Popslash. The Mathematician and the Adventurer

Title: The Mathematician and the Adventurer.
Fandom: Popslash.
Characters: JC/AJ
Word Count: 11,073
Rating: PG-13
Summary: JC is drafted into the strangest secret organization in the world.
Author's Notes: This was written for DWNOGA 2007, for Amanda. My first ever letterboys, and I have to admit, very fun to write. Betaed as always by the wonderful otherdeb. Moth is used here with permission, as he's milosflaca's baby.



Alexander James Mclean, code name AJ, entered the room. He was tired, since he had been called to headquarters the moment he had stepped off the plane from Nicaragua, and the only thing he wanted was to return to his small apartment, get a shower, and forget half of the things he had seen in the small Latin American country. But when you were the top agent of one of the world’s most important secret organizations, you just didn’t have the luxury of a good weekend’s rest.

And he knew that the Director wouldn’t call him to Headquarters unless it was an emergency.

The Director’s office was a huge room, filled with bookcases and ancient paintings. It looked more like the office of a College Dean than the office of the man in charge of a secret UNO organization. AJ knew better than to judge the place by its looks. More than once, he had been saved by the secret weaponry that the Director kept hidden there. AJ, dressed in his old lucky jeans, a torn black t-shirt that still had dust from the road, and his trusty black jacket, looked out of place there. He felt like a kid, going to the principal’s office every time he went there

“AJ, I trust your return trip was uneventful?” The Director said soberly, as he greeted him. He offered AJ a seat in front of the huge Louis XV desk that dominated the room.

“A lot calmer than my trip there, Mr. McCartney,” AJ admitted. “I’m sorry to say the item I was sent to retrieve was a fraud, though.”

“It’s a risk we all take in the search for the true items,” the Director said, shaking his head. “I’m afraid I didn’t call you here just to exchange pleasantries, AJ. I have bad news.”

“I figured as much,” AJ admitted, pinching the bridge of his nose. “Where do you need me to go?”

“There is a new Guardian. Someone needs to go, bring him in, and explain his mission to him.” The Director looked at AJ, waiting for him to fill in the blanks.

“When did Jordan die?” AJ asked, closing his eyes. Jordan Knight, the old Guardian, was the one who trained AJ in the field; the closest thing AJ had had to a father for a long time.

“According to the Mirror, 12 hours ago,” the Director said. “AJ, I know you and the Guardian were close. Usually, I would try to give you some time to grieve. But you are our best agent, and it’s imperative that the New Guardian is trained swiftly.”

“How did Jordan die?”

“AJ…”

“I want to know, please.” AJ knew he was treading on thin ice. In his job, the rules were simple: Do whatever the Director asked for, don’t tell anyone outside the office what the work entailed, and never ask questions. But he hoped that the Director understood why it meant so much to him.

“We still don’t know,” the Director admitted. “D was sent to retrieve the body, and BL was badly wounded.”

AJ nodded, feeling a bit better. D was a good agent, and he had come into the organization almost at the same time as AJ had. He would not rest until Jordan’s murder had been avenged.

“And the New Guardian?” AJ asked, trying to keep his voice calm. “Who is he? A monk, philosopher, writer?”

AJ hoped it was the latter. While writers needed far more training than most Guardians, they also were the ones who accepted their calling more easily. They were very imaginative, and very creative when it came to find solutions to problems.

“Not exactly, no.” The Director shook his head, smiling mysteriously. “Come with me.”

They walked in silence across the hallway that led to the Organization’s first vault, the one that kept the items that most of them could use when they were in need. The portraits of past Guardians were hung high on the walls, and AJ couldn’t help but look up. Jordan’s portrait wasn’t there yet, as the only time when a Guardian’s face was hung in the hallway was when they died, the last honour they would receive in their short lives.

Being the Guardian was a very dangerous calling, and not for the first time AJ thanked his luck that he was just a field operative. His duty was to serve and protect the Guardian and the Organization, and that was fine with him.

They finally stopped in front of a huge red curtain behind which rested the first item that the Guardian of 1500 had brought with him to America.

“I hate this part,” the Director said, smiling sadly. His brown eyes shone under the lights, and he seemed, just for a moment, at least twenty years younger. Then, he faced the Mirror, raising his hand in the ancient ritual that AJ had only seen a handful of times. “Mirror Mirror on the Wall, Who’s the new Guardian of us all?”

The reflective surface of the Mirror flickered and turned black. From the shadows, a huge human face appeared, looking grave. The Mirror face looked like a recently dead person, and even after all the years he had been in the Organization, he still creeped AJ out.

“His skin is pale, his mind is bright as sunshine. His path is the road of the truth seekers, following the Greek tradition,” the Mirror said, smiling, but the Director didn’t seem to react. AJ hadn’t talked much to the Mirror, but he knew that it was very much stuck in the past and its original function. Jordan had told him that the trick was not to encourage it. And after a moment, AJ understood why as the Mirror rolled its eyes and spoke again. “Fine. Have it your way. His name is Joshua Scott Chasez, he’s a professor in the department of Mathematics and Science in the University of Minnesota. He’s single, 25, still in contact with his adoptive parents and his older brother, who works in Chicago. The Professor is considered one of the most brilliant mathematicians of his generation, a not to mention that he is working on a second degree in Physics as we speak. Happy now, Sir Paul?”

“A Math Professor? Are you sure?” AJ asked before he could stop himself. “Scientists have never been called as Guardians! They can’t do the job!”

“Are you questioning my wisdom, Alexander?” The Mirror asked, turning his attention to AJ. “Bear in mind that the last person to do so ended her days with iron shoes welded to her feet, dancing her way to an endless cliff.”

“Don’t threaten him, Mirror, he’s got a good point.” The Director looked as unconvinced as AJ. Scientists who could work with the Organization were very few, and most of the ones who tried ended up going insane. Many rules that normal people took for granted didn’t exist in the Organization’s world. “What makes this professor so special?”

“I’m afraid, my dear Sir Paul that you would need to ask the Lady of the Lake for that. I just pass the message on; I’m not the one who chooses the Guardians. And if I may give another piece of advice, I suggest young Alexander leave shortly. I’m afraid that an untrained Guardian would be an easy prey for some… less than cooperative factions.”

* * *

Joshua Scott Chasez was seriously considering putting a ‘Do not Disturb’ sign on the door of his office. He had only accepted his teaching position because they had promised him time for his research and contacts to publish the results; however, he had found out that it was not that easy: when he was not in class, he had to grade his students’ papers as he hadn’t yet hired an assistant, or help some of them with their theses, or step in as a substitute teacher when one of the other faculty members missed a class. The truth of the matter was that he had no time at all for his own projects. Sometimes he wished he could find a good reason to quit and leave academia behind.

“Come in,” he said when he heard a knock on his door. He had long ago decided that it was always better in the long run to deal with distractions immediately. If he could help whoever was behind the door quickly, he still could get something done before his next class. “It’s open.”

“Professor Chasez? “

Joshua looked up at the sound of the unknown voice. The man who had just entered wasn’t one of his students, he didn’t look familiar. He wasn’t very tall, and was wearing an old fedora like the one Indiana Jones had -Joshua didn’t particularly like those movies, but his brother loved them and so they had seen them together many times. The man was also wearing dark glasses, so dark that Joshua couldn’t even see a hint of what was behind the smoked surface. His skin was tanned, as if he had been under the sun for too long. And although his visitor was wearing a very expensive suit, Joshua had the impression that he was a dangerous man.

“Who wants to know?” He asked, curious.

“You can call me AJ,” the man said as an introduction. “I was sent by the Institute for the Study and Research of Myths and Legends.”

“I’m sorry,” Joshua frowned. “I’ve never heard of that Institute. I’m not really interested in cryptology or literature. How can I help you?”

“Didn’t you get our fax?” the man, AJ, looked at the ceiling in exasperation. “Please, don’t tell me I have to explain everything to you.”

“Sorry, I haven’t had the time to check my mail today,” Joshua said in what he was hoping was a calming tone. There was something off about the man, but at the same time, Joshua couldn’t help but feel amused.

“There is an opening at the Institute,” AJ finally said, pinching the bridge of his nose under his dark glasses. “And our chief of personnel selected you to fill it. They sent me to retrieve you and explain all you need to know about the position.”

“This must be a mistake,” Joshua said smiling. “I never sent my resume to the Institute, so there’s no way they would have picked me for a job. And, if you don’t mind my honesty, I don’t see why you would you need a mathematician for the study and research of old myths.”

“You would be surprised,” AJ said laughing, although he didn’t sound convinced himself. “I understand that you might be hesitant to accept, but let me assure you that once you come to the Institute and see what the position entails you will be glad you accepted.”

It struck Joshua as a funny that the man didn’t seem to doubt to that he would go with him. While it was true that not long ago Joshua was wishing for a change of pace, AJ’s job offer wasn’t exactly his ideal job.

“I understand that you need time to accept,” AJ’s said, although he didn’t sound exactly concerned. “Here’s my card; you can call me when you are ready to go.”

Before Joshua could protest, the man handed to him a white piece of paper, turned, and left the office.

Joshua was about to drop the paper in the trash when he noticed fiery lines appearing on the side. Now, in a very elegant font, the card read: ISRML. AJ. Security and Retrieval. Underneath that line there was cell phone number. Intrigued, Joshua put the card in his jacket pocket.

* * *

The part that AJ liked best about his position with the Organization was that he very seldom had to try and retrieve people. Since they weren’t allowed to explain the truth about the Organization, until they were sure no one else was listening the ISRML was a perfect cover. Everyone thought it was just a group of intellectuals trying to figure out why mankind was so obsessed with fake stories. When a new recruit got to hear what they really did, most of the time they didn’t believe it.

AJ remembered quite clearly the day Jordan and his then field partner, agent DW, came to his house in Florida. Back then, AJ had been a struggling stuntman/actor, dreaming of a chance to work in an epic movie. At first, he had thought that the Guardian and his partner where madmen, but he had accepted the job because it beat waiting tables. It hadn’t been until his first brush with the dangers of the job that he realized what the truth was. It had been an encounter that left its mark on him.

Unfortunately, Professor Chasez wouldn’t have the luxury of waiting. He wouldn’t even have the chance to try and turn down the job. The Organization just couldn’t wait for the veil over the new Guardian’s eyes to fall naturally, and the Mirror had made a strong point when he said that a disbelieving Guardian, an untrained Guardian, would be an easy prey for the Void, the Nothing, and the nastier creatures that lived in the dark. AJ had to keep an eye on them while figuring out how to convince Chasez fast.

He picked up his cellphone just seconds before it rang, still lying on his bed on the hotel room where he could keep an eye on Chasez. “I’ve made contact, but I think it will be harder to convince him than what we predicted.”

“I’m afraid you won’t have time to convince him,” The director said, sounding far too worried for AJ’s taste. “The AURYN has been stolen from Jordan’s body.”

“You mean that BL failed to do his duty after Jordan died? That doesn’t sound like BL.” AJ sat up, worried. The only reason why the Guardian always had a companion on his field missions was not to make the work easier, but to make sure that if anything happened to the Guardian, the very object that bonded to the Guardian when he or she took the oath wouldn’t be lost.

The AURYN was one of the most powerful magical items in the universe. It had the power to make wishes come true, to bend reality to its wearer’s will, but that power came with a great price. Only those chosen to be the Guardian of both fantasy and reality could resist the temptation of using it when it was not needed, and it was the reason why the Childlike Empress had agreed to let the AURYN go to Earth. When the AURYN was in the Guardian’s hands, the realm of Fantastica was safe from the Nothing, and human children were less prone to fall victim to the dangers of the wondrous realm.

“We don’t know,” the Director answered. “BL is in a coma. D thinks that what attacked them got BL out of the way before killing Jordan.”

“Did you warn the Childlike Empress that the Nothing has sent its agents here?”

“The Mirror says it wasn’t the Nothing’s agents who attacked Jordan.” There was a long silence before the director spoke again. “Alex, I must be honest. The Mirror is worried about this, and he suggested that since the only one who can handle the AURYN’s powers safely is the Guardian, you and the Professor should look for it while D follows Jordan’s killers. To aid that effort, I’m giving you permission for to use everything we have kept in the trunk room.”

“Fuck!” AJ swore under his breath. Obviously whatever was going on was very serious if the Mirror was willing to send an untrained Guardian on a potentially dangerous mission. “Not even you have authorization to use the arsenal in the trunk without paperwork.”

“Enjoy the right,” The Director said, almost as if joking. “And do it fast. We have to get the AURYN back, no matter what.”

* * *

Joshua arrived home after a long day at college, still thinking about the mysterious man who had come to his office, and the strange card that he had left behind. The fiery lettering was very clear to him now, but when he had tried to show it to Professor Jones, the dean in charge of the math department; it had been a white card again, without any indication of writing.

He toyed with the idea of going to the biology laboratory and having the card examined, but he was hesitant to let the card out of his hands. He took it out of his pocket and turned it around, almost willing it to reveal its secrets. To his surprise, instead of the name of the institute and AJ’s phone, when the fiery letters appeared, this time they spelled only one phrase.

OPEN THE DOOR.

“What the hell?” Joshua frowned, puzzled. Ink that could appear and disappear at random times was one thing, and he theorized it could be related to light and heat. That the ink was only visible when seen from a certain angle, he could also construct a theory for. This, however, was not as easily explained.

OPEN THE DOOR, PLEASE?

The card read again. Still not sure of what he was doing, he got up from his couch and went to the door. As soon as he had, AJ entered the room. He was still wearing the hat and the dark glasses, which struck Joshua as odd. It was dark outside already, how did AJ manage to see? The suit had been replaced by a dark leather jacket, a white shirt, blue faded jeans and black boots.

“Pack up a light bag. Plans have changed,” AJ said, not even bothering to say hello. When Joshua didn’t move, AJ turned around and looked at him. “Well? What are you waiting for? We’ve got to go.”

“Mr. AJ, perhaps I wasn’t clear enough in my office, but I haven’t accepted the new job. I’m not going anywhere.”

Instead of answering, AJ went straight upstairs, to Joshua’s room. Joshua followed him, ready to protest the invasion to his privacy, wondering how this man knew exactly where everything was, while AJ picked up a bag from his closet and started putting clothes in it.

“What the hell are you doing?!” Joshua yelled, looking for his phone. “Stop this instant or I’ll call the police!”

“Only if you want innocents to die,” AJ said casually as he closed Joshua’s bag and threw it to him. “Let’s get working.”

“Are you kidnapping me? “Joshua asked getting worried. “Because I am of no value to you. My family is not rich, you won’t get any ransom money.”

“I’m trying to keep you from getting kidnapped,” AJ growled. “We’ve got less than two minutes before the Monkeys arrive.”

“The Monkeys,” Joshua repeated, incredulous. Of all the people in the world he had to be kidnapped by a lunatic. “Look, if your bosses really want me to consider a position at their Institute, this is not the way to go about it.”

AJ turned around to answer when a loud thud interrupted him. It sounded like a tree falling down on the roof. Joshua turned to see AJ, alarmed, as the sound repeated many times over, as if there was a huge hail storm outside.

“We’re out of time.” AJ grabbed Joshua’s hand and stared pulling him out of the room, away from the window. “Let’s go!”

“Go where?” Joshua was starting to panic when suddenly the window of his room imploded and a huge gorilla entered the room. Joshua only had time to get a very brief glimpse of the animal, and it was enough to make him believe that he was going insane. Or that AJ had drugged him. “Does that thing have wings?!”

“Do you have a full body mirror in this house?” AJ ignored his question, dragging him through the hallway as they heard more windows break.

“You’re the one who found my bedroom without being told where it was!” Joshua answered, angrily. “Your stalking information isn’t that good?”

“After I get you out of here, you can be as sarcastic as you want!” A somewhat smaller monkey, dressed in purple armour, landed next to Joshua and screeched at him, waving a sword. Without even stopping to look at it, AJ took something out of his jacket and the next thing Joshua knew, the monkey was falling to the floor and AJ had a huge wooden staff in his hand, topped with golden circles. “Now, a mirror! They’ll swarm us in no time!”

“Second door to the left! But it’s stupid to go in there, it’s the bathroom! There are no exits!” Joshua explained, but AJ was already manhandling him into the small room.

“Just get in!” AJ pushed Joshua inside, making him fall next to the toilet, just as the strange creatures began closing in on them. He managed to shut the door before they entered, but it was obvious that he had troubles keeping them outside. After a short struggle, he turned to look at Joshua.

“What are those things?” Joshua asked, trying not to sound hysterical. “And why are they trying to get you?”

“Monkeys, of course.” AJ’s tone was calm, just as if he was saying that the sky was blue, or water was wet. Monkeys, of course. “And they’re not chasing me. They’re coming to get you.”

“Me? Why?” Joshua got to his feet. “Why would those things want to chase me?”

“I’ll explain when we’re safe.” AJ blocked the door with his weight and pointed to the full body mirror that Joshua had next to the toilet. “Now, I’m going to say something that sounds a little crazy, but trust me. I need you go to the mirror, and walk backwards towards it. Don’t stop at all until you feel wind on your face.”

“I can’t believe that there are flying gorillas in my living room and yet you managed to say something even crazier,” Joshua pointed out, but out of desperation, he decided to obey. The worst thing that could happen is that he would bump into the wall.

“Do it, and don’t think you’ll hit the wall!” AJ yelled, as if he had read Joshua’s thoughts. “Close your eyes if that helps!”

Joshua did as he was told, and closed his eyes feeling incredible silly. But there were flying gorillas in his living room so he probably was dreaming. And if he was dreaming, then it was very plausible that he wouldn’t hit the wall. In dreams, things like that could happen. He didn’t remember going to sleep, but it didn’t matter. Joshua’s dreams had always been pretty vivid and a little crazy. He would have to ask his shrink why he would dream of a man he had just met, but it didn’t matter. The one thing that mattered was that he was asleep, and thus, the wall was not really there.

Still, he was quite surprised when he opened his eyes and instead of his bathroom he found himself in a huge field.

* * *

AJ let out a huge sigh of relief when Joshua’s body disappeared through the looking glass. The fact that the professor had been able to pass made AJ think that maybe the Mirror hadn’t been all that mistaken, only people with vivid imagination were able to use the path to Mirrorland. The best part was that the flying monkeys were unable to follow, as they were citizens of a completely different fantasy land.

He waited for a moment before letting go of the door and following Joshua through the looking glass.

Mirrorland was just as AJ remembered it from the very brief times he had accompanied DW and Jordan there. And not far away, he could see the flower fields that had made him send Joshua there in the first place. Mirrorland flowers were known for being the biggest gossips in the whole world.

“Are you OK ?” He asked Joshua, who was looking around mystified at the beauty of field.

“I’m dreaming, aren’t I? That’s a good explanation, right?” Joshua asked, just as a humming horse bird passed flying next to them. “I’ll wake up tomorrow, and I will have forgotten everything.”

“Sorry, no.” AJ said, trying to be comprehensive. “I told you I am a field agent for the ISRML, and this, well, this is pretty much what we do. We’re in Mirrorland now, and I’ve got to find out who found you before we can explain your new job to you.”

“Wait, Mirrorland? As in the land Alice visits when she goes through the Looking Glass?” For the first time since AJ had meet him, Joshua didn’t look that lost or confused.

“You’ve read Alice’s Adventures in the Underworld?” AJ asked, pleasantly surprised.

“It’s a classic, and most mathematicians love it,” Joshua answered, smiling. “It might look like a lot of nonsense, but it does introduce children to mathematical theory.”

“I should’ve guessed that you would focus on that part,” AJ laughed. “Well, the mathematical theory was added by Mr. Carroll, but it’s good to know that you’re familiar with the place.”

“Wait. You mean… this is real? Mirrorland is real?” Joshua looked around, pinching his arm. “And… wait. Why does a Cryptology Institute knows about this, and the rest of the world doesn’t?”

AJ chuckled. It probably was just the shock of having been attacked by the Winged Monkeys, but it seemed that Professor Chasez was accepting the situation a lot more easily than had been expected. The Mirror had been right , it wasn’t a good idea to judge the scientist by a general impression.

“We’re not a Cryptology Institute,” AJ explained. “The ISRML is the cover for the Organization, the only line of defense for the balance between all the worlds. See, fantasy worlds are connected to our own through dreams. However, those realms, and their inhabitants are too powerful for our world’s existence, and when something of theirs crosses to ours… well, it’s bad. So we retrieve all the items, and all the magic, and keep the doors closed so nothing dangerous can pass through them.”

“Like the Monkeys?” Joshua ventured, and AJ nodded. “And where do I fit into all this? You said that they were coming to get me.”

“You’re special,” AJ explained. While no one really expected to be the retrieving agent in charge of finding the new Guardian, all the operatives in the Organization knew the mission speech by heart. AJ didn’t exactly like it, as it never mentioned the real dangers of the position, but it was the only thing he had at the moment. “Some of the magic objects that are in our world can only be wielded by one person, and we’re in charge of finding that person. For example, I was recruited because the staff of Son Wu Kong likes me. But you are a bit more special. You were chosen to guard the AURYN, the magic amulet that connects our world to Fantastica, and keeps the balance between reality and fantasy.”

“That sounds crazy,” Joshua shook his head. “If it keeps the balance between reality and fantasy, it means some of it is not real, right?”

“No, it means it’s not reality,” AJ explained, taking off his jacket. “We can argue about that later. Right now, we need to know who sent the Monkeys after you.”

“Weren’t the Flying Monkeys part of the Wizard of OZ?” Joshua asked, following AJ. “You said we were in Mirrorland.”

“That doesn’t mean we can’t find someone who knows, as long as we know the questions to ask.”

* * *

If he wasn’t dreaming, which the pain he still felt from pinching his own arm proved, Joshua was sure he was going insane. AJ spoke of magic worlds and objects as if they were… well… real, and now acted as if Joshua was some kind of “chosen one”. Not only that, but after he explained his ‘job’ and removed his shirt revealing some very impressive tattoos, Joshua was starting to think of AJ as an Indiana Jones for fairy tales. All that he needed to complete the ensemble was a whip.

They walked in silence through the empty field until AJ stopped in front of a beautiful flowerbed where roses, marigolds, daisies and sunflowers grew undisturbed.

“Well? Now what? You’re going to wait until someone comes along?” Joshua asked, a bit impatient.

“I thought you had read Alice,” AJ joked, as he knelt in front of the flowers. “Good evening ladies. How are the most beautiful creatures of all the lands?”

“Not getting enough sun, that’s how we are.” To Joshua’s surprise, the biggest of the flowers, a beautiful white rose, turned around to answer AJ. The flower looked like a normal flower, but its petals were moving as if they were human lips. It was disturbing. “What brings you to the Red Queen’s garden, AJ of the shadow?”

“I came looking for you, my beauties,” AJ said, doing a small reverence. “As you are the only ones who can answer my questions today.”

“Us? Not the Red Queen?” a small marigold asked, turning her crown towards AJ. “Everyone asks to see her before they talk to us.”

“He probably knows that the Queen is not in her castle,” a red rose scoffed.

“But the Queen left in the middle of the night, she was trying to keep it secret,” another red rose said. Joshua was starting to get confused by the flowers.

“Someone knew she left,” the marigold insisted. “The Princess she had tea with, four weeks ago? They were in the field, next to the dandelions. She was very, very pretty. Almost like the White Rose.”

“No one is as beautiful as me.” The White Rose seemed insulted at the idea. “But she came close, at least when she wore the blonde head.”

“I liked her better with the brunette,” the first red rose shrugged. Joshua was amazed that he a plant could shrug. “More dignified.”

“Girls, I’m sure our dear AJ doesn’t want to hear about the Queen’s boring tea party. What were you going to ask us, honey?” The White Rose asked, moving her petals in something that could be read as a puzzled look.

“I was just wondering if you had seen any monkeys lately in the garden.” AJ didn’t look fazed at all about talking to flowers. If anything, he seemed as serious as if he was speaking to a group of ambassadors.

“Oh, dear sunlight, how did you know?” All the flowers chorused in pain. “Those dreadful creatures came with the many-headed princess.”

“Awful manners.”

“Evil, foul things, destroyed the carnations bed.”

“Can you make it so they don’t come again?” The red rose pleaded, lowering her petals.

“I’ll do what I can,” AJ said, getting up. “It was a pleasure talking to you ladies, but I’m afraid my partner and I have to go.”

“Come back soon!” The flowers chorused as Joshua and AJ walked away.

“What now?” Joshua asked, still feeling confused. “Back to my house?”

“No, now we’ll cheat a bit,” AJ smiled at him, lowering his hat. They walked for a while, and Joshua noticed how the field was slowly turning from green to red, and finally to white, as if it was covered with snow, only even though the landscape looked wintry, Joshua didn’t feel cold.

Finally, they reached a small cabin, which AJ opened with a swift kick. Inside, there were a couple of chairs, an unlit fireplace, and a beautiful rug. But the most important part, at least as Joshua was concerned, was the huge mirror that covered the whole back wall.

“We’re going through that mirror?”

“I hope you know French,” AJ smirked and, making Joshua turn around so his back was facing the mirror, threw him in.

* * *

The mirror landed them in Switzerland, just as AJ had planned. Sometimes, it was a bit hard to calculate one’s position in regards to Mirrorland, but years of practice paid off. And, as a special bonus, it seemed that the Professor was starting to understand the situation, as so far he hadn’t yet said that anything was impossible.

There was hope for the Guardian yet.

They arrived at the Hopitaux Universitaires de Geneve, where BL was being treated. Thanks to the flowers, AJ was starting to get a very good picture of what was going on. The women the flowers had described could only be Princess Langwidere of the Kingdom of Ev, which explained the Flying Monkeys. But Langwidere couldn’t do anything with the AURYN, and she wasn’t the type to plan a coordinated attack, so AJ was sure that there was something missing in the puzzle.

“AJ, I was expecting you,” D was standing guard outside BL’s room. Like AJ, D had been recruited in Florida, more or less at the same time. Before the Organization, D had been a doctor. He still worked in hospitals all over the world, helping with research and even sometimes managing to use some of the elements of the fantasy worlds for medicine in their own. He was deeply tanned, and had long brown hair that had put him in trouble once against the very witch who kidnapped Princess Rapunzel. Ever since then, D had been unable to cut his hair without very special help.

“Hi, D. This is Joshua Chasez, our new recruit. Joshua, this is D, from the retrievers team.” AJ hurried with the introductions. “What did you find out?”

“Nice to meet you, JC,” D smiled at the new Guardian before turning his attention to AJ. “Not much. The Swiss police made a mess of the crime scene. But judging by BL’s injuries, I’m almost sure that he and Jordan were attacked by Wheelers. But there’s also a problem with that.”

“Wheelers are quite deadly in packs,” AJ agreed. He had never faced one, but he had read enough reports to know that a death by Wheeler was almost just like being run over by a truck. “What’s the problem?”

“My partner doesn’t agree with the theory. BL doesn’t have any injuries caused by Wheelers, he says.” D shrugged, just as AJ sighed. D’s partner was one of the very few faeries who worked in the Organization, and while his methods were more often than not incomprehensible to anyone but him, the little faery was right quite often.

“What does Moth think, then? And what about Jordan’s body? What killed Jordan?” AJ pressed on. He kept an eye on Joshua, who was silently waiting for them to finish. Once again, AJ felt a twinge of pity for the professor. When AJ had been recruited, he had some time to adjust. He had even had the choice not to join the Organization. Professor Chasez didn’t have that luxury, and he was managing to keep calm despite everything.

“Moth said it was the Cards. But Jordan was attacked outside, and *his* body leaves no doubt that he was attacked by Wheelers. BL, on the other hand, was attacked in his hotel room, and it was almost burnt to the ground so… unless the Cards are getting Kamikaze training now.” D explained, lowering his voice as some nurses passed by. “What’s going on AJ? Wheelers and Card Soldiers aren’t even from the same plane!”

“Umm, what are Wheelers?” Joshua asked, shyly. “I can imagine the Card Soldiers are from Wonderland but I have never heard from anything called Wheelers.”

“They come from the Land of Ev, in the Kingdom of Oz,” D explained. “They have wheels instead of hands and feet, and are quite ferocious. But they rarely attack in groups outside their territory.”

“So someone sent them?” Joshua asked again, getting the hang of the situation. AJ smiled. Apparently, the Professor could talk about magical creatures without asking how they could exist. And that was a very good question.

“Only one person who could’ve done that. Princess Langwidere.” AJ said, and he told D what the flowers had said.

“I thought she was confined to her castle,” D sighed. “But she can’t control the Cards. That had to be the Queen of Hearts, no one else has that power.”

“The Red Queen of the Mirrorlands is missing, I don’t know about the Red Queen of Wonderland, though,” AJ shook his head. “But we can check on Langwidere. Call Headquarters, and tell them we’re going to Oz.”

* * *

They walked quickly to the third floor of the hospital, where AJ seemed to be looking for something with Joshua in tow. He had listened carefully to everything AJ and D had said, and he still had a couple of doubts.

“Why don’t we go to Fantastica?” Joshua asked, curious. “I mean, that’s where this thing I’m supposed to guard comes from, right? Maybe there they know how to find it.”

“Going to Fantastica should be the very last resort, Joshua,” AJ explained, entering a closet room. “Especially without the AURYN. What we need to do is get some equipment.”

“And you’re going to find that in a broom closet in a hospital?” Joshua knew he should have a little more imagination, but it seemed like AJ was making things up on the fly.

“I’m looking for our trunk room,” AJ said, trying to open yet another door. “You still have the card I gave you?”

“It’s in my pocket.” Joshua felt that he was, yet again, working on a different reality than AJ. “But I don’t think you can open a door with it, it’s just paper.”

“I just want to ask for his opinion,” AJ explained, as Joshua brought out the card. And sure enough, as he did the fiery letters appeared again.

FOURTH DOOR TO THE LEFT.

“How does it know? It doesn’t have eyes!” Joshua finally snapped. He could more or less take almost all that he had seen so far, but a thinking business card was a little too much.

“He has eyes on the fantasy realms,” AJ explained, opening the door that the card had pointed at. “But here he prefers the card look. That way he gets us to carry him.”

Joshua looked down at the card, that now had a small semicolon followed by a parenthesis.

;)

“It is alive?” Joshua almost threw the card to the floor, but he guessed it was not a good thing to do if it was really a living being.

AS ALIVE AS YOU ARE

“You can chat with Card all you want after we finish,” AJ interrupted, motioning for Joshua to join him in the room. To Joshua’s surprise, the room wasn’t decorated like the rest of the hospital. It was a decrepit garden shed, occupied only by a huge trunk, some gardening tools, and, strangely, a typewriter on top of a small wooden table.

AJ walked towards the trunk, opening it quickly. The trunk’s interior glowed with the different colours of the rainbow, and Joshua could swear he could hear singing inside. After a lot of poking, AJ came out with an stylized purple belt, and a small pencil that he handed Joshua.

“What’s this?” Joshua asked, while AJ put on the belt.

“You need some protection. That’s the pencil of the Mathemagician. It holds all the numbers and all the equations in the world, so I figure you’ll know how to use it,” AJ explained. “I wish I could give you something else, but I don’t imagine you’re trained in the use of swords, are you?”

“Sorry, no,” Joshua answered as he looked at the pencil with curiosity. Just as an experiment, he traced on the air a number 1, which appeared shining brightly in front of him. Turning the pencil around, he decided to erase it as he had no idea what to do with a tri-dimensional one at that moment.

“I figured as much, don’t worry, I’ll do my best to protect you,” AJ said, walking towards Joshua and hugging him tight around the waist. “Now hold on to the pencil and Card, because this will be a bumpy ride.”

Before Joshua could ask what AJ meant, the room disappeared in a white flash.

* * *

The Wishing Belt transported AJ and Joshua straight into the green hued waiting room of the Emerald City, just as AJ had planned. The one benefit of this ungodly situation was that the new Guardian was getting quite a tour of the more friendly fantasy lands, and that was always helpful. D giving Joshua a codename, even an unofficial one, had been nice of him. Of course, D called everyone he meet by his initials, because he insisted it was easier to remember them all like that.

“Why, hello AJ of Florida! It is nice to see you again!” The Scarecrow walked towards them, in his usual half-dancing way of walking. “What brings you today to the Emerald City today? And who is your friend? I’m sure I have never seen him before.”

“This is Joshua, from Minnesota,” AJ answered, carefully concealing Joshua’s identity as the Guardian. Until the AURYN was safely around his neck, he wasn’t going to tell anyone who didn’t really need to know about him. “And we’ve come from our land to ask an audience with the gracious Princesses.”

“Oh, I’m sure Ozma and Dorothy will love to see you again, AJ. I’ll tell them immediately that you’re here.” The Scarecrow walked away and AJ smiled at Joshua. At least here, they were safe.

Joshua, for his part, was not as calm as he had been in Mirrorland.

“That was a walking, talking Scarecrow,” Joshua said, once the Scarecrow was out of sight. “A bundle of straw. Talking.”

“What? Didn’t you read Wizard of Oz when you were a kid?” AJ laughed. “At least you must have seen the movie.”

“I like the movie,” Joshua defended himself, a little taken aback. “But in the movie, the Scarecrow was a guy in makeup. That thing was a bundle of straw!”

“And nails.” AJ whispered. “Come on, ‘JC’. You’ve been doing great so far. Don’t start denying what you see just because you think it makes no sense.”

“Look, it was easy when I thought it was a dream, but now? I’m pretty sure I’m wide awake, and nothing makes any sense!” Joshua was hyperventilating. “I feel like I’m going insane!”

“I understand, but trust me, it will pass,” AJ tried to sound reassuring. But he didn’t have much experience explaining the truth about magic to people, so he wasn’t sure he was doing a very good job of it.

“Look, I’m sure it was easy for you. I’m sure you spent your childhood playing with imaginary dragons, but I didn’t!” Joshua said between clenched teeth. “You can’t just ask a normal person to accept that magic exists and expect them to do so!”

“It wasn’t easy for me,” AJ said, his tone turning quite grave. “I was just like you at first. I thought Jordan and his partner were playing a joke on me, especially since I didn’t make any cross-reality travel until much later. But I paid a huge price for my stubbornness, and I want to make sure you don’t suffer the same fate.”

Before Joshua could ask what AJ meant, Scarecrow returned to announce that the Princesses were ready to see them.

Ozma and Dorothy, the gentle rulers of Oz were sitting in twin thrones with Billina, the yellow hen who was their trusty advisor, between them. Ozma was blonde, and her hair shone like the sun at midday, while Dorothy was a redhead whose hair looked like the last rays of sunset.

“Greetings, AJ of Florida and Joshua of Minnesota,” Ozma said, as AJ took off his hat. “To what do we owe the honor of this visit?”

“I’m afraid it’s not a happy visit, your highness,” AJ explained. “There have been Flying Monkey attacks in our realm.”

“Oh, dear,” Dorothy spoke up. “That’s not good. The Flying Monkeys are usually peaceful.”

AJ heard Joshua snort, and he didn’t blame the Professor. His one experience with Flying Monkeys hadn’t proved that that race was peaceful at all.

“We were hoping you could tell us who is currently in possession of the Mighty Crown, Your Highness,” AJ continued, ignoring Joshua. “Last we heard, it was in Glinda’s posession, after she couldn’t undo the spell on it.”

“I believe the Queen of Ev is in possession of the Crown now, to allow for travel through the Deadly Desert,” Ozma said, looking at Dorothy who nodded. “They offered the Monkeys a place to live in peace in their kingdom, now that the Gnomes are gone.”

“Have you communicated with the Kingdom of Ev lately?” AJ pressed on. “We have heard that Langwidere has been seen in Mirrorland.”

“Princess Langwidere had a falling with her aunt,” Dorothy said. In her eyes, AJ could see old scorn shinning, and he didn’t blame her. Langwidere had tried to cut her head off, after all. “She was exiled from Ev months ago.”

“I see,” AJ sighed in resignation. “Your Majesties, may we have permission to travel to Ev?”

“Of course, my friend,” Ozma said smiling.

“You have permission to travel through all the lands that connect to Oz,” Dorothy finished.

And with that, AJ made a reverence and together he and Joshua left the hall.

“Why did we come to Oz if you knew this Langwidere was from Ev?” Joshua asked once they were outside. “We’re looking for her, aren’t we?”

“Yeah, but we had to ask permission first,” AJ explained, as he hugged Joshua again for the trip to Ev. “There are ranks in everything, and you can’t just appear in Oz and any of its related kingdoms without asking Ozma and Dorothy for permission. Besides, I had to ask about the Mighty Crown.”

* * *

Ev was yet another medieval-looking fairyland and, unlike Oz, Joshua could believe one could think it was some European country instead of a magic place. He still had problems believing in the whole ‘magic place’ part of the story, and AJ wasn’t exactly helpful in that matter. It seemed that the man spoke in riddles, very much like everyone else they met.

Upon arriving to the castle, the Queen refused to explain why she had exiled her niece, but allowed AJ and Joshua to visit Langwidere’s castle. When the woman had been exiled, she had been forced to leave all but 5 heads behind, and AJ was pretty sure that they could get the information they were looking for with them.

Joshua was afraid to ask why a woman would have 30 heads, or why would she take 5 with her when exiled. He was even more afraid to ask what kind of information AJ could get from decomposing human heads, so he decided not to ask.

From the outside, the tower of Langwidere was dark and gloomy; a perfect setting for a horror movie. On the inside, however, it was beautiful and lush, filled with all the luxuries one could imagine. All the walls were decorated with huge mirrors, which made the rooms look a lot bigger than they really were. The floors were covered with antique rugs, each more beautiful than the next.

However, AJ didn’t seem interested at all in the decor, as he walked straight to the main bedroom, through it, into a smaller room without pausing for a moment.

When they entered, Joshua wished that he had stopped. The small room was, in fact, like a walk-in closet, only it had no clothes. Instead, every wall had small niches carved into it, and in each niche was a woman’s head with her eyes closed.

“What are those?” Joshua asked, whispering. However, it was not good enough, as one of the heads, with long brunette hair coiffed in a complicated hairdo opened her eyes.

“We are Langwidere’s heads,” the head said, as the others opened their eyes.

“Great going, Professor,” AJ muttered under his breath before turning around to face a smaller, red-haired head with grey eyes. “Why did Langwidere leave you all behind?”

“She will come back,” a raven-haired head with flashing blue eyes and a soprano voice scoffed. “We were told to wait.”

“Wait for what?” Joshua asked, tired of only tagging along while AJ did all the work. He wanted to help.

“For her return, of course,” another head said. This one looked familiar to Joshua. Something in her eyes, that looked haunted and sad, or her perfect button nose. “She wouldn’t abandon all of us.”

“Do I know you?” Joshua asked, squinting as he got closer to the head that, unable to turn around just rolled her eyes. “I’m sure I’ve seen you somewhere.”

“She comes from a far away land,” the head in the center said. It was a bit older than the others, but it had a regal expression that the others didn’t have. “A land called Pennsylvania. Our mistress brought her in after her first trip.”

“I’m surprised to find you here,” AJ told the head. “Aren’t you Langwidere’s original head? I’d have guessed she would take you wherever she went.”

“She has some other things in her mind,” the head told him, rolling her eyes. “She’s found a land with many beautiful heads to make more sisters for us.”

“Langwidere is forbidden to make more heads unless the original owner of the head agrees,” AJ said, very slowly. “Where does Langwidere think she can make more heads?”

“Why shouldn’t we like being here?” The head Joshua had recognized originally said. “We can be beautiful forever here.”

“Where is Langwidere?” AJ asked the first head again.

“I don’t have to tell you.” The head closed her eyes defiantly. She was wearing heavy makeup and looked like an ancient photograph, in Joshua’s opinion.

“If you don’t tell me,” AJ said, in a very sweet tone. “I’m going to get the scissors I know Princess Langwidere keeps on her vanity, and then I’ll come back here and give you the worst haircut in the history of Ev. And if that doesn’t convince you, I’ll do that to every single one of you ladies. I might even go and get some dye. So, I’ll only ask once again. Where is Langwidere?”

* * *

“I can’t believe that woman is hiding here,” AJ said, once he used the wishing belt again to bring him and Joshua to New York. “Most citizens of Oz hate this play.”

“Why? It’s a success all over the world,” Joshua said, pointing to the huge poster of Wicked that dominated the building in front of them. “And a lot of people are reading the Oz books again because of it, aren’t they?”

“It’s not a question of popularity,” AJ said, adjusting his hat as they walked into a alley next to the theatre. “It’s a question of principles. They portray the Wicked Witch of the West as a nice person, and I doubt you’ll find anyone in Oz who agrees with that idea.”

“Except Langwidere,” Joshua assumed.

“Well, yeah. And maybe Mombie. Or the other witches. But they’re not exactly good either,” AJ joked as he started checking the brick wall, walking away from the only door Joshua could see.

“What are you looking for?” Joshua asked after a while of seeing AJ knock on bricks.

“I’m looking for a door that is not here,” AJ answered without turning to see him, causing Joshua to lose his patience. He had been, in his opinion, quite understanding so far. But after beheaded heads talking, he couldn’t take any more nonsense.

“That’s stupid,” he said, crossing his arms. “If a door is not there, you are not going to find it. That’s just logical.”

“Logic and sense don’t often take priority in our world, Joshua,” AJ said stopping to face him. “Magic doesn’t need reason, just a good rhyme.”

“See? That makes absolutely no sense! How can you say it with a straight face?! How can you expect me to believe you?”

“Because if you don’t,” AJ said, taking off his dark glasses for the first time since Joshua knew him. “You might end up like me.”

Joshua had to make an effort not to jump back at the sight of AJ’s eyes. The right one was simply not there, in its place there was a perfect black hole that didn’t seem to have an end. It was just a hole, right in the middle of AJ’s face. His left eye, on the other hand, was blue like the sky, and half covered with a white, membranous cataract. After what seemed like an eternity, AJ put on his glasses back again.

“When I was recruited, I was just like you. I thought DW, the agent sent to retrieve me, was a madman. But I needed a job, and the pay was good, so I accepted working with him. It didn’t seem much different from a stuntman job,” AJ explained. “I never listened to him when he tried to warn me of the dangers inherent to the job.”

“And then what happened?” Joshua asked, when AJ fell silent.

“We had to go to the Goblin lands to talk to the Goblin King,” AJ said, in a soft whisper. “But since I wasn’t listening, I strayed and ended up lost in the King’s Labyrinth. There, I was attacked by a group of wild goblins called the Fire Gang who, despite not being quite evil, have the nasty tendency to tear people to pieces. They got my eyes. And they would’ve killed me if DW hadn’t gone back to save me. He wasn’t so lucky.”

“So you only retrieved one eye?” Joshua asked, now feeling guilty for making AJ remember a traumatic event.

“No. I got this one from the Institute.” AJ smiled, even when his smile was somewhat sad. “It’s the Eye of the Graeae that allows me to see the present, and when I wish to, thirty minutes into the future.”

“So that’s how you knew where my bedroom was, and when the Flying Monkeys would attack,” Joshua realized, nodding. “Fine. I’ll try to be more open-minded, but have some patience with me. I’m not used to all this.”

As he spoke, he leaned on the wall with his shoulder, and, to his surprise, kept falling until he touched the floor inside the building. While he was trying to get his bearings, AJ crossed the wall, smiling.

“See? You found the door.” AJ helped him to get to his feet, before pulling out his ever reaching staff. “Now keep your eyes open. I’m sure the next part won’t be as easy.”

* * *

AJ’s words proved to be prophetic. They had to cross a couple of other doors that weren’t there, much to Joshua’s dismay, and ended up in an almost empty dungeon that Joshua was sure no one in the theatre knew was there. At the far end of it, there was a bed where they both could see the silhouette of two women sleeping. In the night table next to the bed, there was a female head with beautiful blonde hair, with her eyes closed.

Even though AJ had warned him about doing anything rash, Joshua took one step forward before AJ could stop him. Later, AJ would tell him that Langwidere probably kept a couple of spells to protect her from unwanted visitors, even if finding her lair was not exactly easy, but at the moment, Joshua could only scream in fear when the walls started shaking and a dozen of strange armours, complete with swords and shields, came out of them, ready to attack.

“Great. Now we get Hollow Warriors,” AJ muttered. “The one thing we were missing, Xayide being involved in this mess.”

“Who is Xayide?” Joshua asked, stepping back as the Hollow Warriors advanced. “And how can we stop those things?”

“The Witch of the Hollow,” AJ explained, bringing out his staff. “And mostly? You have to dismantle them. Use the pencil I gave you and try to get to the bed. They’re not very smart. As long as you don’t attract their attention, I can distract them. I bet if we take Langwidere as a hostage, they’ll stop. ”

And with that, AJ threw himself into attacking the armours. Just as he had said, they focused immediately on him, leaving Joshua completely alone.

Seeing AJ fighting was a thing of beauty, and Joshua stopped for a moment just to watch him. When they had met, he had mentally compared AJ to Indiana Jones, but now that he was watching him fight, using the staff as a weapon against the swords of his enemies, jumping between them with moves that looked like some sort of martial arts – only that Joshua was no expert so he couldn’t say which one - was quite impressive. And it only made Joshua feel like he was only in AJ’s way. He hadn’t done anything to contribute to the situation, and AJ had saved his life more than once.

Quickly, he pulled out the pencil AJ had given him and Card, promising himself that he wasn’t going to entertain any more doubts, at least not until they were finished. He was going to believe, no matter how crazy the situation became.

“What can I do with this?” He asked Card, for once not feeling silly talking to a piece of paper.

NUMBERS ARE ITS POWER.

“In English, please. I’m not very good with word riddles,” Joshua told Card, moving out of the way as a helmet came out flying in his general direction.

WITH THE PENCIL, NUMBERS AND
EQUATIONS HAVE IMMEDIATE POWER.
TRY A DIVISION IN THE AIR

Was the answer. Joshua shrugged, placed Card again in his pocket and looked at the guards. He could count 20 guards going against AJ, and even when it was obvious that the man was a great fighter, 20 against one weren’t exactly great odds.

“A division,” Joshua muttered and, willing himself to believe, started writing in the air.

20 / 2 = 10

And, to his surprise, 10 of the guards that AJ was fighting disappeared in thin air.

“Good job!” AJ yelled, just as he kicked one of his opponents in the chest. “Think you can do it again?”

“I can do better than that!” Joshua smiled, suddenly very confident. It was elementary school math, but it was going to be the easiest way to stop the metal shells. He twirled the pencil around and wrote:

10 x 0 = 0

And all the Warriors disappeared.

“Now that was impressive,” AJ said, dusting his pants. “Most people never think of multiplying by zero.”

“I wouldn’t have thought of doing it until Card told me,” Joshua admitted. “I have to say, this pencil is pretty cool. You think they will let me keep it?”

“We don’t have many people who can use it with accuracy, so I guess Mirror will let you,” AJ smiled as they walked to the bed. By now, one of the sleeping women had awakened and Joshua had to stop himself from shivering when he saw the beheaded body look for the head on the night table.

“Who are you?” The blond woman asked, in a shrill tone. “How dare you to intrude in my chambers?”

“Princess Langwidere,” AJ said, stepping forward, shielding Joshua with his body. “By the authority vested in me by the rulers of the infinite kingdoms and the ISRML, I place you under arrest.”

“Oh, bummer,” Langwidere pouted, looking very much like a spoiled girl. “The Queens promised me you wouldn’t find me. It’s not fair.”

“The Queens?” Joshua asked. He found that since he had stopped hoping that things made sense, they made sense more easily. “You mean the Red Queen and the Queen of Hearts?”

“And I guess Xayide helped only out of the goodness of her empty heart?” AJ asked, looking at the other figure in the bed. Joshua was grateful to see that she still had her head attached.

“Xayide only wanted me to keep this pretty lady asleep,” Langwidere said, still pouting. “She didn’t let me take her head. Said we needed her dreaming or something like that. I didn’t ask because she let me have a lot whole more heads.”

As she spoke she pointed to the far end of the dungeon, where similar niches to the ones in her tower had been constructed. To Joshua’s horror, there were at least 20 heads there, and he recognized most of them. They were models that he had seen in different advertisements, all of them pretty with her eyes closed.

“Langwidere… you know this is against the rules,” AJ admonished. “You can’t make new heads for yourself…”

“Unless they agree to become my heads! And they did! All of them!” Langwidere pouted. Joshua couldn’t believe that such a spoiled brat had caused them all those problems.

“We’ll let our agents decide that,” AJ said. “Now, tell me, why did Xayide leave you the AURYN?”

“That ugly collar?” Langwidere scoffed. “She wants my pretty girl to dream up new names for the Childlike Empress, until she’s ready to take that realm. I don’t really care. I only wanted the heads they promised me. You can take it, but please, let me keep my new pretty heads and get back my old ones! Yes?”

“You know I can’t decide that, Langwidere, but since you were cooperative, we’ll see if it is possible to serve your sentence in Ev.” AJ promised. “But the Director is the one who will decide.

* * *

Two hours later, Joshua and AJ were back at the headquarters waiting to meet with the Director.

“Are you ok?” AJ asked, seeing how Joshua kept playing with Card, twirling it around his fingers.

“I’m nervous. You told me that they found a way to wake that girl up, right?”

“Yeah. The Childlike Empress guided her out of Fantastica. The AURYN is ready for you to take it.” AJ took off his hat and twirled it. “You’ll probably get a proper trainer too.”

“What? You won’t be my trainer?” Joshua actually looked scared at the thought. “But… I wouldn’t even be here if it wasn’t for you!”

“I’m not exactly trainer material, Joshua,” AJ shook his head. “I lose my patience far too easily and would end up throwing you to the wolves and hope you learn fast.”

“That’s what you did, and we managed to survive,” Joshua pointed out. AJ opened his mouth to complain, but he was interrupted by the Director calling them into their office.

“You did a marvellous job, Alexander,” the Director said, once they were together in front of his desk. “And I’m glad to tell you that BL is recuperating nicely.”

“I’m happy to hear that,” AJ said, smiling. “BL is an excellent agent.”

“Now, Joshua, I hope you haven’t been scared away by your first mission.” The Director turned to see the Professor with a smile. “Are you ready to take on the mantle of the Guardian?”

“I honestly never thought I would end up doing something like this,” Joshua said, looking at the medallion in the Director’s desk. At first glance, it seemed like two snakes, one gold, one silver, biting each other’s tails in a perfect circle. But when he looked closely, they were intertwined in a complicated knot that reminded him of the symbol of the infinite. Then when he leaned away, they were a circle again.

“You’re having second thoughts?” AJ asked, worried. He didn’t think Joshua was the kind of person to back away from responsibilities.

“Second, third and fourth thoughts,” Joshua admitted, smiling. Still, he took the AURYN from its place and put it around his neck. “But I think I’ll live to learn with this madness.”

“Welcome to the Organization, Guardian JC.” The Director said, reaching out to clasp Joshua’s hand.

* * *

EPILOGUE. SIX MONTHS LATER.

JC smiled as he walked away from the cryptanalysis conference he had just attended. His life had changed a lot in the last six months, but it was all for the better. While he had some missions for the ISRML, he generally had more free time than when he had been a teacher, which left him not only time to work on his research, but also a lot of opportunities to explore the wonderful word of magic that the Organization had opened for him. So far, his favourite place to visit was Mirrorland, and he would spend hours playing chess with the White King.

“Ready to go, Professor?” AJ was waiting for him standing next to his car, a red jaguar, with two cups of coffee on his hands. That was, in JC’s humble opinion, the best part of the job. After talking seriously with the Director, the Mirror – who was by far the creepiest thing he had seen yet - AJ and even Card, JC had been allowed to chose his partner for missions, and of course, he had chosen AJ.

While he had made some good friends, like D and BL, he just didn’t think he could work as well with anyone who wasn’t AJ.

“I’m ready. What do we have for today?” He asked, grabbing the capuccino just as he walked around the car to the passenger seat.

“Oh, you won’t believe this. Moth came to visit,” AJ said, adjusting the rearview mirror. “He says he and D got a hint that the Silver Slippers have been found.”

“The Silver Slippers?” JC repeated, taking a sip from his coffee. “Wait. Don’t tell me. They’re from Oz, right? Used to go back and forth from there.”

“Hey, you’re learning!” AJ laughed as he drove the car around the streets of New York. “Yeah. Thing is, they also sighted a Chess Soldier with the person that was wearing them.”

“And that means the Red Queen is somewhere nearby, right?” JC nodded. Their missions were mostly around the two Queens and Xayide, since they still had to figure out why the three of them had allied and what they were looking for. “Well, what are you waiting for? It’s time for a new adventure, right?”

The end.