Abominations
Page 18
A large man in a dark blue uniform brought over a pair of manacles, thick heavy chains with cuffs that would have looked at home in a dungeon, covered with silver symbols and giving off a faint greenish glow that surprised her. These were the first thing she'd noticed that really looked like magic to her. Other things may have been operating on magic somehow, it felt like just a slightly different kind of technology to her in the main, but this looked like something from a movie. Arcane symbols and all. It would have been a cool effect if the situation wasn't so worrying.
He fastened the girl's hands together in front of her and handed Bethany the key, which looked strange, being round and having stiff, bristle-like projections of different lengths all over the end of it. This item went into her pocket immediately.
Bethany and Detective Chuan rode with Gwen back to the district house, Wilbur having been detailed to ride in the back of the wagon with the two men, both of whom had been found with teletransport spheres. The girl rode in a different wagon, with a trained constable that specialized in dealing with magical hazards. He wore a red uniform, almost a deep burgundy in color, but plain, with no metal buttons or other markings and a simple cloth hat. Bethany explained to her that some metals took radiative effects extremely well, even attracting them, so people in that field took pains not to carry any on them at all times, at least when on duty.
For all that it still felt ponderously slow to her, James had them back to the office nearly twenty minutes faster than the other, larger, vehicles. Apparently the little white lorrie was this world's version of a sports car, Gwen realized.
“Beth, can you interview the girl, Forster, telepathically if she has those things on? The Null-radiatives?”
“Oh, sure. That's not a problem. Telepathy being the second strongest human ability, after healing. Magical powers themselves are all weaker, even though the effects can look strong, it's deceptive. In my work state I can punch right through such things – Null-radiatives – even if they were on me. All the Westmorlands can. Of course, other than rifting, exploding as I think you called it, most of our abilities stick to the strongest natural ones, then we're specifically conditioned to particular sub-classifications. So intuition, telepathy, healing and teletransport. Even rifting is just a specialized version of teletransport, though that's not strictly supposed to be known, so don't go telling everyone...”
Detective Chuan nodded so Gwen did the same. She certainly didn't want the wrong people to know how to blow up the world, so it wouldn't be too hard to keep secret. Bethany probably shouldn't go around telling people, even ones like her that couldn't use the information, just in case, right? What if she mentioned it by mistake to the wrong type of person without knowing it? After all, Gwen wouldn't do it on purpose, but did she really know who to trust or not here yet?
When everyone arrived, Peals asked Bethany and Gwen to aid in the interrogation of the woman, repeating something similar to what Wilbur had said earlier, that it was her collar, so her interview. Gwen figured the man just didn't want to beat a confession out of a young girl. Fair enough given the culture here, Gwen thought. He wiped his bald head with a handkerchief pulled from his vest pocket. The stocky, older man led them to a small room just next to the telestator she'd seen before, that held nothing but a chair with the woman in it. She'd regained consciousness, and sat, without her glasses, crying softly.
When she saw Gwen come into the room, she cringed.
“Please don't hurt me.” It came out as a moan rather than a scream.
Motioning Beth to stand next to the captive, Gwen explained things to the girl clearly, keeping her voice soft and sounding a little menacing she knew, like the villain from a kids movie.
“That really depends on you... This is Constabulary Detective Westmorland. I don't know if you understand what that really means, but she's going to listen to your thoughts while I ask you some questions. If you try to hide anything from her, anything at all, I'll be forced to hurt you, do you understand? I don't want to hurt you, but we can't afford to have anything hidden from our investigation right now. On the good side,” Gwen held her hand out toward Bethany again.
“This is Constabulary Detective Westmorland. If you tell the truth, we'll also know that, so nothing messy will have to be done. Alright? Do you understand the situation? All you have to do here is tell the whole truth...”
The girl still sobbed, but nodded. At least she didn't scream before they'd even touched her like the last one had. Gwen shook that image out of her head. She felt more than a little embarrassed for Jonathon Phillips. Not that she'd wanted him to resist or anything, but he'd gone from checking out her rack to peeing himself without even pausing hardly. She just hoped this one would be better.
“Good! Now, Bethany, if you'd please go into your interview state and monitor Miss Forster's thoughts for us?”
The questions came fast, hitting the subject from all different angles. After about fifteen minutes it became clear that the girl really didn't know anything about the sacrifices at all.
“It was just extra-credit.” She moaned finally. “Phillips told me that I could have extra credit in religions if I did him a favor. At first... I thought he was going to try and take liberties, which I don't allow, since I'm a good enough student to get through my courses without doing things like that, but all he wanted me to do was spend some time charging some spheres for magics research. It's boring, but he promised to put a word in for me with Professor Debussey in TMs too, so that I could maybe intern with her next semester. I knew it was a long shot, but he said that Professor Mathews would second it, since the work was actually for him. It didn't seem like a big deal...”
After another half an hour of questioning, Beth dropping in and out of her interview condition to share information every five minutes or so, they came to understand that this girl hadn't done anything wrong. Bethany confirmed that charging the spheres, even if she knew they were for teletransport, wasn't illegal or even bad, just a lot of work on Emma's part.
“Well, no need to keep her locked up then, right?” Gwen looked at the other woman questioningly, in case protocol said she was wrong and they really did need to keep the girl controlled for some reason her lack of knowledge didn't let her see yet.
Beth pulled the key out of her pocket and released Emma, who rubbed at her wrists, then her jaw, which apparently still hurt a bit, a bruise having formed exactly where Gwen's knuckles had impacted.
“Um, well, sorry about having hit you like that. In my defense, we kind of did have every reason to think you were some high-powered magical killer when we apprehended you. I hope you understand... Well, at least that I'm sorry that you were injured, even if you don't get the reason why.” Gwen shrugged, not knowing what else to say to the girl. It had been a mess-up, but they really couldn't just talk to her normally given everything else that had been taking place.
The image popped into her mind then of her walking over with Beth in tow, standing in front of the girl and politely asking if she was Emma Forster and if she'd like to go with them quietly to the Constabulary for a cup of tea. Why yes, that sounds ever so nice, imaginary Emma replied in her head. First though, won't you have this giant fireball? Yeah, that would have worked well, Gwen thought, trying to smile at the girl.
The young lady kept rubbing her jaw for a while before speaking.
“No, I can see the reason, but I'm sorry you had to hit me too.” She said, a wry grin on her face showing a quick bounce back from the traumatic events of the last hours. “Mainly though I'm just upset that I did all that work for nothing. Worse, my work is helping murders go free. Is there... is there anything I can do to stop it? I mean, it was my energy, so can I re-purpose it using ritual or by, I don't know, altering the radiatives so that it won't work to help them escape? If they haven't already used them of course...”
Bethany stood up straight and walked out of the room directly, not telling Gwen what she had in mind, closing the door behind her firmly.
“Seriously? Genghis Khan took all of Europe except England? In his own lifetime? So their empire, the Mongols, were a world power for how long?”
The six centuries Emma talked about were a lot different than what Gwen remembered from her world. There only a chunk of Europe had been taken, then everything died back as the Mongol power structure fell apart. The further back they went, the more similar the histories sounded. Ancient Rome seemed identical to what she knew about it, the girl blushed when she mentioned their sexual habits back then, telling her that in some places in Europa they still lived that way, which seemed very naughty to her. The girl actually whispered and giggled when she said “naughty”. It made Gwen feel even worse about having hit her like she had.
Christianity had largely died out about a thousand years before, so instead of spreading around the world it faded away before the crusades could take place. The miracles of Christ didn't seem nearly such a big deal here, apparently. No one celebrated Christmas, though Emma did describe a week long winter festival that took place around the solstice in December. People normally called it Yule.
Gwen nodded, figuring that sounded about right. People would find an excuse to party when they could, and winter seemed a natural time to develop a big tradition that way. All the early farmers didn't have a lot else to do then and everyone would be getting bored, without television or even radio to entertain them.
“I really should learn more about history. Maybe you could... I don't know, recommend a book or two? I guess that's a lot to ask for... given what happened earlier. Sorry again about hitting you like that...”
The other woman assured her that all was forgiven, or would be when her head stopped aching at least. She seemed more worried about what people would think at the university, having seen her taken away in chains. Gwen thought about it for a bit, considering the situation from what she knew to be an outsider's position.
“Will... that be a problem for you? I mean, if we let you go, won't people figure out that you didn't do anything wrong? Or is there something we could do to help smooth things over for you? Talk to some of the professors maybe?”
Before the girl could answer, the door opened again, Bethany leading Doctor Debussey in after her.
“This is the girl I mentioned doctor, Emma Forster. Her energy is what seems to be powering the teletransport orbs that these people have been using to escape, is it possible, with her help, that we may alter the state of the energy somehow do you think?” Bethany stood watching the older woman closely, almost like she had in her analytical working state before.
The doctor regarded the girl quietly for a few moments.
“Are you willing to help us do this, Miss Forster?” She asked softly.
“Oh yes. Please.” the girl enthused, desperately wanting to undo her part in all of this, if she could, or so it seemed to Gwen.
“Well then,” Debussey grinned, a slightly wicked thing, as if she planned to do something very nasty to someone that really deserved it. “I think we can do quite a bit to stop their getaways.”
Chapter fourteen
As much as Gwen wanted to go and watch the ritual that Doctor Debussey and Emma were going to perform, it became clear within seconds of thinking about it that doing so wouldn't work out. Beth simply had too much to do at the office and the other two would have to go back to the university for supplies in order to do the needed magic. Her job was to stay with Beth, so it just didn't line up.
Before they left, she pulled the older woman aside, into the telestator room for a moment.
“OK, Doc, this girl, Emma Forster? She was kind of promised a recommendation with you by the bad guys. Not a position itself mind, just a recommendation for the work she did. Now, I don't know if she's a good candidate or not, something about an internship, but... Well, she did the work, which sounds like a lot. So if that means anything to you... she seems like a nice person at least.”
Gwen knew that the girl would probably have a hard time for a while after this, but maybe if the older woman took an interest in her it would soften the backlash a little. She tried to convey this in the polite fashion everyone seemed to use here, then finally just blurted it all out, much to the woman's amusement.
“Don't worry, Miss Farris, I'll keep an eye on her. Honestly, she's already come to my attention. One of the more promising female students in the new class. She actually seems interested in learning, not just finding a promising young man to marry. Not that there's anything wrong with marriage, but it's so nice when the students are actually bothering to try... I can't promise an internship based on that, but if she manages this ritual well tonight... I'll let her know you recommended her. It should make her feel better at least. This whole situation is just... horrid.”
The older woman clasped her hands in front of her suit jacket, a plain gold color, but shiny, as if made of silk. The suspenders she wore were a light red, just peeking out from underneath the edge of a vest that looked to be similar material, but a warmer copper color. On her feet, she wore what looked like thin moccasins, they had thick leather soles, with no discernible traction. Gwen wondered if anyone had ever come up with the idea of traction soles here yet. Or even rubber soled shoes? Everything she'd seen so far, on anyone's feet, seemed to be leather or wood, even though the lorries all used solid looking rubber tires, so this world had the right substances. Probably natural rubber, rather than synthetic. It would still work though.
“Do you have transportation back to the university? If not, I think I can get James to take you...”
Smiling, the older woman let her know that that would be wonderful, if not a personal hardship for her. Walking briskly, Gwen showed the two women to the white carriage out front, Emma's eyes bulged a little when she saw it, but she stayed silent about her thoughts.
James smiled when he saw her and looked more than willing to deliver the two women.
“Then come back here, miss?” His voice sounded extra professional in front of the other women.
“Actually... Why don't you head home for the night? I think Beth and I, Detective Westmorland and I, will probably be here for some time, but we can walk home. I don't know what the schedule is going to be like tomorrow. I'm planning a shopping trip soon for clothes. Oh, wait!”
She jumped up on the runner board and stuck her head into the carriage portion of the lorrie suddenly.
“Doctor Debussey! I almost forgot... Where do you get your clothes?”
She tried to memorize what was said and decided that Beth's habit of carrying a pad to write everything down on made a lot of sense. She'd have to get one of her own soon. Thanking the woman with a smile, she dropped to the ground and carefully shut the door for them.
“Thanks, James. See you tomorrow...” She called to him, so he'd know he could drive on safely now without risking her feet being crushed.
Peals, a quick study, had Bethany in a telepathic state interviewing the other men, meaning that Gwen really had nothing to do but wait at the desk in the outer office. Everyone else worked industriously, and she noticed a few new faces, since the night shift had come in.
Detective Haversham and a man she hadn't seen before escorted a woman in. She looked frightened of the men, her face bruised and clothing torn, forcing her to hold her old and well-worn gray shawl over herself to prevent exposing her breasts to the room. Every few seconds a quiet sob came from the woman, her shoulders shaking gently.
Haversham, looking highly embarrassed searched around the room, finally he saw Gwen sitting there watching the scene. He walked over, his head bowed a bit, shoulders tense.
“Miss Farris... this woman, we know something happened to her, but she won't tell us anything... I know you aren't a detective, but maybe, being a woman, you could help somehow? Otherwise we have to just take her home an
d let this go. That happens too often in cases like this...”
Stroking his mustache he looked around a little shiftily. His jacket had wrinkles, she noticed, the dark brown fabric looking like it hadn't been pressed for some time. He caught her eyes with his and grimaced a little.
Probably remembering that I know about his feeling up Beth, she thought. Coming to her to try and help this woman probably took guts then, she realized, as the dark haired man stepped back.
“Right. OK... I'm not an expert in this area but she's clearly afraid and feeling vulnerable. I need you and, I don't know the other detective's name... I need you both to do what I say. It won't be normal to you, but it will help her feel at ease. Getting coffee, tea, that kind of thing? If some man attacked her, she needs to feel in control right now and you two are more than a little intimidating, so ask before doing anything and let me take the lead here, at least for now. We'll see if she's willing to talk then. Can you get the other detective to go along with that, do you think?”
Taking his hat off, he moved it to the side, signaling with it, the other detective worked his way over, leaving the woman sitting alone briefly.