elds around me as opened my door I met him at the front of the truck. Catching sight of a broken two by four laying in a garbage heap from some half completed renovation project I motioned for him to pick it up. "Pick that up and swing it at me."

He marched over, s.n.a.t.c.hing it up before turning back to me in a fury. "Don't tempt me after the day I've had."

The thing about being around for as many centuries as I have is you get tired of all the indignation thrown your way. Gregory however was a special case and I tried to keep calm and explain it to him. "Look, this is easier with a show and tell scenario, so just swing the toothpick at me already."

He stood there working up the courage to take a swing. Taking a running start he drew back for all he was worth and swung it hard at my head. Lifting my forearm I blocked the blow that was meant to cave in my skull, snapping it in two. Quickly grabbing him by his s.h.i.+rt I easily lifted him off the ground. "See, it wasn't all that hard to do was it?" Smirking as I let his feet touch the ground once more he stumbled back and almost fell over in surprise.

Gregory's mouth was agape as he inspected my arm expecting to find abrasions at the very least. "How?"

Now that was the million dollar question and one I barely understood myself. "To be perfectly honest it's sort of a mystery to me as well." Leaning against the grill of the truck I shrugged. "It protects me from most things, including bullets before you ask" as I waved off this obvious question. "They don't stay up forever and they weaken over time depending on how much damage they take."

"So if I were to hit you with my car you would just stand there?" Gregory asked mystified.

The thought of that made me laugh pretty hard. "First off, I would run like h.e.l.l to get out of the way." Pus.h.i.+ng myself off the truck I walked off a few feet, lost in thought, trying to find the right words to explain all of this to him properly. "I don't weigh more than anyone else so if you were to hit me with the car, I might not break any bones but I would certainly be thrown from the impact."

"So superman you're not!" Gregory chuckled. "Closer than most of us though I suppose."

"Anything else you want to know?" Watching Gregory try to wrap his mind around what he had just learned, I was reminded just how resilient most people are.

Gregory shook his head. "I think that's about all I can handle right now." He looked at me and smiled. "Thanks for trusting me." He gestured for me to get back in the car. "We should talk about George."

"I suppose we should." I climbed back in as he started the SUV. "What do you know so far?"

Gregory pulled a file out of the backseat and handed it to me. "That's what we have so far. Read it and let's see if we can't fill in some blanks."

George Louis Ackler was a German national who immigrated to the US in 1967. In Germany he had been a well known furniture maker. Once in America he bounced around the country doing odd jobs till he set up shop in Maine. After that things got sketchy till about fifteen years ago when he opened the shop here in New Orleans on Royal Street in the French Quarter.

He had a couple of domestic violence charges lodged against him over the years, one by a woman and another by a man who both moved out of state before they could testify against him. Several unpaid parking tickets, both in the city and the North Sh.o.r.e, as well as the speeding ticket he received last month on the Causeway.

By this time we were back at my office. Gregory pulled into the parking lot behind my building and parked. "So are you going to tell me how you knew about this guy?"

"It was something Galvez told me just before he died."

"I was just a few feet away cutting through his restraints!" Gregory snapped as he threw his hands up. "I didn't hear anything other than the fact he hated you! Care to try again?"

Closing my eyes I shrugged my shoulders as I knew the next words out of my mouth were going to sound completely ludicrous. "Have you ever watched Star Trek?"

He started laughing as he leaned back in his seat thinking I was obviously making some type of joke. "Everyone's seen Star Trek at some point in their life. What the h.e.l.l does that have to do with anything?"

"I am just trying to find a frame of reference for you." No matter how this came out it would always sound much cooler in my head.

"Remember when Galvez grabbed me?" Gregory nodded silently waiting for the punch line. "Well for conversations sake let's just say he performed the Vulcan Mind Meld."

Gregory's face contorted into a ma.s.s of confusion as he continued to snicker. "You're kidding me right?" Realization sank in and Gregory shook his head as he sat up straight. "You don't expect me to believe that do you?"

"Not believing in something doesn't make it any less true." I intoned. "The fact is, he was dying and before he pa.s.sed he shared some of his memories with me." Opening my door to get out I shrugged helplessly. "That's how I found out about George."

Gregory whistled. "d.a.m.n, things are never easy with you are they?"

Thinking about that for a moment I shook my head. He of course was correct. "I suppose they're not." The good things never are! Giving him a rea.s.suring smile I closed the car door. "At least its never dull when I'm around."

Gregory rolled down his window as I walked around. He was chuckling to himself as he shook his head in disbelief. "I could use a little less excitement in my life."

"Then you moved to the wrong city my friend."

"I guess I did..." Gregory put the car in gear but kept his foot on the break. "So do you have any other s.h.i.+t job you want me to do now that I'm your lackey?"

"Sorry about that." I blushed as he waved my apology away. Everything I found is in the file."

Gregory took his foot off the break when I tapped my hand against his door. "There is one last little detail I might have forgotten to tell you." I really had forgotten. "Creepy George, as I have taken to calling him, thinks we are killing off his creepy perverted buddies." His face went ashen as shock set in. "I'm sure once he heals up a little he will want some payback."

"That's one h.e.l.l of an afterthought there boss." Gregory grumbled.

"If it makes you feel any better it would be more accurate to say he believes I am killing his pervy little friends." I smiled as I threw up my shoulders.

"Actually that does make me feel better!" He turned his head to check if anyone had pulled in behind him. "Do you need me to a.s.sign some guards..."

"You remember I own a heavily armed security firm right?" I rolled my eyes and waved as he drove off.

Walking through the side doors I noticed the office was abuzz with people and tension filled the air. Justine waved me over to reception. "Yes, Justine?" I rubbed my neck wanting nothing more than to go upstairs to take a shower and maybe catch a nap.

"You might want to go see Ms Katherine." Justine nodded her head in the direction of the second story balcony. "She is rather intent on seeing you right away."

c.r.a.p! Katherine was here to give me a hard time about Kira's a.s.signment. After how my morning had gone so far I could only guess at her mood. "Thanks Justine."

"Should I send security by to check on you in twenty?" Justine smirked.

I wasn't sure if she were kidding or not as I shrugged off the suggestion. "That shouldn't be necessary."

"You're funeral, sir." Justine snickered as she turned her attention to the papers on her desk. "She's in rare form today."

When isn't she, I thought as I made my way up the stairs. Katherine was leaning against the door frame ,dressed in a well tailored blue suit. The jacket hugged her every curve accentuating her a.s.sets, while the pencil skirt was cut just above the knee with a slit on the right thigh showing just a little skin. She had beautiful long legs and a perfectly shaped behind and very nice hips. Her waist was narrow which only exaggerated her feminine features. Today the delicate features of her face showed a storm cloud of emotions. She was one of those women everyone loved to hate because no matter how she dressed or what mood she is in she was always flawlessly beautiful.

She gave me a curt nod as I topped the stairs. "Viktor..."

Guessing from her gravelly tone she was past anger and well into furious. Giving her a polite nod as I closed the distance between us I leaned in and gave her a quick hug. "Good afternoon Katherine and to what do I owe the pleasure of your company today?" I opened the door to the office as quickly as I could so we could have our little talk in private or more accurately I would listen to her rant until she ran out of steam.

No sooner had I shut the door her verbal attack started. "What the h.e.l.l are you doing sending my daughter out on her own?" She turned suddenly as she pointed one of her perfectly manicured nails in my direction. "You didn't even ask my permission!"

Making my way around to my chair I was getting really f.u.c.king tired of people wanting me to ask for their permission before I did something well within my rights. Turning on her I let my anger spill over as it washed across the room like a wave. "What is it with everyone thinking I need to ask their permission before I make any sort of decisions?"

"Don't you dare compare me to Leonard!" She stormed toward as she held out her hand tightly wrapped around something. "How dare you make light of this situation?"

It occurred to me that we were suddenly onto a new subject. What it was I had no idea but I was sure it had happened. "I'm sorry, did I miss something because I have no idea what you are talking about?"

Katherine tossed a thumb drive across the desk at me. "Everyone received this before lunch today!" She pointed at it as she glared at me. "What the h.e.l.l did you get mixed up in Viktor?"

Grabbing the USB drive and inserting it into my computer I opened the video file. To my surprise I saw the surveillance video of me landing hard on Royal followed by me shooting Creepy George before giving chase. "Viktor?" Katherine growled.

Watching the video play out I had nearly forgot Katherine was in the room with me. Tearing my eyes away from the screen I looked at Katherine. "Please take a seat." She did so reluctantly. "I sent Kira out on a babysitting errand." Clicking the mouse I paused the video. "She is safer out of town right now." Gesturing at the still shot on my computer to emphasize the point. "As you can see there are presently some bad people in town."

Katherine's face relaxed as she lost steam. "So she's safe?" The look in her eyes pleaded for rea.s.surance.

"She's safer than she would be here." Sitting back in my chair I gave her a broad smile. "You forget more often than not that she is my daughter too."

Katherine squirmed at the comment as she blushed. "She's my baby girl and I don't like to share."

"Obviously!" One thing about my ex-wife is that she is honest to a fault, especially when it worked to her advantage. "She's my baby girl too and you should remember that the next time you want to storm in here and tear me a new a.s.s."

She wrung her hands as she blushed further. "When I worry I get angry." She shrugged a little, and what she said next seemed to cost her something deep inside. "You're an easy target. It's alright to be angry with you or at least that's what I tell myself most days."

"Wouldn't it be easier to just forgive me for whatever you think I might have done wrong?" I leaned forward placing my elbows on the desk with my face in my hands. "It got old before we got divorced. Now its just annoying."

"You don't understand!" She growled.

"Until I know what you think I did, I never will." I glared at her, furious we had fallen back into old habits so quickly. "Look, it doesn't matter anymore. I need to find out where Kira is before I go home and clean up."

"They're in Texas as of an hour ago." She shrugged. "Kira wanted me to let you know she should have this Owen person sometime around midnight if all goes well."

It was the first bit of good news I'd had today. Allowing myself to relax a little as I leaned back in my chair. I didn't want to fight anymore, especially with Katherine. Kira was safe and that was all I cared about. "You could have started the conversation with that."

"If I had you wouldn't have just walked out after I told you? I know that I would have!" Katherine smirked.

"I'm not fighting with you anymore." I stood stretching as I did so. "I'm serious. Not today, not tomorrow, not ever again. I'm done."

"She only works here to be close to you!" Katherine growled. "She wors.h.i.+ps you." She stood as she stormed towards me. "You stole her from me!"

So that's what she has been angry about all these years. "I've tried to convince her to do anything else." I stood my ground as Katherine seethed before me. "Why else would she have so many degrees if I didn't try to keep her in school to give her options."

Katherine poked me in my chest, her nails sharp and painful. "She wouldn't even consider anything else..."

"You know I've tried to keep her safe, but if she is going to be in harms way at least working here I can protect her." I put my hands gently on her shoulders as tears welled up in her eyes.

Tears ran down her face as her voice trembled. "I know you try to keep her safe." She sniffled. "I'm her mother and I worry about her is all. I'm scared she won't need me anymore."

I smiled at her as I pulled her close. "She doesn't."