“Levi Chasen? Where did that come from?”
After Annie explained Joseph’s contact and how he helped him set up in the new market, Bucky handed her a thick folder. She opened the front cover and her jaw opened in surprise. There were information sheets for Levi King-Solomon, Levi Solomon, Levi King, Levi Worchester, and Levi Chasen. Annie stared at the pictures of each alias and knew that regardless of how he tried to change his look, it was definitely the same man. While he could change his hair coloring or grow a mustache, his nose remained long and thin, his jaw tight and square.
The rap sheets for each alias included the same crimes: burglaries, bad checks, breaking and entering.
“He wasn’t too creative with his names or his crimes, Was he?”
“It made it easier to connect him. This guy really helped set up Joseph in the market?”
“Joseph gave him up as a contact and alluded to the fact he had contacts from his time in the original market.”
Annie tapped her fingers against the file. “Did you notice the name Levi Worchester?” It was the same last name of the man, Gladden Worchester, who had destroyed the original market with the help of the djinn.
“Yeah. I saw that. So I dug for birth certificates, death certificates, family connections, school records. I ruled out the two names that had known death certificates. I made the assumption that the marriage license would be relatively close to his correct age, birthdate, and location of birth. I cross-referenced that information to each birth certificate, and only one was actually a perfect match.”
Annie shuffled through the papers until she found Levi Worchester’s birth certificate, college diploma, and family tree. She followed the line upwards; he was a younger cousin of Gladden Worchester. “We never understood how a low-level thug like Gladden Worchester ran the market. Now it’s his cousin who married my mother!” Her voice was louder than expected.
Bucky placed his hand on his cubicle wall and chanted a muffle spell over his desk. “Do you want me to call Cham? Spencer? Ryan?” he asked.
Annie stood and paced a small path across his crowded cubicle. “No. I’ll be fine. Maybe.” She stopped and leaned against the wall. “They’ve been waiting for my powers to come in for centuries. They must have started planning when I was born, not knowing exactly when the powers would come. Could they have set Gladden up in the market? I feel like a chess piece in their game.” She sat back down.
“Levi and Gladden are definitely related. And they are both tied to the market. Yes, the Fraternitatem could have set him up there. He also screwed it up, but that bodes well for the Fraternitatem,” Bucky said.
“So, what do I do with this information?”
Bucky shrugged. “I’m sorry, Annie. I just don’t know what it means.”
*
Jason borrowed Gibbs’s cubical, affording himself some privacy. Annie shuddered as she entered and dropped the box, containing Jason’s last case file, on the desk, startling him from his reading.
“Hi, sweetie. What’s up?”
She opened the lid and pulled out the prophecy, rolling the scroll toward him. “Did you ever wonder who told the Fraternitatem about the prophecy?”
Jason took the prophecy with trembling hands. “No. I think I was too worried about you to think about that.” He opened the scroll and read the prophecy. From the look on his face, Annie could tell he was remembering the events leading to his death, how Melichi told him Annie was in danger. He looked at his youngest daughter. “Who told them?”
“You believed a man who kidnapped your wife at face value when he said that there was a prophecy. And you believed the prophecy?”
“Yes! I was scared. They had powers I couldn’t control. When I saw your mom, I believed they were going to come after you. Who told them?”
“Sturtagaard. Sturtagaard put them on this. He bargained for his life by giving me to them.”
Jason’s squeezed his fists together, exposing white knuckles of tight skin. His jaw tightened. “Why is he still alive?” he asked.
“Because I’m past the point of caring about him. Though he seemed resigned to that fact and is ready to be dead. I think keeping him alive is bothering him and that makes me happy,” Annie said.
“That could be worth it. How do you suppose we find peace?” Jason asked.
“Stop the Fraternitatem so they can’t manipulate us anymore.”
“And so we shall,” Jason said with a smile.
*
In successive moments, Annie received a text message and a phone call. The call she answered right away, seeing that it was from Manny at the security office at the employee entrance.
“There’s a Fabian Arnault here to see you,” Manny said.
“You’re kidding. Really?” Annie asked. “I’ll be right down.” As she headed to the front door, Annie read the text message she had received, from Jack Ramsey.
Tomorrow at 10 a.m.
She responded with a “yes” as she reached the first floor.
Fabien Arnault had been fired as the department manager of the French Wizard Guard when it was discovered that his guard, Marielle Beauchamp, used the vampire Princess Amelie to kill members of her own family for financial gain. But it was only part of the problem; the French Wizard Guard had utilized department resources to conduct memory modification spells on the French wizard population to hide what she was doing.
Annie hadn’t seen the disgraced department manager in months and was surprised that he was visiting. When she arrived at the security room, she saw him waiting for her, reading his phone.
“Fabien?” Annie said as she extended a hand. “How are you?” She took note of his healthy tan and sun-bleached hair. He appeared healthy, muscular, and less grumpy as he took her hand and smiled.
“I am well. My suspension was actually a good thing. I’m so glad you could see me on such short notice.”
“Not a problem.” Annie waited as Lorena finished with his credentials and handed over a visitor’s pass. After they gained entrance to the hall, Annie led him to the fifth floor.
Cham glanced with curiosity as Annie led Fabien to her cubicle. “Not sure why,” Annie said to Cham under her breath as she followed him inside. “What can we do for you today?” she asked Fabien once they were seated. Cham joined them and sat beside Fabien, who nodded quickly.
“Well. I have been working… freelance.” He looked at his manicured hands and glanced back up at Annie and then Cham. “I’m aware all of the Wizard Guard units are on a wild goose chase searching for the black market.”
Annie and Cham exchanged glances.
“We’re surprised to see you. Is there something you need?” Cham asked.
“I’m here to offer my services and to pass on some information.” He pulled a scroll from his pocket. “I happened upon the coordinates to a portal in Greece. It didn’t lead me to the main market, but this market was… close. There were whisperings amongst the merchants about a portal to the main market somewhere in that smaller market. I unfortunately have a lack of access to resources, records, notes, or correspondences between the wizard guards. But I do have this.” Fabien handed the scroll to Cham.
“As you’re still suspended, we’re not able to hire you as a wizard guard,” Cham said.
“No, you can’t. But you can hire me as a contractor. I’d really like to be a part of it. I want to make up for my past mistakes,” Fabien said.
“How much do you know?” Annie asked.
Fabien adjusted himself in the chair. “I know the Fraternitatem is making a play for the market and to do that they need whatever power it is that you have right now. The Fraternitatem is looking for you. They have contacts in all of the markets and I would think even here.” He held his arms out as if to prove his point.
Again, Annie and Cham looked at each other anxiously.
“And how do you suppose we determine you’re trustworthy and not working for the Fraternitatem?” Cham asked.
Fabien laughed a
nd took out another scroll, handing it to Cham. Noting the wax seal with an arrowhead at the center, he read it and passed it to Annie.
Cham,
Fabien Arnault has been assisting in the market to ward off the Fraternitatem. He has been vetted.
A
Annie stared at the broken seal and said, “You know Arrowhead?”
Fabien nodded.
“I hesitate to trust you based on the past. This seal is his, but still, I’m not sure if it’s legitimate,” Annie said.
“Arrowhead said you would say that.” He pulled out a gold avrum from his pocket and tossed it on her desk.
Annie picked it up and held it in her palm.
“You know what that means?” Cham asked.
“Yes. Do you know what it means?” she asked Fabien.
“You paid him twenty-one of those last night in the market.”
Annie nodded. Cham motioned for her to show Fabien the files.
“Arrowhead obviously trusts you. But just know, we can give only give you information on the markets. Beyond that—” Annie began.
Fabien held up his hand. “No need to explain. I accept that. Just market information.”
Annie handed him the photo of the wall of glyphs with the pattern highlighted. “Have you seen this?”
Fabien reviewed the picture and smiled. “I have seen many glyphs like this. They are scattered across each market I’ve been inside. I wondered what they had to do with the market, if anything.” He continued to stare at the picture. “So, am I correct that the portal falls in between the four glyphs you have marked?”
Annie nodded. “This particular wall has the portal to the main market.” She explained what they had learned in the last week, how she had found the portal, what the square might mean, and their hypothesis that there were three more portals out there.
“The four corners of Earth. Huh.” Fabien took out a well-worn world map and spread it across Annie’s desk. He divided the map like Lial had done and looked at the four quadrants. “You said Louisiana?” Annie nodded and pointed to the location on his map. “If that’s the case, you expect that there are three more portals out there.”
“That is what we expect. One in each quadrant,” she answered. She passed him a copy of the potion directions for entering the market. “Use this to curse an athame.”
Fabien glanced at the recipe and grimaced. “You’ve found much. I’m impressed. This Wizard Guard is truly productive,” he said. He pointed to an area in Greece. “There is a market here. Most of the perimeter wall has a glyph here and there. But there’s one wall that looks much like this. I wonder if it, too, has the portal.”
Fabien pulled out a picture of the wall and showed Annie and Cham. She explained how they came up with the pattern and began marking the page like they had in the market. With each pass, she showed Fabien. After searching specific pictures, they came up with no square pattern. She showed them the picture of her wall again.
“If you find the square pattern, there will be a mark at the direct center of the proposed square. Place the tip of the cursed athame against the picture and the black market portal will open.” Annie offered a smile.
“That is so much work to create the black market and hide it. There is much to do,” Fabien said.
“Welcome aboard,” Cham said.
*
Near the end of the business day, Annie had been all over Wizard Hall, meeting with just about everyone it seemed. She had more questions than she had answers and found herself exhausted as she doodled on a notepad and waited for Cham in the conference room.
“Am I late for a meeting?” Starla asked as she glanced inside the conference room.
Annie looked around at the others, who were all preoccupied with their phones or notes.
“No. If you didn’t get an email, you’re not on this case. Sorry,” Annie said. Starla frowned as she debated her next move and made room for Cham to enter.
“Hi, Starla. Thanks again for coming to the main office today. But this is a need-to-know only meeting.” He smiled as he closed the door on the young wizard guard and sat, looking occasionally at the window in the door to make sure she had left. “Sorry for the late hour. I just wanted to touch base with everyone.” He passed out a thin packet. “Now that we have a wealth of names for Levi and Emily, we’ve managed to find credit card info, mortgage info, the kid’s school records. This should help Shiff and Brite as they track their movements. Anything new?”
“The kid walks from the house to the middle school every day for the summer term. We’ll review his school records, but he’s there all morning and is home by eleven forty-five. We’ve seen no friends; he hangs out by himself most of the day. He mostly stays on the main road, entering some of the convenience stores but nothing suspicious. Levi, we’ve noticed, teleports from the roof every day at seven thirty in the morning and returns home at five forty. The family was home when we went in at midnight. We managed to find an unused bedroom with a filing cabinet. We’d like to go back when everyone’s out so we can dig a little deeper and get something personal of his to use to scry for him,” Shiff said.
As the report was given, Annie observed her father. He appeared upset by the update on his wife and her new family. Annie reached for him and held his hand.
“Lastly, Emily. When we were at the house, we found pay stubs from a company called Antique Symposium. As luck would have it, that’s where we followed her after the kid left for school. Bucky’s searching for company records, incorporation info, and tax returns. So far, nothing in the States,” Brite finished and handed Annie their report.
“I’m still working out a second team for you. But this seems to prove it’s her,” Cham said and looked at Annie.
“I’m meeting with Arrowhead tonight at midnight, and I’m meeting with Rathbone tomorrow. Jack’s arranged it,” Annie said.
“Don’t make a deal with that ass,” Milo said.
“I have no control of it. Ryan is going with, in case there’s a problem.” Annie said.
Milo shrugged. “I’ve walked Gloriana’s neighborhood with Lial. There are several great stakeout locations, so we can watch her without being noticed. If it’s okay with Annie and Jason, I’d like to have her cars tracked and add some cameras in and around the house. Graham and the VAU can handle that. I want to make sure Emily can’t get to her, or if she did, we can track Gloriana to her,” Milo said.
Milo and Cham looked at Annie and Jason for approval. “You don’t need my permission,” Annie said.
“Mine either,” Jason groused.
“I know this is hard for both of you. We just want to make it less difficult,” Lial said. He added, “I’ll be walking the perimeter tonight.”
Cham fumbled with his list of wizard guards. “I was wondering if you knew Isaak and Eddy well enough to trust them with your grandmother. I’d like to put together additional teams so Milo and Lial aren’t solely responsible.”
Annie hadn’t worked much with the two men but did work on two connected cases a few years ago. “I worked with them a few times. I’d say they can be trusted,” she said.
“Okay. I’ll talk to them. It’s getting late; is there anything else?” Cham asked and looked around the table.
“You’ve kept me out of the mess working on additional cases, but my load just got lighter. Let me take one of the shifts at Emily’s house,” Spencer spoke up.
“You sure? You’ve been taking the extra cases so we could work this,” Cham asked.
“Yes. I’d rather you put the younger guards on these extra cases and let me work with my partner. Besides, there are a lot fewer vampire and demon cases due to the Fraternitatem. I think the magical world is anxious.”
“That’s not filling me with confidence,” Cham said. “Yeah. You work out the schedule with Shiff and Brite. Just let me know your hours worked. Anything else?”
No one had any further comments, so the meeting was concluded. Annie and Cham stayed back.
> “You okay?” he asked.
“One year, five major cases all revolving around my dad’s death in some manner. No, I’m really not,” Annie said.
“I noticed the theme,” Cham said.
“Whatever happened to a vampire kill, an evil wizard trying to take over the wizard council, or a wayward demon just out there?” she chuckled softly.
“Those were the days.” Cham held Annie’s left hand; her engagement ring sparkled against her jeans. “When we win this one, we’ll plan a big wedding, celebrate for days, and go on a very long, very romantic honeymoon.” He kissed her hand.
“You are a very good man to be hanging in here, with all this.” She leaned back in the chair and looked up at the ceiling.
“I love the most amazing woman in the world. I’ll take you however you are or wherever you are. I got your back,” he said as he playfully punched her arm.
She rolled her eyes. “Check on Samantha tonight. I need sleep if I’m to make my meeting with Arrowhead tonight.”
“I’ll go to Mom and Dad’s. You take a nap before you go tonight. I want a clear picture of this group and then hit them hard. We shouldn’t have let them go.” Cham admitted.
Annie sat up. “I need to let Ryan know about tomorrow. I’ll catch you later?”
Even though they were still in the middle of the conference room, Cham kissed her. “I love you,” he whispered and watched her head out.
*
Annie smiled at Megan Livery, Ryan Connelly’s secretary. “Hi, Megan. How’s things?” Annie asked casually. She knew it could be a wasted trip. It was never a good idea to come unannounced.
“Hi, Annie, I’m good. Two visits in two days. Must be busy in the Wizard Guard.” Megan had worked for Ryan for the last five years and was as accommodating as any situation allowed.
“Yeah, it is. Is he available?” Annie asked.
“Actually, he’s in. Let me see if he can see you,” Megan smiled, knocked once and entered. When she returned, she held the door open. Annie stepped through and found Ryan reading documents in a folder, his reading glasses hanging at the end of his nose. As she closed the door, he looked up and smiled.
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