Standing Stones

Chapter 1: Covert Surveillance

Arkham, Massachusetts. Saturday, January 24, 1976.

"I would have thought you'd sworn off trudging in the snow long ago," Henry grumbled, shoving his hands deeper into his pockets. "Why don't you own a car?"

"I don't need it," Neal protested. "Parking spaces are limited on campus, especially now that the semester has started. Besides, the walk to the quad from the campus parking lot is almost as long as from June's house. Aren't you the outdoor adventurer? This should be right up your alley."

"If you had a list of my jobs, you'd notice a clear pattern—tropical locations. That's not a coincidence."

Neal sympathized with him, but snowstorms and Arkham winters went hand in hand. Yesterday Henry was greeted by a two-foot snowfall when he returned from an assignment in Argentina. He was entitled to grouse, but Neal wasn't about to complain about a little white stuff on the streets.

This was Henry's first official day of his new job with SCAGR, the name Henry had coined for their group of Scholar-Adventurer-Guardian Reprobates. He was staying in June's guest bedroom which was formerly used by Pagna Sastri. The Meropian scientist had vacated it in early January when she returned to her world's home base. Mozzie was now in charge of her instruments. His lab was their current destination.

"Think of this as your orientation tour," Neal said. "Peter and Elizabeth live four blocks away from me in a townhouse on Cedar Street. Sara's apartment is on Larchmont. If you insist on a car, I can borrow her Beetle. She asked me to look after it while she's gone."

Henry arched a suspicious eyebrow. "You never owned a car. Do you know anything about car maintenance?"

"I skipped Auto Mechanics 101, but how tough can it be?"

Henry smiled. "You better let me take it over. Generally, I prefer something racier, but I'll have that car purring like a kitten. You think she'd like it souped up?"

"She'd probably love it," Neal admitted. "I'll gladly hand the reins over to you."

"Consider vehicle customization part of the package deal. Gideon's already placed me in charge of security and covert operations. I may need a raise."

"I don't remember him wording your duties that way."

"Close enough," Henry dismissed airily. "Go ahead and verify it with him."

"A little difficult since he's no longer on Earth." They turned off Cedar onto Trinity Avenue which led directly to the main entrance of the campus. Henry had already been introduced to Dorian's Coffeehouse and the Sentinel Alehouse. Somehow Neal didn't think it was necessary to point out the rare bookstore. Henry had already been groaning about the amount of reading Lavinia had assigned him.

Henry shrugged. "Not my problem, but what is in my bailiwick is getting to know the members of the team. So what's up with Mozzie and Lavinia?"

"What do you mean?"

"It's obvious by the way he talks about her that he's a smitten man. Are his feelings reciprocated?"

"Who can tell what Lavinia's thinking? As for Mozzie, at first I wondered if his interest was more akin to scientific curiosity, but he swears that's not the case."

"You're the expert on Meropians. I know they're shapeshifters, but what do they really look like?"

"Your guess is as good as mine. They've never given me a clue about what their true appearance is. Zophar transformed himself to look like Montgomery Clift to mate with my mother, but if she knew what he really looked like, she never told me. Not that she would have. I didn't even know he was my dad till it was too late."