by M. D. Massey
Mendoza stood and grabbed his radio. “What is it, Wurzel?”
“Potential Level Five entity, headed your way. She took out Reagan and Cox without batting an eye. I’ve taken cover behind a stack of junked cars, but—”
Finnegas sighed as he rolled a cigarette. “Now you’ve done it.”
The transmission cut out, and we could hear another scream across the yard, this time much closer. Mendoza yelled into his radio.
“Wurzel. Wurzel!” Nothing. He clicked the transmit button again. “All agents, converge on the front office, now! I repeat, converge on the front office immediately!”
Mendoza holstered his radio as he reached behind his back to draw his sidearm. I was familiar with most modern firearms, but the thing in his hand looked nothing like any production pistol I’d ever seen. It was a revolver, that much was clear, but the barrel was even larger than a twelve-gauge shotgun. The ugly, flat-black gun looked as though it only held four rounds in the cylinder, which was similarly oversized and longer like one of those .410 pistols. Whatever the damned thing was, something told me it could do some real damage.
Case and Grimes were the only agents who had responded to Mendoza’s call. They had lined up beside him shoulder-to-shoulder, each armed with a smaller version of Mendoza’s pistol. One of the junior agents tossed an object up in the air, something that looked like a coil of thick copper wire. It snapped open over their heads, instantly transforming into a stiff wire hoop approximately seven feet in diameter. The hoop landed on the ground, and I heard a “whoomp” sound.
It’s a fucking ward circle, one that uses technomagic. Who the hell are these people?
There were more screams and gunshots as the seconds ticked by, each time getting closer and closer to where the three agents waited. I was working on getting out of my cuffs, which were spelled against magical tampering, and craned my neck to see what was going on. I wondered for a moment if I was about to see Maureen in all her kelpie glory, but that’s not who walked through the gate to the junkyard.
Nope. It was Jesse, still in human form, but with her eyes glowing green, and her jet-black hair whipping around like Medusa’s tresses even though it was a windless morning. She took a few unhurried steps toward us, her lips drawn in a tight line, her fists clenching and unclenching at her sides, each wreathed in black fire. She saw me and stopped in place, maybe twenty feet distant.
“Colin, are you alright?”
“I’m fine, but you need to stand down,” I replied.
“Did they hurt you?” she asked.
“No, I’m alright. Just back off, okay?”
“Take her out,” Mendoza muttered, and all three agents fired at once.
Three things happened simultaneously. First, I snapped the cuffs open and cast them off me. Second, a wall of earth rose up in front of Jesse. And third, several dozen strange, dart-like projectiles appeared in the earthen wall that stood between the agents and my ex-girlfriend.
Dark, spiny vines grew up from the ground around the edges of the agent’s ward circle, each thorn dripping with black sap that I assumed was poison. Something about the vines she’d conjured was off, for lack of a better word, but I didn’t have time to mull it over. More and more vines sprouted up around the agents, but their magic barrier was keeping Jesse’s spell work at bay. The agents were still firing at her, and while neither side was doing much damage at the moment, it was clear that someone would get hurt if the fight were to continue.
I sat up and cut the zip ties from my ankles with my belt knife. Finnegas was already kneeling at my side, grinning like he was enjoying the whole messed up situation.
“So, the girl didn’t retain much of the Grove’s magic, huh?” he said.
I held my index finger and thumb apart. “I might have underestimated the situation—just a wee bit.”
The battle between Jesse and the agents continued to escalate, with the agents shooting continuously as the vines slammed repeatedly against their magic barrier. Mendoza was on his phone calling in reinforcements, and Jesse was floating off the ground. Wherever she floated, the earthen wall shifted to protect her and keep her from getting at the agents, so I figured that was the Oak’s doing. Eventually she’d get around it, which meant we needed to end this, fast.
What a clusterfuck, I thought as I turned to Finn.
“Any suggestions on how to keep them from killing each other?” I asked.
He frowned. “Well, if ever there was a time to ‘snap your fingers’ and stop the clock, this would be it.”
“Huh? What do you—oh, right.” I looked at the agents and Jesse, doing the calculations in my head. “It won’t last long, not if I have to include them all.”
“All we need is a minute or so,” he replied.
“You sure? Because you told me that I shouldn’t—”
“Just do it!” he yelled.
Finnegas almost never yelled, so I figured I’d better comply. I checked to make certain no one would see me release the casting. The three agents were focused on the threat in front of them, and no one else was present to observe. After making a few quick, precise, esoteric gestures, I said the trigger word.
A split-second later, everything froze in a thirty-foot sphere that was just barely large enough to include the agents and Jesse.
Finnegas whistled soft and low. “I see you’ve been practicing.” As he admired my work, the old man walked around the edges of my spell to avoid getting caught in the stasis field.
“Well, there wasn’t much else to do when I was stuck in the Void,” I muttered, embarrassed at having been caught practicing forbidden magic. “C’mon, we need to get Jesse out of here while the spell is still in effect.”
As I sprinted toward Jesse and the earthen barrier, I snatched one of the now floating projectiles from the air, then handed it to Finnegas. His lip curled as he examined it.
“Flechette rounds—nasty. Plus, it’s technomagic, just like that barrier they used. Cold iron laced with silver, poisoned with a paralytic.” He frowned and tossed it away. “There’s some sort of tracking spell on it as well.”
“Shit. Who the hell are these clowns, anyway?”
“I’ll explain later. Right now, we need to get you two far, far away from here. I’ll get Maureen to mind-wipe these agents—maybe make them think they got into a fight with some rogue Circle operatives.” He nodded at Jesse, who’d been struck by a flechette just as she’d become frozen by my stasis spell. “The wound doesn’t appear to be deep, but I have a feeling the poison will leave her defenseless for a time. Grab her and let’s get out of here.”
I grabbed Jesse and carried her out of the range of my stasis spell, then laid her on the ground so I could make sure she was okay. She was unconscious, but otherwise fine. Relieved, I pulled the dart from Jesse’s arm, but as I did, the tip broke off and dug itself deeper into her flesh.
“Finnegas, a piece of the flechette came loose, and it’s burrowing into her arm.”
The old druid turned to look just as the tiny piece of metal wriggled deeper, vanishing completely. “Pfah! I’m not going to be able to extract it, not in the time we have. These technomagic gizmos have a mind of their own, making them much harder to counteract. Best we can do is leave it in for now, and once you’re safe you two can work on removing it. Until then, however, Mendoza will be able to track you.”
“Great.”
Lacking any alternative, I threw Jesse over my shoulder and followed my mentor. Finnegas made a beeline for the Druid Oak, passing a handful of unconscious agents along the way. As we neared the tree, Maureen dropped from its branches. She took one look at Jesse, and her brow furrowed.
“What’s wrong with the lass? I swear, if those eejits hurt her—”
“She’s fine, Maureen,” Finnegas said. “Just unconscious. She’ll recover momentarily, likely as soon as she’s back in the Grove.”
“What set her off?” I asked.
“Well, we were hidin’ in the tree, or the tr
ee were hidin’ us, I suppose. I thought we were in the clear, then one o’ those thugs pointed his weapon at Rufus. Next thing ya know, the lass drops to the ground and starts waylayin’ those agents left an’ right.”
Finnegas tsked. “Well, what’s done is done.” He stroked his beard. “Although, I’d be curious to know if it was her decision to protect Rufus, or some residual influence left over from her time as a dryad.”
Jesse was starting to stir, so I carefully laid her down at the base of the Oak. “You think the Grove might still be influencing her?”
The old druid shook his head. “I can’t be certain, and there’s no time to discuss it. Maureen, please see about erasing the recent memories of these government thugs. Colin, get Jesse inside the Grove, and get yourselves as far away from here as you can. Once you’re safe, don’t contact me. Mendoza isn’t stupid, and eventually he’ll figure out that someone tampered with his memory. He’ll soon put two and two together and start looking for you again.”
“But what about you and Maureen?”
The flame-haired half-kelpie patted me on my cheek. “Ya’ needn’t worry about me, lad. T’wouldn’t be the first time the Gardaí came knocking on my door. I know how not ta’ be found. And as fer the Seer, he kin take care o’ himself.”
“But—”
The old man cut me off. “She’s right, we’ll be fine. Now, get out of here so we can make sure you aren’t followed!”
“Damn it. Alright, but be careful,” I admonished.
“Don’t tell your grandmother how to suck eggs,” Finnegas said with a wink.
“Grandmother? From your lips to my ears, old man.”
“Ye’d best not be referrin’ ta’ me, either of ya’,” Maureen warned.
I smiled and grabbed Jesse’s hand, then placed a hand on the Oak’s trunk and willed us into the Grove.
6
My primary concern was getting Jesse someplace safe and away from Mendoza and his agents. But I also wanted to warn my friends. Anyone who’d helped me recently could be a target, and while Luther and Samson had subordinates and attorneys to look out for them, Hemi and Maki did not.
So, I instructed the Oak to transport us to the Williamson Creek greenbelt near Hemi’s apartment. Then, I asked the Grove to look after Jesse while she recovered, and to keep her from leaving, at least until I returned. She’d be safe inside the Grove, but as soon as she left the pocket dimension, Mendoza would know where she was. Once I was certain the Grove and Oak knew what to do, I went Earthside and headed to Hemi’s apartment.
Hemi answered the door with his typical broad smile and happy, quiet voice. “Bro, good to see you. I—”
I pushed him inside, closing the door only after I checked to make sure no one had followed me. “Hemi, no time to explain. Can you and Maki leave town for a few days?”
He scratched his head. “Hmm. Bit of a problem, that. Maki is—er, away—visiting family. I can get word to her to stay away. But I’m stuck here, aye? No wheels.”
“Shit. Okay, I guess you’re coming with me.” My phone rang, reminding me that I had forgotten to turn it off and remove the SIM card. I was about to do exactly that when I noticed who was calling. “Maureen, what’s—?”
“Glad yer too dense to turn off yer phone. Look, more o’ those goons showed up at the junkyard afore I could wipe Mendoza’s memories. The Seer and I made ourselves scarce afore they saw us, but chances are they’ll be on yer tails in no time.”
“Crap! Okay, I’m just warning Hemi, then we’re taking off.”
“While I admire yer loyalty, lad, Hemi is a demigod, and quite capable of taking care o’ himself. You worry aboot gettin’ that lass away from here, afore those agents find ye agin.” She paused, and I heard her conversing with someone in the background. “Oh, and the Seer says ye should cast a small stasis spell on the thingy in Jesse’s arm. It’ll keep those Cerberus eejits from tracking the girl down.”
“I’ll do that, Maureen, and thanks for the heads up.”
“Fine, then you two be safe. An’ turn off yer blasted phone!”
In true Maureen fashion, she’d simultaneously expressed deep concern for my well-being and chewed my ass, almost in the same breath. I chuckled as I snapped the back off my phone, removing the battery and SIM card, which I tossed in my Craneskin Bag. Hopefully I’d be able to find them again, when needed.
“I heard the important bits,” Hemi said. “Got the plod after us, aye?”
“If by ‘plod’ you mean law enforcement, then yes, we do,” I replied.
“Thug life it is, then,” he said with a bemused grin. “Plan?”
“The plan is to get us the hell out of here. They tagged Jesse with some kind of tracking magic, so we need to take care of that as well.” He winced at hearing Jesse’s name. “What?”
“Well, it’s just that—you know. Bells.”
“She told you what happened? Seriously?”
“Not exactly. Called in the middle of the night. Something about ‘skank dryads.’ Oh, and that you two were through.”
I sighed. “This day could not get any worse.”
Hemi shook his head. “Bro, no need to jinx.”
“You’re right. Let’s go before shit really goes sideways.”
At the precise moment I reached for the doorknob, a very authoritative female voice came booming over a loud-speaker outside. “Mr. McCool, Mr. Waara, this is Lieutenant Carollton from the Austin Police Department. I’m on orders from the Department of Homeland Security to detain you until they arrive. Please come out with your hands held high and in plain view.”
I glanced out the door’s peephole. There were a number of APD squad cars outside, and about twice the number of uniformed police with guns drawn.
“She’s not lying—we’re surrounded.”
Hemi winced again. “My landlady’ll be so pissed off.”
“I’ll explain it to her later. Is there a back exit?”
He gave me the stink-eye. “Not even. She hates you, cuz. And no, there isn’t.”
“What do you mean? Your landlady loves me. You’ve seen the way she looks at me.”
“That’s the problem, aye? Cougars don’t like to be ignored.”
I smirked. “So then, why does she love you so much?”
“Watch it,” he warned, pushing my head down so he could glance out the peephole. “Any ideas?”
“Besides casting another time magic spell, and yet again risking getting my ass in a sling with who knows what gods for using forbidden magic?”
Hemi arched an eyebrow at me. “Oi, bro—we seriously need to catch up. Yeah, besides that.”
“Not a clue, brother. I think I screwed the pooch on this one.” I reached into my Bag and pulled out Gunnarson’s cloak of invisibility. “I do have this thing, but there’s only the one.”
“Ah. Wondered what happened to that.”
“Wait a minute—maybe we can use this to our advantage. If I create a distraction, do you think you can sneak out a back window and meet me down at the creek?”
“Colin, this is a garage apartment. There is no back window.”
“Huh. How did this thing ever pass code when it was built?”
“It’s ancient is how. Let’s just turn ourselves in, yeah?”
“Sorry, man, can’t do that. Here, take the cloak—hopefully it’ll work for you—and I’ll find a way out on my own. The Druid Oak is parked down by Williamson Creek, in a copse of trees about a quarter-mile east of here.”
Hemi took the cloak and held it up to his ear, frowning. “Says it’s more than happy to help a demigod—me being worthy of it and all—but man does it hate you.”
I rolled my eyes. “Tell me something I don’t know.”
He looked to the east, which happened to be in the direction of his living room wall. “Think I see the Oak. Strong magic, that. Kinda stands out.”
“Which is why we’re going to have to stash it somewhere the feds won’t look. But we can talk about th
at later—just head to the Oak and make sure Jesse stays inside.”
“She still crazy?”
“Remains to be seen, but I think it comes in fits and spurts. I’ll meet you there in fifteen minutes.”
“Alright, bro. Be safe.”
“People keep telling me that, and honestly, it’s not that reassuring.”
Hemi chuckled, then slipped on the cloak and disappeared from sight. I opened the door to the garage so he could escape, and stepped out into the open with my hands held high.
One thing nobody tells you when you become a druid is that nature magic is far more powerful than it first appears. Sure, other types of magic are more expedient and flashier, but when you can harness nature’s power, the only real limit to what you can do is your imagination. And right now, I needed a pretty big distraction, something to take APD’s attention off me so I could escape.
Lightning strike? Hmm, too dangerous. Earthquake? Naw, I doubt I could pull it off. Windstorm? It’ll take too long.
“Mr. McCool,” the officer said over her patrol car’s PA system. I acted like I couldn’t hear, because I needed to stall while I came up with a solution to the situation. “Sir, I need you to lay down on your stomach with your hands behind your head. Now!”
I heard another cop talking to the one on the bullhorn, who I figured was Carollton. “You want me to gas him?”
Carollton shook her head. “No, but when he gets closer, taser him.”
Gas. Fog. Bingo.
Winters tended to be pretty wet in Austin, and this one had been no exception. Thankfully, I’d become much better at manipulating heat, cold, and the elements while rebuilding the Druid Grove. There was plenty of moisture in the ground and air to work with, so forming a nice thick bank of fog would be a piece of cake.
Officer Carollton continued to bark commands at me, while I acted dumb and mumbled my spells. The first spell heated up the ground within a half-block radius around us, causing moisture to evaporate into the air. I did that by redistributing the radiant heat from the sun being absorbed by the air molecules above us. That lowered the air temperature, and combined with the rapid increase in humidity, I hoped it would produce fog.