Page 137 of Darkness

How long had Asher been fucking with Morrisey’s life? Didn’t matter now. No more Asher, no more not-Craig. A tear slipped past Morrisey’s eyelashes, spilling onto his cheek. Who did he shed tears for?

The curtain opened, and a man stepped through. He wasn’t a doctor, but a traveler radiating power, who also permitted Morrisey to see his true self: Magestra. Even without being a traveler, his bearing and the confident glint in his eye would’ve marked him as either military or from some agency operating under three letters.

The man took a seat in the chair on the other side of Morrisey’s bed. Dressed in a dark blue suit, he ran a hand over buzzed-cut blond hair. He could have given Captain Gaskins a run for the money in the built-like-a-Mack-truck department. His lopsided smile likely drew many to his bed.

Couldn’t compare to Farren on a bad day

The man held out his hand. “Agent James? I’m Special Agent Carter, FBI.” He had the good graces to keep his voice low, casting a quick glance at Farren.

“You’ll have to forgive me for not shaking your hand. I’m afraid I can’t lift mine at the moment.” Morrisey nodded to his hand, an IV tube snaked through the wrapping. Somehow, he lacked the energy to lift them.

Carter dropped his hand to the bedrail. “That’s expected after what you accomplished yesterday.”

“Yesterday?”

“Yeah. You’ve been out for quite some time. Your mate caught us up on what happened. The Atlanta task force is down to three members.”

Three members? Oh, yeah. Devon hadn't been in the conference room. Three of approximately twenty-five. “Drop my name off the list. I don’t trust those bastards. Want nothing to do with them.” Would Gaskins take Morrisey back at Atlanta PD if he asked nicely? Oh, who was he kidding? Gaskins wouldn’t trust a Morrisey who did anything nice.

Carter gave a curt nod. “Understandable. I’m from the DC office. We found out there was trouble and came as quickly as bureaucracy allowed. Too late to save the vice president, I’m afraid. We lost a few senators, too.”

So, Asher wasn’t the only traveler to elevate his station by taking over the body of a powerful politician. “How are you going to explain to the public?” Going on the six o’clock news to say aliens killed the VP? Nope. Not happening after all the time and effort spent on secrecy.

Then again, maybe Asher single-handedly changed the government’s willingness to accept travelers.

“Heart attacks and plane crashes so far. We’re letting out information only as needed.” Carter spoke so matter-of-factly, cool in a crisis.

“What’s going to happen here?”

“We’re bringing in some team members from other areas for starters. Then we’ll go from there.” Carter softened his FBI Agent voice. “Is it true you were there when Domus lost its battle?”

“I was, up to the end.”

Carter winced. “I guess there’s no hope anyone else will come across.”

“No. But if you’re looking for someone, they might’ve made it before the end and be anywhere. Or they could have gone to another realm.” The next few months might see family members reunited when they thought all hope lost. “The elders tried to send as many as possible.”

“One could hope. I know we haven’t given you a reason to, but would you stay on? Help us get our bearings again?”

Morrisey eyed Farren, still asleep in the chair. “I come as a package deal now.”

“He gave the same answer.”

Of course he did. “We had others with us. Sykes, Jessalain, Colm…”

Carter rested his elbows on his thighs, meaty forearms hanging down between his knees, the image of a man who’d recently been through too much. “Sykes turned traitor and paid the price. I’m afraid Colm has gone on his way to wherever souls go when the body dies, and they don’t take a new one.”

Morrisey didn’t know the man well, but the death might come as a blow to Farren.

“Jessalain recruited someone named Arianna, and together they’re running the office, as far as administrative goes, though I have to give her the hairy eyeball occasionally for flirting with my men.”

Maybe the loss of Sykes hadn’t hit Jessa too hard. Or maybe their flirtation was merely flirtation with no deeper feelings. “What happened to Leary?”

“Ah, Leary.” Carter stared off into space. “He’s still around, but… changed.”

“Changed how?”

“I had men planted in the conference room. One got shot too badly to repair the damage quickly. So did Leary, but what normally might’ve proved fatal was fixable by a traveler.”

---