Nina

Nina marveled at the pink shag carpet in Reggie’s waiting room. The way it flowed to the slightest disturbance in the air entranced her. She tried to imagine what lying in a field on that carpet would feel like as the wind blew through it creating beautiful patterns.

The receptionist’s voice broke her trance. “Reggie will see you now.” Nina’s head popped up like she had just fallen asleep in class. “It is beautiful, isn’t it?” The receptionist said, noticing Nina take one last admiring glance at the carpet.

Nina's face scrunched into an embarrassed smile. “Yeah. It is. Where did he get it?”

“It was a special order from Uncle Bob’s.”

“Oh,” Nina said, disappointment filled her words. It would look great in her apartment.

He leaned in and whispered as she walked past his desk. “I’ll get you a name.”

“Can we get this over with?” Red was behind her with his arms crossed. The happy flow of the carpet looked like it was trying to get away from Red’s cloud of bitterness but failed because it was stuck to the ground.

“Thanks. I’m totally getting one for my place,” she said, taking slow and deliberate steps to enjoy the carpet and mess with Red. She glanced back at him to find his bushy mustache fluffed in annoyance. Perfect.

When they entered Reggie’s office they found him behind his desk beaming. “If it isn’t my favorite and least favorite Wreckie!” He wiggled a finger back and forth between them. “I am sure you two can figure out who is who.” He stood up and walked over to a bookshelf to his left where a stack of brass tubes had been neatly placed on one of the shelves. He carefully pulled the top tube off before heading back to his desk.

Red walked over to his desk staring at the tube Reggie was holding. “Did you find something?”

“You know I did.” Reggie set the tube down in the center of his desk. He twisted the cap off the end and placed the cap down like he was performing a ceremonial rite. A small whisp of steam came from the end of the tube. He glared at Red. “This is why they call me the answer man.”

They continued their stare down for a few uncomfortable seconds like statues until Red finally yelled, “Well?”

Reggie pulled a steaming hot towel out of the tube. He wiped his hands down and dabbed his face. “Oh, this? I just had a late dinner and needed to freshen up.” He said with a sly smile before tossing the towel at Red. “Want to freshen up?”

Red caught the towel before it hit his face. His hand glowed fiery red causing the wet towel to vent steam and then burst into flames. Red bowed his chest; his hands became fists. It was as if he were about to strike Reggie down where he stood.

Nina giggled then patted Red on the back, hoping to calm him down. “Come on, Reggie, quit teasing him.”

“Oh, no! Red’s lack of fun is wearing off on you too, Nina. Be careful or you’ll end up as dull as the rest of those Wreckies,” Reggie teased with an evil grin before falling into his chair rummaging through the papers scattered across his desk.

“I don’t have all night,” Red fired back.

“Yes, yes, but come on, you should have seen your face, it was like I was pulling out a Dead Sea Scroll or something. I say if I can’t have fun what is the point of living?” He gave Nina a wink. “But yes, Red, I know business, business, business. Very well, I have gone through my extensive resources and information network and determined the probable location of your class ten. It is a house in the suburbs of Houston, only a few blocks from where the original class ten event occurred.” Reggie paused, raising his hands up into the air like he was about to receive a blessing from above. “Ta-da!”

“Took you long enough.” Red grunted.

Nina shot Red a dirty look. “Don’t be an ass.” These two must have some serious history. What could it be? Better not to ask now. That could wait for another day.

Reggie frowned before congratulating himself. “Hey, great job, Reggie. Wow, you’re amazing, Reggie. We couldn’t have done this without you, Reggie. Oh, I know, you are so welcome, anything to keep the world safe, you know, just doing my part.”

“Text me the address,” Red said, turning to the door.

“Wait!” Reggie said, his tone turning serious. “If my instrumentation is accurate, and I know it is, then I can confirm my original theory. You are one hundred percent dealing with a wizard. I don’t know how this is possible, because all the known wizards are not near Houston, and yet I am getting wizard level readings. And I accounted for all the known interference caused by the NASA facilities nearby, natural phenomena, everything.”

This tale has been pilfered from Royal Road. If found on Amazon, kindly file a report.

This still didn’t make sense. How could a full-blown wizard suddenly appear out of nowhere? “Are you sure?” Concern leaked into her voice.

Reggie nodded. “Yes, and whoever it is, they are no longer there. I tracked them to downtown Houston and then the signal disappeared. The address you have is probably their home address because that is where the signal originated from, and it is close to your first encounter with them at the beginning of the summer.”

Red and Nina’s phones started to buzz in their pockets. Nina pulled hers out. It was a Wrecht Order wide alert. She pressed the broadcast button. “An attack has been reported at Club Planetesimal. Multiple assailants wearing Sovereign grey and red. Club security has reported multiple casualties, including at least four of their security team. They are requesting immediate backup, and the Wrecht Order is responding. If you are receiving this message, it means you are near a club entrance, please respond immediately. Due to the amount of recent Sovereign activity, deadly force is authorized on sight. Full riot gear is recommended.” Nina tapped her phone, shutting it off.

Red’s face came alive as if he had just had an epiphany. “Reggie, what was the last known location of that wizard? I am guessing it was the Seventh Ward, the local ESH community in Houston. Near the ballpark, right?” Red asked.

“Yes,” Reggie said surprised.

“Right near the Houston entrance to Club Planetesimal.” Red said, nodding.

Reggie didn’t hide the surprise in his voice. “Yes, that is correct. But how did you know?”

“The Sovs and destruction seem to follow our wizard.” Nina started. “They’re hunting for this wizard too and they probably tracked them to the club, but I am guessing they don’t know it’s a wizard.” Nina stopped as she started to have her own lightning bolt moment and turned to Reggie. “Let me guess, you have a local sensor to keep an eye on NASA, you got a sudden spike in ESH which you ended up tracking to the Seventh Ward with a satellite you probably routed into position, correct?”

“Very good. Full marks to Nina,” Reggie said, astonished. Even Red looked impressed at Nina’s highly technical deduction.

She continued, “Which means this wizard has a way to mask their signal where they live but doesn’t realize that they can be tracked moving about. So, we are dealing with a new wizard. Plus, they don’t really know what they are doing, and they are very dangerous. That first class ten event must be their ESH source suddenly appearing and somehow, somehow, they are now masking it.” Nina paused, continuing to think. It was all starting to become clear. “But they aren’t masking the ESH they themselves are emitting. Which means their source of the ESH must be at their home." She snapped her fingers and pointed at Reggie. The address you have.”

At this point Reggie and Red were just staring at Nina as she laid her assessments down.

“Can I get an amen!” Reggie yelled, in excitement. “Now when you are done with those dull Wreckies, come work with me honey, we will have a lot more fun. I can guarantee you.”

“Good job, Nina.” Red said, giving her a nod and again starting towards the door. “We need to get to the nearest club door. I...uh, think it is over by the Fisherman’s Wharf.”

“Be careful out there, Nina.” Reggie said, with a little alarm in his voice. “And you too, Red,” he added bitterly.

Minutes later, Red and Nina were swerving through the hilly streets of San Francisco on their way to the door for Club Planetesimal when Red finally noticed the large grin plastered on Nina’s face. “What?”

“Nothing,” Nina said, trying to stifle her snickering. This moment was going to be too delicious. She had to stretch it out.

“What?” he repeated.

“I mean…are we going to talk about the fact that you know where the entrance to Club Planetesimal is in both Houston and San Francisco?”

Red sighed and turned his eyes back to the road. “No.”

"Don't be embarrassed that you like to go out dancing. But I must say I did not see that one coming. So how often do you go?"

Red kept his eyes on the road without the faintest acknowledgement at what she had just said.

Nina took a sip on her soda and tried to stymy her giggles. Better let him stew on it before she had more fun with this. She pulled a pistol out of her purse, popped the clip out to double check it was loaded before sliding it into her holster under her jacket.

Red finally spoke. “I thought you didn’t do conventional firearms?”

“Well, after our last dance with the Sovs, I figured better safe than sorry,” she said, still wearing a ridiculous grin on her face.

Red shook his head as the car stopped near the entrance to a small alleyway. They both hurried out of the car and headed to the back of the car where they popped open the trunk. They donned Wreckie riot gear, a white checkered helmet, black shirt and black jacket with silver epaulets, black pants, and oversized riot shield which they wore on their right arm.

Red closed the trunk. “Times like this I could really use a MEAR.”

“I guess the jig is up on that.” Nina wiggled her butt in a mock dance move as she walked down the alley while Red stood there staring at her. Nina noticed him not following her. “Come on, twinkle toes, we don’t want to miss the dance.”

Red slowly moved towards her with an ugly look on his face. “Done yet?”

“I don’t know, I am just getting into the groove with these, sometimes I really like to strut my stuff. Why? Do you think I am putting the wrong foot forward?” Red stopped his forward progress again and didn’t say anything. She did her best to wipe the smirk off her face and strike a more serious tone. “Okay, I’m done.”

Once they got to the entrance, Red made one last adjustment to his shield in his right hand and clicked his helmet radio with his left. “Check, com, check, this is Red. HQ, do you read me? Over.”

“This is HQ, we read you. Sovs are attempting to seal off the club, but some are making it out. We have two agents already in but have lost contact with them. We have a FIST heavy response unit five minutes out from breaching the D.C. entrance. Over.”

This really was big. They didn’t call in FIST unless shit was about to get real.

Red tapped his helmet again. “Copy, we are about to breach from San Francisco entrance. Over.”

“Copy, good luck. Over.”

Red clicked his microphone off and looked at Nina. “Ready?”

Nina tightened the strap on her helmet. It was about to get real. She gripped her shield tightly so her hands wouldn’t shake. She could do this. “Yeah, what’s the plan?

The corner of Red’s mouth curled up. He looked her dead in the eye. “I say we waltz on in and start cracking skulls.”

A ridiculous smile sprouted onto Nina’s face. She kicked the door in and rushed forward, shield up.