Conjuring Quantico (The Federal Witch Book 1) (17 page)

“Can you hear what they are saying?” Cat was the freaky hear-it-all.

“Yeah. That older Agent is yelling at Nita. It seems he is the one that sent them after her car.”

“He is? Why did they try to break in, then?”

“That’s what she just said. He’s saying that he wants our things searched for evidence!”

“What! That’s not going to happen. Over my dead body!”

“Nita is calling somebody. The other guy just called over a couple of mercs and told them to break into the car!” Cat turned toward me, her eyes wide. “Can they?”

“I’d like to see them try.” I reached into my pocket and pulled out a small bag. Ever since I took it from the strong box in my lab I had thought about it. According to Grandmother, her Grandmother had been an enforcer for the council back in the old world of Europe. A family heirloom had been passed from mother to mother in the hopes that one would take it up. It was only for those who sought justice in the world. Grams had given it to me for when I made my final decision and graduated as an FBI agent at long last. I still wanted that goal and like Cat, thought I could make a difference. Inside the bag was a bracelet. It was more of a cuff, but once it was on, I would not or could not remove it. It, like the job, was a personal trust, something I could not take lightly. Watching agents who should be working together to find stolen children fight over pettiness and blame irritated me to no end. It made me want to exact justice.

“That’s pretty.”

I looked down at the shiny bracelet. “Thanks. Grams gave it to me. She said it would make me a better person. It belonged to her grandmother. She was an enforcer for the European Council. I haven’t felt myself to be worthy of it until now. Watching them has made me want the job even more.” I slipped it onto my right wrist and locked the clasp. It constricted all on its own and the locking mechanism vanished. It was now one continuous band.

“Cool. What does it do?”

“Not a clue!”

“Only you, Agatha... Only you would put a magical artifact on your arm that someone gave you not knowing what it does.” I just smiled at her. My wrist tingled, but that was all the bracelet seemed to do so far.

Nita finished her phone call and looked at the older agent who smirked at her. She crossed the parking lot and stopped at our table.

“I assume you heard some of that. My superior said that he is within his rights to search the car.”

“Nita, are Cat and I subject to his orders?” The mercenary magicians were circling the car looking for a weak spot.

She thought for a moment. “You aren’t. The Academy sent you to the investigation on orders from my boss. You only answer to him and through him, me. Agent Mu over there can’t control you.”

I laughed. “His name is Moo? Like a cow?”

“Cows? Keep those big ugly things away from me. All they do is eat and poop. It’s never ending. Did I tell you about the farm I was on before I got turned into a toy? They had cows and pigs; talk about stink!”

“Fergus, be quiet.” I picked him up and stuck him in my pocket.

“No, his name is Leeroy Mu spelled with a ‘u’. He is a Senior Agent so I technically have to do as he says unless I have other orders from higher.”

“I like Moo better.” I sat up in my chair and peered across the lot. The Russians must have found the surprise I left in the shield. Grandmother always said it was easier to catch a rat with cheese than with vinegar.

“Nita take a seat this should be fun to watch.”

The Russians cast a removal spell that took three of them to cast. They yelled something to Agent Mu. Mu looked at one of the agents milling around and told him to open the car up. He reached for the door and was promptly stuck. Frozen as if in amber. I burst out laughing.

The mercenaries could hear me and glared at me. I was polite and only smiled back.

“How many agents do you think they will waste trying to get into my spell supplies?”

“Is that what is in those bags? They can buy that stuff anywhere. Why try so hard?”

“You can’t buy my stuff. Some of the items in those bags are worth more than this command center.” I thumped the big bus we were leaning up against.

“You might want to tell Mooby that he’s too close to their casting. Oops too late.” A stray bolt of lightning just missed making Moo a Mooette.

The agent in question crossed the lot and approached our table. “Agent Lowery, I demand that you order them to lower that ward so we can inspect their bags for stolen items!”

Cat reached under the table and laid a hand on my leg. I had been about to say something. This was a dominance battle. If there’s one thing a Were would know about its dominance.

“What stolen items would those be? Who is making the accusation?”

“I don’t have to tell you that! Do as I say: that’s an order.”

The three Russians came up behind Moo and started talking to me. “Glupaya ved'ma”

“Poluchit' etot shchit vniz yeshche?” All three of them glared at me.

“What is she saying to them?” Moo looked a bit put out.

“Not a clue. I don’t speak Russian.”

“Yesli Sovet Ved'my uznayet, chto vy kradete oni naydut vas i polozhit' konets vas.” I drew a finger across my throat. All three of them got very anxious and looked to Agent Moo to save them.

“What are you saying to them? I demand you tell me!”

“All I said was if the Witches’ Council knew they were stealing things, that they would be in serious trouble. More or less.”

“What have they stolen?”

“My stuff in the car. It’s mine. Not theirs.”

“Whatever is in the car is the property of the US Government! Now drop that shield now!”

“What in the hell is going on out here?” All the agents turned to their right and grimaced. Three United States Senators and the Mayor of Alexandria were standing in the parking lot staring at Agent Moo Moo.

“Senators, Mr. Mayor, we are just having a small difference of opinion and I will be with you in a moment.”

“Excuse me? Agent Mu? We would like to know what is more important than our children's lives?!”

“We had a report that these young women stole something from one of the residences and we are trying to search that vehicle.”

Senator Payne stared at Moo like he was crazy. “And that is more important than my daughter? Isn’t this the young lady that found the thing that ties this all together? The thing that your investigation missed?”

“Senator I can’t comment on an active investigation…” He didn’t have time to finish his statement before his phone rang. He looked at the display and excused himself.

Cat smiled at me and tapped her ear.

Agent Mu looked a bit pale when he stepped back to the Senators. He handed his phone to Agent Lowery and stepped back.

“Hello? Yes, Sir. No, Sir. He’s an asshole sir. Yes, sir. Yes, Sir. I do believe they heard me Sir. Yes, Sir. Thank you, Sir. Right away.” She handed Mu his phone back. “Do I have to say it?”

“No.” Mu turned and left the area.

“That was Director Turton. I’m now in charge. Back to work all of you. Ladies?”

Nita turned to the Senators. “Sorry about all of that. We will find them. I have our best people on it.” She shook all of their hands and stepped back to us.

“What do you want us to do?”

“Agatha, can you get with the forensics team and see if you can figure out what we are dealing with? Cat can go with you to watch your back. I need to go fire some Russians.”

~~~~

The portable forensics lab was inside a large moving truck parked behind the command center. Cat followed me as we weaved around the vehicles to find the entrance to it.

“Chuck is going to be big time jealous that he missed this! This is his thing.”

“Well maybe next time he can guard me instead of you.”

Cat looked, and me and laughed. “Nah.”

“Yeah, didn’t think so.” I found the door and knocked. A white-coated lab tech opened the door.

“We’ve been sent to help.”

“We don’t need help.” “SAC Lowery said to help you. Have you figured out what spell is on it yet?”

The tech opened the door, and we stepped inside. The four statues were lined up on a glass table. Techs in lab coats were examining them looking for external clues. A team of two Russian mercenaries were standing against the wall peering at the one at the end.

“Figurnyye yego yeshche?” The Russians looked at me and shook their heads.

“Nyet.”

“Eto primanka. Eto zastavlyayet vas brosit' svoyu okhranu i stolovykh s chuvstvom suzhdeniya.” The two stopped and started to nod their heads. Then they shrugged.

“Voznikayet vopros: pochemu?”

“Uh, what is she saying to them?” One of the techs came over to Cat.

“What I told them is the statues are a form of lure. They somehow disturb humans and mess with your judgment. Your sense of right or wrong. It’s a very intricate spell, but it doesn’t make any sense. Why use it?”

“Who are you?”

“Agatha Blackmore. I located those for you. I really wouldn’t be touching them with your hands. Just a suggestion.” The lab techs in question froze and carefully set them down.

I stepped closer to the table and peered at one of the dragon figures. I felt a shiver up my right arm and saw my new bracelet flash red for just a second. Interesting.

“Have you figured out what they represent?” The lab guys all stopped and stared.

“She means the actual figures not the magic. Are they from mythology or something?” Cat for the save.

“Yes, we traced the iconology to a fifteenth century text. It’s not a hydra as we first thought but a dragon. The heads are all different; dog, griffin, and man.”

“What text was it in? And what does it refer to?”

“It is an early Christian work by Johann Weyer, called De Praestigiis Daemonum et Incantationibus ac Venificiis.”

Crap! “Gentlemen that is a very rare and very scary book about demons. What demon does it represent?”

“My Latin is a little sketchy but the name that leaps out at me is Bune.” It didn’t ring a bell but grandmother only touched on the major demons.

“Any other more modern references to be had?” I pulled out my cell phone and frantically texted Grams about a three-headed dragon representing a Demon named Bune.

“Just one by Mathers.”

“Key of Solomon Mathers?”

“Yes. He says that Bune gives riches, wisdom, and eloquence. And that he can answer questions truthfully.”

“Crap on a stick. We need Agent Lowery in here. Right now!” My cell phone rang, and I answered it.

“Aggy what are you mixed up in? Bune is a high powered Duke of Hell. His followers were called Bunis. You remember what I taught you about demons. Don’t worry about the Council, I will update them.”

The Russians came up to me and began asking questions. “What is happening? What you find out about spell?”

“Chto vy znayete o demonakh?” They couldn’t get off the truck fast enough. They just about knocked Nita down as they ran for the hills.

“Agatha, is there a reason why two Russians just about knocked me down on my way in here?”

“We figured out what it is we are dealing with.”

“Don’t all tell me at once…! What is it?”

“Demons. Someone is trying to raise one again.”

“Crap! We run into something like this about once or twice a year. Most never get so far as to have victims or potential victims. Do you know what Demon it is?”

“Bune. One of the Dukes of Hell. That statue is a dragon that represents him.”

“One question; or rather one big question. How did these kids get these and why them?”

Chapter 13

“What do we know about the parents and grandparents? Is there something that they all share?” Both Nita and I turned and stared at Cat.

“What? It’s basic police work. I do pay attention in class sometimes.” I looked at Nita and spread my arms.

Nita turned and went back to the command center to check on that. She had been finding that Agent Mu had not really been doing his job. With no evidence, he had not believed it was a kidnapping and was off in left field looking for runaways.

I looked at the forensic techs. They all looked tired. “Let’s all take a break? Half of you go eat something and relax for a bit. Come back in an hour, then we will switch.” The tired techs nodded and left to go eat. With half the people gone the lab looked very empty. The forensics lab was pretty cool. It was based upon a semi-truck using technology associated with recreational vehicles. Both sides of the cargo area were slides that when deployed doubled the inside floor space. Every conceivable piece of equipment available that would fit was inside. Power was supplied by a large towed generator and a solar panel array on the roof. A radar dish similar to that used by news crews was also deployable from the roof. It was a very comprehensive vehicle.

“That was a good idea.” One of the techs sitting behind a computer was looking at us.