The Chimney: The Merc Papers

by G. T. Spoor

  “Whoever you’re dealing with has knowledge of ancient magic or an excellent understanding of mana crystals.”

  “We did run into a mystic,” Emily said.

  “A mystic? Are you sure?”

  “Pretty sure. He seemed to wield some form of magic.”

  “There are only two ways to come by magic these days. One is by studying the grimoires, although most of those were lost long before the Dusting.”

  “And the second way?” Emily asked.

  “The second way. Staring into the void, but that would leave a mark.”

  “Like glowing blue eyes?”

  “Well then. I guess that explains how your mystic came by his magic.”

  “How can I fight him?” Emily asked.

  Mira laughed. “You can’t,” she said. “To confront a mystic with no skill in the arts would be foolish unless you wish to try your luck staring into the void, but I wouldn’t advise it. Besides, you might not have to.”

  “Why not?”

  “Because he’ll burn himself out eventually. Magic obtained without discipline burns the soul. It will drain him until there is nothing left. The man you’re looking for might already be dead.”

  This time, when Tilly returned, she was carrying a small silver case. She handed it to Mira, who opened it and pulled out a large ruby set in a gold fitting that was attached to a long thin chain.

  “This amulet once belonged to Osara,” she explained. “It was given to her by her mentor, the last of the Deus. It is very old and has little power left, but if anyone is creating negatively charged mana crystals, this should lead you right to them. Although, you’ll have to be fairly close to begin with.”

  “How close?” Emily asked.

  Mira shrugged. “It’s hard to say, but if you can get into the same room with them, it would probably help.”

  Emily reached for the amulet, but the elf quickly pulled it away.

  “Not so fast. Nothing is free.”

  “How much this time?”

  “For this? Five hundred fyn.”

  Emily turned to Sarah, who quickly threw her hands up and stepped back. “Don’t look at me,” she said. “That’s way out of my price range.”

  “Berk?”

  Sarah laughed. “You think he’d pay that much for a piece of magic?”

  She was right. Berk didn’t have much faith in elves or magic, so there was little chance of him buying a magic amulet from one.

  “Will you accept another favor?” Emily asked.

  Mira grinned. “Five hundred fyn worth of favors is a high price, but I’ll make you a deal. I’ll give you this amulet in exchange for the box.”

  The box of death, their only real piece of evidence. Although, it wasn’t exactly evidence they could use. It’s not as if they could show it to the magistrate. Besides, maybe it would be safer in Mira’s hands. She did seem to be the only one who truly understood it.

  “Okay, you have yourself a deal,” Emily said.

  Mira handed her the amulet “A wise decision. This concludes our transaction.”

  “Mistress, what about the poison?” Tilly asked.

  “The what?”

  “The poison. The one Emily asked you to look into.”

  “Oh, that. Yes, yes, I have that information around here somewhere.”

  Emily stared at the elf. “You learned something about the poison?”

  “Well, of course I did.”

  “I thought you were going to let me know.”

  “I was busy. Besides, you know now, don’t you? Are you interested or not?”

  “Yes, of course I am.”

  Mira searched through the clutter on her desk and eventually found what looked like the ripped corner of a piece of paper. She held it out to Emily. There was only one word on it.

  Henol.

  “What’s this?”

  “That’s the poison you’re dealing with. Henol, otherwise known as Pygmy Leaf. The sample of poison you gave me was a diluted form of Henol. It’s more commonly used by the goblins as a recreational substance. Vir can’t handle it. In its purest form, it will kill instantly. Diluted, as it was, it would render its user unconscious for several hours. It’s also known to remain in the blood for up to three days.”

  “And where can I find it?”

  “How would I know? I only agreed to identify it for you.”

  “Who would know?”

  Mira shrugged. “Ask a goblin.”

  As Emily stepped out of the Occulta-Initia with the paper in one hand and the amulet of Osara in the other, she spotted Berk, leaning against the hot-top. The Merc looked more relaxed now that he was no longer in the elf’s line of sight. He pushed himself away from the vehicle when he saw them coming.

  “So, what did that… elf… tell you?”

  It was amazing how he could make that one word sound like a curse.

  “You should show more respect,” Emily said. “Elves have been around much longer than the vir, and they know a thing or two. She could become a valuable resource if you let her.”

  “I doubt that.”

  She knew she wasn’t going to change Berk’s mind. Not without a little time and a lot of effort, but she had more pressing matters to concern herself with.

  “Mira found a negatively charged mana crystal inside the box,” she told him. “It can draw the life energy out of anything in the area. That explains why the witness said Flintmace’s house went dark.” She handed the amulet of Osara to Berk. “Take this and go to the MRC building. Talk to Mr. Jacob. If anyone there is messing around with negative mana crystals, this amulet might lead you to them.”

  “Ain’t you coming with me?”

  “I’m sorry. I can’t. Not right now.”

  “Where are you going?”

  “I have to find a goblin dealing in Henol.”

  “How does that fit in with our case?”

  “It doesn’t. The vir who abducted me used a diluted form of Henol. If I can find out who he got it from, they might lead me back to Squeaky Voice.”

  “You’re planning on going down into the abyss?”

  “That is where the goblins are, or so everyone keeps telling me.”

  “I’m coming with you.”

  “You have your own investigation to finish. I’ll be fine, but let me borrow the hot-top’s whisper stone for a moment.”

  Chapter 15

  Goblin Town

  Emily stood outside the alley—the same alley she was abducted from. It seemed the best place to meet. So much had happened over the past couple of days. She had to admit, when she first arrived in New Doral, she took an instant dislike to the place. Being poisoned and almost sold into slavery might have had something to do with it. New Doral was a dark city, and not just because it was shielded from the light of the sun. There was no accountability, nobody cared, and most of the people had given up. The very organizations meant to protect the citizens had not only failed them but took advantage of them. It came down to one simple truth—wealth was power. Everybody was scrambling for it, but there was only so much to go around.

  It was unfortunate too because there were good people in the city. People who were trying to survive, some who tried to make a difference, but even they showed signs of being tainted by the darkness. Was this what her father meant when he talked about the winding path? Was this where she was meant to be?

  The lights of a vehicle flashed along the wall of the building as a jitney pulled up to the curb.

  “Need a lift, lady?” Tar shouted from the front seat.

  Emily smiled. “I was almost afraid you didn’t receive my message.”

  “Have to admit, I was a bit surprised,” the orc said. “First time I ever heard me name mentioned on the whisper stone. How did ya get ya hands on one anyway?”

  “Long story.” Emily climbed into the passenger’s seat. “Let’s say I borrowed it from a friend.”

  “The only people I know who have access to whisper stones are Mercs. Ya
a Merc now?”

  “Not quite.” She laughed.

  Tar put the jitney in gear and pulled away from the curb. “So, where are we going?”

  “I haven’t the foggiest. I was hoping you can tell me.”

  A huge grin crossed his face. “Is that so?” he said. “Well, I guess it all depends on what ya looking for. A bit of excitement, a bit of entertainment, a good time, a little gambling…”

  “Henol.”

  The jitney came to a sudden stop. Emily slid off the front seat and under the dash.

  “What did you do that for?”

  “Sorry, I don’t deal with that char. If ya into that, you’ll have ta find someone else ta take you.”

  “I don’t want to use it,” she said, pulling herself back onto the seat. “I want to know who sells it. Whoever abducted me used a diluted form of Henol. If I can find out who’s dealing it, it might lead me back to the person who tried to sell me into slavery.”

  Tar regarded her suspiciously. Did he actually think she was a user?

  “I don’t know,” he said slowly. “I try to stay away from that char.”

  “Please, Tar. I could go looking myself, but—”

  “Are ya kidding me? Ya want to go wandering the lower levels looking for Henol. That’s just begging for trouble.”

  “That’s why I need your help.”

  “I suppose no amount of me telling ya to drop it is gonna make a difference.”

  “I’m afraid not.”

  The orc drummed his fingers on the steering wheel. “Then I might know of someone who can help ya,” he said. “He goes by the name of Rip and he works out of Goblin Town.”

  “Goblin Town?”

  “That’s right. At least that’s what the vir call it. I wouldn’t try pronouncing the goblin’s name for it. Ya wouldn’t be able to pronounce it anyway. It’s on tier sixteen, just out of reach of the Mercs. They won’t go down that far.”

  “Do you think this Rip will be able to help me?

  “Will he be able to? Oh, yeah. No question there. Rip pretty much knows everything that goes on in Goblin Town and beyond. Whether he’ll help ya is another matter. He’s not too fond of vir.”

  “Somehow, that doesn’t’ surprise me.”

  “It’s not a safe place, Em.”

  “But you will take me there, won’t you?”

  Tar closed his eyes, leaned his head back, and let out a heavy sigh. Emily knew she had won. He started the jitney and made a wide turn in the street. “Ya really set on going, aren’t ya?”

  “I have to,” she said.

  “And I can’t talk ya out of it?”

  “I’m afraid not.”

  “I knew it. I’ve never heard nothing good come over a whisper stone.”

  Tar drove Emily to the nearest lift station, which was only a couple of blocks down the road. They were still high enough in the city for him to get a few suspicious looks from the other riders, but the lower they went, it was Emily who was being scrutinized. It appeared vir were not as common the farther one sank in the Chimney. With each level they passed, the proportion of vir to uhyre changed drastically, however, the orcs didn’t seem as hostile toward Emily as the vir were toward Tar, but it was clear they were unsure of her presence.

  When they finally reached tier sixteen, and the dower blew the familiar tune to open the gates, they stepped off the lift into the lobby. Tar quickly led Emily off to one side as the rest of the orcs passed. A few gave her suspicious looks, but she couldn’t tell if they were simply curious or disgusted.

  “Pull ya hood up and keep ya hands in ya pockets,” Tar instructed.

  “You think there’s going to be a problem?”

  “My father once told me there are people who cause trouble and people who attract it. You seem to be the attractive type.”

  Emily pulled up the hood of her jacket and stuffed her hands in the pockets. She wrapped her fingers around the tyng. Tar placed his hand on her back and directed her toward the exit.

  “Try not to say much and don’t make any eye contact.”

  Once outside, the difference between the tiers was all too evident. It was colder, and it was darker. There weren’t nearly as many lights, and the few they had didn’t seem to work. She also found breathing was a little harder as the air was thick and stale.

  “Engineers seldom come down here anymore,” Tar explained. “They cut the funding for everything under tier fifteen, not that they cared about us before. But now, it’s gotten worse. Many of the streets are undrivable and no longer lit. The ventilation system has been cut back and most of the buildings have been condemned, although it hasn’t stopped people from living in them. They cut off the water ta nearly half the tier and the half that still has it, it’s almost undrinkable. When the dowers do come, they’re forced ta work the northern districts. That’s where the mining companies still operate out of.”

  “Can’t you do anything about it?”

  “Like what?”

  “I don’t know. Isn’t there anyone you could go to? What about the Bureau?”

  “The Bureau.” Tar laughed. “Who do ya think cut the funding? Besides, Bureau Annex-Sixteen closed years ago. It wouldn’t surprise me if the vir were simply waiting us out. Hoping that we’ll all drop dead of rikers or descend farther down the Chimney. I doubt if that grand emperor-king sitting up there on his golden throne even knows we exist.”

  “What if you let people know what’s going on? You know, get the word out.”

  “They already know what’s going on.” Tar made a sweeping gesture with his hands. “They live it every day.”

  “No, I mean the people in the higher levels. They might not know what’s—”

  “Don’t be naive, Em. They know, and they don’t care. We’re orcs, remember? The scourge of the world. We’re the villains in all their fairy tales, the creatures in their nightmares, the monsters under their beds. They won’t be happy until we’re gone, and sometimes I wonder if maybe they’re right. There’s been talk among some of the elders about abandoning the Chimney.”

  “What? You mean leave New Doral?”

  “What else is there for us?”

  “Where would you go?”

  “Don’t know. North probably, back to our ancestral lands.”

  “But you don’t even know what’s out there.”

  “What difference does it make? We either die quickly out there or die slowly in here. At least out there, we have a fighting chance.”

  “It’s not right,” Emily said.

  Tar shrugged. “It seldom is.”

  They walked in silence for a while since finding a jitney was nearly impossible. There were few vehicles on the roads, not that the roads were in any shape for traveling. Tar seemed lost in his thoughts while Emily was caught up in the experience. Tier sixteen was vastly different from anything she had seen since coming to the city—a far cry from the upper levels. It was an entirely new world, or maybe a very old one. It was hard to imagine there were four more levels below it, and each one was supposed to be worse than the next.

  The population seemed to be mostly made up of the uhyre. A good portion of them being orcs or goblins, although, she did observe a few ogres standing outside what appeared to be the local gym. So when she spotted the vir, needless to say, she was surprised. He kind of stood out, even though he wasn’t standing. He was all alone, sitting against the wall between two garbage cans, slumped over to one side. She couldn’t see his face, but his clothes were torn and covered in dirt. The orcs who passed him didn’t seem to notice him or didn’t care. When she moved toward him, Tar grabbed her arm.

  “Where do ya think ya going?” he asked.

  “There’s a man over there, and he looks hurt.”

  Tar looked to where she was pointing and slowly shook his head. “Leave him be.”

  “But he’s a vir. He doesn’t look like he belongs here.”

  “So ya think vir are too good for Goblin Town?”

  “Tha
t’s not what I said. It’s just that I haven’t seen too many vir down here. He could be lost or in trouble.”

  “Of course he’s lost. That’s why he’s here, and that’s why you should leave him alone.”

  Emily glared at Tar. She never imagined him being that cold.

  The orc smiled sadly. “You know, that’s the one thing I really admire about you,” he said. “Your desire to help those in need, regardless of who they are. But I’m telling ya, there’s nothing ya can do for him.”

  “Maybe not, but I still have to try.”

  Cautiously, she approached the man. At first, she thought she might already be too late. He wasn’t moving, but as she got closer, she could hear him humming to himself.

  “Are you all right?”

  There was no answer, except the humming. It wasn’t a tune, but a long continuous droning sound. It wasn’t exactly a threatening noise, but it did make her feel uneasy. Slowly, her fingers closed around the tyng in her pocket.

  “Are you hurt?”

  Still no reply.

  When she reached out and placed her hand on his shoulder, he suddenly looked up at her, but she doubted he even saw her. There was no acknowledgment. His eyes were vacant. Faint blue lines, under translucent flesh, spread out across a gaunt face, his slack jaw emitting the strange humming sound.

  Emily stumbled back and nearly fell into the street, but Tar was there to catch her.

  “I told ya, there’s nothing ya can do for him,” the orc said.

  “What’s wrong with him?”

  “He’s a dust fiend.”

  “A what?”

  “A dust fiend. A slave to the Terra dust, and by the looks of him, he’s no longer there.”

  “I don’t understand.”

  “He’s dead. He just doesn’t know enough to lie down. He’s probably been dead for days.”

  “That’s horrible.”

  “And all too common down here. Terra dust is cheap and easy to find, especially in Goblin Town. Chances are, even if he were to survive the night, he’d just kill himself tomorrow.”