2005
GRAVEYARD SHIFT
CHAPTER 22 -The Plan-
"Love is grand... Divorce is a hundred grand."
Gaav was having a great time, but he had a late night date with a lady friend, so he was winding up the party. "One last pizza to the table over there," he said, pointing at the one with Gourry and Lina in a neck-to-neck race to see who could eat the most. Xelloss was keeping score and Filia was badgering him to stop all the foolishness before someone got hurt—namely herself, as flying elbows and gnashing teeth kept coming a little too close for comfort.
"So, has Lina made up her mind which one is her boyfriend? It's too late to call either just a summer fling," Sylphiel asked.
Amelia shook her head. "I think so, but it's hard to tell, isn't it? I don't believe in flings; they're unjust. Someone always gets hurt. To be safe, you should never begin your summer romance until the last day of summer!"
Zelgadiss, who had a couple beers from the ever-full pitcher Gaav ordered, thought what Amelia had said was very funny. He snorted a mouthful of beer, coughed, and laughed at the same time, making a spectacle of himself.
Gaav wondered what Zelgadiss was going to do in a few weeks, come fall. He wasn't sure the kid could take care of himself in school in Atlas City. He was beginning to think his son should go back to school, if only to watch out for his less mature cousin.
"Zelly! Don't laugh! I know you believe in the virtues of true love and constancy," Amelia said, looking at him earnestly.
"Sure, love is grand..." Zelgadiss began as he attempted to compose himself.
"But divorce is a hundred grand," Gaav put in unexpectedly, causing Zelgadiss to explode into uncontrollable giggles and hiccups. "Well, it's time for me to move on, kids. The tab's paid up, so if you order more, the rest's on you, don't forget."
They all thanked him for the coaching season and for the party. Vurumagen rose to leave, promising another great season the next time, and making a special effort to thank Gourry for the delightful bowling ball he had given him. Eris used the opening to excuse herself, and then quietly took her leave as well.
Zangalus had been unable to goad Xelloss into a fit of jealousy, try as he might. As soon as he noticed Xel's arm snake around Lina's shoulders, he figured the man was fair game. "Don't expect much out of her," Zangalus said in an attempt to sound in collusion with Xel's plans. "She's real uptight."
Xelloss smiled. He had tried to ignore the previous comments, but now he had to respond. "I find her deliciously passionate, but then I know how to treat a woman. Maybe as you gain experience, you'll find your taste improves."
Martina, who was listening in on every conversation, at least partially, heard what Xel had said. "There's nothing wrong with Zangy's taste. In fact his family buys the very Angus beef from a ranch that feeds them this special diet, and he says there's nothing better. Come on, sweetie, let's go see a movie or something entertaining."
Martina and Zangalus swept out of the nearly empty restaurant in a huff, much like they had swept into the bowling alley earlier. Lina's eyes followed them out. Before they were out of hearing distance she commented, "Yeah, and she grew on him like she was a colony of E. Coli and he was room-temperature prime beef."
Zelgadiss nearly lost his balance he laughed so hard. He had no troubles bothering him this night. Sylphiel was at his side, promising further close encounters that night. The tournament was over and they had been triumphant. He felt especially good about his playing and how he had taken out the opposition. The play was the next night and he was looking forward to it and to having his friends watching in the audience. Everything was wonderful. Somehow he'd go to school in Atlas City and still see Sylphiel, somehow.
In the meantime, he was enjoying himself and the company of his friends old and new. Lina was one of the old. "Yeah, you might be right, Lina. But she just says stupid stuff like that because she's so envious of you, you and your ...ah...good looks...and all..." he tumbled over his words as he realized what he was saying. Complimenting girls, and Lina in particular, was not something he felt skilled doing, in particular, after having fumbled into it through a beer-induced haze.
Lina twisted around to see if Zelgadiss was okay. Before she could say anything, Gourry jumped in. "Yeah, she has pretty eyes... like two red circles with black spots in the middle."
Lina's head turned back to stare incredulously at Gourry head on. "Circles...?"
"Well, sure," Xel chuckled as he got into the fun, squeezed he shoulder gently, and said, "So let's see... Gourry– he is as tall as a 6 foot 5 inch tree." He was putting off his last task, hoping Filia would leave before he began.
Gourry grinned. "Pretty close, Xel. Six foot 6 inches."
Zelgadiss laughed more, wiping his eyes, while Lina just shook her head. "You are all overworked. Maybe it's time to go."
"No! Please, just a minute. First, I'd like to extend an invitation to all of you to a party after the play– on Wolfpack Island." Xelloss was leaning forward scanning the faces for their reactions. He was hoping for enthusiasm and got it, mostly.
Valgaav, Zelgadiss, and Lina wore wary expressions, but they had been privy to more information than the others. Gourry smiled faintly. "That's awfully nice of you. I expect you're providing transportation, too?"
"Yes, of course."
"Tell 'em everything, but keep your voices down. There's still a couple up front," Valgaav growled. "If this is going to be more than a party, Xel, they need to know the whole story."
"More than a party? Wolfpack Island is a dangerous place to go. What are you leading us into? And no lies!" Filia demanded.
"Okay," Xel sighed and ran a hand through his hair, displacing a few shiny purple strands. It gave him a messy, boyish look that Lina liked. "I guess some of us will be busy exhuming a corpse."
"If you're just trying to disgust me, you've succeeded," Filia snorted.
"He means to discover who my real mother is," Zelgadiss cut in. "He thinks my birth mother was his aunt who's buried on the island. Rezo won't tell me anything, but then he won't listen to anything I have to say either. Rezo's mind is like a steel trap that had been left out in the rain and rusted shut."
Lina covered her face with a hand, smiling at Zelgadiss' unintentional humor, but said nothing. Sylphiel wanted to be supportive and so added, "Rezo is as lame as a duck. Not the metaphorical lame duck either, but a real duck that was actually lame. Maybe from stepping on a land mine or something."
Xel was dumbstruck for a moment. Had she really meant to sound that, er...'lame'? He shook his head slightly as he processed the comment. "Well, ah... Rezo's still capable of doing either a great deal of good or an equally great deal of harm."
"So, tell us, Mr. Xelloss," Amelia said in a serious tone of voice. "Tell us everything you know that has something to do with Mr. Zelgadiss. If you want our help, then we need to all know all the particulars."
"Well, I don't think I actually said I wanted all of you to help," Xel began.
"Just get on with it and let them be the judge," Lina snapped. "I wanna get home sometime tonight."
"Very well. Here's what we know to date: Zelgadiss' grandfather, Rezo, used his work at Zanaffar Pharmaceuticals as a cover for or in addition to what he was really doing for my mother, Zelas, in her laboratories on Wolfpack Island. Give me a moment and I'll explain what that is. Okay, so Rezo wanted to put a stop to his own involvement. We know his because we intercepted some proof, which I'll get to in a minute as well. We don't know if Rezo had plans for Zelgadiss when he forced him to work there earlier, but we know that others knew who Zelgadiss was and took advantage of his relationship to Rezo.
"One of those people was Dilgear. Dilgear passed Zelgadiss an envelope to be delivered to Rezo. From personnel records I was able to find out that Dilgear had been working in the accounting department at Zanaffar, and he had reported certain discrepancies in materials ordered, sent out, and possibly other problems. Most of those reports were 'lost' but I found enough evidence in backup e-mail accounts to verify that he did find Rezo out.
"I believe he prepped a letter—well, file—bomb, under orders, to create a modest explosion when Rezo opened it-- as a warning. I had the compound which caused the explosion analyzed, which, by the way, was collected from fragments of the envelope painstakingly accumulated by the police and then mislaid and forgotten. It was of a type used commonly, and nearly exclusively, by the Cepheid organization. It is supposed to burn and create a lot of smoke when exposed to oxygen, but instead it set off the damaging explosion due to the complex chemical vapors of the ongoing experiment in his lab. Rezo was blinded as a result, but Zelgadiss was hurt, too, which I don't think was part of the plan, but I may be mistaken about that part.
"Next, there is more to the Cepheid story. After Zelgadiss recovered, he returned to work with Valgaav and me at the morgue. Shortly thereafter, due to his newly acquired, highly sensitive hearing, we were able to catch Eris red-handed using the Cadaver Keep to store fish she was selling to Cepheid merchants. At the time we discovered the fish I thought it was odd. I noticed one of the frozen fish looked overfilled, so I broke it off from the others, tossed it into the sink to defrost, and put them back into the plastic bag. I know, you didn't see me, but I did. Later, after Eris discovered us in the cadaver keep, gave us her excuses, and left, I removed a bagged note from inside the fish. I wrapped the fish in the garbage and took the note home to read. That's how I found out that Eris was passing secrets via fish back and forth from Rezo to the Cepheid organization, and that he was begging them for help.
"The particular Cepheid clan she was communicating with was one under a man named Milgasia, who my mother has had contact with—not friendly—in the past. I can only imagine that he wanted to stop Zelas' experiments, and still does, I'm sure. That would include anything Rezo would be working on. And since the explosives came from Milgasia's clan, then we can assume that it was he who employed Dilgear to use the explosive to warn Rezo to stop. Using the fish for sending notes was, as I said, after the explosion, so the warning was effective in some way.
"Of course, one attack by the Cepheid clan meant a retaliatory one by Zelas. I can say with certainty that the thug named Joe was sent by Zelas to kill Dilgear for attempting to stop Rezo's experiments. And then just to prove that they were really no better than thugs either, Cepheid's people had Joe killed when he went back to burn evidence.
"So, you ask, what was Zelas doing that had the Cepheid people ready to commit murder to stop? In short, she was using the island's asylum and penal colony for human experiments, experiments to produce what I think is a serum providing eternal life. Or at least youth.
"I believe she was blackmailing Rezo into doing some of the work or providing some of the chemical components. The hard part was figuring out what it was she knew that he didn't want circulated. I think he was afraid that she would reveal Zelgadiss' ancestry to him, although why that is so terrible, I don't know, but I have some ideas, which I'm getting to here.
"While working at the hospital where Zelgadiss was recuperating, Sylphiel discovered an anomaly in the records of Zelgadiss' birth–that he was born in a hospital nowhere near where he was raised brought to question whether or not the mother he'd been living with was actually his birth mother. I sent a DNA sample from Zelgadiss and one from both his 'parents' for analysis."
"They actually did that?" Zelgadiss asked.
"Yeah, the request was cloaked in a request for help for a cure for your skin condition and submitted through the official hospital process. Additionally, I did find the Rezo sample on file at Zanaffar after having some hair samples analyzed. Don't ask me how I got that." He glanced across the table quickly, catching Filia's eye. She seemed happy to just listen and not try to tell the story of their adventure collecting the hair.
"So, what did you find out, Mr. Xelloss?"
"I found out that Zelgadiss has no more in common with his 'mother' than with you, and that he shares more common features with Rezo than with his own father. What we need is a sample for DNA analysis from the body of the woman I believe is his real mother."
"And her grave is on Wolfpack Island?"
"In the family crypt, I believe. I'm still trying to get a layout of the catacombs and access routes."
"And when you get that DNA sample and it confirms she's his mother, then what?
"Well, then we know a secret. With that knowledge, we should be able to discover, or pry the information out of someone, why it is so dark a secret."
Valgaav kept pushing Xel to say more. "You have reason to suspect that there's something important going on with Zelgadiss."
"Ah..." Xel wavered as he considered what to tell them all. What information should he impart to these recent and friends, and, more importantly, what not to divulge.
"Xelloss," Valgaav growled out his cousin's full name. "Your coming to Seyruun had duplicitous overtones, Dad said. We know you had work orders from Zelas. Come clean to everyone, now. The time for secrets is over, if you want any help from our friends."
"Sure," Xel said, biting off the word harshly. "I was getting to that. My working for Gaav was part trade and part investigative. I was sent to locate and bring Zelgadiss to work for my mother. I don't really know why, but from what I've learned about what's going on, I imagine that it wasn't for his mind, but for his DNA. Again, I don't know exactly why yet, but I think it all ties together somehow."
"So we're helping Zelas by allowing you to do what she ordered you?" Filia asked.
All eyes were riveted onto Xel as they all waited for his response. Under a curtain of bangs he looked askance at Lina. What Lina thought was all that mattered to him, and she was munching unconcernedly on a pizza crust. Their eyes met, and Lina set down the food.
"It will only seem that way to her, don't you get it? Zelas thinks he's gonna deliver Zelly into her hands. She even extended the invitation to include all of us, probably to help Xel cover up the real mission here."
"But what will happen to Zelly when we get there? Will she just...take him away?"
"No, Sylphiel, for gods'sakes. Xel will distract her to give us time to dig up the info we need," Lina said.
Xel thanked Lina for her support silently, and was about to add something when Valgaav pushed him for more information. "What about your father? Dad suggested you were working under his orders, too."
Xel chuckled. "Your dad has a very suspicious nature. He's right, of course. Phibrizzo, my father, has been pestering me for information. He, however, just wants to learn the secrets to Gaav's business success and is not part of family longevity scheme."
Valgaav frowned. "That right? So, what have you told him?"
"He had you and me working for him, naturally. Your dad works smart, not hard, something my father could never hope to replicate."
Valgaav smiled, his feelings placated for the time being.
"So, your mom invited us all for a party, but what she really wants is for you to bring Zelly here to dissect him? And she just decided that after losing the tournament game to your team?" Filia asked. "Sounds like she has a trap of her own planned, beyond what she'd do to him."
Xelloss sat back in his chair. "I agree," he said respectfully. "Which is why my plan has to be better. I don't recommend anyone come, actually, but I'll take those that want to." He scanned his friends' faces, starting with Valgaav, Zelgadiss, and Gourry. "We'll need some muscle for the heavy work."
"You'll need firepower," Lina put in.
"My dad's got a gun collection. Who knows how to shoot?" Valgaav looked around.
Zelgadiss nodded. Gourry nodded and said, "I'll bring my own hunting rifle."
"That's fine, but you'll need handguns for close in," Lina pointed out.
"Guns! What are you guys talking about?" Sylphiel cried. "Desecrating a grave is one thing, but now this is getting really scary!"
"You're not thinking about shooting at people, are you?" Amelia asked Valgaav in particular, her outrage apparent in the timber of her voice.
"Last time I heard, the dead don't shoot back," Filia said. "Obviously, Xel's using all of you as fodder for his plan, which is something other than helping out poor Zelly, you can bet."
"I want to help Mr. Zelgadiss, I really do, but I don't know if I can trust Mr. Xelloss. Not only does this sound very dangerous, but unlawful, too." Amelia directed her argument towards Valgaav, hoping he would intercede on her behalf. Valgaav, however, seemed focused on his cousin, letting him handle his own defense.
"If you can't trust me, Filia or Amelia, then by all means stay here. In fact, all you girls should stay, including you, Lina." Xel said in the heat of the moment. It had been a rash statement and well-intended, but Lina took it badly.
"Oh? And miss the action? Oh, no, buster. You can't eliminate us."
Gourry added hastily, "You don't know, but Lina and Amelia were on the girls' target shooting team."
"Damned straight we were! And you definitely need Sylphiel's first-aid help, so don't go demeaning our contribution."
"All right, all right! I'm sorry! You can come along. I was just saying that if you object to the danger, I don't expect you to come, that's all."
"I was objecting to shooting people, Mr. Xelloss. It's not right under any circumstances," Amelia tried again to make her point.
"Fine," Xel sighed. "One group enters the catacombs and another guards our backs and our equipment."
"I'm going in," Zelgadiss said. "I trust no one to do what has to be done. If I have to, I'll do it alone."
"What a martyr," Lina sighed. "Listen up, folks. Zelas will stop at nothing to get what she wants; you witnessed her methods at the tournament and that was nothing compared to what she might do to keep us from our mission. We either live in fear and danger here, waiting for her to abduct Zelly or whatever and then have to go save him..."
"Hey, I can fight back," Zelgadiss started to say in defense of his manhood.
"Yeah, yeah," Lina brushed him aside. "Or we can take the initiative and go there and get what we need to blow her whole operation apart. We'll have the upper hand because we'll be prepared."
"I'm not afraid of dead people. It's the live ones creeping around that worry me," Amelia said looking pointedly at Xel this time.
"I trust Xel," Lina asserted.
"What about you, Valgaav?" Amelia asked.
"He won't lead us into a trap purposely. Ah...we need to discuss all the hazards," he answered evasively. Valgaav watched as the last patrons in the restaurant paid their bill and filed out. "And we got about a half an hour before closing, so you better get started, Xel."
"Okay, there are risks, but we can prepare for them." Xel looked over his notes. "Right, Sylphiel?"
"Risks?" Filia turned to Xel. "Tell us about all the risks."
"Where people might have died of disease, the microbes may still be alive," Sylphiel said.
"Like the plague?" Filia asked.
"Sure, in the older crypts it's possible, but unlikely. Organisms responsible for plague, cholera, typhoid and tuberculosis are unlikely to survive long in a buried cadaver. However, anthrax and smallpox may. Anthrax can form highly resistant spores that can survive in dry, airless conditions and remain viable for at least 80 years," Xel replied.
"But don't worry, Filia," Sylphiel added. "Humans are pretty resistant to anthrax and can be cured with the use of penicillin."
"Should we get shots? You're a doctor, Xel," Lina reminded him with a nudge, "can you give us shots to protect us?"
"Vaccination against anthrax is possible, although the side effects are unpleasant. We'd really have to suspect that we'd be running into bodies with that, and I don't think that's going to be the case."
"Is there some test you can do on the bodies to know before we all get exposed?" Amelia asked this time.
"It is generally not possible to know if any of those interred within a crypt was an anthrax victim, but the possibility remains that some might have been. More importantly, coffin padding might include contaminated animal by-products, like horse hair, which all present a possible risk. For this reason, I recommend that only those who are tolerant of penicillin, or its alternatives, should come."
"What about the plague and whatever else might have killed those people?" Filia asked. "That is, disease-related killers, not your kin."
Xel and Filia exchanged smirks before he answered. "Smallpox is considered to be eradicated worldwide thanks to compulsory vaccination, but some of those interred within a post-medieval crypt may have died from smallpox. The risk to health exists where previously infected inhumations within a crypt will have surviving skin with scabs, which would be the only site where the virus might survive. Although the chance of this occurring is minimal, the potential risk is so great that we must take precautions. So far, I have been and still am currently searching death certificates and all other relevant records to filter out the possibilities and minimize our contact with disease deaths. I had a vaccination against smallpox in childhood, verified by a scar, so if in doubt, I handle moving any of those bodies, should the need arise. In any case, we must all be double-gloved when opening coffins, but if any skin survives, I'll inspect the remains first."
"Oh, I nearly forgot to add that because pregnant women have reduced immunity, should you be pregnant then, you should tell me. Those who are HIV positive would also be at increased risk, so same goes for you." Xel glanced around quickly, and was surprised at Sylphiel's frightened look. "Ah, don't worry. I'll talk to each of you privately in the next few days. The exhumation work isn't for everyone. Filia, even if I trusted you at my back, I know Cepheid Believers may not be allowed to handle the dead, so you wouldn't be expected to be involved in the exhumation. As I said before, I'll find some other job for you."
"Yeah, you need some folks to man the base station with our belongings and communication equipment– I get it."
"So, what other dangers are we likely to run into when digging up old cemeteries, Mr. Xelloss?"
"I am glad you asked, Miss Amelia. On Wolfpack Island, arsenic was the main ingredient in the embalming fluids, until recently, of course. In fact, it was used widely throughout the country, until Gaav's father led the movement to upgrade to the safer chemicals we use today. Although effective, arsenic is toxic and persistent, and elemental arsenic will never degrade into harmless by-products. This means that the embalming practices during the last 100 years or so have left a legacy that can potentially impact the environment and harm the health of cemetery workers– including those planning to exhume a body located in one of these old burial grounds.
"Arsenic embalming began as a sanitary practice and a practical means to preserve the body until burial or for transport. Although fluid composition was often a trade secret, arsenic was the primary embalming agent because it effectively killed or halted the microorganisms responsible for decomposition."
"How much?" Sylphiel asked, quietly. She was the only one present, besides Xelloss, who knew exactly how much arsenic it took to kill a human being.
"Well, from as little as four ounces to as much as 12 poundsof arsenic per body. Other embalming compositions were used less frequently and contained similar toxic materials such as mercury or creosote. Considering that the alternative was ice, arsenic embalming seemed like a significant improvement. What the undertakers did not consider were the long-term effects of placing significant amounts of arsenic in concentrated burial areas—cemeteries.
"The arsenic that endures today can pose significant danger to forensic archeologists, cemetery workers, or individuals that may be utilizing potentially contaminated groundwater supplies."
"I think they figured this out as more and more folks mysteriously died of arsenic poisoning," Sylphiel remembered, "and later when the chronic effects showed up, including lung cancer due to exposure to arsenic dust."
"That's right, Sylphiel," Xelloss was a little surprised and definitely pleased at her contributions. Perhaps she wasn't that bad a match for Zelgadiss, after all. "Initially, burials were primarily in wood coffins that were placed directly in the ground. Such a method was cheap and sufficient for prisoners. Both wooden and metal caskets eventually degrade and begin to allow contact of the embalmed remains with the environment. Arsenic, a basic element, will not change or degrade, but must either stay with the remains or move into the environment. As the containers corrode, water moving downward through the soils of cemeteries can dissolve arsenic from the burials and move arsenic into the soil or groundwater. This slow spread of arsenic from numerous sources in an old cemetery can lead to serious environmental and health problems."
"Such as...?" Filia urged him on. The Cepheid Clan had special burial practices to avoid just this, and she'd never really known why until now. It wasn't a question that came up frequently in normal people's conversations, after all.
"To understand the potential impact, assume a hypothetical cemetery in a modest-sized town. It is reasonable to assume that 2,000 people die during a period of 30 years. If half of those people were embalmed with arsenic, using six ounces of fluid per person, the cemetery contains 380 pounds of arsenic. If the embalmers in the area used more arsenic, such as three pounds per person, then the cemetery would contain over one ton of arsenic. In either case, this is a significant amount of a potent, toxic material to find in the ground at one location."
"Like a nuclear waste site," Lina snorted.
"Not quite," Xelloss smiled. "But bad enough. Arsenic was banned from usage as an embalming agent by the all the regional governments years ago because of the large number of deaths in embalmers due to their overexposure to the chemical. Because the main routes of exposure are ingestion, inhalation, and skin contact, there can be important health and safety implications for personnel working at sites where arsenic is present in sufficient concentrations. Acute arsenic poisoning by ingestion can occur as the result of hand contact with dusts or objects containing arsenic compounds, and subsequent hand-to-mouth contact. Another common mechanism includes the dust settling on objects which later have contact with the mouth, including the tops of soda cans, cigarettes in a shirt pocket, or eating utensils. Most ingested arsenic is quickly absorbed through the stomach and intestines and enters the blood stream."
"So never trust a vending machine in an old funeral home," Gourry nodded.
"That's why they don't sell food at cemeteries," Lina added. They smiled wanly at each other's stupid but necessary jokes.
Sylphiel brightened at the mood. "When you asked me to gather all the information I could on arsenic poisoning, I wondered who your enemy was." Everyone chuckled when she said this. "So here's what I learned. First, if arsenic is eaten it irritates the digestive tract, so it hurts. You can feel nausea, which leads to vomiting and diarrhea. After those immediate reactions, a patient can have abnormal heart function and impaired nerve function, causing a 'pins and needles' sensation in the feet and hands.
"That's just if you get it in your mouth. If the site is dry, dusty, or if you handle things coated with dust, your throat and lungs can be exposed. The symptoms and effects are the same, but usually milder. And you definitely don't want to touch the stuff either. It can irritate the skin or eyes or nose or throat, which is really nasty with redness, swelling, and pain."
"How do we know if there's arsenic around a grave?" Zelgadiss asked.
Valgaav cleared his throat. "Crystals and garlic."
They gave Valgaav an incredulous look so he gave them a quick wolfish smile and went on more seriously. "I checked with a forensic archaeologist professor I know to be sure. He told me that arsenic in a grave is indicated by the presence of vivid blue or blue-green copper oxide-like crystal formations on bones. Such formations and staining are evidently more extensive than stains that may be left on bones by copper artifacts near the skeleton. Not that we're likely to find many of those anyway. Okay, then according to rock and mineral field guides, arsenic minerals have a noticeable garlic-like odor when broken. Obviously, if there are any tissue remains in a really old grave, then something preserved it, and that something, as Xel pointed out, will most likely be arsenic. The professor urged me to use extreme caution around graves if I encountered unusual odors, soil colors, or staining, particularly in finely divided or crystalline form."
"So we have to watch out for diseases and avoid contact with arsenic, and Zelas. What else?" Lina asked, checking her watch.
"Well, there is the possibility that we might encounter other chemical hazards like mercury or formaldehyde. All-in-all, we must avoid excessive contact with soil. So, I've made up a list of things we'll need for the exhumation work. We have a few days to buy and box everything up, but here goes: latex gloves under leather ones; face masks with air filtration to PP3 standard; disposable over-suits; washable shoes or boots; hard hats and safety glasses; shovels, rope, pick-axe, hatchet, hammer, and whatever else you can think of; and bring a collection kit for bones and tissue."
"We need to get going on that right away. So, who's in?" Lina demanded. She scanned everyone insisting that they make their decision at that moment. "Besides Xel and Zelgadiss and me and naturally Gourry."
Gourry nodded, "Yep."
"Good. We'll be the ones going inside the tombs, then." Xel turned toward Valgaav. "I'd like you to be at the entrance, outside to warn us about unwelcome company, and Amelia, if you are adept at shooting, then protecting Sylphiel and our belongings and preparing for evacuation would be in your hands. Would you be okay with that?"
"Yes, I'll trust Lina and Valgaav to make sure we stay law-abiding citizens." She said that, but she meant that they would keep an eye on Xel.
"She'll have me there, too," Filia spoke up. "I've done my share of hunting and can handle a rifle."
Xel looked at Valgaav for confirmation. "I'll leave you in charge of them, so it's up to you to decide who you trust to do what."
Valgaav knew he meant that allowing Filia to be a part of the team was his call. "Okay, Filia, I know the Cepheid people have some interest in closing down Zelas' activities. I know you are a Cepheid clans member– shit, so am I, by birth anyway– so I'll bet you got your own agenda going on here, too. I'd like you to come clean about that first. Then you gotta agree to do what I say, or don't come."
"Miss Filia, you want to help Zelgadiss, don't you? You wouldn't do something to jeopardize his righteous goal to uncover his ancestor and determine his true identity?"
Filia looked down and away, before meeting Amelia's eyes. "I want to help, but I have to say that I will do everything in my power to keep him out of the hands of that evil woman."
"Sounds good to me." Xel smiled slightly.
"We will form an alliance of just and righteousness and shall overcome the powers of evil!" Amelia cried out, while hopping up onto her chair, her tiny fist uplifted in a moment of fervor.
"Ah, yes..." Xel looked uncomfortable. "Lina can't you do something about her?" he whispered.
"Amelia, sit down." Lina yanked on her friend's pants, forcing her back into her own seat.
"So, getting down to basics," Xel said as he ran his finger down a paper, pressing out the creases. "Here is a short list of what everyone should bring. You know, like a sleeping bag. Two of you should be in charge of food and water for three meals. Dinner will be up at the castle, but I wouldn't count on anything more than that."
"We're not staying at the castle?" Lina asked.
"We are, the first night, but in the morning we move out, and when I say morning I mean before we go to sleep, so in a sense, we aren't really staying at the..."
"Where are we staying, Xel?"
"Well, I asked Sherra, my cousin, to check out a few cottages and outbuildings in the vicinity of the catacombs. She alerted me this morning that she had been successful and is currently moving in a few cots and lanterns. It will be rustic but dry."
For the next hour the group huddled over their lists, making changes as new ideas came to mind. Zelas, and to some extent Gaav, as it turned out, would be the only parent knowing where the kids would be after the play. Zelgadiss would, of course, keep his whereabouts secret from Rezo, and would rely on Valgaav to tell Gaav whatever he felt was necessary. Sylphiel was already pretty independent, but agreed that even she would say she was staying over at Lina's. Filia claimed Amelia and Amelia told her father she and Lina would be at Sylphiel's home. Amelia felt terribly guilty already, and she hadn't even told her father the lie yet. Gourry had his own apartment, but he'd tell his folks that he'd be out with friends. The arrangements weren't tidy, but they were made at last. The most detailed list of equipment needs for the exhumation needed the most explanation.
"Zelgadiss and I will take care of this stuff. I'll leave Valgaav and Gourry to be in charge of the weaponry, Sylphiel to put together a medical kit, and..."
"Amelia and I will handle the food, oh, and Filia, you can help us, too. Well, that's enough for tonight. I gotta rest and think about this stuff now." Lina stood up. "Besides, we got your play to look forward to tomorrow."
Her movement was a signal for the others to say their farewells and leave. Xel tapped her on the shoulder and whispered in her ear, "Would you like to join me tonight?"
"Someplace special?"
"Yes."
"Sure, but I want to stop at my place first."
"Certainly. Ah, here're the keys to the car. I'll meet you there in just a moment. I need a word with someone."
"Yeah, sure."
Xelloss moved to Sylphiel's side, blocking Zelgadiss. "Hey, I need to ask your girl a question. Just be a moment, 'kay?"
"Ask away."
"In private, please. Only a moment..." Xel smiled and pointed Zelgadiss toward the door.
Xel pulled Sylphiel to the side. "I, ah, may be off base here, but I had the feeling you had something on your mind."
Sylphiel looked uncomfortable, but once everyone else was out of earshot, she said, "I need to be careful around the dust and stuff." Xelloss waited for her to explain, although he suspected he knew what she was about the tell him. "I-I think, well... I may be pregnant. It's very early, and I know that false ones show up a lot in the first few months so it might not be."
Xel held up one hand. "Please tell me it's Zelgadiss' and not some other guy's."
"It is, yes."
"And you haven't told him, I take it."
"No, not yet. It's too soon. I don't want to get him all, well, excited and worried over nothing. And I most certainly don't want him to feel he can't go to college. You won't tell, will you?"
"No, as long as you promise to tell him after next weekend. Until then, my lips are sealed. Don't look at me that way. He needs to know so he can decide what to do, too, and believe me, the more time he's got, the better. Shit, don't kids know how to use contraceptives anymore?" He shook his head and stalked out the door. His funk passed quickly when he saw Lina's hair inside his car. Lina, his Lina. He rapped on her window, "Hey, beautiful. Wanna go for a drive?"
She rolled down the window. "Ooh, I love a smooth-talking guy with bowling moves. Well, more so than a smooth-talking guy with moving bowels. Sorry. Yeah, sure, get in."
"Thanks." He slipped into the driver's seat and leaned over, kissing her experimentally. She would either be receptive or not. She didn't recoil in disgust, so he suggested, "So, I figure that we'll stop by your place, where you can shower and pack up a change of clothes."
"Okay. How about you?"
"I packed a bag, just in case."
"And your shower?"
"After you, if that's okay." He didn't dare look at her and jinx the moment. He kept his eyes straight ahead.
"At my place."
"Yes."
"Then we go-- you driving us away someplace for the night?"
"The night and the next day until I have to show up at the playhouse. Sound okay to you?"
"Yeah. Let's go."
"Wait here ten minutes, then come in," Lina told Xel as he parked his car near the entrance to her house. With a peck on his cheek she reached into the back seat, grabbed her bowling gear, and ran off.
"Okay," he said to her retreating figure. Now wasn't the time to press her for intimacy, he decided. He checked his watch three times, then got out and removed his bag from the small trunk. He let himself into her room just as she was shutting off the shower water. "Hello," he called out.
"I'll be out in a sec, then you can take a turn," she shouted from behind the bathroom door.
"Okay." He had decided to let her have her way-- for now. He wouldn't let her get away this time.
"Whew! That's better," she laughed on her way out into the room. She felt his eyes on her towel, which she held tightly with one hand. "Go on...clean up so we can get going."
"Yes, dear," he chuckled. "I assume there's a dry towel for me to use?"
"Ah...check the drawer."
He found one, and then closed the bathroom door. While he showered, she dressed, whistling. She was in good spirits and wondered what kind of surprises her new boyfriend had in store for her this time.
Boyfriend. That sounded odd, but nice. Quirky guy. A doctor, no...a pathologist doctor who liked to do fun and dangerous things. He also liked to take her to fine places, so she packed her nice dress anyway, just in case, along with some casual things and her toothbrush. He wasn't likely to be put off from intimate contact any longer. They had slept together platonically several times, and it had been exciting and fun watching him reign in his desires in order to please her. She wondered if she could make him wait again as she sat on her bed combing out her tangled mop of red curls. No, she decided, she wanted him. She wanted that intimacy with him that they had been skirting around. He just oozed sexuality tonight, but she was nervous and insecure. Her usual self-confidence was faltering. What was he expecting from her? She spun around at the sound of a door opening.
"All packed?" Xel asked as he exited the bathroom. He was sporting a fresh change of clothes and damp hair.
"Y-yep, as instructed."
"This way then," he smiled faintly and led the way back out to his car, carrying both bags. If he was reading her correctly, and he believed he was, then he would have to help her overcome some anxieties. He hoped the drive would help.
Shortly after, they were rolling out onto the highway. He opened the sunroof for a breeze, but this night it was markedly cooler. The air was dry and the stars visible and bright as dusk deepened into night.
Lina took a deep breath. "Fall. It smells like fall and it's dark already."
"That's right. It's only a week or two away. Classes are about to start."
"Don't remind me," Lina said, groaning. "I'm not in the mood for sitting in classrooms."
"No? I thought you were looking forward to starting college."
"I thought I was. I think I was happier to be out of high school. Right now, though, I feel like doing things, goings places..."
"Seeing the world?" Xel added on.
"Yeah...yeah, that would be perfect. I'd like to travel first. Eh, too bad I haven't the funds. Maybe I should keep the job and save up for next year."
"Or...maybe we could travel together."
"Together?"
"Maybe we should see how this little party on Wolfpack Island pans out first, but if all goes well, I may be at loose ends and without employment myself."
"Plus you have some money saved up?" she asked hopefully.
"Yes."
Lina thought about that and rode in silence for a long while. They were on a coast road, ocean to the right, forested mountains to the left. She recognized where they were; she had come here with Gourry to row on the lake. A sudden pang of guilt struck at her heart. "We're staying on the lake?"
"Not exactly. There are cottages above it that overlook the lake and one in particular should have a very nice view of the moon rising over it tonight."
Lina liked the sound of that. She glanced over to see Xel's profile. His hair rippled slightly in the wind. His fair skin shone pale in the dim light from the dashboard, while his shoulders and chest were cast in purpling shadows. His was a beauty rare in men, delicate features but not soft; masculine but not beefy. If Gourry had been her summer sun, glowing with health and vigor, then Xel was now her winter moon, partially masked in mists and mystery, bloodless and deadly. The image shook her with its intensity, but she found that the comparison suited him and, on further rumination, didn't disturb her deeply.
Xel stopped at the office to check in and gather the keys before parking at one of the private log cabins. Inside the cabin, Lina was excited to find a small kitchenette, already stocked with a few items. When she drew the curtains covering the expansive picture window, a most beautiful vista opened to her view. "Oh, Xel, this is just like you said. I see the moon rising through the trees."
He flopped onto the bed, legs dangling over the end, arms wide, beckoning her to join him. "You can see it from here." She turned and looked him over, but didn't budge. He tried again. "Come here, Lina."
This time she moved to between his bent legs and looked down her nose at his smiling face. "I'm here."
He reached up, smoothing her arms with his hands a few times before pulling her down on top on him for a meaningful kiss. After a delicious interlude, Lina broke away to breathe.
He used the opening to order her to "Undress me" in a voice husky with pent up excitement.
Her eyes shot up to meet his as she inhaled sharply with an "Eep!"
"Starting with my shirt..." he continued patiently, leading her hands to the top button, but moving no further.
Step-by-step he guided her through the art of love making, letting her explore him first before launching his move on her. They paused often to appreciate the full moon rising over the lake, and bask in moonbeams shining through the window. He was so artful that Lina never fully realized that it wasn't she who was directing the action. He made it seem as if she were the principle choosing positions or actions, urging her surreptitiously, yet never backing down or taking no for an answer. He was a very clever, but caring man. He treasured every moment and discovered that he was deeply in love with this young woman.
Lina was so caught up in the new feelings that she forgot how much she hated to be touched. She delighted in his reactions; his absolute enjoyment of her every caress encouraged her to try more. She felt that this love making was something she was pretty good at, and could enjoy on a frequent basis. She found Xel to be very appealing with his lithe, lean body and smooth muscles, which rippled as she ran her hand over his chest or along his thigh. A night and a morning seemed a short time to lie with him. Parting so he could participate in the play the next day would be a challenge. Parting to go home alone would be harder still. Lina didn't know exactly when, but sometime that night she concluded that Xel had become a terribly important part of her life.
Possibly it was when she was lying awake sometime in the wee hours watching Xel breathe. The last of the moonlight painted his resting form in still life. Was it possible that he loved her? That he could? Whatever was she going to do with him if he did? What if he didn't? The last thought gave her pause, but only briefly. He had to. He had tried too hard, waited too long to slight her now. And there were those travel plans to consider. That pleasant thought eased her mind as she passed back into dreamland.
The return to reality was slow in coming. The next day, both Lina and Xel were floating on a cloud of euphoria. Although neither told the other how significant they had become overnight, Xel was certain of Lina's affections and Lina was sure Xel adored her, which was all that mattered at the moment. There would be time later for the telling of future hopes, dreams, and commitments, if they were meant for each other. They had slept in late, missed breakfast, and now were weighing the importance of eating over lazing about. Eating required getting up, dressing, and driving for lunch, while lazing required doing practically nothing. Lina chose lazing, which was an indicator of how infatuated she had become.
By one in the afternoon, however, Xel declared the 'date' over and recommended that they shower, change, and pack up to leave. "We'll drive a little and stop for an early dinner. That sound okay to you?"
"Yeah," Lina sighed.
"Hey, don't look so glum. I need you to be our supportive audience tonight, and it's a short work week, remember? Gaav's letting us off early to prepare for our excursion on the Isle of Evil."
"Cool. Okay, I'm packed, but definitely not ready to go. This...has been a lotta fun, Xel."
"I would like to do it again, soon." His suggestive attitude left no doubts as to what he meant, but he added just in case, "Making love to you by the moonlight is second to none."
"Yeah, I make a place pretty special, don't I?" she laughed on her way out the door.
"You have no idea," Xel whispered as he followed at her heels.
End Graveyard Shift, Chapter 22