“Nate, he really can’t see spirits.”

  He gave a small nod in confirmation to Karah. His eyes scanned the room as he entered. He didn’t want to end up inside a separate space again. The plains within Lupita’s family home were hard enough to survive. Ending up in a similar position would be annoying.

  “Braydon, where is this man?” Nate asked.

  “Oh he’s just through these doors here.”

  He indicated swinging saloon style doors. They had made their way all the way to the back of the penthouse. The large floor to ceiling window that looked out onto the grounds below was somehow still intact. Smudged with time and age but very much still in place. It was placed within the main living room that was a shadow of its former self.

  The walls were stripped bare of anything that might have once held value. Holes were dug and gouged into the walls. Errant pieces of wire hung out of them, obviously being left behind during scavenging. Copper wire had sold well during the war, that went doubly so for the gold and silver in fancy apartments.

  A bedroom bordered the Saloon doors. The frame of a bed pushed against a far wall with a stained mattress. Braydon wouldn’t look at it. Something about the furniture disturbed the boy. Similarly large windows lined this room but were heavily tinted becoming black walls when not in direct sunlight. At one time they might have been adjustable.

  Clearly the next room was the master bathroom. The rest of the pent house had been oozing a small amount of miasma but not the doors. Tidal waves churned within the large tiled bathroom. Ready to drown anyone who stepped inside.

  “Its not the most welcoming place, is it?” Karah asked.

  Before Braydon could reach past him Nate grasped him by the shoulder. Fully locked in place out of fear Braydon dared not even breathe. Nate reached out his hand to the area ahead of them.

  A pulse of energy was running through the doors. Humming with energy that felt all too familiar. He sent a message to Lupita who formed next to him with no resistance. She sniffed at the doors before shaking her head back and forth.

  “It’s the same as where I was. I can tell from the smell of the miasma. There’s this vague memory from before. Long ago, I don’t know, something from before I had died.”

  Nate gave a curt nod. He didn’t want to be seen speaking like a lunatic in front of Braydon. Not that it would matter, who would believe a nobody like him. Changing hands he grasped the boy by the shirt and pushed him toward the doors.

  “You enter first.”

  Braydon looked at him with a questioning gleam in his eyes. Still the fear of the Gallows pushed him forward. As he pushed on them they creaked wide open. What had been the bathroom tiled and detailed with an oversized tub was now replaced. With a cacophony of sounds and smells.

  Wooden floor boards held down with cut nails presented a much better condition than the prior building. Even with its poor quality of wood. Tables were scattered around the room with empty mugs and chairs. Each was a rough brown color, if one were to dig a fingernail into the wood it would gleam a much softer color. A long bar ran across the back of the room there stood a woman.

  She was late twenties or early thirties hair put up into a pinup curl. Dozens of curly locks of hair locked into place above her head with two spiraling strands framing her face. Her hands didn’t stop moving as he entered rubbing away at some plate or mug.

  Seeing that Braydon wasn’t immediately accosted, Nate and the others followed him inside. As much as he would prefer not to enter another space it was inevitable. The woman behind the bar lit up at their approach. Her rosy heavily makeuped face beamed at them. Beyond the makeup was a soft rounded nose and dimpled cheeks that vied for control against her large bubbly eyes.

  “Well, howdy there partners. We ain’t seen none of ya’ll round these parts recently. Heck, I hardly recognized you junior. Didn’t bring no trouble round these parts didcha? Can I get ya’ll four anything?”

  Her voice was like the Mississippi, deep and sweet. She smiled at them and stopped motionless. It was obvious she could see everyone. They all knew she wasn’t a real flesh and blood person, she was a spirit just like Lupita and Boudica. Which made Braydon’s ability to see and speak to her all the more strange.

  He glanced around himself briefly but did not see the other two. Moving his look back to the woman he seemed to dismiss what she said as only a slip of the tongue.

  “Hello ma’am.” Braydon said with uncharacteristic respect.

  “Now junior I don gon told you call me Mary or big sis. Or Big sis Mary, you hear?”

  “Yes, ma.. I mean yes Mary. Is he in the back?”

  “Yeah, he’s back there. You should cut yer losses.”

  “Not me this time but these folk.” Braydon gestured back at them.

  Stepping forward Nate approached the bar. If she was with Zeus it was possible he hadn’t told them about him. Still he felt she wasn’t a bound spirit, something about her was also off. More than other spirits she seemed to be lacking something. He couldn’t put his finger on it.

  “Mary is it? I was wondering if you’ve seen this before?”

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  Nate placed a drawing of the Snake Eye tracker on the counter. It would be acting as both a spying device and a conduit for the location's power. Mary pleasingly gave him a deep smile before picking up and looking at the paper. After a good long minute she snapped her fingers.

  “This is the thing Old Burn’s earned off the former owner. Shook him down for the lot of it he did. You best talk it out with him. He’s just beyond those doors.”

  She indicated a second set of saloon doors off to the right of the bar. Braydon wrung his hands nervously. Even though he’d been boasting before, something about the place was frightening him. Nate wasn’t going to let him off the hook. Trying to kill him came at a much greater cost then simply leading them around.

  He stealthily grabbed the boy by the scruff and pushed him toward the door. Lupita, Karah, and Boudica followed close behind. Ready for action at the drop of a hat.

  “Thanks for the info Mary.”

  “No, problem, if you win big you best give me a tip.”

  “I’ll think about it.”

  Smoke filled the backroom, a single table set close to the back wall with two men sitting there. The first sat on the outside of the table. His body was bony as if all that remained of him was his flesh and bones. The meat scooped and scraped clean. His clothes were that of a once fancy three piece suit. His hands could only twitch at his cards.

  The second man was eye-catching in a different way. He was youthful and full of vigour. Stubble marked his face along with a smirking smile and deep blue eyes. Garbed in a brown suit vest, a purple undershirt, and matching brown pants. A long pin striped jacket hung off the back of his chair. Resting atop his head a bowler hat with a single black ace.

  “Welllll, look who the cat dragged in. I must say I am impressed with your dedication to the game. You got me good in the last hand. These folks goin to be backing up your buy-in. Could always put up my fancy gift.”

  Nate approached the table disregarding the man egging on Braydon. They both knew he wasn’t going to be sitting down at this table. Two cards lay in front of the bony man which he could not or would not move. Another two were set opposite his own.

  “Don’t give me the cold shoulder now. You can call me Burns. That’s what everyone else calls me.” The gambler offered his hand.

  “My name is Nate. I’m not cutting in on a game am I?”

  The gambler eyed the cards laid out in front of him and the bony man. He smiled a bit to himself. A single hand passing over his cards. A twenty shown on the upturned cards. The man opposite him only had a four showing.

  “No, this is its own conundrum. I assure you. Care to join me for a hand. Buy in is whatever you deem of worth.”

  His smile was full of pointed jagged teeth. Nate could feel where this was going but he attempted to prevent it. Pulling the sheet out once more he handed it over to the man. With a raised eyebrow he took the page. It was only a moment before he slapped the table in recognition.

  Behind his back lay a quantity of goods and strange looking objects. From among their number he fished around for a second and brought forth the eye. It glowed red but they knew it was as of yet watching them. Wayne had taught Nate that the iris needed to be fully open for it to do so.

  “This is what you're looking for? Can’t say I’d been particularly willing to part with it. Seeing as it's the keystone holding my fine establishment together. Of course if you were to play me for it…” He trailed off but the message was clear.

  “And what If I just kill you now?” Nate asked.

  “Can’t be done. You can give it your best shot but within this place I can’t die. All you can do is bet.”

  At his words Nate nodded coldly before stepping back to Braydon. He helped him put both of his hands out. The boy followed his lead with a befuddled look. After positioning him where he would get a direct hit he barked out an order.

  “Shoot him.”

  As on command Braydon fully in place and thinking about his power let out a single beam of light. It struck the gambler and dissipated just as easily. It wasn’t a strong spell in the first place but for it to truly not affect him was surprising. Nate thought it might be due to being the originator of this spell.

  Just as his mind began to calculate the pros and cons of finding a way to kill him, a smell of burning meat pervaded his nose. Braydon clutched both hands to his shoulder where a smoldering hole had formed. It had been the exact spot that would have landed with the gambler.

  “As I have said, dear customer. There’s no force other than what lady luck shall deal you.”

  ***

  Wayne stood on the roof. Sight lines confirmed and double checked. Before bringing Nate out he had to make sure he wouldn’t be defeated this time. If Zeus were to appear he was prepared. Not only was Mark One prepared but so had the rest of his arsenal.

  Movement caught his attention. Looking over he could see three quickly moving figures flashing out along the street. With another leap the group fell heavily on the roof just across from him.

  Smooth glittering armor reflected the sun scattering it upon the roof top. Paladin Wood stood next to his would be assailant, she was obediently taking his orders. Another two low rank Knights stood behind her. Each was only a Squire but one’s made for combat.

  Squires were largely defined by which branch of the organization they hailed from. In their case coming from the Wand faction they had the minimum requirements to perform their duties. Those who underwent the process of becoming like Squire Lillie or Paladin Wood often ended up moving to one of the other branches.

  It would be a complete loss of personnel if someone like Squire had ended up in the Swords. Dying uselessly despite her massive talents. In many ways they were all squires but the importance of one over the other was night and day.

  “We meet again Necromancer. I expect that you shall refuse my offer of surrender?” Paladin Wood asked.

  “Quite the opposite. I shall accept your surrender.” Wayne responded.

  Paladin raised his eyebrows in amusement. This man did not crack under pressure. He was a perfect opponent. Was it possible he would finally have a truly worthy enemy? The rising thrill in his chest swelled as they stood off.

  “You’ve brought more of you this time. Too afraid to take me on yourself?” Wayne poked.

  “I wouldn’t say I need them against a thing like you. All alone and venerable nothing like the Grandmaster. That monster is a different story.”

  An invisible grimace rose upon the lips of his subordinate. After her defeat it was made even worse by being placed under Paladin Wood. For him to disregard her in the fight against the measly Paladin angered her to no end. Still she was well disciplined remaining at the ready.

  “You can try but I am not alone. Not this time.”

  Behind Wayne a heavy tarp covered a large object. Reaching back he pulled it free revealing his weapon of choice. Large black metallic plates formed and folded around a central chair. It was the image of a multiple launch rocket system but out fitted to have hundreds of smaller attachments readied to fire.

  “Let the fun begin!” Yelled Paladin Wood.