Spes Novis

Inform and Investigate - 6

 "I will not stand for this," Justice Proctor announced. "My entire bloodline drips with esteemed sorcerer blood. Why, for one minute, would you assume that I am an agent of the humans?"

"We have reason to believe that you or one of your subordinates is a mole. Until we find who it is, you will have to vacate the bench."

"I was already cleared," Proctor responded.

"New information has arisen."

Lavender paused the recording and rewound, saying, "Look at his reaction. He seems too defensive. He's definitely hiding something."

"I don't know..." Corey murmured, "I was pretty defensive when I was under interrogation, and I hadn't done anything wrong. Remember how upset you were when your badge was revoked? He's probably feeling the same way."

"It's not the same, Corey, I'm telling you," Lavender said. "Look at his face." She pointed at the screen, "There's something he is refusing to tell us."

"Well whatever it is, we'll find out once that search warrant comes through," Corey murmured.

"Yeah..." Lavender looked up from the screen at the door. "When do you think that secretary will come back?"

Corey twiddled his thumbs and stood up. "Not sure. I'm getting antsy, though. I can't stand knowing exactly where the D.C.s are in Erie... But not being allowed to do anything without backup."

"They're going to approve our request. The mage militia knows how sensitive hostage situations are, they aren't going to make us go into Erie alone to rescue the missing people," Lavender trailed off, watching the screen again. "What if Proctor isn't a mage? What if he's just pretending?"

"I doubt that. Someone would have found out ages ago when he first joined the court."

There was a knock on the door and a hush fell across the room as Lavender and Corey ceased their conversation.

"Miss Necros? Mister Gesly? I have the files for you to submit your military aid request," the secretary said. She held out the forms in her delicate, civilian hands and waited for one of them to take it.

Lavender stood up and accepted the paperwork with a hearty, "Thank you." She sat back down and began filling out the request form. "Did she go yet? Maybe she's working for Proctor too and-"

"Yes, she's gone. And you need to relax." Corey leaned over toward the paperwork and reached for a pen to help fill in the document.

"No it's okay, I have it handled," Lavender said, but Corey persisted. Initially annoyed, Lavender glanced at Corey to see if he was really this dense. There was a slight smile on his face as he intentionally bumped her hand. "Oh. I see how it is," Lavender pushed back, battling for the right to write.

"Just chill and let me-" Corey laughed.

Lavender shoved Corey with her free hand, "No, Gesly!"

"Necros!" He reached out and grappled for the pen.

The pen fell on the floor and Lavender shook her head, "Wow. We're adults. Fine, you can fill out the forms and I'll relax. I'm going to call Finnikin out in the hall."

Corey smiled and picked up the pen, "Mission accomplished."

Lavender rolled her eyes and stepped out the door. She glanced down the hall and took out her work phone. Surely, her boss would understand that she did not want to use the public phone, for fear of being wiretapped. Not that she was going to discuss sensitive information.

Lavender dialed the number and leaned back against the wall, waiting for that familiar voice. If he ever picked up the damn phone at the shop.

"Frost Fashions, this is Finnikin, what can I do for you today?"

Lavender deepened her voice and said gruffly, "You can remain silent, anything you say can and will be held against you in a court of law."

A chuckle of laughter could be held across the phone line. "Lavender?"

"Aye, Mr. Frost." Lavender let her voice rise back to its natural tone and said, "I just wanted to check in on you. Gesly told me I needed to relax, so I figured I'd call you."

"What's going on in good old Spes Novis?"

"Well... I can't tell you everything, but we're getting closer. We're in the process of getting a search warrant and some help from the big guns, the rest is exclusive information." Lavender crossed her arms and murmured, "Between just you and me, though, the missing people are connected to the D.C.s, so please be careful, Finn. I know they aren't exactly happy with how you helped me take down their operation... And I don't want you getting hurt."

"Don't worry, Lavender," Finnikin cooed. "I'll be just fine."

"Just, keep the shop locked when you're not in business and-" Lavender practically jumped out of her skin as two figures turned around the corner, emitting flashes of light. She dropped the phone and reached for her scythe.

"Whoa there, Miss Necros. At ease," Justice Chavez exclaimed, a fizzle of lightning dissipated from his hands.

Lavender's eyes widened and she let go of her scythe. "I'm terribly sorry, sir, I thought you were an eavesdropper come to attack me-"

The second person shook her head. "No, dear, Chavez and I were just perusing the halls and playing with magic. Even us adults act like kids sometimes." She laughed lightly and held out a hand, "Justice Statera. A pleasure to meet you, Miss Necros."

"Yes, of course," Lavender shook her hand.

Justice Chavez bent down and picked up Lavender's phone. "Here you are."

"Thank you," Lavender said, taking the phone. "Sorry, Finn, one minute."

"Are you okay-" Finnikin's worried voice shook through the phone line, but Lavender couldn't assure him of anything just yet.

Justice Statera pursed her lips and offered a sly smile, "Finnikin Frost? The boy who helped you take down the Niagara base?"

Lavender nodded, a little surprised that such an important person would know about the operation. "Yeah. He doesn't really do stuff like that anymore, just runs a cute little boutique in Bellum. I was just checking in..." Lavender hissed into the phone, "Just give me a second please."

"Well, we're sorry to have startled you," Justice Chavez said. "It's a shame with Justice Proctor, by the way. I've known him for many years and I never suspected..."

"None of us did," Justice Statera added.

Lavender responded, "We're still not sure if it's him, but rest assured. By the time we're done, the Mage Courts will be free from corruption."

"You have our support," Justice Chavez said with a smile. He held his hand out in a wave then continued down the hallway with Justice Statera. The two resumed talking as flashes of light and magical dust radiated from their fingertips. Kids indeed.

Lavender sighed, feeling less guilty about her playful altercation with Corey, even the nation's finest could have fun from time to time.

"Lavender!" the phone shrieked.

"Finn, I'm fine, I just got spooked is all," Lavender shook her head.

"Good, that sounded scary and I wasn't sure."

"Nope," Lavender sighed and leaned against the wall again, "just me being paranoid." She bit her lip and watched the Justices disappear around the corner.

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