She clasped her hands to her mouth and was about to hoot hello, when something told her it was a bad idea. There might be something nasty lurking in the back room. Best not make a sound until she felt safe in the company of the others.
One foot on the top step, she paused. Faint voices drifted up the stairs, but she couldn’t be certain. The thought occurred to her that she’d never before been down these rickety old stairs on her own. There’d always been someone to accompany her, either in front or behind. Now, if her foot went through the step, there’d be no one to save her.
Placing a hand on the banister, she moved her foot down to the next step. After the third step, she once again paused. Holding her breath, she tried to identify the voices, to reassure herself that she wasn’t about to set foot into a room full of burglars or worse. For once, the sound of Karl’s voice actually made her smile, and she continued her descent, before pausing again. There was another voice, warm and familiar. It could only belong to one person.
“Hi, everyone,” Scarlett said, making her entrance. She glanced around at each of them in turn, smiling and nodding, until she came to her aunt.
“Aunt Tabitha, what a pleasant surprise!” Scarlett smiled and walked across room to be by her side. Now, she knew everything was going to be okay and there was absolutely nothing to fear.
Aunt Tabitha flashed a smile at Scarlett and waved her back. She was deep in conversation with Tarquin and from the look of things, it was about something important, or complicated or both. Tabitha slapped Tarquin on the back, said something under her breath, and they both chuckled. For what seemed like an age they both stood there swapping anecdotes, laughing together and sometimes exchanging information that would produce a gasp from the other.
“Psst. Scarlett!”
Scarlett looked over her shoulder to see Karl and Cliff watching them from a distance. Scarlett tiptoed towards them and joined in the conversation.
“Look at them, thick as thieves,” Karl was saying, “I wouldn’t be surprised if they’re plotting something.”
Cliff laughed. “Don’t be ridiculous.”
“Well, sorcerers and witches are at the most powerful when they work together. If they were plotting, we’d be pretty powerless to stop them.”
Cliff shook his head. “No, still can’t see it.” He glanced at Scarlett. “And if they were plotting, she’s hardly going to endanger her own niece, is she?”
“No, suppose not.” Karl looked at Scarlett. “Thanks for coming Scarlett, everything okay at the shop?”
“Oh, yes, couldn’t be better. If anything, takings were up on yesterday.”
Karl’s eyes lit up. “Good, glad to hear it, well done.”
“So, then. Why was I called here? What’s going on?”
“It’s Ronnie.” He glanced at Cliff.
“You tell her.”
“Okay. You’d better brace yourself, Scarlett.”
Scarlett braced herself. “Okay, I’m ready.”
“Tarquin and I went around to Ronnie’s house to see if he’d made it back okay.”
“And? Did you find him?”
“Not a sign. So, Tarquin went upstairs, found Ronnie’s hairbrush and starts waving it around, saying he wants to do a scrying spell.”
“Scrying spell? What’s one of those? Sounds intriguing.”
“Yes, yes, I’m coming to that already if you let me!”
“Sorry.” She mimed a zipping motion across her mouth.
“Much to my surprise, all this hocus pocus stuff didn’t turn out to be one huge waste of time. We came back here, and over there, where your aunt’s standing now”—he gestured with his head at Tabitha— “a column of blue light appeared and in it, we could see Ronnie.”
Scarlett’s expression was a mixture of astonishment, enlightenment, and intrigue. “And? What did you see?”
“Well, this is where you need to brace yourself.”
She once again stiffened. “Okay.”
“He was in a cage, locked up like a wild animal in a zoo. Curled up, chained, and naked on the floor, still in wolf form.”
“Oh my God, poor Ronnie.”
“It gets worse. Some guy in a military uniform walked along the aisle. Looks like a real nasty piece of work, hitting his baton against the cages, making them clang, driving the inhabitants wild. Comes to Ronnie’s cage, stepped inside and told him it was time.”
Scarlett’s lip started to quiver. “Time? Time for what?”
“We’re not completely sure, but we think some kind of test.”
“W—what makes you think that?”
“Because just before the image faded, he grinned at Ronnie and said, ‘if only you knew what we’re going to do to you’. And his eyes, you should have seen his eyes. Like whatever it was they were going to do, he was going to enjoy every single minute of it. A real sadist.”
Scarlett’s expression was a mixture of horror and concern. “Poor Ronnie!”
Karl nodded. “Yes, poor Ronnie.”
“So, now we know what’s happening to him, what are we going to do?”
“A-ha. That is what this meeting’s about and why you’ve been asked to come along.”
“Okay, I get it. But what’s my Aunt Tabitha doing here, of all people?”
All chatter in the room ceased as everyone turned to watch Tabitha cross the floor to stand beside her niece. “To help of course.”
“How?”
“Well, it’s a long story, but our families go back generations.”
“I knew you were acquaintances but had no idea it went back generations.”
“Well, we don’t go shouting it from the rooftops, that’s why. Experience has taught us to keep it quiet. Last thing we need is for word to get out that a witch is in cahoots with a sorcerer.”
“Mmm. I see your point.”
“We haven’t seen each other for such a long time, it was really good to catch up in a place where we don’t have to keep up the pretense. We’re all in it together here.”
“Well, I suppose—”
“You happy with that explanation?”
Scarlett nodded. “Yeah.”
“Excellent.” Tabitha crossed the floor to reunite herself with Tarquin, who grinned and patted her back as soon as she was close enough.
Scarlett was left on her own, looking up at the ceiling, bewilderment written all over her face. Tabitha’s revelation was clarifying and of course, there was no reason why they couldn’t go back years. After mulling it over and over in her mind, she decided to welcome this and shifted her thoughts to Ronnie.
Tarquin nodded to Tabitha, stepped into the center of the room, and slow-clapped his hands three times. Everyone in the room turned to give him their undivided attention.
“Okay, thank you all for coming. The purpose of this meeting, as most of you know, is to try and come up with an idea to get into the military base. The place is guarded night and day, so it’s not going to be easy. I’d like to start with a short brainstorming session to see what we can come up with.”
There then followed roughly ten minutes of suggestions, ranging from the ingenious to the downright ridiculous. To his credit though, Tarquin didn’t discourage anyone, although Scarlett could tell he was bemused by some of the outrageous plans that surfaced.
Tarquin clapped his hands for a second time. “Okay, thanks for all your suggestions. I think, though, from the points made, that the way forward is obvious to us all. What we need is a spell to take care of the human element. If we can make it so that anyone breaking in can’t be seen, the military personnel will become discombobulated and we might just pull this off. So, Tabitha, if you’d like to step this way, please.”
They went off into the corner to see what they could come up with. They each started chanting and making weird noises individually to begin with, but after a few minutes, they started working together.
Once again assuming center stage, Tarquin clapped his hands to gain everyone’s attention. “Okay,
everyone, that’s the human element taken care of. However, we still need a way of physically getting into the base, so if you could get your thinking caps on once again, people.”
This time the ideas were decidedly more credible, so after only five minutes, Tarquin decided enough was enough and declared the second brainstorming session officially over.
“Okay, so we’re all agreed that we need someone with superior hacking skills?”
Everyone nodded.
Tarquin decided to throw a cat amongst the pigeons. “Or, someone with a pass, and another spell to mess with the cameras.”
A silence followed by a murmur that grew louder as it spread around the room.
“Does anyone know anyone with access to a pass?”
Scarlett stepped forward and cleared her throat. “I… uh,” she squeaked. “I might be able to get hold of Tim’s pass.”
Tarquin nodded. “So, we need to get Tim on board to provide us with access.” He looked directly at Scarlett. “Maybe you could get him to take you in as a guest? Do they have guest passes?”
“Not sure. Tell you what, I’ll call him and see. Use all my powers of persuasion.”
Cliff coughed to get everyone’s attention. “Excuse me everyone, but I have an announcement to make. I have, finally, managed to find a new orderly, so, hopefully, my supply of fresh blood, or lack of it, will soon be a thing of the past. However, I’m meant to be meeting him tonight. Got to drive all the way to bloody Coventry, worst luck, so I’ll be shooting off soon, I’m afraid.”
Karl stepped forward. “Oh, you go, Cliff, go on. Get your blood sorted out. We can manage without you, for now.”
Waiting for Cliff to leave the scene, Karl addressed the group. “Bloody Coventry indeed. He doesn’t seem to realize that if we had some orderly on our own patch, out in the parking lot, carrying stacks of blood for no good reason, that we’d all be exposed. Again. Better off in someone else’s backyard than our own, that’s what I say.”
“Well said, Karl,” said Tarquin. “I’m sure you speak for everyone. Err, Tabitha. Think we’ve got some work to do, don’t you?”
Tabitha nodded. “Now?”
“No time like the present.”
“Where should we go?”
“Follow me.”
With one foot in the doorway, Tarquin looked over his shoulder. “Okay, everyone. Tabitha and I are going to slip away to work on the spells. It’s going to take a lot of preparation, believe me, but first, we need some supplies. See you soon.”
Scarlett nodded and waved to Tabitha and Tarquin. Karl followed them out to go and check on the store and in no time at all, Scarlett was alone.
Sitting on a bench that now stood unoccupied, Scarlett pulled out her phone and called Tim.
No reply, yet again. She left it another five minutes before trying again and again, until eventually, he answered.
“Tim? Where have you been? I need to speak with you urgently.”
“Are you okay? Sorry, I got called into a top secret meeting and had the ringer off.”
“With a werewolf?”
Tim gave a strained laugh. “Oh, there you go again, letting your imagination run riot.”
“Don’t laugh at me.”
“No, sorry—I wasn’t, not at you. Look, why don’t we meet up for a chat? Where are you?”
“Tarquin’s bookstore.” If, after measuring his reactions, she decided to tell him the truth, that was the best place to break it to him, and deal with his response.
“I’ll be right over. Don’t move a muscle.”
+++
Secure Facility, RAF Bicester, Launton
“Cootchie-cootchie-coo,” Wing Commander Simon Moseley pushed the cattle prod through the feeding window and took aim at the bedraggled, smoldering werewolf at the back of the cage.
Ronnie slammed his back to the wall, held his breath, clenched every muscle in his body and glared through the glass at Moseley, whose eyes were gleaming with delight.
The shockwaves sent a jolt right through him, making him wince, sending his head crashing against the wall.
Slumped forward, he swallowed the pain and reached down to his stomach. Hissing in air through clenched teeth, his hand inched away. His stomach resembled a forest fire a day or two after the event, with black burnt out trees intermingling with fire and singed trunks.
Through the fur, he looked at the blisters and sores that covered the area, some starting to heal and some fresh. He was still examining the damage when the cattle prod snaked through and bit him again.
“Oh, you’re no fun,” Moseley called in through the glass. “I shall have to find another specimen to entertain myself with—or find a way of making you more entertaining. You don’t squirm anywhere near enough for my liking.” He glanced at the time. “Oh well, time to head home. It all starts again tomorrow.”
Moseley put on his jacket and laughed all the way to the door.
Waiting for the tyrant’s footsteps to recede, Ronnie breathed a huge sigh of relief and leaned back against the wall, doing his very best to make himself comfortable, and thankful that his chains had finally been removed when they knocked him out for the testing. He closed his eyes, taking advantage of the silence, while it lasted.
“Ronnie.”
Ronnie swung around to the cage on his right and commenced in a silent conversation. “What? Oh, you again, Raven.”
“Yes, me again.”
“What can I do for you?”
“Nothing. It’s more like what I can do for you. Listen, I’ve been here a long time now, so I know that Moseley’s bark can often be worse than his bite. He’s not nearly as bad as he makes out, although people do tend to scream a lot when he’s around.”
Ronnie grimaced. “You’re not being much help.”
“No, sorry. You’ve just got to stick in there, keep your chin up, don’t let them grind you down. Just keep believing that your friends will be along soon to rescue you and you’ll be okay.”
“Thanks, Raven, that is of help.”
“Not at all, not at all. Want some more advice?”
“Go on then.”
“Don’t eat the food.”
“Why not? I’m starving.”
“Yes, I know, but even so, don’t eat it. It’s laced with drugs.” She glanced through the glass at the occupants of the cages opposite. “You see them? They ate the food, that’s why they’re so … docile.”
Ronnie looked back over his shoulder, noticing for the first time the glazed look in their eyes and the way they crawled around their cages as if in a trance. But everyone had to eat. “What about you, don’t you eat it?”
“Yes, but I outsmarted them. I pretended to be more docile than I was, too docile for their liking.”
“So, what did they do?”
“They reduced the dosage, and now I think they’ve stopped putting it in altogether. But you—they’re scared of you, that’s why they knocked you out for the testing. They’ll want you constantly drugged up to the nines.”
Raven was right. He’d better stop being so lively, and pretend to be submissive to avoid the lacing, and hopefully further shots.
“Great. That’s all I need. So, what, should I just stay here and wait to starve to death? Is there no way out?”
“There is, but you have to act fast. While you’re up here on this floor, there’s still a chance of escape. Security’s not so tight, because they’re constantly in and out of your cage. Downstairs is a different matter though. The others, downstairs, are in a more secure part of the building. Double locks, day and night patrols, the works. Once you go down there, there’s no escaping.”
Ronnie glanced along the aisle at the staircase that Moseley had descended moments earlier. He did seem to recall more guards being down there when they brought him in. “Will they move me downstairs then?”
“Eventually, yes.”
“When will that be? How long have I got?”
“Well, you’re here until Moseley c
arries out his initial assessment.”
“What, and once that’s over, I’ll be moved downstairs, where there’s no escape?”
“Precisely.”
“Well, I’ll just have to work out a plan that’s gonna get me out of here before the assessment comes to an end.”
“Precisely.”
“Thanks Raven, you’ve been a great help.”
“Don’t mention it.”
“Just one thing though, one more quick question if I may?”
“Sure, fire away.”
“You seem to know a hell of a lot about what goes on around here. How did you pick up all this information?”
“I pay attention to what’s going on.”
“That’s it, you pay attention? Come on, there must be more to it than that. Or maybe there’s something you’re not telling me?”
“No, I just pay attention, that’s all there is to it. I listen to them talking and memorize it. I suggest that you do the same.”
“I will.”
“Anything else I can do for you?”
“Nah. That’s it for today.” Ronnie grinned for the first in a while.
“Well, in that case, I shall leave you to enjoy the facilities.” She stretched and yawned. “Good night, dear sir.”
“Good night, Raven. Nice talking to you.”
“The pleasure’s all mine, I assure you.”
Ronnie retreated to the back of the cage and lay down, head resting against the wall, back flat against the floor. The skin on his stomach still singed, patches of blood clinging to the fur, making it stand up on end like hair gel.
CHAPTER TWELVE
Malaprop’s Bookstore, Bicester, England
As much as Scarlett loved books, she hated being alone. To cap it all off, her anxiety was beginning to make her feel nauseated. She glanced at the time. “Come on, Tim. Where are you?”
No sooner had she sat down and returned her line of vision to the wooden floorboards around her feet, then the shop door opened and a draft blew all the way downstairs. Her ears pricked up.
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