Convergence - The Last Science #2.2 - Heroes and Villains

B2: Chapter 30 - Four Days Later - IV

  "No shit. Cloak and everything?"

  So that's Cinza... Pretty much what I expected. The crimson-haired girl beside her chimed in. "Joe understands what's important."

  "My love, Ryan intended no offense."

  Ryan shrugged. "Wouldn't have called that in a million years, that's all." He glanced around. "Stayed home though?"

  "He's helping Makoto maintain the Greywood's barriers," Cinza explained. "Keeping sanctuary."

  "Could use some fucking sanctuary about now," Ryan muttered.

  "You're alive," snapped Rika.

  Ryan looked like he were about to match venom for venom—but one look back up front, a reminder of why they were gathered, and his voice never made it past his throat. He fell silent.

  "We've made great strides in protection magic," said Cinza, filling the silence. "Our home has not yet been found by a single unwelcome soul. All who wish to stay there are welcome."

  "Might take you up on that." Ryan frowned. "But if you guys gotta power it all the time, there's a serious fucking hole in your defense, isn't there?"

  "We're working on it," said Nikki. Her eyes were red and puffy, and she dabbed at them a few times with a handkerchief before speaking. Last time I saw her was on a hospital camera... She looks like she's aged ten fuckin' years since then.

  "Nikki had a theory," explained Cinza. "Using the energy of less complex entities to fuel the spell."

  "Well, shit, that's easy," said Ryan.

  Everyone in the group looked at him, dumbstruck. Even Rika, whom Jeremy had concluded saw every single person in the room as dirt compared to herself.

  "...Do tell," said Cinza dryly.

  "I did somethin' similar with lizard eggs. Self-sustaining enchantment until the egg runs dry."

  Nikki frowned. "But... what was the spell?"

  "Set off a bunch of fire in every direction when it got stepped on." Ryan shrugged. "Never used it outside the science lab, but it worked." He grinned. "Freaked Josh the fuck out." Ryan looked over toward Josh, sitting near the Silverdale parents and Natalie, and winced. "...I should probably apologize or something."

  Nikki spoke up impatiently as soon as he finished, sniffling slightly. "But that's such a simple enchantment. We're trying to power a complex mechanism here. Dozens of layers and components. You can't just use a single egg like that."

  "What about a whole dozen?" asked Rika sarcastically.

  "That's not really—"

  "Hmm," Cinza cut in thoughtfully. "That's actually not a bad idea."

  "The fuck?"

  "Not eggs, of course, but if we used many power sources, we could power each component of the spell individually. In fact, if we use something that can actually produce its own power..."

  "The trees?" asked Ruby, her eyes sparkling.

  Cinza looked over at her with a smile. "Yes, exactly. The trees themselves can protect us."

  "Until somebody awakened comes by and notices your massive fucking spell tugging on every tree for a mile across," said Rika darkly.

  "The awakened aren't who we're worried about," said Ruby.

  "...She's right though," sighed Cinza. "We need to be ready for anything now, magical or mundane."

  Jesus... Jeremy really felt for them. They all seemed more on edge than he'd ever felt in his life, and they could do magic.

  "What do you think, Mr. Ashe?" she asked, looking past Rika to where he stood.

  Fuck. "Sorry," he said, walking up to join them. "Didn't mean to eavesdrop."

  "I welcome your input," Cinza went on. "You've been a great ally to us, as Hailey tells it."

  "Saved my fuckin' life, man," added Ryan, clapping him on the back as Jeremy joined the circle.

  Jeremy shrugged. "Stebbins and Hailey did that, I just got in the way."

  "I saw you in Tacoma," said Ruby. "You saved people there."

  Jetemy raised an eyebrow. "You were there?" he asked.

  Ruby smiled. A second later, she vanished into thin air. Jeremy took an involuntary step back, seriously unsettled, and she reappeared again. Nobody else had even moved. Cinza rolled her eyes.

  "So that's how Hailey got away," he muttered.

  "Despite our abilities," said Cinza, shooting Ruby a look, "we still aren't exactly safe. We'd love your advice and experience, Mr. Ashe, so that something like this doesn't ever happen again."

  Jeremy nodded. "Whatever I can do."