The Persistence of Memories - A Novel of the Mendaihu Universe by Jon Chaisson

Damn near
broke through the wall and into my shop.”
    Poe bowed deeply, as was procedure. “For that
we apologize, edha. We should not have damaged your property. You
may file a complaint with our headquarters on Baird Avenue, and
they will compensate for any damages.”
    “Forget the spiel, I’ve already called,” he
waved at him. “Needs a new masonry job anyway. Could you at least
tell those damn freaks not to phase in behind my store next
time? They've got the whole fucking block shut down now and I'm
losing money.”
    Poe goggled at him. Money? A psychotic
Shenaihu nuhm’ndah was loose in the neighborhood and had nearly
killed someone just behind his store, and he was more worried about
losing a profit? He couldn’t tell if the man was ignorant or just
plain stupid. “Again, we apologize, sir,” was all he could say.
    “Pfft. Our saviors,” he crowed and flicked
the cigarette into the alley. “Come back when you get rid of all
those damned freaks, then I’ll be happy.” He pushed the back door
open, and after a lingering glance over his shoulder and a
disappointed shake of the head, he slammed it shut and locked all
the bolts.
    “Who was that?” Caren asked, walking up to
him.
    “Building owner,” he said unevenly, staring
at the closed door. Did that conversation just happen? “He didn't
see much at all,” he said. “Apparently you did a number on his back
wall.”
    Caren looked back at the wall. A good bit of
masonry had broken away, revealing an older concrete base
underneath. The width of the hole was impressive. The man had truly
been a monster. She turned back to him and shrugged. “Yeah, well,
life goes on, doesn't it?”
    Poe looked at her, then at the wall, then at
the closed door. Yes, stranger things had happened around here, but
never all in tandem. He shook his head and headed towards the end
of the alleyway. “That it does,” he said. “You okay?”
    “Me?” she nodded, jamming freshly bandaged
fists into her pockets. “I'm fine. Winded and hurt, and that
jackass of a sergeant wouldn’t take me seriously, but otherwise I’m
fine.”
    He glanced over and met her eyes. She was no
longer fuming or venting misplaced anger; she had gotten her
chaotic energy under control. She was still angry, but she was
calm. “Good,” he said.
    They met up with Sheila and Nick in front of
the hardware store. All the front windows had blown inwards from
the energy blast. Sheila had just finished questioning a wiry older
man, presumably the owner of the store, who fussed and frowned at
the destruction within. Miraculously he had survived unscathed, but
it had done a number on his business.
    “ Pashyo, ” Nick said, staring at the
tattered window frame. All the glass had shattered, and even the
metal frames had been torn and bent out of their casings. It had
been one hell of a strong blast. “What the hell happened here?” he
asked.
    “Assault and battery with intent to murder,”
Poe said. “Didn't take you long to get here.”
    “We were coming back from a warehouse run,”
Sheila said. “Headed here as soon as we heard your call to Cilla.”
She nodded at Poe, gesturing behind him. “They've already got the
block cordoned off. We’re looking at another nuhm’ndah attack,
aren’t we?”
    Poe let Caren tell the story while he kept an
eye on the surroundings. The skittish younger Metro Police officers
had spread out down the strip, maintaining order, though none
strayed close to the hardware store where they stood. Metro had
assumed this was an ARU job since his team was already here, giving
them only minimal backup. No one was taking the situation seriously
at all.
    Caren was right, Saisshalé’s energy attack
should not have been that powerful. Even a master Wielder of Light
would have had difficulty conjuring up that much energy to release.
Unless he'd directly channeled the Rain of Light, which was a high
improbability. Someone or something must have supplied him with
that