There were two choices: stop off at the buildings, maybe to take a rest and somewhat avoid sore legs and thirst, or go around them.
Which meant, of course, that there was only one choice. As the three approached the buildings, they still appeared to be ordinary office buildings; brick, cement, big reflective windows, and nothing which let them know what the function of the buildings was, not even a sign. They weren't very tall, not more than two stories.
There was one thing different from normal office buildings, though: No roads other than a couple that went between the buildings, and the whole place was surrounded by a fence.
"Maybe we'd better not go in here," said Jon.
"I agree," replied Wendi.
"Me too," said Karyn.
They circled the area, walking around the fence, not paying enough attention to the cameras on poles. At the distance of the fence, there wasn't a really good view through any of the windows, and Jon had forgotten to bring along binoculars.
Just after they had gotten halfway around the area, a man appeared in front of them, two yards away. Suddenly--out of thin air, in a way that would be absolutely impossible if it wasn't for magic. He was dressed in an American-style business suit, seemed around 30 years old, and was holding a pistol in his right hand. In his left hand was a two foot long wooden staff banded with gold and jewels that seemed to serve no function whatsoever. It wasn't a weapon, and was too small for a walking stick, which he certainly had no need for anyway.
"Jon Madison, I assume?" he said in Spanish, not really meaning it as a question, while raising the pistol to point it at the teenagers. "And these must be Karyn Smith and Wendi Rockford." Karyn snickered at Wendi's last name.
"That's right," said Jon. "We're going to the archeological dig. We're not trespassers, we were invited there, and we're not even inside your fence. Who are you? Do you run this place?"
"Oh, I most certainly do. My name is Lucius DeMorrell, and I own everything here. I took over your grandfather's dig, you see. I retrieved the wishing staff before he did."
"Wishing staff?" wondered Jon.
"Yes, this remarkable device," said DeMorrell, indicating the gold-banded and jewel-encrusted wooden rod. "A secret item created by the Incas and dedicated to the god Urcaguary, it grants great power. It's why there's an invisible set of offices right near the dig. It allows me to make 37 wishes for anything I choose."
Jon seemed ready to laugh, despite the threat of the gun, because that was one of the most unlikely-sounding things he heard. "37, exactly? Not 36 or 38?"
"It had more than that, but I wasted a wish to find out exactly how much power it has left. You know, you seem ready to believe me when I talk about wishes."
"Well, you did just teleport in front of us," said Jon.
"There is that," said the man. "A small power, granted by the staff. I assume you were here because you've heard of the stone which grants unlimited wishes?"
"You could say that," replied Jon.
"Sad to say, that stone isn't here. When your grandfather died during the raid on the dig, we couldn't find it. It wasn't in his apartment, either."
"Maybe he sent it to us," said Jon, shaking a bit. "And you should go back if you don't want us to turn you into a frog. Even if you shoot me, my friends could wish me back to health."
"Don't be ridiculous. None of you are carrying anything which can grant wishes. If you were, you'd have used it already. Besides, why would you come all the way from your home country searching for something you already have? No, I'm afraid I'm going drain this piece of wood down to 36 wishes. I wish that all three of you would become perfectly loyal minions of mine."
The staff flashed and everyone had to look away. Then DeMorrell laughed and said "Now, come along."
Jon and Karyn obediently followed along. So did Wendi... but DeMorrell didn't notice the moment of hesitation.
Jon had wished Wendi would think like a human girl--meaning a normal human girl. DeMorrell couldn't make Wendi think like a minion--he'd be reversing a wish. So Wendi, unaffected by DeMorrell's wish, pretended to obey, while waiting for her chance....
