Author's Note:
Why I have been away: My mother has been very sick. I am unable to continue grad school due to some complicated reasons relating to my mother's illness. I have not felt like writing in a while.
Please be patient with me. I have not written anything this long in months. My life is busier than ever. I have no idea how often I will be updating this story though I do feel I can write another chapter quickly. I never forgot about this story, I just needed to figure some points out.
Chapter 6:
The door to Clara Rose's office had been blown apart and agents were milling around, not sure what to do. Reid pushed them aside to get inside and was horrified by what he saw.
Her office appeared to not have been adorned with any personal effects aside from what looked like a vase of sunflowers that now lay in pieces. But the most disturbing part was the ruins of desk. What must have been a pile of files had been burned to shreds and scattered across the floor in front of her overturned desk. Reid noted that in front of her torched chair, there was a collection of jewelry. The jewelry she could have used to defend herself but could also have been used against her. This suggested to Reid that she had sensed the abduction and managed to remove anything that could be used for torture.
The Weise twins crept up next to him. "What the heck happened here?" one of them said.
"The Order of the Fisher King," Reid said trying to sound calm.
A younger female agent bravely pushed forward. "Agent Reid was Guardian Rose killed?" she asked, sounding as though she was on the verge of tears.
"No," Reid said as assuredly as he could, "this was abduction via combustion spelled designed for shock value for those left behind."
He took another look around the office. He could analyze the blast pattern to determine which spell was used but that would have been a waste of time. They needed to find Guardian Rose. Reid pulled an empty velvet pouch from his bag and carefully scooped Rose's jewelry into it.
He turned the agents staring at him. "Who is Guardian's Rose's deputy?"
The group of agents shook their heads uncertainly. One raised his hand slightly. "Only Guardian Coyle is allowed to appoint deputies. Guardian Rose put in a request to have one appointed months ago but Coyle hasn't been seen in at least six weeks."
"Then does anyone have any means of contacting him?" Reid asked growing agitated.
More heads shook and the same female agent who went into the office stepped forward. "Sir, you are technically the most senior agent here. Chain of command dictates that you are the one in charge right now. I think guardian Coyle has some way of knowing that Guardian Rose is missing but I am not sure he will be back in time," she said as her voice cracked.
Never comfortable with the sort of situation Reid patted the young woman on the shoulder. "Don't worry," he said gently. "We'll find her."
Reid looked up to Greg and Fritz Weis. "You two, come with me to the map room."
…
"You know this whole situation has 'trap' written all over it in three different languages," Fritz said.
Reid ignored him. "Someone from the order planted verses from the poem 'Lady of Shallot' in my head right before Guardian Rose was abducted. We should trace her location to one of the water curves on the map as it is about a tower and a river."
Greg examined the main map. "I don't there could be anything here that would match that description," he said.
Reid was rummaging through his bag and found his compass. "That doesn't matter. It can be magic and no one would notice given the amount of power placed in this scenario to work."
He placed one of Rose's rings on the compass and it began to spin. Reid muttered a spell and the compass positioned itself on the map and seconds later the arrow shot straight to a dot on the map. Reid tapped the dot twice and a file emerged from one of the cabinets.
He opened it and read the contents "Five acres of land owned by Elsie Magana, independent international realtor both mortal and magical. Lives alone and hasn't been seen in two weeks and one possibility is that she might be on vacation."
Reid slapped the file shut. "This sounds exactly like the sort of place where a tower could be built without suspicion and where Rose could be held. We need to go there."
Greg was watching him carefully. "Remember when Fritz said this looked like a trap?"
"A trap we can handle," Reid snapped as he dropped the file on a table. "I have helped local law enforcement organize strike teams before."
Fritz approached him carefully. "Maybe you should try contacting some of the other guardianships for help? I hear San Francisco has a fantastic setup."
"There is no time for making that sort of contact," Reid said impatiently and turned the map. "If we can organize clusters of agents at the valley entrance we could-"
Greg pushed in front of him. "Take a hint mate! The trap is for you!"
Reid glared at him. "You don't think I already know that?" he said sharply. "They are testing to see what I'll do."
"To me it sounds like you're walking straight into so said trap then," Fritz said cautiously.
"I did not ask you," Reid said irritably. "We're wasting time. We need to get out there and present a draft of the plan to the agents and prepare to move in at least three hours."
"You really think running what you Americans call 'half-cocked' into a rescue mission is what Guardian Rose would have wanted?" Greg said.
Reid realized he must have sounded slightly crazed to them but they wouldn't be able to understand why he felt he needed to do this. His mother read this poem occasionally and the images had always haunted him. He knew he was powerful enough and he knew he needed to be the one to save Clara Rose.
He kept his voice calm when he spoke. "I don't expect you to understand why I need to do this and I know your initial impression must be that my actions are emotion-based. I promise I know what I am doing and I will make sure that we get Guardian Rose back safely."
The Weis twins eyed each other uncertainly. Fritz spoke up. "Agent Reid we can provide you all the mapping and intel possible and we'll both sincerely hope you know what you're doing. But what we cannot do is work in the field. Our probation terms are very specific."
"Can't I authorize you two to come with me?"
"You'd have to petition the council," Greg replied. "And I don't think you have time for that."
Something felt off. Reid narrowed his eyes. "What aren't you two telling me?"
Fritz clicked his fingers and the maps rolled and the files began to float next to it. "Nothing that is not directly related to the situation at hand. We care about Guardian Rose just as much as you do and would never withhold any info that might help save her."
Reid believed them but sensed Rose might have something else set up for them. She was always thinking at least five moves ahead of everyone. If he managed to rescue her and live, he would love to play a game of chess with her.
The thought almost produced a tear. He began to walk to the door. "Come on," he said in an even tone. "We have a rescue mission to organize."