The Wizard’s Daughter: Director’s Cut

A preponderance of clues, the riddle of a poem, the testimony of a ghost, threats vague and physically tangible, conspiracies real and imagined, it would seem “The History” of Collinsport has returned now with a vengeance. And as the members of Collins Investigations try to determine their next course of action, ponder the veracity of the Ghost of Natasha Snow, Nichole Collins and Ester Friedman seek to solve the mystery of the Poem left behind by Noah Mankowski, but, then again, just what is the significance of the poem? Faced now with an array of stratagems and menace from ever direction, the old Law Offices have begun to feel as if it is the last bastion, the last defense against an assault of arcane powers of madness and evil . . . but to what ends? This night Nichole will feel the touch of sorcery as well as the touch of a wizard she has long sought since she was a child.

As the aluminum skies of twilight, the sun having set, fallen now below the horizon, cast a grim silvery glow, Nikki drives along the winding, snowy road that leads from the Collinwood Estate, from her home at the Old House, toward Collinsport. Her thoughts are filled with the information she had happened upon, while reading Witchcraft in New England in the early morning hours just before she had placed it aside to rest the coming day away.

The Snows were once a very wealthy and prestigious North Shore family, who very much paralleled the Collins Family of Maine. Both had arrived from across the seas, from England, with the hopes and assurances of taking advantage of the New World and carving out of it not only a fortune but also the prestigiousness of an exemplary name. They, as well as the Collins, should have become far more influential in the colonies, should have become magistrates, mayors, governors, eventually, with the Revolution, as well as it’s aftermath, members of the founding group that directed the course of America from the New England shores, as well as statesmen thereafter. But alas, they both were fated to be touched by something in this new land of promise, this Avalon across the western sea, something that was very ancient, if not timeless, a force, a power, or remnant of some civilization that had once belonged to the land long before the coming of man.

In 1846 Jabez Snow traveled to a church on Federal Hill, where he became a member of the Church of Starry Wisdom, as well as rumored to have made formal alliances with the whispered about ancient Powers That Be which existed with Providence, Rhode Island.

Behind the plateglass windows of the old law offices of Matigan & Wiley, Esther Friedman can be seen sitting at her desk, head in hand, right arm propped upon the neatly cluttered desktop.

Esther continues her study of the translation of Noah Mankowksi’s poem, deep now in clueless thought. Each possibility only yet one more guess, each guess as good as another, seemingly every one yet one more dead-end. The Internet radio on her computer is playing a song that seems to her so apropos at the moment: “Season of the Witch.”

”When I look out my window.”

She reaches over, not looking, but knowing precisely where the sweating bottle of Heineken rests as she picks up the green bottle of beer and takes a drink.

Outside the office now, the black sports car downshifts as it circles the rotary and comes to a halt in Nicole’s usual spot. The remaining snow on the pavement appears dirty and grey, speckled with bits of mud and grease sprayed from the under carriage of passing cars. Large clumps lie off to the side where they have fallen from the fender wells.

Esther picks up a series of notes she has written and glances at the document.

The door of the Ferrari swings open and Nikki steps out, her black flats finding purchase on the spot of black ice as she eyes scan the black windows of the storefronts. Narrow as she looks at the edges of the rooftops.

A new habit.

Esther deep in thought barely notices the sound of the car.

Nikki closes the car door and makes her way toward the double front doors, opening the left one and steps into Collins Investigations

Esther looks up suddenly, “Oh Hey Nik.” Then she looks back down at the desk and the translation before her.

Nikki hears the haunting refrain of the song. ”It’s strange, I think it’s so strange right now. “

Esther scratches her head under her hat.

“Good Evening, Esther I see you are working on the puzzle.” Nikki says as she closes the door.

”You’ve got to pick up every stitch.”

“Yes.” Esther replies distractedly.

Nikki strides over to her desk, “Anything of interest?”

“Ya know, the doodle that came with the poem?” Esther looks up and hands Nikki the copy of the document that has a small island like doodle toward the lower left hand corner.

Nikki raises an eyebrow, “Doodle?” She takes the sheet and looks at it, “Oh, the Island map.”

”You’ve got to pick up every stitch.”

“Yeah. th’ only map part of the ‘map’. I had looked at all the maps of islands in New England.” Esther indicates maps, sheets of color copies from the printer, open geographical books, Rand McNally atlases, “Couln’ find nothin’. Until . . . “

And Esther now turns around a map she has printed, an old map she”s found somewhere via Google searches, the heading of the map entitles it “A Mapp of Innsmouthe.” Esther’s pen points to a small dot labeled “The Devil’s Reef.” She then takes a magnifying glass and hands it over to Nikki.

”It must be the season of a witch.”

“I know, I know, I know, hardly an Island at all I reckon, but . . . it matches.” Esther tells her, “Dunno if this is good or bad. I suspect it’s bad.”

Nikki stands looking at the map, and the using the lens looks at the so-called doodle.

Esther sits watching Nikki and takes another sip of beer.

”Must be the season of a witch.”

“Devil’s Reef? That’s Innsmouth and the North Atlantic.” Nikki says to herself.

Nikki takes the document and magnifying glass and has a seat, as she continues to study the documents.

“Crazy, I know, but it matches the map Noah drew?” Esther sets the bottle down and pulls out a cigarette.

“Innsmouth.” Nikki says reflecting upon the poem, the map.

Esther lights her cigarette and exhales a grey plume of smoke, “What do ya know ’bout this place Nik?”

“I know there was some trouble there in the 1920’s. The Government raided the town under the cover of The Volstead Act. Rumors are that it didn’t have anything whatsoever to with smuggling whiskey. Talk of things found near and around the reef, but the town has become mostly deserted these days I understand.”

Esther sighs, “Sounds just lovely.”

What do you think I see?

“So, if the island in really the reef, then what is the river?”

Esther leans forward, the cigarette between her fingers curling smoke as she points to the river on the map Nikki lowers, “Man-ucks-ett? somthin’ like that.”

“The Manuxet River?”

“Yeah, that sounds right.”

”It’s strange, I think it’s so strange right now. “

Outside the long black GTO convertible pulls to a halt beside Nikki’s car. Nikki hears the sound of the car door opening and closing, senses him approaching the door before it opens.

The Hammond organ accompanies him as he steps in and closes the door. He looks flustered and worn despite his obviously coiffured hair. He’s wearing odder garb than usual.

Esther looks up and removes the cigarette from her lips, “Oh Hey Rhy.”

”You’ve got to pick up every stitch right now.”

“Rhy!” Nikki says turning to see him enter, taking note he looks tired and distracted.

Rhyaad makes his way in rather demurely and sits in one of the padded chairs. “Hello Esther. I had to do a few things”.

“Nikki…. good to see you.”

”Must be the season of the witch.�

“’s fine. We all got S*** to do.” Esther nods.

“Is something wrong, Rhy.” Nikki asks leaning on the arm of her chair to look at him.

”Must be the season of a witch.”

“Well as Esther says, I had a lot of s**t to do. The business part of it at least is taken care of.” He leans forward toward Esther. “Got another of those?”

Esther looks at her cigarette and pulls out a pack, holding it out to the man.

“And by the way, were you expecting any animals crawling on the roof?” He asks as he takes a cigarette from the pack and asks for a light.

“Rhy, whatever is wrong? I can tell something is troubling you.” Nikki says putting the translation on the desk.

“Maybe I’m hearing things. I’m supposed to be daft, now y’know.”

Nikki’s expression turns very serious, “Animals on the roof?”

She listens and hears movement on the roof also.

“No, but if there is, it will soon find its way into the squirrel traps I put up there.” Esther says, “Why do ya ask?”

“My pointy ears twitch . . . “ He told her distractedly, “Now do you have a match or not?”

Esther pulls out her Zippo and leaning across the desk lights it for him.

“Yeah. Sounds like somethin’ spooked ya.” Esther says watching him light his cigarette

Meili for his own had been watching from above and had seen Rhyaad and Nikki already enter the building. He had noticed Nikki’s suspicion and merely decided to try and conceal himself until she went inside. He, too, had been trying to avoid the awareness of others. His choice had been instead to spy about from vantage points on the rooftops in the cityscape. With care, he landed on the roof of the agency from a neighboring building, and dusted off his coat and pants. A few more moments, and he was glancing down at the second story room’s window pane to make sense of the lock. It seemed little more than a standard key rig, which he could crack without much effort, and would give him quick and discrete access to the building. The male kneeled down to examine the window more closely, aware that he had made enough noise to likely alert the others within.

Rhyaad takes a few puffs off the cigarette, then a long draw, holding it in about a minute before letting it out, all the time frowning and grimacing. “Just as horrible as they used to be. Haven’t changed.” He says as he looks down at the smoking cigarette, “Now pipes . . . Now that was really smoking. But those vile sticks always remind me of Darien.”

Esther now hears something on the roof, “What animals where you thinkin’ of Rhy?”

Nikki, who had been listening every since Rhyaad had indicated he had heard something, she looks across at Esther, “That sound? I think that sound is of an animal of the legged persuasion.”

“You’re right, that sounds too heavy for an animal. That’s a man. Expecting any roof-visitors?” He crushes the cigarette out already. “Darien so loved those things.”

Esther silently puts out her cigarette. She rises from the desk, pushing her chair back slowly. She moves over to the fireplace and gets her father’s rifle.

“The last visitors we had upon on the roof tops were snipers.” Nikki says and moves quickly over to the front doors.

The song on the radio continues the long musical section, a portion of which sounds like some soundtrack to some 1970’s private eye flick. Maybe something with James Gardner.

“I’m wearing body armor.” Rhyaad explains and stands up. The ashtray on the desk before him curling the smoke of two smoldering cigarettes, “Best ye take cover, Esther.”

“And that is something we don’t want to happen again.” Esther says and checks to make certain the rifle is loaded.

Nikki slowly opens one of the front doors and very quickly steps out into the cold Maine Night.

“Yeah.” Esther says looking over at Rhyaad, “Cause I’m the squishy lil’ Human. Right?”

“Yeah, you are, though less squishy than most,” he told Esther. “Think it’s another idiot assassin?”

”You got to look out now.”

Nikki cautiously moves along the front of the storefront of Collins Investigations, peering up at the edge of the roof.

“Dunno.” She tells him, levering the shell into the chamber, “I’m gunna’ check th’ sunroof in th’ loft. There’s a ladder in there.”

“Nikki is a better hunter than I was when I was 300.” Rhyaad says in a low voice, almost a whisper, “He’ll get him. Or we’ll fill the roof with holes, one way or another.”

The blond quickly produces a small hairpin, and sets to swiftly unlatching the windowpane with a practiced hand. “…Well, this much hasn’t changed in two hundred years. Good to know,” He grins, and places the pin back into his pocket before shifting the latch up to open the pane. “Maybe it wouldn’t be that hard to stick to my old tricks these days, after all.” He snickers before lifting himself up and, with a small noise, slips in through the pane. The male left himself down slowly focusing a bit of his power so as to gently glide down into the room below.

On the snow banked sidewalk Nikki turns to look and see if anyone is watching.

Esther ascending the narrow stairs very quietly enters the loft room.

“Hey!” She exclaims.

A black Mercedes pulls through the rotary, headlights illuminating her, tires squishy in the melted slush.

The blond slowly rises to a full standing position as he brushes himself off again, only to be met by Esther entering the door, her rifle leveled at him. His eyes narrowed as she looks at her, and his palm rose to slam lightly at his face, “Good afternoon.”

Rhyaad follows Esther into the loft and stands in the threshold of the door glaring at Meili.

“And Rhyaad, too. Fancy meeting you both up here.” He sighs in irritation. So much for a quick and inconspicuous way in.

Nikki waits for the car to pass and turns scanning the rooftops and as she does so she suddenly feels herself step through a shimmering glimmer of a light, and feels suddenly a release, a release of self-control, self-awareness of her dual disposition and the surge of power from her vampiric nature. Rather than continuing to look about for some threat she reaches out and takes a firm grip on the mortar of the masonry and quickly mounts the wall and ascends it to the roof. In the darkness to which her eyes are more than accustomed she sees the clutter of old debris, she hears the slight sound of a Styrofoam cup, brown and aged, trapped in a corner, restlessly stirring back and forth by the wind. There are 2 x 4’s lying scattered across the roof for no good reason. A couple of beer cans apparently left behind by some workman from some long forgotten repair. There is the hum of the thermostat of the HAVC unit. Two bats suddenly take flight. She steps across the roof; her black flats soundless, moving as if she were a predatory animal about to strike. She detects the scent of a man, his hair, the slight scent of his sweat.

“Rhy you tend to know a lot of people that like to j’st drop in unexpectedly,” Esther says holding the rifle steady on the blond man.

“What kind of fool stunt was that, Meili? Do you know how many people are trying to kill us?” Rhyaad demands.

Nikki approaches the sunroof . . . sees light from below. Her nocturnal vision easily noting that it has been tampered with, sprung open. She hears the voices inside the room.

“Yes. Well, no, but I realize it’s quite a high number lately. Which is why I was tryingto keep a low profile.” Meili replies.

Rhyaad unhappily frowns, “If I was in my right mind I’d have blasted you to a smoking cinder by now. Don’t EVER sneak up on us again.”

“Just keep yer profile somewhere else,” Esther tells him, “I should start puttin’ bear traps up there and cameras in here.”

“You could try, certainly, success would not be much a promise.” Meili tells her a bit too sarcastically for someone who has just dropped in out of nowhere and had a gun trained on him, Esther thinks to herself, “Threats aside, it was the quickest way in from the rooftops.”

Rhyaad sighs, “We have cultists and assassins and ancient god avatars and even peeping toms from Massachusetts coming after us. We don’t need any extra surprises.”

The sunroof suddenly opens, and Esther quickly adjusts her gun to aim upward before seeing that it is Nik standing there above. Effortlessly Nikki falls from the sunroof to stand now glaring at the intruder “Just who the bloody hell do you think you are?” She demands, her voice very, very cold.

“Just another friend of Rhy’s, of course.” Esther says.

“Meili?” Nikki asks, not at all happy as she looks at the blond man before her, the open sunroof above exposing the breach of room in which Sam sleeps, the storage room above the main office where Esther works, and with her music turned on would she have even heard him until it was too late, she sees just how vulnerable they have been . . . and it only fuels her anger.

“Who unfortunately is still acting his age.” Rhyaad nods.

“I already told you, I realize that.” Meili shrugs, then walks as if he is about to pass the two of them without much concern. “If it only takes this much to put you all on your toes, god help you if it actually is a threat.” He scoffs and flicks his hair.

“Why does this happen? Every time I say I’m going to be nice and cordial and understanding for a change, somebody comes and pulls a fool stunt.” Rhyaad shakes his head in disbelief.

Esther steps forward and bar’s the man from moving past her with the barrel of her rifle.

“I need to get past you. That gun isn’t helping.” He tells her.

“And you know who’s after us, Meili. Practice breaking into somebody elses’ place, please.” Rhyaad tells him and looks over to see Nikki’s eyes. They are no longer blue – and her fangs are visible.

“Meili my understanding is that you were contracting to work with us — if you have some concern about our security, you could mention it rather than some stunt, which may call attention to this. Point of exposure. Why not use the front door?” She snaps at him visibly angry.

Esther steps aside, keeping the rifle trained on him. She had been suspicious of him since the night he showed up, the night of The Nth. The man talks to himself, as crazy as Sam Brook . . . “Don’t move too suddenly.”

“Simple. Two targets have already entered this building from the front; if I can get in quietly from above, they won’t see me . . . I’d hope, at least. Besides . . . I was already up there.”

“Targets?” Esther says not at all certain she likes the sound of that word, “What are you, an assassin now?”

Nikki’s eyes narrow and she takes a menacing step forward, “What did you say? Did I hear you say targets?”

Rhyaad frowns seeing that the situation is going to get worse. He is more than aware Nikki is rather upset. “Oh, Esther, he’s not dangerous to you. Just being a fool with an ego the size of a blimp. And we are not ‘targets’, Meili. Unless you saw anyone else.”

“No. I’m not.” He groans and reaches up to rub his forehead. He was starting to get a headache from all the nonsense that had greeted a simple, strategic decision. “I saw no one on the rooftops; I’ve been wandering about most of the day watching people.”

“Then dropping in on your friends like a thief or assassin, your friends who already have assassins and worse after them. Your behavior was childish.” Rhyaad tells him.

“I am a thief.” Meili rolls his eyes. “You both are targets. That was my point, not that I’m hunting you now. If I were, I wouldn’t be talking to you right now.”

Nikki’s eyes narrow, her lips pull back tight and for a moment she wants to go for his throat, and she holds up a hand rather that teaching for him. Wouldn’t be talking to you now. He is very lucky she is talking to him at all, rather than strangling him for his tone, his sarcastic manner . . .. She suddenly turns, aware of how much she really wants a taste of his blood and walks past Esther and Rhyaad heading for the door. She needs to get away —

“So you admit to being a thief.” Esther asks, “You admit that you would steal from us. From detectives. You go out the way you came, and don’t come in the same way again.”

Nikki steps out the door and rather than walk down the landing to descend the stairs, she instinctively grabs the balcony railing and vaults over it to land very feline on the main office room floor.

The song changes on the Internet radio . . .

”Well, whoaaa ohhhh.. wellll . . . now . . . Relax, don’t do it. . .”

“I’m the one who’s supposed to be crazy, and yet you still spout all this bullshit. Why? Is your head too big to admit when you’re dead wrong?” Rhayad asks, aware that something is definitely wrong with Nikki.

“I don’t steal from people I work for, that’s unprofessional. And against the rules.”

Nikki stands looking at the blood stains on the floor of the office, she arches her shoulders and rolls her head from side to side, feeling her vampiric powers flexing to be free . . her anger rising as she looks at the blood. Targets! Too long she has allowed herself to be dissuaded, held back by the frail human host who seems to endlessly deprive her of her power, wants to keep her ever at bay, weak, helpless, so helpless she did not hear the click of the snipers rifle before the shot, notice the man in the shadows before he stepped out to shoot at them on the streets of Collinsport, detecting whomever was listening in the cemetery the other night, and now, allowing someone to slip into her offices. She clenches her fists.

”When you want”

Esther looks at the blond man with his too wry smile, “Honor among thieves eh? Well we are not thieves, and I suggest you leave before I give you a reason to.”

”don’t do it”

“How am I wrong? I would think stealth and dexterity would be appreciated from a comrade. I just chose to- would you cut the threats out, miss? I’m trying to be civil.”

Esther relies by beginning to count: “ 3…”

”Relax, don’t do it”

Nikki saunters across the room, she need to get away from these hearts beating . . . she hears them now . . . Melili’s . . . And Esther’s . . . and slowly she begins to pace before the bookcases.

”When you want to go to it”

“I think the woman just gave you an order. I suggest you obey it and don’t return until you gain a little more respect.” Rhyaad suggests even as he can feel now a growing tension in the air . . .

“Alright, fine. Sorry. Anyway, I’ll use the door from here on.” He sighs again and waves his hands. “I don’t really understand the trouble, but I can take a hint.”

”When you want to suck to it”

Too many threats. Esther and Sam shot, a riddle that cannot be solved. The Snows, the Bloody f**king Snows! Yes, she has been restrained far too bloody long and Esther and Sam have paid the price of her restraint, if only she would just let go. Yes release herself, give way to her powers, then someone might not die. But, then again, perhaps someone should . . . .

Yes, it is her nature to want to. . . that Sniper, she remembers now snapping his neck. Remembers the feeling of that moment, the sound of the vertebras in his neck giving way, the slight gurgle in his throat, the last sound of his breath . . . would her Mother have allowed herself to become so vulnerable?

”Whoaaaa oohhhhhhhhhhhh . . . ahhhh”

She wants to.

“2 . . . Apparently not.” Esther continues

She wants to hurt someone, anyone . . . Nikki runs her fingers through her hair.

”Shoot it in the right direction”

“If you reallycan’t understand what’s wrong with sneaking up on people with ancient god cultists after them, then don’t bother to come back. Ever.”

Esther steps aside, giving the man ample room to run out the door.

Pickman, his f**king camera! Nikki thinks. Blair! Petofi!

”Make it your intention”

“I wasn’t sneaking up on anyone, Rhyaad! For pity’s sakes! I don’t want to make myself a target, too, when I was asked by -you- to maintain a low profile!”

“1.” And Esther fires her rifle. “Now Get the f**k out!”

”Live those dreams”

At the loud reverberation of the rifle shot, Nikki suddenly kicks a stool and it hurls across the room and shatters against the wall.

“You just made yourself a target. For US! Now shut up and get out until you learn to stop stupid arguments and respect other people.” Rhyaad snaps.

”Scheme those schemes”

Nikki she begins to she paces back and forth, the predator inside her in control.

The blond immediately threw his hand out at the sight of the woman gripping the trigger, and a ripple in the air matching her speed with the rifle. The shot was met with a brick wall of force, and gave him enough time to step aside and let it hit the wall behind him. He wasn’t quick enough to stop it flat, but the point was made. “Fine.” He growls low and just as angry now as everyone else. “I will return, and we will discuss this in depth. I do not appreciate your judgments.”

“When you stop acting like a childish imbecile and show some respect for the lives of the people you’re supposed to be working for. Otherwise don’t come back.” Rhyaad tells him.

”Got to Hit me”

Nikki saunters over to her office door, kicks it open with her foot.

”Hit me”

The door slams against the opposite wall and bounces back.

”Hit me”

She strides over to her desk, and removes the bottle of blood.

”With your laser beams”

Opens it and takes a long drink.

It would taste so much better warm!

”Laser beam”

The struggle . . .against the symbiotic vampire within her — worse when she first awakens, when she gets angry . . . And she is so angry . . . Far out of portion to the situation -of that she is aware, but it feels so good, the power of the vampire unrestrained . . .. When did she become so angry . . . . God she wants to go out there and sink her teeth into . . .. Why . . . Why is she so angry. . The car . . .. The passing car . . .the black Mercedes, tires wet in the slush of the snow – the shimmer of light as she moved to look up at the rooftop ascend the wall. Yes, a shimmer. A glamour. She has stepped into a glamour!

”One two”

She kicks the bottom drawer shut.

Steps back out into the main office.

”Relax”

“And now Nikki is upset.” Rhyaad says well aware now that Nikki’s temper has rise to the point she has lost control, “And I get nervous when she gets so upset.”

“OUT!” Esther shouts, renewing her grip on the rifle.

Yes a glamour, she is out of control.

She takes a drink. She’s got to get control.

”Don’t do it”

“Don’t lecture me, you hypocritical old man.” Meili snarls, and flicks the hair that had falleen in his face. The male’s normally calm features were a bright red, and he storms out of the room in growing rage. “You have no right to treat me like a child when you demand I use my skill s to aid you. And keep your bloody dog quiet, her incessant yapping is irritating.” He yelled back and threw himself over the banister. The male landed in a crouch on the floor below with a soft thud.

Esther keeps her rifle trained on him at all times as she steps out onto the balcony.

“I hope to bloody God I misheard a statement because if someone wants to equate Esther to a dog, then motherf**ker we can have that battle right the f**k now!” Nikki’s voice haunting.

”Relax”

Esther looks at her; she’s never heard her voice sound like that.

“Nik. Let off. He’s leaving.” Esther says and for the first time she sees Nikki unrestrained, sees the intent within her eyes, the wild beast she so carefully conceals.

“I have not treated you as anything but how you behaved. I have every right to demand this in my own place, or Nikki’s place. And you show no respect whatsoever. Do not return in less it is to apologize. Now get out. I think I had better go see what’s wrong with Nik, Esther. ”

“YOU, want to contract with me,” Nikki steps forward and points, “Then keep a f**king civil tongue in that too pretty head! For it can be easily separated.”

”Ahh ahhha ahhah”

The blond rises and dusts himself off again. “Please excuse me, Miss Collins. It appears my judgments on how to keep a low profile in this age are . . . flawed.” He grumbles, then rights himself and makes for the front door. “You will excuse me, but I mean no one here any form of disrespect. I have said this five times now, I came in from the roof because it seemed like a quick and silent way in!”

Rhyaad moves over near Nikki, hoping his presence would calm her down rather than have the opposite effect.

”Relax”

He turns the radio off.

“Stop right there!” Nikki says and points at Meili, “I did not say you could leave. I did not say I had voided your contract!”

“I’ll show myself out, but I really wish someone w- Yes?” He pauses to turn back and face the woman with a genuinely confused expression on his face. “I didn’t think you were. . . .”

Rhyaad watched them, unsure what Nikki was getting at now.

He had seen Nikki upset before but this was different .

“You will show some respect.” Nikki says and takes a step forward, “Do you think you can do that?”

Have to get control . . .

“She fired a rifle. At my face.” Meili narrows his eyes a bit, and then points over to the woman in the fur hat.

Nikki looks at him sternly, “That is not the question. The question I asked is can you do that?”

“Where I come from, you typically aren’t expected to respect people who fire rifles at your face.” Meili replies coldly.

“At your ear. Esther is an expert marksman.” Rhyaad explains.

Nikki snaps back, “I don’t give a bloody f**k were you come from, answer the bloody question!”

“Would you rather I give you a Circumcision?” Esther asks from the balcony above.

“The two of you are vampires. Both of you are familiar with my scent, and I’ve been sweating up a storm running around on the roofs. I had thought you would have been able to detect me.”

Nikki lifts her chin, “A vampire? You want to see a vampire?”

Nikki clenches her fist — Esther sees Nikki is struggling “What’s wrong?”

“Nik, are you alright?”

She looks up at Esther . . .

Happy the town at night whose wizards are all ashes, she thinks.

Nikki slowly turns to the bookcase – her eyes scanning the volumes.

“Stop the bloody arguing. There is no excuse.” Rhyaad says not trying to get between them.

“My mistake, then. I’ll remember that later.” He sighs and reaches up to rub his head again. “Is that all you wanted to explain to me, Miss?”

“Nikki?” Rhyaad asks.

She doesn’t answer. She has to get some control. She steps over and removes the book she’s looking for . . . it was such a horrid book to read as a child, eleven alone in her father’s huge library, alone, Doctor Hoffman in her libratory with Professor Stokes, they have no idea that she has been reading . . . or do they . . . have they allowed her to have access intentionally . . . she never was sure, could never be sure . . . the dreams and visions, things a child should have never been allowed to see . . . secrets . . . searching for him . . . wherever he was . . . there were times she could feel him, reaching out . . . yes she was the bridge. His only salvation. . . she knew it but she could not find the key. . . through sight and sound . . . and faceless terror . . . oh happy is the town at night whose wizards are all ashes . . . but he was a wizard. He had become one, and she was a wizards daughter . . . she could read five languages and she was only eleven. Little did she know that so could her mother, Bathory . . . a confusion of thoughts . . . Mysteries of the Worm . . . Ludwig Prinn . . . the yellow pages, the brittle black book . . . under his desk . . . they were talking, passing outside the library . . . yes. . . she remembers now . . . an experiment. She remembers hearing them, hearing Stokes saying it, she was an experiment, Julia, they knew. How much did they know? Hhow much does she still not know . . . father.

She takes the book and turns toward her office.

“If that’s all, I really do think I should just leave.” The blond shakes his head and continues to rub his temples. His head was starting to pound, and he knew he needed to get some air. “…Soddit. If you lot need me, I’ll be in the area.” The blond huffs and turns back on his heels. “I need air after this nonsense.” He grumbles, then reaches out and flings the door open.

The wizard’s daughter steps through her office door and closes the door.

“Yes. I think ya should get while the gettin’ good Mel. And if I catch you again, I know of some much more painful places to aim.” Esther says to hasten his departure.

The blond stops on his heel, his eyes narrowing further and his brow furrows in rage. A gun. A stupid, simple gun, and she was threatening him. Meili turns and glances back at the woman with a pointedly cold glare in his eyes before he crosses his arms and grins, “Your weapon is useless. I don’t care how good a shot you are. That gun relies on forces I can manipulate, you aren’t scaring me in the least.”

“Oh. So another one of the Interfaith f***ers that has a magical immunity to bullets.” Esther shakes her head, “Thank you for relaying that information to me. I’ll practice up on my knife. NOW GET!

Meilie Rainheart looks at her, “I’m off to get some air, then. When you lot are finished being so cross, someone find me and explain what the hell happened here.” He scoffs, then turns on his heels again and leaves. “You’d be wise to remember that.”

Esther watches with relief as the door closes.

Inside her office Nikki walks around her father’s old desk and places the heavy book down, takes a drink of blood from the old wine bottle and sits it aside. It’s been a long time since she looked at these yellowed pages . . . a finger running over the stamped golden title on the brittle black cover . . . she opens the horrible old book, her fingers quickly flipping through pages . . . the terrible, wondrous pictures . . . how they mesmerized her as a little girl . . . the ancient text . . . lunacy and evil . . . Saracenic Rituals . . the efeet and the djinn . . . ghouls . . . divination . . . Magnum Innominandum . . . she can see a desert city . . . can all but see his shadow . . . Yes father . . . an old enemy is coming . . . Providence . . . and she finds the page she is looking for.

As if his hand ever directing her.

She starts reading aloud, her hands beginning to move as if she were folding an invisible piece of paper into some intricate origami.

She slowly feels herself taking control. The anger dissipating, the symbiotic parasite retreating. She takes a deep breath . . . we are one but I am in control.

Rhyaad sighs and sits down. “Could you explain to me please. I do make sense, don’t I? It is inexcusably stupid to be sneaking up on us at a time like this? And even more incredibly stupid to even try argue with that fact?”

“I don’t know Rhy. I just Thank GOD he’s finally gone.”

Esther lowers her rifle and closes the door to the loft. She makes her way down the stairs, feeling now the anger that had so filled her moments ago fading away. She takes a deep breath and lets it exhale in a long weary sigh. She walks over and places her father’s rifle back on its rack over the fireplace and plops down in her chair.

Takes a yellow post-it note pad and makes a note to herself to have the sunroof cemented over.

She reaches over for her pack of Red Marlboros and pulls out a cigarette, “I’ll be dead at 35 at this rate…”

Rhyaad picks up the first cigarette, still mostly unused, and bids her to light it again. “Darien used to chain-smoke these damn things. Claimed it relaxed him. I seem to be reminded of past friends and people and…. childer, of late.”

Esther tosses the lighter to him.

“Yes Rhy at the moment, we are under attack, from various enemies some we know, some still to yet to become known.” Nikki says as she steps out of her office, and carries the heavy black, book back over to the bookcase, “We have to be even more vigilant. We need to watch out for one another, because they will continue to try and divide us.”

Rhyaad nods and flicks open the lighter. “That imbecile.” He mutters to himself and sits back “I have to admit of late my mind has not been right.” He lights the remainder of his cigarette and begins to smoke. “Maybe if I could inherit some of Darien’s sense of humor…”

He looks at Nikki and remembers how upset she was only moments ago, which seems oddly like a vague memory now, “Maybe we need to begin your meditations again, Nikki.”

Knock. Knock. Knock.

Esther exasperation has reached it’s limit as she yells at the door, “Go away Meili you a**!”

Only the knocking on the door remains insistent:

KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK

Nikki turns to the door, and walking from the bookcase crosses the room and opens it.

Anthony Redgrave, standing just outside the door, had considered blasting the door open but decided against it as it opens and he looks at the tall, svelte blonde.

Esther sighs and takes a long drag off her cigarette, and then sets it carefully in the groove of the ashtray. “Who is it now? Tell him we gave to charity already . . . ”

“Yes!” Nikki asks holding the door open.

Anthony Redgrave steps through the threshold and says only one word: “Kang.”

Nikki looks at him, “Kang?”

“Yes, I have news of the old coot.”

“And what news is that, Mr. Redgrave?” Nikki asks running her fingers back through her hair.

“Well, seeing as he tried to employ you, I might as well spell it out. He’s gone.”

“We have more important things to worry about. Good then.” Rhyaad says over his shoulder.

“Seems the police got a warrant for his arrest. INTERPOL stepped in to make the arrest. And given my experience with men of his, shall we say background, I was contracted to put my life on the line first. Typical. When he resisted arrest, I put a bullet in his face. He didn’t die. He walked over to the window, 10 stories up, mind you, smashed it, and jumped out. No evidence of a body hitting the ground was found. I don’t suppose you happen to know how that might be possible? Any idea at all?”

Rhyaad turns in his chair and looks at Anthony Redgrave standing in the doorway, “He’s some kind of undead. And at the moment mostly irrelevant. I suggest you call the EUMO or Delta Green. We have too many people in line to destroy the world. Kang’s number is too low to notice. Sorry.”

Redgrave shook his head, “If I called the EUMO, they’d put me behind bars. I shot the last EUMO agent I ran into. It was a sort of an intentional accident.”

“You WHAT?” Rhyaad looks at the man aghast. Has everyone lost their mind?

Esther shakes her head, “An Admitted murder. First it’s a thief, then now a murderer. What a f**king night. Sir. I recommend you leave. NOW!”

“The Son of a bitch was trying to kill me first!” He protests

“Who?” Rhyaad asks as he reaches across Esther desk and picks up the phone to call Chief St. Clair.

“A half demon. Refuses to sign their fucking ‘contract’. They don’t like those kinds of folk.” Redgrave answers.

“I am not aware of any half-demons in the EUMO.”

“And when I threatened him, well . . . a bit of a tussle happened. One thing led to another, and I shot him in the leg.” He held out his hands, “Hey, I don’t kill humans.”

Rhyaad holding the phone looks at the man, “Well, I am still inclined to call St. Clair.”

“In any case, Interpol loves me. Because I get them results. I just wanted to stop by and see if I could find out what Kang was after. In detail.”

“Look at the moment we have more important things then mere men to be concerned with.” Rhyaad puts the phone down and goes over to the cabinet, opens the drawer and pulls out all the files on Kang, and simply hands them over to Redgrave. “Kang is irrelevant. There, take that and go away.”

Anthony Redgrave looked at the stack of files, “My my. Touchy.”

He flips through a few of the files, juggling them as he stands at the door, “So, no one noticed this? That he lived in Styria for 15 years? Under contract from a woman named Marcilla?”

Esther looks at him, “Dunno where that is, and don’t really care. You have your info. Now scram.”

“I’d expect a vampire to know.” Anthony Redgrave smiles, “Guess I’ve been giving you lot too much credit.”

“Or not enough.” And Nikki says closes the door behind the man as he leaves.

Cue Music End of Episode