Chapter One Chicago
Jinn and I stepped from the Taxi at an address the Harry Dresden had given us. It looked like a castle in the middle of Chicago. Both Jinn, and I were well rested, as after the battle in Montana, the area where the gates sprung up seem to have gone into remission. The whole family had gone to Hawaii, and in the first time ever, Pele allowed a mortal wizard, Harry Dresden to accompany us. He had brought his daughter with him, a beautiful child, and his moose of a dog. True to word, Cheyanne had brought Bear, and the sight of the two children, and the two huge beasts playing had been a joy to watch. It was also fun to watch him blush, when Jinn, and the two older girls donned their string bikinis to swim, and made sure to make as much physical contact with him as they could. When Sigrum showed up and, and in typical European fashion, decided that bikinis were too much clothing. That was the funniest thing of all. Even I was uncomfortable as all the female folk stripped down to birthday suits to sunbath. Harry, and I retreated to the front porch, and split a bottle of bourbon. Bear, and Mouse joined us as we sat enjoying the day.
Reaching the door, I reached up and pressed a button, and heard a buzzing noise. Immediately the speaker spoke in a language I did not understand, sounded like Norwegian.
"Lord Talon, and Lady", I spoke into the speaker, and the door immediately opened. The opener was a short brunette lady, not beautiful, but cute in a girl next door kind of way. She stepped back from the door, in perfect balance, and I knew she was a dangerous person.
"Allow me to welcome you to the Better Future society. I am Karrin Murphy, and you are"?
Jinn stepped forward. "I am Lady Jinn, and this is my husband Lord Talon of Jade", stepping up to Murphy, she hugged her and kissed both her cheeks. "I have heard about you from a dear friend".
"And who, Lady would that friend be", she asked quietly.
"The Winter Knight, Miss Murphy, in Hawaii we discussed the people we could trust in Chicago, and your name came up most adamantly". For a moment, I saw a vast sadness in her eyes. With a shake of her shoulders it was gone.
"Please follow me. Mr. Marcone, and Miss Gard are already waiting."
"There is another to follow", Jinn says, and the door buzzer goes off. Opening the door, a large Viking looking fellow escorts in two young men in Warden's cloaks, and a young beautiful Chinese girl, in a sheath dress, decorated in cranes.
"Lord Talon", says the young lady, and I am struck with a moment of dislocation. I know the voice, but not the person speaking.
Jinn though is not confused. "Ancient Mai", she asks.
Then with what I can only call a girlish giggle she answers. "But of course. I apologize for my appearance, but having the Philosopher's stone does have its advantages. My Lord Talon, I never realized what a handsome man you are, and your Lady is just scrumptious", she says with a smile.
"Thank you, my Lady, but the other members of this meeting are waiting", says Jinn, because I am still dumb founded by the change.
Lead by Miss Murphy, we enter a conference room. John Marcone, and Sigrum Gard immediately rise from their seats, and give an abbreviated bow, which Jinn and I return. Gesturing towards seats, both I, Jinn and Ancient Mai sit, as well as Marcone and Gard.
"Welcome Lord Talon, and Lady Jinn, after meeting your daughter I have longed to meet you", said Marcone graciously.
Setting silently, I studied the crime lord. Give him credit he didn't seem discomforted, didn't try to break the silence. Reaching into my coat pocket, I drew forth a heavy bag, placed it on the table, and slid it gently over in front of him. "I owe you for a car", I said quietly. "Here is your payment, also you have an arrangement with a professor that is working with my daughter. A financial arrangement, which I wish for you to discontinue. I will provide all the money they need to continue their arrangement. Last I have a business proposition for you".
Marcone sat, his fingers steepled in front of him, totally calm, totally in focus. This man was dangerous. "What business proposition"?
"I need to launder a large amount of gold, and convert it into cash. I also need to buy weapons, specialized weapons, with no questions asked, nor entanglement with law enforcement".
"And where would these weapons be used", Marcone asked.
I was impressed that he would ask such a question, he genuinely cared about the answer. "Against a threat to all humanity, is all you can know", I answer, and Sigrum whispers into his ear.
Ancient Mai, who had been setting quietly through the whole meeting, had, had enough.
"Why am I here boy", she says angrily.
"Because," says Jinn. "You are the only one that we can trust". Rising from her chair, she walks behind Marcone's chair, and places her hands on his shoulders. "Mr. Marcone, we would like you to soul gaze with Talon".
"To what purpose".
"We must know that you are not influenced by another", I said.
"Do it", he says unafraid. He seriously was not ready to see what was inside Talon. Marcone knew death, but he did not know slaughter. He knew conflict, but not hopeless conflict. He had seen friends die, but not butchered, not despoiled until their own family didn't know them. He tried to pull away, but he saw Talon, in hopeless situation, after hopeless situation. He saw the battle in the valley, he saw the nightmarish beings trying to destroy humanity, but give him credit. It did not drive him mad, it made him mad. In his fury, he fought the apparitions.
"He is untouched", I said, seeing the truth in the soul gaze. "Baron Marcone, I have heard you have connections, in both the underworld, and government. I have need of military grade weapons without questions from the ATF. I vow to you that these weapons will never be seen in this world once I have them in my possession".
"Give me a moment, that was rather intense", says Marcone, obviously shaken.
"Ancient Mai", I said. "You are here today to listen to a proposition I have. First, the war with the Others, is not being won, and I feel there is a need to change that".
Gard cleared her throat and looked meaningfully towards Marcone.
"Miss Gard, how much does the Baron know about this subject", Jinn asked.
"Only the barest details, My Lady, there was an incursion in the city some time ago, and I had to fill him in on the circumstances".
"Baron Marcone, I must ask that you leave this room", Jinn said, pointing towards the door.
"No", I said. "He needs to know this".
"He could be easily compromised", said Gard, looking steadily at her employer.
"As could any of you with the exception of myself, and Mai, but that is neither here nor there. If they have not taken him so far they feel no need".
"And why, Lord Talon, are you so certain that I cannot have been compromised", said Ancient Mai, a slight smile on her face.
"Because Mai, you are Jade court", I said. "For all these years, you have been their agent within the Wizard's council".
"I have not sworn to you", she said quietly. "I do not recognize your authority".
"Good, I do not need it, and from what I have heard you are fully behind the White Counsel, and I wish that to continue. Your allegiances have changed, and I respect that. You are hereby released from the Jade. The important thing is that knowing what you are gives me one member on the Counsel who I can trust not to be taken. I ask for no undue influence, only reasoned response to the things are coming next". A knock at the door interrupted the meeting, and the door opened. Miss Murphy stood there.
"There is another who wishes to join your meeting". Behind her a familiar figure loomed.
"Rashid", I said, standing up and walking towards him. We gripped forearms in a warrior's hand shake. Introductions and greetings are exchanged within the room, and once everyone is seated, I continue.
"For many thousands of years, the battle at the outer gates has gone on. Fully defensive, the Outsiders have controlled the tempo of this battle, attacking and retreating with no pursuit. I'm not questioning the need for this as I know the outcome of a single incursion, a single defeat. Yet I have a few questions. First, is there a limited number of them, and can we just destroy them all, or is there someplace out there that we do not know where they are being created, breeding"?
"Frankly", said the Gate Keeper, "we do not know".
"That is the point, we do not know. That is the problem. When you have an enemy that you wish to defeat, you look for weaknesses. You attack his lines of supply, and production. You attack his soldiers and how they are trained and supplied".
"You are talking about a conventional mankind war", said the Gate Keeper quietly.
"No I am talking about any war. There is a strategy, and a goal".
"Their goal is to eliminate this reality, and impose their own", said Miss Gard.
"Exactly, and our job is to decimate, and destroy them to ensure our own survival. I have taken steps to do so".
"Talon your introduction of human weapons was instrumental in the recent victory, but the Outsiders will adapt", Rashid says.
"What if instead of twenty machine guns, I could have fielded 20 Abrams main battle tanks, that could pursue them, decimate them, follow them to their home, and fucking nuke them with tactical weapons? Srey's power in Montana carried over, and won the battle at the wall. They are vulnerable, and it's time to exploit that."
"The problem is, that anyone who returns, may carry the contagion", says Rashid.
"That is why Ancient Mai is here. Jade Court cannot be infected, and that power was given by a wizard. We need to know how that was done. Think about it. If we could enact that spell, no one would be vulnerable. Their most dangerous weapon would be gone"!
Everybody at the table looked thoughtful at that pronouncement.
"I am old, but not that old", says the now young Ancient Mai.
"And neither is any of the Jade court, but there must be a way to retrieve this knowledge. Somewhere, somehow that knowledge must be there", I said passionately.
"If the knowledge was written down, there is one who would know it", says Mai.
"Who", I ask.
"Ivy", she says. "The Oracle".
"How do I contact, this Oracle", I ask.
"Write a note", says Murphy, who up until now I hadn't seen in the room. "She is the responsory of all the knowledge of mankind, anything that is written she knows".
"Would she be willing to help", Jinn says.
"Maybe, she has a special connection to Harry, after he saved her from the Denarians. I would counsel you to have him ask her", says Murphy.
"I do not see where that would win the war", says Ancient Mai thoughtfully. "It would help, but I think there is another arrow in your quiver Lord Talon".
"There is Mai, the most powerful human weapons involve electronics, that magic can defeat. My daughter has been working with a mathematician and believes there may be a way to shield electronics from magic. If that is so, there is a world of deadly war machines that we could bring to bear against the Outsiders, and literally millions of human warriors to man them, if we can keep them from being infected".
Rashid looked interested. "What kind of weapons are you talking about Lord Talon"?
"All of them. Up to and including tactical nuclear weapons. None of us. Human nor fey cares about what happens beyond the gates. I want to turn it into a wasteland. Where nothing, and I mean nothing can survive. Their threat must be ended, and I plan to do so".
"A worthwhile goal, Lord Talon, but where would you find the warriors to man these weapons? Where would you find funding", Marcone asked.
"Baron Marcone, if mankind knew what is going on there would be a panic, but there are warriors. There have always been warriors in the human race. Why do you think the Fey do not rule the world, or some asshole supernatural being? Because humanity is dangerous! We kill each other in the hundreds of millions! If they knew about a threat, an inhuman threat, they would bond together, and do literally anything to destroy it. Mab, my children's God Mother, and Winter have been fighting this aberration for centuries! It has warped a natural force, into something evil. Then only because they are slightly resistant to Nemesis, and when effected can be detected. Humans cannot. When affected no one can tell. Isn't that right Rashid"?
"You are correct Lord Talon. I can detect the affliction in the warriors of Winter, but not in humans".
"But the warriors of Jade cannot be touched", said Mai wonderingly.
"If we can insulate both humanity, and their weapons against the influence of the Outsiders, and their magic", Gard says.
"Then we are going to fuck them in the ass. Destroy them, and end their threat. As for money, Baron Marcone, that is why I have come to you. I can literally get any amount of precious metals that I want. My former patron PELE, has offered to bring a river of gold up, next to my house. Platinum, rare earths, you name it, but I do not wish to crash the markets. You are a crime lord, and know how to launder money. Yet after our soul gaze, I see you are much more. As a fellow human, I see that you are also a warrior, and this is a battle you cannot turn away from".
"You know that if you, and your daughter find a way to shield magic, you'll have a target on your back", Marcone says thoughtfully. "Are you willing to let others into your organization"?
"What are you talking about", says Jinn.
"I have a shell company, that does investments. I have a minor talent running it. She is clairvoyant, can see the future, a couple of days, in the stock market. With an initial capital influence, she could generate millions, or cover millions", Marcone says thoughtfully.
"And the weapons", I ask.
"The Russians are always willing to sell weapons, but they are low quality. I have a contact with an Israeli company, that would do business. If the weapons are not going to their enemies".
"And your cut", says Jinn.
"Fifty percent", says Marcone.
"You fucking asshole", Jinn says standing up.
"Done", says I!
"But Honey he is robbing us", Jinn says passionately.
"Darling, half of infinity, is still infinity. Whatever I have to do to defeat the Outsiders, is a small price to pay money, fuck money. If Baron Marcone becomes a threat. You can kill him dear".
"Wait? What", says Marcone.
"Baron Marcone, my daughter already had the opportunity to rip your fucking head off. She is the least powerful of my daughters", says Jinn sweetly.
"Least powerful", Gard says in awe.
"Yes, Cheyanne would erase Chicago from the map, and Srey would kill every living being within a hundred-mile radius." I am proud of my daughters. "Right now, you are not infected by the Others. Remember this conversation if you are".