The minibus was driven by Deniska, a young Dark magician so incredibly lazy that he preferred working in the garage among the vampires and other small timers. But his laziness didn't stop him knowing how to drive, and he knew perfectly a few spells that were essential for his job. We literally flew along the road as we made our way to the city center at a speed that the presidential cortege could only dream about. I felt the surges of Power when he examined the reality lines, made the militiamen look the other way, or made other drivers steer their cars off to the side. Sitting beside him was Edgar, a plump, swarthy, dark-haired magician from Estonia who looked nothing like a person from the Baltic, but possessed magical abilities that were almost second-level.
There were nine of us in the vehicle. I could hardly remember Anna Lemesheva ever leaving the Watch building before, but she was sitting in the chair by the door, monotonously reciting the guidelines:
"Darya Leonidovna Romashova. Sixty-three years old, looks considerably younger, probably constantly nourished by Power. Presumably a witch, but could possibly be a Dark Sorceress. Under observation for the last four years as an uninitiated Other."
At this point Lemesheva permitted herself to swear briefly and obscenely, addressing her abuse to the members of the detection department. "Apparently she refuses all contact. She avoids conversations on mystical subjects, citing her religious piety! What has faith got to do with the abilities of an Other? It's a different question who that Christ of theirs was..."
"Anna Tikhonovna, don't blaspheme," Lena said quietly but insistently. "I believe in the Lord God, too."
"I'm sorry, Lena," Lemesheva said with a nod. "I didn't mean to offend you. Let's continue... Romashova has probably been earning a bit from small-scale magic. Love potions, hate potions, hexes, removing curses..."
"The standard charlatan's stock-in-trade," I put in. "No wonder they didn't bother to check her seriously."
"And what about monitoring her results and finding out if she really did help people?" Lemesheva asked. "No, I'm going to write a report. If Zabulon thinks this is good work¡ªthen sack me! It's time for me to retire."
Olga cleared her throat in warning.
"I'm prepared to say it to his face!" Lemesheva was obviously worked up. "Well, I ask you, they suspect a woman is a witch for four years, but they don't bother to check properly! It's a standard procedure¡ªwe send an agent and monitor the discharge of Power... And the Light Ones did it, by the way!"
So that was it. Now I understood and I immediately gathered myself. What lay ahead wasn't just an incident with a crazy witch who had done something she shouldn't have. It was a fight with the Night Watch.
Vitaly growled indistinctly in his seat opposite me, more likely trying to keep his courage up than expressing delight at the battle ahead. He'd grown lazy standing watch, this brave mouse-hunter. I smiled spitefully, and the werewolf snarled and bared his teeth slightly. They had already started to grow, and his lower jaw was stretching forward.
"Vitaly, spare us the spectacle of transformation in the vehicle," Lemesheva said sharply. "In this heat the stink of dog will be quite unbearable!"
The trio of vampires on the backseat all began to laugh. I
knew those guys quite well; they had been tested in action, and by and large, I didn't find them repulsive at all¡ªnot like most non-life. Three brothers, born a year apart, strong, well-built young men from an ordinary human family. The eldest had become a vampire first, when he was working in a regiment of paratroopers, and he'd done it deliberately, out of ideological considerations¡ªhis commanding officer, who was a vampire, had suggested the young man should become a vampire too. Their unit was in action somewhere in the South at the time. Things weren't going too well, and the young man had agreed. Of course, after that the unit became incredibly effective in battle. Killing a dozen enemies a night, penetrating the enemy's rear line, walking past sentries without being seen¡ªfor a vampire, even an inexperienced one, all this is child's play. Afterward, when he returned to civilian life, the young man had told his younger brothers everything, and they had offered up their own throats for biting.
"Anna Tikhonovna, how many of them are there?" Olga asked. "The Light Ones?"
"A few. Four... maybe five. But"¡ªLemesheva ran her stern gaze over all of us¡ª"you mustn't relax, girls. There's at least one second-level Light magician."
The oldest vampire brother whistled. Facing a magician, especially one that powerful, was beyond a vampire's abilities. And if there were two of them...
"And the girl shape-shifter's there," said Lemesheva, looking at me.
I clenched my teeth. So, Tiger Cub was there. The shape-shifting battle magician, as the Light Ones preferred to call her. An old acquaintance of mine... and a close one. I seemed to feel an ache in my left arm, which she had once pulled out of its socket. And I remembered the wounds on my face¡ªfour bloody lines from her claws.
But Zabulon himself had helped me then. He had healed me completely so there was no damage either to my appearance or my health. And I used to go into battle boldly and cheerfully, feeling his approving glance and restrained, patient smile.
It's over. That's all behind you now, Aliska. What used to he is gone now. Forget it and don't torment yourself. If they tear your face, you'll have to wear the paranjah all the time, until your turn comes for magical healing, and the line's six months long. And you'll be lucky if they consider you worthy of complete healing, including cosmetic magic...
"Everybody check your equipment," Anna Lemesheva commanded.
The girls started bustling about, and I patted my pockets, checking on the tiny packets, little bottles, and amulets. A witch's Power doesn't lie only in controlling energy through the Twilight. We also employ auxiliary means, which is what really distinguishes us from sorceresses.
"Alisa?"
I looked at Lemesheva.
"Do you have any suggestions?"
That was better. I had to think about the future, not about the past.
"The operatives can neutralize Tiger Cub. All four of them."
"We don't need any help, Aliska," the oldest vampire brother said good-naturedly. "We'll manage."
Lemesheva thought for a moment and nodded
"All right, the three of you work together. Vitaly, you're with me, my reserve."
The werewolf smiled happily. What a fool. Anna Lemesheva would toss him into the fire like a splinter of wood. Right into the very hottest spot.
"And the four of us..."
"Five," Lemesheva corrected me.
Aha, so the old crone has decided to do some work herself?
"The five of us form a Circle of Power," I suggested. "And we feed it all to Edgar. Deniska maintains contact with headquarters."
The minibus bounced over a few potholes and bumps. We were already driving into the yard between the buildings.
"Yes, that's the only possible way to play it," Lemesheva agreed. "Take note, everybody! That's the way we'll work!"
I felt slightly excited that my plan had been accepted completely. I was still a genuine battle witch, after all. Even with all my personal problems. That was why I took the risk of speaking up and overstepping my bounds on the senior witch's final decision on how the group worked.
"But I would suggest summoning help in advance. If there are two second-level magicians there."
"All possible help has already been summoned," Lemesheva snapped. "And we still have an ace of trumps up our sleeves."
Vitaly looked at the old witch in surprise and grinned proudly with his wolf's fangs. A fool twice over. She didn't mean him. He was no ace, just a common low card... and certainly not a trump.
"Right, girls, let's get started!"
Our minibus stopped. Anna Lemesheva jumped out spryly and waved her left hand. A fine, dark dust swirled around her fingers for an instant and I felt a spell of inattention enfold the yard. Now, no matter what we did, ordinary people would take no notice of us.
We tumbled out of the minibus.
It was just an ordinary yard in South Butovo. Oh, what a dump... I'd rather live somewhere in Mytishchi or Lytkarino than be formally registered as a Muscovite and live in that terrible place. There seemed to be everything there should be: houses and stunted little trees trying to grow in the compressed clay, and wretched little cars standing at the entrances, but...
"Get on with it!"
Lemesheva gave me a kick that bounced me about three meters away from the minibus. I almost went flying into the sandbox, where a boy and a girl about five years old were discussing the mysterious art of building sandcastles.
But even the little children didn't notice me, although they're always more sensitive to the presence of Others.
The vampire brothers went dashing past me like three shadows. They surrounded the minibus, already in the process of transformation: Their fangs were growing out between their teeth, and their skin was taking on a pale, sickly tinge. The typical appearance of non-life...
"The Circle!" Lemesheva barked. I dashed across to the minibus like a bullet and grabbed Olya and Lena by the hand. Oh, the old witch was strong!
But there was someone standing in the entrance to the house, visible only to our sight as Others¡ªa short, stocky guy... definitely a guy¡ªyou couldn't call him anything else¡ªwearing worn Turkish jeans and a synthetic T-shirt, with a ridiculous cap on his head.
That was really bad.
The guy was called Semyon. And he was a magician of astounding power, even if he wasn't always quick to use it. Even more terrifying, he was a magician with immense experience of field operations...
I felt Semyon's gaze slip over me¡ªfirm, resilient, and flexible, like a surgical probe. Then Semyon turned and went back into the entrance hall.
This was really bad!
Then Zhanna grabbed Olga by the hand. Anna Lemesheva completed the circle¡ªand all my emotions disappeared.
We became a living accumulator, connected to Edgar, who was already walking toward the entrance with a gentle, unhurried stride, at the human level of perception and in the Twilight at the same time.
Edgar walked up the stairs, just as his opponent had done. Of course, he didn't overtake him there. And when he reached the door of the apartment on the fourth floor, they were waiting for him. Fused into the Circle of Power, we were all perceiving the world through his sense organs now.
The door was standing open¡ªat the human level of the world. In the Twilight, the doorway was blocked by a solid wall.
There were two magicians standing on the landing. Semyon and Garik. I couldn't feel any emotions now, but I still had my thoughts. Cold, calm, and unhurried. This was the end. Two magicians, each equal to or superior to Edgar.
"The entrance is closed," said Semyon. "There's a Night Watch operation taking place here."
Edgar nodded politely. "I understand. But there's also a Day Watch operation taking place here."
"What do you want?" Semyon moved aside slightly. Standing behind him in the narrow hallway of the apartment was a tigress. An immense beast with gleaming fur and its teeth exposed in a smug smile.
What is Lemesheva counting on? We can't handle this! There's no way!
"We'd like to take the person who belongs to us," Edgar said with a shrug. "That's all."
"The witch has been arrested and charged: magical intervention of the third degree, murder, practicing black magic without a license, concealing the abilities of an Other."
"You provoked her into taking this action," Edgar said coolly. "The Day Watch will conduct its own investigation of events."
"No." Semyon leaned against the wall and the blue moss crept convulsively along the surface, trying to get as far away as possible from the magician. "The matter is settled."
Garik didn't even say anything. He twirled a small amulet that looked like a cube of ivory in his fingers and glimmers of energy pierced the air. Most likely it was an ordinary magical accumulator...
"I'm going through and I'm taking what belongs to us," said Edgar.
He's incredibly calm. Maybe he also knows something that 1 don't?
The Light magicians didn't say a word. But such a piece of obvious stupidity seemed to have put them on their guard. The witch's fate now depended on who would conduct the investi-gation. If we could get her, we'd be able to defend her and make her one of us. If the Light Ones got her, then her life was over.
But better her life than all of ours! Two second-level magicians, a shape-shifter, and another two or three Others in the apartment! They'd crush us!
"I'm going in," Edgar said calmly and took a step forward. The Twilight around him howled as it filled with Power¡ªthe magician had set up a defensive screen.
All I remember after that is the battle.
The Light Ones struck as soon as Edgar took that step. Not with deadly spells, but an ordinary "press," trying to force our magician off the staircase. Edgar bent over as if he were walking into a wind and the outline of the Power vortex protecting him became clearly visible. The battle was being waged at the level of pure energy. It was primitive and not at all spectacular. Ah, if only Zabulon had been there instead of Edgar! He'd have forced them to expend all their energy and tossed those upstarts aside in an instant, drained of all their abilities!
But Edgar was putting up a worthy fight. For about five seconds he moved forward using his own Power, even forcing the press back to the door of the apartment. Then I felt the cold in my fingertips.
The magician had started to draw on our Power.
I immediately sensed the Light Ones tense as they spotted the energy channel between us and Edgar. They didn't try to disrupt it¡ªa hasty attempt would only have led to Edgar absorbing their energy as well. They simply increased their pressure, counting on their own superiority. And I had the impression that the magicians concealed inside the apartment started feeding them with Power as well.
For a few moments everything hung in the balance. The current of our combined Power had immediately increased Edgar's pressure, but the Light Ones had their own reserves. The little cube in Garik's hand crumbled and scattered across the floor in golden dust and their counter-blow pushed Edgar back a meter. Olga began groaning beside me¡ªher basic energy reserves were exhausted, and now she was pumping out the very substance of her Power, the deep reserves that can't be replenished so easily. She didn't seem to be in very good shape today.
What was Lemesheva hoping for?
There was a noise behind the backs of the Light Ones. Aha... the vampire brothers... they must have got in through the balcony...
But the magicians didn't even seem to notice what was happening. The tigress was the only one who went dashing toward the noise, brushing aside the puny furniture in her way and ripping the linoleum with her claws. And a moment later I heard a pitiful howl from one of the brothers.
Yes, three vampires weren't really enough for the shape-shifter...
"Vitaly!" Lemesheva commanded. The mental command slid through the Twilight and our werewolf dashed toward the entrance of the house, throwing off his clothes and changing into a wolf on the way. We continued feeding Edgar with energy and he started moving forward again, even managing to squeeze Garik back into the apartment. Then a huge wolf appeared from behind Edgar and rushed forward, paying no attention to the magicians.
It was a good idea. But inside the apartment the appearance of the werewolf was met with a bolt of fire. One of the Light Ones who had been kept in reserve had joined in the struggle, and he'd immediately shown that he was serious.
The werewolf's thick brown fur burst into flames and he leapt up into the air and fell on the floor, thrashing his paws about and rolling over and over, trying to put the flames out. If he had continued the attack, he would have had a chance to get to the magician before he could prepare a second fireball...
But he'd obviously been on watch duty for far too long.
Vitaly kept trying to put out the flames, and new charges kept striking him from out of the darkness. A second, a third, a fourth... Blood spurted out and burning lumps of flesh went flying through the air. The wolf howled and fell silent¡ªonly its back legs were twitching now, with its tail lying between them, blazing like a firework. It was actually quite beautiful.
The amulet hanging at my chest¡ªa small crystal jug with a drop of red liquid sealed inside¡ªcrunched and shattered into tiny fragments. That was bad. It was a signal that my Power was running out and it simultaneously released my final reserve. A drop of the blood of a woman who has died giving birth to an Other is a very powerful source of energy, but even that wouldn't last for long.
"Lena!" Lemesheva ordered.
I felt the wordless command again and Lena left the Circle, moving slowly, like a sleepwalker. My right hand was left empty and the trance receded for a few seconds, before Anna Lemesheva reached out to me. But it was enough time for me to see something standing in the center of our Circle¡ªa small folding table of black wood, with a slim blade of burnished steel lying on it. And Lena was already standing by the sandbox, frozen over the playing children as if she were choosing between them...
"The girl!" Lemesheva shouted. "One girl is more use than a dozen boys!"
Now I understood everything. Apart from one thing, that is. How had Anna Lemesheva been granted the right to a human sacrifice, and why had she decided to waste such tremendous Power on saving some ordinary witch?
But then Lemesheva grasped my hand and at once I became a mindless part of the Circle of Power.
Edgar was already squeezed back into the corner of the stairwell¡ªthey weren't just pushing him back now, they were trying to crush him against the wall. He threw up one hand: "Stop!"
A terrible pain...
The Circle was draining the very last drops of energy out of me, and Olga wasn't giving any more at all. She'd been wrung completely dry and she was standing there with us, twitching as if she were holding a bare power cable, and Zhanna was groaning quietly too, her head gradually sinking down onto her chest...
"We have the right to a sacrifice," Edgar said coolly. "If you don't let her go..."
The Light Ones froze. I saw the way they looked at each other and Garik shook his head.
But Semyon seemed to believe it right away.
A sacrifice provides a massive discharge of energy, especially if it's the sacrifice of a child; more if it takes place inside a Circle of Power; and even more if it's performed by an experienced witch. Lena Kireeva was standing inside the Ring, the knife already in her hands and the girl lying on the black table.
If we transferred the liberated Power into Edgar, the Light Ones wouldn't be able to stand up against it. Of course, they had extreme methods of their own, but did they have the authority to make use of them?
The shape-shifter tigress sprang out into the corridor. She must have been battering the vampire brothers on the balcony and seen what we were preparing to do.
"You can't stand against us," Edgar said aloofly. "We'll take what is ours anyway, and a human child will die. And you'll be to blame."
The Light Ones were dumbfounded. It was hardly surprising: The situation behind this particular conflict didn't seem particularly important in any way. It wasn't a matter of states threatening nuclear strikes against each other if their agents were arrested for spying. Others don't threaten to use first-degree magic in the case of a petty conflict between operational agents.
But the Light Ones were still keeping up the pressure on our magician. They were maintaining the press, if only by inertia, and we had no more Power left to share with Edgar. Olga had gone rigid and lost consciousness, and now she was standing in the ring like a limp wooden puppet. Zhanna was already sinking to her knees, but heroically maintaining a grip with her hands and giving a few final crumbs of energy. Lena's face contorted in an agonized grimace and she raised the knife above the twitching little girl. She was conscious, otherwise the discharge of energy would have been reduced, but she was restrained by a spell of silence. My body felt as limp as cotton wool and I was beginning to sway. I wish they'd hurry... I won't be able to hold out...
"Stop!" shouted Semyon. "We surrender the witch!"
Hold it... hold the Circle. I tried to draw energy out of the surrounding space, out of the little girl who was frightened to death, out of the people walking by a little distance away and diligently paying no attention to what was going on.
It was useless. I'd been completely drained of everything. It was Lemesheva... that was why she was standing there stronger than everyone else, the lousy... We were all going to die here for an old woman no one needed, and she'd be left, that vile creature.
But the Light Ones had already shoved a scruffy, plump woman in a dirty housecoat and torn slippers into Edgar's arms. She didn't understand a thing¡ªshe was staring all around and trying to cross herself.
"You'll pay for this" were Semyon's last words.
Edgar pulled the witch's arm behind her back with a sharp jerk¡ªhe had no time for explanations and no strength left for magic. He dragged her down the staircase.
Hold the Circle...
A sacrifice is an act of such great Power that it is best held in reserve. The right to use it might have been won twenty or thirty years earlier by the cunning use of intrigue and provocation. That was why Kireeva was still standing stony-faced above the little girl, with the knife gleaming in her hand, ready to cut out her heart in a single swift movement, while Deniska monotonously recited the words of the appropriate spells. At any moment we could have received a powerful stream of energy... only it was better to do without it.
Hold the Circle...
My fury was the only thing that saved me. Fury with the entire unsuccessful day, with all the failures of the last year, and with Lemesheva, who clearly knew more than she was saying.
I don't know where I found those final crumbs of Power, but I did! And I drove them through the limp bodies of Olga and Zhanna, so that Lemesheva could transmit the thin stream of Power to Edgar...
The first to jump into the minibus were the vampire brothers... those damn useless field agents... Then Lena let the little girl go and she went rushing off, howling. Deniska stopped reciting spells, picked up the little table, and tossed it into the back of the minibus. And it was only then that Lemesheva broke the Circle.
Everything was swimming in front of my eyes. For some reason I started coughing as I tried in vain to free my hand from Olga's rigid fingers.
"Into the bus!" Anna Lemesheva shouted. "Quickly!"
Edgar appeared¡ªat least he looked fairly cheerful. He tossed the witch into the back of the bus and jumped into the seat beside Deniska. Anna Lemesheva dragged Olga into the bus and I helped Zhanna get in¡ªshe was in a very bad way, but she was still conscious.
"Who are you? Who are you?" the rescued woman wailed. Lemesheva slapped her across the face with all her might and the witch shut up.