Chapter Thirty-seven

Morrisey sat at a table in a café on the edge of town, wearing ill-fitting clothes he’d taken from Asher’s mansion, aka Asshole Central. Given the swanky address, gilt this and marble that, he’d have expected better than could be found at the average discount store. At least the cheap cotton and denim covered his nakedness. God, he was hungry. Hopefully, Farren wouldn’t mind paying for the meal.

Clothes Morrisey had. Money? Not so much.

Few folks were here at three p.m. gathered around chipped Formica tables tempered by ages of grease-laden air. Wall posters displayed the menu, with the day’s specials listed on a chalkboard.

Pork chops, mashed potatoes, gravy, corn, and a roll. Heart attack waiting to happen. Morrisey got the special, his human body starved after days in a basement without food. He opened his mind to any strong emotions present. The man at the next table seethed with hatred for someone. Though intense energy flowed through the hate, Morrisey always heard, “You are what you eat.”

Maybe he should wait for actual food.

No one paid him much attention. Would that change if they found out his true nature? Hell, even Morrisey hadn’t yet fully processed being non-human. Would others hate him? Fear him? How different was he now, and what were these new powers? Implanted memories from the Domus elder provided some possibilities.

Not that Morrisey gave a rat’s ass what ninety percent of the world’s population thought of him. Correction: ninety-eight percent.

He stared at a water ring on the table. It shouldn’t be there. The busboy should’ve done a better job of cleaning. The ring vanished. What the hell?

The salt shaker contained only a few grains. Could Morrisey produce salt out of thin air? Replicate the existing salt? A woman passed by his table, smelling of floral perfume. For a moment, Morrisey turned, thinking to find Jessa. No, not her. He turned back to find a full salt shaker.

Who cared how he filled it? Wow! Neat trick! What else could he do? He opened his mind to the surrounding people. A young couple sat a few tables away, so deeply in love their affection permeated the atmosphere and provided a metaphysical snack without the need to feed on the humans themselves. The energy wafted through the air, with nothing to stop him from taking. Love. What would love be like with his new awareness?

Morrisey took. Like Jessa did?

Jessa. Damn it! He’d trusted her! But… that wink.

A worry for another time.

He focused his newly obtained energy on his scratchy, worn clothing. Nothing so drastic as to be noticed, but he made the jeans longer, eased stress from the shoulder seams, and repaired a rip in the sleeve. Could he arrange a shave this way? No way did he want to face Farren looking like something even the cat refused to drag in.

He kept a nervous eye on the door. In the other realm, while they might have been friends, he and Farren couldn’t be more, according to the elder.

Tenebris. Evil. But was Morrisey truly evil if he refused to harm others?

Nothing remained of the other realm. Farren’s home was gone. The home Morrisey couldn”t remember.

Morrisey’s heart gave a mule kick at Farren’s approach, regardless of the bad news. While he wasn’t yet visible, Morrisey felt the arrival of the strange car. Wait. Hadn’t the elders said there was a light to balance his darkness?

And the light was Farren.

Farren kept his head on a swivel while exiting the car and entering the café. The car pulled away. He smiled at spotting Morrisey through the café’s window. Tension flowed out of his rigid posture, and he marched to the front door.

How awful to be the one who’d have to wipe the smile off Farren’s face.

“Morse!” Farren tugged Morrisey out of the booth with surprising strength, wrapping him in a heartfelt—and strangling—hug. “I thought I’d never see you again.”

“So did I,” Morrisey replied, once able to breathe again.

They both took seats at the table. “We’re old friends, having a late lunch,” Farren said. “We’re probably being watched.”

Oh, so the hug was for show. Nope, too much emotion there. If Morrisey had been a lesser man—traveler, whatever—he’d have feasted. Now, he simply said a quiet, “Duly noted. Did you send someone to the house? With ambulances?”

“Yes, I called the usual traveler paramedics if they’re not as incapacitated as FAET. We’re not exactly trusted now.”

Farren fiddled under the edge of the table, then nodded. Sweeping for bugs, then. Only once sure they were safe, he said. “I felt the realm die.”

So, he already knew. Morrisey blew out a heavy breath. “I know. I was… I was there.”

Farren’s eyes went wide. “What? How? What do you mean you were there?”

Morrisey shrugged, feigning nonchalance he didn’t feel while struggling to put a surreal experience into words. “I was there. Saw someone who called herself Krista, met with the council. I was there when…” He trailed off. If Farren felt the end of Domus, he already knew. He didn’t need details of buildings falling and people vanishing from the council room. The elder shoving Morrisey through a portal before the very end.

Morrisey closed his eyes for a moment, remembering and trying not to.

“How did you get there?” Farren asked more gently.

“Asher, the guy from the train tracks, had me locked in a basement, trying to make me feed from humans. Something clicked in my brain, then I found myself in a strange purple place. Krista said I’d been brought there but I can travel at will between the realms. Or could, rather.” Hard to keep the sorrow from his voice for losing a home he’d never really known.

“You’re Princeps.”

Morrisey shrugged. Morrisey didn”t really care because he wasn”t raised in the tier system. Except he could help more people as Princeps. “So I’m told.”

The color fled Farren’s cheeks. “Did they try to hurt you?”

“No. They said killing Tenebris is why Domus failed.”

Farren winced. “So, they confirmed it?”

Morrisey kept his voice flat. “They did.” He didn’t add the part about Farren being the light to his darkness.

“How many people died? Do you know?”

This news would hurt Farren, but he deserved the truth. “Few remained in the end. The ones who wanted to stay were using sheer force of will to hold off the inevitable. I was with the elders when the realm finally went. The dying act of an elder pushed me back. He closed the portals. Then the world just… died.”

Farren lowered his head, shoulders hunched. “It’s over then. The realm is truly gone. Even after feeling the end, I’d hoped to be wrong.”

“Yeah.” While Morrisey had just found the place and learned why he’d never quite fit in anywhere in the human world, he mourned for an existence he could have known. Parents he’d never know. “I would have stayed, but the elders said I had work to do here, helping the travelers blend with humans. Humans will know the truth one day. It won’t be pretty.” Morrisey had spent the last hour imagining worst-case scenarios, mentally throwing his hands in the air. If he was the travelers’ best hope, they were all screwed.

“No, it won’t be pretty,” Farren agreed. “But nothing worthwhile is ever easy.”

True. “Is Arianna okay?”

“Yes. I’ve heard from Jessa too. She’s fine.”

Morrisey jolted. “Jessa?”

“She sought me out to say you were okay and let me know what this Asher guy planned.”

Was Jessa truly not the enemy, then? A weight lifted from Morrisey’s soul.

Farren reached across the table, clutching Morrisey’s hand. Sparks of desire sprang from the connection, gone a moment later when a young man with a notepad approached, retrieving an ink pen from behind his ear. “What can I get ya?”

“More coffee for me,” Morrisey said, lifting his nearly empty cup. “I have days of catching up to do.”

“Just coffee for me,” Farren said.

The server wandered off, some of the spring gone from his step, likely expecting a dismal tip.

“I was so worried about you.” Farren kept his voice low enough to make Morrisey strain to hear.

“How are you?”

Farren glanced up sharply. “Me? I’m fine. Why?”

“You’re nervous.”

Farren snorted. “Damn, your ability to read emotions.”

“It comes in handy.” Morrisey grinned.

“It’s Leary, the task force, and all the way up to the president. They’re regretting their decision to let travelers settle here.”

Morrisey dipped his chin. “The decision was just a courtesy. You know travelers go where they want. Although from what I’ve learned, only a fraction of those who came here actually found hosts. We’re not as many as you might expect.”

“The government doesn’t know, do they?”

“There might be others besides myself who came here as children and don’t even know.” Morrisey didn’t envy the poor buggers once they found out.

“I don’t see how. But yes, I suppose it’s possible.”

“We must be ready. It’s pretty hard to wage war on an enemy when they feed on your emotions.” Also hard to imagine himself fighting for the other team when, mere weeks ago, Morrisey imagined himself an ordinary human.

Farren gave Morrisey’s fingers a squeeze. “True.”

Morrisey reveled in the touch, lacing his fingers with Farren’s. “But while we protect travelers, we also have to protect humans from those from your… our realm who want to take over.” Would he ever get used to the idea of his whole life being a lie? He couldn’t blame his adoptive parents. They didn’t know, so they couldn’t have told him.

“Leary worried about our association. Thinks we might be plotting. I suppose you’ve noticed how few travelers FAET has.”

“I’ve noticed. I take it you found Asher, the train murderer, kidnapper, black market body salesman, snake in the grass, and all-around asshole?” Morrisey would like to open a whole can of darkness on the motherfucker.

Or a good old Southern redneck can of whoop-ass.

“No. I hate to say he’s still out there somewhere. How did you get away from him?”

Morrisey winced. However, if he couldn’t trust Farren, who could he trust? “I… learned to feed from humans, but also from travelers. The human didn’t survive. Asher killed him.”

Farren didn’t reply, merely caressing Morrisey’s fingers, all bright eyes and understanding. Once more the not-quite-connection made itself known, leaving Morrisey yearning for a closeness currently right past his reach.

The bond. He and Farren were from the same realm. The tier system didn’t exist here. Would letting the bond have its way really be bad?

Thoughts for another time. One pressing issue would have to be addressed sooner rather than later. “How can we punish travelers who break the law?”

“They’re generally banished, though I’m not sure if that will work with our realm gone. Where will we send them?”

“Send…” Seeing Farren here, now, apparently okay, derailed Morrisey’s thoughts. He’d gotten through a few rough days by imagining Farren—usually naked, in various sexual positions. “Would it shock you to know the only thing I’m plotting is how to get you to my bed?”

Farren laughed. “What?”

“I’m not sure why. I just need to get you naked and hold you, if nothing else.” Maybe clinging tightly to Farren would help make sense of Morrisey’s strange new world.

Farren gave Morrisey’s hand another squeeze. “Whether or not you understand it, you’re grieving. So am I. Our kind like contact. But to be honest, I’ve seen your apartment off the compound. I’m not sure there even is a bed under all the clutter since your kidnappers didn’t go easy on the place.”

No, Morrisey bet not. “Good point. And the gray abyss is out.”

“One of our traveler coworkers has a safe house.”

Someone planned ahead. Good. “Then we’d better get there.” Morrisey gave a grim smile. “It’s a whole new world out there. We need a safe space to figure out what to do next.”

“Two other traveler agents were on site, along with Arianna, security guards, and other employees. They’re hiding in the safe house. When the realm fell, we all felt it. Twice.”

Morrisey paused, considering. “I think the first time was when the elder shoved me through and closed access to the human world. The second was when the realm failed completely. I felt it too.”

“Leary tried to force us all into the basement.”

Morrisey arched a brow. “The clinic?”

“We currently have two bodies there available for any member of the team who needs one. But there’s also a containment unit. While Leary can’t banish us, if you kill our bodies and we can’t get new ones, we’ll die. Same difference.”

“I see.” Morrisey chewed his lower lip. “Well, I learned a thing or two on the other side. One of the elders did this mind-meld thing with me, but instead of trying to possess me, he shared knowledge.”

“Like what?”

“Watch.” Morrisey nodded toward the man pretending to study his laptop. He looked up, glancing around. He struggled to his feet, still turning this way and that.

“What’s he doing?” Farren asked.

“Humans see what they want to. I’ve hidden us from his view.”

“What? Can you hide us from just him or all humans?”

“I don’t know. I just practiced on a few random folks on my way here. Some nearly knocked me down.” So weird, Morrisey acknowledging he might not be human. If not for the new powers, he’d have trouble believing himself.

Later he’d wonder about his parents, what life might’ve been like for him on Domus.

The server approached with a coffee pot, pouring them both a cup before walking away. So apparently, he could still see them. Their tail gave up, made a phone call, and left. Handy trick, as long as the tail didn’t see the server pouring coffee at an empty table.

Farren watched the man leave. “We have to talk to Leary.”

Not what Morrisey wanted to hear. “We need to talk to someone with an open mind.”

“I’ve worked with Leary for years now. We”ll approach with caution, but he has information we don”t.”

Morrisey didn’t want to risk a whole species on this assumption. All the travelers who could escape were now in the human realm. Not only in the US, but worldwide. If they wanted to declare war, they could—and most likely, win. But like Farren said, most just wanted to survive, having lost their homes, their families…

But they’d fight for survival if they thought themselves threatened.

A burning question played on Morrisey’s mind. “Do travelers lose powers after they’ve been here for a while?”

Farren shook his head. “I’ve never heard of such a thing. Nearest I can tell when a traveler inhabits a human body, our energy remaps brain processes. It’s still a human brain, just more efficient.”

“What about travelers’ kids? Can the powers pass to the next generation?”

“Not that I’m aware of. But travelers can live a long time in a body. We also make metabolism and cellular construction more efficient.”

“Why didn’t that happen to me? Your body is thirty-seven but looks twenty-seven. Me? I’m forty-two and look fifty-two.”

Farren rolled his eyes. “No, you don’t. But you didn’t know what you were. The remapping isn’t an automatic function of what you… I mean… humans call possession. It’s a conscious process.”

“Where do we go from here?”

“First, we gather all the travelers we can trust. Keep ‘em safe. We have to see what you’re capable of, for like it or not, by our old hierarchy, you’re our leader.”

“I don’t want to be. You don’t need me.” No way, no how was Morrisey planning on taking responsibility for an entire species, even though the elder told him to. There had to be someone better. Hell, anyone would be better.

“Yes, we do. Until we can negotiate a lasting peace with humans. Or at least the ones in this country. Now, let’s get out of here.”

Farren paid the bill, then ushered Morrisey from the diner with a hand to the lower back. Heat radiated through Morrisey’s shirt to his skin.

“How do we get to the safe house?” he asked once they cleared the parking lot.

“I’ll call for a ride.”

“Too risky.” A thought occurred to Morrisey. If he could travel between realms… “Who is there? Arianna?”

“Yes.”

Morrisey closed his eyes, wrapped an arm around Farren’s waist, and focused on Arianna, her hands-on-hips scowl, her bossy manner, her…

“What the actual fuck?” Arianna shrieked, falling backward onto her ass.

Morrisey opened his eyes to find himself standing in the middle of a living room, an assortment of travelers gathered around, seated on two couches, a few chairs, and others on the floor. Men, women, and even children. Wait. Some men and women were human, as were the children.

The human mates and spawn of travelers. Morrisey noticed traces of travelers’ auras blended enough to tell who belonged with whom. Interesting.

Jessa sat on a couch next to a man with a cat. She began a slow clap.

“How did you do that?” Farren demanded.

“Why did you do it?” Arianna snapped, allowing Farren to help her up off the floor. “You scared the ever-loving shit out of me!”

The remaining travelers stared at Morrisey with open mouths.

How had Morrisey teleported? Merely wished it so? “It’s hard to explain. Mostly, I focused on wanting to be where Arianna was. Here we are.”

The older man sitting by Jessa struggled to his feet, gray hair disheveled and stroking a fluffy white cat. “Not possible. Teleportation isn’t one of our gifts.”

“Maybe not.” Morrisey had a feeling a lot of what the elder shared wasn’t known to the lower traveler tiers. “But then, I didn’t know I couldn’t do it, so I tried anyway. I didn’t learn the rules of Domus.” Fuck, but he needed a cigarette. And a good, stiff drink. He cut the thought off before those things could materialize.

“He came here as a child.” Farren still had a hard time believing how well Morrisey had passed for human all his life. “That’s bound to have changed a few things. Plus, what do you call traveling between realms?”

“What are these rules? Is there a list?” Probably better not to know them. If someone said Morrisey couldn’t do a thing, he might never try. Oh, who the hell was he fooling? Of course, he’d try.

“Not written down,” Cat Dad said.

“Write them down. How many travelers are here?” They’d need to document travelers’ existence at some point.

“Forty-seven,” Jessa replied. “Those known to be travelers to the FBI. I’ve told those in hiding to stay put. There are too many to gather without drawing attention.”

Morrisey would address Jessa’s connection with Asher later. “Do we have a total census?” How many travelers might be here? Domus realm seemed almost deserted.

“No,” Farren answered. “I’ve contacted community leaders who’ll provide numbers, but you must understand they’ve been hiding for so long and are terrified for themselves and their families. Most won’t provide names.”

“Aliases work for now. How soon can we get those?” Morrisey didn’t say so, but he’d tried sending out his senses for travelers and found about a dozen outside the mansion during his captivity. With practice, could he sense them all? He didn’t want the role, but it looked like he’d be part of leadership after all. So many gathered around, waiting for his instruction.

Arianna raised her hand. “We can help,” she said, lifing an eyebrow at Jessa.

“Sure we can,” Jessa agreed.

“Do it. I want a list of every traveler and their situation, even if they don’t give their real names. Are they safe? Do they need help? I’m sure they all felt the realm fall. Did it hurt anyone?” Morrisey faced the rest of the room. “For those who don’t know me, I’m Morrisey James. Until recently, I thought myself human. Someone summoned me as an infant and forced me into a dying baby. I’m only starting to show powers you’ve known about for your whole lives.”

All eyes stayed riveted on Morrisey. He recalled the command from the elders: “Lead.” He continued, “I was in the home realm when it fell. The elders sacrificed themselves to save as many as possible.”

Murmurs went up among those gathered.

Disregarding the side conversations, Morrisey pressed on before he could lose his nerve or come to his senses. “I work for the FBI’s Alternate Entity Task Force, or rather, I did. I don’t know where matters stand with them. When the realm fell, they tried to round all of us up. We escaped. Now we’re on our own.” He noticed a human woman, sitting with a traveler man and two children. The future of the race. “Some of our kind see humans as lesser. They are not lesser, and neither are we. Our mutual survival depends on us building a solid relationship.”

Morrisey conjured up memories of Will and his Boy Scout leader”s organizational skills. What would he do? ”Each of you will have assigned tasks based on your capabilities. Not the tier system you were used to, but the actual skills you possess now and are willing to use. We need guards to secure the premises and scouts to find more places to hide. We need everything from cooks to security. See Farren Austen to arrange assignments.” Morrisey sought the older man. A name flashed into Morrisey’s head, along with a few facts. “Colm? You were a teacher, right?”

“I was a scholar.” Cat Dad didn’t ask how Morrisey knew. Good thing, too, for Morrisey didn’t know.

“Arrange for management of our group, funds, etcetera. Can I count on you for this?” Morrisey knew the answer before even asking.

Throughout the conversation, the man continued stroking the cat like a security blanket. “I can, and I will.”

“Good.”

“How did you get here?” Farren asked.

The old man lifted one side of his mouth as though a full smile was beyond him. “After you visited, I decided I should check out this Morrisey for myself. I’ve been in town ever since, staying with a friend.” He hiked his thumb toward another older man sitting across the room.

“I’ll handle security,” an agent Morrisey knew as Sykes said.

Jessa added, “If Asher tries to call to me, I’ll let you know.”

“Can he gain information from you?” The last thing they needed was for Asher to know their plans. The fact she was here said Farren trusted her, at least a little. Morrisey would need to question her loyalties soon.

Jessa curled her lip in distaste. “He wouldn’t try. He thinks I’m too far beneath him to offer anything worthwhile.”

“What will you be doing?” someone asked Morrisey, though not unkindly.

“I’m going to try to rescue anyone in trouble. Once you give assignments, Farren, you’re with me, as well as any other Magestra or anyone with a law enforcement background. Humans may have already put plans into place in the event they felt threatened, so we gotta act fast.” Morrisey paused, studying one person after another in the room. When he was finished, he knew who’d fully invested and who needed additional persuasion. “Does anyone have anything to say?”

For a few moments, no one spoke. Jessa broke the silence. “Let’s go save our people.”

A cheer went up from the assembled.

The last thing they needed was a bunch of travelers running loose in the world, especially when Morrisey couldn’t fully trust them all yet. “No humans are to be hurt or fed upon. If they put emotion out there to consume, so be it. Do not feed on fear or anger. Those hurt you in the long run.”

Jessa and Arianna headed for the door together.

An older woman also rose. “I’ll see to living quarters and provisions.”

Morrisey recognized a cook from the FBI cafeteria and gave the woman a salute. “You have my thanks.”

“Do you realize what you’re doing?” Farren asked, voice low for Morrisey’s ears only.

“What am I doing?” Someone better tell him because Morrisey sure the hell didn’t know.

A slow smile spread across Farren’s face. “You’re leading.”

The attic served as the war room, set up with computers and tech-savvy travelers to monitor both human and traveler communications, radio, and television broadcasts.

Morrisey sat in a chair, absorbing input from multiple sources. How was he doing this? He’d never been a multitasker before. Damn, he wanted a drink but didn’t dare risk one. Not if the alcohol dulled his abilities. He wouldn’t trade tequila for Asshole Asher winning.

He listened to a podcast, a televised news show, and a microphone Sykes had slipped into Leary’s office days ago. Yeah, probably not a good idea to get on the IT geek’s bad side.

Morrisey tuned out the first two to focus on Leary.

“I’ve spoken to someone named Asher, who claims to be their leader,” Leary said. His overly loud voice ensured every word came out clearly.

Morrisey waved Farren over, pointing to the speaker. A wrinkle formed between Farren’s brows.

Someone with Leary said, “What does he want?”

Leary made a sound equal parts disgust and laugher. “Mankind’s surrender.”

“He what?” The second voice rose a full octave.

“He wants all humans to declare their loyalty to him. If we don’t, then the murders will continue and even escalate.”

“Good heavens. He can’t be serious.” The stranger’s voice rose and fell as though he paced the floor away from the microphone and back again.

Leary sighed. “I’m afraid he is. Bat shit too.”

“Do you believe he can?”

“Possibly, since we don’t know how many travelers are here or even who they’re possessing. For all we know, the president himself has been compromised. Plus, they have powers we can’t imagine. We tried to watch those in the compound, but they always eluded us.” Leary let out a disgusted snort. “I’ve recently heard of teleportation.”

How the fuck had any human found out? Only the people in the room upon his arrival should know of Morrisey’s newfound ability. While he didn’t fully trust Jessa yet, she would have reported to Asher, not Leary. Asher wasn’t the type to share critical information. That left Sykes and Waverly from the FBI travelers, and Waverly hadn’t been in the room at the time.

Which didn’t mean she couldn’t have found out by other means.

Morrisey mumbled to Farren. “Who is Leary talking to?”

“Department of Defense. A guy named Masterson. I only met him a handful of times. Reasonable guy, if prone to be short-sighted.”

“I’m calling a meeting,” Masterson said. “This is a matter of national security. I must alert the president.”

“If he’s not an alien,” Leary groused.

Masterson ignored him. Short-sighted, indeed. “Are you and your staff safe?”

“For now. Asher gave us one week to formally surrender.”

“Stand by. I’ll be in touch.” A loud thump must be the door to Leary’s office closing.

Leary let out a muffled, “Son of a bitch!”

Morrisey met Farren’s troubled gaze. “I believe we should pay Leary a visit, don’t you?”