Free Other Places 3: Detours by P. S. Power Page B

half hour, as he ate, he made sure they
knew that. Rowan at least, seemed to believe it.
    "So...
We aren't the lowest on the totem pole here? I sort of thought we were going to
be killed."
    "Nope.
Or at least no lower than any of the other new people, which is everyone. It's
a mixed group though, and I expect you all to get along, and be very polite. To everyone . They won't always deserve it either, so be ready
for that. If it gets too bad, I'll handle it. For now, it's pretty much a real
job. You stock books, make sales, and if you can earn a place there, work in
the Cafe. That... Is probably worth doing. We have a Hsreth running it, but
need a night shift. If you can make that cut, you're probably going to find
yourselves looking at a very bright future indeed."
    They
didn't believe him, even after Chief Sims came out and visibly shied away from
him. Her head wasn't healed all the way yet, but her skin was, so he didn't think
the kids understood what had actually happened in there.
    When
they got to the book store, he started to show them around, but was interrupted
the instant they got into the node room. A time distortion field slapped over
them all, and a wall of death came toward them. Two Greater Demons, a Lesser
Demon and a Manthori Vampire.
    The
leader, his mentor, pointed a single delicate finger.
    "Get
him!"
    Then,
they did.

Chapter five
     
     
     
     
     
    The
fight itself was fast, furious... and a lot more gentle than he would have
expected, if he'd been asked a few minutes before. Darla, who was dressed like
a business woman and looked completely different today, seeming to be in her
late sixties and having a different set to her shoulders and a slightly
different chin, held herself back totally, for one thing. Keeley looked like
herself, but was wearing jeans and a t-shirt, instead of her normal clothing,
which was generally dressier.
    Balthias
wasn't even blasting fear into the room, which meant that Roland and Rowan
tackled him almost immediately. Or tried to, at least. They ended up being held
by the nine foot tall red and brown horned Lesser Demon, but not harmed at all,
even as they struggled. It was like an adult dealing with two slightly unruly
children. That just left Rebekah, the bone white, and blood red eyed, Manthori,
and Zack's Aunt, who looked like a sixteen year old runway model.
    They
did hit each other, but Keeley held back a lot and just wasn't as strong as he
expected. Darla had mentioned that to him a few times, but then she'd also said
that the other Greater Demon wasn't as good as he was at fighting. That...
Wasn't exactly right.
    Her
technical skill was decent, and at least as good as his was. She just didn't
have the speed and strength she needed to really hold her own with him. Not
without using magic for it, which she wasn't doing. Probably to be nice. At
first. About three minutes into things, as he hit her about six times in a row,
right in the face, with Rebekah holding onto his back, ruining his aim, or
trying to, she started to get faster. Zack could see the growing bulge in space
around her body, flares of distortion showing where she was going to be moving
next. It was pretty easy for him to match her though, since manipulating space
was, ultimately, part of what he did.
    He
was also the Line Walker, and they were right next to a node. Smiling,
he waited for her to leap toward him, a rather tight and well thrown kick
coming around from his left, which he blocked with a knee. The female Demon's
leg snapped under the strain of her own blow, and his own leg was thrown out
from under him. Still, with a bit of pain control, focus and planning he
managed to sort of hop forward, tackling the thin girl, and picking her up in
one rather awkward movement. Then he dove, carrying both of them into the node.
It was simple enough to pick a destination, so on the other side he let go of
her and stepped, or rather hopped, backward.
    Her
right leg was broken from her own kick, the shin