Thaumatology 05 - Disturbia

by Teasdale, Niall

  ‘I thought Brenin died with Atlantis?’

  Ed’s image nodded. ‘He did. When his Queen started using the Welsh name she gave him the new title. They both went by other names then, as did I. But that was their emblem, their “royal seal” if you will.’

  Ceri screwed up her face. ‘So I’m wearing their cattle brand on my back?’

  Ed looked a little uncomfortable. ‘I wouldn’t exactly call it that.’

  ‘I would.’

  ‘Did you try that spell?’ Ed asked, probably to derail that particular line of conversation. ‘The genetic analysis one?’

  ‘Uh, no, not yet,’ Ceri admitted. ‘It needs you to know what you’re looking for and I don’t. And I’ve been busy.’

  ‘The Greycoats course?’ Ceri nodded in reply. ‘Could I suggest you attempt to determine whether Brenin is in your bloodline?’

  ‘I’ve never met him, I don’t have…’

  ‘Do you still have the picture you drew of his skull? We’re talking about magic, not some big machine.’

  ‘Oh,’ Ceri said. ‘I’ll be right back.’ Leaving the summoning room, she dashed upstairs to grab her tablet. The actual picture she had drawn of Brenin’s skull was filed at the university, but she was fairly sure the scan she had of it would invoke her memory sufficiently. With the tablet in hand, she went back down and settled herself onto the floor with Ed looking at her bemusedly.

  ‘The spell is more or less instantaneous,’ he said, ‘and requires little actual concentration…’

  ‘I don’t have the actual drawing, I’ll have to rely on the image and my memories. So I need to concentrate.’ She flicked on the tablet, selected the picture folder and found the image of the skull she had drawn.

  Ed smiled. ‘Excellent use of improvised sympathy.’

  Ceri grinned back at him and then focussed on the picture. The dragon known as Brenin had been big; she remembered the skull as being huge with horns at the back edge and on its nose. She let her mind drift back to her time at Stonehenge when she had spent hours looking down through the earth to the bone buried under it. She remembered the feeling as she had looked into the empty eye sockets and it had seemed as though they were looking back. She had felt something then; a familiarity? She held that feeling in her mind, closed her eyes, and allowed her power to flow, filtering it through the pattern Ed had taught her…

  Ceri opened her eyes and looked up. ‘Yeah, Brenin’s the other dragon. I belong to both their bloodlines.’

  Ed sucked his teeth; it was a little odd considering that she was looking at an image sucking virtual teeth. ‘It explains her interest in you, and your strength. They were fearfully powerful magicians, and she loved her mate… almost beyond reason.’

  ‘And I’m, like, the kid she never had?’

  He shrugged slightly. ‘They never had a dragon child, as far as I’m aware. You are, perhaps, the closest thing she’s likely to get.’

  ‘So she put this mark on me.’

  ‘I’m not sure that you can make that assertion.’ He straightened himself up a little. ‘Shall we start today’s lesson?’

  Ceri nodded, wondering whether Brenhines would turn up again. She wanted to ask about the tattoo. She wanted very much to ask why she had been marked as belonging to the King and Queen.

  August 15th

  ‘Are you going out?’ Lily asked. She was in her favourite location in the kitchen, leaning against the counter with a mug of coffee, legs crossed at the ankle. Ceri had become convinced that she did it to show off her exquisite body; it worked.

  ‘I’m meeting Cheryl at the lab,’ Ceri replied. She was dressed in T-shirt and jeans, which was a fair giveaway that she was going out. ‘I’ve worked out the theory behind ley line creation and I want to go over it with her.’

  ‘I thought you were on holiday. All the students are.’

  Ceri grinned. ‘It’s not quite the same for researchers.’

  Lily pouted; she would be sunbathing alone. ‘You’ll be back by two, though?’

  ‘Probably. Well, I can be. Why?’

  ‘Dad’s coming over.’

  ‘Oh, okay. You need me for target practice again?’

  ‘Oh no,’ Lily said, smiling, ‘he’s not coming to give me lessons.’ Ceri frowned at her, bemused. ‘He’s coming to give you lessons. He knows more about sex than anyone else I know. He’s going to teach you to lick pussy.’ The half-succubus beamed as though she had had the best idea in the world ever!

  Ceri blinked several times and then shrugged. ‘Okay,’ she said, ‘I’ll be back.’ Well, how many people got to have sex lessons from an incubus?

  Holloway

  Ceri handed a memory stick to Cheryl as they waited for the coffee to finish brewing. ‘I talked to Ed,’ she said, ‘and worked out how to build ley lines. In theory.’

  ‘You want me to go over the equations?’ Cheryl asked.

  Ceri nodded. ‘Ed made me work for it. He gave me some pointers and left me to it. Besides which, I’d like to make sure I’m not just going off on a dead-end theoretical idea.’

  ‘Why not ask Ed?’ Cheryl poured coffee into two mugs, handing one over to Ceri, but making no move to leave the little kitchen; she was determined that any meetings this month should be informal.

  ‘He said I had the theory right,’ Ceri conceded, ‘but I’d like a second opinion.’ Cheryl frowned slightly, asking a question. ‘I don’t entirely trust the dragons,’ Ceri said. ‘I’m not saying they’re up to something, I’m not saying Ed is up to something, but I want to double-check anything I get from them.’

  Cheryl nodded. She was still frowning and Ceri could understand her disquiet. Ed had been her friend for a couple of decades and she trusted him. Then again, she had just found out that the man she knew was not even human. The deception was hardly unreasonable, but it obviously put a dent in her confidence in the man. ‘I’ll go over it,’ Cheryl said. ‘It sounds pretty complex so it might take a few days.’

  ‘I’d say esoteric rather than complex, but yeah. Take all the time you want. I don’t suppose we’ll be ready to try it any time soon.’

  ‘The Ministry are talking about attempting a trial deployment in the spring,’ Cheryl said, ‘if we’re ready for it. They’re negotiating with the Dutch government to site the transducer there.’

  ‘In the Netherlands?’

  Cheryl nodded. ‘The Dutch are about the friendliest country to us in Europe and they’re also adjacent to the closest point on the German Rift.’

  ‘Hamburg,’ Ceri said, nodding. At the end of the war, Hitler had detonated four devices in German cities. Hamburg, Berlin, Dresden, and Munich were still radioactive, massively thaumically charged, pits. Stonehenge was a constant, reliable source of moderate levels of thaumic energy; Ceri had used it to destroy Remus, which had required a lot of power. Hamburg was a hundred gigawatt power station compared to Stonehenge’s campfire. ‘What about crossing northern Germany?’ she asked.

  ‘The current plan involves an Army escort,’ Cheryl said. ‘The Minister is talking to the Ministry of Defence about it. He’s pretty sure he can get the go ahead. They take us in as far as we need to go.’

  Ceri shook her head and took a gulp of coffee. ‘We’ll need to get close. I’ll take the last couple of miles on foot, with Lily.’ She held up her hand to stop the rising protest. ‘Both of us can take the magic and we’re quite capable of handling physical threats. I’m not risking some poor soldier in that Hell Hole.’

  ‘I’ll talk to Malcolm,’ Cheryl said. ‘I suspect he won’t be keen on the idea. There may be some requirements before they’ll let you go in like that.’

  ‘Probably,’ Ceri sighed. ‘I’m getting used to people deciding I need to be trained to do what I can already do.’

  ‘Welcome to the world of bureaucracy, dear,’ Cheryl said, grinning.

  Westminster, August 16th

  ‘You look tired,’ Kate said as she handed out two more books.

  Ceri grinned weakly.
‘I got a bit carried away trying out some, uh, new techniques I learned yesterday.’ She glared at Lily on hearing the supressed giggle.

  ‘I undoubtedly don’t want to know,’ Kate said, ‘so let’s get down to business. The Supernatural Crime and Enforcement Act of two-thousand and one. Ceri already knows some of this from her PPC course and some of it should be an obvious extension of PACE. For example, you can’t use scrying to locate someone, or something, without a warrant because if you found them on private premises it would constitute an illegal search.’ Lily, who had considered that whole idea silly, nodded; it did make sense in that light.

  ‘We’ll also be covering the use of magic, in Ceri’s case, and supernatural powers, in Lily’s case, when making arrests and performing other enforcement powers,’ Kate went on. Lily held her hand up, which produced a raised eyebrow from the detective.

  ‘I can do some magic too,’ Lily said. ‘Most demons can do it and I’ve been learning. I’m not that good, but I can do some things.’

  ‘Just don’t ask her to demonstrate,’ Ceri added, ‘or one of us is going to have an uncomfortable morning.’

  ‘I can do more than that one!’ Lily protested, though her eyes were sparkling with humour as she said it.

  ‘Priapism charm?’ Kate asked. Ceri nodded. ‘Yeah, I made the mistake of casting that on myself once. Never again. Okay, well, we’ll be getting to that kind of thing tomorrow. Today we’re doing what it is actually illegal to do using magic and the like. Unlike your obvious crimes, unfortunately, a lot of the supernatural stuff depends on intent, which makes it way harder to enforce.’

  ‘Which is one of the reasons the Greycoats exist, right?’ Ceri asked.

  ‘Yeah, we’re specially briefed on the legal niceties. We’re also here, of course, because the traditional cops get nervous working with supernaturals, and having to deal with them as criminals. Technically, if a werewolf commits a mugging, that’s not our problem, but we usually end up getting called in to deal with that kind of thing. However, that’s the silly end of the business and I doubt you’ll be involved in it.’

  Kate grinned slightly. ‘A lot of the time, crimes involving magic are a little like prostitution.’ That got a raised eyebrow from Lily. ‘Prostitution per se isn’t illegal, but you can be locked up for “living off immoral earnings” or soliciting. Equally, raising a zombie or summoning a demon isn’t illegal, but using them to commit another crime is. The business with Lily’s father earlier this year being a very good example. Using magic in the commission of a crime isn’t a different crime, but it usually carries a heavier sentence, like using a gun.’

  ‘It sounds like there aren’t really any crimes which are just to do with magic,’ Lily said. ‘I mean, if you kill someone with a spell it’s still murder. If you enthral someone…’

  ‘Enthrallment,’ Kate interrupted, ‘proper, permanent enthrallment, is a special case. That’s specifically legislated against under the Act. You’ll see a section on mental control. There are exceptions for lesser forms of control spells, but enthrallment is a big no-no.’

  ‘Like Barnes and the two vampires,’ Ceri said, her voice flat.

  Kate nodded. ‘If we’d have got him alive, he would have been sealed in rock for eternity. The rule applies to sentient undead and living things, and if someone were to demonically bind you, Lily.’ Both of them had been expecting that and neither of them registered any emotion on their faces. Ceri felt the unease from Lily through their binding though; the thought of that punishment had been Lily’s main objection to working the binding in the first place.

  ‘What about actual demons?’ Ceri asked. ‘I mean, they’re sentient beings and binding them is, well, slavery.’

  Kate shrugged. ‘Demons aren’t protected under the law. At all. Technically, you can kill a demon with impunity, bind them, control them, whatever. If you then use them to commit a crime, you get tried for the crime.’ She paused and looked at Lily. ‘Mind you, binding demons has become more morally reprehensible. You don’t see wizards binding succubi so much these days. Technically it’s not illegal, but it’s frowned upon.’

  ‘Wrong thinking,’ Lily said. ‘Succubi want to be bound. As sex slaves! It’s what they do, sex. They want a powerful master or mistress to bind them here. It’s built in. Believe me, I know about this.’

  ‘Well, if they can persuade someone to do it, there’s nothing stopping them,’ Kate replied. ‘I understand it’s more common in Holland and some parts of the US. I’m sure they still do it in other parts of Europe where the legal system isn’t as strong.’ She shrugged again. ‘Anyway, let’s move on to some of the unethical uses of magic and detection of them.’

  Ceri settled down to listen. Aside from anything else, she was about to get pointers on what not to do.

  ~~~

  ‘Did you figure anything out about the Dog Boy who jumped in front of the train?’ Ceri asked as they were packing up.

  ‘Oh… well they decided that it was probably some sort of drug flashback,’ Kate said. ‘Paranoid hallucination brought on by withdrawal or something. Toxicology came back negative, security cameras at the station confirmed the information Alexandra sent over. Thanks for that, by the way.’

  ‘No problem. So, drug-induced suicide?’

  ‘Seems the most likely cause. No one was chasing him, but he did look scared.’

  ‘Kind of weird though,’ Lily commented. ‘I know there are drugs which cause paranoid flashbacks like that, but he had to have been running a fair way on it. Westferry is outside their territory.’

  ‘Yes,’ Kate said, ‘it is.’ She looked thoughtful for a moment. ‘I’ll get the uniforms to check security cameras in the area. Maybe we can figure out where he came from.’ Lily beamed having made a useful suggestion. ‘Any plans for tonight?’ Kate asked.

  ‘Oh, Ceri will be practicing some more,’ Lily replied. ‘She didn’t quite get that technique down perfect.’ Ceri let out a little whimper.

  ‘I’ll make sure the coffee is strong in the morning,’ Kate said. The smirk she was wearing spoke volumes.

  August 17th

  Kate was busy going through the use of magic in arrests, detainment, and questioning when John opened the door and walked in. He was wearing his serious face and looked urgent. Ceri was pretty sure that was not a good thing. ‘Slight change of plan,’ he said. ‘You two are going to get a practical lesson on crime scene behaviour.’ At Kate’s quizzical look he added, ‘The Chief’s cleared it and I need you with me. Might as well see what our new recruits can come up with.’

  ‘What’s happened?’ Ceri asked.

  ‘We’ve had another werewolf death,’ John replied. ‘Another of the Dog Boys, we think.’

  ‘Not another train?’ Kate said, disbelief showing.

  ‘No, this one’s at home. Forensics are already there. Hopefully we’ll be able to go in more or less immediately.’

  Ceri and Lily climbed to their feet. Ceri could feel Lily’s anticipation; her own mirrored it. They were actually going to the scene of a crime to do real police work.

  Canning Town

  Carl, the now-dead werewolf, had lived in one of the old terraced houses in probably the most deprived and run-down areas of London. The local council were trying to do the place up, demolishing what amounted to slums and replacing them with newer houses, but Carl’s place looked like it had been built in the nineteenth century and had had no work done on it since.

  The street outside the little two-up, two-down was more or less blocked by two police vans and the crowd of neighbours being kept back by several uniformed policemen. John manoeuvred his black Vauxhall in through the crowd at walking pace, pulling up opposite the house. Then he turned in his seat, looking back at Ceri and Lily with a slight look of concern on his face. ‘You’re sure you’re ready for this? I don’t think it’s going to be pretty.’

  ‘I saw a man’s throat being cut last winter,’ Ceri said quietly. ‘His blood froze on the rock they’d laid him
out on. I think I can cope.’

  ‘I’ll be fine,’ Lily said without further explanation. John nodded and opened the door.

  One of the vans outside the house belonged to the forensics group from Greycoat Street and John and Kate stopped there as one of the Scene of Crime officers called out from inside. ‘You’ll want suits,’ he said. ‘At the very least, it’ll keep your clothes clean.’

  ‘That bad?’ Kate asked.

  ‘Pretty messy,’ the tech replied. ‘Who’re the civvies?’ The man pulled a pile of blue, disposable overalls from a drawer, placing them down for use.

  ‘Ceri Brent and Lily Carpenter,’ John said. ‘They’re going to be Special Advisors, Kate’s doing the SCEA part of the training, but we need her, and them, down here today.’

  The SOCO nodded, unconcerned, and handed over a load of little, elasticated foot bags. ‘You’ll want these too.’

  Lily was hardly dressed for putting an overall over her clothes, but decorum had never been a major factor in her persona and she simply dragged the suit up her long legs, pulled the skirt of her jersey-dress up to her hips, and zipped up over the top. The little foot bags looked weird over the top of high heels.

  With everyone decked out in the hooded suits, they headed for the front door of the house. It was open and there seemed to be no sign of damage to it. ‘How did the first responders get in?’ Ceri asked.

  ‘The neighbour had a spare key,’ John replied. ‘She was pretty distraught and they took her to hospital. I think there may have been some form of relationship.’

  The front door led straight into the house’s lounge. There were signs there that something had happened; a table smashed against a wall, a destroyed and badly bent TV. Everything looked old, possibly second hand, aside from the TV, a DVD player, and a newish looking cabinet they had been resting on. It’s drawers had been yanked out and thrown across the room spilling hundreds of unlabelled, and probably copied, DVDs. The expensive TV seemed incongruous in the room of old goods, and seemed to have received more violence than the rest of the furniture.

  ‘You know, considering the Dog Boys’ territory contains a highly developed financial district,’ Ceri said, ‘you’d think they’d have more money.’