Atlanta 2050:Sessions:20191019
It is Wednesday, July 13, 2050. Over the past several months the Watcher Network in Austin has "taken a hit." Another fanatic group calling themselves Justices of Templar has started taking care of "magic problems." They, too, are prejudiced against weres, but don't go out of their way to harm them.
Dr Liz has recently seen four cases of drug overdose that share similar symptoms: the victims suffered severe cramps, headaches, swelling, and high fever. When magic is "on" they have "unusual manifestations of body parts," such as elven ears or eyes, hobbitlike feet, or blue skin. The new drug is called Magic J and it's purported to turn the user into a mage. Its formulation and manufacturer are unknown.
Joe Spikes is summoned to breakfast with Lord Beast. He and wereboar Daniel Kidd are assigned to check out gang activity in the Bankhead area of Atlanta. "You might encounter a roadblock. Pack the horses, gun up."
Joe and Daniel come upon a 20' wall, in front of which area a man and a woman wearing USPS uniforms. Up on the wall are at least two people with rifles. Daniel mutters that his back itches, meaning that there is someone hostile behind them. The woman cheerfully asks their business and who they represent. "Lord Beast," Joe replies; "Just wanna look around." The woman says they must leave their horses and pay $10 apiece for someone to watch them.
Once through they door, they find chaos, trash in the streets, kids running around, adults going openly armed. Daniel remarks that the place has looked like a war zone for the past 15 years. A gang of four kids, ages 12-15, come running up armed with guns, knives, and chains. They all seem jittery. The oldest demands, "You have to pay the toll -- $5 each!" "We don't need a guide," Joe replies. He knows the 15-year-old is about to pull a gun, so Joe steps into him and takes it away. He makes sure the chamber is empty, then pops out the clip and drops it in his pocket. Daniel smacks another kid and rumbles, "You know we're with the Lord Beast." The kids scurry back, then run away.
A little later, Joe and Daniel see the 15-year-old and the 12-year-old coming back. There's a blur effect, then the 15-year-old changes into a werewolf with a thick, armored tail like an alligator's. The younger boy shrinks to 3' high while sprouting rabbit fur. Joe shifts to his Warrior form. The bunny is so cute, though, that Daniel wants to pet it and Joe wants to befriend it. After a few rounds of combat, during which Joe takes crushing damage from the 15-year-old's tail, Daniel strikes the bunny and both boys fall down and revert to their normal forms. The boys are convulsing and feverish. Daniel and Joe glance around, but the bystanders seem more entertained than concerned. Joe decides to take the kids to Grady Hospital, 20 minutes away at a gallop.
Meanwhile, Nurse Sheila Ray asks for a private meeting with Dr Liz. Sheila hands over a plastic bag containing Magic J, explaining that she'd gotten it from a "clan associate" who had tried the drug for its "magic high." After taking it, he had been able to conjure fire -- once. Then he tried to sweet-talk Sheila but his nose grew long and pointed, like Pinocchio's. Dr Liz spends some time in the hospital's laboratory analyzing the drug.
Dr Liz is paged to the ER. She carefully locks away the drug and her notes and secures the lab. The patients are two boys. Dr Liz asks Sheila to sniff them for drugs; Sheila's only response is to lick her lips and say "The little one smells delicious!" Dr Liz administers medicine to reduce their fever and ease the convulsions. When the magic comes on, the 15-year-old's hands briefly turn into werewolf's paws, and the 12-year-old shows bunny ears.
Joe catches her attention and tells her about their encounter. She gives him a baggie containing Magic J residue to take to Lord Beast's citadel.
At dinner, once Lord Beast has heard Joe's and Daniel's reports, he has a telephone brought to him. He dials a number, then says, "Take the tollbooth down and the first part of the wall, or I'll take it down myself." Lord Beast already knows all about Magic J, which he says has killed 15 people in the past three months. He attributes the drug to a gang called Janus Club which runs the part of town called Vice City. "It's time to take away their territory," muses Lord Beast, "and turn it over to the were-hyenas" that are migrating into Atlanta. He picks up the phone again and leaves a message for Dr Liz.
The boys are identified as 15-year-old Bruce Nelson and 12-year-old Steven Gregg, and Bruce's mother and Steven's aunt and uncle have been notified. Dr Liz makes sure they are well-fed, and Sheila brings them extra helpings of Jello.
Once she gets home, Dr Liz returns Lord Beast's call. "I trust your magical sense," he says, so tomorrow night he will send Tommy and Donnie Smith to pick her up, then Lord Beast will lead a small group into Vice City to confront the Janus Club.