“And so even though our production of Taboo took a serious hit, we have enough pills in reserve to flood the market for the next month.” Dr. Howards said, reading from the report. He leaned back in his chair and watched the others. “That is, if anyone cares.” he said bitterly. Samagan looked bored out of his mind, gazing off into the distance, and Fausto was idly doodling on his report.

“Rest assured, I am rapt in attention.” Delacroix said from the head of the table. He clasped his hands in front of his goatee. “I believe that was the special accelerated Taboo they destroyed, correct? How much do we have left of that?” Dr. Howards grimaced.

“Less than a quarter of initial stock, sir.” he said.

“Big deal.” Samagan interjected. “It’s all supposed to do the same thing anyway, why the fuss over this crap?”

“Because, Rohir, the accelerated Taboo is a concentrated dose, designed to enable whole chapters of the Arcana to be learned at once. The ones addicted won’t be able to resist going wild.” Delacroix said calmly. “Speaking of which, what is the progress of phase 3?” he asked the daemon.

“Everything is going according to plan. The leaders of the Third Eye cells have all been informed, and they have assured me that their groups are ready. With the exception of the team, every single one are standing by at the ready to perform the final ritual.” Fausto said, sitting up straighter. Delacroix nodded.

“Excellent, most excellent. Well gentlemen, phases 1 and 2 were resounding successes, despite setbacks. WE are on the cusp of phase 3, and I expect nothing less than success here as well.”

“As long as those damn kids can get that stupid amulet. Are you sure it was wise, entrusting such an important task to a bunch of pathetic humans?” Fausto said, frowning.

“Need I remind you it was a ‘pathetic human’ that called you all here and organized this plan?” Delacroix chuckled, smiling lightly. “You all have many skills and talents, but I am afraid subtlety and restraint are in short supply among them. This team has been selected for their ability to slip in undetected, to avoid suspicion. I believe one of their girls will be most helpful in that regard. And I insisted that two of the other cell leaders come along, for additional firepower if necessary.” he explained.

“Hah, big bad devil’s not good enough for the job.” Samagan said, leaning back in his chair and grinning. Fausto rounded on him.

“You’re even worse, chumbrain! You’re as subtle as a brick, you wouldn’t even make it past the front door undetected!”

“You don’t need stealth when you got power, and I got it in spades. All your fancy little tricks didn’t help you when those army guys came, did they? You got sucked into he floor!” the head of security retorted. Fausto ground his teeth.

“And you got sucker-punched by those same humans, and even let one escape! Blood was on my hands at the end of the day, unlike yours.” he sniped.

“Bah! I was under orders not to reveal myself, something you dropped at the first opportunity!”

“I’m a daemon, you dolt, we’re not supposed to be honest!”

“And another thing!” Samagan said, slapping a meaty hand on the table and pointing at Fausto. “The hell kinda name is ‘Fausto’? It makes you sound like a human!” The daemon stared at him incredulously, then sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose, confirming once again that their security chief was that stupid.

“It’s not my real name, moron! My real name is Mephitomonagnarious. I go by ‘Johan Fausto’ to disguise myself in the human world. I chose the name in honor of my great uncle, Mephistopheles.”

“Huh? Really? My name’s just Rohir.” Samagan said, blinking.

“Gentlemen, if you’re quite through, may we resume the meeting?” Dr. Howards said icily, glaring at both.

“We don’t gotta listen to you, nerd.” Samagan grunted.

“But you do have to listen to me.” Delacroix said, having watched the exchange in great amusement. “As entertaining as all this is, we do have business to conduct. Unless you’d like to reconsider our deals?” he asked, and they both shook their heads, bug-eyed.

“N-No boss, we got it.” Samagan said. Delacroix nodded.

“Good. Johan, the rituals are prepared?”

“Ready and awaiting your signal, sir.” he said, patting his head. His horns had started to poke through.

“Then it sounds like phase 3 is a go. I have faith in our retrieval team. In the meantime, ship out all the remaining accelerated Taboo, give it away if you have to. Samagan, please ensure no one enters the building. I’ll have my secretary declare us closed tomorrow, so please make sure my private helicopter is ready to go. And Dr. Howards-”

“Already on it. The special ritual site has been located. Since we can’t use the ocean site, I’ve managed to calculate an acceptable alternate in Australia. Aside from the obvious spots, it has the thinnest reality barrier on this planet.” he said, adjusting his glasses.

“Wonderful! Then let’s conclude this meeting and get to work on our projects. Good work, everyone.” They got up and shuffled out, Dr. Howards pausing at the door and glancing back at Delacroix. The president smiled and waved him out.

“Are you there, my lord?” he murmured when he was sure he was alone.

“Just a word away.” the cold voice of Riepaimva said, slithering out of his shadow. “Those employees of yours…they don’t seem that sharp.”

“Indeed. But they have sufficient magical knowledge and muscle for our needs.” Delacroix said demurely.

“I don’t quite trust that mortal, either. He seems shifty, the one in the labcoat.” came from the amorphous blob of shadow, narrowing its’ burning pink eye.

“Dr. Howards? Perhaps. He is quite brilliant, you know. As knowledgeable as I am with the supernatural, the good doctor is uncanny. The things that genius mind can figure out…it is with no exaggeration that I say the reason we’ve made so much progress is due to him. The entire Taboo refining process is his brainchild. I was lucky to snatch him up eight months ago. Of course, clever man that he is, he quickly agreed to help so long as he had a very prominent position in the ‘new world.’ I have no doubts he plots behind my back, making plans to betray me should I renege on our deal.” Delacroix said, smiling. Such men usually did, and were so predictable as a result.

“You’re not worried?” Riepaimva asked.

“Why should I be?” he said, shrugging. “I’ve no intention of double-crossing anyone, so long as they keep working hard towards the ‘new world’, where bargains are fulfilled and the Earth is divided between ancient races and humanity’s rule comes to an end. At least, those that were clever enough to strike a bargain beforehand.” he said slyly. Riepaimva let out a noise that was either a snort, a bark of laughter, or a praise to an elder being for all Delacroix knew. “Which does remind me, my lord. I’ve spent so so sooo much time trying to bring you into this world. I know the plan inside and out, but why are you still sneaking around in shadows? You are free to do as you wish, but I’m puzzled at your seeming absences. Why do you not simply exert your power and be done with the rest of us mortals?”

“Are you questioning my will?” Riepaimva said, the eye narrowing dangerously. Delacroix immediately broke out into a cold sweat.

“N-Never, my lord! Never!” he pleaded, shaking. The shadowy mass crept up to him and extended a six-fingered hand, tracing a claw along Delacroix’s nervous jawline.

“See that you do not. Though my power exceeds this planet, I must still tread cautiously. I am finally free to act how I wish, doing so will draw…unwelcome attention to me. Attention I neither want nor can afford at this juncture. Understand?”

“P-Perfectly, my lord!” Delacroix gulped.

“Do not try to feign intelligence before me, slave.” Riepaimva said, retracting the arm and slithering onto the desk. “In any case, I provide you with aid and support beyond what you could dream of, even now. Do you doubt me?”

“No, I would never!” he said feverishly, kneeling before his dark master.

“Good. Trust me, I am doing everything I can. The plan is too important. It must be brought to fruition, no matter what.” Riepaimva’s voice, always having a slick, gravelly yet somehow oily quality grew stiff and intense as the shadow spoke, almost like a religious fanatic. The pink eye was staring far, far away.

“I will ensure our dream comes true. We will not fail you, my lord.” Delacroix swore, prostrating.

“See that you do not. Let us hope your little team of magicians is more cunning than your subordinates seem to be.” With those last words, Riepaimva flowed and sank into Delacroix’s shadow, leaving the president exhausted and alone.

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The jungle was never truly silent. Thousands of birds cawed and trilled, while rodents chittered and skittered around dense trees, searching for food or mates and avoiding predators. Which had to be done, as the sun was lowing the sky and they were coming out in force. Speaking of which…

In the jungle there was a mansion, a small, half-hidden path leading up to it. The mansion was unusual, as it had a long, low garage, and painted in camouflage to blend in with the foliage. Another unusual fact about the house was that it had no permanent resident, merely a caretaker that came by twice a month. That was because of the last unusual thing about the mansion: it had over two tons of pure cocaine hidden inside awaiting delivery, along with seventeen boxes of small red pills. They had been ordered to spread. However, unbeknownst to the cartel that owned it, there was something else currently unusual about the mansion. Namely, the fact it was about to explode.

KA-BOOM!

Surviving men and soldiers scattered, screaming and shouting, more than a few of them rolling on the ground to put out their blazing clothes.

“The hell’s going on!”

“What happened!?”

“Nooo!” was heard in Spanish. The survivors regrouped, angry and confused, and all waving assault rifles and machetes. Two figures watched them from the treetops.

“Hmm. About…thirteen soldiers left. Should be no problem.” the first girl, clad all in black said, stretching on the enormous branch they were resting on.

“Ah no no no no no no no no. You had your fun, and you didn’t take ‘em all out, so it’s my turn!” the second girl, dressed in a croptop and cammo pants said. She grinned mercilessly, her eyes shining under her baseball cap. The first glanced at her, then resumed stretching.

“You know my power’s more effective than yours, right? You’re too flashy.” That was the last straw for the second girl.

“Shut up! I said I’m taking the rest of the cartel, and you ain’t stopping me!” She stomped her boot on the branch, and it curled down to let her off. She ran towards the clearing, chuckling.

“Courtney, wait-! Hrmm, she never learns.” Carla said, muttering incantations and melting into the shadows.

The cartel soldiers were talking amongst themselves when they heard a sharp whistle behind them. They turned to see a blonde American girl leaning her hand against a tree, grinning madly.

“Hey, our job’s to take you guys out. No hard feelings.” Despite not speaking English, it was obvious she was responsible for the bomb. They raised their guns, yelling.

Courtney laughed maniacally as she chanted, lifting her hand from the specially-made magic circle sticker she’d planted on the tree. She snapped her fingers, and the bullets they fired were absorbed by the tree trunk, bending down to protect her. They gasped as it turned to them, hissing, a giant green and brown snake made of wood baring timberous fangs. They screamed and fled.

“Ah ha ha ha ha ha! You’re not getting away that easy!” Courtney said, putting stickers on more trees and sending them after the soldiers, laughing as they were crushed or impaled. She didn’t notice the one that snuck up on her until the gunbarrel was pressed against her head.

“Wha-”

The soldier was about to pull the trigger, when Carla slid out of his shadow, cutting his throat with a knife and disappearing into another before he fell.

“You need to mind your surroundings.” she said, emerging from Courtney’s shadow.

“Shut up! Rrrrrgh!” She put her frustration into her chanting, turning the next tree into a five-headed snake, sending it against the poor cartel members for maximum overkill. “I hate it when you do that!”

“Then don’t make me bail you out.” Carla smirked.

“Ah, it don’t matter anyway. A grand a head! These guys are toast!” she snickered, watching the soldiers get ripped apart by monstrosities made from nature. “You did take the bodies from the fire, right?”

“Don’t compare me to you. I’m not incompetent.” Carla watched the mansion burning, reflecting on how far they’d come. “Do you ever wonder what’s going on in America? Or miss our old life, before all this?” Courtney gave it a moment of thought, ruminating in between the screams and the crunch of wood on bone. She thought of her old life as an average 16-year-old schoolgirl.

“Nah.” she grinned, throwing a grenade at a fleeing soldier. “I’m a badass witch mercenary who’s taking on a Columbian drug cartel and winning. Last month we were in Morocco, and you said we got a job in Moscow lined up next, right? Lemme see, badass witch mercenary who gets paid thousands of dollars who’s untouchable to these plebs, or sitting in a classroom hoping I can do math good enough to someday afford a mortgage, instead of the luxury hotel I can sleep in for the rest of my life. Gee, I wonder which one I like more. Embrace the moment, girl!” A soldier took desperate aim at her with his rifle. She snapped her fingers, and a wooden tail came down, turning him into a pancake.

“You know what? I think you’re right.” Carla said, perking up. “C’mon, once we’re done here we should hit the buffet at the hotel.”

“That’s the spirit!” Courtney cheered. “Screw America! Screw our old lives! We’re badass witch mercenaries, and we’ll do what we want, when we want!”

“Sing it, sister.” Carla said, watching the mansion burn down.

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It was the last hour before dawn. The stars were beginning to fade, though the sun hadn’t even crested the edge of the horizon, bringing with it a new summer day, unusually cool for this time of year. The moon, as always, remained full and fixed overhead. If it weren’t for the engines, it would be a very calm and serene ride just below the clouds. He looked to the pilot, who gave them the thumbs-up.

“Okay, we’re above the drop zone! Is everybody ready to do this!?” he asked excitedly.

“Yes, of course.”

“Yuppers.”

“Mmm.”

“Everyone got their supplies?”

“You know we do, you personally checked before we left.” she said, sounding exasperated at his enthusiasm. He took no notice as they pulled on their woolen ski masks and scarves.

“Yeah! Then let’s go! Go! GO!” The pilot hit the switch, and the cargo bay door opened. Four figures fell from the bottom of the plane, diving through the air. “This! Is! Awesome!” he whooped, though the words were lost to the air rushing past them. Though they were skydiving, the packs on their backs weren’t parachutes. The silvery morning mist washed away in their descent, and the ground below was visible.

“Heads up, we’re off target by 0.3 miles south! Impact in four minutes!” she said into their radios, and they folded their arms and legs together, shooting in the direction she indicated. They flew high over the treeline, the flattened mall coming into view.

“Here we go!” He, along with the others, swung his legs down, bracing for landing. The ground grew closer and closer. He loved this part.

“Waaaahhhh!” He turned to see one of his teammates disappear, yanked out of the sky by something too quick to make out. His eyes widened as the same thing happened to the rest of the team, both remaining members grabbed by a thin, translucent line and pulled into the rubble. The next thing he knew, something was attached to his chest and he was being reeled in like a fish on a line.

He found himself upside down, immobilized onto a piece of broken wall. He saw his team stuck like him, translucent webbing gluing them all down. There was a girl, pale as the moon and glaring at him with crystal blue eyes, clinging to a wall.

“You guys are in a world of trouble.” Amber said, folding her arms.

“Wait, no! It’s me, Amber! Kevin!” he quickly said, his arm managing to fight through the gravity web to show her.

“Avesh.” He watched in amazement as a thin line of concentrated gravity shot form her outstretched hand, pulling her to the wall he was stuck on. She removed his mask to see Kevin’s glowing face, complete with a fanged smile. “Hah. That’s a relief. What the hell do you think you’re doing, just dropping in like that? You could’ve called, like normal people!” She chewed them out, cancelling the gravity webs. They smoothly tumbled to the ground with vampiric grace.

“It’s true.” Kevin muttered breathlessly to himself.

“I’m sorry, but it sounded like an emergency and there were no normal flights available in any good timeframe, and customs would be too much of a problem anyway. I think Kevin left Leo a message, where is he?” Genevieve explained, taking off her mask and looking around for the jock.

“Ugh, he went home for the night. There’s just four of you?” Amber asked. She saw a familiar face in Gregor, and…Will!? “What’re you doing here?” she demanded, dropping low to crawl quickly. Kevin let out an ecstatic squeak. The vampire gave her a flat stare.

“Good to see you too. The clan accepted me on the grounds Kevin’s always watching me, like a parole officer. Wherever he goes, I go. Got it?” he grunted, making his feelings on the arrangement quite clear.

“Lord Harvaste had to stay behind, to oversee the rest of the clan. We’re basically his lieutenants, so either we go, or only he goes, and to be honest…” Genevieve glanced form side to side, then whispered conspiratorially to Amber. “He’s been studying the world’s changes since the seventies, and he’s kinda hooked on online gaming.” Amber blinked.

“That guy? Really?” The ancient, imposing, super-serious elder vampire didn’t seem the type. Genevieve shrugged.

“Apparently after you live over seven hundred years novel entertainment’s an important commodity.” The girls noticed Kevin standing far too close in Amber’s space, trembling and staring at her like a puppy, trying to be polite and failing. She sighed.

“Let’s get you in for a full debriefing. And yes Kevin, go ahead.”

“Na na-na, na na-na, na na na nana na na-na, here comes the Spider-Man!” he sang, unable to hold back. “Holy crap, I heard it but I couldn’t believe it ‘til I saw it, you really have spider powers! Ohmygod I’m so jealous I’d give anything to be a spider than a vampire! Do you have organic webs? How do you cling to walls? Is your strength proportionate, ooh do you have a spider-sense!? Is the skin color part of it you’re paler than I am is that permanent, ooh have you thought about a costume, you’re blood’s not radioactive right?” he gushed, the words running together as he was lost. Amber sighed and put a hand on her forehead. Of course the comic nerd would geek out at someone actually getting spider powers.

“Leo did tell you what was going on, right?” she said over his questions.

“Yeah, but it’s different seeing it in actionandholycrapyou’reSpider-Man!” He felt so happy he would pass out. This only could’ve been better if it’d happened to him. Of course, he reasoned if that happened, he’d never stop marveling at hi superpowers to actually get anything done. He’d definitely be making the costume, though.

“C’mon, fearless leader.” Genevieve grabbed him by the collar, dragging him away from his nerdgasm. “We’ve got a mission to focus on.”