by Martha Carr
A dark mist whorled around the dark remnants that reminded Leira of what she had seen and felt in the world in between. Still, there were remnants of something else in there too.
"Not all bad."
"That's rarely the case. The dark magic is doing its best to swallow the light but it's never a given that the darkness will succeed." Correk was tempted to help Leira but he held back. She was finding her way.
Leira let her magic swirl around the entrails just long enough to sense where they were headed next. The smell of burning sulphur filled her nose. The hope is getting squeezed out of their energy bit by bit. The dark magic is winning.
"They're getting desperate. Katie has them on the run. Even if she hasn't grabbed the necklace she's still stopped them from using it." Leira's ribbon of energy glittered as it turned and rolled, searching for answers. The darker, smoldering remnants of magic were unstable, giving off sparks.
Leira opened her eyes. "They've hidden it well. The followers are getting smarter. Someone is teaching them. The trail leads nowhere."
"They'll make themselves known again. It's becoming obvious they have plans for the necklace. Big plans of some sort. That amount of magic will be hard to hide."
"Last time it was used by a stupid human and blew two people into dust. What happens when a determined group of crafty magical people use it?"
"Let's stop them before we find that out." The thinning of the veil. That can't be it.
McIntire's Garden Center was in a long wooden building painted green and sat on a nondescript stretch of road in the middle of the old part of Georgetown, Texas, just north of Austin. The owner, Hoppy was considered the plant whisperer for miles around and was known for his ability to size up what a person was capable of keeping alive and for his low prices. People came from all over to talk to Hoppy about their yards.
Eireka chose the meeting spot because it was close to a small airport owned by the government that went largely unnoticed. It would be time to leave soon for New Jersey but there was someone she had to see first. Fifteen years was long enough to wait to explain.
She was wandering through the aisle that had the succulents looking for something small that she could put in a pot by Leira's door. Donald was nearby pretending to look at a lipstick plant in a hanging basket. He had agreed to meet her there to look for plants for Leira's guest house. He lifted one of the fragile stems with his finger to see if it had a scent as the small, red petals fell slowly to the ground, startling him.
He looked up sheepishly and smiled at Eireka.
"I'm not sure garage mechanics were meant to be playing with plants."
"Everyone should be surrounded by plants," said Eireka, smiling nervously. "They add something peaceful to the surroundings."
She moved on to the large potted ferns, excited to see a large silvery glade fern.
"This would be perfect for Leira's living room. The troll would love to sleep among the leaves." She felt the soft leaves between her fingers just as she realized what had slipped out. Troll. No time like the present to tell the truth. She turned to face Donald, planting her feet and clasping her hands in front of her. "You set the truth free..."
"And let it do its own work. I remember you used to say that all the time. Before..." He did his best to keep smiling.
Eireka was determined to get it all out. She was tired of apologizing to anyone for what she knew was the truth. She had paid enough.
"I'm not crazy." She crossed her arms over her chest, drawing her mouth into a determined thin line.
"I never said you were, ever." He started to put out a hand but hesitated. "So tell me the truth," he said, softly.
She relaxed her arms but kept the look of determination. "Magic is real. It's not only real, it's a part of my family, right down to their DNA. It's existed on Earth for thousands upon thousands of years. There's even an entire world out there called Oriceran where magic thrives." The words came out in a jumbled rush. There's so much I want to tell you.
She started to warm to the topic, loosening her arms so she could move her hands while she talked. "There are all sorts of different magical creatures. Even the bugs are different and can do more things! The plants can move to the sound of your voice and are fed by music." She lifted the stem of a fern, her face flushed with excitement. "Some of those very same creatures even live here on Earth, right around us, blending in so no one is afraid of them..."
"Like you."
Eireka stopped in mid-sentence, searching his face. "Oh hell, yes, like me." She smiled softly at Donald. "I never should have hid any of this from you. You deserved better than that."
Donald scuffed the ground with the heel of his cowboy boot. Austin's idea of work boots. "I could have told you what I saw all those years ago. Never forgave myself for not speaking up. Some part of me wondered if maybe I imagined it."
Eireka stepped toward him, close enough to put her hand on his arm. "You were never to blame for anything. All you've ever been is kind to me. To Leira."
He took her hand off his arm and held it, giving it a squeeze. "I'm sorry. I know you say I'm not responsible but you're standing on Texas soil and we stand up for each other. Come what may."
"Maybe we can start over."
"I'd like that." He was still holding her hand.
"Ask me anything."
"Okay, let's start with, what's a troll? Are they like those dolls I had as a kid?"
"Oh, they are so much more. So much more," she said laughing. "Wait till you hear his name!"
"Maybe you can tell me more over dinner tonight."
"I can't tonight. Everything's in place for me to finally move the Jersey Willens. I'm on a tight timeline. I'm acting as their personal escort. Longer story than I have time for right now. Matter of fact, I need to go. Rain check for the weekend?"
"It's a date. I'll pick you up at the gate house."
"You can meet the troll, and Estelle and Craig and Mike."
"It's nice to see you so happy." He squeezed her hand again.
Eireka leaned closer and gave him a small kiss. "Thank you, I mean it. Tell Hoppy I'll be back," she said.
"Thank you, Eireka."
"For what?"
"For giving me another chance."
"Donald, that goes both ways. Now, I have to run. The Jersey Willens are waiting."
"Do I want to know?"
"Yeah, no more secrets. But telling you about a talking family of oversized rats will take more time than I've got." Eireka laughed. "It'll get easier, you'll see."
Leira stood at the trunk of the Mustang in front of the white Italian-style villa, looking at the dark windbreaker in her hands, with the large white letters, PDA on the back trying to make up her mind. "Not today." She stuffed it back in the trunk and shut it. "Like being branded. No chance of going unnoticed somewhere until you want to be seen wearing that thing. PDA." She checked her phone again. Still no word from her mother since she texted her that they had safely loaded the Jersey Willen family onto the plane and were about to go wheels up.
"This will work." She had been repeating that mantra to herself for hours. She looked around at the grounds and took a deep breath. "Nice life if you can get it."
She was parked in front of the Contemporary Austin museum on the former grounds of the Driscoll Estate. Fourteen acres in the heart of the city overlooking Lake Austin. She glanced up at the nineteen-foot tall statue of a thin man made of metal, his head tilted back looking up at the sky. Tall palm trees loomed on either side of the statue. "Looks like someone finally found a better use for all the old tinfoil."
She walked briskly around the side of the house passing through more of the sculpture garden, arching an eyebrow at the nine-foot tall white rabbit dressed in a child's outfit, water pouring out of its eyes. "Definitely checking for magical people on this one."
She came around the corner and found everyone standing outside on the lawn next to a two-foot high square stone base.
"Freddy Krueger's li
ttle sister is here," muttered Fischer, moving behind the other three agents.
"I'm tired of thumping the back of your head. You keep it up, this time I'll throw you in the gaping hole thing that keeps showing up." Cohen shook his head at him. "Glad you could make it Agent Berens."
"Where's your jacket? Standard issue when we go out on calls." It was a female agent with blonde hair pulled back into a bun so tight it made her eyebrows a little higher. She turned her back for a moment to show the large FBI on the back of her blue windbreaker. The jacket made a loud rustling sound every time she moved.
"She's right. It's protocol for everyone. You have yours with you?" Cohen tried to give her a half smile.
"It's unavailable. We'll have to forge ahead without it this time. Why is everyone outside?"
"We're avoiding enclosed spaces when you're around." Fischer let out a guffaw and a couple of the other agents snickered.
"You really better hope the thing doesn't show up. I swear I'll push you in." Cohen made a loud slurp, demonstrating for Fischer how the hole could suck him right in. Fischer's face went pale thinking about the dark mist, and he moved a little further away from Leira.
Leira set her jaw, giving them all a hard look. She wasn't used to not being thought of as part of the team. This was going to be harder than she thought. Fine. I've figured out hard before. "Why did you call me in? What's happened?"
Cohen stepped closer to Leira, sliding his finger across an iPad, searching for an image. "The reason we're all out here is because of this glass and metal sculpture."
Leira looked at the image of a large fish standing on end made of colored glass and smooth silver, a giant hook in its mouth. She noticed they were standing next to the same base, now empty. "We're here because the fish was stolen? Wouldn't that be a straight robbery case for the Austin PD?"
"Normally, yes. But this is the footage from the security cameras of the robbery." Cohen slid his finger across the screen, pushing the triangle as the video slid into place. Glowing figures could be seen moving across the grass toward the sculpture, encircling the fish, slowly lifting it off the base. "See what I mean? Seems a little hinky. And, that's not just any fish. It's by some famous sculptor. Worth millions. The brass wants it returned before the museum or their insurance company asks too many questions and somehow we get around to paranormal witchcraft or something. Sorry. No offense."
"None taken. Witches might be offended but you'd have to ask one. Show me the video again." Leira watched it more closely, taking the tablet from Cohen's hands, playing it again and again. Leira shook her head. Something about this wasn't adding up to magical sticky fingers. The thieves are lifting the sculpture and walking away. Straining under the effort. “Back up," she said, lifting her arm to get them to step back against the tall hedges.
She turned her back to the agents, facing the empty base and centered herself, letting the energy flow through her. The symbols started to glow on her hands, spreading up her arms. She could hear the gasps behind her but let it go. Best to just get it over with and do her job. Let it be their problem. I have enough feelings to deal with already.
She sent the magic out ahead of her, searching for remnants of magic. Thought so, place is clean. Wait a minute. That's interesting.
There was a trail of frantic energy, the human variety. Harder to detect than magical remnants but it was there. Leira looked again at the tape but this time let the energy tell her what she was really looking at.
"Who was here when the statue was stolen?" Leira let the energy subside and turned around to face the agents. Most of them were doing their best to look casual but they were clustered together. Only Cohen was closer to normal, his hands on his hips.
"The security guard who works in the control room most of the night. He checked out and the cameras inside show him at his post the whole time. He's here now if you want to meet him."
"Lead the way. I have a theory."
The security room was in the back of the house off the original kitchen in what was the butler's pantry. The young security guard was sitting at his post, making a point of looking busy scanning the screens. Leira went and stood next to him but he didn't look up.
"You already know I have it figured out, don't you?" she asked.
"What?" He looked up doing his best blank look.
"That's not a very good poker face. You'll need to work on that. You know, funny thing. A while back I read this really cool article about LED lights and the different things they can be used for like messing with security cameras."
Leira watched his hand slip off the keyboard and shake a little as he tried to go back to what he was doing. "Can make an infrared mask on a baseball cap. All it takes. Now, I wonder if they looked in your place if that's what they'd find because you don't strike me as an evil genius. I'll bet there are clues lying right out in the open." Leira tilted her head to the side. "You thought no one would guess in time before you could slip away." She shook her head. "It never goes exactly as planned. Sit there quietly if you like but it's all starting to unravel. You obviously had help. Cooperating to find them and bring back that pricey fish is all you have left."
The young man's hands stopped moving over the keyboard. "I want a lawyer."
"You're gonna need one," she said.
"Not paranormal," she said in a low voice to Cohen. "Ordinary greedy human."
"I'll walk you out. Perkins, escort the suspect outside and call the local law enforcement." Cohen walked her around to her car. "You still made this all come together pretty quickly. And I can't say I'm sorry it was just clever technology this time. That black fog didn't roll in this time." He gave off a shudder.
"I still appreciate what you did that time."
"But it'd be nice if everyone else on your team weren't such fucking bitches. I get it," he said. "Fair enough."
Leira opened the car door. "Something like that."
"Well, Fischer's probably a terminal asshole. The rest, they'll get there. They don't know what to make of it all. I know I said all of this before. We grow on you, eventually."
"You seem to be rolling with it okay."
"I gave up a long time ago trying to control the world or predict the future. I just roll with whatever comes next."
"See you later Casper!" Fischer was walking the security guard around to the front, his hands behind him in handcuffs.
Fuck, I miss the sound of handcuffs. Leira watched him pull the man over toward the black SUV.
"Fischer, I swear to God, I will knock you into fucking Tuesday of next week." A vein was showing on Cohen's forehead and he was clenching a fist. Fischer was too far away and knew it. He snickered and kept walking, dragging the reluctant guard.
"Casper was a friendly ghost, motherfucker," said Leira evenly, letting her eyes glow for just a moment, sending out a stream of energy only she could see that gave Fischer a hard push in the center of his chest. Fischer's legs trembled and he stumbled over a rock, falling to one knee as he let go of the guard. The man took off running, his arms pinned behind him as two other agents easily ran him down, pulling him to the ground. Fischer picked himself up, spitting on the ground as he sneered at Leira.
"Thank you for that. Not sure what you did, but thank you. That guy is a pain in my ass all day, every day. I think I owe you a beer." Cohen smiled at her.
"That one was on the house," said Leira sliding into her car. "Till we meet again."
"Bring your jacket next time. Protocol."
"I'll work on that," she said, starting the engine and easily gliding away. She rolled down the window and let her eyes glow one more time as she rolled past Fischer. "Boo," she said, just loud enough for him to hear. He started and jumped back. Leira smiled as she peeled down the road.
Chapter Sixteen
Leira rushed to the hangar as soon as she got the word that the next phase was ready to go. It was already getting later in the day. She wanted the delivery completed ahead of schedule and to have what the Willen needed as
quickly as possible. The black mist was looking for her. She was determined to meet up with it on her terms the next time and with plenty of magical firepower. The sooner the better.
The five Jersey Willens were at the airport just outside of Austin clustered close together eyeing the humans around them. The youngest peered out from behind his mother. They were awaiting transport to the underground city of Hilldale. "They look anxious," said Leira to the guard who walked her inside. He rolled his eyes but didn't comment.
She watched the Willens start to separate and wander around the hangar. "Guess not. Clever cover." She shook her head. "No way to watch them all at the same time that way. Divide and steal blind."
Eireka was standing in the brightly lit large space, right next to the plane looking a little disheveled but still smiling, flanked by special agents. Everyone looked a little worn out.
"It was an interesting flight," said Eireka with a tired shrug. "Willens move around a lot," she said, meaningfully. One of the agents looked over at the female Willen, scowling. "She stole his wallet a few times. Kept having to get it back. I think he wanted to shoot her." Eireka let out a hiccup. "Oh damn, I get these..."
"When you're tired, I remember."
Eireka looked at Leira and gave a crooked smile. Takes time, Eireka reminded herself, and bit by bit we find our way back.
"That the missus?" Leira noticed something dangling out of the folds of the Willen's skin.
"That's the grandmother. See the long streak of gray hair down her back. That's apparently typical when they age. She talked a blue streak on the plane. Should have seen the agents. They were doing their best to take it all in. Can't be easy for a human. The missus is just behind her." Eireka nodded to the left of the older female Willen.
Leira walked over to the grandmother and put out her hand. "This will go better if you don't take anything from the people who are still trying to help you. Turn it over." She said it evenly, giving her best dead fish look.