The irony did not escape her: a former police detective, she would be posing as a police officer – a Federal Law Enforcement one at that. In the time since her arrival, she had forged credentials and set up an answering service with a programmed response, should the man decide to call the number on her card. However, she would have to meet him after 2:00 p.m. in case he insisted upon calling the real, listed number for the U.S. Marshals Service, in which case she could explain that her East Coast office closed at 5:00 p.m. Eastern Time.
The day’s purchases lay on the bed. First Candice took out the Nebo Redline Tactical Flashlight , 220 lumens, put in the batteries and tested it. Powerful and precise, the anodized aircraft-grade aluminum constructed light balanced perfectly in her hand. Smaller than the police-issue tactical light she left behind when she entered the world of the Mountain Witches, it would not do double duty as self-defense weapon. Given her circumstances, carrying a firearm unless she absolutely had to, would be foolish. Still, being entirely unarmed would also be unwise, so she had purchased some pepper spray and a Kubotan key ring. The Kubotan could be held in the fist and amplified the effect of any strike. Candice had trained with one at the police academy and knew its effectiveness.
She would sleep a couple of hours now, and go to the NOAA Station that night. If it looked like promising ground for a quiet, unnoticed approach, she would set out the cameras.
It was dark when she awoke. The bedside clock showed 7:57 p.m. That left two hours to outfit herself, drive to the station and find a secluded place up the road from it to park. Too early, and she ran the risk of running into late workers, too late and her very presence would be suspicious.
The traffic was light, and she made good time in the rented van. After exiting the freeway, she drove up and down the street several times. Next to the Melville Café stood a small strip mall. Candice parked there. She locked the door and set the alarm.
She was grateful for the training Queen Annalisse and the other Mountain Witches had provided. This instruction in stealth and awareness would have come in handy in many investigations from her police officer days. Now, it was essential for her task.
The walk to the station took longer than expected, but she was grateful for the exercise. She continued walking, past the station, observing it as she passed. The front gate was shut and locked, a keypad at the entrance for drivers to enter their passcode. She could get one of their codes with a careful placement of a camera overhead, but she would almost certainly end up on their surveillance video doing that.
Once past the station, she turned left into a nearby field. At the edge was the riverbank. If she circled back, she would be able to surveil the station from behind.
The moon lit the ground. Still, she was careful where she stepped, wary of potholes and rattlesnakes. Turning on her flashlight here would attract too much attention from passersby.
The NOAA station was encircled by a heavy metal fence topped with razor wire. Candice examined it for weaknesses. Windows from the office buildings faced the river; any intruder would be easily spotted from there. Too bad. She hadn’t thought she would find an easy way in, the Google Earth maps had made that clear, but still she was disappointed. The only safe way in would be the front gate. If her cover failed or her story not believed, and Dan Edwards called security, she could be trapped inside.
She paused. A teenage couple was making out on the opposite shore, fishing poles held upright on stands next to them. Candice continued on, as if she belonged there and was headed to a meeting or something.
The long walk back to her car would be refreshing. Candice missed jogging – particularly through the meadows and up the mountain paths in the Kingdome of the Mountain Witches. She missed Sophie running by her, pacing her stride to match Candice’s; the pure blue sky overhead, unmarred by pollution; the clear flowing water of the streams.
Why did Queen Annalisse choose me for this task? Is it because of my lack of earthly connections, the fact that I’m a childless spinster married to my work? Does the queen know something about me I don’t? It cannot simply be she wants to use, then discard, me – she doesn’t roll that way. Annalisse’s care for others and personal integrity is the reason so many were willing to follow her.
Candice reached her car and pulled back on the freeway. It would be risky, but she would have to go through the front gate with false credentials, and under pretext, to obtain a private meeting with Dan Edwards. Annalisse needed to know when he had been contacted and was on standby. Certain portions of the queen’s plan could not be set into motion until she knew Dan was on their side.
Chapter 13
“ People do not die for us immediately, but remain bathed in a sort of aura of life which bears no relation to true immortality but through which they continue to occupy our thoughts in the same way as when they were alive. It is as though they were traveling abroad.”
Marcel Proust
The Present
Earth
This was as good as it was going to get. Candice sighed and let the illusion slip. Electricity pulsed in the air and a slight smell of burning, as of an overheated electrical device, permeated the room. Though she could conjure the scene at will, portions were translucent and looked more like a hologram than real life. Still, Queen Annalisse’s magic surpassed any technology available on Earth and Dan Edwards would have a difficult time dismissing it – and her. At least, Candice hoped he would, knowing she would probably only have one shot at this.
Her dark blue pants suit was laid out on the motel room bed. Earlier that day, she had her hair cut, no hair over the ears. She had to pass as a law enforcement officer – which she had once been. Body language and self-confidence were more important than props and she practiced her walk in front of the mirror over the room’s dresser. Her fake ID was good, but it would not pass muster if checked by an actual police officer. There was no backstopping of the credentials: she would show up in no Agency databases as a U.S. Marshal – the identity she was assuming. Unlike the F.B.I., most civilians weren’t terribly familiar with that agency and she was counting upon this ignorance.
Candice faced the mirror and rehearsed her speech, hoping it would get her through the gate at the NOAA station where Dan Edwards worked.
The biggest weakness in her cover was not being able to call ahead. An advance appointment with Mr. Edwards would give him time to check on her legitimacy. No, that would be too risky. She would call from her cell moments before arriving.
The streets were not crowded – most schools wouldn’t get out for another forty-five minutes and the day’s worker commute wouldn’t begin for hours so she made good time. When Candice reached the River City Café, she pulled into the parking lot. This would be a good place to make the call.
She took the cellphone from its case at her waist and dialed the number.
“National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Melfield Fishery. Dan Edwards speaking.”
“Mr. Edwards? This is Delores McNabb of the U.S. Marshals service.”
“How may I help you, Mrs. McNabb?”
“Mr. Edwards, we are working on a fugitive case and believe you may be able to provide some useful background information on river flows in the area.”
“Well, the Army Corps of Engineers would be the best place to go for that. Would you like their number?”
“No, thanks. I have it. Actually, there is some confidentiality involved here. I need to speak to you personally.”
“Okay.”
Candice noticed the puzzlement in his voice. She would have to hurry this, keep him off balance, give him no time to analyze the situation – or check on her story.
“I’m about five minutes out from your station. Could you give me a few minutes in person?”
The line was silent for a second. “Sure. I’m in my office. Security will require credentials for you to enter.”
“Understood. I would expect no different. I’ll see you in a few.” She ended the conversation and pul
led out onto the street, going as far above the speed limit as she dared without drawing attention – or a traffic cop.
Nobody was at the gate so she had to buzz for help. A voice came on and she stated her business. Several agonizing minutes later, a security guard exited one of the main buildings and headed for the shack. He barely glanced at Candice’s credentials before pressing the button to open the gate and motioning to a side lot to park.
She looked right and left, up and down, upon exiting the vehicle. If her visit raised suspicions, she would definitely be trapped her – or at least her van would. Despite the early summer heat, she carried her jacket. Should fleeing be required, she could toss it over the barbed wire for protection as she climbed the back fence to escape. Unlikely she would make it – though designed to keep vandals and thieves out, the perimeter security would also work to keep someone in, should the gate be locked.
Framed plaques and photos lined the hall towards Dan Edward’s office. The floor tile looked freshly mopped, but worn, the walls lined with faux wood covering in places, painted concrete in others. Not so different than the many government installations Candice had encountered during the course of her law enforcement career as well as during a brief stint in the U.S. Army.
She paused at coming to the sign over an office door indicating this was Dan Edward’s office. From the corner of her eye, she could see into the office. Filing cabinets, charts and the front of a desk were visible. Candice breathed in deeply, corrected her posture and entered.
“Thank you for seeing me.” She displayed her credentials for him to examine.
“No problem. I don’t know what the U.S. Marshals service would want with me, though.” Dan took his seat behind his desk and looked up at her.
Candice closed the office behind her and allowed the disguise to fall. “I’m not from the U.S. Marshals Service.”
“What? What just happened?” Dan rose from his seat.
“Let me show you.”
“Who are you? Wait, I remember you. You’re the detective who disappeared last year.”
“Yes. I am Candice Strong.” She took her seat. “And I have something very important to say to you.”
Chapter 14
The Present Day
Earth
Candice stood in front of Dan Edwards. At least he hadn’t thrown her out of his office or called the police – yet.
“Please sit down. I have a short demonstration for you.”
Dan Edwards remained standing.
“Please Mr. Edwards, lives are on the line.”
Dan didn’t respond but did sit on one of the chairs against the wall.
Candice collected her thoughts, breathed deeply, and let the images loose. The desk glimmered, then morphed into a staircase. Two small children, both in their pajamas, one a little girl of four and a half, the other a youth of eleven, knelt beside the railing.
“My God!” Dan Edwards stood up. “What is this?”
“It is magic from another world.”
“That’s my little sister.” Dan moved closer to the illusion.
The illusion flickered then went out of focus. Candice breathed deeply, focusing her mind. The image returned.
“What is this about? Why are you here, detective?” Dan asked.
“I am here because of your sister; she is in danger.”
“My sister is dead.” James turned to her, his face white.
“Yes, I know. I am sorry. This is going to be hard to hear, and even harder to believe, but she is only dead in your world. She lives on in another.” Candice kept her voice steady, adopting the tone police officers and paramedics used when speaking to the badly injured or family members of such.
“Mr. Edwards, you are a scientist. You are familiar with the laws of conservation of energy and matter. Well there is another one: conservation of the soul.”
“What on earth are you talking about?”
“Sir, your sister is alive. Alive and in much trouble. She needs your help. You are the only person in the Cosmos who can rescue her.”
“Rescue her from what?”
“Herself.” Candice looked directly into Dan’s eyes. “From herself. When she died here on earth, forty years ago, something bad happened. Her spirit was let loose, unattended, into a strange world. She grew up unguided and has become a grave danger to herself and others.”
A full minute passed before Dan spoke. “Where is she? According to you, where is she?”
“Right now, on her way back to Earth. A group called the Citadel is herding her here. Towards you.”
“Me? Even assuming your story isn’t crazy, an assumption I’m not prepared to make, how could I help her?”
“By restoring her humanity. By recalling her to her earthly life and the emotions and attachments she once had. Right now, she is lost, yet incredibly powerful and dangerous. You must remember her precocious intelligence?”
“Yes. She was a genius. We called her our ‘little Madame Curie’.”
“That is sweet. I have seen pictures of her during her earthly life. I am so sorry for her early death and your family’s loss.”
Dan stared at the image of Katie on the steps with his younger self. “That was our last Christmas together.” Dan’s voice quavered.
“You can see her again.”
From outside came the sound of a train. It whistled, but neither paid attention. The room shook as the locomotive passed, car after car, and both could smell the scent of livestock and feed from the cars. Though across the water from them, it cast small shadows in the room.
“I don’t believe in ghosts.” Dan Edward’s gaze didn’t leave the hologram of his lost sister.
“Neither do I, sir. She is not a ghost. This is something different. It has to do with quantum fluctuations and the fabric of the Cosmos.” Candice sat next to Dan. “I have to let the hologram go, it takes too much energy for me to hold it for long.”
“Okay.” Dan turned in his seat to face her. “Now tell me exactly what is going on, and just what is this Power you speak of —”
Chapter 15
The Present
Pangea
Rachel awoke in the cave overlooking the cliffs on the planet Katie called Pangea. Katie, the little sorceress, was out, probably down on the lower ridges feeding her llamas. Rachel took this opportunity to practice channeling the Power. While Katie insisted she was not a prisoner, Rachel knew, in effect, she was being held captive, far from home, with no way of returning by her own means.
The air was clean from the night’s rain and in the valley below, the greenery of shrubs and trees, punctuated by fields of orange, yellow and purple flowers, could be seen clearly. In the sky, flocks of birds weaved their patterns in flight: moving first one direction, then another, synchronized swimmers in a pool of cerulean blue atmosphere. Far in the distance, several condors circled, their immense wingspans casting long shadows on the rocks below. Rachel breathed in the scent of greenery, pollution-free air, and water moistened sandstone from the escarpment.
Katie had not taken the emerald, nor even commented upon it. Rachel fingered the precious gift from her Mountain Witch sisters. The cave let in enough light for the half-dollar size gem to sparkle. Rachel breathed in slowly through the nose, deep into the diaphragm for a count of ten, followed by a slow exhalation as Queen Annalisse, the leader of the Upper Mountain Witches, had taught her. It was the Mountain Witches, miniature women Gifted with the Power, who had tried to prevent Rachel’s abduction from their village a year earlier by the sorceress, Katie. After several, calming, repetitions Rachel reached for the Power. Practice had brought her to the point where she could touch the strands at will and pull in only what she needed.
The emerald glistened, as Rachel used the Gift to direct light from outdoors onto first one plane then another of the gem.
Next, she felt for the stones that made up their fireplace and levitated each one, in turn, a few centimeters from the hearth.
“Moving the h
earthstones, Rachel? Would you like some help?” Katie asked.
Rachel turned; the sorceress stood behind her.
“Katie. I was just practicing my channeling. How are you?” Rachel shuffled her feet.
“It is a good morning.” The sorceress walked up to Rachel and took a seat beside her, pulling up the bottom edges of her little yellow sundress, as she sat, to keep them off the ground. “Remember, Rachel, I too had a human life before becoming a sorceress. Though I died very young on Earth, and have little recollection of it, I understand what you are going through. Even though you were older than I was at the time of your human death, you are still transitioning to this new, second life, as a witch.”
Rachel didn’t comment. The sorceress expected her to, or at least acknowledge her remarks, but Rachel just glanced at Katie.
“I died a little girl, and I have kept that size and shape, even down to the very dress I wore on my last day on Earth, but it is not necessary. We can form ourselves into any shape we desire, and I wasn’t joking when I said you might like to try the Joan Collins look. Or perhaps a famous actress of your own day, not mine? I died in the early 1970’s so I am not familiar with current celebrities on Earth, but you really could be anyone you want. It might be fun to try.” Katie looked up at Rachel, then patted her knee.
Rachel remained silent.
“I’ll tell you what, Rachel. I’ll make an Earth run and bring back some picture magazines. You can try the current look.”
“I want to go for a walk and get some air,” Rachel said.
“Enjoy. The air is clean and beautiful, as it always is on my Pangea. This is a paradise, Rachel. Many would give all they have to live in a place like this.”
Rachel went outside to the ledge facing the cliffs and valleys. For security, Katie had built the trail down from their cave home in such a way that it passed in front for hundreds of meters before circling behind. She had blocked all other ways up, particularly from behind, by dropping large boulders and leveling out any footholds on the cliff around them. Any intruder to their home would be visible from a great distance.
Last Witch Standing (Mountain Witch Saga) Page 5