Outside the Mirage

#2: World of Secrets

Vanessa was absolutely in shock. She stood there, in the small auditorium, mouth agape, looking at the well-dressed Alistair Merlyn while a million thoughts flew through her head. What had she just seen? What was happening? And who was this man?

Merlyn himself looked collected, hands in his pockets and a polite but stern look on his face. He wore his blue-grey suit, the pocket watch still visible, but his bowler hat was missing. The lack of a hat revealed his hair, a deep widow's peak with auburn, silky hair that matched his beard perfectly.

"What's your name?" Merlyn asked.

"Mine?" Vanessa replied.

Merlyn gave her a handsome smile. "Yes. Yours."

"Vanessa Moreland," she replied.

He nodded. "Vanessa Moreland. My name is--"

"Special Agent Alistair Merlyn, I heard," she said. "You lied to me."

"About what? The weed thing?"

"Yes, the weed thing," Vanessa hissed. "B.R.O.M., you said it was the Bureau for the Regulation of Marijuana. But it's not, it's not about marijuana it's about--"

"Magic," Merlyn finished. "Yes. The marijuana is a cover, a way to disguise our true intentions."

"Not usually what people use weed for," Vanessa snapped. "Magic though? Magic is real?"

"It is, as real as anything, yes," Merlyn answered. "It's also a fairly big secret. A lot of work is put into place to keep the knowledge of magic unknown to the public."

"How?" Vanessa asked. "You just had a full-on duel in the middle of an auditorium! There's an awards ceremony like two doors down!"

"That is true, yes," Merlyn confessed. "But at the same time, a simple muffling spell was able to mask the noise. I applied one as I walked in the room, something Ms. Edwards should have considered before trying to murder you in the bathroom."

"You heard that?"

"I did. It's how I knew to follow you two in here."

Vanessa sighed. She crossed her arms and began to pace. "So what now?"

Merlyn shrugged. "That's up to you, Ms. Moreland." Walking back to the door, Merlyn placed his palm on the door once more and gave his chant. He opened the door and gestured for Vanessa to go through.

Vanessa stepped forward but hesitated. Did she trust him? Was this a good idea?

"I'll make you some tea," Merlyn said. "And you won't even have to break up with your boyfriend. I'm sure he'll be upset when he goes home alone tonight."

Pursing her lips, Vanessa walked through the door. Instead of being in the hallway of the awards venue, she was in a large office. Two of the walls were just windows, large and clean, with a distinct view of the Sheamus River and all five of the beautiful bridges that crossed it. The view wsa picturesque, one of the best Vanessa had ever seen. The office itself was also rather nice. One of the walls was lined with shelves covered in books, all of them thick and leatherbound. There was a desk in the center of the room, old looking with neatly stacked piles of paper, a closed laptop and several files. Against the other wall was the door Vanessa had just walked through, along with a few pictures and newspaper clippings framed and carefully arranged.

Merlyn walked through the door next, closing it behind him. "Welcome to my office."

"Your office?"

"Yes," Merlyn said. "In the Gerald R. Ford Building, the location for the U.N. Embassy. B.R.O.M. has taken residence in three of the eighteen floors. I am in charge of this particular location."