Van Bender and the Burning Emblems (The Van Bender Archives #1) by S. James Nelson Read Free Book Online Page B

took a Cask out of your pocket, looked at it like you’d just realized what the hell it was, then put it back in your pocket. I came as quickly as I could.”
    Queasiness settled into my stomach. Thousands of people had been recording and broadcasting live when I’d taken out the Cask. How brilliant of me.
    “Who are you?” I said.
    He whipped out his badge again, so fast he might not have even put it away, and held it up right next to his ash-smudged face. He stood so close I had to lean back to see it.
    “Linford B. Maynerd, MITE division of S-O-a-P.”
    “Maynerd?” I said. Something stirred in my head. I’d heard that name before. “ Maynerd? Isn’t that Nick Savage’s real last name?”
    “Listen, Mr. Van Bender, I left my wife and kids to come investigate the Cask. I left a very delicious plate of spaghetti covered in parmesan cheese on the table. I’m not here for funny business. Let’s get serious. Once again—I’m here from S-O-a-P.”
    “Why do you spell it out every time? Why not say ‘soap?’”
    He narrowed his eyes, tightened his lips, and still held his badge up next to his face. “Because if we say ‘soap,’ we inevitably get smart-aleck remarks.”
    “What,” I said, “like it must be very clean where you work ?”
    He bared his teeth. “You’ll have to do better than that.”
    “Do you squeak when you go through doors?”
    His lips tightened. “Oh, very original. I’ve never heard that one.”
    “When wet, do you get sudsy?”
    He lifted his eyebrows and shook his head.
    “Uh,” I said, “I’ve never even heard of SOaP.”
    “Special Operations and Projects. Have you ever been involved in a special operation or project?”
    I shook my head.
    A corner of his mouth twitched. “Well, then, that’s why you haven’t heard of it. Where is the Cask?”
    I needed more time to think, so I nodded at the badge, which he still gripped like it was his last hold on sanity. For all I knew, it may have been.
    “You said ‘MITE,’ not M-I-T-E. You don’t get as many jokes about that?”
    “No, sir. Most people are smart enough not to mess with someone from the Magical Inhibition Task Enhancement division.”
    I swallowed hard. “I might be.”
    His upper lip curled. “Give me the name, Mr. Van Bender, of the person who cast a spell in here.”
    “I might not know what you’re talking about.”
    No reaction.
    “But then again, if I use all of my might , I might . Mightn’t I?”
    Still just that frown.
    I licked my lips and tried to step back from Agent Maynerd, but he followed me, holding his badge up by his face and leaning down toward me. Fortunately, his breath didn’t stink too badly.
    “Look,” I said, “I don’t know anything about what you’re talking about. All I know is that Nick Savage—”
    “Nick Savage!” His eyes widened. “Nick Savage was here?”
    Maybe it was time to downgrade from ignorant to innocent.
    “Uh, did I say Nick Savage? I meant ‘brick salvage’. I was thinking of calling my next alb—”
    “Did he hurt you?” His face grew concerned. He grabbed my arms. “Are you okay?”
    “No!” I said, a little surprised at the sudden concern.
    “You’re okay? What did he—”
    “What would he possibly do to hurt me?”
    He stared into my face for a moment, eyes laden with worry. Then he inspected the rest of me like someone scouring a car for damage.
    “You sure you’re okay?” he said.
    “Yes, I’m sure.”
    Satisfied, he stepped back. “When did he get here?”
    I frowned. Maybe it was time to come clean.
    “He came right before the concert and gave me something. He said it would gather emotions. I didn’t believe him. It was that thing that had lights on it, and got hot.”
    He stared at me for another moment, then straightened and turned away. He lowered his badge, but kept it out. With his other hand, he rubbed his chin.
    “When did he leave?”
    “About two seconds before you got here.”
    “Two seconds?”
    “Maybe