thinks she’s too much for you guys. Believe me. This is not your area of expertise. Ghost Hunters. You guys hunt ghost hunters. Not immortals.”
“So you know what she’s up to?” Abby tested him.
“We know enough. She’s been many things to many people over the centuries. A sorceress. A succubus. A goddess. All you need to know is that you won’t be involved.”
“But who else could possibly do a job like this? It’s not like you can just call the local police and they’ll go and arrest her. Going up against something like that takes preparation and training. And I’m not just talking weapons training, either. I mean parapsychology, cryptoscience, spiritualism—”
“You mean all the skills you happen to have, right, Abby?”
“Well, yes, of course. Mahoney, you know I’m right, goddammit!” she squared up to the screen again.
“Look,” Mahoney said. “The important thing is you know your work is very valuable, both to the living and the dead. I know it’s thankless work. You can’t even tell anyone about it for God’s sake, and that’s a shame. Believe me, I feel bad about that.”
“Spare me your violin solo,” Abby sneered. “ Among other things, I’m a clairsentient, remember? I can spot a line of bullshit from a thousand miles away, even over a secured line to…where are you, Langley?”
“Where I’m located is of no significance. The only thing that matters to me right now, as your current boss—”
“Correction, Mahoney. You’re not our boss. You’re our contact. Temporarily too.”
He paused, trying not to show any impatience.
“I still have responsibility for you, and I intend on not screwing this up. Like I said, the most important thing right now is the safety of Ghost Guard.”
“That makes me feel all warm and fuzzy inside,” Rev laughed.
“You don’t understand. Especially you, Rev. You don’t take much serious lately. I can say this—Elyxa is as serious as it gets,” Mahoney looked to his left, then his right. “I’m not supposed to tell you this, but our research department has learned she’s somewhere in the neighborhood of a billion years old.”
“ A billion—” Abby’s jaw dropped. “How’s that even possible?”
Morris adjusted his glasses. “That ’s not feasible, Mahoney. Earth was barely habitable a billion years ago.”
“ Who’s saying she’s from Earth?” Mahoney asked.
“An ancient immortal from the stars,” Morris muttered in amazement.
Ruby clicked and whistled , awestruck at having met a soul more ancient than her.
“And she doesn’t look a year older than thirty,” Rev smiled, staring somewhere faraway.
“Which brings me to the other reason why the brass doesn’t want Ghost Guard having any part of the operation.”
Abby peered at Rev and squinted hard.
“What are you talking about, Mahoney?”
He took a deep breath.
“It’s been decided that it’s best for the team to stay away…for many different reasons, least of which is the conflict of your mission overall. But one of the biggest deciding factors had to do with the possibility of some kind of, well, romantic relationship between Rev and Elyxa.”
“What!” Rev rippled with anger. “How can you say that?”
“Oh, gosh, Rev,” Abby scowled. “I can’t even begin to think of where they’d get such an idea.”
“But I never mix work with pleasure!” he contended.
“Ha!” Abby laughed in his face.
He passed through her to get to the monitor. She hated when he did that.
“My liaisons are for mission reasons only. Part of the job, that’s all. For the mission.”
“Part of the job,” Mahoney snickered. “Nice benefits, right, Rev?”
“ Mahoney, I’m being serious,” he frowned at the screen. “Whenever I have a romantic tryst with a woman, it’s always with the team in mind.”
Ruby beeped and blipped, wiggling to her own feverish giggles. Even Brutus got into it, huffing a harsh laugh in his deep, gravely bass. Rev
“So you know what she’s up to?” Abby tested him.
“We know enough. She’s been many things to many people over the centuries. A sorceress. A succubus. A goddess. All you need to know is that you won’t be involved.”
“But who else could possibly do a job like this? It’s not like you can just call the local police and they’ll go and arrest her. Going up against something like that takes preparation and training. And I’m not just talking weapons training, either. I mean parapsychology, cryptoscience, spiritualism—”
“You mean all the skills you happen to have, right, Abby?”
“Well, yes, of course. Mahoney, you know I’m right, goddammit!” she squared up to the screen again.
“Look,” Mahoney said. “The important thing is you know your work is very valuable, both to the living and the dead. I know it’s thankless work. You can’t even tell anyone about it for God’s sake, and that’s a shame. Believe me, I feel bad about that.”
“Spare me your violin solo,” Abby sneered. “ Among other things, I’m a clairsentient, remember? I can spot a line of bullshit from a thousand miles away, even over a secured line to…where are you, Langley?”
“Where I’m located is of no significance. The only thing that matters to me right now, as your current boss—”
“Correction, Mahoney. You’re not our boss. You’re our contact. Temporarily too.”
He paused, trying not to show any impatience.
“I still have responsibility for you, and I intend on not screwing this up. Like I said, the most important thing right now is the safety of Ghost Guard.”
“That makes me feel all warm and fuzzy inside,” Rev laughed.
“You don’t understand. Especially you, Rev. You don’t take much serious lately. I can say this—Elyxa is as serious as it gets,” Mahoney looked to his left, then his right. “I’m not supposed to tell you this, but our research department has learned she’s somewhere in the neighborhood of a billion years old.”
“ A billion—” Abby’s jaw dropped. “How’s that even possible?”
Morris adjusted his glasses. “That ’s not feasible, Mahoney. Earth was barely habitable a billion years ago.”
“ Who’s saying she’s from Earth?” Mahoney asked.
“An ancient immortal from the stars,” Morris muttered in amazement.
Ruby clicked and whistled , awestruck at having met a soul more ancient than her.
“And she doesn’t look a year older than thirty,” Rev smiled, staring somewhere faraway.
“Which brings me to the other reason why the brass doesn’t want Ghost Guard having any part of the operation.”
Abby peered at Rev and squinted hard.
“What are you talking about, Mahoney?”
He took a deep breath.
“It’s been decided that it’s best for the team to stay away…for many different reasons, least of which is the conflict of your mission overall. But one of the biggest deciding factors had to do with the possibility of some kind of, well, romantic relationship between Rev and Elyxa.”
“What!” Rev rippled with anger. “How can you say that?”
“Oh, gosh, Rev,” Abby scowled. “I can’t even begin to think of where they’d get such an idea.”
“But I never mix work with pleasure!” he contended.
“Ha!” Abby laughed in his face.
He passed through her to get to the monitor. She hated when he did that.
“My liaisons are for mission reasons only. Part of the job, that’s all. For the mission.”
“Part of the job,” Mahoney snickered. “Nice benefits, right, Rev?”
“ Mahoney, I’m being serious,” he frowned at the screen. “Whenever I have a romantic tryst with a woman, it’s always with the team in mind.”
Ruby beeped and blipped, wiggling to her own feverish giggles. Even Brutus got into it, huffing a harsh laugh in his deep, gravely bass. Rev
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