Conjuring Quantico (The Federal Witch Book 1) (22 page)

“You told me when you got here that you were having nightmares about the kidnappings. Are you still?” My eyes widened. I barely remembered saying that to her.

“Not last night. Those idiots on the roof prevented that.” I rubbed the new bracelet. Since I put it on, I’d been doing that a whole lot. “My foresight is not all that strong. I thought it was my weakest power. I might - might - be able to put together a spell to enhance it. It comes with a big warning though. My off-the-cuff spells have a fifty-fifty chance of going haywire. I could hurt someone by accident or turn some squirrels purple or something.”

“How bad are we talking here?” She really looked interested.

I looked off into the distance. I could see the flashing lights of the police units on our perimeter over the fence. I cut my eyes in her direction. “Last time I crossed a rabbit with a deer and made a Jackalope. Actually, I think I made a bunch of them.”

Agent Lowrey started laughing. “Change as many rats as you like around here, but try not to get the weasels over there.” She pointed over the fence where the News vans still swarmed.

“I’ll try it inside the warehouse. The worst that could happen is it burns down. Have Cat standing by to get me out if it goes sideways.” I pointed to the warehouse. “Let me get some things from my packs.” I headed back inside to get them.

“Agatha, thanks. This might really help.”

I nodded. She had no idea how bad this could be. My bracelet gave a little shimmer. It had never done that before.

Once inside I dug into my packs including the one Cat was hauling around for me. I pulled out lavender, more of my special salt blend, chalk, and paraffin. These sort of spells were best done at night but the Gods really don’t care. It’s the thought that counts.

“What’s up Agatha?” Cat sat down next to me as I dug around in the packs.

“Nita wants me to try to enhance my foresight and see if I can get a read on the girls.”

“Can you do that?”

“I think I can but I have to cast a spell to enhance my vision. I could call Grams but she wants me to stand on my own. She told me that much last time. I’m going to make one up and give it a whirl.”

“Did you warn them? I mean, last time you made some sort of creature.”

“Yeah. I did tell Nita. Cat, I really need to do this. We have no idea where those kids are. I need to do something constructive.”

Cat patted me on the back. “Just don’t make it destructive instead. How can I help?”

I sent her off to Anastasia to find me a few things or some similar I could use. My pack full I stepped over to Nita.

“I have most of what I need. Spells such as this are usually done at night, but I’m going to go for it, anyway. I need to do it outside: the warehouse won’t work after all. Can we pull the vehicles around so the news media can’t really see what I’m doing?”

“Will you be safe?”

“No idea. I have to call upon some very scary forces to give me what I need. Cat will be helping. I will try very hard not to kill us all.”

“Good safety tip there, kid. Don’t kill your co-workers. OK; approved. Use the SUV’s if you have to.”

I stepped back outside and looked at the parking lot. It might be big enough for what I needed. Digging into my bag I pulled out my chalk. I’d bought several of those big buckets of chalk they sell for kids, which was appropriate. Pink and green would show up well out here. I made a mark in the middle of the lot and paced off my circle. It needed to be big. Anything that spilled over could hurt someone or something. I stopped for a moment and centered myself.

My Grandmother is a traditional Witch. She believes that spellwork should be done a certain way and with care. I trained under her for most of my life after I went to live with her. She taught me everything that I know how to do. The knowledge has been passed through our family for centuries. Her style is a blend of ancient, modern, and traditional. What I was about to attempt she would not approve of. Not even a little bit. So I was going to use a tiny bit of ritual magic and draw a protection circle around my workspace: I was that worried.

“Agatha! They didn’t have any candles, but I did find the wood for torches. There was a steel bucket in the shop that will work as a cauldron.”

“Great! Thanks Cat. See if you can find something to put the torches in: paint cans or something like them, filled with either sand or dirt. Then I need you to move all the cars and extra vehicles along the fence so the news crews have a hard time seeing what I’m doing. Nita approved it.”

“What are you doing?”

“Something potentially very dangerous. Don’t worry Cat, I’ll be fine. This is going to be very hard for you: whatever happens do not cross the lines and enter the circle. Very bad things could happen, both to you and to me. The way the circles work is they protect the caster from the very powerful Eldritch powers that get called up. If I pass-out or faint stay where you are. Promise?”

“Agatha if it’s that dangerous…”

“Promise me? I will be OK.”

“Fine. I promise. But you better be ok or I’ll kill you myself!”

I had to smile at that!

“This is going to take at least an hour to draw out. After you move the cars, leave one out. I’m going to need Fergus for this. Only he can walk through the wards.”

I turned away and pulled out my chalk. Very carefully I drew a large circle on the parking lot. Most would use a stick and some string. I used magic, but the result was the same. Then I drew another one a foot larger. On the inside I made one small enough for me to stand in and if I collapsed still not break the circle. Now for the fun part. The incantation and runes. Out of the corner of my eye I saw Cat come out of the warehouse with five paint cans. She set the them next to the wood and ran for the command center.

~~~~~

“Nita, Agatha said it was OK to move the cars?”

The SAC was standing staring at the map of the cosmetics plant. “Yes. Get with Agent Smith and he will give you a hand. Can she do what I asked for?”

“She says she can. Did she tell you what might happen?”

“She did. It’s a risk but we have to find those girls. What is she doing out there?”

“Drawing a circle. Thanks Nita!” Cat ran outside to the refreshment tent where she last saw Agent Smith.

With his help she got all the cars and other vehicles moved up against the fences. The reporters began shouting questions at the agents. Agent Smith raised an eyebrow. “You know this will attract their attention even more, don’t you?”

“I know and so does Agatha, but she can’t do this inside the warehouse. She could blow it up.”

“Oh. Should we be under cover for this?”

“She told me that she will try her damnedest to protect us.”

“You two are really good friends aren’t you?” The Agent was taking Cat to the Hotel.

“Yeah; she started as my roommate last year. I think of her as the sister I never had. She is Pack in my eyes.”

“That’s pretty cool. One of my partners was a Were. He liked to talk about Pack and dominance fights all the time.”

“What kind of Were is he?”

“Was: he took out a rogue Wizard two years ago. The wizard had us pinned down behind a fence and Charles changed into his other form. He was a Polar Bear. Charles charged the rogue and took him out.”

“How did he die?”

“Lightning strike. The Wizard called it down as he died. Took out my partner and a city block. That fence saved my life.”

“Sorry for your loss. He sounds like he cared about you as a partner. I’ve never met one of the Bear shifters but I have heard they have great heart.”

“That he did, little lady. That he did. So what are we picking up here?”

“Fergus. He’s Agatha’s Unicorn.”

“Unicorn? There was a Unicorn in that room? Where?”

Cat laughed. “You’ll see.”

They pulled up to the Hotel and went inside. The staff was used to agents coming in at all hours and barely noticed them. Cat pulled out her room key card and swiped it. The door unlocked.

“I thought this room was warded so nobody could get in?” Agent Smith looked around as they entered. The TV was on some cartoon about horses.

“It is. I can get through it. Fergus, I know you are in here. Agatha sent me to find you. She needs you for a spell.”

“Well it’s about fraking time! I’ve been sitting in here waiting for something to do. It would have been nice to have a little room service but no. Don’t bother to feed the Unicorn!”

“Fergus, I promise you if you come with us I will get you a chef salad just like they make at that place you like. Now come on.” Fergus stepped out from behind the TV.

“How did you get up there, anyway?” Cat peered at the tall TV table.

“I jumped.”

“Agent Smith, this is Fergus.” The large agent just stared at the mouse-sized Unicorn

“Is he a real Unicorn?”

“Are you a real FBI Agent? Of course I’m a real Unicorn. Great deductive reasoning there, Agent. Where did you find this guy?”

Cat picked Fergus up and put him in her backpack. “Hey it’s dark in here! Damn sneaky cat! I just knew this was a trap.”

Agent Smith just stared at her. Cat chuckled. “Agatha carries him around in her shirt pocket all the time. You’ll get used to him. He’s a bit outspoken.”

“A bit? Why does she need him, anyway?”

“I’m not sure. He is her familiar, so it has to be a magic thing. You can ask her when we get back if you like.”

“I will pass, I think. I don’t want to be turned into some sort of animal for asking the wrong question.”

“She won’t do that. It’s against the Council’s rules. Transmogrification is against magical law unless it can be shown to be a true accident.”

“Huh. I didn’t know that. What I heard was she gave a really good lecture on the paranormal history of the Purge.”

“She did, and someone tried to kill her because of it. She is supposed to do a second one on what Witches can and can’t do. She is very powerful and the first of her kind to join the FBI. From what I’ve seen you really need her.”

“I can agree with that one. I’ve been in four firefights that I thought I was going to die in. Magic on our side would be a blessing.” We were almost back to the warehouse but traffic was getting worse.

“Damn. Unless you want to be on the News, you might want to duck.” The news media presence around the warehouse had tripled in size. Cat ducked down in her seat as they entered the parking lot. Agent Smith moved the car to where it blocked the last part of the fence. I could see Agatha was still drawing in the parking lot.

~~~~~

The outer rim of the circle was almost complete. I had been drawing runes and writing out incantations for over an hour. Once activated, the circle should hold all the energy and magic inside. Should. Magic had a funny way of escaping when it wanted to. I would need to be very careful. All five of the torches were placed and drawn into the spell. I left a doorway between the elements of Fire and Water. I would fill it in when I was ready to enter. I could only draw the inner circle once I was inside it.

I saw Cat drive up and smiled. She must have gotten Fergus. I would need him in his role as a familiar today.

“Hey, Cat! Did you get him?” I stood up from the ground. My legs were starting to cramp up.

Cat unzipped her backpack and looked inside. A voice could be heard from inside. “Did you leave dirty socks in here on purpose? God, the smell is awful!”

“Fergus, quit your griping. Cat was just trying to help. Come out of there, I need you.” I reached down and picked him up.

I held him up to eye level. “I need you as a familiar today, Fergus. The extra energy you supply will help.”

“What are you trying to do? Since when do you need more power?”

I walked him over to the circle and let him see.

“I need to try to boost my foresight to try to find those girls, Fergus. I created a spell for it...”

“Did you call your Grandmother and ask her for help?”

“No. I’m gonna wing it.”

“Try not to change those nice FBI guys into squirrels before they feed me. I’m looking forward to my salad.” I smiled. Ever the optimist was my Unicorn. Carefully I stepped away from the circle and over to the command center. Nita was standing against the truck watching me.

“Is everything OK?”

“Yeah. Now that I have Fergus, I need to eat something and then I will be ready. I have everything I need. This might get a bit crazy so be warned.”

“We trust you Agatha, just don’t turn us all into Jackasses.”

Laughing I told her I wouldn’t. The cantina truck was parked at a funny angle to block off the news media people. I stepped up to the window and ordered a salad and a sandwich. I wasn’t all that hungry but I soon would be. Magic took a lot out of you.

Fergus got to eat his salad, much to the delight of the other FBI agents. Few of them had seen him before. I finished my sandwich and stretched really thoroughly. This would either work or it wouldn’t. I had to try. Waving at Cat I called her over.