That was okay, too.

Several minutes later, all three of us were free, escorted by police officers back to the hotel. At the edge of an alleyway, a familiar face watched us pa.s.s-our snake charmer. He pressed his palms together and bowed his head as we went by. That was the last time I saw him.

"Thank you again," the policeman who spoke English said. "Please, know our people owe you a debt."

"You don't owe us anything, but you're welcome." I let out a slow breath and my posture relaxed from military-rigid to freaking-tired.

When we entered the hotel lobby, everyone stared at us, eyes wide. We literally smelled like c.r.a.p, were covered in bright green blood, brown mold and uncla.s.sified slime, and walking on what was probably a priceless Persian rug.

A tall young man in a suit hurried over to us. I was convinced he was going to tell us to use the service entrance.

"My sirs," he said, bowing low. He actually bowed. "Please, follow me. Your rooms are ready and I'm to show you upstairs."

"Do you have an incinerator?" I asked, pointing at my BDUs. "These could probably be cla.s.sified as a bio-hazard."

"Yes, sir. We will take care of everything."

The four of us rode up in a heavy silence. Our host, probably because he couldn't breathe without gagging; the rest of us because we had too d.a.m.n much to digest. I checked my waterproof watch. It was military grade and had been a gift from Aunt Julie and Uncle Mike. Nine p.m. local. That meant it was afternoon at home.

"I'll call in," I told Lanningham and Blakeney. "You guys get some rest."

"You need to sleep, too," Lanningham said. "We may be done here, but we'll go somewhere else before long."

True. Still, we couldn't do much shorthanded. I liked small teams, but we were too small now. I needed another man, maybe two, and I wanted to make sure Dorland was taken care of before we deployed to a new site.

The elevator dinged on the fourteenth floor. The vestibule was elegant, done in black and white. The man showed us to our rooms, one after another, until he gave me my key then left me to my own devices.

The room turned out to be a suite decked out with modern furniture, a high-tech entertainment system and a bathroom the size of a small apartment. Not what I expected on an Army budget, but I wouldn't complain.

As soon as I cleaned up, I prepared to call Mike, not sure how to tell him I lost someone on my first command. The idea that Dorland was gone still felt foreign, like he would knock on my door any second, asking if I wanted to go downstairs with him for a late-night snack.

This was part of the job I'd never get used to, and I hoped I never did. Every death, every loss, should hurt, in my opinion. If they didn't, if I became numb to it, then what was the point of fighting so hard? If people sacrificed themselves to keep me alive until the end, I had to make sure their gift was worth it.

I pulled a blanket around my shoulders. The hotel liked its air conditioning, or maybe I was chilled. Dialing the Pentagon was hard.

"This is Sergeant Davis."

"This is Archer."

"Archer! Done already?"

"In Marrakech, anyway. Is the colonel in?"

"I'll transfer you."

I wrapped the blanket tighter around me and paced around the living area, waiting for him to pick up. My stomach twisted at the thought of his disappointment. I just couldn't win with him lately.

"Chief?" His voice was filled with relief. "Good to hear from you. Davis said you're done. How'd it go?"

I paused, casting about for the right words. There weren't any. "Enemy taken out, one civilian saved." I swallowed hard. "One man lost."

"G.o.d, Matt. Who?"

What undid me was how sorry he sounded-not angry, or disappointed. Sorry and worried. My voice shook as I said, "Dorland, sir. I had my back turned and I tried to get to him in time and I ... "

"Hey, that's all you have to say. I'll take care of the rest," he said. "You sound like you could use some sleep."

"Maybe," I mumbled. I did need sleep, but I knew I'd end up with nightmares. "I'm sorry, Uncle Mike."

He sighed. Using his name instead of calling him Colonel told him how shaky I was. "I am, too, for putting you in this position. The bad news is that we need you in Turkey now. And after that, Rome. The calls are coming in from all directions. As much as I want you to have a little time, there isn't any."

And I couldn't explain it wasn't only Dorland's death that had me rattled. "I understand, but I need some extra hands. Have anybody to spare?"

"Let me make some calls, but I think we can free up a few people," he said. "The general and I will write up your orders tonight. Until then, hang in there for me, okay?"

"Okay. Everyone else good so far?"

"So far. Ramirez hasn't made contact yet, but it sounds like Julie is kicking a.s.s and taking names in Scotland." He sounded really proud. "Something was climbing out of the slime at Loch Ness, and she was there, waiting for it."

I smiled. Aunt Julie was probably having the time of her life, finally able to fight, and she took out the Loch Ness monster? Bada.s.s wasn't a good enough nickname. "That's awesome."

We talked about a few logistical things, then hung up. I decided to take his advice and collapsed on my bed, thinking I'd call Ella while we were traveling, when I was in a better place.

As soon as I got comfortable, though, the phone rang.

It was Mamie.

Chapter Eighteen.

"Did I wake you up?" my sister asked right off. "I had this feeling I needed to call you, even though it's nearly eleven there."

"How'd you know I wasn't out hunting?" I asked. "No, wait, don't answer that."

She laughed. "Did you find the sewer?'

I closed my eyes and rolled onto my side. "Yeah."

I could almost see the light in her eyes drain away. "What happened?"

"We lost Dorland. Tall black guy, always with a big smile. You saw him in D.C. He was our ordnance specialist." I shrugged down in bed until I was coc.o.o.ned in the blankets. "Best grenade man we ever had."

"I remember him. He seemed nice," Mamie said. "I'm sorry."

"It happens." And would happen again. That's what hurt. "We found what we were looking for, though, on both counts. Took out all the snakes and found a new piece of the puzzle."

"Tell me."

I sighed. How much would I tell her? How much should I tell her? "More prophecy stuff. A pair of old snake charmers had a message for me."

I told her what the old man said, not sparing any detail on the prophecy itself, because I knew she needed the information. It might be the one piece that cracked the code and helped us find and defeat the Shadow Man.

Once I finished, she was quiet for a long while. "Sis, you there?"

"Yes."

"Okay, just wondering."

A longer silence. I didn't know if I was supposed to say something, or if we were done, but then she spoke.

"Matt, this makes everything harder. If the spirits have to be broken-"

"I know."

"I want you to listen to me." Her voice was intense, like she was willing me to absorb every word and carve them on my heart. "Remember who you are. No matter what happens, or what you have to do, remember you're an Archer. There's power in that. Strength, too. Mom and Dad gave us gifts, but Dad especially. Use what he gave you."

I thought I might understand what she meant. "Go cold, like he does when he's working? Focus and let everything else slide?"

"No," she said forcefully. "Use his gifts of observation, his strength." She sniffled and was choked up when she went on. "Don't forget who you are, though, or why you're called to do this. Understand? It's dark out there, and the road ends in only one place. Follow the road, and don't lose the way."

The tears were bad enough, but her words threw me over the edge. She was telling me to stay the course, like Uncle Mike had.

No matter where that road ended.

"Mamie, I-"

"Just remember. No matter how bitter it gets before the end, do what you have to do-no regrets-and remember we love you. That I love you. Always. Your blood is mine."

I rolled onto my back, nearly breathless with heartache. My sister was letting me go. Not because she wanted to, but because she thought she had to. That hurt, but not for me. It hurt for every person we'd lose before the end.

Maybe even me.

That didn't scare me-I'd do what I had to, but the thought of what it'd do to Mamie, to Mom, to Ella. I almost couldn't stand it.

It took everything I had to say, "I love you, too, Sis. I'll remember, I promise. But I need a favor from you."

"Anything," she murmured.

"Tell all of them I wanted to do the family proud. Dad especially, okay? And make sure Ella knows, when the time comes, that ... " Everything felt too big, like I had to make my whole life's decisions right this second because it might be my only chance. "Tell her I would've married her." I paused to force down emotions that threatened to undo me. "If something happens to me, I want her to know it wasn't just for now. It was forever, at least for me."

"I think she already knows," Mamie said. "But I understand."

"Thanks."

We sat quiet again. I knew my end wasn't coming tomorrow-Tink had shown me that all those years ago in the rainforest that the end came in the desert somewhere-but for some reason, saying goodbye seemed too permanent.

"I need to sleep," I finally said. "I'm going to Istanbul tomorrow."

"You get all the cool places," Mamie said, a hint of a smile in her voice. "Oh! Do me a favor. Hug-wait, I'll let you be surprised."

"Surprised at what?"

"Hey, playing 'I know something you don't know' is the only perk that comes with my particular gift," she said, smug. "Enjoy your surprise."

Her teasing lightened my mood and a huge weight lifted from my chest. She shared my secrets; it was enough. "Wilco."

"'Night, Matt."

"Goodnight."

As I drifted off to sleep, I thanked whoever was listening up there for letting me have the best sister in the universe.

We landed in Istanbul early the next evening. Istanbul Atatrk Airport was bustling with people but no one noticed us because Lanningham had suggested we travel in civilian clothes, rather than BDUs. Not standard protocol, but when we made it to a cab without so much as a second glance from anyone, I had to admit it was a brilliant idea.

Taskim Square, the heart of the city-or so Davis's intel report said-was where we were to meet up with our reinforcements. They'd be waiting at a hotel. He didn't specify who would be there, which made me wonder if Mamie had told everyone to keep me in suspense.

Uncle Mike would totally agree to that.

Lanningham tipped the driver and we went inside an older hotel with worn furniture and a marble-topped reception desk in the lobby. While he and Blakeney checked in, I wandered to the small coffee bar around the corner, then stopped short, staring at the two very familiar men smiling back at me.

"When the colonel said he was sending me some help, I didn't think he'd pull you guys!" I said.

Captain Johnson's laugh rumbled the tiny coffee cups on the table. "Well, my wielder is in good hands with Nguyen. They'll be done in Taipei and on their way to China in a few days anyway, so I thought I'd join your party instead."

Happy as I was to see him, a tiny part of me felt like a failure. Uncle Mike might've sent him because he realized I needed a senior officer to run the show. "Cool, but that doesn't explain why Jorge is here."

His intense eyes met mine. "Budapest didn't take much time."

By himself. He took out all the monsters in Budapest by himself-in only a few days. "What did you find out there?"

He snorted, almost sounding offended. "Giant moths. I mean, really, what's the fun in that? They did have fangs and stingers, but still."

I burst out laughing at the thought of him running around with a b.u.t.terfly net and his knife. "The snakes were a little more nasty."

"So I understand," he said with an understanding nod. "The colonel said if the two of us paired up, we could probably clean out most of continental Europe in the s.p.a.ce of a week."

Nice cover for sending reinforcements. I couldn't let that bother me, though. "So what are we after here?"

Now Johnson sighed. "I got the intel from Davis. Rats, Archer. We're hunting rats."