Code Name: Agent Madrid

A. Johnson

Published by A. Johnson at Smashwords

Smashwords Edition

Copyright 2010

Code Name: Agent Madrid is the second part in the Dimension Traveler Eliza Series.

Part One: Tragedy at the Washington Palace

Part Two: Code Name: Agent Madrid

Part Three: Operation: The Lasem Scripts

Marlene couldn’t believe that someone would travel from another dimension just to ask her for help. An awkward vibe resonated in the room. Marlene didn’t know if she wanted to sit or to stand, or if she wanted her arms folded or unfolded. The Prince of America stood in the middle of Marlene’s living room. She was surprised at how his looks had not changed since that fateful night at the Washington Palace; the night that Marlene unknowingly aided in the death of his fiancé and her cousin, the night of Prince David’s engagement party. No matter how she looked at the situation she felt guilty. The same thought would pop in her head at random moments “I should have told him.” Marlene knew that if she told him about Callisto when they first met Hannah and Elise would still be alive.

For her it had only been a year and a half, a quick year and a half she brought her own condo, equipped with a door man, balcony and other fancy amenities. This same year and a half that brought her not only fame but success, her first novel Eliza the Dimension Traveler was an immense success. She was able to meet authors like Anne Rice, J.K Rowling, and Stephen King. Her life was a whirlwind since the book caught on and just as soon as she thought things would wind down, the prince she met from another world arrived in her living room. Just looking at his face she knew that more time had gone by than what she thought. The two stood silently for a moment while Marlene’s clueless literary agent Freddie watched the two of them for a moment.

“By looking at your brown complexion and brown eyes, this must be David. I always thought that the David in your story was modeled after Vince, not an actual David.” Freddie noted.

But no one wanted to talk about Marlene’s book, she knew that David figured out that she wrote the story that Callisto promised her despite the tragedy that came of it.

“A little tasteless don’t you think?” David held up a copy of Eliza the Dimension Traveler.

“Girl’s gotta eat.” Marlene knew that he was talking about the fact that she was making money off of his fiance’s murder; she didn’t know what to make of David’s visit.. “What do you want?”

“Your help, it is a very long story, one I’d rather not tell right now.” David gave a sly look to Freddie, “But you promised you would.”

Marlene looked nervous and bunched up her cardigan and sat down, “I don’t’ know how much help I could be.” She sighed.

“Plenty.” David’s demeanor was drastically different than the night of his engagement party. He looked worn and tired; he was serious and not smiling as he was when they first met. It wasn’t until after Freddie left that they were able to talk but Freddie didn’t want to leave until Marlene promised she would make it to the event tomorrow. Freddie and his twin brother William were partners. William was Marlene’s publicist he wanted Freddie to make sure she was ready for the book signing tomorrow.

A part of Marlene didn’t want Freddie to leave because she didn’t want to talk to David, just as the first time they met, he made her feel uncomfortable. Marlene gave David his dinner and then went into the kitchen; she was doing her best to avoid him.

“We need to talk.” He said looking down at his food.

“So, talk.” Marlene shouted from the kitchen.

“You expect for me to eat alone.” The prince sounded offended.

Marlene didn’t answer, so he scooped up his plate and sat at the kitchen table while she cleaned the dishes. Marlene rolled her eyes, she felt apprehensive about tomorrow’s event and she felt scared about what the prince wanted. “It is irregular for me to eat alone, you will not join me?”

Marlene sighed, “I have a lot of dishes to clean here.” She looked down at the few dishes she had in the sink, she lived alone and didn’t have much to clean, she decided to clean as slowly as she could.

“I need you to come back with me.” He sipped his soup.

“Why?” Marlene rattled the dishes around.

“I am the prince of the free world, everyone wants something from me, there are very few people that I trust and the ones that I do trust cannot partake in this mission. If they’re caught things can get...” he paused. “Things can get bad.”

Marlene sighed, “What do you need me to do?”

“It’s been three months since Hannah’s death. Callisto’s been on the run and Lord Adam has been sentenced to life in prison. It’s taken me all that I can to restore his family’s honor so that they wouldn’t be without.” David sounded remorseful.

Marlene whipped around, with suds all over her hands, “You’re the one who had him arrested, why didn’t you just have him unarrested?”

“Unarrested? Are you serious? And tell the authorities what? That there’s a secret group of immortal witches roaming the Earth planning their way to infiltrate the Power Elite? It would cause a panic. Besides, his fingerprints were on the murder weapon I would have to tell them that one of these witches were in possession of a very powerful, very illegal potion. I need to have this contained.”

Marlene turned back around and went back to cleaning, she didn’t say anything.

“My aunt used to make me soup like this.” He said solemnly.

Marlene was annoyed and agitated she didn’t know what to say or do in this situation, “Look if you don’t want it.” David appeared next to her with his empty bowl.

“It was very good, thank you.”

“How did you find me?” Marlene took the bowl from him.

“The bracelet.” David picked up her hand in the same way he picked up her hand when they first met.

“The witch who helped me get here tracked you with it.” David let go of her hand. “She’ll be powerful enough to send the both of us through by tomorrow night.”

Marlene took issue with the fact that she never said she would go with him, but didn’t say anything because she knew she had made up her mind to help.

The next day was a regular book signing event the line reached through the mall and Marlene was shocked, “I can’t believe it. Aren’t we in a recession?”

William looked just like Freddie to everyone else except for Marlene; she was the only one who could tell them apart. After knowing the two of them most people could tell them apart by talking to them, but Marlene was the only one who can tell just by looking.

Marlene stood beside William who was dressed in a suit and tie in the back of the White Carnation Book Store. She turned to look at her publicist who was brushing his newly cut hair for awhile he had an afro so that people could tell him apart from Freddie but opted for another look.

“First of all, we’re coming out of the recession and second of all you’re a hot commodity Marly. Do you know how many black paranormal, science fiction authors are out there?”

“Uh, none.” Marlene quipped.

“Exactl- no not none; you nut. They’re out there but there isn’t many. As a matter of fact you have a book singing with another African American author in a few weeks.” William took a look at the crowd. “Look at them all, I have to make sure the local news station gets here.”

Marlene went to look back out at the enormous crowd waiting for her to arrive. “So this is a book signing?” David said into her ear startling her.

“Oh my God, do not do that!” Marlene shouted.

“All these people are here because of your book.” David noted.

“Well, a lot of people really enjoyed the story, even if it was written out of poor taste.” She adjusted her jacket before turning back into the waiting room.

The beginning of the book signing went well, most of Marlene’s fans started out as African American females who enjoyed science fiction and fantasy stories, but as her fan base grew so did the look of her fans. There were men, women and even young adults. A great number of people she signed books for were aspiring author’s themselves. She tried to make it to all the people she wanted to but could not. She had been there for hours.

William came up next to her, “It’s time to go, the mall is about to close.”

Marlene sighed, “I didn’t get to everyone.”

“Do you know how many people are still in line? You can’t do it, Marly.” William put his hand on Marlene’s shoulder.

“Give everyone a piece of paper.” Marlene told her publicist.

Marlene had everyone write their name and number down on a piece of paper and to put it in bag, she promised them all a big surprise and that they wouldn’t be disappointed as she disappointed them tonight.

That evening the three sat down for dinner at the Blue Carnation in downtown Philadelphia, David got up to use the men’s room while he was gone William took the opportunity to pry. “Is that your boyfriend?”

Marlene was used to William’s bluntness but that didn’t make him any less irritating at times. The band of the night was called Ivy and while they sung Undertow the three talked. Marlene saw a woman with long sugar brown hair sneaking looks at her. She wore a pink sundress and sat alone. Marlene figured that she must have been waiting for someone. “No. He’s my friend.” Marlene answered as she sipped her water.

“We leave at ten.” David announced as he returned.

“Okay.”

“Leave for where?” William asked

No one wanted to tell William anything he was a great publicist but he was extremely nosy. “We’re going to a movie.” David answered.

Marlene rolled her eyes, “Why?” she was annoyed.

“I knew it, I’m happy for you Marly, did you know that Marly hasn’t been on a date since I’ve known her, all she does is write – which is fine because that’s more money for me. But we’re friends, I’m happy to see you happy. Is…is this a date right now. Is that what this is? Am I a third wheel?” William asked.

“Oh my God, why is this happening?” Marlene covered her face.

“Don’t worry I won’t tell anyone.” William playfully elbowed Marlene.

As soon as the prince sipped his drink he knew he shouldn’t have. It was a familiar taste he recognized immediately. A sensation of panic rose up within him; he hadn’t told her his secret. He wasn’t ready to. David collapsed onto the floor.

“David!” Marlene knelt beside him. “What’s wrong with his face?”

David’s face became rough and scaly like a lizard’s, Marlene pulled up his hoodie and covered his face as much as she could. She told William to pull the car around and ordered everyone to back away. But before the two of them could get the unconscious prince to the car a man appeared before them he was holding a woman hostage. Marlene recognized the woman as the same one who was staring at her in the restaurant. “What’s going on?”

The man who was holding the woman captive was very large and burly, “Hand the prince over to me. Or I’ll kill his wench.”

The blood in Marlene’s veins ran cold; it never occurred to her that someone was following David.

“Wench? Prince?” William remarked. “Move out of our way, her friend is sick.”

‘Oh William.’ Marlene thought to herself.

“I’m the one who poisoned him; I had to make sure he was one of them.” The burly man continued to talk.

“Don’t worry, he’s under a spell.” The woman said calmly.

Marlene couldn’t think of anything to do, she stood beside David.“One of what?”

“Are you blind, he’s a shifter!” Marlene turned to look at David again and saw he was starting to look more and more like a human lizard.

“Oh my God.” William looked, Marlene tried to hid David’s face from the bystanders and police sirens could be heard in the distance.

While everyone held their positions as the standstill a flash blue of light engulfed the street. Marlene stood in the middle of her living room and looked at David and William passed out on her sofa. David’s face began to return to normal Marlene turned to face the woman from the restaurant. She was a thin woman with blue eyes. “No wonder he risked this trip to come for you.” She sat down in Marlene’s window seat.

“What just happened?” Marlene asked feeling shaken.

“We were teleported by the witch that I work for, this same witch that works for Prince David. The agent that came for us will burn out in about, twenty minutes. I’m sure you already know about the lock on witchcraft in our world, well, it’s not a fool proof lock. Sure it can stop witches from turning people against one another for their own evil plans but as you already know the seal is weakening, they’re finding other ways to get around this spell. By grabbing people from this dimension for their plans and bringing them over. They use spells to create followers, but the spell only lasts for an hour.” The blonde haired woman explained as she stared at Marlene for a moment.

“What’s your name?” Marlene asked.

“I can’t give you my real name, so you can call me Addison.” The woman watched as David stirred. “Just in time it’s almost ten o’clock.”

“Why not?” Marlene asked.

Addison took out a round crystal like ball, Marlene could tell that the ball was dense by the way Addison was holding it, “There’s power in words, my dear Marlene, which is why it’s terribly inconvenient for one of the world’s top immortal witches to know your name, no this will not do. You’ll need a new name as well.” The woman in the pink dress grinned as she walked over to Marlene’s coffee table. “You seem to like this name so how about it, Eliza? Are you ready to embark on one of the most dangerous missions of our time?”

David was awake now his face was normal but his eyes weren’t they looked yellow but the startling part wasn’t his eyes but his forked tongue. It slipped and slide in and out of his mouth beyond his control as he woke. The prince looked embarrassed he looked to Addison.

“Are we ready to go yet?” he hissed.

“Yes, but we’ll wait a while longer, you shouldn’t travel in a half state.” Addison looked into the ball.

“Marlene, I’m sorry I didn’t tell you, that I am a shape shifter. They had been at war with witches since for a long time. For a long time the witches had been hunting and kill creatures like us, because we cannot be swayed by their spells, potions sometimes, but not their words.” David’s hissed his words.

Marlene looked to Addison as she continued, “Hence the ban on witchcraft. But don’t worry that potion that agent slipped to you it could only work here, and it probably means that either there’s a traitor in your camp or you’re being followed.”

Marlene thought for a moment, “These defectors? They’re shape shifters aren’t they? Callisto told me before that being a witch is a bloodline. There’s shape shifting witches out there, my power is in my anonymity.”

“Pretty and smart. You know how to pick them David. But you’re half right and half wrong, but that’s a really great theory though. Put out your hands.” Addison giggled.

“Wait what am I half right about?” Marlene put out her hand.

Addison took the sphere and turned it upside down overtop of Marlene’s hand and another sphere dropped out of it. The sphere felt warm in Marlene’s hand and jelly like not at all hard and cold like she expected. Almost as if the sphere were alive. Addison then walked over to David and did the same thing. The ball began to heat up and Marlene looked at Addison.

“No matter how hot it gets don’t let it go. Prince David of the United State of America I introduce you to Lady Eliza of Weslane.” The sphere’s heated up and filled the room with light until the three woke up in the other dimension. Marlene recognized where she stood right away, the vaulting ceilings, the large mirror and golden fixtures were unmistakable. She was back in the Washington Palace.

“Oops.” Addison remarked. “Now how did that happen?” Addison stared down at the twins Freddie and William.

“What did you did you do?” Marlene’s heart sped up. “I signed on for this, not them. Take them back.”

“Why would it bring them both?” Addison wondered.

“They’re twins and they were in the same room with us.” David answered as he walked towards the window to take a look.

“Why didn’t you tell me that they were twins; that makes a large difference when we’re doing spells.” Addison looked at the two unconscious men.

“I didn’t think of it.” David snapped.

“What do you want to do with them?” Addison asked.

“Place them in holding until we’re finished.” David waved his hands.

“Jail. Is that your answer to everything!” Marlene couldn’t believe what she was hearing. “These are my friends.”

“They’re your employees you don’t have any friends.” David snapped again.

“You can be so mean sometimes, and so quick to make decisions.” Marlene started walking towards David. “Who do you think you are?”

“Uhhh, Eliza.” Addison felt uncomfortable. “That’s the Prince you’re yelling at.” She said meekly, but Marlene didn’t hear her.

“No, you will not throw them in prison, just like you did to Adam, they can stay with Addison.” Marlene demanded. Right before the Prince was given a chance to respond to Marlene in a blink of an eye she and her two friends had vanished.

“What just happened?” The Prince asked Addison who looked just as confused as he.

Addison closed her eyes and sensed the energy in the room for a moment. She opened her blue eyes and stared at the Prince. “You’re not going to like it.”

“Spit it out.”

“Madrid.” Addison said quietly.

“They’re in Madrid?” Prince David was growing impatient with Addison’s lack of information.

“Not exactly.”

Marlene woke up in the middle of a bar, the first thing she saw was a rock band playing as loudly as they could. The top of the stage said that the name of the band was Xero. She looked around for Freddie and William but couldn’t find any sign of the brothers.

The music was loud and blaring, Marlene tried to find her way to an exit as she walked down along side of the club walls, guys and girls approached her to dance. She made it to a hall where people were in rooms with glass doors. At first Marlene thought she was looking at karaoke suites but she looked closer and saw that people were watching performances, some were watching plays, others were watching programs about art and others were watching music videos and fashion shows.

Marlene came to a large red door that was at the end of the long black hallway, thinking it was the exit she opened the door and saw a woman in a room filled with people dancing on a table and giggling. She had short blonde hair and blue eyes. People all around the table clamored for her and asked her to dance more and more.

“Now, now guys and gals, there’s enough of me for everyone. Oh look, she’s here.” The woman jumped down from the table and walked over to Marlene.

“Yes, yes, how sweet.” The woman said as she pulled the guys apart to reveal Marlene.

“You’re the one the Prince travelled to go get, you must be special, what’s your name, doll?” The woman put her hands on her hips. Marlene thought her outfit was absurd. She wore fishnet gloves, a gaudy tiara, and a dress that resembled a tutu.

‘I hope this isn’t what they call fashion around here.’ Marlene thought to herself. In the background Marlene recognized the song, “Hey Man, Nice Shot” by Filter.

“My name is Eliza,” Remembering what David and Addison taught her she didn’t want to reveal her name. “Where are my friends? Are you the one who brought me here?”

“Easy on the questions, doll face. You’re friends are safe and yes, I’m the one who brought you here, my name is Madrid.”

Madrid took Marlene to take her friends Marlene explained to them quickly and quietly not to use their real names. “Make up names; don’t use your real name.”

William and Freddie looked at one another, neither one of them knew what was going on, they took one look at one another and said in unison, “Call me Shawn.” The brothers looked at one another in annoyance; the both of them picked their favorite rapper as their alias. Marlene solved the situation.

“These are my friends Shawn and Carter.”

Madrid, not believing a word of it for a second rolled her eyes and motioned for the trio to follow her, the brothers tried to whisper as many questions as they could to Marlene but she flagged them off mostly because she didn’t have any answers but partially because she wanted to keep a close eye on the woman who abducted her.

“I’ve kidnapped you Eliza, because I know you know what went down the night the Lady Erin and Lady Hannah died and I thought it was strange that the Prince would make a special personally to go and get you.” Madrid led everyone into a plush white room. The furniture looked regal and pristine, Marlene was afraid to touch anything let alone sit down. But the brothers made themselves at home.

Marlene saw a news report that highlighted someone familiar, “Lord Adam.” Marlene said out loud.

“That’s right, a dear friend of mine. I swore vengeance on the Prince; I’m smarter than what I look. This society has out casted someone like me. But I still have morals and integrity and I know Adam’s an idiot but he wouldn’t kill anyone, especially not those snob nosed women.” Madrid stared at the screen as the guards took Adam away in cuffs.

“Why?” Eliza asked.

“I forgot you’re not from around these parts. I’m multi-talented darling, I design clothes, I create perfume, I sing and I act. And yet these talents don’t matter here, in order to get any kind of worldwide recognition you need to be a scholar. Become a doctor, a philosopher a…” Madrid scoffed, “A teacher, did you know teachers are one the highest paid professions in America?”

William and Freddie looked at one another wide eyed and then back to Madrid, they didn’t know whether to laugh or to ask questions. Madrid continued, “Entertainment is nothing to these people. Adam was going to change that, that’s why I need you to help me break him out of prison.”

“Ha!” Marlene forced a laugh, “You…” she pointed at Madrid. “You are funny. That’s funny, there’s no way I’m breaking anyone out of jail.”

“But he’s there because of you, it’s your fault.”

“I can’t believe this, how did you even bring me here, witchcraft is suspended from this world.” Marlene turned back to William and Freddie she knew that they hadn’t been properly filled in.

“There’s the catch, doll face. You help me break Adam out of jail and I’ll tell you and your prince just how I was able to snatch you from right underneath his nose.” Madrid sat with her legs cross on the soft white sofa.

Meanwhile, Addison and David worked hard to try to find where Marlene was. “I’m sorry, David. But if Madrid has her, she can only be in one of three places; I seriously doubt that she’s strong enough to bring her from out of the net I cast over this country. I think she’s at her mall. Lord Adam and she grew up together; she might want to break him out.”

“Or revenge, since I’m the one who put him there.” David asked, he still wore his street clothes from when he went to get Marlene. He ran his hands though his chocolate brown hair and sat down to think of his next moves, as well as everyone else’s moves.

“It’s not like we don’t need to get Adam anyway, but how does she figure into this?” For the past couple of months David had been making appearances and speeches in regards to the accident of his fiancé, no one knew of the murder. He mapped out plans and vetted everyone he could for help; the only person he could think of was Marlene. David watched Addison as she left to get changed; they were on their way to rescue Marlene from Madrid.

Madrid changed out of her party clothes and into a black outfit of jeans and a regular shirt and jean jacket. She left Marlene alone with William and Freddie where she explained to the twins just what was going on.

“Alternate reality?” Freddie asked, “Alternate reality?” He asked again.

“Yes and yes.”

“This is where you got the story from?” William asked.

Marlene with her arms folded turned to her friends and said quietly, “Yes.” She was a little ashamed that she didn’t have the imagination to write her own work.

“That’s excellent.” William responded.

“What?” Marlene was confused at their reaction.

“He’s right, we can market this. ‘The tale told, as if she lived it herself.’ Little do your readers know you did live this! Just wait until we get back!” Freddie exclaimed and the two high fived each other as they dreamt of the vacations they’d be taking their families on.

“You two are nerds. I’m not writing this.”

“Of course you are, are…are we going to be in it too, I mean we are here.” William kept talking about promotions and plans for a live action movie and television series.

Marlene rolled her eyes and tried to think of a way out of this, ‘I’ve never broken anyone out of jail before.’ Marlene picked up the remote control and flipped through the channels as Madrid came into the room with her go bag. Marlene could see shops and stores on different levels of the club.

“Do you live in a mall?” Marlene asked.

Madrid rolled her eyes, “So, not what I imagined my life to be, but get it straight I live on topof the club, which is on top of the mall. I own this whole building, the items I make up here I sell in the mall and the profits I make in the club I spend on running the building.”

“And you used your disposable income to fund a jail break.” Marlene held the remote carelessly.

Madrid started to leave with Marlene and the others they took an elevator down to the mall and then the escalator down to the lower level with Madrid in the front.

“Madrid!” Prince Dante called as he and Addison were waiting in front of the fountain of the empty and closed mall.

“Hey doll!” Madrid grinned, “How’s it going?”

“You could get into serious trouble for this.”

“I’ll tell you the same deal as I told your girl over here, I’m sure you two are dying to know how I was able to sneak past your defenses and kidnap your friend, I’m also sure you’d like to know who else knows about your little transformation secret.”

Prince Dante froze in place, his secret was well guarded for years, and within one day at least more than three people knew of it. “What do you want?”

“For you to release Adam from jail.” Madrid commanded.

The Prince agreed and the group was well on their way to rescue Lord Adam, from the Prince’s own prison.

After more preparation Prince David decided that only Marlene and Madrid should be the ones to break into the prison.

“Why?” Marlene asked.

“I cannot be attached to this. If you two are caught, I can get you out, but if we’re all caught together a scandal will erupt. It’s up to you and Madrid.”

“Why are you going along with this?” Marlene asked.

“Because, Adam got that potion from somewhere and Madrid knows something about the witches, if we help her, we’ll have two sources of information.” David had sorted everything out, but not to Marlene’s satisfaction, it was clear she didn’t have a say in the matter.

“You turned, into a lizard.”

The prince turned away from Marlene, “Witches hunt our kind, so we must stay hidden, but if they are trying to return to power, then we need to stop them.”

“Why hunt you?”

“Our blood is ideal for their spells and more powerful.” David explained as he stared into Marlene’s eyes.

“Come along, Agent E.” Madrid shouted from across the room at Marlene.

The jailbreak was easier than what Marlene thought it was, she was even surprised that Addison had come along. But then Marlene realized that David probably forced her to come along.

“Listen, witch, we don’t need your help.” Madrid held her hand up in protest when Addison tried to get into the car. Addison only laughed and got inside anyway. Madrid rolled her eyes and sighed. Marlene could sense something different about Madrid but couldn’t put her finger on it. It wasn’t because she lived on the top of a mall that was on top of club and it wasn’t because she felt entertainment and fashion were more important than education, it was something else.

Marlene didn’t know it, but David was using his security access codes and hacker knowledge to trip the system, all of the cameras were put on a loop to show that everything was standard and normal. The guards were a different story.

“I’ve got this.” Madrid went out to meet the guards from around the corner where the three were hiding, but not before disheveling herself, clothes and makeup.

“Oh um, excuse me, excuse me!” Madrid shouted to the two men. “Oh my God I’m so glad I found someone, you see, I…I think I may have killed someone. I was driving my car and I hit this man I think he was wearing a royal American pin, here look.”

“Wow, she is a good actress.” Marlene noted.

“In more ways than one.” Addison noted.

“What do you mean?” Marlene asked.

“Be careful around her, she isn’t what she seems.” Addison said still watching Madrid’s performance.

The two guards walked over to see if Madrid really had the royal pin that only members of the royal family possessed when they got close enough away from their posts Madrid beat up the both of them. She punched one and then punched the other, she turned to the first one and kicked him in the face knocking him out and then turned back to the other taking his weapon and turning it on him.

The man was young and nervous. “What…what do you want?”

Madrid stopped and thought for a second, “I want you to take us to where the locks of the cells are controlled. Addison and Marlene joined Madrid they tied up the guard that Madrid knocked out and took his radio. The man took them to the control room where three other guards were.

“Help!” the guards heard a loud scream from down the hall. One of the guards called the outside guards on the radio that’s when the realized that there was no one at the front gate. One guard left the room to investigate.

“Just one guard leaves to investigate a screaming woman out of three?” Madrid asked as she and Marlene hid in the corner waiting for all the guards to leave the control room.

Madrid got on the radio and told Addison the situation. “Only one guard is coming, beat him up and make him call for help, maybe both of his buddies will come to the rescue.”

Addison did as she was told and when the guard screamed for help the two remaining guards abandoned their posts to investigate the screaming.

“Damnit!” Madrid shouted as she entered the control room.

“What?!” Marlene said startled by Madrid’s shouting.

“Tranq gun!” Madrid shouted.

“What about it!” Marlene was now annoyed at Madrid’s unnecessary shouting.

“This would have went a lot easier with one. Write that down in her mental brain up there.” Madrid pointed to Marlene’s brain.

Marlene narrowed her eyes in annoyance. “Which cell is he in?”

Madrid looked at the manifest, “That’s not how we’re doing this.” She held up the gun to the guard. “Open cells 244, 325 and 246.”

It only took seconds for Marlene to realize what Madrid was doing. When the investigation starts, the law enforcement will be thrown as to what connection these three criminals have, when in fact there is no connection at all.

Addison used a spell on all three of the guards; she needed to have skin to skin contact with each of them in order for it to work. She then waited in front of Adam’s cell and helped him get to the exit.

“Are you going to kill me?” the young guard asked he was trembling.

“Kill you?” Madrid laughed.

The guard laughed uncomfortably.

“You’ve seen my face, doll of course I have to kill you.” Madrid pointed the gun.

“Hey!” Marlene’s heart stopped as Madrid pulled the trigger.

The guard’s entire body dropped to the ground like a sack of potatoes, Marlene looked at Madrid confused.

“Bang, bang.” Madrid smirked. “Relax, the safety’s still on. I didn’t want to hit him again. Making him pass out was second best.”

“You’re crazy.” Marlene said upset because she really believed that she would kill the man.

“Hello, tell me something that’s news doll face.” Madrid said as she left the room.

Marlene, Madrid, Addison, and Adam hid as they watched the other two prisoners escape. “We just let two prisoners escape.” Marlene said surprised.

“Oh yeah, that reminds me.” Madrid turned to Adam grabbed his arm and took out a small knife.

Adam snatched his arm back, “What the hell are you doing?”

“Getting the chip out of your system so they can’t track you, duh.” Madrid said as if she was doing Adam a favor.

Addison stepped in between them, “Or we can deactivate it with this magnet that I got from the prison.” Addison waved the device over Adam’s arm.

“Sure, if you want to do it the wimp’s way, and by the way, you’re welcome.” Marlene shouted after Adam and the others who walked away and made it back to the palace.

“Where are they now?” The prince asked after hanging up, his cell phone he received the call about the break in at the Washington Prison, he had to pretend that he had no clue that it had taken place.

Marlene looked outside the window, the sign of daybreak reminded her that she had been up for a full twenty four hours, the sound of David’s voice droned on in her ears, she wasn’t particularly paying attention because she was so tired.

“Eliza.” He called her. “Eliza.”

“Yes.” She answered turning away from the window.

“Did you notice anything strange about Madrid?”

“Only that she’s crazy.” Marlene said with confidence.

Everyone gathered together, it was time for everyone to honor their deals. “Madrid, how were you able to use witchcraft when it’s been locked from this planet?” Prince David asked Madrid who stood in the middle of David’s living room section of the palace with her arms folded.

“I’ll tell you, but only with the promise that Adam and I don’t leave the palace until this whole thing is over.” Madrid began to alter the deal.

“No, that wasn’t the deal.” Prince David was certain that she knew nothing; he wanted to hold her feet to the fire.

“David, what would it hurt?” Marlene said, she was certain that Madrid knew something.

“Fine.” David said grudgingly, “You have my word.”

“You know the four witches who govern the lock on magic, well, Callisto and her witches have been hunting them down. They got one of them; she’s been torturing this witch to tell her where he keeps the lock.” Madrid explained.

“That doesn’t make any sense, why would Madrid be torturing the witch if the lock’s already been taken off?” Addison asked.

“Who said anything about the lock being taken off? There’s layers to the lock, this witch is apparently a shifter, as I hear it, he split himself from his shifter form making his lock weaker. His animal form could be anything, but I’ll bet you my entire career that’s why the lock is weaker and that’s how I was able to break through the lock.” Madrid finished explaining.

“And you?” The prince turned to Lord Adam. “Where did you get that potion that is now in the possession of Callisto?”

Lord Adam hung his head down in shame, “I stole it, we were visiting my mother’s old town in Chesapeake there was an old man there, he was dying, he said that the potion would make you turn into anyone you wanted to, so I thought ‘hey this would be handy’ I didn’t mean for anyone to die from it let alone cause the destruction of the peace in our world.”

Marlene was starting to feel pretty useless, she didn’t know anything about witches, shape shifters or spells, she sat for a moment and listened to everyone ramble on about what to do next but in a haze of fatigue Marlene was able to say something. “Don’t you have a witch registry or something?”

Everyone turned to Marlene and snickered, “Yeah, right?” Madrid was the first to say.

“No, wait, she’s right.” Prince David said as he sat at his computer. “She’s right!”

“She is?” Madrid said with uncertainty.

“During the witch trials that lasted through until the lock on magic, there were playwrights who gave hints to who was and who wasn’t a witch. They were called the Salem Plays; this continues into today, they’re now called Lasem Scripts. These playwrights were actually detectives, they wrote these incredibly boring and awful stories.” The Prince talked as he typed.

“They weren’t all that bad.” Addison shrugged her shoulders.

“They wrote about the ones who they knew were and weren’t witches, my family compiled the list and passed it down along the generations. But of course I’m sure Callisto is not using her real name, but we can use the name of the person you met in Virginia, Adam.” Prince David pulled up a list of the plays.

“How could you decipher the names I’m sure these detectives didn’t write down, Stuart down the street is a witch.” Marlene asked.

“No they didn’t, but they used anagrams and a different type of wording, Atrsut would more than likely be used in the place of Stuart in this case, the text were passed down. If we could find out who these witches are, and if we could find out who’s still around we could narrow down which ones are still connected with Callisto and possibly where this shape shifting wizard is.” The Prince was excited; this was his first major step to avenging the death of his fiancé.

William and Freddie sat with one another watching the action, “You know, if she doesn’t write this book I will.” William noted.

“There’s nothing to write, nothing’s happened yet.” Freddie shrugged his shoulders as he took a bite into his sandwich.

“Are you kidding me, they broke someone out of jail, Marly…I mean, Eliza is hardcore now. And are you listening to this, they’re talking about a freakin’ witch hunt. Shape shifting witches, dude I thought you liked the paranormal.” William sipped his drink.

“Yeah but…” Freddie chewed a bit more before trying to speak again, “I do, it’s just that I like my paranormal stories to stay in the books, I don’t want them happening to me. If you hadn’t noticed no one’s talking about sending us home.”

“I noticed that too, but for all intents and purposes we’re living in a palace, I didn’t feel it right to complain.” William nodded as he removed the top off of his next dish; he took a whiff of the meal. “Why don’t we live like this at home?”

“Because we’re not a prince of the entire free world.” Freddie responded and took another bite.

Even though it was early morning, Marlene was looking for a place to sleep, she called after David as he walked briskly down the hall, “David, do you really think you can do this?”

“Yes, I do, you must too if we are to succeed.” He said looking at her worried. “No, you don’t need me. I am certain that I do, I told you, there is no one that I trust more than you, in that room behind us is a room filled with people who have motivations and ideals that do not coincide with ours. I do need you.”

While Marlene slept she had a dream, “Hey there.” It was Callisto. She sat across Marlene in a dark room with a tiny table that had a crystal ball on the top. The ball gave off yellowish amber light.

“You, you killed those people.” Marlene said with anger.

“And yet you returned knowing that I plan to kill a whole lot more. Did you prince like the cocktail I sent him?” Callisto grinned.

“I knew it was you.”

“What are you doing here; go back home live your wonderful life as an author. Isn’t that what you want?” Callisto asked.

“I want you to pay for your crimes.” Marlene said definitely.

“Marlene, Marlene, Marlene, the fact that I can get into your head and affect your dream, is only the tip of the iceberg, you forget I know your name. That’s just as powerful as me sneaking around your house with a gun, while you’re asleep. Back off!”

Marlene jumped out of her dream, her heart was racing and she was scared, “What did I get myself into?”

Marlene sat quietly as tried to simply the situation she was in, ‘A Prince who trusts no one but won’t say why, a witch named Addison whom I know nothing about, Lord Adam who has connections to witches and an ambitious socialite named Madrid who has ties with Adam, things aren’t making sense, but I do know that we need to get a hold of the Lasem Scripts. And oh yeah, there’s the shape shifters who have gone into hiding and quite possibly the same shape shifters who rule the secret society the Power Elite. This is too big for me, Callisto must know this, so why did she take the time to threaten me? I must be close to something.’

Next: Operation: The Lasem Scripts