Dead Matter

I ran to the far side of one the stone Goliaths, causing both of them to turn and give chase. I cha

The other gargoyle was already tripping over the first one, causing a domino effect. A very weighty domino effect. Before I could move, the gargoyle crashed down right on top of me, pi

To the ghost inside, the living stone was like armor protecting it from my various talismans now crushed up against it. A genius move on its part, one which left me slowly being crushed to death.

Its stony head craned to face me, its glowing red eyes staring deep into mine. “Why are you defending him?” the gargoyle said. “This living man disturbed us.”

“What?” I croaked out from underneath it.

Before it could speak again, a blinding sear of light arced past me, taking the creature’s head clean off and launching it across the graveyard. The same bolt of light arced back through the figure, this time taking its legs off at the knees. The living stone crumbled apart on top of me and fell to the ground, leaving a large assortment of shattered pieces.

Once the weight was off me, I scrambled down the back side of the gravestone I had been lying on and landed with a thud on the pile of broken stone. My back cried out in pain. I took my time standing up, and turned to look at where the energy had come from. It was pretty easy to spot, actually.

Jane was practically glowing, standing with one hand on a nearby lamppost to leech its power and the other one pointed straight toward me. Her hair was a little frazzled, her body still charged with electricity as little drifts of smoke wafted off her fingers. Before I could think of anything to say to her, I remembered I wasn’t alone in the graveyard. I turned my attention back to my immediate surroundings. The rest of the swirling ghosts were still in here with me. I knelt down to dig my bat out from where it had been buried in the stony remains. Once I had it free, I stood up and started tapping it on one of the still-intact gravestones.

“Listen up, you unliving sons of bitches,” I said, trying to sound as commanding as Co

I hoped it would work, but I honestly wasn’t sure it would. I pressed on. “Look what happened to your two friends here. You looking to step up and take a shot? It’s just the two of us against all of you. The little lady packs just as good-if not better-a wallop as I do, and I’m pretty sure you don’t want to mess with her. So here’s what I’m going to do.” I pointed at the body slumped by the base of the mausoleum. “I’m going to remove this intruder now, okay? Once he’s gone, you can all rest in peace. This ends here, tonight. I’m taking care of this.”

My body ached and my nerves were shot. If the spirits didn’t obey, I was probably going to collapse soon. The apparitions paused in their tornado of activity, then ever so slowly one by one began heading back into their specific graves. A sense of momentary relief washed over me.

Now there was only the intruder to think about. I went to him as Jane threw open the gates of the graveyard and ran toward us. When I reached the figure, he was face-down next to a gravestone that was splattered with flecks of blood.

Please don’t let him be dead, whoever he is. I need answers.

I reached for the figure, but an overwhelming smell rose from him and I gagged. Patchouli, just like the scent we used to trap and control ghosts for the Department of Extraordinary Affairs. The only person I knew who carried that much on him was…

“Co

4

It was Co

“Oh, my God,” Jane said. “Is he alive?”

“I think so,” I said. “Give me a hand.”

Jane joined me and we sat Co

“I had ’em on the ropes, kid,” he croaked out. His voice sounded tired, his words thick, as if he were speaking through a mouthful of blood.

“Uh-huh,” I said, taking a closer look at his face. Once I got past the blood, the damage looked like it might just be a few scrapes, cuts, and swelling. “Forgive my skepticism, Co

Jane and I each grabbed an arm and stood Co

I looked around the graveyard. Already the limited power of my commands was wearing on the ghosts, and all around us the ethereal figures of the long-dead began to once again crawl their way out of their graves.

“Let’s move him,” I said to Jane. “Now.”

She hesitated, uncertainty showing in her eyes. “Aren’t you supposed to not move someone this badly injured? He’s really hurt, Simon.”

“Look around us,” I said. “I’ll take my chances with whatever injuries he has over what this crowd will cook up for vengeance if we don’t get out of here stat.”

Jane gave a pained smile. “Fair point, sweetie.” She put one of Co

“Thank you,” I said. Our group limp toward the open gates was maddeningly slow. “Besides, he’s my partner. If I let him die here, I’ll be the only one left to finish all that paperwork and I’ll be damned if I let that happen.”

“Yer all heart, kid,” Co

Rule one while hailing a cab with a bloodied man? Let the woman stand alone at the curb to flag one down. Co

The driver looked back at the three of us with skepticism on his face, but when I shoved a fifty through the partition at him, he was happy to take us up the West Side Highway to Co