“Do you remember the Dead guy from the headworks?” I asked.
He nodded. “Sure, sure. The dead Dead guy without the head in the headworks. I never forget a face.”
“He didn’t have a face then,” I said.
He grinned. “Right, right. I never forget a neck stump either.”
I shook my head. “He has his head back, and he’s reanimated. Can you track him?”
Joe’s eyes lit up. “No problem! Those walking Dead guys stick out like a sore thumb.”
“Last we saw him, he was in Hel.”
Joe pulled a long face, his eyebrows dropping low. “I thought you destroyed Hel.”
“The old Helmet, Joe. Just up the street. And for the record, we don’t know if I destroyed Hel,” I said.
Joe cocked his head at Murdock and pointed his thumb at me. “I don’t know how you understand this guy.”
Joe blinked out. Murdock chuckled silently. At least Joe made him lighten up. “Is he too drunk for this?” Murdock asked.
“Nah. He’s not even over his threshold capacity yet,” I said.
Got him. Drydock Ave, Joe sent.
Murdock pulled onto the street. “Nice work, Mr. Grey.”
We turned down Tide Street again, passing Hel. A few people huddled outside smoking and talking. Murdock eased the car to the corner of Drydock Avenue. We faced the Black Falcon terminal, a massive building two thousand feet long. Cruise liners with a few hundred thousand passengers a year calling on the port of Boston docked at the terminal in one of the worst neighborhoods of the city. They never learned that, though. The Chamber of Commerce made sure shuttles and taxis whisked them directly to downtown without their having to soil their experience by seeing the immediate area.
He’s crossing to the channel.
Mountains of snow lined either side of Drydock. Traffic down there in the middle of the night was rare. I pointed out Jark’s unmistakable figure as he crossed the parking lot in front of the terminal and disappeared behind the building. Murdock drove down the street and stopped before we reached the access road. “Everything’s wide open from here. He’ll spot us if I make the turn.”
He stopped on the dock. I don’t see anyone else.
“He’s meeting someone,” I said.
You know, I’m burning alcohol here.
“Just so you know, Joe’s going to make us buy him drinks,” I said.
“It’ll be worth it if we can stop the Dead,” Murdock said.
“Famous last words, my friend. I’ve seen him drink.”
Car coming . . . black one . . . it’s stopping, and your guy got in.
Joe flashed into sight between us. “Damn, it’s cold out there. I’m sober again.”
I looked at Murdock. “I think that’s a hint.”
“Did you see inside the car, Joe?” Murdock asked.
He shook his head. “You want me to pop in and say hello?”
“Get as close as you can without being seen,” Murdock said
“This is sure making me thirsty,” he said, and vanished again.
“Oh, yes, this is going to be expensive,” I said.
Okay, I’m under the car . . . It’s warmer and less windy . . . I’m getting the berserker and a human . . . oh, hey!
Joe reappeared, annoyance across his face. “Okay, what’s the joke?”
I twisted in my seat. “What joke?”
“Why’d you pull me out of the bar to spy on the commissioner?”
I shifted my gaze to Murdock. He clenched his jaw. “What did you say?”
The annoyance vanished from Joe’s face as he picked up on the threat of anger in Murdock’s voice. “Murdock, your father’s in that car. This isn’t a joke?”
Murdock gripped the steering wheel, glaring out the window. He cleared his throat. “Joe, I want to know the minute Jark gets out of that car.”
Joe looked at me in a panic. I nodded, and he disappeared.
“Leo—” I said.
“Don’t talk,” he interrupted.
I closed my mouth so quickly, I heard my jaw snap. Murdock’s essence flickered a deep crimson. His face looked like stone as he stared up the access road. I don’t think I have ever felt more uncomfortable in his presence.
“We don’t know what this is, Leo,” I said quietly. And we didn’t. As much as the commissioner didn’t like me and I didn’t like him, he was still Leo’s father. He wasn’t above bending the rules, and when it came to the fey, he enjoyed it. But I wasn’t ready to make the leap to something more sinister, not without more information. Police used shadowy operatives for information all the time.
He’s leaving, Joe sent.
“Get out, Connor,” Murdock said.
“Leo, let’s leave. You can talk to him later.”
“Don’t make me ask again, please.”
His tone sent a chill down my spine. I opened the door as Joe appeared in the backseat. Apprehensive, he fluttered out the door. I leaned in again. “Call me, Leo.” He didn’t say anything. “Dammit, Leo, I’m only leaving because it’s your da. Say you’ll call me.”
He didn’t look at me. “I’ll call you.”
He pulled away and picked up speed as he turned onto the access road.
“Come on, Joe. Let’s go get a drink,” I said.
Before we walked away, Jark reappeared and watched Murdock pass him. He lingered on the corner, then continued toward me. Behind him, the commissioner’s car passed through the intersection, and Murdock followed it.
“What the hell is going on?” Joe said.
“I have no idea anymore,” I said.
Jark stopped a few feet from me. “You made a mistake following me.”
Joe hovered close to my shoulder, his hand gripped to his side where he hid his sword behind a glamour. “I don’t think so,” I said.
His gaze shifted to Joe. “Do you think that little thing can stop me from breaking your neck?”
The dark mass in my head shifted like a hand flexing its fingers. It hurt, but in an oddly pleasurable way. I stepped closer to Jark. “Who says I need him?”
Joe moved forward. “Connor . . .”
I held my hand up without taking my eyes off Jark. The dark mass shifted inside me, a warm flush spreading down to my right hand, a burning sensation that kicked my adrenaline into gear. “It’s okay, Joe. This could be interesting.”
Joe swung around behind me as Jark and I stared at each other. Despite knowing I was no physical match for a berserker, I wanted to wipe the sneer off his face the way Murdock had. The darkness pressed at me and made me feel it would be there at the right moment. I believed it, even if I didn’t know why. I wanted to hurt Jark.
Wind whipped with a low groan around the corner of the terminal. Jark’s body shields shimmered with deep green and oil-like swirls of black from his Taint infection. A part of my brain observed him change as he tapped his essence, the warning sign that he was going to go full berserker. Even without that, he was big enough to crush me without much effort. I wasn’t afraid. More than that—I didn’t care. The dark thing in my head prickled down my neck. It wanted Jark, too, and I wanted to see it happen. I lifted my right hand, palm up. A dark spot formed there, a black stain that spread across my skin. “Come on, Jark. Let’s see what you’ve got.”
His body flexed and grew as he set his feet in a fighting stance and clenched his fists. A growl sounded behind me, a feral threat I had never heard before from Joe. He landed on my neck and straddled my shoulder, his sword a thin blue flame in his hand.
Jark hesitated, with a look of fear. He stepped back.
With my hand held out, I took a step. “Not so sure of yourself all of sudden, Jark? Are you afraid? Murdock gave you one surprise tonight. Are you ready for another?”
He paled as a familiar essence resolved in place behind me. Uno padded in front of me, hackles up, his teeth bared in a snarl. He pressed Jark back, and they paced each other, step for step, as Jark kept his distance.