Chapter 13
Bayu stood motionless, waiting on Julian to bring up more information on the man with his grandfather’s name. Was this a coincidence, or had his grandfather known about the Nuhuala? Bayu had so many questions, but if this was his mother’s father, getting answers might be easier than Bayu thought.
“When was the last time you spoke to him?” Carleigh asked.
“I have never met him that I can recall. From what my mother told me, she met my father in Japan, then they moved to Anjailang Island and never visited her parents since it wasn’t safe.”
“This is interesting. Of the twenty listed, nine are roughly the same age, and they all live close to one another. Close being relative, as in they’re not spread out across the world.”
“And there are nine names in the journal.” Bayu vibrated with excitement. “Is there a phone number for him?”
“No. Nor is there one for any of the other eight, which is odd. Who doesn’t have a phone? And none have an online presence.”
“Excuse me,” Silas interrupted, with Tabitha and Major behind him. “Bayu, your phone was ringing.” Silas handed the burner to him.
“Thank you.” Bayu tapped the screen, but the number was listed as unknown, and there wasn’t a voice message.
It rang again, and Bayu hesitated to answer it, but if it were Gemi…
Bayu put it on speaker. “Hello? Hello?” No one spoke, and there was static on the other end.
The phone vibrated in his hand, getting hot.
Bayu dropped it, and Carleigh stomped the device until it was in tiny pieces.
“Are you okay?” Carleigh reached for his hand. “Why did you drop it?”
“I’m fine.” Bayu let her see he was unharmed. “The phone was heating up. That was odd, wasn’t it?”
“Definitely, and I think the mages are getting desperate. They didn’t find you at the safe house, and now they are coming at you in different, scary ways.”
Carleigh’s phone buzzed, and Bayu worried the Black Lotus had gotten her number somehow, but she said, “It’s a text from Harlow.” She tapped the screen. “Dad, bring up the feed for safehouse sixteen.”
Julian did as she asked, and the television on the wall across from the desk came to life. Everyone crowded into the office to watch.
Carleigh explained who everyone on the screen was for Bayu’s benefit.
Dominic dressed like a pirate, and Nekoma looked like someone dressed for a renaissance festival.
He and Lilly approached the woman who was tied to a chair.
Dominic removed the gag, and Lilly asked, “Who are you?” The woman glared without answering.
“Dammit, I wish we had thought to include a Hound with Dom’s crew, then they could voice the woman,” Carleigh said.
“I can go if you need me to,” Major offered.
“Let’s see what they get out of her first.”
Lilly shook her arm, and the bracelet became a wand. “What is your name?”
The woman squirmed in her seat. “Sondra.”
“Why are you here?”
When Sondra refused to answer, Nekoma produced two purple fireballs, bouncing them in his hands. Sondra’s eyes widened. “We are looking for the tiger.”
“Why? You’ve already killed his father. Wasn’t that enough?”
“He turned to dust before we could—” Sondra gagged.
“Before you could?” Lilly prompted. Sondra shook her head, and Lilly asked, “Are there more of the Black Lotus in this area?”
Sondra shook her head again, and Nekoma grabbed onto her neck from behind, staring into the middle distance.
Sondra squirmed but remained quiet. Nekoma released her.
“There is a barrier of some sort in her mind that prevents her from speaking about the cult or her task. You will get nothing useful out of her.”
“What do we do with her?” Dominic asked.
Lilly replaced the gag in Sondra’s mouth and pressed her wand to Sondra’s forehead, chanting a spell that bound Sondra’s powers.
“We stand guard so no one can come for her. I’ll contact Tabitha so she can have Major have a Hound come and voice the female.
If they can’t get information from her, they can at least ensure she leaves the cult. ”
Carleigh lowered the volume on the monitor. “We need to get eyes on the compound.” Turning to Tabitha and Major, she asked, “Are any of the Steele Security guys available? If not, we need to round up some of our Goyles.”
Tabitha pulled her phone from the back pocket of her shorts. After tapping the screen a few times, she said, “Warren and Barrett will both be free tomorrow. We can send them to the compound with some drones.”
“I can drive over to the safehouse. We really need to get another Hound on the payroll,” Major added.
While Bayu was thrilled to have a Clan at his back, he also hated everything about the whole mess. It was his mess, yet there was nothing he could do to help. Some blessed beast he was. The little patter of quick feet met his ears, and he turned just as Juni ran through the office door.
“Carwee! Me go fwim?”
Carleigh dropped to her knees. “Do you know how to swim?”
“Uh huh.” Juni nodded fiercely. Bayu wondered if he was telling the truth.
Carleigh looked up at Bayu. “Do you want to take him?”
“I feel like I should stay in here and help Julian. This is my mess, after all.”
“Nonsense, Son. You are one of us, and we all play a part. For now, there’s nothing you can do until I find a way to contact the names on the list. Go play with Juni. I’m going to call Sebastian and loop him in on what we’ve learned so far.”
“Wet’s go, bruvver!” Juni jumped up and down.
Carleigh stood and ruffled Juni’s hair. “I think I saw a swimsuit among his clothes.”
Bayu placed a hand on Juni’s head. “Let’s go look in your bedroom.
” Juni took off running, and Bayu followed sedately behind the cub, leaving everyone else to work out how to deal with the Black Lotus.
When he got to Juni’s room, he was already looking in the dresser, pulling clothes out, and tossing them about.
“Whoa. Hang on a second.” Bayu found a little pair of blue swim shorts that had all different colors of fish on them.
“Here they are.” Juni pushed his shorts down his legs, leaving his underwear on.
He pulled the swim shorts on while Bayu refolded the scattered clothes and put them back in the drawer.
Bayu didn’t have his own swimsuit, so he would have to go in regular shorts. “I need to find some shorts. Do you want to come with me or wait downstairs with Kat?”
“I go wiv Kat.”
When Bayu got downstairs, Kat was slathering a squirming Juni in sunscreen. She glanced at Bayu. “We don’t have any pool toys for little ones, so Juniper is running out to get some things.”
“Let me give you some—”
“If you say money, I’m going to punch you.” Juniper stood with her hands on her hips, tapping a toe.
Bayu held up his hands in defense. “No punching necessary.”
Juniper’s smile fell. “Hey, what’s wrong?”
“Nothing. Well, everything, but nothing I can take care of. Let’s go, Juni.
” Bayu took his brother’s hand and led him outside.
The pool sat well back from the house down a paved path that was lined with solar lights.
Someone had placed towels on the lounge chairs for them.
Before he could stop him, Juni jerked his hand out of Bayu’s and took off running.
“Juni!”
The boy did a belly flop into the pool and began doggy-paddling back to the side.
When Bayu’s heart was no longer in his throat, he strolled across the deck and walked down the steps into the water.
It was not cold like he thought it would be.
Juni swam over to Bayu and grabbed onto his arm, climbing until he wrapped his little arms around Bayu’s neck.
“You shouldn’t run off like that. You scared me. ”
“I sowwy.” Juni stuck his face in Bayu’s neck.
“I’m not mad. I was worried.”
Juni raised his head, his eyes earnest. “You fwim?”
Bayu smiled and twirled in the water. “Yes, I can swim.” He didn’t know whether to tell Juni their mother had taught him.
Did Juni know who his parents were? Or had been?
He didn’t want to upset the boy, so he kept that information to himself.
The back door opened, and everyone except Major, Carleigh, her dad, and Juniper joined them.
Kat, Elle, and Tabitha sat on the side of the pool with their feet in the water.
Anthony strolled over to the pool house and entered the small building.
After a few seconds, rock music played from speakers surrounding the deck.
When he returned, he stripped down to his shorts and jumped in the deep end, and soon, Juni was swimming back and forth between the two of them.
Juni proved to be an excellent swimmer under water, holding his breath longer than Bayu thought possible for a three-year-old. Bayu tossed Juni to Anthony who caught him just as he went under, and Juni begged, “Again!” over and over.
Juniper returned with beach balls, noodles, and floats.
She and Tabitha blew up the inflatables and tossed them all in the water.
While Bayu and Anthony played with Juni, the females brought out drinks and snacks, placing them on one of the tables covered by an umbrella.
There were several on one side of the pool, while the other contained lounge chairs.
The end closest the house was open, and the opposite side was where the pool house sat.
Juni stopped long enough to eat, then he was right back in the water.
Carleigh and Julian joined them, bringing a newcomer. Juni was safe with Anthony, so Bayu exited the pool, grabbing a towel and wrapping it around his waist. “Bayu, this is Cailín Jenkins. She’s one of my best friends, and she works at Steele Securities.”
Bayu bowed slightly. “It’s a pleasure to meet you, Cailín.”
“Likewise.” Cailín shielded her eyes and looked toward the pool when Juni giggled. “Oh, C, you weren’t kidding. He’s the cutest thing ever.”
Carleigh stepped up beside Bayu and wrapped her arm through his. “Right? Never thought I’d be a mom so young, but here we are.” Carleigh snapped her eyes to Bayu’s. “I mean—”