Chapter 6: In The Army Now

As being arrested goes, this wasn't too bad. No hand-cuffs and a polite driver and bodyguard along with Nichole Moodie, but beneath their friendly attitude I knew that a 'normal' person wouldn't get away from them ... But then I wasn't exactly normal.

So why was I allowing this to happen?

I needed money to help create a school of magic, not that I was trying to build Camelot or Hogwarts, at least not by that name, but here was a way of being noticed ... by being arrested by Military Intelligence? I'm not sure how it works either, but Aristotle had told me to agree to this.

"Do you do this type of thing often?" I asked my co-passenger, but he just looked straight ahead without speaking.

I shook my head and looked out of the window. The London traffic at this time was relatively quiet, it was still busy but less than at rush hour. I decided to meditate and closed my eyes ... only to be nudged by my guard. "Keep awake." He said

"I wasn't sleeping, it's called meditation! It's a way to calm down and to focus on things." I answered him.

"Well I've got orders that you can't close your eyes during this trip, so you don't sleep or 'meditate' either." He said.

"I'm sorry Mr. Beaker, but we don't want to lose you again, so please don't try anything stupid." Nichole said.

"Major, if I wanted to leave, I could, without closing my eyes." I said to hear a muted laugh from beside me. "It seems your friend here doesn't believe that, do you think I should show him?" I said keeping my eyes on Nichole.

"No, Mr. Beaker, I know you could just vanish without effort, I'm not sure why you want to go ahead with this." She said.

I thought for a moment and then used my magic senses to test the people in the car, the highest power in the vehicle, apart from me, was Nichole. "Tell me Major, when you sleep at night, do you find yourself in a library with Black, White and Yellow bound books?" I asked her.

I saw the confusion in her eyes and I smiled, "Take one book and say the words 'Translate', see what happens." I told her and then called a Casper to me and set it to watch Nichole.

We travelled along the course of the Thames, on the road of course, passing Lambeth Palace and then turning left to cross the river over Westminster Bridge. At St. Stephen's Tower, we followed the road before we turned into Parliament Street heading for Whitehall, passing the cenotaph before turning right again into what, I assumed, was an underground car park.

However, I was wrong, there was a set of gates, in front of which an armed guard stood by Nichole's window and checked her identity. He nodded to another armed guard who pressed a button and the gate opened. We drove slowly into a caged area.

"This is a scanner, it will show if we're carrying any extra items, like bombs or concealed people." Nichole said as a light in front of us turned green and the exit gates opened to allow us access.

We drove down a long passageway, making turns at unmarked corners; I noticed that along with the lights there were also CCTV cameras giving a constant view of the entire length of the roadway – which is what it actually was.

Nichole saw the look on my face. "These tunnels were started during the war, expanded in the Cold War period and then made into the roadways that we have now. They had no end of problems getting over the Tube system."

"But what's it for? Couldn't you just use the main roads?" I asked.

Nichole shook her head, "No, these are used to transport top secret information by couriers and to travel secretly between the offices and Parliament. Not many people know they exist." She said and then turned her attention back to the road.

We stopped before another gate and yet another guard who checked Nichole's ID and checked a clip-board before allowing us to enter yet another caged area, and then from there we parked in a marked bay.

Nichole and the driver got out of the car before my door was opened and I was 'escorted' – read held by the hand – out of the car. "We don't want you to run away Mr. Beaker, the guards here have shoot to kill licences." Nichole said indicating the men who lined the area.

"So, no chance of a dance then?" I said flippantly which made her stop in her tracks.

"I don't understand you, Mr. Chris Beaker. Just what are you playing at?" She asked.

"I think you are taking things too seriously and I'm just trying to lighten the mood." I replied.

She sighed and shook her head, "Do you realise just what's been happening around here?" She asked and carried on talking without letting me answer. "Too much information has been leaked to foreign concerns and also some businesses. We don't know where from and to be quite honest, we need an edge. You could possibly provide that edge." She said. "So don't try to lighten the mood, we can't afford it."

I nodded "Okay Major, lay on and be dammed he who says enough." I misquoted.

We arrived at a door on which Nichole knocked. "Come in." The voice from inside said. She opened the door and we stepped into a small office. Filing cabinets lined one wall, a large screen – split into several smaller pictures – was on another, and a window looked out onto Nelson's Column. There was a door and a large desk, behind which sat Colonel Marlow. "So, Mr. Beaker, what do you think of the set up?" He asked

I looked around the office and then went to the window to look out. "This is Admiralty Arch?" I said surprised.

"Of course, where else did you think we were?" He asked

"I have to admit I wasn't too sure. Now Colonel just what do you want?" I asked him

"It might surprise you but I'm willing to offer you a property to start your school. All we need is the right to inspect your pupils and to vet them." He said

"VET THEM? What do you think they are, Doberman Pinchers? Colonel, these are people who can cast spells and travel without thinking about it, how would you stop them?" I asked.

"I'm not going to say it's going to be easy. Alright then, what if we got them to sign in? Would that help?" He said with a smile.

I pictured the hallway outside his office and concentrated, appearing there with a 'POP' of displaced air, "Where the f$%k did you come from?" My erstwhile co-passenger was standing outside the door.

"Hey, this is what happens when I vanish." I said and knocked on the door.

"Not now!" The Colonel's voice sounded strained but I ignored his words and opened the door to enter his room.

"Just why the hell did you do that?" The Colonel demanded

"Colonel, do you mind if I sit down?" I asked him and did so after receiving permission. "I did that to show you that it's impractical to ask a mage to sign in. I probably could arrange a spell that would note down who is visiting and when they leave, if only in cases of fires, but in that case we could most likely put it out without need of the fire brigade."

"I see, so you can play with fire can you?" Marlow said with a laugh.

I smiled and created three fireballs, which I began to rotate around my body. "An early lesson is the creation and control of fireballs, and it can be expanded to include natural fires." I lifted a hand and the three fireballs merged into one. "This is real, if I keep them going, in a few minutes, you'd find that the alarms will be going off as this is detected, although ... now it won't be." I extinguished the ball and placed a cold cinder onto Marlow's desk.

"Very impressive, so you're saying that if we do allow you to have this school, then we won't have any control over it." The Colonel said making a note on a pad that was on his desk.

"I'm afraid not Colonel. The Art is not something that can respect boundaries; it's like a cat in that respect. All I can say is that we wouldn't be starting any wars or building an army inside the place." I said

The Colonel sighed. "There has to be some way of monitoring what happens at this establishment, we can't just hand over places to possible risks." He said.

"Hand over, you mean you have somewhere for us?" I asked him.

"Well, we might need a payment for the property; we're not just giving this to you. You'll have to earn it." Marlow said.

"Which means what, exactly? We're not going to be a school for spies, if that's what you're going to ask for." I said my eyes narrowing as I wondered what he would ask for.

"You've shown that normal security protection isn't enough, if more people were like you they'd be able to enter secure places without detection ... we need to be able to stop this, to find ways to firmly secure houses and offices from this type of entry. That would be the first step." Marlow said watching me for my reaction.

"I'd need to research the spells to do that, if it's possible, anything else?" I asked.

"Can this be taught to anyone, I mean is there a particular type of person you can't train?" Marlow asked me.

I shook my head, "I don't know Colonel. I didn't think I had a magic bone in my body until I encountered Sar'ha and she showed me what I had the potential to become. Somewhere inside me was the Mage waiting to come out, but I'm a computer programmer by inclination, I know nothing about teaching or being a teacher." I said.

Marlow was still watching me, "But you know people who might be able to help you? What about this Sar'ha person, couldn't ... she come here and help you?" He asked.

"No, she's too busy on her own school; I can't ask her to travel back here just to help me. I'd need to find people here, that is why I sent out the Casper's, to find potential mages and show them what they are capable of." I said

Marlow frowned, "So how are you vetting these people?" He persisted.

I sighed, "I'm sorry Colonel, but the only vetting is the ability to live up to their potential, I can't distinguish between race, creed or colour ... or their national affiliation, many won't even be British."

He looked up at that, "Not British, but you mean that you'd let anyone in?"

I nodded my head, "Colonel I have to! As I said, The Art is blind to borders. And the more people involved the better." I said

He looked sharply at me, "Why is that?" He asked.

I shook my head, "I don't know! ... I mean I really can't say. But I do know that at some time we will need all the Adepts we can get. That is the main reason for the school, plus we will be trying to help where we can." I said drawing on the clues that Aristotle had given me – I really must press him for the reason.

This time Marlow shook his head. "If there was some way of having one of my people involved ... do you have any suggestions?"

I looked at Nichole and then said, "I might have ... If I can have a word with the Major there?"

Both Colonel Marlow and Major Moodie looked at each other. "Well Major? Do you have something to say?" Marlow said.

"Sir?" Nichole said standing at attention and then she spoke again, "Mr. Beaker asked me if I had dreams of a library ... I have, and it seems important somehow, but when I open the books, I can't read the pages. Somehow Mr. Beaker knows about it, but I haven't mentioned it to anyone." She said in an appeal to her boss.

Marlow looked back at me, "Can you explain the significance of this?" He asked.

I relaxed in the chair, "The library is the sign of a potential adept, the books are supplied by an entity known as the Library of the World ... I call him Aristotle, but that's just my fancy ... The first test is to read a book, that is the first spell that an apprentice learns."

"So how does this help you?" Marlow asked.

I smiled, "Colonel, you now will have one of your own people as an apprentice, with a true calling as her library will attest to. There is your way of monitoring our actions." I said.

Marlow looked at Nichole, "Well Major, what do you say about this?" He asked her.

Nichole thought for a moment, "I'm willing to give it a go, Colonel, if that's what you want." She said sounding dubious.

Marlow nodded his head, "Good, well then that's your assignment from now on Major, you are the liaison between this office and Mr. Beaker's school. Now why don't you show him our plans and then get him to sign the O.S.A." He said and nodded to me. "You're going to learn some stuff that we don't want anyone else to find out about. And when you sign the Official Secrets Act then you can't tell them."

I had to laugh, "Colonel, with what I know, no-body would ever believe me."

I was shown a thick document and told to sign here, here, here and here. Basically it said that whatever I learnt while working with the Intelligence Section would remain unsaid, on pain of imprisonment for life plus 50 years - just in case I tried to live beyond my death.

With my signing, I was also asked to hold up my right hand and was sworn in. Then I was informed that I was now in the British Military Intelligence section and would be paid by the government.

"But I already have a job? What do I say to them?" I asked Nichole.

"We've sent them a letter telling them that you've been head-hunted by another firm and it's with sincere apologies that you're handing in your notice." She said with a smile.

"But I liked that job; I had fun working at it." I protested weakly, but knew that I was now past that side of my life.

"Onwards and upwards, you're in the Army now." Nichole said with a smile.

She led me back to the car that was now devoid of the driver and body-guard. "You'll need this and this." Nichole said handing me an identity badge and what looked like a mobile phone."

"I don't need this, I have my own." I said taking my phone from my pocket.

"This is special, it can't be blocked by normal security measures and we can tell where you are at all times." She said, realising that she had told me I was still being watched.

I smiled and muttered a phrase bringing both phones together and then there was just one phone in my hands. "Okay now I have that. What's happening now?" I asked her.

She just looked at my 'new' phone and then said, "Now I show you the safe house that you will be working from."

"You mean the place we will be working in don't you?" I said.

"Yes, the house we'll be working from. Now if you'll get in, we'll be on our way." She said sitting in the driving seat. She pressed some buttons and then spoke out loud, "Major Moodie and Advisor Beaker in CJ3, radio check and clearance request."

There was a slight pause and then a voice said, "Major, radio check okay and you have clearance to exit." I couldn't see where it came from.

"The tunnels are constantly monitored and if any car leaves without permission, the section it's in will be closed down. If you ever come here, you'll have to ensure that you contact the control room." Nichole said conversationally.

We followed the 'road' until we came to another checkpoint/exit. This time, we both had to show our identifications and then we were allowed out. We emerged into an underpass and then came out to Regent Street from a side road, and then we started the slow drive out of London.

After about an hour we were in the countryside, Nichole was unwilling to talk as she drove down the back roads. We followed a large brick wall that ran along the road until it came to a set of gates. On the gates was a sign telling the world that Omnivore Security was looking after the place and a bored looking man was sitting in brick built shelter.

"Sorry misses, but you're not allowed in, the place's closed." He said looking up from his book to do so.

"I was told that the dahlias would be in bloom." Nichole said in what was a concerned tone.

The guard got to his feet, "Naw, the dahlias will be out later in the year, are you interested in any other flowers?" He asked but his hands were busy moving out of sight.

"I was told the fuchsias were something to see." Nichole replied.

"Sorry Ma'am, can I see your identifications please?" The guard was all efficient now his eyes taking in the car and both Nichole and Me. We held up our I.D. and he checked them against something in his shelter.

"Thank you Major, Captain. I'll open the gate for you." He said but I noticed he didn't salute as I expected – to be honest, I wouldn't know how to return it properly either.