by Sandra Elsa
He leaned over as he entered the elevator. "I understand, Frankie. Just so you know; there's one of them in the parking lot."
Dee stepped off the elevator and I followed her, never quite turning my back to Harry until the doors closed. I walked beside Dee as she hefted the box of blades, trying to stay close enough that I could blanket her talent from detection. The mage in the lot was an older woman. She held a wand in the air and started walking toward us. I brushed hips with Dee, trying not to get in the way of the box. Also trying to make sure any blip the mage might have seen, disappeared. Every step brought tears closer to the surface. The mage watched us, then turned away. I was glad she didn't appear to be in contact with those on the inside.
Dee put the box in the back seat so I slid into the passenger side and turned around to dig out my tote. I popped two of the pain pills and as Dee slid in beside me I said, "Now let's get the hell out of here."
The mage had spun around at the far end of the lot and was headed back our way. She must have picked Dee up when we separated. Dee turned the key and backed out of the parking spot. The mage stood in the road and cast a spell. The car's engine sputtered and died. I sought out the spell and turned it off. It wouldn't have been able to work at all if the car had been mine. "Start it," I told Dee.
She cranked the engine and the mage started running. I watched her gather power and aim at the car again but I turned it off before it could affect us. The car across the parking lot exit was another problem. Dee swung into the entrance lane and onto the curb to bounce out into traffic, spinning the wheel to veer away from oncoming vehicles. We were on the road but hardly headed in the direction I wanted to be going. We needed to get out the gate. If she called ahead, the mages parked near the gate could be ready to stop us and all I wanted to do was pass out. Dee took a right turn, and then a second and I peered around. We were on Ninth Street. "Two more blocks. Left, then four blocks, and a right." Dee nodded and took the second left, I pointed as we passed the right turn."
"I got this, Girlfriend." She snatched the wheel right at the next corner then took another right and a left. When I saw we were on Eighth Main I lay back in the seat, wanting desperately to close my eyes and pass out, but we weren't out of the District yet. Dee joined traffic and slowed down, digging out the washcloth, removing the makeup, and unwrapping her hair so it hung in a ponytail again. "Before you pass out on me I need the t-shirt, Girlfriend." David sat in the driver's seat and I peeled the shirt off and grabbed the wheel as he put it on. The sweats would have to wait until we were clear. I kept the sunglasses but returned the cap.
The cars at the gate were still focused on incoming cars. Apparently we'd managed to surprise those in my office as badly as they'd surprised us. We were waved out without a second glance. "Where are we going? Six or Eight?"
"Neither. Take me to Seventeen. I need to lay up a bit until the pain meds kick in. I also want to see if Hermly's Hardware has had any visitors."
"I'll need directions."
"North 'til the second crossroad. Take a right. First district you come to."
"Cool. You look bad, Girlfriend."
"Wasn't supposed to walk for two weeks."
"I could have wheeled you into your building."
"I suspect that would have been a dead giveaway. Moreso than the cast even."
"How many miles to Seventeen?"
"Never really pay attention to miles. Takes about thirty minutes."
"You lay your head back and let Dee Dee take care of you. I'll wake you up when we get to the gate."
When she woke me up, we were slowing for the gate at District Seventeen. I sat up, relieved as I noticed the pain meds had done their job while I slept. I was also relieved there were no extra cars parked near the gate. Hopefully that meant the mages didn't have a clue I had any friends here. I directed Dee to Romanelli's parking lot and she wheeled me inside. We sat at my usual table in a back corner and consumed a large pizza between the two of us. Fed and rested, I felt much better, but didn't think I was up to hitting District Eight knowing in all likelihood there'd be more mages waiting there. I sent a message to Charlie telling him of my revised plans and he sent back asking what I was after.
**Clothes. Rebreather. Nothing I can't replace far more cheaply than what coming there might cost me.
**Want me to get your stuff?
**That'd be sweet, but no sense to you getting in trouble. Besides my wards will light you up…unless they already broke those.
**Yesterday. There's been heightened activity since your escapade in Two. Gotta tell ya Frankie, it's sorta fun watching the overlords scratch their asses and try to figure out how you could take out three mages, and truss up a werewolf.
**It's easy when you have the right charm.
**Charm's never been your style, Frankie. *Grin*
**Give you a point for that one, Charlie. How about amulet instead of charm then?
**I'll buy that.
**They rely on magic so thoroughly you take their weapon away what are they gonna do?
**I think that was the point of the werewolf.
**They saw my weapons. Had to know I'd have something to deal with them too.
**Thanks for not killing any of them. Might have had a serious conflict between duty and personal desire if you had. Gotta go, Frankie. Sarge is starting to wonder what I'm doing so intently. Let you know if I get anything out. Four of us will be sitting on your place tonight. Depends who I get duty with. Have a good night.
**G'Night.
Chapter 25
As I put up the handheld, Dee asked, "What's up?"
"Just letting a friend know I'd had enough fun fighting my way into my office, wasn't gonna try my home tonight."
"We still going to visit your mom?"
"In a couple hours. First I need to go see Herm, then find someplace to hole up." I paid for the food and Dee wheeled me out the front door. We drove down to Hermly's Hardware. Herm greeted me as cheerfully as ever then finished waiting on a customer buying a screwdriver set and a hammer. When he left, Herm said, "Can't help you with any idents Frankie. They're so hot right now ten thousand wouldn't cover the risk."
I smiled at him as I took off my sunglasses and twirled them. "Then it's a good thing this is a social call."
"Not to be cruel Frankie, but you're a little too hot right now to be comfortable company."
What the hell. I chewed on the arm of the sunglasses. "Then I'll get straight to the point. Have you experienced any notice more than the rest of the people in your line of work, since I was last in here?"
He considered my question then thoughtfully shook his head. "No. The watch visited me yesterday but I let them look around, they went away happy. Would have been more surprised if they hadn't checked up on me when idents are so hot."
"That's all I wanted to hear."
"What happened to the leg, Frankie?"
"I fell. I'll get out of your hair now, Herm."
Dee pushed me toward the door and Herm asked, "Where you staying, Frankie?"
The hair on my neck stood up, but I glanced back with a smile. "Reckon I'll take a room at Stella's for the night." Stella was a bitch. If the watch or a passel of mages woke her in the middle of the night to search her customers' rooms, it was no skin off my nose.
We got in the car and I directed Dee in the direction of Stella's Bed and Breakfast. We drove past then I directed her back toward the gate.
"Thought we were gonna give you some down time."
"We are. Just not here. Herm never asks about where I'm going after I leave his place. He's either been compromised, or Drover's been throwing around promises of reward money." I shook my head. "You think you know people. Some of them will sell you out for a little cash. Let's go to District Nine. Haven't taken a case there in ages, and Six is only a ten minute drive. "
"Nine it is."
District Nine was pleasant. The source was an immense lake where many boats sailed. The south side of the source was a m
anicured forest with picnic tables and camping spaces. East and west were garden plots, growing much of the district's food, tended by families from the nearby apartments. The northern end was beachfront.
It was only six o'clock in the afternoon when I staked out my campsite. I stopped at a store for sleeping bags and pillows. We rolled out the sleeping bags and lay down to get an hour's rest. Dee was excited. It was quite likely the most exciting day she'd had in a long time. I didn't get any sleep, but just being still and off the leg for a little worked wonders on my frame of mind. I took out my handheld and read the messages I'd gotten.
Charlie was off to sit at my apartment. Jallahan left a brief message about he hoped we were fine. Harrison, it turned out had needed my physical presence to get the license, so he had borrowed somebody and clothed her with illusion to match the ident, but he hadn't thought the magic use would matter as he planned to be noticed. Jallahan was heading out to District Eighty-Two he was keeping me in his thoughts, and hoping I stayed safe. Last was a missive from Harrison's mother.
**I guess I can hardly blame you for not knowing who I was. I'm assuming it was you in the parking lot of your office complex as only one other mage person I know, has ever been able to remove a spell as neatly as you rolled mine back at me.
I had hoped if you showed up, my son would as well. I guess since Jordan is now ranting about Harrison doing foolish things because he purchased a marriage license out in District One-Fifty-Three he wasn't with you. Since he seems to have finally decided he knows what he wants in life, I guess I'll just say, I'm happy for the two of you. He always was impulsive when it came to women and I suppose he wants you to be his before his father finds him. I just hope you care for him at least a little. Nothing I've discovered about Francesca Leone in the last forty-eight hours leads me to believe you'd do something this spontaneous, but I suppose both of you have your reasons.
Jordan has marshaled his forces and headed out to District One-Fifty-Three. I'm contemplating a trip with Mage Jallahan to visit my son's mother-in-law to be. He's discouraging my accompaniment, but seeing as we are about to become family I'd like to meet the woman.
Nan.
#
I pondered her message a bit. It had arrived twenty minutes ago. Did Jallahan make her believe Mom was alive? Or was it me she was hell-bent on meeting? And wasn't she just hilarious, calling me a mage then leaving it there, struck through. As if somebody needed to inform me the cat was out of the bag on that one. If she showed up at the gravesite I wasn't sure if I'd venture forth with two full-blown mages present. It'd be a different story if I thought they'd be worthy of shooting in a pinch, but I suppose shooting one's father or mother-in-law would be frowned on. I answered her message in between Dee's excited chatter.
**Mom: Can I call you that? My mother doesn't care to meet new people. She most especially does not care to meet mages. I think if she is to meet anybody, there had best be only one mage present. I gather that was you trying to stop me in the parking lot. Trust me when I say, magic is not the way to get to know me. Especially not when I'm injured and have just had run-ins with several mages. I'm glad I didn't kill you, but you must know, that was a very real possibility.
#
It took her a few minutes to respond
**Francesca: when the ambulances arrived I guess I did realize how stupid I was being. Harrison has been my life for thirty-three years. Parents are sometimes allowed to do stupid, impulsive, things. Thank you for not shooting me. I guess I've become too much a Sevener over the years. Being shot didn't even creep into my mind as a possibility. I believe I have learned my lesson and shall stay in my own microworld, safe from the forces of nature. I forgot they existed. I do hope the time will come when I get to meet you. Take care of both of you.
Nan
#
Force of nature. What a peculiar way of describing someone when we hadn't had to deal with a force of nature in a thousand years, except for staying inside to evade the annual tempests. Did she know what we planned? She certainly had to know her son was literally a force of nature. Damn it. I was getting tired of looking for double meaning in everyone's words.
The important thing here seemed to be that Jallahan was on the move.
My incoming message beeped softly. I glanced at it expecting another message from Nan, possibly Jallahan. It was Charlie.
#
**Sorry Frankie but we won't be able to get your stuff for you. I arranged to get Alex, Erik and Tim on detail with me, but when we arrived a mage was here boxing up your belongings. Said they weren't going to risk you coming in and taking them, and once your belongings were gone we wouldn't have to remain on duty. So I guess that's it.
**Did he leave a name?
**Still here. Just a moment. I'll need his name to fill out paperwork.
#
Not thirty seconds later he typed
#
**Mage Jallahan.
**OK. Thanks for trying Charlie. Help him any way he needs. I trust you'd have mentioned if he had company?
**Help him?
**Jallahan is supposedly my father. I'm hoping he'll bring my stuff to me, since he seems bent on seeing me.
**Well damn, Frankie. Didn't even know you had a father.
**Neither did I.
**LOL Guess he does look more than a bit like you. Let me get him on his way then. Later Frankie.
**Later.
#
When I looked up, Dee asked, "What's going on?"
"Apparently my 'father' has decided to clean out my apartment. Guess we'll see shortly if that's a good thing or a bad thing. We need to stop for a couple things so I guess we might as well get going. We stopped at a Zurn's and purchased a black wig and two rebreathers. Then I had Dee drive me out to District Six. There was a small gully not far from the burial plots that would work perfectly for what I needed. Donning the rebreather I opened the door of the vehicle and stepped out next to the gully, sitting down to slide down the incline.
I hoped I wasn't making a huge mistake sending Dee off with orders to return at sunset. Which by my estimate would be in about half an hour.
#
Tires churning through loose dry dirt and gravel brought me alert. I wriggled back to the top of the incline just in time to watch a burgundy Volkswagen Bug pull off the main road. I'd always wanted a Bug, but they were one of the most expensive restorations.
A man climbed out of the driver's seat, then opened every door and the hood. I almost laughed out loud. He'd done his research and now he was trying to lure in a wild animal. Look, no trap here.
The man was lean, with hair still mostly black but streaked across the front with silver. His rebreather made it hard to see anything else. Mine blocked a good bit of my vision and I sweated as I watched him, which, since it was cool, may have been nerves. I decided now was a fine time to test Harrison's statement that the air was breathable.
I rolled on my back and lifted the rebreather away from my chin. Instinct made me gasp for the oxygen I knew wouldn't be filling my lungs but after several strangling breaths I realized I was in fact breathing and managed to soothe my mind into believing something I’d been taught my entire life, was wrong. The air was thin. I wouldn't be running far--even if I was capable of running--but for lying here, I'd do just fine. I stripped the mask off my head.
He pulled two boxes from under the hood and two more from the back seat. These he also opened and held up enough of the contents that a watcher could be certain no human was concealed. He left the boxes where they were and turned to walk towards the burial plots. Each grave was marked with a flat stone that contained a number. If you needed more information about a grave you matched the number to the records. Mom was buried underneath District Six, Plat two-hundred, Lot five-twelve. The man before me walked to her grave without looking left or right to consider other numbers and stones. He'd been here before. Many times. I still had to pay attention to find it. But then I only came once a year on the anniversa
ry of her death.
By the time he reached the grave the sun was setting. Beams of light at my back illuminated the Bug and bounced off the distant dome. Cynthia's Prius zipped up the road and pulled into the gravel parking area next to the burgundy Bug. Dee got out and did a cautious once around the vehicle poking and prodding at the open boxes and doors. She reached back in the Prius and pulled out my Remington 700 and peered through the scope at the distant ridges of land before finally turning to the man who kneeled at the grave with his hands behind his back.
The black wig streamed out behind Dee's rebreather as she moved toward the kneeling mage, rifle pointed at his back. Every third step or so, she forgot she was supposed to be limping, but she still did a credible job. When she stood twenty feet away from Jallahan, she said, "Get up." Her voice was harsh and muffled through the rebreather.
He held his hands out to the side and rose gracefully to his feet. "Francesca?"
"Were you expecting the tooth fairy?" She had my snark down to a science.
He turned his hand slowly to where Dee and I could see a ring on his third finger. The stone set within it glowed. "After some of the tales I've been hearing, I didn't think I’d register any magic if you approached."-
"Are you for real?"
"What exactly are you asking?"
"Are you alone? And are you Frankie's old man?"
"Yes and yes. And the way you stated that, I'm guessing you're not Francesca."
