by T S Paul
"This is new information Grams. Why didn't you ever teach any of this to me?" I had my tablet out and was trying to type search words.
"Because as far as those of us on the Council can tell it's a bunch of poppycock! The story of Aradia is mostly attributed to a mundane American folklorist who claims to have been accepted into the cult." Now my grandmother sounded mad.
"What council? The Strega exist so is Aradia real or not?" I really need to know.
"Yes, the Strega exist. Do you recall the lesson we had on Gods? What makes them tangible? Do you remember?" She asked.
I thought for a moment. We talked about a great many things when I was a child. Slowly I replied to her. "If a God form has enough worshipers he or she becomes real. Is that right?"
"It is, child. Excellent. Yes, if there is someone still worshiping a God or enough 'will' is directed toward something, they live within their followers. It is why mundanes of all ages worship a couple of meatballs in a bowl of pasta. What started as a joke is now real to many. Aradia is the same way. She was ancient, but mostly forgotten by history and mankind. Someone revived the Cult and subverted those that followed Diana. The power and influence needed to do something like that are mind boggling. With Diana gone, the new recruits with the old followers devoted their time to battling Catholicism and emancipating women. It's no wonder they gained traction with the Black Hand. Many of the old Don's and Caporegimes treated their wives and daughters as things to be won or traded like trophies. With them, the Cult prospered."
"What about the Horned God? Are they only a Goddess cult then?" The Horned God is just a generic name for Cernunnos or Herne the Hunter. I had a Pan statue on my altar in the RV. He too could be called a horned god.
"We aren't entirely sure anymore. Many of those that represent those that rule the Cult have tattoos of both the Moon Goddess and the Horn God on their shoulders. A palm tattoo signifies an Adept or Sorcerer. Be very wary if you find a tattoo such as that, Agatha. For all their imaginary origins, they have a large number of followers. Much power can be derived from that."
"Grandmother, you mentioned a Council. Do you mean the Witches Council?"
There was a moment of silence on the phone line. For just a second I thought she might have hung up. "Agatha, like you, I have sworn many oaths to keep secrets and rules hidden from those not ready for the information. This is one such thing. In time you shall know what you need to know. That, my girl, is a promise. Now, The Garden calls for me. Take care and watch your back. The so-called Magickal Mafia are everywhere."
"That is a bit ominous Agatha. I've seen what's on your altar, and nothing there is scary. These people are starting to scare me." Cat patted me on the back as we turned back toward the RV. Chuck and Bill had already left. Anastasia's rig was bigger and slower than mine despite its age.
I gave my friend a small push. "You can change into a thousand pounds of snarling, clawed, death. And you are scared of a group of Witches we haven't even met yet?" I teased.
"When you say it like that it does sound ridiculous. Get in the damn RV. Chuck's had enough of a head start. We need to get moving." Cat stepped up into the RV.
I gave the now empty area one last look and climbed into the driver's seat. That was one thing I liked about my Class C, RV. The front end was just a regular truck not one of those flat nosed monsters like the Class As.
"It's about time you got in here! Did you forget to feed the Unicorn?" Fergus was standing on the dashboard of the RV and stared at me as I put on my seatbelt.
"I didn't forget. You're getting a bit pudgy around the middle. I moved your feeding times up a couple of hours." I gave his flank a light poke.
"That is all muscle. I've been working out." Fergus said as he danced out of reach of my hands.
"Sure it is. Did you get all that muscle lifting pizza slices up to your mouth? It's Unicorn Chow from now on, boyo." Putting the RV in gear, I set off after the rest of the team.
"That's not fair! Pizza is pure energy to me. I need it to power my muscles." He flexed and made bowing motions causing Cat to start laughing.
"Any more of that 'muscle energy' and you will be wearing your barn like a turtle wears a shell. Time for a diet Fergus."
My mini Unicorn paced back and forth across the dashboard glaring at me. He was starting to become more annoying than usual. "Do you need help to get down?"
"It's about time you asked. I wasn't up here to get a tan."
"Fergus, Cat is sitting right there." I pointed to my friend and packmate who gave him a small wave. "She would have let you down."
"First you don't feed me, then you offer to give me to the stinky Cat person, what kind of Witch are you?" Fergus complained.
"The kind that will make you ride up on top of the RV next time. Stop acting like the hurt party. How did you get up here, anyway?" I gave him the eye.
"I jumped." He looked everywhere but at me.
"Why don't you just jump down then? It's not that far."
Fergus looked over the edge of the dash to the carpet below. "All the way down there? No thanks. I'll just stay up here."
I just shook my head. Unicorns. "Cat have you found anything about the guy we're supposed to protect that wasn't in my briefing packet?"
Cat flipped through the paper tablet she carried just about everywhere. "Marvin Loman. He's an accountant with the firm Hagin, Greene, and Mancini. According to the file you were given, he took a file to a client and saw something he shouldn't have."
"Right. The details I was given are pretty slim. What did he see? Why was he there? Is this a big set up to get us killed? Lots of questions." I tossed all of those issues and more about in my head as I drove.
"My old boss from the serial killer investigation is now in the criminal division. I gave him a call, and he filled me in on some things. He wants to meet you one of these days Aggy." Cat smiled at me.
Interesting. "Is this guy a possible romantic attachment for you Cat? Maybe I do need to meet him!"
"No. No. He's just a friend. This was just a favor that's all."
I glanced at her, and her cheeks were flaming. "Uh, huh? So what did this 'not boyfriend,' friend say?"
"It was over a holiday weekend. Upper management was away on a team building retreat and couldn't be reached. The lead partner left his nephew in charge of the office, and he was about as dumb as a box of rocks. Marvin, having no real life, just happened to be there that day." Cat turned on her tablet and showed me a picture of the nephew.
"One of their 'special' clients called requesting a file box from the sealed records room. The nephew, not thinking, sent it with Marvin to take care of it. While he knew there was an off-limits area, he had never been there. Only partners are allowed in there. You can imagine the surprise of both Marvin and the Strega when he appeared holding their information."
I barked a short laugh. "They must have freaked out."
"They did. Marvin witnessed a transaction between one of the highest ranking Dons on this side of the Atlantic and Horatia Lucchese. She is the matriarch of her family and was once married to 'Unlucky' Luciano. No way it was a coincidence they were together." Cat pulled up another picture of a gnarled and old looking woman.
"So how did he survive the experience?"
"He was lucky. They were expecting one of the partners or at least one the assistants they knew. Because he had the box with him, it was assumed he was in the know. He actually witnessed the meeting, Agatha. The documents in the box were records of payments and bank deposits. A couple of times Marvin was asked to interpret the documents. Marvin saw the entire thing. After he had returned the document to the vault, he asked the nephew who those people were, and all hell broke loose." Cat shook her head.
"The nephew checked the records and freaked out. He tried to get Marvin to stay for the partners to talk to, but he wouldn't do it. When he tried to have, building security detain him, the little man bolted. Local LEOs found him huddled in the local bus terminal. When they q
uestioned him, and he mentioned the name Lucchese, the Bureau was called. Everyone that he has spoken to from the nephew to the nurse that was called in to check him has been killed. Over forty law enforcement personnel and city employees are already in the morgue because of him."
Slowing the RV to stop at a red light I chanced a glance at Cat. "They mean business. Did any of the partners survive?" I asked astounded.
"Yes. Hagin. He, unlike his partners, was at a family reunion. The business retreat turned out to be a booze and broad party. Both of those partners turned up dead inside of a closed and locked room. Locked from the inside!"
"Which sent the message that no matter what you do, we can still get you," I replied.
"Exactly. After the initial FBI contact team's deaths, WITSEC was called in, and Marvin passed to them. Two hours after the handoff, the local office exploded in a ball of green flame. Local emergency services say they've never seen anything like it." Cat said as she read the report.
"I have. OK. So here's what we do. You take the team and start digging into the sole surviving member of the accounting firm. Hagin is your immediate target. Take a look at the nephew too. He may have made other mistakes similar to Marvin. Let Anastasia run free on this one. She has contacts we can only dream about as well as her forensic skills. She might be able to find out something from all the deaths. Let Major Crimes worry about the deaths and linking the Mob to them. I want you to find the Magick users. If we stumble over something, someone else can use feel free to share but don't waste time on it."
Cat reached out and touched my arm. "Agatha, this really bothers me that you are not going to be here with us. What if we run into trouble without you?"
"The amulets I gave you last year will stop most initial threats. Remember everything I told you about defeating spells?"
Cat counted them off on her fingers. "Kill the Magick users first. Salt circles are your friend. Some Magick won't cross bodies of water. Changing your physical appearance can help. I don't understand that last one. How do we do that?"
"Two different ways actually. It can be as simple as taking off your coat and reversing it before putting it back on. Or changing. Both you and Chuck are dual natured. Use it. Most of the spells will be specific to either humans or animals. Not both. Use your brain, Cat." I tapped my head so she could see it.
"If you truly need me, I will come to you. Take your amulet and destroy it. I will come as fast as possible. Other than that, stay away from me. My plan is to go to ground and hide until court. We only have to get him there."
"You say that. But is it really true? Be careful Agatha. We don't want to lose you. Besides who would take care of Fergus without you?" She smiled at me.
"Who's taking care of me? It better not be the stinky cat! Are we there yet? I'm hungry here." The Unicorn in question woke up from his nap and began a fresh round of whining.
Chapter 5
"Not only no, but Hell No!" US Marshal Nicolas Craven looked at my authorization.
"You don't get a choice, Marshal. That piece of paper gives us custody of Marvin Loman. We are his best chance of survival now. How many more people need to die before you see that?" Cat tried to stare the man down.
Nick snorted. "Really? That's all you've got? Look you kids don't have anything on us here. We've been battling the Mob and hiding witnesses for almost a century. We can do our jobs without any of your mumbo jumbos, thank you very much. If you look at your authorization, you will see it's at the discretion of the lead officer. That would be me, and I say no."
I stepped forward. "Officer... Uh?"
"Craven. Nick Craven." The Marshal sat with his arms folded across his chest looking a little menacing.
"Officer Craven. Magical attacks are something we can defend against. It's our specialty. This may be a secure building, but a talented Adept can overcome most obstacles as if they don't exist. I can and will protect the witness to the best of my ability. What will you do if they come for him without us to defend him?"
Craven sat up straighter and smiled at me. "We'll arrest them. This is the most secure facility in the United States. We have quadruple layers of protection as well as bank vault doors and military grade weapons. I think we can combat anything that dares to try to enter without authorization." Just as he finished, red lights began to flash.
"What the hell?" Craven grabbed his phone.
"We have a breach in sector four. I repeat we have a breach in sector four." Cat and I both looked up as loudspeaker messages began to be broadcast.
"Craven? Where is sector four?" I looked the man in the eye as he tried to contact his staff.
"Why isn't this thing working! It's the parking garage above us. Don't worry about it. The walls and roof up there are ten feet thick with steel reinforced bars sunk into the concrete. Nothing on Earth can just punch through it."
Glancing upward I could almost believe him. Saying that the directions to this place were vague is an understatement. We were instructed to park the RVs at the end of the block in an abandoned motel parking lot. Two Government vehicles that made our old stinkmobile look like a new car picked us up.
"Where are we going?" I asked the man driving. He didn't answer me and only glanced at us in the rearview mirror.
"Friendly folk." I quietly said it to myself, but Cat heard it. My earbud pinged me telling me that Anastasia heard it too. One of the downsides to having shifters and vampires on your team. Their superhuman hearing.
"It's called paranoia Agatha. They have good reason to act this way. This should be interesting. Even I haven't been here before." Bill's voice murmured in my ear. The earbuds were new. Something that Ana and Chuck cooked up. I added a distance communication spell that I found in one of my Great Grandmother's books. The buds were now able to reach an immense distance. We had decided to not tell the WITSEC folks about them. It wasn't like they could steal them. Only I could make them work.
The side windows of the cars were painted over, but we could see out the front. The business district gave way to what appeared to be an industrial area. A rusty fence surrounded what appeared to be an old warehouse complex. Our car pulled up to a dilapidated guard shack.
A man dressed in mall cop togs, but armed with a top of the line AR-17, walked out. He spoke to our driver as another mall cop scanned the car, running a mirror around the edge. Finally, the gate opened, and we slowly drove in. Our car headed toward the central building. Several freight doors lined the shipping dock area with one at ground level. That is the one that opened.
"Pretty cool. It looks just like an old warehouse." Chuck pointed at the loading area and doors.
"That's the point. Everyone always looks for a hotel or some sort of resort. We want to protect our subjects. Putting them in something like that is just painting a target on them." The driver glanced in our direction as we pulled into the warehouse and drove downward.
"So you can talk." I looked pointedly at the rearview mirror.
"Of course. You're FBI. Fancier than what we're used to, but still FBI. We aren't fans of the Bureau here." Our escort drove down two levels in the underground garage before parking.
As we climbed out and looked around us, the driver spoke again. "This was a casino and hotel in the 1940s. It went belly up when the second round of prohibition swept the country post-war. We acquired it in the 1960s. Everything is underground now. Even the area residents don't remember the Casino. For us it's perfect. The elevator is over here." The Marshal pointed us to a pair of doors.
A loud boom startled me and brought my thoughts back to the present.
"They are breaking through from above, regardless. Is the floor of the garage the same thickness as the roof and walls?" Bill looked upward.
"No. Only half the thickness. How? We would have noticed the digging equipment in plenty of time to stop them!" Craven grabbed his phone again and began yelling at his people.
"Agatha, we need to get this Loman character and get moving! They're doing this by magic, yes
?" Cat pulled my arm.
"Yes. It's the only way possible." I spun around and confronted Craven.
"Where is the witness? This is an attack, and we need to get him out of here!"
"No! My people can handle it. If you want to help then stop them from digging into the base." Several loud booms punctuated by a loud screech of metal echoed through the base.
"Too late. Do you have cameras up there?" I pointed up.
"Follow me." Craven pulled a revolver out of his desk drawer and holstered it.
Several uniformed Marshals ran past us armed with automatic weapons. Craven led us to an armored door that could have once been attached to a bank. "This is the secured wing."
