“They are undoubtedly working out how to detain the people on their list. Although witches and wizards pretty much follow human law, weres, vampires, and others do not. Just as Nelion told you, there are many in his enclave who see nothing wrong with turning Ev into a bat and are still debating releasing the four elves they’ve detained.
“Once that is settled, they need to coordinate with the human authorities around the country to ensure that if something does happen, everyone is prepared. And Ed will have his own work cut out for him, ensuring the planned demonstration or whatever it is goes off the way he wants it.”
It sounded like a lot of work in a short period of time. I did not envy security their task. On the other hand, I was going to be very busy myself. I had to get Ev back into the swing of things, in addition to infiltrating a mob. Was it Friday yet?
CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE
After a stop at the cell phone store, we were back at Ev’s house. It was controlled chaos. Omar was directing the furniture delivery guys, who were grumbling about having to haul large pieces of furniture down a flight of stairs. Sally was trying to get the telephone man to put the second line where she wanted it, rather than where he wanted to put it, and at the same time telling Omar just where in the basement each piece of furniture needed to go.
“Oh, thank goodness you’re here,” she said to Ev. “Mario’s been trying to reach you for two hours. He’s left five messages. Something about his charge going off the deep end.”
“My phone’s still not set up,” Ev grumbled. “And I wouldn’t be able to hear anyway, with all this ruckus going on.”
I snickered. He wasn’t thinking. As usual. “Go up to your bedroom and use the extension there.”
“No,” he told me emphatically. “The home phone number will show up on his caller ID. I don’t want any of them having that.”
I sighed. “Fine. Take my cell phone, then. As much as I dislike it, they all have that number in addition to yours. I’ll set your phone up and we can switch when I’m done. But call him. Mario doesn’t get twitterpated easily.”
Ev took the phone I proffered and headed up the stairs. “How can I help you?” I asked Sally.
“I’m good,” she said. “You should be able to work in the breakfast nook until I get the office downstairs finished.” She eyed the next piece of furniture coming in the door. “That’s the last one. I should have everything set up in an hour or so.”
I grabbed my laptop off Ev’s desk and headed toward the kitchen. First things first. A pot of coffee was in order. My stomach also reminded me it was lunch time.
“I’ve ordered sandwiches for lunch,” Gregory’s voice spoke over the rumble. “Give me Ev’s phone. I’ll set it up while you get started on your Monday.”
As soon as the coffee was done, we both sat at the breakfast table and worked on our electronics. The weekend had been fairly quiet as far as work went, so I was able to make quick work of the email part of my morning. This Monday I got to forward a bunch of them to Ev for his answer. What a relief!
Omar brought a huge box into the kitchen. “Lunch is served!” he bellowed. That brought Ev into the kitchen, as well as Sally. Two ogres in a relatively small space. I opened the door and windows, bugs be damned. I wanted to taste my food.
“What was Mario’s problem?” I asked in between bites.
“Enh. Nothing I couldn’t handle,” was all he said. “Is my phone ready?”
“It is.” Gregory handed it to him. “Everything that was on it before is on it now. The only thing you’re missing is new calls and texts in the last two weeks. But all your voice mail messages are there.”
Ev sighed. “It will take forever to catch up.” He handed my phone back to me.
Gregory’s phone chimed as we were cleaning up from lunch. “Yes?” he said, then listened. “Of course. I’ll tell her.” He hit the ‘end’ button.
“That was Nelion. He received a call from Nolari. The council voted to release Perchaladon and his friends. Nelion is not happy but also says this what we wanted to happen, so… The only saving grace, he says, is that the elves were banished from the enclave for a period of a year. Not for turning you into a bat, Ev, but for getting caught by non-elves!
“Nelion suggests you call Perchaladon in about two hours, Amy. Nolari believes they are probably en route back up here. Unless they were able to get a charter flight out of Lake Charles, which is doubtful, they will be on a commercial flight and be in the air, so you can leave a message and sound appropriately angry.”
I nodded. “I have to figure out what to say. ‘You creep!’ probably isn’t it.”
Gregory chuckled. “No, I wouldn’t think so. Not if you want to worm your way into his affections.”
“Yeah, I know.”
“They do not know we know their friends are the arsonists, not humans. Use that. Pretend you think it is humans perpetrating the crimes.”
“I know,” I told him. “But an actress I’m not.”
“I need a few minutes of quiet to write myself a script of sorts,” I told everyone. “And this house is not quiet. I’m going to the cottage for a bit, okay, Gregory?”
“Of course. It’s unlocked. We will not disturb you unless it’s an emergency.”
I took my laptop and coffee to the cottage, Fudge trotting behind me. Once seated on Gregory’s sofa, I opened a blank Word document and started to write. I’d done it before – ten times in novel format. I could write a short story.
“Perchaladon? Hi, it’s Amy. We need to talk. Yes, I’m still pissed at Obrist, and by extension, you, for turning my boss into a bat and thereby making my life hell for a couple of weeks. But you probably don’t know that our office was firebombed last Thursday, and whoever it was spray-painted ‘no witch’ on the outside wall.
“I don’t know if it was directed at Cassandra, or me, or both. But neither of us have done anything to deserve something that drastic. You remember telling me you wanted to shake up the humans? Well, after last Thursday, I’m interested in doing so. Please call me as soon as you can.”
I sat back and re-read my work. “That may pique his interest,” Fudge said. “But you will need to ensure you sound angry. How will you address the fact of his freedom?”
I’d forgotten about that part. Ah, I had it. Nelion had called Gregory, who’d told Ev, who’d yelled about it loud enough for me to hear. I could use that in conversation. In the meantime, I added, “I don’t know if you’ll get this but…” in the opening.
Satisfied with my opening salvo, I made my way back to the house and down to the basement. Sally and Omar were still tweaking the furniture arrangement. While the delivery guys were complaining about hauling it all, Omar simply picked up and moved each piece until it was situated to Sally’s satisfaction.
“It’s going to be cramped no matter what I do,” she said. “And we’ll be able to hear each other’s phone conversations. But it’s the best I can do under the circumstances.”
“It’s fine and we’ll manage. Which is my desk?”
“That one there, over next to the filing cabinets. They were in your office to begin with so…”
This was my first trip to the basement since the fire and I looked around. All of Ev’s junk was piled in one corner all the way to the ceiling. That had to be Omar’s work – no one but an ogre could have lifted all that quite so high. Sally had been busy cleaning. Nothing was dusty and the carpeting had obviously been vacuumed, yet dents from boxes and furniture were still visible.
Our desks were only about three feet apart, with extension cords running between them to power everything. As a klutz, I’d have to watch my step to ensure I didn’t trip on them. The desks and chairs were clones of what we’d originally had, brand new cordless phones sat on the desk, and there were four boxes from the office supply store on the floor, waiting to be unpacked.
The phone rang and, just like normal, Sally answered it, “Angelich Security. How may I help you? One moment, please.” Loo
king at the cordless phone in her hand, she punched another button. “Ev, John’s on the phone for you. It’s line two on these phones.”
“I’m impressed,” I told her. “Three days and we’re pretty much back up and running.”
“Thanks to paying premium prices for what’s effectively next-day service, it wasn’t hard,” she grinned. “The only problem is the coffeepot. I can’t get the pot under the spigot in the bathroom to fill it.”
“Again, we’ll deal. Gregory thought it would take Cassandra about three months to get everything rebuilt. Knowing her, it’ll take even less than that. Then, we get to do the move all over again.”
I looked at my phone. “Time to make my call. I have to go upstairs for a stronger signal, so I’ll be right back.”
I made my call, and thankfully yes, got Perchaladon’s voice mail. I think I sounded convincing, if I do say so myself. I just channeled my anger at the whole situation into it.
Once back downstairs, Sally and I tried to settle back into a work routine. A few times I heard Ev stamp on the floor right above my head and wondered what had him mad – this time. But I still had my work to do: re-downloading bills from the internet, calling people as I thought about it to temporarily change the mailing address, and things like that.
By four o’clock, I was missing my afternoon nap. I had a routine of getting into the office early and leaving early, thereby having time to catch a few winks before I changed gears in the evening. My after-nap activity used to be writing my romance novels but recently, had been studying. However, everything was back at my apartment, which I dearly missed.
“Take a break,” Sally said when she caught me yawning. “If your text message was any indication, you’ve been up since dawn. It’s past your normal quitting time anyways.”
I nodded. “Gregory woke me just before dawn, actually. I wonder if I can go home.”
“Not yet,” Gregory said as he made his way down the stairs. “Not until I’m satisfied you’re completely out of danger. Has Perchaladon returned your call?”
“Dunno. Signal crapped out down here. Sally, thanks for everything. I’ll see you tomorrow afternoon. Don’t come in until your normal time. You’ve worked hard these last few days.”
“Needed doing and you’ve been busier than a bee. But okay, I’ll see you tomorrow.”
Gregory accompanied me back upstairs. As I got to the top of the stairs, I got a strong enough signal that my phone pinged to let me know I had a voice mail. From Perchaladon. I silently showed Gregory the phone.
“Let’s go to the cottage. I’ll pour you a glass of wine and you can return it there. I want to hear at least your side of the conversation.”
“No wine. I’ll fall asleep on him. I may even without it.”
“Coffee, then. Come on.”
We made our way back to the cottage and while we were walking, I hit the voice mail button, putting it on speakerphone so Gregory could hear. “Amy, what a pleasant surprise,” Perchaladon began. “I am actually in Minneapolis at this moment. Do please return my call as soon as you can.”
I waited while Gregory made a pot of his heavenly brew. I took a swig from my cup, heaved a huge sigh and said, “Here we go” while hitting the ‘return call’ button.
“Amy, I am so pleased to hear from you, especially your message,” Perchaladon said upon answering. “I am sorry for your troubles, though. These humans really do have to be taught a lesson.”
“How do you plan on doing so?” I asked.
“We can start this evening. We can go to a human nightclub with some of my friends.”
I shook my head. That wasn’t what I had in mind. “My apologies, but I am simply too tired to go out clubbing tonight. As you might imagine, recreating the office quickly so we can get back to business is a lot of work.”
“Ah, yes. I had forgotten that would be one of your responsibilities. Hm…” I could hear the wheels turning. Was I trustworthy?
“If you are serious about paying back humans for their treatment of paranormals, there might be something else.”
That was more like it. “I’m listening.”
“Those friends I mentioned? They are planning a demonstration at the state capitol. Virtually every paranormal species will be there. There is a meeting tonight to go over the final details, make signs, things like that. Would you like to attend?”
I made a thumbs-up gesture at Gregory. Fudge nudged my arm, nearly making me drop the phone. “I’m not very artistic but yes, I’d like to help. Would you mind if my familiar accompanied me? I’m still sort of shaken up after Thursday and he helps to calm me.”
That wasn’t a lie. Sort of. I think most people who lived with cats found them a calming influence.
Perchaladon sighed. “A lot of paranormals who can read auras, especially elves, don’t like familiars. Can you not be away from him for a few hours?”
“Not right now, no. I don’t like crowds so that would be an added stress. If he can’t come with, I’m afraid I’ll have to bow out of tonight.”
Gregory frowned. I shook my head at him. I was certain I had Perchaladon right where I wanted him.
“If you must, then all right. But please put him in a carrier. It will help keep the animosity in check. Shall I pick you up at your apartment at seven-thirty?”
“Until everything is settled, I’m staying at Ev’s,” I told him. “For a few more days. I’ll have to work longer hours and not adding a commute will help a lot.”
“Of course. And where is that?”
He was as good at lying on the phone as I was. I knew he had Ev’s address stored away somewhere thanks to his friends, but I gave it to him anyways.
“I am farther away from there than your office. I will see you at seven forty-five.” He rang off.
I sighed. “He’s picking me up at seven forty-five for some sort of a planning meeting.”
“That’s perfect!” Gregory exclaimed. “Do you have clothing that will support wearing a brooch?”
When the answer was, “Yes”, Gregory called Mr. Bartz. “Ed, we’re a go. Need a mundane spy brooch by seven-thirty. The usual delivery method will work.”
CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR
Two hours later, after a quick nap and dinner, there was a clatter on the kitchen table and a lovely enameled silver brooch appeared. It looked almost antique, in the shape of a daisy, with a piece of citrine as the flower’s center.
Gregory picked up the pin. “The citrine conceals a camera. We usually just charm something to record but with elves around, we don’t want to chance them picking up on anything magical. If you can, ensure you face each person in the room so it gets a full-face shot. Don’t forget to keep your phone on so I can track you by GPS. I will be nearby.”
“A question,” I said, my voice shaking a little with nerves. “Magic always screws with electronics. With elves around, won’t this pin short out or something?”
While pinning it to the lapel of a blazer I’d had him get out of my closet, he answered, “Except for the lens, everything else is shielded by rubber, which is concealed by the metal. I don’t know if it’s been tested with elves, but I do know it works when being worn by a witch casting a spell. Hopefully, it will continue to do so. It’s the only way I know.”
“Okay. Let’s get this show on the road.” The three of us trooped back to Ev’s house. Once there, Fudge reluctantly entered the carrier I’d left by the door. Gregory patted my back and told me he’d be around. Ev came into the living room as I sat fidgeting on the couch, waiting for the doorbell to ring. (What? I’m old-fashioned enough that a man can come to the door for me. I refuse to answer to a car horn.)
“Are you sure about this, Amy?” Ev asked, watching me squirm as he considerately sat in a chair across the room. “They can find some other way, you know.”
I shook my head. “Time’s too short. And I’ve already committed to doing it. Gregory said he’d be tracking me and I have Fudge to help. We’ll be okay.”
&n
bsp; Precisely at seven forty-five, the doorbell rang. Ev motioned me to stay seated as he answered the door.
“Good evening, Evander,” Perchaladon’s rich voice reached me. “Amy should be waiting for me.”
“She is,” my boss answered. “You have to know I’m not happy about this. You’d better bring her back in one piece or there will be hell to pay.”
I had a flashback of being back in high school and my dad giving my date rules for the evening. I stood, grabbed Fudge’s carrier, and pushed my way past Ev.
“Let’s go,” I told Perchaladon. The same driver stood with the passenger door open, and as I approached, he moved to take Fudge’s carrier from me. “Thanks, but I’ve got it,” I told him as I crawled inside and put the carrier between my feet. Perchaladon slid in beside me.
“You are nervous,” he said as the limo pulled out of Ev’s driveway.
“I’ve never done any protesting before. And I’ll be around strangers. Yes, of course, I’m a little nervous.” That was the absolute truth.
“Not to worry. My friends are all good people. You’ll be comfortable in no time.”
Yeah, right, I thought. “Good people” who apparently didn’t mind a little violence. I concentrated on my breathing to calm my heart rate. In moments, I felt Fudge at the back of my mind, pushing out calming waves of his own.
“You will be fine. I am here.”
We both subsided into our own thoughts and the rest of the ride was quiet. Almost an hour later, we were in Dinkytown, an area near the University of Minnesota. It is a neighborhood with roots going back more than a century and has a history of being the site of student protests and other activism. A fitting spot, then. The driver pulled up behind another limo in front of a house that looked like it could use a facelift – or at least a good scraping and a new coat of paint. The limos looked out of place among the older compact cars on the street and in the driveway. Bicycles were locked to a stand on the front porch.
Transformation! Page 23
