Other Places 2: Road Blocks

by P. S. Power

  There was a voice from the door.

  "Oh, my, that isn't good. Not at all."

  The lady that stood there wore a white chef style outfit, one that was pristine and spotless, and had curly hair. She looked to be about forty or so, but a tiny bit of silver had started to work into her otherwise brown hair.

  She started to breathe hard and seemed genuinely distressed by the scene, though it could be the sight of blood or the scent of burnt Elth that did it. Maybe it was just the whole picture? She didn't explain.

  "Elth are very hardy souls. If they are free of iron related metals, save what's in their blood, they should recover. I don't know... we need to have someone care for them. They have no other people here that would do it. They aren't highborn for their kind." She seemed pretty certain as to that, which sounded strange to Zack, since their Ambassador should have watched out for them. That didn't seem like it would be the case though, since the much taller, very thin man that came over just looked in and waved a bit. It seemed pretty dismissive.

  "We'll have to have new workers brought in. Just toss them out, we can find more. It will take time, which is a bother, but nothing to be done about it." Then the man, who was nearly five feet tall, and had brassy hair that looked like metal, turned and walked out.

  Nothing more than that, just "toss them out", like it was an actual answer to the problem. Zack nearly followed the man to let him know what he thought about it, but shook his head instead. Feeling anger surge up from inside him. He wasn't an angry person in the main, but this... Yeah, it set him off.

  "We need to carry them to Candles and More. Someone tell that jerk that I expect this place to be fixed by the time they're better, and their jobs to be here for them, or I will have words with him." He meant it, but telling the truth all the time meant that his threats were a little less than frightening, he knew.

  He got help almost instantly, from a nice seeming man with dark skin and extra shiny teeth, as well as the curly haired woman from the food court. The man was from the Fun Zone, on the bottom floor, but on the other side, so Zack hadn't seen him very often. The friendly seeming dark man carried Conrad, who looked like a child in his arms. The woman cradled Merry, which was good, since Zack wouldn't have made it, if he'd been trying. On the way past the Herb shop he waved to the man inside, who wasn't Wu-Li today, but his assistant, the white guy with the thin mustache. Dan.

  Zack pointed at the others who'd kept walking away, when he came out to see what was going on, realizing that someone was injured and being about the closest thing they had to a doctor there.

  "Two Elth, a metal thing exploded on them, hitting them both with iron. Merry managed to heal Conrad's wounds, but she had a chunk in her while she did that, and it burned her really badly. We're taking them to my shop. I don't know if-"

  The man turned and ran, moving with a quickness that was impressive really, and just left the store open, but moved to meet up with the potential patients. Zack followed at a jog, only to have Lenore and Vaughn meet him in the front of the place, following them all in.

  He didn't explain it, figuring that they probably already knew it all, having heard all the conversations. Instead he thought about what was needed and pointed.

  "Something for them to lay on. Beds, or something soft. Cushions?"

  They ran away too, but were back, carrying everything soft they could rip from the furniture in the back of the Yoghurt World. They had it down on the floor near the far side wall before the people carrying the injured had to set them down, which let Dan, the herb man, get to work quickly.

  "They'll both need liquids and alternating cool and warm compresses, to help prevent dehydration. Food as well, when they wake up. It might be a few days. Who's going to be attending them?" The man looked around, but didn't make eye contact with the Fun Zone fellow at all. The other one from the food court shook her head.

  "I can't, as dear as they are. We're in a crises and I'm needed for negotiations. That and my job. Their own people can be... difficult, about things like this. They're low ranking. Regardless of the fact that they're both amongst the best at what they do, and practically run the section here. If the Line Walker hadn't taken them, they literally would have been dumped outside, to live or die as they may." She didn't seem happy about that at least.

  The black man smiled.

  "I'm leaving now. It will help them more than me being here. I think I have work, elsewhere now anyway. It was their leader, Leif, that ordered that, you say? I have the correct member of their tribe?"

  The woman nodded, but didn't make eye contact.

  "Oh, well, something to do, something to do. Thanks. Line Walker." He actually nodded, and seemed more than a little pleased at how things were turning out.

  When he was well out of ordinary ear shot, Dan regarded the scene somberly.

  "Ridley is a Trickster. His kind live to teach people lessons. Normally in a way that is rather painful, humiliating, or both. If you fail to learn, you tend to die. Let's just say I wouldn't want to be Leif right now." The man's mustache twitched, as if he might just want to see that lesson happening.

  Zack ignored it all and tried to work things out. He was needed for his job too. He could work in the back though and let Hiram go home. It wasn't perfect, but what else could be done? They couldn't just go to a hospital, could they?

  Dan had to run to his still open store, and the woman did too. Hiram had floated to the back, but got enough of it from context to get the idea. Either they did it, or it wouldn't be done.

  "Fuck, this is just what we need. What these two needed as well, I bet. I'll get some food going for them..."

  Zack shook his head and looked at the Vampires, who both seemed a bit red in the eyes again, which meant angry, or hungry and he already had been told which it was earlier.

  "No, I have this. You need to sleep. Lenore, Vaughn, I need you two to get out of here, before we look delicious, I need to..." Call someone. There were a few people he could call, but he decided on Keeley. Greater Demon or not, she wouldn't let injured Elth be tossed out onto the street while unable to care for themselves. Unless she didn't like them at least.

  He walked off to do that, while the others all actually left, Hiram going out the back. It was a bit nerve racking, but he needed help.

  The phone picked up, and he started speaking without hesitation.

  "I need fresh blood and someone to help me watch two injured people. Elth, if that means anything to you. The good kind of blood, for Vampires. Is that doable?"

  The voice that came back was a bit young sounding and innocent, rather than the confident tone he was used to from Keeley.

  "Um, hello? I think I can get some of that blood from Rebekah, if you want. I don't know about the other..." Then she stopped dead, as if she'd said the wrong thing.

  He almost barked out who is this, but he hadn't identified himself either, he realized. It was rude, he was just used to Keeley always knowing right off the bat.

  "This is Zack Hartley. I really could use that blood. In fact, we'll take as much as we can get. I'll pay full price for it, and pick it up. May I ask who this is? I was expecting Keeley."

  "It's Hally, I think we sort of met once? She's out of the room at the moment..."

  That could mean anything from being in a different dimension to using the bathroom, so he didn't ask. Not his business anyway.

  "I could use the help with watching these people too, in case I get called away. Anything that can be done, without costing someone their life or freedom, would be great."

  "Uh, sure. I'll see if I can do that for you? Can I call you back?" She asked it like that would be the sticking point. It probably just meant she felt a little shy, having to help broker blood and send someone in to watch people... for some voice on the phone ordering the extra special drinking blood.

  That could do it.

  "Thanks. I'll try to stay by the phone."

  It took a while and he got two cups from the bathroom and
tried to trickle a little water into Conrad and Merry's mouths, then arranged some cool clothes for them both. Instead of a ring though, he found himself turning from Merry to find himself looking up at a nine foot tall Demon, alongside of a small redhead and a Manthori Vampire man.

  The girl waved to a large basket, a family picnic kind, that the very pale guy had in his hands. No blanket, so it probably wasn't for a date.

  "Blood. Ten containers of it. I left a note, but kind of stole it, so..." She shook her head. "I stole Elis too. That makes sense, right? He's going to watch the people for you?" She looked over at them and went wide eyed. "Oh... What happened?"

  Zack shrugged.

  "Kitchen appliance blew up, I don't know what kind. Steel, it hit them and their people are sensitive to it."

  In a great grumbling voice the reddish brown, horned and slightly fur covered demon, who was carrying a lot of muscle on him, spoke, which caused fear to rip through Zack instantly.

  "A pressure cooker most likely. Does the Elth blood on your mouth mean that you cleaned the wounds with your tongue?" It was an academic sounding question, one that suggested it might have merit, rather than calling him on his cannibalistic tendencies.

  He shook his head anyway, answering.

  "I had to pull two of the pieces out with my teeth. I doubt that's very clean at all. It was on Conrad, and he's healed now, but not awake."

  The giant thing stared at him for a long time then moved forward his hand reaching for him, which had Zack moving back suddenly.

  "Sorry, I'm afraid of you." He said it blankly, with his normal honesty, but the being smiled, and bowed.

  "I see. No insult is taken. They don't call me the Fear Demon for nothing. I need to return to my domicile soon, lest I be missed. The lady Hally as well. She is brave and of good heart, but no price for this has been established. While I doubt The Mistress of Souls would punish her for this theft, Elis may be punished for leaving without permission."

  Zack nodded. He got the tone, which said that the giant was haggling with him.

  "Right. What's the going rate for services like this? You got them here, and that's pricey, then the rest of it?"

  Then the room suddenly had even more people just standing around. All women. A hot blonde that looked too young for him, a hot brunette that he knew was too young for him and a Manthori woman that had copper hair and chalk colored skin, with red eyes. She wasn't as great looking, but was so exotic that didn't really matter. Rebekah looked ready to beat him senseless for blood theft too. That was going to hurt.

  "Oh, hello!" He didn't try to explain what they were doing, and Keeley just moved to him, giving him a gentle hug, that wasn't half as violent as all that.

  "We were just worried, this isn't a hit team or anything. Elis is going to stay and help here. We can trade for that, since I need a similar favor from you soon. A double date. I'll need Kyle for that too, as per our prior agreement. Balthias doesn't need to be paid, since he's just trying to get Hally into bed, but you should think about paying her something for her efforts. She showed good use of resources today, don't you think?" There was her normal calm and confidence to the words. She brushed her hair out of the way, but was actually looking at Merry, not him, as she spoke.

  "You know Zack... You should pass her some energy. She's very weak right now. Just like what you do for your breathing exercises, just run it to her, instead of into the Earth when you finish. It's in her nature to take that energy and use it to heal."

  "Um.." He said proving that he was half useless when too many pretty girls came into a room. "I'll do that. Thanks. I think we can agree to those terms, at least to the way I understand them."

  The blonde, who he knew was actually Keeley's sister, laughed.

  "Not too badly stated. Elis should take that basket over to your friends. They're going to frenzy if they have to wait too long and it wasn't packed in ice, so a fridge would be a good idea."

  Keeley waved at the pale Vampire to do it, and he practically ran. Carefully enough that there was no clanking of glass however.

  He couldn't think clearly for a second but shook himself. There was supposed to be something for Hally, that was right. Hopefully she wanted cash, because unlimited Node travel... He smiled. That was doable too, as long as it wasn't every day.

  Turning to her, Zack tried to think of what to say, exactly when Mirror Him took over.

  "Hey toots. How does twenty thousand sound? We can get the cash to you directly." It sounded a bit odd, like he was faking being Zack, rather than himself, but his nerves made a botch of it, sounding more like a nineteen-twenties era gangster. Or at least the movie version.

  The girl blushed a brilliant crimson.

  "I... I couldn't. I didn't do that much."

  Zack shrugged, figuring that MH had a reason for giving away that much money. It was probably his terror of Greater Demons, but he wasn't going back on it now.

  "Maybe, but I might need you again, so consider this a down payment... A retainer?" He looked at The Technician, the blonde one, if he recalled her title correctly.

  She nodded back, which was helpful of her.

  "That's the term. I can arrange for that to be delivered, if you like? That way you won't have to worry about it. You won't even owe me a favor for it, deal?" She nodded, trying to get him to simply agree, which he did of course.

  "Sure, that would actually be pretty helpful. Of course it means you already have access to my accounts, but hey, I guess that means you won't rip me off. After all, you could have already." No one else spoke for a time and there was a strange tickling over his body, but it went away after a few seconds.

  Keeley turned to her sister, and growled.

  "That's a dangerous game to play with him, Darla." She didn't call names or anything, but the big Demon, Balthias, chuckled, which was dark and menacing.

  "That also explains much."

  Keeley looked annoyed for some reason and shook her head.

  "Elis is coming back and we should leave, before the Mages get in. We'd scare them without needing to. Bal, be a dear and get Hally back to my house? We need to have a chat. For the moment I need to find my pet Succubus."

  They changed positions and he was left alone with the Vampire man, who didn't just tend the sick patients, he literally focused his entire being on them, so he wouldn't miss a single thing they might require.

  The phone rang, which was Lenore, sounding much more relaxed.

  "Are you all right? Elis said that you had two Greater Demons with you? I saw them leave... I... How much did this blood cost you?" There was worry in her tone, a real thing that seemed more human than what she regularly showed the world.

  "Twenty-thousand. Cash. I also have to go on a date with Kaitlyn, as Kyle, and one of Keeley's friends. She said double date, but I think I'm supposed to go with her, not the friend. I didn't get the rest of it, but it sounded pretty innocent. You know, for a Demon. That was to get someone to watch Merry and Conrad though. Elis, the one you met?"

  "I think I understand. That's a dangerous game for so low a prize, isn't it? Even an evening with the full regard of a Greater Demon is a high payment."

  Zack shrugged. It wasn't the only option, but it should work. He hoped.

  "I know. I can only do my best. Thanks for calling. See you later?"

  "I... don't know, unless you can come here when you get free from work? We have some things to discuss."

  "I should be able to. See you then."

  There was a lot of information in those words, he understood. She wasn't leaving work that day, and simply knew it. It was only about noon too, which put things a good ways off. The phone wasn't ringing now however, and no one tried to come in, so he took a chance to do what Keeley said and tried to pass energy through himself and give it to the tiny woman in front of him. He did it the same way Wu-Li did, touching her arm however, instead of head.

  The breathing was rhythmic and flowed more naturally now, but the visualization was wha
t caused the movement of energy, pulling it from above himself, sending it down, and instead of into the Earth below, into his injured friend. Or, well they hardly knew each other, so that was probably wrong. His... acquaintance? He kept going regardless, sending as much energy as he could.

  It didn't seem like much of anything was happening, but after nearly an hour of it, she opened her eyes and blearily looked at him.

  "I live? My brother?" The words where almost inaudible, they were so very soft and weak.

  "In the other bed. Or, well, collection of cushions. Do you need anything? You burned yourself really well, but I got the metal out of you. I've been trying to pass some energy into you. I don't know if it's helping or not." He felt embarrassed about it, since it sounded so intimate suddenly, but didn't let himself flinch away from it.

  "You have? I didn't know that was a skill of yours. Please continue." It wasn't an order, but she closed her eyes as if waiting for him to deliver it to her.

  So he tried. Imperfectly, with wavering attention and distractions from the phone, every now and again. At about three she opened her eyes again.

  "That is enough, for now. Has Conrad woken?" She looked over at him, her face pained, but no complaints came about that at all.

  "No, should I do something for him? Some herbs or medicines? Or this energy stuff?"

  He actually felt decent still, even after the rather boring time spent doing what he had. That got a strange reaction from Merry, which was a strained smile.

  "I think not. It's a healing sleep. Waking would be the bad sign. That I woke like this means I was near the true death, and I think only your aid has kept me here. If I live the next days, I should be fine. I'm... not certain that without you, or at least another feeding me thusly, that I'd make it."

  "Oh. Well, I'll do it. I feel good still, so..."

  She smiled weakly and looked away, her eyes bitterly sad, but she didn't say why. It could be the pain, or something else. Zack just couldn't tell.

  After a while she asked for some water, which had Elis at her side with a plastic cup instantly, carefully letting her sip from it, because they couldn't raise her head much without putting stress on her middle, which was so painful that Zack nearly cried just watching her try. She didn't. Her reaction was one of pain and gasping, but she worked to do what was needed even so, her tiny form struggling to sit up when asked, without question. Elis had to actually order her to stop it, so she wouldn't hurt herself.