“We’ll be on soon,” SK said, stuffing more noodles in his mouth.
The man at the stairs glanced at Livvy, reattached the chain and went back upstairs. Livvy turned back and saw that another plate of food had quietly arrived.
“Eat,” he said.
“I’m full just watching you eat.”
A few minutes later, the man came back down the stairs and over to their table.
“Wan-li will see you now,” he said, with a thick accent.
The upstairs rooms were sumptuous. A large, nearly circular portal of black lacquer led from the landing into a large foyer that was ringed with life-size bronze statues of Chinese gods who looked like warriors. They were festooned with garlands of real flowers and offerings of all types of money were strewn about their feet. Beautiful ceramic bowls, filled to the rim with black sand, had thin sticks of incense protruding from them. Several small tendrils of smoke rose from the incense, swaying after them as Livvy and SK made their way down the central aisle.
At the end was a large set of red double doors. Next to them was a gong.
Their escort took a small cushioned mallet from the tray above the gong and tapped it. A deep and low shimmering sound came from it, not at all what Livvy had been expecting–a very pleasant sound.
The red double doors opened and the man at the gong motioned them in.
Livvy felt as though she was being ushered into the presence of an empress but Wan-li wasn’t sitting on a throne. In fact there was no throne, not even a dais. Instead, at the opposite end of the room was a large round window that echoed the portal outside. The sun was setting and the paper lanterns in the main plaza in Chinatown were on.
To the right of the window, a Chinese woman sat in one of the overstuffed chairs. Men in dark suits were stationed at every corner of the room and at the doors, which had been closed behind them.
As they approached, the woman turned her head.
“Ah, SK, how good it is to see you. Please sit down.”
“This must be Olivia,” she continued, as Livvy came into view. “Yes,” she said, drawing out the word. Her high-pitched voice was a little nasally but melodic and she took special care to enunciate the ‘th’ sound.
Livvy didn’t know if she should shake hands or bow.
“Please, do sit down,” the woman said, eyeing her hair briefly.
“Thank you,” Livvy replied and took a seat on the couch next to SK.
“I trust your meal was satisfactory, yes?” said Wan-li.
It was impossible to tell how old she was. Her face was somewhat flat and wide. Her hair was streaked with white, although much of it was still black, pulled back into a tight bun on top of her head. A polished ornament of tiger eye hung from a hairpiece that went through the bun. She was dressed in a long, traditional Chinese cheongsam dress done in dark green silk with gold trim.
“Excellent, as always,” said SK, “although the Kung Pao wasn’t as spicy as usual.”
Wan-li frowned and barked something in Chinese to the man at the far end of the room, who immediately left. Even without knowing what she was saying, Livvy found her voice commanding. This was a woman who was used to being in charge. Although she appeared to be relaxing, there was something formidable in how she reposed, as though she might be able to spring out of the chair if she needed to.
“Yes, I understand you have been busy today,” she said, turning back to SK.
He gave a small snort as Livvy tried to conceal her astonishment.
“Do not look too surprised,” Wan-li said to Livvy. “My web is cast wide.”
The man who had left came back into the room and was followed by a cook from the restaurant below. The cook stopped and bowed. Wan-li said something to him in Chinese, indicating SK. The man made a nervous reply and then said something to SK, bowing. Then Wan-li dismissed him.
“He apologized for the Kung Pao,” said Wan-li, as the two men left. “It will not happen again.”
SK only nodded.
“I take it by your presence here that you had no success today, yes?”
“I wouldn’t say that exactly,” said SK, a wary tone in his voice. “But we are here to ask for your help.”
SK looked at Livvy and nodded. Livvy cleared her throat.
“I’ve found a way to hook two sets of goggles together,” she said, talking too fast. “It would enable two shamans to work together in the multiverse.”
“Ah yes,” said Wan-li, thinking. “You want to work together.”
Wan-li looked at SK.
“And you support this,” she said, more than asked, but SK nodded anyway.
“Because it has become dangerous, maybe impossible, for a shaman to work in the multiverse,” Wan-li said.
“Yes,” said Livvy, hopefully.
“Yes, I see,” said Wan-li, crossing her arms over her chest.
She thought for several moments.
“Well let me tell you, first, what Sunny said.”
Her face showed disdain as she said her name.
“Sunny did not know there was a problem, yes?”
SK tilted his head, still not giving away much but acknowledging that it was probably obvious.
“Now Carmen,” said Wan-li, thinking out loud. “Carmen would actually like to help, but that does not mean that she would, or that she could.”
Livvy’s face grew hot, as though she’d been caught in the act.
“Alvina,” Wan-li whispered. “Now Alvina is an interesting one, yes?”
She studied SK for some time. Then she turned her gaze to Livvy, who looked at the floor.
“Yes, Alvina could be interesting.”
Wan-li paused.
“But Ursula? Surely you did not expect anything there,” she chided SK.
SK kept his mouth shut but Livvy could see that his jaw muscles were starting to work. She didn’t know if he’d been aware of how closely his movements were being followed.
“It is business, SK,” said Wan-li. “Just business, yes?”
Wan-li’s way of making questions out of statements was starting to annoy Livvy. The woman could obviously care less about what she or SK thought.
“How do you think ‘business’ will do with the multiverse out of control?” blurted Livvy.
“Oh,” said Wan-li, raising a finger. “Oh, but I am doing business, working in the multiverse. In fact, I was just there.”
Livvy stared at her. The woman was so composed and full of energy. Had she just been in the multiverse? Livvy thought of the man who had left the restaurant before they had been invited up. Had he been a client?
“Yes,” said Wan-li, nodding. “I have seen the ancient one there.”
Again, Livvy could not help but stare at her.
“I have seen the great creature with the head of an eagle and the body of a lion.”
Livvy absently rubbed her chest, where she still felt a slight sunburn.
“Ah,” said Wan-li, watching her hand. “You have seen her too, yes?”
Livvy dropped her hand.
“Then you know!” Livvy said. “You know what I’m saying!”
“Yes,” Wan-li said, sitting forward. “I know.”
“Then, you’ll help!” said Livvy, excited at the prospect of finally meeting someone who knew what she had experienced.
“Now, that would make…very little business sense,” said Wan-li, sitting back.
“Business sense?” asked Livvy.
It was SK’s turn to cross his arms over his chest.
“She’s got a corner on the market,” he said.
“A what?” said Livvy.
“Wan-li can still work there,” he said, looking at Wan-li. “And she has very little competition,” he said looking at Livvy. “And Wan-li likes to have little competition.”
Wan-li grinned.
“You can’t be serious,” said Livvy, her voice rising.
“Deadly,” said Wan-li, the grin hardening.
“But this isn’t about b
usiness,” Livvy insisted. “It’s about healing people.”
“Livvy,” SK said, warning her.
“No, I have had it with this,” Livvy said, her voice growing louder.
The men who were stationed closest to the group looked over for the first time.
“So this is just one big business opportunity for you huh? A chance to watch the competition wither away?”
The frustration of the day came pouring out.
“Everybody’s got their angle. Everybody’s out for their own turf and protecting themselves. Well, what happened to helping people?”
One of the men took a step toward them but Wan-li held up a hand and the man returned to his spot.
“Livvy,” said SK, “I think it’s time to go.”
Wan-li seemed amused by the outburst, which only made Livvy angrier. SK stood up, as did Livvy.
“If you think that you can just keep working,” said Livvy, “then you’re wrong. Not even you will be able to avoid the eye forever. It gets harder every time. It gets emptier every time.”
Livvy saw that Wan-li had seen the same thing.
“It gets weirder every time, and it gets more dangerous,” Livvy said.
SK put a hand on her arm.
“None of us is safe,” said Livvy. “Not there and not even here,” she gestured to the surroundings.
The double doors opened behind them and SK gripped her am.
“We’re running out of time,” Livvy yelled.
Wan-li said something in Chinese to one of the men. Livvy whipped her head around only to see that he was bringing a large paper bag that had been stapled at the top. It was the leftovers.
“Enjoy the food,” they heard her say as they were ushered out.
Then the doors closed.
CHAPTER FORTY-FIVE
AS THEY ROUNDED the corner into Livvy’s hallway she tensed, never knowing what to expect. SK must have sensed that she was nervous and, although she found it slightly ridiculous that a little person was escorting her home, there was still safety in numbers even if the number was one and a half.
“Min?” said Livvy.
Min started. She was sitting against the wall next to Livvy’s door with Nacho in her lap. He looked up and gave a big meow.
“Livvy, I thought you’d never get here,” she said. “I’ve been waiting for hours.”
Nacho came over to Livvy. Without thinking, she reached down to him. Relieved that he was back from wherever he’d been, she forgot to discharge.
The snap caught them both by surprise as Nacho gave a short howl and jumped sideways, laying his ears down flat.
“Santa Anas,” said Livvy automatically.
“I actually saw a spark!” said Min.
Nacho curled a U-turn around SK’s legs, apparently not injured. Livvy turned back to Min, who was still staring at Nacho.
“Why didn’t you call me?” Livvy asked.
“What happened to your head?” asked SK.
It looked like Min had bumped her forehead on something sharp.
“That’s why I’m here,” she said.
Livvy frowned and moved closer, gently shifting Min’s hair aside to get a better look.
“Well, not to have you look at my head,” said Min. “It’s just that…”
“You’re afraid to go home,” SK finished. He reached down and petted Nacho.
“How did you know?” asked Min.
“You’re not the only one,” Livvy said, still looking at the cut on Min’s forehead. “I’m going to clean and bandage this. How did it happen?”
“Really, it’s fine–” started Min.
“Shaman’s orders,” countermanded Livvy, as she helped Min up. “Come on, Minnie Mouse.”
Min stood, stiff from the waiting, but gave Livvy a brief hug.
“Thanks,” she said.
“Don’t worry about it,” Livvy said, as she unlocked the door.
“Come on in,” she said. “You can tell us what happened inside. We’ve even got dinner.”
“Really? I’m starving!”
As SK unpacked the food, Livvy fetched her first aid kit from the bathroom. While she disinfected the cut on Min’s forehead, Min told them what had happened. She’d been on a job that hadn’t gone well. Livvy and SK exchanged looks.
“You were in the multiverse?” asked Livvy, putting gloved hands on hips. “Do you remember that whole Tiamat discussion we had?”
“I’ve never run into Tiamat,” said Min quickly. “I’ve never even seen a trace.”
“Most shamans haven’t,” agreed SK.
“Anyway, the family was upset–real upset,” Min said. “The teenage boy got angry. I was in such a hurry to get out of there that I tripped, hit my head…on something, I don’t know what. I guess I dropped my cell phone somewhere too. I can’t find it.”
Livvy finished dressing the wound, put away the supplies and tossed the gloves in the trash.
“Anyway, I was afraid to go to my place. They know where I live,” said Min. “I mean, I know they’re good people and all, but they were so mad…”
Livvy put her hand lightly on Min’s shoulder and gave a little squeeze. SK brought over a plate full of food.
“Even if you’ve never encountered Tiamat, it might be best if you didn’t go out on jobs by yourself for awhile,” he said, as he moved the wires aside and set the plate on the card table in front of her.
“Really?” asked Min.
SK nodded as Min frowned and lowered her gaze to the table. Then, as though she were seeing the goggles there for the first time, she cocked her head.
“What are you doing with the goggles?”
“A whole lotta nothing,” Livvy said wryly and saw Min’s puzzled expression. “I’m trying to hook two sets of goggles together. I think that two shamans could work in tandem and combine their strengths in the multiverse.”
“Really? What’s it like?”
SK picked up Nacho’s bag of food and poured some into his bowl. He had been sitting patiently next to it, as though he knew something serious was going on, but now turned away from them and started crunching.
“Well, I don’t know,” said Livvy. “That’s the point. I can’t get anybody to try it with me. I don’t even know if it will work.”
“I’ll try it,” said Min.
Their eyebrows going up in unison, Livvy and SK looked at each other and then at her. Min picked up one pair of goggles, examining the wires dangling from it.
“I mean, why not?” Min said, looking at them. “It’s not dangerous is it?”
“You mean aside from the Sumerian monster?” Livvy said.
“I’ve never seen it,” said Min. “SK says most shamans don’t, but that’s not what I meant.”
Livvy looked into her eyes. She had considered Min at the start and then decided she might not have enough experience. After a day of being turned down, and even dressed down, Livvy realized she was starting to feel desperate.
“I’ll try it with you,” declared Min.
“Think about this, Min. Are you sure?” Livvy asked, looking from Min to SK.
“Yeah, I think it might be fun,” Min said. “SK must be for it or he wouldn’t be helping you, right SK?”
“Something like that,” he said slowly, looking at the two of them.
“The thing is…well, I have no idea what to expect,” said Livvy.
Livvy searched SK’s face but his look was non-committal. He wasn’t going to get involved in shaman decisions.
“Why didn’t anybody else want to help?” asked Min.
“Everybody’s got their reasons,” Livvy said, sighing.
“Were they afraid?”
That surprised Livvy. She hadn’t sensed that anyone had been afraid, except possibly for Carmen. Then again, Carmen probably always seemed afraid.
“No, I don’t think they were,” Livvy said at last.
“Well, count me in,” said Min, finally seeing the plate that SK had set in front of her. �
��Oh, I love Chinese food!”
CHAPTER FORTY-SIX
WITH MIN LYING on the couch, Livvy stretched out on her mat on the floor. She looked up at Min.
“Anything else you need?”
Livvy had used the extra parts from Mamacita and finished wiring the goggles while Min and SK ate. Nervous and excited at the prospect that she was actually going to try a joint visit to the multiverse, Livvy had decided to skip the food. When she’d finished the wiring, she and Min had lit a few candles and turned off the other lights in the room. Min also lit sandalwood incense.
“No, I think I’m set,” Min said, looking at the goggles. “Just put them on and hit the switch like usual, right?”
“Yes,” said Livvy. “If there’s a problem or if you just don’t want to do it or it’s just too weird or something, then stop and come back.”
“Okay,” said Min, relaxing back onto the couch.
Livvy turned to look at SK, who was sitting on the floor next to her.
“All right?” she said.
“Sounds good,” he replied.
“Okay,” said Livvy, putting on the goggles, glad that her hands weren’t shaking. “See you on the flip side.”
She turned on the goggles.
“See you,” she heard Min say, and then the click of her goggles.
The middleworld was different. Livvy didn’t see any spirits or ancestors, although that seemed to be the norm lately. It was the quality of the light that was different somehow, muted. Somewhere behind her, there was a flash. She turned to see Min materialize in the light. It had worked!
“Livvy, is that you?”
Although it was Min’s voice, it had an echo.
“Yeah, it’s me,” Livvy said, her own voice seeming strange.
“Oh, wow,” said Min. “I can’t believe I’m seeing you.”
“Well, we’re definitely both here, but this isn’t normally what the middleworld looks like to me.”
Min slowly surveyed the landscape.
“Yes,” she said. “I see what you mean. It’s a different…color, I think. There’s more yellow.”
Shaman, Healer, Heretic (Olivia Lawson Techno-Shaman) Page 17