[Undisclosed Location, Nevada, United States of America (March 2023)]
The main conference room of the DPA Headquarters Building was designed to both impress and unsettle in equal measure.
Situated deep beneath the sands of the Nevada desert, the room was a wide, circular chamber of reinforced steel and black stone walls. One that was also outfitted with recessed lighting that seemed to hum faintly with something not entirely electrical. Along with a wall of reinforced glass that looked out directly onto the main floor of the most important building in the country when it came to magical politics.
In the center of it all sat a large obsidian table, polished to a mirror sheen that reflected the figures gathered around it with just enough distortion to make everyone look slightly unreal.
At the head of that table sat one Eugene MacNamara, fingers steepled, and with an expression composed in the way of a man who had spent decades pretending that nothing surprised him anymore.
The man, even at his age, cut quite a striking figure to those around him. Tall and muscular, with chestnut brown skin and a handsome face only slightly withered by the passage of time. It would be hard for anyone to dare say that the man didn't look years younger than his fifty-one years of age would suggest. The only tell of which would have been the slight streaks of grey that were beginning to permeate the roots of his finely twisted dreadlocks.
Even so, there was one detail about the man's appearance that would've caught anyone's attention at first glance, which was the fact that he had two eyes of strikingly different color.
In the past, the most notable feature of the man formerly known as Eugene "One-Eye" MacNamara was the black leather eyepatch that he always wore when out in public. A fashion choice he had adopted after a particularly crafty Inquisitor had managed to get the drop on him and put a knife through the left side of his head while he was out on a mission back when he was younger.
These days, however, the DPA Commissioner has a greyish-blue eye to match his natural brown one. A neat little gift that his wife, Jonna, had personally implanted into his skull a few years ago via an experimental surgery that she always wanted to perform on him.
Thankfully, the thing worked just as well as his old one did. A fact that Eugene was greatly appreciative of as he looked at the men and women assembled before him.
Around him, the rest of the DPA's top leadership sat in their seats, each carrying their own version of controlled chaos as they prepared for what was to come. These six men and women, along with Eugene himself, were the ones charged with keeping order in the county when it came to all things mystical and magical around the country. And after five years of hard work and dedication, they had all somehow managed to keep the peace and hold the line to a remarkable degree.
Directly to Eugene's right was his faithful and dedicated Deputy Commissioner. A strikingly tall, muscular, and broad-shouldered blonde man with a set of ocean blue eyes by the name of John "Jackie" Brown VI. Even when he wasn't speaking, Jackie's presence filled the room like a brass band warming up to play a set. And the warmth that the man's body passively produced at all times was a clear indicator of the fact that he was probably the strongest 'fire magic' user in the entire country.
Opposite of Jackie sat Celeste Alvarez, Eugene's longtime friend and his recently appointed Chief Spymaster.
In truth, the 'wind magic' user had no clue when the woman had even arrived in the room. One moment, he was sitting there waiting for everyone to show up. The next, the dark-haired woman with sand-colored skin had slipped into her seat with casual elegance before he even realized that she was there. It was truly a testament to how skilled she was when it came to her powers, even among other 'dark magic' users. Very few people on the planet could evade the man's detection like that. So it was no wonder that so many people considered her to be the best assassin in the business.
Next up, directly to the right of Jackie, was Jessica Sheridan-Leary, the DPA's Director of Operations.
Jessica was a tall woman with a slender physique, caramel-colored skin, and dark-red hair that had a few prominent streaks of grey along the edges. She also possessed a generally brisk demeanor that was on full display as she attentively flipped through a tablet full of operational reports and mission updates from around the country. Eugene often considered her to be the workaholic of the group, someone who seemed to enjoy her job way too much for any normal person to not find mildly suspicious.
Across from Jessica, to the left of Celeste, was Simon Blackwell, the DPA's current Director of Personnel, and the only holdover from the previous regime who still hadn't retired yet.
The man had the trademark scowl on his face that he was known for as he impatiently tapped his fingers on the desk in front of him. The guy was humorously expressive for someone already in their late sixties, especially with those dark grey eyes of his. But in spite of that, the old 'body magic' user was a calming presence to have around the building.
The last person on the right side of the table, who also just so happened to be the only person currently wearing a military uniform, was General Chris Murphy-Goldsmith, the DPA Director of Logistics.
He was a stocky man of average height and olive skin with a clean-cut appearance that was to be expected of someone with his rank. Right down to his perfectly cut brown hair that almost never seemed to be out of place. The 'earth magic' user was currently holding a cup of tea up to his lips as he reviewed something on his tablet. Somehow managing to look like the most well put-together person at the table, thanks to all of the medals that he was sporting on his chest.
And finally, there was Eugene's Director of Finance, Malcolm Blair. Also known as the man no one ever wanted to piss off, seeing as he controlled all of the money that their Department was responsible for.
Malcolm was probably the only person Eugene had met in his entire life who was just as good at managing money as his sister. And that was saying something, considering what his family did. The man had the appearance of a typical nerdy accountant. A bit short, with shoulder-length black hair, pale skin, and a set of brown eyes hidden behind a pair of thin-rimmed glasses. But even so, Eugene often considered the 'plant magic' user to be the most integral part of their entire operation. Mainly because he had the authority to approve or disapprove of any budgetary expenses that came across his desk.
It wouldn't be a stretch to say that the man had probably already calculated just how much this meeting was costing them every second that they all remained within this room.
Yes, these were the men and women who were in charge of keeping every sorcerer in the country in check and ensuring that the machine still worked the way that it was supposed to. And even though they all had their quirks, Eugene was confident in the team that he had put together to make sure that everything kept running as smoothly as possible under their watch.
With everyone now here, the DPA Commissioner took a second to lean back in his chair with the kind of casual authority that came from someone who had already spent years in his position. Then, he lightly tapped his fingers against the table as he let out a brief sigh before speaking.
"So, let me get this straight…" The 'wind magic' user said at last, his voice calm but carrying easily. "No one here knows what this meeting is for?"
A collective murmur of agreement circled the room as all of the Directors nodded their heads.
"What the fuck…."
"Well…this is annoying." Jackie crossed his arms and frowned. "Who called this meeting anyway?"
Silence.
Jessica frowned. "It's on your calendar."
"It's on everyone's calendar." Malcolm added before flipping open his folder and then immediately closing it again. "Marked 'mandatory', no agenda attached."
Simon leaned back in his chair. "That's already a bad sign."
Jackie drummed his fingers on the table, clearly displeased with how this was playing out. "So no one knows why we're here? Not even a hint? Not even a cryptic note?"
Simon shook his head. "Nothing."
Jessica tapped away at her tablet, frowning deeper. "Well, it says here that the meeting was scheduled by…oh." She paused.
"By who?" Celeste asked.
"Lydia." Jessica said. "One of the Executive Assistants in Operations."
Chris blinked. "Lydia? You mean the same Lydia Hampton who just went on maternity leave three weeks ago?"
"That would be the one."
There was another pause, heavier this time.
Jackie cartoonishly threw his hands up and laughed. "So, you're telling me we all dropped everything, flew out here, and cleared out all of our schedules because someone forgot to write the reason in the invite?"
"Yes." Celeste said while doing her best to hold back a smirk. "That appears to be exactly what happened."
Simon rubbed his temples. "I would like it noted for the record that this is an excellent argument for stricter administrative protocols."
"Do you people know what I could be doing right now?" Malcolm sighed. "I have the Secretary of the Treasury breathing down my neck about our yearly expense report. A report which was due two days ago, I might add."
Chris once again raised his mug to his lips before speaking. "On the bright side, we're all here in one place. Honestly, when was the last time all of us were in the same room together? Two months ago?"
Eugene considered that, then gave a small nod. The DPA's top dog would be lying if he said that he didn't have other pressing matters that required his attention at the moment. But there was no point in crying over what basically amounted to a clerical error.
"Well…we might as well make use of the time. Give me an update on all your areas. Is there anything that I need to know?"
Jessica straightened slightly before speaking. "Operations are stable across the board, except for a few minor issues. There has been an uptick in cryptid activity in the Pacific Northwest. Nothing the region can't handle, though. The Seattle station is requesting additional personnel, but that's ongoing. I told Director Watanabe that he'll have to make do with what he has for now."
"My people have been investigating all of the activity going on in New York and Los Angeles over the last few months." Celeste folded her hands. "As much as I hate to admit it, the situation down in North Carolina wasn't isolated. We have confirmed encounters with members of Iznana in both regions."
Simon snorted. "Those rats are finally making a comeback, huh? And here I thought it would be a long while before something like this happened after Mubele killed the last Branch Head."
"Zoe Chandler confirmed that the ones her people encountered were working directly for this new Branch Head, who's apparently taken over Kwame Ayew's spot." Eugene added. "We still have no idea who it is, though. The prisoner that we captured isn't talking. And he has a nasty enchantment on his tongue that will kill him if I try to break it."
Malcolm cleared his throat. "The Department's budget is…holding. Barely. But if Logistics requests one more 'emergency relief fund', I'm going to start classifying them as luxury expenses."
The lone General of the group looked offended at those words. "Hey, it's not my fault that everything's gotten so expensive these days! Even my buddies in the Joint Chiefs are having trouble finding the money they need since the brilliant members of our esteemed Congress want to argue over nonsense instead of actually doing their jobs. You guys know that we're heading for a shutdown, right?"
"You should still try to limit the amount of surprise expenses. We're not exactly made of money here." Malcolm said flatly.
Eugene could already feel the beginnings of an argument starting to form between the two men. And that was the last thing he felt like dealing with right now. So, the 'wind magic' user decided to derail that before they started screaming at each other from across the table…again.
"The Deputy Chief position over in Chicago is opening up soon since Jasper Chandler agreed to take up the Chief position in Montgomery. We need to pick someone to fill his slot, preferably before the end of the month."
Jackie simply nodded in agreement as he stroked his beard. "It's a critical post. High activity, high risk. We'll need someone who can handle both field operations and…unconventional variables."
"Candidates?" Celeste asked no one in particular.
Eugene opened the folder in front of him before answering. "Right now, I've narrowed down the list to Jean-Jacques Mubele, my nephew Ethan, my niece Mary-Anne Owens-Conley, Marcel Alvarez, and Cassian Murphy."
"Well, we already know that Mubele and MacNamara are going to turn it down. Those two have been dodging promotions for the last three years." The General quickly added.
"I know that I shouldn't say this, but my nephew Marcel won't want to do it either. He hates paperwork just as much as that damn father of his." The lone 'dark magic' user of the group voiced her thoughts.
Jessica was the next to speak. "Owens-Conley just became the Deputy Chief down in Miami. I doubt she's looking to move after only a few months in her position. Besides, she has her hands full dealing with those lunatics in the Research Association."
"And Cassian Murphy's probation just ended. It would be a bad look to give him a leadership position in a city like Chicago after his little mix-up dealing with that cryptid infestation down in Boulder."
General Murphy-Goldsmith nodded his head in agreement. Sure, he may have loved his nephew, and the guy was more than skilled enough for the position. But even he knew that the Cassian couldn't be trusted with that much authority after he came dangerously close to exposing sorcerer society to everyone in Colorado. At least for the time being.
"What about Amelia McKenna?" Malcolm asked the group. "I hear that she's been doing pretty well leading the APS down in Sacramento. It might be time for her to get a promotion."
Eugene considered that option for a moment before writing it down in his notebook. In truth, the man didn't care who they gave the position to as long as the spot was filled in time. There were a number of young agents who needed to start getting funneled into leadership positions since they were looking to build three new stations in the next few years. And the sooner they started getting those guys into place, the better.
The discussion went on for the better part of five minutes before the group decided to just table the topic for another day. They still had time, so there was no point in hitting their heads against the wall in an effort to figure it out right away. And it wasn't like they were lacking for talent these days.
Eventually, the conversation ended up steering over to more personal matters. As previously stated, it had been a while since all of them had been in the same room together. So, naturally, everyone was interested in hearing how the others were doing. And with that, Eugene allowed himself the faintest hint of a smile before deciding to drop a bomb on the others.
"There is something else that's recently been brought to my attention." The Commissioner said casually in a way that got everyone's attention. He then turned his gaze over to his Deputy. "My daughter tells me that my son, Evan, is currently involved with one of your offspring."
Jackie lit up almost immediately after hearing that. "Oh, shit! Is he now? Good for him! Which one?"
Eugene paused just long enough to make it noticeable. "Valerie. Valerie McKenna."
The muscular blonde man blinked. What followed was a long, searching silence as he mentally flipped through what was clearly a very large internal catalog.
"…Valerie…" Jackie repeated.
"Yes."
Jackie leaned forward. "You're going to have to help me out here, man."
Chris raised an eyebrow. "Are you seriously about to tell us that you don't even know the name of your own daughter?"
Jackie spread his hands and smiled at the General. "In my defense-"
"He has over eighty children running around the planet. And about fifty of them are in the U.S. alone. So, it makes sense that he wouldn't know who all of them are." Celeste said smoothly.
"Oh, yeah." Jessica lowered her tablet and looked up. "I almost forgot about that. You're the guy who spent most of his twenties selling off his sperm like it was the most valuable commodity in the world."
"Hey, it's not my fault that my DNA is so valuable! And at ten thousand bucks a pop, it would've been stupid of me not to take advantage of it. Besides, back in those days, everyone wanted to add a powerful 'fire magic' user to their family's roster."
"Do you even keep track of any of them?" Malcom asked.
"I only really know about the talented ones." Jackie replied. "The rest I never bothered to check up on."
Everyone, except for Eugene and Celeste, rolled their eyes after hearing that. True to his word, Jackie Brown had spent a significant portion of his youth selling off his DNA to anyone and everyone who wanted it. Something that had made him a lot of money by the time he was thirty. And because of that, quite a few notable 'fire magic' users in both the U.S. and Europe just so happened to be his own children.
One of which, coincidentally, was a certain tall blonde sorcerer who happened to be good friends with his boss's own children.
"But hey, this is actually pretty awesome!" Jackie then said while playfully patting Eugene on the shoulder. "It's like fate or something! We've been friends for years, so it's only natural that our kids end up getting together! So, tell me about this little brat. What's she like?"
Eugene gave the man a calm smile before responding. "From what my daughters tell me, she's a pretty capable agent working under Zoe. And she was in the conversation for rookie of the year a while ago, thanks to her solo-hunting record. Elizabeth sent me a photo of the girl a few weeks ago, and she looks just like you."
"Sounds like I might need to introduce myself to her in the near future." Jackie then said, before the retaliation set in. "Oh, wait, you said she was a McKenna, right? That might actually be a bad idea, now that I think about it."
"Fortunately, she doesn't seem to hold the same views as some of her other relatives. But my wife is planning on getting a good look at her herself when she goes down to visit our kids in a couple of months." The 'wind magic' user smiled.
"Wow, a MacNamara is actually interested in someone whose last name isn't Owens or Chapman?" Chris said jokingly. "We truly are in the end times."
"I'm sure that Claire McKenna is going to love hearing about this." Celeste added before taking a sip of her water.
Eventually, the conversation drifted as the top agents of the DPA began discussing other matters that required their attention. The room settled into a different kind of focus now, lighter than a formal briefing, but no less serious. Names were weighed, strengths and flaws debated, hypotheticals raised and dismantled with ruthless efficiency. All while the fate of the magical world was decided beneath the sands of the Nevada desert.
The reason for the meeting might have been forgotten. But as Eugene watched the discussion unfold around him, he had a nagging feeling in the back of his mind that something big was about to come their way. A slight pull in the corners of his psyche that he only ever got when big changes were around the corner. Whatever that something was, he couldn't know. But whatever it was, he knew that they would be ready for it whenever it happened.
Or so he hoped….
-(o)-
Character Profile: Eugene
Name: Eugene Newton MacNamara
Alias: The Crimson Wind, Eugene One-Eye, The Sky King
Gender: Male
Age: 51
Birthday: November 21st
Birthplace: Charlotte, North Carolina, United States of America
Height: 76in
Weight: 207lbs
Hair: Black
Eyes: Brown (Natural), Blue (Artificial)
Race: Black
Magic: Wind
Occupation: DPA Commissioner, Real Estate Developer, CFO of Halsey, MacNamara & Murphy, CEO of Green Owl Real Estate
Stat Chart: S(+)
-Physical Strength - 5+
-Intelligence - 4.5
-Magic Amount - 5+
-Magical Control - 5+
-Magic Sensing - 5+
-Special - 5+
Fun Fact:
-National Rank: 8
-World Rank: 38
-Alma Mater: North Carolina A&T (BS), Yale University (MS)
-Favorite food is Charleston Red Rice
-Co-owns many restaurants and casinos across the United States.
-Has a longstanding enmity with a certain member of the McKenna Family.
-According to Elizabeth, Eugene has several secret stashes of gold and rare jewels scattered across the United States of America set aside as emergency funds for the family.
-Eugene was once offered a position in the Clock Tower's Council of Lords after his father retired, but turned it down.
-Once rolled seven "sevens" in a row during a game of dice.