Dr Peter comes back inside looking angry, “I just did a trace on your car Simon and I can tell who made the barrier. It was made by one of the ‘underground’ mage organizations and builds magical items for gangs, it’s very crude anyone in your agency should be able to locate the group; and remove the barrier.” He then walks over to my father, and Jake asks; “barrier? What do you mean by a barrier?” As his father looks over my father’s skin, my father answers. “It’s a magical thing that most with magic ability can do, they are like a dome covering something; these are made to keep things out. I’d say this one was designed to keep those with magic in them out,” Jake looks confused as his grandfather then holds both of his hands out to my father. They start to glow slightly as the burns heal, and Dr Peter answers; “lesson number one Jake. Shifters all have some measure of magical energy in them, it is what enables them to shift form. In the case of Maahes, being a ‘special’ he has more magical energy; almost as much as a medium grade witch does.”

My father nods his head and reaches into the cabinet for the scotch, Dr Peter speaks. “I’m sorry Maahes, I know that these must have hurt all the way back here; magic damage always seems to cause more pain than it should. I’d say half a bottle should easy the pain.” My father nods his head as Dr Peter sits back down rubbing his bond mark, “I dare say Silk in very unhappy with that healing. She is positively spitting back home and is tempted to cause herself harm and visit your father Jake.”

Jake looks surprised again, and his grandfather waves to my father. “For a ‘special’ going through one of those barriers set up as it is will set him on fire, but; being that he is a ‘special’ he can mentally push the fire away. Nancy cannot do this yet, as she still has a great deal to learn about being a ‘special’.”

Dr Peter turns to Simon, “I want his father to no longer get his stipend. I do not want the family’s money connected to what ever it is he is doing on that farm of his.” Simon pulls his phone out of his pocket and sends a message, “alright Peter; that is done. Since none of my kind has gone through one of these barriers, what would it do to me?” Dr Peter gives his a stern look, “do not do that. It would turn you into an actual stone gargoyle and no long be alive Simon.” Simon nods gravely, and Jake asks; “is that why I was uncomfortable living there?” Dr Peter turns to Jake, “when did you start noticing that Jake? He thinks a few minutes, “it’s been about two years now. It started like I was constantly being watched then, I was unable to sleep.” His grandfather nods his head, “that would be when your powers first awakened; I imagine you moved out to live with friends after a period of time?” Jake nods his head and his grandfather continues, “if your powers had full awakened while you were living inside that barrier you would have gone insane and the first time you went though it after would have killed you instantly. A bit of a blessing compared to what could happen to Maahes and Nancy, but still unpleasant.”

Dr Peter turns to Simon, “you won’t be able to let whom ever it is who takes down that barrier inside it. I would tell then stop just at the point when it is making them queasy, and you might want a strike team on standby and do a full search of the farm.” Simon nods his head and glances at his watch, Dr Peter nods his head in return.

“Alright Jake, you need to make some decisions. You will be coming to live with me for a period of time while you learn about your abilities and how to best control them. You need to decide what you want to do with them however, most people with witch blood work in the medical field or a field that lets them work with animals.”

Jake nods his head slowly and thinks, I believe he might still be stunned; but I believe his grandfather is fishing for something. Jake answers, “I was thinking maybe a doctor dealing with supers? I did some bad things in the last few weeks and I would like to use my abilities to help those I attempted to harm.” His grandfather smiles at him, “very good; and I think that as part of your education I will have you make regular visits here to check on the boy and watch how he grows up. You will also have to spend time working with Dr Wort, he is the current expert in super physiology; and aside from Mr Lee. Dr Wort has seen a great deal of different species.”

Simon makes a few notes on his phone while this conversation goes on, he looks over to Greg; “sorry to ask this Greg. Do you want to give your parents a funeral?” Everyone goes quiet and watches the little boy who was poking around the building, he looks up from my book shelf. “I guess so? Can we put mommy and daddy by Nancy’s mommy? Dang showed it to me, it is a pretty garden she made for her mommy.” I speak up, “of course they can be buried there Greg; did you want to make the garden for them?” The boy nods his head and look back at my book shelf, “if you’re looking for a plant book Greg it’s the one with the red and yellow spotted spine.” I tell him and see him reach for the book and he goes and sits in my recliner and starts flipping through the book.

Dr Peter chuckles, “ah the flippancy of the young. Even after you seal your bond with Dang he’ll need to come with you to see Greg as I agree with Simon that the familiars will help him in controlling Zipper until they are both older. Silk might decide to come with, she is very curious about the boy.” I nod my head as I get some paper for Greg, I had a feeling he was looking for plants for his parent’s graves.

Dr Peter pulls out a planner book from a pocket that again obviously could not hold it and flips through it, “I think having you come out here once a week would be a good choice Jake. Would you agree Simon?” Simon looks up from his phone giving Dr Peter a look I couldn’t read and answers, “that should be fine. Just remember to have him phone in advance, While Nancy doesn’t like going to town. She still has to sometimes, and I have a feeling Doug will be enlisting her help in dealing with that foolish wolf.”

Dr Peter looks thoughtful a moment, “that might be a good practical lesson as well. I will talk to Mary about having him go with her son on some of his trips dealing with the wolf.” Simon shakes his head, “somehow I am not surprised you know her. That woman knows more high powered people than I would guess any one person would know.”

Jake and his father wish us a good evening and with Simon they head out and my father wanders over to the freezer and pokes his head in. “How about one of these turkey’s you have in here Nancy? I think that might be a good meal for tonight, we might be eating a bit late; but we’ll both need the extra food and I bet Greg would love some turkey.” I see the boy’s head pop up from the book at the word turkey, “yes please!” and I chuckle and take the bird from my father and hand him a gathering basket and look over at Greg and my father gets the idea. “Hey Greg, lets go pick out somethings from the garden to go with the turkey. What herbs do you want Nancy?” I pull out a large roasting pan and say; “probably some sage, tarragon, thyme, and a bit of rosemary. Grab some chives for the potatoes though.” Greg jumps out of the chair excitedly, and follows my father out to the garden.