by Amy Sumida
“Sorry; this one is full,” I said to the baffled bunch of sleepy people trying to get aboard.
The doors slid shut, and I turned to face the men.
“Hello, boys,” I purred. “You've been very bad, haven't you?”
They paled.
“Who are you?” The darker one asked. “What do you want?”
Shavalina bristled, heat rising from her as she moved forward, but I grabbed her arm and held her back.
“She is kin to those you've murdered.” I nodded toward Shava. “She's one of the most powerful witches in the world,” another nod, this one toward Vivian. “And if I told you what I am, you'd never be able to sleep again. Now, what we want—”
The elevator dinged, and I glanced over my shoulder as it settled. I hit the emergency Stop button in irritation; I should have done that first. As I turned back toward the men, the darker one lifted his hand and shot a stream of fire at me. Shavalina's hand flung out and caught it as if it were a mosquito. The flame fizzled in her fist as she glared at the men.
“Try that again, and you're dead,” she snapped.
The man swallowed visibly.
“You're going to escort us to your office, desk, cubicle, whatever little hole you work in, and you're going to nod and smile at your fellow employees as if nothing's wrong. Got it?”
The men nodded emphatically.
The doors opened, and I motioned them out.
As they passed me, I added, “If you detour from my instructions, you will pay dearly.”
“We understand,” the fair-skinned man hissed.
They walked us past gawking employees, nodding at them as we went. Perhaps the sexy boss lady look hadn't been the best choice. Too late now; we had to go with it. We followed the men into an office, small but serviceable.
“This is my office,” the darker of the two said as he motioned us in. He shut the door behind us with an angry click. “Now, what do you want?”
I glanced around the room. There was no lab equipment in sight, it was only an office; folders and books on shelves beneath photographs of the man with his friends and coworkers. There weren't any suspicious bottles lying around or anything screaming; I took Phoenix ashes! Not that I expected there to be, but at least we were in the right place and didn't have to search the entire building. My gaze settled on the nameplate on the desk; Arnold Costa Ph.D.
“Well, Dr. Arnie,” I sneered, “I would have thought it was obvious. We want the ashes. Where are they?”
Arnold swallowed roughly as his panicked gaze flashed to his friend.
“We don't have them,” the other guy said. “We were given a vial of a solution to work with, but not the ashes themselves.”
“Good. I'm glad we don't have to play that game where you deny knowledge of what I'm talking about and then I have to torture you,” I said dryly. “Now, what exactly is your involvement? You said someone gave you a solution? Who was that?”
“Our boss,” the other man said. “He swore us into secrecy; said he had come across a substance with the potential to prolong lives. After we analyzed his sample, we realized that it was something beyond anything found in the natural world. In short; we deduced that it was supernatural.”
“Just like that, huh?” I asked scornfully.
“No, not just like that.” Arnold bristled. “But when you're faced with facts, you must, eventually, accept them.” He looked pointedly at us. “Our boss told us that people with extraordinary abilities existed, but we didn't believe him until he showed us the ashes.”
“Why would a pile of ash convince you?” Vivian asked him.
“Because this was no ordinary ash,” Arnold lost a little of his fear in the midst of his excitement. “When Dr. Daniels removed a few flecks from its canister, it immediately started to vibrate and glow, altering its composition completely.”
Dr. Daniels. Right; store that name away, I thought to myself.
I've got it, my love.
She was talking to herself, you moron, RS snickered.
I know that; I was just being supportive.
“It turned liquid,” the other man took up the story. “Like a caterpillar in a cocoon, as if it were trying to form itself into something new.”
“It was trying to form itself into something new, you savages! Those are my friends you're torturing!” Shava snarled. “You're tearing pieces of their souls from them and preventing their rebirth!”
The men froze.
“Those are people?” Arnold whispered.
“Didn't you catch the part where I called you murderers? I thought scientists were supposed to be intelligent?” I belittled them before I laid a hand on Shava's shoulder. “Don't kill them, Shava, we need them to find your people.”
“But it's just ashes,” the other man protested. “I mean; I believe in the supernatural now—trust me, I do—but even the supernatural must have laws. What kind of person can turn to ash and then recover from it? That defies all reason.”
“What kind of bug can weave its own sarcophagus, turn its body into soup, and then rebuild itself into a new form entirely? A winged form, no less,” I went with the caterpillar comparison; it worked. Hell, if you think about it, caterpillars are the bug version of Phoenixes, minus the flames.
“Phoenixes,” Arnold whispered as his eyes went round and shifted to Shava.
“Phoenixes are not bugs,” Shava sneered.
“No.” Dr. Costa blinked and shook his head in baffled irritation. “I mean; Phoenixes are the kind of person who can turn into ashes and then recover. Am I right? Are you a phoenix?”
Shava just stared at him.
“You have no idea what sort of people live and work beside you,” I said cryptically; the better to scare him with. “And trust me when I say that you don't want to know. Sometimes, knowledge is power but in this instance, it's a death sentence.”
“How do we know you're powerful supernaturals?” The other man asked skeptically. “You could simply be sent by a rival company to steal our find.”
“You saw my friend catch fire in her hand,” I reminded him dryly.
“Could have been a trick.” He lifted his chin.
“You just want a show.” I chuckled in astonishment. “All right. I was going to save you the nightmares but if you insist.” I waved at Shava. “Care to give them another taste?”
Vivian grabbed Shava before she did anything. “Hold on.” She pointed above us. “Smoke detectors. Best let me handle these idiots.”
Shava growled, obviously irritated by us constantly restraining her, but she waved her hand forward in graceful acceptance. Vivian lifted her palm and a geyser appeared above it; swirling with the rushing sound of the sea. The humans gaped at her little phenomenon. Then she fisted her hand and the water disappeared.
“You stole Fire from the Gods,” I said to the men. “Now, the Gods want it back. If you don't want to follow in Prometheus' footsteps, I suggest that you cooperate.”
“We can take you to the lab where the ashes are kept,” Arnold said in a rush. “If you swear that you'll let us go afterward.”
“You're going to trust them?” The other guy hissed.
“What's your name?” I asked the other man.
“Leo.”
“Listen to your friend, Leo.” I stared at him steadily. “You help us, and you have a chance of surviving. Don't, and your deaths will not only be certain, they'll be excruciating.”
“Why don't you just do your thing?” Vivian asked me. “Compel them into helping us.”
The men exchanged a wary look.
“Because I want to know if they're worthy of my mercy,” I announced as I stared the men down. “Betray us, and there is nowhere on Earth that you can hide.”
“We understand,” Arnold whispered. “No amount of fire is worth burning for.”
“Eloquent.” I nodded. “And it's also the smartest thing you've said, Dr. Costa. Let's go.” I waved them out the door. “You two are taking an early lunch.�
�
We marched them across the floor of cubicles and back to the elevator. The men were fidgety and nervous, but I didn't think anything of it; they had every reason to be anxious. The elevator doors closed, and I pushed the button for the first floor. But instead of going down, the car began to go up. I scowled and leaned forward to push the button again.
“Elaria!” Vivian pointed to something above us.
A fog of thick gas was seeping in from the air vents above. I glanced at the men and caught a glimpse of their smug expressions just before the toxin hit me, and I went plummeting to the floor.
Chapter Thirty-Five
I woke up in a sterile room; white walls, ceiling, and floor, all finished with a plastic sheen. The bed I laid on had the same look to it; a smooth base rising seamlessly from the floor to support a twin mattress. Air seeped in through thin vents on the ceiling, a tinge of ozone riding it. My eyes felt gritty and my throat dry but other than that, I was fine; no injuries of note. I sat up and took stock. A floor-to-ceiling observation window hoarded most of the wall directly across from my bed with a door to the left. I went there first. The door had no handle, and I couldn't figure out what opened it. Had to be something on the other side. That shouldn't be a problem for my spellsinging, but I'd get back to it. I knew better than to show my hand immediately; my captors could be watching. In fact, I was certain of it; I spotted a camera in a corner near the ceiling—easy to do, what with it being stark black—and heard the telltale sounds of it focusing.
Instead of making my escape immediately, I wandered over to another door; this one the more traditional sort, though finished in that same fake-white. It opened on a tiny bathroom; toilet, sink, and narrow shower stall. At least they were affording me some measure of privacy; I didn't spot any cameras in the bathroom. How chivalrous.
Girl, what the fuck did you get yourself into now? RS grumbled.
Nothing I can't get out of, I'm sure. Did you see where they took Shava and Viv?
Away from you, Kyanite answered before RS could. Beyond that, we don't know. I've spoken to Darc, and RS has informed the rest of your men of your abduction. But they haven't been able to find you. I believe you were taken to the roof and flown away from the city.
A helicopter most likely, I concluded. It sounds like Arnie and Leo's boss was watching us. They must have signaled him somehow.
It appears so, Ky agreed.
They're just humans, RS scoffed. Blast the first one you see.
No. I need to use this opportunity. The ashes may be here somewhere. Tell the guys not to worry; it's under control. I can save myself this time.
My love, this does not look like a situation you have under control, Ky argued.
Give me some time, Ky; I'm getting there.
I sat on the bed and leaned back against the cool, slick wall to wait. Let them think that I was powerless; completely under their control. I hadn't told the human men what I could do, it had only been hinted at. But thinking back, I applauded their ruse. They had gotten us to reveal pieces of ourselves; enough that they probably thought they knew how to contain us.
If they had been truly wise, they would have killed us when we were out cold.
Light came on the other side of the window and an outer room was illuminated. Nothing of import except for a long console with a few buttons and the man who had flicked on the light. I stood up and eyed him. Where the other two hadn't registered as anything but human to me, this guy was definitely a beneather. I could see it in his eyes; a shining otherness. I can't see auras, but the eyes are the windows to the soul, right? This guy had eyes that were full of power. Beneather power. Except he was also human.
Not much to look at; a slight man, a few inches taller than me, with mousy brown hair and a flimsy mustache. But his skin glowed with health and his stance was that of a much larger, younger man. I judged his height and build and came up with an approximate match. Could the power in this man's gaze have been stolen from Darcraxis? And if so, how had a human accomplished that which even a god couldn't do?
The man nodded to me respectfully and lifted his hand to the wall beside the window. A speaker clicked on in my room, and his voice came through.
“I'm Dr. Craig Daniels,” his voice was as thin as his mustache and crisp with efficiency. “Are you comfortable, Elaria? Experiencing any side-effects from the drug?”
Ah, the illustrious Dr. Daniels, we meet at last. It was too cheesy to say, but I couldn't help thinking it.
“I'm just peachy. Thanks for asking,” I drawled instead as I drew closer to the window. He knew my name. So, either he had been listening to us in the elevator or Vivian or Shava had talked. I was betting on the former. “What did you do with my friends, Dr. Daniels?”
“They are safe; in accommodations similar to yours, though at separate facilities,” he offered immediately. “You each required a unique set of... restrictions.”
“Oh?” I lifted a brow. “And what are mine?”
“The intercom for one. I heard your friend mention that you have the power to compel people. I remove my hand, and you are silenced.”
I nodded with an impressed look and tried to hide my amusement. “Well done.”
“And if you try to break free, an electric pulse will flow through all surfaces in the room. We've discovered that electricity has a disrupting effect on magic.”
“You have? How interesting.” I lifted a brow.
That was news to me, but it made sense. Eva, the witch who had helped Darcraxis pull some of his magic out of the Orb of Light, is an electric witch. She used her magic to briefly pierce the Light containing Darc's Darkness. Perhaps it was a disruption of my magic.
“And how did you make this discovery?” I pressed.
“From our numerous interactions with your kind.”
“Dr. Daniels, I doubt very much that you have ever interacted with my kind,” I said confidently. “You have no idea who you're dealing with.”
“So tell me,” he whispered eagerly, leaning toward the glass. “What are you? What makes you different from the others?”
“First of all, we are all different. But I'm not telling you any more than that. You've already wreaked havoc with the little information you have.”
“If you don't tell me, I'll have to resort to other ways to conduct my research,” Daniels said as if the prospect saddened him. “Some methods will be unobtrusive but others will be quite invasive indeed. And very painful.”
“Go ahead, let's see what you can do.” I crossed my arms and stared him down. Hell no, that wasn't happening. Not today, Daniels.
“You already know that I can render you unconscious with the simple application of my supernatural sleeping gas,” he reminded me. “It's a special recipe I developed and it works like a charm. You do know about charms, correct? You people practice magic?”
I swallowed past my nervousness and remained silent.
Forgot about that, did you? Kyanite snapped. Now, quit playing games, and let's kill this asshole.
Hold on. Let him talk.
Yeah, haven't you watched any movies? RS needled Ky. The villain always gives away his plans when he thinks he's won.
“Once you're incapacitated, I can conduct whatever experiments I wish,” Daniels continued. “Or you could simply answer my questions.”
I contemplated him. What would it hurt? He was as good as dead anyway.
Don't you dare tell that fucker anything! RS hissed.
I agree, my love. This man's world revolves around knowledge. Keep as much of it from him as possible.
“Ask your questions,” I finally said. “I'll answer one for every question of mine you answer.”
Daniels got a triumphant gleam in his eyes. “I accept.”
“Good. Me first. What did you do with the ashes?”
“Right to it.” He laughed. “Is that what sent you after me?”
I looked at him pointedly.
“Oh, of course; I must answer you first.” Dan
iels grinned like a boy. “I have researched the ashes and developed an infusion that grants vitality to the user.”
Daniels held out his arms; clenching and releasing his fists as if to show me how fit he was. I wasn't impressed.
“Just vitality?”
“I've answered your question,” he said smugly.