The Brotherhood of The Black Rats

3.23 Slayer Protocol

23 | Slayer Protocol

Misty St. George scanned the pandemonium playing out on the floor below for a certain card dealer who had suddenly gone missing. Her earpiece was abuzz with chatter from the other security teams but she did her best to tune it out.

“We’re evacuating the lower level. The Minotaur has gotten lose.” Said a voice from one of the house staff.

“Has there been a theft?” she heard the voice of the Majordomo cut in.

“That is unconfirmed at this time sir,” was the reply.

The auction attendees brought a wave of panic and hysteria with them as they came up from the underground catacombs. It washed over the rest of evening’s festivities in a fleeting tide of witches and wizards all eager for the exit.

Misty watched from her perch on the balcony as her own security checkpoint at the entrance was besieged by those eager to put as much distance as they could between them and The House of The Gilded Crane before they were recognized. Shouts and curses soon filled the air as reputable members of The Belvedere Court demanded their checked wands and coats paranoid at the thought of being seen. It did not take long for the first spells to start flying, and when they did only chaos followed.

“Broom-team stand by,” said Misty into the microphone at her collar. Slowly she began her descent into the bustling fray below, looking past her sister witches as they quickly sprung into action, for any sign of her ex-boyfriend among the madness. “Keep an eye out for anyone breaking stride from the main entrance. I want eyes on the alley’s and staff entrances as well.” She continued.

“Ten-Four, Broom Team standing by and ready to fly,” came a Dragonfly voice in response.

“Misty!? What’s going on?,” asked another “This is total chaos.”

“Has there been a theft!?” urged the voice of the Majordomo once more “Has anyone seen Bison?”

“Still awaiting confirmation Sir, the smoke has yet to clear in the lower level.” Answered someone else’s voice as Misty reached the mayhem of the main floor.

The spells were flying left and right as months long gambling feuds boiled over to the surface of the anxious mob. Misty drew her own wand of Hawthorne root and Everfrost deflecting wayward hexes and curses as they flew about the room in a magical firefight. Then she saw him just out of the corner of her eye.

He came up with the latest wave of courtiers from the catacombs. Kai broke from the group as soon as he could. He was no longer wearing the jacket that marked him for a member of the house staff.  Misty noticed it wrapped around the shoulders of the slender young witch with bright green hair, stumbling along beside him. From her position on the floor Misty watched as the green haired girl fell beside him weak from one to many Mana-fused cocktails, only to have Kai urge her back on her feet placing his arm around her as they tried to make their escape. She felt a pang of emotion well up inside herself at the sight of Kai attending the distressed young witch. Then swallowed it and raised her wand upon realizing she had no idea who the girl was.

“You there!” called the Hedge Wizard from New Jersey she had seen through security earlier in the evening. “You’re with security are you not?” asked the man obscuring her view. “My man Del Toro has gone missing! What is the meaning of all this?”

“Sir, the situation is under control we will find your friend as soon as—“ Misty stopped short upon losing sight of Kai and the mysterious girl.

“As soon as what?” asked The Hedge Wizard in front of her, but Misty was no longer paying attention.

Instead she brought her microphone to her lips to speak once more, only to be cut off by another of the house’s security.

“We’ve a situation upstairs—“said the voice in alarm before cutting out in a fit of static white noise.

“The Grey Guard!?” spoke one of the other Dragonflies into her ear. “They’ve got the place surrounded on all fronts.” 

“What’s going on!?” asked the majordomo sharply. “Can anybody tell me what on earth is going on in my—“ his own voice was cut out in another wave of static and then silence as a tremor shook through the house.

“What the hell was that?” Misty heard the Hedge Wizard say over her shoulder.

The answer came over her earpiece in a high pitch yell of terror and fear.

“DRAGON!” cried the voice as again the whole house shook.

No sooner did she loose track of the man in front of her than did the realization hit her. He was a member of The Black Rats, a friend of Kai’s she had met on more than one occasion. With barely a second passed she looked for the man nearby, but it was too late. He was lost to the sea of magic and mayhem that surrounded her now. He had kept her distracted just long enough to let Kai slip out with the girl.  

For a brief moment, the spells ceased and the duals halted. Then, a third tremor shook the main hall shattering windows in its wake as the entire ceiling was ripped from its foundation and the massive beast appeared overhead.

It was a menacing thing. Scaled in dark crimson flesh down its serpentine neck. It’s eyes were a glow with terror, as the whiskers around its mouth expanded before a rush of fiery strength exploded into the air. The heat came on like a wall in the moments that followed.  

Misty let the fear pass over her and into the sea of screams and terror that surrounded the lead security officer. Her wand at the ready, she raised her Microphone to her lips to confirm the sight before her.

“Dragonflies,” she began calmly letting her training take over. “Initiate Slayer Protocol in the main hall now.”

As one, the remaining members of the Dragonfly Gang leapt forward to face the beast head on. Not one of them noticed the three furry rodents scurrying along the hallways and out into the night.