Wrath of the Iron Warlock Read online

  Blue Wizard Detectives

  Wrath of the Iron Warlock

  By: Patrick Cassidy

  Published by:

  Light Switch Press

  PO Box 272847

  Fort Collins, CO 80527

  Copyright © 2019

  Printed in the United States of America

  No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means – electronic, mechanical, digital photocopy, recording, or any other without the prior permission of the author.

  All rights reserved solely by the author. The author guarantees all contents are original and do not infringe upon the legal rights of any other person or work. The views expressed in this book are not necessarily those of the publisher.

  Chapter I:

  Whitey Gozer the Terror of the Skies:

  It was a dark and stormy night. An airline was just trying to make the trip from Los Angeles to New York. One of the passengers kept ringing for service; because, he saw something on the wing. He asked for the stewardess to call the pilot over. Needless to say the pilot was me in disguise.

  “What seems to be the trouble?”

  “I don’t want to cause a seen Captain, and I hope you don’t think I’m crazy, but there is a creature, a gremlin on the wing of this airplane out there. I’ve been watching him. He’s been pulling up one of the metal plates. He might be looking to make us crash.”

  “Take it easy sir, we don’t want to alarm any of the other passengers. I already got a man on the situation, but we must not panic. If you keep attracting attention to him, he’ll keep flying away and we’ll never catch him.”

  “Yes of course”, the passenger said, but then he gave me a curious look as if I didn’t believe him.

  “If it means that much to you I don’t think you belong in the looney bin”, I told him. “Just let us handle it.” I signaled for the stewardess to get him a glass of water, and I told the man’s daughter to give him a drink after slipping in one of my instant dissolving dream pills. Like Ben said, we needed to keep him quiet; otherwise, he’d meet the same fate as previous passengers had when it came to seeing gremlins on the wing of their airplane. Once he was asleep. I told the stewardess to make sure all was quiet as I made my way back toward the cabin. I finally had learned how to be telepathic like Ben. In our two years working together, he’s managed to teach me some of his skills that I’ve never learned. I felt it was a huge flaw in my wizard education, but now that I was working alongside the greatest wizard detective the world as ever known, I was making up for those lost lessons and helping to make the world a better place while I was at it.

  “Ben, its Whitey Gozer. He reacted just as you said he would. Whatever you got in mind do it quick.”

  “Just keep that plane flying Buddy”, I heard him say. “Plan’s in motion as we speak.” Outside on the wing, the blue white gremlin who we’ve been hired to stop terrorizing the sky jumped back on the wing, and looked back at the window at the sleeping passenger who kept watching him earlier. He gnashed his teeth, and slashed at the plate near the engine and began to pry it open once again, but before he could lift it up all the way Ben appeared and struck the end tip of his staff down forcing the plate to close right on Whitey’s claws. The gremlin drew back and examined his busted hand, he looked up glaring at Ben.

  “Tsk, tsk, tsk. Up to your old tricks again eh Whitey”, Ben said. The gremlin growled and tried to charge at him, Ben managed to block him with his staff, and zap him with lightning. The gremlin flew over to the other wing. “I wouldn’t stay over that way if I were you chum.” Before Whitey could say a word, he heard the sound of beating wings behind him. Bistro showed up and he started licking his lips.

  “You wouldn’t dare you oversized lizard”, the gremlin growled. “You breathe any flames at me you cause this plane to crash and burn.”

  “Flames are not what he has in mind”, Ben told him. “Bistro, now!” Between the two of them, they managed to entomb the little devil in solid ice. Ice breath from Bistro, combined with an ice palm blast from Ben’s hand. In order to keep cover while trying to keep his balance with his levitation skills in the air, Ben was also starting to make it snow.

  “Curse you Ben Alatar”, Whitey hissed as he was incased in solid ice. Once that was done, Ben made a nice club motion with his staff similar to the way one swings a golf club.

  “Hey Bistro, four!” The frozen Whitey Gozer went spiraling off into the air, and the dragon swooped down and caught him in his claws, then he glided over to Ben’s wing, and allowed Ben to use that purple light spell to swing aboard on to his back. “Jim will see you at the designated meeting place at the airport, in the meantime you’re gremlin free.”

  “Right”, I replied. Then posing as the captain, I went ahead and made the announcement to let the passengers know it was safe. The one passenger had just woken up hearing the sound of my voice. “Okay folks, just wanted to apologies for any discomfort. We just experienced some minor turbulence. Everything is alright now, and we should be making our landing safely. Once again we apologies for any discomfort, and we hope you’ve enjoyed your flight on this airline.” As soon as we landed at the airport, I quickly got out of there after shaking a few hands, I met that one passenger who wanted to thank me personally for handling the gremlin situation.

  “I apologies if I didn’t trust you”, he said. “I thought you were just trying to humor me.”

  “Given the fact that you didn’t see him during the rest of the flight should’ve put your mind at ease”, I said. “I really must be going, you have a nice life though. I’m sure you’ll be much happier when you get home to see your grandchildren.”

  “You bet”, he said. I managed to duck into the restroom after that and changed my clothes back to my usual blue suit. I then made myself invisible and went back aboard the plane, but only to where they keep the real heavy baggage and at times pets. I had turned the real captain into a parrot and I wanted to change him back before anyone else got wise.

  “So sorry”, I said as I took out a potion and administered it to him. I managed to command his clothes to dress him as soon as he was back to normal.

  “Hey what the…”

  “You remember nothing”, I slowly said. “You remember nothing. Not one thing. As far as anyone is concerned you flew the plane, you’re the hero, but other than that you remember nothing.” Once that was done I made myself invisible and proceeded to meet Ben and the others at the spot he suggested. I made sure I wasn’t followed before I made myself visible again.

  “Jim over here”, I heard Ben say. I turned and I saw him and Bistro standing guard over the frozen gremlin by one of the unused hangers. Tiger Thomas White and his deputies had just arrived on the backs of their giant eagles while I went over to check on our little prize of the night. Tiger dismounted and came over, he signaled for his deputies to take Whitey away. “Remember, don’t defrost him until you bring him to Alamode”, Ben warned. “Best to keep the little devil on ice until then.”

  “Either that or let me eat him”, Bistro laughed. Tiger wasn’t happy with Ben, and made a point to let him know it right then and there.

  “You were supposed to wait for my command.” Ben just took out his pipe, and put it in his teeth.

  “No offense Tiger, but if I did we would either have another unexplained plane crash on our hands, an innocent man who is perfectly sane being hauled off to the looney bin; because, he saw something no one else would, or both. I kept telling you that was Whitey’s pattern, he takes after his brother, his father, his grandfather, and his great grandfather.
They all were the terror of the skies, causing many plane crashes until one of the passengers got wise. Unfortunately those passengers were convinced they had to take matters into their own hands and it didn’t workout so well for them. Whitey was no different, only his real motive was revenge on this one night; because the passenger who saw him is the great grandson of the passenger who shot his grandfather. Of course, we don’t want gremlins to think they own the sky, and can hop aboard and sabotage any airline and stalk any passenger they please.”

  “Ben’s right Tiger, we were lucky to be in the right place at the right time.”

  “I’m just saying, a little respect for the man who keeps calling you guys in on cases like this.” Ben smiled.

  “It’s alright Tiger, I’m sure you would’ve done the same thing once you’ve put the pieces of the puzzle together.” A camera man from USA Wiz who was looking to get the story had showed up asked for our picture and an interview.

  “Gentleman, say cheese.”

  Chapter II:

  The All-Powerful Maximillian according to Ben:

  “From humble professor to man of mystery and enchantment. I got to say Jim, I’m impressed.”

  “It’s been an interesting two years. I kept the room Ben let me have as a guest the night we first met. He’s really the master of his craft although it is nice that he values my expertise.” I was sitting in the library talking to one of my oldest friends. I managed to run into him when I was arranging for my belongings to be brought to the House of Alatar on 2500 St. Patrick’s Street. I was telling my friend Maximillian about all our cases leading up to the night we captured Whitey Gozer. Maximillian is a genie, unlike his brethren he never was confined to a lamp, ring, or whatever is used to contain a genie these days. He serves as head of the G.R.A (Genie Rights Association). Maximillian and I had been friends since I was an apprentice potions master, and had kept in constant correspondence with each other since after the war. I finally had a chance to have him visit with me. He seemed interested in my stories. My only concern is that Oscar had to usher Talon out of the library when my friend had came after I invited him to lunch.

  “You know, I know your partner by reputation”, Maximillian told me. “I never actually met him in person.”

  “I’ll be more than happy to introduce you”, I told him. “He’s a mighty brilliant man, and truly a gifted wizard.”

  “Where is he now”, Maximillian asked.

  “He said something about getting us a reservation for dinner at a favorite restaurant of his to celebrate the close of our recent case. That or he’s planning a trip to Vegas. I wish he had a computer around here. I could make all the arrangements for him, the only thing is I never heard of his favorite restaurant before, don’t know where it is, plus I don’t know how Ben feels about computers. He seems to make a 21st century wizard work even though he prefers a low tech style.”

  “If you both are planning a trip to Vegas you’re welcome to stay at my casino.” Just then we heard the door.

  “We’re all set Jim.”

  “In the library Ben. I got an old friend of mine here that I want you to meet.” Ben came in, and took off his shades. He deposited them into his inside jacket pocket, then took off his hat and tossed it at random towards the wall. A golden hand popped out just as usual and caught the hat on the fly. “Ben Alatar, may I present the great Maximillian.” Maximillian held out his hand. Ben looked at him and kept his staff in his hand as if he was getting ready for a fight.

  “Forgive me if I don’t shake hands”, he growled.

  “Ben”, I interjected, but he seemed to have his argument already prepared.

  “Jim, I can’t pick your friends, you got to do that on your own, but believe me when I say this. This man here is no friend, at least no friend of mine.”

  “But you don’t know me”, Maximillian said.

  “I knew Chance Marlow, I knew Nicholas Nightshadow, Gus Guard, Clarence Goodnight, and Raphael Cooper. All good wizards, and masters of magical law enforcement, but they have never came up against an adversary such as you.”

  “I can explain those cases”, Maximillian said.

  “And your explanations would be false as usual”, Ben told him. “I may never have met you until today, but I don’t think you can handle my honest to God’s opinion of you.”

  “Ben, Maximillian is my guest. He’ll be treated with due respect”, I told him. He looked from Maximillian to me, and then back again.

  “Respect, this monster doesn’t even know the meaning of the word. Let me know when your ready to go celebrate the wrap up of the Gozer case, the hypocrite is not invited.” He started to walk backwards out of the library, keeping his staff at the ready expecting some act of treachery on Maximillian’s part. He then disappeared upstairs.

  “I’m sorry, I didn’t expect him to act that way.”

  “I should’ve known”, Maximillian said. “This may not look good if you’re associated with him.”

  “Let me talk with him. Maybe I can get him to apologies to you.”

  “For your sake I hope you can.”

  “Let me handle it my friend. If we’re lucky it may be a belated case of jetlag, he was confronting Whitey on the wing of an airplane you know.” I escorted Maximillian out and shook his hand after letting him leave. “Ben. Ben I want to talk to you!”

  “Before you start in on me Jim, you might as well know a few facts about your friend”, Ben said coolly as he came down the stairs.

  “You had no right to...”

  “I had more right than he had to trespass in my house!”

  “It’s my home to Ben, and my friends are aloud here just as much as yours!”

  “First; let me correct you on something, my house. As per our agreement of our partnership I let you live here rent free. An arrangement that has worked out rather well for the two years we worked together. Second; you’re right, it is your home to. This is America after all, you have the right to be friends with whom ever you please. I just want to make sure they’re actual friends”, Ben told me. “Blue Wizard Detectives has many enemies, and Maximillian has had his eye on me for quite some time. True we never met socially. I swore when I did, that I would make him experience the same fate so many of his brethren had to experience, only when he’s ceiled away, it would be for real. Ever since the dawn of his existence he has never been confined to a lamp, ring, lantern, staff, or containment of any kind. One of the lucky genies I guess. Don’t get me wrong, I like genies. Some of my closet friends are genies, but even some of the ones I know would call Maximillian a liar. That’s not the worst part. The names I mentioned, what I said about them being good wizards and masters of magical law enforcement was true. What I said about Maximillian being their greatest adversary, also true.”

  “I spoke to Maximillian about them.”

  “What exactly did he tell you Jim? That they were persecuting his brethren that they were in the wrong, they unjustly captured those genies without cause, that they were the victims of some genie poaching ring. How little you know about the cruelty’s he is responsible for due to those false accusations.” Well, I asked for it. Ben started giving me the third degree on what he knew about the all-powerful Maximillian. “As a favor to the Magician Marshalls, My brother and I were called in as independent investigators working in the greatest of secrecy. Maximillian agreed to abide by our reports as we took to the task of investigating people we looked up to. Heroes, mentors, teachers, friends. The hardest thing we had to do was to prove their case, and show they weren’t these malicious poachers Maximillian made them out to be. We went over case after case. The entire break down, every detail of importance that would help prove Maximillian wrong. We submitted our reports, and all were exonerated, at least so we thought. Days later, every single one of those wizards who we helped were the victims of a horrible fate.”

  “You’re not suggesting
Maximillian killed them. Genies don’t kill anyone.”

  “No, they just know how to hurt a guy. Michael and I watched as they stuck Raphael Cooper into a wheel chair for the rest of his life. He can still use a wand, but his legs were crushed from when his house caved in on him. Nicholas Nightshadow nearly cooked in his own hot tub. As far as I know he’s still in Antarctica somewhere trying to treat the burns. Gus Guard is trying everything in his power to cure his son from a curse that forces him to hide his face. Maximillian knew what he was doing there, attack the man’s family, he had the child cursed during his first year at the Eagle Eye Academy. Clarence Goodnight was nearly beaten to within an inch of his life by a gang of rogue genies. They claimed it was just a game, but we all knew different. Chance Marlow put in for retirement and was going to slip away into exile. Not good enough for Maximillian. His punishment was not death, but to live forever. Don’t be surprised if you see me feeding a stray cat every now and then. A black one that I call Little Panther. That’s Marlow. I learned a lot of my best tricks from him. Since I can’t break the spell or lift the curse, I agree to leave a can of tuna out for him each night.

  Long story short the two things they all had in common, Maximillian, and all their staffs stolen. I was in Vegas, organizing Michael’s Bachelor party, and I learned about the grand opening of Maximillian’s hotel and casino. It’s quite a place, almost a combination of a museum and a fun house. On display, are the staffs of all the wizards and witches who Maximillian accused of prejudice and injustice against genie kind, all incased behind enchanted glass, and with the names of the condemned on display. Headed by these words: This is what happens to those who commit a cruel injustice to our brethren. No doubt he had a few dealings with my dad. I saw a spot reserved for his staff. Thank God it was never filled. Michael and I had suspected that he had something to do with his death, but unlike your buddy we don’t like to throw out wild accusations, we prefer to have our facts in order and track down the right suspect at the right time.”