It wasn't much of a surprise to learn that Bartholomew already had a rental car waiting for us at the airport. The car was a six-year-old cobalt blue minivan, A surprisingly normal choice given how lavish both the plane and limo had been. Although, given that I was now a wanted man in Eden City, I understood the need for a low-profile means of transportation. Glancing out the window I took in the sight of the open fields as we drove towards our destination. By this point, the area was already in the early stages of fall. The air carried a light chill with the promise of an especially cold winter not far off. As we got closer to our destination I began touching the phone in my pocket with increasing frequency. I knew that I was going to need a plan if I had any hopes of clearing my name. And while I appreciated Damian and Cassidy's help during the trip through the Magical Realm, I knew that there was no way I could let them get themselves in trouble with the police on my behalf. Similarly, while I was grateful to Bartholomew and the others I had to find a way to cut them loose until I could get things sorted out with the police.

"Hey, stop over there for a minute will you? I've got to take a leak." I said as I saw us coming up on a gas station.

Reginald who had been driving since we left the airport took the exit and pulled up to the gas station. I thanked him and went inside to the bathroom. Once the door was locked behind me I pulled out my phone and began making calls. I knew what I was about to do was risky but I didn't have much other choice. The Midnight Tower was set on seeing me dead and I was now officially the prime suspect in my Uncle's murder. Not to mention the fact that whoever had killed Ulysses had apparently decided to get rid of Lucas McCoy as well. While some might consider Lucas' untimely passing as a gift to mankind, and I was indeed one of those people, It also suggested that whoever was behind the killing was starting to get bolder. I knew deep down that if there was any chance of an ending where those I felt I was responsible for would come out of all this unscathed, It would only be possible if I was willing to take a risk.

Five minutes later I was back in the minivan and we continued our trip. Another forty minutes and we pulled up to our final destination. It was another gas station. However, this gas station had clearly been abandoned for some time. It sat derelict and gathering dust with the windows and door boarded over. The large sign on the street stood tall, imprinted with the ghost of letters long removed that once spelled out the words E.C. Gas. Behind the building of the station was a similarly abandoned car wash. Reginald pulled the minivan up to the entrance of the car wash. Directly next to the driver's side window was a simple box with three buttons for the car wash's options and a card slot for payment. Rolling down his window, Reginald reached out and pressed the first and third buttons simultaneously three times. After the third time, the shutter blocking off the car wash tunnel began to move upwards and once there was enough room Reginald pulled the minivan forward into the dark tunnel. Halfway through was the telltale shifting surface of the gate to the border city. We passed through and found ourselves once again beneath the familiar copper sky of Eden City.

"We made it back, now what?" Cassidy said glancing out the window nervously.

"Keep going half a block in that direction, we'll reach the market. At this time of day, it should be full of stalls still." I said pointing the way that Reginald should go.

With a shrug, he listened to my directions and took us down the street until we reached the lot just before the market. I instructed him to park and we all exited the vehicle. Taking one last glance at my phone I turned to the others and began addressing them.

"Look guys here's what's going to happen. Damian and Cassidy, You guys are going to go back to the Siren's Call. If anyone asks you guys got separated from me in the magical realm and decided to turn back. You got home days ago but didn't return to work yet because you were worried about me." I said to my two companions in a firm tone. Then turning to Bartholomew I held out a folded piece of paper with the address to Grey Manor scrawled on the back and said, "take this and go to the address written here. You're going to give the note to the guardian there. He'll make sure you guys are well taken care of until I'm able to properly help you."

"What about you? Where are you going to....." Damian began to say before he was interrupted by the sound of police sirens as a car with flashing lights pulled into the lot and right up to us.

Detectives Peters and Rivera stepped out and Peters had a pronounced frown of sadness on his usually jovial face as he said "James Grey you are hereby under arrest for the murders of Ulysses Grey and Lucas McCoy." He began reading me my Miranda rights in the same subdued tone. I know it's strange to think that even in the magical hidden city cops still follow basic procedure of the United States legal system. But that's exactly what happens.

Rivera for his part seemed hard-faced and shoved me hard against the cruiser as he handcuffed me. I saw him glance back at my friends before looking over to Peters and saying "Shouldn't we be arresting them too for harboring a fugitive?"

But Peters just shook his head and said, "No. They just got into the city, which means there's no proof that they had any idea he was wanted until just now. They weren't harboring a fugitive, just driving home with a friend."

I gave Detective Peters a look of gratitude as Rivera roughly shoved me into the back of the police cruiser, taking evident joy in the act. I saw Cassidy and the others begin to protest only to be stopped by Damian. I could tell that he had already figured out that I had tipped off the police as to where I'd be upon returning to the city. I could also tell by his furious expression that he wasn't happy about my decision. I don't know if you've ever been on the receiving end of a werewolf's death glare, but let me tell you it's terrifying. Their eyes actually change color when it happens and if you look closely you can almost see them holding back the wolf. Only an idiot goes around making werewolves angry. And unfortunately, as had long become clear to everyone who knew me, I was a bit of an idiot. I mouthed a silent apology to Damian as the police car took me away.

I knew that turning myself in to the police was going to be a major gamble. After all, If things didn't work out exactly as I had planned, then I had just essentially sidelined myself. I had reasoned that with the police officially after me, the places I could go and things I could do would have been greatly limited. I would have been at a severe disadvantage in my search for answers to who was behind the killings, and why they were happening to begin with. But if I turned myself in then maybe I'd be able to clear my name quickly enough. I had no idea when Lucas had been killed, but If it had occurred in the last three weeks then I would be in the clear. The other reason I had turned myself in also had to do with the killer. I figured that my being named the prime suspect in the murders wasn't a coincidence. I was still convinced that the killings were part of a forbidden ritual of some kind that required an astounding amount of power to pull off. So it stood to reason that the killer would be coming after me. Never mind the fact that my magical talent was far weaker than anyone knew, if I was in police custody the killer would have a much harder time getting rid of me.

As the police car took me towards the station I noticed that Detective Rivera kept glancing back at me with a fierce angry expression on his face. The fifth time he did it, I decided to say something.

"Yes Detective? Is there something you wanted to say?"

He was momentarily caught off guard, evidently believing his glances back to have been subtler than they actually were. But he quickly composed himself again and with a scowl said "I've never been this close to black magic scum before."

I let out a short laugh and rolled my eyes as I replied, "Black Magic? Jesus Christ, and here I was hoping you'd taken the time to learn a little bit more since our last conversation. Black magic doesn't exist. Not really. Magic is neither good nor evil, it just is. It's all in how you use it. I mean sure there are spells out there which can't be used for anything other than harm, but that doesn't make them any more evil than that gun you have strapped to your side."

"Ok maybe there isn't Black magic, but that doesn't mean you aren't a sick monster. We may only have you for the two murders, but it's only a matter of time until we manage to connect the other ones to you." Smugness tinted his words.

"Wait what others?" I said voice rising with slight worry.

Rivera misunderstood the source behind the worry however as his face broke into a smile of smug glee, "The other murders. You must have thought you'd gotten away with them. Less messy than the big-shot practitioners you killed. But we found what to look for and started connecting the dots between your victims."

Peters didn't glance away from the road but said in a quiet but firm tone "Shut up Andy."

"There have been other victims? How many?" I asked leaning forward towards the wire grill that separated the front and back of the cruiser.

"Don't play dumb Grey. We know you're responsible." Rivera said ignoring his partner

"I said Shut. Up." Detective Peters repeated this time with a little more emphasis.

I could see Detective Rivera look annoyed at his partner's comments, but he sullenly straightened forward in his seat evidently done talking to me. But never being the type to leave well enough alone I said, "So tell me Rivera, what's it like being the Midnight Tower's toady? Do they at least let you play with their fun toys? Or do you just get stuck running their to-do list?"

He remained silent but I could almost feel the rage emanating from him. I tried to test my magic but wasn't surprised when I found no reaction. I was already somewhat aware that the Eden City Police Department had a mage that they paid to enchant both their vehicles and the handcuffs the officers carried with anti-magic wards. As long as I was wearing the cuffs, my magic was as good as nonexistent. But on the bright side, As long as I was inside the cruiser I would be safe from any outside magic directed towards the vehicle or its occupants. That being the case, I thought it likely that anyone who wanted me dead would be planning on the moment I would be transferred from the cruiser to the precinct building. That is, after all, the moment when I would be most vulnerable. Which is why I had made an additional call aside from the one to the police. Although, I couldn't help but worry as to whether the recipient of my second phone call would actually show.

The sun was starting to set when we pulled up to the precinct building. Peters and Rivera got out of the cruiser and a moment later I was being roughly hauled out. The moment I was fully clear of the vehicle I pretended to stumble and fall. As Detective Peters leaned over to catch me there came an almost unnoticeable thwak followed by the much louder sound of a subsonic round impacting the wall directly behind where my head previously was. Immediately both detectives went on high alert, reaching for their guns. Rivera who was closest to the building began shouting for assistance.

For my part, I began talking to Peters in a hushed but urgent tone, "John, you need to uncuff me."

He looked at me as if I was speaking Dutch and replied, "Are you crazy? You're the prime suspect in a string of murders. And those cuffs are the only thing keeping you from throwing around magic. What makes you think I'd even consider uncuffing you?"

I give him a firm look and say "If I didn't want you to take me into custody, you wouldn't have been able to even find me. And if you don't uncuff me then that shooter is eventually going to get lucky." As if to emphasize my point another round impacted closer to where we were crouched.

He seemed conflicted and in an attempt to find another solution turned back and yelled to Rivera, "Where is everyone else? There's a shooter right in front of the precinct and not a single person comes to investigate?"

But Detective Rivera was too busy trying to pull open the door to the precinct building. Despite his best efforts, the door didn't budge even a millimeter. Peters must have seen the issue as well because he turned back towards me and pulled the key to the handcuffs. A moment later and I was free from both the physical and magical constraints provided by the cuffs. I tested my magic with a small flicker of light. Then I reached into the enchanted pocket of my coat and withdrew my enchanted sunglasses once again. The sight rune etched onto the glasses immediately allowed me to see the spell around us that was keeping us trapped in the parking lot. I glanced around the corner of the vehicle in the direction that the gunfire was originating from and saw the source of the spell, a tall man somewhat obscured in the shadows of the fading light. Fortunately for us, he was also the one currently shooting at us. 

I gave Detective Peters a shit-eating grin and said, "Hey John, wanna see a magic trick." I didn't bother to wait for his reply. Concentrating I managed to form a ball of ice from the water present in the air and it began to spin on its axis like a top. Then I rose up from behind the cruiser and with a gesture tore the firearm from the shooter's grasp with pure magical force. Before he could react to the sudden loss of his weapon I sent the ball rocketing towards him. It impacted his head and a loud crack rang out. I continued to watch to see if he would get up, but the gunman didn't so much as stir.

Glancing down at Detective Peters who was still crouched next to me I said "I just want it on the record that I didn't kill any of the people you guys are saying I did. That being said, I may have just accidentally killed that guy." A loud groan could be heard from the direction of the downed gunman and I added in a much more upbeat tone, "Oh good, not dead after all."

Peters just gave me an incredulous look as Rivera tried the door to the precinct once again and became delighted when It opened. A moment later he was emerging with several other officers in tow. I wisely chose to reapply the handcuffs to my wrists before the cops had finished exiting the building. I figured that anything I could do to make myself look like less of a threat to now obviously twitchy cops was a good idea.

I saw two of the officers peel off to retrieve the mysterious gunman, who by this point had only just begun to lift his head. I couldn't tell with rapidly fading light, but I was almost certain that he was concussed and possibly had a minor head wound. Peters was already hauling me towards the doors, content to let his fine peers at the ECPD handle things now that the excitement was over.

As he led me toward processing he asked, "So do you want to fill me in on why some guy just tried to take a shot at you?"

"What makes you think he was aiming for me? You guys are the Detectives." He didn't respond but just fixed me with a decidedly even stare until I added, "Ok so I was probably his target."

"So did you want to fill me in on the why?"

I just shrugged and said, "Normally this is where I'd ask for a lawyer. But I like you John so I'll answer." I relished his impatience as I took a dramatic pause, "I don't know why he tried to kill me. But he's hardly the first person to come gunning for my life."

"You always were a charmer." Peters said sarcastically. And I was surprised to find that the tension I was feeling lessened slightly.

"So how's this going to go?" I asked finally

He responded with, "We're going to book and process you like we would anyone else. Then you'll be questioned before being sent to the jail to await trial."

"And you guys have any proof to back up the claims that I'm the killer? Or are you just arresting me because the nice people with the money said to?" I asked skeptical. I knew it was a low blow to suggest that the police had been bribed to arrest me, Especially when Detective Peters prided himself on his integrity. But I was more than a little mad that I was in my current position.

"Aside from the fact that you publicly fought with and hospitalized one of the victims days before he was killed, we also have some other evidence linking you to the crimes in question. It also doesn't help that you disappeared without warning just hours after your office was burned down with your business partner still inside."

I sighed exhausted but was cooperative throughout the process of booking me. I chose to remain silent the whole time the detectives, who Peters had claimed were some hotshots from homicide looking to get on city hall's good side, tried to threaten and cajole me into giving a confession. Eventually, they both gave up and I was whisked off to the jailhouse. Which is how I found myself going through what felt like the seventh screening in two hours. Once I was settled in my cell and left alone I began to test my magic. Much like with the police cruiser, it seemed like the building had been enchanted to interfere with attempts at magic. I knew from personal experience, that a magic dampening ward like the one in place at the prison was far too large to be properly effective. It was clearly the work of some small-time practitioner as any mage of suitable skill would have known better than to try using a single large enchantment over the entire place. The sloppy job meant that there was a bit of wiggle room magically speaking. Not that it would do me much good. I excel in terms of technique and comprehension when it comes to magic, but I'm lacking in terms of raw power. That meant that even though the magic-dampening effect wasn't the greatest, it was enough to severely limit me. Maybe even keep me from being able to use any externally directed magic.

I was broken from my train of thoughts by a familiar voice. It was clear that my second call had worked out after all.

"Hello there Jimmy. How's my favorite jailbird." Came the amused tone of Jax as he stood just outside my cell the picture of smug.