Modern Magic 10

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From behind the Horror heading to Samantha and the children there came what Sam would have called a fireball. It struck the Horror and lit it a flame, all combat stopped for a second as the twelve foot tall creature shrieked in pain and began to burn. A second gout of flame erupted and struck the one Ryan was squared up with and it too lost it's will to fight. Standing by the SUV was Beck with a shotgun in hand and a sword.

Sam stood and turned around, “Beck!” She yelled surprised. She took the kids hands and kept them close. She looked to Bors who still was posing against the enemy. She suddenly had a vivid vision of someone holding their hand out and a strong wind force came forth and knocked over the enemy in front of them giving them a chance fight off another. The wind force was stronger if the person used enough force. Opening her eyes she took one of her hands and lifted it towards the enemy and gave a push with all of her might and suddenly the wind force formed. It hit one of the enemies Bors was fighting giving him a chance to win this.

Bors wasted little time getting back to equal footing with his opponent, and by the time the other got to his feet he was about to be busy with the newcomer. Both Horrors had collapsed and were now large campfires, Ryan and his opponent were still fighting and it seemed the younger knight had injured Modred's man.

Sam turned and did the wind force against the enemy that Ryan was fighting. This time she used enough force within herself and flung the enemy hard enough her blew through a thick hardy tree trunk and hit a rock formation behind it so hard it shook the rock formation slightly.

Bors finished his enemy rather quickly and turned to see Ryan catching up. Beck was still fighting his and had the man pretty much on the ropes. He looked to Bors, "Get them out of here!" Bors grabbed one of the children and hefted them up heading for the SUV followed by Ryan who was trying to hustle Sam and the other child to the car.

Getting to the hand of the other child she picked her up and carried her and began to run to keep up with Bors. She looked back to back to Beck and Ryan she didn’t like leaving them but knew the kids were priority. At the SUV she piled in with everyone quickly.

Ryan hopped into the passenger seat after closing the door behind Sam, "Let's beat it Bors!" Sam noted that while Bors was getting into the driver's seat he did watch Beck and Modred's last man fight. As he shut the door and turned the key, Beck ran the other man through. "It's safe but we need to get out of here." He put the SUV in reverse and began to back down the trail, "Ryan, call off the RT back up."

Sam put a hand on her pound chest and took in deep breaths, “My god!”

Ryan looked back at her, "What was Beck doing there?"

“Does it look like I know? I didn’t call him if that’s what you’re insisting Ryan.” Sam said as she lowered her hand and tried to calm her breathing.

Bors snorted, "What the hell are you two talking about? That was Oliver Lake, oh it doesn't matter now. Samantha you need to use your magic to wipe their minds about us and Modreds, and what happened. We can drop them near the ranger station and let them wander in to be found." Both children huddled close to Sam and she understood what Bors was asking, something normal like a bear or other accident. SOmething that would wash away the trauma of what Modred had done.

Sam held them and looked at Ryan at the same time, “Ryan I didn’t page him I promise.” She said as she then looked to the kids. Another vision to guid her on how to clear the mind of the children played quickly in her mind. She took the hands of the children and said a small incantation, when finished the kids thought they were separated from there parents due to a bear attack in their camp and they had ran and Sams group had found them. Sam looked to Bors, “It’s done.”

They didn't speak about anything until after turning the children over to the rangers and headed back to the house to gather their things. Ryan spoke, "So, the guy Sam was hanging out with at the bar...." He trailed off even as Sam began to gather the missing pieces.

Bors finished it, "Yes, he is Oliver Lake the direct descendant of Lancelot. And he is not a knight of the table any longer. We need to get back to New York and figure out how he knew where we were."

Sam was on her phone texting and tossed her bag on the couch, “I’m ready.” She answered simply. ”Why did you lie about your name Oliver?” She sent a text to Oliver.

They got back to New York and Bors dropped her off at her place, "Someone will be by in the morning to bring you to the Round Table, there is much to discuss least of which is Lake's knowledge of where you were and our situation."

“Thank you Bors.” Sam went inside and keyed in the alarm code. 

"Sam? You back already?" came Briana's voice from the living room. She had been watching a movie on the large television and enjoying some delivery pizza.

“Hey Bri, yea I’m back.” She smiled. “But I have an appointment again tomorrow morning.” She informed her friend. “Everything good here? You?”

"Mr. Archer wants me to be your assistant sent me and Sireen hit all the places where I'd find clothes and such to look the part. ANything fun happen while you were gone?" Briana asked motioning to the pizza box.

“He wants you to be my assistant?” She asked with a questioning look on her face.

Briana laughed, "You know make sure you take care of yourself, that you are on time for meetings, planes all that kind of stuff. Suddenly Briana smirked, "You got some while you were gone! Was it Ryan?" she began to ask.

“Umm we need to talk about that….” Sam looked down and went and sat by her friend. She looked up shyly to Briana. “I want you to first promise not to be mad at me.”

Briana's face dropped a little, Samantha felt like she should tell the truth. After all she had sex with Beck, or Oliver or whatever his name was. "I mean how could I be mad, he's cute and nice to both of us. He'd be the kind of guy I'd want you to wind up with."

“Sooo,” She straightened her throat. “I met a guy at a bar and his name is Oliver. I had sex with him. Kinda because I was mad at Ryan.” She looked at Briana waiting on her response for that part. “But Ryan don’t know this and either does you, but I like the both of them. Ryan and Oliver.”

Briana looked at her, "So which one do you want cause you really can't have both." She made a face, "But then again you are rich so you could probably keep them in different time zones."

“I know I can’t have both but I want you to have an option of one too.” Sam said looking down twiddling her fingers. “I’m sorry I shouldn’t have made this choice but Ryan don’t know and I don’t know how to tell him. Honestly his response will be what makes up my mind.”

"So when will you be seeing Oliver again? Doesn't he live in New Hampshire?" Briana asked very confused.

“Uh, no. He don’t but he said he would come visit and I have his number. Speaking of that I need to call him. I have to talk to him about the last time I saw him.” Sam smiled and stood off the couch.

Briana nodded, "Okay, what time do you need up?"

“I just know in the morning. You’re the boss here so figure it out.” She smiled to Briana then gave her a thumbs up and wondered to the elevator with the phone in her hand.

"I'm your assistant goofball!!" Briana called after her, "Eight o'clock then!"

“Sounds good!” She called to the Briana as the door closed. Once to her room she sat on her bed a looked over her phone. She dialed Oliver’s number and waited.

The phone rang several times, "Hey, not available leave a message."

“Hello Oliver? it’s me Sam. You know the one who didn’t lie to you about their name? Well avoiding me doesn’t look good and we need to talk. Call me otherwise I guess we aren’t a thing anymore?” Sam left the message and the clicked the hung up button on her phone. She tossed it on the night stand and collapsed on her bed. Her eyes shut but she didn’t go to sleep. Her mind worked and worked. Finally after a long while she dozed off not realizing it.

She did not dream of Merlin, nor did she see anything else. Samantha was aware of floating through warm air and watching colors swirl about all around her. It was easy to surmise they were magic and she could use them in almost any waty she could think of. At eight o'clock there was a knock at the door, Briana wasn't joking about being on the spot as her assistant.

Sam groaned and realized she had not even changed for bed the prior night. She kept her eyes shut, “Twenty more minutes mom!” She called as she laid still on the bed.

"And not a second more! And you better get a shower and change! I know you probably slept in those travelled in clothes and probably haven't showered since your romp with that Oliver." Briana said and left her to rest a little longer.

Sam laid there but awake and still tired but kept her eyes closed. She turned over and gave a groan, her mind worked for a moment around the need for a shower and how it might wake her up. As she laid there for about ten minutes more she finally opened her eyes and rolled out of bed and began with a shower. Once she took a good soak and hair washing she felt more alive than she had prior. She finished and got her dressed and headed down. The ding of the elevator sounded as she looked up from the floor of the elevator where she pondered in thoughts. The door opened and she stepped out.

Briana had breakfast on the table and tea waiting, along with a stack of files, "Mr. Archer wants me to find services for the house. Housekeeper or a service, gardner or service all before too long, so I am going over these options that the firms employment agency suggested." she explained sitting down to her breakfast as well.

“I wasn’t gone that long and all of a sudden you’re doing all of this?” Sam asked. Her eyes went to the stack of files. Throwing her hands up she looked to Briana, “You know what I believe in you to pick the best ones. Pick the best people for the job and as long as you interview them and do an extensive background check then they should work.”

Briana chuckled, "You were four hours up and back plus another twelve up there that's pretty much an entire day. A girl gets bored, plus I need to make a good impression on my boss." Before she could say much else there was a knock at the door.

Sam walked to the door and opened it, “I’m ready.” She immediately said to whom ever was at the door.

Today it was not Ryan, but another young man who smiled warmly, "Good morning, I'm Lewis. Mr. Archer sent me to pick you up, I am normally his driver, but he is already at the office." He led the way to the normal SUV that Ryan drove and opened the door for her. "Do you need to make any stops before we arrive?" he asked getting into the driver's seat.

Saying goodbye to Briana she stepped outside and got straight into the SUV. She buckled up in the backseat and gave a warm smile, “No thank you Lewis I am fine to go ahead and go to the office from here.”

They arrived in the parking deck and Lewis stopped the car at the elevator, getting out he nodded to her. "I will wait here ma'am." he said walking her to the elevator.

She gave a nod, and got in the elevator and went up to the the floor that everyone was waiting for her on. The ding to the elevator got her attention as she looked from the floor up to the opening.

As she walked to the council chambers she could hear voices, mainly Bors who seemed very angry.

She slowed her pace as she heard all the voices but as she touched the door it opened slowly and she entered with a look of concern written across her face.

"He is no longer part of this table, how did he know where we were?" Bors said pounding a hand down on the table. "How do we know he isn't working with Modred and this was all some trap?" he continued.

Ryan came over and pulled out her seat and whispered, "He thinks someone is feeding Lake information.

Mr. Archer had nodded to Sam and then turned his attention back to Bors, "Sir Bors I do not know how he knew the location or the seriousness of what was going on. Nor will I call into the luck that he arrived to help you and Sir Greene and Emrys at your time of need."

Sam thought that not too many people knew what was going on, mostly just the people in this room.

“Maybe he has the magic to read minds through touch?” Sam spoke up now. Her long blonde hair floated around her face and she looked to Bors with seriousness. Her blues eyes flashes to the others to see their faces about her remark.

Archer leaned over towards Sam, "To date no night of the table has shown any magical gift, that resides in those who recieve Emrys's gift."

Ryan spoke up, "Sir Bors, it would seem that someone is feeding him his information. Did you talk to anyone about where we were going or what we were doing?"

Bors shook his head, "No one, only my son knew of the destination because he was in this room. What of you?" he narrowed his gaze first at Ryan then at Samantha.

Sam looked up to Ryan when Bors narrowed his gaze at them. She turned back to Bors and put a hand on the table. “What are you insisting, that I paged him or something?” Sam said with an even glare back at Bors. Her hand on the table tapped impatiently.

Mr. Archer placed his hand over Sam's, "You are above reproach here Samantha, Lake knew from someone else you would be in New Hampshire where the rwo of you first met. I'm afraid it would be someone involved with the circle, Ryan who in the circle did you advise of your situations?"

Ryan looked shocked, "All communications went through Sireen as normal."

Everyone in the room turned and looked at Sireen who stood near the door eyes on the floor.

Samantha now looked from Ryan to Sireen. She knew now something was up when the woman wasn’t looking anywhere but the floor. “Sireen?” She wanted the woman to look at her.

Sireen did look up but before she could say anything Bors grabbed her and pushed her against the wall. "Is this true did you betray the Table?" he demanded even while Ryan and the others stood from their chairs. Mr. Archer looked shocked that it was even possible that she was reporting to Oliver Lake what was going on. "Answer me or so help me god." Bors said giving her a rough shake.

Sam stood as well and she looked to Ryan, “Don’t let him hurt her!” She demanded.

Ryan started around the table but stopped short.

"I did not betray the Table." Sireen said. Her hand wrapped around Bors wrist to try and get free.

From the doorway Sam heard, "Bors if you don't let her go, we will have words." Oliver Lake and two others were there and Lake had his sword in hand.

Sam went pale and moved beside Ryan to get a better look. Once she laid eyes on Lake she wanted to use her magic. Her hands rose and she stepped forward, “Bors release her!” She again began to step forward again and this time she aimed for Lake. “What the hell are you doing here?”

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Modern Magic 12