Chapter 1: Genetics aren't so bad, after all

Los Angeles, 2049

Nathan Wallace can be a patient man. Careful, deliberate, precise, all the qualities needed in a profession such as his. Today, though, in the presence of the strange woman who appeared at the gate of his home, it took all of his willpower not to twitch, and to keep his anger in check.

"You must have the wrong house." He insists once again.

"I assure you I am not. Shilo Wallace is listed as having this address and you have already acknowledged yourself as 'Mr. Wallace'. Clearly I am exactly where I mean to be."

Nathan grit his teeth at the woman's assurity. Nevertheless, he held firm. "What's this about?"

"I will explain my business once your daughter is present, Mr. Wallace."

They went back and forth for another few minutes. Nathan, trying to convince the woman that Shilo was too sick to see anyone. The woman, insisting that she speak to Shilo with or without his presence, and that she had the authority to do so. Nathan couldn't figure the woman out. The only person with true authority over his life was Rotti, but he's never seen this woman at GeneCo before. Eventually, after much posturing on both of their ends, Nathan relented and fetched his daughter. With any hope, whatever Rotti was planning wouldn't put any more strain on him and his family.

Magic.

Of all of the things he had expected, it wasn't this.

The strange woman, no - witch -, who had come to his house had just turned a flower vase into a mouse and back again, all with a flick of a wand. His daughter, his Marni's precious babe, supposedly had the potential for this same, strange ability. Shilo, his sweet eleven year old girl, had become so excitable that her blood pressure spiked, requiring another dose of medication. The witch had observed the exchange with little comment, other than to retrieve a glass of water at the swish of her wand for Shilo to use for her medicine. Still… even after the episode, Shilo seemed delighted by the idea.

"Out of the question." He said immediately, even before Shilo had opened her letter. She pouted and begged, but he couldn't allow for this sudden revelation to take place. Even the woman, a teacher at this Ilvermorny School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, went at odds with him. He gave his reasons with all of the logic and authority he could muster. Her condition, her ill-knowledge of the outside world and it's dangers, the continuing NOS epidemic, any one of those should have been good enough. Yet the vile woman had scoffed at it all. She claimed that magical people were virtually immune to NOS since 'potions masters' had found a cure that conveniently only work on magical people and that plenty of home-schooled children have adjusted and thrived well at the school. Worse than all of that, she claimed that a potion could be created to cure his daughter.

Nathan had been shaking with rage at that point. Yet… what could he say? He couldn't tell the truth. He certainly couldn't deny his daughter a chance for a cure to her face and then act like this was all one big dream. Sure, with the right drugs, perhaps it could fade from her memory… but what if the woman became suspicious? What if she simply 'magicked' her way into the house and took Shilo away for good? He couldn't allow that, couldn't bear to lose the only thing left of his precious Marni.

...so what could he do, but consent?

By the time the witch left his home, his little girl was thrilled. Her eyes, her mother's eyes, were overflowing with tears of joy. He hated it. He loved… he loves her, but, god, how will he go on without her here?