Shadow Born Read online

  A calm settled over the mansion as Julia disappeared down the hallway and Gabriel slumbered peacefully, for the moment blissfully unaware of the game that was revolving around him, or the role into which he had been cast. Julia entered her private chamber, crawled into her bed, and promptly tumbled into a deep dreamless sleep. And somewhere, deep in the heart of the mansion, Reeves began sharpening his knives.

  Chapter 4

  Julia threw back the curtains and sunlight flooded the room. “Seven A.M.! Rise and shine!”

  Gabriel sat up, blinking against the light. “Where am I?” he blurted out. He glanced around and saw her standing by the window, smiling. His head felt a little foggy, but that was the only clue that something untoward had happened. He couldn’t remember anything after their arrival at the mansion.

  He threw his gaze around the room. It was the size of a small house. Even the bed was enormous. It was a four-poster canopy bed, like something out of a castle, with curtains hanging down along the headboard and gryphon feet carved into the legs. The rest of the room was similarly decorated, with dark gothic furnishings and expensive-looking art pieces.

  “Time to get moving,” Julia said. “We’ve got a busy day ahead of us. The shower’s already running and I laid some clothes out for you on the bed. Breakfast is in fifteen minutes!”

  She vanished out the door and left Gabriel rubbing the sleep from his eyes. He looked at the ornate furniture, the gilded paintings and the fireplace that could have been a closet, and wondered how strange it was that he was here. He groggily tossed the blankets aside and headed for the shower.

  The clothes that Julia had left him were a couple sizes too large. They fit him fine in the shoulders, but they seemed to be made for someone a few inches taller. The t-shirt sagged halfway down to his knees and he had to roll the pant legs up to keep from tripping over them.

  After he was dressed, Gabriel wandered the maze of hallways until he finally followed the smell of food to the kitchen. He found Julia there, but she wasn’t alone. She stood at the far end of the dining tables, talking to two visitors. The first was a plump woman wearing a white dress and a plum-colored shawl. The second was a tall elderly man in a gray wool suit.

  “Ah, there you are,” Julia said. “Gabriel I’d like you to meet two of my friends. This is Anna Pratchet. She’s a doctor. She’s going to give you a quick checkup. And this is Judge Bullard.” The Judge reached out to shake Gabriel’s hand.

  “He looks healthy to me,” Anna said. “Somewhat malnourished perhaps… Here Gabriel, let’s check your blood pressure and temperature.” She guided him into a chair at the breakfast table and strapped a blood pressure monitor to his arm. She pulled out a stethoscope and pressed it to his t-shirt, listening intently to his breathing. The others came to stand next to him.

  “Gabriel, the judge has something to say,” Julia said. The judge smiled and knelt down to Gabriel’s level.

  “I understand how upsetting this is,” he said. “I know this is hard for you, but I want you to try to remember how you got on that road last night.”

  Gabriel closed his eyes and thought back. The whole evening was fuzzy. He remembered arriving at the mansion. Before that, riding in the Hummer, and before that, standing in the road. That was all he could see. It was like staring at a wall of blackness in his memory.

  “I’m sorry,” he said. “I can’t remember anything.”

  “Alright, that’s fine,” said the judge. “What about your family? Do you remember them? Or your home?”

  Gabriel shook his head.

  The judge patted him on the shoulder. “Well, don’t get upset about it. I’m sure it will come back to you.” He rose and turned his attention to Julia. “I can call the sheriff and have somebody from childcare services down here in a few hours. It may be a few weeks before we find foster parents. Until then he’ll have to stay at the orphanage.”

  “I won’t hear of it!” Julia said. “Gabriel will stay here. I won’t have him thrown about from house to house like used furniture.”

  The judge scratched his head. “Well, I don’t see why that would be a problem. Is that what you want, Gabriel? Would you like to stay here?”

  “Here is fine,” he said quickly. “Thank you.”

  “Excellent,” Julia said. “Don’t worry, Gabriel. We’ll find your parents.” She turned back to the judge. “We’ll send a photo and fingerprints to the sheriff’s department after breakfast. I’ll also call a friend at News7 and ask for their help.”

  “It sounds like you’ve got it under control then,” the Judge said. “Doctor, how is he health-wise?”

  “As expected,” she said. “I’d like to see him gain a few pounds, possibly an exercise regimen. Other than that he seems perfectly fit.”

  “What about the amnesia?” said the judge.

  “Well, it doesn’t appear to have been brought on by physical trauma. The condition could be related to an emotional issue, possibly stress-induced. I’d like to come see him again in a few days and check his progress.”

  “That would be perfect,” Julia said cheerfully. “So it’s settled then. Gabriel will stay here until we’ve found his family.” She shot Gabriel a beaming smile. He did his best to smile back. As kind as Julia was, all Gabriel really wanted was to find out who he was. Not knowing was strange, and more than a little frightening.

  The guests said their farewells and Julia showed them out. Gabriel’s stomach was rumbling, so he helped himself to a pancake while she was gone. When she returned, she scooped up some bacon and another pancake and set them on his plate. “Eat up,” she said. “Doctor’s orders. We’re going to put some meat on those bones.”

  She settled down across the table and poured herself a cup of coffee. Gabriel felt a little unnerved as she sat there, watching him eat. “What a mystery you are,” she said. “Don’t worry though. Reeves has friends at the police department. If you have a family out there, we’ll find them. And I’ve already called my friends at the press. By noon, everyone in the state will know about you. That doesn’t bother you, does it?”

  “Uh, no, I guess not,” Gabriel said. “You did all that for me?”

  Julia smiled. She reached over and squeezed his hand. “I just don’t want you to worry, Gabriel. We’ll sort this out.”

  “Thanks.”

  “After you’re done with breakfast, go see Reeves about getting fingerprinted. He should be out at the corral. I’ve got a few phone calls to make, and a bit later I’ll take you shopping. The clothes you’re wearing belong to Pete, by the way. He’s a friend of ours. I’m sure you’d rather get something that fits.”

  Gabriel smiled and nodded. He glanced out the window and saw Reeves walking across the lawn toward the corral. So this is going to be my home, he thought. As nice as Julia was, Gabriel couldn’t help but wish he were at his real home, wherever that was.

  Chapter 5

  No matter how he tried to conceal it, Reeves had the look of a man who’d been just about everywhere and seen everything, and had been forever changed by his experiences. He tried to put on casual outward appearances, with his sport suits and all that, but there were nuances about him that gave him away. There was something about the cat-like way he walked through a room, or the subtle glances he cast about, taking in everything all at once. It seemed that nothing could take Reeves by surprise.

  Maybe it was this aura about Reeves that tempted Gabriel to sneak up behind him when he saw the older man leaning over the corral fence. It was a sort of test, he supposed, though a childish one. He just wanted to see how close he could get. It didn’t work very well.

  “Good morning,” Reeves said without a backwards glance. Gabriel was still several yards away.

  “Morning,” Gabriel replied, the disappointment clear in his voice. He walked up to the fence and stood next to Reeves.

  “Next time avoid the dry leaves, and stay on the grass. I knew it was you as soon as you hit the driveway.”

  Gabriel filed t
he comment in the back of his mind. Reeves twisted towards him and Gabriel caught a glimpse of that bulge under his jacket. Instantly, he remembered everything he’d deduced about Reeves the night before. He watched the man for a moment, wary, not sure if he could be trusted. Reeves cocked an eyebrow.

  “Is there something on your mind?” he said.

  “Julia says you need to fingerprint me.”

  “Sure,” said Reeves. “Just as soon as I’m done here. I’ll show you around a bit, too.”

  Guns. Police. Julia had said that Reeves had friends on the police force. Maybe Reeves used to be a cop. Or maybe he still was one. That would explain the guns. Was that why he was guarding Julia?

  Reeves turned back towards the corral. Gabriel followed his gaze and realized there was a girl about his age riding a horse at the far end. She was dressed in jeans and a t-shirt, and wore a black riding helmet. She saw them watching and guided the horse over to the fence.

  “Gabriel, this is Jodi Davis,” Reeves said as she dismounted. “She spends a lot of time around here, helping with the horses and such. Her family owns the house down the road. Jodi, this is Gabriel.”

  Jodi pulled off her helmet and a shock of red bangs fell down over her bright green eyes. She gave Reeves a warm smile and then gave Gabriel a long look, sizing him up. “Hi, Gabriel. Wanna go for a ride?” Something about her voice seemed to imply that maybe he shouldn’t.

  “I don’t know if that’s a good idea,” Reeves said.

  “Why, is he chicken?” she challenged. “You’re not chicken are you Gabriel?”

  “NO!” Gabriel said defiantly. He wasn’t going to let this girl bully him. “Let’s do it!”

  Reeves sighed heavily. “Buckshot’s a retired racer, Jodi. And I doubt Gabriel’s ever ridden before. This is a bad idea.”

  “Retired is the key word,” Jodi shot back. “He’s old as dirt… almost as old as you, Reeves. Come on Gabriel, don’t let the old butler turn you into a wuss!”

  Gabriel leapt through the fence, ignoring Reeves’ protests, and stepped up next to the horse. When he saw the creature towering over him, he started having second thoughts. Suddenly he wasn’t sure he could even get up there.

  This was going to be humiliating.

  “Put your foot in the stirrup,” Jodi said. “No, your left one. There, now grab the saddle and pull yourself up. Do you need a boost?”

  “No!” Gabriel shouted. His face reddened at the thought of her pushing him up to the saddle. He pulled himself up, swung his leg over the top, and found himself looking down at Jodi from twice her height.

  “See?” She said. “No problem, right? Want the reins?” Gabriel nodded and reached for them, even though his stomach was churning with butterflies. The distance seemed even greater now that he was looking down.

  “I don’t think so,” Reeves cut in. He grabbed the reins and placed them firmly in Jodi’s hands. “Just lead him around, Jodi. Nobody’s getting their neck broke on my watch.”

  Jodi smiled wickedly, and started walking. Gabriel grimaced because he knew in some small way she had won. She was leading him around the corral like a child on a pony. The whole thing was degrading.

  “Enjoying the ride?” Jodi said in a condescending voice.

  “Sure, it’s okay,” Gabriel said. What else could he do?

  “Was Reeves right? About you never riding before?”

  “I don’t know. I don’t think I have, but I really don’t remember…”

  “Oh, right,” Jodi said. “I forgot about your memory thing. You’ve got amnesia, right?”

  Ah, he thought, she already knows. Word travels fast. He didn’t like the fact that Jodi already knew more about him than he did about her. He decided to change the subject.

  “How long have you been working with horses?”

  “My whole life. Actually, my parents used to own most of the horses that live here. Then my mom got cancer a while back and we had to sell them all, because of the hospital bills. Julia bought them because she wanted to help us out.”

  Suddenly Gabriel felt sorry for Jodi. It must have been awful for her, having her mother sick and then having to sell the horses. Thankfully, Julia had been there to help.

  “I’m sorry about your mom,” he said.

  “It’s okay. She’s getting better now. She had an operation, and lots of chemo. The doctors say it’s getting better. And her hair’s starting to grow back, too. Everything’s going to be okay.”

  “Good to hear it,” he said.

  “Thanks. You ready to get down?”

  Gabriel climbed out of the saddle and dropped to the ground. It was close to a four-foot drop from the stirrup, but he landed like a cat. He wasn’t the only one surprised by his agility. He glanced at Reeves, who arched an eyebrow but gave no other sign of what he was thinking.

  Gabriel crossed the corral and climbed the fence, dropping to the ground next to Reeves. There was a moment of silent recognition as their eyes met. Like panthers circling their prey, the two sized each other up.

  It was then that Gabriel first had the thought that changed everything. We’re the same, he realized. Whatever I am, wherever I learned this stuff, Reeves knows it too.

  What Gabriel did next was a gamble. He purposely glanced at the bulge in Reeves’ jacket, letting Reeves know that he knew about the gun. Reeves took a deep breath, inflating his barrel-chest like a balloon, and then he released it in a long sigh. Then, without warning, his left hand slid up to his jacket button, and he pulled back the fabric to reveal the grip of a 1911 semi-automatic pistol.

  Chapter 6

  “No more secrets?” Reeves said.

  Gabriel nodded dumbly, awestricken by Reeves’ forwardness. That was something he hadn’t expected. Not at all. He gave the weapon another glance as Reeves closed his jacket. The 1911 was one of the most popular semi-automatic pistols of all time. Gabriel didn’t know how he knew all of this, but it was true, as sure as he was breathing.

  “Wait here,” Reeves said. “I’ll get the ATV and show you around.”

  Gabriel watched as Reeves walked down the lane and disappeared behind the barn. His sensibilities told him everything was going to be fine, that it was all going to be out in the open now, but some small part of him still feared that Reeves might be planning to take him to a good spot to bury him.

  Gabriel felt a hand clamp down on his shoulder and he jumped. He spun around, instinctively ready for a fight. He lowered his center of gravity and his fists came up. Then he realized it was just Jodi.

  She gave him a wry smile. “Done showing off kid?”

  Gabriel blushed. “Sorry, I guess I’m a little nervous.”

  “No kidding. Look, you don’t have to worry about Reeves, he’s a great guy. He’d never hurt a kid. On the other hand, I’ve hurt lots of kids.” They shared a laugh, but Gabriel had a feeling there was a lot of truth in her little joke.

  Reeves pulled up a minute later on a huge green four-wheeler. It was one of the nice ones, with a bench seat and racks for carrying gear, and a winch bumper on the front covered in lights. The thing looked like it could go anywhere.

  Reeves shot Jodi a look. “What do you think you’re doing?” he said.

  “I’m going with you, of course,” Jodi shot right back. The look on her face assured him that she was ready to put up a fight. Reeves rolled his eyes.

  “All right, get on.”

  They piled onto the seat and Reeves gunned the engine. “Where are we going?” Jodi shouted over the noise of the engine and the wind. “Are you showing him the armory?”

  Reeves shot her a look. Jodi cringed. “Sorry. I thought he knew. I saw you guys talking guns. Sorry.”

  A half mile of woods separated the main house from the “armory,” which actually turned out to be an indoor combat arena. Reeves placed his hand on a flat white screen at the door and a laser scanned his prints. The door clicked and swung open, and Reeves motioned them inside.

  The building was filled with c
omputer-controlled moving targets, gym equipment, and sparring weapons. Gymnastic and weight training equipment took up most of the main floor; the shooting range used only a narrow section that ran the full length of the far wall. Combat weapons from every country and century lined the parallel wall. Gabriel saw swords, knives, throwing stars, nunchaku, escrima and dozens of other things that he couldn’t even name. He stood there for a moment dumbfounded.

  “What do you think?” Reeves said, one eyebrow cocked mischievously. Gabriel threw his glance between them, and then back around the room.

  “I don’t know,” he stammered. “What… what’s it all for?”

  “Practice,” said Reeves. “It’s important to stay sharp and keep your skills honed.”

  Gabriel nodded. “But why?” he said. “What do you do, exactly?”

  “He’s a butler!” Jodi said, and burst into laughter. Reeves glanced at her sideways and then back at Gabriel.

  “If I told you what I do, you wouldn’t believe me,” he said. “Now, let’s see about getting those fingerprints.”

  Reeves wandered towards a counter at the back of the room and they followed him. It was a glass display case, and lights came on inside as they approached. Inside, Gabriel saw shelves lined with handguns, rifles, and ammunition. He recognized most of the guns and realized he knew their names better than he knew his own. Ruger, Glock, Smith & Wesson, Taurus… That was strange enough by itself, but there was also something else that was unusual. He did a double take when he saw the bullets. They didn’t look like they were made out of lead, or any other metal. They looked clear. Perhaps they were some sort of practice bullets, or non-lethal bullets, he thought.

  “Thumb,” Reeves said. He held out a strange metallic-looking smartphone. Gabriel pushed his thumb onto the screen and waited. A light flashed across the screen and then the little light at the top corner turned green. Reeves turned the phone around and activated the camera.