Within the Apple, Chapter 6C

*****

Xander groaned after a few moments, rolling off his back to his knees again and then pushing himself up to his feet.

Whatever had just hit him was like nothing he’d ever experienced. Part Legilimens assault combined with a sheer explosive flush of raw magic that had a deep emotional element to it.

Despair.

Someone around here is in a bad way.

Xander flicked his wand out, swishing it about him as he cast revelio to see what could be seen. The school was empty… almost.

One person in there, not moving. I think I found my source.

Xander walked over to the edge of the building, stiffly trying to work out the bruises he’d just picked up, and glanced down briefly from the rooftop before dropping off and letting his flight pack slow the fall to allow him to land softly in front of the stairs that led up to the front of the school.

He paused, checking the name over the doors.

Winslow.

Up the stairs he went, waving his wand negligently at the doors as he approached.

“Alohamora.”

The doors popped open instantly, swinging clear of his path as he strode in.

Another revelio showed that the person was one floor up, so he took the first flight of stairs and quickly made his way to the wide corridor where his spell told him his target would be.

Empty?

The corridor was clean, ish at least, no sign of anyone. Just rows of lockers and classrooms further down.

Must be in a classroom.

“Revelio,” He whispered again, swishing the wand ahead of him.

Xander stumbled to a stop when the spell revealed the person, not in a classroom, but in one of the lockers.

“Jesus, it’s almost midnight. Don’t tell me someone got locked in a locker all day and no one fucking bothered to let them out?” He swore, striding forward.

The lock was secured, a common padlock and not a challenge for an alohamora. The lock clattered to the ground as Xander pulled the door open and had to lunge in to catch the body as it fell out. He grunted under the weight, but it was the smell that nearly did him in as he gagged.

Oh Merlin’s left nut, what is that stench? Am I too late? Did someone die in a fucking locker before the holidays and no one noticed the smell today?

He didn’t think that was the case, since the revelio shouldn’t have shown a body. Quickly he put a bubblehead charm over himself, then eased the body down onto the floor. A quick check showed that it was a young girl, maybe mid teens. Skinny, with thick wave hair that was the only part of her that was well maintained.

The smell wasn’t coming from her, he noticed with some relief, but rather from the filth she’d been packed into the locker with. Rotting refuse, filled with maggots and other insects, and the likes of which he didn’t want to identify.

Absently he put a bubblehead over her as well, figuring that if anyone needed some fresh air it would be that girl in that moment.

Xander surveyed the situation for a moment, casting a quick spell to determine that she wasn’t about to die immediately on him, then began taking stock.

First things first then,Xander decided as he fished out his cheap smartphone and dialed.

“911, what is the emergency?”

“Name’s Magus,” He said in clipped tones. “Just pulled a girl out of a locker in some school. Place called Winslow. She’s in a bad way.”

“Yes sir, is she bleeding or in immediate danger?”

“Not sure, the locker was filled with… look, get some cops down here to bag and tag this shit. She was packed in with filth the likes of which I’ve never seen. I’m going to get her to the closest hospital, can you give me directions?”

“Sir, it’s better to keep her in place.”

Xander looked down, noting the shudders and occasionally jerking motions.

“No, I think she’s seizing. I can fly and keep her stable, I just need directions.”

“Are… are you a cape?”

“By your definitions, yes,” Xander answered.

“Very well, Brockton Bay General is reasonably close, do you need street directions or…”

“Cardinal directions will be fine.” Xander said, muffling the mic for a moment as he waved his wand at the girl. “Mobilicorpus.”

She floated up off the ground swinging around to follow him as he headed for the stairs.

“Understood, Go directly west from your current location. The hospital is three miles away, it will be well lit and an officer will be waiting for you by the front doors.”

“Roger that,” Xander said as he headed out. “You’ll want everything in that locker bagged, and the officer meeting us to have bags for her clothes as well. Her locker was locked from the outside when I got here, I had to pick it open. Someone put her in there.”

“I understand. I am going to transfer you to the PRT, but before I do are there any other Capes in the area?”

“None that I’m aware of.”

“Very good, transferring now.”

Xander barely listened as he stepped out into the open air and looked up before lifting into the sky, the young girl in tow.

*****

Brockton Bay General

Amy Dallon glanced up as she noticed a commotion in the air, doctors and nurses moving quickly to the ER entrance, along with security and a pair of BBPD officers who were moving at a quick job.

“What’s going on?” She snagged a nurse.

“Cape just called in a victim at Winslow,” The nurse said, “he’s bringing her here, so we’ve got a call out to the PRT just in case while security sets up just to be safe.”

Panacea nodded grimly, understanding the commotion.

A cape inbound with someone who’d been hurt could be the most innocent thing in the world, or it could be an opening move in some sort of attack on the hospital. It was unlikely, but with the Merchants in town? It just didn’t pay to take chances.

“Any ID on the Cape?” She asked, moving along with the group.

“Magus,” The nurse answered. “never heard of him but…”

“I have,” Panacea said thoughtfully. “If it’s him, we’re probably fine. I’m going to call my sister.”

The nurse looked grateful, but kept moving while Panacea paused to pull out her phone.

“Vicky… no, not ready to go home yet. That Cape you met, Magus?” She said, “He’s bringing someone in. They’re hurt is all I know. If you’re in the area, we could use some support in case this is more than it seems. Thanks.”

With that done, she hung up and then followed the commotion down to the ER.

*****

Finding a hospital at night, from the air, was harder than it seemed.

There were lots of larger buildings down there, all of them well lit it seemed, and telling them apart wasn’t really what his gear was designed for. Xander pushed on, though, sweeping the streets for anything he could really pin as the hospital right up until he felt a familiar tingle run along his occlumency shields.

Looking up he spotted Glory Girl flying in fast, heading right for him.

“Magus, are you ok?” She asked, sliding to a stop a dozen feet or so off, suddenly holding her nose. “Oh god, what is that stench?”

He nodded to the girl, “Someone thought it was a laugh riot to lock her in a school locker with rotten filth and maggots. Where’s the hospital.”

“This way,” Glory nodded to the left, then turned and dove for the deck as he followed.

Hospital security and police were waiting, hands on their sidearms as the pair landed, but seeing Glory Girl seemed to get them to relax. Orderlies rushed out with a gourney along with two nurses and a doctor, while the police held back to allow them to work.

“How long has she been like this?”

“No idea,” Magus said. “I found her like this just minutes ago, but the school was locked up, so maybe all day?”

“Fucking Winslow,” The doctor swore, grimacing as he waved off as much of the smell as he could, checking her vitals. “I don’t see any injuries, we’ll need to get her for a full check, stat!”

“I can help…”

They all turned to the speaker, the hooded girl approaching as she spoke, one hand outstretched.

“Hold on,” The doctor waved her back. “I want to pull blood first, and take photos. Officer?”

“Yes, Doctor.”

“This is a criminal matter, by the books let’s get it all documented before we let Panacea do her thing. Qiuckly now.”

“You’ve got it. Ralph, bring up the polaroid!”

*****