“What’s going on, Indri?” Andrew demanded.
“Sir! Your brother and nearly half of West Base have disappeared. We received reports that a large group was heading through West Gate. They knocked out the guards on duty at the West Gate and went through. We didn’t get the news until half an hour after they went through. Amory must've disabled the message system he built. If he did, we're going to have to rebuild.”
Andrew gave a sharp hiss of disgust. “We’d better see to fixing that message system then. Any idea where they are headed? Can you track them?”
“No sir. He didn’t take anyone who was wearing any sort of tracking device. All the agents on call or on current assignments have one, but he just took all the troublemakers.”
Andrew wanted to believe that it was a stroke of good luck for them, but he knew it wasn’t. His brother wouldn’t leave for any good reason. Of course, maybe he had misinterpreted Andrew’s request to leave.
But no. That just wasn’t Amory. Amory had always been a plotter. The schemer of the family. He’d taught Andrew how to scheme and strategize too, and he’d been a good teacher. He’d taught his brother how his own mind worked so that Andrew could learn how to think the same way.
One mistake you probably aren’t thinking about, Amory. You taught me how your mind worked, and I still remember it. I can think just like you if need be. I understand you because you were the closest thing to a father that I had. I looked up to and imitated you, and so now, I have the knowledge I need to anticipate your next move. Andrew thought.
“Well, I have a feeling I know where he’s headed. Indri, check the hold. Make sure that none of our valuable stores are missing. If any of them are, make a list and report to me. Also, best to check the magical inventory. Be sure that Amory didn’t take any of those items.
"He told me yesterday he wanted to rule the world, and he invited me in on it. I refused, but he isn’t likely to give up because of it. In order to rule the world, he’d need at least the other half of the Book of Spells. East Base still has one half, but we have the other, and I have a bad feeling that he might have taken it.”
Indri frowned, uncertain. “We had alarm systems installed, Andrew. How could he get past them without alerting us?”
Andrew sighed, and then explained, trying to remain patient. Indri was brilliant, but sometimes simple explanations got past him. “Indri, Amory designed our alarm system. I don’t think that the problem was our message system either, now that I think about it. I think that the issue was that Amory turned off all the security cameras and alarms, knocked out the guards, and left. It took someone half an hour to discover the knocked out guards. Either that or the guards woke up and came and told security.”
Indri gave a grunt of understanding and nodded.
This is a disaster. What am I going to tell everyone?
“Indri?”
Indri looked up, intent and listening.
“Alert East Base to the strange activity. If I know Amory, he’s headed there, and he’s planning to take over.”
***
Nari walked into the office.
Andrew and Indri turned to look at her.
She backed up, realizing she'd walked in on a private discussion. “Oh! I’m sorry. I must have forgotten you canceled lessons today, sir.”
She gave Indri a concerned glance. Andrew knew she was still worried that he would disapprove of her. As much as she disliked Indri’s teaching methods, she looked up to him as a steady, firm commander. She knew he could be relied upon in a bad situation, and she knew that whenever he praised her she’d earned it. She could appreciate that, at least.
“No, no! Don’t apologize, Nari. It’s not your fault. Something came up, that’s all.”
She gave a grim laugh. “Yeah, I know. It’s been all over the Base that…”
She stopped seeing Indri’s glare. Glancing over at Andrew, she saw the crest-fallen expression on his face.
He must care about his brother a lot. It would probably upset him if I said that it’s been all over the base that the General’s brother is a traitor.
“Sorry…” she muttered.
Her cheeks heated up, and she looked at the floor, scuffing her shoe along it.
“It’s alright. I know what everyone’s probably saying about my brother. Calling him a traitor and worse would be my guess.” Andrew’s voice was heavy.
Nari nodded. Her stomach clenched and she felt sick. If only she’d kept her mouth shut. Indri was always tirading her for just spouting out whatever she thought of. She should have known saying that would hurt Andrew.
***
Andrew sighed, turning to Indri. “Who did he take with him?”
“The only people I know of are Bjorn Fjordell – no surprise there; he’s a devil if I’ve ever seen one – the Lake pair, Kallie Treyson, Vanessa Lykeson, Dean Trelawny, Mink Sphinx, Otto Hanson, Nellie Firth, Ali Freydson, and... Chenn Covalenti.”
“Chenn?” Andrew asked.
Indri nodded. His face and posture were hard, but his eyes were misted over. Andrew knew how much Chenn had meant to Indri. The two had bonded in the last month or two since Chenn joined MBC.
“I’m sorry, Indri. I know he was important to you.”
Indri shrugged. “It’s not that important. I’ll get over it.”
His eyes told a different story, but Andrew didn’t press him. If Indri were going to cry or show any emotions, he’d do it when no one was around. Andrew understood the feeling, and he didn’t want to embarrass his friend.
“Nari, since you’ve already heard about the situation and you’re here anyway, why don’t you come in? We’ll skip your lesson today. But stay here. I'd like your input on this.”
She walked into the room, sitting in her usual spot. “Before you start, may I ask something?”
Andrew nodded his consent.
“Well, the thing is, the only place I can think of for Amory to go is somewhere he has allies. Does he have any contact with East Base? Friends maybe? Could he take it over if he wanted to?”
Andrew grimaced. “Indri and I were just wondering the same thing. Good thinking, by the way. Considering that you didn’t know anything about my brother, your analysis is excellent. I think that East Base is exactly where he’s heading. He does have a few known friends there, and considering the fact that I didn’t even see half his network here, I think it is a valid assumption that he has supporters in East Gate, unfortunately.”
Nari nodded. “That’s what I was worried about.”
Indri smiled. “I see that someone has learned their strategy and observation lessons well.”
Nari flushed. Indri’s compliments were rare things, and all of his students and a good many of the agents on West Base would have done nearly anything to get the compliment Nari was getting.
“Indeed, Indri… She seems to have a natural aptitude for it. I can hardly teach her fast enough.” Andrew answered, giving her a gentle smile.
“You two are being too generous. I’m not that good, and I’m sure that strategy and observation doesn’t come naturally.”
“Yes, the FBI accepts everyone who is not observational. It’s the one thing they require, and that’s why the U.S.A is so well protected.” Indri quipped.
Nari didn’t have a good response for that. It was so absurd that she couldn’t think of anything to throw back at him.
But that was Indri. All he had to do to shut someone up was open his mouth. She didn’t respond to the remark.
Indri gave her a snide smile, telling her with that expression that he knew he’d won. She didn’t get that look much, and she hated it when he gave it to her. It made her feel like a two year old. A stupid one, no less.
“Indri, play nice.” Andrew remarked, casual.
“I am playing nice. You haven’t heard or seen anything if you think that’s the worst I can do, Andrew.” Indri shot back.
***
Andrew rolled his eyes and shook his head. He'd learned long ago that when Indri was in a bad situation and worried about it, he got sarcastic - well, more sarcastic than usual. And Andrew played along with it because the quiet banter helped him to remain calm so that he could do what he needed to.
“It’s not my place to say,” Nari said. “But you two need to pay attention to the problem. Andrew, your brother has run off, rebelled, and taken more than half of West Base with him, and you and Indri are bandying words.”
Indri returned to his former seriousness. “You're right that it's not your place... but you were right to say something in this case."
Andrew nodded his agreement. “Yes, Indri and I should be paying attention to the task on hand, not acting like two year olds.”
“I didn’t say two year olds.” Nari protested.
Andrew just shrugged.
Indri glared at him. “If you want to call yourself a two year old, go ahead. Don’t call me one.
Andrew rolled his eyes. “Whatever.”
“So what are we going to do?” Nari asked, glaring at the two of them.
“Indri is going to go get that inventory list, and I am going to inform West Base and East Base to be on red alert.”
Nari nodded. “Yeah, fine… But… um… What am I going to do?”
“You, Nari, are going to head out of West Base to see if you can find out what Amory and his gang is up to.” Andrew answered.
She blanched. “Are you sure you want to give me such an important task?”
“Yes. You were an FBI agent, for goodness’ sake, Nari. Not only that, Indri and I both have test results from your classes that show you are exceptionally skilled in both virtual and actual situations. You’ve handled all the simulations with admirable poise and level-headedness. So go out there and make us proud that we picked you. Show us that our choice to privately tutor you was the right one.”
***
She hesitated a moment, unsure what to think, but then she nodded. “Okay. I’ll make you two proud.” In the solitude of her mind, Nari added, I hope.
Andrew smiled at her. Walking over to her, he clapped her on the back. “I know you will, Nari! Now go get ready. Have one of the inventory staff outfit you, but don’t tell them what you’re actually going out for. I don’t want any information leaking to anyone just in case there are spies still in West Base. Tell him that you are handling a particularly dangerous mission for an escaped magical creature. In fact, tell him whatever you want. Just make it believable, and make sure it isn’t anywhere near the truth.”
“You’re condoning lying?”
“Let’s just say that I’m condoning telling the staff fish tales in this case. Just like any angler who exaggerates the size of his fish. Harmless, really. In fact, you’re doing everyone a favor by telling this tall tale. Well, everyone except Amory. But we don’t want to help him anticipate us, so it doesn’t matter.”
Nari nodded. “Alright. I should go now... I guess this is goodbye, then.”
***
Andrew had a sudden rush of emotion. Over the months of training Nari, he had grown attached to her. He was a natural protector, and Nari brought that protectiveness out to the foreground. He gave her a tight hug. “Be careful.”
She hugged him back. “I will.
Indri came over then. He didn’t hug her like Andrew had, but he gave her a firm handshake and murmured, “Come back, Nari. And come back in one piece, you hear?”
She nodded. “Aye, aye, sir!”
He released her hand, and she turned. Walking out the doorway, she braced herself. This was her first real mission, and now that she had it, she found herself unable to think about it in any direct manner. Her stomach fluttered, and her heart pounded. The whole idea of this mission sent adrenaline rushing through her, and she hadn’t even gotten into any trouble yet. It was sickening.