Found

My plane landed shortly after 6 am. I looked down at my watch, we were twenty minutes ahead of schedule. I preferred being early. The flight attendant secured the door and gave me another sultry glance as I pulled my carry-on luggage from the overhead compartment. Her name badge read Elaine. She was pretty— petite yet curvy. Her long blonde hair was pulled up into a tussled bun on top of her head. She had full lips that she painted pink and they framed an uncharacteristically large mouth, almost too large. Her eyes were a warm brown and she knew how to communicate with her stare. She had been flirting with me the entire flight from Ontario. The poor woman must have been bored. There were no other passengers in the first-class compartment below the age of sixty. I waited for the other two passengers to meander down the short aisle in front of us and out of the plane. Elaine had still not taken her eyes off me. As I passed her and the pilots she took my hand aggressively.

“It was a pleasure serving you Mr. Kraus, I hope to see you very soon.” I nodded and as I pulled away I found a small folded note in the palm of my hand. It was her phone number, she had hinted she would be staying the majority of the day in Chicago before she picked up her next shift on a flight to Cancun. I threw the slip of paper in the closest bin as I exited the gate.

Under different circumstances I may have taken her up on her proposal, but I did not have time for such tomfooleries during this particular errand. I needed to be swift and remain undetected.

I traversed the airport terminal cautiously as I made my way to the taxi queue. I could not be too careful, I had taken extensive precautions making my arrangements to Chicago. But the truth was, you could never be certain you evaded an enemy you could not see.

The cab line was short and I popped in a car with little to no wait. “Take me to West Town please.”

“You got an address man?” The driver asked.

“Sorry sir I do not. Any street corner will have to suffice.” I stared out the window as the Chicago skyline loomed near. I took a deep breath and rubbed my eyes. The driver was watching me in the rearview mirror.

“Long flight man?”

“Long year.” I rested my head against the seat and closed my eyes. I was so close to answers, I could feel it. The vacuous task of finding the appropriate location for the summit was coming to a close. I wondered, had my father realized how all-consuming and downright treacherous the assignment was, would he have still imparted it to me? I had felt nothing but the weight of this mission since my parent’s murders. Every moment of every day was spent hunting down leads and covering my tracks. I resented it. I often found myself resenting them. I immediately chastised myself for the thought. I loved my parents. I simply detested the responsibility they bestowed upon me and me alone. Their deaths made it abundantly clear that no one could be trusted, so it left me in utter seclusion. If the Kraus family could be betrayed, no one was safe. My parents were honorable pillars of our community, always welcoming, always kind and in hindsight too trusting. It made me hyper vigilant, I would not succumb to the same demise due to credulousness.

The driver honked the horn violently and in rapid succession. “Move out of the way asshole!”

My eyes shot open. Four car lengths ahead stood a man pacing in the middle of the street while cars were honking and slowly maneuvering around him.

“This dick won’t move, probably a crazy homeless guy.” The driver ranted.

But I knew better. “Here is the fare and a generous tip for your time.” I slipped him a hundred-dollar bill and slid out of the back seat then hit a full sprint ducking through the oncoming traffic. How had they found me?

I heard the traffic behind me begin to let up. He was in short pursuit and unless there was a miraculous intervention I would be dead shortly. I bolted off the main drag onto the quieter avenues. I had no idea where I was or where to go to evade this inevitable blood bath. I heard a trash bin tumble behind me, not more than ten feet back. If he was that close, it was time to face him and fight. I skidded to a stop and turned to see the face of my would be attacker. Relief. It was not Yanni, it was one of his henchmen. He was a formidable opponent, but not impenetrable.

He was nearly six feet tall with long unkempt black hair and a mangy looking beard. No wonder the cabby thought he was homeless, I thought. He was wearing a brown tunic that went to his knees, it was nearly the same color as his skin. His white pants were disheveled and dirty. He was barefoot. I assessed his body and found my way to his face and in the tangles of that wild hair and olive skin were two dark coal eyes.

“Salzar. I did not anticipate seeing you acting as errand boy to Yanni.” He looked alarmed that I had stopped running, I suspected he had foreseen a longer chase.

“Elias.” He hissed. “Errand boy I am not, for that is beneath me.”

I raised a brow. “It was your intention to stalk me, by your own accord?”

“It was a gift from Chitchakor himself.” He cocked his head sideways. “I was honored to get the privilege to kill you myself.”

“Very well. If it was desired by Chitchakor I am prepared to succumb to my finis.” Salzar still stood unmoved. I would not go down without a proper affray. I beckoned with my hand for him to proceed. He growled a fierce guttural roar and flung himself in the air. I threw my satchel to the left of me between two parked automobiles, simultaneously withdrawing a dirk from a sheath cloaked in magic under my pant leg.

Salzar could not see the blade but he was acutely aware that I was now armed. He took noticeable pause as he filled the rest of the gap between our two bodies. We collided and I shoved him forcefully off me. I simply had to keep him away from my neck—that was where he would inflict the most damage.

“What trinket do you hold?” He asked.

“Are you afraid?” I taunted.

“Salzar –afraid?” He scoffed. “I just wish to know what I will be collecting after you are dead.”

“Come closer my friend and I will better acquaint you with my trinket.” He roared back at me and kicked off of his left leg, at the same time scissoring his right leg and projecting a massive blow to my chest. I dodged just out of his reach. The wretched sound of crushing metal erupted in the air as he landed on a red BMW. I hoped they had good insurance. I noticed the small crowd pooling at the end of the street. I did not want any casualties because they were in the wrong place at the wrong time. So, I gave Salzar a mocking smile and started sprinting off in the opposite direction of the onlookers. He was cackling, hissing and snarling as he raced after me.

I would not be able to maintain this pace for much longer without losing all reserves to actually engage in battle. I scaled the backyard fence to the closest house and hoped the residents were not home.

I landed on my left knee and felt a twinge of pain shoot down to my ankle. I definitely jarred something. No time to assess the damage I had mere seconds before Salzar would be over the fence. As I thought the words, he propelled himself over and landed on my back—my face was now sandwiched between concrete and his rough hands.

“Viraclay tsk tsk tsk. You should have known better than to turn your back on Salzar.” His fingers started to elongate and work their way to my neck. I had managed not to stab myself with the dirk as he landed on me, but now his right leg had my arm pinned. It would appear that he had forgotten I was armed or perhaps he was just that confident he had me bested. Either way when he shifted his body to get a better grip on my neck I was able to ratchet my arm forward and apply enough bend in my elbow to gore his calf.

He wailed in shock then thrust his weight harder onto my forearm trying to prevent any further injuries. He still could not see my weapon—he growled in frustration. “What did you spear me with? It must be as tiny as your prick because I cannot see it.”

I had released my grip on the handle, and it was resting in close proximity to my hand in the event I got a second chance to pierce him. His lengthened fingers had paused around my neck as he searched for my weapon and situated himself more securely over my arms and torso. I only needed seconds for the poison of the knife to set in. I could only hope he would take his time strangling me. I felt his fingers grow in length again and become rope-like as they encircled my neck for a second time. They felt like eight snakes slithering in opposite directions rhythmically moving and playing with their prey.

Before I could not speak due to the pressure around my throat. I coughed out. “Even if you succeed in killing me on this day, you will bemoan that you underestimated yourself against my tiny prick of a weapon.” He laughed mockingly at me and it was apparent that play time was over as he began to tighten the noose of his vine like fingers he had strategically placed around my neck. My eye lids got heavy and the deep dark heaviness of unconsciousness started to wash over me from the lack of oxygen to my brain.

Then I felt him jerk. I demanded that my mind stay present for just a few more moments. He jerked again—more violently this time. His grip loosened and I gasped. His foot shifted on my arm and I took command of the blade again. He stumbled, still unsure what was happening. I scrambled backwards on the pavement and got to my knees while violently gasping for air and assessing the damage to my throat.

Salzar still had not made a noise, although he was clearly distressed. As I took in deeper and slower breaths I was able to make clarity of the situation. I had never used the Dirk of Inverness before, so I was uncertain what its effects would be, only that it could incapacitate those it wounded.

Salzar was now standing about six feet away from me, pure terror smeared across his treacherous little face. I could tell by his expression that he could not speak, although he was attempting to, but to no avail. He appeared frozen in place, only his eyes reflecting the true fear he was feeling. No visible wounds, not even the one I inflicted on his calf. I circled him cautiously. His eyes followed me, his mouth contorted into a silent unending scream. After a few more rounds and still no change, I touched him. His skin felt normal, unscathed, but hard as a rock. I could not simply leave him in the middle of this poor family’s back yard frozen. Eventually they would happen upon him and what on earth would they think? I chuckled to myself as I imagined the headlines, MAN FOUND FROZEN in Chicago Suburb!! No, that would not do at all.

“What do I do with you Salzar?” I tossed the still invisible blade into my other hand. “Truth be told, I had no idea what the Dirk of Inverness would do. It would appear it stupefies its victim. But what do I do with such a hideous statue? Furthermore, how long can we expect you to maintain this kindly disposition? Someone should really construct an instruction manual for the remaining Rittles, do you not agree?” The Rittles were several weapons wielded by one man who enchanted each object with its own unique poison. There used to be thousands, now there were only a few left in existence and no one knew who brandished them. Salzar’s eyes continued to follow me. It was rather disturbing the way his body stood unmoved, yet his eyes watched every gesture.

I nudged him to see how heavy he was. I estimated two hundred pounds. The weight would not be the issue, however, the awkwardness of maneuvering his strangely postured body would be cumbersome at best. I could hear that it was beginning to get busier on the neighboring streets. It had to be nearly 8 am by now which meant the people in this suburban neighborhood would be heading to work or taking their kids to school shortly. I peeked out the gate of the yard and saw an apartment building three blocks down on the right; they would most certainly have a dumpster to dispose of him in. Time was not on my side. This would be a temporary solution until I could formulate a proper plan of action.

I stowed the dirk in a bush near the sidewalk just outside the backyard fence, then hoisted him awkwardly over my shoulder. I did my best to lock up behind us, but I would need to sweep by and secure the gate later. I lumbered down the street just in time for the morning bustle to begin. Mothers quickly ushered their children into their cars as I passed by. I could not blame them. Not only was I a stranger in their community but I was carrying around a huge life size statue with frighteningly long fingers and a gruesome facial expression. One woman actually shrieked when she saw Salzar’s face. I laughed and mumbled “See Salzar. I told you, you were repulsive.”

I reached the apartment complex and to my dismay it had a full dumpster. Not all was lost, because this probably meant it was trash pick-up today and that could be very fortuitous for me. I threw back the garbage bin lids and tossed the body in. I purposefully stationed him face down, but his arm would not quite fit, so it could be seen it projecting from under the lip. I sourly dug in the trash to find something suitable to cover it with. An old sweater would have to suffice. After I decided he was suitably camouflaged I jogged back to the shrub I hid the dirk in, secured the gate and then ran several blocks back to where I had flung my satchel with my laptop and several other important items. I re-sheathed the Dirk of Inverness and kissed the sheath when it was secure. Thank Malarin for his good graces and my mother who had the sense to bequeath the dirk to me in the first place.

While I had been collecting my things I was devising a plan for Salzar. I sprinted back to the dumpster just in time to see the contents of the bin being flung into a dump truck and then slowly compressed. I let out a sigh. It would not kill him, but he would be detained for some time. I smelled my hands. I was ready for a shower.

I pulled out my phone, “Siri, where is the closest hotel?” After a moment, her familiar voice suggested a Best Western only a mile and a half away. I started south as the directions suggested. Now that the immediate danger had subsided I had time to realize the larger threat. Someone in my confidences had to be colluding with the enemy. It was the only explanation for Salzar finding me in Chicago.

All signs for months had been heralding this obvious truth, but I could not fathom anyone in my coterie choosing treachery. They had all lost so much during this war. What on earth would elicit them to band with their trespassers? I suppose it did not matter. All that mattered was that whatever trust I had frugally shared must now be rescinded. My shoulders tightened around my neck and my hands clenched into fists.

There was no dancing around the actuality of my situation. My father bestowed upon me a seemingly impossible charge. Unite our people and save them from complete annihilation. He and my mother died pursuing this cause. Now here I was in solitude, undertaking the painstaking task of balancing running from those who intended to kill me while, leaving no stone left unturned in the pursuit of saving our kind.

I would live out my remaining years on this glorious planet completely alone, until I died or eradicated the threat to our world.