by P. S. Power
She didn’t seem that relieved inside, but faked it externally.
“All right. Sure, we can do that? Go now, so we don’t lose too much time on the other side.”
He jogged out, trying not to swish the baskets around too much. There were small rattling sounds from inside of them, as bits of strange alien candies were jostled about. The scent wasn’t unpleasant however. Will even recognized some of them. There was a lot of chocolate involved, for instance. Sugar, milk and peanut butter were in there, too. On top of that were about a dozen different mildly fruity scents. Some of those weren’t too familiar, but the basic idea was clear to him just from that.
His first stop was actually to the magic shop in Harmony, on the Moon of his own reality. That part was interesting, going home. Even if the end point wasn’t that familiar to him, it was very simple to click into place where he belonged. It called to him from the void, more strongly than anywhere else did. Other places did have a link to him however. First the world he’d just left, but also Hartley’s reality and Eve Benson’s. The less time he’d spent in a place the weaker his connection to it, but there was one. Even for places that he’d only been for a few moments.
Harmony, in the main hallway, which was lit from above with warm, very bright lights that mimicked the sun at high noon, was busy that day. Hundreds, if not thousands, of people were moving up and down the walkway. A few glanced at him, curiously, but no one commented on his strange garb. Thinking about that, he altered it as he moved, to be a nice silk outfit that was in a dark black. Even the trousers were of the shiny material. Those he made tight enough that the instant his Aunt Trice saw him, standing behind her counter, she let her lips curl up a bit and looked at the front of them, where the laces were.
“Well, hello. Finally come for a proper visit?”
That got him to sigh and shake his head. It took him a few seconds to shift to speaking in standard like she’d just done.
“Not really. I have a time limit and need to hit ten different worlds or so. Is Tim in? I have a delivery for him.” The man was there, of course. In the back. Will was going to where the things needed to be delivered, not specific locations in particular. In short, he was following the man, not the place he might be.
That got a nod, but she actually moved to the back of the store, even though there were customers in the shop. After all, it was all free for the taking, so theft wasn’t a real problem there. Her job was probably all about helping people find what they really needed, as well as keeping the shelfs and displays stocked. That didn't sound too hard really, since basically giving anyone who walked in a gift probably made them like her, at least on a subconscious level.
After a few moments Tim came out of the back room at a quick walk, his wife right behind him. The man looked about the same as the last time they’d met, being tall and thin like he was.
Hefting the correct brown wicker basket, Will smiled.
“Delivery, from Cindy Mableton? There’s also a note from Marcia Turner. My understanding is that those are separate things.”
His uncle took the gifts, then set the basket on the counter, smiling after digging into it after a few moments.
“This is wonderful. Strange and exotic candies? We should have a party and share this with our friends, Trice. We should send something back, as well…” The feeling from the man was a bit baffled as to what to do for that in particular, he was thinking baked goods, but didn’t know if that was needed.
Willum shrugged, but tried to look hopeful.
“Could you come up with a handheld communication network? They have that kind of thing, but I don’t think one that works on magic would be traceable and they’re sort of worried about things like that.” He grinned then, trying to look pleasant. “I kind of suggested to young Sara that I might be able to get that for her. So she can keep in touch with the people going out into the field today and tomorrow.”
Instead of gasping at the hubris of even suggesting it, which would have been fair, Tim nodded.
“I’ll need to make that for them, if it’s going to be truly safe. I… Actually, I have an idea that I’ve been working on, which might do the trick, if they don’t mind the idea that we can potentially call them up on the devices? Across worlds I mean. It might not work that way. I was going to propose the idea to Marcia soon. Kind of slowly, over the course of a few months, but I have the unit and a few hundred handhelds in the back already. Do you want to take a shot at that? I can tell you what to do.”
That took half an hour, even if the idea was simple enough. Mainly, he needed to take one of the towers to Ms. Turner, or Cindy, with the other being there in the shop. They were actually one item, even if they were in two separate locations. It was a magical creation, but having a tower, which was only about two feet high, if covered in moving sigils constantly, as well as glowing lights, meant that they might, possibly, be able to communicate across the void. True, that would probably still require someone opening up a channel, but Will could actually manage that. Otherwise it would be a normal handheld unit for the people that had them.
A floating case amulet was pressed into his left hand, but instead of pushing him out the door, he was given a hug by Trice.
“Come visit for a few hours soon? We need to talk. About training related things.” She stroked his arm as if trying to make it seem like she was suggesting it was actually all about sex. No one there bought it. Not even the few customers in the background. They were paying attention, however.
One of them had a disguise amulet on, but felt pretty familiar, once Will started paying attention to him. The thing there was that the fellow wasn’t focused on him, or the Wizard Timon, but rather on Patricia. Which would have probably been fine if he was just being a bit inappropriate and looking at her with lust in his heart. The sense of what was going on was different than that, however.
Will had to work to keep from staring, and didn't know if he should simply start fighting or just try to run away. Giving his position there to the enemy, and he was pretty certain that the other man was one of those, would be a poor plan at the point they were in the overall plan.
Instead he shrugged.
“Well, I do appreciate the free sex, though I might not need lessons that much anymore. I do get the idea. I mean, you want messages passed to other worlds, and sex is cheaper than coin for that. Still, I’m not going to spy for you, which you should know by now. No matter how good you are in bed. I just take packages and things to other worlds, for hire. That’s it. I don’t look in the boxes and I don’t ask too many questions. So, yes, you can pay for things that way, but I’d really like it if you’d cut out the whole fake spy routine part of it?” He sounded a bit smug, as if he’d caught her out in some kind of clever plan to subvert him.
Thankfully she was intelligent enough, possibly highly enough trained, to roll with what he was saying.
“I know, I know. Still, I’d be remiss in my duty if I didn’t try to get you on my side of things. We have a real enemy out there. Being the only side that could easily send messages and packages between worlds would help a lot. So far no one really matches your abilities there.” She moved in, touching his arm, her smile promising more than just a hug, if only he’d do what she asked of him.
Will tried to seem genuine in what he said next.
“I… No. I’ll work with you, but also the others. I’m not trying to take sides. It’s kind of clear that we don’t know enough to be fighting with anyone right now. So, if you want my services in the future, maybe be a bit less heavy handed about it?”
She snorted then, still play acting. Very well, actually. Will truly would have believed her if he wasn’t getting the ideas that flowed off of her at the same time.
“Fine. Who’s doing that for your part here? Collecting things up? Taman?”
“Nope. Count Lairdgren. He has an office for things to be dropped off at, up at his school. I’d love to have a location here, but I can’t trust you not to pry into t
hings. Though, I suppose you can have people leave messages about where they can be found, and I can go to them for what they need to pass along? That might not leave people feeling safe enough, but I don’t really need the coin from all of this. It’s really just so I can meet new people. Travel and all that.”
It wasn’t exactly the truth, but was good enough sounding that Timon just rolled his eyes at him.
“That works. Especially if you’re willing to trade sex for work. Most people can do that, after all. Not everyone has a small mountain of coins, like the others all charge for things.”
The concept was both real, from the man and showing that he understood that something was going on. Even that the listener was paying attention. Tim had totally caught that part of things and was examining the other man’s neck. The flow of energy was very clearly directed that way.
“Right, so I’m off now. I’ll get this to Cindy Mableton, in about ten hours or so. That’s my end point for the day, so it makes sense.”
Then he gave both of the other people a hug, only to be followed out of the shop by both the floating case and the listener.
When he got to the red box, a male hand touched his sleeve. Turning, there was a rather dark skinned man there, who looked to be about twenty. He was dressed very much like a student, and had on magical clothing. Since he could get it for free from the shop they’d both just been in, that made sense. It was the default outfit as well, which meant it was the one that was least objectionable to anyone who saw it.
“Excuse me, Ser… I heard that you could get messages from one place in the multiverse to another? Is that right?” The words were humble seeming, held a slightly strange accent and were, tellingly, in English.
So he nodded, replying in the same tongue.
“That’s right. Do you have something you want me to take along for you? You aren’t from here… I can go to your world if you want, or anyplace else, if I have something to draw a line from.”
The man gasped a bit, nearly tried to lie, then stopped.
“I… How did you know that I’m not from this world?”
That got Will to smile, feeling only a tiny bit uneasy.
“Simple. You’re me. I know I look different, but that’s just so people won’t confuse me with, well, you most likely. You have a disguise on, so you probably get that part of things. Anyway, I can take messages or packages. I don’t do people, so that I won’t be stomping on anyone’s toes that way. I mean I can, but only for private reasons. Me or not, I don’t know you that well yet.”
That got a nod at least. Then after a moment the man looked around, then waved at a door not that far down the way.
“Here, I have something that you can take for me? Just a letter, sort of. It’s different than that, but…”
Will shrugged.
“I don’t really need to know what it is or what’s in it. It might be a problem if it’s too big and like I said, I don’t do people, so it can’t be a slave or prisoner or anything like that. Otherwise, I’m just going to do the work. That’s the goal anyway. That might change in the future, but if so, I’ll let everyone know before I stop doing that.”
It was a lie, but the other Will just nodded, then moved to what turned out to be a supply closet. After a moment of digging in his clothing, the slightly smaller version of him held out what seemed to be a small black metal and plastic USB thumb drive. He nearly commented on it, but held his tongue in time.
The other him just stared for a bit, then took a deep breath.
“This needs to go to Cohort Sendra. I can’t tell you the world, and you need to go there carefully, since she can be a bit quick to have people killed or arrested. Do you need more than that to get there?” The brown eyes looked up into his purple searching for some sign of betrayal or a lie being involved.
Willum just nodded.
“I can follow that to the right person. Thanks for the warning about what’s on the other side. It’s a risk in this kind of work. Now, payment? Do you have coin, or want to trade something? Information is good, but that last bit, while helpful, is kind of only needed for the job you want done…” It might be a deal breaker, he knew, but Will was either getting paid for what he was doing, or not.
The other him looked down, then, without saying anything knelt.
“I guess this isn’t really much worse than masturbation. Don’t mention how I paid to Sendra though? If you can help it. She’s kind of a bitch and will use it against me.”
That wasn’t what he’d expected at all, so Will searched the other man for some idea of what was really going on. The truth there was simple however. He had no other way to pay and was hoping that Will was as flexible as he was when it came to that kind of thing.
So he did it.
The whole thing took about ten minutes, and he hurried, not wanting to draw the awkward act out. Thankfully the man didn’t look that much like him at the moment, with his disguise on. The creepiest part of it was that, as the other man finished, he actually felt a bit like he’d enjoyed doing it. At least as much as anyone enjoyed that kind of thing.
Meaning the entire transaction was a bit strange and off putting to Willum.
Right up until the other man left, going first, with him following about two minutes later.
Then heading directly for Soam. After all, he had a delivery to make. As well as information to pass on. Real data about the enemy, for the very first time.
Chapter fourteen
It took a reset and actually going into the void to find Taman, who was not in her land at all, but was, rather, in Harmony. That bit left Will feeling a bit off, since he could have simply walked over to her, if he hadn’t been distracted. On the good side he took the time and focus to build an exit right by her in space. That meant he walked out of nothingness, holding the rift open, directly next to her bed. The room was very dark, but it was kind of clear that she woke up almost instantly.
Her voice was soft, as well as a bit scared.
“Hello? Who’s there?” As the words came out into the pitch black, Will felt a tickle of her own intense focus move across his body.
“Will Baker. I have a delivery and some information for you. First, it’s a note from Marcia Turner and a basket with strange candies from Cindy Mableton.”
There was no move to turn on a light, which, after a moment he understood. She was in bed naked. The space was warm, and her clothing amulet was next to her, on a low stand. Willum had taken to wearing his all the time, along with his shield, just in case. Then, he didn't sleep, so it could be that the extra bit of glasslike tile was just too annoying for her. Even if she wanted to not have anything on her skin.
None of that was his mission at the moment, so he shared the whole tale of meeting himself from another world, and the pending delivery.
She stopped for a bit, not even breathing, then sat up.
“That… Is probably the first in we’ve had with anyone. We should… Honestly, this won’t be a direct trap, if the people on the other side are halfway intelligent. They have to have worked out that no one that has had line walking training will be someone they can crack by force. So, if they’re wise, they’ll assume that you’re trying to trick them, and slowly test you, to make certain you’re who and what you claim. It will be dangerous going there, but…”
She stopped, then made a soft noise. It was a considering sound, instead of anything else.
“You have a communications node with you?”
He nodded, understanding that she’d at least pick up his intent.
“Right. For the IPB people. Sara will be in charge of that. Do you know her?” It was possible that they hadn’t met in particular, or that the wizard hadn’t paid much attention to the little girl. After all, children were most often kind of needy and boring. Even Sara was like that, other than her obvious power, which meant that putting up with those things was a requirement. At least if she were going to grow up to be a good person. If that wasn’t the whole of the pla
n for the moment, then Ms. Turner was insane.
Taman sounded pleased.
“I have made her acquaintance, actually. That’s a suitable job for a person her age. How much are you paying her for the task?”
He hadn’t even considered that part of things, so shrugged.
“I don’t know? Probably trade, actually. It is kind of important, if people from here are going to be contacting others through her directly. I’ll find out what would be good for that. Thanks for suggesting it. Now, I… Really, I’m going to pretend that other me just made a normal transaction. That… I’m not certain that trading that kind of service is the best plan.” It left him a bit uneasy, but that was going to fade in time. Soon, in fact.
Taman understood his meaning however, almost instantly.
“Yes, I can understand the concern. Given the rough value of the service, being able to trade some sex would be worth it for most beings you meet. Even if it left them feeling uncomfortable. While you don’t need coin or most goods, you also don’t need constant sex with less than appealing people all the time. Still, for our purposes that works. Men are allowed to be sex crazy in a lot of places, I bet. Just be careful that you aren’t agreeing to anything more than that in the transaction.”
He certainly didn’t need fifty wives, or better, an extra ten husbands. Thankfully, in this one case he had instructions to hide the payment structure from the person it was being delivered to.
“I should be back in about a month or two, if possible. There’s a situation for the IPB there, in that world, so I don’t know what that will require of me. If the communications device can work, I’ll be in touch with Timon.”
Then, taking his floating case along with him and not waiting for her to decide she had a note to send, he left. That just took him moving back and wrapping the case inside of himself. Then, in the nothingness that he’d spent more time in than he’d been alive, he followed the line to Cohort Sendra. That bit was harder to manage than he’d thought at first, having had a warning about the whole situation. He needed to be aware that she might try to have him arrested first thing, so having an escape portal right there was important.
