by N R Tucker
“No, I’ll return it to its rightful owner.”
“Hmm, don’t you think it should be destroyed?”
“Yes, I do, but the dragon supreme matriarch it belongs to wants it back.”
“For future reference, lead with ‘the magical artifact belongs to a dragon.’ It will eliminate most questions for your audience.”
“It does, doesn’t it,” Ryan grinned. They exited the car back at the farmhouse. After a thorough search of the house, they were once again in the room Ryan was held in. “Grab the cuffs. I’m not sure if they will regain their power, and I don’t want Spruce to use them on me again.”
“Seems wise,” Phoenix murmured.
Ryan glared at his uncle, but no smile touched his uncle’s lips as he picked up the cuffs. Ryan’s eyes narrowed, but all he said was, “Let’s check the barn. I don’t want to start this search over again.”
*****
Back in Calabozo, Ryan let loose a disgusted sigh. “Nothing. I’m back where I started. No leads.”
“That sounds like I’ll be here longer.” Parker offered up his own sigh. He had been in the little conference room for two days before they moved him to an actual prison cell. At least here Parker had a bathroom without needing to call for an armed escort. So far, he had watched Harry Potter, Indiana Jones, Twilight Zone, Star Wars, and every Star Trek movie ever made. He was now watching the original Star Trek TV series.
“Well, actually, we have a possible plan. It’s dangerous, so you need to think about it before you agree.”
“I’ll do it. Anything to get out of this cell,” Parker agreed immediately.
“Listen to the plan first,” Ryan ordered. “Do you think your brother and uncle would buy your disillusionment with preternaturals?”
“Doubtful. Clay’s a bully, but a smart one.”
“I was afraid of that.”
Parker leaned back in his chair. “He might buy that I’m afraid.”
“Explain.”
“I could contact my uncle. Tell him I was fired for not revealing the family relationship to known IGI/AIB members and then explain that I’m afraid the shifters are going to kill me because I know too much.”
“You think they’ll care?” Destin’s tone indicated that he didn’t.
Phoenix frowned, “They won’t, but if they think Parker has intelligence they could use against preternaturals, they will check it out.”
“And they just might beat the info out of you.” Ryan shook his head. “No, too dangerous.”
“I know it’s dangerous, but what other choice do we have? There must be some way to keep a tracker on me.”
“Not one they won’t find,” Phoenix argued.
Ryan leaned forward, “Maybe we do. I’ve got a plan that just might work.”
Chapter 31
Parker pulled into the parking lot, cut the engine, and sat for a moment. A week ago, he would have laughed if someone had told him he would be on a covert mission. He wasn’t the hero type. Parker got out of the car and headed into the dive – no one would give this place bar status – absently scratching his shoulder blade. He looked around, impressed by Ryan’s information. He had been shown photos, and told the names, of most of the people in the room, including the bartender. Parker’s uncle sat at a corner table, back to the long wall, so he walked over and sat down. He ignored the person hiding behind a newspaper at the next table. How cliché.
Uncle Jess barked a laugh, “My little nephew finally grew up and saw the world for what it is.” Aside from his beard moving into Duck Dynasty status, Uncle Jess hadn’t changed much.
“I’m glad I amuse you.” Parker dropped into a chair with his back to the corner wall, leaving both of them with a view of the room, and the door.
Jess nodded, “At least you’ve acquired some street smarts.”
“Had to,” Parker retorted. “They’re after me.”
“Why? What have you learned?” Clay leaned over from the next table. He didn’t drop the newspaper.
Parker scoffed. “Nothing. I did a lot of support work for Victoria Nelson, but I wasn’t allowed in her private lab.”
“I told you he wouldn’t be part of the inner circle.”
The man sitting next to Clay smiled. “Oh, I think he’ll be able to tell us a few things.”
Parker didn’t so much as twitch. Dave Roberts, senior, was a big deal in the AIB and the briefing Parker received included what happened to Victoria under Roberts’ orders. After her kidnapping, new security procedures were put in place for humans working at the facility and Parker suspected their homes were watched. He didn’t mind. He liked the added security. “I’ll tell you anything I can.”
“Yes, you will.”
Parker shuddered, no longer sure he would be able to pull off the deception.
*****
Ryan and Phoenix flew through the sky, following the truck down the back roads of West Virginia. On the plus side, both took a golden eagle form. On the negative side, golden eagles didn’t nest in West Virginia, and summer was the wrong time of year for them to be passing through. Hopefully, no one would notice, but Ryan wouldn’t count on it. Since the big preternatural reveal, humans developed an irritating policy of assuming any animal, not in its normal habitat, was a shifter. The fact that they were frequently right made it no less annoying for the shifters.
Ryan emitted one short high-pitched piping note and dove for the cover of some trees. Phoenix followed, and they watched the truck stop at a checkpoint a mile down the road. With their superior eagle eyesight, they observed the check-in process and watched the guards rough up Parker.
The truck passed the first checkpoint, and they retook flight. This time, Ryan set a shield of invisibility around them. They flew past the first and second checkpoints with no problem. The third checkpoint was the entrance to the building. The building boasted some type of laser shield. The birds banked left and landed in another stand of trees. This time they headed for sturdy branches where they could shift to human.
*****
“You guys really did drink the Kool-Aid, didn’t you?” Parker looked at the last of his family in disgust. He wasn’t surprised he was roughed up, but he was surprised his brother and uncle didn’t help.
Clay glared at Parker, “And you don’t know what you’re dealing with. For example, we tried to grab your girlfriend and her daughter to bring them here, for their own safety. They have shifter guards on them. Your girlfriend is feeding them.”
“Of course, she is. She knows I work for them and they probably gave her some story about keeping her safe while I’m missing.” Parker matched Clay glare for glare. “You do realize since I didn’t return home, she called my office. I’ll bet the shifters are searching for me now.”
“They sure are. You’re just lucky we have a safe place to hide you.”
*****
“Suggestions?” Ryan asked. Seemed silly, but the rank structure in the Alpha Clan was strict. If he didn’t ask, most alphas wouldn’t offer a suggestion, they simply waited for orders.
“Forgot who you were with, uh?” Phoenix smiled. As the only alpha not tied to rank, he didn’t need to be asked to offer his advice. When Ryan didn’t speak, he added, “Fine. We need to get through the checkpoints. Find someone off duty, you glamour to look like ’em, and bring me in as a trophy found in a bar or something.”
Ryan nodded, “I agree, but for once if I tell you to leave, get Parker out of there and get gone.”
“No deal, but I promise to make sure Parker is safe before I disobey.”
Ryan shrugged. It was better than he expected from his most disobliging uncle.
A couple of hours later, Ryan drove down the road conveniently wearing the face of one Evan Miller. It went nicely with Evan’s wallet, security badge, and car. Thinking of the car made Ryan cringe. It was a 1966, mint condition shadow blue Mini Cooper. Evan took care of his car.
Using glamour to look like an average Joe, Ryan struck up a conversa
tion with Evan. It didn’t take long to discover that Evan only worked for the AIB because they had the only jobs available in the area. Evan had already lost the family farm. Unlike his father and his father before him, Evan wasn’t a farmer. Shortly after, his wife left and took the kids. He needed money, so Evan took the only job available. He was getting ready to sell the Mini Cooper – his father’s true baby – and move on. Evan didn’t have the stomach for the AIB job, and the car was his only way out. He had decided to take it for one last spin before delivering it to the buyer. Ryan vowed to himself that he would get the car back to Evan in mint condition.
“Nice car.” The guard said as he approached the vehicle.
“It was Dad’s. What’s in the back seat is more interesting. Met him in a bar.” Ryan had pitched his voice a little deeper and hoped it would be enough. He didn’t have the fae ability to absorb languages or mimic accents and voices.
The guard peered in the back and laughed at Phoenix, trussed up like a Christmas turkey. “Lucky dog. You’ll get a promotion for this. How did you capture him?”
“He’s immune to magic, not tire irons.” Ryan made use of the fact that the news stations had run a video of that immunity a few months ago.
“Smart thinking. You’re clear.” The guard sent a hand signal to the other guard, and the gate opened.
Ryan drove through and did a repeat at the second gate. At the third gate, he was greeted by an AIB herd, led by Dave Roberts.
“It’s a night of surprises,” Dave grinned. “Take Phoenix to a holding cell.”
Watching Phoenix being dragged down the hallway still pretending to be unconscious, Ryan almost missed the guard’s order, “Handprint.” Ryan walked over and placed his hand on the scanner. Typically, glamour wouldn’t pick up prints, but he had studied Evan’s hands and hopefully matched the prints with his glamour. The device flashed green.
Dave patted him on the back. You’ve done well this evening. We just received a tip about Phoenix being in the area.
Ryan grinned. Phoenix had called in that tip.
Handprint notwithstanding, Ryan was questioned for hours on how the capture occurred. Finally, he was allowed a few minutes to himself. Ryan listened to the conversation on the other side of the glass. He would find Phoenix and Parker in the same area. He walked into the restroom and into a stall. He set his shield of invisibility and breathed a sigh of relief that his use of magic didn’t kick off any alarms. He moved down the hallway and followed the signs to the holding area. The facility was set up like an office building with signs to everything. The first thing on his to do list when he returned to Calabozo would be to remove what few signs there were or at least turn them into codes.
“When do you meet up with him again?” Dave Roberts asked.
Ryan stopped and listened.
“I need to leave now to make the meeting,” Clay said.
“I want that sword. Understand? Get it.”
“Easier said than done. Since he arrived here, he guards it at all times. I can’t get close. There’s some type of shield.” Clay glared back. He didn’t like Dave’s superior tone.
“Why hasn’t the fae used it himself?”
Don’t know. Spruce said he didn’t want to draw attention, so I think other fae will somehow know if he does.”
“Find out if they will know if we use the sword,” Dave said.
“Find out yourself,” Clay muttered. “Oh right, you can’t. I’m your contact with the fae. Remember that.”
“Yes, you are,” Dave agreed as he walked off, “For now.”
Clay snarled at Dave’s back before turning and walking toward the exit.
Even though it was the plan, Ryan debated what to do, save his friends or chase the sword. With a prayer that his strategy would work, Ryan followed Clay, hopefully, to the sword.
*****
Evan Miller woke in the bushes behind the parking lot. His head pounded, and his eyes were full of sand. At least that’s what it felt like. He rolled to a standing position and discovered his head was not on board with that plan. Evan dropped to one knee and clutched his head. After a few minutes, he stood again and surveyed the parking lot.
Joe, or whatever his real name was, had knocked him out, taken his wallet and his car. The Mini Cooper his father had prized, had been the only thing Evan had left that he could have used to escape the job with the AIB.
Evan stood in the middle of the parking lot with his hands on his hips. He reached for his phone, only to discover it was gone. The back door of the bar opened, and he didn’t even look around. He had nothing left to steal.
“Hey, man. You ok?” The man tossing trash into the bin looked over at Evan.
“Car stolen. So, no, not ok.”
“Sucks, man.” The guy went back into the bar without offering to help.
Shoulders slumped, Evan dusted off his pants and took the first step in his three-mile walk to his apartment. At mile one the family farm, the one the creditors took, stood on his right. Yet another failure. As he walked, Evan was reminded of all the questionable actions he had taken for the AIB. He wouldn’t go back there. Evan’s hand was on the door knob before he remembered his apartment key was with his car key. Joe, the thief, had his keys.
Evan looked at the door to his garden apartment for a few before walking two doors down and knocking. Hopefully, his elderly neighbor would remember all the times Evan had helped out by carrying groceries and running errands. He knocked three times before he heard shuffling on the other side of the door.
“It’s two am. Go away. Come back at a reasonable hour.”
“Sorry, Mr. Abernathy.” Evan placed his hand on the door jam. “My wallet, keys, and car were stolen. I had to walk home and need someone to call maintenance to let me in.”
“Miller, that you?”
“Yes, sir.”
Mr. Abernathy moved the curtain back and looked at Evan before unlocking the door and stepping back. “Come on in, Son. I’ll get you some water while you call maintenance. The number is by the phone. Heaven knows I have to call them often enough.”
Evan sighed in relief and followed his neighbor into the apartment.
Chapter 32
Phoenix watched the butterfly flitter into his cell. “Keys?”
Fred batted his wings but didn’t shift to speak. He wasn’t sure if shifting inside the cell would set off alarms.”
Phoenix nodded his understanding. “I’ll fade to shadow and you, in that spiffy AIB uniform you’re supposed to have on, will walk Destin out like he’s on his way to more talks. You’ve explored the facility, right?”
Fred waved his wings up and down, irritated at the question.
“Okay. Sorry. Let’s get this show on the road.” Phoenix faded to shadow and watched Fred shift, retrieve the keys, and release him. Phoenix frowned at the bruises on Parker. “Your brother?”
“No, Dave Roberts had some muscle-bound idiot pound on me to see if I forgot anything. I’m okay with torching this place.” He limped out of the cell.
“Sorry, the sovereign wants it intact for intel,” Fred explained, “But don’t worry. No one else will be trapped here for interrogation.” He grabbed Parker’s arm and marched down the hallway. No one stopped them until they turned toward the parking area.
“Where you goin’ with that prisoner?” The burly guard was no match for Fred in height, but his muscle mass more than made up for his lack of inches. Both men stood ready to fight, like well-trained bouncers. If it came to a fight, it would be a good one.
Fred shrugged. “To transportation. Roberts doesn’t want him near the shifter in case a rescue is attempted.”
“Roberts does plan ahead.” The guard stepped out of the way.
Fred nodded and moved on. They made it to the parking garage where Phoenix tapped him on the shoulder, pushing them toward a Mini Cooper. Phoenix unlocked the car and dropped into the shotgun seat, still invisible.
“Nice car.” Fred helped Parker into the f
loor of the back seat, covered him with a blanket, and climbed into the driver’s seat.
“Yeah, I hope you don’t have to scratch it to get us out alive. The owner, Evan Miller, isn’t a bad guy, just a guy in a bad situation.”
“Okay, let’s do this.” Fred drove toward the exit and was immediately stopped. Apparently, they checked leaving as well as arriving. He rolled down the window and said, “Whatcha need?”
“Why are you in Evan’s car?” The guard wasn’t smiling.
“He was worried about this baby. Asked me to drive it back home. He’ll follow shortly with my car.”
The guard started to argue but then shrugged and motioned them through. The other checkpoints weren’t a problem. A couple of miles later Phoenix took form.
Parker pointed to a man on the side of the road and asked, “Is that the sovereign’s bodyguard?”
“Sure is.” Fred slowed to a stop and rolled down the windows. “Kyan, I didn’t find any other prisoners.”
Kyan peered into the back seat, “Who did this to you?”
Parker shrugged, “A guard, with Roberts’ blessing.”
Kyan stood back, opened the door, and created an earth side gate. “Fred, take Parker to medical. Then he’ll meet with Loane and the sovereign.”
Parker’s eyes widened. He never expected to meet the sovereign. He tripped exiting the car and bumped into Fred. So much for calm, cool, and collected. He entered his first gate, surprised to exit on a platform inside PAC HQ. At least it looked like pictures he had seen of the facility. While Fred talked with the people who surrounded them, Parker looked around in amazement. Huge facility, and lots of activity. He couldn’t believe he was here.
And then they were off. Fred led Parker down a corridor toward another checkpoint.
Chapter 33