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Siya asked and wiped her mouth
before taking another chug.
    “Same old, same old.”
    “Any new neighbors?” She met the man’s eyes.
    “Maybe. Got more pie?”
    “No.”
    He snapped the empty container shut. A small crumb
stuck to his stubbly salt and pepper beard. “Young kid ran through here
earlier. Similar to the others, wearing clothes that looked like they shrunk.
Not dressed for weather like this.” He waved his crooked finger into the air.
    She sighed, not having the energy to track down
the youngling tonight. Dawn was breaking. She needed to get inside to rest. He
would have to survive a little longer on his own. “Which way did he go?”
    “Towards downtown.”
    “Damn.” Siya never sensed him. Younglings were
difficult to track. They had the ability to suppress their energy up to the
point of their transition. After maturity their scent, unique to the god, was
established and carried in the air. It was probably best the youth stay hidden.
With her father in proximity, no one was safe.
    She pushed up and brushed off her pants. “Thanks.”
    “You don’t want to hear about the other one?”
Henry asked and took a long draw on the bottle.
    She looked over her shoulder. “Other one?”
    Henry smiled again. “If you are an angel, then
this one is the devil.”
    “Excuse me?” Siya’s heart slammed in her chest.
Had her father found the base? Fear tightened her gut.
    “Huge bastard. Stupid too.” Henry laughed.
    “What did he look like?”
    “Idiot was taking a bath in that polluted water at
the end of the dock.” Henry went to work crawling into his sleeping bag with
the bottle tucked at his side. He mumbled to himself.
    “Henry! What did he look like?” She grabbed his
shoulder and shook him.
    “Hey, knock that off. He was black, big and mean
looking.” A shudder ran the length of the man’s body.
    “Wounds? Mottled skin?”
    “No! Don’t you listen? He was black, like coal.
Didn’t have any food. Devil’s going to freeze.” Henry cackled and pulled the
sleeping bag over his head. “Now, leave me be unless you have more pie.”
    Siya stood and swept the street. “Shit.” Yanking
her sword free, she sprinted down the dock, vaporized mid-step and reappeared
in the center of the warehouse. The startled younglings sprang to their feet.
Relief swept through her. They were safe. She didn’t stow her weapon but ran
the perimeter searching for any scent that did not belong. Theris came running
with his own blade in hand and barked out orders. The ranks scattered to their
posts, armed in defense.
    “Is everyone accounted for?” Siya scanned the
area.
    “Yes. What has happened?” His eyes narrowed on the
healing cut to her lip and the coat she had still clasped in her hand.
    “Get the roving patrols up and running. Fifteen
minute intervals, I want reports. No one strays from base.”
    Theris nodded and jogged off to give orders.
    Only after she had searched every square inch of
the building and the perimeter did she allow herself to retire to her office.
She laid her sword on her desk and walked over to the fireplace. A soft knock
announced her Second’s arrival.
    “All posts are manned and the rotation schedule is
set. I just need to inform them of the threat.” Theris pushed into the room.
“What in duat is going on?’
    She threw her coat in the fire. Black smoke
billowed up the chimney. The rank smell of death filled the small office.
    “ Isis ,” Theris cursed and covered his nose.
    “We have a visitor. A scout, perhaps,” Siya
replied. Theris did not need to know about Menthu’s appearance, not until she
knew the full extent of her father’s plans. It was an unlikely coincidence Henry
saw this other dark male within a short distance of her encounter with Menthu
and so close to base.
    “Creation?”
    “Not their style.” No, there would have been more
theatrics, especially if Bast was involved. Although devoted to the Mother
Goddess, Bast was a manipulative bitch and