by Logan Byrne
“Winning a war, young one,” he said, before firing off blasts of blue energy from his hands while whispering under his breath.
“But why?” I asked.
“Because a bad woman needs to be stopped, that’s why. My mark, our mark, means that I am the bearer of these lands and must do whatever it takes to stop the darkness and evil that seeks to unhinge it,” he said.
“Is that why you called me here? To show me this?” I asked.
“You need to understand what will happen to you and your time if you do not act swiftly. Evil cannot be allowed to have power, or justice and truth will fall,” he said.
“What do you know of my time?” I asked.
“I know there have been countless people like Kiren before, just like there will be countless people like him after. Evil stays in the shadows, but sometimes spreads out to soak up the light. I know that you need to take care of him before he turns into her,” he said, his gaze directed off in the distance.
I looked where he looked, seeing a woman in gold a couple hundred feet away. She stared at him, maybe at us, if I were visible, and laughed while she commanded her forces to keep pushing forward with their attack. Was this what my battle would be like? This was a little medieval, but what if Kiren took us back to a darker time? What if this was a metaphor for things to come?
“Did you allow her to gain too much traction?” I asked.
“I was too passive in allowing her to move forward, yes. I made mistakes and let my passiveness allow her to gain a foothold into taking over this land. Now I must pay the price, and I must do whatever it takes to stop her in her tracks,” he said.
“I see,” I said, as he picked up his staff that sat upright in the dirt.
He mumbled, holding the fattened tip of his staff outwards, before a rift in the sky opened and rocks, or meteors I thought, began to fly through. They weren’t huge, but they started to pummel the other side, as the woman in gold began to look angry. I guess that smile was wiped off her face.
I couldn’t believe he possessed such raw power, to use magic like that, and I couldn’t help but wonder if it was because of the mark, or just the wizard he was. I looked down at my hands, trying my hardest to make them glow, but they wouldn’t. They were just my hands, and nothing more.
“Your magic won’t work here,” he said.
“Why not? I could help,” I said.
“Because this isn’t real, Lexa. This did happen once before, but you are experiencing it only through me now. Go home, and remember what I said. You were given this mark for a reason, and that reason has made itself clear. Restore balance to your time. I believe in you,” he said.
The reality that had created itself began to implode again, like it did in the gardens, before I spit out the wood against the wall, leaving a small mark, as I gasped for breath. I looked over and my eyes shot open wide, seeing Britta still fast asleep. I looked around for a clock, trying to see what time it was, but I had no idea what it was before I went in.
It felt so real, all of it. I could’ve sworn my body and spirit had been transported to those moments. How could it all have been from this stupid piece of wood? What tree was this thing even from, anyway?
I sat back in my chair, my sweat sticking my shirt to me, as I took deep breaths and tried to bring myself back down from what I’d just witnessed. One thing seemed apparent, and that was that the mark was trying to communicate with me, albeit through its past hosts, and it wanted me to take Kiren down. I hoped it wasn’t all in my head, though I guess ironically it was. But I knew I needed to heed their words and accept the responsibility that was bestowed upon me. Maybe I’d never know why I was chosen out of everybody, including the sleeping witch beside me, but the fact was that I was chosen, and I needed to accept it.
15
“Lexa, we found something,” Charlie said, as he and Xelia sat around her desk the next morning.
“What’s up?” I asked, walking over. There were surveillance photographs on her desk showing some of the vampires we’d seen during the raid. One caught my eye immediately, the one who was packing up the babies in the room before Charlie and I were attacked and incapacitated.
“How did you get these?” I asked.
“I followed them last night, to this place,” she said, pointing to a junky-looking shack in the pictures.
“Is it a club?” I asked.
“A motorcycle club, yeah. I don’t know what ties they have to this place, but they’re definitely hiding up in here so that they aren’t caught. Maybe they don’t think we’ll find them there, or maybe this place is just another shell company they’re using to funnel money and bodies,” she said, before clearing her throat. “We need to hit it.”
“What do we know about it? What kind of surveillance were you able to get?” I asked.
“I know there’s that main entrance, guarded by two very large bouncers. I think they might be giant hybrids, maybe something else, but they look too Neanderthal to be just mortals. There’s a door around back, with one dim light above it. The back is guarded by a chain-link fence and barbed wire, though, and I think it just leads into the kitchen or some kind of back room. I think we need to go in through the front,” she said.
“And are we just walking in like we own the joint, going in with a team, or asking nicely for them to let us in?” I asked.
“I think we need to ask nicely, say that we’re there to talk to them about their crimes,” Charlie said.
“No, we’re not doing that,” Xelia said, shaking her head. “I think we need to go in guns blazing, if I’m being honest.”
“Just the three of us?” I asked, scratching the back of my head.
“Unless you know some others who would want to help out,” she said, obviously hinting at Britta and Blake. “Shira might be able to help, she’s back from her fieldwork.”
“What about Mirian?” I asked.
“What about him? What he doesn’t know won’t hurt him. Besides, it’s not like we’re going in to kill anybody. We can ask to come in, nicely, and if they say no, or if they try anything, then they’re getting their asses kicked,” she said.
“I hope we aren’t playing with fire here,” I said, exasperated. “But I’m in.”
“This will be fun. What’s the plan once we get inside?” Charlie asked.
“Well, first we need to try to sniff out if any of the women or children are inside somewhere. They very well might be hiding them in a basement dwelling, though there’s no way to know without going in first. Incapacitating the people inside will be the next step, as well as arresting them,” she said.
“Won’t we need more people then?” I asked.
“Not with three witches there to immobilize them. If we arrest them, assuming they attack us and give us reason to, it will only cut the snake up a little more, causing a heavy blow to their organization. If they keep losing men and strength, they’ll come out of hiding eventually and give us what we want,” she said.
“I hope you’re right, Xelia. I sure hope you’re right,” I said, looking down at the photographs.
“You guys go find Britta and Blake, and I’ll take care of Shira. She owes me, anyway. The more people we have, the better.”
“Do you think they’ll go for it? It seems like we ask them for an awful lot when it comes to risking themselves on missions that quite honestly seem a little suicidal for both our safety and our careers,” Charlie said, as we walked down the hall trying to find Britta and Blake.
“I don’t think Xelia would lead us into a place she wasn’t confident about winning,” I said. “Besides, they know we’d do it for them.”
“Yeah, but we keep taking from them and they never even ask us for a stick of gum. I just feel bad is all, like we’re using them,” he said.
“Nah, they know we aren’t. They’ll be okay with it,” I said.
“And if we can just find the supplier, I think we’ll be okay,” Blake was saying, hunched over his desk, as Charlie and
I walked up.
“Knock, knock,” I said, tapping on the door.
“Hey, what are you guys doing here?” Blake asked, smiling.
“They want us to help them again,” Britta said.
“See! I told you!” Charlie said, grabbing me in shock.
“Britta, be nice. We’re always happy to help our fellow officers,” Blake said.
“I am being nice, they’re my best friends, but come on guys, another raid?” Britta asked.
“How did you even know?” I asked.
“Oh, please, as if you’re here just to socialize,” she said.
“Maybe we are,” I said, grabbing my hands behind my back.
“So are you?” she asked, her eyebrows raised.
“No, fine, we aren’t, but we really need your help,” I said, walking inside.
“Vampires again?” Blake asked.
“Xelia found their hideout, a motorcycle club in Queens. I think they’re hiding the babies or women, or both, inside. Besides, we have visuals that the men who attacked Charlie and me are there, so we can at least take them down,” I said.
“Yeah, that jerk broke my ribs,” Charlie said, gripping them. “I want to break something of his.”
“Aw, are you going to rub up against him like a little kitty cat?” Blake asked, teasing.
“Hey, shut up, at least I don’t have fleas,” Charlie quipped.
“I don’t have fleas!” Blake yelled.
“Boys, calm down,” Britta said, taking out her wand. “The next one of you to cause problems will get fleas.”
“You don’t have a spell for that,” Charlie said.
“Bro, she has a spell for everything. You wouldn’t believe what she comes up with in the field,” Blake said.
“Anyway, back to the point at hand, are you guys in? Xelia is getting Shira on board, so I think three witches, as well as a vampire, a jaguar shifter, and a werewolf will be able to get the job done,” I said.
“Shira is back?” Britta asked, a surprised look on her face.
“She just got back, apparently,” Charlie said.
“Hm, weird. Yeah, we’re in, but this is the last one, Lexa, I swear,” Britta said. “You guys will have to help us a couple times before we run back again, I mean it.”
“Thank you,” I said, before coming around the table and hugging her tightly, our cheeks squishing against one another.
“You’re lucky I love you,” she said, laughing. “When is this happening?”
“We aren’t sure, we’re waiting on Xelia, but I wouldn’t be surprised if it’s tonight. She likes to work swiftly, it seems,” I said.
“Well, we’ll be there to help. You can count on it,” Britta said.
“Thank you, guys, we’ll see you later,” I said, as Charlie and I walked to the door.
“That went well,” Charlie said, as we walked back towards Xelia’s office. “Happy they said yes.”
“Can I speak to you about something?” I asked, as we hit a spot where we were alone in the hallway, a prime opportunity to tell him what was on my mind.
“Is everything okay?” he asked, looking concerned. “I didn’t do anything, did I?”
“No! Not at all! I love having you as a partner and I wouldn’t change anything,” I said.
“Phew, then what’s up?” he asked.
“I want to do something, but I think it’s dangerous. I don’t feel like I can tell anybody else,” I said.
“Lexa, what is it?” he asked.
“Do you promise you won’t tell anybody?” I asked.
“Lexa, if it’s serious, I just—”
“Charlie, promise me. As your partner, trust that I’ll seek help if I get in too deep,” I said.
“Fine, I promise, but only for now. If I think you’re going to put yourself in danger, all bets are off,” he said.
“I’m going to that gala. You know, the one we found the invitation to in that guy’s office in the club. I want to go,” I said.
“What? Why would you want to do that? We’re hitting up the club tonight. There’s no reason to go try to find that guy,” he said.
“It’s not for him. Well, it isn’t totally for him. Getting eyes on him would be nice, but I have other motives. Kiren,” I said, whispering the final bit.
“Lexa,” he said, obviously not happy as he put his head back and sighed. “What are you doing?”
“I know he’s going to be there, and I think I can get much-needed information,” I said.
“Like what? What information could you possibly get by being there? What, are you going to go talk to him and make him confess in front of everybody? You’re just putting yourself in danger, with the mark and all,” he said.
“I would have a chance to brush elbows with him, Charlie. When will I ever get another chance like that?” I asked.
“Maybe it’s a good thing you won’t get another chance like that, though,” he said.
“I asked Faus this morning to do a little, well, research into him and about the building where the gala is taking place. Don’t you find it odd that something like this, a magical gala for magical creatures, is being held in the mortal realm?” I asked.
“Well, it’s a bit odd, yeah, but maybe it’s just a good venue. Mortals do have better architecture,” he said.
“Charlie, get real, we both know it’s odd. It’s not a mortal company, that’s why,” I said.
“Well, there have been a lot of magical people and companies over the centuries who have set up shop in the mortal realm. It’s not that out of the ordinary. It could just be a coincidence,” he said.
“He has an office there,” I said, smiling and nodding. I finally had my smoking gun against Kiren. Faus found out that there was a small part of the building, hard to find for almost anybody digging, that Kiren rented out under a shell name and used for who knew what. “He doesn’t know that anybody knows about it, he rents it under a fake name and alias. Why would he do that if he had nothing to hide there?”
“Lexa, you’re really playing with fire now. Don’t you think his place will be secured in some way? And how would you get away from the gala and get up to this secret office of his?” Charlie asked.
“That’s something I would have to figure out in the moment. Faus is already working on getting me the blueprints, and I’ll find a stairwell or elevator shaft. I’ll do whatever it takes to get up there and get inside,” I said.
“And you’re doing this all alone, then?” he asked.
“Nope,” I said, raising my chin a little.
“What? Who are you going with?” he asked.
“You, of course,” I said, smiling.
“Lexa, no! I can’t be implicated in something like that,” he said, obviously disturbed.
“You’ll just be my date. Faus is working on aliases for us, whole new identities, and nobody will know who you really are,” I said.
“I also want a mask or disfigurement or something. I don’t want to be spotted later on by somebody who was there. And I want you to know that I’m only going to protect you, not help you,” he said.
“That’s all I ask, to keep me safe and have my back while we’re at the gala. I’ll need a backstory, and that’s harder if I’m there alone,” I said.
“I still think we should tell somebody else, like Blake,” he said.
“Do you think Blake would let me go? He would squeal so quickly and then I’d never get the chance. There’s something up there in that office, Charlie. I plan to find out exactly what it is, and then we’ll be able to restore order to the realm. It’s been far too long, and I can no longer stand idly by as terror rules us all,” I said.
I kept out what I’d learned about my mark, the spirit aspect of it, from everybody but Mirian. I felt it was too hard to explain, and maybe too personal, to go around telling. I would, eventually, but just not now. For now it was better that Charlie didn’t know about that, even though he was my partner.
“I just hope you get somet
hing out of this,” he said, before we started to walk again as officers buried in folders came bustling around the corner.
“I hope so too, Charlie. I hope so too,” I said.
16
“Shira, it’s good to see you,” I said later that night as I walked into Xelia’s office.
“Lexa, how are you?” she asked, embracing me tightly. “I’ve seen the growth you’ve had since becoming an auditor. It’s been a while since that night in the casino, hasn’t it? Mirian has spoken so highly of you.”
“It has been quite a while. A lot has changed, that’s for sure. How were your travels?” I asked.
“They were an adventure, that’s for sure. I must say that I usually enjoy fieldwork, but I didn’t so much enjoy every aspect of this,” she said.
“Where were you located?” I asked.
“I was deep within the rainforests of Brazil, near the Amazon. There was a tribe down there that had been exposed to some unsavory magic that was corrupting their minds and bodies, using them as hosts in a parasitic way. Real nasty stuff,” she said. “But they’re better now, I made sure of it.”
“That definitely doesn’t sound fun, but then again Charlie and I did trek across Morocco for ten days,” I said.
“I heard about that. Did you find what you were searching for?” she asked.
“We did, but it all leads to this, doesn’t it? The cases never just end once you catch the perp. There’s always something bigger connected to it, especially in the magical realm,” I said.
“Ain’t that the truth,” she said, laughing.
“Okay, are we all here?” Xelia asked, as she and Britta walked into the office and shut the door.
“Ready,” Charlie said, his arms crossed.
“Tonight’s mission shouldn’t be too difficult, and I’m only saying that because of the fire power we have in this office. This raid isn’t exactly top secret, but it’s best not to blare it out to the entire precinct. There are a lot of loose lips here, and we want to make sure we can get in and get out without incident,” Xelia said.
