Infinities' Edge

by Andrew Dobell

  ‘The last one, thank you,’ said the white-haired girl.

  ‘Thank you, Alice,’ Trevelyan said to her.

  ‘La… Last one?’ he blustered.

  ‘The others, the digital files and prints you have, they’re gone,’ Alice said.

  ‘You can’t do that, they’re important, they’re key eviden…’ he trailed off, realising what was happening.

  ‘The penny drops,’ Stephen said.

  ‘I will see you all hang for this,’ Forrest shouted.

  ‘No, you won’t. In fact, you won’t relate the events of today to anyone, ever. You’re meddling in affairs way beyond your understanding, and if you do speak of today to anyone, I promise you, it will be the last thing you ever say.’

  ‘You’re threatening me?’ Forrest said.

  Suddenly, a powerful Time Magic effect flared up and then disappeared as quickly as it had appeared. There one second, and gone the next, and Forrest went from standing his ground, to cowering against the back wall, as if a whole section of time had been chopped away and had gone missing.

  ‘I… I understand. I won’t say a word, ever, on my honour as a Magus.’

  ‘This never happened,’ Trevelyan said.

  Forrest nodded numbly.

  ‘What the hell,’ Amanda muttered to herself. Something had happened there that she had missed entirely. Some sort of powerful Time Magic had been at work that she had been locked out of.

  Trevelyan and the others turned away from Forrest and started to make their way out of the cell, leaving a traumatised Forrest alone with his thoughts.

  ‘Come,’ Trevelyan said, and led Amanda out of the cell through the destroyed back wall where she found and hugged Gentle Water and Liz, both of whom looked a little worse for wear.

  ‘Where’s Howie?’ Amanda asked.

  ‘He’s safe, you’ll see him soon,’ Trevelyan said.

  ‘Good, thank you,’ she said, ‘I have to ask, though, what the hell happened in there?’

  Trevelyan smiled. ‘Ask me again sometime,’ he said. ‘Now, let’s get out of here shall we?’

  Within moments, Master Trevelyan had Ported the entire group back across America to appear on the rooftop terrace of Amanda’s brownstone house, the familiar and very welcome view of New York’s Skyline surrounding them.

  They quickly headed inside and a short time later Amanda walked into the living area after taking a shower and getting changed to find Trevelyan, Israel, Stephen and the Count sat in conversation. Alice White stood nearby, looking out the window.

  Smiling and feeling somewhat self-conscious, she walked into the room. Trevelyan rose from his seat and ushered her in to sit with them.

  ‘Come, come, sit with us Amanda. How are you feeling? Everything okay now?’

  ‘I’m grand, thank you. Fully healed now.’

  ‘That’s good, I’m glad to hear it, I’m so sorry you had to go through that,’ he said.

  ‘It was my choice. I thought I was doing the right thing. I thought he wanted to bring me before the Council. Before you to plead his case so I did, but, I think now, he wanted to get some personal revenge against me somehow.’

  ‘The Council knew he was bringing someone in. He’d been a little unclear as to when that would be exactly, he’d just said he’d found a Nomad sympathiser, he had never mentioned a name,’ Trevelyan said.

  ‘So, you didn’t know it was me?’ Amanda asked.

  ‘We did not, no,’ that came as something of a surprise.’

  ‘I bet. So, how did you find out?’

  ‘Maya contacted us, she told us of what had happened and asked us for help,’ Trevelyan said.

  ‘Maya? I must thank her,’ she said. She didn’t expect that at all. She’d thought it would be Maria or Shaun somehow, but, not Maya. She was in the house somewhere, she’d find her soon and thank her properly.

  ‘So, why did you think you needed to be taken in for a trial by the Council?’ Stephen Bathory asked.

  ‘I’ve… done some questionable things. Things I’m not proud of at all to be sure.’

  ‘Haven’t we all?’ Trevelyan said.

  ‘You don’t know what it is I’ve done,’ Amanda said.

  ‘Fraternising with the enemy? We have an idea of what has happened based on what Shaun told us,’ Trevelyan said.

  ‘That’s right. I think Yasmin has been manipulating me from the start, getting close to me, helping me, protecting me, making me feel indebted to her. Sleeping with me was the icing on the cake, so it was. She did that on purpose, I’m sure of it, and I wouldn’t be surprised if she had made sure to tip off the Legion as well.’

  ‘She set you up, put you in a compromising position and made sure someone who doesn’t like you and who can discredit you was in a position to document it. Such evidence wouldn’t hurt her of course but could cause you a lot of trouble. But, why? Why did she do this?’ Trevelyan asked.

  ‘I think I know. She knew I had been the last person to have possession of the Lazarus Scroll. It was the last question she asked me before she disappeared.’

  ‘She really did play the long game with you then,’ Stephen said.

  ‘Looks that way. Brought me on-side in the hope of me being useful one day, and when that day came, she cashed in those favours,’ Amanda said.

  ‘Cunning,’ Stephan commented.

  ‘I had no idea what she was truly like. She really had me fooled so she did,’ Amanda said.

  ‘But not anymore?’ Stephan asked.

  ‘To be sure, I’ll be on my guard from here on out,’ she said.

  ‘Well, we’re just glad we could help, everyone deserves a second chance,’ Trevelyan said. ‘Be sure to thank Maya won’t you.’

  ‘I will, and thank you,’ she smiled back and wished them well as they all left the building.

  With the Councillors gone, Amanda walked through the house hunting for Maya. She found it surprising that she had been the one to contact the Council. She had no idea that Maya had contacts in such high places, and although they had worked together and were friendly, it surprised her that Maya had been the one to organise the rescue attempt. After a bit of a trek through the house, she eventually found Maya in the library, sat leafing through a book.

  ‘Maya, here you are,’ Amanda said.

  Maya put the book down and rose from the seat to greet her. ‘Here I am. How are you? Fully recovered I trust?’

  ‘Thanks to you, yes.’

  ‘You would have done the same,’ Maya said.

  ‘That’s not the point. You saved me, and Liz and Gentle Water. I had no idea you knew the Councillors.’

  ‘I have a few friends in the right places, I was able to call in a favour so…’

  ‘Well I really can’t thank you enough, I don’t know what I would have done without you, honestly. If there’s anything I can do for you, anything, just name it.’

  ‘Nothing right now, but, one day, yes, you can do something for me. All I ask is that you remember my name, and use it wisely.’

  Amanda frowned slightly. ‘Really, is that all? Remember your name? I don’t understand.’

  ‘One day, you will. I promise you,’ she said, smiling.

  ‘Okay, sure. I can do that,’ she said and hugged Maya to thank her again.

  Amanda left Maya to her book and soon found Gentle Water and Liz in her kitchen, having something to eat. Amanda suddenly felt intensely hungry and joined them in having a hearty sandwich at the kitchen table.

  ‘I don’t deserve friends like you,’ she said to them after a little while. ‘You stood by me after the way I have treated you, and I will never forget that.’

  ‘Amanda, I won’t sugar coat my words, you were a dick this last week or so, and I was finding you very difficult to be around, but I always knew we’d get the old Amanda back one day. I could see the way the Prophecy and the rumours were affecting you. I could see the change in you. It wouldn’t have been much longer before we would have sat you down and hammered things o
ut with you anyway.’

  ‘’Thank you. These past few days have been, crazy. I just can’t believe that Yasmin had me so convinced of her innocence. She really did a number on me.’

  ‘So she did all that, she save your life all those time to get hint where Scroll might be?’ Gentle Water asked in his soft Chinese accent.

  ‘Seems that way, yeah. I think so.’

  ‘Are you sure, it seem like flimsy reason to me. It not as if you know exactly where Scroll was. You only know where you had last seen it. Even if she found it, I think there more to her thinking than just that,’ Gentle Water said.

  ‘You think there’s another reason for her saving my life?’ Amanda asked.

  ‘I do,’ he answered.

  ‘Yeah, I think I agree,’ Liz said.

  Amanda didn’t quite know what to think. Certainly, there was more going on with Yasmin, that’s for sure, but she felt at a loss as to what it might be. She clearly wanted to know the location of the Lazarus Scroll, and although she didn’t know where it was exactly, she did know that she had last had it in her possession on the Atoll. Yasmin had purposefully asked her where it was after their intimate moment when her guard was down. It was clearly a calculated move. She also felt certain that Yasmin had made sure that the Legion knew where they might be to get those shots of them together. Why Yasmin did that was a little less clear. Maybe it had to do with this Prophecy? Maybe it was to sew some doubt in the minds of other Magi, to make them think less of her? Whatever the reason, it hadn’t worked, the plan had failed and only a few of the Legion - a Coven that already came across as a little radical to many already - knew of her liaison with Yasmin.

  Whatever the reasons, Amanda knew she couldn’t trust Yasmin as much as she thought she could. She wouldn’t try to meet her again or any of that nonsense, she had learnt her lesson as far as that was concerned and wouldn’t go down that path again. She sat back in her chair and sipped her drink as she thought, only to be suddenly interrupted by a ringing and vibrating in her pocket.

  She reached into her jeans and pulled out the phone she had in there and looked at the screen. It said “Unknown Number” on it.

  She rarely got calls, which could mean only one thing. She hit accept and put the phone to her ear.

  ‘It’s Angel,’ said the voice on the other end.

  - The Bowsman, Aetheric Craft, in Geosynchronous Medium Earth Orbit.

  The woman picked a champagne glass up from the tray that the ships stone Gollum held in its granite hands as it walked around the main deck. Sipping her drink, she looked over the faces of everyone here. It had been a difficult few years with all the deception and hiding, but that was all about to come to an end, and she had all these people here to thank for it.

  Over there were Trevelyan, Count Saint-Germain and Stephen Bathory of the Council with Israel Roth of the Legacy Coven. She could also see her dear Maya with Gentle Water, Raven, Royston and her beloved Maria. They all chatted amongst themselves, smiling and enjoying the hospitality.

  ‘Are you okay?’ Maya asked, walking up to her with Raven and Gentle Water by her side.

  ‘I’m fine, it’s just, the start of a new chapter, and I have all of you to thank for it. It’s been a long road, and yet, it seems like only yesterday that I was stood on that rooftop watching Horlack’s attack in that New York alleyway. You know, I couldn’t have done it without you.’

  ‘That’s what we’re here for,’ Maya said.

  ‘We’ve had some close calls,’ Raven said.

  She thought back to her spontaneous night of passion with Raven in the New York Brownstone House when Amanda came to the door and smiled. ‘We certainly have, and I’m sorry to have asked you to be so deceptive.’

  ‘We all understood the stakes and what was at risk here, Gentle Water said.

  ‘So, if you’re all here, where is…’

  ‘Young Amanda? She’s going to find Matt, surely you remember?’ Maya said.

  ‘Aaah yes, I do.’

  ‘So when is the final stage put into play?’ Raven asked.

  ‘Trevelyan will get the news to her tomorrow,’ she said

  ‘So “Alice”, I kind of like the white hair on you,’ Maria said, joining them with Royston by her side.

  She put her hand up into her bright white hair and wrinkled her nose. ‘Really? It’s just a means to an end.’

  ‘I know, but as much as I like it, I do still think your original colour suits you better,’ Maria said.

  She concentrated and with a quick rush of Magical energy, her hair returned to its natural distinctive colour. Her friends gave a little cheer and raised their glasses to the future.

  The cost of freedom

  London

  Jan 18th

  Amanda stood on the same London street she had been on only recently and looked upon the terrace house that belonged to the man she knew only as Edge. The last time she had been here, she had clashed with Angel and two of her Coven in a bid to save Edge from being killed or kidnapped.

  This time, she had been invited here, by Angel no less in their recent phone call. Amanda wasn’t going to walk into a trap again, though and insisted on a few stipulations that Angel seemed happy with. Namely that only Angel come to the meeting and that everyone got to leave the meeting alive and unharmed.

  She wondered if Angel had agreed to those terms a little too easily, but she had no way of knowing until she attended the meeting, and there was always an element of risk when it came to meeting with Nomads, as she knew all too well.

  But, she wanted to help Edge and there didn’t seem to be any other option, for the time being, so she took it if only to get this over and done with.

  Looking at the house with her Magical sight, she noted that the Aegis that had been here before had now gone and indeed there seemed to be no big Magical signatures that she could see. She could sense the life forces of those around her and there seemed to be two people within the house, one of them clearly a Magus going by the concentration of Essentia there. This would probably be Angel.

  Amanda had her own defences in place, ready for any trouble that might arise from this and with a sigh, walked towards the house and opened the newly fixed front door.

  The house hadn’t changed since she had been here last, including the small blood stain on the carpet from where Amanda had Magically body slammed one of Angel’s Coven mates into the floor. She could sense the Magic and the life forms on the floor below her and made her way along the corridor and down the stairs before emerging into the basement. Sat on a single chair in the middle of the room, Edge looked up at Amanda and smiled as she entered.

  ‘Sophia,’ he said.

  Angel looked down at him with raised eyebrows. ‘It’s Amanda, idiot,’ she said and looked back up at her.

  ‘He may call me Sophia if he wishes,’ Amanda said.

  ‘Whatever. Did you bring it?’ she asked, dismissing her comment.

  ‘It’s close to hand,’ she said, knowing that Angel was referring to the Magical device that Amanda had previously taken from this very basement.

  ‘Then let’s not mess about,’ Angel said and indicated she should come forward.

  ‘I’ll just retrieve it,’ Amanda said, and with a minor working of Magic, Ported the device to her hand. Angel looked to be on guard for a moment as Amanda worked her Magic but relaxed as it faded away.

  Amanda walked up to Edge and handed him the strange device. ‘Here you go Edge, you do what you need to do, and then we’re getting out of here,’ she said.

  ‘Matt, call me Matt,’ he said.

  ‘Very well,’ Amanda said softly.

  ‘Oh do get on with it and spare me this shit,’ Angel said.

  Amanda rose up to her full height again and let Matt work on the device.

  ‘Don’t be even more of a bitch than you already are,’ Amanda said.

  Angel cocked her head slightly to one side. ‘Cute,’ she muttered.

  ‘If you could give me some sp
ace please?’ Matt said as he placed the device on his head. Amanda backed off, while Angel did the same and watched Matt close his eyes as the light on the device started to glow and flicker.

  It lasted for just a few seconds, and although outwardly there was no great show of pyrotechnics, with her magical sight, she could watch the powerful Magical forces at work as the device did its thing.

  Matt took a few breaths and slowly lifted the thing off his head, resting it in his lap.

  ‘So, who is it?’ Angel said.

  ‘Give him a moment,’ Amanda cut in. ‘Let him sort his head out.’

  ‘Jeez, I’m dealing with amateurs,’ Angel muttered and crossed her arms.

  Amanda stepped forward, shadowed by Angel.

  ‘Are you okay?’ Amanda asked as she looked upon him with her sight. She could see his mental processes going crazy around his brain, but after a few moments, they started to settle down.

  ‘I’m fine, it’s just a little disorientating after it’s done its job. I’ll be alright,’ Matt said.

  He took a few moments more to gather his thoughts as Angel tapped her foot impatiently on the floor. ‘Come on, get a grip, I haven’t got all day,’ she said.

  ‘Will you just…’

  ‘Amanda. It’s fine, honestly, leave it. Angel, I told you there is a traitor in your Coven.’

  ‘Yes yes. I know that part,’ she said.

  Amanda found it a little odd that Angel had taken Matt at his word but guessed that she must have had some kind of suspicions about someone not being who they said they were anyway for her to take what could otherwise be a very simple and straight forward stalling technique, so seriously.

  ‘The traitor is Azrael, and according to my sources, she works for Yasmin.’

  ‘Of course, that makes sense,’ she said to herself. She thought for a moment before looking up at Amanda. ‘All yours bitch face,’ she said and Ported out of there with a whip crack of air.

  ‘Such a pleasant and nice young lady,’ Amanda quipped. She turned to Matt and smiled. ‘You alright?’

  ‘Yeah, I’m fine,’ he nodded.