Other Places 3: Detours (34 page)

The
voice on the phone was familiar at least.

"Hello,
Brad Hartley here, how can I help you?" He sounded normal enough at least.
Young, healthy and not beaten down by the world at all. Given what had happened
over the years he certainly had a right to that, if he wanted, or to simply
scream at Zack, for being what he was.

Not
that he'd ever had a choice in the matter.

"Hi,
Grandpa. I thought I should call, and maybe set up a meeting soon? I know that
you've probably heard some things about me, and..." He tapered off, not
really knowing what else to add. This could go so wrong, so fast. He braced
himself for screaming, or even for the phone to be slammed down suddenly, in
fear.

"Zack?
We have been hearing some things, actually. Word is that you're a Greater
Demon? Since that can't be true, I gather there's a story behind it that might
be interesting?"

"Um...
Well, it's a story, all right. Do you two have some time free later today? Or
soon at least. I'm trying to get everything taken care of and not forget
anyone, but it's actually sort of hard. I need to get a day planner. That or
carry an assistant around with me." It was an idea, but he could also just
remember stuff, if he applied himself. That would work too.

"I...
Think we should both be around for dinner tonight? We could go out? There's a
nice looking Thai place that just opened down the street from us?"

Zack
tilted his head and then sighed.

"I
can get take-out? That might work better. I'm pretty busy, believe it or not.
Can we do that at about eight? I know it's late for you guys, but I have to get
Judy Swan from Australia."

"Oh?
How is she doing?" They'd met, if Xenses faking it counted that way. The
thing there was that, for most people, it really did. They couldn't tell the
difference and letting them know about it would just mess with their heads.

"Good,
I think. Well, I'll be there, at eight. See ya." He didn't hang up first,
since his grandfather was the kind of person to always say something, just as
he did.

"Are
you bringing a friend? I know that your grandmother has been wondering if you
were still dating Lenore?"

"We
are still dating, but I don't know if she can come tonight. There were those
attacks yesterday, and while it wasn't the Vampires, there... Well, I can tell
you later? It's part of that same story, more or less."

"Great,
see you then."

The
next call came moments after he switched to a new set of horrible memory types.
Mainly him harming innocent people. There was a sense of guilt that wanted to
grow, but he didn't let it. That was the point, after all. If he kept at it,
then soon, all of those memories would be there, in his head, but without power
over him. When that was done, if he managed it, he'd be integrated, more or
less.

It
was about one in the afternoon, so he called Keeley, knowing that she'd be at
school. Really he was hoping to be dropped to voice message, but he actually
got her, personally.

"Zack?"
There was a bell, and the sound of a lot of people moving. "I'm just out
of school. Do you need me? I can be there in about... Call it five
minutes?"

He
wasn't ready for that. Not at all. Tarsus had given him instructions, and he
was either being a pain in the ass, making problems for him just because it was
funny, or had set doing things in a particular way, because he'd been serious.
Or it was supposed to help him learn a lesson. Zack really just wasn't ready
yet.

"Would
you be free at about midnight? I'd like to get together." He left it
there, since it was pretty clear that he wasn't hinting at a booty call. Not
that far in advance. She sighed, as if put upon.

"I
can do that. Have you attempted that job Tarsus wanted?"
Attempted
.
Which meant, unlike him,
she'd
probably checked the whole thing out, and
understood that moving those statues would be a pain in the rear.

"Done.
It only took a few minutes. This is about something different. Wear comfortable
shoes? I'm thinking moonlit picnic." He was kidding, but too flat affected
for it to show in his voice.

"I
guess. Midnight, my time?"

That
would give him an extra hour, so he nodded.

"Agreed.
See you later!"

Then
he headed to the Ettarian Summit, mainly to check on people, and make
arrangements for transport, doing a few right then, since people wanted to
check in back home. It was a lot of work, but it really did seem like no one
wanted to go to war, in particular, for all they kept hinting at it, trying to
get what they wanted.

That
meant he worked right up to six, when he went home, showered quickly and ate a
lot more canned food and things from boxes than was probably allowable while he
was in special baby Demon training. It meant he was there when Darla came, and started
talking without preamble.

"I'd
like you to..." Then she just stopped, and watched him, her eyes glazing
over solidly. "Okay, so you're dealing with those memories already. That's
the plan for tonight. I don't know what everyone was always going on about,
this mentoring stuff just isn't that hard." She winked at him, as if
trying to be funny.

Zack
let himself smile. It wasn't real, but he tried to really sell it.

"I
can't stay anyway. I have a pick-up at seven, the real Judy Swan, then a
meeting, with my grandparents. After that I have a date with Keeley,
later." Then he had time, but he wanted to actually go over his store and
possibly just sit and think for a while. Clearly, if he was going to do that,
he'd need to make time for it.

That,
he realized, was what almost everyone probably did, all the time. They didn't
leave themselves open all the time like he'd been trying to do, which meant
they got to vacation and rest a few hours a day. Things like that.

Not
that it was a real problem for him yet, but he needed to take his girlfriend
out soon. Maybe have sex. If he was ready for it again, at least. That reminded
him to switch the kind of memories playing in his head, and to hold them, while
removing the emotional content again.

Darla
snorted.

"A
date with Keeley? Sounds fun. Did you realize that what Tarsus asked for was
nearly impossible and decide to renegotiate with her? You should have clarified
what the task was. That was stupid. Now you could be facing anything."

He
rolled his eyes, knowing that they were all right and that he'd messed that one
up a good bit.

"It
was giant statues. Four of them, moved from the Hireesie lands to one of his
houses. I take your meaning though. In fact, he mentioned that to me too,
after
I'd finished. I..."

Honestly,
he had no reason not to share with Darla, did he? Tarsus had suggested that he
be a bit mysterious with Keeley and make an event of the information, including
trading for the information a lot more intensely than he'd ever done before.
That would be hard, since he had no clue what to ask of her. Just that it
should be something she wouldn't want to do. Or a thing she wouldn't want to
part with.

"Okay,
I don't know if this was the truth, but it's what he told me." Then Zack
shared everything, as the blonde girl, who was wearing a slightly fuzzy blue
sweater and black slacks, just nodded along. Finally she grinned.

"
Damn
.
That's really impressive. I haven't even been given the Second Crucible yet.
It's pretty much the first thing that happens when you're about to be recruited
into upper management. I guess I can see it. It's like you said, her powers
mean that she'll either end up dead, or in control, one way or the other,
eventually. Really, I'm a bit shocked that they didn't just kill her, outright,
but that could simply be that Tarsus is worried that if they try, they might
eventually fail. Making her an enemy now, and letting her live, would be a
mistake." She grinned and touched his arm, leaving her hand there for a
while. It was warm, but not sexual, thank goodness.

Zack
wasn't ready for that yet. It would be... Hours at least. Then he'd be ready
for it.

Smiling
he started to say something about that, when she went on.

"The
Librarian seems to actually like you, Zack. He's always been a lot less
friendly with me, and acts like he hates Keeley, practically. I was just
assuming that he thought you were going to die soon, but that isn't it. Not
that you can't be killed pretty easily, but that no one seems to really want
to."

After
thinking for a bit, rather than simply responding he could see that.

"All
hail the fast transit point?"

The
girl that stood next to him, the Greater Demon that hadn't been a girl for many
centuries rather, let one eye close and held the move.

"All
hail the fast transit point." Then she nodded once. "That pretty much
sums the thing up. Ooooh, I know what you need to ask Keeley for. It's horribly
mean, but if Tarsus wasn't just blowing smoke up our collective behinds, it
might even help her."

Then,
naturally, she didn't say anything at all, since she was his mentor, and
expected him to figure things like that out for himself. That meant putting
himself into her shoes, and trying to work through her day to day life.
Keeley's, that was.

There
were a few things that she might not want to part with really. Her mother, of
course, but trying to demand that would just have her fighting him. Oh, he
could probably barter for the right to
date
the woman, eventually, and
might make the effort, since she was friendly and cute, but that would actually
create more problems than it solved.

Going
after any of her slaves would be... Doable, but they'd still be owned by her.
Worse, he'd have Balthias, or possibly Elis, walking around then. She had some
others too, a human family and a couple of Hsreth, but he wasn't really
interested in slaves. That only left two things that Keeley would value all
that much, didn't it?

He
nodded, "well,
three
things, but you're already my mentor, and not
hers to give. If I want to steal your affections from her, I'll have to do it
the old fashioned way, by plying you with sweets and telling you that you have
pretty eyes. Which you do. I have some of that cake left too, which you should
help yourself to. You can pay me in sex later? It will help draw us together
and reassure you that I'm not a prude." That was bold, but she tilted her
head side to side, and then smiled.

"Agreed.
Mediocre sex, since they're day old cakes now. Only once per cake too, not
unlimited amounts. Otherwise you'd never get any work done, because I'm awesome
in bed. Normally at least."

Zack
could work with that.

"Agreed,
on those terms. I would point out though that Keeley never offers to have sex
with you, does she? That should help show how much better being my friend can
be. Or am I wrong?"

"Nope,
you've connected with reality solidly there. Now, the other two? You were about
to tell me your brilliant plan to make poor Keeley suffer?" She looked
interested, but did that over her shoulder, as she headed to the kitchen. There
was cake in the offing, after all. They really did have to eat a lot, in order
to keep going, plus, they had a bargain set up.

"That
leaves Hally, her Human girlfriend, and Rebekah, her Vampire employee.
Honestly, the emotional impact would be greatest with Hally, but she's too
young for me. I'm willing to relax the age thing, if I have to, but I won't
hurt an innocent girl just to push Keeley around. That means I should try to
get her Vampire woman, right?" He nodded, mainly to himself, thinking
slowly. That was due to the fact that he was holding fifteen horrible memories
at once though, and not letting himself feel anything about them, which had to
be reinforced with magic.

Darla
kept moving, getting a fork and one of the large covered trays. The cake had
butter cream frosting and was white, all the way through. She moved it to the
table and started to eat without comment. After a bit she looked at him, her
fork still moving, indicating he could finish his thought, if he wanted.

Zack
shrugged.

"It
will be hard for her to do that, since Rebekah isn't her slave, just a friend
really. It will work, right?" He didn't know, but remembered Keeley once
fighting, possibly to the death, against a Greater Demon that had already been
kicking her ass, just to save Lenore, who she hardly knew at all. It might
create a problem there too.

The
cake eating machine that had once been Darla shrugged, and kept feeding
herself. It was decently impressive, seeing someone else do things like that.
It was a double layer full sheet cake, with large amounts of rich frosting and
she was about halfway through it already. It was also nearly seven, so he
didn't sit himself. He did grab his new coat though. Lenore had given it to him
for Christmas. It was black and soft, with black buttons, and looked like
something sailors would have worn in the fifties.

It
was just a style thing, since he shouldn't get too cold at all, anywhere he was
going.