The
Call of the Void, Book 2 - Dragons

By Kathryn
Churchill

2015

Copyright
© 2015 by Kevin Churchill

All
rights reserved. This book or any portion thereof

may
not be reproduced or used in any manner whatsoever

without
the express written permission of the publisher

except
for the use of brief quotations in a book review.

Printed
in Canada

First Printing, 2015

The characters in this book are fictional; any resemblance
to persons living or dead is coincidental and not intended to malign or exalt
any specific individual.

Mercian Tales Publishing

149 Stewart Street

Peterborough, Ontario, K9J3M3

kathryn@nexicom.net

Please
use the header  “COTV: <subject>” if sending email about the book

Wow – the time has gone so quickly between the first book in this series and
this second book!  I’m really excited to continue the stories of Erica and
Maeve, Kai and Sir Andred, and I can’t wait for readers to enjoy the chaos they
find on our world, Earth.  I’d like to dedicate this book to Scott whose
opinions and moral support was invaluable in keeping me writing day after day.
THANKS!

- Kathryn Churchill

Preface

Wow – back in Mercia again –
or is it Earth this time?  With “Dragons” I wanted to continue showcasing the
‘fish out of water’ theme that Eric and Christine had dealt with on Mercia, but
transposed to affect Kai, Maeve and Sir Andred on Earth.   Eric (and then
Erica) and Christine got so much flak from the others for not knowing the
basics of the world they were on, it seemed like turnabout was fair play.

I tried to image what
someone from the 13th century (or so) would think of the modern
world – and in fact a large part of the chapter where Maeve is arrested, comes
from a direct conflict in the idea of ‘how does a society treat its prisoners.’
Although much of what Maeve is suggesting is tongue in cheek, some of it is
sadly too real, a fact even she realizes.

I can’t wait to have the
story progress, and continue onward back to Mercia – I have so much to tell,
and it’s been killing me to have this interlude on Earth – but it was much
needed, and I don’t think the story would have been complete, or that I’d have
done it justice, without it.  I really enjoyed writing this book, and I hope
you all enjoy reading it!

Kathryn Churchill

October, 2015

Table of Contents

Chapter 1 -
Preparations. 6

Chapter 2 - Journeys
in the Void. 19

Chapter 3 -
Strangers in a Strange Land. 32

Chapter 4 - Heart to
Heart. 46

Chapter 5 – Sisters. 59

Chapter 6 – Questions. 75

Chapter 7 -
Investigations. 88

Chapter 8 – Road
Trips. 100

Chapter 9 – Answers. 110

Chapter 10 –
Nightmares and Lessons. 121

Chapter 11 –
Arrested. 132

Chapter 12 –
Connoisseur of Dungeons. 141

Chapter 13 -
Watchers. 154

Chapter 14 – Tiamat
Reborn. 163

Chapter 15 – The
Death of Dragons. 177

Chapter 16 – Loose
Ends. 191

Chapter 17 – New
Beginnings. 205

Epilogue. 216

Chapter 1 - Preparations

“What do you mean we’re going home?”
Christine asked.  “Like right now!?”  She looked shocked - just last night she
had been expecting it to take months before she and Erica could return home to
Earth - and to hear it was far more immediate was well, pleasant - but it was
also a big shock.

Erica groaned.  “No - not now.  Tonight.
Listen...  The goddess Thuria just came to me while I was sleeping and said she
would carry myself and anyone who wanted to come with me to stop Vargas Elm -
who you didn’t kill, by the way - back to Earth tonight at dusk.  And she’d
protect us from the demons in the Void.”

“Vargas is alive?”  Sir Andred muttered.  “Bastard’s
as tough to kill as the demons he summons.”

“Too true.” Maeve replied.  She turned
towards Erica, and motioned for her to sit down.   “Sit, Erica - you’re
practically babbling.  Vargas Elm still lives - he’s gone to your world, Earth
- and we have a chance to follow him.  That pretty much sums it up, if we leave
out your habit of talking to the Ladies of Mercy.”

“Yeah.”  Erica said, trying to calm down.  “Pretty
much.”   Why is everyone still staring at me?  Erica watched her friends
- and she realized she wasn’t far wrong.  Sir Andred’s eyes hadn’t left her
since she burst into the room, and he was studying her with a fierce but
disturbing devotion.  Christine and Maeve just looked surprised - and Kai, Kai
looked awed - and a little sad.

“You’re glowing, dummy.”  Christine said,
pointing.  “Your head is giving off light.”

“What the...?  Seriously?!”  Erica asked.

Kai, Maeve and the others nodded in
agreement.  “You are glowing.”  Maeve said.  “The church calls it the Inner
Light - it comes to people who are especially holy, or who have a habit of
communing with the gods.   It’s supposed to be a powerful weapon and defense
against the forces of evil - and a sign that the individual is blessed of the
gods.”

“What, like a halo?”  Christine asked.  “That’s
impossible.”

“Apparently not here.”  Maeve said.  “Didn’t
your people once have these, when the gods used to speak with them?”

“Yes.”  Erica said.  “But I’m not a saint - I
shouldn’t have a halo!”

Sir Andred smiled.  “Apparently the gods
think otherwise, young Erica. Who are we to gainsay them?”

I never asked for this... what do I do?  Erica looked
worried.  If people back home see me like this I’ll get lynched for sure,
she thought.  I sure won’t blend in anywhere.  What the hell am I going to
do?

“I know ways to dim the glow, Erica.”  Andred
said.  “They teach all the holy orders the trick, in case the gods blessing
should fall upon someone in their care, or even amongst their order.   It won’t
make the power of the inner light go away - but it will allow you to move
amongst normal people without giving you away.  It isn’t too hard.”

“Thanks, Sir Andred - I think I need to learn
that right away.”  Erica said

“You think?”  Christine laughed.  “Good luck
not causing a scene like that at home.”

“Tell me about it.”  Erica looked stressed
out just from the very idea.

“Come with me.”  Sir Andred told Erica.  “I
can teach you to dim your glow - but not in a crowd of talking people.  Come to
my room and I’ll begin.”

Erica nodded, and followed.

Meanwhile, Kai was watching Erica, and
through his awe of how much she had been blessed he felt a deep sadness.  Why
does it hurt inside?  He wondered.  I should be happy for her - proud I
know her - and I am all that, but I feel like I just got kicked in the gut, too.
Kai’s discomfort rose as the exchange between Christine, Andred and Erica
continued, so he quietly stood and left the room.

Kai stepped into the hallway outside their
suite of rooms.  The rest of the monks at St. Jillians priory had given them
ample privacy over the last few days - remnants of their battle with the
Hserinyar two weeks ago.   I guess we all have a reputation of being
dangerous people, Kai mused.   Why in the seven hells am I so upset that
Erica’s been blessed by on high?  I should be happy, shouldn’t I?   So why do I
feel like the ground just dropped out from beneath me?   What’s wrong with me?

Kai walked quietly to one of the doors that
led to outside, and left the Priory.  Outside the countryside showed the signs
of spring.  Kai took a deep breath, and inhaled the fresh country air.  Rainfall
always was a nice time of year, he thought.  I like it when the snow
finally melts and the trees start to bud.  It reminds me that winter ends, and
life can begin again.   He stood outside, looking at the fields and
vineyards for a while, leaning with his back to the side of the priory.

Kai felt more than heard Maeve step up next
to him, and lean back next to him.   Maeve turned to him and nodded hello.  “Rough
day?  You seem down, and it’s not even lunchtime yet.”

“I don’t know what kind of day it is.”  Kai
answered, sounding more than a little tired, and a little bit bitter.  “It’s
not every day you see a new saint.”

“You mean Erica, of course.  You sound like
you wish it hadn’t happened.  That she wasn’t blessed by the gods.”  Maeve
smiled fondly at her long time friend.  “Does it have something to do with the
fact you seem to like her?”

“What?  Of course I like her - she saved my
life!  We all like her... you as well.   I’m just a bit uncomfortable with her
being so accepted by the gods.  I feel like I’m not worthy to be in her
presence.”

Maeve watched her friend a moment.  He
really doesn’t see it, does he?  She thought.  He’s smitten with Erica
and he isn’t admitting it to himself.  Maybe he isn’t ready to admit it.  “Why?
Because she’s literally holier than thou?  She seemed to like your presence
earlier, the way she was blushing a few days ago - and don’t give me that was
then, this is now bull crap.  She doesn’t know our ways - she might not even
care...  She’s innocent, Kai - but it’s plain to see she likes you too.   Why
don’t you just relax a little and enjoy being with her as a friend, and see
what happens.”

Kai whirled around, an angry expression on
his face.  “And what, exactly, is going to happen Maeve?   She’s leaving with
Christine.  She wants to go home.   We’ll find Vargas and kill him, and then be
sent home to Mercia - and neither of us will see Erica or Christine ever
again.   So tell me, what exactly is going to happen?”

Maeve backed up a step.  Holy smokes!  He’s
pissed!  “Sorry Kai...  Perhaps I should mind my own business?  I just
thought I’d try and see what’s wrong.”

“Perhaps you should, Maeve.”  Kai said.  “I
need some time alone.”  He wheeled about, and walked off into the Priory’s
vineyard.

Maeve was left standing there, wondering how
to help her old friend.   Kai, don’t give up hope you dummy.  She
thought fondly.  The goddess brought her back for a reason - not to be
someone venerated and put on a pedestal.  We might not know that reason yet -
but it’s got to be more than whatever you’re assuming.

*           *           *

Christine was left alone in the sitting
room.  Kai had left abruptly - and Maeve followed soon after.  Erica had gone
with Sir Andred - and she was all alone.  What the hell just happened?  She
thought.  Kai obviously wasn’t happy with Erica’s halo.  Come to think of
it, I’m not sure how I feel about it either.  She snorted.  Can you imagine
her walking into a church in Toronto with that damn halo going?  Instant chaos
- or an old fashioned stoning, depending on the crowd.   Maybe she’d be better
off staying here instead of coming home?   She seems happier here.

“I suppose I should go tell Abbot Thurston we’re
leaving tonight.”  She said to no one, and gathered her things.  “It’s better
than sitting around here all morning.”   Christine stood and left their suite,
heading into the hallways of the priory.  Like the night they arrived, the
halls were spartan and clean - but in the sunlight they shone with a warm
glow... the white stone was inviting, and the polished wood was warm and
relaxing.  In the distance, she could hear men and women singing what sounded
like the Valdan equivalent of Gregorian chants.   This place is beautiful,
for sure - but it’s not home.  I never thought I’d say it but I think I prefer
boring.  Boring and safe.   I’ll never bitch about a date being too boring
again, that’s for sure.

Christine saw a young female monk approaching
- obviously on an errand.  She looked about 16 years old, and wore her hair
long in a pony tail.  Her church robes were white, trimmed in green and black,
and she wore an wooden amulet that looked like a green crescent moon - probably
a holy symbol similar to what priests wore back home.   “Excuse me, Serra?”

“Yes, Serra Vallan?”  The young woman asked.
“What can I do for you?  I’m in a bit of a hurry.”

“I’m looking for the Abbot.  I need to speak
with him about something private.”

“He’s in the wine cellar, supervising the
clean-up.  Do you know the way?”  The girl looked impatient - but waited for Christine’s
answer all the same.

“Thanks.  What’s your name, Serra?”
Christine asked.

“I’m called Juniper, Serra Vallan.  After the
berries.   Will that be all?”

“Yeah.  I know the way.  Thank you.”
Christine waved her thanks and headed off - and Juniper did the same.   As she
descended the stairs to the wine cellar, Christine couldn’t help but reminisce
a bit about her time here.  Ninety per cent terror and ten per cent fun.
Sounds about right.   It’ll be good to get back home.

The Wine cellar looked very different during
the day - monks were everywhere, washing blood off of barrels and shelves, the
stone cobbles and the wooden trim.  After two days of such cleaning it was
starting to look like maybe a pitched battle hadn’t happened here a few days
ago.   Abbot Thurston’s white fringe of hair could be seen poking up behind a
wine barrel - so Christine maneuvered over to say hello.

“Excuse me, Abbot Thurston?”

Abbot Thurston turned, and began smiling.  “Ah,
Serra Vallan.  How are you and your friends doing today?”  Today the Abbot was
wearing his robe of office, along with a gold braided sash, a jeweled ring, and
a gold and silver braided black cap.  His holy symbol was that of a white disc
- showing his rank compared to the acolytes and novices.

“We’re doing well - really well.  There’s
been a development.”  Christine said.  “Erica’s had another vision - and says
were all leaving here tonight to go back to our world.  She said the goddess
herself would take us home.”

The Abbot looked excited.  “Really!  Then
perhaps I should go speak with her, and Serra Varda.  I trust she’s writing all
this down in her goddess journal, as she calls it?”

“Every night for a few hours, or until her
hands cramp up, yup.   She’s been really good with that.”

“Good, good.”  Thank you, Serra Vallan.
Please tell Erica I’d like to see her soon and definitely before she leaves for
home.  Do you think I would be allowed to watch?”

“I honestly don’t know, revered father.  I don’t
think any of us would have a problem with it.  I can’t speak for your goddess.”
Christine shrugged.

“Will you feel better, going back home my
child?”  Abbot Thurston asked.   “Since you’ve arrived here you have seemed ill
at ease.”

“I have been ill at ease.  I’ve been scared
witless, and nearly killed a half-dozen times too.  I’ve seen some crazy
wondrous things too - but I’d trade it all to be safe and sound back home.
Your world is nice, and it is beautiful, but it’s not for me.”

“I understand.  The Gods say that each person’s
task in life is to find their place and make the best of it.  Some people never
find their place, and spend their whole lives looking, while some people never
look for it in the first place - and wonder why their life disappoints them.
If you’ve found your place, Serra, then when you can reach it, make the best of
it - and be happy.  We are the god’s children - and what parent doesn’t want
their children to be happy?   Sometimes I think my role is more to help people
find their place, than it is anything else.  I’m glad you at least, know what
yours is.  Some people never know.”

“Heh.  Perhaps, reverend father.  I’m not
sure I know where my place is, for sure... But I know where it isn’t - and it isn’t
here on Mercia.  I’ll always have some fond memories of being here - but I hope
time will erase the tragic and frightening ones.”

“Time is a potent force indeed, Serra Vallan
- but fear is also a potent force.  Are you sure you’re not letting fear rule
you, instead of your own thoughts?”

“Aren’t you playing devil’s advocate a bit
much?”  Christine said.  “I thought you’d be glad to see me go home.”

“Oh, I am, Serra Vallan - but I’m a priest.
Playing devil’s advocate comes naturally to us.  It’s in our nature.  Please
forgive me if I’ve offended you.” Abbot Thurston was smiling as he said the
last - like he enjoyed the discussions his wordplay could provoke.  “I’ll come
visit you and your friends shortly.”

Christine nodded.  “Thank you, reverend
father.”  She turned and walked back upstairs, fuming a bit.  Afraid - of
course I was afraid... who wouldn’t be?  Maniacs waving swords around, spells
blasting everywhere.  We all could have been killed a dozen times.  Fear is a
normal response to that kind of stimulus.  Duh.

She walked back upstairs and wandered the
grounds for a while, killing time.

*           *           *

Sir Andred took Erica into his chamber, and
sat her down on the edge of the bed.  She was looking at him, hopefully - like
she needed him to tell her how to make the halo go away.  She doesn’t
realize this isn’t something that goes away, does she?  He thought.  This
is something that will stay with her forever.  She needs to be told.

“Erica... how much do you know about being a
saint, at least here?  From what I’ve heard from tales from you and your
friends, you don’t have many back home, do you?”

“That’s just it, Sir Andred - we don’t have
any!   The ones we call saints don’t have this halo thingy - this inner
light.   They’re just really special pure people... and I don’t deserve it.  I’m
not pure of heart.  I want revenge, and for people who hurt me to suffer.   I
appreciate the Goddess likes talking to me - but why did she have to give me
this burden?”

“Erica, whether you believe it or not, the
gods do not give us burdens we cannot carry if we persevere.  She must value
something in you, or need you for some special purpose, to give you such a gift
- and such a responsibility.  Do you have any idea how many people you could
control with a display of the Inner Light?  How the faithful would heed your
words above all others - even the Hierarchs themselves?  You may have a burden,
my dear - but you also have power.  You have the personal favor of the goddess
herself; let her guide you and maybe you will see this for the blessing it is.   But
I don’t want to lecture - you want to know how to hide the Inner Light - turn
off the glow, as it were.  Correct?”

“Yes, please.”  Erica answered, thinking.  Power?
I don’t know if I want that kind of power.  Just knowing magic was more than
enough for me... this is too much.  I don’t want to control people... the very
idea disgusts me.  I’ve spent too much time in hospitals with doctors telling
me what to do and when to do it - I couldn’t do that to someone else.  No way.

Andred waited for her to settle herself, and
began.  “The Inner Light is a divine manifestation of the gods presence - their
light shines through you into all that see you.  It is a blessed thing.”  Sir
Andred was speaking by rote - like he was speaking a passage memorized a long time
ago.  “The Light can be used to ward off evil, and to heal wounds, and even to
destroy ones foes - but it is also a terrible responsibility.  Your words will
carry the weight of someone who speaks to the gods - and people will put
inordinate emphasis on all you say and do, so one must be mindful of what they
do when their Inner Light is evident.  Sometimes it behooves the faithful to
conceal their Inner Light so as to better move amongst the flock, to do the
gods work.  At such times, one needs to take the light into themselves, and the
light will dim.  You will be as you once were, until such a time as you release
the Inner Light once more.”

Andred took a breath. “I know you don’t know
how to use those powers I mentioned yet - but I suspect they’ll come to you in time.
Although we know of the Inner Light, there are perhaps less than six people in
all of Valris who are blessed with its gift - and two of them are the High King
and High Queen.  This is a rare thing - and it is something you will carry for
the rest of your life.  Do you understand?”

“I don’t know,” Sir Andred.  “I know it’s
rare - but I can’t live a normal life with it, not back home and not here.  Can
I at least conceal it?   It’s not that I don’t want to help the goddess - I do
- it’s just I really, really don’t want a lot of attention drawn to me until I’m
more comfortable in this new body I wear - till I accept the new me as me.   I can’t
deal with being a religious icon right now - I can’t.”

“You don’t have to be, child.”  He said,
fondly.  “I will show you how to conceal it - I just needed to tell you it is
something you can’t run from forever.  One day you WILL have to deal with it,
and reconcile the fact that the gods want you in their life - and that you
deserve it, whether you believe it or not.”

Erica sat thinking for a bit.  Sir Andred
looked extremely serious... Like she’d just been given a huge superpower and
that was his “Great power comes with great responsibility” speech.  This is
a lot bigger than I thought it was.  What do I do about it?   I guess for now I
learn how to hide it, and figure out how to deal with it later.  Like magic,
and fighting, and throwing, and all the other damn skills I haven’t had time to
learn since I got here.   Seriously, I’d give my left nut if I still had it for
six months of uninterrupted training with Maeve and Kai and Andred.  I feel
like I’m treading water in the deep end of the pool and I don’t know how to swim.
How long before I tire and drown?

“Please show me how to dim the light, Sir
Andred.  I promise, I’ll try and deal with the reality of it as soon as I can -
I just don’t have the luxury of not hiding it now.  If I show up on Earth with
this glowing, we’ll be spotted in seconds and well never catch Vargas.  We need
stealth.”  Erica sighed.  “I’m ready.”

Sir Andred smiled.  Erica has a good heart…
she’s just scared.   “Of course.  Here is what you need to do.  The Inner
Light is the presence of the gods themselves - so to conceal their presence,
you need to make a place for them to reside within you, and draw their presence
down inside you - make them a part of yourself - and the light will dim.   It
sounds easy, but it is not - but I think you will manage it all the same.
Think of all the ways the goddess has made you feel good, of the way you felt
when she asked for your personal help.   Make a home for that feeling in your
heart - and pull the light down with your mind into that home.  Let it fill
you, and warm you - let it become part of you.   If you can do this, you will dim
the light.”

“Oh that’s all.”  Erica said smiling.  “I’ll
give it a try.”  She closed her eyes and calmed herself, like how Maeve taught
her to when checking for the Call of Hrask, but instead of looking at her most
precious things, she thought of what the Goddess meant to her.  She saved
me... She made me a girl.  She called me her daughter.  She wants me to save
the worlds - both of them.  She’s a goddess, and I’m so small - how could she
need me?   I want to help her - but I’m afraid.  I’m afraid I’ll screw it up
like my whole life has been screwed up till now.   As Erica kept thinking,
she stopped thinking in words, but kept trying to define how the goddess made
her feel, just by being in her presence.  She remembered the sense of community
and caring that weekend Kai and Christine and she went to church in Wethom a
few weeks ago.  It made her feel good, knowing that the gods cared for their
people here, unlike at home.  She liked knowing that someone was watching out
for her... it made her feel safe.  It made her feel loved.  She was proud she
had been chosen by Askeline for her task - but awed that she was special enough
to be tagged for it.   Erica took all that - all those feelings, and compressed
them into a ball, and imagined that she grabbed that ball with her hands, and
slowly pulled it down into her chest.

At first, she felt nothing - but in a few
moments, she could feel warmth fill her head, then progress down through her
neck and chest until the warmth settled inside her body.  It made her feel
warm, and loved, and safe all at once.  It gave her strength - but at the same time
she felt that perhaps she wasn’t alone inside her thoughts anymore... that she
had invited a presence into her of her own free will.  Unlike the voices that
tortured her for years, though, this presence radiated nothing but love and
confidence.  I can live with that, she thought.  Sir Andred was right
- I feel whole... for the first time in my life, I feel whole.

She looked up - to see Sir Andred gazing at
her with amazement.  “You did well, Erica.”  He said.  “You accepted the Inner
light.  You should be proud - very few who gain it can learn to join with it on
their first attempt.”

“You mean it worked?”  Erica asked,
surprised.  She looked around - and could tell the illumination that had been
following her was noticeably absent.  “Sweet.  Thanks Sir Andred.”  She was so
happy, she stood up and gave him a hug.  It felt good, to be able to hug a
friend and not be thought less of.    Home was so weird that way, she
thought.  Maybe it’s not really home anymore.  Is home here then?  I don’t
know.  Maybe.

Sir Andred coughed a bit, a little
embarrassed.  Erica was so innocent she didn’t realize the effect she had on
people - himself included.  It wasn’t sexual for him - he knew she was
beautiful - but his spirit lay with his wife Jessica, gone five years to the
grave; Andred knew he would never love another woman quite like he had his late
wife Jess.  No - it was more a rapturous, religious thing for him.  He was a
holy warrior - and this woman, this child, was touched by the gods - and it was
his personal responsibility to make sure she was safe, and succeeded in her
task.  She was his charge, his responsibility - but she was more than that.
She was also a friend.

Erica’s hug didn’t last long, and they broke
apart.  Erica looked different somehow to Sir Andred - more poised, calmer.
She had a presence about her she didn’t have a week ago, before she died.  He
had heard speaking with the gods could do that to a person - now he knew it.   “We
should get back to the others, Erica.  There will be lots to do before we must
go.  Weapons to ready, supplies to gather, and so on.  We will need a plan.”

“I understand.  I’ll need Christine’s help
for our end of the plan - no offense but you guys will have no idea what to do
in our world - you won’t even be able to function without help.  It’s too
alien.  You didn’t see how bad it was for us when we first arrived - but it was
a bit crazy.  It’ll be a hundred times worse for you three.  We’ll probably
need to ride herd on all of you to keep this from turning into a disaster.”

“Is it that bad?”  Andred said, heading out
back into the main room.

“It’s worse.”  Erica laughed, following him.
“You have no idea, Sir Andred.  No idea at all.”

As they exited the bedroom, they found the
sitting room bereft of their friends.  “I guess we’ll need to get ready on our
own, then?”  Sir Andred said, chuckling.  “It would seem your revelation this
morning has put everyone into a bit of a tizzy.”

Erica winced as Sir Andred said ‘revelation’.
“Could you not use that word right now, Sir Andred.  Back home it can have a
pretty negative connotation - like the end of the world kind.  An ancient
prophet - a holy person - someone who might have had the inner light - wrote a
book called The Revelation of John and it foretold the coming of the end of the
world.”

“Sounds frightening...  Alright, Erica - what
word should I use?  I won’t say organic, because I know it makes you and
Christine grind your teeth every time Maeve and Kai try to figure out your way
of speech.”

“Well, one of our philosophers said ‘Eureka!’
which means pretty much the same thing, but has few negative associations to
it.  That might do.  ‘Aha!’ is also used too.  Our language is pretty strange
at times.”  Erica smiled, wondering if any of her new friends could figure out
the childhood riddle ‘which witch is which?’  English is weird enough to
learn for natives.  At least Christine and I can nag Kai to learn English...
turnaround is fair play, after all...

Erica grabbed her bag, and pulled out her
goddess journal, and sat down to write.  For a change, she had a lot to say -
and little time to write it down.  I’d better finish it today - I might not
get another chance, especially if I don’t come back; this will be the only
record they have if something happens to me.  She wasn’t worried about
getting it translated in time - if worst came to worst they could use magic to
decipher it, which was fine with Erica.  No - she wanted to get what the
goddess told her down on paper, so she didn’t forget, and she wanted to talk
about the Inner Light and what happened with that.

An hour passed as Andred packed gear and
sharpened blades and arrowheads.  During that time, Erica wrote in her journal,
cursing more than once as her quill pens split and broke, globbing her page up
with inkblots.  She only went through three quills this time, he
thought.  She’s getting better.

Maeve and Abbot Thurston entered the room,
chatting quietly.   “I don’t know the details, Reverend Father.”  Maeve said.  “I
know she said the goddess would take us to her home tonight - but that’s it.
We were too taken aback to talk about specifics.”

“I see.”  Said the Abbot.  “Well, then I’ll
need to speak with her myself.  Ahh - there you are, Serra Helstrome.  May I
speak with you about your vision?”

“Sure.”  Erica said, gladly putting her quill
pen down.  “I need a break from this anyway.”

Maeve smiled.  “Hey!  You got your glow to
turn off!  That’s great!  Good job, Erica.”

“Thanks.  It was easy with Sir Andreds help.”
She said.  “Let’s go over here, Reverend Father.”  Erica and the Abbot went to
the corner to talk, and sat quietly while Erica told him of her dream of the
goddess.

Meanwhile, Maeve went over, and sat with Sir
Andred, quietly picking up some of his tasks of readying the weapons and gear
and assisting him.  It needed to be done - and unless Kai came back soon, only
they were there to do it.

*           *           *

Kai was still brooding in the gardens,
watching the monks tend the priory gardens and fields.   There wasn’t much at
this time for the monks to tend to - it was still far too early in springtime
to be planting crops - but there were leaves to be raked up, and grasses to cut
before they became unmanageable.   Kai found the solitude helpful for his
mood.  He knew he was in a fine foul mood - but for the life of him, he couldn’t
figure why.  Maeve keeps suggesting I make a move on Erica - but she was a
young man not so long ago, and it’s not exactly obvious if she’s happy like
that or not.  I would never force that kind of attention on someone, especially
if they might not be interested in men.  It would be wrong.  And now that Inner
light - why does it make me so sad?   When I saw her with that, my heart sank -
why?  It doesn’t make sense.

Kai needed to do some deep thinking, so he
found a stump used for chopping wood, and sat down, using it for a seat.  He
always found sitting down and having a pipe cleared his thoughts.  Maybe it will
this time?  He thought.  He took his pipe from his bag, and tapped it out
to clean it, then took a small amount of Valorin Satharis - a high quality weed
commonly used in pipes, and put it in the pipes bowl and lit it with a match.
These matches are such a luxury, he thought.  Imported all the way
from Madragoor - but Maeve loves the best - and she got me hooked on these
things, dammit.  Would you believe this one silly match costs a silver
crescent?  Gah.  I used to have simpler tastes.

The satharis weed caught on fire, and Kai
puffed a few times to get it going, and then relaxed to enjoy his pipe and
think.  The sweet smell of the burning herbs wafted through the air, and added
a pleasant blue tinge to the air around him.  As he calmed his nerves, he was
able to approach the problem again, from a more relaxed perspective.

Kai examined his feelings about the whole
situation, and found himself confused.  At first, when he met Eric, he was impressed
with the young man’s courage, and his willingness to learn.  As they travelled
together, he became more impressed with his intelligence and his burgeoning
magical strength.   And then, in that last battle, where Eric sacrificed himself
to save Kai... that’s where it got weird.  His last words to me... his last
words were a joke, weren’t they?  You’re too cute to die.  I wish...   At
the time he didn’t think much of it, beyond the grief of losing a friend - but
perhaps there was more to it?  Perhaps Erica was truly Tuaithal Braithe?
If so, he was happy for her - but it only made the situation far more confusing.

After an hour of brooding, he had only
deciphered a part of how he felt.  He felt something he couldn’t explain
towards her.  He liked being near her - she made him happy just talking with him.
Teaching her about his world was exciting - seeing the wonder in her eyes made
his spirit soar, and when Gaius, the fallen in the wine cellar struck her,
something in him snapped...  He swore to kill him - and he meant it.   Is
this what love feels like?  He wondered.  Maybe.  I wish I knew.  What
do I do if she doesn’t want to stay here, just like Christine doesn’t.  Like
Christine said - it’s a nice place to visit but I wouldn’t want to live there.
Our worlds are so different - what if she asks me to stay with her, and I can’t
do it?  I can’t bear to tell her how I feel, and then have her leave my life
forever.  I can’t.

By the time he came to his realization, Kais
pipe was long out, and he was getting stiff.  He tapped the pipe out on the
stump, and rose to go back inside.  Doubtless there would be much to do, and
Maeve would need his help.   I’ll have to figure out the rest on my own.
He thought.  If I had half a brain I would sit Erica down and have a very
long chat as soon as possible, if there’s time.  At least then I would know if
there’s any hope at all for me - or for us, if there is an ‘us’.   At least I
would know.

*           *           *

Christine was bored and tired.  I guess it’s
time I went back... I’ve been feeling like a fifth wheel lately around these
four – Erica’s taking to the freebooting adventurer life like a duck to water,
and I’m stuck in ‘want to go home mode’.  I’d like to be like them sometimes -
able to kick ass and take names - but that’s not me.  I help people, I don’t
hurt people.  I can’t... The only person I’ve ever tried to hurt was Vargas
when he killed Eric... god, I can’t believe how many times I shot him!

As she picked her way through the orchards
surrounding the priory, she saw the sun in the sky - it was mid afternoon - time
for a meal if nothing else, and she was sure Maeve and the others would want to
make a plan for when they got to Earth.   I guess I’ll be one of the ones
making the plan, since they don’t know jack all about our world.  It’ll be
weird to be in charge for a change - but at least it’ll be a world I understand
and know how to deal with.  I hope Erica decides to come back here... I think
she could be happy here.  Back home?  I dunno.  Maybe?  How would we even get
her ID or a SIN?  I’m not a criminal - I wouldn’t know.

She got back to the priory and headed
inside.  Everyone was in the room - Kai included.  I guess his temper
tantrum ran its course, she thought.  Then again, that may be unfair - I
have no idea what set him off.   Probably something religious with Erica and
her halo.   “Hi guys.”  She said.  “What’s up?”

Maeve thought for a moment, and realized what
Christine was really asking.  “Erica is talking to Abbot Thurston about her
vision, and Sir Andred and I are readying our weapons and armor, while Kai is
helping pack our gear and supplies.  What have you been up to?”

Christine wondered herself a bit.  “I guess I’ve
been saying goodbye to Mercia for a while.  I’ll probably never be back here
again - it seemed proper to pay my respects.”

Maeve nodded.  It seemed proper to her as
well.  “Fair enough.  Hand me some of those arrows.”

Christine nodded and started helping Maeve
and the others.  She didn’t have the heart to tell them most of their
preparations would be for naught, but it seemed to comfort them, so she held
her tongue.

Abbot Thurston stood up.  “Thank you, Serra
Helstrome.  I look forward to this evening, and to reading your journal when
you leave it with us.   Is it true you’ve written many of your own thoughts in
the book, as well as your observations of the Goddess?”

“Yes, Reverend Father.  I’ve written whatever
came to mind that seemed relevant - comparisons between my world and yours, how
things are different, and what ways seem better.  I think perhaps I wrote too
much, but it seemed right at the time.  I hope it makes sense to you when I’m
gone.”

“I’m sure it will be fine, Erica.”  The Abbot
said.  “If you’re leaving tonight, then I have some things I must do.  I’ll
take my leave of you, if you please?”

“Of course, Reverend Father.”  Erica looked
relieved.  Their chat had gone on for well over an hour - and it was obvious
she was getting fatigued and a little bit stressed.   “Thank you.”

Abbot Thurston nodded to the others, and said
“Dinner will be early tonight, to accommodate your leaving.  Please come a bit
early to the dining hall, would you?”

Sir Andred nodded.  “Of course, Reverend
Father.”  It would be our pleasure.

Erica went over to a plate of fruit, bread
and cheese that a monk had brought for them and the Reverend Father to eat.
She took a few pieces of fruit, some bread covered with jam, and a thick hunk
of a white cheese that smelled a bit like cheddar and a bit like havarti mixed
together.   “What did I miss?” she asked.

“We’ve been getting ready to go - with armor
and weapons, food and supplies.  We’ve been waiting on you and Christine so we
can make a plan.”  Maeve said.  “You both know the area better.  What are we in
for?”

Oh wow... you don’t ask for much, do you?  thought Erica.  “Well
for starters, well have some serious problems if we bring armor and weapons,
beyond a belt knife, with us.  Seriously - Christine, can you imagine what a
cop would do if he saw Sir Andred in his chainmail wielding a broadsword.   We’d
be in the slammer - that’s jail - so fast you’d never see how you got there -
if he survived being arrested.”

Sir Andred looked nonplussed.  “Do people not
have a right to protect themselves on your world?”

“Yes.”  Erica said.  “And it usually involves
calling for the town watch and running away - at least in our country.  In
other countries you can carry a gun - a pistol like I used on Vargas’s men -
but anyone wearing a sword or armor is going to stand out like a sore thumb.
Heck, even wearing our handmade clothing is going to make us stand out like
sore thumbs.   Let me pose a question to you, Sir Andred.”

“As you wish, Erica.  Pose away.”

“If we were walking down a street and four
ruffians stepped out to mug and assault us, what would you do?”  Erica asked.  “You’d
draw your sword, and threaten them - and if they didn’t back off, you’d give
them a taste of your steel... am I correct?”

Sir Andred, Maeve and Kai frowned.  “Yes.”
Sir Andred answered.  “Is that not the proper response?”

“Nope.”  Christine interjected.  “At home,
you’d be expected to give over your money, hope they didn’t beat you up too
bad, and call for the police after they run off.  If you’re lucky about 6
months later a few of them will be arrested and do a month or two in jail.  If
you draw a weapon and kill one, you might get lucky and not go to jail on a
self defense plea - but if you killed all four of them - especially if they
tried to run, our courts would find you guilty of murder and you’d go to prison
for the rest of your life.”

“But...but they’re thieves.  Bandits.
Everyone knows what you do with bandits.  That’s crazy!”

Sir Andred actually looked incensed - and
Maeve could understand why.  Wiping the walls with annoying bandits was an
accepted adventurer pastime and being denied such a simple pleasure seemed silly
and mildly insulting.   “You’re supposed to just bend over and give them your
wallet.  LET them beat you and pray they don’t kill you or worse?  That’s
madness.”  Maeve frowned.  Maybe this journey to Erica and Christine’s world
was a bad idea.  Still, it’s not like they had a choice - both worlds were at
stake.

“Welcome to our world.  Wait till you hear
the rules for how to properly cross the street without breaking the law, or
getting killed by one of those carriages you rode in, Maeve.”  Erica said.  “Our
world has rules for everything - and if you break any of them, we could come to
the police’s attention - and that would be bad.  On the plus side, Vargas doesn’t
have two guides like Christine and I to help him out - so he’s likely to run
afoul of the law awfully quick - but on the minus side, he won’t have a problem
killing the police if they become annoying, which we, I hope will avoid.  If
either of us is staying there when this quest is done, we’d rather not have
problems with the law.”

“Gods give us strength.  I swear your world
sounds more insane each time I hear of it.”  Kai said, frowning.  “I said I
would give it a chance - and I will - but I don’t expect to enjoy it.”

“I understand entirely, Kai.  I hope you find
parts you like - but I suspect you’ll be like Christine was here - confused,
and wanting to go home badly.  I’m sorry.”  Erica smiled sadly.  “It is what it
is.  Our worlds are so very different - I don’t know if you’ll be able to
manage.  It’s noisy, smelly, frighteningly loud and distracting.  There are
vehicles moving everywhere at breakneck speeds, and hundreds of thousands of
people walking the streets every day.  It would be like that anthill you
described a while back - a hive of people, like ants.   I don’t think any of
you will like it much.”

“I understand.”  Maeve said.  “But I guess
the truth of it is we don’t have to like it.  We need to stop Vargas from
resurrecting Tiamat - and once that’s done we can come home, assuming we don’t
fall afoul of your worlds laws.  How will we find him, if there are so many
people they’re like ants?”

Christine leaned in to the discussion.  “I
figure he’s a psycho and a killer right - and his men Flavius and Gaius are
definitely killers.  My bet is that at some point, he’ll be caught by a cop or
a gang member and get into a fight - and then there’ll be a mysterious death.
We can search for oddities like that on the Internet, and find out what he’s up
to.”

Erica nodded.  “Good idea.  But that’s too
reactive, and not proactive.  He’ll be looking for proof of dragons - like
bones or burial grounds.  Maybe we should have some of us watch the museums
like the ROM?  They have tons of dinosaurs there - they might be mistaken for
dragons...  Other than that, maybe Maeve could track him with Sight magic, or
we might get lucky and bump into him.  Sorry - I don’t have a great plan here.”

“What is an internet, and ROM?”  Maeve
asked.  “They sound interesting.”

“Ummm... The ROM is the Royal Ontario Museum
- it’s got old relics from ancient civilizations, ancient bones of giant
lizards, and all sorts of old history stuff - it’s just the place for an insane
wizard to want to hang out.   The internet is harder to explain...  I guess you
could say it’s kind of like a crystal ball that lets you ask questions, and
sometimes scry places, but which also offers you endless entertainment and a
means to communicate with others.  Millions of people have access to it in the
city and a lot have hand-held devices that can access it.  Christine has one in
her purse.”

“Yeah,” said Christine.  “But the battery
died about 10 days ago.  It needs to be recharged badly.”

“And these devices aren’t magic, but more
artifice like we talked about in Madragoor.  Bit’s of springs and wires and
cogs and this chained lightning you spoke of?”  Maeve asked.

“Pretty much, yeah.”  Erica answered.  “All
of the amazing things our people can do are based on that stuff.  If we lost it
all of a sudden, we’d be helpless.  Heck, without those carriages to move food
into the cities and devices to keep the food fresh until we ate it, most of the
people in the cities would starve to death in days.”

“Madness.”  Sir Andred shook his head in
disbelief.  “Utter madness.”

“So no armor and no weapons beyond a knife.”
Kai said sighing.  “What are we supposed to hurt him with when we find him?
Harsh language?”

“I figured we could buy some hatchets and claim
it was camping gear and not a weapon.”  Erica said.   “The police might buy
that, if we aren’t waving them around when they see us.  Well have to get new
clothes too - so we blend in.”

Christine laughed.  “That means you will too,
kiddo!  Hahaha.”

“Believe me, I’ve been thinking about that
too, Christine.”  Erica said.  “I’m not sure if I’m looking forward to it or
not... I’m edging towards the former.  Well need some money fast - and we could
buy most of what we need either at a box store like Wal-mart or perhaps the
Eaton’s center, depending on where we arrive.”

“We could go to my house, rest a bit and use
my computer to find out where Vargas has surfaced, if he’s surfaced.  I can’t imagine
a snake like him could hide for long in our world - there are too many eyes
watching everything.”  Christine paused.  “It shouldn’t take long before he
does something that ends up on the internet.”

“Your home sounds like a good base of
operations, Christine.”  Maeve said.  “It has room enough to house us all with
room to spare, and we should be able to help with money for any repairs needed
when were done the mission.   Is gold valuable on your world?”

“Yes!”  Christine said laughing.  “Fifty of
the gold coins you got from the Hierarchs would be over a year’s pay for a
couple with several children, where both spouses worked full time.   I don’t
know what Electrum is to know how much it’s worth.”

“Electrum?”  Kai said.  “It’s a mixture of
Silver, Gold, and some base metals for hardness, plus a chemical to tint it
blue-ish white, so that it more resembles Thuria, the white moon.”

“Aye.”  Sir Andred said.  “Although we’d use
gold like most other nations if gold was easier to find in Valris.  Let me tell
you, lass - if you ever find gold in a mine in Valris, your future and that of
your children and their children’s children is assured.  You’ll never suffer
want again.”

“There’s that little of it?”  Christine
asked.

“Aye - we use only a bit in coinage - the
rest is reserved for the church, and for jewelry and artwork.  It’s too rare
and valuable to use much of it for coin.  Valdans like jewels and jewelry a
great deal though - and it’s more often seen in that, than in a person’s
wallet.”  Andred sighed.  “I suppose you don’t use gold for money do you?”

“Now that you mention it, no.”  Christine
said.  She was getting to like this - seeing the look of confusion and dismay
on their faces.  Turnabout was indeed fair play!  “We use paper money or little
plastic cards.”

“What’s plastic?”  Kai asked.

“Think of it like really hard brittle rubber,
shaped into a thin wedge about two or three inches by about four inches.  It
has little codes on it that machines can see and interpret, and can be used to
keep track of who has how much wealth.  It makes it easier to carry around
large sums, without being weighed down.”  Erica sighed.  “We really could do
this all day, but there isn’t time to tell you enough.  You’ll just have to
stick close to us and trust us - when we say not to do something, DON’T do it.
Just trust us, and I think we’ll all get through this.”

“Gah...!”  Kai groaned.  “As you wish.”

Maeve sighed, and turned to Kai.  “If we can’t
spend the coins, I intend to leave most of my reward here with the Abbot, to
pick up when I return.  I recommend we leave anything we can’t take here as
well, like Andreds armor and sword, your bow, and my shortsword.  I’m taking
this.’  She said, holding up the weapon she took from the dead hands of a
Fallen assassin on the steps of the Cathedral of Three moons a few weeks ago.  “This
gun killed my brother.  I’d like to see if it can kill Vargas, or some of his
men.  Fair is fair.”  The look on Maeve’s face was hungry and dangerous.

Christine wasn’t sure it was a good idea -
but there was no way in hell she was going to tell Maeve no.  Not with that
look on her face.   At least it’s some kind of dart gun - it should be quiet
right?  Like a paintball gun?

The priory rang with the sound of three
bells, signaling that dinner was to be in an hour.   Maeve stood up, and
brushed away some crumbs of lunch, and some dust from her pants.  “We should
take some time to ready ourselves as well as our weapons and gear - I think I
need to meditate for a while, and calm my mind.  Andred?”

“I think I will join the monks in prayer,
Maeve.”

Christine shrugged.  “I’ve got nothing to
do.  I might have a nap.”

“Good.”  Kai said.  “Then I’m borrowing Erica
for a while.”

“What?”  Erica said, surprised.  “For what?”

“I’d like to talk to you, privately for a
while, while we walk.  Is that alright with you?”

What is he thinking?  Erica wondered.  Is
he going to ask me to stay?  Was Christine right?   Why do I feel so panicked
right now... it’s just a walk!   Erica had butterflies in her stomach, and
her cheeks held a nice shade of pink by the time she answered.  “Sure.  We
could walk.”   She walked over to Kai, and took his arm when he offered it, and
they left the room together.

All three of them waited a short while, until
Sir Andred broke the silence.  “No offence, ladies, but it’s about bloody time
one of them did that.”

Maeve laughed.  “Amen, Andred.  Amen.”

Even Christine had to smile at that.

Chapter 2 - Journeys in the
Void

Erica walked with Kai through the priory
until they reached a door to the outside.  Of course - Kai always does feel
better out of doors.  Duh.  I wonder what’s on his mind?   The tension she’d
been feeling had only grown, until she didn’t think she could take it anymore.

Meanwhile, Kai took her to a spot near the
orchard, where a wooden bench rested, and motion for her to sit.   He sat
beside her, and turned to speak.  “I guess you’re wondering why I asked to talk
with you, Erica?”

“Kind of, yeah, Kai.”  Erica watched Kai next
to her - he looked confused, and maybe a bit worried.

Kai cleared his throat, and started.  “I was
wondering if you remember what you said when you died in my arms.”  Please
be good, he thought.  Gods, Kai please don’t screw this up!

“Ummm...”  Erica tried to think.  “I said...
I said you were too cute to die.”  She couldn’t help but blush at that - shed
meant it, but still.

Kai smiled, and put his hand over Erica’s.  “Yeah...
and you said ‘I wish...’ - but never finished.  Could you tell me something...
what did you wish?  What were you going to say?”

Oh my gods, he does like me!  What do I do?   Kais hand felt warm,
and just being near him was making her feel... tingly.  I think I like him
too.  Oh shit...   Erica looked panicked for a second, then tried to calm
herself using some breathing techniques Maeve taught her.  “I... I uh... I was
going to wish I could have had more time to get to know you better, Kai.”  If
she thought she was blushing before, she felt like her face was on fire right
now.  She watched Kai to see his reaction - and he seemed relieved.

Kai sighed...  She likes me too!  Thank
the gods.  It looks like I embarrassed her, though.  “I’d like to get to
know you better too, Erica.  We have a lot we need to talk about...  I take it you’ve
not dated much?”

“Not much?  Not ever, Kai.  I’ve never been
out with anyone in that way - and I have to admit I’m scared silly about
learning about it.  I mean, I want to - learn about it, that is - but I’m still
adjusting to the idea of me now being... me.”

Kai had a wry smile.  “Would you be willing
to try, should we ever have the time?  Or do you need to accept this change
first?”  He put his other hand on her knee.  “I would be willing to wait, if
you need time, Erica.”

“I don’t... I don’t know what I need, Kai.  I
love being around you - and when you got hurt my heart was in my mouth the
whole time.  I love your cabin, and Wethom, and Valris.  I don’t know who I am
anymore though...  I used to be Eric - but Erica is taking a while to figure
out what she likes and wants... I’m not sure.  I know I was Tuaithal Breithe,
and now I’m happy as I am - but I can’t decide a lot about the future until I’ve
been back home and see if home fits me anymore.  Christine says I might be
happier staying here, on Mercia - and I’m not sure she’s wrong.  I don’t know
what I’ll do in the end, yet.”

Kai nodded.  “I’d like to say I understand -
but I don’t, not completely.  Grandma Donya used to tell me stories about when
she was a young man - about how much it hurt before her change, and how
confused and lost she was once the Maigeanne Mranne ritual was complete...  She
said there was so much to learn - things she never even considered at the time
- and it felt like she was completely lost and unsure what to do.  Is that even
a little how you feel right now?”

Erica smiled, and squeezed Kai’s hands.  “It’s
a heck of a lot of how I feel right now, actually.  I’m finally happy - and
happy with myself too.  My voices are gone, and I’ve magic super-powers.  I’m
pretty - and I have badass friends who care about me... so why do I feel like I
don’t know a damn thing, and like I’m screwing everything up?”  She looked up
at Kai.  “A goddess I’ve spoken with twice wants me to save the damn world - or
both of them - and I don’t know where to start or even how...  What do I do if
I screw up?  It’s a lot of pressure.”

“Yeah, it is.”  Kai said.  “But we’ll do our
best to help you through it.”

‘Thanks, Kai.”  Erica looked down at her lap,
pink coming to her cheeks again.  “I’d like to try a date sometime, if you want
to too, Kai.   I might need a lot of time to get myself sorted out, but I know
I really like you.   I’d like to try a date, if you would.”

Kai smiled like he was beaming.  “I’d like
that too, Erica.  I guess we’ll have to wait though – there’s not much time
before dinner, and with us leaving right afterwards...”

“Yeah.  I’m just not sure if what passes for
a date on my world will even be recognizable as a date here on yours.  Hehe...
I’d love to take you to a movie sometime, just to see what you think of it.”
Erica realized she was happy - and that tingly feeling had just grown.  She
found his simply being here with her comforting.   It was surprising, but
pleasant in a way.  Maybe Christine was right, she thought.  Maybe
Mercia is a better fit for me than Earth.

I’d love to see these movies you care so much
about.”  Kai said.  “But I probably wouldn’t understand them.  I will try,
though.’  Kai said.  Then, he took Erica’s chin, and pointed her face towards
his own.  Kai leaned down towards her, and slowly tried to kiss her.

Oh my gods, he’s going to kiss me!  She closed her
eyes, and let it happen - and as Kais lips brushed hers, she felt herself melt
into him.  The tingle that had sent her buzzing, amplified tenfold and made her
feel all fluttery inside - like all she wanted to do was hug him and pull him
close.  She found herself kissing him back - and then they were holding each
other, kissing fiercely.  What am I doing?  She wondered.  I’m
actually enjoying this.  Wow... I’ve never kissed anyone like this before... is
it supposed to feel so good?   Kai smelled like wool, and sweat, and
pipesmoke.  Erica had never smelled anything so sweet to her before.

Then, as quickly as it started, the kiss was
over, and Kai pulled back - partially for breath, partially to see how Erica
was reacting.   Erica was out of breath - stunned by the intensity of the kiss
- and flushed, while Kai was flushed as well and looking inordinately pleased
with himself.

Kai smiled to her, and to himself.  She
seemed to like it... Gods she smells so sweet.  Her lips are like clover.  I
only pray she decides to stay here when this is all over - I’m not sure I could
say goodbye to her.  “Did you like that, Erica?”

“Um... yes!”  Erica said, shyly.  “We could
do that again, if you like.”   She looked up at him, hopefully.  She’d very
much like to do that again, even if she couldn’t decipher all the feathery
little feelings her body was giving her.   The feeling of Kais five-o-clock
shadow on her cheek still tickled.

“I’d like that very much.”  Kai said, taking
her into his arms and kissing her again.  He kissed her hungrily, and was
surprised when she responded, her hands caressing his back and she returned his
kiss with equal hunger.   He felt with her in his arms he could carry the
weight of the world - or help her carry her burdens, so that she wouldn’t have
to.  He felt alive, and strong and protective.  He felt that everything would
be alright.  Oh gods this is what love feels like, isn’t it?

They kissed and whispered to each other for
over a half-hour, before the dinner bell rung.  Erica was hot and flushed and
out of breath - and Kai was no better - when they returned to the Priory for
dinner.

*           *           *

Christine was already sitting with Maeve and
Sir Andred at a dining table when Erica and Kai wandered in.  From the shy
glances they were giving each other, and their flushed complexions, it didn’t
take a rocket scientist to see what they had been doing for the past little
while.  Good for you, Erica.  She thought.  Kai’s a nice guy - you
could do a lot worse.   Christine looked at Maeve, and to her eyes it
seemed Maeve was thinking something similar to and about Kai.  She was going to
say something - probably a greeting, when Sir Andred beat her to the punch.

“Well met, my friends.  I trust you had a
good talk?”  Sir Andred asked.

Erica immediately blushed, and looked shyly
at Kai.  “Yeah... We had a good talk.”

“But we still have a lot to talk about and
sort out.”  Kai said.  “Unfortunately most of it will have to wait until we’re
on Earth - there isn’t enough time to cover all we need to speak of.”

Oh yeah - they talked all right.  I’d better
talk to Erica before she talks to Kai any further, just in case.  I mean, hey -
I gotta look out for my girlfriend, right?  Especially one who doesn’t know how
the game is played.
Christine smiled at them.  “I’m glad you had a good time.”

Eric and Kai nodded, and sat down across the
table from Christine and Maeve, next to each other.  Sir Andred was closer to
Erica on her side of the bench.  They would have talked further, but the Abbot
began dinners opening prayers with a song.

Maeve, Kai and Sir Andred sung along - but
the song was unfamiliar to Christine and Erica...  It was sweet and poignant, and
was a song of thanksgiving, a thank you for the bounty provided to the people
of Mercia from the gods.  It was over after a few moments, and the monks began
passing out food.

Dinner tonight looked to be a special affair
- there was a thick beefy stew with carrots and peas, in addition to thick
slabs of cheeses, trenchers of pickles and winter apples, and loaves of fresh
hot bread with creamy butter to spread on it.   Compared to the meals the monks
usually ate, this was a step above - and Erica had a sinking feeling what it
might be about... her Inner Light.

Gods, if it’s one thing I hate since talking
to the Goddess is having all these clerics following me around and listening to
everything I say.
Erica thought.  It’s bad enough they’ll probably take my goddess journal and
turn it into some holy book - but now he’s going to put me on display.
Dammit.  I understand it’s important to them - I get it - but why do I feel
like a fish in a bowl right now instead of a person?   I’m still a person - I’m
not a saint, aren’t I?  I guess they just don’t get it.

Erica really hoped that Abbot Thurston would
not do as she expected, and ate quietly, sometimes snatching a glance at Kai,
or saying a few things to Maeve and Christine.  Kai looked distracted as well,
although the others looked pretty good.

“You happy were going home, Christine?”
Erica asked.

“Yeah, Erica - I am.  I’m surprised at how
soon we’re going home, and the manner in which were doing it - but yeah, I am
happy.  I miss home.  What about you?”

“I honestly don’t know.  I miss Angie - and I
miss stuff like movies, soda and toilet paper.  But home?  I don’t know... I’ve
been really liking Mercia.”

“Oh god, I know...  I’d almost kill someone
for some good toilet paper.”  Christine laughed.  “It’s amazing how little you
think of it until you don’t have it and can’t get it.”  She chuckled.  “So you
think you’ll stay - I mean come back, when were done stopping Vargas?”

“I honestly don’t know yet.  I need to see
how home feels before I decide where I really belong.  The only people I really
have back home are you and Angie - and although I know I could make lots of
friends looking like this, I really have no idea if that’s something I want to
do or not.  For one thing, I doubt I could continue magic lessons on Earth,
because I really doubt Maeve is going to stay.  For another, I’m not really
sure I belong there anymore.  I lost everything of who I used to be - so maybe it’s
time for a fresh start somewhere new?  I don’t know yet.”

“Remember what we spoke about earlier, Erica.”
Sir Andred interjected.  “About finding one’s place, and recognizing it when
they do.  I hope you find your place soon, my dear.  Not knowing where one
belongs is a terrible feeling.”

“True - and thanks, Sir Andred.”  Erica
answered.

Further conversation was silenced by the
sound of a glass being tinged by a fork, making a bell-like sound.   Abbot
Thurston was calling for everyone’s attention...

“Here it comes.”  Erica muttered.

“Here what comes?”  Christine whispered back.

“The ‘put Erica on display show.’  Well, me
and my stupid Halo!”

True to expectations, Abbot Thurston stood up
and addressed the assembled monks.   “My brothers and sisters, tonight I have a
special announcement for all of you - and indeed, all the faithful of Valris.
As some of you may know, our guests stopped a vile plot of the Hserinyar a few
nights ago, and some of you may also know that Serra Helstrome was visited by
the goddess herself near Wethom some time ago.   Well, it appears Serra
Helstrome has been visited again by the goddess, who has given them a divine quest...
And they will be leaving tonight to undertake it.   The goddess herself will be
carrying them to a far away land, from which they will hopefully, but may never
return.   Serra Helstrome has graciously allowed us to keep her journal of
private writings of her conversations with the Goddess, so that we may learn
from her experiences.”

The crowd of monks, both male and female,
gasped slightly and started whispering.  Erica was less than thrilled with the
display the Abbot was putting on, but they were his guests and she supposed it didn’t
annoy her that much - yet.   Some of the monks - like Sister Tamara and Caitrin
- knew the details of her story fairly well, but it was equally obvious most
had no clue who she was.

Abbot Thurston continued.  “In addition, the
Goddess has seen fit to bless our priory as the place where she has chosen her
newest saint - Serra Helstrome has been gifted with the Inner Light of
Askeline.   Serra Helstrome, I know you are somewhat uncomfortable about all of
this, but could you rise, and let out the Inner light - so that the faithful
here can know how important your task is?   It need only be for a moment - most
of us, myself included, have never been blessed enough to see someone carry the
Inner Light.  It would be a very special gift if you could do this.”

Erica groaned inwardly, and stood smiling.
She turned to face the assembled monks, and concentrated, letting the Inner
Light out - and felt it rise through her, up through her head and out above her
head to shine.  Once it was out, she felt a chill - a shiver of cold she didn’t
feel before - and the sense of wholeness was somewhat lessened.  I guess that’s
a side effect of the Inner Light being inside you?  She wondered.  It’s
not like I’ll get many answers from the monks.

She turned so all of the monks could see her
and her halo of light...  Most made signs of prayer and reverence, while some
kissed holy symbols and small strings of beads.   They all looked pleased to
see her display, and whispered amongst themselves busily.   After a moment, she
sat, and concentrated on dimming her Inner Light once more.  Once more it
descended into her body, and she once again felt warm and whole.

“Thank you Serra Helstrome.”  The Abbot
said.  “I think we should all meditate on the will of the Gods, and how strange
and mysterious their ways.   Now I would like all of you not on kitchen duty to
attend one hour of prayer, while I see these fine people on their way.  No one
is to set foot outside the Priory, nor leave their prayers.  Those in the
kitchens are to join the others in prayer as soon as they are finished.  I will
come and relieve you all, shortly.”

The monks nodded, and slowly filed out of the
dining hall, leaving Abbot Niall Thurston alone with Maeve and her friends.
He approached the table, and looked at Erica, with an apologetic look on his
face.  “I’m sorry to put you through a display such as that, Serra Helstrome -
but for many here, they will never see what you have been gifted with again in
their lifetime.  I’m sorry if it made you embarrassed.”

“A little bit, Reverend Father, but I’ll
live.  I’m not sure why I’m so damn special, but I guess if it’s important to
everyone here, I’d be more than a bit of a jerk to say no, now wouldn’t I.”
Erica answered.

“Aye, I suppose you would.  Thank you all the
same.  I take it you will all be readying to leave soon?”

“Aye, we will.”  Maeve said.  “We don’t want
to keep the goddess waiting after all.”

“True, True.  Then I’ll let you be about it.
Carry on.”  The Abbot took his leave to make his last minute preparations as
well.

“I guess this is it.”  Christine said.  “Time
to go home.”

“That and more.”  Said Sir Andred.  “Time for
vengeance.  Time for the righteous to strike back at a villain who caused the
deaths of many, and would cause the deaths of countless more.  Time for a
journey to a land scarce to be believed.   Whether we like it or not, if any of
us return, they will sing legends of this day.”

“I believe you might be right.”  Maeve said,
laughing.  “I hope it’s a good one, where the bad guys die and the heroes
triumph.”

“Time will tell, Maeve.  Time will tell.”
The large knight’s smile was a mile wide.  As frightening as Christine’s world
sounded, Sir Andred felt he was up to the challenge...  He was looking forward
to it, in fact.

*           *           *

They assembled outside the Priory of St Jillian
a short while later.   The snow of the past week had melted during the time
they had stayed at the Priory - and now spring had come in earnest.   Songbirds
were coming back to the valleys outside Orvan and Arathel, and with them tiny
forest creatures such as field mice and voles, and the animals and night birds
that preyed upon them.

Kai sighed.  I love this time of year.  It’s
a shame we’ll probably miss most of it, while we’re on Earth.   I’m glad Erica
and I could talk things over...  He blushed a bit himself at that thought -
after their initial chat, there had been precious little talking.  We still
have much to talk about.  “I guess we just wait, then?”

Sir Andred laughed.  “Aye, my friend.  It is
the nature of mankind to wait on the favor of the gods.”

Maeve chuckled as well.  “Indeed – I’ve
noticed the church has a held to a habit of hurry up and wait in the past, at
least in my experience.  I don’t suppose the gods themselves would be much
different.  What is it they say?  As above, so below?”

Erica laughed.  “They say that on our world
too.  Weird.”

“Perhaps our worlds, although different on
the surface, are not so different as to be incomprehensible?”  Sir Andred
said.  “Perhaps the gods are the same everywhere, even if your world has
different ones than we possess here.”

“I think that’s a question no one can answer,
save the gods.” Maeve quipped.  “Perhaps we should hold our tongues,
considering who is coming.”

“Indeed.”  Sir Andreds frown was fairly
evident.  “I’m still not happy about going to a dangerous world without armor
or weapons - as I am sure Maeve and Kai are unimpressed as well.  I hope you’re
right about being able to find suitable gear there, Serra Helstrome.”

“Well, the armor might be tricky.”  Erica
said.  “But some useable weapons will be no problem.  Firearms or Bows might be
tricky though.”

“It’s a good thing I don’t use only the bow,
then.”  Kai laughed.  “If you can find me a sword or a hatchet, I think I’ll be
good.”

“Trust a woodsman to want an axe.”  Christine
laughed.

They stood quietly for a few minutes,
shifting uncomfortably.  Everyone had a leather pack, with food and medical supplies,
and everyone had a knife.  Kai had a coil of rope, and Maeve had some extra
trinkets shed ordered in from a shop in Orvan while they stayed at the priory.
Andred had his clothes, and some prayer materials - a holy book of the Familia,
and his holy icons he had brought from his house in Ogden town.   Erica had a
blank book to write in - her original goddess journal had been given to the
care of the monks of the priory - and some personal effects that Christine
figured she wouldn’t be needing, plus some ink and quill pens.   Christine had
little other than the wensin root balm, ballnuts and seeds to grow both with
her.   Maeve and Kai were wearing Anvi’s magical translation amulets.

As the sun descended towards the horizon, and
dusk began to fall, they could see Abbot Thurston leave the Priory and approach
them.  He was wearing an elaborate robe, with insignias of the church upon it -
and was cleaned and carrying a staff of office.   The stars were beginning to
speckle the night sky - and two of the moons were rising - the green orb of
Selenia, speeding through the night with all the impetuousness of youth, and
the larger and slower Doviar, the ancient moon plodded it’s slow pace across
the night sky.  Of the three moons of Mercia, Selenia was by far the fastest,
circling the night sky two or three times in one night, while the silver orb of
Thuria took the entire night for one journey across the sky.   Doviar, older
and more tired in stature, often took two or three nights to make a circuit of
the heavens.   From the look of it, Thuria wasn’t intending to rise until
later.

The Abbot had just barely arrived at their
location, when suddenly, there was a shimmer in the air, as a glowing radiance
fell upon the group of heroes.  I have arrived.  A powerful female voice
said in their minds.  Are you four all that travel with Erica, my
daughter?   As I said to Erica, if you aid her in this task, your days will be
long and fruitful, and filled with much joy.  This I promise you!   Are you ready?
There is no return, until you succeed or fail.

The voice was obviously that of the Goddess -
no mortal could hear it and not realize its power.  Sir Andred held an icon to
his lips, and said a prayer, while Kai made the sign of the crescent moon - a
sign of devotion.   Maeve nodded.  “We are ready, my lady.  I do not know why
you found me worthy enough for forgiveness, but I will not fail you while I still
hold breath.”   Maeve herself was overcome by awe as well - but her own guilt
at her role in her brother Niles death prevented her from truly enjoying the
goddess’s presence.  She didn’t deserve it yet.

Abbot Thurston watched in rapturous awe - for
around the adventurers that had come to his priory was a dim, red magical
aura.  It was a shimmering field that enveloped them, like a thin mist of red
light.  It didn’t seem to harm them - nor did they give any indication it had a
feel to it at all.

Very well.  The disembodied voice said.  The
five of you must grasp hands together.  Do not let go of each other - it will
be hard enough to travel to Earth without having to shepherd you all from being
scattered across the Void... and the things in the Void will be watching for
us.  Be warned - they cannot harm you while you are with me - but if you stray,
you may be lost before I can save you.  Come closer, my children, grasp hands -
the hour grows late and we must be gone.  Vargas Elm has already left Mercia
and begun his mission to find and resurrect Tiamat.  There is no more time to
waste.  The voice of the goddess sounded stern, and somewhat impatient, so
the others wasted no time in following her commands.

The Abbot could only watch in amazement as
one moment they were there - and the next moment they were gone.   I cannot
believe it!  Niall thought.  The goddess herself came to them as Erica
promised she would.  And the goddess called Erica her daughter - by all that’s
blessed!  I must tell the High King and High Queen what has transpired here immediately!
Niall Thurston, Abbot of the Priory of St. Jillians rushed back inside the
church, and roused the monks to bear witness to the divine revelations he had
just been privy to.   As he prepared for the long uphill hike to Arathel and
the Cathedral of Three Moons, he gathered Erica’s goddess journal and wondered
how ‘The Book of Erica’ sounded.

*           *           *

Suddenly, the five friends were on Mercia -
and just as suddenly, they were in the darkness of the Void.  Erica could hear
Maeve and the others gasp in surprise (and in Christine’s case, whimper in
fear), but she had been expecting the transition, and it was less of a shock –
she’d been here several times before, after all.  Not that it wasn’t just as
terrifying as before - for around their little band they could see flitting
forms that resembled the Uttuku that tried to kill Maeve - dozens, if not
hundreds of them.  They gnashed their teeth and screamed insults - but none
could come within the circle of reddish light surrounding them.

The Void was as it always was before - a
blackness lit with only a dim glow of distant stars.  There were no paths
through the Void - but even so, Erica could feel a tenuous link to her home -
Earth - and oddly enough a much stronger link to Mercia.  If I had been able
to get us here, I could have found the way home, she thought.  But would
I have been able to keep us safe?  That I’m not sure I could have done.

“Which of the Ladies are you today, ma’am?”
Erica asked to the mist, which elicited a fond chuckle from the goddess.

Such a bright girl.  Tonight I am Doviar, the
Crone of Ages.  Stay close to me - the creatures here still believe they have
claim on you, my child.  They are wrong, of course.

And with that, the five friends began to fly
through the Void - it was almost impossible to tell how far or how quickly they
were travelling - except for Erica, who could somehow sense they were going
fast, and that Earth was very close.   It wouldn’t be long now...

“How many demons are there in the Void,
Doviar?”  Erica asked.   “Are there many?  Why do they hate us so much?”

There are as many as the stars themselves, my
daughter.  Countless millions of them reside in the darkness between stars -
and they exist in many forms and designs.   They live to corrupt, kill and
destroy - they are seducers, betrayers and oath-breakers.  They are the enemy
of all that lives.  Remember that well, Erica.  They use illusion and fear to
cloud minds, and bloody havoc to instill terror.  The light is their enemy -
and its touch burns them, unless they are well protected.   They hate mankind -
as they hate all things - because it is their nature.  They cannot be bought,
bargained with or bribed.  They are Evil incarnate, and those that treat with
them are damned in our eyes.

Doviar spoke with such vehemence, such anger,
that even Erica was cowed, and she remained silent for the rest of the
journey.  They moved through the Void swiftly, and suddenly, they stopped.
Erica could feel Earth very close to them - like it was on the other side of a
wall of some kind.  “I think we’re here.”

And then they were through the wall - one
moment there was almost total darkness - and then they simply appeared in a
bright, blindingly lit area.  Their eyes were dazzled - they couldn’t see for
precious seconds, and felt more than saw a number of people bump into them, as
if they were in a rush.  A voice called out “Watch it assholes!” before moving
on, and by the time their vision cleared, Erica and Christine realized where
they were.

It was midday - sunny and hot - in Toronto.
Buskers in odd costumes stood around playing flutes, violins and even just
begging for change.  At least a thousand people were milling about, going to
and fro.   Erica heard Kai gasp with surprise - and maybe a bit of dismay.
Cars of all shapes and sizes, including a Greyhound bus and a Toronto Streetcar
the locals called the Red Rocket were clattering by.  The noise and the smell
was incredible - after the clean air of Mercia, coming back to the smell of
masses of humanity and the smell of burnt hydrocarbons was a little difficult.
Erica’s nose wrinkled... It smelled wrong.  Maeve’s right - you can tell if
a place feels like home when you get there.  This is definitely Earth - but it
doesn’t feel like home anymore.  It feels different - or maybe it’s me that’s
different?

All around them were glass buildings
stretching as high as the sky, it seemed - forty stories at least - and there
were so many video screens, flashing lights, honking horns and blinking signals
it became a cacophony of color, light and sound.   Sir Andred, Maeve, and Kai
stood watching in disbelief.  Erica and Christine smiled.   They were on the
corner of Dundas and Yonge street, just outside the main entrance of the Eaton’s
Center.  A marquee said it was just after 3pm, Friday, September 26th.

Christine just looked around, tears of joy
falling from her eyes, and an excited look gleaming in her face.  “We’re home!
Oh my god, were finally home!”

*           *           *

It had been twelve hours since Vargas Elm had
killed Hierarch Donal Blaine, and he had used all of it well.  He had gathered
his two Fallen henchmen, Gaius and Flavius, and instructed them on what to pack
and prepare for the journey, while he gathered his strength for the coming
trial ahead.   Laying next to him was a finely carved wooden staff, engraved
with ancient runes - so old in fact, that only the most learned of Hserite
scholars could read them.  Vargas could read some of them, and if they were to
be believed, this staff was a remnant from the Age of Legends - the time around
the time Humanity freed itself from the yoke of the Hserinyar.   Items such as
this were priceless...  It had brought him to safety from the House of Broken
Dreams, where his servants were able to heal his broken body - and it would
take them to Erica’s Earth and back as well.   He had spent some of the time
pouring over sacred scrolls - scrolls that hinted at the nature and personality
of Tiamat, known only to the most holy of Hserite scholars, and most importantly
he had gotten several hours of rest.

How many times will that bitch and her
friends keep foiling me?  He wondered.  First Maeve, and then Eric - what in
the seven hells did he hit me with?   The ancient scrolls, such that survived,
spoke nothing of it, save that it was deadly... a baleful light that illuminates
from within, and leaves naught but ashes.  How could someone like Eric learn
magic that powerful?  The very idea is insane.  It must be a trick, a deception
of Maeve’s.  Vargas snarled to himself.  Brooding over Maeve and her
friends isn’t going to help, he thought.  It was time to make his move.
Awai needed him and he would not fail her.

He rose from the cushioned divan he sat upon,
and summoned Gaius and Flavius with the pull of a silken cord.  The two Fallen
were back in their human guises - a cunning illusion to appear human instead of
the half-reptilian monstrosities they had become - and came quickly at Vargas
command.

“You rang, master?”  They said in unison.

“Yes.  The acolytes tell me the protection
ritual is complete.  We leave for Earth in ten minutes.  Ready your gear and
meet me in the chapel.   We may need all the head start we can get if Maeve
finds some way to follow us.  After all, it seems Eric - or Erica as she’s
calling herself now - knows how to travel to the Void and back on her own, if
Donal Blaine’s memories are to be trusted.”

Vargas stood and groaned as his prematurely
aged frame creaked with a hint of arthritis... another indignity heaped upon him
by the demon he sent to find Eric.   No matter... Once I restore Tiamat to
life, eternal youth will be the least of my rewards.  With Awai at my side, we will
bring Mercia to its knees.   Holding out his hand, the enchanted staff flew
to his open palm of its own accord.   Steadying himself with it like a walking
stick, he proceeded through the temple to the private chapel he had
commandeered for the protection ritual.

As he entered, Vargas could smell incense
heavy in the air, which was redolent of freshly spilled blood - sacrifices for
the demons of the Void - and payment for their safe passage.   He would have to
do a similar sacrifice to return to Mercia safely, but somehow, Vargas
suspected that he would find ample victims on a world that didn’t believe in
magic.   There were six Fallen women - all clerics of Hrask, and all willing to
die to ensure his mission succeeded.  Hrask had long sought the hiding place of
his wife - for with she and he united, they could once more challenge the gods
of Man and resume their rightful place as rulers of the heavens.

The fallen clerics had dragged the dead
bodies of the sacrifices slaves to one side, their blood making little trails
in the floor.  The stench and the heat were incredible - albeit less here, a
dozen levels below the surface that it would be on the ground above.  Hserin’s
deserts were very warm, especially in the spring and summer months.   “What will
be done with the dead?”  He asked.

“Their corpses will be fed to the scorpions,
Milord.”  One of the clerics answered.  “The ritual is complete - you and your
aides can travel whenever you wish... All you must do is drink from this
chalice, and you will be marked as protected.”

“Excellent work.”  He said.  “What is your
name, Cleric?”

“I am called Varishti, Milord.”  She said
humbly, proud that she had been noticed.

“You have done well, Varishti.  Take two
slaves as your own, and do as you wish with them, as a gift and reward for
faithful service.”

“Thank you, Milord.”  Varishti took her
leave, bowing and scraping to Vargas the entire time.  Two slaves as her
personal property, and not that of the temples, was an extravagant gift.  She didn’t
mean to waste it.

Gaius and Flavius took that opportunity to
enter, giving the retreating Cleric Varishti an appraising glance.   Whatever
they saw, they must have liked, for they were in a good mood when they reached
the altar and Vargas Elm.

“Milord, we’re ready to leave when you are.”
Gaius said.  They looked ready - they had leather armor, pistols and swords,
cloaks for inclement weather, and packs with travelling and medical supplies.
They each wore a translation amulet, and each of them had a full purse of coin
at their hip as well, to pay for things money could buy.

“Remember, we must bring the chalice with us,
if we hope to return safely.  Without its protection, we will be as vulnerable
to the demons in the Void as anyone else, and I don’t intend to fall prey to
them ever again.  I will personally see you flayed alive if either of you get
so much as a scratch on that chalice.  Are we clear?”

Flavius gulped in fear.  Vargas, he knew, was
not joking or exaggerating.  “Yes Milord.  Well protect the chalice with our
lives.”

“See that you do.”  Vargas walked over to the
altar, and took the chalice... it was a heavy gold cup, elaborate and studded
with jewels.  Its insides were filled with a slurry of magical herbs and the
blood of the sacrificed slaves...  It was disgusting that he’d have to drink of
it - but he’d done much worse in his quest for power over the decades.  He took
a long draught, and wiped the trickle of blood off his chin when he was done.  “Take
it - drink.  When it’s empty, put the chalice in your pack and come to me.”

Vargas began to enter his battle-trance, what
sorcerers called the Nairya - the thoughtless state.  It was a way to focus
without having to deal with outside distractions and annoyances...  It was a useful
tool that aided in the casting of magic, and most spellcasters entered it prior
to casting if they could.  Vargas knew it helped him in the past.  All masters
of the Black Ring could cast without their trance - but the battle-trance made
the casting safer and more reliable - not to mention a touch more accurate and
powerful.   The spell within the staff was too complex to take risks - it
needed to be perfect.

He felt Gaius and Flavius stand next to him
and behind him, more than he saw with his eyes.  As he chanted the spells to
unlock the staves power, he used it to draw a circle about the three of them,
until there were completely enclosed by the ring of magic...  By the time he
fully closed the circle, there was a ‘pop!’ and they were within the Void.

Gaius and Flavius knew well what was within
the Void, so they remained silent and let Vargas work.  Vargas gripped the
stave as if it were a beacon, and used it to dowse the way they needed to
go...  It took but a moment, and Vargas could sense the location of Erica’s
world within the Void.  With a flick of his hand, they flew through the
darkness.

All about them they heard the wail of the
demons of the Void - their screams of pain, threats of torture, and gnashing of
teeth and limbs was both violent and frightening - but none of them could come
within their protective circle, and their voyage was safe, if unnerving.   Maintain
your focus, Vargas.  Do not let a single one of them distract you.

And then, like that, it was over.  The three
of them stood in what appeared to be a narrow alley filled with sacks of shiny
black cloth.  The area stunk like garbage, and the three of them could see
vagrants or homeless people huddling in the trash.  It was dusk, and the
creeping grey of night was approaching, although they all noted it wasn’t as
dark as it should be for the suns location.  Still, Vargas smiled.  “Scum is
scum, no matter what world you’re on.  They will be of no use to us.  We should
go.”

“What are we looking for, Milord?”  Flavius
asked.

“Dragons, Flavius.  Either that or ancient
legends.   Let’s start with someone who knows the area well and can blend in,
so we can learn what we need to do to remain hidden from this world’s
authorities.   Once we know what to do, we begin searching for a scholar who
can tell us what we need.  In the meantime, we need a place to operate from,
and local muscle.”

The area they were in looked odd to their
eyes...  The buildings were made of fancy bricks, and every window had flat,
clear glass within it.  The roads were paved with some sort of hard black rock,
all of one piece instead of being cobbled with stones, and the air was thick
with the stink of burnt chemicals.  Noise was all about them - but they couldn’t
tell what manner of device was making it - some was obviously made by people,
but the rest they couldn’t identify.

“We need to find someone who knows the area.
Look for an area with people.”  Vargas said.

Gaius and Flavius looked about, and found an
exit to the alley they were in in short order.  “This way milord.”  Flavius
said, motioning for Vargas to follow him.  “I think we’ve found a main street.”

The two henchmen stood waiting for Vargas,
staring at sights they couldn’t understand.  Flashing lights and signage, the
beep of horns and the sound of tires on pavement - the sight of carriages
moving without being drawn by horses, and the sheer amount of people here were
staggering.   It was literally like nothing they had ever seen before, and for
several moments all three of them were stunned.

Vargas recovered from his reverie first.  “We’re
not here to gawk.  Get moving.”

With that, they moved into the crowd, trying
to ignore odd glares and undue attention, but it was obvious that the swords
Gaius and Flavius were carrying were attracting a lot of the wrong kind of
attention.   They paused a moment, and concealed the swords within their packs,
which would do for the moment.  Then, up ahead, there was a man standing by himself.
He wore strange, tight fitting pants and a tight white shirt, and was festooned
with several gold necklaces and a large ring.   He was smoking something small
in his mouth - some sort of stick - and he was talking to a glowing object in
his hand.  They could hear his cursing through the night traffic...  “Yeah,
well fuck you!  Fuck you, Sarah.  Bitch.”  The man did something to the object,
and put it in a pocket, and stormed off into the night - right towards them.

“He’s perfect.  That’s our guy.”  Vargas
said.  “We can use him.”

“Yes milord.  Well keep an eye out for you.”
Gaius said, keeping watch.

*           *           *

It was Wednesday, September 24th, and Jeremy
Pierce was having a really, really shitty day.   First his asshole of a boss
gave the contract to Fitzsimmons on the fourth floor instead of him - then,
someone stole his lunch from the office fridge, and when he took someone else’s,
it turned out to be Susans - his supervisor.   Stupid jerk... Everyone knows
supervisors aren’t supposed to brown bag it like the rest of us plebes.  And she’s
got that fancy new chair in her office too.  God damn it.

Then again, people at the office were always
shitting on Jeremy, and he was pretty damn tired of it.  His day didn’t get any
better when he got home either - his girlfriend Sarah had upped and moved out -
and taken his CD and movie collection with her.   She didn’t even pay her
half of the rent before she left - how am I supposed to pay the rent on this
place if she leaves with no notice.  Now I’ll have to find someone else to
cover the damn rent or I’ll be out on the street.  Goddamn it.

I’m not going to get anything more done here.
He realized.  I might as well call it a day.  Jeremy looked at the clock
- only 6:30pm - he was leaving early for him, only about an hour after everyone
else.  Maybe a half-decent meal and a few beers at the Hard Rock will help
me feel better?  I fucking hope so.

Jeremy drove home, showered and shaved, and
got ready for what he hoped would be a decent night out on the town.   All I
want is a good meal and a few beers - and if I find someone who might want to
move in, so much the better.  It’s not like my place is dirty or scuzzy - It’s
pretty nice...  I should have known living with Sarah wouldn’t work.  She’s too
high maintenance and I can’t afford to maintain her on my salary.  Stupid
golddigger.

The Hard Rock Café on Yonge street was the
place he usually hit - he knew the barkeep, a giant of a man called Saul.  Saul
was a pal from back in high school, who never forgot Jeremy when he helped Saul
keep from flunking out.   Half price drinks during the week is a pretty good
deal, if you ask me, Jeremy thought.   Better take a cab though - the
cops will be out in force around last call.

The Café that night was pretty dismal - none
of his usual friends were there - but then it was

Wednesday
night - a lot of his friends couldn’t party during the week, or had family
responsibilities now.  I’d love to have those, but it requires having a
girlfriend who’s not a needy douchebag who skips out on you when you need
her.   Maybe this going for a drink thing isn’t working?   There were a few
groups of people, but most were closed cliques - there were few singles here
tonight.  This is a waste of time.  I’ll head out and grab something to eat.
He threw Saul a twenty to cover what was left of his drinks, and polished off
his rum and coke.   I think I’ll walk... I could use the exercise.

As Jeremy left the café, he walked south
towards the lake - there was a great steakhouse called the Baton Rouge a few
blocks away.  It’s still early enough - I could get dinner.   The
weather was a bit damp - it must have rained while he was inside grabbing a few
drinks.   Blech - at least it missed me.   As he was walking , Jeremy’s
phone rang.   Just what I needed - Sarah.  I wonder what the hell she wants
now?

“Hi, Jeremy?”  Sarah asked.  “I’m sorry about
moving out on you with no notice, but I was

wondering
if you could do me a favor?   I’m going away to New York City this weekend, and
I was wondering if you would mind watching Missy for me.  I’ll pay you like 50
bucks.  What do you say?”

God damn she pisses me off - first she ditches
me and leaves me in the lurch - and now she wants me to babysit her fucking
purse dog.  I’ll be damned if I take her money.  She left me - she can find her
own fucking dog kennel.   “Go to hell, Sarah.  Find your own dog kennel.”

“I can’t – they’re all booked up and Mike...”

And her new boyfriend Mike doesn’t want to
bring the dog.  Nope. No. Not a chance.  “Ask your new boyfriend to take care of him.”

“You’re such an asshole, Jeremy - I know you
need the money.”  Sarah nagged

“Yeah - because you skipped out without
paying half the rent.  Tell you what - you pay me your half of the missing
rent, and 50 bucks a day for dog sitting, and I’ll watch the little bastard for
you.  Maybe.  If you apologize.”  Jeremy was pissed off - but he did need that
rent money.

“You’re such an asshole, Jeremy - I don’t
know why I wasted my time even calling.  Fuck you, asshole!”

“Yeah, well fuck you!  Fuck you, Sarah.
Bitch.”  Jeremy hung up on her - too pissed off to care any more.  I’ll
figure this out.  I always do.

He’d only gone a few steps, when he noticed
his path was being blocked by an older man wearing handmade clothes and
carrying a walking stick, like they made for those historical recreations.  He
looked foreign - but he had a ton of gold jewelry on him, so he must be pretty
well off.  “What do you want, buddy?”

“I want to hire you to show me and my
bodyguards around certain places in town.  Were from out of town, and we don’t
know our way around - were from a foreign country, and we need a guide.  I can
pay handsomely.”

“Why me, buddy?”  Jeremy asked.  “Why not a
professional?”

“Because I want a local - not someone
professional.  You look like you’re having a crappy day -so why not let me make
it a bit better.   You look like a man who can appreciate the value of money.
Call me Vargas.”  Vargas held out his left hand, his palm full of gold coins.  “These
are old coins from my home.  They’re yours if you work for me.  It might take a
week at most.”

Holy shit!  Jeremy thought.  That must be at
least a pound or two of gold coins there.  Even if I sell them for nothing but
weight instead of historical value, I’ll make a stinking fortune.  This guy
could solve all my problems.  I could be a guide for a few days - just call in
sick, and cash in on the gold.    “Sure, Vargas.  I’ll show you around, get
you used to Canada and all that.   What do you need first?”

Vargas placed the gold in Jeremy’s hands.  “Your
name, and a place to sleep and rest for the evening.  Well have many questions
about your country this evening, and perhaps tomorrow you can come back to meet
us and show us the sights?”   Never mind the fact the compulsion I’ve
planted in your mind will urge you from doing anything but what I ask, but still.

“So buddy - Vargas... you some fancy pants
Saudi sheik or something?  The names Jeremy.”  Jeremy thought he must be some
sort of rich foreigner to have that amount of gold on him.  He looks kind of
Middle Eastern, in a way.  Definitely not from around here.

Vargas smiled.  “Yes, Jeremy.  Yes I am.”
The lie came easy to Vargas, who wasn’t exactly sure what a Saudi Sheik was -
but Iranor on Mercia had Sheiks - and they were nobles.   The choice was easy.

“You don’t look like a Muslim - are you Muslim?”

“No, I’m not Muslim.”   Vargas looked like he
was getting tired of playing twenty questions...  What’s a Muslim anyway?

“I thought all Arabs were Muslims... Come to
think of it, you don’t look Arabic.  What’s up with that?”

Vargas sighed.  “I’m adopted, Jeremy.  Are
you interested in the gold or not?   My denomination is pretty small - you
probably haven’t heard of it.”

“Fair enough.”  Jeremy said, his eyes glued
to the double handful of gold Vargas was offering.  “Then let’s find you and
your bodyguards a place to stay, huh?  Come with me, your majesty.”

The four of them walked into the night.

Chapter 3 - Strangers in a
Strange Land.

The first thing Kai felt was the noise and
the smell... one smell was the sewers - the other smell was something like coal
smoke, but different.  He coughed trying to breathe it.   The noise was like a
wave, washing over him like the tide... the honks and beeps of the strange
carriages, the bell-like sounds from other devices, and the other
unidentifiable sounds, mixed with the sounds of thousands of human beings
paralyzed him...  Nothing he’d ever encountered had prepared him for this, and
his mind simply couldn’t handle it.   He started to hyperventilate, and could
feel icy fear crawl up his spine...  Erica and Christine live in this chaos
and madness? This can’t be happening!

He staggered backwards, until he could feel
the stone wall of a building behind him - if he had not, he would have fallen
prone he was so dizzy from the sensation overload.   Sir Andred was not so
lucky, nor prepared, and fell on his rump, gasping in terror.  Maeve tried to
stand her ground, but was shaky, and uncertain.  Kai was certain they were
feeling much as he was...  And through it all, Christine and even Erica were
drinking it in, happy as clams.   How can they stand this... this
cacophony?  I was a fool to think she might want to stay with me on Mercia -
her world and mine are too different.  I don’t know how she could love...
this...this...  he thought with disgust, and yet find it in her heart to
love the green forests and hills of Valris as well.  Kai didn’t have the
words to describe how he felt - how he was filled with revulsion when he saw
what Christine and Erica considered normal.  If this is their idea of a
city, they can have it.  Nothing we have will ever measure up - for which I am
very thankful.

Gods... I’m having trouble breathing...  Calm
yourself, Kai!
Kai tried to concentrate, and use some of the meditation techniques Maeve had
taught him to clear his mind.   Slowly, they began to help a bit - in the past
they’d saved him from being ensorcelled by a Fey princess who fancied him -
which was fortunate because her lovers often ended up on the menu.   As he
gulped for air, he could see Maeve was trying to master herself as well - and
Sir Andred was huddled on his knees, praying for salvation, just as panicked as
Kai was a moment ago.

It took a moment for Kai to realize Erica was
holding him, trying to keep him from falling over, trying to soothe him with
words - words he was too confused and dazzled at the moment to understand.
Christine was trying to help Sir Andred - with limited success - her Valdan was
still sketchy and rough at best.  Both of the girls looked very concerned for
them - and Erica at least, looked like she had been expecting something like
this, but perhaps on a lesser scale.

“I... I’m okay.”  Kai gasped.  “Just
panicking... Help Sir Andred.”  Kai was still dazzled by the wall of sound and
lights, but he was slowly getting a grip on his emotions - it wasn’t easy.  The
strangeness of the scene, plus the intense stimulus had only barely not caused him
to pass out.  Maybe it’s easier if you don’t look at it, he thought.  He
looked down on the ground at his feet, and covered his ears with his palms -
and it did seem to help a bit - but he couldn’t tune out a number of Erica’s
countrymen mocking him with words he only partially knew.  “Look at the spaz!”
“Freaks.”  “Crazy ren-faire rejects."

Maeve staggered over to Kai as Erica and
Christine ministered to Sir Andred, and clasped a hand on his shoulder.  “It’s
quite a bit worse than the time I was here before, I’d say.”  Maeve said.  “You
holding up okay, Kai?”

“Yeah... I’m slowly getting better.  What the
hell is all this?”

“Fucked if I know.  I don’t know what a tenth
of what I see is...  Those things with the wheels - the carriages - people ride
in them at crazy speeds.  Other than that, I have no clue at all my friend.   I
don’t know where we are, but it’s not Christine’s house - it’s nicer and
quieter there.  This... this is chaos.”

Kai grinned a bit at Maeve, glad to see at
least one of his travelling companions hadn’t lost her mind.  He stood
straighter with Maeve’s help, and tried to think straight.  Erica’s world...
what’s the word?  Fucking sucks, he thought.  But I’ll survive it.  What
is it Maeve always says?  Stay alive - the rest will take care of itself.  Good
advice.

Meanwhile, Christine finally noticed Maeve,
Kai and Sir Andred were simultaneously starting to have massive panic
attacks.   At first she didn’t realize why - but even she could tell the noise
and smell was significant after being on quiet pastoral Mercia for over a
month.  It must seem like pure chaos to them!  Maeve looked like she was
managing alright, and Erica was trying to help Kai, so she approached Sir
Andred, who she could tell was incanting prayers to one of the Mercian gods or
goddesses.   I think it’s one of the Twins, his patrons - Feana or Hathor -
I can’t tell which.

“Sir Andred,” she said, in a calm voice,
speaking in what she thought was adequate Valdan.  “Listen to the sound of my
voice, Sir Andred.  There is nothing here that will harm you - it’s but noise
and lights.  Just cars and lights - like machines.  There are no enemies - no
danger.  It’s alright... relax.”  Her voice slowly soothed the knight, but it
was obvious he couldn’t understand her well enough and was reacting to her tone
of voice, and not the words she was saying.  “Dammit - I need help.  Erica!  I
need help with Andred - he doesn’t understand me!”

A moment later, Erica rushed over from
ministering to Kai, and started repeating what Christine was saying to Sir
Andred, in much better Valdan.   Dammit - I worked just as hard learning
that language as she did - and she’s still better due to that link with the
Dreamer.  Grrr!   Sir Andred slowly started to calm - and by the time she
and Erica had stopped him hyperventilating, a very shaken Maeve and Kai had
slowly walked over to see how he was doing.

Maeve called out.  “Sir Andred, it helps if
you look towards the ground and cover your ears, if you must.  Treat it like a
hostile illusion, and it makes more sense.”

Sir Andred realized Maeve was probably right
and tried his prayers to resist mental domination - and that combined with Christine’s
and Erica’s aid, was enough to get him back on what passed for an even keel.

“Gods blood, ladies!  How do you stand this
infernal racket?  And the stench?”  He asked.

“This is busy but not that bad... It could
have been much worse.”  Erica raised her voice over the crowd a bit, to make
sure they could hear.   She could see all three of them visibly shudder at the
thought - they probably would have passed out had the reality of their arrival
been much more intense, instead of the normal throng of Friday afternoon
crowds.

Christine could tell her friends were still
pretty dazed by the noise.  “It’s probably quieter inside the mall - which is
where we need to go anyway...  Let’s go inside - we can get the stuff we need
and it’ll be quieter and less in your face - it might be better for all of you.”

“I agree.”  Erica said.  “Let’s go inside...”
As she started to herd her friends over, Erica saw a rotating door as the primary
entrance...  “Oh crud.  Watch me with the door, Maeve, Andred, Kai - it only
rotates one way, so push and walk in - and when you get inside, let go of the
door and keep following me - DON’T keep walking in a circle in the doorway or
people will get annoyed.”

Erica went over to the rotating door, and
walked through it to show her friends how to use it...  It seems basic, if
you think about it - but Kai and the others have never seen a door like this
before.  They’ll probably walk in circles if I don’t show them how.  Gah!
“See?  Easy!”

Christine urged Kai to try it.  He did - and
made it through the devilish construction without problem - and was followed by
Maeve and Andred - who had to be rescued before he went full circuit and came
around again, despite Erica’s warnings.

Inside the Eaton’s center, it was much
quieter - it was still noisy, but a more manageable noise and a slightly more
familiar noise - like that of a crowded marketplace (minus the braying of animals).
The lights and images were somewhat dimmed as well - but that didn’t diminish
the spectacle of what they saw even a bit - their band was at the base of a
large open area, with high vaulted ceilings - at least five stories tall -
capped by a ceiling made of perfectly clear glass panels, which gave the mall
an open to the sky look that made it seem less claustrophobic.   Rising from
the ground floor was a pair of moving staircases - escalators to Christine’s
and Erica’s eyes, moving up and down to other floors - and a beautiful fountain
was not too far away, with a beautiful artistic display of statues that looked
like a flock of geese, displayed so as to appear the flock was taking off from
a wetland.  It was, to their eyes, like entering a crystal palace of wonders -
and they stood and gawked.

Sir Andred gawped and stared.  This was
beyond reason...  How could these people be so wealthy as to live in such
extravagance?  It boggles the mind.   Maeve looked just as boggled - and
Kai was starting to get a permanent frown on his face - he obviously wasn’t
having fun, that’s for sure.

Maeve looked about and drank in the strangeness
of the artifices - the number of glowing lights and lanterns, the screens with
moving images, and the strange moving stairways that people didn’t have to climb
up or down on.   It’s amazing... this is what Madragoor could look like in a
thousand years, if it tried.  It’s beautiful - and alien.  This is what they
hope to achieve, made real...  Maeve, being half Madragan by birth could
really appreciate the artistry and craft that went into all these many
creations - but something in her - perhaps the Valdan part of her - rebelled...
it was beautiful, but it was also sterile.  Like a crystal hive.  She didn’t
know how to explain it.

The first thing Kai noticed, after the
electronic and electric wonders, was how overweight and out of shape the
population of the mall was...  At least one in four was obese, some of them
excessively so - he doubted even a tenth of the people here could walk a full
days travel.  These people are soft - soft and weak, and wealthy beyond the
dreams of avarice.  None of them look to have any form of martial skill
whatsoever.   Then Kai realized what he’d thought all along was wrong...
all along he thought Erica was a normal young man - and Christine was a bit of
a coward - friendly, but a bit of a coward.   What he was beginning to see for
the first time was Christine was the normal one - and it was Erica who was
exceptional.  Erica who threw herself into battle, and had the forethought
to garner weapons.  Erica who risked herself to save her comrades.  Why do the
gods do this to mortals...  Why did they make me love her when she can’t come
home with us?   Or worse, won’t want to.  Kai felt like he wanted to curl
up into a ball and cry - but he held his ground.

Christine and Erica let them have their
moment, and then Christine led the way (with Erica following up behind) towards
one of the stores nearest the band - an Old Navy store that carried almost
everything they would need.

Again, the three outlanders goggled at the
sheer quantity and quality of goods - the sheer excess of what we had to choose
from, what was for sale, was staggering and unreal.  Thousands of garments, if
not more - in one store alone.

Christine couldn’t help but rib Erica a
bit... “So, Erica.”  She said.

“Yeah?  What’s up Christine?”

“We’re in a mall.”

“Yeah - so?”  Erica asked.

“You... feel like doing anything?” she asked,
waiting expectantly.  “Anything at all?”

Erica shook her head laughing.  “Shopping isn’t
a genetically female thing to do, you know.”

“Can’t blame me for asking.”  Christine
said.  “Gather round – I’ve got a plan to get us out of here soon as possible.”
Christine gathered everyone in a huddle.  “Okay guys - I know you’re pretty
stressed out.  We need clothes - so I’m going to do Kai and Sir Andred first,
then I’m going to do Maeve and you Erica.   Once we’ve got clothes, we’ll
probably have to hit the Hot Topic across the hall for underclothes like bras -
but other than that, we should be able to get everything else here.  I figure
two changes of clothes each should be good enough for now.  We get the clothes
- and we leave.  The subway station - that is what’s going to give us a ride to
my house - is right beneath us, but it’ll probably be too much to take today.
We can be in and out of here in less than two hours if we hurry.”

“I’m all for hurrying Christine.  I don’t
like this place.”  Kai said.  “Maybe your home will be easier to think in?”

“That’s what I’m thinking too.”  Christine
said.  “Malls can be so loud you can’t think sometimes.  C’mon – it’ll take
longer if we dawdle.”  She led the group over to the menswear area, and took a
good look at Kai and Andred, trying to judge their sizes.  Kai was fit, tall
and strong, without being a body builder - maybe a mens 2x...  Andred was a
bear of a man, a little short - but thick as an oak and strong as an ox.
Definitely a 3x or 4x for his shirts, and maybe a 3x for his pants.   She
grabbed a 6-pack of boxer shorts and t-shirts for each of them, plus a polo
shirt, a chambray shirt, a belt and two pairs of jeans.  She also tossed in a
bag of socks and a pair of pajama pants each, and a warm fall coat.

“What do we do with these?”  Sir Andred
asked.

“You go into those changing rooms over
there...”  Christine pointed.  “...and you try on the pants and the shirts - if
they’re too big, I’ll get you smaller ones, and if they’re too small, I’ll get
you bigger ones.”

“Why don’t we just get the seamstress to let
them in or out, and tailor them?”  Kai asked.

“Because most clothing stores don’t staff
seamstresses  - they sell what’s on the shelf, and if it doesn’t fit, too
bad...”  Christine answered.

“That’s a stupid way to run a draper’s.”
Maeve said.  “What if someone needs an adjustment - do they just do without, or
buy something else?”

“Pretty much, yeah.”  Erica said.  “You
remember when we said we admired you cause everything was hand-made with love
and care.  Well a lot of the stuff people buy was made by 11-year old kids in
sweat shops working for pennies a day, in horrible work conditions.   I’d love
to see a seamstress on site - but it only happens in the really high-end shops.”

“This ISN’T a high-end shop?” Maeve asked.

“Nope - this is pretty run-of the mill.
Maybe a middle class shop.”  Christine said.

The others shook their heads, and Kai and
Andred went to get changed.   It took a few minutes, but they soon found the
clothes fit fine – Christine’s guess on their sizes was close enough - and they
got out without too much embarrassment.

Next came Maeve and Erica.  While Kai and
Andred had been trying on clothes’, Maeve had been letting her eyes wander.
Her grandmother used to be a seamstress - and she could tell the fabric was
pretty, but not particularly durable.  The workmanship was good, but not great
- and in some cases not even good.  Everything was made hastily on the cheap.
It was an odd way to live.

Erica was also a bit bemused - and
apprehensive.  All around her were clothes she loved seeing on the girls before
she was one - and now was probably going to end up wearing them.   She was a
bit stressed at the idea - because she knew how good they would make her look,
and she was still uncomfortable with her looks - but also because she liked the
idea of dressing up... she’d wanted to be able to do it for so long, it was
like a dream was finally coming true.  She didn’t know where to start.

Christine went and grabbed clothes for Maeve
and Erica to speed things up too.  Erica and Maeve got a bag of socks and
underwear each, a bag of three comfort bras, a knit top and a few tee-shirts,
two pairs of jeans and a skirt, pajamas, and a warm fall coat, like Kai and Sir
Andred had been given.   They were on their way to the change rooms, when
Christine noticed she had lost Erica somewhere.  Kai and Andred were impatient
to leave, so she got Maeve into the changing rooms and went to look for Erica.

She found the wayward lass looking at a pair
of strappy leather fashion boots - they were light brown with a decent heel
without being high enough to be suicide for Erica to try.  Erica saw her coming
and looked at her pleading...  Oh she did NOT just try the puppy dog eyes on
me, did she?  Oh my god, she did...  Christine laughed to herself.   She
denies it, but the first thing she saw was those boots I bet.   She’s such a
girl.  “Get them and come on – everyone’s waiting and we have one more
stop.”

“One more?  What for?”  Erica asked.

“Bras - for you and Maeve.  Those soft ones
we got here won’t offer much support if we get to sword swinging and fighting
and stuff.  Plus you need a purse to carry your stuff in - when you get stuff
to carry, and they have some good ones at the store with the bras anyway.  I
saw them in the window on the way in.   Hurry up... geez.”  Christine pushed
Erica over to the change rooms and the startled and nervous young woman went
inside.  While she was inside, Maeve emerged and indicated the shirts were too
small - so changes were made, and she went back inside.   It was all over in
short order, and they grabbed their purchases and headed up to the counter to
pay.

The clerk was a girl in her late teens - kind
of pretty in that not fully grown up state some kids get.  She had two
piercings in each ear, and was chewing a piece of gum.  Her makeup was average,
and she looked presentable - as expected.  “Is this all on one purchase ma’am?”

“Yes, please.  I’ll pay by interac - could
you ring this stuff in while I look for my card?”

“Sure thing.”  The girl said, and started scanning
the items by pulling them past a little hand-gun that shot red light onto the
price-tags, and then made a corresponding electronic beep on the cash
register.  Andred, Kai and Maeve were watching raptly, entranced.

“Your friends all right?”  She asked.

“Yeah...”  Christine said.  “They grew up in
a commune - this is their first time in a big city.”

“Ahhh... ‘kay.  Must be strange, huh?”

“Exceedingly.”  Maeve said.  “But still
interesting.”

She finished ringing in the goods.  “That’ll
be 1134.84, ma’am.  Do you have air miles?”

“Oh - yeah... here.”  Christine had finally
found her wallet in her bloodstained, battered purse.  She pulled out her ATM
and air miles card, and the clerk scanned them and handed them back after she
entered her PIN.  Then she bagged the goods, and handed them over to Christine,
who passed them out to everyone else to carry, and made for the exit.

“That was very interesting, Christine.”
Maeve said, “But when do we pay for these?”

“What do you mean?  We just did.”  Christine
said.  “That plastic card had my banking information on it - and the machines
talked to the bank, and borrowed the money against its balance.  We’re all
good.”

“Maeve, isn’t a bank one of those new
Madragan ideas that hasn’t caught on yet?”  Kai asked.  “You were telling me
about it a few years ago.”

“Yeah - I remember now...  You pay them to
hold on to your money.  Strange, really - I don’t know why anyone sane would do
that.  It doesn’t make sense.”  Maeve replied.  “It must make someone some
money, if the Madragans are doing it - but it sure won’t be the bank customers.”

“You don’t even have...”  Christine started,
then stopped.  You know what?  I don’t care.  I’m home - and if they don’t
have banks, it’s not a big deal anymore.  I am SOOOO glad I’m home.

“Sooo... What are air miles?”  Andred asked.

“Argh.  Air miles are something you accrue
when making purchases - and when you make enough purchases, you can get free
passage on ... a flying machine that takes you to other countries in only a few
hours, I guess you’d call it.  That’s it...  I swear do you guys ask questions
like this all the time?”

“Welcome to my world, Christine.”  Maeve
said.  “When you two first arrived on Mercia I thought I would never stop answering
silly questions.  I guess the shoes now on the other foot?”

Christine laughed.  “I guess so.”  She
motioned across the hallway to the stores on the other side of the mall.  “We’re
going to that one - Hot Topic.”   Maeve and Erica need a few extra garments.

“So we just stand here and wait?”  Kai
asked.  “Or come with you and wait.”

“I’d feel safer if we all stayed together.”
Christine said.   “C’mon.”

As they moved inside, the group of friends
passed rack after rack after shelf of women’s clothing.  Skirts, T-shirts,
Accessories, even some Dresses - and found a large lingerie section.  Sir
Andred, when he realized what kind of store they were in, turned bright red,
and started muttering prayers under his breath, and Kai was a pleasant color of
pink as well.   Come to think of, so is Erica, Christine thought.

With the help of a few scandalously dressed
clerks, some measurements, and about 20 minutes and a change room, Christine
was able to find two or three bras offering some decent support - and some
style - for each of the two women.  Maeve was a B-cup, which wasn’t surprising
- but Erica was also a B-cup, which in her emaciated state meant that when she
filled out by not being constantly starved, and perhaps aging a bit (her new
body was still looking a bit young for an adult), she’d probably increase a
full size or maybe more.   Maybe I’d better not tell her that for a few
weeks?  Christine thought.  She’s practically hyperventilating now - no
need to panic her.  Christine tossed in three black leather purses - the
kind that go with anything...  one for Erica, and one for herself - her purse
was pooched after a month in Mercia and several pitched battles for her life,
and one for Maeve, in case she wanted it.

Again, the clerk asked if Christine had air
miles, and again she paid with her Interac card.   By the time they left the
store, Erica was blushing red, and Kai and Andred were blushing red even
stronger, and Sir Andred was still sweating and praying under his breath.
Maeve seemed to find the whole thing humorous, as did Christine.

“I think that’s it, guys.” she said.  “We
have everything we need right now - so we should probably head home to my place
to get cleaned up.  Were all dirty and putting on clean clothes right now would
just gunge them up.   Then I’ll get us dinner and we can talk - I’m sure
someone will want to talk about something - and if you don’t want to, I’ve got
spare rooms where you can get some rest... Okay?”

Kai, Andred and Maeve looked relieved - and
so did Erica, come to think of it; she translated Christine’s message for Sir
Andred.  Christine could tell that today seemed to be draining on Erica too...
which was odd.  Christine felt energized - like everything was right with the
world...  I can understand the others being tired and exhausted - but
Erica?  I thought she’d be excited to be home?

“Erica!  Subway or Cab to my place?”
Christine asked.

Erica looked at the others, then considered
how she was feeling.  “Could we do a cab, Christine?  I’m not sure Maeve or the
others could handle the subway after today - hell, I’m not sure I could.”

Huh?  I wonder what her problem is?  Christine
shrugged.  Maybe she’s been away too long?  “Okay - keep everyone here -
I’ll be right back.”

Erica sighed, looking relieved.  “Sure.”

Christine quickly rushed back into the Hot
Topic, and borrowed their store phone to call a cab.  Christine just smiled
meekly and pointed to her paperweight of a cell phone – its battery dead.  “Sorry
- it died an hour ago.”

The clerk laughed.  “Been there, ma’am - no
worries.  Your friends look pretty frazzled.”

“More than you know.”  Christine laughed.
She called Crown Taxi - she liked their yellow cars, and they were in her
experience fairly quick and clean.  A few minutes later, the cab was on its way
to meet them, on the south west corner of Dundas and Yonge.

Christine thanked the clerk, and came back
out into the mall.  Kai and Andred and Maeve looked relieved.  Erica was bright
pink from blushing, and looked very tired, as did all the others.  Huh.
She thought.  Maybe Kai said something?  Or is Erica finding out what being
a pretty girl in public can be like?  I’ll ask when we get home.

“We’ve got to go outside to wait for the cab.”
Christine said as she approached her friends.  “So you’d better steel
yourselves or something.  You guys look wiped.”

Kai groaned.  “I’ll assume that actually
means something else?”

Erica laughed.  “It means tired, or
exhausted.”

“Then yes, we’re wiped.”  Maeve said.  “Let’s
go outside.”  She turned to Sir Andred, and asked him in Valdan  “How are you
holding up, Sir Andred?”

“I’ve been better, Maeve.  This place is very
confusing, and those stores!  And what you and Erica were wearing?!   It’s
scandalous, some of it.  I’d like to rest.”

“We’re going to Christine’s home to rest
right now,” Erica said, interrupting.  “But we’ve got to go outside one more time,
and for a short ride in one of the moving carriages.  They’re relatively safe,
so don’t worry about it, okay?”

He smiled wanly.  “It’s the relatively part
that is worrisome, Erica.  That and the fact they move without horses to draw
them.  ‘Tis most unnatural.”

Christine shepherded them outside to wait for
the cab.  Their group walked outside into the sun and noise and light and smell
- and this time, although it did affect the three outworlders, it didn’t affect
them as much as it had earlier, and they were able to manage.   Erica directed
everyone up to the corner of the street, where they could see odd lamps
flashing red, yellow, and green lamps - with another lamp showing a white
person and a red hand.  Neither Maeve, nor Kai nor Sir Andred had the slightest
clue what the lights meant - but the carriages and throngs of people crossing
the street in turns seemed to know.

Once outside, the five friends got settled,
and waited for the cab... About 15 minutes passed, and everyone other than
Christine just slumped, tired.   No one spoke, although Erica did reach out and
hold Kai’s hand for a while; Kai held onto it like it was a life preserver, and
shot her a grateful smile.  They were all relieved and gladdened when the cab
finally pulled up.

Christine and Erica had to show them how to
open the door, and directed them inside to their seats.  Finally, it was over,
and the cabbie - an east Indian from the look of it - started driving.
Christine sat up front with the cab driver, while Sir Andred, who looked the
most frazzled sat in the back with Maeve, while Erica and Kai sat in the middle
seat.  Kai was still clutching Erica’s hand like it was a lifeline, and Erica
showed everyone how to buckle up.

Unlike most times, there were no questions -
Maeve and Kai, and Sir Andred, just did it as directed - they looked too
exhausted for more questions.  There undoubtedly was a reason for it they wouldn’t
comprehend - they just added it to the list of many incomprehensibilities.  As
they were driven to Christine’s home, the three seemed lost in their thoughts.
Andred and Kai were looking out their windows, and marveling at the speed at
which they travelled - Maeve, having practically flown down the highway at 200
Kph was still impressed, but markedly less so.  Erica and Christine didn’t even
notice - Erica seemed lost in her own thoughts, and Christine was chatting
merrily with the driver, catching up on all the latest news and local stories,
carefully avoiding any mention of the Neilson clinic or the massacre outside
her home a month ago.

Erica meanwhile tried to comfort Kai, who
looked like he was at his limit.  He was shaking a bit, and a bit wild eyed at
all the differences, and looked angry too - but Erica didn’t think he was mad
at her - maybe her world, for being so strange and alien, perhaps.   “You going
to be okay, Kai?”

“Maybe.  I need quiet - some rest.  Will it
be long before we reach Christine’s home?”  He asked.

“Maybe fifteen minutes more.  That’s all.  I’ve
been in her house a few times – you’ll like it.”

“Like it!  Ha!  Don’t listen to her Kai, you’ll
think it’s a palace.  It has a magic box that keeps food chilled so you can
have cold beer in the summer, and everything in the house looks as if it cost a
fortune.  Our Christine either has a great deal of money, or wealthy parents.”

Erica couldn’t bring herself to tell her
friends that her family could buy and sell Christine’s about ten thousand times
over...  The Helstrome family was known to be worth perhaps 400 million
dollars, when all was said and done.  Erica’s dad Anders came from old money,
and was an incredibly successful investment banker to boot, who ran a small
financial empire from his office off of Bay street.  She snorted, realizing she
didn’t even know if her dad was still alive or not.  And I don’t even know
how I feel about that - whether I’d be happier if he was alive or dead.  I don’t
even care anymore.  Angie, Christine, Maeve, Kai and Sir Andred are my family
now.  They’re all that really matters to me.

I was so uncomfortable in the mall - everyone
was staring at me.  I thought it was bad on Mercia, in the town - but at least
there I could write it off as being a stranger, or religious fervor.  This is
nothing like that.
Erica shifted a bit uncomfortably.  I’m not used to being an object of
lust.  It’s kinda weird.   No one ever groped me in a store before, when I was
Eric - and today it’s happened twice.  I’m glad I didn’t say anything, or I’m
sure Sir Andred would have found a way to try and behead the perpetrator...
even without his sword.  Erica laughed to herself a bit.  I have
confidence in his resourcefulness - and that’s scary.  I liked shopping
though.  I wish we could have taken longer; it was fun.  I can’t wait to try
those boots.  Erica smiled a bit - she was a bit apprehensive about
appearing in public in women’s clothes - but it was something she’d wanted for
a long time.  Now that she had her chance - with no one thinking less of her -
she wasn’t sure she was ready for it.

Her musings were cut short by the cab turning
onto Nipigon avenue, and driving up to Christine’s house.  The cab drove up her
driveway, and parked to let everyone out while Christine covered the cab
fare... Ouch - over 80$ - that’s gotta take a chunk out of her finances when
you add food, the clothes, and everything else were going to rack up.  I’d
better talk to Angie about getting some cash to pay her back.  I wonder how
worried Angie’s been about us?  I’ve been so worried about staying alive I kind
of forgot...

Kai and the others crawled out of the cab,
and after grabbing the many packages and parcels, they waited for Christine to
finish paying the driver, while staring at the extravagant house before them -
at least to their eyes.  Christine’s home was two stories tall, with a nice
sized yard and three bedrooms, a stone and wrought iron fence, and fancy bay
windows on each room - it looked picture perfect.

“What?”  Christine asked.  “It’s my house.
Do you guys want to go in and rest?”  She repeated it in Valdan, and was not
surprised when Sir Andred nodded vigorously.

Kai leaned over to Maeve, and said “You’re
right - it IS a mansion!”  In a stage whisper.  He looked at Christine, and
smiled.  “Well, compared to my little tiny cabin it IS a mansion!”

“I suppose it could be.”  Christine said
smiling.  “C’mon in.”  A few moments later, Christine motioned for her friends
to follow, and she opened the door to her house.   Wow... it’s almost
exactly the same as I left it.  I don’t know why I expected it to be different
- but I kind of did.  Huh.   “Ummm... welcome to my home?”  She said,
swinging the door wide and motioning everyone inside.  “Please take your shoes
and blade boots off before walking on the carpets.”

Inside Christine’s home, her Mercian friends
were amazed again - except perhaps Maeve.   The house was beautiful - the
floors had a fine grey slate tile over most areas, except for the dining room
and living room, which had a lush thick-napped green carpet.   The walls were
paneled in light brown oak, which gave the house a glow like warm honey, and
the lamps and fixtures were brass with soft frosted light bulbs that didn’t
cast a harsh glow - making the home seem even warmer.   The only remnant of the
confusion and chaos of Eric’s and Maeve’s first arrival here was a trash can by
the kitchen that should have had beer cans in it, but which had been removed
and left empty.  A number of items had also been moved, and a number of things
she thought she had left here seemed to be missing.

It took Christine a minute to figure it
out... The police.  The police must have been here looking for clues as to
where Eric and I went... There was a stolen police car out front, and dead
people everywhere.  Oh geez - are we wanted for questioning?  I’d better check
the internet.   Hell, I’d better check the mail.  “I’ll be right back guys
- Erica could you get everyone upstairs and show them the showers?  I’ve got a
million things I have to do and some can’t wait.”

“Sure - um... Any room with a shower is
okay?  I don’t want to tie up the master bedroom.”  Erica asked.

“Don’t sweat it - get everyone cleaned and
into their new clothes, and find them a room to nap in if they want it.  I’ve
got to check the mail, and see if were wanted fugitives or if were okay.”
Christine said, worried a little.  “Don’t forget the situation when we left.”

“Gods, it seems like a year or two ago, doesn’t
it?  It does to me.”  Erica said surprised.  “I’d say it feels like a lifetime
ago, but that would be pushing it, wouldn’t it.”

“Not considering this is sort of your second
life, Erica.”  Maeve said.  “Can I get us a beer from your fridge, Christine?”

“Sure!”  Christine called from the front
cloak room.  “Whatever floats your boat.”

Maeve looked at Kai, who just shrugged his
shoulders.  “I think she means go ahead.”  He said.

Erica chuckled as Maeve got four beers out of
the fridge, and handed one to Kai, Andred, herself - and held one out to Erica.

“No thanks.”  Erica said.  “I’m not legal
here to drink booze, and I see something else I miss too.”  She ducked past
Maeve and grabbed a diet soda from the fridge, and cracked the tab.  Ahhhh...
the cool crisp burn of aspartame! and took a mouthful... and nearly spit it
out.   “Ewww...  I think it went bad or something.  Yuck.”   Erica put it down
for a moment.  “Are your beers okay?”

Maeve nodded, as did Kai.  Sir Andred had
already drunk half of his, and looked pleased.  “It’s a bit weak compared to
home, but it’s nice - better than water or tea.   What’s that stuff you tried
and didn’t like?”

“It’s called Diet Coke.”  She took another
slurp of it - and this time it tasted much better - almost like her taste buds
had to get used to it again.  “That’s better... it tasted really bad the first time
I drank it - I thought it went bad.”

Kai nodded.  “True - but has that body you’re
in ever tasted anything like it?  Maybe that’s what you felt - surprise or
something like it.  Either that or you might have forgotten what it should
taste like - but you haven’t been gone that long.”

“I dunno.”  Erica said.  “It tastes fine
now.  How are you doing, Sir Andred?”  The last phrase she asked in Valdan.

“I am getting much better.  It’s easier being
in the house than on the streets or in that marketplace.  I’ve never seen such
noise and stench in my life - and Ogden bore a foul odor at times.  What is it
that Christine was directing you to do?”

“Oh – getting you all a bath or shower, and a
place to nap or sleep if you need it.”  Erica said.

“Excellent.  I could use a good bath.  Thank
you.”  Sir Andred finished off his beer and had another thing to say.  “Could
we give one of the amulets to Christine, and all speak in Valdan so I may join
the conversation, now that we are in private.  I’m feeling a bit left out.”

“That sounds like a great idea.”  Maeve
said.  “I’ll give her mine for now.”  Maeve left the room, looking for
Christine.

“That’s a much better idea than one of us
having to translate.  Thanks for suggesting it, Sir Andred.”  Erica said a
little bashfully.

“It’s not a problem, little one.  When I was
a novice in the Orders of Knights Vigilant, I spent two years under a vow of
silence.  I just don’t like to be left out when I don’t need be.”  Sir Andred
smiled.  “So how about that bath?”

“As soon as Maeve gets back.”  Erica said as
Maeve walked into the room, minus her translation amulet.  “And she’s back.
Everyone follow me.”   Erica found the stairs up to the second floor and led
her friends through the house to the guest bathroom - which had a full
bathroom, and the master bathroom just off the master bedroom.  She explained
how the taps and shower curtains worked, showed them the hair shampoo and body
wash.  “Have a shower or a bath as you like - just get really clean.  You might
have noticed an odd smell in the air... that’s us.  We smell really bad
compared to everyone else.  People here bathe every day or every other day, so
if we want to blend in, we will have to do the same.”

Kai shook his head.  “So you have TWO
bathrooms in a home, each with hot and cold running water, and soaps that smell
like the richest of perfumes.  I should be surprised, but I’m not.   I think I’m
running out of the ability to be astonished anymore.”

“As am I, my friend.”  Sir Andred sighed.  “Would
you ladies like to go first?  It would be only proper.”

Maeve smiled.  “Thanks, Sir Andred.  I could
use a good bath.  I’ll try not to be too long.”

Erica shook her head.  “I’ve got some stuff I
need to help Christine with - I’ll go after you and Kai have yours.  Can I have
your clothes - I’ll need to throw them in the laundry.”

“Does that mean you intend to hire a
washerwoman, or do them yourself?”  Sir Andred asked.

“It means I’ll take them to a machine in the
basement, and it will wash them and dry them over the next two hours, so none
of us will have to do anything except relax and get clean.  I’ll turn around -
just let me know when it’s safe.”

“Erica,” Kai said smiling.  “Why don’t you
take us to the bathroom Maeve isn’t using, and wait in the hallway - and once
were stripped, well toss our clothes in the hallway - and you can get them
there.  Otherwise there isn’t much point in you turning around.  Once were
naked, where are we supposed to go?”

“Right... duh. Sorry.”  Erica blushed and led
them to the guest bathroom (Maeve was using the one in the master bedroom) -
and got them settled with towels and washcloths.   “Call me when you’re done -
oh, and you don’t have to reuse the water.  Just let it drain and well pour fresh
for the next person.  There’s a hot water tank in the basement so we probably won’t
run out.”   Erica left Kai and Andred to get stripped, and went to get everyone
settled.

*           *           *

Meanwhile Christine looked through a month
and a half of accumulated junk mail, late bills, and miscellaneous letters.
Only a few were truly important - the rest was the usual collection of sales,
ads, and bill statements to let you know your automatic withdrawals worked as
expected.   I’ll have to check my online banking later to make sure
everything is okay, but it looks good.  And there’s nothing from the police.  That’s
a start.

I should check the internet and see if we’re
wanted felons or not.
She thought.  Then maybe call Angie once we’ve had a night’s sleep.  Erica
deserves a chance to sort things out with his sister and let her know she’s
alive.  And tell her he died, came back, and is now a girl...   Christine
grinned at the face she just knew her old friend Angie would have when Erica
dropped that bomb on her.  Angie’s jaw was going to hit the floor for sure.

She plugged in her Cell phone, and turned on
the laptop shed left in the kitchen.  Luckily shed left it charging - which,
while not great for it, at least left it ready to go now that she was back home.
She sat in her comfortable chair by the computer and relaxed into it...  Nice
to be home.  She thought.   I hope there still is a home by the time we’re
done looking for Vargas.

A quick search of the internet indicated she
and Eric were persons of interest, as was someone matching Maeve’s
description.  She was described as a possible terrorist with a sword - and the
internet said the attack at the clinic was... the work of Al Qaeda?  What
the hell did the government tell everyone?  I suppose they had to tell them
something - you can’t just say a demon did it on the CBC, I guess.

That’s messed up.  Christine said to
herself, sighing.  Completely screwed up.   She saw Erica grabbing packs
and bags from the front door cloak closet, and taking them upstairs.  I
guess she’s still getting people settled.  I’d better help - we should be okay
for now.  All I want now is a long bath.

Christine grabbed the last three shopping
bags and what looked like her pack and Sir Andreds, and went upstairs.  Gah!
It feels like he packed some of his armor in here!   Sir Andreds pack was
heavy! When she got upstairs, she saw Erica coming back for what she was
carrying.  “Thought I’d help.”  She said.

“Thanks.  Your bag obviously goes in your
room - I put Maeve in one of the guest rooms, and Andred in another.  I’m not
sure where to put Kai or myself unless some of us share rooms.  Should I share
with Maeve?”  Erica asked.  She looked tired.

Should I?  Why not...  “Unless you plan on
sharing with Kai, and having Andred bunk with Maeve, that’s a good idea.”  She
laughed as Erica sputtered and blushed furiously.  “Seriously Erica, you’re too
easy.   Sleep where you want - its fine with me.  I’d like my bed to myself  -
if you’d rather sleep on a couch in the rec room, as far as I know it’s pretty
comfy.  Suit yourself kiddo.”

“Alright then... I’ll figure it out.”  Erica
was still blushing madly when she led Christine into the main bedroom, and told
her Maeve was in the bath.  “I think Sir Andred is bathing at the moment too.  I’m
not sure where Kai is.  I’m going to sit down and finish my pop.”

“Sure, Erica.  Have you thought of when you’re
going to call your sister and tell her what’s up?  I was thinking, she knows a
lot of good lawyers - she might be able to get you legal ID - say you went and
got a sex change operation or something and claim you’re really Eric.”

“Who in their right mind would believe that?”
Erica laughed.  “Seriously.”

“Seriously?”  Christine said.  “Everyone.
You lived on the street for three years.  No one knows what you look like
except Angie and I.  If we vouch for you, who’s to say were lying?   Frankly,
do you think anyone anywhere would believe the truth?   I don’t - so why not go
with the story that people will believe and will actually help you have a life
here - assuming you want one.”

“I... I never thought of it that way.  I’d
always assumed I’d be a non-person.  Maybe I could get ID.  Damn... that really
opens up a can of worms, though.”  Erica said.  “I’d just assumed I’d need a
fake ID or something - not have a legit one in my own name.  I’ll think on it
and tell you in the morning, okay?”

“Sure.”  Christine walked over to the
bathroom door, and gave it a rap.  “You going to be long in there, Maeve.”
There was no answer.   “Maeve?”   Damn - did she fall asleep?  She
opened the door - and Maeve was asleep in the warm bathwater.  “I’d better wake
her.  Mind if I go next Erica?”

“Nope - I need time to think anyway.”

“Okay.  I’ll find you when it’s your turn.”
Christine said as she turned to wake up Maeve.

Erica turned and left the bedroom, and headed
down stairs.  From the look of the bedroom doors, Sir Andred was done his
bath and was either changing or napping - so Kai must be in the bathroom now,
she thought.  Cool.   Erica went to the basement and moved to the rec
room in the dim half-light.  There were basement windows that let in enough
light to see - but not enough light to really brighten the place up.   She
flopped down on a soft leather couch to sleep.  Wow, this is soft, she
thought.  Now what?

I’ve wanted to get home for some time - more
to get Christine home than anything else - but is this where I belong?  I don’t
know.  I need more time to figure it out, I think - but I’m going to have to
decide pretty soon...  Angie’s going to freak out when she finds out about me.   Before Erica could
think of much more to mull and brood over, she fell into a light sleep.

*           *           *

“Hey, sleepyhead.”  Christine said, gently
shaking Erica awake.  “Time to get up, kiddo - you need a shower or a bath,
bad.”  Christine was freshly cleaned, with washed hair and clean clothes from
her closet.

“Hrng?  Sorry I guess I fell asleep.”  Erica
said, groaning herself awake.  “Is everyone waiting on me?”

“Yeah - pretty much.  Sir Andred, Kai and
Maeve are having a short nap - and I thought you’d want a chance to get cleaned
up before we ordered dinner.  I’m thinking chicken or pizza?”

“I vote both.  Get some KFC and some pizza
from the place you like best.”  Erica said.  “We might need to get more beer if
they don’t start drinking water, though.”

“I’ll talk to them when they wake up.  I
thought we might use the privacy to chat a bit when you’re done your shower.  You’ve
been avoiding a lot and we need to talk tonight, before you call your sister,
okay?”

“Okay, Christine.  Let me get clean first and
I’ll get on that.”  Erica said.

“For reals this time - no I’ll talk about it
later stuff?”  Christine obviously wasn’t taking no for an answer this time.

“For reals.  I promise.”

“Fine - go get cleaned up.  I’ll take care of
the laundry.”

“Oh crap - sorry!”  Erica said,
apologetically.

“Don’t worry about it - just get clean,
please.”

Erica didn’t say another word - she just
nodded and went upstairs to the master bedroom, and into the bathroom to
strip.  The clothes didn’t exactly cake off - but they were a bit damp and
dirty.  The different standard of what clean enough was on Mercia was obviously
very different from normal life - and she hadn’t had much experience with
normal life, living on the street for so long as she did.  In some ways I’m
too sheltered to deal with some aspects of what people call normal life.
Strange.

As the last of the underthings came off,
Erica tossed them outside the bathroom and shut the door - and saw herself for
the first time naked in front of the mirror...  She’d only seen herself once
before, at Marias house in front of a full length mirror.  This seemed
different – she’d put on some weight in the last week or two - or was it some
muscle?  She couldn’t tell - but she looked less emaciated, and more like just
skinny.   Of course, it didn’t help that she wasn’t exactly a twig - her hips
and chest more than defined her profile, and it took several long minutes of
staring for Erica to realize ‘yes - that’s you dummy.’

Shaking herself free of her reverie, she
hopped into the shower and turned it on, feeling the warm water wash all over
her, wetting her hair and running down her back.  It was the first time she’d
bathed in any way other than a sponge bath since arriving on Mercia six weeks
ago.  It felt like heaven - and she moaned a bit in pleasure - startling
herself at how she sounded.  I’d better not keep doing that, or Christine will
think something else is going on in here other than a shower!  Erica
thought, blushing.  But then again, why shouldn’t there?  It’s my body.

Funny, she thought.  In the close quarters of
Kais cabin, or the Priory, I didn’t really feel I had the privacy to explore -
but I know I do here.  Weird.   Maybe it’s being home that’s doing it?
Erica washed her hair, finding it difficult to work out some of the snarls and
get it clean - long hair was obviously took lot of   dedication and effort to
keep in good shape - but gods did it feel good to use shampoo that smelled nice
and didn’t smell - or sting - like lye soap.  Heaven!   Soon she was cleaning
with a scented body wash and the water around her ankles was brown from the
dirt she was washing off.   She scrubbed herself clean, then did it one more time
just in case, and then just stood in the shower, letting the water wash all
over her.

Almost unconsciously, she rubbed her hands up
and down her sides, still slick with some soap.  It felt smooth and sexy and
Erica started to feel warm and tingly, even more so when she cupped her
breasts, and massaged them for a moment.  This feels really, really
different...  I kinda like it!   Eventually she moved her hands down to
between her legs - and nearly got a shock when she touched herself... it was
far more sensitive than she expected, but still very different from what she
was used to.   Erica probed a bit with a finger, gasping as her explorations
started to send sensations shed never experienced before to her stunned and
surprised brain...  She kept going, moving her fingers, trying to find something...
the feeling of pleasure grew and grew... and then it happened.  It felt like a
building wave - slow at first, then gaining in power - and then sweeping away
everything in its path as it swept down on her.  Erica gasped in shock as she
felt fluid from inside her on her hands, and nearly slipped and fell from
surprise, only barely managing to keep her feet.   Oh My Gods!  She
thought.  I think I came... that was amazing!  Wow...  She drifted a
moment, letting the glow slowly fade, until she realized she was probably
holding everyone up.   She turned off the water, and hopped out to dry off.

Thank goddess for hairdryers!   She grabbed Christine’s
model - one of the high powered ones they use at salons - and got to work,
borrowing one of Christine’s brushes.   Twenty minutes later, her hair was
pretty good, and she finished drying off... to find blood running down her leg
onto the floor.  Fucking Hell... Really?  Now?  Argh.  First female orgasm
and first period within a half-hour of each other.   She grabbed a pad from
under the sink, and took it to put in her underwear when she got dressed, and
cleaned herself up.  Yuck - the blood stinks too.  Even better.  Blech.  I
guess it means I’m healthy though...  Erica wasn’t sure that was a plus at
the moment, but it might explain why she’d felt off for part of the day.   She
left the bathroom to find the clothes Christine had bought her on the edge of
the bed, so she grabbed some underwear and put in a pad and got dressed.  Most
of the clothes were no big deal, but the bra took some doing and was
uncomfortable, so she put it away and put on one of the comfort bras instead.
A few minutes later, she emerged from the bedroom, to hear Christine puttering
in the kitchen.

She wanted to talk in private.  I suppose I
should oblige.  Here goes.   Erica headed downstairs.

Chapter 4 - Heart to Heart

“Hey Christine.”  Erica said as she walked
into the kitchen.  “You wanted to talk?”

Christine looked up to see Erica dressed for
the first time in normal earth clothes - a pair of blue jeans that hugged her
legs, with one of her bras and a midriff showing t-shirt covering her breasts
and chest.  Her hair was tied back with one of Christine’s scrunchies and was
left loose to dry.  She looked amazing... Damn, I’m kinda jealous, she
thought.  She’s drop dead gorgeous.  “You look great, kiddo.  How you
feeling after a shower?”

“Great - better after using the toilet.  Gods
I missed toilet paper.”  Erica laughed.  “In all seriousness, though, I started
bleeding and had to borrow one of your pads.”

“Oh!  No worries.  You okay?”  Christine
asked.

“Me?  Yeah - I’m fine.  It’s gross and smelly
and I feel kinda crampy, but from what I’ve heard on TV and from you and sis, I
could’ve done a lot worse my first time around.   What did you want to talk
about?”

Christine sighed.  Here it comes.  “You,
kiddo.  We have a lot to think about and not much time - stuff I think you’ve
been avoiding.”

“Huh?  Like what?”

“Well for starters, how can you even decide
to go back to Mercia if you still know where Tiamat is - that’s the whole
reason we were trying to get you home - so you wouldn’t lead people there.  If
we stop Vargas, and you go back - the problem just starts all over again.”

What the... oh hell, I didn’t tell them.  D’oh!  “No – it’ll work.
The goddess said if I wanted to go back shed erase the location of earth from
my mind, so I won’t put Mercia at risk.  It’s cool - I just forgot to tell
everyone; I was so distracted that we were going back like that same day... and
I was surprised she came to me again.  It caught me off guard.”

“That’s fine.  Do you want to go back?  Wait
- don’t answer that yet - answer this instead.  If you plan on going back, is
there any point in even asking your sister to bother changing your ID - or
should we just leave you as Eric, MIA?”

“Oh jeez.  Good point.   I don’t know.  I’ve
been thinking about where home is, and what I want to do with myself and my
future a lot.  I don’t fit in here too well - and although I think I could live
here and be happy, I think I’d be happier in Mercia.  I want to keep learning
magic, and explore their world.   I guess Earth has a lot to offer too - hell, I’ll
be one of the .01% if I stay - but I just don’t know.  I was going to decide by
the end of our mission, not before.  It sucks that it’s inconvenient, but I can’t
decide yet.  At least I hadn’t planned on it.  I need to talk to Maeve and Kai
first, for a while.”

“Okay...  How about another question you’ve
avoided.  How are you doing, emotionally?”

“I... uh.  I’m good.  I’ve been getting used
to my new me - and I really like it, even if I do sometimes get a little
panicky when I experience something new or unusual.  For example, I thought I’d
be embarrassed to wear this bra and t-shirt - but they feel nice and I kind of
feel sexy - which is something I’m definitely NOT used to, but starting to
like.   I’ve... kissed Kai a couple of times and it was really, really nice -
and I... took a while in the shower alone and that was crazy ridiculous.   I’m
happy - and I’m taking some time to adjust, but I am adjusting.  Does that
help?”

Christine smiled.  “A lot, yeah.  I’m glad
kiddo - I was worried you were still in denial a bit.   You need to decide if you’re
going back or not before you practice kissing with Kai again - cause otherwise you’re
kind of leading him on and friends don’t do that to friends.   Seriously - don’t
you think he’s worried you won’t be coming home with him?  He doesn’t know you
can come back safely either.  He probably thinks this is goodbye.  So ask
yourself - are you prepared to NEVER see Kai, Maeve and Mercia again?   If the
answer isn’t 100 per cent YES, you should probably plan to go back with them.
You seemed to be able to fit in there - I couldn’t, but you were really into
it. You seemed really happy learning woodscraft and learning magic, and
something tells me that isn’t gonna happen here, Erica.”

“Do you think he might stay here if I do?”
Erica asked.  She didn’t hold out much hope - she kind of felt the answer to
that already.  Kai could never deal with her world.   He couldn’t.

“No kiddo, I don’t think he would - and is it
fair for you to ask him to?   Would he be happy here?  Think about it carefully
Erica.”

Erica sat quietly for a long time, thinking.
Could she never see Christine and Angie again?  Never see Earth again?   She
thought of her memories of Earth - of the fear and pain her dad Anders
inflicted on her, of the months and months that blended into years of living on
the street in poverty and squalor, the years of terrifying voices that troubled
him almost to death, and the death of his friends Norm and Dave.  What did
earth have to offer?  She compared those feelings, with the feelings shed had
from her last six weeks on Mercia... she had an epic adventure, learned magic,
met a goddess three times, met more than one magical creature, explored part of
an alien world full of wonders, and become a kind of folk hero...  And she made
some good friends in Sir Andred, Maeve and Kai.   And then there was Kai...
Could she say goodbye to him forever?   She didn’t think so.   I’m in love
with Mercia... I’m in love with...   “I think I need to go back to Mercia,
Christine.”  Erica said with a sad smile.  “Do you think Angie will be mad?”

“I think she won’t understand at first - but
well help her understand.  Or try, okay?  We can’t MAKE her understand - but
she’ll be happy for you, once she’s over being confused, I think... you did get
cured of the voices - which she’ll be thrilled to hear.  She’ll be happy you’re
finally happy.”

“Thanks.  Was there anything else?”

“Yeah... take these.”  She said, tossing
Erica a box of latex condoms.  “In case you try anything more than kissing, at
least these might help with unexpected pregnancies or things like STDs if they
have them in Mercia.  You do have to worry about that sort of thing now.”

Erica blushed bright red as she took the box
of condoms.  “I don’t have words to describe what I feel at this moment.
Christine.  Thanks?”

Christine smirked.  “You think this isn’t
weird for me too?  Just be happy and be safe, okay?”  She sighed and stood up.
“Why don’t you go pack those things in your stuff, before Maeve and the others
play twenty questions again and get you really embarrassed.  I think you should
tell them your decision about Mercia and what the goddess said too.”

“Heh... I will at dinner.  I promise.”  Erica
got up to put away her new gift.  “How long have you been waiting to do this to
me?”  She asked, motioning to the condom box.

“Since we got to Kai’s cabin.”  Christine
said, smirking.  “Four weeks.  Good things come to those who wait...”

“Har de har har.  No really - thanks.  I have
no idea when they’ll be used, but thanks.”  With that Erica disappeared
upstairs and Christine followed to get a list of acceptable toppings for their
pizzas.

When they got upstairs, Sir Andreds door was
open, and they could see him sitting on the edge of the bed, praying, but he
stopped immediately when he heard them, and stood up to get a good look at
them.  He still stood his usual five-ten, and still showed his broad stocky
stance - but it was certainly odd seeing him in jeans and a t-shirt rather than
a doublet and pants all covered in chainmail.   It kind of opened Erica’s eyes
a lot...

“Wow, Sir Andred - you look great!”  Erica
said, meaning the compliment.

Sir Andred blushed a bit seeing her, and
smiled.  “You look wonderful as well, my dear.  That bath and a nap was just
what I needed.  Your house is wonderful, Christine.”

“Thanks, Sir Andred.   I need to wake the
others.  I’ll be right back.”

“So I suppose well be planning our mission
tomorrow, or the next day.”  Erica suggested.  “Unless something more important
bites us in the ass.  I mean, becomes far more urgent,” she said correcting
herself.  “I keep forgetting a lot of what we say doesn’t actually mean what we
say.  Sorry.”

“It’s alright.  We’re starting to get used to
it - and some phrases I think, are universal.”  Andred laughed.   “Could you
tell me sometime what it was like to meet the goddess Askeline?”

“Sure, Sir Andred.  I’d be happy to, but I’ve
got an announcement or two to make after dinner too - so could you let me get
that done first?”  Erica asked.

“Sure.”

Christine returned, bringing a slowly waking
Kai and Maeve with her.  “Great - were all here.  I need to know what you want
on your pizza... and before you ask, it’s a flat bread dough covered with
crushed tomatoes, cheese, meat, and vegetables, cooked in a very hot oven and
is eaten with your hands.”

“Meat, Cheese, and Vegetables sound good.”
Kai said.  “Or do we get to pick, because your foods and vegetables might not
be the same.  We could ask what each topping is...?”   Even though he was
talking to Christine, it was obvious he was having trouble keeping his eyes off
of Erica and her new clothes.

“No... you know what?  I’ll decide.   I’m
ordering chicken and salads too.  Dinner will be in about an hour - so why don’t
we all go down to the rec room in the basement and talk - Erica has some important
things to share with us.”

“Oh?”  Maeve said.  “This sounds important.”

“It kinda is, at least for me.  I’ll tell you
all when we get downstairs.”  Erica said.

The others nodded, and followed, taking seats
on the leather sofa, while Erica took a recliner.  Maeve looked pretty smart in
her jeans and blouse, and Kai was quite handsome in his clothes as well - he
looked like a normal Earth person - a far cry from the handsome highlander he
appeared when they went to church that time in Wethom.   She smiled.   “When we’re
done all this - when either Vargas is stopped, killed - or we’ve failed and
have to pursue him home, I’m coming with you.”

“But you...”  Kai interrupted, when Maeve
shushed him down.

“Ssh - I want to hear what she says...”

“Kai...Maeve what I was trying to say is that
I was so caught up in talking to the goddess... AGAIN... that I forgot to tell
you all she said if I chose to come back to Mercia at the end of our quest, she
would erase the location of Earth from my mind forever, so I’d never put your
home at risk again.  And I’m okay with that.  My future is on Mercia, not
here.  It’s with my friends... with you guys.  Mercia feels more like home to
me than here ever did - and I want to go back.”

“Do you understand what that means?”  Maeve
said.  “You’d never see all these wonders, the wealth, your family or Christine
ever again?   I understand your family has money - on Mercia you’d have to work
as much as anyone else, and you don’t have a great number of skills.  Are you
sure?”

“Yeah, I am.  Very sure.”  Erica said,
staring Maeve down.  “I could live here if I had to... I will be happy on
Mercia.  That’s the difference.  I’m going with you.  But not before the criminal
scumbags who murdered my only friends suffer justice.”

“I would hear what happened, Erica.”  Sir
Andred asked.

“Some street ruffians - eight of them -
burned my two best friends alive, and nearly killed me - all for a moment of
depraved fun.  We were no threat, and no risk.  They simply wanted someone to
hurt.”  Erica’s face was grim.  She could still hear their dying screams.

“Of course, you’ll have our help.”  Kai
offered.  “Whatever you need.”  She’s coming back, she’s coming back, she’s
coming back...  Kai couldn’t help it - he repeated it like a mantra, and
the painful clamp that had settled around his heart began to loosen...  I
have no idea why she wants to come back, having seen her homeland - but thank
Askeline for this gift!  I will treasure every moment!

Erica smiled.  “Thanks. They belong to a
local gang - their symbol is a pool of blood.  I’ll let you know if I see one.”

The others nodded assent, and Christine came
down.  “Dinner’s ordered – it’ll be here in an hour.”

“You mean you CAN have food delivered by
magical carriages to you house without having to lift a finger?  Askeline’s
Bow, I thought I was joking and being ironic... and the two of you let me
believe it!”  Kai said, quite surprised.

“I didn’t have the heart to wreck your joke
by telling you it was true.  Sorry.”  Erica said shyly.

Kai looked a little embarrassed.  “Harumph!”

Maeve laughed.  “It’s no big deal, Kai - at
least they don’t have a magical device that cleans their house for them!”

Erica and Christine tried to keep their
smiles from showing...  Christine’s Roomba, a robotic vacuum cleaner, was
programmed to turn on and clean the floor at 3am.   They didn’t have the heart
to tell Maeve that either.

“I need to take some time for personal stuff,
before we start hunting Vargas - I need to tell my sister I’m alive, for one
thing - and I was wondering if you guys would come with me?   I know you were
pretty freaked out by the noise and all the strange stuff today - but it would
be a lot of moral support, and might help convince her I’m not completely
insane or just lying.”

“Sure, Erica.  I’d be happy to.  I’d like to
meet your sister.”  Kai said, smiling - but still somewhat apprehensive about
going back outside.

Maeve nodded, agreeing as well.  “I’ll do it,
if you like.  I assume you’d like us to remain out of the conversation until
needed?”

“It might be for the best.  At least until we
break the ice... gah - I mean get over the tension of being away and coping
with my changes.   Stupid language.”  Erica said, frustrated.   “I also need to
know if my father is alive or dead - he was very I’ll when I left.”

Maeve muttered to herself.  “If it’s the same
man I saw in your mind, Erica, then good riddance.”  No one else seemed to have
heard her comment, so she didn’t repeat it... but she did bring up one other topic...
“On the topic of forgetting to tell us what the goddess said to you, is there
anything else she said that you forgot to tell us?   It might be Important.”

“Ummm...”  Erica thought a bit.  “She
mentioned that anyone who helped me stop Vargas would have a long life, which
was fruitful and full of joy.   Those were the words she used, I think.   She
said I was always supposed to be the Dreamer that woke - me, Eric, not this
girl - and she said it didn’t matter if I’d died here on Earth before going to
Mercia with Maeve, I would have woken up in her - as me - anyway.  It’s like I’m
part of both worlds kind of, I think.  She said I was brave, heroic, kind, and
accepting of change... and that it was time for change in the worlds of
Mankind.”

“Not to be blunt, Erica, but she also called
you her daughter, at least twice.”  Maeve said.

“I thought that was generic, like when a
priest calls the flock my children...  I didn’t think she meant it literally.
Did she?”   Erica was looking concerned - with good reason; she was remembering
what happened to the last person who claimed to be the child of a God.

Sir Andred nodded.  “She did say that, didn’t
she?  I have to admit I don’t know if she meant it literally or not Erica - but
you might want to consider the fact she called you her daughter and us her
children - why not call ALL of us her children, unless she wanted to make a
specific exception?   She might have meant it literally... We don’t really know
who the parents of your current body are - the records were umm... lost... when
the House of Broken Dreams burned down.”

“You mean, when you lit it on fire, don’t you
Sir Andred?”  Erica asked.  “Now we’ll never know.”

Maeve smirked.  “You could just ask her next time
she drops by for a chat - were going to see her at least once more on the way
home, right?”

“I would except I’ve heard some wisdom... Don’t
ever ask a question you don’t really want the answer to.”  Erica said glumly.  “And
I’m not sure if I want to know the answer to that question.  It’s probably all
just mistaken assumptions anyway.”

The others nodded and shook their heads - the
alternative was pretty ludicrous - but Sir Andred wondered privately if there
might be something to it.   Erica moved to sit down next to Kai and reached out
for his hand, holding it, and everyone heard Christine approaching from
upstairs.

“Hey guys - announcements over?”

“Yeah – Erica’s coming back to Mercia, She
forgot to tell us things from the goddess, and she’s smart enough to know when
NOT to ask a question.”  Maeve said.

“Cool.  All I want is for Erica to be happy -
after you save the world and all that.”  Christine said.

“You’re not coming with us?”  Maeve asked.

Christine thought a minute before answering.
“No.  I’m not.  I’m not an adventurer - I hate danger.  I don’t want to see
more magic...  I want to get my life back in order, and not be blasted to bits
by dragon-men or evil monsters.   I’ll help you all I can while you’re in
Toronto, give you a place to stay and help you figure out what’s going on - but
I’m not going after Vargas.   I don’t even know why you’d want me – I’d slow
you down and be a liability anyway.   Besides, as soon as I surface, there will
be cops crawling all over this place, wanting to talk to me about the Al Qaeda
attack at the Neilson Clinic, and the murders outside my house.   I can deflect
the cops from asking about you - but only if I stay behind to cover your
retreat.”

“What!?!  Al Qaeda?!  Is that what they told
everyone?  What a load of crap!”  Erica said, fuming.  “Does Al Qaeda have
eight foot tall impervious demons that eat police officers?  NOPE.  What a
bunch of liars.”

“Of course they lied, Erica.  What are they
going to tell people?  Demons are real?   We as a culture can’t even admit God
might be real - so how in the hell can they go to the families of the dead
officers and say demons did it.   The world would freak out, totally.”
Christine answered.

“You know, the denial of evil is very similar
to the denial of good.  If you deny the fact that evil can be incarnate, you
have to deny the fact that good can be incarnate as well.  You asked once why
does our god not appear before us anymore?  Christine.”  Sir Andred said.  “Perhaps
he does - and everyone lies about it, to protect your people’s ignorance.  He
might have been here all along - and everyone instead lies to themselves and
says he was never here, to protect the limited way they see the world.  How
sad.”

Christine looked at Sir Andred, glaring.  How
dare he lecture us!  She thought.  He knows nothing of our home or
religion.   He’s been here less than a day and ...  And... and he might be
right, dammit.   Christine stopped glaring.  “Maybe.  I don’t know.  It
would be pretty pathetic if the world did this to itself, wouldn’t it?”

Andred only nodded.  “It would.  Perhaps I am
mistaken?”

“I hope so.”  Christine answered sadly.  Maybe
it was our fault all along - and all that righteous wrath I spewed about how it’s
not fair their god’s love them and ours doesn’t was just bitterness and
misunderstanding.  How ironic...  The further we advance, the more that we
learn, the further we fall from the truth.  Because we’d rather accept a lie as
truth, instead of see the truth - because the truth is frightening.  It is sad.

A few moments passed as everyone tried to
take in what had just passed between Christine and Sir Andred, when a loud
knock was heard on the door upstairs.  Erica brightened up!  “That should be
dinner!  Where’s your purse?  I’ll go get it!”

“Can’t - no cash.  I used plastic.  I’ll get
it.  Come with me and give me a hand, okay?”  Christine said, getting up and
heading to the door.  “We’ll be right back guys - so wait for us here.”

As they rushed to the front door together,
Erica was glad for the change of topic... Religion was so damn touchy when you
had Christine, a sort of lapsed catholic, mixed with Sir Andred - a holy
warrior, and Maeve, a spy for a foreign church.  Maybe religious discussions
should stay off the docket for the time being?  She wondered.

The delivery guy at the door was an average
young man - about 18-20 years old, with a lightly pimply complexion and short
brown hair.  He wore a typical delivery uniform for KFC, and had one of the ubiquitous
heat-keeping food bags that delivery persons had all over North America.  He
smiled at them both - but really smiled at Erica.   “That’ll be $65.43, ma’am.”

“Geez - it keeps getting more expensive all
the time.”  Christine pulled out her Visa and paid, leaving the guy a decent
tip.   As he headed down the walkway, a second car pulled up with a neon Pizza
Pizza sign on its roof.   “Erica, take the chicken downstairs and get everyone
started - I’ll follow with the pizza and drinks in a few minutes, once I’ve
paid.”

“Sure thing.”  Erica couldn’t help but slaver
a bit... it had been over two years since shed even smelled Kentucky Fried
Chicken, and she remembered really liking it when she was younger.   “I can’t
wait to try some,” she thought.  “And pizza.  I thought I’d never have pizza
again.  This is awesome!”

“Hey guys!  Dinner!”  Erica said as she came
into Christine’s rec room.

“Great - I’m starving.”  Kai said.  “It
smells good - what is it?”

“A bunch of spiced chicken pieces fried up in
hot oil.  It’s called KFC and it’s really good.”   Erica handed out plates from
Christine’s kitchen, along with cutlery, and opened up the salads and chicken
bucket and french fries.

“What are these?”  Sir Andred asked, pointing
at the french fries.

“They’re fried potatoes - we call them french
fries - don’t ask me why.  They’re really good with that gravy on them, and
some salt.”

“Salt is expensive - how can you afford to
give it away so easily?”  Andred asked.

“Ummm... Sir Andred, 10 pounds of salt here
costs about the same as one of your silver crescents - or about five dollars.
Pepper costs about six times that - more if it’s high quality pepper - but
either one is really cheap.  It’s because we have machines that can go anywhere
in the world in about 24 hours - so far away lands where spices grow are not as
far away as they seem.”

“So we don’t have to be sparing with the
spices here?”  He asked, suddenly very pleased.  “Excellent news.  Please pass
the salt.”

The four hungry friends were still digging
in, when Christine came down with the pizzas.  The next hour and a bit was
expended with eating, and describing what some of the foods they saw were.  It
was a fun feast - and by the end all five of them were stuffed to the gills,
and precious little was left over.  One large bucket of chicken, three salads,
one fries and gravy and two extra large pizzas - gone.   There were three
pieces of pizza left for the next day, which Erica claimed ‘for Science!’,
whatever that meant - she wouldn’t explain.

As they sat digesting, Erica started looking
through Christine’s DVD collection.  “Do you mind if I throw one on?”  She
asked.  “I promised Kai Id show him a movie.”

Christine saw the movie Erica held up...  “The
Fellowship of the Ring.   Sure - go ahead.  It’s probably the only series of
movies that I own that will seem almost like home to them anyway.  And I can
show them what I meant by friendly elves.”

“Friendly elves?  I’ve never heard of such a
thing.”  Kai snorted.

I don’t know Kai - that elf princess that
wanted to have you join her harem seemed pretty friendly to me...”  Maeve
snickered.  “If I hadn’t disenchanted you before...”

“Enough!”  Kai said, turning red.  “Please - it’s
not ...  Not now, please, Maeve.”

“Okay my friend.  I didn’t mean to upset you.”
Maeve said, a little sorry.  Perhaps I went too far - he is sweet on Erica
after all.  “Perhaps this movie will have something to interest all of us?”

“I hope so - it’s three hours long.”  Erica
said.  “So anyone needing the bathroom should go now.”

After the inevitable lineup at the bathroom,
Christine hit play on the DVD, and they all settled back to watch the movie.
Erica was on the leather sofa next to Kai, with Maeve on the far side of the
sofa giving them plenty of privacy.  Sir Andred was on a recliner, happy to
discover it moved, and he could put his feet up - and Christine was doing the
same.   As the introduction credit’s rolled, their Mercian friends gasped in
awe, amazed at the picture and sound Christine’s magnificent home theater
system could put out.   As the movie played out, Erica and Christine were happy
to see the other three completely enrapt with the film, watching intently and
totally absorbed.

Kai obviously loved the shire - and all three
were worried and terrified of the mysterious ring-wraiths that pursued the
little hobbits. When the movie spun off to Rivendell, Erica pointed out Arwen,
the elf princess.  “I always wanted to be her when I grew up.”  She said
shyly.  “I think she’s really pretty.”

Kai just put his arm around her and gave her
a hug.  “I dunno, Erica.” He whispered in her ear.  “I think you’re a lot
prettier.  No comparison, really.”

Erica blushed, and nestled into Kais arm.  Kai
felt warm, and he smelled nice - like spice and a bit of sweat - and Erica
wished she could just melt into his arms and stay there.  He thinks I’m
prettier?  She’s a supermodel!  Eeeeeee!   Her internal squee of happiness
lasted almost until the Fellowship reached Moria...

Her friends got very serious as the
Fellowship went deeper - and at the coming of the Balrog, and Gandalfs
sacrifice, Sir Andred paled in terror - as did Maeve and Kai.  “Can such things
exist?”  Maeve shuddered.   “That wizard was very brave.”

“Not here, not as far as I know...  Even in
Middle Earth they were extremely rare.”  Erica said.  “It’s not real, you
know.  It’s just a play that we’re watching.”

“Maybe,” said Sir Andred.  “But it seems real
enough to us.   This middle-earth seems like a place I would like to see one
day, if only for a short time.   I think if that thing - the Balrog - was what
Vargas had  summoned, all of us would already be dead.”

The others agreed, and they watched the movie
to its end...  The breaking of the Fellowship, and the taking of Merry and
Pippin.   All of them agreed it that if this is what a movie was like, movies
were wonderful things indeed!   Erica just stayed nestled with Kai, cuddled up
to him, happy and content - and he didn’t seem eager to move her away either.
Somewhere in Moria, Christine had fallen asleep and the others hadn’t noticed
enough to wake her...

“We must see the end of this quest before we
return home!”  Sir Andred stated plainly.  “May we see more if there is time?”

“I don’t see why not.”  Erica said.  “But it
should wait until another day.”

“Agreed.”  Maeve said.  “The hour is late,
and someone should wake Christine so she can sleep in her own bed, instead of
this chair.”

“To be fair, Maeve, these recliners are very
comfortable.”  Sir Andred said.  “I would like to try and find one when I get
home, in fact.   I’d get one for my home.”

Maeve laughed.  “Indeed!  I didn’t know you
enjoyed such creature comforts,” Sir Andred.

Sir Andred blushed a bit.  “I do enjoy a spot
of luxury from time to time.  I am not made of saddle-leather and steel plate,
even if that is my customary garb.”  He stood up, and shook Christine awake.  “Christine,
the movie is done.  You should sleep in your bed.”

“Rnngh?”  Christine groaned.  “Over?  Did you
guys like it?”

“We liked it very much.”  Kai said.  “But the
hour is late.  We should all be to bed.”

“Okay.”  Christine said.  “I’ll see you all
in the morning.”

Sir Andred went upstairs with Christine.
Maeve lingered a moment, then followed, leaving Kai and Erica alone.

“Erica, I need to talk to you a bit before we
sleep.  Is that alright?”  Kai asked.

Erica disentangled herself from Kai, and
turned to face him.  “Sure, Kai.  What’s up?”

“I...”  Now that the moment had come, he
looked shy and embarrassed.  “I believe I am...  I care about you a great deal,
Erica, and I wanted you to know how sad I was, how sick in my heart I was when
I thought you could never come back to Mercia - that I would never see you again.”

He... he loves me?

“I wanted to tell you, that when you said you
wanted to come back to Mercia - that it was where you could be happy, I was
deliriously happy - but I didn’t understand then why you would want to give up
all these wonders and all this wealth.  I confess I still don’t - but I am glad
for it all the same.  I want to spend all the time I can with you, if you feel
the same way...  How do you feel about me, Erica?”

Erica stumbled over the words - she was
overcome by emotion, a bit of confusion, and not a small amount of fear...
Relationships, if that is what he was asking for, were scary for someone who’d
never had one of this sort before.   “Kai...  I do have feelings for you too -
I have to admit, I’m not sure what they really are – I’ve never had a
relationship before to compare.  When I’m near you, my heart gets fluttery and
I feel weak - and I loved having your arms around me this evening.  I feel safe
near you, and I worry when you’re upset.  I’m a little scared - I don’t know
where this will lead...  I’m in totally unknown territory, Kai - but if it
helps I want to explore it - just maybe... slowly?”

Kai smiled, and took her hands in is.  “I
think I understand.”  Kai said.  “Would you join me tonight, in bed?   To sleep
- not anything else, mind you - the beds in this mansion are luxurious, but
few.   I’d not have you have to rest on the couch, unless that’s what you
prefer.   I... I just don’t want to be apart from you.”

“I... I don’t know.”  Erica said,
stammering.  Oh my gods!  Can I do this?  Her heart fluttered at Kai’s
offer, but she was scared all the same...  I’d like to think the Erica that
came back from Mercia was... is ... braver than the poor Eric that went there,
she thought.  I’ve day dreamed about something like this - so why am I
balking?   She waffled over the decision for a moment, until a warm,
reassuring feeling from deep within her helped calm her... Almost as if it said
without words there is nothing to be afraid of, little one.  She looked at Kai,
and squeezed his hands.  I’d like that very much, Kai.  I’m nervous though.

“I understand.”  Kai said, smiling.  “I’ll
behave, I promise.”

“I believe you.”  Erica answered.  I just
hope I behave.  She thought.

*           *           *

Maeve came upstairs, and quietly grabbed her
things from one of bedrooms, and knocked quietly on Sir Andreds door.  “Can I
come in, Sir Andred?”  Maeve whispered.

“Of course.”  He replied.  “I am decent.”

Maeve came in, with her pack.  “I was
wondering if I could bunk with you tonight.  I have a suspicion that Kai might
want a room to himself, and I’m inclined to make sure he gets it – I’ve robbed him
of any chance at finding a love with all the adventures I’ve dragged him on -
and now that he’s sweet on Erica, I don’t want to be in his way.”

Sir Andred considered a moment.  “You can
sleep here, Maeve - but I won’t be joining you.  I swore a long time ago to
take no other woman to my bed, save my wife, these five years gone to the
goddess - and I don’t intend to break that vow.  I think, perhaps I will see if
Christine’s recliner is as comfortable to sleep in as I suspect it may be.”

“Are you sure, Sir Andred?  I didn’t mean to
drive you out of your bedroom.  I could easily take the couch.”   Maeve said.

“Nonsense.  You know as well as I that you’ve
slept on floors and on rocks more often than you’ve slept with pillows and
sheets.  Take the bed while you have the chance - who knows what troubles will
befall us another day.  The recliner will suit me fine - and if I don’t sleep
well, I’ll take the bed tomorrow, and you may take the couch.”

Maeve laughed.  “As you wish, Sir Andred.
That sounds like a fair bargain.”

Sir Andred rose from bed, and gathered his
things.  “I shall see you in the morning, Maeve.”  Then, he left for the
basement.

Maeve was left standing in Andreds room, a
little bemused.  Chivalry?  Perhaps - perhaps it’s just one soldier giving a
favor to another?   I could see it either way.   Maeve prepared herself for
sleep.

*           *           *

Erica followed Kai upstairs to his room, hesitating
a moment at the door, then stepping inside and shutting it behind her.  She had
brought her bags up from the basement with her - and set them down across from
Kai’s side of the bed, where his things were.  Am I ready for this?  Gods, I
hope so.  I don’t want to look like an idiot.  Erica thought.

Kai grabbed his pajama bottom that Christine
gave him, and shook his head.  Back home most people only wear clothes to
bed when it’s cold - but here they have special garments just for it.  Odd.
“Do you think you’ll miss a lot of things from your world here, Erica?”

“Yeah, probably - but I think it’ll be just
as fun discovering new things to like about Mercia.  To be honest, I felt safer
and more at peace those two weeks we spent in your cabin in the woods, than I
ever did in my father’s mansion.   He’s got a lot of money, but I’ve not really
grown up with it - so I don’t think I’ll miss not having it.”  Erica smiled,
then twirled her finger in a circle.  “Would you mind turning around while I
change, Kai?”

“Not at all, Erica.”  Kai turned around, and
Erica quickly got changed - as did Kai, changing into his nightclothes as well
at the same time.

Erica nervously crawled into bed with Kai -
who simply climbed in under the covers.  At least he doesn’t seem nervous,
she thought.  I sure am.   As she lay there, she reached over and turned
out the lamp, plunging the room into darkness - not the pitch darkness of many
Mercian nights - the light pollution in Toronto was too fierce to get fully
dark - but a kind of very deep grey, that obscured vision but showed dim
shapes, so one could navigate a room without stubbing ones toe if needed.

“Ummm... What do we do now?  Just sleep?”
Erica stuttered.

“Pretty much, unless you’d prefer to cuddle
and fall asleep that way.”  Kai said.  “I’m fine with whatever you want,
Erica.  Go as slow as you need.”

I’m glad you mean it, she thought.  I don’t
think I’m ready for much more - yet.  “O-Okay.”  She slid over a few inches,
till she was cuddled up to Kai, and lay down to sleep.  She was surprised a bit
when he put his arm over her - but it felt nice and comforting.  She could
smell his scent again - and he could probably smell hers, if she had one - she
assumed she did.   I hope it’s a nice one.  She thought.  I’d hate to
smell bad.   Kai sighed - he seemed happy - and they both stayed together
until they dozed off and fell asleep.

*           *           *

For the last four days, Vargas had been
staying with his minions Flavius and Gaius at their new guides’ home - Jeremy
Pierce.  They had seen wonder after wonder, been confused and at times quite
scared - but they had learned.   For sixteen hours a day, Vargas and his men
had been watching TV to learn about Earth culture, and questioning Jeremy for
information to help them adjust.   At first Jeremy had been a little hesitant
about answering so many questions - but the application of enough gold had
quelled any annoyances and turned them into cooperation.   Now Vargas was
almost ready.

This world is certainly strange, Vargas thought.  It
values money and power over faith and religion - which I can almost
understand...  But it’s like these simpletons don’t realize that power - true
power - descends from the gods above down to man.  With faith, the rest - the
money, the power - would come as the natural evolution of faith.  It was
inevitable.

Still, that simple-mindedness is certainly
not evident in their contraptions and devices.  I have never even conceived of
a more supreme culture of artificers and mechanics!   It will not save them, of
course - but it is something to be admired while it lasts.   I imagine when I
resurrect Tiamat, it will not survive long afterwards.   Now all I need to do
is find her... but Jeremy’s internet claims she’s a myth, and that if she did
once live, her body is far overseas and difficult to reach without great
effort.   He puts great stock in this internet - but I prefer my knowledge from
scholars and books.  Perhaps I will ask him to take me to one, tomorrow?

Vargas looked outside - it was dark.  He
couldn’t read the clock - the translation spell he used was good for verbal
speech and communication, but to read the local tongue required him to expend
power - and he was carefully husbanding his resources for the required time.
Lately he’d taken to getting sleep after what Jeremy called the news came on
the strange glass image box.   I’ve also been trying to devise an answer to
whatever in the seven hells spell Erica threw at me at the House of Broken
Dreams.   It was some sort of magical attack, I’m sure - but I’m still not sure
it wasn’t Maeve, using Erica as a disguise to throw me off the scent.   No
novice could cast a spell that powerful; it just isn’t possible.  So how did
Maeve do it?

Bah!  Idle musings for another time.  As long
as you can block it if she does it again, you’ll be fine.  Vargas left his
reverie and looked through the small apartment to find Jeremy.  “Jeremy, I know
you don’t trust your internet to be wholly accurate.  Can it tell us the name
of a scholar who can help us find the truth - someone interested in those
ancient myths?”

“Sure can, I guess.  Why?”  Jeremy asked.  “You’ve
been really interested in learning about this ancient Sumerian goddess since
you got here - so what’s so important about her?”

“She and her fate are very important to me
and my bodyguards.  We believe she used to be real - oh, probably not how the
legends say - and we want to find her resting place to set up a form of shrine.”
Vargas answered.   “But until we learn more, we can’t do anything - and if the
internet is unreliable, then perhaps a scholar will have better chances?”

“I suppose I could look a few up - but we
might need to bribe them or make an appointment.  A lot of them are really busy
- either teaching classes at a university or doing their own research.  We
might get lucky and just walk up to one and he’ll be free - but that might not
work.  I can do it - god knows you’ve given me enough gold in the past two
days.  I’ll get working on it.”

Vargas nodded and let the man work... his
device was too complicated to learn with magic, and he didn’t have the time to
dedicate to learning it himself.  Television was proving problematic as well - the
many shows on it had little bearing on reality, except perhaps the news -
although he had learned a great deal about Earths geopolitics.

The middle-east was too violent and dangerous
to travel to - even if it might be where Tiamat was slain.  There were too many
factions to control, too many people watching each other and itching for a
fight.  Anyone out of place - like Vargas and his men - would be instantly
under suspicion - and the chances of them pulling off the resurrection ritual
would be greatly diminished.   No, Vargas thought.  I need something
that would be close enough to establish a mythical resonance to the site of her
death - but much closer - preferably on this same landmass.  Jeremy assures me
his car can take us anywhere we might need to go, save overseas - and I believe
him, at least until he gives me reason to disbelieve him.  Perhaps a Scholar will
know what I need?

“Hey, Vargas, sir!”  Jeremy called.  “I’ve
got a name... There’s a university professor by the name of Joyce Collins at
the University of Toronto we could talk to...  I’ll give her a call in the
morning - she won’t be at her office now.  Oh - wait, I’ll leave her a message,
and get her to call us.   Can I say you’re a visiting dignitary that would like
to take her for lunch and talk about ancient Sumerian religions?”

“Jeremy, if it will get her there and get her
to tell us what I need, you can tell her anything you think she needs to hear,
okay?   Just get her there.   Tell her I’ll pay a retainer and for her lunch as
well at any place she wants to go.”

“Will do, Mr. Vargas!”  Jeremy got on the
phone, and started dialing.

So now we have a lead...  And as soon as we
have the information, and a possible location, well be on our way.   Jeremy’s
car will be more than sufficient to get us anywhere on this landmass - Gaius
and Flavius can handle any mundane threats - and I will handle anyone needing
manipulation.   Soon, Tiamat will be returned - and this world won’t know what
hit it.

*           *           *

As Jeremy called the professor from the
University of Toronto, he was more than a little worried.   Like who the
hell have I fallen in with?  He thought.  This guy is no Saudi Sheik -
and he’s not from around here either.  I don’t know where the fuck he’s from -
but I’ve seen his kind before.  He’s dangerous.   I wonder just how screwed am
I?

Jeremy got the professors answering machine,
and asked for lunch Sunday or anytime Monday if possible, and that he and his
employer, a foreign dignitary, would be pleased to pay for lunch and offer a
hefty retainer for her services.   “We would like especially to discuss ancient
Babylonian and Sumerian deities.”   He left his phone number and name, and hung
up.   Thank God that’s over, he thought.  Now how the hell do I get
myself out of this - whatever it is - alive?

At first I thought Vargas was a Saudi Sheik -
but I’m not sure what he is - hell, I’m not sure he’s from earth!   He asks
about so many things - things he should know something about.  I am SURE they’ve
heard of the internet in Saudi Arabia.  And cars.  And planes.   He says he’s a
foreigner - maybe he’s a frikken alien?   And I thought I heard Gaius and
Flavius hissing at each other the other day - like snakes.   What are they?
Alien snake men?   If I don’t do exactly as they say, I’ll probably end up on
the freaking menu!

Jeremy shuddered, remembering the two
bodyguards chat - the hissing speech chilled him to the bone when he heard it -
but he knew they hadn’t heard him walk in on them, thank god.   Whatever it was
that spoke in that voice wasn’t human, he knew that much.   And where did
they get so much gold?   They couldn’t have gotten it over the border - Vargas didn’t
even know what a passport was until Jeremy told him.  So where had it come
from?  Space?

The only bright spot in all of this was the
gold.  Jeremy had already earned eighty pieces of gold, at one ounce each, he
stood to profit close to 80,000 dollars - which was pretty nice for five days
work...  He was just starting to realize he might not be able to survive long
enough to spend it.  Face it Jeremy - you’re screwed unless you play this
very, very carefully.

Chapter 5 – Sisters

Erica woke quietly to find herself nestled
with Kai - her head resting on the crook of his shoulder.  The sun was starting
to come in the window and brighten the room - it was probably past 8am - and
she could hear the dull thrum of the traffic on the streets.  The only other
sounds were what was probably one of the others puttering around, and Kai’s
breathing.   Erica felt warm, but a little tired - and something of Kai’s - was
poking her in the leg.  She snickered to herself.  I’ve got a pretty good
idea what it is, too.  I’ll never have that problem again.

She relaxed and laid there for a while,
watching Kai - was he her boyfriend? - sleep.  He looked relaxed, peaceful.
His face had a light five-o-clock shadow - but he probably shaved last night
when everyone showered.  And probably with a straight razor too.  She
thought.  Still, I can’t stay here forever... I have to pee!   She
gently disentangled herself from Kai and crawled out of bed, heading to the
bathroom.

The bathroom and its toilet paper was a
welcome respite from Mercian facilities - and Erica took a moment to tidy up
her hairdo - which could only be called bed-head - a tangled, rumpled mess -
and try to make it look good for today.   I hope Angie doesn’t freak out or
think I’m still insane...  It would be really nice if she just believed me -
but that isn’t going to happen.   Oh shit - what if Dad didn’t survive - or did
survive?   Erica had to struggle with her feelings for a moment, trying to
decide how she felt about her dad - and although there wasn’t a perfect answer,
she decided she was going to go with ‘hope he’s gone.’  He’s given me so
much pain and grief, I think I would be relieved if he was gone.  She did
feel troubled about her decision - it was a little cruel and hard-hearted, but
Erica was more than a little bitter about her stormy and sometimes violent
relationship with her father.  Apathy and Anger make for a poor parental
role-model.

As she went back into the bedroom, still
troubled, she smiled when she saw Kai sitting up, scratching his head.  “Good
morning, Kai.”  She called, going over and sitting next to him.

As she sat, he turned and kissed her.  “Good
morning, yourself beautiful.”  Kai answered.  “How did you sleep?”

Erica looked a little nervous.  “Well, to be
honest, not as well as I would have liked.  We both kept tossing and turning,
trying to get used to each other, and I was up about a quarter of the night.  I
think this sleep in the same bed thing is something well have to practice to
get more comfortable with if we want it to work well...”

“So you’d like to do this again?”  Kai said,
smiling.  “I would.  And I’m not surprised about the tossing and turning - I’m
used to sleeping alone too.  I didn’t sleep well either.”

Do I?  I think I do!   “Yeah, Kai - I
would too.”

“Then it’s settled.”  Kai said, laughing.  “Excuse
me - I need the washroom.”

Erica pointed the way, mouthing the word go!,
and flopped down on the bed, grinning like an idiot as he left the room.  I
think I’m in a relationship!   Eeeeeeee!   Erica squeed to herself for a
little bit, then got up and got dressed while Kai was still relieving himself.
I’ll put on the same stuff as yesterday - it’s still clean.   The only
exception she made was clean underthings - and a fresh sanitary napkin - she
was still having her period, and the flow hadn’t slowed down; it looked like it
might have speeded up.

Yuck. Gross. Oh well.  Erica wasn’t
unhappy with the fact she was fully female - just annoyed at the inconvenience
of it all - and the smell.   Men have it easy, she thought.  I wonder
if the herbal stuff we bought in Mercia will work as good or better or worse
than the pads they sell here?   Maybe I’ll give the Mercian stuff a try before
we leave - to know if I should pack some modern stuff with me?

Kai returned from the bathroom, and grabbed
Erica up in a hug.  “Hey there,” he whispered in her ear.   Erica giggled, and
he patted her on the butt.  “Why don’t you get down for breakfast while I
change, so those blaggards won’t start their tongues wagging at our being late.”

“I’m not sure we are late, but okay - I’ll
see you downstairs.”  Erica smiled, and headed downstairs, to find Christine
puttering in the kitchen with a coffee machine.  The smell of hot caffeine and
coffee wafted through the house and Erica realized how much she had missed
coffee as well.  “Can I have some too, Christine?”

“Sure kiddo.”  Christine said smiling.  “No
problem.  Have a good night?  I noticed you weren’t alone.  Everyone did.”

Erica blushed a bit.  “Really?  Were we
obvious?  I mean we weren’t trying to hide or anything, but... but what the
hell am I worried about?  Yeah, we slept well enough.  It was fun.  I’d do it
again.”  She said, stiffening her back.  “I will do it again.”

“Good for you, Erica.”  Christine said.  “Just
be happy - that’s all I want.   You want some toast?”

“Sure - you have some cereal too?”  Erica
asked.

“Yeah, but the milk’s gone sour.  Sorry.”
Christine grabbed Erica a coffee mug, some sugar and a spoon.

“Oh well - more chores to do today after we
talk to Angie.”  Erica poured a cup of coffee.   “Kai will be down shortly.
Where’s Sir Andred and Maeve?”

“Maeve discovered my PS3 and Skyrim - and
when I told her you could cast spells in it without the Call of Hrask to slow
you down, she set her mind to beating it.  Before lunch.  Because how long
could it be?   I think Sir Andred is watching.”

“She has no idea how much time that game will
suck out of her, does she?”  Erica laughed.  “I heard it conservatively takes
over 100 hours to finish...  I wonder what will happen first - she gets
frustrated and turns it off, or she kicks it and owes you a new game system?”

“Actually I think she called it an adventurer
training simulator.  She’s been playing it since dawn.  Andreds been watching
since about 7am, once he was done his prayers.  Did you know the majority of
his pack is full of holy texts and statues?  He carries a shrine with him.”

“I didn’t know - but knowing him, it makes
sense.   Have they seen the toaster yet?”   Erica asked because back on Mercia,
the only way to get decent toast was to pierce a piece of sliced bread with a
fork, and toast it over an open flame piece by piece.  She fully expected cries
of joy if her friends saw they had a device that would cook 4 pieces of toast simultaneously.

“Nope.”  Christine laughed.  She had hated
making toast in Kai’s cabin.  “Another one of the many, many reasons I’m glad I’m
home.”

Erica sipped her coffee - it was hot and
sweet.  “When’s a good time to visit Angie?”

“I’m thinking right after breakfast - by the time
we get everyone ready and in the car, it’ll be between 10 and 11 am - and we’ll
probably get to your sisters within a half hour, depending on traffic.”

“Cool.”  Erica said.  “Does she know were
coming?”

“Nope - I’ll phone her before I leave to make
sure she’ll be there.  Her phone number at her old place is disconnected, and I
haven’t tried her cell yet.”

“Disconnected?  That’s weird.  I hope
everything is okay.”

Kai entered the kitchen with a greeting, and
was greeted back by Christine and Erica.  They quickly filled Kai in on where
Maeve and Sir Andred were - and although he wanted to see this training simulator,
he decided on breakfast first.

“Cool.”  Erica said, and started making eggs
and toast.   Kai watched with amusement as she took the eggs from the
refrigerator, and started cooking.

“So, let me get this straight...”  Kai said,
smirking.  “You have magic boxes to keep perishable food cold, magic boxes to
heat food up without fire or wood, and near infinite wealth in a world of
luxury and wonder.  Not that I’m arguing for you to change your mind or
anything, but why do you want to come back to Mercia so much?  Why do you want
to give that up?”   Although his tone belied it, Kai was curious why...  “I don’t
understand it - I mean, I’m glad for it - but why?”

“It’s odd.”  Erica said.  “I may have money -
but I never really got a lot of benefit from it - so it’s no big loss to not
have it.  And yeah, there’s tons of everything here that we could want - but
back at your cabin we never went hungry and we had what we needed.   I love
Mercia’s wonder - it’s new to me, and yet it feels like home.  I love magic...
and I love the people there.”  Erica got his eggs on a plate, and started
buttering his toast.  “And that’s all I’m going to say, mister.   Here’s
breakfast, Kai.  Please - I know you’re confused - but stop asking.  Isn’t it
enough that I’m coming back?”

“Yes, Erica it is.”  He said, chagrined.  “I’ll
stop asking, I promise.”   He looked at the four pieces of toast shed made in
less than two minutes.  “Although if we could find a way to bring one of these
toasters back to the cabin, I wouldn’t say no.”   He dug into the food, and got
busy eating, while Erica made some more food for herself.

Christine watched their interplay quietly.
Kai was obviously troubled - probably wondering if he was the reason Erica was
going back or not.   I think he’s part of the reason - but not all of it -
and that’s for the best.  If it doesn’t work out between those two, there’s still
a lot Mercia will have going for it.  I think she’ll be happy there.

Christine heard Sir Andred and Maeve
approaching from the basement, grousing at each other.

I
guess she gave up on beating the game before noon.  Christine
thought.  Still, I’m glad she got a chance to see a video game.   “Hey
Erica - grab a seat and I’ll finish cooking - the others are coming and they’ll
want some too.”

“Thanks, Christine.”  Erica answered, and
grabbed some stuff from the cupboard for her breakfast - some peanut butter,
nutella, and jam, and a carton of orange juice from the fridge that was still
good.  She grabbed a spot at the table next to Kai, and waited - and Christine
slid Erica’s toast and eggs onto the plate as Maeve and Sir Andred entered.

“We smelled breakfast.”  Maeve said.  “Is
there enough for us as well?”

“Sure.”  Said Christine.  “Get tired of the
video game?”

“If by tired you mean tired of dying and
resetting, then I think the answer is yes.”  Sir Andred laughed.  “She was
ready to throw the controller through the screen of the picture box when she
died the fifteenth time.   Still the game itself is a wonder, for sure.  I can
see why people like them.”

“Grrrr...  People don’t actually fight like
that.  Or cast like that.  It’s not accurate enough.”  Maeve griped.  “I could
have had it...”

“Don’t worry about it Maeve,” Erica said
laughing.  “Wanting to throw the controller in frustration before going back to
beat it, is a time honored response to a hard but fun game.  I’ve done it once
or twice.”

Erica started putting spreads on her toast -
one with jam, one with peanut butter, and one with nutella - a chocolate
hazelnut spread.   “You guys should try peanut butter, if you haven’t had it
before.”  She suggested.  “It’s really good.”

Kai looked at it, and tasted some with his
finger.  “Rosie would love this stuff.”  He said, thinking of his tiny Reechi
friend.  “And probably that brown spread too - is it made from nuts?”

“Yup!”  Erica said smirking.  “Actually I was
planning on bring her back a jar of each to see if she liked them.  And maybe
some stainless steel needles for her mom, Joorie.”

“Nice.”  Kai said, trying some of the
hazelnut spread on his own food.  “This is nice too!”

Sir Andred smiled at the two youngfolk.  Kai
and Erica reminded him of the days when he had first dated his wife, Jess,
before the goddess took her to her bosom.   Those were good days, weren’t
they, Jess?   We had so much fun together.  I miss you, my love.   He liked
watching these two - it reminded him of happier times.

Christine ushered Maeve and Andred to seats
at the table, and produced a pan of golden brown home fries and a few fried
eggs, plus a stack of toast - and in a few minutes, all talk had ceased as the
hungry friends sat down and polished off what was left of the food.  Maeve and
Andred and Kai tried a bit of everything, and used a fair bit of salt and
pepper - which was no big deal to Christine, but seemed to be quite a treat for
them.  Soon, breakfast was finished.

“We should get ready to go to visit Erica’s
sister.”  Christine said.  “It’ll only take me ten minutes to get the dishes
cleaned up - and then another ten to get ready to go.  Do you guys think you
can be ready to go in twenty minutes?  That way we can be at your sisters by
noon at the latest, maybe 11am if we’re lucky.”

“Sounds good to me.”  Erica said.  “I’ve got
to tidy up a bit - but otherwise I’m ready.”

Maeve and Andred and Kai pretty much felt the
same way - so it was decided.   Everyone split up to do their final
preparations.   Maeve just had one question.  “Christine - you said you would
have all the dishes clean in ten minutes - how?”

“Oh - I’ll put them in the dishwasher.  We
have a machine to clean the dishes for us too.”   Christine said with a tiny
smirk.

“Of course you do.  What will you ever do if
the chained lightning that runs these things dies or is blocked from coming to
your home?”  Maeve asked.

“Probably be in a heck of a lot of trouble -
but at least I can make my own bread now if I have to.  I did learn some things
on Mercia.”

Maeve nodded.  Perhaps it was a bad idea
to become too reliant on any one thing?  She wondered.  “I’ll be ready
soon.  I’d like to meet Erica’s sister myself.”

*           *           *

Soon, the group of them were assembled at the
front door - all of them wearing their new clothes.  Kai was wearing jeans and
a tee-shirt, with a light windbreaker, while Sir Andred and Maeve wore the same
clothes they had yesterday evening.  Erica had done the same, but was also
wearing some light makeup that Christine had helped her apply, and some perfume
as well.  She looked good - and was busy admiring herself in her new boots in
the mirror in the front hall.

“Okay, everyone.”  She said.  “The plan for
today is kind of loose.  We need to talk to Erica’s sister - that could take
all afternoon.  Then we need to go buy groceries or we won’t be eating.   Once that’s
done, well be coming back here - and I assume you guys will want to talk
strategy or something, so I’ll figure out dinner.  Sound good?”

“It sounds excellent, Christine - but you don’t
have to serve us.  And you may be of help forming a strategy.”  Sir Andred
said.

“Maybe - but I didn’t say I wouldn’t help -
just that you four will be running the show.  And I don’t mind putting you up
for a few days, considering.  Well sort it out.”  Christine said.   “Think we
can head outside without anyone having panic attacks?”

Everyone nodded yes, so they headed out to
the front stoop, and down the walk to the garage.  My poor little Prius is still
here... I thought I’d never see it again.  God I’m glad to be home!   She
drove the car out of the garage, backing up so Erica and her friends could get
into the car.  Erica sat up front, and Maeve, Kai and Andred sat in the back.

“We good to go?”  Christine asked - when the
general answer was yes, she pulled out and headed out to Yonge street, and
turned right onto Steeles.  The traffic was pretty light for a Saturday
morning, and they made good time.  Kai and the others kept their eyes glued to
the windows, taking in the sights - while Erica was fretting quietly a bit in
the passenger seat.  The day was fairly sunny and warm, without being scorching
hot... a comfortable late summer day.  There was a nice soft breeze that made
the weather seem less intense than it otherwise might, and the smells and
noises of the city seemed - compared to yesterday - somewhat subdued.

Christine turned right onto Bayview and
headed south.  It was about 5 Km to Angie’s home - she was staying at Erica’s
dads house... but she didn’t say why when Christine texted her twenty minutes
ago...  It can’t be good...  My guess is that while we were gone he didn’t
make it, and she’s cleaning up his mess, or decided to stay there herself.   At
least she’s able to see us!   I get the impression she’d have crawled through
the phone to get to us herself if I hadn’t promised to bring Eric and I over
right away.   I just hope she doesn’t freak out when she sees what’s happened
to her little brother.

“Can you tell us anything about your sister,
Erica?  Or you Christine?”  Maeve asked, trying to get a read on Erica’s older
sister.

“Well, she’s about 28 years old - so about
eight years older than I am.”  Erica said.  “And she studied computer animation
at school and has her own animation studio in Toronto.  Animations studios take
really fancy drawings and make them look like the Balrog, in that movie we
watched.  We call that CGI - and it’s basically like making our machines cast illusion
spells for the TV.   I don’t know a lot about programming, but she’s really
good - and there aren’t a lot of women in her field, so she stands out.”

“How come?”  Kai asked.  “Do women not like
this CGI?”

“I dunno about that - some do, some don’t.
There’s a lot of men in the industry and they can be pretty sexist and act like
assholes when women start working with them - at least, if what Angie says is
true.  She said for the first three years out of college, she had to work twice
as hard to get half as much recognition, but she stayed at it because she loves
art, and likes seeing her creations come alive.”

“In Valris, it is readily believed that men
are too hot-tempered to govern properly.  As such, Women tend to be in
positions of power - with men as their seconds.  Their patience and wisdom is
said to be better suited for a leader than intellect and passion.  It is not so
on all of Mercia - Madragoor seems much as this place, with men in power and
women less so.”  Maeve said.  “Perhaps she would be happier if she hired all
women for her company - then she could make sure they all got a fair shake?”

Christine smiled.  As if!  “Our laws wouldn’t
allow for it, Maeve.  If she barred a man from being hired, she would be sued
for discrimination.”

“That makes no sense.  She runs a business.
Does she have no say over whom she hires and who she does not?  It sounds like
the government runs her business and she does the paperwork for them.”  Maeve
shook her head.  “At least it seems that way - I’m probably misreading the
situation with your strange rules and such.”

“Not really - a lot of people feel that way,
Maeve.  It’s just that our government is voted in, and we vote on anything and
everything.  It takes a long time to get anything done - good or bad - which
sucks when you want change - but is really good when the change might make
things worse.   Autocrats like you have, if they’re good, are really good for a
country - but when they’re bad, they can destroy a country.   I guess we took a
different path is all.”  Christine tried to explain the differences - but it
was soon obvious Maeve and the others were only barely following along.   Perhaps
it’s too different to explain easily.  How do you explain Democracy to people
who have never heard of it before?

A few moments later, Christine turned onto
the Bridle Path, and Erica turned to her, concerned.  “Is Angie at dad’s house,
Christine?   Is HE going to be there?”

“I don’t think he will be, Erica.  Yeah, your
sister is staying there at the moment.”  Christine said.  “We’re just about
there.”  Christine drove into a laneway that led up a long driveway, past a
large and lush green lawn with lovely landscaping and fences, up to a
magnificent house.  The Helstrome house itself was three stories, and made of
grey stone crawling with beautiful sheets of ivy, and decorated with beautiful
flowerbeds.  The windows were large bay windows and had attractive curtains and
sheers in them, but instead of being drawn, they were opened and the sunlight
was spilling in.   Boxes were piled everywhere.

“Sis is cleaning?”  Erica asked.

“I dunno – let’s ask her when we get inside.”
Christine answered.  “I’m sure she’ll tell us what’s going on.”

“I hope I’m ready for this.”   Erica said
nervously.  “I have no idea how she’ll react.”

“Well, if it’s about the gender thing,
probably better than when we tell her my neighbors were eaten by a real demon,
and not Al Qaeda.”  Christine said, laughing.  “It may take her a while, but I
think she’ll come around - she knows I don’t fall for crap or make up stories,
so she’ll figure it out eventually.”

Christine parked the car, and everyone
unbuckled, and piled out onto the flagstone driveway.  Everything about the
luxurious home screamed ‘wealthy mansion’ - and Erica’s friends marveled at the
sheer amount of wealth they assumed Erica’s father had amassed.

“It’s laudable that you’re willing to give
this up, Erica.”  Sir Andred said.  “Such humility and sacrifice befit’s
someone who is touched with holiness.”

“What?  No... it’s not that, Sir Andred.”
Erica said.  “It’s more like the reasons I have to go to Mercia are way better
than dad’s money.  If I was staying, I’d be ecstatic the family had money -
like in most places, it’s better to have than have not.”

“Yes, well if perhaps fewer church officials
back home thought that way, we would have fewer incidents of blackguards like
Vargas.  His lust for power and wealth drove him into the arms of the
Hserinyar.” Sir Andred commented.  “Money and power rarely combine to make
something wholly good - often quite the opposite.  I suppose it’s human nature.”

“Less talking, more following Christine.”
Christine said, impatiently.  “C’mon - let’s go.”

“Yeah, yeah.”  Kai laughed.  “We’re coming.”

Christine pulled Erica up to the door, and
pressed the doorbell.  Erica gulped in fear, and a few minutes later, the door
opened up - to reveal Erica’s sister Angie.  Angie was wearing a pair of
workout pants, and a t-shirt - she was obviously dressed casually on the
weekend.

“Oh my god!  Christine!  It’s good to see
you!   Where’s Eric?”  Angie looked around, past Erica and her friends,
obviously looking for her little brother.

“It’s a long story.  He’ll be here in a
second.”  Christine said.  “Can we come in?”

“Sure.  Who are your friends?”   Angie asked,
moving out of the way for Christine and her friends to get inside.

Christine waited until everyone was inside,
before talking.   “I think we should sit down first.  Can we use the living
room?”

“Use the rec room instead.  Where is Eric - you
know what happens when he’s left alone.  We just got him off the streets,
Christine.  He can’t go back - not this time.  He won’t make it if he does - I
just know it.”  Angie looked really worried.

Erica could tell Christine wanted his sister
sitting down before she was told, but Erica couldn’t leave her hanging like
that.  “Sis...  I’m right here.  I’m Eric - but it’s Erica now.”

Angie looked at Erica, like she was examining
her closely.  “Bullshit.  My brother was 5' 11" and you’re barely 5'
6", and you weigh less than half what he did.  No way did that happen in
six weeks.”  She turned to Christine, and looked angry.  “What kind of game are
you playing at?  You disappear for six weeks and the police are all going nuts
- what the hell is going on?”

“Were trying to tell you, if you let us.”
Christine said, ushering everyone downstairs to the rec room.  Angie, obviously
mad followed closely on her tail.  Christine motioned for the others to sit,
and they quickly took seats.

“First of all, this young woman is Erica.
Ask her anything – she’ll prove it.  Eric also had his schizophrenia cured -
his voices are gone.  We’ve been... away... for a while.”

“Again, bullshit Christine!  No operation in
the world can do what you claim - and there’s no cure for schizophrenia,
either.  Tell me the truth or get the fuck out of my house before I call the
police.”

Christine looked hurt.  I should have
expected this.  She thought.

Erica looked worried too.  “It’s all true,
Angie.  I’m Eric - I was taken to another world, and while I was there, my
schizophrenia was cured - and then a bad guy killed me, and I woke up in this
body.  I know it sounds crazy - but please, ask me anything - I’ll answer it.”

“More like you want the inheritance.  You
should know, Dad left everything to me - he cut Eric out the will entirely.  He
was an asshole for it - but if you’re hoping for a piece of the fortune, you’re
out of luck.”

So Dad’s dead.  Wow.  I don’t even know how
to feel... and unless Angie starts listening to us, were dead in the water.
Gah!
“Oh for fucks sake, Angie!”  Erica yelled.  “You’ve suspected I was gay or
trans or something since I was caught dressing in your clothes when I was 10
years old.  You used to sing me lullabies after mom committed suicide in that
shitty clinic out west, cause dad couldn’t be bothered to take care of her.
You screamed at me for three weeks after I took the stuffing out of Mr. Yuffie,
your toy doll you loved when you grew up, and mom left me a note about demons
and spiders that we never told anyone outside the family, to preserve her
memory.  It screwed me up for years - and you were so mad at her about it -
because it made her suicide my fault.  You got me off the streets three times
in the last five years - and the last day I saw you, dad told me he hated me,
and would hate me until the day I died.  Well, I died five weeks ago, and I
came back.  Ask me some fucking questions... PLEASE.”

“Eric?”  She asked, haltingly.  “How is this
possible?   Keep talking.”  Angie looked a bit shaken, and sat down on a chair
nearby.

“It’s a long story.  You argued with dad
constantly about the graphic artist and computer animation thing - so much so,
you left home and financed it yourself and made good.  You had a boyfriend
named Todd - but he moved to BC and you didn’t go with him because you needed
to take care of me.   You made sure my leather jacket - which I loved - was at
the Neilson Clinic when I went there... and you drove me back to the clinic...
what you don’t know is what happened after you dropped me off.”  Erica said.

“A demon came to find me - a real, honest to
gods demon - and kill Maeve.”  Erica said, pointing at Maeve.  “When he came,
he started killing the patients at the Neilson Clinic and Maeve and I ran like
hell.  We stole a police car, and got the fuck out of there and went to
Christine’s house... The demon chased us - and would have killed us, but I
somehow used magic to take us to this other world called Mercia.   I’ve learned
magic - a bit of it, as well as other things.”

“First of all, I was never crazy - I was
psychically linked to this girl...”  Erica said, moving her hands down her
sides to show ‘this is me’.   “The voices I was hearing were due to the link
between us being tampered with, by demons in the places between worlds.   My
friends come from another world - a world where we’ve been for the last six
weeks - and while we were there, I was killed and woke up in her body.   I’m
Erica now - and I’m happy.  My voices are gone.  I’m at peace with myself.  I
have friends - hell, I have a boyfriend,” She said, motioning towards Kai.
“And when my work here is done, I’m going back there, to stay.  Forever.  I don’t
want dad’s money - I never did.  I just wanted to tell you I was safe, and I
loved you.  I wanted to say goodbye.”

Angie looked stunned.  “Buh...  Eric?  Is it
you?  You sound nucking futz, you know that, don’t you?”

“Tell me about it.  Maeve’s a sorceress - she’s
been teaching me spells.  I’ll prove it to you if you want... I’ll make a
light, or an illusion.  Just ask me what you want.”  Erica said.  “You decide -
that way I can’t have possibly programmed anything in advance to scam you.”

“Okay...  Show me our mom from Eric’s
nightmares - the one he never told anyone but me about, when he cried himself
to sleep in my room.”   Angie looked smug, like shed put one over on Erica and
Christine.   “I can’t believe Eric would ever talk about that to anyone - he
was terrified of that.”

“I never did talk to anyone about it, Sis.
But it’s okay - Moms in a better place.  I’ll show you.”

Angie
had the good manners to look surprised as Erica started concentrating, trying
to get into the nairya - the trance that sorcerers used to winnow out distractions
and aid their spellcasting.  Erica wasn’t an expert at it yet - loud noises,
and physical movement could disrupt her concentration - but she was much better
than many apprentices who’d been at it for four years.

Erica concentrated, and started focusing
power - much like she did when Maeve taught her to alter the moons reflection
at the Moongate outside of Wethom.  Making an image from whole cloth was much
harder than altering an existing image to look different, so she used herself
as a template for her mother.   At least I can’t see it, she thought.
I would totally freak out if I saw what they’re all about to see.  Askeline, if
you can hear me, please give me strength!

Erica felt a bit calmer and safer after her
quick prayer - like the calm and secure feeling came from within her - and
progressed with the spell.   She overlaid the image of Laura, Erica’s mom
overtop of herself - and then had the image say the fateful words that had so
terrified Eric for years...  “What’s wrong Eric?  Are you afraid of a few
spiders?”   Truth be told, Erica was still terrified of spiders, even after
most of her problems with voices and worse had been resolved.  She suspected
she always would be.  Concentrating, she made the image of Laura Van Helstrome start
leaking spiders from every orifice, while approaching Angie for a hug.

Angie saw the spectre of her dead mother come
to life in front of her very eyes, covering the woman claiming to be her
sister.   The shimmering illusion started talking in her mother’s voice - which
was impossible - holograms don’t talk!   And when the image started leaking
spiders from every crevice, and split open to fall onto the floor like a
horrific swarm, she did what any sane person would do... she screamed in terror
and fainted.

“Well that could have gone better.”  Maeve
said.  “Nice work on the illusion, Erica.  Chilling.”

Kai just got up and gave Erica a hug.  “No
one should ever have to see something like that - especially not inside ones
head.  You must have been living in hell.”

“Yeah, kind of, Kai.  I’m glad I’m better
now.”  She said, hugging him back.

Christine was kneeling down next to her
friend, and sighed.  “We’re going to need some smelling salts, I think.”

Sir Andred tossed her some.  “I carry them on
me.”  He said.  “I need them on occasion.”

“Thanks.”  Christine waved them under Angie’s
nose, and she quickly woke up coughing.

“You okay?”  She asked.

“I’ve been better.  Was that real - I mean a
real illusion?  That looked exactly what Eric described ten years ago.  It was
creepy as hell.”  Angie still looked shaken.  “Magic is real?  You’re really
Eric?  What the fuck is going on?”

Erica sighed.  “Just what I said sis.  Magic
is real - Demons are real, and bad stuff is happening.  If Maeve, Kai, Sir
Andred and I can’t stop it a hell of a lot of people are going to die.  More
than a hundred and twenty people have already died on Mercia to stop what’s
going to happen here - and if it does, it’ll be a disaster.  When were done
dealing with the bad guy, we can get a lift back to Mercia - but we can never
return.  That was the deal.”

“I...  I don’t know how it’s possible.”
Angie said, haltingly.  “But I’m sure Eric would never have shown that to
anyone unless he was forced.  I mean Erica...   That’s you in there, Eric?
Damn - you must be confused.  I know I am.”

“I was, at first - but I’m really happy.”
Erica said.  “I wasn’t expecting it, but I don’t think Id switch back if I
could.”

“Um... wow - that’s quite a declaration...
Does your uh... boyfriend... have anything to do with that decision?”

“What?  Kai?   No, surprisingly he didn’t.  I
want to stay this way because I’m happier like this - I always wanted it, but
couldn’t tell you, and I sure as hell couldn’t tell dad.   Part of it was
because of the schizophrenia, and the mental confusion, and the rest was just
stupid plain fear.   I am glad I met Kai.”  She said, squeezing her boyfriend’s
hand.  “But I would have stayed this way with or without him.”

Angie stood with some help from Sir Andred
and Christine, and sat down in a chair across the room from Erica and the
others, and took a moment to compose herself.  “I think I need a drink with
this one.  What about you, Christine?  And your friends?”

“I wouldn’t say no to a drink.” Christine
said.  “And I doubt neither would any of the others, except maybe Erica.  Then
again, maybe she wouldn’t.”

“Not for me, Christine.  I’ll have a pop.”
Erica said.  “I’m not sure I want a drink at the moment.”

“Yeah - cause you’re a lightweight, Erica...”
Christine joked.  “She got blitzed off of one pint of lager.   She needed help
to get upstairs.”

Erica just stuck her tongue out at her
friend, and grabbed a can of soda from the fridge behind the bar.  “Anyone else
want a soda, or are you having booze?”

“I’ll try a soda and a booze.”  Said Kai.  “Just
to see what soda is like.”

“Me too.”  Maeve said.

Sir Andred politely declined either, but
asked if he could instead have his pipe - which Angie allowed.  Soon, he was
puffing away - and the others had drinks of various sorts and descriptions and
were sitting down.   Angies drink was scotch and soda - light on the soda.

“So,” Angie began.  “Maybe you should
introduce all your friends, Erica.”

“Sure.”  Erica said.  “This is Maeve Varda.
She’s an investigator - like a detective with a double-oh rating like James
Bond - for her church back on Mercia.  The church in Valris, the country where
we arrived in is the government.   It was a good place, and she was the best.”
Maeve preened a bit at the description.

“This is Kai – Maeve’s friend, a hunter and a
woodsman, a great warrior - and my boyfriend.  I died saving his life during
our adventures.  I’ll explain later.”  Kai smiled and squeezed Erica’s hand.   “And
the last is Sir Andred - he’s a Holy Knight, like the Templars of the middle
ages - except he has holy magical powers.   He started off as a foe - but we
soon convinced him we were the good guys, and he’s helped us ever since.   He’s
a good man.”

“Ah well, it didn’t happen quite like that,
Serra Helstrome.”  Sir Andred said, a little uncomfortably.   “I did try and
have my men kill Kai and Maeve - and you and Christine too.”

“Aye, and damn near succeeded.”  Kai said,
rubbing where Sir Andred’s mace had struck him in the head.  “My skull still
has a crease where your damn mace hit it.”

“You’re lucky you’re still breathing.  I’ve killed
a Cairn shadow with a single blow with that mace.”  Sir Andred boasted.   It
was no mean boast - Cairn shadows were powerful six limbed mountain lions with
coats as black as night - stealthy, deadly hunters almost impossible to see due
to powerful innate protective magics.   They were greatly feared by many in
Valris - especially by the arboreal Reechi, who were their favorite meal.

“Then may the gods continue to grant you
inaccuracy and weak limbs.”  Kai joked.  Some laughter from the others
lightened the mood.

“Anyway, these three people saved our lives -
mine and Christine’s - several times.  They’re good friends, and I trust them.
Please treat them as such, okay?”  Erica asked.

Angie smiled.  “Erica - you’ve never had many
friends.  Of course I’ll treat them well.”  She sighed.  “Please - tell me what
happened from the beginning - from when you returned to the Neilson clinic,
until now.  I need to know what happened.  How did you die and come back, for
example?”

“It’s going to be a long story, sis.”  Erica
laughed.  “We’d better make sure we have enough to drink.” Erica began telling
the story, with Christine joining in and taking over where appropriate.  Kai
and Maeve - and Sir Andred - all had their moments telling their part of the
tale - with the exception that both Erica and Maeve left out any reference to
the demon confronting Maeve about her brother, Nile.  Angie didn’t notice the
omission - but Kai obviously noticed the missing reference - and looked at
Maeve as if to say ‘we’ll talk later, right?’

Soon the conversation wended its way to the
end - at the Priory of St. Jillian, and Erica’s second visitation by the
Goddess Askeline - and her assumption of the Inner Light, followed by their
arrival on Earth and subsequent travails to get to Christine’s house.   By now,
several hours had passed - and what had been late morning was mid afternoon.  A
tray of snacks had been devoured, as well as several beverages of the alcoholic
and non-alcoholic variety.

“So let me get this straight.”  Angie said.  “Erica
has a freaking Halo!?  I gotta see it.”

“Aww, really?”  Erica groaned.  “I don’t like
bringing it out. C’mon.”

Christine laughed.  “C’mon Erica - it’s not
like she’s ever going to see it again if you guys succeed.”

“Fine - but if you faint again, it’s not my
fault.”  Erica warned.  “Here.”  She concentrated, closing her eyes and feeling
the warm, inner light rise through her, above her, until it was floating around
her head illuminating the room and her head in a soft glow.  Once again, she
felt somewhat less than she did when it was within her... It felt like a piece
of her was missing, somehow, like she was more alone than a moment before.

Angie stared, and gaped in disbelief.   A
minute passed before she could speak again.  “That’s not a spell, is it - not
an illusion?”

“No, it isn’t.”   Christine said.  “When
Erica first came to us with her second vision, she didn’t even know she was
doing it.  Sir Andred had to tell her what it was, and Maeve too.”

“I honestly don’t know what to say.  You can
put it away, Erica.  Don’t be ashamed of that - it’s special.” Angie said,
obviously affected by seeing the halo.

“I know it is - but I just want to be normal
for a while.”  Erica said.  “I’m not ashamed of it - I’m just scared of being
treated like something I’m not.”  Thankfully, Erica’s friends refrained from
reminding her she actually might be - for which she was grateful.   Erica
concentrated and drew the Inner Light back into herself, and the halo
disappeared.

“So now what?”  Angie asked.  “You need to
find Vargas - and presumably kill the shit out of him and his snake men
buddies.   And you have a time limit.”

“Pretty much.” Maeve answered.  “The more time
he has to get ahead of us, the more time he has to complete his plan.  The
worst part is we don’t know where he’s going.”

“Yeah,” Christine said.  “He’s probably going
to need to confer with a scholar or professor or something to find out what he
needs to know - and so are we.”

“That’s not a problem.”  Angie said.  “I can
get you an appointment with anyone you need to see.  I can also get Erica’s
paperwork updated - after all, after her six weeks in the clinic getting SRS
surgery, she’ll need a new Drivers License, OHIP Card, and a bunch of other
stuff.   You guys will need money too, won’t you?   I can get that as well -
and a vehicle to go after him with.”

“But I didn’t spend six weeks in a clinic.”
Erica said.  “How will you get a doctor to lie about that and say he performed
surgery on me?”

“Erica, I love you and all, but sometimes you
are soooo naieve.  Do you have any idea how fast I can get all that stuff done
with a teensy fraction of dad’s money?  Like maybe less than 24 hours - and it wouldn’t
even touch the interest made on the money today.   I can get you an ID packet
that’ll pass inspection by a minor police check in less than that - and full ID
that’s ironclad and legal in less than a week, give or take a day or two.   I
can even hire a team to do research for you on this Tiamat - if you need it -
and help get you guys out of jail if you’re arrested.  It’s amazing what a million-dollar
lawyer can do if properly motivated.”

“Wow.  I guess money is our superpower.
Well, yours anyway.”  Erica said, a little surprised.  “How do you know all
this stuff.”

Angie smirked a little ironically.  “When dad
passed away, his security chief came to me and told me I was the new CEO of
Helstrome on Bay, and needed to know what services he could provide.  He was a
troubleshooter and a problem solver who worked for dad - and now he works for
me.  His name is Harlan Branscombe.  He’s been a big help the last few weeks,
in all sorts of things.”  Angie said.  “Dad was involved with some pretty shady
people, Erica.  It started after mom died - and just grew.  I wouldn’t say he’s
like the Kingpin, in your Spiderman comics - but he probably laundered money
for him.   I’ve been trying to decide what to do about that... But I’ll deal
with that later.”

Dad was a crook as well as a bastard?
Fucking hell!
Erica groaned.  I remember Harlan though… Didn’t we call him ‘Uncle Harlan’
when we were younger?  “No offence, but I’m glad it’s your mess to sort
out.”

“Thanks, squirt.”  Angie said.  “Real big
help there.  She smiled to show she didn’t really mean it.  At the very least,
I can get you and Christine some ATM cards that should cover all your expenses
while you’re on this road trip.  How bad will things get if he succeeds?”

“Were not exactly sure, but the term ‘apocalyptic’
has been bandied about more than once.”  Erica said.  “It’ll be really bad.
Tiamat’s body is supposed to be the sky and the earth - so think meteor showers
and earthquakes and tsunamis at the very least.”

“Peachy.”  Angie said wryly.  “Maybe it’s time
to visit the mountain cabin?”

“I dunno where would be safe.”  Erica said.  “So
you might as well stay near your people.”

Angie got up, and came over to Erica, giving
her a good, firm hug.  “Welcome home, little brother.  I’m glad you’re finally
happy.”  She gave Erica a kiss on the cheek, and wrapped Kai in a big hug too -
much to his surprise.  “Hi Kai.  I hope you and Erica are really happy
together.”

“Thank you, Angie.”  Kai said.  “I hope we will
be as well.”

“Could you all wait here a moment, while I
make a call or two?   I’ll be back soon.”  Once the others nodded their assent,
Angie went upstairs, and the others had a moment to talk.

Maeve waited a few moments.  “Do you think
she believes us?”  She asked.

Erica thought a moment.  “Yeah - I think she
does.  I think she’s not sure how it’s even possible - but she believes me.  She’s
called me on enough bullshit in the past that if she thought I was lying now,
she’d call me on it - not pretend to go along with it.   What I can’t believe
is how fast she said she could get us some documents and a car.”

“Money is the same in Mercia too, Erica.
Those that have it can accomplish what seems difficult or impossible to those
that do not.”  Sir Andred said.  “You would be wise to look at the world and
learn.  You are somewhat naieve, as your sister said - and it makes you
vulnerable.  It’s one of the things that draws people to you - your sense of
innocence - but you need to learn the ways of the world as quickly as you can,
or else you will be taken advantage of.”

Erica smiled at Sir Andred.  “I know - but
until then, I know I’ll be okay with you and the others watching out for me.
And I’m not as naieve as you might assume.  I saw a lot of how the world works
while I was on the street - and I know a lot of it isn’t pretty.”

Sir Andred nodded, satisfied.  “All right
then, Erica.  I won’t belabour the point.  It is enough that you are aware of
the issue.”

“I think that went better than expected.”
Christine said, smiling.  “I was sure we were going to have to get Maeve to
calm her down from hysterics with magic, at the least.”

“I suspected that might be the case as well.”
Maeve chuckled.  “I’m glad I didn’t need to.”

A few moments later, Angie returned to the
rec room, and approached Christine.  “Hey Chrissie.  I got a hold of Harlan,
and he can get you and your pals the ID, the car, and the money needed by
tomorrow afternoon.   Are you going with them on this road trip?”

“Hell no!”  Christine laughed.  “I’m done
with crazy snake men sorcerers.  I’m gonna try and deflect the cops from them,
or at least try to get the cops thinking of them as the good guys and Vargas as
the bad guy.   Hey - maybe I’ll even pin the massacre at the Nielson Clinic on him.
It was his fault anyway.”

“You’re going to need an airtight story.
Would it be alright if Harlan dropped by tonight to help you work out the kinks
in the story - so when you talk to the police you don’t say something you
regret?”  Angie asked.

Christine thought about it - and realized she
might need some help on this if she wanted to avoid being thought of as a
suspect...  “Sure - I can talk with him.  Does he have a lot of experience in
this stuff?”

“It seems he has a lot of experience with
pretty near everything.”  Angie said.  “I haven’t found anything he can’t do
yet.”

“I’ll see him around 7pm then?”  Christine
asked.

“Sounds good - I’ll send him over.  He’ll
want to see Erica too - just to say hi, and make sure she’s okay.  He’s
apparently been in the shadows watching both of us grow up for our whole damn
lives, and thinks of himself as ‘Uncle Harlan’.  He’s actually got some
information on the gang that hurt Erica’s friends too.”

“He does!?”  Erica said, surprised.  “I’ll
definitely want to talk to him, before he goes.”

“I’ll make sure he talks to you then, Erica.”
Angie said.   “He’ll visit tonight, and bring the ID, money and car over
tomorrow morning.  I’ll make sure you get the appointment you need too.”

“Thanks.” Christine said gratefully.  “It’ll
be a lot easier this way.”

“Yeah, thanks sis.”  Erica added.  “Um... can
I talk to you for a sec, in private?”

Angie looked at her brother-cum-sister a
little oddly.  “Sure, I guess so.  What’s up?”   Angie walked away from Erica’s
friends as she said it, giving them a little space for privacy.   Erica
followed her.  “You seem like you have a few questions, Erica - is everything
okay?”

“Well, I have a couple.”  Erica said.  The
first is I’d like to know if you can help Christine set up a new business.  She’s
probably lost her job, and she’s out a lot of money by helping us - about three
grand I’d guess - and she’s going to need help getting her company off the
ground.”

“Short answer?  No problem, Sis.  I probably
would have helped without even being asked.  What else is on your mind?”
Angie put her hand on Erica’s forearm in a gesture of comfort and acceptance.  “Is
it about you coming back as a girl?  Or having a boyfriend?  Or is it both?”

Erica blushed shyly.  “Kinda a bit of both.
Are you okay with that?”

“Yeah, silly, I am.  I suspected something
like it ages ago, and was just waiting for you to trust me enough to tell me
about it.  I might have been able to help make it easier for you - as long as
we tried to keep it secret from dad.   I’m glad you’re happy - and I’m glad you’ve
found people you care about.” Angie sniffed a bit, sounding a bit sad and
confused.  “I’m not too keen on this going with them and never coming back part
- but I’m sure we’ll get a chance to talk before you leave again.  I just want
to understand why you can’t stay a bit better.”

“I promise, sis, that if I can, well talk
before I go.  I promise - and if I can’t talk before we go, I’ll try to send
you a message explaining it all in as much detail as I can - okay?”   Erica
asked.

“I suppose that’s enough, for now.  We’ll
have to get together and talk, if you have time when this whatever-it-is, is
over.  Do you think this Vargas has the ability to do what you say he plans on
doing?”

“Sis, if he didn’t, he never would have
bothered coming here.  This is something his people have been planning for
decades - maybe several decades - and they’re not about to stop until they
succeed or we stop them.   I think he can do it, and that scares me.  A lot.
Maeve has powerful magic, and I’m learning pretty quickly as well - but even
so, it’s going to be a very close match when we meet.  And as for us talking, I
think I’d like that - even if I know you plan to embarrass the hell out of me.”

Angie smirked.  “Hey - Damn right I am!  What
are sisters for?”

*           *           *

Two hours later, Christine and the others got
back to her home on Nipigon Ave.   Oh my god... Christine thought.  I never
like grocery shopping, but it was like the Eaton’s center all over again.   And
again with the questions - holy crap that gets tiring fast.  At least Erica
doesn’t seem to get bored with answering them.   That’s a blessing, at least.

“Do we have everything?”  Christine asked
once more.  “I don’t want to forget anything in the car.”

“We’ve got it all.”  Kai said, holding about
4 shopping bags in one hand, and 3 in the other.  Sir Andred had 2 bags in each
hand as well, and Maeve was holding a case of bottled water, and Erica a case
of soda pop.   Christine herself had her purse and keys in one hand, and 2
shopping bags in the other.

After Christine unlocked the door and got
everyone inside, they all carried their bags to the kitchen to put away.  Bag
after bag was dutifully left on the kitchen floor for Christine to find a new
home for.   At least I had help bringing all this in - I had to replace
practically everything in my fridge, and what was still good got used this
morning at breakfast!  Christine thought.

“Thanks everyone.”  She said

“No problem.”  Erica replied.  “Need a hand
putting stuff away?”

“No - but thanks Erica – I’d just have to
tell you where everything went anyway.  I’ll do it.  Why don’t you get the
others downstairs if they want the Playstation, or whatever.”

“Sure.”  Erica left Christine in the kitchen,
and headed upstairs.

Christine started putting away the various
groceries - thankful for the third time that Erica had explained about bottled
water to Maeve and Kai instead of letting her do it.  Blood would have flowed
freely if she’d been asked too many more questions...   I’m starting to
learn I’m not as patient as I imagined I was.  It’s probably a good thing I’m
not a mommy at the moment - I don’t think I’d be good at it.

Away went the peas and carrots, the potatoes
and onions.   Christine moved on autopilot, the familiar sense of being in her
own kitchen, in her own home comforting her.   Eggs in the fridge, along with
the soy milk and cheese.   Salads in the crisper...  The routine of it all
allowed her to relax and calm down.   Little by little the grocery mound shrunk
and shrunk, and with it Christine’s bad mood and stress, finally being reduced
to a more manageable level.   I might have a bit of a temper too.  She
thought.  I’d better watch that.

Finished at last, she sighed, and sat in one
of her kitchen chairs.   I guess we’re going to need dinner again, she
thought.  I think I’ll do take out again - I don’t feel like cooking.  I might
as well call them now and get it over with - I’m going to have a busy night
with Angie’s friend Harlan if I don’t want to screw up my story with the
police.   Christine reached for the phone and started dialing, wondering
what the others were up to.

*           *           *

Kai smirked as Maeve turned on the
Playstation box that had the adventure training simulator called Skyrim.   It
was much like the movies Erica and Christine showed them - very well done art
and sound, except you could control the actor.  It was intriguing.   He didn’t
hear most of Maeve’s explanations about what she was doing and why, other than
she was trying to clean out some mountain dungeon and find a golden claw.  He
was too interested in watching the game being played.

“Fifteenth time’s the charm, eh Maeve?”  Sir
Andred laughed.  “You’ll beat this if you try long enough.”

“Very funny, Sir Andred.”  Maeve groaned.  “I
think I was close last time too.”

The three of them settled down for a while to
watch Maeve clean out the dungeon in the video game - or die trying.  Kai
realized that his earlier revelation was correct - he was somehow losing his
ability to be astonished at this strange world...  First the cars, and the
towers of glass - and then the movies and TV and luxurious homes - and now
finally the opulence and excess of the market called Sobeys...  It was too
much.  If he stopped to marvel at all of it, his brain would shut down, and he
would cease to function.  Instead, it was easier to chalk it up to ‘Erica’s
home is wondrous and strange’ and leave it at that.  Think about it later - not
now.   He watched Maeve proceed through the dungeon with interest.  It wasn’t
until her seventeenth attempt about a half-hour later that they realized
neither Christine nor Erica had come down to join them.   Kai wished Maeve good
luck, and went upstairs to find his girlfriend.

*           *           *

Erica walked into the room she and Kai were
sharing, and flopped down onto the bed.   I can’t believe it, she
thought.  Dad’s dead.  He’s gone.    Erica didn’t know what to think -
her emotions were all roiled up and wound up inside her, like a ball of barbed
wire ready to spring open.  On one hand, she was glad - glad the bastard that
hated her and made her life hell was gone - and on the other hand, she had just
lost her dad, and shed never gotten him to forgive her.  It didn’t matter that
he probably never would have - what mattered is she didn’t get the chance to
try.   As she lay there, fighting with herself whether she should mourn or
cheer, Erica started to cry.  It was slow at first - just a few tears, but soon
it was many - and then she began sobbing lightly.

Her fragile emotions broke wide open, and the
flood of feelings shed been holding back for years came tumbling out - hatred
of the man who hated her in turn, and resentment of the way he blamed Erica for
his own failings, or his wife’s, Erica’s mom Laura.  There was also remorse and
guilt - guilt he wasn’t a better son, that he hadn’t tried harder for his mom -
and that his failure might have been the cause for the change in his father.
Erica knew it didn’t make sense - but the tears and sobs kept coming as she
tried to work it out of her, tried to purge the emotions and get them under
control again.

Erica knew her dad loved her once; when she
was young - maybe ten years old and still Eric, life was good.  It wasn’t until
Eric developed what they thought was schizophrenia at the time, that things
started to go bad.  Mom had her breakdown...  Dad blamed her and me for
everything... It wasn’t fair.  Why couldn’t he see we needed him - he just
shut us out and made it our fault.  I needed him... and now he’s gone.
Erica cried some more, the sobs still coming strong.   It was all about him
and never about us.   Now he’ll never forgive us - so fuck him!   “You hear
that, you bastard!”  She yelled.  “Fuck you!  Fuck you, bastard.  I hate you!
God I hate you!  I hope you’re fucking happy now!”  The emotions shed been
trying to control burst out, and she sobbed uncontrollably on the bed.   The
warm light inside her made the pain bearable, but only just, and she sobbed and
sobbed.

A few minutes later, she felt Kai sitting
down next to her on the bed, and gathering her up for a hug.  “It’s okay,
Erica...  It’s okay.”  He said, stroking her long silky hair, and holding her
in his arms.  Erica melted into his embrace, still sobbing, and slowly calmed
as her boyfriend stroked her hair and comforted her with his presence.   It
took some time, but eventually the sobs ended, leaving Erica a sniffly, puffy
eyed and red-faced example of woman-hood.

“Heh.”  She said, sniffling.  “I guess I look
a mess.  Thanks for that, Kai.”

“No problem, Erica.  It’s part of the job
description, isn’t it?  Sniffly nose and all?”  Kai said, kissing her on the
nose.  “Any time, okay?”

“Okay, Kai.  I love you.”   Erica gave Kai a
hug, and just embraced him, holding him in the hug.

Love!?   Kai thought.  Maybe she doesn’t mean it
- like those words that mean something else?   Damn, I don’t know.  I know my
heart melted when I saw her crying... I just wanted to hold her and make the
pain go away.  I hope she meant it.    “It’s okay, Erica.  I love you too.”
He hugged her close and hoped he hadn’t said too much, too soon.   Time would
tell.

They held each other a while, before
rejoining the others.

Chapter 6 – Questions

It was shortly after dinner, around 7pm when
Harlan Branscombe arrived at Christine’s home.   Harlan was six feet tall, and
squarely built with an air of strength and capability around himself.  He had
graying brown hair, and a grizzled salt-and-pepper beard, a long tan trenchcoat
and a brown fedora.   He looked to be in his fifties - but still hale and
quick.

Christ, he looks sort of like my uncle Ray, Christine thought.
“C’mon inside.  Mr. Branscombe, I presume?”

“Yes, ma’am.  I understand you’re Christine
Vallan, a friend of Angela’s.  I’m here to talk to you and Eric... I mean
Erica, and help you with your story for the police.”   Harlan said.   “If it’s
any help, I’m glad you survived the massacres - the one that spilled out here
from the Neilson Clinic.”

“Right - Al Qaeda.”  Christine said.  “Thanks.
Just hang your coat up here,” she said, motioning to the closet.  “We’re in the
kitchen.”  Christine waited for Harlan to remove his shoes and jacket, and led him
to the kitchen, where Kai, Maeve, Andred and Erica were polishing off the KFC
and Pizza.   They liked it so much yesterday, I knew they wouldn’t mind it
again.  Hell, it might be the last time any of them ever eat pizza from Earth.
Let them enjoy it.

“Harlan is here to help me with my story,
guys.  We’ll need the kitchen - could you clean up when you’re finished, and
head down stairs?”

“No problem,” said Sir Andred.  “I would like
for us to continue watching the movie about the enchanted ring and the broken
fellowship.  I would not want the fair hobbit’s to suffer at the hands of those
beastmen.”

“Me too,” said Kai.  “Would you come set it
up Erica - you know we don’t know how to operate that DVD device.”

“Sure - I just have to talk to Harlan first,
okay.  I’ll be down in a minute.”  Erica said.

“I take it, miss that you’re Erica van
Helstrome?”  Harlan asked Erica.  It was obvious he was astonished at her
changes...  He knew too well the limits of plastic surgery, and the changes
Eric had gone through seemed more than extreme... they seemed miraculous - or impossible,
depending on your choice of adverbs.  I wonder if that’s really Eric, or
someone else.  It boggles the mind to believe it, but damn!

“Yes.”  She said.  “I used to be Eric, but I
changed my name.”  Erica continued on, pointing at each of her friends.  “This
is Maeve Varda, Kyrodin - he goes by Kai - Gellere, and Andred Duchesne.  They’re
my good friends, and each of them has worked hard to keep Christine and I alive
for the last six weeks.  We’d both be dead without their help.”

Interesting, Harlan thought.  So
Maeve is the woman the police think was part of the massacre at the clinic.  It
seems she was part of the solution, and not part of the problem.  Good.  “You
know, miss, the police are looking for you - they think you might be involved
with the attack on the Clinic.”

Maeve just looked confused - and Erica
realized that Sir Andred still had her translation amulet.  Gah!  “Sorry
Harlan - she’s got a rough time with English.  I’ll translate for her.”  She
continued in Valdan.  “Maeve, this is Angie’s helper. My Uncle Harlan - he says
the police think you’re responsible for the massacre at the clinic - the asylum
- where you found me, with the demon.  He’s warning you.”

Maeve nodded.  “Thanks Erica.  Maybe I’d
better head downstairs before our strange lack of being able to talk the
language becomes an issue.  I should have tried to requisition a third translation
amulet from the church before we left, but the paperwork is a nightmare.  I
figured we could make do - maybe I was wrong.”

“Don’t worry about it.  I’ll meet you guys
downstairs.  Maybe you’d all better vamoose... I mean head out.  I’ll talk with
Harlan.”  Erica sighed...  This language barrier is a giant pain in the ass.

Harlan waited patiently as Erica talked to
Maeve in something that sounded similar to Gaelic or Welsh, but was obviously
quite different.  Harlan had Welsh grandparents, and he didn’t recognize a
single word Erica spoke - although the language was smooth and lyrical in its
sound, and seemed oddly similar, like he SHOULD have understood it.

Kai stood up, and helped Andred and Maeve
clear the table.  “Well get out of your way, Ser Harlan.”  Kai said.  “It’ll
probably be easier that way.”  They cleaned up, and headed downstairs.

“I’ll be down shortly.”  Erica said.

Harlan couldn’t help notice Erica and
Christine wince at the whole situation - obviously there was more going on here
than they were comfortable telling, which was fine with him.   In fact, the
only ones looking largely unconcerned were Maeve, Kai and Andred.  They looked
like they were ready to kill him if he stepped out of place - and he realized
that perhaps they were.  These three are trained killers, he thought.  They
would have no trouble killing anyone who brought trouble to this house, for
sure, and they sure as hell wouldn’t lose any sleep over it.  And Erica looks
like she might be heading that way too.  Who have you fallen in with, kid?

“I take it they’re from somewhere where they don’t
have DVD players?”  Harlan asked.

“Yeah - they grew up in a commune from far
away.  No technology at all.”  Erica lied.  “They like TV but they’re a bit
scared of cars.”

“Whatever, Erica.  I don’t care about where
they came from - I just came to help get Christine’s story straight and to see
if you’re all right.  The rest isn’t my business.”  Like hell it isn’t.  If
I don’t have a dossier on those three by dawn, I’ll have to talk seriously to
my team of researchers.  Seriously, no one gets the training those three have
had, and gets to the age that Andred apparently is, without leaving some sort
of records somewhere.  Commune my ass.  If these friends of Erica are a risk to
Angela, I need to know.

“Okay.” Erica said, obviously not fully
believing him.  “What did you want to ask me?  I’d like to sort this out so I
can go get the movie set up for my friends - and that way you and Christine can
have privacy... I think she wouldn’t mind a break from them for a while either.”

“You’re not kidding.”  Christine said.  “One
more question and I’d explode.”

“I take it they aren’t familiar with our
country?”  Harlan asked.

“Not really.”  Christine said.  “Like Erica
said, they grew up in some sort of technology free commune.”

Sure they did, he thought.  What
game are you two playing at?   “If you don’t mind I’d like to take Erica to
another room, and chat with her in private.  Do you mind?”

“Nope.”  Christine said.  “Not if Erica is
fine with it.”

“I’m okay.”  Erica said.  “Let’s go.”  Erica
led Harlan into the living room on the ground floor, where she sat in a comfy
chair.  “I guess you have some questions - and some information about the gang
that killed my friends, Norm and Dave.  I’d like to hear both.”  Erica was
friendly, and polite - but also trying to take charge of the situation and lead
it - not just follow.

Harlan nodded, a bit surprised.  This was not
like the Eric he knew... the Eric who ate from dumpsters and cried about
spiders while sleeping in trash piles on the streets.  The Eric who heard
voices, and who was barely able to talk to people without looking erratic and
crazy.   Who is this person?   It’s obvious Angela believes she is who she
says she is...  “I take it the events of the last six weeks changed you?  I
mean besides the obvious... you look calmer, more in control.  I take it you’re
on medication, and it’s working?”

“Yeah.”  Erica said.  “I feel like the voices
are gone.  It’s pretty amazing actually.”  She smiled.  “You’re wondering if I’m
really Eric, aren’t you?  Or if I’m some imposter after dad’s money?”

She’s more perceptive too.  Hrmmm.  “Actually yes - it’s
my job to worry about these things.  Angela doesn’t realize that there are a
large number of people who would try to assume your identity to get what she
has... and I intend to protect her from that.”

“That’s great, Harlan, cause I don’t want any
of her money.  I’m going to do a short trip with some of my friends - the ones
downstairs - and then I’m leaving with them to go back to their commune.  I don’t
want Angela’s money - and if it would make you happier, I’ll sign something to
that effect.  I actually came back to say goodbye.”

That I didn’t expect.  But it’s not like it’s
a tack that others haven’t taken before - pretend to not want the money, then
go for it when it’s offered.  I need to know more.  “Well then, would
it surprise you to know I’ve been having people watch you, keep an eye on you,
for the last six years or so while you’ve been on the street?   Without your
fathers permission, mind you - but because I’d gotten used to taking care of
the family, and because I was worried for you.”

“It would surprise me a bit.”  Erica said.  “I
never knew you were so close to dad - but then, I didn’t spend much time with him
after I got Schizophrenia.  I liked you used to bring Angie and I candy.”
Erica looked down, still sad from before.  “I can’t talk about dad much more - I’m
too upset from finding out he died while I was gone.”

“Upset how?  You miss him that much?  You didn’t
get to say goodbye?”   I wonder if she’ll say yes - the easy answer - and
the wrong one...  Harlan felt like he was playing a game of cat and mouse
with Erica - and with the old Eric the winner would be a foregone conclusion -
Harlan.  Now, he wasn’t so certain.

“Hardly.  He hated my guts - blamed me for
moms death after her suicide - and blamed me for that suicide note mom sent
me.  I’m upset because I can’t hit him for making my life hell, or do anything
more than spit on his grave.  I’m upset I’ll never get closure, and get the
bastard to apologize for making my life a living hell.  I’m upset because of so
many reasons I can’t explain... Mostly I just hate his guts and I’m glad he’s
gone.”  Erica looked drained after relaying it - like it took a lot out of her
to say it.   “I don’t want to talk about him anymore.  Ask me something else,
please.”

Hrmmm.  She’s holding up better than Eric
should under stress, and she didn’t fall into that trap.   There’s one way I
know I can find out if he’s telling the truth.  “Are you aware that
Anders and Angela never made the contents of the suicide note public, nor told
anyone outside of the immediate family.  Outside your sister and Anders, you
and I are the only people alive who have seen that note.”  Harlan smiled.  If
you can’t answer this, I’ve got you!   He didn’t expect her to answer.

Erica looked puzzled - and then mad.  “You
want to hear the note?  Fine - fuck you.  I’ll recite it from memory.  And
then, when I’m done, you’ll tell me where the Deadpool gang can be found and
stay the hell away from me and my friends.  I’m done with your questions.”
Erica was mad - and her face showed it...  What she didn’t realize is the sheer
force of presence that radiated from her when she tried to show it... she’d had
no other experience with it - and it took Harlan by surprise.  It struck Harlan
with almost palpable force.

Holy shit!   This is not the Eric who nearly
died in the alleys six weeks ago!   The old Eric would never have called me out
like that, or subtly threatened me like that.   She’s different - but no one other
than Eric would know the contents of the letter.  If she can tell me... maybe
she is Eric?   It would be fucking strange, but I’d have to admit it could be
possible.  Damn.
“Go ahead.”

Erica steeled herself.   I don’t want to
do this, she thought.  That damn letter ruined me...  It ruined our
family - made dad hate me.  It’s probably the only thing that I can tell him
that would have to prove I am who I say I am.   Fuck it.   “Dear Eric - by
the time you read this I will be gone.  I want you to know, I did what I did to
keep you safe from them Eric - the things in the dark, the things that hunt
you.  I tried to protect you, growing up - but they kept looking for you...  It
got so much worse once you started hearing the voices - they wouldn’t stop, no matter
what I did.  I tried telling your father, but he wouldn’t believe me - he sent
me out west to the clinic to get better - but he didn’t understand I was just
protecting you.  I love you so much, I couldn’t bear to see them take you -
take you to their cold dark place, so I offered them myself, to save you - and
they accepted.  You have to understand baby, I love you very much and I don’t
want to go away - but they said they’ll leave you alone if I go with them...  I
love you, Eric - please believe that.  I did what I thought was best for you.
Never forget that.  Love Mom.”

Harlan gaped at Erica - it had to be Eric...
Erica.   She had recited the letter word for word, even down to the inflection
he imagined Laura van Helstrome speaking it in.  Aside from the difference in
appearance, Erica seemed like a version of her mother reciting the letter, even
down to the speech and mannerisms.   This person had known Laura van
Helstrome - she was Eric.  There could be no question.

“My apologies, Erica.”  He said.  “It seems
my mistrust was misplaced.  I’m convinced you are who you say you are - and if
you say you want no claim on Angela’s fortune, I believe you.  I don’t
understand it, but I believe you.  You have to understand, though, that even if
you ask for nothing, Angela won’t let you leave without giving you something.”

“That’s up to Angie, not me.  If she does
give me something, I’ll probably accept it.   Now it’s your turn.  What do you
know about that gang, the Deadpool?  If you have names, I’ll take them - and I
want addresses as well if you have them.”  Erica’s face had a feral look, like
someone who wanted bloody vengeance.  She looked like she’d enjoy it, too.

Harlan nodded.  She’s like the others - like
the ones downstairs.  She’s just the newbie - she hasn’t had the training or
practice they’ve had - but inside, you can tell.  She’s like them - or like
me.  Take your pick.   In a few years shell either be dead - or very, very
dangerous.    He opened a briefcase, and took out a dossier wrapped in an
elastic band, containing a thick sheaf of papers.  “You got lucky, Erica.  Your
friends were the fifth group of homeless people they torched that week - and
the last.  After they killed your friends, they laid low for a while.  My
investigators dug up what we could on them - in case Angela wanted me to deal
with them.  You know, I could ask her if she wants me to, if you want.  It
would be my pleasure.”

Erica considered his offer a moment.  “No,
thank you.  I’m sure you could deal with them, but I want to see it done
personally.  They need to suffer - badly.  They took the only people in this
world that I cared about other than Angie and Christine away from me, in a
cruel and inhumane way - and I intend to see justice done.  True justice.”

She and her friends are gonna kill them all.  He thought.  Damn.
“Then take precautions and don’t get caught.  If you need help cleaning up
afterwards, call me.”  He said, giving her a card with his cell number.  “If it
comes down to it, Angela would want me to make sure her sister didn’t get life
in prison for murder, so cleaning up a crime scene is the least I can offer.  I
mean it - call me.  I know what the police look for.”

“Okay.”  Erica said.  “I’ll call.  Thanks for
the files, Harlan - I’m sure they’re good.  They look pretty thorough from the
size of the files.”

“They are.  I had three private detectives
run down backgrounds on the entire gang, highlighting the ones that killed your
friends.  Credit histories, criminal records, hell - some of the files even
have the foods they like and if they’re right or left handed.  Names and
addresses are obvious.   You should be able to find them without problem.”

“I’ll leave you to deal with Christine then.”
Erica said, standing up.  She held out her hand to shake Harlans - it was firm,
but not particularly strong.  Erica didn’t look emaciated anymore, but she still
looked skinny.

As Erica turned to leave, she paused.  “Uncle
Harlan?”  she asked.

God, I haven’t heard that in over a decade, he thought.  “Yeah,
what is it, Erica?”

“Why did you stop bringing candy for Angie
and I?”  Erica wondered.

Harlan paused a moment.  Why does she
care?  How does she even remember that?  “Your father told me to stop spoiling
the two of you – he thought you would begin to expect handouts.  He thought it
would make you weak.”

“Hrmph.  I’m not surprised.  Thanks.”

Harlan nodded, and went back to the kitchen
to talk to Christine, thoughtful.  I wonder who did the operation on her?
Whoever it was, they did an amazing fucking job...  She must be at least three
or four inches shorter, if not more, and a hundred pounds lighter at least -
maybe a hundred and fifty.   In the kitchen, Christine was halfway through
a beer, and was reading the local paper, the Toronto Star, catching up on local
and provincial news shed missed while she was gone.

“I’m done with Erica, Christine.  Shall we go
over your story?”  He asked.

“Sure.  You know, I have talked to cops
before.  I know how to talk to cops.” Christine said.  “You want a beer before
we get started?”

“Actually, I would love a beer, thank you.”
Harlan sat, and let out a deep breath he didn’t know he’d been holding.   “Erica
has changed from a few weeks ago.  I’ve been keeping tabs on him for his dad
and sister for a while - but this Erica is quite different from the Eric I
knew.”

Christine laughed.  “Oh my god, you have no
idea how different.”  She sat, opened the beer, and handed it to Harlan.  “It’s
Bud Light - it’s the only beer I have at the moment.”

“Hey, no worries.”  He said.  “I know you
know how to talk to the cops - but you might not know how they follow down a
train of thought to pick apart a story you tell them.  You can’t lie to them,
ever - if they catch you in a lie, you’ll be a prime suspect.   You can let
them assume or fill in the details so you don’t have to do it, if you like, but
you have to be careful what aspects of the truth you feed them, and what
elements of what happened you want them to know.”  Harlan took a swig of his
light beer.  It was nice and cold, and tasted pleasantly bitter and only lightly
of yeast - like beer should, in his opinion.

“What I suggest is you tell me your story of
what happened, and I’ll pick it apart the way a detective would do, until we
get it to the point you can tell it and not incriminate yourself or anyone else
you don’t want to.  Sound good?”  Harlan asked.

“Yep.  Let’s get to work - something tells me
this is going to take a while.”  Christine answered.

*           *           *

Erica arrived downstairs to find Maeve, Sir
Andred, and Kai sitting down, with Maeve playing the Playstation again.   She
had beaten the dungeon on Skyrim and was beginning the long walk back to town
to sell her treasure.   Sir Andred helpfully informed her it had only taken 22
attempts.

“Good job, Maeve.  I hear the shouting
warrior at the end makes for a hard boss fight.  You know there’s like 100 more
hours or so of stuff to do in the game, right - you literally can’t finish it
before we head back.”

“It is sufficient that I defeated this lair.
It was fun too - but don’t get me started on how bad their spellcasting is.  Do
you know you can’t even get Kissed by the Void?  And there’s no Call of Hrask?
Weird.   What’s a boss fight?”  Maeve asked.

Erica sighed.  “A boss fight is a term that
came from these video games - it represents when a group of heroes - like us -
is faced with an ever increasing set of challenges that get harder and harder
as time progresses - and like us, eventually end with us finishing off all his
minions and servants, and then us facing off against the biggest, baddest bad guy
around.  The fight with the final bad guy - which is sometimes called the big
bad is called a boss fight.   Our boss fight will be with Vargas, if we can
find him in time.”

“Hmm.”  Maeve said.  “Thanks.  What are you
carrying?” she asked, motioning to the file folder Erica had tucked under her
arm.

“Information on who killed my friends.  I’ll
be reading it later - I’ll tell you when I’ve read it what it says, okay?”
Erica asked.

“Sure Erica.”  Kai said, tapping the couch
beside him as if to say ‘sit down here’.  “We said well help when you’re
ready.  We meant it.”

“Thanks.”  Erica got the next movie queued up
- The Two Towers - and saved Maeve’s game in case she wanted to play it again.
“I assume everyone has been to the bathroom?”   After they all answered yes she
hit play, and sat down next to Kai, tucking the file folder under the couch to
save room.   She cuddled up to him, and leaned into his shoulder, and Kai
tucked his left arm around her.   This never gets old, she thought, thinking
about Kai’s arms, and his warmth.  I could get used to this.

As the movie started up, she saw how
surprised her friends were to see that the wizard Gandalf had not died at the
tragic climax of the first movie - and marveled at his epic battle with the
Balrog, cheering when he vanquished it in fire and darkness.   They were tense
in their seats as the remainder of the fellowship pursued Merry and Pippin -
and Sir Andred muttered more than one oath upon seeing Gollum pursue the two
hobbit’s, Sam and Frodo.   Kai particularly enjoyed the scenes with the Rohirrim,
as did Sir Andred - but surprisingly, Maeve enjoyed the part where the Ents
went to war and destroyed Isengard and captured the evil wizard Saruman the
most.  They all thought the battle at Helms Deep was incredible - although none
of them thought Legolas’s acrobatic tricks would have saved him had it been a
real battle.  To say they were gripped was an understatement... and terrified
when the movie ended with Frodo and Sam entering the monstrous lair of Shelob,
the spider queen.  Erica shivered more than once too, due to her dislike of
arachnids - which was far more pleasant when being cuddled with Kai, than it
was when she was by herself.

“Thank the goddess we haven’t seen any
spiders that big in a while, eh Kai?”  Maeve commented.  “I hate those things.”

“Aye.”  Kai said.  “I’m just glad they don’t
live near human settlements much.  Disgusting things, and dangerous too.”

Erica shivered.  “You mean Mercia has giant
spiders?  Ewwww!  Oh my god...”

“Calm down, Erica.”  Maeve said.  “They’re
rare, and they usually live in dank caves feeding off of unusually large
insects.  They don’t often come out into the open - so they’re not a threat,
unless like me - and thus Kai, you often have a very good reason to go into
dank caves looking for something.”

“Ewww.  Just ewww.”  Erica shivered in fear,
her skin crawling.  As the credit’s rolled, Erica realized it was well past
11pm, and Christine still had not come downstairs to watch the movie.  Either
she’s gone to bed without telling us, or she’s still talking to Harlan.  Wow.
Giant spiders... yuck.

“It seems our Erica is squeamish about such
things.”  Sir Andred said, getting up from his seat to stretch.  ‘And if her
mother’s apparition is any indicator, it seems with good reason.  Have no fear,
Erica.  Such creatures are rare even on our world.”

“Thanks, Sir Andred.”  Erica replied.  “I
appreciate it.  And you too Maeve.  Thanks.”   She disentangled herself from
Kai and stood too, pulling Kai to his feet.  “We should all get ready for bed -
we probably have a long day ahead of us tomorrow.”  She said.

Maeve turned to Sir Andred, and gave a
questioning glance.  “Sir Andred - did you want your bed back?”

“No, Maeve.  This recliner is sufficient, I
think.  Thank you.”

“Very well.”  Maeve nodded.  “I’ll see you
tomorrow.”  She headed upstairs, followed by Kai and Erica.

In the kitchen, things were winding up with
Harlan and Christine, who looked exhausted and more than a bit frustrated.   Harlan
looked tired too, but pleased with his nights work.   “I think you’ll do fine,
Christine.  Just keep to what we’ve practiced and don’t embellish it even a
little bit, and you’ll be fine.”

“Thanks Harlan.  I appreciate the help.”
Christine said.

“And I appreciate knowing the story, so
Angela and I can plug any holes on our end first, so thanks for that.  I’ll be
back between 9am and 10am with your car, travel documents, and money.”

Erica couldn’t help but interrupt.  “Any
chance you could get us some weapons - maybe some knives or a sword or two - or
a hatchet for each of us at the least?”

Harlan didn’t bat an eye.  “No problem,
Erica.  They’ll be in the trunk of the car, with whatever else I can find to
toss in for you.”

Erica looked a bit surprised.  “Thanks, Uncle
Harlan.”

“It’s what I do, kid.”  Harlan sighed, and
turned back to Christine.  “You or Erica will be here to get the stuff?”

“Yeah, one of us will be - probably both of
us.”  Christine answered.

“Good.  Goodnight then.”  Harlan turned and
left the kitchen, moving past Maeve, Erica and Kai to get his shoes and
jacket.  “There’s a lot still to do tonight and not a lot of time to do it in.
I’ll see you in the morning.”

“Bye.”  Christine locked the door as he left,
sighing in exhaustion.  “That is one focused man.”  She said, tiredly.  “I take
it the movie went well?”

“It was wonderful.” said Maeve.  “I enjoyed
it a great deal.  I think if it was real life the heroes must have been very,
very lucky or they would have died several times already.  The story was
wonderful.”

“I’m glad.  I’m also off to bed - my head
feels like Swiss cheese - full of holes.  See you all in the morning.”
Christine said, stumbling off towards her bedroom.  “Sleep tight.”

The others wished Christine a good night, and
headed upstairs themselves.  Kai and Erica retired to their room, and like last
night, gave each other a moment of privacy to change into their sleep clothes.

I could get used to this, Erica thought with
some anticipation.  Even though she was exhausted, and didn’t sleep that great
last night next to Kai, she felt relieved they were finally going to bed,
together.   It was like a shared refuge - a shared haven where they could
recover from the day together.   She couldn’t wait - even though she expected
to sleep poorly again, for at least a few more nights until they got used to
each other.

Kai seemed to have similar thoughts, and when
they crawled into bed, they looked at each other and cuddled together.   Kai
seemed to read Erica - and she seemed to read him.   Kai looked into Erica’s
eyes as they lay on the bed together.  “Not going to read that file tonight?”

Erica shook her head.  “No - I’m too tired.  I’ll
do it tomorrow, when I’ll remember what I’m reading.  I won’t forget.”

“Okay - just reminding you.  You know in that
movie, where the princess was not allowed to fight?   In Valris you’d be hard
pressed to keep women from kicking your ass if you tried to tell them they couldn’t
fight if they wanted to.   I think women have more choices in my home, than
they do in that movie...”

“I wouldn’t doubt it, Kai.  Not at all.”
Erica said, kissing his nose.  “And I can’t wait to find out all the little
differences between my old home and my new one once we go back.   You’ll have
to show me all of Wethom, not just that little part of it, and the church.”

“I’ll show you the whole damn town if you
want me to, hon.  Plus the woods and nearby lakes and streams.  I’ll show you
whatever you want.”  Kai said, smiling.  He looked happy.

“Thanks hon.” She said.  “I appreciate that -
I mean it.  Thank you.”

He kissed her, and pulled her close - and
they drifted off to sleep in each other’s arms.

*           *           *

I
wonder how long it will take to get the information we seek, Vargas
wondered.  Jeremy had made the appointment for noon at something called “The
Mandarin” - which to Vargas, meant it was meant for royalty - but if the way
words meant something different here held true, he wasn’t sure what to
expect.   Jeremy had dutifully driven Vargas, Gaius and Flavius in his carriage
artifice to the restaurant - a drive that took more than a half hour, and which
left all three of the Mercians a little sick to their stomachs and pale about
the speeds they had been travelling.

Jeremy’s
car – a 2010 Cadillac SRX – was pretty comfortable, and drove so quietly all
you could hear of the engine was the hum of the tires on the pavement.   Jeremy
had bragged about how he had got a great deal on it a few years ago – but
Vargas had a hard time understanding their odd paper money and exactly what a
‘dollar’ would buy.   Money is no object, really.  He thought.  And
it doesn’t matter how much I give Jeremy – I’ll have treasure beyond counting
when I succeed.   “Are we almost at the restaurant yet?”  He asked.

“Yeah
– we’re almost there Vargas.  You okay back there?  You look a little pale.”
Jeremy took a quick glance behind him and saw the three men – or reptoids –
looking a little I’ll.  “Not used to driving in a car?”   Ha!  Might as well
ask them if their usual ride is a spaceship, dummy!

“These
conveyances are amazing, but they do leave one a little bit ill.” Vargas
conceded.  “I’ll be pleased when we get what we need and are on our way.”

“Well
it won’t be long.”  Jeremy laughed.  “We’re here.”  He turned the silver Cadillac
into the restaurants parking lot and found a spot.  The place looked busy, but
not packed.  Not bad for Sunday at lunch time... we must have beat the lunch
rush, or come just after it.  Good – I don’t want too many people around Vargas
and his pals...  I don’t know what they’ll do.

Jeremy
grabbed the printout of Ms. Joyce Collin’s picture from her U of T webpage, so
he’d know her when he saw her, and climbed out of the car.  “Let’s go inside –
she’ll either be waiting for us, or we’ll have to wait for her.”

Vargas
and the others nodded, and followed Jeremy.  Inside, the restaurant looked
elegant and fancy – with nice tile floors, and small pools full of koi next to
a tiny bridge that allowed access to the restaurant.  Several greeters were
waiting to escort them to tables, and the place looked busy.  Even to Vargas,
it looked classy in the strange way Jeremy’s world looked – with many subdued
electric lights and nice pleasant music being piped in from gods knew where.

Jeremy
approached the greeters.  “Hiya.  We’re the reservation for Pierce, table for
five – we’re waiting on a Ms. Joyce Collins.  Has she arrived?”

“She
just arrived, sir.”  The young Asian lady who worked as a greeter answered, in
very good English.  Her nametag said “Sally”.  “Would you like me to take you
to your table?”

“Yes
please.”  Jeremy said, waiting patiently.  How can Vargas be so calm?
He wondered.  Vargas, Flavius and Gaius look as calm as daisies – while I’m
sweating bullets!   I wonder what he’s going to want me to do next, once he
finds out whatever Professor Collins has to say?

As
Sally led Jeremy, Vargas and his men through the restaurant, the three Mercians
were able to catch a glimpse of the several buffet tables.  One held hot food,
like a roast and shellfish, while another held many dishes in smaller hot
trays.  One table held nothing but what appeared to be salad fixings of all
kinds, and another nothing but dessert-like tidbit’s.  Truly food fit for a
Mandarin.  That’s one thing I admire about Jeremy’s world.  They know how to
treat themselves – they live a life of luxury only a few can maintain back
home. Too bad that will soon come to an end.   Vargas smiled.  If
nothing else, we will devour our fill at this unearthly buffet.

Their
table was set back from the center of the dining room – one of two being used
at the time.  The other two dining rooms in the restaurant seemed unused –
probably being saved for the dinner crowd or as ‘overflow’ if things got
busy.   The tables were of fine black wood covered with nice quality white
table cloths, and Vargas and the others were clearly impressed at the level of
service the staff was providing the other diners.

A
woman in her mid forties was sitting at their table.  Presumably Professor
Joyce Collins, she was shorter than average – only about five feet and a bit –
with long brown hair tied in an attractive but easy to manage pony-tail.   Her
styled pattern dress showed she dressed ‘casual-fancy’ for the occasion, and
had a touch of light makeup and jewelry – enough to look stylish, but not
enough to look like she was on the prowl.   “Mr. Vargas, I presume?”  she said,
rising and holding out her hand to shake.

Vargas
looked at the proffered hand.  Am I supposed to do something with that?
He wondered.   “In the flesh, madam.”  He said, holding out his hand in a similar
way – and flinched a bit when she took his hand and shook it.  “I greatly wish
to discuss many things with you.”

“Wonderful!”
she said.  “I rarely get a chance to meet such distinguished and elegant
guests.  I understand you’ve travelled very far to speak with me, and you’re
quite well respected in your country?”

“I
have, and I am.  I’m a Saudi Sheik – adopted, as Mr. Pierce can attest to.”
Vargas said.

“Uh...
yes.  We spoke on the phone, Ms. Collins – I arranged this lunch meeting.”
Jeremy added.  “Did you bring your materials on the subject matter we
discussed?”

“Well,
yes – but not all of it.  I didn’t know which deity you wished to discuss, so I
brought information relevant to many in the various pantheons of the time and
place.   Why don’t we sit down, and allow Mr. Vargas to get settled first, and
we can talk business after lunch?”

“That
would suit me, fine.”  Vargas said, “As long as we don’t forget the purpose I
retained your services for.  This quest is extremely important to me.”

“I
understand, completely, Mr. Vargas.  It’s just that I’m famished.  Could we eat
first?”

“Of
course.”  Vargas replied.  Oh you’ll understand all too soon, professor.
All too soon.

For
the next forty minutes, Vargas, Jeremy and Professor Collins chatted over inconsequentials,
while Gaius and Flavius watched warily, while still enjoying the sumptuous and
luxurious buffet.   None of the Mercians save Vargas had ever seen such
opulence and excess, and the three of them thoroughly enjoyed the experience.
Soon however, their lunch was complete – and the table talk turned once more to
business.

“I
understand you’re interested in Mesopotamian religion, Mr. Vargas.”  Joyce
began.  “Is there a deity or culture you are specifically interested in?”

Vargas
wiped his fingers with the warm moist napkin the waiters had just handed out
and nodded.  “Yes, Ms. Collins.  I seek information on the deity known as
Tiamat.  Unlike many Saudi’s, I am not Muslim and seek to raise a shrine in
North America to her ancient glory, in remembrance of her deeds and past.  I
know it sounds odd – but I need to know what she was linked with, mythologically,
so that I know where best to raise the shrine to her.  For example, a god of
the air would need a high mountain top, to be close to his seat of power, while
a goddess of the forests would need a strong and ancient wood.  The symbolical
relevance is extremely important to me – and I’d like to concentrate on that
aspect of her ‘myth’.   I want my gift to her to be perfect – and odd as it is,
I intend to spare no expense on finishing what I begin.”

Vargas
paused.  “Speaking of which, Jeremy has your retainer.  Jeremy?”

Jeremy
nodded, and pulled out a wrapped stack of $100 bills.  “Mr. Vargas has allowed
me to offer you $10,000 for your information, if it proves useful and
appropriate, Ms. Collins.  Will that be sufficient?”   Jeremy tried to pull of
his best ‘lawyer/aide’ act – and it seemed to work.  Professor Collins was
staring at the money so hard he thought she was going to snatch it from his
open palm.

Joyce
pulled her gaze away from the stack of cash with some difficulty, and nodded,
coughing.  “That would be wonderful.  Let’s begin then.”   Joyce reached for a
leather briefcase at the side of her chair and pulled out some Xerox copies and
a hardbound book – it was well used, with a cloth cover and faded printing.
She gathered her thoughts and began.

“Tiamat
was an ancient goddess, at the dawn of human’s recorded history, supposedly
predating almost all the other deities of the time.   She was a goddess of salt
water, a chthonic being of chaos, and in some myths, called ‘the mother of
monsters’.   She predates the Sumerian and Babylonian myths – she’s an old
goddess when their tales begin – and is slain in a war between herself and her
husband Apsu, and a number of their children – notably Enlil, or Marduk,
depending on which myth or legend you use as source material.  Both were gods
of man, as opposed to primal forces – Enlil was a god of the air and sky, but
also a god of agriculture.  Marduk was very similar – his myth and Enlil’s
overlap and they’re sometimes considered different aspects of the same deity.
Enlil or Marduk slew Tiamat in a war of the gods, and divided her body into the
heavens and the earth – which makes her body the fundament on which we walk.”

Joyce paused, and took a sip of water.  “I’ll
try and narrow it down though – that’s not close enough for you to pick a
sacred site.  She was a goddess of salt water – and her tears were the source
of the Tigris and Euphrates rivers – the region called them ‘The waters of
life’ – and they were literally the most important source of water in the
entire region.  She mated with Apsu – a god of fresh water, and equally primal
a being – and where their waters mixed, the other gods were born.  I would
suggest that perhaps a salt-water lake, such as the Dead sea in the middle
east, would be a very appropriate place to erect such a shrine, especially near
a source of fresh water, like the mouth of a river that fed into such a lake.”

“We cannot go to the middle east.”  Vargas
said, thinking carefully.  “My brethren would never allow such a shrine to
exist – they follow their god too closely.  That is why I came to North America
to build my shrine – is there a site in America that might fit these criteria?”

Joyce paused a moment.  “I’m aware of two
large salty areas in the United states that might fit your criteria, Mr.
Vargas.  There is Salt Lake City, in the state of Utah, which has three
freshwater rivers flowing into it.   There are the Bonneville salt flats, also
in Utah, west of Great Salt Lake – and I believe there is another salt lake in
California – but I can’t recall the name of it.  I believe that either the Salt
flats or Salt Lake City would suit your purposes fairly well – but Salt Lake
City has access to a work force and the infrastructure you would need to
connect your shrine to the power grid and sewer system.  It might be your best
bet.”

It would also have a suitable number of
sacrifices for the ritual to succeed – and for Gaius, Flavius and I to return
home.  It sounds suitable, Vargas thought.  “Then is there anything I need to know
about Salt Lake City that might hinder or assist my quest to build such a
shrine?  Any geological hindrance, or the presence of other religions?”

“Well, it is the seat of power for the Mormon
faith in North America.  Although some of them might object to your raising a
shrine, unless there’s a really remarkable legal effort to prevent you from
building it, you should have no problem.  It will take time and money – both of
which I’m sure you’re willing to devote to the problem, Mr. Vargas, but it
should be do-able.”

“Excellent.”  Vargas nodded.  “Jeremy, please
pay Ms. Collins her retainer.”

“Sure thing, Mr. Vargas.”  Jeremy handed the
stack of money to the professor, who quickly put the cash in her briefcase.
“We’d also like any books and documents you have detailing Tiamat and her
myths.  Just what you brought with you would be acceptable.”

“You want my notes?”  Professor Collins
looked somewhat confused.  “I suppose that would be fine – but I would like to
keep my briefcase.  It’s a gift from my boyfriend.”

“Of course, Ms. Collins.”  Vargas said,
smiling.  “Then it would seem we’ve concluded our business.  Thank you.”  He
stood and offered his hand to the woman, who once again, shook it.  “My aides
Gaius and Flavius will accompany me to your vehicle, where we can collect your
notes, if that suffices – while my assistant Jeremy fetches our car.”

“Of course, Mr. Vargas.  And thank you for
your generosity.  Am I to understand you don’t wish for a receipt?”

Ms. Collins eyes were saying ‘please no,
please no, please no’, and Vargas couldn’t help but smile.  Greed.  My
favorite vice.  You are closer to Hrask than you suspect, Ms. Collins.
“No thank you, professor.  I think a receipt is un-necessary.  Please enjoy
your pay – you’ve more than earned it.”

Ms.
Collins smiled a mile wide as she tucked the stack of money in her purse, and
grabbed her briefcase to help carry her notes and books out to her car.  Vargas
and his bodyguards followed, and Jeremy went off to get his Cadillac, which was
in a different part of the parking lot.   The group of them ignored the smiling
faces of the staff, many of which waved in thanks as their group left the
restaurant.

“Which
way is your car, Ms. Collins?”  Vargas asked politely.  “We’ll come with you so
your notes don’t blow around in the parking lot – it would be easier to give
them to us if you could put your briefcase down, am I correct?”

“Yes
you are.  That’s a good idea.  My car is just over here.”  Joyce pulled out a
set of car keys, and touched the fob – and the car in question, a Kia Sport in
light purple flashed its lights, beeped, and unlocked its doors.   She opened
the back door, and put her briefcase down, bending over to withdraw the notes
for Vargas and his people.

Vargas
looked at Gaius, who nodded, already realizing what his master wished done.  He
pulled a wicked looking knife from under his coat, and reached over to slit
Joyce Collin’s throat.  Vargas grinned as Gaius’ blade slashed her throat, and
as Flavius pushed her dying body onto the back seat of the little Kia Sport.
“She looks cold, Flavius.  Cover her with a blanket, would you?”

“As
you wish, master.”  Flavius took a blanket folded on the back seat – speckled
with some blood – and covered the body of Joyce Collins with it.   The body
mostly concealed, Gaius retrieved the briefcase, and Vargas the keys.  Joyce’s
purse – along with her pay of $10,000, was left beside her corpse on the back
seat.

As
they left, Vargas pressed the ‘lock’ button on the key fob, and tossed it into
a sewer grate as they returned to Jeremy’s vehicle.  “Thank you, Flavius,
Gaius.  Most efficient, as always.”

*           *           *

Jeremy
drummed his fingers worriedly on the steering wheel.   Utah?  Ten bucks says
Vargas wants me to take him to Utah next.   I’m going to lose my job – but if I
don’t go I’ll probably get myself killed – Gaius and Flavius look like stone
cold killers.   Maybe I can turn this to my advantage and get some more gold
out of Vargas – if I’m going to lose my job anyway, I might as well build up
whatever nest egg I can before I’m done.

He
worried about that too.  What if I am done?  The best I can hope for is he
cuts me loose with the money I already have.  Not gonna happen – he needs me to
navigate the normal world.  So, I either go with him – or get killed.
“Fuck this job looks stupid in hindsight.”  Jeremy muttered to no one in
particular.  “This is right were some asshole says ‘what’s the worst that could
happen’?”   I’ll tell you the worst – taking a job with three murderous
space reptoids – that’s what!  If I survive this I’ll bless my lucky stars
forever.  “I’m screwed.”

Suddenly,
Vargas and his bodyguards came around the side of the restaurant, carrying Ms.
Collin’s briefcase.  I guess they convinced her to part with it after all?
He shuddered, and trembled a bit in fear.  Or maybe they just took it – and if
she resisted...  Oh god!  What do I do?   Jeremy contemplated gunning the
engine and attempting to run Vargas and his men down, but he knew he only had
one chance – and if he didn’t kill all three of them instantly, he was most
certainly a dead man.

“Not
yet.”  He muttered.  He would have a time to try and run – to try and separate himself
from Vargas – but it wasn’t now.  Not yet.

Vargas
and the others came over to the car, and climbed in.  Flavius tossed the
briefcase in the back with himself and Gaius.   “We convinced her to part with
it after all.”  He said.  “I think she won’t miss it much.”

Jeremy
gulped.  That could be taken so many ways, he thought.  Most of them
not funny.  “Great. Where to?”

“Back
to your home, Jeremy – I want you to consult with your internet about this Salt
Lake City before we leave your country and head south to America – to Utah.  I
want to see what it says about Mormons as well – if they are the dominant faith
of the region, we need to know more about them.”

“Sure,
Vargas.  I assume you’ll be needing me for the trip to Utah?”  Jeremy asked.

“You
assume correctly.”  Vargas answered.  “Why – will you be requiring more gold?”

“Actually
yes.”  Jeremy said.  “If I go with you, I’ll lose my job and my livelihood.  I
need at least another 80 of those gold coins.”

“Jeremy,
if you come with us and help us in this, I will see that you get 100 of those
coins – the last we carry on us.  Help us, and they are yours.”

Jeremy
gulped in fear.   I’m dead.  I’m sooooo dead.  As he drove, he tried to
concentrate on how the extra gold might compensate him for his trouble, instead
of thinking about how he probably wouldn’t survive to spend it.

Chapter 7 - Investigations

Kai
woke first, to feel Erica still snuggled close to him.  He looked down on her
sleeping face, and smiled – she lay there next to him, mouth open and snoring
slightly, her long red hair spread over her face and in her mouth. Hardly
what most people would think of a living saint, he thought. Should I be doing
this?  He asked himself.  Do I have the right?  She’s holy by the way
our people measure such things – and I’m so far from holy I shouldn’t even be
near her – and yet I think I love her – and she has feelings for me as well, I
am sure of it.  If she was from Mercia, her future would be spelled out for her
– a high place in the church, cared for and protected for the rest of her
life.  Rank and wealth would be her due – she would eventually be one of the
leaders of our country.  There would be ways she would be expected to act –
things she would be expected to accept as given... and I somehow suspect she will
ignore all that and do as she wishes, regardless of what the clerics back home
wish her to do.

Kai
smiled at the sleeping form of his lady-love.  You do have a mind of your
own, my Erica.  You’re independent and strong – but there’s so much you don’t
know about my home, my world.   There’s so much you don’t know about me, and I
you – and I just hope you don’t regret your decision to come back with me when
all this is over.  It would kill me to see you so sad, to regret coming with
me, and never be able to see your family again.

Erica
shifted, snoring a bit and dislodging the hair from her mouth and face.   She
looks so damn beautiful, Kai thought.  I’d do anything she asked, just because
it was her doing the asking.  I feel like I’m caught in a tempest when I’m with
her – and only when we’re together, do I feel the stress and confusion
subside.   I’m amazed she chose to be with me – and humbled.   I swear to the
Ladies of Mercy and Isundal, her mate that if she would have me, Erica, I would
make her my wife – and be damned what the clerics back home say about it.
Kai watched her a moment more, and bent over, gently kissing her forehead.

Erica
stirred...  “Good morning, handsome.”  She said softly, smiling as she blinked
the sleep out of her eyes.  “Blech – all this hair in my face.”  She brushed
the errant hairs out of her mouth and eyes, and smirked wryly.  “This didn’t
happen when my hair was shorter.”  She said, laughing.  “Should I keep it this
length, or get it cut, Kai?”

Kai
smiled back.  “I like it long on you Erica, but if you want to cut it a bit
shorter, I wouldn’t be upset.  It must be a handful, being so long.  Most women
back home don’t wear it as long as you have it.”

“Probably
comes from being unconscious for several years and no one spending a few
coppers for a haircut for a dreamer.  Makes sense, I suppose – it’s not like
she was going to worry about it before I woke up as her, was she?”   Erica
stretched, yawning.  “What time is it, Kai?”

“I
don’t know what your clocks say – eight something I think – but I would say it’s
an hour or two after dawn.”

Erica
looked over at the alarm clock, and agreed.  “Looks about right.”  She said.
“I suppose we should get ready to go.  Get dressed and all that.”   She didn’t
look too thrilled with that idea.

Kai
could understand – he’d love to be able to crawl back under the covers and
cuddle with the wonderful woman next to him, but Erica was right – they did
need to go.  If they succeeded, they would have all the time in the world to
get to know each other – and if they failed, it wouldn’t matter anyway.   “We
need to get ready.  For all we know we may already be too late.”

“Yeah,
I know.”  Erica said, sounding exasperated.  “This saving two worlds at once is
for the birds you know – we barely stopped this guy last time; I’m not keen on
one of us getting firebolted in the face again when we face Vargas again.  It
didn’t work so well for some of us last time.”

Kai
remembered.  The fire bolt was coming straight for him – as hot as the surface
of the sun, liquid plasma that would have incinerated him on the spot – when
Erica, back when she was still Eric, leapt in front of the bolt meant to take
his life, and gave his life to save Kai’s.  Only the intercession of Kai’s
goddess saved Eric’s life – and put him in the body she currently resided in –
the body of the dreamer he was linked to for most of his life.   Seeing Eric
dying like that, in pain, with Kai feeling so damn helpless was a feeling Kai
would never forget as long as he lived.   The fear, the terror – the
helplessness as someone you didn’t realize you cared for was leaving you
forever, and there was absolutely nothing you could do about it.  He had never
before felt so damn weak and useless.

“It
won’t happen that way again.”  He said, with some surety.  “He doesn’t have
Mistress Awai – Sir Andred saw to that.  And we’ve all learned a few things
from the times we’ve tussled – including that weird magic ray you shot at
Hierarch Blaine.   He won’t be expecting that, I bet.”

“Maybe,”
Erica said.  “But Maeve said that spell was way too strong for me – every time
I’ve cast it, I’ve been kissed by the void pretty bad – and without healers to
fix me up that know about magical damage, I might do more hurt to myself than
he would.  I think I need to find another way to deal with him, if I have time
to train while we travel.”

Kai
nodded.  “If you say so.  I don’t know a tenth of what Maeve knows of magic –
if she thinks it’s too dangerous, you’d better lay off until you know more.”
Kai had seen the damage some sorcerers caused themselves by drawing too much
energy – and it wasn’t pretty.  He definitely didn’t want Erica to suffer what
they had.

The
two of them turned as there was a knock on the door... “Hey, you two.”  Maeve
whispered.  “Christine and I are up and we’re heading downstairs for
breakfast.  We heard you talking, so it’s time to get going.”

“Okay.”
Kai called.  “We’ll be down in a moment.”

“Sure.  See you soon.”  Maeve answered, and
headed off to the stairs.  Kai and Erica could hear Christine following Maeve,
sounding a bit like a Zombie in search of brains – but was more likely
Christine in search of strong hot coffee.

“We’d
better get going.”  Erica said, reaching for her clothes.  “And I need to read
that file too,” she said, looking at the file Harlan Branscombe had given her
last night.  “That’s been put on the back-burner for far too long as it is.”

“I
understand, Erica.”  Kai said, reaching for his own clothes’.  “We’ll deal with
them before we return home, never fear.”

“I
know, Kai.  I know.”  Erica smiled at her boyfriend, and started to dress.  All
was right with the world.

*           *           *

Christine
finally reached the kitchen, to see Maeve greet Sir Andred, and go sit
together, talking quietly.   She moaned again, and got a kettle of water on for
tea – Sir Andred and Maeve favored that to coffee – and turned on her coffee
maker for herself.  As the rich coffee aroma wafted through the air, Christine
started to rouse herself.  I never am right until I get my coffee in the
morning, she thought.  I wonder how I survived for nearly two months on
Mercia without it.  Tea’s okay – but it’s not java, that’s for sure.  “I’ve
got to go check some stuff, guys.”  She said.  “I’ll be back in a minute.”

She
headed to the front door, and looked out at her driveway.  Yup – Harlan left
a car for them – probably loaded with weapons and gear too.  I’ll check the
mailbox.  Christine opened her front door, and nestled in between the thick
wooden door and her screen door was a sealed package labeled “Erica and Christine.”
She picked it up – it was fairly hefty!  Probably their identity papers and
all that jazz, she thought.  “Cool.”

By
the time she returned to the kitchen, the tea water was almost boiled, and the
coffee was ready to pour, so Christine set down the package and poured a coffee
for herself, and added milk and sugar.  “Tea will be ready soon.”  She said to
the others.

“Great!”
Sir Andred said.  “Is there any help you need to get ready?”

“Not
really – You guys are the ones who are on a schedule.  I’m probably out of a
job – and even if I’m not, it’ll be days before this all gets sorted out
anyway.  Once you’ve all headed out to catch and destroy Vargas, I’ll get the
house cleaned and tidied, and start putting my life back together.  If it’s any
help, I’ll probably have to deal with the police while you’re gone, and
probably have to try and mislead them to keep them from following you and
getting in your way.”

“And
we thank you for it,” Maeve said.  “But try not to put yourself at too much
risk.  You’re not built for it – and I don’t mean that badly.  Some people
aren’t used to trouble.”

Christine
snorted.  She calls what we went through in Mercia ‘trouble’.  Ha!  She’s
right – if that was ‘trouble’, I’d hate to see what ‘danger’ was!  “You’re
right there, Maeve.  I can do without un-necessary danger as well.”

Christine
had only half-finished her coffee and was getting tea-bags out for Sir Andred
and Maeve when Erica and Kai came downstairs and entered the kitchen.  They
looked happy – something she wasn’t used to seeing on Erica, until Mercia.
Eric, as a young man had been very unhappy, very dour – and rarely if ever
smiled.  Now, if Erica could smile any wider, her face would split in two.  It
was nice.   Now if only I can find someone that makes me that happy, she
thought.  Someone from my world, without magic, and who is completely normal.
That would be would be great. With my luck, he’d probably be already taken,
or gay.  She smirked a bit.  It would fit my luck recently, she
thought.

“What’s
the plan?”  Christine asked out loud.  “Where are you guys headed?”

“I
think we’ll go to U of T to see one of the professors and talk to one of the
professors if we can,” Erica said.  “And failing that, we’ll go to the Royal
Ontario Museum and talk to a curator.   I assume we’ll have some appointments
in that bundle on the counter?”

“I
dunno – I haven’t opened it yet.”  Christine said.  “Not until I’m done my
coffee.”

“Hehe.
I understand, totally.”  Erica laughed.  She went over to the coffee pot and
poured herself a cup.  “You want one, Kai?”

“Sure.”
Kai answered.  He drank tea mostly, but was learning to like this ‘coffee’ of
Earth’s.  It made him feel more alert and aware, and it tasted pleasantly
bitter and rich – very different from tea in some ways.  He particularly liked its
aroma – it just smelled nice and satisfying in a way he couldn’t put into
words.  He liked it a lot.   We should bring some of this home with us,
he thought.  It wouldn’t last forever, but a bit would be nice.

While
sipping on her coffee, she laughed at herself a bit.  How did I used to
order this stuff?  ‘black – no poison’?  Wow – I must really have sounded like
a nut job.  I’m so glad I didn’t have real schizophrenia.  The demons are bad
enough – but at least they aren’t bothering me anymore – real schizophrenia
would be a never-ending hell.  Erica thought back to an old novella by a
science fiction writer called Alfred E. Bester, and one of her favorite stories
he wrote – “Hell is forever.”  She remembered reading that, and not being able
to sleep without screaming for over two weeks.  Norm and Dave had had to buy
her wake-ups and coffee to keep from sleeping for over five days before he
could sleep without freaking out again...  As she thought of her old friends,
her street family, a tear gathered on her cheek.  I’ll avenge you guys...
she thought.  I promise.

She
took a cup of coffee over to Kai, and handed it to him.  He added milk and
sugar, like Christine did, and started drinking – and soon all of them were
absorbed in finding food and finishing their morning repast before starting the
business of the day.  Maeve broke out the cold chicken and leftover pizza – and
Erica remembered her little science experiment.

“Hey
guys!”  She asked.  “Remember I said I wanted to save some of the pizza for
science?”  The others nodded their assent.  “Well, it’s because I figure that
cold pizza is one of the best breakfast foods ever.  I didn’t expect us to have
pizza two nights in a row – so we have a lot more than I thought.   I’d like
you all to try a piece or two cold, and tell me if you like it this way, as
opposed to eating it hot.  I love it cold too, so I was just wondering.”

Maeve
took a bite of a slice – double pepperoni and bacon with extra cheese and
pineapple.  It was sweet, chewy – and the sauce tasted nice cold.  The cheese
was chewy – and it had an altogether different taste than it had the night
before.  Not bad, not great – but definitely tasty.  Maeve thought she
preferred it warm – and from the look on Kai’s face he did as well – but Sir
Andred seemed to relish it cold.  The older knight gladly helped himself to
several more pieces, while she and Kai took one more piece and some extra
chicken.

“It’s
not bad – but I think I like it better warm.”  Maeve said.

“Me
as well.”  Kai said.  “This chicken is excellent cold, though.”

“Yeah
– the leftovers are sometimes the best parts about chicken and pizza.”  Erica
laughed.  “I guess without refrigerators, leftovers go bad pretty quickly back
in Mercia.”

“Yes,
they do.”  Kai said.  “But we do have some refrigeration.  A few people in
Wethom have ice houses where they store winter ice and sell it year round to
cool people’s root cellars and such.  It’s not like what you have here, but it
is something.”

Oddly
enough, Erica didn’t feel like sharing in the cold pizza, even though she had
expected to.  Instead, she grabbed some cereal and a bowl, and some soy milk
from Christine’s fridge.  “Soy milk?”  She asked Christine.

“Yeah…
Is there a problem?”  Christine answered a little defensively.

“Nope
– just wondering.  Lactose problems?”   Erica asked.

“Pretty
much.”  Christine nodded.  Real milk gave her gas something awful – and the soy
milk was close enough her coffee didn’t know the difference.  “Will that be
fine for your cereal?”

“Sure.”
Erica said, grabbing a seat at the table and pouring herself some cereal.  The
cereal du jour seemed to be the kind with tiny charm shaped marshmallows,
coated in sugar.  Erica dug in with gusto – obviously pleased to eat something
she hadn’t had in some time.

“Ummm.”
Maeve began.  “What kind of beast does soy milk come from?”

Christine
groaned.  Here we go, she thought, and sighed.  “It doesn’t, Maeve.  It
comes from soybeans.  They’re vegetables.  They get squeezed in a press and
this milk comes out.”

“So
this is bean juice?”  Maeve asked.  “Does your world not have cows and goats?”

“Yes,
we have cows and goats,” Christine said.  “Some people prefer this stuff or
almond milk instead of milk from animals – for health reasons and some have
religious reasons.”

Kai
smiled.  “Why call it milk then?  Bean juice sounds appealing.  It’s a bit
deceptive to call it milk, isn’t it?”

God
help me, they’re tag-teaming me.  And I think they’re doing it on purpose…
Christine screwed her face up in frustration.  You know what?  Not today.
“Erica – could you please deal with this?  I don’t have the patience today.”  She
probably will, too – she somehow always has the patience to tell them stuff
from Earth.  I know I sure don’t.

“Sure,
Christine.”  Erica said smirking.  “Besides, I think they were trying to get
you going with this one.”   She looked at her two friends.  “C’mon – spill.
Were you trying to get her goat?  Or are you both serious about this?”

Maeve
tried to keep a straight face, as did Kai, but she couldn’t.  She started smirking
– followed soon after by Kai.  “Sorry Christine.”  She said.  “We know this
annoys you a bit, but we might never see you again.  We wanted it to feel a bit
like old times, before we say goodbye.”

“Yeah.”
Kai said, smiling.  “Sorry if we annoyed you.”

Christine
looked at the two of them – both smiling, both aggravating – and both trying to
be her friend and find a way to say goodbye.  “I suppose I can forgive you.”
She said, smiling a bit.  “Just lay off until I finish my second coffee, okay?”

The
two of them nodded, and everyone got back to the business of finishing
breakfast.  Soon, the food was cleared and Erica was gathering up the two
envelopes waiting for her – the file from Harlan and the package Christine had
found this morning.

I’ve got some serious reading to do, it
seems.
Erica thought.  “Kai, could you pack my stuff upstairs when we’re done eating –
I’ve got a ton of stuff to read and see what Harlan sent us.”

“Sure
thing, Erica.”  Kai said.  “I take it we’ll be leaving soon after you finish
reading that stuff and know where our first appointment is going to be?”

“Pretty
much.”  Erica answered.  “And since I’m the only one amongst us who’ll be able
to drive, we’ll probably be a little limited in how far we can drive per day,
assuming we have to chase Vargas cross-country.   I doubt he’ll be obliging
enough to stay within the city limits.”

“I
doubt it too,” Maeve said.  “He’ll probably try to find the best spot to find
and resurrect Tiamat that he can, and start whatever ritual he needs to do to
summon her to life.  If he actually gets that far, I think we’re screwed –
Vargas we can deal with; a full blow goddess, there’s no way in the seven
hells.”

“Isn’t
that nine hells?”  Christine asked curiously.

“Well,
I don’t know how many your world has, Christine.”  Maeve said, “But in Mercia
there are seven hells, each with different reasons for existing, and different
forms of evil that exist there.  I assume your nine hells are similar?”

Christine
smirked.  “I’m not exactly sure – although I’m sure I should know.  I can
remember a few of them – there’s the first circle of hell, for virtuous pagans
who haven’t heard of god, and there’s the ninth hell, which is reserved for
oath-breakers and traitors – but I can’t remember the rest... There is one
dedicated to lawyers and false priests, though.”

Kai
laughed.  “That’s comforting, actually.  At least Vargas will have company when
we send him there.”

“Indeed.”
Sir Andred said, grimly.  “He won’t escape us again if I can help it.”

The
others agreed, and helped clear the table for Christine and Erica, then headed
upstairs to pack what belongings they had.

Erica
grabbed the two bundles, and cleared a space on the table to read.  The first
was Harlan’s package for today – it was very thorough!   Erica saw an ID for
herself as Erica van Helstrome – which was kind of cool, if a bit strange,
complete with a passport and a drivers license and all the other stuff included
– health card, credit cards, bank cards, and so on.  Someone had even put in a
coffee card for McDonalds, with three holes punched.   Wow.   There was
also ID for Kai (who was listed as Kai Rodin, from Belleville), Maeve Varda
(from Kingston) and Sir Andred (as Andrew Duchesne, from Petawawa).   Erica had
no idea how much scrutiny the ID’s could stand up to – hers was probably the
best, and her friends greatly less so.  Let’s hope we don’t have to put it
too hard to the test, she thought.

Digging
deeper into the envelope, Erica found two sets of car keys – the main plus a
spare, no doubt – and a CAA and AAA Membership for her and her car.  Harlan had
arranged to get them a GMC Yukon XL SUV for their driving needs – and if Harlan
was correct, it was lightly armored with bulletproof glass and plating.  Wow...
Erica thought.  He got us a tank.  Neat.  Probably guzzles gas, though.

The
last few things in the envelope was a bundle of crisp $100 bills – about
$10,000 in total, and a collection of phone numbers – the private
investigators, lawyers, and other people he had arranged for them to be able to
call upon if needed.  They looked to be in good shape.  Once we know where
he’s going, this should be close to a piece of cake to find him...  Stopping him
will be a bit different I’ll bet, but with all this help, if we can’t find
Vargas, we probably don’t deserve to.

Erica
put away the first package and turned towards the file with the information on
the gang that killed her best friends.   It seemed the Deadpool was a small
gang – maybe 16 members or so – which had a gang clubhouse in the Dundas and
Yonge area.  The file showed names, home addresses of their relatives and
girlfriends, the cars they drove and a number of other pertinent useful facts.  Geez,
Erica thought.  Harlan does good work.  He even has the ones he thinks were
involved in the murders tagged with markers in the file – so I suppose the ones
without tags get to live, and the others not so much.   Makes everything a lot
easier...  It even has a bunch of their hangouts and favorite bars listed.  Finding
these assholes is going to be a piece of cake – I guess it’ll be getting the
right eight of them in one place at the same time that’s going to be hard.
Crap – this is going to get a bit messy, isn’t it?  Maybe Maeve will know how
to make it work better?   Harlan probably would, but I definitely trust Maeve
more, even if she doesn’t know Earth – she knows criminals, and that should be
enough to get these guys.

She
filed the names in her memory, so that she wouldn’t forget. James Bradfield,
Shu Cormack, Denny Nichols, and Mike Mallory.  They’re the ringleaders – the
guys who make the decisions.   They’re probably the ones who started picking on
the homeless, and who picked the targets.  When it’s time, we’ll start with
them - I think I owe ‘Mick’ a kick or two if I remember the beating they gave
me well enough...

Erica
gathered up the files and notes – she had seen enough.   Their first
appointment was with the Anthropological Department at U of T at 11am with
Professor Joyce Collins – and if that didn’t pan out, they had one at the ROM
for 1pm with a Doctor Kurt Wellesley – a museum curator and historian.  We’d
better get going, she thought.  Traffic alone will mean we’ll be lucky
if we get there on time.

By
the time Erica got her notes and the package from Harlan gathered, the others
had arrived in the front hall with their bags and backpacks.  Kai had a bit of
a peculiar expression on his face, and was carrying both his and Erica’s pack,
while Sir Andred had his pack plus the clothes Christine had bought him, as did
Maeve, who was fumbling a bit with the leather purse Christine had bought her a
few days ago.

“We
ready to go?” Erica asked.

“Aye,
anytime.” Sir Andred said, smiling.  “I’m eager to be on the trail of that villain
at last.”

“Yeah.
Times a wasting.”  Maeve said, grinning.  “Let’s be off before something
sidetracks us.”

Christine
arrived at the front door, with a digital camera in hand.  “Not before I get
some pictures to remember you guys by!”  She said.  “If I never see you again,
I damn well want a picture or two.”

“Pictures?”
Maeve said.  “Another artifice?”

“Yeah,”
Erica said laughing.  “She points that thing at you, and a light goes flash –
and a while later we can use it to print a portrait of what we were doing when
it activated, except without all the posing and waiting for the artist to paint
us.  So she’ll have something to remember us by.”

“Pretty
much, kiddo.” Christine said, smiling.  “Besides, your sister would kill me if
I didn’t try and get at least one picture.”   She moved them all together in a
group, and took a picture – and the image looked pretty good.  I can’t
believe this is it, she thought as she took picture after picture, first
one of each of them, then the friends in pairs – and Erica with Kai as well.  I
may never see them again.  A part of her felt glad and ashamed at the same time
– ashamed she wasn’t brave enough to go with them, and glad that her part in
this tale was very nearly over.  I’ll miss them, she thought, blinking
back what might have been a tear or two.

“You
guys better get going,” Christine said.  “I’m not too good with goodbyes.  I’ve
got enough pictures, I’m sure.”

“I
too, am not good with goodbyes.”  Sir Andred said, clasping her hand.  “Thank
you for the hospitality of your home.  You may not be a warrior, but you are a
brave woman indeed.”

“Thank
you, Sir Andred.”

“Aye,
goodbye Christine.” Maeve said.  “I know we got on each other’s nerves a lot,
but I suppose it’s better this way for both of us.  Good luck selling the
wensin root and ballnuts – I hope you get filthy rich.”

“Thanks,
Maeve.  And thanks again for saving our lives.  I was a bit of a bitch at times,
but I really do mean it.”   Maeve smiled in acknowledgement, and Christine
turned to Kai.

“You
know, you should keep practicing with the bow, Christine.  You could be really
good with a bit more practice.”  Kai said.

“It
was the one thing I did better than Erica.”  Christine said, smiling.  “Maybe I
will, Kai.  Thanks.   Take care of Erica for me, will you?”

“It
will be my pleasure.”  Kai said, putting his arm around Erica, who looked a bit
surprised, and put her arm around him, smiling.

“I
guess this is it, kiddo.” Christine said finally to Erica.  “Goodbye.”

Erica
laughed.  “Maybe, Christine.  Maybe it’s just goodbye for now?  We might be
back to say goodbye soon enough, so you might see us again – and if you don’t,
good luck on your business.  Try to be happy too – find someone who makes you
happy.  You deserve it.”

“Thanks
Erica.”  Yep, those were definitely tears welling up.  “Good luck, all
of you.”

The
four friends nodded and gave their thanks, and headed outside to the fancy car
Harlan had left for them overnight.  Christine turned, and closed the door.  I
can’t bear to see them go, she thought.  I never thought I’d even get to
this point – home, and them gone.   I don’t even know what I’m supposed to do
anymore now that we aren’t fighting to survive… God, I hope they come through
this okay!   Christine heard the car doors slam to the new car in the
driveway, and the engine rumble to life.   A few moments later it was gone.

*           *           *

Outside at the car – a light grey GMC Yukon
SUV – Erica opened up the trunk with the key fob, and showed the others how to
do so on their own as well.  As the rear hatchback rose up, Erica wasn’t alone
in seeing an odd package in the back of the car, wrapped in a blanket.  Kai and
Maeve smiled – they must suspect what it is, she thought.  Probably
the weapons we asked for.

Erica tossed the blanket aside, and sure
enough there were weapons and tools of many kinds; hatchets, machetes, hunting
knives, and even a pistol with 3 magazines of ammunition and a bullet-proof
vest, along with 4 cell-phones, and four stacks of $1000 Canadian and $1000 US
dollars wrapped with rubber bands.  A second bag had a bag of surgical tubing,
some medical ointment, a really good first aid kit, and several garbage bags
and a box of disposable rubber gloves.  There was also what appeared to be a
hand-made sword of European style in the pile or weapons – bigger than Maeve’s
shortsword, and smaller than Sir Andred’s broadsword.  Erica didn’t know what
to call it, but whatever it was, it was stored in a decent leather sheath.
There was also a note saying “Store this stuff in the hidden compartment.”

Hidden compartment?  What the hell?  I guess
Harlan does try to think of everything.  The note gave instructions on finding and
opening the hidden compartment, so she quickly stowed all the weapons and
goods, and handed everyone a stack of cash and a cell phone.  The hidden
compartment was in the back, under where the emergency tire was kept.  Cool.
She locked it up and re-concealed the compartment.  “I’ll show everyone how to
use those phones as soon as I can – until then, just keep them with you, turned
off.  We won’t even use them if we don’t have to – the cops can track you if
they’re on.”

“Should we even keep them then?”  Maeve asked
suspiciously.

“Yeah.”  Erica said, after thinking a
moment.  “Until we actually use them, no one will be looking for them, except
perhaps Harlan and Angie – and I don’t care if they know where we are.  If I
can’t trust my own sister, I can’t trust anyone.  They should be safe.”

“Fair enough.”  Maeve looked a bit unsure,
but satisfied enough with Erica’s answer to not press the question.  “Now
what?”

“Now we go find Mrs. Joyce Collins and find
out where we need to be to stop Tiamat from coming back.  Everybody pick a seat
and get in.  We’re already running late.”  Erica waited until they found where
they were planning on sitting, and climbed in.  A few moments to adjust the
seats and mirrors, and she was ready to go.

“Here we go, everyone.  Hold on – the traffic
might be a bit scary.”

Maeve, Kai and Andred gulped and nodded, but
they were slowly getting used to car rides.  “Maybe take it slow, if you can?”
Sir Andred said.  “I’m not a young man anymore, lass.”

“I would if I could, Sir Andred – but this is
Toronto.  If I take it too slow, we’ll be arrested for holding up traffic.
I’ll do my best.”  Erica threw the car into gear.  “Here we go!”

With that, they headed off into the streets
of Toronto to find the information they so desperately needed – and which
Vargas probably already had.

*           *           *

The traffic amazingly wasn’t horrible – but
it wasn’t great either, and by the time Erica drove the SUV up into the quiet
parking lot of the downtown campus of University of Toronto, the others were
glad to get out of the car and stretch, and feel solid ground beneath their
feet again.  It was already 10:40am when they arrived, so Erica rushed to try
and find Professor Collin’s office – but fortunately, Harlan’s people had
included a map with a highlighted path from the parking lot to her office –
which was a great help.

Thank goddess for that map, Erica thought.  This
place is so huge, it’s like a maze.  We’d have never found her office in time.  She
led her friends through quad and office, heading towards the Professor’s office
– and eventually found it in a large building that from the outside, looked
pretty non-descript.  It wasn’t that the building was bland or boring – it was
actually quite old and crafted in an interesting artistic style…  Rather it was
just that it was very hard to tell what purpose the building had been turned
to, from its exterior.  It could have been offices, classrooms, lecture halls –
or a mix of all three.

They walked inside, and found the correct
office, and went in to a waiting room to wait their turn.  Two students were
also waiting in the room, one listening to an I-pod, the other reading what
looked like lecture notes.  A secretary was typing on a computer terminal
across the room, and looking nervously at her clock.  The secretary was a woman
in her mid forties, with dishwater blonde hair and a rather charming smile that
was currently couched in what appeared to be worry or concern.

Maeve simply took silent note of the
secretary’s expression.  She was obviously worried about something, and
whatever it was, it didn’t bode well.  Erica motioned the group of them to sit,
so she and the others sat down.

“Excuse me, miss?”  Erica asked the
secretary.  “Is Mrs. Collins in today?  We have an appointment at 11am.”

The secretary stopped typing and nodded.
“Your name please? Your Student ID as well.”

“Oh – I’m not a student.  I’m consulting with
her about some information.  I believe you were contacted by my sisters’
corporation, Helstrome on Bay?”  Erica smirked a bit as she saw the recognition
of her father’s company – now Angie’s company – register with the woman.

“I’m sorry, ma’am.  Of course.  Mrs. Collins
is a little bit late this morning.  Would you mind waiting?”

“Not at all.  Thank you.”  Erica sighed.  At
least we aren’t the ones who’re late, she thought.  She sat down with her
friends to wait.

The two students looked at the time, and
started to act more than a little impatient.  The young woman with the i-pod
went over to the secretary and started asking if the secretary could mark down
that she had been there – apparently she had been waiting over an hour, and had
to return to classes.  The other student – the young man reading lecture notes
came over and did the same.

Maeve tapped the others to get their
attention.  “This is odd, don’t you think?  One of the two people your sister
thinks can find what we need is late.  Considering what your sister probably
offered to pay her, isn’t that odd?  Teachers back home can’t often afford to
throw away chances at free money.  Is it the same here?”

“Usually.”  Erica agreed.  “Most teachers
don’t make huge amounts of money.  I’ll go check with her.”   Erica returned to
the secretary’s desk, the students having since gone.

“Excuse me, ma’am.  Will Mrs. Collins be
arriving today?  We really do need to see her.”  Erica tried to make herself
look a little impatient, but not too impatient, and it seemed to work.

“Just let me call her cell, okay?  She hasn’t
answered my texts.”

Erica nodded, and the secretary called Mrs.
Collins number… it rang, and soon the secretary was talking and leaving a
message for Mrs. Collins to please call her – her 11am was waiting.

“I’m sorry ma’am – she’s not answering her
phone.  I’m a little worried, frankly – this isn’t like her at all to be
late.”  The secretary – Sally – said.  “She had a lunch meeting with someone
yesterday, and I haven’t heard from her since.”

“Thanks.  I guess we’ll wait a bit longer
then.  Thank you.”

“You’re welcome,” Sally said, looking
relieved.  She was obviously glad Erica wasn’t going to pitch a fit over this.

Erica returned to her friends.  “No luck –
she’s not answering her phone and hasn’t been seen since a lunch appointment
yesterday.”

Maeve nodded.  “Who was the appointment
with?”

Erica blushed, embarrassed by her mistake in
not asking.  “I didn’t ask, sorry.  I don’t think she’d tell me anyway.
Privacy and all that.”

Maeve grinned.  “She’ll tell me.”  She rose
and walked over to the secretary, and chatted a few moments – and returned
looking grim.  “We need to go.”

Erica looked like she was going to argue, but
something in Maeve’s eyes said not to.  She was a spy after all – she knew how
to investigate, at least back on Mercia.  “Okay,” she said.  “Let’s go back to
the car.”   The four of them left the office, after Erica asked Sally to have
Mrs. Collins phone her if she arrived, giving her one of the cell numbers of
the four phones from Harlan.

“Mrs. Collins won’t be joining us now, or
ever.”  Maeve said as they walked back to the car.  “If she’s not dead it’ll be
a miracle.”

“Why?  What happened?”  Erica asked.

“Her lunch appointment yesterday?  It was with
Vargas Elm and three other men.”

“Damn.  He’s ahead of us, as we suspected.”
Sir Andred grumbled.  “If we fall too far behind…”

“I know, Sir Andred,”  Erica said.  “Next
stop the ROM, I guess.  Let’s hope the curator my sister selected isn’t dead too.”

“Yeah.” Maeve said, not looking too hopeful.
“We can hope.”

*           *           *

Detective Inspector Marcus Drake was having a
really crappy Monday morning… it had been six weeks ago that the massacre at
the Neilson Clinic had slaughtered over a dozen cops – and when the feds
arrived and took over the scene, and claimed it was Al-Qaeda, he felt more than
a little that he was being lied to.  I don’t know what the hell happened
there, but I don’t think it was terrorists, He thought.  And now, six
weeks later, the case is quickly closed by the feds and fifteen other cases
have popped up on my desk to be dealt with.  Over worked and underpaid – that’s
how it is, isn’t it Marcus?  Typical.

Marcus’ mind was wandering as he wrote a
report for his superiors – a report on a triple homicide from last May that was
finally dealt with.  He couldn’t shake the scene of the institute, nor of Ms.
Vallan’s home – the sheer violence and carnage of both scenes.  And she
hadn’t been seen since – and neither had Eric van Helstrome.  Where did they
go?

He
stood and stretched, leaving his office behind for the staff room coffee
machine.  Maybe coffee will clear my head?  God knows I could use it.
“Urg. Where the hell is James?”  He half-asked himself.  James Cameron was his
aide – nominally a Detective himself, James was being groomed for Marcus’s job
when the time came.  He was… quirky, to say the least, but he was damn good at
his job – which meant he was just as overworked and underpaid as Marcus, if not
moreso.

Marcus
nodded to a few other officers and poured a coffee, adding sugar, no milk.
Sweet and black was the way he enjoyed it.  His ex wife said it was like his
heart.  He laughed a bit at the old joke, and sipped the bitter-sweet liquid as
he headed back to his office.   He saw the familiar form of his aide James
waiting for him inside.  About time, he thought.  James Cameron was a
sconch over six feet tall, broadly built like many police officers, and had
short-cropped blonde hair.  He was, as far as Marcus knew, single, and a bit of
a nerd.  Into computer games and stuff like that.  He was also an aficionado
(and sometimes believer) in every known conspiracy theory known to mankind,
which was an endless source of entertainment and frustration for Marcus, his
boss.

“Hey
James.”  He said.  “Where’ve you been?”

James
whirled and smiled – he was hiding something.  “Here and there, boss.  You
know.”

Marcus
did know.  James had a nose for following leads – it was amazing, actually –
and he usually could find pretty much near anyone or anything if left alone
long enough to track them down.  Even he wasn’t able to find Eric or Ms. Vallan
– and Marcus knew it annoyed his partner and aide to no end.

“I
was just finishing up the Cartwright Homicide.  How are you coming on the
Hollander case?”

“Not
bad – but that’s not what I came to tell you about.”  James said with a smirk.
“You know the massacre?  How Miss Vallan, that social worker that went missing,
and Eric, your perp disappeared with a hostage?  We got a hit on the social
worker’s credit cards.  Friday at the Eaton’s center, about 4pm or so – finally
came through the system today.”

“Damn!
Do you think she could be back?”  Marcus thought quickly.  Either she was
back, and trying to resume her normal life – or she was still dead or missing
and whoever took her was using her plastic.  Either way, he knew he was
going to look into it, feds be damned.

“Don’t
know boss, but I figured you’d want to check it out.  Am I right?”  James had
the look of

Already
knowing what his friend’s answer would be.

“Damn
right I do. Anyone called her house yet?” Marcus asked, grabbing his suit
jacket and hat.

“Nope
– but someone’s staying there at the moment.  We’ve got card hits on Sobeys,
and two chicken and pizza deliveries – one each for each of Friday and
Saturday.  That’s a lot of food for one woman living alone.”

“Sure
is.  I wonder if our missing Eric and his hostage are with her?”

“Dunno,
boss.  Wanna find out?”

“Damn
right I do.  Let’s go.  You take Simmons and head to the Eaton’s center and
pull the security videos – call me if you get anything.  I’ll take Hancock and
head to Miss Vallan’s house and we’ll see if it’s her or someone else using her
plastic.”

James
nodded, and grabbed his coat too.

I hope you have a really good explanation of
what the hell was going on when we get there, whoever you are… Thought Marcus.
Finally, some answers!

Chapter 8 – Road Trips

Jeremy Pierce was sweating bullets when they
pulled up to the American Border crossing at Detroit.  I know Mr. Vargas
said it would be no problem, but I don’t have a frikking clue as to how?  He
claims he doesn’t need a passport?  What the hell - do reptoids even use ID?  I
know… when he’s arrested, I claim I’m just the driver and don’t have any idea
what he’s mixed up in – which is pretty much the truth of the situation, I
think.  Maybe I won’t be arrested as well.

The line at the border was long, but was
moving fairly quickly.  After only ten minutes, they reached the gateway and
were questioned.  “Can I see your Passports please?”  The border agent looked
big, humorless and intimidating.

“Sure thing, officer.  Just a second.”
Pierce said, handing him his passport.

“And the purpose of your visit?”

Vargas smiled. “Pleasure.  We intend to go to
Utah and look at the churches.”

“And your passport, sir?”  The border agent
was starting to get annoyed.

“You don’t need to see our passports.”
Vargas said, staring into the man’s eyes, and touching a fraction of his power
in the form of mind magic.  “Everything is in order.  Simply stamp his papers
and allow us on our way.”

The guards eyes glazed over for a moment, and
he nodded.  “Everything looks great!  Enjoy your stay in the United States,
sir.”  Pierce watched in amazement as the surly border guard stamped his
passport and handed it back to him…  What the hell was going on?  Why wasn’t
he arresting Vargas and his men?  Oh shit – what if they have some sort of
psychic mind-control?  He wondered.  They must!  Oh shit!

Vargas was about to motion for Jeremy to
continue driving – but paused.  “Oh sir?”  he asked.  “In case we’re followed
by two women – Erica – a pretty girl with long red hair, and Maeve Varda, you
should know that they’re terrorists with that middle-eastern group that’s on
the news lately.  They might have friends with them too.  Bad people.  Do you
understand?”

The glazed man’s eyes blinked, and he
nodded.  “Sure do sir – we’ll keep an eye out for those terrorists, definitely.
Have a good trip in the USA, sir.”

Pierce sat there, his mouth agape.  Vargas
tapped his hand, pointed and said simply “Drive.”  Not having a better idea on
what to do, he threw the car in gear and drove.  A few seconds later they were
on the interstate headed west towards Chicago, and fully in the USA.

What just happened?  Pierce worried.  These
guys have some sort of psychic power now too?  I am totally boned.   He
drove onward, trying not to consider how screwed he felt he was, hoping he could
find some way out of this before he got in any deeper with the alien reptoids
he was chauffeuring.  As he drove, one thought kept working its way into his
mind: who the hell was this Maeve Varda and her friend Erica, that he was
afraid of them?

*           *           *

Marcus
turned his car into the driveway of Ms. Vallan’s home at 117 Nipigon avenue,
and turned off the engine.  The passenger in his car – Detective Saul Hancock,
a new detective to the force was accompanying him.  “Keep your eyes and ears
open, Saul – there might be a hostage, and they might be armed and dangerous.
We’re gathering information – so let me take the lead.”

Saul
nodded.  When the Detective Inspector said to do something, it was a wise man
that just shut up and did it.  “Sure thing, Inspector.  I’ll just act as
backup.”

“Thanks.”
Marcus got out of his car, leaving his hat inside because of the excellent
weather, and ran his fingers through his silvering hair.  And once more, I still
got it, he thought with a smile.  Thank god, too – my old man looked
pretty odd without hair.  He smiled a bit at his vanity, and closed the car
door and headed up to the front of the house.  His partner Saul kept pace with him,
silent and a bit behind him to one side.  He rang the bell.

A
few moments later, the door opened up, answered by a young woman in her mid to
late twenties, who Marcus could immediately see was Christine Vallan – the
dossier his office had been sent by the ministry of social services had a good
picture of her.  So she is alive!  I’ll be damned.  Maybe we can get some
answers?

“Hello,
ma’am.  My name is Detective Inspector Marcus Drake – this is my partner
Detective Hancock.  We’d like to have a word with you about the events on this
street the week of August 15th, and we’d like to know where you’ve been for the
last six weeks, and if you know the whereabouts of Eric van Helstrome, one of
your case files.”

Christine
sighed – she didn’t really look worried, or even particularly stressed out.
More resigned.  “Sure – I can tell you what I know.  Come on in, Inspector.
Could you and your partner leave your shoes at the door?”

It
was a bit annoying, but they removed their shoes, and followed her into the
kitchen.  The house looked clean – or at least clean-ish.  It certainly didn’t
look like a party had happened here recently.  “Have you been back long, Ms.
Vallan?”

“No
– not really, and please, call me Christine.  I’ve only been home since about
Friday.”

“Were
you aware of the massacre going on the night you disappeared, both at the Neilson
clinic and outside your house on this street?”  Marcus eagerly listened for any
tidbits of information he could make use of.

“Of
course I was – it was on the news, and when people started screaming, I
panicked and hid.”

“Did
you see what attacked and killed some of your neighbors?”

“A
little – it was terrorists – definitely terrorists.  There was a lot of
screaming, and blood.”  Christine couldn’t help but shudder at remembering part
of that day – especially the sight of her neighbor’s torso landing on Eric’s
stolen police car – minus the rest of his body…

“How
did you know they were terrorists, Christine?”  Marcus asked.  “Did they have
strange clothes or anything that could identify them?”

“Not
really – I don’t know.  People were screaming and dying all over.  It was very
confusing and chaotic.”

“Was
Eric van Helstrome here at the time?”

“Yes
– he drove up in a police car, babbling about something was killing people at
the clinic.  He was quite agitated and panicked, so I calmed him down and we
left out the back door – to get away from the screaming people.  Pretty soon he
calmed down, and he told me what he thought happened at the Neilson clinic – it
was crazy talk.  He was pretty stressed about it.  He said people were being killed
by demons, and he stole the car to get away from them.  I guess he was pretty
scared, to think terrorists were demons, though.”

“He
said he saw demons kill people?”  Marcus asked, a little surprised.

“That’s
what he said.”  Angie said.  “I mean, it’s impossible – he must have been
confused, but that’s what he said to me.”

“What
happened next?”  Marcus asked.

“I
drove over to his sister’s house, where we waited till she came home – and she
took him inside.  I decided I needed to get away, so I asked if I could stay at
one of Angie’s cottages in the Kawartha’s for a few weeks, and she said sure.
She even lent me a car so I wouldn’t have to come back here.   You can check
with her about all this if you like.”

“Thank
you, Miss Vallan, I will.  Do you know what happened to Eric after that?  And
was there a black-haired woman with him?”

“Yes,
and yes.  Her name is Maeve, and I think she’s a friend he met on the streets
somewhere.  I think she’s from Kingston, originally.  He seemed to know her.
She was trying to help keep him safe.”

“Is
the Angie that you speak of Angela van Helstrome, Eric’s sister?”

“Yeah
– we went to school together in Ryerson.  We’re still good friends.”

“So
what happened after you left Eric at his sisters?”

“I
went up to the cottage and hung out there for a few weeks.  I came back Friday
and actually met Eric and Maeve and a few friends of theirs, and we went and
did some shopping, then came back here for pizza and chicken to celebrate.
They stayed for a few days and left.  Eric apparently went to a private clinic
while I was in cottage country and got sexual reassignment surgery and a few
other things done – she’s going by Erica now, and she looks great.”

Marcus
raised an eyebrow at that bombshell, and he could tell Saul was too.  “So, were
you sure the woman claiming to be Eric was the same person you knew six weeks
ago?”

“Totally.  She looked different, but she acted like Eric, and she
knew all the stuff he knew.  I talked to Angie later and she confirmed it all.
We even went and visited, and Angie and I caught up.”

“I
see.”  This sounds like bullshit - it smells.  “Is he… excuse me, I mean
is she still here?”

“No,
sorry.  She and her friends went on a road trip together.  I don’t know where
they were planning on going – but they probably won’t be back for a while.
Erica did say she’d try and come back when they were done their trip, though,
if that helps any.”

“Some,
I think.  Thank you.”  Marcus wondered where exactly Erica and her pals were
heading and what they would be doing.  It doesn’t smell right, does it
Marcus?  He asked himself.  Of course not…  He couldn’t help but notice
Christine was cool as a cucumber, and politely answering his questions without
many questions of her own.  Has she been coached?  I wonder.

“Do
you feel safe, now that you’re back home, Ms. Vallan?”

“Yes,
for the most part.  It’s really, really good to be home.  That cottage was a
bit of an ordeal, in retrospect.”

“Did
you know that your office reported you missing, and that you’ve probably lost
your job?”

“No,
but I assumed I was fired.  Did I do something illegal, Detective Inspector?  I
had a lot of time to think while I was away, and I’ve decided to take up a new
career – I’m going into holistic foods and herbs.  Natural stuff, I think.  No
more social work – it’s too stressful.”

Marcus
gritted his teeth.  “No, ma’am, I don’t believe you’ve done anything illegal,
but there are a lot of questions I still need answers to.  Would you mind going
back to where we began, when you met Erica for the first time, after she got
back from her trip to Europe…”

Christine
sighed.  “Not at all, detective.  I had just returned home – a friend of
Angie’s dropped me off and took the car back to Angie’s – and was unpacking
when Erica and her friends arrived.”

“Does
this friend of Angie’s have a name?”  Marcus asked.

“Harlan.
Harlan Branscombe.  He was an employee at Angela’s company – I think he worked
with Anders van Helstrome before he passed away.”

Marcus
took note of the name, and nodded.  “Please continue, Ms. Vallan.”

Marcus
wrinkled his nose as Christine Vallan rattled off their itinerary, and couldn’t
help but have the feeling that this was all some big show and game for his
benefit, and that Ms. Vallan was concealing something she didn’t want him to
know.  She’s been coached too – I’m sure of it.  By someone good.

He
looked over at Saul Hancock, who looked just as frustrated as he did.  This
was going to be a long afternoon…  I just hope James is having more luck than I
am.

*           *           *

James
Cameron wasn’t feeling particularly lucky at that exact moment…  The security
office at the Eaton’s center wasn’t exactly huge – and although it was late
September, September in Ontario could still be quite warm.  Today was
uncomfortably warm, and the office’s air conditioning unit was on the fritz.  The
things I go through for my job, James thought.  He’d been at this about an
hour already, and seen three women and two men enter some stores and buy some
clothes.  One matched Christine Vallan’s description, and one the black-haired
woman seen fleeing the scene at the Neilson clinic – but there was no sign of
Eric van Helstrome, nor any idea who the two other men travelling with them
were.  They know how to fight, too, he thought.  James spent many a weekend
studying and learning martial arts, and had gained a brown belt in Jiu-jitsu,
and was only a few weeks away from being tested for his black belt.  He knew
what the fighters looked like when they walked – and these folks had the look
of fighters.

Interesting,
he thought.  Who are these people, and where do they come from?  He
thought a moment, and called over to a security guard.  “Does the mall have
exterior cameras – you know, of the entrances?”

“Yes
sir.”  The guard responded.  “We’ve got cameras at each entrance.”

“Get
me the footage of the entrance closest to the north entrance.”  James said.

“No
problem sir.”  The guard pulled up the video footage, and displayed it on the
police detective’s monitor.

They
bought clothes around 4pm or so on Friday… so they must have arrived at least
an hour in advance of that, he thought as he queued up the video.  Let’s
see where they came from… Maybe I can get a license plate or something, if I’m
lucky?

Detective
Cameron watched the video, panning across its field of vision, until he finally
saw it – and what he saw he couldn’t believe.  What the fucking hell?!  They
just appeared there – like one second not there, and one second they were.  How
in the hell did that happen?  “Hey,” he called out to the guard on duty.
“Have these files been tampered with?”

“Um…
not as far as I know, sir.  No one bothers even looking as long as there isn’t
a problem.  I’d have to ask my supervisor.”

“Then
get him down here and ask, right now.”  James said, beginning to sound
excited.  It’s just like I heard about on the internet… They beamed down
like star trek!  He thought.  It’s like they just came down from … from
somewhere!  Holy Crap!  There have to be other cameras that caught this – there
are box stores across the street.  I’ll have to cover all the bases here if the
Detective Inspector isn’t going to laugh me out of the precinct.  What the hell
have I stumbled into?  It could be a prank, but why would someone do it?  No
one could have known the police would pull these tapes today.  What the hell is
going on?   James rewound the video and played it again…  It happened in
slow motion – an empty sidewalk outside the Eaton’s center – suddenly filled by
five people appearing from nowhere.  Even the people nearby didn’t seem to
notice their abrupt arrival… I have no idea how something like this is even
possible, but I intend to find out.

“Can
I get a copy of this file?”  he asked.

“Yeah,
no problem.”  The security guard said.  “My supervisor will be here in like
five minutes.”

“Good.
Thanks, pal.”  If this isn’t doctored, I don’t really know what I’ve found –
but I know it’s Important.  I’d better pull the camera data from any other
stores in the area to see if they can corroborate it too.  Odd, he thought
as he watched the video.  The two women are trying to comfort the two men
and the one woman that looks like Marcus’ hostage.  Are they having a panic
attack?  Miss Vallan seems to be in charge, or maybe the cute red-head is?
Hard to tell.  They calm the other three, then lead them inside.  What on earth
was going on?   Maybe that was the problem, James thought.  Maybe the
problem isn’t on earth at all?  Hell – what if they’re aliens?  It’s gonna be a
long day, he thought.  Might as well get to it.

*           *           *

Erica and the others stretched as they climbed
out of the SUV.  The Royal Ontario Museum was only a block or so away.  The
parking lot they had found was pricey, but the closest one they could find.  It
was shortly after noon, and the weather was making a good impression of still
thinking it was summer.

It’s probably only a sconch below thirty
degrees.
Erica thought.  Could be worse.  She looked at her friends – and could
see they were worried.  I suppose they should be…  Vargas already knows
where he needs to go and we’re playing catch up.  Damn.

“We don’t have far to go, everyone.  The
museum can be huge inside, so stick close to me, okay?”  Erica called out.
“We’re looking for a doctor Kurt Wellesley.  Assuming he’s still alive, we
should be able to find out what we need.”

“Unfortunately, that is the million-silver
question, isn’t it?”  Maeve said.  “Thanks for the translation amulet back, by
the way, Sir Andred.  I’d like to be able to understand the doctor when we
speak to him.”

“No worries, Maeve.”  He said laughing.
“That is what they say here, right?”

“Yes, Sir Andred…  They do say that here.”
Erica said laughing.  “If you think it would help, maybe Kai could loan you his
amulet – you know more about religion in some ways.”

“Aye.”  Sir Andred said.  “But at the same time,
I can see much just by watching.  You and Maeve have the gift of gab.  I’ll
leave you ladies to it.  Kai, keep the amulet or not as you wish.”  Kai nodded
in acknowledgement, and Sir Andred went on.  “I believe I’ll instead try and
see if he’s been influenced by evil magic, to see if he may be misleading us,
in case Vargas manipulated him.”

“Good idea, Andred.”  Maeve said.  “We should
go.”

The walk was short, but refreshing after
being stuck in the car for twenty plus minutes in traffic.  It was obvious that
Kai and the others were beginning to adjust to the chaos and noise of Erica’s
home world and one of its busiest cities – but it was equally obvious they
didn’t *like* it.   Soon they reached the entrance of the museum and went
inside.   Erica went over to a customer service desk, and saw a plain young man
manning the counter.  “Hello… I have an appointment with Dr. Wellesley at 1pm.”

The young man, who was wearing a name tag
that said “Terrence” perked up immediately.  “Hello ma’am.  May I get your
name?”

“Erica van Helstrome and guests.”

“Yeah… I see you’re on the list.  Thank you,
miss Helstrome.  I’ll give Dr. Wellesley a call – I’m sure he’ll send someone
right down to fetch you.  Great weather we’re having, isn’t it?”

“Ummm… thanks. And yes, it is pretty nice for
September.”  Erica answered.

“Yeah – I can’t bear to see summer leave.
Winter is so miserable downtown, don’t you think?”

“Yeah – it can get pretty cold and gloomy.
It was nice meeting you.”  Erica said, a bit bemused.  Normal people never
used to talk to me this way before.  Then again, I looked homeless and crazy
before so go figure?  This being a pretty girl is going to take a lot of
getting used to.   She walked back over to the others to wait.

“New friend?”  Maeve asked, smirking.

“Let’s just say I’m still not used to how
people react to my new body and be done with it, shall we?”  Erica responded.

“Fair enough.”

A few moments later, a middle-aged man
approached the kiosk where Terrence was stationed, and was quickly directed
over to Erica and the others.   He was short – perhaps five foot seven, with a
bald spot on top of his head, and a neatly trimmed salt-and-pepper beard.  He
wore casual office attire, and looked relaxed and cheerful.

“Excuse me,” he asked.  “Is one of you Miss
Erica van Helstrome?”

Erica smiled.  “Yes, sir – that would be me.
I take it you are Kurt Wellesley?”

“I am.  Your sister was most generous to the
museum, Miss van Helstrome.  It will be our pleasure to help you in any way we
can.  Please, follow me to my office.”

The
troupe followed the doctor through the museum, through galleries and halls of
ancient artifacts.  Erica tried to focus on the task at hand, but she’d never
actually been in the Royal Museum before, and she was hard pressed to keep her
eyes on Dr. Wellesley.  Kai and Sir Andred had a similar problem.  It was Maeve
who kept them on point, and in step with the doctor, and a short while later,
they arrived at his office.

Once
everyone had gone inside and found seats, Mr. Wellesley began.  “I understand
you need some advice or information on an ancient deity.  Could you tell me
which one?  My specialty is in Babylonian and Sumerian history – which is why I
believe the museum called on me to meet with you.  I have to admit I am rather
curious how someone could have a ‘historical emergency’ that needed my
expertise right away.”

Erica
laughed a bit.  “My sister is a bit exuberant about these things.  My friends
and I are hobbyists, and extremely interested in an ancient goddess known as
Tiamat.  We’d like to know what you can tell us about her – especially places
that would be sacred to her, and places of power that belonged to her.”

Mr.
Wellesley looked a bit confused, but it was obvious that Erica and her sister
were paying the Museum’s bills in this matter, so he began.  “Tiamat was an
ancient deity of primordial chaos – a water spirit that was sometimes said to
be the mother of monsters.  She was so ancient she was considered old in the times
of Babylon and Sumeria – and she was the mother of most of the Babylonian and
Sumerian pantheon, in conjunction with another god of primordial chaos, Apsu,
another deity that often took the form of a serpent.”

He
paused a moment, and continued.  “If I had to pick the three likeliest places
on Earth that would be sacred to her, I’d say the Tigris or the Euphrates
river, which were said to spring from her body, or the Dead Sea, which is a
salt sea.  You see,” he said.  “Tiamat was a goddess of creation, but was
aspected towards salt water.  Her husband Apsu was aspected towards fresh water
– so her power as a creatrix would be most powerful where fresh water – such as
the mouth of a freshwater river meets a salt lake or salt flat.”

Erica
smiled, and Mr. Wellesley looked encouraged.  “Is this helping, Miss van
Helstrome?”

“Yes,
very much.”  Erica said.  “Now if we had to limit ourselves to the continent of
North America, is there any place that would have a symbolical link to those
places – one connected to fresh and salt water?  One with a bit of religious
significance?”

“I’m
not sure why you’re asking this, but if I had to guess, I’d say somewhere near a
salt flat – like Salt Lake City in Utah.  There are freshwater rivers running
into the lake – and if that doesn’t work, the Bonneville salt flats aren’t far
away.  There may be another choice as well…  The Tigris and Euphrates rivers
are the lifesblood of the region in the middle east.  The Mississippi river
might qualify if we’re talking the United States of America – especially when
it meets the Atlantic Ocean and the Gulf of Mexico.  That area would be a
significant confluence of salt and fresh water as well.”

Erica
beamed.  “Thank you, so much, Dr. Wellesley.   Could I have a moment with my
colleagues?”

“Of
course, miss.  I’ll fetch a coffee – I’ll be right back.”   The curator was
obviously a little confused as he left the office.  That and curious.

Once
he was gone, Maeve didn’t waste any time getting down to brass tacks.  “I think
we have what we need.  Can Harlan scout these areas and see if Vargas is
there?”

“Probably.”
Erica answered.  “But we can’t arouse too much suspicion, and the questions
we’re asking are pretty odd.  I think I have an idea to explain ourselves – so
roll with it.  You too Kai.”

“Huh?
Why me?”  Kai asked, looking surprised.

“Cause
I might sound a little crazy for a bit – just play along.”

Kai
nodded, as did Maeve.

Meanwhile, Sir Andred was watching the many
artifacts and objects in the room avidly.  “I think the doctor is a good man.”
He said in Valdan.  “Nothing in the office reeks of evil nor magic.”

“That’s comforting.”  Maeve said.  “What do
you have in mind, Erica?”

“Not sure – probably a long-shot.”  She
said.  “But I might as well ask while we’re here.”

Dr.
Wellesley returned with his cup of coffee, and coughed to let everyone know he
was back.  “Do you and your friends need more time, ma’am?”

“No
– I think we’re good doctor.  Can I ask you a few more questions?”  Erica said
sweetly.

“Of
course.”  He said.  “Where would you like to begin?”

“Do
you have any images of Tiamat, or of what her symbols and holy places would look
like?”

“There
are some of course, but they’re very old.”  He reached for an old text, and
riffled through it.   “Aha!  Here are some images historians have cobbled
together of her.  As you can see, she is alternately depicted as a shining
woman, a sea-serpent or a dragon.  Here she holds the Tablet of Destinies – a
mythical relic that basically declares whomsoever holds it is the ruler of
heaven.  The tablet was supposedly taken from her when she was slain by one of
her children, Marduk, god of the city, although Marduk could be interchangeable
with the deity Enki or Enlil, depending on the region and culture.  They may
even be different aspects of the same god.”

“I
see.  I guess the history is so old and ancient, no one really knows the
details anymore, do they?”  Erica asked.

“Sadly,
not really.  We can piece together bits from here and there – but we don’t have
everything we want to know.  I suppose until someone invents a time machine, we
won’t be able to either.” he said, joking.  “May I ask why you are so
interested in this topic?”

Here
goes nothing, Erica thought.  “Well, you may know that many people these
days follow alternative religions, like goddess worship.  I’m interested in
visiting some holy places, and perhaps meditating upon the past and her ancient
glory in places she would have found appealing, where her attention might turn
if she still existed.  That’s why I asked about symbols and holy places within
North America.  A young woman like myself travelling in the middle-east without
bodyguards would be putting herself at immense risk.  That, and my sister would
totally freak out if I tried to go over there.”  It was amazing how easily the
lie came off her tongue, she thought.

“Ah
– so you’re a neo-pagan?”

“You
might say that I follow the Mother-Goddess, yes.  She and I have developed what
I’d like to think as a close personal connection.”  Erica smiled sweetly.  She
almost heard as much as felt some laughter that wasn’t hers from within…

Kai
sputtered and choked.  “Sorry – I swallowed wrong.  I’ll be fine.”   Maeve
smirked, and slapped Kai upside the head.

“Well
I don’t know what to say.  You do realize that a lot of that neo-pagan stuff
was cobbled together by a bunch of occultists who wanted to make a quick buck –
who dumped a dozen or more goddesses and gods from a dozen or more cultures
together into one basket and called her a single goddess.  It’s more a
hodge-podge of a dozen different faiths rather than one coherent one.  It seems
a bit silly to go to the expense you did for this little bit of information, Miss
van Helstrome.”

“Well
I suppose that may be, in your mind.  I realize many of the weaknesses of my
own faith, and that many of the people claiming to know the truth are simply
charlatans – but as far as I can see, faith requires you to find your own truth
and cleave to it.  I’ll treat what you said about pagans with a grain of salt,
if you don’t mind.  I think we have everything we need, Doctor Wellesley.
Thank you.”

“You’re
welcome of course, Miss van Helstrome.  I understand your sister will be making
an endowment to the museum in return for our little discussion?”

“Yes
– and I believe it will probably be a significant one, since you’ve been more
than helpful.  Thank you Doctor.”

“Thank
you, Miss van Helstrome.”

With
that, Erica and her friends excused themselves, and headed back to the car
park.

“A
close, personal connection with the Mother-Goddess?  Really?”  Kai asked as
they got outside.  “I thought you wanted to keep a low profile?”

“Yeah,
I do Kai – but there was no way on earth he was going to assume I meant
literally – he probably thought I was some neo-pagan fluff-head who has more
money than brains and is going cross country wasting her sisters money in
occult shops and pagan festivals… which is exactly what we wanted him to
think.  Think about it.  If we ask weird questions, and he starts asking
questions, he could bring us to the attention of the police, and we don’t want
that.”

Kai
nodded, a little mollified.  “Yeah, you’re right.  Sorry – I just couldn’t help
it.”

Maeve
smiled too.  “You’re starting to sound like a saint, a bit, Erica.  You should
have heard her Sir Andred…  She was all like ‘those with faith have to find
their own truth, and cleave to it.’  You would have been proud.”

Sir
Andred smiled back, and put a hand on Erica’s shoulder to relax her.  “You
misunderstand, Maeve. I am already proud. With every trial she surpasses she
justifies my belief in her all the more.  Erica is full of surprises.”

Maeve
nodded thoughtfully.  “I suppose you’re right there, Sir Andred.”

Erica
sighed, exasperated.  “If we’re all done with the kudos and the commentary, how
about we get back to the car and pursue Vargas and his cronies?  He must have
at least a half a day head start on us or more – and it’s at least three hours
to the nearest border crossing, and it will take us at least a half-hour to get
out of the city itself.”

The
others nodded.  It was time to get going.

*           *           *

“Thank
you for your time, Miss Vallan.  We’ll be in touch if we have any more
questions.”

Christine
nodded, and saw the two detectives to the door, where they put on their shoes,
and headed out to their car.  She closed her door and went inside.

Marcus got into his car, and stared at the
steering wheel.  His partner Saul was climbing in the passenger door, as was
just as annoyed and frazzled as he was.  Son of a bitch, she was coached
well, he thought.  We don’t know anything more now that we did when we
got here, except that I’d bet 90% of her story is bullshit.  I guess we’ll have
to follow up with Eric’s sister, among other things to make sure.  I hope James
has had a better day than I have.

Saul turned to Marcus and snorted.  “Did you
believe all that in there?  I mean, it sounded good – but most people get
worried, get nervous.  She did a little, but not like she should have.
Something was going on there.”

“Yeah, tell me about it.”  Marcus said,
nodding.  It was almost enough to make him want to take up smoking again.  She
knew something.  She knew something big, and wasn’t telling it and he wanted to
know what it was.  I’ll talk to Angela van Helstrome and see if her story
checks out.  Like I said as we left, ‘we’ll definitely be in touch, Miss
Vallan.’

As
he pulled into traffic, his cell phone rang – and a few moments later it was on
Bluetooth speaker.  It was James.  “What do you have for me James?”  He asked.

“Not
sure – it’s something, definitely boss.  You might want to check some of the
security footage I got of the five of them – Miss Vallan included.  There’s
something I want you to see.”

“Well,
spill it, James.”

“Well
I would, sir, but it kinda freaks me out – I’ll show you when you get back to
the office.”

“What?
Nothing freaks you out, James.”  Marcus said, curiously.

“Not
usually, sir, No.  I’ll see you when you get back.”

“That
was a weird phone call.”  Saul said.  “He usually that odd on the phone?”

Marcus
thought about it.  James Cameron was weird all the time – he often thought so
far outside the box he forgot there was a box in the first place – but in the
years Marcus had worked with him, he’d never heard him scared… or was it scared
and excited at the same time?  Either way, it was weird.

“Yeah,
that’s for sure.  Hell if I know.”  Marcus turned the car towards the office
and headed back – whatever James had to show him, he definitely wanted to see.

Chapter 9 – Answers

Marcus
bid goodbye to Saul Hancock as they got back to the office…  I’ll probably
reconnect with Saul later, Marcus thought, but right now I want to see
what has James’ panties in a twist.  He sounded really odd on the phone –
bothered… but we’ve all been bothered since that night. All the dead, all the
funerals; it’s just been too much.

He
got to his office, and went inside.  James was already there, sitting at
Marcus’s desk, watching something on the computer monitor.  As Marcus walked
in, his head jerked up as he almost went to attention in his seat, and reset
whatever he was watching to the start point. “Hey Marcus, you’re back! You need
to see this, right away.”

“I
will.”  Marcus said, coming over.  “As soon as you get out of my damn chair.”

“Uh,
crap.  Sorry boss!”  James grinned, the joke seeming to cheer him up and snap him
out of whatever funk he’d been stuck in.  “Turn the video to 12 minutes, 40
seconds and watch the area near the right hand side of the screen by two
panhandlers.  I suspect Ms. Vallan didn’t tell you about this part of whatever
she’s been doing.”

Marcus
waited until James got out of his chair and moved over, then sat down.  “What
am I watching?” He asked.

“The
exterior surveillance video, taken outside the north entrance to the Eaton’s
Center, about 3pm on Friday afternoon, in downtown Toronto.”

Marcus
hit ‘play’ and watched the video… a few moments passed, and then he saw it.
They weren’t there – then they were.  “What the hell?”  he said, rewinding it
to watch again.  “Is this what you saw?”

“Yeah,
I know, right?”  James said, a little excited. “I pulled the video feeds from
three other sources watching that area, and they had it too – at exactly the
same time: 3:16pm on Friday afternoon.  One video being screwed up I could see
– but four videos is a stretch.”

“What
the hell am I seeing?  Is this one of your conspiracy theories, James?”  Marcus
looked confused as the images flashed across his eyes again…  One moment the
space on the sidewalk was empty – and the next Christine and four other people
– one of them Eric’s hostage from six weeks ago – are there.  He couldn’t
believe what he was seeing.

“Not
any one I know of, boss.  If I had to guess, I’d call that teleportation – but
I don’t know what the fuck that is.  I know someone who does, though.”

James’ smirk made Marcus know he was going to
regret asking.  “Who?”

James pointed at Christine.  “Miss Vallan was
there.  I suggest we go back and ask her what she might have left out of her
original statement you took today.”

Marcus stared at the screen for a few moments
more.  Dammit, I knew she was hiding something!  He sighed.  “Yeah, we’d
better go talk to her again.  I’m not sure we’re seeing what we think we’re
seeing, but I think we need to ask, right away.”

“Agreed, boss.  I’ll meet you at the car.”

Marcus nodded, and looked at the screen one
more time.  What he was seeing was impossible – utterly impossible.  I
wonder what other impossibilities are going to surface in this case? There’s
too many of them already.

He sighed one more time, and got up to head
towards the car.

*           *           *

“Are
we there yet?”  Maeve asked more than a bit petulantly from the back seat of
the SUV.  “It’s been hours and all we’ve done is sit here.  My butt is sore and
I need to stretch.”

Oh
my god, really?  We just started this trip…  Erica thought.  Still,
she’s never been for a long car ride before – and neither have the others.
Maybe they need a break?  “We’ll be in Windsor in another twenty minutes –
we can all stretch and get out of the car there.  We’ll probably need a
bathroom break first anyway – Border crossings can sometimes take a long time.”

“Is
it like crossing a border back home – they stop you, ask you your business –
you lie – and they let you go in?”  Maeve asked.

“NO!”
Erica said a little forcefully, her mind full of the mental image of Maeve
trying to lie her way through American Customs, and the carnage that would
result.  “I mean, no – we have to have a strategy session to figure out the
best way to cross the border.  We should get some food and chat while we eat.”

Kai
felt his stomach rumble.  “Good idea – I could eat.”  He looked at the strange timepiece
Christine had given him – the little hand was pointing down, and the big hand
was pointing up.  I think that means is close to dinner time?  He thought.  I
hope so – my stomach agrees.  This wrist-watch is a lot like the pocket watches
they’re making back home, but we’ve got nothing like this at all, or even
close.

“As
could I.”  Sir Andred agreed.

“Fine
then,” Erica answered.  “We’ll eat when we get to Windsor and make a plan to
cross the border.”

“And
stretch.”  Maeve insisted.

“Yes,
and we’ll stretch too.”  Erica laughed.

They
drove onward for a while, seeing trees and houses, signs and traffic whizzing
by beside them – and soon Erica saw the sign proclaiming ‘City of Windsor –
Population 210,891’.  “Hey guys, we’re here.  For those who want to freak out,
Windsor has over 200,000 people living in it.  It’s not a huge city, just sorta
big.  What do you guys want to eat?”

“Kai
and I have been talking it over and think something other than Chicken or Pizza
would be nice.”  Sir Andred suggested.

Erica
thought a bit.  Fast food is probably cheaper – but that isn’t really a
problem.  We need somewhere a bit more private.  Maybe a nicer class of
restaurant?  “How does the idea of everyone picks their own meal off a menu
sound?”

“It
sounds like a disaster waiting to happen.”  Maeve said chuckling.  “Remember,
we can’t read your language yet.”

“Speak
for yourself, Maeve.  I’m understanding a few words here and there.”  Kai
retorted.

“Maybe,
Kai – but I didn’t spend two weeks giving language lessons, either.  You’d
probably have to read them to us.  If that’s not an issue, it sounds good to
me.”

“Well
it might not be an issue.  A lot of menus have pictures of what the dishes are,
so you might just be able to point at something and say ‘I’ll have this.’  Either
way, if anyone needs me to read a menu, I will.  It’ll give us the privacy we
need, and a nicer meal than a fast food place.”  Everyone nodded, and a few
minutes later they ended up at the local Keg steakhouse and bar.

Maeve
was the first out of the car, stretching.  “I’m glad we don’t have these back
home.  They’re fast, but I think sitting still for so long is rather painful.”

“Well
I don’t know about you, but when you get to my age,” Sir Andred said, smiling,
“You learn to appreciate a small cushion between your posterior and your seat.
It was far comfier than my saddle, I suspect.”

Erica
grinned.  “Let’s get inside – dinner here takes at least an hour and a half –
and we have a lot of talking to do.”

Everyone
agreed, and filed inside.

*           *           *

Marcus
pulled into Christine Vallan’s driveway for the second time that day, this time
with his partner Detective-Sergeant James Cameron in the passenger seat.  “She
had an answer for everything earlier today.  Let’s keep it simple and see if we
can get her to talk.  I’m tired of not knowing what the hell is going on.”

“As
am I, Marcus.  As am I.  I want to know who’s responsible for the death of my
brother and all our other friends that died at the clinic.  I want answers as
much as you do.”

“You
do know we shouldn’t even be following up on this – the case is closed.  Do we
really want to know the truth?”  Marcus asked.

“Really,
boss?  If we didn’t want to know the truth, we wouldn’t have driven here.
You’re getting cold feet old man.”  James tried to pick up his boss and friend
with a pep talk.

“I
know, James – it’s just… I feel like I’m about to break the investigator’s
first rule…”

“Don’t
ask a question you don’t want the answer to?”  James asked.

“Yeah,
that one.”  Marcus answered with a grin.

James
grinned back. “I think that ship sailed a long time ago.  You coming with me?”

James made motions as if to go inside, and
Marcus nodded.  They got out of the car, and approached the door and knocked.

A
few moments passed, and the detectives heard someone moving inside, before a
small curtain was pulled aside, and they could see Miss Vallan peeking out.  A
moment later the door opened.  “Hello, Detective.  Is there something wrong?”
she asked.

She
looks a bit nervous, Marcus thought.  Good – maybe her cool as a cucumber
routine was well rehearsed – but now that we’re off the script, maybe we’ll get
somewhere.  “Miss Vallan, I’d like to go over some of the statements you
made earlier today to myself and Detective Constable Hancock, if I could.  May
I come in?  This is my partner, Detective Sergeant James Cameron.”

James
smiled in the way he often did – openly.  “Hello, ma’am.” He said.  It was all
he needed – she softened a bit, and nodded, letting them both inside.

“Is
this going to be a short visit, Detective?  I had dinner in the oven.”
Christine asked.

“I’m
not sure, Miss Vallan.  Perhaps you should turn it down a bit until we’re done
talking.”  Marcus’ tone told the truth of the matter – he expected to be here a
while.

Christine
nodded, and turned the stove down, inviting the two officers into the kitchen
as she did.  They found seats, and she poured herself and them a coffee.  “How
do you take your coffee?”

“Black,
two sugars.”  Marcus answered, while James added “Same, with milk.”

She
fixed the coffees and sat down, handing the officers the warm mugs.  Both tried
a sip, and waited for her to get settled.  “What part of my statement is being
questioned, Detective Inspector?  I’d be happy to help if I can.”

Marcus
smiled, and it might be said the look was more than a little bit feral.  “I’m
sure you will, Miss Vallan.  I’d like to clarify how you met Erica and her
friends at the Eaton’s center.  Did you take a cab?  Did they take a cab?  Do
you have a TTC pass or a subway ticket?   Were they waiting for you when you
got there, or did you have to wait for them?  Just to tie up loose ends, you
understand.”

Christine’s
heart sank.  We missed something… what did we miss?  Fucking hell!  There
must have been video cameras watching the damn door.  Think Christine, think…
Do I lie or tell them the truth?  Dammit!  She tried to school her face to
calmness, and sipped some coffee.  “I’m sure.”  She said.  “I’m also sure you
have an idea yourself, or you wouldn’t be asking me to confirm what I said.”

“True,
we have an idea of how you and your friends arrived at the Eaton’s center.”
Marcus said.  “But frankly, this is off the record.  Both James and I know you
and at least one of your friends is somehow linked to the massacre at the
Neilson Clinic – where over 30 people we knew and were friends with were murdered
in cold blood in the most gruesome ways you can imagine, including Mr.
Cameron’s younger brother.  We don’t care what you tell us – we just want to
hear the truth as you know it.  We need to know what happened that night.”

Christine
looked at the two men.  Marcus was older, and she could tell this was wearing
on him.  He looked haggard and tired, and more than a little stressed out.
James was similar, but different.  He was wired tight – and only holding himself
calm by working himself to exhaustion.  Whatever had happened after Eric had
left the clinic was haunting them, and doing a damn good job of it.  They
deserve to know, she thought.  They won’t believe me anyway.  Who would?

Christine
sighed.  “You want the truth?”

Marcus
nodded.  “Yes, please.”

Here
goes, she thought.  I hope they don’t commit me.  “Just remember,
you asked me to tell you this – I didn’t want to.  You’ll think I’m crazy.”

“Hell,
ma’am, right now I think I’m crazy with the stuff I’ve seen on this case.  Tell
us anything you care to tell us.  We need to know.”

Christine
sighed.  It’s going to be a long night, she thought.  “It began the day
I went to find Eric van Helstrome, to get him off the street.  His sister,
Angela had asked me to bring him in, because his father Anders was dying and
she wanted him to have a chance to make peace with his father.  I found him,
and convinced him to come with me, so we went to say goodbye to his street
pals, Norm and Dave.”

James
nodded.  “What happened then, Miss Vallan?”

“We
went down the alley to say goodbye, and some gang members wearing a black
jacket with a pool of red on it were lighting his two friends on fire.  I tried
to pull him away, but he broke free and tried to save them.  The gang started
beating him up… and he just disappeared.”

“I
beg your pardon?”  Marcus asked.

“He
just disappeared.  He came back the same way a few seconds later – and it
freaked the gang out so much they ran off.  He looked hurt, so I dragged him to
Saint Mikes, and he got patched up.  The nurse said he had frostbite.”

“He
had frostbite in August?”  James asked. “Did he have frostbite when you found him
a half-hour earlier?”

“No,
detective, he did not.”  Christine said.  “I found out later what had
happened.  I’ll get to it, I promise.”  She sipped her coffee, and sighed. “I
got him sent to the Neilson Clinic, and went home to have a drink – and I
didn’t see him again until he showed up on my door with a strange woman – Maeve
– and a stolen police car.  They said a demon was after them, and they needed
to find weapons – and Maeve was more than a little odd, wearing a robe and
practically nothing else.  Of course I didn’t believe him – until pieces of my
neighbors started raining down from the sky.  I saw it – oh god, I saw it… It
looked like it was straight from hell.  It came for us, and Eric grabbed Maeve
and I and suddenly we were gone… somewhere else.”

Marcus
couldn’t believe what he was hearing.  He forced himself to continue the
interview, and just file the information for later.  “And then what happened?
Where were you?”

“We
were in another dimension – a place between worlds that Maeve called ‘the
Void’. The Void is dark and cold – that’s where he got the frostbite.  Eric did
something while we were there and took us to another world, but it was
dangerous… the demons live in the Void, and they almost got us.  He did his
thing one more time, and when we came to, we were in the snow in some screwed
up fantasy world like out of a Tolkien novel.  We spent six weeks there trying
to not die and find out what the hell was going on.”

“So
you go to Middle-Earth and then?”  James asked a bit snidely.

“I
didn’t say it was Middle Earth, Detective.  I said it was a fantasy world.  The
locals called it Mercia, and they didn’t speak our language at all.  They had
to use magic to translate for us – and it feels pretty messed up saying that.
I must sound like a freaking loon. They gave us a magical amulet that let us
understand them, and we learned that Maeve is a kind of Cop and sorcerer who
hunts bad guys like our James Bond does. She was trying to stop the demon from
getting Eric.”

“Why?”
James asked.  “Why did she care enough to come to this world to save Eric?”

“She
didn’t come to this world – she was captured and given to the demon as an
after-teleport snack.  When she got here, the demon started eating the patients
in the mental hospital instead of her, figuring it could track her down in a
few minutes.  She found Eric and got the hell out of there.  Eric was important
cause he’s somehow linked to Mercia, and knew something that the guy who
summoned the demon wanted to know.”

“What
did he want to know?”  Marcus asked.  “If he’s summoning demons, I’ll guess it’s
Important?”

“Yeah…
Apparently Eric knew some Mesopotamian religion stuff about an ancient goddess
called Tiamat, and Vargas – the guy who summoned the demon – is a religious
nutcase who would gladly bring about the end of his world and ours if he could
resurrect this dead goddess.  Remember, on their world magic works, so he
thought he had at least a 50/50 chance this would succeed.”

“I
take it that’s bad.  How bad are we talking?”  Marcus was numb at this point,
his suspension of disbelief stretched so far it had snapped and was
non-functional.  “Like 911 bad, or end of the World bad?”

“I
don’t really know.  Maeve seemed to think it was about 20-80 on the
911/Apocalypse scale, at least for her world – Tiamat was from her world
originally and came to Earth when she basically divorced her husband for raping
two other goddesses.  At least, that’s what she told me.”  Christine took a
moment to catch her breath.  “When we woke, we realized we were in real trouble
– and Maeve took us to meet her friend Kai.  We decided we had to sever the
link between Eric and Mercia, and we found out the way to do it was by
travelling north to an Asylum run by Vargas and his psycho girlfriend ‘Mistress
Awai.’  We were attacked at least twice along the way by their men, and we had
to fight or die.”

A moment passed and no one spoke.  “We
confronted them, and ended up in a pitched battle with Awai and Vargas, against
me, Eric, Maeve, and Kai – and they were winning, until a local holy knight
called Sir Andred showed up and beheaded Awai for being an evil scumbag and killing
one of his friends, and helped us deal with Vargas Elm.  Vargas was an evil
sorcerer masquerading as a good church official, sort of like Cardinal
Richelieu in the Three Musketeers, except with a dash of religious nutbar.  We
were about to kick his ass, when he pulled out some kind of magic firebolt and
sent it at Kai – and Eric jumped in front of him to save him, taking it in the chest.”

“Is Eric alright?  Did he survive?”  James
asked, leaning forward.

“Yes, and no.”  Christine said, seeing the
confusion on their faces.  “He’s fine – but he didn’t survive.  The only thing
is that when he died, he kind of woke up in a girl’s body that was in the
asylum.  The people in the asylum were basically brain dead – total vegetative
state empty vessels.  Somehow, he was linked to this girl – and the psychotic
voices he thought he’d been hearing half his life were actually the strange
language the locals talked.  He wasn’t crazy – just psychically linked to this
brain dead girl on another world – and now he was stuck in her body.”

“It got weirder.”  She said.  “He claimed
their local goddess called Askeline sent him back to save their world and ours
– because Vargas knew what Eric knew: Tiamat was here.  Anyway, she said we had
to stop him, or he would destroy Mercia and Earth in his mad quest, so we did
what we had to do, and came back here to stop him.  Eric is calling herself
Erica now, and She, Maeve, Kai and Sir Andred have gone to find Vargas and stop
him before he can do what he intends to do.”

“When we got back, we got some local clothes
and went to my place to recover, and then we went to visit his sister Angela
the next day.  They had an appointment to talk to a Dr. Collins and a Dr.
Wellesley earlier today to find out where they needed to go to stop Vargas –
but I don’t know how that went.  They haven’t called since they left.  I don’t
know where they’re going, either.  That’s all I know – that and I never want to
see fleas again, thank you.  Mercia had its nice points, but I sure as hell
don’t want to live in the thirteenth century.  I’m glad I’m home, and glad this
nutso craziness is out of my life for good.”

Marcus was numb, and truly flabbergasted.
James was able to ask a question though…  “Could you tell us where we can find
Dr. Collins and Dr. Wellesley, please?”

“Sure.  I think Miss Collins is at U of T,
and Mr. Wellesley works at the ROM.”

“And how could Eric teleport you from world
to world?”  James continued.

“He had a magical ability – Maeve was
teaching him to use it once she found out, but apparently it was so powerful,
he was able to use it without any training at all, which is how we actually got
to Mercia in the first place.  I’ve seen her do two or three different spells
since then.  It’s nuts.”

Marcus finally collected himself enough to
ask a question.  “Miss Vallan, are you saying we need to worry about magic
being used by this Vargas person?  Magic’s real?”

“Well, yeah.”  Christine said.  “It was real
enough when it killed Eric, and if it wasn’t able to work here, Eric wouldn’t
have been able to teleport us away to Mercia.  I think magic works here just
fine.”

Marcus looked at James, who looked back at him.
They nodded, and stood.

“Thank you, ma’am, for clearing that up.”
Marcus said, with a deadpan expression on his face.  “We’ll look into it.  Can
we call you if we need to clarify anything?”

“As long as it’s off the record. I don’t
expect you to believe me, but in case you do, you can call me if you have more
questions.”

“Thanks
Miss Vallan.  I think that’s all we have for this evening.”  James said,
cutting in.  “We’ll see ourselves out.”

As
the two police detectives left Christine’s kitchen, she let out a quiet
‘whoof!’ of air.  They think I’m absolutely off my rocker, don’t they?
She wondered.  They walked out of here in a daze – probably didn’t believe a
thing I said… Or maybe the problem is that they did?  “I dunno – but I did
my part, kiddo.” she said to an absent Erica. “The rest is up to you and the
others.”

*           *           *

Marcus
sat in the car beside James for several minutes, neither of them saying a word.
James looked dazed – just like his friend Marcus did – as both detectives tried
to process what they had just heard.  Marcus was drumming his fingers on the
steering wheel in a nonsense pattern, like the beat his fingers were tapping
out was the only thing keeping him in the here and now.

“She’s
off her rocker.”  He said.  “That story is impossible.”

“Yeah,
I know.” James said.  “But it kind of does tie all the pieces together, doesn’t
it?”

Yeah,
Marcus thought.  It kinda does – but it’s completely fucking impossible!
James wasn’t with me at the medical examiner’s after the clinic – he didn’t see
what I saw.  Demons? Shit, maybe she’s telling the truth?

They
sat quietly for a few more minutes, until Marcus started the car.  “I need a
drink.  You want to come get one with me?”

“Hell
yeah.”

The
two detectives drove off into the night, eager to try and make sense of what
they just heard. Sense would be some time in coming.

*           *           *

Erica and the others finished their
respective dinners, and sat resting in the restaurant.  “That was great!”
Erica exclaimed, and the others quickly agreed with her – their meal had been
excellent, as had the service.  They allowed the waiter to clean up their dishes,
and they got down to talking.

“Going over a border here is a serious thing
– the border is highly guarded where people cross, and if you lie about
anything they can pretty much ban you for life or arrest you on the spot,
depending on what they catch you lying about.  Our best bet is to cross over,
and hope that no one questions us – just stamps our passports and lets us go –
but we can’t assume that’s what will happen.  Maeve, can you use Sight magic to
conceal things – like hide that secret compartment with the weapons and armor?”

“Sure – no problem.  It’s super-easy to do –
hell, you could do it, and you’re still learning.”  Maeve said.  “If it’s
easier, I could make Kai, Andred and myself invisible, so they only see you
crossing the border.  It’s a little easier to swallow, as long as we don’t make
noise.”

“Sure, but if they hear you even a little, or
ask to search the car, we’ll get caught.  Can you use mind magic to make the
guard let us pass if he starts to act like he’s going to arrest us?”  Erica
asked.

“Again, no problem.  One or two, or even
three or four people isn’t beyond my reach – but a whole crowd all at once is a
bit troublesome and I’d probably get hit by the Call of Hrask pretty bad.  I’d
also have to draw too much power and be kissed by the void – and without Anvi here
to help heal me, well, I’d rather not if you understand.  I don’t think the
healers here know how to deal with… what did Christine call it?  Mana-burn?”

“Yeah,” Erica said laughing.  “I think she
got that term from some fantasy card game an old boyfriend of hers played.  I
never got into it – I was living on the street at the time.”

“You
might want to take that into account too, Erica.”  Sir Andred said.  “There is
no Anvi to help heal you if you do your magic beam, like you used to incinerate
Donal Blaine.  You should try to learn some magics that draw less power, or use
more caution.”

“Sir
Andred is right.”  Maeve said.  “We need to teach you how to do something with
your Words that isn’t off the charts into “lost magic” territory.  Did you know
you can shatter and mend objects with Binding, or make blinding flashes of
light and noise with sight?  They might be useful attacks if it comes to a
fight – and they’re much easier than… whatever you did to Donal Blaine and the
Demon.  “If you can, Sir Andred, you might want to teach Erica a bit about how
to wield the Inner light as well – we may need its power when it comes to a
fight.”

Erica
sighed.  I’m not sure how I feel about this magic halo of mine, she
thought.  But I suppose knowing how to use it is a lot better than having it
just sit there and look pretty.  “I’ll do my best to learn once we get a
chance.  Maybe at the hotel tonight.”

“Maybe
– I intend to give a magic lesson first.”  Maeve said, smiling.  “We’ve put
that off for far too long.  Your power is growing well beyond your ability to
use it.  We need to fix that, and quickly.”

“I
agree.”  Erica said.  “And I want to learn – really, I do. It’s just been so
busy since we got back, and we didn’t have weeks and weeks on Mercia to train.”

“Little
has turned out as we expected it to, these last few weeks, Erica.”  Sir Andred
said.  “You will do well, if past experience is any judge.”

Kai
smiled at his girlfriend.  “You’ll do fine, Erica.”  He squeezed her hand from
beside her, and she leaned her head on his shoulder.

“Thanks
Kai.”  She lifted her head, and nodded.  “As for the plan, I like the idea of
sight magic to conceal the hidden space – and Maeve’s mind magic to take
control of the guards to let us pass if things go south… uh – that means
‘things foul up and go wrong’.”  Erica paused.  “I think that’s the least
complicated, most efficient way through the border – other than you all being
invisible and simply walking over the border with no one seeing you and meeting
me on the far side.”

“Why
not do that, then?”  Maeve asked.

Erica
smiled.  “Because I’m being a bit selfish.  If the guard tries to arrest me,
you won’t be there to take control of his mind and let ME pass.  I’m not
confident enough in my skills to do this without your help just yet, which is
really hard to say, frankly, and I feel safer when all three of you are with me
and I can keep tabs on you.  You three in a foreign country without me, while
invisible, is something that gives me the shivers.”

“You
know, if Vargas suspects we’re here, coming after him, he will have laid traps
for us.”  Maeve said.  “If I were in his position, I would have done the same.”

“That’s
why you’ll be in the left side of the car, behind me – so you can see and hear
the guard as he interrogates me – and so you have a clear line of sight if you
need to use your magic on him.  Kai will be in the passenger seat, and Sir
Andred behind him.”

“Fair
enough.”  Maeve answered.  Erica is trying to think things through – that’s
really good.  She really is pretty smart, all things considered.  I just hope
any traps Vargas set aren’t the kind that result in our immediate death or
capture.  I only need a few seconds to stop a guard, but if he pulls a pistol
and shoots without warning, I’m not sure there’s much I can do.  “We’ll do
the best we can.  As we drive up, I’ll cast a spell on myself to see magical
enchantments – if he glows to my sight, he’s been affected by someone, and I’ll
be on my guard.”

“That’s
handy.  Can I do that too?”  Erica asked.

“Yeah
– it’s apprentice level stuff.  If you can activate a moon-gate like you did in
the woods to get to Arathel, and make illusions like you did at your sisters
place, you’re halfway to learning invisibility.  You could easily do a magic
detection – or magic concealing – spell too.”

“How
versatile is magic, Maeve?”

Maeve
smirked.  “Very – but that’s a question for later, Erica.  Do we have any other
things we need to know to cross the border?”

“They
may ask us some questions – who we are, where we’re going, and how long we’re
going to stay.  If we know anyone, and will we be working or not.”  Erica
paused.  “The story is we’re going to Salt Lake City to look at the churches
and the museums, we’ll be there for a week, maybe two at the most, and our trip
is for pleasure – we don’t intend to do any business while in the United
States.  If they ask anything else, say “English isn’t my first language – Can
my friend Erica interpret for me?” and they should come and get me.  If not,
use your best judgment and for goddesses sake, please don’t kill or attack
anyone.”

“You
make it sound like we’re incredibly violent and dangerous.”  Kai said,
laughing.  “We don’t usually try to kill guards.”  Kai smiled and looked at Sir
Andred.  “Well, unless they’re trying to also kill us.”

“A
point well made, my friend.”  Sir Andred said, smiling.  “It is much better
that we’re on the same side this time, rather than when we first met.”

Kai
nodded.  “Agreed.  But my point stands.  You and Christine make us sound like
we’re really dangerous – but we’re not.  We’re well trained, but that training
includes when NOT to start hacking and slashing.  We know we could bite off
more than we can chew – and Maeve’s taught me it’s a bad idea to start hurting
the authorities for any reason.  We’ll treat them like misguided good guys, I
promise.”

“Thanks.”
Erica said.  “Sorry if it seemed I was assuming you were something you weren’t
– but Mercia seems an awful lot more violent at times than the way things are
done here – and I just wanted to make sure no one got hurt.  If anyone gets
hurt, our chances of crossing the border and stopping Vargas drop to pretty
much nil.  Anyway, I think we’ve got it.  We ready to go?”

Everyone
else nodded, so they got up to leave, and returned to the SUV to cross the border.
The border crossing from Windsor to Detroit gave two possible options – the
Detroit/Windsor tunnel, which was great to access the city of Detroit, and the
Ambassador Bridge, which was better to access the interstate network of
highways that crisscrossed the United States.  Erica chose the Ambassador
Bridge – not only because she wanted to get to the interstate as quickly as
possible, but also because she had heard it was a spectacular view from up on
the immense bridge, and she wanted to give her friends a little thrill with
some Earth engineering.

“If
everything goes well, we’ll cross the bridge and then spend about 20 minutes
doing the ‘get through the border dance’ and we’ll be on our way.  If anything
goes wrong, it’ll be longer or worse.”  Erica said.  “Keep an eye out the
window for the view from the bridge – I hear it’s supposed to be really good.”

The
others nodded, and Erica pulled onto the Ambassador Bridge.  It was pretty busy
– all three lanes of traffic were full, albeit not heavily so, with many trucks
and a large portion of personal cars filling up the rest of the space.  Traffic
was moving quickly, so they proceeded across.

Kai
and Sir Andred watched out the window at the waters of the Detroit River, far
below, and marveled.  Maeve, who had seen many wonders of engineering both
magical and mundane was interested, but far from amazed.  They watched the huge
ships pass from great lake to great lake on the waterway below, until Erica
called out.

“Get
your passports ready, everyone.  We’re coming up on the booth ahead.”  Here
goes nothing, she thought.  What’s the worst that could happen?

*           *           *

Jerry
Aquinas was having a ho-hum day.  Only six more hours and his shift would be
done – then he could head home, grab a shower and maybe some cuddle time with
Sherry before she had to head to work at the hospital, and then watch a movie
before bed.  The next car arrived, and he saw the driver was a pretty
red-head.  Instantly alert, he took her passports with one hand, and read the
names…  Erica van Helstrome, Kai Rodin, Maeve Varda… Something clicked in his
brain – and Jerry’s mind shut off.  Normally, his next action would have been
to ask “Anything to declare?” or “What’s the purpose of your visit?” – but
instead, he put down their passports, and drew his pistol.   There was
something in his mind, making him do this – he could see himself doing it – but
he didn’t know why.  It was like he wasn’t in the driver’s seat anymore, and he
was scared witless.

Before
he could raise the pistol to shoot, he froze – the woman in the back seat was
staring at him, and her eyes felt like they were drilling deep into his mind.  Why?
Why do I have my gun out? he thought.  What the hell am I doing?  I’ve
got to get these people checked through ASAP.  Jerry quickly holstered his
gun, and retrieved their passports.  “These look in order, miss.  Is this a
pleasure trip?”  He said, while stamping them.

“Yes,
officer, it is. Thank you.”  Erica said sweetly.

“No
problem ma’am.” He said, handing back their passports.  “Have a nice stay in
the United States of America.”

“Thanks!
Have a nice day!”  Erica called, as she turned her car back on, and pulled
away, over the border into the USA.

Jerry
Aquinas watched them drive away, and didn’t even notice the memory of the event
fade from his mind.  A few minutes later, he would be hard pressed to even
remember there had been a car there at all.  As he processed other travelers,
he wondered if Sherry would still be there when he got home.

*           *           *

“Whew!”
Erica said, gasping as she pulled onto interstate 75 and headed south west
towards Toledo.  “You were pretty fast there, Maeve.  Thanks for that.”

“I
take it that means Vargas suspects he’s being followed?”  Kai asked drolly.

Maeve
grinned.  “You might say that.”

“Good.”
Sir Andred muttered.  “Let our coming be his comeuppance, long delayed.  We
shall be his end.”

“Indeed,
Sir Andred.”  Erica said.  “We’ll get him this time – you’ll see.”

“We
can but hope.”  He replied, looking grim.  He was readying himself for the
battles to come.

“It
will be about an hour or so until we get to Toledo, where I think we’ll need to
stop for the night and get some rest.  We can keep going in the morning, once
we’ve had some sleep.”  Erica said.  “I’m getting tired, and since I’m the only
driver, we can’t push it.  Hopefully Vargas is similarly limited.”

Everyone
nodded, and they headed down the interstate, their car eating mile after mile
of pavement.  Maeve stared out the window, thinking about plans and other
inscrutable things, while Sir Andred prayed and Kai watched the scenery pass
by.

This
is the calm before the storm, Erica thought.  It only gets harder from
here on out.  I hope Christine isn’t having too hard a time back home.  I
wonder what tomorrow will bring?

Chapter 10 – Nightmares and
Lessons

Marcus
walked into the Medical Examiner’s office, and knocked on the ME’s door.  His
old friend, Frieda Bishop was sitting at her desk, looking more than a bit
frazzled. She looked like she hadn’t slept in three days, nor bathed or
possibly eaten.  No frigging wonder after the massacre three days ago.  No
one’s been getting any sleep, Marcus thought.  It’s hard enough keeping
food down after seeing that unholy mess.  Over 40 first responders dead –
firefighters, paramedics and cops.  James’ brother Thomas had just risen to
sergeant too, dammit.  It was a nightmare.  Marcus wasn’t sure James was
going to make it through the funeral – but he was going to do his damnedest to
be there for him.  Thomas was his friend too – but he and James had been really
close, especially after James’ dad left and James basically raised Thomas by himself.
“Sorry, Frieda.  I didn’t mean to space out… I was woolgathering.”

She
sighed.  “Don’t apologize, Marcus – this whole situation is a giant
cluster-fuck.  My people have been working in tents and warehouses trying to
identify what the hell happened, and it’s a freaking nightmare.  People torn
apart, bodies being put back together like a jigsaw puzzle, except half the
pieces are missing.  I’ve never seen anything like it.”

“Any
ideas?  I know you’ve probably got the brass breathing down your neck on this
one – hell, they’re breathing down mine just as bad.”  Marcus asked, trying to
gauge how Frieda was feeling.  She looks tired – tired, and wrung out,
exhausted - mentally and physically.  Like I feel right now.

“Ideas?
Not really.  It’s a confusing mess – it’s like nothing I’ve ever seen.  Marcus,
you won’t believe it, but almost every single one of the bodies we’ve found
have been injured with massive bite wounds, from something I can’t identify,
and what’s left of them has been torn apart by something with immense strength
and what appear to be talons.  They look like they were torn apart by a wild animal.”

“What?
ALL of them?”  Marcus asked.  “Even the police?  Were there any animals dead at
the scene?”

Frieda
sighed – this had obviously caused her a lot of stress.  “Yeah, everyone.  And
no, there were no animals found… All we found was this.”  She held out her
hand, and showed Marcus something that looked like a large tooth.  The tooth
was made of some hard white substance, and was roughly triangular in shape and
serrated, and quite sharp.  He took it, and looked at it closely while she
continued.  “At first I thought it was from some sort of shark, but when I checked
with my marine biologist pals over at Marine land, they told me it wasn’t
anything like they’d ever seen either.  So then I took it to some
veterinarians, who suggested reptiles.  The herpetologists said it looked
vaguely dinosaur like, but the paleontologist I took it too at the ROM said it
didn’t match anything he’d ever seen. No one I know can figure out what kind of
animal or creature this tooth came out of.  That’s just not possible.”

“Well,
if it didn’t come from anything we can identify, what did it come from?  What
do they call those unidentified creatures – cryptids?”

“Maybe.”
She said, quietly.  “I was wondering, Marcus… Do you believe in monsters?”

“Ha!
Maybe the two legged kind.  I don’t know if I believe in any other kind.”

Frieda
took his hand, and carefully took back the tooth.  “Maybe you should start,
Marcus.  Maybe you should start.”

Marcus
nodded, a little creeped out.  Frieda isn’t usually like this – this case
must be screwing with her pretty good.  I mean, monsters?  Really?  “What
about the survivor – Mike Conners?”

“I
haven’t examined him, obviously – but I understand he’s under psychiatric
observation.  A friend of mine who has talked with him says he’s very
disturbed.  He claims the clinic was attacked by a monster, and it chose to let
him live because – in his words – ‘it wasn’t allowed to kill me.’  He’s under
the impression that he’s pure of heart, and that’s what saved him from the
creature, like it was some kind of demon.  He also said the monster was after
someone called Eric.  Everyone else was just caught in the crossfire.  Any of
the names ring a bell?”

“Sort
of.  Eric was a patient there – but when everything went balls up, he got out
of there, stole a police car, drove to downtown Toronto, and disappeared with a
hostage and a social worker named Christine Vallan.  He also left a trail of
chaos and bodies like at the clinic, too.  At this point we don’t know if he or
some other party is responsible for the chaos – but I know for sure he wasn’t
responsible for what happened at the clinic.”

“I
think you need to find him, Marcus.  Find him and ask him what the hell is
going on.  Do you think whatever was at the clinic could have followed him to
this social worker’s house?”  Frieda was insistent, and looked earnest in her
question.

“Maybe
– but it would have to be able to fly to keep up with him – he was easily going
100 miles per hour in the police car he stole.”  Marcus said.  “No way anything
on foot would have been able to keep up with him – and there wasn’t anyone in a
car following him, cause I was pretty close on his tail for a fair bit of the
trip before I lost him.”

Frieda
nodded, and smiled sadly.  “There isn’t any more to tell.  We’ll be putting the
pieces back together for a few more weeks, and we’re missing too many parts –
god knows where they got to.  I swear Marcus, it’s like a plane crash, without
the plane or the wreckage.  It’s that gruesome.”

He
thanked her, and rose from his seat to say goodbye.  Nothing new, I guess,
he thought, except body parts are missing.  I kinda hoped she’d have
something more for me.  “I’ll see you on Monday, Frieda.  Thanks for
everything.”  He said, getting ready to head back to the office.

Frieda
sighed.  “Yeah – see you soon, Marcus.  Stay safe, okay?”

“I’ll
do my best.”

Somewhere
in all that transpired a few moments ago, Marcus realized he was dreaming –
that he was literally replaying the scene in his head that he had been privy to
just six weeks ago.  But knowing the fact he was dreaming didn’t help – he
couldn’t make himself wake up.  His dream self went back to the office, and did
a frantic day’s work at the office, 90% of which revolved around the Massacre –
and then he went home.

He
tried to wind down by checking out the internet – James was always sending him
links for some whacked out conspiracy theory or another – and they were usually
good for a chuckle and some light reading, if nothing else.  As he viewed the
latest set of links – supposedly video footage of the Neilson massacre from the
security footage or dash-cams of the police cars – he saw grainy video seem to
show the police supposedly fire at a strange shapeless mass that ignored their
bullets.  Yeah, right.  What utter crap.  James should know better that to
give this stuff any credence.  Every idiot with photoshop is probably trying to
mock something up to sell to the Toronto Star for big bucks.  He reached
over and turned off the computer – and unlike the original event six weeks ago,
the computer monitor did not shut off.

Marcus,
nonplussed, tried the power switch a few times to no avail, so he pulled the
power cord.  Nothing happened – the video was still frozen with the ubiquitous
‘pause’ screen of the Youtube videos.   “What the hell?”  Marcus didn’t know
what to do, when the video started up again – this time of its own accord.  The
shadowy figure got shot by what must have been hundreds of round of ammunition
– and then it turned, and addressed him by name.

The
creature opened its toothy maw, full of triangular serrated teeth.  Its eyes
were full of stars, and it’s body was black shadow.  It spoke, and when it
spoke, the room went cold.  What’s the matter, Marcus Drake?  Don’t you
believe in demons?  We believe in you… Their words weren’t audible with
his ears – he heard them inside his head, like icy knives scratching across
stone. He felt fear.

Marcus
gasped as he woke with his heart pounding.  “Jeezus, Mary and Joseph!”  He
tried to calm his beating heart, but he couldn’t – and he tried to breath in
and out slowly to calm his racing thoughts. Thank god that was a nightmare,
he thought, and then realized he wasn’t sure it was actually over.  His
thoughts seemed hazy and confused, and the room seemed out of focus.  He was
covered in sweat.

“Damn,
that was rough.”  He muttered to himself.  I’m not going back to sleep after
that one, he thought.  Might as well get a coffee and sort my head out;
maybe thrown on the TV and try to relax.  As he crawled out of bed to clean
himself up, he noticed the clock by the bedside said 4am.  James was right.
We need to see what the hell is going on for ourselves.  I’m putting in for
leave later today – I should have after the massacre but I’m too bloody
stubborn.  The chief will okay it, I’m sure.  I just hope James feels the same
way – I’m not sure I want to go this alone.

*           *           *

The
office that morning was just as busy as usual – Police and clerks and attorneys
all moving about with hurried business of their own.  Marcus got some nods from
friends, and some surly grunts from overworked associations in their cube
farms.  I hope James still feels the way he did last night after drinks,
thought Marcus, mirroring his earlier thought that morning.  I’m starting to
believe Frieda and Christine a little.  Never mind not wanting to go it alone,
this may be too dangerous to go it alone.

He
got to his office, and hung his jacket on the rack, and went to get another
coffee. What the hell would I do without caffeine?  He wondered.  Probably
cease functioning.  Marcus put a spoon of sugar in it, and stirred, then
went back to his office and sat down to enjoy a few minutes of quiet.

His
moment of reverie didn’t last long.  Before he was halfway done his cup, James
knocked on Marcus’ door, and quietly stepped inside his office.

“Rough night?”  James asked.  “Me too.  I’ve
been tossing and turning and seeing monsters half the night and Harry Potter
and his crew beaming down from spaceships for the rest of it, when I’m not
jittery as hell.  If you still mean to, I intend to ask for leave.  I have to
know what’s going on – and if it is what Christine said, I think we should try
and help.”

“Ha!  If it’s what Christine said, do you
really think we have a hope in hell of doing anything other than providing this
guy a target rich environment?  I’m not sure what exactly we can do – but
dammit, I feel the same way.  I’m going to ask for leave as well.”  Marcus
sighed.  “I feel like Caesar, crossing the Rubicon – this case, it’s my Rubicon.
Once I do this, there’s no turning back…  It’s all or nothing.”

James nodded.  It was the same way for him.

“I guess the first thing we do is talk to Dr.
Collins and Dr. Wellesley, and find out where they sent Erica – cause that’s
probably where this religious nutbar is going to be.  Once we know where
they’re going, I’ll ask for leave from the chief and we’ll probably be out of
here by the end of the day.”

“Gotcha.”  James said.  “I’ll get started
with Dr. Wellesley – why don’t you call Dr. Collins?”

“Sounds good.”

Now that the decision had been made, Marcus
strangely felt better, more at ease.  The strange disquiet and malaise that had
been following him around all morning began to dissipate and he began to feel
more himself.  He felt free for the first time in six weeks… it was strange how
one decision could change everything.  He did a quick yellow pages search on
his computer, and soon had Joyce Collin’s number in front of him.  He called,
and the phone rang three times before it was picked up.

“Joyce Collin’s office, this is Sally
speaking.”  A pleasant but rather stressed voice said over the phone.

“Hello, Sally.  This is detective inspector
Marcus Drake.  I’m calling to inquire about an appointment Ms. Collins was
supposed to have with a woman named Erika on Monday morning around 11am.  Can I
speak to her please?”

“Um… I’m sorry Mr. Drake.  Miss Collins was
murdered on Sunday afternoon.  She never made her Monday appointments.  Didn’t
the other detectives tell you?”  Marcus could tell Sally was more than a little
irked, and very close to being overwhelmed.

“I’m very sorry, but no.  We have a large
office, and this case is not related to hers.  I’ll find out who’s dealing with
her case and chat with them…  Can I ask you one question, Sally?”  Marcus
asked.

“Sure.”

“Was she seeing someone over the weekend?
Where was she killed?”

“I can’t remember, Mr. Drake – the detectives
have her day planner.  You could find out from them.  She was found outside of
a Chinese restaurant, downtown.  I’m sorry.  I don’t know any more.”

“Of course, ma’am.  Thank you.”

Marcus hung up, and turned back to his
computer, and logged into the office network.  Aha!  Briggs and Conway have
the case, he thought as he punched their extension.  Maybe they can fill
me in on the details.  The phone rang, then picked up.

“This is Briggs.”  Wilson Briggs was a good
detective, with over 12 years experience.  He was brusque, and sometimes rude,
but efficient as hell.  “Hello?”

“Hey Briggs, it’s Marcus.”

“Oh hey, Detective Inspector!  What can I do
for you?”  Briggs offered.

“I need to know some facts about the Joyce
Collins case.  Anything weird about it so far?”  Marcus asked.

“Well, if by weird you mean ‘find the teacher
stuffed into the back seat of her car with her throat slit ear to ear, with
$10,000 sitting next to her wrapped in bank bands weird, then yeah we found a
little bit.  Seriously, whoever killed her didn’t even try to take the money –
and we lifted some prints off the keys to the car – but they came back all
fucked up.  We figure someone’s trying to conceal their fingerprints.”

“Damn.  It’s been a while since we’ve seen
that trick, hasn’t it?”

“Yeah – a few years at least.  Anything
else?”

“Yeah.  Did Ms. Collins have a dayplanner?  I
need to know if she was meeting someone on the weekend.”  Marcus stated.  “If
you’ve got a name, I’d appreciate it.”

“She was seeing some guy called Vargas Elm
for lunch on Sunday – that’s it. Her day planner says ‘bring notes’ but we
didn’t find anything with her, other than the money.  We figure whoever killed
her, took the notes.  That help you any?”  Briggs seemed curious over the
question.

“Yeah – it’s starting to tie in to the
massacre case James and I are working.  A witness to some of the massacre was
supposed to talk with Ms. Collins on Monday and she never made it.  Thanks for
the help, guys – and good work!”  Marcus said, thinking quickly.  So there
actually is a Vargas Elm…  Interesting.  I wonder if he’s the religious nutbar
that Christine Vallan said he was – or if he’s something else entirely.  God, I
hope the ‘evil wizard’ part is bullshit.  Jesus, that would be all we’d need.

“No problem, Detective Inspector.”  Briggs
signed off and hung up.

Marcus combed his fingers through his
silvering hair, and let out a ‘whoosh’ of air. So Vargas is real, he
thought. I wonder how much of Miss Vallan’s story is also real?  It can’t
all be real – can it?  Just to cover all the bases, he pulled up what was
in the system about the Collins murder and read the file.  Like Briggs said,
there wasn’t much. So Mr. Elm isn’t afraid of killing, and doesn’t care
about large amounts of money.  That’s a very, very dangerous combination.

Marcus busied himself with tidying up his
paperwork, and cleaning up loose ends on the active cases he had, so that when
he got leave, the office would be in some semblance of order when he got back.
Assuming I even survive to come back, he thought.  What the hell –
might as well keep up a positive attitude.

A little while later, James slipped into his
office again.  “Hey boss, I think I found where they’re going.”

“And…”  Marcus asked.

“The best guess is Salt Lake City or the Bonneville
Salt Flats.  Apparently the goddess that Elm is supposed to be looking for
likes salt water – and those are the most likely places in North America.  The
only other places Dr. Wellesley mentioned were in the Middle East – the Dead
sea and a few rivers we could never get to with all the fighting going on over
there anyway. Dr. Wellesley said his impression of Miss Van Helstrome is
‘someone quite composed, articulate, but flighty in that way that wealthy
people often are.’  Doesn’t sound like our psychiatric patient, Eric much, does
it?”

“Maybe
– maybe not.  If he was… misdiagnosed, maybe it was actually cured, or went
away.  It wouldn’t be the first time a doctor made a mistaken diagnosis.”
Marcus supposed.

“Maybe,
but it would be the first time they’d admit it.”  James agreed, joking.  “Okay
– say the red-head is Eric – so she goes to Salt Lake City?  How?  She can’t
get ID and a passport, right?  Or do you think her sister arranged it?”

“With
that much money, I’m sure she did.”  Marcus said.  “Her story is that Erica
went to a clinic and got Sexual Reassignment Surgery.”

“I
don’t think so, Marcus.  SRS doesn’t shrink you several inches or change your
bone structure.  She doesn’t look like Eric even a little.  Not possible.”

“Don’t
you mean ‘probably’ not possible?”  Marcus asked.

“Oh
man.  Yeah, definitely.  If we have to start factoring magic into our
investigations, reason just went out the window.  We’ll have cops looking for
unicorns soon.”

“Hey
– that’s not funny.”  Marcus said.  “Can you imagine how screwed up that would
make court proceedings?  Warrants to use magic to read a suspects mind and incriminate
him with what you find out.  Use magical mind control to make sure no one
re-offends – where does it stop?  Our whole system would collapse.”

James
was quiet a moment, and Marcus filled in.  “I think we’ve seen enough.  I’m
talking to Marshall to see if we can both get leave.  You might want to call
the airport and book us a couple of tickets on the next flight.  We might as
well get down there ASAP – we might even beat both of them if we hurry.”

“You
got it.”  James pulled his mobile phone, and started doing the search.  Marcus
left James behind and went to his superiors’ office, Superintendent Marshal
Givens.

“Hey
Marcus!  What brings you to my neck of the woods?”  Marshall asked.

“It’s
that damned Massacre case from six weeks ago.”  Marcus began.  James and I are
run ragged – we’d like to take some time off to deal with it.”

“About
bloody time,” Marshall interjected.  “I’ve been trying to get you to take leave
for weeks.  Take as much time as you need.  Where you gonna go?”

“We’re
going to go to Salt Lake City, maybe tour some churches and do some hunting.
I’ve got an old friend in the area too.”

“Well,
good luck – I hope you bag a few of whatever you’re hunting.  I hope you feel
better soon, Marcus.”

“Thanks
sir.  We’ll probably be on a plane by tomorrow morning at the latest.”

“Well
don’t wait around here – get out of here, now.  Go – shoo!”  Marshall made some
shoo-ing motions with his hands, and pointed to the exit.  “Your leave starts
five minutes ago, got it?”

“Definitely.”
Marcus answered.  “See you when I get back.”

Marcus
left the Superintendent’s office whistling, and headed over to look for James.
They had a lot to do in a little time – but they were a hell of a lot closer to
finding the answers each other needed than they were a few days ago.   Marcus
felt for the first time a bit of hope.

*           *           *

Kai
sighed as he emerged from the bathroom in Erica’s hotel suite.  “That feels a
lot better.  You know, there is something to say about this paper stuff you
use.”  Kai said, smirking, knowing it would get Erica’s goat a bit.

“I’ve
been telling you that for weeks.”  Erica said, grinning back at her boyfriend.
“Maybe we should take some back with us, when we’re done here.”

“Actually,”
Maeve interjected.  “I can think of more valuable things to take, that are dirt
cheap hear.  Spices. Some of those light super metals you talk about.  How
about some gemstones or gold? What about some of those books that tell you how
to survive and make some of your strange artifices? You should also think about
what we’ll need when we get back, since we have no idea where Askeline will
deposit us when we arrive back in Mercia.  We could end up halfway around the
world – wherever we will serve her needs best.”

“Hrmph.
Fine, spoilsport.”  Erica said, sticking her tongue out at her friend.  “But
I’m still taking some other stuff from home back with me.” Especially those
condoms, she thought privately.  It would be hard trying to save the
world if I end up pregnant, she mused.

Sir
Andred smiled.  “I’m sure we can find space for a few rolls of the paper,
Erica.  What do we do about dinner?”

Erica
thought a minute, and realized they could either go to a restaurant, which
would require leaving the hotel room – something she desperately wanted to
avoid, due to being so tired – or they could order take out.  The motor hotel
they were staying in was comfortable and clean, but it didn’t have its own
kitchen to order ‘room service’ from.  “We’ll order something in – I’m too
pooped to go out.”

The
others nodded, and went about arranging their gear into various rooms. Kai and
Erica again shared a room, while Sir Andred and Maeve each chose to sleep
alone.  The suite was more than large enough for their needs, and everyone was
resting and lounging around after a long day cooped up in Erica’s SUV,
driving.

“How
does everyone feel about pizza?” Erica asked.

Kai
looked at the others – Maeve gave the ‘go ahead’ nod, and Sir Andred didn’t
seem to care.  “Sounds good, hon.  Get some stuff to go with it too, okay?”

“Sure.”
Erica called up the first place she saw – Papa John’s – and ordered.  A few
minutes later, she hung up, glad that Pizza, chicken wings, soda pop and potato
wedges with gravy were headed their way.

“Good
– are you done, at least till dinner gets here?”  Maeve asked.

“Yeah…
Why?”  Erica looked a little confused, but began to suspect why Maeve was
corralling her.  “Time for a magic lesson?”  She grinned eagerly.  I sure as
hell hope it is, she thought. I’ve been waiting for more training for
over a week.  I know so damn little – I need to learn as much as I possibly
can, as quickly as I can.

“Yup.”
Maeve answered, motioning to her bedroom.  “You coming?”

“Hell
yeah!”  Erica put some money on the coffee table for the others to pay the
delivery man with – three twenty dollar bills – and went with Maeve.

“Sit
down and get comfy.”  Maeve said, and waited while Erica complied.

“You
asked a while back for me to explain just what you can do with the Words – the
magic words – I’ve taught you.  I can’t answer that, not specifically, because
there is no answer.  The Thirteen Words are so versatile, that you can perform
almost any kind of magic with them, literally.  The only limit is the
definition of the word itself, and your imagination.”

“You
mean, magic can do anything I can think of?”  Erica asked.

“Anything
you can think of, that is within the purview of the words you know, and within
your personal level of strength to accomplish without harm.  That’s the real
trick – it doesn’t help if you can whip out that beam of light that fried
Bishop Blaine or the Demon, if you nearly kill yourself every time you use it,
for example.”

Erica
smiled wryly.  “I can understand that.  How do I tell when I’m near my limit?”

“Relax
kiddo, I’m going to show you.”  Maeve said.  “Call upon the word of Sight –
Sight is capable of spells that conceal or reveal information, and cover
whatever a person can see and hear, which means it also allows you to call upon
the magic of light and sound.  You can also perform divinations with it –
things like scrying and blocking people from scrying you.”

Erica
calmed herself and entered her Nairya, her battle-trance.  The Nairya was
something Maeve taught her a few weeks ago, saying it would assist her concentration,
and keep her focused in battle… So far Maeve had been proven right.  Being able
to call upon the trance had saved her life in battle at least once.  She could
feel the power roiling within her, and she reached for it with invisible hands,
grasping some of its strength and making it hers.  “I have it.”  Erica said.
“Now what?”

“I
want you to make a light – a small one, to see by.  A tiny glowing ball that
hovers over your left shoulder, and lights your path. Can you do that?”  Maeve
waited patiently.  “When you’re doing it, you’ll feel magic course through you
– if it starts to feel like it’s burning a bit, you’re drawing too much power
and are approaching your threshold.  If that happens, let back on the power a
bit – the spell will be weaker, but you won’t hurt yourself or risk Kissing the
Void or suffering the Call of Hrask.”

Erica
imagined in her mind a tiny ball – but her mind kept changing to that of a
glowing female pixie, like Tinkerbell or that annoying faerie from the Zelda
game that keeps going ‘hey listen!’  Slowly she could see the shining light
start to glow, bursting into light slowly like a very dim lightbulb that slowly
grew stronger and stronger.  It’s true, she thought.  I can feel
magic flowing through me. I don’t feel any burning though – none at all.
“If I don’t feel any burning, does that mean this spell isn’t particularly
taxing?”

“Pretty
much.”  Maeve said.  “Nice glowing faerie, by the way.  You’d better not let
Kai see that – he hates the Fey.”

“Why?”
Erica asked.

“He
didn’t tell you?  Shit.”  Maeve swore, looking like she may have revealed too
much.  “A fey warband caught his sister travelling alone in the woods west of
Wethom a long time ago, and they took her back to their camp in Rillian.  He
found what was left of her four days later.  I won’t go into details, but he
and they will never be friends.  He buried her, and then proceeded to hunt and
kill as many fey as he could for several years.  The Rillian Fey call him
‘Deathstalker.’  You might say they’re his favorite target.”

“Wow!
So when you said there were no nice elves you knew of, you weren’t kidding
then.”  Erica was stunned.  Poor Cinnamon!

“No
kiddo, I wasn’t.  They’re bad news – all of them.”  Maeve took a look at Erica,
examining her for stress from the spell.  “Did you feel any fatigue? Any burn?”

“Nope,
not a bit.”

“Great.”
Maeve said.  “Let’s try something harder then.  Let the light spell go – having
too many spells active at once can be bad for your concentration – which means
usually using fewer spells is better than using magic for solving every little
problem.   Now try to think of a mirror hovering in front of you.  In that
mirror is showing the living room out there, with Kai and Sir Andred – like a
window into that room.  Try to see what they’re doing and describe what you
see.  Once again, feel for the burn, and keep concentrating.  Divinations and
scryings are very complicated, and if you lose your focus, your spell will end
instantly.”

Erica
nodded, and tried to strengthen her focus, and make her Nairya stronger.  She
was getting better at it, gradually, but she knew she had a hell of a long way
to go before she was anywhere close to Maeve’s focus and training.  Whether she
had as much power or not was a moot point, if she didn’t have the focus and willpower
to control it safely.

She
formed the image of a silver gilt mirror in her mind – like the one her mom,
Laura had in the front hall of their home when he was a kid, before things went
bad.  She always liked that mirror, and knew it intimately, having stared into
it at least a hundred times.  Soon, the image of the mirror hung in front of
her, hovering in the air about six inches from the wall.  Maeve had closed the
door to the room, so she couldn’t see what was happening outside.  The mirror
only showed Erica in its reflection, and the bed she sat upon.

“Good
– now concentrate on seeing what is happening in the next room.  You should be
warned that some magical powers can affect you if you see them – and seeing
them via scrying is no different than seeing them via real vision, unless you
are very skilled and expecting to filter out images or sensations you don’t
want to see.  Just be warned.”  Maeve told Erica.

“Okay…”
Erica tried to ‘see’ into the other room, but apparently making the wall
invisible was beyond her, so she imagined her mirror being the tiny eye of a
small fly, hovering around behind the living room, watching Sir Andred and Kai
– and then projecting what the fly saw upon the mirror, like she was watching
TV.   Even as the image slowly built, and she practiced moving around the ‘spy
fly’, she could feel a slow burn start to creep in – not painful, but like a
muscle cramp that tells you ‘you’ve gone far enough – any more of this will
hurt you.’   “I think I can see them – Kai’s watching TV, and Sir Andred is
getting something out of the bar fridge.”  She said.

Maeve
opened the door to the suite outside, and confirmed the vision.  “Sure is.
Good job, Erica.”  Maeve looked impressed.  “Did you feel any burn?”

“Yeah,”
Erica said.  “At the end of it – like I was close to taking too much, but not
so much it hurt.  I take it that feeling is when you ‘reach your threshold’?”

“Pretty
much, Erica.  If you keep that almost-burning sensation in mind when you cast
spells, you’ll have a lot less of being dragged to a healer to save your life…
again… happening.”

“Warning
duly noted.”  Erica said, laughing.  “How long will this scrying last?”

“Several
minutes at best, at your strength.  Any more would tire you or hurt you.  As
you can see, you didn’t have to recite a spell, or say a specific prayer – you
just thought something, and it happened.  That’s how we use magic – and why it’s
almost impossible to nail down exactly what a word can do.  There’s a lot of
overlap as well.”

“What
do you mean, overlap?”  Erica asked.

“Well,
let’s say you want to put out a raging fire, okay?  You could smother it with
Air or Earth, douse it with Water, or consume all the fuel instantly with Fire
to keep it from having fuel to burn.  You could ‘move’ the fire somewhere safer
and less flammable with Forces, or contain it within a force field to prevent
it from spreading with the same.  Eventually its air would run out, and it
would smother.  Other words can do other things – part of the trick of being a
successful sorcerer is learning which tricks work, and which tricks don’t work
as well.  The more you practice, the more discoveries you’ll make and the more
options you’ll have in a pinch.”

Erica
thought it over a moment.  “Okay – so Sight is everything you can see, hear,
touch, smell and taste, plus scrying, right?”

“Pretty
close.”  Maeve agreed.  “And your question is?”

“What
are the limits of Binding?  I mean, the way you understand it.”

“Binding
is a bit harder to define… It’s a Word of the Primal Essence’s – the secret
forces that shape our world.  You can break or repair objects, but not living
things – that falls under the purview of Body magic.  You can lock or unlock
magical and mundane locks, create or dispel magical wards, and even paralyze
your foes by binding them that they cannot move.  It is said that those in the
Age of Legends could use Binding to summon or banish Demons and Angels, or even
travel to other dimensions such as the Faerie realms, the Elemental Demesnes,
or the Realms of the Gods.  I should warn you, Erica, that all such magics are
incredibly dangerous to you, and you shouldn’t use them except in great
crisis.  The fact you can travel to the Void and back – before you were trained
– is very frightening to me, and should be to you as well.  Binding is also
used in conjunction with other magical words to craft magical items, such as
weapons, armor and more wondrous things.  It can also animate objects by
binding a small life-force into it for a short time.”

“So
I can do things…”  Erica began.

“That
have not been done with Binding since the Age of Legends, yes.  Thus my
suggestion to use caution in all things.  We don’t want you accidentally
summoning something, nor transporting yourself or us somewhere where we don’t
want to go.”

Erica
shuddered, remembering the Demon.  I could summon that… oh my god. Never –
I’ll never do that. Not ever.  Erica shuddered again.  “Okay.  Does that
mean I can teleport us to where we need to go?”

“Sorry,
no.  Teleportation falls under the purview of Forces – which is apportation and
movement, as well as telekinesis and force-shaping.  Not one of the words I
know, frankly.  Too bad, too – then I wouldn’t need those damn moon-gates.”

“What
words do you have, Maeve?”  Erica asked.

“Well
you know Sight, Mind and Binding – because I wouldn’t have been able to teach
it to you otherwise…  But it’s a wise sorceress who keeps a few secrets, even
from her friends and allies.  You’d do well to remember that yourself.  Never
tell anyone everything that you can do – keep a little something back as your
secret.  You’ll live longer if you do.”

“I
will.  Thanks Maeve.”

“No
worries.”  Maeve said.  “I think I hear dinner arriving – we’d better get out
there, or all the pizza will be gone the way those two eat…”

“True.”
Erica laughed.  “Let’s go.”

The
magic lesson over for the moment, Erica and Maeve went to rejoin the others.

*           *           *

That
night, as Sir Andred and Maeve readied themselves for bed, Kai and Erica found
themselves alone in their shared room.  Kai could tell Erica was in a chatty
mood, but for the life of him, he couldn’t figure out what.  “Hey Erica…  You
look like you want to talk?”

“A
little, yeah Kai.”  Erica said.  “Maeve’s been teaching me more magic – and I
think I can do more than I expected.  It’s kind of cool and scary, how
versatile and powerful these Words are.  Does Maeve only know three words?  I
know two…”

Kai
smiled. “It’s not that simple.  Maeve knows four words that I know of – but
she’s also had a decade or more of learning dirty tricks to use with them.
She’s one of the canniest spellcasters I know, and she’s proven capable of more
than what even she thought she could do.  It’s not how much you know as much as
how well you use what you have.  A sloppy magician, even a more powerful one,
could be defeated by an extremely cunning apprentice.”

Erica
pondered that a moment.  “That’s really good to know.  I had no idea the Words
I knew could do so much stuff!”

“Well,
I have even less idea.  Maeve taught me a bit of theory, but less actual fact –
and truth be told, I didn’t ask much.  It’s not like I can use it myself.”  Kai
laughed.  “She tried to teach me once, to see if I had the talent.  That was
funny – and no, I didn’t have any skill with it.”

“Hrm.
So I guess not many people have magical talents?”  Erica asked.

“Maeve
once told me she thought it was about one in a thousand, with maybe one in a hundred
of them being a sorcerer of decent strength, capable of more than cantrips and
minor spells.  Sorcerers like Maeve and Vargas are rarer than hens’ teeth.”
Kai answered.  “Does that help any?”

“Yeah,
a bit.”  Erica said, changing the topic.  “I suppose tomorrow we’ll be driving
again – and then hopefully getting to Salt Lake City late in the day or early
the day after.  Any ideas what to do once we get there?”

“Well,
it’s probably useless to scry Vargas – he might be able to shield himself – but
Gaius and Flavius might be easier to catch off guard.  Still – the same goes
for us.  He might not be able to scry Maeve, or you if you learn how to protect
from it – but he’d be able to find Sir Andred and I no problem.  It kinda
cancels both of us out in that respect.”

Kai
took a breath and continued.  “We know he’ll need a sacred spot – probably near
a river.  It might be more productive to scout out the terrain and see which
areas are good for his ritual, and assume he’ll be at one of the locations.  Barring
that, didn’t your sisters’ friend Harlan say he could hire people to find him
for us?”

Erica
thought back a few days to her conversation with both Angie and Uncle Harlan.  I
bet he could find Vargas for us – either himself or through detectives or other
people he hires.  “I bet you he could, Kai.  I should give him a call in
the morning.”

“Great!
Now will you stop talking, and get under these covers with me?  As I understand
it, it’s your duty to keep me warm at night.”  Kai said smiling.

“What!?
No way!  Boyfriends are supposed to keep their girlfriends warm, and to warm
cold hands and feet on when they’re chilled.  That’s why boys have body hair
and… and stuff.  Girlfriends are supposed to lend comfort and a listening ear.”

Kai
smirked.  “It sounds like you’ve thought this out in advance?”

“It’s
just common knowledge around here, jeez.”  Erica said, smiling back.  “You do
have a lot of fur on you, Kai.  It’s like you’re a small bear.”

“Rawr!”
Kai answered, making pawing motions at Erica.

Erica
couldn’t help but laugh.  “Okay, okay!”  she said.  “I’ll be right there.”

As
they cuddled and Kai turned out the light, he quietly spoke in the darkness.
“You know, you were a bit right when you said I was like a bear – but to be
honest, I’ve never been called ‘small’ before.”

Erica
tried to look at her boyfriend in the darkness, and then realized what he was
trying to say to her, and snorted in laughter.  “Oh my gods, really?”  She asked.
“I promise you, hon, once this is over, we’ll see about proving that, okay?”

Kai
hugged her close, and smiled.  “Deal.”

The
two dozed off to sleep in each others’ arms…

Chapter 11 – Arrested

Marcus
grabbed his suitcase and carry-on out of the rental car he and James had picked
up at the airport.  Utah was hot and dry, even in September, and all Marcus
wanted was to get out of the heat and back into some comfortable
air-conditioning as soon as possible.  James already had his luggage and was heading
into the hotel they had picked to get them registered.  It was a scorcher out,
at least to his Canadian constitution – easily well over what Marcus would
consider seasonal, and he wanted to get cool again.  I hope this bastard
we’re looking for is worth it, he thought. I’m not sure what exactly we
can do – but at least we can try and prevent another clinic massacre, right?

By
the time he dragged his luggage out of the car trunk and slammed the trunk
shut, James was already inside the foyer and getting in line to confirm their
arrival. Two people were ahead of James – a bored looking woman in her mid
thirties, waiting for the Concierge to finish with a phone call, and a tall,
thin black man who look tired and impatient, much like James and Marcus.  The
plane trip from Toronto down had been grueling – the flight was only supposed
to be six hours, but the two detectives had spent an additional two hours on
the tarmac waiting for an unknown delay in taking off. Two layovers and a
plane transfer… damn. I’m tired, I’m overheated, and I don’t want to wait in
line, Marcus thought, rather crankily.

The
other people took care of their business with the concierge and James finally
was able to confirm their rooms – each of them had a room to themselves, with
an adjoining door between them for when they wanted to confer.  James had
wanted to share a room to save on the expense, but Marcus valued his alone time
too much.  I did offer to help James pay for it, if he needed it though.
Maybe that helped? What the hell does he spend his money on anyway?  He isn’t
married – neither of us are.  Where does his paycheck go?  I guess it’s really
none of my business.

Soon,
the two detectives had their room keys – 312 and 314, and were headed up in the
hotel elevator.  James turned to Marcus, and sighed. “We’re actually here.
Weird.”

“What’s
weird?  The fact we crossed half a continent to find answers, or the fact those
answers might involve wizards, monsters and other worlds?”  Marcus asked.
“Cause frankly, I think it’s the latter. Common sense would have been for us to
drop this case weeks ago – and god knows neither of us did, or could.  Face it,
James – we’re part of one of your weird conspiracy theories now.  Is that good
or bad?”

James
thought for a moment.  “I honestly don’t know.  I always imagined myself
busting open some big government secret, or discovering ‘the truth’ – whatever
that is – and now that I’m getting the chance, all I want to do is pretend it
isn’t real and forget about it – and I can’t.  I’m scared, Marcus.  I’m scared
because if it is real, if there really is magic and monsters and other worlds,
I don’t know where the rest of my life will be going.  Everything I took for
granted will be wiped away in an instant – and I don’t know what will fill that
void.  I guess if I had to explain it, that’s why I’m scared.”

Marcus
nodded, as they reached their floor.  “I’m worried too, James.  It’s so damn
screwy – too screwy to believe – and yet the pieces are all falling together.
I feel like I might be losing my mind – but I can’t let it go.  You know, I
kind of owe Erica my life.  If I hadn’t left the scene of the Clinic to pursue him
in the stolen cop car, I’d probably be dead right now.  I don’t know what to
think about that, I really don’t.”

“Yeah.”
James was quiet for a moment.  “I hope this gives me some closure – some way to
heal over what happened to Thomas.”  Thomas was James’ younger brother, a
police officer who had died at the Neilson Clinic about seven weeks ago. The
loss was still a gaping wound in his soul, chafing at him from the inside.  If
it doesn’t give me some closure, I really don’t know what I’m going to do,
he thought.

*           *           *

The
two Detectives entered their respective rooms, and started unpacking their
stuff, giving Marcus a few minutes to think and reflect.  It doesn’t really
matter if Christine’s story was true or not, as weird as it being true might be
– he literally HAD to know.  He could feel it gnawing in his gut like a hungry
beast.  If I don’t find out the truth on this one, I might as well call it
quits – It’ll eat me up if I don’t.  Maybe it’s time to take an early
retirement?  Marcus shook his head in frustration.  What am I doing?
This case is just screwing with me.  I don’t even know what I’d do if I
retired…

It’s
time to call Joanne, he thought. She’s head of Homicide in Salt Lake
City, and it’s been years since we last saw each other.  Marcus couldn’t
help but remember the last time he had seen Joanne – they had been working
together on a cross-border case in Toronto with her chasing a killer that fled
to Canada, and they had hit it off nicely.  Joanne was a serious cop, but she
really knew how to have fun when she needed to relax – something Marcus never
quite managed to figure out.

Marcus
was jarred from his reverie by a knock from James’s door.  Here I am,
woolgathering again.  I’m getting old.  “Coming!” he called.  He walked
over and opened the door between their rooms.  James came in, and sat down on
one of the two beds opposite Marcus.

“Now
what, boss?” James asked.

“I’m
going to give Joanne a call over at SLC Homicide and see if she’s up for a
get-together this evening.  Reconnect, and maybe let her know what might be
going on in her neck of the woods pretty soon.”  Marcus said, thinking.  “I’ll
be telling her the edited version, of course – but even the non-crazy version
of our story has enough behind it to look into.  You want to come?”

“Yeah,
why not?”  James answered. “I hear you and she hit it off once.  Any chance
it’ll happen again?”

Marcus
thought about it a moment.  “I doubt it, James – but I guess anything could
happen.”  Marcus wondered if him hitting it off with Joanne would be a good
thing or not, and he couldn’t decide.  She was great to be around - fun, sexy,
good sense of humor – but she sometimes didn’t take work as seriously as Marcus
did.  Maybe that was her strength and his weakness, but for Marcus it sometimes
was a problem.

“Hrmph.”
James muttered.  “Well, you might as well call her then – I’ll be good to go in
about an hour.  I need a quick shower and shave.”

“Good
enough.”  Marcus replied, reaching for the phone.  “I’ll give her a shout.”

*           *           *

Marcus
and James relaxed at their table, waiting for Joanne. Marcus wore tan slacks, a
shirt and tie, and a dark brown blazer, while James wore jeans and a polo
shirt.  Marcus was sipping his first Caesar, while James was half done a frosty
bottle of domestic beer.  They had been sitting and waiting for about 30
minutes – Joanne had been delayed by work – and a partially destroyed appetizer
of fries and gravy sat between the two of them.

“We
can’t tell her the real story.”  James said, out of the blue.

“Duh.”
Marcus grinned.  “Hell, I’m not even sure I believe it – I wouldn’t expect her
to believe it too.”

“I’ve
been doing some thinking, though boss.” James said, a bit thoughtfully.  “Maybe
magic is real – maybe we just don’t see it cause we have other explanations.
You know, like Alien abductions – maybe these people are teleporting somewhere
and getting freaked out by what they see?  Maybe that lady who picked up the
car off her kid had magic, not adrenaline?  Maybe it’s been all around us for
all this time and we’ve been too blind to see it?”

“Seriously,
James?”  Marcus asked.

“Well,
either that or you and I are going collectively crazy?”  James added.  “There
is literally no way that girl calling herself Erica and the others could have
appeared like that at the Eaton’s Center and then jiggered all of the video
footage I pulled from those seven stores, without knowing which exact moment
and camera I would want to see.  So if teleportation is real, then either it’s
magic or something like it, or it’s some sort of technology masquerading as
magic – or you and I are stark raving mad.”

Marcus
had to agree, it was pretty unlikely that someone would even bother to try
altering the video on the Eaton’s center by itself, let alone several other
stores.  It was unlikely, but possible – and that last little shred of ‘it
could be done’ was what was making it so hard for Marcus to make that last leap
of faith – to say ‘yeah, magic could be real.’  I don’t know if I could do
it even if I had proof, Marcus thought. I wonder.   “Yeah, maybe.”
He said. “But even so I’d rather it was sci-fi than fantasy.”

“Huh.
I don’t know what I wish.  I think the possibilities magic could bring to the
table would be both terrifying and exciting, good and bad.  I’m not sure what
I’m hoping – other than that you and I get out of this alive.”

“Amen,
brother.”  Marcus said, swigging his drink.

A
few minutes passed, and Marcus saw Joanne arrive.  She was wearing an office
dress – stylish and professional, while being undeniably feminine. She looked
tired, but relaxed, and oddly enough had a little less silver in her hair than
she did when they last saw each other.  She must have just come from work,
Marcus thought.  She always did work too hard – like me.   The Waiter
directed her over towards his table, and Marcus waved – and she waved back,
coming over.  Marcus stood up to greet her.

“Hey,
Joanne,” he said, opening his arms.

She approached him, and embraced him in a
quick hug, then released.  “Hey to you too, Marcus.  Long time, no see.  What
brings you to my neck of the woods?  Is this your partner?”

Marcus turned to introduce his friend.
“Joanne, this is my friend James.  He’s on the job too.  James, this is Joanne
Fenway. We met about twenty years ago at a police symposium, and have been
friends ever since.”

Joanne made a shocked face.  “Marcus! You’re
making me sound like an old woman!”

James stood, and offered to shake her hand.
“Nice to meet you.”

“Nice to meet you, too.” she said sitting
down. “So, how have you been Marcus?”

“Pretty good, overall.”  Marcus replied.
“Same old, same old.  How about you?”

Joanne smiled.  “You know, Marcus – the usual
bullshit.  You know bosses – only a few of them have brain cells, after all.”

“Tell me about it.”  Marcus said, snorting.

“You caught me by surprise with your phone
call a few days ago, Marcus.  It’s good to see you again.  So were you two
mixed up with that mess north of Toronto?”  As she spoke, a waitress brought
Joanne her drink – a double-shot of Johnny Walker Black.

“You might say that.”  Marcus said grimly.
James’s younger brother was killed in the massacre, and I was lucky to escape.
Oh fuck, it was like nothing you’ve ever seen – it was totally FUBAR.”
Marcus’s hand shook at the memory and sweat beaded his forehead… He raised his
hand for the waitress. The memory of seeing all those paramedics and
firefighters and police torn to pieces, dead, outside the clinic still haunted him.
It would haunt him till the day he died.

“Damn right.” James said.  “We need more
booze.”  They called the waitress over and ordered fresh drinks…

“How bad was it?”  Joanne looked worried for
her friend.  “You both look rough.”

“It was pretty bad, Jo.”  Marcus began.
“Forty first responders dead on the scene, torn to pieces by something we never
saw.  There were no explosives used – not like the TV said.  If I hadn’t left
the scene in pursuit of a witness, I’d be dead now too.”  Marcus finished.  “It
was a bloodbath.  The medical examiner had never seen anything like it, even at
a plane crash.”

Joanne winced, and placed her hand on
Marcus’s for support.  “So you took some time off?”

“Kind of.”  Marcus gave a wry smile.  “We
took time off, yeah.  Officially the case is closed – the whole thing’s been
blamed on Al Queda, and nobody wants to hear anything about it, but we’ve found
seemingly unconnected incidents which lead us to believe that a religious
nutjob who goes by the name of Vargas Elm is somehow the one behind it all, and
he’s coming here with his people.”

Joanne went pale and took a swig of her
drink…

Marcus continued.  “…Look, we don’t have any
hard proof – but there’s a trail of seemingly unconnected bodies and
information that he’s heading here.  This guy Vargas is supposedly Middle Eastern
in origin, but there’s no record of him, anywhere.  Nobody’s ever heard of him
before, or his group either.”

Joanne looked at Marcus with a questioning
expression on her face.  “Then why the fuck is he coming here?”

Marcus sighed.  “We don’t know.  We could be
totally batshit crazy and wrong – I hope we are.”

“What’s the guy look like?  What’ve you got
on this guy.”  Joanne asked.

“All I’ve got is this.”  Marcus said, pulling
out a police sketch. “We had a witness who saw him, and she sat down with a
sketch artist.  This is all we’ve got.”

“Shit, I’ll tell my guys and put this out on
the street – we’ll keep an eye out for him.  I’ll contact my friends in the
Mormon church and see if they know of any whack-jobs headed this way.  They
keep tabs on all the weirdos.”

Everyone
sighed, and took a breath.  Marcus took a swig of his drink.  “What about you,
Jo?  Any cases that are driving you up the wall?”  Marcus asked.

“Oh hell yes!”  Joanne laughed; glad the
tension of a moment before had broke.  “We’ve had a hell of a time the last
five months stalking this one particular serial killer…”  Joanne proceeded to
tell Marcus and his friend about her case, and the three friends chatted and
gossiped for hours, the tales and stories of work and play rolling off their
lips.  It was very late at night when they ended their get-together, and headed
back home and to their hotels in cabs.

*           *           *

For
Erica, the next two days were a blur of fatigue, driving, tolls, and
exhaustion.  The road maps declared the distance between Toledo, Ohio and Salt
Lake City a twenty-three and a half-hour drive, which should be coverable in
three eight-hour days – but what Erica was quickly finding out was that didn’t
account for bad traffic, construction, meals, bathroom breaks and gas stops.
By the end of a day, she was clocking almost 12 hours a day and was completely
exhausted by the time they found a hotel each night.

Erica’s
Mercian friends were also feeling more than a bit wretched, none of them ever
having become used to cross-country travel where they were required to sit still
and do nothing for hours on end.  Sir Andred and Maeve felt the worst, but even
Kai was feeling miserable by the time Erica pulled off the interstate into a
gas bar outside Kimball, Nebraska.

“I
need to stop for gas – so anyone who wants out to stretch, you’d better do so.
It’s a full day or more to get to Salt Lake City from here, so we’ll need to
grab a hotel in Cheyenne when we get there… Only another hour or so, and then
we can rest and eat.”  Erica pulled up to the pumps at a gas bar, and turned
off the engine.

“Thank
the gods!”  Maeve exclaimed, stretching and opening her car door.  The rogue
and spy stretched her limbs and loosened her muscles – and all around the car,
the others were doing the same.  Sir Andred, in particular had found the trip
taxing.  His muscles were sore, and Maeve suspected he was suffering from what
Erica and Christine called “Arthritis”.

Kai’s
nose wrinkled at the smell of spilled gasoline and car oil in the air.  I still
hate the stink of it, he thought.  Erica’s world has so much wonder and
so much filth it’s mind boggling.  I literally don’t know how she and her
people stand it…  I don’t have the heart to tell her half the time I feel like
I’m choking.  “Can we get a drink or something while we’re here?”  he
asked.

“I
don’t see why not.” Erica answered.  “If anyone needs the washroom, go ask the
attendant for the key.”

“I
will do so.”  Sir Andred said.  “I find that as my age increases, the time
between trips to relieve myself are becoming shorter, which is most
inconvenient.”

“It
would be nice to stay young, wouldn’t it Sir Andred?”  Maeve asked.

“Aye,
I suppose – but then we wouldn’t have the wisdom that age and experience
brings, and I suppose people would still squander the time they had like they
do now.  Perhaps we have so little time given to us so that we cherish the time
we do have all the more?  It is an interesting conundrum, my friend.”  Sir
Andred smirked, and headed to the gas bar kiosk to ask for the restroom key.

Maeve
smiled back, and looked in the purse she had been given.  I think I have
enough money to get us some drinks. “I’m going to go get some drinks for
us,” she said, pointing at some soda vending machines.  Maeve personally found
most of the sodas that Erica liked drinking to be far too sweet or far too
bitter; she much preferred iced tea or fruit juices.  Sir Andred liked the root
beer, as did Kai, and Erica liked something called Diet Coke.  And here I
thought you got coke from coal mining?  I guess that shows what I know of
Erica’s world!  It does taste vile, though.  I don’t know how she can drink it.

Maeve
walked over to the soda machine and tried to determine which picture and image
would get her the drinks she wanted.  I’m getting better at reading this
gibberish, she thought.  If it wasn’t for Anvi’s amulet helping me learn
their writing as well as their words, I’d be at a total loss.  I really need to
get him these amulets back when we return to Mercia…  Maeve struggled with
the buttons, and put in coins for what she thought was Iced Tea, then Diet
Coke, and then two Root Beers. Two drinks came out – the root beers - and then
a little yellow light came on saying ‘out of order.’

“What’s
wrong with you?”  She muttered.  “Where’s my drinks?”  Dammit, she
thought.  I must have broken it.  I’ll be damned if I’m getting back in that
car for another hour without a drink to take with me.  Maeve looked around
to see if a solution presented itself.  There were no other soda machines – but
she could see something called “Caleb’s Beer & BBQ” about a block away.  I’m
sure I could get a drink there, Maeve thought.  I’d better see if the
others are ready to go or not.

Maeve
looked over to the car, and saw that it was left abandoned.  Erica must be
paying for the gas, and the two boys are probably walking about or using the
washroom.  I guess I’ll be right back then.   She took the two sodas she
had been able to purchase, and set them in a small cooler in the front seat of
the car, and then headed to Caleb’s Beer and BBQ.   I’ll just be in and out
in a flash, grab some drinks, and use their bathroom and then we’ll hit the
road.  What’s the worst that could happen?

*           *           *

Maeve walked over to Caleb’s, and entered the
front door, feeling the cool, clean air-conditioned air wash over her.  I
don’t care about most of Erica’s crazy inventions, but Air Conditioning is
something we have to figure our back home as soon as we can… Maeve thought.
This is so damn decadent.  The pub inside had a number of booths and
some tables, a bar where a rather bored balding gentleman was chatting with two
burly and slightly overweight men drinking beer, and a few tired looking
waitresses carrying orders to and from the tables with patrons.

“Looks like a normal pub, for the most
part.”  She muttered to herself, before she entered the rest of the way.  The
cool air and the sound of music playing on one of Erica’s people’s strange
artifices made the dimly lit barroom seem comforting and nice, rather than
dingy or perhaps dirty.  She liked the ambiance.

First
things first,
she thought, and headed to the ladies bathroom.  The idea of having a separate
bathroom for men and women intrigued her – it wasn’t an idea often imitated on
Mercia.  Most people who had to use the bathroom were too busy well, using the
bathroom, to consider ogling anyone else or doing anything inappropriate.
After all, everyone, man and woman had to go sometime.   She took a few moments
and did her business, cleaned up and returned to the bar feeling rather
refreshed.  That’s one thing you don’t have to worry about back home usually
– not being able to stop while travelling to pee.  I can see the lure of cars,
but they have their downsides, she thought.  That and they cost a
bleeding fortune.

Maeve walked up to the bar, and waited,
trying to get the bartenders’ attention.

“Hey miss, what can I get you?”

“I’d
like an iced tea and a diet coke to take with me, and a beer for right this
moment.”  Maeve replied, sitting on one of the bar stools.

“Domestic
or Foreign?  Bottle or on tap?”

“The
kind that comes in a glass.”  Maeve said.  “It doesn’t matter, really – I just
want a drink.”

The
bartender nodded, and poured her a beer, the frosty mug showing a nice head as
he placed the amber beer in front of her.  As she picked it up and gave it a
sip, he grabbed a small bottle of iced tea and diet coke from a cooler, and put
them down next to her.  “That’ll be 12.50.”

Maeve
nodded, and took some money out of her purse.  Odd.  There’s no twelve
dollar bills?  She thought.  I’ll have to give him a twenty and let him
keep the rest.  Erica said money isn’t really anything to worry about, after
all.  She threw a twenty on the bar.  “Keep it,” she said.

The
bartender nodded his thanks, took the cash and went back to work and Maeve sat
quietly for a few moments drinking.  The beer was different from the brews back
home – less yeasty and more fruity, with tastes she couldn’t quite identify.
It was rather pleasant, actually.  Her eyes casually watched the exit’s behind
her in the mirror behind the bar with practiced ease, so she wasn’t surprised
when a man that had been watching her enter, sidled up beside her – what did
surprise her was how rudely and arrogantly he grabbed her left buttock and
squeezed it.

“Hey,
baby.”  The voice said.  “I like the way you look – how about you and I spend
some time together, huh?”   The man was in his mid thirties, strong – but thick
around the middle, like he hadn’t exercised in some time.  He smelled of beer
and cigarettes and something Maeve couldn’t identify, and he distinctly gave
her an unpleasant feeling.  His clothes were nothing special, and didn’t really
indicate anything about him to Maeve, although she realized she might not ‘get’
the clues from his garb that Erica or Christine would have noticed.

“How
about you remove your hand and kindly fuck off before I remove it for you?”
Maeve politely said in return.  “I just want a quiet drink, okay?”  Maeve
sighed to herself.  I just wanted a beer, she thought, and this
drunken asshole has to come and ruin it.  I’d better be gentle on him – Erica will
have kittens if I rough him up… And I don’t want Sir Andred thinking I’m
setting a bad example.

“What
the fuck did you say to me, bitch?”  The sweaty man said, his voice rich with
anger and shock.  He moved his hand from Maeve’s buttock, and reached up to
grab her hair and yank it down – but she wasn’t there…  A little dumbstruck, he
saw Maeve slip off the barstool, and grab his arm.  The next thing he knew he
was screaming and his arm was on fire, his forehead had blood dribbling down
it, and he was on the floor.

Maeve
sneered at the man on the ground.  At least he won’t be grabbing anyone with
that arm for a long time.  She thought with a small grin.  They tend not
to work so well once you bend them backwards at the elbow.

She
picked up her beer and finished what was left of it in two gulps.  The man on
the ground was screaming something – and just as predicted two of his buddies,
who were equally thick about the middle got up to probably try and teach her a
lesson.  Seriously, these drunks never learn.  It doesn’t matter what world
you’re on, I guess. Oh well.  I’d better go easy on them.

One
of the two men – a brown haired man with a thick mustache and a brown jacket –
growled, and got ready to advance on her.  “You’re in a lot of trouble,
missy.”  He said.  “You just bought yourself a world of hurt.”  The other man –
this one a sandy haired blonde, opened his jacket and motioned to a dark
colored pistol on his belt.  “You better get on your knees and apologize to us
properly, right now, bitch.”

Like
hell I will.  Maeve thought.  “Your friend touched me without my
permission.  Is that not against the law?  I asked him to remove his hand and
he attacked me.  Is that how people behave here?”

“Get
on your knees, bitch!”  the blonde haired man growled, and took a step forward,
grabbing for the pistol.

Maeve
didn’t think – she reacted – her body moved, and grabbed the arm he was shoving
at her and broke it, just like she had done to the first man.  He clutched his
arm, screaming, and staggered over to the bar – and patrons everywhere in the
bar dove for cover.  She whipped around, still moving on instinct, grabbing
mustache’s wrist and twisting till she heard it snap, then kicked him hard in
the knee.  She heard it snap as well, the soft cartilage of the knee folding
under her kick.  He crumpled too, screaming.

I
guess learning Anorian hand-fighting all those years ago was a good idea,
she thought with a smirk.  It does help, but I really prefer my short
sword.  I think Erica and Christine would be proud of me – they’re still
breathing after all…  “I should probably go.” She said, mostly to herself,
grabbing the bottle of iced tea and soda off the bar.  As she looked around,
she could see several people holding up cell phone devices, pointing them at
her.  Why are they doing that?  She wondered, until one waitress came up
to her, looking a little afraid.

“You
okay, ma’am?”  She asked.  Her name tag said Brenda, Maeve thought.

“Aye,
I’m fine.” Maeve said, smirking. “Have a good day, miss – sorry for the mess.”

Maeve
made it halfway to the door before two officers in uniforms, their badges
clearly showing, and guns drawn, blocked her path.  They were clearly on their
guard – and could clearly see the three injured men screaming and moaning
across the room. It was equally obvious they thought she was responsible.

Oh hell.  Erica is going to have kittens
after all.

“Get
down on the ground now!”  One of the new officers said.  “You’re under arrest.
Get down now, or we’ll fire.”

Maeve
looked at them, considering her options.  I can take them, she thought, but
Erica is going to freak out worse than Christine ever did that I dismantled
some police.  Maeve snickered mentally at the mental image of Erica
literally giving birth to a litter of kittens.  I’d better surrender,
she thought.  Some of their bullets might hit other people.  “All right,
officers.  I surrender.”  She said, and knelt down, with her hands on the
ground, and bottles of soda nearby.  I hope I’m doing the right thing,
she wondered.  I’ll have to trust Erica and her sisters’ lawyers.  Oh hell.

*           *           *

Sir
Andred and Kai stood by the car, stretching their muscles and enjoying the
air.  Two strange black and white cars with flashing lights on their roofs had
driven up to a nearby building, and entered it with their guns drawn.   Not
knowing the local customs, they held back instead of acting, until perhaps
Erica could tell them what was going on.

“I
wonder what powers the spinning lights on their roofs?”  Sir Andred mused.

“Probably
the same stuff that powers everything else - their trapped lightning.”  Kai
said.

“Probably.”
Andred looked amused.  There were so many wonders to see, he thought.  Even
a carriage with lights on its top can be interesting.

“I
hope Maeve and Erica hurry up.  We’re burning daylight.”  Kai groaned.  “I’m
not eager to get back into the car, but I would love dinner sometime soon.”

“Aye,”
Sir Andred said, laughing.  “Erica said she has the last part of that movie for
us to watch tonight.  We’ll get to see if they destroy the ring, or fail.”

Kai
grinned.  He and Maeve had a bet that the two Hobbit’s, Frodo and Sam, would
kiss before the end of the film, and he wanted to see if he owed Maeve five
silvers or not.  Plus, couch time with Erica was never unpleasant.  “Cool.”

About
that time, Erica returned to the car.  “Hey guys!  Where’s Maeve?”

“In
the bathroom, with you – isn’t she?”  Sir Andred asked.

“Um,
no.”  Erica said.  “I was just there and she wasn’t.”  Erica just then saw the
police cars.  Oh no!  she thought.  “Nevermind – she’s probably over
there.”  Knowing Maeve, it’ll be a miracle if no one’s dead.  Oh hell.

“What
are those vehicles?”  Andred asked.

“Police
cars – vehicles of our city watch.”  Erica said, groaning.  The two police
officers emerged from the bar at that moment, dragging a grinning Maeve to one
of the police cars, putting her into the back seat.  Maeve looked calm, and
relaxed, and seemed to go willingly.

“I’d
better call Harlan.”  Erica said.  “That’s Maeve, being arrested.  I don’t even
know what she did – I’d better get us down to their police station and get the
ball rolling on getting her out.  Crap!”  She swore, surprising Sir Andred and
Kai both.

“What?”
she said.  “We need to save both worlds…  This could slow us down enough that
we don’t stop him in time.  Fuck.”  Kai and Sir Andred nodded, looking
worriedly at the police outside the bar, and Erica quickly found Harlan’s
number and started dialing.

“Harlan?
Yeah, it’s me, Erica.  We have a bit of a problem…”

Chapter 12 – Connoisseur of
Dungeons

The
arresting officers brought Maeve into the Kimball County Sherriff’s Office, and
began to process her.  Maeve was sat down at a desk, where one of the policemen
sat down and looked through some drawers for papers, while his partner stood
behind her – ready to react if she tried to escape.

“State
your name, and place of birth,” one of the officers said. “Do you have any
identification with you?”

“My
name is Maeve Varda, and I live in Kingston Ontario.  My ID is in my purse,
which I think your partner has.”  Maeve smiled.  The police were so nice here!

“Yeah,”
The policeman’s partner said.  “It’s right here, Dave.”  He handed his partner
the ID.

“Thanks
Mitch.”  David replied.  “Say’s here you’re from Canada.  What’s the reason for
your trip to the United States?”

“My
friends and I are going on a road trip and touring your lovely country.  We’ve
seen some amazing things so far.”  Maeve replied.  Maybe I can have a little
fun with these guys, she thought.  After all, they don’t seem to have
taken even basic precautions for me to not use my magic – I could get up and
leave anytime I wanted, and they’d never even know.  Why not?

“Where
are you and your friends headed, ma’am?”  David asked

“Out
west, mostly.”  Maeve said.  “When we’re done our trip, we’ll head back to
Toronto, I think.”

“Can
I get the names of your friends, please?”

“Sure.”
Maeve replied.  “Andrew Duchene, Kai Rodin, and Erica van Helstrome.”

“Ok,
then.  We’re going to take your fingerprints, then you’ll wait in that cell
until we come to question you.”  David said.

“Cool.
That cell looks really nice.”  Maeve was being quite serious – but the officer
gave her a very strange look, like he was confused as to whether she was trying
to joke with him or not.

The
officer shook his head, and got out the fingerprint papers and ink pad, and
proceeded to ink Maeve’s fingerprints and copy them onto paper, all the while
Maeve watching him fingerprint her with a look of wonder on her face.

“Why
are you doing this?”  Maeve asked.  “Will this tell you anything?”

“Huh?
Really?”  the officer asked.  “We’ll put these into that computer over there,
and in about twenty minutes or so we’ll know if you’ve been convicted of a crime
in the past.”

Cool!
Maeve thought.  Their artifices can scry the past!  Erica’s people get more
and more amazing as time goes by.  “Neat.  Thank you, officer.  I don’t
think your machine will find anything though.”

Dave
shook his head.  Could she really be this naive? He wondered.  “Probably
– but that will tell us something too.  Mitch, could you put her in number
two?”

Mitch,
Dave’s partner, nodded.  “No problem, pal.”  He not-too gently picked up Maeve,
and directed her to cell that overlooked the sheriff’s office.  At least, Maeve
suspected it was supposed to be a cell.   It actually looked far too clean and
nice to Maeve to be anything truly representative of being incarcerated.  It’s
more like being asked to wait quietly in a guest house, she thought.  It’s
actually pretty nice here. She felt the officers push her into the cell

“Wait
here.”  He said, laughing to himself, as if she had anyplace else to go.

Maeve
took a moment to look around her surroundings, admiring her little cell, and
then the office space beyond where several officers and staff were working.
The cell was about 8 feet long by 8 feet wide, with a wooden bench that doubled
as a bed on one end, covered with a cloth pad that seemed to be some sort of
cushion or mattress.  There was a silvery chrome toilet, and some of that
toilet paper Erica liked so much, and from the bench she could see and hear a
television in the room where the police were working.  She could also hear a
bit of music someone was playing on a radio.  From what she had seen, there
were two other cells exactly like this one – one to her left, and one to her
right.

The
officers were working in a small office space – Maeve could see at least four
desks, most piled high with paperwork or topped by computers like Christine had
at her home, as well as several coffee cups.  Aside from the high-tech
trappings of Erica’s world, it looked like every police station Maeve had ever
been in, on either world.  The cops looked overworked, tired and frustrated –
and some of the criminals they were bringing in looked brash and cocky.  What
a crappy combination, she thought, then grinned.  Maybe I should help these
guys out.  They obviously don’t know much about real policing.

Maeve
was sat and thought about how she would help out, and several minutes passed as
she pondered what she knew of Erica’s world and what she’d seen so far.  She
was just about to begin, when the officer calling himself ‘Mitch’ came to take
her to a new room.

“Where
are we going, Mitch?”  she asked.  The officer scowled at the use of his given
name – obviously the police didn’t like the prisoners being too familiar.

“To
an interrogation room, where you’ll be questioned.”  He said, sounding
ominous.  He took her to the back of the building, down a spartan hallway that
had several doors leading off of it.  He took her inside one of the rooms – a
large room with a large table, and a huge two-way mirror on one wall.   Mitch
took some handcuffs, and cuffed Maeve to the heavy metal table, which was
bolted to the ground.  “Someone will be in to see you soon.”  Mitch said, then
left.

Maeve
looked around the room.  It didn’t look like any interrogation room she’d ever
seen before – but she just figured the police did things differently in Erica’s
World.  Nice mirror, she thought, looking at an enormous square mirror
on one wall.  That must have cost a fortune.  Looking in the mirror, she
realized she looked a mess, and tried to clean herself up, but her shackles
were rather inhibiting her movement.  Well this is pretty inconvenient,
she thought.  I don’t want to look horrible when they drag me before the
magistrate.  Hrmph.

*           *           *

Sally
Medina, the assistant district attorney looked at Sherriff Frank Salazar, then
at Maeve through the two-way mirror watching her interrogation room.  “She
doesn’t look like much of a threat.  You’re saying SHE took apart Adam Boise
and his two brothers?  Damn.”

“Tell
me about it.”  Frank replied.  “I mean, I’m not surprised – those assholes
probably had it coming, the way they usually carry on.  Still, this Maeve –
she’s odd.  I’m not sure what to make of her.  Her prints came back negative
though.  We gonna charge her with anything?”

“I
don’t know yet.”  Ms. Medina said.  “Let’s see how the interview goes.”  She
looked over at Maeve again – and stood with her jaw dropped.  Maeve had gotten
out of her handcuffs, and was primping her hair and checking her makeup in the
two-way mirror!

“What
the hell?”  She said, shocked.  “How did she get out of her handcuffs?”

“I
have no effing clue, Sally.”  Frank said.  “Maybe we should watch and see what
she does.”

They
stood there, watching as Maeve finished adjusting her hair and checking her
makeup, and still were watching when she went back over to her chair at the
table and re-shackled herself to the table and sat down.

“What
the fucking hell?”  Frank said.  “Do you have any idea what to make of that,
Sally?”

Sally
looked as confused as Frank was.  “No, not really.  I think the interview will
be interesting, though.  Let’s go see her.”

*           *           *

Maeve
was still waiting in her chair, when two people came to interrogate her.  One
was a brown haired man, who seemed to be in his mid to late forties, with hair still
untinged with grey.  He was physically fit for a man of his age, but age seemed
to be slowly creeping up on him – and Maeve could sympathize.  Being a
church spy is a game for young women, she thought.  Not me, now that I’m
pushing my thirties.  Who am I fooling?  I’m never going to retire – at least
not for a long time, anyway.   The woman was younger – in her early
thirties, so only a bit older than Maeve herself, with short blond hair in a
cute bob.  She was dressed nicely and professionally, if Christine’s and Angie’s
clothes were to be a judge, and looked to be all business.  Both looked at her
oddly, and took seats.  The man spoke first.

“I’m
Sherriff Frank Salazar, and this is Sally Medina, the assistant district
attourney.  We’re here to question you about what happened when you were in the
bar on the highway, when you had an altercation with three inebriated men.”

“Okay.”
Maeve said.  “What do you want to know?”

“Well,
first.”  Frank asked.  “Have you been apprised of your rights?”

“Yup.”
Maeve grinned.  “Is that all?”

Sherriff
Salazar looked a little surprised.  “No… Of course not.”  He said.  “Have you
waived the right to consult an attorney?”  The Sherriff continued.

“No.
I have a number here I’m supposed to call.  Can I call it first, then talk?”
Maeve asked.  Erica’s people were so strange, and had such strange ideas about
law enforcement that Maeve thought she should probably talk to one.

“Of
course.  We’ll be right back.”  The two looked frustrated, and got up to
leave.

Maeve
waited till they were gone, and tried to call the number.  It was hard – she
could barely read the numbers and make sense of them – but she managed, and
heard the phone ringing.  Thank goddess, she thought.  They’d think I
was definitely crazy if I couldn’t operate one of their phone devices.  I hope
Erica picks up.  It wasn’t long before the phone answered, and Maeve heard
Erica on the other end.

“Hello?
Erica?”  Maeve asked.

“Yes
– oh gods, Maeve.  Are you all right?”  Erica asked.

“Yeah,
pretty much.  I got arrested for beating up three guys who tried to assault me
while I was getting a drink. Sorry.”

Erica
sighed.  “I’m already talking to Harlan and his legal people – they’ll have a
lawyer available by tomorrow if we need one, but he doesn’t think we will.  He
figures they might even let you go. You do have the legal right to say nothing,
you know.”

“That’s
boring.”  Maeve said.  “I didn’t do anything wrong.”

“Maybe
– but if you think the cops are trying to get you to incriminate yourself, just
say ‘I’m exercising my right to stay silent.’  Otherwise, if you say anything
that proves you broke the law, they can use it against you in court.”

“Cool!”
Maeve laughed.  “No really – I should be fine.  I can handle some policemen.”

“Be
careful – we’ll be there in half an hour or so.”  Erica said.

“Okay
– and thank Harlan for me.”  Maeve replied, and hung up.

Sherriff
Salazar and assistant District Attorney Medina returned to the room.  “I take
it you spoke with a lawyer?”  The Sherriff asked.

“Not
yet – my friend Erica is getting me a good one.  She’ll be here soon.”

“Would
you like to wait until your lawyer is present?”  Sally asked.

“Nope.”
Maeve said.

“Fair
enough.” The Sherriff answered.  “Please tell me in your own words what
happened in the bar.”

“Well,
the pop machine broke, so I went to the bar to buy some drinks for the car –
we’ve been cooped up in the car all day, and there was no damn way I was
getting back into that car unless I had a drink to take with me.  I was
travelling with my friends Erica, Kai and Andrew to Salt Lake City to look at
the churches, on a road trip, and we were all tired and cranky.  Everyone else
was taking a bathroom break.”

Maeve
waited until the two seemed to understand what she was saying and continued.
“I went to the bar – I don’t remember what it was called – Caleb’s, I think,
and ordered an iced tea and a Diet Coke to go, and a cold beer to drink there.
Gods that diet coke is awful.  I don’t know how Erica can drink it, really.”
Maeve took a breath.  “Anyway, I was just about to leave once I finished my
beer, when this smelly man who’d seen better days, comes over and puts his hand
on my ass and says ‘I know you want me.  How about we go somewhere private?’
I told him I most definitely did NOT want him, and asked him to remove his
hand.  He got angry at that, and tried to grab my hair and hurt me – so I
stopped him.”

“The
doctors say you probably crippled him and his friends for life.”  Sally said.

“Um…
so what?  He attacked me.  He’s three times my body weight, and had his two
friends with him too.  Was I supposed to let them hurt me?”  Maeve said.  “Even
someone as out of shape as he and his friends could get a lucky shot in and take
me down.  I wasn’t about to let them manhandle me.”

Sherriff
Salazar raised his hands to try and calm things down.  “No one is saying you
should have let them manhandle you.  We’re just trying to understand why you
hurt him so bad.  Have you been trained how to fight?”

“Yes.”
Maeve said, wondering if this was one of those questions she shouldn’t answer.

“By
who?”  The Sherriff asked.

“My
government.  They spent a great deal of money making sure I knew how to protect
myself.”

“So
you work for the government?  Are you a federal agent?”

Maeve
wondered for a moment what ‘federal’ meant, but figured it meant ‘government’.
“Sure – that’s pretty close anyway.  You probably haven’t heard of which
department though.  It’s pretty small.  I work in law enforcement.”

“Do
you have a badge number?” the Sherriff asked.

“Um…
no, Sherriff. Our department doesn’t issue badges. We don’t have paperwork. I’m
not in your computers.”

Sherriff
Salazar paused, and looked at District Attorney Medina.  “Maybe we should
confer outside?”

Sally
nodded.  “Yeah – let’s talk.”

“We’ll
be back in a moment, alright?”  The Sherriff asked.

“No
worries.  I’ll be here, waiting.”  Maeve said, smiling.

*           *           *

“She’s
got to be a fed of some kind – a spook at best. I bet you a hundred bucks she’s
CIA, or some other alphabet soup.”  Sherriff Salazar muttered.  “What do you
think, Sally?”

“Probably.
It wouldn’t explain why she isn’t in the computers though.  It would explain
why she knows how to fight.  It doesn’t explain why she’s here in the United
States, though, or why she’s using a Canadian Passport.  Do you believe she’s
really going to Salt Lake City to look at the churches?”  Sally asked.

“Really?
Maybe.  She could be.  Everyone eventually takes a vacation.”  Salazar said.
“I guess the real question is ‘do I really want to know the answer to that
question?’ – and frankly I’m not sure I do.

And
as for the passport thing, I hear a lot of spooks use Canadian passports – it
doesn’t mean a damn thing.  Let’s look at the facts – three drunks hit on her,
she said no, and they got violent.  Instead of them hurting her, she beat the
living crap out of them – and we both know those assholes were going to get
their asses kicked one day when they bugged the wrong person.  Well, she was
that wrong person.  Frankly, I’m not sure we shouldn’t just let her go and give
her a civic award for cleaning up the streets.”

“Maybe.”
Sally answered.  “God knows Adam and his pals won’t be pressing charges –
little 5ft 2 inches of Maeve – maybe 110 pounds total – took all three of them
down.  If they press charges, they’ll be the laughingstock of the entire town,
never mind what their wives or girlfriends have to say.  They’ll probably say
half a football team attacked them or something.”

“Probably.”
The Sherriff replied, chuckling.

“Let me hear the rest of the story, and I’ll
take this to my boss.  We’ll see what he has to say, and if he says cut her
loose, I’ll call you tomorrow and let you know.  God knows I don’t want to
charge her – but her story is a little weird. I’d like to check it out.  Give
me till noon tomorrow.”

“Okay
then.”  The Sherriff said.  “Let’s go see what she has to say.  I want to find
out how the hell she got out of those cuffs, myself.”

*           *           *

Maeve
grinned as Sherriff Salazar and A.D.A Medina came back into the interrogation
room. “Hi!” she said, smiling.  “More questions?”

Sherriff
Salazar paused, a little weirded out by Maeve’s enthusiasm.  “Yes, Ms. Varda,
we do have a few more questions.”

“Call
me Maeve.  Ms. Varda is my mother.”  Maeve said cheerily.

“Okay,
Maeve.”  The Sherriff sighed.  “We were at the point where you said you had
disabled the three men who attacked you.  What happened next?”

“I
got the two drinks I purchased off the counter, left some money for the barman
for any damages – I think it was fifty dollars – and was about to leave when a
waitress approached me and asked if I was all right.  I think she was pretty
scared, but I told her I was fine, and headed out.  It was about that time two
of your officers burst in with their guns out, and arrested me. I thought their
response time was really very good.  Very professional.  I surrendered, and
they brought me here to the nice waiting room outside.”

“You
mean the jail?”  The Sherriff asked.

“This
is a jail?”  Maeve asked, honestly shocked.  “If you say so.  Yes, I was taken
to the cell outside here.  That’s it.”

Sally
shook her head, more than a little frustrated.  “Are you taking this seriously,
Miss Varda?”

Maeve
looked at her, and her demeanor changed in an instant.  Her gaze was piercing,
and Sally could see the ice in her eyes.  Maeve looked into her eyes and simply
said “Yes.”

Sally shuddered – the warning in Maeve’s eyes
was all too apparent.  It said ‘push me too far at your peril.’   Sally didn’t
know what to make of it – Maeve was the one in chains, but it seemed like she
was running the show.  Ms. Medina felt out of her depth – and it wasn’t
something she felt very often.  She didn’t think she liked it.

“Well, I don’t know about Ms. Medina, but I’d
like to know how you got out of your handcuffs, and what the heck you were
doing while you were waiting for us.”  The Sherriff asked, hoping for an
answer.

“I popped my shackles, and did my hair and
makeup, in case I was brought before a magistrate.  I wanted to look my best.”
Maeve said.  “I learned the trick about the shackles ages ago, but it’s pretty
complicated – I probably couldn’t teach it to you.”

“And why didn’t you try to escape, once you
were freed?”  Sherriff Salazar asked.

“Isn’t that against the law?”  Maeve asked
back.  “I’m not in any danger.  I’ll wait for my friends to come get me.”

“What do you intend to do when they come and
get you?”  The Sherrif asked.

“We’ll get in Erica’s car and drive to Salt
Lake City and look at the churches, then go home to Canada, just like I said.
That’s it.”

Frank Salazar sighed.  “All right then, I
think we’re done here.”  He said, standing.  “I’m taking you back to your cell
until Ms. Medina and I can get this all sorted out.”

“Thanks, Sherriff.”  Maeve said, still
smiling.  “I like your jail. It’s nice, and your staff is really nice too.
It’s very inviting.”

“Umm…
sure.”  Frank unshackled Maeve from the table, and took her to her cell – cell
#2 in holding – and motioned for Sally to follow him into his office.

“I’m
not sure what to make of her, myself.”  Frank said.  “You still thinking you’ll
talk to the D.A. and see what he has to say?”

Sally
nodded.  “Yeah.  This whole thing is pretty weird.  When she looked at me, she
scared the living hell right out of me.  She’s dangerous, that one.”

Frank
nodded.  He’d seen that look too, and it worried him.  “I agree.  But as long
as she intends to get the hell out of my town, I’m not sure I care where she
goes, as long as it isn’t here.”

Sally
nodded.  “I’ll check with Bill and we’ll get back to you by tomorrow noon, at
the latest, okay?”

“Sounds
good.  The sooner she’s out of my town, the better.”

*           *           *

Maeve
sat in her cell watching the police station function around her.  Mitch, one of
the officers who arrested her, was talking with a receptionist at the front
desk.  Dave, the other officer who arrested her was sitting at his desk nearby,
filling out paperwork.  He looked tired, stressed-out, and frustrated.  Both of
their desks weren’t far from the door to her cell, and Maeve could see that the
cell left of hers was empty, and the cell to the right of hers had a young man
inside it.  He looked to be light mulatto in skin color – like the people of the
Pirate Isles on Mercia, but with facial features closer to Kai and herself, not
some of the darker skinned people she’d seen here on Earth.  Maeve didn’t
recognize his ethnicity, but she recognized his type.  Punk, she
thought.  A common thief and ruffian.  He was sitting in his cell,
muttering to himself, with his pants half pulled down, showing his butt-crack.
He had a nylon jacket half-zipped and a baseball cap turned around backwards,
and smelled of a sweet pipe tobacco – or perhaps something similar.  Maeve
ignored him.

“Hey,
Dave.”  She said.  “Rough day?”

Dave
grumbled and tried to ignore her.

Maeve
tried again.  “Job’s stressful, isn’t it?”

Dave
turned to her, looking exasperated.  “You’re not going to let me get any work
done, are you?”

“Sure
I am.”  Maeve said.  “I was just trying to be friendly.  You look tired and
frustrated.”

“Well,
maybe if I didn’t have to deal with drunks, criminals and weirdo’s all day
every day, I’d feel a lot better.”

“Yeah,
tell me about it.  The job sucks.”  Maeve commiserated.

“What
would you know about it?”  Dave asked, looking surprised.

“Hey,
where I come from, I’m a cop too.”  Maeve replied.  “I know how it is – you
work a long day, deal with the scum of the earth all day, and get like zero
thanks for it from anyone, let alone your family.  Your wife is angry all the time,
your kids are alienated from you because you stress so much and you’re grouchy
all the time. You just want to relax and work off the stress – but the booze
doesn’t quite do it, and the next thing you know you’re sleeping on the couch.
I’ve seen it before.”

Dave
looked uncomfortable hearing this – like it hit a little too close to home.
“Maybe – but what the hell do you do about it, huh?  Nothing.”

“Nah,
it’s easy.”  Maeve answered.  “Just beat the shit out of some prisoners.”

Dave
looked stunned, and nearly fell off his chair.  “What the hell?”

The
prisoner in the cell next to Maeve looked surprised too.  “What the fuck,
lady!  Are you telling him to beat our asses up?  What the fuck is wrong with
you?”

Maeve
ignored the criminal, and continued.  “I’m serious.  You go into a cell, work
off a little stress on the scumbags, and then – poof – you feel so damn good.
Then you go home, all relaxed and stress free.  Your wife notices, and suddenly
she’s not nagging the hell out of you, your kids stop being afraid of you and
start hanging out with you again, and you’re getting the best night of your
life with your wife.  Guilt free, man – that’s how you do it.”

“You’re
crazy, lady!”  The prisoner in cell three said.

“Shut
up, asshole!”  Dave called out.  “And you shut up too – What you’re describing
is wrong – and it’s illegal, and I can’t do it, even though some days I’d love
to.  I suppose you’re suggesting I start with that guy right there?”  He said,
motioning to cell three.

“Nah
– You could start with me, if you like.  I promise I won’t even swing back.
Trust me – give a good beating, and you’ll sleep like a baby.”

“Not
a fucking chance, lady – I saw you take Adam Boise and his pals apart.  There’s
no way I’m walking into that cage with you.”

“Well
crap.”  Maeve said.  “It’s hardly like jail at all if you don’t get a jailhouse
beating.  How will my friends believe me when I said I was arrested if I don’t
have some bruises?”

“I’ll
give you some bruises, you crazy bitch!”  The guy in cell three called out.
“You want to get hit?  I’ll hit ya?”

Maeve
turned to the punk and laughed.  “The day a punk like you hurts me is the day I
retire.  Seriously, I was offering Officer Dave here a chance to work off some
stress, and see how effective it is.  As a professional courtesy from one cop
to another.  Dumbass.”

“You’re
a cop?”  Dave asked.

“Yep.”

“From
Kingston, Ontario?”

“That’s
what it says on my passport.”  Maeve said smiling.  “We do it old school in
Kingston.”

“Old
school how?”

“Well
first of all, this lawyer thing?  Bullshit.  If they weren’t guilty, we
wouldn’t have arrested them in the first place.  Bunch of criminals in suit’s
getting the other criminals off lightly.  I bet they’re paid well, though.
Second – no one has even come to extract a confession from me yet.  Seriously –
what kind of second rate prison is this?  No one’s even waved a knife or a hot
poker at me since I’ve been here – and no one’s tried to beat the hell out of
me yet.  Seriously – you guys have a lot to learn about police work.”

Maeve
continued.  “I mean, look at this cell.  First of all, it’s clean.  There are
no rats at all, and there’s a toilet.  What happened to a hole in the floor?  I
have a bed with clean sheets, and a television.  It’s like a frigging hotel.
Why wouldn’t people want to be here?  I’ll bet your prisons are packed to
bursting, aren’t they?”

The
crook in cell three looked stunned.  “Lady, you’re damn crazy.”

Dave
nodded.  “Over crowding is a serious issue right now.”  He admitted.

“Well
it isn’t back home.”  Maeve said.  “We’re lucky if we have more than a hundred
people in jail at any one time.  The magistrate either finds you innocent and you’re
off to home, or you’re guilty and punishment is levied.”

“What
about appeals?  What if you get an innocent man convicted?”  Dave asked.

“Well,
we’re human. We make mistakes.  If the guy is still alive we say ‘sorry’ and
let him go.  Otherwise, oops.”

“That’s
pretty callous.  What about their rights?”

“Um…
they’re criminals.  They don’t have rights.   And as for overcrowding, I bet
you even feed them three times a day, and give them Televisions and stuff to do
– am I right?”

“You
don’t?”  Dave asked, interested even though he knew it was against his better
judgment.

“One
meal a day, if they’re lucky – and if they’re really lucky the jailor hasn’t
spit in it or worse.  As for things to do, it’s all solitary confinement, all
the time.  It’s prison, for goddesses sake, it’s not a vacation!  This jail
here, for example – it’s too nice.  It’s nicer than some hotels I’ve paid to
stay in.”

“I
agree with you there.”  David said.

“Dave,
are you listening to that nutjob?”  Mitch called over.

“A
little. She won’t shut up, and she has some good points.”

“Hi
Mitch!”  Maeve called.  “I’m pointing out inefficiencies in your legal system.
How long does it take you to put convicted murderers to death here – I’m
guessing it takes forever - like a month or more before you deal with them.  Am
I right?”

Mitch’s
face colored a bit.  “It takes a hell of a lot longer than that!”

“How
long, then?” Maeve asked.

“Sometimes
twenty to thirty years.”  Dave answered.  “Depending on how many appeals he
has.”

“What?
You’re kidding, right? What the hell is the holdup?  It’s not like rope is all
that Expensive…  Look – I’ve got five hundred bucks in my purse – you guys can
have it and use it to go buy some rope.  A good hanging takes less than 10
minutes, if you tie the knots right.”

Mitch
sputtered.  “We’re not going to buy rope – what the fuck is wrong with you?”

“And
THAT’s why your prisons are over-crowded.”  Maeve answered.  “You have
convicted murderers resting in palatial digs, with three square meals a day and
tons of fun entertainments to divert themselves – and you don’t punish them,
you don’t exact justice on them, and you worry about their mythical ‘rights’
more than the lives of the people they hurt or murdered.”  She sighed.
“Everything is back-asswards here.  I want to go home.”

Mitch
just shook his head, and went back to his paperwork.  “Crazy psycho.”

Dave
on the other hand, was a bit amused.  “So what are jails like back home, if our
jail is so nice?”

“Well
for one thing, they’re dark and smelly.  The food is awful, and there are rats
and bugs in everything.  If you’re lucky you’re placed in a cell by yourself,
and not chained to the wall – but sometimes you’re with other criminals, and if
they aren’t nice you could find yourself dead before getting arraigned before a
judge.  There’s usually a nice hole for the jailors to stuff the dead bodies
into when prisoners die, and a room where they extract confessions – sometimes
with torture.  Seriously, do you have NONE of this?”

“Um…
Absolutely none, no.”  Dave answered, a little floored.

“Wow.
Seriously.  No wonder you have a crime problem here.”  Maeve was a little
floored.  Although she had been pulling Dave’s leg for a good bit of her
exposition in the last half-hour, she was still surprised at the level of
rights and freedoms that prisoners had here.  Some of their ideas are pretty
good – like Lawyers and such – but to me it seems they’ve gone so far to the
side of the criminals they’re not even trying to punish them.  Weird.

Dave
tried to go back to work on his paperwork, but Maeve’s story just wouldn’t get
out of his head.  His wife was having a hard time with him, due to the stress
he always came home with – and the sex had dropped off to almost nil.  His kids
were afraid of him, when they were even home – and the idea of a family weekend
was a distant unreality.  Where did my life go wrong? he thought.  Maybe
there’s something to what she said.

“Hey
Maeve, did you mean it, about that beating?”  David asked.

Maeve
looked up at Dave. “Hell, yeah. I’ll give you three swings.  I promise, it’ll
make a world of difference.”

“You’re
fucking nuts, lady!”  Mitch said.  “Dave, I can’t believe you’re listening to
her.  Seriously – what would the chief say?  Before he kicked you out on your
ass or had you up on charges?  Can’t you see, she’s trying to get you to
violate her rights so we have to let her go, and she can sue the department.”

“I’m
not nuts, Mitch.  It’s a proven police tactic back home, and it works.  If you
guys don’t want to do it, fine.  I don’t give a crap about suing anyone.  I’ll
sit in my gilded cage and watch TV, and wait for my friends to come spring me
with a fancy lawyer and go on my way.”

Dave
sighed.  For a minute he’d almost taken her up on her offer.  Was there
something to what she said?  It sounded too good to be true.  Dave sighed
again, and went back to his paperwork.  I guess I’m getting the couch again
once I get home…

Maeve
grumbled to herself in her cell, a bit annoyed with Mitch for ruining her fun.
It’s not like I was lying.  She thought.  All those things do happen back
home.  It’s not nice – but we don’t have so many people being repeat
offenders.  We don’t have people waiting thirty years for an execution.  We
don’t even convict the wrong people, since Mind magic is so easily able to
prove who’s innocent or not, when the evidence isn’t sufficient.  I was just
trying to show them that their system is just as broken as ours is in its own
way – ours is too violent, but theirs is too soft.  I wonder if there’s a happy
medium to be found somewhere in there?      She prepared to sit in her cell
and mull over the situation for a while.  Where the hell is Erica?

After
a while, Mitch and Dave left to go back on patrol, leaving Maeve alone with the
criminal in cell three and the receptionist.  A short while later, the
receptionist brought Maeve and her cellmate a couple of sandwiches and a can of
juice each.  Then, the Sherriff and the receptionist left for a quick bite,
leaving the Sherriff’s office unmanned for the time being.

At
bloody last.  Maeve thought.  She concentrated on the Word of Binding, and
popped the lock on her cell with a word, sliding the door open.  I’m still
hungry.  I don’t think Dave will mind if I borrow the  lunch he didn’t eat.
She went to her purse, which was still on Dave’s desk, and took out twenty
dollars, and put it in his desk drawer, and was just withdrawing his ham and
cheese sandwich when the guy in cell three started making a ruckus.

“How
did you get out, lady?”

“Easy.
My cell wasn’t locked.  How about yours?”  Maeve asked.  “And don’t bother
asking me to open it, I won’t.”

“Bitch!”

Maeve
munched on her purloined sandwich, and thought about a few more ways to help
David, and in the end wrote her suggestions on some office letterhead with one
of his fancy pens.  Okay – so my English is pretty crappy, Maeve
thought, and my spelling probably leaves something to be desired.  But it’s
the best I can do on short notice.  Besides, he’ll be back soon.  He’s really
proud of his jail – I’d probably upset him if I wasn’t still in my cell.
Maeve rushed over and put the suggestions to improve the jail in the chief’s
office, on his desk – it seemed like the right place for it – and went back
into her cell and locked it up again.  I hope Erica hurries up, she thought.
My misadventure is wasting too much time.

*           *           *

Frank
Salazar picked at his Caesar salad, too distracted to eat.  Sally had been
called away by work, leaving him to think about his odd prisoner on his own. She’s
dangerous, he thought.  Too dangerous to keep around.  After all, we’ve
seen her face.  I’ve heard stories about those CIA people – they’re crazy.

He
took a bite of the salad, chewing absent-mindedly while thinking.  The crisp
lettuce and garlicky sauce was appealing, but Frank was too distracted to
really enjoy the food.  He finished his forkful of food, and put the lid on the
Tupperware container his wife had sent with him that morning.  Fuck it,
he thought.  She isn’t going to get charged, and we’ve got nothing on her.
She’s as scary and weird as hell – I’ll sleep better knowing she’s gotten the
hell out of my town.  I’m cutting Maeve loose when I get back to work.

Oddly
enough, having made the decision brought back Franks’ hunger.  He popped open
his salad container, and finished off every little bit.  I’ll be rid of her,
and everything will be back to normal.  Thank god.

*           *           *

Erica,
Kai and Sir Andred arrived at the Kimball Police station shortly thereafter, to
find the police station locked up and closed, presumably for dinner.

“I
guess we wait?”  Kai asked.

“I
guess so.”  Erica answered.  “Just another delay.”

Sir
Andred nodded in response, but said nothing.  Erica had been rather impatient
since Maeve had been arrested, and understandably so – but getting agitated
would solve nothing.  He turned, and saw a police car arrive in the parking
lot, with a sandy haired man inside.  “Someone has arrived.  Perhaps they can
tell us what is going on with Maeve?”

“Good
idea, Sir Andred.”  Erica said.  “Hey officer!  One of our friends is inside –
can we talk to her, or get her out?”

The
officer looked them over for a moment.  “Are you here for Miss Varda?”  he
asked.  “You’d have to talk to the Sherriff – he’ll be back from dinner
shortly.  Come on in.”   The officer left his car, and unlocked the door to the
police station, allowing all of them inside.  “Who are you folks?”

“I’m
Erika van Helstrome, and this is Kai Rodin and Andrew Duschene.  We’d like to
know if you guys plan on charging Maeve or not, so we can take her and leave.”

“That’s
great – but it isn’t up to me; it’s up to the Sherriff, and he won’t be back
for a little bit.  You can wait here if you like,” he said, motioning to a
number of benches in the waiting room.  “If you’ll excuse me, I have work to
do.”

Officer
Dave went back to his desk, and started finishing up his paperwork.  Weird,
he thought.  My pens are all disorganized.  What the hell?  “Oh yeah,
Maeve – you’re friends are here for you.  They should be able to see you soon,
when the Chief gets back.”

Maeve
grinned.  “Great – thanks Dave.  I appreciate that.”

“No
problem.”  Dave said, going back to his paperwork.  “Just keep quiet so I can
finish my work before 8 or 9, okay?”

“Sure.”

About
twenty minutes passed, when Sherriff Salazar returned to the office.  Dave got
up and talked quietly with him a moment, and he nodded and went to meet Erica
and her friends.

“I
understand you three are friends of Maeve Varda?”  Frank began.

“Yes,
sir, we are.”  Erica replied.  “I’m Erica, and this is Kai and Andrew.  Are you
going to charge Maeve for what she did?”

“No,
we’re not.  In fact, if you can assure me you’re leaving town tonight, I’ll
release her to you right now – on the provision you get out of my town and keep
going.  Sound good to you?”

Erica
grinned.  “Sounds great.”

“Fine.”
The Sherriff said.  “Let’s go let your friend out.”

Maeve
could see the others approach, and she fought the urge to wave.  “Hey guys!”
She said.  “Took you long enough.”  She could tell the others got her joke.

“Yeah,
well next time don’t get arrested, okay?”  Erica joked.  “You ready to go?”

“Any
time.”

“Good.”
Said Sherriff Salazar.  “I’m letting you go on the provision you leave Kimball
tonight and don’t come back.”

“Sounds
good to me.  Thanks for letting me stay in your fancy jail.”

“What
the…?”  Frank asked.

“Don’t
mind her boss,” said Officer Dave.  “She’s been going on all afternoon about
how nice our jails are and that’s why we have overcrowding.  Apparently jails
in Kingston are a lot emptier.”

“Whatever.
You’re free to go, Miss Varda.  So please go.”

“Thanks,
Sherriff.”  Maeve said, and went to get her purse and other things from Officer
Dave.  “And thanks, Dave, for putting up with me.  Remember what I said, won’t
you?”

“How
the hell could I forget?”  Dave asked laughing.  “You gave me a hell of laugh.”

“Fair
enough.  Since I don’t think you’ll put it into practice, I’ll just shake your
hand and say goodbye.  Get something nice for your wife.”  Maeve palmed a pair
of gold coins and shook Dave’s hand goodbye, leaving the gold coins in his
palm.

Dave
looked at the heavy gold coins in surprise.  When he looked up, Maeve and her
friends were already at the door of the police station, heading out.  They
seem in a hurry, he thought.  Is this real gold?  The coins looked
like real coins, and were heavy, like gold – but it was like no coin he had
ever seen.  Where did she get it?  Dave thought he’d take them by the
pawn shop later, and see what they were worth.  He went back to his paperwork –
if he didn’t get done in time, his wife would be pissed again for sure.  As he
typed, Dave kept thinking back to Maeve’s advice.  Maybe she had something?
Maybe.

*           *           *

Meanwhile,
Erica and the others had got back in their SUV, and headed back onto the
interstate.  “I’m thinking it’ll be tiring, but we drive most of the night and
get to Salt Lake City – we can sleep until mid afternoon if we need to and
start looking for Vargas then.”  Erica suggested.  “We’ve lost a lot of time.”

“Sorry
about that,” Maeve said.  “I didn’t plan on getting attacked in the bar.”

“No
worries, Maeve – it happened.  I’m just glad you didn’t kill any of them, or
we’d have never gotten you out of there – not without months of hassle.”

“Good.”
Said Kai.  “Let’s get going – it’s been a long day and it’s going to be a
longer night.”

Erica
nodded, and aimed the car west.  Only about seven and a half hours to our
destination, she thought.  It feels shorter, and longer at the same time.
I hope we haven’t lost too much time.  I wonder where Vargas is by now?

Chapter 13 - Watchers

Vargas
Elm watched his newest followers arrive at the warehouse Jeremy had found as a
temporary base for his efforts; twenty five rough and tumble individuals –
mostly men, but about a quarter of them women – who looked like the kind of
people who preferred to take what they wanted rather than work for it.   They
belonged to a gang in Salt Lake City – something Jeremy called an ‘outlaw biker
gang’ – but Vargas wasn’t sure if the word ‘biker’ was describing what they
were, or what they did.  Either way, they look tough and stupid – just what
I need, Vargas thought.  In the off chance anyone tries to stop me,
they’ll provide much needed muscle, and if not they’ll provide the much needed
energy for the summoning ritual.  How does Jeremy put it?  Win-Win?

Still,
he thought, I can’t wait till my work is done, and I can return to Mercia.
With my love restored to life, Awai and I will bask in the glory of our gods
and the world will be ours for the taking.  Vargas mused a moment about
Mistress Awai, and the love that had grown between them over the last four
years working on this project – the project using the soulless Mageborn
Dreamers.  Great Hrask will make my sacrifices worth while. I know he will.
Vargas smiled to himself, thinking of the vast rewards that he dreamed would be
his once he returned to Mercia in triumph.  Gold, jewels, power and great magic
would all be his – but they would pale beneath the gift of eternal youth and
the return of Mistress Awai to the world of the living.

Vargas
paused his musings, and surveyed his ‘bikers’.  They were setting up bedrolls
in the warehouse, and parking their strange ‘motorcycle’ machines inside.
Vargas curled his lip at the strange artifices.  I suppose they work for
this world, but they would be useless back home without the nest of highways
they possess here.  A riding eagle or a felldrake would be far more useful –
even a horse might be more useful.  No matter, he thought.  None of them
will be returning with me.

He
remembered demonstrating his powers to the gang leaders – having their leader
shoot himself in the head with his own pistol was a quite effective way to
convince them he could give them the power, money and freedom they craved.  Of
course, his promise to teach them his power was a lie – he doubted very much
that any of them could even use the Talent, let alone learn it.  No, he
thought, their fate is to die in the ritual or shortly before it.  Why teach
dead men?

Vargas
roused himself from his musings, and began to give instructions to the group of
ruffians.  Jeremy and the others should have found something by now.  I hope
they don’t take much longer.  I grow tired of this world.

*           *           *

Jeremy wished this ordeal was over.  Ever
since Vargas had used some crazy mental hypnosis to make that biker gang leader
shoot himself in the head, he’d been in full on panic-mode.  I’m going to
die unless I get away from these guys, Jeremy thought.  I’m not ready to
die yet.  Not here, not yet.  Fucking reptoids.

For the last day and a half, Jeremy, Gaius
and Flavius had been searching the lakeshore of Great Salt Lake, especially
around the estuaries of the three big freshwater rivers that emptied into the
Salt Lake.  The first two spots had been a bust, but today Gaius and Flavius
were having him check out a small town north of Salt Lake City – some little
government suburb full of military families, called Ogden.  For some reason,
Gaius and Flavius thought the name of the town was hilarious, and declared they
had found the proper place – once they checked the river bed for something they
called ‘resonance’ – whatever the hell that was.  Probably some sort of
alien ley line or something, he thought.  I probably don’t want to know
what it is, really.  The less I know, the more likely I’ll be to survive.

He trudged through a tall grassy area well
away from where he had parked the car, following Gaius and Flavius, who were still
hissing to each other the way they would when they thought Jeremy couldn’t hear
them.  I wonder which one of them will be the one to finish me off?  I bet
Flavius – Gaius is too busy doing whatever Vargas wants him to do – I’ll
probably rate only third banana.  Oh my god, Jeremy thought.  I’m
wondering which one of these crazy reptile aliens is going to kill me. I must
have a screw loose.

The Mosquitoes were still present and biting
so close to the water, and Jeremy got bit more than a few times while following
Vargas’s two henchmen.  The mosquitoes and midges didn’t seem to like the
‘taste’ of Gaius and Flavius, which wasn’t too surprising seeing as how they
probably weren’t human anyway.

All I know is whatever they have planned,
it’s not anything I want to be involved with – but I have no idea how to get
out, how to escape when this all begins to go down, whatever Vargas has
planned.  Just keep your wits about you, Jeremy, he told himself.  You’ll
figure it out – you always do.  I should have taken the fucking dog sitting job
from my ex; maybe I wouldn’t have been here if I had.  What was that people
said about hindsight?  Jeremy laughed to himself bitterly.  Murphy is a
real asshole.

Ahead,
Gaius and Flavius had stopped hissing at each other, and Jeremy finally caught up
to them, kneeling in the knee deep water, with their hands thrust under the
waves.  They were meditating, like they were trying to talk to the water
somehow, or see something within it, that the other rivers had lacked.  I
wonder if they’ll find what they seek here, or if we’ll have to go looking for
some other godforsaken salt lake?

Jeremy
didn’t have to wait long – in a few moments, the two henchmen stood and shook
the water off their hands.  They looked at each other, and for the first time
in the time he’d known them, Gaius and Flavius smiled at each other.  It wasn’t
pretty – in fact, it kind of creeped Jeremy out – like they knew what smiling
was, but not enough to pull it off convincingly.  Instead, it looked like they
bared their teeth at each other and grimaced.  It was painful to see – and
disturbing.  It was the most emotion he’d seen the two of them show since they
left Canada.

“Jeremy,
this is the place.”  Gaius said.  “We need to return to your warehouse, and let
Vargas know we have found the place he needs.”

Yippee,
Jeremy thought.  One day closer to my inevitable death.  Peachy.  Jeremy
didn’t say any of what he was thinking, but nodded.  “Well, then we need to get
back to the car, first.  And you’ll need to clean up before you get in my car –
I don’t want any swampy gunk in my car.”

Flavius
curled up his lip in anger, but Jeremy was more than a little annoyed.  I
know these assholes are going to kill me anyway, god dammit. At least they can
keep my fucking car clean. I have standards.  Still, he felt a chill of
fear run through him.  Maybe he’d pushed too far?

Flavius
looked like he was wondering whether to skin Jeremy before cooking him, or just
cook him – but Gaius calmed him with a few motions.  “Fine, Jeremy.  We will
clean ourselves.  Then you will take us to Vargas.”

Jeremy
nodded.  Yippee, he thought sarcastically.  It won’t be long now.

*           *           *

Two
men watched the last six bikers of the gang enter the warehouse from their car,
parked about a block and a half away.  The bikers hadn’t paid them any
attention – and why would they?  They were damn good at their job.  They’d been
hitting the streets for the last two days looking for the guy those bikers
seemed to be working for, and now they’d found him.

One
of the men was Italian in appearance, tall and heavyset with black curly hair,
and the other was Nordic and equally tall, with blonde short hair in a crew
cut. Scattered food packages and drink cups littered the back seat of their car
– they and their comrades had been very busy the last few days – and a few
people had had to be roughed up for these two to be here at this moment.  The
Italian called himself Marco, and the other fellow, Duri.

“Call
Harlan,” Marco said.  “We’ve got him. He’s here in Salt Lake. I saw him when
the door opened to let the bikers inside.  Looked like about twenty of them,
maybe a few more.”

“Is
Harlan expecting us and the others to back up whoever we’re gathering this
intel for?”  Duri asked.

“I
don’t know, Duri.”  Marco said, a little exasperated.  “It doesn’t matter
either.  Make the call.”

“Don’t
get upset, Marco.”  Duri laughed.  “I was just wondering.  There’s a fuck of a
lot of bikers in there is all – I’m not sure we have enough people.”

“Me
either – but right now all I know is we’re gathering Intel.  If Harlan wants
the six of us to go up against nearly thirty people, he’ll have to pay triple,
or make sure we’re well equipped.”

“Damn
right.”  Duri said.  “Damn right.”  He picked up his cell phone and dialed
Harlan.  “Hey, Harlan?  It’s Duri – we’ve got your guy…”  They talked for a bit
– and then Duri hung up.

“What
did he say?”  Marco asked, looking curious and worried at the same time.

“He
said wait.  We need to wait for his people to arrive.  They’ll be here soon,
apparently.  We’re to meet someone called Erika van Helstrome and her friends
at the Super 8 by the south end.  They should be here by tonight.  If they want
our help, we’re supposed to offer it.  He offered to pay eight times our fee.”

“Oh
hell.”  Marco said, thinking what he and his team could do with that kind of
money.  Duri just nodded.

“Damn
right.”

*           *           *

Marcus
took a sip of some of the coffee from Joanne’s office.  It was black and bitter
– Joanne was out of sugar - but it also had an off taste that Marcus could only
attribute to the local flavor of the water.  James was nearby, at a spare desk,
going over various reports of people resembling Vargas that Joanne’s people had
been pulling in all day.  He looked tired and frustrated too – a look Marcus
felt he was beginning to resemble more and more.

Joanne
entered the office, and went to her desk, dropping a pile of paperwork into her
in-box, and settling herself down in her office chair, relaxing for a moment,
and rubbing the strain in her head out by massaging her temples and the bridge
of her nose.  “I just got off the phone with Henkley and Meyers.  They haven’t
found Vargas yet, but they’re pretty sure he’s in town.  He’s been gathering up
new friends – one of the local biker gangs just upped and left their gang
headquarters to relocate wherever he is, which is strange – and their boss was
found dead with a self-inflicted gunshot to the head in their headquarters this
afternoon.”

“You
sure it was self-inflicted?”  James asked.

“Pretty
sure.  The CSI’s thought it was pretty legit.  They didn’t see signs of
tampering with the body or anything like that.”  She sighed.  “I also heard
that we’re not the only people looking for this guy.  Some out of towners are
pushing the streets pretty hard to find this guy – and some of the people my
guys have talked to say they were pushing pretty hard.  Does this Vargas guy
have any enemies?”

“Yeah
– a couple.  A suspect or two from the clinic up north, plus a few friends of
theirs I’ll bet.”

“Do
they have the resources to hire people to beat the bushes for this Vargas guy?
How likely are they to cause a problem here?”

“As
far as I can tell, they have pretty deep pockets, and they want Vargas dead.”

“Great,”
Joanne said.  “All I need is for some out of towners to start shooting my home
town up to settle a grudge. We’d better find Vargas and his people first and
deal with them.  I’ll get on the horn and tell my guys to keep looking.”
Joanne grabbed the phone, and began calling her officers.

Marcus snarled.  He hated waiting – but he
didn’t know Salt Lake City like the local guys did – and he and James could do
in two hours what the local guys could do in two minutes.  It annoyed him to no
end to just be sitting here in Joanne’s office.  Vargas is in the frigging
city, he thought.  I’m sure of it.

James felt his boss’s frustration.  He was still
trying to come to terms with the death of his brother – and being so close to
the man most likely responsible for his death was maddening beyond belief.
James wondered privately if he’d be able to bring Vargas in alive or not…  His
brother and all those other cops and firefighters and paramedics deserved
better than letting this asshole out on bail!  It might even be worth it,
he thought before discarding the idea.  My brother would roll over in his
grave if he thought I was considering murdering Vargas.  He was so idealistic –
I guess the job hadn’t beaten it out of him yet.  He deserves better than what
he got.   James struggled to hold back the tears, and went back to his
paperwork, running down leads regarding the image of Vargas they posted earlier
today.

*           *           *

Erica
turned off Interstate 80 and turned down the next side street – the GPS unit in
the SUV was stuttering, claiming their hotel was 800 meters ahead.  Erika
couldn’t see it, so she proceeded down the street as the robotic voice counted
down the distance to their supposed hotel.  600 meters… 400 meters… The GPS
Unit counted down, and slowly Erika saw their hotel come into view.  It was a
Super 8 – a clean place to sleep without being unduly fancy.  Just the place
to get a good night’s sleep and a decent breakfast in the morning.  And really,
Erica thought, that’s all we really want right now anyway.

As
she turned the car into the hotel’s driveway, she could hear the sighs of
relief in the back seat of the SUV – these long days of driving were hard on
Sir Andred and Maeve, who both felt better with a saddle under their rump than
the seats of the SUV.  Sir Andred in particular felt more than a little bored
at the tedium of being a passenger in a car – but all three of the Mercian’s
were used to the ‘hurry up and wait’ that soldiers on any world had to be
accustomed to – it was just another annoyance to deal with.  Now, at least,
they were able to see the end in sight.  Find Vargas; kill Vargas; go back
to Mercia.  Too bad nothing is ever that simple, Erica thought.

“We’re
here, finally.”  Erica said as she put the car in park, and unbuckled her seat
belt.  By the time she was out of the car – remembering to grab her purse at
the last minute – the others were already out and stretching, or rubbing their
posterior.  “Is everyone alright?”

“Much
better, now.”  Sir Andred replied.

“Same
here, Erica.”  Kai added.  “To think we have another three days to go back to
your home in this is pretty intimidating – but not as much as dealing with
Vargas will be.”

“Aye,
and not as satisfying as well.”  Sir Andred grinned – he’d been chomping at the
bit to redeem himself in the eyes of the Angel that sent him on this quest to
slay Vargas.  It was a matter of faith and honor, as well as a necessary
thing.  Sir Andred didn’t like to fail, and swore he would not let Vargas
escape him again.

“Enough,”
Maeve said, laughing.  “Let’s get checked in and find some food, and maybe we
can get a lead on Vargas.”

“Actually,
guys, I’m expecting some people to meet us here shortly.”  Erica said.  “When I
was talking to Harlan about your being arrested, Maeve, he said he had some
people in Salt Lake City who were trying to track him down for us.  If they’ve
found anything for us, they should be here soon.”

“Thank
the goddess for small favors.”  Maeve exclaimed.  “I was worried that my
accident with the local law had put us too far behind to stop him.”

“Is
it bad, that I have to remind you, Maeve, that as a part Madragan, you have a
duty to respect how much Miyaga could throw a monkey wrench into things?”  Kai
grinned.  “She isn’t known as the ‘maid of misfortune’ for nothing.”

“Ugh.
Don’t remind me, Kai.”  Maeve groaned.

Erica
waited for a moment, and when no one was forthcoming, she sighed and asked.
“Who or what is a Miyaga?”

Maeve
grinned.  Maybe I should have taken an apprentice years ago – I think I
actually like teaching, she thought.  “Miyaga is the goddess of luck, both
good and bad.  It is said when her favor is upon a person, they can accomplish
anything – and when she frowns on you, your doom is assured.  Her priests are
said to be able to sense and manipulate luck in much the same way you or I can
manipulate magic to cast spells.  They are extremely well respected in the
Principalities of Madragoor, along with the worship of Morian, the God of Fate
– but is venerated pretty much everywhere on Mercia.”

“Heh.”
Erica chuckled.  “We have someone sort of like that here too – ancient people
called her Eris, I think – and modern people call him or her ‘Murphy’.  One of
the sayings is ‘whatever can go wrong, will go wrong’ – and it seems pretty
appropriate at times.”

“Hrmm.”
Maeve wondered.  “Maybe Tiamat isn’t the only Mercian goddess to come to your
world in ancient times?  I wonder.”

“There’s
a library or two of stuff we don’t know – but that’s kinda interesting.  Thanks
for bringing it up.  I take it Miyaga and Morian don’t get along that well –
fate versus luck and all that?”

“Aye,
you have the right of it.”  Sir Andred answered.  “Two sides of the same coin –
arguing about who has control over the lives and fates of mankind.  Maeve also
forgot to mention that Miyaga is the mistress of coins – the inventor of
currency – and Morian is supposed to have taught ancient man how to read and
write.  He is also the patron of Royalty.  His nickname is the Kingmaker.”

Kai
laughed.  “Don’t confuse her, Andred.  The God’s have many nicknames.  In
Iranor, Morian is known as ‘Jubala of the Eleven hours’.  Even Askeline has her
nicknames – Maiden, Mother and Crone, The Dawnbreaker, and others.”  He gave
Erica’s hand a squeeze.  “Don’t worry about it too much, Erica – it’ll take time
to learn all of our ways.  Just take small bites.”

“Thanks.”
Erica said, squeezing Kai’s hand back.  “It is a lot to take in all at once.
Are you guys starting to understand what it felt like for Christine and I when
we first showed up?”

Maeve
nodded.  “I do now.  I hope we’ve held up as well here as you did in
Mercia...”  Maeve looked like she was going to say more, but cut herself
short.  “We’re not alone.  Two people are approaching.”

As
the others turned to look, a voice rang out from the two people approaching the
quartet.  “Hello there, ma’am!  Would you happen to be Miss van Helstrome?”
One of the pair looked Italian, and the other looked rather Nordic.

“Um,
perhaps?  Do I know you?”  Erica answered.

“No
Ma’am.  We’ve been working for Harlan Branscombe – he asked us to be here to
meet you, if you are Miss Helstrome.  My name is Marco, and my tall blonde
friend is Duri.  We’re investigators.”

Erica
let out a breath of air she hadn’t known she was holding in.  Whew!  “I am Miss
Helstrome.  Call me Erica.  What does Uncle Harlan have for us?”

Marco
and Duri looked at each other, their only comment being a raised eyebrow to
each other, as if to say ‘Uncle Harlan?’   They turned back to Erica and Marco
pulled out a file folder that seemed to be stuffed with pictures and a few
sheets of paper.   “We found the man you’re looking for – the man in this
picture.  He’s got himself a gang of bikers working for him – about 30 people,
tops, plus a few people of his own.  One of them is a man named Jeremy who we
think is a Canadian citizen.  They’re pretending to be some out of town
religious group going on a tour, and they’ve been investigating the Great Salt
Lake for the last two days.”

“Damn!”
Maeve muttered. “We’re too far behind – we need to move now!”  She turned to
Marco.  “Are they still in the city?  Which areas of the lake have they been
looking at?”

“Um…
Last we saw, ma’am, they were holed up in a warehouse in the north end, and
were still in town, but that was four hours ago.  We’ve been waiting here for
you to arrive.”

Erica
stepped in before Maeve’s frustration could alienate the two investigators, or
derail what they needed to do.  “We were… delayed unavoidably.  We need to find
them, immediately – like right now.”

Marco
nodded.  “Here’s the information ma’am.”  He said, handing it over to Erica.
“We can take you to the warehouse if you like – we know the way.  Mr.
Branscombe also told us to offer our services if you needed some extra manpower
or weaponry to deal with whoever you’re after and his people.”

Maeve
nodded.  At last, some good news!

Sir
Andred looked pleased as well.  “Ask how many men he has.”  He asked Kai and
Maeve.  It was obvious that Marco and Duri didn’t understand him, due to his
lack of a translation amulet.  Too bad Maeve didn’t have three of them,
instead of only two, he thought.

“On
it, Andred.”  Maeve muttered.  “How many people can you field, and with what
kind of weapons?”

Marco
and Duri looked at each other, and Duri continued.  “We have 6 men and women,
total, with Kevlar vests, and we’re armed with shotguns and pistols.  We
haven’t had time to get heavier armaments.”

What’s
a shotgun?  I assume Kevlar is some sort of armor curiass.  “Sound good to
you, Erica?”  She should know if that sounds like it’s enough.

“It
sounds like we’ll need every bit of help we can get. Yeah – that’ll be fine.  I
think we might need speed more than firepower in this case.  Can you get us
pistols and a shotgun or two if we need them, and Kevlar as well?”

“Yes,
ma’am.”  Marco replied.  “We’ve already got most of it in the trunk.  The
weapons are divided up amongst our other people, so it won’t be hard to get
access to them.”

“Great
– let us check in and dump our stuff, and while we’re doing that, assemble your
people.  We need to move as soon as possible.”  Erica said.  “Let’s get
inside.  I’ll see you soon, gentlemen.”

As
the four friends left Marco and Duri standing there, the two looked surprised.
“I didn’t know Harlan had a niece.”  Durin said after a moment.  “Holy crap is
she a hottie, too.”

“Yeah,
and her friends look like they’re ready to kill a whole bunch of people.  You’d
better sit this one out, Romeo.  We’re here to work, first.  I think tonight’s
going to be a rough night.”

“You
really think they’ll take on 30 people with our ten?”  Duri asked.

“Frankly,
from the look of them, they’d have probably tried it without our help.  They’re
dangerous.”

“Yeah,
well we’re dangerous too, Marco.”  Duri commented.

“Maybe,
Duri – but I think not like these people.”  Marco sighed and grabbed his cell
phone to call the others.  Maybe eight times normal pay wasn’t going to be
enough this time?  He started dialing.

*           *           *

Erica
and the others checked in, and stowed most of their clothes and non-essential
gear in their hotel rooms, then gathered for a quick discussion.

“I
think we can trust these guys to help.”  Erica said.  “The extra manpower will
be helpful against Vargas’s biker gang.”

“I
just wonder if they’ll keep their cool once spells start getting thrown
around?”  Maeve asked.  “They’re bound to notice we’re using swords and knives,
hatchets and such rather than many of their guns.  Do you think they can keep
quiet about it afterwards?”

“Yeah
– I’m pretty sure Harlan pays extra to keep things quiet.”  Erica answered.

“No
matter how we feel,” Sir Andred interrupted, “We need them.  Thirty men and
women, whom Vargas no doubt considers expendable, may be too much for us to
deal with and still stop him from resurrecting Tiamat.  He could begin the
ritual at any time – we should move now.”

“Any
last minute preparations or prayers?”  Maeve asked.  “My suggestions are more
for Erica – I know you two know how to survive a large battle.”  She turned to
Erica.  “Keep aware of your surroundings.  Don’t let your guard down for a moment
– death can come from anywhere in a large battle.  Keep your spells small and
inventive, like we talked about before – and save the zappy green fire for when
things get really, really bad.  Remember, we don’t have any healers here who
know what to do if you get Kissed by the Void.”

“I
remember.”  Erica said.  Oh shit… it’s really about to happen, isn’t it?
We’re going to head down to wherever Vargas is and try to kill him.   It
started to sink in to Erica that the final plays were about to be made, and how
serious the stakes were about to get.  She started worrying, and beads of sweat
started on her brow.  She wasn’t scared of the battle to come as much as she
was afraid of losing the battle to come.  The stakes were too high.

“Good.”
Maeve said.  “Let’s go.”

By
the time the four of them arrived outside, Marco and Duri had made their calls,
and grabbed a duffel bag from their car.  “Inside are four Kevlar vests, with
inserts.”  Marco said.  “Dave and Sarah got here a few minutes ago,” he said, pointing
to the two new arrivals.  “Larry and Ned will be here soon.  They’ve got the
shotguns – but Dave has the pistols.”

Dave
stepped up, and held another duffel with the four pistols with reloads inside
it.  “Just keep them out of view, ma’am – we definitely don’t want to be pulled
over.”

“I’ll
deal with any police we meet.”  Maeve said, firmly.  “They won’t be your
problem.  Vargas is the problem – he’s a maniac who will kill thousands if we
don’t stop him.  Your team’s job will be to deal with the gang.  We’ll deal
with the gang as much as we can, and go after Vargas and his buddies.  Keep the
gang off our backs as long as you can.”

“If
this guy is a terrorist, shouldn’t we get the police involved?”  Dave asked,
more to Marco than to Maeve.

“Nope.
Not if you like being paid.”  Marco said.  “We’re getting eight times our fee
on this one.”

“Holy
crap!  Well, never mind my outburst then.”  Dave grinned – the idea of eight times
his normal pay for what they were about to do seemed rather appealing to him.

“I
trust your people will keep this under wraps?”  Maeve asked Marco.

“Definitely.”
Marco answered.  “We know who butters our bread.”

Erica
interrupted.  “Good then.  We need to leave now – we can get the shotguns when
we rendezvous near the warehouse.  Everyone saddle up.  Marco, call your people
on the way and have Larry and Ned meet us there, if they aren’t there already.”

“You
got it, Ma’am.”  Marco said, heading to his car.

*           *           *

Vargas
looked at Jeremy in the drivers’ seat of the car.  He looks nervous.  Perhaps
our helper has begun to see the truth about us?  I think perhaps his usefulness
has come to an end – not that it will matter in a few hours.

“So
Jeremy, where did you say this Ogden town was?”  He asked.

“About
twenty miles north of us.”  Jeremy replied, watching out for the many
motorcycles and their riders, who virtually surrounded his car.  “Due north on
the interstate.”

“Good.
I trust we’ll be there soon?”

“Maybe
twenty minutes with good traffic – or an hour or so with bad traffic.”

“Thank
you Jeremy.  You’ve been an indispensable help with my journey.”

Vargas smiled at Jeremy, and it was almost
like a human smile – like Flavius or Gaius had practiced a great deal.  Jeremy
gulped.  Oh shit…  Whatever they’re doing, it’s happening today.  I’m gonna
die.  Jeremy tried to hide his feelings, and simply smiled back.  “Thanks’
Vargas – it’s been a pleasure.  Your gold helped too.”

“I’m
sure it did, Jeremy.”  Vargas smiled back.

Jeremy
simply nodded and kept driving.  No matter how it was going to end, it wouldn’t
be long now.

*           *           *

Marcus
and James were still running down leads when Joanne burst into the room they
were using as an office.  “Hey, you two – we need to go, now!”

Marcus
rose and grabbed his jacket.  “What’s up Jo?”  He could see James was doing the
same thing.

“Henkley
and Meyers just called in – they think they’ve found the warehouse the gang
that upped and vanished moved to, and they saw a car with Canadian plates
parked there too.  It’s registered to a Jeremy Pierce – does that ring any
bells?”

“Nope.
Not really, Jo.  Did anyone see Vargas?”  Marcus asked.

“Meyers
thinks he did.  They were all at a warehouse in the north end, but they moved
out about twenty minutes ago.  Want to check it out and see if we can find
where they were going?”

“Damn
right we do!”  Marcus replied.  “James?”

“Definitely.
Let’s go.”

Chapter 14 – Tiamat Reborn

Ogden,
Vargas thought.  Ogden was where it began in Mercia, and now here on Earth,
Ogden is where it will end.  How fitting.  “It appears that this Ogden is
quite a bit cleaner than ours, isn’t it Flavius?”

“Yes,
Milord.”  Flavius didn’t look like he particularly cared for either town very
much – but the bucolic suburbs and green lawns of Ogden on Earth didn’t seem to
impress him either.  “Cleaner, and more crowded.”

“True.”
Vargas said.  “How many people are in Odgen, and Salt Lake City, if you had to
guess Jeremy?”

“Oh
geez…  I guess I’d say close to two hundred thousand people – maybe even a bit
more.  Why?”

“Just
curious.”  Vargas replied.  “The Ogden we know has perhaps 3000 people at the
best of times.  This area is quite a lot larger.”

“I
guess.”  Jeremy tried not to ask himself why Vargas cared, but he was getting
more than a bit worried.  “We’re here.”  He said.  “Did you want me to drive to
the river, where Gaius and Flavius were searching today – or did you want me to
find a hotel?”

“The
river will do, Jeremy.”  Vargas looked out the window with anticipation…  Soon,
Tiamat would rise, and Awai would be returned to him.  The great search was
about to come to an end, and Vargas Elm would be its architect.  “Gather
everyone up, Jeremy, and tell them to meet me by the lakeshore.”

“You
got it, Boss.”  Jeremy got out of the car nervously, and approached the
bikers.  Meanwhile, Vargas turned to his two henchmen.  “Gaius, Flavius, I
think our use for Mr. Pierce is at an end.  See to it, will you?”

“Yes,
master.”  Gaius hissed.

Vargas
got out of the car to follow Jeremy, while Gaius and Flavius played “Boulder,
Blanket, Shears” to see who would be the one to ‘deal’ with Jeremy.  Flavius
lost, and hissed his disappointment.  “You cheated, Gaius.”

“Of
course I did, you fool!  Perhaps if you tried harder to win, you wouldn’t
always be third.  Now go deal with the human.”

Flavius
hissed in anger, and climbed out of the car with Gaius.  This was all Jeremy’s
fault, he thought.  I’ll deal with him quick, once we enter the scrublands near
the river, and get back to Vargas’ side.

*           *           *

Jeremy
thought the bikers were taking the concept of a walk through a field and into
the waterfowl sanctuary pretty well, all things considering.  The dirt road
they had followed for about a mile had headed west off the main streets towards
the mouth of the river, but it didn’t go all the way to their destination –
there was about a half-mile walk through the scrub and brush still to go.  I’ll
make a run for it as soon as we find some cover, he thought.  I’ll try
anyway.  I’m not going to die without fighting back.

Vargas
was giving a speech to the bikers – something about teaching them the secret of
his hypnosis – but before he would teach them, he wanted to have all of them
baptized in the water of Great Salt Lake.  Some of the bikers were uneasy, but
most looked eager to agree – after all, it was just a bit of water, wasn’t it?
Jeremy knew they were getting more than they bargained for – and resolved not
to be a part of it.  I could get in my car and get the hell out while he’s
talking, couldn’t I?  Just make a run for it?  Why do all the worst plans I
ever have start with the words ‘fuck it!’?  “Aww, fuck it!”

Jeremy
sidled over to his car – Vargas, Gaius and the bikers were about fifty yards
away, still pontificating about his strange magic or mind control or whatever
it bloody well was.  “Now’s my chance.  Fuck it, I’m gone.”  He opened the car
door, and threw himself into the front seat, slammed the door, and gunned the
engine.  Wheels spun and gravel sprayed, and he drove out of there as fast as
he could.

Gaius
and Vargas looked up to see their erstwhile guide fleeing like all the devils
in the seven hells were after him.

“Leave
him.”  Vargas said in Hserinyar.  “Flavius will deal with him, or not.  It does
not matter now.  Do you have the chalice?”

“As
you wish, Milord.  Yes I do.”

“Good
then.”

Vargas
returned his gaze to the assembled biker gang.  “We head west, to the mouth of
the river.  Once there, I will show you wonders unseen for many an age.  It will
be something you never forget, I assure you.”  Vargas’s sly grin should have
been taken as a warning, but the promise of power was too great, just as Vargas
planned.  Soon, the group of them had abandoned their vehicles and headed west
towards the river.

*           *           *

Erica
parked about a block from the warehouse Marco and Duri said Vargas had taken
over, and they had spent the last few minutes arming themselves with the
pistols Marco and his team had provided, as well as donning the Kevlar vests
and strapping on some melee weapons, like the hatchets and machete’s Harlan had
provided.  Sir Andred took the arming sword provided by Harlan – it was longer
than Maeve’s shortsword on Mercia, and smaller than Sir Andred’s broadsword –
but he seemed to think it would do the trick.  Kai took a pistol and sniffed in
disdain.

“I
know it’s not a bow, Kai, but it is a useful weapon.”  Erica said, smiling to
conceal her nerves.

“I
suppose.  It’s too damn noisy, though.  It roars like a wild bull.  I prefer my
arrows – they’re quiet.”  Kai replied.  “Maeve seems to find ‘shotguns’
interesting, though.”

“Aye.”
Maeve agreed.  It seemed to be a larger version of a pistol, like the powder
and shot weapons popular in Madragoor were – but it was probably far more
advanced, given the way Erica’s pistol could fire more than a dozen times
before it needed reloading.  Marco said this one fired five times before
needing to be reloaded, Maeve thought, which to Maeve seemed quite an
accomplishment.

“Does
this have stopping power?”  She asked Duri.

Duri grinned and nodded.  “It’s a 10-gauge
pump action shotgun.  It’ll blow a hole through most interior walls and some
exterior ones.  Cops sometimes use them to shoot through steel doors, when they
have special slugs.  It’ll stop whatever you hit with it.”

“Then all we have left to do is pray.”  Sir
Andred added.  “We are going into battle with a great evil – I’d like to say
some words before we storm the gates of that place.”

“Let’s make sure we know they’re here
first.”  Maeve said.  “I trust in the powers of the Twins, Sir Andred, but I’m
aware many blessings don’t last all day.  Let’s save your strength until we
know Vargas is here.  Let me see if my talent can reveal if he is inside,
first.”

Sir Andred smiled, and nodded assent.  “’Tis
the least I can do.  As you will, Maeve.”  It’s good to have armor on again,
Andred thought.  I didn’t realize how naked I felt until I donned this strange
cloth vest with its metal plates.  Erica assures me it will stop guns, and the
plates may stop swords, but it’s still a far cry from my chainmail coat.

Maeve
quickly entered her Nairya, and scanned the building with Sight magic, and
cursed.  “They’re gone.”  She said, casting about with her senses to try and
see exactly where they had gone.

Duri
looked at Marco in confusion, and the look on Marco’s face and the others in
his team said it all – ‘I have no idea what’s going on.’  Marco approached, and
put his hand on Maeve’s shoulder.  “Is everything all right, ma’am?”

Ogden…
They’ve gone to somewhere called Ogden.  Fuck.  Maeve jerked out of her reverie
and before thinking about it, grabbed Marco’s hand and twisted it around,
nearly breaking it at the elbow.  “Sorry.”  She said.  “Next time, don’t touch
me without asking.”

“You
got it, lady.”  Fucking psycho, Marco thought.  The money better be
worth it.

“They’ve
gone to Odgen – is that somewhere nearby?”  Maeve asked.

The
others in Marco’s team rolled their eyes, but Duri nodded.  “It’s about twenty
miles north of here.”

“We
need to get there, now.”

“That
fine with you, Miss Helstrome?  Your Uncle’s paying the bills.”

“I
believe Maeve. We go to Ogden.”

Everyone
began to pile into their vehicles, tossing shotguns into their back seats or
keeping them in their laps, and everyone kept their Kevlar armor on, and had a
pistol at their shoulder or their hip.  It didn’t matter to Marco or Duri or
any of the others whether this was a wild goose chase or not – either way,
they’d get paid.

Before
anyone could get fully into their vehicles, two police cars and two unmarked
cars skidded up, blocking off the streets before and after the armed men and
women.  Armed police emerged from the cars, yelling for them to put down their
weapons, and get on the ground.  Erica groaned in annoyance.  “Maeve – see that
guy there, the older one.  Isn’t he the police detective that chased us from
the Neilson Clinic all the way to Christine’s house?”

Maeve
nodded.  “Sure does look like him.  You know we can’t deal with any more
delays, right?”

“I
know.”  Erica said.  “Just try to let us get past them without killing any of
them.  We’ll sort out what we do about the law when Vargas is dead.”

“Fair
enough.”  Maeve climbed out of the car, slowly.  “This won’t take long.  When I
raise my hand, look away.”

Erica
and the others nodded.

*           *           *

Marcus and James saw Maeve slowly climb out
of her car, and swore.  “She’s gonna get herself killed!”  James said.

“I know.”  Marcus replied and got out of his
car.

Maeve put her hands up and called out to him
as he approached.  “Hi!”

“Ma’am,
get back in your car!”  One of the policemen shouted, until an older man – the
one Maeve recognized from the clinic, got out of one of the cars and held the
officers arm back a moment.

“Are
you Maeve?”  Marcus called out

“I
am.  Who are you?”

“Detective
inspector Marcus Drake.  You left a lot of dead people behind you, ma’am.”

“I
didn’t kill any of them.”  She said.  “You bloody well know that, right?”

“No,
actually I don’t.”  Marcus said.  “Death seems to follow you around, doesn’t it
Maeve?”

“I
suppose.”  Maeve replied.  “But it’s Vargas we’re after – he’s the one behind
the massacre.  He’s about to do another one, right now, tonight.”

“Jesus
Christ!”  Joanne swore as she got on the radio of her car.  “Get me S.W.A.T.
right the fuck now.”

“We
can’t let you just act like a vigilante, ma’am.  We can’t.  Let us handle it.
Tell us where he is.”

Maeve
laughed.  “Handle it?  You’re not even close to being able to handle Vargas.
I’ll show you where he’s going – here, look here!”  Maeve pointed to her left
hand, and drawn by her point, Marcus’s gaze and that of the other officers
present were drawn there too.  Maeve concentrated, and a silver point of light
began to shine there – a mesmerizing, hypnotizing light.  Maeve gasped as she
felt the tug of the Call, and the whisper of being Kissed.  This was a spell
she didn’t cast often – it was too draining.  It combined the strength of Mind
magic with the power of Sight magic, drawing the Police’s gazes to a magical
ball of light in her palm.  Its end effect would be to hover there, in the
street, and draw all their gazes for the next thirty minutes or so – and at the
end of it, they would probably not recall most of this encounter with Maeve and
her friends.  Anyone wandering by would be ensorcelled as well, unable to act
until the ball of light faded or was dispelled.

Within
seconds, the officers – including Marcus and his partner, and the others in
their cars nearby – were incapacitated, and stared at the beautiful shining
light.  Maeve gasped as she felt the magic flow through her.  That spell
took a lot out of me.  I hope I have enough for later.  Maeve lowered her
hand, leaving the ball of hypnotic light hovering in the air, and noticed Marco
and his team were all equally mesmerized. Dammit, she thought.  Even
a newbie back home would know enough not to look where I pointed.  Duh!  Erica’s
people are helpless against magic.  It’s ridiculous.

Erica
got out of the car, with a pen in her hand.  “I’ve got an idea!” she said, then
rushed over to Detective Inspector Marcus, and wrote with the pen ‘Ogden’ in
bold capital letters on the back of his hand. She headed back to the car – by
which time, Maeve had released Marco’s team from the call of the spell.

Erica
could tell there was a problem – Marco’s team was half looking at Maeve with
wonder, and the other half were crossing themselves against evil.  Shit!  We
need them!  She crossed over to the team, and tried to take control.
“Look, guys!  I know this seems pretty crazy right now – but Maeve is on our
side, and the cops will be staring at that for quite a while instead of
following us… so what do you say we get the hell out of here and go deal with
our guy.”

“Ma’am.”
Marco replied.  “This is pretty fucked up, right now.”

“I
know.  Would it help if I asked Harlan to pay you more?”  Erica asked.

Marco
turned to his team, and the majority of them nodded.  “Fine.”  He said.  “We
want ten times our fee.”

“How
much is your fee?”  Erika was curious.

“One
million dollars.”  Marco replied.

That’s
all?  Dad had that as pocket change the way he acted.  “Sure – 10 million
sounds fair.”

Marco
and the others looked at her, and each other.  “Fine.  We’re with you.”

“Thank
the goddess.”  Maeve said.  “Erica! Car! Now!  We can’t drive this thing yet!”

“Keep
your panties on!”  Erica called back.  “Seriously, Marco – if you and your team
do this, I’ll make sure Harlan takes care of you.  I promise.”

“I
understand, ma’am.  We’ll hold you to it.”  Marco said.

“I
understand too.  Now clear these cop cars out of the way, and give me direction
to Ogden.  We probably don’t have much time.” Erica got the directions, and
rushed back to her car, hoping they weren’t too late.

*           *           *

Marcus
saw Maeve raise her hand – and then everything went blank.  When he came too,
the first thing he noticed was a too-bright light, so he closed his eyes, and
looked away.  “What the hell…?” he said, trying to figure out what had happened
– what kind of trick she was about to pull.

It
didn’t take long to discover the trick, and even Marcus had to admit, it was a
pretty good one.  He could see the edges of a glowing ball of light that seemed
to call to him, tried to make him want to look at it – so of course, he tried
to resist it.  He couldn’t help but see the other four officers, plus his
partner James, and his friend Joanne staring at the light helplessly, their
arms slack at their sides, and their jaws just as slack.  They didn’t move an
inch – just kept staring at the light. Maeve, Erica and the men and women with
guns and armor were long gone.  What the fuck is going on? How is this even
possible?  Marcus wondered.  He went over to James, and tried to shake him
awake, which didn’t work very well until he accidentally stood in-between James
and the light, blocking his view.

“James,
snap out of it!”

“Wha…
what happened?  Where did they all go?  Why is everyone standing still and
staring?”  James looked as confused as Marcus felt.

“I
have no idea, James.  Obviously they’re gone – and I think that ball of light
has something to do with it.”  Marcus indicated the direction, but didn’t
point.  “I don’t know why I came out of its effect early, but when I blocked
your field of view, you snapped out of it pretty quick.”

“What
the hell is that?  Some sort of device?”  James asked.

“Again,
no idea.  Maybe it’s something like those Jedi’s use in those Star War’s
movies?”

“I
suppose it could be – photokinetics are supposed to be rare, even in conspiracy
stories.  It might be something psychic – or maybe something magic, if you
believe the story Christine told us.  Probably magic, if it’s anything.  Holy
shit!”  James tried not to look at it, but couldn’t help it.  As he stared into
the light, he felt his mind go blank.

Marcus
rubbed his hand on his chin.  Magic?  Maybe.  If so, we’re entering a world
we know nothing about.  “What if it is magic, James?  What do we do?”
There was no answer…  “James?  Oh hell.”

Marcus
looked over and saw James standing slack-jawed at the light again – apparently its
mind effect didn’t end when you broke free – as long as you could see it, it
could affect you.  Marcus went and stood in front of James, like a wall.  James
soon broke free.

“Wha…
what happened?  Did I get zapped again?”  James asked.

“Yup.
Turn around, so we can’t see it.”  Marcus physically turned James around, so
they were both facing the opposite direction.  “I was saying, what if it is
magic, James – what do we do?”

“I
want to know – and I want to make sure the guy responsible for my brothers’
death goes to fucking jail.  Did you mean what you said, about Maeve maybe killing
those people?  I thought we had Vargas for the clinic.”

“Hrm…”
Marcus began.  “As far as I know, Vargas is our guy.  I was trying to tell
Maeve we weren’t assuming she was innocent – that’s all.  I still think Vargas
is our guy.”  Marcus snarled in anger at the group of them getting away – it
pissed him off!  We were so close, and they’re gone!

“Marcus,
what’s that writing on your hand?”

Marcus
looked down and saw someone had written on the back of his hand in a blue
marker.  The letters were shaky, but clearly said ‘Ogden.’  “I think someone is
trying to tell us where they went, James.  How long have we been standing
around, slack-jawed?”

James
checked his watch, and took a guess.  “Maybe ten minutes, give or take?”

“We
could go after them, and get our answers – or we could wake up Joanne and deal
with that shitstorm.  I say we get in the car and get our asses to Ogden to
find out what the hell is really going on.”  Marcus sighed.  “Although if that
ball of light is magical, then the rest of Christine’s story is probably true
too.  We’re boned, you know that, right?”

“Yup.”
James said, cheerfully.  “But we knew that going in, right?  I say we wake her
only, and get going while she cleans up here.  She can call for backup for us.”

“Fine.
They’ve already got ten minutes on us.”  Marcus agreed, and went to wake
Joanne.

*           *           *

Jeremy looked at the rear-view mirror,
checking behind him as his car’s wheel sprayed gravel as he pulled out and away
from Vargas’s little prayer party.  They’re probably going to end the day
with a nice drink of Kool-Aid.  Not for me, thank you!  He turned his eyes
back towards the road, and raced down the dirt path, trying to keep the car
under control as the sun began to lower on the horizon.  It’d be dark before
long, he thought.  Even better; there’s no way they’ll catch me.

Jeremy drove along the dirt path at a
reckless speed, struggling to keep the fancy Cadillac SUV on the path – just to
put some distance between him and all the craziness that had overtaken his life
lately.  Oh my god… maybe it’s over?  Deep inside he felt a feeling
slowly replace the dread that had filled most of the last week… Elation.  He
giggled to himself, then laughed out loud.  “I did it!  I left that crazy
fucker and his alien reptoids behind!  I survived!”

Jeremy gave one last look in the rear-view
mirror, in order to flip Vargas the bird, and screamed!  In the mirror, in the
back seat, was Flavius with a drawn knife!  Jeremy turned the wheel hard to the
left, and Flavius was tossed to the right by the centrifugal force, nearly
dropping his knife, and bashing his head on the window of the passenger side of
the car.

“Stupid mammal!”  Flavius screamed.  “Because
of you, I will miss the resurrection of my Queen.  I’m going to make you suffer
before I skin your filthy carcass!”  Flavius sat up, using the passenger seat
as a brace, and tried to knife Jeremy, narrowly missing his face and instead
carving a nice gash in the back of the driver’s seat.

“Christ!”  Jeremy swore as he swerved this time
to the right, trying to knock Flavius off balance.

It
worked – this time sending him crashing to the left.  Flavius’s head smashed
against the door panel, and Jeremy could almost see the stars spinning around
the creatures head.  Flavius dropped the knife this time, and with the violent
motion of the car, it slid under the driver’s seat.  In the meanwhile, the SUV
rocketed of the rural dirt road and onto the paved roads of Ogden, swerving
across both lanes in his battle with Flavius.  Luckily, there was little to no
traffic at the moment, or Jeremy’s flight would have been cut short.

Flavius
cursed the lack of the knife, and leapt into the front seat, twisting around
almost unnaturally to get into the passenger seat.  He was sinuous and deadly –
and as he fought with Jeremy, bit by bit his human disguise was slipping,
revealing more and more of his Fallen, reptilian features beneath it.

Jeremy
was so panicked, he was beyond reason and simply reacting.  He punched Flavius
twice, while trying to steer the car, and narrowly missed driving off the road
into the ditch beside it, turning from his fight to correct the car.  Flavius
didn’t give him the opportunity.

“I’m
going to kill you, you weak worm!”  Flavius screamed, launching himself at
Jeremy, clawing and biting with his reptilian claws and teeth.  Blood flowed
down Jeremy’s shoulder and neck and Jeremy screamed as he felt the teeth and
claws of this inhuman creature tear into him.

Fully panicked, Jeremy hit the brakes, hard.  In
less than two seconds, a few things happened:  Jeremy skidded out of control
into a concrete abutment on the side of the road, sending the car flipping and
tumbling like a toy.  Jeremy was thrown hard against his seatbelt, knocking the
wind out of him.  Second, Flavius went sailing out and through the passenger
window of the fancy SUV, through the air, to land roughly on the ground about
30 feet away, covered in cuts, bruises and broken glass.  And finally, the car
flipped, rolling once, twice, and a third time, then skidding down the road on its
roof before coming to a stop about 120 feet down the road, the car’s rear end
in the ditch.

Jeremy woke to realize he was hanging upside
down from his car, and the airbags had deployed, probably saving his life.  He
could see Flavius lying on the road, starting to stir, and he knew if he
couldn’t get away, he was a dead man.  He felt woozy, and could feel blood
dripping down his head towards his eyes, but he struggled to reach the seat
belt release…  C’mon, Jeremy! He thought. You don’t want to die like
this!

Meanwhile,
Flavius crawled to his feet, now appearing totally like a monstrous reptile man
in human clothing.  He was cut in a half-dozen places, and felt like ribs and
maybe other bones were broken.  Jeremy!  He thought.  I’ll gut him,
and this’ll be done.

Flavius
pulled his Mercian dart-gun from his belt with his one good hand, and slowly
staggered over towards Jeremy, who was frantically trying to escape the damaged
car.  He raised the gun and took aim.  “Any last words, human?”

“I
fucking hate you!” was all that Jeremy could think to say.  He steeled himself
for the end – he didn’t know what that mechanical gun would do to him, but he
was sure it wouldn’t be pretty, and would very likely be fatal.

“I
hate you too, mammal.”  Flavius, cocking the pistol with his thumb, took aim…

*           *           *

Erica
was driving as quickly as she could down the roads of Ogden, trying to get to
the area closest to where Vargas had gone.  The other cars in their little
convoy had split up to search other nearby streets, with Marco and Duri’s car
following them.  Maeve was in the passenger seat, using Sight magic to act as
‘scryer and co-pilot’, which was good, because the stupid GPS device couldn’t
keep up with the speed Erica was driving and kept having to ‘recalculate’ their
route.

As
she barreled through the quickly advancing evening, she flicked her low-beams
on to see better – and up ahead it looked like there was a car accident – and
what was stranger, was that a Fallen was walking across the road to point one
of Maeve’s style of dart-pistols at the driver of the wrecked car.

“Is
that who I think it is?”  Maeve asked, readying her shotgun.  “We’ve got one of
Vargas’s henchmen ahead.  Stop the car so we can shoot him.”

Erica
grinned.  “I’ve got a better idea.  Everyone put on your seat belts.”  Erica
knew she didn’t have to really tell them – they had been using them as a matter
of course ever since she showed them on television what a high-speed collision
looked like and what it did to the occupants of a car.  She rammed her foot
down on the accelerator, and drove straight towards the Fallen…

The
armored SUV slammed into Flavius’s broken body at over 70 miles per hour.  The impact
shook up the SUV and its occupants, but the car hit Flavius, and proceeded
onward, before Erica could bring it to a stop about a half-block away.
Flavius, on the other hand, burst and exploded like a nasty pus and blood –filled
water balloon.

As
Maeve realized Erica’s car came to a stop, she grinned like a maniac.  “That
works too!”  Erica’s only response was a grin – and to flick on the windshield
wipers to clean off what was left of Flavius.

“I
guess he shouldn’t have been playing on the street, huh?”  Erica said, laughing
– but a little shaken.

“Guess
not.”  Maeve agreed.  “Who’s the guy he was going to shoot?”

“I
dunno.”  Erica said.  “We should ask him.”

Everyone
piled out of the car, and Marco’s car pulled up behind them.  “What in Christ’s
name just happened?”  Marco yelled.  Kai gave Erica a quick hug and went to
make sure Flavius was dead, and Sir Andred went with him.

“In
a minute!”  Maeve called over.  “Hey, mister.  You still alive in there?”

“Yes!
Please don’t kill me!  I don’t want anything to do with those reptoids!”
Jeremy yelled, panicked at this potential new threat.

“Reptoids?
You knew this guy?”  She asked.

“Yeah
– his name was Flavius.  He has a friend named Gaius – and there’s a guy named
Vargas with them…”  Jeremy’s panic was trying to consume him – but his memory
twigged on something… The border crossing.  “Are you Maeve Varda?”

Maeve
started a bit at the sound of her name, and nodded.  “Aye.”

“He
seems scared of you.  Please, if you let me go, I’ll tell you exactly where
they are.”

Maeve
thought about it a moment.  Really, what’s the harm in letting him go?  He’s
probably one of Erica’s people who Vargas roped into being a guide.  I’d better
check him to see if Vargas has used magic to screw with his head…

Maeve
concentrated, and wormed her way inside Jeremy’s mind.  His mindscape is
cluttered, but very strong, she thought.  He lacks focus – but the images and
sensations are very strong.  Maeve mused a moment while looking for
evidence of Vargas’ tampering, and found none.  I think this man – Jeremy
Pierce – has the talent to use magic.  How odd?  I wonder how many people on
Erica’s world have the talent, and don’t have the slightest clue?  “You
seem normal enough.  Fine – we’ll let you go.”

“Thank
you!  Oh god, thank you!”  Jeremy gasped for breath.  “Follow this road right
to the end – there’ll be a dirt road.  Follow it, all the way to the end; there
you should see about 25 motorcycles all parked in a clump.  If you walk about a
half-mile to the west, you’ll find the mouth of the river.  Vargas is there,
doing some crazy ritual.  That’s all I know!”

Maeve
cursed.  No time left.  “We have to go, now!”  She ran back to the car,
and saw Sir Andred and Kai rush back also, tucking something under their
jackets.  Erica was talking with Marco, and rushed back to the car as well.

“Drive.”
Maeve said.  “The ritual is happening right now!”

“Gotcha!”
Erica said, trying not to panic.  She gunned the engine and drove down the
road, picking up speed as she went, Marco’s car close behind her.  As they
drove, one other car from their convoy, radioed by Marco, joined them – the
other would probably be close behind.

There’s
the dirt road, Erica thought.  I hope we’re in time.  As the wheels
left the pavement and hit the dirt road, she felt the steering wheel buck in
her hands, and fought to keep the wheels from skewing to one side or another,
and as much as she hated it, she had to reduce her speed slightly to keep
control of the car.  They raced down the road, no one saying a word.  Sir
Andred was pulling something out of his pack, and looked like he was preparing
something to be used.  Kai was leaning over Maeve’s shoulder, trying to see the
road ahead.

The
next few moments passed painfully slowly, but soon Erica could see the motorcycles
parked up ahead.  “I’m taking the car off road as far as I can – we need the
speed, right?”

“No!”
Sir Andred said, rather loudly in English.  “We need to prepare first, or we
may fall victim to Vargas’ sorcery.  Stop here – it will take but a few minutes
for us to run the rest of the way.  This is more Important.”

“Hey!
When did you get a translation Amulet, Sir Andred?”  Erica asked, surprised to
hear her friend speaking in English again.

“It
would seem Flavius was wearing one when you drove into him.  Kai also found a
needler pistol that has seen better days.  I think your car ran over it.”  Sir
Andred grinned.  “I do appreciate being able to join the conversation,
finally.”

“Cool.”
Erica stopped the car, and pulled the keys out.  “We’re here then, everyone
out.  Sir Andred, do what you have to do to prepare us – I’ll talk to Marco and
his men.  Maeve, you and Kai figure out our next move, and we’ll be ready.”

Maeve
looked like she was going to argue for a moment – and then nodded.  If Erica
wanted to be in charge, so be it.  Her plan was a decent enough one as it was,
Maeve thought.

Sir
Andred set about hastily building a small shrine, and Kai conferred with Maeve.
Erica approached Marco and his people.  “Marco, Duri!”  Erica called.  “I need
your people over here for a moment.  Grab your armor and weapons, and assemble
here!”

Marco
and the others took only a moment to gather where Erica indicated.  “What’s up,
Ma’am?”

Erica
saw Marco’s people were worried, and she knew they had good reason to be.  I
have to tell them what we’re facing.  If they go in cold, they’ll panic.  They
deserve to know.  She steeled herself, and drew herself up.  You can do this,
Erica.  You can.  She began to speak. “I know you all saw some freaky stuff
with that ball of light back in Ogden…  We’ll the guy we’re going up against
can do stuff like that and worse, like hurling fire. It’s not an illusion –
it’s real, and it can kill you!  My friend Sir Andred is going to say a few
prayers, which should protect us from whatever Vargas can throw our way – or at
least give us a chance to survive it.  If we don’t stop this guy, right here,
right now, he’s going to probably do something that has a fifty-fifty chance of
ending human life on Earth.  We must not fail!  I know it sounds crazy, but you
need to understand how serious this is.  What you’re about to see will make you
freak out – maybe keep you from sleeping for weeks - but I need you to keep
cool, and help us kill this bastard, to save all of us.  If you’re with me,
follow me!”  As her speech ended, she felt energy course through her – but not
magic, like she was casting a spell.  It was something else – something she had
never felt before.  She couldn’t place it.

The
effect on Marco and his people, however, was electrifying.  They had gone from
nervous and afraid, to ready to fight and win.  They roared their approval, and
followed Erica to where Sir Andred had set up a small shrine.  Sarah called out
“I don’t know who you are, lady – but you’ve got balls.  What the hell are we
fighting?”

“Monsters.
Sorcerers.”  Erica said.  “Some of which look just like us, like the guy you
were looking for.  He’s trying to resurrect a dead goddess and destroy the
world.”

“For
reals? Christ!  My kids!”  Sarah looked grim, and cocked her shotgun. “Let’s
get him!”

Erica
turned to Sir Andred, who had since donned a cassock trimmed in crimson and
cincture over his Kevlar armor, and draped his shoulders with a stole trimmed
in blue.  On his chest was a large pectoral, bearing the golden symbol of the
Twins, his divine patrons, featuring a buckler of dark metal surmounted by a
golden gauntleted fist.

“There
is not much time, so I shall be swift.”  Sir Andred said, raising his hand in
benediction.  “In the times before times, Feana and her brother Hathor fought
to defend mankind from all manner of evils.  We beseech them here, today, to
bear witness to our pledge, and extend that protection also unto us, their
servants.  Protect us from foul sorcery, and give our hearts and minds the
strength to resist the evil visions that may plague us both during and after
this day of strife, and ease the burden of loss within our hearts should the
people we care about fall.  Children of Mother Moon and Father Sun, you are our
Sword, and our Shield.  You are the stars in the night, our guiding lights and
our saviours.  As we follow you, we know in our hearts that you will lead us
home, no matter how far we wander.  Amen.”

As
Sir Andred finished his prayers, true night fell at last, and the stars above
emerged just at that moment.  He smiled, and pointed up.  “The gods look down
on us with favor, tonight!  It is a good sign!”  Indeed, everyone present –
believer and unbeliever alike, felt some bravery and strength seep into their
bones, lending them some strength and confidence that had heretofore been
lacking.  It put fire in their bellies, and stiffened their backs.

Kai
nodded.  It was a good sign.

Sir
Andred began gathering his things, quickly thrusting them into his pack.
“We’re as ready as we’ll ever be, Maeve.  Where do we go?”

“Erica?
I need you here with me – we’ll be better letting the boys fight and using our
talents more creatively.”

“You
got it, Maeve.”

“Marco,
you and your team focus on taking out the gang that Vargas has gathered – hit
them hard, and don’t show any mercy.  They won’t show us any, that’s for sure.
Kai, you and Sir Andred deal with Gaius and Vargas.”

“It
will be our pleasure.”  Sir Andred said, drawing the arming sword Harlan had
provided. In the last few days in his possession, he’s polished it to a
near-mirror sheen, such that it seemed to glow in the dim light.

“Aye.”
Kai said through gritted teeth.  “Gaius and I have unfinished business.”

“Then
move!”  Erica said, pointing to the west, and moved to follow Maeve.

*           *           *

Vargas
could feel the power rising… The chalice had been blessed, and now had baptized
all but three of the bikers.  Now, whether they lived or died, their souls were
bound to the chalice and this ritual. Their life forces would be sacrificed to
resurrect Tiamat at the proper time – and Vargas would be suitable rewarded. Like
Jeremy said – win-win.

As the last few bikers of the gang slowly
walked down to the pool of water in which Vargas stood, he sedately dipped the
enchanted chalice into the salt water, and baptized them in the name of Hrask
and Tiamat, speaking in Hserinyar, of course.  Like he would dare bring back
Hrasks’ mate using the tongue of a lesser species?  Soon the baptism ritual
was ended – and he rose up with raised hands.

“Now, as you have waited for, I will show you
the meaning of power!”  Vargas exclaimed in English, before starting to intone
a spell.  Gaius used the magical staff from the age of legends to draw a circle
around the two of them, and in moments a semi-translucent barrier rose to
shield them both, leaving the bikers slack jawed and amazed.

“Hassakat Kir Volura Kissar!”  Father
Serpent, lend me your strength!  “Niss Vurr Alorr Kissar Hashasikt!”  Channel
your power into the corpse of your beloved!  “Kar Vass Hisstoor Hashasiktt
Tiamat!”  Send life into your once beloved, Tiamat, your mate.

Before
Vargas could intone the final verse, the sounds of gunfire erupted from the
night – as eight humans, including the bastard Sir Andred who had murdered his
beloved Mistress Awai, emerged from the darkness.  Six of them were using
strange firearms so common to this world, while two were obviously Mercians –
Sir Andred and Maeve’s pet woodsman, whoever he was.  Maeve wouldn’t be far
away – and neither would her apprentice, Erik now Erika, and her unholy
greenish light, whatever it was.

“Damn
them to the seven hells!  Gaius – deal with them!  I must complete the spell!”
Vargas yelled, as his bikers – no more than cannon fodder, really – were being
gunned down one by one.  Vargas couldn’t help but smile at least a little… For
each one that died, his spell grew ever stronger; such was the power of the
chalice.

“Yes,
Milord.”  Gaius grinned in his horrible grimacing way, and dropped his human
disguise, panicking the few bikers nearest him.  “Let them come; now is your
moment!”  Gaius hissed at the bikers, screaming.  “You want power?  Here it
is!  Fight for it, or die!”  He pointed at the men and women with guns – and it
didn’t take long for the bikers to figure out what came next.

*           *           *

“Hurry!”
Sir Andred whispered.  “They’re over here!  Everyone get ready to attack!”

Vargas
was just finishing dipping his chalice into the pool, and blessing everyone
present in his unholy sacraments… As he began to speak in the foul language of
the Hserinyar, Maeve realized with terror just how close to disaster her day in
jail had brought them!  We’re too late!  He’s summoning Tiamat right now!
“Attack!  It’s already begun!”

Erica
felt the bottom of her stomach drop out beneath her.  No!  They were too
late?  No!  She threw herself into her Nairya, knowing she’d desperately
need it in the next few moments.

Marco
nodded, and he and his people rushed forward, guns blazing.  Marco’s team walked
forward in a line running north to south, towards the lakeshore to the west,
firing round after round into the assembled, unaware bikers.  Kai and Sir
Andred took a different tack, and rushed into the crowd of people, slashing and
hewing through the road warriors to get closer to the reptilian Gaius and
Vargas, his master.  People were screaming, and blood sprayed – at first it was
chaos, but within a moment, the bikers caught their wits and were fighting
back!

The
bikers grabbed for pistols, while some grabbed knives and others a shotgun or
two, and returned fire.  In the dark, most of their shots went wide, but with
the disparity in numbers it was difficult for what remained of the bikers to
not hit anyone.  Two of Marco’s men felt themselves get shot, and one went down
when his vest didn’t catch the bullet – it punctured his left leg instead – and
he dropped to the ground, screaming.

Sir
Andred felt a knife and a gunshot hit his vest, but luckily both were absorbed
by the Kevlar and its little ceramic plates.  With a swing of his blade, he
carved up and through two gang-members, severing one’s arm and giving the other
an eviscerating slash across the chest cavity.  It was bloody work – but work
that needed done, quickly.  Vargas is right there, he thought.  My
duty to the Angel will be complete!  I will not fail again!  Vargas must die!

Kai
dodged two men trying to stab him, rolling between and behind them,
decapitating one of them with his hatchet as he went.  The other whirled around
and tried to stab him with what looked like a machete, and got shot in the back
by one of Marco’s people – the woman Sarah!  Kai nodded and gave a little
salute of thanks, and turned back to who mattered – Gaius and Vargas.  He could
see Vargas plainly, protected by some sort of barrier raised by Gaius.  “Maeve!
Erica! You have to drop that shield!”

Maeve
looked at the shield, and nodded.  “Erica – this is on you.  I need to keep my
wit’s to counterspell anything Gaius or Vargas throws at us – use Binding and
take it down.  Until it’s down, our spells and attacks won’t do a damn thing.”

No
pressure, Erica thought.  Just a spell I’ve never tried before.  Gah!
She put her thoughts out of her head, and retreated to the cool silence of the
Nairya.  It’s not like you’ve never read a fantasy story before, right?  These
shields might have holes you can use to unravel them, or mortar you can pick
away to weaken them… Think!   She extended her mage-sight and studied the
shield barrier.  It was Forces, for sure – but it wasn’t perfect.  Erica
examined it – and saw a spot that looked weak to her sight.

She
mustered her strength, and concentrated on the Word of Binding, and began to
see the many small and varied threads that made up the weave of the shield of
force.  She pushed, once, twice, and felt the shield crack and buckle – but the
effort involved made her dizzy and weak, and Erica could tell she pushed past
her Threshold more than a little.  It burned inside her – it hurt in her head,
as well as body.  It was hard to explain.

“It’s
buckling!”  Maeve screamed.  “Hit him!  Hit him again, Erica!”

Erica
prepared to gather her strength for one last push, just as Kai and Sir Andred
fought their way to the edge of the barrier.

“Gaius,”
Kai said, readying his hatchet and machete. “I promised to kill you once.”

“And
yet I still live, mammal.”  Gaius sneered.  “When our goddess rises, I’ll ask
for your woman as my slave.  Maybe I’ll feed her to the fell-drakes?”

“Kai,
don’t listen to him.  Let your steel speak for you.”  Sir Andred advised.  “As
soon as this shield drops, I swear by all the gods you will both die.”

“Then
let’s not waste anymore time, shall we?”  Vargas said.  “Hashasikt Kira! Dolon
Vor Kass Histari!  Darjiss, Tiamat, Darjiss. Darjiss!”  Beloved Tiamat, blood
has been spilled in your name!  Rise, Tiamat.  Rise!  Vargas’s voice rose to a
crescendo, and a pillar of white light shot upwards from his circle, into the
heavens, and clouds swirled around the beam.  There was no doubt the beam of
energy could be seen for at least a dozen miles or more in any direction.
There was a peal of thunder – and then the beam was gone.  Vargas started to
laugh, slowly at first, then quicker, and more maniacally, until he was in full
joyous laughter!

Maeve
went pale.  No… No!  “Kill him!  Kill him now!  If he dies, the spell dies with
him!”

Erica
pushed, gathering all the force she could muster, and threw it at the barrier
around Gaius and Vargas.  The spell blast left her weak and gasping, and she
slumped to the ground, the pain in her head even worse than before… But her
unbinding spell had done the trick.  Gaius’s shield exploded in a blast of
shiny sparkles of light – and then Kai and Sir Andred were upon them!

Kai
moved first, hurling his machete through the air like a knife – Gaius swung the
ancient staff he’d used to draw the circle, deflecting it – and Sir Andred
slammed the Fallen with his shoulder, charging past him.  Vargas’s laughter
ceased, and he raised his hand, his black ring glowing like a dark flame on his
hand, flames from his magic swirling around him like a shield.

Sir Andred saw – and swung with all his
might.  The sword was lighter than what he was used to – but it was well made,
and sharp.  It passed through the fiery barrier with ease, and cut deep into
Vargas’ wrist, severing his right hand halfway up to his elbow…  The severed
hand with his black ring still upon it was flung away from both of them, to
land in the sand and grit and dirt a half-dozen yards away.  The black light
winked out – but the energy gathered from the spell didn’t dissipate.
Meanwhile Sir Andred felt his arm sear in the plasma-like flames of the shield
Vargas had summoned, burning him deeply.  At first it felt like ice water,
rushing over his arm – and then it felt like pain, and then nothing at all.
All Andred could smell was burning pork, and his senseless, incinerated arm
dropped the sword that had struck off Vargas’ hand.  He fell to his knees in
shock.

Vargas raised his other hand to finish Sir
Andred – when a blast of silvery light knocked him off his feet and backward
into the water of Great Salt Lake.  Maeve stood on a hillock nearby, readying
another mind-bolt, and Erica rushed forward to see if there was anything she
could do for Sir Andred.

Gaius kicked Kai in the chest knocking him
down, and Kai rolled backwards and up to his feet.

“Try harder, reptile.”  Kai grunted.

“No need, mammal.  You failed.”  Gaius
sneered.

“Not yet we haven’t.”  Kai rushed forward,
knocking the staff backwards with one of his hands, and using the other to try
and strike the Fallen sorcerer.  Gaius struggled, and his two handed grip was
stronger – he flung Kai off.  Kai fell back, and looked at the staff Gaius
deflected his machete with…  and had an idea.

He pulled out the pistol Marco had given him
– the one like Erica had had the first time they had met in Mercia, and pointed
it at Gaius.  “Is this hard enough?”  he asked.

“Fuck
me.”  Gaius replied.

Kai
unloaded the entire clip into the lizard man, bullet after bullet tearing into
his body. He kept firing until the magazine was empty, and Gaius’s lifeless
body fell to the ground, looking a little like hamburger. What do you know?
Kai thought, looking at the gun.  These things are good for something after
all!

Maeve charged Vargas, trying to get a better
shot at the Hserite priest and sorcerer, sending blast after blast into the
water where Vargas had been flung.  Erica dragged Sir Andred into the water to
put out the fire on his arm, and the hiss of the water almost drowned out Sir
Andred’s scream of pain at the salt water in his wounds.  Suddenly, every
single surviving member of the motorcycle gang who had been shooting at Marco
and his men, dropped dead, immolated in what appeared to be magical fire.

Vargas
surfaced from the water, dripping blood and moisture, laughing.  “You are too
late, Maeve Varda!  I have beaten you!  Tiamat is coming!  My mistress has
returned!”  As he said the final words, the waters of Great Salt Lake exploded
upwards in a gigantic geyser, at least two hundred feet high and sixty feet
wide.  At the same time, a tremor – almost a small earthquake – ripped through the
ground, creating rifts and chasms and pit’s everywhere, reshaping the terrain
to an almost unrecognizable degree.  The water in the area drained away into
the crevasses virtually instantly, and everyone left alive was knocked
backwards and away from the divine blast, as another column of energy flared up
into the sky, as bright as the sun itself.

Maeve
felt herself get thrown back, and slammed down hard – so hard she felt
something break, and gasped in pain, nearly blacking out.  Dirt and water and
noise was all around her, and she couldn’t feel what was wrong…  Kai was sent
flying backwards into one of the pyres made by a burning gang member, and
screamed as he was set aflame.  He landed on wet salt, and did his best to put
out the flames, before rocks and small boulders from the violent tremor rendered
him unconscious.  There was no sign of Erica or Sir Andred, but Marco and the
others were knocked off their feet, and stunned by the violence of the tremor
and the watery blast.

My
back… My back is broken.  Maeve thought.  I can’t feel my arms and
legs.  Oh goddess, preserve us!  I beg you, don’t let us fail!  Maeve
looked on helplessly in horror as Vargas approached the great and terrible
goddess emerging from the pillar of water.  Dear gods!  We failed!  We
failed!  Our worlds are doomed!  Maeve tried to comprehend the utter
calamity that had befallen her and her allies – but it was too much.  Despair
overwhelmed her, and she blacked out.

The
pillar of water fell, revealing the gigantic form of what looked to be a
hundred foot tall body of a woman dressed in ancient Sumerian garb.  She wore a
necklace of jewels that shone like dark stars, with a violent purple light, and
her eyes were pit’s of flame, and carried a sickle that seemed to be made of
stars and spun glass.  Her belly had the most awful scars covering it – shadows
and remnants of what she’d once birthed.  The peal of dark trumpets rang out,
seemingly from nowhere, announcing her coming.  Tiamat, the mother of Dragons
had been reborn, in all her dark glory!

Chapter 15 – The Death of
Dragons

Marcus
and James came upon the scene a few moments too late to help, but just in time
for the answers they so desperately wanted.  Marcus could hear Maeve shouting
“Kill him! Kill him now!  If he dies the spell dies with him!”  Gunfire was echoing
all around – shotguns, pistols, and other weapons, as well as the screams of
the injured and dying.  And then suddenly, there was a pillar of brilliant
light, bursting from the ground up to the sky, with the sounds of thunder, and
coiling clouds wrapping around the strange, obviously unnatural light.

James
drew his gun.  “That can’t be good.”

“Probably
not, but I’m not leaving till we know what’s going on.”  Marcus motioned for
James to follow out of the scrub and brush.

“Me
either, dammit.”  James said, following.  “This just reminds me of that movie
with the Ark – you know?”

“Let’s
hope it doesn’t end the same way, then!”  Marcus added as he crested a small
rise, where he and James could see the battlefield.

Vargas and a snake-man were standing behind
what could only be described as a force field, while two men armed with swords
and axes were trying to get at them.  Maeve and Erica were standing apart from
the chaos, and four men and women – probably the hired guns – were engaged in a
gun battle with the rest of the biker gang.  There were injured on both sides.
Erica grunted in pain, looking hurt – and a bolt of silvery light flew from her
hands, hitting Vargas’s force field – which dissipated instantly.

“Holy fucking Christ!”  Marcus said, his jaw
dropping.

“Tell me about it. Christine was telling the
truth.  Magic’s real.” James replied.

“That means Vargas is trying to destroy the
world.”  Marcus said, cocking his gun.  “What the hell do we do?”

“I say we follow Maeve’s instructions.
Cause, I don’t know about you, but I keep my stuff here.” James said.  “That
little shit killed my brother.  It’s payback time.  Sorry bro – I don’t think
I’ll be arresting this one.  My bad.”

Marcus
nodded.  There was a time to cling to law and order – but if Christine’s story
was correct, then if Vargas succeeded, human civilization might come to an
end.  It was time to try and save the world, and damn law and order.  “Follow
me!”  Marcus charged, and James was hot on his heels.

Marcus
could see that Maeve’s and Erica’s companions were trying to attack Vargas –
and saw the shield of fire that laid Sir Andred low…  How can we fight
against that?  He thought.  As he and James ran, they saw Erica reach Sir
Andred, and take him to the water and submerge his arm, and they saw Kai kill
Gaius.  Just as the bikers began to burst into flame, they heard Vargas scream
his victory, and stopped in terror as they saw the terrible, impossible figure
emerge from the waterspout.

A
goddess?  I can’t believe it!  I must be crazy!  Marcus thought.  James
didn’t pause, and instead fired off two shots at Vargas, one of which seemed to
spin him around as it struck – but then paused himself as he too saw the immense,
impossible being.  Nothing in their life had prepared them for a moment like
this, and for a moment, they simply stood in awe and in fear.

*           *           *

Vargas
looked up at the reborn goddess in adoration.  “Mother!  Your once-Mate Hrask
wishes to apologize for his past misdeeds, and begs you to return to him!  His
strength, through me, brought you back from the grey lands.  Please Mistress, will
you not speak with him once more?”

Tiamat
looked down at the carnage occurring at her feet, and smiled.  I hear you,
my child, Tiamat said.  I will save your life, and we will return to
Mercia, and speak with my Husband.  Although his betrayal was grievous, it was
many millennia ago, and I find I miss both him and my true home.  You will be
well rewarded, my loyal servant.  Tiamat’s voice sounded like thunder, and
all those mortals assembled below quaked in terror, save Vargas.

“What
of these Askelinians?”  Vargas asked  “Shall they be allowed to live?”

Tiamat
studied the humans arrayed before her.  I care not – what can they do to
harm me?  Come to me, Vargas Elm.  Your destiny as the Chosen of the Gods of
the Hoard awaits.  You will be our general, to wipe out and enslave the human
filth that displaced us so long ago!  Let them understand their true station!

Vargas
knelt.  “Yes, Mistress.  It would be my great honor.”

Tiamat
held out her hand, and Vargas started as he felt himself levitate upwards
towards her open palm.  Within a moment, he was nestled within her hand, safe.
Tiamat paused, and surveyed the town of Ogden, and the nearby Salt Lake City.  For
those whose gods tried to slay me, I will in return bring you death and
destruction.  Let my children return to this land once more, to plague mankind
anew!  Let their purging fire be a reminder of my vengeance!   Tiamat
raised her sickle to the sky and began intoning words – words Vargas could not
identify, even with his translation amulet.  The waters of Great Salt Lake
rippled, and then went calm.

It
is done. Tiamat said, in her deific booming voice.  This world will feel
the sting of my vengeance.  Come, Vargas.  We shall return to Mercia, and our
destiny.  She paused and gave Earth one last look.  I hope I never see
this wretched place again.  She raised her glass and starry sickle, and cut
– cut a hole in reality.  Beyond was nothing but darkness.  She stepped within,
and both she and Vargas Elm were gone.

*           *           *

Erica
stirred, groaning in pain.  She felt a knot on the back of her skull the size
of what seemed like an orange, and brushed away dirt and debris.  Looking
around, Erica realized she was in a fairly deep hole, probably wrought by the
coming of Tiamat.  Sir Andred was lying in a puddle of muddy salt-water a few
feet away, moaning in terrible pain and clutching at what remained of his arm.
Something else – a scroll tube made of jade and studded with gemstones, was
partially buried in the muck as well – but Erica ignored it for the moment and
ran over to her wounded friend.

“Sir
Andred!  Can you hear me?”  Erica cried.

“Aye.”
Sir Andred replied through gritted teeth.  “I don’t think I’m doing well,
lass.  Did we kill Vargas?”

“I
don’t know.  Tiamat’s gone – I don’t know if he died or not.”  Erica looked at
Sir Andreds burns and could tell that without magical healing, he would at the
very least lose his arm – maybe even die.  The flesh was scorched right down to
the bone in some cases.  It looked vile.  “Is there anything I can do to help
you?”

Sir
Andred gasped a bit in pain as he tried to sit up, and clutched his burnt arm
with his good one.  “I don’t know, lass.  Maybe.  If you can channel the power
of your Inner Light, you might be able to heal my wounds, and the others as
well.  I don’t know if you’re ready.”

“I’ll
try!  I’ll try!”  Erica said, panicked a bit – she suspected how bad the others
must be as well.  “What do I do?”

“Let
out your inner light, Erica.  Let it out and try to feel it with your mind, see
if you can touch its power.”  Sir Andred began.  “When it does – when you can
touch it – reach out your hand, and pray for my arm to be healed.  If you’ve
done it right, and remain in Askeline’s favor, it should work.”

You
will always be in my favor, child.  The words echoed through Erica’s head.
You are not alone, Erica.  I am with you.  I will show you what you must do.

Erica nodded, and knelt near Sir Andred.  The
voice of Askeline within her was soothing and comforting, rather than
terrifying like when she suffered from what she thought was schizophrenia.
“Yes.”  Erica concentrated, and slowly found the ‘happy’ feeling in her chest,
and pushed it outside her.  Again, she felt colder, and could see the radiant
glow of it fill the dirt hole she and Sir Andred were huddled inside.  She
reached out with her mind’s eye, and tried to touch the halo, and felt her arms
– her real arms – stretch out almost in supplication.  She touched the halo,
and felt a shock as a mixture of feelings washed through her.  She felt serene,
and calm – but she also felt like her mind was on fire, like when she was
learning magical words with Maeve.  She could almost hear something – maybe
Askeline herself – whispering things to her, and she felt strong as strength of
limb and strength of purpose flooded into her body.

“That’s it,” Sir Andred said.  “Now pray!”

Erica laid her hand on Sir Andred’s burnt
arm, and prayed.  “Dear Askeline, heal this man’s suffering and take away his
burns and injuries that were gained in your service.  Let him rise to fight
against your enemies another day!  Heal his flesh, and restore strength to his
limbs, so that he may raise his sword in your honor once again.”  Erica didn’t
know where the words she spoke came from – the closest she could surmise was
from within herself, although she didn’t know if they were truly her words, or
the words lent to her by Askeline’s presence.  In the end, it didn’t matter to
her where they came from.

Sir Andred gasped as magical healing energy
washed into his arm, soothing the numbness and taking the edge off of the pain
he did feel.  Sir Andred had been healed many times before – both by mages and
priests, and the healings priests did always felt different – colder and
cleaner.  Mage healing with Body magic felt dry and itchy, and was slower.
This was different; it simply took the pain, and made it feel better.

Erica
watched Sir Andred’s arm heal, going from burnt and red to soft pink, to
growing skin and muscle back onto bone, to even the fine hairs on his forearm
regrowing.  It’s a miracle!  I can heal!  Oh my God!  Erica knelt in
stunned disbelief.  I did it, she thought, a little afraid to deal with
the full implications of what exactly that meant at the moment.  I healed him.

I
knew you would, my daughter.  A voice said from within.  You must rise
and help your friends – they lie stricken on the field of battle.  The
voice paused a moment.  One thing first, my darling Erica.  Pause and
retrieve the jade scroll.  You may need it before what has happened this day is
resolved.

“What
is it?”  Erica asked aloud.  “Why is it Important?”

Just
take it for now, Erica.  The voice said.  I will tell you when you are
ready.

“Erica?
Who are you talking to?”  Sir Andred asked, looking astonished at his newly
healed arm.

“I
think it’s Askeline, Sir Andred.”  Erica replied.  “Just a minute – I’ll be
right back.”

Sir
Andred waited quietly until she dug up the jade scroll tube with her hands, and
placed the muddy jewel into the Kevlar jacket, tucked into a pocket safely.
Just handling it sent sparks of electricity jolting and shimmering up her arms
towards her shoulders – but it didn’t look like it bothered Erica, if she even
noticed.

Erica
came back to Andred.  She looked and felt a bit confused and numb.  “I’m not
sure what this is, but it’s Important.”  She said.  “We need to get out of this
hole and help the others – Askeline said they were hurt.”

“Aye.”
Sir Andred said, proudly.  “You did well, with the healing, Erica.  Most can’t
do as well with practice.”

“I
suppose.  It’s a feeling I’ve been getting used to – and I don’t want to get a
swelled head.  I don’t feel all that special, Sir Andred!”

“Perhaps,
lass. But whether you feel it or not, the facts are proving otherwise.”  He
moved to the side of the earthen hole, and cupped his hands like a stirrup.
“Climb out and help the others – I’ll be along shortly.”

Erica
nodded, and used Sir Andred’s strength to catapult out of the hole.  As she
went to find the others, Sir Andred stayed behind a moment longer.

“You
failed again, old man.” Sir Andred muttered to himself.  “Vargas escaped – and
you failed the angel again.  Perhaps I’m too old for this.  Perhaps I lack the
conviction needed.”  He mused quietly for a moment, then shrugged his shoulders
and tried climbing out of the hole.  It matters not, he thought.  While
I have strength in my body, I will serve the Twins to my dying breath. Vargas will
die by my hand, even if I must follow him to the ends of Mercia, ‘till the day
of Glory. It is my duty, and my honor.

Erica
surveyed the battleground, and looked astonished at the destruction wrought by
Tiamat’s arrival.  The scrub grasses near the lake were on fire, next to the
burning corpses of the bikers and the astonished states of Marco and Duri’s
people.  Some of them were injured too, a part of her brain told her.  Kai lay
unconscious nearby, burned and half-buried by rocks, and Maeve lay senseless a
dozen yards away, looking mostly unhurt.  The detective that chased her out of
the Neilson Clinic – Marcus Drake, and his partner, weren’t far away, and were
staring at her, jaws agape.  In fact, everyone was staring at her.  Oh shit,
she thought.  The Halo!  Dammit!   She almost felt mild laughter echo
through her mind - Askeline’s chuckle of amusement at her stress.

Ignoring
them, she ran over to Kai.  He had burns on his face, and chest, and his head
looked like a few rocks had hit it when the ground was dislodged.  Oh Kai!
Erica had only felt like this a few times before – and the emotions it summoned
from within her confused her and frightened her.  She felt scared he wouldn’t
be okay, and scared she wouldn’t prove skilled enough to save him.  She loved him,
and the thought of losing Kai was terrifying.  Please be safe, Kai!  She
held out her arms, and prayed in supplication once more – and as before, the
injuries faded, leaving Kai groggily waking up, much restored.

“Kai,
are you okay?”  Erica asked.

“Umm…
I think so?  Am I still on fire?”  Kai shook his head, knocking some of the
dirt and smaller stones off of it.  “Nevermind – I can’t be.  Can you help me
up?”

“Of
course.”  Erica said, smiling.  “I missed the end.  What happened?”

“I
don’t know.  I was introduced to a rock.”  Kai smiled at Erica.  “You look
okay.  How’s Sir Andred?”

“He’s
okay now too.”  She gave Kai a hug, and Kai returned it with strength.  They
stayed that way for a few moments, then broke apart.  Erica smoothed her skirt
a bit, and looked around.  “Where’s Maeve?”

“I
don’t know.”  Kai replied.  “Last time I saw her, she was over that way,” he
said, pointing.

Erica
and Kai walked in the direction Maeve was last seen, and found her, lying on
the ground unconscious, her head twisted at an unnatural angle.  Thankfully,
she was still breathing.  “This can’t be good.  Kai, see if any others need
help, okay?”

“Sure,
hon.”  Kai left, and started to move out amongst Marco’s men and women.  Erica
knelt next to Maeve and began, once again, to pray.

“Mother,
heal this woman, thy servant and allow her to take the fight to your enemies
once again.  Salve her wounds, and heal her sundered bones – let her feel the
wind on her skin, and the ground beneath her feet.  Let her rise, so that she
may follow your path.”  Erica felt the surge of power wash through her once
again, and saw with some surprise, Maeve’s head slowly move back to its correct
position, and color return to her washed out complexion.

“Urg…
let’s not do that again, shall we?”  Maeve groaned – and then stopped as she
felt herself moving her arms and legs.  I can move again… Erica healed me!
She keeps surprising me, that one.  “Thanks’ Erica.  I wasn’t doing too
well.  Without your help, I wouldn’t have made it.”

“That
bad?”  Erica asked, suddenly afraid.

“Yup.”
Maeve said a bit grimly.  “But I’m okay now – so thank you.”  Maeve sat up, and
shook a bit from dizziness.  A few moments later, she got to her knees, and
Erica helped her stand.

Erica
looked about as Maeve tried to right herself, and could see a dozen eyes watching
her.  Feeling more than a little self-conscious, she turned towards them.
“What?”  She asked them.  “You’ve never seen a Halo before?  Jeez.”

Some
of Marco’s people crossed themselves, and fell to their knees; Duri was one of
them.  Marco didn’t know what to think.  James’s mouth was opening and closing
like a fish out of water, and Marcus just stared.

Kai called out to her.  “Over here, Erica!
More injured!”

God damn, I feel like a heal-bot.  Erica joked.
“Coming!”

Erica
walked through the small mob, and over to where Kai was helping two people to
her.  One was a woman – Sarah, who had rallied at her speech earlier, and a
friend of hers, Rick.  Sarah was clutching a bullet wound in her shoulder, and
Erica could see bit’s of bone through her fingers.  Rick had a bleeding leg,
where his vest hadn’t caught a biker’s bullet.

Erica
paused.  “Will you let me help you?”  She asked.

Sarah
nodded, and so did Mike.  “What are you?  Are you a saint?”  Sarah asked.

“I
don’t really know, Sarah.  Maybe.  I talk to a goddess a lot, and one day I
woke up with this.”  She said, pointing at her Halo.  “It can be pretty
inconvenient at times, so I try to keep it hidden.”

“What’s
your goddesses name?”  Rick asked.  “Have we heard of her?”

“Her
name is Askeline.  She’s like the three-fold moon goddess in pagan worship and
Wicca, I think.  I’m not a Wiccan, so I’m not sure.  How she and I met is a
long story.”  Erica knelt next to Sarah, and touched her shoulder.  A few
muttered prayers later, Sarah’s wound was healed.  She repeated the process on
Rick.  Erica was going to say something else, but there was an immense groaning
sound, from out in the Great Salt Lake.  “What was that?”  She asked.  She
almost could ignore Sarah kissing the hem of her dress.  Rick looked astonished
as well.

Marcus
looked out at the lake, and told her.  “The… Tiamat took Vargas and went away –
back to Mercia, I think.  Before she left, she pointed out there,” he said,
indicating the lake.  “She said her children would come back to plague
mankind.  Are we in trouble, here?”  he asked.

Maeve
looked out towards the salt lake, and saw the surface ripple once again, as if
from a great force, or from something immense moving beneath it.  “Yes, Marcus.
We’re all in trouble.”  She once again felt the despair that washed over her at
her moment of defeat.  Tiamat was returned – and all of Mercia would burn in
the fires of war.  I need to get home!  I need to get home to warn someone…
anyone!

The
heroes and friends stared at the lake, wondering what would happen
next.

*           *           *

In
the Mariana Trench, something stirred and awoke… It’s mistress called for it,
and it hadn’t eaten in what seemed an age.  It left its underwater cave, and
began to hunt.  Perhaps a whale or two would sate it’s appetite?   Deep in the
San Andreas fault, a similar creature awoke and began to tunnel to the
surface.

In
the Carpathian mountains, deep in an unexplored cave, something stirred and
woke, for the first time in five thousand years.  Its roar reached the nearby villages,
several miles away.  Some of the older folks, who remembered the legends, began
to cry.

In
the mountains of Japan, and the hills of Mongolia, things began to move, and to
rise up – things long thought forgotten by modern man.  Human machines
registered them as minor earth tremors – but the machines were not built to
detect what was coming.

In
dozens of places across the world, creatures mankind had long called ‘enemy’
began to wake, and emerge from the hidden places where they had lain asleep for
centuries, and in some cases millennia.  They woke to find the world they knew
gone, and millions upon millions of humankind crawling around their world like
a swarm of ants.

In
Utah, beneath the Great Salt Lake, deep in the sediment at the bottom of the
lake’s waters, something stirred.  At first it was slow to wake – waking was
always hard, but this time it had slept for what seemed an eternity.  He could
hear it, though – the call of his Mother.  He stretched, and valley’s cracked
and ripped apart.  He stood, and dislodged tons of debris.  Salt water washed
over its long, reptilian form, it’s wings, and it’s face.  It was good to be
awake, it thought. It could still hear his mother’s final command – destroy the
humans, and show the world their anger.  It roared underwater, the sound
echoing like a powerful groan.  I hunger, it thought once more, and
began to swim for the surface.

*           *           *

Erica
watched with the others as it broke the surface of the Great Salt Lake…  A
dragon, fully three hundred and fifty feet long, with huge wings propelling it
out of the water like a living missile.  It was fast – its wingspan was about
three quarters of its length, and the wings were strong.  It was covered in
thick, white scales that looked like polished marble, shiny and reflective.
Its roar was loud – almost as loud as a jumbo jet taking off, and twice as frightening.
The dragon flew several hundred feet up into the air, and circled.

“Is
that a dragon!?”  She yelled.

“Yes.”
Maeve said, grimly.  “Thank the gods it’s not a huge one.”

“They
get bigger?!”  Erica squealed in fear.

“They
can – legends on Mercia say the largest one was one hundred and seventy five
yards long.  It died over three thousand, five hundred years ago.”  Maeve
looked terrified as well – and anything that terrified Maeve, terrified Erica
even more.  “It took the twelve heroes of legend, and three armies to slay it.”

“So
on a scale of zero to ‘we’re fucked’,” James asked.  “How bad are we?”

“We’re
beyond fucked.”  Maeve said.  “I’m not sure any force on this world can stop
it.”

“I
don’t believe that!”  Erica said.  “We have weapons you can’t even imagine.
Missiles, hell, even nuclear weapons if it comes to that...”

“And
how many millions will it kill before your government tries them?”  Maeve
asked.  “These things are nearly indestructible.  I have no idea what to do
now.”  Maeve stared at the beast, looking defeated.

Sir Andred looked angry – either at it or himself,
Erica couldn’t tell.  Kai looked scared – as did Marco’s team and Marcus and
James.  If I don’t rally them now, everyone is going to give up, Erica
thought.  They’ve already given up.  We have to do something, even if it’s
just trying to get out of the area alive!  Erica steeled herself, and took
charge.

“Marco!”  She called.  “You’re people have
done enough.  Get everyone you can out of the city, and to safety!  I’ll
remember my promise to Harlan, I swear.  Thank you.”  She barely noticed Marco
grabbing his people, and getting them to retreat.  “Marcus, you and your
partner need to coordinate with police and emergency services to evacuate the
city – that thing will cause incredible damage.  I don’t care if you lie – say
there’s a nuke in Odgen or something – just get people out of the city…  I’m
sorry, by the way, for the demon killing all those people.  It was trying to capture
me.  The only reason I’m alive is ‘cause I ran – and I guess the same for you,
‘cause you chased Maeve and I.  Take care of yourselves.”

“Wha… what are you and the others going to
do?”  Marcus asked.

“We’re going to kill the dragon.”  Erica
said.  “All of us, we’re going to kill it, right now.”  Erica could feel the
conviction in her – she knew it was right, that she was making the right
decision.  She wasn’t sure HOW she knew, but… it felt right.

“Are you fucking kidding me?”  Maeve replied,
in shock.

Sir Andred nodded.  A fitting end, he
thought.  We shall die like heroes.

Kai simply stood nearby, and took her hand,
squeezing it.  “Are you sure about this, Erica?”

“Yes, Kai.” She said. “I’m totally sure.”

“What do you say, Maeve?”  Kai said, trying
to encourage his old friend.  “Not many people back home will have done this,
eh?”

“You’re all insane!”  Maeve said, then
grinned.  “And I guess I am too, cause I I’ll help where I can.  You’ll need
it, trust me.”  Maeve looked about.  “Gather what weapons you can – we’ll need
everything we’ve got against that creature.”

“If it helps, Maeve, I have Vargas’ hand with
his Black Ring.”  Sir Andred said.  “And he seems to have dropped the ancient
staff that lets him teleport away from us.  There was this chalice as well.  I
thought they might be Important, too.”

Maeve grinned.  “Good job, Sir Andred.  They
might come in handy.”  As she took the Black ring from Sir Andred, she realized
this was the second ring she’d taken from Vargas.  Maybe I should start a
collection?  There’s only eight left to get the whole set.  She turned to
Erica.  “So what now, boss?”

“Me,
boss?” Erica replied, surprised.  “I guess we get the car and get as close to
the dragon as possible, and try to take it out. Will your spells harm it?”

“I
don’t know, kiddo.”  Maeve said, seriously thinking. “They might distract it –
but I doubt they’d harm it.  Best I can say is ‘maybe.’”

“We’ll
think of something.”  Erica said.  “Let’s go.”

They
ran for the car, leaving Marcus and James amongst the scattered and burnt
bodies.

“You
know, we should warn Joanne as quickly as we can.”  James said, breaking both him
and Marcus out of their shock.  “We need to go, now, Marcus.  Then try to keep
the damage this thing is going to do to a minimum.”

“How?!”
Marcus asked.  “It’s as big as Godzilla, for fucks sake.  I’m not sure we’ll be
able to do a damn thing to it.”  He stared at the kaiju sized dragon as it flew
towards Salt Lake City.  “Damn it, you’re right.  We need to alert Joanne.  Get
back to the car – we’ll get the local PD to deal with the scene here.”

*           *           *

The
dragon wheeled and turned in a slow arc in the air, taking in fresh breaths of
surface air for the first time in so long, it couldn’t actually remember.  It
could smell humans, though – millions of them.  The air literally reeked of
them…  There were more of them to the south west…  It turned and flew, heading
towards Salt Lake City.  With the speed its wings propelled itself at, the
dragon would only take about 6-7 minutes to reach the city.  Maybe less.   It
roared again, and headed towards the city.

*           *           *

As
everyone piled into Erica’s SUV, her mind was already working on overdrive.
“Maeve, while I drive, I need you to try and figure out how to activate the
power of that magical staff – we might need to teleport somewhere, really
fast.”

“Okay,
Erica.”  Maeve said, climbing into the back seat.

“Sir
Andred, I need to know what the Inner Light can do for me – you said it can be
used as a weapon. I need to know all of it, right now.”

“You
got it, my friend.”  Sir Andred said, smiling.

“Kai?”
Erica asked.

“Yes,
hon?”

“Can
you sit up front and help me from panicking?  I need someone to act as lookout
too.”

“Sure
thing, Erica.  I’ll always be there for you.”  Kai got in the passenger seat.

She
squeezed his hand.  “Thanks, Kai.”

Everyone buckled up, and in seconds, Erica
gunned the engine and they were racing back towards Salt Lake City.

Erica got the car out to the highway, and
sped south, accelerating until the car’s speedometer read at least 200
kilometers per hour – about 120 miles per hour.  She controlled the car well
enough, and traffic towards the city was light, but her threading in and out of
traffic was making her Mercian friends a bit ill, and Kai had gripped his door
handle so hard, she thought she heard his knuckles crack.

“We’ll be in the city in less than ten
minutes at this speed, Sir Andred.  What do I need to know?”  Erica asked.

“Do you remember how you touched the power of
the Inner Light to heal?  It flowed through you and into your patient?”  Sir
Andred began.  “It’s similar, but not the same.  When you reach for the Inner
Light, you must use all your strength to grasp it and hold it in check, so that
you direct the power at only your chosen foe, and not everyone around you.  If
you control it properly, I’m told you should be able to shoot beams of divine,
purifying light.  If you don’t, you may hurt yourself or others around you.  I
have never seen the Inner Light before you, Erica – and I’ve never seen it
wielded as a weapon, but I am sure that if anyone can figure out how, you can.”

“So it’s basically ‘figure it out for
yourself’ all over again?”  Erica said with a wry chuckle.  “Typical.”

Sir Andred looked bashful.  “Sorry, my
friend.  There isn’t a great deal known about the Inner Light.  Those who
possess it share only the littlest pieces of information about it.  I don’t
have much more I can tell you.  My apologies.”

“No worries, Sir Andred.”  Erica called
back.  “I’m getting used to figuring stuff out for myself. It’s a good habit to
get into, I think.”  She smiled.  “Not that I want the magic lessons to stop
anytime soon, Maeve.”

Maeve grinned.  “Yeah, well assuming we’re
not dead later today, I promise they’ll keep going on my end.”

“Yeah, not dying today sounds like really
good advice.”  Kai laughed.  “Not to alarm anyone, but I think that dragon is
going to get to the city before we do.”

“Yeah,”
Erica said.  “I can see that.  Oh crap – it looks like we picked up a cop,
too.  I guess I’m speeding?  Reckless driving, maybe?  Just great.  Maeve, can
you deal with him when he catches us – I’m not slowing down, and I’m not
pulling over.”

“Sure – no worries, Erica.”  Maeve said.
“Want me to lose him right now?”

“Save your strength.  We’ll need it.”

Erica drove as quickly as she dared, but Kai
was right – the dragon would reach Salt Lake City before she and her friends
did.  She could only guess at how many lives would be lost.

*           *           *

Ned
McIlroy had been a pilot for twenty seven years, and he’d never had a night
like tonight.  His plane, Delta flight A32, and four others had been circling
what seemed endlessly, waiting for ground control to clear off a mess on a
runway needed to land.  “Repeat, tower control, this is Delta flight A32. We
are running low on fuel.  I estimate we have no more than 22 minutes
remaining.  Please respond, over.”

“Hell
of a night, eh, Chad?”  Ned asked.

“Tell
me about it, Ned. If they don’t let us land soon, we’ll all be dropping out of
the sky anyway.”  Chad looked away for a moment to his console.  “Hey Ned, call
the tower – there’s something low and slow from the north coming right for us,
at 8000 feet and climbing.  It’s big.”

“Roger
that.”  Ned answered, and called the tower... and saw something impossible in
his cabin window.  “What the fuck is that!”  He yelled, reaching for the radio…
He never got a chance.  The dragon landed on the fuselage of the 737 airplane,
and ripped off its left wing with one solid bite, before launching itself at
another jumbo jet.  The 114 passengers and crew of Delta flight A32 crashed
into runway 4 about 8 seconds later, exploding on impact.

*           *           *

The dragon destroyed three large jets, and
fire rained from the sky as burning jet after burning jet fell to the ground, some
having their wings torn off by the dragon’s jaws, or having their fuselage
shredded – and exploding, due to the pressurized cabins – from the dragons
razor sharp claws.  One plane flew into the path of its acidic breath, and the
plane tore apart in mid air, and pieces of it and passengers rained down on the
airport below.

Then,
the dragon saw that the skies were empty above the city, and it roared its
pleasure!  It wheeled and banked, and headed towards the city itself.  The
humans need to be punished… it thought.  Mother said so.  It considered just
melting the city with its dragon-breath, but it began to feel something else.
It was hungry… and there were so many people down below.  It dove towards the
ground, landing in what looked like an open square, crushing park benches and
light standards beneath its bulk.

All
around it were screaming, terrified people.  Good, it thought.  This
is your natural state, humans.  To live to serve us!  It grabbed a city
bus, and tore off the roof with one of its talons, and people within screamed
in terror for what few seconds they had left, as it devoured them in great huge
gulps and swallows.  The Dragon furled its wings, and stalked the streets of
the city, attempting to feed.

*           *           *

Jonathon
Winter, call-sign ‘Darmok’, flew past the MUTO at MACH 1.1, over the surface of
Salt Lake City.  His wingman, Tony Mestizio, call-sign ‘Jalaad’, was hot on his
heels, about 40 yards off his left wing.  Their F-35B’s were top of the line,
and both Darmok and Jalaad were eager to prove the pundit’s wrong – the plane’s
reputation of ‘can’t steer, can’t dodge, and can’t run’ was about to be tested.

Darmok
could see the creature below – it was immense – at least 350 feet long,
probably more, and it was causing havoc in the streets below.  Several smaller
buildings had been reduced to rubble, and local streets were blocked.  The
creature – Darmok could only call it a ‘dragon’, like from myth – was razing a
section of the city, and devouring people.

“This
is Eagle-one to base; the MUTO is in my sights.”

Jalaad
joined in. “This is Eagle-two to base; ready to fire.”

“You
are clear to fire.” Base replied.  Hills AFB had gone on alert the moment a
bright pillar of light filled the sky near Ogden less than twenty minutes ago,
and an earth tremor ripped through an area near the lake.  A lot of Officers
for the nearby military bases made their home in Ogden – it was crawling with
military people at the best of times.  Now it looked like an armed anthill.

“Here
goes!”  Darmok’s thumb depressed the firing button.  “Missiles away!”  He could
hear the same coming from his wingman.  Whatever the hell you are, you’re about
to get blown into chunky salsa, he thought.

Four Brimstone missiles launched from the two
F-35B jets streaking above, and flew towards the feasting dragon.  Their
approach had not gone un-noticed.  The dragon whirled and roared as the first
missile hit it’s torso, exploding in a giant ball of flame.  The next missile
missed, striking a civilian building behind it, atomizing it instantly, and
raising a pillar of flame.  The other two missiles streaked in, striking the
creature as well, covering the immense beast in a wall of fire and blast
damage.  The Dragon disappeared from view, possibly buried in rubble, or obscured
by the debris cloud.

“Did we get him?”  Jalaad called out.  “I
can’t see shit.”

“Negative… I can’t see the MUTO either.
Coming around for another run.”  Darmok banked his F-35B and came around to
make another sweep, followed by his wingman.  Their radio’s chattered that
attack helicopters and F-18 Hornets were on their way, and the national guard
south of Salt Lake City was mobilizing as they spoke.

*           *           *

The Dragon hurt, which was something new.  It
hadn’t felt pain in over five millennia, and it had been unwelcome even then.
It realized it didn’t particularly like pain – but it like being challenged
less.  Those insignificant ants think they can fly?  It thought.  I will
swat their iron birds from the sky!  It could tell its wounds were minor ones,
but it irked the great beast that men could injure him at all.  How dare
they?!  It would make them pay for their temerity!

The dragon shook off the rubble, and burst
into the air!  The two iron birds were very fast – so it tracked one until it
came around to attack once more, and it breathed a cone of caustic acid into
the plane’s flight path, a cone 240 feet long and 120 feet wide, capable of
melting concrete and dissolving reinforced steel.  The iron bird flew through
the acidic cloud, and began to come apart in mid-air – and a man ejected from
the jet, only to be snatched up in the dragon’s jaws and devoured.  It roared
in triumph!

The other jet released two more missiles, and
shot little tiny stings at it – and again there were two large explosions, and
the dragon received two minor injuries.  Their weapons can hurt me, it
thought.  But only barely.  I will stop this annoying bird, then destroy the
city.  Then I should rest and take stock of what the world is like after my
sleep.  The dragon could see the jet would easily outdistance it… so his
claws and his breath weapon, although powerful, were rendered somewhat less
useful.  No matter, it thought.  Dragons are more than giant beasts
of destruction; we are the source of magic.  It spoke a word, and three
lightning bolts arced from the sky, downward to strike Eagle-one; it exploded
in mid-air, debris falling towards the city below.  These ants are beginning
to tire me, it thought.  It is time to show them the meaning of terror.

*           *           *

Erica yelled in fear as another car barreled
past her, coming on fast.  “Everyone’s driving the wrong way!”  She said,
trying to avoid a collision with a driving madly fleeing the city, going north
in the southbound lane.  Much of the other traffic had stopped, and Erica’s was
the only car still heading towards the city – you could see jets firing
missiles at the immense creature that had landed and begun to destroy the city,
but they were having little effect.

“They’re trying to get away from it, like we
should be!”  Maeve yelled.

“I think it’s flying to the east!”  Kai
said.  Near that gigantic church we saw on the drive up.  You know, the Mormon
Temple.”

“Of
course it is…” Eric sighed.  “Let’s go – I’m getting off this highway before we
get killed.”  She maneuver the car off the highway at the next stop, only
narrowly avoiding three other cars headed the wrong way.  Erica’s mind was
focused, but a lot less on driving, and more on a plan – any plan – to try and
harm the Dragon.  Maeve said spells aren’t likely to hurt it much, and the
last time a dragon was killed was the Age of Legends.  But Maeve said my zappy
spell was from the Age of Legends too…  I wonder if it would help?  Erica
couldn’t help but think of the ray of magic she had fired at both the demon and
Hierarch Donal Blaine to such excellent effect.  Could the dragon resist
that?  What do I do if it can?   Her mind worked furiously for a solution.

Maeve,
realizing that Erica was not talking at the moment, took control.  “Kai, Andred
– I think I’ve got this staff’s magic figured out – we should be able to use it
to teleport, like a portable Moon-Gate.”

“Seriously?”
Kai asked.  “Magic like that hasn’t been seen since…”

“Since
the Age of Legends, yeah, I know.”  Maeve grinned.  “I’m glad Vargas left it
behind.  There’s so much chaos, it’ll be a lot easier to get back to Erica’s
home with this than having to sit in this damned car for three more days, or
worse, be arrested and taken prisoner.”

“Can
it get us close to the Dragon?”  Sir Andred asked.

“It
can, if you want to suicide, Sir Andred.”  Maeve replied.  “Mortal weapons
can’t penetrate dragonhide.  You need enchanted weapons, at least.”

“Well,
then what can we do, if Kai and I are useless for the moment?”  Sir Andred said
in a bit of a huff.

“Guard
Erica with our lives.  I’ll be our escape route when things go bad – and they will
– and I’ll protect us with illusions while we try to figure out what to do.  If
it can’t see where we are, it probably can’t do too much to hurt us, right?”

Kai
snorted.  “I heard Dragons could see and hear so well, they could practically
see the invisible.”

“Not
helping, Kai, really!”  Maeve yelled.  “Do you have a better idea?”

Kai
shook his head, and Erica drove over some debris on the road, which catapulted
the SUV into the air, and everyone slammed against the ceiling, and the car
nearly wheeled off the road before Erica could gain control again.

“Sorry!”
She yelled.  “We’re almost there.”

“You
have an idea yet?”  Maeve asked.

“Yeah.”
Erica replied.  “I think I do.”

Askeline,
she asked her thoughts, and the inner presence she often felt within her.  I
don’t know if you can hear me, but I need some advice.  Can I empower my
unbinding spell that disintegrates creatures with the power of the Inner
Light?  It might be the only thing I can do to stop this thing.

Erica
didn’t feel any mystical insight, nor forthcoming advice.  I guess I’m on my
own, again.  Let’s do this.  She drove the car into the temple square, to
see the dragon perched on the Salt Lake Temple, like some sort of reptilian
King-Kong on a tiny more ornate world-trade center.  It was breathing its
acidic breath on attacking helicopters, and was winning – their weapons were
having little to no effect on it, and the structure of the church itself looked
like it was crumbling.

“Maeve
– can you get us out of here with that thing?”  Erica said, pointing to the
staff Maeve carried.

“Yes!”
Maeve said, obviously scared being this near the dragon.

To be honest, Erica was terrified herself –
and didn’t know how she was still functioning.  I guess I am because I have
to.  I know I can stop this thing… I know it!  She got out of the car, and
strode a few steps away from it.  “I’ll need someone to catch me when I fall.”
Erica said.

“Wait!  Erica!”  Maeve said.  “Be careful!”

“I’ll do my best.”  Erica turned towards the
dragon – it was paying her and her friends no mind, instead being harried by a
dozen attack helicopters.  Let’s see if I’m right.  If I’m not, I have no
idea what to do…

Erica felt more than saw Kai step up behind
her, to support her, and she smiled. It’s good knowing he’s there for me,
she thought.  Erica concentrated, and entered her Nairya – her battle trance –
and began to reach for the Inner Light.  It was strange, she thought, balancing
the empty mind of the Nairya, while hearing the music and feeling the glow of
the Inner Light.  They were almost incompatible, but Erica thought she could
make it work.  She began to gather her power, summoning as much strength as she
dared to, while still trying to avoid harming herself, and then bolstered that
power with the strength of the Inner Light.  A radiant white-green glow began
to build on her fingertips… along with a painful pressure in her head that
radiated from behind her eyes to her ears, and echoed like the worst migraine
she’d ever had in her life.  This was going to hurt.

Kai looked concerned.  “Erica, will you be
okay?”

“I think so, Kai.  Besides, we don’t have a
choice – we HAVE to do this.  I promise I’ll explain why later.”  Erica
answered.  “It’s the only way.”

“Okay,
then.” He said.  “I trust you. Do it.”

Erica
gritted her teeth, and gathered more power, aiming at the dragon.  She took
sight, aimed – and muttered quietly to herself “I’m firing my laser!”  A scintillating
beam of greenish-white energy, wreathed in pure white light streaked from her
hand, out towards the white scaled dragon on top of the Temple of the Latter
Day Saints.  It looked like a solid beam of energy, that didn’t stop for ten
long seconds, burning into the creature inch by inch.

The
Dragon screamed in agony – pain like this it had never felt before!  It burned!
It hurt!  It needed to escape!  The dragon lifted off from the Salt Lake Temple
to flee and recover from its wounds, but the beam, directed by Erica tracked it
and followed it, shearing off its left wing and burning a hole completely
through its torso around the chest.  The Creature screamed and fell, and impaled
itself on the uttermost spire of the temple, which immediately collapsed under it’s
great weight. Debris rained down, and a minaret of the great temple separated
from the building and fell, crushing Erica’s armored SUV completely beneath
it.  The temple itself caved in, utterly destroyed – and the dragon was left on
the ground and the rubble of its remains, bleeding from the massive, mortal
wound in its torso, and a great steel and stone spire pierced through its
heart.  It shuddered once, and died.

Erica
screamed as the beam fired from her hand – it felt like every part of her was
on fire, from her toenails to her tips of her hair.  She could feel the magic –
see it visually in a way she never had before – but she could see the Inner
Light too, and hear celestial music.  All around her she could feel shadowy images
– of people and beings that were observing her – and she felt as one with
them.  She couldn’t explain it – but she knew she had nothing to fear from them
– perhaps other than failure.  The magic roiled within her, seeming to recoil
from the Inner Light, like it and the magic fought each other.  Erica wasn’t
sure how she did it, but she was somehow able to hold on to her control – and
then it was over.  The dragon fell to the ground, and as it did, Erica fell
too.

Kai caught her gently, and picked her up in
his arms, unsure of what to do next.  He was panicked with worry… the last time
she tried this spell, she nearly died – and this time, there were no healers to
help her get better.  “Maeve!  Is she okay?”

Maeve came over, and took a look at Erica.
“I don’t know, Kai.  We’ll have to trust her in this.  We need to go – it’s not
safe here, and there are soldiers coming.”

“The soldiers are here, Maeve.”  Sir Andred
said.  “They’re surrounding the dragon, but they’re also surrounding us.  I
think it’s time to go.”

“Agreed.”  Said Maeve.  “Gather close.”
Maeve took the ancient staff, borrowed from Gaius and Vargas Elm, and channeled
her power within it, trying to activate its magic.

The soldiers readied their weapons, calling
out “Halt!”

Maeve looked at them with a mercurial smile
on her face.  “How about no?”  She activated the magic of the staff – and in an
instant they were gone.

Chapter 16 – Loose Ends

Erica
woke, woozy and dizzy, hearing the gentle ‘beep-beep’ of a heart rate monitor.
I’m in a hospital?  What day is it?  Did it work?  She shifted a little
bit, but still felt very sleepy.  I hope everyone else is okay…

Erica
found herself in a dimly lit room – a familiar, homey cabin in the woods –
Kai’s cabin.  She was laying on the bed in Kai’s sisters’ room, and could hear
the sound of a kettle boiling.  She sat up – and realized she was wearing a
light hospital gown.  I must be dreaming, she thought.  Weird.  At
least Kai’s cabin feels like home.  Erica got up, and walked out to the
main room of the cabin, to see what was cooking on Kai’s wood stove.  When she
emerged, she saw the Goddess Askeline, in her Mother form, called Thuria,
making tea.

Hello,
Erica. She said.  Tea?

“Yes
please.”  Erica came over and sat down at the dinner table.  “I’m dreaming,
aren’t I?”

Yes.
Thuria said.  It is easier to come to you this way, than in the waking
world.  You know what you did was particularly stupid, don’t you?  Thuria
set down the teacup in front of Erica, and took the one she had poured for
herself and sat down as well, sipping the hot liquid.

Erica
nodded, a bit abashed.  “Yeah, but I figured we had to know if we could do it.
Earth can protect itself with its weapons – what does Mercia have?  It doesn’t
have fighter planes and missiles, and tanks and nuclear bombs.  It couldn’t
stop one Dragon – and now that Tiamat is reborn, there’s going to be more and
more of them, isn’t there?”

Thuria
looked at Erica sadly, and nodded.  Yes, my daughter.  There will be more
dragons – and like all events that seem like disasters, things will get far
worse before they get better.

“Will
they?”  Erica asked.  “Will they get better?”

None
but Morian can say for sure, Erica – but I have hope that you and your friends
can change the world forever, and for the better.  There have been ancient
stories about these times – and prophecies as well.  I am proud you have done
well so far.

“Why
me?  Why not someone else?”  Erica asked.  “Why not pick someone from Mercia,
instead of a crazy transgendered street-kid who’s afraid of spiders?  I don’t
know hardly anything about magic, about your faith and this stupid halo – and I
don’t know what to do to be a leader or a saint or whatever the hell I am!
Hell, I don’t know how to be a girl, even though I’ve wanted it since I was
little.  What am I supposed to do?”

The
only thing you can do, my child.  Try, and do your best.  I promised you long
life, and happiness, and I will not rescind my gifts – not of them, nor the
Inner Light.  Your path will be fraught with danger and difficulty, my child,
but know that it is a necessary step for humanity – my children – to survive.
Yes, you will be thrust into situations you are not ready for – but I believe
you will rise to the occasion, because I know you.  I once said you were always
going to be the Dreamer that woke, did I not?

“Yes,
ma’am.  Can I ask why?”

Because,
Erica, you are my child – my son who has become a daughter.  The flesh of my
flesh.  I love you, and I want the best for you… and one day, when you’re
ready, I want you to join your brother and sister with me in Heaven.  You are
the Daughter of Mercy.

“What!?
What?  How is that possible?  How is that even fucking possible?”  Erica jumped
up, panicked.  “I must be going mad – this can’t be real!  What about Kai?
What about me?”

It
is the truth, Erica.  Perhaps you were not ready to hear what I have to say,
she said sadly.  This often happens, when Gods and Goddesses have children –
the children grow with mortals, and come to believe they’re mortal as well.
You will eventually have to come to terms with this, little one – or it will
only bring you pain and unhappiness.

Thuria stood, and approached Erica, who
retreated against the far kitchen wall, until only a few centimeters separated
the two.  Mark my words, Child.  You need to realize that you have a
destiny, but that does not mean you cannot make your own choices.  You have a
duty, but that does not mean you cannot enjoy a mortal life.  Thuria
sighed, seeing terror and fear rush over Erica’s face.  Erica, you are not
ready to know all this.  I see that now.  When you are ready, remember what I
have said.  When you wake, be at ease – and remember your duty.  Remember your
friends – and when you’re ready, come home to me.

Thuria
raised her hand to Erica’s head, and everything went dark.

*           *           *

Erika
woke slowly, once again hearing the ‘beep-beep’ of a heart rate monitor.  She
felt sore all over, but woozy and a bit drugged as well.  I must be on painkillers,
she thought.  Good ones too.  Wheee!  She couldn’t help but smile.  How
long have I been out?  Erica’s backside felt hot and sweaty, and she felt
chilled.  She tried to shift to get more comfortable, and heard someone else
nearby move.

“Erica?
Are you awake?”

“Kai?
Is that you?”  Erica said, slowly.  Her throat felt dry and her voice cracked a
bit.  She tried to open her eyes, and blinked as the light stung a bit. She
looked like she was in a private hospital room, and Kai was standing next to
her.

“Yeah.
Are you okay?”  Kai sounded concerned, and gently grasped her hand and gave it
a squeeze.

Erica
tried to take stock of herself - and although she hurt a bit all over, she
didn’t feel too bad.  “I think I’m okay.  Sore, but okay.  Why?”

“Because
you’ve been unconscious for three and half days, hon.”  He said, kissing her
forehead.  “You haven’t moved once.  We weren’t sure you were going to
survive.”

Erica
slowly began to remember…  “The Dragon… did we kill it?”

“Yeah.”
He said.  “You killed it, but I’ll bet the tower it fell on had something to do
with it too.  What the hell did you do, anyway?  Maeve said she’d never seen
anything like that.”

Erica
grinned a bit silly, the drugs still making her a bit goofy.  “My laser!”  It
worked, she thought.  My idea worked!  Oh my God!   “I did the spell
that I used on Donal Blaine and the Demon, and made it stronger with the Inner
Light.  I think it worked.”

“Well,
it did something.”  Kai said, smiling.  “The Dragon definitely knew it had been
hurt, honey.  Maeve used the staff that Vargas dropped to teleport us back to
Canada.  Harlan and your sister took care of the rest.”

“At
least dad’s money is good for something.”  Erica muttered.

“Want
me to go let Maeve and Sir Andred and your sister Angie know you’re okay?”  Kai
squeezed her hand again.

“Sure,
handsome.”  She grinned.  “I think they might need to turn down the drugs a
bit.”

“Maybe.”
Kai replied.  “I’ll talk to Angie about it.”  He bent over, and kissed her
forehead.  “I’ll be back soon.”  Kai grinned.  She called me handsome.  I
think the drugs are making her a bit drunk.  Kai realized he didn’t care –
it felt good when she called him that.  It felt good that she was awake and
talking.  He left the room, feeling much relieved.

Erica
drifted in a drugged haze for several minutes, until Angie and Maeve entered
the room.

“Hey,
sis.”  Angie said.  “You okay?”

“I
think they need to turn down the morphine a bit, Angie.”  Erica said, giggling
a bit.  “Other than that, I think I’m okay.  And yes, I know what I did was
stupid.  It was also necessary.”

“We’ll
talk about that a bit later, okay Erica?”  Maeve said.  “Just feel better.”

“When
can I come home?”

“How
about when you can string a sentence together without giggling, okay?”  Angie
smiled.  “Maybe later today, if you’re all right.  The doctors had a rough time
with you – apparently you had swelling on the brain, like some awful fever, and
they’ve been trying to bring it down since you arrived.  We were worried you
had brain damage.”

“Uh,
sis, I think that’s supposed to be pronounced Dain Bramage.”  Erica smiled
back.  “I have that on good authority.”

Angie
laughed.  “Only you would say something that stupid.  Welcome back, kiddo.”

“It’s
good to be back.”  She said.  “What’s going on?”

Maeve
nodded.  “We’re back in Toronto, and you’re in a private clinic.  We’ve all
been camping out here for the last few days until we knew if you were going to
get better, and now that you are, we have some stuff to do when we can.
Dragons have awoken across the whole damn planet, and a lot of cities are in
ruins and burning; a lot of people have been killed.  Various militaries have killed
about a half-dozen of the things with those ‘missiles’ that your people favor,
and one country used a ‘nuke’ – whatever that is – to kill one.  There are still
others left out there, but it seems your people are very capable at defending
themselves.  Your weapons can hurt them.”

“Good…”
Erica sighed.  “Then it’ll be safe for us to return to Mercia, when we’re
ready.”

“You’re
still going to go back there?”  Angie asked.  “I was kind of hoping I might
convince you to stay, sis.  I’ll miss you.”

“I’ll miss you too, Angie.  But my home is
there, not here.  I love the wilds, and I love the legends.  I love the magic,
and I love Kai.  My heart is there, and I want to go back.  I won’t be happy
here, if I stay.”  Erica didn’t fully realize what she said, due to the meds
making her woozy, and didn’t notice Maeve and Angie start a bit.

“I
know, kiddo.  I know.  I’ll miss you is all.”  Angie put her hand on Erica’s
cheek.  “Will you at least try to stay safe?”

“As
safe as I can.”  Erica promised, crossing her heart and swearing.

“I
suppose that’s the best I’ll get.”  Angie said, a tear running down her cheek.
She looked happy and sad at the same time.  “You’re all welcome to come back to
the house until you leave, once the doctor’s say you can go home.”

“Maeve,
would you mind Mind-Controlling the doctors?”  Erica asked, in a pretty-please
kind of tone, trying to give her best impression of puppy-dog eyes.

“Hell,
no!”  She said laughing.  “I’ll wait till you get better.  We still have some
stuff to do to keep us busy.  Harlan’s been helping us with a little project.
It’s a surprise.”

“Drat!
I hate surprises.”  Erica said, pouting.

“He
thinks you’ll like this one, kiddo.”

Erica
nodded, feeling tired all of a sudden.  “Okay.  I feel kinda sleepy.  Do you
mind if I nap a little bit?”  All of a sudden her eyelids felt like they
weighed a hundred pounds each…

Angie
and Maeve made ready to leave the room – but Erica was asleep before they
reached the door.

*           *           *

Erica
woke, feeling much more herself.  There was still a bit of pain in her head,
but not too much, and she felt much better rested than she did when she woke…
whenever it was she woke before.  The room she was in had all manner of medical
sensors, but no windows, and the door to the room was mostly closed, making it
hard to tell what time of day it was.  My head stings pretty bad.  Maybe I’d
better check and see how I’m doing?

Erica
lay still, and began her meditation, sinking deeper and deeper into calm
relaxation, letting her mind go blank while she slowly built a picture of her
‘safe place’.  It was her childhood room back in Toronto, where she grew up as
Eric.  The room was furnished for a 10 year old child – back before his mother
died.  There was a toybox, with toys Erica couldn’t quite remember, and her
racecar bed, with the frame decorated like the sides of a racecar.  And on the
bed, there was a familiar cardboard box that his mother Laura had given to him.
It was covered with pictures of Calvin and Hobbes, topped with various drawing
and stickers.  Inside, most people would assume there would be pencils – but in
Erica’s meditations, it held her most precious treasures.  She didn’t have
many, she thought, when she opened the box and looked inside.  She had tiny
ivory icons representing her friends and their friendship; Kai, Maeve and Sir
Andred and Angie; she had the jeweled scroll she found in the pit after Tiamat
was reborn; she had those awesome boots she found at the Eaton’s center, and
she had the really nice dresses Maeve and Kai had bought for her back in
Mercia, in Wethom.  She didn’t own anything else, other than the clothes on her
back.  As she took stock, all she could feel was a lust for more.

She
thought about how she would feel if her friends came to look at her treasures,
and even the idea gave her a profound sense of unease, anger, and paranoia.
She didn’t want anyone to see them – not even Kai, for fear that they might
take them, against her will.  If they try to take them, I’ll… I’ll
fight back.  I’ll stop them!  I can do it!  I’ll even use the light on them if
I have too….  Wha?!  Oh shit, Erica thought.  I’m actually considering
hurting my friends?  I think I did way too much.  Even though her mind kept
turning to thoughts of ‘how can I get more stuff?’ Erica had enough presence of
mind to realize it was the Call of Hrask talking, and not her own thoughts.

You
know, she thought.  Trying to ignore the Call of Hrask is kind of like
trying to ignore the voices, back when I thought I had schizophrenia… not
always possible, but sometimes easier with practice.  “Whew.  I think I’d
better lay off the magic for a while.  I think I’m worse affected that I was
before.”

Growing
tired of being in the clinic, Erica found the call button and pressed it.  A
few moments later, a chipper young nurse in her mid twenties came in.

“Hi,
Erica – I guess you’re up.  My name is Shelly.  Are you feeling pain?  I could
increase the morphine?”

“No
thank you Shelly.  I’m actually feeling a lot better.  I’d like to go home.”
Erica replied.  “What time is it?”

“I
see.  It’s about 6am, on Tuesday October 7th.  Let me do some tests, and I’ll
call the doctor.”  Shelly took Erica’s temperature, checked blood pressure and
reflexes, and in general made sure she was ship-shape.  “Looking good, Erica.
I’ll fetch the doctor.”

“Um
– I’m thirsty.  Can I get some water or something?”

“Sure
thing.  I’ll get you some icewater.”  Shelly said as she wrote on Erica’s chart
and left the room.  “I’ll be right back.”

A
few minutes later, Shelly came back and dropped off a large glass of icewater,
which Erica sipped from greedily; her throat was parched.  The cold water felt
good, but gave her a small bit of brain freeze as a reward for drinking too
much, too quickly.  As she tried to survive the numb pain, a doctor walked into
the room.

She
initially looked to be in her mid forties, with greying long hair tied back in
a pony tail.  Her nametag said “Dr. W. Smiles.”  She had a kind expression on
her face, which looked like it was ten years younger than her stooped demeanor
and tired stance seemed to indicate.  Erica couldn’t tell if she was actually
thirty or fifty, or somewhere in between.  “Erica?”  she asked.  “Shelly tells
me you want to go home.  I just want to check a few things before I sign off on
it, alright?”

“Sure,
Doctor.”  Erica said.

“You
had a pretty bad bit of swelling on the brain there.  Normally we see that in
infections or diseases, like when people go to the tropics.  Rough day?”

“Yeah.
It was pretty rough.”

“Fair
enough.”  Dr. Smiles got down to business, and checked her retinas with a pen
light, to see how much or little they reacted, and tapped her knees, elbows and
a few other joints with a rubber hammer to test her reflexes.  Then she took a
look at the readings on Erica’s chart, and seemed satisfied.

“I
think you’re okay to go home, Miss van Helstrome.  Shall I call you a ride?
Mr. Branscombe said he had a driver waiting to bring you home.”

“Thanks
– that would be great!”  Erica said, disconnecting a few leads off her torso
and arms.  “I can’t wait.”

“Sally
will help you get ready.”  Dr Smiles said, and then left the room.

*           *           *

Harlan’s
car pulled up into Angie’s driveway around 7:30am, and the driver got out and
let her inside the house.  “Here you are, ma’am.”  He said.  “I’ll let security
know you’re here.”

Erica
looked around the house...  Angie and her people had cleaned up most of her
dad’s stuff.  There was some of the family furniture still here, but a lot of
what had made the house ‘dads’ house was missing...  It kind of felt like
‘Angie’s house’ now – a little unfinished in places, but ready for her sister
to put her own unique touch on it.  It felt safer than it had the last time she
was here.

I
think I’ll just go watch some TV until everyone gets up, she thought.  She
removed her boots, and headed to the rec room, flipping on the TV as she passed
it.  Dragons were still all over the news – they were everywhere, and people
were listing which ones were killed, and which ones were still rampaging.  “Oh
crap!  Tiamat sure did a number on us, didn’t she?”  Erica said out loud.
“Everyone must be going bananas.”

There
had been dragon attacks in Russia, Britain, Spain, Japan, China, India, the
Middle East, plus a few in the United States, several in South America, and
even two in Canada. The closest one to Angie was the dragon the military was still
fighting in and around Sudbury, which was completely devastated.  Erica
couldn’t help but watch the news – millions of deaths, tens of millions of
refugees, and billions, if not trillions in property damage.  It was tragic,
sick, and impossible to look away from.  What defense will Mercia have
against these monsters?  She wondered.  We have to show the people there
they can be defeated – beaten.  If Maeve is right, we might even need to raise
an army.  From the looks of the news, the Dragons here can be defeated, with
enough of our weapons – so at least I won’t be abandoning my birth planet in its
time of need, but it seems shitty to duck and run…  Still, I made my choice,
she thought.  Mercia is going to be my home – it’s there I need to think
about next.  Erica turned her attention back to the awful news, and
remained watching it quietly until she was disturbed by Angie walking in and
touching her shoulder.

“Hey,
sis.”  Angie said.  “How are things?  I guess you didn’t stop him, huh?”

“Hey.”
Erica said, smiling.  “No, we didn’t, and things are okay right now, but are
probably pretty bad back home… I mean Mercia.  There’s no telling what mischief
Vargas and Tiamat have been up to in the last four days.  I hope there’s a
world to go back to.”

“You
could stay, you know.”  Angie said, sitting next to Erica.  “You could stay
here.  I think we’re going to beat these monsters.  It wasn’t as bad as you
said it might get.”

“Maybe
it isn’t, Angie – but what of all the people back in Mercia who need what we
know, what we can do.  I can’t – I won’t abandon them.”

“What
about me, Erica.  Is it so easy to abandon me?”  Angie was tearing up, and
sniffling.

Erica
felt tears come to her eyes too.  “No… It isn’t.  But this isn’t where I need
to be.  Mercia is where I’ll be happy.  I’ll miss you like crazy, sis, but I
have to go.  Mercia feels like home, not Earth.”

“Damn.”
Angie said, giving her sister a hug.  “I was hoping I might be able to convince
you to stay.  I’d even had a plan to buy a cabin in the middle of nowhere for
you and Kai if that would help, but I guess it wouldn’t, would it?”

“No,
not really, Angie.”  Erica said sniffing.  “There’s more to it than that.  A
lot more.”

“Can’t
blame me for trying?”  She asked.

“Nah
– never.  I don’t blame you for anything, sis.”  Erica said, returning Angies’
hug.  “I love you.”

“I
love you too, kiddo.”  Angie said, wiping tears from her eyes.  “Breakfast is
being made, if you want some, and I think the others are up, or will be soon.”

“Thanks.
I’ll come get some when I stop crying…”  Erica said, sniffling and wiping tears
out of her eyes too.

“Get
used to it, sis – it comes with the estrogen.”  Angie said, chuckling a bit.
“Crying at the drop of a hat is just another sign of being a girl.”

“I
can live with that.”  Erica said, grinning a bit.

“Good.”
Angie replied, standing to go head to the kitchen.  “Uncle Harlan wants to talk
to you later today – you and your friends.  I’m not sure I want to know about
it, so do me a favor and don’t tell me.  When do you have to leave?”

“When
is the next full moon?”  Erica asked.

“Ummm…
I don’t know.  I’ll check.”  Angie said.  “Is there anything you’ll want to
take with you?  I can get some of it ready now, so you won’t have to be broke
when you get back.  I take care of my little sister, thank you!”

Erica
thought a bit.  “I can get a list made up for you, if you like.  I know we were
thinking of taking back some spices like salt and pepper, some gold and silver
just in case, and some toilet paper.  I was going to take some steel needles
and some peanut butter and nutella back for friends, and I think there were
some other things too.  I’ll have the list before long.”

“Okay,
kiddo.”  Angie said.  “Just don’t take too long, or I won’t have time to get
what you’ll need.”

“Okay,
Angie.”

Angie
headed to the kitchen, leaving Erica alone for a few moments.  I wonder what
Harlan wants to talk about?  She thought a moment, until she realized it
must have to do with either Marco’s team, or the gang she asked about.  Either
way, she wanted to see him.  She stood up, stretching.  This girl body is
getting easier and easier to live in, she thought.  I don’t even notice
it anymore – except when I’m in public.  Everyone looks at me, she
thought.  I know it shouldn’t bother me as much as it does, but I guess I’m
shy or scared or something.  Ha!  Isn’t that stupid?  I can magically zap a
dragon to death, and I’m scared silly by some lustful looks or a few
inappropriate gropes.  Geez, I’m pathetic.  I need to grow some balls… metaphysically,
thank you – not for real.  Ugh.

Erica
got up and headed to the kitchen.

*           *           *

A
few hours later, after a short reunion of sorts, and a large breakfast, Erica
and her friends were talking in Angie’s kitchen.  Erica had brainstormed with
Maeve, Kai and Sir Andred what they were going to take back with them and the
list was impressive.

There was about twenty pounds of salt, and
twenty pounds of pepper; several dozen books on various techniques to improve their
situation – like how to make steel, pasteurize milk and several other useful
topics for a medieval society, and a large collection of knick-knacks like
sewing needles, and other small but useful items that would be hard to make or
replace.  Each of them would also have five pounds of gold, and five pounds of
silver.  After all that, each of them had room to carry about another ten to
twenty pounds of personal items too.  Erica was bringing some feminine
underthings like bras and underwear, as well as a few jars of peanut butter and
nutella.  Kai was planning on bringing more spices for his cabin, and Sir
Andred, as much as he wanted a recliner, had to settle for a dozen blank books
(empty) of high-quality paper, and about five pounds of Amber incense.  Maeve
was bringing a dozen rolls of toilet paper to share with Kai, as well as all
the cheap pharmaceuticals and first aid supplies such as painkillers and
antibiotics as she could carry.  It seemed comprehensive enough that everyone
was satisfied.

By
the time everyone was done the list, it was close to when Harlan should
arrive.  Maeve turned to Erica, and cleared her throat.  “So… You were going to
tell us why killing the dragon – and nearly yourself was so damn important?
The military could have handled it – they’ve been killing these things bit by
bit for the last three days.”

Erica
sighed – she’d been expecting this question.  “It was necessary for a few
reasons.  I figured the people here could kill a dragon, but I wasn’t sure – so
I was trying to limit damage in the city, and save lives.  We also needed to
know if we could kill a dragon, because when we go back to Mercia, we just
might have to do that, and maybe more than once.  I figured if we took a shot
at it here, and it didn’t work, the military might arrive in time to save us
from the dragon.  It turns out we didn’t need them.”

“Risky.”
Sir Andred said.

“Yeah.”
Erica replied.  “But safer than getting back to Mercia and finding out we have
no way to stop them at all.  At least this way, we know how to beat them.  It’s
part of a solution?”

Kai
gave her hand a squeeze.  “I’m glad you made it through alright.”

“Yeah,
apparently the doctors here are good at what they do.  Otherwise, you might
have… what did you call it?  Dain Bramage?”

“Yeah.
I guess I was lucky…  I just had a gut feeling it would work.  I don’t even
know where the idea came from – it just popped into my head.  I wonder if the
Goddess was trying to help me?”

Sir
Andred nodded.  “Perhaps, Erica.  It’s best to not assume such things.  It may
have been your idea all along – you should be proud it worked.”

“I
am proud.  I’m also scared a bit.  That’s a hell of a lot of power to be
packing – I don’t know if I’m ready for that.”  Erica said wryly.  “Oh – and I
think I pushed too much, like you said would happen, Maeve.  I should probably
avoid casting magic for a week or so.”

“The
Call of Hrask?  How bad is it?”  Maeve asked, concerned.

“Bad
enough.  I shan’t be growing scales anytime soon, but I feel pretty bitchy and
possessive at times.  I think it’s affecting me a bit stronger than last time –
but not by too much.  I guess I got lucky.”

“Luck?”
Maeve said angrily. “Luck has nothing to do with it.  The only way you will
survive and stay who you are is with the discipline to know when you can and
can’t use magic.  You’re too reckless – I’m worried you’ll pull this stunt one time
too many, and then we’ll have to kill you.”  She sighed.  “Please be more
careful.”

Erica
nodded, chagrined.  “Okay, Maeve.  I’m sorry.  I’ll do better.”

“You
had better.  You know what happens to those who flirt with the Call too long
and too often.  I don’t want that to happen to you.  Please.”

Erica
hung her head. I really scared her – oh crap.  “Sorry, Maeve.”

Maeve
put her hand on Erica’s shoulder.  “Fine – just listen to me a bit more, okay –
I do know what I’m talking about - most of the time.”

Everyone
laughed at that a little, and they chatted about inconsequentials for a little
while before Harlan arrived.

Harlan came into the kitchen and saw the
group of friends.  They look pretty good for surviving whatever the hell
happened in Salt Lake City.  I’ll bet my left testicle it had something to
do with that giant reptile that trashed the city.  I wonder if they’ll give me
the truth this time?

“Hello, everyone.”  He said.  “How is
everyone this morning… or afternoon, I guess?”

“I think we’re all okay.”  Erica said

“Good!  I have a surprise for you, Erica –
and I think you’ll enjoy it.  Would you like to see it?”  Harlan looked a
little like the cat who ate the canary – he didn’t ‘think’ Erica would like it,
he bloody well knew she’d like it.

“Um… Sure!”  Erica looked curious about the
whole thing – but also a little hungry.  Is it the assholes who murdered
Dave and Norm?  I fucking hope so… they deserve justice.  “Can you tell me
what it is?”

“Not
here.  All of you, feel free to come with me.  I’ll take you there.”  Harlan
motioned out towards the mud room, where they could all get their coats and
boots on.  “It’s not a long drive.”

Kai
raised an eyebrow, and Maeve answered it with one of her own.  Sir Andred simply
rose and headed towards the front room.

*           *           *

Harlan’s
car pulled into the parking lot outside a dingy warehouse in Scarborough.  Its
metal siding looked half-covered in paint, half-covered in rust, and what
windows there were, were covered with brown paper and years of grime.  It
looked creepy as hell, with good reason.  Harlan stopped the car, and parked.
“We’re here.”

Harlan
got out of the car (followed by everyone else), and went over to the warehouse
door and used a key to unlock a brand new padlock on the door.  Opening it, he
motioned everyone inside.  Inside the warehouse was a large, wide open room
with steel beams and girders running cross-ways across the ceiling.  Oil stains
and water stains dotted the floor, and the whole building smelled as musty as
hell.

It
wasn’t the smell that caught Erica’s attention, though…  What caught her
attention, were eight young men, tied roughly to metal chairs that had been
bolted to the concrete floor.  They had bags over their heads, and they looked
– and smelled – scared.  Some of them looked like they’d taken a beating, too.
All of them had a very distinctive leather jacket with a pool of blood logo on
it.

These
are the guys!  Oh my gods – Harlan gathered them up for me?!  Holy crap!  What
am I supposed to do now?   Erica thought of her friends screams – of the
pain Norm and Dave went through – for nothing, save some cheap thrills – at the
hands of these scum, and hardened her heart.  Justice was the least to ask
for.  She stood for a few moments, shaking with anger and stress.  Her throat
closed up, too choked with emotion from remembering her best friends Norm and
Dave.  They were more my father figures than Anders was… It’s funny.  They
cared more for me too.   Tears ran down her face, and she sniffled a bit to
clear up her runny nose.

“Are
you okay, hon?”  Kai asked.

“Yeah…
just remembering Norm and Dave – and what these murderous bastards did to
them.”  Erica clenched her hands into fists.  “They need to pay.”

“Well
if it helps, Erica, I left some things to help with that.”  Harlan said,
nodding off to one side, where the friends could all see a shipping pallet with
three cans of gasoline, a box of matches, and several knives and crowbars, a
sledge hammer, some bolt cutters, a roll of plastic wrap and several rows of
paper towels plus some cleaning chemicals.  “You guys do what you’re gonna do…
We’ll wait outside till you’re done.”

Erica
walked over and grabbed a bright red 5 gallon gasoline can and uncapped it.
The smell of the gasoline filled the room, and the nearest gang member began to
whimper and cry.  Maeve and Kai watched her, a little shaken, as she casually
walked down the row of the gang members, dousing them with gasoline.  Some whimpered
and cried, while others struggled and tried to free themselves to no avail.
When the jerrycan was drained, she and the eight young men were standing or
sitting in a pool of gasoline, and the stench of it and their fear was redolent
in the air.

Kai
looked a bit pale.  “Are you sure about this Erica?”

Erica
paused.  “I think so.  They need to suffer.”

Sir
Andred, who had remained quiet and still the entire time, spoke.  “It is easy
to kill a man, when you can’t see his face – or look into his eyes, isn’t it
Erica?  They’re not people, when you see them that way, are they?”

“No!
They are people!  They’re evil people who killed my only friends in this
world!  Are you saying they should get off scott free?”  Erica cried out.  “Why
should they receive leniency when they inflict so much pain on others?”

“Vengeance
is not the same as Justice, Erica.  What you are doing is vengeance – taking
revenge for the pain they caused you.  Vengeance harms the perpetrator as well
as the victim – and I do not wish to see you harm yourself in this way.  Let us
pass justice on them for their crimes – right here and now, swift and quickly
done – not in the grisly and horrible way you are about to do.  They deserve to
pay – but you do not deserve the stain on your soul this act will bring you.”

Erica
paused, then opened the box of matches.  “Give me one good reason not to.”

“Because
you’re better than they are – better than they ever will be.  Do you want to be
the kind of person who burns helpless, terrified people to death in vengeance,
or do you want to follow a more righteous path?”   Sir Andred stepped forward,
and began pulling the bags off the gang members heads – revealing terrified and
angry and scared faces, full of panic.

“Why
did you do that?”  Erica asked

“Because
if you can look into their eyes, and still light that match, then you’re not
the woman I thought you were.  Your anger and grief is tricking you into
believing that murder is okay – just this once.  It is not.  Give them to Maeve
and I, and we will exact justice upon them.  It will be swift – and final, but
it will also be merciful.  Dave and Norm will be avenged – and you will not
have become like these monsters.  Remember who you are, and whose legacy you
carry.”

What
does he think I am?  They deserve to pay!  Erica looked at the men – and
could see two had soiled themselves in fear.  The smell was powerful, and hard
to take – mixed with the stench of gasoline, it was almost strong enough to
make her gag.  She looked into their eyes, with the match in her hand…  They
looked at her, confused and terrified, some angry and resistant too.

Can
I kill them?  She thought.  Is that who I am?  I promised them I’d get
revenge!  She imagined these eight young men bursting into flames, the
whoosh of the flames singing her eyebrows as she stepped back, and imagined the
peal of their screams as they burned, their skin scorching and peeling, burning
like candles.  She gagged, and dropped the matches, and fell to her knees,
vomiting.  I can’t do it, she thought.  I can’t do it.  I can kill in
battle, but this is wrong.  Why does it have to be wrong?  It hurts to not kill
them, but I just can’t.  “What’s wrong with me?”

Sir
Andred knelt over her, and helped her to her feet.  “What’s wrong with you,
Erica, is that you are a kind person who is more giving than taking, more
merciful than vengeful, and more peaceful than violent.  You are willing to
fight when needed, but not when there is no need.  You chose to give them a
swift and painless death, rather than a violent and horrible one.  You made the
correct choice.”

“Then
why does it feel like I made the wrong choice?”  She asked, crying.  “Why does
it feel like I betrayed them?”

“Because
you are still young, and haven’t seen as much death as Maeve or Kai or I.
Those who hold the lives of others in their hands must be careful to not deal
out death too easily.  It can change a person, and not for the better, if the
seeds are allowed to grow.  Trust us, Erica.  This is the right choice.”

Erica
cried harder, tears and gasps that shook her whole body as Sir Andred just held
her, and stroked her hair.  She cried, because she nearly did something she
felt would have changed her; she cried because she missed her chance for
revenge – but mostly she cried because it was over, or would be soon.  Norm and
Dave would be avenged… just not by her.

“Thanks,
Sir Andred.”  Erica said in a small voice.  “Now what happens?”

“Now,
Kai takes you outside, and Maeve and I will pass Valdan justice on these men.
We will tell you when it’s done.”

Erica
nodded, and went to Kai, who wrapped her in his arms, who seemed relieved she
hadn’t tossed the match.  They went outside together, and shut the door.

Harlan
saw the two of them come out of the warehouse, and raised an eyebrow.  No
screams so far – I guess she couldn’t do it.  Hrm – I would have guessed
otherwise.  “Hey kiddo.  Everything okay?”

“Yeah.
I just learned something about myself today.  Thanks anyway, Uncle Harlan.”

Uncle
Harlan?  Harlan thought about it a moment, and realized that after the
years of surveillance and watching Eric on the streets, he did feel a kind of
paternal instinct towards the kid.  Uncle Harlan sounded kinda cool,
actually, he thought.  I wonder if Angie will take it up again too?

“De
nada.  Your friends gonna be out soon?”

“I…
I’m not sure.  Sorry.”  Erica didn’t know how long something like this took,
but she guessed it wasn’t too long.

“Want
us to clean up here, after you’re all done?  I don’t mind, Erica.”  Harlan
offered.  “I can give you and your friends a ride back to Angela’s house, and
drop you off.  You won’t need to see this.”

“Uncle
Harlan,” she said.  “When you clean them up, could you make an example of them,
so other people don’t get the idea to hurt or kill the homeless?”

Harlan
smiled.  “I think so kiddo.  Yeah.”  He put his hand on her shoulder in
support, and gave it a squeeze, then pulled out a smoke and offered one to Kai,
who shook his head, no.  “I understand you offered Marco ten million dollars
for his help.  I can make sure it gets paid, but I am curious as to why you
offered more than I was willing to.”

“I’m
not sure I can say exactly – I don’t think it’s one of those things you really
want to know, if you know what I mean, Uncle.  Things were sufficiently screwed
up and dangerous that it seemed warranted.”  Erica replied.

“You
know, they said some pretty weird shit about you, Kiddo.  Anything you want to
say?”

“Not
really, sorry.”  She said.  “We’ll be leaving soon anyway, so it won’t matter.”

“When are you leaving?”  He asked.  “You know
– going back to that ‘commune’?”  When Harlan said ‘commune’, he did so while
making quotes with his fingers.  I know damn well they aren’t from nor going
back to a commune – I’ll just be damned if I know where they’re going.

“The
day after tomorrow.”  Erica said a bit sadly.  “Dawn, Thursday.  I still have a
few things left to do before I leave.”

“Like
what?”  Harlan and Kai asked at almost the same time.

Erica
smiled.  “I’ve forgotten a friend I knew – and I think he needs some help.”

“Anything
I can help with, Erica?”  Harlan asked.

“No
Uncle Harlan, not really.  I’ve got this one.”  Erica said, smiling.  “It’s
past due.”

Harlan
nodded, and went back to finishing his cigarette.  It wasn’t long before Maeve
and Sir Andred emerged.  No one said a word, and all of them bundled back into
Harlan’s car, and got driven back to Erica’s sister’s house.

*           *           *

A
short while later, the four friends were arranged in Angela’s rec room,
preparing to watch the long awaited end of the third part of The Lord of the
Rings – the first and only movie (if you counted the three movies as one tale)
that her friends had ever seen.  Maeve and Sir Andred were relaxing in
recliners, while Kai and Erica were cuddled up on a comfy leather couch, and
Angela was sitting on another couch nearby, greatly amused at her new sister
Erica cuddling with her boyfriend, Kai.

The
movie began, and they all watched quietly.  Erica squealed in fear a bit when
Sam and Frodo entered Shelob’s lair, much to Angela’s amusement.  They watched
in horror as the Denethor, the Steward of Gondor, attempted to take both his
own life, and his son Faramir’s out of desperation and fear, and they chilled
in fear when Aragorn and his friends Gimli and Legolas entered the Paths of the
Dead to confront the undead army and recruit it against Sauron.  Sir Andred
particularly liked the scenes with the Rohirrim, when they performed their
battle-charge against the army of Oliphants, and all three of them cheered when
Eowyn slew the Witch King, Lord of the Nazgul.

It
grew quiet as the film changed tempo, and switched to the two scared Hobbit’s,
Frodo and Sam. Maeve and Kai watched the two hobbit’s dangerous trek through
Mordor, and shivered.  When Frodo was overcome by the ring, in the crack of
Mount Doom, Maeve hissed – for his actions were so much like a person too far
gone to the Call of Hrask, it shook her.  Gollum was slain, and Mount Doom
exploded – and when the eagles came to save the two hobbits, Kai and the others
smiled.  He also groaned inwardly – he owed Maeve five silver… Frodo and Sam
had never kissed!

Kai and Erica had a bit of a moment, kissing
and whispering to each other when the wedding of King Aragorn and Lady Arwen
came next, and later they saw the hobbit’s return home, and Frodo finish his
book – but grow weary of his wounds.  The film was long, and by the time the
Elves and the two Baggins left Middle earth for Valinor in the west, everyone
was pleased, tired, and a bit overwhelmed by the whole experience.

“If
that is what a movie is like,” Sir Andred said.  “I’d like to see more.  It is
sad we shan’t have the chance.  Those hobbits faced a hard path.  That was a
fine tale.”

“It
was.”  Kai agreed.  “It something that will stay with us for a long time, if
not the rest of our lives. Thank you for showing us this, Erica.”

Erica
smiled, practically preening.  “Thanks guys – I thought if we could only watch
one good story, this would be the most appropriate one.  I’m glad you liked
it.”

“Well
sis,” Angela began.  “If this is your last night on Earth, we should have a
feast worthy of remembering, shouldn’t we?”

“That
sounds great, Angie – but I have something I have to do first.  Can I borrow
the car?”

“As
long as you don’t get it crushed like the last one.”  Angie laughed.

Erica
stuck her tongue out at her sister.  “I’ll bring it back with a full tank, and
un-scratched.”

“Okay,
kiddo – see you soon.”

*           *           *

Mike
Connors was trapped in fear… Everywhere he looked, the monster waited for him,
whispering inside his head.  He wore a hospital gown most of the time, and was
huddled in his bed, trying to hide from the monster.  Hiding never worked –
nothing ever worked.  His mind felt clouded, and he knew he was missing hours
from every day – but the empty spaces in his mind just made it easier, not
being forced to live through those hellish moments that didn’t give him any
reprieve.  Thank God he could still sleep.  When he slept, he felt at peace
once more.  It was the only time he didn’t hear its hellish voice.

He
was still hiding when someone came into his darkened room, and a dim glow
started to seep through his thin bedsheet.  He heard the door lock, and someone
sat down on his bed next to him.  It confused him… the Nurses never did that.  He
whimpered.  She smells like a girl, he thought.    He continued to hide.

Erica
looked down at the poor wretch Mike Conners had become since the demon attack
on the Neilson clinic.  She could see how afraid he was, how hurt inside – and
felt both guilty and sad.  It’s because of me, he’s suffered like this.  I
can imagine how bad it’s been too.  I shouldn’t have forgotten about you,
Mike.  You were kind to me – I owe you this, at least.

She
concentrated, and slowly let the Inner Light out.  “I’m sorry I took so long,
Mike.”  She said.  “I was really busy, and some important stuff came up, but I
got here when I could.”  She winced as Mike whimpered again, pulling the sheet
closer to him.  I know you don’t want me here, Mike, she thought.  But
you need this, and I think I need this.  I’d rather heal than kill.  “Let
me help you, Mike.”

She
opened her arms over his prone form, and began to pray in Valdan.  “Mother,
please send your mercy to me, so that I can bestow it upon this man.  He helped
me when I really needed it, and I would reward him for his aid.  Send him
peace, so that the voices are driven from his mind, and send him the comfort
that there is more than evil in the worlds we know.”

Erica
felt the Inner Light stir, and channel its energy through her into Mike.  She
couldn’t quite place the moment it affected him, but she could feel a change in
the tenseness of his body through the sheets.  I think it’s done, she thought.
“Mike?  Can you hear me?”

Mike
felt a tingling energy wash through him, and as it passed over him, the voices
were swept away like on a soft wind.  His fear began to abate, and for the
first time in over a month, he began to think clearly.  Where am I, he
thought.  Who’s next to me?  He pulled the sheet back, and looked up –
and his jaw dropped.  Sitting next to him was a gorgeous young woman, with long
red hair and the most alluring green eyes… and a brilliant Halo above her head.

Oh
My God!  It was real!  The monster was real!  Is this an angel?  He
gulped.  “Um… am I dead?”

Erica
smiled.  “No Mike, you’re very much alive.  You’ve just been sick for a little
while.  I’m sorry you suffered for so long – I would have come earlier, but I
was delayed.”

“Did
you… make me feel better?”  Mike asked.  “Did you get rid of the voices?  Do I
know you?”

“Yes.”
Erica said, smiling broadly.  “You knew me as Eric van Helstrome – but as you
can see, things have changed.  I’m Erica now.  The demon that frightened you so
badly is gone – and you are safe.  My Goddess healed you, and gave you peace.
I know there’s a lot of questions you probably have, but I can’t answer them,
Mike.  Thanks for being a friend when I needed one – and for being a really
good person.  I have to go away for a while – so you won’t be seeing me again.”

“Eric?
I remember you… Where are you going?”  Mike asked.

“Home,
Mike.  I’m going home.”

Erica
concentrated, and the Inner Light descended within her once more.  “Goodbye
Mike.  Try to be good.  It really is worth it.”   She got up, and made ready to
leave.

Mike
didn’t say anything – he was too surprised.  She has a halo… she has a
halo.  Is she going back to Heaven?  She saved me!  “Wait!”

Erica
paused.  “Yes?”

“Are
you a Saint?”  Mike asked.

Erica
thought a bit.  “I’m not really sure, Mike.  Some people would say so – but if
I am, it’s not like in the stories.  It’s a lot more complicated than that.  I
suppose I could be – but I haven’t really come to terms with it yet.”  She
waved goodbye.  “The doctors didn’t see me come in, and they won’t see me
leave.  Take care, Mike.  You deserve to be happy – and everything is going to
be okay.”  She walked out the door, and was gone.

Mike
was left staring at the door where she vanished for a long time, lost in
thought.  A Saint?  A living Saint?  She’s so beautiful… Would anyone
believe me if I told them?  Saint Erica…  After a time, he rose from his
bed, and went to find out where he was.  Mike opened the door to his room, and
light flooded in, dispelling the darkness.  His heart filled with hope, and he
stepped forward into the light. It was time for him to go home.

Chapter 17 – New Beginnings

Erica
and Kai eyed each other across the dining room table, and smiled.  They were
there with Maeve, Sir Andred, Angie and Christine – and were celebrating, in a
way, Erica’s last night on Earth with farewell dinner.  Angela had called
caterers to get the dinner brought in, and everyone was enjoying it immensely.
There was roast beef and turkey breast, both with gravies, Yorkshire puddings
and all manner of vegetable side dishes.  Desserts were available too – a
cherry cheesecake, with a soft consistency and a graham cracker crumb crust, an
English trifle made with coffee liquor and ladyfingers, and different flavors
of ice cream and toppings to go with them.  Everyone had a glass or two of
something – from beer to wine to pop.  To Angela and Erica’s eyes it was a
really fancy dinner – but to their Mercian friends, it was a feast beyond most imaginings.

“To
be honest, I’ve never seen such a feast put out for only six people in my
entire life.”  Kai said, happily stuffing pieces of roast beef into his mouth.
“And the spices we’ve used to season our meal tonight would cost as much as I
spend in a month to maintain my cabin.  This is a luxurious treat!”

“I
have seen it’s like once or twice – but only because the Hierarchs of Arathel
enjoy eating well.  This would be special – but not extravagant.  Of course,
when I’m allowed to enjoy it as well, it’s more than extravagant for me.  This
is wonderful, Angie.”

“Thanks,
Maeve, Kai.  I was glad to get it.  If my sister is going to go away for well,
forever, I want to send her off with a feast worth remembering.”

Erica
teared up a bit.  “Thanks sis.”

“No
worries, Erica.”  She said.  “I’ll miss you a lot.”

“Me
too,” Christine added.  “It’s hard to believe that it’s over.  Vargas got away,
and you’re all going back to stop him, if it’s even possible.  I think you’re
crazy, Erica – but if it makes you happy, I support you.”

“Thanks,
you two.”  Erica replied.

“Of
course, leaving us to clean up all these dragons kind of sucks,” Christine
said, smirking.  “It’s going to be hard planting fields of ballnuts and wensin
root with these monsters roaming around torching everything.”

Erica
laughed.  “Screw you too!  You could have come with to help you know!”

It
was Christine’s turn to look bashful.  “I… I don’t think I could have,
actually.  I was pretty much at my weirdness limit, Erica.  I didn’t mean for
it to be taken as an insult – more of a light hearted joke that we’d clean up
your mess.  Sorry.”

“I
didn’t mean it like that, either.”  Erica said.  “We did our best, and this time
it wasn’t enough.”

“So
we stand and try again, eh?”  Sir Andred asked.  “We gird our loins, arm
ourselves and keep fighting.”

Christine
nodded.  “You were pretty stubborn as I recall.  So was Maeve… I think they
call it ‘very mission oriented’ here.”

“They
call it crazy where I’m from.”  Kai said, laughing, dodging as Maeve tossed a
roll at his head.

“I’m
just glad you’ve got friends going with you, Erica.”  Angie said.  “Thank you
all for taking care of my sister and my best friend on their adventure.”

“Always.”
Kai said.  “You’re welcome.”

“Same
here.”  Maeve replied.

Everyone
continued to eat for a little while, polishing off a good portion of the food
arrayed before them.  Erica and her friends ate heartily, realizing they didn’t
know where or when their next meal would be coming from, and Christine ate well
too. Angie ate sparingly, as was her way, and once everyone seemed to have
finished their dinner, she tapped her glass with a fork until she had everyone’s
attention.

“I
know this is a sad time for Christine and I, seeing Erica leave our world
forever – but it’s also a happy time – for you, and for her.  She’s going to a
new home.”  She sighed.  “I wanted to give you something, kiddo, that would
remind you of me when you start living your new life in Mercia.”  She pulled
out a small jewelry box, and handed it to Erica who sat next to her.  “Open
it.”

Erica
took the box with curiosity, and gently opened it and started tearing up.  “Its
mom’s engagement and wedding rings?!  You can’t Angie – these were for you!”

“I
can and I bloody well will.  This may seem odd, but you’re probably going to
get married before I will, kiddo – and I want you to remember mom and I when
you’re gone.  They’re a little piece of the good times our family had, before
it all went to hell.  Please take them.  Mom would want you to have them.”
Angie was tearing up now, too.

Mom…
I miss you, Erica thought.  I wish you could see me now.  She felt
an upwelling of love for her mother, Laura and Angela, her sister, and was
almost overcome by happiness.  Erica put the rings down, stood up, and gave her
sister a big hug.  “Thanks, Angie! Thank you!  I’ll never forget you.”

Christine
watched the exchange with a sad smile.  I’m never going to see her again, am
I?  “As for me, I don’t miss Mercia – but I will miss all of you, Sir
Andred, Kai, Erica, and you as well Maeve.  For what it’s worth, I’m sorry to
see you going, but I’m glad you’re going back to where you call home.”

“We
will miss you as well, Christine.”  Sir Andred replied.  “I have something for
you, if you would have it?”  He reached under the table, and pulled out a
hand-written illuminated text, marked with gold and silver leaf on the cover,
and on every page within.  “This is a copy of the Holy Texts of our faith,
written in Valdan.  I’d like to leave it with you as a memory of your visit to
our world.”

It
was Christine’s turn to get teary-eyed.  That book must cost a fortune – and
I know it means the world to him – he reads from it every day.  It must hurt to
part with it.  “Thank you, Sir Andred.  I’ll do my best to read it, but my
Valdan was never as good as Erica’s.”

“Whether
you read it or not, it would please me to leave it with you, Christine.”

“Thanks,
Sir Andred.  I’ll cherish it forever.”  Christine wiped a tear away from her
cheek.

Kai
smiled.  “I hope you keep up with the archery, Christine.  You were really good
at it.  You’ve got an innate talent for it.”

“I
hope too,” Christine said, smiling back.  “I just have to find a local archery
range.  It shouldn’t be too hard.”

Maeve
raised her voice as well.  “I have something for you, Angie, though it’s not so
much a jewel as something to remember Eric by.”

Angie
looked a bit confused.  “What do you mean?”

“Well,”
Maeve began, “When we buried Eric, after he’d been burned by Vargas and woke as
Erica, I kept a lock of his hair that didn’t burn completely – I thought she
might want it later, but I think she’d probably rather you have it.  To
remember your brother and who he was.”

Angie
gave Maeve a hug.  “Thank you, Maeve.”  She took the lock of hair and placed it
safely away.  “Thank you.”

Everyone
sat quietly for a moment, a bit overcome by emotions until Kai broke the
tension.  “Does anyone want dessert?”  He asked.

“Definitely!”
Erica agreed.  With that, everyone dug into the nice desserts, and soon dinner
was over.  Angela’s servants or caterers were cleaning up dinner, and Erica,
Kai, Maeve and Sir Andred met with Christine in the front hall of Angela’s
home, to say goodbye.

“So
this is it.”  Christine said.  “Our last goodbye.”

“Yeah.”
Erica said, smiling a bit sadly.  “I knew today was coming, but I didn’t expect
it to feel like… like an ending so much as a beginning.”

Christine
took Erica’s hand.  “It is an ending – and a beginning.  Just think of all the
amazing things you’ll see and do – while all I have is safety, luxury and
toilet paper.”  By the end of her statement, Christine was grinning.  “Oh –
your sister said you might need something extra…” and proffered a jumbo sized
box of condoms.

Erica’s
face went bright red, and even Maeve and Sir Andred had to fight to avoid a
chuckle.  Erica took them, bright faced, and turned to yell.  “Angie!  Dammit!”

Angie
laughed.  “I told you I wasn’t done teasing you, sis.  Seriously though, I’d
rather you have them than not.”

“I
get it, Angie – but really!  How many are in this box?  72? A gross?  We’re not
bunnies, you know.”

Christine
laughed a bit too.  “It’s meant in fun, Erica.  Just our way of saying we like
your boyfriend.”

“Gah!”
Erica was still beet red from embarrassment, but she was smiling.

“I’m
not great at goodbyes,” Christine said, “So I’m going to just get going.  Think
of me, okay?”

“Every
time I can’t hit the target and Kai tells me you did better, I will!
Seriously, though – I’ll remember you both, for as long as I live.”

“Good
enough.”  Christine said, and then hugged Maeve, Kai and Sir Andred.  She
looked like she was going to say something else, but was too teary-eyed and
emotional to speak – so she just slipped out.

Erica
and the others were silent for a moment.  With Christine’s farewell, it seemed
that things were indeed ending, and no one felt much like celebrating at the
moment.  It was a bittersweet goodbye.

“Sis,
can I watch when you disappear, tomorrow?  Do you think it will be alright?”
Angie asked.

Erica
thought about it a moment.  “Yeah, I think it should be okay.  Sure, Angie.”

“Thanks.
Now get some sleep – you’ve got to be up at 4am to get ready.”

With
that, everyone began to retreat to their bedrooms, for a final night’s sleep on
Earth.

*           *           *

Erica
and Kai retreated to their bedroom, sighing.  The day had obviously been tough
on Erica, but it had been surprisingly stressful for Kai as well.  Seeing his
girlfriend choose between justice and vengeance, without being able to help had
been hard, and seeing the love and affection she was saying goodbye to was hard
as well.  It made him feel special she chose him over all that, but still.

“So,
are you going to be okay, Erica?”

She
turned, and wrapped Kai in an embrace.  “Yeah, I will.  It’s just a bit sad
right now.”

“Okay.”

Kai
slapped her butt, and Erica jumped in surprise.  Um – wow!  She
thought.  That was actually kind of arousing!  Should I feel that way?
She rubbed her butt, and muttered.  “Hey!”

“Hey
what?  It was a friendly slap.”  Kai grinned.  “Or would you prefer a nibble?”

Umm…
What? He’s flirting!  “Playful much?” she asked, wondering what had gotten
into him.

“Only
because I have the most beautiful woman in the entire world with me, alone, at
bedtime.”  Kai was obviously trying to charm her, but in a way that was
endearing and not pushy.

Erica
couldn’t help but blush.  “Thanks.  Do you think we should get ready for bed?”
She looked at Kai and felt a warmth she couldn’t explain in her belly, that
swiftly moved southwards, followed by an unfamiliar dampness.  Am I getting
aroused?  She wondered.  I… I could be.

Kai
nodded.  “Whatever you want, honey – like I said, we’ll go at your speed.”  He
took her in an embrace, and held her tight – and Erica could feel him, his
strong arms, his firm chest and his warmth.  She melted into his arms, and the
warm tingly feeling she was experiencing only grew stronger.

“I
could stay like this forever, Kai.”

“So
could I, Erica – but we’d both be more comfortable in bed.”  Kai released her,
and kissed her on the forehead and nose.  “We should get undressed.”

Kai
went to his side of the bed, and began undressing, and Erica turned around and
did the same.

“Are
you scared about tomorrow?”  Kai asked.

Erica
put on her nightgown, letting the soft silky garment fall over her head and
shoulders and down her body.  It felt erotic, and the warmth in her belly
reminded her of its presence.  “A little, I guess.  Saying goodbye is hard –
but I know it’ll be okay as long as you’re with me.”

“Thanks,
Erica.”  Kai said, looking a little surprised.  “That means a lot.  You can
turn around, if you want.”

Erica
turned around to see Kai wearing his pajama pants, but naked from the waist
up.  His muscled torso had numerous scars and marks upon it – badges and
memories of past misadventures with Maeve, no doubt.  Her eyes found it hard to
leave his six-pack abs and work their way up to his chest.  “Wow – you look
great.”

“So
do you, Erica.”  He said.  “Come to bed?”  Kai climbed into bed, and turned
down the sheets for Erica, waiting.  She slid in next to him, and nestled into
his arms.

Oh,
he’s up again, she thought.  Was mine ever that out of control?  She
grinned a bit.  “Hey, love.”

“Hey.”
He kissed her nose, and then her lips – and soon the two of them were kissing
each other firmly, and Erica felt Kai’s hands run up and down her sides – it
felt electric, and wonderful.

Erica
broke free of the grip of the sensation, and looked up into Kai’s eyes. “You
are playful.”

“A
little,” Kai admitted, with a playful grin.  “Are you saying back off?”

Erica
smiled a bit, and thought about it.  No… No she wasn’t.  “No, hon, I’m not.  Will
you stop if it gets to be too much?”

“I’ll
try.”  Kai said, bending and kissing her breasts, raking his teeth lightly
across her nipples, which made Erica gasp in pleasure.  He felt more than a bit
of surprise, when Erica’s wandering hands wandered into his pants to find his
manhood…  She grasped it, and started caressing it – it felt so good, oh
gods!

“Oh
shit!  Does that hurt?”  She asked, when Kai gasped in pleasure.

“No!
It feels really good.  Please, keep going.”  He said, kissing her, then
nibbling on her ear.  While he did, his own hand went further down, between
Erica’s legs.  “Can I return the favor?”

Erica
by now was tingling all over, and the warmth that had been growing in her belly
was turning into a raging fire.  Her only answer was to spread her legs for
Kai’s hand, and start kissing his neck and nibbling his ear.  He moaned in
pleasure.

I
can’t believe it, she thought.  I’m making love to Kai… It feels so
right!  Then, Kai’s probing fingers caressed her lips and touched her
clitoris, and started rubbing, and all she could feel was wetness and
pleasure.  She couldn’t help but moan in pleasure, and bit her bottom lip –
gasping when she felt his fingers plunge inside her, and start moving.  “Oh
goddess!”  She gasped, and then all thought left her as Kai slowly aroused her
more and more with his fingers, until she felt she would nearly burst.

“Kai…
Kai…” she moaned as he kissed her again, and then he moved, and she felt his
head between her legs and felt his tongue… his tongue… She couldn’t help it –
her body writhed and bucked, and she felt an amazing feeling spread out from
her belly, wrapping her in a warm blanket of joy and peacefulness.  She drifted
for a few moments, lost in the sensation and the arms of her lover.

“How
did that feel, Erica?”  Kai asked, kissing her on the forehead.

“It
felt wonderful, Kai.  I love you.”  Erica smiled, and knew it to be true.  She
did love Kai, and she was glad to be with him.

“I
love you too.”  He said a little nervously – like the words were unfamiliar or
he wasn’t sure how they would be received.  “I love you too.”

“Is
there anything I can do for you, Kai?”  Erica thought about it, and wasn’t sure
she was ready to go all the way.  I need to do this at my own pace, and
right now I’m a bit scared – not a lot, but a bit.

“Well,”
he said.  “We could keep going?  I’ll be gentle – I’ll show you what to do.”

Erica
wasn’t sure – but she could hardly say no, could she?  “I’m a little nervous,
Kai.”

“I
understand… I’ll be gentle.”  Kai kissed her again, and she saw him climb on
top of her, and felt his warm member between her legs.

Oh
my goddess!  This is it!  She bit her lip.  I hope I don’t screw it up…
Oh Shit!  Condom!

“Kai!
Wait!  Could you use a condom?”

Kai
stopped, and gasped, climbing off of her.  “I’ll wait… where are the damned
things?”

“Over
here.”  Erica said, also hyper aware of how much she was aroused, sure that Kai
must be equally aroused if not more so.  She grabbed a box, and tore it open,
pulling a condom out, and opening it. “I’ll try and get it on you… Oh my god!”

“What?!”
Kai asked, a little concerned.

Erica
was staring at Kai’s manhood, and was surprised by its size – She’d never seen
a penis in that way before – it was alluring as it was intimidating.  He
sure isn’t small – oh my goddess… will that even fit?  She put the image
out of her mind, and placed the condom on his manhood, and slowly unwrapped it
over his raging hard member.  She blushed furiously, but didn’t care at all as
the last bit of the latex unwrapped and she lay down.  “Sorry – I’ve never
seen… you like this before.”

“Aye,”
He said, climbing back onto her.  “Do you like what you see?”

“Yes,”
she said while embracing him.  His strong shoulders felt like iron under her
hands.  “Very much so.”

Kai
simply kissed her, and moved a bit on top of her.  His weight was firm, and
Erica felt pressed down, a little bit trapped – it was odd, and something she
figured she’d need to get used to.  It also felt good as he slipped his fingers
down there and began to caress her lips…

Suddenly,
she felt something press against those lips – and then slowly, almost
cautiously, he entered her – and it felt like a burning spike of pleasure filled
her bit by bit, until it could go no further. She felt a moment of pain too, as
something inside her tore. “Oh my gods!”  she gasped, and clutched Kai’s back
for support as much as anything else.  She gasped again when he began to move…

Slowly
they began, moving differently at first, but soon finding a rhythm that worked
together.  He started slowly, making sure she wasn’t hurt – and then sped up
gradually, and they moaned each other’s names and groaned together as they made
love.  It went on for what seemed like forever, until Erica couldn’t control
herself and felt herself overcome with bliss as she orgasmed again.  The
explosion of pleasure seemed to radiate outward from her belly in waves, and
she could feel Kai still thrusting, until he too came in pleasure.

Kai pulled himself off of her, and just held
her in his arms.  “Are you okay, love?”  He asked.  “Did I hurt you?”

Erica smiled up at her lover, and caressed
his cheek.  “I’m fine, Kai.  I love you.”  To be honest, she was a bit
surprised with how quickly she had agreed to continue.  She felt a bit scared
too – she was entering totally unknown territory, and it was exciting and scary
at the same time.  Still, she knew she could trust Kai, and that made a lot of
the worry go away.  Besides, She thought.  I… I really liked it.  Sex
is fun – who knew?

“I love you too, Erica.”  He kissed her once
more, and then cuddled up close to her – and before she realized it, Kai was
asleep.

“Seriously?”  she whispered to herself.  Fucking
hell.  I’m such a girl.  We made love, I want to talk, and he falls asleep.
It’s almost like a parody of sex.  I should just be happy we’ve found each
other, and that we love each other.  Little stuff like this doesn’t matter.

She kissed Kai’s forehead, and stroked his
hair.  “I love you too, handsome.”  She held him for some time, lost in her
thoughts, and eventually fell asleep.

*           *           *

The alarm came far too early for Erica, when
she was jarred away by its insistent *beep* *beep* *beep*.

“Urg…  Time to get up, hon.”  Kai groaned.
“Could you turn that damn thing off?”

Erica yawned, and reached over to the clock,
shutting its alarm off.  “Is that better, Kai?”

“Much… thank you.”  Kai stretched and gave
Erica a kiss good morning.  “Last night was amazing.”

“It was amazing for me too, Kai.  Thank
you.”  Erica smiled.  It had been amazing.

“I love it when you smile like that, Erica…
it lights up the whole room.”  Kai came around the bed, and gave her a strong
hug.

Erica blushed a bit, and hugged her boyfriend
back.  “Thanks… Its second hand, you know.”

“What do you mean?”  Kai asked.

“You made me smile first… well that, and the
obvious.”

Kai chuckled, and gave her a slap on the
butt.  “Well get your second-hand self ready – we’re due to leave soon.”

“You got it, hon.” Erica bustled around,
packing what few things had been removed from her bag last night, and headed to
the washroom to get ready to go.

About a half-hour later, Erica, Kai and the
others, including her sister Angela were arrayed at the front door, loaded and
ready to go.  The day was October 8th, and it outside was still the gray
pre-dawn light.  The weather was blustery, and a little chilly, and everyone
was dressed for what would be roughly late spring or early summer back on Mercia,
in Mercian garb…  To other eyes it would seem like Angela was herding a bunch
of cosplayers out to a convention of some kind, with her in her fashionable
earth clothing.  It was a peculiar sight.

I think either my strength hasn’t been improving
much, or this pack is heavier than it was yesterday!  Erica griped to
herself.  My back is killing me already… I need to lift weights or something
– being this thin and weak is not helpful for the lifestyle I might be living.
I can’t even draw Kai’s starter kiddy bow for god’s sake!  I gotta work out
more.

“We ready to go?”  Maeve asked everyone.  Kai
and Sir Andred did a visual once-over, and nodded, and Erica did the same.

“I think so.  If I packed anything more, I’d
break my back.”  Erica groaned.

“Just think of it as good exercise.”  Kai
suggested.  “It’ll build up your muscles.”

“I know… it just sucks being so weak.”

“You know how they trained the Vigilants to
gain strength, Erica?  They filled their packs first with wet ropes, and later
with heavy stones and forced them to run around the city walls from dawn till
evening, until they fell and could rise no more.  This was done every day,
until they could run around the city walls a dozen times… And then they would
give you a suit of steel plate or heavy chain, and make you do it again.
Training is hard, but it does pay off.”

“Oh my god!”  Angie said, looking shocked.
“That sounds brutal.”

“Perhaps,” Sir Andred began.  “I like to
think of it as necessary and effective, instead of brutal.  It definitely
works.”

“I’d bet it would.”  Erica replied,
shuddering a bit.  I hope Kai and Maeve don’t make me do that to gain
muscle…  I wouldn’t get around a city’s walls once, let alone twelve times –
even a small town like Ogden would defeat me.

“Will the back yard be what you need to do
this travel spell?”  Angie asked.

Erica thought about correcting her sister and
telling her a goddess would be escorting them back, but decided against it.
She’d either figure it out on her own, or not…  Either way, nothing Erica could
do would prepare her for it.  “It should be fine, Angie. Let’s go.”

They headed outside, and entered the back
yard; it was well kept – the groundskeepers kept it well trimmed and raked of
leaves – and was dotted with stylish outdoor patio furniture and beautiful
planters.  Erica wondered if Angie even knew what plants had been in the
planters, or if she would just tell the groundskeepers to sort it out.  I
have no idea what to do with money, she thought.  I suppose it’s a good
thing I won’t have a lot of it when we go back – I won’t fritter it away.  I
guess I’ll have to learn what Mercian money is worth, and go from there.  Oh
hell – I’ll need a job of some kind too…  Freebooting adventurer might pay well
in D&D games, but I’m not so sure in real life.  Oh well – I guess I’ll
sort that out later.

“Stand
over here, Angie, away from us.  You don’t want to accidentally come with us,
right?”  Erica asked.

Angie
chuckled.  “Not so much.  Thanks.”  She stepped over, away from Erica and her friends.

“Now
what?”

“Now
we call our ride.”  Erica laughed.  She closed her eyes, and prayed.
“Askeline, it’s Erica.  We have failed to stop Vargas, and Tiamat is returned.
We ask you to return us to Mercia, and await your pleasure.  Four of us return.”

A
few moments passed, and nothing.

“Is
this more of that hurry up and wait, the church is so fond of?”  Kai asked.

Maeve
grinned.  “Probably.  It’s not like we’re going anywhere without her.”

“Hush!”
Sir Andred muttered, a little annoyed.  Kai and Maeve’s word games were often
humorous, but for some reason seemed to be bothering Sir Andred.  “Everyone be
wary – we have no idea what the situation will be when we return – or where we will
return.  The goddess may place us far from Orvan and Arathel, if that will
better serve her purpose.”

“Aye,
I suppose there’s that.”  Kai said.  “We’ll wait in silence, my friend.”

A
few more moments passed, and a light began to form from nothingness.  I am
here.  Askeline said.  You have called me to return home…  I know
already your mission has failed.  You must know this – all is not lost.  We
must make haste, for things have been set into motion that cannot be undone,
and your presence is urgently needed.

“What’s
wrong, my Lady?”  Maeve asked.

Hrask
has unleashed the armies of Hserin, and moves against Harad and Valris.  Now
that Tiamat has returned, they will be nigh unstoppable.  Vargas has been
raised to general of Hrask’s host – and a risen Mistress Awai is at his side.
Askeline paused.  Hold hands, as before, and I will return you home.
Hurry!  There is no time left!

The
friends hastily grasped each others hands, and a reddish glow began to envelope
them.  The voice of Askeline spoke once more – this time to Angela.  My
dear, you have sacrificed much for your brother, now sister, and I would give
you a boon.  Your days will be long and prosperous – thank you for watching
over her.

Angie
nodded in thanks, unsure what to say.  She looked surprised the voice had even
addressed her, and was a little scared, and a little awed.  “Good-bye, Erica!”
she called.

“Good
bye, Angie.  I love you!”  Erica called back.

“I
love you too!”

There
was a flash – and the four friends and the reddish glow were gone.

*           *           *

Harlan
Branscombe put down the field glasses, and muttered under his breath.  What
the fuck was that?  They just disappeared!  A commune my ass, there’s something
strange going on.  I’ll ask Angela later.  I guess Erica meant it when she said
she didn’t want the money.  I wonder if she found her sisters surprise yet?  I
hope she finds it soon.  It was a real pain in the ass getting it all this
fast.

He
sighed, and looked at his watch; it said 6:15am.  He pulled out his phone and
made a call, and then hung up.  “They’re gone.  Do it.”  He put his phone away,
and got ready to go meet Angie.  Someone had some explaining to do…

*           *           *

Marcus
got to his office in Toronto about 8am, tired and bedraggled from his visit to
Salt Lake City.  Disaster management had taken days, and he and James had been
lucky they had been allowed to leave, Joanne had been so mad at them.  Never
mind the fact that the entire motorcycle gang had been spontaneously immolated,
and the body of a strange reptile creature had been taken by mysterious
government officials (which thrilled James to no end), the fact Marcus and
James had simply let Erica and her friends go had really, really pissed her
off.  Frankly, Marcus thought, we were lucky to avoid being charged.
I’ll need to say I’m sorry once she cools down.  Thank god she doesn’t realize
the two events were related!

Marcus
found James waiting in his office.  “Hey James.  Good to see you!  I wasn’t
sure you were coming in to work today.”

“I
figured it would give me something to do.”  James said.  “Besides, with what’s
been going on in Salt Lake city the last few days, whatever happens here will
seem like a vacation.”

“I
hope no one takes those words as a challenge, my friend.”  Marcus said,
chuckling.  “Do you think that odd ‘laser-weapon’ that some people were saying
was used to kill that dragon was our friends?  For my part, I think the odds
are 50/50.”

“I
dunno, boss.  I’m thinking more like 80/20.  I heard a rumor that some troops saw
four people just vanish in front of them – and Erica and her pals are the only
people I know of that can do that.”

“Probably.
Still, the worlds pretty fucked up at the moment, isn’t it?”

“Yeah,
I guess.  It beats ISIS.  At least someone’s doing something about the
dragons.”  James grinned.  “I’m glad Erica got some justice for my brother –
but I’m pissed he got away.  I think I winged him when we charged up, but I
couldn’t tell.”

“Yeah.
I’ll miss Thomas too.  You gonna be okay?”  Marcus asked.

James
thought a moment.  He finally knew what happened that day when his brother
died, and a whole lot more.  It wasn’t fair – but it wasn’t a nebulous
unknown.  He supposed he could live with that.  “Yeah, I think I will.  I still
miss him, though.”

The
two poured coffees and went to check in with the chief – and found him staring
at a file.  He looked up, and smiled.  “I’m glad you’re back from your
vacation!”  He tossed a file folder at Marcus.  “Now that you’re back and
rested, you need to get to work.  Some asshole left eight bodies in an alley
near the King Edward Hotel – decapitated and with a note – around 6am or so
this morning.  Go find out what the hell happened, and arrest someone!”

Oh
Christ…  Marcus thought, as he opened the file.  As he feared, the eight
men wore jackets showing a pool of red.  The note, in a separate picture, said
“These people killed homeless people for fun.”  He swore, and showed the file
to James.  “It’s the same alley those two street people were burned to death, about
two days before the massacre.  Eric van Helstrome was their friend.”

“God
dammit!”  James exclaimed.

“Tell
me about it.”  Marcus sighed.  We’re never going to solve this, he
thought.  I know damn well who did it – but good luck finding them.  Christ,
it was going to be a long day.

*           *           *

Officer
Dave Marten lay in bed next to his wife Delores, and stared at the ceiling.  It
was 6am, and his alarm had just gone off, and Del had gone back to sleep for
fifteen minutes.  I can’t fucking believe it, he thought.  I think
that’s the first time we’ve had sex in six, no – seven months, and we screwed
like fucking bunnies.  I think that was the best sex I ever had, too.  Del
was so surprised to see the necklace I bought her – and who wouldn’t?  I
told her it was a bonus from work…  I feel like a shit, but I wasn’t about to
tell her a crazy lady gave me over a thousand bucks in gold to get her a
present.  I suppose I could have told her?  I dunno.

Dave
got up, and began to get ready for work, having a coffee and a piece of toast.
He kissed his wife goodbye, and drove to the office, taking a moment to think.
I already caught shit for that stunt Maeve pulled, writing how to fix the
jail and leaving it in the Sherriff’s office.  I thought I was going to laugh till
I shit my pants when I read that note she left… oh my god.  Frank was so angry
he was red and veins were popping out on his forehead.  Then those monsters
appeared a day or so later, and everything went crazy.

Dave
muddled through his day, worried about his kids, and about Delores.  Sure,
last night was great – but would it last when he came home stressed, and
screamed at the kids to shut the hell up?  Would he be sentenced to the damn
couch again – or would it be another six months before he and Del got it on
again?  By the end of the day, he was pretty annoyed, angry and stressed
out.  He had had to work late again too – with Mitch and him working extra
hours on shift, the paperwork just wasn’t getting done.  Mitch had gone home,
but Dave was too worried to do the same.  I’m worried it’ll go back to the
way it was, he thought.

Then
he had an idea…  The guy in cell 2 was suspected of murder – suspected, hell –
he was caught in the fucking act.  His lawyer had already stopped by and said
he could get the kid off.  Fucking hell.  Dave got up from his desk, and
walked to the back of the office, and opened a cell.  The guy inside saw him
approaching, and looked worried. “Don’t worry your punk ass, boy.  This is gonna
hurt you a lot more than it’s gonna hurt me.”

Thirty
minutes later, Dave washed the blood off his knuckles, and drove home
whistling.  When he got home, he kissed his kids hello, and apologized to Del
for being late for dinner – again.  He even promised to make it up to her this
weekend…  Take the whole family to the water park and do something fun for the
kids, followed by a nice dinner for him and Delores.

He
wasn’t surprised that Delores didn’t know what to say – but he was more than
surprised when she dragged him off to their bedroom, and screwed his brains
out.  Holy Fuck, he thought. If I thought last night was amazing, I
was blown away by tonight.  Jesus Christ!  She was like a hungry animal!
As he lay next to his satiated wife, Dave had only a single thought as he dozed
off…  Maeve was right… I’ll be damned.

Dave
shook his head, and broke out of his idle day-dream…  Yeah, right!  If I
tried that, it would be me in jail, not the crook.  Wouldn’t it be nice,
though?  At least he could dream about it – even if he’d never do it in
real life.  Still, he thought, maybe the kids would like the water
park?  I’ve got enough gold left to do it…

Epilogue

Erica
felt the void around her once more, and like before, the demons kept their
distance.  Unlike before, Askeline didn’t seem to feel like talking – and they
flew through the void in silence.  The demons of the void watched them, cursing
and swearing – but could approach only so far before they were repelled by
Askeline’s protective aura.  Suddenly, it was over – and they were back in the
mortal world.

They
were standing on a grassy hill, and the sun was shining brightly overhead.
There was the touch of salt in the air, and the cry of sea birds could be heard
in the distance.  All around them was a sea of green, grassy hills as far as
the eye could see to the north and east, and to the west and south was an imposing
wall of mountains, the foothills of which were not too far away.  The sound of
many sonorous and high pitched whistles rang through the air, turning the wind
into a kaleidoscope of musical sound.  It sounded strange, but beautiful to
Erica’s ears.  She took a breath – and could tell instantly, they were back in
Mercia.  It just felt like home – it was impossible to explain, but she knew it
in her gut.

“I
think we’re back.”  She said.  “Everyone okay?”

The
others took stock, and quickly agreed.

“Askeline?
Are you still here?”  Erica asked – she could feel a presence, but her patron
hadn’t made herself visible.

Yes.
There is little time to waste.  The fleet of Hserin is approaching the Gates of
Harad.  The armies of Valris and Madragoor will require time to muster…  You
must hold as long as you can.  Stop their advance if you can – and if you
cannot, slow it as much as you’re able.  If Harad falls, so will all of Valris.

Askeline’s spirit summoned a magical orb, and within that orb, the heroes could
see the doom that Hserin had been planning for them approaching – one it may
well have been planning for over three thousand years.   Before them, on the
other sides of the Gates of Harad, was a fleet like none other – greater than
even the Sea Folk could muster.  Three thousand ships, armed with men, siege
weapons, and supplies to make war upon the people of Mercia.  Above the fleet
were scouts on Felldrakes, riding dragons of a lesser sort, in vast numbers, as
well as three immense shadows.

Behind
the felldrakes, behind the fleet, flew three immense dragons!  Two of them were
greenish-yellow in color, and the other was a deep crimson.  They circled
lazily, waiting for the fleet to precede them, completely unworried.  Riding
one of them was Vargas Elm, and on another was Mistress Awai.

Sir
Andred paled in terror – as did Maeve and Kai and Erica.  “This is a force that
hasn’t been seen since the Days of Legend!  How can we stand against these
foes?”

I
do not know that you can, Sir Andred – I only know that you must.  If you four
do not find a way to stop the army’s advance, no one will and all of Valris will
burn in dragonfire.  I entrust to you the safety of Valris, Sir Andred – I
command you to go forth and rally what troops you can and aid in the defence of
Harad.  You can do this… You MUST do this.  Hurry.  The dwarves will soon be
closing the gates.  With that, Askeline was gone…

“Dwarves?”
Erica asked.

“Not
now, Erica.”  Maeve said, shouldering her pack.  “We’ve got to go.  There isn’t
any time to waste.”

Sir
Andred steeled himself.  “I swore in our next meeting that either Vargas or I would
lie dead.  This is as good a chance as any to prove myself to The Twins.”

“Right…
Out of the frying pan, and into the fire.”  Erica said, trying to catch up to
the others.  “Why the hell not?  Where are we going?”

Kai
spoke up, getting into a pace that could easily eat miles.  “The Gates of
Harad, Erica… a Dwarven kingdom that has long since protected the civilized
peoples of Mercia from Hserin.  It was said that nothing could breach their enormous
gates – but no one has fielded three dragons since The Age of Legends.  This is
an army, or fleet, like nothing the world has seen in an age.”

Erica
nodded…  So the crap has hit the fan, she thought.  I guess we had
better go to work.  I wonder if we’re the ones who should be scared – or they
are?  Time will tell, I suppose.  Erica hurried after her friends,
wondering what new adventures tomorrow would bring.

THE END

Erica and her Friends
will return in “Destruction” – Part 3 of Call of the Void.