well-developed police force. Most members of his species are ordinary, law-abiding citizens of their underwater realms. I really should make that clear. The Belials are the exception.”
“Every species has its criminals, then?”
“Unfortunately, that’s quite true.”
“I was wondering if Belial was acting alone, or if he was part of a gang.”
“The latter. Javert has been tracking the case for years.” Spare14 put his fingertips together and considered me over the arch. “They’re thieves, basically, though I’ve never been clear about what it is they steal. It’s very valuable, whatever it is. The name translates as the Silver of the Heart.”
Interesting, I thought. The concept of stolen property had just popped up again.
“That’s a bit opaque,” Ari remarked.
“Yes,” Spare14 said. “Translation between any human language and the languages Javert speaks is alarmingly difficult. Their brains are quite different from ours. Their language concepts are, too, or so I’ve been told. For instance, ‘forward’ and ‘backward’ mean very different things to them.”
“But psychic communication’s possible,” I said. “I had adetailed conversation with Belial, and a brief one with Javert.”
“He did mention that.” Spare14 gave me his unctuous smile. “Which is one reason, my dear O’Grady, that we’re hoping to liaise with your agency. Your group appears to have a somewhat different set of talents from those we have available in TWIXT. Pooling our resources would be valuable to both.”
“Oh, I agree,” I said. “Unfortunately, it’s not my decision to make. Whatever this silver stuff is, I wonder if Belial was hoping to find it here on this world. If so, he’d need human accomplices for the actual heist.”
“Just so,” Spare14 said. “Javert’s planning on getting the truth of that once Belial’s two halves are reunited. Plea bargaining for information received is part of their justice system, too.”
“I see. If you could relay some of that information once Javert obtains it—”
“Certainly, assuming Belial is forthcoming.” Spare14 glanced at the briefcase where said suspect currently resided. “Now, O’Grady, I have a rather nosy question to ask you. Do feel free to tell me to mind my own business. It concerns your brother.”
“Ah,” I said. “Which one?”
“The youngest, I think. He’s the one who must be a world-walker.”
“Yeah, that’s Michael. Someone spotted him on Interchange, I take it.”
“You’re quite right. The someone was myself, actually. I realize that he’s young, and doubtless needs to continue his education, but we’d be very interested in recruiting him once he reaches his maturity.”
“I can see why,” I said, “but the Agency has already expressed the same interest. They’re offering him a college scholarship in return for a commitment.”
Spare14 set his lips in a tight line, then forced out a smile. “I see,” he said. “Well, we may be able to match that generous offer. The talents you and your brother display really do seem to be extraordinarily strong. Um, I take it you have other siblings?”
“Yes,” I said, “but I can’t speak for them.”
I smiled; he smiled.
“Very well.” Spare14 took a leather card case out of his inner jacket pocket. “Allow me to give you my cards. I meant to do so the first time we met, but your visitation from a saint—Maurice, was it? yes, Maurice—rather startled me, and I quite forgot.”
Spare14 studied his surprisingly thick card case before removing any cards. I took two from him, and he handed a pair to Ari. Each gave a different address, one in my San Francisco with a zip code, and the other, in a version of the city called SanFran, with the simple postal code of NE. The interesting detail, however, came after the post code. The address in my San Francisco included the designation “Terra Four,” and that on Interchange, “Terra Three.”
“Now, about
“Every species has its criminals, then?”
“Unfortunately, that’s quite true.”
“I was wondering if Belial was acting alone, or if he was part of a gang.”
“The latter. Javert has been tracking the case for years.” Spare14 put his fingertips together and considered me over the arch. “They’re thieves, basically, though I’ve never been clear about what it is they steal. It’s very valuable, whatever it is. The name translates as the Silver of the Heart.”
Interesting, I thought. The concept of stolen property had just popped up again.
“That’s a bit opaque,” Ari remarked.
“Yes,” Spare14 said. “Translation between any human language and the languages Javert speaks is alarmingly difficult. Their brains are quite different from ours. Their language concepts are, too, or so I’ve been told. For instance, ‘forward’ and ‘backward’ mean very different things to them.”
“But psychic communication’s possible,” I said. “I had adetailed conversation with Belial, and a brief one with Javert.”
“He did mention that.” Spare14 gave me his unctuous smile. “Which is one reason, my dear O’Grady, that we’re hoping to liaise with your agency. Your group appears to have a somewhat different set of talents from those we have available in TWIXT. Pooling our resources would be valuable to both.”
“Oh, I agree,” I said. “Unfortunately, it’s not my decision to make. Whatever this silver stuff is, I wonder if Belial was hoping to find it here on this world. If so, he’d need human accomplices for the actual heist.”
“Just so,” Spare14 said. “Javert’s planning on getting the truth of that once Belial’s two halves are reunited. Plea bargaining for information received is part of their justice system, too.”
“I see. If you could relay some of that information once Javert obtains it—”
“Certainly, assuming Belial is forthcoming.” Spare14 glanced at the briefcase where said suspect currently resided. “Now, O’Grady, I have a rather nosy question to ask you. Do feel free to tell me to mind my own business. It concerns your brother.”
“Ah,” I said. “Which one?”
“The youngest, I think. He’s the one who must be a world-walker.”
“Yeah, that’s Michael. Someone spotted him on Interchange, I take it.”
“You’re quite right. The someone was myself, actually. I realize that he’s young, and doubtless needs to continue his education, but we’d be very interested in recruiting him once he reaches his maturity.”
“I can see why,” I said, “but the Agency has already expressed the same interest. They’re offering him a college scholarship in return for a commitment.”
Spare14 set his lips in a tight line, then forced out a smile. “I see,” he said. “Well, we may be able to match that generous offer. The talents you and your brother display really do seem to be extraordinarily strong. Um, I take it you have other siblings?”
“Yes,” I said, “but I can’t speak for them.”
I smiled; he smiled.
“Very well.” Spare14 took a leather card case out of his inner jacket pocket. “Allow me to give you my cards. I meant to do so the first time we met, but your visitation from a saint—Maurice, was it? yes, Maurice—rather startled me, and I quite forgot.”
Spare14 studied his surprisingly thick card case before removing any cards. I took two from him, and he handed a pair to Ari. Each gave a different address, one in my San Francisco with a zip code, and the other, in a version of the city called SanFran, with the simple postal code of NE. The interesting detail, however, came after the post code. The address in my San Francisco included the designation “Terra Four,” and that on Interchange, “Terra Three.”
“Now, about
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