We have done an uneventful trip in the back of a van ending in a closed garage. This house holds another essence magician a floor above us. The high and mighty are finding a way to get the new goodies. It is too large for me to be sure about muggles in the house.

The man leading us is feeling gloomy. He has his face under control, but that is useless against us.

P: I haven’t been told what exactly the patient is suffering from.

A: Fibrodysplasia ossificans progressiva

P: That is a genetic disorder

L: Is that the disease where you turn into bone?

A: Yes. My brother has an unusually severe form. He already has trouble breathing and is immobile.

That is bad. If potions have a problem with radiation sickness, what will they do against a disease that is caused by the plans that form your body being wrong?

We are entering a room dominated by a sickbed. If it weren’t for that you’d call it a very nice room with huge windows, now behind external blinds, a big TV set on one wall and big leafy potted plants. You do not need auras senses to tell that the man in the bad is broken and has given up. He is staring at the ceiling. His breathing is flat and fast.

Lisa is looking deflated. Is she thinking that the family she’s working with want to get rid of her? If so, why? She hasn’t told me anything, but would she? I am relieved that they are taking great pains to hide from us where we are. They do not want us dead. That is, at least until we have done our job. This is a problem. I see no waythey’d keep seeing us as valuable after we will have given them what they want. Do I just risk it? Are we worth a shootout in their home?

P: There is the matter of compensation

A: As far as we are concerned we have an agreement and that is final

L: Does reality match the agreement?

P: We need to come to a workable outcome here. This situation requires a bit of trust from both sides. Are you aware of how potions work in practice?

The narrative has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.

A: We are aware of how they fail.

P: Very well, I think I will demonstrate that we are different.

Either we shoot our way out of this house, which would be much easier with a destraction, however costly it be, or this ends nicely, which is likelier if we do not mess around. I take out my last potion I got from the original deal at the nuclear power plant.

P: This is the last of the good ones. Would you now get out your part of the deal?

He nods to one of his guards, who leaves and returns after three minutes with boxes.

A: An access terminal, a gun essence and an awakening stone of the gun, as agreed.

L: Let me check the terminal.

She proceeds to do exactly that.

L: It works.

P: Let’s get this over with. Would you introduce me to the patient?

A: Of course.

A: Norbert, these are the people who deal in potions.

A: This is my brother Norbert. Unfortunately his conditions has rendered him speechless.

P: Norbert, if you are ready. I am going to slowly trickle the potion into your mouth. Please swallow. It will take some time to work and it will be quite painful initially. It is likely that you will become unconcious later during the potion working its way through you. As you already were disappointed once, you probably want to get this done one way or the other. I would ask if you have any questions, but you cannot speak. Could somebody get him a pencil and paper?

Norbert grunts and looks at me.

A: Begin now, please.

Poor sod, but I’d like to get out of here alive. He cooperates. Surprisingly the whole thing goes down before any reaction sets in. He starts shivering and grunting while his eyes have closed. Dozens of little sharp bone splinters are piercing his skin. I would have expected more blood. Nature does him a favour in letting him pass out after the first two dozen or so. People have more blood in them than you suspect. This is a mess, but not dangerous.

A: Fascinating.

P: This is similar to how an ordinary potion removes debris from a wound.

L: If this is going to take hours, we may just as well get some coffee.

The coffee is good.

A: Will this require further potions?

P: This potion is much more potent in exchange for a longer duration of the incompatibility. He cannot take any potion for quite some time. We have no information on how much longer this lasts in muggles. But I would wait for days with any more potions.

A: What do you propose in case he stays unconcious?

P: Saline to prevent dehydration. The potion will protect him against most drastic …

Two men burst in the room. Their auras reek of alarm.

„Boss, our contact has warned us. They are coming.“

A: You need to get out of here.

L: We are taking our reward.

A: Sure. But you need to leave right now.