Waite on the Ripper by John Campbell

Author:John Campbell [Campbell, John]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: John C. Campbell
Published: 2020-06-01T22:00:00+00:00

Chapter Thirteen

The Fight That Follows

Molly’s cruiser was sitting next to the Hudson. I climbed into the passenger seat, so I could ride with her, and both cars headed back up Barton Springs Road. Just beyond the low bridge over Barton Creek, a faint patch of lighter darkness off to the right caught my attention. “Molly, stop!” I said with more force than needed. Molly jammed on the brakes. Her cruiser screeched to a halt.

On our right, a two-lane road branched off toward a wooded area. A shimmering gate hung semi-transparent, still as the night air, maybe thirty yards distant. I climbed out, gestured with my forefingers, first at my eyes, then toward the veil. The Hudson sitting behind us eased quietly off the road. Leaning back into the cruiser, I said, “Molly, I’d prefer you stay here, but I know you won’t. Please bring that with you, though.” I pointed at the shotgun locked upright to the dash. I could see the questions in her eyes, but she grunted assent.

By the time the others were gathered on my right, Molly had the cruiser off the street and was standing on my left, shotgun in hand. Since everyone else was looking in that direction, it only took her a moment to make out the portal. “Harmon, tonight has already been stranger than any of your tall tales. Want to tell me what that thing is?” She pointed the barrel of her weapon at the slight disturbance in the air that shouldn’t have been there.

“It’s a gate, a door to another, much darker place. It’s open and connected to our world right now.”

“Sooo” — she drew out the word as she absorbed the implications — “is something coming through that open door?” She sounded worried, and I couldn’t blame her. Jack had opened that portal. The fact that it was still open didn’t bode anything good.

I glanced first at Eirian, then Smoke. “Either one of you know how to close that door? Do we want to close it for that matter or take advantage and take the fight back to Jack?”

“Not on his own ground,” Eirian said immediately. Then, more thoughtfully, “I can close it, though.”

I considered the situation. “Let’s give him a chance to come back to us. He’s wounded, and we are four, but if he’s that mad, we take advantage. Eirian, please take the left flank. Smoke, head right.”

Eirian said, “Hold up, Smoke.” She turned back to me. “Harmon, I have an idea.” We waited. She glanced at Molly, hesitating.

Molly said, “In for a dime, in for a dollar.” It looked like Eirian knew that one because she smiled, which looked as good on her as it had a couple lifetimes or was it only a few hours ago when we strode Purgatory ground.

Eirian threw her long silver hair over her left shoulder and reaching over her right, drew her sword. She held the blade out in front of her, then indicated the shotgun, gesturing for Molly to lay its barrel across the sword.

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