SWNOVELS Chapter Chapter Forty-Six
“Shouldn’t we be a little more concerned about getting back to the portal? Cadence has been taken who knows where. Won’t DeLeon be back soon?”
Dorian paced the tiles behind Lenny as he turned a halved loaf of Italian bread into a party sub for the group.
“Everyone okay with mustard?” Lenny called over his shoulder.
No objections were noted.
“I think you need to eat something. This will be very taxing on your system and we don’t want you to peter out once the adrenaline wears off. Pickles?”
“Uh, sure.”
“The very corporate way we were received by Charlie makes me think that we have a few minutes while he processes the exchange. That combined with DeLeon’s need to feel superior to everyone around him should have the two of them at odds for a little while. A least that is what I am hoping for.”
Lenny carved up the sandwich and carried it to the gang waiting in the dining room. He placed it on the lazy Susan in the center of the table and motioned to everyone to partake.
“Here, sit.” Lenny pulled out a chair. Dorian took a seat as Lenny positioned a chair beside him. He pointed to the food. “You eat, I’ll talk.”
Dorian took the smaller butt end of the sandwich and nibbled at it.
Lenny addressed the table.
“I want you all to know how much this means to Dorian and me. I had a mission to close this portal permanently and because of my failings, this has turned into a rescue mission. For that, I am truly sorry. Dorian, I promise that I will do everything within my power to see this new undertaking through to a successful end. I hope that you have the faith in me that I have in you.”
A murmur of support came from the sandwich-filled mouths of the group.
“What can we do to help?” Leslie asked as he swallowed.
“We will be there for backup. I really don’t know what that means other than that we will wait anxiously at the portal for Dorian’s return and handle whatever may happen while he is gone. I wish I could tell you more, but that’s all I know.”
“I wish I knew what I’m supposed to do,” Dorian lamented. “It’s going to be like playing one of those puzzle adventure games, but for real and I only have one life.”
“Have you ever done one of those escape rooms? Those are fun!” Shorty interjected. “Lanky and I did a zombie one where you had to escape the lab and then blast your way through the zombies. It was just actors and paintball guns, but it was intense. Wasn’t it, Lanky?”
Lanky answered him with a wide-eyed “What the hell?” glare.
“What? It’s kind of the same. You solve puzzles to find your way out. Tell me I’m wrong.”
“You are not wrong,” Dorian offered. “I know you are just trying to help.”
Leslie got up from the table and walked over to where Lenny and Dorian were seated. He squatted down beside them.
“I know what you mean. Gary and I came here to find our friend with only the knowledge that he was here somewhere. We didn’t know what we would do when we got here, we just knew we had to try something.”
“Didn’t you say he was dead?” Shorty asked through the ham and swiss.
“What the hell is wrong with you?” Lanky verbalized his disdain rather than glaring. “How is that helpful? We’re trying to work through this horrible situation and all you can do is make it even more horrible!”
“I’m just stating facts. I’m sorry, kid. I’m a blurter. I blurt when things get stressed,” Shorty expressed his regret.
“He’s right again,” Dorian conceded. “I know I could very well be walking toward my doom, but it’s for Cadence and she would do the same for me. I would appreciate a little more optimism and far less blurting, though.” Dorian half-laughed.
“So, how can we tilt the odds in this kid’s favor?” Short asked, trying to offset his blurting.
“He needs a way to locate her. I think there’s an app for that, for keeping track of family and friends. Or maybe one of those dating apps that maps out where there are people nearby that have similar interests as yours,” Leslie thought aloud. “Does she keep her phone with her? I wonder how good the Wi-Fi is down there.”
“Lenny, DeLeon has a bunch of magical stuff. Is there anything in his treasure trove that can be used to locate people?” Dorian ran with the thought.
“Yes, there is.”
A disjointed voice answered from the doorway.
“Reese!” Leslie yipped. He jumped up to greet her. “Nice vest,” he added as he hugged her.
“And me,” Joey peered around the jamb.
Gary barked and ran to join them.
“Everybody,” Leslie started,” this is Reese and Joey. They are very close friends.”
“Slicey McSlicerson!” Dorian immediately recognized Joey from their earlier encounter. “How’s the hand?”
“Doing well, thanks.”
“Mine, too!” Dorian raised the multi-hand and multi-waved.
“These are . . .” Leslie began introductions but was cut short.
“Ugh, we know,” replied Shorty. “Aren’t you supposed to be dead?”
“Who?” Joey responded.
“You! Your headless carcass was found in the library.”
“Another me, another time,” Joey countered. “I’m alive at this point, at least for now.”
Most everyone looked confused.
“The armor. Alternate life streams. Jumping around through time. Remember?”
Reese pointed to the breastplate and was greeted by a room of blank faces.
“The reason DeLeon is stuck back in time and you’re dealing with this screwed-up ritual.”
“Oh, yeah!” Things clicked for the henchmen.
“Dorian, is it?” Reese turned. “I’m sorry about Cadence. If we didn’t have control of the breastplate DeLeon wouldn’t have needed the ritual to be initiated and she wouldn’t be in this mess.”
“Why not just pop back in time and retrieve her? You are in control of the armor.”
“Believe me, we have tried. We have tried to intervene at many different points in this lifestream and all of them have failed. We never save Danny. You never save Cadence. This is the farthest that we have gotten without having to start the whole thing all over again. We’ve learned from past mistakes and made the appropriate adjustments to our approach. That is why we’re here to ask for your help.”
Joey stepped forward. “The success of both missions is intertwined. We have tried so very hard to find a way to handle this ourselves, but the more we try the more we see that someone else holds the key. We are hoping that someone is you.”