Other Places 3: Detours

by P. S. Power

  Really, if he'd been more knowledgeable and stronger, he would have killed her, he decided. Not because he didn't like her. No, that was silly. She was, after a fashion, as much as a Greater Demon could be, his friend. She was also a vast danger to him. Her power was... Fantastic, he realized. If he lived to be a thousand, chances were he'd never be able to grab another of their kind like she nearly had him. Like she had, others. The Demon Fram, for instance, was still hers to call on and command.

  Not that they needed him there that night. Zack doubted they needed any of them, really.

  Except that he'd already told Keeley she could stay for a sleepover. Not that they slept. She was still going to dress up in lazy PJ's and have a pillow fight with him and Rebekah, later. Maybe Marissa too. He'd definitely ask.

  It occurred to Zack then, what it meant to have Mirror Him as part of his own personality. Well, on the good side, he'd probably have more sex. He still needed to be careful there, so that no one else got hurt.

  It wasn't late yet, so he moved to the node and looked at all the positions that the others had promised to be at. Bey was in Toronto, since he had a house there, though he didn't tell many about that. As far as the world knew he lived full time in China, but that was just because when he went most places, the Vampires fled, and he was, in his own way, kind enough not to want everyone to be fearful all the time. Oh, he was a killer and didn't feel anything in particular about doing it, but he tried to be good, regardless of that. It was the action that counted, in the end. That seemed to be his entire life map.

  It was something for a person as young as Zack to keep in mind. He didn't have to feel fear, anger or hate, or anything he didn't want to, but what he did still impacted the world around him. It sent ripples through space and time, and that, in the end, was his responsibility too.

  Quickly enough he checked the others. The Wanderer, who looked like a tiny boy, possibly being ten or so when he died, was alone, like Bey had been. Harland had three Manthori with him, in the place he was, but when Zack focused to listen to them, they were speaking about the summit meeting, and how to arrange transport for their Ambassador, so that the Classics wouldn't be the only type of Vampire represented there.

  That might have been a trick, but if so, it was well done. The four men in that room didn't even act like anyone would be listening to them at all.

  Still, he went to get Bey first, just stepping through without warning, ready to block, if he had to. If an attack came.

  "Friend Zachary! You have come to retrieve me, and in such a timely fashion! Is all well? I do hope that Lady Marissa isn't too convinced that I have turned against her? I truly know of no such plotting and would have discouraged it, if I had word."

  Zack put his hand out, smiling, and the tiny man, with his large nose and big ears, returned the gesture with a smile, even though they didn't normally do that kind of thing. His entire life crashed into him, with each moment being recorded. It was a lot longer than anything he'd encountered before, and it took effort not to let the strain of the other man's years show. Thousands. Even Bey himself didn't know how many, to be truthful.

  He'd started out as a rug maker, which was a good job at the time, only to be sold to a passing merchant one day by his father, who, after all, had many children to feed. Bey, who'd been "Waveed" back then, was then used harshly for a long time, until he ran away. Then... Well, in the end, he met a woman, who was a Vampire, and that story stretched on for a much longer time than would be expected. Really, as far as the little man knew, she was still alive somewhere. His one true love. One day he'd go and seek her, he knew.

  The thing was, he really didn't have a clue as to any particular plotting. He had gotten Lenore not to mention Zack to her in particular, but that was actually so Marissa wouldn't worry too much, being already very concerned about owing the Line Walker as a mere Human. As a Greater Demon she might ruin them all, trying to repay things that, Bey was beginning to understand, Zack didn't really care about at all. It was, as the man himself had said about him once. Zachary only took value in his own work, and cared not for petty things.

  It was a bit of a pretty way to think about it, but was true enough. He just didn't.

  "She's a bit worked up. I worked up a guard for her, after a fashion. The Mistress of Souls and her people? Keeley... She and I are fighting right now, a bit. She doesn't know it yet, though. Or, she knows why, but not how much she'll have to pay for it. When you meet, she'll know I said this to you, so, don't be surprised if she winces a bit. It won't be about you. She likes you." Zack sighed as the man looked at him, true bafflement showing. "Not that I'm not her favorite nephew. Still, I'm sure we'll have some hard words over things."

  "Do you need the aid of the Vampires in this? I will stand with you, even if it means I perish from the Earth." There was a solemn intonation to the words, and it was really clear that he meant it. If Zack had to fight Keeley, Bey was on his side. No matter what. It was nice to know, really. More, he was offering to bring their entire kind into the mix, if needed.

  "Thanks. It won't come to that. She just... Well, you know how I have another person in my head?"

  The man nodded, his face going blank.

  "Well, that person held some of the most horrible memories that a person could have, away from the rest of me. She set things in motion, so that it's fixed now. It wasn't a kindness. Needed to her way of thinking, but she didn't do it to aid me, just herself. I'll..." He froze for a bit and realized that really, he was fine. It was hard to think, but at the same time, things that had been broken were healing. What would happen at the end, well, he knew that now, didn't he? The pattern was clear.

  "I'll be good actually. Sane. Soon, I think. Or at least much closer than I've been since I was nine or so. Right now it's very rough however. I'm using magic to hold things in check." He tapped his head lightly with a single finger. "In here."

  Bey made a face, as if he didn't know how to respond at all.

  "Line Walker... Should I send her flowers and laurel wreaths for her brow, or the head of her pet in a box?"

  "Neither. Maybe a strongly worded letter, if I can't think of anything else to do? This will work out." Or he'd die, but saying things like that was foolish, no matter what he felt inside at the moment. If he did lose and fail, then it wouldn't matter, and if not, then he'd look worse than weak, but wrong, and like he didn't have faith in himself.

  He put his arm out to the man.

  "A small hop, on three?"

  There was a gentle nod, and it happened perfectly, getting them back to Yoghurt World instantly. As he'd suggested, Balthias was standing behind them all, and Marissa was in the center of Rebekah and Keeley, both of whom were armed, with swords. It looked pretty good, and upon seeing it, Bey clapped a few times. Because he was, as always, pleased to see others doing well.

  "Wonderful! That is very impressive!" He bowed to Keeley first. "Mistress of Souls. The Line Walker mentioned you'd be here. You are well?" He didn't glare at her, but seemed mildly disapproving.

  She got that without even reading his mind, it was clear.

  Then she nodded, once, not commenting on it.

  "Bey Transmorguir. I see you aren't plotting against Marissa?"

  "Ah? You can tell that using Demon magics? That is a most clever trick. Then, none thinks your kind less than clever, do they?" For all that they might be taken wrongly, the words were polite enough sounding.

  Keeley bowed back slightly.

  "Not this time. It's simply that if you'd been working against her, the Line Walker would have killed you. I'm very glad that wasn't needed. You're one of my favorite Vampires, you know."

  If Bey was shocked by the news it didn't show at all, so Zack nodded.

  "Mine too. So, let me grab a quick bite to eat and then see about the others?"

  Keeley had already set that up, and had a caramel and peanut dish coming for him. A large one. It was clear that she was trying to make up to him at least. It wasn't nearl
y enough, but it was better than killing him, so he tried to accept it for the time being. It took half a minute to finish it, going carefully so he wouldn't make a mess, and then he was off to get The Wanderer.

  The being was alone, and the door to the room they were in was locked. That could have meant a lot of things, but he didn't start or jump when Zack came through, just moving his head slightly to track him.

  "Line Walker. It is time then?" The words seemed sad, and very final, but nothing in the room moved at all. He put out his hand, for the boy to take, which caused another crash of memories. It was different this time.

  Bey lived his immortal life seeking peace. Through death and violence, but it was still his goal, in the end. Gene sought new things. Experiences that he'd never had before, sensations that were just a bit different than what he'd known.

  He fully expected to die, it was apparent. Right then and there. Not that he had anything to do with Marissa being taken and held. No, it was that he'd spoken against the plan for the new blood system, and figured that Zack was behind it, if in secret. The easiest thing to do, in this case would be to assure the elder Vampire didn't make it to the meeting at all. Or anything else, ever again. He doubted he'd win, if it came to a fight, either.

  Gene was small, being a boy when he died, but strong and fast, which against a being like the Line Walker didn't mean that much. He'd go into the line and probably simply not be anymore. There was no courting of death in him, but if it came, he was satisfied with his life and how he'd lived it.

  Zack nodded a bit, taking it as the second lesson of the night then. Bey had showed him that actions counted more than feelings, and Gene taught him that it was important to live a good life and actually experience things. It would be too easy to hide away, suppressing everything he felt all the time, especially now.

  Not that he wasn't going to keep doing that, but he needed to let himself love and enjoy things, and even on occasion, feel negative emotions, as long as they didn't control him.

  "It is. When we get into the room, you'll be met by the Mistress of Souls, the Lesser Demon Balthias, Rebekah the Manthori, who runs the blood concern? Marissa and Bey. Try not to jump them instantly. It's all for show. Are you ready?" The boy touched his arm lightly and made ready to do it, still not believing that he was going to survive the next moment.

  He jumped though, and didn't act shocked when they got in, or even when Barb walked up, and handed Zack more food. This time it was an actual sandwich, from the food court. An Italian meatball sub.

  He smiled.

  "One more then. So far so good." He didn't explain that, gesturing at Keeley instead. "This is the Mistress of Souls, the one secretly behind the new rules for your people. Keeley, he recently changed his opinion, throwing in with you, so, no need to kill him or anything."

  She stepped forward and smiled, putting her hand down to shake. Then, after they did it, she stepped away just as smoothly.

  "Excellent. Now I just need to sit down and try to convince Marissa here that it's economically feasible. I have some plans that will get the price down. That will still leave a lot of work as to getting the Vampire population on board, but, as they say, one step at a time. It isn't like we can't go slowly, over a few decades."

  If watching him eat was annoying, no one mentioned it at all, meaning he was able to do that quickly and then go wash up in the restroom, since careful or not, he managed to get red sauce all over his hands. Then, looking into the last room, ready to be attacked, he walked through the node, ending up in Idaho, which wasn't that far away at all.

  Harland jumped, but was alone. He bowed, going lower than he needed to, and making a small flourish with his right hand.

  "Line Walker."

  Zack put his hand out, trying not to seem wary, but there were no councilmen left to be part of the plotting. It pretty much meant that he was the one, or would, in a story. He was totally innocent however, and it showed clearly.

  Titling his head a little, Zack spoke, his words sounding nicely firm.

  "You have people you wish to get into place at the summit? I've already taken the Vampire ambassadors, but if you wish to trade something for it?"

  Manthori Vampires tended to have the strongest psychic abilities of all the different types. That meant the man picked up on the fact that his mind had been rather neatly read, and also that he didn't pretend to be shocked about it. He had to be powerful that way himself after all, or he wouldn't be their leader. They didn't fight with fists for the position after all.

  "Would you be open to a trade of information?"

  "Possibly, what do you have?"

  "I have a man, one of my people, who came to me recently, begging aid. He claims to know where there are some twenty Human children being kept as sex slaves, and seeks help in retrieving them. It has been said that you have some interest in granting such aid?"

  Zack looked at the man, as if he were stupid, since even he could see that wasn't a real trade at all. It was, ultimately, more work, wasn't it?

  Still, what you did each day counted, right?

  "If you put together a group to get them back, and help find their families, I'll get your man into place to do it. In exchange, I'll take your people to the summit tonight."

  It wasn't lost on Harland what that meant, it seemed, since a small tear came to his eye.

  It was fake, Zack knew, but the effort was appreciated.

  Chapter seven

  For the next four hours, Zack ran. Sometimes literally. The first moments, taking about ten minutes, went easily enough for him. All he had to do was move Harland to Westfield, and make certain everyone knew not to kill him, then move his chosen ambassador to the summit.

  After that, things got strange. For him at least.

  To start with, he needed to make a call. That meant, for him at least, going to his store, since he didn't own a cell phone, and everyone else was standing around arguing. It was a soft thing, with Bey clasping his hands, as if worried, and Marissa glaring at Gene, who was, as he proclaimed, innocent in her captivity. Harland watched Keeley, and occasionally Balthias, as if wondering when they were all going to die.

  It was probably a fair question, since she was standing there watching all of them like they were food, and she was a hungry lion. Tasty little Vampire treats that she couldn't wait to get her paws on.

  His Vampires.

  "Back to the book store then. Keeley, Balthias, would you both come with me? Rebekah..." He looked at her and then the much older beings of her kind that sat around the space. "Maybe you could stay and answer questions about your new projects? Let me know if we need Richard Swerlin for this, too. We can probably arrange a meeting." Not that he knew that for certain, but it was night and the man was a Vampire. One old enough to not need sleep, so he was probably available for this group of people.

  The chalk white woman smiled at him, as if he wasn't planning to leave her with what had to be the four most powerful people in her Vampire centric world. Then, she worked with Keeley day in and out, so maybe it was just a relief for her? The Demon girl was trying. For him at least.

  "That would be good. I can wait in the other room with the embassy staff?" She asked at least, and looked, oddly enough, at Harland, not any of the others. He smiled, showing rows of shiny white fangs that made his face look like a true horror, and happy at the same time.

  "I think we can do that, Miss Rebekah. Thank you, Line Walker." He turned to the others, very ponderously then and bowed slightly. "I know it takes from the moment, so please, forgive me Marissa, but I have need of a combat group. The Line Walker has agreed to aid us in the recovery of some Human children. One of my people has requested it."

  That would have normally started a long discussion, he was sure, but Zack waved his right hand.

  "Twenty plus kids being kept as sex slaves. I'll get the people into place, and it probably won't take that many, but we need to get the children to someplace safe on the other side of this. I'll be ready
in... Call it an hour?" He didn't know, but made himself sound very certain, as if he had a real plan.

  Keeley stared at him, but didn't say anything, though Bey did.

  "Ah! Very good. I shall assemble a team. Lenore, dear, would you arrange that? Perhaps the Denver group would aid in this, since they have worked with the Line Walker before? I will go myself."

  Zack shook his head.

  "Not needed. We should probably have a small group of people that can fake being friendly. One for each child? You four need to work on figuring out who took one of your members. If a combat group and I can't handle this alone, then we deserve to die." Then, as if he was important or something, and everything would be taken care of, he walked out.

  At the front counter of the place Barb smiled and handed him a large chocolate caramel thing with extra whipped cream. Lenore followed him and touched his shoulder.

  "Are you well, Zack?"

  He smiled, ate a few bites of the treat and shook his head.

  "No. I'll live however. Let's get through this first? I could use that team." Then, a bit coldly, he walked away. It was mean of him, and not what he should have done, for best interaction with his girlfriend, but he also had to convince everyone there that he wasn't just vapid Zack now. Especially Keeley. The rest of the people were more likely to think of him as a person, or an equal. She just wanted to use him for her own projects, and that had to end.

  He waved at Edom as Lenore moved to the phone, getting the man to follow along.

  As they walked, quickly, down the red brick central area of the mall, he spoke, his voice low and a bit steely.

  "I'm taking people in and out. The rest of this needs to be done by your people. If you'd run this for us, it might help your career. Don't go in. I want you to handle the organization of the thing with the man Harland mentioned. Are you in?" He made it a question, though really, Edom wasn't going to say no, was he?