A cute brunette with short hair and glasses stood up.
“Heather.” Conryu slumped with relief. “You’ve spent the bulk of your time traveling the Alliance doing interviews. Given your lack of success as team captain, wouldn’t it be more realistic to say you were acting as press liaison rather than assistant coach?”
If the dig bothered her Heather hid it well. She turned her thousand-watt smile on the reporter and said, “I’m here to help Coach Chort and the team in any way I can. If doing interviews to drum up interest is the most useful thing I can do, I’m happy to do it. Though I like to think I have more to offer given my experience at the tournament.”
Before Mr. Kane could call on another reporter a woman at the rear of the group leapt to her feet. “Amanda Jenkins, Sentinel Enquirer. Is there any truth to the rumors that the two of you are in a relationship?”
Conryu stared for a moment as he tried to process the question. Why would anyone think he was in a relationship with Heather?
“No,” he said.
“Come on,” Amanda said. “We’ve all heard the whispers. Two of the most famous wizards on the planet on the same team. You can’t tell me honestly there were no sparks.”
“Conryu and I are teammates, nothing more,” Heather said.
“If that’s the way you want to play it, I don’t mind.” Amanda sat back down.
The press conference didn’t last long after that exchange. Conryu’s answers went from short to monosyllable. Angus bloviated at every opportunity, but the press didn’t seem overly interested in him. When the gathering started to break up, Heather tugged on his sleeve.
“Let’s go out the back way,” she said.
Conryu shrugged, nodded goodbye to Mr. Kane, and followed her past the elevators and to a side entrance he hadn’t even known existed. Once they were outside a cool breeze blew over him and drew a sigh. “I’m glad that’s over.”
Prime flew higher to keep watch. After all the trouble he’d had over the last two years, the scholomantic took his role as lookout seriously, at least when he wasn’t in a daze from having so many people around.
“You handled yourself well,” Heather said. “I was impressed.”
“Thanks, though dealing with the press isn’t something I’m interested in getting better at.”
“Master, someone’s watching us.”
Conryu turned straight into a kiss from Heather.
He flailed for a moment then pushed her away. “What the hell was that?”
“Marketing.” She licked her lips.
“Are you insane?” Conryu wiped the moisture off his face.
“The spy is gone, Master.”
“Not spy, photographer,” Heather said. “That image will be on every magazine, newspaper, and news cast.”
Conryu considered sending Kai after him, but the risks of a dead photographer were too high. “Why?”
“I told you, marketing. Don’t you read the gossip magazines? People eat this sort of thing up. Every time a new movie starts filming, what’s the first rumor you hear?” She answered for him. “The leading lady and her costar are having an affair. It drums up interest. Just enjoy it. Millions of men would give anything to be in your position.”
“You’re nuts. Stay away from me. Come on, Prime.” He needed to get home and tell Maria what happened before she saw it on the news.
Father Salvador stood in the front of the witch’s boat and let the sea spray hit him in the face. Little was visible on the moonless night. He didn’t ask Lady Tiger how she saw where they were going, the less he knew about her godless magic the happier it made him.
The chill mist mingled with the smell of salt water as they bounced across the waves. Some of his men leaned over the side and hurled their dinners into the water, an offering for any fish following along in their wake. Part of him preferred to think it was the excitement. God knew Salvador himself was nearly bursting with excitement. He’d always served the Archbishop within the Blessed Kingdom, but at last he’d been chosen to lead the battle against the heathens in their own corrupt country.
He glanced at the captain’s station and could just make out the masked figure of Lady Tiger where she gripped the wheel and guided them across the sea. If only they could have avoided using the miserable witch to transport them to the Kingdom of the Isles, he would have judged the crusade without fault. Perhaps God took some secret pleasure in making use of one of His enemies to smite others. Salvador liked to think so.
Half an hour later the shoreline of the Kingdom appeared as a dim outline. The boat slowed as Lady Tiger wove a precise path forward. As he understood it, there existed only a narrow corridor through which they could proceed without drawing the attention of the authorities. Despise her he might, but she’d delivered three hundred of his men to the shore so far and none of them had been detected.
She honored her bargain. It was the only trait he’d found to respect in the woman.
A hundred feet from shore she activated the powerful spotlight built into the front of the boat. A dark beach appeared in the night. Salvador had seldom seen a more desolate stretch of land. It was perfect.
The boat stopped fifteen feet short of the beach. “This is as close as I can get you,” Lady Tiger said. “The water’s about four feet deep so anything you don’t want to get wet needs to be kept above that.”
Salvador grunted. He didn’t like the witch talking to him as though he was a child. “Over the side, men. Weapons up.”
Splashes followed a moment later. When everyone had gotten in he nodded once at Lady Tiger and joined them.
The cold water drew a gasp and he hated himself for the moment of weakness. He’d taken just two steps when the boat’s motor engaged and Lady Tiger reversed course, leaving them in the dark. Damned witch.
A pair of flares burst to life up ahead. Soon enough everyone climbed out of the water and onto the sand.
“The map,” he said.
Brother Allen, the younger of the two subordinate priests he brought along to serve as his assistants, pulled the plastic-wrapped, many-times-folded piece of paper from the inner pocket of his shirt.
Salvador snatched the map and unfolded it. A circle marked the secret beach and a mile inland an X marked the rendezvous point. In between lay a thick patch of forest. Good for concealment, but lousy for hiking. Smooth or rough, God would see them through.
“Alright men, let’s move out. I want one light on point and another in the middle of the formation.”
A chorus of “Yes, Father”s rang out and the soldiers of the Blessed Army sorted themselves into formation. They climbed a steep hill and at the top entered the forest. The scent of evergreen lay over everything.
He smiled. As a child Salvador had often played amidst the spruce near his home. The smile turned into a scowl when he stubbed his toe on a half-buried root.
The squad stumbled along in the dark in what he hoped was the correct direction. Nearly an hour later the first hint of dawn revealed a box truck marked with the name of a local farm, Heaven’s Hundred Acres, parked on the side of a rutted dirt road. That was their ride.
Salvador worked his way through his men to the front of the gathering. Two soldiers in black bowed to him.
“Welcome, Father,” the elder soldier said. “I’m Sergeant Hyack. I trust you met with no difficulties on your journey.”
“No, God was watching over us.”
Both soldiers made the sign of the cross before Hyack said, “We should load up and get moving. This road doesn’t see much traffic, but some of the locals do travel it.”
“Of course.” The silent soldier lifted the rear door and Salvador motioned his men inside.
When all his soldiers were aboard Hyack winced and said, “You too, Father. The farmers around here have gotten used to us, but a stranger would attract more attention than we want.”
Salvador grimaced, but climbed up in with his men. The door slammed down leaving them in total darkness. A vibration
ran through the floor when the motor started up and a few seconds later they were bouncing down the road.
They traveled on for Salvador knew not how long. The ride grew smoother and smoother the farther they went before getting rough again. At last the truck stopped and the door slid up. Fresh air washed over him and Salvador breathed deep. Thirty men contained in a small space made for a rancid stench.
Salvador leapt down from the box and glanced around. They were in some sort of poor industrial area. A group of warehouses faced a dirt yard. Beyond them was a rough-looking neighborhood of rundown businesses and tenements. Hardly an inspiring locale, but from humble beginnings great things rose.
“If you’ll follow me, Father,” Sergeant Hyack said. “I’ll introduce you to the leader of our temporary allies. He calls himself The Guv’nor.”
Salvador made an effort to hide his distaste. “The anarchist, yes?”
“Yes, Father. They’re a rough crew, but they know the city and have been a huge help. I doubt we’d be as far along in our preparations without them.”
“Lead on then.”
Salvador followed Sergeant Hyack toward the second warehouse from the left. “We’ve got an office with a cot ready for you, Father. It isn’t much, but should hold you for the time being.”
Inside the warehouse the stink of unwashed bodies made the back of the truck seem like a day spa. Salvador ignored the stink and focused on his great task. He would bring this city to its knees and make them all regret interfering in God’s work.
“Morning, Guv’nor,” Hyack said. “This is our leader, Father Salvador.”
Salvador blinked once and returned his focus to where it belonged. The man standing in front of him looked to be in his middle twenties, but piercings and tattoos had so warped his flesh that a definite age was impossible to guess. He wore a leather jacket covered in skull patches and stainless steel spikes, filthy ripped jeans, and biker boots.
The punk offered an insolent nod. “Father, welcome to the party. Better late than never.”
“Would you give us a minute, Sergeant?” Salvador asked.
Hyack withdrew leaving him alone with the anarchist. “May I ask you something?”
“Knock yourself out.”
“Why are you working with us? I’ve learned a little about anarchists and teaming up with others isn’t your style.”
The Guv’nor’s smile more resembled a death’s head grin. “We’re using you, mate. Same as you are us.”
Salvador’s frown deepened.
“Ah, no need to look so indignant. See, a while back we made a move on the Ministry of Magic, trashed the place real good, we did. In the process a lot of my mates ended up in Kingdom prisons. We no longer have the manpower for a raid like this. We also lost some friends in the Dragon Empire so no more magical toys to play with.” The Guv’nor shrugged. “When you offered us more bodies, we jumped at the chance.”
“Perhaps I explained myself badly,” Salvador said. “I meant what was your goal? What do you hope to accomplish with this attack?”
“Nothing, mate. We just like to watch shit burn.”
Salvador shook his head. He was allied with a witch and a lunatic. Surely God worked in mysterious ways.
6
London
Conryu, Jonny, and Kelsie were jammed into the back of the Kanes’ car while Maria and her parents crowded into the front. Mom had offered to bring a couple of them so it wouldn’t be so tight, but Mr. Kane told her not to worry about it since the drive wasn’t that far. As far as Conryu was concerned it felt like a cross-country trip. He could barely squeeze his shoulders between Jonny and Kelsie, and Prime was riding on his lap.
They hit a pot hole, jostling them together. Jonny whispered, “I can’t believe you kissed Heather James.”
“It wasn’t my idea. She said it was some kind of publicity stunt. I don’t know. Hopefully she took the hint and will keep her distance.”
He really hoped she did. When he told Maria what happened she’d been furious, thankfully more at Heather than him. His biggest fear at this point was that if Heather tried anything else, Maria might challenge her to a wizard’s duel. And though Maria was strong, she hadn’t reached her full power yet. Her odds of beating Heather didn’t bear thinking about.
“You’ll introduce me, right?” Jonny asked.
Conryu grimaced. Since Jonny found out what happened he hadn’t been able to talk about anything else. “If I get the chance. Don’t get your hopes up. What happened between us was business for her. Unless she can figure some way it will improve her career, I’m afraid you’re out of luck.”
“Maybe if you tell her I’m in the military. Some chicks are into that.”
“Sure, why not?”
Maria glared at them. “Would you please not talk about that bitch in my presence?”
“Sorry,” Conryu said.
“Yeah, my bad.” Jonny didn’t sound the least contrite, but Maria turned back around.
Ten minutes later the Sentinel City International Airport came into view. Two jumbo jets were in the process of taking off. Hundreds of cars jammed the parking lot, but luckily for them they didn’t have to worry about finding a spot. The Department’s private plane took off from a separate runway and they could drive right out to it.
Mr. Kane swung around towards the rear of the airport. A sleek black jet with the Department logo on it was already surrounded by cars. Conryu spotted Crystal right away, towering over everyone around her. As they got closer, he picked out the rest of the team as well as Coach Chort and Heather. He didn’t recognize anyone else, but assumed they were family and friends. Angus would no doubt make himself known shortly.
Mr. Kane parked and they all got out. Conryu and Jonny unloaded luggage while Mr. Kane went to talk to Malice who had emerged from another car. He didn’t know what they were discussing and didn’t care. As long as Conryu didn’t have to deal with her he was happy.
“Dude, I’ve never flown in a plane before,” Johnny said. “We’re starting paratrooper training next year so this will be good practice.”
“I hope not,” Conryu said. “Paratroopers jump out of planes. Where are we supposed to put the suitcases?”
Two men in red security officer uniforms came over and grabbed two bags each. They carried the luggage over to the plane and loaded it into a compartment in the belly. Conryu and Jonny followed along with the rest and tossed them in the nearly full compartment. When they got to the car Mr. Kane had finished his conversation with Malice.
“Looks like we arrived last,” Mr. Kane said.
Conryu looked around but didn’t see Sonja. Before he could ask Crystal where the little fire wizard was, a portal opened.
Sonja emerged, a suitcase that looked far too big for her clutched in both hands. She looked around at everyone staring at her. “Am I late?”
Conryu grinned. “You’re right on time.”
Sonja dropped her bag as he approached and hugged him. “Long time no see.”
“Likewise.” When she let go, he grabbed her bag and carried it over to the plane. He loaded it into the compartment, nodded to the guards, and said, “Last one, fellas.”
The men in red set to work getting the compartment closed up and sealed. As Conryu and Sonja walked back to join Johnny and Kelsie she asked, “Done anything exciting lately?”
“I played bodyguard for a while last year.” Probably best not to tell her about the war, or the elf artifacts he recovered.
“What about you, anything interesting at the new job?”
“Nothing I can talk about. My project is a super-secret military contract.”
“Cool.”
Mr. Kane waved at them and pointed toward a staircase on wheels that was slowly approaching the plane. Everyone was walking that way and he’d been too distracted to notice. Conryu nodded and they joined the flow. They fell in at the rear of the line to wait their turn.
“How’s the Blinky Mobile?” Sonja asked. “Been driv
ing it much?”
“You know, I didn’t have a chance to drive it all year. In fact, I’m not even sure where it is.”
They moved a few steps closer. “It didn’t get melted down, did it?”
“I don’t think so. Most likely it’s in storage somewhere.”
They reached the top of the stairs and stepped into the cabin. An aisle ran down the center with two seats on either side. Conryu settled in the empty seat beside Maria while Sonja hurried over to hug Crystal. The two girls set to chattering.
“So she was your third guest?” Maria asked.
“Yeah, didn’t I tell you?”
“It must’ve slipped your mind,” Maria said. “Maybe you were too busy with Heather.”
“Come on, I explained that. I thought you said you weren’t mad at me.”
“I said I wasn’t that mad at you, not that I wasn’t mad at all.”
Sonja dropped into her chair, and a voice came on over the loudspeaker. “Everyone please buckle up, we will be taking off in a moment.”
Conryu clicked his seatbelt and sent a silent thank you to the pilot. Perhaps Maria would be less mad when they landed.
After nearly eight hours on a plane, Conryu realized how much he loved traveling by portal. He could be anywhere in the world in seconds, rather than having his legs fall asleep. Out the window, the sprawling metropolis of London covered everything for miles. He couldn’t say for certain, but he would’ve sworn it looked even bigger than Central.
Maria dozed with her head on his shoulder. Conryu smiled for a moment. She looked so peaceful he hated to wake her. He gave her a nudge.
She groaned and blinked. “What is it?”
“We’re here.”
“Where?”
“London, remember?”
“Sure.” She rubbed sleep from her eyes and leaned across him to peer out the window. “Wow. It’s huge. How many people do you suppose live here?”
“About twenty-five million,” Mr. Kane said. “It’s half again as big as Sentinel City.”
The Four Nations Tournament: The Aegis of Merlin Book 6 Page 8