FicWad

Chapter 4
Shadow of Ignorance

The great oak desk in the oval office, his office Richard though, was filled with all kinds of important letters, reports and memos. Of course they were important, he was Richard Person, President of the United States of America, after all, yet none of them was as important as this, few as uninformative as this. In his hands he held the full report concerning the so-called activities that happened two days ago. Magic was a better word, though no one dared use that word. They were smart, rational people after all, and smart, rational people didn't believe in magic, did they. Well, they would.

Two days ago people all around the world had started casting magic, almost in unison. The reports from Europe came a few minutes earlier than the ones in Hawaii, yet no one could tell where it all started. The popular theory was that aliens or god or the devil or something else had done this to us. The popular one, there was no scientific one, at least none coherent enough to be mentioned in this report. Maybe the Russians had one, they had always been good at keeping secret, but he doubted it. He also doubted the alien theory, if they had, we would be the one to know after all.

As he looked down at the paper again, searching for anything he missed, but there was nothing there. Both males and females had casted, though it seemed that the females had done less damage, and were thus less likely to be spotted doing whatever it was they had been doing. The report told of killings, damage to property, savings and several other things too. The FBI had captured some magicians, but very few of those spotted had been willing to along with the FBI. On the other hand the FBI was a large organization, they had lots and lots of people who had casted. The average seemed to be one caster per one hundred persons, but that didn't include all those that didn't report their ability. The ones they had managed to interview had been helpful though, telling them everything they knew, more or less. The information they gave seemed rather lacking.

Even what the most helpful and knowledgeable of them said was not much, mostly about how great it felt, how he used one or several of the four elements, there was no better word, to create the magic results. He said it was like weaving threads into a final weave. He stated something about how he so far only had managed to do basic stuff, like a small gray mat, yet one day he would manage to do something greater. The man seemed obsessed by the term weaving, but it didn't matter, that word was as good as the next one. Too bad the scientist had suggested doing an autopsy on the man while he had overheard it; six guards had been killed when he escaped. They said the bullets didn't harm him, and the guarding of that place was quite lax besides. He had also told them about how he felt when he was "connected to the source" to quote his exact words. Something about being double alive, how he feel almost everything twice as clearly and so on. Holding on to magic was like a fight he told them. He constantly fought to control it, to make it do what he wanted. The rest of the report was a big "We don't know" formulated by standard political words. Inconvenient, but he had always been good at reading between the lines, one of his main tools from a metalworkers son to the man he was now. But damn the FBI for only taking one really useful for study. He was sure the CIA could have done it better, but their jurisdiction was foreign "relations", and the FBI had always been angry when the CIA took part in any internal problems. A pity.

He didn't know what to do. It had always been so easy before, political maneuverings with the Russians, Chinese and EU had been important and hard work of course, yet that field had rules which they all know and mostly respected. Now the field had a new player who could not be seen, didn't follow the rules, and no one knew even what he was. Yet this player was not just one player, he was a living entity who could be made to take one side, or all sides. There was enough of him for every one of the great nations to take hold of. He had to move fast.

"Send for senator Sumpner and general Callaghan. I wish to meet them immediately." he said while holding down the send button of the intercom. It was said that the only working part of the government offices was the White House, and when he wanted something it worked even better. Once when he asked for a new wake-up clock it had came within a little less than two hours. He didn't have time to think at anything more before the intercom beeped and his assistants voice said "Mr. Sumpner is in the capitol right now, and will come at once, but general Callaghan is at inspecting Fernhaust Base in Alabama. Shall I message your order to him?" He replied that of course he wanted to meet him, why else would he have called for him. His voice was a bit irritated as he said that to her, but all of his assistants should learn that when he said he wanted something, he meant it. Besides, this was important. The man should be here within an hour or two anyway. Senator Sumpner could wait, he was only important as the senate always wanted to keep an eye on military operations. This one would be a must for them to keep an eye one, or so they though.

He tried to keep himself occupied those two hours by going trough the other reports he had before him, but his mind always wandered back to the great report, which in all it's flaws and lack of conclusions was the only thing he had. Senator Sumpner was told to wait outside until general Callaghan arrived.

"I have called you here today concerning the spark of magicians which has spun up over the world, including our nation." Richard started to speak to the two men in his room. Senator Sumpner had comfortably set himself in a leather chair, while general Callaghan stood in guard posture right at the top of the US seal at the full-covering mat. He stood in a dirty camouflage-suit, obviously the man had came immediately when he had gotten the order and no-one had gotten the idea of putting a military-uniform on the plane. The two secret service men eyed him carefully, or at least Richard supposed they did, they were always wearing their standard black eyeglasses.

"I do not think I need to tell you much about what the so called magicians are, or what they can do. I suppose CNN has briefed you enough. I have a report here, you can get copies of it from outside my office, but it holds mostly I don't knows. Anyway, what I want you to do is to create a group for the magicians, more specifically named USCG, or United States Casters Guild. You will draft everyone in the US who did something special two days ago, male or female. We cannot force them to join of course; we are the land of the free after all, but try to group them together in at least some kind of fashion. General Callaghan, I know you are the right man to create a government office like this. They will be under your command of course, but I want you to have a magician as co-leader. You senator Sumpner will control the economic and political assets of this. This organization, USCG, will be under my direct control, not trough the Senate or House of Representatives. Have I made myself clear?"

The men stood silent for a few seconds, until Callaghan finally spoke out " I will do as you say Mr. President, but I have two requests. One is that I control this office, not the honorable Senator here, and not you. My one is second is that I will receive full rights to recruit the magicians, in any way I wish. Of course I will remind you that by forcing them to join the possibility of rebellion and riot increase exponentially, so you need not worry about me going against the laws, which you so proudly uphold. " and with almost an afterthought he said " And good laws they are too sir.". No matter, Richard though. Callaghan was a good general, an excellent general, and he was at his absolute best when starting up a new military organization from scratch, which had been useful when intervening in third-world nations. And a military organization of magicians was just what he needed now. No doubt that would be what they would be set up against. With magicians, who knows what the Commies would do. And he was right too, anyone not fully connected to an organization should not take part in it's leading.

As he looked up from his thoughts, he immediately noticed that general Callaghan, usually a serene man, was so nervous he was almost sweating. How long did I wonder, Richard though. Well, best tell him what I decided; I do hate to look at nervous men, even though with him usually being so annoying he kind of deserves it.

"I accept to your requests. Now move out, both of you, I have work to do. ", and with a sigh or relief, general Callaghan started moving towards the door. Senator Sumpner seemed irritated at the lack of talking done to him. But both men soon walked outside, surely to talk between themselves on how to start up. Richard hoped that Callaghan would come out on top of that discussion, he surely would. Then if he knew the man right, soon there would be ten thousand soldiers, all putting up recruitment posts around the US. There would probably be a press release by him later on the after noon. Good, I don't like to wait. Time waits for no one.