The Dark Order

1.6

The roofs of the two brick warehouses have been destroyed, and the ground has been jackhammered with a pool of blood. Bragg surveils the scene that's been taped off with magic. There's a group of Magic Law Enforcement Forensics present. Blood samples. Photos. Body extraction. 

She examines the bloody, splintered corpse struck in the wall. She looks at the ground where an arcane circle has been into the brick road from Maggie's aura. Forensics collects blood. 

"Claudia, be a dear." 

The spider scurries from under her sleeve, up her arm. 

SHE CRAWLS UP HER NECK AND BITES HER.

Bragg's eyes begin to CHANGE. MORE PUPILS FORM UNTIL TWO BECOME EIGHT. 

Her view of the alley has been transformed. She can see webbing unseen by normal eyes and it's everywhere. Her vision has been amplified, able to see the smallest of details. She continues examining until something grabs her attention. 

She approaches the area where Jubilee and Maggie stand. There's a small drop of black pus. Her eyes continue to search the area. 

"Fuck, Alexis." 

"My thoughts exactly! First, black magic, and now this!"

Claudia releases her bite and hurries back under her sleeve. Bragg's back to normal before she turns around, met by a fifty-seven-year-old Black male briskly walking toward her. This is Simon Wilcox, the Police Chief-- User of Lightning Magic.

"He doesn't give a damn about consequences or how he makes us look! I've already got the SSA busting my balls about damages and injuries. On top of that, the charges... He's outdone himself. Three Class-five felony charges, Nefarious use of Magic in public, Murder, Potential ownership of a familiar." Wilcox rubs his face in frustration. 

"All punishable by execution... On top of that, he's giving those normal folks a reason to hate us!"

"Good morning, sir." 

"Constance, how does he do it?" 

"Do what, sir?"

"Continually find a way to be a pain in my ass!

"You know how Alexis is. He's got his focus set on something, it's going to be hard to sway it in any direction." 

"So, what do we have? Besides a fucking headache.

"As of now, not much. We know that Alexis's Earth magic was active here." She points to the knight being picked out of the wall. "We've got a spell circle identical to the one at the orphanage. Ms. Barker is definitely on the move."

"Her grandmother was also attacked last night."

"That's right. That's where the first ping of Earth magic was found." 

"What the hell is he doing?" He's mostly talking to himself.

"There's no telling what triggered Alexis to intervene- I'm sure he has his reasons... Whether we understand them or not." 

"He can't keep doing this, he's isn't a soldier anymore! There's also the potential charge of aiding and abetting a fugitive!

"We don't know if he's aiding her or not... She's just a kid and you--"

Wilcox cuts her off with a sigh, "I know, my apologies... But Constance this can't be the excuse for his behavior forever." 

He looks around. There are reporters from Leigh Harold showing up. Onlookers as well.