by Tom Larcombe
“That's just vile,” Greg said. “But I have to agree that it's possible if what Ted's told us is true.”
Amber wore a tortured look on her face.
“So, even if we take him out, how do we fix what he did?” she asked.
“Very carefully,” Greg replied. “Although the mind always wants to reassert itself, so the victims themselves should be able to help once they're removed from an environment that continually reinforces the programming. We'll just have to monitor them and see how each person's mind is trying to break free, then help them accordingly.”
“Um, Greg, didn't we figure out there are more than a hundred people there?” Amber said. “How long is that going to take? There's no way you can monitor that many people by yourself, I'm not trained and only have a little bit of Spirit Magic, and Ted only has a touch of it also.”
Greg sighed.
“I know. I'm prepared to go public after the fact, to the Spirit Wizards I know and trust at least. And I'll ask them to do the same until we have enough of us to do the job. I hope we can find enough Spirit Wizards quickly enough to take care of it. I've actually already sent a few feelers out to those I know and gotten some encouraging responses, so we'll just have to cross our fingers and hope.”
“How many Spirit Wizards will you need?” Charles asked.
“Depending on their level of skill I think that each one can probably help as many as five people. So twenty Spirit Wizards if they're skilled, but the less skilled the wizards, the more we'll need.”
“And you know how many?” Ted asked.
“Not counting you and Amber, I know seven other Spirit Wizards that are skilled enough to help here.”
“Are they all at the skill level you were talking about to help five people?” Charles asked.
Greg shook his head.
“No, three of them are, the other four might be able to help two or three each.”
“That's only thirty total,” Amber said.
“Like I said, I'll ask them to pass the word also,” Greg said.
“It sounds like we're going to need more than that though,” Charles said. “I was thinking that I should mention it to Kathryn. She normally runs in different circles than us and might know a few Spirit Wizards we don't.”
Greg nodded vigorously.
“That's a very good idea. I hadn't thought to ask you because we both know the same ones, but she might be able to pull in a few more and if they know people we don't...”
“We'll get the word out as soon as we can, once we're in a position to need them,” Charles said. “But for now, we need to make a plan of action that will get us to that point. I'm guessing that the home near the factory belongs to the guy we're after, but I don't know that for a fact.”
The discussion lasted late into the night and finally came down to one thing: they needed more information to make a plan.
* * *
“I'm the only one that can do it,” Amber said. “Greg, you and Charles are well known in the wizard community, you'd be recognizable. Ted, you were already working for this guy, I can't help but think they'd know who you are. So, I need to go in and apply for a job like Ted did before. Greg, you can shield my mind so he can't enslave me, right?”
“In theory I can, even the shield I gave you before should work if we make it stronger. But like Ted was saying, this guy is way more powerful than any Spirit Wizard I've run into before. I can put a shield up, but he might be able to detect it or overpower it.”
“It's a risk I'll have to take. Can any of you think of any other way for us to get the information we need?”
“Divination,” Greg said. “I can try some divination to find out what we need.”
Amber shook her head.
“Charles was already telling me that divination never gives anything resembling a straightforward answer and most of the time only makes sense after the fact. How is that going to help us?”
Greg deflated.
“You don't want to do this,” Ted said. “Honestly, I don't want anyone to ever feel the way I did, where my consciousness was crushed under his compulsions.”
“So, someone figure out a different way to learn what we need to know and we'll do that, otherwise I'll go in there and apply for a job,” Amber said.
There's got to be another way to do this, Charles thought. I don't want Amber to risk this, I don't want anything to happen to her. Think, man, think!
He couldn't think of any other way to learn what they needed to know though.
“How about your other skills,” Greg said. “Maybe you could just sneak into the community and spy on them to learn what we need?”
Amber sighed.
“We were all here when Charles said it's gated like an HOA. With only a little over a hundred people there, I'm pretty sure they all know each other by sight. Come on people, if you're going to make a suggestion, make it one that actually makes sense, alright?”
“There has to be some other way,” Charles said. “But it's late, why don't we all sleep on it and see if we can come up with something else in the morning.”
* * *
Charles shuffled into the kitchen and started his coffee brewing.
We'll figure out another way to do it today. Maybe we can scry into his place. If he's a Spirit Wizard, than scrying isn't something he'll be too familiar with and he may not have defended against it. Although if he really is stealing the powers of other wizards, he might be familiar with that also.
When the coffee was done, he drank his first cup standing there, then he poured a second one and took it out for Ted, who was half-awake on the fold-out bed.
“Coffee?” Charles asked.
Ted's outstretched hand was answer enough. Charles handed over the cup and settled into a chair. They were silent as they drank their coffee, when Charles finished his second cup, he looked over at Ted.
“Any ideas overnight?” he asked.
Ted shook his head.
“I can't think of anything to try,” he said.
“Well, I was thinking we might be able to scry into the other factory and find out what we need to know.
“It's possible, but I wouldn't be surprised if he's guarding against that. After all, he thought to use my power to set traps on the files, I'm pretty sure he'll have used someone's power to guard against scrying.”
“It won't hurt to try. We have to figure something out though, I can't let Amber do what she's talking about. I don't think she has any idea how dangerous it is.”
“Speaking of Amber, where is she?” Ted asked.
“Probably still asleep in her apartment. She's used to sleeping in and I haven't seen any reason to try to get her to change that. A wizard's lifestyle is kind of conducive to setting their own hours. Plus it gives me some time before she's awake to take care of my own responsibilities.”
He glanced at the clock on the wall.
“Speaking of which, I need to go take care of said responsibilities.”
* * *
Two hours later Charles was done with his work for the day. He returned to his apartment and found Ted, fully dressed now, pacing the length of the living room.
“Is Amber with you?” he asked.
Charles shook his head.
“No, but this is the time of day she's normally waking up. Go knock on her apartment door if you're that worried.”
“I already did, there was no answer,” Ted replied.
“Let's give her a few minutes and then we'll go try again.”
A half hour later they went down and knocked on Amber's apartment door. When there was no answer, Charles started rummaging through his pockets. He pulled out the key ring with the master keys for the building.
“She's never going to forgive me for this if we wake her up,” he said.
“Just open the door, I'm worried she's done something stupid,” Ted said.
Charles unlocked the door and swung it open. The lights were off and the apartment was silent. Ted turned
the light on while Charles went to the bedroom door. A soft knock received no reply. He was about to open the door when Ted spoke up.
“Oh shit!” Ted said.
Charles turned, about to take Ted to task for swearing, only to find him holding a note.
“She's gone. She said she's taking a bus north, then she'll walk the rest of the way to the factory to give her story verisimilitude.”
“She's gone?” Charles said.
* * *
* * *
Chapter 20
Amber yawned.
I got as much sleep as I could before the bus was leaving, but between running out to the terminal to check the schedule and then having to get up for the first bus heading this way, it wasn't nearly enough. I'd sleep here on the bus, but it's only an hour and a half drive and I don't trust some of the other people on the bus with me.
She looked around and noticed the same guy she'd seen before, still staring at her.
Maybe this wasn't the best plan, but they were going to dither around forever and no-one had any better ideas. I'm sure I can manage the shield Greg showed me before on my own now, so that's covered. Other than that, there's not very much I can do to prepare.
Despite her decision not to sleep on the bus she rode in a half-doze, her eyes snapping open any time someone came near.
When the bus pulled into the station, she got off of it happily, the eyes of the man who'd been watching her following her down the aisle.
I suppose some guys are just creeps as opposed to dangerous. Still, if this is what women have to deal with all the time, I almost wish I'd stayed young.
She shuddered, happy to be out from under his gaze, and entered the terminal. Losing herself in the small crowd of people, she went over what she knew.
The factory is a few miles north of here, just off the highway. So I guess I'll walk it, or maybe hitchhike it since it'd be a long walk otherwise. From what Charles said, it isn't likely I'll actually run into anyone from that community. It sounds like they don't get out much.
She walked out of the building and worked her way through the small town to the highway leading north. Once she was on the highway, she stuck out her thumb. She was surprised when the third car passing by pulled over to the side of the road.
When she got to the car door she saw that the driver was a young man. As soon as she settled into the seat, he started moving again, while stealing sideways glances at her chest.
“So what's a hot chick like you doing hitchhiking?” he asked.
Oh, I get it, she thought, glancing down at her clothes. Maybe I should have stuck with a looser t-shirt or something.
“Got to go see my parents. My mom is sick and my car's broken down. It might be bad, so I have to get there as soon as I can.”
“That sucks, where you headed?”
She gave him the exit number that led to the factory and community.
“There's nothing out there. Just that cult place,” he said.
She tried to force herself to blush as though she were embarrassed.
“Yeah, I know, but that's where she is, so...”
He shook his head.
“Well, I'm sorry for you,” he said.
I don't know if he means that he's sorry that she's sick, or sorry that they live there. Either way, at least he stopped staring at my tits after I told him my mom was sick.
It was only a short time later that the sign for the exit showed up. He slowed and pulled over just before it.
“I hope your mom's okay,” he said.
“So do I, but I'd better go check.”
She did the last two miles to the factory on foot with not a single car passing her on the way. When she got there, she was surprised.
I thought it would look different somehow, she thought. But really it's just a big, cheap building. Looks like half the warehouses back downtown, except this one's in a little bit better condition.
She ignored the factory for the moment, looking at the three buildings that looked like offices. She ignored the one marked receiving and the one with no markings at all, but she walked right into the one with a very generic 'office' sign over the door, after raising the mind shield Greg had taught her. The door led into a room with a desk planted in the center of it. Behind the desk was a young woman.
“Can I help you?” the receptionist asked icily, a fake smile adorning her face.
“I hope so. My friend said you were hiring and I desperately need a job.”
“I'm afraid you've been misled. We only hire people with a very specific skill set here.”
“Really? That's what my friend said also. I don't suppose you discuss said skill set in public very often though, now do you?”
The receptionist's face took on a guarded look.
“What are you talking about?”
Amber walked to a potted plant, sitting in the window. She stroked an unopened blossom, allowing a trickle of energy to enter it and cause it to bloom.
“Nothing,” Amber said, looking from the receptionist to the newly-opened flower, then back.
The receptionist stared at her for a moment, then her face softened.
“Maybe you aren't as unaware of the skill set as I assumed. Are you sure you want to do this though? There are some drawbacks that come along with the job.”
“Who cares about the drawbacks. Do you know how long it's been since I've worked? Everything seems to deal with electronics nowadays, unless I want to do manual labor. Can you see me doing manual labor?” Amber asked, gesturing at herself.
The receptionist's face hardened again when Amber gestured at herself.
“Fine then, are you available for an interview?”
“I just had to walk out to this place. Did you know that you're located in the middle of nowhere? So yes, I'm available for an interview and was really hoping to get one right away.”
“Have a seat and I'll see what we can do.”
* * *
The man who came in to interview her looked to be in his forties and introduced himself as Andrew. Dressed in a suit and tie, he started off the interview all business. As she answered his questions, he seemed to relax some though. Most of his relaxation occurred when he asked about family and she told him that as far as she knew, she didn't have any. She'd introduced herself as Alice instead of Amber, thinking that they'd probably recognize her real name, or at least the guy in charge would.
“So, you're Earth?” he asked eventually.
I knew they'd get to the magic part sooner or later, she thought.
“That's what I was told. I know I can use it.”
“Who trained you?”
Here we go, he liked that I didn't have family so if I can make him think I'm on the outs with my mentor, that should go over even better.
“This prig of a guy. I couldn't stand him. He wouldn't even let me swear around him. I mean what kind of shit is that? Am I a little kid that I need someone watching my language?”
Andrew looked at her strangely.
“Is his name Charles, by any chance?”
“Yeah, that's him. Runs an apartment building?”
“I happen to know that Charles hasn't had any students in a year or more.”
“I was only with him for about a month. Long enough to learn the basics. How to tap into my energy and how to do a few small things with it.”
“You learned that much that quickly? How did you end up with him in the first place?”
“Well, I'd been on my own for a while and I wanted to do better than I was, so I went to the city instead of the speed bump of a town I'd been hiding out in. I have to admit that I like to read though, so I got some books at this second hand book store? A real dump, you know? But he had good prices so I could afford to buy some books. Anyhow, this guy Gregory ran it and he told me that there was something special about me.”
She grinned.
“Like I hadn't heard that line before. I figured he just wanted to get into my pants and I didn't have a place
to stay so I listened. But it ended up he was telling me the truth. Gregory hooked me up with Charles since he didn't have any Earth Magic of his own but Charles did. The rest? I learned a little, then hoofed it when I found out that Charles was planning on running my life instead of just teaching me magic.”
She rubbed her thumb across the fingers of the same hand.
“He wasn't gonna let me have any cash of my own, was gonna make me work for a pittance of an allowance. But I'd heard some other wizards talking about this place, saying they were always hiring wizards and I figured that if I was gonna work for money anyway, I might as well do it for real.”
“Well, it sounds like you'd be a very good fit for our company. When can you start?”
“Like I told your receptionist, I had to walk out to this damn place from the highway. I can start immediately, but I'm hoping you have some transportation or something available.”
“Oh, our workers are all provided for with company housing. We do have a bus that goes back and forth from here to there. So we'll just arrange housing for you before you go, then in the morning, half an hour before your shift starts, you get on the bus to come back here. You'll have credit to use at the local stores and there are shuttles that run around the housing area, then to the stores, then back.”
“Sure, I can start right now then if you like. Isn't there some paperwork or something though?”
“No, we avoid all that. No need for paperwork when your wages won't be taxed, now is there?”
Amber forced a grin.
And no desire on their end to leave any sort of paper trail I'm guessing, she thought.
“One last thing though. The owner of the company likes to meet all the new employees some time in the first day or two that they're here. So he might stop by wherever we house you tonight. I just wanted to warn you so you weren't taken unawares.”
