“Why does it seem like time moves slower down here?” I muttered to myself. Adjusting my collar shirt around the neck, I caught the flickering of the lamp post at the end of the street. Pausing, I watched as it flashed three times before turning bright red. I took off, walking swiftly across the street with my hands slipped into my slacks as I stepped onto the main street of Cedar Park. Colony Square courtyard was filled with brick pathways with grass trailing around it. A bronzed man with a thick fro and a falcon held up on his arm was only ever named Woodrow and as my watch ticked impatiently loud against my ear, I walked right up to the old man and whistled for the bird on his arm. Just out the side of my mouth and only for the creature to hear. I glanced back to make sure no one was watching as the bird’s head twitched and blinked before looking down at me.
“Angel of the Waters,” I commanded.
Waiting, I watched Woodrow blink and move his head around, cracking it from side to side before he suddenly leaned his bronzed body down to peer at me. I stared with a straight face just inches from his hardened nose when he huffed with a suck of his teeth.
“Business,” I cut in irritably.
“I didn’t ask,” he grumbled. Old bitter magic was all this man would ever be, but it was useful to travel this way instead of by doors that were constantly being monitored. He suddenly turned his head to look behind him as the faint visual of brick archways and golden lights underneath appeared. Without another word, I walked forward, passing up the grumpy statue as I stepped into the lit arches. One glance back over my shoulder, and I could see Cedar Park fading like a mirage in the desert, but I could hear the laughter and see complexions and races of people from all over before me. The Bethesda statue in Central Park, otherwise known as Angel of the Water stood in her glory above the fountain as people sat around taking pictures and conversing with one another. It was still late at night well before things calmed down as I began to take my leave towards my destination. The pocket watch stopped clicking but my phone began to ring, and I smiled without even looking at the screen because I knew who it was. For now, my baby would just have to wait.
I stepped in between a slither of two brick buildings seeing a door appear the width of my shoulders and barely above the average height of a man at the very end of my path. Reaching in my pocket for my wallet, I fumbled around before pulling out my work ID.
Harvey Benjamin Mayes.
Underground Bureau of Investigations.
Senior Investigative Officer.
Consultant Specialist.
Tapping my card on the door that had no knob or handle, I waited until I heard the magical clicks and the rumblings of the building shift before pushing it open to step inside.
“Hey Tracy,” I greeted. The older woman at the front desk was talking away on the phone as she clicked her long colorful nails together and blew an air kiss with her bright purple lipstick. The lobby was nothing more than a white room with a few chairs, a table and Times magazines that were a few decades old.
I stepped to the only silver doors that split on arrival and pressed the arrow going up. Closing my eyes, I rotated my neck from side to side as my ears felt the pressure of being shoved up several feet into the air.
Ding!
The doors parted ways as the sound of laughter, heavy footsteps in the loafers and smell of fresh papers being printed and passed was the first to hit my senses as I stepped off. The arched ceilings had lights hanging every few feet from the metal pipes that held this place together. The tinted glass ceiling showed the night sky and other high-rise buildings around us when I looked over the railing and down below. The network of cubicles and lounge areas surrounded a large water fountain with a statue of Malcolm Douglas standing tall in his officer uniform.
“Harvey!?”
I looked up at the sound of my name as my brother poked his head out of my office to wave me over. Dropping my things at the door, I stepped inside while Cedric dropped down on the couch and motioned for the door to be shut.
“So I got more information about what could possibly happen this weekend,” he said. Walking over to my desk, I noticed the scattered paperwork of different students from witches being connected to the Southern Five, to the missing sun princess from the Solhari kingdom, even the drafts from researching that fucking cat that hung around Souxie. “I’m not so sure the alumni are remaining docile and neutral in this either.”
“Oh yeah?” I muttered, staring at the file on Souxie Lafayette. Sitting down, I took my glasses off causing an instant reaction of squinting as I cleaned the lens. “This is going to come down to people possibly dying at record numbers… The pack is partnering with the First Family.”
“I think they’ll be expecting that,” Cedric said as he propped his feet on the small coffee table before him. Stretching his arm out on the cushion, he chucked his chin towards me. “You ready to say goodbye to the broad?” Scratching at my jaw, I slipped my glasses back on and ignored my brother who only laughed. “I told you… You weren’t cut out for getting close to anyone because you get attached to easily. You’ve been laying up with this bitch–––”
“And got more out of talking to her than I would lurking around the Grounds like a fucking creep. If you’re still upset, she chose me over you, that’s not my problem. The job was to get close, observe their group–––”
“The job was to get into the damn school. Carmichael mentioned Souxie being close with Maggie Grey. He didn’t say to lay up with her every fucking night. This is why they barelylike to put us on jobs now because your appetite for sex is ridiculous.”
Scrunching my nose, I ignored him as I continued to shift through the paperwork.
“I love her,” I suddenly admitted, getting irritated at the fact that I even had to say it to him and not her.
“You love the pursuit of her. You love the idea of her, and you love that everybody wants her. You’re not the only one to sleep with her. She’s open for business.”
“Much like you and I.”
“So what are you going to tell her? Oh… ‘Souxie…I’ve been hired to follow you and your friends around’–––”
“We weren’t hired to follow her and her friends around. They just happen to be involved! I will tell her the truth so she can be in the know on what’s happening. I trust her,” I said. Knowing Souxie, she was probably starting to suspect me anyway. Especially if she went and told the annoying cat what I found out about him. Standing up, I walked over towards my corkboard. I had every name listed of the First Family when we were first tasked with the job of investigating Drew Collins University from the financial troubles it was secretly having to the faulty admission practice which ultimately led us to Wilhelmina Holmes. Now, it’s turned into something almost out of our control now that we’ve stumbled into a much bigger case.
“Dr. Holmes knew he didn’t have long to be the face of the school anymore the moment Maggie arrived. Once his sister took over,” Cedric started as he picked up a folder from the table. “We clocked in. All we had to do was get accepted for the following semester. Carmichael told ME to talk to the one named Souxie and only talk to her. Had you not stepped in,you wouldn’t be feeling like shit that you lied to this girl all this time.”
“And now…” I went on, staring at my twin.
