The Lesser One

by Zeppy Cheng

  “No good. I’ve only been able to conjure copper and steel for a couple of months.”

  Lacy grimaces. “Fine. A couple of months it is, then. We’ll say that you had the input of many professors and spent hundreds of hours perfecting the material.”

  I nod. “Okay. I’ll put it that way.”

  “Just out of curiosity,” says Lacy, “how long did it actually take you to develop the three versions of Rearden metal?”

  “Um, I just thought to myself ‘I want a strong metal made of steel and copper’ and sort of, put my mind to work. Then it came out.”

  Lacy raises an eyebrow. “So you would be able to create something similar within minutes.”

  “Yeah, probably.”

  Her face twitches. “Do not disclose this fact to anyone. Ever.”

  “Okay, I get it.”

  “I am legally bound to work in your best interest,” says Lacy. “But most people are not. In fact, most people will try to manipulate you in order to gain something from you.”

  I stare straight ahead at the road. All of a sudden, the cars driving on the wrong side of the road creeps me out.

  “I trust that you understand the depth of what you are getting into,” says Lacy.

  “I think so.”

  We spend the rest of the drive in silence. Soon we pull into the parking garage of a soaring building without any distinguishing features. Lacy opens the door and gets out first. I brace myself and follow her.

  Two Men In Black welcome us at the building’s entrance and lead us inside. “We’re sorry,” says one of them, “but we’re going to have to search you for weapons.”

  Isn’t that stupid? I could, if I wanted to, summon a plethora of weapons out of nowhere, and these guards are checking me?

  But Lacy holds up her hands. The guards wave a metal detecting wand around her. She clears. Then they wave the wand around me. I’m also clear.

  The two men motion towards the hall. “Master Crayton is waiting.”

  Lacy pushes past them. “We can find our own way.” She leads me to the elevator and selects the seventh floor. “I might not have to tell you this since it is obvious, but don’t use your powers during the negotiation. Especially don’t conjure any sort of item that could be construed as a weapon.”

  I understand completely. “Okay.”

  Lacy sighs. “I never know when it comes to Americans and their weapons.”

  “I get it,” I say. “Gun culture and all that.”

  The elevator doors open. Yet another Man In Black leads us to a meeting room at the corner of the building, where two walls of windows look out over the street.

  Five people are already in the room. Lacy pulls up a chair for me at the seat closest to the door, and then she sits down next to me. I recognize Crayton’s lawyer from the night before — a big, paunchy man with piggy eyes.

  Crayton’s lawyer folds his hands. “The name’s Billard. You can call me Bill.”

  “Lacy,” she says.

  Billard ogles Lacy without even trying to hide it. Lacy holds her arms in front of herself defensively. Billard clears his throat.

  “We will now begin negotiations on my client’s behalf.” Bill shuffles his papers. “If you would direct your attention to article three of our proposed contract…”

  And so begins a long, long day.

  19 Key

  I am utterly bored for the vast portion of the negotiations, even with the stake I have in its outcome. I just can’t get my mind fully wrapped around the waterfall of legalese and super-specific conditions. Halfway through I find out that the other people in the room are from the UK Bureau of Conjurers and Adventurers, the government bureaucrats who make the laws about conjuration and the sale of its products. This being the UK instead of the US, the laws are a bit different.

  As Lacy told me, I don’t have to say anything. I just watch the negotiations take place. But a few hours in, I need to go to the bathroom. I lean towards Lacy. “I need to go.”

  Lacy nods without taking her gaze off her copy of the contract, now covered in scribbled notes and corrections. “Don’t forget our requirements for section three—”

  I’m grateful to walk, even if it is for a short distance. The bathroom is easy to find — there are signs pointing to it.

  I am peeing in the urinal when a man in a black suit takes the spot next to me. “I have a proposition for you,” he says.

  Ick, I hate urinal conversations. But this one seems to be important. “Yes?”

  “Your powers are worth much more than Esmex and Crayton could ever hope to give you.” He maintains his gaze towards the wall.

  I zip up my pants. “Um, who do you work for?”

  “You’re not the only one with a network of portal beings working for you.” The man zips up and turns around.

  At the sink, in front of the mirror, we both wash our hands. He places a business card on the counter and then pulls a few paper towels out of the dispenser. He does not look at me.

  “Do what is best for yourself and your country.” And then he walks out.

  Well, that was cryptic. I finish washing my hands, grab the business card, slip it into my pocket, and return to the meeting room.

  When I enter, Lacy faces me. “Good timing. Markus, we’re wrapping up. All we need is for you to review the contract. This won’t take more than ten minutes.”

  I sit down. “Okay?” My mind is still on that encounter in the bathroom.

  Lacy puts a stack of papers in front of me. “This is the rundown.” The people on the other side of the table watch quietly. Lacy points to a couple paragraphs. “First, money. You will receive a ten percent cut of all sales of Rearden metal for thirty years in exchange for giving up the recipe. Esmex will then hold the actual type two patent for the material. Does this sound good?”

  “Yes.” I’m not certain I actually understand it.

  “Next, we’ll talk about what you’re going to have to do. It will be your job to train the twelve copper-steel conjurers acquired by Esmex to produce Rearden metal. Your deadline is two months. Is this satisfactory?”

  “It is.”

  “As well as this,” says Lacy, “you will receive a portion of ownership of the new company Esmex is creating to handle Rearden metal. If you choose to work for Esmex’s subsidiary as a researcher, you will be placed in a position of high authority and have a large laboratory budget.”

  “I’m sixteen. I can’t do research.”

  “You created Rearden metal.” Her tone is droll beneath her crisp accent. “That is enough to make you a viable investment. Even the, ahem, small chance that you may create another alloy of similar value is enough for Esmex to put a lot of money into your case.”

  I nod. “Okay. What about Adventuring? What about my guild?”

  Lacy shakes her head. “You’re going to have to make a choice. For now, you’re the only one with the recipe for Rearden metal, so you are much too valuable to send into a portal. However, after you teach the creation method to others, you won’t be needed as acutely. You could, if you wished, return to your life as an Adventurer.”

  “Okay,” I say. “I’ll think about that.”

  Lacy nods. “The London Adventurers’ Association has declared you an S-class.”

  “What? S, um, S-class?”

  “For some reason,” says Lacy, “you were nominated for that category and it passed with no disagreement. The class rating system is universal, so you’ll be S-class no matter where you are in the world.”

  This must be the leverage that Sebastian was talking about.

  “For now,” she continues, “Esmex has also backed your confirmation as an S-class. This is in order to allow you access to various confidential information. The contract we negotiated states that, if you agree to work for Esmex, you will become part of their sponsored guild, the Blue Dryads. I realize that you have school to get back to and a guild of your own that I know you are fond of. This arrangement will be temporary. You coul
d think of it as an internship, though you are much more valuable than any intern.”

  “So I’ll be done before school starts again?” I say.

  “Probably. And if you do choose to become a sponsored researcher, Esmex will be able to provide you with a lab in their name at your school. Nowadays it’s easy to work overseas.”

  “Okay.”

  Lacy’s lips curl up a bit. “Do be careful, though. This contract is subject to change. I’ll be on call for you for as long as necessary.” She clips her Redweld closed. “That’s it. Now for the signatures.” She hands me a pen.

  It takes about five minutes for both sides to sign all the paperwork. I read what I can, but I also trust Lacy’s summary of the contract. We are done by two.

  “London cabs take card, right?” I say to Lacy as we stand up to leave.

  Lacy nods. “But I can drive you back to your hotel. And Esmex has also arranged a temporary apartment for you to live in. I can take you there, if you prefer.”

  I shake my head. “I’m just going to be a tourist for a while.”

  “I would tell you to be careful, but you are an S-class Adventurer,” says Lacy. “Just don’t do anything stupid.”

  Outside, as I am flagging a cab, a limousine pulls up in front of me. One of my devils steps out.

  That’s right! I have an army of super-secret agents who can also drive limos! Plus, I’m a millionaire. This is the first time I am genuinely happy to have actual infernal demons on my side. They know everything I want before I want it.

  The demon driver is Sebastian. He bows and opens the door for me. “I assume we are heading to the location given by the government agents?”

  “Yeah,” I say, getting in. I hand Sebastian the paper — the one given to me by May last night, not the business card given to me twenty minutes ago. That business card will be a whole different problem. “Let’s make this quick.”

  Sebastian gets into the driver’s seat and starts the engine. “There is a drink bar for your refreshment.” He glances at me through the rearview mirror as he drives away.

  In the center of the luxurious facing sofas is a minifridge. I open it up — it is full of sparkling grape juice. Well, I guess I’m too rich for normal soda. I spend the rest of the ride sipping the stuff and feeling like a real millionaire. Soon we pull into an empty lot near an industrial park. I step out of the limo.

  Sebastian puts a finger to his ear, listening. He hands me the same magic earplug that he gave me during the gala. We have one sniper on target, but the government has three. Be careful. There’s a game of cat and mouse going on.

  I nod, approaching the door at the back of the lot. It opens before I reach it. A man in black steps out. Man, am I getting tired of Men In Black. “You came,” he says.

  “I did. Are you with the British government?”

  The man smiles. “I am. I want to make you a deal. I know you have already signed a contract with that dismal excuse for a company known as Esmex, but this conversation is not about that. We have a problem. One that I believe you can fix.”

  “Um, I’m sixteen and I don’t know that I can solve any problems an entire government can have.”

  “We know your network of agents is currently in positions of power all across the world,” says the man. “We don’t care about your metal. We have enough money to simply purchase it off Esmex, and it’s better to leave goods to the private sector. We need intelligence.”

  “Okay? How can I help?”

  “First, I have to ask. Were you contacted by Brine Ward?”

  I think for a moment, and then touch the business card in my pocket. Yes, it was for Brine Ward. Sebastian! Help!

  Sebastian: You’re going to have to pick a side.

  Um, what? What am I getting involved in? Who are the good guys? Who is Brine Ward? I shake my head. “I have to think about this. I don’t know if I can help you.”

  “You don’t even know what our problem is,” says the government agent. “My name is Barley Smad. I’m the director of the organized crime unit here in London.”

  “Um, I’m Markus.”

  “I know,” says Barley. “I can tell you some things now. First, we are at war with a criminal organization that uses portal beings as agents.”

  Is that my devils? I turn to Sebastian. But he shakes his head.

  “We believe these beings are Shinigami,” says Barley. “That is, Japanese death gods.”

  “So you’re having problems with, um, yakuza?”

  He shakes his head. “This organization is Russian in origin. We’ve traced the operatives to a single prolapsed A-class portal in the Siberian wilderness.”

  “So, when a portal prolapses…” I say.

  “Yes,” says Barley. “Even a B-class monster is as capable as a highly-trained assassin or spy if allowed to gain corporeality outside a portal.” He glances at Sebastian. “It is rare, but sometimes when a human absorbs a boss’s Spirit Ring, the underlings obey that human as their master — but only after the boss has exited a prolapsed portal.”

  I glance at Sebastian. Oh, I think. So I’m not the only one.

  Barley lowers his head. “We need the help of your network. Gaining a powerful ally like you will further our fight immensely.”

  “So, we’re dealing with mafia here?” I ask.

  “Yes.”

  Sebastian: It looks like there is a third party observing. We’re attempting to bring him down. It’s probably the mafia you’re talking about. There is a pause. This agent is good. He’s no human. We need backup. It’s fine to summon in front of this man.

  I nod. “My butler says there’s a mafia sniper trying to pin us down.”

  Barley puts his hand to his ear. “Um hum,” he says. “Yes. Indeed. I’ll cut things short.” He drops his hand and nods at me. “Let’s continue this conversation in a safer place.”

  “Just a minute. Sebastian, who should I summon?”

  “I’ll call them out,” says Sebastian.

  In my personal dimension, I feel the three devils Sebastian marks. I let them free. They appear around me in a puff of mist. All three of them bow, and then they disperse in a cloud of smoke.

  Barley wipes his forehead with a handkerchief. “I’ve never seen that happen before. How many more of them do you have?”

  “Should I tell him?” I ask Sebastian.

  “Wait until we know what the government is going to do,” says Sebastian out loud, presumably for Barley’s benefit.

  Barley slips his handkerchief into his pocket. “Well, then. We have an armored car waiting for you.” He looks at the limo. “If you, um…”

  Sebastian shakes his head. “Our car is armored.”

  Barley takes out his handkerchief again and wipes his forehead. “Well, then, I suppose we can just let you follow us.”

  At his words a black van pulls up behind my parked limo. Two police officers with rifles and body armor step out. Barley gets into the van. When he is halfway through the door, he leans back out. “Just follow this van. The journey won’t take long.”

  Sebastian walks to the limo and holds the door open for me. I step in; he enters and starts the car. We follow the black van through the streets of London until we leave the big city for the suburbs, finally reaching a warehouse on a mostly empty industrial estate. We stop there, and the government van unloads.

  I get out of the limo with Sebastian. We both follow Barley into the warehouse. It’s filled with computer equipment and at least two dozen people buzzing about, typing, speaking, doing spy stuff. Barley leads Sebastian and I up to a second-floor conference room, closing the blast-proof door behind us. “Take a seat.”

  Instead of expensive conference room chairs, these are folding metal. I tuck it in at the table as I sit.

  Barley sits across from me. “This room is ordinarily used for information gathering. It’s the most secure room in this city.” He leans forward, tapping the table in front of him. “This is where you need to make a choice. Help u
s, or leave the country.”

  “Um, but I have an internship with—”

  “That doesn’t matter. With the amount of power invested in you, you can easily destroy public peace. Allowing you to team up with Brine Ward would be detrimental to the safety of this country.” His eyes are piercing, different from the bumbling aura he gave off when we were in the empty lot.

  An explosion sends deep vibrations through the room. Barley turns to the door. “Bloody hell.”

  A government lackey sticks his head through the door. Barley glances at him. “What’s going on?”

  For a supposed spy, the lackey appears frightened. “They’re attacking. Monsters! We can’t see them!” Then his face freezes. A sharp claw protrudes from the lackey’s stomach.

  “You shouldn’t have opened the door,” growls a dangerous voice. The lackey collapses atop the clawed hand, revealing a portal being — spiked hair, ghost-white skin, and long claws with knife-sharp edges. Tattered leather clothing. Piercing teeth. Bright red eyes colored with intelligence and hatred.

  The Shinigami tosses the dead lackey aside. A peep comes out of Barley’s mouth.

  Sebastian stands between me and the monster. His arm is held out to stop me from getting close.

  My Anima vision spots a second monster as it sneaks into the conference room past the first — one that’s invisible to the naked eye. I conjure a blade and stab the monster in the side. Its blood sprays visibly — it appears as if it is coming out of nowhere. The monster pulls away. I know where it is, but I can’t exactly see what it is doing.

  “What’s happening?” says Barley. “Where’s this blood coming from?”

  Sebastian engages the visible Shinigami in a sword fight. Sebastian is a knight-class demon. The two clash together, sending up fountains of sparks from their blades.

  I watch the invisible Shinigami, making sure it stays away from Barley. When the invisible monster charges, I do a turning kick and land my foot in its jaw. With my newly doubled strength and my Practical Field Experience training, I crack its bone and send teeth flying into the wall. The teeth patter to the floor. The invisible Shinigami backs towards the door.