Spellbound (59 page)

The roaring and crashing of the demon had been so continuous that its sudden silence froze them all in their tracks. They all turned to look at the now quiet beast. It had stopped mid-rampage, through another of the great marble buildings. Struggling human figures were clutched in its hands, and it had been interrupted before it could shove them into its mouths. The four cavernous eyes narrowed. If something so hideously ugly could be said to have an expression, Sullivan would’ve had to guess that it seemed puzzled.

Then it exploded.

The demon seemed to stretch, bulging like an overinflated tire, and then it simply erupted into a million pieces. Animated flesh was sprayed in every direction, much of it dissipating before it hit the ground. Thousands of gallons of demon ink spilled, like a dam had burst, and it rushed across the ruined Mall, washing the stragglers away, collecting in the craters, and pouring down the cracks.

“I think we found Faye.” Lance said. “Told you.”

The body was destroyed, its spirit banished. The Mall had been transformed into a scene from Hell. Everything was black, either from ash or ink. A pile of dissolving meat was spread over acres. Burning trees and spotlights from the
Lexington
provided just enough light to see the carnage. The air was choked with a stinking toxic haze. A thick plume of smoke stretched upward until it disappeared into the night sky.

The mob had stopped, staring in shocked disbelief at the destruction. Then there arose a ragged cheer. It was the sound of thousands, thankful to live another day. Sullivan knew from experience that after the elation passed, then there would be the anger and grief over the ones that hadn’t been so lucky.

Dan studied the ragged crowd. He was thinking the same thing. “Let’s get out of here before they recall what brought them here in the first place. . . .”

Chapter 23

Dearest Devika. Much time has passed since I have written. I have been consumed by my work. I write this letter in a brief moment of lucidity. I do not know how many more I will have, as they are becoming fewer by the day. Do not let my sons listen to the rumors of what I have become. The rumors are true but they must never know of the evil created by my hand. I was blinded by pride. One does not steal from the Power without paying a price. It is more intelligent than I suspected and it is learning. Though I thought I was using it, I was truly the one being used. Human emotions are not sufficient to describe the Power, but it was not upset when it discovered my theft. My resourcefulness gave it hope. The Power tried to prepare me for a task, but I was unworthy of its gifts. I have failed the test. Now all that remains is the hunger.

—Anand Sivaram,

Personal correspondence,

never posted, discovered in

Paris, France,
1918

Arlington, Virginia

FRANCIS WOKE UP GROGGY
. He was in a small, plain room, completely empty of furnishings except for a wool blanket somebody had wrapped him in. There was no window covering, and from the fuzzy light, he guessed it was just before sunrise. The house was quiet as he took in the humble surroundings. It was a hell of a lot better than a prison cell.

The last thing he remembered was getting shot several times while trying to reach the OCI truck. Everything after that was a blur. Since he was alive, and it didn’t feel like there were any extra holes in him, he could safely assume that he’d gotten to a Healer somehow. Sitting up took some effort. Being Mended would keep you alive, but the soreness had a way of lingering.

“Francis?”

It hurt to turn his head. “Faye?” She had appeared in the middle of the room. Her sudden arrivals no longer startled him like they used to. He started to ask her what had happened, but then he saw the terrible state she was in. Clothing tattered, splattered in dried blood and ink, with scratches on her face, and a hand that was blistered and red, Faye just stood there, wobbling like she was about to collapse. “Faye!” Francis heaved himself to his feet, tossed aside the blanket, and went to her. He caught her as she fell into his arms and gently lowered her to the floor. He brushed the matted hair away from her face. “What’s wrong?”

She pulled his head down and kissed him on the lips. The intensity surprised him. When she finally let go, Faye gave him the saddest smile he’d ever seen on her face. “Nothing’s wrong now.”

When Francis woke up again, strong daylight was beaming through the windows. Hours had passed. The air smelled like smoke and he didn’t know why. Voices could be heard outside. Browning was giving orders. It sounded like it was time to clear out.

He rolled over and reached out, but the blanket was empty. Faye was gone. Not surprising, considering her seemingly boundless energy, she had probably Traveled away to go do something useful or heroic. That was simply how she was, and he loved her for it. Her absence made him sad, but it was good in one way, because things had just become a lot more complicated between the two of them and it would be nice to at least have a chance to think things over before she popped back in.

What was there to think about though? This was Faye . . . She was a force of nature. Francis knew that he was a handsome, talented, sought-after bachelor—not to mention incredibly rich—but here he was . . . wondering what
she
saw in
him
. Funny how things work out sometimes.

His fingers brushed against a piece of paper so he dragged it over. Still flat on his back, he unfolded the note. Faye’s handwriting was horrible, but reading and writing had never been very important in her life before the Grimnoir, so it was to be expected.

Dear Francis

I am real sorry. I have to go away for a while. I learned some things about how come my magic is different from everybody else. There is a curse on me and I do not want to become a monster. I got to figure out what to do about it. There is someone I have to find. Please do not look for me. It is better this way.

Some of the elders were so scared of what I am that they sent Whisper to kill me. From what I know now they were probably right to. But Whisper died to help me instead. She was very brave. I made her a promise so now I have to figure out how to keep it.

Please do not tell the others that I am alive. It is safer that way.

When I thought you were gone I wanted to die inside. I was so scared. No matter what happens I am glad that I found you. I come from nothing and you come from everything but I love you Francis and I want to marry you and be your wife. But first there are monsters outside and monsters inside and I have to figure out how to beat both kinds. More bad things are coming. I know it. And I have to be ready.

I do not know how long I will be gone but I will be back. If I do not come back it is because I messed up and died. If I die I want you to go and be happy without me. So I need you to be brave for me.

Love

Faye

There were soft spots on the paper that were still damp. Francis thought that they might have come from tears.

The bag was removed from his head, revealing that they were in the kitchen of an average home. A large recording device had been set before him. The man who had removed the bag paused to turn on the audio recorder before taking a seat.

The Coordinator of Information, Doctor Bradford Carr, found himself sitting across the table from two dangerous Actives. The Grimnoir had finally decided to interrogate him. Very well . . . He had nothing to hide, and wouldn’t have been able to hide anything from the likes of these anyway. He recognized both of them from the OCI files: Daniel Garrett, former radio celebrity and Mouth, and Pemberly Hammer, former asset of Mr. Crow, a Justice. One could convince him of anything and the other could detect any falsehood.

“So, I take it you intend to make me talk and then murder me?”

“No,” Garrett replied. “Though that would be rather easy. We’re recording this conversation to give to the Bureau of Investigation in order to clear the Grimnoir Society of any wrongdoing. Then you’re free to go. You have my word.”

Carr laughed. “You take me for an imbecile?”

“Not at all. We want the courts to deal with you publicly. It’ll be quite the scandal. The nation needs to know what you were up to. They need to hear the truth. They won’t get that truth if we were to just bury you in a ditch, now would they?”

He looked at the spinning wheels of the recording device with disdain. If the Grimnoir thought that would work, then they were bigger fools that he’d thought. No testimony coerced, nor evidence gathered, through magical means was admissible in any court of law. “Well, Mr. Garrett, Miss Hammer . . .” He was careful to state their names for the record, assuring that the tapes would be thrown out, because after all, how could he, a mere Normal man, resist the persuasions of mind-controlling Actives? He would simply say that he’d been forced to repeat whatever Garrett had wanted him to. “I would be completely unable to resist your magical persuasion anyway, so we may as well continue.”

“Was the OCI involved with the attack on Franklin Roosevelt?”

He did not sense any overt presence in his mind from the Mouth’s magic, but it was certainly there. “Yes.”

“In what capacity?”

It actually felt good to talk about it. “I had Giuseppe Zangara recruited for the task.”

“And?” Hammer prodded.

A half truth wasn’t much better than a lie to a Justice. “One of my men created a spell to augment Zangara’s natural Power and then we provided him with a Grimnoir ring.” Even if an investigator followed up on that, they would never be able to prove anything with Crow gone. “The purpose was to pin the crime on the Grimnoir Society.”

“Why?” Garrett asked.

“I needed an enemy for the people to unite against—an antagonist, if you will. And since you were the types that would stand in the way of magical registration anyway, I could eliminate—”

“No . . .” Garrett held up a hand. “Not about us. Why Roosevelt? Why try to kill him? Isn’t he in favor of registering Actives too?”

Carr laughed. “Of course he is. Registration will happen regardless. Oh, no, Mr. Garrett. Roosevelt had to go simply because I knew he intended to
replace
me! You see, the two of us have never gotten along. Franklin believes in the gradual and incremental increasing of controls over the Active race. I believe that time is of the essence and they must be controlled
now
. Rumor was that he intended to appoint someone else as Coordinator. I certainly did not put that much effort into building my dream only to have it stolen from me. Strike while the iron is hot I say!”

Garrett looked to Hammer. She nodded. Of course he was telling the truth. Garrett’s file had said that he was extremely subtle. Carr was impressed. It actually felt good to get this off of his chest.

“And the demon that tore through Washington?” Hammer asked.

“One of mine that slipped the leash. And a further example of why Actives need to be controlled at all costs.” Carr laughed.

“What’s so funny?”

“I should be saddened by the destruction of my headquarters and the ruination of my plans, but this worked out so much better. Crow’s rampage inspired far more terror in the hearts of the populace than anything I could have dreamed of. I was only trying to convince the Normals, but now Actives themselves will come begging us for protection. It was worth the sacrifice of my research—”

“By research, you mean those poor Actives that you were torturing on Mason Island?”

“Torture?” Carr snorted. “A small price to pay for knowledge. They were science experiments, nothing more.”

“Innocent people, taken from their homes, and carved on, poisoned, manipulated, drugged . . . I’ve seen similar experiments conducted in the Imperium.”

“And the Nipponese are wise to do so! We have entered an arms race. The first nation to fully harness magic to its fullest will rule the world. As long as people like you are running free, squandering your gifts, we will lag behind!”

“So what do you intend to do about it, Doctor?” Hammer asked.

“Me? Nothing. My job is done. The tipping point has been reached. The masses will speak, first with words, then with force. Actives will be regulated, studied, quantified, and organized. You will be commodities, resources, your skills going to where they are most needed for the greater good. Our way of life will be preserved. We will reach for the stars. We will—”

“And for those of us that don’t want to go along?”

“This is America. Everyone has a right to choose—”

Hammer was blunt. “He’s lying.”

“Fine! To the trash bin of history with you! Collect the troublemakers and use them as breeding stock. Take the children born with gifts and raise them to be obedient. The next generation will serve admirably. And for the very worst of the worst, like you”—Carr sneered—“we could learn a thing or two from the Imperium schools.”

The Actives were silent for a very long time. Hammer was unreadable. Garrett seemed angry. Perhaps he’d said too much? But it could not be helped, not with a Mouth pressing his thoughts and a Justice testing his every word.

“What happens next?” Garrett asked.

“Plans have been made. Big plans.”

“Who else knows about these plans?”

The door swung open. “That’ll be enough.” Two tall men in suits entered, then quickly stepped to the side. The Actives looked up, not surprised in the least by the interruption. One of the new arrivals shut off the recording device and deftly wound and removed the tapes. Another man entered the room behind them, and the Coordinator gasped in surprise when he recognized the round face.

“Director Hoover?”

J. Edgar Hoover tipped his hat. “Coordinator Carr . . .”

What was the Director of the Bureau of Investigation doing here? “These people kidnapped me! They’re Actives!”