Mystique Rogue (15 page)

             
Opening the door, she took a glanced left and right to make sure things were all okay with the world. The only person standing there was Carla, holding out the mask and wig combo. “You’ve got thirty seconds. Mid stage, both of you.
The Rogue’s
almost done with the latest illusions involving golden eagles and doves so you’d best be in place when he gets to worship Bast and her guardian.” She grinned impishly.

             
Carmen snagged Bast mask on the run and slipped it over her head. Pacing alongside of her like a tame house cat, was Khan. People got out of their way as the two of them hurried to take their places.   Carla appeared at her off side as they managed to get into place. Quickly, the woman made adjustments and added the
finishing touches to the costume with seconds to spare. Thankfully, she had just enough time to add Carmen's claw necklace before the curtains slid back, allowing Carla move into the shadows and disappear
.

             
“And Lo, from the lands of paradise, does the goddess stride forth amongst the mortal realm. She seeks one to join her and her bodyguard. Perhaps one of you of the audience will be blessed with a chance to face Bast, to be blessed with the feel of fur and claw, fang and muscle. Feel it brush against you now, in your mind as she walks among you, seeking.”  

             
Without pause, Carmen strode regally out onto the stage, staring out into the audience with what she hoped would be the poise of a goddess. “
Laying it on a bit thick, aren’t we Sean?”
Her thoughts arrowed out towards
The Rogue’s
visage.

             
His lips twitched slightly as he made obeisance to her.
“Part of the mystique of being an illusionist is being able to entrance the audience with a load of bullshit before pulling off whatever it is they want to see. Now be nice and let me have my fun. Duncan told me what happened in his room. I hope Sam’s going over everything painful I could do to him.”

             
“Let’s keep our mind on business, you two.  I got dibs on hat little faggot the moment the show is over.  In the meantime, lovebirds, we have a real goddess to rescue.”
Duncan’s growling voice invaded both their minds.

             
“Right. Isis? We’re good to go, give the Sheik a bit of a nudge to suggest his daughter be the one to get up here on stage. And pray to whatever powers that be this works. Otherwise we’re all in deep shit.”

             
The attendants trooped out to exotic belly dancing music, carrying a throne embossed with cats.  With great care, they lowered it to the designated spot on stage and helped Carmen ascend to the cushioned seat as she struggled to contain the laughter which was fighting to escape the confines of her mouth.  Khan didn’t help matters by strolling up to her and nudging her hand, demanding a caress in a very classical kittenish way. 

             
“Master,” Called one of the attendants, “We have found whom the goddess wishes.”

             
“Bring them forth and allow them into the presence of the goddess.”

             
Into the spotlight they came. Yasmeen, resplendent in a deep emerald green dress with gold trim and the cat medallion dangling into a generous cleavage, with the attendants on either side of her lightly holding her hands as they approached the throne.  Her eyes were half lidded in anger as she noticed Khan, then figured out who was behind the mask.

             
Carmen’s earpiece beeped. “Don’t speak to us Carmen. You’re on mike to the rest of the audience, babe. They won’t hear us, but anything you say from this time out is going to be heard by the entire audience. You go do your thing, boss. We’ll keep you updated from here.”  It was Logan speaking, “By the way, you look incredibly sexy.”
  

             
Keeping the growl firmly between her teeth, she stared down at the woman before her. “Who is this supplicant you have brought before me?”  Her voice unconsciously lowered to a sultry purr.

             
Both men knelt at her feet, gently drawing their captive down with them. “Her name is Yasmeen, goddess,” They spoke in unison.

             
Standing, Carmen brushed some of the fake hair over her shoulder, then looked over at Sean in his role as priest. “And does my priest vouch for this woman?”
             

“
Someone tell me how to get her free of this. It’s not gonna be easy, I know.  But I’ve got her on stage, I can get within touching distance.” 

             
A deep bass voice echoed through her brain, “
Only a god or goddess can remove the amulet which binds her to this world and hat form. To remove it, you hum a three note tune. Listen.”
  The three notes vibrated her body down to her toes. “
And to answer the question which is bouncing around your brain, I'm Anubis.” 
The voice chuckled slightly.

             
“I am yours to command, goddess, and your priest. In your eyes I vouch for this woman. Accept her as sacrifice.” Sean winked at her from behind a black leather mask with gold swirls on it.

             
Khan paced forward so he was nose to nose with Yasmeen, staring her in the eyes.  A soft huffing growl raised the hairs on Carmen’s arm. “
Gods! If we weren’t here to free the goddess inside, I’d be taking a chunk out of her face. Audience or no audience.” 

             
“Just keep her distracted. She’s still mortal until this thing is off her neck. While she has her attention on you, she won’t know what I’m about to do until it’s too late.”
Carmen descending the throne to walk around behind Yasmeen. “I am pleased,
Rogue.
Allow me to bless her with our own symbol.” She held out a hand, knowing this would be the most delicate part of the whole illusion.

             
The Rogue
made a show of creating a glittering necklace of cat claws out of thin air and laying it in her hands. “As my goddess wishes, so shall it be.”
Be careful, love.
His hands caressed their way up her arms in time with the music which had been playing before dancing away, making elaborate hand motions to make the whole thing more dramatic.

             
Carmen began to sway and dance, moving in time to the music as well.  After a few moments, she began to sing in harmony with the music, keeping her voice in the deep and hypnotic tones.
“Everybody get ready. And Anubis? A goddess will remove
the
amulet. I’ll explain later.” 
Soon, her dancing took her behind the assistants and the prone woman. Khan never looked up from his stare down as she took the final step necessary to lower the glittering strand over her head. Once it was settled on her neck, and before Yasmeen realized what was going on, Carmen touched the chain holding the amulet and sounded out the three tones Anubis had given her.

             
The amulet fell free into her hands. Instantly, the screams and moans of a thousand or more souls assaulted her mind. The mental impact sent her to her knees in agony, moaning softly, barely aware of her mask and wig falling to the stage.  Such was the disorientation, the expected pyrotechnics of the illusion did no more than cause her to flinch. Weakly, she groped with her hands to find something solid to anchor her in reality.  Some otherworldly sense forced her to keep a tight grip on the amulet instead of dropping it to the floor.

             
Khan’s massive body nudged her hand and his soft, whuffing voice made itself heard amongst the cacophony.
I’m here, love. Hang on. I won’t let you go and neither will Sean. 

             
All of a sudden, a cool hand touched her forehead.
Sleep, Carmen Marshall.  My brave warrior, rest and recuperate. Allow us to take up the burdens which need to be resolved.   We will speak later on so you can understand what has happened.

             
With those words, her overtaxed mind began to shut down and seek the oblivion of unconsciousness.  Before the darkness sucked her into its embrace, she focused her eyes open to see the dangerous beauty of Yasmeen, now Bast, smiling down at her.
Damn. If I were a lesbian, I’d be in serious trouble. She’s too beautiful for words. 
Was her last thoughts before fading away into bliss.

 
Chapter Eleven

              “The top story of the hour comes from our woman in the field just outside the Federal Bureau of Investigations field office for Nevada. It seems several missing person cases and dozens of Amber Alerts have been called off as a consequence of a major white slavery ring being smashed and the ringleaders taken into custody. Peggy Taylor is standing by with the full story. Peggy?  What can you tell us?”

             
Carmen opened her eyes and found herself staring at her own big screen TV. On it, a woman in a dark blue business suit was standing on the steps in front of a non-descript brick and cement building. The wind had begun to start mussing her perfectly coifed hair, but she didn’t seem concerned.  Someone must have made a signal out of view of the camera because she began to speak.

             
“Yes, Bob. I’m here at the FBI building where some truly bizarre events have happened in the past three days.”  The reporter turned to look up at the imposing stone entryway, still speaking. “Undercover agents, working with the local police and agencies around the globe, have smashed an international slave trade ring. Unknown sources from within the agency tell us several women and men had escaped their captors and provided the necessary evidence for the authorities to track down and arrest the main ringleader of this hideous and sickening business.

             
“Prince Ahmed Hamadi, son of Sheik Ali Hamadi, was arrested after a violent struggle while attending a performance by the world famous illusionist,
The Rogue
, during the final performance of his
Mystique Rogue
tour in Las Vegas. Unfortunately, in the ensuing struggle, a stage light exploded, killing Princess Yasmeen and severely injuring the Prince himself.  It is not known at this time what the damages are to Mr. Hamadi’s body as he has been swept away to a secured medical facility.

             
“Rumors have been running rampant which speculate
The Rogue’s
manager, a Mr. Sam Lodina, is also under arrest. But phone calls to his office were not returned. 
The Rogue
, instead, gave a public statement saying he has been saddened by the events which occurred during one of his performances.  He also praised the quick thinking of his personal security team as they helped to calm the audience and keep things from getting out of hand. The person in charge of his security detail, a Ms. Carmen Marshall, collapsed with exhaustion after working nonstop to co-ordinate the final hours of the show and the questions from law enforcement.  He also stated
The Mystique
tour will be delayed for three months
,
out of respect for the late Princess Yasmeen.”

             
The anchor’s voice comes over the speakers, “Peggy, any word on how Sheik Hamadi is taking all this?”

             
After a pause, the reporter addressed the camera, “Well, Bob, it turns out the Sheik is                co-operating fully with local authorities.  He is not believed to be involved in any way with his son’s sadistic and brutal trade.  However, he has been attempting to work with everyone in question to rectify the wrongs which have been done. We can only hope all those who have been victimized in this horrible nightmare will find peace. This is Peggy Taylor, reporting from outside the FBI field office in Las Vegas. Back to you in the studio, Bob.”

             
Click

             
Carmen set down the remote on the coffee table and leaned back on her couch, gingerly holding her head. What had been a blinding migraine two days ago, had finally tapered off so she could actually have lights on in the house again. After Bast had knocked her out, Isis had teleported her back to her home and stayed with her until she had awakened. As a thank you gift from Anubis, Bast, Isis and Ma’at, the place had been fully stocked with her favorite food.  Bast went one further and had taken care of all her bills for the next thirty years. Now all she had to do was relax and get rid of the last of the psychic backlash before heading back to work with Sean and Duncan.

             
“Now then. We are alone,” A familiar voice spoke from the shadows. “Tell me how a mere mortal like yourself could remove an amulet only a god or goddess should have been able to remove.”

             
Turning her head, Carmen smiled in the direction the voice had come from. “It’s simple, Anubis.” A swift intake of breath caused her to crack an eyelid and arch an eyebrow. “Caught you, didn’t I?” She chuckled. “It’s actually simple. You deity types don’t stay very long in this mortal realm to understand what goes on.  Every person has the ability to become a god or goddess in their own right. It doesn’t really happen, but when you give credence to something, it becomes what people believe in.”

             
Anubis tilted his head slightly as he emerged from the shadows to sit in one of her chairs.  He had retained his human form, which was a non-descript man with dark brown skin and black eyes.  If anything seemed out of place with him, it would have been the sharp canine teeth and the slightly curled tail which was carefully positioned off to one side. “I don’t understand your reasoning.”

             
Carmen sat up, groaning as her head protested the movement. “Look, it’s simple. You and your people live on the worship of your followers, right? And when you aren’t worshiped, the paeans not sung, the offering bowls and incense aren’t there, you fade away, right?”

             
“Yes.”

             
“Think about what happens when a mere mortal allows him or herself to be worshiped as a deity. If someone is set up as a god or goddess by even one or two people, then they become a belief in their eyes. And if they are named a goddess, would it not stand to reason this would be enough to remove the amulet from someone’s neck?”

             
His eyes sparkled. “Trust a mortal to find the logic and the loophole in this sort of situation.” He chuckled, then leaned forward to put his elbows on his soft cotton pants. “Actually, it was my own curiosity which got the better of me. The real reason I came…”

             
Ma’at appeared just behind Anubis to thump him on the head. “You’re as curious as Bast when you want to be.” She grinned. “The real reason he was supposed to show up was to see how you were doing and to give you the good news.”

             
Carmen arched an eyebrow. “I have a feeling I need to stay sitting down. But as soon as I get rid of this monster headache, and make arrangements, I’m heading back to Vegas.”

             
Both of them looked at each other, then Anubis tilted his head, “Why ever would you want to go back to there? They don’t even serve decent Sushi there.”
 

             
“I’ve got a job to finish up and I need to check with my dad and see how he’s doing.” She squinted at the two of them. “And if you were in the mood for Sushi, you should have looked to the side street off of the main drag and looked for Natsume’s Sushi Grill. Besides, I’ve got to dream up a reason why my eyes have suddenly gone tiger like, and I’ve got two men who need me to keep them out of trouble.”  She felt her face flush as she thought of the two men in her life.

             
“Well, Bast is kind of busy, but she sent word to tell you all three of you will be able to shift at will, with all the goodies involved.” Ma’at shook her raven black hair out of her eyes. “She also says if you don’t get your butt over to Scotland and kick two certain men out of their doldrums, she’ll turn Duncan back into a real tiger for the rest of his life.” She winked. “And before you start worrying too much about your dad, call your boss first. He showed up on her doorstep when you disappeared, ready to kick ass and take names despite his injuries.”

             
Rage boiled in her body at the memory of the video tape. “How badly, guys?  I know what they did to him in a video tape. Not to mention they sent me his severed finger with his personal ring on it. So don’t gloss it over.”

             
When the Goddess hesitated, Anubis took over, “He is healing, Carmen. Our helpers fixed most of the damage, but his mind was too strong for us to entirely change things, so we left him alone. His memories of where things were in the place of horrors helped rescue several others in the process.”

             
Carmen sighed. “He’s a strong man. He just needs to find someone to be with.” Standing, she
made her way over to the kitchen. “Is there anything you two can do about this damned headache? Or do I ruin a good bottle of Glenmorange gaining a hangover instead of a cure. Better yet, I’ve got some butterscotch toffee coffee which should do the trick.” Poking her head back around the corner to the living room. “Not being too rude or anything, but are you hungry? Do either of you want anything?” She glared at Anubis as he opened his mouth, “You say Sushi and I’ll give you a rawhide chew toy where you really don’t want me to. I hate raw fish and, to me at least, wasabe paste is nuclear waste turned into something  which only the truly brave would stomach”

             
They both shook their heads and Ma’at laughed outright. “No, we’re fine, and I think my friend here would rather not have a chew toy. He’s got too many laying around the house as it is.”

             
“Ma’at!  You weren’t supposed to tell!” The offended yelp made Carmen smile.

             
Walking over to Carmen, Ma’at placed a hand on either side of her head and hummed a couple notes. “Your headache should be gone and you have a first class reservation on British Airways flight 2403 at 8 pm tomorrow at the Denver Airport. Take your snowboard and go make sure those two love struck men don’t get away from you. They need someone to keep them out of trouble.” She grinned.

             
Ma’at stepped back and the two deities disappeared into thin air, leaving her gaping at the info. “Don’t ya just love it when they pop in and out?” She muttered to herself, then tossed a hamburger into the microwave and started the coffee brewing.  

             
Only silence answered her question as she went back to the front room, amazed  her head
did, indeed, feel better. Not one ache or pain remained. Sitting down, she grabbed her laptop and tap tapped in a request for a video conference. While she waited, she browsed the Internet for other news on
The Rogue
and his best friend, Duncan. All of it corroborated the news story she saw a few minutes ago. The story was the same in different countries. People who were missing suddenly showing up at friends, parents, or relatives homes with the same type of story and the same results. From what she could tell, the shit was really hitting the fan. Prime ministers, priests, important cabinet members, and even one woman placed high in the People’s Republic of China have been taken into custody for their actions.

             
With a beep and a click later, Carmen got the shock of her life. Daria Randall and her dad were sitting side by side. She was dressed a bathrobe, he in nothing but a pair of jeans and slippers. She could feel her jaw drop to the desk. “
Dad?!?
What in hell?” She looked at both of them, then switched the view to the big screen so she could see them both better. “Okay, it’s only been three days. What in hell have I missed?” She shook her head. “No, I don’t want to know.” She ran a hand over her face.

             
Laughing, Daria answered her. “You never told me how handsome your dad was, Carmen.” She shook her head. “Don’t worry, I won’t spill the details because I know it would embarrass you.  Now, do you want the update or not?”

             
“Hi hon.” Her dad spoke softly, “Don’t get too up in arms. Everything will be fine. The team’s okay and we’ve all been put on sort of an ‘inactive
until we feel damn good and ready to come back’ list.  When we couldn’t find you, I asked around to get Miss Randall’s name.”  He blushed. “And... well...”

             
Laughing, Carmen took a sip of coffee. “Okay, I can see where this is going. Daria, give me the updates and let me know how my team turned out? After this, I’m going to sleep for the rest of the night and hop a flight to Scotland tomorrow evening.”

             
Both of them stared at her as if she had grown second head. “Your contract has ended, Carmen. Don’t tell me you’ve gone and…” a light dawned in in Daria’s eyes. “Well, Well.” she teased. “Seems the bug has bitten you too.”

             
“Don’t you dare start, Daria,” she growled, “Or else I’ll tell dad about your fetish.”

             
Predictably, her dad looked at Daria, “What Fetish?”
 

             
“The one she has about fantasizing about Dorian Gra-”

             
“Carmen!” She blushed dark crimson. “Don’t you dare spill my little secret!”  Ignoring David Marshall’s intense gaze, she reached for a stack of papers. “Your team is currently enjoying a hiatus.  It seems both
The Rogue
and Sheik Hamadi posted huge bonuses to each member of your team and you.  They’ve all checked in from various vacation spots and the general consensus is... Don’t bother us until we come up for air.”