From a distance I watched as Susan came to the door. When she first laid eyes on Annabell, returned from the dead and standing on the front porch, I feared she might faint. But instead, as soon as the mothers fingers touched her daughter's solid, living body, she fell to her knees and wailed in astonishment. She frantically grabbed the girl, pulling her into a bear hug and squeezing as though terrified what might happen if she let go.
I stood back and watched their joyous reunion from under the cover of a large oak tree one house over. Susan sobbed as she picked Annabell up, oblivious to my presence, and carried her through the threshold. As she turned to close the door, the little girl smiled back at me from over her mothers shoulder and gave a last tired wave goodbye. The door shut, and I couldn't help but smile.
I stayed on the front lawn for a few moments, watching the door. To my eyes, the overwhelming emotions of a family made whole, burst through the Aether, lighting up the house like a blazing fire in the night. A new emotion seeped through my body, starting from my shoulders and rolling down my back, warm and soothing. It was peace...
I was done here.
I limped down the lawn to McKinney's car, looking back one last time at the glowing hues of love radiating out from the girls home. Despite all my physical pain, all that I had endured, what I now saw in that child's return home made it all feel worthwhile. I climbed into the driver's seat and pulled away.
The drive home was surreal. After everything that had transpired in the past few days, the memories of my recent ordeal rolled through my head like a chaotic thunder cloud. The Watcher's, the Order, the ominous voice issuing from Gambal's corpse... Eventually though, my thoughts drifted back to Maria and everything that had happened to bring me where I was now.
"Well done, Vessel." Leo intruded on my reflections, appearing in the seat beside me.
I kept my eyes on the road, too tired to be surprised by his usual abrupt arrival. We drove on in silence for several minutes until eventually I was ready to speak.
"This... this was Maria's fight," I said. "She caught on to what the trio was doing and tipped the Chief. Is that why you came to me? To finish what she started?... She was meant to be the Vessel of Justice wasn't she?"
Leo watched the dark shop windows and street lamps flicker past along the side of the road. "You aren't going to want to hear this, but in truth I can't tell you. I have rules to follow, same as you. The biggest one being, I cannot tell you anything you aren't ready to hear. Suffice to say, when you are ready to learn why this is happening, you will know. In the meantime have faith."
I snorted, "faith in what exactly?"
He smiled at me, "Faith in the good we just did. In the people who are alive, and your friend whose duty you just fulfilled."
I frowned at the steering wheel, unsure what to say to that. I was never going to accept words like faith, or fate, and I hated Leo's vague speak. It irked me something fierce.
But then I thought of Susans glowing love for her daughter, the memory of it still burning fresh in my mind. I gave a begrudging sigh as I pulled up to the parking garage outside Old Town.
Maybe Leo was right. Maybe I didn't need to understand why it all worked out the way it did. I parked the car and pulled out Annabell's now tattered and blood stained pony drawing from my pocket. She, and many others, had been facing short brutal ends at the hands of the worst kind of monsters. But now, they had a chance to live their lives again... Maybe, just maybe, that was enough.
For now.
***
One week later...
I leaned back on the park bench, pulling my newspaper in close as a group of young neerdowell skateboarders rolled past at breakneck speeds, laughing maniacally as they went.
"Hey, watch it!" I grumbled, pulling my toes clear of the danger.
A nearby gaggle of teenage girls giggled at my indignation. I scowled and shook out the pages in my hands.
Seeing so many kids outside in the fresh air this early in the morning felt like a violation of nature. Shouldn't they all be sleeping off their late night phone-scrolling binges or something? I shook my head and chuckled away my grumpy old-man vibes, turning my attention back to the story.
The Sacred River Bee published a new piece of the events of the mayor's corruption. Katherine and come forward with even more horrifying details, recounting the torturous abuse she and her son had endured. The boy had been away the night the mansion fell, Of all things, because he was recovering at a private hospital from injuries inflicted by his father. Katherine's statements coupled with Chase's diary were set to put the remaining members of the Order away for a very long time.
As I read, someone tapped my foot and a cup of coffee hovered above my face. I folded the paper and looked up to see Daniel standing in front of me.
"Thanks," I said, taking the cup.
He sat on the bench beside me, "Beautiful day isn't it?"
"Hm," I grunted as I drank.
"How's Chuck?"
I set the newspaper aside, "I finally got him home yesterday. The doctors want him to take it easy obviously, but the stubborn ass already has me scheduling our next boxing sessions." I rolled my eyes.
Daniel laughed, "You can't keep a good man down." He held out his paper cup and tapped it with my own in.
"Did you hear the final count on how many victims they recovered?" I asked.
Daniel nodded as he sipped, "yeah. They opened every container in the trainyard. Found a total of two hundred and thirty missing people from across at least five states. Sixty of them are locals, mostly homeless."
I gave a low whistle.
"I know," Daniel said, "I can't believe the Chief was working this corruption case for this long and no one knew. You know, he never filed my suspension paperwork after we hit Aces? Finnick told me he just sent me away to keep me safe after what happened to Maria."
"Wow, crazy," I said, trying to sound amazed while avoiding his eyes.
Daniel nodded, "Now everyone thinks he's a hero."
"Did I hear the city is giving him some kind of award?" I asked.
"Yeah, for 'actions of valor beyond the call of duty.' Mostly I think the city council is just trying to save face."
I chuckled, "still, he earned it."
"Him, and that Knighstick character by the sounds of it." Daniel added. "The things I heard that guy can do... it has to be an exaggeration, right?"
"Smoke and mirrors, I'm sure," I said.
Daniel grunted and leaned back, turning to look at me, taking in my bruised face.
"Are you really going to keep going after fugitives alone?" He said, changing the subject. "That last one messed you up pretty good. You could just come back to the force?"
I laughed, "I'll be alright thanks."
He eyed me skeptically, "You look like a building fell on you man."
I quirked an eyebrow at my coffee, "Don't be so dramatic."
"You're as bad as your uncle."
I grinned and Daniel shook his head.
His attention shifted across the street where families began gathering wearing their Sunday bests. "It's almost time," he said, "You ready? I can go in with you, even though it would make my grandmother turn over in her grave."
I watched as a father walked up the steps to the cathedral, hand-in-hand with his wife, his young son riding his shoulders. I remembered my own father bringing me to mass on Sunday's and thought about what it would be like to sit in a church once more. My heart skipped a beat.
"Maybe next time," I said, draining my coffee.
Daniel smiled and patted me on the shoulder, "When your ready brother."
We sat and enjoyed the morning for a while longer before Daniel said he had to get home. Apparently his wife was going to start worrying if he was out with me for too long... Harsh, but understandable.
We got up to say our goodbyes, when a pang of sadness rippled through me. I looked over Daniel's shoulders to a young man, a teenager, sitting across the park at a rickety wooden table with his head in his hands.
"So, dinner tonight? Nicole makes a mean lasagna!" Daniel asked, recalling my attention.
I looked back to him and smiled, "Maybe some other time. I've got some things to take care of."
"Arlight, but you're missing out! Take care John."
With a final farewell my friend walked away. I watched him go a distance before looking back at the distressed boy.
Crouched beneath the table near his legs, licking its monstrous lips like a hungry predator, sat a long nosed, gnarled faced goblin. In the back of my mind, the sense of a coming vision rose up, foretelling a now familiar summons to duty. This boy was desperate, nearing the end of his rope. And the Goblin Watcher was there to push him over the edge...
"What do you see, Vessel?" Leo asked from over my shoulder.
I held the warming talisman in my pocket. With the boy's Aether scent firmly in mind, I turned away, headed home to prepare.
"We got a call," I answered. "Time to go to work."
End