WITCH SHIfT

Mar

“Ok we have some good news and some bad news.” Charlie said sitting down at the picnic table that served as a meeting point for our little council. “Good news is the president is going to speak with me later, the bad news is he also is going to speak to our parents. I don’t like the fact they have been in contact with him this whole time.”

“I don’t either,” JP said looking nervous.

I didn’t really care; I just wanted hostilities to stop across the country. Thankfully we hadn’t been attacked anymore and we were getting into a routine as far as running the town. The rest of the country wasn’t so fortunate. Wars were breaking out in the streets and murders and executions were becoming commonplace.

“Some more good news,” Carolyn said joining the conversation, “all my friends are coming, and when I say friends, I mean enforcers. They have all agreed to work with us, under my leadership, and I will only answer to Mar and JP.”

“That will give my parents some pause,” JP said thinking.

Maybe, I thought. I wasn’t sure about that. I still remembered the dinner we all shared and for some reason I didn’t think anything would give those people pause. Something I didn’t understand was the part about his parents being in contact with the president. That part confused me more than anything else.

“When you say in contact with the president, your parents I mean, what do you mean?” I asked.

“I’m not sure. His staff coordinator told me he would talk to me later and that he had been in contact with my parents over the course of the last few days. I didn’t push but I was worried it was a little convenient that we hadn’t had any problems from them.” Charlie confessed.

“I see,” I said not really seeing but not wanting to seem obstinate, yet.

“I don’t,” JP said looking scornful. “Those two would let us take the brunt of the attacks and then act like they were riding in to the rescue just to get the notoriety. I don’t like it, plain and simple.”

I nodded at JP’s statement.

Charlie’s phone began ringing and he looked at it, “shit, here he is.”

Charlie quickly answered it “Mr. President, thank you for taking my call.”

There was silence for a moment then Charlie started talking again. “Sir, with all due respect my parents are a non factor. They are even here at mine and the town councils sufferance. If, and when they don’t respect the wishes of the council, they will be asked to leave sir.”

More silence and I could see Charlie getting upset but he did keep his tone under control. “Sir, my parents are not part of the ruling body of this town, and will not be. Any talks or considerations will need to go through me, since I am the government envoy.”

“No,” Charlie said upset. “I repeat sir, the answer is no. The town here will never, and I mean never, accept my parents as leaders.”

“Then I am sorry too sir. I will make sure everyone here knows your stance and I will make sure all social media is aware as well.” Charlie said getting defensive.

“Yes sir I can do that, it’s called freedom of speech, unless you are taking that away as well, and if that is the case I will alert all the followers of my social media, so they know that as well.”

“Sir, I don’t think it’s prudent of you to try and threaten us with all the other troubles you face. As of now, no one has been hurt and everything has been documented and taped, including this call. We have all the proof we need to proceed forward. Don’t push me Mr. President, I am not my parents.”

“So be it sir, I think your decision shows your grasp of the difficulties you face. Good luck to your personal self sir, because politically you just destroyed your career.” Charlie finished and hung up.

We got most of it even though it was a one sided conversation from our end. Before I could ask JP did “why would our parents be in contact with him?”

“Seems he wants them to run this town under their authority where all supernatural’s will be tagged and monitored.” Charlie said looking sheepish.

“The fuck we will,” I blurted out.

Charlie and JP both smiled at me. “In a rather less confrontational retort I let him know that.”

“I’m not so sure about that,” I said smirking myself. “You threatened his presidency that seems pretty confrontational.”

“Yeah, well, sometimes you have to call them out. Now if you two will excuse me, I am going to start uploading video of everything that has happened. We will see if we can start turning public opinion.” Charlie said and then stood up.

“After talking to Anna, I doubt it, they hate us.” I said sullenly.

“Mar, she is just one bad person. There are good people in the world too. We can never stop believing that, or this is all for nothing. Don’t give up hope Mar, because we need you to be the leader of this ragtag group going forward.” Charlie said seriously.

“Me, you mean JP, I am just support staff.” I countered quickly.

“No Mar, you. JP is great and he will be a leader too, but people will want to follow you and watch you. We need to let them see the real you, everything from the foul mouth real person to the caring loving person you are with everyone. They need to feel you,” now excuse me I got to get to work.

“Did he say feel me?” I turned toward JP with my brows raised.

JP was laughing at me. “I don’t think he meant it like that you lecherous woman.”

“Well, just checking, I mean, well, if they were good looking enough you know,” I started playing back with him but his mouth was on top of mine shutting off my words as his tongue invaded my mouth. It was fierce battle but in the end I think we both won.

JP

Damn she could kiss, I thought as we finally parted. “I’m the only one kissing those lips Mar, forever forward.”

She laughed at me. “I like that forever forward line that was pretty good. I think I will use it.”

“Be my guest, what’s mine is yours.” I said giving her that look.

“Easy big boy we have a lot of work to do today. Besides, we haven’t see Harvey today, where is he anyway?”

“He’s probably at the warehouse. Let’s go check on him.” I said standing up.

I took her hand and we began walking, it wasn’t that far, and walking with Mar was always nice. We didn’t say much till we got to the warehouse and I pulled us up short.

“What’s wrong,” Mar asked trying to see what I saw.

“The wards are all gone,” I said shocked. “All of my wards are gone, like they were never there.”

Then I rushed inside not wanting to believe that someone could so easily take my wards down. The place was a mess and Harvey was nowhere around. There was some blood on the floor near his desk and I rushed to it to see what I could find.

There was no Harvey and the blood was just enough to confirm someone was hurt but I didn’t know who. I kept looking around as Mar came in and she was talking to someone on her phone. I couldn’t tell anything so I went back to Mar and began seeing who she was talking to.

“Carolyn, Harvey is gone, blood on the floor and all of JP’s wards are gone like they never existed. Yes we are here. See you soon.” Mar finished and hung up. “Carolyn is coming and she is bringing help.”

I nodded but I couldn’t understand what was going on. Harvey wasn’t even in this fight, in reality he was human, and he just had a spell on him to make him a dog. Neither side would want to see Harvey for more than what he was, a victim.

“JP I don’t like this. Only a witch stronger than you could have taken down your wards without leaving a mess right?”

I nodded.

“I hate saying this because it seems petty, but could your family be involved?”

I was shocked. I wasn’t shocked at her implication; I was shocked that the revelation wasn’t the first thing to come to my mind. I grabbed my phone and called Cahrlie, he didn’t answer, so I left a message. ‘Parents kidnapped Harvey, they threw the first strike.’

“They could but it was probably the coven they have with them. It may have taken all of them to break my wards because the last batch I put up was with your help. I need to get a hold of LeBeouf and tell him to get his people out of there.” I said following words with action as I dialed the number.

“Now is not good JP,” LeBeouf said out of breath.

“LeBeouf, get your people out of there. My parents are going to try and take over.” I screamed into the phone.

“Too late,” he said shouting something to someone else. “They’ve already started. I know they are your family JP but they crossed a line. If I get the chance I am going to kill them.”

“Not if I do it first, I’m on my way.” I hung up before he could say anymore and headed for outside before I realized we walked here and we would have to get back to town to get a vehicle. I was holding Mar’s hand as we made it outside and cars and trucks were pulling up.

Carolyn was in the first car with her parents and Charlie. Al and Lincoln were in the next with Sheriff Graham and Biatro. Harper came pulling in with my truck and Crestor flew in and landed and changed back to human. Everyone was looking at me and Mar.

I knew I needed to say something, but what could I say to make these people understand. These were my parents, in theory, but they weren’t me and they weren’t Charlie. They were hurting my friends who were more of a family then they had ever been, and I didn’t know how to express that to these glorious people who were still pulling in to help us.

“Here’s the gist people,” Mar said taking control. “Our worthless President has pitted us against the witch’s council and they fired the first shot. They also want to bag and tag everyone to keep track of all of us from now on, and, well, not going to happen. I know some of us have family on that council, and if we can, we will take them out without loss of life. However, none of you are to risk your lives for that situation. You do what has to be done to stay alive and get this under control.”

“I won’t say this is a volunteer mission, because hell, you wouldn’t be here if you weren’t willing to go. So I will say this. I want all of us coming back, so do whatever it takes to make that happen.” She said and I couldn’t have said it any better myself.

“Everyone stay single file behind my truck and follow me all the way to the lodge. They will have traps and wards set up by now and they know we will be coming. They took Harv to make sure we would. Crestor stay on the ground because they have wards in the sky as well,” I said and he nodded.

“I can’t say things like Mar can, but I want you to know that all of you around here, right now, are my family. Do what you have to do to stay alive and when this is over, I will throw the biggest party this town has ever seen.”

“Of course he’ll probably charge us admission,” Al said lightening the mood as everyone laughed.

“Single file people and stay right behind us.” I said heading for the truck.