never speak?”

“She would if she could, once a were-creature reaches adulthood, most damage heals during transformation, but before they can transform... a coven of witches caught her when she was a child. It seemed they needed a rat tongue for a spell, they got it into their heads that a wererat tongue would work better. I’m sure you can guess the outcome for Annie. When we found out, we caught the bitches and skinned them alive, then packed them in salt till they died. We then posed their mummies around their coven as a warning to others. We haven’t been bothered by any supernatural creatures since. No one wants to go to war with an enemy that can come out of the ground anywhere.”

“The world seems so brutal to what I grew up thinking,” Helena began to cry softly, feeling the young girl’s pain.

“Damn you women and your crying. It doesn’t take long before you find my weakness,” Helena was surprised when Gus walked over and gave her the most beautiful silk handkerchief.

“Now dry your eyes if you go to the mission and if you don’t find any useful information come back here, and I have a few other ideas for leads, though they are much less likely.”

“Who might the other leads be?”

“Well you’ve met the Death Witch Cage Storm, he would sell his mother for a sawbuck. He’s been stealing the black man’s culture and selling it for years now.”

“I’ve met him, he could die today, and I wouldn’t mind,” clenching her fists.

“He is most reprehensible, but his style would be a more vicious kill or sell someone into slavery. I think he’s down on the list. There are a few other shadowy organizations, some new to the area some not so new that could be involved. There are the doctors, the medical professionals, who are always looking for the next great leap in medicine and unafraid to practice on the unwilling. Then there are creatures that crave certain human organs that could be suspected, and more than a few sick and twisted humans that are skulking around.”

“You’re saying it’s a long list.”

“And the longer we talk about it, the more I can think of.”

“Where are we?”

“We’re in a little bay called China Basin.”

“I’m a long way from home, what happened last night anyway?”

“That’s more information, but since we’re going to become lifelong friends and business partners, I will give you what I know for free. It seems a number of people who live in the city were not particularly happy with the rally that was going on. I’m not sure which specific neighborhoods became involved, but by the color of skin, I would assume it was the Mission District and that little enclave under Telegraph Hill. If Chinatown and the Barbary Coast wasn’t quarantined, I’m sure they would’ve joined in. The whole lot of them are damn lucky no shots got fired. As it is, the mayor asked for help from troops from Fort Mason.”

The irony is many of the people gathered at Pioneer Monument last night wanted to ship the Chinese and Negroes back to Africa, but most of the troops guarding the streets are Buffalo Calvary. The bad news is they are maintaining the quarantine by the Mayor’s direction now. I wouldn’t be surprised if he and a select few of his political cronies weren’t responsible for James Phelan and his cohort. It’s much easier to maintain power if you find a scapegoat for the voters to blame. Why not find the weakest minority in the area and exploit that fear? I just don’t think anybody expected the weakest to fight back.”

“Somebody needs to stop these evil men; don’t they realize that most people only want to be left alone? I would be willing to bet the people of Chinatown or the Barbary Coast wouldn’t give two cents to know what the rest of the city was doing.”

“Miss, you’ll find the only thing people in power understand is more power. Power is a more addictive drug than opium.”

“I’m beginning to understand that, I sense no one knows who the power is behind those in charge. I feel like someone is pulling strings making us all dance like marionettes.”

“Could be several or all of the private clubs in the city, the people from your community, or one of those secret societies that are only spoken about in hushed tones where no one can possibly overhear. Some think even mentioning a name can garner a death warrant. Fanatics come in all shapes and sizes, colors and creeds, you never know when you turn over a rock, you might find a serpent or worse.”

“Where is this mission?”

“It’s on the corner of Geary and Scott streets, near Hamilton Square, a large walled-in three-story building.”

“That is out of the way from my home, I will need to go there alone. Can you send word to my home in Pacific Heights where I’m going? I’m sure they’re worried about me.”

Angus scrutinized her with a sharp eye for detail and a prospective income, “You and I are going to discuss this business arrangement when you have money on you. For now, I know who you are, and I know you can get money, so we will agree to work together for future payment.”

Helena thought: Now I understand why Lane keeps money in his boot heels! “Don’t worry, I plan on this being the last time I ever leave home without money. I assure you, you will be rewarded for all your help.”

“Don’t you worry, I plan to be rewarded. You’re going to need this,” he said as he handed her walking stick.

Wayward Women:

While walking through the ship she encountered more of Angus’s Warren, they all looked like they were under eighteen years old men, women, and those she assumed were children. All of them stood short, Angus the tallest, the same height as Helena. While observing them, she understood why people might think them rodent-like, all had weak chins, protruding teeth,

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