CHAPTER 22

“So I have a few theories,” Yolanda’s hologram said.

Naveena and her crew were there in the same circle of digital green, floating above my holoreader. A one-toone call was something that I was used to, comfortable with. I rarely participated in hologram conference calls because it freaked me out to see all those floating heads. But this was the best way for all of us to hear what Yolanda had come up with, since we had little time and a lot to do in different parts of Ohio.

As we were passing through a green light, Renfro hit our cannon truck’s air horn as a tiny self-driving smart car pulled out in front of us.

“You dumbass robot!” Renfro shouted at the car and not the elderly man riding in the back. “Safe technology my ass!”

Smart cars like that had been a great idea, marketed specifically for older people whose driving ability had diminished but who still had places to go and cheeks to pinch. My folks refused to buy one. They acted like it was some form of tech phobia but I think they just liked me driving them around, a way they could spend more time with me, because Daddy certainly wasn’t having problems driving the hell out of his psy-roll.

“I’ve studied a lot about burrowing birds,” said Yolanda, “and since Herjold wasn’t much help, I also looked for any myths about a phoenix preying on dragons. I didn’t have much luck there, but looking at it as is, and comparing it to more recent animals, I can see how they tie together. Think of a mongoose and a cobra. The mongoose is immune to the snake’s venom, so no matter how many times the mongoose gets bit, it doesn’t matter, because that cobra is getting chomped when all is said and done. A phoenix is made mostly of fire, so a dragon’s breath wouldn’t do diddly squat to hurt it. And even if a scaly were somehow able to kill the phoenix, it would just burst into ashes and come back later.”

I cleared my throat. “But the dragons aren’t really in their right minds when the phoenix is around. You should see the ones at the enclosures. They’re buggin’ out. You look into any of that?”

Yolanda’s floating head nodded. “I’m thinking the phoenix gives off some kind of frequency, much like how wraiths attract dragons. It puts dragons in a manic state, they’re confused and even more violent. The phoenix attracts its food without having to go hunt.”

“Wait,” said Naveena. “So if the phoenix can attract dragons, could there be a way for us to attract the phoenix?”

“That’s exactly what we’re working on now, Captain Jendal. Very good!”

Afu stirred in the seat behind me. “But that means we’re still up shit creek until Yolanda finds a way to attract some paddles.”

“What about wraiths?” I said. “Could we use them to attract the phoenix?”

Yolanda froze, eyes rolling toward the ceiling. At first, I thought she might be having a stroke. Her face relaxed out of whatever thought-induced paralysis had taken over and said, “That’s a great place to start. The only problem is that wraiths attract dragons. If the ghosts could also attract the phoenix, we would have seen that by now. I mean, the enclosures are a great example. The phoenix hasn’t been anywhere near them.”

The enclosures. “Oh shit.”

“What is it?” Naveena said.

“The wraith enclosures. The dragons and ghosts are both going crazy. At best, we’ve given the firebird four all-you-can-eat-buffets. It’ll get stronger, bigger, hotter. At worst, if the walls fail, the scalies will go on a rampage looking for the phoenix.”

“Oh, boy,” Yolanda said. “I’ll start work on seeing if I can somehow reverse the polarity of a wraith. If any of you trap one, please rush over here to Central Fire Station so I can get to work on that.”

“How do you think the firefighters are going to like a wraith in their station?” asked Naveena.

Yolanda shrugged. “They’re already miffed that we’re here in the first place. I don’t see a ghost or two making things any worse.”

I sighed. “I have a wraith on me right now.”

“Oh?” Yolanda said.

It would be asking for a shit storm. If I gave the Wilkins wraith to Yolanda and the law found out about it …

Well, this was more important and I’d just stick to the notion of it being better to request forgiveness, because I sure as shit wasn’t going to ask for permission.

“Yeah,” I said.

Afu leaned forward. “But the last wraith you caught was in–”

“Zip it, Afu.” I turned back to Yolanda. “We’ll swing by after I go tell the mayor that we have to shut down the enclosures.”

“So we’re not going by to talk to Ralph?” Renfro asked.

Ralph Rankin was the detective working the phoenix cult case, the guy with the thin goatee I’d met outside Club Infinity. He and Renfro had grown up together, and I was hoping to use that relationship to get in good with the cops, put a stop to this cult paranoia and focus on the important thing. The phoenix was the priority, but I was also going to do my damnedest to prevent any innocent people from getting burned or rotting in a cell while the boys and girls in blue slowly realized what I already knew.

“We’ll have to take a rain check with the detective,” I told Renfro. “Text him and reschedule once we stop at City Hall.”

“All right then,” Yolanda said. “That’s all I have for now. I’ll be waiting for you and that wraith.”

I ended the call and took a deep breath. As Renfro made the turn to put us en route to City Hall, I wondered if I’d made the right decision.

“T.” Afu’s voice was almost a whisper. “You never turned in that wraith. The one that family wants.”

At a red light, Renfro tuned to me. “You’ve had it on you this whole time?”

“Technically it’s been in the remote the whole time,” I said. “And that’s been in my power suit.”

“Tamerica!” Renfro said.

“What?” I shifted in my seat to face him. “The family isn’t going to be getting it, no matter how much they whine. And the enclosures have a ton of dead fuckers that, by the way, are going to be released themselves when we shut down the walls. I just got the jump on trapping ’em.”

“We’re really going to shut down the enclosures?” Afu asked.

Renfro pointed at him. “Don’t change the subject.”

Crossing his arms, Afu sat back, raising an eyebrow. I sighed. “Look, with the phoenix and… and Patrice and everything else going on, I forgot. Okay? By the time I remembered, I was getting served with a subpoena. Then I decided fuck them, I should hold onto it. And now Yolanda needs a wraith, so it all works out.”

Grumbling, Renfro said, “I guess you’re right.”

“So you’re with me on this?” I looked from him to Afu. “This is just between us?”

“Yeah, I’m with you,” Renfro said. “Right up until this bites us all in the ass.”

A tank rolled past us on the street as we walked up to City Hall. A gunner stood at the turret on top and nodded toward us. Every instinct in me wanted to flip off this guy and everything he stood for, but professionalism won out and I nodded back, even though it was coupled with a disdainful frown.

“Fucking army,” I said under my breath.

“You think they’re going to take our jobs?” Afu asked.

Renfro hummed in the negative. “But I don’t like the look of it. Feels like I’m in some fascist state.”

“Like Texas?” I said.

We had to wait thirty minutes before we could see Mayor Ghafoor, and I sat in the waiting room the entire time, jiggling my leg and thinking about hurrying to Central Station and getting Yolanda her wraith.

Afu had been restless, too, but it wasn’t until Renfro left to use the restroom that I found out it wasn’t from the waiting.

“I want you to know that I’m sorry for what I said before. I’m glad to be on crew with you.” He smiled with a hint of nerves.

“Don’t worry about it,” I said.

Lord, please don’t let this be some weird way of him trying to patch up our relationship. After all, matter could never be destroyed, only changed. When fire turns a house to ash, you can’t rebuild it using the same charred particles. Then again, the phoenix had kind of fucked up that scientific fact.

“I was just upset,” he said. “I just want to feel like I’m appreciated. That you want me on your crew.”

“I got to pick everyone I wanted to take out the phoenix. Make a note that you’re wanted.”

It was true. Personalities clash, but at the end of the day the only thing that mattered was if you could do the job. Afu most certainly could.

He cleared his throat. Then a second time. “I, uh, I want to take you out for dinner some night when we aren’t worrying about flaming eagles and stuff.”

When I widened my eyes, he raised his palms to me in defense.

“Just as friends and coworkers. I just miss being your friend.”

I tapped a finger against my knee as I thought about it. Maybe going to dinner with Afu – just as friends – would be the last push for our relationship to be fully-platonic. Closure. Closure was good.

“Ask me again when this phoenix business is behind us,” I said.

“Done,” Afu said. The nervousness left his smile as it grew across his face.

“What’s done?” Renfro walked in from around the corner.

I hesitated to answer. Thankfully the mayor’s receptionist turned to us from behind her desk.

“Mayor Ghafoor says you can go in now.”

Lots of things had changed since the old mayor was torn to pieces by wraiths. The most evident was Ghafoor’s new décor. Mayor Rogola had had twin Shi statues at either side of his desk, leaving the rest of the office bare. In Ghafoor’s office, the statues had been thrown out and she’d lined the walls with photographs of old Ohio, when Parthenon City was once called Ashland. Seemed extremely ironic they’d traded names not long before we were living in an actual land of ash.

Mayor Ghafoor paced in front of her desk, dictating notes into her holoreader. When she saw us, she put on a smile to shame Afu and set aside her device. “Parthenon’s bravest! How are things going? Are you all managing the tight fit at the firehouses?”

She must have recently slammed a jug of coffee because she was going ninety to nothing. I paused before I spoke so my brain could catch up with her question.

“Um, we’re trying to make the best of it,” I said. “But we’re looking forward to getting back to having our own place.”

I knew Brannigan would appreciate that.

“All in good time,” said Ghafoor. “So, what can I do for you?”

I waved for Afu and Renfro to take a seat in the two chairs in front of the mayor’s desk. I leaned against the wall.

“We think this phoenix is driving the wraiths and dragons crazy,” I said. “It’s basically sending out a signal to draw them to it. We are suggesting that we temporarily shut down the enclosures until the phoenix is no longer a problem.”

Ghafoor dropped her smile. If it had been made of glass, it would have shattered across the newly-waxed hardwood floor. “You’ve got to be kidding me.”

“I’m afraid not, mayor,” Renfro said.

I touched my engineer’s forearm and looked into his glowing, red eyes. “I got this, Renfro.”

He looked embarrassed and then nodded before leaning back into his seat.

“Mayor Ghafoor,” I said, “these enclosures are going to provide the phoenix with a lot of energy.”

“How?” The mayor crossed her arms.

“Well, the phoenix burns both dragons and wraiths and eats the ashes left after. That’ll give it more fire power, and that’s not even a pun. It grows bigger and hotter with each dragon it eats.”

“So, the phoenix feeds on creatures we’ve been trying to put a stop to for ten years, and you’re wanting to prevent that?”

My mouth hung open as I tried to think of something smart to retort with. But she had a point. The phoenix would take care of a huge problem. Countering that, though, the phoenix was a problem itself.

Ghafoor blinked at me. “And wouldn’t the dragons try to dig back underground if they had any desire to leave the enclosures?”

She had me there. The scalies were going bonkers, but they weren’t trying to escape to find the firebird. I’d clearly come to the mayor prematurely, and I was looking like a complete dumbass.

“I’m not sure why the dragons haven’t left. My guess is that they’re affected but not to the level of wanting to find the phoenix.”

“Guessing,” the mayor said, nodding and walking back to sit at her desk. “I’m not going to make a decision based solely on a guess. The way I see it, if the phoenix shows up at one of the enclosures, it’s saved you the time and effort to find it. I suggest you smoke eaters put units at every enclosure to be on the safe side. That way, if the dragons do finally break out and run amok, you’ll be there to stop them.”

“Ma’am,” I said, “there are at least fifty dragons in every enclosure. Some have more than a hundred.”

“I’ve made my decision, Captain Williams. If you find anything more concrete, more convincing, please come tell me and I promise I’ll listen and change course accordingly. Until then, you have a bird to catch.”

As soon as I was outside City Hall, I kicked a fire hydrant with my heel. The pain didn’t even bother me. In fact, it was welcome fuel for my anger.

A hover-car slowed as it passed in front of City Hall. A white guy in a yellow t-shirt stuck his head and two thumbs out the window. “Nice going, smoke eaters! Way to burn your own house down!”

“Fuck you!” I shouted to the car as it sped away.

“It’ll be alright, Cap,” Renfro said.

“I looked like a fool in there with the mayor.” I spoke through clenched teeth.

“You’re right, though, Cap,” Afu said. “Having that many psycho dragons in one place can’t be good.”

“The mayor had a point, too,” I said. “This phoenix eats what we’ve been fighting for so long. I have to wonder if it’s nature’s way of balancing the scales.”

“Is that what these arsonists are doing, though?” Renfro asked. “Balancing the scales?”

“Those were innocent people,” I said.

“Just like Patrice. The phoenix made her go crazy.”

“Yeah, but why Patrice?” Tears were collecting in my eyes, but I’d be damned if they would move any farther. “Why not me or Afu? We got closer to the thing than she did.”

“I don’t know.” Renfro huffed, shook his head. “But we can’t let it be. Too many lives are at risk. We take down the phoenix, it’ll put a stop to the arsons, and maybe then we can shut those PC First assholes up. I don’t know if y’all have been watching the Feed, but people in this city are starting to give them support.”

“It’s just a fucking animal,” I said. “That bullshit Herj… whatever the fuck his name was. That stuff about demons? Possession? I don’t believe in that. Certain people are affected and others aren’t. We need to find out what the difference is. Maybe… maybe we don’t have to kill it.”

“Are you running a fever?” Afu reached out to touch my forehead, but I slapped it away.

All three of our holoreaders went off at once. I knew that could only mean one thing: dragon call.

The red flashing alert floating up from the holoreader screen said some teenagers might be trapped in FirstEnergy Stadium, where the Cleveland Browns used to play.

“Some dumbass kids went messing around out in the wastes?” Afu said. “Place is a death trap.”

“Why are we getting the call, then?” Renfro asked. “That’s fire department business.”

I read the last line of the dispatch message and my heart leapt one way and then another. “That’s why,” I said, and held it up for Renfro to read.

Some wasteland scavengers had found a newer model hover-car outside the stadium. They ran off and called us when they saw a giant, flaming bird burrowing its way into the debris.