Chapter 29

“Mother? Have you decided yet?” The young naga asked again, as she had every morning for the past week. The elder snake was still torn between accepting exile in a realm that unashamedly depended on sorcery, and living in the land that she had been told for years was the embodiment of the Great Satan. “I don't think we want to stay here forever, even if they let us. And I suspect that they'll want the place back for the tourist season.”

“Patience, daughter. This is not a decision to make lightly.”

“It is not one to put off indefinitely, either. Sir Richard has duties to return to, as do the others.” The youngster sighed. “But since you cannot decide, perhaps some new arguments will tip the balance for you.”

“Something they have not yet told us?”

“Something -I- have not yet told you. I have made my decision, and it has been accepted. I will be going to America, with or without the rest of you.”

“What?!?”

“I do not wish to leave my sisters, or you, Mother. But I wish to study with the Americans, and I am old enough that the Desert Kingdom considers me an adult. You have no authority over me there, so I am free to make my own choice.”

“But the Americans don't...”

“They have agreed to find someone to foster me if you do not choose them for yourself and my sisters. Please, Mother... come with me. I do not wish to leave you, but I will if I must.”

“That American sorceress has bewitched you.”

“Nonsense. She has no reason to do so, and I spoke with her only once when you were not present – the night we escaped from Syria. But...” Yasmina smiled. “If you fear that, then disrupt the wolf's spells. You know you have the power to do so, you did it when we first spoke with her.”

“I...”

“Go on. Make the gestures. Banish the spell, if you believe I am under one.”

The older naga complied, half-heartedly, with no result. “No... you were right, when you said you could sense when I lied to you all to keep you from being frightened. If you say the sorceress spoke truly, I have to believe that you know.” She sighed. “And I may as well let you decide for us. If you – and Talifa – would be happiest there, we might as well try it. The twins do not seem to care either way, and I... I cannot decide.”

Yasmina pounced on her mother in an intense hug. “Thank you. I am sorry I had to do that to you. I had hoped you would never have to know that I was prepared to leave you.”

“I needed the push. You -are- becoming an adult, my daughter. Thank -you-.” She returned the embrace, and they held it for a while. “Let us go tell them before I start to dither again.”

* * * *

Sayeed fired up Isam's computer to see if the American sorceress had left any messages, and found one waiting.

'The ISIL troops have settled themselves out. Expect them to launch an attack any time after dawn tomorrow. We may be able to provide some assistance – our delivery pilot is anxious to get in a few blows of her own now that it has come down to fighting. I will try to keep you posted.'

He was rather bemused by the notion of a female combat pilot. The Americans did many things that made no sense in his culture. The imams attributed their success in the face of this fact as proof of demonic assistance, but that had always bothered him. <For if the demons of the Pit are stronger than Allah, everything the Prophet taught would be wrong. Better to believe that the Americans succeed in this world but not the next. But for now...> He left to make sure that his troops were ready for the coming battle.

* * * *

There had been a security badge in the kit she'd been given, which served to get her onto the grounds of the National Laboratories and past the first set of guards. 'Project Thunderbird' had conjured away the second guard and gotten her to the Director's office. She shook her head at the 'Head Witch' sign on the door and settled in to wait for her appointment.

She didn't have to wait very long. It was less than five minutes after she'd sat down that the door opened and a red-headed woman ushered out an older gentleman. The moment she'd gotten him out of the door, her polite smile faded. “The next time he wants to see me, Zoe, I'm officially busy for at least a week. Blasted narrow-gauge specialist.”

The secretary nodded. “What did he want?”

“He was complaining about his department's computer support. Honestly. His group is -working- on tracking the changes in electrical behavior and it doesn't occur to him that this might, y'know, be causing computer problems? How can someone as smart as he is be such an idiot?”

Zoe delivered her line with a perfectly straight face. “Years of practice?”

“Or overexposure to Congressmen. Anyway. Let me know the moment that Special Agent Jackson gets here.”

The falcon stood up. “That'd be me, Director Stardancer.”

The red-head spun around. “Oh! Excellent, come on in. Zoe, page Captain MacDowell and Mr. Sommers for me, we might as well get started early. And...” She turned back to Jackson. “I am going to apologize in advance for my next question, but I have to ask. Are you a virgin?”

Jackson's feathers fluffed out and she regarded the human with a flat stare. “What?”

“If you are, then I won't call in Cerunnos. I was still a virgin the first time I met him four years back, and it was... embarrassing and extremely distracting. Trust me, it's relevant.”

“Seriously?”

“Seriously. He's got some kind of animal magnetism thing going on, and claims he can't turn it off. If he's lying, no one, including some very powerful telempaths I know, has been able to prove it.”

“Well... I -wasn't-, but I've been celibate since before the Event.”

“Huh. I don't think that matters, but... well, I guess we'll find out. Zoe, page Cerunnos as well.”

* * * *

The five met in the same conference room that had hosted the Dream Conference. Jackson started the discussion after the introductions had been made. “All right. The FBI Director sent me out to investigate one of Governor Brown's advisers on suspicion of corruption. It has been done before, but in spite of serious circumstantial evidence, each of the investigations has officially concluded that nothing was wrong.” She paused. “Apparently, they may have been influenced.”

The eagle spoke. “T'was I who saw her for what she is, Agent Jackson. The others who investigated were human and male, were they not?”

“Two of them, Captain. The third was a Changeling, a sea otter I was told, but yes, male.”

“Then what probably happened was that she became suspicious and set out to mesmerize them. Miss Costanzis is a Siren, and can do that easily to unsuspecting males. They have more trouble with females, but no one is completely immune to their abilities if they are taken unaware. You are the least susceptible to her abilities of anyone in this room.”

Jackson nodded. “So I was told. May I ask what your evidence is for this allegation? We can't go to a jury with unsubstantiated allegations of malfeasance and tales of mind control, especially after several inconclusive investigations.”

“I know her kind of old, Agent Jackson. There is something in the voice, overtones and harmonics which insinuate her suggestions into unsuspecting minds...” The eagle's voice changed in midsentence, shifting to a warm tenor a bit higher-pitched than the baritone it had been. “I think Thunderbird is describing an ability to synchronize with the normal alpha rhythms of a working mind, Miss Jackson. An oscilloscope should be able to identify the relevant frequencies if I'm right.”

Jackson stared at the eagle-morph. “What just happened?”

Stardancer chuckled. “I should have been a little clearer when I introduced them, Ms. Jackson. Thunderbird is a separate personality sharing that body, not an alias for the Captain.”

“So.... my investigation is based on evidence provided by a split personality? I should probably go back to Chicago right now, and save everyone a lot of trouble.”

“Two points, Agent Jackson.” The blonde-and-white unicorn Changeling spoke for the first time since being introduced. “First, even ordinary split personalities can be individually completely sane. Secondly, Thunderbird and Stormchild are much older than the bodies they are sharing at the moment, and have a lot of experience in dealing with the mana half of the natural cycle.”

The falcon looked at Cerrunos. “Even if that's true, a jury won't trust their evidence. Not after the defense attorney gets done playing it up as 'crazy'. We'll need to make a case without directly involving him.”

MacDowell nodded. “Which is why I suggested that an oscilloscope might be able to identify the sonic portion of her abilities. Part of it is pheromone-based, which will be harder to authenticate, and part of it is magic, which we are starting to develop instrumentation for but which will probably not be admissable in court yet.”

Jackson nodded. “That's true enough. It took decades for the courts to accept something as simple as blood-typing. So... we need to demonstrate that she's taking bribes or kickbacks, and keep the siren angle as a side issue, mainly to keep her from manipulating a jury when she's brought to trial?”

A general rumble of assent went around the table. Stardancer picked up the thread of the discussion. “And to keep her from ordering the investigators to forget about it. That is why you are pretty much on your own as far as the FBI is concerned. They have no idea how much of the Sacramento office has been affected already. Right now, the five of us here are the only ones in the state who know anything about your assignment. Security Officer Sommers and the Eldest are unicorns, and innately resistant to mind control magic; Thunderbird is the one who noticed what Costanzis -is-, and is an experienced enough mage to counteract her abilities; I am also a powerful mage; and you are resistant by virtue of gender, species, and your own magic abilities. You are also the one who knows how to conduct an investigation, so we will let you take the lead on this.”

“We will need more people, I suspect. I'll need someone who can do forensic accounting, among other things.”

Cerunnos twitched his ears up. “Forensic -accounting-?”

Jackson smiled, in the avian manner that involved the eyes rather than the mouth. “People who can follow paper trails in spite of efforts by the guilty to conceal them. Detective Roberts – the second investigator - is supposed to be good at it, and I'm hoping that he was not ordered to -help- her conceal things after she caught him investigating. I understand that avians and females are generally more resistant to mind controlling magic?”

The unicorn-morph nodded. “Reptilian changelings, as well. The security agencies are looking for Naga who would be able to help us, but they are rare in the Americas.”

Stardancer smiled. “I think I have something that could help with the accounting end of things. Some spells that cut through fog and show the underlying truth of records and computer data. Probably not admissable in court, but if you know what the truth is, you should be able to find acceptable evidence, correct?”

The falcon nodded. “Director Stardancer, if you can do that, it will simplify the investigation enormously.”

The redhead grinned. “Well, then. Let's see if I can teach it to you.”

* * * *

Five naga and two fennecs debarked from the business jet after it parked at the VIP terminal of Dulles International Airport. They were met by two wolves, one white-furred and one gray; two humans, one olive-skinned and black-haired, and one Caucasian and blonde; and two more naga, a male with the pale mottled patterns and buzzing tail of a sidewinder rattlesnake, and a female with the vivid red-yellow-black-yellow banding of a coral snake. The white wolf smiled in greeting. “Welcome to America!”

The older snakes bowed their heads, only young Talifa shyly smiling from behind her sisters. Yasmina spoke first. “Lady Sorceress? You came to meet us?”

“I told you we would speak soon. Besides, I'm the only one here that knows all of you. Who else would be able to introduce you to your sponsors?” She smiled. “Now straighten up, please, all of you. Americans do not bow and scrape to each other, and we do not have titles of that sort. If you insist on being formal, I'm Director Lowe, not Lady anyone, whether I'm a Sorceress or not. But my friends call me Janet.”

Farrah lifted herself from the tarmac, confused. “You would still be as a friend to us? Even now that your designs are accomplished?”

Lowe shook her head sadly. “One plan is finished. There are always more. It is the curse of prophecy – always I can see the possibilities of the future, and the death and destruction that awaits if I do the wrong thing. So, yes, I have plans within plans within plans. But I am still human, or close enough, and sometimes I can act that way.” She smiled again. “So, yes, I would like to count you and your family as friends, Farrah. You are extraordinary people, you know. You have the strength and determination that kept your family alive for years in the heart of a region that hates our kind and tried to hunt you down. Yasmina had the strength of will to stand up to you when it was needed. And Talifa? Still a friendly and innocent child in spite of all you've been through.” She smiled at the youngest snake, who grinned back at her. “Now, introductions.” She gestured to the refugees in turn. “Our new arrivals; Farrah, Yasmina, Fatima, Nasua, and Talifa. I believe some of you have met Lieutenant Foster and his wife Rajiya already?”

The blonde human nodded. “I taught English to Rajiya and their boy Farid when they got here the first time. How's he doing?”

“He's fine, and still working hard at his studies.” Rajiya smiled. “Thank you for all your help.”

“It was my pleasure, Rajiya. You were both excellent students.”

Lowe continued the introductions. “Bonnie Alverez, and her husband Jorge. She'll be teaching you and your family our language, Farrah. And to assist you in learning about our culture and the local community of naga, Andrew Clay and Stephanie Turner. You've all met me, of course, and this is my chief bodyguard, John Wittington.” Murmurs of greeting passed back and forth.

Farrah asked the question first. “Now that we are here, what are we to do?”

“For now, you can rest and recuperate. I've arranged a place for all of you to stay for the next two weeks while we finish getting your paperwork sorted out officially, get a doctor in to check you all out, and if you feel up to it, we'll provide transportation so that you can see the tourist things around here. We have the museums and monuments of the District, and there are beaches and the Appalachian mountains nearby if you would like to visit some of our natural wonders. In the long term, I was thinking that you might like to settle in New Mexico or Arizona. That's where Mr. Clay and Miss Turner live, the climate is popular with Changelings of your type. That's ultimately your decision, of course, but there's a thriving naga community near Santa Fe.”

Yasmina smiled at that. “Others like us? That would be nice...”

Lowe nodded. “Mr. Clay and Mrs. Alvarez speak Arabic, and I've provided translation spells for the others. They won't last forever, though, so don't take it for granted.”

“We won't, milady - ” Yasmina stopped at the wolf's mock scowl. “Director...?”

“Janet. A friend. Or at least an honorary aunt, I would hope.”

“That would make you an honorary sister to our mother, then?”

The wolf grinned. “I suppose it would, yes.”

“Then... thank you, Aunt Janet.”

Lowe turned her attention to Farrah. “When you feel up to it, my people would like to ask you about what you saw on your journey from Iraq into Syria. But only when you are comfortable with talking about it. It is not a requirement.”

The older snake nodded. “I understand. Soon, I think. A week more to rest and get used to the idea of being safe again...”

“Whenever you are ready, and if that day never really comes, that is fine as well. We want to make the world safe for those of us who have been Changed, Farrah. And that will mean prying Islam away from the control of those who use the Prophet's teachings to promote hatred. Any help you can give us toward that end will be accepted gratefully – but by helping me find and remove those bombs, you have already done enough for a lifetime's gratitude in return. Take as much time as you need to recover from your ordeal.”

“Thank you, milady.”

Lowe shook her head. “What did I just tell your daughter?”

Farrah produced a ghost of a smile. “Thank you, honored elder sister.”

The wolf chuckled. “That's as close as I'm going to get from you, isn't it?”

“For now. When I have done enough to earn the honor you have offered me, I will accept it.”

“Very well. I'll let them get you settled in now; I'll drop by to see you again at the end of the week and see how things are going.”

Talifa piped up as the two groups started making their goodbyes. “Aunt Janet Sorceress ma'am?”

Lowe chuckled. “Yes, Tali?”

“Are we going to get to ride in another plane?” Behind her, Yasmina shook her head in embarrassment.

“Probably. But maybe a train first. Have you ever seen a train?”

“Umm...”

“They're even bigger than airplanes, but not as big as ships. We have -lots- of machines here, and we're going to need people who understand them well enough to make them work with magic instead of electricity. Maybe when you grow up, you can do that. Everyone tells me you like machines.”

The little naga grinned. “Mmmhmm!”

“Then that's what you should try to learn when you're old enough to go to school. We always need good engineers.”

“But I'm a girl... can girls do that?”

“Absolutely they can. It's not an easy job, not for boys or girls, but there's no reason you can't and every reason you can. So you learn all you can about them if you want to.”

“I will! When I'm grown up, I'll make magic airplanes!”

“Wouldn't surprise me at all, Tali. Now go with your sisters, all right?”

“Aaall riiight...”

* * * *

Wittington smiled at his fiance after they'd dropped off Lieutenant Foster and his wife at their hotel. “Going to come clean now?”

Lowe tried to look innocent. “About what, dear?”

“The real reason you met the refugees in person?”

“What, you don't think I just feel friendly toward them after rescuing them?”

“That's not all of it. I know you.”

She sighed. “Can't fool you, can I?”

“Not easily, no. So what else is going on?”

“'This has been willed, where what is willed must be...' They -will- be our friends, I hope. But the other reason? Talifa.”

“The young one? Really?”

“Really. She -will- build magic aircraft someday. And today was part of her destiny.”

John just looked at her. “It must be a very strange place inside your head.”

“...That may just be the understatement of the century, John. It'll be your job to keep me grounded.” She signed. “I keep quoting Virgil's line from the Inferno. But in some ways, my power is better summed up by the words over the Gates of Hell. 'Lasciate ogne speranza, voi ch'intrate. '”

John guessed at the translation. “Abandon all hope, ye who enter here?”

“Yes. I have free will, but what good is it when I know the results ahead of time and -have- to choose the correct path? I understand how the Norns felt. The Wyrd is inexorable, and you can't escape it except to make things worse.”

“This too, shall pass. You'll have a respite after this Cycle is complete, won't you? And you shouldn't think of it as failing to do better. Remember – without you, things would be worse. You are making things the best they can be. It's not your fault you can't make things perfect.”

“True. So I have to hold out until the magic goes away again. If I can still live normally after that long seeing time from the outside... Keep me grounded until then. Keep me -sane-.”

It was too dark in the car for anyone to see the tears that glittered in her eyes, but a lupine nose could scent them. John held her quietly as she wept.