Winging It

by A. A. Albright

  ‘Who are you?’ he cried. ‘What are you doing here? I don’t like people. I don’t see people!’ He stopped shouting suddenly, and his head slanted to the side. He looked at me curiously. ‘Do I know you? There’s something a little bit familiar about you.’

  I sucked back my tears. ‘I should hope so, Dad. But then, it’s been a very long time.’

  22. Call in the Cavalry

  ‘Dad?’ He looked perplexedly at me. ‘Justine and I don’t have any children.’ He looked past me, and examined Will. ‘You really can’t be in here, you know. Either of you. I’m awful with people, so I am. I don’t go out in public at all, in case I have one of my episodes. You should leave before I do something a bit mad.’

  Will stepped forward. ‘Sir, do you know who you are?’

  ‘Of course. I’m Aengus Plimpton. And who are you, young man?’

  Plimpton? I swallowed. He had never been a Plimpton. Before he joined my mother’s coven, he had been a McCumhaill.

  ‘I’m Will,’ he said carefully. ‘And I’m a huge admirer of your work, Aengus. But ... it’s been a very long time since I’ve had the pleasure of travelling on one of your brooms. Have you ... have you been here all this time?’

  He looked at Will like he was not just going around the bend, but had already gone all the way round and was now approaching the next corner. ‘My brooms have never been out of production, young man.’ He nodded to the workbench he had just vacated. ‘The Plimpton Elite. Justine sells them in our shop each and every day. I’m sure she’d be happy to give you the address if you asked.’ His lashes fluttered a few times, as he wiped his forehead and said, ‘Excuse me. I’ve only just had my medication. It can sometimes take me a while to normalise.’

  ‘We saw you take those dark-coloured pills. Do you take them every day?’ Will asked. I was grateful he was doing the talking. Having my dad look at me like I was a stranger was going to take me a minute or two to get over.

  My father nodded. ‘It used to be once a day, but now it seems I have to take them more and more. I get these funny turns, you see. It’s a mental illness, so the healers tell me. I start to remember things I never experienced. People I’ve never met. And I get incredibly agitated when it happens. It’s a terrible affliction, which is why I must stay here at all times.’

  ‘You never go out?’ asked Will, looking around the small living-space. ‘Do you at least leave this area?’

  He began to wring his wrists. ‘You’re not here about the recent ... incident, are you? I thought that was all over and done with. Justine said she forgave me!’

  Will and I shared a glance, then he asked my father, ‘What incident was that, Aengus?’

  My father began to shake, and then to pace the room. ‘I didn’t take my pills, you see. They taste funny, and I don’t like them. I ... I put them in my mouth that day, and pretended to swallow, but I spat them out as soon as I could. So ... so I went the way I usually did when I don’t take them. I ... I went outside.’ His eyes grew wide. ‘There were hardly any people there, but they all got so frightened when they saw me. A nice young weredog was there with two of the broom-makers, and he knew who I was even though I never met him! And there was a little girl there with Justine’s accountant. I mean, the accountant already knew me, because she was here on her own the last time I broke out. But the little girl ... the little girl recognised me too. Except ...’ He paused and looked perplexed. ‘She called me by a different coven name. Wayfair. I still can’t shake the feeling that I know that name.’

  I placed a hand on the table to steady myself. This was it – the reason Candace was being kept away from the world, the reason Benny, the Jeffs and Fontanella had been murdered. Benny and his friends had obviously suspected something for a very long time – which was why they wanted me to have the broom. But that day, they actually saw my father, and Candace did too.

  Justine had them murdered, all so that they could never tell the truth. Only Candace had escaped that fate. But I had a sickening suspicion that, if she kept trying to break out of her bedroom, Justine would hesitate at nothing to keep Candace quiet.

  ‘It was all most disturbing,’ my father continued. ‘So I just ran back in here, and I have no intention of going out again anytime soon. Anyway, it’s like Justine always tells me. I have quite enough here to keep me busy. More work than I can keep up with. A beautiful wife who sticks by me no matter how bad I get.’

  I felt my chest begin to contract. ‘How ... how long have you and Justine been married?’

  He blinked at me. ‘It’s funny you should ask. I have no memory of marrying her, so I can’t tell you exactly how long it’s been. But that is just one more cross my poor wife has to bear. What’s your name, young lady? You look vaguely familiar.’

  I was having greater and greater difficulty not crying. ‘You said that already. Dad, I’m Wanda. Your Wanda. You and Mam named me after the Wayfarer. You must remember me.’

  ‘Ah. The Wayfarer. Now that is who you remind me of. You do have a bit of her look about you. No wonder your parents named you after her.’

  My knees began to go weak again, and this time I didn’t think that holding onto the table was going to help. Luckily, Will reached out, grasping me by the waist and holding me steady.

  ‘And this is your beau?’ my father went on. ‘You make a handsome couple, the two of you. Like you were made for each other.’

  I was grateful that the remark didn’t make Will let go, because I really would have crumpled to the ground if he had. What had Justine done to my father? Had he been here, all this time, when the world thought he was missing? When the people who loved him grieved for him? Buried an empty coffin in his honour?

  I was trying to think of what to say to him, to think of anything that could possibly make him remember me, but I couldn’t come up with a thing. I needed my mother. She should be here. Sod the lack of a warrant. Once I told her Dad was here, there wasn’t a power in the world that would stop her getting to him. And if he remembered anyone, it would be her. I plucked my phone from my pocket and looked at the screen. ‘No signal,’ I said to Will.

  He pulled his own phone out. ‘Nor mine. And who knows how much longer we have? I think we just have to take him out of here. Justine said she was popping out for ice cream, meaning she must be able to travel by finger click from the building. So we ought to be able to, too.’ He looked at my father. ‘Sir, we need to leave now. The three of us. Okay?’

  ‘Leave?’ Once again, my father seemed to think that Will was quite mad. ‘Oh, no. I can’t leave here. But you two do need to go away.’

  A great big sob erupted from my mouth. We had to leave, but how the hell were we going to get him to come along with us? Grab him and force him against his will?

  To my shock, Will wiped away my tears. ‘It’s okay, Wanda. You’ve found him now. After this, it only gets easier.’

  ‘Okay.’ I nodded, trying to make myself feel more confident. ‘Dad – Aengus – can you please grab onto my hand? I know you don’t understand what’s going on, but trust me. Please. Just look into my eyes. You’ll see that I only want what’s best for you.’

  His eyes met mine, and for one precious moment I thought I saw a flicker of recognition. But just as soon as it had come, it was gone again. He nodded his head towards the door. ‘She’s coming now. You can talk to Justine and see what she has to say.’

  I grabbed his hand, looking desperately into his eyes. ‘Please, Dad. Please. We need to go now.’

  He pulled away, agitated. ‘You don’t understand, young lady. It doesn’t matter whether or not I want to go. I can’t. None of us can. Not from in here. Not unless Justine says so.’

  I heard her footsteps, growing closer and closer. A moment later, the Minister entered the room, a tub of ice cream in her hands. ‘Aengus is right,’ she said. ‘Neither of you will leave this room alive.’

  ≈

  I glared at the woman. Every time I thought I couldn’t despise her more, she gav
e me yet another reason to raise the hate level.

  ‘You’ve been keeping my father here. Against his will all of these years. And then you murdered all of those poor people, just so you could keep your secret. What sort of a person are you?’

  She gave me a patronising smile. ‘I have no qualms in admitting to my actions. Everything I did, I did for love. Although, I would just point out that I didn’t murder anyone. I have people to do that for me.’

  I was beginning to ponder the line between crazy and evil – and not for the first time. Whichever of the two she was, I couldn’t bear to look at her any longer. I turned back to my father. I could see his eyes looking curiously back at mine. Something was churning in that great big brain of his. Something was trying to shake free. All I had to do was help it along.

  ‘You have no idea what love is, Justine. It didn’t matter how many pills you fed my father. How warped you tried to make his mind. He always loved us. My mother and me. He always remembered us. Even now, he makes those brooms that you don’t want him to. Brooms just like the one he and I rode, the last time we flew together in the field behind our house.’ I felt him look at me even more closely, so I kept looking at him, like he was the only person in the room. ‘You remember, don’t you Dad? You remember wrapping your arms around me and flying up above Wayfarers’ Rest? You remember riding one of those same brooms in the Everest Climb, the day that Justine stole you from our lives?’

  Tears began to spill from his eyes, and his head was shaking with confusion and hurt. ‘I ... Wanda? My little Wanda? I didn’t make you up?’

  ‘No.’ My own face was soaking wet, and my voice was quivering with emotion. ‘You’re not mad, Dad. There’s nothing wrong with you. Nothing except those pills she forces down your throat.’ I grasped his hand in mine. He didn’t let go. In fact, he held on so tightly that it made me cry even more. I wanted to pull him into my arms, hug him until I’d cried myself out, but there would be time for that later. I raised my hand and prepared to click my fingers. ‘I’m taking my father home,’ I told the Minister. ‘But don’t worry. I will be back to deal with you.’

  She laughed, a great big cackling laugh. ‘You can try. Go on. Click your fingers.’

  Even though I feared what she was saying was true, my stubborn streak came out, strong as ever, and I clicked. Unsurprisingly, I stayed exactly where I was.

  Will grabbed onto me, furiously clicking the fingers of his free hand. Just like me, he stayed put.

  ‘There is no travelling to or from this particular room,’ said the Minister. ‘Even I have to come in through the door. Nor will your little telephones work, so don’t bother trying those, either.’ She looked us all up and down, her eyes finally settling on Will. ‘It’s a shame about you, Mr Berry. I have the utmost respect for your coven. But here you are. With this troublemaker. What is it about her, anyway? It certainly can’t be her slim figure.’

  I could hear Will’s teeth begin to grind. ‘I don’t know what you think you’re doing here, Minister. But it stops. Now. Wanda’s father is going home, where he belongs. Your sick little game is over.’

  She smirked. ‘It’s never over. I might have failed the last time I tried to kill Wanda, but I won’t fail this time. No more tricks. No more sending magical winds to knock her off her broom. This time, I’ll keep it simple.’ She approached a button next to the conveyor belt we’d entered through. There was a crackling sound, and then a deep voice said, ‘Security here. What can we do for you, Minister?’

  ‘Get in here. And call the Peacemakers while you’re at it.’

  Seconds later, I could hear dozens of boots marching through the Quality Control room. The Minister keyed in a code, and opened the door. Ten guards entered. They were dressed a little like the Peacemakers, with grey and black body armour. They didn’t, however, wear helmets. There were badges across their breastplates that said: Facility B Security Team.

  A brown-haired woman stood at the head. She saluted the Minister and said, ‘Peacemakers are on their way, Ma’am.’

  ‘How many?’ asked Justine.

  The woman saluted again. ‘Your nephew said to tell you he will take as many as he can fit in the carriage.’

  No sooner had she finished speaking, than Finn and Gretel rushed into the room, truncheons up, with a horde of Peacemakers behind them. As soon as he saw Will and me, Finn lowered his truncheon and cocked a brow in my direction. I thought that he was about to say something, but his eyes suddenly drifted to my father.

  ‘Aengus Wayfair!’ he gasped. ‘What the–’

  Justine looked questioningly at her nephew. ‘Is this going to be a problem for you? You did, after all, agree to my terms.’

  Finn pulled off his helmet, and a slow smile spread across his face. ‘Ah, yes. Our terms. You told me that I would need to do anything you asked, no matter how much it rankled with my ... what did you call it? Oh, yeah – my ridiculously naïve ideas of morality. So shoot, Auntie J. What is it you want me to do? Kill Aengus Wayfair? Kill Wanda? I know you don’t want me to kill Will Berry.’

  I could feel my father’s hand shaking in mine. He was beginning to sweat, too. ‘What’s happening?’ he said. ‘Things are going funny again. I ... I don’t know what’s real.’ He turned to stare at me. ‘Little Wanda?’

  I wanted to calm him down, but I felt frightened to death myself. Just how far was Finn going to take this thing?

  Justine seemed to be wondering the same. Her eyes narrowed as she looked at her nephew. ‘Finn, I want you to take Wanda and Mr Berry out back. And I want you to kill them – yes, even Mr Berry. Dump their bodies at the bottom of the chasm. We’ll say that they met with a tragic flying accident.’

  Finn gawped at his aunt. ‘Not in a million years. You’re crazy, you know that.’

  She emitted a theatrical sigh. ‘Finn, Finn, Finn ... And here I was hoping that you would surprise me. But no. You’ve done exactly what I thought you would. You’ve attempted to play me, haven’t you?’

  He shrugged. ‘Of course I was playing you, you nut loaf. I was playing you until I had dirt on you. Now, I have dirt. The biggest load I ever saw. It’s over, Auntie. Now move out of the way so I can get this man back to his family where he belongs.’ He nodded to Gretel. ‘Arrest the Minister.’

  A look of relief spread across Gretel’s face. As she moved forward, cuffs in her hands, Justine smiled, looked at the security guards and other Peacemakers and said, ‘You all know who’s in charge here. Arrest me and it’ll be the end for all of you.’

  I could see the Peacemakers argue amongst themselves. Most of them were Finn’s hires, so I had to hope they’d be loyal to him. But as for the security guards? The brown-haired woman looked apologetically at Finn, raised a truncheon of her own, and sent an electro-shock spell in Gretel’s direction.

  As Finn bent to see to his friend, he glared at the security guard. ‘What the hell do you think you’re doing?’

  The woman avoided his eyes. ‘What you should have done. The job that I’m being paid for. Now move so I can take these people out back.’

  ‘These people!’ spat Finn. ‘That’s Wanda Wayfair and Will Berry. Not to mention Wanda’s father, who your boss has clearly been keeping locked up all these years. Stand down, or this is not going to go well for you.’

  ‘Oh,’ Justine added. ‘You can kill that writhing moron on the ground while you’re at it. And my nephew too. I’ve had quite enough of both of them to last a lifetime.’ She looked at Finn and shrugged. ‘I was hoping you’d be a better employee this time around. But it is what it is. And your mother will understand. She’s not too fond of you either, these days.’

  As the security guards surged forward, half of the Peacemakers moved at their side. I didn’t need to be an accountant to see that we were drastically outnumbered. I clung to my father, desperately trying to think of spells. Will and Finn moved out in front to stave off the onslaught.

  ‘You’ve got to get back, Will,’ hissed Finn. ‘My uniform
is designed to deflect spells. You’re a sitting duck.’

  Will stayed put, repelling spell after spell, surprising me with his power. Considering how ably he was handling himself, I was surprised that he had needed my help with a shrinking spell. ‘We just need to keep the heat off Wanda long enough for her to think of something,’ he said, barely breaking a sweat. ‘Wanda always thinks of something.’

  Finn didn’t reply. Along with the too-few Peacemakers who had taken our side, he was busy countering the dozens of spells that were being sent our way. I had no idea whether Finn shared Will’s confidence in me. I wasn’t even sure that I shared that confidence. We couldn’t travel out of this room. There were more and more guards arriving, blocking the way through the door. We were quite literally backed up against a wall. No matter how much of a fight we put up, could we really win this one?

  I glanced at my father. He was growing more and more agitated, but he hadn’t once tried to pull away from me. That meant something. No matter what Justine might have done to him, there was a part of him that still knew me. I was sure of it. And no matter how small that part might be, it was worth fighting for. I summoned up as much power as I could, waved my free hand in a circular motion, and incanted:

  ‘Those who would harm us shan’t invade

  This sacred bubble love has made.’

  A thick, see-through bubble formed around us, just in time, enclosing my father, Finn, Will and Gretel along with me. It was strong, sending the spells that came our way bouncing back at those who cast them. Although the Minister and her henchmen looked irritated by it, they didn’t stop. Still, it would give us time to catch a breather.

  ‘Listen to reason,’ said Finn, panting as he checked on Gretel once again. She seemed to be coming around, but her poor body was still convulsing. ‘Wanda is a Wayfair. Her coven won’t rest till they get to the bottom of this. And as for Will Berry ... well ... he’s Will Berry. Do you really all want to be involved in the murder of a Berry?’