Seams in Reality

by Alex Siegel

  The limousine drove into a parking lot in front of a building as wide as a football field, but it was just two stories tall. Brown bricks covered the exterior, and there were exposed concrete beams. Trees in front provided a light screen. One small, blue sign read, "Bureau of Physical Investigation," but that was the only indication of who occupied the building.

  "This is it?" Andrew said in a tone of disappointment. "It's boring."

  "We try not to attract attention," Dan said.

  "You can say that again."

  Andrew, Charley, Dan, and two other BPI agents got out of the limousine. Tonya and Richard pulled up in separate black sedans, and they joined the group.

  Andrew detected Keene's energy signature nearby. The master sorcerer seemed to be deep underground which surprised Andrew.

  "If Blake comes here," he said, "will one of you be able to tell?"

  "Maybe," Tonya said. "It depends on how hard he is trying to hide. We'll definitely feel the seam if he brings it. The Russian Eye is a powerful artifact, and disguising a seam is impossible."

  The group entered the building. One of the BPI agents used a keycard and a passcode to open the door.

  Once Andrew was inside, he saw the walls were two feet thick, and the slot windows were probably bullet-proof.

  "What kind of security do you have here?" Andrew said.

  "That's on a need-to-know basis," Dan said, "but obviously, we've planned for all contingencies including hostile, renegade sorcerers."

  Two guards at a desk greeted the group, but there were several surveillance cameras, and Andrew guessed others were watching. Everybody had to show identification, and the sorcerers also had their fingerprints taken. Finally, the group was allowed to proceed through an interior security door.

  Andrew looked around excitedly, but he didn't see much of interest. Blue hallways connected offices and meeting rooms. At this time of night, there wasn't much activity, and most rooms were dark. He realized the interesting work happened in the field. BPI headquarters served as an administrative center.

  The group came to another guard post, and it looked even more serious than the first. The guards communicated through a video system instead of being physically present, probably as a defense against mind-control. Two machine guns on robotic gimbals hung from the ceiling. Andrew tried to play it cool, but he was very intimidated. Everybody established their identities again as if the first time had never happened.

  In addition, the BPI agents stuck their bare right forearms into a slot. As each man took his turn, he winced in obvious pain. There were drops of blood on their wrists afterwards.

  Finally, everybody entered an elevator.

  Andrew expected to go up to the second floor, but instead, the elevator dropped like a stone. Nothing indicated how deep they were going, and it was impossible for him to even guess, but it had to be at least a hundred feet.

  "A sorcerer would have a hard time getting down here even with a portable seam," Andrew said.

  "That's the idea," Dan said, "and he'd be killed before he reached the bottom."

  "What was the deal with that arm thing? It looked painful. Did it take a blood sample?"

  "That's none of your business. You don't need to know."

  The elevator doors finally opened again. The group walked out of the elevator into a tunnel cut through solid rock. Bright fluorescent panels provided light.

  "Cool!" Andrew said. "It's like a secret underground fortress."

  They walked down the corridor, and the sights were more interesting than up above. He looked through a window into a large gun range. A solid steel door was marked, "ARMORY," and another was marked, "SCIENCE DEPT." Other tunnels branched off in several directions.

  The group eventually reached a chamber with a domed roof, and the furniture was laid out like a courtroom. A wide, raised bench on one side had spots for six judges. A small audience could sit on the other side of the room. Tables and chairs were in between, and clearly, the prosecution and the defense sat there. All the furniture was made of thick planks of wood stained black.

  Keene was sitting in the middle of the room instead of at the judge's bench. He had circles under his eyes, and his face seemed more wrinkled than usual. He gave a half-hearted smile to Richard and Tonya as they entered.

  Three men in black robes were seated as judges. Andrew recognized Frank Webster in the center with a grim expression. His short brown hair was ruffled. His posture was as straight as a flagpole.

  "I have bad news," he said. "We tried to make contact with the agents guarding Blake, but nobody is responding. It appears the entire unit was taken out."

  A chill ran down Andrew's spine. Nobody had to tell him how dangerous Blake could be as a renegade on the run with a portable seam in his possession.

  "But let's deal with the business at hand first," Webster said. "Tonya and Richard, take your places."

  Tonya and Richard sat at the bench facing Keene. There were no lawyers present, and apparently, Keene would be expected to defend himself.

  Andrew and Charley sat in the audience section.

  "I call to order the four hundred and thirty-second meeting of the Sorcerer's Tribunal," Webster said in an official tone. "The first item on the docket is a violation of regulation 14-B by one Keene James, master sorcerer. How do you plead?"

  "Not guilty," Keene said.

  "Noted. Tonya Akin performed an investigation and found evidence relevant in this case. Please, give us your official report."

  Tonya summarized the events of the last few days. Keene showed great interest and obviously hadn't heard the latest news. Webster and the two other BPI agents sitting in judgment maintained passive expressions.

  Andrew didn't see a court reporter or anybody taking notes. There was no paperwork anywhere. Andrew assumed the proceedings were being recorded at least. For a trial, the process was surprisingly informal.

  Tonya didn't mention the book he had "filched." He took that as a good sign, but he knew he wasn't off the hook.

  "Thank you," Webster said. "Keene, do you have any final words before we pass judgment."

  "Only the obvious ones," Keene said. "I had no idea Blake had compromised Serkan. Only an invasive analysis of Serkan's mind would've revealed the damage, and I had no reason to do that. He showed no outward signs. That's all I have to say."

  "Very well. We will pass judgment now. What are your verdicts?"

  Webster looked at the other judges. Tonya and Richard quickly said, "Innocent." The BPI agents were more hesitant, and only one said, "Innocent." Andrew could hardly believe his ears when the other said, "Guilty." On what grounds? Andrew wondered.

  Finally, Webster said, "Innocent. By a vote of four to one, Keene James is cleared of all charges. You may take your place at the bench."

  Keene smiled a little, stood up, and went to the empty seat at the judge's bench.

  "The next indictment is against Blake Blutstein," Webster said. "His crimes are numerous, and I don't have to remind the court of his checkered history. Bearing in mind the prior testimony, what is your verdict and recommended punishment?"

  All the judges said, "Guilty, death."

  "As director of the Bureau of Physical Investigation," Webster said, "I will swiftly execute the recommendation of this court. Thank you for your quick decision. The meeting is adjourned. Now how the hell are we going to deal with this?" He looked at the three sorcerers on the panel expectantly.

  "Our first priority is personal safety," Tonya said. "Blake is clearly out for revenge against the Tribunal, and he doesn't mind using apprentices as weapons. Andrew and Charley, you'll live in my house and sleep under my roof from now on. When you're not with me, you'll be with each other. Stay on campus, and be alert at all times."

  "I'll assign extra men to Theosophical University," Webster said. "They'll have twenty-four hour protection."

  She nodded. "Good."

  Andrew groaned silently. He hated the idea of having bodyguards all the ti
me, but on the other hand, Charley was now under orders to stay close to him. That was a very nice bonus.

  "Blake can fool people," Webster said, "but he can't fool cameras and computers. The BPI will use every technological resource of the federal government to search for him. I'll lean on the NSA and the FBI to help. I'll put his face and fingerprints into every criminal database in the country."

  "That may not be sufficient," Keene said. "Blake will wear a disguise in public, and I'm sure it will be a good one. His ability to control minds enables him to travel without spending money. He can simply command people to give him food, transportation, and shelter. If he's arrested, he'll just tell the police to let him go. As long as he keeps a low profile, he can go anywhere without identifying himself. If he wants, he can leave the country. The only way to catch him is with another sorcerer."

  "I can't tell every sorcerer in the United States to search for Blake. Who will guard the seams? It wouldn't work anyway. There are only twenty of you, and that's not enough manpower to search a nation of three hundred million people."

  "The problem is worse than that. Blake is strong enough to take down all but the best of us. So, we're really talking about just a half-dozen sorcerers involved in the search, and as you mentioned, they all have seams to protect. We need to draw Blake out. We can't catch him, so we must trick him into coming to us, but how?"

  Silence descended on the room. Everybody looked at each other, but nobody had a suggestion.

  Finally, Tonya spoke, "I have a bold proposal. We can use Andrew as bait. We know Blake is very interested in Andrew. Blake tried to recruit the boy at their first meeting."

  Andrew couldn't believe what he had just heard. She wanted to dangle him in public like a worm on a hook! He was so shocked, he didn't know what to say.

  "Andrew will be in extreme danger," Keene said.

  "Not as much as you would think," Tonya said. "I discovered something about him tonight, something incredible, something Blake doesn't know. Andrew is a war mage."

  Richard and Keene's eyes widened in obvious surprise.

  Webster raised an eyebrow. "I'm unfamiliar with that term," he said.

  "Put simply," Tonya said, "if Blake attempts to control Andrew's mind, Blake will get a very nasty surprise. It will be like stepping into a bear trap. I barely escaped that trap at Manassas tonight and only because Andrew let me go. He is uniquely qualified for this mission."

  "But Andrew barely has any experience," Keene said. "Even a war mage needs training. You can't just send him out to hunt for a veteran fighter like Blake."

  She nodded. "Several weeks of intensive, specialized instruction should be sufficient. I hate to give Blake that much time, but it's necessary. While that's happening, the BPI can conduct its search using technology."

  Andrew decided he couldn't keep his mouth shut any longer. "Do I get to say something?" he said.

  Everybody looked at him.

  "Of course," Tonya said in a kind tone.

  "I like the idea of becoming an expert at sorcerer combat, but this plan still seems very risky for me. I'll be all alone out there."

  "No," Webster said. "I'll assign my best men to you. I'm talking about Special Forces operators. You'll have all the physical protection you could want."

  "And you'll have a partner," Tonya added.

  "Who?" Andrew said.

  She looked at Charley. "You clearly make a great team."

  "Me?" Charley squeaked. "But I'm not a war mage! I can't fight a monster like Blake. I couldn't even deal with a banshee."

  "Your talent is still extraordinary," Tonya said. "You have skills that Andrew doesn't. Working together, you're much more likely to succeed than him alone."

  "But Blake will take control of my mind."

  "Not if you're with Andrew. He can protect you."

  "But I'm just an apprentice," Charley said. "Find another war mage to help him."

  "I don't know any others. There may not be any."

  Charley bit her lip.

  "You don't have to do this," Tonya said. "I won't force you to risk your life, but you've seen what Blake can do. As long as he's out there, innocent lives will be in danger. He must be stopped at any cost. I'll put you through the same combat boot camp as Andrew. You're not a war mage, but I can still make you into a very dangerous lady."

  "And you can visit Manassas any time," Richard added. "I'll teach you a few nasty tricks that I picked up over the years. Blake won't know what hit him." He grinned savagely.

  Charley still appeared unsure. Andrew wanted her to join him, of course, but he wouldn't put pressure on her. Her life would be at risk even more than his. The decision had to be hers alone.

  Andrew had already made his own decision. The mission sounded like the thrill of a lifetime, and he wouldn't miss it for the world. He was already looking forward to his next meeting with Blake. Andrew couldn't wait to see the expression on Blake's face when Andrew ripped his mind out through his ear hole. All the deaths would be avenged.

  Charley finally nodded. "I'll try the combat training. If it seems to be working, then I'll stick with it."

  "Fair enough," Tonya said. "Is that all?" She looked at the other members of the Tribunal.

  Nobody else spoke.

  She stood up. "Then it's time for me to take my apprentices home. We have a lot of hard work to do."

  She headed for the door, and Andrew and Charley followed her.

  "Wait!" Keene said.

  Everybody stopped walking.

  Tonya turned. "What?"

  "Thank you for keeping me out of prison," Keene said. "You have my eternal gratitude."

  "Just doing my job. Feel free to visit my home again anytime. You can teach Andrew and Charley some of your tricks, too."

  "I will." His eyes gleamed eagerly. "I'll prepare some special lessons for them."

  Andrew and Charley exchanged worried glances.

  Tonya led her apprentices out of the chamber.

  As they walked through the stone tunnel back to the elevator, Andrew said, "What exactly is a war mage?"

  "A freak talent," Tonya said. "A natural destroyer of other sorcerers."

  "And I'm the only one alive?"

  "As far as I know. If I were you, I wouldn't mention this interesting fact to anybody else. It might make some sorcerers very nervous, homicidally so."

  "But if a sorcerer attacks me," Andrew said, "I'll win."

  "Assuming he uses magic. You're not bullet-proof, poison-proof, or knife-proof, last I checked. No matter how skilled you are, there are still a thousand ways to kill you. Which reminds me, some martial arts and firearms training for both of you might be a good idea."

  "That sounds like fun. I have another question. When we were coming in, the agents had to stick their arms into a tester. Do you know what that was for?"

  "I might have some idea," Tonya said in a low voice. "When the human brain is directly exposed to sorcery, it releases certain chemicals. That machine looks for those chemicals in the blood."

  "To screen for mind-control victims?"

  "Exactly, although I don't know how effective the test is. It certainly doesn't work on sorcerers. Our brains are always full of those odd chemicals."

  "What happens if the machine gets a positive reading?"

  "Then the BPI calls in a sorcerer to perform a more thorough analysis. If I look hard enough, I can always detect mind-control. Now let's hurry up. I want to go home."

  * * *

  Andrew yawned as he walked into the seam chamber of Theosophical University. The wooden shelves covered with odd items were familiar and comforting. The unique shape of the seam was like the face of an old friend. Andrew was finally home again.

  Tonya and Charley were with him, and both women had circles under their eyes. They had arrived in Chicago in the middle of the night. Tonya had allowed her apprentices only six hours of sleep before their first lesson in combat. Andrew was as eager to begin as anybody, but he would've liked a couple
more hours in bed.

  The three of them sat at one of the small tables.

  "Before we begin the lesson," Tonya said, "we have some unfinished business. True History of Sorcery, to be specific."

  Andrew gulped. "I'm very sorry about that. I was just...."

  "You don't have to explain. Your motivation was clear. I won't punish you specifically this time. The combat training will serve that purpose well enough, but don't do anything like that again."

  He nodded. "OK. I promise."

  "I looked at the book," she said, "and I saw the mention of your grandfather."

  "I read that part, too. He performed experiments."

  She nodded slowly. "Gustav suffered from a problem common to all great men and women: arrogance. He believed he was smart enough to outfox the universe. No matter how dangerous the experiment, he assumed he could avoid a fatal outcome. Obviously, he was wrong. His achievements were extraordinary, but in the end, he was just another tragic footnote in a history book. His work did nobody any good. A sorcerer who believes he can't die already has one foot in the grave."

  "You're worried I'll be just as arrogant?" Andrew said.

  "Yes. You've already shown a lax attitude towards following the rules. That's why I was so cautious about starting your training. I wanted you to have as much maturity as possible first. Do you understand?"

  He nodded. "I think so. What happened to my grandfather's research?"

  "All the journals and notes were locked in the vault, of course."

  Andrew sighed. The end of the story was the most tragic part of all. His grandfather had lost his life for nothing. His brilliance had been completely wasted.

  "Let's begin the lesson." Tonya stood up. "When sorcerers fight, the most basic weapon is fear. It cripples the mind and destroys the will. Your enemy will terrify you with nightmare illusions. He will expose your deepest anxieties. If you succumb to panic, you'll lose. Therefore, you must learn how to maintain your focus while scared half to death. You must be able to walk through Hell without forgetting who you are and what you're doing."

  Andrew already knew he would hate this lesson. Charley grabbed his hand.