Deadly Designs (Design Series) (22 page)

Gritting his teeth, he sat up very slowly and looked around. The air was murky. He could make out Storey but not much else.

"Wise of you to take it slow. I made the mistake of jumping up." Storey tried to smile, but gave up the attempt. "After that the contents of my stomach came rushing up, too."

"At least we're together."

"True." she agreed. "If you're awake enough, and my stomach has settled enough, can we port away from here? It looks like we're still prisoners and I'm really not wanting to be around when they come back."

Eager relief swept through him at her words. "Did they leave us a portal?"

"If we still have the packets, then I think so. I hope so."

Eric checked his ranger pants. Good. He still had the same packet that they'd missed last time. It should have a portal.

Storey found hers, too. "Looks like we're good. I'm surprised considering Tammy saw us pack up these. I don't know how much she understood of codexes and portals. I'm really hoping she didn't comprehend much."

Eric winced, realizing just how much an older Louer would have understood if they'd seen what Tammy had seen. "Let's hope she's too young to give an accurate account."

"Yeah, you think?" Storey handed over her traveling packet. "Codex or portal?"

Within seconds he had it open. She grabbed the spare shirt from the package.

"Codex." He pulled two spares out of the pockets and held them up with a big grin. "They didn't take these."

"Yay!" Storey turned her back to him, quickly changing her shirt.

"Why are you changing?"

She snorted. "My shirt took a hit when my stomach emptied. I don't really want to be wearing my lunch for the rest of the day, thank you."

Turning back, she asked, "Eric, can you repackage all this?"

Eric looked up from his codex, frowning. "Yes. Have you got everything you need? We should have thrown your backpack in there."

"Practice makes perfect," she muttered. He was right, but she didn't need to be reminded of it. Fascinated, she watched the clothing and other items, minus her sketchbook, shrink into a tiny packet. She so needed that technology. Every female did, no matter what dimension they occupied.

"Are you ready?"

Storey looked over at him. Her travel pouch was safely stored away. "Yes."

Even as she spoke, she heard the sounds he'd obviously already heard.

Footsteps.

"Shit." She raced over to his side. "Let's go."

As she finished speaking, the black mist wrapped around her feet. Eric's arms came around her shoulders, tugging her close. "Say good-bye to Tammy."

"Oh." Storey leaned back. "I hope she's going to be okay now."

"She should be fine."

That's not quite what she wanted to hear, but as the mist rose, the choice to change things disappeared. They still had to find a way to fix the portal between the old and new Louer world. If such a thing were possible. Should she leave a note for Tammy's father, explaining the portal's new functionality? Maybe she'd get the chance to say good-bye then.

"She'll be fine," Eric whispered against her hair. "Tammy is with people that know her and we're going to believe that she's loved."

Storey knew he was right, but…even though she'd seen Tammy held high and happy in the leader's arms, she felt like she'd deserted her. And Skorky.

"I'll miss her," she whispered.

"I know." His arms tightened around her. "So will I."

She squeezed him tight and waited for the trip to complete. Being snug tight against his chest made it easier. "Sure wish we were going home."

His arms tightened.

Storey rested her cheek against his chest. How nice to be held by him again. He smelled so masculine and seemed so strong. It had been a long time for her. She could hardly remember what it was like to be in a relationship. As for her old boyfriend, well, she could hardly remember what he looked like either. Eric had taken his spot in her life.

"Are you okay?"

With a warm sigh, she rubbed her cheek against his chest. His arms squeezed and released. She did it again. He gripped her tight. "Witch, that tickles."

She giggled. "Sorry. Shouldn't tease you."

"Teasing is fine, but I'd just as soon be back in one of our dimensions where we might be able to do a little more than tease," he responded gently.

Storey cuddled closer. She hadn't known Eric long enough to be comfortable taking the next step in their relationship. But she wasn't far off. She'd almost made it there with her ex before he'd moved.

The black mist seemed to last forever. Considering this was a short hop distance-wise, not even leaving the dimension, she didn't understand why it hadn't been a short port. Sometimes though, it seemed like the Internet; the more users, the slower the speed.

Although there was only she and Eric traveling here at the moment, there could be any number of people traveling this way in Eric's dimension. And hadn't Paxton said something about still having trouble with tears and gates?

Finally the mist lowered. Storey found herself regretting it. The tiny space was peaceful, almost intimate in a way. As if there were no other beings, no other pressing issues to deal with – just the two of them.

"Looks like we're back to saving the world again." Storey did a slow turn to make sure they were alone. She kind of recognized the area, but couldn't be totally sure. A group of trees lined the left side of the meadow they now occupied, and she thought the creek would be down a ways but in the same direction. "Can we determine where your father is from here?"

"I think so. Being the Councilman he has a tracker chip embedded in his arm. It was done decades ago. With any luck, it's still active and the codex can read it. It's always an iffy thing in another dimension as you don't know what might have been screwed up with all the traveling. The energy is going to affect it somehow, at least over time. This is my father's first offworld travel though, so it should be okay."

"Let's check first." She kept an eye out as they walked toward the trees again. Seemed like that's always the first thing they did when they arrived at one of these dimensions. Still, shelter was shelter.

After what seemed like a long time, but was probably only minutes, he said, "Got it."

Storey tilted her head, hearing a steady beat coming from his arm. "Straight ahead."

At the trees, they stopped to check the beacon again. Following the same path, they came to the creek. Storey had a drink, but kept glancing around, ever mindful of the women who'd come upon them last time. Neither of them saw anyone walking around this time, and the tracking system was leading them back to the caves in the cliff.

"Well, at least we know we're in the right place." Storey ran a hand over her hair, wishing for a long hot soak and for this to all be over with. She was feeling melancholic over leaving Tammy behind.

As they approached the cliff's edge, they stopped at the same bunch of trees as last time. She surveyed the cliff dwellings, thankful the sun was behind clouds. "The place looks deserted."

"I wish, but so not likely," Eric snorted. "I sent a message to Paxton. Haven't heard back from him yet."

"We could use that backup team."

"I know. I asked. We need to have portals out at the ready this time, too."

Storey, winced, remembering how they'd had to jump, or in her case tumble, through the last portal as the Louers rushed them. "Yeah, I'd like to not have a repeat of last time, thank you."

"Me too. We'll wait here a bit longer until we hear from Paxton."

"In that case, there is something I need to ask the stylus. I should have asked him earlier." She plunked down on the ground, and removed the readymade portals she'd stashed in there and some blank paper. "Stylus, we need to fix the portal from this dimension to the Louers' old dimension. Then Tammy's father will remain the leader and these people can travel back and forth at will."

Yes.

Immediately Storey's hand flashed and danced on the paper. She watched, fascinated, as her stylus created something so advanced and difficult in mere seconds, that it was more like science fiction to her than reality. Moments later, her hand stilled.

"Is it done?"

Yes.

She gave Eric a wide smile. "We're good."

Eric crouched down to stare at the mess on her paper. "Does that mean anything to you?"

Giving the paper some serious study time, she finally shook her head. "Not at all." She turned the paper around slowly, looking for anything identifiable within the weird scribbles. Nothing. "Stylus, is the portal now functional?"

Yes
.

"Can you tell Tammy's father that the portal works?"

A weird buzzing filled the air.

"It can't do that. Can it?" Eric's puzzled voice spoke right at her ear.

"I have no idea. I was going to ask it to write a letter and explain everything about Tammy and the portal, but…" the buzzing became louder and louder. Just as she was ready to clap her hands over her ears, the noise stopped.

She exchanged a surprised look with Eric. Cautiously, she asked, "Stylus, what was that all about?"

I spoke with the leader.

"Um, just like that? You can communicate with him? Why did you not say so earlier?" she asked in exasperation. "We could have told them about Tammy before. And set up a way to return her."

Yes. I, too, am a Louer.

She exchanged an irritated look with Eric. She'd have to think on the implications of this. Later. "So does he understand about Tammy and the fixed broken portal? About our visit and the new dimension?" It sounded too good to be true, but given all the other things the stylus had done, it seemed on par.

Yes.

"And he won't interfere with our mission to rescue my father?" Eric asked, doubt, turning to almost disbelief in his voice.

No. He will deal with the other group after we leave. Now that the portal works, he will be able to get their tools and the rest of their people over.

Eric pursed his lips. "Really. And they will leave my dimension alone?"

He says they want nothing to do with your people. They want to be left alone to build a new life here.

"I'd like that, too," Storey muttered. "Now we just have to muzzle your father so he stops interfering with the Louers!"

That was the leader's request. Take your father home and keep him there.

"And we'd be happy to. Just as soon as we can rescue the Councilman." She sighed. "Stylus, please make sure Tammy knows how much we miss her." Her stomach growled. Talk about a reminder of Tammy. Storey groaned silently. She'd love a home cooked meal right now. Her mom was a great cook; she just didn't have much time or inclination to do much these days. Come to think of it, her mom hadn't dated in years, either.

Storey had been grateful to not have to deal with a long line of "uncles" but still, she had to wonder if her mom was happy or if she'd abstained from the dating scene on purpose as Storey had gotten older. She'd never taken the time to ask her.
There's nothing like having your perception of reality blown apart by crossing dimensions to make you take a hard look at who you are.

"Heavy thoughts?"

Storey glanced up. "Lots. Just looking back on my life."

He grimaced. "I've been doing a bit of that myself. Once you uncover one lie, like my perception of my father, it's almost impossible to not dissect the rest of your life looking for more."

"I think you should contact Paxton again."

Eric frowned. "I've been contacting him every ten minutes. There's no answer."

Storey frowned. Figures. "So are we going in without them? Waiting longer? What could be wrong?" She was pulling out her stylus as she spoke. Grabbing one of the small pieces of blank paper, she asked the stylus, "Contact Paxton and find out what the holdup is, please."

Her right hand jerked immediately. Even after all this time, she still watched in fascination as the stylus communicated through to Paxton in an alternate dimension.

He's under attack.

"What?" Eric stared at her before pulling the sketchbook away to read the message himself. "Surely not from the Louers again, right?"

At Eric's question, the stylus jumped to answer.
Yes, they attacked after you left. They are holding the Councilman hostage in the new dimension.

"If we rescue the hostage, will that stop their attack on Eric's dimension?"

No. They are there now.

Eric, anger glinting deep in his eyes, added, "That also means that the force here is small. We will have an easier time rescuing him."

"Sure, but why would we?" she couldn't help but mutter.

"I understand your feelings, but imagine what trouble he could stir up for us if left here for a week or two."

She'd give him that point. "So what do you want to do? Go home and help fight the Louers off, stay here and rescue your father?"

"Damn."

Storey's gaze widened. A hint of laugher sounded in her voice as she said, "Now I know you're upset. That's like the third time I've ever heard you swear."

He frowned at her. "Now is hardly the time."

Storey sat back down. "Stylus, how many Louers are left guarding the Councilman?"

There are twelve adults here.

Twelve. That wasn't so bad. "What about women and children?"

There are no children here and that count includes the females. They are guards in this group.

"The stylus has to be communicating telepathically with the Louers to know this stuff." Eric stared at Storey and her sheet of paper.

"That would mean he's still more person than computer – right?" The concept confused her. She'd assumed and was sure that she'd clarified the issue at one point. She'd believed the stylus was more computer thingy than alive. That assumption made it easier for her to deal with the concept of the prisoners held indefinitely inside the pencil.

An intense humming filled the air. This time there was an unpleasantness to it. Storey looked around uneasily. Up to this point, the humming had always had a benign feeling to it. "Eric, the buzzing is stronger."