Other Places 2: Road Blocks (5 page)

Jen's parents stood around awkwardly and didn't say much, since it was clearly a real emergency, and not some highschooler's trick to get out of the house to go clubbing. She was called to the back, where Bob had a folding table out with some chairs, along with several phones. That meant Zack had to learn to transfer calls, he thought, but was wrong. The ladies in the back took over, and he was supposed to run the front, not answer the phone at all.

Forty minutes after the call went out Hiram came in through the front, his gait rolling and his face smiling a bit, content with how things were going for him, it seemed. He was put on phone duty as well, so that he could yell at anyone that got too mouthy with the others. That meant that Zack was just standing around after a while.

Shrugging he poked his head in the back.

"So, coffee run. Does anyone need anything else? Food or..." He had no clue what those things might be, but Evelyn nodded.

"Tea? I'm not that picky, but it helps a bit."

Jennifer looked over at her parents, but smiled at Zack and winked.

"We could use some quartz crystals, with the best purity you can find, silver and gold wire, rubies if you have them and other precious metals, for trade. Then you should go around and see if anyone else in the Mall wants anything, so that they get the idea we're working together, which might help. It worked at the model U.N. in school." She went to a local one of those, not a special one at all, which meant she had to find most of her skills where she could and given that her parents were basically normal people, lacking a lot of talent that way, she'd gotten them mainly from her Uncle. It meant she wasn't great at healing, but could probably take down a master level Mage's Wards with a blindfold on.

It was a thief's skill.

Bob had popped his head out of the office, then hurried back in, made some noise, and came back with a full box of supplies, which he handed to her directly.

"Your plan, Miss Stone?"

She froze, probably wondering why the Ambassador even knew her name, much less why he was asking for her ideas, but she took a breath and rushed into it.

"We should go and ward anyone that wants it. Everyone loves Zack, so he should really go and see if anyone needs anything. I don't know how involved we are in this, but..."

The boss smiled at her and winked at them all. It was catching and seemed fake and forced, like that kind of thing always did.

"Not bad. Would you gentlemen be willing to give it a try? We might be rebuffed, but Jennifer has a real point. War is bad for everyone, in the main. If we can do anything at all to stop it from happening, we should."

Zack just stood up, and Hiram, looking at him like it was all a trick, narrowed his eyes a bit.

"That might not be such a great plan. Not everyone loves me so much."

Nodding at the Mage, Zack thought for a few seconds before speaking.

"If you don't reach out to them, they never will. It won't work with some people, but it's something to do." Then he walked out, leaving Hiram to carry the box, since it looked heavy. He headed directly over to Yoghurt World, to find Barb behind the counter, staring at them like they might actually ask her to
make
something for them.

"Hi Barb. Free wards if you want them? We're making the rounds, but it would be a good idea for you to do it. It will remind people that we're working together."

Those words had all the Vampires, and there were more of them now, about ten in all, including Cormack and Edom, so at least some he knew, pouring out of the back almost instantly. Vaughn blinked a half dozen times and smiled at Zack when he saw them.

"Mr. Hartley. Am I to understand that the Mages are throwing in with us? That's good news indeed."

Hiram nodded, as if it was the plan, but Zack couldn't do that kind of thing, no matter how much easier it would make the moment.

"We're trying to get everyone pulling together. This was an act of terrorism, and some people
will
blame you for it, but that isn't right. You didn't do it, and punishing innocent people for this is going to just make things worse. So first step, we get you an early warning system. Then I go and try to talk to anyone that will listen here, so they can pass word back to their own people."

It was what he was thinking anyway and while not a promise of total support, it was better than kicking them just because everyone else was doing it.

The Vampire clapped Hiram on the shoulder and they let him do the work, smiling and pretending they trusted him, and that it wasn't about setting up some way to spy on them. It wasn't, but that would also be a good plan. After all, that's what
they
were doing there, wasn't it? Listening in to all the Mage business? They didn't even need bugs, just ears. Their sensitive and dedicated Vampire ones.

It took about half an hour, but thankfully for Hiram only a few other places thought they needed that kind of thing. They mainly just went from shop to store, asking if the crews needed anything at all. That was mainly food and drinks, coffee or in one case, for the people in the sword and knife shop, a live animal. They said anything would do, if it had plenty of meat on it. It was less than perfectly fun, but at about three in the morning he managed to get them a wild pig. That took a large box, Hiram doing the actual hunting, and some help to move from Barb, but it seemed like it was a huge deal to the three that received it. They thanked them all, and kept smiling at least. Hopefully it wasn't how they signaled death threats.

The Trolleinkein needed food, and a lot of it, being awakened at night, since for them it was eat or hibernate, and they needed to be alert. At least they were sensible enough to agree that the whole thing likely wasn't an attack by
all
Vampires on
all
people, but past that they didn't know what was going on. During the day they normally ate at the food court, but at night, or if they needed too much food, they had to make other arrangements for themselves. The problem was really just one of funding. They didn't use money where they came from, and had to actually earn what they used to run the embassy. Each of the giant men and women got a per diem, essentially, but they couldn't afford extras like this.

It took a bit to figure out that they could eat almost anything humans could and that, while proud, they weren't stupid about it.

He did two things. The first was first calling Bob and asking if he'd set up an account for them, so that the Guild would cover their food for the time being. It was such an odd request that he expected to be lectured, or simply told no, but the man put him on hold and got in touch with them a few moments later.

"I set it up. It's active right now and the food court is expecting a call."

"Thanks. That was easier than I thought it would be."

Then he called Lenore, who was busy and had to talk to Vaughn instead. It worked though.

"Hey, well, you said you owed me right?"

There was a pause, and the man took his time in answering. It seemed like a habit of his. About ten seconds too late, he answered in an even voice.

"Yes, what do you require?"

Zack knew they wouldn't have a problem with it, but it sounded a bit strange, even in his head, so it was his turn to take a moment and blush a little.

"I was wondering if everyone in the Mall could have unlimited free treats from there?" Because, in case of War, break out the sugar.

That thought nearly got him to laugh, but the voice from the other end of the phone didn't, taking it as deadly serious.

"Agreed. That should, eventually, cover about a millionth of a percent of things, for the matter at hand. It's a start at least. Please let everyone know. Or... yes, we'll put up a sign." They didn't speak much longer, but there was no sense that the fellow was making fun of his silly request.

When he got off the phone he explained it all to the people in the room, who were, more or less, big foot, as Barb had once mentioned. Ones that shaved, it seemed. They looked brutish and spoke funny. And if the Vampire woman was right, and he figured she was, they were all geniuses too. High level ones. They just had a slightly odd situation.

"So, that should help a little, at least while you're here, when you go home for the night, not so much. The Mage thing might run out after this dies down, but the yoghurt deal should be permanent. It will help you get through the night I hope?"

That got Hildegard, the large and powerfully muscular light skinned girl to pick him up into a hug, her arms wrapping him totally.

"That it most kind of you! We will not abuse your gift, I promise."

"What?" He thought about it for a second and shook his head. "No, both groups think they owe me vast debts, the poor Vampires think they can never repay them either. If anything it would be best to visit there regularly and eat well, so they can feel like they have a chance. Just make certain you take time to let Lenore know which things you like, so she can improve on them, and keep them in stock. It's a thing with her. She's very nice though."

 That had them making a call for real food first, since that was a thing for them as well, not just Humans, and meant he and Hiram could get to the top level.

Luckily that was less adventurous for them, and while they also arranged for some meals for people there, they didn't have to catch another pig or anything. Zack was starting to fade, yawning every few steps he took, and felt like sitting would be a
very
nice idea. So, naturally, that meant someone followed them into the store, holding malice for him and contempt in her heart, no doubt. She was also incredibly beautiful and not only knew it, but was
clearly
flaunting it as she walked up to him directly, smiling seductively the whole time.

Valerie, the Alede Ambassador, and more important at the moment, Succubus. They fed on human energy too, like Vampires, but did it by freeing a bit up using sex. Instead of it going into producing life, it went to them. So it wasn't any bigger of a drain than what people did in their bedrooms together nightly all over the world, but they had a bit of a negative reputation. Not this one in particular, but their leadership. At least
he
thought of them in a poor light.

"Mr. Hartley! I know that you're refusing to work with the Alede ruling body, and I thank you for it,
personally
." She moved in a way that pushed her chest out toward him, because that's what personal probably meant to someone like her. "They presented an issue to me that's rather sensitive, however. We have a protected personage that we'd like to remove from her movie shoot in New Zealand. This has been arranged on her end, but while we have a very strong presence there, we can't go head to head with attacking Vampires. Or any other of the more physical groups. We fear, being famous, that she's a real target, if someone turns against us." She waited and then simply moved so close to him they could kiss, and did it, right in front of everyone. She did a really good job of it too and he ended up standing there with his pants getting tight, which was a bit embarrassing.

"Hey! Back the heck off, woman." Mirror Him didn't get aggressive, not yet, but he glared hard. "Pull your crap on me and I'll make certain you never travel by a line in your life." He didn't shove her back, since it was hard to do that with someone that made you want to melt, but he did get her to move to speaking distance after a bit. "Now, tell me the rest, like a real person, or the answer will just be
no
."

Then Zack was back as himself. Protected and safe from the evil temptress.

She smiled which was a sexy thing that made him want to do whatever she wanted, but was just normal. He was a guy, she was a ten, it was pretty much a done deal that way. Unless it would get him killed. Then he decided to play it smart.

"Later then? Anyway, Judy Swan is an actress, and high enough profile that-"

"
The
Judy Swan?" This came from Jen, so at least one of them got who that might be.

"Exactly the one. So, I'd like to broker something with you. She can't get to a Node directly, being well away from any cities. I'm not even sure they have one there. But we can pay, and if you still refuse to work with my government, which I trust is the case, I'll personally trade with you on this one. That's within your policy, isn't it? That you'll hear-"

He interrupted, and didn't let her finish the whole speech. There just wasn't enough energy left right now.

"I need a picture of her so that I can locate her. You can owe me for it. Make a note or something. Let's hurry though, I'm afraid I'm not going to be awake for much longer." He wanted to growl at her, to show he meant it and act surly, but actually got that she was willing to do
whatever
he wanted her to, in order to pay for this. Given what she was, that would be sex. Especially if she got him alone for any length of time. He might even do it, just so she wouldn't feel like she owed him too much. Cash could work too, and he was starting to realize the problem everyone was having with him in that regard.

They all really thought what he was doing was hard for him, even when he didn't show it all the time. No one else they wanted to deal with could get it done, not without killing loads of people for it, or in the Mages case, getting a lot of people to fast, pray and chant for a week or more to raise the power for it, so that was their yard stick for the work. If they offered him a hundred per trip, he would have taken it and counted it toward rent, never the wiser. As it was, he was starting to realize that while he was thinking that sounded fair, they were thinking that it would be in the millions or more, for each trip.