Contractor (57 page)

father, but he was Eleanor’s real father.

But there wasn’t any time. Eleanor had

been Vice President since she was eighteen.

She was now the acting president.

Rothschild was waiting.

"Elly?" Rachel asked.

Eleanor took a long, shuddering breath.

She nodded. They walked back toward their

mobile command post, a series of armored

trucks that backed their assault. Matthew and

Flemmet were waiting there. They shared

only silence.

They’d felt the magical force from the

fight for some time, but it slowly died back.

Reports stated that the lord was holding at

Times Square. The contractor had vanished;

it was unknown if he was still alive. Rachel

tried not to linger on that.

Footsteps announced Rothschild’s

entrance. "Miss President. The Order will

continue to support the Dawn in its time of

need."

"…yes. Good. Thank you."

Rothschild appraised Eleanor’s mood,

then started again. "Xikanthus didn’t

underestimate its strength. We need to throw

everything we have at it, all at once."

Rachel stepped around Eleanor,

shielding her sister from the immediate pain

of decision-making. "We need to distract it.

Magic doesn’t seem to stop those swords.

We need to get in close without it cutting us

down."

No one had any suggestions. The silence

stretched on. It didn’t take a genius to know

that they were terribly outclassed. The lord

had taken the full force of three dragons at

once without breaking a sweat. Even Henry’s

defenses would have struggled to contain that

much.

"I have an idea, if you’re willing to

listen."

They all snapped their heads up. Daniel

was crouched on the roof of a truck. Rachel

had to bite her lip to stop herself from

calling to him.

"You!" Rothschild shouted. He thrust his

hands forward. A stream of blue-white

poured from his hands.

Daniel raised his shield. The flames

burst around him harmlessly. He stood and

inspected his barrier. It was somewhat

blackened in the center, but he was

unharmed. "Don’t do that again. I’ve had

enough fire today."

Eleanor slowly turned her head. There

was a look on her face that made Rachel

very nervous. "…it’s not possible…it can’t -

"

"It’s pretty possible, muffin top. Unless

we work together, we’re kinda fucked.

Figured I’d just lay everything out on the

table." Daniel popped his helmet off his

head. The unruly lock of hair drooping

between his eyes was exposed for all to see.

Matthew Aiken and Madame Flemmet

were speechless. Eleanor looked at Rachel.

"Since when have you known?!"

Rachel licked her lips. "…since we

captured Jack."

"What the hell is going on?" Rothschild

demanded. "You know this person?"

"Intimately," Eleanor hissed. Her eyes

hadn’t left Rachel’s face. Rachel stared at

her feet. "This explains why you were so

supportive." Her whisper was harsh. "I

should have known. I should have seen it!"

"Hey!" Daniel shouted. They all looked

back at him. "Eleanor. I know I owe you

some explanations, but we don’t have time to

act this out right now. You can slap me as

many times as you want when we’ve won."

"Disarm yourself before I unleash

everything I have," Rothschild said. "I assure you, no physical barrier will stop my fire."

Even as he said the words, the blue fire still

glowing in his hands turned white.

"I’ve been fighting this whole damn time

on your side," Daniel said, "and I haven’t

hurt anyone except Vorid. If you don’t want

to believe me, fine. I’ll fuck off and you can

fight the lord by yourself. I’m tired of

sticking my neck out for you people and

getting shot at."

Rothschild paused. "…talk."

Daniel tapped the front of his shield.

"It’s simple. I’ll distract the lord and make

an opening for you to lay down your

firepower. And after…" Daniel sighed. "I’ll turn myself in."

Rachel shook her head. "Daniel, there’s

-"

"I’m a monster." Rachel stared.

Rothschild narrowed his eyes. "I am," Daniel continued. "I get the message. I crossed the

line. When this battle is over, you can clap

me in irons. Or whatever the magical

equivalent of irons are. I don’t really care. If

that’s what it takes to convince you I’m on

your side, that I’m doing this for the right

reasons, then I’ll do it. But right now, you

need me."

"We can’t risk you killing the lord and

absorbing its power," Rothschild said.

"We’d just make an even bigger problem."

"Thanks for the vote of confidence,"

Daniel said. "Think about it for a second.

You’ll all be firing at it while I cover you.

Even if I get a shot in, I have to deliver the

killing blow for the enchantment to work. It’s

pretty unlikely."

"But possible."

"You’re retarded," Daniel snapped.

"You know why I’m a contractor? I don’t

have a choice, that’s why. I haven’t had one

from the start. If I didn’t take Xik’s offer, my

nine year brother would have had his soul

sucked out by the Vorid. I would have

forgotten him. My own brother!" Daniel was

shouting. "I wouldn’t even have cared

because it would be like he hadn’t even

existed! Where the hell was the glorious

Ivory Dawn when my family and my entire

town was getting eaten alive and replaced

with shells?! Guess we weren’t all that high

on the priority list compared to the rich

pricks at your cocktail parties! What the hell

was I supposed to do?! Sit there and take it

when the solution was waved in front of my

face?!" No one moved. Daniel took a long,

deep breath, then sighed it back out. "But I

don’t blame you for prioritizing lives. You

did what you had to do. Just like me. Isn’t

that right?"

More mages had circled around them.

More than one person had prepared a spell.

Rachel didn’t think Daniel considered them

much of a threat. He was just too fast.

"Don’t compare us," Rothschild began,

"to an aberration like -"

"So what’s plan B?"

"What?"

Daniel glanced around at the gathered

faces. "Fine. I’ll leave. You’ll never hear

from me again. Then what? You chuck

yourselves at the magic food processor?"

"We’re aware of the risks!" Rothschild

shouted. "I wouldn’t expect you to

understand how it feels to shoulder our way

of life. To endanger your family for people

who will never appreciate the sacrifice. No.

You burst in without respect, in ignorance,

and in arrogance. What should be a groveling

apology is a lecture, a pathetic attempt at

trying to teach morality to the head Wizard of

the Order of True Flame."

"I don’t have respect for someone that

puts a price tag on people’s lives and has a

head big enough to claim that he’s still taking

the high road. At least I admit what I am. By

the way, here’s what I think about your big-

shot title." He stuck out his middle finger.

"Go fuck yourself."

"I’ve had enough!" Rothschild raised his

hands.

"Bring it, asswipe. Let’s see what you

got."

"Stop!" Eleanor shouted. "Both of you.

Control yourselves before we do our

enemy’s work for him." Rothschild let his

hands fall to his sides. Daniel lowered his

bat.

"…do you have some sort of plan?"

Madame Flemmet prompted.

"Daniel Fitzgerald," Eleanor said,

looking up to him, "will cover us and distract

the lord during our approach."

"The Order will not condone -"

"I am aware of your feelings,

Rothschild!" Eleanor said. "We don’t have a choice! Or would you rather have Daniel kill

us all and make use of us that way?! It would

be better than throwing ourselves on those

swords!" Rothschild was stunned silent.

Eleanor turned back. "Daniel. Come here."

Daniel hopped off the van and walked to

the middle of their circle. Everyone rotated

as he stood before Eleanor. "Eleanor."

"Take a knee."

"For what? My knighting?"

"Kneel!"

Daniel took a knee without further

complaint.

"Have you absorbed any human souls?"

"No. I haven’t hurt anyone."

"Do you swear to turn yourself in when

this fight is over?"

He nodded. "Yes."

"Then I’ll trust you." Eleanor leaned

over him. Rachel had never in her life seen

so much anger on her friend’s face. "If you’re

lying, then I swear on my mother’s grave that

I will personally hunt you to the ends of the

earth and choke the life from you with my

bare hands."

Daniel gulped audibly. "I promise you

won’t have to do that."

"Good." Eleanor turned to Rothschild.

"Is that satisfactory?"

"No, but it’s better than nothing."

Rothschild’s eyes cut at Daniel. "If you’re

lying, Miss Astor won’t have a chance to kill

you, because I’ll get there first. And I won’t

be as kind."

"Death threats acknowledged." Daniel

got to his feet and looked at Eleanor. "So

what do I call you? Madame President?

Captain Commander? Mistress?"

Rachel winced, but to her surprise,

Eleanor smiled. "It’s good to know some

things in this world never change." She

turned away. "Aiken, Madame Flemmet!

Pick our strongest from units 1 through 4. Get

a message to the army. I want every

helicopter they’ve got with all the ammo they

can carry. Rothschild, get your best people

ready." The head wizard walked away

without another word. Matthew and Flemmet

moved to obey Eleanor’s commands.

"What can I do?" Daniel asked.

"Stay put and don’t cause trouble,"

Eleanor said. "Rachel, with me."

Rachel’s feet automatically moved to

put her at Eleanor’s shoulder. She glanced

back. Daniel smiled and did a little wave of

his fingertips. She had to stop herself from

grinning like an idiot.

"When this is over," Eleanor said, "I

may not be able to protect him."

Rachel’s throat knotted. She had to push

the words out. "Please, Elly."

"Do you love him?"

"Yes."

"…I’ll do what I can. That might not be

enough. Be prepared."

Rachel swallowed. How she could

possibly prepare herself to lose Daniel, she

didn’t know.

****

Rachel marched at the front of the line

behind Eleanor. Daniel walked at Eleanor’s

side. His eyes were sweeping sky constantly.

He kept closing his eyes. He never stopped

scrying.

Rothschild was opposite him. Matthew

and Madame Flemmet were behind Rachel,

leading a column of mages and armored

personnel carriers. Most of the long trucks

had turrets affixed on them, all grenade

launchers loaded to the brim with magical

ammunition.

It was a long walk. The skyscrapers

loomed over them. A few were untouched,

but most were broken and battered by the

fight. It felt like an oversized graveyard,

some tombstones fresh and polished, others

worn into shapeless lumps by wind and time.

"Has the lord moved?" Eleanor asked.

"No," Daniel said. "He’s looking at us, though. Waiting." He scrunched his face up.

"Now why would he do that?"

"Maybe he doesn’t feel the need to

move," Matthew said.

"Just a regular ray of sunshine, aren’t

you?" Daniel asked. Matthew didn’t respond.

"By the way, these bloodthirsty midget

ghosts have been chasing me all over the

city. Was that you guys?"

"I called the Nightmares off," Rothschild

said.

"It would be you," Daniel muttered. "So what the hell is with the demons, anyway?

Vampirism is a no-no, but unholy pacts are

A-ok?"

"Religion has nothing to do with it,"

Eleanor said. "We don’t enjoy allying

ourselves with them, but we need them."

"Makes you wonder what else you might

need before this fight ends," Daniel said. "So they’re all from where, exactly? Is it a place

in our universe, or are they aliens like the

Vorid and the Klide?"

"It’s another universe," Eleanor

explained. "There are many races in their

world, which we collectively term demons.

Our alliance with them has several

precedents."

Daniel considered this for a moment.

"What’s our relationship with them,

exactly?"

"…termites and spiders," Eleanor

murmured. Rachel glanced away. That was

the metaphor Henry always used. "We’re

weak when alone, but very organized,"

Eleanor said. "Demons are individualists.

Very tribal. Their king, or what passes for

their king, rules by brute force, and his word

is considered more a heavy-handed

suggestion than a law. We have a non-