Other Places 1: Shortcuts (25 page)

"I added a bit to it. It will flare and make noise if anyone tries to steal from the shop, or do violence here. I, um, also added a shield. It won't stop a full attack or anything, but if someone throws a drink at the window again it will bounce off." That part made him seem embarrassed.

It turned out that someone, a shifter, had noticed Hiram and didn't like the idea of him being anywhere but in a hole in the ground. That was why so much paper towel was being used.

"I'll give you two thousand for similar work on my club. Can you filter for supernatural violence specifically? It's a
club
, so we have the occasional fight amongst drunk people, but we have that kind of thing well in hand. It's a normal part of the business after all." Edom looked interested and Hiram seemed to like the idea, though he looked at Zack first, before accepting the deal.

"Is that... allowable? I don't know if I'm allowed to set up things like that from here. Being that I'm apparently a legit government official now."

Zack shrugged, "sure. Just make sure you note what you do, within the bounds of client confidentiality I mean, so I don't know, this would be security work? That kind of thing? Who and roughly what. Mainly so that we can keep an eye on you for a while. It's better to log it all and get called on it, than get caught not reporting things. Anything not illegal is fair game though. It's how Mages earn most of their money." That was his guess at any rate.

He left the two men to discuss what was possible and by the time Zack got out of earshot Hiram was already suggesting that he could improve the system a bit over what the shop had, if he was being paid for it. A night club could use some other things too, he whispered. Zack didn't think he wanted to know what those were.

Jelly was busily working away at the front window, almost as if trying to do it before he noticed what was up. When he came out she blushed a brilliant red and stammered a bit.

"I guess we're both fired?"

"For what? Someone threw a drink. If that's the worst thing we ever have to deal with here, then... yay? Just try to get all the stickiness out if you can. Otherwise it will collect dirt and make it look like we don't care. Then all the other embassies will make fun of us."

The girl smiled, looking a little troubled and then got back to work. She even finished in time to run in and take care of some actual customers that came in, who were Mages, but who had actually just come in figuring they might get deals on candles for the holidays. They were right, and got twenty-five percent off just for shopping with them, and another ten for being guild members.

They left, happy enough it seemed.

That even left a bit of profit for the store, since it was still over the wholesale cost. They both stayed until closing time and then, surprisingly, Hiram insisted on walking him to the rift in the parking lot. Edom came too, looking at the somewhat seedy man that was clutching a clear crystal wrapped with silver wire as if it were a weapon. Nothing happened, thankfully, since Zack really had to doubt his ability to survive anything more than a hug at the moment, and
that
would actually hurt a lot more than not. He hadn't mentioned coming in the next day to the man, or Jenifer, but technically they could get the guild discount for employees on their dues already. It had been nice having the help though, and he really doubted the next day was going to be a lot easier for him in any way.

He decided to risk going to sleep as soon as he got in, after eating some chicken flavored crackers from a box, along with some juice. It wasn't an advanced meal, but it was better than nothing and didn't require him to cook at all. That would require moving, which wasn't going to be fun for a while, so it was a good compromise. Instead of actually sleeping like a normal person, even being as tired as he was, he just kind of dozed, propped up with some pillows on the sofa. It was pretty clean after all, with all the visible blood gone, so that part wasn't a problem. The pain and aching was, but that just had to be dealt with. Nothing but time or drugs would fix it, and honestly, after seeing what Lisa had gone through, that later one was plain out. He could go for a few days without good rest, but he doubted that he'd survive an addiction.

It meant that he was still sort of up when Troy got in, the rattle of the key in the door being a good sign he figured. After all, if it was Lazar, the door would have just blown open and he'd be dead. His roommate was alone and just flipped the light on, since normal people would be sleeping in their beds, not sitting in the dark of the living room.

Speaking first Zack found that his voice was croaking a little, "hey."

"Argh!" There was actually jumping then, a hard look at his face and then another soft exclamation. "Shit! What the hell happened to you?"

Waving slightly with his left hand Zack tired not to make a huge deal of it.

"Got in a fight with a Vampire. The other day, it's why I didn't come home last night... I would have thought Barb or Edom would have told you. Barb too, same time."

"No... no one told me anything. I mean, I got that she was a little the worst for wear, but when I asked she just said that there was a little difficulty at the mall. Did she do this to you?"

He couldn't laugh yet, which he learned after the first bit tried to come out, shaking his head wasn't in the picture really either. "Not at all. She and Cormack saved my life. It was Lazar. I think, at least, he didn't introduce himself. The guy that runs the mall came and actually drove him off. Just a heads up, if you ever feel like littering or doing graffiti, I recommend
not
doing it there. That dude is such a bad ass that I'm pretty sure it would be the worst idea imaginable. Well,
other
than ticking off a Demon."

Troy ran and got more pillows from his room and started building a little nest of them, as if Zack hadn't been sitting there for hours already. Then he offered to get food or go and find some pain killers for him. It was tempting, but he declined.

"Nah, I need to be at work in a few hours, so I might as well get up soon. I need to wrap up my splint in a garbage bag, I think, so I can shower. Adventures in cleanliness!" It didn't come out all that loud, since he was exhausted. Then Troy insisted he leave the door to the bathroom unlocked, in case he needed help.

Thankfully he didn't. Oh, it took nearly an hour and a half to get ready for the day and he ended up wearing an old pair of oversized sweats, so he didn't have to try and button or zip anything, and his hair looked like it had been combed by a four year old, but the store was opened on time. That was the important part, since no one was paying him to look good, just to get his job done. To his surprise Hiram was there already, standing out front, waiting for him.

"Didn't know when I was supposed to come in, but figured that being early looked better than showing up late."

"Exactly on time actually. You're up for the first part of things today. I'll play ambassador and you can run back up and take care of the store." He smiled, knowing that it had to look sickly, since he felt like he was going to vomit at any moment. "That's my excuse to sit around and pretend to answer the phone. Like it?"

The man chuckled, his face much sharper looking, since he'd bothered to shave and wear a button up the front shirt. With blue jeans, but the man looked like an actually employee, rather than a punching bag like he did, so Zack wasn't going to complain. There was clear effort going on, which was incredible really.

"Hell yeah, it's a freaking great excuse. If I was you, I'd be at home, casting protective spells twenty-four-seven. Hey, um, is it alright if I run and get a coffee?"

It was, since the place was already clean and ready for the day. When the man came back, about twenty-minutes later, he handed over a paper cup to Zack too. It didn't have coffee in it, just some kind of tea.

"That apothecary, the Chinese Mage, he sent this over. Said you should drink some every four hours, if you can. I'll make sure you get it. It's to help your chi circulate. He also said if you didn't drink it all he was going to have to come and scold you. I think he meant it. So, you know, I suggest you do what he says... or
else
." There was a smile as if it were all a joke, but Zack started in on it. The beverage wasn't good, but it just tasted like grass, not anything objectionable.

"Yeah, my energy doesn't flow at all. It's why I can't do real magic."

Hiram nodded and stood, sipping his coffee for a while.

"So... things always this fast paced and exciting here?"

"Pretty much. It's either like this or a disaster is about to happen. Luckily most of those don't take place until after noon. We could start a book club in the mornings or something. Liven things up. Re-read the codex or something work related." He meant it as a joke but the Mage looked at him as if it were a great idea.

About five minutes later Lenore came over, smiling at him a little sadly and giving Hiram a nod.

"I see you have lackeys now? Good. It's an important skill, learning to delegate." She giggled a little though, which got the new guy to make a face at her.

"Man, I just can't win can I? Finally try to go straight and people call me a
lackey
. Shouldn't I at least be an 'assistant' or something like that?"

Zack held still, since whatever Wu-Li had sent it wasn't for the pain at all it seemed.

"Yep. Assistant it is. Keep up the good work and we'll have to make you a shift manager."

Still smiling and seeming decently friendly Lenore made a motion with her head, one that was clearly asking Hiram to leave, or at least get out of ear shot. After a few seconds he got it and gave a tiny nod.

"Time to start sweeping up in the back, I guess." That got them left alone as well as an approving look from Lenore.

"Edom mentioned that your new man did excellent work on the club, wards and protections. Did the work with people there too and no one was the wiser. We may have some other businesses that could use the same, if he's willing to travel for it? I'll ask him about it later. Now... I know that this isn't a good time for you, but... I was asked to see if you might be able to help transport some of our ruling council for us later today? They understand about your injuries and Bey has already scolded them for imposing on you before we've dealt with the Lazar situation. He's actually managed to hide rather well so far, which shows more skill than it might sound like. It's nearly impossible to hide from The Bey."

Zack thought about it for a second and then shrugged, which was a mistake, causing him to gasp.

"I can do it, as long as I'm not actually being asked to carry anything and it doesn't take too long. I've managed to stiffen up pretty nicely since yesterday. I hurt even more too, if you can believe that. If they don't mind kind of hopping through, and maybe taking a few tries at it to get it down, I can do it, I think. That or one of you could help carry them?" If that was the case he wanted Bey for it, since for some reason high council members sounded like the kind of people he didn't really want to deal with on his own, if possible.

"I'm sure that they will all be more than willing to make whatever accommodations you need. I... It's alright to say no. I don't want you to feel like you have to do this. I had to stop Bey from reporting a complaint to your guild last night, since he feels they should be looking after you better and not abusing you like they are. Of course he also thinks that we should purge all of Lazar's line now, since he tried to kill you. That wouldn't have gone over well, even if you were just some person Bey had met once or twice. It was a direct insult to him, and meant that way, to show that he wasn't able to protect those around him. Since we owe you a debt... That makes this a matter of honor. Some of the very old ones still have that for some reason. The newer Vampires less so." She smiled and touched his left arm, leaving her cool hand there while she spoke. "We
will
find him and make him pay for this. You were most brave I hear. Barb said that you kept fighting him, rising from the ground, even when she couldn't stand up herself. Not many regular men could have done that."

That earned her a shrug and a tiny head shake.

"That wasn't me." He stared at her for a while and then went on, since she had a right to know, being around him as much as she was. "That was Mirror Him. That's what I call the version of myself that shows up in reflections most of the time. An alternate personality I guess. Anyway, he doesn't feel pain in situations like that. I feel it for us. It makes it a lot easier to keep going. Kind of sucked on my end, but we all have our own jobs."

That sounded like enough crazy to him for the time being, but Lenore moved closer to him, touching his right arm with the gentlest of pressures. It made the whole thing ache slightly, but Zack didn't bother trying to pull away. She didn't seem to want to hurt him, just make contact.

"I... have suspected something like that for a while now. That there was more to you than it seemed on the surface. Still, there are many different ways to be, and even if this alternate self of yours did the work, it's still you. Just as you are him and so on. If you're looking for people to judge you harshly for being a little different, or even broken, don't go to Vampires for it. We all have problems of one kind or another. We live too long, with too many losses and hardships not to."

The plan, after he agreed to help move these people around, was for him to simply go to where they were, in New York City, and take them to a place in South Africa. It was something they could have done on a plane, or even taken care of by phone, except for the fact that the people on the ground there, in Africa, were feeling very neglected, which meant that having the head honchos show up in person would have an incredible impact on them.