Mystic Flame

by Cyndi Friberg

  They emerged from the conduit in a vacant lot a couple of blocks from her apartment building. She chuckled as he rushed along. He was certainly in a hurry to have the mystery unraveled or maybe he just wanted to—

  An explosion shook the ground. Windows shattered and shards of glass gleamed in the moonlight. Fire erupted an instant later, creating an orange glow against the blue-black sky. Dro Tar gazed up at the fire in stunned terror, recognizing the building and then the exact location. Her gaze widened and her heart slammed against her chest.

  “That’s my apartment,” she whispered, momentarily numbed by the shock of her discovery.

  “Are you sure?”

  Her mouth was too dry to form words so she nodded. Half a second later and they would have been inside that apartment as it exploded.

  “Show me your studio.” His arms wrapped around her and pulled her flush against his body.

  Shaking away the stupor, she formed the image in her mind, zooming out to give him a frame of reference. His arms tightened and then she felt a sudden rush of acceleration. An instant later they were standing in the middle of her studio’s largest simulation chamber. The door was open and a beam of moonlight streamed in from the lobby. Neither of them activated the overhead lights.

  “The assassin thought we were sleeping,” he mused as he eased away from her. “He waited for everything to go dark before he struck.”

  She hated not being able to see his face, but she understood the precaution. “The only person who wants to harm us is in custody.”

  “Malos obviously has supporters. If he really is a Rodyte spy, he doubtlessly has a handler, perhaps an entire support network.”

  “What do the Rodytes gain by killing us? Our testimonies are already on record.” The muscles across the back of her shoulders and neck were starting to spasm. She was still struggling to accept the fact that someone had tried to kill her. She wasn’t important enough to kill. But Evan was. Evan had uncovered an interplanetary conspiracy that went back centuries. His anxious movements took him into the moonlight and she sighed, soothed by his familiar features.

  “If they’re bold enough to risk murder in the middle of Frontine, I can guarantee our recordings have mysteriously disappeared.” He sounded grim and agitated. “We need to know if Malos’ apprentice is back on Ontariese. Didn’t Trey reactivate your profile?”

  “Close the door so the lights will kick on.”

  “It might be wiser to leave. If the assassin realizes he failed, this is one of the first places he’ll search.”

  She shook her head and closed the door. The lights flickered then illuminated. “Didn’t you see that fireball? No one could have survived that.” And yet they were still alive! The realization spread joy through her being, allowing her to relax her cramping muscles and take a nice long breath. “Saved by a hamburger.” She laughed. “This has got to be a first.”

  “We’ll celebrate the irony once we catch the killer. Is there an access terminal in this building?”

  “It’s in here.” She walked to the door leading to the control booth and motioned for Evan to follow. Guilt and grief tugged at her heart as she glanced around the small room. Grat might have been manipulated into evil, but she’d considered him a friend. “Most Mystics refuse to be chipped. I’m not sure what you’re hoping I can learn.”

  “Kellan is not yet a Mystic and he’s not yet an adult. If we’re lucky, his chip is still active.”

  Suspecting that their supply of luck had been exhausted by their miraculous escape from death, Dro Tar scanned open a deep drawer suspended beneath the wide control console then slid it open. She pulled out a compact pulse pistol and tucked it into the back of her jeans.

  “Why do you keep a gun at your place of business?”

  He sounded curious not judgmental, but sarcasm still crept into her tone. “Because I can’t throw people around with my mind.”

  She sat on one of three chairs arranged in front of the controls. After encrypting the signal she accessed the mammoth datastream reserved for high-level members of the military. Trey had referred to the datastream as his, but it was actually administered by Overlord Lyrik.

  Before she started tracking down their prime suspect, she tapped into the first responder channels and listened for communications about the blast. “Sounds like emergency equipment is already onsite.”

  “Good. Was anyone harmed?”

  She shuffled through the overlapping transmissions until she heard a paramedic updating a hospital. “Shit. Seventeen injuries. No fatalities as of yet. They’ve requested assistance from the Mystics.” She sighed. There wasn’t anything they could do for the wounded other than catch the lunatic who set off the bomb. “I need more than Kellan’s first name.” Evan supplied Kellan’s personal information so she could narrow the search criteria. When the results appeared she shook her head. “His chip was deactivated two cycles ago.”

  “Which is when he became Malos’ apprentice.” Evan paced behind her, too wound-up to sit. “I’d rather not risk telepathic communication. Even shielded messages can be intercepted. But there’s no need for us to search all of Frontine if Kellan is sound asleep in the Conservatory.”

  “Then let’s let technology do the work.” She turned back to the controls and triggered the emergency channel built in to every operative’s profile. The signal was heavily encrypted and randomly modulated.

  It took a moment for Trey to respond to the page, but his sleep-thickened voice eventually sounded over the control room’s speakers. “What’s going on, Dro Tar.”

  “Someone just blew up my apartment, believing me and Evan were inside.”

  “Was anyone hurt? Where are you?” He sounded awake now.

  “Evan and I are fine. We’re in my sim-studio. First responders are on the scene. Seventeen wounded.”

  “Only cowards use bombs.” He muttered a curse then said, “We need to move you to a secure location.” His breathing sped as if he was rushing into another room. “If the assassin realizes—”

  “The best way to make sure he doesn’t try again is the find the bastard.”

  “Agreed. But you don’t need to be the one who finds him or her.”

  “We’re the perfect team to find him. Everyone thinks we’re dead.”

  Trey sighed. Dro Tar knew him well enough to picture his tense expression. “How can I support you?”

  “We need to know if Malos’ apprentice is inside the Conservatory.”

  “Hold on.” After a moment of silence, Trey informed, “Tal said no one has seen him since he left for Linusia Prime.”

  “He’s our only lead, so we’re going to keep digging. If he shows up, please have Tal contact us immediately.”

  “Understood. Is there anything else I can do?”

  “Not right now. If I need you, I’ll com. Dro Tar out.” She grinned. It felt wonderful to boss around the director of Covert Operations.

  “You’re looking rather smug considering the culprit is still out there.” Evan finally took the chair next to hers.

  “Sorry. It just feels good to be back in the saddle.”

  He shook his head as he ran a hand through his messy hair. Transport conduits were harder on hairstyles than motorcycles. “I need a dictionary of colloquialisms to understand you.”

  She didn’t argue. They were speaking Ontarian, but he was right. Earth’s vernacular had a way of creeping into her speech regardless of the language she used. “We agree that Kellan is our most likely suspect?”

  “Yes. Even if he isn’t personally responsible for the bombing, he is likely the one who hired the assassin.”

  “So how do we find the little weasel? Can he teleport or would he have arrived by shuttle?”

  “To my knowledge he is not able to teleport.”

  She sifted through the datastream until she found flight logs. “There were two shuttles from Linusia Prime today. One arrived sixteen hours ago, the other forty minutes.”

  “It would take
longer than forty minutes to orchestrate the bombing.”

  “Unless he arranged it in transit.”

  Evan shrugged. “Anything is possible, but that’s unlikely. Bring up the passenger manifest of the earlier flight.”

  She requested the info and the list of names scrolled across the holoscreen in front of them.

  “Pause display.” He pointed to a name in the middle of the list. “Lankel.”

  “It’s an anagram.” She shook her head and looked at Evan. “Why not just use an alias?”

  “He probably thought he was being clever.”

  “So he’s not only on Ontariese, he’s probably in Frontine.” Dro Tar exited the flight manifests and returned to general inquiries. “Does he have family or friends nearby?”

  “Apprentices don’t have time for friends. Start with his family.”

  She used the established search criteria to pull up Kellan’s bio. “His parents are life mates. He has one brother.” Using a combination of hand movements and voice commands, she navigated to the central security grid and scanned the family residence. “Three life signs, but all three are chipped. Don’t think he ran home to mommy.”

  “Extended family? Aunts and uncles or cousins?”

  One after another she located the members of Kellan’s extended family and scanned their houses. There was not an unchipped life sign in any of them.

  “What about Malos?” She quickly pulled up the Mystic’s bio and discovered that he had three properties. “He’d want to stay near his master,” she muttered as she pulled up the location closest to the Conservatory. “What do we have here?” She zoomed in on the small, semi-secluded cottage. “Looks like an unchipped life sign.”

  “Can you bring up a visual from inside the house?”

  She shook her head. “Not without an access code and that requires a warrant.”

  Evan chuckled. “Teleporting into the location would also be illegal without a warrant.”

  “Good point.” She activated a recon drone and guided it to the house. The drone was tiny, but it still required an opening to enter a building. She tried the windows first. They were all securely closed. A sheer curtain obscured the view of the bedroom in which the sole occupant was sleeping. “I can’t get a clear picture without breaking and entering.”

  “If we’re going to risk charges, I’d rather check it out in person.” He pushed back his chair and stood.

  She smiled at him and powered down the terminal. “I have an in with the director of Covert Operations. Charges aren’t really a concern.”

  Chapter Ten

  Evan and Dro Tar crouched beside the bedroom window, huddling close to the exterior wall of the cottage. He’d tried to materialize inside the house, but the property was shielded against Mystic invasion. They’d landed in the backyard instead then dashed for the concealing shadows.

  “Can you sense if it’s Kellan or not?” Dro Tar whispered, eager to confront whoever set off the bomb. If it wasn’t this wannabe Mystic, then so be it, but he better be ready to give up his accomplice or accomplices.

  Evan shook his head. “Not even my scans are penetrating the shield.”

  She touched the wall then held up her hand. “There’s no physical barrier. Can we just smash a window and climb through?”

  Evan leaned in and whispered, “A shield dense enough to prevent physical dangers requires significantly more energy than one designed to disrupt mystic abilities. Besides, Malos likely considers other Mystics more of a threat than the ungifted.” As if to prove his point, Evan stretched out his hand and received a sharp jolt the instant his fingertips touched the wall. “Looks like you’ll have to let me in.”

  “Or drag the little bugger out.” She leaned around Evan and peered inside the window. “He doesn’t look too big. How old is he?”

  “Fourteen. He might not be able to teleport, but he has superior telekinetic potential. I’m not sure how well he can control his abilities. He’s only worked with Malos for two cycles.” He glanced at the window then tensed. “Perhaps we should request backup.”

  “Not a chance. If Malos finds out we’re still alive, he could activate plan B. Can you block an SOS if Kellan calls for help?”

  “If I can’t penetrate the shield, neither can he.” She narrowed her gaze. This was no time for Mystic arrogance. “But I will continue to scan just to be safe.”

  Pleased by his about-face, she smiled. “All right. I’m going in through the kitchen door. It’s far enough away from the bedroom that he shouldn’t be able to hear me.”

  He gave her a quick, encouraging kiss then she crept along the wall and around the corner. The kitchen sat at the back of the house, so her chances of being seen were minimized. She stayed low as she climbed the stairs to the back stoop. She slid the screen door out of the way then examined the security door. The locking mechanism would likely withstand a blast from a pulse rifle, but there was a serious flaw in the door’s design.

  She used the hilt of her pistol to tap out one of the decorative glass panes then carefully reached inside and deactivated the lock. Security doors weren’t meant to be pretty, they were meant to keep people out.

  The door swung inward and she stepped across the threshold, half afraid an audible alarm would sound. Nothing happened. As usual, the haughty Mystic thought other Mystics were all he needed to worry about.

  A short yet narrow hallway led from the back of the house to the front. She quickly identified the correct bedroom and eased the door open. The occupant was curled up on his side, facing away from the moonlight. Placing her feet with infinite care, she crept across the hardwood floor. If she blasted him into unconsciousness, could she lift his deadweight and toss him out the window?

  Suddenly the bedside lamp hurled toward her, making her decision for her. She barely dodged the projectile as she fired. The boy rolled away so fast the energy stream missed him entirely. He landed on his feet on the far side of the bed and sent the other lamp rocketing toward her head. She batted away the lamp, sending it crashing into the wall.

  “Stop it!” She aimed the gun at the center of his chest. “We just want to talk with you.”

  The dresser behind her slid forward, but the bulk slowed him down. She easily sidestepped the attempt and the dresser bumped against the side of the bed. Is that the best you can do? The taunt echoed through her mind, but she kept the question to herself. The longer this fight lasted, the more likely it was that Kellan would warn someone. Maybe provoking him wasn’t such a bad idea.

  “You’re going to have to do better than that.” She anticipated his reaction. His eyes narrowed and he looked away from her for just a moment, obviously searching for his next projectile. The moment was all she needed. She blasted him with her pistol and watched him crumple to the floor. Males were so predictable.

  Rushing to the window she unlocked it then pushed it open. “One stunned apprentice coming up.” She detached the screen then returned to her target and dragged him over to the window. She lifted his torso and angled him out the window. As soon as the adolescent cleared the shield, Evan dragged him the rest the way out. Dro Tar climbed through the window and agilely jumped to the ground.

  “Press against my back and wrap your arms around my waist.”

  “Is that Kellan?”

  “Yes.”

  She’d been pretty sure she had the right kid when the furniture started flying, but she’d felt compelled to ask. “You can come back for me if you need to.”

  “Not a chance.”

  She squirmed. Teleporting wasn’t her favorite means of travel when Evan was at full power and not dragging two extra people along for the ride. She sighed. If he thought he could do it, then she needed to trust him. She walked behind him and wrapped her arms around his lean middle, snugging tight against his back.

  “Where are we going?” She didn’t really care. She was just curious.

  “To the Conservatory.”

  “Won’t the others sense you as soon as you k
nock on the shield?” An opening in the shield had to be created by someone inside.

  “I’ll contact Head Master Tal. He should be able to shield our arrival from the others.”

  She wasn’t about to argue with the strategy. They needed to interrogate Kellan and it worked best to have Mystics screw with the minds of other Mystics.

  Light erupted around them and she quickly closed her eyes. They didn’t have far to go, so she barely had time enough to tense before they arrived.

  “Where did you find him?”

  She recognized Tal dar Aune’s voice and stepped away from Evan. She was comfortable enough with Trey to give him a hard time, but Tal was a different story.

  “He was hiding in one of Malos’ properties,” Evan responded.

  They were in some sort of antechamber. A neat row of fancy chairs were situated against one wall, but there was no other furniture. Mistress Alexia swept into the room, her expression lethal. “Three innocent people have died, despite the best efforts of our healers. It is likely we will lose at least two more. If Kellan is responsible for this travesty, he will pay dearly. Put him there.” She pointed to one of the chairs.

  Evan sat the lad down in the chair then moved back.

  Mistress Alexia conjured cords and bound Kellan with the wave of her slender hand. “Awaken.”

  The command was sharp and alertness jarred through Kellan. His eyes opened and shock registered on his smooth features. He had curly brown hair and thick-lashed eyes, also shades of brown. “Where am… Why have you restrained me?”

  “We know Malos is a Rodyte spy, but he claims to have no involvement with your actions tonight.”

  Dro Tar knew the Mystic was lying through her teeth, but boy could she sell a lie.

  The swirling of Kellan’s eyes sped, revealing his fear. “I have no idea what you’re talking about.”

  She moved closer and ran her hand from the crown of his head to his knees, hovering over his body not actually touching him. “You’ve obviously showered and changed your clothes but residue still clings to your skin.”