Chapter 12 #2
“I think that’s my line, sir. I do appreciate you offering.” With a kind smile, Principal Holland faced Gwyn. “It seems you’ve found a good place for yourself. Study hard. Become badass.”
Gwyn laughed and shook hands with her too. “Thanks. Crazy as it sounds, I’m looking forward to it.”
“I bet you are.”
My phone pinged, so I checked it. “Ah, Eli has arrived. Let’s get this show started. Gwyn, we’ll clear your locker out first.”
We split at that point, Brandon going with Gwyn to clear her locker out, me meeting Eli at the front door. Booker reached me first, and boy howdy, he did not look happy. Peeved was an understatement.
“Gwyn really went to school here?” he demanded by way of greeting. “This place Eli swears is a hell wannabe?”
“You know what? Fitting descriptor of this school. And yes, unfortunately, she did. We’ve got her properly pulled out now, and the principal has given us full access so we can clear the place.”
“I’m glad. I mean, with so many kids here…”
“It’s a concern, for sure.”
Eli charged up, and I do mean stomping boots, eyes spitting fire. “I cannot believe Gwyn had to suffer through this environment. I’m going to punch her parents if I ever meet them.”
“Join the club. She’s clearing out her locker now. After she’s done, let’s tackle this place in force.”
“I’m all for it.” Turning her head, she called to the SUV, “Q! Armageddon!”
“Oh, for fuck’s sakes,” Quinn moaned. “It can’t be that bad!”
“You just don’t want to carry the gear all over the school!” his wife shot back, cackling.
“You bet your ass I don’t!” Quinn leaned around the open door so he was in sight for a moment. “Oh, wait, Brandon’s here too. I only need half of it, then.”
Truly, the moment a Havili was unprepared for something, we all might as well find a good spot of ground and start digging. We’d need the grave shortly.
Gwyn apparently was speed itself, as she came out with an armful of things, even more in Brandon’s arms. She perked up visibly when she spotted Eli.
“Eli, the bastard who attacked me and shoved me in the ravine is here, can we get him first?”
Eli’s smile was pure anticipatory glee. “That we can.”
Now, I hadn’t realized Gwyn’s attacker was in this area, but I was all for vanquishing him first. None of us were going to offer to pass him. If he was harassing teenagers, fucker would get what was coming to him.
We took a few minutes to gear up. Even I armed up with a holy water pistol and some salt because I wasn’t going to be too effective here, in a way. It was fine. Eli had this.
Apparently, Gwyn knew exactly where to go, which made sense—she’d no doubt tried to avoid him as much as possible.
She marched straight to the back lot, where the football field was, and then deviated toward the back fence.
It was mostly parking lot and one utility building here, and I could see the ravine running toward the back.
He must have chased her far to get all the way here, as I couldn’t imagine anyone had call to be here.
Unless they were making out or sneaking a smoke.
Lots of ghosts here, too, mostly hanging about. A few friendly ones, but the auras on most were an unhealthy and sickly yellow-grey.
Ever feel like you just stepped past enemy lines?
Yeah, that twisting of the gut was exactly what I felt just then.
Maybe I should have grabbed more than the water pistol? Eh, it was fine, I had an Eli. And a Brandon.
Gwyn’s hands shook but she balled them up into fists, threw her shoulders back, and faced down the worst of the lot. “You. You’re dead now.”
The ghost she faced laughed boisterously and the sound sent a shiver down my spine.
There was no humor in his face, just twisted rage.
He hadn’t been a handsome man in life, a scar running from lip to near his right eye, a crumpled hat sitting low on his head.
The aura around him was this twisted sort of grey and copper—copper tinge normally meant an unhealthy fixation that had turned into something worse.
An obsession that would cripple someone.
“You can’t do nothin’ about me, girly.”
Eli marched right up to him, drew her fist back, and punched him dead in the face. The second her fist impacted, I watched his soul scatter to bits. Wow, Eli, not even a warning? Granted, he’d had it coming.
Gwyn startled, then cheered. “Get ’em! Those other guys hassled me too.”
They seemed to realize we were here for business, and I expected them to flee.
No, they chose to charge us. Well, fuck, not what I wanted to happen.
Grimly, I lifted my water pistol and started firing.
I saw more than a few flinch, dissipating briefly before they came back.
A little weaker than before, but the fact they could reform that fast was worrying.
Damn limestone and crystals and water in this area was giving them way too much of a boost.
Eli hit them as fast as she could go. Gwyn stayed right between her and me, both of us watching her back. Quinn, Booker, and Brandon were watching over us, firing rock salt with steady aim.
“Gold on an iron horse!” a few chanted, almost like a war cry, before leaping into the fray.
A dark arm reached out, intending to grab Gwyn by the hair. I snatched his wrist, holding him firmly. A ghost didn’t have the natural strength to fight me off, so I just held him, waiting for Eli.
He met my eyes, his mouth twisted in a snarl of pure hate, but something like fear lurked in his eyes.
“Why?” I demanded of him. “Why harass a child?”
“This is our land! Our gold!”
Wait, this dumbass really considered her a threat?
Was this territorial instinct to shove any living being out the mob’s motivation?
Some part of my brain was spluttering, incredulous, but more than that, I was angry.
This stupid-ass reason was how he justified hurting Gwyn?
“She has nothing to do with your gold. And your mines are shut down, have been for over a century!”
He screamed in my face. I winced at the volume, but it was clear there was no reasoning with these ghosts. Their obsession made them deaf to everything else.
Eli turned, grabbed the guy by the head, and then took him right out in a brutal takedown. She caught my eye briefly before turning to face the next lot. “No use, Mack.”
“Yeah.” I sighed in resignation. I had to try, though. Just so I could live with myself later.
I snagged two more, Eli dispatched them like the pro she was, and I turned for the next set, only to find we were down to just three. Oh, wow, we’d been super effective here. Even Gwyn was holding her own. She was a really quick study, this kid.
I helped Eli grab the last of them, and then they were gone too, their souls scattering on the wind. I breathed out steadily. This fight had been a workout; I could feel the sweat dewing on my temples. But the world was a bit safer, so I felt better.
I checked in with people. “Everyone good?”
Got a thumbs-up from Booker, Brandon nodded, but Quinn was staring at us each in turn.
“Uh, their war cry thingy, what was that about?”
“We’re not sure,” Brandon admitted, “but we heard the ghosts say the same thing at the house we were clearing this morning. I know one of the ghosts said there’s a mob but…if they’re all using the same slogan, are they all part of the same mob?”
Booker took off his glasses long enough to rub the bridge of his nose. “I feel the distinct need to go do some research after we’ve cleared the school.”
“I might join you.” I’d be out of juice shortly anyway and useless for anything but research and naps.
Ooh, naps. I could totally go for a nap right about now.
But with the way today had been shaping up, I didn’t know if naps were going to be anywhere near my immediate future. More’s the pity.