Willow looks through the massive trove of files Counter-Magic has concerning Vale. It's terabytes of information... She starts with the videos, just to get a basic understanding. Apparently, the times Counter-Magic interrogated her were recorded, both before and after she was sent to prison.

  She selects a video of the first interrogation.

  Vale is sitting across from a sole investigator in a well-lit room, casually eating from a box of doughnuts that rest between the two. It's almost hard to recognize her. She's dressed in a band t-shirt and sporting a long braided ponytail, casually leaning on the chair's back two legs and rocking it back and forth. There's so much confidence, even arrogance, exuding from her.

  "State your name, please," the interrogator says. His face is obscured by the angle of the video.

  Vale looks directly at the camera, and swallows a mouthful she was chewing. "You shouldn't disguise cameras as fire alarms. It's a major faux pas."

  "State your name," the interrogator repeats.

  "I think it's illegal, at least in New Hampshire, to have fake emergency signals. Might be a war crime, too."

  "We're not in New Hampshire, and we're not at war. You're Chad Vale, correct?"

  Vale rolls her eyes. "Do I look like a Chad?"

  "You look like a Vale."

  Vale laughs, and grabs another doughnut. "Got me there. Yeah, I'm Vale. So, what's the occasion?"

  "You are under arrest, and-"

  "No I'm not. Never got read my rights, and I came here willingly. Watch." Vale stands up, and turns the door handle. Nothing happens. She tries pulling it the other way, to the same effect.

  The interrogator runs his hand down his face, and begins reciting Vale her rights.

  "Well, you should have said that earlier. I want a lawyer." Vale lunges out, and snags the box of doughnuts. "And I'm keeping these."

  Willow frowns as the video ends. That was strange. Why did Willow go there voluntarily in the first place?

  She clicks on the next video. This one is of a meeting with her lawyer in the same room. Vale is handcuffed, in an orange jumpsuit, but still looking confident.

  "Good morning, Chad."

  "Vale. Just Vale. I've said it five times. Jesus, I paid for a good lawyer, you can at least pretend to take an interest in my case... Are you sure that camera in the fire alarm is off? This meeting is supposed to be private."

  The lawyer nods. "It's off."

  "Did you figure out what I'm being charged with, yet?"

  "Yeah. Occult research involving possession of forbidden grimoires."

  Vale sighs. "What's the maximum sentence on that?"

  "Six months in a low-security prison."

  "Think we can bump that down to three if I plead guilty? I can last three months in solitary. Can't go to genpop in a men's prison, obviously."

  "Absolutely, if that. You said you're willing to work with Counter-Magic, right?"

  "Of course I am. I don't have respect for that dipshit interrogator trying to catch me in imaginary contradictions, but I obviously don't want actually dangerous occultists running around. Theoretically, if I did research illegal grimoires, I'd probably have realized why they were illegal by now."

  "I'll see what I can do. Don't worry, Vale. I'm sure they'll appreciate having you on their side. This'll be over and done with before you know it. Hell, you might get a consultant job out of this whole thing, if you play nice."

  Willow leans back as she watches the video. What the hell... how did that escalate to where things are now?

  She skips past a bunch of recordings of her in a holding cell. A normal one, along with another prisoner. A male prisoner, at that. Fearing the worst, she clicks around in them. Fortunately, based on thumbnails and short snippets she skips around to, they seem to have gotten along fairly well.

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  She sees the next one is of her in court, still wearing that jumpsuit and matching handcuffs. She clicks on it.

  What immediately jumps out is the obvious conclusion: if there's a video, then this is a local trial. It's not even a federal case. The lack of anyone besides Vale, her lawyer, the judge, and the bailiff proves this is meant to be a fairly low-key situation.

  The judge bangs his gavel. "Let's get this over with. The defendant, Chad Vale, has pled guilty to the crime of possession and research of illegal grimoires. Mr. Vale has signed an agreement, and is sentenced to time served, plus one-hundred hours of community service working with Counter-Magic for confidential reasons. Court is adjourned. See you soon, Mr. Vale."

  Vale laughs, and the video ends.

  Willow keeps looking through relevant videos. One of the ones of her working with Counter-Magic officials is labelled as Exhibit A instead of a simple timestamp. That's worrying. She clicks on it.

  Vale is in a particularly good mood, it seems, working alongside three Counter-Magic investigators. They even crack a good-natured joke with her, which she laughs at. It's clear they've been working together for some time...

  "So, Vale, have you considered our offer? We could really use your expertise here."

  She flashes an apologetic smile. "I appreciate it, Bay, I really do, but I don't think this life is for me. Running all around the country, chasing mostly idiots and the occasional bastard... I mean, damn, we ended up in Los Angeles. I'm more than happy to lend a hand here and there, but I think I'm gonna go home and get back to normal research after this is over. I'm still trying to find the anima mundi, after all. Working with you guys, seeing all the things people are actually doing with the occult... I don't want anything to do with that kind of magic, anymore. Sorry, Bay."

  The investigator, apparently named Bay, scratches his nose. The other two do as well, while Vale is busy getting something from a bag. From there, Bay says, "Vale, at least tell me you have a solution for these ritual curses. People are still sick. Were you able to recreate them?"

  She nods. "Yep, Hendrickson was there supervising. Anyway, I was able to reverse-engineer the process, and have an incantation for lifting-"

  The video cuts off. Willow clicks to Exhibit B, from a different day.

  Hendrickson folds his arms, tapping a blurred-out piece of paper on the table. "This looks like necromancy, Vale."

  She shrugs. "I wouldn't know."

  "Come on, Vale. We're just trying to save this kid. We know your past is behind you, so if you know anything..."

  She bites her lip, but eventually, it turns into a reluctant smile. "Well... promise you won't hold this against me? I know there's a time crunch here, and I want that kid safe as much as you."

  "I promise."

  Vale looks at the other two, who also promise. "Alright, guys... I'm trusting you with this. It's not necromancy, it's just an old-school spell, back before they figured out the math."

  "How can you tell? I'm not convinced."

  "Look at the way he's channeling. There's no physical exertion involved. He's completely stoic, and gets up right after. I was close to a heart attack the one time I tried... We still on for farewell drinks, tonight?"

  Again, the video cuts off. Willow opens Exhibit C, grimacing.

  This one is shot outside a bar, likely from a security camera. It's from the same day as Exhibit B, according to the timestamp. Vale is clearly intoxicated, as are the three investigators she's with.

  "I'm serious, Bay, you guys are the bessssst," she bubbles, hazily shaking one's shoulder. "I'll just- I gotta- I'm gonna puke..."

  She stumbles away into an alley beside the bar. Once she does, the video cuts to the alleyway. There's no sound.

  One of the investigators, Bay, starts walking down the alley towards her. She playfully waves him away as she proceeds to hold back a gag. He stands right next to Vale, but his face is obscured by the camera angle.

  She looks up at him, stumbling back a bit, and starts getting a little more animated, pointing back to the street. Bay continues moving forward. Vale is backed all the way to the end of the alley, and pukes on Bay's shoes when he has her cornered. She starts rapidly saying something. He reaches back and slaps her. She falls to the ground. From there, all the camera picks up are some strange hand motions and Vale's mouth moving, followed by Bay grabbing his pants and running away.

  Willow opens yet another video. It's again of Vale and her lawyer, with Vale once against in the orange jumpsuit and handcuffs.

  "I'll be honest, Chad, the evidence doesn't look good."

  "For Bay, or for me?"

  "The case against Bay was dismissed."

  Vale jerks forward, "He tried to-!"

  "Judge didn't see it that way," the lawyer interrupts. "Look, they have you on camera hexing him, admitting to necromancy, and admitting to having cast ritual curses."

  "What?! That's bullshit!"

  "There were cameras in the investigation room."

  Vale's face goes pale. "They're... using those against me? I- I was only doing what I was instructed to!"

  "You still did it."

  "That's- That's entrapment, or something!"

  "Vale. In my professional opinion, I think another plea deal is your best bet. There's talk of the death penalty."

  "God..." Vale holds her head in her hands. "What can you get me?"

  "It's not good... They're not going to let you off the hook like last time. Media picked up the story of an occultist attacking a veteran Counter-Magic officer. You're looking at fifty years, minimum."

  Vale tightly shuts her eyes. "Fuck... fuck! I can't go to a men's prison. I can't, I know what'll happen."

  "There's a solution. Look, Magimax-"

  "Magimax?!"

  "Take it easy. Magimax has some very cushy accommodations, in exchange for the whole 'not seeing the sun' thing. Meal plans, apartment-style rooms, volunteering opportunities, a television, supervised visitation hours... That kind of thing. And since it's a unisex prison, everyone gets their own accommodations."

  "Still, it's Magimax..."

  "This exact situation happened to another client of mine before. Got set up by CM. Sentenced to fifty, but with good behavior and all the volunteer work he's been doing, he's on track to be released after ten. They probably won't be that lenient with you, but I bet you won't die there."

  "I should have just served the six months... wait, why did you tell me to take the damn deal the first time, knowing they could be setting me up?! You couldn't have told me they were-"

  The video ends.

  There are so many more files Willow looks at. The plea deal. Moving her to Magimax. Stolatz flippantly explaining the lack of 'standard human accommodations' available...

  She shuts her laptop, wiping tears from her eyes.

  She works at Counter-Magic. She's a member of the organization that did this.

  Fuck.