Free Night's Pawn by Tom Dowd Page B

continuing. "What kind of shampoo do you use?"
    "Shampoo?" said Chase.
    "Shampoo," repeated Farraday. "Try to stay with me on this. What kind of shampoo did you use?"
    Chase stifled a laugh and looked at Cara. "I, um, used what was on my shelf. Ah… Chic Clean, I think…"
    Farraday nodded and smiled wider. "And you, my dear?"
    Cara looked at Chase, then at the magician. "Me, too. I didn't have any of my own."
    The mage snapped his fingers in triumph. "Then you are, as they say, in luck."
    Chase looked at his friend. "As usual, you've lost me."
    "You really should be using a natural, herbal shampoo, you realize."
    Chase groaned inwardly. "We don't have time—"
    "However, the same drek that'll rot your scalp in a few years has probably saved your short-term asses," said Farraday. "Chic Clean is a chemical monstrosity, but in this case that's good. To use a physical specimen as a material link for ritual sorcery, that physical specimen must be as pure as possible. Chic Clean leaves so much residue and pollution in the hair that it'll be a bitch and a half to use it to form the link." Farraday all but beamed.
    Chase relaxed slightly. "So then we're safe."
    The magician shook his head. "I didn't say that. It'll take them longer, and it's going to be harder to make the link, but they can still do it. If they're good."
    "I think we can assume they are."
    Farraday's eyebrows went up.
    "One of them was carrying a nerve-gas sensor. The mage even had a spell to deal with the stuff."
    "Experienced then."
    Chase nodded.
    "You know who they are?"
    "I have my suspicions."
    This time Farraday nodded with a slight smile.
    "What can you do?" asked Chase.
    "I could put you inside a mystic ward. That'll make you harder to trace, but it won't stop them if they're as good as you suspect. Plus, you'll still be local and easily accessible once they do find you."
    "What do you suggest?"
    "Run like hell. Get as far away from here as you can. The farther you are from where they think you are, the harder you are to find, with or without the strands of hair."
    Chase nodded. "Anything else you can do?"
    "I could lock some spells on you," said Farraday, "but ultimately those might prove more dangerous than they're worth. If your enemies do find you, the spell locks will make you incredibly vulnerable."
    "I'll take your word for it."
    "Thanks. But I can do one thing that'll at least help you get out of the city."
    "And that is?"
    "Why, the thing I do best, you unbeliever you."
    "Ah," said Chase, and Farraday grinned wildly.
    With a look of alarm Cara put a hand on Chase's arm but Farraday spoke before she could utter a sound.
    "I'm going to summon up the nastiest, bad-assiest spirit of this fine town that you've ever seen," said Farraday, locking his gaze with hers. "And under its protection, you will be escorted out of this fair city."
    A short time later they stood in the small alley that ran behind Farraday's shop. At the shaman's request, Chase and Cara had moved some small trash dumpsters and cans to block the alley at either end. Farraday had pointed out that interruptions wouldn't necessarily help his summoning of the city spirit. Chase had asked if they should clear an area in the alley for the ritual, but the street shaman had laughed and said that maybe they should find more garbage and debris to scatter around. It was a city spirit, after all.
    Now, they stood waiting for the shaman to emerge from his shop with the necessary paraphernalia. The sounds of the city echoed around them.
    "Church," said Cara, the word coming out almost strangled. Her mouth moved, but no more words came out.
    Her intense discomfort was obvious. "What's wrong, Cara?" he said.
    "I just… I mean, do we have to…"
    "You don't like the magic?"
    She turned to face him, grabbing the shoulder strap of her bag to keep it from falling. "No, frag it, I don't," she said. "Do we have to do it this way?"
    Chase shrugged. "We've got magic after us, so we need magic to keep us