Steel for 5 (Mags & Nats Book 3)

by Stephanie Fazio

  ✽✽✽

  Since it was close to midnight, we had no trouble finding a parking spot right outside the narrow brick building where the Clairvoyant had told Smith to meet her. We were on Newbury Street, which was full of high-end shops that were clogged with people during normal hours. Now, though, all the stores were closed and the street was quiet.

  “Did you tell this Clairvoyant that we’d be dropping in after hours?” A.J. asked, as Yutika hung her freshly-created handicapped tag from the van’s mirror.

  We’d learned the hard way that being the new Directors’ BFFs didn’t exempt us from parking tickets. We probably should have felt guilty using Yutika’s magic this way, but none of us claimed to be saints.

  “We didn’t discuss times,” Smith replied.

  “Do you at least have a phone number to call when this place turns out to be locked?” I asked as we climbed the short flight of stairs to the door. The windows were tinted, so it was impossible to tell if there were any lights on inside.

  “Do you really think someone whose username is WorldEnds2070 is going to have a cell phone?” Smith asked, rolling his eyes at my apparently ridiculous question.

  “Let’s just hope her username isn’t a premonition,” A.J. pointed out, “and that she’s simply an optimist like you.”

  “What’s your username?” Yutika asked Smith.

  He pointedly ignored the question as he tried the doorknob. Surprise and relief filled me when it gave. All four of us—four-and-a-half, including Sir Zachary—entered the building.

  “Holy crap,” Smith muttered.

  It looked like a voodoo shop and one of those fake magic stores had gotten together and then barfed up their insides. Every inch of space was covered in stuff. There was a narrow, foot-wide path through the store. If I balanced carefully, I could avoid brushing up against anything.

  The air was so full of incense it looked like a fog machine had been turned on. Strands of beads hung from the ceiling, and tribal masks hung on the walls. Glass cases were stuffed full of skulls, books about the occult sciences, and decks of tarot cards.

  Burning candles balanced precariously on top of wooden figurines and dangled from iron holders nailed to the wooden wall.

  “The Boston Fire Department would have a collective heart attack if they saw this place,” A.J. said.

  My hopes for getting useful information were fast dwindling. Anyone who owned a place like this had to be a real nut.

  Sir Zachary sniffed everything, his tail wagging as he explored. He made cute little lapping noises as he drank from a bowl with a painted paw print that seemed like it had been recently filled.

  “I can already tell this is going to be a waste of time,” Smith muttered, echoing my thoughts.

  “Isn’t the owner worried about people stealing stuff?” Yutika asked. She petted a feather boa hanging around an Alaskan totem pole. “I mean, anyone could walk in here.”

  “But I knew they wouldn’t,” a soft, feminine voice said from the back of the shop.

  We all went still.

  “Except for the four of you, of course…well, five, if you include your dog.”

  “We do,” A.J. said. “We definitely do.”

  Tinkling laughter came from the girl who emerged from the incense fog.

  At first, I thought she was a teenager. She was shorter and thinner than me and didn’t have much in the way of curves. But when I caught her eyes—a startling green—I could tell she was older than she looked. There was something fathomless in her gaze that I couldn’t exactly pinpoint, but which told me she was no little girl.

  The Clairvoyant cocked her head as we all sized each other up. With her breathy little laughs and the way her hands fluttered, she reminded me of a sparrow.

  The Clairvoyant had boy-short blonde hair that was spiked on top. Rings, chains, and studs climbed their way up both her ears. A tiny emerald glittered on the right side of her nose, and she had about twenty bracelets on each wrist that jangled together every time she moved.

  “Not what you expected?” She arched a brow at me, like she knew exactly what was going through my mind.

  “I didn’t know what to expect,” I told her, embarrassed I’d been caught staring.

  Frankly, I didn’t care one way or another what she looked like, as long as she had the information we’d come here for.

  “How’s it going, WorldEnds2070?” Yutika asked in a bright voice. “And is the world really going to end this year?”

  The Clairvoyant’s lips curved into a full smile. “Not that I’ve seen, but it’s always possible.”

  “Typical Clairvoyant response,” Smith muttered.

  The woman—who I had decided was probably around our age—arched a brow at Smith. Most people would be offended by someone questioning their magic. But instead of taking offense, her expression seemed amused.

  “In case you were wondering,” she said, “my name is Starlight.”

  “Of course it is,” Smith said under his breath.

  I elbowed him in the ribs. Hard.

  “Don’t be rude,” Yutika hissed.

  Starlight grinned, unperturbed. I liked that she wasn’t as fragile as she looked. She gestured to us, leading the way through a curtain of beads at the back of the shop.

  After exchanging a few skeptical looks, we followed.

  We gathered in a circular room that was just big enough for the five cushions that were laid out on the floor. Starlight sat in a graceful motion, folding her legs up in what I thought yoga people called lotus position. She closed her eyes and breathed in the incense-filled air.

  Exchanging glances and shrugs, the rest of us took our own cushions. Sir Zachary’s collar jangled as he trotted into the room after us. He looked around, assessing his options. After only a second of consideration, he nestled into Starlight’s lap.

  The Clairvoyant didn’t open her eyes or so much as twitch. She absently stroked our dog’s ears as she hummed quietly to herself. Her easy acceptance of Sir Zachary made me like her even more.

  “Dr. Pruwist died before he could reveal the knowledge he possessed,” Starlight said, her voice coming out toneless and more formal than it had been before. “I cannot say what he might have revealed if he’d been permitted to live.”

  Starlight tilted her head to the side, as though she was listening to a voice only she could hear.

  “But I saw an alternate future,” she continued. “One where Pruwist survived and was made to recall the information.”

  I held my breath.

  Starlight kept her eyes closed as she massaged Sir Zachary’s ears.

  “The location was given into his keeping without him ever knowing what it was. He kept the paper with the information somewhere secure.”

  “Do you know where he put it?” I asked breathlessly.

  Starlight’s eyes snapped open. She stared unblinking at me for several seconds. She didn’t even seem to see me; it was like she was looking through me.

  “I saw a closet inside the BSMU president’s house. A false wall next to the shoe rack. Behind it, a safe. A sealed, brown envelope. That is where you will find what you’ve been searching for.”

  “Is that specific enough for you?” Yutika asked Smith.

  Smith scowled.

  Starlight blinked, coming out of her trance. She looked down at the dog in her lap and gave him a puzzled smile.

  “Thank you,” I told Starlight, feeling my blood surge with anticipation. I took her small hands in mine, feeling the cold metal of all her rings. “Thank you so much.”

  “Happy I could help.” She cocked her head. Again, I was reminded of a bird listening. “Be careful of the bookshelf in the bedroom. There is a version of the future where it attacks you.”

  Okay….

  Starlight lifted Sir Zachary and kissed the top of his head before handing him to A.J.

  “Good luck,” she said as she walked us to the door. “I’ll be seeing you again, handsome.”

  I w
asn’t alone in my surprise when we all realized who she was talking to.

  Smith.

  “Uhh,” Smith said.

  Starlight just gave us a little wave and shut the door.

  “I like her,” A.J. announced.

  “Me too,” I agreed.

  “Yeah,” Yutika said, patting Smith on the arm. “Come on, handsome.”

  CHAPTER 8

  We drove straight to the BSMU campus on the other side of town. We called Kaira and Graysen on our way to update them. They were going to meet with the Super Mags as soon as Ma finished feeding them.

  Ma’s cooking was second only to Michael’s Whispering when it came to ensuring a peaceful conversation.

  We parked in the BSMU student lot, which was mostly empty given the late hour. Smith’s research had revealed that Pruwist’s widow was staying with her sister in New Hampshire, and the house she’d shared with her late husband was now vacant.

  Getting in would be a cinch. I just hoped Starlight had been right, and that I’d find the information I needed inside.

  “You all stay here,” I told the others, blowing on my fists. It would be quicker and draw less attention if I went in alone.

  “Take these,” Yutika said, handing over an earpiece and mike. She sketched on her open pad, and a few seconds later, she produced a tiny camera. “And this.”

  I fitted the camera into the buttonhole of my shirt, glancing over at Smith’s laptop to make sure the camera was working. It was.

  “We’ll keep our eyes on you, muffin,” A.J. told me. “If you need rescuing, we’ll be there in a jiffy.”

  “Watch out for the evil bookshelf,” Yutika reminded me.

  “Friggin’ Clairvoyants.” Smith rolled his eyes.

  Pulling up my collar so the titanium of my skin wouldn’t be so visible in the dark, I got out of the car. I jogged across the cobblestone path.

  “Take a right,” Smith said into my ear when I reached a fork in the path.

  He continued to give me directions as I made my way to the other end of campus. After about ten minutes of this, Smith said, “It’s the third building on your left.”

  The brick house was tucked behind two giant oak trees. The porch lights were on, but the rest of the house was dark.

  “Try under the doormat,” Smith told me before I just bashed my way into the house.

  Stealth wasn’t exactly my forte.

  “Who actually keeps their spare key under the doormat?” Yutika asked across my earpiece.

  The Pruwists, apparently.

  “Know it all,” I said to Smith’s quiet chuckle as I fished the key out from under the mat.

  I glanced around just to make sure no one was watching my break-in, and then I let myself into the house.

  I paused in the entryway to listen, but the house was silent.

  The air inside was stuffy, like the house had been closed up since Pruwist’s death. I used the flashlight on my phone rather than turning on any lights.

  “I didn’t know people actually covered their furniture with sheets outside of movies,” Yutika said in my earpiece as I entered the first room. “So creepy.”

  “Would it be tacky to turn this place into a haunted house and charge for admittance?” A.J. asked innocently.

  “Found the house’s blueprints,” Smith announced. “Staircase is through the next room on your left.”

  I kept my steps as quiet as titanium on hard wood could be and moved deeper into the house. The musty smell didn’t dissipate, and when I swiped a finger across a wooden table, it left a streak through the thick layer of dust.

  Clearly, no one had lived here for quite a while.

  I climbed the stairs two at a time and followed Smith’s instructions to the master bedroom. Since all the curtains in the room were closed, I turned on the bedroom light.

  I blinked several times as the room came into focus. It was as empty and abandoned as the rest of the house.

  There was a bedframe at the far end of the room, which had been stripped of its bedding. A desk had been cleared of everything except dust. Double-doors opened up into what looked like an enviable bathroom. The closet was catty-corner to the bathroom.

  “OMG people, this is it,” A.J. said, loud enough that I had to adjust the volume on my earpiece. “I’m so excited I can barely contain myself.”

  “Try,” came Smith’s surly reply.

  My own heart was thrumming against my ribcage. This was the break we’d been waiting for.

  I paused on my way through the room when I caught sight of a bookcase. Could it be the bookcase…the one Starlight had warned me about?

  I approached cautiously. When the bookcase didn’t develop fangs and jump me, I poked it, ready for something illusioned. It was solid wood and glass—just a regular, inanimate bookcase.

  “Maybe Starlight was referring to a different bookcase,” Yutika said.

  “Or she’s just another quack,” Smith said.

  “What exactly do you have against Clairvoyants?” I asked as I headed for the closet.

  “Yeah,” Yutika echoed. “What do you have against them, handsome?”

  “Will you let that go already?” Smith demanded as the rest of us tittered.

  I flipped on the light in the closet, which was as big as my old bedroom. I headed for the shoe rack on the far wall.

  “This dude had more shoes than Kaira,” Yutika noted.

  I wasn’t sure I’d go that far, but it was close.

  “Men’s fashion is much more nuanced than most people assume,” A.J. huffed.

  I found the crack in the paint I’d been looking for and gave the loose board a yank. The board came away, revealing a small compartment built into the wall. A safe was nestled inside.

  “Starlight was right,” I said, hardly daring to believe it.

  The safe was anchored to the floor, but it took little more than a tug for me to free it. I brought the safe into the bedroom, where the light was better.

  Kneeling on the ground, I dug my titanium fingers under the lip of the safe. Then, I peeled the top off like I was opening a tin can.

  I overturned the safe’s contents on the floor. Papers, jewelry boxes, and keys tumbled out. Ignoring everything except for the papers, I sifted through the mess until I found what I was looking for: a brown, sealed envelope.

  “Is that it?” Yutika asked in a breathless voice.

  “It has to be,” I said. “It’s the only brown envelope.”

  I sat in the center of the floor. For several seconds, I just held the envelope.

  “If Starlight was telling us the truth,” I told my friends in a reverent voice, “we’re about to find out where Agent S is made.”

  And then, we’d finally get answers about what had become of the slaves who were forced to produce it.

  “What are you waiting for?” Smith demanded. “Open it!”

  If I hadn’t been in my titanium form, my hands would have been shaking. I slid my finger under the seal.

  “Bri, watch out!” Yutika shrieked in my ear.

  I turned to the side in time to see the bookcase move. And then, someone crashed into me.

  CHAPTER 9

  Iwas knocked to the ground. Either I was seeing things, or a human whose body was colored just like the bookcase was on top of me. My titanium head thunked against the floor forcefully enough to dent the hardwood. Before I could recover, the envelope was torn from my hands.

  I heard my friends shouting across my earpiece, but all of my attention was on my attacker.

  Magic, so powerful it took my breath away, filled the room. Who was this person?

  A hard chest was pressed against mine. Male…my attacker was definitely male. The Mag felt human, but he matched the coloring and exact appearance of the bookshelf.

  I didn’t linger on that oddity. Regardless of how he looked, this man was normal flesh and bones. That gave me the advantage.

  I grabbed the bookcase-man around his biceps and threw him.

/>   There was a glimmer of color as the bookcase illusion—or whatever it was—disappeared. I waited for the sound of a body crashing through the wall.

  The sound and corresponding hole in the wall never materialized.

  There was a glimmer of color as the bookcase-person floated to a stop right before the wall…and disappeared.

  Invisible? Was this some relative of Subject 6’s we hadn’t been aware of?

  It didn’t matter. Whoever or whatever this man was, he had my envelope.

  I threw myself at the spot where I’d seen him phase out of sight. My fist grazed skin covered in bristly hair—a beard? I struck out for his nose, but the man had moved. My fist went right through the wall without encountering anything human along the way.

  “He’s a Chameleon!” Smith shouted in my ear. “Holy shit. I didn’t know they could be this powerful. Bri—”

  My earpiece fell out as a well-aimed punch made my head snap back. There was a muffled grunt, and I saw the faint outline of a man before he blended back against the wall.

  “I think you broke my hand,” the man complained. His voice was low and had a faint Spanish accent.

  “No, you broke your hand,” I retorted.

  Following the sound of his voice, I struck out. Wood splintered as I caught the edge of the bedframe.

  Male, husky laughter drew my attention to the opposite side of the bedroom. “Gotta be quicker than that to catch me.”

  I narrowed my gaze, searching for the man who was foolish enough to taunt a Steel.

  “Why don’t you show yourself,” I challenged. “I promise not to hurt you…much.”

  “Tell me,” the man said from behind me. I jabbed my elbow and caught nothing except air. “What will people say when they find out the famous Bri Hammond is breaking and entering?”

  I was momentarily stunned that he knew who I was, before I remembered it wasn’t surprising at all. As Kaira and Graysen’s Security Chief, I was on TV multiple times a week. And with A.J.’s media pushes, I’d gotten a few magazine write-ups.

  I hadn’t thought much about it before, but now, it made me feel exposed. This man knew who and what I was, while all I knew about him was that he was a Chameleon.