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  ‘Duly noted Inquisitor Damask,’ Valerio said, ‘but I think I have made a choice regarding this. We will send a new task force to Manhattan to fight the Witch incursion there, and I will lead it myself.’

  ‘Um, Sir, do you think that’s wise?’ Mary asked as a few gasps sounded around the table along with a low muttering.

  ‘Of course. I know I don’t go into the field much, but I’m more than capable of dealing with this little Witch and I have more experience with this than most of you.’

  ‘Of course, sir, my apologies, I did not mean to suggest…’ Mary began.

  ‘Duly noted,’ he said, dismissing her comment with a wave of his hand.

  Mary sat back in her seat feeling a little confused about what had just happened. Why had he volunteered for this mission? Surely she would have been the logical choice, this was her mission and she was the one with a personal stake in this. Maybe that was why? Maybe he feared she would make this personal and get too emotionally involved. She had to admit to herself that this would certainly have been a possibility. She wasn’t the only one either, Francesco also had a personal stake in this if her suspicions about Amanda having killed Vito were correct.

  On the other hand, maybe Valerio had been trying to protect her. Her last big mission on the train in Paris had not gone terribly well, was he trying to keep her from failing again? Or maybe it was plain old misogyny? He didn’t want the frail little girl to head into battle. The thought of men like that boiled her blood. She knew she sat in a room filled with men who held that opinion and who didn’t think members of her gender were capable of the same things men were. The fact that she had swayed most of them when it came to her, that they, for the most part, saw her now as a capable soldier and Inquisitor, and yet they still held their outdated opinions when it came to the rest of her sex, rankled a bit. She should be grateful for small victories though. Views steadfastly held for generations would take time to sway.

  The meeting came to an end and Mary made her way around the table and waited patiently for Valerio to finish speaking with those around him.

  ‘General,’ she said after they were left alone finally.

  ‘Please, call me Valerio, we’re not in the meeting now.’

  ‘Of course, Valerio, please, you don’t have to do this. I’m quite capable of handling this witch in New York. I want to do it.’

  ‘I know, and you may yet have your wish, but I want to have one last crack of the whip. I want to see if I still have it within me to take on a Witch such as this.’

  Mary sighed, ‘Of course sir.’

  ‘Have your secretary send over the details I will need,’ he said.

  ‘Yes sir,’ she answered and watched him as he walked off.

  His last mission? She thought. Actually, it could be, and this could be her chance to gain what she ultimately wanted.

  She wouldn’t make any more attempts to turn Valerio from this course, in fact, she would support him wholeheartedly, and make a fresh round of appeals to the Conclave members who mattered. There was an opportunity here that she did not want to miss. She rushed back to her office, her secretary rushing to keep up with her. She had some phone calls to make.

  - Nowhere

  Alicia lay on the floor on her side, naked and in pain. This woman, who called herself Yasmin, had visited her every few hours she guessed and each time launched into a violent attack on her. Usually, she said nothing, and when she did speak she found out very little other than her name, which meant nothing to her.

  The Demon inside her healed her quickly and fairly well, but she found herself in pain for a good long time after one of Yasmin’s visits.

  She felt sick and helpless, she wanted to cry but she’d shed so many tears these last few days she didn’t know if she had more to give.

  Why was she doing this to her? Why was she torturing her like this?

  The minutes blended into hours and time lost all meaning in here. The dim light never changed, she had no idea of the time or where she might be.

  Some indeterminate time later the sound of a footstep close by made her open her eyes and look up.

  Yasmin stood above her, and as she looked at her tormentor, a new fear grew within her, making her feel physically sick. Yasmin didn’t wear the featureless black number this time, instead, she wore some kind of shiny black fetish outfit with a huge fake rubber penis attached to her crotch that wobbled and waved about ominously above Alicia. Looking beyond the outfit to Yasmin’s face, she saw a smirk grow on Yasmin’s lips like she was enjoying this.

  Alicia dry retched at the thought of what was to come.

  Orb

  Antarctic

  Nov 18th

  Angel stood in the control room of the Antarctic Dig she had been helping to oversee for the past six months. She wore some of her cold weather gear, but the control room was always kept at a temperature that meant you didn’t need to wear your full kit. The weather today had been clear, and although it wasn’t too bright outside, it did mean that the choppers could fly.

  She stood not too far from Blake, an Initiated who basically ran the Dig for Mr Black, as they both watched the Helicopter outside gently alight onto the landing pad in the camp outside.

  Angel had been assigned here to keep an eye on things from a Magical perspective. The Syndicate believed Angel to be little more than an Apprentice Level Magi, just as she had planned, and they wanted her to make sure nothing Magical escaped their notice. She was to keep an eye out for traps and to make sure everything ran smoothly.

  She hated it, living amongst these mortals pretending to be a weak apprentice, but she knew she had little choice. Yasmin had sent her here to keep any eye on Mr Black’s activities, so that’s what she did. As it turned out, she had only been here for three months before she had been rotated off and given a break that allowed her to get away and pursue her own interests before she would be brought back two months later.

  The time away had been put to good use, returning to her company in Milan and making sure everything ran as it should do with her Coven before she had to return to the snowy wastes.

  The dig had progressed slowly, but without incident and now they were at their goal, and Mr Black had insisted that he should be here for it. He wanted to be the one to hold the artefact before all others.

  So the dig had been halted while they waited for a clear day for Mr Black to arrive.

  Angel wore a grey woollen hat, a thick grey jumper, grey gloves, insulated black leggings and furry grey boots above layers of thermal clothing beneath. She saw no reason to not look good, even in the freezing cold down here at the arse end of the world.

  Outside, the Helicopter door slid open and several people climbed out, one of which needed help. They walked through the cold wind and up the steps to the main control room entrance. They had to pass through an Anteroom that kept the cold at bay before they could enter here. They all wore dark Extreme Cold Weather gear Angel noted, and all looked very official. Windows looked through to the other room and through to the outside giving Angel an unobstructed view of their guests as they closed the outer door before opening the inner door. Their computer system that controlled the building only allowed one door to be open at a time, to preserve the heat.

  Angel knew some of the people in the group, she’d either seen them around the Syndicate Compound on the Island or she knew them by reputation. Mr Black had two prominent aids with him, one of them was a board member, the other she knew to be a Magi.

  Two security guys entered the room first, double checked it and only when they were sure it was safe did they allow Mr Black into the room.

  Mr Black looked old, he was about 5 foot tall due to his hunched back, had wispy silvery hair around the back and sides of his head and walked with a walking stick. True to his name, he wore all black clothing, including a long black overcoat. He walked into the room, moving at a fairly quick pace for a ninety-year-old man and came to a stop before Blake. Roxane Carter, board member an
d his most trusted aid stood behind him, as did Isha Darzi, who as far as Angel knew, was the most powerful Magus that Mr Black employed.

  Blake performed a small bow and greeted Mr Black.

  ‘Sir, it’s a pleasure to have you here finally,’ Blake said. He stood just in front of where Angel stood, as she watched and took everything in. She concentrated hard on keeping her effect on the local Essentia under control, just in case Isha noticed anything to give away her true ability.

  ‘I have been watching your progress closely Mr Preston, and I have been most impressed. I believe you are ready to extract the Artefact?’

  ‘That is correct sir, we have been waiting for your arrival before continuing any further.’

  ‘And you must be Angel,’ Mr Black said speaking to her now. ‘We have never met in person before. We are grateful for your efforts.’

  Angel smiled and nodded. ‘My Pleasure sir,’ she said.

  ‘The work and commitment of both of you has not gone unnoticed. Now, we have much to discuss, do we have a place where I may sit?’

  ‘Of course, sir, through here, we have a meeting room ready,’ Blake said.

  ‘Come through then Blake, thank you once again, Angel,’ Mr Black said and started to walk into the next room.

  ‘Is Angel not allowed to come in as well?’ Blake said.

  Angel watched as Mr Black turned and looked back at Blake, and then at her. She felt keen to be in the room and to listen to what was discussed as it would all be of interest to Yasmin, but she had not expected to be allowed into this meeting. She had planned on enhancing her hearing and listening in from the outside, something she might have been able to get away with if she were careful to avoid Isha’s notice. It would all depend on what countermeasures they put into place.

  But, Blake’s unexpected question had given her a glimmer of hope that she might be allowed in.

  ‘Do you voucher for her Mr Preston?’ Mr Black asked Blake.

  Blake glanced at Angel, who remained neutral as she looked back at him.

  He turned back to Mr Black, ‘I do, I trust her.’

  Fool, she thought. Her face remained neutral, but inside, she smiled to herself.

  ‘Very well, she may come in,’ he said as he led the way into the room and sat at the nearest end of the table.

  Everyone else took their seats and waited for Mr Black to speak. Angel always felt amazed at what a little money could buy you in terms of loyalty although she suspected he had other tricks up his sleeve as most Magi were not swayed by offers of money. She wondered what secrets Mr Black knew about Isha that kept him loyal, or maybe Isha just owed a huge debt to Mr Black. She had no idea, but maybe one day she would find out.

  Angel sat cross-legged at the table and waited with the others as Mr Black settled himself in.

  ‘Thank you so much for all you have done for me down here in the cold. Today is a momentous day and will see the start of the fruition of a long-planned idea. As you know, you have been digging here, in this place for me, to reach a Magical Artefact buried deep in the ice. I’m sure you’re aware by now that this object is an Orb about the size of a Tennis Ball, but what you don’t know is what this Artefact is capable of.’

  Mr Black looked at Angel, ‘I’m sure you’re aware of the Magical signature that this Orb gives off and how powerful it is,’ he said to her.

  Angel just nodded, listening closely.

  ‘It is an Ancient Artefact, its origins are, as far as I can determine, unknown, but the legends speak of it being used to kill an Archon in pre-history.’

  Angel kept a neutral face and glanced around the room, looking for reactions. Most people were blank-faced, but a few expressed their surprise upon hearing this from Mr Black.

  Angel had heard the Legends, that once, long ago, when the Archons ruled the earth, one of their number was killed by a Magi using a powerful Magical artefact. The fate of both the Magus in question and the Artefact had been debated for millennia, but could this be the Artefact in question?

  Mr Black had paused for effect, to let his words sink in, but Angel felt curious, so she raised her hand. Mr Black saw it and turned to her.

  ‘Yes Miss Alergeri, you have a question?’

  ‘Apologies for my ignorance, but, what’s an Archon?’ she asked. Angel, of course, knew exactly what an Archon was, she owed her allegiance to one of them after all, like most of the Nomads around the world. But did Mr Black know what they were?

  ‘No apologies required Miss,’ he said.

  Angel noticed Isha looking at her, but ignored it and kept her Magic in check.

  ‘The Archon’s my dear, he continued, ‘are creatures of vast power. Millennia ago, before recorded history, they ruled this Earth with an iron grip. They created the creatures you call Scions, the Vampires and Were-Creatures and the other monsters of this world. They reside now within the Spirit world and control the Nomads while they plan their return to Earth. They may be ancient creatures and they may reside within another dimension, but they are still causing pain and death today. I desire to stop this, to bring them down and to kill them.’

  Angel nodded and was sure to listen to him with an expression of wonder and fear. It seemed to her that Mr Black had done his research well and perhaps knew as much as most Nomads knew of their dread masters.

  Much like most Nomads, Angel had aligned herself with one of the seven Archons. Each of these ancient and hoary creatures had a name and, within Nomad Scholarly circles, a known personality and temperament. Most Nomads aligned themselves with the Archon who best suited their own outlook on life and the world, someone they would serve willingly and happily.

  Angel swore her allegiance to Lilitu the Beautiful, the Night Demon and the mother of Succubi. She had created the Vampire Scion Bloodline.

  The others, Tiamat the Dragon, Enkidu the savage, Leviathan the monstrous, Naga the cunning, Oni the demon and finally, Samael the reaper, did not suit Angel’s seductive ways. She wondered how much Mr Black knew of these beings, these gods. Now wasn’t the time to delve too deep, though, she didn’t want to draw too much attention to herself.

  ‘And this Artefact will do this?’ Blake asked, much to Angels relief, taking Isha’s attention off her.

  ‘This Orb is one part of my plan yes. I desire to end the rule of these Archons, and this Orb is the first part of my plan, but things are coming together quickly now. The other elements are beginning to line up and soon my plan will come to fruition and I can finish the work that was started by that Magus a Millennia ago.’

  ‘If I can be of service, I would be honoured to help you,’ Blake said.

  ‘And I as well,’ Angel said, not wanting to miss out on finding out what was going on.

  ‘Very well, you both might come in quite useful. Now, enough about that, I wish to finally hold my destiny in my hand,’ Mr Black said and stood up carefully. ‘Take me to the Orb.’

  Angel followed Blake as the group walked out of the control room, donning her extreme cold weather gear and walking over the snow and ice to the entrance of the Ice Citadel. Tents covered the start of the dig, hiding it from view while members of the dig team stood outside and watched their employer hobble inside.

  Once inside the tents, they could make out the large hole in the ice, easily big enough for anyone to walk through unimpeded. Mats covered the floor of the tunnel to stop you from slipping as you descended through the ice at a slight downward angle. Isha and one of the security guards took point, while two aids helped Mr Black along over the uneven ground.

  Angel had been into these caves many times now, and actually kind of enjoyed coming down here. The ice glistened in the artificial light of the lamps and torches they carried creating beautiful glistening patterns over the walls. She’d done what she could to entertain herself during the long months she had to stay here, all the while trying to be careful not to draw any undue attention to herself.

  She’d seduced a few of the guards, took long walks out in the ice fields
where she could use her Magic to protect herself from the cold unnoticed, she’d even found a Russian base that she had taken to terrorising from time to time.

  Coming and wandering through these caves had been one such distraction she had indulged in, as the dig team took a while to locate the Artefact and had made a few wrong turns that left dead end tunnels that snaked off into the darkness.

  After walking through a few corridors, they entered into a large cavern that had only been partially filled with ice. But the Artefact had resided below them, so a vertical shaft had been dug that dropped down several hundred feet. A lift in a scaffolding framework had been installed, which they now travelled down through the layers of ice.

  At the bottom, they returned to walking the passages once more, the acoustics of the tunnels and the ice walls creating some curious echo’s in the darkness until they saw light up ahead.

  Continuing forward, they now saw that several work lights were trained on the end of this tunnel and a man who Angel recognised to be the dig teams’ leader waited there for them.

  ‘Welcome sir, it’s a pleasure to meet you. I’m Andreas and I have been leading the Dig here.’

  ‘Good to meet you, Andreas, I believe we are ready to extract the Artefact?’ Mr Black said.

  ‘That is correct sir. We will be using this robotic Arm to reach in and pull out the artefact. But first, I wanted to show you something.’

  Before Mr Black could object, Andreas had reached down and flicked a switch. A light that had been embedded in the ice just above floor level turned on, illuminating the wall of ice in front of them from within.

  Angel did something of a double-take at the thing she saw in the ice, illuminated by the light beneath it, and from the reactions all about her, she wasn’t the only one who felt more than a little surprised by what they could see.