Chapter One (Rising Phoenix City 2 years later)

Director Knox listened with increasingly grave expression as his deputy director of the major arcane crimes division did his absolute best to ruin his morning. Considering that one didn’t get put in charge of such an important, if rarely needed department, without being extremely competent, and connected, Deputy Director Mills best was quite excellent.

“Are you absolutely sure” Knox asked fixing Mills with his best ‘you better be right stare’ a technique he’d perfected over the years for getting subordinates fess up any latent doubts or conveniently forgotten facts. “Absolutely sir,” Mills replied, “The reading we took were accurate I had them retaken multiple times with several different scanners to be safe.”

“Nothing but a Sidhe asura can wield that kind of power without the use of some serious aether tech Unless you know of something I don’t.” Knox said with increasing agitation as he stood up “are you suggesting I call the president and the city council and tell them that there is a mother fucking asura somewhere in this city!” Knox practically shouted. Seeing his superior’s expression Mills subconsciously took a half step backwards. “No sir, there’s no way on could get through the barrier or the checkpoints undetected they’ve tried before and never even come close.” Mills said quickly and then continued without waiting for a response, “but every piece of data we have from the aetheric signatures on our scanners to an old school forensic analysis of the scene suggests that the carnage at the dock was arcane in nature but not the result of any kind of aether tech that we know of. The degree of focus and flexibility was too high.” Knox sat down rubbing his temples “what about spirit tech,” he asked halfheartedly already knowing the answer. “Wrong signatures. Almost all the readings we picked up were aetheric in nature” Mills replied without hesitation. “There were a few spirit energy traces intertwined but nowhere near enough to account for the damage,”

“What does that leave us,” Knox asked, “A human practitioner?” he continued answering his own question. “Humans are incapable of wielding such power not mention even attempting to practice spirit arts is a blasphemy.” Mills said vehemently. Irritated at the useless reply Knox glared at Mills. “What is your suggestion from here then. Even if I do report that this was performed the way your saying we’d both get canned you know the politicians, and the churches, view on these matters. One we both share by way” Knox practically growled the last part. Mills swallowed hard and the said “The only remaining option is an amplifier that’s either carried by a vehicle or somehow surpassed the limits of our current aether conductors by a significant amount.” breaking his previous air of confidence. “I was hoping you could assign a psionic tracker to the case.” Mills said “with one of them we could track down whatever caused this destroy it, and then once the threat is dealt with, we just have to make sure we handle the reports correctly and we come out of this smelling like roses.”

Knox considered Mills request for a moment. He liked the idea on principle but there was an issue, psionic arts, while not condemned like spirit arts, were still looked at with healthy amount of distrust adding on that few people were talented in that field and those with the potential to become trackers even more so he had none that weren’t already assigned. “I can’t pull a tracker,” Knox finally answered, “They’re mostly controlled and trained by the Church and are only trained as investigative agents so they can more easily integrate with our teams. All the ones we have are on loan and stationed at the entrances to scan for sidhe infiltrators or assigned to roving strike teams outside the city. The only ones in the city are kept on stand bye in case the inquisitors catch wind of heretics. There’s no way the arch bishop will give us one unless we have evidence that cultists or sidhe were involved and we don’t”.

Mills expression soured then broke into a grin. “Not all of them sir, there’s one in the Artemis class that’s graduating on Friday. You should be able to pull the strings and have her assigned to me without raising to many eyebrows. We can call it a special final practical if anyone asks.”

“How do you know that off the top of your head,” Knox asked bemused, while seriously considering whether or not the plan would work. “My nephew’s in her class. Has a crush and never shuts up about her,” Mills replied still grinning. “She’s green but from what I’ve heard her sensitivity is off the charts even by tracker standards.” “Fine I’ll make the call,” Knox replied, “But Mills. when you find whatever caused this mess. You keep it under wraps until we figure out how to report this. I hear that the enforcement secretary is retiring and if I get tapped for that…” Knox didn’t finish knowing Mills was smart enough to get the point.

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“My thoughts exactly sir,” Mills replied, “Also I need the most heavy duty strike team you can authorize for whenever we find what we’re looking for.” Knox waved a hand dismissively, “I’ll get you two double strength teams on rotation so that there’s always a stand bye. Also, trackers rarely have offensive ability, I’ll pull a psi commando to go with the girl and whatever other agents you have assigned. That should keep them alive long enough for strike team to move in once they find the target.” Mills nodded. “Thank you sir. I’ll make the arrangements on my end and keep the scene sealed until the tracker can arrive.” He replied before turning and walking out.

Once the door shut behind Mills director Knox sighed and picked up his phone and pressed a button. His secretary, Susan, answered on the first ring. “How can I help you director” she asked quickly. “Hold my calls.” Knox replied before hanging up without waiting for an answer. Susan had been with him for over a decade long before he was assigned to his current post. She knew him well enough to know when not to ask questions. After hanging up he stepped over to the wall behind his desk and pressed two buttons one securing the door and dropping the shutters. The other sound proofing and isolating all signals in and out of the room. Then Knox pulled out the right bottom drawer of his desk. After removing a few emergency procedure manuals, he popped out the false bottom and removed two devices from the hidden compartment. Setting the first one down he pressed his thumb print onto the device to activate it. A few seconds later it beeped and a cool feminine voice reported, “Scan complete, no bugs detected cloaking shroud activated.”

Privacy assured Knox picked up the second device a slim black phone. Both devices far exceeded the New Phoenix technological standard be it aether tech or good old-fashioned electricity powered. A fact that would astound most in the city as they were constantly told that they had the most sophisticated tech in the world, a statement that no-pone had yet convincingly contested, including the Sidhe, may they all burn. After pressing call to dial the only contact in the phone Knox held the phone up to his ear. A few seconds a later a mechanical voice rang out, “Identification.”

“Observer Knox Id code: seven whiskey tango yankee india golf niner four x-ray” Knox spoke crisply,” “Accepted. State nature of report,” the voice said a few seconds later. “Possible rogue practitioner at least high adept level. Possibly higher.” Knox said irritated at going through this infuriating process when he’d still have to make a full report to the handler anyway. “Transferring to on call handler,” came the predictable reply followed by something Knox had never heard in decades of reporting. “Error, keywords have flagged a high-level alert please hold for transfer to chief of external intelligence.” Knox was flabbergasted. He’d had reports trigger a supervisory transfer a couple of times but the external intelligence chief was four or five levels above anyone he’d ever talked to, what have I gotten into he thought worriedly.

A few minutes later a voice that caused even a happily married man like Knox to have fantasies came across the line. “This is Chief Wraithe, what do you have for me”? The silky voice had Knox lost in fantasy for a moment before the impact of her statement hit him. Holy shit a fucking Wren what the hell is going on to involve one of those monsters Knox shivered all fantasies he had of the owner of the voice disappearing when he realized he was talking to someone that could literally tear him to shreds without lifting a finger. In a stammering tone a far cry from his usual confident commanding voice Knox repeated the report Mills had given him, and pressed a button to transfer the scans of the paper reports he had taken before making the call. After taking a few seconds to review the scans upon hearing the end of his report Chief Wraithe answered her voice still tantalizing but now with an edge of steel in it. “This matter is a top priority,” She said pausing for effect before continuing, “you will immediately report all updates directly to me know matter how minor they may be. In addition, a man will be inserted in the investigation team you will provide cover and identification. He’ll arrive tomorrow at 1030 in the lobby of your building. Have what he needs waiting.” After Chief Wraithe finished her list of commands far more forceful than any direction Knox had ever received the hairs on his neck stood up even higher than they were before. What the hell is going on, he lamented silently before giving the only possible reply “yes ma’am.” “Good, I’ll be in contact with any further instructions keep the phone on you it won’t trip any scanners,” The chief replied her voice losing its’ steely edge as she finished a second later the phone beeped signaling the end of the call.

After finishing the call, Knox slipped the phone into his pocket and deactivated the cloaking device and placed it back in its drawer replacing the false bottom and putting the manuals back on top before shutting the drawer. He then de-activated the SCIF functions built into his office, before picking up his regular phone and pressing the button to raise Susan. “Get me the director of training for the investigatory branch” He said when she picked up. This would be the easiest of the myriad calls he was about to have to make to set things in motion. He sighed, “This is going to be a long day,” he muttered to himself mentally adding his wife to the list of people he needed to call. He would not be making their lunch date.