Even from miles away, Alice could hear the screeching. She looked out the window, spotting the blockade of mages extending across the street. It was a wonder they hadn’t been taken out yet, but the hellspawn hadn’t left the news station. the tower becoming more of a castle than anything. No, that was probably exactly what it was for Luizitine. Alice sighed, leaning against the leather seating as they moved past it all.
“Where the hell are you taking me?” she asked.
It was Dad who responded, he and Uncle Brown riding in the front of the truck while she rode in the back with a squad of guards. And Eric.
“To Bunker 12,” he said. “Your powers will be needed.”
She reflectively stiffened. Was it just her imagination?
“Never heard of it,” she said.
“I’d be surprised if you did. Only members of my task force have clearance. Even Brown only knew it by reputation.”
She looked his way, but Uncle Brown refused to meet her gaze, which only made the uneasy feeling grow inside of her. She was almost afraid to ask, but the words came to her before she could stop herself.
“So he was in on it too?” she asked, almost in a whisper. Her father either didn’t seem to notice or didn’t care, continuing on as normal.
“If by that you mean was he made privy to the situation, then yes. Considering your…habits…it was important to have a go-between to keep things in line.”
Things or me? She almost spoke the thought aloud, but she could already tell from Dad’s tone what the answer would be. The guards around her 24/7. He and the soldiers showing up at the PIB. Felissa. She should have known better than to let herself relax. To think that even for a moment she’d be free to do what she wanted. Even before she was grounded, Dad always had someone keeping an eye on her, whether that be a friend he’d paid off or a guard in disguise.
And now, here he was confirming that he’d done it again. She felt sick, only managing to watch out the window as the world passed her by. Some wizard she was.
Eventually they passed the blockade, the streets otherwise quiet as anyone within the vicinity had been ordered to remain in their homes as a safety precaution. From her phone she could see the official story coming through one of their many emergency channels. The ones Luizitine didn’t have access to, at least. Granted, he had total control over V79 Angelas News, but Dad had been quick to reach out to the next closest news station, the LA News Network.
“As of right now, we’re urging all residents of Angelas to remain in doors and avoid windows,” the anchorman said. “The storm will pass, but damage to life and property is likely. We urge all of you to find a safe space within your homes, whether that be your basement, a bunker, or simply in your bathroom. So long as you remain calm and protected.”
It had been playing out like that for a while, any hints of a demon attack swept under the rug in favor some hurricane disaster heading over Angelas. In fact, it was almost scary how quickly the excuse came, reporters claiming reports of smaller cyclones coalescing from nearby cities, of which a quick Internet search confirmed. Was that all Dad’s thinking too? Just how long had he been planning for this? A glance at the man only revealed the same cold, unfeeling expression.
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Eventually they did reach the so-called Bunker-12. It was actually more of an office than anything, their truck being led into a small building devoid of any windows or decorations. Even the lot they parked seemed almost bare aside from a single door in front of them.
“We should hurry,” Dad said as they stepped out. “My taskforce can handle damage control, but the only thing holding the demon at bay right now are our mages and soldiers. Neither of which will last.”
She felt another twinge.
Maybe if you hadn’t taken my powers we wouldn’t be in this mess.
She kept the thought to herself, following her father and his assortment of guards. Uncle Brown still refused to look her straight on.
“So what is this place?” she asked. “Another hideout?”
“It’s where my task force meets, yes,” Dad explained. As they were walking, the doors opened automatically for them, Alice feeling a strange sensation pass over her briefly as they did. No doubt the place had charms in place for extra safety.
“And this taskforce. What, it’s you, those army guys, and Uncle Brown?”
“As I said Brown was only given an advisory role. Major Green was the seated member.”
“Seriously? Tsk. Figures.” Alice looked to Eric. “Were you an advisor too?”
The man hadn’t said a word the entire time, but she recognized the look in his eyes. Something that she actually shared. A look of confusion. As much as she’d grown to respect her rookie partner, it was easy to forget that he was relatively low on the PIB totem pole. In fact, she had little doubt Dad only brought him along because Uncle Brown told him they were friends. Yet another person to sway Alice to his side.
But to both her surprise and relief, his response was as blunt as ever.
“I have no idea what’s going on at this point,” he said. “And frankly, I’m shocked that you do.”
She couldn’t help but smile at that. Even with everything else going on, it was nice to know at least one person saw how crazy her life was. And it was equally nice knowing Eric hadn’t been passing secrets like a certain Uncle she knew.
“Officer Genry, while I appreciate the discretion, I’m afraid much of that information is classified.” Dad stopped in front of what Alice assumed was the final set of doors, producing a keycard from his vest. “However, it is with no exaggeration that the fate of humanity lies in the hands of my daughter’s soul. And steps have been taken accordingly.”
As he slid the card, there was metallic whirl as a sudden chill filled the area. Alice narrowed at the smoke billowing out from the room in front of them. She’d never seen anything like it before outside of old spy movies. A cryogenics lab. And in the very center, she saw an all-too familiar white rectangle frozen in a block of ice.
Her control chip. The main control chip.
“For her own safety,” Dad explained, “we had to lock a piece of her power away, accessible only by a select few.”
He hit a button in front of the frozen device, ice rapidly melting away into steam. But even as it did, it didn’t fall. In fact, the chip was levitating in place when all the vapors cleared, Uncle Brown turning on a fan to suck up all the excess gas. Alice was too busy wondering why he knew where it was to be excited to get her powers back.
“It’s been a while,” Dad went on, “but your powers should have remained intact through the chip. All you have to do is to touch it.”
He looked at her expectingly, Alice finally taking her eyes off her Uncle.
“Not like I got any choice, right? Either take the chip or get shot.”
She took two steps and snatched up the device, feeling a rush of energy flooding through her in seconds. It was like feeling a part of her brain being supercharged, Alice jittering from the shock, but managing to compose herself as her body seemed to accept its old magic. All the familiar power that came with having the soul of a wizard. If it had happened weeks before, she might have been overjoyed to reunite with it all.
But as she looked at her smiling father. Her concerned friend. And the man Dad used to spy on her. She could only feel the same empty sensation lingering in her heart.
She barely registered when Dad started talking again.