Chapter 2

Posted: July 15, 2007 - 12:44:12 am



I was at the airport, waiting to board my international flight to England. I was headed to London, to the US Embassy of all places. I had been specifically asked for, and I had no clue as to why. I mean... I had no friends stationed there, as far as I knew.

I was waiting in a private lounge, as befitted a person of my rank and station. How about that? I rated special treatment! One of the things I was told when I got there, was that while I could board the plane with my staff, I would have to place it in a special closet for magical items.

I was also asked if I had any other weapons on my person. I explained about my squirt gun filled with holy water. They asked to see it, and I had to explain that I had fought a demon recently, and a Father Clancy had given me this idea and provided the holy water for me.

It was obviously a squirt gun, and was made of clear plastic. Everyone was able to see the water in it. I was required to shoot some water onto a pad, which was tested in front of me. It came back as water. I was allowed to retain my squirt gun, as it was deemed to not be a dangerous or even a realistic imitation of a weapon.

I could understand security concerns, as there had been a rash of hijackings and explosions on planes, recently. Mundane and magical security had been used to beef up protections on all aircraft. I was not very worried really.

The flight to England was boring. I had deliberately stayed up late, and woke up early for my flight, hoping to sleep most of the way and get used to the time there. No luck. Plane seats were just not built for comfort, no matter what the advertisements claimed.

I will say that the meal served in the first class section where I was seated, was very good. Stuffed bell pepper, scalloped potatoes, corn, and a roll with butter. A beverage of your choice went with the meal, which was served on real china! I chose a Coke, as I was never much for alcohol.

The movies that were shown were: one recent release, and one older movie. They showed the newer released movie first. Many of the passengers were asleep by the time the second movie was shown.

After the plane landed, I reclaimed my staff. I deplaned, and went in search of my bag. I had only packed one bag, as I was told this trip should not last long. Still, since I was in Europe, I planned on a little site seeing. No sense in wasting a perfectly good 'government paid for trip', after all.

Just as soon as I got my bag I heard an announcement.

"Will passenger Carl Richmond, arriving on flight 120 from the US please pick up a white courtesy phone," it repeated one more time.

I found a courtesy phone, and acknowledged that I was Carl Richmond, and that I had indeed just arrived from the US. I was told to wait a moment. God I loved the British accent, particularly when done by a woman.

"Carl Richmond?" a voice asked me in a Bronx accent.

"Yes, this is Mr. Richmond," I responded.

"Blue Horse," the voice stated.

Ah, my contact from the Embassy, doing the regular cloak and dagger crap. I had been told this would happen for security and identification purposes.

"Fox Tree," I responded with the identifying counter sign.

"Good. I have a car and will meet you at right outside the doors where the international passengers exit. Look for a blue Cadillac Escalade with Embassy plates," the voice told me.

I acknowledged his instructions and he hung up. Not even a goodbye! Sheesh. Gripping my staff tighter and carrying my bag, I headed for the door. As I stepped outside, I took a deep breath of air. So this is what England smelled like.

I looked around and spotted my ride, easily enough. There was a man sitting in the driver compartment, and another one standing outside of the vehicle, talking with a policeman. A Bobbie, I think they were called in England.

I headed to the car and the man standing outside looked at me hard then nodded.

"Wizard Richmond, I recognize you by your photo. I am Walter Stone. I will be your escort to the embassy and I will take you to the section you need to go, Let me get your bag," he said taking it from me and opening the back of the Escalade and dropping it inside.

We got in and left the airport.

"I am the assistant to the military attaché at the embassy. He will be your direct supervisor during your stay here. Welcome to England, Wizard Richmond," Stone said then went silent.

I guess he was told not to talk with me, as he and the driver both didn't have anything to say. I shrugged mentally and took in the sites. England from the little I saw was a very unique place. It seemed every house we passed was connected to the house next to it.

Nowhere did I see a house standing alone, with grass in the front yard. I guess space was at a premium here, that's the only thing I could think of to explain building the way they did.

Still, it gave the neighborhoods we drove through a certain style. I glanced at Walter and he seemed lost in thought. I tried to make conversation, but he just replied with monosyllabic answers.

We finally arrived at the embassy, and were waived through the gate. We pulled around the side of the building, and into a garage. As we got out of the car, Walter went and retrieved my bag for me.

Once we entered the embassy, we were stopped. Our identification cards were checked, and my bag was gone through. I was asked to leave my staff with their security. I asked them why, and they said it was standard procedure.

We made it through security minus my wizard's staff, and I was beginning to feel a little angry at being separated from my property like this. Did they really think I was going to go on a rampage or something? For that matter, I could do strong magic without my staff if it came to that. Idiots.

I had learned from what had happened to me at the power plant, and I always kept a store of magical energy within me. With all the practice at holding it, I had more power available to me now, than my wand could hold, just a few months before. My capability to store and carry power had improved in just a few months.

Walter Stone escorted me through a bewildering path, which finally stopped at a door marked: Military Attaché. He opened it and we stepped inside. He went over and spoke to a male secretary in a low voice, and then he turned to me.

"I will take your bag to your room. For the time being you will be staying at the embassy. We have several guest bedrooms and I am sure you will find the one you have been assigned to be comfortable.

"You will be seeing the Attaché momentarily. Again, welcome to England," and with that, he and my bag disappeared out the door.

The wait to see the Attaché was very short. The secretary's phone rang, and then I was waved to the door. I opened it and went in. The room was fairly large and looked comfortable.

"Ah, you would be the wizard Carl Richmond. Welcome to England, Sir, welcome. I am Colonel Frank Barnes, the Military Attaché. I can't tell you how pleased I am to see you," the colonel said and I swear he seemed to swarm over me.

I was taller than he was by a good three inches, yet this man exuded power, energy, and authority in such a manner as to leave no doubt as to who was in charge. He was about 5' 9" tall, and had dark hair and very blue eyes. His build was slim and wiry.

After shaking hands with him, I was directed to take a seat and I got comfortable. He asked about my flight and if I needed anything. Coffee? Tea? Liquor?

"The flight was boring. I could use some coffee and the return of my wizard's staff. Your security has intercepted it," I responded to his questions.

He went to a coffee pot set up on a table by the window and poured me a cup.

"Sugar? Cream?" he asked.

"Two sugars, please," I responded.

He added them and a small spoon and handed me the cup. I stirred it slowly while he got a folder off his desk.

"This file you are about to see is classified TOP SECRET, and nothing you read in this file can be discussed with anyone not cleared for this information, nor can you speak about it outside of a secured room. Do you understand?" he asked me in a serious voice.

"Perfectly," I responded and sipped my coffee.

He came around from his desk and handed me the file. I set my coffee down, opened the file and started reading it. I blinked at the first paragraph. It was about Mathew Spath!

Apparently, he was now a known part of a terrorist group that wanted purity in magic.

This group was anti-technology, and did not like mixing magic with technology at all. While this seemed like a stupid thing to me, apparently this group was very serious, and had committed several acts of terrorism to drive their point home.

Mathew had been under deep cover for the terrorists, and no one had suspected him until his little disruption of the magic at the power plant. According to the information in this file, he had shown up at a known terrorist's home. He had disappeared soon after, only to resurface here in England.

While the author of this file chose to speculate, his current location was unknown, as he had gone to ground. None of the intelligence assets were able to locate him. Both American and English intelligence arms were looking for him.

"Not much information on him, was there," I commented when I had finished reading.

"No. That's why you're here. You worked with him for some time. We were wondering if you knew something that you didn't realize you knew," Frank told me with an intense look.

I shook my head and thought a bit.

"Nothing comes to mind. There were three of us on duty at the power plant, and he was in charge of two generators... or at least, in charge of maintaining their spells. He was quiet and didn't really volunteer much in the way of information about himself," I stated.

For fifteen minutes, Frank asked me penetrating questions. I'll give to Frank. He was very good at asking seemingly random questions, and getting you to think. I wondered why I was being questioned by the military attaché and not someone from intelligence. I said as much.

"I am with military intelligence and covering two position at the embassy right now. Our regular intelligence chief was found dead in his apartment a few days ago, supposedly a suicide. We don't think it was, we think it was a murder made to look like a suicide," Frank responded grimly.

"Ok, but I don't see how I can help you. Surely you have better information than what I can give you. For that matter, everything I just told you was already asked of me back in the states," I said a bit confused.

"You're here to see if we can draw out Mr. Spath. What we officially know of him does not jibe with what he did at the power plant. He was rated as a sorcerer, yet the spell he performed to disrupt the magic field is definitely a wizard's spell, and a potent one at that.

"We are going to release some information to the public about Mr. Spath, and also inform them that you have arrived and are assuring us that he is not that dangerous. You sir, are bait in a trap, one in which we hope to get not only him, but as many others in his group as is possible," Frank stated matter of factly.