*Author's note- if you haven't read Kane and Lill, this is going to make absolutely no sense. In fact, even if you HAVE read those stories, you probably won't see what this has to do with the earlier fragments. Sorry. I'm hoping that everything is eventually subject to rational cognition, but, honestly, I'm not betting on it. Enjoy!
".....so you say your mage has had no luck tracking her at all?"
"Sorry, Cap. No joy on magic tracking. Our spell worm's got a killer rep, not ex-mil unfortunately, but I've seen Teller throw some mojo and he knows his way around that drek. I mean, I'd give my left nut to have Corporal Walking Bear or old Master Sgt. 'Bring 'em back' Black, but for a civvy Tell's not bad. I remember this one time he used a couple of drops of blood to track down a hitter in the ork underground after the sucker botched an attempt on...."
Although she couldn't see her boss's face, Lill knew from the man' reaction that something in the way Kane was looking at him clearly told the security man that he was running his mouth when he oughtn't. When the liveried sec man clamed up and looked embarrassed as he waited for the dressing down, Lill wondered what kind of a military commander her boss had been. Kane said nothing about the gaff of chatting about security issues with an outsider but asked if he could meet the mage.
The butler/sec man led his former commander through the back passages of the mansion to an oaken door covered with strange glyphs. The sec man knocked and after a brief pause the door swung open, releasing a fragrant cloud of blue smoke.
"Hash" Kane subvocalized. Before Lill could respond he added, "Sandalwood, Jasmine"
"Masking the dope?" The voice in his head asked.
"Af" he replied without speaking. Lill activated her back up recorders for the interview, even as her smartframes began researching Teller's rep.
"This is..... uh..... Kane" the sec man introduced awkwardly as the two men faced each other from opposite ends of the room. Teller's arched eyebrow demanded further explanation. "He's.... uhm.... here at the General's request." Turning back to Kane the butler quickly added "And this is Teller, the mage."
Both men exchanged guarded nods and examined each other.
"So you must be the 'outside help' who's going to show us how to find our wayward breeder." Teller asked in a voice rich with sarcasm..
Kane dipped his head.
"And I suppose you want to know the possible explanations for an inability to magically trace the, well, what would you call her, the... brood mare?" The mage continued in a bored tone.
Kane nodded.
"It's quite simple, really." Teller explained as he closed the book he had pulled from the crammed shelves behind him, "If she's within a powerful hermetic circle or medicine lodge, OR if she's being cloaked by an extremely puissant magical force, tracing spells and rituals would not be effective in finding her. Therefore, logic says that she must be shielded in one of those ways"
Kane nodded again and after a few silent seconds turned abruptly to leave. As he got to the door he turned back and asked, "But you have tried, unsuccessfully, to magically trace her?"
The pause was short enough to be simple incredulity. That is how Teller chose to play it. Speaking as if to a small child or a moron, the mage replied, "Well, if I could trace her, don't you think we could have picked her up ourselves without calling on 'outside help'? Do you really believe that old man is so senile that he thinks he needs a professional hood for such a simple retrieval? Are you really that dense?" While he was speaking, Teller made several gestures. Kane was unsure whether these were the signals one magic user might flash another, some sort of test for spells that Kane might have active (like analyze truth), or if the mage were readying some spells of his own. Completely ignoring the provocation in the magic user's tone, words and gestures, Kane said nothing, and simply turned and stepped out of the room.
"Holy drek, boss. The fancy talking sucker is lying his ass off. You heard the way his heart beat spiked when you asked if he had tried unsuccessfully? I bet the son of a slitch is in it up to his neck."
"Quiet" Kane subvocalized.
Standing as if lost in thought, Kane focused the audio sensors that had detected the change in heart rythm when the magic user suddenly tried to avoid an outright lie. Although the breathing he heard behind the tapestry-covered wall was being held, Kane could hear the heart beat well enough to recognize that he was under observation by more than the security system. Looking directly at the tapestry, Kane folded his arms and waited.
After several minutes there was an exasperated sigh and a hidden wall panel swung out to reveal a furious Elizabeth Brighton.
"I thought you were supposed to find my.....step brother." The last two words were delivered with such utter contempt that, as intended, they clearly suggested that the General's daughter was somehow involved in the disappearance. Challenge, anger and disdain all played across the woman's otherwise attractive face as she waited for Kane's reaction. When he failed to respond to her provocation, her eyes blazed with fury.
"You're obviously too stupid to see that you aren't wanted here." she hissed. "If that senile wretch is addled enough to believe that you will find his spawn before something happens to it, then the least you can do is humor the old fool by trawling through the gutters you call home looking for it. You certainly aren't going to find dear daddy's seed standing in the servants quarters."
Knowing that it was the most infuriating thing he could do, Kane remained motionless.
"What is your problem, drek for brains? I said that you should leave. Go! Search! Do something other than stand there like the large pile of droppings you are. Get out!"
Kane displayed no reaction as he left, causing Elizabeth to become near apoplectic with fury.
I don't think she likes you, boss.
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