Chapter 2: The Lobanhaki's Profile II

John wasn't quite sure he was getting through to Agent Leonard. For a moment he thought the Federal agent might shoot him. After all, a number of the conspiracy theorists and talk radio hosts had circulated rather inflammatory notions about takeovers and sham battles. John knew better. He had been right in the midst of it, seen the streets filled with creatures for whom the word hellish was not exaggerations. He and and his brother had killed one of these monsters, fighting alongside each other for the first and only time in their lives.

He had seen the gate erupt from the center of the city, and felt the emptiness in his chest long before the shockwave rumbled through his chest. The words went through his mind as he watched wide-eyed: I failed. They had failed indeed. His job before had been comparable to one of those Men in Black. He was supposed to discourage and divert investigation from without, discourage members of his society from giving everybody away from within. For centuries they had maintained the balance. Morningstar managed to take that lifetime of carefully guarded secrets and blow it to smithereens.

If John had been in this position a year ago, with a gun pointed at him, he might have lunged at Agent Leonard and knocked him out cold. Then the telepaths from the local headquarters would have come and give him some convincing memory ito cover for whatever the agent shouldn't have known. This time, though, the Huntsmen Order above him wanted their people to be cooperative. John often heard the word pronounced with a certain venom around the barracks.

Leonard lowered the gun, and sat down slowly , careful to keep his eyes on John.
"Sorry if I alarmed you, Agent Leonard." John said with a smile.

"Apology accepted. Captain Taylor. " Agent Dominic Leonard managed. Only the paralysis at seeing John's strengh had kept him from firing the shot. He had seen men on PCP held by those things. Agent Taylor did not seem like he was on anything like that. Then again, you never could tell with these magic users.

"How did you know I..." Agent Leonard asked, when he had his breath again.
"We're born liars, like you said," John explained, "so we know them when we hear them."

He went on: "First, I didn't see any of my fellow Huntsmen with you. Most FBI field offices are not foolish enough to go after a magic user without us in the lead, or one of our squads in support. S econd, you're interrogating me alone, over a issue just a few hours worth of checking would clear me of. The target's legitimate, though, which means this is not something you wanted me to walk away from. Last, but not least, you used that little code phrase at the end. The man who used that is Edward Merrick. You likely talked to him over the phone, because I don't hear your heart going double time from fear."

"That bad?" Agent Leonard ventured.
"He's a big son of a bitch who carries a sword bigger than most people, wears dreadlocks. But its the eyes that get most people." John explained.
"The Eyes?" Dominic said, puzzled.
"They're metal. At least the Irises are. Reflective, sort of golden in color." John continued.

Dominic shook his head, as if trying to rid it of cobwebs. "Look, this is all new to me, so why don't we get down to business. I need your help."

John sat back looked him in the eye.
"There are channels for this. You got me heading home, haven't given me a chance to call home. I'm sure if you've read my file, you"ll know why I'm not keen on staying here. I meant to scare you, when I broke the cuffs, but I underestimated what kind of guts you had. Why didn't you ask for my help the normal way?"

"The Agents in Charge don't want us calling you folks for help. People higher up don't like it either." Dominic said.
"People like..." John prompted.
"My department's boss. His boss." Leonard explained. John quickly filled in the blanks: the Attorney General, the President.

"That's not news to me. I'm one of the liasons." John replied.
"Well it sucks, and I'm not the only person saying it. There are a lot of people who fought with you guys, saw you die for the rest of us when you could have just run. I told some of them that I had a problem, and they told me to look up Eddie Merrick," Agent Leonard explained, "Mr. Merrick told me to look you up."

John stood up and paced around the room. He almost corrected Agent Leonard on Huntsmen rank when he remembered that Eddie Merrick had left the Order. It might have been a smart move.

The leader of their society's governing council for the Southern United States had died under his protection. Then again, with Morningstar as the murderer, he who had once started a war with the Council, Merrick could have salvaged the career. After all, last time it had taken somebody as powerful as Jacob Riley was to defeat him- Riley's father. Riley's father, even as powerful as he was, would pay the price for that victory by dying in the Nevada desert with Jake still an infant. John reflected that perhaps Eddie didn't want to salvage it, that he was happy to be gone, off in the Borderland world of Mua'alwarsh.

"The Huntsmen can ill afford to spare men, and I've got a family who hasn't seen me since the beginning of the Iraq war. Why do you need my help?" John demanded.

Agent Leonard ticked off the points on one hand. "They told me to look for your best warrior. Somebody who knew these worlds you guys patrolled, the Borderlands. Somebody who could track down and catch a violent criminal using your sort of powers, and who could fight toe to toe with them and win."

John frowned."They told you to find me."
Dominic shook his head."They told me to find your friend."

A grin spread on John's face. "Smart choice. One problem. Jacob Riley doesn't answer to us. He answers to himself and God."
"But Merrick said-" Dominic began.
"Merrick told you who could get in touch with Jake. He didn't tell you who could give him marching orders. I know where you could find him, though." John told him.
"Any help you could give would be greatly appreciated." Leonard assured him.
"Don't start thanking me yet. If Jake doesn't want to be found, he won't be. If he wants to work with you, though, he might just find you first." John said.

A knock at the door.
Just then, the door opened, and in walked a grey-haired gentleman in a black suit. John looked back at him and then back at Agent Leonard. The Agent's look was one of shock and dismay.
"Good Morning, Agent Leonard, Mr. Taylor." the man said.
"Captain Taylor," John corrected, " and who might you be?"
"Special Agent in Charge James Green." the guy managed. "I must apologize for the inconvenience concerning the weapon. It will be returned to you in short order."

"That's a great relief, Agent Green." John said evenly.

"What brings you back here again, Captain Taylor?" The SAC asked, as if addressing a gang member.
"I used to work in the Chicago Chapterhouse of my Order. I'm actually coming back to stay. I have to bring my family down from up North, though."Again, that even tone of voice.

"That's somewhat surprising to me. I would think you would not want to come back here, given the trouble. You folks seem to be at odds with the community, and there are many who aren't so tolerant, especially after last few month's events." Agent Green said.
"I've had the good fortune not to run into too many folks like that." John said, eyes on him.
"You never know. Some folks like their visitors better than their neighbors." Green said.
"That's a shame. My Dad always said to love your neighbor" John stated.
A thin smile from the SAC.

John took a deep breath. "We've sort of been by ourselves for a while, Agent Green. Many of us want to erase the distinctions between mage and non-mage. We've found many kind, open places to settle in." John explained.
"I'd expect your people would find the Borderlands to be more virgin territory." Green said.
"Virgin? People have been settling there for centuries. Second, most people don't intentionally go there, if they can help it."
"Why not?"
"The Borderlands are divergent worlds. Those who stray from the protected areas find themselves changed."
"Changed how?"
"You know the Ritulmidocha, the Elders, and the Padzhiri, right?" John said.

They had been on the news. They were among the most adventurous of the Borderlanders. All were humanoid, but profoundly different. The Ritulmidocha had skin that seemed to be made of soft bark, hair like the fronds of a fern or a willow tree. The Elders were thin, dark-skinned, with amethyst eyes that could see anything and everything. The Padzhiri were dwarves, pale-skinned, big eyed, scuttling around on the backs of what looked like modified crabs.

"They all ultimately have human ancestors, or were human once themselves. The worlds of the Borderlands shape their beings according to the nature of the world. The roads that run through these worlds offer protection from that, but at the price of one's freedom. Here in this world, in America, we can be free. Besides, it's where most of us have lived for generations." John said.

Green seemed frustrated. Dominic, if he knew his boss, figured the man probably was mad at John for not taking his generous advice.

A knock came at the door. The SAC got up. "I'll get that. They're here with your weapon." Agent Green opened the door.

John looked back, a smile on his face. A man's voice came from the door.
"Good morning Agent Green. My name is Agent Langley. This is Agent Norfolk. We're with the CIA. We have some matters to discuss with Captain Taylor. Classified beyond your clearance, I'm afraid. "

Agent Leonard leaned over, trying to see past the SAC. The moment he saw them, he knew they weren't CIA.

Not unless the agency started issuing plate armor. The man, a tall, mischievious looking fellow with reddish hair had his hand outstretched like he was flashing a badge, only he had nothing in his hand. He noticed Leonard's attention, smiled. The young blonde woman to his side, similarly dressed, winked at him.

Tales from the Borderlands Omnibus