by TR Cameron
Diana nodded and looked ahead. She was eager to memorize every section of her new home, from the cracks in the pavement to the chips in the walls. They reached a door that featured a hefty lock above a long handle. She tested it for kicks and smiled at the stout resistance it offered.
Bryant grinned. “I was the same way when we opened the office in DC.” He waved his smartwatch at an unmarked portion of the door frame and a soft click sounded. A fire alarm on the wall was no longer flush, and he swung it aside to reveal one of ARES’ ubiquitous keypads. “The code is the same as the model year of your car.” She grinned and typed in 2018. The sound of the barrier unlocking echoed through the vacant level. He glanced around, presumably to be sure they were alone, then pulled it open and gestured her inside. “Of course, you’ll want to change it.”
She rolled her eyes. “Duh.”
He swung the door shut behind them and laughed. Motors rumbled as they extended a set of heavy metal bars into place.
Diana nodded in satisfaction. “Not skimping on security, eh?”
“Not a bit.” He shook his head. “Your location in such a public place here in the downtown proper of Pittsburgh carries a little more risk than our comfortable home in the DC cookie-cutter office park.”
She followed him down a long corridor. Her internal compass was fairly sure it ran at an angle toward the city’s other river, but she made a mental note to study the layout in more detail and fix it in her head. The hallway was dim but clean and freshly painted, and the construction was new.
The lights are probably motion-sensor-controlled and still warming up.
Bryant paused while she observed the structure a little more closely. “As far as anyone outside ARES knows, the garage doesn’t connect to your building. We’ve run construction on this alongside other hidden infrastructure over the last few months.”
“The city didn't complain?”
He raised his palm, turned it over, and flipped it back up again. “This is one of those need-to-know things. The Council determined that local government did not need to know, so they’ve run interference with the bureaucracy. There’s a legitimate Army Corps of Engineers project going on nearby, which has provided good cover. They’re upgrading the underground portion of the city’s light rail to cope with flooding issues. At the same time, they’ll add a few special features for us.”
Diana shook her head in wonder. “It’s amazing what you can accomplish when you don’t have to tell anyone what you’re up to.”
“Right?” They resumed their trek and soon arrived at another heavy door. Bryant typed in the same code. It released, and they entered the new base of the Anti-magic Response and Enforcement Service, affectionately known as Black-ops Agents of Magic.
She frowned. At first glance, in the minimal glow of hanging work lights, it resembled a dump. A second and closer look confirmed it. “So, this is what—a storage floor?”
Bryant chuckled. “Hardly. This is your main site.” He slapped a palm against a button to his right and fluorescent bulbs buzzed to life throughout the cavernous space. Support pillars dotted the structure at regular intervals, and a staircase and elevator entrance were both visible on the distant wall.
She scuffed the sole of her boot along the dirt on the cement floor. “I know you said it was a startup, but this is, uh…less started up than I expected.”
He laughed at her obvious distaste. “Construction teams will be on site before long. We want to use our own people for this part of the job, and they’re currently on assignment elsewhere.” He escorted her forward and pointed to several stacks of military-style crates. “Your version of the core is in those boxes. It will go here.” He gestured at the area in which they stood, which was roughly the center of the room. “We’ve beefed up the signal security in every direction and run dedicated fiber into the space from the local hub. The cable company for the city has no idea, of course. The cord itself is shielded and monitored for issues. No one will hack into your stuff that way.”
They walked toward the staircase and he pointed at the elevator doors. “That’s a private elevator and goes between here and the top floor, nowhere else. The building’s main elevators don’t come down here, and they’re locked out of the top floor without one of our watches.” He led her up the stairs to the next level. This area was also empty, but the tape on the ground marked the likely placement of walls and various other pieces of equipment.
“I assume these will be offices?” Diana asked.
Bryant nodded. “Offices in one half, space for labs and medical in the other. The armory will be downstairs near the core.”
She folded her arms. “I always assumed that ARES was deeply committed to this location but mentioning medical right off the bat suggests that you’re more serious than I thought.”
“We are. Your proximity to the Cube would be enough to justify this level of concern on its own. But data shows us that this is a particular hotspot, even without the prison. And the Kemana nearby adds any number of potential wrinkles to the situation.” He gestured to another staircase and led her up it. “You won’t be a DC level of importance, at least not at the start, but you’ll be as vital as any of our other locations, and more so than most.”
Diana nodded. “Okay. I can work with that.”
They emerged into a lobby where sunlight streamed in through the many windows. The warm glow illuminated a seating area with several couches and chairs, a small desk with a security guard, and a local-brand coffee shop on the opposite side. A sign announced Thirty-Four Coworking in bright gold letters on a black background.
She raised a skeptical brow at Bryant. “The street address? That’s the best you could come up with for a business name?”
He shot her a long-suffering frown. “Dammit, Diana. I’m an agent, not a marketer.”
The Star Trek reference deserved a small laugh, at least. Seconds later, he introduced her to the guard. “Larry, this is Diana. She’s from Thirty-Four Corporate and will be around from time to time to check on things.”
Larry nodded. The man was the size of a college linebacker and didn’t appear to have much fat on his large frame. His sharp blue uniform, short buzz-cut black hair, and professional, stoic expression combined to suggest a heavy level of commitment. His voice was deep but smooth. “Welcome to Pittsburgh, ma’am.”
Diana smiled. “Thanks, Larry. Please, call me Diana. What do you think of this place?” She gestured around.
He scratched the back of his neck and sighed. “Well, first let me say that I like working for Thirty-Four—good company and treats me right. But some of these people you rent to…they’re plenty strange.”
Both agents laughed and Bryant replied, “As long as they have the money, who are we to judge? Am I right?”
The guard nodded but still frowned disapprovingly. Bryant gestured toward the elevators, and Diana gave the guard a wave. “See you around, Larry.” He grunted what sounded like an affirmation, then turned to deal with a person who’d rolled up to the desk on a skateboard.
A short negotiation of various electronic devices and an elevator ride later, they stepped onto the fifth and final floor of the building. It was well-appointed, with an unmanned reception counter, several offices with sizes and furnishings appropriate to upper-level management, and a giant conference room with windows that faced the river and the mountain beyond it. Diana sighed an appreciative, “Ah,” at the reflection of the bright sunlight on the water, even though it was still frigid outside. “Now this, I could get used to.”
“Don’t.” Bryant stepped beside her to gaze at a barge going past. “This is your public face when required. If you need to bring someone in who's not cleared for the base below, this is where they come. With enough notice, one of our managers below will come up and handle reception. If needed, we can always put bodies in the offices to make it look more legit. We have staff on floors two, three, and four and we’re close to breaking even, too. The place is catching on.”
“You really have thought of everything.” She tapped on the window. “I presume these are bulletproof?”
“Up to a fifty-cal, they say. But if you see a missile coming in, get to one of the offices. They have go-bags and reinforced walls.”
“Roof access?”
He led her back to the offices and pointed to a small closet. When she opened it, she found a shallow area only slightly larger than the ladder inside that led to a trapdoor above. “Nice.”
Bryant nodded. “It has full security, of course. No one will get in that way unless they’re one of us. We had hoped to reinforce the structure so we could land a helicopter on top of it, but no dice. If you want to leave by air, you’ll have to climb up to the bird or dangle.”
She’d already anticipated that and ran her fingers through the black straps on the climbing harness attached to the wall. “It seems like everything a team of agents could need. You even gave us a coffee bar.”
He laughed. “Uh, no. We’ll get you an espresso machine. You should rarely be seen in the cover business.”
Diana backhanded him on his abdomen. “I’m not an idiot.”
“But you do have a fierce coffee addiction.”
“Touché.”
Bryant grinned. “Let’s go see the other location.” They emerged onto the parking level again and he pressed a button on his watch. A nearby sedan beeped, and its headlights flashed to acknowledge receipt of the command signal. They entered the vehicle and it started with another tap of his watch. He opened his mouth to speak, but she interrupted.
“Let me guess. We own a limousine service or car rental agency.”
“Right on target, Agent Sheen.” He laughed easily. “The cars should change on a fairly regular basis, but there will always be one for each of the agents on the team parked here, gassed up and ready to go.”
She shook her head as they emerged from the parking garage and drove the short distance to the city’s strip district, where wholesale vendors of every variety competed for business. As the GPS led them through the turns, Bryant cleared his throat. “So, we have a good second-in-command candidate for you.”
“I’ll be the judge of that. Tell me more.”
“Cara Binot. Total ball-buster. Former army, I think. Now, she’s a US Marshal and has a solid blend of skills and potential.” He took the street closest to the river past a long warehouse along the left and a series of restaurants and nightclubs housed in converted warehouses on the right.
“Magic?” Diana liked the sound of her already.
“Unknown, actually, but she’s so good that even if she doesn’t have it, she’s still worth a look.” He pulled in at the end of the row, and they jogged up the short flight of stairs to the cement loading dock that extended the full length of the front of the long building.
She studied the area and noticed several restaurants that seemed worthy of her patronage. “When do I get to meet her?”
“She’ll fly in tomorrow.” He fumbled in his pocket for his keys.
Diana clapped briskly. “Excellent. The faster, the better.”
He withdrew a key from his pocket and unlocked the very ordinary-looking door. They walked inside, and she whistled, then smiled as the echoes of their footsteps bounced around the room. The space was at least two stories high at the lowest part of the angled roof. The cement floor was broken only by a tiled area at the entrance. None of the flooring was fresh, but it clearly wasn’t original, either. The material gave a satisfying click against her boot heels.
Bryant spread his arms wide. “Voila. The home of your brand spanking new security consulting and bounty hunting division.”
She spun in circles to admire the high ceilings and the tall, narrow windows that covered most of the second story to admit the sunlight. The way the dirty panes filtered the light lent the location an old-time feel. “It’s fantastic, actually.” She turned to him and smirked. “Someone with taste must have chosen this location, which leaves you out.”
“True enough.” His laugh was genuine and perhaps a little sheepish. “We worked through a local real estate agent.” He gestured at a space that included the tile plus a dozen feet in each direction. “This front area can be the office. That will leave you the remainder of the building to outfit for training as we discussed.”
“Perfect. Now, all I lack is the money to do it. Give me your credit card.”
Bryant took a step back and swiveled the pocket that likely held his wallet away from her. “You have access to the startup funds you need. Keep it reasonable, and there shouldn’t be any problem. But if you want true financial independence, get your security side up and running.”
Diana folded her arms and narrowed her gaze. “But, naturally, don’t slack on the main job while I do it.”
“Of course.”
“There won’t be much time to have a life with this gig, will there?”
He shrugged and immediately dropped the playful grin in favor of a grim stare. “You’re in charge, now. Those decisions are yours. You need to do what’s essential in the short-term and what’s best for the long-term. Burning yourself or your people out is not a good plan.”
“That’s…actually pretty heavy.” She frowned. “Speaking of agents, assuming Cara works out, I still need someone who knows investigation and the town to make the security side work.”
“Agreed.”
“Any thoughts on that?”
“No idea. You’re the boss now. Figure it out.” He shrugged and smirked.
Chapter Three
“Max. Go.”
The main door of the house Diana had rented in the Oakland area east of downtown was far easier to open than the one in their other home had been. It had only a single bolt lock, with none on the handle. Rath waved at the small camera on the wide covered porch before he and his Borzoi mount descended the stairs to the street.
It was a strange neighborhood, quite unlike the other. Maple and white oak trees lined the hill where their house stood, and families with children lived all around instead of the many men and women in suits and dresses.
“Must protect,” Rath said and patted Max on the back. The dog barked joyfully and paused to check scents every few feet. He was clearly as committed as the troll to this vital matter of protecting his neighbors.
As they followed the sidewalk down the slope, the residential section melted away to be replaced by wide streets filled with cars and lined with businesses. A constant stream of bodies moved in all directions—many more than where they used to live. Diana called the place a university, but Rath hadn’t really grasped what that meant until he saw it for himself.
It was fantastic. People of every description walked and socialized everywhere, some together and some alone. He imagined what it would be like when the weather warmed and grinned. “Many adventures. Must train.”
Ahead, a towering form resembled an over-tall castle keep. It reminded him of Oriceran, and he tapped to steer the dog toward it through the currents of people. Grass surrounded the building on three sides, and they circled it to be sure they had identified all the access points. Finally, they came to a stop in front of the main entrance, where a set of broad stairs rose to meet a series of rotating doors that Rath didn’t trust.
He patted Max, who immediately sat in response. “We wait. Patience is key to all things.”
The troll had spent the previous day watching the kung fu channel, which he was excited to find in the new house. With the assistance of that and various other movies, he had learned many wise life lessons that he looked forward to applying in combat.
After a short delay, the self-opening normal doors at street level parted to allow a woman with a cane to emerge. Max dashed into the building, careful not to interfere with her progress.
Rath called, “Thank you,” and received a hesitant wave in return.
An open staircase located immediately on the duo’s right led up to the main floor. It was gray stone all over, and very high in it
s construction—it stood at least fifteen Maxes high. The Borzoi mount padded quietly through the space and took care not to disturb the people who sat at the many tables with the open books strewn about them. A strange combination of happiness and despair hung in the air. A woman suddenly threw her hands up with a small moan and dropped her face into the book in front of her with a clunk. Rath was ready to ask her what was wrong when someone spoke from nearby.
The voice was calm, warm, and patient.
She must watch the kung fu channel, too.
“They’re studying for midterms. It makes them miserable. Not like in my day.” He gazed to his left to discover a woman in a large skirt and button-down shirt grinning down at him. She wore a pretty silver necklace with an oval pendant, and her straight blonde hair that cascaded down her back was restrained by a thin elastic band. She patted the table in invitation.
Rath dashed to the end of the Borzoi’s long nose. “Gentle, Max. Launch.” The dog flicked his head, and the troll performed a single somersault on the way up to land on the table beside her books. The woman clapped, which startled students nearby and sent echoes around the common room. “Very nice moves, my friend. What’s your name?”
“Rath.”
She nodded as if he’d confirmed a thought. “One of the deadly sins. I imagine you’re no end of trouble.” She laughed—at herself, he assumed, as he was most certainly not a laughing matter. “Mine is Charlotte Stanford. I’m a professor here. I study Oriceran history and it's given me some insight into what troublemakers trolls can be.”
He grinned. “Good to meet you.”
“Same to you.” She leaned forward and lowered her voice a little. He caught a scent that made his nose twitch.
