Code Name: Agent Madrid
A. Johnson
Published by A. Johnson at Smashwords
Smashwords Edition
Copyright 2010
Code Name: Agent Madrid is the second part in the Dimension Traveler Eliza Series.
Part One: Tragedy at the Washington Palace
Part Two: Code Name: Agent Madrid
Part Three: Operation: The Lasem Scripts
Marlene couldn’t believe that someone would travel from another dimension just to ask her for help. An awkward vibe resonated in the room. Marlene didn’t know if she wanted to sit or to stand, or if she wanted her arms folded or unfolded. The Prince of America stood in the middle of Marlene’s living room. She was surprised at how his looks had not changed since that fateful night at the Washington Palace; the night that Marlene unknowingly aided in the death of his fiancé and her cousin, the night of Prince David’s engagement party. No matter how she looked at the situation she felt guilty. The same thought would pop in her head at random moments “I should have told him.” Marlene knew that if she told him about Callisto when they first met Hannah and Elise would still be alive.
For her it had only been a year and a half, a quick year and a half she brought her own condo, equipped with a door man, balcony and other fancy amenities. This same year and a half that brought her not only fame but success, her first novel Eliza the Dimension Traveler was an immense success. She was able to meet authors like Anne Rice, J.K Rowling, and Stephen King. Her life was a whirlwind since the book caught on and just as soon as she thought things would wind down, the prince she met from another world arrived in her living room. Just looking at his face she knew that more time had gone by than what she thought. The two stood silently for a moment while Marlene’s clueless literary agent Freddie watched the two of them for a moment.
“By looking at your brown complexion and brown eyes, this must be David. I always thought that the David in your story was modeled after Vince, not an actual David.” Freddie noted.
But no one wanted to talk about Marlene’s book, she knew that David figured out that she wrote the story that Callisto promised her despite the tragedy that came of it.
“A little tasteless don’t you think?” David held up a copy of Eliza the Dimension Traveler.
“Girl’s gotta eat.” Marlene knew that he was talking about the fact that she was making money off of his fiance’s murder; she didn’t know what to make of David’s visit.. “What do you want?”
“Your help, it is a very long story, one I’d rather not tell right now.” David gave a sly look to Freddie, “But you promised you would.”
Marlene looked nervous and bunched up her cardigan and sat down, “I don’t’ know how much help I could be.” She sighed.
“Plenty.” David’s demeanor was drastically different than the night of his engagement party. He looked worn and tired; he was serious and not smiling as he was when they first met. It wasn’t until after Freddie left that they were able to talk but Freddie didn’t want to leave until Marlene promised she would make it to the event tomorrow. Freddie and his twin brother William were partners. William was Marlene’s publicist he wanted Freddie to make sure she was ready for the book signing tomorrow.
A part of Marlene didn’t want Freddie to leave because she didn’t want to talk to David, just as the first time they met, he made her feel uncomfortable. Marlene gave David his dinner and then went into the kitchen; she was doing her best to avoid him.
“We need to talk.” He said looking down at his food.
“So, talk.” Marlene shouted from the kitchen.
“You expect for me to eat alone.” The prince sounded offended.
Marlene didn’t answer, so he scooped up his plate and sat at the kitchen table while she cleaned the dishes. Marlene rolled her eyes, she felt apprehensive about tomorrow’s event and she felt scared about what the prince wanted. “It is irregular for me to eat alone, you will not join me?”
Marlene sighed, “I have a lot of dishes to clean here.” She looked down at the few dishes she had in the sink, she lived alone and didn’t have much to clean, she decided to clean as slowly as she could.
“I need you to come back with me.” He sipped his soup.
“Why?” Marlene rattled the dishes around.
“I am the prince of the free world, everyone wants something from me, there are very few people that I trust and the ones that I do trust cannot partake in this mission. If they’re caught things can get...” he paused. “Things can get bad.”
Marlene sighed, “What do you need me to do?”
“It’s been three months since Hannah’s death. Callisto’s been on the run and Lord Adam has been sentenced to life in prison. It’s taken me all that I can to restore his family’s honor so that they wouldn’t be without.” David sounded remorseful.
Marlene whipped around, with suds all over her hands, “You’re the one who had him arrested, why didn’t you just have him unarrested?”
“Unarrested? Are you serious? And tell the authorities what? That there’s a secret group of immortal witches roaming the Earth planning their way to infiltrate the Power Elite? It would cause a panic. Besides, his fingerprints were on the murder weapon I would have to tell them that one of these witches were in possession of a very powerful, very illegal potion. I need to have this contained.”
Marlene turned back around and went back to cleaning, she didn’t say anything.
“My aunt used to make me soup like this.” He said solemnly.
Marlene was annoyed and agitated she didn’t know what to say or do in this situation, “Look if you don’t want it.” David appeared next to her with his empty bowl.
“It was very good, thank you.”
“How did you find me?” Marlene took the bowl from him.
“The bracelet.” David picked up her hand in the same way he picked up her hand when they first met.
“The witch who helped me get here tracked you with it.” David let go of her hand. “She’ll be powerful enough to send the both of us through by tomorrow night.”
Marlene took issue with the fact that she never said she would go with him, but didn’t say anything because she knew she had made up her mind to help.
The next day was a regular book signing event the line reached through the mall and Marlene was shocked, “I can’t believe it. Aren’t we in a recession?”
William looked just like Freddie to everyone else except for Marlene; she was the only one who could tell them apart. After knowing the two of them most people could tell them apart by talking to them, but Marlene was the only one who can tell just by looking.
Marlene stood beside William who was dressed in a suit and tie in the back of the White Carnation Book Store. She turned to look at her publicist who was brushing his newly cut hair for awhile he had an afro so that people could tell him apart from Freddie but opted for another look.
“First of all, we’re coming out of the recession and second of all you’re a hot commodity Marly. Do you know how many black paranormal, science fiction authors are out there?”
“Uh, none.” Marlene quipped.
“Exactl- no not none; you nut. They’re out there but there isn’t many. As a matter of fact you have a book singing with another African American author in a few weeks.” William took a look at the crowd. “Look at them all, I have to make sure the local news station gets here.”
Marlene went to look back out at the enormous crowd waiting for her to arrive. “So this is a book signing?” David said into her ear startling her.
“Oh my God, do not do that!” Marlene shouted.
“All these people are here because of your book.” David noted.
“Well, a lot of people really enjoyed the story, even if it was written out of poor taste.” She adjusted her jacket before turning back into the waiting room.
The beginning of the book signing went well, most of Marlene’s fans started out as African American females who enjoyed science fiction and fantasy stories, but as her fan base grew so did the look of her fans. There were men, women and even young adults. A great number of people she signed books for were aspiring author’s themselves. She tried to make it to all the people she wanted to but could not. She had been there for hours.
William came up next to her, “It’s time to go, the mall is about to close.”
Marlene sighed, “I didn’t get to everyone.”
“Do you know how many people are still in line? You can’t do it, Marly.” William put his hand on Marlene’s shoulder.
“Give everyone a piece of paper.” Marlene told her publicist.
Marlene had everyone write their name and number down on a piece of paper and to put it in bag, she promised them all a big surprise and that they wouldn’t be disappointed as she disappointed them tonight.
That evening the three sat down for dinner at the Blue Carnation in downtown Philadelphia, David got up to use the men’s room while he was gone William took the opportunity to pry. “Is that your boyfriend?”
Marlene was used to William’s bluntness but that didn’t make him any less irritating at times. The band of the night was called Ivy and while they sung Undertow the three talked. Marlene saw a woman with long sugar brown hair sneaking looks at her. She wore a pink sundress and sat alone. Marlene figured that she must have been waiting for someone. “No. He’s my friend.” Marlene answered as she sipped her water.
“We leave at ten.” David announced as he returned.
“Okay.”
“Leave for where?” William asked
No one wanted to tell William anything he was a great publicist but he was extremely nosy. “We’re going to a movie.” David answered.
Marlene rolled her eyes, “Why?” she was annoyed.
“I knew it, I’m happy for you Marly, did you know that Marly hasn’t been on a date since I’ve known her, all she does is write – which is fine because that’s more money for me. But we’re friends, I’m happy to see you happy. Is…is this a date right now. Is that what this is? Am I a third wheel?” William asked.
“Oh my God, why is this happening?” Marlene covered her face.
“Don’t worry I won’t tell anyone.” William playfully elbowed Marlene.
As soon as the prince sipped his drink he knew he shouldn’t have. It was a familiar taste he recognized immediately. A sensation of panic rose up within him; he hadn’t told her his secret. He wasn’t ready to. David collapsed onto the floor.
“David!” Marlene knelt beside him. “What’s wrong with his face?”
David’s face became rough and scaly like a lizard’s, Marlene pulled up his hoodie and covered his face as much as she could. She told William to pull the car around and ordered everyone to back away. But before the two of them could get the unconscious prince to the car a man appeared before them he was holding a woman hostage. Marlene recognized the woman as the same one who was staring at her in the restaurant. “What’s going on?”
The man who was holding the woman captive was very large and burly, “Hand the prince over to me. Or I’ll kill his wench.”
The blood in Marlene’s veins ran cold; it never occurred to her that someone was following David.
“Wench? Prince?” William remarked. “Move out of our way, her friend is sick.”
‘Oh William.’ Marlene thought to herself.
“I’m the one who poisoned him; I had to make sure he was one of them.” The burly man continued to talk.
“Don’t worry, he’s under a spell.” The woman said calmly.
Marlene couldn’t think of anything to do, she stood beside David.“One of what?”
“Are you blind, he’s a shifter!” Marlene turned to look at David again and saw he was starting to look more and more like a human lizard.
“Oh my God.” William looked, Marlene tried to hid David’s face from the bystanders and police sirens could be heard in the distance.
While everyone held their positions as the standstill a flash blue of light engulfed the street. Marlene stood in the middle of her living room and looked at David and William passed out on her sofa. David’s face began to return to normal Marlene turned to face the woman from the restaurant. She was a thin woman with blue eyes. “No wonder he risked this trip to come for you.” She sat down in Marlene’s window seat.
“What just happened?” Marlene asked feeling shaken.
“We were teleported by the witch that I work for, this same witch that works for Prince David. The agent that came for us will burn out in about, twenty minutes. I’m sure you already know about the lock on witchcraft in our world, well, it’s not a fool proof lock. Sure it can stop witches from turning people against one another for their own evil plans but as you already know the seal is weakening, they’re finding other ways to get around this spell. By grabbing people from this dimension for their plans and bringing them over. They use spells to create followers, but the spell only lasts for an hour.” The blonde haired woman explained as she stared at Marlene for a moment.
“What’s your name?” Marlene asked.
“I can’t give you my real name, so you can call me Addison.” The woman watched as David stirred. “Just in time it’s almost ten o’clock.”
“Why not?” Marlene asked.
Addison took out a round crystal like ball, Marlene could tell that the ball was dense by the way Addison was holding it, “There’s power in words, my dear Marlene, which is why it’s terribly inconvenient for one of the world’s top immortal witches to know your name, no this will not do. You’ll need a new name as well.” The woman in the pink dress grinned as she walked over to Marlene’s coffee table. “You seem to like this name so how about it, Eliza? Are you ready to embark on one of the most dangerous missions of our time?”
David was awake now his face was normal but his eyes weren’t they looked yellow but the startling part wasn’t his eyes but his forked tongue. It slipped and slide in and out of his mouth beyond his control as he woke. The prince looked embarrassed he looked to Addison.
“Are we ready to go yet?” he hissed.
“Yes, but we’ll wait a while longer, you shouldn’t travel in a half state.” Addison looked into the ball.
“Marlene, I’m sorry I didn’t tell you, that I am a shape shifter. They had been at war with witches since for a long time. For a long time the witches had been hunting and kill creatures like us, because we cannot be swayed by their spells, potions sometimes, but not their words.” David’s hissed his words.
Marlene looked to Addison as she continued, “Hence the ban on witchcraft. But don’t worry that potion that agent slipped to you it could only work here, and it probably means that either there’s a traitor in your camp or you’re being followed.”
Marlene thought for a moment, “These defectors? They’re shape shifters aren’t they? Callisto told me before that being a witch is a bloodline. There’s shape shifting witches out there, my power is in my anonymity.”
“Pretty and smart. You know how to pick them David. But you’re half right and half wrong, but that’s a really great theory though. Put out your hands.” Addison giggled.
“Wait what am I half right about?” Marlene put out her hand.
Addison took the sphere and turned it upside down overtop of Marlene’s hand and another sphere dropped out of it. The sphere felt warm in Marlene’s hand and jelly like not at all hard and cold like she expected. Almost as if the sphere were alive. Addison then walked over to David and did the same thing. The ball began to heat up and Marlene looked at Addison.
“No matter how hot it gets don’t let it go. Prince David of the United State of America I introduce you to Lady Eliza of Weslane.” The sphere’s heated up and filled the room with light until the three woke up in the other dimension. Marlene recognized where she stood right away, the vaulting ceilings, the large mirror and golden fixtures were unmistakable. She was back in the Washington Palace.
“Oops.” Addison remarked. “Now how did that happen?” Addison stared down at the twins Freddie and William.
“What did you did you do?” Marlene’s heart sped up. “I signed on for this, not them. Take them back.”
“Why would it bring them both?” Addison wondered.
“They’re twins and they were in the same room with us.” David answered as he walked towards the window to take a look.
“Why didn’t you tell me that they were twins; that makes a large difference when we’re doing spells.” Addison looked at the two unconscious men.
“I didn’t think of it.” David snapped.
“What do you want to do with them?” Addison asked.
“Place them in holding until we’re finished.” David waved his hands.
“Jail. Is that your answer to everything!” Marlene couldn’t believe what she was hearing. “These are my friends.”
“They’re your employees you don’t have any friends.” David snapped again.
“You can be so mean sometimes, and so quick to make decisions.” Marlene started walking towards David. “Who do you think you are?”
“Uhhh, Eliza.” Addison felt uncomfortable. “That’s the Prince you’re yelling at.” She said meekly, but Marlene didn’t hear her.
“No, you will not throw them in prison, just like you did to Adam, they can stay with Addison.” Marlene demanded. Right before the Prince was given a chance to respond to Marlene in a blink of an eye she and her two friends had vanished.
“What just happened?” The Prince asked Addison who looked just as confused as he.
Addison closed her eyes and sensed the energy in the room for a moment. She opened her blue eyes and stared at the Prince. “You’re not going to like it.”
“Spit it out.”
“Madrid.” Addison said quietly.
“They’re in Madrid?” Prince David was growing impatient with Addison’s lack of information.
“Not exactly.”
Marlene woke up in the middle of a bar, the first thing she saw was a rock band playing as loudly as they could. The top of the stage said that the name of the band was Xero. She looked around for Freddie and William but couldn’t find any sign of the brothers.
The music was loud and blaring, Marlene tried to find her way to an exit as she walked down along side of the club walls, guys and girls approached her to dance. She made it to a hall where people were in rooms with glass doors. At first Marlene thought she was looking at karaoke suites but she looked closer and saw that people were watching performances, some were watching plays, others were watching programs about art and others were watching music videos and fashion shows.
Marlene came to a large red door that was at the end of the long black hallway, thinking it was the exit she opened the door and saw a woman in a room filled with people dancing on a table and giggling. She had short blonde hair and blue eyes. People all around the table clamored for her and asked her to dance more and more.
“Now, now guys and gals, there’s enough of me for everyone. Oh look, she’s here.” The woman jumped down from the table and walked over to Marlene.
“Yes, yes, how sweet.” The woman said as she pulled the guys apart to reveal Marlene.
“You’re the one the Prince travelled to go get, you must be special, what’s your name, doll?” The woman put her hands on her hips. Marlene thought her outfit was absurd. She wore fishnet gloves, a gaudy tiara, and a dress that resembled a tutu.
‘I hope this isn’t what they call fashion around here.’ Marlene thought to herself. In the background Marlene recognized the song, “Hey Man, Nice Shot” by Filter.
“My name is Eliza,” Remembering what David and Addison taught her she didn’t want to reveal her name. “Where are my friends? Are you the one who brought me here?”
“Easy on the questions, doll face. You’re friends are safe and yes, I’m the one who brought you here, my name is Madrid.”
Madrid took Marlene to take her friends Marlene explained to them quickly and quietly not to use their real names. “Make up names; don’t use your real name.”
William and Freddie looked at one another, neither one of them knew what was going on, they took one look at one another and said in unison, “Call me Shawn.” The brothers looked at one another in annoyance; the both of them picked their favorite rapper as their alias. Marlene solved the situat...
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