The lemurs in his cube began to chitter, and the imps screamed. The scream startled Dante into action. He stepped into the corridor just as one of the imps dashed out of his cube and ran after Omar, who was headed down the hall away from the advancing party. The other imp dashed right at the woman in white. The imps were lightning-fast, and before Dante could take another step the first one reached Omar and leapt onto his back. The second stopped just short of the oncoming group as the woman in white laid a gentle hand on the Hispanic man while a flaming sword sprang into existence in the other. The man stopped, while Janice continued to advance a few more steps, drawing up next to the imp before she turned to see what held back her companion.
“Julio?” Janice inquired.
Julio carried a thoughtful gaze on his face, brought a hand up to his chin and said, “I was just thinking about how we can resolve our fingerprint processing problem with the sheriff’s office,” he said. Janice turned to fully face him. “I just remembered something I saw in last month’s issue of HR Today magazine. I think there’s a new service to do just that.”
“Okay. Bring it by and we’ll check it out,” she said.
“Oh, Janice, I thought I just missed you,” Omar said from down the hall as he turned.
You will keep away from my charge, filth! the woman said stepping between Julio and the imp. And keep your chattel away as well or I will send you back to your master in disgrace.
The imp scampered a few steps further back but kept its eyes locked on the woman. The woman took a two handed grip on her sword and assumed a fighting stance. Dante couldn’t get his feet to move. Carrie Sterling stepped up next to Dante and placed a reassuring hand on his shoulder. A lemur clung to the underside of her wrist gently licking her skin.
“Hi Janice. Come to add,” she paused and looked at Dante. “You didn’t introduce yourself, and neither did Omar, how odd.”
“Sorry,” Dante said, choking on the last syllable and clearing his throat. “Sorry, Trevor. Trevor St. James.”
“Ah, come to add Mr. St. James’ inky black prints to your collection?” she asked.
“Carrie, you know these kits don’t use black ink anymore,” she said holding up a folder and waving it at Dante. “They’re self-inking and it’s clear for infrared scanning.”
Omar approached just as Janice and Julio reached the intersection. Both imps stood directly at Dante’s feet as several lemurs scampered onto his shoulders. Two more ran up Carrie’s legs and assumed the same positions on her. Dante reached up to scratch his shoulder as one of the lemurs gripped him, but other than the slight itch he didn’t feel the expected weight of the small creature at all. The woman stepped in front of Julio and menaced Dante with the sword. He stumbled backward until he pressed up against the cube wall.
You have ventured into dangerous territory spawn, and come in force but I do not fear simple messengers and underlings as you. Keep your distance from my charge or you will pay, the woman said, fixing her gaze, and the point of her sword on both imps dancing at Dante’s feet.
Aaaangeeellllllll not see you, Dante heard hissed into his ear. He glanced down and the lemur stared back at him with a steady gaze and licked his cheek. He felt a warmth spread across the point.
This one is protected favored one, one of the imps spat up at the woman.
You do not have the power to harm him angel, the other imp added.
“Janice, can you give me a minute? I really need to talk to you about those two other candidates we have in the pipe. The Evangelist project is behind with the loss of Dante and I need those bodies,” Omar said, stepping slightly forward and between Dante and the angel. One of the imps was tugging on Omar’s right foot which seemed to cause the man to shuffle and shift his feet nervously further interposing his body between Dante and Janice.
“Omar, I’m running behind already and I have to get Trevor’s print kit in the mail today,” Janice said waving the packet again. Carrie stepped forward further shielding Dante from the Angel. The other imp was tugging at her feet as well.
“I can do it. I helped do them the last time we had a big hiring,” Carrie said.
“I don’t know,” Janice hesitated.
“Let Carrie do it and we can talk about those new hires while we walk back to your office,” Omar suggested. Janice thought about it for a moment longer, then nodded and handed Carrie the folder.
“But make sure you follow all the procedures to the tee. Those guys will reject it for the slightest error and we’ve only got thirty days to stay in compliance,” Janice said wagging a finger at Carrie. “Just set it on my desk with the others and I’ll mail them all together.”
“No problem,” Carrie said taking the folder and smiling at Dante. Without another word to them Janice, Omar, and Julio began walking down the corridor back the way they came. The angel paid Robert Dante, now known as Trevor St. James, no further attention at all.
*****
Carrie walked into the vacant office of Janice Strand and spotted the stack of fingerprint kits right away. An imp clung to her back with its mouth hanging open expectantly. Carrie quickly closed the door and set a folder on the desk. The name on the folder read Trevor St. James. She reached under her shirt and pulled out a thin, silver flask quickly unscrewing the cap and taking a pull from the container. She screwed the cap back on and deftly slipped it back under her blouse before bending over the desk.
“If I do this I get the promotion? I get to run the accounting department?” she asked of the empty room.
The reins of power will be yours and the one called Omar will be gone, the imp whispered in her ear. The imp snapped its fingers and an unrolled parchment with a ceremonial dagger appeared in the air before Carrie Sterling. Swap the files and sign the document. The power is yours for the taking.
Carrie hesitated, retrieved her flask for a second nip, and snatched the dagger from the air, drawing it across her left index finger as she’d been instructed. Blood welled up and she quickly pressed it to the parchment. As soon as her flesh touched the paper a searing pain filled her finger as smoke shot upward. She yelped and pulled her finger away, expecting blood to be dripping from the wound but the flesh was unmarked.
Excellent. Now switch the documents and the deal is complete, the imp hissed again.
Carrie did as she was told and exited the room. No one saw her as she walked away. A knowing little smile crossed her face as she decided to celebrate with the new guy. He wasn’t as cute as Robert had been, but he’d do. Besides, she’d be his boss soon and then she’d be able to fire him if he made a fuss anyway. Tech Evangelists, LLC was about to usher in a new era of accounting accuracy. The sight of the imp scampering down the hall ahead of her startled her for just a second, but then she wondered if she might be able to get more of them? Rounding the corner, she passed by the main conference room. Everyone called it the fishbowl, because the walls on both sides were made of glass with the other side facing the main lobby of the building. She stopped dead in her tracks. The founder of the company, Mr. Thomas, was holding an executive level meeting. The room was filled with the top men and women of the company. The room also held an equal number of men and women Carrie had never seen before, and they were all dressed in white. Neither Mr. Thomas nor any of his executives paid her any attention. Every person dressed in white turned to look at her though, and she felt naked under their intense gaze.
Guardians of the Herald is a weekly serial published and copyright by The Cavalier, Mark Malcolm. For more information about this story please join us on our Facebook page community at www.facebook.com/firstchevalierbooks.
