Free Wine of the Gods 05: Spy Wars by Pam Uphoff Page B

read mentions of t he Traveler, The God of Luck, The God of Love, The Goddess of Health and Fertility, possibly the God of Virtue." Idre tossed a glance over his shoulder. No one was in sight, now.
    "With Peace and War, that's more than half that appear to have survived. Find them. We'll need to isolate them, and take them one at a time. I'll send the Action Team to wherever they are, whenever you find them. Go now."
    They all bowed deeply in her direction and withdrew.
    They didn't speak until they were away from the palace.
    Idre started. "Was that Compulsion or Possession, Team Leader?"
    The entire Team glared at him, their feelings so high they were well into battle merge. Edmo took a deep calming breath. "Possession. He thought it was so funny to not let me see what was happening, but to let me feel it. To release me when I was still . . . " He practiced his deep breathing for awhile more.
    "We were also locked up, a straightforward paralysis spell, but it was slipped in through our various shields like they didn't exist. I hate to say this, but we ought to taunt that man enough to try some other sorts of blocks. Find something that works. Because we're going to find him hard to kill when he can handle sixteen of us so . . . casually."
    The Action Leader nodded. "In formation Leader, we'll try whatever you think might work. I don't even insist on redeeming my honor personally. I just want that creature dead."
    The Attaché led them to the construction site. The buildings were of a style to match the Fascian standard of plastered walls in pastel colors and red tile roofs with wide overhangs. The usual wall around the whole was finished but for the front, where a large gap for bringing in construction materials would eventually be filled by two gates at each end of a curved driveway, with a wall in between. The main structure looked half done, but the Attaché led them around to the back, where a finished building housed the gate anchor.
    "The Priest for the One is going to want an immediate report." He powered it up, and they waited. No need for an entire train, today a single powered car would be sufficient.
    The Gate Controllers would detect their Anchor's state and connect, but on this end, they had no way of knowing how soon that would, or would not, be. This afternoon it took two hours for the gate operators to open a hole in their schedule. At the first signal feedback, the thirteen of them crowded into the car, and they shot through as soon as they received the clear light.
    The tracked car was shuttled off through a maze, twenty feet above ground level, and stopped before the upper entrance of a mass produced office module bearing the sign "Auralian Affairs."
    The Attaché led them to a large conference room.
    The Priest had no beard, of course. His hair was a dark red. Cut short, it curled close to his scalp. He was wearing Auralian style clothing.
    "Information Team. Action Team. We have not been formally introduced. I am Ygti, Priest of the One. Please sit and tell me what has occurred that could not wait three days."
    Ajha shivered, feeling the flow of power from the Priest. I'd like to see Pax try to possess this man.
    "Possess? Tell me about it."
    They came away with simple instructions. The Information Team was to observe Pax only. The Action Team could attempt to kill him only if a very sure opportunity showed itself. He seconded the Princess' instructions to look for information on the whereabouts of the gods, and gave them three days home leave. "Even I have a budget for gate times. Take advantage of it, it may be years again before you return home."
    They bowed themselves out.
    Idre looked around. "Not enough time to go home. Guess we can do the tourist thing around town."
    Ajha nodded. "I've never been here, other than that fast pass through when we left. I've heard there's a tour of the gate mechanism."
    Wink looked horrified. "I'm going do a proper, civilized bar crawl. Hopefully meet some hot