“To be sure it does,” Ram agreed.
“So many houses,” said Sheridan. “So many people.”
Ram and Angus exchanged a look because they were in a very sparsely populated area of Ireland.
Within minutes they were over water headed toward the Firth of Clyde and the Scotia mainland.
“Take us a wee bit north so the lasses can get a look at Glasgow.”
Angus nodded.
In twenty minutes they were over the outskirts of Glasgow. The twins, who had been quietly chattering with each other the whole way, went silent.
“’Tis impossible,” Sheridan said. “There can no’ be so many people in the world.”
“’Tis a big job ahead of you,” Ram told the girls. “Gettin’ your minds around life out here. I hope you’re up to it.” Ram was hoping that a bit of a challenge would give them motivation to see the process through, no matter how alien and scary it might seem. They struck him as the sort to be determined and not let anything get in their way once their minds were made up.
By the time the whister set down at the Black Swan hangar in Edinburgh, the girls were reeling from their full submersion introduction to modern life. But Ram had to admire that they were both working hard at hiding the fact that they were shaken by the revelations of flying machines and people who lived on top of each other, literally.
A van was waiting to take them to Headquarters.
Almost numbed by their experiences over the past two hours that seemed fantastical to the twins, they woodenly got their things from cargo and walked toward the van.
Gillis was waiting to greet them as instructed by Rosie.
“Sir Hawking,” she said to Ram.
The twins looked at Ram. “Sir Hawking?” Sheridan asked.
“On Black Swan premises, among those who work for The Order, I’m known by my title as knight.”
“You mean you’re one of the vampire hunters you told us about?” They seemed more astounded by that than anything else that had happened so far.
“Retired. Well, semi-retired. But aye.”
“Do not let him get away with pretending to be humble,” Gillis said. “His portrait hangs in the Hall of Heroes. He’s the most decorated knight of our era.”
She held out her hand to Ram. “Presmona Gillis. Honored to meet you. I’m going to be getting the O’Malleys up to speed on life in our time.”
The twins looked at Ram with newfound appreciation. “So you’re no’ just a royal with a pretty face,” Shivaun said.
As Ram was trying to decide how to respond to that, Gillis told him, “Very well. Package delivered. Thank you.” To the twins she said, “You can call me Gillis.” She didn’t know where that came from, but sometime during her meeting with Rosie, she must have decided she liked being called Gillis. “Say goodbye to Sir Hawking for now. I’m going to show you where you’ll be staying for the next few days.”
Ram thought he saw a flash of fear in Sheridan’s eyes at the idea of being left in the strange place, with a human no less. Up to that point the only humans the twins had ever seen were Ram’s teammates and that had been long ago.
“If you make the cut and decide to enlist, I’ll be seein’ you at trainin’ camp. My whole family will be there. Meanwhile, keep an open mind and approach learnin’ with an adventurous spirit. This is an opportunity offered to a tiny handful of souls who come and go from this Earth. Bein’ selected to be here is an honor you do no’ yet understand, but if you stay, someday you’ll appreciate that everything here is larger than life.”
In some ways, Ram’s comments were confusing, but in others they were comforting. The twins nodded at him and indicated they were ready for whatever happened next.
He stopped them as they turned to go. “If, at any time, you want to be taken back to Black on Tarry, let Gillis know and I’ll come fetch ye. This is no’ a trap. ‘Tis a grand privilege.”
Rammel’s parting words made both of them smile. Apparently it was the right thing to say. Knowing they could ask to go home at any time seemed to make them relax. They waved and followed Gillis toward the elevator.
Ram stood and watched as Gillis explained about elevators. When the doors opened, Gillis motioned for them to step in. The O’Malleys took one look at the enclosed box and shook their heads.
He couldn’t hear what was being said, but after another minute or so, they began walking toward the grand staircase in the center of the lobby.
Too much too soon, he thought.
The O’Malleys got a two room apartment with twin beds in the one bedroom and a pull out sofa in the living room where their nighttime attendant would sleep. When they arrived, Gillis called Lacey Briarbog, the intern who would be with them at night, and told her to meet them in the dining room for supper at six.
The twins were cordial and polite to Gillis, but made an instant connection with Lacey that transcended manners. They even followed her onto the elevator after dinner to ride to the fourth floor. She showed Sheridan what the buttons meant and how to use them.
When Gillis left the twins for the night, the two of them were sitting cross-legged on the pulled out mattress, wearing pajamas Lacey had bought as a welcome gift. Lacey was explaining all the different things available on TV while the twins learned the ins and outs of remote usage. Looking on, one would not guess that, hours earlier, they’d never been in a place that had electricity, much less remotes.
CHAPTER Nine DELIVERANCE
“I do no’ yet have a list of real estate for you to tour,” Grieve told Rosie. “But ‘tis just as well because Dr. Monq has asked for an impromptu meetin’, if you can work it into your schedule. I indicated that you are givin’ his work a priority.”
“Well, that’s true enough. When does he want to see me?” Rosie asked.
“A.S.A.P. That means…”
“Yes, Grieve, thank you. I know what it means. I’ll go see Monq then talk to Glen and Song about being my beaters.”
“Bein’ your beaters? I do no’ take your meanin’.”
“Like, when the Raj used to go hunting? They’d have natives beat drums to drive game toward the hunters.”
“A colorful analogy, madam.”
“I thought so. Guess I’ll see you tomorrow then. Don’t let up on finding a place for my training camp.”
“No indeed, madam.”
People in possession of Aelsong’s private number were on a very short list. Rosie was one of them. She texted the princess.
ROSIE: Where are you?
SONG: Scheduling meeting. What’s up?
ROSIE: Need a minute of royal time.
SONG: You know where my bedroom is. Going there now. Give me ten.
ROSIE: If it takes ten minutes to get from one part of your house to your bedroom, you just might live in an obscenely big palace.
SONG: LOL
Rosie was sitting on the window seat cushion in Aelsong’s bedroom examining her nails when Song entered.
“Rosie. What if it had no’ been me? You would’ve caused a fright, a scandal, or both.”
Rosie shook her head. “Nah. I’d have just blinked out.”
“Well.” Song laughed and sat down next to her on the window seat.
“Have you noticed this glass is wavy?” Rosie asked. “Look. If you do like this,” she rocked back and forth, “the view changes like a house of mirrors.”
With a shake of her beautiful blonde head and a soft chuckle, Song said, “You must no’ have spent much time in really old places. Ancient glass does that.”
“I’ll bet it’s not very energy efficient.”
“Bet you’re right. Is this a social call? Shall I ask for a tea service?”
“I’d love tea, but don’t have time. Have you heard that I got a job?”
“No! Really? What are you doin’?”
Rosie offered the Cliffs notes version. When she was finished, Song said, “’Tis perfect for you. I always knew you were meant for some grand destiny.”
&n
bsp; With a snort, Rosie looked around and said, “Not like you. But it’ll do. And I could really use your help.”
Aelsong sat up a little straighter and Rosie didn’t miss the sparkle that sprang to her blue eyes. “My help. Please tell me you’re takin’ me away from ribbon cuttin’s and fundraiser appearances.”
“Yes! If you want. It’s not a guest host offer for Saturday Night Live, but it suits your talents to a tee.”
“Tell me what it is before I pinch you.”
Rosie explained that she needed Aelsong to talk to thirteen prospects and find out, using mundane or psychic methods, if Rosie should pursue interviews with them. If Aelsong determined that the answer was yes, her job would change from intel to sales as she would need to convince them to call Grieve and get an interview slot. Right away.
“’Tis no’ so easy to get out of whate’er has been planned for tomorrow and the next day, but I’ll do it. I’ll say I have a friend with an emergency that needs my attention. ‘Tis close enough to true.”
Rosie nodded vigorously. “It is true. This is an emergency.”
“Give me the names and where to find them. Those I can get to in person will get a visit from me. I’ll call the others.”
“I owe you big time.”
“Do no’. Just keep me in mind the next time you have somethin’ fun and interestin’ to do for a change. I work for free.” She wiggled her eyebrows.
“Why don’t you come back to work for Black Swan?”
“And say what? I can no’ do your ribbon cuttin’ because I work for a secret organization that investigates paranormal activity, slays vampire, and runs down demons?”
“You have a point.”
Song sighed. “Unfortunately I do. Anyway, thank you for the reprieve from monotony.”
“I need to give you Grieve’s number so you can coordinate a schedule with him. You know each other. Right?”
“Oh, aye. We know each other well. We have no’ always got on perfectly, but you’re lucky to have him. As assistants go, I suspect there are none better.”
“We also want to come up with a disguise and sneak you out so you can move around without being spotted.”
“This just got better.” Song looked toward her dressing room. “I actually have a disguise. The last time I used it nobody recognized me except for the vampire I was supposed to fool.” She gave a self-deprecating laugh at the folly. “So long as no one on the list is vampire, it should work fine. I’ll wear Free People clothes and a knit hat, blend in with tomorrow mornin’s tour of the public rooms and, when the tour is over, I’ll leave through the west entrance with the tourists. Grieve can have somebody pick me up in a nondescript auto and voila. I will be yours.”
“What will Duff say?”
“Duff will give me guff, but he’ll also give me his blessin’ when he sees that I really want to do it. His biggest issue will be security concerns, but Grieve will take care of that. He’s good at details.”
“He is.” Rosie nodded. “This is one big checkmark on my list. Gotta go.”
“Take care.”
And Rosie was gone.
Minutes later she was knocking on Monq’s lab door. A bespectacled young man in a white coat opened it and said, “He says for you to get your beautiful carcass in here. You’ve kept him waiting.”
Rosie blinked three times. “Here’s a tip, squint. When Monq says for you to tell somebody something, he doesn’t mean for you to literally repeat what he said. Particularly not when you’re saying it to the wife of the Sovereign who okays your checks.”
White coat looked sheepish. “Sorry, Mrs. Catch.”
“Commander Storm,” she corrected. “Where is he?”
“Follow me.”
Monq was in an anteroom standing over a huge drafting table. Three of his people were standing around. Everyone was in a white coat except for Monq. He wore a tee shirt that had been mocked up to give the impression that Mozart had recently completed a greatest hits tour.
He stopped what he was doing when Rosie came in. “Okay, everybody. Give us the room.” Rosie found herself thinking they moved pretty fast for humans. The last one out closed the door behind her. “Let’s get to the rundown.”
“You got something for me? Already?” Rosie was surprised, but hopeful.
“I probably don’t have whatever you mean by ‘something’, but I do have ideas and drafts of solutions. Ideas and drafts of solutions always come with hurdles, obstacles, and problems. I need to see if you can help clear some of those away.”
“Sure. What do you need from me?”
“Guinea pigs.”
She stopped for a second, her mind sorting through the catalog of things he might mean by that, all the while hoping he didn’t mean what she thought he meant.
“I’m hoping you don’t mean…” she began.
“I need specimens to experiment on.” Monq stopped and looked her full in the face. “You didn’t think we could accomplish your goals without lab rats, did you?”
“Um. I hadn’t thought of it, I guess. But I can tell you, right off the mark, no elemental is going to be down with being referred to as a guinea pig, lab rat, or specimen. Even if I can find some to volunteer.”
“R.E.S.P.E.C.T.”
“Exactly. Give me your barest bare minimum.”
“Well, I could get by with one elemental, assuming that’s your initial target, if he or she was willing to basically reside here for the duration of the test and submit to all the experiments.”
“I don’t have anything that any elemental wants that bad.”
“You might.”
“What’s that supposed to mean?”
“Ask your mom.”
“My mom!” Rosie scowled. “Why don’t you just say what you’ve got to say?”
“Because it’s not really my news to tell.”
“Sending me on a mission to extract information from my mother is the same thing as telling.”
“No, it’s not.”
“Yes, it is.”
“Whatever.”
He clammed up.
“I suppose this means there’s nothing else for us to discuss until I’ve talked to Mom.”
“There can be no progress without experiments. There can be no experiments without a subject. There may be an ideal subject if you go talk to your mother.”
Rosie growled loud enough to rival Glen’s wolf, turned herself into a small tornado and whipped papers around the room before disappearing.
“IMPRESSIVE EXIT!” Monq yelled to the air. He opened the door and said to the room at large, “I need people to get in here and sort through this mess.”
Litha was tending tomato vines in the back garden of the villa when Rosie appeared beside her as a small tornado. Litha didn’t look away from what she was doing, but continued nonplussed, knowing that Rosie would take human form and say what was on her mind when she was ready.
In the blink of an eye, she did exactly that. “Monq is supposed to be busy making stuff for me. Well, for D.I.T. I can’t send regular people out to chase down demons and the like, without special equipment.”
Litha glanced at her daughter. “Makes sense.”
“He needs an elemental to be the test subject for his experiments.”
“Oh no,” Litha was shaking her head. “I’m trying to get pregnant.”
“I know. I wouldn’t ask, but… Well. I told Monq that no elemental would agree to practically live there while he’s doing research and development, let alone submit to his experiments. I said I don’t have anything that any elemental wants that badly. Then he smiled and said, talk to your mother.”
“Oh.” Litha stood from her squatting position. “I see.”
“What do you see? Do you know something? My department needs this, Mom. I need it.”
Litha cocked her head and studied Rosie. “You seem… sincere about making a go of this.”
“I am. I have a feeling that this is right for me. And I’m right for
it. But I can’t get it off the ground without creating a level playing field for my hunters.”
“That’s a tall order.”
“Grieve says that’s what Monq does. Tall orders. He says Monq is a genius.”
Litha wiggled her head on her shoulders. “I guess that’s fair to say. Who’s Grieve? Oh. Prince Torquil’s man.”
“Was. He’s my man now.” Rosie scowled. “Wait. That didn’t sound right.”
“Never mind. I know what you mean. Come in and I’ll make you a cup of hot chocolate.”
“Got a brownie to go with it?”
“It so happens I do.”
Litha set two steaming cups and a brownie down at the kitchen island.
Rosie took a sip. “There’s nothing like hot chocolate and home.” Litha smiled as she reached out and put a strand of Rosie’s thick curls behind her ear. “So the suspense is killing me. Tell me why Monq sent me to talk to you about finding a willing test subject?”
Litha dropped her hand and looked away. “I know what Monq is talking about, but I’m just not sure that I should share it with you. It’s information of a sensitive nature. I don’t want to put somebody else’s happiness in jeopardy because you need something for your hunters.”
Rosie sat back. “You don’t like the idea of us chasing demons, or other things that may come and go.”
“Truthfully? No. Those ‘things’, as you call them, probably share more in common with you than humans.”
“I know. But just like law enforcement in this dimension doesn’t interfere with citizens who are obeying laws and minding their business, D.I.T. is not going to target extra-humans who aren’t making trouble.”
Litha smirked. “You really believe that innocent people don’t ever have run-ins with cops?”
Rosie hesitated. “Well, no. I’m not saying that. Are you saying my unit is going to be corrupt?”
Finngarick (Order of the Black Swan, D.I.T. Book 2) Page 11
