In the Middle (Sara Chronicles Book 2), page 25
“Okay, you’re the best girlfriend ever. Mage Coyotl managed that teleportation you wanted me to get, as well as some other things. I’m harder to hurt now. Not stronger or faster, since that might have pushed me past a class two. Smarter though, and I can see places at a distance. Just, like I’m looking at them, with my eyes? I mean, it’s psychic, but it seems like I’m really there, if I try to find someplace. At least inside fifty miles or so. So I can teleport without ending up inside of things? The intelligence… Fox suggested that as a joke, but it was added, since a lot of people get that.”
He was also better looking, Sara noticed. Leaner and with better definition. Nothing so over the top that he didn't seem like himself, though.
“Nice. Good call, too. Did things go well with Morgan?”
That had the boy tilting his head.
“Not bad? She’s probably a solid eight now, instead of a five. I don’t know what else she had done. Her mage was speaking Vagish and I haven’t done that one yet. Just Standard and the lesson on what’s expected over there. That and fighting.”
Taking her own shot, sinking the arrow in the center of the target, she glanced at him, soaking in the whole picture of his powers. They really were about what he’d said. His senses were also better, and some problems that might have been there, with his eyes, later in life, wouldn’t show up now.
So, in short, no one in the government had any real reason to bother with him at all, until it came time to enlist him in the Army. Then they’d want him, unless they were idiots.
“We need to practice that teleportation. I’m surprised that he knew how to make that happen, really.”
“Yeah. No doubt. Fox explained the idea to him, and got that Tim guy to come and help with the set up. So, we leave for over there, tonight, after this?”
Sara nodded, feeling so glad that she wasn’t as exhausted as a regular girl would be after staying up all night. It was so nice she smiled about it.
“Exactly. You can teleport me to the base, so I can get my things? We need to pick up someone who can take us between worlds too… Or, well, really you can take everyone to the base, right? One at a time?” She didn't mean it, since that was a lot to ask of a person with a new power. “Or, more realistically, we can get Brian to help us out. He’s really nice. You’ll like him.”
She was selling that one pretty hard, but Peter simply nodded.
“A fellow teleporter? Sounds cool. What’s his special code name?”
She looked at him, then took a second shot, before speaking.
“Proxy.”
“Oh.” That was all he said, going quiet for a while. A lot of people didn’t love Proxy, of course. He was thought of as being far too scary.
She got that but also wanted her friends to like her other friends. They made plans, to meet up behind the school, after class. Everyone else was supposed to meet there, if they were going, as well. At least if they went to school with her. That meant, by about ten after, she was standing with Fox, Fiona, and Parker, with Peter just walking up, a fake smile pasted on his lips. She was tempted to read his mind, but didn’t. Fake or not, they were dating and you didn’t press your friends that way.
He spoke, as soon as he got there.
“Okay. So, I need to teleport to the IPB base? I haven’t tried carrying anyone doing that yet. Can I do that? I’ve done it about twenty times, on my own…”
Sara knew that one, so nodded.
“Sure. Two other people, even, if they’re not too big. Up to about five hundred pounds, in addition to yourself, I think. That’s a bit rough, but around that. Just hold on to them and want them to go with you. So, you can take all of us, in two trips?”
That was, of course, easier said than done and he ended up making three trips to do it, since everyone had a bag with them. Nothing too over the top, but enough that he was straining to get it done, by the time Fox was brought in. Last. Sara had gone first, so people at the base would recognize them. Marcia walked out of the headquarters building, having seen people popping into place and being curious.
That or she was coming out to kill them, in case they were an attack. You never really knew with Director Turner. Except that Sara did, and in that moment, the woman had actually recognized them. All of them, including Peter, who she’d never met, as far as Sara was aware.
That spoke of spying, to her mind.
Which made perfect sense. Sara waved then pointed at Peter.
“Teleportation. He can move, with one or two other people, and see locations inside fifty miles, at a distance. His speed needs work, but… He’s not bad.”
There was a smile then, and a nod.
“A class two? I noticed the coverage of that, yesterday. That there’s a limit on what people are allowed that way. The local police Chief called me earlier, wondering if she can get that set up for her people. There was an offer for that?”
That had been made, of course.
“I think Senator Roberts is fielding things like that? Then he’ll call here, and you’ll ask me… So I guess we can skip all that for the local Chief and I can ask after that for her? How many people? There are more students than they have people to practice on, so far.”
Turner was a professional, even if the subject was pretty new to her.
“Eighty or so. Only volunteers. Not the whole force. We need to be careful what powers they get. To stay inside the law, not just because they’ll eventually be attacking us again. Any thoughts on that one?” She glanced at the others, so Fox gave her a frank, considering, look back.
The boy sounded as if he’d thought about it before, in fact.
“We should focus on protective measures. Passive things, that can’t be used to hurt people. Make them bullet resistant and so that energy attacks and blades won’t harm them as much? Better senses, too. Things that protect them, but that the courts won’t view as being Infected powers in use.”
The woman nodded, almost instantly.
“Not bad. Write up a proposal for that and have it on my desk by Monday. The rest of you, I want a full report on what you do. Include the drinking and drugs, but for god’s sake, don’t tell your parents about those parts. Brian said he was planning to take you over…” She poked her head into the office, and called out, her voice seeming friendly.
“Brian! Your people are ready.” Then she waited, standing in front of the office door, holding it for the man. He came at a jog, his face seeming… Happy. It was odd for him.
“Hey, everyone. Sorry, I was fielding a call. From the President. We need to pick up the Ambassador. A Gary Harthen? He’s at the White House, so this will take a minute.” The man held up a finger, closed his eyes and about twenty seconds later, vanished.
It really did take a minute. Then more than just that. In fact, they were standing there for half an hour, before he came back, with not just one person, but four, all standing there, with a lot of luggage. The Ambassador’s team, no doubt. A thing that Sara had innately expected.
She waved at them, the younger people, behind the gray haired, heavyset older man, seemed a bit sheepish. Well, two of them did. The last one, a decently attractive white woman, looked at the kids and sneered.
“We’re going in with children?” Her voice carried enough that they all heard her. Brian gave her a world-weary look, that seemed to indicate what had been happening for the last half hour on the other side of the country. He didn’t speak though.
The Ambassador looked strained. Annoyed, as well.
“I’m Gary Harthen. President Morton personally asked me to thank all of you for allowing us to come with you on this trip.” He started to turn his head to look at the loud-mouthed woman, but stopped himself in time not to seem angry. “We don’t really know what to expect as to a reception on the other side, so rather over-packed. We were told to expect a tent, in the forest? That or an inn?”
That probably wasn’t what had been said at all, but she nodded.
“More likely staying with friends? There’s an official embassy there, but they don’t have room to house everyone. I was thinking that we’d get you in for a few weeks, and make a point of introducing you to the important people. Some of them, at least. Fiona is throwing a party, for Halloween. Not that it’s the right time of the year over there. It’s early summer, I think and the Capital is hot. They do have air conditioning, in some places, but it isn’t everywhere.”
The older man, smiling as if they were old friends, spread his hands. It was an obviously practiced move. Which fit his career.
“That would be wonderful. Thank you. Sara Chambers, isn’t it? I was shown some pictures. I’m afraid I don’t have names for everyone else, yet.”
Sara went over that, the man then doing his people. She pegged the names in her mind. The one who thought it strange that kids were going was Autumn. The other two were Kevin and Adel. Both of them seemed to be polite enough. Gary was nice, too. The inside of Autumn’s head was a cesspool of narcissism and personal importance. It wasn’t a first mode, but outside of that, Sara had rarely encountered a person with that level of self-absorption.
Brian gave the group a tolerant smile.
“We’re supposed to go directly to Count Thomson’s Capital Residence.”
Sara held up her right hand, to stop him from moving too soon.
“Parker, can you explain the powers of a Count, in Noram?”
Her bookish friend, formerly pock marked and currently looking cute enough that Kevin, a grown man, eyed her as if they might just get together later, nodded, somberly.
“Noram has a fairly straightforward monarchic system. Due to a rebellion about three hundred years ago, the powers of dukes and duchesses were reduced. Each of them holds the fealty of five or six counties. Each of these counties has the approximate land mass of Texas. In their own areas, each ruler is the ultimate authority. The word of a count, in his home territory, is law. It can, and often does, trump that of both their duke or even the king. Her, of course, if it’s a sitting Countess. They run about half and half, that way. They all have standing armies, which are, if well provisioned, the equal or superior to the U.S. military. Smaller, and less technical as far as supplies but magical weapons and shields can make a huge difference.” She paused, the ambassadorial team actually riveted.
When she went on, there was a small shrug.
“Technically, the Capital and the surrounding areas belong to the King. Alphonse Cordes. So, his word is absolute there, not the Counts. That will allow small missteps to be survivable for us. Which is why they do it that way.”
Sara gave a wintery smile, staring directly at Autumn.
“Different things can be important there, so we need all of you to have classes on language and the courtesies there, as soon as possible. There are magical lessons for that. Unless you’ve already done them?”
Gary raised his hand, just a bit.
“I’ve had the language. Last night. I can’t say I loved the lesson, but I can’t fault the speed of it, can I? Five and half hours to language mastery. At my age…” He was selling it, for the others. He did look at the kids, then, as if suggesting they should do that, too.
It was what he was thinking, as well.
Sara waved at the group.
“They’ve all done both of those already. So, no excuses, if little kids can do this, it can’t be that hard, right?” Again, she starred at Autumn, who made a face back at her. That was probably fair enough. Sara was being a bit rude to her, after all.
She started it had never, not even once, gotten Sara out of responsibility for her own actions in life. Trying to be an adult, she turned to the Ambassador, who looked rather impressed.
“I wasn’t aware. Have any of you been to Noram before?”
Three of them had, so nodded. Peter grinned.
“It’s the first time for me.”
Brian glanced at Sara, then closed his eyes.
“Twenty seconds. Everyone move in and hold hands.”
Her team had fewer bags, so did that faster than the other group. Sara had to dash over to Adel and take her things, for her to get into the circle on time. They appeared at Thomson Residence, the one in the Capital, outside the outer wall, but not that far down the smooth cut stone street. It was prettier than the same thing would have been in America.
The wall was much the same, being made of matching, or nearly matching, cut stone. It was smooth on the facing surface, as if brightly polished in a tumbler. The wrought iron was just that, and inside the gate stood a mansion, clearly made of wood.
Sara spoke, her voice low.
“Most of the mansions here, in the Capital, are either made of adobe and stone, or magic. Having a home made of wood here, especially an older one, is a sign of great familial wealth. The Thomsons’ don’t rub it in, but they’re one of the better off counties that way. Countess Thomson is well connected to a lot of the best builders, so they have an incredible amount of magic here. Don’t be confused, this is a lot. Even the wealthy won’t have what you’re about to see, all the time.”
They were walking to the front gate, and she was still speaking in English.
“Fiona, when do you bow?”
The response was immediate.
“When anyone else does. Also, if you’re impressed with someone, or just get too lost in a conversation. Doing that last one will make you look ridiculous, but it’s still better than accidently doing the wrong thing. It’s pretty much saying that you’re sorry, in that case. If you really have to say that you’re sorry, there’s a whole protocol. Avoid that for now. If it comes to it, lay on the ground on your stomach and pretend to cry. Work up tears if you can. That’s taken way differently here than back home. It’s still humiliating here, and you may be mocked for it in private, but most seeing it will think of you as brave for admitting to a fault in public, at the same time.”
Sara nodded, as Brian walked up and waved to the guards. Then, carefully, bowed. Everyone else did it, though Autumn was slow and didn’t go far enough down. Not wanting to bother, but knowing it was her duty, she cleared her throat, not standing.
“Go down further? At very least, if facing an unknown person, match them in degree of bend. If you know they’re important… Try to touch your toes? When in doubt, it’s better to do too much than too little.” The words got her glared at, by the woman she was speaking to and by one of the guards. To that end she repeated herself, in Standard, which had the man smiling.
“That’s right. I was worried that you were plotting against me, suddenly, Ancient Sara.”
The other guard grinned. He was the older fellow who was normally there. He spoke to them then, in English.
“Welcome. We’ll call up to the house now, if that’s well with you all? I’ll need your names…” His accent was so good that it seemed like he was from the mid-west, not Noram at all. It was incredibly impressive, for a gate guard.
The other man looked over and sighed. He spoke in Standard.
“I need to get those lessons, too. Cartland has seniority, so got to go first. The Countess is sending us all through her new school.”
Fox moved forward, only a few steps, and bowed again, going about halfway down. Toward the older man, but then he shifted to the young guard, as well.
“Impressive. Very much so.” Everyone else did it as well, the men finally doing it themselves, so the rest could all stand up. This time, even if she wasn’t getting why it needed to be done, Autumn did it as well. Properly, if with grudging in her heart.
Then, as a distraction from the scene, the shielded bell was rung. They all stood there, silently, until the Countess came out, wearing a lovely red and black dress. It seemed like satin, and a bit like she was getting ready for a grand ball. It was, in short, very impressive. It also reminded Sara that she’d forgotten her own clothing amulet in her room. She had nothing of note with her, other than her school bag, at the moment.
Brian waved at the Countess, and vanished, leaving them stuck there, naturally. She grinned at the idea, but waited to be let in the gate, and bowed as soon as they were all inside. Her people and the Ambassador were ready for the move. The Countess curtsied, being in a dress. A bow was acceptable too, of course, even from a woman. Technically a man could curtsy, if they were wearing a robe or flowing garb, as well, but Sara had never, even once, seen that happening.
“Welcome, all of you! Ancient Sara, Ancient Fox… Ancient Fiona and Ancient Parker.” She looked at Peter, first then smiled, waiting for him to be introduced.
In case he was the ambassador. She also, being normal in some ways, bothered to look at the man himself.
“This is Ambassador Gary Harthen, and his protégés. I know that there might be events planned, but would it be possible for these three to use some of the lesson stones, first? They’re most excited to learn Standard and your customs here. The Ambassador did the language already, having gotten hold of some of them on the black market, somehow. What will the rent on those cost?”
She knew the real answer was free, but they were suddenly dealing with a government, not just a schoolgirl and her pals.
Getting that, Fox grimaced.
“At least ten thousand gold. That’s about… Twenty million dollars, back home? That would be for these four to have a full schooling though, not just the use of one or two of them. Still, that won’t be cheap. How are we covering that?”
The Countess went stiff, through the face. Clearly trying not to laugh. What she didn't do was interfere, even if she didn't know what the game at play was.
Nodding, Sara thought for a moment, like it was real or something.
“Let me… We’ll probably all need to set up a business or ten and work, in order to pay that off. Can we do that on credit, Countess? It’s important that these four have the best education for this reality possible. They’re important.”
The woman made a considering face then, and gave a nod.
“You could call on my brother, Torrance?”
She could, and more, she understood that Terlee was suggesting asking him for the money, outright. Instead, pulling her handheld from her bag, she found his name on the right list and tapped it, waiting.
