by Logan Jacobs
Everyone nodded, and Darryl took hold of my elbow again as he swooped in on a stack of wooden crates and shovels that had been brought up from the basement. Darryl grabbed a crate and shovel with both hands, then nudged me with his elbow to take another crate. I complied and set off after him as he jogged down the marble hall toward the main entrance. He barely waited for the doors to open as he slipped outside sideways and then stormed down the steps.
“He’s always been impatient,” Mary assured me as she stepped up next to me. “But he’s really good at what he does.”
“And what does he do?” I asked. “Besides bury mines that is.”
“He builds and repairs steam engines for the museum,” Mary replied. “He also works with the trains at Grand Central. His dream is to drive one across the country.”
“That would be a sight to see,” I admitted as the rest of us stepped outside.
Mary smiled, then she and Justin trotted away toward the right with a smaller box of booby traps. I found Darryl on the other side of the school, his gaze locked on the ground. The box he’d carried outside sat nearby on the sidewalk while he paced around with the shovel in his hand in a pattern that probably made sense only to him.
“Right,” Darryl declared as he realized I had arrived with the rest of the mines. “Now, the trick is to use a pattern that will allow you to cover the most likely approaches without leaving any other possible places to sneak in.”
“Sounds right,” I agreed.
“I’ve worked out what paths are the ones that the mages will probably use, along with secondary and tertiary choices,” he continued.
“Okay,” I added when he seemed to be waiting for a comment. “So you’ve already worked out where we should place these?”
“I have,” he said triumphantly. “Actually, I started working on it when Evan first turned the project over to me. It took forever to figure out a way to come up with a magical equivalent of land mines, but once I had that, I had to work out the best pattern to place them in to provide the best results.”
“And now you finally get to put it into action,” I noted. It certainly explained the manic energy he seemed to have as he stared out over the surrounding fields.
“It’s a great moment,” he sighed.
“Then let’s get to work,” I suggested.
If he’d been willing to do it in front of a stranger, I’m pretty sure Darryl would have squealed in delight at that point. As it was, we moved around the surrounding area while Darryl pointed out where I should dig. He would then carefully place a small black box into the hole, utter a spell, and then have me, very carefully, place some of the dirt back on top. When the box was hidden from view, I spread the rest of the dirt around to try to hide the signs of our recent activity.
My back ached by the time we buried the last of the mines, but Darryl still had plenty of energy. He charged back to the school and barged through the door once again. I followed in his wake, the shovel still in my hand. I wasn’t sure what to do with it, so I set it against the wall near a stack of empty boxes. As I debated what to do next, Evan appeared with a stack of books.
“Done already?” he asked as he placed the books in one of the crates.
“Darryl had everything mapped out already,” I replied.
“Yes, I thought as much,” Evan noted. “I hope you didn’t find him too annoying.”
“Not at all,” I insisted. “He didn’t pay much attention to me. He was completely focused on the task.”
“That sounds like Darryl,” Evan said as he started to walk back toward the staircase. “He’s always been like that.”
“Is there anything else I can help with?” I asked.
“Why don’t you go join Rayne and Sorcha?” Evan suggested.
“Are you sure you don’t need me?” I asked. “I’m pretty good at carrying stuff.”
Evan laughed and then shook his head.
“I’m hoping to save as many of the books as I can,” Evan admitted as we started up the stairs. “If we somehow hold off the mages, we won’t have much time to pack up and move. I thought I’d get a head start and pack the most important volumes now.”
“You don’t have some sort of spell to help you move them?” I asked.
“I want everyone focused on the upcoming battle and at their full strength,” Evan observed. “I’m the only one who doesn’t really have anything else to do. So, no, I haven’t recruited anyone to help me pack these away.”
“I don’t know that I can be of much use to anyone else right now,” I replied. “I don’t know any spells or anything.”
Evan considered my offer for a moment, then signalled me to follow him. We returned to the third floor, where Evan perused the shelves and set aside the books he felt should be saved first, and I packed up crates and boxes as he moved through the library. I heard Sorcha’s voice occasionally as she and Rayne moved around the building and cast protection spells. Other members of Evan’s army returned from their trap setting duties, and Evan quickly assigned them to other tasks.
As the hours wore on, the energy level dipped and we all started to wonder if the mages were really coming. The streets and skies remained free of red robes, and the preparations had a less hurried feel. Everyone would probably have given up and simply turned back to their daily routine, except for the fact that Talia was the one who had the vision. No one in the little community doubted her visions, and that was the only reason the mages kept at it.
Despite the presence of a spotter on the roof, our first clue to the mages’ arrival was a loud explosion from the surrounding fields. Dust trickled down from the ceiling and the overhead mage light flickered.
“What the hell was that?” I demanded as I lurched to my feet and started to move toward the door.
“Land mine,” Evan sighed as he set down the book he held and placed a restraining hand on my arm. “It seems our enemies have arrived.”
“Are you sure it wasn’t a dog or cat or someone?” I asked as I tried to wave some of the dust away.
“Only a mage about to launch a spell can trigger the land mines,” Evan replied as he walked calmly toward the exit. “I did insist on that much. You wouldn’t believe how many innocent people were injured by forgotten landmines in the old days.”
I stuck close to Evan as he made his way to the ground floor, where the rest of the school’s defenders had gathered. I noticed that the two original guns had already been claimed by two women. They held the rifles confidently, and I wondered if Charles Darwin of Motown had offered them instruction. Evan passed me the third gun, the one I had created, before he turned to face the expectant faces.
“So, everyone ready?” he asked calmly as if he were about to take the kids on a visit to the park and not do battle with his enemies.
There were shouted affirmations, just as another land mine was triggered. More dust trickled down, and now we could hear voices outside. I shook my head, amazed at the fact that I was about to enter my second mage battle in as many days. The first one had been scary enough, and that had involved a much smaller number of mages. I drew a deep breath, then set my shoulders. Whatever happened, I wasn’t going to let the red robes intimidate me.
“Right, to your stations then,” Evan declared.
The fighters ran off as each person moved to their assigned post. I noticed the two gunwomen head for the stairs and started to follow.
“Why don’t you stay here,” Evan suggested. “It will give us a greater spread to work with if we don’t have all our guns clumped together.”
I nodded and followed Evan into the operations room, as did Sorcha and Darryl. There was another, smaller explosion and Evan looked over his shoulder.
“That was one of the traps at the crossroads,” the old mage mused. “They must have decided to try to attack us from every side.”
“We knew they would,” Darryl asserted as he shifted on his feet. “Is it time to start the engine?”
“Almost,” Evan reassu
red him.
“Engine?” I asked as another landmine was triggered. I couldn’t believe how calm Evan was, and I couldn’t understand why he didn’t rush to the window to see how many mages were out there.
“One of Darryl’s creations,” Evan explained as Darryl nodded repeatedly. He probably wouldn’t have stopped, but Evan placed a hand on his shoulder, and for a moment, Darryl was still.
But then the glass on one of the windows in the operations room suddenly disintegrated and a blast of wind ripped through the space. Papers flew toward the ceiling, and I pulled Sorcha to the ground as shards of glass whipped around the room.
“I hate weather mages,” Evan griped as he crouched next to us.
Darryl still managed to bounce on his feet, despite the fact that he was crouched down as well. He stuck his head over the edge of the table and nearly took a brick to the head. Evan yanked him back down just in time, and then the wind suddenly abated.
Evan peered cautiously over the table, then scuttled around the floor of the room toward the broken window, so I went with him while Sorcha and Darryl stayed behind at my signal.
“Why’d they stop?” I whispered to the healing mage.
“Alice probably put up a shield,” Evan replied as he peered around the edge of the pane. “Yep, she did.”
I risked a quick look as well and saw that a flexing wall of light had appeared between the building and a group of mages. I also noticed that the newcomers all had a blue glow which I guessed was a protection spell against the landmines, since several of them were standing in the middle of the field we’d so carefully boobytrapped.
“Looks like they have some sort of protection against landmines,” I sighed.
“Yes, but not before we took out a few of them,” Evan replied gleefully.
“Now what?” I asked as I took another peek. The mages appeared to be studying the wall of light, and then one raised his hands. At first, nothing happened, but then the light began to bend and quiver, and with a final sweep of his hands, the wall disappeared.
As soon as the protection spell was broken, one of the other mages sent a fireball straight toward the building. Evan and I both ducked at the same time, but I could feel the heat of the flames as the fire crashed into the building. Somewhere in the building, someone screamed, and I wondered if they hadn’t ducked away from the window fast enough. As it was, Evan and I had to scoot away from our own window, even as a gusher of water rose up from the ground and engulfed the flames.
“You in the building,” a commanding voice called out.
“Ah, the negotiations begin,” Evan grumbled. “Now that they’ve got our attention. I’d be more impressed if he didn’t feel the need to magically enhance his voice.”
“You in the building,” the voice repeated.
Evan scurried back to the broken window and stuck his head up before I could stop him.
“What do you want?” Evan demanded angrily. “Why are you harassing an old man?”
I chanced a look around the edge of another window. Most of the mages still hung back, but one man had stepped forward. It was hard to gauge much about him beneath the heavy red robe, but he was a man of average height, with snow-white hair and an angry scowl. He stopped at the edge of the sidewalk and turned two blazing eyes on Evan.
“We’ve come with an offer,” the man announced.
“Bah!” Evan spat, followed by an actual wad of spit that he launched out the window. “You attacked me!”
“You know what we want,” the red-robed mage continued. He remained in his spot, though he had flinched in distaste when Evan had hurled his spit toward him.
“Why should I know what you want?” Evan protested angrily. “I’ve spent all these years trying to avoid you!”
“Give us what we want,” the mage continued, “and we’ll ignore the fact that you’ve built an illicit school where you keep children that you have no legal right to care for. You’ll be allowed to leave quietly, as will the other people with you.”
“Oh, how kind of you,” Evan snorted. “But let me guess, after we walk away from here, sometime in the not so distant future, some mage will show up wherever I am and kill me. No thank you.”
“This is a one-time offer,” the mage snapped. “I will guarantee the safety of you and your… instructors, but you must accept the offer now. If we are forced to attack, then we will kill everyone who stands in our way.”
Evan’s nose twitched and he made a hacking sound like he was about to launch another round of phlegm. The mage took a half step back and glared at Evan.
“Maybe you should be a little clearer then,” Evan declared. “And tell me exactly what it is you think we have that could be of any possible interest to you?”
A smirk appeared briefly on the red-robed mage’s face, and I knew he believed he had convinced Evan to surrender. I glanced at Evan and hoped that wasn’t true. He was biding his time, I told myself, so his own troops could prepare for the assault that was about to start.
“We want the gun mage,” the red-robed figure announced.
I shook my head in disbelief and glanced toward Sorcha. How was it possible for me to be of more interest to the Magesterium than this illegal school that had been hiding children with magic for decades? It was beyond crazy, but neither Evan nor Sorcha looked surprised by the request, and Darryl looked as if he didn’t care. Of all the freaking magics, as John had said.
“Gun mage?” Evan asked in an incredulous voice. “What the dickens are you talking about?”
“We know he’s here,” the mage fired back. “We’ve confirmed his presence in this building.”
Evan appeared to contemplate that statement for a moment, and I felt a surge of panic. The school and its students were everything to Evan and I was just some stranger that had brought this trouble down on him. It didn’t matter whether the kids had found me or not, as Talia had stated, the mages would have come any way just because they were searching for me. I looked at Evan anxiously and wondered if I saved the school in Talia’s vision because Evan turned me over to the Magesterium.
With a sad shake of his head, Evan stepped back from the window. He gave me a tired smile and glanced toward Sorcha and Darryl. Darryl still bounced on his feet as he waited for further instructions from his mentor. Sorcha looked uncertain for the first time since the attack had begun, and the two of us waited fearfully for Evan’s response.
Evan leaned forward for a moment and then raised his middle finger toward the mage.
“I’m afraid you’ll just have to come in and get him yourself, you pieces of shit!” Evan yelled as he ducked out of sight. “Because I’m not giving you a damn thing!”
And with that, the war was on.
Chapter 14
As soon as Evan made his declaration, a great fireball arced toward the mages gathered outside and lit up the area like a second sun. I saw one of the mages raise his hand, ready to raise a defensive shield, but there was a sharp crack, and the mage wheeled in a circle before dropping to the ground. The fireball smashed into the middle of the mages, and I saw at least two robed figures catch fire as the rest scattered.
The mage who had spoken for the group hadn’t moved, and I saw him search the windows on the top floor. He spotted something and yelled an order to his own troops. There was a flurry of flames and bursting lights then, as the mages on both sides let loose with their own attacks. Someone had started to cackle, and I realized it was Evan, who now stood in front of the broken window and watched the two sides battle.
“Are you crazy?” I yelled at the older man.
Another explosion rang out, but this one wasn’t from one of the landmines. The whole building seemed to shake and another cloud of dust drifted down from the ceiling. We all started to cough, and Evan actually leaned out of the window to get fresh air.
“Is it time?” Darryl demanded as he stuck his head over the desk again.
There was another sharp crack from an upstairs window and another re
d-robed mage fell to the ground. The leader pointed toward the upper levels, and three mages launched a simultaneous attack on the spot. The building shook again, and glass rained down onto the ground outside.
“Oh, they probably think that’s you,” Evan said as he twisted to look up the building. “Hmmm…..”
“Is it time?” Darryl repeated.
I joined Evan at the broken window and scouted the line of mages. The leader had moved behind his soldiers and there was no easy shot at him. I could, however, take out some of the mages gathered around him, and maybe open up enough of hole in his defenses that one of the rifles would finally get a shot at him.
I took aim at one of the mages who seemed to be holding their shield in place. Since I hadn’t fired a shot yet, everything was directed toward the upper floors where the red robes believed I was hiding. I had a clear shot at the mage as he moved his hands slowly over his head, and I drew a bead on his heart. It was the first time I was to fire the rifle, and the anticipation sent a shiver up my spine. In the brief second before I fired, I imagined a blast like the snub nose and a kick that would knock me backward.
I pulled the trigger and was greeted with a sharp crack that reminded me of a whip. There was no blazing fireball and only the barest trace of smoke. The twenty-two barely even moved in my arms, yet the power that flowed from the gun was unmistakable. It was the easiest gun I had ever fired, and possibly the truest. I had no doubt the bullet would find its mark and I tried not to caress the stock in appreciation.
As the sound of my rifle snapped across the field, several of the mages looked around in startled surprise as they tried to gauge where the new shot had come from. It took them a moment to notice that one of their own had crumpled to the ground, his face slack, his arms thrown wide to his sides.
The shield flickered as the others tried to pick up the slack. The two shooters on the top floor took the opportunity to fire more shots into the red robes, though only one red robe was hit. The mage leader quickly had the shield reoriented, though, with a few rapidly shouted orders. Once the shield was back in place, the leader looked toward our window again. I ducked out of view before he could spot exactly where I was, but Evan danced in what was left of the frame. He stuck his tongue out at the man and cackled some more.