Cabal

by David Delaney

  "So, do you like, want to take on all seventy million at once, or can we pace ourselves," said Wyatt, grinning.

  Morgan laughed. Wyatt had that effect on people. "I think that answer is best left to our resident Ollphiest."

  I was impressed that Morgan was able to pronounce the term correctly on his first try. I was also a little shocked that he was deferring to me. He was the one with decades of fighting experience.

  The warrior recognizes what we are and what we represent.

  Yeah, but that's what scares me.

  All eyes were on me, waiting to see how I would respond.

  "Well, if we're going to power-up some fancy, Lucy body-art, I guess I'm going to need a quick tutorial on spell casting," I said.

  We moved into the living room so we had more room. On a pad of paper Lucy sketched a symbol that combined multiple runes. The resulting power rune, as Lucy called it, looked very magical indeed and it was easy to imagine it being printed on posters, t-shirts and made into jewelry. The D&D crowd would love it.

  Wyatt wasn't happy that he'd been chosen to receive the first tattoo.

  Maddie planted her hands on her hips. "You were all gung-ho a few minutes ago."

  "Yeah, but that was before I was made the guinea pig," Wyatt whined.

  "It needs to be you," Lucy said. "A shifter's healing ability makes the process longer and we need your blink to test if it works."

  “What about Orson’s AOE blast. I have very sensitive eardrums.”

  “I’ve got you covered,” said Maddie. “Your precious ears will be safe.”

  Wyatt didn't looked convinced, but pulled his shirt off and leaned over the back of a chair so Lucy could place the tat on his shoulder blade. Morgan moved in for a closer look. Piper, being the highly skilled counterfeiter and forger she was, had all the necessary items needed for Lucy to transfer the sketch from the paper to Wyatt's upper back. Once the artwork was placed Lucy used her magic to fuse the ink into the skin.

  Morgan was impressed. "A painless tattoo process. If you could bottle that, you could retire.”

  "That was the easy part," said Lucy. "Now we have to add the magic."

  It was my turn. I still wasn't sure it would work, but I scooted up to sit next to Lucy and placed my fingertips on Wyatt's back, encircling the tattoo.

  "Hey, Orson," said Wyatt. "Don't accidentally fry any of my vital bits, okay?"

  "You got it, buddy. No frying, I promise.” I frowned at Elyse, worried. What if I did hurt the kid? I'd never forgive myself. Elyse smiled and wiggled her nose in encouragement.

  "Wyatt," said Lucy. "We're going to have Maddie join us for this part, just as a precaution."

  "What?" Wyatt said, his voice cracking. "Why do we need Maddie if there's not going to be any pain or permanent damage?"

  "It’s like car insurance. You know, just in case," said Lucy.

  Maddie is wicked smart. She sat down in front of Wyatt so he could see her. She shushed him and reached up to gently run her fingers through the hair on the sides of his head. Wyatt calmed instantly. My sight was already switched on in preparation for the spell work and I noted that Maddie hadn't hit Wyatt with any mojo, it was purely her touch that had soothed him. Oh boy. I hoped she understood how hard the kid was crushing on her.

  "Okay, Orson," said Lucy, placing her hands on top of mine. "You're going to need to let me through your force field of an aura so I can guide you."

  I nodded once. "I'm ready."

  I focused on my energy, zeroing in on the places it bumped up against Lucy's aura. I mentally poked and prodded at the barrier protecting me. It responded, slowly, but it was working. Lucy's magic entwined itself with mine, creating something new and powerful.

  "That's it," Lucy said, quietly. "The spell's ready, but it's not responding to me anymore, it's all you, Orson. You can do it."

  I focused my will the way Lucy had instructed me to, pouring all my intention into the outcome I desired. The new swirling ball of energy descended to Wyatt's back and melted into the tattoo. The black rune flared once and then—nothing.

  "Um," I said. "Did it work?"

  "I think so." Lucy tapped Wyatt's shoulder. "How do you feel?"

  "Not invisible, if that's what you're asking," said Wyatt.

  "Is he supposed to be invisible?" asked Morgan, fascinated.

  "No, he's just being Wyatt," said Maddie.

  "Okay, Wyatt, you need to blink to maximum distance," instructed Lucy.

  The kid pulled his shirt on and blinked away. Lucy closed her eyes, hands held over a globe Piper had dug out of a box in the garage. In the magic spectrum I watched Lucy spell the globe, its depiction of the world's continents glowed momentarily. It took a minute, but then ten tiny red dots appeared scattered around the globe.

  "Is this good or bad?" asked Elyse.

  Lucy chewed on her bottom lip. "The spell was supposed to mask Wyatt's location. He shouldn't show up on the globe at all. But look," Lucy pointed. "He's showing up in ten different spots around the world, but none of them are here in Mulholland Canyon, where he's actually located."

  "So it worked, just not how we expected?" I asked.

  "Yeah," said Lucy.

  Morgan pulled off his shirt and jumped in the chair. "I'm next. Magic me up."

  “Hold on,” said Lucy. “We need to check the hearing protection spell.” She triggered the comm spell behind her ear. “Wyatt, come back, it worked.”

  Wyatt popped back into the living room.

  Lucy pointed to the hallway. “Okay, everyone except Wyatt, Orson, Maddie and me, into the sound proof computer room.”

  Maddie quickly shielded Lucy and her own ears, giving me the okay sign when she was done. I stripped and shifted into beast form. Man, I hoped this worked. Wyatt closed his eyes tight, bracing for the worst.

  I didn’t hold back, the test needed to be perfect. I let the weapon that was my beast form roar rip.

  Wyatt’s eyes popped open. “Ow. That was hella loud, but look, I’m not unconscious.”

  Lucy blew out a breath and Maddie uncapped their ears. Morgan cracked the door open and called down the hall, “Are Wyatt’s ears bleeding? Or is it my turn now?”

  “It worked,” Wyatt called back. “I’m not deaf or paralyzed.”

  “Let’s get the rest of you spelled up,” said Lucy. “And then I seriously need some sleep.”

  “Amen,” I said.

  I woke up to my stomach growling in protest at the lack of my recent food intake. Piper played hostess, whipping up a huge breakfast of pancakes, eggs, bacon and fruit. That, combined with the few hours of sleep, had us feeling like new people. Piper programmed her SUV’s GPS with the directions for our trip to Van Nuys airport.

  "I grew up in the Valley," said Morgan. "I think I can find Van Nuys."

  Piper winked at him. "By failing to prepare, you are preparing to fail."

  "Who said that?" asked Maddie.

  "Ben Franklin." Piper wore a wistful look. "He was just as brilliant and horny as history makes him out to be."

  Morgan stared at Piper.

  Lucy hooked her arm through his. "Come on, old man, it's time to leave."

  "But . . ." Morgan's head craned around so that he could continue to stare at Piper as Lucy led him to the car. "Does she mean . . . did she . . . do you think?"

  Wyatt said, "I've figured out it's best not to ask when magic folk start name-dropping."

  Piper blew him a kiss and gave a little wave.

  It was late enough in the morning that traffic north was light-ish. We reached the small municipal airport with time to spare. Even though no major airlines used Van Nuys, it was one of the busiest airports in the world, due mostly to all the private planes taking off and landing each day. We located the two pilots who would be flying us down to Mexico. They were both shifters—and part-time smugglers.

  "Part of Piper's network of chaotic-neutral friends, I guess" said Wyatt, and then to Morgan he explained, "That means they scoff at the
world's laws but have a do-gooders attitude."

  "Wyatt, I was playing RPG and video games decades before you were born," said Morgan.

  "Oh, right," said Wyatt. "I keep forgetting you used to be cool." He laughed and pantomimed a rim-shot.

  "You're lucky you can teleport, kid," said Morgan with mock menace.

  Piper had apparently told the shifter pilots who I was, because they treated me with complete deference. I didn't know if I could get used to total strangers treating me like visiting royalty. The pilots got us situated on the Gulf Stream, pointing out all the luxurious amenities. I'm not going to lie, flying on a private jet is totally cool and I would highly recommend it to anyone who just stole two hundred million dollars from a psychotic, murderous blood-mage.

  We were flying somewhere over Northern Baja when Morgan finally broached a subject that didn't come as a shock at all. I was only surprised that he had waited so long.

  "Lucy," Morgan said. "What other super-tattoos might be on the menu?"

  Lucy was lounging back in one of the deep leather chairs with her feet up and eyes closed. "Why?" she smiled. "Isn't a comm tattoo and a cloaking tattoo enough for you?"

  "Actually, no," said Morgan. "Not if we're going up against Marcus and whatever surprises he might have waiting for us."

  Lucy pulled her feet down and sat up, a serious look on her face. "What are you asking?"

  "Can you enhance me, magically?" said Morgan. "We already know the tats work on me. So, why not power me up as much as possible?"

  "Oh man, that would be sweet." Wyatt was nerding out. "You could buff him with speed, agility and maybe strength."

  "It's not that simple," said Lucy. "The comm and cloak spell, even the shield for Orson’s roar, don't affect you physically. Your body isn't built for the extra stress the magic would put it through. A Paragon is born with all that stuff baked into their DNA. That's why magic isn't performed on regular people, it could kill you."

  "I'm willing to risk it," said Morgan. "Maddie's magic didn't hurt me. It actually made me feel great."

  "That's because she's a healer. I'm a battle-mage. I know it seems like it's all the same, but my magic is very different than hers. It has one purpose and that's to inflict damage."

  "The comm spell doesn't seem very dangerous," said Morgan.

  Lucy huffed. "You know what I'm saying. Yes, to a certain degree, I can manipulate my magic for other uses—"

  "Great." Morgan rubbed his hands together. "You try and work your spell stuff. If it doesn't work, Maddie can heal anything you break."

  Tears welled up in Lucy's eyes. "Damn it! Stop being so casual about this. I just got you back, I can't lose you again." Lucy looked away, wiping at the tears. "I need you."

  "Hey.” Morgan stretched out a foot and nudged Lucy's leg. "I'm not going anywhere, promise. But up against an enemy like Marcus, without even trying to give ourselves every advantage, seems like a mistake."

  Lucy turned back toward him, her dark eyes glistening. "Alright, we'll try. But if I do something that ends up hurting you instead of helping you . . . I promise that I will set you on fire."

  Morgan laughed. "Deal."

  Once again Lucy sketched a power rune. When she was happy with how it looked she inked Morgan. She made sure Maddie was standing by ready with the heals.

  Lucy explained, "If this works, you should be faster and stronger. I couldn't push the limits too far. There are tolerances the human body just can't physically overcome." Lucy took a deep breath. "Are you ready?"

  “Absolutely,” Morgan said, closing his eyes.

  Lucy placed her hands on the new tattoo adorning Morgan's chest. She'd positioned it on the left so that it wasn't exactly opposite from the cloaking tattoo on his right shoulder. I watched with my sight turned on, Lucy's magic flared in her hands as she charged the tattoo. She sat back when she was done.

  We all held our breath.

  Morgan cracked an eye open. "Is that it? I don't feel anything."

  A shockwave pulsed from Morgan's body, lighting up the magic spectrum. The force of the wave knocked Lucy and Maddie backward onto their butts. The rest of us were spared simply because we were still seated. The entire plane shimmied, it felt like we were flying through the worst turbulence ever. And when the shaking abruptly stopped the plane lost power. The whine of the engines cutting out left us sitting in an eerie quiet.

  Oops.

  Chapter Sixteen

  The engines didn't come back on and the plane began to descend rapidly. We weren't quite in free-fall—yet.

  "What the hell was that?" I asked.

  Lucy crawled to Morgan's seat. "Are you alright?"

  "I'm fine, but I'm assuming that wasn't supposed to happen?"

  "Guys," said Wyatt. "Why aren't the engines coming back on?"

  I focused and could hear the pilots talking through the problem.

  "Everything's dead," said the chief pilot. "Even the redundant systems that draw their power from separate sources are gone."

  "That's not possible," said the co-pilot.

  "Elyse, the phone your dad gave you, where is it?" I asked.

  The plane was dipping at an alarming rate and we were picking up speed. Elyse pulled the phone from her pocket and tossed it to me. I tried to power it on, but it was bricked.

  "I think what came out of Morgan was some kind of magic EMP. Nothing electronic is currently working." I held up the phone.

  "But, the power will come back on, right?" asked Maddie.

  "I don't know," I admitted. "Really large EMPs blast through electronics, causing serious damage that requires parts to be replaced."

  "We're in an airplane," said Wyatt. "We can't exactly pull over and check the spark plugs."

  "Even with a flame-out, planes don't just drop out of the sky," said Morgan. "If the pilot's worth his salt, he can glide us to a safe landing. The problem is this isn't a flame-out. All the power's gone, and that means they won't be able to control the flaps or read any of their instruments."

  "I can hear the pilots," I said. "They're trying everything they can think of, but it's not looking good."

  The plane lurched forward and sideways. We were definitely starting to free-fall, and if that happened the plane might break apart.

  "Wyatt, have you ever blinked after jumping off something?" I asked, hopeful.

  "Yeah, I've jumped off a couple of buildings. A blink’s a blink, so I ended up on the ground exactly where I was aiming for, but the tallest building was like, three stories, dude. We're like, 40,000 feet in the air."

  "But the principle has to be the same. In theory you could just keep blinking until you reached the ground, right?" I asked.

  "What about the laws of motion?" Morgan asked. "We're still going to be falling and at some point we'll hit terminal velocity. The result is we end up a giant wet spot on the ground."

  “My blinks negate speed and motion," said Wyatt.

  Morgan shook his head. "Of course they do, how silly of me. But what about oxygen? The air’s pretty thin this high, we'll probably black out."

  The plane lurched again. It felt like we were going to roll upside down, which I assumed the Gulf Stream company had never designed their planes to do.

  "We'll hold our breath," I snapped at Morgan. "But we've got to go, now, before we lose the option.”

  Wyatt looked so stressed I thought he might throw up, but he just nodded and unbuckled his seat belt, reaching for Elyse and Maddie who were closest to him.

  "Everybody grab on," he said. "And hold on to your butts."

  I unbuckled. "I need to get the pilots, don't leave without me."

  The kid gave me a weak smile.

  I was tall enough to brace my hands against the ceiling and steady myself as I walked to the cockpit. I was almost there when the plane dropped a good hundred feet straight down, only my strength keeping me upright. There were shouts from behind me and I turned to see my friends in a jumble of arms and legs.

  Then the
cabin lights flickered.

  Once.

  Twice.

  On the third time they stayed on and then the engines roared back to life. It was the sweetest sound I had ever heard. Cheers erupted and I turned just as Elyse flung herself into my arms. I held her tight. Wyatt had collapsed into a one of the leather chairs, leaning forward to put his head between his knees and taking big gulps of air.

  Maddie was talking him down. "It's cool, we're good. But I don't doubt for a second that you could have pulled it off." She squeezed his arm.

  Lucy was giving Morgan the once-over, checking for any magical damage I'm sure. I switched on my sight to have a look at his aura, and it was normal.

  Wait.

  What was that?

  I set Elyse down, grabbing her hand to pull her along behind me. When we reached Morgan and Lucy I squinted my eyes, focusing more closely on his energy signature.

  Lucy stiffened next to me. "What is it? What do you see?"

  "I think it worked," I said.

  "Really?" said Morgan. "I don't feel anything."

  The cockpit door opened and the co-pilot stepped into the cabin. The poor guy looked wrung out. "Is everybody alright?"

  "We're all good," I said. "Amazing job getting the engines restarted."

  "We don't know what happened," he said, a jitter still in his voice. "But we're looking for the closest airfield. We'll land and get another plane flown out ASAP."

  "Uh," I said. "That won't be necessary."

  "The plane lost all power," he said. "It might happen again. We're landing."

  Lucy stood up so she could address the pilot from a less vulnerable angle. "We were experimenting with a bit of spell work," she admitted. "It's what caused the problem. I'm really sorry, it's not something I expected or have even experienced before."

  The co-pilot looked pissed. He rubbed a hand down his face. "You guys were doing magic back here? While we’re in the air?"

  "Yes, sorry." Lucy gave him her best smile.