Agents Of Chaos: An Urban Fantasy Action Adventure (Federal Agents of Magic Book 4)

by TR Cameron

  “Do you have any idea why?”

  Diana shook her head. “All we know from our…intercepts is that the Pittsburgh group has been deployed to attack you by someone above them in the criminal hierarchy. This is the group that was responsible for the attack on the Army train a while back, so they are not a force to be taken lightly.”

  The woman’s face settled into a scowl. “I heard about that. It sounded like a major mess from start to finish.”

  All three ARES agents winced, but it was her obligation to reply. “It was. There were issues. Let’s all agree to blame military bureaucracy and move on from there, shall we?”

  The AET officer gave a dark laugh. “Yeah, I hear you. So, in summary, there’s a team of heavy hitters who have targeted our city, probably tonight, and probably someplace notable. We have all the usual activities going on for a Friday night, plus a couple of concerts and a baseball game.”

  Bryant asked, “Who’s playing?” As if it matters.

  The fact that she didn’t have to look up the answer kicked her up a notch in Diana’s estimation. “Phillies vs. Red Sox at Citizen’s, Taylor Swift at Wells Fargo, and GOT7 at BB&T.”

  He frowned. “What the hell is a GOT7?”

  Diana laughed. “K-Pop band. Crazy popular.”

  “How the hell do you know that?”

  “Rath likes them.”

  Taggart and Michaeli watched them with odd looks on their faces, and Diana returned to the topic. “It seems like any of those could be a legitimate target.”

  The AET officer nodded in agreement. “I’d probably assume that GOT7 is the least likely if they mentioned a Philly icon. It’s technically not in the city.” She held her palms up and shrugged. “Honestly, though, if we include historical monuments, there are too many to name. Not to mention museums, the aquarium, and that sort of thing.”

  Taggart sighed. “A plethora of options. Diana, any indication of where they might strike?”

  She shook her head. “None.” The Remembrance leader had made the strategically sound decision to require cell phones to be left at the warehouse. All they received now was the sound of a few caretaker hoodlums watching the place and grousing about not being included in the operation. Kayleigh was personally offended at the lack of data and was already talking loudly to anyone in proximity about implanting trackers in all of them. We’re all frustrated at the impending action and at the fact that one of our own is involved. Some of us merely have more creative ways of working it out. She rocked her neck back and forth to crack it. Me, I’m looking forward to shooting something. A tracker’s not a bad idea for Rath, though.

  Bryant looked and sounded angry. “Okay, what can we do to upend whatever these bastards have in mind?”

  Diana put a fist gently into her other open palm. “My team is down for a road trip. But we’ve already lost a lot of time.”

  Taggart nodded. “There’s no way you can drive. We’ll borrow a transport from the Air Force Reserve base near you and fly you in. You’ll need to carry your own gear as there’s no chance to have supplies routed there today.” Diana glanced down and typed a quick text to Cara to instruct her to start the team packing. “DC has its own obligations tonight. Bryant, is there anyone else we might bring in?”

  “Negative. They’re all busy getting back on their feet.” The AET officer looked confused, but no one chose to explain the comment.

  “Okay, then. It’s up to AET, Philly SWAT, and ARES Pittsburgh. Diana, tell your people to play nice with the other organizations, please.”

  She laughed at the joke. “Boss, we’re always nice. Except to the enemy, of course.”

  Michaeli shook her head. She probably thinks we’re all totally insane. We have her fooled. We’re only mostly insane. “We’ll put our ear to the ground for any clues and prepare for your arrival. Thanks in advance for helping us keep the peace.”

  They said their goodbyes, and the woman dropped from the call. Taggart’s concern was visible on his face and audible in his tone. “I don’t like this one. They’ve been all about acquiring magic and suddenly, they’re taking a detour into domestic terrorism? It doesn’t smell right.”

  Bryant asked, “If the orders are coming from someone on Oriceran, is it really ‘domestic?’ I mean, it’s not international, but maybe interplanetary?”

  Their boss sighed. “Bryant, I understand that you’re trying to be funny to lighten the mood, but you’re not good at it, so you should stop.” Diana snorted, and her regional supervisor grinned. Taggart simply shook his head and looked equal parts amused and exasperated. “You people need to take this stuff more seriously.”

  She shrugged. “What’s the point? We’re doing all we can do. A little dark humor between friends soothes the soul.”

  He seemed about to argue, then surrendered by shifting topics. “If this is like every single other thing they’ve done, it won’t be a one-off.”

  “Agreed. Everyone should be on their toes. I’ll make sure the Cube and PD are aware here.”

  Bryant growled his frustration. “I’ll warn Hartford. Do you think it’s worth sending out a regional terrorism alert to make people alert for trouble?”

  Taggart nodded. “I do. I’ll check in with Finely to see if he agrees.”

  “And if he doesn’t?” Diana asked.

  “We’ll have Bryant do it so I have deniability with the oversight committee.”

  The other man’s voice was laced with syrupy sarcasm. “Gee, thanks, boss. It’s awesome how you provide cover for us and all. Maybe you should consider becoming head of the CIA so you can show them your unique brand of support by sharing the names of all the agents with the media or something.” The jibe made everyone laugh, and Taggart shook his head in disbelief.

  “Every time I think you can’t be more stupid, Bryant, you step up your game. It’s truly amazing.”

  BC sounded very pleased with himself. “And worth rewarding with a raise and some additional vacation days?”

  “Worth rewarding with a week training in Siberia, maybe.”

  “If you were head of the CIA, you could probably arrange that for him,” Diana quipped,

  Taggart threw his hands up in surrender. “We’re done here. Diana, be safe and kick some criminal butt. Bryant, try to make yourself useful.”

  The call dropped, and she shook her head. “Friday, put me on intercom.” A small chime acknowledged the order. “We roll out as soon as possible, people. Finish packing and get it in gear.”

  Forty-five minutes later, the team drove out of the garage in a caravan of SUVs filled with agents and equipment. Local PD held the intersections for them to join the highway and blocked the ramps to give them an unimpeded route to the reserve base. They pulled the four vehicles up the ramp of the C-130H Hercules transport, and Air Force personnel rushed to secure them to the deck under the shouted orders of the loadmaster.

  Diana hopped out and waved her team into the jump seats mounted in the front of the aircraft. She continued forward to talk to the pilots. “How ancient is this thing? Did you have to take it out of the actual mothballs for this mission?”

  The man with the grey crewcut on the left laughed. “She’s not that old. Late forties, early fifties. Age, not build year.”

  The younger woman in the right seat nodded as she made a mark on her checklist. “We have any number of people who spend most of their drill time making sure she’s good to go. We’ll get you there, no worries.”

  Diana grinned. “I have no doubt. I’m busting your chops, that’s all. Is there anything I need to know?”

  The first one spoke again. “Nope, relax and enjoy the ride. We have priority clearance for both departure and arrival and should be on the ground within two hours of wheels-up.”

  She patted them both on the shoulders. “You rock.” When she headed back, her team had strapped in and left an open seat between Tony and Cara for her. She sighed and looked at Anik and the Air Force officers, all of whom avoided eye contact. “Does an
yone want to trade seats? Anyone? Please don’t make me listen to those two for the whole flight.”

  Chapter Twenty-Two

  “Thirty minutes out,” called the loadmaster from the cargo area of the plane. “Pilots say weather is clear now and you can do your thing.”

  Diana popped the harness holding her in her seat and strode toward the back of the transport, the rest of her team a step behind. They’d talked over the mission for most of the flight and were all as frustrated as she was about the long wait for action. Even Kayleigh, linked in through the comm equipment in the SUVs, sounded irked about the delay.

  They opened the four rear compartments and withdrew the crates inside, each almost as large as the area allotted for it and requiring a pair of agents to extract it. They set the cases on the deck and strapped them down, then popped the lids to retrieve their equipment. The first held something Kayleigh had promised for a while but they hadn’t had time to train or deploy in yet. Their new tunics were tight and designed to be worn under their other tops. The wiring that connected the vest capacitors to the shock gloves passed through built-in channels with a connector dangling at each end. A thin fiber-optic camera tube ran down the left inner forearm.

  The neck was contoured to follow the line of the AI collars that she and Cara wore, ensuring that the devices could read their vital signs. The tunics had that capability as well, for redundancy and to track the team members who didn’t have the other equipment yet. Diana twisted her arms to look at the channels and admired the way her muscles rippled through the tight material. “Kayleigh, damn, nice work.”

  The tech’s voice was tense. “Glad you like it. All the tests have been good. Even if something goes wrong, the only loss is the shock gloves, really.”

  “Nothing will go wrong. Your gear is always amazing.”

  Tony growled and flexed in imitation of a bodybuilder to make those around him, all of whom were in better shape, laugh and tease the stocky man. He took it in stride and traded pleasant insults with them. They all slipped into their heavy knife-resistant pants and shirts and replaced their footwear with combat boots. All the street clothes went in the case, which Anik and Cara returned to the first SUV.

  Next was the container full of defensive gear. Tony retrieved the shin, thigh, forearm, and upper arm guards and passed them around. As she sat to buckle them in place, Diana missed being able to help Rath into his equipment. She hadn’t felt good enough about the mission to bring him along and wanted him safely away from whatever nonsense the Remembrance was up to tonight.

  I guess Nylene’s warning has taken a deeper hold than I expected, both for me and where Rath is concerned. Besides, if they saw a troll with us, they might figure out we weren’t local, which could out Sloan.

  She looked around at her team and thought again that they needed at least one more fighter. And another tech, someone with magic to complement Kayleigh. And maybe a driver for the mobile armory we don’t have. She snorted to herself. Actually, we should ask for a plane as transport and negotiate down to the truck. But one a little newer than this one.

  The aircraft bumped, no doubt in turbulence, and the team exchanged alarmed glances, then broke into shared laughter. Cara nudged Anik with her boot. “Nervous, puddy tat?”

  The demolitions expert flashed a grin and looked around with wide eyes. “How did I end up here? I must have taken a wrong turn at Albuquerque.”

  The woman grinned. “No, you let Diana talk you into becoming a part of something ridiculously dangerous because you’re an adrenaline junkie, exactly like the rest of us.”

  He blinked, then nodded. “Okay, actually, that’s on point.”

  Tony nodded as well. “Yep. That says it all.” He turned to face Diana. “Way to turn our dreams into nightmares, boss.”

  She laughed. “You’re the only nightmare around here. Should we discuss the museum incident again?”

  He raised his hands and spoke loudly. “So, more equipment then.” He retrieved the vests and passed them out, then replaced the lid on the empty crate. They all stood to don them and assisted each other to hook the connections up between vest and tunic and thread the cables through the small grommets that had been stitched into their shirts and trousers.

  The next one held their utility belts, holsters, and other straps and pouches neatly laid out in custom indentations cut into grey foam rectangles. She retrieved hers and set it on top of the case. The belt fit snugly around her waist as she snapped it closed with the thick fastener in the front. She tied the holster down to her right leg and attached the grenade-holder strap on her opposite hip. The holster for the Ruger was already in place to the left of the small of her back, and she touched it to confirm the location.

  Her flashlight was on the belt, as was the thin tube for captured enemy wands. Zip-ties and magic-detecting shock cuffs rested in their own pouches. The comm repeater and remote-computer-gizmo filled out the rest of the slots, except for two magazine containers and two grenade holders. She put pepper in one and sonic in the other. The strap on her leg received two flashbangs.

  The final container was filled with weapons. Diana retrieved her set, again packed into custom foam cutouts. She checked her carbine and slid home a magazine loaded with standard ammunition. The blue-striped ones filled with anti-magic bullets went into the slots on her vest, and she slipped an extra set of standard ammo into its holder on her belt. Her Glock received one of the blue-striped mags, and she secured the pistol in her holster. The remaining three magazines, two standard and one containing special presents for enemy magicals, slotted into the few empty places on chest and belt.

  She raised her backup revolver and opened the cylinder to ensure it was properly loaded with blue-dotted rounds. It was, and she closed it and stored it in its holster. Finally, she pulled out the large Bowie knife and held it up to the light to admire its edge. She bent her arm back and slid it up into its sheath, giving it the extra push needed to secure it into the grippers so it wouldn’t slide free without an effort. The act of arming herself was mind-cleansing, and as always, she emerged from the process with more clarity than she entered it with.

  She turned to face her team, who had grown quiet as they readied their own weapons and perhaps traversed the same mental steps that she did. They felt her gaze and faced her, one after the other, until the only sound was the shuddered vibration of the airplane’s descent. “I want you all to remember something tonight. Your survival is every bit as important as the mission. Prioritize it. I’m not saying you should hide from a fight, that’s not what we’re about. But we can rely on AET and SWAT for support. We don’t need any particular heroics from anyone at this moment.”

  They nodded, and she stared at them for a couple of moments more. “I’m not kidding.”

  Tony was the first to break into laughter, and Anik and Cara followed. The former detective patted her on the shoulder as he headed toward the front of the plane. “Very inspirational, boss. Such leadership. Much wow.” Diana groaned and grabbed his hand to apply leverage and bring him back near the open cases. “Ow, ow, ow.”

  “You, sir, are a chucklehead. As such, you get to stow the crates. The other two can help. And don’t forget your damn masks.”

  She snagged her own headgear from the pile. The fabric would show only their eyes, which would be covered by their glasses and so leave the enemy with no clues to their identity and hopefully preserve the secret of their inside information. Diana strode forward and buckled herself into a seat near the loadmaster so she could at least have a few moments of peace. Those three can sit together and annoy one another for a change. It serves them right.

  Chapter Twenty-Three

  The plane bounced once as it touched the tarmac, then rolled quickly to taxi speed. The team unbuckled immediately and got into the two rearmost SUVs, Diana behind the wheel of one with Anik by her side, and Cara driving the other. When the transport stopped, the loadmaster triggered the rear ramp and waved them out as soon as it was down
.

  She reversed, turned, and sped down the auxiliary runway toward the gate at the end. The Air Force cleared the path for them and swung the barrier open as they approached. Friday whispered directions in her ear as she drove, and Diana spent the intervening moments setting plans for the action to come. “Kayleigh, do you receive vitals from all of us?”

  The tech sounded harried. “Yes. The signals from you and Cara are the best. The sensors in the tunics are not as effective as the ones in the collars, plus your AIs are doing some processing locally.”

  “Okay. Is that a problem?”

  “No, sorry. TMI. It’s all good.” The tech sighed. “It doesn’t look like I’ll be able to give you drone coverage. I’ve been trying to link up with AET’s systems, but they’re not willing to grant me full access and the crap connection they have given me is the next best thing to useless.”

  Diana laughed. “Let’s hear it for inter-agency collaboration, right?”

  The tech grunted dismissively. “I probably wouldn’t want to let them into our computers either, but honestly, it’s a messed up choice at this point.”

  “It’s okay, Kayleigh. Chill. This is merely another mission.”

  “You know, it seems like that, but it also doesn’t seem like that. I have a bad feeling here. There’s something that’s not right.”

  “I have that too. But the only way out is through. So I guess the question is, what can you do from there?”

  She blew out a sigh. “Okay, here’s what I have. I can watch your vitals, all good. I can keep you connected by comms to the other groups, also good. I’m setting that up locally for you, rather than routing the signal through here, so there should be no delay. That’s easy stuff.” The sound of keys clicking continued as the tech worked her systems. “No drones, because the AET techs are assholes.” She paused and exhaled another sigh.

  “Fine, yes, they’re only doing their jobs. I get it. Okay. I’ve gone over the highway cams on the turnpike, and I think I may have spotted them. I can’t be sure, of course, but there are a couple of trucks that have shown similar patterns of behavior often enough that Alfred’s flagged them. He will keep an eye on them wherever he can, and if it develops into something, I’ll let you know.”