Have Magician, Will Rule World by Clyde Andrews	Table of Contents “Birth of a Magician” appeared in issue 177.
part 1 of 2

“Shane’s a magician,” Valerie stated matter-of-factly, breaking a rather awkward silence that had crept into the evening between herself and her boyfriend. In fact the whole evening seemed stilted so far, and really Valerie felt like she was the only one making an effort.

“I see,” Aleister said. Around them life in the restaurant carried on as normal; people dined and socialised, just like any other night in any restaurant, anywhere.

“No, really, a magician,” Valerie said, now almost desperate for him, this relative stranger, to give her some sort of validation that she even existed other than just off-handed replies.

“I get it,” he said abruptly. “He can do magic tricks. I understand; pick a card from a deck, make a dove disappear. I get—”

“No! No!” Valerie said, her brow furrowing. “He’s a real magician.” Whispering the last word. There was a silence again between them, the awkwardness this whole situation presented was unbearable. Valerie tried desperately to not look at her watch, without success.

“A real magician?” Aleister finally said, cocking an eyebrow and seeming to show a little interest. He’d had to suffer through three dates only now, finally, to hear the information that he had been commanded to find out.

Valerie nodded enthusiastically and said, “Great, isn’t it?”

Aleister, however, now seemed distracted. He had to tell his master of this news. He had to tell her, needed to tell her, for her happiness was all that mattered. His eyes darting about the restaurant. To Valerie it was almost as if he was wary of something or someone all of a sudden.

“Are you all right, Aleister?” Really, she did not care, but she felt like she just had to say something. This evening was turning out to be a disaster, and the first two dates had gone so well.

“Um... Yeah. Look, it’s been great, but I’ve gotta go... Something just came up... You understand.”

“Yeah, sure. I suppose,” Valerie said. She wasn’t taken aback by this; it seemed inevitable. “What about dessert? Aren’t you going to stay for that at least?”

“No... I can’t,” he added. “Here’s a hundred and fifty bucks. It should cover the meal and a taxi home for you. I’ll talk to you later. Promise.” And with that he pecked her on the cheek and left.

“Some date,” Valerie sighed, playing with the remaining food on her plate with her fork. “Have I been out of the dating game for so long that I am just boring men to death?”

* * *

The Black & Gold company taxi pulled into Valerie’s driveway at least two hours early according to L.J.P.’s reckoning.

“Valerie, my dear, what are you doing here so soon? Shane and I have only just finished watching his favourite T.V. show, something with a purple dinosaur in it. Quite amusing I might add.”

“Oh, L.J.P. it was terrible. Just terrible.”

“That good, hey?”

“He didn’t even stay until the end of the main course.”

“Oh.”

“Anyway, enough about me. I think I have proved once already tonight how self-absorbed I am.”

“What nonsense. You are just perfect the way you are. It’s your dates that are the problem, my dear,” L.J.P. smiled. “Besides, don’t let any young man tell you otherwise.”

“L.J.P., you’re the greatest. Listen, what do I owe you for baby-sitting?”

“Put your money away. I was happy to do it.”

“Again, thank you,” Valerie said, now managing a smile. “At least there is one consolation.”

“Oh, what’s that?”

“The rate I’m going I won’t have another date for at least a year,” she said, now chuckling.

Her laughter was intoxicating, even welcoming, and L.J.P. joined in. “So, I will see you tomorrow?”

“Yes, most definitely. You can’t miss Shane’s fifth birthday party, he’d be expecting you.”

“Wild horses could not stop me, my dear,” L.J.P. smiled. “Until tomorrow, then.”

Valerie continued to smile as she watched L.J.P. struggle to get his car going, and when he did, leave in a thick cloud of black smoke. “If only he were twenty years younger,” Valerie said as she turned and entered her house.

* * *

Valerie was woken by a noise outside, and she was not sure whether or not it was real or part of a dream. She sighed, looking at her bedside clock; it read 7:15 a.m. In the end and out of sheer curiosity she decided to investigate. Clambering out of her bed she parted the curtains. In her driveway was Aleister’s sleek, black Porsche.

Valerie was puzzled: why was he at her home and — even more importantly — how did he know where she lived? The door bell rang, breaking her train of thought. Quickly Valerie went to the door, hurriedly donning her dressing gown in the process.

“Um, Valerie, hi.”

“What are you going here, Aleister?” she said, not impressed yet at the back of her mind glad he had kept his promise to see her again.

“It’s Shane’s birthday. I came to give him his present... and to see you, too.” He gave her a boyish grin. “I think I need to explain about last night. May I?” He gestured to her to be let into her home.

“I suppose.” But Valerie was not certain about the explanation he had given as to his being here. She knew she had talked a lot last night, but she was pretty certain she had not mentioned the fact that it was Shane’s birthday today.

“How did you know it was Shane’s birthday?”

“You told me, of course,” Aleister said, almost feeling the heat at the nape of his neck from his master’s gaze. He knew she was watching; she always did. Soon she would do what it was she needed to do; he had provided the diversion she needed. Soon he would be free from her grip. He gave Valerie a weak smile as he passed, relieved at fulfilling his orders without anyone suspecting.

Valerie frowned.

“So... where is the birthday boy?” Aleister added.

“Still sleeping. He enjoys his sleep.”

“What kid enjoys sleeping in? Usually kids are up at the crack of dawn.”

“Well, not Shane. He’s different.”

“Yeah, he’s a magician,” Aleister smirked, then winked.

Just then the door bell rang again.

“Oh gosh, it’s like Flinders Street Station in here this morning,” Valerie muttered. “Excuse me, Aleister.”

Valerie opened the door, only to be greeted by the welcoming face of L.J.P.

“I’m sorry, my dear, for popping in so early, but I wanted to—” L.J.P. suddenly stopped himself; his eyes fixing on the man in Valerie’s lounge room.

Valerie noticed L.J.P.’s sudden distraction. “What’s the matter, L.J.P.?”

Aleister froze. ‘What was he doing here so soon?’ he thought. He swallowed hard and prayed that his master could complete her mission. Otherwise he dreaded to think what she would do to him.

“Who’s this? Not that it is my business of course... But...”

“Oh, don’t be silly. This is my... date... from last night.” Valerie let L.J.P. let himself in.

“Where’s, Shane?” L.J.P. said, again changing the tack of the conversation; all without taking his eyes off Aleister.

“I’m Aleister by the way,” Aleister said, extending out his hand to L.J.P. “And you are?”

“I know who you are... I can sense it.”

Valerie looked shocked. What did L.J.P. mean? Great, this is all I need; a jealous man in my house, she thought to herself. Valerie sighed, emphasising her thoughts.

Aleister’s eyebrows shot up his forehead like rockets taking off. “Steady on, I’m only here—”

“You’re here because you are up to no good, dear fellow.”

“L.J.P.!” Valerie interrupted with a raised voice. “No need to flex your masculinity here, gentlemen. I—”

L.J.P. began to chuckle. “Valerie, my dear you don’t understand. And even though I am curiously flattered that you think I am jealous... of this... this... man it is not what you think.”

L.J.P. then withdrew a fresh stick of chalk from his jacket pocket. Valerie at that moment then knew this was not about jealousy.

“So, what do you think, old man?” Aleister said, his demeanour changing. So much so that Valerie was now concerned.

“What are you getting at, L.J.P.? -and I’m sorry I thought you were jealous,” Valerie said stepping away from Aleister.

“Don’t apologise, my dear. No, this man is not what he seems... He has been touched.”

“You’re right, old man,” Aleister sneered, “but you’re also too late.”

Valerie, realising what this was all about suddenly screamed, “SHANE!” She then ran to her son’s room as fast as her legs could take her.

L.J.P. turned to Aleister, a scowl creasing his plump pink face. “I suggest you don’t move a muscle. Otherwise I am going to have to destroy you, dear fellow.”

“An idle threat. I am protected by my Master.”

L.J.P. rubbed his goatee, then added, “Who is protecting you?”

“She said you would try that—” Aleister then cut himself off, realising his mistake.

“She, hey. How foolish you are.”

Aleister blushed. “It does not matter, she will rule us all soon.” Aleister then added a weak smirk.

L.J.P. was about to add a witty retort when Valerie came storming back into the lounge room, sheer terror etched onto her face. “Shane’s missing! Shane’s missing! My God, Shane’s missing!”

“Calm down, Valerie. I will get to the bottom of this and sort it all out,” L.J.P. said, touching Valerie gently on the shoulder for reassurance. “But first I have a fly to catch.”

L.J.P. went over to Aleister, chalk at the ready. Aleister, unsure about how to deal with a magician, froze.

“You, you c-can’t touch m-me. I’m... invincible,” Aleister said, draining white as L.J.P. came closer.

“Hah! If only that were true. No, my dear fellow, you can rest assured I can touch you if I please. But for now I am going to keep you here until I have some answers.”

“What are you t-talking about?”

“I need some answers and you’re going to provide them, simple. Oh, and I wouldn’t try and get away: you really can’t touch me, for I am a magician,” L.J.P. smiled. “So you had better keep still while I draw this circle around you, dear fellow. Otherwise you’ll get such a nasty shock. I’m sure you don’t want that, do you?”

Aleister, obviously not a magician, did not know what L.J.P. meant. Instead he decided to do as he was told and stand still until L.J.P. had completed his handiwork.

“You see, I know that you are not a magician, only a servant of one. Sure, your Master gave you a trinket or two to help you should you encounter a magical obstacle. But what she did not plan on was bumping into me; or is that me bumping into you?” L.J.P. laughed. “Anyway, you do not fully understand the ways of our world, instead you are frightened by it. And so you should be. What I could do to you could not conjure up in your darkest nightmares.”

“But... but, I was promised protection.”

“The one that protects you does not care for you. She only used you for her purpose.” L.J.P. added. “I can see it in your eyes, you are like a frightened schoolboy, caught dabbling in something beyond his comprehension.” While L.J.P. spoke, he locked the circle. Aleister could not leave the house. In fact he could not leave the confines of the circle until L.J.P. released him.

“Now, dear fellow, how about we have a little chat. Man to mouse.”

Aleister’s demeanour changed once more. He now looked weak, drawn, and above all, scared.

“What about Shane?” Valerie piped up, unable to control herself any longer. “What about Shane?”

“All in good time,” L.J.P. said. “Remember, Valerie, my dear, to have a magician is to have his power. They will not harm him.” L.J.P. pushed his spectacles up the bridge of his nose, glaring intently at the pathetic man he had just trapped.

* * *

L.J.P. had finished interrogating Aleister; satisfied he had extracted from him all that he was able to know with his limited understanding of magic. He then turned him into a cocker-spaniel for his troubles. Valerie loved cocker-spaniels and L.J.P. thought being one would give Aleister a greater appreciation of what it was to be a good and proper member of the human race.

L.J.P. then inspected Shane’s room with Valerie’s approval. It looked, for all intents and purposes like a true abduction. No evidence of magic could be found anywhere. And this led L.J.P. to conclude only two possibilities; one, that he had been taken physically, as in the traditional way; or two, that this witch was far more powerful than any ordinary magician. The second possibility concerned L.J.P., but he tried his hardest not to reveal his concerns to Valerie.

“I suggest we go to the place that Aleister suggested. Before I gave him a new perspective on life, that is,” L.J.P. said.

“Sure, just get my baby back, L.J.P.,” Valerie said, tears welling in her eyes. “As quick as you can, please.”

L.J.P. could see she was on the edge. “Come on, Valerie. We have a witch-hunt to prepare for,” he said trying to lighten the mood.

Valerie then looked surprised. “What do I wear for that?”

L.J.P. just laughed, “Come on, hop into my car.”

“Oh, no, not that car. We’ll take mine... besides, it has air-conditioning.”

L.J.P. shrugged his shoulders. “The windows work just fine.”

“You know what I mean, L.J.P.,” Valerie said wiping her eyes and managing a smile.

* * *

Valerie pulled into a car-park near an industrial area west of the city. L.J.P. cautioned Valerie to be on guard. He did not know, after all, whether or not the witch was really here; it was only Aleister’s word that guided them here.

“I know how to pick ’em, don’t I?” Valerie stated as she locked her car with her remote key.

“Well, it could have been worse. You could have been dating the witch,” L.J.P. ribbed, but he kept on reassuring her that he knew Shane would be found, for all dark magicians have an uncanny knack of wanting to show off their achievements. Having Shane, a magician born with a full caul, would be a great achievement as far as they were concerned.

The sun was blazing in the brilliant blue mid-morning sky, baking off the asphalt of the car park. L.J.P. took in the surroundings, wiping his brow and neck with a handkerchief. All about them were prefabricated concrete buildings, work yards, and construction sites.

“I believe we need to go to the United Tools and Fixtures building,” L.J.P. said to himself.

“Talk about cloak and dagger stuff. I feel like I am in one of those old detective stories they used to show on the telly.”

“Sometimes, my dear, it feels just like that, I can assure you,” L.J.P. smiled. “Just stick close to me, I’m sure we will find, young Shane soon. The factory in question is just over there.”

“I just hope my baby is all right... for her sake.”

L.J.P. then remembered the old saying: “Hell hath no fury like a woman scorned.” L.J.P. shuddered at that thought.

“I should not have told Aleister that Shane was a magician, should I?” Valerie added.

Proceed to part 2...

Copyright © 2005 by Clyde Andrews