The People v. Eleanor Warwick
Flashing Lights

The doors of the black SUV fly open as men in tactical gear and carrying automatic rifles file out.

Glass crunches under their boots as they surround the crushed Hornet. Weapons trained, the trio of SWAT members approach with caution. Light shines into the vehicle compliments of the flashlight attachments on their barrels.

The busted glass and smashed interior are exactly as they expect. However, they also expected to find the car’s passengers. Much to their surprise, the cab is empty.

The three men glance around warily. Reaching up for the radio strapped to his shoulder, the point man reports their discovery. “Alpha, we have zero visual. Repeat: Zero visual.”

The leader paces as he waits for further instructions. Turning, he stares directly into dark black eyes and an angry growl.

His nose explodes, sending blood and mucus everywhere as Jessie drives her fist into his face. Leaving his feet, the officer lands with a heavy thud at the feet of his two comrades. Both aim their rifles, but never get a chance to fire them.

Eleanor materializes behind them, seizing them by the back of the neck. Sending an arcane shockwave through their nervous system sends both men to the pavement in a heap. The wizard adjusts her glasses as Jessie steps over her victim, flicking his blood from her hand. “You didn’t have to make such a mess,” Eleanor says.

“The fucker smashed your car,” she responds with an edge to her voice. “So I smashed his face. It’s karma.”

“Guess I can’t argue with that. We need to get out of here.” Eleanor turns to her damaged vehicle. “It’s going to take some time for the Hornet’s self-repairing magic to kick in, but I should be able to jump start it.”

She reaches out, but before her powers can do their work, a loud beating sound draws their attention. Eleanor glances over her shoulder to see a helicopter rise above the skyline, shining a spotlight down onto the street. Squealing tires and flashing lights announce the arrival of two more SUVs and numerous police cruisers.

“Scratch that; we need to make a run for it.” Taking Jessie by the arm, Eleanor abandons the Hornet and the duo rushes down the sidewalk.

“Alpha, the targets are rabbiting. Heading south. Repeat: Targets are rabbiting south. Acknowledge.”

From the passenger seat of her SUV, Grey, or Alpha, hears the helicopter pilot’s report over her radio. “Acknowledged, Raven. Stay on them.”

As her command vehicle comes to a stop, the second SUV speeds past, followed closely by three police cruisers. The two agents accompanying Grey leap out of the vehicle and check on the fallen SWAT officers.

Hustling back, the driver steps up to Grey’s window. “They’re all alive, ma’am.”

Offering only a nod, the sound of a loud crash draws their attention down the street.

Their flight is futile.

The shadow cast out in front of Eleanor grows larger as the headlights grow closer. Just running isn’t going to get them anywhere. The cars will overtake them in seconds. Stopping, Eleanor turns to the oncoming vehicles.

Jessie runs past her but comes to a halt shortly. “What are you doing?”

“Buying us some time,” she answers. Summoning unseen forces, Eleanor sets her feet and sweeps her arms to the side. The leading SUV suddenly spins out, its tires bellowing and kicking up smoke.

The laws of physics taking over, the vehicle flips and begins a crushing roll. Unable to react in time, two of the Carmadie PD interceptors crash into the SUV, now sitting on its side. The third is able to swerve but jumps the curb and slams into the side of a building.

Eleanor staggers backward. Both the effort of her spell and the surprise of its effectiveness leaves her dazed. She nearly jumps when Jessie seizes her by the collar. “We gotta go, dammit!”

Looking at her, Eleanor sees what spurs her urgency. Two more large vehicles barrel toward them from the opposite end of the street. Eleanor stumbles as the hellblood pulls her toward her and then pushes her ahead.

“This way!” Taking the lead, Eleanor rounds a corner and heads across a parking lot toward the Lampton River.

Grey’s vehicle screeches to a halt before the multi-car wreckage.

Climbing out, she scans the scene. The uniforms left their cars and are attempting to assist the agents in the disabled SUV. “You!” she shouts to the officer who climbed onto the toppled vehicle. “Help them! Everyone else, on me! Move!”

The group draws their weapons and follows the agent around the wreck. Grabbing her radio, Grey signals her backup. “Team Two, are you on the targets?”

Static crackles before a voice answers. “Affirmative, Alpha. They’re cutting through a parking lot. It’s gonna hold us up.”

“Acknowledged. Raven, don’t lose them.”

“Roger that, Alpha,” Raven responds.

“Do we have a plan here, Warwick?”

The duo reaches a row of small public boating piers. Catching her breath, Eleanor looks over the dark waters of the Lampton River.

The river is a wide waterway that splits Ferrytown from the rest of the city. Jumping in and swimming crosses her mind, but the water is likely freezing and, as a major shipping route, it’s dirty and infested with bacteria.

“I…I’m thinking.”

Jessie turns to the mouth of the pier. The two SUVs come to a halt and several SWAT officers pile out. The helicopter hovers above, shining its spotlight down upon them. “Well, you better think fast! This is starting to look kinda bad!”

Darkness spreads across her eyes and the hellblood let out a terrifying cry. The SWAT team glance back and forth to each other and cease their advance.

Eleanor knows it’s only a matter of seconds before Jessie’s tearing the men apart. That would only make the situation worse. Staring at the water again, an idea comes to her. Dropping her satchel, she strips off her coat. She lays down on the dock and lowers her garment down to the choppy surface of the river.

Grey and her team catch up with Team Two and approach the pier. She wonders why the SWATs are standing by. Seeing Jessie in her full demonic glory answers her question. The black eyes and guttural snarls are certainly enough to give her pause.

Stepping to the front of the group, she calls out to her targets. “This has gone far enough, Warwick! Hand over the Stone! Now!”

Ignoring the agent, Eleanor dips the tails of her coat into the river. Letting the water soak for a moment, she pulls it back up. Coming to a knee, Eleanor wrings the cloth out. Freezing water from the river drips down and pools onto the pier. Placing her hand down in the puddle, Eleanor focuses all the energies she can muster.

As she focuses, she begins to move her other hand in circles, quickly reciting hidden words. The water starts to writhe and ripple. Unbeknownst to those above, the Lampton mimics the pool, churning and swirling below.

“You had your chance.” Looking to her subordinates, Grey gives them a nod. “I want Warwick alive, but you can take that one out,” she says, gesturing to Jessie.

As the men aim their weapons and Jessie growls menacingly, Eleanor lifts her hand from the puddle. At her command, the waters of the Lampton erupt.

Twin pillars of liquid rise high on both sides of the small pier. The helicopter jerks to the side as water batters against it, the spotlight careening away. Grey and her backup stare up at the massive torrent of fluid. Water drizzling down onto her like rain, Jessie looks over her shoulder. The black vanishes from her eyes as they widen.

Balling her hand up into a fist, Eleanor brings it down to the dock. Mimicking her, the pillars come together and drive down toward the mouth to the pier. Grey turns to her men. “Back! Get back!”

The group is barely able to take a step before the pillar crashes down on the parking lot. Waves of water sweep the officers and agents off their feet, carrying them away as they spread.

Grey grabs the handle of one of the SUVs before the waves knock her over. The freezing liquid rushes over her as she struggles to maintain her grip. Sᴇaʀᴄh thᴇ FɪndNovᴇl.nᴇt website on Gøøglᴇ to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.

Eleanor falls to her hands and knees, breathing heavily. Rushing to her, Jessie pulls her to her feet. “Warwick? You with me?” A mild nod is the best the wizard can muster. “Good.”

With a hard shove, she sends Eleanor over the edge of the pier and down into the river. Allowing herself a moment to smile, acknowledging how much she enjoyed doing that, she steps up to the edge to follow.

Pausing for a second, she turns back and snatches up Warwick’s satchel. Whipping it around her arm, she dives from the dock and into the dark, cold Lampton.

The barrel of Grey’s gun jitters and shakes.

She approaches the pier moments too late. Soaking wet and shivering, the agent scans the area. Her Kevlar vest feels heavy and the sleeves of her blouse cling to her arms. Water squishes in her shoes and her hair is disheveled and damp. Car alarms blare loudly as her team picks themselves up and rushes to her side.

Pulling out her radio, she presses the mic button. “Raven, status! Now!” Soft crackling is the only response. “Raven! Status!”

The helicopter is easily visible sweeping along the river, searching for its quarry. Determining her radio has shorted out, she hurls it into the river. One of her subordinates approaches her. Before he can speak, she cuts him off. “I need a working radio.”

“Yes, ma’am.”

“And get everyone loaded up. We need to get to House Warwick on the double.”

“We have the street blocked off at both ends,” the agent points out. “There’s a major traffic backup.”

“Then start clearing it. And get me that radio.”

“Yes, ma’am.”

Sliding her weapon into its holster, she scans the pier again. She turns away, before quickly looking back.

Something shimmers in the dark. She barely noticed it at first. Stepping out onto the dock, she bends down and plucks the small, egg-shaped stone from the wet surface of the pier. Clutching the Tempus Stone, she rises and walks back toward her team.

The agent runs up to her. “Here’s your radio, ma’am. Uniforms are getting the traffic moving but it could still be half an hour before…” The sentence dies when the subordinate catches a glimpse of the Stone. “That’s the…how?”

“It likely fell out of her satchel.” Taking up the radio, Grey looks to the helicopter in the distance. “Raven, do you have the targets?”

“That’s a negative, Alpha. Too much river and too little light.”

“Understood. Fall back but stay ready.”

“Roger, Alpha. Headed out.”

Handing the radio back to the agent, Grey walks toward the vehicles. “Call the locals in. Send them to House Warwick. No one gets in or out without being detained.”

“They’re already on their way.”

“Good.” Before Grey can enter the SUV, a small bump on her foot draws her attention.

Looking down, her brows furrow quizzically. The agent kneels and picks up the small, blue marble. Turning the sphere over in her hand, she glances around, not entirely sure what she’s looking for.

The black woman is looking for where the marble came from, but Cassandra is confident she won’t see her. She looks her up and down, studying her. She doesn’t know who she is, but Cassandra sees the Stone, her Stone, in the woman’s hand.

And that means she has to die.

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