HDMGF Book 2- Part 20

Jake’s POV

My mum’s house door squeaked as I pushed it open with my butt. My hands were too full at the moment, so we just put a towel between the door and the frame to prevent it from closing all the way. We’ve been carrying boxes from my car for about ten minutes now, while movers put most of my stuff into her storage shed. The only things I am taking in is what I use regularly, like my computer and clothes. Suma and I talked, and we decided that it would be best if I moved to Atmosia full time for a while. At least until either the HMRC dropped their case against me, or until Suma and I left the Drake’s training camp. At this point, I don’t know which is more likely, but I doubt either will happen soon.

Since I won’t be living here full time anymore, I decided to get rid of my apartment, and legally move back in with Mum. She was fine with it since it was only a technicality, and I wouldn’t be there that often, only to check in with her every few days. She wasn’t thrilled about the idea of me living in Atmosia, or the idea of me leaving Earth in general I guess, but as long as I was being honest with her and keeping her in the loop, she supported me. Once every few days I will come back to check up on her, and to visit, and she would keep me informed about what the HMRC was doing. I also decided to transfer the bulk of my savings to her, since I cou’dn't use it in Atmosia anyway. Besides, I still have plenty of daljars full of mana, and gold coins, to spend there if I need anything.

I sat the last of the brown carboard boxes in my room, and sat on the couch to rest. “Jake,” Mum said from the kitchen, “do you want any food before you go? The movers won’t be done for another hour, so you have time.” Her house was small, and fairly old at this point, so I could hear her as clear as day through the thin walls.

“Sure Mum, what do you want? I can go pick something up.” I offered. I didn’t bother yelling, but I did have to raise my voice a little.

“I have left over casserole from yesterday, does that sound good? It is sausage and rice.” She said, still yelling.

“Sounds good.” I answered. From outside, I heard someone shout out a curse followed by the sounds of something heavy hitting the ground. “I hope that didn’t break.” I mumbled to myself. “I’m going to check that, Mum. Be right back.” I announced. I forced myself up from the couch and started outside.

“Okay, the food will be ready in a few minutes.” She said. As I left, I heard the phone start to ring, and my Mum answer it.

I walked down her porch steps and saw one of the moving guys’ left hand was covered in blood. “Are you okay?” I asked the guy.

“Gah… I gashed my hand.” He responded. He was cradling his hand. There was blood on the ground, and his arm, something must have cut him pretty deep. “We were carrying the bedframe and I guess there was an exposed nail or something.”

“Oh, that’s gunna need stitches.” One of his coworkers told him, in one of the thickest Yorkshire scents I have ever heard.

“You might want to take him to the doctor. Don’t worry about the rest of the stuff, you guys can finish it after.” I said. I looked over at the bedframe, it seemed fine, if a bit scratched up on the side that hit the ground. It was made of metal, so it was going to be fine.

“Thanks. I’ll take him to a doctor, and call my boss to send someone else out to finish.” His coworker said. With that, the coworker wrapped a rag around the guy’s bleeding hand, and they left. I was much stronger than I used to be, thanks to all the working out and then getting healed by Suma, so I dragged the bedframe to the shed and closed it up until their replacements arrived.

I walked back inside. “Mum, one of the movers left to go get some stitches. He gashed his hand open on my bedframe. Their going to send some replacements in a little while.”

“Jake, something happened.” Mum said nervously.

“What?” I asked. She looked really upset. Her face was white, like she was afraid.

“Robert called, he said that the HMRC have put out a warrant for your arrest.” Her hands were starting to shake.

“What?! Why?”

“They think you’re trying to flee the country.” Mum said.

“Why do they think-” I started to ask, but then I realized that sold my apartment, gave my mum all my money, and nobody can ever really get ahold of me. “Actually, never mind. I think I figured it out.” Honestly, I was more surprised it took this long. Technically, they weren’t wrong, I am moving to Atmosia… but I did intend to sort all of this out, so… moral grey area.

“He also said you should turn yourself in to clear everything up.” Mum added.

“Okay, I’ll go up there right now and sort this out.” I walked into my room to grab my keys and phone.

“Do you want me to come?” Mum asked.

“Nah, but can you call Robert back and tell him to meet me at the police station?”

The drive to the police station felt longer than it actually was. I was nervous, of course, but not as much as I was that first time. This time, I know I didn’t technically do anything wrong… at least not that they could prove. I pulled into the carpark and went inside. The station was busy, busier than last time. No one seemed to pay me any mind.

Yeah, I guess they don’t expect wanted men to just walk in huh? I thought to myself. I walked up to a police officer sitting behind a screen. He was on his computer, but looked up once I got closer. “Hi, I’m Jake Vandal. I was told that I had a warrant placed for my arrest. My lawyer said I should come turn myself in to clear this up.”

Suma’s POV

The sky was clear above me, but I could see storm clouds in the distance. If it were day, I could tell which way they were moving, but it is too dark at this time of night. The air was cold too, which made flying harder. I was flying to my captain’s quarters; he had sent a messenger with orders that I report to him immediately. I was being escorted by the messenger, a Neame with even lighter blue feathers than my own, to the other side of the base. Once we got close, I saw it. From the air, it looked like just some stone outcropping, it blended into the landscape well, but the closer we got, the more I could tell it was molded stone. Its features were too smooth, and precise to be natural. The messenger and I landed outside. The entrance was dug out of the stone in such a way that your might miss it if you were flying, or did not know where to look. It was too small for most familiars to get through, but that was most likely by design; a way to force mages to use up their mana resummoning their familiars, and by time as they did so.

“Captain Gigoales is waiting inside.” The messenger said, and he flew away. I flew in, and noticed it immediately got warmer. The Captain was perched on a metal pole, reading planks that were leaning against the wall of his quarters.

He must have heard my wings beating; he turned around and greeted me. “Ah, Private Suma, welcome. Thank you for coming so quickly.”

I landed on a vine perch near to him, “You are welcome, sir. May I ask why you summoned me so late at night?” My voice was tense. There cannot be very many good reasons to receive a summons from a commanding officer after hours, but I could certainly think of several bad reasons.

“It is about your familiar, Sentinel.”

“Did he do something, sir? He is still rather unfamiliar with out culture. If he has done something wrong, I will accept full responsibility." I declared immediately.

“No, no. He has done nothing wrong.” I breathed a sigh of relief. “But that does not mean my reason for summoning you here is a happy one.” That tense feeling returned. The Captain used mana wrapping to bring one of the planks he was reading when I arrived closer. “Private Suma, can you read?” He asked.

“Only a little, sir. I chose Mathematics as my required secondary education while at the academy, but everyone had to take at least one runic languages class.” I explained.

“I see.” He turned the plank towards himself, and began explaining what it was. “This is a request from the Royal Court, and it bares the King’s Seal. They are ordering you, and your familiar, Sentinel, to appear before them. They want to talk to you both about his origins, and his magic.”

“Are we in trouble of some kind sir?” I asked.

“That may depend. I doubt you will be punished, if that is your only concern, but you may still face hardships while you are in the capital.”

“The capital?”

“Did you think the Royal Court would come here? You will have to travel to the capital. You leave in three days.” He placed the plank back down where it was; leaning against the wall. “I will warn you, they likely also wish to know more they the request has mentioned. They may even demand Jake demonstrate his Death Magic for them.”

“I… I understand. Thank you, Captain.” I said.

“Private Suma. While you are in the capital, try not to let them requisition you or your familiar.”

“I do not understand.”

“They may try to talk you into working directly for them. Do not listen to them. Neither you nor Sentinel is ready for such things, no matter what those arrogant politicians may believe.” He ruffled his feathers, he seemed angry. “If in a few years, you chose to leave the Drakes and join them, then so be it. But I do not recommend you do so at this time. Neither of you have enough experience yet. You would end up as nothing more than pawns in their games.”

“I see. Thank you, sir. I will inform Ja- Sentinel… of this immediately.” Captain Gigoales dismissed me, and I flew back to my squad’s barracks. As I flew, I looked back at the clouds in the distance, but it was still too dark to tell which way the storm was blowing.

“Jake, are you awake?” I called out to Jake over out private mental link.

“Suma, please don’t summon me.” Jake answered quickly. It startled me.

“Why not?” I asked, confused.

“I’m being arrested. If you do, then everyone will see.”

“What?! Why are you being arrested? Did you commit a crime?”

“No, but they think I was going to. I’ll be let go soon; I just have to sort this out.” He explained.

“Okay. If you are sure, but I need to talk to you as soon as possible.”

“Is something wrong?” He asked.

“No, not exactly. I just received a summons. I will explain once you are free to talk.”