The Lesser One Chapter 19: Key

Key

I am utterly bored for the vast portion of the negotiations, even with the stake I have in its outcome.

I just can’t get my mind fully wrapped around the waterfall of “legalese” and super-specific conditions. Halfway through I find out that the other people in the room are from the UK Bureau of Conjurers and Adventurers, who are the people who make the laws about conjuration and the sale of its products. This being the UK instead of the US, the laws are a bit different.

As Lacy told me, I don’t have to say anything. I just watch the negotiations take place.

A few hours in, I need to go to the bathroom. I lean towards Lacy.

“I need to go,” I say.

Lacy nods and gives me an “okay” signal.

I get up and leave the room. The bathroom is easy to find—there are signs pointing to it.

I am peeing in the urinal when a man in a black suit takes the spot next to me.

“I have a proposition for you,” he says.

Ick, I hate urinal conversations. But this one seems to be important. “Yes?” I say.

“Your powers are worth much more than Esmex and Crayton could ever hope to give you,” says the man. He maintains his gaze towards the wall.

I zip up my pants. “Um, who do you work for?”

“You’re not the only one with a network of portal beings working for you.” The man zips up and turns around.

At the sink, in front of the mirror, we both wash our hands. The man in black places a business card on the counter and then pulls a few paper towels out of the dispenser. He does not look at me.

“Do what is best for yourself and your country,” he says. And then he walks out of the room.

Well that was cryptic. I finish washing my hands, grab the business card, slip it into my pocket, and return to the meeting room.

When I enter, Lacy faces me. “Great,” she says. “Markus, we’re wrapping up. All we need is for you to review the contract. This won’t take more than ten minutes.”

I sit down. “Okay?” I say. I am still thinking about my encounter in the bathroom.

Lacy puts a stack of papers in front of me. “This is the rundown,” she says. The people on the other side of the table watch quietly.

Lacy points to a couple paragraphs. “First, money. You will receive a ten percent cut of all sales of Rearden Metal for thirty years in exchange for giving up the recipe. Esmex will then hold the actual type two patent for the material. Does this sound good?”

“Yes,” I say.

“Next, we’ll talk about what you’re going to have to do. It will be your job to train the twelve copper-steel conjurers acquired by Esmex to produce Rearden Metal. Your deadline is two months. Is this satisfactory?”

“It is,” I say.

“As well as this,” says Lacy, “You will receive a portion of ownership of the new company Esmex is creating to handle Rearden Metal. If you choose to work for Esmex’s subsidiary as a researcher, you will be placed in a position of high authority and have a large laboratory budget.”

“I’m sixteen,” I say. “I can’t do research.”

“You created Rearden Metal,” says Lacy. “That is enough to make you a viable investment. Even the, ahem, small chance that you may create another alloy of similar value is enough for Esmex to put a lot of money into your case.”

I nod. “Okay. What about adventuring? What about my guild?”

Lacy shakes her head. “You’re going to have to make a choice. For now, you’re the only one with the recipe for Rearden Metal, so you are much too valuable to send into a portal. However, after you teach the creation method to others, you won’t be needed as acutely. You could, if you wished, return to your life as an adventurer.”

“Okay,” I say. “I’ll think about that.”

Lacy nods. “The London Adventurer’s Association has declared you an S-class.”

“What?” I say. “S, um, S-class?”

“For some reason,” says Lacy, “You were nominated for category and it passed with no trouble. This class is universal, so you’ll be S-class no matter where you are in the world.”

This must be the “leverage” that Sebastian was talking about.

“For now,” says Lacy, “Esmex has also backed your confirmation as an S-class. This is in order to allow you access to various confidential information. The contract we negotiated states that, if you agree to work for Esmex, you will become part of their sponsored guild, the Blue Dryads. I realize that you have school to get back to and a guild of your own that I know you are fond of. This arrangement will be temporary. You could think of it as an “internship,” though you are much more valuable than any intern.”

“So I’ll be done before school starts again?” I say.

“Probably,” says Lacy. “And if you do choose to become a sponsored researcher, Esmex will be able to provide you with a lab in their name at your school. Nowadays it’s easy to work overseas.”

“Okay,” I say.

Lacy’s lips curl up a bit. “Do be careful, though. This contract is subject to change. I’ll be on call for you for as long as necessary.” She clips her Redweld closed. “That’s it. Now for the signatures.” She hands me a pen.

It takes me about five minutes to sign all the paperwork. I read what I can, but I also trust Lacy’s summary of the contract. We are done by two in the afternoon.

“London cabs take card, right?” I say, to Lacy.

Lacy nods. “I can drive you back to your hotel,” says Lacy. “And Esmex has also arranged a temporary apartment for you to live in. I can take you there too.”

I shake my head. “I’m just going to be a tourist for a while.”

“I would tell you to be careful, but you are an S-class adventurer,” says Lacy. “Just don’t do anything stupid.”

I smile, bowing. Then I leave the room, go down the hall, take the elevator, and exit the building. As I am flagging a cab, a limousine pulls up in front of me. One of my devils steps out.

That’s right! I have an army of super-secret agents who can also drive limos! Plus, I’m a millionaire.

This is the first time I am genuinely happy to have actual infernal demons on my side. They know everything I want before I want it.

The demon driver is Sebastian. He bows and opens the door for me. “I assume we are heading to the location given by the government agents?”

“Yeah,” I say, getting in. I hand Sebastian the paper—the one given to me by May last night, not the business card given to me twenty minutes ago. That business card will be a whole different problem. “Let’s make this quick.”

Sebastian gets into the driver’s seat and starts driving. “There is a drink bar for your refreshment,” he says, looking at me through the rearview mirror.

In the center of the luxurious chairs is a minifridge. I open it up—it is full of sparkling grape juice. Well, I guess I’m too rich for normal soda. I spend the rest of the ride sipping the stuff and feeling like a real millionaire.

 Soon, we pull into an empty lot near the edge of the city. I step out of the limo.

Sebastian puts a finger to his ear—he is listening. He hands me the same magic earplug that he gave me during the gala.

Sebastian: We have one sniper on target, but the government has three. Be careful. There’s a game of cat and mouse going on.

I nod, approaching the door at the back of the lot.

It opens. A man in black steps out. God am I getting tired of men in black.

The man approaches me, bowing. “You came,” he says.

“I did,” I say. “Are you with the British government?”

The man smiles. “I am. I want to make you a deal. I know you have already signed a contract with that dismal excuse for a company known as Esmex, but this conversation is not about that. We have a problem. One that I believe you can fix.”

“Um, I’m sixteen and I don’t know that I can solve any problems an entire government can have,” I say.

“We know your network of agents is currently in positions of power all across the world,” says the man. “We don’t care about your metal. We have enough money to simply purchase it off Esmex, and it’s better to leave goods to the private sector. We need intelligence.”

“Okay?” I say. “How can I help?”

“First, I have to ask. Were you contacted by Brine Ward?”

I think for a moment, and then touch the business card in my pocket. Yes, it was for Brine Ward. Sebastian! Help!

Sebastian: You’re going to have to pick a side.

Um, what? What am I getting involved in? Who are the good guys? Who is Brine Ward?

I shake my head. “I have to think about this,” I say. “I don’t know if I can help you.”

“You don’t even know what our problem is,” says the man in black. He bows. “My name is Barley Smad. I’m the director of the organized crim unit here in London.”

“Um, I’m Markus,” I say.

“I know,” says Barley. “I can tell you some things now. First: we are at war with a criminal organization that uses portal beings as agents.”

Is that my devils? I turn to Sebastian.

Sebastian shakes his head.

“We believe that these beings are Shinigami,” says Barley. “That is, Japanese death gods.”

“So you’re having problems with, um, Yakuza?” I say.

Barley shakes his head. “This organization is Russian in origin. We’ve traced the operatives to a single prolapsed A-class portal in the Siberian wilderness.”

“So, when a portal prolapses …” I say.

“Yes,” says Barley. “Even a B-class monster is as capable as a highly-trained assassin or spy if allowed to gain corporeality outside a portal.” Barley looks at Sebastian. “It is rare, but sometimes when a human absorbs a boss’s spirit ring the underlings obey that human as their master—but only after the boss has exited a prolapsed portal.”

I glance at Sebastian. Oh, I think. So I’m not the only one.

Barley lowers his head. “We need the help of your network. Gaining a powerful ally like you will further our fight immensely.”

 “So, we’re dealing with mafia here?” I ask.

“Yes,” says Barley.

Sebastian: It looks like there is a third party observing. We’re attempting to bring him down. It’s probably the mafia you’re talking about. There is a pause. This agent is good. He’s no human. We need backup. It’s fine to summon in front of this man.

I nod. “My butler says there’s a mafia sniper trying to pin us down,” I say.

Barley puts his hand to his ear. “Um hum,” he says. “Yes. Indeed. I’ll cut things short.” He drops his hand and nods at me. “Let’s continue this conversation in a safer place.”

“Just a minute,” I say. I turn to Sebastian. “Who should I summon?”

“I’ll call them out,” says Sebastian.

In my personal dimension, I feel three devils that Sebastian appears to be marking. I let them free.

They appear in a puff of mist. All three of them bow, and then they disperse in a cloud of smoke.

Barley wipes his forehead with a handkerchief. “I’ve never seen that happen before,” he says. “How many more of them do you have?”

“Should I tell him?” I ask Sebastian.

“Wait until we know what the government is going to do,” says Sebastian, out loud, presumably for Barley’s benefit.

Barley slips his handkerchief into his pocket. “Well then. We have an armored car waiting for you.” He looks at the limo. “If you, um …”

Sebastian shakes his head. “Our car is armored.”

Barley takes out his handkerchief again and wipes his forehead. “Well, then, I suppose we can just let you follow us.”

At his words a black van pulls up behind my parked limo. Two police officers with rifles and body armor step out.

Barley walks up to them and gets into the van. When he is halfway through the door, he leans out. “Just follow this van. The journey won’t take long.”

Sebastian walks to the limo and holds the door open for me. I step in; Sebastian enters and starts the car.

We drive through the streets of London until we leave the big city and are driving through suburbs. A warehouse is sitting on a mostly empty piece of land. We stop there, and the government van unloads.

I get out of the limo and so does Sebastian. We both follow Barley into the warehouse.

The building is filled with computer equipment and at least two dozen people buzzing about, typing, speaking, doing spy stuff. Barley leads Sebastian and I up to a second-floor conference room, closing the blast-proof door behind us. He turns to me.

“Take a seat,” he says.

I sit.

Barley sits across from me. “This room is ordinarily used for information gathering. It’s the most secure room in this city.” He leans forward, tapping the table in front of him. “This is where you need to make a choice. Help us, or leave the country.”

“Um, but I have an internship with—” I say.

“That doesn’t matter,” says Barley. “With the amount of power invested in you, you can easily destroy public peace. Allowing you to team up with Brine Ward would be detrimental to the safety of this country.” His eyes are piercing, different from the bumbling aura he gave off when we were in the empty lot.

An explosion sends deep vibrations through the room. Barley turns to the door.

“Bloody hell,” he says.

A government lackey knocks on the door. Barley gets up and opens it.

“What’s going on?” he says.

The lackey appears frightened. “They’re attacking. Monsters! We can’t see them!”

His face freezes. A sharp claw protrudes from the lackey’s stomach.

“You shouldn’t have opened to door,” says a dangerous voice. The lackey falls to the ground, revealing a portal being.

Spiked hair, ghost-white skin, and long claws with knife-sharp edges. Tattered leather clothing. Piercing teeth. Bright red eyes colored with intelligence and hatred.

The Shinigami tosses the dead lackey aside. A peep comes out of Barley’s mouth.

Sebastian stands between me and the monster. His arm is held out to stop me from getting close.

My anima vision spots a second monster sneaking in behind the first—the second monster is invisible to the naked eye. I conjure a blade and stab the monster in the side. Its blood sprays visibly—it appears as if it is coming out of nowhere. The monster pulls away. I know where it is, but I can’t exactly see what it is doing.

“What’s happening?” says Barley. “Where’s this blood coming from?”

Sebastian engages the visible Shinigami in a sword fight. Sebastian is a “knight” class demon. The two clash with each other, sending up fountains of sparks.

I watch the invisible Shinigami, making sure it stays away from Barley.

The invisible monster charges. I do a turning kick and land my foot in its jaw. With my newly doubled strength I crack its bone and send teeth flying into the wall.

The teeth patter to the floor.

The invisible Shinigami backs towards the door.

“No you don’t!” I say, as I form a throwing spear. I throw it at the Shinigami and it pierces the monster’s shoulder.

The Shinigami retreats through the door. So does the one Sebastian is fighting.

The room is silent except for heavy breathing. Sebastian sheathes his sword and it disappears. He bows to me. “I apologize, master. We seem to have underestimated the enemy.”

“It’s fine,” I say. “They’re powerful too.”

Barley clutches his chest. “They got it. The portal key.” He rushes to the door.

“What portal key?” I ask.

Barley stops at the door. “It’s confidential,” he says. “I’ll tell you once you agree to work with us.” Then he rushes out through the hall. I hear his footsteps fading.

“The workers,” says Sebastian. “I believe there have been casualties.”

I nod, leaving the room and heading to the catwalk that surrounds the control room. The place is covered in blood. At least a dozen people are dead.

I spot a badly injured government worker leaning against a mainframe. Descending to ground level, I approach him. He is losing a lot of blood.

I form a sterile rag, some antibiotic powder, and some painkillers. Since the worker is too deep in pain to notice where the stuff came from, I think it’s okay. I know how to do first aid—I learned it in Practical Field Experience.

After stabilizing the man with a tourniquet, I stand up and survey the room. There is a lot more damage down here than I thought. All the computers are smashed. Sparks spurt out of exposed wires.

The enemy sure worked fast. I turn to face Sebastian.

“So they were after this … Portal key?” I say. I take the Brine Ward business card out of my pocket. “And they didn’t say anything to me.”

“I believe they think you have already made your choice,” says Sebastian.

My lips curl up. “But what if they haven’t?” I say.

Sebastian’s eyes light up. “Indeed, master,” he says. “This could be a perfect way to gather some intelligence. We should talk to Barley about this.”

“Barley and the government are the good guys, right?” I ask. I am pretty sure they are—after all, the other side is a mafia family—but I don’t know exactly what the government wants of me.

Sebastian bows. “According to our research,” he says, “the government is doing some things you would not find palatable. However, these actions have nothing to do with Barley’s mission for you. The portal key he mentioned is to a dormant S-class portal in Wales. Perhaps Brine Ward wants to capitalize on its destructive power to leverage a political goal.”

I shake my head. “An S-class?” I say.

Only five S-class portals have ever opened. Three of them rendered entire regions uninhabitable. Iceland, Hawaii, and South Africa. The other two were cleared at huge cost. The Sou’frican wall is what keeps the baddies out of the rest of the African continent, and of course Hawaii and Iceland are islands.

“So we’re going to have to take back the key,” I say.

Sebastian lifts an eyebrow. “Do you wish to put yourself in danger for the government’s cause?” he says.

An elevator’s doors open on the command floor. Barley and two lab-coated scientists walk out. Barley is visibly sweating. He approaches me. “We need you more than ever,” he says. “They took the key.” He pauses. “I need you to agree to work with us. Now. I won’t make you sign anything. You’re in a position of power compared to us.” He wipes his wet forehead with his hand. “We need your help. The entirety of the British Isles might fall if things go as Brine Ward plans.”

I take the Brine Ward business card out of my pocket.

“That!” says Barley. “You were contacted by them?”

“They wanted me to work with them,” I say. “But I don’t like the idea of working for a crime family. I have a proposition. I’ll work with you as long as you allow me to stay with Esmex and train the conjurers. I have a deadline for that and it’s important to me.” I flick the business card. “I think I’ll be able to pretend that I want to join them, get in as an agent, and be able to recover the portal key and cripple them.”

Barley wears an incredulous expression. “You’re talking about being a spy,” he says.

I nod. “That portal key is important, right?” I say. “If someone opens that portal in Wales—”

“Bloody hell!” says Barley. “How did you learn about that?”

“Um, my network?” I say.

Barley turns aside. “We underestimated you.” He looks at me and sighs. “Fine. I’ll take your word that you’ll work with us. I’ll also talk to my superiors about you becoming an agent. Until then, we need to keep you under constant surveillance.”

“I’m okay with that,” I say. “I’ll meet with Brine Ward tomorrow, after I work with Esmex for a bit.”

Barley’s inhaling and exhaling is heavy. “That might work. I need time to figure things out.”

One of the lab coated men hands me a black flip phone.

“Um, thanks,” I say.

“This is our secure line,” says Barley. “No one can tap it. I’ll use this to call you when I’m ready.”

I open the phone. It’s a normal phone, though a bit outdated. I close it. “Let’s do this, then,” I say.

I am as ready as I will ever be.