The Wrath of Pan (The Inglewood Chronicles Book 2) (3 page)

Reno and Phil had found a nice little spot right outside the border town of Nogales for us to hide.  The road had a decent curve to it and there was a billboard that provided plenty of shadows.  I was leaning up against the hood of the Mustang.  Something told me before this night was over, we’d be going on a little ride through the desert.

The faint sounds of a large vehicle became audible.  Looking down at my watch, it read eleven-thirteen.  “I think our cargo truck is right on schedule.”

Reno grabbed a pair of binoculars and like a bug, quickly climbed up to the catwalk of the billboard.  “I got headlights coming this way.”

Both Phil and I looked at Liz.  “Should we get into position?”

“Yes, Phil, move the van and block the road.  Vic, get the Mustang ready.  If Reno cannot successfully disable their vehicle, we will have to take pursuit.”

Up on the catwalk above us, Reno was putting together a sniper rifle.  Where he got that, I had no idea.  Plus, who knew if he could even shoot the thing.

“Are you sure it’s safe for him to be firing that gun?”

Phil answered, “He might not seem like it, but Reno takes his job very seriously.  He will be successful.”

“Good to hear big guy.”  I gave Phil a pat on the back and went to the car.  The road noise from the cargo truck was getting louder.

Phil pulled the van into the road.  It would only be a matter of moments before this party got started.  The engine of the Mustang came to life.  Watching closely, the cargo truck came into view.

“They’re not slowing down.  They wouldn’t ram the van, would they?”

Liz didn’t respond; she was too busy watching the scene unfold.  The cargo truck blew its horn, but Phil was already out of the van.  It started to speed up and at the last moment, swerved out into the desert.  I thought for sure it was going to tip over, but the driver kept control and brought the cargo truck back on to the road.

A gunshot echoed through the night.  I knew it was Reno and I hoped he was able to make contact.  I pulled the Mustang out on to the road and took off in pursuit.  As soon as the wheels hit the pavement, I picked up the smell of gasoline.

“I think Reno hit their gas tank!”

Liz stretched out and looked to the road.  “I see a trail of liquid on the road.”

“Son of a bitch, I owe that guy an apology.”

Before I could do that, we needed to catch this truck and get Divas.  Even though it was losing gas, the driver was pushing it hard.  We raced through Nogales and soon were on the south side.

“We need to stop them Vic, we are almost to the Mexican border!”

The Mustang had closed the gap nicely, but the truck was too big to run off the road.  “I think they are starting to slow down.”

“I don’t think they will run out in time though.”

She was right.  “Get me Roscoe.”

She reached into the glove box and pulled out my gun.  Handing it to me, “Take the wheel.  I might have a shot.”

“Are you sure?”

I rolled the window down and Liz grabbed on to the wheel.  I had to hold on while it bucked before she got in under control.  Lining up my shot, I fired.  The bullet made impact with the back wheel and the truck ran off the road, tumbling into the desert.

I slammed on the breaks and brought us to a stop.  “Let’s go catch us a drug dealer, shall we?”

We hurried out of the car and went over to where the truck had come to a stop.  Smoke and debris was everywhere, as were two dead humans.

“That bastard used humans for this job?”  I was expecting vampires to be here.  If I’d known her contact used humans to do this, I’d never have taken the shot.

Liz walked over to the corpses.  “It would seem after this is over, my friend Lucky will need a reminder in proper protocol.  His callous disregard for human life has gone too far.”

There was no more time to talk about that.  Vincente Divas wasn’t here.  “The smell of his cologne goes that way.”  I pointed off to the west.  I saw a sign to a campground called Great Sal’s Amazing Outdoors.

“Let us not keep our prey waiting.”  Her eyes flashed red and her fangs began to grow.

“Yes ma’am.  He can’t hide from me.”

Taking off in the direction of the cologne, we entered the campground.  The further along we went, the stronger the smell got.

“He must be injured; the smell is getting really strong.”

Liz looked around.  “He probably came here to feed.  We need to draw him out.”

“Get down!”  I heard the click of the barrel.  I grabbed Liz and hit the deck as the bullet passed over us harmlessly.  Looking up, the pudgy figure of Vincente Divas was standing there.

“Elizabeth, what an unexpected pleasure.  I would have never guessed you did your own dirty work.”  His French accent made his words even more condescending.

Liz stood up, “That is a laugh coming from you!  To see you in such disarray has brought me years of joy.”

The three of us were in the middle of the campground.  I knew the campers had heard the gunshot, so it was only a matter of time before the human police showed up.

“My dear Elizabeth, why do you waste your time on such unimportant matters like drug addicted humans?  Since when has it become illegal to use them as a source of income?”

Her anger boiled over.  “Since the day you decided to mix vampire blood with your precious drugs!  You have gone too far and it is time for penance!”

“It is bad enough you associate with such freaks,” he pointed at me, “but now to defend the humans is a disgrace to our kind!  Caesar Alexis and Lord Drakel were right in their thinking!”

Caesar and Drakel were two of the oldest of old vampires.  They wanted to make the humans slaves or something along those lines.  Drakel was also Liz’s dad.  She personally saw to their deaths in order to keep the peace.

“Do not speak of things you do not understand!  Vampires such as yourself would have been exterminated under their rule you gluttonous fool!”

The two vampires were staring daggers into each other.  I could hear humans making their way over towards us.  “Liz we need to take this elsewhere.”

Divas must’ve heard the movement too and he took off.  With no other choice, Liz and I followed.  He wasn’t moving all that fast and we caught up to him on the backside of the campground.  Liz pushed ahead and rammed him in the back.  Divas flew headfirst into a giant, waving Great Sal statue at the exit.

“It is over Vincente.  This is your last chance to surrender.”

He spat on the ground near Liz.  “It amuses me how little you actually know.  For someone so old and full of power, you are blind to current events taking place.”

I pointed Roscoe at his head.  “Then why don’t you enlighten us?”

“Your freak werewolf amuses me.  I truly am happy I was able to watch this dog and pony show up close.”

Liz stepped forward, “If you do not surrender, I will have no choice but to put you down.  What is it going to be?”

He smiled.  “I choose neither option.  Long live the Hammer of Jehovah!”

He reached into his pocket and pulled out a small, polished wooden stake.  Before I even had a chance to shoot it out of his hand, he plunged it into his heart.  With the sneer still etched on his face, Vincente Divas was dead.

“You heard it too, did you not Vic?”

I knew exactly what she was talking about.  “Yeah, he said the Hammer of Jehovah.”

Walking over to where Divas laid, Liz rummaged through his pockets.  “Nothing.”

“Damn, this isn’t good is it?”

She shook her head.  “I am at a loss for words.  Let us go back to Phoenix and see if maybe Roderick or Cristof can provide us with any answers.”

I gave one last look at Divas.  Even in death he was mocking us.  How did he know about the Hammer of Jehovah and more importantly, what was he doing for him?

We didn’t talk much on the way back to the office.  The way things unfolded down by the border was still quite a shock.  With Divas dropping the Hammer of Jehovah name and then taking his own life, we were all a bit on edge.  Liz had the expression of someone who saw a ghost.

Phil and Reno were in the parking garage, waiting for us.  Phil helped Liz out of the car.  “Everything okay ma’am?”

“No Phil, it is far from okay.  Vincente Divas was connected to the Hammer of Jehovah.”

It was obvious they weren’t expecting that either.  Both of them just looked at us.

“I am going to my office, I have calls to make.  The rest of you, take the evening off.  Once I know more, we can convene and go from there.”

She left the three of us standing there, making her way to the elevator.  I looked over at the other two.  “The night’s still young; want to come up for a few beers?”

I had too much to drink last night.  When my alarm went off at nine, I felt like smashing it to bits.  Unfortunately, even if I did, there was another alarm waiting to go off.  I could feel her eyes on the back of my head.

“Liz, can I take a sick day?”

I felt my blanket pulled off of me.  “No time for sick days.  The two of us have some investigating to do.”

There went my quiet day.  I figured I’d be due for one once we caught or eliminated Divas.  Then the bastard had to mention the Hammer of Jehovah.  He was the shadow figure behind old Warren Tucker and his mad schemes.

Seeing me not moving as fast as she’d like, she used her brute strength to pull the top sheet out from under me.  I went rolling onto the floor.

“Damnit!  I’m awake!”

“We have no time for rest, we have leads to follow!”

There was no arguing with the boss.  I’d lose and we’d do what she wanted anyway.  “Let me shower and get dressed at least.”

“That is acceptable.  You smell like a bar.  How late did the three of you stay up?”

I scratched my head.  “I don’t know, maybe four or five?”

She rolled her eyes and left the room.  I didn’t have any worries.  By the time I got showered and dressed, she’d be right as rain.  Plus, I couldn’t be too upset; I knew she was freaked out by this whole Hammer of Jehovah situation.

I hurried and by the time I walked into the living room, Liz had burned a hole in my carpet from her pacing.  Well not really, but you get the picture.

I grabbed my jacket, “So where’re we headed?”

“We are going to Divas’s night club to search it.  There may be a clue or two there.”

That made sense.  “Did Rod or Cristof have any information for us?”

She shook her head no.  “It would seem no one knows anything.  In fact, all Roderick wanted to talk about was how soon we could get to London to investigate the Pan situation.”

“I guess he’s just stressed.”

“I suppose.”  Her words may have agreed, but her face and body language didn’t.  I wondered what was going on in her mind.

I didn’t say much more while making our way down to my car.  I wanted to make sure I worded my next question right before I asked.  Liz took notice of my silence.

“It is not like you to be so quiet.  What is on your mind cowboy?”

“Is everything okay with you and Rod?  I noticed earlier you seemed to be a bit put off when I asked.”

Her blue eyes looked tired.  “I was upset with his lack of concern with the issues I brought up.  I understand the seriousness of Peter Pan being free, but we are working as fast as we can to get there.”

“For the time being, let’s focus on what we can – seeing if the nightclub has any information for us.”

Traffic wasn’t as pleasant as it could’ve been.  I’d never get used to the difference between small town life and the big city.  Here in Phoenix, everyone was in a hurry and heaven help you if you slowed them down.  I’m pretty sure the speed limit was more of a suggestion and not the law.

“Vic darling, you may want to get over into the right hand lane.  I do believe the rather large tuck behind you is planning to run us over.”

I looked up and saw that, yeah, this guy was right up on my ass.  “Okay, okay, jeez.”

Thankfully we weren’t that far from the club.  I was annoyed by the time we got there, really hating driving in this town.

“Would it make you feel better if I drove us back after we look around?”

I just tossed her the keys.  “No one’s here.  That’ll make this easier.”

We walked through the entrance the club, walked passed the bar and the dance floor to the back area.  The first door led to an employee break room, the second was the security offices.

“I guess it’s going to be lucky number three.”  I pointed to the far door on the left.

The good thing was there were few scents and no noise besides us.  The air lingered with Divas’s cologne which I’d come to hate, but at least it wasn’t overpowering.

Liz opened the last door and jackpot.  My eyes couldn’t believe it.  “Look at this place!”

Handmade wooden furniture was all over the room.  His desk looked like it was made out of mahogany, two nice polished chairs, and one very large bookshelf.

“Hey Liz, you can start with the bookshelf, I’ll take the desk.”

Her eyes went to the shelf and her eyes opened wide.  “He must have been quite the avid collector of literature.”

“Well, maybe we’ll get lucky with the desk.”  I pulled open the top left drawer and saw receipts that must’ve been for the club’s business.

Liz took the right side and seemed not to be having any luck either.  Nothing of value was found in the other two drawers on the left so I moved to the center one.  I gave it a tug and it was locked.  I put a little more oomph behind it and for a second time, I was denied.

“This one’s stuck.  Any suggestions?”

“Hmmm, let me try.”  Liz stuck her hand into her jacket pocket and pulled out a pick.

Of course she’d be able to jimmy the lock.  “What talents don’t you have?”

She gave me a smile and went to work.  It didn’t take long before it popped open.  I reached over and opened it the whole way.  Sitting on top of the pile of papers were two plane tickets.

I picked them up, “These are tickets to London.”

I handed one of them to Liz.  “This ticket is for Divas, who is your ticket for?”

I looked over it in more detail.  The first thing I noticed was the flight was in two weeks.  The second was the name on it, “Someone named Rosette DeBondi; does that name mean anything to you?”

Liz looked as confused as I did.  “I have never heard of anyone with that name.  It seems we have our next contact point.”

It was about time for me to be useful again.  “Tracking’s my specialty.  Get me something to go on and I’ll find her.”