Chapter 20

The Wagon and Cock was a tavern down by the waterfront. It had a rougher element, but you don’t find out what’s going on in the seedy underbelly of a city by hanging out at debutante balls.

That said, I made sure I was fully armed before going inside. I popped open my glove compartment and handed Killian a Glock.

“I do not use guns.”

“Who said it was for you?”

He raised an eyebrow.

“Listen, some ladies make men carry their purses. All I’m asking is for you to carry my extra gun.”

He watched as a six armed sailor lit up three cigars and leaned against the light pole outside the pub, puffing each cigar in turn.

“Rough crowd?”

“You could strike a match off their aura.”

I slammed the last cartridge into place and tucked my own firearm into the top of my boot.

“Alrighty, then. Let’s do this.”

Heads turned as I walked into the pub and then went back to drowning their sorrows in the depths of their grog. I walked up to the bar and gave the bartender a nice down payment on his vacation home.

“This round’s on me!” I announced.

Instantly, the entire place was filled with my best friends. Showy? Yes. But muddled heads loosened tongues, and that’s what I needed.

I turned to the bar keeper as he tried to hand me some change, “Keep it. Actually, keep it and here’s some more for that entire bottle you’ve got there on the top shelf.”

He gave me a grunt and handed over something that would put hair on the chest of a two year old, and turned back to his duties.

Obstacle one hurdled.

I slid over to a solitary fellow who looked a bit anemic.

“Had a bit of good luck and I hate drinking alone. Mind if I joined you?” I asked.

He eyed Killian, “Looks like you have more than enough to drink with.”

I topped off his half filled glass and poured myself a shot, “He keeps to the nectar and that’s not quite my idea of a celebration, if you know what I mean.”

The fellow lifted his glass and clinked it to my own.

“What’s your name?” I asked.

“Pour me another and I’ll tell you.”

“You’re my kind of fellow.”

The thing about drinking with a guy like this is that you’ve got to take the first couple shots for the team, but still make sure to keep a clear enough head to not get yourself killed. Killian was my backup plan. The Wagon and Cock wasn’t a place for getting sloppy. I had a few too many enemies this side of the boundary to let my guard down too much.

“My name is Lars.”

“Nice enough name, Lars. I’m Maggie.”

We shook hands and I poured us both another. I let him throw his back while I spilled mine down my front.

“What’s your line of business?” I asked.

“Little of this. Little of that. You?”

“I am a merchant,” I lied, “specializing in multi-world transportation of sensitive objects.”

“From the way you’re spreading money around, I’d fancy you’re doing well for yourself.”

“I keep a roof over my head.”

An accordion player struck up a tune in the corner. The fact accordion players existed in one world, much less two, was a cruel and unusual punishment, I felt, but Lars seemed to enjoy the music and it covered over the awkward moments in our conversation a bit.

“It’s the strangest thing,” I said. “Business has been dropping off. I heard there are some new portals opening up between the worlds.”

“Can’t say I’ve heard of anything.”

“Huh. Something about a new head of the vampires?”

“That information, missy,” Lars said as he rose from the table, “is worth more than the expensive bottle you’ve got held in your hands there.”

I rose and met his blurry eyes. Sometimes you have to ask nice. And sometimes you have to let people know that your breasts aren’t going to get in the way of you kicking their ass.

“Seems funny a big strong man like yourself is running scared. I just asked a simple question.”

“Your simple question gets a person like me killed.”

“No need to get angry, sir. I was just looking for a name. Like I said, I’m a runner and I’m looking for some employment opportunities.”

“Employment opportunities?” He leaned in to me, “Fine. The vamp’s name is Vaclav. He keeps his human minions here at the harbor, over at

Pier 67. And if you asked me, I’d tell you to stay as far away as you possibly can. Business can’t ever be bad enough to work for that one. But you seem the type hell-bent on finding out how fast you can die, so enjoy your final days.”

And then Lars took off with a limp, fixing his cap upon his head and heading out the door.

“That went well,” said Killian as we watched him go.

“More info than we had when we came in,” I replied as I slammed the cork back into the expensive bottle and dropped it in front of a pirate passed out at the table next to us. Not quite hidden treasure, but he was going to wake up feeling like a lucky man.

“So, do we head off to Pier 67?” asked Killian.

“Killian, I’m foolhardy, but I’m not an idiot.” I rose and walked to the door, “We wait until morning.”

Perhaps if I hadn’t been such an idiot, I would have noticed that the bar keeper had been watching the entire exchange.