“Hmmm, good point,” Tiernan nodded. “Glamour magic tricks the eye but not radar and such.”
“Like the heat sensors the paranormal team used,” I agreed.
“Okay, let's think about this rationally,” Extinguisher Mark Sloane, the one who had helped Teagan locate the exact place the plane went missing, had inherited the dark Sloane looks; sooty hair, fair skin, and mossy eyes. He was also quite intelligent, as evidenced by his next words, “ATC tracks planes using two types of radar; primary and secondary. Primary radar will find an object using projected radio signals but secondary radar relies on a transponder inside the plane itself. Every commercial plane is equipped with a transponder; it's how they keep in contact with ATC when they're more than a hundred-fifty miles out over the sea, where primary radar signals get lost.”
“Okay,” I gaped at Extinguisher Sloane and then glanced at Teagan, who gave me a huge grin. “But they weren't over the ocean, so even if the secondary radar went out, the primary should have still picked them up.”
“You weren't following close enough,” Sloane winked at me. “Primary radar picks up objects, I didn't say planes specifically.”
“Yes but in this case, it's a plane,” Wasutke grumbled.
“Is it?” Sloane lifted a brow and my jaw dropped.
“You're saying that if someone had the capability to manifest an object, something solid, beneath the plane, they could then remove the plane without anyone knowing?” I frowned, not even sure if I understood it.
“This is all hypothesis,” Sloane held out his hands. “But going on what I know of the fey and their magic, I believe that a fairy could form a chunk of ice from the moisture in the air.”
“We could,” Tiernan whispered and looked at me in horror. “Weather magic.”
“Cold weather magic,” Sarah added. “That's the trace we found, remember?”
“Cold like ice,” Sloane nodded. “So say this person, we won't blame a fairy just yet because there are weather witches, are there not?” He looked to the Storm witch and the man grudgingly nodded. “Thispersoncould form a block of ice beneath the plane, holding it aloft with magic while the plane was diverted. ATC would most likely see the diversion but when they saw the ice keeping on course, they'd probably think it was a glitch. Then the ice could be melted and turned into rain, making the plane appear to disappear.”
“Holy river hags!” I exclaimed. “We're not just looking for one person, this has got to be the work of a team.”
“Yes, Ambassador,” Sloane smiled. “I believe you're right. I think one individual pulled off the ice maneuver while the second averted the plane.”
“But how would you do that?” Teagan mused.
“The only way I can imagine, would be the easiest,” Sloane shrugged.
“It was the pilot,” I whispered and Sloane smiled wider at me. “Sweet Goddess, our pilot stole the plane, didn't he?”
“It would make sense,” Sloane gave me an apologetic look. “The pilot would be able to turn off the transponder and fly the plane a short distance away, where he could land it and no one would be the wiser.”
“Why are you looking at me like that?” I asked him. “It wasn't a fairy-manned plane, the pilot was an extinguisher.”
Shouting erupted all around me but I just sat back and let them vent. I was just as horrified as the humans were. To think that an extinguisher would turn traitor was... well it was unthinkable. About as unthinkable as a hunter betraying the fey. But then, they wouldn't have the word traitor if no one ever betrayed anyone.
“Silence!” Teagan stood and pounded the table with his fist. The extinguishers quieted and since they were the only ones making a fuss, the room went silent. “Ambassador Seren is right. The plane was one I lent her to transport the raven mockers. They were flying it back to Tulsa and so, the pilot would have been an extinguisher.”
“No,” Extinguisher Jason Murdock shook his head. “He had to have been taken. Someone killed him or captured him and took his place.”
“That is completely possible,” I said and Murdock gave me a grateful look. “All I'm saying is that the scheduled pilot would have been human... and if he were replaced, it would have to be with another human or the raven mockers would have known and been suspicious.”
“True,” Teagan nodded. “So it's definitely a human group that we're after, be it extinguisher or witch.”
“We should probably share this information with the Coven,” I looked to Sarah because she seemed like the most reasonable one there and it also seemed like she was in charge.”
“Tristan,” she looked to her left, where the other member of Beckoning sat. “Call Gabriel, please.”
He nodded and stood, going into a corner to make the call.
“If it's a human, it must be one of yours,” Wasutke sneered. “A witch wouldn't go against the Coven's wishes.”
“The Coven has made no decree concerning this matter,” Aidan stared down Wasutke. “There is no order to disobey, if say, a person or group were trying to fulfill a vendetta.”
“How dare you?” Wasutke stood, her face stretching into a horrifying mask.
