Chapter Seven: Who's Protecting Who?
Donna Sabine had joined the SRU during a period of upheaval in Team Three's roster; their Sergeant had moved to Team Four and a week after they'd gotten a new Sergeant, two of the remaining team members had been injured, one in a hot call and the other in a car accident. The hot call injury had been forced into a career change, but the car accident had recovered and gotten back to work after about a month of recovery.
Solid, steady, and more than ready for a change of pace from her former posting in the narcotics division, Donna had fit right into the gap left in Team Three, rising fast to become the new Team Leader and earning a respect she'd felt was elusive during her undercover work. The newest SRU team leader wore her darkish blond hair long and in a simple ponytail. The ponytail was tight enough that only a few strands of hair could escape to frame her tanned face with her blue-gray eyes and a friendly, if serious expression.
The constable was just heading to ask Winnie if Team Three had any warrants to serve during their shift when she spotted a cat in the station, running as fast as it could towards Winnie's desk. Donna shifted her direction and swept the cat up, cooing at the mostly brown and tan animal in her arms. Very pale, almost white ears laid back and the cat hissed, swiping at her; Donna bit back a yelp of surprise as the swipe drew blood and she lost her grip on the cat. The cat twisted as it fell, landing on its feet and resuming its race for Winnie's desk.
"Hey, you," Donna called, hurrying after the cat and trying to catch it. "No cats in the station."
The cat didn't even look up and Donna chided herself for talking to an animal like it could understand her. Winnie looked up from her computer as cat and constable skidded around her desk, the cat just a step ahead of the constable. "Donna?"
"There's a cat in here, Winnie. Be careful, it's got really sharp claws," Donna called, ducking and trying one last time to scoop the cat up. The cat dodged and scurried beneath Winnie's desk, slinking under the desk to reach Winnie.
Winnie blinked at that, looking down at the cat, who slipped out from under the desk and hurried to her, both front paws coming up and resting on her leg; large blue eyes looked up at hers and the cat squeaked and whimpered at her. "Well, hi there," Winnie remarked, leaning over and stroking the cat's head. "Where'd you come from, you little sweetie-pie?"
The cat stopped whimpering, staring at her with what looked like disbelief in its eyes. Abruptly, it drew back, clawing at a collar Winnie hadn't even noticed until just then. The cat growled as it wrestled with the collar and Winnie frowned; if the cat kept up, it might hurt itself.
"Hey, there, stop that," she scolded, reaching for the cat. "Here, I'll get that off, okay?"
Afterwards, Winnie wasn't sure just how it happened, but the cat managed to get one paw positioned just so and swiped that paw outwards; the collar gave with a snap. Right before the dispatcher and Donna's eyes, the cat became a gryphon, just as blue-eyed, with just as many shades of brown and tan, and with just as much desperation in his yowl.
Donna jumped a foot at the sight and the yowl; when Winnie glanced up, Donna was gaping even more than she was. It took a few seconds, but Winnie put the pieces together and her head snapped in the other direction, as if she could see the closed door of the briefing room through the countertop and her computer screen. The dispatcher swung back to the gryphon, her voice sharp as she ordered, "Shift back now, Lance."
She felt Donna's incredulous gaze on her, but kept her focus on the cub. That feathered tail curled up and then the gryphon blurred, a four-year-old appearing in his place. "Winnie, mean Mummy woman is here!"
Winnie stiffened in alarm, rightly suspecting that Lance was referring to the woman who'd kidnapped him out of his uncle's burning car. "Where?"
Lance cocked his head, then pointed at the briefing room. Just where Winnie didn't want him to point, but no point arguing now. "She wants me back, Winnie; don't let her hurt Uncle," the little boy begged.
"What the heck is going on here?" Donna demanded loudly, her eyes snapping between Lance and Winnie; anger was replacing shock.
Winnie sighed heavily; there was no time, but Donna wasn't the type to walk away without an explanation. "Apparently, the woman who kidnapped Lance escaped from custody and came here searching for Sergeant Parker." Lance nodded vigorous agreement. "And Lance has just confirmed that she's in the briefing room, with Team One."
"They can handle one woman," Donna countered, though her expression wasn't quite as certain as her voice or tone; Winnie noticed Donna looking from the little boy to the briefing room and back, as though she was beginning to put the pieces together.
"Two," Lance piped up.
"Two?" Winnie echoed, giving the little boy a demanding look.
"Cold woman is here, too. She mad because Uncle and the other grown-ups are Aurors. And because Uncle isn't magic and I'm pureblood."
Two. Two witches, who'd probably caught Team One off guard and without their usual gear. "I'm calling Roy and Giles, right now," Winnie decided, reaching for her phone. "You," she added in Lance's direction. "Are going to stay right here or your Uncle will have my badge, understand?"
"Team Three is here," Donna argued, straightening to attention with the light of challenge in her eyes. "If Team One is in trouble, then we can help them."
Winnie shook her head, even as her call was answered with a brisk, "Detective Onasi speaking."
"Giles, the woman who took Lance, she escaped; she's here with at least one other woman and they've got Team One cornered in the briefing room," Winnie reported swiftly. "We need immediate backup."
Giles swore, viciously and in what sounded like more than one language. "I'm about to go onstage for a bloody press conference about Parker being Heir Calvin's guardian," he growled. "I can try to get out of it, but it will be half an hour at the earliest."
"I don't think Team One has half an hour," Winnie whispered, her face going pale and her eyes shifting unconsciously up to Donna's horrified gaze.
"Winnie, if I duck out now, the press will demand that Lance be given back to the Smiths; they won't care that I left to help fellow Aurors, all they care about is getting a good story and 'securing' the 'well-being' of a pureblood Heir," Giles grated out, anguish in every last word. "I'm sorry, but I can't ditch this conference."
Winnie's jaw clenched as she looked down at the little boy standing next to her. "Fine, we'll handle it ourselves," she shot back and hung up before Giles could say anything else. The dispatcher stood up, reaching for her sidearm. "Donna, stay here," she ordered, a determined glint in her eyes. "I'll distract those two long enough for Team One to get to their weapons."
"No," Donna refused grimly. "You stay with the kid and I'll get Team Three. Magic or no magic, they can't take us all out at once and we're already suited up." At Winnie's startled look, Donna shrugged. "We were going to go out on patrol if you didn't have any warrants." The constable turned towards the briefing room, keying her radio. "Team Three, hot call; two subjects have got Team One pinned in the briefing room."
"Say again?" her teammate Jimmy asked. "How'd two subjects get the drop on Team One?"
"That's something I intend to find out once this is over," Donna promised. "Now get up here; we don't have much time."
He knew he was supposed to keep magic secret, but he had to get Winnie to help Uncle! So he tore through baby sister's runic bracelet and let both Winnie and the blonde woman see his true form. Winnie understood immediately; he felt foolish when she had to remind him to shift back. How had he expected to get help for Uncle in his form? Humans couldn't understand him unless he was human.
Then Winnie called Giles, but Giles refused to come; Lance didn't understand, why was the press more important than helping Uncle? He did understand Winnie's anger at Giles; Giles was being silly and didn't he understand that mean Mummy woman wanted Uncle dead? But then the blonde woman refused to let Winnie go and help Uncle; Lance pouted until the blonde woman called her team for help. Sapphire peeked up; was her team like Uncle's team? It seemed so and his magic hummed in satisfaction, as if things were going right and Uncle would be safe soon.
Then his hearing picked up a sound from the big room. No, not just a sound, a shriek of outrage and frustration…and he knew…he knew there was no time; if he didn't do something, then Uncle wouldn't come home ever again. Lance clenched his fists so hard he felt a touch of blood and pain sting him.
Never again…I won't lose anyone else!
With a yowl of challenge, he blurred and sprang upwards, his wings sweeping out and catching the air as he flew towards the big room, his magic blazing around him. He was hardly aware of Winnie and the blonde woman crying out for him to stop, to come back. Hardly aware of the blonde woman's team racing in, only to skid to a halt as they saw him fly for the big room at top speed.
The door and the panels of the big room suddenly opened and he twisted to the side, darting into the room, diving down, and hurling himself straight at Uncle; Uncle was against the wall, alone and unprotected, as mean Mummy woman leveled her wand at Uncle, a furious, manic glint in her eyes.
"If you won't tell me where Daniel is, I'll find him myself!" mean Mummy woman screeched. "Confringo!"
Illishar landed on Uncle's chest, wings outspread and fierce golden eyes meeting horrified brown. Then the spell struck and the world turned white.