Matt Archer: Redemption Part 18

Well, duh.

Okay, that was mean, but I hated how I still felt like I had something to prove to him. It seemed like the sting of abandonment would never wear off even though he was back in my life and acted like he wanted to be here.

Still, a little guilt was in order. "And you couldn't call home? The rest of us have been worried about you. And we've been kind of busy, too. Surely you've heard."

"I watched CNN when I was in Shanghai." He gave me a look that was equal parts pride and concern. "D.C. was a mess."

"More than you would guess," I said. "You might want to check on your daughter."

Now his eyes widened-and the expression went mostly to pride. "What did she do this time?"

He was the only one of us who never freaked out over Mamie's power. "Um, she went completely shaman-bada.s.s on us for a little while, but has been withdrawn ever since." I paused, not ready to explain why Mamie walked out into a field of monsters, or what it did to her when Ann died. "She's okay, though. Back home with Mom and Brent."

"He's still watching over them?"

"Yes. He's taking that job very seriously."

Now he looked really proud. I wondered what I'd have to do to earn that expression.

Oh, right. Save the world.

Holding back a snort, I asked, "So what's your story? Where have you been?"

Dad c.o.c.ked his head to one side, a half-smile on his face. "Finding the answer to all our questions."

A thrill of fear and expectation shot through my limbs. "The answers to all our questions, or just the big ones?"

"I love how you qualify everything." His smile was genuine and I relaxed a little. "How about most of our questions about China."

"There you go, putting limitations on the infinite." I meant it as a joke, though. "What have you found?"

"Not what, but who. I found him, Matt." Dad leaned forward, his elbows on his knees and his eyes gleaming with the excitement of a successful hunt. "The one you've been looking for. The Chinese shaman."

Tink said he was coming closer, but I'd hadn't expected to hear anything so fast. "Where? Who?"

"His name is Xing Li. He lives in a village about seven hours' drive from here. He said he's been waiting to meet you for a while."

The keen glance Dad gave me set my nerves on edge. "For a while, huh? Well, that's not the first time someone's told me that."

He laughed. "Funny what you can get accustomed to. Anyway, how are you, really? You seem tired, son."

Now it was my turn to laugh. "Me? No. Globe-trotting monster hunters don't get tired, or didn't you know that?"

"Right now Mike would say something bracing or caution you to get enough rest, right?" Dad asked. "He'd hear the sarcasm and know the truth."

He understood my uncle well. "Yes."

"I'm not him." He c.o.c.ked his head to the side. "You're tired, but you can't stop, no matter what plat.i.tudes you hear. I get that. Maybe even better than Mike does. And what he doesn't understand is that you're my son. You won't stop until the job's done, no matter what it takes. It's not in your DNA."

I stared at him. The words were terse, but there was an intensity in his voice that he rarely let seep through. "Yeah, you're right. I won't stop."

He nodded once, then said, "I heard Ann's dead."

By now I should be used the abrupt subject changes-the man's brain swerved faster than a normal human's-but this one caught me off guard. "Yes, she died in front of me and Mamie."

"How'd Mamie take it?"

"Hard," I said. "But, what, you aren't worried about how I took it?"

"You've seen too much for something like that to affect you for long," he said. "Mamie's more delicate."

Delicate enough to take on a pack of flying monsters to save some kids-by herself. He still didn't know us very well. "I think it was more that she blamed herself."

As I explained what happened, he grew thoughtful. "I wondered. That must be why no new attacks are popping up-because Ann stopped them. Sure there are issues all over, but they don't seem to be getting worse. Who knew she had a conscience?"

I shot him a wry smile. "Maybe you beat one into her when you hit her over the head with that brick."

"No." His own smile had an edge I knew I'd never be able to match. "I'm not n.o.ble enough to inspire that kind of reaction in anyone."

"I know," I said, as my good humor drained away. "A n.o.ble guy would make sure his family knew he was safe on a.s.signment, or at least check in every once in a while."

"Matt-"

"No, uh-uh." I crossed my arms, glaring. "When you came home, we thought things were going to be different. That you'd stay in touch. All you've done is make us realize things haven't changed that much."

The miserable expression that crossed his face made me feel bad, but not bad enough to take it back. "I'm sorry," he said. "I wasn't sure who'd be listening while Congress prepped for the hearings. I worried that if I called home, they'd find a way to use it against you."

"So you couldn't let us know you were okay?"

He met my eye. "I did let someone know. I guess she was too worried about you to mention it."

I went very, very still. "What?"

"Officer Archer?" Captain Johnson called. "We have the colonel on the line. Can you report in?"

Dad stood, his expression torn. "We'll talk later."

Then he disappeared out the tent flap, but not before I noticed that the compa.s.s Mom had given him as a wedding gift was clutched in his right hand.

Chapter Twenty-Two.

"When do you think we can break camp?" Dad was asking Captain Johnson when I finally came outside. "The colonel agrees that when we go see Xing Li we should take the whole team, in case there's a problem."

Johnson looked around, frowning. "Well, we don't know if there are more Pandas up here, but if we need to, we can leave tomorrow morning.

No. You have to leave now, Tink said, suddenly tense. Tonight.

"Why?" I asked.

Tink answered, He's in danger. Hurry.

"We're leaving tonight." I announced.

Johnson's right eyebrow rose. "Tonight? Archer, I've got three injured men, including a wielder who's not a hundred percent yet. A long road trip isn't a good idea. Besides, it'll be easier to travel during daylight."

"Tink said the shaman's in danger," I said. "We have to go. Now."

"He's right, captain," Dad said. I thought he'd question my logic, but the calm, collected super-spy came out instead. He gave me a grim nod, his expression hardening. "We should go now."

Sighing, Johnson called for Nguyen, then turned back to me. "I hope this trip's worth it."

"Me, too," I muttered. "Me, too."

Two hours later, we were on the road, driving across Sichuan province like ghosts in the night. Xing Li lived in a village on the Yalong river, far to the south of our camp in Yanbian County. Convincing my team had been easy, and Will hadn't even blinked an eye, setting to folding up his cot before I finished the explanation. The new guys, though, all had that expression, one I'd seen a hundred times: we're tearing down camp at sunset because a kid told us we needed to leave?

For once, I hoped they were right and Tink was wrong. I didn't think we'd be that lucky, though.

My vehicle, driven by Blakeney with Lanningham riding shotgun like always, led the caravan. Dad and I sat quiet in the backseat. Once or twice, I wondered if he had nodded off. Nope, still staring ahead at the road, alert and intense. Like always.

So when he finally spoke, all of us jumped. "There's something you should know."

"Okay?"

"I've been hearing the men talk about a 'fire breathing dragon' coming after you." He chuckled. "Chinese dragons are water dwellers, not fire-breathers. Whatever is hunting you, I don't think it's a dragon. Here, dragons are good luck."

If it wasn't a dragon, then what was it? "Good thing I like surprises."

"Good thing," Dad murmured, sounding distracted. "Talk to your mother lately?"

Dragons to Mom? Nice U-turn, Pops. "I got an email from Mamie a few days ago. They're keeping busy. She's researching some information Ramirez brought back from Africa."

"Any leads?" He sounded keenly interested. Maybe he did miss us.

I explained Zenka's sketchbook and the writing Mamie discovered in the back. "She's almost certain the messages are in scrambled Latin. She's working on unscrambling them so she can translate everything." I shrugged. "Anyway, Mamie said Mom has more legal work than she can keep up with after D.C. She's become the celebrity attorney of Billings."

Dad laughed-a real, full-on laugh. It sounded too loud with the darkness speeding by outside my window. Still, it warmed some of the chill between us. "Yeah, she told me work was crazy."

ERRRRTTT. That was the sound of my brain slamming on the brakes. "She told you? Have you been talking to her?"

Now he looked uncomfortable. "I, um, we've emailed a few times."

Huh, he didn't call me, but he emailed Mom. Maybe Mamie had been right-his real goal in coming back to us wasn't to reknit our family, but to win Mom back. Having his kids there would just be gravy.

"And?" I asked, to see him squirm-which he did.

"She seems well." He gave me a sidelong glance. "I guess she didn't tell you about the emails."

"No." And I wondered why. Was she worried I'd get my hopes up? I knew Brent would for sure; he turned into an eager five-year-old every time our old man was around. Or was there some other reason for the secrecy? "She have anything interesting to say?"

"She invited me to come visit once I'm finished here."

Mom invited him? That was unexpected. She'd been so hurt and p.i.s.sed when he showed up last spring. Both at him, and at me for bringing him home. Just what had those emails said to convince her otherwise?

"Really?"

"Really." His tone was slightly amused, but he also looked a tiny bit hurt, as if he was disappointed that I'd question her decision.

Well, whatever. "Then I'll see you there. I'm hoping Uncle Mike gives me a furlough when we wrap up here."

"I'd like that," he said. "I'd also like to meet your girlfriend. I've heard a lot about her, but you never introduced us." A little smile twitched at the corner of his mouth. "Any girl who can handle you is bound to be something special."

Now I laughed. "She is."

We lapsed back into silence, but it wasn't as uncomfortable as before. He was trying and I had to give him credit for that. Mom, on the other hand, was in for some questions when I got home. What was going on between them? She'd thawed some last summer, but never really warmed up to him.

Still-she also acted like she missed him after he left, too.

My family had been without Dad for so long, I didn't know how I'd handle having him as a constant presence. This was almost too big to think about right now, though, so I filed these thoughts away to be examined later, after the shaman revealed his secrets. That information would keep me far busier than my family drama.

After a couple of pit stops and driver changes, we pulled into the village right at dawn.

"This is kind of an unG.o.dly hour to ring someone's doorbell, don't you think?" Lanningham asked.

He's awake. And waiting, Tink said, her voice dreamy and sing-song. I've longed for this moment.

I'd never heard her so excited to meet a human before. "Really?"

Lanningham grinned and turned around, knowing I wasn't talking to him. "She telling us to knock the door down?"

"Not quite." I waved at him so I could listen.

I was worried we'd be too late. Luckily, we're not.

I had a billion questions, but Dad said, "Turn right at the corner. His home is down this lane."

A small paG.o.da kept watch over the village as we drove by houses and single-story buildings with red-tiled roofs. In the light of the morning sun, they gleamed like flames, while mist hung in the air like a spider web, coming off the nearby river delta. A few chickens staggered into the road, looking surprised to be up this early, and ran squawking to the other side as we pa.s.sed by. It should've been a simple country village scene, but there was an otherness to it, something I couldn't define.

We pulled up to a tiny house with wind chimes hanging from its eaves. The little bells tinkled out a haunting tune as we climbed out of the Range Rover.

Except the wind wasn't blowing.