Ch 1: A World of History

Never doubt one's instincts. That was one of the first things that Jericho learned while training, and it was, without a doubt, the most important things that he'd ever remember. He had been stationed at the hotel the Arbiter was staying at by his Grandmother, Lilliana. Lilliana was the High Priestess and thus, Leader, of the House of Avalon, and certainly not a woman to be trifled with. When she said jump, EVERYONE, including one Mr.Jericho Lake, made sure to already be in mid-air.

Now, when the Asian woman crossed his path, he initially thought nothing of it. New York was, by definition, a melting pot, and one's ethnicity certainly wasn't enough to draw any attention. What did draw attention, however, was her bearing. Precise, calculated and observant, she was no simple tourist. Of course, that much was made certain, now that Jericho found himself face to face, or... dagger to extinguisher for that matter, with her. He knew that his little off the cuff line questioning her had started this whole mess and silently wondered if his charm was wearing off.

Pushing that thought away, Jericho took a step back from his opponent, leveling two things at her; one, a steely gaze that almost seemed to look directly through her, and two, the well-honed tip of his dagger. The hallway they were in was too narrow for him to draw Arondight and use it effectively, so his dagger, about a 10 inch long blade made of an oddly shiny bluish metal, would have to do. Not that he minded of course, any weapon in Jericho's hand was equally as deadly as any other. He was wielding the dagger in his left hand, currently, since a few of her extinguisher attacks had found their mark on his right bicep and that limb was currently throbbing like an angry wound. He pointed the tip of the dagger at the woman across from him and a slow smile crept across his lips.

"See, if you hadn't gotten all offended about the little comment I made a few minutes ago and just continued on your way, this could have been discussed over a drink."

That little aside was answered by a freezing blast of foam from the cone of the fire extinguisher. Coughing, Jericho stumbled back a step, his back coming to rest against the opposite wall of the hallway. He brought up his dagger to shield himself from any oncoming blows, and once he regained his breath, he darted forward through the white cloud, leading with his right shoulder, his left arm poised to strike at... nothing. Damn.

He glanced to his left, then right, before catching sight of her back leg disappearing into the stairwell. He'd catch hell for this one. With a slight growl, he sprinted for the stairs as well, his dagger disappearing back into the sheath he kept hidden beneath the left side of his shirt.

Entering the stairwell, he closed the door behind him and grabbed a nearby piece of wood, using it to jam up the door a bit. He wasn't about to leave an easy escape route, nor would it do to have overzealous hotel security come after them. All things considered, this was a tad out of their jurisdiction. Jericho sprinted up the stairs after his opponent, his boots echoing on the steps as he ran. He narrowed his eyes, using the sound of her own footsteps to track her, even as he pushed himself harder and harder to increase his rather impressive foot speed.

Eiji knew she shouldn't have engaged the Sentinel but his comment couldn't go without some sort of remark on her own. But, Eiji wasn't one to talk much. Instead, she was more of a woman who let her actions speak for her. And in this case, she found herself fighting against a formidable opponent. So when she got the upper hand over the man, she quickly scampered up the stairs and headed for the roof of the hotel. The unfortunate part of all this was the fact the Sentinels would be out in full force now knowing the Shade were in town. Dammit. She'd have to lay low for a good while now. And there was no doubt the Eclipse and Druids weren't going to be too pleased with her but she would find another way get to her target. And they knew it as well. She was a very resourceful woman.

Hearing his booted feet echo off the walls of the stairwell, Eiji took the steps as quickly as she could. The soft shoes she wore weren't completely silent but she knew he would have to strain to hear her. But just from what she could hear, she could tell he was not far behind her. Thankfully, the door to the roof was in sight and she busted through the door like a shot from a gun.

Pausing long enough to look around to see what would be the best route to take, she took off running towards her right. Along the way, she picked up piece of galvanized pipe that had been left behind by repairmen. It was approximately five feet in length and she knew she could use it as a staff. The edge of the roof was coming into view and she wasn't sure how much of a gap existed between this roof and the other. Eiji had to hurry and make up her mind as to what she was going to do because she heard Jericho bust through that same door a mere 30 seconds after she did.

Running to the edge of the roof, she came to a skidding stop and glanced over the edge. Looking back behind her, she saw Jericho quickly closing the gap, Climbing onto the edge of the roof, she wasted no time. Turning to glance back at Jericho before she jumped off the roof, she disappeared from sight.

Jericho shouldered the door open just as Eiji made her break for the edge of the roof. He wouldn't be able to beat her there, that was for sure. Grinding his teeth together, he began slowing up his strides as soon as her feet left the ground, and he took his final steps before stopping just at the edge of the roof. Looking over the edge, Jericho mouthed a silent curse before taking a few steps back from the edge. He kept his gaze locked to the spot where Eiji had jumped from and walked backwards, just in case that tricky woman decided to launch a sneak attack.

A Shade just happening to show up at the hotel where his Grandmother had expressly asked him to keep tabs on? Unusual, but, truthfully, Jericho couldn't be certain what, if any, purpose it had. It was completely possible for this to have been an unhappy coincidence, but, it was something that certainly called for a bit of caution.

As he walked back toward the roof's door, he slipped one hand into the pocket of his black dress pants and used the other to unbutton the top button of his shirt. Producing a smart phone from his pocket, he flicked his fingers across the touchscreen briefly and placed the phone near his ear. He held the phone against his shoulder with his ear and yanked the roof door open back into the stairwell. As the phone rang, he began to trot down the steps and tuck his shirt back into his pants.

"Hey, it's Jericho. I was at the hotel that Grandmother told me about... Spotted a Shade just strolling along."

Jericho halted on one of the landings and rolled his eyes as he listened to the voice on the other end. He began to head back down the stairs and worked on unbuttoning his cuffs and rolling his sleeves to his elbows.

"Of course I didn't just chase after her like some kind of dog. I made sure before I acted."

He yanked the piece of wood he'd used to block the door free of the handle and tossed it aside, stepping back into the hallway that was currently being attended to by a maintenance man. Ignoring the man's odd look, Jericho continued past him, toward the lobby.

"Look, who started the fight is irrelevant. There's a Shade roaming around, and where there's one, there tends to be others. Can you just get the word out - discreetly - to those who might be interested in this information and keep your eyes open? ... Thank you. I'm going to get the word out to the Arbiter and her camp to stay sharp as well. I think she travels with her brother, if I remember right. I'll see you soon."

He brought the phone from his ear, tapped the screen with his thumb and slipped it back into his pocket. Jericho made his way through the lobby with brisk, long strides, heading for the elevator. He idly wondered about the Shade even as he gallantly motioned for a woman to enter the elevator before him, trying to figure out what the appearance of that woman meant. He came to the conclusion that wondering about the endgame, if there even was one, was pointless as he pressed the button for the floor he knew the Arbiter was staying on. One could only do the best they could with the information at hand, after all. He slipped both hands into his pockets and waited for the elevator to come to his chosen floor.

Eiji felt the wind whip past her as she clung to the ledge precariously. The 25th floor of a hotel ledge wasn’t exactly the sturdiest places to try and hide out but she had no choice. Besides, it wasn’t like she could just jump off and land on her feet like a cat. Unable to hear Jericho’s footsteps, she waited for a while before she dared to move. Knowing the man like she did (from what she had read about him) he would have pursued her if he had seen her. Still, no need in taking unnecessary chances.

Daring to move, Eiji glanced up and saw nothing but blue sky. Ever so carefully she moved and began to climb her way over the upper edge of the ledge she stood on. Thankfully she was small enough and the ledge overhead jutted out just enough to allow her the chance to remain hidden and virtually impossible for him to lean over and see her without falling himself.

Looking more like a gymnast, she maneuvered herself over the ledge and back up onto the roof. Eiji looked around carefully fully expecting the Sentinel to pounce on her at any second. When she didn’t see anything, she saw the roof door had been closed and most likely locked. Not a problem.

Picking up the piece of galvanized pipe, she walked over to the door, placed the pipe in the handle and with a series of well placed kicks, used the momentum of her kicks to break the door handle. Removing the pieces of the handle, she pulled the door open and stepped into the stairwell. Again Eiji used a great deal of caution as she listened to the sounds coming from it.

Like a mouse running from a hungry feline, Eiji took the stairs down. When she reached the 18th floor, she peered into the hallway. Not seeing anything, she slipped into the hallway and immediately went to the elevator. Pressing the down button, she pulled the hood of her black sweat jacket up over her head to obscure her features and waited for the doors to open. As they opened showing the space empty, she stepped inside and pushed the button for the lobby making sure she didn’t look up at the camera in the rear left corner.

As the doors closed, Eiji waited for the elevator to go down a couple of floors before pressing the stop button. Once more using her acrobatic skills, she climbed onto the hand rails and opened the emergency hatch in the roof. Peering out into the elevator shaft, she made mental note of certain things then slipped back down into the elevator.

Pressing the release button, Eiji felt the elevator jerk once more then she pressed the button for the 12th floor. As the doors opened, she exited quickly brushing past a couple of people who were waiting for the elevator to open. Keeping her head lowered so her features were not well noticed, she heard them comment about her rudeness but ignored them. Quickly getting to the stairs, she eased her way down the stairs and finally reached the street level.

Slipping from the stairs, she tucked her hands in her sweat jacket pockets and kept her head lowered as she moved through the hotel lobby and exited the building. As she moved, Eiji took note of several things that she would need to keep in mind if she returned here. Of course the one thing she would never forget is her brush with Jericho Lake.

As she walked out onto the crowded New York street, a smile eased over her Asian features as she remembered her confrontation with him. She’d found a weakness. That information would be more valuable to her than anything else she learned today. And everyone knew knowledge was power.





As the door opened to the 11th floor, Jericho suddenly found himself in what seemed like some sort of strange circus. The Arbiter had indeed arrived and her over protective brother seemed to be insisting every room on the floor be checked to make sure no one was in them. There was a young Indian woman who was arguing with him and from the look on her face she wasn’t happy in the least and was fussing at him in their native language. Her voice was not as loud as her brothers but there was definitely a firmness to it.

She was dressed in a traditional Saree in gold and red. Her head was adorned with several pieces of jewelry that seemed to keep her dark hair pulled back from her face. The hotel staff were standing nervously by and seemed to be caught in this tug of war between the two people and neither were giving ground to the other.

Finally the young woman looked past her brother and she paused for a moment when she saw the tall American. She hadn’t meet Jericho yet and she didn’t like to assume. Her brother whirled around and frowned deeply as he walked towards Jericho almost threateningly.

“This is a private floor, sir. Kindly remove yourself from this area. Now.”

Almost instantly the young woman was behind her brother and pulling his right arm so she could get past him. Like her brother, she had a thick accent but neither of their accents were difficult to understand their English. She looked up at her brother and frowned.

”Rajish….don’t be rude. Perhaps the young man got off on the wrong floor. Honestly. Not everyone is out to get us.”

She looked to Jericho and her face lit up in a radiant smile.

”Forgive my brother. He means well, but sometimes he tends to get a bit brash. And our flight was very long and arduous so he is a bit grumpier than usual.”

Rajish stepped forward again and seemed to put his arm in front of his sister.

“Brash saves lives, Priya. Now sir. You business on this floor?”

The flight from Glasgow to New Orleans was uneventful at best. As the siblings made their way through the airport Sionn walked slightly ahead of his sister trying to remain as anonymous as possible. They received their share of looks however, their bright flaming red hair made them stick out like sore thumbs and though Sionn never minded it too much he knew his sister was always leery of looks, especially from men. It wasn't that she didn't like men, it was more that she didn't like the attention.

Stepping up to the counter of a car rental company Sionn gently slid his Passport and Drivers License to the young woman behind the counter. She looked up and her face went from all business to a slight smile and her cheeks flushed a bit as she looked into his handsome face. "Greetings Ma'am, I would like to rent a car."

The young woman smiled flirtatiously and spoke, "Of course ... are you from Scotland?"

Sionn smiled warmly and nodded, "Aye, we are."

The woman looked over his shoulder at Torri and there was a brief look of disappointment on her face but Sionn spoke again, "My sister and I are here on holiday to see the sites."

The young woman smiled again and took his license and passport, "Very good... Sionn. Let's see what we have available."

After a few minutes and many flirtatious exchanges Sionn and Torri were on their way out to the parking lot. As they got into the vehicle after a silent walk to where it was parked and Torri was looking over at him and he brought up his hand, "Before you say ANYTHING we did get a free upgrade to a luxury car, and she waved the cost of the insurance."

Torri rolled her eyes and he laughed as they got in and buckled up, "Come on, let's go to the hotel, maybe if the young man behind the counter is handsome you can flirt with him and get us into a presidential suite!"

Torri reached over and socked Sionn in the arm, he recoiled and screamed, "HEY!!"

The siblings laughed and Sionn shifted the car into gear and headed out the garage as he mumbled, "Bloody driving on the wrong side of the road...."

Torri should have been used to Sionn’s flirtatious ways by now. After all, she had seen them since she was old enough to pay attention to her brother. But it still irritated her well enough when he turned that charm on the ladies he came in contact with. It wasn’t so much the way Sionn acted with the women but the way the women seemed to practically throw themselves at him. Sure he was good looking and all (as far as brothers went) but she didn’t see anything THAT stunning about him that would cause such a reaction from them. Then again, Torri wasn’t your normal female.

As Sionn teased her about flirting with the hotel desk clerk, Torri walloped him a good one in the arm. Satisfied she got her point across, she settled into the passenger seat and slumped down looking out the windows at the approaching city.

”Aye….wrong side of the road AND below sea level. Whoever thought it would be a good place to build a bustling city here HAD to be a deranged Druid with long range plans on destroying the human race.”

She made a grumpy face look and looked out the passenger window again.

”I know you’re practically dancing a jig at being here but honestly, Sionn…..I really detest these city settings. I’d much rather be out in the country. Chasing wayward beasties even. There’s just something…..confining about a city. Not to mention it makes us be more discreet, as mum says, about ourselves. Back home it wasn’t any problem but here, people see red hair and green eyes and they all want to stop and stare at us like we’re circus freak show performers or something.”

She scoffed softly then.

”They’d have kittens if they saw the tops of the ears.”

She looked over at her brother and saw the grin on his face and she couldn’t help but grin back at him knowing the mental image he had in his mind.

”And yes….I WOULD run through the streets screaming like a banshee for them to take a good look at ‘em.”

She glanced at the back seat once more then gave him a concerned look.

”It’s a damn good thing we got through customs with the toys. I’ll feel better when we’ve checked in and are in our rooms so we can get them out.”

The ‘toys’ were what she called their weapons. With the enchantment on Sionn’s they were able to be disguised well enough and her bow broke down into smaller components she could make to look like the frame of her suitcase.

”What’s the plan of attack?”

A slight scowl crossed Jericho's lips when Rajish told him to 'remove' himself. Certainly, the need for discretion is important, but, rudeness could be avoided, if one tried hard enough. Jericho set that steely, sharp gaze to the man, and removed one hand from his pockets, planning on pointing his index finger directly at the man's chest and giving him a simple what-for, then Priya stepped between them.

Instantly, Jericho's expression changed. The scowl was replaced by a soft, ivory smile, and his hand slipped back into his pocket. He even managed a chuckle at her comment about having a long flight and her brother being grumpy, and this time, when Rajish interrupted again, Jericho's expression briefly shifted to a roguish smirk, his eyes ticking between the brother and sister tandem as he spoke.

"My name is Jericho Lake. I'm not sure if you've heard of me, through your people, through rumor or at all, for that matter. That doesn't really make any difference."

He crossed to one of the nearby windows and glanced at the setting sun before drawing the shades to block out the outside world, then looked back to the young woman and her brother.

"Priya and... Rajish, was it?" His eyes ticked between the duo, narrowing slightly at Rajish, before settling back upon Priya. "Milady, I apologize for just strolling onto your floor, but, there's something that you may need to be aware of, for your safety."

He focused on Priya now with that steady gaze, since, truthfully, she was the one who needed to be careful.

"I was sent her by my Grandmother, Lilliana, High Priestess of the House of Avalon. I'm relatively certain that name is known to you." He knew that Lilliana's name was a widely known one amongst those who would find that information important, and spared a glance to Rajish, who was likely still rather grumpy, but, Jericho couldn't care less, that man wasn't why he was here. He focused back on Priya.

"While I was downstairs in the lobby, I noticed a woman who was likely a member of the Shade. What exact House, I'm uncertain, but, that hardly makes any difference. I chased her up to the roof, where she made her escape. How far she's gone and the endgame of her being here are two things I'm currently unsure of, but, I have to advise that you all remain on your guard here."

He glanced over at the other commotion the hotel staff was making as they prepared the floor, then leveled his gaze back to Rajish.

"I know your desire to protect Priya here, and I can understand that, truly, I can. If I were you, I would retain some of the staff as lookouts. They may not be as effective as a Sentinel, but, the others of my order are currently strewn about the hotel as a whole, and when dealing with a threat, all hands are helpful."

Jericho gave the man a brief nod, before returning his focus to Priya.

"Now, I can remain on this floor as well, if you wish. I know what this woman looks like and have a small sample size of her abilities." That disarming smile returned to his lips. "As I said, I'm not sure if there's any endgame to speak of, but, it never hurts to be on the safe side, no?"

Sionn listened as Torri spoke and couldn't help but chuckle at her words, "Aye, building a city below sea level is kind of ... well stupid. Leave it to the French aye?"

He smiled as she rolled her eyes at him and as she went on about not liking the cities he nodded, "I know you don't but unfortunately our job of overseeing the balance of this planet doesn't allow us the luxury of sitting idle in one place all the time." He turned and looked at her, she was clearly grumpy, "Don't take this the wrong way, you don't HAVE to do what we do."

She had a slight look of shock on her face but he continued, "Before you wallop me again let me finish. I love you, more than anything and you know that. I would hate to even entertain the thought of doing all this without you, but if you are better suited to something different then by all means you need to consider it. I don't want to drive a point home, but I do not need to say that over the last few years as we have worked together your smile has faded and the whole family can see your negative view on things. No one expects you to just walk through life with a fake smile on your face, but if you aren't happy then I would rather not be with you working and know you are the happy sister I remember."

She looked at him and he reached over as he squeezed the back of her hand, "It would just be nice to see you smile again is all. Like I said however, it would suck to not be out in the world with you."

He smiled and looked up just in time to avoid a cab that had stopped dead in the middle of the road. With a quick swerve and adjustment back into their lane he laughed when he knew they were safe, "Bloody hell!"

He looked at the road as he continued, "As for our plan of attack, I don't know where to go from here. Mum is suspicious that Algernon Poe might be behind the attack on the house and responsible for the theft of the parchment. Obviously as the head of the Conclave of Druids he was at the meeting with her, but he would know that we were home without mum and da'. It's a rabbit trail, but at least it's something."

He reached into his chest pocket and removed a small piece of paper. Handing it to Torri he spoke, "The Poe's own a large plantation about thirty minutes north of here, we'll need to google the maps and figure out the best route tonight, make a plan and then head out in the morning. Other than that, there is no plan."

Sionn pulled into the French Quarter and stopped out front of the bed and breakfast where their reservation had been made. The bed and breakfast was actually owned by an old, retired dwarf that was a friend of the family. As Sionn stepped out of the vehicle he walked around and removed their bags and handed Torri's to her as she looked around and wrinkled her nose, "At least it isn't downtown where you would feel REALLY stuffed in. Besides, Bourbon Street is a block that way, and there are plenty of ladies waiting to meet Sionn."

Her fist smashed into his bicep again and he recoiled from the sting before furrowing his brow, "You know, maybe you should think about not doing that anymore, if we get in a scrap I won't be able to use this arm."

The instant Priya and Rajish heard the name there was recognition in their gazes. While Rajish still maintained a bit of his grumpiness to him, he did relax slightly. And Priya, well, her smile grew even more at knowing Jericho had been assigned to her security.

Of course that smile faded slightly and Rajish looked like he was about to have a stroke as Jericho relayed the information about the possibility of a Shade member being about the place. As Jericho leveled his steely gaze on Rajish, the man seemed to square his shoulders a bit more and return a similar gaze with his dark eyes.

As Rajish opened his mouth to say something to Jericho when the man got done, Priya touched his arm and quickly stopped him from saying anything. When Rajish snapped at his sister in their native language, Priya furrowed her brows and snapped right back. After a brief conversation that was nothing short of heated, Rajish realized there was no winning with Priya on whatever it was they were discussing and he finally turned and addressed the hotel staff that was still waiting with baited breath. Priya watched her brother start to give orders to the hotel staff before she turned back around to look at Jericho.

That radiant smile returned and she stepped up beside Jericho and looped her elbow under his as she guided him to the room that had been designated as her own. Her free hand patted his bicep not realizing it had been struck quite hard by the Shade.

”Come, Mr. lake. We shall talk in my room while Rajish takes care of other things.”

As Priya disappeared behind the door of her room with Jericho, Rajish shot daggers at the American’s back. He would have a discussion with his sister about what was and was not proper in her behavior later when they were alone.

As the door clicked closed behind Jericho, Priya released her hold on his arm and walked over to the window and looked out at the city and street below then turned to look at him with a more serious look on her features.

”Rajish will make sure the floor is secure. There is no need for you to remain on the floor unless you feel the need to do so. I am quite capable of taking care of myself, despite what others may feel. However, I know the importance of your duty and I would not wish to tell you to do something that would put you in jeopardy with Mistress Lilliana. The wrath of a woman is far worse than any other thing on earth. How do you think the name 'hurricane' came about?”

Her smile returned and stayed there now as she spoke.

”We will heed your warning about the Shade. And I am confident in your abilities to make sure I am well protected, but I know you have a life outside this hotel as well. I give you my word that if I am going to leave my room, I will let you know. Just leave me your cell phone number and I will not go anywhere until you arrive to insure it is indeed safe for me to leave. But I will tell you, Mr. Lake, I didn’t travel half way around the world to sit in a hotel room. I want to see this lovely city before I return home. I promise to dress accordingly to blend in with the general population but I also fully intend to do my fair share of sightseeing as well. Do you understand what I am saying?”

Torri was silent as Sionn spoke of her change of attitude in the past few years. It was true. She hadn’t smiled all that much in the past few years but she had seen the world plummet into a downward spiral so badly she doubted it could ever recover. All she wanted was for things to be the way they were when she was young but that was impossible. She wasn’t young anymore. She was a woman who had a duty to do. She loved what she did. Really. What upset her more than anything was the way things were in the world. And she didn’t like seeing it spiral out of control the way it was. And she never realized how much others saw her change until Sionn mentioned it now. But to think of doing anything else, ESPECIALLY without Sionn? It wasn’t even something she would entertain thinking about for any amount of time. Period.

When Sionn mentioned Algernon Poe, Torri snapped her gaze over to his with raised brows then studied the paper he gave her.

”That crazy bastard? I don’t know which is worse. Knowing we’re in New Orleans or the fact we’re in his stomping grounds. His family is almost as bad as he is. Especially that daughter of his. And exactly WHO finds someone like Algernon attractive enough to breed with him?”

Torri acted like she had a shiver slide down her spine at that thought just as Sionn pulled up at the B&B. As she got out of the car, she stretched and looked around the place. The sun hadn’t set yet and the street was pretty much quite. For now. But she knew that could change when the sun’s rays were no longer shining in the sky.

As Sionn handed her the bag and made the comment about the ladies and she struck him again, he made the comment about his strength. Torri had never figured on that and when he mentioned it she blinked and looked at him. Her brother? Not strong enough? It was as foreign a thought to her as speaking fluent Mandarin Chinese.

”Sorry…”

Her mumbled apology was all she said as she brushed past him and headed up the steps of the B&B. The bell on the door chimed as they walked in and Torri set her bag down. A gruff voice from down the hall had both of them snapping their gazes around to see who was talking to them.

“I’ll be damned. Look what the cat dragged into my place.”

The voice belonged to a middle aged little person. He walked with a noticeable limp that made it seem more like he waddled instead of walked. He had light blue eyes that seemed cloudy now and his hair was thick and gray. He walked up to the siblings and craned his neck as he studied their faces.

“I swear you two are spitting images of your parents. It’s like watching them grow up all over again. So I take it your flight and everything was OK?”

Torri actually smiled and nodded.

”Aye…..it was. How’ve ya been, Sam?”

The smaller man shrugged slightly.

“Getting older and grumpier. But I can’t complain. I’m still kicking. A bit slower now, but I can still kick your asses.”

Sionn came in fifteen seconds after Torri, rubbing his arm gently. Sam smiled warmly and Sionn's face instantly went to a smile, "Sam! Good to see ya you wee grump!"

Sam came out from behind the counter and made like he was going to hug Sionn and then he grabbed him around the neck and pulled him down to the floor, "As I was just telling your sister, I can still kick your little ass!"

Sionn laughed and broke free, standing back to his full height. He looked down at Sam and then to Torri, "What the hell is wrong with everyone today? Is it beat on Sionn day?"

Sam thumped him in the thigh and limped back behind the counter. He climbed up onto the riser behind the desk, clicked a button a small remote control and the shades dropped in front of the windows. The doors locked and he looked across at the two of them, "All right you two, your parents called about two hours ago and told me what was going on. All though I can't be with you when you go up there I can assist in my own way."

He reached under the counter and brought up a key, "You're in room seven upstairs. There is a door, looks sealed, place this seal over the other and twist it counter-clockwise, you Scots know what that means right?" Sionn had a bemused look on his face as he glanced at Torri and spoke, "Aye Sam, I think we can handle that."

Sam laughed and continued, "As you probably suspect it's not a door that leads to a drop out in the alley, there's a secret room that has some records I have been keeping about the Poe's. As you may or may not know they have been in this area since the United States was founded. Came over on a rickety ship and suspiciously there was no storms that year, kind of convenient that a powerful Druid made a trip across the Atlantic and encountered nothing but good weather eh? Anyway, if you want to look through that stuff it's pretty scattered and unorganized but maybe there's something."

He shrugged and handed the lock seal to Torri, "If you kids need anything else you holler alright?"

He hit the button on the remote again and the shades went up, the door unlocked and he smiled.

Jericho managed to hide the wince that resulted when Priya patted his arm. Damn, that Shade had gotten him good. He saw an ice wrap in his future, that was for sure. He felt Rajish's eyes on his back as he walked along with his sister and couldn't help but smirk. He'd have tossed a glance back at the man, but, he knew that this wasn't about making a brother jealous, not to mention the fact that if such an action got back to Lilliana, he'd have a world of explaining to do.

After they reached Priya's room, Jericho immediately set about to checking the windows and closets. His examination was brief, but, but thorough, each check lasting long enough to ascertain any potential threats, yet short enough to avoid looking as if he were rummaging through Priya's things, should they be in any of the closets already. When Priya spoke, Jericho turned to her and linked his hands at the wrist behind his back, standing at attention. He smiled when she spoke of his Grandmother.

"I'm already in enough trouble on a given day from my grandmother for losing my accent, I'd just as soon avoid any more headaches." He tipped her a wink and chuckled softly. It was true that any accent he may have once had was now gone, but, he spoke with perfect enunciation and diction, likely a result of Lilliana herself.

As Priya continued, he nodded along with her, crossing over to the small desk in the room where a pad of paper and pen rested. He replied to her as he was looking down at the paper and scribbling out his cell phone number.

"I do understand what you're saying, milady. I understand it well, in fact. New York is a lovely city, and I'd expect nothing less of a visitor to want to see what it has to offer. That being said..." He tore the paper from the pad and crossed back over to Priya, holding out the number for her to take.

"It's also filled with people. People who may or may not have ulterior motives." A small smile played on his lips. "While I'm thankful you're of the mind that keeping me in the loop is important, because it is, I'd like to make it clear that, like my Grandmother, I'm a big believer that being safe, rather than sorry, is the best plan."

Once she took the paper, he slipped his hands back into his pockets, resting his weight on his left leg.

"That said, I intend to be your escort about the city, especially since this Shade development. Now, I don't need to walk beside you, or even in your entourage, if you choose to travel with one. How close I am is entirely up to you. However, be sure that I don't plan on being more than ten yards behind you at a maximum." He flashed her a full smile, making it clear that his next words were meant as nothing more than playful banter. "Now, do you understand what I'm saying?"

Torri always enjoyed Sam’s company. He was a trifle bit smaller than she and her brother were but, as he proved, he still had it in him to deliver his own form of hurt if need be. And he may be slowing down in some things but as Torri just saw, he still had speed and strength in him that would fool anyone who tried to take him for a weakling.

As the shades were lowered and the door locked, Torri knew whatever the little man had to say was for their ears alone. Hearing what he said about the information he had on the Peo’s, Torri was anxious already to get up the stairs and read what Sam had collected.

Everyone took Sam for granted. They thought just because he was small he couldn’t be of any use. But Sam was a collector of things and one of them was information. And he did it in such a way no one suspected anything other than he was just trying to make his business flourish.

Taking the key and tucking it into her pocket, she smiled and nodded to the little man. A true smile.

”Thanks, Sam. We’ll be sure to let you know if we need anything at all. I guess right now we’ll get settled in our rooms and start shifting through the information to see if there’s anything we can find. Oh…and got any pub nearby you’d be suggesting? We’ll need a break from work long enough to eat and grab a drink or two. And give Sionn the chance to flirt with the local fair.”

Sam snorted and thumbed over his shoulder.

“Yeah. There’s a place down the street here I’d recommend for you two. It’s got that old world feel to it you two like so much. It’s called the Boondock Saint. Not exactly Scottish but close enough you’d fit right in. And mind yourselves after dark. You know what they say about things around here when the sun goes down.”

Torri nodded then glanced at Sionn. Picking up her bag, she ascended the stairs. When the door closed, Torri set her bag down on her bed and opened it. The first thing she did was pull out the pieces and start putting her beloved weapon back together. In a matter of a minute she had the thing reassembled and pulling the strong back to test its strength. With a couple of adjustments on the compound dial, she tested the string once more and liked the way it felt.

Laying the bow across the bed, she got down on her hands and knees and pulled the bedspread up. Giving a hushed ‘yes’, she reached further under the bed and pulled out a full quiver of arrows. Standing back up, she laid the quiver down next to her bow and pulled out one of the bolts examining it. The black shaft was dull and had no shine to it what so ever. The broad tip was razor sharp and the light weight of the arrow itself was amazing. She looked over at Sionn and grinned slightly.

”One thing I have to give New Orleans…..the hunters here know how to melt my heart. Ever see such a beautiful thing?”

Setting the bolt back in the quiver with all the others, she looked over at Sionn as he checked out his hammers.

”You wanna go check out the information Sam’s gathered?”

Priya listened to Jericho as he spoke. His words were indeed enunciated as she would expect anyone of Lilliana’s heritage to be. And while Jericho didn’t speak with an accent, she could imagine what it would be like if he did. Her dark eyes watched him check her room out and she couldn’t help but smile to herself knowing exactly what he was doing. He was discreet, yes, but he was well trained at the same time. Something she found comforting.

Taking the paper from him as he handed it to her, she glanced at the number for a moment then opened the palm of her hand and whispered a soft word. The paper erupted into flame and in a moments time was nothing but ash. Walking over to the trash can, Priya turned her hand over and dumped the ashes into the can, brushing her hand off. By the time she turned to look at Jericho once more he was giving her that charming smile and asking if she understood. Another smile erupted from her and she nodded.

”Completely. There will be no entourage, though. How can I blend in and be a part of this city if I leave here with a flurry of people hovering over me like bees protecting the hive? No, Mr. Lake. I intend to be as discreet as possible.”

She walked over to stand directly in front of Jericho as she looked up at him letting her dark gaze settle on his gray one.

”And I intend to go alone.”

She turned and walked back to place a suitable distance between her and Jericho as she rummaged through some papers on the table and pulled out a piece of paper. Walking back over to Jericho, she handed him the paper then walked back over across the room.

”By that I mean without family. I will not place you in the middle of anything but how much of a good time do you think I can have with Rajish? Do not get me wrong. I love my brother dearly but he is…well…suffocating. As you have seen for yourself. While I know he and the rest of my brothers mean well, I cannot learn anything being sheltered like this the rest of my life. My future husband, whoever that will be, won’t have the chance to get close to me to propose at this rate.”

Her smile faded slightly as she spoke of how protected she has been and the thought of her future husband trying to get to her through her brothers actually brought a scowl to her face. Priya snapped out of her thoughts and looked back at Jericho with a smile again.

”As you can see by my agenda, my days are pretty much full with the UN, but the evening and nights are free. I promise I will not keep you out late. That would be rude. Especially knowing we both had to rise early in order to make it to the UN on time. And do not worry about Rajish. I will make sure he does not give you a hard time.”

Taking a deep breath, she smiled even more as her eyes seemed to twinkle with excitement.

”Is there anything else you need to add or know? I am an open book to you, Mr. Lake. And I thank you in advance for your offer of escort. I promise not to be any trouble to you.”

Taeryn sighed and tossed his cell phone onto the desk beside his mouse. It never failed that Jericho found himself in some kind of trouble, now did it? Now they had a Shade to deal with, and as his cousin mentioned, where there was one, there tended to be others. Taeryn leaned back in his chair and took a deep drag of his cigarette, exhaling the smoke in another sigh with his eyes closed. He adjusted his glasses and set that cigarette in the corner of his mouth before pushing up out of the chair and heading out of his dimly lit office.

He knew that Lilliana needed to hear this. There wasn't any question about that. She wouldn't be thrilled, that was for sure, but, hopefully, she'd be more upset with Jericho than anything else. Damn fool always found himself in some kind of scrape. Taeryn walked briskly down the hall toward his Grandmother's office. He could smell the incense burning in there, sandalwood and vanilla, and cracked the door open slowly. He peeked his head in and spotted Lilliana seated in her high backed chair, eyes closed, in a state of meditation. Taeryn walked in quietly and shut the door after himself.

"...Nain?" Taeryn, unlike Jericho, kept the accent, and often spoke in Welsh with Lilliana. "I come bearin' some bad news fer ya."



Lilliana didn't open her eyes, but a small smile curled across her lips.

"Aye, I suspect y'do, Wyr... But, haven't I told y'tae stop smoking those bloody death sticks plenty o'times?" Those eyes slowly opened, revealing eyes as blue as the deepest spot in the ocean, clear and sharp. "Seems t'me tha' losing one of my beloved grandsons, without so much as a fight, would be quite th'bad news indeed, hmm?"

Taeryn immediately yanked the smoldering stick from between his lips and glanced around for someplace to dispose of it. From behind her desk, Lilliana offered a slight sound of disgust and held a small aluminum waste basket out to Taeryn. With a sheepish smile, he dropped the butt in the can and linked his hands at his back.

"I'm sorry, Nain... Everyone deals with th'stress o'life differently, nae?"

"Wyr..." Lilliana stared at her grandson with a less than impressed expression. "If'n y'find yerself stressed, why not try drinking, like the rest of us, hm? It kills ye slower." Lilliana dropped the pail to the side of the desk again and settled back into her chair once more. "Now, tell me, wha' bad news d'ya bring?" She motioned to the chair in front of her desk.

"I got a call from Jericho..." Taeryn began, slowly sitting down in the chair. He saw the instant look of exasperation in his grandmother's eyes, but, pressed on. Jericho and he had a bit of a talent for wearing her nerves thin, it was nothing new. "He tol' me that he spotted a Shade at th'hotel tha' y'sent him to."

Lilliana immediately straightened, leaning over the desk and leveling her gaze onto Taeryn. "Was there bloodshed?"

"Accordin' t'Jericho, no." Taeryn held up a hand to calm her before she got too riled up. "He just wanted me to come around and get the word out t'be on guard."

"Aye..." Lilliana settled back into her chair, looking preoccupied. "Why don't y'head back t'yer office and work on making sure all of our security measures are in place here and let me take care of the contacting, hm?"

Taeryn nodded and rose from his seat, gently placing his hand over one of Lilliana's. "I'm sure all will be well, Nain... Jericho has tha' hotel covered, like y'asked."

Lilliana nodded and Taeryn calmly exited the room. "Aye, I hope so, Taeryn... I hope so..." Sighing, she opened the desk drawer to her left and produced a rolodex, which she placed next to her phone, preparing to sound the bell to her allies to be aware.

Jericho was prepared to begin arguing with Priya when she stated she'd be going alone so strongly, however, he found that he didn't have to as she explained herself. He chuckled softly, glancing to the closed door of the room, outside of which he was relatively certain Rajish was going pretty damn well nuts. He returned his eyes to Priya and offered a brief nod.

"I do see what you mean... Somehow I don't think going to the top of the Empire State Building will be quite as interesting to him as it would be to you, hm?" He chuckled again, glancing down at the paper that Priya gave him.

It was her itinerary for her stay, and she was pretty correct about it being jam-packed. Honestly, that was almost a blessing in disguise, limiting the downtime for the Arbiter and allowing Jericho to keep tabs on her rather effectively. He certainly intended on keeping his word about accompanying her around the city, but, her full schedule should make it a lot less complicated. At first glance, at least.

"Well, I think I have all I need for right now... I prefer to learn about my charges via first hand experiences, rather than words. People can say anything about themselves that they want, after all, I like to see for myself." He flashed her a bright grin and an -almost- reflexive wink, before laughing softly once more. "I'll be around the hotel for the rest of tonight, keeping tabs on things... I suggest you get settled and perhaps have some rest, however, if you do wish to leave the hotel, feel free to call me, and I'll be moments away."

With a nod, Jericho offered a slight bow and stepped over to the door. He halted, his hand on the door handle, and glanced back to Priya with one of those roguish smirks.

"Oh, by the way, thank you for the offer to keep Rajish off of my back, but... I'm a big boy, I can take care of myself." He opened the door a crack, then continued. "Oh, and, as far as a potential husband goes... I'd think that someone who has the... excuse my vulgarity, balls, to approach you amongst your army of brothers might be someone you should keep in mind, hm? A pleasure meeting you, milady, I look forward to making your stay a good one. You know how to find me if you need."

With that, Jericho slipped out of the door and back into the hallway. He smirked a bit to himself, before heading for the elevator.

Gaining the proper permits for Beau and Eryn had been difficult, but with her mother's help Aurora had gotten it done and was now in New Orleans with her Golden Eagle and her timber wolf by her side. Well....Eryn, the eagle, was perched on her arm. They made quite the sight as they made their way to their hotel room and it was all she could do to hide her smile at the stares from the people. She'd had to assure the receptionist that both animals were harmless unless someone threatened her and had to pay extra for having them in the room with her. Once they were in their room and settled in, Eryn on the folding perch that Aurora had in her suitcase and Beau laying on his favorite blanket, she went to look out the window at the bustling city down below. She missed her mountains and fresh air. The peace and quiet that only nature could bring you. But, she was here to find the bow of her ancestor, Hiawatha and return it to her mother for safe keeping before the factions of evil found it and used it for their own gain. The bow by itself was harmless....but when you notched a true hand-made arrow of the Mohican tribe it became a powerful weapon, the arrows flying at speeds the defied logic and always hitting whatever the archer was aiming for, as if the bow knew where the archer was wanting to hit.

But, where Aurora was smart in the ways of nature and mountain living, she was very naive to the ways of a bustling city. But, she was also adventurous and out-going, looking at this as an adventure. She had her two best friends with her and smiled at the two animals as she unpacked her few belongings. Her mother had made sure that she had plenty of money on her card as well as speaking to Beau and Eryn to watch over her daughter with the adventurous outlook.

After she showered and changed into a pair of dark blue jeans, a dark purple t-shirt and black boots. She brushed out her waist length black hair until it shimmered and pinned back the sides with a Mohican barrette. She put the collar and leash on Beau which he promptly growled at, but allowed. "I know, Beau...I don't like putting this on you either, but we are not in the mountains anymore. In order for you to go out with me, you have to wear it." Beau gave her a lick on her cheek, nodding his head to her as Eryn screeched at her. "I will give you your time to stretch your wings later, Eryn. Just be patient."

She smiled to her beloved bird as her and Beau walked out into the hallway to go explore this grand city and begin their search.

As Jericho walked out the door he heard Priya's voice behind him.

"Brass ones at that, Mr. Lake. See you in the morning."

No sooner had Jericho entered the hallway than Rajish appeared from seemingly no where.

"I hope my sister hasn't planned some elaborate scheme with you. She can be quite convincing at times when she wants things her way. Some women are head strong and then there is Priya."

He gave the American as hard a look as he was receiving.

"I have been charged with her well being in more ways than one. You will refrain from meeting with her behind closed doors without another responsible person in the room. I do not wish for my sister to give the wrong impression. She is far too rusting of others and with this being her first trip abroad, I want to make sure she makes it back home in the same condition she left it in."

He glanced towards the elevator then back to Jericho.

"Now if you will excuse me, I need to speak to Priya about her actions while she is away from home and I believe you have to make sure the security is in place.

Jericho found himself unable to stifle a laugh as he heard Priya's voice behind him. The door clicked closed and he continued on down the hall, shaking his head in good humor. She was a tough one, that Arbiter. That was a good thing, especially if the fact that a Shade was around wasn't just an odd coincidence.

Then, boom, there was Rajish. Jericho's steps halted as Priya's brother appeared in front of him and he tilted his head slightly to the left, allowing the man to say his peace. He could respect the attempt to be protective of his sister, really, he could, but, in the end, Jericho had a job to do, and well, families could tend to get a bit.. emotional at times. After the man finished speaking, Jericho offered a brief nod, then responded in an even, calm tone.

"First of all, allow me to put your mind at ease. Nothing inappropriate occurred. I'm here to do a job, not to try and seduce anyone. If you've heard anything of me, I would hope that the simple fact that I take my assignments very seriously was one of, if not the first things you heard."

Jericho linked his hands behind him again, standing straight, shoulders broad and held high,

"Secondly, you're very correct in calling your sister headstrong. It's a trait that I find very admirable, especially in women. That said, I'm here to ensure her safety, and, had she attempted to push any agenda that would put that safety in jeopardy, I'd have immediately made my case for why that would be impossible. However, that didn't occur. Your sister knows what needs to be done and understands the need for a bit of that said insurance."

Almost imperceptibly, Jericho leaned slightly forward, making himself seem even taller than his 6'3" frame normally allowed. He also lowered his voice a bit, forcing Rajish to listen a bit more closely.

"Lastly, a small point of advice. Take it for what you will, but, it's been my experience that people, and especially women, don't take kindly to being caged. Though you may see it as a brotherly duty to be protective, like the rest of your family, perhaps you should take a moment to see what it is that she wants. In the extremely short time I've known her, I sense that your sister is far more capable than you give her credit for. Being in a profession where reading people means the difference between life and death, I like to think that my instincts hold some weight."

With that, Jericho offered a nod and stepped past Rajish, briskly continuing toward the elevator. Before he reached it, however, he turned to face Rajish again.

"Ah... One more thing. Rest assured that I know how to perform my duties, Rajish. This place will be secure, even if my own blood is shed to make that certain. I only hope that the same can be said for you and your family with keeping this floor safe. As I said, there may be something afoot, and the only way that we can all be sure things are covered is to work together. Despite what you may believe, we're not enemies here."

Jericho then stepped backward into the elevator, leaving those appraising gray eyes set onto Rajish until the doors closed in front of him.

Aurora and Beau waited for the elevator to open at their floor, Beau rumbling deep in his chest over the collar and leash around his neck. "C'mon, Beau...you know that it's the only way you can be with me. Or would you rather I leave you in the hotel room with Eryn?" That got her another growl at which she smiled at him.

When the doors opened, she saw a man already in the compartment and smiled at him, her dark eyes dancing with life. Beau looked up at the and bared his teeth slightly, putting himself in between Aurora and the man. Aurora shook her head and smiled at the man again, "Forgive him...he's a bit protective." Although, this man made her uneasy so she instantly went on guard while looking as if she were relaxed.

Beneath her knee-length jacket she hid a 6 inch knife with a hilt made from an elk antler and engraved with Mohican tribal markings. She also had knives hidden in her boots and in a pocket hidden within her knee-length jacket was a fold-up bow with arrows that folded within themselves. Just a touch of a button on the bow and it would unfold, but only to her thumb print, the same with the arrows. They were a gift from her mother and had been made for her when she was Aurora's age.

Surrounding Aurora was the aura of innocence and yet one could sense the wildness about her....as if they were staring at a wild creature who was trained yet not tamed. Once the elevator stopped, she exited with Beau and stepped out of the hotel. The building was nothing fancy, but it was comfortable.

As she stepped out into the street, she looked around her and grinned. Even though she preferred the open mountains to a city, she was still glad to be here even if it was to find her ancestor's bow to make sure that it didn't find it's way into the wrong hands. Her mother had spoken of druidic brothers she needed to watch out for, but gave her little information since then.

She turned the corner and headed for Bourban street, Beau walking next to her, his golden eyes ever watchful.

As the sun dipped further into the horizon, the city streets in New York began to take on the neon nightlife. The streets didn’t seem to become less crowded as the sun set once and for all. In fact, it was just a different type of people that moved about the large sidewalks. One in particular moved about the streets with a graceful, fluid motion that made it seem as if they were more predatory than others.

The petite form was covered in black from head to toe. Black hair was pulled back tight and braided in a single plait that hung heavily between the shoulder blades. Eyes almost as black as their hair looked around waiting for something. Anything to jump out. A black, long sleeved shirt tucked into black jeans and black, soft boots made the figure almost obscure in the darkness of the shadows. The only thing that made it possible to see them was the ivory colored skin of the face.

Eiji went back to her room in the hotel she was staying at to rest up and make a report of what she discovered earlier in the day. But now, now the sun had gone down, the normal crowded streets gave way to a different type of crowd and Eiji looked no different than the others she was surrounded by.

As she grew closer to the hotel she’d encountered Jericho in earlier in the day, Eiji slowed her pace and moved to the less traveled sidewalks. In fact, she used back ally’s more than any true sidewalk now. Once she was a black away from the hotel, she moved even slower and tended to stay in nothing but the shadows as she moved now. Looking like a feline on the prowl, her petite form eased through the darkness.

Keeping to the shadows, Eiji observed the hotel closely. Her eyes would move to one area or another as she watched. Patience was something she practiced on a daily basis so she would wait here for as long as she had to in order to get what she was looking for.

It never ceased to amaze her that no matter how much people tried to chase away shadows, they ended up crating so much more. Of course this was only an advantage for Eiji and she was one to take it for all she could get from it. Getting herself comfortable, she sat and waited. Eventually she’d see what she came for and when she did, she’d have confirmation.

Seconds ticked to minutes. Minutes ticked to hours and still Eiji remained vigilant. The streets began to quiet as the hour grew later and later. From time to time she noticed something that caught her eye and it wasn’t so much as the person but what she saw them doing. Or to be more precise, weren’t doing. A figure would appear from the door or from the shadows and look around. It wasn’t the sort of curious looking around either. It was the sort of looking one did when they were looking for something in particular. Something……threatening. Again the slightest of smiles eased over her features as she knew what, or more precisely who, they were looking for. Ah, she thought, planting the seed of paranoia could be entertaining at times.

As Eiji stayed in her secluded spot, she knew it would take a while for the signal to come. Finally, it was the very early hours of the next day when she saw what she was waiting for. On the eleventh floor of the hotel the curtains of a room that faced the street she had access to moved. The process was repeated several times in what appeared to be a strange pattern until the information she needed was relayed down to her. Even from this distance the message was received loud and clear.

Moving silently from the vantage point she had been in all night, Eiji moved closer to the rear of the hotel. Being extra cautious for she knew there were other Sentinels in the area, she crept up to the underground entrance where the guests cars were parked. With several more checks she slithered into the garage and used the parked cars as shields and hiding areas. One time she had to quickly slide under a car and slide out the other side as a routine check was performed. Her senses heightened now, she kept moving forward on silent feet until she reached the refuse container holding area.

Moving around the large containers, she seemed to be looking for one in particular. When she found the one, she was looking for, she climbed on top and carefully slid in behind it and glanced around before feeling for something. When she felt it, she pulled it free from beneath the container and slowly opened the manila envelope. Inside were several pieces of paper and she glanced them over quickly before sliding the papers back in the envelope and sliding the envelope, she folded the envelope in half length ways then slid the envelope into her left boot.

Standing back up she glanced around to make sure the coast was clear before slithering out from behind the containers. Moving like a church mouse to the protection of the parked cars, she began making her way back out of the garage. Now all she had to do was make it out of the garage and she would be able to breathe a sigh of relief.

Sionn chuckled at his sister’s enthusiasm over her arrows. If nothing else, it was good to see a bit of a spark come back into her green eyes. As she asked about looking to see what Sam had gathered, he nodded.

“Aye. Let’s take a look see at what the little guy has collected and maybe we can start to put it in some kind of order. I’m not exactly hungry right now but I imagine in a little while I’ll be quite ready for a break.”

Torri followed Sionn to the door Sam had indicated and when she tried the key, it opened. Stepping into the room her eyes glanced around at the amount of stuff Sam had been able to collect. It was quite extensive and when she heard her brother whistle as he stepped into the room and saw what had been collected, they knew they had their work cut out for them. Torri sighed.

”Well. He might not be much of an organizer but he does have quite the extensive collection here.”

Sionn blinked and looked over at his sister nodding.

“That’s an understatement. Well….guess we best get started.”

The best way Torri thought to organize the stuff was to put it in some kind of chronological order. It wasn’t exactly easy and the going was painfully slow. Sam had the right thing in mind when he started collecting but unfortunately, he had just set it in the room in any old way he could find to put it.

After a few hours, Torri and Sionn’s backs, legs and arms were aching and they both decided ti was time for them to take a break. Slipping out of the room, Torri locked the door, put the key on a thin chain around her neck and tucked the chain into her shirt. With the key secure, they walked back downstairs and found Sam sitting in front of his television, eating. Torri chuckled as she saw the dribbles of food staining his shirt.

”Sionn and I are getting ready to go get a bite to eat. Should we pick a bib up for ya while we’re at it?”

Sam cut his eyes at her and snorted.

“Ha ha, very funny. By the time you get back, there won’t be anything left for me to need a bib for. Besides, what do I need a bib for when my shirt works just as good?”

Sionn laughed.

“Bibs are cheaper?”

Sam said something under his breath about smart ass Scottish people then wiped his mouth.

“Just be careful out there. French Quarter after dark ain’t for wimps. Not that you two are but hey…..I’ve seen some serious shit that will curl your nose hairs out there.”

Torri chuckled again.

”We’ll keep that in mind. See ya in a little while.”

As Sionn and Torri walked down the street they noticed that even the feel of the place had changed. Where before, when the sun was up, there was a feel of security about the area but when they walked out in the street lamps and darkened ally ways, it was almost like you could actually FEEL the danger that lurked just beyond the reach of the street lamps.

Torri looked over at Sionn and kept her voice low for his ears alone as she looked all around the direction they were walking in.

”Well, guess we know why the French Quarter has such a reputation. If Sam’s seen things that make him shudder, it’s prime Druid land for certain.”

Sionn nodded ever so slightly.

“Aye. That it is, T. That it is.”

About 20 minutes after they left Sam’s they stood in front of the Boondock Saint. AS they walked in, the dim lights couldn’t hide their red hair and green eyes and as everyone inside turned to look at them, Torri suddenly felt like she was being singled out again. Thankfully, though, in a matter of a few seconds everyone returned to what they were doing paying no more attention to the newcomers.

Making their way to a booth to the left, a waitress immediately was there to greet them.

“Well now, what can I get for ya?”

Sionn put on his most charming smile.

“You wouldn’t happen to have any McEwan’s would ya?”

The waitress unable to resist the accent and smile she had been given nodded.

“Ya’ve come to the right place, lad. We may have Irish roots but we don’t forget out neighbors.”

Torri cleared her throat softly and the waitress looked over at her.

“Can I get you something lass?”

Torri gave her a deadpan look.

”Water. No lemon.”

The waitress nodded.

“Coming roght up.”

She looked back at Sionn and smiled again before she turned on her heels and left the siblings alone again. Sionn was smiling from ear to ear as he watched the watress walk away. When he could no longer see her he looked over at Torri who was sitting back in the booth with her hands crossed in front of her.

“I can’t help myself, T”

Torri rolled her eyes.

”Tell me something I don’t know. Just mind yourself. We don’t need to piss off the Irish in here. We’d be in a world of hurt if that happened. Not to mention we’d have the wrath of Sam coming down on us.”

Sionn gave his sister that charismatic smile he used on all females.

“I promise to be a good boy.”

Again Torri rolled her eyes but she couldn’t help laughing softly either.

After his little run in with Rajish upstairs, Jericho made his way back down to the lobby. In about another hour, he had managed to brief the other security in the Hotel about what, and who, they should be wary of. Patrolling the outer grounds on foot, Jericho allowed himself a moment to reflect on what had occurred.

The woman was good. Typically, allowing yourself to be trapped in a narrow hallway with a Sentinel trying to detain you was a disaster. Escaping relatively unscathed when the Sentinel in question was one Jericho Lake was almost an impossibility, yet, there you had it. This was going to be one Shade that Jericho would keep tabs on. He couldn't, however, allow himself to get too distracted with that Asian woman, he had someone to guard. He glanced upward to the floor that Priya was staying on briefly, before heading back to the front of the Hotel.



Naturally, when he reached said front, there was an issue. There was a group of security guards huddled around one man. Hurrying toward the mass, Jericho then caught wind of what was being said, smiled and slowed his pace.

"What d'ya mean I can't smoke in the bloody Hotel? Th'rooms up there 'ave ashtrays, I assume, aye?"

One of the security guards (foolishly) answered in the affirmative, and Taeryn continued his rant.

"So, if there happen t'be ashtrays in the rooms, doesn't it stan' t'reason tha' y'people EXPECT there t'be smokin' in the Hotel, regardless o'the bloody place?"

Jericho slipped through the mob and clapped his cousin on the shoulder, a playful smile on his lips.

"Taeryn, don't you have anything better to do besides harassing the security detail about smoking?"

"Ah, Jericho... Y'see it's really jus' th'principle o' th'thing... Once y'let go of yer lib-"

Cutting him off, Jericho snatched the cigarette that jutted from Taeryn's lips and showed it to him before tossing it into the gutter.

"You know, Grandmother would be pretty pissed at you. She says these things are going to kill you."

Taeryn offered up a look of mock surprise, eyes wide and gasping.

"Oh, aye? Would she now?" He reached out and tapped the side of Jericho's shirt, beneath which was the Sentinel's dagger. "I'm of th'mind that what y'got there might kill ye just as fast!"

Shaking his head, Jericho grabbed the sorcerer by the bicep and ushered him away from the front of the hotel, back down the path he'd just come from. Taeryn shook his arm free after a few strides and shoved his hand into his pocket, producing his pack of cigarettes. Jericho let it go as Taeryn placed another white cylinder between his lips, lit it, and took a deep drag. Once they were out of earshot, Jericho spoke.

"I thought you were going to start spreading the word? About the Shade?"

"Aye, an' I did jus' that. I tol' Grandmother."

"How did she react? Did she seem concerned?"

"She didn't go rushin' around an' callin' fer all hands on deck, but, she certainly didn't seem indifferent t'the subject."

"And after Grandmother?"

"She tol' me t' go back to my little playroom and make sure the security protocols were in place. So, I took five minutes t'do that, and came 'ere."

Jericho stopped, turning to his cousin and furrowing his brow. It was unusual for his Grandmother to worry about the security, she typically took it for granted that Taeryn had it well under control and didn't question it. Taeryn took another drag of his cigarette and frowned.

"Y'know... it's when y'get looks like tha' on yer face when I tend t'see more work in my future..."

"Can you send your little net of information out there and find out if anything out of the ordinary has been going on with the other Houses?"

Taeryn paused.

"So... wha' yer sayin'... Y'want me to search... the entire universe o'Houses... fer strange happenin's? Oh, aye, tha' should be a piece o' bloody cake!"

Jericho shoved his cousin's shoulder.

"Stop with the dramatics, will you?" Shaking his head, he glanced up to the moon, then back to Taeryn. "Even you have to admit that Grandmother's reaction was strange, not to mention the appearance of a Shade that decided to pulverize my arm with a fire extinguisher."

Taeryn arched a brow, smirking.

"...She beat ye with a fire extinguisher....?"

"I don't want to talk about it."

Taeryn's smirk immediately morphed into a hearty belly laugh and he clapped Jericho on the shoulder.

"Aye, I knew I came 'ere for a reason... Y'give me the very best in stories, cousin."

"Yeah, yeah... Can you pull yourself out of your own ass long enough to make a few calls and knock on a few doors, Tae?"

Taeryn, still laughing, nodded, then took a drag of his cigarette.

"Aye, I'll do some legwork for ye. See if any other fire extinguisher wieldin' Asian babes are runnin' amok anywhere we might wanna know."

With that, Taeryn turned and headed back down the street. Jericho watched him go, used to the abrupt ending to their conversation. He'd grown up with Tae and knew that social graces weren't always in his repertoire, especially when family was concerned. After Taeryn made it a few yards, Jericho called after him.

"Don't take your sweet time with this, Tae! Keep your internet searches PG!"

Taeryn waved without turning, then flipped Jericho the finger. Chuckling, Jericho headed back toward the front of the Hotel.

Eiji made her way through the darkened streets of New York feeling rather satisfied. The information that had been promised had been delivered. Now it was just a matter of finishing the leg work and reconnaissance. And with this information, it wouldn’t be difficult at all now. The only snag may be the fact the Sentinel had seen her face. Her one advantage, though, may be the fact she was of an ethnicity where others thought “they all looked alike”.

Once she reached where she was staying, Eiji made her way through the massive maze of alley ways and corridors until she climbed a set of narrow steps that took her to the third floor of a building located someplace deep in the heart of Chinatown. Moving silently through the hallway, she reached her room and made a quick check. Opening the door, she stepped inside and moved through the room without turning a light on.

Finally a small light on a desk clicked on and it found Eiji standing at a desk and pulling her foot up to rest on the chair so she could remove the envelope she’d secured. Sitting down at the desk, she opened the envelope once more and began reading the information. When she checked the document at the hotel, she glanced over it to make sure it was what she was looking for. But now, she was going to read it in detail and absorb the information like a sponge.

The papers were a copy of the Arbiter’s itinerary as well as information about her entourage and last but not least, the Sentinels that had were responsible for security and a photo of their faces. Some of the photos were grainy as they had been snapped quickly with the camera on a phone, but she could make out the features well enough to know the faces when she saw them again.

What she was more interested in was the itinerary. With this information, Eiji could look for the weakness in the Sentinels she needed to report about. Jericho would be the toughest one to test but after what happened earlier, she would be able to capitalize on key areas of his physical form to give her an advantage. Of course he would be ready for her after today so she would have to change things up just a bit to keep him guessing.

With this information, Eiji felt as though she’d be able to rest easily. Tucking the papers back into the envelope and placing the envelope on the bottom side of a draw she pulled out from the desk, she closed the drawer and clicked the light off in her room. The games begin in a few hours. And Eiji would be ready for them.