Daisuke checked his seatbelt and held on to the overhead grip for dear life. Natsumi was currently racing along at considerably more than the posted speed limit. Judging from the many angry honks that greeted their passing from the other drivers, her methods weren’t winning any friends. Anxious as he was to reach the gas station where the boss spotted Itsuko and Cristo as quickly as possible, he also wanted to arrive in one piece.
Why did you agree to ride with this insane female?
It seemed like a good idea at the time.
His phone rang, offering a welcome distraction. “Boss?”
“They just left the gas station and are heading east. We’re tracking them through the traffic cam network.”
“Let me know when they stop. We can’t exactly fight them in the middle of the street.” He turned to Natsumi. “They’re on the move. You can slow down for now. The boss will let me know when they get wherever they’re going.”
A siren sounded behind them. Well, it was only a matter of time.
“Get me the red tag out of the glove box.”
He opened it and found what looked like a crimson bookmark on top. Before he handed it to her, he spotted the kanji for the family name written on top.
The motorcycle cop pulled up beside them and motioned Natsumi to pull over. She slapped the bookmark against the window.
Daisuke couldn’t see his eyes behind the cop’s dark sunglasses, but suspected they were wide. The cop offered a salute and backed off. Natsumi cracked the top of the bookmark and hung it from her rearview mirror like it was a disabled parking tag.
Seeing his expression she said, “The Kugo clan is part of the city’s defense network. As long as I have that, no one will bother us. We actually help more with fire rescue than anything else.”
“Right. I keep forgetting just how plugged-in the clan is.”
His phone rang again. “Boss?”
“We’ve got another problem.”
Of course they did. It seemed there was always another problem. “Let me have it.”
“Looks like we weren’t the only ones looking for Itsuko and Cristo. Local security forces had a BOLO out for them as well. Three police vehicles are in pursuit.”
“You’re right, that isn’t good. Can you convince them to back off?”
“How many times do I have to tell you that I don’t have a direct line to every government official on the planet?”
“Easy boss, I was just asking. How do you want me to handle it?”
“You’re on the ground, use your best judgement. We’ll try to keep track of them on this end.”
“Got it, boss, and thanks for the heads-up.”
“What’s going on?” Natsumi asked.
“Some cops are about to have a really bad day.”
After ten hours of rest, Haakon had finally recovered full control of his magic. The weak fire wizards hadn’t been all that challenging, but the encounter had lasted nearly ten minutes and that was getting close to his limit. He’d honestly expected more from one of the vaunted master clans.
He’d returned to the safe house his master made available to him immediately after recovering the prison. The small three-room house at the edge of the city was far from the Blood of Solomon’s finest safe house, but it was private and secure. Since Haakon was operating on his own, he had plenty of room. The only downside was the lack of servants forced him to do his own cooking. Luckily it took little skill to sear a rare steak and that was his preferred meal.
Now, full of protein and well rested, he knelt on the floor in front of the narrow bed and started to draw. He used the glowing tip of his finger to inscribe a circle along with a pentagram and runes. When that was finished, he put the prison in the center and charged the runes with ether.
When the final rune started to glow he chanted, “Hunter. Seeker. Hound. You are summoned. Find the key that opens this lock.”
Light rose out of the runes and took on the form of a glowing dog. The magical construct sniffed the prison then the air and pointed left just like a hunting dog out of an artist’s portrait. The spell was working properly, good.
He snatched the prison out of the circle and headed for his car. The hound followed along at his heel, floating a foot off the ground. The next-nearest house was a hundred yards up the road and hidden by a tall hedge. Just as well since the sight of a floating golden dog would’ve drawn attention he didn’t need. As would a dead neighbor.
Haakon squeezed in and the hound sat in the passenger’s seat, once more in a proper pointing position. The annoying part of this process was his inability to go in a straight line. If he could just go where the hound pointed, it would’ve been so much easier.
Oh well, every hunt had its tedious portions. If this had been an easy job, Lord Solomon wouldn’t have sent Haakon to carry it out.
Country roads quickly gave way to crowded city streets. It was still relatively early and the morning work rush was well underway. That slowed his already miserable progress to a crawl. Haakon snarled at the car inches in front of him as if his anger could make it move more quickly.
A fireball would get it moving, but the resulting panic would only slow him further, along with bringing down the wrath of the local security forces.
The hound was holding steady and would continue to do so for twelve hours. If he hadn’t completed his task by then, he’d have to wait a full day to summon it again.
They crawled along for fifteen minutes before the hound started to turn and point a little more north and east. That had to mean he was getting closer.
Haakon forced his way across traffic and took a side street into the city proper. He drove slowly, his concentration divided between the road and the hound. When it turned back east again, he took the next side street between a pair of apartment buildings.
They were almost directly ahead of him now.
The scream of sirens approaching made him wince. They couldn’t be after him; no one knew what kind of car he was driving. That likely meant they were after Cristo and Itsuko. Dragging the seal out of a Kurisato evidence locker was more work than he was looking for. Though he could do it no problem. Their guns had no more hope of penetrating his magical armor than the wizards’ fire magic.
A fireball shot into the air and an explosion rang out.
Haakon grinned. It looked like the traitors didn’t plan on going down without a fight. If the idiot police could pin them down long enough for him to arrive, that would be all the advantage he needed.
Finding the thieves was turning out to be considerably easier than Daisuke had feared. Between the explosions, pillars of flame, clouds of smoke, and crack of gunfire, everyone in the city probably knew where they were at this point.
Natsumi had put her foot to the floor, once again making him doubt the wisdom of traveling with her. On the plus side, every other car on the highway had either gotten off or made an extremely illegal U-turn. As long as the civilians were moving away from the crazy people hurling magic, he didn’t care if they broke every traffic law in the books.
They were half a mile out from what sounded like a war when he asked, “Are you ready for this?”
Natsumi flicked a glance his way and slowed when a wall of cop cars appeared ahead of them. “You’re damn right. I’ve got a feel for her moves now. No way is that bitch going to get the best of me again.”
Daisuke nodded, but had his doubts. Natsumi might have good fundamentals and technique, but she lacked experience in actual combat. Training was fine, but there really was no substitute for fighting someone that wanted to kill you.
Directly ahead of them a cop was standing in the middle of the road. He started to raise his hand then turned it into a wave, probably when he noticed the Kugo symbol in the window.
“Stop and find out what’s happening.”
Natsumi looked like she wanted to argue, but the tightening around her eyes vanished as soon as it appeared. She touched the brake and rolled down her window. “What’s the situation?”
“We have two criminal wizards trapped in a restaurant parking lot. Thank heaven they weren’t open yet. We’ve been exchanging fire with them but our bullets are worthless.” Another explosion interrupted the discussion. “Their fireballs, on the other hand, are highly effective. It’s good that you showed up so quickly, Miss Kugo.”
“We do our best.” Natsumi rolled up her window and pulled away. “What do you think?”
“Sounds pretty standard. Ordinary cops are no match for even a weak wizard, which Cristo certainly isn’t. S.O.P. is to keep them pinned down until your wizards arrive or you get enough guns to overwhelm whatever protective spell the wizard is using.”
“We can take them together, right?”
“If you can handle Itsuko, I’m pretty sure I can beat Cristo. I say pretty sure because I have no real idea just how strong he is. All we can do is our best. If worst comes to worst, we fall back and make a new plan. Keeping the seal and the prison apart is all that matters.”
They reached a double row of cop cars forming an arch in front of the restaurant parking lot. There was a single, bullet-riddled car in the lot. Three of the front row of cop cars had been reduced to blackened scrap.
One of the officers noticed them creeping closer and hurried over. Natsumi switched the car off and they got out.
“You shouldn’t be here. Didn’t that idiot stop you?”
“I’m Natsumi Kugo and this is my cousin Daisuke. We’re your reinforcements.”
The cop went from angry to relieved in a heartbeat. “Thank the spirits. Can we leave this in your hands?”
She glanced at Daisuke who said, “Do you have snipers?”
“Our rifles are every bit as ineffective as small arms.”
“That’s not what I asked.”
The cop winced. “Sorry, sir. Yes, we do have a sniper.”
“Take me to him.”
Before they could move, the ether swirled and a fist-sized fireball came streaking in.
Daisuke pointed and a tentacle of ether lashed out, slicing the spell in half, and making it fizzle away in a shower of sparks.
The cop was staring at him prompting Daisuke to snap his fingers. “Focus. The sniper?”
“Right, this way.”
Their guide led them to the far side of the formation where a man that looked a great deal like Ryo crouched behind a car. A bolt action rifle with a large scope and bipod sat on the ground beside him.
After introductions the sniper said, “I put a round right between each of their eyes and they didn’t even flinch. I’m not sure how I can help you.”
“Ruq.” His familiar shimmered into view, now looking like a raven. “This is my familiar. He’s going to stay with you. You shoot what he says, when he says. I don’t care if you think the target is stupid. Just do it. Clear?”
The sniper grabbed his rifle and set it on the car hood. “You’re the boss. If I can see it, I can hit it.”
“Good enough. I’ll need the rest of you to hold your fire until I say otherwise. I don’t want my allies wearing down my protective barrier with stray shots.”
The crack of pistols and submachine guns fell silent as the ceasefire order went out.
He debated pulling out his trump card just to be sure, but decided he didn’t need it yet. Daisuke turned to Natsumi. “Ready?”
She nodded and they walked between the two rows of cars straight toward the thieves. When they’d put ten yards between themselves and the cops Natsumi said, “You really sounded like you knew what you were doing.”
“I do know what I’m doing. Dealing with shit like this has been my job for three years. I usually have more experienced backup with me, but you have potential, so I’m at least somewhat optimistic that things will work out.”
“Kiss my ass.”
He grinned but it didn’t last. Cristo and Itsuko stepped out from behind the car. Neither of them had so much as a hair out of place despite the fifty pounds of lead that had been thrown at them.
“Turn over the seal and we’ll let you walk away,” Daisuke said.
“The hell we will,” Natsumi said.
“Save the country first, remember?”
“Unlike us,” Cristo said, “it seems you and your partner aren’t on the same page. Given our difficult position, I’m willing to part peacefully.”
Daisuke shook his head. “Not with the seal.”
“Then it seems combat is inevitable.”
As if that was the signal, Itsuko sprinted toward them at magically enhanced speed.
Natsumi rushed forward to meet her.
The two men stared at each other as the women clashed. Daisuke had to trust Natsumi to handle her business alone. A second’s loss of focus and he’d be in trouble.
“How long are you going to make me wait?” Cristo asked.
“That’s my question. Unlike you, my partner isn’t draining any of my power to maintain her enhancement spells. The longer I wait, the weaker you get.”
“Despite your youth, it seems you’re not a fool. More’s the pity.”
An inky-black blast shot from Cristo’s eyes.
Daisuke deflected it up and out of the way. “That was just sad.”
Cristo’s calm veneer finally cracked as he bared his teeth and growled. “I will not be mocked by a child!”
Both his hands popped up and a many-times-more-powerful burst of dark energy blasted out of them.
A black disk appeared in front of Daisuke and the blasts vanished into it. “That’s more like it. Good to see—”
Daisuke’s taunt was cut off when Haakon exploded out of the front of the restaurant. The giant Norseman went straight for Cristo, glowing ax raised. Following along behind the Blood agent was a golden dog wholly focused on Cristo.
So he had a hound spell, just as Daisuke feared.
Cristo scrambled away from Haakon, avoiding a slash that would’ve bisected him in the process.
Itsuko broke away from Natsumi and rushed to help her partner. What, exactly, she imagined she could do against Haakon, Daisuke couldn’t imagine.
Natsumi made to chase her opponent, but Daisuke caught her arm. “This is not a fight you want to get in the middle of.”
“We can’t let them get away.”
“Not only are we going to let them get away, we’re going to help them.”
Natsumi stared at him like he’d lost his mind. He didn’t care. They couldn’t beat Haakon and if the only way to protect the seal was to let Cristo escape, then so be it.
Itsuko kicked Haakon in the back hard enough to crush rock and he acted like he hadn’t even felt it. Impressive as always. Daisuke had kind of hoped he’d lost some of his touch, but it didn’t seem so.
While the three of them were fully engrossed in their lethal game of tag, he focused on the hound. Ether gathered in his hand and he hurled it at the spell. It shattered into glowing motes.
Haakon looked away, just as Daisuke had hoped.
No fool, Cristo used that moment to open another dimensional door.
Shoot the woman in the shoulder, now!
The sniper rifle cracked once and a little puff of blood burst from Itsuko’s back just as she and Cristo vanished through the door.
Daisuke grabbed Natsumi’s hand and sprinted to get out of sight.
Haakon slowly turned toward the gathered cops and roared at the sky. Frustration radiated off him in waves. Daisuke knew just how he felt.
“Hold your fire,” Daisuke said. “Give him no excuse to attack.”
“Do you think he needs an excuse?” Natsumi asked as they crouched behind a burned-out squad car.
“His objective is the seal, not us.”
As if reading his mind, Haakon turned and ran back through the ruined front of the restaurant. Daisuke wiped the sweat from his forehead. That’s what he was hoping for, but he didn’t know for sure if Haakon would do the smart thing.
“We’re in the clear.” Daisuke stood. “Come on.”
He walked back to the thieves’ car, keeping a close eye on the ground. It had to be around here somewhere.
“What was the point of all that?” Natsumi asked. “They all got away.”
“True, but no one died on our side and neither party claimed the other’s artifact. Once Haakon showed up, that was the best we could hope for. Here it is.”
He knelt beside a dark, wet patch on the ground. It was the blood that had sprayed from Itsuko’s wound. He passed a hand over it several times, gathering up as much as he could in a bubble of ether. There wasn’t more than a few drops, but it would be enough for what he needed to do.
“See, Haakon can’t cast the hound spell again for a full day.” Daisuke showed her the blood he’d collected. “We, on the other hand, can begin the search far sooner.”
“Is that why you wanted the sniper to be ready?”
“Yup. The dimensional door spell takes a lot of power. I was hoping if he tried to use it, it would weaken the protections he put on Itsuko. Happily, I was right.”
“So what now?”
“Now you carry out my mother’s orders and bring me to the estate. There’s a full magical workshop there and I need to prepare the blood and a tracking spell of my own.”