by P. S. Power
“Any Trollienkeine gets to travel for free, anywhere they want to go, on the second Tuesday of each month. With me, only. I don’t know if anyone will be taking me up on it, but Zack thought it would be good for me to offer that sort of thing.”
As he pulled out of the lot, there was a soft whistle from the driver.
“Okay… That’s impressive. I hadn’t heard about that at all. Is it a secret?”
She couldn’t imagine why it would be, but Eve chuckled, sitting in the front passenger’s seat. The other girl was older after all, so that seemed correct, really. The younger people normally rode in the back. Though if they counted void time as well as outer world time, Edom was the youngest being in the vehicle. He was about two hundred, or so. Not that it had been discussed clearly.
Eve seemed a bit hesitant for a moment, but then shook her head.
“Not really. Avery is just claiming the Trollienkeine as hers. I think most of the different groups will understand that. They get to go where they need and she’s their person. If nothing else the offer should endear her to them.”
That got a nod from the darker man in the front seat, his face unreadable, from the bit of it that could be made out.
Finally, there was a head tilt, just before he spoke.
“Well, one of the line walker rules has always been that you get to do whatever you want and that no one can say anything about it. If anyone complains too much about not getting free trips, the other line walkers will cut them off, so they can’t even buy passages. At least that’s what I’ve heard.”
Avery really hadn’t, but there were groups of line walkers in several different worlds now. As she thought about that, a cell phone chimed gently, which got her to jump, since it wasn’t Eve’s going off, but rather her own. It had been purchased by her, but only a few people had the number for it so far. About ten or so.
She answered it a bit clumsily, since she didn't really know how to use it yet. It was, she’d been told, a very nice thing for what it was, but that just meant it could do many things she didn’t understand. Everyone else was quiet as Avery spoke.
“Hello? Avery Rome here. How may I help you?” She didn't really know how to do that kind of thing, answer a phone, so was trying to seem professional, rather than too casual, since she didn't know who’d be getting in touch with her. Rebekah and Steve and Scotty were just friends of hers, so she could be relaxed with them. She thought.
Everyone else was pretty important, so that meant she needed to be a bit more proper seeming most of the time.
After half a second, there was a friendly, rather chipper voice from the device.
“Hey, Avery! Calley Hale here. I was wondering if you might be happening past the Presidential Offices, say in half an hour? I’m in Sparks, but have a meeting that just came up. I mean, literally five minutes ago, if that. It’s important, but…”
That made a certain amount of sense. Calley was planning a run for the Presidency of the Shifter Nation. Part of why things were working so well for her so far had to do with the fact that she had connections with a lot of different groups, but also managed to get places quickly. Technically she knew several line walkers, which made that kind of thing possible for her. The thing there was that the rest of them kind of had to charge her for one reason or another. That kind of thing was so expensive that even now, with five or six people around to actually do the work, no one was taking it casually.
Going from one state to another inside the U.S. was insane, given that. Or a large show of power, on the Bat Shifter’s part. Avery wasn’t a political mastermind, but she was kind of getting that Calley Hale was using her for that last bit. To make herself seem far more powerful than anyone else in the running.
“I’m headed toward the mall right now. I can… Pick you up before I start work? We’ll need to hurry, given that, I think. The Principal of my new school kept me late, making sure I had the needed I.D. to start in the morning.”
The words got a sharp intake of breath.
“Right! So that’s going ahead? I should go and talk to the man… Tomorrow morning? Just to check things out. Anyway, thanks, sweetie! You’re wonderful you know that, right?”
That wasn’t a thing Avery knew at all about herself, and sounded suspiciously like the woman was flirting with her, but she just pretended it was the case, since that would leave everyone feeling better than the truth did.
“I think I should be there in about fifteen minutes? At Tyler’s?” They all called it that, even though the mansion was owned by a Greater Demon, The Mistress of Souls. Avery hadn’t met her at all yet, to her knowledge. Not that a Demon couldn’t have fooled her if they were really trying.
The band lived there as well, but still, it was always called Tyler’s, for some reason. Possibly for political matters.
Calley let out a small sound that was a bit like a squeak, then clearly stood up. It was a thing that even Avery could hear her doing, over the phone.
“I’ll be there. Thanks! See you then.”
The phone hung up, with Edom making a bit of a sour face about it, for some reason.
“That’s a bit… She shouldn’t be pressing you like that. I understand why, but millions of people have good reasons for line travel each day.”
She didn’t really have an answer, since the real reason she was helping was honestly that she’d been asked to. If some stranger had contacted her and said the same things, Avery would have likely gone along with it for them as well. That one, she understood, came from her warped upbringing as a traveling cult member.
Basically an Amish Gypsy.
Chris, a boy from a different reality, had mentioned that idea to her, so she’d asked around about it, not knowing what an Amish was. That, it turned out, was like a Mennonite. Only stricter and lacking the nice bright clothing of the other group. One of the horse and buggy people. She’d seen them personally, if not to talk to, so got the basic idea. The Roma were more familiar to her, since The Gray actually had connections with them, even if they were human beings. Mainly.
The truth of the matter was that it was a fairly accurate description of her early life. It had messed with her enough that she kind of just tended to follow orders when given them. Worse, simple requests were kind of taken as commands by her. Even the military training that she’d had really didn’t help her move past that. So now, when asked to do things, or even if it was hinted at, she tended to just comply. Instantly and without asking for a reason.
Even though no one around her expected that particularly. Avery knew that one, having heard about it several times. Calley had suggested that she didn't have to jump to her aid all the time. Even as she kept asking for it. Not that it was a huge hardship or anything.
Avery shrugged then.
“I… Well, she might be the next President of my people, so it can’t hurt to have her as a friend.” It probably wasn’t a great answer, but the others both nodded a tiny bit, making the air inside the roaring vehicle shift around. It made a pattern she saw inside her head. That looked like a translucent blue haze, but made sense to her.
Finally, Ed smiled. It was hard to tell if he meant it.
“True. I just can’t see what even the President of the Shifters could do for you that would be worth what you’ve been doing for her. Not that she isn’t a good person.”
Eve made a noise then, and shook her head a bit.
“Truthfully, if you had any kind of a sex drive at all, I’d suggest that you have her go down on you every day. At least then you could claim she was just your bitch, which would sell with a lot of people.”
Edom made a disgusted noise suddenly.
“Don’t be crude, Eve. You’re better than that. Not that dating her would be out of the question, if you need an excuse for that later, Avery. She’s a Bat Shifter, so no one would think that was too odd.”
Calley and her brother Chi had both mentioned that they were bi-sexual. Most Bats were, apparently. Not the real ones, but the shap
e shifting kind. No one knew why that was, but it had been in the Traits book, at battle camp.
What hadn’t really been listed was that Dragons didn’t seem to have much of a sex drive at all. They could, she’d been assured, perform that way, but there was no urge to actually do it. If she had a husband, Avery would be expected to meet his needs, of course, but the idea of dating in order to have access to that kind of thing made no particular sense to her. It really sounded like a huge time sink, to be honest.
Doing things with a woman was just wrong as well. Mainly because it would mean she wasn’t giving enough of her time to her husband. Which, being a Dragon, she didn’t have.
Worse, everyone around her seemed to both understand that about her, and not really get it, at the same time. So far the Vampires were the best that way. Eve had a sex drive, as did Edom, but they hadn’t for a long time, Eve had mentioned. Getting them back was a new thing, so they both basically understood what she was going through that way. They’d lived it in the recent past.
Not that she shouldn’t start forming that kind of relationship with someone. It was kind of clear that she wasn’t going to be marrying any time soon, so living the pattern of those around her made a bit of sense. Even if it was wicked and evil.
Avery nodded then.
“I could do that, I suppose. Date someone. Probably not Ambassador Hale. She’s a nice woman, but going to be very busy soon, I think.” At least if she won the Presidency. That wasn’t assured at all, and several others were being put forth already, but her name was right in there, out to the Shifter public.
The coming election had also, for the very first time ever, made the Human press. Just a few talk shows, but some few Humans were actually making a point of finding that kind of thing out. Avery wouldn’t have known about that, but Tyler had mentioned it to her, the last time she’d gone to his house for a meal.
When they pulled into the mall parking lot, she looked around carefully, before getting out of the vehicle. You always had to do that, since you were vulnerable to gun fire, rocket launchers and at times energy weapons or powers, when sitting in one place like they were. They were in the upper parking lot, since the back door of Yoghurt World opened up into it. Normally that would have meant a walk for Avery, the book store she was working in that day being deep in the heart of the complex, but the Vampire embassy had a node in the back, which she could use directly, to get Ambassador Hale into place.
Even if he had a few reservations about working for Calley like she was doing, Ed hurried in, unlocking the large metal, brown painted door efficiently. As if he’d done that kind of thing for years. It was tempting to run inside, but she walked behind the others, then passed them, examining the front of the store for them, making certain that no one had invaded or had set up traps while they weren’t there.
The woman behind the counter, Barbara, smiled at her and waved a bit, talking as she made a cold frozen yogurt treat for an actual customer. The new sign out front was really working to bring people in. Eve had mentioned that she’d gotten it a few days before, from a friendly man named Will. It was hard to tell exactly, but it sounded a bit like the man was dating her best friend, Eve, now. Avery had no clue what she was supposed to do about that, or if it had been a joke.
Human humor sometimes didn’t make a lot of sense to her. Vampires, in the main, used to be that kind of being, so kept certain traits, even after they died and were reborn as a dark creature that drank the blood of the living to keep the feeble flame of their spirit alive. Which was needed, since they were, clearly forsaken by the Changing God.
Avery didn't even scold herself for thinking that. It was just wrong. Everything The Gray had claimed seemed to be. If there was a God at all, he, or she, certainly didn’t play by the warped and almost nonsensical rules of a traveling cult.
Even if they did claim themselves to be the elect. The most wonderful and special of all beings.
Barb grinned at her, but with her mouth shut.
“Hey! Need something to eat? I can get you that just as soon as I get caught up here. There’s a bit of a rush.” The brown eyed woman looked out at the people in the shop, most of whom seemed a bit bored, rather than wowed by the wondrous idea of giant ice cream style treats being in the offing.
“That sounds great, but I have to head directly to Sparks. Ambassador Hale called in for transport to the Shifter Nation HQ.”
Eve had said nothing in particular about the matter, in the car on the way there. Edom hadn’t really said much past his first doubts. Barbara however stuck her tongue out a bit.
“Oh, sure, when it’s Calley Hale, you just drop everything and run to help her out. What happens when it’s Barb though? Hmm? Hmm?” She seemed nearly serious about it, except that it was a joke. Enough of one that Avery just nodded, attempting to play back a tiny bit.
It wasn’t her normal way of doing things however, and there were children present, so she kept it a bit on the proper side. Even if it was tempting to suggest to her that the Vampire would be required by Ed’s new rules to perform for her sexually, if Avery did that.
Instead, just to protect the innocent minds of the Human kids, she nodded slowly.
“I’m always there for you, Barbara. It just never really comes up, since you’re a line walker. Seriously, if you ever need any cleaning done, or military missions accomplished, I’m here to help.” She worked to seem extra sincere, but didn't manage it well enough to seem over the top.
Instead, it came out like she was really making that kind of an offer. She didn't take it back, since she’d always do that kind of thing, really. The second in command for the Vampires there in Washington State actually lowered her eyes then, but smiled again.
“Thanks. I knew my plying you daily with all that sugar would pay off.”
Avery had to admit that would probably work pretty well. She did enjoy eating, if she had a chance to do that. A lot of Shifters did. Something about what made them capable of changing form also gave them some extra abilities in their two legged shapes. She was a Dragon and not strictly the same as the others, but she still needed to eat a lot, when she could. She was all right for the time being, but a snack was definitely going to be welcome before she slept that night.
Dinner as well, if possible.
“I need to get to that now. I just wanted to make certain that everything was all right here.”
Edom had gone directly into his office, but Eve was by the front door of the place, nodding as she looked out. Clearly understanding the need to be watchful.
There had been an attack, of sorts, about three days prior. On the Shifter Embassy there. Thankfully the government men that had come, dressed all in black, screaming at her, hadn’t blown anything up. Instead they’d marched into the place, holding the only person there at the time, her, in place with their weapons.
Eve had made a point of sending everyone else away for that part of things. Rather than start fighting instantly, or changing shape out of fear, she’d just smiled at the men. Then asked them if they either had a warrant or a desire to buy fairly expensive, but also trendy, clothing.
It was the first bit, about the warrant, that had gotten them to back off, somehow. Sure, she’d been pushed around and even thrown face first to the hard floor, then handcuffed for her trouble, but after a while the men let her go, announcing that they’d made a mistake and had the wrong address.
They’d left then, without even destroying the displays or anything. Nothing had been stolen either. It meant that, even after calling that in to the Shifter headquarters, she’d had to stay for several hours. Someone had to be in the embassy between nine in the morning and nine at night, as one of the conditions of having a slot there at Westfield.
She didn’t say anything, but raised a hand to wave at Eve, who winked back at her as she moved toward the back room of the shop, where the rip in space called a node was. That let her go into the nothingness between worlds, which was pretty restful for her. She spent a
few hours there, just focusing on nothing, except what was needed to keep her from evaporating into it.
Then, in what would seem like about a second later in the real world, if that long, Avery moved with a bit of twisted thought, to come out in her band friends’ front lawn. The node there wasn’t really one, being small and limited in where it could take you, but handily, it connected up to a node location directly. That one was in the mall she’d started in, which made coming to visit the others there simple for her.
Calley Hale drove up almost perfectly to meet her, and parked her car off to the side of the large circular driveway. Near the garage on the right. What she didn’t do was bother to open the door and park. Instead, she just turned the thing off, got out and ran directly at Avery.
“Hey, hey, hey!” There was a sing song lilt to her voice, which calmed after a moment or two. “Thanks for helping me, Avery. There’s a problem on the East Coast, so Little got Jahn to bring me in as a consultant. Just a land dispute, over a border, but the idea is that I’m worth having around, I guess?” She didn’t seem to think that was true for the case at hand, but Avery had faith in her. She was intelligent and had a lot of energy, as well as the ability to pull strings.
“Let’s get you there then? I’m on at Zack’s, doing transfers, until eight. I can come and get you then? Sooner, if you need, but I’d hate to mess up the transfer schedule, if I can help it.”
Calley just lit up, moving toward her and the small node like thing, since she knew roughly where it was. If she was willing to try hard enough, the Bat Shifter might have been able to step through it on her own. Anyone could use shortcuts, naturally. They were just weak points in space that linked two different locations.
“That would be great, actually. If I can get out of there at all tonight. You should call first? That way you won’t waste a trip, just for me.”
They had to step through the ripple in space to get back to the Mall, but from there they were off to Montana, almost instantly. That meant they were standing in an empty room no more than two minutes later. When they got there, Calley held up a hand, for silence. Then she grinned.
