Post by Master Talon on Jun 8, 2009 16:31:17 GMT -6
Chapter 1 – Red Mana
“Ow, dammit!” Troy pulled his hand away from the bubbling test tube and sucked on his burnt fingers. Professor Blaylock rolled her eyes and sighed.
“Troy, I told you to be careful when handling the test tubes. You have a pair of tongs for a reason.”
“I didn’t think it would still be hot.” The boy mumbled around his fingers.
“It was bubbling.” Blaylock shook her head. “Look, just go down to the nurse’s office, and try not to break a leg or choke on your tongue on the way.” Several students barked with laughter. Troy fixed his teacher with a dagger like glare.
Troy slipped out of the classroom and into the vacant halls of Eclipse High, his burnt hand held gingerly in front of him. It still stung a little, but he was fairly sure he could have made it through the rest of the class period; not that he minded. Science was mind numbing on a normal day, and he could really care less what made the damn tube bubble.
A hiss cut through the young man’s train of thought. “Troy, get over here!”
Troy looked up from his red-tinged burn and towards the speaker. Riley crooked her finger at him from a small side hallway, grinning playfully. Troy returned the smile, feeling his neck flush at the sight of his favorite person. He slipped into the space between the lockers and kissed her on the forehead.
Riley was about half a head shorter than Troy, and her satin brown hair was a good contrast to his dark blonde. Troy was a bit paler; his beard was even tinted red. His eyes were a dark brown; hers were a gray-blue that could shift to steel when a mood took her. The young man wrapped his arms around the girl, and she responded in kind.
“Come on, I know a nice place where we can catch some alone time.” Riley grabbed Troy’s hand. He flinched away, hissing in pain. “What’s wrong, baby?” She asked, her eyes full of concern.
“I burned my hand on a test tube.” Troy showed her the mark.
“Oh, baby…” Riley wrapped her hands around his wrist and lifted his palm up to inspect it. She carefully kissed his palm and looked up into his eyes. “Better?”
“Perfect,” he whispered.
The bleachers were empty, and the only people around were the soccer players and coaches down on the field, running through their fifth period practice. Riley pulled Troy into the announcers box and wrapped him in a fierce embrace, kissing him violently on the lips. The blond boy responded in kind, pushing Riley against the wall and running his hands along her sides, and back. She moaned with pleasure and slid her hands up beneath his shirt, raking her nails down the length of his spine.
As they broke apart, Riley leaned her head against Troy’s chest. The young man jumped when she shrieked, “Look out!” Troy spun around, instinctively pushing Riley behind him.
A minibus had careened off the service road and veered onto the soccer field, and was thundering towards the players. Most of them had already started running, getting out of the vehicle’s path, but one boy tripped and cried out in pain, gripping his knee. The bus headed straight towards him.
Coach Morrowind, a white-haired American Indian, fell to his knees, pressing both hands into the short-clipped grass. At first he appeared to have collapsed in fear, until a fifteen-foot circle of turf around him withered away into sickly brown bristle. Simultaneously, half-a-dozen long, green tendrils sprang up from the ground and wrapped around the minibus, pulling it to a stop. The wheels still spun, kicking up plumes of dirt.
Everyone froze, with two exceptions. Immediately after the bus stopped moving, Coach Morrowind’s two sons, Cole and Ray, stepped forward. Cole grabbed a water bottle and emptied the contents onto his hand, gesturing broadly as he did so. Ray pulled the door of the van open and dragged the driver out of his seat; the man put up a fight but the soccer player threw him to the ground and pinned him the there with his knee. Cole weaved his hands in a circular pattern across his chest. The water dripping from his fingers began to evaporate, sending trails of white vapor into the air. As Ray stepped away from the now-silent bus driver, Cole’s shoulders slumped and he fell to one knee. Coach Morrowind dragged himself out of the circle of dried grass, and the vines trapping the car dissolved into dust on the wind.
The catatonic soccer players began to move, hurrying to help the fallen player and the driver or kicking the bus tires. Some of them pulled out cell phones, placing calls to authority figures and loved ones. No one seemed to pay much attention to the Morrowinds, who now sat on one of the benches drinking water. Both Cole and the Coach appeared physically drained.
Riley turned slowly towards Troy, her eyes wide. Troy knew his expression matched hers. “What just happened?” She whispered.
Troy shook his head. He had no answer for her.
“I don’t understand.” Troy muttered, one hand on the remote and the other on his cell phone. “The news hasn’t mentioned the vines or the Morrowinds once.”
“I think that’s what Cole was doing, Troy.” Emily spoke over the phone, her keyboard tapping in the background. “He probably changed everyone’s memories to keep his family’s secret safe.”
“So why weren’t we affected?” Riley interjected.
“Maybe he has to see everyone he’s manipulating.” Emily sounded slightly distracted; she was probably searching the Internet for clues.
Troy grimaced as one of his sisters shrieked loudly in the background. “It sounds like you’ve got a theory.”
“Magic.” Emily said almost immediately.
“Magic?”
“You heard me.” Emily continued tapping the keys. “That’s not just a cop-out answer, either. Lots of strange things like what you saw today are reported across the globe, but someone always tries to cover them up. I’ve been doing research on them for years, and I’ve also made contact with some people who claim to have seen these events firsthand.”
“Really?” Troy’s brow furrowed. “Maybe we should ask the Morrowinds directly about this.”
“Troy, I don’t know if that’s such a good idea.” Riley’s voice was tight. “We don’t know how far they’re willing to go to keep their secret.”
“I don’t think they’ll hurt me. They just erased everyone’s memory at the field, they can’t be that bad.”
“Unless that’s only because murdering a whole soccer team would have raised more suspicion.” Emily’s voice was tinged with merriment.
“Not funny.” Riley hissed.
Emily chuckled. “Chill, sweetie, it was a joke. Although I do agree with you, it probably won’t help to talk to them. They’ll just erase your memory and then we’ll be back at square one.”
“I guess you’re right.” Troy sighed. It was at that moment that one of his sisters lunged across the couch, knocking the phone out of his hand.
“Troy, Troy, can I play with your Xbox?” Jessica shrilled, killing several hundred of Troy’s auditory cells.
“Jessica, I’m on the phone.” Troy picked the phone up and lifted it to his ear again.
“Is that Riley?” Jess pouted, twisting her little face into a frown.
“Yes, it is, and this is a serious discussion. You can play with my Xbox if you really must.”
Jess swatted the phone out of his hand. “You’re always talking to her. You never talk to us anymore!”
“She’s my girlfriend, Jessica, and I don’t need another lecture from someone seven years younger than me.” Troy felt a red flush rising in his cheeks.
Jessica snarled, baring her teeth. “I hate you!” She gave the phone a kick and it skittered across the room.
Troy took a deep breath, counted to ten, and punched a hole in the cardboard box next to him. “At the moment,” he hissed, not looking at his sister, “I’m not particularly fond of you either.”
The lunch bell rang, and Troy practically sprang out of his seat. Lunch meant freedom from the tyranny of the American educational system and getting to see Riley again.
Troy was halfway to the lunchroom when a chill hit him, gnawing on his joints and freezing his skull. Disoriented, he leaned against the wall next to the drinking fountain to catch his breath. Cole Morrowind stood a few feet away, his expression alert and cautious. Students flowed past him, their formation parting like water around a rock, but he took no notice; his eyes were focused on something far beyond the school’s walls.
A warning bell cut throw Cole’s reverie, and he quickly ducked out through a side door. Troy, his chill forgotten, waited a few seconds before slipping out the door after him.
It was a cloudy day, and a layer of mist covered the ground. Cole’s feet kicked up tiny plumes of vapor as he drifted into the parking lot. Troy followed close behind, keeping out of the older student’s line of sight. By the time they reached the spot where Cole’s rust-colored pickup truck was parked, the school was completely obscured behind a wall of mist.
Troy watched as Cole climbed into the driver’s seat and started to pull out of his parking space. A red sports car pulled out in front of the truck, cutting Cole off. Before he could do anything, a black van thundered out of the fog, screeching to a stop inches from the truck. Three men dressed in black and wearing facemasks leapt out of the van’s bay door. They pulled pistols from beneath their jackets and surrounded the truck, training their weapons on the driver. “Get out of the car!” The man closest to the driver’s seat ordered.
Cole slowly opened the car door and started to get out. As his left foot hit the asphalt, he pumped his right against the gas pedal, and his truck shot forward, slamming into the sports car’s rear bumper. Cole fell on his back, dropping out of sight of two of his would-be kidnappers, and made a swirling motion with his hand, collecting mist in it. The black-clad man closest to him shouted and fired one shot, missing Cole’s head by a hair’s breadth. Cole flinched, but completed his hand motion, and rolled beneath the truck just as a wave of water surged out of the mist.
The flash flood knocked all three attackers off their feet, carrying them across the parking lot. Two of the men hit the side of an SUV and crumpled their, buried under the foaming tide, the third slid to a stop next to the storm drain bordering the sidewalk. Troy, concealed behind a Hyundai, fell heavily against it as the current robbed him of his sure footing. As he struggled to his feet, he caught a glimpse of Cole running off into the mist.
The back of the black van opened and a fourth man stepped out, this one holding a full-stock AK-47. The rifle spat, and Troy was fairly sure he heard five rounds clear the chamber. Cole, disappearing into the mist, fell behind a silver Honda.
“Come on!” AK rushed after his quarry, waving for his comrades to assist him. Troy held his breath as the thug ran past, not sparing him so much as a glance. As the other three sloshed by, the young man pulled out his cell phone and started to dial.
A black-gloved hand grabbed the phone and tossed it away. Troy fell against the car, sending splashes of water in the air as he did. The man standing over him was dressed in a dark brown leather jacket and black thermal undershirt. A red demon’s head mask covered his face.
“Sorry, the subscriber you are trying to reach is not accepting calls at this time.” A synthesized voice rumbled from behind the mask. The hand reached out again, picking Troy up by the collar and shoving him against the vehicle. Troy swung his fist, aiming for the man’s jaw.
“Ow!” Troy snarled, his hand pulsing from the impact. The masked man barely flinched, instead choosing to grab Troy’s head and introduce it to the Hyundai’s hood. The high school student crumpled. Red Mask lowered him to the ground and produced a folded white slip of paper. On the front were scrawled the words, ‘For Mr. Morrowind’. Red Mask slid it into Troy’s pocket, patted him on the head, and stood up to join his associates, who were dragging an unconscious Cole into the van. Red Mask nodded to them, got in his sports car, and roared away.
“Dammit!” Troy pounded his fist against the nightstand, nearly upsetting the lamp. “I should have helped him, but I just sat there like a coward.”
“Sweetie, you couldn’t have done anything.” Riley spoke from the foot of the bed, her hand on his knee.
“It’s pretty obvious these guys knew Cole had powers,” Emily mused, “but obviously he’s good at more than just memory modification.”
“I’m surprised they got him at all.” Riley leaned back against the bed frame. Troy gazed out the window, barely listening to the conversation. Riley gently wrapped her fingers around his hand; he squeezed back and offered her a half-hearted grin.
“Well, any chance we had of talking with the Morrowinds is gone now, they won’t want to see anyone with Cole missing.” Riley sighed.
“Actually, we might have a better chance. Cole can’t do the memory charm thing to us now.” Emily was rummaging through the bottom of the nightstand.
“What are you doing, Emma-chan?” Riley inquired, giving her friend an incredulous look.
“Liberating.” Emily emerged, stuffing her quarry into her satchel. Riley smacked her forehead and Troy’s lips twitched upwards.
“As I was saying,” Emily continued, moving to the cabinets, “It might be best if we approach the Morrowinds now, while they don’t have their little flashy thingie around.”
“Okay, seriously?” Troy rolled over, growling. “A Men in Black reference? Most things wouldn’t get me out of my pit of self-loathing, but seriously? MIB?”
Emily grinned fiendishly and started to sing. “And so I’m back from outer space-“
“Stop! Please stop!”
Emily left an hour later, keen to make contact with the Morrowinds. Riley sat down on the bed next to Troy and kissed him on the temple.
“I love you.” He whispered in her ear. She smiled, stroking his hair, and then noticed something sitting on the nightstand beneath his wallet.
“What’s this?” She pulled the folded paper out from beneath the brown leather.
“I don’t know.” Troy sat up slowly, inspecting it. “They must have taken it out of my pocket when they brought me in here.”
“It’s for Coach Morrowind.” Riley whispered. She unfolded the sheet. “We need to give this to him.”
“Well, let’s get moving.” Troy kicked his sheets off and started pulling his shoes on.
“Sweetheart, are you sure you’re ready to leave?” Riley touched his shoulder gently.
Troy chuckled. “It’s just a little concussion, hon. Don’t worry about me.”
Riley walked to the door and turned around. “Walk in a straight line.”
“Excuse me?” Troy raised an eyebrow.
“You walk in a straight line, we can go.”
“Please.” Troy grinned. He stood up and placed one foot in front of the other. A worried look crossed his face. “Motivation please?”
Riley shook her head, undoing her ponytail. “Come here,” she purred.
Troy had never walked a straight line faster.
Riley’s dark blue Mini Cooper pulled to a stop in front of the rusty trailer parked on the edge of Golan Forest. The windows glowed orange, casting long shadows across the portable garden out front.
“Is Mr. Morrowind a gardener?” Troy asked, eyeing the brown plastic boxes.
“He’s a soccer coach. He probably needs a hobby.” Riley shrugged, opening her door. “Come on. Keep your eyes open.” She pulled a dagger from beneath her seat and slipped it into her jeans waistband, covering the hilt with her shirt.
The two approached the front door, Troy a step ahead. A silhouette moved across the window, causing the light to flicker. Riley caught Troy’s arm, her other hand on the hilt of her weapon. Troy glanced back at her, smiling reassuringly. He squeezed her hand, and reached for the door. To his surprise, it swung open before his fist touched it. Mr. Morrowind stood in the entryway, his face grim, holding a heavy silver revolver in his hand.
“Gently, folks.” Ray growled, racking the slide on his Winchester rifle. He had appeared behind Riley and Troy, almost out of thin air. The Coach stepped aside.
“Come on in.”
Troy nodded slowly and stepped through the door. Riley started up the steps too, but Ray grabbed her shoulder. “Hold it.” He grabbed the dagger and pulled it from its hiding place. “Now you can go.” He looked up at his dad. “I think we should test her first.”
Mr. Morrowind directed the two of them to sit in chairs by the tiny round table. Troy and Riley sat down, warily scrutinizing the interior. The cramped trailer had separate beds for all three Morrowinds, a small kitchen, and a toilet in the adjacent corner. Unwashed dishes sat in the sink and the remains of dinner were on the table. On every surface there were small potted plants, mostly cacti. The Coach passed his pistol to his son and picked up one of the plants. Ray pointed the revolver at Troy’s head.
“Now, listen, and listen carefully.” Morrowind knelt in front of Riley, his eyes like chips of flint. “If you try anything, my son will kill your friend, without hesitation. Do not move until I’m done.”
Riley glanced at Troy, fear in her eyes, not for herself, but for him. Troy shook his head slightly. Morrowind wrapped a hand around the small cactus, ignoring the thorns, and placed his other palm on her knee. His eyes drifted shut. Ray kept the gun pointed at Troy, but his gaze kept flicking to his father and back.
A chill ran up Riley’s leg, spreading from the place the Coach’s hand touched her. The cactus began to shrivel. In moments she was shivering from the cold. Troy tensed, but Ray jabbed the gun at him. “Move and I’ll blow your fucking head off.”
Riley’s shivers grew more violent, and her lips started to turn blue.
Troy couldn’t contain himself. “Riley!” He barked. Ray shoved the gun against his forehead. “What the hell is he doing to her?” Troy shouted, turning his impotent rage on the youngest Morrowind.
“He’s not hurting her!” Ray snarled. “Now sit back, and shut up!”
Riley jumped, and her lips suddenly flushed again. Mr. Morrowind pulled his hand away quickly, almost falling on his back. His eyes were wide, and a trail of white vapor wafted up from his palm.
“Dad!” Ray shouted, moving the muzzle away from Troy for just a second, and Troy planted his foot in Ray’s gut, throwing him against the counter. Troy was at Riley’s side before Ray could clamber to his feet again. Riley was breathing quietly, her eyes closed. Troy placed a hand on either side of her face.
“Riley, baby, are you okay?” He pressed his forehead against hers. It was unbelievably warm, but cooling by the second. “Wake up.” Troy’s heart thudded painfully against his rib cage.
“I’m okay, sweetie.” Riley breathed, her eyes still shut. “It’s okay.”
“Son, put the gun down.” Coach Morrowind took the revolver out Ray’s hand and placed it on the counter. “She’s not under influence, and if he was, we would know by now.”
“Why did that happen, dad?” Ray looked extremely uncomfortable with the gun out of his hand. “Why did she burn your hand?”
“She’s one of us, Ray.” The father went into the kitchen and filled a glass with water. He dropped a tiny blue lozenge into the cup and offered it to Riley. “Here, young lady. This will help with the heat.” Riley took the water, but didn’t drink any, her eyes fixed on the Coach. “You’ve got a good reason to distrust us. I apologize for the cold reception, but since Cole was…taken, we’ve been extremely wary of outsiders.”
“Cole…” Riley murmured, touching Troy’s wrist. “We came here because the men who kidnapped him left a note in Troy’s pocket.” Troy withdrew the folded paper from his pocket and passed it to the elder Morrowind.
“What’s it say, dad?” Ray stared at the note, his suspicion forgotten for the moment.
“Dear Aidan Morrowind, if you value the life of your son, come to the Firenze Office Complex at midnight. Come alone and unarmed, and we will dictate our terms to you there. If you do not comply, we will kill your son. Don’t be late.” Morrowind’s fists clenched, ripping the note in half.
“Dad, what are we going to do?” Ray whispered.
“Rescue Cole.”
“We’re going with you.” Riley’s voice was firm.
“I’m sorry, I can’t let you do that, Miss Kavanagh. These men are obviously looking for mages, and if I bring you along, you’ll become a target as well.” Morrowind slid the shotgun through his truck’s window and tucked the revolver in the back of his waistband. “Ray, stay with them. Riley will need guidance through the next few weeks.”
“You can do that, dad. I’m coming.” Ray checked the Winchester’s chamber.
“No.” The Coach growled, “You’re not.” He knelt down and pressed a hand into the grass. Before the three could react, serpentine stalks sprang from the ground, wrapping around them and pinning them to the spot. All three struggled, but it was like fighting against a deep ocean current. “Goodbye, my son.” Aidan climbed into his truck and ripped out into the road.
“Dad! Dad!” Ray heaved against his bindings, tears streaming down his cheeks. “Damn it!”
“Ray, can’t you get us out of this?” Troy snarled, wrestling vainly.
“I’m not a mage.” Roy snapped. “Only dad and Cole could use magic.”
“But you’re not the only mage here.”
All three turned their heads as best they could towards the speaker. Emily stood at the edge of the forest, clad in a skintight thermal shirt and sweatpants. She walked barefoot over the soft green grass, coming to a stop just out of arm’s reach.
“Emily, help us out here.” Troy gasped.
“No.” Emily smiled genially.
Riley’s eyes flashed. “What?”
“I can’t help you, Riley. Only you can help you.” Emily stepped forward, grabbed Riley’s shoulder. “You can do this. Just focus on what you want, and reach out.”
Troy hissed angrily. Emily turned her eyes on him and snarled back, the rumble of a beast issuing from her slight frame. “Focus, Riley.” She snapped, the beginning of the first word almost a bark.
Riley closed her eyes and breathed. Her fingers tightened around the vines holding her. Slowly she became aware of the living fibers within her cage, how they pulsed with energy and vitality. She inhaled that power, pulling it out of the prison and into her body. As she opened her eyes, the plants withered away, becoming dust on the wind. The energy left her, and she stumbled. Emily caught her by the shoulders and gently lowered her to a sitting position.
“Good. That’s good.” Emily nodded, brushing the hair out of Riley’s eyes. “You did it.” Riley nodded, her eyes fluttering.
“Is she alright?” Troy demanded, his heart thudding like a lead weight in his chest.
“She’s exhausted.” Emily didn’t look up from her friend. “It’ll get easier the more she uses her power.”
“Cole was like that when we were little.” Ray reflected quietly. “He almost always passed out after he used his magic.”
Emily gently laid Riley’s head on the grass and stood up. She grabbed Troy’s shackles and ripped them away from his body with almost no visible effort. He stared at her for a moment, brow furrowed in awed curiosity. “What are you?”
“I’ve never made it a secret that I’m complicated.” Emily’s voice was deadpan. She stripped the vines around Ray just as effortlessly. The youngest Morrowind was instantly in motion, grabbing his rifle and running towards Riley’s car.
“Hurry! We need to save my dad!”
“Hang on, Ray!” Troy shouted, kneeling next to Riley, her hand in his. “Riley’s not in any shape to move.”
“Take my keys.” Riley murmured so softly Troy had to bend down and place his ear next to her lips to hear her. “Save Mr. Morrowind.”
“I’ll stay here with Riley until she’s ready to move.” Emily assured Troy, placing a firm hand on his shoulder. “You two need to stop him from giving himself up.” Riley pressed the Cooper’s keys into Troy’s hand. His fingers closed around hers for a moment.
“Go.” She whispered. Troy pressed his lips against her forehead for a second, and then he was gone.
The dark blue Cooper roared down the road towards the Firenze Offices. Troy’s fingers gripped the steering wheel.
“Have you ever killed anyone?” Ray asked, checking the breach of his rifle for the ten – millionth time. His eyes were fixed on the road, which was zooming past at 150 miles per hour.
Troy shook his head. “No. Have you?”
“No.” Ray rechecked the breach. “First time for everything, huh?”
The office complex was a two – story affair, with wide glass windows on all sides. Troy switched the lights off and crept into the parking lot. “I guess I don’t get a gun?”
“You said you’ve never killed anyone.” Ray’s fingers were exploring the breach yet again.
“Would you stop doing that?” Troy snapped. “And you just told me two seconds ago that you’ve never killed anyone either.”
“We’ve got one gun, and it belongs to me.” Ray placed the stock against his shoulder. “Fucking deal.” Troy cracked a smile and spun the wheel, turning off into an adjacent parking lot.
Aidan Morrowind walked past a pair of masked men holding submachine guns. The two fell into step behind him, weapons trained on him. The one-level office complex was dark, the glass walls casting eldritch shadows across the carpeted floor.
A small circular pool was the centerpiece of the building, with a little fountain in the center. A trickle of water spilled from the mouth of a stone serpent, which was wrapped around the body of a naked female. Coins sparkled at the bottom of the pool, reflecting light onto the sign at the base of the statue, which read ‘Please Do Not Drop Change In Pool’. A collection of wax flowers and an artificial tree ringed the fountain, giving the room a peaceful, if somewhat forced, atmosphere. To the right of the fountain three men gripped Cole Morrowind, two holding his biceps and the other firmly gripping the young man’s hair and pressing a pistol to his neck. A man wearing a red oni mask and dressed in a brown leather jacket sat on the edge of the pool, toying with a black Zippo lighter.
“Nice of you to join us, Aidan.” Red Mask looked up, his synthetic voice humming abrasively as he spoke. “I guess its time for a touching reunion.”
“Ow, dammit!” Troy pulled his hand away from the bubbling test tube and sucked on his burnt fingers. Professor Blaylock rolled her eyes and sighed.
“Troy, I told you to be careful when handling the test tubes. You have a pair of tongs for a reason.”
“I didn’t think it would still be hot.” The boy mumbled around his fingers.
“It was bubbling.” Blaylock shook her head. “Look, just go down to the nurse’s office, and try not to break a leg or choke on your tongue on the way.” Several students barked with laughter. Troy fixed his teacher with a dagger like glare.
Troy slipped out of the classroom and into the vacant halls of Eclipse High, his burnt hand held gingerly in front of him. It still stung a little, but he was fairly sure he could have made it through the rest of the class period; not that he minded. Science was mind numbing on a normal day, and he could really care less what made the damn tube bubble.
A hiss cut through the young man’s train of thought. “Troy, get over here!”
Troy looked up from his red-tinged burn and towards the speaker. Riley crooked her finger at him from a small side hallway, grinning playfully. Troy returned the smile, feeling his neck flush at the sight of his favorite person. He slipped into the space between the lockers and kissed her on the forehead.
Riley was about half a head shorter than Troy, and her satin brown hair was a good contrast to his dark blonde. Troy was a bit paler; his beard was even tinted red. His eyes were a dark brown; hers were a gray-blue that could shift to steel when a mood took her. The young man wrapped his arms around the girl, and she responded in kind.
“Come on, I know a nice place where we can catch some alone time.” Riley grabbed Troy’s hand. He flinched away, hissing in pain. “What’s wrong, baby?” She asked, her eyes full of concern.
“I burned my hand on a test tube.” Troy showed her the mark.
“Oh, baby…” Riley wrapped her hands around his wrist and lifted his palm up to inspect it. She carefully kissed his palm and looked up into his eyes. “Better?”
“Perfect,” he whispered.
The bleachers were empty, and the only people around were the soccer players and coaches down on the field, running through their fifth period practice. Riley pulled Troy into the announcers box and wrapped him in a fierce embrace, kissing him violently on the lips. The blond boy responded in kind, pushing Riley against the wall and running his hands along her sides, and back. She moaned with pleasure and slid her hands up beneath his shirt, raking her nails down the length of his spine.
As they broke apart, Riley leaned her head against Troy’s chest. The young man jumped when she shrieked, “Look out!” Troy spun around, instinctively pushing Riley behind him.
A minibus had careened off the service road and veered onto the soccer field, and was thundering towards the players. Most of them had already started running, getting out of the vehicle’s path, but one boy tripped and cried out in pain, gripping his knee. The bus headed straight towards him.
Coach Morrowind, a white-haired American Indian, fell to his knees, pressing both hands into the short-clipped grass. At first he appeared to have collapsed in fear, until a fifteen-foot circle of turf around him withered away into sickly brown bristle. Simultaneously, half-a-dozen long, green tendrils sprang up from the ground and wrapped around the minibus, pulling it to a stop. The wheels still spun, kicking up plumes of dirt.
Everyone froze, with two exceptions. Immediately after the bus stopped moving, Coach Morrowind’s two sons, Cole and Ray, stepped forward. Cole grabbed a water bottle and emptied the contents onto his hand, gesturing broadly as he did so. Ray pulled the door of the van open and dragged the driver out of his seat; the man put up a fight but the soccer player threw him to the ground and pinned him the there with his knee. Cole weaved his hands in a circular pattern across his chest. The water dripping from his fingers began to evaporate, sending trails of white vapor into the air. As Ray stepped away from the now-silent bus driver, Cole’s shoulders slumped and he fell to one knee. Coach Morrowind dragged himself out of the circle of dried grass, and the vines trapping the car dissolved into dust on the wind.
The catatonic soccer players began to move, hurrying to help the fallen player and the driver or kicking the bus tires. Some of them pulled out cell phones, placing calls to authority figures and loved ones. No one seemed to pay much attention to the Morrowinds, who now sat on one of the benches drinking water. Both Cole and the Coach appeared physically drained.
Riley turned slowly towards Troy, her eyes wide. Troy knew his expression matched hers. “What just happened?” She whispered.
Troy shook his head. He had no answer for her.
“I don’t understand.” Troy muttered, one hand on the remote and the other on his cell phone. “The news hasn’t mentioned the vines or the Morrowinds once.”
“I think that’s what Cole was doing, Troy.” Emily spoke over the phone, her keyboard tapping in the background. “He probably changed everyone’s memories to keep his family’s secret safe.”
“So why weren’t we affected?” Riley interjected.
“Maybe he has to see everyone he’s manipulating.” Emily sounded slightly distracted; she was probably searching the Internet for clues.
Troy grimaced as one of his sisters shrieked loudly in the background. “It sounds like you’ve got a theory.”
“Magic.” Emily said almost immediately.
“Magic?”
“You heard me.” Emily continued tapping the keys. “That’s not just a cop-out answer, either. Lots of strange things like what you saw today are reported across the globe, but someone always tries to cover them up. I’ve been doing research on them for years, and I’ve also made contact with some people who claim to have seen these events firsthand.”
“Really?” Troy’s brow furrowed. “Maybe we should ask the Morrowinds directly about this.”
“Troy, I don’t know if that’s such a good idea.” Riley’s voice was tight. “We don’t know how far they’re willing to go to keep their secret.”
“I don’t think they’ll hurt me. They just erased everyone’s memory at the field, they can’t be that bad.”
“Unless that’s only because murdering a whole soccer team would have raised more suspicion.” Emily’s voice was tinged with merriment.
“Not funny.” Riley hissed.
Emily chuckled. “Chill, sweetie, it was a joke. Although I do agree with you, it probably won’t help to talk to them. They’ll just erase your memory and then we’ll be back at square one.”
“I guess you’re right.” Troy sighed. It was at that moment that one of his sisters lunged across the couch, knocking the phone out of his hand.
“Troy, Troy, can I play with your Xbox?” Jessica shrilled, killing several hundred of Troy’s auditory cells.
“Jessica, I’m on the phone.” Troy picked the phone up and lifted it to his ear again.
“Is that Riley?” Jess pouted, twisting her little face into a frown.
“Yes, it is, and this is a serious discussion. You can play with my Xbox if you really must.”
Jess swatted the phone out of his hand. “You’re always talking to her. You never talk to us anymore!”
“She’s my girlfriend, Jessica, and I don’t need another lecture from someone seven years younger than me.” Troy felt a red flush rising in his cheeks.
Jessica snarled, baring her teeth. “I hate you!” She gave the phone a kick and it skittered across the room.
Troy took a deep breath, counted to ten, and punched a hole in the cardboard box next to him. “At the moment,” he hissed, not looking at his sister, “I’m not particularly fond of you either.”
The lunch bell rang, and Troy practically sprang out of his seat. Lunch meant freedom from the tyranny of the American educational system and getting to see Riley again.
Troy was halfway to the lunchroom when a chill hit him, gnawing on his joints and freezing his skull. Disoriented, he leaned against the wall next to the drinking fountain to catch his breath. Cole Morrowind stood a few feet away, his expression alert and cautious. Students flowed past him, their formation parting like water around a rock, but he took no notice; his eyes were focused on something far beyond the school’s walls.
A warning bell cut throw Cole’s reverie, and he quickly ducked out through a side door. Troy, his chill forgotten, waited a few seconds before slipping out the door after him.
It was a cloudy day, and a layer of mist covered the ground. Cole’s feet kicked up tiny plumes of vapor as he drifted into the parking lot. Troy followed close behind, keeping out of the older student’s line of sight. By the time they reached the spot where Cole’s rust-colored pickup truck was parked, the school was completely obscured behind a wall of mist.
Troy watched as Cole climbed into the driver’s seat and started to pull out of his parking space. A red sports car pulled out in front of the truck, cutting Cole off. Before he could do anything, a black van thundered out of the fog, screeching to a stop inches from the truck. Three men dressed in black and wearing facemasks leapt out of the van’s bay door. They pulled pistols from beneath their jackets and surrounded the truck, training their weapons on the driver. “Get out of the car!” The man closest to the driver’s seat ordered.
Cole slowly opened the car door and started to get out. As his left foot hit the asphalt, he pumped his right against the gas pedal, and his truck shot forward, slamming into the sports car’s rear bumper. Cole fell on his back, dropping out of sight of two of his would-be kidnappers, and made a swirling motion with his hand, collecting mist in it. The black-clad man closest to him shouted and fired one shot, missing Cole’s head by a hair’s breadth. Cole flinched, but completed his hand motion, and rolled beneath the truck just as a wave of water surged out of the mist.
The flash flood knocked all three attackers off their feet, carrying them across the parking lot. Two of the men hit the side of an SUV and crumpled their, buried under the foaming tide, the third slid to a stop next to the storm drain bordering the sidewalk. Troy, concealed behind a Hyundai, fell heavily against it as the current robbed him of his sure footing. As he struggled to his feet, he caught a glimpse of Cole running off into the mist.
The back of the black van opened and a fourth man stepped out, this one holding a full-stock AK-47. The rifle spat, and Troy was fairly sure he heard five rounds clear the chamber. Cole, disappearing into the mist, fell behind a silver Honda.
“Come on!” AK rushed after his quarry, waving for his comrades to assist him. Troy held his breath as the thug ran past, not sparing him so much as a glance. As the other three sloshed by, the young man pulled out his cell phone and started to dial.
A black-gloved hand grabbed the phone and tossed it away. Troy fell against the car, sending splashes of water in the air as he did. The man standing over him was dressed in a dark brown leather jacket and black thermal undershirt. A red demon’s head mask covered his face.
“Sorry, the subscriber you are trying to reach is not accepting calls at this time.” A synthesized voice rumbled from behind the mask. The hand reached out again, picking Troy up by the collar and shoving him against the vehicle. Troy swung his fist, aiming for the man’s jaw.
“Ow!” Troy snarled, his hand pulsing from the impact. The masked man barely flinched, instead choosing to grab Troy’s head and introduce it to the Hyundai’s hood. The high school student crumpled. Red Mask lowered him to the ground and produced a folded white slip of paper. On the front were scrawled the words, ‘For Mr. Morrowind’. Red Mask slid it into Troy’s pocket, patted him on the head, and stood up to join his associates, who were dragging an unconscious Cole into the van. Red Mask nodded to them, got in his sports car, and roared away.
“Dammit!” Troy pounded his fist against the nightstand, nearly upsetting the lamp. “I should have helped him, but I just sat there like a coward.”
“Sweetie, you couldn’t have done anything.” Riley spoke from the foot of the bed, her hand on his knee.
“It’s pretty obvious these guys knew Cole had powers,” Emily mused, “but obviously he’s good at more than just memory modification.”
“I’m surprised they got him at all.” Riley leaned back against the bed frame. Troy gazed out the window, barely listening to the conversation. Riley gently wrapped her fingers around his hand; he squeezed back and offered her a half-hearted grin.
“Well, any chance we had of talking with the Morrowinds is gone now, they won’t want to see anyone with Cole missing.” Riley sighed.
“Actually, we might have a better chance. Cole can’t do the memory charm thing to us now.” Emily was rummaging through the bottom of the nightstand.
“What are you doing, Emma-chan?” Riley inquired, giving her friend an incredulous look.
“Liberating.” Emily emerged, stuffing her quarry into her satchel. Riley smacked her forehead and Troy’s lips twitched upwards.
“As I was saying,” Emily continued, moving to the cabinets, “It might be best if we approach the Morrowinds now, while they don’t have their little flashy thingie around.”
“Okay, seriously?” Troy rolled over, growling. “A Men in Black reference? Most things wouldn’t get me out of my pit of self-loathing, but seriously? MIB?”
Emily grinned fiendishly and started to sing. “And so I’m back from outer space-“
“Stop! Please stop!”
Emily left an hour later, keen to make contact with the Morrowinds. Riley sat down on the bed next to Troy and kissed him on the temple.
“I love you.” He whispered in her ear. She smiled, stroking his hair, and then noticed something sitting on the nightstand beneath his wallet.
“What’s this?” She pulled the folded paper out from beneath the brown leather.
“I don’t know.” Troy sat up slowly, inspecting it. “They must have taken it out of my pocket when they brought me in here.”
“It’s for Coach Morrowind.” Riley whispered. She unfolded the sheet. “We need to give this to him.”
“Well, let’s get moving.” Troy kicked his sheets off and started pulling his shoes on.
“Sweetheart, are you sure you’re ready to leave?” Riley touched his shoulder gently.
Troy chuckled. “It’s just a little concussion, hon. Don’t worry about me.”
Riley walked to the door and turned around. “Walk in a straight line.”
“Excuse me?” Troy raised an eyebrow.
“You walk in a straight line, we can go.”
“Please.” Troy grinned. He stood up and placed one foot in front of the other. A worried look crossed his face. “Motivation please?”
Riley shook her head, undoing her ponytail. “Come here,” she purred.
Troy had never walked a straight line faster.
Riley’s dark blue Mini Cooper pulled to a stop in front of the rusty trailer parked on the edge of Golan Forest. The windows glowed orange, casting long shadows across the portable garden out front.
“Is Mr. Morrowind a gardener?” Troy asked, eyeing the brown plastic boxes.
“He’s a soccer coach. He probably needs a hobby.” Riley shrugged, opening her door. “Come on. Keep your eyes open.” She pulled a dagger from beneath her seat and slipped it into her jeans waistband, covering the hilt with her shirt.
The two approached the front door, Troy a step ahead. A silhouette moved across the window, causing the light to flicker. Riley caught Troy’s arm, her other hand on the hilt of her weapon. Troy glanced back at her, smiling reassuringly. He squeezed her hand, and reached for the door. To his surprise, it swung open before his fist touched it. Mr. Morrowind stood in the entryway, his face grim, holding a heavy silver revolver in his hand.
“Gently, folks.” Ray growled, racking the slide on his Winchester rifle. He had appeared behind Riley and Troy, almost out of thin air. The Coach stepped aside.
“Come on in.”
Troy nodded slowly and stepped through the door. Riley started up the steps too, but Ray grabbed her shoulder. “Hold it.” He grabbed the dagger and pulled it from its hiding place. “Now you can go.” He looked up at his dad. “I think we should test her first.”
Mr. Morrowind directed the two of them to sit in chairs by the tiny round table. Troy and Riley sat down, warily scrutinizing the interior. The cramped trailer had separate beds for all three Morrowinds, a small kitchen, and a toilet in the adjacent corner. Unwashed dishes sat in the sink and the remains of dinner were on the table. On every surface there were small potted plants, mostly cacti. The Coach passed his pistol to his son and picked up one of the plants. Ray pointed the revolver at Troy’s head.
“Now, listen, and listen carefully.” Morrowind knelt in front of Riley, his eyes like chips of flint. “If you try anything, my son will kill your friend, without hesitation. Do not move until I’m done.”
Riley glanced at Troy, fear in her eyes, not for herself, but for him. Troy shook his head slightly. Morrowind wrapped a hand around the small cactus, ignoring the thorns, and placed his other palm on her knee. His eyes drifted shut. Ray kept the gun pointed at Troy, but his gaze kept flicking to his father and back.
A chill ran up Riley’s leg, spreading from the place the Coach’s hand touched her. The cactus began to shrivel. In moments she was shivering from the cold. Troy tensed, but Ray jabbed the gun at him. “Move and I’ll blow your fucking head off.”
Riley’s shivers grew more violent, and her lips started to turn blue.
Troy couldn’t contain himself. “Riley!” He barked. Ray shoved the gun against his forehead. “What the hell is he doing to her?” Troy shouted, turning his impotent rage on the youngest Morrowind.
“He’s not hurting her!” Ray snarled. “Now sit back, and shut up!”
Riley jumped, and her lips suddenly flushed again. Mr. Morrowind pulled his hand away quickly, almost falling on his back. His eyes were wide, and a trail of white vapor wafted up from his palm.
“Dad!” Ray shouted, moving the muzzle away from Troy for just a second, and Troy planted his foot in Ray’s gut, throwing him against the counter. Troy was at Riley’s side before Ray could clamber to his feet again. Riley was breathing quietly, her eyes closed. Troy placed a hand on either side of her face.
“Riley, baby, are you okay?” He pressed his forehead against hers. It was unbelievably warm, but cooling by the second. “Wake up.” Troy’s heart thudded painfully against his rib cage.
“I’m okay, sweetie.” Riley breathed, her eyes still shut. “It’s okay.”
“Son, put the gun down.” Coach Morrowind took the revolver out Ray’s hand and placed it on the counter. “She’s not under influence, and if he was, we would know by now.”
“Why did that happen, dad?” Ray looked extremely uncomfortable with the gun out of his hand. “Why did she burn your hand?”
“She’s one of us, Ray.” The father went into the kitchen and filled a glass with water. He dropped a tiny blue lozenge into the cup and offered it to Riley. “Here, young lady. This will help with the heat.” Riley took the water, but didn’t drink any, her eyes fixed on the Coach. “You’ve got a good reason to distrust us. I apologize for the cold reception, but since Cole was…taken, we’ve been extremely wary of outsiders.”
“Cole…” Riley murmured, touching Troy’s wrist. “We came here because the men who kidnapped him left a note in Troy’s pocket.” Troy withdrew the folded paper from his pocket and passed it to the elder Morrowind.
“What’s it say, dad?” Ray stared at the note, his suspicion forgotten for the moment.
“Dear Aidan Morrowind, if you value the life of your son, come to the Firenze Office Complex at midnight. Come alone and unarmed, and we will dictate our terms to you there. If you do not comply, we will kill your son. Don’t be late.” Morrowind’s fists clenched, ripping the note in half.
“Dad, what are we going to do?” Ray whispered.
“Rescue Cole.”
“We’re going with you.” Riley’s voice was firm.
“I’m sorry, I can’t let you do that, Miss Kavanagh. These men are obviously looking for mages, and if I bring you along, you’ll become a target as well.” Morrowind slid the shotgun through his truck’s window and tucked the revolver in the back of his waistband. “Ray, stay with them. Riley will need guidance through the next few weeks.”
“You can do that, dad. I’m coming.” Ray checked the Winchester’s chamber.
“No.” The Coach growled, “You’re not.” He knelt down and pressed a hand into the grass. Before the three could react, serpentine stalks sprang from the ground, wrapping around them and pinning them to the spot. All three struggled, but it was like fighting against a deep ocean current. “Goodbye, my son.” Aidan climbed into his truck and ripped out into the road.
“Dad! Dad!” Ray heaved against his bindings, tears streaming down his cheeks. “Damn it!”
“Ray, can’t you get us out of this?” Troy snarled, wrestling vainly.
“I’m not a mage.” Roy snapped. “Only dad and Cole could use magic.”
“But you’re not the only mage here.”
All three turned their heads as best they could towards the speaker. Emily stood at the edge of the forest, clad in a skintight thermal shirt and sweatpants. She walked barefoot over the soft green grass, coming to a stop just out of arm’s reach.
“Emily, help us out here.” Troy gasped.
“No.” Emily smiled genially.
Riley’s eyes flashed. “What?”
“I can’t help you, Riley. Only you can help you.” Emily stepped forward, grabbed Riley’s shoulder. “You can do this. Just focus on what you want, and reach out.”
Troy hissed angrily. Emily turned her eyes on him and snarled back, the rumble of a beast issuing from her slight frame. “Focus, Riley.” She snapped, the beginning of the first word almost a bark.
Riley closed her eyes and breathed. Her fingers tightened around the vines holding her. Slowly she became aware of the living fibers within her cage, how they pulsed with energy and vitality. She inhaled that power, pulling it out of the prison and into her body. As she opened her eyes, the plants withered away, becoming dust on the wind. The energy left her, and she stumbled. Emily caught her by the shoulders and gently lowered her to a sitting position.
“Good. That’s good.” Emily nodded, brushing the hair out of Riley’s eyes. “You did it.” Riley nodded, her eyes fluttering.
“Is she alright?” Troy demanded, his heart thudding like a lead weight in his chest.
“She’s exhausted.” Emily didn’t look up from her friend. “It’ll get easier the more she uses her power.”
“Cole was like that when we were little.” Ray reflected quietly. “He almost always passed out after he used his magic.”
Emily gently laid Riley’s head on the grass and stood up. She grabbed Troy’s shackles and ripped them away from his body with almost no visible effort. He stared at her for a moment, brow furrowed in awed curiosity. “What are you?”
“I’ve never made it a secret that I’m complicated.” Emily’s voice was deadpan. She stripped the vines around Ray just as effortlessly. The youngest Morrowind was instantly in motion, grabbing his rifle and running towards Riley’s car.
“Hurry! We need to save my dad!”
“Hang on, Ray!” Troy shouted, kneeling next to Riley, her hand in his. “Riley’s not in any shape to move.”
“Take my keys.” Riley murmured so softly Troy had to bend down and place his ear next to her lips to hear her. “Save Mr. Morrowind.”
“I’ll stay here with Riley until she’s ready to move.” Emily assured Troy, placing a firm hand on his shoulder. “You two need to stop him from giving himself up.” Riley pressed the Cooper’s keys into Troy’s hand. His fingers closed around hers for a moment.
“Go.” She whispered. Troy pressed his lips against her forehead for a second, and then he was gone.
The dark blue Cooper roared down the road towards the Firenze Offices. Troy’s fingers gripped the steering wheel.
“Have you ever killed anyone?” Ray asked, checking the breach of his rifle for the ten – millionth time. His eyes were fixed on the road, which was zooming past at 150 miles per hour.
Troy shook his head. “No. Have you?”
“No.” Ray rechecked the breach. “First time for everything, huh?”
The office complex was a two – story affair, with wide glass windows on all sides. Troy switched the lights off and crept into the parking lot. “I guess I don’t get a gun?”
“You said you’ve never killed anyone.” Ray’s fingers were exploring the breach yet again.
“Would you stop doing that?” Troy snapped. “And you just told me two seconds ago that you’ve never killed anyone either.”
“We’ve got one gun, and it belongs to me.” Ray placed the stock against his shoulder. “Fucking deal.” Troy cracked a smile and spun the wheel, turning off into an adjacent parking lot.
Aidan Morrowind walked past a pair of masked men holding submachine guns. The two fell into step behind him, weapons trained on him. The one-level office complex was dark, the glass walls casting eldritch shadows across the carpeted floor.
A small circular pool was the centerpiece of the building, with a little fountain in the center. A trickle of water spilled from the mouth of a stone serpent, which was wrapped around the body of a naked female. Coins sparkled at the bottom of the pool, reflecting light onto the sign at the base of the statue, which read ‘Please Do Not Drop Change In Pool’. A collection of wax flowers and an artificial tree ringed the fountain, giving the room a peaceful, if somewhat forced, atmosphere. To the right of the fountain three men gripped Cole Morrowind, two holding his biceps and the other firmly gripping the young man’s hair and pressing a pistol to his neck. A man wearing a red oni mask and dressed in a brown leather jacket sat on the edge of the pool, toying with a black Zippo lighter.
“Nice of you to join us, Aidan.” Red Mask looked up, his synthetic voice humming abrasively as he spoke. “I guess its time for a touching reunion.”