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My heart pounding in my throat, I scanned the empty amusement park, then did a double take when I saw a darker shadow up in the rigging that supported the roller coaster track. "There's someone up in the coaster," I said.
"I see it, too," Ethan said.
"I don't see it," Owen said, frowning. "And I suppose that answers my question.
He's here."
"How, exactly, do you define sunrise, anyway?" I asked. "It's getting light, but the sun isn't up."
"For our purposes, it's sunrise when the sun is clear of the horizon," Merlin explained. I looked to the east and saw that only the topmost part of the sun was showing. We had some time to go. "But if they attack, we fight back, no matter what time it is."
I saw movement out of the corner of my eye. "Look out for the guy on the coaster,"
I warned.
Owen barely lifted a hand, and the man up in the coaster flew back against the iron bars, seemingly held there by invisible cords. "I don't think he'll be a problem," he said mildly. "Let me know if you see anything else."
"How did you know where to hit?"
"If I know something's supposed to be there, I can feel it. Invisibility's no good once you know someone's there."
That was good to know, and it explained how Owen had snagged that intruder, back when all this had started for me. "I don't see anything else," I said as I strained my eyes for anything odd. There was more light now, and the sun was halfway above the horizon.
"Something's in motion, nine o'clock," Ethan said mildly. He was really getting into this. I forced myself to turn calmly in that direction and noticed a man high up on another ride.
"Got him," Owen said, just as calm as Ethan. "Let me know if he moves."
"We should take our positions," Merlin said. "Katie, watch our backs."
I didn't like having to turn away from them, even though I knew there was more security in facing away from one another. I just liked the visual reminder of having three men who were strong in various ways nearby. I wished the sun would get it in gear and finish rising so we could get this over with.
And my wish was granted, sooner than I expected. Four men came striding out of the fog, coming from the ocean end of the pier rather than from the boardwalk.
"They're here," I said softly. Our whole group turned, and Owen and Merlin stepped forward, leaving Ethan and me behind them.
Our opponents looked like something out of a Matrix movie, all swirling black trench coats. I could practically hear the movie soundtrack swelling with the kind of ominous throbbing bass line that makes your seat vibrate. They moved slowly, relentlessly, toward us, the fog parting around them like it knew they were trouble and wanted to get as far away as possible. The fog had a good idea, as far as I was concerned. I realized that the throbbing bass line in my imaginary movie soundtrack was actually the pulse roaring in my ears. I was a simple farm girl from Texas. What was I doing here?
Then they got closer, and they looked more like what you'd see at a Matrix-focused science fiction convention. I would have laughed out loud if I hadn't been afraid it would break my side's concentration. These guys might have the wardrobe, but they needed to work on their intimidation. Then again, in this game, appearances had nothing to do with it. Owen wasn't exactly the sort of person you'd guess was a powerful wizard if you saw him on the street.
Not that I had the slightest idea what kind of person I might see on the street and assume was a powerful wizard. But these guys definitely weren't it. If we'd been in Silicon Valley, I would have pegged these guys for the founders of a software start-up. I supposed, in a way, that's what they were.
I assumed that the one in front was Idris. He was about Owen's age, but much taller, even taller than Ethan. He had a lanky beanpole build, all arms and legs and not enough grace to make use of his height on the basketball court. His trench coat sleeves struck him just above his wrists, and even though he was facing away from the sun, he wore dark shades.
His three sidekicks were even less impressive. One wore surplus military fatigues that didn't fit him well. Another was short and squat, with a belly hanging out from under his black T-shirt. The fourth actually looked physically intimidating, but his face had the blankness of a mindless thug. I wasn't sure how he was going to play a role in a magical battle.
With their side in jeans and fatigues, and the MSI team all in suits, this looked for all the world like a classic renegades versus establishment battle, but I knew Idris and his people weren't fighting for creativity or freedom, only greed and power. For once, the ones in the suits were the good guys.
The tall guy stepped forward. "So, Owen, here we are again."
"Hello, Phelan," Owen said mildly, like they'd just bumped into each other in line at Starbucks. I was right about which one was Idris.
"You had to dig up Grandpa here on my account? What a laugh. I thought you were supposed to be hot stuff."
"Try me." Owen's voice was full of ice and steel.
"I'm only here to advise on strategy," Merlin said. "My advice was to get you out of the way."
"What's wrong, can't handle a little competition?"
