• Shawn had been on hold for days. He paced the downstairs bunking area restlessly. Foxy and the boys were upstairs relaxing as they had planned to do, but even they were becoming restless of the wait to hear the news. After several emails and long hours of pointless ranting with secretaries, he had gotten through to the one man who knew why she was taken off.
    “I’m just curious,” Shawn said. “She’s an exceptional agent. Why take her off the case when it was going so well?”
    “She’s still in the teen division,” the administrator sighed. “We needed an adult for this mission.”
    “She’s better than any adult,” Shawn said calmly. “We both know this.”
    “Yes, but not with all that we’re facing with the case now,” the administrator whispered.
    Shawn heard a hint of fear in his voice. “What do you mean?”
    He listened to the older man carefully, becoming more and more concerned by the second. He had to tell Foxy everything. She had to know or else she could be in serious trouble; the whole world could be in serious trouble.
    He thanked the administrator and walked upstairs to where the four were sitting, eating and talking.
    “I know why you were pulled out of your mission,” Shawn said.
    The house went quiet. Foxy turned toward him with full on blazing crimson eyes. “Why?” She asked, heart racing.
    “We’re all special opps here,” Shawn said with a sigh. “Me and Foxy are international, so we know more than you three, but that still doesn’t make what I’m about to tell you easier.”
    “What?” Foxy asked.
    “Black Magic,” Shawn said quietly.
    Serup, Waffil, and Codi laughed loudly. “Good one, Shawn,” Serup said, wiping a tear from his eye. “Now tell us the real reason.”
    “That is the real reason,” Shawn hissed.
    The three boys looked toward Foxy for reassurance that he was joking. Her face was solemn and had lost most of its color. Her tail wrapped around the wooden leg of the chair she was sitting on. Her ears were flattened to her thick hair.
    “You’re joking,” Codi said.
    “You can’t be serious, Shawn,” Foxy rose shakily.
    “The administrator told me everything about that clan you were with,” Shawn said. “They’ve been practicing Black Magic for years. It runs in the families now. They’re planning on resurrecting something that could destroy the whole world.”
    “This is a joke, right?” Codi asked.
    Foxy looked at him. “Does this face look like its joking?! Black Magic is real; always has been, always will be. There are people who do it for fun, and people who do it to cause pain, but it’s real. It’s on the same level as Terrorism, if not way higher.”
    “So this magic stuff,” Serup said. “Do you have to have something in your blood to get it or-?”
    “You don’t want Black Magic,” Shawn snapped at him. “It takes over your body and your mind. That’s why they took you out, Foxy. You started slipping away. I know you probably don’t remember, but after a week with them you had stopped contacting anyone outside of that clan. You were always chanting something under your breath. It made the board scared so they took you out. But do you remember what was going on in there?”
    Foxy shook her head. “No. I just remember waking up one day and being…changed. That’s when they called me and told me get out of there. Why?”
    Shawn sighed. “The adult they sent in,” he whispered, “her body was found a few days ago; throat and wrist slit. She’s dead, Foxy. And in your mind is the key to why this thing is happening and how we can stop it. All you have to do is remember.”
    Foxy sighed. “I can try, but I’m not guaranteeing it. It might take some time. Black Magic is really powerful.” She looked up suddenly. “I got it, something I mean. I took it from them when I left cause they said I could have it. I’m not sure what it is, though.”
    She walked to her room, pulling out the package she shoved far into the corner. She walked back and placed it on the table.
    “Aren’t you going to open it?” Codi asked.
    She glared at him, taking out a knife. She pulled it across the top and cut the tape. She reached in a pulled out a small pendant.
    “Oh,” Codi said, rolling his eyes. “Cute.”
    “Shut up,” Foxy growled. “There’s more. And, whoa; ah-I never opened this box. These things have your names on them.” She took out a piece of paper. “Dear Foxy, I know this is kinda sudden, and you might not get this, but if you do, I want you to know I’m sorry for not telling you. We deal with Black Magic, and yes, we are trying to resurrect a very powerful man. But you must stop them before it’s too late for you and your friends; in more than one way. Inside are weapons you can use against the evil. I have given Waffil the dagger, for he is good with hand to hand combat.”
    She pulled out a small dagger wrapped in a leather skin hilt. She passed it to Waffil.
    “For Serup,” Foxy started, “a scythe,” Foxy pulled out the long rod slowly, passing it to him, “For Shawn, a book,” she passed him the dark covered book, “for knowledge is power in this world, and for Codi, a sword,” Foxy pulled it out and placed it on the table. “I have no reason but to say it will come in handy to reveal something that will changer your lives. Foxy, there is a pendant in the box. Keep it close to you at all times. It will protect you as long as it is near your heart.”
    Shawn flipped through the old looking book quickly. His eyes widened. “This looks like years worth of information all wrapped up into one book.”
    “Does it say anything else?” Codi asked.
    Foxy was pale. She looked up quickly. “We are the last of the White Magic holders,” she said weakly, holding the pendant in her hand. “And if we fail, the whole world is going to be drowned in darkness.” She dropped the pendant to her chest, where it gave the slightest touch of skin and she screamed, falling to the ground in a sudden crumble of pain. The world gave a bright flash, the boys crowded around her, and the chanting filled her ears. She blacked out quickly.