FROM THE EDITOR: This episode does have some violence and other things which may be triggers for those who have problems with these things. While I don't want to deter anyone from reading this episode it IS a pivotal one in Willow's life, if youhave triggers about unwanted body swaps, violence, bad language, please exercise caution in reading this chapter.

We Never Break A Promise Part 6
By Warm Hearted
Proofed and edited by Catherine Linda Michel

The former huge, middle aged FBI Special Agent Lewis Sands, now the petite Seventeen year old very cute Hanna Hicks, studied the information she'd gathered over the last three weeks spread out on her bed. She utilized all of Sands' great gifted skills in working deep cover to try to find the location of the fugitive murderer and attempted rapist, Eric Jones.

Hanna looked serious as she mentally reviewed her facts in the case. "My subject, Eric Jones, is obviously a genius Sociopath. At this point the Agency isn't involved because his crimes don't warrant it. He has only killed one person, although it was on camera and done brutally. It wasn't a Hate Crime though and there is no evidence that he has killed any others.

I'm sure it was his first kill, but judging from my profile of him he will soon kill more if I don't find him soon. The Mecklenburg Police aren't some Mayberryish, Podunk outfit. They are very a competent agency with good homicide detectives. I guess sometimes practice does make perfect. They even formed a special task force to find Jones and they are still coming up empty.

Then there's that $25,000.00 reward for information that will lead to his apprehension. To add to that, the local and national media are giving Jones a lot of coverage and the video of his killing went viral. So how could a broke almost seventeen year old kid, even if he is a genius, stay hidden without help?

That brings me to Eric's last known location before the murder, the bookstore he worked at. I closely reviewed the interviews that the detectives had with the owner, Erin Sparrow and her niece Willow. I agree with the detective's assessment that the Sparrows are withholding some information, but the brass prevented them from pressing for more.

My client, Dianna Hobs, also believes that Erin and Willow know more than they are telling. Dianna also told me that the Sparrows are powerful members of a rival faction of magical beings, which explains Ms. Hobs involvement in the case. I guess it's like some old type of Mafia blood feud. I don't care about their vendettas, but she paid me with my dream life to do something I love doing. Once I find Jones and lead Dianna's people to him to be removed, I'm done with them.

OK. In the three weeks after first contact with my main asset, Willow Sparrow, I have became friends with her by acting as a friendless, bullied foster kid. Willow is starting to trust me because she seems to empathize with my condition. That brings up the first question I need to find an answer for... Why?

Why would a smart, very pretty rich girl (judging the by the new Lexus RCF Sport she drives) withhold information about a lunatic killer? Dianna thinks it's some grand plan her enemies have. I really enjoy a good hunt and this is one of the best I have ever been on in thirty-five years. However, the best thing this case is the payment Dianna gave me."

Hanna the turned and looked at herself in the mirror on her door. Gazing at her image and remembering her old, very large, and middle aged male self. Hanna reminisced how as a pre-op transsexual, how frustrated she would become trying to look like a woman.

She hated how comical she thought she looked no matter how expertly she would try to look like a woman. She thought of the hours her old self spent working with walking, hand movements, makeup, and clothes to no avail, but all that experience is very helpful now. All she has to do now is to be careful and not to overcompensate because a lot of what she worked to achieve comes natural now.

Hanna thought, 'Now I could wear anything and still look like a woman and besides that, I'm seventeen again. Dianna said she would make my dreams come true if I agreed to find Jones and she did, because I don't just look like a woman, I'm a real woman. I had my first period last week to prove it. If all this wasn't enough, Dianna has arranged for me to get 500k from a trust when I turn 18 in three months."

Hanna's mind drifted to how she lost her virginity less than a month earlier to Dianna's servant Jared. She shut her eyes and relived her only sexual encounter as woman. Her mind filled with passionate scenes as she thought, 'Oh how wonderful it felt when his finger traced my lips before he kissed me.'

'I loved how his hands grabbed my ass as he made me go limp as he kissed and sucked my nipples. It was so wonderful how he took complete control of me and picked me up like a feather and fucked me till I was screaming in pleasure with that condom covered cock. I want to try it without a condom, that's why I went to the Health Department and had them start me on the pill.'

The more Hanna thought of her erotic encounter, the more she felt that now familiar sensation in her core. She knew if she continued dwelling on her sexual escapade she would get so turned on that she would have to masturbate. So she pulled her thoughts back to finding Eric.

Hanna thought, "I never believed in magic before, but I can't deny it now. That's it! I feel so stupid! Willow is Eric! That explains it all, her being in a new school yet knowing where everything is, even why she is so empathetic with my orphaned and foster child cover. Even why no one saw her until after Jones went missing.

Willow... that lying crazy bitch. She must have the ability to change back to her old self and do her crimes. Then "poof" only perfect, fragile, beautiful, little Willow is there. No wonder they can't find her, no one but someone that knows magic is real can. I'm 100% sure Willow is Jones. I need to call Dianna!"

Hanna thought as she picked up her phone and dialed Dianna. "Magic makes it impossible for our justice system find and convict Jones, so I'm glad that justice will be served and the public will be protected from a potential serial killer. It really doesn't matter to me that justice will be served by some vendetta." Hanna picked up her phone and told Dianna Hobs her findings.

Dianna responded, "Amazing! Eric was hiding in plain sight. In a way I'm a little embarrassed in not seeing this sooner, knowing some of the events that happened around the time of his birth. That also explains why powerful entities want him dead. Hanna, my dear girl, I will give you a $20,000 bonus if you leave and tell Willow you are running away. I will arrange for you to have a judge sign emancipation papers so you will be an adult and I will arrange for your early graduation from high school. All I ask is that you will keep my office aware of your whereabouts so if I need any future services that I could contract you. You are a truly gifted spy and that may be needed for some of my future plans.

Hanna agreed and Dianna said she would have the money and the documents that afternoon. After Hanna turned off her phone she thought, "Now the 20k will work fine till I get my trust so what will I do with the rest of my life? I really enjoyed the bureau. Well... considering my skill sets and the new progressive ideas of the bureau, I think I'll get a Masters in Forensic Psychology and go back on the job. It's funny... I don't look like J. Edger anymore, now I look more like Jodi Foster in Silence of the Lambs and I'm going "All the way to the FBI".

Wee Lo looked at her goddaughter and admired her bright blue glow as she put on a simple white linen dress. Wee Lo asked, "Are you sure there is no one but family you want to come your birthday party later? You know Wizards seventeenth birthday celebrations are like the Mortals sweet sixteen parties."

Willow nodded and answered, "I really don't have any friends thanks to Leigh lying about me. The closest thing I had to a friend at school was Hanna and she left. I understand why... it's hard to be a foster kid, but she had it rougher than me because she knew what it was like to have a loving family."

Wee Lo said, "You have a large loving family now and we all are so happy you're back with us. Erin has planned a very nice dinner party at 30 East. I wish things were not so tense, so you could spend some time with your grandparents and meet your cousins. But it's a Orange Alert, not just because of you, but the Witches are up to something major. Dianna Hobs, their boss witch, is off the radar."

Just then Erin stuck her head in the door and said, "You need to finish getting ready, the ceremony is in 25 minutes and Aaron will be here soon from the airport."

Wee Lo asked, "You're sure you understand why this birthday is so important?"

While Willow brushed out her hair she answered, "Yes, Erin explained it. Wizard's seventeenth birthdays are the start of the magic indwelling. The Indwelling is when I get a large part of my magic. There'll be a flash of light and the brighter the flash the stronger a Wizard I will be. The flash happens exactly on the second I turn seventeen.

Then all next year the rest of my magic will fill me, but I can not control it till I'm eighteen. I need to keep my emotions in check because of Wild Magic. Most other Wizards go to a special Wizards school during this time because of the Wild Magic, but my promise prevents me from going to a new school.

Wild Magic can be released by my subconscious if I get very upset or if I get really afraid. Usually wild magic is very weak, but it could be hard to explain to Mortals. The Indwelling will happen in 20 minutes. There is short ceremony before and I have learned what I need to say and what I'm wearing white linen dress is for."

Wee Lo nodded and they heard Aaron arrive and Wee Lo said, "You finish getting ready and hurry down. I'll go down and say hello to Aaron."

Wee Lo flew down to see Aaron and Erin and greeted Aaron, "How is it hanging, handsome?"

Aaron, a little more than slightly embarrassed, responded, "I'm doing good and are you doing good, you potty mouthed Fairy?"

Wee Lo giggled and said, "I love the way I can still make you blush. If you were four inches tall I'd give Erin some competition."

Erin laughed and countered, "I like his height. It keeps slutty fairies off of him."

Wee Lo got serious and looked at the pair and said, "I'm sure you have seen how brightly Willow has been glowing?"

The pair had the same concerned look on their faces and nodded. Wee Lo, in a concerned tone unusual for the carefree fairy said, "I think Willow will be a Grand Mage Exemplar."

Aaron shocked said, "No one can even remember the last Exemplar! How can that be? You must be mistaken."

Erin interjected, "I have seen, over the last two weeks, how she has became a blue beacon. It's good that only family can see it. She does have a pre-glow brighter than any I have seen, but an Exemplar... really!?"

Wee Lo explained why she had her suspicions, "Think about it. She had two very powerful Arch Mage parents. Soon after her birth a very powerful amulet was used on her, and lastly she experienced a deep emotional storm her whole life and that tends to amplify magical power."

Aaron said, "There hasn't been an Exemplar since the Mid-Fifth Century when the last one died and all hell broke loose. We all know the history of what chaos that was! How, from that shift in power, the Dark Witches were able to take control of many large empires and perverting religion.

Once emplaced they would proclaimed peace and love and God's blessings while using political power, religious fanaticism, torture and endless wars to further their interests. Washed in rivers of blood, they destroyed any opposition and solidified their power. Always claiming God was on their side they killed thousands of Light Witches, Hundreds of Wizards and millions of Mortals.

For a thousand years the Dark Witches manipulated the Mortals by fear, torture and greed. They all but wiped out most of the powerful Light Witches and forced all but the weakest Light Witches into hiding, along with the Wizards. Then, as that strategy ran down to just a few areas controlled by the religious fanatics, they moved into politics. So that's how Wizards were able to challenge them in the great war. If you're right Wee Lo, Willow will be a game changer, but she will be in
great danger until her Awakening and she is skilled enough to use her power."

They stopped talking when Willow walked down the stairs. The former 6'4, 300 pound boy looked like a blonde angel as she gracefully glided down the stairs.

Erin greeted her, "I was getting worried you were not going to make it on time, but you did with 90 seconds to spare. Now come join hands with Aaron and me."

Willow did as asked, forming a circle with her Aunt and Uncle, and Wee Lo hovered over the center, glowing brightly with excitement. Then Erin instructed Willow, "Speak your part slowly."

Willow recited her learned part of the ceremony, trying to make it last the remaining time.

Eyes closed Willow said, "As in the time of the first Wizards, on the day of my childhood's end and I pass through the door of my Wizard-hood, I pledge all the magic that enters me to the light. So come and start filling me as a servant of the Light."

The unseen energy known as Magic that fills the universe, activated by it's own set of physical laws, started to flow down the course of least resistance into a conductor named Willow. Although considering the vast mass of this energy it was just a very small movement.

Yet, since the conduction energy was so condensed and because the area effected was so small the effect was intense. It was strong enough to emit a huge number of photons and an energy bolt strong enough to split the atmosphere at 186,200 MPS. So when the air came back together, it caused a clap of thunder .

As the three Wizards and one Fairy's eyes started working again after the flash of magical lightning, Aaron shouted "Everybody OK?" The group all nodded.

Willow shouted, "WOW! You said there would be a flash of light, but I had no idea it would be like that."

As their hearing started to return, Erin looking amazed and very worried at the same time said, "Willow, at every Door Opening I have attended The Glow was no brighter that a string of LED Christmas lights and never, never was there a clap of thunder."

Then Aaron threw a new IPhone on the floor and shouted, “THE DAMN THING IS FRIED! ERIN! CHECK YOURS!"

Erin pulled her phone and looked and said, "Mine is dead too."

The small group didn't know but would soon learn, that the great movement of magic into Willow created an EMP that rendered most electronics useless in a 300 yard radius.

Aaron, almost in panic mode, rushed out the door saying on the way out, "I'll be back as soon as I find a phone."

As Erin was looking at Willow with a shocked worried expression, Wee lo was sitting on the book store counter weeping. Concerned, Willow went to her Godmother and gently stroked her head with her finger and asked, "What's wrong Godmother?"

Through sobs Wee Lo answered in a hushed, awestricken voice. "Nothing my dear, dear Goddaughter. These aren't tears of sadness, but joy for I have just witnessed the prophesied return of The Merlin."

Willow looked at her Godmother with a deer in the headlights look and said, "HUH?"

Erin walked over to the pair and said, "Willow, you have been isolated most your life from our community and there are many things you don't know concerning your heritage and the truth of our role in Mortal history."

Willow pointedly announced "Since what just happened was so important that Aaron went running out to find a phone... plus the fact that it made Wee Lo a fairy emotional train wreck, don't you think you need to tell me?"

Erin nodded and started revealing the true history of the world, "OK I'll just give you the short version for now. Merlin isn't a proper name, it's a title like Robin for Witches. The Merlin was the last Exemplar Arch Mage and he was killed 600 years ago by a Dark Witch, Magana. You well know the story of King Arthur, but there are major errors in the Mortal's legend.

it's true that Camelot was the last stronghold of the Old Order, but The Merlin was dead almost a century before then. So that brings us to what the Old Order was. When Wizards had The Council of Twelve Merlins they all were called Merlin. No knows how long there was a Council, but when there was, there was balance in the Earth.

Just like now, there were greedy and power hungry Mortals and very honorable good Mortals, but it was the same with the Magical Folk. The Witches of Light, known as Earth Sisters and Brothers by the Fae and the Dark, were called Children of Lilith.

You are a student of Greek Mythology so you know about the Dark Witches, Circe and her niece Medea, from Jason and the Golden Fleece. Light Witches like the Woman of the Lake, were never interested in fame or great riches. They were known as Healers and Wise Women. There was a movie made about one, Hypatia of Alexandria, and Hippocrates, known as The Father of Medicine, was another.

During the time of the Old Order the portal between the Fae realm and Earth was open and there were Fae all over the world. They called the White Witches their brothers and sisters. Wizards claimed them both as friends and allies. Funny thing about Wizards, there never have been many powerful truly evil Wizards, but you will agree, that Wren was evil.

Like Mortals, most Wizards tend to be apathetic, unless motivated and there are Mortals that are great savants of the light like Wizards. Although good Mortals have a hard time in making large scale differences. Good Mortals do poorly in politics, because it's very hard for a truly honest, caring, and self sacrificing Mortal to do what is necessary in the dark labyrinth of politics to succeed. So it's rare for a truly dedicated to the light mortal to rise to the top or stay there long. That's why Aaron is in politics, to do the most good possible and he has resources that Mortals don't.

Willow you see, the Light has been losing ground for a long time. The Great War that your whole family fought in was the first major victory we had in many, many years and we now have a chance, but it's like the uneasy peace that was in place during the old Cold War.

Both sides are fairly equal now, but an Exemplar Arch Mage would be a massive shift in power. An Exemplar would almost guarantee the return of the Old Order. Wee Lo remembers the Old Order and misses it terribly. She now thinks you're the Wizard of prophecy that one day bring will bring it back."

Willow hearing all this said, "I'm just now getting used to thinking of myself as a girl and I'm just now starting to accept whole idea of me being a Wizard. Now you're telling me, I'm some sort of foretold super hero that is going to save world and that makes me want to hide under my bed forever."

Hearing Willow's distress, Wee Lo flew over to land on her shoulder to comfort her. Wee Lo in a loving tone said, "Goddaughter, I know you have all rights to be overwhelmed by all this, but let me tell you the great good you will do.

The Old Order is what we call the time when the worlds of the Fae, Familiars and Mortals were joined. There is no record of when that happened, it was just the way it was. We believe it may have taken place when a great loss of life took place on this world 60 Million years ago. That's also the time the demon realm joined both worlds, but it's just a theory without any proof.

The Old Order was a wondrous time and I promise to tell you about it soon, but now you need to go change. I think we'll be on the move when Aaron returns." Willow in a sullen dazed state turned and went upstairs to change into street clothes.

Leigh was sitting at her desk, ignoring her History teacher droning on about the first moon landing. She looked at Willow's empty desk and was wondering where her prey was. Then she felt an electric shock that made her jerk. When the shock cleared, she saw the rest of her classmate were unaffected.

Then the intercom beeped and Dianna Hobs' voice said, "Mr. Helms, this is Diana Bishop. Will you please send Leigh Wright immediately to my office she has a family emergency. Thank You."

Mr. Helms answered, "At once Ms. Bishop and your welcome." He sat at his desk pulling out a pass pad and calling Leigh to his desk. He handed a Hall Pass to Leigh and said, "I hope it's nothing serious Leigh and go straight to Ms. Bishop's office." Leigh left the class and hurried to "Diana Bishop's Student Counseling office.

Leigh rushed into the office, shut the door and asked excitedly, "WHAT WAS THAT?"

Dianna Hobs, the new school counselor Diana Bishop, answered, "That was Willow. She was Indwelled with most her magic. Lucky for us she will not be able to control it for another year. It's no wonder that her Aunt called the school yesterday and said Willow would be out today for family business.

That was the bad news now here is the worst news. Judging from that jolt that none of us had felt the like of before, Willow will be an Exemplar Arch Mage on her Awaking, so we need to get rid of her asap. We need to go now to plan and prepare so the threat of Willow Sparrow will be dealt with tomorrow. The only thing we have going for us is that, for now the Wizards are leaving her in this school instead of sending her to an Indwelled Wizards Academy. They may soon change their minds and pull her out so we need to act now."

On their drive home the pair were silently deep in thought. Leigh was lamenting over wasting time in getting rid of Eric-Shun. Leigh thought, 'Why did I try to make killing him such a work of art? I guess I enjoyed torturing him too much to end it quickly. How stupid I was! Now Willow will be some super Wizard and I'll lose Snowball and be a nobody if Dianna doesn't kill me first for being so stupid. Dianna is right. We need to kill her tomorrow. I'll kill her tomorrow or die trying, I will not live as a nobody. I would rather be dead.'

As the pair entered Dianna's huge mansion a servant ran up and whispered in Dianna's face which went red, then white. Then Dianna screamed and threw her purse at the huge mirror on the wall, breaking it into a thousand pieces.

Dianna screamed, "DAMN IT TO HELL! THE NEXT PERSON THAT BRINGS ME BAD NEWS I WILL TOAST!"

All Dianna's minions just stood there with their heads bowed silently. After composing herself slightly Dianna looked at Leigh and said, "That bitch Wizardling has a bodyguard, Wee LO of Fairy Ring. Before we can take care of Willow we will have to take care of her pet insect. Come Leigh, we need to plan while we feed our Familiars so they will be at their strongest. Come Onyx."

As the raven landed on Dianna's shoulder, Leigh gathered up snow ball in her arms and followed her upstairs. As they walked together to Dianna's bed suite Leigh thought of the stories she had heard of this famous Fairy that is Willow's protector. Wee Lo was most likely the most powerful of all the Fairies and certainly the most vicious.

The pair of Witches and their Familiars entered the bed suite and they sat at a small ornate table in front of glass French doors that led to the balcony. As Leigh sat with Snow Ball in her lap, her magical nipple formed on her arm and her cat started to nurse. In the same way a smaller version of a nipple formed on Dianna's neck and Onyx did likewise.

Dianna broke the silence, much more composed than before and said, "Leigh, you have shown to have a great gift for devising intricate, strategically sound and workable plans so lets put our heads together and find one so we can be done with this Willow business, once and for all tomorrow. Then we will leave this hellhole of a town."

The two brain stormed ideas and came up with a base plan. Then, after three hours of refining and tweaking they had the near perfect attack plan. It involved Leigh losing three of her minions which she wasn't happy about, but she would be moving anyway so, no problem.

When Dianna asked if she was concerned with losing her minions Leigh answered, "I'll be leaving so no big loss." Dianna evilly laughed and praised Leigh, "That's right my very smart protégée. Never value anything that you don't have a purpose for. Now go get busy and I will do the same. I need to gather as many powerful Witches possible considering the time
restrictions."

When Leigh and Snow Ball left to go to work on their part of the preparations, Onyx said to Dianna, "Snow Ball chose her Witch wisely." Stroking her Raven Dianna said, "Yes she will go far if I don't need to kill her first."

On the way out Leigh was given a shotgun, a 9mm handgun, ammunition and an envelope of money. All of it was packed in a large canvas case which was packed by one of Dianna's minions, as instructed. Leigh thought of where would be the best staging place for her part of their plan. She thought of an old abandoned cotton warehouse near Mariposa Park High School.

With her destination in mind Leigh got in her car and called her minion and present boyfriend Jared. He was lousy in bed, but he was captain of the varsity football team, a black belt in Wing Chung and a highly ranked NRA Marksman. She thought how Jared and another minion of hers, Matt, were always competing for everything including her attention.

When Jared answered his phone Leigh said, "Don't say anything just listen. Go get Matt, David, and Kinzey. Then bring them to the address I will text you. Bring what you need to break into a house or a building,"

Then Jared said, "I don't see why Matt has to be there?".

Then Leigh shouted, "I said for you not to say anything! I get so tired of the constant pissing contest you two are in. NOW JUST HANG UP AND DO IT!" and she hung up.

She then hit speed dial for her father. While waiting for him to pick up and in an exasperated tone she said, "I get so tired of their childish battles and I'll be relieved when they are dead." When her father answered she said,

"Hi dad. Is mom happy with her new VP position I arranged? That's good. Now you need to start planning your 2018 campaign for the state legislator, I have sent you a packet of useful information on some very wealthy people that you can use to leverage some large contributions. With it you will find some juicy tidbits on the incumbent and your potential opposition.

You're welcome. I'll be leaving with Dianna soon but I'll send you all the help you need to win. Now I need something from you. Find me the name of the company that has the most high explosives in the Charlotte area. In addition I need to know the person that has control of their explosives distribution and the name of their best explosive technician.

Text me with the information in less than an hour. Oh yeah, notify the police and anyone that might be concerned that the EPA is doing secret compliance testing of the Avon Bonded Cotton Warehouse, so if any activity is reported they are ordered not to interfere. Thanks, Bye."

Driving to the warehouse, Leigh went over and over the plan, looking for any potential problems in executing it. By the time she and Snow Ball pulled up in front of the warehouse she was confident barring any unseen surprises, but if they happened, she would deal with them.

She waited in her car for her minions to arrive and her father texted her the requested information. Leigh read that a Lithium mining company, FMC, had a huge amount of different types of high explosives, D. R. Jenkins was head of the storage and distribution and he was their top explosive expert too.

Leigh thought, "That makes it simpler, just dealing with one person.". Since it was almost 8pm she called his emergency number. She magically changed her voice to sound like an older male. When Mr. Jenkins answered, Leigh, sounding like a man said, "Mr. Jenkins? This is Special Agent Clark with the FBI and I have good information that a large amount of explosives has just been stolen from FMC. I need you to meet me at your storage site. We'll have to take inventory to see if this is true or a hoax. I will be there in about 90 minutes and I do have a warrant."

Jenkins, sounding very shaken said, "Of course Special Agent Clark. I'll be there in 90 minutes."

As Leigh hung up, she saw the lights of Jared's F150 pull in beside her in the parking lot of the long closed warehouse. She got out of her car and commanded Jared and Matt to break in the roll up door on the dock. She was glad to see that there were no cameras around the old building.

Once inside, the small group, using their phone lights looked inside the large, dark empty abyss and saw it was empty. Then Leigh started ticking off commands.

Leigh waved her hands, using her magic to increase the control she had on her minions. "We don't have much time, so listen carefully. Jared and Matt I want you two to break into Kara Fries' house. Her father is a friend of my dad's and I know they are out of town due to the death of her grandfather. They don't have security cameras and I have the code to turn off the alarm.”

“Kara's father is a Prepper and in his garage he has a generator, lanterns, packaged food, cots and a police radio scanner. Bring enough for one person to live off it for awhile. Also bring his lap top and his video outfit from his home office.

By then I'll have finished with Kinzey so pick her up in front of my parent's house. Then come back here and all of you set the stuff up like a person has been living here for some time. Open food packages and dump the contents in a trash bag and leave the wrappers laying around. Put the trash bag in the back of Jared's truck. Jared and Matt, get going and Kinzey, come with Me."

On a dark highway near I85, Leigh and Kinzey waited for the right make of car to come along. They didn't have to wait long until they saw a late model, black Ford SUV turn down the off ramp. The pair of girls jumped out of their car and franticly started jumping up and down waving and the SUV driver pulled to a stop. A few minutes later the dead good Samaritan laid in the
tall grass and Kinzey was pulling off in Leigh's car on her mission.

Leigh, with Snow Ball, worked her magic as she had did once before and changed into the appearance of Eric Jones, but this time Eric was in a dark suit like an FBI agent would wear. Then the fake Eric loaded the canvas case into the car. Leigh and Snow Ball in the SUV a minute later were on I85 on the 15 mile trip to the FMC depot, right on schedule.

Arriving at the FMC guard stand, Leigh used her magic like a Jedi from a Star Wars movie and was let in. She then poured poison in the old guard's coffee and commanded him to drink it. The old man foamed at the mouth and crumpled dead on the shack's floor. Pulling up to Jenkins' office, his car was there and Leigh exited her car, keeping her face away from the cameras.

When the fake Eric got to the office door she held her fake FBI ID, blocking Eric's face and she was let in. Leigh was delighted when she entered the office and saw that Mr. D.R. Jenkins was a weak willed, bean counting tech nerd. Leigh immediately had complete control of him.

Leigh used his computer and pulled up pictures and diagrams of Mariposa park High School and had Jenkins study them. The school was one of those schools built in the 1960's in which the walls were mainly windows on a small brick base. It was built in an open ended box design. The Gym and Auditorium on one side, the classrooms on the other and the Cafeteria at the back with the open side facing the parking lot.

After studying the design, Jenkins said, A twenty barrel mixture of nitrates with six barrels of Thermite and two dozen cylinders of Propane chained around it all should do it. Placed on a medium size flat bed truck pulled to this central location it would not leave anything standing and kill all inside most likely. I could place a switch detonator in the cab and we have it all here next door. It will take less than an hour for me to build it."

Leigh answered, "Good, now send an email to your boss and tell him you have an out of town family emergency and you will be taking tomorrow as a personal day."

An hour later the fake Eric was driving a truck bomb back to the warehouse with Snow Ball beside her sitting on a huge tarp. She wasn't giving a thought to the now dead Mr. Jenkins who she left behind in a sealed barrel, but kept nervously glancing at the detonator switch on the dashboard of the flat bed, wanting to get this part done.

She soon arrived at the warehouse and had Matt raise the roll up door and drive the truck in. She then gathered her three minions around her and cast a spell on them that took away all their free will making them her complete puppets. They would now die without a word at her command.

She looked at Matt, Jared and Kinzey and said, "Good job on the set up, everything looks like someone was living here for a month. Now set up the lights, generator, laptop and video equipment over there in front showing the living area."

Once the video and lap top were set up she made a video of the fake Eric saying that everyone at Mariposa Park would pay for all the pain they had put him through at 8:40am today. Then she downloaded it into a burner phone and scheduled it to be sent to the T.V. station at 8:37am. Leigh then went to her minions and, looking at the boys she said, "Go home and meet me at school ten minutes before the first bell in the morning."

Then she looked at Kinzey and said "You're getting a sex change." Leigh changed her into a duplicate Eric Jones, but in his regular style of dress. Then Leigh changed back into her normal self and instructed Kinzey.

"Stay here until 7:00am and drive to the dirt road behind the school. Cover the truck with the tarp that is on the seat and wait inside until 8:20am and then drive to the school, pull over the sidewalk and park in the center courtyard.

"Then roll down the window and stick your head and shoulders out. Then look at the camera over the gym door and stick up your middle finger at the camera. Then push the red button at exactly 8:40am. Do this exactly and only I can stop you."

With the new fake Eric programmed, she knew only a head shot would stop him from doing as she said. She called Dianna's and ordered a driver to come pick her up.

Willow was deep in thought as she entered her school. She was pondering her Seventeenth birthday the day before. She wasn't thinking about all the gifts she received or the wonderful party they had last night at 300 East. No. She was thinking about how she flashed bright blue light and how concerned everyone was, even if they tried to hide it.

Wee Lo was in her usual place, sitting on her right shoulder, but she was silent in thought too. The pair made it to Willow's locker through the mad normal rush of students in the standard din of chatter and yelling. As she was getting her books for her morning classes, Jared and Matt came up and Jared leaned on the locker next to hers.

Jared slyly grinned and said, "Willow you look hot today. Do you have an extra pencil?"

Willow responded without a word and handed Jared a pencil while thinking, "What is this asshole's deal?"

Then Willow shut her locker and turned to leave, but Leigh came up from behind her and got in her face screaming, "YOU SLUT! JARED IS MY BOYFRIEND! QUIT FLIRTING WITH HIM!!" Then Leigh slapped Willow's face, hard.

Willow noticed Wee Lo, hidden from all others view, glowing bright white and preparing to blast Leigh. Wee Lo shouted in an a voice only heard by Willow, "I'M GOING TO FRY THAT LITTLE WITCH!"

Then Willow shouted, "NO!"

Willow acted quick to keep Wee Lo out of the confrontation and punched Leigh in the stomach. Willow didn't punch her like a girl but the way Eric would have with his years of fighting experience. Leigh doubled over with the wind knocked out of her. Then Jared and Matt grabbed Willow's arms and Wee Lo started to blow up, but an adult's voice stopped all the activity by yelling, "STOP!"

Willow saw the command came from Diane Bishop, the new school counselor.

Ms. Bishop a.k.a Dianna Hobs said, "I saw the whole thing! It was clearly a setup to intimidate Willow. Leigh, I have been at this school for five weeks and I'm already sick of you and your crew's bullying tactics."

Wee Lo backed down and Willow couldn't believe how clearly Ms. Bishop saw the situation with Leigh, when most of the other faculty just turned a blind eye toward Leigh and her actions. It was a pleasure to finally hear Leigh being held accountable.

Then Ms. Bishop opened the door behind her and said, "Good, this room is empty. Leigh, Jared and Matt get in here. We going to have a talk. Willow, please wait for a minute here and I'll call you in when these three are ready to apologize."

Willow watched as Ms. Bishop entered the room last and shut the door. Then Wee Lo whispered in Willow's ear, "Looks like I'm going to like this woman."

What Wee Lo and Willow didn't know was that this room was specially selected and prepared by Dianna for her evil purposes. The room was only not used, except for storage, but it also had an exit to the outside.

Dianna and a few of her minions had disabled the alarm on the exit door. The exit door was in a blind spot of the surveillance cameras so it was easy to sneak in the eight powerful Witches, all she could gather with so short a notice.

While she was gathering the witches, the night before her minions emptied the room of everything except nine metal double door book cabinets in which they placed cold iron plates to block Fae magic. Now, hiding behind those nine evenly spaced cabinets around the room, were five female and three male Witches, who are sometimes called Warlocks. Each had their
familiar with them which were an assortment of snakes, cats, and birds. Onyx and Snow Ball were behind the ninth, waiting to join their Witches at the right time.

Dianna entered the room and, in a hushed voice said, "Jared and Matt, get out of the way by the windows. Leigh, stand on my right. Listen everyone, we will only have one chance for this. Wee Lo is too strong for the ten of us to kill, but if we all hit her at once we will be able to push her back through the portal.

It will take her some time to get back and by then Willow will be dead and we'll be long gone. When I say, 'Now Willow,' come out and hit Wee Lo all at once. I was lucky enough to catch Willow talking to her pet bug. Wee Lo is on Willow's right shoulder."

Dianna went to the door and opened it to find Willow waiting on the other side and she said, "You can join us now."

Willow entered the room and walked toward the center where Ms. Bishop and Leigh were waiting. When Willow joined them the two Witches took a step backwards and Dianna said in a loud voice, "Now Willow.."

From all sides the group emerged and Onyx and Snow Ball quickly joined their Witches. Then Willow saw a bright flash of ultraviolet light and she saw Wee Lo pop out of sight. In terror she looked at the Witches and thought, They are WITCHES AND THEY KILLED WEE LO!"

Diana then spoke in soft soothing tones, "Poor, poor Willow. She thinks her pet insect is dead. The bug isn't dead, just sent home. You will be dead in about 13 minutes and I will love thinking how your Godmother will cry her little bug eyes out for you.

"You see, we will leave you soon and "Eric Jones" will drive a truck of explosives to just outside that window. These two big strong jocks will be holding you so you will get a good look as "Eric Jones" kills you and most of your school mates. Isn't it ironic how you will die at your own hand, but it will not be suicide? HAHAHAHA!"

Jared and Matt came over and grabbed her so hard she couldn't break free as they picked her up off the floor. Willow wasn't afraid, nor was she worried about dying, but she was furious over being once again the target for hatred and undeserved ridicule. The rage built in her, greater than she had known even as Eric. The fury was fueled even more by all the innocents that would be killed just to hurt her.

With the Witches gathered in front of her preparing to walk out to their transportation, Willow felt the burning fire of pure emotion balling up in her center and it exploded outward. What came out of Willow wasn't an emotional outburst but a huge ball of Wizard's fire as hot as a nuclear furnace.

The ultra bright ball of Wizard's Fire that was born of Willow's Wild Magic left only melted and twisted cabinets and dark shadows that were ten Witches and their Familiars on the scorched walls. There were also two small piles of ashes where Jared and Matt had stood.

Willow stood there with blue static charges of residue magic running up and down her body. Through the haze of what just happened she knew she had to get out of there and the only safe place she ever had was the bookstore with Erin. So, in the daze of shock and confusion, she headed out the exit door. From somewhere she had the presence of mind to pull the fire alarm on the way out to her car.

As Willow, on autopilot, drove down the street away from the school she didn't notice a flatbed truck traveling in the opposite direction towards the school. As Willow was making the turn towards the bookstore, she did catch a glimpse of the entire student body making their way onto the football field.

The Teachers and Student body of Mariposa Park High, in a well rehearsed procession, lined up on the playing field of the stadium. They'd had several recent drills due to protests and riots that recently plagued Charlotte. So all that practice served them well when, 9 minutes later, a huge explosion leveled all but one outer wall of the school.

The Mariposa Stadium was constructed in a large hole so a few students suffered only minor injuries from the blast. Not so for the students and faculties' cars in the parking lot. Most of the cars were totaled by the blast and debris.

Willow drove the short distance somehow in seven minutes to the bookstore and left her half parked car with the door open as she ran into the book store. With the ringing bell announcing her entrance she stood there just inside the door still with blue charges of residual Wild Magic running over her body.

Erin and Aaron were at the counter and saw Willow standing there sparkling. They ran to her and then there was a loud boom that shook the floor of the bookstore. Willow's eye went wide and whimpered, "The school!' and started crying.

As Erin and Aaron got to her and put their arms around her, there was a pop and Wee Lo appeared in the air in front of them. Willow, with a wailing sob cried, "Wee Lo you're ok!" Then Willow just passed out.

Aaron excitedly inquired, "Wee Lo, what the fuck happened?!!"

Wee Lo answered, "We got ambushed by that bitch Leigh and nine other powerful Witches. They didn't have the juice to hurt me, but they were able to knock me though the portal and I just got back. I homed in on Willow and entered back at her location. So all I know is, she was left alone with those Witches at the school."

Erin told Aaron, "Lets get Willow up to her bed and examine her to see what's wrong with her."

Seeing the blue sparks that were still running over Willows body, Wee Lo said, "She is in a Wild Magic Stupor. Our girl had to release a tremendous amount of magical energy to have this much residue Magic still sparking. I have never seen this in a Wizard before but I have seen it rarely in the most powerful Fae Folk just for a few seconds.

This is amazing and I don't mind saying more than a little frightening. It's only one day after Willow's Indwelling so she is nowhere near full strength yet. A Wizard with this much power could have Cosmic effects, but Willow will be alright once she sleeps it off, which will take time.

She will be out for hours and wake up refreshed, good as new, but hungry as Hell. Actually, from a Magic standpoint, she will be stronger than ever, but her health isn't the issue. Her safety is. Her environment needs to be controlled. Considering that with the amount of Wild Magic she has she can not get overly upset and definitely never pushed into a corner or POW!"

After the trio got Willow tucked in her bed, Erin and Aaron went downstairs to discuss what they needed to do. They left Wee Lo to watch her. Knowing full well, they couldn't force Wee Lo to do anything but that.

Erin said, "One of us needs to call Father and tell him what we know so far."

Aaron answered, "What do you mean "One of us call?" Ged is your father and I'm not calling him to tell him Willow got captured by ten powerful Witches. Take my advice and start off by telling him Willow is safe in her bed. I'm going to try and find out what happened at the school."

Erin said, "Coward!" but she knew Ged was going to blow his top at the news and issue a Red Alert. He will demand answers yesterday to questions that we don't even know yet. Erin's concerns about what Ged would do shifted to what Wee Lo said. "Willow's Magic will have Cosmic Effects."

Willow was now peacefully sleeping, being watched over by her Godmother. Blissfully unaware of the totally new life she was about to start...