Chapter 42

As Holly slept, Aiden went to check in with Thaddeus. He had seen some disturbing news on the TV earlier, and he needed to talk to Thaddeus about it.

He heard soft music playing from the TV room. The gentle, haunting sounds of Iron and Wine's Flightless Bird, American Mouth filtered out. It was a pretty song, one he had heard Thaddeus play many times.

Aiden preferred 70's rock. Give him a little AC/DC or Rolling Stones any day. He quietly pushed on the partially closed door.

Thaddeus had Emily in his arms, slowly swaying side to side. Her long blonde hair hung freely down her back. They looked at each other as if no one else in the world could possible exist. The love they shared was something to admire, Aiden thought. He hoped he and Holly could one day get to that place, and that he didn't screw it up. He wasn't much of a dancer though. Besides, how do you dance with your female to AC/DC's Highway to Hell?

"Go away, Aiden," Thaddeus said without looking away from Emily.

"Can't."

"Yes you can. You simply turn around and put one foot in front of the other. And don't let the door hit you in the ass. It's not rocket science."

Aiden didn't move, just leaned against the doorjamb and crossed his arms over his chest.

The song ended a moment later and Thaddeus turned to Aiden. "Apparently it is rocket science."

Aiden shrugged. "You're the one who signed up to be in charge of shit. We have stuff we need to go over."

Emily gave Thaddeus a quick kiss and a smile, and made her way out the door. She flashed a grin at Aiden and squeezed his arm, then disappeared.

"This better be something important, like the fucking sun exploded."

"It's close."

Aiden went to the remote and brought up the newscast he had DVR'ed earlier on the huge TV mounted on the wall. They watched the man with the shellacked hair wearing too much make-up and the too-white teeth talk about the string of murders and disappearances in the Reno area. Police thought it the work of the serial killer who was escalating.

"Got to be Victor," Thaddeus mumbled. "My guess is that he's letting all those little fuckers loose to do whatever they want. Which is obviously kill a bunch of people."

Aiden nodded. "He needs to die, Thad. This can't keep going on. Just for the stuff he has caused in this house, he needs to die."

Thaddeus nodded. As they watched the rest of the newscast, Aiden felt his brain churning. It was that missing piece of the puzzle he had lost when he had been hit downtown. It was closer now, just out of his grasp. He closed his eyes, trying to make it come forward and reveal itself, but it wasn't having any part of that. He cursed.

"You okay?" Thaddeus asked, looking over at him.

Aiden rubbed his eyes and opened them. "Yeah. Just need some Excedrin. Headache."

Aiden hit the off switch. "I'm not going out tonight. Tomorrow, yes, but not tonight. Holly needs me."

Thaddeus nodded. "Agreed. We hit it hard tomorrow night."

Cy came into the room. "Good evening, boys," he said, not waiting for a response. "Rohan's on the satellite phone, at The Council's cave, and wants us all gathered for an update."

Both Aiden and Thaddeus were silent for a beat. "Why do I have the feeling that this is really bad fucking news?" Aiden murmured.

"Agreed," Thaddeus said, putting a hand through his hair. "Agreed."