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  Nate wanted to tell the chief, Thanks but I know who this guy is and what’s at stake if I screw this up. Once again though, he kept his mouth shut.

  Beckwith faced them. “If it’s alright I’d like to co-opt your detective here. I know local police and DMS agents don’t always cooperate the way they should. My influence can help smooth those problems on the DMS end.”

  Decker clasped his hands behind his back. “A one-person, discreet investigation. To see if there’s even any reason to alarm the public. I think that would be the best way to handle this, at least to start.”

  The muscles in his jaw clenching, Nate said, “Discretion’s not a problem, but whether this leads to the nightshade trade or hidden Magic Born, I’ll need authority to work in the zone unimpeded by the administrator.”

  “That won’t be a problem,” said the senator. “I knew Alan through his work for the DMS and he was a family friend. I’ll be happy to do everything I can to facilitate the investigation.”

  “If you don’t mind my asking, sir, did Dr. Forbes have any enemies to your knowledge?”

  Beckwith smoothed his tie and put on the sincere face Nate recognized from news videos. “Alan was very dedicated to his work and a terrific asset to the community. The closest he ever got to stepping outside the lines was the occasional poker game.”

  Nate said nothing. Beckwith might have had a professional face, but so did Nate. He had a few, in fact, and right then he chose the one that said, You’re not answering the question. Try again. Not his harshest cop face but still, not one that could be ignored.

  Beckwith read him loud and clear. “No. To my knowledge Alan had no enemies, no problems, nothing untoward going on in his life. I understand you want to cover all the bases, Detective, but if the killer is an unregistered Magic Born then the answers to this are in the zone.”

  Decker said, “I’m sure you’re right, sir, but as you said we need to cover all the bases.” He gave Nate a significant look. “And now that base has been covered, so the investigation can move on.”

  The senator said, “Who all knows about this?”

  “The coroner and the lab tech,” Nate said.

  “We’ll need to make sure they understand the need for discretion as well.”

  “I’ll take care of that, Senator,” Decker said.

  Beckwith offered his hand to Nate again. “I’m glad you understand just how delicate this situation is, and I hope you’ll keep that in the forefront of your thoughts as you conduct this investigation.”

  Nate shook the older man’s hand without hesitation. “I will, sir.”

  Decker walked Beckwith to the exit, the two exchanging polite goodbyes. After closing the door, Decker said, “I want regular updates. I’ll decide what he needs to be told and when.”

  “Chief, I—”

  “Listen to me, kid.” Decker stabbed the air with a thick forefinger. “We’re through with Kabuki theater now.”

  “Yes, sir.”

  “Good record or not, you’re new here, I don’t know you and I could care less about you. Somebody from the zone killed the doctor and you’re going to find them, and that’s gonna be that. I’m putting you out on a limb. If you fuck this up, make the department look bad, piss off that senator, I will not hesitate to push you off.”

  “I appreciate your honesty, sir.”

  Decker walked behind his desk and dropped into his chair. “I thought you might. Look, this isn’t personal. Like I said, I don’t know you. You do a good job and bring this case to a satisfactory close, then I will know you.”

  Nate didn’t miss the implied promise in that statement, any more than he’d missed the earlier threat. His tablet beeped an alert for a text message. He withdrew it from the inside pocket of his jacket and checked it. “Nothing’s missing from the doctor’s office. Either the perp was high and just trashed the place or they didn’t find what they were looking for.”

  “Ever been to the zone?”

  “No sir.”

  “Not even to that club?”

  “No sir.”

  “What about the bazaar?”

  Perez shook his head. “Haven’t had any reason.”

  “So you haven’t had much contact with Abnormals then. They’re different, Perez. The zone is a world unto itself. You’ll need to find someone in the DMS office there to act as a guide but not a coinvestigator. The senator’s office has probably already contacted the administrator’s office. Go on down there this morning.”

  “I’ll have to tell them something, and I was thinking of using the drug angle. It may be significant and even if it isn’t, it’s a good lead in without having to divulge the more sensitive aspects of this case.”

  Decker opened a drawer and took out a plastic bottle. “That’s the kind of thinking I want to see from you, kid.” He opened the bottle and shook out a chalky tablet, then held the bottle out to Nate. “Antacid?”

  Nate chuckled. “Hell yeah, sir.”

  * * *

  After requisitioning a department car, Nate drove across the city. He left the car in the small parking lot for DMS staff and official visitors across the street from the main gate to the zone. Department of Magic Security, Magic Born Zone Number Thirteen was the official name of the place. Black-clad DMS guards manned the gate, wearing small arms and stun guns in holsters. That much he expected. What he found odd was the woman standing several feet from the gate, swaying and holding a teddy bear. She appeared to be humming to herself as she stroked the bear.

  Nate flashed his badge at the guard who approached him. She checked the badge number against the display on her tablet. “We were told to expect you, Detective. If you could just run your ID through the visitor’s scanner I can show you to Admin.” She pointed at the appropriate scanner. It looked like every other one in the city, just a plain gray box with a card reader on the side and a faded government logo on the front. Fishing out his wallet, he removed his ID and swiped it. Within seconds a green light flashed on the screen.

  “This way, Detective.” The guard led him through the narrow street toward a squat gray building two blocks away. There was little to distinguish this part of the zone from other poverty-stricken parts of the city. Buildings on either side of the street formed a canyon that hid most of the zone from view. They appeared to be the back sides of apartment buildings, covered in strange graffiti in various colors. Despite the zone’s generally rundown appearance, there was no trash in the street, something that did set it apart from Normal government housing areas. One thing it definitely had in common with them was rowdy residents. A couple argued near an open window several floors up, screaming invectives at each other.

  A woman and a young boy walked toward the gate, both carrying woven baskets full of colorful scarves. As they passed Nate, the woman pulled the boy closer. Her lack of eye contact felt deliberate to Nate. He slowed, glancing over his shoulder to watch as the two swiped their IDs to leave the zone.

  The guard looked impatient, but Nate ignored her attitude. He knew little about the Magic Born and none of it from personal experience. He couldn’t help his curiosity. The graffiti especially interested him. So far it was the most obvious thing he’d seen to indicate he was in a zone. It reminded him of the runic tattoos he’d seen on a French peacekeeper while stationed in Kenya. Regulations about mixing too much with foreign troops had kept him from being able to learn much, but he’d been intrigued then and found himself that way again.

  The screaming from above intensified at the same time as a group of small children burst out of an alley. An orange tabby cat followed, chasing something on the ground. Nate spotted a red dot on the gray pavement, then the person controlling it. A woman stepped out of the alley holding an old laser pointer, manipulating it to the delight of both the cat and the children.

  Two things about the woman
struck Nate immediately. One was her hair, a chin-length shaggy bob in a rich dark purple with several locks of bright fuchsia. The other was her wide smile, perhaps the most uninhibited expression of joy he’d ever seen. It brought him to a stop, staring. She wore a pair of patched cargo pants and two tank tops layered over each other, the top one black, the other acid green, and old scuffed boots. Vibrant tattoos on her arms and shoulders should have made her look rough and unsavory, like every ugly stereotype one heard about Magic Born. Instead she looked like a shining summer morning, all sunlight and heat and full of possibility. Her laughter cut through him, almost painfully bright and alive.

  Beautiful women across three continents had smiled at him, flirted with him, occasionally even slept with him. He’d never seen any woman light up a space like that before, with an energy that glowed hot and wild like arcs of electricity escaping a live wire. He could have watched her all day, just for the warm, simple pleasure of it. Never had he been so strongly attracted to someone so fast, or so futilely. He could look for this brief moment, enjoy her strange beauty and vitality, but that was it. Nate still didn’t know much about life in a zone city, but he knew the Magic Laws and he knew he was here on a case, not looking for a pretty girl.

  As if sensing eyes on her, she glanced his way. Her laughter stilled, her smile disappearing like a fast-setting sun. She lowered the laser pointer and shooed the children back into the alley. The cat hissed and followed. Nate continued to stare, unable to take his eyes off the woman. She glared back, exuding resentment and a scalding defiance. He took a step forward, then halted as she raised her arm and aimed the laser pointer just above his head.

  The guard unholstered her sidearm, pointing it at the Magic Born woman. “On the ground, Vesper!”

  More screaming came from above. “You asshole, that’s my sewing machine you threw out the window!”

  Nate looked up to see an antique sewing machine suspended in the air above his head, less than a foot from giving him a concussion. He looked at the purple-haired woman, tracking her movements as she used the laser pointer to guide the machine to settle gently on the pavement. Either grossly oblivious he might have been injured or just uncaring, the guard moved in, hitting the woman on the back of the shoulder with the butt of her sidearm.

  She cried out and went to her knees, dropping the pointer. The guard zip-tied her hands behind her back and slapped the back of her head, sending purple hair flying.

  “What the hell are you doing? We’re still in the zone!” The witch’s voice sounded of tight control and barely contained rage.

  “Offensive magic directed at a Normal is grounds for arrest anywhere.” The guard traded her handgun for the stun gun and waved it at the smaller woman. “I am so gonna love seeing you go away for this.”

  Nate knelt quickly to pick up the pointer, then pocketed it. “Excuse me, but I’d be on the ground bleeding if she hadn’t stopped that thing from hitting me.”

  The guard pulled a face, as if he’d poured lemon juice in her eyes. “Detective, you don’t understand.”

  “I think I understand perfectly.” In his experience there were three kinds of law enforcement: the ones for whom it was just a job, the ones who joined to protect and serve, and the ones who got off on being a bully with a badge. Nate liked to think of himself as mostly the second type with a decent helping of the first. He despised the bullies and hated the bad name they gave law enforcement everywhere.

  “As soon as I’m done discussing my business with the administrator, I’ll be glad to fill him in on this incident.” He looked at the woman on the ground, meeting one blue-gray eye peeking out through purple hair. “I’ll be sure and let him know I appreciated your quick action.”

  A feral smirk was her only response.

  Nate returned his attention to the guard. This time out of his many cop faces he chose the one he liked to call Don’t fuck with me or I will fuck you up.

  The guard backed down—gracelessly and with a piss poor attitude, but she did it. Slapping the woman’s head again, she spat out, “Get yourself out of the cuffs, freak.” To Nate she said, “You can find your own way to the office. I’ve got better things to do than babysit the likes of you.” She stalked away.

  “I can get those cut off for you at the admin building,” Nate said.

  “Don’t bother.” The witch closed her eyes, lips just barely moving. Within moments the zip tie fell to the ground. She stood, running her hands through her hair, then held out one hand, palm up, and said, “I’d like my wand back now.” There was no hint of request in her voice. It was a command, and despite being several inches shorter than Nate, scrawny, and dressed like something out of a punk version of Dickens, she had the force of personality to back it up.

  Nate had every intention of returning the wand, but he wasn’t going to be a pushover about it. “ID.” He withdrew his tablet and held out his hand.

  The wintery chill of tight control almost covered the anger in her blue eyes. She pulled her ID card from a pants pocket and slapped it into his hand without touching him. He swiped it down the reader on the right side of the tablet, waiting for the police network to call up her information before returning the card to her. Before he read a word of it, he saved her file.

  “Calla Vesper,” he read. “ID number F111192038Z13. A handful of drunk and disorderlys, no felonies. You’re a jewelry designer.” He held out her ID between his index and middle finger. “You any good?”

  She snatched the card and shoved it into a pocket. “Find me in the bazaar and see for yourself. Can I have my wand back now or do you need to wave your dick around some more?”

  Nate cleared the tablet screen and tucked it back inside his jacket. Gorgeous, entrancing, and more than enough sass to keep him on his toes—this was definitely a woman he could like a little too much. One corner of his mouth curling up, he said, “That’s quite a mouth you’ve got on you. That why that guard had such a hard-on for you?”

  “What can I say? I’ve got the kind of sparkling personality everyone loves.”

  He felt himself on the verge of smiling, then remembered where he was and that he was talking to a Magic Born. Not flirting with a girl in a bar.

  A middle-aged woman stepped out of the alley, coming to an abrupt halt when she made Nate for a cop. Calla spoke over her shoulder. “Go ahead and get your sewing machine. It’s fine.”

  “Thanks, Calla.” The woman hurried to retrieve her machine, hefting it easily. “Sorry, officer.”

  “No problem,” he said. She left quickly. Nate never took his gaze off Calla Vesper. “Detective Nathan Perez.” He didn’t know why he felt the need to introduce himself.

  Calla rolled her eyes. “Like I care. Just give me my wand back. I’m tired of standing here.” It could have been the glare of the sun, or maybe his imagination, but there might have been a bare hint of amusement in her eyes.

  He tossed the laser pointer to her. She caught it easily and turned on her heel, darting into the alley. He watched her walk away. “Come on, come on.” As she reached the far end of the alley she looked back at him, giving him a cheerful grin and a middle finger. He returned the grin, and then she was gone.

  That was not at all what he’d expected from his first encounter with a Magic Born.

  Chapter Two

  Nate was kept waiting a good twenty minutes before being ushered into the administrator’s office. He spent the time doing a little research on his tablet while sitting in an uncomfortable chair in the anteroom. Admin Donald Lewis was career DMS, now in his mid-fifties and not likely to move any higher up the ranks. Of course there was no higher to go without moving to Washington. Lewis seemed to have a good rapport with local government officials. He certainly got his picture in the news with them often enough. He had a wife that did volunteer work and a grown son in the military.

  He also had a
suit and watch that cost more than his salary should have been able to afford, along with manicured hands and a soft handshake. It was almost a relief to Nate that the man didn’t bother to hide evidence of his corruption. Knowing what he was dealing with was always better than guessing.

  Nate outlined what elements of the case he was willing to share.

  “This is so tragic about Dr. Forbes. He was such a gifted geneticist.” Lewis took a drink from the steaming cup in his hand. “Senator Beckwith called with the news just a short while ago. He said to expect you.”

  Turf battles were always so fucking petty. The jackass hadn’t even offered Nate coffee. He swallowed his annoyance and kept his tone even. “There was evidence of nightshade found at the scene that we believe was left by the killer. The senator, Chief Decker and I believe this points to the killer having some connection to the drug trade.”

  “I hardly see how that means much of anything. Lots of people buy nightshade all the time, Normals and Abnormals both. Do you have anything more specific that ties the murder to drugs?”

  “I’m sure Senator Beckwith explained to you the highly sensitive nature of this case. Not only politically but personally. He informed me the doctor was a family friend. He also informed me he’d like this taken care of as quietly as possible.” Go fish, asshole.

  Lewis hid his disappointment poorly. “Yes, well, he did mention something along those lines. Look, we have people who are perfectly capable of investigating this.”

  Nate jumped in. “Good. I need someone familiar with the zone to act as a guide.”

  Lewis put his cup down none too gently, a bit of coffee escaping down one side. “Detective—”

  “Administrator Lewis, I know the senator told you to cooperate. So can we dispense with the jurisdiction catfight and get down to business? I’m looking for a killer, and that is all. I would appreciate the use of someone who could act as a guide, please.” He hoped the message got through. He didn’t care how the man was paying for his expensive suits and his flashy gold watch. He didn’t care if every DMS agent in the zone was taking payoffs for something or other. The killer of Dr. Alan Forbes was his only target.