Federal Agents of Magic Boxed Set
Page 45
Bryant shook his head. “That’s not likely. After all, you’ve been adopted by a troll.”
They laughed and chatted about non-work stuff over a good meal and a bottle of wine. Once they had shared a dessert, they stopped in the bar for a nightcap. Bryant raised his scotch and clinked her glass of bourbon with it. “To the successful launch of ARES Pittsburgh.”
“BAM Pittsburgh,” she clarified as she tapped his glass in return. He laughed.
He has a nice laugh.
She set her tumbler down. “Oh, before I forget.” She opened her clutch and scrabbled through the few items in it to find the folded sheet of paper. She slid it across the bar to him. “My team’s needs. Read away, moneyman.”
He unfolded it and groaned. “Okay, a lot of this makes sense. But you do not need a semi-trailer.”
Diana grinned. “Oh, yes we do. And here’s why.”
Author Notes - TR Cameron
March 28, 2019
Again, thank you.
Thank you for reading the second book in the Magic Ops series, and for continuing on to the author notes! I hope you had as much fun reading the story as I had writing it.
The response to the first book has been fantastic, and thank you especially to everyone who has left a review! Those are beyond helpful.
But I have a confession to make.
It’s difficult to admit.
It’s about Rath.
I mentioned in the notes at the end of Magic Ops that this series is my first author collaboration. I had the core of an idea, and then Martha and Michael got into the mix and made it so much better.
They added the troll. I would never have been so bold, after the abundant love for YTT. They also suggested he should be an action movie fan. I thought it was a great idea, of course.
What I didn’t realize was how much fun he was going to be to write.
Because, seriously, Rath is a hoot.
He’s more or less taken on a life of his own, and I don’t know ahead of time what adventures he’s going to get up to with his faithful steed, Max. I only know that he’ll find a way to win, because, as Thor has wisely shared, “That’s what heroes do.”
I’d like to be serious for a moment, if you’ll indulge me. Another truth is that I am incredibly lucky to have the opportunity to partner with such a creative bunch. The positivity they share is always amazing and occasionally overwhelming, and it’s all because of the attitude that underpins everything they do: we can all rise together.
I’ve always been a team player, and I believe in this principle right down to the core of my being, deep in the tasty marrow of my bones.
Wait. Ignore that last part. I’ve said too much.
So, Anyway…
The BAM team is coming together nicely. Book three will add a couple more agents and really dive into the trouble that awaits them all. I hope you’ll join me for that adventure!
Quick media notes: Captain Marvel, saw it with my daughter and we both loved it; Spiderverse, loved it; and Avengers: Endgame, am actively fearing the heartbreak that’s on its way. Oh, and Netflix folks, watch Love, Death, and Robots, “Three Robots.” You’ll be happy you did.
You know, maybe Rath should start asking Diana for a cat, too.
Until next time, Joys upon joys to you and yours – so may it be.
Author Notes - Martha Carr
April 8, 2019
I played my first game of Dungeons and Dragons this past Saturday night with a few author friends (and one civilian). Right up front I have to thank author pal, Charley Case for being the very patient Dungeon Master to so many newbies.
“Okay, tell me again, what’s this for?” And then about five more questions… He answered them all like a champ and without the slightest sign of irritation. He should have ten kids, at least, with a patience streak like that.
A few important things I learned about playing D&D… 1. If you’re 59 years old don’t start at 8 pm because it won’t end till 1 am at the earliest. Somewhere around midnight I realized I could fall asleep in my chair against my will. And my only narrative became, who can I kill to get out of this place. Although what other people started shouting when it was their turn was super amusing. Exhaustion and enthusiasm will do that to you.
2. A Ranger is a cool character to have unless you never leave the bar. Most of my skill set was for tracking or seeing in the dark. Not much to track in one room (where the game was set this time) and author pal, Claire Taylor kept setting things on fire, so that ruled out that dim light skill I had.
Despite any of that I had a blast! Can’t wait to do it again. It was like an urban fantasy novel brought to life and I wondered what took me so long to get there.
3. When I first bought this dream house, I thought it got that title because of its size and a lot of cool features. Turns out I was wrong. Sitting there, bleary eyed around the table, I realized it was a dream house because it easily holds so many people having so much fun, all the time.
Stay tuned – I’m determined to get out and do more things too since I retired from the day job. Next up, found an adult Easter egg hunt at night with flashlights. The Offspring is going, per usual, along with a few others. I’m also signed up on another day to make my own medieval sword. Seems I’ve found my inner nerdette and she’s alive and kicking.
More adventures to follow.
Author Notes - Michael Anderle
April 17, 2019
THANK YOU for not only reading this story but these Author Notes as well.
(I think I’ve been good with always opening with “thank you.” If not, I need to edit the other Author Notes!)
Thank you to you guys for making this series such a phenomenal success. ;-)
FAN’S NOTES - Where a fan helps me out with THEIR love of reading and we learn a bit more about our fellow readers out here!
Fan Name / Pen Name and Location
Kurik from Darlington England
About how many books do you read a year, or total in your lifetime?
200ish a year. (ok, that’s more than I did when I read a lot - Mike)
Name your favorite LMBPN Series or Character(s) and what you like about them.
Barnabas, the quiet and satirical yet wholesomely violent one. (Mike: BWAHAHAHAHA! “Wholesomely Violent One” - That needs a t-shirt ;-) )
If you made up an LMBPN Character, what would be three attributes you would use? (For Example, Bethany Anne is Justice, Family (including friends), and Coca Cola. Brownstone is Keeping it Simple - Respect - and BBQ)
Honesty, fidelity and gin.
Tell us a few short sentences about yourself, and your reading hobby (When did you start reading, why, how much do you read and preferred genre's etc. (as ideas)):
Started in the school library at 7 and have not stopped. Fantasy was first then scfi and military stuff. I read when I can to relax. It's good if the book is informative and uses good English as I can learn as I enjoy! (Mike: Hats off, my cursing must make you crazy to figure out WTF I am saying.)
You can have my
Food. (Mike: That’s hard core.)
Place you have loved to read the most in your life - best memories (mine was as a teenager at my grandparents house under the feather bed on cold days.)
On the Yorkshire Moors, in the sun listening to Sky larks, curlews and cuckoos whilst tucking in to a good tale. (Mike: I thought for a minute I was going to have to edit this one :-o )
AROUND THE WORLD IN 80 DAYS
One of the interesting (at least to me) aspects of my life is the ability to work from anywhere and at any time. In the future, I hope to re-read my own Author Notes and remember my life as a diary entry.
Five50 - Pizza Bar in Aria Hotel, Las Vegas
I just had to review hundreds of hot female warrior images from Google and Pinterest to find a pose for a new series… A bit embarrassing since I’m at the bar where all of the servers walk by and some of these images were NSFW.
Geez, my cheeks are red.
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Review them so others have your thoughts, tell friends and the dogs of your enemies (because who wants to talk with enemies?)… Enough said ;-)
Ad Aeternitatem,
Michael Anderle
Counter Ops
Federal Agents of Magic Book 3
Chapter One
The faint buzz of Kayleigh’s drone was faintly audible over the sounds of revelry emanating from the ramshackle construction ahead. The faded metal sides and broken windows of the warehouse suggested that the structure had been abandoned. The skeleton of the building provided the perfect camouflage to hide the lawbreakers within.
Not just any lawbreakers. Lucrative lawbreakers.
The feed from the drone played in a small window on Diana’s AR display glasses. The structure and thirty or so feet on either side were easily visible. Tony crept silently toward the back using all his years of experience as a former detective, while Cara approached from the left using the stealth tactics she’d learned in her military service. The team leader couldn’t see Rath or Max. Both were well hidden somewhere on the right of the building as backup. The human members of the team had agreed that the less frequently the troll was seen with their bounty hunter personas, the better. Rath had not agreed and had insisted that he should be a part of all the missions. For training purposes, of course.
Must train.
He wasn’t wrong. They all needed to keep their skills sharp to deal with the escalating challenges they faced. And in this case, that need resulted in a hidden troll and Borzoi ready to step in if required. The pair had talent. Diana couldn’t see them on the feed at all. Her attention was pulled away from the search as the others finally reached their positions and tapped their own AR glasses to send the signal to her device that they were ready. The cursors over their positions on the overview pulsed and rippled in response.
Kayleigh’s vibrant voice carried over the comms. Another benefit of scoring such a great tech was all the added support she could bring to their cover operations. Bounty hunting wasn’t an easy business, after all. Once Diana had replaced the blonde’s tech after their last adventure, she was only too happy to assist where she could.
“Okay, the drone shows a ton of heat signatures inside. I managed a quick dip to look in a window, and they’re all behaving stupidly in there. Drinking, dancing, throwing things, and generally partying it up.”
Diana made sure the sleeves of her Two Worlds Security shirt were pulled down to hide the skin where the glyphs appeared each time she used magic. Next, she tucked the cuffs under the new clunky bracelets she wore. The jewelry brought a grin to her lips. The team had watched another Avengers movie together when she’d noticed Black Widow’s wrist weapons. That had given her the idea to pass her magic off as advanced technology.
She and Kayleigh had collaborated to fashion the ornaments. They glowed slightly when she called on her power, and it would be easy for the uninformed to assume that the results came from the mundane, rather than the magical. The other agents had simply laughed.
They’re jealous. Okay, maybe they are a little silly and possibly not that helpful, but I’ll take any edge I can get. Plus, they look cool.
Cara’s voice conveyed a lack of appreciation for their quarries’ antics. “Are they still partying from last night, or did they sleep and start again? It’s not like the heist they pulled was particularly impressive.”
Tony radiated pure sarcasm. “Come on, now. These people are criminal rock stars. Hitting three liquor stores one after the other and setting them ablaze to cover the theft? Genius.”
Diana could almost hear his eyes rolling.
“If only they’d realized those places have cameras, they might have gotten away with it,” he added with little remorse.
Rath chimed in. “Alcohol truck. Flames. Big bada boom.”
Diana laughed. “Yes, the part where they lit their getaway vehicle on fire couldn't have been a high point of their evening. But it tells us two important things. First, they have a fire user, who we saw on the video. And second, they have someone who does water, cold, air, or something that could put it out.”
Cara added, “Or one who does both.”
The team leader nodded. Magic users frequently stuck to their strengths, but more and more often, they encountered adepts skilled in multiple varieties.
Like Nylotte would say, let it flow. It’s already inside you.
She sighed at the thought of her teacher. The training sessions with the Drow were frequent and exhausting. She felt worn out by them, so she’d jumped at the chance to do something more practical. Rounding up the group of low-level bounties that made up this particular ragtag gang would give her a nice adrenaline rush and paycheck.
Plus, if Bryant's intel is right and they’re involved in blocking our supplies, it would be worth doing at twice the hassle.
“Is there anything else before we go, Kayleigh?” she asked.
“Nope. It’s like we thought. The idiots are moving around in there, so I can’t give you a plot, but the sentries are still in position.” The defenders’ locations pulsed softly on her AR display.
“All right, then. Rath, keep your eyes open. Tony and Cara, let’s time it so we all reach the building at once and disable the guard nearest our entry point.” She crept forward with purposeful deliberation, crossed quickly from cover to cover, then paused to reassess. The unexpected heat of the April day made her sweat under the heavy black shirt and the combat vest it concealed. She wore jeans, and an army-style utility belt held her automatic pistol in a right hip holster, while a taser hung from a matching one on the left. Her trusty Ruger was tucked into her custom boot and filled with anti-magic rounds. She had a spare magazine of the expensive bullets for the Sig-Sauer, but none for the rifle. All signs indicated that this wouldn’t be a threat level that required it, and they had to conserve the ammunition for more important ops. The group consisted of a few magicals and a handful of morons.
At least they had the sense to post guards.
If they could be called that. The sentry nearest her failed miserably. The sap spent more time looking wistfully at the revelry than scanning his surroundings.
I hope the others are equally as stupid.
She crept behind him, grabbed his arms, and yanked him through the doorway. The taser buzzed with electricity as the guard convulsed painfully before he finally slumped against her. She released her grip on the trigger and lunged to guide the body to the ground before she delivered a sharp blow to his head that knocked him out. Her quick, “Target down,” was echoed by Cara and Tony shortly thereafter.
She felt a flush of pride at the team’s efficiency.
BAM Pittsburgh kicks serious ass, and don’t you forget it. Whoever you are.
Her mental voice laughed but sounded far more mocking than amused.
Why am I talking to myself?
She shook her head and peeked around the small metal doorframe. The warehouse had a basic design. A large slab of concrete was bounded by a rectangle of vertical metal and covered by a slanted roof a couple of stories above. Large beams created a grid at the top that attached to regularly spaced support girders that had been bolted and anchored into the floor.
Two box trucks about the size of a typical U-Haul were parked at random angles facing toward the interior of the building.
Amateurs.
One of the vehicles had a long scorch mark along its left side. The blackened soot looked strangely artistic on the yellow surface. Boxes were stacked at varying heights around the revelers. The ones nearest the burned truck had been arranged into a recognizable
but thoroughly unanticipated shape—a throne.
A pirate, who had clearly been influenced by the Disney films—right down to the scraggly facial hair and raggedy hat—sprawled on the surface. Diana blinked to clear her eyes, but he was still there. “Do you see this, or am I finally having that breakdown I’ve expected?”
Tony snorted. “If you’re referring to the Jack Sparrow wannabe, I see him, too.”
Cara chuckled. “I love this job. Every day is a new adventure.”
“Yeah. In stupidity,” he countered.
Diana couldn’t argue the point. “Okay, it’s probably safe to assume that pretty boy there is one of our magic users. Be on the lookout for any others.” She stuck her head around for another quick glance at the room. This time, she saw a group of women scantily-clad in nightclub attire fawning on either side of the would-be rogue. “We may have some civilians present. Those ladies don’t look like they spent their evening robbing liquor stores.”
Kayleigh’s voice preempted any other responses. “I’ve taken the feeds from your glasses and run facial recognition. We have nothing on the women, and no additional bounties are present. The ones we knew of are magicals, but we still have no clear indication as to what their powers are. This is the second time they’ve been seen together. The first was when they made an identical heist on the west side of the city.”
Diana checked to be sure her decoy bracelets were in place. “Well, let’s make it the last time. Take out the trash, then the buccaneer. Give us a ten-second countdown. We go on zero.” The numbers popped into the lower right of her display. She breathed once and braced herself until the count ended.
Shouting and scrambling accompanied their forced entrance on all sides. It might have been inspired in part by Tony’s heavy shotgun, which discharged giant beanbags with deafening bangs that echoed in the tumult. It also might have been caused by Cara’s battle cry as she leapt from the low platform she’d entered on to land beside a guard with a gun. A well-placed kick knocked his weapon aside, and she took him out of the fight with two squeezes of the trigger from her taser, followed by a sharp kick to the head.