"What do you have to say about this accusation?" High Wizard Wade said, regarding me.
"I created the fissure in self-defense when other attempts at disabling him had failed."
"And how did you disable the others."
"Creative use of grass and shrubbery," I said.
"Mr. Gilmore attempted to strangle and/or suffocate the rest of the unit, using his gift to give the plants life."
Eli jumped up. "Raymond has used that spell countless times before. Never once has it resulted in a fatality, or even serious injury."
"Noted," the high wizard said. "Anything else, Mr. Rogers?"
Cedric motioned to the back of the room where an attendant turned off the light. He opened his briefcase and pulled out a portable projector and aimed it on his wall. With a press of a button he pulled up helicopter coverage from the incident outside Tom's house. It starts around the time I started flinging fireballs to disable the vehicles, the council gasping when they see how close I was to harming more people. To be fair, I didn't see the people on the other side, only the cars as they tried to run Captain Andrews and me over.
"As you see. Flagrant disregard for the rules set by this council. He is clearly using his magic out in the open, with no regard for human life."
"So I'm not allowed to disable vehicles that were being controlled by another wizard?"
Cedric approached my table. "Since when were you assigned to take down rogue wizards?"
I shook my head. "I wasn't."
"Yet you took it on yourself to hunt Bradley Tucker, without the consent of the council?"
"I was called there to investigate a rash of accidents that happened a few days before. My contact, Detective Trevor Fields, believed something was amiss and brought me in to investigate."
"He called you, a paranormal investigator, to investigate a string of car accidents?" Cedric laughed.
"Yes, he called me," I jolted up, slamming my hands on the table as I did so. "Is there a problem with that?" High Wizard Wade glanced over, warning me with his eyes. I took it to heart before continuing. "He had reason to believe there was something supernatural happening to the cars."
"And how, exactly, did the muggle know something supernatural was happening?"
"For starters, I've worked with this 'muggle' many times in the past. He had plenty of knowledge of the supernatural from his time working for KC PD." The councilors nodded when I said that, obviously aware of the ritualistic murders that happened there nearly a decade ago. "Secondly, all the cars were in park. I witnessed that myself."
"Surely you weren't in the cars when they crashed. How could you know they were all in park."
Eli put his arm on my chest, preparing to hold me back, but I pushed it out of my way. He didn't need to hold me back from that punk, for all the research he did, there was one piece of evidence he was apparently missing.
"I don't," I said. "But, I was one of the victims. I can personally vouch for losing control of my car, a gray 1995 Buick Skylark."
"Surely you don't mean to tell us you were one of the victims," Cedric laughed.
"Check your paperwork. One of the victims was pronounced dead at the scene, yet disappeared from the ambulance before reaching the hospital. Did you ever stop to wonder how that happened?"
"How, exactly, did you pull that off, Mr. Gilmore?" High Wizard Wade asked.
I walked up to him, pulled the ring out of my pocket, and placed it in his hand. "Regenerating ring. I put it on moments before the crash."
He examined the ring closely before handing it back. "How did you come across one of those? They are fairly rare."
"Family heirloom," I lied. I actually got it playing in a game of poker a few years back. If I told them the truth about the ring, the investigation would've definitely taken a turn for the worse. Playing games of chance as a wizard, using your powers or not, is one of the few things the council is very strict about. I knew if I told them the truth they would take the ring. As of now they didn't have any proof, but I knew they would be searching for it.
High Wizard Wade smiled and nodded. "I see." He held out his hand, which I took, before helping him to his feet. He took a few steps out before turning to address the council. "I believe we have heard enough on this matter." The others on the council nodded, not saying a word. "Mr. Gilmore, please return to your room for the time being while we discuss the evidence. We will send someone to retrieve you when we are ready."
"Thank you, High Wizard."
Eli stood up, sweat pouring down his face. "Would've been nice to know you had one of those."
"You never asked."
- 3 -
Eli led me down the long hallway silently, checking over his shoulders every few steps to make sure we weren't being followed.
"What are you looking for?" I asked, noticing the shade of red in his face for the first time. "They keep a guard at all the entrances and they know I can't teleport. I doubt they would bother to send someone to make sure I didn't leave."
"It's not that," Eli said, wiping the sweat from his brow. "You didn't notice the way Cedric's face lit up when you pulled out the ring."
I shrugged. "I would've been shocked to see one too. Only two dozen of them exist."
Eli's mouth gaped open. "And you have one of them?"
"Almost had two, but the council made me turn in the last one." They like to keep a close watch on magical artifacts like the rings if for nothing else to know they need to be prepared to face it in battle if the owner turns bad. More than that, they want to be able to send a crew to retrieve them upon the death of the owner to keep them out of the hands of our enemies.
Eli opened the door to let me through and followed close behind. I kicked off my shoes at the door and promptly plopped down on the couch.
"That didn't go as you expected, did it?" I asked, seeing Eli relax for the first time in weeks.
"Not exactly." Eli was a trial lawyer in his past life. He was used to doing things how the US government did them, which was to say biased towards the rich and famous. The wizard council is another beast entirely, one that is hard to manipulate to your favor regardless of your status. They try hard to keep each trial fair, which is why Max was asked to sit out. As you can imagine, it is hard to be unbiased when you personally know the defendant.
What he wasn't prepared for was the chance to question character witnesses. If they haven't been questioned by now, I'd be surprised. They usually only bring in the defending wizard after they have talked to the others involved. I felt a twinge of guilt knowing Captain Andrews had likely been called in, knowing she would've wanted to talk after I took down Brad. At this point, her mind would have been wiped, removing any memory of her visit here though she would still remember me and the events back in Boulder. I pushed the thoughts aside to focus on my own fate.
"What do you think my odds are?"
Eli tilted his head. "I doubt they'll kill you over your actions if that's what you mean."
It wasn't, and he knew it. While I hadn't done enough to warrant a death sentence, I had broken enough rules for them to stop me from using magic again. It wouldn't be the first time they've used this punishment for someone who'd done similar. To be fair, the person they wiped had done a lot more in the past. With this being my first offense that punishment was far from likely.
The door barged open and Max waltzed in, wearing his own formal white suit. He had a look of concern in his eyes, which had me freaking out. He was scheduled to speak to the council after my meeting as my one, and only, character witness. Even though he raised me for most of my life, we've had enough separation the last ten years for them to allow it. If it was up to me, I would've had them summon Stacy too, but they vetoed the idea long before we got here.
"What's that look about?" I asked, making room for him on the couch.
"That bastard Cedric is pleading to have you wiped." He sat down and placed his palms in his hands.
"On what grounds?" Eli asked. "There is pre
cedent of leniency on first offenses."
"Cedric told them he warned you about your actions during your first stay at the hospital. Is that true?"
"He didn't warn me about anything. All he did was throw accusations in my face."
Max sighed. "The same accusations they brought up at this meeting?"
"Yeah," I nodded. "Why?"
"He is calling that your warning."
"How can he do that?" I asked, marching to the door. "We need to go back in there and tell them the truth."
"Sit down!" Max spoke up. "Cedric is five years your senior. They are going to take his word over yours without considering the trouble you've got yourself in."
"What the hell am I supposed to do? Sit in here until they come to wipe me?" I punched the wall, putting a hole in the fragile drywall.
"If you try to run, the punishment is death."
Being wiped was a close second. A very close second. In the history of the council, sixty percent of the people wiped have died within the next two years. Half of the others have come down with various mental illnesses ranging from schizophrenia to bi-polar syndrome. Death hardly felt like the worst option.
"If you could delay the sentencing, I could..." Eli started.
"They won't waste their time. His punishment will be administered today, long before your clan could get here," Max said, consoling Eli by placing his arm around his shoulder. "Besides, I'd hate for this to come down to war. With any luck, they will realize you were working in the best interest of the council in taking down a wanted criminal."
"That's the part I don't get. It's like they are sweeping that under the rug. Acting like none of it ever happened."
"If I was involved for more than to train you how to do an EMP blast, we wouldn't be in this position."
I slumped over on the couch. "I should have let him free. There would have been more murders in Boston within the week. That would have been better, right?"
Max sat back down on the couch and patted my back. "You did the right thing, kid. No matter what they tell you."
I knew he was trying to make me feel better, but it wasn't working. The longer they deliberated, leaving me in the room to brood, the worse I felt. If they didn't come in soon I was going to blow.
I sat up when I heard a knock at the door. The same kid who escorted us to the meeting earlier opened the door and poked his head inside. "The council is ready to see you again, Mr. Gilmore."
Max helped me to my feet. My legs wobbled after taking a few steps, Eli's quick thinking was the only thing that kept me from collapsing.
"Are we allowed to be there for the judgment?" Eli asked, using his arm to hold me up.
"Of course," the kid smiled. "As long as you don't interfere with the ruling."
"I think we can handle that," Max winked before walking over to help me walk.
The trek back to the council chambers felt like it took twice as long this time. It probably had something to do with my mood each time. This time, being scared out of my mind, felt like I was walking to my own execution, without the benefit of an amazing last meal.
The kid held the door open for us when we arrived. Max and Eli pulled back to let me walk in first, feeling that the council may be more lenient if I walked in on my own accord. Three steps inside and my legs were already begging for help, but I pushed on, stopping only when I reached a platform that had been placed where my table was earlier. The same seven councilors were in the room, in the same positions. This time, however, Cedric was nowhere to be seen, which I was grateful for. If they were going to do their worst, he was the last person I wanted around to see it.
I stood on the platform, forcing my shoulders back and my chin up. My appearance was faked by this point, merely a ruse. Inside I was not even a quarter as confident as I tried to look. I steadied my breath when I heard Max and Eli take a seat in the back of the chamber, near the entrance.
"Raymond Gilmore, you are being given one final chance to speak on your behalf." I heard Max grumble something in the back of the room after High Wizard Wade said the words. He'd warned me before I got here to fear those words. Very few wizards have heard those words over the years, even fewer have walked out of the room with their power, or lives. My heart immediately sank as well. Looked like I was going to be the next in line.
"I don't have any excuses for my actions," I said, swallowing hard. "When I got to Boulder and learned about the murders, I acted purely on instinct, like my mentor taught me." I stopped for a moment to look back at Max, who nodded as he wiped a tear from the corner of his eye. "I'm not sure what you expect me to say."
"Speak with your heart," High Wizard Wade said, sitting back in his chair.
I nodded, and looked over the council, getting nervous when I noticed them all staring at me intently. "My mind wants me to apologize. To tell you that I regret everything I did while I was there, but that would be a lie." I took a few steps forward. "If I had the chance to do it over again, I would act faster next time. My inaction early on cost the world some precious lives. Including the life of my friend Trevor Fields." I swallowed hard, trying to choke back the tears that begged to be released. "Bradly Tucker was a murderer. He used his powers for personal gain, not caring who he killed in the process. The exact type of wizard this council would want off the streets. If you would've warned me that I would risk my powers, or my life, to do it, I would've told you I risked them twice over to do it." I looked back at Max and Eli one last time, noticing the beginnings of a smile forming at the corner of their mouths. "I submit myself to your judgment. Just know that I was willing to risk everything not once, or twice, but three times just to rid the world of another dark wizard."
I walked back to the center of the platform and exhaled. The members of the council talked amongst themselves for a few minutes just quiet enough I couldn't make out what they were saying. I steadied my breath, not wanting to look scared, but inside I was a mess. A train wreck ready to happen. The longer they made me wait, the worse it got. I was about to snap until the noise stopped.
"Very fortunate you are, Mr. Gilmore. It seems your speech has swayed the vote slightly in your favor."
I let out a sigh of relief and bent over to clutch my knees.
"However," he said, causing my heart to throb heavily. "It seems you are still one vote shy."
I looked around the room, looking for the councilor involved, but their faces were like steel, none of them giving me a thing.
"The vote is mine, Mr. Gilmore. It was documented that you were warned about your actions, yet you continued down the same path. In some cultures, you would be considered a hero. In this one we call you foolish." He bent forward to stand up, the nearby councilors helped him to his feet. "It is not without merit that you were successful in bringing down a dark wizard that operated with impunity well before he came to our attention. That is why, with my vote, I am offering you another chance."
"Chance?" I asked, forcing myself upright. "So it's not over?"
He shook his head. "Not entirely."
"Don't be foolish, boy," Max demanded from the back of the room. "He won't make the offer twice."
"He is right," High Wizard Wade said with a smile.
"What do you want from me?"
"A task. One that needs immediate attention."
"Why wouldn't you send one of the others on it then? Someone more reliable?"
"This matter sprung up recently. We didn't have anyone to spare," he said, hobbling a few steps forward. "Until just now."
I looked at Max, who was rushing to the platform, face red with anger. "They boy isn't ready for that!" he shouted. "Send me instead."
"I assure you he is ready, Mr. Harper. He must be, or he won't survive the trip."
I gasped. Did he just say survive? Where could they be sending me that my survival would be in question. Why would he spare my life now, just to send me off to die? "Where am I going?" I asked after growing the nerve to talk.
"Cincinnati," Max said. "
Over the last few months there has been multiple missing people reports in the city. All high value citizens."
"High value?"
"Millionaires, Mr. Gilmore. The type of people the world needs to keep moving properly."
"I'm sure the world will be fine without a few rich people."
Max shook his head. "Not when one of the missing people was a known backer of the council."
I looked over at the high wizard, who's face didn't deny the news. "If I'm going to do this, I need to know everything you know."
"Of course, Mr. Gilmore. We wouldn't have it any other way."
- 4 -
"You sure this is the right place?" I said, checking the coordinates on my GPS for the third time in five minutes.
"That's the address Max sent me," Stacy said. "Why, what's wrong?"
"Doesn't seem like the type of place millionaires would want to hang out."
She laughed hard, sending me into a fit of rage directed at my phone. "You are too quick to judge people, Ray."
She had a point, but I was still ticked she called me on it. "I'll call you once I know something," I said, ending the call.
I pulled into the parking lot of an old abandoned warehouse on the riverfront. The brick building showed signs of wear, obviously having been neglected for some time. The windows above were shattered, the only protection being the rusty iron bars in front of the holes. If the inside looked half as bad as the outside, I understood why people were coming up missing here.
I circled around the parking lot three times, looking for anything out of the ordinary, but the only thing that stood out was the parking lot that was full of expensive vehicles. It could be me, but this is the last place in the world I'd want to park my Bentley... if I owned one. I took the only open parking spot on the lot. A space between a restored Mercedes and a Porche. Next to the pair, Stacy's Honda looked like a scrap heap. To be fair, it wouldn't have looked much better on this lot without its rusted out fenders and missing front bumper.
Vampire for Hire: The Nephalem Files (Book 2) Page 2