Chapter 11: To the Rescue

Freedom. That was the only word that adequately describes the pure exhilaration of unassisted flight. After his rocky start, George was doubtful he’d be able to maintain his falcon body for long. He’d go slow and steady, take breaks, and check his phone to ensure he was on track. But George forgot all about that after a few minutes of soaring like a fighter jet. The rushing wind had its own invisible topography, and his highly evolved senses of touch and sight allowed him to navigate this new frontier like it was his backyard. Updrafts, downdrafts, and crosswinds felt as familiar as a stroll down the sidewalk. And before long, he’d forgotten his misgivings and allowed himself to enjoy that freedom. Like countless other outcasts, turning into a bird and flying away was a fantasy he’d often indulged in. Now, he was living that dream, and it was better than anyone could have ever imagined.

The Genie flitted around him, rolling and diving. Her feathers, shiny and colorful and trailing sparkles, reminded George of the mythological phoenix, renewing his world with her warmth and light. Her power and majesty left him in awe once more. What kind of tales would she have inspired if she lived in ancient times, he wondered. Indeed, perhaps they were forging a new legend, zooming over that countryside toward an uncertain destiny. It was a silly, melodramatic thought, but it made him happy. He’d always feared a future trapped in a prison of pain and misery. But not with her. With her, he was finally free.

“Master, look!” she shouted as she changed course.

He dived after her, and though they were extremely high up, his eagle-eyed form could see incredible detail at a distance. A vast shimmering dome stood isolated deep in the autumnal forest at the edge of civilization. It was mostly transparent and held within it a piece of the world like an enormous snow globe. Its gnarly dead trees stood in stark contrast to the lively red and yellow leaves of the healthy ones around it. In the middle was a large, rectangular, three-story building with a curved roof.

“That’s it, I can feel it!” cried the Genie over the rushing wind. “Or ... rather, I can’t feel it! It’s like a magical dead zone! I can’t sense anything inside it! If we weren’t attuned, we probably wouldn’t be able to see it at all!”

“The perfect place to hide from someone like you! Let’s get down there!”

The pair swooped lower and lower until they were close enough to take in the full scope of the place. The dome was several acres across and tall enough to fit the entire Stafford Regional football stadium with plenty of room to spare. Nearby were the remains of several other buildings that had long since crumbled into their foundations and been reclaimed by the forest. There was only a single dirt lane winding from the nearest state road for vehicle access, which led to a small parking area at the front of the building.

In its center stood the Filmore. In stark contrast to the ruins nearby, the structure seemed modern and well cared for. It was a monument to a longstanding legacy of extracurricular dominance, built of red bricks with a facade of gray columns and covered in purple dragon iconography. Near the front entrance was a convoy of trucks filled with what appeared to be alcohol and other party supplies, and several sturdy-looking men dressed in black trousers and t-shirts were busy unloading them. Some were smoking and drinking while they worked. George felt the Filmore was a cross between a basketball arena, a church, and a frat house.

Genie landed in a tree a fair distance away from the dome that gave her a clear line of sight to the front entrance, and George took a branch just below hers. “It’s incredible,” said Genie. “Ever since I awoke, I’ve felt this suspicious lack of magical ... anything. It’s like all the juice was sucked out of the world. But maybe ... maybe it’s just being hidden ... hoarded.”

George conjured memories of watching members of the Tabletop Club play card games at lunchtime. “I can confirm that aside from myths, legends, conspiracy theories, and gaming conventions, magic is rarely talked about.”

“No, this is the real deal. Those bracers were simple. Persistent but simple. But ... this is heavy stuff. It’s definitely not natural, so someone with the power and knowledge must have created this for a reason.”

“So ... they’re what? Enchanted?”

“Mmmhmm. I’d have to look at ‘em more closely, but they seem like a simple performance enhancer. You know, just a bump in strength and speed when they need it. Probably makes them a little tougher, too. Nothing like I can do for you, of course. It’s kinda cute, really.”

George was hit with a sudden realization that completely obliterated the last vestiges of school spirit he might have been harboring. “Holy crap ... they’re cheating.”

“Oh,” the Genie said as she realized it too. “Yeah, now that you mention it, wearing enchanted equipment for a sports game is probably not common practice. I mean, I haven’t seen much magic anywhere else.” She shook out the feathers on her neck. “I have a bad feeling about this, Master.”

With the Genie on edge, so did George. Indeed, it was the most serious he’d seen her since she first arrived and saved him from the curse. He pointed a wing toward the dome and asked, “What is that thing?”

“It’s a shroud. It’s preventing anything magical from going in or out and keeps the area hidden from those unattuned. I bet the bracers also act as keys to let the dragons come and go. Look, they’re all wearing them.”

George could see them, too. There were five young men, all powerfully built, lifting what looked like 15-gallon kegs of beer over their heads with ease. He couldn’t tell if they were full, but the goons weren’t struggling. But upon closer inspection, George recognized one of them by his spikey black hair and hooked nose. He was a vicious guy named Rocko, who’d consistently tormented George until he graduated several years prior. George examined them more closely and realized he recognized a few others too, not from the current team roster but from years past.

“They’re all former football players,” he said. “This must be what Lacy talked about when she mentioned a fraternity. You’re in for life once Veiss hooks you in, gives you a bracer, and gets you involved in the club.”

The Genie finished his thought. “And I bet he threatens to take the bracer away if you don’t fall in line.”

“Or blackmails you, or worse ... dead in a ditch. And Piper is in there somewhere. She has to be, or...” He let out a quiet, mournful call. “Damnit, what do they want with her?” he asked rhetorically.

“Master, can we move closer? I need to take a look at this shroud.”

“Sure. Let’s find a place to change back.”

They took off and circled around the shroud a few times before they found a spot out of sight on the western side of the translucent dome. The world seemed to shrink slightly as the Genie turned him back to his familiar human form and appeared beside him once more. Her beauty kept surprising him, and he couldn’t help but appraise her with awe and adoration.

But the Genie was too focused to notice. She approached the shroud and said, “Okay, let’s see what we have.” Then, she reached out to touch its surface with her palm. The shroud reacted, instantly hardening and releasing a slight jolt, forcing her to yank her hand back. “Mother fuck... “ she growled.

George was about to console her when his phone rang. Hastily, he searched his pockets for the device, giving it time to let out several loud loops of its jingle before he found it. Then he answered without checking who it was, just to silence it. “Hello?”

“Hey! There you are! Finally! Why aren’t you answering your phone, dumbass?”

He hadn’t thought about it until then, but where had the Genie put his phone while he was soaring as falcon George? “Sorry, Lizzie, I was ... traveling. Couldn’t pick up.”

“Oh ... well, don’t text and drive, I guess. Anyway, do you want to hear what I found out?” she asked with tantalizing glee. George looked over at Genie, who was busy testing the shroud for weaknesses and cursing as the magical barrier continued to vex her. He was glad that at least one of them was having fun.

“Yes, please. I’m listening,” he replied.

“Awesome! So, Manticore. They’ve been around for twenty-seven years, and aside from having a totally badass name, they seem pretty normal. Officially, they do event security and private protection. Ya know, bodyguards and stuff.”

“Doesn’t seem too outlandish.”

“Oh, I’ve barely even started. I’ve been giving myself a crash course in the protection industry while I waited for you to pick up. It’s pretty common for companies like this to have lots of pending lawsuits because their job is to get in people’s way, and sometimes those people get hurt. But not Manticore. Squeaky clean.”

“Isn’t that a good thing?” said George as he watched the Genie kick the dome in frustration, making it shimmer faintly.

“Sure, but if you ask me, that just screams cover-up. And it isn’t as though there haven’t been incidents. It’s just that nothing ever comes of it. Anyway, twelve years ago, it was bought by another company. Chroma Corp.”

“The fusion guys?”

She laughed. “Yeah, them. But that’s just their latest endeavor; they have claws in everything from restaurants to military contracts. Manticore is just their private security branch. And here is the best part. You ready?”

“I’m sitting down,” he quipped.

“Yeah, hold onto your butt. Manticore’s leadership and most of its employees are Stafford Regional alumni.”

George wondered if what he saw was just a coincidence. “Football players?”

“Yep, how’d you know?”

“Uh, my source mentioned one of them,” he lied, not wishing to give away too much just yet.

Lizzie huffed. “Right. Your super secret source. You’re correct, though. I had my AI do some cross-referencing, looking for connections. All of them were students at Stafford and on the football team. And all were players whose careers went south fast, either from injury or some other drama.”

“What kind of drama?”

“Oh, the yuge. Domestic abuse, assault, drug use. Nothing too crazy, but none of it good.”

George mused, “It’s like ... some kind of retirement gig for washed-up athletes.” After examining the Filmore and seeing the cadre of brutes moving about the place, George knew that his suspicions were correct and Lacy was telling the truth. But he couldn’t get Lizzie involved any further than this. “Well, I just pulled up, and no one is here. The place looks abandoned.”

“Wait, are you serious? It can’t be!” she spat as she mulled over her data again. “You aren’t fucking with me, are you?”

“No! I swear, I’m not!”

“Prove it. Turn on your camera and show me.”

He panicked briefly but remembered that Lizzie probably wouldn’t be able to see through the shroud anyway. He turned on his camera and held it up, aiming it at the building. Through his phone, George couldn’t see the shroud or the Filmore inside it. There were only old burnt-out buildings being slowly devoured by vegetation.

“Damn,” she muttered. “Sorry, George, I really thought we had it.” He could hear her getting more emotional, and the defeat was evident in her voice. “What do we do now?”

George hated lying to her like that, but it was the only way he could think of to keep her from doing something dangerous. “Just ... look after her mom for now, alright. She’s gonna need support. I’ll check back with you when I get home.”

“Yeah,” she whispered. “I’m sorry I ... I really thought...” and she began quietly sobbing.

George felt like hot garbage. “No, I’m sorry. I got our hopes up. But you went above and beyond for me, and I really appreciate you. I’ll call you later if that’s okay.”

“Alright. Thanks, George.”

“Talk to you soon. Bye, Lizzie.”

She sniffled. “Bye.”

Once she hung up, George exhaled sharply and quietly chastised himself. Then he silenced his phone and put it away. The last thing he needed was the ringer going off at the wrong moment. Eager to put the incident behind him, he turned toward his companion and asked, “How’s it going?”

She’d stopped cursing and was now regarding the shroud in quiet contemplation. She turned to face him, and George’s heart sank when he saw the worry on her face. “Master, I don’t think I can get through this. It’s keeping any magic from going in or out and ... I’m basically all magic.”

“That’s ... inconvenient,” he muttered. “What about me?”

“Without a bracer, probably not. You can try if you want.”

Without thinking, George touched the barrier the same way she did.

“Wait! I was just joking!”

She was too late, and George was already pushing on it like a heavy door. Luckily, he felt no pain, just an impenetrable wall.

“Dummy!” she scolded. “You could have been burned or worse.”

He shrugged. “My bad. I’m used to dealing with pain. I figured I could bear with it a bit.” Turning back to her, he asked, “So what do we do now?”

“I should be able to enchant something to act as a key. That would get you through, but I’d be stuck out here.”

“What about a wish? I could wish to ... I don’t know ... fuck you against that wall over there?”

She perked up. “Ooh, try that!”

“Okay. Um, I wish for a quickie with you against that wall.”

He felt her tingle down his spine, but nothing happened.

“Yeah, I didn’t think so,” she lamented. “Though, I could really use one of those about now.” Then, she frowned and lowered her gaze as she spoke. “We’re going to need my vessel. You’re gonna have to smuggle me in.”

George just cocked his eyebrow.

“We haven’t had time to go over it, but the vessel holds another universe within it. It’s completely separate from yours. So if I hide inside it...”

“I can just walk through and let you out on the other side. Brilliant! Only ... I don’t have it. I left it at...”

Before he could finish, she held up her hand, and the stone orb materialized, floating a few inches above her palm.

“ ... home. Then we’re golden! Good job, Genie!”

She nodded, but George could tell from her forlorn expression that she didn’t like this plan. “Genie?” he asked.

“I’m sorry. I was hoping it wouldn’t come to this.”

George was confused, so he waited for her to find the words.

“Ever since you released me, I’ve been able to feel you; your presence, your warmth. But once I return to the vessel, I’ll be cut off until you let me back out. And if you don’t, I might never get out ever again. I’ll be alone in there.” She turned to him, and the fear in her eyes broke his heart. “You’ll be alone. I ... promised that you’d never be alone.”

Now he understood. “It would only be for a moment. Just long enough to get through the barrier.”

“There’s more,” she sighed. “To keep the curse at bay, I need to be here, in the same universe. Without me, you’ll be completely vulnerable.”

“That means ... all the misery, the pain ... it all comes back.”

She nodded. “Everything else will persist, so your appearance won’t change or anything, but the curse needs my constant attention. It was seconds away from killing you before, and now I don’t know what it will do if it has the chance.”

After seeing how badly it affected her, George was ready to abandon the idea. “It’s okay. We’ll have to...”

“It’s the only way,” she said, cutting him off. “Master, promise me you’ll go straight through the barrier and let me out as soon as you’re on the other side.”

“Okay, I promise,” he said quickly.

“I’m serious. This is one of the only ways that my protection can be thwarted. We’re toying with oblivion here. And if something happens to you while I’m gone...”

George pulled her in close and hugged her tightly. “I promise. You’ll only be inside for a few seconds. I can handle the pain for that long. Trust me.”

“I trust you. I just ... I hoped I’d never have to go back there ever again. I-I don’t want to be alone, Master.”

It had only been a single day, and George was already having difficulty imagining life without her. “How do I let you out?”

“You only have to will it. You don’t even have to speak.”

“Okay. Let’s get this over with.”

“Right. Oh, wait,” she stopped. Then, she swirled her delicate fingers, and a copy of the leather bracer appeared on his left wrist. “This should do the trick.” Lastly, she bid the vessel to hover toward George and land safely in his hands. It felt warmer than he remembered. “Alright, Master, I’m ready. I’ll ... see you soon,” she said with a bittersweet smile.

“Wait,” he said and grabbed her hand.

She looked up at him, her big blue eyes glistening with hope. “Yes?” she asked.

He’d reached for her reflexively without really knowing why at first. There was a deep, unsettling fear somewhere in her voice between the words, and he knew she wasn’t telling him the whole story. Regardless, he knew she could use some reassurance. “I won’t leave you in there. Okay? I promise.”

She let out a sigh of relief and nodded. “I’m ready.”

George held up the smooth stone orb and braced himself in anticipation. And suddenly, his companion was enveloped in a pink cloud and drawn into the orb through what seemed like microscopic pores. The process was not gentle. The vessel vibrated violently in his hands, and there was a recoil, almost as if he’d caught a cannonball, once the process was complete. The first thing he noticed was how quiet it was. There was only the wind blowing through the reddening leaves and his thoughts for company, and he didn’t much care for it.

Heeding his companion’s instructions, George strode towards the barrier, intent on crossing as fast as possible. Though unsettled, there wasn’t anything too alarming going on. As he walked through the shroud, he thought maybe she was just being dramatic. This wasn’t difficult at all. Perhaps he didn’t need her as much as he thought.

Then it hit him. What was he doing? Why was he going to all this effort for a silly girl? With his new body, he could land any bird he wanted. And Connor wouldn’t be able to stand up to him anymore. Perhaps he should accept Coach Veiss’s offer and officially join the team. Maybe he could take Connor’s position. On the subject of stealing things from Connor, he could take Farah for himself, too. The idea was deliciously exciting. All he had to do was bury the silly rock in the ground and leave it behind, and then he could...

George suddenly felt the vessel’s weight in his hand and thought, “I promised her that I’d let her out. I need to let her out, but ... goddamit this is stressful. I don’t need this crap. My life is complicated enough with this stupid curse...”

It was as if he’d been dunked in an ice water bath. He wasn’t himself. The curse was taking over, poisoning his thoughts to separate him from the Genie, and he began to panic.

The ruse was up, and the curse reacted. The forest seemed to collapse in on itself, turning dark and foggy until he was alone in a cold, dead version of the world around him. But then, the hairs on his neck stood up as he felt the presence of something massive and loud approaching from behind. He turned and saw an immense black void barreling at him like an out-of-control freight train, wailing with a frigid, soulless roar. He clenched his eyes shut as the void smashed into him, forcing him to his knees. The pain was everywhere, in every limb, every strand of hair, every cell. It was blunt and sharp, hot and cold, crushing him flat and then yanking him apart. It was malicious misery incarnate. Angry at being thwarted, the curse tried to pulverize him into dust while it had the chance.

“No,” he groaned. Summoning his rapidly dwindling willpower, he reached out from deep within, searching for her in the void.

Suddenly, the orb sprung to life and spewed pink mist all around him, billowing into a dense cloud from which his companion emerged. She wasted no time with pleasantries. With a look of steely determination, she held her hand to his chest, letting her magic spread throughout his body. Her eyes glowed with wild energetic plasma, and he could feel her warmth returning to him, chasing the curse back into its prison.

George struggled to catch his breath while his companion knelt close by, steadily replenishing his strength as their bond was reestablished. His heart rate returned to normal, and the pain subsided. After a few tense moments, he was exhausted but okay, and even the exhaustion was fading.

She embraced him more tightly than ever while he recovered. “Let’s never do that again, please?” she pleaded softly. George could hear the stress in her quiet, breathy voice.

He held her and said, “That thing ... it’s horrifying.”

“How did you live like that for so long?”

“I didn’t.” He separated from her and added, “Let’s not think about it too much. We’ve passed the point of no return. We aren’t leaving here without Piper.”

“Right,” she nodded. “Speaking of which, she’s that way.” Genie brought his attention to a woman’s body in silhouette, surrounded by pink mist, several hundred yards away at the far end of the building. “She’s alive. Thank goodness.”

“You found her already? Nice.” George examined her outline through several brick and concrete walls and noticed something odd about how she was situated. “Why is she sitting like that?”

“She’s ... chained to the wall? And gagged. And her feet are bound, I think.” She paused and looked around, her mouth agape as she took in her surroundings. “Amazing ... It’s like we’re on a different planet.” Then she shook her head and added, “Whatever. Just make your wish, and we can go make out someplace safe.”

He hesitated, but not for long. He doubted Piper would object to a few stolen kisses if it got her out of this jam. And since he was committing, he decided to add some pizzazz. “Okay, here goes. I wish for Piper to appear next to me so that I can give her a big romantic hero kiss.”

The familiar tingle ran through him, but the Genie just groaned in frustration. “Erg! I hate this stupid curse and this stupid shroud! They can both eat my virgin asshole!”

“Hey, hey, what’s the matter?”

“This place has its own rules, which wouldn’t be a problem if the curse wasn’t sapping my strength. No teleporting, no outside contact, no fun. It’s almost as bad as my vessel. And for some stupid reason, I can’t figure out, I’m still not getting anything from Piper.”

“But she’s okay?” he asked, dreading the answer.

“I think so. I mean, it’s better than before when she straight-up didn’t exist. But I still can’t read her.”

George was relieved it wasn’t something more severe like she was brain-dead or worse. “Thankfully, we weren’t counting on knowing her love life to save her.”

“I know,” she pouted. “But it isn’t just that. I didn’t say anything then because I wasn’t sure, but remember your little friend earlier? The sister?”

“Persie? Yes.”

“I couldn’t tell much about her, but I just chucked that up to her being a child. I mean, if a person doesn’t have desires or kinks yet, they would be beneath my notice. But Piper is just as mysterious. I can only give you a few details. Master, something is up with those girls.”

He shook his head and said, “We’ll figure it out later. Right now, we need to get to her and then get out.”

She folded her arms and whined, “Aww, balls. And go through the barrier again.”

George shrugged, “Sorry.”

Genie blew some hair out of her face. “It’s a good thing I like you. Okay then, let’s see what we have.” George watched as her eyes began to glow and flicker with pink light. Then she stared off into the distance without focusing on anything in particular. He wasn’t sure what she was doing but didn’t want to interrupt. Meanwhile, he amused himself by imagining the sound of the old dial-up modem noise.

“What?” she smirked when she noticed him looking at her.

“Nothing,” he chuckled. “Need me to do anything?”

“Why don’t you get us closer? This should help.” Genie and the world around him suddenly grew to enormous proportions, and his senses changed, similar to when she transformed him into a falcon. Only now, he had the tiny fuzzy body and puffy tail of a squirrel. Then, with a poof, she disappeared to ride shotgun inside his head. “I’m just doing a little reconnaissance. Be right with you.”

The transformation was more easily tolerated this time, and George was happy to have a task to focus on. While she did her thing, George moved with the speed and agility of a rodent ninja, bounding silently and purposely toward the Filmore. He took note of his surroundings, how the forest inside the shroud was utterly different. Instead of the brightly colored leaves of the autumnal forest around it, the trees closer to the building seemed dead and withered, with crooked trunks and gnarly branches. If that wasn’t ominous enough, there was a disturbing lack of a breeze, and there were no other animals to be seen, not even bugs. He hopped through the rooty forest floor and then zipped up a tree. It was almost like he was running straight up the trunk; gravity was barely an issue. And as he sprinted along a branch, he didn’t hesitate to leap to a new one when needed. He felt in his element, dashing through the treetops, up high, away from the danger.

Meanwhile, Genie had finished her assessment. “Alright. It looks like there are fifteen Manticore goons. Thirteen are straight, one is gay, and the last is bi...” but then she got quiet. “Sorry. You probably don’t care about that.”

He squeaked and said, “Not unless their kinks help us get her out of here.”

“You never know,” she chirped.

Then, George marveled at the sight of many figures highlighted in the Genie’s signature pink mist through the trees and walls. He’d experienced things like this in stealth video games, where he’d have some ability to see enemies through barriers. And now, he’d been turned into a super squirrel, ready to come to the rescue.

But Genie seemed unphased and continued, “They all seem on edge. And look at those two. It’s like they got pegged by a bear. Something must have happened.” George watched as the highlighted figures moved through the building. A few seemed to be standing guard. Some were making trips to and from the trucks, some were lying down, and others were milling about deeper inside.

Impressed by her determination and focus, George felt cheeky and quipped, “I love Super Spy Genie, by the way. It’s fire.”

She giggled. “Yeah, well, I’ve discovered a few things about myself today. One: I can’t stop fantasizing about us, nor do I want to. Two, when I want something, I’m relentless. And three...” But she stopped.

George landed softly on the next branch and kept running. “Yes? Three what?” he prodded.

“I think you’re absolutely adorable as a squirrel. You’re so goddamn fluffy; I can’t stand it!”

George laughed out loud, which was very weird as a squirrel. But George could tell she was deflecting. “You, uh ... you okay?”

“It’s nothing,” she said solemnly. “We can talk about it later. Gotta stay focused, right?”

“Right,” he agreed.

Finally, George jumped to a branch high above one of the trucks where a couple of dragons were vaping. But then, they all came to attention when another truck pulled up. The driver-side door flung open, and a burly man in a neon yellow polo shirt and pressed black slacks hopped out. One of the men, dark-skinned with brown hair tied up in a messy ponytail, asked, “So what’s the damage, Cap?”

The man tucked the smartphone he held into his back pocket and spoke with the air of someone used to being in charge. “Veiss is doing damage control with the Conclave. I have a feeling ol’ Dick-kicker is in for a stern talking to once the higher-ups find out.” The other men let out a satisfied chuckle. “As for us, he’s just glad the situation is under control.”

Genie whispered, “Dick-kicker?”

“One of Coach Veiss’s many nicknames, I think,” he replied.

The youngest of the men asked the captain, “You didn’t tell him about the ... ya know?” He had a buzzed head and looked like he’d just patched up a bloody nose.

The captain addressed him with a firm gaze. “What, Donny? You mean, did I tell him about how you got bitchslapped by a member of the Teen Girl Squad?”

Donny shrunk. “C’mon, man, I just ... I’ve never seen this shit before.”

The captain smirked. “Relax, kid. I’m just messing with you. No, Coach didn’t catch whatever spell she used, so I didn’t feel the need to bother him with the extra details. It doesn’t matter, she’ll be secure until the ceremony. Let’s finish setting up, and then we can start the party early.”

“Fuck yeah,” said Donny in relief. The two high-fived excitedly, and Donny jogged away while the one with longer hair stuck around.

“I think I recognize that guy,” said George, shifting his attention to the thick former athlete in charge. “I think it’s ... Plumber? Yeah, Charlie Plumber. He was captain of the team during the first undefeated season. The guy’s a legend. What’s he doing here?”