Awakening - The Last Science #1

Chapter 12 - Deputies, Detectives and Deities - III

  "Jesus Christ," Jackie breathed. She took an involuntary step back, and her hand found the sidearm strapped to her waist. The wooden door had just appeared directly in front of her, set squarely into the gap between the wall and the dumpster. Rachel put a hand on the shorter woman's shoulder, trying to reassure her.

  "It's a door to what we call a pocket dimension. It's where we do business." Rachel pulled the door open, revealing the inky black wall within. "It's okay, we can just step right through."

  "Speak for yourself," she muttered, but Jackie followed her through the door all the same.

  Beyond the black veil, the marketplace was mostly quiet. A few of the stalls around the octagonal street were open, but there was only so much commerce to be had amongst a community of less than a hundred. The only truly important business taking place that day was in a more permanent structure set off to one side. It was a plain light blue portable classroom that had originally been given to the college for overflow classes, but had ended up unused when application rates had declined. Kendra had found a way to acquire it surreptitiously and move it inside the Market for their use. It now served to provide the council a place for business that could not be conducted in the world proper.

  "So this is where the drug trade went," Jackie groused, glancing at the tents and the other doors scattered around the place.

  "No, no drugs. We keep a close eye on what gets traded," Rachel replied. "Besides, it's not like we had an actual trade in Rallsburg to begin with, unless you count marijuana."

  "State doesn't anymore. No reason for me to either."

  "When we go in, just hang back and let me talk, all right?" Rachel said as they approached the portable.

  "Hey, this is your world. Far as I'm concerned you're in charge. You're an elected official, right?"

  "Yes."

  "Guess I'm your enforcement arm too, then. Might not be in writing but that's the spirit of the thing, right?"

  Rachel smiled. That was exactly what she wanted to hear. Jackie was someone who respected the law, but also someone who knew when it was too slow to adapt to dynamic new situations. She took the steps two at a time and knocked sharply on the door.

  Josh Miller answered, a bemused look on her fellow councilor's face. "Rachel? I thought you weren't coming to this one."

  "Changed my mind. I needed to bring a guest."

  Josh's eyes were wide as dinner plates as he saw who Rachel had in tow. "What are you doing?" he hissed.

  "I trust her, and she needs to know what's up. She won't reveal anything she sees here, not even to her deputy." She glanced over her shoulder, and Jackie nodded an affirmative.

  Josh shrugged. "Cinza's not gonna like it."

  "Cinza knows what's at stake in the town right now. She can live with it. Most of her followers aren't here anyway, right?"

  "Still out, last I heard. It's just the Terrible Trio and their new initiate today. Excuse me, the totally unrelated newcomer."

  Rachel laughed. "They're still pretending otherwise?"

  "Like it's not obvious." Josh grinned. "The way he looks at her, he's a dead ringer for a devoted cult slave." He stood out of the doorway. "Well, come on then."

  Rachel stepped inside, Jackie at her heels. The entire room looked round, and Rachel found herself once again at the center of a spotlight. In this case, it was literal, as Cinza had summoned up a beam of light to blind them. Rachel felt Jackie grab at her shoulder to steady herself from the sudden loss of vision.