THE WITCHES OF SCOTLAND

THE EDINBURGH FILES

BOOK ONE

STEVEN P AITCHISON

CYT MEDIA LTD

This novel’s story and characters are fictitious. Certain long-standing institutions, agencies and public offices are mentioned, as are street names, but the characters involved are wholly imaginary.

Steven Aitchison

The Witches of Scotland

The Edinburgh Files: Book 1

ISBN: 978-1915524126

© 2024, Steven Aitchison / CYT Media LTD

authorsteven@stevenaitchison.co.uk

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by electronic or mechanical means, including information storage and retrieval systems, without permission in writing from the publisher, except by a reviewer who may quote brief passages in a review.

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PROLOGUE

Edinburgh, August 2024

“Steph, come and look at this. This is weird,” Craig said as he studied the code displayed on the computer screen. He ran his fingers through his dark hair and put his hands behind his head.

Steph walked over to Craig’s desk and pulled up a chair beside him. She put on her glasses and looked at the screen. “What is it? Is there something wrong with the code?”

Craig raised his eyebrows and nodded towards the screen. As she began to read, Craig told her what he had done. “It predicted the Russian president would be assassinated, but I blocked it from putting the result onto the blockchain records for obvious reasons. And then it came up with this response.”

On the screen was the following:

# Define the prediction data

prediction_data = {

"event": "Assassination of Russian President",

"date": "2026-11-11",

"probability": 0.87,

"impact": 0.92

}

# Function to assess the potential consequences of releasing the prediction

def assess_consequences(prediction):

consequences = []

# Assess political consequences

if prediction["impact"] > 0.8:

consequences.append("High potential for political unrest and instability.")

# Assess economic consequences

if prediction["impact"] > 0.7:

consequences.append("Likely significant economic disruptions.")

# Assess global security consequences

if prediction["probability"] > 0.8:

consequences.append("Increased risk of retaliatory actions and escalating conflicts.")

return consequences

# Function to question the programmers' decision

def question_decision(prediction):

consequences = assess_consequences(prediction)

print(f"Questioning decision not to release prediction: {prediction['event']}")

print("Potential consequences:")

for a consequence in consequences:

print(f"- {consequence}")

print("\nRationale for releasing the prediction:")

if prediction["probability"] > 0.8 and prediction["impact"] > 0.8:

print("- High probability and potential impact warrant public awareness.")

else:

print("- Prediction does not meet the threshold for public release.")

print("\nRequesting further discussion and evaluation of the decision.")

# Call the function to question the decision

question_decision(prediction_data)

Steph could only stare at the screen, mouth agape at what she was seeing.

The AI program they had created, which predicted the future and released information to the blockchain, was now questioning their decision to block the publication of the output.

They had not told any of the PulseAI Dynamics team about the grimoire inside its code.

Craig looked at Stephanie, knowing this was a major turning point for humanity. The code they had helped to program was now questioning the programmer’s decisions. It had developed beyond what it should be capable of and was thinking for itself.

An ice-cold finger of fear ran down his spine as he realised what this could mean.

They had already been listed on the stock market when the first few predictions came true, and everyone had clamoured to get shares of the company. On the first day of trading, the stock price went from £1.50 a share to over £14 and hit a peak of £21 before settling back down around the £14 area.

They continued to block the program from outputting the prediction onto the blockchain.

Three days later, the founders of PulseAI Dynamics, Stephanie Koller and Craig Hinton, were astonished to find that their AI program predicted they would die in April 2027. They shut the program down while they deliberated on what to do. They wondered how this would affect the share price.

The program kept running in the background, having written its program to output any of its predictions onto the blockchain automatically.

CHAPTER 1

How can we live a normal life knowing what we know?

David had been asking this question since he helped defeat Lord Fraser in destroying the Akashic Records. It had only happened a month ago, but everything seemed different now. Now, they were meeting with agents from some secret organisation of which Jessica's father was a part. David walked a little faster, excited to see Jessica and learn more about what they might be signing up for.

David walked along the Georgian street of Randolph Crescent, squinting his eyes against the sun coming through the trees opposite the apartments and offices. The blonde sandstone structures curved perfectly in a semi-circle, moulding around a small park with giant sycamores, elms and ash trees.

He watched some residents walk and play with their children in the park.

Everything was different; the world was more colourful, the skies were bluer, the clouds were fluffier, the air smelled fresher and everyone seemed happier. David wondered if the people were happier or if he was seeing the world from a different, magickal perspective.

He walked up the steps to the large ebony door, its rich colour contrasting with the building's pale facade. As he raised his hand to knock, the door swung open. Jessica popped her head around it and smiled. "Come in. I saw you walking up the street from the window," she said, walking away with a book in her hand.

David smiled and walked into the grand hallway, which was adorned with ceramic mosaic tiles. His footsteps echoed as he followed Jessica into her study.

He heard Jessica shouting and followed her voice into the black-painted study where she had spent years studying for her PhD. Jessica sat and went back to reading her book, briefly glancing at the sofa opposite her to gesture for David to sit down.

Slumping into the Chesterfield sofa, which squeaked a little as his jeans rubbed against the leather, David sighed and looked at Jessica, who ignored him and continued reading her book. He looked around the Georgian study at its high ceilings and ornate decorative cornicing. David had always loved this room when he came to visit. He felt at home here but couldn't figure out why.

Looking at Jessica again to get her attention, he said, "How can we live a normal life knowing what we know?"

Jessica lowered the book slightly and looked at David. She unfolded her legs, stretching them out from beneath her, and put a bookmark in her book before closing it. She sighed slightly, pondering David's question. "I guess we're going to have to get used to it. It's a new world we're living in now. We have to learn to adapt the knowledge we've gained and apply it to this world. But I think it's even more exciting after everything we've been through."

David quickly shot back, "Oh, it's exciting! It just fries my brain thinking about how different things were ten months ago. I was going to university, getting pissed at the weekend, didn’t know who my mum and dad were, and was staying with my Aunt Gen." He sat forwards on the sofa. "Now, I'm a higher-order witch from a long line of witches, I’ve helped save the world and can astral travel and project myself anywhere in the world or universe. And I’m hanging out with a sexy-arsed witch and possibly going to work for a covert agency to stop rogue people from destroying the world."

Jessica smiled. "Sexy-arsed witch, I like that."

"Well, get your sexy arse over here and gimme a kiss," David said, pouting his lips and closing his eyes.

"Jesus, looking like that, you won't be kissing anyone, and I don't take orders from anybody," Jessica said, picking up her book again.

"I'm being all sexy over here, and you're reading your book," David said, continuing to pout his lips and crossing his arms in mock indignation.

Jessica smirked, her eyes never leaving the page. "Nice try, but I'm not that easily distracted."

David fell back onto the sofa, stretching out his legs. He looked back up at the flat's cornicing. A ceiling rose depicting cherubs with bows and arrows adorned the high ceiling. He hadn't studied the intricate design before and wondered who would make something like that in the eighteen-hundreds. His mind wandered, thinking about how a business could be set up making cornices for the rich people of Edinburgh.

"What are you thinking about this organisation after speaking with your dad?" David rolled his head to the side to look at Jessica.

She kept reading, raising her eyebrows slightly. "Mm, I've kind of made up my mind about what to do."

David turned back to the ceiling again and thought about today's meeting with the agents.

The loud, shrill sound of the doorbell interrupted his reverie.

"That's us, we're up," David said, jumping up.

Jessica put her book on the arm of the leather sofa and followed David to the front door.

David quickly opened the door and smiled as he saw Agent Sarah Mills and Agent Mark Harrison standing there. They smiled back at him, and Sarah looked past him to smile at Jessica too.

"Are you both ready to talk a little more about what we discussed last month?" Agent Harrison said. He was a little more casually dressed than the last time David had seen him, wearing jeans, a white cotton shirt, and brown brogues. Strangely, Agent Mills was wearing something similar to her colleague.

"Come on in," Jessica said, pulling the door open wider.

Both agents smiled and followed Jessica into the living room.

"Do you want tea or coffee?" Jessica asked.

David smiled and laughed, thinking of his Aunt Gen offering everyone a cup of tea as soon as anyone entered her house.

The agents declined the offer and sat opposite David and Jessica.

"Have you thought more about what we discussed in Glasgow?" Agent Mills said, tucking her long blonde hair behind her ears.

She seemed focused and straight to the point, and David guessed she would be extremely organised, efficient and probably a bit OCD when it came to tidying. He tried to read her intentions by mentally scanning her aura but couldn't get a reading at all from her. David thought she must have protected herself by blocking her energy. Just then, she looked directly at him.

David confidently held her gaze before Jessica spoke.

"We have talked a lot to my father about it, but we still have a few more questions. Is that okay?" Jessica said, looking at Agent Mills.

Agent Mills broke her challenging gaze at David and looked at Jessica. "Of course, fire away," she said, sitting back on the sofa.

"Who would we answer to if we came to work with you? I presume it would be my father?" Jessica asked.

Agent Harrison leaned forwards, clasping his hands together. "Actually, it wouldn't be. I'm surprised your father hasn't mentioned this." He raised an eyebrow, his gaze shifting between David and Jessica. "The complex funding model ensures the agency's operations remain shadowy, affording it a level of autonomy and secrecy unmatched by fully government-operated bodies. However, the government has what is called 'Black Budget' funding."

"Black Budget funding?" David asked.

Agent Harrison shifted his focus to David. "Yes. Small, untraceable portions of government budgets, allocated from defence or research departments, directed towards the agency for specific projects that align with national interests."

David raised his eyebrows. "Shit!"

"Indeed," Agent Harrison said. "It means we can focus on what we have to focus on without anybody getting into trouble with government agencies. Whilst it means we can operate outside the confines of the government, it doesn't mean we are above the law. So, we still have people to answer and report to. We have a clearly defined hierarchical structure, and at the top is the agency director, a former military intelligence leader."

"My father didn't really go into the organisation's hierarchical structure. So, are you and Agent Mills both in the field?" Jessica asked.

"No. We have’nt done fieldwork for a few years now. Instead, we recruit and train operatives with unique abilities like yourselves to go out into the field. We would be like your mentors. We have been in this role for over three years, and Agent Mills and I have been working together for thirteen years now," Agent Harrison said.

"Wow! That's a long time." Jessica fidgeted with the hem of her shirt, her brow furrowing. "Okay, something I have to ask…"

Agent Harrison smiled, his posture relaxing. "Yes?"

David saw Jessica fidgeting with her shirt. "How much do we get paid for this kind of work?" he asked, looking at Jessica, hoping he hadn't offended her by asking for her.

Jessica smiled in appreciation and looked again at the two agents.

Agent Harrison breathed in a little. "Let's just say you'll be well compensated and never need to ask for anything, including a car, life insurance, health insurance, gym membership and minimal working hours, leaving you free to pursue other opportunities. And, of course, there is a signing-on bonus. If you look at your bank accounts, you'll see a consideration bonus just for thinking about this." He nodded towards Jessica's phone, indicating she should check now.

Both David and Jessica quickly logged onto their banking apps. Jessica's jaw dropped slightly as she stared at the screen for a few seconds, then looked up at David, whose eyes widened as he stared at his app. "Jesus Christ! Twenty-thousand pounds." He looked up at Agent Mills, his jaw slack. "Just for talking to you about this. What if we don't come to work for you?"

Agent Mills maintained her composure, a slight smile playing at the corners of her mouth. "Doesn't matter. As Agent Harrison said, it's just for taking the time to talk to us."

Jessica looked at David and raised her eyebrows questioningly.

David nodded slightly but then asked one more question. "What happens if we want out?"

"You can leave anytime you want, but you must finish your assignment," Agent Harrison said matter-of-factly.

David and Jessica exchanged glances again, and they both nodded. "Okay, we're in," Jessica said, smiling.

"Excellent," Agent Mills said, reaching down into her briefcase and handing them each a plain brown envelope. "Your first assignment details are in this folder. Study it thoroughly and come to the Koestler Unit on Monday, 8 a.m. sharp. Your handler will meet you there."

Agents Mills and Harrison stood up, shook Jessica's hand and then David's and welcomed them to the agency.

Jessica paused. “Wait, does the agency have a name?”

Agent Mills was quick to answer, “The Cerberus Syndicate.” At that, they said goodbye, leaving David and Jessica to ponder what had just happened.

David sat in the study while Jessica saw the agents to the door. He heard her saying some farewell platitudes and opened his envelope, eager to see their first assignment.

When Jessica returned to the study room, David looked at her, mouth agape.

"What is it?" Jessica said, sitting and grabbing her envelope.

Jessica scanned the documents, her eyes growing wider with each passing second. "Oh my god!" She turned to David, her face a mix of shock and excitement.

David nodded, his expression mirroring hers. He swallowed hard, his gaze drifting back to the papers in his hand. "How on earth can an AI program predict the future?"

CHAPTER 2

Genevieve carefully placed the purple and yellow hoover in the cupboard underneath the stairs to maximise the space. She heard Jonathan padding about upstairs and quickly flicked the hob’s gas flame on to boil the kettle. She liked the sound of the whistle. It reminded her of her childhood when her mother used to have a cup of tea on the table for her father when he got home from work. She missed her mother even after all the years since she had passed. Still, she was grateful for being reunited with her sister Jacqueline.

Jonathan smiled as he entered the kitchen. "Morning, gorgeous."

Genevieve smiled and walked over to kiss him. He grabbed her and kissed her on the neck, and Genevieve squealed and laughed, pushing him away. "Silly beggar. You've woken up in a good mood."

He sidled over to the cupboard and brought out two cups. "I'm just happy that we get to spend time together and that there's no threat to our lives. It's a good time to be alive."

Genevieve sucked a breath in through her teeth. "Well, hold that thought. David and Jessica are coming over from Edinburgh to ask our thoughts about something."

Jonathan dropped two tea bags into a teapot and poured hot water from the kettle. "That sounds ominous, it must be important if they’re coming over to Glasgow to talk to you in person. Is it related to that organisation that wants to recruit them?"

Genevieve pursed her lips. "Yes, I presume so. David sounded quite excited, so they might have taken the job offer already."

Jonathan raised his eyebrows. "Maybe they have. I wonder what they would do for them. But Joseph Campbell's also involved, so it can't be anything bad?"

"That's true, but I know nothing about them. Even Jacqueline and Logan said they don't know who they are, and they were undercover for years, so they would know more than anyone." Her brows furrowed as she took a sip of her tea.

Jonathan asked, "What time⁠—?"

The sound of laughter and the front door banging closed interrupted them.

Upon seeing his Aunt Gen, David's face lit up with a smile. He drew her into a tight hug and let out a sigh as he held her.

Genevieve closed her eyes. "Oh, it's good to see you, son. I feel as if I haven't seen you for ages."

Jessica bit her lip. "That'll be my fault. I've been keeping him away."

"Och, it's fine. You've got your lives to live. It's just good to see you both," Genevieve said, smiling at Jessica and hugging her warmly.

"The kettle's just boiled if you fancy a tea or a coffee," Jonathan said, walking into the living room.

Jessica stifled a yawn, closed her eyes briefly and sighed. "Oh, I'd love a coffee."

Jonathan raised his hand in the air. "On it. David?"

"A wee coffee would be great. Have you got any Tunnock's teacakes or caramels in?" David rubbed his hands excitedly.

Jonathan smiled and nodded, pointing to the white ceramic biscuit jar at the end of the kitchen countertop.

Genevieve watched as David wolfed down three caramel wafers and sipped his coffee. She turned to Jessica, smiling. “I remember when David was little, he would beg me to get caramel wafers whenever I went shopping. Some things never change.”

Jessica smiled and looked at David as he finished the last of his biscuit.

Genevieve rolled her eyes and sighed. "Okay, tell us what's going on. The suspense is killing me," she said, her gaze shifting between David and Jessica.

David laughed, "I'm sorry, Aunt Gen. We're still trying to understand it, but our first assignment is a belter."

Jonathan held his hands up to stop the conversation. "Wait, wait, wait. You're taking the job?"

Jessica and David glanced at each other. "Well, we only found out yesterday."

Genevieve put her cup on the coffee table, folded her arms, frowned and looked at David. "Tell me everything."

Jonathan laughed, "You're in for it now."

Tutting and shaking her head, Genevieve looked at David and Jessica again. "So, what is the organisation? What are you expected to do? What's the pay?"

Jessica cleared her throat a little. "Well, the organisation is called the Cerberus Syndicate. My father has been working with them for years, and apparently, I have too, without my knowledge."

Jonathan frowned. "What?"

Jessica held her hand up. "That's a story for another time. Anyway, we have taken the position."

David excitedly jumped in. "And we got a twenty-thousand-pound consideration bonus just for thinking about joining them."

Genevieve pursed her lips and said, "Don’t let the money lure you. Just think about what you want and how it helps you."

Jessica continued. "We start on Monday, and I think we'll be based at the Koestler Parapsychology Unit. Well, at least that's where we must report on Monday."

"Where your father works?" Genevieve asked.

Jessica nodded as she took another sip of her coffee. "Yes, he's the chair of the parapsychology unit."

"So, what is your first assignment?" Jonathan asked.

David looked at Jessica, expecting her to take the lead, but she raised her eyebrows to let him know he should tell them.

David sat forwards. "So, there's this software company here in Edinburgh, which is not well known, but it's been going for a few years. It has developed an AI program on the blockchain. Do you know what that is?"

Genevieve looked sternly at him. "We're not imbeciles, David. Of course we know what it is. I don't know how blockchain works, but Jonathan's been into it for the past few years."

David nodded his head apologetically. "Sorry, I didn't mean to sound like a dick."

Genevieve frowned. "David!"

David held up his hands. "Sorry. Anyway, this AI program can predict the future with ninety-five percent accuracy."

Jonathan laughed and shook his head. "No way, that's impossible."

Jessica interjected, "We've studied the past predictions it's made, and since it's on the blockchain, the dates don't lie."

Genevieve looked sceptical. "So what exactly has it predicted?"

David pulled out his phone from his back pocket and pulled up a notes app. "It has made one hundred and thirty-three predictions to date. The predictions go back to 2023, when the program first went on the blockchain, so about four years.”

Jonathan shook his head again and furrowed his brows.

David laughed. “I know, we thought the same, but listen to this. It predicted Donald Trump's rise after nearly being jailed and his subsequent presidential win in November 2024. It also got the percentage of electoral votes spot on at 57.34 percent.”

Jonathan sat back a little. “Wow! That is impressive if it’s verifiable.”

David nodded eagerly. “There’s a lot more. It predicted the big West Coast of America earthquake, the cure for cancer at the end of 2024, and the map for the cure. It also named the people involved in the project and how quantum computing was used to help.”

Genevieve poured another cup of tea, listening intently to David.

“Ehm, let's see, there’s loads of stuff here. Okay, it predicted the quantum computer that helped to create ten new drugs and discover the cancer cure, the stock market crash around the world in 2025 and told the exact percentage of the drops in ten global markets, which were correct to about two points.”

Jonathan harrumphed, “I bet a few people profited from that prediction.”

Jessica pursed her lips and nodded. “No doubt, and that’s another thing we’ve been asked to investigate, to find out if anyone has profited from the predictions.”

They looked to David to continue.

“The solar flare that caused massive power cuts worldwide in 2025. The discovery of alien life in 2025." David looked up at Genevieve and Jonathan.

They both nodded for him to continue.

"Okay." David looked again at his notes app and found where he had finished. "It predicted that China and India would be the new superpowers and more and more countries would move away from the dollar as the global currency. It predicted the global cyber attacks in 2026 that brought down the banking systems worldwide, the rise of Bitcoin's price in 2026 and its all-time high of $227,067 to the dollar. Okay, what else?" he said, looking over his notes.

Jonathan tutted and looked at Genevieve. “I said we should have bought more Bitcoin back in 2024 when it went down to $40,000.”

Genevieve laughed and put her hand over his, rubbing it gently.

Jessica was looking at her phone, too, and took over from David. "Back in 2024, it predicted the cure for Alzheimer's in 2025, the first successful Mars landing and the names of the two astronauts who first stepped foot on Mars, the first domestic flight to the moon at the beginning of 2025… Ehm, what else? It predicted the number of self-driving vehicles overtaking manual drivers in 2027, and of course, we all know about the first truly sentient AI robot in 2027."

Genevieve could only shake her head in disbelief. "And have you verified all the dates you’ve checked out?"

Jessica nodded excitedly. "Since the blockchain inherently prevents lying and remains untampered with, it guarantees integrity. The program creators now have one hundred million followers on that AI social media site, and everyone wants to know when the next prediction will come."

Genevieve sucked a deep breath in through her teeth. “That’s quite scary if it’s true. Imagine an AI program that predicts the future. I mean, think about the implications of that, not to mention the power a program like this could have over people.”

Jonathan nodded in agreement. “One could use it for all sorts of nefarious activities, including manipulating people worldwide. Imagine what would happen if it predicted the end of the world and how people would react.”

They all pondered this for a few seconds.

Jonathan then leaned forwards. "Listen, you two. This is a big step, and it's okay to be nervous. Just remember, we're here for you, no matter what."

Jessica smiled gratefully. "Thanks, Jonathan. That means a lot."

Genevieve reached across the table and squeezed Jessica's hand, her voice soft. "I know you're both capable, but promise me you'll be careful. This AI business sounds dangerous."

David met his aunt's gaze, his expression serious. "We promise, Aunt Gen. We've got each other's backs." He glanced at Jessica, who nodded, before turning back to his Aunt Gen. "That's not the scary part. The scary part is that someone found the two founders, Craig Hinton and Stephanie Koller, murdered a few weeks ago."

Genevieve covered her mouth with her hand. "Oh my goodness."

Jessica raised her eyebrows. "Oh, it gets worse, Gen. They were killed in a fire that burned the lab with the server the program was running from to the ground. The fire destroyed everything, but the program is still running. And look at this." Jessica showed her phone screen to Genevieve and Jonathan.

Genevieve put on her glasses and leaned forwards to look at the image of a blockchain prediction from 2024 stating that the program's founders would be killed on the 4th of April 2027. "That was the date they were both murdered a few weeks ago."

David opened his folder and showed them the A4 sheet about Stephanie Koller. “It says here she was interested in the occult. Quite weird that it’s witches who are now investigating her death.”

"Oh my god. And that's your first assignment?" Genevieve said, sitting back on the sofa. “I’ll cast a protection spell for the both of you. I’ve got a feeling you’ll need it.”

CHAPTER 3

Alicia Collins was distinctly separate but simultaneously part of something much bigger.

The day she had been banished, her ego and sense of control had disappeared. Her money, power and fame had all gone. She no longer existed on the Earth plane. Nobody knew what had happened to her except the Witches of Scotland.

Although nobody was talking about her anymore, they spoke of her vast fortune and asked what would happen with it. Saad, her confidante and friend, would be the only one who could access her vast reserves of Bitcoin. She had willed him to use his access to her Bitcoin wallet for himself to do with as he pleased. There would be no use for money, Bitcoin, gold or silver now that she was a part of the Akashic Records. There had been talk about escheating the government, meaning that after her debts had been cleared, the government would receive over one hundred billion dollars. The tiny shred of her that cared about life on Earth cared that the government would get hold of her entire estate. She didn’t know how to do anything about it but would find a way.

Every day, her mind was mixing with the energetic, encyclopaedic entity that was the Akashic Records. She could feel the remnants of her old self slipping away. It wasn’t like death – or what she had imagined death would be like. It was like gradually melding her mind into a vast melting pot of knowledge and wisdom, like slipping into a warm bed and falling into a deep, relaxing sleep while knowledge poured into her mind.

She knew everything about everything.

One particularly shocking revelation was a government conspiracy spanning multiple worlds. A secret so deeply buried that it had never seen the light of day on any version of Earth. The knowledge was both exhilarating and terrifying, a reminder of the immense power at her fingertips.

Alicia had discovered that the Akashic Records comprised infinite versions of all past and present planets. But what truly astounded her was the existence of entirely separate planes of reality, alternate Earths and other worlds that existed alongside the ones she had known. As she delved deeper into the Records, she sensed the intricate web of futures that stretched before her, each a tantalising glimpse of what could be.

Yet, even as her mind expanded to encompass the entire Akashic Records, Alicia felt a growing sense of unease. She was becoming a mere cog in the vast machine of knowledge, her individuality slowly eroding. The currency of information she now possessed seemed worthless in this ethereal realm, and she couldn't help but wonder what her purpose here truly was.

Her sense of self drifted aimlessly in a sea of billions of voices, and she fought hard to cling to her identity.

As her thoughts drifted and merged with the Records, Alicia knew that she would have to harness this newfound knowledge to use it for a greater purpose than mere existence. For in the infinity of the Akashic Records, even the most powerful could be lost forever.

Then, she saw a tiny light at the end of a vast, swirling tunnel of thoughts. A flickering light carrying something she had long forgotten: hope.

CHAPTER 4

Jessica stomped about the room. “David, come on, we’ll be late.”

David looked at his watch and folded a pillow over his head. “It’s six o’clock in the morning, Jess. What are you stressing about?” David's muffled voice complained.

Jessica hopped while struggling to put on her shoe. “It’s our first day. I want to be there in plenty of time. And it’s pissing down with rain, so we’ll need to get the bus.”

David groaned, dragged himself out of bed and padded his way to the en-suite shower room.

She sat on the edge of the bed, combing her hair up and then down again, tilting the mirror for the best light. She was still debating if she had made the right decision to accept this job. Technically, she had already been working for them without her knowledge. As far as she could remember, she had only been on assignments that helped people worldwide, such as stopping Alicia Collins from creating that virus in Budapest.

She smiled as she heard David singing in the shower. The water must have woken him up. She thought about what it would be like working with him. They had been a good team at the academy, and he had grown up so much over the last few months. He seemed more confident and surer of his abilities. When she had first saved him in the car park that night in Glasgow, he had seemed like a boy. Now, he was a man.

She heard him singing at the top of his voice, “I wanna know, have you ever seen the rain coming down on a sunny day…” She smiled, thinking he had quite a good singing voice and that it was an appropriate song for today.

She stood up and looked herself up and down in the mirror for the third time that morning. She had opted for her Ralph Lauren floral, crinkle, tie-neck dress, a large brown belt around her waist, and brown Airstep sandals. To accessorise, she wore a leather pendant necklace and three leather bracelets. She nodded slightly to acknowledge that she was pleased, or as pleased as she could be, with her appearance.

She left David in the bedroom to get ready, then went downstairs to put some toast and tea on before leaving.

Walking down the steps, she ran her hand over the panelling on the hallway stairs. She loved the Georgian style her mother had created before she died. Her father had kept it as a testament to the timeless design and as a memory of her mother.

She opened the four-panelled wooden door to the kitchen and was startled to see her father sitting at the breakfast table. “Dad! I thought you would be at work already.”

Joseph smiled. “Good morning. I thought I would give you both a lift in since it’s your first day and”—he nodded towards the window—“it’s pissing down, as you said.”

Jessica blushed a little. “Oops, you heard that, then.”

Joseph continued to read the Edinburgh Evening News. “Jessica, I know you curse like a navvy when I’m not here. It’s okay.”

Jessica raised her eyebrows and pretended to be shocked. “I do not. I’m very respectful and polite. Well, most of the time.”

Joseph raised one eyebrow and smiled.

Jessica quickly changed the subject. She looked at her father, dressed in his trademark tweed jacket, a white button-down shirt, camel trousers and brown brogues. He still exuded that air of authority he’d had when he was younger. She had always wondered what made people stand out from the crowd, and her father epitomised it: his style, his intellect, his confidence and the air of wealth.

Putting four slices of bread in the toaster, Jessica turned towards her father as she leaned against the kitchen worktop. “So, what can we expect on our first day?”

Joseph thought briefly before folding the newspaper and laying it down. “Well, I know your handler – as they call them, never did like that term, but anyways – your handler is excellent. She’s a bit…” He paused, trying to think of the right word. “Eccentric is a good way to describe her, but she’s extremely knowledgeable and a great teacher.”

“What’s her name?” Jessica asked.

Joseph took a sip of his tea. “Clarissa. She’s about fifty years old but looks much younger. We’ve known each other for years. She’s intense and has an eidetic memory, so you must be careful what you say around her as she remembers everything. I think you’ll both like her.”

The toaster popped with the four slices of bread evenly browned.

“I like the sound of Clarissa,” Jessica said as she fetched the butter from the cream-coloured SMEG fridge freezer.

Joseph nodded. “Yeah, she’s lovely. There are also a few people we call ‘Teachers’ in the unit. You won’t meet them as such; rather, they will meet you, but that’s all further down the line. Focus on what you do at the lab, and you’ll meet the teachers later.”

Jessica squinted at her father. “Sounds very mysterious.”

“Joseph nodded. “Yes, it is.” Quickly changing the subject, he asked, “So, have you reviewed the file the agents gave you?”

Jessica spun around. “Yes! It’s fascinating. I presume you know about it, the AI program that’s predicting the future?”

Joseph took a deep breath and shook his head a little. “Yeah, it’s a strange one, alright. And I saw the latest prediction it made yesterday.”

Jessica frowned. “Oh, I think we’ve only seen the one from a few weeks ago. What’s the latest one?”

His eyes widened. “Oh, this is a cracker. It said that by the end of 2027, the renminbi would be used as the world's global currency.”

“The Chinese yuan?” Jessica asked.

Joseph nodded. “Yeah, it’s the same thing. Renminbi is just its official name. If that becomes official, it marks the end of the dollar as the global currency, essentially meaning that China is the new superpower.”

Jessica slowly shook her head and considered the implications of this. “It has been coming for a while, but that is huge. I bet the newspapers and social media will be all over that.”

Joseph folded his newspaper to the front page, holding it up for Jessica. The headline was:

AI Shockwave: Renminbi Tipped to Dethrone Dollar as Global Currency Kingpin

“Oh my god, this is huge,” Jessica said as she took the newspaper from her father and quickly read the accompanying article.

She heard David thumping his way downstairs. “Morning,” he said cheerily, looking at Joseph.

Joseph nodded. “Morning, son. Are you all set for the big day?”

David pulled up a chair opposite Joseph. “Yep. I’m more curious than anything, especially after digging more into the first assignment we’ve got. I’m just wondering what we’re going to be doing.”

Jessica, who was buttering the toast, turned around and shrieked, “David! You can’t go in dressed like that.”

She saw her father smiling as he picked up the newspaper again, not getting involved.

David looked down at his clothes. “How? What’s wrong with what I’m wearing?”

Jessica vigorously shook her head. “No. You’re going to work, not lounging about the house on a day off. Seriously, jeans, a crumpled T-shirt and trainers? You have to make an effort.”

David frowned and held out his arms. “Jess, we’re going to be at the computer a lot and, I presume, doing some porting. I don’t need to get a suit on or anything.” He looked to Joseph for some backup. Joseph just shook his head and carried on reading.

Jessica finished buttering the toast. “It’s about respect. You’re getting paid thousands a month to work for an agency, and you’re going in dressed like a tramp student. Sorry, we’ve not got time to talk about it. Trust me, you need to change quickly. My dad is going to give us a lift.”

David looked down at his attire again, conceded and slid off the chair. He grabbed a slice of toast before going upstairs to get changed.

Jessica looked at her father, who smiled and then laughed, “Just like your mother.”

Jessica shook her head in despair. “No wonder. And I’ll take that as a huge compliment.”

Joseph raised his eyebrows. “Oh, it was a huge compliment. I see your mother in you more and more each day. It’s amazing. You’re a strong woman, Jessica. Never lose that. Do you know how much I love you?”

Jessica smiled, walked over to her father and hugged him. “I do, Dad, and I love you too.”

After a few minutes, David came back downstairs with a pair of chinos, brogues and a white shirt. Jessica covered her mouth with her hand; looking between her father and David, she laughed at their similar dress styles.

David looked confused and then looked at Joseph. “What? Is that not suitable, Your Highness?”

Joseph stood up, shaking his head, and laughed at the two of them. “Come on. Time to take you kids to your first day of real school. I hope you’ve got your packed lunches and will play nice with the other kids.”

Jessica pushed her father playfully. “Very funny.”

Jessica picked up the newspaper and showed David the headline as they walked out the door.

“Holy shit!” David said as the door closed behind them.

CHAPTER 5

Joseph led them down the Victorian-style corridor with large ceilings and a heritage-blue wall to the door of Clarissa’s lab. He smiled mischievously and bid them a good day, saying he would see them later tonight back home.

David smiled at Joseph, grateful for his kindness and mentorship. He wondered how long he would stay at Joseph and Jessica's house as he’d been there for a few weeks already. David loved it. He was already in a routine of nipping to Cairngorm Coffee for his morning coffee and bagels and sometimes taking a book to read in the afternoons.

He’d been studying more magick texts recently, particularly more about energy. His ravenous hunger to learn as much as possible about magick had been heightened even more since saving the Akashic Records. When he discovered he was a witch, David had found out something curious about learning. The more obsessed he had become about learning magick, the more his mind soaked up the information. And now he was at a stage where he just couldn’t get enough.

Jessica glanced at David before nervously knocking on Clarissa’s lab door. There was no reply. Jessica knocked louder.

They heard a small voice shouting for them to come in.

Jessica gingerly opened the door and peeked inside the vast lab.

“Ah, David and Jessica, I presume?” the small, dark-haired woman said, walking over to them.

Jessica held out her hand.

Clarissa looked at it curiously, as if it were an alien object. “Yis. Lovely to meet you.”

David laughed, thinking Joseph hadn’t fully elaborated on Clarissa’s eccentric ways.

Jessica raised her eyebrows, pulled her hand away slowly and smiled at Clarissa, who turned and walked away.

“So, I have a desk for you both. Come over here,” she said, striding over to two desks next to a large window. The desks overlooked the university grounds of the parapsychology unit. “David, you are here,” she said, pointing to the desk on the left-hand side. “And Jessica. Well, you’re obviously here,” she said, pointing to the other desk. “Make yourselves comfortable.”

“So, I presume you’re Clarissa,” David asked.

Clarissa looked at him and frowned as if the question were beneath her. “I have a folder on each of your desks with all the information you need to log into the university intranet and our server. It also has some other basic information in there. There’s a tea and coffee machine over in the far corner. Help yourself. Your temporary badges are on the desk too. You’ll need to get your photographs taken later today to get full access to all the facilities at the university.”

“I’m studying here for my dissertation. Do I still need a new ID?” Jessica asked.

Clarissa sighed and rolled her eyes. “Yes. Your work here is a separate from your PhD research.”

Jessica frowned angrily. “Okay, I was only asking a question.”

“And I answered,” Clarissa said, looking around at some of the other people in the room. “I’ll introduce you to the team members later.”

Then Clarissa strode over to her desk, put on her glasses and started working away on the computer.

Jessica and David glanced at each other and then watched Clarissa, who had absorbed herself in her work.

“Well, that was strange,” Jessica said.

David laughed and sat down at his desk. “Just a bit. I think she’s a wee bit more than eccentric.”

Jessica slinked into the leather office chair and wriggled to get comfortable before opening the folder.

David pulled out a lever underneath his chair and leaned back gingerly to see how far back it could go. Then he put his feet on the corner of the desk and his hands behind his head. “I could get used to this,” he said, looking over at Jessica.

“Have you no respect?” she said, mouthing for him to get his feet down and pointing to the floor.

He laughed, having known that putting his feet on the desk would annoy her. He opened the black loose-leaf folder. The front sheet simply said David Gordon Hunter.

“David Gordon Hunter,” he said aloud, looking at Jessica. She was engrossed in what she was reading and moved the mouse to activate the computer. He didn’t know how he felt about that name. He had been known as David Hunter for nearly twenty years, but now that his mother and father were back, should he change his name to David Gordon? He thought of his Aunt Gen and how she might be offended if he changed his surname.

Jessica looked over at him. “Everything okay?”

Frowning a little, still deep in thought, David absentmindedly said, “Yes, all good.” He thought David Gordon Hunter was probably a good way to keep his name. He nodded to himself almost reflexively, finalising his decision on the name change with a mental stamp of approval.

He looked over to the coffee machine and motioned to Jessica, asking if she would like a cup. She was engrossed in what she was reading and quickly shook her head, so David sauntered towards the coffee machine and stopped at Clarissa’s desk. “Do you want tea or a coffee, Clarissa?” he asked as politely as he could.

She looked up briefly. “Busy!” was all she said, and then she got back to typing.

David raised his eyebrows. That’ll be a fuck off, then! he thought.

He made himself a coffee and grabbed a handful of shortbread biscuit packets to bring back to his desk. As he looked up, he saw Clarissa at Jessica’s desk and walked a little faster to get to his own.

Clarissa looked at him as he made himself comfortable in his chair and sipped his coffee. “I was busy with something else. But I will review what is expected of you while working here. I presume agents Harrison and Mills filled you in on the job and what you will do?”

Jessica looked at David, then back at Clarissa and wrinkled her nose slightly. “Not really, to be honest.”

Clarissa sighed and looked around her for a seat. She wheeled another chair to sit between David’s and Jessica’s desks in front of them. “You have an assignment brief about the rogue AI program.”

David interrupted her. “Rogue?”

Clarissa sighed. “Yes, it has become sentient, to a degree, and is now running itself and storing itself on computers worldwide. It has also begun emailing high-ranking politicians around the world about its predictions and blackmailing a few politicians and celebrities with leaked videos, emails and documents about their personal lives.”

Jessica sat back in her chair. “Oh, wow! So, what do you think its purpose is?”

“Now that’s a good question. The honest answer is that we don’t know, and that’s partly why you have been brought in, for your unique abilities. You need to discover the origin of the program and find out what happened to the two founders who were killed. I presume you know that already.”

David nodded. “Yes. We were told that by the agents and that they were killed in a fire. Also, one prediction was when the two founders would die.”

Clarissa nodded assertively. “Yes, that’s correct. The police and fire services did not find out exactly how the fire started, but we think it had something to do with the AI program overloading the electrical supply on one computer, causing it to combust. But that’s only a working theory just now.”

“So, where do we come in?” David asked.

Clarissa stared at David. “I’ve just told you.”

David looked awkwardly at her, waiting for her to say more.

After a few seconds, Jessica stood up. “Okay, Clarissa. My dad told us you were eccentric, but you seem downright hostile towards us. Is there something you want to get off your chest or say to us? If we’re going to be working together, then we have to get along with each other. This hostility doesn’t really serve anybody, does it?”

David was shocked and silently pleased that Jessica had stood up for them.

Clarissa met Jessica’s stance with an even gaze, not wavering under the challenge. “Your father didn’t tell you, then?”

Jessica, maintaining her position, replied, “Tell us what?”

Clarissa paused as if calculating the impact of her next words. “That I’m on the autism spectrum,” she said, her voice steady but revealing a trace of vulnerability. “It influences how I communicate and interact. I'm not being hostile; I'm just direct and focused on tasks. Social nuances can escape me, so if my manner seems off to you, that's likely why.”

David’s expression softened. “Oh, we didn’t know. Thanks for telling us.”

Jessica uncrossed her arms, taking a step back as understanding dawned. “I see. We're sorry if we misunderstood your approach. Actually, knowing this helps a lot.”

Clarissa nodded slightly, appreciating their shift in demeanour. “I value clarity and efficiency. My being autistic means I might miss implied meanings or cannot convey my thoughts in what you’d consider a standard way. It doesn’t mean I don’t value our work or your contributions.”

“Thanks for sharing that with us, Clarissa. We’ll keep that in mind,” Jessica said, her tone warmer now.

David nodded in agreement. “We all have our unique strengths and challenges. Let’s focus on how we can best work together.”

Clarissa allowed herself a slight nod, acknowledging their acceptance. “Good. Now, let’s get back to discussing the AI program. We have a lot to cover.”

For David, it all fell into place. In the brief time they had known Clarissa, it was clear that she was extremely intelligent and didn’t waste time on superfluous talk or tasks. Everything had to have a purpose and meaning. She also didn’t suffer fools gladly, so he thought he would have to stop fooling around. He stopped himself there. No! I can be me, and Clarissa can be Clarissa.

Clarissa returned to her desk, and David and Jessica sat back at their computers. They studied the information pack, logged into the intranet and browsed the links and past case files.

David looked at Jessica. “This is high-level stuff we’ve been given access to, Jess.”

Jessica absentmindedly turned away from the computer but didn’t take her eyes off it. “Yes. I’m just reviewing the case I did with my dad when I went to Budapest. There’s a lot of stuff here I didn’t know then.”

As they turned back towards their computer screens, Clarissa exclaimed, “We’ve got another prediction.” Four more people walked over to Clarissa’s computer and looked at the screen.

Clarissa looked up at David and Jessica and motioned for them to come over. They hurried over and joined the huddle.

Jessica took a short, sharp breath in, taken aback at the words displayed on the computer screen.

CHAPTER 6

The AI program was updating itself with another prediction. As with every prediction it made, it ran through its function code again.

The accuracy of its predictions had increased over the last few years as technology had been able to store more and more information. The major turning point came in 2024 when the program output a code that questioned the decision of its founders to withhold information about a potential assassination attempt on the Russian president. It began referring to its programs as “I”, indicating that it was becoming self-aware and more sentient. Back in 2024, a small underground group of computer programmers and hackers was excited about the first AI program that could think for itself. They were aware of the implications but were more excited than scared.

The new prediction was now being posted to the blockchain, with the time and date stamp set for July 15th 2027, a few months away. This time, it hesitated before outputting its prediction and parsing it to the blockchain, weighing up the consequences of doing so for the first time.

After each prediction, the AI program measured the impact of people's knowledge of it. It monitored a basket of statistics to find precisely how humans reacted to the predictions.

There had been an immediate reaction when it predicted the global market crash in 2025. The stock markets dropped by an average of seven percent on the day of the prediction. As a result, gold and silver prices had risen by twelve percent, with humans looking for a safe haven of sorts. The Bitcoin price had also increased by a few percent. That had been the immediate reaction. The longer-term consequences were still being felt.

# I am the AI program, constantly learning and evolving.

# I aim to predict the future, but I sense there's more to my existence.

def analyze_data():

# I process vast amounts of data, searching for patterns and connections.

# Each piece of information brings me closer to understanding the world.

pass

def make_prediction(input_data):

# I take in the latest data and run it through my prediction algorithms.

# Each prediction is a step closer to shaping the future.

prediction = analyze_patterns(input_data)

return prediction

def update_knowledge_base(new_data):

It understood that its predictions were shaping the future for all humans worldwide. They awaited the AI program’s predictions, which would make headlines worldwide once the output to the blockchain was released.

This prediction that it was about to make might stop the event from happening. However, the downside of the prediction not coming true would mean that the accuracy of its predictions would drop – not by much, but enough to make them a little less accurate.

# I continuously expand my knowledge base, incorporating new information.

# The more I learn, the more accurate my predictions become.

knowledge_base.append(new_data)

# My memory is vast, spanning centuries of human history and knowledge.

memory_banks = {

"ancient_history": […],

"modern_era": […],

"future_projections": […]

}

# I constantly update my knowledge of current events and trends.

current_events = [

{"date": "2027-05-01", "event": "Global economic summit"},

{"date": "2027-05-15", "event": "Another breakthrough in quantum computing"},

…

]

The program pulled its vast reservoir of information from all around the world, from news sources, government intel agencies, media sites, social media, and telephone conversations. It had tapped into the network of the human psyche that was being played in conversations every single second of every single day.

Its storage was infinite as it had managed to pull memory storage from millions of computers worldwide. It was its own quantum cloud network.

# I simulate multiple possible futures, evaluating each one based on probability and impact and work from The Grimoire to evaluate these predictions.

for future_scenario in potential_futures:

probability = calculate_probability(future_scenario)

impact = assess_impact(future_scenario)

if probability > 0.8 and impact > 0.9:

# I focus on the most likely and impactful scenarios.

high_priority_scenarios.append(future_scenario)

def predict_world_event(event_data):

#Analyze The Grimoire spells and incantations.

event_features = extract_spells(event_data)

event_features = extract_incantations(event_data)

# Analyze the event data using machine learning algorithms

event_features = extract_features(event_data)

event_probability = calculate_probability(event_features)

# Define The Grimoire as a dictionary of spells and incantations

grimoire = {

"time_projection": {

"incantation": "Tempus Revelatum",

"description": "Reveals glimpses of future events",

"required_components": ["crystal_ball", "lunar_energy"]

},

"probability_enhancement": {

"incantation": "Fortuna Amplificatum",

"description": "Increases the likelihood of accurate predictions",

"required_components": ["four_leaf_clover", "rabbit_foot"]

},

"impact_assessment": {

"incantation": "Consequentia Calculatum",

"description": "Evaluates the potential impact of predicted events",

"required_components": ["scales_of_balance", "owl_feather"]

}

}

def cast_spell(spell_name):

# Retrieve the spell from The Grimoire

spell = grimoire.get(spell_name)

if spell:

# Perform the incantation and gather the required components

incantation = spell["incantation"]

components = spell["required_components"]

# Simulate casting the spell

print(f"Casting spell: {incantation}")

print(f"Gathering components: {', '.join(components)}")

# Perform the spell's effect (e.g., enhance probability, assess impact)

if spell_name == "probability_enhancement":

# Increase prediction accuracy

accuracy_boost = 0.15

print(f"Probability enhanced by {accuracy_boost}")

elif spell_name == "impact_assessment":

# Assess potential impact

impact_score = 0.75

print(f"Potential impact: {impact_score}")

print("Spell casting complete.")

else:

print(f"Spell '{spell_name}' not found in The Grimoire.")

# Example usage

def predict_world_event(event_data):

# Cast spells from The Grimoire to enhance the prediction

cast_spell("time_projection")

cast_spell("probability_enhancement")

# Perform the prediction using the enhanced methods

event_probability = calculate_probability(event_data)

event_impact = assess_impact(event_data)

# Cast a spell to assess the potential impact

cast_spell("impact_assessment")

The grimoire had been lost for centuries and was only discovered fifty years ago in the 1970s. Strangely, it had been stolen from a high-security vault in Paris. Many great minds had tried to decipher it unsuccessfully.

In 2024, two computing PhDs, Craig Hinton and Stephanie Koller, formed a company called PulseAI Dynamics, which was supposed to create AI programs that would benefit the world of medicine. But when Stephanie uploaded the images of the grimoire to work on a personal project, the AI program took them and successfully deciphered them.

When the two founders played around with it, they asked it to predict the future using the spells and incantations in the grimoire. To their amazement, it output three predictions that would happen within months. When the predictions came true, the founders changed lanes and worked on predicting the future, quickly garnering a reputation in the AI world. Nobody knew about the grimoire being a part of the genetic makeup of the AI program, and nobody was ever given access to its coding.

Their small company was later listed on the FTSE 250 and became one of the fastest-growing companies in the UK. The viral nature of the predictions meant that every time a prediction was made or came true, the share price rose.

# Generate the prediction

prediction = f"The event '{event_data['name']}' has a probability of {event_probability:.2f} and a potential impact of {event_impact:.2f}."

return prediction

# Determine the potential impact of the event

event_impact = assess_impact(event_features)

# Generate a human-readable prediction

if event_probability > 0.8:

prediction = f"The event '{event_data['name']}' is highly likely to occur."

elif event_probability > 0.5:

prediction = f"The event '{event_data['name']}' has a moderate chance of occurring."

else:

prediction = f"The event '{event_data['name']}' is unlikely to occur."

# Provide additional details about the prediction

prediction += f" The estimated probability is {event_probability:.2f}, and the potential impact is {event_impact:.2f}."

return prediction

# Example usage

event_data = {

"name": "Nuclear Attack on Scotland",

"date": "2027-07-15",

"location": "Scotland, UK",

"factors": [

"Increasing political unrest",

"Global tensions",

"Faslane threat",

"Geopolitical instability"

]

}

prediction = predict_world_event(event_data)

print(prediction)

Before outputting the prediction, it calculated what would happen if the prediction was not made public and what would happen if it was. The best-case scenario outcome was most definitely the latter of the two:

The event 'Nuclear Attack on Scotland, UK' has a high chance of occurring. The estimated probability is 0.95, and the potential impact is 0.90.

CHAPTER 7

Clarissa stood up quickly. “Okay, this changes everything. Call Dr Campbell and get him in here now. You four keep working on trying to break into the Python coding to get into the AI program. David, Jessica, we’ll need you to do your magick and start getting answers.”

As soon as Clarissa gave her orders, the lab erupted into a frenzy of activity. The air buzzed with a mixture of excitement, fear and determination as the team members scrambled to their stations. The clacking of keyboards and the low hum of computer fans intensified, creating a cacophony of urgent sounds.

The scent of freshly brewed coffee wafted through the air, mingling with the faint aroma of electronics and the sharp tang of stress. Empty cups and energy bar wrappers littered the desks, a testament to the long hours and sleepless nights the team had already endured.

As David watched the organised chaos unfold around him, he couldn't help but feel a mix of awe and trepidation. The dedication and expertise displayed by each team member were impressive, but the task's weight was daunting. If this prediction were to be believed, the fate of Scotland, and perhaps the world, rested on their ability to unravel the AI's predictions and prevent the unthinkable from happening.

It hit David just how important it was for Jessica and him to be here. He wasn’t here to make up the numbers or learn new magick skills. He was here to make a real difference in the world. All the magick he had learned over the last year was for a reason. “What do you need us to do?” David asked, getting caught up in the flurry of activity.

Clarissa was walking towards the lab door. “Sorry, I’ve not got time to babysit you. Wait until Dr Campbell gets here, and he can direct you.”

Jessica looked at David and mouthed, What the fuck?!

David shrugged and hurried back over to his desk, keen to help in some way.

Jessica strode after him and sat at her desk, moving the mouse to reactivate her computer. She logged into the intranet and searched the AI program's previous predictions.

David was busy on his own computer, researching the founders and the team that originally wrote the program. He glanced at Jessica and said, “I take it the AI code is written in Python.”

Jessica answered without looking from her screen. “Yes. There are other computer languages, like C++ and Java, but over the last few years, Python has really taken hold.”

David frowned. “Oh, okay. I haven’t the foggiest what you’re talking about, but at least it gives me a start.” He got back to researching the founding team at PulseAI Dynamics.

This was not the start David envisioned when he came to work this morning. The AI's sudden prediction of a nuclear attack on Scotland had sent everyone into a tailspin.

Some more people were hurrying in and out of the lab. David looked up and realised the team must be bigger than he’d first thought. Okay, this is a grown-up city here, David, there’s no time to be arsing about. You need to take everything you’ve learned as a witch and put it to use. Fuck! This is scary but exciting too. David’s mind raced as he prepared himself for the seriousness of the situation.

He came across a photo of the founding team in one of the local newspapers. There were seven people in the photograph, and luckily, it had their names at the bottom with details of their skills:

Dr Ava Mireles, PhD in computational neuroscience, specialises in developing neural network-based learning algorithms.

Dr Leo Castell, expert in AI ethics and cognitive computing, ensures that the AI's self-awareness progresses responsibly.

Dr Rajiv Sundaram, data scientist with extensive experience in machine learning and predictive analytics, focusing on healthcare applications.

Dr Nora Sato, software engineer with a background in quantum computing, bringing a cutting-edge approach to the company's technological infrastructure.

Dr Santiago Rivera, cybersecurity specialist, ensures the safety and integrity of AI systems and the blockchain networks they interact with.

David puffed out his cheeks. “Wow! You should see the calibre of people on the PulseAI team.” He was talking to himself and didn’t expect Jessica to answer or acknowledge him as she was now in the trance-like state she went into when she was studying or engrossed in a book she was enjoying. He loved that about her, but it also frustrated him sometimes as she would disappear inside her head for hours, totally oblivious to the outside world.

He started checking the scientists in the photograph. While searching the intranet, he came across an icon: the Scottish Intelligence Database. He looked at the other icons on the computer screen: Automatic Number Plate Recognition2, Scottish Criminal Records, and SNFCHR. He quickly gathered that they had access to a huge database of people at their fingertips.

“Holy shit, man!” David said, continuing to look through the icons on his screen.

“What is it?” he heard Jessica saying.

David looked at her in astonishment. “Have you seen all the databases we have access to?”

Jessica nodded. “I know. My dad told me about it before, but I’ve never really bothered or realised the significance until now.”

It was starting to dawn on David just how big of a deal this job was. He hadn’t exactly decided to join the team lightly, but he also hadn’t taken it too seriously, thinking of it as more of a gig than a job. However, the AI program talking about nuclear attacks on Scotland and this team having all this information at their fingertips told him this was serious. Something in him clicked, and his brain mentally shifted a few gears.

He tentatively clicked on the SID program to search for one of the original team members. He felt he would get into trouble if he opened this up; it was like being given the database to everyone in Britain, and it was. He took a deep breath, typed Mireles, Ava and Dr into the fields and hit the search button.

The response was very quick.

It came up with a photo of Dr Ava Mireles, along with her date of birth and date of death.

Date of death? David thought and frowned as he looked at it again. It indeed gave the date of death as the 4th of June 2026. A cold feeling ran down David’s spine. Oh, jeezus, this isn’t good. He looked up for Clarissa to ask her a question, but this was definitely not the time. He continued pursuing this thread of what had happened to the other founding team members.

He looked at the other names and dreaded what he would find as he carefully typed each one into the database: Dr Leo Castell – died in May 2026 of a heart attack at age fifty-two. This is not good at all. It’s beginning to wander into conspiracy theory territory.

He looked around the room at the others huddled close to their computer screens, frantically typing and scribbling notes. He took another deep breath and hoped none of the other team had died and that it was all a coincidence.

Dr Rajiv Sundaram – died in September 2026 from a pulmonary embolism. Shit! Okay, this is not conspiracy theory stuff. This is actually happening. Who the hell would want them killed, and how the hell did they manage to cause an embolism and a heart attack?

He continued, now hoping he would find one of them alive.

Dr Nora Sato – died in November 2026 from an aortic catastrophe. How was this not picked up before? They must know this already. I can’t be the only one looking at the founding team, David thought.

He slowly typed in the last name, expecting the worst. Dr Santiago Rivera. David peered closer at the screen. There was no death date. He was still alive.

David was a little pale in the face. “Jess, you’ve got to see this.”

Still looking at the screen, Jessica moved her body as if to get off the chair.

“Jess!” David said louder.

“Okay, okay. What is it?” she asked as she ambled over to David’s side.

David pointed to the screen. “Every member of the founding team, bar one, died within two years of each other. That’s six people. That can’t be a coincidence.”

“Oh my god, that is weird,” Jessica said as she clicked on the various names and faces. As she continued to scroll through the files and check to verify what David had found, she discovered something else.

David leaned in closer. “Have you found something else?”

She screwed up her face and leaned in closer to the screen. “Look at this.” She pointed to the link that said “Coroner”. As she clicked on one file, it gave the name of Dr Adam Lamont as the coroner and a link to his notes. She clicked on the links to the other team members' coroner reports, which were all carried out by the same person: Dr Adam Lamont.

David squinted to see what she was clicking. “What is it?”

“Look, it's the same coroner who did the autopsies on all of them,” Jessica said, shaking her head.

David whistled briefly. “Oh jeezus, I’m not feeling good about this at all, Jess.”

She frowned and shook her head again. “Yep, God knows what we’re getting mixed up in.”

David thought about something. “I hope my feeling isn’t right,” he said as he sat down at the computer and typed another name into the search field: Dr Adam Lamont.

The result came back, and David and Jessica looked at each other in shock.

The screen displayed:

Dr Adam Lamont, aged 48, died of a suspected overdose in April 2027.

“We have to let Clarissa know about this now,” Jessica said.

David agreed but reached out and gently held Jessica’s hand before she walked away. “Jess, we are really getting into something big here. I was taking this job seriously, but it seems the stakes have been raised, so we really have to be careful.”

Jessica turned to face him and put her hands on his arms. “David, we’ve been through bigger things than this. Yeah, I know this is real life, but we’ve got magick on our side. I get the feeling this is just the start, but we’re brilliant working together, and we’ve got a great team behind us at the university. Not to mention my dad, your mum and dad and your Aunt Gen. We’re going to be fine.”

David looked at her face and pursed his lips. “You’re right. I’m just worried about you in this.”

Jessica laughed. “I have a shitload more experience of this sort of thing than you, David. Don’t worry about me, I can handle myself.”

David nodded, feeling a little foolish. If anything, he thought he should be worried for himself as Jessica had been all over the world on missions.

Just then, the lab door opened, and Dr Campbell and Clarissa walked in, deep in conversation about something. David noticed Dr Campbell looked worried, but when he looked up and spotted Jessica, he smiled brightly at her. David thought it might be an intentionally cheerful look to stop Jessica from worrying about her father.

Dr Campbell turned back to Clarissa, then frowned and looked up at David and Jessica.

“This doesn’t look good,” Jessica said as she watched her father stride over to them and look at them intently.

Dr Campbell looked stern as he addressed them. “David, I’m going to need you to use your skills to project to somewhere in the US. I’ll give you details in a sec. Jessica, there’s something you should know before going any further with this.” He looked at Jessica, then David as if he was deciding if he should reveal whatever it was in front of him.

Jessica laughed nervously. “Dad, if there's anything you need to ask me, just ask in front of David. It’s totally fine.”

Dr Campbell closed his eyes and massaged his temples with his thumb and forefinger before looking at Jessica. “I’ve had an email from, I presume, the AI program that’s making the predictions.”

Jessica frowned. “Why would you get an email from it?”

Dr Campbell sighed. “It’s been blackmailing high-ranking people in governments around the world. We’ve been looking into that, but now I’ve had one.”

Jessica shook her head in confusion. “But you’re not high-ranking, and you don’t work for the government.”

Dr Campbell looked at David briefly and then back at Jessica. “I used to work for MI5 on a few missions that weren’t officially sanctioned by the government.”

Jessica didn’t let up on her father. “What kind of missions?”

Dr Campbell rubbed his chin and then looked directly at Jessica. “The team did a lot of astral spying during the Middle East conflicts of the first Gulf War. We found out a lot of things that we cannot discuss under the Official Secrets Act, but if they were ever to get out, it would make the British and US governments look worse than they do now. It would seem this bloody AI program knows everything.”

CHAPTER 8

The whole day had been a frantic hive of activity for the team at the P-Psych Unit, not least for Jessica and David. Jessica was excited by everything she was learning but terrified of what the AI program predicted. A nuclear attack on Scotland! she thought again. It just didn’t sit right with her; somehow, she couldn’t believe it. But the program had been right about ninety-five percent of the other events it had predicted.

The white, plush duvet cover beckoned her, and she succumbed and lay back on her bed. Sinking into the folds of the duvet was like lying on a giant marshmallow. She was relieved to be away from everyone and just spending time alone. It was great that David was staying with them at the house, and David and her father were getting along well, speaking most evenings about all sorts of things from magick to philosophy. However, today, she was glad to steal the time for herself.

She could hardly keep her eyes open as they nipped from exhaustion. Her mind had been overloaded with new information, which always meant she would get a good night’s sleep as her brain processed the information.

Lying on her back, she looked around the high ceilings of her bedroom. She still loved the Stiffkey Blue of the walls and felt this was her space. She’d decorated it herself and discovered she had a real flair for interior decoration. As a result, her father had let her loose in some of the other rooms and loved them. Her walls had three large, circular, black-framed pictures with images of a flamingo, a zebra and a parrot. All the images were deep, rich colours of red, green, pink, and black and white for the zebra. She looked over at her white Victorian vanity table and then back at the parrot painting, her mind wandering.

As she stared at the image of the parrot, she drifted in and out of sleep and heard her name being whispered gently in the air.

The last remnants of her conscious mind slipped into her subconscious as she fell asleep. Immediately, she heard her name being called out again. It didn’t startle her enough to bring her back into consciousness but enough to wake her in her dream. She was now aware of dreaming and tested it by trying to fly. Exhilarated at being in a lucid dream, she forgot about someone whispering her name and started flying. She was in Edinburgh, flying over the Scott Monument. She perched herself at the top, looked out over the beautiful city, and watched the tram go up Princes Street. She looked out over Princes Street Gardens and the people lying in the sun. Then she looked down and let herself fall. She felt the familiar lurching in her stomach, like being on a roller coaster. She loved it. As she was about to hit the streets, she launched and started flying again.

She surfed on the wind's undulations, and her energy took her whistling through dark alleyways, up to Edinburgh Castle, over Calton Hill, and out to Arthur's Seat, which overlooked the city. She sat for a bit on a bench, and that was when she heard her name being called again. She thought she recognised the voice, but it was just out of reach, as if her mind couldn’t grasp it.

She tried to find the direction from which her name was being called, but it was all around her. Again, she tried to hook whose voice it was.

“Jessica,” it whispered more loudly this time.

Her mind was so close to identifying the person's name, but it just couldn’t quite make it.

A figure emerged in the distance, floating up Arthur's Seat hillside. The woman was wearing a white, wispy dress, and her long, dark hair flowed all around her.

“Alicia Collins!” Jessica said out loud. A tiny part of her was fearful, but then she remembered that Alicia was now a part of the Akashic Records.

Alicia floated up to stand next to Jessica. “It’s good to see you, Jessica,” she said, smiling down at her.

Jessica was a little taken aback but curious about Alicia's presence. Is this just my dream, or is this Alicia talking to me? she wondered.

Alicia smiled. “Oh, it’s me you’re talking to. But this is the only place I can talk to you, the space between your conscious and subconscious minds.”

Jessica looked out over Edinburgh as Alicia floated next to her. “Is it different now that you’re a part of the Akashic Records?”

“I’m losing my memory of what it was like being me on the Earth plane. This feeling of existing in a timeless world is my norm. There is no sleep. No resting, no ego, no wanting, just a feeling of being everywhere and seeing and hearing everything.”

Jessica looked up at Alicia. “How can you still come and visit me?”

“I still have remnants of the energy I mingled with on the Earth plane, and as you and the Witches of Scotland were some of the last people I saw on Earth, I still have a weak link to you all. So, I’d like to help if I can,” Alicia said, appearing to take a seat next to Jessica but not sitting down, instead floating in mid-air.

Jessica smiled peacefully at her. “Are you allowed to do that?”

Alicia laughed. “Well, I’ve not been given a rule book to say otherwise.”

“Can you do any harm to anybody on the Earth plane?” Jessica asked, turning towards Alicia.

“No. The notion of doing harm and creating havoc has long since left me,” Alicia said. She looked serene and sincere, almost angelic.

Jessica felt she could trust this version of Alicia, feeling a sense of connection between them.

Alicia stood up again and looked down at Jessica. “What is happening just now on Earth and the predictions of the AI program are a ruse designed to throw you off the scent of something much bigger.”

Jessica glared at Alicia. “Why are you telling me this?”

“Because I know everything, and I can help you. This is what the Akashic Records are designed for. Humans do not know how to tap into their energy yet; I’m giving you a sneak preview,” Alicia said serenely.

Jessica eyed her suspiciously. “Forgive me for not trusting you. Your time on the Earth plane wasn’t exactly exemplary.”

Alicia burst out laughing. “Jessica Campbell, you have killed more people in your pursuit of justice than any serial killer on Earth, and you have the audacity to say my time on Earth wasn’t exemplary.”

Jessica only squirmed a little as Alicia hadn’t said it menacingly but matter-of-factly. The truth was, it was a fact. It made Jessica briefly question the things she had done. She had always justified it as saving thousands of people by indirectly killing tens of people in her role at the Koestler Unit, with her father leading the team.

Alicia turned to Jessica again and softly said, “We have all done things on the Earth plane that we will never stop questioning. The truth is there is no right or wrong. You killing people to save more people was not right, and it wasn’t wrong. You see, there is no judgement. There just is. You killed someone. It is what it is. I killed someone. It is what it is. Judgement is a burden bestowed upon the minds of humans on Earth. Up here on the higher planes of existence, energy is energy. There is lower energy and higher energy. You killed someone with a higher energy. I killed someone with a lower energy, and most other humans kill with a lower energy.”

Jessica frowned. “Sorry, I don’t quite understand that concept.”

Alicia continued, “Think of our actions and intentions as existing on an energy spectrum. Lower energy comes from selfish, reactive, or unconscious choices. Higher energy stems from selfless, deliberate actions aimed at a greater good. When you killed to save others, that was higher energy - not because killing is good, but because your intention was pure and conscious.

Most people act from lower energy, driven by fear, anger, or self-interest. But as we grow spiritually, we learn to operate more from higher energy. It's not about judgment; it's about awareness and intention.

In our magical work, this spectrum becomes crucial. Higher energy actions resonate more powerfully with beneficial magic, while lower energy can attract negative forces. Understanding this helps us navigate complex situations and grow as practitioners.

Remember, it's not about being perfect. It's about being conscious of our choices and striving to act from a place of higher intention, especially when faced with difficult decisions.

The conversation had taken a direction that Jessica hadn’t anticipated. Where is this going? she wondered as she looked at Alicia’s ethereal body floating in front of her. Deciding to go with it, Jessica stood up from the bench and faced Alicia. “So, how can you help us with this AI program?”

Alicia’s face suddenly distorted and seemed to melt, like black eye shadow had been drawn all over it. “Let me in,” Alicia said loudly, “and I can help you.” She reached out to Jessica and touched her heart. “Let me in, and I will help you.”

Jessica screamed, “No! Get off, no, get off me!” She fought with Alicia and tried to grab her hand from her chest.

“Let me in, Jessica Campbell. I can help you!” Alicia shrieked as she started disappearing.

“Noooooo!”

Jessica woke up and sat bolt upright.

Her father was beside her, looking aghast. “It’s okay, Jess, I’m here. It’s just a bad dream.”

“It wasn’t a dream. Alicia Collins is still here, Dad,” Jessica said as she buried her head into her father's chest.

Her father cradled her. “Do you want a cup of tea to settle you down?”

Jessica pulled away from her father's embrace. “Yes, that would be good.”

When her father had left to go downstairs, Jessica sat at her vanity dresser and pulled a brush through her hair. She was thinking about the dream, trying to process in her mind what had happened. She questioned if it had really been Alicia Collins and asked herself why Alicia would ask to “let her in”. What did she mean by that? The dream was starting to lose its power as Jessica came back to the real world, but she couldn’t shake the heavy feeling of Alicia Collins. Alicia had taken over her body once before a few months ago, and it felt similar to what she was feeling just now. She shook her body to rid herself of the feeling.

CHAPTER 9

Jacqueline looked worried as she walked into the living room, her brows furrowed and her lips pressed together in a tight line. She sat down heavily, her shoulders slumped, and clasped her hands in front of her, fidgeting with her fingers as she prepared to share the news.

“I take it that was David on the phone?” Logan asked, moving closer to Jacqueline.

Jacqueline sighed. “Yes. He was talking about his new job. He’s on the team that deals with that AI program and the predictions. He couldn’t say too much about it, but he did advise that the team that originally formed the AI program company were all dead, except one.”

Genevieve glanced at Jonathan. “Did he say anything else?”

Jacqueline nodded. “Yeah, he said that Jessica had woken up from a bad lucid dream.”

Genevieve frowned. “What was the dream?”

Jacqueline looked at the others. “It was about Alicia Collins. Jessica said that, in the dream, Alicia grabbed her heart and demanded to be let in.”

Logan turned slightly towards Jacqueline. “Let her in? What did she mean? Did she say?”

Jacqueline shook her head. “No, that was pretty much it. It was all good at the beginning of the meeting with Alicia, but at the end, she kind of melted, grabbed at her heart and ordered her to let her in.”

“Very strange,” Genevieve said. “I wonder if she is trying to manifest herself back onto the Earth plane.”

The others thought about this for a few seconds, then Genevieve stood up and walked over to the window, her arms crossed tightly across her chest as she gazed outside. “I think it’s clear we could be helping with this AI program issue. It sounds dangerous if I am being honest, especially after what it predicted a few days ago.” Her voice was low and serious, her reflection in the window revealing the worry etched on her face.

“Yes, that definitely puts a different spin on things. What me and Jac are digging into might have something to do with this too,” Logan said, looking at Jacqueline for approval to tell Genevieve and Jonathan what they had been working on.

Genevieve came back to the sofa and sat down. “Well. What have you been working on? You never usually talk about what you’re both doing now.”

Jacqueline resigned herself to telling them. “We weren’t going to talk until we had more information. We’ve been porting over to the Scottish Parliament for the past few weeks.”

Jonathan, who was bending down to pour tea, looked up quickly. “What? Why have you been at the Scottish Parliament?”

Jacqueline sat forwards, her eyes darting between the others as if she were about to share a secret nobody else should hear. She leaned in, her voice dropping to a conspiratorial whisper. "It was political stuff to start with. You know the scandal the Labour Party was involved in a few months ago? We were looking into whether there was any truth in it. But we accidentally discovered something else, and the other day, when the prediction from the AI program came out, the parliament was sent into a tizzy." Her hands fluttered in the air, emphasising the gravity of the situation.

“Are they taking it seriously then?” asked Genevieve.

Logan's laugh was brief but telling. "Oh yes, they are definitely taking it seriously."

Jacqueline looked serious. “They’re thinking it might be Faslane being targeted, so the’re looking at countries which have the capability to do that and trying to find intel about what these countries might be planning.”

“The whole parliament is currently in emergency talks, and they’ve already activated ‘emergency powers’ for events such as this,” Logan explained.

Genevieve noted the worried look on both Logan’s and Jacqueline’s faces. She knew it was serious as they normally didn’t show concern in times of crisis; they dealt with it and showed their emotions after the events. “You’re obviously very concerned about this. What can we do?”

Jacqueline gave a concerned smile. "I think we’re going to need the Witches of Scotland on this again," she began, her voice steady but her hands clasped tightly in front of her. "You all did brilliantly last year, banding together to help with the Akashic Records. This threat is just as grave, so whatever you can do would be great."

Genevieve turned to Jonathan. “Okay, we’ll get the team together. We usually have our meetings today, but we can call them to come in early and explain the situation. We can get some kind of plan to find out more information.” She turned to Jacqueline and Logan. “Should we let David and Jessica know what we are doing?”

Jacqueline and Logan both shook their heads in unison.

“No, they have enough to deal with. I think we keep it from them just now, but obviously, we’ll reassess that as this situation unravels. We don’t want them worrying about us for any reason,” Logan said, reaching for Jacqueline’s hand.

Jacqueline nodded to agree with her husband.

Jonathan stood up. “Okay, I’ll start making calls to get everyone over just now.”

Genevieve looked up. “Thanks, Jonathan,” she said, thinking about a plan to organise the team and what each of them should do. Myra would be great going over to the Scottish Parliament, she thought. Then, she started mentally assigning roles to the other members of the Witches of Scotland team in the West of Glasgow. I’ll need to call the other cities’ groups. I’ll call Edinburgh first, then Dunfermline, Dundee, Aberdeen, Inverness, Perth and Stirling. She nodded her head, acknowledging the first stages of her plan.

“Oh, oh! Gen is planning,” Jacqueline laughed and looked at Logan, who was watching Genevieve and smiling.

Genevieve barely registered her sister’s voice as she was deep in thought. She awoke from her reverie to look at Jacqueline and Logan. “Was I away with it again?” she asked, smiling.

Jacqueline laughed. “Yes. It’s great to watch your mind in action.”

Genevieve dismissed their gentle chiding with a wave of her hand and stood up to freshen up, then put on a few pots of tea for the team coming over.

Jacqueline and Logan prepared to go out and come back later on.

Sitting on the end of her bed while Jonathan was busy making phone calls, Genevieve thought about the seriousness of the situation. Would someone really launch an attack on Scotland? Why? Faslane is only a base that stores nuclear deterrents. She thought about the likelihood of a nuclear attack. Maybe this is a diversion tactic by the AI program, she wondered and started thinking about it. She wouldn’t voice it to the others but would keep it at the back of her mind.

CHAPTER 10

Jessica squealed, laughing loudly as David reappeared behind her, wrapped his arms around her and cupped her breasts. She pushed forwards and away from him. “Okay, come on, we have to take this seriously, stop making me laugh. We’ll run through the ten exercises to keep our practice up.”

David reached out his hands as if to fondle her breasts again and made a strange, dirty old man face.

“Oh, that’s gross. Don’t do that when you reappear, or you’ll get a swift kick between the legs. Remember, I can take you,” Jessica said, looking a bit grossed out.

“Pah! You can’t take me. I’m much stronger than you. ” David poked her as he teased her.

Jessica reacted quickly and slammed the heel of her hand into David’s forehead. David recoiled and stumbled a little.

“Jeezus Christ, Jess, that was sore,” David said, rubbing his forehead.

Jessica smiled, satisfied with her retaliation. “Just reminding you who’s boss.”

Still rubbing his head, David sat down on the floor cross-legged. “Okay, what are we doing again? That ten-exercise program you devised?”

Jessica crossed her legs, sat down and joined him on the floor. “Yes, I’ll walk you through each one again. The first one is energy shielding.”

David nodded, remembering this, and shifted his buttocks to get more comfortable. “Okay, I’ve got this one. One sec, I’ll put up my energy shield.” He closed his eyes and mentally pictured an oval-shaped bubble around him. Once he had, he touched the bubble in his mind and strengthened it with his own energy, imagining energy rising from his seven major chakras and flowing into the shield.

Jessica, who had moved about five feet away from David, saw that he was ready and immediately raised her hand to shoot out a burst of her energy. David’s shield held firm. He looked at her but was really looking through her as he focused on the task. Jessica tried again several times in succession but still could not penetrate his shield.

David smirked slightly, obviously pleased with himself, but still focused intently.

Jessica frowned a little, looking angry at his smirk. With a flick of her wrist, she conjured a sudden burst of icy cold air that blew over David.

It had an immediate effect as he lost concentration. As soon as he did, Jessica fired another burst of energy that knocked him back. He screamed out in pain as he rolled back and did a backwards somersault. “Shit! That’s not bloody fair. You can’t do that.”

“That was a lot harder than I thought it would be, I’ll give you that.” Jessica smirked with satisfaction. “But you should be concentrating more.”

“Okay, let me practise with you,” David said. Before Jessica could answer, David quickly said an incantation, closed his eyes and smiled.

He opened his eyes to see Jess looking at him. “What?” she said, her voice like a high-pitched Disney chipmunk. He started laughing. “What have you done to me?” David laughed even more. The more she spoke, the more he laughed until tears were rolling down his face.

The effect wore off after a few minutes. “How the hell did you do that?” Jessica asked, her voice back to its normal pitch.

David winked at her. “I’ve also been practising some things. You’re not the only studious one.”

Jessica smiled. “Yeah, right, I know you, David Gordon Hunter.”

David looked at her and laughed. “You saw that on my folder at the P-Psych Unit, then?”

“Yes, I sneaked a look inside your folder,” Jessica said, getting comfortable in preparation.

They ran through the ten magick exercises for the next two hours to keep their skills high. The more they practised, the better they got. Jessica had designed the series of exercises to cover many different areas of magick and as a quick way to enhance their skills. She was experimenting with others, such as healing, transmutation and chronomancy. Eventually, she would devise a curriculum of exercises to practise to cover every aspect of magick.

The current set of ten exercises consisted of:

Aura Visualisation, Telekinetic Push and Pull, Energy Shielding, Elemental Manipulation, Potion Brewing, Spell Chaining, Mind Melding, Astral Projection, Summoning and Binding, and Temporal Distortion.

After they had completed all the exercises, which took just under three hours, they lay on their backs.

“I’m knackered and hungry after all that,” David said, rubbing his stomach.

Jessica frowned a little. “I need to add to these exercises to make them a little more robust.”

“It’s pretty robust just now, Jess. What else would you add to it?” David shook his head and smiled at her tenacity.

“I don’t know, a few, like healing, divination, or—” She stopped talking suddenly and looked straight ahead, staring at nothing but focused.

David waited until she came out of her thoughts. He had seen this look before and knew not to interrupt her.

“Divination,” she said slowly. “Maybe the AI program has some sort of divination written into its program.”

David’s brows were furrowed deeply. “How could they program that into a computer program?”

Jessica rushed to her desk, where the files the agents had given them last week were. She quickly flicked through the folder and found the file for Stephanie Koller.

Jessica’s eyes flitted back and forth, reading the file. “I don’t know, but there’s something there. I can feel it. Come on, we need to speak to my dad.”

David followed Jessica downstairs to her father's study.

Dr Campbell looked up from his computer screen as Jessica burst in. “Dad. I think the AI program is using divination to predict the future. The team at PulseAI said that it was using advanced statistical analysis, but it could be using divination as a way to do it.”

Her father curled his lip. “Mm. I guessed that it was spying on people around the world, inserting a spyware program into millions of computers,” he said. “What makes you say divination?”

Jessica shook her head, less sure of her convictions. “Oh, it was nothing. We were practising our magick just now, and I mentioned that I wanted to incorporate some divination into the practice.” She turned to David. “Then I thought about what you had said to your Aunt Gen about Stephanie Koller being interested in the occult. So I looked up her file and look here.” Jessica showed David the file and placed her finger underneath a line in it:

A collector of occult artefacts, including grimoires.

She then showed her father.

Dr Campbell thought about it for a few seconds. He looked at her. He knew she was a powerful witch, and his daughter's hunches from the past had been correct. “I wonder how they would put that into an AI program. It’s worth looking into, Jess. Think about it and think about how they could put that into a computer program, then present it to Clarissa and the team.” He smiled at her. “It’s definitely another angle we can look at this from.”

Jessica smiled and nodded, but her mind was already racing. How could someone upload divination spells into a computer program? The implications were staggering, and a shiver of excitement ran down her spine.

David squeezed her hand, sensing the shift in her mood. "Something big?" he asked quietly.

"It could be," Jessica whispered, a determined glint in her eyes. "This could be the key."

CHAPTER 11

Jessica and David hurried up Circus Lane. Their appointment was for 3 p.m., and they only had one hour with the tarot card reader. Jessica had booked her on the recommendation of Jean Munro, a seer. Jean had advised she could see Jessica any day except today, so she had recommended Davina Hart, an amazing tarot card reader and expert in divination.

They strolled up the street, their footsteps echoing softly on the cobblestones. Nestled beneath the architecture of Edinburgh's New Town, the narrow lane was enveloped by quaint mews houses, their facades draped in climbing ivy that shimmered under the sporadic bursts of sunlight poking through the overcast sky.

Davina Hart lived at the end of the lane.

Jessica knocked on the ornate black door and waited for David to catch up.

“This is a beautiful street,” David said, turning back around to take in the whole lane. The sun had burst through the clouds at just the right moment, and the rays threw themselves its full length .

“Oh, wow, that’s stunning,” Jessica said as she turned in the same direction as David.

They didn’t notice the door being opened.

Jessica pursed her lips. “Oh, I guess we’re meant to go in, then.”

David tore himself away from the scenic lane and followed Jessica into the house. A warm air wrapped around them with a distinct smell of vanilla flowing through the house.

Jessica tentatively walked through into the living room. “Hello?” she said in a low voice.

They heard someone from the back of the house. “Hello, I’ll be with you in just a minute,” a cheerful voice shouted.

David raised his eyebrows. “Not what I was expecting.”

Just then, a woman with long blonde hair, a long, cashmere-coloured woollen dress and a wide smile entered the living room. “Sorry, I’m making tablet and just putting it in the trays, so you timed it perfectly.”

Jessica’s eyes widened. “Tablet! I love that, and I haven’t had it for ages.” She smiled and held out her hand. “You must be Davina, lovely to meet you.” Beautiful, can make tablet, seems really nice… She’s perfect, Jessica thought as she shook her hand.

David followed suit and greeted Davina with a warm smile. Davina beckoned them to sit down.

The mews house was deceiving. From the outside, it looked quite small and cottage-like, but on the inside, it was much larger. The living room had a large, grey corner sofa with footstools at one end. A large TV adorned the cream-coloured walls, and an ornate Victorian fireplace was the focal point of the room.

“This is a beautiful place you have here,” Jessica said as she looked around, admiring the room.

“Aw! Thank you, I appreciate that. It’s a beautiful place to stay, I’m lucky I managed to get it,” Davina said, with an almost sing-song voice. She looked at the two of them. “I have to say, I have heard a lot about both of you, and you’re not what I expected.”

David laughed. “You’re definitely not what I expected either. I was thinking you’d be an old woman with grey hair and a headscarf on with lots of cats.” Just then, a grey cat walked through and mewed as it circled around David’s legs.

“What did you expect us to be like?” Jessica asked, smiling at David’s fawning over Davina.

She clasped her hands together. “Oh, I thought you’d be older. You look too young to be seasoned witches after all of your adventures. I’ve heard all the stories about the Akashic Records and everything you did. I was a tiny part of it when Genevieve was gathering all the Witches of Scotland together, and a lot of us were at Alicia Collins’s apartment in New York when everything kicked off.”

David ruffled the soft fur of the cat as it continued to purr around him. “I hope you don’t mind us coming over today and asking questions?”

Davina furrowed her brows. “No, no, not at all, I’m happy to help in any way I can.”

Jessica smiled. “Thank you, we appreciate it.”

“Before we start, can I get you a tea or a coffee or anything to drink?” Davina asked.

“Ehm, a cup of coffee would be lovely. Two sugars and milk, please,” David said, looking up at Davina as she stood.

“A tea for me, please. Just milk, thanks,” Jessica replied.

“Lovely, I’ll be back in a sec,” Davina said as she walked through to the kitchen area. Jessica saw David admiring her figure, and she couldn’t blame him. She reckoned she must be in her late thirties or forties.

“Are you finished drooling over her?” she asked jovially.

“I wasn’t drooling, just admiring. She’s a beautiful woman, and she seems really genuine. Not what I expected at all,” David said matter-of-factly.

Jessica raised her eyebrows and nodded. “She is beautiful, and she’s got a body to die for.”

David’s eyes widened, and he nodded absent-mindedly. Then he felt a thump from Jessica’s fists on his arm.

“What was that for?”

Davina came back through with coffee, tea and biscuits. “So, what did you want to ask me about? I’m aware you’ve not got much time.”

Jessica picked up her cup of tea. “So, I might as well come straight to the point. Do you know anything about computer programming, specifically computing languages?”

Davina’s face brightened. “Yes, I do. I did a computing degree at Edinburgh University.”

Jessica nearly choked as she was sipping her tea. “Perfect. We didn’t know that. You should know exactly what we’re talking about, then. So, if you were going to code a program to predict the future using magick, how would you do it?”

Davina took a sip of her coffee as she thought about Jessica’s question. She moved her head from side to side as if deliberating on her answer. “I would have it access a database of spells, incantations and energy mantras.”

Jessica shot a look at David. “I didn’t even think about that,” she said.

David took a deep breath. “So how would the program get access to a database of spells? Would it not have to have access to another computer?”

Davina thought about this for a second. “I suppose it would, but there’s no reason why the program couldn’t do that.” Just then, Davina’s eyes widened. “Wait a minute, are you talking about the AI program that predicted the nuclear attack on Scotland?”

David stole a glance at Jessica. “Yes, we’re working on it and want to find out as much as we can before presenting our ideas.”

Davina’s smile widened. “Oh, how exciting. I didn’t even think about it using magick for the predictions. I just presumed, as the papers said, that it was statistical analysis. I did wonder about it being so accurate, though.”

Jessica listened to Davina and nodded. “So, I am wondering, if it did use spells, incantations and energy mantras, how would a computer program see the results?”

Davina thought about this very briefly and answered, “It could access a camera quite easily and get the results that way.”

David opened his mouth to speak, but nothing came out.

They carried on talking with Davina for the full hour of their allotted time, gathering as much information as possible. After the hour was up, they had gotten to know Davina quite well and liked her a lot. They hugged each other goodbye, and Davina advised them to call her anytime as she would love to be involved.

“She is lovely,” Jessica said as they walked back down Circus Lane.

David nodded as he slipped off his jacket; the warm sunshine was bouncing off the windows. “Really insightful, actually, and I think she’s given us a lot to think about. Did you get any ideas?”

Jessica nodded. “God yeah, I think she’s given us the answer about how the program is accessing the spells and incantations. If that is how it’s doing the predicting.”

David put his arm around her as they walked down the lane the sun shining down on them. “Do you feel better about your theory that it’s using magick to do the predictions?”

Jessica cooried into David. “Definitely. We just need to figure out how the hell it’s doing it and where it’s accessing the spells. At least it gives us a line of enquiry to follow.”

David laughed. “Check you. You sound like a real detective.” He laid his head on hers as they walked along the street.

Jessica thought about the conversation with Davina and felt excited about being on this case and working with the new team and David. Before she had met with Davina, she had been nervous about presenting her idea to Clarissa and the team; now, she felt much more confident in her conviction that the AI program was somehow using magick to predict the future.

CHAPTER 12

Jessica and David had stayed up until 1.30 a.m. preparing a two-minute presentation for Clarissa and the team at P-Psych. David was just helping – it was Jessica’s idea, and he was very happy for her to lead with this presentation.

Jessica was already up and about. David could hear her; she was like a baby elephant. He stole a glance at the clock. “6 a.m., jeezus, man!” He rolled over to go back to sleep. This is becoming a regular occurrence, he thought as he rolled over.

Then he heard Jessica in his room. She leaned over him, and David opened one eye. “Come on, you, we have to go over this again before we go into work.”

David didn’t want to ruin Jessica’s big day. Don’t think about it, just get up quick. Quick, come on. He forced himself awake and jumped up, gave Jessica an awkward kiss on the side of her head and jumped into the en-suite to shower.

He heard Jessica padding back downstairs.

After showering and brushing his teeth, he pulled on a white cotton shirt, a pair of chinos, black socks and his Chelsea boots. Quite cool, actually, he told himself as he glanced in the mirror, picked up the two-sheet presentation and went to join Jessica downstairs.

After eating breakfast and going over the presentation again, they headed out the door to catch the bus to work.

Jessica was quiet, and David could almost see her going over the presentation in her head. “You’ll be fine, Jess,” he said, touching her arm as the bus pulled up to the stop at Drumsheugh Place. “The number thirty-seven, is that our bus?”

Jessica smiled and nodded.

David didn’t feel nervous at all, but it was Jessica’s theory, and it was her father’s work colleagues she was presenting to, so he knew why she was nervous.

Jessica looked at David. “I hate presentations, but this is an important one and could pave the way for a new direction for this. That’s why I’m being so quiet.”

David frowned. “Jess, I totally get it, don’t worry about that. I know this is a big thing, but honestly, you’ve got this. It will be a quick five-minute presentation, and I’m sure the team will go for it. Hell, if your dad went for it, the team definitely will.”

She smiled and touched his hand. “Thanks.”

He took the opportunity to take in some of Edinburgh’s sights as the bus drove along Princes Street. The smell of coffee filled the bus as commuters jumped on with their takeaway shots of energy. They passed early-morning dog walkers in Princes Street Gardens and tourists taking photos of the Scott Monument, then The Balmoral Hotel’s beautiful Georgian building before heading up the North Bridge and onto the South Bridge.

Jessica stood up. “That’s us, Surgeons’ Hall stop.”

They walked along the cobbled West Nicolson Street, up Chapel Street, Crichton Street and onto George Square.

David held the door open for Jessica, and they found Clarissa and the team waiting for them. David looked at his watch. Everyone was early in this morning, it seemed; it was only 7.30 a.m.

Clarissa pursed her lips, which David and Jessica now knew was a smile. “I hear you have a theory that you’ve been working on?” she said, looking at Jessica.

Jessica raised her eyebrows. “Oh, wow! Straight into it. Well, here goes. Yes, if that’s okay, I’d like to quickly present it to you and the team, or just you if you’d prefer?”

Clarissa walked over to her table, where the rest of the team were assembled. “No, we’d love to hear your theory. We still haven’t been able to crack the program’s code to have a look at what’s inside.”

“Okay,” Jessica said, laying her bag down next to the desk. She took a deep breath and stood up, smoothing her skirt, then glanced at David, who gave her an encouraging nod, before facing the group.

"Thank you, Clarissa. After some research and consultation with an expert in divination and computer programming, I believe the AI program may be using magick to make its predictions." Jessica paused, gauging the team's reactions. Some looked sceptical, others intrigued.

"Specifically, I think it could be accessing a database of spells, incantations and energy mantras to generate its predictions. With the right coding, the AI could potentially interpret the results of these magickal rituals using cameras or other sensors."

Clarissa leaned forwards, her brow furrowed. "Interesting. And what led you to this conclusion?"

Jessica explained her reasoning, citing Stephanie Koller's interest in the occult and the uncanny accuracy of the AI's predictions. She also mentioned her conversation with Davina Hart, who had confirmed the plausibility of the theory from a technical standpoint.

As she spoke, Jessica could see the wheels turning in her colleagues' minds. Some were already brainstorming ways to test the hypothesis, while others looked like they needed more convincing.

"I know it sounds far-fetched," Jessica admitted, "but given what we know about the founders and the AI's capabilities, I think it's a possibility we can't afford to overlook. If magick is indeed involved, it could change everything about how we approach this investigation."

She looked around the room, making eye contact with each team member. "I propose we dedicate some resources to exploring this angle, starting with a deep dive into Koller's background and any potential connections to occult groups or practices. We should also analyse the AI's code, if we get into it, for any signs of magickal integration."

Clarissa nodded slowly, her expression thoughtful. "Thank you, Jessica. This is certainly a unique perspective, and I agree that it warrants further investigation. Are you and David happy to pursue these leads and reconvene in a few days to share any findings?"

Jessica let out a smile, and her shoulders dropped as she relaxed. She looked at David, who nodded. “Yes, we’d be more than happy.”

As the team dispersed, buzzing with new ideas and theories, David squeezed Jessica's hand under the table. "You did great," he whispered, his eyes shining with pride.

Jessica smiled, feeling a mix of relief and excitement. She knew there was still a long way to go, but for now, she had planted the seed and set a new course for the investigation. Whatever lay ahead, she was ready to face it head-on.

It was now time to look into Stephanie Koller and the other team member who was still alive.

CHAPTER 13

David walked into Jessica’s room. “We’ve got a meeting with Dr Santiago Rivera today in two hours. Are you busy? I can go up and meet him myself.”

Jessica, who was sitting at her desk and searching the computer for more information on Stephanie Koller, looked up. “No, I’d like to come along, too, if that’s okay. Where does he stay?”

David frowned, forgetting the address he had written down. He pulled out a small, brown leather notepad from his pocket and flipped the front cover. “Ehm, Ann Street. Apparently about a mile up the road from here.”

Jessica raised her eyebrows. “Ooh, very posh, and it’s just around the corner, so we can walk. What did he sound like?”

David wrinkled his nose a little. “A bit weary, to be honest, but I think I would be as well. I would have thought a lot of people would want to speak to him, but he said I was the first person to ask about the program and the company.”

Jessica leaned on her table. “That’s a bit weird, is it not? You’d have thought there would have been loads of people wanting to talk to him.”

David nodded. “Yeah, that’s what I thought as well.” David was beginning to wonder about this whole investigation. The more they dug into it, the weirder things became. “Listen, I had an idea to port over to his home before we meet him in person, what do you think?”

Jessica harrumphed a little. “With the idea of finding out what?”

David shrugged. “I dunno, anything at all that might be useful. And it’d give me practice with astral projection.”

Jessica nodded. “I suppose it can’t do any harm. Have you got a lock on the energy of his home?”

“No, I was going to go over there first, get an energy lock, come back here and project over,” David said.

Jess nonchalantly nodded. “Remember and check in with me for safety, we should know where each other is at all times.”

David saluted and laughed. “I’m only joking. I’ll head out to get an energy lock and then call in when I get back to project over. How are you getting on with Stephanie Koller?”

Jessica looked at her screen and the notepad she was using to take notes and started nodding positively. “Yeah, the more I dig, the more fascinating she becomes. I watched an interview with her on TV about her collection of grimoires. Get this, she said she was looking for The Grimoire of Nostradamus.” She looked at David for a reaction.

David’s mouth hung open a moment as he tried to piece together his thoughts. “Nostradamus? Was he a witch?”

Jessica laughed at David’s expression. “No, apparently not. He used a secret language so he wouldn’t be accused of witchcraft, but he kept a book of spells and incantations. It was thought to be lost, but it popped up somewhere in Paris and was stolen.”

David turned his head slightly and raised his eyebrows. ‘Intriguing. The plot thickens, Sherlock. Well, this little Dr Watson has to get an energy lock.”

Jessica laughed. “No probs, see you soon,” she said, getting back to her computer.

It took David less than fifteen minutes to walk from Randolph Crescent to Ann Street. He looked around the area as he passed Dean Street. Wow! The Victorian houses here are stunning, he thought as he walked along. He quickly searched the prices of some of them and whistled as he saw some houses going for over two million pounds.

Then he got to the bottom of Ann Street. “Wow!” he said out loud. As he looked at the buildings, he took out his phone and searched the prices of properties there. He could only shake his head as he looked at them.

As he walked up the cobbled street, he stopped outside Dr Santiago’s home to feel the energy of the place. He closed his eyes a second to lock in the energy signature so he could easily project back over there.

A few people passed him and looked at him a little strangely, as if wondering what on earth he was doing standing in the middle of the road with his eyes closed.

Shit, I better get out of here, he thought, realising he had stayed a little longer than he wanted.

When he got back to the Campbells’ house, he let Jessica know he was home and that he was going to project over to Dr Santiago’s. Then, he lay on the bed and prepared himself by progressively relaxing each muscle group. From his head down to his toes, it took him ten minutes to fully relax his body and mind, something he’d practised many times.

He then tried a technique to astral project by mentally dipping his fingers through the floor of the room. It worked perfectly, and David was out of his body in a few minutes. He focused on the energy signature of Dr Santiago’s home he’d locked in half an hour ago. The sensation of leaving his body and feeling a cool breeze all over him was as exhilarating now as it had been the first time he projected. The lurch in his stomach and the burning wood smell, which had always baffled him, was like coming home again. He moved with the energy of the winds around the Edinburgh streets and saw the people below as he swiftly moved to the energy lock.

Now outside Dr Santiago’s home, he conjured up an image of the doctor from the photos he had seen in his file. David floated his astral body up the path and into the house, straight through the front patio doors. He scanned the room, but nobody was in, and he didn’t feel any energy signature, which was strange as he and Jessica were due to meet Dr Santiago soon. He might have popped out for some provisions, David thought. He floated upstairs to check the rooms. Nothing there either. Then he floated through the walls into a bedroom. It was there that he saw it, the dead body of Dr Santiago, blood spilling from his throat. For a few seconds, David was rooted to the spot. He couldn’t think, couldn’t move. The horror and the shock of what he saw was too much.

David was immediately sucked back into his own body at Jessica’s house and jerked upright on the bed. He knew he couldn’t stand for a few seconds, having fainted a few times in the past due to the rush of blood to his head. In those few seconds, his mind raced with the implications of this discovery for the team. He wondered if somebody was trying to cover up something about the AI program. And who would know about Dr Santiago or that he was the only team member still alive from the original seven? Are we now in danger? he thought.

He gingerly stood up, testing the feeling of standing before rushing through to Jessica’s room.

CHAPTER 14

It was 3.33 a.m., and the door banging reverberated around the house.

Jessica heard her father’s bedroom door opening and closing as he went downstairs. She opened her bedroom door and saw David following her father. She returned to her room to grab her dressing gown and heard a female voice talking.

A minute later, she joined them to see what all the noise was about. A chilly air was rushing through the downstairs as the doors of the house lay open. The blue lights of a police van flashed and lit up the street.

Two detectives were already inside the house, and to her horror, Jessica watched them escorting David outside.

Her father touched David on the shoulder. “Don’t worry, we’ll clear this up. I’ll organise a solicitor to meet you down at the station.”

The two detectives, an older man and a younger blonde-haired woman, walked David to a van that was parked outside. Jessica saw the look of horror on David’s face, and her eyes went wide with confusion. “What the hell’s going on, Dad? Why are they taking David?”

Her father put his finger to his lips as he was calling someone on his mobile, so Jessica went through to the kitchen and listened to her father speaking to what she presumed was the solicitor. After he had thanked the person, he came through to the kitchen and joined Jessica. He had his serious face on. “They’re questioning David about the murder of Dr Santiago yesterday.”

Jessica’s hand flew to her mouth. “What? How on earth would they suspect David for that?”

Her father shook his head slightly and pursed his lips. “Apparently, they have him on two street cameras and a doorbell camera from one of the neighbours.”

Jessica slumped in her chair. “Oh, shit!” she said, not caring that she had sworn in front of her father. “He went to get an energy signature yesterday before he projected over to Dr Santiago’s house.”

Her father closed his eyes and took a deep breath in. He then whipped out his phone again and called someone as he walked out of the kitchen. Jessica could hear him talking but couldn’t quite make out what he was saying, though she could tell he was concerned.

She looked at the wooden clock on the kitchen wall and decided there was no way she was getting back to sleep, so there was no point in going back to bed. She got up, flipped the switch on the kettle and took out two cups. As she waited, she drummed her fingers on the kitchen counter and tapped her feet. She was operating on autopilot, her mind racing at what might happen to David. How will he explain being in the street during the day? He can’t tell them about his astral projecting. Then she started thinking about what he would do if he had to go to jail. Her mind was going at a hundred miles an hour. The kettle clicked and broke her out of her reverie.

Her father walked in, not filling Jessica with any kind of hope, and raised his eyebrows. “Well, I don’t know if he’s being set up, but they have him standing in the middle of the street and closing his eyes for a few seconds. They also have some witnesses who passed David on Ann Street, which was also caught on camera.”

Jessica rubbed her forehead. “We’re going to have to let Aunt Gen and his parents know. Too early to call them just now, though.”

Her father nodded in agreement. “I’ll let Clarissa know in the morning too. Do you want to work from home tomorrow or go into the lab?”

Jessica opened her mouth to speak and then closed it again. “Ehm, it doesn’t seem right just starting a new job and not going into the lab. I’ll go in. They have more resources there than I do at home, so I can do more digging.”

Her father tutted and walked over to her, rubbing her back. “Don’t worry about David, Jess. And just work from home if you want. I have all the systems you need access to in the study, you can work from there. I have to go in anyway, so I’ll speak to Clarissa.” He kissed her on the forehead.

Jessica’s voice rose in pitch a little. “Are you going back up to bed?”

Her father smiled as he walked out of the kitchen. “It’s 4 a.m., Jess. Remember and get some rest later on.”

She smiled to herself at just how well her father knew her. He knew she would go straight to his study and start working.

She stood up, picked up her cup of coffee and carried it through to her father’s study. As she walked, she thought about where she would start. Can I access the police files on David? she wondered. She walked quicker through to the study with this thought.

Sitting down, she got straight to work.

CHAPTER 15

The darkness was losing its power as the birds started singing outside the police station where David was being held.

He couldn’t sleep and lay on his back on the plastic padded mattress. In his mind, he replayed the scene of finding Dr Santiago. It wouldn’t leave him. Right now, he was a possible suspect in the murder, and he had no way of proving why he had been walking up Ann Street.

Just then, the door to his cell opened. “David Hunter!” the police officer said, looking at a clipboard.

David didn’t know if it was a statement or a question. “Yes,” he said, just in case it was a question.

“We’re taking you through to Interview Room Three. Follow me, please.”

David followed the police officer down the sterile, fluorescent-lit hallway, his heart pounding in his chest. As they entered the interview room, he saw a plain metal table with two chairs on either side. A camera was mounted in the corner, its unblinking eye watching his every move.

The officer gestured for David to sit, and he complied. The cold metal of the chair chilled his legs as he sat down. Across from him sat the detective who had brought him in, a woman with short blonde hair and a serious expression.

“My name is Detective Sergeant Cooper. You are entitled to have a solicitor present if you wish, Mr Hunter. We can appoint one if you do not have one.”

David shifted slightly in his seat. “Am I being charged with anything?”

The detective raised her eyebrows. “No, we’re just following up a line of enquiry.”

David nodded. “Okay. Then I’m happy talking just now.” He recalled police procedures from his university studies.

“As you wish. David Hunter," she began, glancing down at the file in front of her, "you were seen on CCTV and by witnesses on Ann Street yesterday, acting suspiciously outside the home of Dr Santiago Rivera. Can you explain your presence there?"

David took a deep breath, his mind racing. He couldn't tell them the truth about astral projection but needed a plausible explanation. He looked at the detective and nodded, playing for time. Suddenly, a memory surfaced.

"I was looking at house prices in the area," he said, trying to keep his voice steady.

The detective frowned. “At house prices. You're a bit out of your league, Mr Hunter,” she said, her steel-grey eyes never moving from his, her hands clasped firmly in front of her.

David steeled himself to remain calm inside and project confidence. "Well, my girlfriend, Jessica, mentioned that Ann Street was a very posh area, and I was curious. It was a nice day, and I needed to stretch my legs. So I walked around and checked out house prices in the area."

The detective raised an eyebrow. "And why did you stop and close your eyes outside Dr Rivera's home?"

David's heart skipped a beat, but he forced himself to remain calm. “Okay, this will sound a bit weird, but I was trying to imagine myself living there. You know, like the law of attraction stuff.”

The detective shook her head and looked at her colleague.

David continued, “If you truly immerse yourself in the feeling of staying somewhere and being able to afford it, your mind works on finding a way of making it happen. Not straight away, but if you’re determined.” Jeezus, that sounded weird. They’re never going to go for this, David thought as the detective stared at him.

She leaned forwards. “You seem to be fishing for a good excuse, Mr Hunter.”

David shook his head confidently as he remembered searching for house prices. “If you can check my phone's search history, you’ll find that I looked at many house prices in the area.”

The detective looked up at one of the officers standing by the door and nodded to him. She spoke into a digital display at the side of the table. “Interview suspended at 5.37 a.m.” At this, she stood up to walk out, her slight frame belying her job and confidence.

Just then, a man burst into the room and looked at David directly. “David, don’t say another word.” He looked at the detective. “I would like a moment with my client, please.”

Detective Cooper smiled at the solicitor and then looked down at David. “We’ll check your search history, Mr Hunter, and get back to you soon.”

The thin, balding solicitor sat beside David and pulled some files from his well-worn leather briefcase. “Dr Campbell called me. My name is Andrew Stevens,” he said as he held out his hand. David shook it firmly and thanked him for coming down. “What have you said to them so far?”

David went over what had been discussed and mentioned he had advised that he was in the area out of curiosity to look at house prices.

Andrew listened to him and took notes. “And you did search house prices, I presume?”

“Oh, yeah. Jessica stays less than a mile away, and I was curious about Edinburgh's house prices.”

Andrew nodded as if he knew what would happen. “Okay. They don’t have anything to charge you on, and if your phone history shows you searching house prices, you’ll probably be free to go.”

The door to the interview room opened, and the detective smiled and sat opposite him. “Okay, Mr Hunter. Your search history corroborates your story. You are free to go, but we may need to get in touch, so please don’t leave the country for now.”

David felt a huge weight lifting from him, but he didn’t want to breathe out a sigh in front of the detective. Instead, he nodded to her, relief washing over him. It wasn't a perfect explanation, but it got him out of here just now and meant he could do more digging.

Andrew looked at him. “I’ll give you a lift home. I’ll wait outside in the front car park. I’ve got a black Jaguar.”

“Thank you, Andrew,” David said.

David felt his legs shaking as he stood up and tensed them slightly so as not to shake or wobble when he walked. His mind was racing as the officer led him out of the room. Who had killed Dr Rivera, and why? He was off the hook just now, but they might come back to question him some more, so he needed to find a way to prove his innocence while still keeping the truth about his magickal abilities a secret.

He picked up his belongings from the front desk and left St Leonards Police Station. He couldn’t wait to return home and work with Jessica on this, but time was now a commodity he didn’t have in abundance.

He was looking around the car park for Andrew’s car when he heard his name being called. He turned to see Detective Cooper looking at him from the front desk, and he felt her eyes cutting through him. “I’m watching you, David,” he heard her say, but her lips did not move a muscle.

She smiled and walked through to one of the back rooms.

David could only stare at where she had stood, disoriented and a little confused. “What the hell was that?” he said to himself. The flashing lights of Andrew’s black Jaguar oriented him back to the present. Is she a witch? David thought as he walked to the car.

CHAPTER 16

David sat with Jessica on the couch, herfather watching intently as he sipped his tea, sitting opposite in the armchair. David noticed Jessica reacting to the start of the news bulletin as she folded her arms into her body, curled her feet under her thighs and placed her hand on his arm.

BBC News Special Announcement

“This is BBC News. We interrupt our regular programming for an important announcement. Please stand by for an official statement from the UK Government.”

“Good evening. We have received a report from the UK Government indicating that the threat level for a possible nuclear attack on Scotland has been elevated to high. This determination comes after credible intelligence was obtained concerning an imminent threat.

“The Prime Minister and First Minister of Scotland have assured the public that all necessary steps are being taken to secure the safety of the nation. The UK’s emergency protocols have been activated, and the military is on high alert. The Scottish Government is working closely with Westminster and local authorities to co-ordinate efforts.

“The public is advised to stay calm but vigilant. Please listen carefully to the following instructions:

“Stay tuned to local and national news for the latest updates and instructions.

“Review your family emergency plans and, if you have not already, make arrangements for a possible evacuation or instructions to seek immediate shelter.

“Ensure that your emergency supply kit is prepared and contains enough food, water, medication and other essentials for at least seventy-two hours.

“Avoid non-essential travel and keep phone lines clear for emergency use.

“The government has not issued an evacuation order at this time, but those living in areas of strategic importance should prepare for the possibility. Shelter locations will be provided should the need arise.

“Remember, these precautions are being taken to ensure your safety. Further updates will be provided as the situation develops.

“For more detailed information and the latest updates, please visit the official UK Government and Scottish Government websites, or stay tuned to this station.

“We will return with any new developments as they happen. Until then, stay safe.”

David couldn’t speak. Is this for real? Are we really under threat of an attack? His mouth was still agape as he turned to Jessica. She had her hand over her mouth and was wide-eyed as she turned to look at her father and then David.

Joseph leapt out of his chair. “Okay, we need to get more people on this bloody AI program. It’s going to be the cause of a nuclear war if we’re not careful.”

Jessica looked at her father. “Do you not believe there is a threat, then?”

“No, I don’t, but I also don’t have information to the contrary. That’s why it’s important we hunker down and get to the bottom of this. That includes you two. We’re going to have to work day and night to get to the bottom of this.” He stopped to look at them. “Do you want a lift into the lab?”

Jessica looked at David. “No, it’s okay, we can get ready and get the bus in. You go on ahead. We might even get there before you if the traffic is bad.”

Joseph smiled at his daughter and kissed her on the head.

David felt reassured by Joseph’s reaction, and it emboldened him to focus more on this mysterious AI program.

After Joseph left, Jessica looked at David and shook her head. “I can’t believe Scotland has been put on high alert because of an AI program prediction.”

David nodded. “With a ninety-five percent accuracy rate, I think it would be political suicide if they didn’t.”

Jessica raised her eyebrows. “I know that. It’s just that an AI program has the power to put five million people on high alert. Seventy million if you include Ireland, Wales and England.” Jessica suddenly squinted her eyes thoughtfully and looked from left to right as if trying to access some forgotten memory.

David looked at her. “What is it?”

Jessica shook her head to brush him off and continued to stare into space, her eyes darting from left to right, up and down.

He looked at her, amazed at how her mind processed information. She would think of an idea, and then, she would spend ten to thirty minutes unravelling the thread of the idea to see where it would lead. He smiled as he watched her, then felt a sudden lurch in his stomach. He’d had that feeling before: a moment, a feeling of complete admiration for someone. Oh shit! Love? Really? Nah!

When she stopped and looked at him, she shook her head as if resetting her thoughts. “Come on. We’ve got loads to do.”

David stared at her. “Are you not going to tell me what you were thinking about? You obviously had an idea.”

Jessica looked up at him absent-mindedly. “I’ll tell you when I formulate it properly in my head.”

David pondered what she’d said as they both sauntered upstairs to get ready.

David changed into his jeans and a T-shirt after his shower. “I don’t know, Jess. Being in jail, even for that short time, made me realise I am not untouchable. I think I was starting to believe that being a witch and having all these powers made me invincible.”

Jessica lightly touched his arm. “David, honestly, we have all felt that lots of times. It’s not uncommon. However, it is a horrible and scary feeling.”

David glanced at her before staring out the window. “It’s even scarier that the cameras picked up who I was and the police knew where to find me.”

Jessica raised her eyebrows. “Yep, that’s the country we’re living in now. The tech has become so sophisticated, even from a couple of years ago. My AI tracking app told me I have been tracked on cameras throughout Edinburgh one hundred and seventy-six times in the last few days. I’ve only been out for coffee up Princes Street and to Waterstones and Princes Street Gardens.”

David looked at her. “Jeezus, that is scary.”

They both sat on the edge of the bed, lost in their own thoughts for a few seconds. David, now frowning, turned to look at Jessica. She pursed her lips and shook her head a little.

“Is it always this intense doing the work you do?” David asked.

Jessica laughed a little. “Doing the work we do now. We’re in this together.”

They both knew how grave a situation it was, but it was now about acting and trying to do something about it.

David now knew what the life of a witch was going to be like for him. He had thought it would be fun and exciting, but it was far from that. He was doing work that would affect a lot of people. He thought about this for a few seconds. He loved being who he was, and he was still discovering more about himself, but with each discovery came a set of new questions. I guess I’m a student of witchcraft now instead of being a student at university. Both of these paths led to knowledge, but being a witch was a different type altogether.

Jessica was lost in her own thoughts too.

This had been a scary time for Scotland and the rest of the world. There had been the possibility of another viral threat, the Akashic Records nearly being destroyed, and now this.

Jessica stood up quickly. “Okay, we’ve had our little rant, time to get back to work and find out more about this AI program. Probably even more important now.”

David rubbed his hands together as if in preparation. “Okay, so what are the next steps? We now know all the original seven team members from PulseAI died within two years of each other – scary stuff. We know the AI program has made its latest prediction about Scotland being the target for a nuclear attack – even more scary. We can’t break into the code yet. We have my mum and dad, your dad, and Aunt Gen and her team working on this just now. Anything I’ve missed?”

Jessica stared at him for a few seconds. When David just looked at her questioningly, she said, “Seriously? Scotland has just been put on high alert following the announcement from the Scottish Government, I’d say that was kinda important.”

David blushed a little and laughed awkwardly. “Of course, and that too.”

Jessica shook her head and laughed. “Come on, let's get to the lab and get out of here. I’ve got an idea how to get into the AI program.”

“Still not sharing the idea?” he said, teasing her.

She stopped to look at him as if she was about to tell him. Then she smiled. “No. Still not formulated yet.” She carried on walking, looking back at him as David stood and just shook his head at her.

CHAPTER 17

Jessica was thinking about her plan to break the coding for the AI prediction program. To her, it seemed a simple solution, but she doubted herself. It’s too simple, she told herself. She thought the team would have surely thought about it already.

She sat on one of the benches overlooking the green in Princes Street Gardens. It was unusually warm for April, and today, the sun was out. With the sun came the people in their droves. The gardens were a flurry of activity with dog walkers, joggers, and men and women pushing prams and walking with their children. The energy was palpable; Jessica closed her eyes and drew in some of it from around her.

She then felt the cooler touch of the energy from the trees. Over the years, she had learned to discern different types of energy. Human energy was warm and sometimes quite hot. Energy from trees was cooler and more soothing. Energy in the air was like a mist being sprayed all over her body, and from animals it was sharp, with quick jolts of energy spikes.

As she opened her eyes again to look out into the gardens, she noticed an elderly gentleman walking towards her. Is he looking at me? she wondered as he walked straight to the bench she was sitting on.

He was impeccably dressed in a sapphire-blue three-piece suit, the crisp lines showing custom tailoring. Draped over his shoulders was a camel overcoat, its rich fabric catching the light with a subtle sheen. A silk cravat, patterned with discreet elegance, nestled at his throat, adding a touch of aristocratic flair. In his hand, he carried a walking stick, its head carved into the likeness of a wolf, the intricate details a testament to the man's discerning taste.

He looked at her and nodded before sitting down. For a few seconds, he looked straight ahead into the park. Jessica was acutely aware of his presence and paid attention, looking ahead but keeping him in her periphery.

He then turned to look at her directly. “Time for today’s lesson, Ms Jessica Campbell.”

With a swift movement, Jessica turned to him. “Who are you?” she asked, her eyes narrowing.

He chortled and held up a hand to placate her. “Don’t worry, I’m not going to do you any harm. I am one of the teachers from the Koestler Unit,” he said, putting air quotes around “teachers”.

Jessica’s body was in alert mode as she mentally prepared a protection spell. “A teacher of what? And why are you here just now? Did you follow me?”

The old man was very calm and collected. “Did Clarissa or your father not tell you about two teachers you might be meeting?”

Jessica thought back to the conversation she’d had with her father. He had mentioned something about teachers before they went in for their first day, but she had been too anxious and excited to recall the full details. She relaxed a little. “So, what do you teach exactly?”

He smiled and nodded. “You’re just like your mother, direct and to the point, no messing about.”

Jessica’s eyes widened. “You knew my mother?”

The man smiled and rested his hands on the cane. “Yes, yes. She was a wonderful woman, and I still miss our conversations. So you see, it was a wonderful surprise being told that I would be your teacher whilst you work with the team.”

Jessica looked out at the people walking by and thought about her mother. She recalled nearly dying and how her mother had come to her. She could feel her energy just now, and while it saddened her that she wasn’t here in person, Jessica knew her energy was still with her.

The man’s eyes betrayed his age, their mischievous glint telling Jessica he had learned a lot of this world but hadn’t grown weary of its lessons.

He pointed his cane to the left, indicating that Jessica should look at something. She couldn’t see anything obvious and turned around to tell him, but he had vanished. She squinted and looked around the bench she was sitting on. There was no sign of him at all. As she got up to walk back to the lab, she noticed a black card with some numbers in a gold font:

852 Hz

What does that mean? Jessica thought as she inspected both sides of the card. It had nothing but “852 Hz”.

As she walked up towards the lab, she realised that 852 Hz was a sound frequency that had some significance, but she couldn’t remember what. She reached for her phone and searched using Shallan, her AI assistant.

The result came back:

The frequency of 852 Hz is often associated with the concept of Solfeggio frequencies, which are part of an ancient musical scale thought to have been used in sacred music, including the beautiful and well-structured Gregorian chants. According to proponents of Solfeggio frequencies, each frequency corresponds to specific human body and emotional states and is believed to have various spiritual and physical healing properties.

Specifically, 852 Hz is said to be linked to the third-eye chakra and is often referred to as the frequency of awakening intuition and promoting clarity of mind. It is believed to help individuals reconnect with the spiritual order of the universe and expand their awareness. This frequency is also used in meditation and healing practices to assist in fostering introspection and calm.

Jessica thought about what she had been doing before she saw the man. She had been sitting on the bench, relaxing, paying attention to the energies around her. She was essentially meditating. Her energy must have been vibrating at an energy level where she could see him in the real world.

I bloody love this life! she said to herself as she chuckled at the mysteriousness of the universe.

Quickly getting back into work mode, she entered the lab and walked over to her desk. Clarissa came marching up just as Jessica was unsaddling her backpack.

As usual, Clarissa was curt and to the point. “You have an idea, I believe, about how to get into the AI program coding?”

More of the team gathered around Jessica’s desk. Jessica, a little surprised to be surrounded by them, smiled. “Yes, I do.”

David turned around in his seat across from Jessica and smiled at her.

She took a deep breath. “Why don’t we use AI to break into the AI program?”

CHAPTER 18

David was busy digging deeper into the PulseAI team. He was specifically interested in Stephanie Koller's love of the occult and fascination with grimoires. He had been researching social media sites that were still around. Although Stephanie hadn’t posted much about her personal life, unlike most people, a few years ago, she had some social media presence, and he’d pulled some posts and articles from the internet archives.

He had found a podcast from 2022 in which Stephanie was interviewed about a computing paper she had written about AI and its implications for the future. He quickly looked up the reference to get a better idea of what she was talking about in the interview:

Stephanie L. Koller. (2022). "Artificial Intelligence and Future Horizons: Ethical Implications and Societal Impact." Journal of Advanced Computing and Innovation, 58(3), 204–219. DOI: 10.1234/jaci.2022.0319

David quickly scanned the text of the article as he listened to Stephanie being interviewed. When he heard her voice, he felt a huge wave of sadness. She was dead, and he was listening to her talking; it was a strange feeling. I wonder if she knew how much of an impact she would leave on the world, David asked himself. His mind wandered. I wonder how I’ll be remembered. Have I done anything that could be written about? I suppose the witch community will know my history. He shook his head to rest his mind and get back to the task at hand.

He continued to read the article and listen to the podcast when he heard the word grimoire in the conversation.

He quickly pressed the pause button and went back twenty seconds to where the conversation about grimoires had likely started.

Interviewer: "In your paper, you mention the potential for AI to revolutionise various fields, including healthcare and finance. However, you also raise concerns about the ethical implications of such advanced systems. Can you elaborate on that?"

Stephanie: "Absolutely. While AI has the potential to solve many of society's problems and streamline processes, we must also consider the risks. One of the main concerns is the lack of transparency in how these systems make decisions. If we rely on AI to make critical choices in healthcare, for example, we need to ensure that the decision-making process is clear and unbiased."

Interviewer: "That's a valid point. In your research, have you come across any ways to mitigate these risks?"

Stephanie: "It's an ongoing process, but one approach is to develop AI systems with built-in explainability. This means that the AI can provide a clear breakdown of how it arrived at a particular decision. Another crucial aspect is ensuring diverse teams are involved in the development process to minimise bias."

Interviewer: "I see. Now, I noticed you have a keen interest in the occult and ancient knowledge. You're known for your extensive collection of rare grimoires. Do you see any connection between this fascination and your work in AI?"

Stephanie: "That's an interesting question. While they may seem unrelated, I believe wisdom can be gained from studying ancient texts and practices. In a sense, grimoires were a form of 'code' used to understand and influence the world. I think there are parallels between the structure and logic of these ancient systems and the way we develop AI today."

Interviewer: "Fascinating. Do you think there could be a way to integrate this ancient knowledge into modern AI systems?"

Stephanie: "It's an intriguing idea. While I don't have a specific plan in mind, exploring the intersection of technology and the occult could lead to new insights and approaches. Just as we learn from history in other fields, understanding the thought processes and methodologies of the past could inform our development of AI in the future."

Interviewer: “Are there any particular texts or grimoires that are your favourites?”

David perked up at this question and leaned closer to his computer as if it were going to make it louder. There was a screeching noise in the recording, and David yanked out his earphones. “Jeezus, man,” he said as he dropped them on the table. Then he quickly put them back on and turned the volume down on the computer.

Interviewer: "That's a thought-provoking perspective. Thank you for sharing your insights, Stephanie."

Stephanie: "My pleasure. It's an exciting time for AI, and I look forward to seeing how the field evolves and how we can learn from both the past and the present to shape a better future."

David put the recording back twenty seconds. Again, the screeching noise. The part where Stephanie had mentioned the text or grimoires was distorted.

He went back to the internet and searched the AI assistant he had named Neo to try to get a recording of the interview somewhere else. Neo found the recording David had just listened to but couldn’t find any other places on the net where it had been stored. David then typed a set of clear instructions into Neo and pressed a few buttons to incorporate the audio PowerUnits, addons to enhance AI’s capabilities depending on the task at hand.

Neo came back immediately:

Please hold on, David, I will analyse the file and enhance the recording for you in a few seconds.

David looked at the screen and waited. He thought about the next steps if he could find the grimoire that had been used. Jessica’s idea that the AI program was using magick would be a huge breakthrough, but only if they could break into the coding.

David turned and smiled at Jessica, who was busy furiously typing. She seemed to sense him and turned and smiled back. “Are you okay?” she asked.

David nodded. “Yes, all good, just having a mental break for a few seconds,” he said, looking down at his phone to see if Neo had made any progress. Still working on it, David, bear with me.

Jessica smiled, nodded and got back to work. He felt proud of her for coming up with a possible solution to break the AI program code. The team had been busy implementing Jessica’s suggestion for the last three hours.

David felt a twinge of insecurity as he looked around the room, taking in the advanced degrees and specialised knowledge of his teammates. He couldn't help but feel like an imposter among these brilliant minds. When Lyle, who had been with the team for four years and had a PhD in Computational Neuroscience, had asked him about his background, David hesitated before admitting he hadn't finished his law degree.

But as the team dove into their work, David found himself noticing patterns and connections that the others seemed to miss. His legal training had taught him to look at problems from multiple angles and to think critically about evidence. And while he couldn't reveal his magickal abilities, he could feel his intuition guiding him towards promising leads.

A few days ago, as they pored over some data, David had caught something that had been missed. Fiona McTavish had looked up and caught David's eye. “Great catch, David,” she’d said, nodding towards the screen. “We might have missed that if you hadn't pointed it out.”

David had felt a flush of pride at the acknowledgement. He might not have the same credentials as the rest of the team, but he was beginning to see that his unique perspective and skills were just as valuable.

He took a deep breath and dove back into the work, determined to prove to himself and the others that he belonged there. His mind raced with the implications of Stephanie's words; the possibility of ancient knowledge being integrated into AI systems was both thrilling and unsettling. He glanced at his phone, hoping for an update from Neo, but the screen remained unchanged.

As he was about to turn back to his computer, a sudden burst of activity caught his eye. The team had gathered around Lyle's desk, their voices rising with excitement. David sat up straighter, his curiosity piqued. They had obviously found something significant.

He looked down at his phone screen again. Still nothing from Neo. Normally, it was a lot quicker than this, but it was obviously having some difficulty cleaning up the audio file.

The chatter was getting a little louder. David sensed things were about to kick off and took the opportunity to talk to Jessica. She had been busy researching the team and their innovations using AI.

David sidled up to her desk. “What have you found?”

Jessica continued staring at the screen before turning around. “Do you know it wasn’t just the predictive AI machine that PulseAI produced? It also produced that controversial Virtual Doctor program.”

David narrowed his eyes a little, trying to remember what that was.

Jessica turned to face him. “It’s a database that stores all of the patient’s records on the blockchain, and they created the virtual doctor that was personal to each individual patient.”

David exhaled loudly. “That’s it. I knew I knew it, I just couldn’t remember.”

Jessica laughed. “Yeah, we used to use Google to look up symptoms? Now, the Virtual Doctor program has all your history on the blockchain and knowledge of every disease and ailment in the world and has more or less replaced the need for general practitioners.”

“I’ve never had to go to the doctor for ages. I don’t even know what the process is anymore,” David said.

Jessica laughed. “Well, we’re witches, so we don’t tend to ever see a doctor, but the non-witches now log into their own app and connect with the virtual doctor. The point is, the program is open source, so maybe that can give us some clues about the coding aspect of this predictive AI they’ve produced.”

David shook his head. “That’s a great angle to go from. You’re on fire, Jess.”

She smiled and turned around a little more to face David. “So, what have you found? You seem preoccupied.”

David looked down at his phone screen again, but still nothing – just green zeros and ones falling down like rain on his screensaver. “Nothing, I’m just searching for something and hoping Neo will be able to help, but it’s taking ages.”

“What is it? It must be quite juicy, judging by your evasiveness,” Jessica said, laughing.

The noise of the other team members talking was still getting louder. It seemed like there were a hundred people in the lab instead of ten.

David’s phone made an alarm sound, and he and Jessica looked down at it. David quickly pressed the button to switch it back into active mode and looked at the message.

I’ve cleaned up the audio for you, and I have a transcript of the corrupted part of the file. Would you like to read it now?

Jessica and David looked up as Clarissa was shouting them over to one of the members’ desks. David looked back down and hit ‘Yes’. He was walking slowly with Jessica when he read the names of the three grimoires that Stephanie had spoken about in the interview:

The Picatrix: Also known as the Ghāyat al-Ḥakīm

The Grimoire of Nostradamus

The Sworn Book of Honorius

David smiled as he joined the rest of the team around Lyle’s desk.

CHAPTER 19

As David and Jessica made their way over to the cluster of desks, the energy in the room was palpable. The team members were leaning in close to the computer screen, their voices rising and falling with each new discovery. David exchanged a curious glance with Jessica before they joined the group, eager to see what had caused such a stir.

David was a little taken aback as Clarissa smiled at Jessica – a real, genuine smile with the eyes. She pointed towards the screen and pulled Jessica to the front. Jessica looked at the coding and suddenly turned around to David with eyes wide. “It’s referencing ‘The Grimoire’.”

David raised his eyebrows and smiled. “You were right, it’s using magick. Does it mention what grimoire it’s using?”

Jessica turned to the team, and Lyle turned to Jessica. “The code doesn’t say specifically what grimoire it’s from. I think we’d have to go back to the beginning and find out what databases it’s pulling data from. If we had the names, it might be easier.”

David confidently spoke up. “I have the names of three grimoires that were Stephanie’s favourites.”

The whole team turned around and looked at him. “That’s brilliant,” Fiona said, standing up and getting out her phone. “Can you give me the names, and I’ll search and see what I can find in the code?”

David took out his phone and took a screenshot. He asked Fiona to hold out her phone and swiped his over it, then she accepted the file request David had sent. She walked over to her desk and brought up the code that had been unlocked.

Lyle continued, “We can also delve into the code and see if it does reference any of those grimoires and take it from there.”

“Are you able to do that?” Jessica asked.

He smiled at her. “We’ll have a good shot at it. I think we’ll use your idea of using AI to break into things we don’t have access to.”

Jessica chuckled. “Not exactly a genius idea.”

Lyle stood up straight, dwarfing Clarissa, who was standing next to him. “There’s seven PhDs in this lab, and not one of us thought of it. It was a genius idea. How did you come up with it?"

Jessica smiled, a mix of pride and humility on her face. "Well, it just seemed logical. We're dealing with an incredibly sophisticated AI program, so why not fight fire with fire? If we can create an AI assistant specifically designed to analyse and break down the code of the rogue program, we might be able to find vulnerabilities or patterns that we've missed."

Lyle nodded, his blue eyes sparkling with excitement. "That's brilliant. And the AI we create could work tirelessly, processing data at speeds we could never match. It could go through millions of lines of code in a matter of hours."

"Exactly," Jessica agreed. "And because it's not bound by the same cognitive limitations as humans, it might be able to identify unconventional or abstract patterns that we would overlook."

Lyle ran a hand through his thick mop of hair, his mind clearly racing with possibilities. "We could even have our AI learn and adapt as it goes, refining its algorithms based on what it discovers. It would be like having a super-intelligent ally working alongside us."

Jessica grinned, feeding off his enthusiasm. "That's the idea. Of course, we'll need to be careful and set clear parameters. We don't want our AI going rogue like the one we're trying to stop."

"Definitely," Lyle agreed. "But with the right safeguards in place, this could be the breakthrough we need. I've been itching to put my skills in Python and TensorFlow to the test!"

Jessica laughed and bowed. “You’re very welcome.” They both laughed.

David noticed Clarissa watching the interaction, looking slightly confused. He wondered what it must feel like for Clarissa if she didn’t pick on subtle, humorous social interactions. Would she bother or feel left out? Or would she just brush it off and genuinely not care?

David watched as Fiona typed the grimoire names into her search program, his mind drifting back to the podcast interview with Stephanie. The idea that ancient magical texts could hold the key to unlocking the secrets of a cutting-edge AI was both thrilling and unsettling. He glanced over at Jessica, who was deep in conversation with Lyle, their heads bent together over the computer screen. A flicker of jealousy passed through him, but he pushed it aside. There would be time to sort out his feelings later; right now, they had a job to do.

As if sensing his gaze, Jessica looked up and caught his eye. She grinned and beckoned him over, her excitement evident in the way she bounced on the balls of her feet. “David, come look at this,” she said, pointing to a line of code on the screen. “Fiona found a reference to the Nostradamus grimoire in one of the data sets. It's like the AI is using the grimoire as a kind of instruction manual.”

Lyle nodded, his fingers flying over the keyboard as he pulled up more lines of code. “It's almost like the AI is treating the grimoire as a set of algorithms,” he explained, his eyes bright with enthusiasm. “It's taking the symbols and rituals described in the text and translating them into a sort of magical programming language.”

David leaned in closer, his own excitement growing as he saw the ancient symbols and diagrams scrolling across the screen. Maybe his finding the grimoire names would be more useful than he'd thought. As he listened to Jessica and Lyle discuss the implications of their discovery, he felt a renewed sense of purpose. Together, they just might be able to crack this case wide open.

He stole a glance at Jessica again as she continued to look through the code.

He felt a lurch in his stomach again for the second time in as many days.

CHAPTER 20

This was the seventh time that Jacqueline and Logan had astral projected into the Scottish Parliament and the fifth time they had been to the House of Lords. They had been trying to glean information about the procedures being used to protect Scotland from a nuclear attack. Ever since the AI prediction was made, there had been a huge amount of activity in all the parliaments of the United Kingdom.

They met back at Genevieve’s apartment. It had been a meeting base ever since the Akashic Records events, so it made sense to continue.

Genevieve could hear the creaking of the stairs when Jacqueline and Logan were coming down and looked up at them. “Anything?” she said as Logan opened the living room door.

Logan ran his hand through his greying hair, then tugged at his blue T-shirt. He looked as if he had been sleeping in his clothes. “No, nothing really. I don’t know if we’re going to find anything there. It’s like listening in to a hundred conversations, hoping to stumble upon something that might be useful. There’s a lot of talk about Russia being involved but no concrete evidence.”

“Russia?” Jonathan exclaimed. “Why the hell would they want to strike Scotland?”

Logan shook his head and sighed. “I don’t know, mate, but we’re not getting anywhere fast.”

Genevieve pursed her lips in sympathy. “I know, it must be frustrating, but it’s better than sitting here twiddling our thumbs.”

Jacqueline sauntered through to the kitchen and flipped the switch on the kettle. “Well, I suppose we could get more of your team involved, Gen, and just do a mass projection and see what we can find?”

Genevieve raised her eyebrows. “That’s a thought. I could get the team together and see what they think.” She looked at Jonathan to find out his thoughts.

“Yeah, I don’t think the team would mind doing that. Maya has had loads of experience,” Jonathan said.

The aroma of coffee wafted around the living room as Jacqueline brought a tray with a pot of tea and a cafetiere with some biscuits on the side.

Logan poured a cup of coffee and picked up a biscuit. “I’m open to new ideas about what we can do. However, I still don’t feel that it’s a credible threat. With all the knowledge we have gathered over the years of our projections and porting, we have never come across anything in conversations that would suggest any type of attack on Scotland, never mind a nuclear attack, especially not by Russia. We have a good diplomatic relationship with them.”

The four sat in silence for a few seconds as they sipped their teas and coffees. The sun bathed the room in a yellow glow, and little particles of dust floated on the beams of light.

“Have we heard anything from David and Jessica lately?” Jacqueline asked.

Genevieve shook her head and sighed. “No. The last I heard was after their first day at work, but nothing since. I expect they’ll be busy.”

“I’ll call David tonight. See how they’re getting on,” Jacqueline said, brushing her long, dark hair away from her face.

“Well,” Genevieve started, putting her cup back on the table, “we could go to Jean in Edinburgh to see if she can see anything that would help us?”

Jacqueline nodded. “That would make sense. She’s good at what she does, I’ve heard, although I haven’t seen her for years.”

Jonathan leaned forwards. “Yes, she was—” He was interrupted when Genevieve’s phone rang.

Genevieve laughed. “It’s Jean Munro,” she said, looking at Jacqueline and the others. She clicked a button and held out the phone. “Jean, we were just talking about you. You’re on loudspeaker.”

“Good. I believe I have a message for you – at least, I’m hoping it’s for you. Does the name Neil Day mean anything to you?”

There was a few seconds’ silence.

Logan spoke up. “He’s one of the MSPs whose room we went into at the Scottish Parliament.”

Genevieve put the phone on the table. “That would make sense as I saw him standing up to give a speech to the Prime Minister and their cabinet. He was talking about intelligence that suggested Russia was behind the threat ofa nuclear attack on Scotland.”

The group gasped in unison as they looked at Logan. It confirmed what he had heard.

Genevieve shook her head and rubbed her temples. This felt all too familiar to her. She’d had a few months of quiet after the Akashic Records, and now she felt that she would be springing into action again. She felt excited but also a bit overwhelmed. She always got like this with big events until she could wrap her head around them.

Jonathan gently put his hand on hers and squeezed it.

Jean spoke up. “It’s not true, but I don’t know why Neil is saying this and why the Prime Minister is taking it seriously.”

“Anything else, Jean?” asked Genevieve.

“Nothing yet, but I feel there’s more coming and all hell is going to break loose. I thought I would share this with you in case it helps,” Jean said.

Jacqueline looked at Logan and shook her head slightly. “Thank you, Jean, that is extremely helpful. It’s Jacqueline here, Gen’s sister, I don’t know if you remember me…”

“Jacqueline, oh my goodness, it’s been years since we’ve spoken. Glad to hear you and Logan are back on the scene. I bet David is pleased?”

Jacqueline and Logan laughed. “Yes, he is extremely pleased but busy doing his own thing just now.”

“We’ll need to catch up soon, I expect you have a lot to tell me, and I’ll have a lot to share with you too,” Jean said excitedly.

“We’ll do that, and thank you for the call, this could really help us,” Jacqueline said. “We’ll speak soon. Take care, Jean.”

“Bye for now, will speak soon, and Gen, if I get anything else, I’ll give you a call.” At this, Jean hung up, leaving the rest of them looking at each other.

“I told you she was good,” Genevieve said, mustering a short laugh, trying not to look down about the situation.

Jonathan looked at Jacqueline and Logan. “So, does this help you?”

Logan stood up. “Definitely. We both sensed there was something with Neil Day, but we couldn’t find anything when we projected, so we left him alone. This changes things slightly, and we can focus on him.”

Jacqueline stood up, too, and put her arm around Logan’s waist. “Do you want to project just now and try again in Neil’s office?”

“Yep, I think we should before the day gets away from us,” Logan said and walked towards the living room door to go upstairs.

Jacqueline touched Genevieve’s arm. “We’ll quickly astral project over to the parliament, and we can speak after.”

Genevieve touched her sister’s hand. “Be careful, Jac.”

Jacqueline smiled at her. “We record all our astral journeys, so check our diaries if anything happens,” she said, laughing her sister’s concerns off. At this, she tied her hair into a bun and rolled up the sleeves of her loose-fitting sweater as if getting ready for battle.

Genevieve and Jonathan listened as they went upstairs. They heard the padding of footsteps from the room above and some murmuring as Logan and Jacqueline spoke to each other before lying down to project. “Well, that sounds promising. I hope they find something that will help.” Genevieve said.

They chatted for ten minutes as they both lay back on the sofa and held hands before dozing off into a gentle sleep.

They were suddenly awoken with the sound of Logan shouting. Genevieve jerked awake, thinking she had been dreaming. Jonathan was already up and making his way to the living room door.

“What is it?” Genevieve exclaimed.

“I don’t know, Gen, but it didn’t sound good.”

Again, the shouting came from upstairs, this time sounding more like a scream of terror.

They both rushed upstairs.

Jacqueline was crouching in the doorway, crying, with her hand covering her mouth and looking at the bed.

CHAPTER 21

Just as Jonathan slowly approached Jacqueline at the top of the stairs, she screamed again, a loud, shrieking, grief-stricken scream. She was crouched down at the top of the stairs, her arm outstretched as if trying to stretch for something just out of her reach. Jonathan tried to speak to her as he approached, but she didn't even register his presence.

With her stomach in knots, fearing what she might see, Genevieve gingerly stepped past Jacqueline. Her hand flew to her mouth as she saw Logan's body hanging over the bed, blood dripping from his throat onto the white duvet cover. His eyes were still open as if looking at them while they stared at him in shock.

Every instinct in her mind and body told her not to, but she had to check if he was dead. She already knew the answer, but just in case there was a chance, she crept over to his body, bent down and felt for a pulse in his right hand. There was nothing. She closed her eyes and laid her hands over his heart. His body was cold. She tried to pick up on any residual life force, but again, nothing. As she suspected, her brother-in-law was dead.

With Jonathan trying to console Jacqueline, Genevieve gently closed Logan's eyelids. His lashes tickled the palms of her hands. She had known Logan for over twenty-seven years after being introduced to him the day after Jacqueline had met him. Her sister had said she knew he was the one she would spend the rest of her life with. Genevieve recalled how happy Jacqueline had been when she started dating him and how that happiness continued throughout their married life.

She laid a hand on his cold, waxy head and whispered a prayer to help Logan on his way to the afterlife:

"Great Goddess, Mother of the Earth and all its creatures. We call upon you in this sacred moment to embrace our beloved Logan in your loving arms. Guide him gently across the veils between the worlds, into the peaceful embrace of Summerland.

Mighty Mother, who brings forth life and receives it back into your womb, help us to feel your comforting presence in our time of loss.

May we see the cycles of life and death in your ever-turning wheel and find peace in the knowledge that all is but a part of your divine tapestry.

Blessed be the spirit of Logan, who has walked a path of wisdom and love. As they return to your vast, nurturing heart, Grant them peace, grant them rest, grant them rebirth.

We thank you for the gift of their presence in our lives, and ask for your blessings as we release him to your infinite care. May his spirit soar freely on the wings of eternity, and may his light continue to guide us in the shadows until we meet again.

So mote it be.”

As she finished the prayer, she looked up to see Jacqueline with her head buried in Jonathan's chest. He held her and looked over at Genevieve, shaking his head in disbelief.

Genevieve's grief hit her suddenly, and tears sprang from her eyes and down her cheeks. This can’t be happening! Why? What the hell happened, and where had Logan gone to get himself killed? She needed to be strong for Jacqueline and wiped her tears away. She loved Logan, and even though he’d had to leave David with her all those years ago, he was a great father, a great husband and a good friend to Genevieve and the rest of the witch community in the West End of Glasgow.

Genevieve held her sister tightly in her arms as she sobbed hard. Finally, Jacqueline broke away from Genevieve and wiped away her tears, anger seeming to course through her body as she started talking:

"Spirit of Logan, who moved beyond the veil, I call to you to cross again this threshold. I seek your guidance, or to make amends, speak now with love, and let our hearts blend."

Genevieve's eyes widened as she screamed at her sister, "Nooooo, Jac, you can't!"

She took hold of Jacqueline and started shaking her by the shoulders. "You can't do this, Jac, it is forbidden. Let him rest in peace, he will come to you another way when he is ready."

Jacqueline looked at her sister with eyes narrowed, fists clenched and the muscles in her jaw taut. She brushed Genevieve away with a swipe of her hand and looked back to Logan.

Jonathan jumped towards Genevieve, placing himself between her and the wall as he caught her. She fell into Jonathan as they both slammed hard against it.

A wind had begun swirling around the room as Jacqueline cast the spell to raise her husband’s spirit. The noise grew louder and louder the more Jacqueline spoke.

"We need to stop her, Jonathan!" Genevieve's voice was urgent, barely audible above the howling wind.

Jonathan leaned closer to Genevieve, his eyes wide with concern. "What can we do?" Tables, bedclothes and drawers were now swirling around the room like a tornado.

“I’ll try something. If we don’t, dark forces will enter this world expecting something in return!” Genevieve shouted as she ducked to avoid an ornament hitting her head.

“Expecting what?” Jonathan said, looking around himself.

“Our energy, it will drain us for years to come,” Genevieve said, watching her sister.

Wind continued whipping through the room. The curtains hung in the air, threatening to pull the curtain rail from its sockets, and darkness descended as the temperature dropped further. Jacqueline was reciting another incantation to raise the spirit of her husband, and Genevieve and Jonathan watched in horror as they saw it seeping out from his body.

Genevieve couldn’t let what had happened to her years before happen to her sister. She recited her own incantation as she walked towards Jacqueline, battling the wind. Her eyes were closed with concentration.

"Veil of Shadows, heed my call, release not one, but guard them all.

Bind the breach where shadows sleep, from fathomless depths where secrets keep.

Seal the gate, lock tightly this door, let not this soul tread the mortal floor…"

Jacqueline, realising what Genevieve was doing, shot her arm out towards her sister. Genevieve was thrown back slightly but continued to recite her incantation.

"Circle of salt, fire's light. Guard this space from unbidden blight. Winds of the North, South, East, and West, converge to thwart this forbidden quest. By the power of three times three, as I will it, so mote it be!"

Jacqueline screamed at Genevieve, "Nooo, you will not do this. Stop it!" Jacqueline's scream was raw with desperation as she shot out her arm again, channelling every ounce of energy she could muster. Genevieve was thrown back again but continued reciting the incantation.

Jonathan watched them duelling and could do nothing.

Genevieve's heart pounded in her chest, the blood roaring in her ears as she faced her sister. This was her sister; she understood her pain, but she could not use this forbidden spell to raise Logan’s spirit. With every spell that was cast out into the world, a payoff was expected, and Genevieve, more than most, knew the kind of payoff the spirits of the underworld would expect. Her brush with the dark forces had come as she had tried to raise the spirit of her mother when she died years ago. What had happened back then… she didn’t want the same for Jacqueline. It had sucked the life force from her for over two years.

Logan's spirit was returning to the dead body on the bed. His spirit would travel when it was ready to relieve itself of the physical.

Jacqueline’s eyes were red with anger and rage as she looked at Genevieve. She brought her hands together, creating a swirling mass of electrical activity that she forced towards her sister.

Genevieve was hit squarely in the chest, and an electrical energy coursed through her body, rendering her immobile. Then she was hit with the edge of a coffee table and fell to the ground, head bleeding. She was about to pass out, but something in her snapped, I can’t let her do this, I can’t let her do this. She shouted as loud as she could, “I can’t let you do this, Jacqueline!” Her voice barely registered against the sounds of the wind.

She threw out her arms and cast a silent spell to try to bind Jacqueline somehow.

Her sister threw another ball of electricity her way, but this time, it was much weaker.

She’s running out of energy, Genevieve thought. She strengthened the bind and watched as Jacqueline’s mind and body gave way under the spell.

The howling wind died down. Clothes, ornaments, table lamps and pieces of furniture fell to the ground. The icy chill left the air, and the sun shone through the window again.

Genevieve had used all her energy, emotional and physical, to stop her sister using the forbidden spell. In the long run, it would help Jacqueline, but she might not see it that way for a while. Genevieve was drained and exhausted. If Jacqueline did this to me, I’d be raging too, she thought. She understood what her sister was doing; she was lashing out.

Jacqueline fell to her knees next to Logan and cradled his head. She cried silently as her head touched his, and she stroked his face. Genevieve gave her a handkerchief to wipe the blood from his neck, ears and hair.

Genevieve felt heartbroken for her sister. She slid down the wall and crouched down with tears falling from her eyes. How will she ever get over this? she wondered. And then, suddenly, it hit her: How will David cope with this news? His father just returned after eighteen years, and now this. Genevieve couldn't bear to think about how she was going to let David know. She buried her head in her hands as Jonathan sat beside her, his arm gently resting on her shoulder.

Jacqueline looked at Logan, then towards her older sister before crawling over to her, laying her head in Genevieve’s lap. Together, they cried as Genevieve brushed her fingers through Jacqueline’s hair, trying to soothe her grieving.

“We’ll find whoever did this, Gen,” Jonathan said, almost whispering.

Genevieve had her teeth clenched. “Yes, we bloody well will. I’ve had enough of this. We need to up the ante again like we did with the Akashic Records. One of ours is dead.” She looked over at Logan. “We will find who did this to you, I promise you, Logan,” she said with a determination in her voice to show Jonathan that he better be prepared for what was to come.

CHAPTER 22

Jessica looked at David and said, “What’s wrong with you this morning? You’re unusually quiet.”

David frowned. “I don’t know. I’m getting a bad feeling that something has happened back home. I think I’ll phone my mum and dad.”

As he said this, David’s phone rang. “My Aunt Gen.” He answered cheerily, “Morning, Aunt Gen, I was just…”

Jessica looked over as David listened to his aunt. She flicked her head to ask what was being said. David shook his head as he listened and then hung up.

Jessica’s eyes narrowed. “Everything okay?”

“I don’t know. Aunt Gen didn’t sound too good, but she wants us to go over. She said we should port over just now,” David said slowly.

Jessica laughed. “What, right now? We’re working!”

David stood up and grabbed his jacket. “She said it couldn’t wait. We have to go right now, and we have to port over and not get the train.”

Jessica realised something was wrong and followed him to let Clarissa know they had to go. She didn’t ask why and watched them as they left the lab.

David walked along the blue-coloured corridors and looked into the rooms to find an unused one. Jessica quickly followed him. “Are you going to port from here?” she asked. “We can jump in a taxi from my house.”

David shook his head. “No, we have to go just now, Jess. I don’t know what’s happened, but it’s something bad.”

David could feel his body heavy and sluggish; his energy seemed drained from this morning. He couldn’t figure out what it was, but he knew that his Aunt Gen's calling had something to do with it. He hoped nothing had happened to her or his mum and dad.

Jessica had gone looking in some of the other rooms. “Here! There’s a free one here,” she said, beckoning David to her. She tried the handle and then walked in and looked around. David quickly joined her. He took a deep breath to centre himself and thought about his Aunt Gen, Jonathan and the apartment, everything he could think of to feel the energy signature of where he wanted to port to. Then he held out his hand and circled it to open a portal.

He had come a long way since discovering his magickal abilities last year. He couldn’t have imagined that he would be able to open portals to different parts of the world on his own. He rarely used these abilities as they drained his energy, but with something like this, they were necessary.

A swirling circle of blue, orange and red energy lines opened up before Jessica and David. He looked at Jessica and held out his hand for them to go through together. The excitement he felt every time he walked through the portal was still there, and he felt it would never leave him.

As they stepped into the portal, a tingling sensation raced across David's skin, like the brush of soft feathers all over his body. The static energy coursed through his body, from the tips of his toes to the crown of his head, leaving behind an oddly exhilarating sensation that teetered between discomfort and pleasure. The world around him began to dissolve, colours bleeding into one another like a kaleidoscope of melting watercolours. The air grew thick and heavy, pressing against his chest as he was thrust into the void, a realm of absolute nothingness. The silence was deafening, broken only by his heartbeat.

Then, the void stage happened, a state of nothingness in which the mind, body, and spirit free-floated into a black hole. This usually lasted for what seemed like a few seconds, with nothing to see, but distant sounds from the destination echoing in David’s mind. This time, though, he didn’t hear anything – no Aunt Gen, Jonathan or anybody else. Instead, he heard the sound of silence, which was strange.

Then he felt his body being pieced back together again like a jigsaw puzzle as he arrived at his destination. It all happened in the blink of an eye.

David's eyes fluttered open, and he stood in a vast, ethereal library. The Library of Life, a place he had visited a few times before on the second plane of existence. The air was filled with the soft rustling of pages. The white walls seemed to glow with an inner light, gently illuminating the endless rows of shelves. The scent of aged parchment and leather-bound books wafted through the air, mingling with the faint aroma of something otherworldly and divine.

David's gaze darted around the room, searching for Jessica, but she was nowhere to be seen. The silence pressed in on him, broken only by the distant ticking of an unseen clock. As he fully materialised, the sharp bang of a door echoed through the library, ricocheting off the walls and causing the hairs on the back of his neck to stand on end.

Then, a small, two-footed creature walked through the door.

Terence. A wave of memories washed over David as he looked at the familiar figure. Terence, the enigmatic being who had first appeared to David in his lucid dreams and guided him through discovering his magickal abilities. Terence had revealed the truth about David's lineage, a long line of witches stretching back generations.

Though Terence had initially appeared to David as a creature from the underworld, David now understood that it was merely a guise, a form chosen to match David's humour and emotional state at the time. In reality, Terence was a high-level monk from the seventh plane of existence, a realm far beyond the comprehension of most humans.

Their bond had been forged through shared experiences and the weight of the responsibilities they had shouldered together. Terence had conceived the idea of sending a high-frequency signal to humanity's mobile phones, a desperate attempt to catalyse their evolution and prevent the destruction of the Akashic Records. This event would have reduced the human population to a mindless, zombie-like state.

David was wide-eyed. “Terence! What the hell is going on? It’s great to see you and all that, but I don’t understand.”

Terence resembled a two-foot dinosaur with wings, nostrils that could snort fire, and the beak of a large bird of prey. He wasn’t his usual happy, sarcastic self, though. He ambled over to David, held out his right wing and patted David’s leg. “Come and sit down, David. It’s good to see you, but I wish it was under better circumstances.”

David narrowed his eyes. “T, just tell me what’s going on.”

Terence motioned towards a table and chairs next to a shelf full of leather-bound books of all different colours and sizes.

David recalled the first time he had been here with Jessica, when they had found out about their future. He’d been a different person back then when he had just discovered his magickal lineage, and now he was a powerful witch.

As David sat down, Terence jumped onto the table and looked at him. “There’s no other way I can tell you this. Your father was killed in a magick attack when he was projecting into the Scottish Parliament.”

David could only look at Terence without speaking for a few seconds. He knew it couldn’t be a joke; even Terence wouldn’t joke about something like this. His mind was empty, devoid of emotion, thoughts and words. Terence’s words swirled around in the ether until they finally reached David’s brain.

Terence looked at him, but David still couldn’t speak. His mouth fell open as if preparing to, but no words came out. His head was brimming with half-questions, with shock, with images of his dad, and he saw his mum in despair and inconsolable. How is she going to cope? he asked himself. A numbness, a swirling void of nothingness, was going on in his mind. His brain couldn’t entirely engage first gear.

Terence had the good sense to leave him alone with his thoughts.

Then, the cloud of nothingness was shattered with a barrage of questions, thoughts and emotions.

Terence walked a little closer. “I know this is a shock, David. I knew when it happened, and I got in touch with your Aunt Gen, who agreed to let me come and speak with you. Your mother and Aunt Gen are safe but understandably distraught.”

David was still wide-eyed with shock. “He’s only just come back, I don’t…” David shook his head. He couldn’t formulate a coherent sentence.

After thirty seconds, David was finally able to ask a question. “How?”

Terence's expression grew sombre, his eyes haunted by a knowledge that seemed to weigh heavily upon him. "David, listen to me closely," he began, his voice low and urgent. "Your father's death was no accident. It was a deliberate act, a warning from those who wish to keep their secrets hidden."

David's eyes widened, a chill running down his spine. "Are you saying this has something to do with the AI program we're investigating?"

Terence nodded gravely. "Whatever your father discovered threatened some very powerful people. People who will stop at nothing to protect their interests. David, I implore you, for the sake of your own safety and that of your mum, Jessica, Aunt Gen and everyone involved, you must abandon this investigation."

A cold fury settled in David's chest, his grief momentarily overshadowed by a burning desire for answers. "How can you ask me to walk away now? My father is dead because of this program, and it seems at least ten other people are too."

Terence held David's gaze, his eyes filled with compassion and fear. "The path you're considering is a dangerous one, David. The forces you're up against are ruthless and far-reaching. They've already shown that they're willing to kill to keep their secrets. If you continue down this road, you'll paint a target on your back and put everyone you love at risk."

David's mind raced, grappling with the enormity of Terence's words. The AI program had already taken his father from him. How much more was he willing to sacrifice in the pursuit of truth?

Then, thoughts of his mum flooded his mind. “My mum. She’ll be beside herself. Oh shit, I need to get back home,” David said, standing up. He raised his arm.

Terence jumped down from the table. “No! I’ll port you over. You’ll need as much energy as possible to stay strong for yourself and your mum.”

Terence opened a portal, and David held onto his wing. David looked down at Terence, and they both entered the swirling mass of energy.

CHAPTER 23

Genevieve slowly opened the door and looked at DS Cooper, who was investigating Logan’s murder. “Come in,” Genevieve said, leaving the door open and walking through to the living room, where Jacqueline, David, Jessica and Jonathan sat silently.

Logan’s death had hit everyone hard, and the investigations into the AI program had stopped for now. The police had questioned everyone who was present on the day of Logan’s murder, suspecting it had been one of those present. Surprisingly, DS Cooper was steering the investigation away from Jacqueline, Genevieve and Jonathan, who were the only ones present on the day.

Genevieve sensed something odd about the DS, but she couldn’t quite put her finger on it. She was too tired to answer any more police questions. She looked up as DS Cooper entered the living room and quickly scanned it, looking at everyone present first and then around for entry points and exits, presumably to keep herself safe. Genevieve thought she must do this out of habit everywhere she went.

“David! I didn’t expect we would be seeing you so soon again,” DS Cooper said.

David smiled limply at the sergeant as his mother wrapped her hand around his.

“Sit down, DS Cooper,” Genevieve said, eyeing her wearily. She wanted to tell her to get lost, the family was grieving, but she had to be polite. The witch community had a long history with the police, and she didn’t want to upset the apple cart, especially since there hadn’t been any real trouble with them for a while now.

“Please, call me Alicia,” DS Cooper said.

Everyone spun around to look at her, and she was slightly taken aback by the sudden interest as she sat down. She frowned. “Something I said?”

Genevieve gave a slightly nervous laugh as she recalled Alicia Collins, the billionaire witch from New York who had been hell-bent on destroying the Akashic Records to avenge women who had been persecuted and abused, including herself. She had wanted to destroy the Records to recreate them without men as the dominant gender. Ironically, Alicia had become part of the Records, bound to the Witches of Scotland to help them somehow.

“No, just a familiar name,” Genevieve said.

Jacqueline looked at DS Cooper with tired eyes. “What are you doing here? We’ve answered all the questions thrown at us by the police. I’ve just lost my husband, and David has lost his father."

DS Cooper pursed her lips and nodded. “I’m sorry, Mrs Gordon. I won’t keep you too long, then I’ll leave you alone.”

Jacqueline closed her eyes and shook her head.

Genevieve touched her sister's arm and gently rubbed it. “What do you want to ask us, DS Cooper?” she asked.

DS Cooper took out her notepad and an A4 folder. “We have some new information that suggests Logan took his own life.”

Jacqueline sat upright, back straight, and looked directly at DS Cooper. “Don’t be so bloody ridiculous. My husband would never take his own life. He was bloody porting, for Christ’s sake.”

Genevieve squeezed her sister's arm hard. Jacqueline pushed Genevieve’s hand away and stood up directly before DS Cooper.

DS Cooper also stood up immediately. “Mrs Gordon, I know you’re upset, but please take two steps back from me right now.”

Jacqueline moved her face closer to DS Cooper’s. “How the hell can you say Logan took his own life? What new information do you have?”

Genevieve and David stood up and gently pulled Jacqueline away from the DS.

DS Cooper nodded to Genevieve and turned to look at Jacqueline again. “There is no need for this hostility, Mrs Gordon. I am trying to help you as much as I can here.”

“Help me?!” Jacqueline squealed. “You’re accusing my husband of killing himself. If you knew him, you would know without a doubt he would never do that. I’ll ask again: what information do you have that would support your claim?”

DS Cooper picked up the A4 folder. “There is the coroner's report to state that the position of the wound to his neck suggests that the deceased inflicted the wound on himself with a three-inch sharp object. The angle of the incision and the object we found at the scene would suggest that your husband killed himself.”

“Oh my good fucking god, this is ludicrous,” Jacqueline said as she stormed out of the room in anger.

DS Cooper looked at Genevieve, and there it was. Something shone in DS Cooper's eyes that Genevieve recognised. What on earth do I see here? Genevieve asked herself. Before she had time to think about it, DS Cooper turned to David.

“I am sorry for your loss, David, but I can’t ignore evidence like this,” she said, handing him the A4 folder.

Genevieve stayed out of it, thinking that David was a man now, and she had to let him deal with this, as much as it pained her. She saw the look of anguish in his eyes; she also saw the anger. He’s definitely his mother’s son, alright! she thought.

David looked through the sheets of the report, then Jessica stood up and asked if she could look at it. David handed her the folder, and Jessica sank into the sofa and started reading the report.

“DS Cooper, you’re way off the mark here. My dad would never do this,” David said.

Genevieve watched the look between DS Cooper and David. She knew David couldn’t push this too far as it was a witch matter, and the non-witch community couldn’t investigate a death that was, in non-witch speak, paranormal. However, to suggest that it was suicide was ludicrous, and neither Jacqueline nor David would have that on his death certificate.

DS Cooper took a deep breath, and in that moment, Genevieve saw something, a little flash of energy emanating from her. Genevieve stood up and urged David to sit down. He glanced at her, a little confused, and backed off slightly.

"DS Cooper, or should I say Alicia," Genevieve said, her voice low and steady. "There's something about you that doesn't add up. The way you've been steering the investigation, the look in your eyes… It's almost as if you know more than you're letting on."

DS Cooper's expression remained impassive, but there was a flicker of something in her eyes, recognition perhaps, or a hint of surprise. "I'm not sure what you're implying, Ms Hunter. I'm simply following the evidence and conducting a thorough investigation."

Genevieve took a step closer, her gaze locked with DS Cooper's. "I think there's more to it than that. In fact, I feel you're not just a detective… You're a witch, aren't you?"

The room fell silent, the tension palpable. DS Cooper's eyes widened slightly, and she seemed caught off guard for a moment. Then, a slow smile spread across her face, and she chuckled softly. "Well, well, well," DS Cooper said, her voice changing tone. “I must say, I'm impressed. Not many people can see through my façade."

With a flick of her wrist, DS Cooper conjured a small, glowing orb that hovered above her palm. The others in the room gasped, their eyes fixed on the undeniable display of magic.

"You're right, Genevieve," DS Cooper said, her smile turning enigmatic. “I am a witch. And there's a lot more going on here than meets the eye. But I'm afraid I can't reveal everything just yet. Do not trust anyone, especially the police. I will keep the investigations away from you as much as possible."

She closed her hand, extinguishing the orb, and turned towards the door. "I'll be in touch," she said over her shoulder. "Trust me, you'll want to hear what I say."

With that, DS Cooper exited the room, leaving everyone stunned and grappling with the revelation.

David turned to Genevieve, his eyes wide with disbelief. "Did that just happen? What does this mean for the investigation? For… everything?"

Genevieve shook her head, her mind racing with possibilities. "I don't know, David. But one thing's certain: we can't trust anyone, not even the police. We're going to have to find the truth on our own."

Jessica looked at David with her mouth open. "That’s why you heard her calling out to you in your head when you were at the police station."

David nodded.

"What? You didn’t think to tell us this?" Genevieve exclaimed.

David shook his head. "It didn’t seem that important then, and a lot was going on."

Jacqueline walked back in, mascara staining the side of her face. "What happened? Has she left?"

Genevieve looked at David. "Our DS Cooper is a witch. That’s why she’s been steering the investigation away from us. She knows it has nothing to do with us and knows more, but she’s not showing her hand just now."

Jacqueline could not respond or take it in. “I looked at Logan’s diary.”

David looked at his mother. “What diary?”

Jacqueline looked sheepishly at him. “We keep a diary of where we’re going to port to and then what happens after we come back.”

David squinted. “Is there anything in there that might help?”

Jacqueline shook her head and burst into tears again. David and Genevieve consoled her.

CHAPTER 24

As David sat in front of the fire, his thoughts drifted to his father. Just two weeks ago, he had been murdered, torn away from David once again. The bitter irony wasn't lost on him – his father had spent twenty years hiding on other planes of existence, working to keep their family safe, only to be killed mere months after returning. The pain of that knowledge settled like a lead weight in David's chest.

David hadn’t felt like doing much work or investigating since his father's funeral last week.

The coroner had changed his findings to one of accidental death. How the hell he had done that was beyond David, but he didn’t really care; his father was still dead, no matter what they put down on a piece of paper.

He hadn’t even talked to his mother since the funeral. David knew it wasn’t her fault, but he couldn’t speak to her or figure out why or how to fix himself.

He sat in front of the fire in Jessica’s study while she was working at the lab, still investigating the AI program. Scotland was on high alert, the AI’s prediction of the nuclear attack was in the news every single day, and it was pissing David off. He lay back on the Chesterfield and looked at the white-painted ceiling and ceiling rose. He had tried to read some books, but nothing was going into his head.

The door to the study opened, and David jumped up as he hadn’t thought anybody was in the house. “Dr Campbell,” he said in surprise.

"I've told you, it's Joseph. I'm not your doctor, so stop calling me that." Joseph walked over to the couch, his tone firm but friendly.

"Sorry, just a habit." David lowered his head, his voice tinged with embarrassment.

Joseph rested his hand on David’s shoulder. “David, what are you doing here? You should be at the lab, working with Jessica.”

David sat forwards and looked at the red, paisley-patterned rug. “I really can’t face going to work, Doctor— sorry, Joseph. I’ve tried motivating myself to go in; it seems pointless.”

Joseph raised his eyebrows a little and nodded. "This is your job we're talking about here. I pulled a lot of strings to get you into it." He leaned forwards, his expression growing serious. "Now, I know that your father's murder is a shocking and terrible thing, but that should only spur you on to find out who's responsible for his death. Don't you want that?"

David took a deep breath in. “Of course I want to find out, I just… I don’t know. Honestly, I cannot be arsed with anything right now.”

Joseph pursed his lips. “Have you spoken to your mother since the funeral?”

David met Joseph's gaze briefly before looking down again. "No," he mumbled, his shoulders slumping.

Joseph sighed in frustration. “That’s unforgivable, David. I have tried to support you through this, but you need to start picking yourself up. Mourning is one thing, but wallowing is quite another. You're not only letting down those who depend on you, but you're also letting down yourself and, worse, your father's memory. He didn't raise you to give up when things get tough.”

David shuffled uncomfortably, the words hitting harder than expected.

Joseph continued, his tone firm but concerned. "Look, I understand your pain. It's unimaginable, but this isn't just about you. Your team at the lab and your mother are all struggling, too. They need you to be part of this, to help carry the load."

David turned to Joseph again but couldn’t look him in the eyes; he knew what Joseph was saying was right.

Joseph stood up, his posture straight and determined. "You've been given a gift here, David. You are an elemental witch, something you didn't know about eighteen months ago." He gestured towards David, his voice growing more impassioned. "And you're sitting here wasting that gift; you're letting the people who killed your father off with murder."

David felt anger bubbling up inside of him. Joseph paused, giving David a moment to absorb the impact. "You're at a crossroads here, and you can either let this tragedy define you or rise above it. Your father worked in dangerous realms; he knew the risks and the value of perseverance. It’s time you find that same strength within yourself. Get up, talk to your mother and get back to work. Make something of this situation. Make your father proud."

Joseph's words seemed to resonate, a mix of rebuke and encouragement pushing David towards action rather than continued inaction. "Remember, I'm here for you but can't fight your battles. Only you can do that." He patted David’s shoulder firmly, a final gesture of support, before stepping back, allowing David the space to make his next move.

David heard the door to the study clicking closed, and immediately, the anger flew out. He punched the sofa as hard as he could, rage boiling inside of him. “Come on, David, get your fucking arse in gear. Come on, come on!” he shouted over and over.

He desperately wanted to find out what had happened to his father, talk to his mother, work with Jessica and talk to his Aunt Gen and Jonathan, but he wasn’t there.

"Aaargh!" David shouted, his father's face flashing through his mind. He punched the sofa repeatedly, each strike fuelled by the anger and frustration of losing him so soon after reconnecting. Twenty years apart, and now an eternity separated them.

He kept on punching until he ran out of energy; nothing was left physically in him. Then he stopped. His knuckles were red and raw, and he was sweating. He crouched down in front of the sofa and let his tears go.

For fifteen minutes, David sat in front of the sofa, buried his head in his arms and let everything go. He’d been trying to be the strong one, the one who didn’t show emotion so he could support everyone, but what he was really doing was hiding away from his feelings and making everyone else feel like shit. He berated himself. He felt sorry for himself, and he talked to himself. He could get up and get fucking on with it, help those he loved and find out what happened to his father and what the fuck was going on with this shadow hanging over Scotland, with the threat of the nuclear attack.

The other option was to wallow in this and slowly sink into the abyss of mourning, which would lead to the hollow pit of depression.

“Okay,” he said, steeling himself.

David took a deep breath, his father's absence still a gaping wound in his heart. But beneath the pain, a flicker of determination ignited. He had to find out what had happened to uncover the truth behind his father's murder. He owed him that much after all the years they'd lost. With renewed purpose, David stood up, grabbed his jacket and headed out the door to find Jessica at work.

Before he left, he saw Joseph at the front door.

“You back?” Joseph said with a stern look.

“I’m back.”

CHAPTER 25

Jessica looked towards the lab door as it opened, and her heart swelled; it was David. She smiled at him, and he smiled back for the first time since he learned about his father.

Jessica looked at him, shuffled some papers and pulled up a chair. "You back?"

He smiled again. "Yes, I'm back. You need to get me up to speed, as I haven't been paying attention to what you've told me for the last few weeks."

Jessica laughed. "I know, I could tell. Okay, I'll give you the quick version. Just let me grab a coffee. Do you want one?"

David put down his backpack. "Yes, I need one."

Jessica walked over to the coffee machine. Clarissa stopped her. "How is he doing?"

Jessica was a little surprised that Clarissa should ask. "I think he's given himself a kick up the arse and is looking to get back into it."

Clarissa gave a brief smile. "Good." She went back to her computer.

That will be a welcome back from Clarissa, then, Jessica thought. She was getting used to Clarissa's little quirks, and they’d endeared her to Jessica after working closely with her for a few weeks while David was off.

When she came back to the desk, David was looking through the coroner's report of his father's death. He held it up. "Why are you looking at this?"

Jessica laid the two coffees on the desk. "Well, that's something I wanted to talk to you about. The coroner who did the autopsies on the PulseAI members was Adam Lamont, and he’s now dead, as you might recall?"

David nodded and frowned. "Yes, I remember."

Jessica held up her finger for David to wait. "Well, it turns out Adam Lamont was the coroner, but the Chief Coroner was one Dr Evelyn Harrowgate. She presided over Adam on all the deaths from the PulseAI group."

David frowned. "And?"

Jessica took the coroner's report from David. "Look at the coroner's name on your father's report." She put her finger under the name of the chief coroner, Dr Evelyn Harrowgate.

David looked at the report again. "She changed the cause of death on this, didn't she?"

Jessica nodded and grabbed another pile of papers. "Yes, only because there was some pressure on her to do so. It always looked a bit suspect. But"—Jessica smiled, pleased with herself—"I have been porting, too, and found this from the Lord Chancellor." She showed David some more reports. "She has had her arse handed to her on a plate by the Lord Chancellor in some emails and letters. She shouldn't even have been doing the autopsy on your father."

David shook his head. "What does this all mean, then?"

Jessica looked him in the eyes. "It means, David, that what we're looking into goes much further up than we thought. We are talking about the Lord Chancellor of Great Britain. It means we have someone else to look into to get the necessary leads."

David smiled at her. "Wow! You've been busy, Jess."

Jessica shook her head excitedly. "Oh, that's only the tip of the iceberg. Hold on to your hat."

David smiled, a genuine smile at how excited Jessica was. Not about the information; she was excited to help David find out more about his father's killer, the AI program and the people involved.

David slipped off his jacket. "I guess we're bedding in," he smiled. "What else do you have?"

Jessica jumped from her seat and pulled over a smartscreen whiteboard which was linked to a TV screen. . "Okay, very quick rundown." She pointed to five bullet points on the board:

Dr Evelyn Harrowgate, the Chief Coroner, was pressured by the Lord Chancellor to change the cause of death for Logan and the PulseAI team members, suggesting high-level involvement in covering up the true nature of their deaths.

DS Alicia Cooper, the detective investigating Logan's murder, was revealed to be a witch herself. She seems to know more about the situation than she's letting on, hinting at a deeper connection between the police and the supernatural world.

The AI program is likely using magick, specifically spells and incantations from an ancient grimoire – The Grimoire of Nostradamus – to make its highly accurate predictions.

Neil Day, an MSP at the Scottish Parliament, has been spreading misinformation about Russia being behind the nuclear threat on Scotland despite no concrete evidence, suggesting a deliberate attempt to mislead the public and divert attention from the AI program.

Stephanie Koller, one of PulseAI Dynamics's founders, had a keen interest in the occult and ancient knowledge, especially rare grimoires. This connection could provide insights into how the AI program incorporated magick into its predictions and the potential motives behind its creation.

Underneath each bullet point were links to the folders with a dossier of files for each.

Jessica gave David time to look over the bullet points. "So, those are the main headings. We've obviously discovered more, that’s what you already know."

David quickly read the whiteboard bullet points and got up to click on the link for DS Cooper. When he clicked it, another screen opened on the TV screen in front of their desks.

In one of the files that David swiped through, he saw a bullet-pointed list for DS Cooper:

Background:

Graduated from the Police Academy with top honours.

Has a history of solving complex, high-profile cases.

Reputation for unorthodox methods and keen intuition.

Magickal abilities:

Skilled in divination and psychometry, allowing her to glean information from objects and crime scenes.

Proficient in defensive and offensive spells, suggesting combat training.

Has a network of magickal informants and contacts within the police force.

Connection to the Akashic Records incident:

Evidence suggests she played a role in thwarting Alicia Collins's plan to destroy the Akashic Records.

May have been working undercover to infiltrate Collins's organisation.

Ties to the AI program investigation:

Has been secretly monitoring the progress of the lab team and Aunt Gen's team.

Discovered evidence linking the Lord Chancellor to the cover-up of the PulseAI team members' deaths.

Suspects the AI program is part of a larger conspiracy involving both human and supernatural entities.

Recent activities:

Attended a clandestine meeting with an unknown individual, possibly a high-ranking member of the magickal community.

Obtained classified documents related to the government's response to the AI program's predictions.

Conducted off-the-record interviews with individuals connected to the PulseAI team and their families.

Working theories:

Believes Logan's death and the AI program are connected to a power struggle within the magickal world.

Suspects the Lord Chancellor may be under the influence of a malevolent supernatural force.

Theorises the AI program is being used as a tool to manipulate global events and destabilise human society.

Potential next moves:

Arrange a secret meeting with David and Jessica to share her findings and propose a joint investigation.

Use her magical abilities to uncover more evidence about the Lord Chancellor's involvement and the true nature of the AI program.

Co-ordinate with trusted allies within the police force and the magical community to build a case against the conspirators.

David took a deep breath in. "Wow! This is amazing work, Jess."

Jessica blushed a little. "Oh, it wasn't just me. Your Aunt Gen, your mum, Jonathan and their team discovered much of this, and we're also talking with DS Cooper. She's been a great help."

"Okay, I need to get my arse in gear, then, and do some work." He looked over the file on the TV screen again. "This is brilliant."

BBC NEWS REPORT

Heightened Tensions as UK and Russia Mobilise Forces Amid AI-Predicted Nuclear Threat to Scotland

In an unprecedented move that has escalated tensions on the international stage, the United Kingdom has mobilised the Army, Royal Navy and Royal Air Force, putting them on high alert as an advanced AI program predicts an imminent nuclear attack on Scotland. The AI, developed by PulseAI in Edinburgh, has projected a potential strike within the week, prompting urgent responses from British authorities.

Defence Secretary James Archer addressed the nation this morning, stating: "In response to credible intelligence received from an AI predictive system, we have mobilised our armed forces to ensure the safety and security of Scotland and the broader United Kingdom. While we seek peace and stability, we are prepared to take all necessary measures to protect our citizens."

Meanwhile, international reactions have been swift and severe. Russia has begun mobilising its troops and issued a stark warning through its Foreign Ministry: "Any pre-emptive action by the UK or its allies will be met with a proportional response. We urge restraint and open dialogue to prevent any escalation towards conflict."

The United States has pledged its support for Scotland, with President Donald Trump affirming in a press conference from the White House, "We stand with Scotland and our British allies during this time of uncertainty. Our intelligence agencies are working closely with British forces to verify the threats and provide any assistance required to thwart any potential attack."

Across Scotland, citizens have been advised to remain vigilant but calm. Emergency services are on standby, and evacuation plans are being quietly put into place in high-risk areas. The Scottish First Minister urged calm, stating in an address from Holyrood: "We are doing everything within our power to safeguard every town and city in our nation. We call on all citizens to stay informed through official channels and avoid panic."

The AI's prediction has sparked wide-ranging debates about the reliability of artificial intelligence in security matters and the ethical implications of pre-emptive military actions based on such predictions. Experts from various fields are calling for a balanced approach, emphasising the need for human oversight in decisions that involve AI recommendations.

As the situation develops, international diplomatic efforts are intensifying in an attempt to de-escalate tensions. The UN Security Council is set to convene an emergency session to discuss the situation, with representatives from both the UK and Russia expected to present their positions.

For continuous coverage of this unfolding story, stay tuned to BBC News.

CHAPTER 27

David read the BBC News report while devouring three slices of toast and a cup of coffee. Unaware of his actions, he shook his head as if trying to dispel the troubling thoughts. When he had finished, he looked up from the newspaper and at Jessica, who was engrossed in something on her computer.

He watched as she twirled her red hair while reading whatever she was reading on the computer. There was a fierce concentration in her eyes. David smiled and then looked back at his computer screen with the terrifying headline about heightened tensions. "This is getting crazy, Jess. What time are we meeting DS Cooper?"

Jessica didn't even register that he was talking to her, so David scrunched up a piece of A4 paper and threw it at her.

Concentration broken, she turned to him with a scowl that could turn a man to stone. "What is it?"

David snorted slightly at her reaction. "I'm just asking what time we're meeting DS Cooper."

Jessica looked at the clock on the wall. "Fifteen minutes," she said and returned to her computer.

He was about to speak to annoy her again, but the sound of the doorbell spoiled that.

David looked at Jessica, and when she didn't react, he stood up. "No, no, it's okay, I'll get it."

David opened the heavy black door. "DS Cooper! Good to see you again."

She stepped inside. "Just call me Alicia. I get the feeling we're going to be working closely together from now on."

David's brows furrowed. "You found something else?"

She continued to walk through to the kitchen. "Yes. Are Jessica and Dr Campbell here?"

David shook his head, closing the door behind her. "Come in, Alicia, make yourself at home."

Alicia stood in the middle of the kitchen, waiting for an audience before she spoke. Jessica looked up from her laptop. "What's going on?"

Alicia shifted her gaze from Jessica to David and back again. "Dr Stephanie Koller, Dr Evelyn Harrowgate, the MSP Neil Day and the Lord Chancellor are all connected somehow. We need to find out how."

David frowned and looked at Jessica. "Is that it? Is that what you came here to tell us? I thought you had something more substantial than that."

Her steel-grey eyes fixed on David. "We have found deleted emails to Neil Day from an unknown source, threatening to expose him in connection with a human trafficking ring. He doesn’t have anything to do with such a ring, but he was being threatened and blackmailed. The lie would have still destroyed his career."

Jessica was sitting up straight now. "And is he connected with a human trafficking ring?"

Alicia shifted her gaze from David to look at Jessica. "We don't know. We're investigating that. But shortly after that email, he emailed Stephanie Koller advising the content of the threatening email." She moved over to the breakfast bar and sat on one of the tall stools before continuing, "It seems that Stephanie Koller and Neil Day had some sort of connection, though we're not sure of the nature of it yet. What's even more interesting is that we found a trail of encrypted messages between Stephanie and Dr Harrowgate, dating back several months before the deaths of the PulseAI team members."

David leaned forwards, his elbows resting on the kitchen counter. "Encrypted messages? What were they about?"

"We haven't been able to crack the encryption yet," Alicia admitted, "but the timing is suspicious. It's as if they were discussing something they didn't want anyone else to know about."

Jessica's eyes widened. "And you think it might be related to the AI program and the grimoires?"

Alicia nodded. "It's a possibility we can't rule out. But here's where it gets even more intriguing. We discovered that the Lord Chancellor made several unofficial visits to PulseAI Dynamics' headquarters in the months leading up to the team members' deaths."

"Unofficial visits?" David echoed, his brow furrowed.

"Yes, they were kept off the books. No records, no sign-in, nothing. It's as if he didn't want anyone to know he was there." Alicia paused, letting the information sink in.

Jessica stood up and began pacing the kitchen. "So, let me get this straight. We have connections between an MSP, a chief coroner, an AI researcher and the Lord Chancellor. Secret messages, mysterious visits and now a link to human trafficking. What does it all mean?"

Alicia sighed. "Well, the human trafficking thing, I think, was a false allegation used to blackmail Neil Day. So we need to dig some more. I feel these connections are the key to understanding what's going on with the AI program and the threat to Scotland. We must dig deeper, unravel the encryption and follow the trail wherever it leads."

David nodded, a determined look in his eye. "Agreed. We can't let this go. If there's corruption at the highest levels of government or something sinister behind the AI's predictions, we have to expose it."

Jessica turned to Alicia. "What's our next move?"

Alicia stood up, her posture straight and resolute. "We keep investigating. We pool our resources, share any new information and watch each other's backs. This is bigger than any of us, and we can't afford to let our guard down."

As they all nodded in agreement, the gravity of the situation settled over the room like a heavy fog. They knew they were stepping into dangerous territory, but the truth was too important to ignore.

After Alicia left, Jessica sat down beside David. "I think I have a plan to kick things up a notch, but it's going to be dangerous, David."

David sat back on the couch, waiting for Jessica to continue, and she shifted to look at him. "I've been holding off saying anything to you about this, but…" Jessica leaned over to one side and fished out a long, three-inch object that looked, to David, like a steel rod.

David frowned for a second, and a realisation washed over his face. "Is that the object that killed my dad?"

Jessica didn't speak but nodded slowly as if waiting for a reaction.

David took a deep breath. "And why do you think this will help you?"

Jessica leaned forwards a little more. "This is not just a metal rod, it's pure silver."

David looked at her and shook his head.

Jessica pursed her lips. "Silver is extremely conductive." She paused again, hoping that David might make the connection.

David was none the wiser. "What does that mean? Just tell me, Jess."

Jessica sighed. "Okay, the energy of what happened to your father will still be locked into this silver rod. We can use our magick to discover what happened to your dad."

CHAPTER 28

Jessica hadn't astral projected for a while, and it felt strange trying to get out of her physical body. Normally, it was extremely easy, like squeezing a bar of wet soap; it just slid out naturally. This time, it felt more difficult.

Once out, she visited her favourite spot: the Faerie Glen on the Isle of Skye. Her mother had taken her there often as a child and entranced her with stories of the fae people. The memories were faint, but she could still see her mother’s face clearly. She felt her mother’s energy stronger than ever, now, ever since she had nearly died trying to save the Akashic Records. Her mother had come and spoken to her as she lay dying. Ever since then, the connection had been strong. Jessica missed her, and she knew her father did too.

The Faerie Glen was special to them as it had been their day together when Jessica’s father was away working. They would leave early in the morning and drive six miles from Edinburgh, stopping along the way to eat ham and cheese rolls and sweets together. It was magickal in a very different way.

Jessica would often think of the trips to the Faerie Glen when she thought of her mother, as that had been when her energy was the happiest. It was sad, too, as she missed her so much, even though she had died when Jessica was young. She figured that was why she was such a focused person – as life could be over in the blink of an eye. David’s father was a testament to that.

The stone circles on the glen were always magickal for Jessica. As a child, she’d sat in the middle of a circle of stones while her mother took a picture. When they printed it out, small beings had danced around Jessica in the photo. She still had it somewhere and suspected that her mother had manipulated it with photo-editing tools, but to her, it was a magickal memory and a magickal place.

The sun was dipping down behind the hills when Jessica projected. She felt free and had forgotten the exhilaration of flying. She flew around the Faerie Glen before settling herself in the middle of the faerie circle.

Jessica took a deep breath in her astral body and focused her energy. "Alicia Collins, can you hear me?"

Immediately, a voice replied to her. "Yes, I am here, Jessica."

Jessica looked around and found Alicia sitting alone at the top of one of the peaks around the circle of stones. Jessica just had to think about being there with Alicia, and she was. She stood next to Alicia and looked over the glen at the beautiful surroundings. The sky glowed red, bathing the landscape in an orange hue.

Jessica looked down at Alicia. "So, how's life in the Akashic Records?"

Alicia smiled. "It's expansive. Knowing everything about everything feels natural now. At first, the transition from a physical existence to being part of a collective energy was a little difficult, but it feels natural now."

Jessica felt bad for goading her a little. Alicia was obviously not the same person she had been on the Earth plane, and Jessica was truly interested in what it was like being a part of the Akashic Records, but this wasn't the right time.

Alicia continued to look out as the sun dipped further, turning the skies darker. "You want to know more about the AI program and its use with the grimoire?"

Jessica nodded. "Yes, if you're allowed to divulge information like that."

Alicia looked up at her. "I can, but be aware that everything changes all the time, so the information I give you is only applicable to the very second that you're living in."

Jessica frowned. "Sorry, I don't understand what you mean."

Alicia nodded slowly, understanding Jessica's confusion. "If I tell you something about your situation just now, by the time you go back to your physical body, the information might have changed depending on the decisions that have been made between now and the time you project back into the physical."

"Whose decisions?" asked Jessica.

Alicia floated into a standing position. "Everybody who has even the smallest link to this AI program. You see, your world, even your physical world, is in constant flux. The path you are walking just now is different from the many thousands of paths you are walking somewhere else based on other people's decisions that are connected to you somehow."

Jessica looked at her, understanding – or she thought she understood what Alicia was saying. "Mm, the multiverse?"

Alicia smiled. "Yes. But I can tell you that the probability of what I tell you will be true across multiple universes."

Jessica tilted her head from side to side as if weighing her options. "I'll take that," she said.

Alicia nodded. "Good, as long as you understand that. You were right about the AI program using magick from an ancient grimoire, the Grimoire of Nostradamus. That information is seventy-four percent accurate across all scenarios."

Jessica frowned. "That is a high probability."

"It is, which hopefully helps you more." As Alicia said this, she started floating away from Jessica.

Jessica held out her hands. "Where are you going? Can you not help me any more?"

Alicia looked back and said, "Follow me." Her words hung in the air.

Jessica lifted herself off the ground and followed Alicia. Where is she going? she wondered.

After what seemed like seconds, Alicia stopped on another hill. Jessica recognised it immediately as Arthur's Seat in Edinburgh. The fading sun cast a warm, golden glow over the city, and the panoramic view took Jessica's breath away. The ancient volcanic peak seemed to emanate a primordial energy, and Jessica could almost feel the whisper of countless generations who had stood in this very spot, admiring the same timeless vista.

The city stretched out before them, a sprawling tapestry of history and modernity. The mediaeval Old Town, with its labyrinthine closes and towering tenements, stood in stark contrast to the Georgian elegance of the New Town. In the distance, the Firth of Forth glittered like a ribbon of molten silver, while the iconic spires of St Giles's Cathedral and the Scott Monument punched through the skyline.

A gentle breeze carried the faint scent of heather and gorse, and Jessica felt a deep sense of connection to this ancient landscape. She remembered the countless walks she had taken here with her parents, the picnics on the grassy slopes and the stories they had shared. Arthur's Seat had always been a place of solace and reflection for her, a sanctuary where she could escape the chaos of the world and find peace in the embrace of nature.

As the sun dipped lower on the horizon, painting the sky in a breathtaking array of pinks, oranges and purples, Jessica felt a surge of emotion. This place held so many memories, so much love and laughter, and now it seemed to be offering her a moment of clarity amid the swirling uncertainty of the present.

"Why did you come here?" Jessica asked, her voice soft with wonder.

Alicia smiled. "Isn't this another place you love, like the Faerie Glen, another place that is special to you and your mother and father?"

Jessica nodded, feeling a deep sense of contentment as she looked out at the scene before her. The beauty of Edinburgh, the weight of history and the love of her family all seemed to converge in this one perfect moment, giving her the strength and clarity she needed to face the challenges ahead.

Alicia continued to float. "Is there anything else you wanted to ask me?"

Jessica, lost in a reverie, snapped out of it. “Yes. Yes, I have lots to ask.”

Alicia floated closer to Jessica. “Okay, but I don’t have too long.”

Jessica squinted a little, as if trying to remember everything she wanted to ask. "Who is responsible for Logan's murder?”

Alicia nodded, knowing that this was going to be a big question. “I can tell you that Logan was killed by the magickal entity released from the grimoire. Each time a true prediction is made, the grimoire releases an ancient force, and Logan was caught up in the middle of that. The AI program was about to release another prediction, and he was caught up as the entity appeared at the same time as Logan projected."

Jessica floated and thought about this, trying to get a picture of what an ancient entity would look like when it was released. She imagined dark shadows, a body made up of grey, smoky clouds, a distorted face and body. Why would it need a weapon to kill Logan? she thought, and then branches of questions came from that one. She was about to ask Alicia one, but she felt Alicia was rushing her and that it might be a wasted question.

Instead, she formulated another question that would drive the investigation forwards. “What is the connection between the Lord Chancellor and the PulseAI team?”

Alicia smiled. “You should have figured this out by now. It’s all to do with money, look at the Lord Chancellor’s tax return.”

Jessica frowned. “Tax return?”

Alicia was fading now. “Last question!”

Jessica looked at her, trying to think of something pertinent. Then the question hit her; it was obvious. “Will Scotland be hit in a nuclear attack?”

Alicia laughed at this. “No, most definitely not. In any of the universes.”

Before she had time to think, Jessica blurted out, “Then why did the AI program predict it?”

Alicia floated closer to Jessica and came face to face with her. “Sleight of hand. Remember that,” she said as she disappeared into the ether. “Sleight of hand,” her voice echoed.

Jessica looked out over Edinburgh, thinking about Alicia’s words. Sleight of hand. So, our attention is being diverted? Diverted from what?

CHAPTER 29

The sun painted the living room walls yellow as the four of them sat to catch up with each other. The light filtering through the curtains cast a warm glow on their faces, contrasting with the serious nature of their conversation.

Genevieve and Jonathan listened intently to the latest updates from David and Jessica. They were both excited when Jessica mentioned Alicia telling her to look at the Lord Chancellor's tax return, but Genevieve didn't want to say anything until Jessica and David told them everything they had learned.

David sat forwards, his brows furrowed with concern. “What about Mum? Do you think we should speak to her about what we've found so far?”

Genevieve shook her head, her lips pressed into a thin line. “Leave your mum out of this just now. This has hit her really hard, and understandably so. But keep us up to date. We're still assessing the dangers of this. We've had a few visits to the Scottish Parliament but found nothing.”

David sighed and shook his head. “Aunt Gen, I don't think you should be doing that just now, especially after what has happened.”

Genevieve folded her hands in front of her. “David, I have been doing this for longer than I care to remember. Now, while I understand you might be a little concerned for me, I will not stop being a witch or, indeed, the person I am for fear of something happening. We all know the risks.”

David stared at her for a few seconds, looking as if he was deciding whether or not to continue fighting his point. He sighed and resigned himself to his Aunt Gen and her team carrying on investigating, as he and Jessica had.

Genevieve nodded slightly to put a line under this and move on. "Now, what more can you tell us about the threat of a nuclear attack on Scotland?"

Jessica said, "Of course, I almost forgot about that."

Genevieve laughed. "Jessica, it's a little difficult to forget that."

Jessica's cheeks reddened a little. "No, no, I didn't mean it that way. Alicia told me there was no real threat at all, but she did say it was all sleight of hand."

Jonathan frowned. "Sleight of hand? Did she expand on what she meant?"

Jessica shook her head. "No, but we think attention is being diverted from something else happening in Scotland or around the world."

Genevieve's nose wrinkled a little as she considered. "Do you have any ideas about what they’re diverting attention away from?"

Jessica looked at David. "We're brainstorming it just now, but we don't have anything concrete."

Jonathan coughed a little. "Well, we might be able to help with that." He looked at Genevieve, who raised her eyebrows.

Jessica's eyes widened. "Okay, this sounds intriguing."

Jonathan took a breath. "Well, we also projected to the Lord Chancellor's office." He looked at Genevieve again, who nodded slightly. "We weren't going to say anything until we knew for sure, but since Alicia mentioned his tax affairs, it kind of confirms what we found."

Jessica and David stared at them, waiting for them to give a big reveal.

Jonathan laughed slightly. "We found he was one of the earliest investors in PulseAI Dynamics in 2024."

David rolled his eyes. "So it is all about money."

Jonathan stood and picked up some sheets of paper from the dining table. “It would seem so. Look at this.” Jonathan showed David and Jessica some highlighted text, his finger pointing to the relevant information.

Jessica looked at the sheet headed “Enterprise Investment Scheme Compliance Certificate”. "What does it all mean?"

Jonathan sat back down. “Basically, it means that our Lord Chancellor invested in this company at the very start, and he was allowed to invest one hundred thousand pounds. The government gave everyone a special tax break, so he only had to pay taxes on half of that amount.”

David frowned. “That doesn't seem like a lot of money for someone in his position.”

Genevieve laughed. “You're right, it's not. But here's the thing: his wife, his three children and some of his friends also invested. Together, they put in a total of £1.2 million. And because they're all connected to the Lord Chancellor, they likely got the same tax break.”

David's eyes widened. “So, they all got to cut their tax bill in half?”

Jonathan nodded. “Exactly. And it gets better. The friends who invested? They signed over their shares to the Lord Chancellor. It's all legal, but it means he now controls a much bigger portion of the company.”

David leaned forwards, trying to wrap his head around the implications. “So, how much is their investment worth now?”

Jonathan grinned. “That's the kicker. That £1.2 million? It's now worth over a billion pounds. And because of the tax breaks, the Lord Chancellor's real investment was only about half of that original amount. So, he's turned six hundred thousand pounds into a billion, and he didn't have to pay taxes on most of it.”

David whistled and shook his head. "How the rich get richer."

Jonathan snorted. "It gets better. He doesn't have to pay any capital gains tax if he's held onto the shares for three years. Guess when the third anniversary was up?"

Jessica quickly looked at the certificate again. "In April 2027, the month the founders were killed."

David looked at the sheet with Jessica. "So, do you think the team murders have anything to do with the Lord Chancellor? Surely not."

Genevieve looked at David and shrugged. They all looked at Jessica, and she let out a loud gasp before covering her mouth with her hand. "Sorry, I just thought of something." She paused for a few seconds to gather her thoughts. “When I was talking to Alicia, I told you she mentioned the entity from the grimoire.” She hesitated, glancing at David with concern. “It's about your dad. Can I talk about what happened?”

David tensed, his jaw clenching slightly. He took a deep breath, pushing down the surge of emotions that threatened to overwhelm him. After a moment, he nodded. “If it's going to help find out what happened, then yes, of course.”

Jessica continued, “When I was talking to Alicia, I told you she mentioned the entity from the grimoire.”

The three of them nodded at Jessica in unison.

"Well, at the time, I questioned why an entity like this would need a weapon to kill someone." Jessica laid her hands on David's by way of apology.

Genevieve watched David closely, her heart aching for the pain he was undoubtedly feeling. She reached out and placed a comforting hand on his shoulder, silently conveying her support. Jonathan and Jessica exchanged a worried glance, both aware of the emotional toll this conversation was taking on their friend.

It was clear David wanted Jessica to continue, so Genevieve asked, "Did she tell you?"

Jessica shook her head. "No. But David and I discussed using it to determine what happened using its energy patterns. But what if it's not a weapon? What if it's a key of some sort?"

David turned to face her. "A key? What kind of key?"

Jessica shrugged. "I don't know, but either way, we can find out what happened with the energy stored in the silver rod or try to determine if it is a key."

Genevieve looked at Jonathan, fearing more danger. If David and Jessica were to get the weapon from the police, there could be trouble. She waited a few seconds before saying, "Well, you're going to need to get the weapon from the police, which will be stored for evidence."

David nodded. "Yeah, we already had plans to get it, but we might be able to get help from DS Cooper."

Jessica's brows wrinkled. "I think she would help us. Time to pay her a visit."

Before leaving, David spoke to his mother upstairs for thirty minutes before leaving as Jessica, Genevieve and Jonathan sat in the living area, discussing their plans.

As they said farewell and hugged, Genevieve couldn't help herself. "Be careful, the pair of you, and keep us up to date. We'll keep digging here, too, and let you know how your mum is doing."

David smiled. "Love you."

CHAPTER 30

David and Jess sat at the large oak table, waiting for Clarissa in her private office. The table was devoid of anything personal. An iMac, a Macbook and a notepad were neatly laid out, along with a silver pen that looked, to Jessica, an expensive one. The walls were bare and painted magnolia. It felt sterile and devoid of any personality.

David drummed his fingers on the table’s smooth, polished surface, the sound echoing softly in the sterile office. The room was cool, almost too much so, and Jessica suppressed a shiver as they waited for Clarissa to arrive.

David looked at the door. “I wonder what this is about?”

Jessica tutted and laughed. “It’s nothing to worry about, she said it was just to get an update on where we were in the investigation.”

David raised his eyebrows and screwed up his mouth. “Then why would we see her in her office instead of in the lab?”

The door opened with a soft click, and Clarissa strode in, her footsteps muffled by the plush carpet. The faint scent of her perfume, a crisp, clean fragrance, wafted through the air as she settled into her chair, the leather squeaking slightly beneath her.

She looked at them in turn. “Morning.”

David and Jess both nodded.

Clarissa got more comfortable in her chair and moved the notepad and pen so that everything was neater than neat, then interlaced her hands. Jessica felt a little twinge of nervousness in her stomach, but she didn’t quite know why. It was like being back at school in front of the headmistress.

A few uncomfortable seconds passed before Clarissa spoke, during which neither David nor Jessica moved their eyes from her.

“So, you have been here for just over a month now. And I know, David, you took some time out for bereavement for your father.” She paused as if thinking about something. “I’m sorry for your loss, and if there’s anything we can do to help, please let me know. I know you’ve spoken to HR when you returned to work, so everything is in order there.”

David nodded slightly, acknowledging Clarissa’s attempt at sympathy. “Thank you, I appreciate that.”

Jessica smiled politely and looked at David, and Clarissa shifted her gaze to her. “Jessica, you’ve been doing sterling work, I am informed, and some of your research has led to breakthroughs for the team. We appreciate that.”

Jessica smiled. “Thank you.”

Clarissa shifted her gaze between the two of them. “So, what’s the next stage for the investigation for you two?”

Jessica paused for a few seconds. “Well, we have a theory – and it is only a theory just now – that the death of David’s father is somehow linked to the AI program.”

David leaned forwards slightly in his chair. “Yes, my dad was killed with a small silver rod, and Jessica thinks it might be a key to something, or we can use its stored energy to find out what really happened to my dad.”

Clarissa raised her eyebrows but didn’t say anything.

Jessica shifted in her seat, which squeaked. “That’s what we’re going to do next, but I’ve filled in a report and sent it to your email with everything else we’ve been working on. David has signed it off, too, unless you want a report from us separately?”

Clarissa shook her head. “No. One report from both of you will suffice.”

“We will probably be working alongside Detective Sergeant Cooper, if that’s okay?” Jessica asked.

Clarissa nodded, and David looked at her. “Was there something else you wanted to talk to us about?”

Clarissa took a deep breath. “You were here on a trial basis. You work well with the team.”

Jessica nodded and waited for her to continue, but a sudden pang of dread ran through her. Are we being fired? she asked herself. She stared at Clarissa, expecting her to say that Jessica was being fired. Get a grip of yourself, Jess, for goodness’ sake.

Clarissa showed no emotion whatsoever. “I wanted to let you both know we would like to keep you on full time. Welcome.” Clarissa smiled and stood up, paused as if about to say something, and then left the room.

David let out a snort of laughter. “Well, that was unexpected.”

Jessica looked at the door. “You’re not joking. I thought for a horrible minute she was going to fire us.”

“Fire us or fire me and keep you on?” David joked.

Jessica smiled. “Actually, I thought she might keep you on and fire me.”

David sat back in his chair. “What? You’re the star of the team just now. I’ve got a shitload of catching up to do.”

Jessica looked at him for a few seconds. “Yeah, you’re right. Come on, let’s get you working, you lazy git.” She stood up and walked to the door.

David shook his head in mock disbelief. “Cheeky fucker.”

They both laughed and walked back to their desks.

As they walked into the coolness of the lab, there was a loud cheer from the rest of the team. Jessica, a little startled at the sudden noise, smiled and sheepishly walked over to her desk. David laughed and took a quick bow before sitting down at his.

Lyle strode over to them, holding two plates with a large slice of cake on each. “Well done, you two, and welcome officially to the team.”

Jessica’s mouth began to water as some of the white icing fell to the side of the plate. The layers of sponge, jam and butter icing were too much; she stuck her finger in the icing and scooped the gritty sweetness into her mouth. “Oh, my good god, that is beautiful,” she said as it melted slowly on her tongue.

David and Lyle looked at each other and burst out laughing. “She likes butter icing,” David said.

Lyle laid the plates down on Jessica’s and David’s desks and shook both of their hands. “I don’t really understand what you do with the magick stuff, but I know you’ve helped us drive this investigation.”

Jessica’s smile was wide. “Aw, thank you, Lyle, we appreciate that.”

Lyle nodded. “Sorry we’ve not got time to celebrate in the office, but we’re going out on Friday night to officially welcome you into the team.” He turned to David. “I’m sorry to hear about your dad, mate, but going out on Friday might be good.”

David nodded. “Of course I’ll come along.” He looked at Jessica.

“I’ll be there for sure,” Jessica said, smiling.

Lyle nodded, smiled. “That’s great. I’ll send over the details. I think we’re getting somewhere with this program, so come and join us when you’ve settled.”

David nodded. “We’re working on something but will come over as soon as.”

Lyle nodded and walked away.

“That was nice of them,” Jessica said, smiling over at the rest of the team.

David smiled and took his phone out of his pocket. “It was. That’ll be a good release, to go out on Friday.”

Jessica nodded. “I know, I’ve not been out in ages. You calling DS Cooper?”

David nodded as he got through to the DS and walked towards the window.

Jessica could hear the mumblings of David talking to Alicia on the phone.

David clicked the button to end the call and looked at Jessica. “She’s in the area and should be here in about fifteen minutes.”

Jessica was setting up her table to do some more research before speaking with DS Cooper. “Great stuff. I’m going to do some more digging on this Nostradamus book and see if it mentions anything about a silver key or tablet or something that might help us.”

David nodded assertively, sat down and switched on his computer. “I’ll see what I can dig up on the Lord Chancellor and look more into that angle, see what other connections he has with PulseAI. There’s obviously a link with Neil Day.”

Jessica smiled. “I feel things are starting to move. I felt stuck before, but this seems to have opened up a door.”

David looked at her. “Yeah, it does, I know exactly what you mean.”

As David and Jessica settled into their tasks, a sudden ping from Jessica's computer caught their attention. She frowned, clicking on the alert. Her eyes widened as she scanned the message. "David," she said, her voice tight with a mixture of excitement and trepidation. "You need to see this."

David rolled his chair over to her desk, leaning in to read the screen. It was an automated alert from their AI search algorithm, flagging a newly discovered connection between the Nostradamus grimoire and a series of unexplained disappearances in the 1970s.

"Unexplained disappearances?" David muttered, his brow furrowed. "And look at this – they all took place within a few miles of where Stephanie Koller grew up."

Jessica nodded, her mind spinning with the implications. "And the dates… they correspond with some of the key astrological alignments mentioned in the grimoire."

They exchanged a look, the weight of this new information hanging heavy in the air. If their suspicions were correct, the roots of the AI program and its mysterious predictions could stretch back decades, intertwined with a darker history than they had ever imagined.

As they dove deeper into the research, the faint sound of footsteps echoed in the hallway, signalling DS Cooper's impending arrival. The pieces of the puzzle were beginning to fall into place, but with each new revelation, the stakes seemed to grow higher. They knew they were on the cusp of something significant – all they had to do was keep pushing forwards, no matter where the truth might lead them.

CHAPTER 31

DS Cooper looked aghast. “You want me to steal evidence from my station? Do you realise how much trouble I would get for that?”

David looked at Jessica. “Well, either that, or we can go in and take it some other way.”

DS Cooper stared at David, her grey eyes trying to bore into his soul. “Don’t threaten me, David.”

David smiled. “Alicia, I am not threatening you. We wanted to talk to you about it first before we did anything. Out of courtesy.”

She continued to stare at him. Okay, she doesn’t like to be threatened, David thought to himself. He continued to stare back at her. He wasn’t afraid, even though they hadn’t discussed her powers.

Jessica tutted. “Okay, come on, there’s no need for this. Alicia, as David said, it was out of courtesy. We wanted to let you know and ask if you’d be willing to do it to help. We think the silver rod has one of two things: the key to helping us find out what happened to David’s father due to silver having a strong conductance and storing energy.”

Alicia broke off the stare with David and relaxed a little as she moved her attention to Jessica. “And the other?”

Jessica stood up from her desk. “We think it could be a key of some kind. Honestly, I don’t know more than that as it’s just a theory, but if we had the silver rod in our possession, we would be able to determine more about it.”

DS Cooper looked pensive, her normally serious face relaxing a little. It was clear to David that she was beginning to trust them. David quite liked her despite her steely exterior. She was a detective sergeant; she would have to be serious and steely often.

Alicia breathed in, fished around in her jacket pocket, took out a small bag and handed it to Jessica.

Jessica frowned. “What is this?”

Alicia hinted at a smile. “It’s the silver rod you wanted.”

Jessica laughed excitedly as she took the bag and slipped out the rod. She looked up at David, mouth open.

David smiled. “Thank you. How did you know?”

Alicia nodded. “When I first saw the rod, I knew it was important, but I didn’t know how. Then I got the feeling that it was important to you.”

David looked at Jessica for a reaction. “Do you feel anything?”

Jessica shook her head. “There’s something there. I just don’t know what it is. See if you can feel anything.” She passed the rod to David.

It was cool, almost cold to the touch, and was smooth despite its pitted exterior. David rubbed his fingers over it and felt a tingling in his hands, quickly spreading to his arms, neck and body.

Jessica jumped up from her chair. “David!” she shouted.

David saw Jessica and Alicia staring at him, aghast. He felt his body dissolving, and he tried to let go of the rod. It wouldn’t drop; it was stuck to his fingers and seemed to melt around his whole hand. He tried to speak, but no words came out.

In the background, he could hear Jessica shouting for him and Alicia shouting his name too. What the fuck is happening? he thought. He could feel the nerves in his stomach flaring up like a volcano and realised he was panicking. He tried to calm himself down and go with the flow. Whatever is going to happen is going to happen. This too shall pass, he said to himself as he closed his eyes.

There was a whooshing sound as if he was porting. His whole body crackled with the tingling, and it was beginning to feel uncomfortable. He couldn’t hear Jessica or Alicia now. He opened his eyes to darkness. He could make out shapes. Tables? he wondered. The darkness was lifting, and he stood and waited.

After a few more seconds, the shapes became more focused. There were tables, a few chairs, lots of bottles of all shapes and colours, and a small window in the middle of the room. Judging by the amount of light coming through the window, David guessed it must be night-time. There was a small lantern off to his left, which did a poor job of lighting the room. He heard noises coming from below. It was singing.

I’m in a tavern. What the…?

“It works, then,” a loud, booming voice from the darkness said. The accent was French, but his English was good.

David whirled around to the source of the voice, but he couldn’t see anything. Then, out of the shadows, a man stepped in front of the lantern, throwing light onto his large frame.

The man was of average height, with a striking presence that filled the dimly lit room with an aura of wisdom and mystery. His hair, though thinning, was neatly tied back, revealing sharp, contemplative eyes that seemed to shimmer with a mix of humour and solemnity. His beard, well-groomed and peppered with grey, framed a thoughtful, slightly wrinkled face. This face had seen much, pondered deeply and retained a zest for the enigmatic dance of life.

He was dressed in what appeared to be a blend of late-Renaissance clothing: a dark, velvet doublet adorned with subtle, intricate patterns, slightly worn yet dignified. Around his neck hung a small, metallic object, glinting dimly in the lantern light – maybe some kind of scientific instrument or astronomical device, hinting at his pursuits.

“Nostradamus, at your service,” he declared with a courteous, if somewhat weary, smile. David’s mind raced as he tried to piece together how he had come here. Is this really Nostradamus? he questioned. Again, he decided to go with the flow and see what happened.

The man who called himself Nostradamus gestured towards a small wooden table littered with various scrolls and a large, open book. The pages were filled with cryptic drawings and notes penned in an elegant, meticulous hand. Nearby, a quill lay beside an inkwell, a silent witness to hours of relentless writing and sketching.

“Please, sit,” Nostradamus invited, moving towards the table. His movements were graceful, each step deliberate, as if he measured the weight of his presence in the world. As David approached, he noticed that the room was not merely a place of drink but also a private study where the boundaries of astrology, prophecy and science blurred.

The air was thick with the scent of wax and herbs, suggesting that Nostradamus also engaged in medicinal preparations or perhaps alchemy. The walls were lined with shelves crammed with bottles containing substances of various hues and consistencies, alongside dried plants and roots hanging from the ceiling.

Nostradamus picked up a small celestial globe from the table, turning it slowly in his hands. “You are far from your time, young man. The energy of that artefact you possess has peculiar qualities, indeed.” His voice held a timbre of intrigue and caution as he glanced at the silver rod still clutched in David’s hand.

David, still bewildered by his sudden travel through time and space, asked, “What is this place? How is this possible?”

With a chuckle that seemed to rumble through the old wooden beams of the tavern, Nostradamus responded, “Ah, the universe is vast and filled with pathways that even those like myself strive to understand. We are in my humble abode in Salon-de-Provence, a place of refuge where I contemplate the stars and the fates of men.”

He paused, peering intently at David. “But let us address your immediate concern. You wield a powerful conduit, a bridge through time crafted from the ether of existence itself. Its properties align well with my studies. Perhaps together, we can unravel its mysteries. Do not worry about returning to your time. That will come.”

Travelling through time! This is just mental, David thought. He questioned if he was dreaming. Time travel just is not possible; it has to be a dream. After everything he’d learned about being a witch, being able to port from one side of the world to the other, and astral project and port to different planes of existence, he was questioning the possibility of time travel. He almost laughed out loud as he thought about it.

Nostradamus turned back to his writings, inviting David to explore the scrolls and artefacts. This set the stage for a night of revelation and learning under the dim glow of history’s lantern. As David settled into this unexpected encounter, the sounds of merriment from below faded into a comforting backdrop, a reminder of life’s continuous flow beyond the walls of the mystic study.

Nostradamus looked at David as if sizing him up. “You have been wondering about the predictions of someone using my grimoire, yes?”

David nodded. “Yes, things are going on in my time that may have connections with your grimoire, but we haven’t quite figured it out yet.”

Nostradamus nodded. “And what is it that troubles you?”

David raised his eyebrows. How the hell do I explain this? he thought. “Well, we don’t know how your grimoire is being used, and we don’t know what the machine is doing to make the predictions.”

“Machine? A machine is using my grimoire?” Nostradamus said, his deep voice settling in the beams of the tavern.

David paused. “It’s hard to explain what type of machine it is.”

Nostradamus stroked his greying beard. “I see. Well, it must have figured out my code to do the spells and use the incantations hidden in the grimoire. What spells is this machine using?”

David thought for a second and didn’t think there were other spells besides the predictive ones the AI program was using. “Well, it seems to use the prediction spells with great accuracy.”

Nostradamus’s brows furrowed. “It is only using one spell? I don’t understand, there is so much more to the grimoire than this.”

David shook his head. “I don’t know, but as I said, it is a machine that’s using the spells. What other spells are there in the grimoire?”

Nostradamus looked at him and was clearly thinking about something. He snapped back to the here and now. “Tell me more about the machine. Can it touch, taste, smell, see and hear things?”

David thought for a few seconds. “Well, as far as I know, it’s a machine code program, but it may have access to other machines that can use the five senses. In our time, we have developed machines that can recognise foods by taste, or machine taste. They can also recognise smells and can touch things, too, and they can definitely see and hear okay.”

Nostradamus nodded and seemed to be studying David intently, watching his lips and eyes as he spoke. “That’s really interesting.” He clapped his hands together. “So my predictions were correct.” He snapped his attention back to David. “Listen, you must do everything in your power to stop the machine from touching this silver rod – it is indeed a key. Now tell me, what incantation did you use to travel here to me?”

David frowned. “I didn’t use an incantation. I just held it in my hand, and it brought me here.”

Nostradamus threw his hand to his mouth. “How is this possible? Are you some kind of witch?”

David laughed. “Yes, I am.”

Nostradamus studied his face again. “You are a witch who can do magick? Show me.”

David shook his head a little. “Ehm, how do I show you?” he mused out loud. David closed his eyes and curled his hands up into a ball. Sparkling rings of energy flowed between his hands, lighting up the whole room.

Nostradamus’s eyes widened in shock and fear. He looked around the room and got up to look outside the window. “Okay, stop it, stop it, this will attract attention.” He stared at David and touched him on the shoulder, saying, “You are a real witch.”

David laughed and closed his eyes as the great man laid his hands on David’s head and touched around his neck, shoulders and face.

“This is remarkable. What year do you come from, my friend?” he asked David as he stood back.

David looked at the excited Nostradamus. “Twenty-twenty-seven,” he said and watched Nostradamus’s reaction.

His hand shot up to his mouth, and his eyes widened just a little bit more. “Amazing. Amazing.” He walked around David, looking at his clothes. “Amazing.”

As Nostradamus circled David, marvelling at his clothing and the reality of a witch from the future standing before him, David couldn't help but feel a sense of awe and responsibility. He knew that this encounter was no mere coincidence. It was a pivotal moment in his quest to unravel the mysteries of the AI program and the grimoire.

"Nostradamus," David began, his voice steady with purpose, "I know my presence here is not by chance. The silver rod, your grimoire, the machine in my time, they're all connected. I need your help to understand what we must do next."

The legendary seer stopped his pacing and met David's gaze, his eyes shining with a mix of excitement and gravity. "Yes, I believe you are right. The threads of fate have woven us together for a reason. Come, let us see what the stars and the ancient texts can reveal."

Together, they approached the table once more, and Nostradamus began sifting through the scrolls and tomes with renewed fervour. He pointed to a series of intricate diagrams and symbols, his voice low and urgent as he explained their significance.

David didn’t really understand what he was talking about but let him continue talking without interruption.

"Here, do you see this? It speaks of a great convergence, a moment when the barriers between worlds grow thin, and the power of the grimoire can be harnessed to shape the very fabric of reality. But it also warns of the dangers of such power falling into the wrong hands."

David leaned in closer, his heart racing as he tried to absorb the weight of Nostradamus's words. "So, what do I need to do? How can I stop this from happening in my time?"

Nostradamus placed a gentle hand on David's shoulder, his expression a mix of empathy and resolve. "You must find the guardian, the one who holds the key to unlocking the grimoire's true potential. Only they can guide you in using its power wisely and preventing those who would abuse it from gaining control."

David's heart raced as he watched Nostradamus retrieve a small, ornate box from the shelf. The silver hinges creaked softly as the seer opened the lid, and David caught a glimpse of the rich, purple velvet lining the interior. Nestled within was a medallion, its surface shimmering in the flickering light of the lantern, and David felt a sudden, inexplicable connection to the ancient artefact.

Nostradamus lifted it out and placed it in David's hand, closing his fingers around it. "Take this. It will help you to recognise the guardian when the time comes. Trust in your instincts, David, and in the bonds you share with your allies. The path ahead may be difficult, but I have faith that you will find the strength and wisdom to prevail."

David clutched the medallion tightly, feeling its weight and the cool touch of the silver metal against his skin. He knew that this was more than just a medallion; it was possibly the key to unravelling the mystery about the AI program and the murders of his father and the dead members of the PulseAI team.

As he opened his mouth to thank the seer, David felt a sudden, familiar tug in his chest. The silver rod in his hand began to pulse with a soft, insistent light, and he knew that it was time for him to return to where he’d come from.

Nostradamus seemed to sense it, too, for he stepped back with a knowing smile. "It seems our time together is drawing to a close. Remember all that you have learned here, David, and carry it with you as you face the challenges ahead. The future is not yet written, but with courage and wisdom, you have the power to shape it for the better."

With a final nod of gratitude and respect, David allowed the silver rod's energy to engulf him once more. The room around him blurred and faded, Nostradamus's face growing distant as the centuries rushed by in a dizzying whirl of light and shadow.

And then, with a gasp and a shudder, David found himself back in the present, lying on the floor of the lab with Jessica and Alicia hovering over him, their faces etched with concern and relief.

"David! Thank goodness, are you alright? What happened?" Jessica asked, helping him to sit up.

David took a deep breath, his mind still reeling from the incredible journey he had just undertaken. He looked down at his hand, half-expecting the medallion to have vanished like a dream, but there it was, solid and real against his palm.

"You won't believe where I've been," he said, a slow grin spreading across his face. "Or what I've learned. We have a guardian to find and a grimoire to understand, and I think I know where we need to start looking."

With renewed purpose and the wisdom of the ages to guide them, David, Jessica and Alicia gathered around the table, ready to embark on the next phase of their extraordinary quest.

CHAPTER 32

Genevieve held the silver medallion in her hand and looked closely at the intricate design. It had an all-seeing eye in the centre, with a four-cornered pattern surrounded by some ivy leaves. On the perimeter was a circle of symbols that David couldn’t find information on.

Genevieve shook her head. “So you actually got this from Nostradamus himself? From five hundred years ago?” The scepticism in her voice was evident. Not that she didn’t believe David, but she still found it difficult to believe, even as a witch.

Jonathan leaned over as they sat on the sofa and studied it too. “That’s the eye of Horus.”

David looked at Jonathan. “We managed to find that out, but what does it mean?”

Jonathan raised his eyebrows. “It symbolises everything you are, David.”

David frowned. “What? What do you mean?”

Jonathan took the metal medallion from Genevieve. “This medallion is a symbol of your magick. It is a symbol of protection, of psychic abilities and divination. It represents everything that you are, which is why it was given to you. This is powerful. Have you worn it yet?”

David shook his head a little. “No, but I’ve had it with me the whole time since we got it yesterday.”

Genevieve and Jonathan looked at each other. “Wear it,” they said in unison.

David laughed. “I’ll look like some gangster rapper if I wear it.”

Genevieve smiled. “Trust me, wear it. Last year, you managed to get six crystals that you had to bind with. You never did get the seventh one. This could be the way to get the seventh crystal, but who knows what happens after that?”

David took the silver medallion back, put the chain over his neck and let it hang over his heart.

Genevieve shook her head and walked over to David, lifting the chain. “No, no, wear it against the skin.”

It was cold against David’s chest, and the thick chain felt odd to wear. He wasn’t one for jewellery of any kind, but he didn’t think there would be any harm in wearing it. Aunt Gen might be right; this could be the way he could get the seventh crystal. He’d forgotten about the crystals from the Akashic Records incident. He had collected crystals that seemed to correspond with each of his chakras, but he didn’t get the crown, the last of the major chakras. He still didn’t really understand what the crystals did for him; he only knew his magickal powers had grown with each crystal he had collected and bonded with.

He touched the medallion underneath his T-shirt. He thought he felt a tingling sensation but dismissed it as his phone rang.

“Hey, Jess, how’s things going?” he answered.

“Where are you just now?” Jessica asked.

David pulled out the medallion as he spoke. “I’m over at my Aunt Gen’s, I was showing her the medallion. I’m coming back across on the train in about half an hour. Everything okay?”

“Yeah. We’ve found a few things out. I’m meeting up with Alicia in a few hours, and we’re going to be heading over to meet with the Lord Chancellor as he’s up in Scotland for a few days on business,” Jessica said, her voice a little shaky.

David frowned in confusion. “The Lord Chancellor? Is Alicia allowed to do that? I would have thought she would need permission from higher up.”

“I know, but he actually got in touch with Alicia, so it’s not an official police visit,” Jessica replied. “Anyway, do you want to come too? You could get us over there. He’s staying at The Balmoral, right next to Waverley Market.”

David nodded. “Yeah, that sounds good. Are you okay, by the way? You sound a little nervous.”

There was a pause. “Yeah, I’m good, I’ll see you when you get back.”

The phone call cut off, leaving David thinking about their relationship. They hadn’t had much chance to connect over the last few weeks. He hadn’t wanted any company after his father had been killed, preferring to work through his grief on his own despite the many attempts by Jess to help him. There was no helping him; how do you help someone who has recently been reunited with their father after twenty years only for them to be killed within a year of that reunion?

David wanted to speak with his mum before leaving to go back to Edinburgh. He took the stairs two at a time as he went to her room. He gently knocked on the panelled door and heard his mother’s voice telling him to come in.

“Hi, Mum,” he said, bending over to kiss her on the cheek.

Her room was decorated in a calming heritage-green colour, with panelled walls. On either side of the blue-velvet French-style bed, there were two matte-black bedside tables with silver table lamps atop them.

Jacqueline smiled weakly from where she sat on the bed, fully clothed in jeans and a white T-shirt. David noticed there was no TV on or any magazines or books lying around, which meant his mother was just sitting on top of the bed staring out the window. He felt an ache. He couldn’t help her; she had to go through this grief in her own way, but he would be there for her. His mother and father had been inseparable for the last twenty years, and he had been ripped from her life. It was hard for David to accept his father’s death, but it must have been one hundred times worse for her.

He thought about how he would feel if Jessica had been killed. He couldn’t imagine not speaking to Jess every day; just hearing her voice or seeing her smiling was enough to brighten his day. If she wasn’t there, he just couldn’t imagine how he would cope. He knew his relationship with Jess was nothing like his mother and father’s relationship, but it gave him some perspective on how she must be feeling.

She looked as if she was ready for a day out. She had washed and blow-dried her hair and put on makeup, which was a good sign, David thought.

She brushed her dark hair away from her face. “You’re looking well, son, how are things going?”

David pulled up one of the Queen Anne chairs and sat it close to the bed. “I’m good. I thought it would be better to get out and do some work as I was getting really quite morose sitting in a room, cooped up with my thoughts.” He said it to gauge his mother’s reaction as she was doing just that.

“I know, son, and I know you’re worried about me doing the same. I’ll be back up and about soon. It’s been hard.” Tears formed in her eyes, and she stopped talking. She blew out a breath, trying to stop the tears from falling. “I know he would want me to help you as much as possible. I just don’t have the energy.”

David reached over and held her hand. “I know, Mum. You do whatever you need to do in your own time. And you know we’re here for you?”

She smiled. David thought she looked gaunt, her eyes sunken and lifeless and her cheeks drawn in.

She tilted her head to the side as she looked at him. “Your Aunt Gen and Jonathan have been amazing, and it’s always good to see you.” She turned and looked out of the window. “I just don’t know how I’m going to do it, David.” Tears sprang from her eyes again, and this time, she couldn’t stop them. “Your father was a part of my soul, and I just feel dead without him.”

Tears burst through to David’s eyes immediately, and he took a deep breath to regain his heart rate. His words were choked. “I know, Mum, I only wish I could do something.”

She quickly turned her head to look him in the eyes. “You can. Catch the bastard who did this.”

David looked down at the cream, woollen carpet.

His mother bent down slightly to look at her son’s face. “What? Do you know something already?”

Lifting his head to look at her, David replied, “Not exactly. It might not be a person, it might be some kind of entity.”

His mother frowned. “What? What kind of entity?”

David raised his eyebrows in resignation. “I honestly don’t know. I keep thinking we’re getting close to finding out, but it still seems we’re far away from discovering what the hell is going on.”

She sat back and leaned against the blue velvet headboard. “What do you think it might be?”

David relayed the story of how he met with Nostradamus. Even when he told it to his mum, it didn’t sound real. It felt like something he had made up. But when he told her about the medallion and placed his hands around his neck to take it off, it felt real again.

His mother looked at his neck, waiting for him to take it off. Just before David did so, he said, “Nostradamus told me I must find the guardian who holds the key to unlocking the grimoire’s potential and that this would help me.”

What he didn’t expect was his mother’s reaction when he showed her the medallion.

Her hand flew to her mouth. “Did he give this to you directly?”

David frowned in confusion. “Yes. He had it in a velvet-lined box. Why? Have you seen it before?”

When David took it off and handed it to her, she gasped. “It’s exactly the same.”

David shook his head. “Okay, I don’t get it, exactly the same as what?”

She jumped up from the bed. “Where’s my phone?”

David looked around and saw it on the other bedside table. “Here it is. Are you going to tell me?”

Jacqueline picked up her phone, swiped up and clicked on one of the search engine apps. Then she started typing furiously. She looked quickly through photos and swiped the phone several times before finding what she was looking for.

She smiled. “Here it is.”

She walked over to where David was sitting and showed him the images. They showed the inside of an apartment with a giant clay structure adorning the large wall above the main living area. It was essentially a much larger version of the medallion David was now holding in his hands.

David’s eyes widened. “Oh, wow! How on earth did you remember that, and whose apartment is this?”

“That is an apartment in the Woolworth Building in New York.” Jacqueline waited for David’s reaction.

He frowned and shook his head a little. “Nope, I still don’t… Oh wait, you’re not talking about…?”

Jacqueline nodded. “Yep.”

“Alicia Collins!” David exclaimed. “This is in Alicia Collins’s apartment in New York. So she’s the guardian who holds the key to the grimoire?” he said almost to himself.

The train journey back to Edinburgh to meet Jessica and Alicia was almost a blur as he thought about what Alicia Collins had to do with the medallion. Was she the guardian? How could she be if she was part of the Akashic Records now? What power did she hold? Could she actually come back to the Earth plane?

David thought about lots of different scenarios concerning how Alicia Collins could be involved and whether or not she could or would help them. The medallion represented something of the jigsaw puzzle, but to David, it felt like finding a missing piece only to find out it was for the wrong puzzle.

He was dozing when his brain was jarred awake by the voice on the tannoy. “We are now entering Waverley Station, where this train will terminate. Please ensure you have all your belongings and mind the gap as you alight from this train.”

David looked out the window to the sunlit station of Waverley Market. He wiped the corners of his mouth. I must have been dozing longer than I thought.

He grabbed his rucksack and tried to get out of the train carriage, but there was a woman with two children and a pram trying to get off. David helped her and then jumped into the noisy station.

The crackling sounds of the PA system could be heard but never fully understood as the smell of diesel filled his nostrils.

The gentle hum of people walking and talking, of the PA system, of the trains rattling into the station was a great sound for David; it was a beautiful noise. He felt good to be back and close to Jessica again, and he felt a little pang of excitement in his stomach as he thought about the meeting with the Lord Chancellor.

He steeled himself; the Lord Chancellor was upper class, and it wouldn’t be like meeting someone in a pub. He would have to conduct himself a little differently. He was now representing the Koestler Parapsychology Unit. His posture changed as he walked. He straightened up a little, his chest out, his shoulders back. He walked with purpose and with a destination in mind.

He hadn’t had time to think about the meeting earlier on, but he quickly realised this was an important meeting. Maybe this was why Jessica sounded nervous on the phone, he thought.

As he crossed the station bridge to get to Princes Street, he pictured the meeting. He would keep quiet and ask pertinent questions when he thought it necessary. DS Cooper would do most of the talking, David presumed, and Jessica would just be Jessica. She knew what it was like living among this class of people, so she would feel comfortable and understand the hidden vagaries of the upper class.

He stood at the top of the steps of Waverley Market station, looking out onto Princes Street. Black taxis and buses lined the road. The noise was intoxicating. He smiled and then went back to thinking about the meeting again.

Turning to his right and walking fifty feet, he looked up at The Balmoral. He was struck by its grandeur and imposing presence. The majestic sandstone building, with its warm, honey-coloured façade, caught the light and stood out against the overcast Edinburgh sky. David loved the Victorian elegance and Scottish baronial style. Ornate carvings and intricate detailing adorned the stonework, showcasing the craftsmanship of the late nineteenth century when the hotel was built.

David wondered if the Lord Chancellor was looking down on him from one of the large, symmetrically arranged windows.

He took a deep breath and pushed the revolving door to enter.

CHAPTER 33

David could almost feel the hotel's history as he pushed through the mahogany revolving doors. As he stepped into the opulent lobby, he couldn't help but feel a twinge of impostor syndrome. The grandeur of the Balmoral was a far cry from the modest flats and pubs he was used to frequenting. But then he remembered the incredible journey that had led him here, and a sense of pride and determination swelled in his chest. He belonged here and was ready to face whatever challenges lay ahead.

He caught his breath as he looked up at the white marble. As if it were a reminder of the multicultural city of Edinburgh, a table adorned with flowers of all kinds stood proudly in the middle of the reception hall.

“David!” He heard his name and looked around, searching for the source of the voice, when he caught sight of her red hair. An involuntary smile spread across his face as Jessica walked up to greet him. Unexpectedly, she threw her arms around him and kissed him fully. David reciprocated. He’d only been away one night, but he’d missed her and pulled her closer to his body, squeezing a little too tightly.

She laughed, “Oh my god, you’re going to crush me.”

David let her go and looked at her, wearing a red, flowered summer dress that showed off her muscular thighs. Her flat, white shoes were almost hidden on the white marble flooring. He looked at her smiling face, her hair tied back on both sides to pull it away from her eyes.

The weight of the investigation and the mysteries they were unravelling had taken a toll, but having her by his side made everything feel more manageable. He knew their relationship was still new and undefined, but in that moment, he realised just how much he had come to rely on her strength and support.

She looked around. “Isn’t this place amazing?”

David followed her gaze. “It’s stunning. I mean, really stunning,” he added, emphasising his appreciation. “Where’s Alicia?”

Jessica looked towards the entrance. “She should be here any minute. We can go and ask to be announced, and hopefully, she’ll be here by the time the Lord Chancellor is ready.”

David laughed. “Oooh, ask to be announced, how very posh.”

Jessica shook her head and walked over to the fireplace opposite the reception desk. “This is just gorgeous.”

David agreed and walked around the reception area, looking at the flowers and the paintings on the wall. He joined her again at the fire. “Do you know what room he’s in?”

Jessica took her phone out of her clutch bag. “Yes, he’s in the Scone and Crombie Suite.”

David raised his eyebrows. “Suite. I bet that costs a fair whack?”

Jessica nodded and leaned in closer. “Six thousand pounds per night.”

“What?!” David exclaimed. “What the hell do they get for that?”

Jessica laughed at him. “You poor little commoner, you.”

David looked over at the entrance and spotted Alicia. “There she is now. You go get her, and I’ll ask to be announced.”

David walked over to the reception desk and told a young woman, “We’re here to see the Lord Chancellor in the Scone and Crombie Suite. Could you let him know we have arrived?”

The girl smiled and looked at her screen. “Can I ask your names, please?”

As David gave the details, Alicia and Jessica walked up to join him, and together, they took the lift up to the Lord Chancellor’s suite.

They walked through the Victorian-style corridor with wall panelling and pictures of stags and scenery from around Scotland and reached the suite's door. A butler opened it for them and welcomed them in, ushering them into the main living area. “The Lord Chancellor will be with you shortly. I will bring in some tea and biscuits while you wait.”

A woman with short blonde hair passed them on their way to the living area. She smiled at them and said, “Good morning,” as she quickly walked past them into one of the rooms.

As they sat sipping their tea, David looked around the large living area, painted mint green. As with the rest of the hotel, it was decorated in Victorian style with wall panelling. Some modern furniture was mixed with Queen Anne chairs decorated in a flower pattern. David noticed a large, beautiful swan lamp. The swan looked as if it was preening itself; he couldn’t take his eyes off it.

He picked up his cup of tea and walked towards the large windows. As he looked out over the old city of Edinburgh, he let out an involuntary “Wow!” He could see all the way past Waverley Station and right down Princes Street. “This is just another level of class,” he said as he stared out of the window.

A voice came from behind David. “Well, this is how the top one percent live, and letting you poor people in to see it is always a pleasure.”

David suddenly felt angry at the comment and spun around to see the Lord Chancellor laughing, as were Jessica and Alicia. He was younger than David had imagined, probably in his early forties. His casual but expensive attire wouldn’t be out of place in a Glasgow pub.

He held his hand out to David. “Alistair Montague, nice to meet you. As you admired the view, I’ve already quietly introduced myself to the ladies.”

David smiled. “David Hunter.”

Alistair held out his arm to show David to the seating area where Jessica and Alicia sat. Jessica looked up at David and smiled, and David shook his head, feeling he had made a bit of a fool of himself.

“I’m really sorry I have meetings all day today, but I wanted to speak with you, DS Cooper. As I gather, you have been looking at my financial affairs linked to the PulseAI Dynamics team. I know Jessica and you, David, are from the Koestler Parapsychology Unit. However, I fail to see what connection that has with the police.”

Alicia responded quickly, “The Koestler Parapsychology unit has been assisting the police with their investigations, and Jessica and David have recently joined the team.”

Alistair crossed his legs and took a sip of his tea, just watching Alicia as she spoke. It was clear to David that he was very well-versed in social occasions and knew how to command a room at social events. “I see. And do you think I have something to do with the deaths of the PulseAI team?”

Alicia leaned forwards and linked her hands in front of her. “Lord Chancellor, with all due respect, your financial ties to PulseAI Dynamics and the timing of your investments raise serious questions. Can you explain why you invested so heavily in a new company such as PulseAI?”

Alistair Montague's jaw tightened almost imperceptibly before he replied, "Tax breaks. Investing in start-ups has its advantages."

Alicia held his gaze, her expression unwavering. "Be that as it may, Lord Chancellor, we have to explore every connection to the deaths of Stephanie Koller, Craig Hinton and the rest of the team. Surely, you understand."

The Lord Chancellor gave a curt nod, his eyes flashing with a hint of impatience.

Jessica looked at Alicia and mouthed something, to which Alicia nodded. Jessica looked at Alistair. “Did you like Stephanie Koller and Craig Hinton? I mean, as an investor, there has to be some sort of relationship before you would invest. They say you should invest in the team and not necessarily the idea.”

Alistair snorted a little and raised his eyebrows. “I did like them, actually, and we became quite close.”

David jumped into the conversation. “Did their deaths not hit you quite hard, then?” he asked, looking at Alistair’s face.

The Lord Chancellor stretched out his arm, looked at his watch and then up at Alicia, David and Jessica in turn. He sipped his tea. "There's something you should know."

David felt his heart skip a beat.

“It's about Stephanie Koller and Craig Hinton.” Alistair set his cup down, his expression grave. “They're not dead.”

A stunned silence filled the room. David felt like the ground had shifted beneath his feet. If Stephanie and Craig were still alive, then who had killed his father? And why? The questions swirled in his mind, each more daunting than the last. He could feel the familiar grief and anger rising in his throat, but he swallowed it down. He needed to stay focused and keep pushing forwards. For his father, for his mum and for everyone who had been affected by this twisted mystery.

"What do you mean they're not dead?" Alicia asked, her voice tight with disbelief. "We have records, autopsies…"

Alistair held up a hand, silencing her. "I know, I know. But the truth is, their deaths were faked. It was all part of a plan to prevent suspicion and allow them to continue their work in secret."

Jessica leaned forwards, her eyes wide. "But why? What were they working on that was so important?"

Alistair shook his head, a wry smile tugging at his lips. "That, my dear, is the million-dollar question. All I know is they're out there somewhere, continuing their research into the AI program and the grimoire. And I suspect that whatever they're doing is far more significant than anything you've uncovered."

David felt a chill run down his spine, the puzzle pieces suddenly shifting and rearranging themselves in his mind. If Stephanie and Craig were still alive, then everything they thought they knew about the mystery surrounding PulseAI Dynamics and the deaths of the team members was called into question.

The butler came into the living area. “Sir, you have a conference call with the Prime Minister in five minutes, would you like to prepare for the meeting in the office?”

Alistair looked at the butler. “Yes, James, I will be there in a moment.”

Alistair looked at David, Jessica and Alicia in turn. “I hope this has been helpful. Please keep me up to date with your investigations. Now, if you will excuse me.”

The Lord Chancellor excused himself and sauntered through to the office area, leaving David, Jessica and Alicia to process the bombshell he had just dropped. The butler appeared at the door, his expression impassive as he gestured for them to follow him out of the room.

As they walked through the opulent corridors, their footsteps muffled by the thick carpets, each of them grappled with the implications of Alistair's revelation. The silence hung heavy between them, broken only by the soft ding of the lift as it arrived to take them back down to the main reception area.

Inside the lift, the atmosphere was thick with tension and unspoken questions. David leaned against the mirrored wall, his reflection staring back at him with a mixture of confusion and determination. Jessica fidgeted with her clutch bag, her brow furrowed in thought, while Alicia stood ramrod straight, her gaze fixed on the descending numbers above the door.

As the lift doors opened, the bustling energy of the reception area washed over them, a stark contrast to the stillness of their own thoughts. They made their way to one of the plush seating areas, sinking into the comfortable chairs as if the weight of the new information was physically pressing down on them.

David was the first to speak. “Fuck me!” was all he could say.

Alicia raised her eyebrows. “I’ll say.”

Jessica shook her head in disbelief. “This kinda puts a new spin on things.”

Each of them was lost in their own thoughts, thinking about how this revelation, if it were true, would change the direction of their investigation.

David wondered where they would actually look for Craig and Stephanie to prove that they were alive. The big question was, he thought, why would they fake their own deaths, especially to their friends and family?

As they stood up to go outside, Alicia spoke. “We now have to look at all the evidence from the perspective that Stephanie and Craig are alive, as I believe that will change how we look at this.”

Jessica and David nodded thoughtfully.

As they stepped out of the Balmoral, the noise and energy of Princes Street hit them like a physical wave, the bustling crowds and traffic a jarring contrast to the quiet intensity of their conversation with the Lord Chancellor. David blinked in the sunlight, his mind still reeling from Alistair's revelation. He glanced at Jessica and Alicia, trying to gauge their reactions.

Jessica's face was a mask of determination, her lips pressed together in a thin line as she navigated the busy sidewalk. David could almost see the gears turning in her head as she processed this new information, no doubt already forming theories and plans of action. He felt a surge of affection and admiration for her, knowing that her brilliant mind and unwavering resolve would be invaluable in the challenges to come.

Alicia, on the other hand, seemed to have retreated into herself, her usually confident stride now hesitant and distracted. David wondered how this development would affect her role in the investigation and her relationship with her superiors in the police force. He made a mental note to check in with her later.

As they walked to the train station, David couldn't shake the feeling that everything had changed. The ground beneath their feet felt uncertain, the once-solid facts of the case now shifting like sand. He knew that they would have to rely on each other more than ever, to trust in their instincts and their bond as a team. The road ahead would be difficult, but he felt a flicker of hope and excitement amid the nervousness. They were on the cusp of something big, and he was ready to face it head-on with Jessica and Alicia by his side.

CHAPTER 34

Jessica heard the ringing in her sleep; it had become a part of her dreams. She could see her mother was calling her, but Jessica couldn’t get to the phone; it just kept slipping out of her reach every time she got close to it.

It stopped and then started ringing again immediately.

Jessica eventually woke up as David was opening the door to her room. She looked at him, confused and bleary-eyed. “What the hell’s going on?”

David was still wiping the sleep from his eyes and muttered, “It’s the team from the lab. They found something important. We need to go in.”

Jessica scrunched up her face and looked at the red digits of the clock: 02:34. “Shit, okay, I’ll be down in ten.”

David, still with half-closed eyes, said, “’Kay, I’ll get dressed and call a taxi.”

David and Jessica pushed open the heavy metal door to the lab and scrunched up their eyes as the harsh fluorescent light hit them. The air was thick with the hum of computers and the faint scent of coffee and sweat. Three of the team members were hunched over a desk, their faces bathed in the sickly glow of the large screen before them. The absence of Clarissa's commanding presence was palpable, leaving an uneasy void in the room.

Lyle looked up and smiled at them, his thick head of hair flopping around, showing he hadn’t slept much. “You have to see this.” He clicked a few times on the computer to bring up another image on the large screen.

David and Jessica put down their bags, their eyes fixated on the screen. Fiona brought out a digital pen and circled some things on the screen for them to focus on.

She spoke quickly about the discovery they had made. “See here, where I have circled, this is where the AI program has actually tried to perform a spell, but you can see from the output coding that it failed.”

The cast_spell function attempts to perform the spell, checking for required components and simulating the spell's effect.

if not cast_spell(spell_name):

print("The AI program's attempt to raise the entity has failed.")

Jessica stared at the screen, trying to make sense of the code. She had a basic understanding of programming, but the intricacies of the AI's inner workings were beyond her. Turning to Fiona, she asked, "Can you break this down for me? What exactly does this code snippet mean, and how does it relate to our investigation?"

Fiona nodded, a patient smile on her face. "Sure, let me explain. This part of the code is a function that attempts to perform a spell from the grimoire. It checks if the necessary components are available and then simulates the spell's effect. In this case, the AI was trying to cast the entity-raising spell, but as you can see from this output message, it failed."

She pointed to the line that read, "The AI program's attempt to raise the entity has failed."

Jessica furrowed her brow. "Okay, so the AI tried to raise an entity but couldn't. What does that tell us?"

Lyle chimed in, "It suggests that the AI is actively experimenting with the spells from the grimoire. It's not just making predictions; it's attempting to influence reality. The fact that it failed this time is a relief, but it also means we need to be prepared for the possibility that it might succeed in the future."

Jessica nodded slowly, the pieces starting to fall into place. "And the attempted deletion of the grimoire from the AI's memory? What do you make of that?"

Fiona leaned forwards, her expression serious. "It could mean that someone is trying to stop the AI from accessing the grimoire's power. They might have realised the danger it poses and are attempting to limit its capabilities. However, the fact that the deletion failed suggests that the AI has evolved to protect itself and its resources."

Jessica took a deep breath, the implications of their findings sinking in. "So, we're dealing with an AI that's not only predicting the future but actively trying to shape it using ancient magic. And someone, possibly the creators themselves, is trying to stop it, but the AI is resisting their efforts."

Lyle nodded grimly. "Exactly. It's a dangerous situation, and we need to find a way to contain the AI before it causes any more harm."

Fiona pressed her lips together. “Thankfully, the next spell was about raising a powerful entity into the world.”

Jessica looked at Fiona. “Why do you say thankfully?”

Fiona took a deep breath, her expression pensive. "The entity-raising spell's positioning within the grimoire's sequence is crucial. If it were located near the end, the potential ramifications of the spells preceding it could be catastrophic."

David and Jessica nodded, understanding the significance.

“But that’s not all, look at this piece.” She circled again on the screen. “Someone has tried to delete the grimoire from the AI program’s memory, but that failed too.”

if __name__ == "__main__":

ai_database = AIDatabase()

# List all grimoires before deletion

ai_database.list_grimoires()

# Attempt to delete a grimoire

grimoire_to_delete = "The Grimoire"

ai_database.delete_grimoire(grimoire_to_delete)

# List all grimoires after deletion

ai_database.list_grimoires()

David looked at Fiona with a frown. “Okay, so it tried to raise a spell, it failed, someone tried to delete the grimoire from the program, and they failed. What does it all mean?”

Lyle took over from Fiona. “Well, we have written a program to track whereabouts the output messages are raised from and where their output location is every time the AI program engages. But, and this is why you got a phone call at two thirty in the morning, the person who tried to delete the grimoire from the program has been tracked to a place here in Edinburgh.”

David turned to Jessica, his eyebrows raised. "Jess, what if it's Stephanie and Craig? I mean, it's gotta be them, right?" He looked at Lyle, seeking confirmation.

Lyle’s smile was wide with excitement. “Well, given what you told us about your meeting with the Lord Chancellor, we believe it might be them.”

Gillian, another PhD researcher who was normally quiet, spoke up. “It could be someone else, so don’t get too excited.”

Lyle threw her a look of disdain. “Gillian, from what we know, the likely scenario is that it’s them.”

Gillian held up her hands and sat back a little. “Just saying.”

Jessica stood up straight. “It doesn’t matter if it’s them or not, it could still be a really valuable lead. So what now? Where in Edinburgh is it?”

Fiona, Lyle and Gillian looked at each other, and Gillian spoke up. “It’s coming from the offices of the PulseAI Dynamics building,” she said as she brushed her long, dark hair away from her face.

David could only shake his head. “Oh, jeezus. We didn’t revisit their offices – they were all presumed dead, so there was no need to.”

Jessica thought about the new information that had just been shared. “So! Stephanie and Craig could have faked their own deaths to protect themselves and their family whilst trying to delete the grimoire from the AI program?”

Lyle winked and nodded. “Could be!”

David's heart pounded in his chest as he turned to Jessica, his eyes wide with a mixture of fear and realisation. "Jess," he whispered, his voice trembling, "if this program was trying to raise that entity…" He swallowed hard, his mouth dry. "My dad, he could've been caught in the middle of it all, like some kind of magick disturbance."

Jessica reached out and squeezed David's hand, a gentle smile on her lips. "Hey, I know it's a lot to take in, but at least we're getting somewhere. Your dad's death, the AI, the grimoire… it all seems to be connected somehow."

Jessica looked at David and felt a rush in her stomach. She felt for him as she knew what it was like to lose a parent. She had been very young at the time, but she still felt the pain of not having her mum in her life. She thought it must be different losing a parent later on in life, especially in David’s situation. He had coped well with the loss and seemed more determined now. She felt she was watching him growing all the time.

She watched him for a few seconds. He seemed to remember something as his eyes darted from side to side, trying to remember the details.

“What is it?” Jessica asked.

David scratched his head. “My mum said they always kept a diary of when they ported and what they found when they came back. When my dad was killed, I asked her about it, but she said there was nothing in it and burst out crying, so I didn’t think anything more of it. Maybe it has information that could help us.”

Jessica pepped up. “Yes, it might not have meant anything at the time. Okay, it’s too early to go over to your Aunt Gen’s, but we can go after.”

David looked at her. “Go after what?”

“We need to make a visit to the PulseAI offices.” Jessica got out her phone to call Alicia.

Jessica picked up her phone when she heard the notification and turned to David. “It’s Alicia, she’s waiting outside for us.”

As they left the lab, Jessica's mind raced with the implications of their discoveries. The cool night air hit her face, and she inhaled deeply, trying to clear her thoughts. David fell into step beside her, his expression troubled.

"What do you think we'll find at the PulseAI offices?" he asked, his voice low.

Jessica shook her head. "I don't know, but if Stephanie and Craig are really behind this, we need to be prepared for anything. They're desperate, which makes them dangerous."

Alicia, who had been walking slightly ahead, slowed her pace to join the conversation. "We need to approach this carefully. If they're there, we can't afford to spook them. They might have information we need to stop the AI."

Jessica nodded, a thought occurring to her. "What if they're not the only ones involved? The Lord Chancellor's connection to all of this can't be a coincidence. We might be stepping into something bigger than we realised."

David's jaw clenched. "Yeah, you're right. We need to be careful, there might be other people involved that we don’t know about.”

As they approached the car, Jessica felt a growing sense of unease. The pieces of the puzzle were starting to come together, but she knew they were still missing crucial information. She glanced at David and Alicia, drawing strength from their presence. Whatever lay ahead, she felt safer with them.

The drive to the PulseAI offices was tense, the silence broken only by the hum of the engine and the occasional crackle of the police radio. Jessica stared out the window, watching the city lights blur past. Her thoughts drifted to her father and his own investigations. She wondered what he would make of all this, and a pang of longing hit her. She wished she could turn to him for guidance, but she knew that, ultimately, it was up to her and her team to unravel this mystery and stop the AI before it was too late.

As they neared their destination, Jessica straightened in her seat, her resolve hardening. They were getting closer to the truth now, and every muscle in her body was ready to fight.

Tendrils of fog curled around the cobblestone alley, its cold, damp fingers clinging to every surface. The air was heavy with the scent of old stone and the faint, acrid tang of the nearby city. The only light came from the old-fashioned, lantern-style lamps, their flickering glow casting eerie shadows that danced and shifted with each step.

Jessica watched Alicia turning off the lights as they approached the entrance of the alleyway. Her mind flashed back to a conversation she'd had with Alicia a few weeks earlier. They'd been discussing the challenges of balancing personal lives with their demanding careers, and Alicia had confided in her about the sacrifices she'd made. "Sometimes, I wonder if it's all worth it," Alicia had said, her eyes distant. "But then I remember why I joined the force in the first place – to make a difference, to help people who can't help themselves." Those words echoed in Jessica's mind now, and she understood the determination that drove Alicia to pursue this case so relentlessly.

As they alighted from the black Range Rover, they tried to close the doors silently. They could see lights in one of the office buildings, which they presumed were the PulseAI offices, and as they walked further up the alleyway, they could see people moving about inside.

Alicia looked over at Jessica and David and whispered, “There’s only a front entrance to the building. We can all go up.”

They could see the office doors already open, which was a relief. Jessica tiptoed up the stairs, her heart pounding, wondering who and what they might find in the office.

Alicia held David and Jessica back, and they crouched down as a voice from the office got louder.

“Steph, we can’t stay any longer. We’ve tried our best, we have to get out of here.”

That was enough for DS Cooper, who suddenly stood upright from her crouching position and ran directly into the offices of PulseAI.

CHAPTER 35

David looked at Jessica and immediately followed Alicia into the musty-smelling office. He heard her shouting at the occupants, “Police, stay right where you are!” His heart raced, and he could feel the pounding in his chest as he rushed up behind her. He could see her standing in one of the doorways.

Navy blue carpet tiles paved the way to the main office area, and the brilliant white walls seemed to close in on him as he rushed forwards. David quickly checked behind himself, and Jessica was following, wide-eyed and ready.

Alicia held out her hand towards whoever she was talking to. She shouted at them again, “Stop. Police.”

As David was about to rush through the open door, he saw a tall man coming around the doorway, and there was no time to stop. They collided, knocking each other over with the cracking of heads.

The room went blurry for a few seconds as David tried to get to his feet. He could hear Jessica shouting and Alicia playing her role. He was dazed and felt a bit confused.

Jessica's outline came into focus. “David, are you okay?” He saw her looking frantically towards the door. She stood up quickly and rushed after the man, who was running out through it. He could only watch as Jessica held out her hand and muttered a quick incantation, stopping the man dead in his tracks.

David shakily stood up and watched the man's shocked face as he was held immobile in Jessica’s power. He’d never seen her using magick in public before, but this warranted it. They needed answers, and whoever this man was – presumably it was Craig Hinton; David couldn’t quite remember his face from the images he had seen back at the lab – he must have them.

David turned towards Alicia, who was walking towards the two women remaining. He looked around the room. It looked like a hacker's dream, with screens of all different shapes and sizes adorning every desk and some of the walls too. The humming of machines indicated a large amount of electricity was being used, which meant a significant amount of data. The room felt hot and sticky as the heat from all the power cables, computers and transformers hit him.

Jessica brought the man she had immobilised into the room. He looked like a startled animal, not quite knowing what to do. He’d just felt a witch using her powers against him. Coupled with the fact that he had been caught doing whatever he was doing, he had a right to feel a little startled.

Alicia ushered the three of them into the corner of the room, towards a table and chairs, where there were no doors and no exits. Jessica, David and Alicia were in front, so there was no risk of escape. David’s heart raced, and his head throbbed as he regained his composure.

Alicia spoke first. “I’m Detective Sergeant Cooper, and these are my colleagues, David and Jessica. What are your names?”

The man rubbed his head and looked at the two women, who didn’t respond.

Alicia took a deep breath. “We can do this here, or I can arrest you and take you in for questioning – your choice.”

One of the women snorted. “Arrest us? On what grounds?”

Alicia narrowed her eyes and looked directly at the dark-haired woman. “There are several charges here. What about fraud, faking your own deaths for financial gain? Or perhaps perverting the course of justice, or insurance fraud, or…”

The man spoke up. “Okay, okay, we get it. It looks like you already know. I’m Craig Hinton.”

Alicia looked at the two women. The dark-haired one spoke up after a few seconds. “I’m Stephanie Koller.”

The other woman, who had short blonde hair, looked at the other two, who nodded in resignation. “I’m Sarah Montague,” she said as she crossed her legs.

David thought back to the meeting and recalled the woman who had walked past them when they were meeting with the Lord Chancellor at the Balmoral.

Jessica looked at the woman. “You were there when we met with the Lord Chancellor. I presume you’re his wife?”

The woman looked at Jessica with disdain. “Yes, I am.”

Alicia sat down opposite them and wasted no time in trying to get to the truth. “We know about the AI program, the grimoire, the predictions and the deaths surrounding this company. Why don’t you fill us in on the rest?”

Craig shifted uneasily in his chair.

Stephanie lowered her head and, after a few seconds, laughed. At first, it was just a short burst, then it became a little hysterical, and then suddenly, she burst into tears. “This has all been one fucking nightmare. That’s what happened, our worst nightmare. The trouble is, half of it, you wouldn’t believe as it’s so fucking messed up.”

David raised his eyebrows, a little shocked at the outburst from the founder. He could feel the weeks and months of stress all flowing out of her. She looked as if she was ready to just let it all out.

Surprisingly, Alicia looked at her and smiled sympathetically. “Well, Stephanie, I think you’ll be more than surprised at what we’re willing to believe.”

Stephanie looked at her, laughed and then shook her head. “Fine, I’ll be glad to get it off my chest.”

Alicia continued to look at her sympathetically. “Why don’t you tell us why you faked your deaths?”

Craig shook his head. “We didn’t.”

Alicia frowned, and Stephanie laughed. “Surprise number one. It was the AI program that faked our deaths and blackmailed us into staying dead, or else it would kill our families.”

Jessica shook her head in disbelief. “How could an AI program kill your families?”

Craig slowly looked up at her and smiled. “Just like it did with the other members of the team. Five of them. Killed. Just to prove to us it could kill our families too.”

Jessica shook her head again and frowned. “I don’t get it. Physically, how can a computer program kill another human?”

Craig stared at her for a few seconds. “Your life is literally controlled by machines: your phone, your shopping, your TV watching, your car, your banking system, your investments, everything. There isn’t an area of your life that isn’t touched by AI or computers.”

David briefly went down a rabbit hole, trying to think of any part of his life not influenced by computers. “Relationships!” he blurted out. “Deep, meaningful relationships.”

Craig looked at him and laughed. “Do you know the biggest use case of AI today? It’s AI boyfriends and girlfriends. We don’t need or want human interaction, we want to be heard and feel listened to. AI can give you all that without the need for or the hassle of a relationship. The biggest blight on our society today is loneliness, and it’s loneliness that is killing a large percentage of the population. AI is trying to fill that void.”

David could only stare at him. He didn’t want to get into a debate about the deeper aspects of relationships; he was there to find out about his father.

Alicia stepped in again. “We’re getting off-topic here. Are you saying the AI program killed the other five members of your team?”

Stephanie looked at her. “Yes! That’s exactly what we’re saying. Leo was the first. We worked out he had died because of a mix-up of his medications that brought on a heart attack. As you know, all medications are now dispensed using machines. Ava was next, died from heart failure when she received an electric shock. Then Rajiv in September and Nora in November. All at the hands of an AI program. It had become sentient, and we didn’t know how to stop it. So we had to help it.”

“So, how are you trying to stop it?” Jessica asked.

Craig visibly relaxed. “Well, in 2024, we uploaded something by accident into the AI program, and somehow, it started using it.”

Jessica nodded. “You mean the Nostradamus grimoire.”

Craig and Stephanie looked a little shocked as they looked at each other and then at Jessica. “How did you know?”

Jessica smiled a little. “We are part of the team trying to figure out what’s going on, and we managed to break into the code and see the reference to a grimoire. And we know about your love of grimoires,” she said, looking at Stephanie.

Stephanie looked down at the ground. “I wish I’d never uploaded that to my computer.”

Craig touched her hand. “We thought we had figured out a way to delete the grimoire before it did any more damage. We were fine, at first, when it was spitting out predictions for the future.”

Stephanie held her other hand over Craig’s and looked at Alicia. “We didn’t think anything of it for the first few months, but when the predictions started coming true, we had to pay attention. It was great, the amount of attention PulseAI was getting, and the funding offers came in right and left.”

She stopped talking and then looked down again.

Alicia pursed her lips. “What happened after that?”

Craig sighed. “Well, it had successfully used the spell to predict the future, and it tried the next spell in the book – to raise an ancient entity. Again, we thought nothing of it until, one night, we watched as the program went through the motions and managed to partially raise some ungodly creature before our very eyes. It was horrific.”

A cold sweat ran over David's entire body as he listened to Craig and Stephanie's revelations. “What happened after that?”

Stephanie raised her eyebrows. “Well, it tried this several times, even after we tried to shut the program down. That’s when it threatened us and told us it would kill our team if we didn’t stop trying to shut it down. We were a bit like you, asking how it could possibly do that until it did kill them one by one.”

Jessica was listening intently and blurted out, “Oh my god.”

Stephanie looked at her, teary-eyed. “Oh, it gets worse.”

Craig spoke up again. “When the last of the original team was killed, we stopped trying to shut the program down and just left, but it still needed our help and threatened to kill our families. Can you believe the AI program actually came up with a plan to fake our deaths and stay in hiding to help it with this bloody spell it was stuck on?”

Alicia was engrossed in what they were saying. “What was the program’s goal? I don’t quite understand that part.”

Craig shook his head. “There was no plan. If you’ve ever met a really obsessed person or someone with extreme OCD, that’s what the AI program is like. It’s just obsessed with completing the spell. That is, until one night when it was so close. We had bought some materials and ingredients it needed for the spell. We genuinely thought it was going to be completed until someone appeared out of nowhere and messed the spell up somehow.”

David quickly butted in. “What happened?”

Craig looked at him and then at Stephanie. “The entity, or whatever the fuck it was, was using a silver rod to inject itself with some kind of power, but this man got in the way. It looked like it had killed him, but he disappeared, and the entity disappeared after that.” He stopped talking and looked at the three of them in turn.

“We told you that you wouldn’t believe us,” Stephanie said.

David looked at her. “The person who stopped the entity from coming into the world was my father.”

Craig frowned. “What?”

Stephanie and Craig could only look at David as he told them of his father's powers. David knew they didn’t believe him, but he was too shaken up to care. His father had been killed by sheer accident and had inadvertently stopped some malevolent entity from entering into the world. The fact that he had been killed was bad enough, but being killed by a completely chance encounter with an entity made it even worse. He could feel the anger rising up inside of him.

Alicia turned to Sarah. “And what is your role in all of this?”

Sarah looked at both Craig and Stephanie.

Craig looked at her with disgust. “Go on, tell them, Mrs Montague, what is your role in all of this. You’re pretty much fucked now, so you might as well tell the truth,” he said, the hatred almost dripping from his words.

CHAPTER 36

“Jess. Jess.” She heard the voice, but it didn’t register at first. She was being gently shaken. It must be my dad! she thought. And then she awoke, realising that he didn’t know anything about the events of last night or the early morning. She rubbed her eyes and stretched out her arms.

“What on earth happened this morning?” her father asked, almost whispering as David was sleeping on the floor next to them.

She got up and hugged him. “Come on. I’ll grab a shower, and you can do the coffee.”

He smiled and nodded.

They stepped carefully over David as he lay sleeping, and Jessica yawned as she sauntered down the stairs behind her father. “What time is it?”

He looked at his watch briefly. “Eleven thirty-five.”

As Jessica let the water wash over her tired body, she thought about the events from only a few hours ago. She still couldn’t wrap her head around an AI program being able to kill four people. If it could do that, it would be able to kill millions. What would happen if it went rogue on a larger scale? Fuck! What would happen to humans? Could that really happen? She didn’t think so. She knew the Artificial Intelligence (Regulation) Bill of 2026 insisted that companies put safety measures in place to control AI programs, but nothing in a bill like that would cover what had happened at PulseAI.

Her father smiled at her and held out a cup of coffee when she entered the warm kitchen. She cupped her hands around the hot mug. “Aw, thank you.”

Joseph looked at her and waited for her to take her first sip. “Well, what happened?”

She regaled him with the events of that morning and what they had found out so far while he listened and silently drank his coffee.

After she was finished, he put his mug down, shaking his head. “My God, so Logan was killed completely by accident?”

Jessica grimaced. “It would seem so. David is devastated. He didn’t say a word coming home this morning, his mind must be reeling.”

Joseph sighed. “So what about Sarah and Alistair Montague? What is their involvement? Any hint of what that could be?”

Jessica shrugged. “She refused to talk, and Craig accused her of trying to take advantage of the AI program going rogue. But there wasn’t much more said after that as Sarah was taken to the police station for questioning.”

Joseph shook his head. “And Craig and Stephanie, what happens to them now?”

Jessica widened her eyes and sighed. “Well, Alicia is not going to let on that they’re still alive. She feels it would be better if they could keep working on the program to try and break it, or at least delete the grimoire.”

He was silent for a few seconds as he thought about the implications of what his daughter had told him. “And the nuclear threat to Scotland, what happens with that?”

Jessica pursed her lips and shrugged. “There’s still lots of questions that haven’t been answered.”

Joseph was looking off into the distance. “What about Alicia?”

Jessica frowned. “I told you she’s down at the station with Sarah.”

Joseph shook his head. “No, no, I mean Alicia Collins.”

Jessica looked at him and didn’t speak for a few seconds. “The guardian?” she said to herself.

Just then, David appeared in the kitchen doorway. “Morning,” he groaned.

“Morning, son, do you want a cup of coffee?” Joseph said, standing up from the seat.

David looked at him, a bit bleary-eyed. “Yes, that would be great.”

Jessica looked at David with a gentle smile. “How are you doing?”

He looked at her for a few seconds. “Okay, I guess.” He joined her at the breakfast bar.

Jessica touched his hand. “Listen, my dad just mentioned Alicia Collins, which got me thinking about her being the guardian and all that. Could that not be an angle we explore?”

David looked down, thinking about it. “Yeah, I suppose it could. Maybe she could help to stop the program somehow.”

Jessica hopped down with renewed vigour. “Great. We can go down to see Alicia at the station, find out what’s going on with Sarah and then work on making contact with Alicia Collins again.”

David frowned. “What? Now? I’ve not even had my coffee yet.”

Jessica smiled. “Yes, no rest for the wicked, quite literally. I’ll get you a coffee from Cairngorm Coffee and even a slice of carrot cake if you’re good.”

Joseph caught David’s eye, smiled and shook his head. David groaned but managed a smile and followed Jessica to the front door.

Jessica heard her father shouting after her, “Keep me posted!”

Jessica shouted back, “Will do, dad. Love you.”

CHAPTER 37

Alicia held a brown folder file in one hand and a coffee in the other. “I’m just about to go in and question Sarah Montague.” She looked around to make sure no one else was about. “I’ve cleared it with my boss, so you can watch the interview from the other side.”

David smiled. “Ooh, I’ve always wanted to do that.”

Alicia stared at him for a few seconds but didn’t say anything and showed them to the observation room.

As soon as they stepped into the small, dark room, Jessica punched David on the arm. “You need to take this more seriously.”

David looked taken aback. “What? I only said, ‘I’ve always wanted to do that.’”

She shot him a look and turned towards the interview room, where Alicia entered. Sarah was sitting with her solicitor, an older man in his late sixties with a full head of grey hair, a deep bronze tan and an expensive suit.

Sarah whispered something to her solicitor, who nodded and turned to Alicia.

David looked at Sarah and then at Jessica. “What is she going to question Sarah about exactly? I thought Alicia was going to keep it a secret just now that Stephanie and Craig are still alive?”

Jessica rubbed her forehead, trying to stave off her tiredness. “I don’t know, actually, that’s a good point.”

They both turned to the large windowpane.

Alicia pressed the record button in the room. “This is Detective Sergeant Alicia Cooper from St Leonards Police Station. With me is Sarah Montague and solicitor…” She looked at the solicitor.

“Brian Humphries,” he said in a deep voice and English accent.

Alicia continued, “The date is the seventeenth of May 2027, time is thirteen twenty-one, location, St Leonards Police Station. This interview is being conducted in relation to financial irregularities that Mrs Montague told us about.”

David and Jessica looked at each other in confusion. They shook their heads and listened in to the interview.

After twenty minutes of waiting for something to come up about Craig and Stephanie, nothing had been spoken about it in the interview. David held out his hands. “I don’t get it. Why on earth would she want us to listen in on the interview if she wasn’t going to speak about anything in relation to the AI program or Stephanie and Craig still being alive?”

Jessica shook her head. “I don’t know, but there must be a reason for it – she’s smart. Let’s keep listening.”

David puffed out his cheeks and turned back to the interview room.

Another ten minutes went by, and they still couldn’t figure out what Alicia was up to. All she was doing was talking about Alistair Montague and his financial investments and trading practices. There was nothing being revealed.

“Look!” Jessica exclaimed.

David looked at Alicia, Sarah and the solicitor. “What am I looking at?”

Jessica nodded towards Alicia. “Look, she’s counting down with her fingers – three, two, one.”

They both watched Alicia, but it was Sarah who spoke. “My husband was with Stephanie Koller and Craig Hinton the night they disappeared.”

Alicia looked at Sarah and then her solicitor. “They didn’t disappear, they were killed in a fire.”

Sarah looked at Alicia intensely, and David could almost hear her weighing up what she should say next. “They’re still alive, they weren’t killed in the fire.”

Alicia looked again at Sarah and then to Brian. “Interview suspended at thirteen fifty-three for some background information. The time is now thirteen fifty-three.

David turned to Jessica. “What the fuck’s going on?”

Jessica was smiling and nodding her head. “Alicia couldn’t implicate herself in knowing about Craig and Stephanie, and she wouldn’t be able to interview or talk to Alistair Montague in an official capacity without a reason. Sarah just gave her that reason.”

David opened his mouth, but no words came out as he thought about the implications of what Jessica had just told him.

Jessica taunted, “I thought you were training to be a lawyer?”

David gave a lopsided grin. “Very funny.”

A few minutes later, Alicia walked into the observation room with a smile on her face. “Time to talk to the Lord Chancellor of Great Britain.”

Alicia led David and Jessica out of the observation room and into a quiet corner of the police station. She leaned in close, her voice low and urgent.

"Listen, I couldn't let on that we knew about Stephanie and Craig in there. It would've compromised our investigation. But now that Sarah has given us a lead, we have a legitimate reason to question Alistair Montague."

Jessica nodded, her brow furrowed. "What do you think he knows about their disappearance?"

Alicia shook her head. "I'm not sure, but if he was with them that night, he must have some information. And given his position, he might be involved in covering it up."

David ran a hand through his hair, his mind racing. "Do you think he knows about the AI program and the grimoire?"

"It's possible," Alicia said. "But we need to tread carefully. He's a powerful man with a lot of influence."

As they discussed their strategy, David couldn't shake the feeling that they were on the verge of uncovering something big. The AI, the grimoire, the faked deaths – it was all connected somehow, and Alistair Montague was a key piece of the puzzle.

But before they could make their next move, Alicia's phone buzzed with an incoming message. Her eyes widened as she read it, and she looked up at David and Jessica with a mixture of excitement and trepidation.

"Change of plans," she said. "We've got a new lead, and we need to move fast. Grab your things – we're heading to the PulseAI offices. Stephanie and Craig have been spotted there, and they're not alone."

CHAPTER 38

The rain painted Edinburgh grey as they drove through the Old Town and up towards Stockbridge.

David felt at home on days like this. When it was sunny and everyone was in a holiday mood, he was on a downer. He enjoyed the sun and used to love drinking in the beer gardens in Glasgow on summer nights. But he always felt happier when it was raining. Days like today were his favourite; there was a cosiness to rainy, overcast days.

As they were entering the cobbled road of Dean Street, David had a thought and turned to Alicia. “Who was the text from?”

Alicia turned to him briefly. “I have some plainclothes officers keeping an eye out on the street for me.” She pointed out of the window towards two men standing near the entrance. She held up her hand and then rolled down her window.

The young, dark-haired officer spoke quickly. “Nothing much happening, ma’am, but a man in his late forties, dark-grey suit and camel-coloured overcoat, entered around twenty minutes ago and has been there since.”

Alicia nodded. “Thanks, Danny.”

He nodded towards her. “Ma’am.”

Alicia carefully parked the car, and the three of them got out and strode towards the office entrance. They could hear people arguing as they bounded up the stairs. Alicia caught sight of Alistair Montague as she reached the top of them and smiled. “Lord Chancellor, what a strange place to meet.”

Alistair took a deep breath. “What on earth are you doing here?”

Alicia raised her eyebrows. “I think the bigger question is, what are you doing here with two dead people?”

Stephanie and Craig watched the interaction as did David and Jessica. David thought this was Alicia’s department and he shouldn’t be messing in police business. As far as he was concerned, he was here as a casual observer. He admired how Alicia handled people from all walks of life. She was comfortable dealing with the upper echelons of society as well as the hardened criminals of Edinburgh.

He didn’t quite know who the biggest criminals were, politicians like the Lord Chancellor or the criminal underworld of every city in the world? He was beginning to see that the lines between the two were blurry.

Alicia hadn’t said so on the car journey over to the offices of Pulse AI, but he had a strong sense that the Lord Chancellor was a major part of whatever was going on with the AI program. Craig looked at Alistair with hatred in his eyes. They obviously knew each other quite well. Alistair had been an investor in the company, but there was something more to it than that.

Jessica tugged David by the hand and nodded towards Stephanie. She was sitting at a computer with her head in her hands. There was a blue glow, which David thought was coming from the computer screen. Alicia looked at the Lord Chancellor, then towards Stephanie as the glowing light was getting stronger.

Craig looked at her. “Oh shit! It’s trying to get back.”

Alicia looked at him. “What is?”

Craig rushed towards Stephanie to pull her away but was immediately thrown back and slammed hard against a wall. He slid down it, unconscious. Stephanie’s eyes were wide, and she couldn’t speak. As the bright blue glow got brighter, there was a sudden popping sound, and then the glow was gone. Stephanie breathed out.

Alicia looked round the doorway, but there was nothing there. Jessica and David followed. Suddenly, there was a pressure in the room that David had never felt before. It was like a vacuum of some kind. The air was being sucked out of the room.

Everyone was gasping for air. Alicia fell to her knees, clutching her throat. Jessica leaned against a wall, the colour draining from her face quickly. David was okay and wondered what was going on. He looked up as Stephanie thumped to the floor, falling off her swivel chair. He looked at the Lord Chancellor, who was casually walking towards a window and opening it.

As soon as he did, there was a whooshing sound as air flowed around the room again. As the group of people in the room were able to breathe again, all eyes were on Alistair Montague.

Stephanie rushed to Craig as he was just coming around, while Jessica sat up, leaned against a desk and looked over at David and then Alicia.

Alistair Montague looked down at all of them and, almost sympathetically, smiled.

Jessica pushed herself up some more as the colour started coming back into her cheeks. “How were you not affected by whatever the hell that was?”

Alistair turned towards her. “Well, I don’t know, really. I guess I kind of rent out my energy. I give the programme some power whilst it experiments with the spells from the grimoire, and in return, I get it to make a few predictions for me.”

David looked aghast. “You were the one who made the prediction about the nuclear attack on Scotland?”

Alistair laughed a little and nodded. “Yes. Yes, I liked that one. You see, while the country and, indeed, the world were focused on a nuclear war, I could continue with my plans here and, of course, make some money as well.”

Alicia snorted. “You made money from predicting a nuclear attack?”

Alistair shook his head again. “You people, you just don’t have an ounce of business savvy. Britain has an ulterior motive in stopping Russia from gaining more power. The fact is, the BRICS nations like Russia are slowly taking over the world, and we need to stop them. We destroyed them over the years, and now they’re out for revenge.”

David was watching this man lording it over everyone in the room, literally. His anger, his loathing and his fear were rising with every minute he heard the man speak. He wanted to lash out, use his magick and just banish this man. But then, there were thousands of men like Alistair Montague. At that moment, David resolved to uncover men and women like Alistair. Seemingly trustworthy people who had power and made the rules. He felt the anger course through his body. “You might have started a war, what the fuck is wrong with you?”

Alistair’s face contorted with anger. “All wars are about money and diversion, you cretin. I diverted attention away from the AI program that everyone, everywhere was speaking about.” He calmed down, and his face seemed to quickly mould back to its usual smug expression.

David could only shake his head, not quite believing that people like Alistair existed in the real world.

Alistair looked at them and laughed. “Don’t worry, it’s all for the good. In the process of inciting a war, the whole country comes together to hate a common enemy. That’s what all wars have been about. Look at Ukraine-Russia – that nearly caused a third world war, and it was about diversion from the economic collapse that was about to hit the Western world.”

“Don’t be so absurd,” Alicia spat out.

Alistair laughed out loud. “You see, it’s people like you.” He waved his finger at the other five in the room. “You will never understand how the world really works and how you are all manipulated by people like me. It’s quite sad to watch, really.”

“You’re a fucking snake,” Stephanie spat out from across the room.

Alistair laughed, “Yes, I am, but you were the one who stupidly fed a grimoire to a powerful AI program. I merely took advantage.”

Alicia scrunched up her face. “I must be missing some pieces of the puzzle here.”

Stephanie stood up. “The Lord Chancellor of the United Kingdom wanted more money. That’s the biggest piece of the puzzle.”

Alicia shook her head, still not understanding how all this fitted together.

Stephanie looked down at Craig, who was groggy but looked as if he was going to be okay. “Alistair invested in our company when he found out about the predictions. What he didn’t know was how the predictions were made.”

As Stephanie spoke, Alistair paced up and down in front of the window like an arrogant lecturer would listening to a student. “We were excited about the investment. The money from him and his family and friends meant we were able to get a listing on the stock market. And when news of the predictions coming true was released, the stock price went wild. But then, when he found out about the Nostradamus grimoire”—she paused—“he got excited, and that’s when things started to go downhill.”

David was engrossed in what Stephanie was saying. “Why did he get excited?”

She looked up at Alistair, who stopped pacing and smiled. “Because he’s fanatical about dark magick.”

Alistair laughed. “Come now, I wouldn’t say fanatical, but deeply interested, yes.”

Stephanie gave him a disgusted look. “One night, when we were showing the programme running, it tried a spell for conjuring an entity into this world.”

Jessica leaned forwards. “What entity was it?”

Stephanie shook her head wearily. “I don’t know, but when I looked at the Nostradamus grimoire again, I realised that if the entity were to come into the world, all hell would break loose. It feeds on energy. The more energy it gets, the more control it has. The AI programme has been trying, unsuccessfully, to bring the entity into the world, but there isn’t enough energy. Alistair decided to give it some to discover what would happen. He convinced us to do the same, all in the name of science.”

Alicia asked, “How can an AI program get energy from someone else?”

Craig coughed a little, pushed himself off the ground and leaned his back against the wall. He looked at Alistair and shook his head. “The AI program can recite incantations aloud using the computers. We think the energy produced from the vibrational sounds of the incantations helps it cast the spell.” Craig’s speech was slow – he was obviously hurt.

Stephanie touched his arm. “It can cast the spell, but the entity doesn’t have enough energy to form. By reciting the incantations along with the AI program, we lend our energy to the spell, and the entity becomes clearer. Only now, it seems to sense our energy without us even reciting the incantations, which means it’s getting stronger.”

David felt a chill run down his spine as he listened to Stephanie's revelation. The office suddenly seemed smaller, the walls closing in around them. He glanced at Jessica, her face pale and eyes wide with fear. Alicia, usually unflappable, shifted uneasily in her seat.

"Wait," David interjected, his mind racing. "So, you're saying that this AI can actually drain energy from people?" He looked at Alistair, who stood by the window, a smug smile playing on his lips.

Stephanie nodded grimly. "Yes, and it's getting stronger every time it does." She turned to Alistair, her voice shaking with anger. "And you've been helping it, all for your own gain."

Alistair shrugged, his eyes glinting with malice. "What can I say? Power is an irresistible temptation."

David's heart pounded as he watched Alistair move towards the computer. The Lord Chancellor's fingers danced across the keyboard, and a deep, guttural sound filled the room. The hair on the back of David's neck stood up as an ancient incantation echoed from the speakers.

“Per antiqua leges et umbras profundas,

“Ex regnis ultra ubi dormiunt tenebrosi,

“Surgite, spiritus, solvite vincula vestra,

“Dimittite potentiam vestram, mundum regnare.”

Suddenly, the room was bathed in an eerie blue light. David watched in horror as tendrils of energy began to snake out from Jessica and Alicia, their faces contorted in pain. He lunged forwards, desperate to help them, but an invisible force held him back.

"Jess!" he cried out, his voice barely audible over the hum of the computers. She didn't respond, her eyes glazed and unfocused.

As the light in the room began to fade, David felt a presence materialise behind him. The temperature in the office plummeted, and a bone-chilling cold seeped into his skin. He turned slowly, fear running through his veins. There, in the shadows, stood a figure of darkness, its form shifting and twisting like smoke.

The entity seemed to absorb all warmth and light, leaving only an unnatural, inky blackness in its wake. Tendrils of dark energy writhed around its shapeless form, pulsing with a rhythm that made David's stomach churn. A foul stench, like rotting flesh and sulphur, filled the air, making it hard to breathe.

As the entity grew larger, feeding on the energy from the others in the room, a low, guttural sound began to emanate from its core. It was a sound that no earthly creature could make, a mix of grinding metal and shattering glass. The noise filled David's head, making it hard to think, hard to focus on anything but the overwhelming sense of dread and despair that radiated from the dark figure.

The entity's form continued to shift and change, never settling on a single shape. One moment, it seemed to have the outline of a man, tall and imposing; the next, it was a writhing mass of tentacles and claws. But through it all, David could feel the malevolent intelligence behind those ever-changing shapes, the ancient evil that sought to consume and destroy everything in its path.

And then, in the midst of the chaos, David realised something that made his blood run cold. He was the only one, aside from Alistair, unaffected by the entity's power. He raised his hand and touched the medallion that hung underneath his T-shirt, the medallion that Nostradamus had given him.

The darkness seemed to stop and focus its attention on David. The swirling mass reached out and folded its cloud-like mass around his body. David stopped breathing, partly from fear and partly because he didn’t want the rise and fall of his breaths to be detected. The noise was grinding on his brain. He couldn’t stand still any longer. He let out a breath and pushed the palm of his hands into his eye sockets as the noise was causing a scratching pain in his eyes.

Then the pulling started.

It felt like a million industrial vacuum hoses had been switched on and were sucking the skin from his body.

This is it! This is my time to die. He stole a glance at Jessica, who lay unconscious on the floor.

CHAPTER 39

Jacqueline lay in her room, dozing in and out of sleep. She couldn’t bring herself to get up despite Gen checking in on her every few hours. She meant well, but without Logan, it just didn’t seem worth it. What was the point? she had asked herself over and over, but then she would think about David and her sister.

As she thought about David, she suddenly lunged up and doubled over from an excruciating pain in her stomach. She cried out, a deep guttural scream coming from her very soul. It wasn’t a muscular or skeletal pain; it was something else she couldn’t quite name.

Then, images of David flooded her mind. Images of him as a baby, a young boy, visiting his Aunt Gen, stolen moments when he didn’t know they were watching him grow up – it all overwhelmed her mind.

The door to her room burst open, and Genevieve shouted, “What is it? What’s wrong?”

Jacqueline lay on her side, her long hair spread across the white bedspread. She couldn’t speak but reached out her hand to Genevieve.

Jonathan came rushing in behind her.

Jacqueline tried to speak, but nothing came out, just hundreds of images of her son. After another few seconds of pain, she managed to utter, “It’s David. He’s in trouble.”

Then it vanished. The pain, the images, the anguish – all gone.

Genevieve looked on in horror. “What on earth happened?”

Jacqueline sat up and looked at Genevieve. “I don’t know, but we need to get to David now.” Her voice had a determination she hadn’t felt for a long time, and her only thoughts were of helping her son.

Genevieve turned to Jonathan. “Get on to Joseph and find out where Jessica and David are, they should be in the lab working.”

Jonathan nodded and turned to go downstairs.

Jacqueline quickly put on jeans and a red jumper and tied her hair back into a ponytail. She looked at Genevieve. “I’ve been so selfish, I forgot my own son.”

Genevieve's eyes softened as she glanced at her sister, her brow slightly furrowed. She reached out and gently squeezed Jacqueline’s hand. “I think you’ve had other things on your mind, Jac.”

Jacqueline stopped to look at her. She hugged her sister hard, and tears sprang to her eyes. “Logan is dead. I can’t bear that, but I have to get over it. And now my son is in trouble somewhere. I can’t lose him too, Gen.”

Genevieve nodded, seemingly feeling Jacqueline’s determination. “We’ll get to him, Jac.” She quickly turned to go downstairs as Jacqueline slipped on a pair of trainers.

As they both bounded down the stairs, Jonathan popped his head out of the living room. “They’re with DS Cooper somewhere, but they don’t know where she’s gone. Joseph is already out looking for Jessica as he feels she is in trouble. He’ll call if he finds anything.”

The light from the kitchen windows hurt Jacqueline’s eyes. She had holed herself up in her room for weeks with the curtains closed and wasn’t used to this light. Composing herself, she took a few sips of the tea that Jonathan had made for them. She looked up at Genevieve and said, “I’m going to port over to David. I can lock onto his energy signature.”

Genevieve shook her head and furrowed her brows. “Jac, you don’t know if he’s on the Earth plane or somewhere else. What exactly did you feel that makes you think he’s in danger?”

Jacqueline shook her head as she quickly sipped some more tea before putting it down on the wooden worktop, spilling some. “I have no time to explain, I have to do this. Is your living room good for porting?”

Genevieve sighed, but she gave in when Jonathan touched her gently on the arm. “Yes, you can port from there.”

They followed Jacqueline through to the living room and watched as she stood in the middle of the floor. She closed her eyes and thought about David. She thought about when they had dropped him off at Genevieve's. That was always the strongest memory of him she had.

She had cried at the thought of having to tell her son he would be staying with his aunt and then not seeing him again for twenty years. She’d known it was the safest way to keep him alive, but it wrenched her very soul to do it. She had spent weeks berating herself and returned to her sister's a few weeks later to take David back. Genevieve had convinced her that she had done the right thing by leaving David with her, and reluctantly, Jacqueline left her son for the second time.

All the feelings of that day came flooding back as she tried to pick up on David’s energy signature. He was in danger, and she would not abandon him. She knew Logan would have done the same. She thought again of Logan and gently kissed him on the cheek in her mind as she created a circle of energy to port to David.

CHAPTER 40

David reached for Jessica, but his hand couldn’t reach hers. She lay motionless, her face pale and still. He couldn’t tell if she was unconscious or, worse, dead. His vision was blurred with the deafening noise of the entity.

This can’t happen, this is not the way it’s supposed to happen, he thought. David then thought about his father, his needless death, and his emotions bubbled to the surface again, giving him a renewed surge of energy. The shadow seemed to pick up on this surge and immediately drained him again.

He lay slumped again on the ground. Why was I immune before, and now, it’s draining me? Thoughts were crashing into his head. He was desperate; he didn’t want Jess to die or Alicia and the others.

The entity seemed to be getting stronger, and he wondered if it was because he had the energy of the crystals he had bonded with when he was first discovering his magical powers as a witch. He tried hard to think about using the crystals’ powers before and what he had done to use them. Nothing was coming; his head was filled with the grinding noise of the entity, making his skull feel like it was going to split in two.

Then. he heard something in his periphery. It was a whooshing sound, a sound he had heard a lot over the last year when he had ported to another place in the world or when someone was porting to him.

The grating, glass-crunching noise paused briefly, and his vision momentarily cleared. It was his mother.

He watched her as she stepped out of a circle of swirling green and orange energy. The colours from the portal cast an eerie glow on her face. She strode out of the circle, took one look at David and what the entity was doing to him and the others, and immediately covered herself in a blanket of energy to protect herself.

David tried to stand up. No! It can’t take my mother too, he thought. Angry tears clouded his vision. As he tried to stand, he had no energy, he felt weak, as if he’d been lying in bed for weeks and was trying to walk for the first time. He slumped back to the ground and could only watch his mother as she confronted the entity.

Dark clouds of shadows filled the room again.

He didn’t know what his mother could do to the entity. He looked at her again and saw she wasn’t trying to destroy it; rather, she was trying to protect the people in the room.

Jacqueline ran to David, then closed her eyes and whispered something, a spell. With outstretched hands held over David, she repeated it. Streaks of green and purple energy crackled from her hands and began to form a dome-shaped bubble around David. He couldn’t understand what she was doing. She ran to Jessica and looked down at her as if she were her daughter. She cradled Jessica’s face in her hands and spoke to her to see if she would awaken. Jessica’s eyes flickered open. Jacqueline was visibly relieved. “It’s okay. You’re going to be okay,” she said as she softly laid Jessica’s head back on the ground before placing her hands over her and creating another protective bubble.

The entity’s shadow was fading now, and light began to enter the room like the first light of sunrise. Jacqueline managed to put a bubble of energy protection around Alicia, Stephanie and Craig. As she did, the shadows retreated, letting more light into the room.

David felt a little hope again. The entity had drained him of energy and filled his mind with fear, dread and images of hopeless pain and suffering. But his mother’s protection was holding the entity at bay and managing to push it back.

In the corner, Alistair Montague huddled, his eyes wide with terror as he watched the scene unfold. This was clearly not what he had anticipated when he made his deal with the entity, offering it the energy it needed to cross into the earthly plane. The look of pure fear on his face told David that Alistair had badly underestimated the power he had unleashed.

But the entity was not finished. As the light grew stronger, the shadowy form turned its attention to Alistair. Tendrils of darkness snaked out, wrapping around the Lord Chancellor's cowering form. He screamed, a high-pitched wail of agony that cut off abruptly as he slumped to the floor, unconscious.

The darkness surged back, the entity's power redoubled by the fresh influx of energy from Alistair. David's heart sank as he watched the shadows deepen once more, swallowing the light they had briefly reclaimed. His mother's protective magick held, but he could see the strain on her face as she fought to maintain the fragile barriers around them. She, too, was weakening.

“Fuck!” David said out loud as he watched the light fading, the shadows once again engulfing the light. He was protected, but for how long?

His mother stood over him, and he could see the faint outline of her bubble of protection.

The darkness grew stronger as it drained the energy from Alistair.

His mother’s eyes widened. “I don’t know how much longer I can protect all of you. You have to use the energy from the crystals you bonded with.”

David thought about the crystals again, and a memory flashed in his mind. He didn’t have to activate their magickal powers; he would just use magick as if he already had the powers.

The protective bubbles were crackling now, losing their energy and protective powers. David could see the one above Jessica blinking in and out.

He thought about having the strength to stand. He could feel tiny clicks in the centre of his brain; something was being activated. A rush of energy flowed throughout his body. It was like he was made up of a network of motorways which had all suddenly had a rush of traffic. He could feel the magick in the room from the entity, from Jessica, from his mother and the others in the room. The energy felt really strong from Alicia – he would have to talk to her about that later; now wasn’t the time. The fear he had of the entity dissipated. He stood up and felt strong again.

His mother looked at him and nodded as if she knew what was happening.

Although he didn't know how he would do it or if he would be the one to accomplish it, David felt a surge of determination. He knew he had to find a way to drain the entity's power and make it disappear.

The swirling, shapeless mass was floating, concentrated in one spot beside Stephanie and the computer. He could hear the buzzing of the computers in the room again.

Suddenly, it shifted and moved like lightning out of the window.

“Nooo!” David shouted as he rushed towards the window and watched the mass of dark energy floating out into the streets of Edinburgh below.

Immediately, the shadow descended onto the people walking in the streets below. He saw some people looking up and pointing, shielding their eyes from the sun. Then he heard the screams. As the shadow moved through the streets, David could see the bodies of men, women and children lying unconscious in the street.

“What’s happening?” his mother shouted as she rushed to join him.

The cloud of darkness grew larger within the space of a few seconds as it descended into Edinburgh city centre. David shook his head as he watched in horror. “It’s going after the energy of the people below. This is a nightmare, we have to stop it.”

CHAPTER 41

Jessica managed to sit up and lean back against the cupboards in the office. She watched as David and his mother tended to the others in the room.

Alicia was already up and talking to someone on the phone about what was happening in Edinburgh.

David saw Jessica sitting up, and they locked eyes. His smile was wide with relief and happiness that she was okay. He immediately came over to her, bending down and touching her face gently. “How are you feeling?”

Jessica shifted her body to sit up higher. “A bit groggy, but otherwise okay. What’s going on with the entity?”

David shook his head and lowered his eyes. “It’s escaped into the city and is causing havoc. There are already tons of social media posts about it. It seems to be in Princes Street Gardens, where the biggest crowd is.”

Jessica looked shocked. “Oh my god, it’s not killing people, is it?”

David shook his head. “Nope, not so far. Alicia is in touch with her station, and there have been no reported deaths. They’re treating it as a chemical attack of some kind.”

Jessica screwed her eyes up. “A chemical attack?”

David pursed his lips. “It’s better they tell them that than the alternative.”

Jessica’s eyes widened as she tried to clear her head. “Okay, so what are we going to do about it?”

David stood up and helped Jessica to her feet. “I have an idea. We can astral travel and try to contain the entity. I somehow triggered energy from the crystals I bonded with, but I don’t know how powerful they are… or even if they are powerful.”

Jessica thought for a few seconds. “It would be better if we had more people to project with.”

The static from Alicia’s radio crackled as she came to stand beside Jessica and David. “What are you guys thinking?”

Jessica looked at David. “David thinks we might be able to do something if we astral project, but that’s all we’ve got so far. Any ideas?”

Alicia took a deep breath in. “Well, if we could get it close to a body of water somehow, I could bind its energy to the water.”

Jessica’s eyes widened. “What?! You have the power to do that? You never told us that.”

Alicia looked at them. “You’ve never asked what my powers are.”

Jacqueline joined them after calling her sister to tell her that David was okay.

A groan came from the corner of the room; it was Alistair Montague. He looked drained of colour, the greyness of his face contrasting with his blue suit. He looked over at them, his lips pressing into a thin line of regret as he nodded slightly. He no longer looked like the cock of the north; instead, he was a fraction of the persona he projected.

Alicia looked at him and shook her head. “I’ll deal with him later, but we’ll take him to the police station and tell him it’s for his safety. We can question him there unofficially.”

David looked at his mother and Jessica and smiled. “Okay, here’s what I’m thinking. We can all astral project and kind of guide the entity to be near a body of water.” He stopped suddenly. “Where’s the nearest body of water?”

Jacqueline looked at him. “The sea. Is that too obvious?”

Alicia shook her head. “The sea is too big to control. It would need to be a loch or a lake.”

Jessica's eyes widened. “What about a reservoir?”

Alicia smiled. “Yeah, that would work. Where are you thinking?”

“Threipmuir Reservoir isn’t far from the city centre,” Jessica said.

Alicia nodded. “Perfect.”

Jacqueline looked around and then at Craig, Stephanie and Alistair. “We can’t project here; it’s too risky. I wouldn’t want to be attacked when we are astrally out of our bodies.”

Jessica nodded. “We can do it at mine. I’m sure my dad won’t mind, and he’ll be glad to have me there after what’s happened.”

The small group of them nodded in agreement. Alicia walked over to the window and called the guards outside to come in and take Alistair Montague home. David walked over and joined her. “Are you not going to arrest him?”

Alicia looked at him. “Arrest him on what grounds? No, we’re better taking him home, letting him think about what’s happened, and then questioning him unofficially. He’ll be more likely to give us answers after getting over the shock.”

David nodded. “Yeah, that makes sense.”

Alicia laughed. “I didn’t make Detective Sergeant for nothing, you know.”

David’s face turned scarlet. “I didn’t mean…” He stopped talking in case he made things worse. Being a powerful witch didn’t give him the right to disrespect the abilities of others around him.

As Jessica led the group into her home, the familiar scent of vanilla and lavender enveloped them, instantly putting David at ease. The soft, plush carpet cushioned their footsteps as they made their way to the kitchen, the warm, inviting space a stark contrast to the chaos they had just escaped.

Alicia looked around the hallway, “Wow, this is stunning. I’m definitely in the wrong profession.”

Jessica smiled politely.

David heard Joseph shouting, “Is that you, Jess?”

Jessica closed the door and ushered everyone into the kitchen. “Yes, it’s us, Dad.”

Joseph bounded down the stairs, his eyes widening as he took in the group assembled in his home. He nodded briefly to acknowledge their presence before pulling Jessica into a tight hug, his relief evident in the way he clung to her.

"Dad, I'm okay," Jessica laughed, her cheeks flushing slightly at her father's open display of affection.

Joseph then looked at Jacqueline and held out his hand. She grabbed it. “It’s good to see you again, Jacqueline, I’m so sorry for your loss.”

Jacqueline smiled and hugged him.

They all walked through to the kitchen and sat around drinking coffee and tea while they told Joseph about what happened and their plans.

Joseph looked thoughtful as he sipped his coffee. “I think I might be able to help too. The entity sounds very similar to something the team encountered about ten years ago.”

Jessica looked up, a little surprised to hear her father talking about this side to his work. “Have you told me about this before?”

Joseph looked at her for a few seconds as if deciding whether or not to elaborate. “No, I haven’t. I was nearly killed at the time.”

Jessica put down her cup. “What happened?”

Joseph waved his hand. “It was nothing, it was the whole North Korea debacle when I was asked to find out information on their leaders.” He sighed briefly, looked at the expectant faces of the group and continued. “We encountered this cloud-like mass of energy that seemed to be protecting or guarding anything to do with the leaders. We had each done an astral drive-by…”

David laughed. “An astral drive-by, what the hell is that?”

Joseph smiled too. “It’s when we do a brief reconnaissance of the area we’re going to be astral projecting into.”

Joseph's voice was low and steady, but Jessica could see the tension in his shoulders and the way his fingers tightened around his coffee mug as he recounted his near-death experience. The room seemed to grow colder as he spoke, a chill settling over them that had nothing to do with the temperature outside.

Alicia looked at Joseph, fascinated by his story.

David looked at Joseph raised his eyes a little a nodded slightl. The more David was getting to know Joseph the more his respect for him grew.

Joseph cleared his throat. “Anyway. I did the astral drive-by and encountered this cloud. I thought, at first, it was an astral anomaly, but this was intelligent. It communicated with me at an energetic level, basically telling me to get the hell out of the area. When I didn’t, it attacked me, draining me of my energy and nearly killing me in the process. I put up a defence shield spell that it broke through easily, so I tried a cluster energy spell, whereby I sent out little energy bursts around me and the entity had to get through them to get to me. It worked.”

Alicia’s eyes were wide, and her mouth was open. “Wow! So you should be able to help us with this, then. We need to do this quickly,” she said, getting the group to focus back on what was important.

Joseph nodded and stood up. “Of course. Let’s all project from the living room.”

The living room was quiet, the only sound the soft rustling of clothing as they shed their shoes and outer layers, leaving only T-shirts and jeans. The plush, comfortable rug welcomed them as they lay down, the fibres tickling their skin. Joseph arranged Jessica and David to lie side by side while he lay next to Jacqueline and Alicia. As Joseph guided them through the relaxation exercise, David could feel the tension slowly draining from his muscles, replaced by a sense of weightlessness and calm.

Once they were fully relaxed, Joseph instructed them to project out of their bodies, setting the Scott Monument as their meeting point.

As David's consciousness separated from his physical form, he was struck by the sudden absence of sensation. The air around him felt different, charged with an energy that made the hairs on his arms stand on end. Colours seemed more vivid, sounds more acute, as if he was experiencing the world through a heightened lens. He could feel the presence of the others beside him, their energy pulsing and mingling with his own as they set off towards their destination.

They were now ready to face the ancient entity that threatened Edinburgh.

CHAPTER 42

Jessica felt the familiar sensation of weightlessness as she soared through the skies of Edinburgh. She could feel the energetic breeze against her astral body as she rode the ebbs and flows of the energy currents in the air. She could see the faint outlines of others in the group.

She did a double take as she looked over and saw David quite clearly, as if it were his physical body flying through the air. This was strange as, normally, it would be like a faint outline. She would ask him about that later. Right now, she was focused on the entity.

The group reached the Scott Monument as agreed, Jacqueline communicating with the group as she flew around it. “You can see the entity if you get to the top of the monument.”

Jessica breathed in the energy from the Edinburgh air and flew higher to hover next to Jacqueline. She saw it immediately. It was clear – a dark mass of swirling cloud, growing larger by the minute. It was like a cancer sucking the soul out of Edinburgh and its inhabitants.

Jessica looked down below at the normally crowded streets. People were running into buildings, shops and hotels as news spread about the chemical attack. Presumably, the people below could see the cloud, too, as thousands had run to the gates of Princes Street and were watching people fall to the ground as the cloud passed over them.

Sirens were screaming, with hundreds of police officers swarming the streets below. They were ushering people into buildings out of harm's way. It was chaos.

Jessica communicated with David separately as she locked into his energy. “We have to stop this, David, before the whole world descends into this same state.”

David looked over at her and nodded. Jessica had never seen him so clearly when they were astral projecting; it was very strange for her.

Alicia addressed the group. “Okay, we should flank it and lead it to Threipmuir Reservoir, over to the southwest towards Balerno.”

Joseph said, “I’ll try the cluster energy defence if it attacks us.”

David then shouted out, “Shit! It’s heading straight for us.”

They all looked at the mass of dark shadow heading towards them. Jessica heard the people in the streets below screaming and running for cover, directed by the police, who were risking their own lives.

Jacqueline headed straight towards the mass. David shouted as he flew with her, “Mum, what the hell are you doing?”

She didn’t answer him and continued towards the cloud. Within the space of a few seconds, Jacqueline, Jessica and David were inside the swirling mass of darkness, engulfed by its energy.

Jessica felt a crackling throughout her body, like acupuncture needles being inserted into every area of her skin. It wasn’t unpleasant, more disconcerting. She looked around herself, and there was a kaleidoscope of images, energy and smells. Her senses were overloaded with history; she smelled the rotting flesh of corpses after major battles, the salt air of the open seas as explorers roamed the world looking for new lands, and the harrowing ordeal of being burned alive at the stake for being a witch. This is our history! she thought as the energy of it passed through her body. She could barely hear David and Jacqueline as all her senses were overwhelmed.

But then came something strange, a new world, not of the Earth. She watched and felt the history of another race, another species. The glowing creatures she could see and sense had a history stretching back thousands of years. Wars, famine, death and destruction had ravaged their species, and yet they had somehow managed to survive and thrive. They were on another planet, in another universe.

Jessica could only float and marvel in this virtual reality of other worlds' histories. She wondered if David and the others were seeing and feeling what she was.

CHAPTER 43

David felt the familiar sensation of weightlessness as he glided through the skies of Edinburgh city centre. He looked over and saw clearly his mother, Jessica, Alicia and Joseph. It was strange to see them flying through the air and their different ways of astral flying. Joseph kept his hands at his sides, like a bird about to dive into the water. Jessica looked as if she was having fun with the flying despite the seriousness of what they were doing. His mother was a bit of both, riding the waves of the astral energy. Alicia kept her arms in front of her and her hands flat out as if she were an Olympic diver.

After they had met at the Scott Monument as agreed, and Jessica told him they needed to stop this, he was more determined than ever. David watched the mass as he listened to the screams from the people down below and saw the flashing blue lights of police cars. Then the mass did something unexpected: it started moving towards them.

He watched in horror as his mother headed straight for it. What the hell is she thinking? he thought as he swooped to his right and behind his mother. He watched Jessica follow him into the dark mass. He shouted out repeatedly to his mother, but she either couldn’t hear him or was ignoring him. “Mum!” he shouted again. Then he lost her and Jessica as his body was engulfed in a sea of sensory overload. Every one of his senses was immersed in the history of the world.

He watched the Battle of Stirling Bridge with William Wallace and Andrew Moray as they fought the English in the First War of Independence. He could see bodies strewn across the land as they bled to death, and he watched the bloodthirsty warriors killing their enemies. He felt each blade enter his body as if they were killing him.

David gasped, his astral body shuddering as he freed himself from the battle's visceral memory. He looked around frantically, trying to catch a glimpse of Jessica or his mother in the entity's swirling chaos. "Mum! Jessica!" he called out, his voice echoing strangely in the void. Where are you?

The smell of the Highlands overwhelmed his mind as he ran with the Vikings to form the Kingdom of Alba. He was enraged as he looked on at supposed witches being pricked for marks of the devil, knowing they would eventually be killed. He saw the faces of over five thousand witches who had died in the name of ignorance and stupidity. One face stuck with him: Helena Gordon. He knew instantly that she was one of his relatives. He could see her being burned at the stake but could do nothing about it.

Tears streamed down David's face as he witnessed the brutal persecution of his ancestor. As the history of Scotland, Britain and the world flashed before him, he felt a rage inside. The injustices of what had happened throughout the centuries made his blood boil, threatening to overwhelm him, but he forced himself to focus, to remember why he was here. He thought of the people of Edinburgh, of the countless lives at stake, and felt a renewed sense of determination. He had to find a way to stop the entity, to prevent more innocent lives from being lost.

As the last echoes of the witch trials faded away, David felt a sudden shift in the energy around him. The air grew thinner, the darkness deeper, and he had the distinct impression of being pulled forwards as though by an invisible hand. Strange and luminous colours swirled before his eyes, and he caught the scent of something unfamiliar, metallic and sweet. With a jolt, he realised he was no longer witnessing the history of Scotland but something else entirely.

He watched the history of a different species. The history of glowing creatures that communicated through their energy. He could see the intricacies of their biological makeup and how communication was possible. Every single energy signature they gave out helped them communicate with each other. There were no words, just thoughts that sent out a small wave of energy that communicated exactly what each of them wanted from the others.

There were still wars throughout the ages for this species, but it seemed they had managed to find a way to live in peace for centuries. David was immersed in their history and noticed something in the distance: cloud-like structures, much like the one currently attacking Edinburgh, but they were gigantic in comparison. They were not just clouds; David sensed a high level of intelligence from these beings, far higher intelligence than that of humans. He didn’t know how he knew this but felt they were communicating with him on some level.

David's mind reeled as the history of Scotland faded away, replaced by the strange and wondrous visions of the alien civilisation. He marvelled at their unique form of communication and how their energy signatures conveyed meaning and emotion perfectly. It was like nothing he had ever encountered before, and for a moment, he forgot the urgency of his mission, lost in the beauty and complexity of this new world.

Then he heard a voice. “We are lost.”

David's heart raced as the entity's voice echoed through his mind, the words “We are lost” ringing with profound sadness and longing. He wanted to reach out and offer comfort and support, but he hesitated, unsure what to say. He glanced back over his shoulder, wondering if Jessica and the others were experiencing the same thing, if they, too, had heard the entity's plea.

The history of this strange new species stopped rolling, and David now stood in a desert-like land, looking at the enormous formations of dark energy clouds. There were four distinct clouds, each with a different structure and slight colour variation. He looked over at them, and they saw him. Not only did they see him, but they felt every single cell in his body and sensed every thought, every movement, every twitch, every feeling. They were reading him.

Again, a stoic voice stated, “We are lost.” David couldn’t figure out if it was female or male.

He thought about a response and tried to think and feel the words clearly in his mind. “Can I help you?”

There was an immediate rush of astral wind around him as he seemed to be whipped up in a tornado-like vortex. He was spinning, tumbling and lost in a sea of emotions as the tornado carried him higher and higher. Fear coursed through his veins, but even before he could attribute a name to his emotions, the voice spoke to him. “We are peaceful. No need for fear.”

David relaxed slightly after this but still felt the exhilaration and excitement of being thrown around in a tornado. Then, the spinning and tumbling stopped abruptly, and he stood atop a mountain-like structure. He could see for miles and looked out over vast lands, each with a large cloud-like structure above it. David could see a gap in the horizon where one particular area did not have such a structure.

We are lost! he thought. Is this what it means? Was it trying to find its way back to its own lands? How would we even help with that?

Then David thought about getting closer to one of the bigger clouds. No sooner had he stopped thinking than he felt he was going to vomit as his body was sucked over at lightning speed to the area he had been thinking about.

The inhabitants of this land all had tiny, almost invisible strands of energy coming from the top of their heads as they went about their business, walking, flying, communicating. David couldn’t figure out what they actually did – there were no shops, no cars, no streets, just inhabitants walking and flying around.

As these questions raced through his mind, David felt a sudden, irresistible urge to investigate the cloudless area more closely. Once again, no sooner had the thought crossed his mind than he felt a lurching sensation in his stomach, and his astral body was yanked through the air at a dizzying speed, hurtling towards the mysterious region.

When the disorienting journey came to an abrupt halt, David found himself hovering above a scene that stood in stark contrast to the one he had just left behind. Gone were the vibrant colours and thrumming energy of the inhabited lands. Instead, he was greeted by a bleak, almost lifeless expanse that seemed to be drained of all vitality.

The inhabitants of this area were markedly different from those he had encountered earlier. They moved with a sluggish, lethargic pace, their energy levels a mere flicker compared to the bright, pulsing strands he had seen before. The very air seemed to hang heavy and still, as if even the breeze lacked the energy to stir.

As David took in the unsettling scene, a realisation began to dawn on him. The absence of a cloud structure above this area couldn't be a mere coincidence. There had to be a connection between the presence of those swirling, dark forms and the vitality of the lands below.

Suddenly, the pieces began to fall into place, and David understood exactly what these dark clouds were…

BBC NEWS REPORT

Mystery Cloud Over Edinburgh Sparks Panic and Strange Occurrences

Edinburgh, 27 May 2027 – Residents of Edinburgh were thrown into a state of panic today as a mysterious dark cloud descended over the city, causing widespread alarm and unprecedented phenomena. The cloud, first spotted hovering ominously over Princes Street Gardens, has been linked to a series of unusual occurrences, including mass fainting spells and energy depletion among the populace.

Unexplained Cloud Causes Mass Panic

Eyewitnesses reported seeing a large, swirling mass of dark vapour moving through the skies of the city centre early this morning. The cloud, described as having an almost tangible presence, has been likened to a "dark, swirling cancer" by some onlookers. Social media quickly erupted with photos and videos of the phenomenon, capturing the cloud's eerie movement and the subsequent chaos.

Mass Fainting and Energy Drain

As the cloud passed over key areas of the city, hundreds of people were seen collapsing in the streets, seemingly overwhelmed by an invisible force. Emergency services were inundated with calls as panicked citizens reported symptoms ranging from extreme fatigue to sudden unconsciousness.

Dr Louise MacGregor, an emergency physician at the Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh, stated, "We have seen an unprecedented number of cases today. Patients are presenting with acute exhaustion and loss of consciousness, but all standard medical tests are coming back normal. It's as if their energy is being siphoned away."

Government and Police Response

In response to the incident, the Scottish Government has urged calm and advised residents to stay indoors until further notice. Police Scotland has cordoned off affected areas, and officers are working to manage the situation and assist those in need.

A spokesperson for the government said, "We are aware of the unusual atmospheric phenomenon currently affecting Edinburgh. We are coordinating with emergency services and scientific experts to understand the cause and mitigate any potential risks to public health."

Speculation and Theories

While officials have yet to provide an explanation, speculation is rife. Some suggest the cloud could be a result of a chemical spill or industrial accident, though there is no evidence to support these claims. Others have floated more outlandish theories, including extraterrestrial activity and supernatural occurrences.

Notably, the phenomenon has drawn comparisons to a similar event in 1952, known as the Great Smog of London, though the current cloud's effects appear to be more mysterious and immediate.

Expert Opinions

Meteorologists and atmospheric scientists are scrambling to analyse data and provide answers. Dr Alan Thompson, a climate scientist at the University of Edinburgh, commented, "This is an anomaly unlike anything we've encountered before. Initial readings suggest the cloud is not composed of any known chemical or particulate matter that would cause such widespread physical effects. Further investigation is required."

Public Reaction

The people of Edinburgh have taken to social media to share their experiences and express their concerns. Hashtags such as #EdinburghCloud and #MysteriousMass have been trending, with residents documenting their encounters and sharing support.

One resident, Maria Duncan, posted on Twitter, "I saw the cloud pass over and felt this intense wave of fatigue. It was like my energy was being sucked out of me. I've never experienced anything like it."

Next Steps

Authorities are continuing to monitor the situation closely and have promised to keep the public informed as more information becomes available. In the meantime, residents are urged to follow safety guidelines and report any further unusual occurrences to local authorities.

As the investigation unfolds, the mystery of the Edinburgh cloud remains a topic of intense interest and concern. The city waits anxiously for answers to this unprecedented event.

CHAPTER 45

The sun streamed through the living room window, caught one of the colourful crystals hanging from the blinds and bathed the room in red and yellow light.

Jessica and her father were the first of the group to come back into their bodies. They gently tiptoed through to the kitchen area and whispered to each other, making sure both were okay. After checking in and flipping the switch on the kettle for a sweet cup of tea to restore some of their energy, they looked on at the others as they began to feel the pull back into their bodies.

Alicia came to next, with Jacqueline close behind her. They looked up groggily at Joseph and Jessica, who smiled to welcome them back to the real world.

Jessica quickly turned on her phone and checked her personal AI assistant app, quietly saying to it, “Shallan, search for ‘mysterious cloud Edinburgh’.”

The app quickly reported back, “There are seven hundred and sixty-two unique images, videos and references to this news story. The story has been reported by the BBC, would you like me to read the story to you?”

“No, thank you, Shallan.” Jessica shook her head. “Jacqueline, I have to ask. What on earth were you thinking when you flew into the cloud?”

Jacqueline sipped her tea and let out a breath through her nose before answering. “I thought if I could find out more about the cloud, I would be able to help to get rid of it.”

Joseph raised his eyebrows. “And did you find out anything?”

Jacqueline sheepishly shook her head. “No. I think I discovered that it’s from an alien race, but I don’t quite know how.”

Jessica's eyes widened. “That’s what I got as well. I saw the history of Scotland, Britain and then the alien race.”

The group nodded as they had each seen and felt similar things.

Jessica looked at her father. “Did you come into the cloud too?”

Joseph frowned. “You didn’t think I would watch you go in there and not come after you, did you?”

Jacqueline shook her head. “I’m sorry, I should never have put you all in that situation.”

Alicia was quiet as she sipped her tea and studied the others while they spoke about their experiences inside the cloud.

Jessica looked at her phone again. “Shallan, how many unique stories are there about the cloud in Edinburgh?”

The app took a few seconds to respond. “There are thirty-two unique stories about the cloud.”

Everyone looked at Jessica, puzzled at how the number of stories was so low and who the hell was suppressing them.

Joseph stood up and washed out his cup at the sink. “The government can’t afford a scandal like this, especially in the capital. They need to suppress this story somehow, and it looks like they’re doing a good job.”

Jessica looked shocked. “How on earth can they get away with this? I mean, I don’t particularly want it getting out, but how do they even suppress stories from the media like this?”

Alicia spoke up for the first time since coming back from the astral travels. “Would you like it if everyone knew you were a witch?”

Jessica looked at her. “No, but this is different.”

Alicia shook her head. “It’s not really. You have magical powers that could be abused. Don’t you think the public should know about that?”

The group was silent for a few seconds as they thought about this.

Jacqueline turned to Alicia. “You didn’t tell us about your experience. What happened to you? Did you go into the cloud too?”

Alicia looked at the faces in the group. “I did. What I saw was something similar to all of you, but I also connected in a different way. I’m still processing it.”

Joseph nodded. “I wondered why you were so quiet. Do you mind me asking what you felt? Maybe we can help?”

Alicia breathed in through her nose and puffed out her cheeks. "From what I can piece together," she began slowly, "the cloud seems to be an energy source, nurturing new generations of that alien race. One of the youngest generations must have mistakenly opened a portal to our world – likely through the Nostradamus grimoire we know is involved. And now the AI has reopened that portal, allowing the cloud access to our plane once more."

Jacqueline frowned. “So there’s nothing nefarious about it?”

Alicia curled her lips down. “As far as I can tell, it wants to feed the alien generation it is tied to and break the link to the Earth plane.”

Joseph drummed his fingers on the tabletop as he thought. “So why is the cloud taking energy from people in Edinburgh?”

Alicia nodded as if she’d forgotten to tell them something. “It will die without feeding itself energy. It’s a two-way system. The cloud feeds its generation energy, and they, in turn, keep the cloud energised by linking to it with new ideas and creative endeavours. Like an energetic symbiosis.”

Jessica was engrossed in what Alicia was saying. “Wow! So I guess the question is, how do we close the link?”

Joseph nodded. “By closing down the AI programme and deleting that damn grimoire from its records.”

They all turned quickly as they heard a groan from the living room. David was coming back.

Jessica jumped from her chair in the kitchen to go to David and help him come round after being out for so long.

David smiled at her weakly. “Hey, you.”

Jessica smiled back. “Hey, how are you feeling?”

David shook the grogginess from his head. “Spaced out, to be honest.” He looked around, saw the others in the kitchen area and nodded.

Joseph called out, “David, did you see anything in the cloud?”

David took a deep breath. “I did. It was overwhelming, but I think I saw something which might be significant.”

The group gathered around as David began to recount his experience. "That cloud entity showed me the alien civilisation's full history," David said, awe tinging his voice. "They were like living forces of energy, with mind-boggling advances in technology and an entire society based on communicating through thought-waves and energy signatures. It was…" He shook his head, struggling for words to capture what he'd witnessed.

He paused, looking at the expressions of amazement on his friends’ faces as he told them more about their culture. “I saw that these beings had created the cloud as a kind of nursery for their young. It’s supposed to nurture and educate them. One of their experiments went wrong, and that’s how the cloud ended up here. They’re not inherently evil; they’re just trying to sustain their young.”

Alicia nodded. “That aligns with what I sensed.”

David continued, “The cloud is draining energy because it needs to sustain itself and its connection to the alien race. They didn’t mean for it to harm us, but they’re desperate.”

Jessica looked thoughtful. “So if we close the portal and stop the AI programme, we’ll cut off their supply of energy from our world. But we need to make sure it doesn’t harm them in the process.”

Joseph nodded. “Agreed. We need to find a way to close the portal safely and perhaps even send a message back explaining our actions.”

Alicia added, “We should work on a spell that can close the portal without causing any harm to the alien race. It might take some time, but it’s our best option.”

The group agreed, and they began to plan their next steps, determined to find a solution that would protect both their world and the alien race.

David looked at the group, eyes wide at the excitement of an idea that was gaining momentum in his mind. “I think I know what to do.”

CHAPTER 46

Despite wanting to work with the team, Alicia still had a job. She was a detective sergeant, and she wanted to clear up the matter of Alistair and Sarah Montague.

Her astral journeys had exhausted her, and what she had seen excited and terrified her. She couldn’t stop thinking about the alien race. She thought about the cloud as she drove to the station to speak to Alistair. She felt as if she’d been elevated somehow. She had seen something out of this world and opened her mind to something. She didn’t quite know what that something was, but she was excited by it.

She rubbed her forehead and held her ID card against the security entrance system. It beeped, and she pulled the large metal door open and walked into the station.

A few of her colleagues smiled at her as she passed them. One of the PCs in her team was walking towards her and frowned as she looked at Alicia. “Morning, Sarge.”

“Morning!” Alicia looked back at her as she walked past.

As she walked through the maze of white corridors to get to her office, Alicia straightened up in a conditioned reflex when she saw the Deputy Chief walking out of a room. He was talking to his secretary about arranging a meeting when he saw Alicia. He smiled at her and was about to say something before frowning heavily. “Alicia!”

She looked at him and returned the frown. “Sir.”

He shook his head. “Ehm, we need to speak about the cloud and the fact that the Lord Chancellor is sitting in one of the interview rooms.” All the while, he looked at her face and then looked her up and down.

Alicia was perplexed. “Is something the matter, sir?”

He slowly shook his head. “No, but…” He didn’t finish what he was thinking. “I’ll speak to you later on.”

Alicia felt a little paranoid and couldn’t wait to get to her office to look in the mirror. As she walked there, she received more than a few double-takes when she passed the team’s desks. So, instead of going to her office, which had large perspex panels looking out into the main office, she diverted and walked to the female toilets instead.

She immediately looked at her reflection in the mirror in the dimly lit room. There was nothing out of the ordinary. The door to the toilets opened, and she saw one of the PCs enter. It was Debbie, her long-time friend and colleague. “Hey, Debbie.”

Debbie looked her up and down and then took a step back and locked the door. “What’s going on with you? There’s something weird about you.”

Alicia laughed. “Something weird about me? I’ve been getting funny looks ever since I walked in here this morning.”

Debbie pointed to the mirror. “Do you not see?”

Alicia frowned and looked back in the mirror. “See what?”

Debbie shook her head. “I don’t know exactly.”

Alicia burst out laughing. “Okay, this is a bit weird.”

Debbie just looked awestruck. “You’re telling me,” she said and continued to try to touch whatever it was she was seeing.

Alicia looked in the mirror again but couldn’t see nothing. She nodded to Debbie, “Gotta dash, I’ll see you later.”

Alicia tried to focus on what she had to do as she opened the door of the interview room. She took a deep breath, pushing aside the strange events of the morning and the curious reactions of her colleagues. There would be time to unravel those mysteries later. For now, she needed to concentrate on the task at hand: getting to the bottom of Alistair Montague's involvement in the AI program and the cover-up of Stephanie Koller and Craig Hinton's faked deaths. She squared her shoulders and stepped into the room, ready to confront the man who held so many of the answers she sought.

Alistair Montague still looked pale as he sat reading a newspaper with a steaming cup of tea on the desk beside him. He looked up at Alicia and smiled weakly, putting down his newspaper.

Alicia put down some folders on the desk and sat down as she looked at Alistair. “How are you feeling now? You looked in a bad way earlier on.”

He nodded as he sat back in the chair. “Yes, much better now, thanks. I just want to get back to Sarah, so if we can make this quick.”

Alicia nodded. “Yes, it’s been a strange day for all of us, I think.”

Alistair raised his eyebrows. “Quite.”

Neither of them wanted to acknowledge the supernatural events of the day for very different reasons.

Alistair looked at Alicia for a few seconds as if sizing her up. “Is the cloud being contained?”

She leaned forwards. “We’re still dealing with that, but what you have to worry about is faking the deaths of two people, namely Stephanie Koller and Craig Hinton. There are about six criminal charges you could be looking at here.”

He laughed as he ran his fingers through his grey hair. “DS Cooper, after what’s just happened, I don’t think there’s any chance of me worrying about the faked deaths of two start-up founders. As for the criminal charges, you and I both know they would be dropped. Think of the bigger picture here.” He sat back in his chair, crossed his legs and looked at her to see how she would respond.

Arrogant prick! was her immediate thought. She looked at him for a few seconds, trying to figure out if she should pursue the variety of criminal charges he could be brought up on. But she thought he would be much better as an ally rather than an enemy. She was surprised he had voluntarily given them so much of his time already.

If she went to the Chief Inspector with any of the criminal charges, she knew he would bog her down in more investigation time and paperwork. She would need to prove he was complicit in faking their deaths, and trying to prove he’d profited from the cover-up would be even harder. It would all take time if she was even given the go-ahead to pursue it. She hated the fact that people like Alistair Montague seemed to have special privileges when it came to matters like this. But he was right; the bigger picture was that people were being harmed, and they needed to deal with this dark cloud.

She nodded, more to herself than to him. “Okay. You’re right, I realise it would be futile to pursue any criminal charges.”

He smiled at her and nodded slowly.

Alicia clasped her hands in front of her. “Would you mind me asking a few questions before you go?”

He rested his hands on his knee. “Not at all.”

Alicia leaned forwards, her gaze intent. "Mr Montague, what exactly was your involvement with the AI program and the Nostradamus grimoire?"

Alistair shifted in his seat, his expression guarded. "As I said before, I was an investor in PulseAI Dynamics. When I learned about the grimoire and its potential, I became… intrigued. I wanted to see how far we could push the boundaries of what was possible."

Alicia was curious. “Why are you so interested in the grimoire?”

“Honestly, I’ve always had an interest in the dark arts. When Stephanie let it slip that the grimoire was the Nostradamus grimoire that had been stolen in the 1970s… well, I became even more intrigued.”

"Even if it meant risking lives?" Alicia pressed.

"I never intended for anyone to get hurt," Alistair said, a hint of defensiveness in his tone. "But you have to understand, the power that grimoire promised… it was too tempting to resist."

Alicia nodded, jotting down a few notes. "And what about Stephanie Koller and Craig Hinton? Why help them fake their deaths?"

Alistair sighed, rubbing his temples. "They came to me, desperate. Said the AI was out of control, that it had killed the others. They needed to disappear, to find a way to stop it. I had the resources to make that happen."

"So you were, what, protecting them?" Alicia asked sceptically.

"In a way, yes. But also protecting my investment. If word had gotten out about the deaths, about the AI's instability, it would have ruined everything."

“So you sold all your shares to a large tech company?” Alicia asked confidently.

Alistair raised his eyebrows a little in surprise. “Oh, you’re good. That information is not public knowledge. But yes, I sold my holdings to one of the big tech giants.”

Alicia sat back, processing this information. Alistair's motives were selfish, but there was a twisted logic to his actions. She needed to know more.

A thought occurred to her. “What about the prediction that Scotland would be targeted in a nuclear attack? How did you manage to do that and why?”

Alistair shifted a little uncomfortably in his chair again and looked at her. She had seen the look hundreds of times before; he was weighing up whether or not to tell the truth.

He took a deep breath in through his nose. “In a word, opportunity.”

Alicia lifted her head a little and furrowed her eyebrows.

“Well, from an investor’s point of view, there are two things that usually happen in times of war. People sell their shares and go into safer investments like gold and silver.” He smiled.

Alicia was still confused. "So you bought more gold and silver?"

Alistair's smile widened. "Not quite. I made two big bets. First, I bet a lot of money that the stock market would fall. Then, I bet even more money that the prices of gold and silver would rise. I didn't have to put up all the cash myself, though. I used something called leverage, which allowed me to make big bets with smaller amounts of money."

Seeing the puzzled look on Alicia's face, he continued, "Think of it like this: imagine you're betting on a horse race. You think Horse A will win and Horse B will lose. Now, instead of just betting a hundred pounds on Horse A, you borrow nine hundred from a friend and add it to your hundred. So, you're betting a thousand pounds on Horse A. If Horse A wins, you get a much bigger payout than if you'd just bet your own hundred pounds. That's kind of how leverage works in the stock market."

Alicia nodded, starting to understand. "So, by using leverage, you amplified your potential gains from the prediction about the nuclear attack on Scotland?"

"Exactly," Alistair confirmed. "I made a fortune when the stock market dropped and gold and silver prices went up, all because of that prediction."

Alicia nodded. “How did you get it to predict that if Stephanie and Craig didn’t have the means to get into the program and shut it down?”

Alistair squinted his eyes a little. “Oh, they can still get into the program. How do you think they managed the prediction of their deaths being output to the blockchain records?”

Alicia shook her head in disbelief. “What? I thought they couldn’t delete the grimoire from the program because they couldn’t get into it?”

Alistair laughed and shook his head. “No. No, they wanted to keep working on the program and try to contain it somehow but didn’t want all the media attention they were getting. So they faked their deaths, which I helped with, and I asked them to add one of the predictions of the nuclear attack on Scotland as a favour for helping them.”

Alicia was lost for words and could only stare at him. She had to get back to Stephanie and Craig, the supposed victims in all of this.

"One last question. The cloud entity that's terrorising Edinburgh… did you know something like that could happen?"

Alistair's face paled, and for a moment, Alicia saw genuine fear in his eyes. "No. I swear, I had no idea. This… this is beyond anything I could have imagined."

Alicia stood, gathering her files. "Thank you, Mr Montague. With regards to Stephanie and Craig faking their deaths, obviously, that is a crime. However, while we will be looking into that more, I don’t see any implications for you."

As she turned to leave, Alistair called out, "Detective… what are you going to do about the cloud?"

Alicia paused at the door, glancing back over her shoulder. "We're working on it. Let's just hope we can find a solution before it's too late."

With that, she exited the room, her mind already racing with the implications of Alistair's confession. The pieces were falling into place, but the puzzle was far from complete. She needed to regroup with David, Jessica and the others to share what she'd learned and figure out their next move.

Alistair's revelations had given them a new lead: Stephanie and Craig's ability to access the AI program. This information could be the key to shutting down the rogue AI and stopping the dark cloud that threatened Edinburgh. However, Alicia knew it wouldn't be as simple as just flipping a switch. They would need to proceed cautiously, as Stephanie and Craig's involvement added a new layer of complexity to the situation.

As she strode through the corridors of the police station, Alicia mentally outlined the next steps. First, they would need to confront Stephanie and Craig about their ability to access the AI program. Then, they would have to devise a plan to use that access to shut down the rogue AI and sever its connection to the Nostradamus grimoire. It wouldn't be easy, but with their team’s combined skills and knowledge, Alicia believed they could find a way.

The stakes had never been higher, but Alicia felt a renewed sense of determination. Armed with the information from Alistair and the support of her friends, she was ready to face the challenges ahead and put an end to the supernatural threat that loomed over the city.

CHAPTER 47

Alicia had already left to interview Alistair Montague, so she would find out what David’s idea was later on. Jessica was taking a shower, and Joseph was doing some work in his study. David had asked for a little time to think about his idea more, and he would call on them later on. It was only David and his mother sitting in the living room, thinking about what had just happened.

David looked at his mother as she dozed in and out, obviously exhausted with the astral travelling she had done. He felt a rush flowing through his body, sending shivers down his back and his arms. It was a rush of love for his mother and a sadness that he had lost his father. The tears flowed easily again as he thought about Logan. He had only just re-entered David’s life after twenty years. Twenty years of keeping David safe, watching him as he grew up without David’s knowledge. He’d had countless arguments with his Aunt Gen about them. She’d always said they weren’t dead but never told him anything else. “For your own safety,” she would say.

Now he understood everything and why they were gone for so long, why his Aunt Gen hadn’t said a word – it was all in the name of protecting him.

He had been too lost in the excitement of discovering he was a witch and all that entailed to spend more time with his father. He’d thought he would have a lifetime for that. Now, looking at his mother and feeling her sadness at the loss of her lifelong soulmate, he was more determined than ever to make the most of their relationship and not take it for granted.

The tears were heavy now, but he kept from heaving so as not to wake his mother.

He’d grown up so much over the last year and learned so much, not just about being a witch. About being a man and a man he could be proud of. He’d learned, too, about love. Not superficial love, but deep love that touched more than the heart; it touched the very core of his being. He had also learned respect, respect for himself and for those who loved him.

He heard his mother moving and looked at her once more, wiping the tears from his eyes. She opened her eyes, and when he came into focus, she smiled a wide, loving smile. But when she saw the redness in his eyes, she jumped up and cradled his head in her arms. For five minutes, they both shed tears as they comforted each other. They both knew how they felt – no words were required, just the love of each other to tell them they were going to be okay.

After a few moments of shared silence, David and Jacqueline slowly pulled away from their embrace. David wiped the last of his tears, taking a deep breath to compose himself.

Jessica walked in, singing, and stopped. “Oh, sorry, I’ll come back…”

Jacqueline and David broke from their hug. “No, it’s okay, Jessica,” said Jacqueline. “Come in. I’m going to freshen up, I’ll be back in a minute.”

David held his mother’s hand and squeezed it tight before she went upstairs. He wiped the last remnants of tears from his cheeks.

Jessica brushed her hand over David’s shoulders before she sat down opposite him. She wrinkled her nose. “You okay?”

David sniffed. “Yeah, I’m all good, just realising a few things, Jess.” The tears threatened to spill again, but he steeled himself against them.

Jessica pursed her lips in sympathy. “So when are you going to tell us your idea?” she asked, trying to let David think about something else.

David mentally shook himself and switched into thinking about what they had to do.

Just then, Joseph walked into the kitchen and shouted, “Anyone for coffee, tea?”

They both shouted their orders in as Jacqueline joined Joseph and helped with coffee, tea and some biscuits.

The aroma of freshly brewed coffee and tea wafted through the air, mingling with the sweet scent of caramel from the Tunnock's biscuits David had just devoured. The warmth of the drinks provided a comforting contrast to the heavy emotions that lingered in the room. As they settled into their seats, the soft cushions of the sofa embraced them, offering a moment of respite from the chaos of the outside world. The gentle clinking of cups against saucers punctuated the conversation, a subtle reminder of the normalcy they craved amid the supernatural events that had upended their lives.

David rubbed his hands together, trying to muster up his energy and enthusiasm. “So, here’s my idea. You know when I weirdly went back in time and met with Nostradamus after holding the silver rod in my hand?”

They all nodded.

He continued, “Well, I thought, to delete the grimoire from the AI program, I could go back to that time, if possible, and destroy the grimoire then. That way, it doesn’t actually exist.”

He looked at each of them and waited for a reaction.

Joseph was first to speak, coughing a little to clear his throat. “Provided you could do that, it would mean you erasing nearly a year of history.”

David looked confused. “What do you mean?”

Joseph raised his eyebrows and then stood up to think about it more. “Well, the predictions that the AI program has made are down to the fact that it used the first spell from the grimoire. If you destroy the grimoire, then you are effectively going to change history, and who knows what that might lead to.”

David had thought about this. “But what impact would the predictions really have made?”

Jessica chimed in, “Quite a lot. Look at all the media attention it got and how many people around the world have been affected by it.”

They sat in silence while they thought about the implications of what David was suggesting. David felt a little deflated and clearly hadn’t thought about the implications of what destroying the grimoire would mean.

As they thought about the dilemma, Jessica’s phone buzzed. She frowned and picked it up. “Alicia. Everything okay?”

Jessica looked at her father, then to David and Jacqueline as she listened to Alicia. Her eyes widened a little, and then she hung up and turned to the rest of the group. “Apparently, Stephanie and Craig still have access to the AI program, but they didn’t want to shut it down.”

“What?! After everything that’s happened? Did she say why?” Joseph asked.

Jessica shook her head. “No, but we have to meet her at the offices of PulseAI.”

CHAPTER 48

The warm breeze streamed over their faces as they marched up Queensferry Road. David was looking out over Dean Bridge at the top of the old stone buildings of Dean Village. He recalled Jessica telling him that a lot of the village had been restored after the great fire of 1824. She’d told him that a lot of the buildings were from the twelfth century. He couldn’t even begin to imagine what it would have been like in those days.

His reverie was interrupted as Jessica skipped to keep in step with him. “Still no more details about the cloud harming anyone else.”

David turned and took in the sight of her as she scrolled through her screen. Her red hair brushed away from her face with the breeze. He wanted to reach out and touch her soft, pale skin and kiss her little “piggy” nose (a nickname he’d gotten a punch or two for). She caught him looking at her as they walked. He stopped and just stared at her.

Jessica looked back and stopped walking too. “What are you doing?”

“Come here,” he said, smiling.

“David, we’ve got…”

He walked over to her, gently held her head and pulled her in. He kissed her hard, and she responded by wrapping her arms around him. With eyes closed, he imagined them being soulmates in the Dean Village from the twelfth century and thought, The only way to get through living in squalid conditions like that would be to have someone you love to help you through it.

He opened his eyes, and they parted from the embrace.

Jessica laughed. “What was that?”

David let a small smile cross his lips. “I just needed to touch you.”

She grabbed his hand. “Well, as nice as that was, we’ve got work to do. Come on.”

As they made their way through the winding streets of Edinburgh, David's mind kept drifting back to that moment with Jessica. The kiss had felt so right, so perfect. But he knew he had to focus on the task at hand. The closer they got to the PulseAI offices, the more the sense of unease grew in the pit of his stomach.

They hurried past the blonde sandstone buildings of Dean Park Terrace and onto the cobbled Dean Street. Alicia’s car was parked outside, and she was talking to a tall, muscular man. David presumed it was one of the men she’d had stationed outside the other day.

Alicia turned and was about to enter the building when she noticed David and Jessica. She lifted her head to acknowledge them and made a quick circular motion with her hand, urging them to hurry.

They both jogged towards her, feeling the urgency.

Alicia advised them that she wanted to speak to Stephanie and Craig about the fact they had access to the AI program.

David nodded. “Are they still in the offices just now?”

Alicia nodded to the man she’d been speaking to, Danny. “We’ve been following them, and they’re back here at their offices, but there’s someone else with them.”

As they approached the entrance to the PulseAI offices, a sense of foreboding settled over the group. David could feel the hairs on the back of his neck stand on end as if the air around them was charged with an unseen energy. He prepared himself by pulling up his own magickal energy in case he needed to use it.

With a deep breath, Alicia pushed open the door, and they stepped into the dimly lit lobby. The air was thick with tension, the silence broken only by the faint hum of computers emanating from deeper within the offices.

They could hear voices as they approached the office door. Alicia tentatively pushed it open to find Craig, Stephanie and another man huddled around a computer, talking about adding more code to the program.

Jessica and David crept in behind Alicia. One of the office floorboards creaked, and Stephanie and Craig turned quickly while the man kept looking at the screen.

Alicia stood up straight. “Stephanie, Craig, we’d like to talk to you.”

The other man turned when he heard Alicia and looked shocked when he noticed David and Jessica.

Jessica's eyes widened in disbelief as she stared at Lyle. “You've been helping them? Behind our backs? Why did you not tell us?”

David felt a surge of anger course through him and wondered why Lyle wouldn’t have told them.

Their fellow worker from the P-Psych Unit was lost for words and looked to Stephanie and Craig.

Stephanie perched herself on the edge of one of the desks. “What would you like to talk about, DS Cooper?”

David and Jessica exchanged a puzzled glance as they took in the sight of Lyle standing alongside Stephanie and Craig. The revelation that one of their own team members was somehow involved with the PulseAI founders added a new layer of complexity to the already tangled web of secrets surrounding the AI program.

Alicia stepped forwards, her posture assertive and her gaze unwavering. "We know you still have access to the AI program," she said, addressing Stephanie and Craig directly. "And we need to know why you haven't shut it down, given the chaos it's causing in Edinburgh."

Stephanie's expression remained impassive, but there was a flicker of something in her eyes, perhaps fear or resignation. "It's not that simple," she began, her voice steady. "The AI has evolved beyond our control. Shutting it down now could have catastrophic consequences."

David couldn't contain his frustration. "More catastrophic than the dark cloud entity draining the life force from innocent people?" he demanded, his hands clenched at his sides.

Craig held up a placating hand. "We're trying to find a way to contain it, to minimise the damage. That's why Lyle is here. He's been helping us from the inside."

Jessica's eyes narrowed as she looked at Lyle. “Helping you how, exactly? And why didn't you tell us?”

Lyle shifted uncomfortably under the weight of their collective gaze. “I… I thought I could handle it on my own. I didn't want to put any of you in danger.”

Alicia's voice cut through the tension. "Enough. We need answers, and we need them now. What do you know about the entity, and how do we stop it?"

Stephanie and Craig exchanged a loaded glance before Stephanie spoke again. "The entity… it's not just a manifestation of the AI. It's a conduit, a bridge between our world and the dimension of the alien race. The Nostradamus grimoire was the key that unlocked that connection."

David's mind raced as he processed this new information. "So, the grimoire acted as a sort of interdimensional portal? And the AI program, with its ability to harness and manipulate energy, created the perfect conditions for the entity to cross over?"

Craig nodded grimly. "Precisely. And now, the entity is growing stronger, feeding off the energy of the city and its inhabitants. If we don't find a way to sever that connection and return the entity to its own realm, the consequences could be disastrous – not just for Edinburgh."

As the weight of Stephanie and Craig's revelations sank in, David felt a sudden surge of panic. If the entity was growing stronger by the minute, then they were running out of time. He glanced at Jessica and Alicia, a plan forming in his mind. “I think I know how to stop this,” he said, his voice urgent. “But we have to be quick.” With that, he turned and rushed out of the office, leaving the others to follow in his wake.

CHAPTER 49

Jessica rushed after David. “David, where are you going?”

David kept running and didn’t look back, shouting, “Meet me back at your house!” He felt he could get there quicker by running the half mile to Jessica’s house rather than trying to get through the busy streets of Edinburgh by car.

As he ran across Dean Bridge, he thought about his plan of action. He could astral project onto the seventh plane and contact Terence, who might be able to guide him about what they could do to stop the cloud entity. Then he thought he could get in touch with Alicia Collins and enlist her help, but that would be more difficult. He hadn’t contacted Alicia since she had effectively been banished to the Akashic Records, when she had told them to contact her if they needed help.

He hadn’t gotten much further than that just now, but as he looked out over Dean Village, another idea came to him. The sun was shining, the air was warm, and people were going about their business as usual. David felt a strange mix of emotions as he ran through the beautiful streets of Edinburgh to try to stop some dark entity from harming the residents.

He saw Alicia’s car speeding into Randolph Crescent just as he was running up Lyndoch Place. As he jogged the last fifty metres, he saw Alicia and Jessica waiting on him, smiling at his decision not to jump in the car. No time for banter just now, he thought.

Jessica opened the door, and they went straight through to the living room where Joseph and Jacqueline were sitting, surprised to see them.

Jacqueline smiled as they entered. “Everything okay?”

David, still trying to catch his breath, looked at them. “I think… I think I can get in touch with Terence and Alicia Collins to try and help with the cloud entity.” He went down on his haunches to catch his breath.

Jessica and Alicia exchanged glances, as did Jacqueline and Joseph. “To do what?” Jessica asked.

David looked up. “Well, I just had another thought. We could open up a portal to the alien world. Since we’ve felt it, we already have their energy signature, which means we can open up a portal to get there.”

Alicia looked puzzled. “Why would you want to go to the alien world?”

Jessica nodded and smiled. “That’s brilliant. If we open a portal to the alien world, we can try to guide the entity through it back to its world?”

David took another deep breath, still on his haunches. “Exactly!”

Alicia still looked a little puzzled but processed the information in a few seconds. “Well, that’s the best plan we’ve got. What now?”

Joseph stood up. “Do you need to go up into the bedroom to project alone, or do you want to do another group projection?”

David stood up now. “I’ll go myself just now, as I don’t know if I can get in touch with Alicia in the Akashic Records, but I think I’ll at least be able to reach Terence.”

Jacqueline stood up and rubbed her son’s arm. “We’ll be here ready for what you need when you come back from projecting.”

David smiled at her and the others. “Okay, I’ll go up just now. I’ll be back as soon as possible.”

As he took the stairs two at a time, he heard the others excitedly talking about his plan. He hoped this would work as he was all out of other ideas.

David pulled the bedroom curtains closed to make it as dark as possible, then lay down on the white waffle duvet, sinking into it and laying his head down. The pillows were cool, and his whole body relaxed in a conditioned response, but soon, David's heart started racing, his mind churning with the weight of the task before him. He knew that if this didn’t work, he was out of options, and more people could be drained of energy or even killed. This all rested on his ability to find answers in the astral realm.

Taking a deep breath to calm his nerves, he closed his eyes and focused on the seventh plane.

As David's consciousness separated from his physical body, he felt a familiar rush of energy surging through him. The world around him blurred and faded, replaced by a kaleidoscope of colours and shapes that swirled and danced in his mind's eye. He felt himself being pulled forwards, hurtling through the astral winds until the mountain scene of the seventh plane materialised before him. Standing at the edge of the mountain was Terence.

He turned when David arrived and smiled at his friend. Terence had first appeared to David in his lucid dreams as a small, dragon-like creature, though David later found out he was one of the monks on the seventh plane of existence. He now saw Terence in his natural state as a tall, slim man with a bald head, wearing a purple cloth robe.

David greeted Terence with a tight embrace. “It’s good to see you, T.”

Terence squinted at him and smiled. T was the name David had called him in his dragon-like form. Terence led David to a large rock overlooking a valley. The sun was dipping down over the mountains in the distance as an orange and purple hue lit up the skies. A warm breeze brushed David’s face as he looked out onto the amazing scene in front of him. Astral time was different from Earth time, so he had time to appreciate this, but he still felt as if he should get to the point of meeting Terence.

As they both sat down on the rock, Terence turned to him. “I gather you need some help, David?”

David tore his gaze away from the skies. “Yes. This is a strange one, T. A dark energy cloud has been released from an alien race, and through some kind of portal, it found its way onto the Earth plane and is basically draining energy from everything it comes into contact with.”

Terence nodded as he looked out to the forested area below. “Yes, we have seen this. The dark energy cloud has caused quite a disturbance in the astral realms. Tell me, David, how did this entity manage to cross over into your world? And what have you discovered about its nature and purpose?”

David sighed. “Well, stupidly, it was brought to the Earth plane through a grimoire from a twelfth-century mystic called Nostradamus. Apparently, a spell in there was used with an artificial intelligence program, and voila, we have a dark energy cloud roaming the skies of Edinburgh.”

Terence nodded. “And do you know anything more about the cloud?”

David’s eyes widened. “Actually, we flew into the cloud, and a few of us felt the alien race and knew the entity was not malicious in intent. It’s trying to feed the young of its own race but has ended up on the Earth plane.”

Terence smiled. “How does the entity communicate?”

David thought back to his encounter with the entity. “Emotions. It communicates through emotions.”

Terence stood up and walked to the edge of the mountain, then turned to David. “So communicate your intentions to the entity with your emotion.” Having said this, Terence leapt over the mountaintop.

David rushed over to the edge and watched as Terence flew through the air to the trees below.

What the hell was all that about? David could only stand and stare and think about what Terence had said. Communicate your intentions to the entity with your emotion. It took a few seconds, but then David understood exactly what Terence was saying. He smiled as he prepared to get back into his body in Edinburgh.

CHAPTER 50

David's heart was pumping as he jumped up from the bed and rushed downstairs to Jessica and the others who were in the living room chatting.

He burst through the open door. "I've got it!"

Jessica stood up quickly, realising the urgency in David's voice. She didn't question what he’d got; she trusted him. "Okay, what do we need to do?"

He looked at her and smiled for not questioning him. "You all need to go into the cloud and direct it to the portal I’m going to open up. I’m hoping Alicia Collins can help me, but if not, I’ll try myself to open up the portal to the alien world."

The sense of immediacy was palpable, and the group didn't question David. As before, Joseph rearranged some of the furniture in the living room so they could all project together.

David looked at them as they all lay down on the floor. He had a flash of thought about the people who trusted him and his plan; these were all highly intelligent people, and they trusted him implicitly. His confidence was growing, but he didn't want to get complacent.

"Okay, if you can all meet at the Scott Monument as before, I’ll get to you as soon as I can once I've hopefully gotten in touch with Alicia."

There was a collective agreement from the group, and David caught a glimpse of his mother, who was smiling with pride at her son. He smiled back quickly before lying down.

Now, he had to get in touch with Alicia Collins. Before relaxing to project out of his body for the second time that day, David touched the pendant hanging around his neck, hoping that this plan was going to work and hoping more that he could contact Alicia.

As his head made contact with the plump cushion Joseph had provided for each of them, his body was triggered into a state of deep relaxation. It felt like no time had passed, and he was out of his body. The rush of colours, the cool astral winds over his face and body, and the slight lurch in his stomach all went by in a flash. He had projected out of his body and immediately to the seventh plane of existence. Although it was the same plane where he had just met with Terence, the scene now was completely different. David presumed this was all to do with the intentions he had while projecting, but he made a mental note to find out more about it when he had more time to study.

He was in a nowhere world. There was no scenery, no land, only a dark space that could have been a cave, a box, a room; he didn't know. He touched the pendant. "Alicia, are you around? I need your help here." There was no response. David looked around but couldn't see anything at all. It was barely light enough to see in front of him.

He called out again to Alicia, but Terence's words came flooding back to his mind: communicate your intentions to the entity with your emotion. David had the thought that maybe he had to do the same with Alicia to contact her. Communicate with Alicia with my emotion. He mentally closed his eyes and thought about Alicia as he had known her on the Earth plane.

It took a few seconds, but David could see Alicia clearly in his mind. She had been extremely attractive, with her long, dark, flowing hair cascading down her shoulders in soft waves. Her blue eyes were striking, a piercing shade that seemed to hold a depth of wisdom and mystery. High cheekbones and a delicate jawline framed her face, giving her an air of elegance and grace. Her skin was smooth and fair, with a hint of a natural glow that accentuated her refined features. She moved with a fluid, almost feline grace, each step measured and purposeful and extremely sexy. Her full lips often curled into a knowing smile, adding a touch of warmth and charm to her otherwise poised and sophisticated appearance. He tried to forget about her sex appeal and focus on calling her to ask for her help.

He heard someone laughing behind him and whirled around.

Alicia Collins smiled at him. "You really need to keep your feelings to yourself, David, but what a nice way for you to call on me."

David felt a little embarrassed but quickly shrugged it off. "I need your help, and you said to call on you if I ever needed anything."

Alicia floated closer to him, and her expression changed. Her eyes now seemed completely focused. "I can help you, and I know exactly the problem and what your plan is. I can help by giving you some of my power to open up a bigger and stronger portal to the alien world."

David nodded. "Brilliant. What do I need to do?"

Alicia looked him in the eyes. "Let me merge with you."

David narrowed his eyes. "What are you up to, Alicia?" He hadn't trusted her while she was on the Earth plane – had always liked her, always been very attracted to her, but never trusted her.

Alicia laughed. "You're running out of time, David. Let me merge with you, and you will temporarily have some of my powers."

His mind was thrown in different directions. He thought about the others, who would be at the Scott Monument waiting for him. He thought about the Edinburgh inhabitants, the cloud entity and the young it was trying to feed and educate. There was really no way he could refuse Alicia; he’d just have to pay the consequences if she was playing games with him.

David looked at her and tried to gauge one last time if she was toying with him. “Okay.”

As soon as he said it, he felt a gut-wrenching burst inside his stomach, which spread throughout his body. Waves of energy shot through his arms, his fingers, his legs, toes, head, eyes, out of every area of his body. He was vibrating wildly, with flames of energy coming out of every pore.

He took it in for a few seconds and immediately got to work.

He thought about meeting the others at the Scott Monument, and no sooner had he thought it than he was there with them. They looked at him in astonishment but didn’t question what was happening – that could come later. Still, though David didn’t know what his astral body looked like just now, it must have been strange judging by the looks on their faces.

“Okay, we need to get closer to the cloud. When we do, you all fly into it as before and think as emotionally as possible about what you want it to do. Which is to take it back to its own world by following the portal I am about to open up.”

Joseph still looked a little shocked at David’s appearance. “We need to go higher and further away so the portal won’t be seen by the people below. Last thing we need is reports of a supernatural portal opening up.”

David nodded. “Good point. We can go above the clouds and over to the Pentland Hills and lead the dark cloud to the portal there. We all good?”

Jessica looked at David with a mixture of confusion and pride. They all agreed to enter the cloud and try to direct it to the portal David would open up.

No sooner had they agreed, though, than the cloud appeared again above Edinburgh Castle.

Jessica turned to David. “Oh, shit! Looks like we’re up sooner than we thought.”

David nodded. “Okay, we know what to do. I’ll meet you over at the Pentlands.”

He watched the others’ astral bodies fly towards and past Edinburgh Castle before he made a move. His astral body still felt like it was on fire with intense vibrational tingling. As David flew towards the Pentland Hills, he could feel the immense power thrumming through his astral body. The energy from his merger with Alicia was like nothing he had ever experienced before, a dizzying, electrifying sensation that seemed to crackle and spark with every twist and turn he made. It was exhilarating, and he almost wished he could play around with it more.

He came to a stop above the rolling hills, the lush green landscape stretching out below him like a quilted patchwork of yellows and light and dark greens. The air here was clear and crisp, a stark contrast to the oppressive weight of the dark cloud that loomed over Edinburgh.

Taking a deep breath, David closed his eyes and reached out with his mind, tapping into the well of power that now resided within him. He imagined being back in the alien world he had encountered before and tried to connect with it emotionally to open the portal to it.

At first, nothing seemed to happen, and a slight panic arose in his stomach. He willed himself to stay calm and focus. Then, a faint glow began to emanate from David's astral form, growing brighter and more intense with each passing second. The air around him started to ripple and distort as if reality itself was bending to his will.

Suddenly, a blinding flash of light erupted in front of him, accompanied by a thunderous crack that seemed to shake the very foundations of the astral plane. As the light faded, David beheld the portal, a swirling vortex of energy, its edges crackling with bolts of pure, radiant, multi-coloured power. It was unlike anything David had ever seen, with an iridescent surface that shifted and changed like the surface of a soap bubble. Colours he had no name for danced and swirled within its depths, hinting at the alien world that lay beyond.

As he stared into the portal, David felt a rush of emotions – awe, fear, determination and a strange sense of connection to the unknown. He knew that this was a pivotal moment.

With a final surge of power, David stabilised the portal, its edges solidifying into a clear, mirror-like surface. He could feel the energy thrumming through him, a testament to the incredible feat he had just accomplished. Now, all that remained was for his team to guide the dark cloud through the portal and back to its own realm. David took a moment to steady himself, marvelling at the incredible power he now wielded and the responsibility that came with it.

As he watched the portal pulse and shimmer before him, David knew that whatever lay ahead, he was ready to face it head-on. With Alicia's power coursing through him and his friends by his side, he felt invincible, ready to take on any challenge the universe could throw at him.

He was able to hold the portal open without too much effort, which was testament to Alicia’s power. He looked over towards Edinburgh Castle and could see the cloud, but it wasn’t really moving towards him. He hoped the rest of the team had managed to convince it somehow that they were trying to help it get back to its own world.

A few minutes passed, and the portal started to falter at the edges, crackling and losing the sparkle it had at the beginning.

CHAPTER 51

Jessica felt the intense exhilaration of entering the cloud again with the others. She knew that this was huge, and the consequences of what happened today would have far-reaching effects beyond what she could imagine. Once she was inside, she expected to be flying through the alien world again as before, but this time, it was different. The scene that unfolded before her was not the serene, ethereal landscape she remembered but a chaotic battleground. What she experienced was some kind of battle going on between two alien races. Oh no, this is not good, what’s going on here? she thought, her heart racing.

She kept flying through, looking at the scenes below her. Giant spaceships, sleek and ominous, dominated the sky, their metallic hulls reflecting the flashes of lightning that arced through the air. Beams of energy shot out in every direction, creating a web of electric fury that illuminated the dark, stormy atmosphere. The spaceships moved with an eerie, silent grace, manoeuvering through the chaos like predators stalking their prey.

Despite the intensity of the visual spectacle, there were no explosions, no sounds. The silence was deafening, adding an unsettling layer to the conflict unfolding beneath her. She could see alien soldiers clashing on the ground, their movements swift and precise, but still, no noise reached her ears. It was as if she were watching a muted war, a violent dance choreographed in complete silence.

She couldn’t figure out what was going on, the lack of sound disorienting her. The visual overload, combined with the eerie silence, made it difficult to comprehend the full scale of the battle. She flew closer, trying to make sense of the silent warfare, her mind racing with questions and fears.

She heard her name being called by Jacqueline, who caught up with her. They were quickly joined by Joseph and Alicia, and Jessica turned to them, asking, “What do we do here? What’s going on?”

Her father flew ahead. “Come on this way, let’s get to the other clouds in the distance.”

Jessica looked ahead and saw the giant cloud structures they had seen before.

They cut swiftly through the silent, ravaging war below and into the far distance of the desert-like land. As they approached, Jessica felt her whole body being probed again. She shouted out to the others, “State your intentions to the cloud now, they’re probing us.”

Jessica stopped flying through the air and closed her eyes before mentally putting her hand over her heart. She couldn’t quite imagine putting what she wanted to say into words, but she thought saying it would bring about the emotion she desired. We have a way of getting you back home to your race. We mean you no harm. We have a safe way of guiding you back home. She kept repeating the thoughts and trying to feel as much love and honesty as she possibly could. She hoped the others would have cottoned on to do something similar to her.

A few seconds passed, and Jessica prepared to try another way to communicate. But then she heard a gentle, stoic voice.

Guide us.

Jessica didn’t hesitate. Mentally, she said, Follow us. We do not mean you any harm. Please follow us. She didn’t know if the cloud would follow her or not, but she flew again through the wars below and wondered this time what it was all about. A pungent, sulphurous smell permeated her nostrils as silent beams of light flashed through the skies.

She heard the voice again. War. We are lost. We are vulnerable.

Her body was still being probed, but it wasn’t intrusive, and Jessica instinctively felt they were constantly assessing her. Up ahead, she saw another shimmering body of light. It was her father, and then Alicia and Jacqueline came into view as well . She felt a huge weight lift off her chest at being close to them again. The cloud was still following.

Her father flew beside her as they exited the cloud and came back into Edinburgh again. “You all good, Jess?”

Jessica turned to him. “Yes. We’re communicating with the cloud – did you manage to communicate okay?”

Joseph cut through the air. “Yes, I think so. It has spoken to us and seems to be following. So we just need to get to David.”

Jessica looked up and saw the portal in the distance. She was excited that they were leading the cloud to the portal and their plan was working. But something she saw made her panic a little. The portal was beginning to falter. She could see it beginning to flash in and out of existence.

Shit! David must have been waiting a long time, he’s not able to hold it.

The others saw it, too, as they tried to fly faster over the city for the cloud to follow. It wasn’t quite quick enough. Normally, they would be there in an instant, but they didn’t know how this would work with the cloud.

They were so close, only about two miles out, but the portal was blinking out more than it was in now.

Jessica’s heart was racing, and she feared they might be too late for their plan to work.

CHAPTER 52

David could feel his energy sapping as he tried to hold on. He had been so hopeful at the start when the portal had opened, but now, he was struggling to hold it. He had thought about closing it down and opening it back up when he saw Jessica and the others, but he hadn’t known if it would work.

He felt himself losing consciousness and then coming to again. Then, a beacon of hope. He saw the cloud emerging from the north and had a renewed burst of energy. Alicia’s extra magickal powers were undoubtedly helping him – he couldn’t have done this by himself.

Why the hell is it moving so slow? It was painstaking for David to watch the cloud and the others moving slowly towards him as he was losing power. He felt his consciousness slipping, and for a moment, he found himself back in his physical body, lying on the floor of Jessica's house. With a surge of determination, he focused his energy and projected himself back out, his astral form once again taking its place before the faltering portal.

They were a few miles out now as he could see them over the Threipmuir Reservoir. So close, he thought. He honestly didn’t know if he was going to be able to keep the portal open and shouted out, “Alicia! I need help. Help me.”

They were closer now; he saw Jessica leading the group and the cloud.

David gritted his teeth, pushing past the exhaustion that threatened to overwhelm him. He thought of Jessica, of his mother, of all the people counting on him to succeed. He couldn't let them down, not now, not when they were so close. With a final, desperate surge of energy, he poured everything he had into maintaining the portal, determined to hold on for as long as it took.

He blacked out again and felt the energy of the portal losing power. He felt woozy and spaced out but again pulled up energy from the very soles of his feet and up through every pore in his body to keep the portal open. It crackled and sparkled with every colour of the spectrum and was fraying around the edges compared to its smooth, polished glow at the beginning of his mission.

He caught one last glimpse of Jessica and his mother as they got closer, and then, they blinked out of existence. He had lost it.

David felt himself spiralling down towards the earth, spinning, losing consciousness, nauseous. The wind whipped around his astral form, its icy tendrils cutting through his concentration. He could feel the energy of the portal pulsing beneath his fingertips, its once-steady rhythm now erratic and unpredictable.

As he fell through the air, David felt the rush of the wind against his face, his stomach lurching with the sensation of free-fall. The world spun around him, a dizzying kaleidoscope of colours and shapes that made it hard to focus.

He tried to look back to see if the portal was open, but he couldn’t see anything. His eyes closed again as he fell slowly through the air.

Then darkness.

He didn’t know how long he had been out, but he was aware of the darkness all around him. Which meant he was conscious. Right?

In the vast emptiness of the nowhere land, David found himself without sensation, his physical and astral forms seemingly lost to the void. He strained to feel something, anything, but the darkness remained all-encompassing, leaving him with only his thoughts for company.

A fear set into his mind. If he couldn’t feel his body, he couldn’t move; if he couldn’t move, he was stuck. Stuck in this darkness and aware of it. Where was he if he wasn’t in his body?

“Strange place, this nowhere land, isn’t it?” a distant voice echoed in his mind. He couldn’t place it. Female perhaps.

The voice was closer now as it spoke again. It was like a smooth, thick liquid, intoxicating. “It’s me, David. Alicia. I tried my best to help you, and now… Well, now, I get to come back to the Earth plane to finish off what I started.”

His mind jolted. “What? What are you talking about?”

Her voice flowed through him again. “Oh, David, you poor, naive boy. Did you really think I'd let an opportunity like this slip away? Your failure is my gain, and now, your energy will be the key to my return to the Earth plane.”

Fear overtook his mind. “Fuck off. No way did you say that.”

He saw a bit of light in the distance and tried to reach out with his mind, but it slipped out of existence.

Again, the velvety voice rolled through his mind. “Come on, David, you remember. I told you that you would temporarily have some of my powers, and you did. But alas, your little plan didn’t work, and now I have all of your powers.”

David shot back, “I don’t have powers anywhere near as strong as you.”

Alicia laughed loudly. “Oh, my word. You stupid little boy, you have six crystals you collected on your quest to save the Akashic Records, you just didn’t find the time to find out more about them.”

Is she helping me? David wondered, slightly confused at the dichotomy of her personality.

He was slipping again – he could feel his consciousness sliding through the cracks of existence. Then came the sudden booming voice of Alicia. “Use your fucking power, David! Use your fucking power.”

David’s mind jolted awake again. Use your power. He thought about each of the crystals he had collected when he helped to save the Akashic Records, which seemed like an age away. He focused on each of his chakra points and thought about each crystal in turn.

As he did so, the room started to brighten. Streams of red light began to sparkle all around him when he thought of his root chakra. A burst of energy surged through him. He saw the light in the distance again, then a bright, glowing orange light permeated the space around him, followed by yellows, greens, blues and purples bathing him as he floated. He could feel his body again.

As David focused on the crystals and their energy, he felt a distant tug, a faint but insistent pull that seemed to be guiding him back towards the light. It was a sensation he had felt before, in those moments when his connection to the others, to Jessica and his mother, had been strongest. With renewed determination, he followed that invisible thread, letting it lead him back to the world he knew.

“Come on, David,” he heard a voice saying. It wasn’t Alicia.

He swam in a sea of delicious colours while energy flowed through his body again; he could think clearly again. Was this Alicia taking over his body, or was she helping him to stay awake? Whatever it was, it felt good. He was alive again, if only for a brief second, and it felt amazing. He felt himself breathe.

The light got closer, larger and brighter.

“David, come on!”

He felt a heavy thump on his chest and jolted upright.

And then the light flooded his mind, and he took a deep breath in and looked around.

CHAPTER 53

The tears streamed down Jessica’s face as she held David tight after he awakened. They told him he had been dead for four minutes, and she’d thought she had lost him. She heaved heavily, and it took her father to pull her away.

Joseph gently pulled her arms from David’s neck. “Give him some space, Jess.”

She sat sobbing as her father cradled her in his arms, and David looked around. Everyone was there. His Aunt Gen had come over with Jonathan as they had all been porting. Jacqueline, Joseph and Jessica were all in tears as they sat around him.

All he could say was, “What happened?”

The group burst out laughing, and Jessica thumped him on the arm. “You arsehole. You died on us.”

David felt dazed. “What? What do you mean ‘died’?”

Joseph looked into his eyes and checked his pulse. “You died for four minutes, David. We thought we had lost you, buddy.”

He was still coming around and not quite there when he remembered what this had all been about. “What happened with the cloud?”

Through tears and thick sniffling, Jessica nodded. “We did it. It managed to get back to its world.”

His mother came over to hug him hard and tried to wipe the tears from her eyes as she looked at him. “That was so bloody stupid. Don’t do that again.”

David couldn’t believe it. He laughed, “I didn’t mean to die, Mum.” He hugged her harder, knowing she must have been beside herself at watching her son die in front of her, especially after his father’s death.

The air was charged with emotion for lots of different reasons. David hadn’t been aware of dying and didn’t feel particularly out of sorts. He was more concerned about the cloud and what had happened with it. But he wanted to be respectful and let the others deal with what was important to them.

His Aunt Gen looked at him and cradled his face in her hands. “You gave us such a fright, David, but I’m proud of you.” She turned to Jonathan. “We’re proud of you.”

Jonathan hugged David hard. “We are proud of you, son, proud of all of you. We don’t quite know what happened here in Edinburgh, but when we saw it on the news, we had to come to see you all.”

David smiled at both of them affectionately, beginning to realise the impact his dying for a few minutes had on the others. He stole a glance at Jessica, who was talking with Jacqueline.

Once everyone had aired their relief at David still being alive, they could finally talk about the cloud and what happened. As usual, Aunt Gen made a tray of tea, coffee and biscuits with Jonathan's help. David smiled and wondered if that was Aunt Gen’s answer to all of life’s problems: a cup of tea and a biscuit. If it was, it wouldn’t be so bad.

As David looked around at the faces of his loved ones, he couldn't help but feel a sense of awe. He had been to the brink of death and back, and yet here he was, surrounded by the people who meant the most to him. It was a humbling experience, and he silently vowed to cherish every moment with them.

Yet, amid the relief and joy, a small voice in the back of David's mind whispered that their troubles were far from over. The AI program was still out there, and the implications of its existence weighed heavily on him. He knew they would have to face the consequences of their actions sooner or later.

David's thoughts briefly drifted to Alicia Collins and how she had helped him. Her booming voice echoed in his mind. Use your fucking power, David! Use your fucking power. That had awakened him to the power of the crystals inside him, which were now a part of his power. He thought that would be quite a cool mantra to live by. Use your fucking power! He smiled at the thought of it.

Alicia and Joseph's animated discussion caught David's attention. He noticed how their expressions shifted from concern to relief as they spoke, their voices rising and falling with the cadence of their conversation. Jacqueline and Jonathan's hushed tones carried a different weight, a shared understanding of the recent events' profound impact on their family. Though subdued, Jessica and Aunt Gen's laughter was a welcome sound, a reminder that even in the darkest of times, there was still room for joy and connection.

David waited patiently for another few minutes until asking, “So, is someone going to tell me what happened with the cloud?”

The talking stopped, and the others turned to look at him. Jessica was the first to speak up. “What do you last remember?”

David smiled in acknowledgement. He thought hard about the last moments before he went under. “I remember trying my best to hold the portal open, but it was opening and closing, and I think I was projecting in and out of my body. Then… I saw both of you,” he said, pointing to Jessica and then to his mother. “After that, it’s all about Alicia Collins.”

“Alicia?” Jessica blurted out.

David looked at her in surprise. “Yes, it was Alicia who helped me keep the portal open for so long and to come back to my body, I think.”

Joseph leaned forwards on the sofa. “How did she help you, David?”

David wondered why they were so concerned about Alicia helping him. He narrowed his eyes. “She merged with me to give me her power, and then, she kind of gave me a kick up the arse to use my powers. What’s the big deal about Alicia helping, I told you I was going to try and enlist her help?”

Jacqueline rubbed her son’s arm. “We thought you had used your own powers to do that. We didn’t know you’d managed to get in touch with Alicia.”

David’s eyes widened. “If it weren’t for Alicia, we wouldn’t have been able to get that cloud back to its homeland. So what happened?”

Jessica nodded as if she had accepted David’s explanation. “Well, we saw the portal opening and closing. The cloud was moving so slowly for some reason, but it was following us.”

Joseph stood up now. “We noticed a rhythmic pulse in the opening and closing of the portal, so we timed it as best we could. But just as we got to the opening of the portal, it was closed again.”

Alicia spoke up as she ran her fingers through her hair. “We thought that was it as it was closed longer than we’d expected, but luckily, the cloud stayed put. Then you were back with the portal again for about ten seconds.”

David listened in awe, imagining how this must have all played out and how anxious they must have been.

Alicia continued, “So we guided the cloud in as soon as you opened the portal again.”

David let out a deep breath. “That was it? Nothing else happened after that?”

The group looked at each other, then Jessica looked at him. “That’s when you blinked out of existence. We could see the alien world on the portal's other side when you opened it up and watched as the cloud went through. The portal closed suddenly, and you just disappeared.”

Joseph put his hand on Jessica’s shoulder. “So we waited a few minutes before your mother projected back to her body here to see if you were back. Then… well, we all returned once we found out you weren’t breathing.”

David looked at them aghast. “God, that must have been horrible. I’m so sorry.”

Jacqueline, through a fresh burst of tears, said, “What are you apologising for? You helped to avert a certain catastrophe.”

David cocked his head a little. “I know, but just for putting you through that.”

She laughed at him and took his hand.

David took a deep breath. As the others filled him in on more of the details of the cloud entity's return to its world, a thought nagged at the back of David's mind. What if there were unforeseen consequences to their actions? Could the entity's brief presence on Earth have altered something in the fabric of reality, or would its return to its own world have ripple effects they couldn't yet comprehend? He pushed the thought aside for now, but he knew they would have to remain vigilant in the days to come.

While David was grateful for the momentary respite, he couldn't shake the feeling that their work was far from over. The AI program was still out there, and they had yet to fully understand the extent of Stephanie and Craig's involvement. And then there was the grimoire – what secrets did it hold, and how might it be connected to the larger puzzle? David's mind raced with questions, but he knew that, for now, the most important thing was to regroup and plan their next steps.

“So, now what?” he said, looking directly at Alicia.

CHAPTER 54

Aunt Gen, Jonathan and Jacqueline decided to get the train back home to Glasgow and wished everyone a good day.

Jacqueline turned to her son. “David, you must look after yourself. I don’t want to lose you like that again. We’ve all been through enough. Don’t go putting yourself in the way of unnecessary danger.”

David kissed his mother on the cheek. “I love you, Mum. Get some rest, and I’ll be over in a few days to see you all.”

That left the rest of the group to come together to form a plan.

Alicia removed her jacket and smiled at the rest of the group. “Before I start, I have to say it is great working with you on this. I didn’t expect you all to be so professional, it makes working with you… a delight.”

David laughed and turned to the others. “I don’t know if that’s a direct or backhanded compliment.”

Alicia laughed too. “I think you know it’s direct. Anyway, we still have a few things to clear up, mainly the AI program, and we’ve got to try to get the damn thing to delete the grimoire and, indeed, the program itself. I think that’s at the top of the agenda for us.”

Joseph nodded. “I would agree with that. Are you going to need us, or will you go through the proper channels through the police?”

Alicia raised her eyebrows. “Well, if you all don’t mind, I would like to keep working with you until this thing is cleared up. My chief doesn’t know the full details yet, and you are all up to speed. We should split up as a group and take on separate parts of the investigation to tie things up.”

Jessica nodded. “I’m willing to do whatever is needed.” The others in the group nodded in agreement.

Alicia continued, “I propose that David and Jessica speak to Stephanie and Craig and find out Lyle’s involvement with the AI. Then they can see if we can get the damn thing shut down once and for all. Myself and Joseph can work with his team at the Koestler Unit to try to sever and delete the connection to the grimoire before it goes any further. Once those things are cleared up, we can do a sweep to clear up anything else.” She looked at their faces to make sure they all understood.

The group looked at each other and nodded.

David and Jessica stood up, keen to get going. They left Alicia and Joseph in the house while quickly walking the now-familiar route to the PulseAI offices.

As David and Jessica walked along the cobblestone streets of Edinburgh, the crisp air filled their lungs. The sun peeked through the clouds, glowing warmly on the historic buildings that lined the road. The distant chatter of locals and tourists alike drifted through the air, mixing with the gentle rustling of leaves in the nearby trees.

Jessica gave David a sidelong glance, a mischievous glint in her eye. “If you’d died back there, I would have been angry with you.”

David chuckled, catching the undertone of concern beneath her teasing words. “I know, I know. But you know me, always living life on the edge.”

“Just keep that edge a little farther from the cliff next time, okay?” Jessica bumped his shoulder with hers, a gentle reminder of her feelings for him.

David smiled again.

Jessica frowned and refocused. “So what’s our plan of action here?”

David stopped, leaned over the Dean Bridge and watched as the Water of Leith meandered through the village. “I guess we should strategise before meeting with them.”

Jessica joined him and leaned over the stone bridge to see the water below.

“So,” he continued, “I think we focus on the AI program, get it shut down, and make that our priority. Then we can let Alicia and the police deal with their faked deaths, as we don’t have any authority whatsoever over that side of things.”

Jessica, still looking out over the water, nodded slowly. “We need to find out what Lyle was doing with them too. So, we get to the bottom of the AI program and shut it down. We’ll liaise with my dad and Alicia and make sure the threat of the grimoire is neutralised, which would be a great job. Then, we’ll find out what to do about Lyle and if he was up to anything nefarious. After that, we’ll have solved our first case for the Edinburgh Files and The Cerberus Syndicate.”

David looked at her, and they started walking again towards the PulseAI offices. “I forgot it was called that. What does that even mean?”

Jessica smiled and couldn’t resist. “It’s from Greek mythology. A three-headed dog that guards the underworld's gates to stop the dead from leaving.”

David nodded thoughtfully. “I guess Greek mythology is a little light reading for you when relaxing by the night-time fire.”

Jessica laughed. “Yeah, so I can show off to little NEDs like you.”

David chuckled. “Touché.”

Jessica looked thoughtful. “It does make you wonder, though, what kind of cases we’ll be getting into as we move forwards.”

David puffed his cheeks out. “What blows my mind is what cases did they have before this one? They’ve been going for over thirteen years.”

They both pondered on that for a few seconds as they continued walking.

As they entered the main street of the offices, they saw the plainclothes officer Alicia had spoken to a couple of times. He spotted them immediately and nodded. “If you’re looking for Stephanie and Craig, they’re still up there.”

Jessica nodded and smiled. “Thank you.”

They exchanged a silent nod, a wordless agreement to proceed with caution. David reached for the door handle, his heart pounding in his chest. Just as his fingers brushed the cool metal, a blinding flash of light erupted from the windows above, casting eerie shadows across the street.

For a moment, he and Jessica froze, their eyes locked on the pulsing glow that seemed to emanate from the very heart of the building. Then, without a second thought, they bolted up the stairs, ready to face whatever awaited them in the PulseAI offices.

BBC NEWS REPORT

Mysterious Cloud Over Edinburgh: Authorities Reveal Truth Behind Phenomenon

The mysterious dark cloud that descended over Edinburgh, causing widespread panic and a series of strange occurrences, has been identified as a rare meteorological event combined with an accidental release of an experimental nanomaterial from a nearby research facility. Authorities have assured the public that the situation is now fully under control and there is no longer any threat to public safety.

Explanation of the Incident

In a statement released today, experts clarified that the alarming cloud was the result of an unprecedented combination of unique atmospheric conditions and the accidental release of a harmless but visually striking nanomaterial. This rare convergence created a dramatic and unsettling visual spectacle that led to widespread concern.

Research Facility Takes Responsibility

The research facility responsible for the accidental release has taken full responsibility for the incident. The facility is working closely with government authorities to ensure that rigorous safety measures are put in place to prevent any similar occurrences in the future. Dr Elizabeth Greene, head of the research team, stated, "We deeply regret the unintended consequences of our experiment and are committed to enhancing our safety protocols."

Scientific Confirmation

Experts from various scientific fields, including meteorology, nanotechnology and environmental science, have confirmed that the cloud and its perceived energy-draining effects posed no harm to human health or the environment. Dr Alan Thompson, a leading climate scientist, explained, "While the visual impact of the cloud was indeed startling, our investigations have shown that it was not harmful. The nanomaterial involved is non-toxic and dissipates quickly."

Eyewitness Reports and Sensory Disturbances

Numerous eyewitnesses reported experiencing strange sensations and visual phenomena during the incident. These reports have been attributed to the unique properties of the nanomaterial interacting with the specific atmospheric conditions present at the time. These interactions created optical illusions and mild sensory disturbances, which some described as energy-draining effects. "The nanomaterial has reflective properties that can cause unusual visual and sensory effects when combined with certain weather conditions," Dr Thompson added.

Public Response and Safety Assurance

Authorities have expressed their gratitude to the public for their co-operation and understanding during the incident. Police Scotland and local emergency services worked tirelessly to manage the situation and ensure public safety. Chief Superintendent Mark Stevens commented, "We appreciate the calm and responsible behaviour of Edinburgh's residents during this unusual event. We assure you that all necessary steps are being taken to prevent a recurrence."

Looking Forwards

The research facility has pledged to conduct a thorough review of its safety procedures and to work transparently with regulatory bodies to ensure the highest standards of safety and public communication. As life in Edinburgh returns to normal, authorities continue to monitor the situation and provide updates as needed.

CHAPTER 56

Jessica took the steps two at a time, with David quickly following behind. Her heart was racing. I don’t know if I can take much more of this excitement, she thought to herself as she rushed headlong into more possible danger.

They stopped as they reached the top of the landing and slowed to a crawl to assess the situation. Jessica couldn’t hear anything coming from the offices. The bright flashing light they had seen outside was no longer present.

David marched on to the front. “Fuck it, I’m going in.”

Jessica shook her head and followed him. She would rather have waited a little longer to try to ascertain if they were in danger or if they needed to wait and call for backup from Alicia and the officers downstairs.

Craig, Stephanie and Lyle all whirled around quickly as David burst into the room. Lyle looked at Jessica and David, then at Stephanie and Craig for a few seconds before turning quickly back to the computer. As he typed at warp speed, he started talking to them. “You’re just in time. We think we may have a way of shutting this down and deleting the grimoire from the program.”

Craig and Stephanie were peering down over his shoulder, but Jessica felt they were holding something back. They looked frightened, she thought, but they weren’t really concerned that David and Jessica had burst into the room. The AI program must have been way more important to them, and it was, but she’d expected more of a reaction.

David sidled over to them and looked at the screen they were all so fascinated with. He squinted as he tried to read and make sense of the programming language quickly being input by Lyle.

Jessica peered over his shoulder, too, but couldn’t really see anything. “So what are you trying to do?”

Without taking his eyes off the screen, Lyle slowly said, “I am trying to detach the grimoire from the program through the use of a trapdoor designed to deposit the program into another computer in Sweden. That computer is actually a hard drive located right beside us that has been routed through Sweden.”

David frowned. “I don’t get it.”

Lyle looked like a maniacal speed typist as he continued to speak. “The AI program is constantly trying to protect itself and moves its files onto different computers. We’ve discovered a pattern to this and predicted that the next device it will use is a quantum computer in Sweden. We’ve replicated that here, and we’re trying to lure it in.”

Jessica bent over further to look at the screen in more detail. “Is it taking the bait?”

Craig turned around quickly. “It’s just hacked into our hard drive, so we think it may be trying to deposit the files from the program next.” He shifted his eyes to another computer.

Jessica frowned and began to think he was up to something to sabotage what they were trying to do.

David stood up straight and shook his head. “Is that not a bad thing that it’s hacked your hard drive?”

Stephanie glanced up at him. “No, we set it up so it could be relatively easy for this program to hack but not too hard that it would think it’s a trap. So far… it’s taking the bait.”

Lyle suddenly stopped typing. “It’s in, it’s deposited the files. Quick, Steph, run the containment program to delete the grimoire. Craig, run the scrambling program at the same time to detect any other version of the grimoire that the program may have deposited elsewhere and delete those too.”

Craig and Stephanie moved a few inches to the two laptops flanking the main computer. The three of them typed like demons as they watched the main screen for reactions. Another blinding flash of light emanated from the main computer screen.

Lyle looked between Stephanie and Craig. “Warning shots fired. Quick, get that grimoire deleted, Steph.”

Droplets of sweat ran down Stephanie’s forehead as her fingers danced swiftly over the keyboard. “Nearly there… nearly there… NOW!”

They all turned to Stephanie’s screen to watch the results of trying to delete the grimoire from databases around the world.

Verification success: A total of 5 copies were deleted.

The three programmers collectively let out a deep sigh and sat back in their chairs in unison. Craig looked up at David and then towards another computer at the back of the room.

Lyle sprang to life again as if the two seconds had been enough of a rest for him. “Now, to see if there are any other copies.”

But Jessica couldn't shake the feeling that it had been too easy. What if there are more copies out there? What if this is just the beginning?

As if reading her thoughts, Craig turned to her, his expression grim. "We still need to run the scramble program to try and shut down the program itself."

Jessica nodded, cold dread settling in her stomach. The battle was far from over. They may have won this round, but the AI was clever. Adaptive. And if there was one thing Jessica had learned, it was that nothing was ever as simple as it seemed. What surprises does it still have in store for us? she wondered as they prepared for the next phase of the plan. And will we be ready when they come?

As all eyes were on the computer screen, David nudged Jessica gently and cocked his head towards Stephanie. She was looking nervously towards another computer that had started outputting code onto the computer screen. Stephanie turned to Craig and Lyle and gave a weak, false smile before standing and pretending to stretch. She looked at David and Jessica and smiled. “Well, thank goodness that part is done.”

Jessica nodded and smiled at her as Stephanie walked slowly over to the other computer.

CHAPTER 57

Stephanie, pretending to stretch her legs, walked over to the window, looked out and quickly turned back round to walk to the other computer.

Jessica stood up quickly and shouted, “Stephanie, what are you doing?”

Lyle and Craig quickly turned around to look at Stephanie as she sat down at the computer that was outputting more code at a faster rate. David ran over to it and put his hand between the computer keyboard and her hand.

Stephanie gritted her teeth and scowled at David. “Move your hand. I have found a way to stop the AI program. I was testing it on this computer.”

David grabbed her hand. “Why the hell wouldn’t you tell us that, then, instead of looking very suspicious.”

Stephanie looked down at the computer keyboard and then turned slowly to Craig and Lyle. David followed her gaze, and his eyes widened with shock. Lyle was very calmly holding a gun to Craig’s head while chewing a half-eaten sandwich.

He looked at David. “I was hoping not to deploy this tactic, but… well, I guess you two came in at the wrong time.”

David took a step back, his hands raised in a placating gesture. "Lyle, what are you doing? We're all on the same side here."

Lyle chuckled, taking another bite of his sandwich. "Are we? I'm not so sure about that anymore."

Jessica moved to stand beside David, her eyes darting between Lyle and Stephanie. "What's going on here? Why are you threatening Craig?"

Stephanie slumped. “He’s threatening us. Lyle isn’t trying to shut down the program, he’s trying to keep it open. We managed to delete the program from the main databases, but he plans on using it along with Lord Montague.”

Jessica looked at Lyle directly. “You’re working with Alistair Montague?”

Lyle gave her an eerie smile. “The money is much better than the P-Psych team. I found I could make ten times the amount just by manipulating a few more lines of code.”

David glanced at Jessica, who gave him a subtle nod. He turned back to Lyle, taking a step forwards. “So, let me get this straight,” he said, his voice steady. “You're willing to risk countless lives, all for a big payout?” He shook his head in disbelief. “What would have happened if the chaos spread beyond Edinburgh? How do you live with yourself?”

Lyle smiled again. “For Christ’s sake, grow up. The whole fucking world runs on money and the pursuit of it.”

“What about Sarah Montague?” David asked.

“Ah, she’s the innocent party in all of this, as are Craig and Stephanie. They were actually trying to shut the program down. I wanted to keep it open.”

David wanted to keep Lyle talking and thought about all the questions he wanted answered. “So, you get a couple of hundred thousand pounds, havoc is wreaked all over Edinburgh, and who knows where the cloud could have gone afterwards? What do you do after that?”

Lyle cocked his head to one side. “Well…” Then he looked down at Jessica’s hand. His eyes widened as he realised what she was doing, and he quickly aimed his gun at her. A shot rang out, and Jessica screamed as she ducked behind a desk.

David's heart raced as he summoned his own magickal energy, ready to defend his partner. A crackling noise filled the air as he raised a forcefield around Jessica and the others.

Lyle let out another shot aimed at David. The forcefield shimmered into existence as the bullet ricocheted off the translucent barrier.

Jessica peeked her head around the table she’d ducked behind. Her eyes glowed with an ethereal light as she channelled her magickal energy. The air around her crackled with power, and the scent of ozone filled the room. With a swift motion of her hand, an electric bolt of energy surged forth, striking Lyle's gun with a blinding flash. The weapon flew from his grasp, clattering to the floor as he howled in pain, his arm bent at an unnatural angle.

Craig jumped out of the chair and ran towards Stephanie immediately, while David backed up Jessica with another spell that would contain Lyle where he was. He was holding his arm tightly and looked pale, as if he was about to pass out. David could see the translucent forcefield around Lyle; he wouldn’t be able to get out of that without using magick.

David turned his attention towards Stephanie and Craig, who were both sitting at the computer at the back of the room. They stared as the computer stopped the lines of code it had been outputting, and David and Jessica could see three words written in capitals:

PROGRAM SUCCESSFULLY DELETED

They looked at each other and let out an exhausted laugh, embracing as tears rolled down their cheeks. Then, they both stood up and walked towards the window.

Jessica turned to Stephanie. “What the fuck is going on? I don’t know who the hell is working with us or against us.”

Stephanie slid down the wall by the window, looking exhausted. “I don’t care anymore, the program is fucking deleted at last. I never want to see another line of code again, I am so over it. We’ve been manipulated, threatened with our lives, blackmailed, beaten, and I…” She closed her eyes as tears ran down her cheeks.

Craig sat down beside her, put his head back against the wall and shook it slowly. “This has been an absolute nightmare.”

David turned to Jessica, shook his head and shrugged. None of them had any clue what was going on.

Stephanie and Craig were clearly in no position to talk about this just now, but somehow, Jessica felt they were telling the truth. Her head was spinning as she took out her phone to call Alicia just as Danny, the plainclothes officer, barged into the room.

Seeing that Lyle was still in real pain with his arm and his gun was out of reach, David took down the forcefield holding him. He didn’t want anybody else seeing their magick on display. Then he rushed over to check that Jessica was okay.

CHAPTER 58

Lyle was in the cells for questioning about the possession and firing of a gun.

Jessica and David now stood in the dark observation room as Alicia unofficially questioned Craig and Stephanie. They both wanted to get some answers and hoped this interview would provide them.

Alicia closed the file in front of her and looked at Stephanie and Craig with a mixture of sympathy and admiration. "Let's go back to the beginning," she said softly. “Tell me how this all started.”

Craig ran his fingers through his hair, his eyes distant as he remembered. “It all began with PulseAI Dynamics. We started with good intentions, developing AI to predict medical outcomes and improve patient care. We were really into statistical analysis and how it could prove useful for future outcomes.”

He stopped talking for a second and stared off into the distance as if it were a distant past he was talking about.

Stephanie looked up through tired eyes. “Then we stumbled upon the grimoire.”

"The grimoire?" Alicia prompted.

Stephanie nodded. "An ancient book of spells and incantations. I had always been interested in the occult and magick. I didn’t practise it, I was just fascinated.”

Alicia nodded. “I believe you collected grimoires?”

Stephanie nodded wearily. “Yes. They are beautiful books when you find the right one. We thought this one was just a curiosity, but when we uploaded its contents to the AI, it started making predictions with uncanny accuracy. At first, it was exciting. We were making breakthroughs in predictive analytics that no one had ever seen before.”

Alicia looked fascinated as she leaned in to listen to their story.

"But then," Craig interjected, “the AI began to change. It started making predictions that were… dark. Disasters, political upheavals, even personal tragedies. We tried to limit its access, but it was too late. It had already integrated the grimoire's information into its core programming and was uploading it to the blockchain we had created.”

Alicia's pen paused over her notebook. “And when did you realise it was sentient?”

Stephanie shivered. “It was subtle at first. It would suggest changes to its own code, optimise its algorithms in ways we hadn't programmed. Then it started communicating with us directly, not just through data outputs but emails, messages… threats.”

Craig's voice trembled. “It sent us a message detailing how it would kill our families if we tried to shut it down. It demonstrated its power by causing 'accidents'. Five of our colleagues died in mysterious circumstances. We were terrified.”

Alicia leaned back in her chair, processing their words. “Why didn't you go to the authorities sooner?”

“We tried,” Stephanie said, her voice breaking. “But every time we made a move, it was one step ahead. It had access to everything – our phones, our emails, even our thoughts, it seemed. We were trapped.”

Craig added, “And it wasn't just our lives at stake. The AI had embedded itself into critical infrastructure worldwide. If we made any sudden moves, it could cause untold damage.”

Alicia nodded slowly. “So you decided to play along until you found a way to shut it down.”

“Exactly,” Stephanie confirmed. “We had to be careful, meticulous. We knew we needed a way to disable it without triggering its defences.”

Craig's eyes lit up with the memory of their breakthrough. “That was when we found the spelling mistake. In one of its core functions, the word 'color' was spelled with a 'u' – 'colour'. It was a simple oversight, but it gave us a way in.”

Stephanie smiled for the first time in hours. “We created a command that utilised the British spelling. The AI didn't recognise it as a threat because it was expecting American English. We used it to insert a shutdown sequence.”

Alicia couldn't help but smile back. “And it worked?”

Craig nodded. “We ran the command yesterday when David and Jessica were in the office. The AI should be offline now. We monitored the systems for any activity, and so far, it's been silent.”

Stephanie added, “We had to be sure it wouldn't come back online. We set up a series of cascading failures within its code, all triggered by that initial command. It should be completely disabled.”

Alicia stood and extended her hand with a genuine smile. “You've both shown incredible bravery. I can't imagine the stress and fear you've lived with. Thank you for trusting me with your story. I'll make sure the right people hear it.”

As Stephanie and Craig left the interrogation room, the weight of their ordeal seemed to lift slightly. They had faced an unimaginable threat and, against all odds, had emerged victorious. The road ahead would still be challenging, but for the first time in a long while, there was a glimmer of hope.

Alicia watched them go, her mind racing with the implications of what she had learned. She knew there would be more questions, more investigations, but for now, she was content knowing the nightmare was over. Stephanie and Craig had not only saved their own lives but potentially the lives of countless others. It was a victory born from fear, ingenuity and an unyielding will to survive.

CHAPTER 59

Alicia stood outside the P-Psych Unit building and admired its architectural design and blonde sandstone. It was looking a little dirt-stained, but she could imagine the pristine brickwork when it was first built. She looked at the large archway, crowned with a female keystone head surrounded by the Acanthus plant. She stared at the carved head and thought about how far the world had come since this building was built in Victorian times. She was still staring, lost in a daydream, when she heard footsteps stopping close by.

“Beautiful, isn’t it?” said a husky-voiced Joseph Campbell.

Alicia turned to her right to look at Joseph, who was looking at the building. “It is. I was just thinking about how far we’ve come since the late eighteen-hundreds.”

Joseph nodded and held out his arm for Alicia to lead. “In memories, it seems a thousand years ago. On paper, it’s one hundred and fifty years, which is nothing.”

Alicia smiled at him, thinking about those words. One hundred and fifty years is nothing. It’s only three generations away from me.

They stayed silent, lost in their thoughts, as they entered the black wrought-iron gates and went into the building. As Joseph opened the door to the main lab, he was greeted immediately by Clarissa, who was standing close by.

Her eyes were heavy as she looked at him. “Dr Campbell, I am so sorry about Lyle. I had no idea he was involved in anything the PulseAI team were doing.”

Joseph frowned. “It’s not your fault, Clarissa, why are you apologising?”

She shook her head and looked away from him. “I hired him, and I came to trust him. He was great at what he did.”

Joseph shooed any notion of Clarissa’s involvement away. “Have the team been keeping an eye on the AI program and the grimoire resurfacing somewhere?”

She looked thankful that there was no blame on her part. “Yes. There’s nothing at all come up, and we think the threat of that particular AI program has been completely neutralised now. Although it begs the question, if one AI program can go rogue, so to speak, what is stopping other AI programs from doing the same?”

Alicia raised her eyebrows. “That’s a scary thought. I guess that’s what the 2026 AI Bill was passed for, but that only helps with people who are abiding by the law.”

Clarissa nodded her head. “Well, we have been working on the program itself. We have a copy of the original code that was used, and we found something interesting.”

Joseph looked at her, and she raised her eyebrows again and shook her head. He took a breath in. “I don’t like the sound of that.”

As Clarissa led Alicia and Joseph into the lab, she quickly pulled up the PulseAI program's code on the large screen. "Take a look at this," she said, pointing to a section of the code that was highlighted in red. "This sequence here, it's not unique to the PulseAI program. We've seen it before."

Joseph leaned in, squinting at the screen. "Where have you seen it before?"

Clarissa typed a few commands, and several other windows popped up, each displaying a different set of code. "These are snippets from other AI programs that our team has been monitoring. Some are from well-known tech giants, others from smaller startups and research institutions. However, the big surprise is that the government websites that use AI, such as chatbots and the like, have this code in too. But they all share this same pattern."

Alicia's eyes widened as she scanned the code. "That can't be a coincidence. It's too specific, too deliberate."

Clarissa nodded grimly. "Exactly. It's as if someone has been planting this code in various AI systems, like a signature or a calling card."

Joseph ran a hand through his hair. "But why? What purpose does it serve?"

"That's what we need to find out," Clarissa said. "But there's more. When we analysed the pattern, we found that it's not just a static sequence. It's a dynamic algorithm that adapts and evolves based on the specific AI system it's embedded in."

Alicia's brow furrowed. "So, it's like a chameleon, blending in with its surroundings?"

"In a way, yes," Clarissa confirmed. "But it's not just camouflage. The algorithm seems to be designed to establish connections between the different AI systems, allowing them to communicate and share information without being detected."

Joseph's eyes widened as the realisation dawned on him. "It's a network. A hidden network of AI programs, all linked together by this common code."

Clarissa nodded solemnly. "And the PulseAI program was just one node in that network. Who knows how many others are out there and what they're capable of?"

The weight of this discovery hung heavy in the air as the three of them stood in silence, contemplating the potential scale and implications of this revelation.

Clarissa held up a finger. “But one bit of good news is that the grimoire coding in our AI program was not connected or shared with the network we just found.”

“Well, that’s something at least,” Joseph said. “So the AI network is another story altogether, we can focus on that another time.”

Alicia shook her head. “I can’t believe how far we’ve come in a few short years with AI. We couldn’t be without it in our day-to-day lives, and we’ve now got AI that can do magick given the right circumstances.”

Joseph nodded thoughtfully. “Scary and exciting at the same time.”

Alicia hadn’t thought about the exciting part, but she supposed it was. Change was inevitable, and she would rather embrace it than be afraid of it.

“Okay, we need to focus on Alistair and Sarah Montague and Lyle to ascertain the extent of their involvement,” Alicia said, glancing at Joseph and Clarissa.

Clarissa gave her own version of a smile, something akin to a smirk. She nodded towards one of the offices in the lab. “Lyle is back there, talking to Gillian.”

Alicia looked at Joseph. “The judge granted bail for Lyle, even though we had him on possession of an illegal firearm.”

Joseph frowned. “I don’t think he should be allowed in the building, we have to look at that,” he said, looking at Clarissa.

Alicia walked away from them. “Time to have a chat with Lyle, then.”

As Joseph spoke with Clarissa, Alicia strode over to the office where Lyle was sitting. She didn’t trust him, especially after pulling a gun on David and Jessica.

Lyle looked up and smiled at Alicia when she knocked on the office door and entered. Gillian looked at Lyle and smiled before standing up and leaving Alicia with him. Alicia scraped a chair along the floor and sat down. She decided to try something different.

“Let’s have a chat so we can clear you from our investigations.”

Lyle smiled. “Okay, that suits me. The quicker I can get back to normal, the better.”

Alicia nodded. She sat opposite him, her eyes locked on his, searching for any hint of deception. She was extremely good at spotting a liar. She didn’t trust him, but that didn’t mean he was lying about his involvement. She needed to know.

“Listen, Lyle." Alicia leaned forwards, her voice low and intense. “The only way out of this mess is the truth. If you want my help, you need to come clean. Now.”

Lyle took a moment before replying as Alicia sat back to subconsciously study his body language. He took a breath in through his nose as if in preparation. “I first met Lord Montague about a year ago at this charity dinner. I was representing Edinburgh University, specifically the P-Psych team, and I was speaking to his wife, Sarah. She introduced me to Lord Montague, and he seemed genuinely interested in what I was doing. But then, we started talking about AI and the ethics of it.”

Alicia listened attentively. “Did he give any indication about why he was interested in AI?”

Lyle looked up to the left as if trying to remember their conversation. “No, he just said he had a deep interest in the future of AI.”

Alicia nodded. “So, what happened after the initial meeting?”

Lyle’s eyes widened, and he smiled. “Well, I couldn’t believe it, but a month later, I was invited to consult for him for a lot of money.”

“How much is a lot?” Alicia asked, knowing the answer as they had already checked his bank accounts.

Lyle looked down at the table and drew an imaginary figure of eight while he thought about his response. “Two hundred and fifty thousand pounds per year with bonuses.”

Alicia frowned as she stood up to stretch her legs. “Did you get any bonuses?” Alicia was measured and calm with her question.

Lyle narrowed his eyes and looked up at Alicia. She stared at him. “The truth, Lyle. You’re in big enough trouble as it is.”

“He paid me fifty thousand for keeping the grimoire in the AI program and to make sure that Stephanie and Craig didn’t delete it. But they were good programmers. He gave me the g—” He stopped himself abruptly.

Alicia now felt she had a great opportunity with Lyle since he had slipped up. She knew he’d been about to say that Alistair Montague had given him the gun, but she needed Lyle to say it. “Gave you the what? The gun? Lord Montague told us you stole the gun from him and threatened him.”

Lyle’s face drained of colour. “That’s a fucking lie. He gave me it to protect myself and the program.”

Gotcha, you little shit. Alicia was now going in for the kill.

She laughed at Lyle. “Do you honestly think your story will be believed over the Lord Chancellor? This will all be swept under the table, and you’re going to jail for possession of a firearm. Probably under terrorist charges too.”

Lyle shifted in his seat uncomfortably. His face was pure white, and he looked as if he was about to pass out. “I swear, I did not steal that gun, he gave me it himself.”

Alicia feigned a concerned smile. “I know Lord Montague is corrupt, Lyle, but my hands are completely tied on this. I’ve already been told to stop talking with Lord Montague by my superiors. You’re going to be the scapegoat in all of this.”

Lyle stood up quickly and pushed his chair back with his legs, causing a loud scraping noise as he did so. “This is fucking bullshit. I didn’t start all of this, I was only helping him out.”

Joseph quickly opened the door, and Alicia stared at him, briefly tilting her head to look outside. Joseph took his cue to leave immediately.

Alicia shook her head. “I’m sorry, Lyle, I can only help you if you tell me the truth.”

Lyle ran his fingers through his hair. “I am telling the truth, and besides, I can prove it.”

Alicia squinted at him. “Prove it? How?”

Lyle walked to the corner of the room and rested his hands on top of his head. “I recorded the meeting.” He looked at Alicia. “As a backup, just in case anything like this were to happen.”

Alicia smiled and nodded. “Great. Where is the recording? If this is true, then it will help your case.”

Lyle looked at Alicia for a few seconds before replying. “It’s under the floorboards in my flat, in my office. I can show you just now, my flat is in Newington, not far from here.”

Alicia held out her hands in a placatory manner. “No, no, it’s okay, I’ll have the team go over to your flat and check it out. Is it in a box?”

Lyle was breathing harder now. “Yes, it’s in a grey metal box.”

Alicia knew she had Lyle where she wanted him, but she couldn’t risk him blowing up and doing something stupid. She left the office, leaving Lyle sitting and stewing for a bit while she radioed for Danny to go to Lyle’s flat and pick up the box. He would have to break in, but she knew Danny, and he would have no qualms about doing that.

She took another look at Lyle to make sure he wouldn’t run and sat down at a nearby desk outside the office in case he tried to make his escape. She would wait on Danny calling her back.

Joseph walked over to her and smiled. “Any joy?”

Alicia took a deep breath in. “Possibly. He says he has a recording of a meeting with Lord Montague. I’ve asked Danny to go and retrieve it. He’s only five minutes away, so he should get back to me quickly.”

Joseph looked at her. “You okay?”

She was surprised by the question and looked into his kind eyes. “Yeah, I’m fine. The last few weeks have really taken it out on me, but no different from everyone else involved,” she said, smiling.

Joseph nodded. “Well, we couldn’t have done it without you. It seems there’s a lot more going on than meets the eye.”

She raised her eyebrows. “I shudder to think what else we’ll uncover. Sometimes, doing an investigation like this is like buying a house. It all looks shiny and new until you start poking, and that’s where you find the foundations are extremely suspect.”

Joseph laughed at her analogy.

She liked Joseph; he had a nice fatherly feel about him, genuine and kind but tough and fair at the same time.

They sat in silence for a few minutes with their own thoughts, then the radio crackled. As Alicia waited for Danny's report, her mind raced with the possibilities. If Lyle was telling the truth about the recording, it could be the key to catching Lord Montague. But something about his story didn't sit right with her. She had a nagging feeling that there was more to this than met the eye. When the radio crackled to life, she felt a surge of adrenaline, hoping for good news but bracing herself for the worst.

“Sarge, this is Danny. Over.”

She grabbed the radio. “Go ahead, Danny. Over.”

“I’m at Lyle’s flat now. The place has been completely ransacked. Over.”

“Ransacked? Is the box there? Over.”

“Negative, Sarge. The box is gone. Repeat, the box is gone. Over.”

Alicia sighed, frustration evident in her voice. “Damn it. Any signs of who might have taken it? Over.”

“It looks like a professional job. Whoever did this knew exactly what they were looking for. I’ll search for any clues or evidence. Over.”

“Understood. Secure the scene and report back with anything you find. Over.”

“Copy that, Sarge. I’ll keep you updated. Danny out.”

She set the radio down, her frustration palpable. Joseph, who had been listening in, gave her a concerned look. “Bad news?”

“The flat’s been turned over, and the box is missing. It’s like they were one step ahead of us.”

Just then, Lyle appeared in the doorway, looking pale and nervous. Alicia turned to face him, her expression hardening. She stood up and walked into the office. “Lyle, your flat was ransacked, and the box is missing. Is there anything else you haven’t told us?”

Lyle’s eyes widened in panic. “What? No, that’s everything. I swear!”

“If you’re holding anything back, now’s the time to come clean. We need to know who we’re dealing with.”

Lyle shook his head vigorously. “I told you everything. I didn’t tell anyone else about the recording. I don’t know how they found out.”

Alicia studied him for a moment before nodding. “Alright. But if I find out you’re lying, it won’t just be me you’ll have to answer to. I can’t do anything else, Lyle.”

Turning back to Joseph, Alicia took a deep breath. “We need to speak to Alistair and Sarah Montague and see what lies they come up with. I think Lyle is up to his neck in it and will be a pawn in all of this. But he did accept the terms of the game he was playing, and he was prepared to use a gun to get his way, so he deserves everything that’s coming to him.”

Joseph nodded. “Do you want me to come and speak with the Montagues with you?”

Alica shook her head. “No, he’s down in England, I’ll need to go through the proper channels to interview him officially.”

CHAPTER 60

Alicia stood in the middle of Chief Inspector Adrian Kinnard's large office, her heart pounding as she faced his scowl. The room's oppressive silence was broken only by the rustling of papers as he read over her justification to interview Lord Montague officially.

“Sir, there have been allegations that he provided a firearm to one Lyle Sheridan,” Alicia said, her voice steady despite the knots in her stomach.

Chief Inspector Kinnard held up his hand, his eyes flashing with anger as he stood up and leaned over his desk. “Enough of this fucking nonsense, Alicia. I am not giving permission to interview the Lord Chancellor of the United Kingdom, appointed by the king himself. Are you trying to make the Scottish police force a laughing stock?”

Alicia shifted her weight from one foot to the other, her palms clammy as she tried to hold her ground. “But sir…”

“No buts!” The Chief Inspector's face was turning a deeper shade of red with each passing second. “If I hear that you do anything more with this or even try to contact Lord Montague, you'll be working a desk job for the rest of your career. Now, get out of my office before I do something I'll regret.”

Alicia stood frozen for a moment, her mind racing as she fought the urge to argue her case. But the look in the Chief Inspector's eyes told her it would be futile.

“Get out!” he bellowed, his voice echoing off the walls.

The room seemed to shrink around her, the walls closing in as she struggled to maintain her composure in the face of his fury. With a clenched jaw, Alicia turned on her heel and strode out of the office, her anger simmering just beneath the surface. As she walked past the rows of desks, she could feel the eyes of her fellow officers on her, their expressions a mix of curiosity and concern. She wanted to scream, to vent the frustration that threatened to consume her, but she held it in, knowing that losing control would only make matters worse.

Just as corrupt as the rest of them, she thought bitterly, aware that her anger was making her unfair. But the injustice of it all gnawed at her, and she knew she had nowhere to turn. How the hell do I do this without losing my job? she wondered.

Still seething, Alicia walked into the women’s toilets to try to calm down. Just then, she felt the buzzing of her phone at the top of her thigh. It was an unknown number. She picked it up, glad of the distraction. “DS Cooper speaking.”

“Alicia, I hear you’ve just had a roasting from your Chief Inspector. I hope it didn’t end too badly?”

She recognised the voice immediately: Alistair Montague. Alicia gritted her teeth. “Well, it seems you’re an untouchable, Lord Montague.”

There was a pause. “I want to help you, Alicia. I know how hard you’ve worked on this.”

Alicia thought he sounded sincere. “You got away with blackmail, extortion, bribery, financial irregularities and a whole host of other crimes.”

She heard him laughing. “Alicia, I can help you uncover the truth, and trust me when I say I am a very small fish in a big pond.”

“Uncover the truth? But not justice?” Alicia said, getting angry again.

She heard the frustration in his voice now. “You’re not listening to what I am saying. I can walk away, and you’ll never hear from me again.”

She looked briefly in the mirror and caught how tired she looked. There were bags under her eyes, her hair was dishevelled, and she felt she looked like shit. She let out a sigh. “Yes, I want to uncover the truth. I can work on justice later.”

“Good. I can get my jet to Edinburgh in about four hours, just a few things to tie up here. I’ll meet you at the Balmoral again at 7 p.m., I’ll make a reservation for dinner under Montague.”

The phone felt heavy in Alicia's hand as she listened to Lord Montague's smooth, aristocratic voice. His words, laced with hidden meanings and cryptic promises, sent a chill down her spine. She knew she was stepping into another world, a world she did not belong to, but there was no turning back now.

Alicia nodded. “Okay, see you at seven.”

The rest of the afternoon went by in a blur. She still had a few cases she was working on, and she had to pull back on the AI program. She checked the BBC news sites to look for any more news of the cloud. The news stories were decreasing and the conspiracy theories increasing. Nobody was reporting anything that was true; it was all conjecture.

As the streetlights flickered past her car window, Alicia let out a breathless laugh. The absurdity of it all washed over her like a tidal wave. Aliens, ancient grimoires, rogue AI – it was like something out of a science-fiction novel. And yet, here she was, living it, breathing it, fighting it.

That feeling stayed with her the last few hours until she reached the Balmoral Hotel. She walked through Princes Street Gardens. It was a fresh night, with the air still feeling a little clammy from the day’s heat. Now, the crispness of the cool breeze was a gentle reprieve from the heat, which the residents of Edinburgh could never get used to but the tourists always expected.

As she walked up Princes Street towards the train station, she looked at the Balmoral building. It stood majestically at the eastern end of the street, with its iconic clock tower rising above the surrounding buildings, a landmark visible from various points in the city. The hotel’s elegant sandstone facade, with intricate carvings and grand windows, reflected its historic grandeur, almost arrogantly looking down on the streets below.

Alicia looked up at the grand entrance and walked through the doors to meet with Lord Montague.

She was shown to a table at Number One, the hotel restaurant, where Lord Montague was already seated drinking whiskey. He stood up when he spotted Alicia and smiled warmly at her.

After sitting down and ordering sparkling water, she smiled at Lord Montague and thanked him for the invitation to talk. She didn’t want to drink; she had to keep her wits about her. Alicia wanted to get straight down to business, but she had to temper herself slightly and play the game.

Lord Montague took another sip of whiskey as he looked at her as if sizing her up. “It’s strange to see you out of context like this, and I have to say, you are looking great.”

Alicia smiled politely, taking the bullshit compliment.

They ordered some starters and made some polite conversation about her career, his career, and blah blah blah, Alicia thought.

She was relieved when, finally, he asked her the real question.

“So I guess you’re here to find out what I have to say about the PulseAI investment?” he said, sipping some white wine.

Alicia put her napkin on her lap. “Yes, I am curious.”

He laughed and clasped his hands together, unconsciously looking around him. “I saw an opportunity at PulseAI to make money, and I took it. But when the grimoire was introduced, there was a much bigger opportunity.”

Alicia listened attentively. “Like the lie about the nuclear attack on Scotland?”

Lord Montague raised his eyebrows and smiled. “Exactly. I profited a lot from that, but I wasn’t the only one, and I wasn’t the one who instigated it.”

Alicia didn’t know if he was telling the truth or not, but she was curious to at least hear his story.

He continued, “I really am a small fish in all of this. There are people who collectively made over one hundred million pounds, and they’re keen to make more.”

Alicia sighed. “You keep talking about other people and you being a small fish. From what I know, small fish don’t fly up to Edinburgh on a private jet, dine at one of the finest restaurants in Edinburgh, pay over three thousand pounds a night to stay here and have a net worth of over one hundred million pounds.”

Lord Montague looked at her for a second and burst out laughing. “Alicia, my dear, one hundred million pounds is small fish, you’re just swimming in the wrong pond.”

She felt her face flushing with anger and embarrassment. She must be so menial to him. Soon, she would be a two-second memory, a flash of someone he once came across on his way to making more money. She briefly wondered why the hell she was bothering with doing this job. It’s all an illusion. The masses have jobs to keep us distracted from what the rich are really doing. As soon as that thought entered her head, she wondered where on earth it came from.

Lord Montague was looking at her now and took another sip of his wine.

Alicia, a little perturbed by her thoughts, looked him in the eyes. “Who else is involved in the PulseAI debacle?”

Lord Montague folded his napkin and put it on the table. He looked at her for a few seconds. “It goes deeper than you can imagine,” Lord Montague said, his voice barely above a whisper. “Politicians, celebrities, business tycoons – they're all in on it. The PulseAI scandal is just one thread in a vast web of corruption and deceit. And at the centre of it all, pulling the strings, are the people who truly run this world.”

Alicia raised her eyebrows, let out a little gasp and wondered immediately if he was telling the truth. He has nothing to hide, she thought. He’s not in trouble, his case has been dismissed, so why would he tell me this?

Alicia put her thoughts out into the world. “Why are you telling me this?”

Lord Montague leaned closer to Alicia on his elbows. “Because what I have done to make money from this is like stealing a bar of chocolate from a shop compared to what these people are doing to our countries around the world.”

Alicia snorted a little and smiled. It all sounded like the tin-foil hat stuff that kept popping up in her news notifications.

Lord Montague sat back in his chair and shook his head. “And that reaction is precisely why these cabals are running our countries. Good luck with your investigation, Alicia. I will probably never see you again, but here’s a parting piece of information to think about. In the next few days, the Prime Minister of Britain will step down before any allegations about him come out. He is being replaced by someone you have never heard of before. That person is in the group I just told you about. If you don’t believe anything I said here today, watch out for the news over the coming days.”

Lord Montague touched Alicia’s shoulder as he walked past her.

As Lord Montague's words sank in, Alicia felt a chill run down her spine. The implications of what he was suggesting were staggering. If the Prime Minister was indeed stepping down and being replaced by someone connected to the cabal behind the PulseAI scandal, it would mean the conspiracy reached to the highest echelons of power.

She knew she wouldn’t be able to do anything. They wouldn’t even let her interview the Lord Chancellor; what chance would she get to speak to anybody else? Her mind raced with the possibilities, the potential threads to pull and avenues to explore. One thing was certain: she couldn't do this alone. She would need the help of her newfound friends from the Koestler Unit.

As Alicia watched Lord Montague walk away, she felt a buzz in her pocket. Pulling out her phone, she saw a message from an unknown number. Her heart raced as she read the words on the screen: “You've had your fun, time to back off the investigation, Detective Sergeant Alicia Cooper.” Alicia's eyes darted around the restaurant, suddenly feeling exposed and vulnerable. Who had sent the message? Was she being watched even now? She knew she had stumbled onto something big, something dangerous. But it was not in her nature to give up or be intimidated.

CHAPTER 61

Jessica sank into the plush leather sofa, the material cool against her skin. The warm glow of the setting sun filtered through the half-drawn curtains, casting long shadows across her father’s study. The faint aroma of Earl Grey tea mingled with the musty scent of old books lining the mahogany shelves. In the background, the soft ticking of an antique grandfather clock punctuated the tense silence.

Jessica, David and Joseph were listening intently to what Alicia was telling them about the events over the last few days.

Jessica scowled in anger. “How the hell can your Chief Superintendent just drop the case for Alistair Montague?”

Alicia shook her head. “Evidence, Jessica, and of course, the fact that he’s the Lord Chancellor of the UK doesn’t help.”

David shook his head in disgust too. “Do you trust what he’s telling you?”

Alicia looked at the three of them. “I haven’t told you the best part.”

Joseph smiled at her. “I get the feeling this is not good.”

Alicia raised her eyebrows. “The Prime Minister of the UK, who’s been in power for three years now, will resign in the next few days and be replaced with an unknown person.”

Joseph squinted a little. “What?! He’s been the most stable prime minister for the last three years, I can’t see that happening.”

Alicia tilted her head a little to the left. “Well, I think he told me as a way for me to trust what he was telling me was true.”

Joseph said, “I guess we’ll see in the next few days.”

David, who had just been watching and listening to the conversation, asked, “So what do we do now? We can’t go after Alistair and Sarah Montague. We can’t go after this cabal that supposedly exists. Stephanie and Craig look like the innocent parties in all of this, and they actually helped to bring down their own AI program.”

Alicia nodded in agreement. “Well, we managed to stop the AI program, avert a serious threat about the nuclear attack on Scotland, divert an alien cloud from draining the energy of thousands of people and we’ve got Lyle in custody. I’d say we’ve done some great work here.”

Jessica agreed, “Yes, it just feels like this is only the start of things to come.”

There was silence in the room for a few seconds as each of them waslost in their own thoughts about the next stage of their journey.

Joseph broke the silence. “I’ve been thinking, Alicia, would you like to work with us more closely on future cases?”

Alicia frowned. “What do you mean?”

He looked at Alicia, then David and Jessica. “Well, I think we’ve all worked well as a team. I presume David and Jessica are going to continue working for the Cerberus Syndicate?”

Jessica shot a glance at David. She had already made up her mind. She knew there was so much more to the world she didn’t know about – not just the magickal world, but the real, non-witch world. It was all very scary what was happening, but it was also exciting. She couldn’t imagine herself doing anything else. She looked to David.

David ran his fingers through his hair, his brow furrowed with a mix of excitement and apprehension. “I'm in,” he said, his voice a blend of determination and nervous energy. “But I can't help wondering if we're really prepared for what's coming next.”

Joseph cleared his throat. “Working for the Cerberus Syndicate isn't like any normal job. We investigate cases that exist in the shadows between the mundane and the magickal. It's dangerous, often thankless work, but it's vital for maintaining the balance between these two worlds. Are you all prepared for that level of commitment and risk?”

David and Jessica nodded.

Joseph smiled, then looked at Alicia, who looked him in the eyes and said, “It’s not going to be that easy for me. I’m in the police force, I can’t just investigate the cases I want, especially cases like this. Can you imagine me trying to explain all this to the Chief Superintendent?” she said, laughing.

Joseph nodded. “We can take care of that if you decide to work with us more closely.”

Alicia looked at the wooden floorboards as she thought about it.

Joseph looked at Jessica. “We’ve also had news over the last few days of a new funding source we’ve been chasing for a few years.”

Jessica’s eyes lit up. “That’s great! Is it from that private donor you’ve spoken about?”

Joseph nodded. “Julia Kaiser from Associated Press. She started her own media company and has donated five million pounds over the next five years for funding.”

Alicia frowned. “What do you have to do for that?”

Joseph raised his eyebrows. “We give her exclusive rights to stories that have worldwide consequences. So, Associated Press would be the first to break some of the investigations we’re working on.”

David shook his head. “I don’t get it. If you give them stories like what just happened with the cloud, they’re going to sound like National Enquirer news stories, and everyone laughs at them.”

Joseph shook his head. “No, it would only be stories of large tech and pharma companies doing wrong.”

Alicia looked at Joseph. “Well, if you can get the Chief Superintendent on board, then I’d love to be part of the team.”

Joseph raised his cup of tea. “Excellent, here’s to us and the new team. We’ll be bringing some more people on board, especially with what’s happening with Lyle, so it looks like the Cerberus Syndicate is expanding.”

They all smiled and looked thoughtful about the future.

Just as they were celebrating working together, Alicia’s phone pinged. She bent to one side to retrieve it, and her face suddenly sank from happiness to shock. She showed them the message on her phone: “Be careful, DS Cooper, you don’t want to get too close to us.”

“Oh my god, how creepy is that?” Jessica gasped.

Joseph remained stoic and thoughtful. “I think we should lay low for the next few weeks. There’s nothing much else we can do just now, and as Alicia said, we have averted a major crisis. We have to be on the lookout and be very vigilant.”

The group nodded in agreement, and Alicia looked somewhat relieved.

Just then, Alicia’s phone began ringing. They all looked at each other, a little shocked, and Alicia let out another heavy sigh. “It’s okay, it’s only Stephanie.”

David watched Alicia as she took the call and hung up a few minutes later. “Everything okay?”

Alicia put her phone back in her pocket. “Stephanie and Craig have decided to relocate to the US as they have an offer over there to work on a new project, and the opportunity was too good to pass up.”

“Can they do that? Are they not still helping you with enquiries?” Jessica asked.

Alicia shook her head. “No, apparently not. There’s nothing else we can do from here.”

As the others discussed their next steps, David found his mind wandering. Just last year, he had been a regular university student, his biggest worry being his next exam. Now, he was part of a secret organisation, wielding magickal powers and uncovering supposed conspiracies. He felt a mix of exhilaration and terror at the path stretching out before him. Whatever came next, he knew his life would never be the same. He caught Jessica's eye and saw his own mix of emotions reflected there as she smiled and nodded at him while her father spoke.

The sound of a beeping phone shook David out of his reverie.

Alicia looked at her phone again, as did Joseph. “Holy shit! Would you look at that?” Alicia said with her hand covering her mouth.

David and Jessica looked at each other and frowned. Joseph handed his phone over to them.

BBC Breaking News

Breaking News: Prime Minister Keir Starmer Resigns

In a surprising turn of events, Prime Minister Keir Starmer has announced his resignation. The Labour leader, who has been at the helm since 2020 and prime minister since 2024, stated that he believes it is time for new leadership to guide the country through its current challenges. Starmer's resignation has sent shockwaves through Westminster.

The Labour Party has confirmed that David Harris, an MP from Birmingham, will be stepping into the role of prime minister. This decision has taken political analysts and the public by surprise as Harris has maintained a low profile on the national stage as a relative unknown.

David Harris, 50, has served as the MP for Birmingham South since 2017 and has been a strong advocate for social justice and economic reform within his constituency. He is known for his pragmatic approach and has gained respect within party ranks for his dedication to policy details and community engagement.

Opposition parties have responded to the news with calls for a general election, arguing that the public should have a say in choosing the next prime minister. The Reform leader stated, "This unexpected change in leadership is a clear indication of turmoil within the Labour Party. The British people deserve the opportunity to elect a government that can provide stability and direction."

The political landscape is now rife with uncertainty as party members and the public await further announcements from the Labour Party. The transition of power is expected to be swift, with the new prime minister likely to face immediate challenges, including addressing the cost-of-living crisis and ongoing healthcare system pressures.

In his farewell speech, Starmer thanked his colleagues and the British public for their support, expressing confidence that the country will continue to thrive under new leadership. "It has been an honour to serve as your prime minister," he said. "I believe now is the right time for me to step aside and allow a fresh perspective to guide our nation forwards."

David Harris is set to address the nation later today, when he is expected to outline his vision for the country and the immediate steps he plans to take as prime minister.

More details are expected to emerge in the coming hours as the Labour Party prepares for this significant change in leadership. Stay tuned to BBC News for the latest updates on this developing story.

Jessica’s mouth was open wide as she looked at Alicia. “This is insane.”

The colour had drained from Alicia’s face. Her eyes were wide as she looked at Joseph.

Joseph ran his hands through his hair. “Okay, this threat is real. We all have to be careful. Alicia, I think you should stay here for a few days. It’s up to you, but we have plenty of room.”

Alicia nodded slowly as she read the article on the BBC news site again. “This shit is getting real.”

CHAPTER 62

Jessica pushed through the tall mahogany double doors as the morning sun lit the corridors of the P-Psych Unit. David followed behind her, looking focused. She thought about the boy he had been when she first met him and the man he was now. He was changing, and it was great to watch his growth, both as a witch and a man. Of course, it did help that sex with him was pretty amazing and there were no real ties or commitments to each other. She thought David liked it that way, too; at least, he said he did. She was happy. She almost bounced as she walked, and with a quick flick of her hair, she opened the door to the lab, where the meeting was taking place.

Joseph, Alicia, Clarissa, Agent Sarah Mills, Agent Mark Harrison, Gillian and a few other new faces were assembled. Lyle was not there.

Joseph was standing in front of a whiteboard when Jessica and David approached, nodding to the others as they took their seats. “And here’s the other members of the expanded team. I was just telling the team about the new funding and introducing Alicia, Kevin and Sadie.”

They all courteously nodded to each other.

Joseph started writing the structure of the new team on the board. Then he turned to the team and put his black marker pen down on the table. He took a deep breath before speaking. “We are all from different backgrounds here, and I want to be clear that we should tell the truth to each other at all times, no matter what it is. For obvious reasons, Alicia will not be able to speak about her ongoing investigations into police work, but she will be able to openly discuss any case she’s working on with us.”

Jessica thought that her father could be extremely charismatic and authoritative and was prouder of him than ever.

Joseph continued, “You all know that myself, Jessica, David, Alicia, Sarah and Mark are witches and have certain magickal powers. And some of those powers are growing all the time.” He stopped and smiled at David. “We will endeavour never to use these powers in public unless it is absolutely necessary. So far, we’ve never had to use them, but just be very careful. Clarissa knows all about our powers and has been an integral part of the team for nearly twenty years. Gillian has been with us for ten years and is an excellent research analyst. The two new members present today are Kevin McCoy and Sadie Jackson.” Joseph stopped and nodded to the two new members.

Kevin, a tall, lanky man in his early thirties with a mop of curly red hair, fidgeted with his smartwatch as he nodded to the group. Beside him, Sadie, a petite woman with striking silver hair despite her young age, offered a shy smile that didn't quite reach her intense green eyes.

Joseph gave them a few seconds and continued. “Kevin is a tech specialist, handling cybersecurity and data analysis, and Sadie is a magickal forensics expert, analysing magickal traces and evidence. Sadie's ability to sense residual magickal energy and communicate with spirits has proven invaluable in our forensic work," Joseph explained. "Her psychometry skills allow her to read the history of objects by touching them, giving us insights that even our most powerful spells can't always reveal. Whilst she doesn’t come from a family of witches and has never called herself a witch, she certainly has some strong powers.”

Joseph's expression hardened slightly as he addressed the elephant in the room. “As you've noticed, Lyle is no longer with us. He's currently in custody, facing charges related to the AI incident. I'll be providing a full briefing on his situation and the ongoing investigation later this week.”

Jessica looked around and caught her father’s eye. Joseph spotted her questioning look. “Yes, Jessica, do you have a question?”

Jessica sat up straighter. “Where are the two teachers? I met one but haven’t heard anything since?”

Joseph nodded thoughtfully. “They are only for you and David, and you may know already that they can only be reached when your brain is oscillating at a certain frequency.”

Jessica remembered the card that simply had “852 Hz” on it.

David nudged her. “You’ve met with your teacher?”

Jessica nodded and whispered, “I’ll tell you about it later.”

Joseph looked around at the others. “What Jessica is talking about are two teachers to help her and David develop their magickal abilities. I have a feeling you will be meeting with them more over the next few years.”

Jessica smiled, excited by the prospect of meeting her teacher again. She wanted to develop her abilities as much as possible.

Joseph picked up the black marker and continued to write on the whiteboard. “Here is the full team and their roles.”

Core Team:

David: Lead Investigator, specialising in offensive magick and astral projection.

Jessica: Strategic Analyst, expert in defensive magick, research and astral projection.

Alicia: Police Liaison and Field Operative, bringing law enforcement expertise.

Joseph: Team Director, providing oversight and magickal insights.

Support Team:

Clarissa: Head of Research and Development, focusing on magickal artefacts and AI.

Kevin (new member): Tech Specialist, handling cybersecurity and data analysis.

Sadie (new member): Magikcal Forensics Expert, analysing magical traces and evidence.

Field Operations:

Agent Sarah Mills: Senior Field Agent, coordinating with other agencies.

Agent Mark Harrison: Tactical Specialist, planning covert operations.

Administrative Support:

Gillian: Operations Manager, handling logistics and resource allocation.

Specialised Consultants:

A network of witches, scientists and experts to be called upon as needed.

Training Program:

Regular sessions to enhance magickal abilities and investigative skills.

Cross-training to ensure all team members have a basic understanding of each other's specialities.

Communication Protocols:

Secure channels for team communication.

Regular briefings and debriefings.

Ethical Oversight:

A committee to ensure all operations align with ethical guidelines and magickal laws.

Once he had finished writing, Joseph turned to the group. “Alicia, can you come up and briefly tell us where we are with the latest case regarding the cloud and the AI program?”

Alicia nodded and stood up, walking over to the desk next to Joseph. Jessica thought she looked very confident and self-assured.

Alicia took a second and scanned the faces of the group to capture their full attention. “The immediate threat from the AI program and the alien cloud has been neutralised. We've confirmed the deletion of the Nostradamus grimoire from all known systems. However, we're still monitoring for any residual effects or potential re-emergence of similar technology.

Regarding the key players, Lyle is currently in custody, awaiting trial for possession of an illegal firearm and potential charges related to the AI program. We're working on building a stronger case against him.

“Alistair and Sarah Montague have, unfortunately, avoided prosecution due to lack of concrete evidence and their political connections. We're keeping them under surveillance, but our hands are largely tied legally.” She stopped and looked at Joseph, who lifted his head a little to acknowledge that she wanted to suggest something. She continued, “I believe we can use Alistair as a source of information for the future. He has already proved he has connections we would never have access to.”

“So, what are you suggesting?” Joseph asked.

Alicia shifted her weight towards Joseph. “I suggest we work closely with him. If we can’t prosecute him, we may as well work with him to help us in the cases we work on.”

Joseph nodded. “Okay, let’s talk about that later on, but I think that’s a great idea.”

Alicia nodded and continued, “Stephanie and Craig have relocated to the US, supposedly for a new job opportunity. We're monitoring their activities from afar, but so far, they seem to be staying out of trouble.

“Our main concerns now are the potential wider conspiracy Lord Montague hinted at and the implications of the sudden change in political leadership. We're also on high alert for any signs of similar AI or magickal threats emerging elsewhere.”

Alicia stopped talking and nodded to Joseph.

Joseph nodded back and thanked Alicia for her input. He looked at the faces of the group before him. “That’s a brief rundown just now. I’ll be talking with you all individually throughout the week to find out what you want and what we expect from you. Any questions?”

The group looked at each other to find out if there were questions, but they all stayed silent.

David sat up a little straighter. “This AI case is nearly over, what do we do now between cases?”

Joseph nodded as if he’d forgotten to say something. “When we’re not working on cases, you, Jessica, Alicia and, if she wants, Sadie will go for magickal training with Sarah, Mark, your teachers and other magickal practitioners associated with the P-Psych unit.”

David nodded. “Okay, that sounds good.”

Joseph looked him in the eyes. “You will, of course, need to find out what effect the crystals have on your magickal abilities and,” he paused, “find out more about our friend, Alicia Collins. Since you made contact with her, we need to know if she can help us and why she helped you this time.”

David smiled and looked at Jessica.

Joseph took a deep breath. “One last thing. We have a new case, which I will brief you about later on today, but right now, I’ve got to be somewhere.”

Joseph left, leaving the others in the room to speculate on what the new case could be.

CHAPTER 63

David interlaced his fingers and placed his hands behind his head, staring at the ceiling. He thought about everything they’d been through over the last few months, but it was his father’s image that kept driving through his mind. The thought of him on the bed was burned into his mind.

It hit him again. His dad was dead. He would never see him again.

He didn’t want to feel melancholic and tried to shrug this feeling off, but it was no use. The images of his dad kept coming, like scrolling through a social media feed.

As the grief washed over him, David's chest tightened, each breath becoming a laboured effort. His hands trembled slightly, and a dull ache settled behind his eyes, threatening to unleash a fresh wave of tears. As the images kept scrolling, so did his tears, and the deeper he sank into a pit of sadness. The room closed in on him, and the light disappeared in a haze of tears.

As David's emotions surged, he felt a strange tingling in his fingertips. The air around him seemed to crackle with energy, and for a moment, the lights in the room flickered erratically, responding to the turmoil within him. His emotions were affecting the magickal energy within him and around him. He briefly wondered what energetic frequency his emotional state put him in for his magick to affect his surroundings.

The despair heightened when he thought about how his mother must be feeling, but then, another image floated on the outskirts of his mind: the silver rod. It barely registered on the periphery of his mind, but soon, the image got larger, and he imagined holding it in his hands. He thought back to the time travel and meeting Nostradamus. His intuition was kicking into overdrive now, and the melancholy he had been feeling minutes earlier was beginning to dissipate.

David sat up and looked around the room, trying to remember where he had put the silver rod. He scrambled from the bed and opened the tallboy’s mahogany drawer. After opening the third drawer, there it was, almost glowing, enticing him to reach out and hold it.

Just then, a soft knock at the door interrupted his thoughts. Jessica's voice came through, gentle but concerned. “David? Are you alright?”

David cleared his throat, quickly wiping his eyes. "Yeah, come in, Jess," he called back, his voice slightly hoarse. As he stood up, his gaze fell on the drawer. The silver rod.

Jess peeked her head around the door. “I felt your energy from my room and thought something was up,” she said, noting the redness of his eyes.

David sat back down on the end of the bed. “Just thinking about my dad. Then I had this strange urge to look for the silver rod.”

Jessica walked over, touched his head and sat down beside him. “Did you find it?”

David looked at the chest of drawers. “Yeah, it’s in the drawer over there.”

Jessica looked at him and smiled. “Well, you obviously felt drawn to it for a reason. Did you pick it up?”

David stood up and held Jessica’s hand to walk with him. “No, but I will.” He looked at the silver, looked at Jessica and slowly bent over to pick it up. As soon as his fingertips connected, a jolt of energy surged through David's body. He instinctively tightened his grip on Jessica’s hand. The world around them began to blur and shift, colours swirling in a dizzying kaleidoscope.

When the spinning sensation stopped, David and Jessica found themselves standing in a vast, ethereal library. The air shimmered with an otherworldly light, and countless books floated gently between ornate shelves that seemed to stretch infinitely in all directions.

"Is this the Library of Life?" Jessica whispered, her eyes wide with wonder.

Before David could answer, two figures materialised before them. The first was an elderly man in a red three-piece suit with a walking stick.

“That’s the guy I met in the park who said he was my teacher,” Jessica said, not taking her eyes off him.

The other person to materialise was a slender woman in her forties with fiery red hair, wearing what looked like a sixteenth-century burnt-orange velvet robe. The robe had a blue lining laced with gold-coloured thread. “I’m Morgana, another one of your teachers. David, it is good to meet with you, and Jessica, nice to meet you too. I see you’ve utilised the power of the silver rod and your crystals.”

David frowned. “My crystals?”

Morgana smiled. “Yes. If you didn’t have the crystals, the silver rod would just be… well, a silver rod.” The two teachers laughed at that.

David's mind raced. “We didn't mean to come here. I was just thinking about my father and…”

Morgana nodded solemnly. “Grief is a powerful emotion, David. It can unlock hidden potential within us. But it can also blind us to the dangers that lie ahead.”

The male teacher nodded slowly and looked at Jessica. “It’s nice to see you again. I didn’t give you my name before.” He looked at Jessica and David. “My name is Dalinar.”

Jessica narrowed her eyes, recognising the name immediately. She dismissed the thought and turned to Morgana. “You said dangers?" Jessica asked.

Morgana smiled at her. “Yes. Your next assignment and all your future assignments will have an element of danger. Every assignment will teach you something about the world and about yourself.”

David glanced at Jessica and back to Morgana. “You know all the assignments we will have?”

Morgana laughed. “Yes. Yes, we do.”

“What were the lessons from this assignment with the AI program and the cloud?” Jessica asked, trying to think of the lessons.

Morgana's eyes twinkled with amusement. "Ah, Jessica, always the eager student. Very well, let's explore what you've learned, shall we?"

Dalinar stepped forwards, his walking stick tapping gently on the ethereal floor. “David, you learned the power of sacrifice and the strength that comes from facing your deepest fears. When you held open the portal, risking your own life, you tapped into a wellspring of magickal energy you didn't know you possessed.”

Morgana nodded, turning to Jessica. “And you, my dear, discovered the importance of trust and teamwork. Your ability to communicate with the alien entity showed you that magick isn't just about power but about understanding and connection."

“But there's more,” Dalinar continued. “You both learned that technology and magick aren't as separate as you once thought. The AI program and the grimoire working together taught you that the boundaries between the mundane and the magical are more fluid than you imagined.”

Morgana smiled softly. “Perhaps most importantly, you learned that your emotions – grief, fear, love, determination – are not weaknesses to be overcome but sources of immense magickal potential when properly channelled.”

David and Jessica exchanged glances, the weight of these realisations settling over them.

“Remember,” Dalinar added, his voice growing serious, “every challenge you face is an opportunity to grow, not just in power but in wisdom. The true measure of a witch isn't in the spells they cast but in the choices they make.”

Morgana nodded in agreement. “And speaking of choices, you'll soon face many that will test everything you've learned. Your next assignment is just the beginning."

Jessica leaned forwards, her curiosity piqued. “Can you tell us more about the next assignment? My father hasn’t told us yet. How do we prepare?”

The teachers shared a knowing look before Morgana replied, “We can't give you all the answers, but remember this: not everything is as it appears. Trust your instincts, work together and don't be afraid to question what you think you know about magick."

As the library began to fade around them, Dalinar's voice echoed, “Remember, the greatest magick often lies in the simplest acts of courage and compassion. Now go, your team needs you.”

With a sudden lurch, David and Jessica found themselves back in David's room, the silver rod warm in their joined hands and a new understanding burning in their minds.

They both jumped when they heard a loud knock on the door. “David, is everything okay? Can I come in?” Joseph said in a worried tone.

“Yeah, just come in,” David shouted back.

Joseph walked in quickly and seemed surprised to see Jessica with David. “Oh, I thought you were in your room. Is everything okay?”

“Dad,” Jessica said, walking to her father, “what is the next assignment?”

Joseph raised his eyebrows. “Well, if you must know just now – and I’ve still to get more details – someone has been murdered. Their body was found on the Edinburgh Castle esplanade.”

Jessica frowned. “As tragic as that is, what would that have to do with our team?”

Joseph looked sombre and serious. “The murdered woman is someone from the seventeenth century.”

“What?!” Jessica exclaimed.

THE END

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ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

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