Reflection, p.10
Reflection, page 10
part #2 of The Infected - Mirror Man Series
Dumas took his own turn walking from the room then, leaving them alone. He didn’t explain but was back before the awkward silence got too intense. With a fist full of the little glowing tiles that had magic on them. One was handed over to Richard, instantly.
“Here you go. Please take it as a gift. It will allow you to alter your look. I could do that for you, if you want?”
Smiling, then bowing before taking the thing, since doing that while taking it would mean that he was dating the kid, he thought, he shook his head.
“You use it like the clothing magics? I should just need a mirror, in that case.” Not that he didn’t have a few in his pocket at the moment. Complete with little lights. LEDs that would let him escape into another reality, even in a pitch-black room or cave.
Pulling one out, after placing the amulet around his neck, it didn’t take too long to work out what was needed. He could even mainly look like himself, if he wanted. He gave himself a nice scar on his left cheek, a large bump on his already big nose and made his brows meet in the middle. It was a bit goofy seeming, while still being hard enough to seem manly.
The Admiral nodded at him almost instantly.
“That’s good. Thank you. It’s a pain having to force everyone to do that kind of thing just so I can trust them. Unfortunately, no one knows what having the Rhetistics removed would do to someone my age. Probably cause a complete mental breakdown. I’m unstable enough as it is already, so it has to stay.”
He shrugged. They both seemed to get what that meant.
“No problem. You’re staying here for the day? So we can send the visiting team off and get the men working here set up first thing. Dumas and I will take care of that.” Not that he couldn’t do it himself. He was forcing inclusion, since it was the best way to get someone to feel like they were on your side in things quickly.
Given where he was, Rich bowed toward the boy then. It got one back, with a smile that spoke of getting when he was being manipulated.
“We should see to food for Rachel Chambers and Bridget. I think Clem went for that, but we can take it up to them, allowing the servants to prepare a meal for the others. This way.” The kid didn’t run this time, though his clothing shifted from a nice black velvet outfit to the plain brown that the magical clothing turned on as.
Richard didn't get why he was doing it but did the same, just in case it was important. No correction came or anything. When they got to the kitchen area, Clemance and another man, Tyler the butler, were both carrying very large silver platters. They had domed ceramic covers on them and everything. It was rather fancy.
Dumas nodded.
“I’ll take one of those up, Tyler. Is it possible to have a meal arranged for the others as well? We can seat in the dinning room. We’re going to be waking them all… Now, I think. You said eight, correct Mr. Drake?”
He had, which meant following the boys, both carrying the heavy trays carefully, up to the third floor. Then, since they were his people, he knocked on each door, one by one. It was an oversight but he hadn’t memorized who was in which room. Thankfully Bridget was right by the stairs, being the first room he knocked on.
There was a noise from inside and then the door being clumsily worked at. The unfamiliar latch took about fifteen second to be negotiated. A very tired seeming young girl opened the door up, to find Clem pushing a tray of food at her instantly. She took it without comment, mumbling as she moved back.
“Tanks. One… Le’me eat… Be out…” Then the door shut rather firmly.
That noise, even if it hadn’t been too loud, got several other people to come to their doors. Rachel was directly behind them and replayed a very similar scene to what her granddaughter had. Really, they looked enough alike to be sisters, instead of more distant relatives. They had the same distinctive red hair and red-brown eyes.
The rest of the people either were invited to dine with them in half an hour, in the large dinning room, or were put in a disguise, if they were men. They did all of them, given that no one there was actually ugly enough for Admiral Orange. Brian cheered, on hearing that.
“Heh. That’s a first in my life then. I’m too good looking for someone? If she wasn’t my son I’d date her.”
That got Richard to blink and Brian to explain.
“There are different versions of the same people in different worlds. Really, each of us is just a little part of a giant creature made up of individuals in other realities. I think… Anyway, Alice is also my son, Scott. She looks better, though don’t tell him I said that. I don’t want to give him a complex.”
That would be, Richard knew, Prime. The famous guy. It was interesting to hear about. The man was on the base back home. Not anyone that Rich had spent any time talking to.
Dumas nodded, however.
“Yes. For instance, your director is also my aunt Patricia. Mr. Yi is my Uncle Torrance. Ambassador Mableton is my Uncle Timon. Which brings up some troubling thoughts as to the marriage between Cousin Willum and her.”
Brian laughed at that.
“Biologically they aren’t close at all, so it’s cool I guess. I’d have a problem with it, if it were me. It isn’t though and can’t hurt anything. I’m mainly trying to just not think about the topic too much, myself.” His voice was a low raspy growl. The words were playful.
The tone spoke of misery.
As the man moved back into his room to change, then down the hall to the restroom, the others were all gotten up for the day. With only a bit of guidance from Dumas they even got to the correct spot in the house in time for the food to be brought out. It was delivered on individual plates. Each holding different food items. Almost as if they’d ordered the food personally.
Richard had two eggs, sunny side up, one slice of buttered toast and a cup of black coffee. Across from him, Peggy had a heap of pancakes and Brian had French toast. The thing was, once it was in front of him, Rich realized that it was almost exactly what he would have gotten at a restaurant if he had a choice.
Which meant he glanced at Cindy, who nodded as she settled herself.
“I put in an order with Tyler, since he was worried about having foods everyone would like. We’ve worked together in the past. He’s a good man. We should get him to go along with the crew going to visit today. He speaks some English and is good at managing people. Not that it will be a problem. Marcia is briefing everyone on the base about the visitors and the press is being banned for the day. At least this first time. She did offer to send people in to help with language lessons, though. I think you’re up for that Lauren? Keith too, of course.” She smiled. It was wicked looking though.
Both of the people mentioned just nodded.
They were joined at the table by several red robed mages, Tor, Tim and Alyssa Baker after a few minutes. They had plates coming out as well. The food on them was different, but not too much. Interestingly, Alyssa had French toast as well. Tor and Tim both had bowls of what looked like oatmeal.
Half of them had coffee though, which was pretty much what he would have expected back home. A bit darker perhaps and bitter enough to strip the sleep off of a tongue. It worked to get him to wake up, which was the point of having it in the first place.
There was small talk at the meal, which included the likely weather of the day, the upcoming events in the Capital, where they were and that the Queen of Noram’s birthday was the next thing most of them had to worry about.
As soon as the food was done, Cindy stood up.
“I need Rachel, Brian, Bridget, Lauren, Keith, Clem and Dumas. That’s the team going to the Port School. Will as well, since he’s back now. Down in Soam. We should call and let him know that sleep is for the weak. The rest of you are working from here today?”
No one spoke for a while, so Richard did. Nodding as if he knew all the secret plans. He didn't. It was just important to keep things moving. They could change direction later, if need be.
“That’s right. The mages and Mrs. Baker are in with our planning team for the upcoming mission. That way we can go over what can be done and what’s needed before hand. I think that Timon, Tor and Erath have a special meeting planned to go over the changes they want to make on me? As long as I live and can still function, while looking very different, I’m good. That means I can be in on the meeting for the mission. Erath will know what to do for my part.”
No one even looked at him funny for saying all of that. In fact, Tim Baker smiled. It seemed pretty real, even.
“Exactly the plan. The rest of you can get to your alterations today. As soon as we’re ready, we come and grab you up, Richard? That might be later today. Erath doesn’t sleep or get tired, so he can work whenever you want. Who’s doing the moving pictures for the net release?” He glanced around, as if no one there would have a clue as to what would be needed for that.
There was a low chuckle from Alice.
“I’ll do that. Just a bit of the work being done, a few minutes for each person, then the transformation, I think. It’s a bit boring to show the whole thing. We can edit and do a voice over to explain what’s going on and how long it takes. Do I get real equipment for this or am I using my communications device?”
Tim, looking different than normal, being disguised to make him look a bit rough and lopsided, rolled his eyes.
“I have real gear for it, actually. I’ll need to run back to Harmony… Call it fifteen minutes? I’ll do that now, so the schedule won’t be too disrupted.” The man left directly, at a quick walk.
They broke up into different groups then, with the main one leaving, following Cindy to the little red hut out front, off to find little Sara and her school friends. At least he hoped they were mainly friends. It would be miserable to dump a kid in a different reality in a place where everyone hated her for being strange.
Timon was back inside ten minutes, before Richard had even settled in the front room they were taken to for their mission planning session. After a few minutes, the man walked out of the nicely appointed sitting room, leaving the IPB people behind, along with three robed mages and Mrs. Baker. Who was a wizard. How that was different, he couldn’t tell. Alice was there as well, standing back, going over how to use the new camera equipment.
Then things got a good bit more interesting.
It took translating into Cantonese, done by Mrs. Baker for them but after two hours of conversation they had some incredibly specific things down for all of the others. Then covered who would be doing what, as soon as the mission started.
“Lydia is in charge of communications but also travel. I want electronics, phone and possibly telepathy set up. Christian or Cindy can do that part for us, I think. Pick one and let her know she’s on backup. We’ll try to work without that though, in case there are telepaths at the location who might overhear us. That means we need to try and control our thoughts the whole time as best we can. Price and Nan are going in as our fighters. That means you’re not in on information gathering in more than a casual way. We’ll put cameras on you and have you mainly record things. Better to stay silent than to be seen as too nosy. Leave that to the managers. Peggy, you’re in on that part with me. We’ll ask questions when we can. Phoebe, Sinclair… Communications with Lydia. If anyone has to go in for a retrieval, that will be Sinclair. You teleport, right? We shouldn’t need that but if we do I want the option. I can get myself out, if it becomes needed.” He stopped, looking at everyone there closely. No one seemed that worried and they were all, surprisingly, paying attention.
Phoebe nodded.
“Monkey balls!” She blushed and tightened her lips then, even if it was clear that she was trying to shout at the same time. It more or less worked.
“Right. We’re going over contingency plans here. The truth is that this is just a basic recon mission. Make friends. Pal around with people and watch. We need to find out if people are being abused directly or if this is all down to poor management. We’re not making any arrests and unless someone is about to die, we don’t intercede in anything. Keep your covers at all times. Including in private. Try to keep your thoughts under control as well. We all have to hold to that, if we can and it won’t be easy over that kind of time frame. Guard your thoughts. Live your cover. Infected people might pick up on us being IPB and fly off the handle if they do. They won’t all instantly get that were there to protect them. Even if that is the job.”
The one that he’d been given, anyway. Even earlier in the meeting with Turner and Pours. No one had even suggested it was about punishing the fighters for making a living. Only the ones behind making a hash of things. If it could be fixed without getting the law involved that was all to the good, as far as Rich was concerned. Working on the right side of things still felt funny to him. Off and annoying.
Like it was a trap, instead of him just pulling a new job.
A life on the other side, almost sixty years of actively pulling heists, mainly second story work, had left him leery of law enforcement. The IPB was a bit too close to that kind of thing for him to ever really be comfortable that way. Going in on missions with them was…
Well, he’d clearly been stalling on it. That was so obvious in the moment that he nearly made a face. Thankfully he didn’t, since Alyssa Baker was speaking.
“We have the plans for each task ready. We should… Have Tor or Timon standing by, in case we make any mistakes. I… We can’t lose anyone else.” The woman teared up.
Richard wanted to tell her that was fine and that they could wait. To make it easier on her. A lifetime of experience had taught him a different lesson, though. People needed to know that there was no safety net if they were going to do their best work. You trained them first, then let them practice until they were ready. Then, as you put them out on the tightrope for the test, you took the net away. Nothing focused the mind sharper than that.
“Nope. You’re all ready for this. We’ll go over each plan again, then do the work. No one looking over your shoulder. As for the deaths… you have to know that working with Infected people, some of them won’t make it. If the changes are too big, their systems won’t be able to handle it. Maybe you can figure out how to do little changes, fixing them slowly, over time? That isn’t my area, so I don’t know if that would work or not. The thing is that you can’t let that stop you. You don’t always get the win. Sometimes you have to just suck up the pain and go on.”
He was being too hard on the woman, most likely. At least she started to cry, full tears dripping down her cheeks. Fat and damp. One dripped onto the front of her blue top.
Then Alice spoke. Firmly.
“Damned straight! These people know you won’t fail, Alley. None of you will. Not on this. Not today. They came, willing to die to prove to you that you’re capable of this. Now, let’s get this set up. I want to get interviews with each of you first and then after. Move… We don’t have all day.”
They did, of course. As it turned out, after half an hour of talking to everyone, with Alyssa Baker translating for all of them, since it was in three different languages, it took about six hours for everyone to be done. Near the end Timon, Tor and Erath came in. Standing back, without doing anything at all. Not even the normal going over of the work that Tor did with the students.
Erath let his mouth fall open. Enough that it was clearly a Ysidril fake smile.
“They are all finished with the work. They are going over it, several times each, to make certain of their skills. I should practice the same thing in the future. All beings are capable of errors. Checking for them is the sign of expertise.”
There was a grunt from Tim then.
“We all should be doing that, every single time. Add that to the training courses, Tor? It’s kind of common sense. Measure twice, bake once.”
Hearing all of that got Mrs. Baker to stand back. She was behind a soft chair that had Sinclair in it. On the outside the girl still looked the same. Then, she would, until they used their healing magics to speed up the changes being made. All of them were in the same boat.
Lloyd, Nan and Phoebe were the others to go in the first round. Peggy had opted to let the healer go first, in case they didn’t get a second chance while they were there. Not screaming obscenities every five minutes was more important than protecting Peggy’s identity. The truth was that she wasn’t known as herself or IPB at all, having been changed once already. So if they needed, she could go in looking as she did right then and be altered later, to hide who she was, if it became a problem.
For all they’d talked originally about Tim doing the work on Nan, Tok, one of the male mages had actually done it. As he moved back, he took a deep breath, then spoke. In very accented English.
“Is good. Do now.” Then, gently, even if his voice was gruff and a bit old sounding, he pulled out a rock that glowed on the front of it. The same green silhouette of a man that the glass tiles he’d seen had. Each of the people the work had been done on got one.
As soon as they were activated, with a simple tap for each, everyone also got a camera stuck in their faces, one by one. Price, Nan and Sinclair in particular. Phoebe’s face altered a bit, since she was a little girl and had wanted to have her nose and complexion fixed. It made a difference, but not so much she didn’t still look like herself. She could, at least in a normal color paletteA, change colors as well, in theory. That had been added just to make things harder on the woman that had been working on her.
Agent Lloyd changed into a different man altogether. He stretched to be four inches taller, became a bit thinner and his face warped into being heavy at the jawline. His brow as well, making him look hard and brutish. At the same time a tracery of glowing blue veins covered his flesh, which had turned a deep, jet black. It was incredibly striking. All his hair fell out as well, including his eyebrows. Not the eyelashes, though.
Nan did something totally different, turning from a decent looking Chinese woman into an incredible looking one. Her eyes were a gemlike green. Her chest expanded at the same time but only a bit. Enough to catch attention, without getting in the way in a fight.
