Coldsnap: Storm's Call

Chapter 25: Stoking The Flames

We last read Chapter 24, in which Coldsnap and Keena inform Coldsnap's friends and family about the existence of the Storm Sect and their role in the recent attacks on the United States. Coming to the conclusion that the Storm Sect must be stopped before the world is plunged into another global war, they decide that in order to help the Mage Aspects, they must re-equip themselves with the Primordial Juice and the Aegis Gauntlets; the same pieces of equipment they used to aid Coldsnap and co. at the Battle at the Grand Terminus two years earlier. The problem is, the juice has worn off and the gauntlets have been misplaced, so Coldsnap and Keena decide to travel to an abandoned, ruined workshop formerly owned by someone named Leo—a former associate of Coldsnap's with whom she had a rather fatal falling out—to search for alternatives. This time, we learn that Firebird has also been up to something, and watch as Coldsnap and Keena arrive at the former site of Leo's workshop.....

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-Wallace Weiss's Temporary Safehouse, London, England-

During the course of the President's recovery at the Royal London Hospital in London, England, his chief advisor Wallace Weiss—who was, in reality, an impostor Storm Sect spy by the name of W.H.R.R.L.—had set up a temporary safehouse in the area so that he wouldn't be too far away from the President.....and so he could immediately report to the commander-in-chief in person should anything go wrong with the scheduled nuclear strike against Russia.

The safehouse itself was rather out of the way, and looked completely inconspicuous, appearing as a rather regular house on the outside, with a shingled roof, a stucco exterior, at least one window on every wall, and a door that appeared to be made of shiny treated wood with a window shaped like the top half of a semicircle at the height of it.

Two Secret Service agents stood guard at the front door, with another two at the back door. Additionally, four more were inside the house, regularly walking around and patrolling the interior hallways and passages.

However, the two agents at the front door were suddenly taken by surprise when Firebird abruptly dropped down from above and landed on her feet right in front of them, flexing her knees on impact and making them jump with a start.

The pair of men stared at the fire mage standing before them; her armor—which was red and black with several gold highlights—her flaming pauldrons, her twin daggers, her athletic, lithe figure, her very high blonde ponytail, and her blazing orange eyes made it unquestionable; it was undoubtedly her.

What Coldsnap and Keena didn't know was that Firebird had also skipped out on preparing the fire mages for battle against the Storm Sect, instead ordering her informant to do it instead; the exact same one that had told her about Keena's meeting regarding the fire spirits near the beginning of the adventure and the one that asked her about Emberson's destroyed workshop right when she was about to go to sleep.

"Hello, boys!" she greeted with a wave. "Listen, time is of the essence. I need to get in there and talk to Wallace Weiss now."

The two guards looked at each other, then back at Firebird, with the one on the left speaking for both of them. "I'm sorry, Firebird, ma'am. Though you might be one of Earth's many heroes—and I'm sure you have the government's best interests in mind—I'm afraid I can't let you in for just any reason."

"Please.....it's urgent," the Fire Sect Leader pleaded. "Don't you want to hear what I have to say?"

"The President's top advisor is already stressed concerning the commander-in-chief's recent assassination attempt. He's busy trying to coordinate the President's response, and does not have time for any visitors right now. I suggest you leave before I call for backup."