=:= Owen =:=

It was around ten o'clock on a Wednesday morning in the middle of September. Owen stood in front of the building, staring at it. The sign above the door was fading, some of the letters were cracked and flaking off. It was still legible, despite having seen better days.

"Llewellyn Imports & Exports
est. 1987, Cardiff"

To the right of the door a row of windows stretched across the front of the modest structure. Rusty security bars were bolted to the exterior, while curtains were drawn inside, hiding the interior from view. The window at the far end was boarded over, but the boards looked weathered. It had probably been like that for at least a year, the window broken and patched but never repaired.

A large commercial airplane roared past a few hundred meters overhead. The building was in an industrial park not far from the Cardiff airport, and they were more or less under one of the runway glide paths. It made sense for an import-export business of course, being near the airport.

After another minute or two, the front door swung open and Alys stuck her head out.

"Dad, c'mon! What are you doing standing out in the car park? Everyone's waiting."

Owen nodded quietly. It was a far cry from the luxury offices in the modern building they used to occupy. At least it was better than the little cubicle he'd had during his brief time working for the bank.

He finally made his way in through the door, sensing the warding magic as he stepped over the threshold. Despite the outward appearance of age and neglect, the place was actually quite secure.

The interior matched the exterior in terms of decor. Stained, faded grey carpet on the floor, off-white walls with stains and scuffs and the occasional dent or hole in the drywall. Ceiling tiles discoloured with age, and florescent lights that flickered now and then.

Inside the front door was a very small reception desk and no guest seating. Beyond that was another door which led to the small office area. The short hallway had two doors on either side. On the left were two smallish offices, on the right was a large meeting room and the loo. A door at the end of the hall opened up into a small warehouse or storage area.

Again, it was all very different from what he was accustomed to. However, he accepted that the rent was probably reasonable and it was a very low-profile cover. They'd continue using the name on the front of the building. It didn't quite have the same ring to it as 'Brotherhood of Diomedes' but then that was the point. He thought it appropriate that the company's acronym was 'LIE'.

The space was a bit cramped when everyone was here, Owen was already looking into getting some renovations to the place. They could sacrifice some of the storage area at the back to add another couple offices.

Alys had already ducked into the meeting room, and Owen followed her in. The others were all here, already seated and waiting for him.

There was an empty chair for him at the head of the table, and he settled into it. Looking around the table, he smiled slightly. "Good morning folks. Welcome to Llewellyn Imports and Exports."

He looked around the table. Some faces were familiar, old friends, former colleagues. Others were newer.

To his right sat Alys. It was only four weeks ago when she used magic to transform herself. He was still getting used to having a daughter, but he was doing his best. Cindy insisted on offering her a job, and Alys accepted. She'd be their new 'research department', and would mostly be working here or from home. Either way, Owen would make sure she stayed clear of danger.

On his left was Dr. Grace Bishop. Owen had only met her a few times before, Cindy handled the introductions. Grace was a medical doctor, but also experienced dealing with 'weird stuff' and had spent several months studying the Anomaly in Oxfordshire. She had information that would be helpful. And she would be his second in command here.

She was an attractive woman, in her forties. She was tall, standing around five-foot-ten, and wore her blonde hair up in a bun. Her blue-grey eyes were bright and sharp, and she carried herself with a professional demeanor. Owen knew she had experience working with the army, and she had leadership experience as well. Her training extended beyond medicine, into biology and some biochemistry. Even without Cindy's recommendation he was certain she'd be a valuable member of the team.

There were four other people seated at the table, who made up the rest of his new staff.

Colin was a former Brotherhood field agent. He was originally from Edinburgh, and he was a friend of Owen's. He was a slightly stocky man, standing about five-foot-seven, and he looked to be in his late forties. He was strong though, with broad shoulders, and muscular arms and legs. He had curly red hair and blue eyes, and wore a moustache and beard. Owen knew he was skilled in hand-to-hand fighting, as well as with weapons. And of course Colin knew the same sorts of spells the rest of the Brotherhood field operatives used. While he could be deadly-serious on the job, Colin had a good sense of humour.

Martin was another field agent, he worked for Owen here in Cardiff before they'd disbanded. He was about forty years old, and he was a tall man, standing just over six feet. Slim though, and he kept himself clean-shaven. His short dark hair was usually immaculately combed, and his dark eyes were alert. Overall, he presented a casual, easy-going attitude. Friendly and affable, he was pretty good at talking to people, and getting information out of them. And like Colin, he was trained with weapons and magic.

Terrence was another former Brotherhood man who worked for Owen. His specialty was computers and tech and he could handle field work, though he'd probably be spending as much time here at the office as he would in the field.

Known as Terry outside of work, he was a smaller man, standing about five-foot-six. He was a handsome man, and kept his dark skin clean-shaved. He had short, black hair and dark eyes. One of the younger members of the team, he was only thirty years old. Terrence tended to dress casual whenever he could. Jeans and t-shirts were his usual attire.

Terrence was a decent operative though and knew how to handle himself with weapons and magic. Still, it was his computer skills and his talent for manipulating electronics and technology that earned him a seat at the table. And like Colin, Terry could also be a bit of a joker at times.

The last member of the team was Emma, their Seer. She had the Sight, and was also talented with magic. She looked about the same age as his daughter, around eighteen or nineteen. She and Alys had already become friends.

Owen had only known her for two weeks, but so far whenever he'd seen her Emma was always wearing black clothes and dark make-up. Today she was wearing tight black jeans, a tight black t-shirt, and black ankle-boots. Between the black hair, make-up, and clothes, it made her fair skin look even more pale. She stood about five-foot-five, and was quite thin, to the point where she almost looked fragile. Despite her sombre attire and appearance, she was actually quite warm and friendly, and quick with a smile. Alys described her as a 'happy goth'.

However, Owen was uncomfortable with Emma and it had nothing to do with her appearance. It was because like himself, Martin and Terrence, she used to work for the Brotherhood here in Cardiff. Up until two weeks ago, she'd been a middle-aged man named Eric. And unlike Alys, Emma's transformation had not been done of her own accord. Owen suppressed a shudder as he thought back to that meeting.

He'd picked the four men he wanted. Eric, Gareth, Martin, and Terrence. He invited them over to his house. Alys was there too of course, since she'd be part of the new team. Owen explained the situation, that they had a new benefactor who wanted them to re-start the Cardiff operation. He'd briefly explained the changes, and made clear the new mandate was public safety.

Then Cindy arrived to continue the briefing, and that's where everything went so horribly wrong.

Gareth and Eric had apparently planned the coup together. Owen hadn't seen the gun until it was too late. As Cindy wandered around the living-room while she talked, Gareth pulled out his pistol and shot the girl in the back. At the same time, Eric caught Owen with a paralysis spell, rendering him helpless.

Alys started screaming and Gareth used a paralysis spell on her too. Then he started ranting about how Owen had betrayed them, and that Owen's 'son' was an abomination and a mockery to everything the Brotherhood stood for. That Owen had proved himself unfit to lead them.

He'd watched helplessly as Gareth raised his gun, intending to execute Alys right there infront of him. Owen knew full well he'd be next, Gareth just wanted to make him watch his child die first.

Before Gareth could pull the trigger, Cindy was back on her feet. The girl's eyes flared with unearthly purple light, and Gareth, Eric and Cindy vanished. Owen and his daughter were freed from the paralysis. He rushed to her side, to hold and console her.

Martin and Terrence swore they had no part in the coup, that they had no idea what Eric and Gareth were planning. A minute later Cindy re-appeared, accompanied by Emma.

The young blonde apologized for not vetting everyone up-front, and she confirmed Martin and Terence weren't involved.

Then she introduced Emma to the rest of them. Apparently since he had the Sight, Eric was valuable to the teen, so he'd received an 'attitude adjustment'. Emma still remembered Eric's life, she remembered being him, but now she was someone else.

Gareth on the other hand had no unique skills or talents. He was a good field man, but he was replacable. All Cindy had to say about his fate was she'd tossed him into Hell for being a violent transmisic asshole.

Owen suppressed another shudder as he pushed those memories aside and focused himself on the present. These people were his new team, they were in their new offices, and this was their first official meeting.

He looked around the table again then said, "All right folks, let's get started. Grace, please tell us why we're here."

The middle-aged woman nodded to him. Looking around the table, she began her explanation.

"In late November last year, an Anomaly appeared on a private estate outside of Abingdon-on-Thames, Oxfordshire. At the time we had no idea what it was or what it did, but it was very quickly determined to be hazardous. The Army secured the area, and before long the entire estate was fenced off, and patrolled by armed sentries. I became involved at the end of May, and studied it until last month when it was eliminated."

She continued, "While it existed, it seemed to act as a gateway or portal, among other things. We know a number of 'entities' came through it. The Army eliminated many of them, but we know some were able to avoid the sentries and escape. And we suspect more got out before the perimeter was fully secured. Best guess is we're dealing with two to three dozen unknown entities, at large somewhere in the British Isles."

After a pause, Grace concluded "We don't know what they are. Some could be described as Fae, others as Demons. All we know is they came through a 'tear in reality' and into our world."

Owen took over, "Our mandate is to protect the public. We want to find these things and make sure they pose no threat. We're not here to hunt them down and destroy them indiscriminately. If they're no threat, then we just identify them and let them go. I think we can be sure whatever they are, whatever they're doing, they're keeping it quiet. We haven't seen any six o'clock news stories of demons or fae rampaging through Westminster or Liverpool or Oxford, and some of these things have been here nearly a year."

He looked around the table again at his people. Most looked serious. Alys was smiling though. Martin and Colin looked thoughtful. Emma was staring at Alys and looked like she wasn't even paying attention to the meeting, and Terrence was watching Emma.

Owen sighed, he knew both Martin and Terrence were probably as uneasy around Emma as he was. They'd both been there of course when Cindy took Eric away and returned with Emma. And they'd both heard the young blonde's explanation of what she'd done to their colleague.

The silence was finally broken by Colin.

"What of our other mandates? The Brotherhood's primary mission was keeping the mortal realm free of divine influence and meddling." He glanced at Alys then added, "And our other goal was to keep magic out of the hands of the public."

Owen shook his head, "Protecting the public is our mission now. If other deities arise, so long as they don't threaten the general public it's none of our business. And I have a feeling our benefactor would be the one to look into that anyways."

He continued, "As for your second point, that's now moot. The public already knows magic exists. The fifth wave of transformations happened at yesterday's full moon. And Cindy released her second spell to the world at the end of August, just before the last new moon. Magical birth control, free and effective, for any woman that wants it. No point trying to close the barn door, Colin. That horse has already bolted."

Colin asked, "And if we come across some git who's uncovered an ancient scroll or something, terrorizing his local village with spells?"

"That's different," Owen replied. "That's a public safety issue, and that's something we'll attempt to remedy. Though a lethal intervention would be the last resort. Our new protocols are to aim for peaceful resolutions."

He watched as everyone nodded again. His daughter was still grinning, and he finally asked her "What is it about all this that you find so amusing, Alys?"

She blushed slightly and bit her lower lip, then admitted "It's all just kind of exciting, you know? I mean, secret organization, clandestine meetings, using magic to keep the world safe from supernatural creatures. It could be the plot for a Hollywood movie."

Emma was still watching Alys, and finally spoke up. She commented, "It actually reminds me of a BBC science fiction programme from a few years back. Their secret lair was at the Millennium Centre though, hidden beneath Roald Dahl Plass. Somewhat flashier digs than an old import export office."

Several members of the team rolled their eyes, but Alys giggled and Emma flashed her a grin and a wink.

Owen suppressed a groan. He really didn't approve of the Seer flirting with his daughter, especially not in the middle of a meeting and in front of the rest of the team.

"So," Martin asked, changing the subject. "Where do we begin?"

Owen replied, "Alys, Grace, and Emma will be researching, trying to find us some leads. Until they've found a target for the rest of us to investigate, Martin and Colin and I will be doing some work to get this place cleaned up and more suitable for our purposes. Maybe a little renovation work too. Terrence, you'll be working on getting us access to various official databases and networks. Government, army, police, and so on. So when the time comes we'll be able to query those systems at will."

There weren't any more questions, so Owen brought the meeting to a close.

=:= Alys =:=

They'd all just finished lunch, with the meeting room doubling as their break-room. Dad had ordered in take-away for everyone, and paid for it out of the 'expense account'.

Afterwards, before letting her get back to work with Grace and Emma, her dad called her into his office for a talk. It felt a little like she was in trouble, but she wasn't sure why.

Now he was sat behind his desk, she was in a guest chair facing him, and he was trying to lecture her about her 'unprofessional behavior' during the meeting this morning.

"I just wish you'd take things a little more seriously," dad said, frowning at her across his desk. "First impressions are important, Alys. This is our first day on the job here, and I've worked with some of these people for a long time. We need to be professional."

He sighed and added, "You used to act a lot more serious, before..."

"Don't mistake suffering for seriousness, dad." she said quietly, silencing him with a dark glare. "After a decade of pain I'm finally able to be myself, finally able to enjoy being me. I'll act serious when the situation calls for it, but I can be serious and still be happy at the same time."

Over the past four weeks there'd been several deep, painful conversations between the two of them. She told him about dysphoria, and she knew he'd educated himself on what it meant to be trans. He had at least some idea what life had been like for her, over the past ten years or so. Now he know about all the pain and discomfort she'd kept bottled up inside all that time.

She watched as he sighed and nodded. "Alys I'm sorry, I'm doing my best. This isn't just the two of us at home though. This is work, and it's serious work. It's my career, this is what I've done for two decades. I'm adjusting to having you being part of my work, and adjusting to having you being you."

She nodded, "Ok dad. I get it."

He looked like he had something else on his mind, and from his expression she figured it was more bad news.

Finally he said softly, "I'm also uncomfortable with the way you and Emma are acting around each other."

Alys rolled her eyes, "We're just being friendly, dad. She's nice, and she's cute. What's the big deal?"

He kept his voice down as he said, "Alys that's more than just being friendly. She's flirting with you."

That brought a blush to her cheeks and her eyes widened. It also brought a little flutter to her stomach. She was being flirted with?! That never happened before! Alys took a few breaths but couldn't hide her grin. "Oh... Wow. Neat!"

Her dad nearly face-palmed at her reaction. Instead he shook his head "It's not neat. Don't you remember who she was? What she tried to do to you and I?"

"That wasn't her," Alys stated. "You heard what Cindy said. And I've talked with Emma, so have you. She's apologized like twenty times for what Eric did. But that wasn't her, that was him. And she's not him anymore. She's Emma, and she's nice. And I like her."

Dad sighed and rubbed his forehead. "I wonder if it's not too late to make a rule against dating co-workers."

"Dad!" Alys protested, though she was still smiling. Still feeling a little giddy with the news that the cute happy goth was flirting with her.

Grinning wider she added, "Anyways if you ban office romances then that means you won't be able to get anywhere with Grace."

Now it was her dad's turn to blush and protest, but Alys just giggled. "C'mon dad, I've caught you looking at her like that a half dozen times already."

Finally he just sighed, "Fine. Go, get back to work. Just try not to embarass me too much, ok?"

"Ok daddy!" She was still grinning as she got up and left his office, entering the one next door. It was a bit cramped but they had a desk in the corner, and a table in the middle. Grace was at the desk, and for now Alys and Emma were sharing the table. All three of them had laptops, and there was a bookcase with various reference books.

For the moment, 'research' mostly meant going through social media, tabloid newpaper archives, and conspiracy websites. They were looking for any references or stories of 'odd occurances' that had happened in the UK over the past ten or eleven months.

It was mostly boring work, though fairly often one of them would come across something particularily silly or hilarious, and she and Emma would have a good giggle over it while Grace smiled and tried to keep up her professional act.

It was also just a little bit harder for Alys to stay focused on her work, now that she knew Emma was flirting. The little looks and smiles the two of them shared suddenly took on a whole new meaning, and Alys felt that fluttering in her stomach again. Her smiles were a little wider though, and the shared looks lasted a little longer.

She really had no idea how to 'flirt', so she just started copying the little things Emma was doing. That seemed to encourage Emma to do more of it, and soon productivity was dropping for both of them.

Apparently they weren't being the least bit subtle about it, and eventually Grace cleared her throat and made a few pointed comments. That caused both Alys and Emma to blush brightly, but also got them to focus more on their work and less on each other. For now, anyways.

The rest of the day went by fairly quietly. And Grace only had to remind her and Emma a few more times to focus.

Dad said he was going to work late, first day on the job and he was already back to his old workaholic self. At least he enjoyed this sort of stuff, Alys figured. He'd hated working at the bank.

Him working late also meant she was free to do whatever, and today that meant spending some more time with Emma. Without either her dad or Grace looking over their shoulders, which would be especially nice.

They bid the others a good evening, then headed out together to catch the bus. They were already discussing where to go for dinner, and what to do with the rest of their evening.

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