bindsthedead | IC CONTACT POST

Unfortunately, I don't know many other magic users who haven't been affected by this that I trust. But I'll make a post to the network tomorrow, see if any of the new arrivals have any magical skill.

[Half an hour later, Sabriel's knocking on the door, several maps clutched in her hands.]

Okay. Maybe we’ll get lucky.

[ As long as they protect Billy through this, he’ll take whatever help he can get.

When she arrives, he’s quick to answer. The store is quite dark around Gansey; only the back room, the office, is lit, and his eyes are very tired. ]

Hi. Come through, I’ve laid it out in here.

[ And on the desk in the office, Billy’s notes sit in piles. It’s not the mess it was when Gansey found it; instead everything has been organized into piles, and various things have been underlined and circled. He’s clearly been at this for a while. When she enters, he points to several of the papers, with a lot of highlighting. ]

So, here is what I found. He makes reference to this object, and then something about the sky being better. That worries me, admittedly, because ley lines are very much on the ground. From this, I gather that he followed one, and then potentially flew up to cast the spell…

But he’s obviously not flying now. And he ended up back here, so either he bounced back, or he never left at all. He could have teleported it away from himself, maybe?

What about something tall built over the ley line? Like a skyscraper, or a radio or cell phone tower?

[Sabriel's looking over the notes, trying to read each and every one.]

And some spells aren't designed to take effect immediately. He cold have placed the object, then teleported back and waited for it to take effect. Or set it off remotely, but that seems less likely.

[ Gansey leans back, considering that. ]

The magic of a ley line requires contact. If you're not touching it, it won't help you.

But if he stood on, say, a building which touched the ley line, that's possible. Especially if he's channeling it deliberately. Are you thinking that he placed it and then came back here?

[ Gansey reaches for the notes he's made, and then he points at Sabriel. ]

Are those city maps?

Could he have used the ley line itself as a point of contact? Placed the object, then moved somewhere else on the line to set it off?

[Sabriel pauses, then nods.]

Yes. The Porter cities are probably our best starting points.

Theoretically, yes. I'm sure he could. They connect places, after all. If Billy chose a particular point, he would have been connected to it from anywhere else on the ley line.

[ A pause, while the meaning of this sinks into Gansey. ]

...So if he was somewhere connected to, say for example, his shop here in De Chima, he may not have needed to be in contact at all.

So if he teleported to put it there, then went back to De Chima to set it off, it could be anywhere along the ley line.

[Sabriel groans, suddenly realizing the implications of what she's saying.]

It might not even be in the US!

[ Gansey is nodding, and his eyes are energized in a way that they only ever are when he's deep into his subject.

Later, he might actually be grateful to Billy for this. It's gotten him back into his work in a way that matters, in spite of what happened with Glendower.

Gratitude can come after victory. ]

That's right. And don't forget, these lines criss-cross at various points. They all connect to each other in some way, which means it could be anywhere. When I was searching for Glendower's tomb, I went through England and Wales, all through Europe, up into northern Iceland and down into South America.

I'm hoping your magic can narrow the search better than that. It's not an option I had to work with at home.

Probably. Even with the ley line as a conductor, less distance would make it easier- and if he's not registered, he might have stayed in the country to avoid getting AWOL status and attracting attention.

I'll start looking in De Chima- even if it's not here, I should be able to find what direction it's in.

He's definitely not Registered.

[ Billy wouldn't even consider it, Gansey knows that. ]

Maybe if you start in the shop? He may not have begun his work here, but this is where it ended. I found him under the table, where he'd very clearly been hiding since it happened.

Good idea- let me see... [Sabriel closes her eyes and concentrates, reaching out for traces of magic, trying to sift through them to find what she's looking for.]

[ Gansey watches, trying his best to stay still while Sabriel works. He keeps his voice low. ]

Anything? He was here in the office when I found him, if it helps.

I don't think it's anywhere in De Chima, unfortunately. [Sabriel slumps against the wall.]

The most I can give you is a general direction.

A general direction is a start. And better than nothing at all.

[ He pauses, watching her. ]

You're willing, then? You'll help me fix all of this?

Of course! Someone has to, since the one responsible isn't in a fit state to do it.

[ Gansey breathes out a sigh of relief, and leans his shoulder against the wall. ]

Thank you, Sabriel. I won't forget this.

Don't worry about it. Dealing with magic is part of my duty back home.

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