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Chapter -35- Causing Trouble

Friday, June 23, 1893 - 6:40pm Washington D.C. ...

Reno glanced at Kerii. She returned the gaze and smiled.

They both turned their eyes back to a British woman, wearing a worn Victorian dress. The colors were faded, some of the stitches were threaded at the left shoulder, and the right sleeve fared no better.

"Oi," she said, gesturing between Reno and Kerii, "So you're hitched, now, are ye?"

"Yes, Beth. We need information."

The succubus named Beth turned to Reno and grinned. "You lucky bloke, 'avin this basket of oranges all to y'self." Beth reached over and cupped her palm beneath Kerii's jawline.

Reno blinked twice in silence.

Beth kept her eyes on Reno, adding, "I bet'cha love snoggin' wit'a succubus, dun'cha? Oh yeah, sure ya do. Every man wanna spread tha' bit 'o jam 'cross the bed. How off'en you butter 'er bread, eh? You fancy tha' quail-pipe on yer tallywags, don'cha?"

Kerii grimaced. "Elizabeth!"

Beth laughed. "I know, I know, I'm a dirty puzzle with a dirty lip, compared to you lot!" She adjusted the front of her dress and brought her hands beneath her own bosom. "Excuse me while I fix the bubbies." She turned to the left half-way. "These ole kettle drums - me back 'urts. I could go for a pint, y'know?"

Kerii shook her head and sighed. "Beth, please..."

"Wot? You're me mate - you know I go on about it like this. So 'ow about tha' neck oil, then, yeah?" Beth turned back to Reno and grinned. "You're a catch, you are." She side-nodded towards Kerii, adding, "How'd ya manage to catch this tot any'ow?"

"Fate brought us together. I have no complaints."

Beth turned back to Kerii. "Look at 'is giggle-mug! He got 'imself a fetching shade of pearl, now! Let's leg it down to th' pub for a pint 'n skittles, yeah?"

Reno frowned. "We don't really have time, but maybe later. Right now, we're looking for information."

"Oh, oh, I get it," said Beth. "You snatch my favorite old hat, and now ye' won't have a pint with me, eh? Wha's a'matter, bloke? Cannae fit it in, with them gas-pipes you're sportin'?"

Reno sighed. "Look, I have no idea what you're talking about. I don't understand a thing you're saying. It might as well be another language. But Kerii thinks you can help us, and I want to give you a chance."

"Oh, aren't you just so afternoonified, then! But you dun' know who ya' dealin' with, mate! I'm a bricky lil bitch, I am! You can't bubble around wit' me, no sir!"

"Beth," Kerii said with a frown. "Please, we need your help."

Beth reached up and poked her finger against the facial hair growing around Reno's upper lip and along his chin. "You gonna grow out this door-knocker on yer mug?"

Reno frowned and stayed quiet.

Elizabeth turned back to Kerii. "Whatever then. Go on, tell me 'ow important I am; sell me a dog, Kerii, luv."

Kerii frowned. "We're trying to find a small group of men in this city - Esoteric Community. They're Specials who would be affiliated with human hunters."

Beth arched her brows. "You might be the jammiest bit of jam, and you might be catching a bloke who's bang up to the elephant, luv, but I'm the bloody wench sittin' here doing th' bear night after night. I'm workin' me fingers to th' bone, till these ole' daddles are calloused, they are. If you think one of these blokes are gal-sneakers, then maybe ... jus' maybe I seen'em. But most of these blokes I see ... they're not up to dick."

Reno tilted his head. "You mean your clientele isn't the kind of person we're looking for?"

"Prolly not, gov."

Kerii placed her palms on Beth's shoulders. "They would be wealthy, or they would have friends who come from good stock. The hunters - they would be clean, and in excellent physical shape."

"I've not seen so much as a parish pick-axe, luv. These boys I see ... they just wanna smother a parrot - a bunch'a whooper-ups they are. If you think I seen a proper bloke in ages..." She cut her eyes to Reno, "Well, 'till t'day, that is..."

Reno cleared his throat and looked away from Elizabeth's hungry gaze.

The British succubus shifted her gaze back to Kerii. "I'm surrounded by a workin' stock; these blokes 're arf'arf'an'arf, y'see, Chuckaboo?"

Reno glanced at Kerii, unable to follow a single word of the woman's strange method of speaking.

Beth shook her head with a half-hearted smile. "Liv, you got it easy in California."

"Beth ... are you ... are you doing well?"

"No, ya silly tart. Just t'day, I copped me a mouse from these blokes who have a few, and get'em selves into some shangles with any within arm's reach, luv." She licked her finger and rubbed beneath her eye, showing a bruise beneath the concealer. "Actually, that one wasn't my usual lot."

Kerii grimaced. She gently rubbed her thumb over Beth's face, helping to push the blemish concealer back into place, beneath Beth's eye. "Not your usual lot, how so?"

"That one, this mornin'... he came from money, he did. Silly little man wit'a fly rink. What a shine he hid above his brow, ya' should'a seen! Mad as hops, that one - some of the things he said could cause'a stuffed bird ta' laugh."

Kerii straightened up. "You say he came from money?"

"He were well off enough for'a rain napper, Kerii-luv. Tha's better'n me, now. This is me best dress - me other one's the color of earth butt."

"Could you tell me more about the bald man, Beth?"

"I suppose. He knew I were a succubus. You know me - I see fancy and think, 'dash my wig, look how clean are his inexpressibles!' I try'n take the egg with that one. He ain't haven' it. Tha's how I got 'is hand laid on me." Beth paused. She tilted her head and added, "He had marks on his wrists."

Reno tilted his head. "Wait, what did the marks look like?"

"Like zouks through 'is wrists."

Kerii leaned towards Reno and said, "The nails of Christ."

Reno rubbed his forehead. "The guy had a stigmata thing going on?"

"Oi, he had marks over 'is brows, too."

Reno turned to Kerii. "Crown of thorns and nails - he could be a hunter."

Kerii nodded and turned to face Beth. "You said he was bald?"

"Oi, there's no denyin' tha' fly rink."

"How old did he seem?" Kerii asked.

"He were right young, luv. Early twenties."

"Did you see which way he went?" asked Reno.

"I can do ya one better'n tha'." Beth reached up and traced her thumb over Reno's stubble again. "Either grow it out or clean it up, mate."

"A beard isn't my thing. But I don't like shaving - barbers clean their straight razors on leather. They rub a piece of metal on a bunch of men's skin, then they clean it off by rubbing it on dead cow's skin. That crap is unsanitary."

"So grow it out - look distinguished like a proper bloke."

Reno sighed. "You said you could do better than telling me which way this guy went. What did you mean?"

"I followed'em."

Reno arched his brows. "You did what? Were you smart about it?"

"Listen here, you! I don't go 'round half-rats! I were smart enough five years ago, now weren't I?!"

Reno blinked. "What?"

Kerii placed a hand on Reno's forearm. "She left London in 1888."

"I seen the Ripper 'n lived, I did. He were a monster in gentleman's clothin'. It were the second Thursday of November. I felt 'is blade on me neck. He tried forcin' me inna alley, and I brought me elbow back in his gut. I took 'is hand. He drops 'is scalpel. I kicked it, I did! It skitters along and I ran right to the nearest bobby."

Reno blinked, dumbfounded. "You ran to the cops about Jack the Ripper?? What happened?"

Beth continued. "The bastard scoffed. I didn't feel safe in me own city. Damfino 'ow to talk to a copper. That bloody mutton shunter and his pod-snappery cost Mary Keller her heart the very next night. I left London the followin' night, I did. Never looked back."

Reno tilted his head.

"I ain't no meater! I survived the bloody Ripper! I just ... I lost faith in the Queen's England." Beth paused and looked at Reno's expression. "What's with the fifteen puzzle on yer mug?"

"What?" Reno rubbed his forehead.

Beth laughed. "You asked if I were smart! I'm tellin' you I were smart enough to come face-to-face with the Ripper, 'imself! I lived, didn't I? Here I am, aren't I? If I can lose the Ripper, I can surely follow that sodding git without bein' caught. I told'ja I'm a bricky bitch, ain't I?"

"Where'd he go?" Reno asked. He took a deep breath to calm himself and reached for Kerii's hand.

"I followed 'im to his hotel, right to 'is very room. One of 'is mates came around the corner, so I had tae back slang it."

Kerii turned to Reno. "She went out the back way."

"Too right I did, like a thief inna' night."

Reno reached into his pocket and withdrew a gold coin. "You take this, you get yourself some new clothes. You clean up real nice and practice talking the way we do. Don't sleep with drunks at the local bar - step up your game. Politicians, doctors, businessmen. Call yourself 'a gentleman's escort.'"

Elizabeth reached for the gold coin.

Reno added, "When a man needs a lady on his arm, so that people don't judge him at the theatre for being alone, make sure it's you. Don't talk about your clients, and pride yourself on your ability to keep their secret."

Beth swallowed, looking down at the gold in her hands. "You think I'm singin' like a church bell, is that it?"

"Just don't kiss and tell."

"Are you sure, mate? This is ... this is too much."

"No, it's enough to get yourself out of this hell hole. Will you show us where to find this guy?"

She rubbed her thumb over the large gold coin. "I'll clean up, you've got me word. I'll do it up like lace over the feather. I'm just ... I'm so..." Beth's eyes became moist. She didn't know how to react; she'd never held so much gold before.

"Just be clean and dress like a lady every night."

"Oi, I get it, mate. I promise. I'll be a rent-a-wife." Beth swallowed back her emotion and took Reno and Kerii's hands. "Don't fall behind, it isn't far, you sodding gorgeous lovebirds."

Kerii offered a thin smile to Reno. "Thank you, Beth."

Beth scoffed. "Thank me? Do you know what this much gold'll do? For one, I'll never cop a wheal ever again. This bloody coin's big enough to be'a discus." She hid it down the front of her dress, over her heart. "I'll find a finishing school. I'll be a lady, you have me word."

Reno grinned at Kerii and whispered, "You'll check on her now and then, right?"

Kerii nodded. "You're a kind man, Nathan."

Reno winked. "That's why you married me, right?"

A smile spread across Kerii's lips.

Reno added, "If you need help changing it over to money you can spend, or getting that first dress so people don't think you stole it, I'd be glad to help."

Beth grinned back at the couple. "Too right, guv."

X

X

Hours later...

Reno opened the hotel door but only by an inch. He tilted his head and peered through the gap between the door and frame, watching a man who just left his room directly across the hall.

Once the man left the hallway, Reno glanced back at Kerii. "Okay, he's gone. He didn't take anything with him, but he is wearing a blazer and vest, so he's obviously going somewhere more important than the hotel bar."

Kerii approached Reno, standing at the door. "So you gave Beth a piece of gold and you bought her a dress from the shop adjacent to the hotel?"

Reno shrugged. "If you have a dingy woman with dirty hair walk into a bank with a chunk of gold like that, they would assume she stole it. I wanted her to walk into the bank on Monday morning with a clean dress and nice shoes. Perception is reality, babe."

"You're a good man," Kerii said. "Beth has had a very hard life since arriving in America. I only see her once in a while, but ... we're friends."

"You're more than friends. At least, you used to be."

Kerii bit her lower lip. "The first year she was in America..."

"It's okay. It's fine."

"Most find the thought of it to be appalling."

Reno shrugged. "In my time, lesbianism is barely judged. Some still freak out about two men, but ... yeah. Look, I don't judge you. I like you just the way you are. Don't ever change."

Kerii looked away with a smile. "There was a time, briefly, where I thought I loved her. Some part of me still does. Thank you for taking care of her, Nathan."

He turned to Kerii, hugged her because it seemed like she needed it, then he opened the hotel room door and crossed the hall.

Reno fidgeted with the lock.

Kerii withdrew a hair pin, gently shouldered Reno aside, and made short work of the lock. "Eli showed me." She put the pin into her mouth and used her teeth to bend the tip back into place. Kerii returned the pin to her hair, opened the door, and took a step into the room.

Reno put a hand across her upper chest and stopped her. "Let me make sure it's safe first."

She smiled and nodded. "Aren't you considerate..."

He guided her back. "Stand in the doorway of our room. If anyone is coming, you cough one time, nice and loud. Then pat your chest and cough a second time. Make sure there's a pause between the coughs, okay? If it's our guy coming back, you step into the hall and ask the man if he's seen your husband and then describe me. Tell him you're waiting for me to come back and it's been a few minutes."

"What will that do?"

"It will distract him long enough for me to 'bolt' through the window. I'll come up through the front entrance like nothing is wrong."

Kerii nodded. "The same as Marseilles?"

Reno grinned at her. "Yeah, exactly. Do it just like we did when we broke into the hotel room belonging to Reinhardt's business partner."

"Ethan Allen Foster was his name."

Reno nodded. "Right, that's the guy. Alright, let's see what this misogynist dickwad has in his room." He stepped into the hotel room across the hall from Kerii and closed the door behind himself. He locked it, just in case the man returned.

Reno looked up and froze in his tracks.

The hotel room was posh, and the bed was made. However, there were crossbows laid out on the duvet. A quiver of arrows leaned against the foot of the bed.

A desk held several swords. The room smelled like cleaning oils. The scent took him back to a brief flashback with Sinopa, Rachel, Tamamo and Tamae - all four women used swords and kept them in pristine condition.

On another desk to the left, he saw two beautiful handguns. He approached the revolvers and leaned over to study them.

The nearly-matching revolvers had eyelets at the bottom of the handle. He picked up a cloth used for cleaning the weapons and handled the 1890 Remington Police revolvers carefully.

The left revolver had a blueish five and a half inch barrel and was loaded with .44 Winchester cartridge rounds. He placed the weapon back on the table, exactly as he found it.

The right revolver matched the left, save for a scrape mark on the barrel. Reno closed the cylinder and placed it back on the desk, carefully.

He wiped down the handles and set the cloth aside, carefully, just the way he'd found it.

There was a case for ammunition. He opened it and grimaced.

The bullets in the case had hand-etched crucifixes on each cartridge. A flask labeled 'Holy Water - ammo use only' was in the ammunition container.

"What the hell? Does he seriously pour holy water on each bullet? Talk about fanatical."

Reno closed the case and went to a nightstand adjacent to the bed. He opened the top drawer. Next to a bible was a contact book with addresses in it.

Most of the names were labeled as 'Hunter' followed by each person's religious affiliation. He thumbed through the entire book and found that most hunters were Christian or Catholic.One name was labeled 'Messianic Jewish', and one was labeled, 'Islam.'

Another name in the book was labeled 'Buddhist Dharma - Administration of Law and Justice' by the man's name, but there was no mention of the title of 'hunter.' Instead, the name, which looked difficult to pronounce, had a title that read, 'Guru.'

Reno thumbed through the book once more, a little slower the second time. At second glance, he found more names without the 'hunter' title. Some had an 'S' after the name, shown in parenthesis. Some had 'EC.'

Reinhardt's name was in the book, and had an 'S' adjacent to it. It wasn't difficult to figure out that the abbreviation was for 'supernatural' or possibly 'Special.'

Clarence was also listed, showing 'EC.' Reno concluded it stood for 'esoteric council.' There was no last name listed for Clarence.

He paused on another name - Justus Loupe. Reno soghed and continued skimming through the pages.

Most hunters had a mailing address, some did not.

The owner of the book didn't have their name on the front page, nor inside the bind or cover.

Reno put the book back into the drawer and opened the bible. There was no name, but it was a personal bible - not one which belonged to the hotel.

There were notations carefully written on the side of most pages throughout the fairly large holy book.

A familiar voice startled Reno. "What do you think you're doing?"

Reno whirled around, holding his right hand outward, palm open and arched, fingers curled back. His stance relaxed, seeing Justus Loupe.

"Don't sneak up on me."

"Nathan..."

"It seems this guy has your name in his black book. He has your mailing address, he knows your religious denomination and he's labeled you by affiliation - a supernatural person."

Justus nodded. "He used to hunt for the Esoteric Council. I was his connection. My job was to keep him away from the Kincade family. This hunter would hunt those who broke laws, or those who are a danger to others, but cannot be located."

Reno closed the nightstand drawer and approached Justus. He studied the shadow master's facial expression. "Why are you using past tense? Did he retire?"

Justus gestured to the weapons around the room. "Obviously he did not retire. He was recruited by a new employer."

Reno smirked. "Why does he have a problem with women?"

"He has an issue with prostitution. Women who 'give themselves and partake of the flesh out of wedlock' are considered 'abhorrent' - his words." Justus shook his head. "What are you doing here?"

"There is a hunter convention in town," Reno said. "A group of hunters met with each other in France. From there, they came here. I have reason to believe there's something big about to go down."

Justus arched his brows. "Do explain."

"My investigation, my leads, and my chain of evidence - it all points to one thing: there is going to be an attack or an assassination. The big question I have is ... are they teaming up to take down a powerful supernatural, or are they going after a bunch of small-time members of the Esoteric Community."

"Do you have a motive?"

"It's part of the Purist Movement, Justus."

"Have you assessed what possible candidates live in Washington DC? It will help you determine a possible target victim."

Reno ran his hands back through his hair. "That's just it, man. So far, it seems like Washington DC has the largest concentration of supernatural people that either, one - have a human parent or grandparent, or two - have married a human."

Justus nodded in agreement. "Currently, only three pure-lineage members of the Esoteric Community live in the region. This includes Maryland, Virginia, and Washington DC, combined. One of them is Kerii's sister, Keturah."

"Wait, blond hair, green eyes ... right?"

"Yes."

"She lives in San Francisco."

Justus arched his brows. "She left San Francisco recently. She returned to Washington DC on the thirtieth of May. She registered her relocation with the Justiciar. She cited 'a pending earthquake in central California' as her reason to return to the east coast."

Reno rubbed his chin. He remembered telling Kerii about the upcoming quake in 1906...

"Mr. Carrington?"

Reno shifted his gaze, looking at Justus. "Yeah?"

"You wish to share?"

"Sorry, I was just thinking about things. Look, the guy staying in this room - do you know his name? What is it?"

"Francis Lloyd Cornelius. However, he has two aliases he uses during hunts. He is registered at this hotel as Julius. He registered his transatlantic travel to Washington DC as Augustus. He hunts in Italy as Joseph Paul Allanford. He hunts in England as Joshua Allan Taylor."

"Jesus. Most people like to keep similar names - a variation of the truth keeps people grounded."

"He is sharp," Justus said. "Francis, or Frank as I knew him, has no compunction - I dare say he is emotionally broken. Perhaps he was born that way. He is devoutly Catholic; he whips himself as penance after each completed hunt. The man nearly died from infection four times. I dare wonder if he feels the pain."

Reno rubbed his thumb and forefinger together. "How do you keep track of all his names? It's a lot to remember."

"If you're suggesting that we are close friends - we are not. He is self-serving. He is well paid, and well respected, however he hunts for the control of taking lives. The penance after each kill ... that is programming instilled into him by a devoutly religious father. Frank proudly traces his lineage back to crusaders, who converted their Persian wives to Catholicism. Most of his family pressured females born of the Cornelius name to become nuns. His aunt is Mother Superior at a covenant in Italy. His family ... they are a proud and dangerous lot."

"God, how much do you know about everyone else, Justus?"

Loupe arched his brows. "Is my information not helpful to your investigation?"

"Not really. Not all of it, at least. What do I care about the crusades? That's a long time ago, man. And what does it matter if his family pressures each other into serving the church?"

"Mr. Carrington, this man is capable of walking on coals if it means driving one of those swords through the heart of a 'heathen.' Do you understand that?"

"Yeah, he comes from a long line of hardcore killers, who think they're doing 'God's Work,' just so long as it means they get to keep decapitating their foes."

Justus nodded. "Exactly. You have to understand the mentality of such a man. Hunters can, at times, be extremely violent. They are dangerous and they put their hunt before everything - before money, love, their own children ... they will stop at nothing to satisfy their bloodlust. They train their children at a young age to enjoy the work."

"Why are you telling me this?"

"Because you've broken into his room, Mr. Carrington. Should he catch you..."

"Look, cut the dramatic crap. Do you know why he is here or not?"

"No. My assignment is to keep a close eye on you, Mr. Carrington. You seem to know things that you shouldn't. Niall feels it is wise to learn about you. It concerns me that you have entered a relationship with Kerii Mae."

"Hey, if you're jealous that's really too bad." Reno paused and tilted his head. He heard Kerii cough out in the hall. Reno lifted his hand to Justus and gestured for silence.

A few seconds later, Kerii coughed again.

"You shadow that guy, you got it? You'll find out about me another time. Stay sharp. If he's attacking people, you need to tell me - this purist movement bullshit kills a lot of people in the future. I know a reliable oracle. We need to work together, Justus."

Justus nodded and sank beneath the bed.

Reno approached the window and placed the backside of his hands against the glass, so as not to leave fingerprints. His body transformed into a bolt of energy. He passed through the glass and disappeared in a flash.

X

X

An hour later...

Reno paced the hotel room. He ran his hands back through his hair and sighed. "God, he's invited six people into his room in the past hour. I really have a bad feeling about this."

"Nathan, you said Justus will be listening. Just ... be patient, love."

He continued to pace for another ten minutes before Justus appeared, solidifying from a shadow that vented in from beneath the door.

Reno stopped and turned around. "It's about time. What's going on?"

"Apparently, there are two issues at hand. The first will concern you - the group currently in attendance of Frank's room is planning to attack a blood-doll house."

"What the hell is a blood-doll house?"

Kerii frowned. "Those with high iron, kept in a family unit for use of feeding by a vampire family who wishes to feed only on a select group of persons. Blood-dolls are typically servants for vampire families. They want for nothing, as the vampire families take care of their financial needs in exchange for a healthy feeding once a month."

Reno turned back to Justus. "What's the other 'issue at hand,' Justus?"

"One of their fellow hunters has opened a hotel in Chicago. The man has, arguably, gone insane. He once killed as part of a hunt; he now kills for money and pleasure. He lies to everyone including himself. He has lost touch with reality."

Reno blinked. "You mean, like, a serial killer who went off the rails? He's emotionally devolving? What's his name?"

"Herman Webster Mudgett. He was given the task of luring supernatural targets from the World's Fair, and hunting them. However," Justus turned to Kerii, adding, "Forgive the indelicate nature of the topic," he turned back to Reno and continued. "Mr. Mudgett created a hotel he uses to kill victims. It is several miles from the World's Fair. The police are unaware of his activities, however several hunters have reported that he hunts blonde females. Some are lovers, some are guests, and some are hotel staff members."

Kerii arched her brows. "He has a preference of blonde women?"

"Yes."

Reno ran his hands back through his hair. "Is he a supernatural?"

"No," said Justus. "He is an enterprising business-minded killer who enjoys the control over life and death. I understand his hotel is designed for murder in mind."

Reno dropped onto a chair by the far wall. "Go on, I'm listening."

"There is an excess of one hundred windowless rooms. The hallways are designed as mazes, with doorways that open to brick walls. Some stairways lead nowhere. Some doors open only from the outside. Some hotel rooms are soundproof, with gas lines leading to ventilation registers in the kill rooms. There are rumors that another soundproof vault is built near his office, so that he can asphyxiate his victims. There are drop-chutes to the basement, where he has pits of acid, furnaces designed to cremate the remains of his victims, as well as lime pits, designed for the destruction of corpses. The vaults are designed to be filled with gas."

"Jesus," Reno murmured.

"There is a pharmacy on the first floor of the building, I believe. It is used in the requisition of necessary components, such as chloroform, so that Mr. Mudgett can successfully continue to murder his victims."

Kerii cringed. "And the hunters - have they decided how to approach this man?"

Justus frowned. "They ultimately made the decision to allow Mr. Mudgett to operate as he pleases. They have agreed to leave it up to the law to handle the man."

"Seriously?!" Reno threw his hands up. "These people are no better. They claim they have a reason to kill supernaturals, but they're really just in this mess as an outlet for their need to kill people."

Kerii sighed. "It is a horrible tragedy."

Reno cut his gaze back to her. "Stay away from Chicago and the fair, Kerii. Don't let your sister go near it, either. Blonde women - that's the two of you."

"Your 'wife' is not nearly as blond as her sister, so..."

Reno narrowed his gaze at Justus.

Kerii smiled somewhat. "It is comforting that you care, Nathan. I feel horrible for those who will become his victims."

"These hunters should clean up their mess," Reno said with a grumble, adding, "I would do it myself, but we have to focus on a group of people targeted right here, in this city. If we can find this Mudgett guy afterwards, then we'll do what we can."

"Agreed," said Justus. "The attack in this city will be happening very soon."

"Get word back to Chicago. Talk to someone really high up who will take this seriously."

Justus frowned. "Mr. Carrington, how 'high up' are you thinking?"

"We can talk to a political leader, like the mayor. Maybe we could stop hunting in that city."

Justus shook his head and closed his eyes with a sigh. "Bringing attention to the hunters will have one of two outcomes. Either you bring attention to the Esoteric Community by introducing our enemies to the world ... or your warning is not taken seriously, allowing Mudgett to continue his work unimpeded."

"So how do you propose we handle it if the hunters won't clean up after their own?"

Justus adjusted one of his cufflinks. "Perhaps an anonymous tip to the authorities suggesting Mudgett has been witnessed..."

Reno held his hand up. "Cops want to make the mayor look good. If something comes out during the World Fair, when all eyes are on Chicago, they will cover it up. Talking to the mayor means he will be able to stop the man and spin it to look like they protected the fair-goers. It becomes a win-win for them. We gotta talk to the mayor."

"He will not take you seriously." Justus narrowed his gaze. "The man is in his fifth election, _and_he is the owner and editor of the Chicago Times. You would subject him to ridicule."

"I know how to be a good cop," Reno protested.

"I understand the mind of a politician," Justus replied. "A man who not only won Chicago five times, but a man who owns the local media, and edits what the world is to read."

Reno sighed. "Okay, fine. Let's save DC, then I'll handle this Mudgett guy, personally."

Justus scoffed. "You do not police the mundanes. You are not one of them."

"Actually, I was a homicide inspector, jackass. I thought I told you that already. Look, let's save DC, then I'll handle Chicago before I leave the area. Then you'll never have to see me again, okay?"

"Very well." Justus shifted his eyes to Kerii. "You are ill-equipped to fight demon hunters. Stay here."

Reno turned to her. "No, don't stay in the same hotel as these nut jobs. Head to New York and find Nikola Tesla. You tell him you're my wife and to start building a machine capable of energy output. We'll need something that will generate electricity, and at the same time it will disperse or absorb electricity if I give back too much."

Kerii tilted her head. "Niagara Falls? The water would absorb excess electricity, but the falls would produce power to keep the machine running."

Justus arched his brows.

Reno pulled her into his arms. "Christ you're smart." He kissed her forehead. "Is it close to New York City?"

"No, I believe it is on the opposite end of the state. However, I've always wished to see Niagara Falls once more before my 'time.'"

"We've been over this," Reno told her. "You're going to be around for a long time, remember?"

She smiled inwardly. "I will see you soon. Stay safe ... my dear husband." They shared a kiss.

Reno gave her all the money in his pockets. "Justus will make sure I can get around. You'll need this. I'll see you soon."

"Thank you, love."

Justus crossed his arms over his chest. "Enough. Your marriage was arranged for the sake of traveling without arousing suspicion. It is not necessary when in the privacy of one another's company."

Reno shook his head.

Kerii turned to Justus and frowned. "With all due respect, Mr. Loupe, you have no conceptual understanding of women. What began as an arranged marriage, make believe or otherwise, has blossomed into something more. Are you truly so blind as to ignore what he and I have become? I have fallen in love."

"You hardly know one another!" Justus erupted. "I didn't truly take you seriously in France - I thought you were ... you're a succubus! You're incapable!" Justus turned to Reno. "And you ... can you even comprehend what you are attempting to achieve?"

Reno took Justus by the wrist, so as to keep the man from fidgeting with his cufflink. "Listen, she might have a physical need for daily feeding, but she's still a woman. She still wants safety, security, companionship, and she still deserves to have someone treat her the right way. I'm just trying to make her happy. I like seeing her smile. You got a problem with that, pal?"

Justus drew his hands back from Reno's grasp, adjusted his cufflink, and stepped back from the hotel room door. He gestured to it. "By your leave, Mrs. Carrington."

She grinned at Reno, turned her gaze to Justus, offered the shadow master a smirk, and then she left the hotel room with the money given to her by her husband.

Silence.

Justus closed the hotel door and turned to Reno. "Mr. Carrington ... you have earned my respect ... to a degree. You make her happy. You protect her. You have become more helpful than anticipated, and you are staying to help the Esoteric Council longer than you initially agreed. However, do not lay your hand upon me ... ever... again. Are we clear?"

Reno smirked. "Raul refused to help me. It was a huge waste of time. So, I'm going to stick around a bit longer, and I'm going to help you out until Nikola fixes my problem."

"Acknowledge what I've said, Mr. Carrington: Do not lay your hand upon me from this point forward."

"I don't care to snatch your wrist, Justus. That's not my thing. But if you talk to her with disrespect, or if you act judgmental about our romance ... it will happen again. You don't like when I stand up for her? I'm doing it because she deserves that much."

"I never suggested she is undeserving..." Justus sighed. He looked down at his wrinkled cuff and smoothed the fabric with his palm. "Just so we're clear, I'll drop the issue this time. I will treat the two of you as a married couple from this moment forward. However, should we have a disagreement about another topic in the future ... do not presume to react towards me in similar fashion."

Reno smirked. "Agreed."

"Agreed? To what are we in agreement?"

"We won't disrespect one another anymore."

Justus nodded. "How do you wish to handle the six hunters across the hall?"

"You're a native; I'm a tourist. How do you want to handle this?"

"I have a confession to make." Justus adjusted the pins of his ascot tie. "I received word two nights ago. The Justiciar, a man I trained seventy years ago, was struck down."

"I'm ... I'm sorry to hear it."

Justus nodded. "I gave up the time-consuming position and operated as an enforcer. However, I am, unfortunately, the Justiciar once more."

"So you're not a copper anymore, huh? You're the police commissioner."

"Not my preference. I will help you to stop the hunters, Mr. Carrington. Afterwards, I will leave, as I have business matters to which I must attend."

"A murder investigation?"

"No. My predecessor sought to dispense justice according to our laws. The man whose life he intended to take was ... prepared."

Reno nodded. "Do you need help?"

"The man has fled to Siberia. It's a remote area, north of China. He was starting a movement that was politically motivated. One might call it an attempt to destabilize the Esoteric Council."

"Is Niall the leader?"

Justus grimaced. "Technically, Niall is not a member of the modern council. He is ... respected by many members of the Esoteric Council, however he has no official say, nor do those with whom he is known to associate."

Reno rubbed his forehead. "Whoa, wait, wait ... I thought Niall sanctioned you people to help me, because he's in charge?"

"No. Not for a very, very long time. However, he has influence over most current council members. Just because he is not recognized as an official voice of authority does not mean he has none. Niall and his court of advisors operate as they wish."

"Jesus. So you're saying, figuratively speaking, he's the mayor of DC, and used to have a multi-term Presidency. He doesn't speak for any state in the nation, now, but he's still respected by the current administration."

"On a global level, not a national one, your figurative scenario is somewhat accurate." Justus opened the hotel room door. "I cannot order you to assist me..."

"Whatever, Sheriff. Deputize me, already. Let's go over there and stop those guys from attacking."

Justus nodded. "Do you have any compunction in regards to a lack of due process?"

"You want to kill them?"

"Want? No. However, they worked for the man responsible for the death of the North American Justiciar. They are preparing to slaughter people to whom I have a responsibility to protect. They are not criminals."

"They're not? Then what are they?"

"Mercenaries fighting a war. They have declared war. Restraining them ... well ... I do not have the capacity for such at this time."

Reno shook his head with a sigh. "God dammit, I hate killing people without a proper trial." He walked through the hotel door, crossed the hall, and reached for the knob of the opposite door.

It was unlocked and turned with ease.

Reno opened the door and stepped into the other hotel room. However, it was empty. The weapons were missing.

Justus followed Reno into the other hotel room and frowned. He sighed. "I am to blame for this."

"You think they overheard us?"

"No," said Justus. "I used shadows to distort and absorb the sound of our voices. Unfortunately, such is the reason we could not hear them leaving."

Reno ran his hands back through his hair. "Great! Now we have to freaking find them!" He rubbed his temples. "Me and Kerii got the room across the hall from that guy so we could keep an eye on him! He slipped right through our fingers, man!"

"Kerii and I..."

Reno turned and glared at Justus. "Really? You really think now is a good time to worry about how I talk?" Reno stormed off down the hall. "Let's go clean up this mess before these guys kill a bunch of innocent people."