might seem like an easy target because he’s going in, but the only thing they need to do is break us up somehow. Any one of us would be enough. And they might not kill whomever they took. They might just keep us apart long enough to start whatever it is they’re going to do. I wish we knew more about that…”
“Me too. I’m sorry, guys, I just can’t see anything about it. Dagger, what if you just don‘t go. How bad would that be for you?” Calderon had spent hours thinking about this, trying to see ahead, trying to fight through the block. So far, he’d had no success.
Dagger saw the worry on Cal’s face and considered just telling his boss he couldn’t do it. But losing his job was a real possibility now, and there was no reason to believe the service call was a trap. He’d been there, met these people. He’d be fine… he hoped. “Are you telling me you really think I’ll be in danger here? Or are you just being paranoid?”
Cal and Wade exchanged a glance, and Cal shook his head. “I don’t feel anything. It might just be paranoia…”
“Let’s practice communicating without a circle while we get ready to go.”
For the next half hour, as they cleaned up from breakfast, they sent small, simple messages back and forth to each other through their tenuous connection. Dagger wished they had a few weeks to practice communicating and to strengthen the bond before it had to be tested, but he hoped it at least was strong enough to work in an emergency.
An hour later Dagger pulled up to the job site. He had stopped by his office and picked up his tool bag and the job ticket, apologized again to his boss, and left without incident. Now his stomach fluttered with nerves as he walked up to the main door. He could feel Wade’s reassuring thoughts from his position in the rear of the building, and he saw Cal and Bet in their car along the side street.
The receptionist was polite, and after checking his badge she directed him to the server room. No one paid much attention to him as he walked down the hallway, and when he reached the long narrow room he took out his bag and began work. The problem was minor, and he was on edge. This was something anyone in this company could have taken care of, not an issue that needed a service call. Cal felt the alarm in Dagger’s mind and sent a questioning thought his way. I’m fine. He finished the repair as quickly as possible.
Dagger was just zipping his bag and standing up when he felt someone behind him, but he had no time to turn before a hard blow to his head knocked him out. In his car, Calderon felt the strike and Betony winced. Wade lost his balance and almost dumped his bike, but recovered himself and looked around cautiously. He spotted a man and a woman in matching suits leaning against the rear door, smoking and eyeing him. He was sure they hadn’t been there a moment ago. When they caught him staring at them, they ducked back into the building, flinging their cigarettes out into the street.
Wade rode past the door and stopped, leaning down to scoop up the still burning butts, and broke off the tips, putting the two filters into his pocket. Maybe Betony could use them for a charm. He rode towards Cal’s car, hoping they were all right. He found the alley empty, and sent out a silent plea for them to answer. In response, an image of the local playground flashed in his mind. He rode there quickly and found Cal and Bet parked under an elm tree. Wade pulled alongside and cut his engine, leaning down to talk to Cal through the window.
“We can’t talk here. We have to go home.” Cal’s face was red with anger and his voice was shaking. “Follow us, quickly.”
“But, Dagger-”
“I know, I’ll explain there.”
They were home in fifteen minutes, and Wade practically ran into the house with Cal and Betony.
“When they took Dagger, the block on my visions broke. I think whoever took him was the one blocking me, and they needed to use some
“Me too. I’m sorry, guys, I just can’t see anything about it. Dagger, what if you just don‘t go. How bad would that be for you?” Calderon had spent hours thinking about this, trying to see ahead, trying to fight through the block. So far, he’d had no success.
Dagger saw the worry on Cal’s face and considered just telling his boss he couldn’t do it. But losing his job was a real possibility now, and there was no reason to believe the service call was a trap. He’d been there, met these people. He’d be fine… he hoped. “Are you telling me you really think I’ll be in danger here? Or are you just being paranoid?”
Cal and Wade exchanged a glance, and Cal shook his head. “I don’t feel anything. It might just be paranoia…”
“Let’s practice communicating without a circle while we get ready to go.”
For the next half hour, as they cleaned up from breakfast, they sent small, simple messages back and forth to each other through their tenuous connection. Dagger wished they had a few weeks to practice communicating and to strengthen the bond before it had to be tested, but he hoped it at least was strong enough to work in an emergency.
An hour later Dagger pulled up to the job site. He had stopped by his office and picked up his tool bag and the job ticket, apologized again to his boss, and left without incident. Now his stomach fluttered with nerves as he walked up to the main door. He could feel Wade’s reassuring thoughts from his position in the rear of the building, and he saw Cal and Bet in their car along the side street.
The receptionist was polite, and after checking his badge she directed him to the server room. No one paid much attention to him as he walked down the hallway, and when he reached the long narrow room he took out his bag and began work. The problem was minor, and he was on edge. This was something anyone in this company could have taken care of, not an issue that needed a service call. Cal felt the alarm in Dagger’s mind and sent a questioning thought his way. I’m fine. He finished the repair as quickly as possible.
Dagger was just zipping his bag and standing up when he felt someone behind him, but he had no time to turn before a hard blow to his head knocked him out. In his car, Calderon felt the strike and Betony winced. Wade lost his balance and almost dumped his bike, but recovered himself and looked around cautiously. He spotted a man and a woman in matching suits leaning against the rear door, smoking and eyeing him. He was sure they hadn’t been there a moment ago. When they caught him staring at them, they ducked back into the building, flinging their cigarettes out into the street.
Wade rode past the door and stopped, leaning down to scoop up the still burning butts, and broke off the tips, putting the two filters into his pocket. Maybe Betony could use them for a charm. He rode towards Cal’s car, hoping they were all right. He found the alley empty, and sent out a silent plea for them to answer. In response, an image of the local playground flashed in his mind. He rode there quickly and found Cal and Bet parked under an elm tree. Wade pulled alongside and cut his engine, leaning down to talk to Cal through the window.
“We can’t talk here. We have to go home.” Cal’s face was red with anger and his voice was shaking. “Follow us, quickly.”
“But, Dagger-”
“I know, I’ll explain there.”
They were home in fifteen minutes, and Wade practically ran into the house with Cal and Betony.
“When they took Dagger, the block on my visions broke. I think whoever took him was the one blocking me, and they needed to use some
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