In Black We Trust Read online

  He glared directly at Dalejem.

  “You’re coming to the funeral of a fucking friend of mine to conduct infiltration work?” he said coldly. “How did you even get here? To D.C.?”

  Flinching a little, Dalejem looked at him, then back at me.

  “Your Uncle Charles brought us,” he said, that wariness now reaching his voice. “He seemed to think it would be a good idea if we––”

  “Uncle Charles,” Black cut in, his voice even colder. “Well, it might interest you to know that same Uncle Charles is someone my friend, you know, the dead one… the one whose funeral you’re currently crashing… spent forty years hunting. Mostly, he was trying to keep ‘Uncle Charles’ from exporting babies from war zones to feed to vampires. Of course, ‘Uncle Charles’ also sold some of those kids to rich perverts in the West and in Moscow. So there’s that.”

  Black stepped closer to the other male, his voice dangerously low.

  To Dalejem’s credit, he only took a half-step back.

  “My friend also occasionally tried to keep Charles from exploiting and murdering innocent humans in Asia, Africa, the Middle East, and South America,” Black added, colder. “…Which Charles had a tendency to do. He did it when he wanted to steal their resources. He did it to force regime changes or start wars. For all I know, he also did it for the fuck of it. That’s the ‘Uncle Charles’ you’re so gleefully accepting rides from in private jet flights, and palling around with. Just so we’re clear––”

  Black. Hey. I clutched his arm in the black suit jacket, glancing at the humans approaching on the path, now alarmed for real. Calm down. You need to calm down––

  He glared at me. Did you know about this? Did you know that fucker Charles brought them here?

  Black. I clenched my jaw, sending a hard, hot plume of light at his chest. I don’t know what’s going on with you right now, but you need to take a breath. Now. You need to control yourself, and your light. Or we’re leaving. I’m dead serious about this.

  He blinked.

  Then his eyes widened slightly in surprise.

  His anger started to worsen, but I placed a palm on his chest, firm.

  Go inside the church, Black. I held his gaze, still pluming heat at his light. Now, Quentin. Go find your friends. Find Lawless. Find Manny. I’ll be with you in a minute.

  Still angry, he opened his mouth, about to speak, but I sent another hard plume of heat through my palm, forcing him silent.

  For a few seconds, he only stared at me, as if reading something in my face.

  Then, so quickly it disoriented me, he abruptly backed down. Stepping back from my hand, he shielded his light, even as he scowled at me.

  After another beat, he looked at Dalejem.

  “You suck at blending in,” he said, his voice blunt. “If you want to stay, stay. But you need to do a better job of emulating the humans here.” The scowl returned to his face, and his voice. “And show a little fucking respect. He has a family. Kids. Grandkids. He’s not just some fucking op. He was a good man.”

  Dalejem, who was gauging Black’s face with an open wariness now, nodded, once.

  “Understood.” That odd accent of his strengthened, coloring his English. “And apologies if I was disrespectful before, brother. Sincerely. I didn’t realize you were close to the deceased. Charles didn’t mention that to us.”

  Pausing, he added more carefully,

  “I am sorry about your friend. Truly.”

  Black scowled at him, but didn’t seem to have a good response.

  Turning on me instead, he gave me a harder look.

  “Ping me when you get inside.”

  Still gauging his face, I nodded. “I will.”

  “Don’t be long,” he growled.

  I didn’t bother to respond.

  It didn’t really matter. He was already walking away.

  I WATCHED BLACK stalk across the asphalt of the parking lot, following him with my eyes until he’d vaulted up the stone stairs towards the three arched doorways of the church.

  As he disappeared through one of those doorways, I fought not to sigh.

  If I’d been alone, I probably would have sighed, but I didn’t want to give these seers any reason to express sympathy towards me in regards to Black.

  Luckily, none of them tried.

  I turned to face Dalejem, keeping my expression neutral.

  “He’s having a rough day,” I said only.

  Dalejem nodded, once.

  His light felt subdued, borderline apologetic.

  “I understand,” he said. “It is difficult to lose an old friend. I apologize for my indelicacy when I first spoke to you both… your husband especially. And for not informing one or both of you that we had thought to attend this.”

  I shook my head, dismissing his words with a wave. “There’s no possible way you could have known. And I understand your interest in coming here.”

  Dalejem hesitated, then glanced at the other seers with him, specifically at the black-haired female with those shockingly turquoise eyes. Seeing her watching us, her eyes narrow, I frowned slightly, even as Dalejem stepped closer to me.

  “I would wish to speak to you alone, sister,” he said, lower.

  He glanced over his shoulder again.

  The other five were still looking at us, especially the female with the turquoise eyes. Another of the female seers, also very Asian-looking but strangely short for a seer, was glaring at the one with the blue eyes, her arms folded over her chest.

  I’d noticed before that the others weren’t overly fond of the blue-eyed one for some reason. I hadn’t yet found a reason or an appropriate time to ask why.

  They treated her like they didn’t trust her, like she was from an enemy camp almost.

  It made me wonder why they let her come with them at all, but perhaps being transported to a whole new world together made them feel obligated to her, as well as to one another.

  “…Now,” Dalejem added to me. “If you have a moment? I don’t want to keep you from your husband for long, but it is important.”

  Without waiting for my reply, he grasped my arm lightly in his fingers.

  I followed as he steered me just as lightly towards the lawn on the opposite side of the stone path. Once we were out of earshot of the other five seers, he began speaking in a low voice.

  “There is some irony in your husband’s speech towards me just now,” he said. “I would actually like to speak to you both in relation to Charles.”

  Studying my eyes when he paused, he frowned delicately, his sculpted lips moving and adjusting with a subtlety that drew my eyes.

  “…Specifically about Charles,” he repeated for emphasis.

  My eyes flickered up, meeting his under the color-darkening contacts.

  “I wasn’t aware your husband had a previous history with him,” Dalejem added. “But I have my own concerns about your uncle. So do a good portion of those in my team. I wasn’t sure how to raise these concerns, given there is a blood relationship there. In a way, your husband’s words on this subject are reassuring. To all of us.”

  He glanced at the blue-eyed female seer, then muttered,

  “Well. To most of us.”

  He looked back at me. “Your husband’s words also provided me an opening to broach the subject with both of you. I feel we should speak about this. As soon as possible. I wondered if you might speak to your husband about making time for a conversation later today.”

  I frowned up at him.

  “What concerns could you possibly have about Charles?” I said, more puzzled than anything. “Was it something he said? Did you overhear something, or––”

  “No.”

  The tall seer gave me a wry smile, the expression oddly humorless.

  “Our concerns are mainly ideological at this point, sister,” he said, his sculpted mouth pursing. “Related to the Earth we just came from.”

  Still studying my eyes, he added, “We haven’t spoken yet, about ho
w that Earth was destroyed. I don’t know what your uncle has shared with you, but I would prefer if you heard this story from us directly. Not through the filter of Charles’ ideological interpretations.”

  Still puzzled, I nodded. “Okay. I would prefer that, too. But what does that have to do with––”

  “My previous world was more or less destroyed by people who believe the same kinds of things your uncle believes, sister,” Dalejem said seriously. “They hastened the end of that world deliberately, believing it to be the spiritual destiny of themselves and their fellow fanatics to do so. The fact that they have brought that religion to this world…”

  That wry smile.

  “…Disturbs us. Meaning most of the seers who came here with me through that door. It disturbs us greatly. It is not at all a benign ideology, from our perspective.”

  My eyes widened as his words sank in. “Oh.”

  Seeing the understanding in my eyes, he nodded, once.

  “To be perfectly honest, it’s causing somewhat of a traumatic reaction in several in our group.” His grim expression turned to the other two male seers, lingering on the one with violet eyes.

  “Jax there… and Holo, the taller one… especially. They were nearly killed by Mythers before we came through that door. They lost friends. Most of those they knew are either dead now, or went to some other world when they passed through that door. Of course, that latter is purely a leap of faith on our part. They could all be dead, too, of course.”

  He paused, looking back at me.

  “That was another issue I wished to raise with you, sister… in addition to requesting an audience with you and your husband. Jax could use some help. Psychological help. Charles noticed some of the trauma markers in his light, and offered to supply that help…”

  Dalejem made another of those subtly detailed frowns, gesturing with a hand.

  I could tell it meant something.

  I just had no idea what.

  “…Needless to say,” Dalejem continued grimly. “I do not think your uncle is the best person to assist brother Jax in this matter. Especially since Mythers and their allies are the primary source of brother Jax’s trauma in the first place. We were literally being butchered by fanatics sharing your uncle’s religion when we fled through that door. Moreover, allies of theirs were killing and harming our people for years. So no, I do not think anyone your uncle might supply would be an ‘appropriate resource’ to assist brother Jax.”

  He glanced at me, his lips pursed.

  I was already frowning at him.

  “You think I am,” I said, my voice close to incredulous. “You think I am the right person to help your friend?”

  Dalejem shrugged, again moving his hand in a delicate wave.

  “I am told this is your profession. I am also told you are very good at it.”

  I flushed, reacting in surprise as much as embarrassment.

  “I don’t think I’m qualified for––”

  He held up a reassuring hand.

  “Sister Miriam,” he said. “Just think about it, please. We could sincerely use the help, and our options are limited. Holo and I are worried about him. So are Mika and Yarli. Spending a number of days under near-interrogation by your uncle and his people did not help.”

  He paused, glancing at the church, presumably towards Black, before looking back at me.

  “We would rather speak to you and your husband about these things in general. As much as he seems unhappy about our arrival here, he seems much more…” Again, that flowing, graceful wave of his hand. “…compatible, shall we say. Ideologically. With where my people are coming from. We do not wish to inconvenience him, of course, but if we cannot ally with the two of you, we would rather go our own way.”

  Pausing, he clarified,

  “Versus allying with your uncle. Who has made it clear he would like us to be employed by him in some capacity.”

  He glanced at the blue-eyed female seer, scowling subtly.

  “Well. Most of us feel this way. I cannot speak for the group as a whole.”

  I nodded, biting my lip in thought.

  I’d forgotten I wore lipstick until I tasted it on my lips.

  “Okay,” I said, wiping my mouth. Nodding, I looked up, meeting his gaze. “I agree. We should talk. I’ll talk to Black about it.”

  Hesitating, I added,

  “It’s not personal, you know. About you and your friends.”

  Fumbling with words, I tried to decide how much to say, how much I could say without violating Black’s trust. In the end I decided it couldn’t hurt to tell Dalejem some of it.

  “He’s not overly fond of his birth family,” I said, feeling my face warm. “I think you knowing one of his relatives really shocked him. They sold him… as a child, I mean. He never knew anyone in his family as an adult at all.”

  Hesitating, I bit off my own words, shrugging.

  “He’s also just got a lot on his mind right now,” I added. “One of his oldest friends dying suddenly didn’t help. Especially with everything else going on.”

  Dalejem nodded, his face and eyes serious.

  From the intensity of his gaze, I found myself wondering if he was reading me.

  Even as I thought it, he said,

  “Does he suspect foul play? In this death of his friend?”

  I bit my tongue at the question, then shrugged.

  Again, I couldn’t really think of a good reason not to tell him the truth.

  “He hasn’t said as much to me, but yes. I suspect he does.” Looking up, I met Dalejem’s gaze. “The timing is not… uncomplicated.”

  Dalejem nodded again, his eyes somber. Watching his face, I was struck again by how different he looked with the colored contacts.

  Unthinking, I said in a low voice, “You don’t like her, do you? The one with the blue eyes. None of you seem to like her, really.”

  He looked over, sharp.

  Then, as if realizing why I was asking, he grunted.

  “Her name is Raven,” he said. “And no, we do not like her. The bigger issue is that we do not trust her. We have a… history. With sister Raven. Most of it is not pleasant.”

  I nodded, frowning. “And you’re their leader?”

  Dalejem grunted at that too.

  “Hardly,” he said. “But I seem to be acting as spokesperson for now. They’ve more or less asked me to be that person. For now, at least.”

  “That would make you their leader,” I said, giving him a flat smile. “Do you not want that role? Or is it the title that bothers you?”

  Again that cryptic smile.

  “Let’s just say I find the idea… ironic.” He met my gaze, that smile toying at his lips. “All of us have histories, sister. Mine with this group is not uncomplicated, either.”

  Still watching the other five seers watch us, I nodded, thinking.

  Then I nodded again––more decisively that time.

  “I’ll talk to your friend,” I said. “Jax, right? I’ll talk to him, see if there’s anything I can do to help him. I can’t promise anything, of course. But I’ll try.”

  Gratitude touched Dalejem’s expression, pluming subtly off his light.

  He bowed to me, moving with a formality and precision––and an utter and complete alienness––that took me aback.

  “Thank you, Sister Miriam,” he said politely. “I would consider that a very great favor. One I would very happily repay in the future, in any way you deem appropriate.”

  I watched him straighten back to his full height, frowning slightly as I glanced around, making sure no one noticed that bow, or how strangely he moved.

  It hit me again just how lost the six of them were.

  Even the blue-eyed one, the one Dalejem said the rest of them didn’t trust, struck me as lost. The aggression I sensed on her, the anger in her light––it wasn’t aimed solely at the other seers, or even at the fact of being stuck here with them alone.

  Much of it, peeled away, look
ed like fear.

  She was in a hostile land, with rules she didn’t know. Moreover, unlike the others, none of her people appeared to have made it through the door with her.

  It made sense to me, in a way, that they let her tag along with them, despite how they felt about her. They’d all just lost their home. They’d lost most of their friends, along with family, possibly children, even significant others. They were traumatized by whatever happened right before they walked through that door. They didn’t know anything about this world.

  Moreover, their only choices for allies were Black, who’d been openly hostile to them, and Charles, who was a fanatical follower of the same religion that destroyed their last world.

  That time it was me who glanced at the church.

  “I’ll talk to Black,” I said.

  Glancing at Dalejem, I met his dark, hazel-ish-looking eyes, frowning as I thought about everything we’d just talked about––about Charles, about whatever happened to the Colonel, about Jax the traumatized seer, about the female seer with the blue eyes.

  The world had just gotten more complicated.

  Not just for them––for us, too.

  Maybe that was what was really bothering Black.

  Maybe on some level, he knew that better than I did.

  Sighing, I refocused on Dalejem.

  “You’ll stay with us,” I said, my voice firm. “At least until you get on your feet, and can make your own decisions about what makes sense for you. We’ll work on getting some kind of ‘New Earth Assimilation’ class worked out when we return to San Francisco. There’s no question of you and your friends going off on your own until then.”

  Still thinking, I added,

  “For today, you have two choices. You can return to Black’s private plane and wait out the day there, if you’d like. Or you can do what Black said, and really try to blend with the humans in the church. If anyone notices you in the wrong way… especially anyone military… it’s better if you push them or erase them to forget what they saw.”

  Folding my arms over the front of the black dress I wore, I frowned in thought.

  “You need to remember there are no seers here, as far as the human race is concerned,” I added, my voice a touch sharper. “Black would very much like to keep it that way. So would I. It would be extremely dangerous for all of us if the United States military were to become aware of a psychic race of beings living here without their knowledge.”