by Alex Siegel
"Why would a master sorcerer come here?"
"Good question."
They wandered back and forth for an hour. Andrew grew bored with the assignment, and he started to wonder if it were a waste of time. It was possible Patricia Lemay had been mistaken. She had struck him as a flake to put it kindly.
Andrew was about ready to call it quits when he saw a figure wearing a black cloak dashing across a field.
"There," Andrew whispered.
"I saw him," Charley whispered. "Come on."
They walked quickly but quietly, following the figure in black. It seemed to be a thin, tall man.
For the hundredth time, Andrew looked around for any sign of the BPI, but the agents were too well hidden. They're out there, he told himself. Have faith.
Andrew spotted a circle of other people dressed in black up ahead. They were making good use of the shadows, but his eyes were well adjusted to the darkness, and he had no trouble seeing them. They were wearing cloaks and robes which concealed their bodies.
Charley tapped Andrew on the shoulder and pointed to a bush. It was a good place to discreetly observe the strange gathering. He followed her over while trying to walk silently across the short grass. The two apprentices crouched down and peeked through the leaves.
He still didn't sense any real sorcery.
Andrew looked at the exposed faces of the two dozen people in black, and they were a mix of young men and women. He guessed they ranged from teens to early twenties. They wore shiny amulets, pendants, bracelets, and rings, and a few carried sticks in their hands.
"Are those wands?" Charley whispered.
"Must be," Andrew whispered.
One of the men threw back his black hood. His head was shaved bald, and tattoos of flames surrounded his right eye. He had several gold loops in each ear.
"Tonight, I will show you how to brew a potion of strength," he said. "It will be imbued with the power of Nanna, the god of the moon. One sip of this potion will make you three times stronger and give you temporary immunity to disease. Bullets will bounce off your skin."
Andrew looked at Charley who just shrugged.
The crowd appeared impressed, and they muttered to each other eagerly. The leader basked in the glory.
A cheap folding table stood in the grass in front of him. It held pots, kitchen implements, and a camping stove. Jars containing herbs and colorful powders were on an open shelf below. Some green plastic garbage bags were lying nearby.
He stepped up to the table. "I need the blood sacrifice," he said. "Who was supposed to bring the meat?"
Another man pulled a package out from under his robes. It was a piece of meat wrapped in clear plastic, and it had obviously come from the grocery store. He handed it to the leader.
The leader looked at the offering and raised his eyebrows. "Boneless chicken breast?"
"It was on sale," his friend said in an apologetic tone. "At least it's fresh."
The leader sighed. He unwrapped the meat, dropped it into a pot, and added white liquid from a bottle. Andrew guessed it was milk. The leader started the stove and placed the pot on the fire.
"Oh, great Nanna," he said in a deep voice, "I beg you to grant your humble supplicant the power of magic. Allow your magnificent strength to imbue this potion."
Andrew still didn't feel any hint of real sorcery. He was growing very skeptical of the entire production.
The leader added herbs and powders to the pot, and he named some of them. "Sandalwood, rose hips, black salt, camphor, cinnamon, Cat's Claw bark..."
He stirred the concoction with a wooden staff which had a white crystal mounted on the end.
"Flame and fire, heart's desire, make my strength higher," he chanted. "I draw upon the energies of the positive and negative planes. May they combine and combust in this pot."
Andrew rolled his eyes.
"What do you want to do?" he whispered to Charley.
"Wait 'til it's over," she whispered.
"But it's ridiculous."
"Not to them. Just be patient."
He didn't understand why she was so tolerant, but he didn't argue.
It took about fifteen minutes to finish the potion. Black smoke was drifting out of the pot by the time the leader was done, but he didn't seem to care. He served the potion using paper bowls and plastic spoons. When the other "sorcerers" tasted the mess, they gagged and coughed, but they kept it down. Andrew hoped they wouldn't get sick.
Finally, the ceremony ended. Most of the attendees wandered off, but a handful remained with the leader and helped him clean up.
"That's our cue," Charley said.
She and Andrew stood up. His knees were stiff from squatting, and moving around came as a relief. They walked over to the men and women in black.
"Hi!" Andrew said cheerfully. "How's it going?"
The group turned to him.
The leader looked at Andrew and Charley suspiciously. "Who are you? What are you doing here?"
"I should ask you the same question," Andrew said. "We saw you make a potion."
The leader's eyes widened. "That was a secret spell!"
"Trust me, we won't tell anybody. I'm Andrew, and this is Charley. What's your name?"
"Storm-dubh."
Sure, Andrew thought. "I'll just call you Storm. Where did you get the spell?"
"From my grimoire," Storm said in a somber tone. "Only I have the strength to read my secret book of magic. Its power would destroy the mind of anybody else." He raised his chin and puffed out his chest.
His followers were looking at him with wide eyes full of admiration. One brown-haired girl in particular had a slack jaw and a dreamy gaze.
Andrew decided Storm was a total phony. He just wanted sex and fame, and he didn't care if other people got fooled along the way.
"Actually," Charley said, "we didn't come to talk about magic. A woman named Jennifer has gone missing, and we're trying to find her. Her boyfriend, Serkan, also disappeared. We heard Jennifer came here often."
Storm's expression changed from arrogance to concern. "We call her Moon-rider. She's missing? I haven't seen her for a few days, and I was wondering. She has a true passion for witchcraft. She can't get enough of it. How do you know her?"
"We know her boyfriend. What about him?"
"He participated in the service only a few times, and I haven't seen him in a month. He didn't seem interested in magic, but he really liked Moon-rider."
Andrew imagined the scene. Serkan had come to investigate reports of sorcerers in the park, but he had found love instead. It was a nice image.
"You have no idea where they went?" Andrew said. "They didn't tell you anything?"
Storm shrugged. "I hope they're OK. Moon-rider told me her parents are real assholes. Did you ask them?"
"We talked to her mother."
There was a lull in the conversation. Andrew decided this lead was a dead end. He looked at Charley, and frustration on her face told him she had reached the same conclusion.
"We should go," she said. "Sorry to bother you."
She started to walk away, and he followed for a few steps, but then he stopped.
He turned back to Storm and said, "You need to stop lying to people."
"What?" Storm raised his eyebrows.
"You don't have any real power. You're just a showman, and not even a good one."
Storm crossed his arms defiantly. "You don't know that."
Charley grabbed Andrew's shoulder and squeezed. He pushed her hand off.
"I read my share of fantasy novels," he said. "I recognize garbage when I see it. Did you get the recipe for that potion off a website?"
"My power is real!" Storm said.
"Yeah? Prove it. Drink your potion. Show me how strong you are."
Storm glanced at the pot on the camping stove and grimaced.
"Go on," Andrew said.
"The magic doesn't always work. Sometimes the ingredients aren't pure, or the incantation fails."
"A convenient excuse." Andrew looked at the people surrounding Storm. "Has anybody ever seen this joker perform real magic?"
One of the girls nodded. "Yes! He levitated a few days ago."
"He flew? How high?"
"A couple of inches."
Charley snorted. "That's a classic trick. It just takes special pants and good balance. Look it up on the internet. Andrew, that's enough. We need to go." She gave Andrew a stern look.
He recognized he was probably wasting his breath, but he hated to see Storm take advantage of innocent people. Andrew decided to take one more shot at disillusioning them.
"It's fun to believe in magic," he said. "Everybody thinks special powers are cool, but wanting something doesn't make it real. This guy is a fraud." Andrew glared at Storm.
"Hey!" Storm said. "You'd better apologize, or I'll hit you with a curse that turns your blood into boiling tar."
Andrew rolled his eyes.
"You don't know I can't."
"I do know you can't," Andrew said. "If you had any real power at all, you wouldn't be sneaking around public parks and burning chicken breasts in the middle of the night. But go on. Turn my blood into tar. I dare you."
Storm's face turned red. He looked at the people around him with a desperate expression.
Without warning, he slugged Andrew in the face. Andrew fell on his butt and sat there, dazed. He couldn't believe Storm had hit him.
"Oh, no," Charley muttered.
Andrew rubbed his cheek. "I'm OK."
He noticed she was looking towards the surrounding trees. He followed her gaze and saw men wearing black clothing and black body armor. A dozen of them were running towards Andrew from all directions. They carried compact assault rifles with sleek profiles and angled magazines. He had almost forgotten the BPI was watching him.
Andrew was totally intimidated even though he knew the agents were friendly. He stood up, although it took him two tries. His knees felt weak.
Storm and his friends huddled together like frightened sheep.
Charley made a calming gesture with her hands. "Just relax, everybody. Andrew was being a jerk. He deserved to get hit."
That's not true, Andrew thought.
One of the BPI agents looked at Andrew's face. "Are you injured?"
"No," Andrew said, "just a little embarrassed."
Storm looked fearfully at the guns all around. "Are we under arrest? We didn't break any laws. We were just having fun. I didn't mean to hit that guy."
Andrew turned to Charley. "We can go now."
"Finally," she replied angrily. "Did the punch wake up your brain?"
They headed back towards the car. The squadron of BPI agents formed a protective circle around the apprentices, but he wished they would go away.
"I wasn't being a jerk," Andrew muttered.
"Yes, you were," Charley said. "You shouldn't mess with people's beliefs."
"But that so-called sorcery was a bunch of garbage."
"Maybe, but they were having fun. You of all people should understand the value of belief."
"You're acting like it was a legitimate religion," he said.
"It wasn't too long ago when sorcerers were burned at the stake just because our art wasn't 'legitimate.'" She glanced at the surrounding BPI agents. "We're still being oppressed. I want you to be more respectful and open-minded in the future."
Andrew gritted his teeth.
"Well?" Charley said.
"Sure. I got it."
The black limousine hadn't moved from the spot where they had left it. Agent Dan was leaning against the car with his arms crossed. Williams was sitting in the front seat with the window down, reading a newspaper by flashlight. He looked over when Dan knocked on the car.
"It was a bust," Andrew reported. "The sorcerers were just posers, and they didn't know anything."
Williams got out of the limousine. He dismissed the armed BPI agents and sent them home. Soon, Andrew and Charley were alone with Dan and Williams. The night became very quiet.
"I suppose that's good news in a way," Dan said. "If they aren't real sorcerers, the BPI doesn't have to worry about them. Anything else?"
"One thing bothered me," Charley said. "We were told Serkan attended a few meetings and fell in love with Jennifer. Why did he come here at all?"
"He was investigating them," Andrew said, "just like us. He heard a story about sorcerers in the park and had to check it out. Why does that bother you?"
"But why would he come more than once? It was obvious they were fakes."
"For Jennifer."
"Love at first sight?" She frowned. "I don't know. Besides, Jennifer has serious issues including abusive parents and an unhealthy fascination with witchcraft. A wise and worldly man like Serkan wouldn't mess with a chick like that."
"Maybe you didn't notice," he said, "but she's hot."
"I'm giving Serkan more credit than that. He's not a horny teenager like you."
Andrew wasn't sure if he should feel insulted, but he let it go. Charley had a good point after all.
"Let's find a hotel," Dan said. "We'll get some sleep and hit it hard in the morning."
Andrew yawned. "That's a good idea. I'm beat."
Williams nodded. "And I need a ride home."
* * *
A ringing phone woke Andrew from a deep sleep.
He blinked in confusion as the fog cleared from his mind. He was in a nice hotel in Atlanta. The BPI had paid for premium accommodations, and the big, soft bed made him feel like he was lying on a cloud. The bathroom included a Jacuzzi bathtub which he had thoroughly enjoyed last night.
The room had two beds, and Dan was in the other one. Andrew heard the agent talking on the phone, but the words were indistinct. The conversation ended after a minute.
"Who was that?" Andrew said.
Dan sat up. "Williams. His team found a fresh lead for us. Let's move."
Andrew turned on the light and got out of bed. His suitcase was lying open on the floor, and he picked through its contents.
"What lead?" he said.
"Bruce Lemay, Jennifer's father, recently wrote a three thousand dollar check to a Dr. Jeffrey Larson. He's a professional exorcist."
Andrew frowned. Clearly, dear old dad had paid for the "Devil" to be taken out of his daughter.
"That's not nice," Andrew said, "but how is it a lead?"
"Larson has been known to hold people against their will, sometimes for weeks, while he performs his rituals. Jennifer could be his captive, and maybe Serkan is in trouble, too. We have to check it out."
Andrew pulled on a pair of jeans. "How did the BPI find out about the check for three grand?"
"Our investigators looked at the Lemay's bank statements," Dan said.
"Is that legal?"
"Pretty much."
Andrew raised his eyebrows.
"It's not like the evidence will be used in a criminal trial," Dan added awkwardly. "It doesn't matter how it was obtained."
"Sure. Of course."
* * *
Andrew looked out the car window at the rolling hills north of Atlanta. Compared to the endless flatlands of Illinois, Georgia was mountainous. The forests were dense and green even in the middle of winter. He knew the area was probably a steam bath in the summer, but he was enjoying the weather at the moment.
Charley was riding in the back of the limousine with him. He turned to her and couldn't stop himself from admiring her shapely legs. Her jeans fit like a second skin. She was wearing a white knit sweater with a brown cat embroidered on the front. The sweater was familiar, and he realized he had known her long enough to see her repeat one from her collection.
"If this exorcist is holding prisoners," Andrew said, "do I have to be respectful and open-minded?"
"Not if he's an actual criminal," Charley said.
"Just checking."
Agent Williams was driving, and Dan was riding shotgun. They were chatting quietly. Andrew tried to overhea
r, and it sounded like they were swapping stories about previous assignments. Andrew heard odd terms like "Roscoe" and "beach time."
Williams turned into a narrow driveway which wasn't marked. Walls of trees stood on each side, and there was no shoulder. He parked behind a line of black cars which blocked the driveway.
"This is it," Williams announced.
Andrew and Charley got out of the limousine. The black cars were marked "Fulton County Sheriff." Deputies were standing around in small groups, wearing black uniforms with flat-brimmed hats.
Agent Williams went forward to talk to the deputies. His sharp blue business suit, federal badge, and confident attitude garnered him immediate respect.
"What's going on?" Andrew asked quietly.
"The Sheriff Department will go in first and secure the area," Dan said. "If somebody needs to be arrested, they'll do it."
"Why?"
"The BPI isn't a general law enforcement agency. Our jurisdiction is strictly limited to sorcerers, and Dr. Larson isn't one. We have to let the local authorities deal with him."
Andrew nodded. He used his inner eye to search the area for Serkan, but Andrew detected nothing.
"I don't think Serkan is here," he said.
"I'm not sensing any energy either," Charley said.
Dan frowned. "Maybe we'll find Jennifer, at least."
Williams finished delivering his instructions. The deputies walked down the driveway with their hands on their guns. They turned a corner, and Andrew lost sight of them.
Williams came back.
"How long do we wait?" Andrew said.
"Fifteen minutes should be enough," Williams said.
Andrew listened to the sounds of nature while he waited. A light breeze rustled the leaves in the woods. A small animal in the brush made a chattering noise. A hawk flew overhead.
Andrew felt a craving to practice sorcery. He had been away from his seam in Theosophical University for too long. Living a normal life wasn't really living at all for him. He felt like he was trapped in an invisible prison cell. He needed to explore the boundaries of reality.
Finally, Williams decided it was time to move. He led Dan, Andrew, and Charley down the driveway.
They turned a corner, and some buildings came into view. The walls were made of unpainted planks of wood with visible gaps. Rusty sheet metal roofs looked equally shoddy. On the other hand, an iron fence surrounding the buildings was strong and secure.
