Chapter 10 #3
“Well, it looks like our secret’s out, Des,” Mal said, trying to give her a look that said play along.
She stared back at him in confusion. “We’ll have to tell Walters about us to explain why we’ve been spending so much time together.
” Mal was never very good at acting, but he thought it was convincing enough.
It took her a second to cotton on; Mal felt weird being a few steps ahead of Des for once.
She was clearly having a terrible day; no one likes being yelled at by their boss, unless you’re into that sort of thing.
“Yes,” she said, “how else to explain it.”
“It could be because she’s a va—” Before Yu could finish, Mal and Des threw glares at them that explicitly said shut the fuck up. “A va— ery persuasive woman, and you just couldn’t help but assist her,” Yu continued, to nods from the pair of them.
“You think they’re listening?” Hala whispered.
“Oh, definitely,” Des said, looking around to try and spot where from.
“What are you doing?” Mal found himself asking as he watched Yu peruse the large book.
“I’m reading,” Yu said. “I’m probably not going to get back in here again any time soon. So I’m taking advantage of my time.” Mal couldn’t argue with their logic, he just wondered why now was the best time to be doing it.
“Why aren’t you freaking out more?” Des said. Mal agreed with the question, but when he looked to her, he realized the question was aimed at him. Well, he thought, why aren’t I freaking out more?
“Good question,” Mal said. “There’s nothing I can do. I didn’t do this and either they’ll see that or they won’t. How can I convince them otherwise?”
“Give them someone else?” Des said.
“Who?” Mal said. “There’s no one else who could have done this.”
“What, they magically know about every necromancer in England?” Hala said, to which Mal just nodded.
“It’s kind of what they do,” he said.
Hala just replied with an “Ahh.”
“What about Mazino?” Des said. “No one knows where he is. Taran said he was a necromancer. Why couldn’t it be him?”
At that moment the doors opened and Walters beckoned for them to follow, which they did.
They went through the corridors of the headquarters, down several winding passages, and through strange archways.
Mal caught a glimpse of a very strange room that pulled on his magic, but Walters walked him straight past it.
After a few moments they arrived at a giant metal slab in the wall.
There was no handle—there was no indication it was even a door—but it opened all the same, parting in the middle where a seam had not existed.
They entered and the door sealed shut behind them.
Then another slab opened in front of them, again opening from solid metal.
As the second slab opened, a wave of dread forced the contents of Mal’s stomach onto the floor.
He had never felt his death sense so strongly before.
Mal stumbled and Des helped him stay on his feet.
They walked into what seemed like a crypt; it was as silent and dead as the stone corpses that filled it.
Hideous, realistic statues lined the walls.
Each had a translucent jar at its base with a strange object inside.
They followed Walters along until he stopped at a particularly grotesque figure, a stone skeleton whose expression was nothing but rage and hate.
In its jar was a single red gemstone floating in limbo.
Walters picked up the jar and showed it to the group.
“Meet Mazino,” Walters said. “His soul is in this ruby. What’s left of his body is now cousins with Michelangelo’s David.
He didn’t do shit this weekend because he’s been here for fifty years.
That fate worse than death, you’re looking at it.
” They stared at the grotesque statue. Every time they looked, it seemed as if he was about to scream at them.
Mal’s head throbbed with pain. Walters carefully put down the jar and walked them back out through the metal slabs.
Before they left the vault, Mal caught Walters whispering something to Des.
“They’re listening to everything you say. Keep those teeth hidden. I’m fighting for you.”
Mal smiled; he immediately dropped the smile as Walters turned and caught his eye. When they arrived back at the library, there were now stacks of boxes near the entrance.
“You want to be useful?” Walters said. “Look through these.”
“Are these suspects?” Des said.
“Members,” Walters said. “Our members. Tell me if anyone stands out.”
“Why would you give us your member list?” Yu said. “Why do you want us investigating this place?”
“I believe someone here is behind the murders, and no matter what happens here, your minds will be wiped. So, why not make use of you? You can have a hand at being proper detectives, like Des.”
“Why would we want to do that?” Hala said.
“Well, you don’t have to, but it’s not gonna hurt your cause, is it?
Anyway, I thought you wanted do to some good?
” And with that Walters left. Mal looked at the pile of boxes and brought up his chair next to one.
The group bickered for a bit about whether or not to do it, but ended up agreeing that it was better than doing nothing. And so the work started.