Free 03. Gods at the Well of Souls by Jack L. Chalker

its own  objects in sight, let alone in hand. Brazil had vanished and was possibly at  least neutralized as far as could be surmised from current information, and  Chang had been abducted by the drug cartel and was undoubtedly a prisoner or  worse by now. The fact that the drug lords had done nothing with her, though,  indicated that they didn't know who and what they had, and it was feared that  any attempt to find her might just tip them off to a key to potentially vast  powers. 
     
    It was for this reason that they had allowed nothing to be done, since that was  what they preferred as a normal course of action, anyway. Now, though, the  report from Anne Marie caused a great deal of concern. If the drug lords had  worked their usual tricks on Mavra Chang, she could literally look like just  about anything; if she really was Brazil's equal, then she could not be killed  and thus eventually had the potential to get free-or, worse, break under the  strain and try to make her own deal with the drug lords out of desperation. If  Mavra Chang no longer bore any resemblance to Mavra Chang, then the guards at  the Avenues had nothing at all to go on, and they could hardly be obtrusive  about barring all and sundry from those equatorial entrances without tipping the  game to everyone. 
     
    If there was a chance of locating Mavra Chang, the committee knew, then it had  to be taken. But patiently and with sufficient safeguards, no matter how  ruthless, to keep the true value and nature of the quarry from those who might  use her. 
     
    Once they decided that they had to move, they wanted to move yesterday, but it  had to be done right. Still, it seemed to them that their long lag time had  finally run out. 
     
    "The Dillians in Agon will almost certainly move on this if we do not," one  councillor argued. 'This cannot be left to amateurs. If they move, they will  certainly fall into the hands of the cartel, who will be merciless in finding  out why they were willing to make such a risky move. If the cartel even suspects  Chang's true value, all could be lost." 
     
    "True," another agreed, "but neither can we leave them out, unless we want them  disposed of." 
     
    The Dillian ambassador objected. "That is out of the question! Only if the  future of the Well World and our authority were clearly at risk would we permit  that! Besides, if Chang now looks nothing like she did, they may well be the  only ones who could establish that a suspected being is Mavra Chang. Remember,  two were taken, and we have no way of telling if we capture one just which one  we have. We agree, however, that this is no job for amateurs alone. Who do we  have in the region?" 
     
    "The Agonese authorities are compromised," another pointed out. "That leaves  only that immigrant Leeming and the renegade Dahir in the area, both trying to  find Brazil. The Leeming has proved reliable and has some feel for this sort of  work-" 
     
    "But he lost Brazil!" the first councillor pointed out. "He enjoys the work but  clearly isn't all that competent at it!" 
     
    "And we are, I suppose?" the Dillian retorted. "We've managed to lose both of  the immortals while we engaged in endless debate and delay. Still, I agree that  a native, one of us who is beyond reproach, must be in charge. Preferably  someone who knows the area and has familiarity with the drug cartel. Any  candidates?" 
     
    The problem was fed to the Zone computers, and after a process of elimination,  one name, and only one, stood out. "Now the only trick is to prepare a cover  story for going after Chang," the Dillian ambassador said, nodding. 'That and  convincing the Agonese government to give him full authority in this matter  without their corrupt elements tipping off the cartel." 
     
    "That," said another, "will be far easier than what we are asking this fellow to  do!" 
     
    Anne Marie, however, had finally galvanized the council into