Science and Sorcery (29 page)

Calvin shuddered.  The bullet hole was an angry red mark on his pale shoulder, with the bullet itself lodged somewhere inside his body.  Carefully, somehow overcoming his own fears, he sent his fingers questing inside the wound.  The bullet couldn’t be very far away, could it?  Or had it been charmed to tear randomly though his body, like some of the arrows Harrow had talked about when she’d told him about the past.  Cold logic told him that if that was the case, he’d be dead already, but cold logic just wasn’t very reassuring when he was so badly shocked. 

His fingers grasped
something
and he pulled at it, realising a second later that he might have been pulling on his own bone.  It came free and he saw, much to his relief, a blackened shape that was clearly a bullet.  Pocketing it, he cast two healing charms in quick succession and sighed in relief as his shoulder mended, as if it had never been wounded at all.  A moment later, the bubble shifted and started to collapse.  Harrow’s warning came just in time for him to extend the bubble enough to blast a clear path to the surface. 

There was an almighty thud as
something
landed right in front of him.  Up close, it was clear that the inhuman monster working with the NYPD –
a Homunculus
, Harrow said – was very far from human.  Even the dragon that had been shot up in Alaska, to the horror of many of the girls, was more human than this...thing.  It wasn't even
trying
to hide its true nature any longer, perhaps suspecting that it would be futile.  Harrow had trained Calvin extensively in producing, spotting and defeating glamours. 

Well protected
, Harrow mused. 
Very well protected.  I do not understand how your people made it so quickly.  Homunculi require years of careful preparation before they can be produced.  Even the most advanced sorcerer would find it difficult to produce one without such effort.  The Brotherhood even considered banning them after several ran amok
.

“Maybe it survived from your time,” Calvin subvocalised, backing away from the creature.  It advanced on him, step by step.  “Or maybe someone came up with it as an achievement in ignorance.”

That’s not possible
, Harrow said. 
Anything magic should have reverted to humanity or simply died when the mana ran out.  Unless...

Her next word was practically a curse. 
Enchanter
!

Calvin felt rubble at his back.  There was nowhere else to run. 
Give me control again,
Harrow ordered.  Calvin obeyed, too badly scared to argue. 
Now, brace yourself...

Magic flowed out at Harrow’s command, one burst aimed directly at the Homunculus, the other burst aimed at the ground below its feet.  The Homunculus stepped backwards slightly as the blast struck its protections, rocking on its giant feet, too distracted to notice the ground coming to life until it was too late.  When it noticed, it tried to jump forward, only to discover that it was stuck.

Now, run
, Harrow snapped. 
Go
.

Calvin ran, automatically.  He only briefly saw the dead bodies, or the wounded people staring in horror and fear, hoping desperately that he could get away before the police sniper who’d shot him showed up.  At Harrow’s command, he threw a set of random jinxes into the sky, hoping that they would interfere with any police helicopters or anything else that might be hunting him.  He'd planned to go on the run, of course, but not like this.  In the distance, he heard the sounds of sirens howling out their outrage.

Change your glamour just after you run into the shopping mall
, Harrow advised. 
Make sure that it is sound and then they won’t be able to track you
. 
You have to do one final task before you leave New York.

Calvin grimaced as he ran.  If it hadn't been for all the spells he’d cast to boost his own physical abilities, against Harrow’s advice, he wouldn't have been able to move so fast.  And yet he was sure that people were staring at him.  Harrow was right.  He would have to break the trail somehow.

He blinked as her words caught up with his mind.  “One final task?”

There was a pause as he ran into the mall.  Inside, dozens of people, some of them refugees from the damage he’d caused outside, were waiting for someone to tell them what to do.  Calvin cast a general confusion charm into the air, knowing that it would make it difficult for any of them to follow him, and then slipped into one of the stalls.  A moment later, a young girl who looked nothing like Calvin stepped out and headed for the rear exit.  As long as he stayed ahead of the police cordons, he should be safe.

Yes
, Harrow said. 
You have to sacrifice your sister
.

Calvin stopped.  “No.”

Chapter Twenty-Nine

New York, USA

Day 33

“No, the shit has thoroughly hit the fan,” Matt said, grimly.  At least Caitlyn was shielding him from most of the calls, but everyone from the President to the Mayor of New York wanted to know just what the hell was going on.  “We may have lost him.”

The devastation was stunning.  Hundreds of policemen and civilians had been injured, or killed outright when the black magician had rolled away in his force field ball.  Buildings had been damaged or even knocked down, cars had been crushed and people thrown all over the place.  Golem had followed the black magician and was now nowhere to be seen.  Matt wanted to run after him, but he had to coordinate the hunt.

“Good luck,” Caitlyn said.  CNN had already picked up that
something
was going on – and it wouldn't be long before the rest of the media followed suit.  Witnesses were filming the devastation and uploading pictures and video to the internet.  “Keep me informed.”

Matt closed the cell phone and looked over at the SWAT team leader.  “Do we at least have a name yet?”

“Calvin Jackson,” the leader said, holding up a terminal.  The dispatcher would have checked the live feed against the school’s records, allowing them to identify the black magician.  Unsurprisingly, he’d shared a class with both Sandra and Moe.  He didn't
look
like a bad person, but if Golem was right about how the Queen of Nightmares could get her hooks into someone, he might be corrupt through and through by now.  “He doesn’t live that far away.”

“Get a cop car over there now,” Matt ordered, heedless of the fact that he was barking orders to someone who had been his superior a month ago.  It was unlikely that Calvin Jackson would try to go home, but they had to check.  Besides, they needed to know what his parents knew about his magic – and protect them from vengeful mobs when the truth got out.  “And then put out an all-points alert.  We need to keep him from leaving the city.”

He scowled as he started to run down to where the black magician had vanished.  In hindsight, he should have shot him through the head and ended the threat, once and for all.  Golem had said that his bullets would be difficult to remove from someone’s body using magic, but the pain clearly hadn't been enough to stop Calvin from working magic and escaping.  Maybe he needed to pack heavier firepower.  Police departments all over the country were already considering the need for heavier weapons, loaded with silver and garlic ammunition.

A number of policemen had already gathered at the scene and thrown up a cordon, but it was clear at once that they’d failed to catch Calvin.  Jackson wasn't too surprised; even a comparatively minor magician could make himself invisible, or use a glamour to pass unnoticed.  The dispatchers were already studying the footage from the security cameras, hoping to track him, but Calvin might well have managed to give them the slip.  If he happened to be a fan of
CSI
or another cop show, he might have some idea just how policemen chased suspects and how to avoid them.  And he was effectively armed to the teeth. 

The rubble seemed to explode into life as Golem burst out of it.  “Where is he?”

“Gone,” Matt said, grimly.  Golem hadn't helped by running straight into trouble; in fact, Matt had a suspicion that Golem had intended to kill Calvin and to hell with his orders.  “What happened to you?”

“He used molten rock to catch me,” Golem said.  “I had to use cutting spells to free myself.”

Matt gave him a sharp look.  “He knows what you are?”

“I have no doubt that the Queen of Nightmares recognised me for what I was,” Golem said.  “He certainly didn't waste his time trying to use killing spells.  I am protected against most of them.”

“Bully for you,” Matt growled.  “I’m having the werewolf deployed here – perhaps he can help us track the bastard down.  And I’ve sent a cop car to his family...”

“We have to go there,” Golem said.  Matt blinked at the sudden urgency in his voice.  “If he sacrifices someone close to him, he will be able to use their
mana
more effectively.  His family would be easy prey.”

Matt shuddered.  He would have liked to dismiss the idea out of hand, but he’d seen too much in his short career to enjoy any illusions.  Fathers who raped daughters, mothers who killed their children, brothers who tormented their younger siblings...sometimes it could be blamed on a poor upbringing, but more often he found himself wondering just what was wrong with humanity, that it could do so much evil.  And Calvin had already crossed the line.

He waved at a police car and the driver skidded to a halt in front of them.  “Get in,” he ordered.  “We’ll get over there right now.”

“And this time,” Golem added, “shoot to kill.  You won’t get a second chance.”

***

No?

Calvin winced at the cold fury in Harrow’s voice, but he stood his ground.  “Mindy is the only person in the entire world who has been nice to me,” he said, firmly.  “I am not going to kill her.”

I taught you how to use your powers
, Harrow said, coldly. 
Was I not nice to you
?

“I agreed to help you get out of your prison and I will,” Calvin said, desperately, “but I am not going to kill my sister.  There are other ways to obtain
mana
.”

Yes, there are
, Harrow said. 
And are you willing to do whatever it takes to take enough, very quickly?  Because they will stop at nothing to stop you.

Calvin winced again.  He thought he’d outrun the police cordon, but it was impossible to be sure – and he really needed to get out of the city before it was too late.  The glamour would fool unwary eyes and security cameras, yet he had a feeling that there were other magicians hunting him.  One of them would probably be able to recognise his glamour for the magic it was, and then he’d have to fight his way out.  Assuming he
could
fight his way out.  That copper had put a shot right through his wards. 

They have a Hunter, a being designed to track magical creatures
, Harrow informed him, as he started to run again. 
His magic tends to cancel out other magic.  And he has help from a Homunculus.  He may even have received proper training.

“Drat,” Calvin said.  He was a murderer, and a fugitive, and...and he didn't have to go back to school.  It was funny how that thought made him feel much better.  “We’d better get a taxi out of the city and then switch cars.”

Even with chaos running through the streets, it was easy to flag down a cab and ask the driver to take them outside the city.  The driver might have objected, but a quick spell and he became perfectly compliant, thankfully.  Calvin allowed himself to sag slightly into the seat as the taxi drove away, but kept the glamour up around him.  There was no way that they could relax until they
knew
they’d made it out. 

A shame you no longer have the mana to teleport
, Harrow said.  She seemed to have forgotten about the argument, but Calvin’s mother had done that too – until she’d brought it up again days later. 
We would be able to escape with ease
.

“I know,” Calvin subvocalised.  “Where are we going?”

To the place where a god died
, Harrow informed him. 
We may be able to begin the ritual there, once we obtain more mana.  And you will need to do whatever it takes to obtain the mana, because there is nowhere else to go.

Calvin nodded.  She was right.

***

Calvin Jackson’s home proved to be a small house not too far from Fairview High School.  The police car screeched to a halt and Matt and Golem stumbled out, weapons at the ready, only to see nothing apart from curious neighbours.  Someone was probably already calling a reporter – he’d once heard that, statistically, at least one witness
always
knew a reporter – but there was no time to worry about it now.  Instead, he concentrated, trying to use his half-understood senses to search for magic.

“There are very faint wards around the house, tuned to supernatural vermin,” Golem said, as they met up with the police officers who’d been sent to the house.  They were trying to explain something to Calvin’s mother, who didn't look happy at all.  Matt had taken a closer look at Calvin’s records on the drive over to his house and noted that both parents apparently worked full time. His father evidently worked late.  “I don’t think they were intended to do more than keep out vampires.”

Matt nodded as he strode up to Calvin’s mother.  “I’m afraid that we have to take you and your daughter into protective custody,” he said.  He caught sight of Mindy Jackson and winced inwardly.  How could anyone consider murdering such a darling child?  “You’re in terrible danger.”

“Why?”  Calvin’s mother demanded.  She sounded stubborn – and plaintive.  “What’s happening?”

Golem stepped forward before Matt could think of something diplomatic to tell her.  “Your son has been experimenting with black magic and is directly responsible for at least five deaths,” he said.  Matt scowled at him.  There were guidelines for dealing with relatives, particularly relatives of suspects, and simply telling them the truth wasn't part of them.  “We need to find him before the power corrupts him completely.”

“My son...”  Mrs Jackson said, in shock.  “But...”

“There’s no mistake,” Matt said, quietly.  Golem wasn’t human.  How could he expect Golem to be aware of human emotional problems?  “You and your family are in terrible danger.  We need to take you into protective custody and search your house.”

He’d already obtained blank warrants, using powers that were intended to find terrorists, but as the fight drained out of Mrs Jackson it became apparent that they wouldn't be necessary.  Like the rest of the world, she would have seen the speculation on television of what might happen when
real
sorcerers began to appear – and she would
know
the dangers.  And besides, it was quite possible that outraged relatives would want a little revenge. 

“Just keep Mindy out of it,” she pleaded, “and let me call Dave at work.”

“I can send a patrol car to collect him,” Matt said.  “And then these gentlemen” – he nodded to the policemen he'd sent directly to the house – “can drive you to the FBI building.”

After that, he suspected, they’d have to move the family out of New York altogether, perhaps to the base itself.  Witness Protection programs had never been intended to hide someone from a magician.  Golem had told the Mage Force enough about tracking spells to allow him to realise that hiding them would be difficult, if not futile.  Calvin
was
their blood relative, after all.

He looked down at the little girl and wondered if he was looking at another sorcerer who had yet to blossom into her powers.  No one had a good handle on magical genetics yet – some werewolves had brothers and sisters who didn't seem to have transformed, even though they shared the same genes – but it was a possibility.  Perhaps Golem could start training her up from the start, if she could be trusted.  Her brother might have left a surprise or two in her mind, after all.

“Here’s the keys,” Mrs Jackson said, reluctantly.  “Please don’t make a mess.”

Matt watched her go, before calling for a full forensic team from the FBI building.  One of them was already at Fairview High School; the other was on standby, ready to come and answer his call.  Shaking his head, he opened the door warily and was relieved when nothing sprang out of nowhere to attack him.  He could
feel
the wards – a faint, surprisingly reassuring presence – and wondered how Mrs Jackson had missed them.  Perhaps neither her nor her husband carried enough genes to be magical, but when they’d been combined they’d produced a genuine magician.  Or perhaps they’d just been hidden from the family. 

He opened his senses as best as he could, only to be bombarded with brief echoes of magic that had been worked in the house.  Following the loudest echo, he walked upstairs and into the bathroom, where the stench of magic clung around the sink.  Puzzled, he reached out with his hand and saw, just for a second, the afterimage of a naked girl.  It took him a moment to realise that Calvin, given the knowledge to spy on almost anyone, had been using his powers to play voyeur.  Part of Matt’s mind wondered if he would not have done the same, at Calvin’s age.  And Calvin seemed to have been much more alienated from his grade than Matt had ever been.  He might have become a school shooter if the magic hadn't returned.