Assumptions Must Be Made!

I want, need, must, desire, no parallel structure, crave, will move ahead with Fat Tony!

But we must make some assumptions.  So here is what has ACTUALLY been happening in the story, but you just didn't see it there before:

Governmental wheels are in motion.  Losing thirty-six-million people is a big deal.  Last time this threat arose, Fat Tony was part of the emergency response team, the first responders, and they did away with the spell, quick-and-dirty.  Everyone cheered (at least those who knew about it), and medals all around.  Quiet medals, though, the kind that they don't put in newspapers, because no one wants to admit how close they were to losing California.

This time, though, as much as the people at ART respect Lieutenant Anthony Adams (Retired), he's not on the team anymore, and the government wants their best people on the job.  They're flying in those people, and have been ever since they found out that there might be a problem.  They're on the way, including a team down from Phoenix, and they want to take over.  Important figures are being quietly evacuated from danger zones in CA, the price of gasoline has already gone up, and there is a gathering storm of governmental activity.  (I think the gas idea was a joke.)

But, you say, isn't Fat Tony the best person for the job?  He clearly has an understanding of the magical theory and the personal power reserves to apply it.  Why would they take it from him?

The answer is, of course, no one really knows what Fat Tony can do.  Lack of ambition after the last crisis left his own horn thoroughly un-tooted.  He was a good man, yes, give him a medal, but no one really understood the skill required to accomplish what he did.

There you have it.  That's been going on.

As a matter of warning, one or two of the Livy Cottontails might die before the end of the book.  I'm sorry in advance.  And, as a matter of promise, the two plot problems Kimbooly (Kimberly) brought up are already solved in my head.  What do you do with the rabbits and what do you do with the remains of the spell?  I have to say, I have both worked out at least decently well, and I hope the solutions are clever, and I'll get to them as soon as I can.

Thanks for sticking with Fat Tony!