CHAPTER 1

You know it's bad when you're dangling off of a 10-story high building with harsh winds battering your ragged body against the stone. Worse, I was barely half-conscience. My senses were blurred; the only thing I could feel was the sharp pain of being slammed against concrete.

The sun sunk below the horizon, casting an orange light across the edges of concrete and highlighting the terror etched into my features.

My hands slid off the edge of the stone once more, and I tried to tighten my grip. My knuckles trembled with effort. A silent gasp escaped my mouth; I was going to die.

How I'd come from confidently emerging onto the roof for a pleasant breath of air to dangling off the establishment? I have no idea.

Below me, people poured across the pavement, hurrying to their homes or their dull jobs. They had no idea that a young girl was hanging off the edge of a roof above their heads.

I screamed for help. This was mostly useless, as the roaring of the wind drowned out my cries. Something about today's weather seemed vicious. Not just simply an unpleasant bout of gray clouds and a bit of rain, but it was like the winds were targeting me.

Terror sliced through my heart. My heavy work belt and the rapier hanging at my side dragged me down; as if the equipment that often saved my life had now betrayed me and was working with greater forces to end my life instead.

Suddenly a tall dark-haired boy burst free from a small shack that stood on the roof, his eyes widening as he spotted me. He raced over and bent down, grabbing me by my wrists.

The boy hauled me over the edge until I lay there, gasping with shock. I felt dizzy. My legs and hands felt tingly. Solid ground felt odd and unnatural.

"Madeline!" The boy said. "Are you alright?—What just happened?"

"What do you think happened, Toby?" I snapped. The loudness of my voice surprised me. The winds had suddenly stopped, like they were admitting a sour defeat. "I just got dangled off a building!"

Toby frowned. He got to his feet, reaching down as if gesturing to help me up.

I ignored his offer and unsteadily rose off the ground. I immediately regretted this, and swayed on my feet. Toby grabbed me just as I was about to topple over, steadying me once again.

"Let's get you inside," He said. I didn't argue this time, I just let myself lean on him as I limped along to the small shack where the door was.

I was greeted with faces of surprise and confusion as I stumbled through a tall, white-trimmed door. Toby was still supporting me as we slowly walked across the room, settling down between two other associates of ours.

Eliza threw me a bewildered glance. "Maddie! What happened to you?"

"Mrs. Frost!" Our client's outraged voice sounded faintly in the background. I didn't bother to look up. I stared down at my knees. "I expect you to be professional when dealing with matters like this. If you insist on acting like a child, then I shall take my business elsewhere—"

"I'm sorry," My voice was cracked. "I just needed some air—oh, don't be interrupted by me. Go on."

Our client, Mr. Lotterbox, frowned. For the first time, I could clearly make out his features; he was an old man, with grayed hair. Wrinkles indicating his age cascaded down a narrow, triangular face. He was scrawny and tall, and had the humor of a pineapple. Very thin-framed spectacles drooped down to a sharp, hook-like nose, and he paused a moment to fix their posture. He wore an expensive black suit with blue pinstripes.

"As I was saying, before this rude interruption," Mr. Lotterbox said, "My law firm is currently under some unwanted...stress," He hesitated, as if silently pondering how to put his statement in the most dignified fashion. "And before I go on, you must understand that my establishment has never been the site of a dangerous event. We use the best defenses produced by the Sunrise Corporation. Iron is built into every wall and door frame. My staff and other people who harbor their business here wear silver jewelry. Lavender is stuffed on top of every windowsill. I am aware of the dangers in this age."

Toby nodded, his voice tightly polite. "I have no doubts that you're a sensible and responsible man, Mr. Lotterbox. The matter will be dealt with swiftly and silently, I assure you."

The old man continued to be reluctant, but he finally relented. "Several weeks ago, I had a meeting with a woman by the name of Fiona Allingwell. I waited up here, in my office for her. My secretary called up to tell me that Ms. Allingwell was on her way up. I waited almost for another half-hour. Finally, I grew impatient, and marched up to that elevator to see if she was in the lobby or not. I never did make that trip down on that vicious contraption. The doors opened, and Ms. Allingwell was nowhere to be seen. There was only a puddle of blood."

There was a tense silence.

Finally, Toby spoke. His expression gave nothing away except polite interest. "Is this the first disappearance that involves the haunted elevator?"

Mr. Lotterbox only gave a millisecond of hesitation before replying, "Certainly not. I would have had it investigated if there was."

Toby gave a slow nod of understanding. "Of course...is there any other details you would like to inform us of?"

Lotterbox threw a quick, steely glance my way. "None surrounding the actual apparition, but I do have a specific request when you're at work."

"We'd be glad to meet any stipulation."

"Excellent...well, since I am aware of certain unfortunate incidents involving your agency in the field, I request that no magnesium flares may be used. Nor shall any damage come to my firm, or there will be a hefty sum to pay."

More utter, tense silence.

I stared at him. My body was still tingling, my nerves ruffled and senses disorientated, so I was too, well...out of it to feel anything stronger than faint uncertainty towards Mr. Lotterbox's request.

Toby, however, frowned. He stared down at the polished marble flooring, as if a million thoughts were running through his mind; the risk; the possible highly positive outcome; the possibility; the likely failure, and of course, our deaths. That was all on the line when Mr. Lotterbox made his 'specific request'.

Finally, just as Eliza opened her mouth to speak, eyes narrowed and a scowl on her face, Toby interrupted. "We will gladly meet your requests, Mr. Lotterbox. At what time shall we arrive?"

Earlier that day

I stumbled into the house and across the hallway, blurry-eyed and muscles aching. I collapsed on the sofa, feeling the hilt of my rapier jab my side as I did so.

William walked in after me and plopped down on the sofa opposite of me. He took off his work-belt and all the empty pouches fell to the floor.

We had been chasing a Wraith around a shopping center. About an hour after subduing the Wraith, we realized there was also a nasty Phantasm lurking about as well. Not to mention another Wraith that joined in the party soon after.

We weren't the best we had been, to say the least.

I ran my hand through my hair; my fingers brushed against grit and cobwebs that clung to me still.

"That was the most exhausting case I have ever been on," I said, pulling a wad of webs from my hair and shaking them off my arm.

"Yes, well…I suppose we should have researched it a bit." William sat up from the sofa with a wince. "But we did it."

I nodded. "Yeah. Remind me to listen to Eliza when it comes to cases like these," I stood up. "I'm going to go put away all my gear then wash up."

William made no comment. He only gave a nod of faint acknowledgment as I trudged back towards the hall.

I clasped my hand around the staircase, poised to march up the steps, but a dark shape frantically stumbling down the stairs made me hop to the side.

Toby was running down after Eliza, nearly leaping off the staircase to the floor.

I frowned. "What's going on?"

Eliza didn't reply. She simply gawked at me in wide-eyed disbelief. "Maddie! What are you doing? You're a mess! We told you...oh, wait..."

I lifted an eyebrow and stared at her. "Yes, you didn't tell me anything, did you?"

"We got a call," Toby said quickly, "From Mr. John Lotterbox-"

By now, William had heard the sound of feet thumping against steps and had wondered into the dim hallway. "Wait a second-Mr. John Lotterbox? Owner of the huge Lotterbox Lawfirm?"

Toby nodded. "That's him. Apparently, there's been some paranormal activity surrounding the firm. He's arranged an interview-" His gaze flickered from me to William, "With every single member of the Ivywood Lane Agency."

My heart pounded in my chest. My feet felt light and my legs felt numb. "When?" I said quietly.

Toby glanced down at his watch. "In about...thirty minutes."

"I have to wash up," I turned to the stairs, but Eliza stopped me.

"There's not enough time," She glanced over at William. "Fetch a wet washcloth and clean yourself up, okay? Bring one for Maddie, too." By now, she was already pulling long strings of cobwebs and brushing the grit from my hair.

William returned only moments later. He tossed me a damp cloth, and then began to clean himself up.

During all this, Toby escaped towards the door, staring down at his watch and muttering impatiently. "Come on!" He called. "Or we'll be late."

As if backing up his claim, a taxi honked its horn outside our house.

There was no more time for washing up. I threw the cloth down, and ran after Toby and Eliza as we emerged out into the public.

One thing about the Lotterbox Law Firm is that its massive. It was ten-stories high, and its glass walls glittered luxuriously in the sunlight.

A lump formed in my throat. Instantly, I knew that Mr. Lotterbox would be appalled by mine and William's appearance; though we managed to cleanse ourselves of most of the cobwebs and dirt, we still didn't have time to shed our workbelts, and my hair was a frizzy mess.

The cab pulled up and halted near the pavement. Since all four of us were squeezed into it for about twenty minutes, it was a relief to escape.

Adults milled around us, most entering and exiting the firm. They all grunted with disgust (these gestures were mostly aimed at William and I) but resumed their daily business.

I felt so out of place, I wanted to sink into the shadows, fading into invisibility. But I couldn't. I had to hold my chin high, despite my ruffle appearance, and hurry on and ruin my agency's chance at gaining a new case.

Toby paused, gazing at William and I with a slight frown, but then adjusted his coat and gave us a smile. "Right. Let's go-and remember, keep your manners, please."

My first impression of Mr. John Lotterbox was a scornful, humorless, cold business man.

He was tall and lanky, but appeared to be as sturdy as a skeleton. His silver hair was combed carefully, the blue pinstripes running along his black suit providing a soothing contrast.

Mr. Lotterbox greeted us carefully and wearily, his icy-blue eyes narrowed as he viewed William and me. I could tell he was disappointed and slightly taken aback, but mostly he displayed flat annoyance.

I wanted to say, 'Well, sorry if me risking my life fighting off dangerous apparitions to better the lives and safety of the public is irritating, sir.' but of course, that would be verbal suicide.

Soon, we were all settled into a comfortable plush sofa. Mr. Lotterbox sat across from us, his hands folded in his lap, his expression one of skeptical contemplation.

Toby cleared his throat. "Mr. Lotterbox, I don't believe we've had proper introductions-"

Toby's words seemed to have drawn Mr. Lotterbox out of a deep sleep. He jerked awake, eyes gleaming, and nodded. His voice sounded sharp and steely. "Yes, yes, I know all of you already. You're Mr. Toby Gallenhood? Younger than I'd thought. Eliza Sorrem, William Stonegarden," He frowned at him and me, "And Ms. Madeline Frost...pleasure."

Toby hesitated. "Thank you. It's certainly an honor to us."

Mr. Lotterbox swept his gaze around us. The fluctuating pair of eyes swiveled around the four of us, finally focusing on the more distinctive pair. "Though I must say, the state of Ms. Frost and Mr. Stonegarden appears...concerning."

Our leader's eyes flashed with brief alarm, but he just smiled. "I apologize if we may appear ruffled, but my agents were alerted of our meeting on very sudden terms. We are all professional investigators, I assure you."

Mr. Lotterbox snorted. "That's one way of saying that those two are the rowdiest of you," He shifted his hands. "Of course, I would have naturally called one of the larger agencies, such as Fittes or Rotwell. But your agency snagged my attention...now I am beginning to regret it."

I spoke up. "Please, sir," I said through gritted teeth, "We are not unstable. Each of us are prominently skilled and expertly trained to eliminate psychic apparitions."

Mr. Lotterbox frowned at me, and for a few moments, there was nothing except lingering silence. "Very well. But I expect in the future that you will not distract yourself with more minor and irrelevant cases."

My jaw clenched. My hand subtly gripped the fabric of the sofa, and in a tight, careful voice I said, "Excuse me," I smiled weakly. "I think I need a breath of air. Please, don't be interrupted by my disappearance. Carry on."

Mr. John Lotterbox, as I suspected, did not protest. He looked relieved as I rose and walked across the shining marble tiles of Mr. Lotterbox's office, (which was stationed as the fourteenth floor) and then slipped into the dim hallway.

Just as I was about to leave, Toby's voice sounded from the office, calling to me. "Off to the roof?"

I nodded. "Yes. Just need a quick breath. I feel a bit...woozy." That, and our client's blatant and ignorant comments on our appearance had spited me more than enough times. But other than that, there was a strange buzzing in the back of my mind. The buzz grew with each step I took.

"Alright. Be careful."

Then the vision of my colleagues and Mr. Lotterbox seated in the office disappeared, replaced by a dark staircase.

After meeting

After informing us of the psychic paranormal activity circulating around the law firm's 'sinsiter' elevator, Toby spoke a few swift, chilly words and contributed a reassuring smile that landed us a new case.

We were scheduled to arrive at Mr. John Lotterbox's law firm the day after, and had to be there at 5 o'clock, sharp.

Squeezed into a speeding cab with three other people, I reflected on our unbelievable luck. "Why do you think Mr. Lotterbox chose us instead of Fittes or Rotwell?"

"I haven't a clue," Toby said. "But we cannot mess this up, or we might be sitting in a cell for the rest of our lives."

"You sure are cheery," William looked irritated. "Personally, I think that old geezer is being unreasonable. Destruction's apart of the job. He might has well have told us not to bring our rapiers or magnesium flares!"

Eliza nodded. "Yes, a very dim-witted request for such a supposedly genius lawyer."

Our cab driver, a large and hairy man, grunted and slid the clear sound barrier across to shut out our blubbering.

"Speaking of surprising events," Toby began, "What were you doing dangling off the law firm's roof, Madeline?"

Yes, what was I doing? It was a blur. One moment I had carefully escaped up to the roof to get some fresh air, the next I was clinging to that concrete for dear life.

"I don't really remember," I said. "But I'm alive now, and that's what's important, isn't it?"

"Of course," Toby said after moment's hesitation. By the look of him, he wanted more definite answers, but that was all I could give them at the moment.

Our impatient cab driver dropped us off on the sidewalk to lug ourselves over towards the narrow doorway.

We lived in a tall building, not stretching far in width. It was a beautiful house, nonetheless, with Victorian-styled paneling and a wrap-around porch.

There were four floors; the basement, the ground floor with the kitchen, a half-bath, and an office.

There was a spiraling staircase that led to a broad hallway, where all of our rooms were, and two full baths.

The final floor-the attic-provided a place for us to practice swordplay with our rapiers.

The Victorian house had become my home in the recent months.

I think this is a good time to properly explain who I am.

My name is Madeline Frost. I am just above 5'6, with sensibly short brown hair.

How I came to be apart of the Ivywood Lane Agency? My father is a pilot for a well-known airline company, Greenwood Airlines. My mother died when I was at the mere age of two years old, so my father raised me.

He was a kind man, but he was constantly absorbed in his job. I understood that. But I eventually had enough of his distantness and suddenly slipped away and joined this agency.

I still wasn't fully aware of my colleagues. What I could loosely gather about each of them wasn't much.

William Stonegarden, an averaged height boy, about one year older than me. He had regular brown hair, an amusing sense of humor, and as for his back story?

From what I deprived was that his father was a rich, important man, (though I am unsure of his identity) and he was seemingly cruel, so William ran away and somehow ended up here.

Eliza Sorrem, the only other girl on the team, was the same height and age as me, with dirty-blonde hair, has blue eyes, and a round, pretty face.

I knew she had an adult brother, but her parents were collectors of exotic artifacts, so it was a rarity that they were ever in London.

Then there was Toby Gallenhood. He was tall, had black hair, gray eyes, and had slim yet muscular features. He was charming around clients, but other than that, he was completely cold and detached. I knew nothing of his past or family. It was an intriguing mystery, and I often pondered if I'd ever solve it.

"I'll heat up some frozen lasagna, I suppose we're all hungry," William said brightly, giving an energetic skip from the sidewalk to the porch.

"Actually, I'm quite exhausted. I think I'll have a quick shower and then go to bed." I said as the door swung open.

"Not so fast," Eliza stopped me after shutting the door. "You still haven't told us how you ended up nearly dying."

I folded my arms; everyone's gaze was trained on me. "I went to get some air, and then I was suddenly dangling off a building."

"Madeline, if you're hiding anything-" Toby began to speak, but I cut him off impatiently.

"I'm not hiding anything!" I insisted. "If I knew, I'd tell you."

"Maybe you were in a trance," Eliza suggested. "I've heard of Visitors who can do things like that."

"Just stay off building rooves for a while, okay?" Toby said, suddenly looking as impatient as me.

"Okay." I didn't say anything else after that. I slid my rapier from my belt, and placed it in a large pot near the door before brushing past Toby (who was heading over towards the kitchen where William was passing out the lasagna) and then trudged upstairs.

Upstairs was dark and warm. A rush of contentment flowed through my heart. Throughout my childhood I had never stayed in one place for more than two years. But now, my home was here, in Ivywood Lane, London.

I walked past a row of doors, then stopped at the one beside mine. No, it wasn't my room. It was Toby's.

I never had more than a glimpse of his room. It seemed to almost be more of a secret than his past.

Except...I slowly crept a hand towards the black handle. It was more accessible. Perhaps it would hold answers about our distant leader's past.

Suddenly I heard the soft creaking of someone's feet against the floorboards, and made a frantic dart towards the bathroom door.

Toby emerged into the dim light, looking distracted. "Madeline," He greeted me. "Are you okay? After your adventure today?"

I felt a prick of irritation at the note in his voice; it was like a mother scolding her child for wondering off.

I clasped the cold door handle. "If you're thinking I'm stupid or something-"

"Of course not," Toby blinked, shifting his weight slightly as if he was uncomfortable. "But I still don't understand. You can tell me what it was-a Visitor? Something else?"

"I honestly don't know," I held back a sigh of frustration, my hand falling from the handle. "It was a blur. Like I blinked, and then suddenly I was dangling off the building."

Toby nodded slowly, looking like he had finally accepted my answer. "Alright. I'll be off to bed, then."

Just as he was about to slip into the room, I spoke. "Toby?"

He looked up. "Yeah?"

"Thanks for your help, on the roof. I would've died otherwise."

Toby smiled. "You're apart of the team, Maddie. I wouldn't have just left you to fall."

With that, he opened the door and slipped inside. The opening shut quietly a second later, not even offering the slightest suggestion of what lay inside.

I paused. He had called me Maddie. For the first three months of me being here, I'd strictly been Madeline to him. Maybe he was starting to trust me.

I knew it seemed like he trusted me now, but I knew he was still wary of everyone.