Chapter Three: Connect

Author's Note: I had not realized just how short "Capture the Flag?" was until I went to post it today and this site popped up a grand total of about 500 words. Usually, I try to have at least 1k words per chapter. In light of that, I am posting this chapter today (December 2nd, 2016), instead of making you all wait until next Tuesday. If you read "Capture the Flag?" between when I posted it and when this was posted, you're good...but if you're just joining us and you don't recognize the chapter title I referenced, I suggest you back up one chapter, read that, and then read this chapter.

Please don't get used to double postings unless it's a new story with a prologue...this is probably one of the few stories with a chapter that's less than 1k words.


Team One assembled in the farmhouse on the abandoned property. Spike and Lou had hidden their flag in the barn, under a few of the still sturdy floorboards. By mutual agreement, Team One had vacated the barn and left no protection for the flag beyond a few carefully hidden cameras. Spike was setting up his computer equipment as Sarge blocked off as many entrances into their 'home base' as he could. Jules and Lou had already headed out into the forest surrounding the small farmhouse, cameras and weapons in tow. Sam, Wordy, and Ed had also gone into the forest and were setting up several more cameras to cover as much ground as possible. Although it was possible the Aurors would short the cameras out, they'd have to find the cameras first. All of the cameras were thermal instead of the usual cameras Team One deployed. Lance and Alanna had wasted no time in informing their uncle of the various ways a wizard could hide and sneak about unnoticed. Every member of the team was also equipped with a thermal scanner and GPS tracker in case a captured team member was taken to the Auror 'home base'. Greg surveyed his efforts and decided it would have to do. He returned to Spike and peered over the tech's shoulder, examining the camera angles his team had set up thus far.

Satisfied, the Sergeant began to hand out assignments. "Jules, you're Sierra One," Greg announced. "Sam, you're Sierra Two."

"Copy," both replied.

"Eddie, if Spike and I get taken out, you have command."

"You got it, Boss," Ed confirmed. Technically, the order wasn't necessary since Ed was Team Leader, but Greg was currently operating on his 'cover all the bases' mode.

"Spike, how are we doing with the cameras?"

"So far we got nothing, Sarge," Spike reported. "It's early yet, though. Lou and Jules put all of their cameras out. Sam, Wordy, and Ed are about half done."

"Copy."

Silence hung in the command center as the rest of the team continued setting up cameras and scouting. Greg and Locksley had ended up flipping a coin over who got the farmhouse. Greg had lost, but Team One was determined to make the farmhouse work for them, even if it was basically a sitting duck for any of the magicals. Spike clicked away at the keys as Greg stayed alert and on the move. They'd needed all the cameras to cover the forest and barn, so the 'home base' had no thermal camera coverage.

"Quiet," Wordy observed over the comm.

"Yeah, too quiet," Sam agreed. "Magic makes sneaking around a lot easier, so keep your guard up everyone."

Greg nodded absently. "Jules, Lou?"

"Nothing so far, Sarge," Jules reported. "I bet they headed for that area of heavy brush and small cliffs."

"What, they'd figure we couldn't make it down a cliff?" Wordy asked incredulously.

"Wouldn't be the first time they underestimated us, Wordy," Jules pointed out.

"Okay, Jules, see what you can find," Greg decided.

"Copy that."

Silence draped the comm again as the team kept moving. Ed, Sam, and Wordy finished setting up their cameras and Spike hooked them all into the network. He grinned as he surveyed the data. Although the team had come with enough battery packs to keep the laptop going all day, it had turned out that the farmhouse still had power outlets and, to the shock of Team One, working electricity. Spike had thus gone a step farther than he'd previously planned and started seeing what he could find out about the Aurors tech-side. Odds were that the Aurors' records were exclusively in the magical world, but profiling was part of how Team One typically operated.

"Anything?" Greg asked, curious to see if Spike's gambit would pan out.

"Nada," Spike sighed, disappointed. "Looks like Toronto's more like Britain than we thought, Sarge. None of these guys are tech-born."

"So they're all purebloods?"

"Looks like it, Sarge." Spike looked up, arching a brow at Greg's wry grin. "What?"

"Well, if they're all purebloods, they don't have the first clue about how we operate or how the tech world works. Remember how much the kids didn't know?"

"Sure I do…" Spike trailed off as his eyes went wide. "That bad?"

"That bad," Sam confirmed over the comm. "Maybe even worse, Spike. From what Alanna told me, she and Lance did a pretty good job of rolling with the punches. Adult purebloods have spent their whole lives in the magical world. Most of them couldn't live without magic if their lives depended on it." Spike whistled, but Sam wasn't done. "Frankly, Sarge, I think you guys rolled with the punches just as well. When the General told Mom about magic, she freaked big time. She's afraid of it, guys. Probably a good thing my sisters and I never showed so much as an ounce of magic."

Greg shook his head, sorrowful at the idea that Sam would have been rejected by his own parents if he'd had magic. Wordy spoke before he could. "I hear you Sam, but I don't get it. How could a parent be afraid of their children's talents? Shelley and I talked after we found out and we've already decided that if any of the girls have magic, we're behind them one hundred percent."

"Count the rest of us in too," Jules called.

"Okay, team, let's keep our heads in the game," Greg rebuked lightly as he brought them back on task.

"You got it," Sam agreed. Before anyone else could acknowledge there was a crack over the comms and Sam let out a yell.

"Sam!" Ed called.

"Contact, contact," Sam panted. "Guys, get over here!"

Greg's gaze darted to the camera views and Spike pointed to one of the many windows open on the laptop's screen. Sam was dodging like a crazy man as a robed figure flung spell after spell in the rookie's direction. Over the comm, they heard Sam hurling insults at his attacker. He'd obviously lost his sidearm in the first desperate scramble to avoid being hit.

"What's the matter?" Sam taunted as he ducked behind a tree. "Can't you hit a moving target?"

Whatever the robed figure said in reply wasn't audible over the comm or the camera but the wizard doubled his casting speed, clearly trying to wear Sam down through attrition. Another crack rang out making Greg tense a moment, but onscreen the robed figure fell.

"Subject down," Ed reported, sounded satisfied.

"Good work, Ed," Greg started to reply before the hairs on the back of his neck stood on end. He shoved Spike in one direction and flung himself in the other as a spell flew between the two. It hit close enough to Spike that the tech yelped and slumped to the floor. Greg scrambled for his sidearm as the wizard leered at him.

"So much for Muggle technology," the wizard drawled, sneering at Greg's attempt to draw his weapon. Before it could clear the holster, the wizard cast Expelliarmus (1) and sent the gun flying into the nearby table. The Auror twirled his wand lazily, clearly intending to gloat over his victim. Greg cast him a glare, refusing to back down even as he judged the distance to his sidearm. Before the SRU Sergeant could move, an arm wrapped around the Auror from behind. The Auror gasped, struggling against his opponent and trying to aim his wand at his attacker. After a few seconds, the Auror sagged and was immediately released. Spike grinned at his Sergeant as he caught the unconscious Auror. He sported a cut on his forehead and a bruise was already showing on his cheek but he was up and clearly still in the game.

Greg huffed a sigh of relief. "Good work, Spike." The two frisked their prisoner and cuffed him after removing all of his magical toys. They looked up as Sam, Wordy, and Ed barged into the room, weapons raised. The new arrivals gaped at Greg and Spike, then chuckled with relief. Wordy departed briefly, returning with the Auror Sam had confronted.

"Two down," Spike crowed.

"Don't get cocky, Spike," Sam warned, though he smiled too. "We're just getting started."

Spike shrugged. "I bet they didn't think we'd even get one of them, much less two."

"No bet," Wordy retorted.

"Okay, team," Greg interceded. "We've got two of our subjects contained. Let's go get the rest, shall we?"

"You got it, Boss," Ed agreed. "Let's move out people."


[1] Combination of two Latin words: 'to expel weapon'