The question then came down to whether I could pull off Alicia’s spell. I’d committed the spell to memory after reading about it, but magic was a lot more than just memorization. Summoning supernatural creatures wasn’t an easy task, especially with no physical spell components to aid me. I spoke the words, concentrating on the power within me, and felt the magic flare up in response. The spell I’d read about had an element of control to it—a way for the caster to direct the fotianas to do the caster’s bidding. I’d planned on having the fotianas do some steady loops of the compound, enough to be distracting and steer everyone’s attention from the masters’ meeting room but not degenerate into complete chaos.
Unfortunately, things didn’t quite work out as I’d planned.
It took a lot more strength and energy than I’d expected to cast the spell, and although I pulled it off—barely—I couldn’t actually maintain control. A swarm of fotianas materialized in front of me, hovering there for a moment before suddenly scattering off and flying around the compound at insane speeds and in wildly different directions. We stared after them, gaping.
“Were they that fast at the robot museum?” asked Eddie, eyes wide.
“I don’t think so,” I said. “I may not have cast it perfectly. I also didn’t mean to summon quite so many.”
If we’d wanted chaos, though, we got it. The fotianas instantly attracted attention, spinning and twirling around the compound, leaving trails of light behind. And, just like at the museum, the fotianas stung those they came into contact with. Screams and shouts rose up almost immediately, and with them, a cry I hadn’t expected.
“Armageddon! Armageddon is upon us! Warriors, take up arms!”
Sabrina gasped, and I turned to her in surprise. “They mean that figuratively, right?” I asked.
She shook her head frantically. “Are you kidding? These people? It’s what they’ve been preparing for. I didn’t think they’d take this as a sign, though!”
“Look!” Eddie pointed toward a group of Warriors hurrying in our direction. Panic surged into me. How had they linked the fotianas to us?
“The storage shed,” explained Sabrina, steering us away from it. “That’s what they’re going for. They do Armageddon drills to get ready for this, and the weapons they use are in here.”
Sure enough, the mob of Warriors paid us no attention and huddled around the shed as they waited for it to be unlocked. As soon as that happened, someone began passing out swords and maces to the waiting throng. Once armed, they tore off back into the compound’s center, swinging madly against the fotianas, which they’d termed “demons of hell.”
“Well,” I said, having to shout amid all the noise, “they’re certainly distracted. Can you guys have the car ready while I go for the laptop?”
Sabrina nodded, but Eddie said to me, “Let me come with you.”
“Easier for me to slip in and out alone,” I replied.
“Sydney—”
“Eddie,” I said firmly, “I can handle this. You have to trust me. Go with Sabrina and be ready to speed away as soon as I get through the gates.”
I thought he might still protest, but at last, he yielded. The two of them took off for the gate, and I ran back to the masters’ meeting room, having to dodge frenzied armed Warriors and fotianas along the way. Fortunately, things were so chaotic that no one paid any attention to one lone recruit. They probably thought I was lost and confused. In fact, the odds might be good that they’d assume our disappearance was out of fear and never link Sabrina and us to the missing laptop.
As I’d hoped, the masters had run out of their meeting when the commotion started. I got into the empty room easily and nearly whooped with joy when I saw the laptop sitting out. As I’d suspected, the screen was locked, but that’d be a problem for later. I picked it up and turned to the door—where I nearly ran right into Master Angeletti. He stood there stunned for a moment, his eyes going from my face to the laptop and then back to me.
“What do you think you’re doing?” he sputtered out, blocking the exit.
So much for not implicating ourselves in the laptop’s theft. I deliberated for only a moment. If my cover was already blown, I might as well go all the way. Summoning back Malachi Wolfe’s training, I wound up and punched Master Angeletti, landing a hit he clearly hadn’t expected. I’d totally forgotten about the strength spell the witches had laid on me. With the extra power behind my punch, he went flying back several feet, landing flat on his back. Groaning, he put a hand to his head but didn’t come after me as I sprinted over him and hurried back out through the compound.
No one stopped me as I headed toward the main gate. The Warriors were too busy swinging their weapons at the fotianas, shouting about the last battle and sending their enemies to hell. The gate guards had abandoned their posts to join the fray, and I slipped out easily, happy to find Sabrina’s car running and ready for me. I tumbled into the backseat, and she had her foot on the gas before I could even manage to shut the door.
“You got it?” she asked, once we were speeding away.
“Got it,” I confirmed, fastening my seat belt. “But it, uh, wasn’t as covert as I hoped. You might want to go with that staying-away-from-them plan after all.”
She snorted. “No problem there, especially if that laptop pays off.”
I hugged it to me. “Let’s hope so. Where are we going to take it?”
“To Marcus, of course.”
Marcus was still staying at Howie’s cabin in the desert, and it was nearly sunrise when we reached it hours later. I was hoping Adrian would still be there, but when we walked into the living room, we found only Marcus on the couch, eating an oatmeal cream pie for breakfast and leafing through a copy of Reader’s Digest. “I think he’s staying with those witches of yours,” he explained, immediately handing over my cell phone.
I, in turn, gave him the laptop. “Know anyone who can get into it?”
Marcus grinned. “Our host, actually.”
I stared stupidly for a moment. “Howie?”
“Yup. Believe it or not, he used to work in computers before ‘retiring’ to the herb business. I’ll give it to him right away.” Marcus disappeared through the beaded curtain.
I promptly dialed Adrian, and it went to voice mail. It was hard to say what schedule he might be on, and if it was anything human, he might very well still be asleep. Stifling a yawn, I decided that didn’t seem like too bad of an idea after my all-night venture. Eddie and Sabrina were on the same page, and Marcus assured us he’d make sure no one bothered us while we camped out in the living room. I fell asleep almost instantly and woke a few hours later to the sound of Eddie and Marcus whispering. Sabrina was still asleep, curled up on the beanbag chair.
“What’s up?” I asked quietly, walking over to join Marcus and Eddie.
“Howie got in pretty easily,” said Marcus. “Master Angeletti wasn’t that big on security. I’ve spent the last hour or so perusing some of the files.”
“Did you find anything about where they’re holding Jill?” I asked eagerly.
Marcus nodded. “That’s what I was just telling Eddie. It’s all here—well, almost. They mention her, talk about how long she’s been held, have schematics for the place they’re holding her. There are even specifics on the terms they negotiated with Alicia.”
“Terms?” I asked.
“Apparently, they cut some sort of deal. Alicia wanted her held a while—probably so that she had a bargaining chip with you—but the Warriors eventually want to use her in some sort of barbaric execution ritual.”
My heart stopped. “Just like they did with Sonya.”
“It would seem so,” said Marcus grimly. “Per the deal they struck with Alicia, they only have to hold her for three more days.”
I had to stop my jaw from dropping. “Three days?”
“We have to get there—now,” said Eddie, his face like a thundercloud. I was inclined to agree.