by Martha Carr
“Sometimes you have to take a risk and break the rules,” Correk said, looking out toward the road.
“You don’t strike me as a rule breaker. And, in case you can’t feel this one, I’m not either, usually. Feels too much like lying. Another thing I’m not a big fan of.” She looked in the rearview mirror and saw Hagan closely following her as they cruised out onto the highway, pushing eighty-five miles an hour. It wouldn’t be long before they were back in Austin. “So, what do we tell them? The Griffins?”
“They already know what we’ve done. They’ll tell us what to think, and soon.”
Leira looked down at Lucy Kate. She felt an unexpected twinge she wasn’t used to after a case. “This whole feeling thing is a rough roller coaster ride,” she said softly.
“It suits you. Cousin.”
“Yeah, I caught that earlier.” She glanced at him. “We’ll be circling back to that, don’t you worry.”
“You did the right thing, no matter who finds out.”
“Yeah, well, so did you,” she said.
CHAPTER THREE
The sign that hung on the door to the large, open room said PDF in large black letters. It stood for Paranormal Defense Force and was comprised of a small group of hand-selected magical creatures whose ancestry went back to Oriceran.
One of the requirements though, was that each hire had to have been born on Earth. Magical beings made ordinary human beings very nervous, in general. It was why they kept the small department off the books. The PDF was the ultimate black-op.
There were jokes around the department about what PDF actually stood for. On bad days it was joked the PDF stood for put down fast. A reference to the days when human beings liked to dissect anything they didn’t understand. On better days, PDF stood for presto digitalis frenzy, an incantation every magical child learned that made someone cluck like a chicken.
At least once a year, someone got fed up and made a human general, or worse, a Congressman from some small state who had just learned about their existence and insisted on a tour, flap their arms and crane their neck, gulping in air as they crowed at the fluorescent lights overhead.
The never was, never will be spell was getting a workout from PDF.
Even so, there was an unspoken agreement that once someone had let loose with a childish prank, they’d give it a minute or two before reversing the spell and erasing the memory. That way everyone got one good selfie in before the fun was over.
It helped that all the members of the PDF looked as ordinary as any other mid-level manager who worked for the government, even if they did have the ability to turn somebody into a toad.
The two women sat in front of the oversized virtual screen hanging in front of them, puzzled at the data scrolling by: green symbols in straight lines. Their eyes followed along as their concern grew.
They were sitting in a nondescript, low-slung grey brick building that was tucked in the back of an office park decked out to look like different companies that sold manufacturing equipment in Alexandria, Virginia just across the river from Washington, D.C. It was a government front for an enterprise that was known only as the G4 Project, including the PDF. The witches and wizards, and a handful of elves that worked there liked to refer to it as Area 51, but only when their human coworkers weren’t around.
That line usually got a snicker or a raised eyebrow out of any new hire. Part of the requirement, after all, was you had to have some non-human blood.
“You sure this isn’t the work of the Silver Griffins?” asked the younger woman, dressed neatly in navy blue slacks and blazer. She wrinkled her nose and squinted at the data still coming in. “I can’t remember in the five years I’ve been here ever seeing so much unregistered magic phenomena. Lois, you’ve been here longer. Does this ring a bell?”
Lois scowled at the other woman. “I’m not old in witch years you know, Patsy,” she said, pushing the thin brown frame of her glasses back up her nose.
Patsy smirked, and let out a snort. “Okay, whatever. You didn’t answer my question. Any of this look familiar? I mean, geez, that has to be a right good explosion, right? We should report this to the G4 section manager.”
“Now, hold on to your britches, there, Patsy. They’re just a bunch of government humans. The worst kind! Very literal! Long-winded! They’ll call for a study! You’ve seen what they do when they hear that one of our kind is out using their natural talents. They run amok! What if this is some naturally occurring gases, or something?”
“Ha! That’s a good one. Remember what happened back in ‘04 when those elves managed to make the fireworks hang in the air over the Super Bowl? That nice Light Elf, what was his name?”
“Justin Timberlake.”
“Yeah, that’s the one. Sang at the halftime just as the fireworks went off and hung there, glittering in the sky.”
“So pretty! Sure, I remember. Saw it live on TV and said to Earl, Earl, that sure is pretty but it’s gonna cause trouble. Don’t you know my phone rang just a minute later? Didn’t get to see the end of the game.”
“Thank goodness for Justin’s quick thinking and that so-called wardrobe malfunction!” Lois let out a peal of laughter, bending over in her chair.
“One little nipple and everyone forgot about the fireworks. Humans,” Patsy chortled. “See all of those swirls and triangles and the sparkling explosions next to the one that looks like a ferris wheel gone crazy?” asked Patsy, pointing at the symbols streaming in front of them, reflecting off of Lois’ glasses. “That’s an explosion in the middle of downtown Chicago.”
“Huh. I thought that was just a large use of magic like an artifact or a group of wizards performing a spell together.”
“Well, in a matter of speaking, but when it’s combined with the swirls it means a big magic kaboom. Now, seeing as how all the morning programs haven’t spit out their coffee and run as fast as they could to Chi-town I’d say someone also did a pretty neat job of covering it up. That, I’ll bet you my tenth row Aerosmith tickets, was done by the Silver Griffins. The big boom doesn’t read like them but the cover up sure does.”
“What do you think it all means?”
“Someone powerful is using magic out there,” said Patsy. “From the looks of it, not your average Oriceran. Hmmm, interesting.”
“We have to report it. That’s our entire job description,” said Lois.
“No doubt. It’s how we phrase it that will matter.”
“You mean, like we maybe don’t mention the use of an amnesia spell…”
“Good example, yes. And, maybe we dig around for a few facts first. Look in the Chicago Tribune for anything weird that happened that day.”
“That works for me. Just sounds like we were doing our best to do an even better job.”
“Totally agree.”
“Uh oh.”
“What now?” Patsy pushed her long blonde bangs out of her face.
“Look!” Lois held up her smart phone. “Front page of the Tribune from the same day as the explosion. Just under the fold. Two people mysteriously disappear from a college soiree. A professor and a dean. No history of mental illness it says. Total mystery. No traces found.”
Patsy looked up at the screen and pulled out her wand, a government-issued willow branch left over from the glory days of the 1970s. Totally old school and not as effective as the new ones made on 3-D printers, but it got the job done. Besides, it was the only type approved for use within the small bunker of a building. They were required to leave them in their lockers at night.
Patsy waved the wand around in short swirls and occasional sharp pokes in the direction of the screen that was part paranormal magic and part modern technology.
“Oh, that’s bad. That’s bad indeed. Two deaths for sure, and it’s the same location as the big kaboom. Well, the humans will not take this well at all.”
“Unless the two victims are not of their kind. They tend to take that a little better.”
“A lot better. Quit G
oogling so much. Give me a chance to think.” The green letters flittered across the screen, letting off sounds like children’s toys, with high-pitched whines, clicking and whirring.
“Maybe we could run it past the gnomes in magical forensic accounting first.”
“Not a bad idea. Very discreet group, those gnomes. They seem to know how to handle the touchy government types. And they dress so well, with their little suits and bowlers.”
“You mean touchy humans,” said Lois.
“Well, that goes without saying, but when you mix it with mid-level government managers, well, kaboom!” Patsy wiggled her fingers in the air, rolling her eyes.
Lois shrieked with laughter followed by a hiccup, not uncommon for her. “You think it’s that girl? You know, that detective in the wild, wild West?”
“If you mean Texas, maybe, but I doubt it.” Patsy pulled her wand out from where she had tucked it neatly into the back of her bouffant. Lois’ government issue willow branch hung from a delicate gold chain at her waist, right next to her ID badge, always at the ready. “You still have that connection in the Silver Griffins?”
“My cousin? Of course I do. Not many ever choose to retire. You know that. But she’s never one for gossiping, particularly since there’s a rumor going around that the PDF ratted on a few magical beings last year.”
“Yeah, I heard that one last time I was in Hanover County. Lovely spot for a kemana. Best tomatoes on the planet.”
“Those are from Oriceran seeds and there’s a little magic in that Hanover soil, you know.”
“Who doesn’t know that?” Lois was always irritated at having the obvious pointed out to her. “Best BLT there is.”
“What were you doing in Hanover? Was it work?” Patsy asked, pushing the topic further.
Lois looked at her over the top of her glasses and said quietly, “You know these walls have ears.”
Patsy pulled her wand back out and with a flick of the wrist, swirled the air around them.
“You have a minute, girlfriend. What were you up to?”
“Recharging of course, although those damn tomatoes were a good enough reason. I know they like to keep our energy levels at a minimum but they don’t have our best interests at heart. I figure out ways to drive toward Richmond every few months.”
“I hear you. Who did rat out those wizards last year?”
“I heard it was their own stupidity. Got a little high on some Oriceran weed and were found making a light show out of fireballs around the Capital. Had to tie them all up till they came down off the high, otherwise they would have kept sneaking in spells. Juvenile stuff. Of course, they had no memory of it. That O weed will make you forget your name. Still, no one believes me when I tell them it wasn’t us who told on them.”
“Ah crap! What was that?” Patsy slid out of her chair, almost plopping on the floor before rebounding to her feet. The symbols were taking on different shapes, spitting new data across the screen.
“More unauthorized use, but this time in Austin, Texas.”
“Well, that has to be her. What was her name?”
“Hang on, I have it right here,” Lois said, shuffling papers.
“Your fascination with putting things on paper baffles me.”
“The humans love it. Here it is. Leira Berens, an unaffiliated magical being. Recently detected and in the company of an actual Oriceran. A Light Elf. Very interesting times, Patsy.”
“You can say that again.” Patsy swirled her wand, stirring the air again. “Hey, did you hear about the joke Harvey played on those visiting generals last week? Made all their voices sound like they were sucking helium!” Patsy laughed, almost choking on her gum. “I thought I would pee my pants!”
“Better be careful or they’ll gas this place with us in it and we’ll end up in some cheap science lab.”
“Didn’t you hear? A group of us put up sensors last month to detect anything hinky. Never trust a human who’s still breathing, I say.”
“You mean like your husband?”
“Especially him!” Patsy snorted. The air around them stilled once more, and the recording devices that whirred constantly in the background taking down every conversation picked up where they left off.
“Back to work,” said Lois. “Break’s over.”
“I’ll get that report about Detective Berens right over to HQ. Someone will have to tag her. Make it easier to track her whereabouts.” Patsy rolled her eyes when she said it. She was making sure she used what she liked to call her ‘official voice’.
Any witch or wizard worth their wand knew how to get a GPS tag to track whatever they wanted it to track.
“I’m getting hungry, you? Want something from the machine?” Lois lifted the wand hanging by her side. “Yummina,” she said.
There was a loud rattle from down the hall as the old vending machine shook and then leaned forward on two legs, followed by a thwack as a package of Oreos slid out and came zipping through the doorway, landing neatly in Lois’ hands. “They should give in and leave them in a box for us.”
“Where’s the sport in that? Get me the vanilla cookies. I love those.”
Lois rolled her eyes. “Almost not worth the effort. Vanilla. Okay, Leira Berens, we’ve got your number.” Lois swirled the air with her wand before setting a pen to magically fill out the paperwork. “What they don’t know, we won’t have to hear about.”
“Agreed.”
***
Leira took a quick look around, checking to see who else was around the precinct. Almost everyone was out checking leads, eating lunch or just generally elsewhere. Leira was riding her desk, filling out paperwork on her laptop. It was taking forever.
Nothing like solving a case a little too easily to make the higher-ups cough up more paperwork, more interviews. It wasn’t that everyone wasn’t happy with them, and there was talk of a commendation for her and Hagan. It’s just that by nature, law enforcement is skeptical of anything that ties up too neatly. On the other hand, as long as Leira didn’t write something that waved a red flag at everyone, she was pretty sure they would all happily move on to the next case. The bad guys were arrested, the child was returned safely, and the news reports were making them out to be heroes.
No one likes to shoot down the hero, if they can avoid it.
“Gaw, I hate paperwork,” Leira muttered, resting her head on her arms for a moment. She popped back up and looked around again. “Am I gonna do it? I think I am.”
Leira stretched her hands out on the desk, pressing down as she took a deep breath and let it out. She felt the warmth behind her eyes grow and everything around her take on a sharp focus. The edges of her hands began to glow and the faint outline of ancient symbols appeared just under her skin.
“Just this once. It will only take a minute and then it’ll be done. Come on, focus and breathe deeply. You can do it.”
“Fuck, Berens! It was easier to absorb the fact that you might be half alien than it is to find out you’ve taken up meditation and are getting in touch with your inner self!” Hagan dropped a casebook on his desk loudly, startling Leira.
She stood up quickly, knocking her knees against the desk.
“What the hell!” The clarity left her instantly, and she could feel her heart pounding in her chest. “Hagan wear a fucking bell, goddammit!”
The reversal from conjuring up the magic from deep inside of her, to suddenly shutting it off abruptly left her lightheaded and she had to stand still for a moment, waiting for the room to stop spinning.
“You okay there, Berens? Not like you to be caught off guard.”
“Yeah, well, a lot has changed.” She rested her hands squarely on the desk and sat down slowly as a wave of nausea came over her and just as quickly left. This magic thing is going to take some getting used to.
Hagan flipped open his notebook, dropping heavily into his chair with a sigh and a grunt. He flipped through a couple of pages and looked back at Leira. “What the hell were you up to
?” He looked surprised. “Tell me you’re not so stupid that you were trying to do magic in the middle of a police precinct.”
“Not so fucking loud, if you don’t mind.”
“Oh, so me talking too loud is what you’re worried about.” He lowered his voice. “I get you using magic to find the girl. There was a time factor there, and the men who took her didn’t give a rat’s ass about her well-being. But what exactly are you working on right now that would make you take a risk like that? Last time I checked we have a probable suicide, and a pretty open and shut, husband killed the wife case.”
Leira drummed her fingers on her desk, trying to put off admitting what she was up to, but there was no getting around it. She decided to go for it and sat up straighter, looking him in the eye and said, “Paperwork.” She gave him one of her better dead fish looks, pressing her lips together, daring him to say anything.
Hagan stared back at her and for a moment it seemed as if his anger was going to erupt. Leira braced herself for the argument and took a quick look around to make sure there was still nobody around to hear the conversation that would entail magic, paperwork and other planets.
Hagan wrinkled his nose. Then his mouth opened and he was laughing so hard his belly shook.
Leira wasn’t sure if she was insulted by this reaction and crossed her arms over her chest. “You want to tell me what’s so funny?”
Hagan tried to tell her, gulping air, but was taking a few false starts before he could get out a complete sentence. Leira waited, her frustration growing, and she wondered if there was a spell to shut her partner up. Bad thought, Leira. No practicing magic on friends allowed. We’re just going to make that a general rule. Otherwise everyone back at the bar will eventually end up as a cockroach or rat. Well, maybe a dog and or rabbit. I really do like those people.
Hagan wiped his eyes with the back of his hand and took a good look at Leira. “You’re thinking about what you can turn me into, aren’t you? Don’t bother lying to me. I’ve been a detective way too long not to know when somebody is thinking about what they’d like to do to me. The only difference is you might pull it off.” He looked her up and down, checking for anything peculiar, arching an eyebrow. “Changing someone’s basic structure has to be against the law, somewhere.”
