Prologue

NOVEMBER 28

6:56 P.M.

INSIDE THE MORRISON MAILBOX

The man watched the house from his hiding spot inside the mailbox. The little door was dangling open, flapping slightly as a winter storm blew in with the sunset. The mailbox was sheltering him for now, but he wouldn’t be able to stay much longer.

The man wasn’t always this small, of course. The pair of magical glasses he was wearing shrank him to just under an inch tall. These glasses weren’t his, but the Mastermind had let him use them for surveillance today.

The garage door trundled upward, catching his attention. The man checked his watch: 6:56 p.m. The Morrisons were trying to make it to a movie at 7:05, but at this rate, they were going to be a few minutes late.

He watched the car back down the driveway. Mr. Morrison was driving, his wife in the passenger seat. Through the tinted window, the man couldn’t see Mason, but he knew the boy would be seated on the passenger side where he always was—easier to climb in with his bad leg.

The car rolled onto the street, neither parent seeming to notice that the mailbox door was hanging open. The family sped away through the cold night, unaware that anyone was watching them. Unaware that the man had been watching them for weeks now.

He reached into his pocket and pulled out his cell phone.

“This message is for the Mastermind,” he began. He didn’t expect a reply. This was just a recording to be given to his boss at a later time.

“This will be my final report on Mason Mortimer Morrison,” the man said. “Tomorrow I’ll be heading back to Magix Headquarters to resume my work there. I think my time here has been very worthwhile. I’ve placed several surveillance boons in and around the house to continue monitoring the boy until we are ready to make our move.”

The man paused, stepping up to the edge of the mailbox. The cold wind howled, and he ducked back inside to finish his report.

“You were right about Mason,” the man said. “The boy is exactly who we need, although it might take some time for us to set him up. His limp will probably fade with time, but it has only been six months since the accident. Mason has no brothers or sisters, but he has a good relationship with his parents. We will probably have to do something about that. He is a good student. Does well on tests. Gets his homework done. That will probably need to change, too.”

The man looked at the house, wondering if he should add anything else.

“I believe your plan will work, Mastermind,” he finally said. “It won’t be easy, but it’s the right thing. By the time we’re done with him, Magix will be eager to arrest him. And we’ll make sure all the evidence is in place so they have to find him guilty. Then he’ll be ours, and we can use him to do what needs to be done.” He drew in a deep breath. “To destroy all magic forever.”

It felt good to say that. And the man was excited to finally see the pieces of Mastermind’s plan coming together.

“I’ve rented a place in New York City so I can keep an eye on Lawden,” said the man. “In the meantime, I’ve got Talbot and Vanderbeek taking shifts outside the Morrison house. This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. It could take years, but we won’t let it get away from us.”

The man ended the recording and slipped the phone into his pocket. Then he ran forward and jumped out of the mailbox. As he fell, he reached up and pulled off the glasses. Instantly, he returned to his regular size, feet striking the sidewalk. The man glanced once more at the house, tugged at the collar of his coat, and strode off down the dark street.