Mason determined at a very young age that he would become a spy when he got older. As a kid, he was exceptionally smart and had skipped a couple of grades. Now, at thirteen, he'd graduated and was headed, not into a community college, but a full university—he'd already gathered some college credits in high school.
As he stepped out of his nondescript white avalon, he grabbed his computer and notebook and headed into his dorm room. It was hard, being a young kid living among the older adults, but he'd finally made a friend out of his roommate, a sensible mathematician and computer geek.
Raven had played a major role in influencing Mason's choice to study computer security as well as just physical field-work. It made sense that when he was no longer able to go running around chasing after bad guys to have another talent that would make him useful. Besides, Mason realized that he'd have to use technology if he were to be good. And he wanted to be really good at what he did.
As it was, Mason was beginning to learn just how much he still needed to learn. So he immersed himself in his studies both in text books and online learning tools. He and his roommate became a team, helping each other learn new things, ideas, and perspectives. And though he was still ostracized, he found it bearable to keep his grades up and still have a life or as much life as a fifteen-year-old could have, anyway.
It was today, as he headed into his dorm, that he realized it was his sixteenth birthday. Mason shook his head as he laid his computer on the table and opened his notebook. Raven would be there soon enough when his class was over and maybe they'd grab a bite to eat. Looking at his watch, Mason was about to set the timer for an hour's worth of studying. But as he watched, all the numbers turned to eights, and then disappeared.
Frowning, Mason took out the battery and set it on a battery detector. There was still three-quarter's worth of life in the battery. Shrugging, Mason considered that as he got the watch at the age of eight from his father, eight years was a few more than he'd expected it to last. Mason shook his head and went to the microwave to set the timer, and made a mental note to grab another watch later.
Raven came in the door an hour and a half later and set down the two thick books his computer class called for. The noise made Mason wake up from his nap. Looking sheepish, he grinned at his roommate and stretched.
Well look what we have here, Raven said playfully, a sleeping child. He shook his head. What am I going to do with you when you fall asleep on me?
Mason had learned long ago not to take offense when his roommate called him child . But he was mad at himself that he'd fallen asleep. You know how it is, he teased back, when you get all late on me. I get tired. He stood up to punch Raven on the arm then looked at his watch. Seeing the blank face, he moaned and looked at the microwave. I've only been asleep for twenty-seven minutes. If my watch worked, I'd be able to tell you how many seconds.
Shaking his head, Raven asked, What happened to it? At Mason's answer, It got too old. , he chuckled. Come on and let's get you a new watch my treat.
The younger boy looked at his friend. But... Raven held up a hand to stop the objections. No buts. It's your birthday and this is my present to you. I was going to buy you dinner, but it looks like you'll have to pay for yourself. He winked and Mason chuckled. Come on.
They walked outside and as Mason headed to his car, Raven asked, Where do you think you're going? Mason gave him an are-you-dumb look and said, to my car. Where does it look like I'm going?
Raven smiled and shook his head. Not with the gas prices the way they are. Besides, you don't even know where we're headed.
Frowning, Mason went to Raven's car. He had assumed they were going to the mall where there was that nice watch shop and that even better diner. After buckling up, the younger teen noticed his roommate snap a device into the console panel. Mason wyed the thing. It appeared to be exactly one half of one of those new iPads, except even the border was a touch-screen. "What is that thing," he asked his tech-savvy friend.
Raven, who had put his car into gesr and was already driving, glanced down at the thing that currently displayed a navigator's map. "What-that?" At Mason's nod, Raven grinned. "I call that thing my All-In-One. It's saved my life quite a few times." He muttered, "And the world, too," but Mason heard him and laughed.
Before either of them could think of things to say to start a banter with, Raven had pulled up to a brick building. 'Emil's Baze Craze' was written on a sign above the door. The only window was tinted a dark black. Mason cocked his head, thinking that the building looked to be someone's home.
It took a moment for Mason to realize he was supposed to get out and follow Raven, who had just knocked on the door. He quickly caught up with the older boy. Said older boy had stooped to "tie his shoe," mumbling under his breath in such an odd accent that Mason couldn't make out what he was saying. 'What the heck,' thought Mason to himself, but he wasn't going to tell his one good friend that it was crazy to be talking to objects. 'Oh, well... I'll
just file that away that thout for later.
When the door opened, it was to a view of a high-tech... store... that was such a contrast to the brick home-like facade. Mason had to glance at the front of the building before going in, just to make sure he wasn't imagining things.
"Hey, Emile, Emily. This is Mason. Mason, meet the Twins. How's it hanging?"
A bit taken aback, Mason shook each of their hands in turn. Since when did his almost-uptight, sensible, gramatically-correct friend use slang? "It's nice to meet you both," he said before taking a look around. The place *was* a store, with items categorically grouped. But it had a very wide rang of products. There was anywhere between technical stuff; rennaissance items; board games; appliances that were old-fashioned, modern, and futuristic; furniture; sculptures, paintings, books; hardware, and more. Mason could have sworn that the building was small. However, each step took him further sand impossibly further in.
"Yo, Mace, get yourself over here!"
"My name is Mason," he called out irritably, for he could have spent all day just looking at everything. As he rejoined the other three, he heard Emily say, "Timepeices are this way." About to ask why she called them 'timepeices', he turneda corner, and the reason was apparant. Clocks of every form and any way you wanted them lined shelves along both sides of the aisle that extended seemingly forever in the direction in front of him.
Smirking, Raven placed his hand on Mason's shoulder. "Pick out any one you want, and take your time-we have all day.
Emile added, "Feel free to pick things up and handle them. Nothing here's going to bite you, unlesshou want it to." 'Heck, no,' thought Mason. Enile continued, rolling a cart Mason's way, "You can put the ones that interest you onto here, for comparison."
The three of them withdrew to talk while Mason's eyes roved the shelves, taking everything in. There were a few cool gadgets, some neat timepeices, and weird-looking watches with colored lights in different patterns-even binary watches. Most of them were cool, and he put them on the rolling cart for a later look-and-narrowing-down of the choices. Wrist watches were his majority considering factor, but there were pocket watches that he was looking at as well.
But the thought of any other watch flew from his mind the moment he laid eyes on a spy set. Mason whistled. It had an advanced watch, sweet shades with built in buttons on both sides, an ear piece that had an attached mouth piece that extended, a working pen with a laser and light combo, a notepad, and a few other things. Mason picked up the box. It was heavy, and everything was, without a doubt, state-of-the-art quality.
With great reluctance, Mason made himself put the box back on the shelf. The spy set must cost a fortune. There were a few other spy sets, but nothing so great as that first one.
Remembering that Raven had taken him to get a new watch, Mason shook his head and looked further along the aisle. What was left were grandfather clocks, cookoo clocks, wall clocks, alarm clocks, standing clock, and other big clocks that weren't for personal portability.
Shrugging, Mason headed back to the beginning of the row so he could put back the watches as he narrowed down the pile. As if thinking about his friend summoned him over, Raven came up beside Mason. By this time, he'd already put three or four watches back, and jumped as he felt his roommate's hand on his shoulder.
"What's this," asked Raven, picking up a rather-larger-than-a-watch object from the bottom of the cart.
Mason turned to his friend who held up *that thing*. Some noise came out of his throat as he turned back to sorting the watches. Red was his favorite color, so the glow in the dark sports watch with timer and stop watch appealed to him-and it was water-proof. It might go against him, however, when he applied for a job in few years, as some employers were picky about what applicants wore to interviews. The sterling silver might be more appropriate, but it looked like it might cost pretty penny.
"I think you should get this." Raven's voice cut into Mason's mental chatter. At first, the younger boy thought his friend was talking about the silver watch, until he heard, "it's perfect. I mean, you want to get into the business, and this has just the tools you would need to use as a spy. Well, not all, of course, but it'll get you started.
'No way,' Mason thought once again. "Really," he asked, trying not to get his hopes up or let his emotions show in his voice.
"Yeah. Come on," Raven said, leading the wayback to the beginning of the store. After briskly speaking to Emile and Emily in that language that Mason could almost, but not quite, understand, Raven grinned and told Mason, "Why don't you go out and wait for me in the car?" Mason pouted, figuring that Raven didn't want him to know the cost of the spy set, but did as he was told.
It took quite a few minutes for Raven to come out of the building, the box unwrapped beneath his arm. In the meantime, Mason lightly touched the face os his roommate's 'all in one' gadget. "Unauthorized entry," he heard a mechanical, robotic voice speak out. "Fascinating." Mason was going to ask Raven how it worked , and where he could get one.
"Finally," Mason exclaimed, rolling his eyes when Raven got inthe car. "I was beginning to wonder if you were going to bein there all day." Mason waggled his eyebrows at his friend.
"Hey," Raven quipped back, "I told you I had all day."
"Well, I don't," Mason pretended to sulk. "I'm hungry." Just then, his belly growled. "See? my belly agrees with me!"
"Hmm. What are you in the mood for, Mason?"
"I could eat anything." Seeing the look on Raven's face, Mason said, "Maybe not *anything,* exactly." The younger boy thought about what he wanted. "I'm in the mood for chinese."
"Again," Raven teased, then at Mason's sheepish look, continued, "I was only joking! Oh, by the way, the Twins said the spy set wasn't in their inventory. Someone paid it to them for someother item. I do enough business with themthat they let me take it." While that wasn't exactly the whole story, but it *was* the truth. And as a wizard, Raven knew the power words had, so he didn' lie. "That being said," Raven handed the spy set to his roommate, " I'll be paying for dinner.
Obviously, Mason was stunned. "But won't they get in trouble?"
"Nope, Raven replied. "They own the place. It's kind of like a family business."
Masondidn't miss the phrase 'kind of.' "They're not... Mafia, are they?" .he so did not want to get in trouble if the set's RFID tag was being tracked, and the FBI blew down his door or something.
Raven burst out laughing. "Uh, no. They're good guys and are on the right side of the law."
"Good." Mason breathed out the breath he didn't realize he was holding. Then something ocurred to him. "Um, Raven? Were you watching me look at all the watches and timepeices?"
"Yes," Raven said, grinning. "You were cute."
"Thanks, I think." Mason wasn't sure of that was a compliment or not, but he let it gi, for now. "Umm," Mason began, "I feel bad that you went back and got it after i was done looking at it."
*Hunh?* "I didn't," was all Raven could think to say.
"I could have sworn i put it back," muttered Mason. The boy looked so confused.
Parked in the lot of a high-end chinese restaurant, Raven turned to look at the spy set in Mason's lap. Well, more like, clutched to Mason's chest. If what he was thinking were correct, it would definitely make sense. the set seemed to give off some tangible aura, as if it were more aware than other objects. He'd have to check in a day or two.
Mason must have seen Raven staring at his prize, because he said, "It's not like I'm not gratedul, because I am. I just wanted this so much-had to have it, really-that i didn't want to be disappointed if you wouldn't get it for me. It's really expensive. Did you knoow it's made by the Wardens? I was going to look this up online, and see how much they wanted for this Ultiute."
"Well, now you don't have to worry about this one slipping through your fingers. Come on, let's get us some chow."
Mason reached into the back and dumped his school stuff out of his bookbag, then stuffed the box in. It fit, barely. "Coming," he told his friend.
Raven shook his head. If that wasn't a manual, he'd eat a sheet of paper. Thinking back to when he got his, in the form of a car navigator, Raven realized he acted much the same way. Luckally, Nita's sister's manual, which was a more-or-less-sentient personal computer, paved the way for acceptance of different forms of wizarding manuals than just paper books.