Chapter 4

Catherine’s face held compassion as she looked into my eyes. “They have rules also, they would not do that without telling you. They had a few things to remind me of before I came back. They also could feel your anger so they hurried.”

“I was fearful that I had failed you Catherine, just like I had when my family was killed. I...” I stopped. There was no sense in saying this when I knew that she didn’t feel the same way.

Then again Catherine’s face held hope and something else. Thing is, I couldn’t really tell what it was, I really didn’t know much except war and killing. It was what I was trained for, what I was good at.

I guess Catherine could see the pain on my face, “You haven’t let me down, master. If anything, you have saved me from that, I thank you. Are you hungry, master?”

This brought a smile to my face, lately she seemed to know how to lighten my mood. “Actually I am. What do you say to Italian?”

“Any particular place?” She asked. “I know of a place in Rome.”

I thought about it, I hadn’t been to Italy in a few years. “Sounds good to me,” I said as she smiled, then snapped her fingers.

A moment later, we were at an outside café on the outskirts of Rome. The picturesque setting seemed perfect.

Hell, even the waiter that came out was good to see. Finally, I truly relaxed for the first time all week.

“So, no matter how long we are gone, we appear at almost the same time as when we left?” I asked.

“Yes, master, it is always that way unless you wish differently. Though there can not be two of you at the same time, you may observe but not interact,” Catherine explained to me.

Hmmm I thought this could make for some very interesting trips back. We finished our meal as I complimented the chef.

I was thinking of going back when I thought, what was the hurry? I looked at Catherine a moment, then nodded.

“I’d like to go to a few places, though I want you beside me. No more of this disappearing when we get there, OK?” I asked.

“I am sorry, master I thought that it was what you wanted. I now know the difference, though I will ask more than I usually do,” Catherine said.

Good I thought she has learned, “I have always been interested in historical battles,” I said.

Catherine was listening closely as I thought about it.

“I have always wondered about the battle of Waterloo in Belgium. Yes, I would like to go there,” I told her.

“Anything else, master?” Catherine said, about to snap her fingers. I thought about it, then shook my head, then remembered too late as we appeared in a tent. I forgot to tell her I only wanted to observe.

I saw Catherine sitting in a corner smiling at me. I was about to ask her to let me observe when Napoleon Bonaparte walked in.

I had to hold my mouth closed as the man walked up to me. “So, Michel Ney, Prince. Are we prepared to defeat these dogs that wish to crush France underfoot?” He asked.

For a moment I was afraid to actually speak, then nodded, “we will do all that we can.”

“Good it shall be a great victory at Waterloo. We must teach them that France is not a weak nation,” he said, then saluted me about faced then left.

OK, I thought, this wasn’t good. “Catherine, I only want to observe.” I said as beside me the real Michel Ney appeared.

Much better, I thought, as I watched the man plan an attack, one that would succeed. I knew that he’d secure a victory. Though against England, Prussia, the Netherlands, Brunswick, Hanover and Nassau, Napoleon was doomed.

I mean really 73,000 against five armies? 120,000 in one, 68,000 in another. Then they were backed up by 50,000 of the Prussian army.

I looked over to Catherine, “alright, let’s go,” I told her.

She looked at me with a smile and said, “Yes, master, where to?”

Hmmmmm I had to think a moment, that was a good reason. I really didn’t feel like going back to the base yet. There wasn’t really anywhere in the US or Europe that I wanted to go. Wasn’t that hungry, then I thought, “can I see where you are from?”

For a moment her face dropped, then her smile returned as fast. “Of course, master, though there like you did here, you can only observe. Are you sure master?” She asked.

This made me hesitate for a moment, was that fear I saw on her face? OK, now I wasn’t so sure if I really wanted to go. Unfortunately, Catherine took no answer as a confirmation, and we were there in a moment.

I blinked as I saw what appeared like a modern third world marketplace. I looked around, finding Catherine huddled against me, ok this was not good.

“Alright, take us to the camp,” I said as she sighed, then snapped her fingers.

Right after we left, there was a huge crack of almost thunder. A moment later where we had stood, a male Jinn appeared. At first, he had a confused look on his face, then a look of evil crossed his features.

His hand snapped out as he ripped another male to his face. “I can feel that she was here, where is that bitch? She is mine to use ‘til there is nothing left. I will breed her ‘til she is dead!” He then sniffed the air, “ah she has a master, of no concern from what I can feel. Good, I need a human to kill, to warm up on.”

More than a few people were shaking when the evil-looking male suddenly popped out of sight.

In the Jinn realm, the same two that had watched Catherine and me were looking at the evil Jinn.

“So it appears that it has started far sooner than we thought,” the Jinn councilor said.

“Yes,” Catherine’s father said. “As you said, I hope that her master can release her of the curse.”

“Let us hope that he can,” the first Jinn said.

“It may take longer than we wish, especially with them moving through time,” Catherine’s father said.

“That may be true, though we both know that he will do all he can to find her. Plus, I am afraid that he might disrupt me the way he is going. We would have to step in if that is th case. It would take the entire council,” the first Jinn said.

“You mean to tell me that we may have another Jinn war as we did so long ago?” Catherine’s father asked.

“Yes I am afraid so, though this time, he won’t have th support he had back then. The only thing is, if he defeats her master, he may gain even more power. That I am afraid we can not allow to happen,” the first Jinn said.

“We must prepare for the unlikely hood that he can actually do everything that he wants to happen. At least this time we have the advantage of knowing that he is coming,” Catherine’s father said.

“Yes, there is that, though the loss of life that it may bring needs to be avoided as much as possible. We need to advise the king and the great Jinn as soon as possible also,” the first Jinn said.

Both the Jinns were in discussion for a few more minutes, then they both left. One to talk to the Jinn King and the other to contact the great Jinn.

Catherine and I appeared back in my hut, only a few seconds, it seemed, after we had left. Thankfully, my new aid appeared a few minutes later with the info I had requested.

I knew what she’d said to me, that the next spy had to be higher ranked. The problem was I wasn’t that highly ranked, so that I could readily accuse a higher rank.

I spent the next few hours roaming the camp trying to get a bead on just who it might be. I sighed as I made my way back to my hut. I noticed that Catherine was no longer beside me, looking back, I saw her staring at a Captain.

Shit I thought, this was going to take some serious evidence to get this guy. I mentally called Catherine to me, then asked her if that was the spy. “I’m not sure, master, he feels like it, though he doesn’t. I know strange, sorry master.”

I sat to think about what she had said, was it possible that he knew but couldn’t say? I nodded yes, that I could see that there was some type of blackmail involved.

I started to go through everything that they might have on him. I looked over to Catherine, “I need you to get all that you can on him, the more, the better.”

“Give a moment, master,” she said, then concentrated for a moment. Finally, she nodded her head as she snapped her fingers. Almost immediately, a small pile of files appeared on my desk.

I just shook my head at what was there, obviously someone was trying to limit the evidence as much as possible. I rubbed my chin, this was getting harder and harder. I had a feeling that wasn’t boding well.

I sighed this was going to take a while even with as little as there was. I thought that it was going to be a long night ‘til I started to run across a businessman’s name a lot.

There were horror stories out there about military suppliers that would do anything to keep their contracts. Yeah I thought, contracts that brought in money in the trillions.

The further I got into what Catherine had given me, the more angry I got. It seemed that the sons of bitchs were sacrificing soldiers and their lives, all in the name of profit. I was seething now, almost unable to see much but red, ‘til Catherine put a hand on my shoulder.

“Master?” she said quietly. I looked up into her face, seeing an extreme look of worry. “Master, are you alright? I can feel your anger, it’s like a wave.”

I quickly calmed though the worry was on her face. “I’m sorry Catherine, what I am seeing is a businessman getting those of us here killed. They are doing it all in the name of profit and money.”

“So the one I saw isn’t the one who is actually doing this then?” Catherine asked.

I shook my head no, “the one here is being blackmailed to look the other way. I imagine the man’s family is being threatened.”

I sat there a moment, then as I was looking at Catherine an idea started to form. Then a thin smile started to dominate my features. Why the hell not? I had a genie that could do almost anything.