Sorceress, Interrupted - By A. J. Menden Page 0,55
decide what to do next,” Wesley said. “And a number of criminal teams have sprung up to take advantage of the chaos.”
“We’ve got to go,” Lainey said, rising and pulling Toby along with her. “There’s a big mess downtown.”
She handed Emily off to Paul. The child whined but settled back down for her father, who came to collect her. “Be careful,” he said, pulling Lainey down for a kiss. I looked away so the display of affection wouldn’t burn my eyes.
“Always am,” Lainey said with a smile.
Toby tossed Paul his cell phone. “Forrest is going to be calling as soon as he knows what the government is planning.”
“Probably just going to pay the bastards off,” Wesley muttered.
“You’ve got to admit, it’s a good con,” Cyrus said. “Simple, direct . . . Get everyone into a state of panic by threatening to drive practically everyone mad, then offer to make it all go away for money. What’s five trillion bucks these days?”
I nodded. “Except, whoever’s working with this person will turn around and make people insane anyway.”
“Oh, of course,” Cyrus agreed. “That’s a given.” His eyes met mine for a moment and we shared a look of common understanding. We who have played for the wrong side of the law know something that heroes always have to learn the hard way: bad people just don’t fight fair.
“So, what did you find out?” Wesley asked, turning to face me. He looked tired. “Something brought you back here.”
I nodded. “I think I know who this organization is—the one this person’s helping.” I gestured to the now-blank computer screen. “You’re going to love it.”
Wesley frowned. “The Cult of the Dragon.”
“Yup. You know it. I was attacked by a group of them.”
“Someone attacked you?” Cyrus spoke up. Was it my imagination, or did he look concerned?
“They were able to attack you at your bar?” Wesley asked.
I shook my head. “No. A friend of mine contacted me, asked me to come to his place. Said he knew who was behind these attacks. He didn’t want to come to me because the culprit was supposedly someone I know, someone who hangs out at my bar. But—wouldn’t you know it—by the time I got to him he was dead. That was when the Dragon’s cronies attacked.”
“You’re lucky they didn’t drain you,” Wesley said.
“My bad-ass reputation scared them off,” I joked. “As soon as they heard who I was, they scattered to the four winds.”
I was hoping for a reaction, but Wesley just nodded, lost in thought and forgetting about the rest of us. “So, what are they doing it for?” he murmured.
“You heard yourself: it’s not all for one thing. Whoever’s casting the spells is in it for money,” I said. “The Dragon’s people are in it for something else entirely. I figure they want to bring back the Ancient Ones.”
Wesley scoffed. “There’s no way they can. Even if they do get all of the energy from 50 percent of the world’s population, it’s still not going to be enough to open that portal.”
“Only the Dragon can, and only at the appointed time?” I said.
Wesley shook his head. “No. Only Emily can, only at the appointed time. That was the point of the Dragon’s spell. He can’t open the portal directly, just like he couldn’t cast the magic directly. He can only influence.” He looked down at Emily, who was sitting happily on his lap. She had no idea we were talking about her destiny.
“So they’re wasting their time?” Cyrus said.
“No.” I shook my head, coming to a sudden realization. “I made a mistake. The woman said they weren’t trying to get the Ancient Ones, but I didn’t believe her. I do now. They’re not trying to get the Ancient Ones out.”
Wesley eyed me, realizing the same thing. “No. They’re trying to get the Dragon out.”
“Can they do that?” Cyrus asked.
Wesley shrugged. “It’s possible. I put him away, but someone with enough power could breach the DarkLands wards and free him. That’s why they’re amassing the power: a giant jailbreak.”
We all let that information sink in.
“So.” I surveyed the two of them. “What’s next?”
“We’ve got to find Hacker’s location,” Wesley said. “Stop him before he or she or anyone else can use that magic and willpower they’re draining to open the door for the Dragon.”
“Wait. Hacker? Is that what this person’s calling him or herself, or what you’re calling them?”
“That’s the name they used in the broadcast,” Cyrus said.
I sniffed. “Even I know how completely unoriginal that is.”