“What’re you smirking about, Mocks?” whispered Paul. His words carried further than I liked down the deserted hall, but a quick glance showed we were alone in the building.

“The last time I was in the Headmaster’s office, it was so he and Mr. Maki could chew me out about my dating habits. It feels nice to get a little payback.” I sniffed the air. “I smell chocolate. Mrs. Perera’s really pouring on the magic.”

“Then let’s not keep her waiting,” said Maggie. She kicked the door down, which struck me as a tad excessive. It didn’t even seem locked.

The office hadn’t changed since the last time I had seen it. It was still minimally decorated, save for his potted plants. The air shimmered with golden magic in a dome over Tachibana’s desk, with a bored looking Headmaster listening to a seated Mrs. Perera. True to her boast, they seemed to be moving in slow motion, and the wall clock within showed nearly an hour earlier than the outside world.

“Mockingbird, signal Sister Macaw,” replied Maggie.

“I…” Well, blast. We had left something out of our planning. I hated to look foolish in front of Maggie, though. As always, the best plan was to improvise. “Svalinn’s Mercy!” This time, I shaped the energy structure into a blunt cylinder. I wasn’t out to slice him to bits, but giving his bell a good ring seemed reasonable.

The blue cylinder hit the barrier of energy, and a few things happened in slow succession. My attack decelerated once it was fully out of our normal flow of time. A minute later, Tachibana’s eyes gradually flicked up to track the disturbance, and his mouth gaped as my attack flew straight for him.

Mrs. Perera must have noticed my attack, since the yellow energy popped out of existence and she collapsed like a discarded puppet.

My attack struck home, and I heard the familiar sound of crunching cartilage. How long had it been since I’d broken a nose? It had to have been back in England; it was almost nostalgic. The Headmaster was driven back into his wheeled chair, slamming against the wall.

“Be careful!” bellowed Maggie. “We need him alive!”

I’ll give the tubby wizard this, he recovered quickly. His hand glowed intensely, but he didn’t cast any spells. I wondered what he was wasting his time on, until I realized the sun no longer shone through his window.

The potted bamboo plant burrowed deep into carpet, turning artificial fiber into real wood, shooting towards me like the kudzu from Hell. Branches sprouted and twisted unnaturally, seizing my wrists and ankles. My stomach sank as I was lifted off the ground. I couldn’t cast, and the strong wood didn’t budge an inch as I thrashed against it.

“And you tried to downplay your powers, you charlatan!” I shouted.

“Put him down!”

One of Rei’s iron balls put an end to Tachibana’s plant, shattering into so much kindling. Tachibana winced like he’d been struck himself. I supposed it was some sort of feedback.

Paul took advantage of the Tachibana’s dazed state and roughly seized him with his affinity, pulling him out of his chair and over his desk. I couldn’t help cringing even as I collected myself. I didn’t know what it felt like to have somebody haul you into the air by your body’s water content, but I was pretty sure his eyes hadn’t been so bloodshot before.

Yet, Tachibana kept fighting. He thrust a hand at Paul and let out a Fireball without so much as a word. The runes flew about his hands thick as a swarm of gnats to make up for the lack of speech to shape the magic.

“Shit!” Paul fell back, patting down his uniform, the runes of the fabricata laced fabric flashing to life, using Paul’s magic in a vain attempt to protect him from the attack. Rei hopped back, casting a Svalinn’s Mercy to protect herself in case she was the next target of the Headmaster’s ire.

He had bigger plans, though. Tachibana’s affinity’s magic flared to life again, forcing the bonsai tree on his desk into action an instant before an arrow of shaped glass embedded itself in his shoulder. He stopped casting, desperately trying to dislodge it.

“I swear to God, I have to do everything around here,” said Maggie as she stepped forward. Her sword, a katana like Paul’s, sang through the air, lopping off Tachibana’s artificial leg.

He cried out in pain. His hands twitched, seemingly unsure of which wound to tend to.

“Oh, did I get a little meat with that?” Maggie’s throaty chuckle was at once terrifying and enticing. “Good.” Her blade dug into his fleshy throat. “Brother Mockingbird, the shackles?”

“Yes, ma’am!”

“Sister Shoebill, do something about Brother Bald Eagle.”

“I’m good, Sister Shrike,” said Paul. I wondered where Paul had gotten the water to put out the flames, until I saw a goldfish flopping uselessly in an empty bowl near the door.

I knelt down next to him to carry out Maggie’s order. “Now, let’s not do anything rash, shall we?”

I must admit that my heart pounded a bit as I came into arm’s reach. I had always thought of Yosuke Tachibana some ineffectual administrator. I had fallen right into the trap and underestimated him. Not many wizards bothered to learn to cast silently, but those that did never just knew one spell. My Mimic had catalogued the silent Fireball, adding it to my temporary repertoire.

“You won’t get anything for me,” he said as I seized his wrist, slipping it into the magical bonds. “Anti-Demonic League policy is that they don’t negotiate with the Holy Brotherhood. You all are below the level of the Horde in their eyes.”

“We’ll see how they feel when they hear our demands. I think they’ll make an exception for their foremost wizard,” Maggie replied. She frowned after inspecting her blade. “Bald Eagle, dear, my sword?”

Paul nodded, wicking away the thick liquid right onto a pristine, white throw rug. It seemed he wanted payback for being lit on fire.

“Mockingbird, see to his wounds,” she said, striding over to his desk.

“I’m fine too,” muttered Mrs. Perera, hopping down from her chair. “Thanks for asking.”

“I figured you’d never stop whining if something was wrong,” said Maggie. “Good work keeping him occupied.”

The Headmaster finally noticed the stooped teacher. “Neci? You’re with them? Since when?”

“I always have been,” she spat. “It’s easy to overlook things when you’re fat and comfortable.”

“We could have talked this through,” he said.

“We could have. But, talk’s cheap. I only have time for results.”

Maggie knocked on the Headmaster’s desk. “Bald Eagle, you nearly destroyed his intercom! You need to be more careful.” She reached over to the nondescript white box. “It’s time to flush out any stragglers in the building.”

“Wait,” I said, stopping mid-heal. Tachibana hissed in pain as nerves were jostled about.

“What?” asked Maggie with obvious annoyance.

“The fabricata disguises your voice too,” I said. “If you don’t take it off, you’ll sound like a bloody robot, and that’s going to draw more attention than anything else.”

“That’s a good point,” said Maggie. “Hey Headmaster, who do you think I am? Do you want to guess?”

“What do I care?” he barked.

She glared daggers at him. “You’re no fun. Then again, you never were.” She raised her mask and shot him a saucy wink. “Do you care now?”

All of his righteous fury evaporated. “Ms. Edwards? What in God’s name are you doing here?”

Should Maggie have gone about her business? Yes, but her sadistic streak would not be denied. “Oh, you didn’t suspect me at all? I guess I was better at hiding than I thought. I was sure you’d figure me out, after you caught Haru.”

He struggled against his bonds. I put a hand on either shoulder. “You’ll rip open your-”

“You think I give a darn about that?” I finally saw the steel in the man’s spine, his hard eyes that brooked no argument. Thank goodness he turned his anger on Maggie. “What happened? This isn’t you at all. The Margaret Edwards I mentored would never do this!”

Maggie weighed his words. “You’re right, but she isn’t here anymore. I left her behind a long time ago. I’d rather be somebody people actually respected. Spectral Web.” The strands of blue energy sealed his mouth shut.

Tachibana tried to cast another silent spell, but a good singe from his shackles dissuaded him.

I flashed him a smug grin. “Nothing quite like Horde engineering, is there?”

“Hush, they’ll overhear you,” hissed Maggie. She tapped a few buttons on the console, selecting a broadcast that would be heard in the Tower, but not at the sports arena. “This is an alert. A small fire has been detected near the roof. It is under control, but for your safety, please evacuate the Tower until you are told otherwise. I repeat, please evacuate the Tower. Use the stairs or elevators as needed. I repeat, the fire is under control, but please leave the Tower until you are told it is safe. Thank you.”

Maggie released the button, sighing with relief. “I figure we should give them five minutes. Anybody still in here after that deserves what’s coming to them.”

“What’s next, ma’am?” asked Paul.

“We are just about ready to spring the trap,” said Maggie. “Brother Mockingbird, we are ready to activate the Peace Bond, right?”

“Of course,” I said. “You need only give the word and I’ll go plug it in.”

“Soren Marlowe!” Tachibana spat out the fading remnants of the magical threads. “That’s you, isn’t it? Nobody else knows where I set it up!”

“Guilty as charged,” I said, forcing a devil-may-care lilt into my voice. “I’ll take my leave, if it’s all the same to you, Sister Shrike.” I didn’t care to face the brunt of Tachibana’s seething anger an instant longer than I had to. It clashed so much with my whole vision of the man.

“Give it another minute,” she said. “We wouldn’t want anybody else to see you. At least, not until we’re ready.”

Mrs. Perera coughed into her hand. “How are they going to see him, exactly?”

“We can borrow the AV club’s room in the library,” Maggie replied. “They’re set up to broadcast everywhere on campus, and I know the passwords. Being their club advisor finally paid off.”

Tachibana stopped glaring at me, tilting his head to the side. “You’re taking me to the AV Club’s room? In the library?”

“Yes, you fool, that’s what she just said,” barked Mrs. Perera.

Tachibana laughed, coughing up a nice stream of blood. “I’m at your mercy, Margaret. Do you know what that means?”

“Oh? Teach me one last time, Headmaster,” said Maggie, her voice oddly chipper.

“You cut off my leg and you’re taking me to the top floor of the Tower.” His satisfied smirk was missing a canine. “Have fun carrying me.”

Maggie’s brow furrowed for a moment before she spun on her heel. “I have people for that. Shoebill! Bald Eagle! Figure it out.”

Paul looked at me. “Mocks, we-”

“Nope, sorry,” I said. “I’d love to help, but I have a job to do.” I was out of the room before anyone could tell me otherwise.

It’s so delightful having underlings. I didn’t know how I had survived so long without them.