I nodded, “It’s not health or food related, and it works through magic.”

  Cerise nodded, “I think we’ll be fine, but it may depend on how much juice the instigator has, the FDA might stick their head out far enough to get chopped off a year or two from now, to delay us. They’re demanding we show up to the meeting this morning with a study proving it’s safe.”

  I shook my head, “Misty, find a bioinert study for titanium, the older the better.”

  Cerise giggled.

  Misty said, “I found one from the nineteen seventies, a hundred and ten years ago good enough?”

  I chuckled, “Perfect. Anything else?”

  Cerise nodded, “We need to stop off in Chicago on the way to pick up our lawyer.”

  I nodded, “For the magic angle?”

  Cerise winked, “Yes, sir. Also, in case they try to bullshit us with lawyer speak.”

  “Alright, lastly, I want you to record the meeting, Misty. If they do shut us down or try to delay us when it’s none of their business, well the free press and crap storm that follows may be in our favor. It should be painfully obvious they’re railroading us with no justifiable reason, which will drive sales, making it obvious our processor is a game changer as advertised. At worst, our worldwide release just won’t happen here, and all the negative press the U.S. government will get as a result might raise awareness and increase sales numbers elsewhere to make up for it.”

  Cerise sighed, “You think that’s likely?”

  I shrugged, “I think the politician pulling the strings has already made up the agent’s and director’s mind for them already. Our job this morning will be to change it by making them realize how embarrassing their stance will be for them. The director won’t be in the room with us, but he will be monitoring. They’re fighting dirty and this is pure corruption, so yes there’s a chance our U.S. release will be delayed despite them not having a leg to stand on. Our second issue?”

  Cerise said, “Anise isn’t worried about that at all. The FCC wants one of the electronic charging devices to evaluate and test, to check for emissions and classify it. Just like there’re classifications for power packs and device chargers that plug in the wall. It’s a new technology so can’t just be registered into one of the current classes. As far as we’ve been able to figure out, no one is throwing up panic or backroom deal roadblocks on that yet at all. Just normal red tape.”

  They weren’t when I checked. It was probably phase two, when we started creating all the devices that would power everything from a scooter to a big rig that they’d start fighting dirty. It would gut both the gasoline and EV industries. That would panic a lot of people. It would also make everyone else happy, vehicles would be more affordable and have a much smaller maintenance and ongoing price tag.

  Lianne asked, “Are there any EM emissions? Since it runs on magic.”

  I nodded, “At the targeted device’s contacts, where a normal charger would be plugged in. That’s where the magic connects to, and it generates the correct voltage and amperage at those contacts. The device itself gives off no detectable emissions of course, just magic. It could be argued that the only classification that matters is the device being charged, because that’s where all the EM is happening based on its design and needs. It would be hard to classify it, because it’s so variable, depending on the electronic in question that it’s charging. But I’m not worried about it.”

  Cerise nodded, “That’s what I thought, and it’s good news. Maybe they’ll just classify it as Null or something.”

  I chuckled, “We ready? We should go, if we need to pick up a witch lawyer on the way.”

  Cerise said, “Charity Reed, one of Ciara’s granddaughters. She’s one of the two we’ll be working with when things go wrong with the other business, so it made sense to use her for the other one too. She’s extremely well versed in the laws as far as magic in business goes.”

  The four of us stood up.

  Misty asked teasingly, “How do you want me, sir?”

  She grinned as a few naughty ideas went through my mind. It was obviously why she’d used that wording, to get that reaction out of me.

  I said with similar innuendo, “The full experience, vixen.” Meaning that I wanted her visible as my assistant, even people outside our family without an implant would see her. It was somewhat amusing to wonder if they’d even realize she wasn’t my human assistant.

  The four of us moved closer together, even if Misty really didn’t have to be in the teleport bubble. Even as a solid illusion, she was tethered to the device and would get taken with us.

  I took us to Ciara’s coven mansion in Chicago, and the four of us walked up to the door and knocked.

  Charity opened the door a few moments later. She was a lovely redhead with blue eyes, traits that seemed to breed true in Ciara’s family. She was five foot six with proportional body on the lithe side of average, and still quite fetching in her mid-forties with an appearance of mid to late twenties. She was also in a bright red take no prisoners women’s skirt suit.

  She was definitely my type, but our circle was closed, Aubrey hated witches, and Charity had a huge rock on her left ring finger. Our relationship would be strictly business. She didn’t seem wary or intimidated at all, which told me I was truly starting to shake Nate’s foul reputation in the supernatural world. Either that, or she was just that confident.

  Charity said, “It’s good to meet you, Liam. Hopefully we won’t be working together too often.”

  I chuckled, “You too. Do you have any questions for us before we go?”

  Charity shook her head, “I have what I need for the meeting, Cerise briefed me on everything. If they railroad us anyway, we’ll need to meet to discuss strategy after I submit for court proceedings. The FDA has no remit here. If they railroad it anyway, after meeting with us, we’ll have it overturned in court in three to eight weeks. We’ve been fighting corruption like this since the veil fell and we opened our first magic related business almost sixty-five years ago. We’ve gotten very good at it.”

  “Any advice for us?”

  Charity nodded, “It’s weak. Look for the two punch of the one, two. This is merely a delaying tactic to buy them a few weeks, they’re not stupid enough to think it will work long term. It’ll just embarrass them and result in them losing even a larger market share because of the negative press, they must have something else in the works. Unless they’re truly desperate, and they’re still scrambling to find another option. I know I want one as an assistant.”

  That was a good point, this was probably just their first attempt to stop a product release that doomed their companies. At least, their PC divisions. With my patents, it’d be twenty years before they could conceivably reenter the game as competition.

  I chuckled, “That can be arranged.”

  She grinned, “I’m ready if you are.”

  I waved her closer and she moved in when the others did, and after the golden rising bubble disappeared we were on the streets of D.C. Just around the block from the FDA building. We started walking that way.

  She said, “Having a god for a client is really handy, normally I’d have been stuck taking the early AM flight to D.C. If not, last night’s red-eye flight.”

  He grinned, “That does come in handy on occasion.”

  Lianne smirked, “The best part of being a goddess is never being stuck in traffic.”

  Charity chuckled, “Don’t talk, even to answer a question, unless I nod.”

  “Fair, the only new thing you won’t know about was I had Misty dig up a bioinert report on titanium from the nineteen seventies.”

  She tilted her head, “That’s a clever if wiseass approach to their demand for a study. I’ll use it if I have to. But we shouldn’t need a study, it’s ridiculous. Just saying titanium outer layer should be enough, given they’ve been using it in the medical industry for over a century for rods, screws, pins, and plates.”

  We headed into the building and checked in at the security desk. There was a slight delay because Misty didn’t have photo I.D. Which was amusing to me to say the least. I could admit it, Chastity had hit fairly close to the mark calling my study a wiseass stunt. I tended to go that way a lot in my dealings with fools, both in business and politics.

  Once it was straightened out, we were directed to a conference room on the second floor.

  There was no one waiting for us when we arrived, though there was a pitcher of water and some glasses we all ignored it as we sat down at the table. We also assumed the room was wired for sound, and we didn’t speak further while we waited.

  The agent entered the room with confidence a few minutes later. He was right around six foot in height, light brown hair and hazel eyes, light tanned skin. He had that stuffy officious look to him, and behind him a drop dead gorgeous light blonde-haired beauty walked in. I mean, she was almost as hot as Faith was, so a solid ten on the human scale. Not that it mattered, except I wondered if they’d picked her as a distraction, despite that being sexual harassment in potential.

  She didn’t smell happy to be there either, so probably knew how bad the case they had was. None of that was apparent on her lawyer face however, she looked calm and confident. It was just her scent giving it away, her distaste in being used for a corrupt power play in business that had nothing to do with the FDA’s remit.

  He nodded in greeting as they sat, “I’m Deputy Director Dalton. This is Maeve Adams, one of our inhouse attorneys.”

  I nodded, not all that surprised they’d sent a deputy director instead of an agent. Because an agent would probably balk at throwing their career down the toilet by sandbagging us illegally and through corruption. This guy would probably weather the storm, and he was counting on his director as well as his own clout to shield him from the backlash. It also might’ve been an intimidation play. It was a rule, the larger the lie, the more you had to prop it up.

  “I’m the owner of the company, Liam Jones. This is my president, Cerise Favreau. Lianne is my personal guard. My lawyer, Charity Reed, and my personal assistant, Misty.”

  Dalton said, “Let’s get started, this meeting is an official review of the case to ensure there is no negative health effects from your implanted product. It is our intent to prevent the release of this potentially health threatening technology to our citizens if you can’t furnish proof through properly acquitted healthcare impact studies. This opportunity is a courtesy.”

  Charity shook her head, “The device is technological, and has no impact or relation to health. The implant is sheathed with Titanium, one of the most common bioinert materials still in use today, that has been in use since the nineteen hundreds. I’m sure your computers are filled with studies dating back over a hundred years. If not, we’d be happy to furnish one.

  “This is outside your remit, and you know it.”

  Maeve countered, “The addition of magic to the equation has not been studied. You’re talking about putting a device covered with spells inside the human body. Who knows what long-term effects that could have.”

  Charity tilted her head, “In two thousand thirty-one, the Journal of Medicine did several studies in relation to the longevity of the supernatural races. One we decided to cooperate with, as we have no objection to the idea of extending the lives of humans, which was the driver behind the study. They were hoping to find an age extension medical breakthrough.

  “The study figured out our DNA is essentially human, and the study eventually came to the conclusion it was magic that was the only real difference. Supernaturals have more magic, and use it actively, that’s why we live longer.

  “Unless a spell is targeted to harm, magic has a beneficial effect. I can’t say what the long-term effect in humans will be ultimately, but I can say that any such effects will be positive in nature.”

  Dalton frowned, “Are you suggesting your implants would raise life expectancy in humans?”

  She shook her head, “We can’t prove that, but it does seem likely, yes. Not significantly, but by current available studies I wouldn’t be surprised if it goes up another five to ten years due to magical circulation and use. My only point here, legally speaking, is we can prove it won’t have a negative impact. If magic was bad for you, supernaturals would live shorter lives, not enjoy longer lifespans and healthier lives.”

  She let that sit there for a moment.

  “Further, the FDA has through long established precedent, not had anything to do with magic. The effects of magic on the body are outside your remit. Unless of course you plan to finally allow witches into the healthcare industry? Was there a change in policy I am unaware of?”

  Maeve turned her head away, and I picked up her scent of disgust. She was probably disgusted with her bosses, and likely herself, because there was guilt mixed in as well.

  Dalton replied, “You can’t compare the two. Magical potions and instant spells are one thing, and we do warn the public they are used at their own risk. An implant that will stay in them indefinitely and constantly drain humans of the magic they naturally gather but can’t use, is an entirely new situation.”

  I suppressed a snort. He could say that, but that didn’t make it true, and a court would throw it out in disgust.

  Charity shook her head, “That is counter to what’s on your own website, and the stance you’ve taken for sixty years. Magic is not scientifically testable, and even empirical data regarding it is rejected. Because there’s no chemical process or scientific measurement possible on the effects it has on the body. Because a healing spell heals, period. There is no CC measurement for body weight, or other scientific measurement or scale. It just works.

  “I believe that’s the justification you used to keep us out of a multi-billion-dollar heath care industry, if not word for word. I find it curious that you’re trying to use the opposite argument to keep us out of another multi-billion-dollar industry. Do you suppose the press would find that interesting?”

  Maeve grimaced, then said, “Opposite argument?”

  Charity smiled, “Yes, you’ve just asked me to do a study on the long-term effects of magic use on human health, something you’ve said was empirically impossible to do for sixty years. It goes against your policy, your scientific assertions, and the law. If you continue with this farce, you will lose in court, and you will severely embarrass yourselves. For what? A three-week delay?”

  Dalton frowned, “Are you threatening the United States Government?”

  She shook her head, “No more than you’re threatening the king of the gods, the ruler of a pantheon, and a recognized member of the United Nations. A reminder perhaps, that you’re not trying to bully a normal citizen this time. If you and your director are hoping to weather the storm of this obvious corrupt act, then perhaps you need to take a moment to reassess based on that information.”

  Dalton said coldly, “That’s a serious accusation, I hope you can prove it.”

  Charity said, “Perhaps it’s just an honest error. Someone misled the senator that put pressure on the director, no doubt the man isn’t a medical expert, and was taken in by the lies of a desperate computer industry lobbyist. Of course, if that’s the case, and you’re just doing your due diligence for the sake of the country’s health, then I assume this case will be dismissed given precedent, policy, and plain old common sense. If you continue this absurd action, well then the people will come to a conclusion based on that when the courts throw it out and it hits the media, proof or not.”

  That was obviously the fig leaf for the man to save face, and to let this go no further. No scandal in the news, for very little reason at all.

  Dalton looked at Maeve, who shrugged. The intent was clear enough, she’d given the thin transparent arguments, and we hadn’t folded. So it was out of her hands, and entirely up to him if he wanted to bully his way through and try to shut us down anyway.

  Dalton pulled out his phone when it went off, and then grimaced at the screen.

  Dalton said, “Send me all the studies discussed in this meeting, and I will append them to the case. You’ll be informed of our decision in the matter within three days of receipt.”

  Yeah, the director had just folded like a cheap suit, and sent a text to Dalton to back it out.

  Charity said, “I can have that to you by end of day.”

  Misty interjected, “It’s done already.”

  Charity grinned and turned to me, “Really want one, please.”

  Misty winked.

  The deputy director and sexy blonde lawyer got up and left the room.

  We all got up and left, and we didn’t speak until I had our lawyer back on her own doorstep in Chicago.

  “We’ll watch out for their next attempt, but I think this won’t make it to court. They’ll close the case in a couple of days.”

  I nodded, “A fear campaign. Some humans fear magic a great deal. I think that’s their next plan. One that would be far more effective if they could’ve said the FDA thought it was dangerous but was prevented from safeguarding the people by a technicality of law. It would lower our sales, so they’d keep a larger portion of the market, and I think they’re hoping the senators in their pocket will use that fear generated to push for a bill against any magical implants for humans. But that’s just a wish list thing right now.”

  Charity shook her head, “How do you know all that?”

  Lianne smiled and shook her head, “We don’t ask that question, ever. He just… has sources, and he’s never wrong.”

  I nodded, “They might do it anyway, or they might change tactics with no longer being able to point at the FDA’s efforts as a red flag against the technology. Without that it might still work, but our counters would have a lot more traction without government backing on their side. Point being, our easy victory may change their minds, we’ll have to wait and see. Anyway, thank you for that.”

  Charity smiled, “Just pay the bill.”

  I laughed, “Fair enough. Though take five grand off the bill, and Lianne will be back later with an implant. We have stock now.”