It took everything Alice had to stop her hands from shaking, the drink sloshing in her hands as she brought it to her lips. But even then, it wasn’t enough, liquid splashing over her covers so much it took a guard’s help to tilt the glass to her lips.

They wouldn’t let her have any more than one that night. And even that one drink they’d only let her have because of the panic clear as day in her voice. Something she couldn’t possibly hide after they’d all seen that face on the television. Heard his call. In fact, they were still hearing all about it as the news station had begun broadcasting again.

Sounds of gunfire and screaming echoed from beyond the empty chamber. Alice could hear some demonic voice crying so loud it felt like someone stuck knives in her eardrums. But among all the sounds they heard, it was the sight of the two still frozen anchormen that really drew Alice’s attention. Two more people dead because of that hellspawn. Someone she was supposed to kill.

“Ms. Alice. Please remain calm. Your father is on his way now to-”

She threw the glass across the room, letting it shatter on the screen. It didn’t help her nerves.

“G-gimme my bat,” she said, trying to force some courage in her voice. “Dammit! Gimme my friggin’ bat!”

They didn’t obey. Alice whirled on the guards but they refused to budge an inch.

“Ms. Alice-“

“Either gimme my bat or get out of the way!” she shouted.

They still wouldn't move. She lunged forward but stopped in her tracks as cold metal suddenly came out in front of her. Something the other guards quickly followed suit with, Alice tensing as she saw the same people who’d been escorting her for months suddenly brandishing guns in her face. She glared back at them, but there wasn’t an ounce of sympathy on any of them. Or hesitation. It was a look she’d seen on many of the faces in Dad’s revolving door of dignitaries.

“Please stay calm, Ms. Alice,” one guard said.

“Your father authorized us to shoot if necessary,” said another.

Alice shrunk away. She wanted to jump up and punch the nearest guard in front of her. He’d always bring her snacks and sodas. But then she knew the girl who brought her food would gun her down too fast. And that was assuming the driver guard didn't tackle her so the rest could shoot her a few times, maybe even crippling her in the process.

It wasn’t like she couldn’t heal the pain anyway. That was probably Dad’s logic in giving them the authorization. So long as they didn't shoot her all at once, she could walk off a bullet or two. Such were the benefits of the limited powers he'd let her have back, something she suddenly felt a cold numbness towards. Alice fell back onto her bed.

“Can I at least make a phone call?” she asked.

A case of theft: this story is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.

“I’m afraid not, Ms. Alice,” a guard said.

She wanted to scream, but she resigned herself to sitting in bed instead. It was all she could think to do at that moment.

***

The news broadcast eventually cut out for good. Or at least, the parts that civilians could see. No doubt Dad and the PIB were having a field day given everything happening outside. Everything that she couldn’t do anything about because of the stupid chip in her brain.

What was even the point of all this? Dad wasn’t stupid. He knew how strong that demon was. And he knew how strong she was too. He had to. So why keep her locked up like this? Why keep her at home when the worst enemy to mankind was literally declaring war miles away? What, was he trying to make a point or something? Was this just another one of his stupid punishments?

She glanced at the guards, each keeping a distance, but watching her from all sides. They wouldn’t even let her change the channel, one holding the remote for whatever recommendations she had. Which she didn’t provide, her head too full of frustrating questions to bother answering.

For a while, she simply laid back in her bed, half-contemplating whether it would be such a bad idea to let herself get shot, if only out of spite. How would Dad react then? Maybe she'd actually die. Wouldn’t that be funny? She tried to smile at the thought, but all she could think about was that demon’s face on the screen. And his challenge.

You have your army. I have mine.

She almost wanted to laugh. Some wizard she turned out to be.

What friggin’ army? Can’t even get past my stupid dad. Fr-

The sounds of tire treads drew her attention.

She sat up, suddenly acutely aware of how late at night it was. And of the fact that nobody else ever came to the house at this hour except for her. She looked to the guards, which only made her feel more anxious. Why were they all relaxing, finally returning to the leniency she’d been getting ever since she’d first joined the mages? An uneasy feeling crept down Alice’s back.

It grew when the guards pulled the doors of her bedroom open.

“Ms. Alice,” one guard said. “It is best that you come outside.”

She looked over to see the guards handing her a change of clothes. She’d been in pajamas the entire time, but they were handing her a regular set of robes she’d long since come to recognize. The PIB uniform.

They didn’t bother telling her anything beyond that, Alice deciding to obey if only out of confusion.

Things were even less clear once she finally stepped outside the house.

Among the many things she would have expected to find, a group of PIB vehicles were at the very bottom of Alice’s list. Nor would she have expected to see mages waiting for her outside, several of which she recognized. Her eyes lit up briefly when she saw Eric dressed in his uniform. But that relief died just as quickly when she saw Felissa. And Uncle Brown. And…her father. Along with several people in military uniforms she only had the vaguest recollection of having seen before.

They were all gathered out in front of the prison that was Dad’s house, Alice too stunned by it all to even feel angry. Or afraid. Or panicked. If anything, she just felt the mountain of confusing questions piling on top of each other. And maybe she would have stayed like that if Dad hadn’t spoken up first.

“Alice.”

She came out of her shock long enough to register her father’s cold expression, something that brought the anxiety trailing back. It only then began to dawn on her why there was an army at her doorstep. And why her dad gave the guards permission to shoot her if necessary. The man looked her straight in the eye without a hint of warmth.

“It’s time, Alice.”

Hearing the words only confirmed what she'd been dreading.