Jagged Embrace

Chapter 53 - Mason

"The area is secure," the young cadet said to Mason.

Mason nodded and inhaled her cigarette.

"Do you need the found items?"

She nodded again. He turned and called back to the other soldiers to bring all the weapons and personal items to Mason. Several soldiers in black fatigues carried over boxes filled with Will or Ander's weapons to her truck. They placed the water-logged, bloody weapons in her truck bed. After they left, the cadet stood with an uncomfortable expression that made his face tight. For a moment, Mason considered screwing with him to amuse herself, but thought better of it. Not the time.

"You want the sword and the pipe?" she asked. Those objects were the only reason Greystone Industries had shown up to clean the mess.

"Yes, I will need to verify the authenticity."

"Of course." She strolled to the cab of the truck and took out the preservation box and sword housed in its sheath. Relieved he'd stayed where he was and didn't move closer, she placed the valuable items on the tailgate.

The soldier pulled out some gadget that lit up as he flicked a switch. Mason stood back, but watched as he slid the blade from its sheath and waved the gadget over the blade. Lights flashed, and it made beeps that seemed to excite him. Mason didn't know what the gadget was; it was new tech. Greystone hadn't had it the last time she had to trade with them.

"That dating the metal of the blade?"

"More than that, it is checking the structure of the sword by analyzing its different molecules," he answered.

"Huh, neat," she said.

He clipped the gadget to his belt and put the weapon away. "It really is Mistilteinn... how did you come across this?" he asked, unable to hide the respect in his tone.

She smiled. "You gonna let me see how that gadget works?" She motioned to the blinking device on his belt.

"No... I can't. It is proprietary," he muttered and tugged it from his belt. He held it up and pushed a bunch of buttons before he approached the box.

"Right, so's my story. Don't touch that, kid, unless you wanna get hit with lightning," she warned as his hand hovered over the lid of the box.

He snatched his hand back. "You have a defense spell on it right now?"

"'Course I do, needed to make sure you boys were gonna hold up your end of the bargain." Her eyes slid to the soldier coming out of the swamp with more body parts.

"Greystone Industries does not break agreements once they are made," he told her, sounding offended.

She shook her head as she held her hand over the box. Too green this one, didn't understand who he really worked for yet. He'd learn, if he lived that long. She whispered the incantation and heard the lock open on the box. "Right, well, you can never be too cautious."

"Yes, of course. That makes sense." He peered into the box as she stepped back. With his gloved hands, he took out the recorder style instrument. The pipe didn't look like much. It was old and worn, but it worked as well as the day it was created. A couple of notes out of it and someone would follow the player wherever they led you, even if it was to your death.

The soldier waved his gizmo over the pipe and it lit up again. His face relaxed. "I don't suppose you will tell me how you found this?"

"You get out in the field much, soldier?" she asked.

His body stiffened before he turned his heated gaze to her. "Why do you ask?"

She shrugged. "Well, they have you over here with me, checking the authenticity of these relics instead of pulling body parts out of the swamp. In fact, I don't think I ever saw you near the swamp."

His face reddened from her words. Yep, green or office personal, maybe a scientist? Antique specialist? "You knew those were the real deal before your electronic gadget told you that," she paused. "Don't like getting your hands dirty?"

He shifted his stance. "I am the superior officer here and the most well equipped to deal with you." His tone was haughty.

Mason forced herself not to laugh. "I think what you mean is, you're most equipped to deal with relics. You're smarter than those dimwits who just follow orders." She motioned to the soldiers loading more body parts into their humvee. Mason's mouth twitched when she saw her words make him stand straighter.

"I suppose that's true."

"Your superiors knew they couldn't have one of them dealing with me. I could outwit them, but not you." She paused. "Smart, I would've tried with them. Truth is, those weren't easy to come by and I don't really want to give them up. But like you said, a deal is a deal." She especially didn't want them to have the sword, but Will and Ander were worth more to her than any relic, even powerful ones.

"Look, when you get back, you let them know those grunts did the heavy lifting, but you're the one who brought back the goods. What you do is more valuable than what they do. Shit, in a couple of decades you'll probably run that branch and they," she tilted her head towards the other soldiers, "will work for you. Take the bullshit they dish out to you but never forget - it's the ones with the brains that end up in charge." She winked at him.

The cadet stared at her for a few long moments before he nodded. He pulled the electronic scanner off his belt and handed it to her. "This is discerpo. You were correct, it was checking for the authenticity, but it was also analyzing the material components, molecular structure, and even," he leaned closer and dropped the volume in his voice, "checking for magic. I'm still working on it, but when I'm finished, it should be able to identify the type of magic used and possibly one day the specific spell. If we could understand the way the object was created..."

"Then you can either re-create it or destroy it as needed," she said in a low voice. "That's damn impressive, soldier. You the only one working on this?"

He grinned. "No, but I am the lead."

"Well, don't you let them pull you off of this project. It's brilliant - could really help a lot of people." She handed it back to him. "Damn militant bastards always underestimate the smart ones. A quick piece of advice before you go," she said as she saw the last of the parts being loaded. "Let them see you're smart, but not too smart. If you show them too much, they'll get scared of you. You have a future. Don't let them piss it away."

He nodded and packed up the items, but paused. "I feel awkward asking this, but is the number you gave us a good contact number?"

"Sure is, but if you wanted a better number to reach me, I have that, too." She smiled at him.

"Yes, that would be most appreciated," he replied.

Mason plucked out a business card from her bookstore, Autumn's Nook, and gave it to him. "Ignore what it says. Just use the number, but not unless you're in a secure place away from work that ain't monitored."

He turned the card over in his fingers.

"Maybe we can talk about how I found one of those." She watched him walk back to the humvee with a spring in his step.

Mason took out a cigarette and lit it, waiting until they pulled out of the parking lot and had been on the road for a few minutes before she closed her tailgate and climbed into her truck. At least the mess Will had made was cleaned up and, as far as any normals were concerned, nothing had happened.

She still had to deal with Will and she wasn't looking forward to it. He was going to be in rare form and she was furious about the mess he'd made. It cost not one, but two things she would've made a nice profit from, and to have it fall into Greystone Industries' hands was always a dicey situation. It was impossible to know if those fuckers would use them for good or evil. She exited the parking lot and decided to treat herself to dinner before seeing Will.