Even if the Order was a mysterious place of wonder and secrets, the main floors of the main headquarters looked a lot like a normal everyday office space. There were big open space offices filled with desks, computers and chatter as well as private rooms where you could find any kind of office, from the modest ones of the lower bureaucrats, they were not that different from Garaham's basement one, and the biggest, more luxurious rooms, with sofas and minibars.

Even if he had his private coffee machine, Director Thanatos liked to mingle with the lower life-forms of the headquarters. There was something inherently relaxing in watching them work like proficient little ants, trying to give a rhyme and a reason to the incredible mass of information and data coming in at any given time. It was somehow funny to think that even before Enforcers and Mages, bureaucrats and IT guys were the first line of defense against all things strange that went bump in the night. And in the day.

«Director, what a wonderful surprise.» tinkled a gracious voice, entering the break room.

Thanatos smiled.

«Francesca, a vision as always.» he replied, gallantly, taking a mug and picking up the coffee pot to pour her some. She thanked him, grabbing some soy milk to put in the black liquid. «How are the students at the Academy?»

«Let's just say, I'm happy I don't have any D'Yves in my class those days.» she summarized, her head slightly pulsating. Having to deal all day with a pride of teenagers absolutely sure that the only right use of magic was to discover who had a crush on who wasn't an easy task.

«I'm sure you'll shape them good. You're one of our best instructors, after all.» Thanatos's voice was mellow and calm. It clashed with his apparently stern apparel.

«Now, now, I'm just doing my best for the Order.»

«And the Order is grateful. Were all our instructors like you, we'd have less... problematic mages around.»

Francesca's smile turned sour, at the umpteenth mention of her husband's Coven. It was inevitable. After all, there had been an historical win, something that the Order hadn't seen in some time. And the Order did love its gladiators, if in homeopathic doses.

«It's a true shame that such a performing member of the Order like you ends up tied to the name of those disgraces.» Thanatos didn't become Director by leaving topics in the air. Francesca sighed.

«Maybe this is a good signal that, finally, they're getting serious.» she said, not believing the slightest syllable. Neither did Thanatos.

«You should go back to the Enforcers, Francesca. That spineless pencil-pusher you married will never be tough enough with them to shape them up. You would.»

Francesca thought about defending her husband. Then, she remembered how hard he fought on behalf of his personal idiotic zoo, and she decided she deserved a little vengeance.

«I would lie, if I told you I haven't thought about it every now and then... but Enforcer hours are a tragedy. I'm content of my job hours, and to have time to spend with my kids, at home.»

«I would really never have thought you'd settle for the home life, Francesca. You used to shine with ambition. When we met, I thought for sure you'd be in a Council Seat in no time.»

«Life has a way of changing your plans, Thanatos.» it was strange for her, to still have to use his war name, while she had renounced her many years before. «Marriage and kids change your perspective.»

«I still think you should reconsider.» he sounded decisive. Strangely, decisive. But Francesca, simply, smiled a little more, brightening up the entire room.

«Maybe in another life, things could have been different. But I'm Garaham's wife now, and I will see him rise through the ranks, as he should.»

«Hm. Fat chance at that. Not to burst your bubble, but even if his Coven starts to magically – pardon the pun – rise in Ranks, I highly doubt anyone could pardon him his total lack of politics polish.»

«He still has time to learn.»

«Ah, women in love. You can't really reason with them, can you?» Thanatos scoffed, shaking his head.

The break room's door opened again. Tension filled the air when Thanatos set his eyes on the tall and tired figure of Garaham. They exchanged a brief, uptight glance.

«Enforcer.»

«Director.»

«Garaham, I didn't expect to see you here.» Francesca tried to sound merry, to ease the tension. With not much of a success. Garaham reached for the coffee pot. Thanatos got there just a second before and emptied what was left of the coffee in his mug, without a word, keeping his eyes in the Enforcer's. Then, he put down the empty coffee pot right in front of him and sipped from the nearly overflowing mug in his hand, without losing his natural elegance.

Garaham's jaw stiffened. Then he took out the coffee and put some more water in the machine. All in the deepest silence.

«It's lucky for me to bump into you in this serendipitous manner, Garaham. I'll make an internal notice later today, but I feel that it would be best for you to know first, and in person.» Thanatos broke the eerie silence with a predatory smile on his speckled face. Garaham didn't even look at him, feigning supreme concentration over watching the coffee brew. It was an old routine nobody was shocked by.

«There's a new player in town. Something we had indiscretions about for a long time, but that has become a reality just now.»

«The Council finally found out that the werepeople are a more pressing matter than my Coven's alleged whereabouts?» the Enforcer asked. Thanatos frowned.

«You can drop the gloating, Garaham.» Thanatos reproached him, sourly. «And you're partially right. That something new is dangerous.»

«Werepeople usually are. But they had been silent for some years, apart from the odd attack. What's new?»

The serious topic seemed to lower all the barriers the two men had initially set up.

«It seems that there's some kind of investigative team with a special attention to strange things happening that could only be explained by supernatural means. The Diviners tried to make something of it, but whoever it is, they can shield themselves pretty well, which does nothing but increase our worries, as scry-shielding is one of the werepeople strong suits. We only know them by their title: Federal Unit for Research, Rescue and Intervention on Everything Supernatural. Since they're some kind of legit police force, don't ask me how is this even possible, the use of magic in public is being not discouraged but downright forbidden.» and he meaningfully looked at Garaham.

«It rarely happens that magic is used publicly. We are all far too conscious to risk something like that.» nodded Francesca, thoughtful.

«You can spare no jokes or offenses towards my Coven's undeniable low complessive IQ, but of the many things they are, they are not so stupid as to mindlessly use magic in public.» Garaham stated, looking Thanatos and ignoring Francesca altogether.

«I thought so too, until the Museum heist. It did raise some questions, it seems, because the...» Thanatos waited. As he didn't really want to speak. But he had to. He had two choices. And he chose, with a sigh, the shorter one. « F.U.R.R.I.E.S.'s own van has been seen out of the place.»

Garaham had to suck some air in. Francesca averted her eyes. For some moments, nobody spoke.

«I see.» Garaham nodded. «I'll be sure to pass down the message.»

«We're enhancing the hours of internet video monitoring, to look out for any suspicious proto-viral video with strange things happening in them.»

«Count me in for some hours.» Garaham offered.

This time, it was Thanatos's turn to be shocked.

«What? When had I ever not worked overtime? Werepeople are a serious problem, and I'm glad to get down to serious problems. I am part of this Order, you know?»

«Very well then. I'll send you some of the videos.» Thanatos cleared his voice and straightened his tie. «Now, let's back to work. This Order doesn't lead itself.» he smiled at Francesca, exchanged a glance with Garaham, emptied the content of his mug in the sink, and then marched out the room.

Francesca didn't even wait for the door to close.

«You, volunteering to work with Thanatos? Of all people?»

Garaham looked at his wife. Their arranged wedding had been something unexpected on both sides and, as per every Enforcer wedding ever, there had been no way out. He couldn't really complain. He had ended up with one of the most beautiful women of the Order, smart and capable. She had been a good wife, a good mother to his children, and had sacrificed so much for her family, starting with a brilliant career. All because she wanted the whole American Dream package: her family to be perfect. Sunday lunches, holidays in the summer house, weekends on the snow.

Him being a Coven Enforcer had almost granted that she would get just part of what she had dreamed of. He had worked many weekends, sometimes was out for weeks to follow his Coven in some far-away mission. He had spent most of their first two years of marriage looking after Vopros and Banshee. He had never truly renounced anything. Not his beloved little office, not Logan's legacy. He poured some coffee in his mug. It had a huge "Best Chief" writing over it in pink glitter letters, which had luckily almost washed out completely, and it had been the most embarrassing gift he had ever received. But the damned object seemed to hold just the perfect amount of coffee he needed, so, he had kept it.

«I'll file for a transfer.» he said, slowly.

Francesca's eyes flared up with joy.

«You mean it?»

«Yes. Just the time to see this concert through, and I'll file for a transfer right before it. You have my word.» he was as serious as he had ever been. He had toyed with that form for days now, without finding the courage to fill it up. But now that he had said it, he was morally obliged to. It was the end of any possible stalling.

«Are you transferring to the 8th Division?»

«The 4th Division.» he grumbled.

«Uh? Under Manuela Luisita Pordelada Dos Santos? Wouldn't you be a better fit in the Coven Division? Is more similar to what you already do...»

«Even if I transferred there, don't think even for a moment that someone could ever consider having me rising through the Ranks to get close to occupy my father's ex-seat.» his voice hardened, slightly. «I will concede that, after all those years, I owe you to try and build a better career that could let me spend more time with you and the kids. But I'm not Council material, Francesca, and I never will be. I don't want my father's, or any other, seat. Plus...» his voice darkened, slightly. «He wasn't saving his seat for me, it was clearly intended for a certain someone else. His pride and joy.»

Francesca bit her lip. She had to take her victories. Today, a transfer. Tomorrow, a seat. They were still both so young, after all.

Without saying anything else, she kissed him, and hugged him tight. He returned the embrace, softly, basking in the perfume of her shampooed curls.

It was the right call.

Without him, the Pollos would have had no other chances to be caught into Order politics just because he had an ambitious father-in-law in the Council. He owed them that. He owed that to Logan, and his promise. He would have kept them all safe and sound.

That was what an Enforcer did.

***

Hi everyone and HAPPY HALLOWEEN SPECIAL!
I really felt like celebrating, so I'm putting up an extra chapter this week all for you.
Plus, I could hardly wait to give you some more pieces of drama - and an insight on Staccato that was greatly due.

As always, have a great day and don't forget to vote and comment to your heart's content. Your feedback is key to my believing in this saga and its future (besides the obvious enthusiastic friends!)

Thank you for sticking with us, things are going to get rocky!

Lots of love,
Daniel.