Free Witches Under Way by Debora Geary Page A

turning into a run scenario.
    She turned to her team.  “Okay, this changes things.”
    “You think?”  Caro snorted.  “We can use illusions on Team Ginia like we planned, but that’s not going to get us past Helga and Marion.  Those ladies are tough.”
    Jennie frowned.  “Do they know you’re a witch?”
    Lauren laughed as Aervyn teleported himself over to Melvin’s lap for a hug.  “They do now.” 
    Focus, people.   Lizard’s brain was so damn tired.  “How do we deal with Team Jamie’s senior-citizen defense?”
    Lauren spun around as Ginia yelled, “Game on!”  I think we have bigger things to worry about for the moment. 
    Lizard giggled as Jamie ported Aervyn back to his team—carrying a large water balloon that detonated on impact.  And it gave her an idea.  How much mind control can we use?
    Jennie’s mental two-by-four pretty much answered that question.  Not much, apparently.
    You guys might want to stop worrying about Team Ginia for a moment.  Lauren sounded distracted.  We’re about to be invaded.
    Elsie and Nat were flanking them, one up each side, well armed with filled balloons.  Daniel and Jamie were headed for the play structure.  Damn.  With old people defending their turf, the rest of Team Jamie was on the total offensive.
    Jennie grabbed some water balloons and Caro’s arm.  “We’ll go see if we can get by the blind man and the knitters.  The rest of you see if you can take out these two.”  She grinned and pitched her voice louder.  “Aim high—I don’t think Elsie’s going to like getting wet.”
    Lizard felt Elsie’s scorn hit—just before all the water balloons in Jennie’s arms exploded. 
    It didn’t take a mind witch to interpret Elsie’s war whoop of victory.  Crap—when had her roommate gotten competitive? 
    Explosions from the other side of the back yard suggested Team Ginia’s balloons were meeting the same end.  Someone had figured out how to use fire power at a water fight.
    And Elsie wasn’t Team Jamie’s only fire witch.  Lizard spun toward her team’s balloon stash and cursed as the one Lauren had picked up exploded in their eyes, rapidly followed by balloons to the backs of their heads. 
    Lauren started to laugh as she tried in vain to wipe the water off her face.  “Crap—that was Nat.  Did I mention she can throw?”
    Great.  Old people and pitching arms suddenly sounded like game-winning tactics.  Lizard swiped at her own face and tried to think.  First things first. Without weapons, they would be in deep trouble.  Caro, can you block Elsie’s fire magic from trashing our balloons?
    Maybe.  Delicate business, though—I could make them explode just as easy as anything else.
    Well, try.  Focus on saving the ones we’re throwing at her.  No, wait.  Lizard tried to fight the slow motion of her brain.  Let one bust over her head.  She can’t explode what she can’t see.  And Jennie was right—Elsie wasn’t going to like getting wet.
    Jennie took the balloon out of Lauren’s hand.  “You throw like a girl.  I’ll toss at Elsie—you go stand over by Nat and give us some cover.”
    They were almost organized—and then the music started.  Vero, standing on her chair and singing some crazy, fierce song about barricades and dying to be free.  What the hell’s that?
    Have you no culture, child?  Jennie sounded amused.  It’s the song the revolutionaries sing in Les Miserables, up on the barricades.  Pretty good fighting anthem.
    Caro snorted.  Vero could sing the phone book and make it sound like a fighting anthem .  She’s a warrior, that one.
    Getting wet here, sent Lauren, taking a pelting from Nat.  You guys actually going to do something anytime soon?
    Jeebers.  They were getting creamed by the senior citizen brigade, a pregnant woman, and a fire witch who’d never been in a fight before.  It was time to shift tactics.  Cut and run, guys.  Let’s get out of here and go see if we can