“While it is not difficult to find the entrance, the various shops and storefronts can be tough to navigate. I think it will be best if I take you there personally.”
“Freddy, are you offering to act as my tour guide?”
“I would be honored. Plus, I believe I will able to ensure the quality of the items we seek as well as negotiate the best prices if I am there in person.”
“I feel guilty enough as it is asking you for all this help. Are you sure you don’t mind going?”
“Were you not paying attention when I told you it was one of my favorite places in the city,” Freddy stated.
I couldn’t help but smile at that. It wasn’t often Freddy tried to be funny. I guess I shouldn’t feel guilty letting him tag along, it basically seemed like his Disneyworld.
“Okay pal, I’d appreciate your help. Now, what other items are we going to need when we get there?”
“You won’t need to worry yourself about that. Since I am going with you, I shall simply take you to each item you need. Besides, you said that time was of the essence. If that is the case I believe it would be prudent for us to leave right away. Every second counts.”
“You’re right Freddy, let’s get going.”
“Just give me a moment to secure the more precious items here,” he said.
Freddy started carefully picking up the stone book and made it clear he’d be a few minutes. I told him I’d meet him in the garage and I headed down to one of the offices we have for our use. I made three phone calls.
The first was to Vix, telling her that Freddy was excited and in a rush. Since time was so crucial, and Freddy and I still needed to hit a bank before we went shopping, she agreed to stay at home. Heading out to my house to pick her up would have delayed us quite a bit, plus to be completely honest, I wasn’t sure if I was ready for her and Freddy to meet yet.
My second call was to Vector, who informed me that he was extraordinarily busy with a case at the moment. I was hoping to get his help with a few things but there was no chance he could step away right now. I did fill him in on my current situation and explain that if he didn’t hear from me in a few days he should take care of Vlad. He laughed at me for being overly dramatic, which prompted me to give him shit about my home alarm system. As you may remember, he upgraded it when he was here and boasted about how impenetrable it would make my home. Needless to say, telling him of its failures quieted him down. He told me he had a few ideas to fix it and I told him I wasn’t really that big a deal. We exchanged brotherly pleasantries and hung up.
My final call was to Visine or more accurately his message service. He was out of contact but he’d given me a number in case there was important information I needed to get to him. I fully explained the situation with Vix’s folks and explained the urgency of the situation. He was sort of on his own personal walk about, but I was hoping he could take a slight detour. I needed him to. After giving my preemptive thanks, I hung up and made my way to the garage.
Freddy showed up a minute later and walked me over to his car, a blue Mini Cooper, with white stripes down the hood. I wanted to make fun of it, but honestly it felt like the perfect car for Freddy to be driving, so I let it go. He pressed the door lock button, the lights flashed, and we jumped in. The little engine sprung to life and we were off.
CHAPTER 5
Now, I know what you’re thinking. We must be off to get some gold doubloons or silver coins or something cool. I know I was. So you can imagine my disappointment when Freddy informed me that J Street takes cash. I mean come on. What kind of respectable magical establishment takes cash? Freddy tried to cheer me up by pointing out that gold coins would often yield better deals, but it was too late. The beautiful mirage was broken.
To be fair, I had no idea where to get that much gold in a hurry anyway. But, just for laughs I decided to ask the bank. Walking into your local bank and asking for five pounds of gold coins will probably cause the teller to laugh in your face. I know that’s what I was expecting. But the bank I use isn’t your normal bank. When you’re dealing with the levels of wealth that my parents left me, there are perks. So, after I made my ridiculous request, I was rewarded with an “of course Mr. Chang.” The look on Freddy’s face was priceless. Well, I guess priceless isn’t really the correct term. Technically that look cost me about a hundred thousand dollars in gold.
One of the hosts, a skinny gentleman in a finely tailored grey suit, brought us tea while we waited. I took a whiff of the perfect cup of green tea before blowing lightly and taking a sip. Another perk of wealth, the bank always has a cup of delicious tea ready for you. It might seem like I’m hamming it up a bit, with the gold and tea and such, but the reality is that I’m extremely uncomfortable. I always feel guilty using my parent’s wealth. People like me don’t deserve millions of dollars. Far from it. But, one of the few things that made me feel better about my money was using it to help the people I cared about. I think it’s what my mom would have wanted.
I often wish I would have known about the money when she was alive. I really would have liked to talk to her about it. Ask her what she wanted me to do with it. Find out how I could make her proud. But fate made sure I never got to ask that question. She, like my father, was taken away from me far too soon. So, all I can do is guess. Luckily mom left me a little hint in the name of the fund; Ninjahero. Subtle mom, very subtle.
So, here I sat, withdrawing an absurd amount of money in order to help Vix. Hopefully that counts as a ninja being a hero. Right about then the lady tending to my account approached us. Although she had the beautiful caramel skin of a much younger woman, the wisps of white in her black hair hinted at an older age. She gave us both a warm smile and handed me a metal briefcase. The case looked very similar to the one Yoshida used to carry around. Which made my mind drift back to Vix. I couldn’t help but wonder how different my life would have been if we’d never been separated.
“All of the paperwork is inside the case Mr. Chang. May we be of any other service today?”
Freddy nudged me to snap me out of my daydream, “Oh, um, No. Thank you kindly.”
I took the case, gave her a goodbye nod and led Freddy towards the door. Once we were outside of the bank he gave me a quizzical look.
“BD, if I may, is something wrong?”
“Nothing more than the task at hand. Why?”
“How can I say this without offense. You seem to be letting your mind wander more than usual,” he tried.
I wanted to make some witty retort, but he was right, I was distracted. Vix being back and whatever that meant for my future was all I seem to be thinking about. Getting stuck in my own head was something I’d need to avoid if I was going into combat with elemental spirits.
“Sorry pal, I’m just, you know, thinking about stuff.”
Freddy looked like he wanted to say something but he bit it back. I could see his concern, but I wasn’t going to start talking about her. I’d already opened up about Vix far more than I intended. So, in the interest of keeping the dude talk in the emotion free zone, I changed the subject.
“So, how does this Veil street work exactly?”
“How do you mean?” he asked.
“I’m not sure. I guess mostly I’m wondering where we are heading? Can we enter anywhere along the strip or are there specific places to step in?”
“That is another fascinating fact about J Street. It is one of the rare Veil pockets, which can only be accessed from our world. While other such pockets have been discovered, J Street is the largest to ever be verified,” he smiled.
“Verified?”
“Correct. There is a strong belief that a Veil pocket swallowed Atlantis. Should we be able to verify that story, we will have discovered a Veil pocket as big as a city.”
“Atlantis? As in the Lost City of?”
“That is the one,” Freddy grinned, “But perhaps that is a story for another time.”
“Um yeah. We’re definitely talking about that at some
point. Now, how many entrances are there to J Street from our world?”
“There is only one entrance to J Street. By parking at Union Station and taking some of the side tunnels we will be able to access it easily enough.”
“Wait, there’s only one way in and out of this joint? That doesn’t sound like a very safe place to set up.”
“There is no need to worry BD, J Street is quite well protected. They take security very seriously.”
“Oh good,” I laughed.
It wasn’t that I doubted the rich folk would try and protect their money. I just didn’t particularly trust them to do it with the safety of their patrons in mind. Call me cynical. We jumped back in Freddy’s car and headed towards Union Station. The ride was fairly short and I think Freddy was rambling on about all of his favorite stores to visit, but I wasn’t actually paying attention. I kept thinking about Vix and what would happen next. I knew I was distracted and I knew I needed to get my head back in the game. It just wasn’t happening.
Freddy pulled into one of Union Stations many parking lots and headed towards the bottom floor. This was a different location than my last visit, but the idea was very similar. The bottom level was a bit secluded and required a key card to get past the gate. There were several government vehicles parked down there, mostly generic white cars and vans. Past the government cars there was a garage door leading to an even lower level, which could not be seen from the top. Freddy used his key card and opened a doublewide garage door, letting us into the super secret lowest level.
I actually half expected it to be empty. The kind of place only GHOST personnel knew about. But there were three other vehicles in there at the moment. Two grey crown vics and a white cube van. They had the bland air of government vehicles, with district tags to prove it. Freddy parked and we got out of the car amid the prying eyes of several security cameras. The large room got eerily quiet as the garage door closed behind us. I nodded at the other cars as I addressed Freddy.
“Hey Freddy, how many people know about these secret parking lots we use?”
“There are various other agencies that have business in the market place below. While there are a variety of entrances into the market place, this is one of the more popular access points used by government personnel on official business.”
“How many agencies know about the world next door?”
“Every major government agency knows a little. Or I guess more accurately there are members of each organization who know enough to be helpful. You see, when we need to alter a building plan or divert a new metro line because it happens to pass through a Veil pocket, you need a sympathetic ear. Therefore, people with knowledge of our organization work behind the scenes in most branches of government to ensure we remain a mystery,” Freddy smiled.
“I guess that makes sense.”
“It is a necessity in the world of secrets. Allies who work behind the scenes to make sure we are able to do our job.”
Freddy got out of his car and led the way towards a faded green door marked “Authorized Personnel Only”. He swiped his key card across the reader and the door unlocked. On the other side was a very large closet illuminated by a single florescent light. The room was about fifteen by thirty and filled with dingy metal shelving. They were mostly bare with the occasional half empty box of florescent bulbs and a few fixtures collecting dust. Overall it was clear this space wasn’t actually used for storage. We closed the door behind us and Freddy approached the grimy sink in the back.
As you might hope in a situation like this, there was a special combination of moves to reveal the secret door to the lower levels. Freddy turned on the hot water knob exactly one turn and then the cold-water knob one turn. No water ran into the sink. He then pressed three bricks on the wall and each one slid in about an inch. Freddy turned the cold-water knob off followed by the hot water and then there was a crunching sound as the wall next to the sink began to move back. After about five feet it stopped to reveal a stone stairway leading down to the left.
“Here we go,” Freddy said before pulling out a small flashlight and hopping down the steps.
The door closed behind us, plunging the stairway into darkness. Freddy’s flashlight provided just enough illumination for us to navigate down the spiral stairs safely. We traveled down a great distance before finally reaching the bottom. At the base of the stairs there was a large chamber with tunnels leading forward and off to the right and left. To the right, I could hear the hustle and bustle of a large crowd, so I assumed that was the Market Place I’d visited before. I was about to ask Freddy about it, but the second his foot hit the bottom he turned to the left and continued on. He was obviously really excited to get to J Street.
The tunnel we walked thru was carved stone, about fifteen feet high and just a bit wider. There were torches and lanterns hanging at regular intervals so that Freddy didn’t need his light. The flickering flames sent light dancing across the damp cave like walls. It was clear these passages were heavily used and well maintained. We passed the occasional hallway offshoot but Freddy continued on. After a fair amount of walking, the tunnel spit us out into a much larger space.
We were standing in a huge stone cavern. The ceiling was easily fifty feet high and the room was at least twice as wide. There were five entrances into the cavern, each of which appeared to be a tunnel just like the one we’d used. Actually, three of the other tunnels were like the one we used, the one in the middle was significantly larger. It must have been the main entrance into the chamber. But all five tunnels were obviously there for the same purpose, to lead people to the giant set of stone stairs on the far side. They were easily fifty feet across and ran up far enough that I couldn’t make out the top from here.
In order to maintain a consistent lighting theme with the tunnels, this room was also lit by fire. Lanterns graced the walls and a pair of giant brazier fire pots swayed gently back and forth at the base of the stairs. Even with the giant fires blazing, the room remained cool and comfortable. It was also oddly quiet, even Freddy’s footfalls barely echoing on the hard stone as he walked. We were no longer alone as there were now several people in the various stages of heading up or down the stairs. Most of them emerging from or leaving through that main tunnel. The majority of the room’s occupants appeared human or at least humanoid. I did notice a pair of trolls leaving by a side tunnel, but they were the most unusual group I could currently see. Freddy’s pace increased towards the stairs and I kept up.
As we ascended the stairs, I noticed everyone we passed was wearing fancy attire. Lots of vibrant colors and mostly made of silk. If I had to sum it up I’d say we appeared to have arrived at a Genie’s pajama party. I returned the friendly nod of the two gentlemen wearing bright blue suits, with tails and top hats, as they walked past us down the stairs. The couple ahead of us appeared to be dressed for Christmas. Her gown was red and gold and he wore a dark green suit. His beret was turned a bit to the side and I thought I noticed mistletoe on the brim. I couldn’t help but laugh. I looked over at Freddy in his three-piece suit as I spoke.
“Even you seem a bit underdressed for this crowd Freddy.”
He shifted uncomfortably, running his finger in his collar as he replied, “Had I realized where we were heading today, I would have worn a finer suit.”
I gave him a little laugh and looked at my own outfit; a red polo shirt, blue jeans, and a pair of red sneakers.
“Don’t worry pal, I think you got me beat.”
We passed a few more shoppers on our way up. A goblin dressed like a wealthy merchant walked past and sneered in our general direction. I smiled to myself and almost said something when the next bunch drew my attention. They were three dark elves. Unlike the two I’d met during my first Veil visit, these men looked extremely wealthy. Although they each wore dark cloaks about their shoulders, the air currents flowing up the stairs were blowing them back enough to reveal fine black leather outfits underneath. Their clothes were form fitting and covered i
n silver buttons and buckles. Bejeweled silver rapiers graced each of their belts and even a cursory glance was enough to tell me they were incredibly expensive. The closest elf smiled and touched two fingers to his forehead in a small salute towards me.
I nodded back and returned the friendly smile. His hand was decorated with fancy rings, encrusted with gems. He wore a shinny silver bracelet and intricate metal earrings. Everything about these men screamed rich and pampered. But, as I watched them walk down the stairs, I realized that was a front. They moved with a control and power that comes from years of training. These men were warriors and I could tell they were immensely skilled. None of this probably matters as they walked by without incident. But my mind was always scanning for threats around me and those men stuck out like a sore thumb. I wondered if all dark elves were competent fighters or if I was just elf stereotyping. Something I should probably ask Vector about.
As we walked up the stairs, I kept waiting for the light of day to illuminate our path. Some hint at the bright world we were about to step into. It was practically noon when we left, so I didn’t think there was any chance I’d miss the illumination of the midday sun. But it never came. As we approached the top, I realized it wasn’t that I couldn’t see the sky, it just wasn’t the color I expected it to be. Twilight is the best way I can describe it.
The sky was that beautiful purple color you sometimes get as the reds, yellows, and blues of the day fade into night. I almost thought I could make out the first hints of stars in the sky, but that could have just been my mind playing tricks on me. It was absolutely beautiful. All the while still being just barely bright enough that you could make your way without a torch. As we crested the top of the stairs, I pulled my attention away from the sky and took in the enormity that was J Street.
CHAPTER 6
The view from the top of the steps was impressive to say the least. I was expecting some small alley running in-between quaint storefronts. What I saw was a four-lane brick highway running as far as the eye could see. Massive buildings lined the street, standing shoulder to shoulder like some kind of monolithic honor guard. Each building was unique and wildly different, yet somehow still managed to seamlessly snuggle into its neighbors. They were marble mostly, shades and colors so varied I couldn’t name half of them. It was clearly expensive, astoundingly beautiful, and just breathtaking. When Freddy called it the Rodeo Drive of the supernatural world, he wasn’t kidding.
G.H.O.S.T. Teams (Book 3) Spirits Page 5