Irena - With Shandi

"The police came by today, just like you thought," Irena said when Shandi came in from work.

"Yeah, I expected they would. They were quite thorough with us. Were you ok?"

"I think so. Although the detective mentioned her computers were cleaned. I didn't clean them, just copied stuff. Also, he said her bed was made. Someone else has been there."

"And now we can't really get in. It'll be flagged off as a crime scene until they are done with it."

"Do you think Sophia ran?"

"Not at all. She was team lead, happy, and loving the chance to see this game go live. Something happened to her. Aren't you out of here soon for your trip?"

"Tomorrow. I didn't mention that to the cops, but they didn't tell me to hang around either. Should I still go?"

"I don't see why not. Nothing we can do except wonder about Sophia. I have no idea when the police seals come off a place during an investigation."

"I don't think they'll find her. This seems too weird and I can't imagine there are many clues, unless they find something like prints."

"I keep thinking about what we've gotten involved in. Who'd believe that could happen? And there is the crystal."

"What are you trying to suggest, Shan? You think that crystal might be real?"

"Remember what else it'd do? If you expose it to light, it will try to summon again. I think we should go outside tomorrow morning, before you leave, and see what it does. Where is it, anyway?"

"In my underwear drawer, wrapped in an old silk top I have."

"So, you are wondering too."

"I had the silk and it seemed like a good idea last night, so yeah, I'm nervous about it." Irena had remembered silk supposedly stopped magic when she had driven back from the game company the night before. It had taken her a couple of hours to dig it out from the box in the storage locker in the basement. It was a painful reminder of a bad relationship several years before.

"I never saw you as a silk person."

"Yeah, well..."

"Was that from what's his name? The one just after you started at Waverly's?"

"Yeah, it was his idea, along with the cuffs and chains. I sort of miss the swing, it had potential, but he was such a clumsy lover."

"And a total ass-hole! I'm very glad you dumped him."

"I know, I know. And I wish I'd listened when you told me. Not off to Uru tonight?"

"Nope. Too much brain burn at work, trying to get everything covered. Could I persuade you to mix me something interesting?"

"Of course. Any desires or should I surprise you?"

"Surprise me. All I ask is not too sweet tonight."

Irena returned a few minutes later with two small glasses filled with dark blue-black liquid. "This is a new one I found on-line. It's called a 'Black Ice' and is vodka and blackberry schnapps. I'm thinking of adding it to the Waverly's list."

"It's good. I think you should," Shandi replied, sipping slowly. "Tonight I kind of wish you'd used the grain alcohol instead, though."

The next morning they carried the wrapped crystal out on the deck. Irena carefully loosened the silk, then drew it off the top. As soon as the sunlight hit the crystal it flashed a brilliant violet and the deep sound echoed around them. Shandi looked around nervously, expecting people to be staring, but no one seemed to have noticed.

"Okayyyyy. That was what I expected but didn't think would happen," Shandi said slowly. Irena just nodded, staring intently at the crystal. "Wrap it back up, ok?"

"Uh, sure. I could stay..."

"You should go. You've been planning this trip for months. I don't think we'll hear anything from the police for weeks and the crystal will still be as strange when you get back. I've got to run. Things are really crazy trying to keep on schedule with Sophia gone."

Irena slid the crystal back in her dresser then stared at her laptop. She had been going to leave it home, but the disks from Sophia's systems were too tempting.