Living Proof (Tyler G Book 2) (16 page)

"Hey! We haven't met. I'm
still kind of new. Did you come to get free treats? Or a date with Eve?"
He didn't know why he was questioning the man like that, but something about
him had set the words flowing. Like he couldn't help himself. Not in some small
way either, but like the universe was commanding him to say the words.

Ridley smiled, a big and toothy
thing that fairly gleamed it was so bright.

"The first one. I wouldn't
want to get in the way of her relationship with Ben and Kait. Also, I was
trying to get her to come and watch my place for me, later today. It will just
be a few hours, but she's claiming that she's
busy
. I'd tisk at her and
shake my head, but she pretty much does nothing but work, like you."

Eve gave him a nod, and waved him
around the counter.

"Did you read any of the
notebook? For that matter, where is it? You didn't lose it, did you?"
Genuine panic seemed to come over her then.

Like he'd lose a
book
?

"I left it with Zack, so he
can make copies of it. He told me to memorize it. I read over it once, but
haven't gotten every word absorbed yet."

She started him in on making
things for Ridley, who wanted the hardest thing to make on the menu, naturally.
It was still just a frozen yogurt though, and while he had to make it three
times before it barely looked good enough for even a free treat, Eve seemed
pleased enough with him.

"I think you might be a
natural at this. Good. We have harder stuff to get past. I don't suppose you'd
be happy doing that for a few hours, then going and helping Ridley out? He
really does work most of the time, too. Seven days a week..."

It was tempting to say that he
wanted a break, having worked pretty much for days straight,

 If he counted beatings on a
plane as work, and helping out at the Fort, but then he shrugged.

"Okay. I've never done that
before." He was going to ask if he got paid for it, but Ridley didn't let
him speak.

"Perfect! Thanks Ty. It
won't be long. Between two and four? I'll even trade you for it...
Here..." It took a bit, but he moved to the front counter, where his
notebook had been left sitting, and opened it to a blank page and wrote a
number down, with a name. "Call him at ten-fifteen." Then he left, as
if that made any sense.

As soon as the man was gone, Eve
took a deep breath and sighed like it was a drama class and she was trying to
get a good grade.

"Ridley is a Trickster.
Dangerous to be around, especially if you don't do what they want. The best
plan is to go with it, like you just did. They aren't assholes, but I think
they have to keep the universe in balance, and if you get in their way, or
won't do your part they
will
hand you your ass. The only people that get
to ignore them are pretty much the Greater Demons. Even Zack normally just does
what Ridley wants, so I figured we should take a clue. I
really
have
other things to get to later, so it's a good thing you came along."

Then, being that she was there
for a reason, and so was he, they drilled. It went fast, and he learned a lot
more than he thought he could in that short of a time. At ten she waved at his
notebook.

"Ridley said call, so you
should. Use the back room."

No one was there, which was a bit
odd, he thought. Normally Edom was there during the day. It was kind of like
everyone was off on vacation. That, or there was an emergency that no one was
telling the new guy about. That could be it, he knew. Then, he hadn't asked. If
people needed him, or the Coalition of Nations to be involved, they knew to get
in touch. He had his cell with him, after all.

Dialing the number blind, having
nothing but an extension, which he put in, and a name, he didn't know what to
expect.

"Greg Former, how can I help
you today?"

That caught him out a bit.

"Hello. I'm Tyler Gartner. I
was given this number..." He was about to explain Tricksters, or what
little he knew, when the man made a happy sound.

"Oh? I was just about to try
and call you. This works better. You're calling about the attack at...
Westfield Mall? You were shot three times. It looks like a pretty open and shut
case. Can I do some fact checking with you? We have the grand jury coming up in
a few months, but staying on top of things never hurts."

That was the feminist attack
group thing. It wasn't that hard to remember, so he covered the whole thing for
the man, moving fast and letting him record it all.

"I see here that you, and
the others didn't press charges for the vandalism? Why is that? I just have a
notification here that says you worked that out with Althea Sims. I should have
been brought into the loop on that a bit more. As District Attorney that really
should have been my call, not hers. There can be leverage involved in small
charges like that."

He nodded, and then just told the
truth, since he didn't have anything else.

"Congressman Richard Swerlin
called and asked a favor, since one of the women involved has a mother that
actually loves her and got him to do it. To keep things fair we ended up having
to let them all go. They had to work with Zack Hartley to fix his store. The
book one? He's a Greater Demon, so it was pretty terrifying for them. We had a
Lesser Demon, Balthias, in to watch them work. He's not exactly inside the
legal system here, so... Well, let me just say that wetting yourself isn't that
bad of an option if you ever meet him? Great guy. Scariest being I ever dealt
with at the same time. He's called the Fear Demon, and it fits...
Really
well."

No one had complained. Not that
Greg knew about. They were probably too terrified that Balthias would come back
for them, like he'd said, and take them as his rape slaves, if they tried it.
The man laughed when he told him all about it, which was a bit cruel sounding,
and then made a considering noise when he found out that Ty had drafted the
being into working with the Coalition. Part time, but it was a good point. He
needed to get with the demon and make sure he was doing all right.

Even better, the man had been
contacted, rather obliquely, by the prosecutor in Arizona that Tyler needed to
talk to about the cult busting that he, Eve and Bey had done. It meant talking
for over an hour and a half, on the land line the whole time, but a lot of
little things came together quickly enough for him. Paperwork stuff, which as
it turned out, he didn't
really
have a big part of.

Not until he had to go to court
for various things, to be a witness.

It left him with a little bit of
time, before he had to go and take over at the Fun Zone. So they drilled again,
making dozens of large frosty treats. Half of them were dumped, not being
professional enough for Eve. The other half got put in carrying containers, and
at just before two he was sent off with them.

"Power lifting gym. Run
though, so you won't be late. If I see Ginger, or Calley, I'll send them past
there? You've been the world's worst boyfriend so far, you know that? Have you
even seen either of them in three days?"

He didn't actually know at first.

"Yeah. I spent yesterday
with Calley. I get what you mean. Kind of an asshole really. I haven't even
given either of them a real hug in days. Then, we aren't really going out, are
we? The relationship stuff is pretty different for each of us. Calley wants
everyone, and flat out said monogamy wasn't happening with her, and Ginger... I
don't think she likes sex. I mean she offers, but I always feel a bit like
she's saying that she'll take a turn doing the dishes. You know?"

Eve smiled at him, and made
gestures like she was pushing him to pick up the carrying containers of treats.

"I
do
know, first
hand. Ben is pretty much in the same bind as you. Think about it. Calley
doesn't need you for sex, so that means she just
likes
you. She can take
care of her own needs, so you aren't really leaving her in a lurch. Ginger
doesn't need you that way in general. No sex drive. So for her to offer means
she sees something in you too. Now, go, before those melt, or you're
late."

He walked, but did it quickly,
trying to balance his notebook, and the treats at the same time, and dropped
them on the front desk of the Gym, where Hildegard sat, looking heavy browed
and a bit slow. She wasn't. Trollienkeine were
smarter
than Humans as a
rule.

"Oohhh. Presents? For
me?" She smiled at him happy.

"Probably to share, but yes.
I need to go. Working the Fun Zone today. Hey... Do you want to get together
some time? Hang out? You can come over and watch a movie with me." It
sounded fun, and the girl was just the right proportion of exotic and friendly
to make that seem fun, without being all about sex.

"That would be nice."
She had an accent, which was a little Germanic, and heavy fang like teeth in
her mouth, which she mainly kept closed. "We can do that this night? Or is
that too soon. I never know with Humans, what they mean."

"Tonight is good, except
that I have to work, I think. Speaking of which, I need to get home and shower
first. I've been going non-stop for a while now."

That got her to smile, flashing
her teeth at him a bit.

"This is a known thing,
Tyler of the Humans. We have watched you battle to save first those stolen
children that were harmed, and then protect the insane female that struck out
at you at the celebration of Independence. It is a good story. Now you seek to
help Riley, The Trickster. It is an epic thing, isn't it?"

He nodded, since it sounded
pretty good, the way she said it.

"Hopefully it will all be
epic sweeping the floor and the heroic making of change, or whatever it is I'm
supposed to do. I should get to that." Then he tiled his head. "Hey,
I know, can you come to the Cafe for dinner tonight? It's free, so I'll claim
it's my treat?"

That got her to grin.

"Ah! That would be good. We
were told by our leaders not to stress the goodwill of The Line Walker, but I
think perhaps an invitation from the Chief of the Coalition of Nations will be
allowed. Thank you. When should I be there?"

They agreed that five would work,
as long as Riley wasn't late. If he was, then things would be a bit messed up.

The trick, if it was one, with
watching the Fun Zone wasn't anything that hard to manage. He did need to
sweep, and keep things clean, as well as hand out two prizes, and make a lot of
bills turn into quarters. That was all. The place was decently busy, but that
still only meant about a dozen people in the two hours he was there. Then the
Trickster came back, smiling.

"There! Thanks, Tyler. I had
to buy a house for a woman. Otherwise the world would have ended in six months.
It's a bit of a chain reaction kind of thing. Can I call on you to help out
some other time? I don't have anything for the time being, but it can come
up."

The man was relaxed, and seemed
happy that the world wasn't going to be ending, at least. If that wasn't a
trick.

"Sure? I don't know if I can
always help, but I'll try, if you need me. I can count on you to help out with
the coalition stuff in return?"

"Oh, yeah.
That's
just about brilliant, that club you have going. Half my work over the last few
weeks has been taken care of by you, without me even having to
say
anything. I don't know if that's what the Greater Demons have in mind for you.
More of a work project to let you get ahead, actually. Not the most civic
minded people directly, Greater Demons. It's doing the job , so I won't be
complaining."

He nodded, getting the idea,
having been told that several times so far.

"I wonder why though? I
mean, Zack pretty much just made up a job for me, when I showed up. I'm no one
special." It had kind of been bugging him, to tell the truth. On a deep
level, but there the whole time. Why would Zack, The Technician, and The
Mistress of Souls do anything to help him, or anyone else, out like that?

Riley winked at him.

"That would be due to the
fact that The Line Walker is
dating
The Rotted. Practically married for
their kind. You know, you should talk to your mother more." There was a
grin, and he leaned in, his brown eyes looking suddenly huge. "Normally
I'd go for the laugh here, but
you
were good today, standing up for the
world without being a pain like most are. The Alede, Sally? She's actually The
Rotted. Spying on you, and trying to act like she's not. It's why the crowds
keep growing on the nights she shows up. She advertises first, so no one will
question her being there. Honestly, you should look into doing that too, after
you get settled a bit here."

It... Made more than a little bit
of sense. Rolling his eyes he recalled the last time they'd been together.

"She called me a
racist."

 The Trickster didn't smile then,
just nodding.

"And you
learned
from
it, instead of making it into a problem. If I didn't know better, I'd say she
actually cared about you. She also didn't use being Sally as a trick to get you
into bed. Trust me, Greater Demons think
nothing
in particular about
having relations with an adopted child like that. Their own biological kids,
too. For her to not do that means that you're pretty special to her, I
think."