Bon Chance, Malchance
Chance felt her stomach twist as she saw the caution tape warding off bystanders around The Elysian Fields. She’d chosen to walk out on him. Walk out on whatever he’d gotten himself into. She thought it was this Gentleman guy fucking with him, but it wasn’t. She thought Nik would be fine. That clearly wasn’t the case. Nik had nothing to do with the Twins did he? Or did he? He and Pete were close, close enough that she’d continued coming here after Pete vanished. Close enough that she should have stood by him. Nancy was right. Tears blurred her vision briefly as everything sought to overwhelm her. She couldn’t find a trace of Davidius, that weird guy was looking into her like she’d saved the Gentleman and now this... a sob escaped her throat before she shook her head. No time for this. No time. “Focus” she whispered to herself, taking a sharp breath in and letting it out in a low growl. Fate never rolled a single die anymore.
.....
Augur looked around for about the hundredth time. Lance was taking out his frustration by posting him here. There was nothing else to be found. He shrugged. It was a neat way to disguise a shrine to Pan, although he had no idea that others even worshiped the so called Gods. They were just powerful spirits and practitioners of magic as far as he could tell. Sure they probably had mundanes eating out of their hands but.... people like Nikolai... Pan was just another Satyr. He frowned and rubbed the back of his neck. Wait.... he glanced out through the broken window. Someone was approaching. They’d contained the site though..... He blinked and focused on the person before looking away. It was like trying to stare into the heart of a fire. Just who was this? He stepped outside and met them... met her by the cordon of tape. She didn’t look special. Jeans, Loose fitting pale pink t-shirt, blond hair. But that inner fire....
....
Chance frowned as she saw movement. The site had looked otherwise quiet. She had posited that this had taken place yesterday, after she left. Why was there someone here? She sighed before taking a breath. “Focus.” She strode towards the caution tape like she belonged here. She saw the agent come outside to meet her, saw the brief look of confusion as to why and how she was walking towards the restaurant. Chance wanted answers. She wondered if they were veiled or just normally human looking. They certainly looked the part of an Agency operative, tired look, disheveled hair, suit and pants. No tie on this one though.
“Agent Morrow.” She flashed him an ID badge. She kept her face straight as he tried to peer through a veil that wasn’t there.
“I.... never heard of...”
She cut him off. “Nobody had heard of the Agency until the Incident.” She narrowed her eyes. “So what happened here Agent.....?”
“Augur.” He supplied. “Werewolf. We picked them up.”
“When?”
“Yesterday.... just before 9pm.”
“And you’re still here, along with a rather potent ward because a werewolf got mad about their pasta not being al dente and broke a window?!” She leaned in and narrowed her eyes further. “Try agent Agent Augur.”
He took a step back. This wasn’t part of his job description. He reached for his phone.
“I. Asked. You. A. Question. Agent.”
“Er.... but....” He fumbled with the phone and dropped it.
“Well?” She leaned back and folded her arms. “Or has the Agency once again decided that they are keeping secrets from the world? Is this ward within your powers I wonder? You are making the people passing by ignore this place.”
“But you’re here!” Augur protested as he crouched to pick up his phone. Couldn’t let whoever this was out of his vision.
“I am not the general public am I?”
“So why are you here?”
Chance titled her head. Finally got some spine.... “I’m here to see the owner. Was he injured in the attack?”
“No. No one was hurt.”
Really? She frowned. “Then why the cordon?”
“I should really call...”
She had her phone out before he could finish. “Allow me. I’ll explain how a member of the Agency is withholding information from a fellow agency. What’s the number?”
“I-I’ve never heard of....”
“And no-one had ever heard of you until the aftermath of New York.” She lifted the caution tape and stepped under it. “Do you really think you’re the only secretive operation in the world!?” She leveled a finger at him. She felt the magic probing again. “And will you stop that!”
He took half a step backwards. “What!?”
“You’re probing me with magic. Without permission. Now I want you to call whoever is in charge here.”
“Sorry.” He hung his head.
She huffed. “Apology accepted. Now what happened here? Why did the Agency take the time and energy to attempt to hide this place?”
“It was cursed.” Augur’s voice was quiet. He didn’t look up.
“Cursed?” She frowned and looked around. That didn’t normally require something of this magnitude as a response. “Why all this?” She gestured to the tape.
“Rakshasa.”
Paris...... this was Paris all over again.
(And now a scene featuring the main character of this mess eh? About time she got the spotlight back.
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Once again thanks for reading and Have fun with your writing.)
