Chapter Fourteen

Things were getting tougher and rougher contrary to what Delaney Hunows had anticipated. Walain, the new aide of Delaney whom he had fetched from Leila’s house, allowed his fear and insecurity to serve as an impediment to Delaney’s hard thought-out plan.

            Paige Granger had called Walain to ascertain whether he had succeeded in fetching the goblet to thrive in accessing the Azkamort spell book. By virtue of Delaney’s wise counsel Walain made the necessary responses to Paige but eventually, Paige decided to postpone receiving the goblet any soon. That had given them some amount of opportunity to establish better plans. That sounded like a good chance but was an unrecognizable disguise of an unfathomable trouble that was sailing in their direction.

            Apart from Walain, Delaney had other four friends who helped from time to time in times of need. One of them by name Martheu Booke discovered on one of his strolls that the authorities of the wizarding world of Jergeg were after wizards who flouted the rule of intra-dimensional travel. Walain was a fugitive in that respect since he had been in the hiding for quite a long time.

            Martheu Booke had on one morning decided to go for a walk as usual when he saw something quite unfamiliar to him. It was two strange men in the company of Blarders, the agency Jesi’s father worked for. They had entered a van and drove off to wherever but Martheu Booke could not figure out exactly where. Caught with the urge of finding out more of that, he ordered the service of a taxi and followed the suspects. Based on his observations Delaney realized Walain was in a deep shit from which he had to do something quick to extricate.

            These two men Martheu Booke had seen were actually sent from the the wizarding world of Jergeg to come fetch Walain for illegitimately travelling out into another world.  Even though Jergeg was a small world at that, they were feared and respected for their ability to manufacture and sell sophisticated and far advanced weapons to other worlds. That was what drove Delaney Hunows crazy because the punishment to intra-dimensional travel in Jergeg was death which meant Walain had to pay that price of losing his life.

            However, Delaney felt he was now responsible for the life of Walain simply because he had from the very start, promised to protect him from whatsoever that may come his way. For one reason or another, Delaney suspected Paige Granger had postponed receiving the goblet after realizing she was going to be duped and instead called Jergeg to come fetch their fugitive to revenge on Delaney for wiping her off her dream. But that was just a mere assumption and from earlier experiences he had learned bitterly not to draw baseless conclusions on things he deemed assumptions.

            As of two in the afternoon that day, Delaney figured out just how to attack the two fellows from Jergeg as the only means of annulling the destruction of Walain. Mr. Hunows paced in his living room a bit disillusioned apparently in response to the least expected turnouts. Well, he had to face it anyhow or did he have any choice? Of course not!

“Martheu, send a word to Erhan and the others; tell them we are meeting tonight you already know why. Make it quick please.”

Delaney said to Martheu who hurried to the phone for a call.

“And tell my hacker friend that we need to talk. He is Berkoff and he lives at the address on the table. Do it quick!”

Delaney added imperiously. He sat and in the sofa and poured himself some wine which he sipped immediately. Walain climbed down the stairs into the living room and saw Delaney sitting coolly, saturated in wild thoughts.

“Ehm, I decided to take a walk for a while, the bedroom you assigned me is quite depressing you know?”

He said unsure of how Delaney will react to his word.

“Yeah, you are right, the room is depressing you should take a walk to ease yourself of stress. It may be the last chance you have to relax and take walks get that?”

Delaney said and stood up. Without glancing at Walain, he scorched out to the garden where he stood till Martheu came back into the house with Berkoff; Berkoff Martheu Brookes actually.

“Hey dudes, how has life been since I left you? Quite a long time isn’t it?”

Berkoff greeted cheerfully.

“It’s been great as always but with a great deal of problems to solve. It will be pretty good with you around what do you say?”

Delay asked casually.

“I don’t know what I’m supposed to do alright? Are you in another mess again?”

He asked.

“You see that dude?”

Delaney said, with a silent gesture at the direction of Walain who wore and absentminded look on his inexperienced face.

“Yes, what of him?”

Berkoff demanded, casting a cold glance at Walain. He looked away.

“He is a wizard from the wizarding world of Jergeg…”

“Jergeg,”

Berkoff mused.

“Aha, it’s Jergeg; three wizarding worlds from another earth had launched an attack on Jergeg Sixteen years ago. So they decided to ban any form of travel involving their people. No one can go in or out but Walain here managed to travel out of Jergeg two years ago and we need to help fight his battle. Men from Jergeg are coming for him and the penalty for illegitimate travels from Jergeg is death.”

Delaney said briefly.

“I don’t follow; how did you meet this guy? I don’t think I like him I just have to be honest.”

“And why is that?”

Delaney asked.

“One old fool from Jergeg is responsible for the death of my mom; you know that, don’t you Delaney?”

“Yeah, I copy that.”

He said.

“But wait; if you really want to have a revenge on Jergeg then you ought to save the life of Walain,”

Martheu suggested.

“You are so right dude; Walain is now the only thing we have of Jergeg. Preserving it will help us in the future. That is my opinion actually.”

It was Erhan, a female of course and the only one among them. She was 23 and a graduate.

“So Walain, the truth is that I hate you though I am going to help you optionlessly. Quite ironical you can attest to that yourself.”

Berkoff said. Walain smiled slightly.

“I can’t believe you have something to smile about Mister, are you nuts? I just said I hate you what do you have to say in response?”

Berkoff said, obviously getting pissed.

“You hate me then why are you going to help save me from those fugitive collectors of Jergeg. Look man, if you want to get even with Jergeg for assassinating your mother, this is your only chance. I am supposed to be defending my world of wizardry but I’m here with you: that imply I am a traitor. I betrayed Jergeg for a reason personal to me so trust me; you need me now than ever.”

Walain said, with a tone of seriousness and belligerence.

“Why should I believe you? Tell me that,”

Berkoff said, glaring at him with a jaundiced eye.

“Well then, go ahead and kill me,”

Walain said and retreated. Delaney sighed and signaled Berkoff to get off with his increasing anger and revengeful attitude.

“There is no time for this, guys. And Berkoff, you will be helping yourself in avenging your mom’s death by saving the life of Walain. You really should avoid getting angry with him or else you lose your only chance on Jergeg.”

Delaney said.

“Erhan, call General Jefferson, tell him I need a satellite re-task.”

Delaney instructed.

“Where to; should it be over this building for maximum security?”

Erhan demanded urgently.

“Not exactly, directly above the agency; the two fellows from Jergeg are up to some kind of collaboration with Blarders. You know what they do; they capture and destroy the non-Lermils they find. Walain is not known to be a Lermil though I destroyed his powers. So then, any moment from now Blarders will be on our shores and we need to keep track of their every move. We can then prepare for them.”

He said.

“That doesn’t sound nice to me; I doubt they will issue a direct attack at us. They don’t even know where we are. How about this? Let’s fake Walain’s death and make it known to Jergeg. They will leave right after that.”

Martheu said from where he stood, organizing some computers for their activities.

“No no, that will be a grave mistake on your part.”

Walain offered.

“Every wizard of Jergeg has a microchip implanted in his heart and brain. With that they can track all of them anywhere they go. So as I speak, Jergeg knows exactly where I am now and may be on their way here.”

“Is that real? Blow, Walain! You are a great mess,”

Berkoff screamed.

“Can you find a way to disable those silly chips? Make it fast for they know just where we are. In the meantime Erhan, establish a parameter above the agency. I want to see anyone that goes in and out. Every vehicle whatsoever needs to be accounted for, we are taking no chances. Even the slightest of any occurrences should be checked out. I believe whatever attack that may come will be within the next 24 hours and we can’t just sit down here and play defense.”

Delaney Hunows said, pacing toward the staircase.

“And you Berry, get to the star lab and and sort out the potions and the weapons we have for now. The access code is 583710. I try may hand on something. Get to work everyone,”

He said and vanished upstairs. Walain looked kind of depressed as though he would die any moment. Delaney sighed.