Chapter 1-32: A Talk with Master Fred (2/2)
MUTUAL FAVORS GO A VERY LONG WAY AMONG GOOD PEOPLE, he acknowledged. WHAT DO YOU NEED TO DO FIRST?
“One, I need actual clothes that aren’t something I took off a dead man. I was going to do that today, but I got drafted into popping some rats and Darkbound instead.” His smile was faint, but there. “Then I need to get a replacement phone, and I’m going to buy some basic history books so I at least have the foundational knowledge of an eight-year-old.” He smiled faintly again. “Once I get that done, I need to go to her home address and make sure something like a cat isn’t starving to death there.”
I CAN PROBABLY HELP YOU DEAL WITH A LOT OF THAT. THE INTERNET PROBABLY HAS ALL THE KNOWLEDGE YOU NEED... he trailed off when I clutched my head and waved him off.
“You have no idea how much I would absolutely love to dive into the internet and inhale all that data, but the Shroud is preventing me from retaining knowledge that I don’t have associated Ranks in, or affinity to my past. I couldn’t remember how to turn on the radio in a van, and while I could remember how to shut it down by taking the keys out, it took me a good thirty seconds to figure out where to insert them if I wanted to start it up again.
“If I try to start going around on the internet to find stuff, I’m first going to develop a nosebleed, then my eyes will probably start bleeding, and that’s if I concentrate past the instant migraine that pops up.
“I’ll have to learn the old-fashioned way, by reading it in a book.”
He nodded. IT SEEMS YOU’LL BE SPENDING TIME IN A LIBRARY. THE MAGAZINE ARCHIVES FOR TIME, MANA, AND PEOPLE SHOULD PROVE USEFUL.
“Mana?” I had to ask. That was a new one.
IT’S THE PRIMARY MAGAZINE COVERING MAGICAL SOCIETY. IT’S NOT AS INTELLECTUAL AS THE CODEX , BUT IT DOES A BETTER JOB IDENTIFYING AND FOLLOWING THE MOVERS AND PLAYERS.
“Sounds like I’ll need to read them both, figure out what works, what does not.” Ah, well, it was what it was...
STAND UP. I did so. He lifted his phone and took a snapshot of me. YOU CAN LISTEN IN, IF YOU LIKE.
“Sure.” His thumbs crackled with voltage on his phone, and I was a bit surprised to see the screen leap up into a basic hologram in front of him.
An icon of a garden gnome popped up, lifting my eyebrow. “Hey Fred,” a genial, higher-pitched voice that nonetheless sounded quite mature rose from the speaker. “What can I do for you today?”
His response was being flamed over his shoulder to the camera on the phone. RUN THE LICENSE IN MY PHOTO DIRECTORY AND TELL ME EVERYTHING YOU CAN ABOUT THE OWNER. SHE’S A NEW SORCERESS I STUMBLED ACROSS WHO JUST ENCOUNTERED SINBOUND, WHO GUTTED HER AND STOLE THE BABY SHE WAS PREGNANT WITH.
OH, AND SHE NEEDS SOME NEW CLOTHES SUITABLE FOR A COMBAT CASTER.
There was a whistle from the other end of the phone, sharp and short. “You Heavenbound, running into all this shit...” The image of my license, and then the face of the Sinbound arsehole I’d shown him, swirled up on the holo and were sucked away to the gnome.
“You heading up to Boston? I can have a basic kit waiting for you there.”
BALTIMORE. GOING TO CHECK HER HOME BEFORE WE GO HUNTING PURPLE.
“Ah, gotcha. Yeah, the Church to Aru will work with us. Let me figure the measurements on her and – Holy Diamonds and Sapphires! Is that Traveler?”
Both my eyebrows went up at his squeal of glee. Fred looked totally unmoved. THAT IS HER CASTER NAME, YES.
“How did you run into a celebrity like her? Damn!” I blinked despite myself. “That video of her teaching the Human language is exploding across the entire world. It’s breaking every download count anybody has ever seen!”
SOUNDS LIKE A LOT OF PEOPLE ARE GOING TO WANT TO KNOW WHO SHE IS, Fred prodded thoughtfully.
“On it! Elrii, is it? No last name... that’s weird for a halvyri. Let me start searching, and filter out that video... damn! Very impressive, Fred!”
He didn’t bat an eye. RANDOM COINCIDENCE. RAN INTO HER AT THE TEMPLE HERE. HELPED ME WITH THE HELLBOUND.
“Really? Well, tell her she’s famous, and probably needs to change her look if she doesn’t want to be mobbed. Everyone who learns how to speak the Human language is probably going to know her face and voice now!”
Okay, he was waxing enthusiastic, and I certainly hadn’t intended to garner that level of fame. Just wasn’t thinking about it...
“Wow, she has next to no electronic footprint whatsoever. That’s her first driver’s license... no last name, still, and no one vouching for her, standard approval of driver’s training. I’m going to have to break into some secure data files concerning her birthday and stuff. There aren’t a lot of halvyr born, so it should be quick.”
I didn’t know whether to be impressed, relieved, or discomfited by that...