Read Online Other Places 3: Detours by P. S. Power - Free Book Online
Authors: P. S. Power
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Ettarian
lands. That was nice enough, since they were kind people, in the main, the
Ettarians, if tall and telepathic. The man that was waiting for them was young
and blond, standing at about seven-four. There was a lot of bowing, and
gesturing for the three he'd brought in to get on the funny looking shuttle. It
slid, on a very smooth pathway, rather than on wheels. The whole thing was a
pale cream color. Then, a lot of the Ettarian lands seemed to be that. It had
to do with their technology, he knew.
After
that, he let the others get to work, learning the ropes. He managed to sit down
for a bit, and even get a light supper, which consisted of enough food for a
family of four to gain about six pounds each. So light was a bit of a misnomer.
That thought got him to smile. Right up until the phone rang at his desk. He
was there, so answered on the first ring.
"Hartley
and Co. Books, Zack speaking, how may I help you?"
The
voice that came next, was both happy and familiar.
"Ah!
Mr. Hartley! It is I, Bey. I hope that your day is being a pleasant one?"
Zack
felt a bit surprised, since the man normally didn't call him. Not that he wasn't
allowed, but the being was ancient and didn't trust phones in the main. Not
enough to own one. That would mean that he was calling on business, not
just to pass the time or anything like that. Bey didn't do things like that
without a good reason.
"Not
too bad, for a first day. It's actually been a bit busier than I thought it
would be."
"Ah!
Yes, I heard that you went on a daring rescue of young Marissa? Going into the
place of her captivity and dueling with several of her captors to free her from
their clutches, most bravely?" There was no hint of the man trying to
tease him at all. So someone was telling him better stories than Zack knew
about at least.
"Well,
I went and got her and she really seemed like she couldn't get out on her own.
There were no guards in the room, and no fighting, other than some blocking
when I first went in, so that she didn't take my head off. That worked though.
She's out and safe now. I don't suppose you know something about this? She was
pretty certain that someone on the Council was responsible? She has no proof,
just suspicions. I'd hate to have ruined a plan, but when the call came
in..."
"There
was no such plan to my knowledge. I was asked to help assure our mutual friend,
Marissa, that we, her cohorts, were not behind this. To that end, would it be
possible for us, the others and myself, to set up a meeting with her, do you
think? We might need your assistance in this, to do it in a timely fashion. I
dislike abusing your good will. We should speak of terms first? I know that you
would do this for free, just to aid us, but we need to give something back."
The voice stopped coming then, since there was simply, to the best of the man's
knowledge, nothing that he needed.
It
was close to true.
He
had more money than he could count, but Darla had pointed out that it wasn't
nearly as much as it might sound like. If he needed to deal with any of the
others, he could need hundreds of millions even for simple things. As a token,
true, but it could come up. Gold, jewels, magics from different sources, and
sometimes people. If he wasn't going to do that last one, and included any sentient being as a person, which he did, it meant he needed to collect some of
these other things.
The
Vampires were wealthy, and strong, but short of demanding cash, they didn't
have a whole lot for him to work with. Asking for millions just to move from
place to place wasn't going to work either, was it? So that meant he'd need to
be clever about it all.
"I
could use a night crew for here. The employees will be paid for it, but need to
be able to work with a wide assortment of people. Also, do you have any
government contacts in China?" The man lived there after all, even if he
looked more Middle Eastern than not. So it was just possible that he might know
someone.
There
was a
lands. That was nice enough, since they were kind people, in the main, the
Ettarians, if tall and telepathic. The man that was waiting for them was young
and blond, standing at about seven-four. There was a lot of bowing, and
gesturing for the three he'd brought in to get on the funny looking shuttle. It
slid, on a very smooth pathway, rather than on wheels. The whole thing was a
pale cream color. Then, a lot of the Ettarian lands seemed to be that. It had
to do with their technology, he knew.
After
that, he let the others get to work, learning the ropes. He managed to sit down
for a bit, and even get a light supper, which consisted of enough food for a
family of four to gain about six pounds each. So light was a bit of a misnomer.
That thought got him to smile. Right up until the phone rang at his desk. He
was there, so answered on the first ring.
"Hartley
and Co. Books, Zack speaking, how may I help you?"
The
voice that came next, was both happy and familiar.
"Ah!
Mr. Hartley! It is I, Bey. I hope that your day is being a pleasant one?"
Zack
felt a bit surprised, since the man normally didn't call him. Not that he wasn't
allowed, but the being was ancient and didn't trust phones in the main. Not
enough to own one. That would mean that he was calling on business, not
just to pass the time or anything like that. Bey didn't do things like that
without a good reason.
"Not
too bad, for a first day. It's actually been a bit busier than I thought it
would be."
"Ah!
Yes, I heard that you went on a daring rescue of young Marissa? Going into the
place of her captivity and dueling with several of her captors to free her from
their clutches, most bravely?" There was no hint of the man trying to
tease him at all. So someone was telling him better stories than Zack knew
about at least.
"Well,
I went and got her and she really seemed like she couldn't get out on her own.
There were no guards in the room, and no fighting, other than some blocking
when I first went in, so that she didn't take my head off. That worked though.
She's out and safe now. I don't suppose you know something about this? She was
pretty certain that someone on the Council was responsible? She has no proof,
just suspicions. I'd hate to have ruined a plan, but when the call came
in..."
"There
was no such plan to my knowledge. I was asked to help assure our mutual friend,
Marissa, that we, her cohorts, were not behind this. To that end, would it be
possible for us, the others and myself, to set up a meeting with her, do you
think? We might need your assistance in this, to do it in a timely fashion. I
dislike abusing your good will. We should speak of terms first? I know that you
would do this for free, just to aid us, but we need to give something back."
The voice stopped coming then, since there was simply, to the best of the man's
knowledge, nothing that he needed.
It
was close to true.
He
had more money than he could count, but Darla had pointed out that it wasn't
nearly as much as it might sound like. If he needed to deal with any of the
others, he could need hundreds of millions even for simple things. As a token,
true, but it could come up. Gold, jewels, magics from different sources, and
sometimes people. If he wasn't going to do that last one, and included any sentient being as a person, which he did, it meant he needed to collect some of
these other things.
The
Vampires were wealthy, and strong, but short of demanding cash, they didn't
have a whole lot for him to work with. Asking for millions just to move from
place to place wasn't going to work either, was it? So that meant he'd need to
be clever about it all.
"I
could use a night crew for here. The employees will be paid for it, but need to
be able to work with a wide assortment of people. Also, do you have any
government contacts in China?" The man lived there after all, even if he
looked more Middle Eastern than not. So it was just possible that he might know
someone.
There
was a
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