The Leira Chronicles- The Complete Austin Series

by Martha Carr

  "I'm sorry. I forgot to introduce myself. My name is Jorge Estevez, a member of Mexico's Paranormal Division. You must be Leira Berens. You are legendary to us here."

  Hagan came up the last stairs and out the door, bending over for a moment, resting his hands on his knees. "That workout will last me for a good month or two. That was intense. Do you know I heard birds near the top? Can that be true?"

  Jorge ducked his chin, smiling as he looked away. "Yes sir, there are many birds living in there. There's an entire ecosystem built inside of there that stretches for miles and comes to rest at a kemana on the far side of town. You must be Agent Felix Hagan." Jorge held out his hand, gripping Hagan's and giving it a vigorous shake, a broad smile across his face. "Another legend. A human being investigating magic. You are very brave, sir. Very brave."

  Hagan was surprised at the greeting but managed a smile and finally stood straight, his hands on his hips.

  Leira gave him a crooked smile. About time others noticed.

  "Come on, let's roll," said Hagan. "Time to kick some Dr. Evil ass."

  "Yes!" Jorge punched the air with his fist. They followed him to the caravan and got into an SUV in the back seat. Grim-faced agents all quietly piled into their cars as Jorge got in the front seat along with another agent and they started down the dusty road. Their car quickly fell into line in the middle of the pack and Leira watched out the window at the passing landscape, wondering about the battle that surely lay ahead.

  Chapter Fourteen

  "They're in a series of warehouses out by the Lopez avocado fields. That's some of the oldest fields in Tancitaro. We think they've been paying off the family that own the fields to use their old facilities and to look the other way as they come and go with large trailers full of exotic animals. We owe a debt of gratitude to your sources or we wouldn't have put all the pieces together. It's a well-run operation despite all the activity and from the outside the trucks looked like they were shipping avocados in and out and not animals."

  "Terrible business," muttered the other agent, shaking his head.

  They drove for miles down back roads past vast avocado groves and small houses that abutted the roads here and there. Occasionally someone looked out of one of the houses and saw the passing flotilla of large black vehicles and quickly let go of their curtain, ducking back inside, not wanting to get involved.

  They arrived at the edge of a large estate with an arch over the road made of iron in the shape of an avocado tree. On one side the metal was twisted into the words, Since 1935 and on the other side, Lopez Farm. "This is where we get out and go on foot. The facilities are about a mile into the estate. Chances are they may already know something is happening but if we spread out we may still have a better chance of stopping them from leaving or destroying everything."

  Leira and Hagan piled out of the car with everyone else and stood at the edge of the groves.

  "We will head up the middle of the grove. Ready?" Jorge held out his wand. "Ligero..." A bright, narrow light shone from the end of his wand, lighting the way as they moved quickly through the trees. Everyone kept up as they got closer to their destination. There were low lights off the sides of the windowless buildings but nothing to suggest there was any activity going on in the middle of the night. Lopez checked his radio, turning it off and signaled with his wand, sending out a stream of energy from it that connected to the next wand, and then the next wand, connecting the group.

  "Go to positions!" Jorge's words traveled down the thread of the magical connection, erupting into sound at each stop. The group moved in, running quickly across the open ground, wands at the ready, their faces set and determined. Hagan drew his pistol as Leira pulled in the energy under her feet, her arms and neck glowing from the symbols. The stone inside the bracelet turning to liquid as it spun in a whirl in its setting.

  The first squad got to the building and opened fire with their wands to open the large doors but the magical pulses bounced back, pinging against the metal, sounding like small stones being hurled by children. Another squadron joined them, adding their magic but it added nothing as the pulse blew back, shining in the Wizards and Witches faces and shaking the avocado tress behind them. There was a steady thud as ripened avocados hit the ground and rolled away from the rolling wave of magic.

  Leira stepped up with the third squad as they crossed the circuit of streams of magic but nothing was being accomplished.

  Leira dug in her heels into the ground and focused. "Go get 'em," whispered Hagan, a scowl on his face. "I'll be right beside you. Let's get those bastards."

  Set an intention. Open the doors.

  A wide swath of magic poured up Leira's legs and out of the center of her trunk, her arms and hands pointed at the door, her face set in a dangerous scowl. She was in no mood to be turned away.

  Open the doors. It felt like there was shouting inside of her head. Open the motherfucking doors! There was a roar inside of her now.

  The energy lifted her forward onto her toes, threatening to pull her off her feet. She flexed her legs, focusing as the bracelet rattled against her skin, forcing her heels back down as the magic rose, testing the artifact on her arm. The door bowed toward her, pulled by the magic, still not giving in as Leira held her position and the others continued to add their powers to hers.

  A boom so loud it was only heard in hindsight, the wave of magic pulsing over them, passed over their heads, knocking some to the ground, leaving them breathless. Hagan crouched down behind Leira as the magic passed over them and he looked up to see a green shimmering light filling the night sky. "Wow," he said in awe as his bones ached from the pressure of the wave.

  The doors finally snapped in two, swirling over their heads and flying into the groves, shearing off the tops of trees before landing in a loud bang. "It's all true!" Jorge stared at Leira, his mouth open in amazement.

  "Focus!" barked Hagan, making himself stand upright despite the pain he felt from the force that passed over them all.

  "Adelante!" yelled someone in the front and everyone steadily progressed forward, their wands out, the magical lines crossing into one stream pointed inside the opening to the building, searching out streams of darker magic.

  Leira ran forward, her arms shaking from the strain of the magic pulsing through her, barely kept at bay by the artifact on her arm. They ran inside and found large sheets of plastic hanging from the ceiling to keep different surgical areas sanitary. Cows were lowing, pulling against chains around their ankles, their heads arched up and back and their eyes wide.

  Leira felt their pain drifting through her. There's that connection again. What is happening to me? The stone in the bracelet briefly turned colors, settling back into amber.

  Hagan stopped for a moment on the threshold as everyone rushed past him, taking in the scene in front of him. Each of the animals had a different part of their internal organs missing, replaced by moving parts that were visible beneath a thin membrane. Some had mechanical legs and one near the front looked as if his entire head had been surgically removed and reattached onto an artificial neck. Hagan swallowed hard as bile rose in his throat and anger filled his entire being. "Never in all my years."

  He rushed forward, his gun pointed, searching for any of the scientists or corporate handlers who were in charge. Human beings are behind this. For once, bullets will work just fine.

  No one was tending to the animals even though there were surgical trays beside the ones in the back of the warehouse that connected in a T shape to a long low building in the back. The group moved on, turning the corner and running down the long building.

  "There they are!" Men in white lab coats were running toward a door further down the long building, glancing back over their shoulders. The door was wide open and others were just escaping into it as all the wands pointed in their direction.

  Leira whipped her head around as a trail of dark, silvery magic whooshed past her in a fast-moving stream headed in another direction. "The Wizard," s
he hissed. She recognized the trail and was tempted to turn toward it, hesitating. Work with the group. Stay on the mission. Be a part of the team. Turner's words from her lessons were playing in her mind.

  She ran forward with the group toward the door, keeping an eye on Hagan who was resolute and determined to be at the head of the pack, his gun drawn. Leira's hesitation had put her at the back and she looked down to read the quickly moving symbols, flipping over on her arms.

  "What?" The warning came just in time.

  She spun around, her arms out and the magic pulsing through her again, ramped up as far as the artifact would allow aimed straight at the dark Wizard coming out of a swirl of Dark Mist. He laughed, his voice coming out in a high pitch and raised his hands, dark energy pouring out of him. He was one with the mist from the world in between. Leira's stream of gold and green energy slammed against the Dark Mist's as they pushed against each other. The pain was blinding and tears came to her eyes as she gritted her teeth and stood her ground.

  She heard Turner's voice in her head again as she felt herself weakening and the Dark Mist's energy grew closer to her. Jackson's words echoed in her head, leaving an ache in her heart.

  Dad...Mom... Nana... help me. The thought was fleeting for just a moment, but it was enough. Magic poured in from both directions joining hers as Leira recognized Jackson's magic, along with Eireka and Mara. Tears poured down her face as she felt them alongside her. The mist still kept coming, pushing harder against the stream of light as Leira felt herself being pulled toward the world in between and the grasp of the Dark Mist. "No!" she yelled through clenched teeth.

  The Wizard's eyes were completely black as he slowly walked toward Leira, leering at her.

  She felt someone next to her and looked over to see Hagan aiming his gun at the Wizard, one hand on Leira's shoulder. "I can ground you. Trust me," he shouted. "Do it!"

  Leira looked at Hagan as he gave her a hard nod. "It will pull you in too."

  "Then we will fight our way back out. Do it!"

  Leira shook her arm till the bracelet dropped off, hitting the dusty floor. The whirl inside the setting immediately slowed down and returned to a stationery stone. Hagan gripped her shoulder tighter, digging his fingers into her skin as Leira took a deep breath and let go of the magic. A bright light filled the warehouse, lighting it from one end to the other as the energy poured through Leira unfettered, filling every inch of her. A feeling of bliss overtook her and the pain and worries left her as the energy slammed into the Dark Mist, pounding it back.

  It's working... She was staying just to the edge of this side of the veil between the light and the darkness. Hagan was keeping her grounded.

  The familial strings of magic peeled off her, unable to keep up and split apart, fracturing into smaller bits of light.

  The Wizard growled, throwing back his head in pain and frustration, his silver hair glistening under the lights. He turned his attention to Hagan, veering away from Leira just slightly, aiming a pulse of energy straight at Hagan's chest.

  Leira felt a moment of panic inside the bliss as the magic smashed into Hagan, the sound of his ribs creaking as some of them cracked. He hung on for as long as he could, his gun falling from his grasp as he fell backward, his grip loosening on Leira's shoulder just enough till he let go. His head hit the floor with a thwack and his eyes closed as he lay crumpled on the ground.

  Leira felt the split inside of her being as she tried to pull away and tend to Hagan but the light was set loose and sought out the darkness, pushing against it. She felt herself getting swept up into it even as she looked to her side, trying to find a way out.

  A shower of sparks erupted in the center of the streams as a portal opened and a sword emerged, cutting into the stream, followed by Louie, yelling in an ancient language. The sword was moving swiftly, cutting through the stream, interrupting the flow as he heard the ancient spells in his head, and felt the push to say them as quickly as possible.

  The Dark Mist swirled around the Wizard, rising to the roof and spreading out to the sides, sensing another strong presence of light, attracted to the energy flowing through Louie. The Wizard opened his arms wide, the darkness pouring through him as the Dark Mist came close enough to swirl around Louie's feet.

  "Noohra Asmata Ginzia Almayya Harasha." Louie yelled the words over and over again as the spells from the first Wizards to walk the Earth came to him through the sword pushing back the Dark Mist.

  Leira was lifting off her feet even as she reached out trying to grasp Hagan's hand. Not again. Not again. Correk... I need you.

  Louie yelled the words again, slicing the sword through the air and bringing it down through the Dark Mist. "Noohra Asmata Ginzia Almayya Harasha! Hshuka Htam!" The mist was being strangled, turning to wisps of smoke, retreating quickly along the ground, absorbing into the Wizard who was being pulled backward. He was spinning like a top as he screamed into the void, disappearing with a sharp bang leaving a stillness in the room. Leira felt a ringing in her ears as she felt herself being gently pulled apart. There's no pain. She glanced back toward Hagan, wanting to reach for him as the light tugged at her harder.

  Louie raised the sword over his head, neatly putting it back into its sheath on his back in one clean motion, as he slid on his knees toward Leira. He hurriedly picked up the bracelet, pushing his way through the force of the energy surrounding her and pushed the bracelet onto her wrist, pulling her close and hugging her to him, grounding the energy through his body.

  "You're part human," Leira whispered in surprise in his ear as the energy whipped backward, slamming into them, throwing them to the ground. The wind was knocked out of Leira as she looked to her side, Hagan's face inches from hers. "Felix..."

  She shoved Louie off of her and rolled over, gasping for air as she grabbed Hagan's wrist, checking for a pulse. "Help the others," she yelled at Louie. The sounds of fighting could be heard through the open door. "Go! Go! I'll be alright. They need you."

  Louie looked around at where he was standing and saw the tortured animals, a look of horror coming over his face as he ran for the door, pulling out his sword.

  Leira kneeled by Hagan's side, trying to find a faint pulse, placing one hand on his chest. "There it is, there it is." A pulse beat against her fingers, barely there as she blinked back tears, wiping her face on her arm. "You would be so pissed off if you knew I was crying over you."

  She bit her bottom lip, her face determined and placed her other hand across his broken ribs. "Please..." she whispered, her throat aching, setting an intention with one word. "Please."

  Light grew around her hands, warming them as it passed from her hands into Hagan, seeking out the destruction and setting the bones, healing the jagged tears inside of him. Leira shut her eyes and let the energy flow evenly through her.

  "Rose, I'm home..."

  She opened her eyes to see Hagan trying to lift his head, confused.

  "Lay back, lay back. You've been injured. We're in Mexico closing down Frankenstein's reboot."

  "That black smoke. The whack job..." Hagan tried again to lift his head.

  "It's okay. The world in between sucked it all back in again... for now. We're good. The cavalry showed up and is helping them roust the enemy. You lay still."

  Cheers erupted from the down the hall and behind the door. Leira looked up to see Jorge emerge, leading the scientists with their hands tied behind their backs in ropes of gold light with sharp thorns digging into their skin. There was a burn mark down Jorge's cheek and his face was swollen on that side but he was smiling, waving to the others to head for the cars.

  "Is everyone okay?" He handed off the prisoner to another agent and looked down at Hagan, concerned. "Do we need an ambulance?"

  "Probably," said Leira.

  "No," growled Hagan. "I think I'm in one piece but how’s that possible. I heard a loud crunch when I went down." He gave a gentle shake to his head. "I was trying to ground you. Wait... what happened? How did you come b
ack?"

  "There's your answer."

  Louie came out of the door last, his sword back in its sheath, marching happily behind the last of the prisoners. A few well chosen artifacts safely tucked in the rucksack on his back.

  "Louie meet Felix Hagan, a legend among magical beings."

  Louie knelt down and took Hagan's hand, helping him up to a sitting position.

  "That was pretty boss what you did, standing up to the Dark Mist like that. Not a lot of Oricerans would do that."

  The blood rushed to Hagan's head and he closed his eyes for a moment, waiting for it to pass. "Berens is my partner. It comes with the job description."

  Leira smiled as she patted Louie hard on the shoulder. "How did you know to show up in the nick of time? That was like a miracle."

  "Jackson called me and told me to get my ass over here. He used our safe word from back in the day when we were scavenging together. I never heard him use it in all the days we were out in the field. It was reserved for when things were beyond going south and conditions were not favorable to survival."

  "What's the safe word?" asked Hagan as Louie helped him slowly to his feet, holding on to him to make sure he was steady.

  "Shit storm."

  Leira gave a crooked smile. "Jackson called you with magic?"

  "No, he used a phone. Come on, that's ridiculous. Magic has its limits. This isn't Disneyland. We don't just yell into the wind and it travels across country. He had my digits. He yelled shit storm into the phone and a bunch of coordinates and I dropped the phone and took off. Here we are."

  "You didn't ask a single question. Thank you, man." Hagan coughed hard, the bruising on his ribs making him wince. "I'm okay. Not broken, I can live with this."

  "You don't ask questions in those moments. You just go. Rule number one is you show up when your friends ask for help."