“You brought him in here. What he does is ultimately your responsibility. You are the only one that can remove him. Remove him.”
The Envoy sat across from me in my private booth in the Café-on-Main. Jill had placed a token glass of water by his hand, but he never touched it. I held my mug to try to hide my nervousness.
“You are the Envoy, the representation and intelligence of the City. You can eject anyone you damn well please. Kick him out if he is being a problem.” I could not imagine what kind of problem Roger could be. Two years ago (in Waking time), I was part of the process that gave Roger a new body, a new name, and a new life in the City. He pretended to be my friend and associate for a while, until it was clear he was a charlatan and a pawn in a bigger game. A few betrayals, the removal of his influence in the form of parasitic heart worms, and some public embarrassment later, Roger actively avoids me now. He has made himself a pawn and subject of one of the more esoteric factions in the City though I think it is more for the amusement of the higher grades than anything actually of worth. He is certainly on my personal Shit List. But if the Envoy can bar me from entering the City, certainly he can remove someone who can’t even daydream himself with power.
“I would. If he were born into citizenship. But he is not. Or shall I remind you of what keys you hold? And who opened the door for him?”
Shit. The keys. I had forgotten. Koshari left them to me after his departure shortly before Roger came to be. They unlock the doors to a certain building in the City, and certain rooms within them. The interior of that building is another space entirely, one not bound to the rules of the City. The Envoy has no control in there as the interior of that building is not part of the City. Roger was remade in that building, and I am the one that let him into the City.
I brought him into this world, and I’m the only one that can take him out. Permanently.
I finally take a drink of the chili coffee. “I’m going to need a damn good reason, Envoy. I can’t just take your word for it, you know that. If he is impacting the City negatively, surely his masters would have already muzzled him. They were quick to lock his ass down after the troll incident. And if not his immediate masters, then the other esoteric factions that are eavesdropping on this conversation.” I gestured to the floor on the other side of the privacy curtain. Barely perceived shadows quickly retreated out of range. “First rule of the City, keep the Envoy happy. I’m sure the factions will be glad to take care of Roger on your behalf. Hell, Roger can’t even protect himself! So, why me?”
“You don’t need to know why I am… requesting… this of you. You only need to know that Roger has become… a problem. For the good of the City, he should be removed from the City.”
“Permanently.”
“Permanently.”
“And if others try to bring him through Koshari’s building again? I am only responsible for my keys, Envoy. I can not stop others. Certainly not others that are much more agile in their manipulations than I.”
He nodded. “I expect others to make the attempt. Not just through your venue, but in other means. However, what they will be able to bring through will not be what you know as ‘Roger’. And that is adequate to protect the City.”
Roger only knows enough clichés to pass himself off as a wise man to those that want to see a wise man. He is barely able to sense any power, and is effectively defenseless without his masters’ protections. But I’m looking at things as they were two years ago. Roger is a multidimensional being encased in a human form. If I can wake up to my true nature, so can he. Was this his game, then? Make an ass out of himself so that everyone would dismiss him as an ignorant nothing, and once everyone’s back is turned, start working towards his real goal? What goal could that be?
What ever it is, it has the Envoy’s attention.
That the Envoy is concerned bothers me more than what Roger could be.
“If it is true, Envoy, that I’m the only one that poses a sincere threat to Roger, he is going to avoid me at all costs. It’s not like I can take his hand and lead him back to Koshari’s building.” The Envoy nodded. “And whatever forces that came together to make sure Roger came into the City, is going to make sure I don’t get a chance to remove him from the City.” The Envoy nodded again. “You know my effect. Shit is going to get broke. I will be disturbing the peace, one way or the other.”
He leaned forward and rested his arms on the table. “The price of your involvement is less than the price of allowing Roger to remain.”
Well. Fuck.
The Envoy sat upright. “Do what you need to do, Weaver Ravencloaked. Take what form is necessary. You have learned some prudence since our first meeting. Be subtle as much as you can, and be as peaceful as you can. But if you must wield chaos to remove Roger, then wield it with both hands. The City will heal. But Roger must be removed.” He nodded his farewell as his form dissipated.
Outside the privacy curtain, the shadows that had crept back into range slowly left again. I waited a few minutes in blessed silence. “Jill.”
She slid the curtain aside. I motioned for her to sit down. She slid into the bench across from me, right where the Envoy had sat.
“Was that the Envoy? Really? It’s been a while, and I didn’t get the time to truly vet him.”
“It’s him. Didn’t you feel the City itself holding you? It’s him.”
“Talk to me, Chica. What the hell has been going on while I was out discovering myself?”
“Well… The factions are doing what they are always doing. But many of the districts are walling themselves off from each other. From the street, not much has changed. But in the games that you play… well…”
I did not like her answer. “So the City here is reflecting the waking world just as always, then.”
“Well, it is a human city. And nationalism runs strong in your specie’s veins…”
“I’m not [a certain blogger]. I give no fucks about what’s happening at the national level. What is going on that I, personally, have to be dragged into this. You were Roger’s first target after coming here. Has he been up to shit with you since?”
Jill laughed a deep rolling snicker. “No. Not since the day he turned into a troll. That was a fun day. He stays away from the café now. And flinches if someone mentions your name, or so I’m told.”
I grunt my acknowledgement of her words. She laughs a human laugh this time, and excuses herself. She is still on the clock and the café is always busy. A few minutes later, I take my leave. Instead of walking down the bright and welcoming street, I turn and enter the labyrinth of back alleys and accidental paths. A non-district, this is one of the quicker ways to travel across the City without dealing with regional politics. But it is also wild and unregulated.
Weaver Ravencloaked, veiled and hooded, makes her way through the forgotten refuse and questionable boxes waiting for the wrong person to open them. A hand darts out and tries to grab my ankle. It passes through my shadow form. “Ah! A Traveler! Have mercy on a poor beggar with no legs.” The thin framed man dragged himself out from between two large boxes. He had several layers of rags wrapped around his hands as knuckle pads. A tattered piece of cloth wrapped around his head, and the remnants of a shirt and suit jacket had more holes than thread. As he pulled himself into my wake, I saw he had only two short stubs of legs. The cloth of the pants had been wrapped around his waist to make padding to rest on.
I took a few more steps before stopping and turning around. He smiled a snaggletooth grin of joy to see me actually give him attention. “Hey. Hey!” He scooted within arm’s reach, so I took an unapologetic step backwards to be out of range again. He stopped. “That’s not nice of ya, to be running from someone with no legs!”
“Said the man that introduced himself by trying to snatch one of mine.”
He started laughing, coarse and rough. “Yea, yea. Ya got me there. I wasn’t trying to take one of yours, though. Just give ya a scare and maybe you’ll drop something as you ran away. Not many actually stop.”
“So what do you want from me that you couldn’t gain by other means?”
“What d’ya have to give?” He sizes me up and tried to peer through the veil over my face. His expression gives away his failure.
I sensed the immediate surroundings and found that we were strangely alone. I expected more alley rats to be eavesdropping. “Wrong question. What do you have that I can’t gain by other means. Fuck trying to fleece each other. I’m no pigeon to roast, and you make poor eats, so let’s be good to each other today.”
He scooted away from me. “Eh… I ain’t got no gold, no trinkets, and not even fleas to curse you with.”
“No, but you’re in better health than you are allowing me to see, and you are ignored by everyone that thinks they are something, which means you have information that would be very hard to get by other means. Even if it is just rumor, it is still an advantage.”
He grinned with all five of his widely spaced teeth again. “I like you, you’re right to it. Okay, then. Knowing for knowing. My name for yours is a start, I think. And yes, I know you’re not going to give me any name of real value. But then again, I’m not of any value, so we’re even!” He starts laughing.
I remove my veil and allow the ambient light to reveal my face. His laughter slows as he squints to examine my face. He pales in recognition and falls backwards. “Ah! The Soul Collector!” He looks around to stations above us and realizes that we are truly alone. “No, I don’t wanna be trapped in a jewel! I made no bargain! Ah! Help!”
Soul… Collector? But I’m not disguising my face. Oh. The djinn’s legacy continues on, I see. Well, since it’s already established that we’re not going to be truthful about our names… “And you?”
He stops and blinks several times. “You’re not after my soul?”
“Nope. You are not the one I’m after.”
“Oh. Well. You can call me ‘Rat’. Because so many have tried to kill me, a few have actually killed me, and yet, I keep coming back!” He diffuses his nervousness with loud and jarring laughter.
I veil my face again and bow. “It is nice to meet you, Rat. Use whatever name for me makes you comfortable. Make up a new one if you like. You are not the one I am after. So let us be at peace, yes?”
Rat scooted within arms reach and this time, I did not back away. He extended a hand. “Then, I’mma call you ‘Wink’, cuz I know in a wink, you’ll be gone as fast as you came.”
I shook hands with Rat and accepted the name of Wink. “Hee! I touched the Soul Collector and lived! Woo! So, then, Wink… who are you after? I’ll tell ya what I know!”
I spoke one of Roger’s names in a language that can not be transcribed but is nearly understood by all humans I’ve come across. It was only one syllable, but to translate it would take a book. If Rat had encountered Roger before, he would be reminded of that meeting. How much of that memory would Rat share with me? Well, that’s what bargaining is for.
Rat’s grin fell and his countenance became hard and cruel. “Him.” He turned his head and spit. Without turning back, he asked me, “Wink, is that who you are after? For reals?”
I wasn’t sure if Rat was for Roger or against him. Best to be clear on the matter, I thought. “Aye, Rat. It is.”
Rat pummeled the ground with both fists to work out a sudden wave of rage. “GOOD!“, he roared once he regained himself. “I can’t think of a better target to go a-hunting after!”
“What did he do to you, Rat?”
“He took my legs, Wink! And I was lucky! I got away! You want that bastard? I know others that will be very glad to tell you more about that body snatching fucker!” He scooted to me and pulled on my cloak.
“And what is the price of getting me to these others?” I kept my emotion out of my voice.
Rat stopped tugging and grinned again. “Ha-ha! You’re all business, Wink! All business. Lemme borrow your legs so I can take you there, that’s my price. If you go there alone, you’ll never be allowed in, even assuming you can find it. I gotta be with you if you want to get in the Rat Nest.”
“Borrow, only. Or I will be tempted to make a new target for my attentions.”
I lifted Rat off the ground and swung him on to my back. He dropped the wrapped pants and uncurled the pair of long boneless tentacles that were his lower appendages. Before I could make a sound at the discovery, he pushed the cloak aside with them and pierced my own legs, down to the bone. I lost control of them as he shuffled in the alley to get a feel for my flesh.
“Ow! I see why they said you’re a demon, Wink! Your bones are burning! I’ll make this quick before you cook me! All this heat inside and I didn’t feel a single bit from without! Maybe I should have called you Hot Foot, instead!”
I laughed heartily as Rat made a few stumbling steps down the alley. Once he found my natural rhythm of movement, he was making good time running and ducking through the maze. Taking turns I never saw coming, and leaping over crevasses I would have not have tried, we arrived at the Rat Nest after what felt like only a few minutes of running.
A group of seemingly docile beggars were huddled under boxes and newspapers. They did not make any movements at our arrival. “Get up you fuckers! What if Wink here had forced me to bring her here! She-et! I can’t believe you guys!” At Rat’s verbal abuse, they sat up with scary speed. I noted above us were several others of their number, moving silently and armed.
Rat tried to kick at the closest one with my legs, but I asserted myself and took control. “You said to borrow my legs to bring me here. We are here. Your lease has expired, Rat.” The act of taking control inflamed the heat in my bones and Rat couldn’t pull himself out of my flesh fast enough.
“OW! Hothothothot!” He slid off my back and started patting and blowing on the tips of his tentacles.
“Rat… who… or what… have you brought to us? There is nothing to eat on those bones. It smells of graveyards and ash.” A huge hulk sat up from under several large panes of cardboard. As it turned its attention to me, I felt waves of hunger coming off of it.
“Funny how the ghoul smells the graveyard first.”, I snarled. Rat glanced at us both before quickly moving to be between us.
“Heh-heh… no Boss… Wink ain’t for eats!” The hulk leaned forward to better give Rat a vicious stink-eye. Now in the light, I could see the ‘boss’ better. He would stand eight feet tall easily, if it wasn’t for his eight feet of width that was keeping him from standing. Morbidly obese, his folds of fat stuffed skin was unshielded from the elements. Judging from the surroundings, it looks like he has not moved from that spot in decades. Dirt and debris were accumulating around and over him, but not under him. But I also know I am not in the physical world. One does not rise to boss status on stench alone. He is very dangerous, I just don’t know how yet.
“I’m hungry, Rat. If it is not for eats, then what good is it?”
“How about revenge, Boss? Do you know what Wink is?”
I counted 23 individuals above and around us. I was completely surrounded. I kept my composure, and played a silent role. Boss managed to open his engorged eyelids a crack. I saw a cold glimmer of light in his eyes for a moment. “A [Traveler].”
“Wink is the Soul Collector.” The number of lurking individuals dropped to 20. Weapons were being unsheathed behind me. “And Wink is after [Roger].”
The count rose from 20 to 30. The movement of armaments paused. Boss’ face twisted in a snarl of unrestrained hate. He started breathing heavy in loud phlegmy heavings. “RRRAAAAAGGGHHHHHHH!” A fist moved faster than I could blink. Boss had dented the wall of the building he was leaning against. “Is this true… Wink?”
“It is. Boss. I don’t want any of you or your number. I want [Roger]. Rat implied you could tell me what Roger’s protectors don’t want me to know.”
Boss smiled. “I could. But I am very hungry.” His smile became a toothy grin. His jowls and dewlaps jiggled and slapped against his chest as he started to chuckle. “Bring me something to eat, Wink. And I’ll have something to tell you.” I bowed and started to leave. “No. Wait. I’ll tell you now. Come closer, Wink. Come closer.”
Knowing I’m stepping into a trap, I approach the filthy man. He signals for me to lean against him and place my head near his mouth. Can he be any more obvious what he is going to do? Slipping into the same shadow form as had frustrated Rat’s attempt, I lean over him without actually touching him.
With that same surprising speed, he darts forward. What was a human head obscured by folds of fat became a large shark’s head with an extending jaw. His maw easily took in my head and upper torso. But his jaws slammed shut on nothing. I heard two teeth shatter from the force of the bite. As he retreated back to his sitting position, he returned to his morbidly obese appearance. Though this time, a trickle of blood was leaking from the corner of his mouth.
“Are you done? Is it my turn? Yes, it is my turn.” My cloak became two appendages of solid shadow. With one, I reached through the flesh of Boss’ neck until I had the trachea itself in my grip. With the other I held his extensible jaw closed. With my right hand, I reached into the depths of the rank folds and gripped his heart. I held my left hand up and summoned a bright point of light. Nothing more. As I tightened my grips, I made the point of light smaller and brighter.
“No, Wink! Boss didn’t mean it! It’s how he tests everyone! He wouldn’t have actually eaten you! Don’t take his soul!” I focused the light even more. The stench of Boss’ fear was even worse than his joy.
“Yes, he would have eaten me. And if he didn’t eat me in one gulp, he would have marked me as his property, the same as he marked you, Rat.”
“If you take his soul, you won’t get the information you want!”
“Should I collect you now, or should I wait for later? Hmm?” I relaxed my grip on Boss’ throat just enough for him to gurgle out a ‘later’. “Try me again, and I will not even leave dust to be collected, understand? You are long overdue for the grave, ghoul, and it is only more important business that keeps me from collecting you right now.”
I extinguish the light and release Boss from all my grips and my half-bluff. My shadows settle as a featureless black cloak around me once again as he collapses into coughing fits. “So… what do you want on your pizza?” Boss looks up at me in confusion. “You’re hungry. I want information. I’m going to get you something, or some things, to eat. Then you’re going to tell me all about [Roger], what he has done to Rat and to the others under you, and who else may have an axe to grind with him and those over him. See you later. Boss.”
I know where I am in the City. Hell, if I didn’t know better, I might say that the City itself put me on Rat’s alley in the first place. I don’t need Rat to come back here. The City itself will drop me here if necessary. I can feel dawn starting to reach into the physical world.
I nudge Rat with a foot. He flinches but recovers quickly. He looks up at my face. I wink at him, then depart from the dream.
Hey, he called me Wink. Gotta live up to that, you know.