Chapter 9
CHAPTER NINE
OTIS.
The first thing I do when I get into work is call the assistant sheriff into my office.
Tony Vazzeli is a raccoon shifter. He may be small but he’s a fast operator, zipping around level one in his mini jeep, sorting out the occasional petty crime, and ensuring that there are no unauthorized peripherals moving around the Labyrinth.
He’s been in the sheriff’s office a lot longer than me, and to be honest, he’d be far better in the top role than me, but the Labyrinth voted me into the job, so whether I like it or not, I’m sheriff.
“Tony,” I say gruffly as he hops up onto the stool in my office, bringing us eye-to-eye when I’m seated at my desk. “I’ll need you to cover for me for a few days. I’ll be out of the office more than usual.”
Tony’s furry brows arch. “Finally taking a break?”
“Are you kidding?”
“Well, you bloody need one,” the raccoon challenges. He used to work with my dad and even though he barely comes past my knees, he behaves like a father figure to me. I know he has my back, and I appreciate it.
He crouches on his haunches now, loops his claws into his belt. “You look like shit, have done for weeks.”
“Gee, thanks.”
“Is it health leave? Are you sick?”
I shake my head. “I’m fine. Jax has brought his sister Clem down here. Ostensibly to help me get organized at home. But it’s as much to get her out of Sparkle. Seems it isn’t safe for her up there, and being a close friend of Sammy’s, she’s now a person of interest to the authorities.”
“They’re closing in, huh?” The raccoon’s mouth tightens, and his whiskers twitch as if he’s scenting trouble. “What happened?”
I fill him in briefly on the story.
“Currently, she’s sorting out my paperwork at home,” I finish.
Tony looks askance at the piled-up papers on my desk. “Can she come in here after and get this lot sorted?”
“The urgent stuff gets done.”
“The urgent stuff is the surveillance system you’re working on, we both know that,” Tony says. “Get your big green butt out of here, I’ll cover.”
“You’re okay overseeing the volunteer sheriffs without me?”
“No problem.”
“How’s Kazmo going?”
“Brilliant. He was the right choice for level six.”
Kazmo is a lion shifter, an engineer who works in the manufacturing areas. He’s keeping close watch on the extra munitions being sent to Sparkle from the factories down there.
Tony’s walkie-talkie goes off. He leaves the room briefly.
“What’s up?” I ask when he returns.
“A brawl on level nine last night. A naga got into a fight with a behemoth for calling him spineless. It’s all under control.”
“Good. I’m going to check the screens before I go.”
“Sure, then scarper. I’ll let you know if I need you. But I won’t.” Tony hops off the stool and exits.
Next, I go and check the screens in the control room. I’m proud of the set-up I invented, which means we have video surveillance on all ten levels. Now we can monitor exactly what is being portaled up to Sparkle on a daily basis.
I watch as crates of items from kitchenware and furniture, clothing and food stuffs are packed into a portal at the commercial factory zone on level five.
Next, I scan to the lower levels, where we mine the raw materials: iron ore, copper, titanium, silver and even some gold, which gets turned into jewelry by our artisans on level four and then sent to the fancy shops in Sparkle.
Finally, I call up Kazmo on level six, where the munitions factories are located.
“Howdy boss.” His big smile fills the screen.
“What’s happening?”
“There’s a dozen more containers of guns and ammunition being sent up daily than a month ago.”
I tighten my lips. I wish we could just block the supplies, but that would draw too much attention. We need more intel before we act, but it’s hard to be patient, when every load of munitions we let through feels like signing our own death warrant.
We need to get the bugging devices set up above ground, urgently. Place them in the offices of the of Sparkle elite.
And that task can only be undertaken by one person.
Jax Summers.
Peripheral humans who work in the Labyrinth are fitted with devices, chips that program them into submissively doing their jobs for the authorities up in Sparkle.
But not Jax.
His chip is long gone. A fake chip beams out false information. A holographic fake Jax is all the humans get to see.
It’s my cleverest invention yet.
I’m still not entirely sure how it works, because I used a combination of ancient spells and coding.
But we have clear images of fake Jax going about his day on one of the old laptop computers.
We know the human authorities get that image on their system: A system that uses a kind of magic we are yet to get to the bottom of.
But at least they remain sublimely confident that Jax is doing their bidding, when for the past three years he’s actually been working for us.
And that’s not the whole story…
I sit, brooding and chewing on my thumbnail. Clem deserves to know what happened to Jax, but it could shock her if she finds out too soon. Then she could get a case of Labyrinth overwhelm.
If that happened, you’d have to comfort her.
An image of me picking her up and cradling her to my chest, enters my head, and I have to push it firmly away. It’s ridiculous how all these fantasies keep hijacking my brain. Some of them are lustful, but others are… mushy and romantic.
Shit, I’m going crazy here.
Even so, excitement bubbles inside of me at the thought of going home to Clem.
Home.
The word gives me pause.
I haven’t felt this good since Dad and Mom were together in that old house, with us orclings playing games, and the walls resounding with our laughter.
CLEM
I’m placing the final lot of documents into a folder when the phone rings on Otis’s desk. I only realized it was there after I cleaned up all the mess.
I stare at it for a few moments before picking up. “Hello, Cane residence.” I guess that’s the right thing to say.
“Clem, it’s me.”
“Sammy!” I cry, delighted to hear her voice.
“Did Tippy bring you some clothes today?” my bestie asks. “I have this image of you still swamped in my dress.”
I look down at the perfect tight leggings and little tee, the sneakers on my feet. “Yes, casual wear and a suit and blouses too, for work situations.”
“I bet they look great on you.”
“I think so, they feel good. I’ve got your dress to give back to you. Will I see you today?” I ask hopefully.
There’s a moment’s silence. “Um, not today.” Then, in a much more serious voice, she says, “Actually, I’m calling because Arlo and I are going away.”
“Oh, nice.” I try to hide my disappointment. “For a holiday?”
She laughs a little thinly. “I wish. No, we’re heading to a lower level to hide out.”
“Hide out from what?” Spidey fingers of fear creep over my scalp.
“Well, Arlo believes we should leave level one for a while. With me being pregnant and all. Now that we know you were being shadowed, Arlo thinks we should head deeper into the Labyrinth.”
“Are you worried that jerk might come down here?”
“I guess there’s always a chance a human spy might pose as a peripheral, and if they found me…”
The shiver now travels down to the base of my spine. “They’d try and take you back to Sparkle, experiment on you… and your baby,” I finish for her.
I hear Sammy sigh. “Yeah. I mean, it’s unlikely at present, but we can’t take any risks.”
“So where are you going?”
“Level three, we’re staying with a wolf pack.”
“WOLVES!!!” I screech.
“It’s okay, really Clem, they’re going to guard us.”
“But… but… Tippy said some of the wolf packs are bad, drug traders and the like.” I take in a ragged breath. “Wolves killed Sheriff Bradley Cane, did you know that?”
“Yes, I’ve heard. But it will be fine, hon, we’re not going near those wolves, I promise,” Sammy soothes.
“We’re staying with the Trojan pack, who are fierce warriors, trained in combat and guerrilla tactics.
They’re also intensely loyal to family. Their leader has promised to keep me and our youngling safe.
They’d literally shred any human spy who came close. ”
“Shred. Nice.” I swallow hard. “Are you sure they won’t shred you?”
“I’m positive. Arlo trusts them, so I trust them.”
“Of course you have to look after your precious baby—youngling,” I correct, using the monster term. After the ordeal Sammy went through in Sparkle, I can’t argue with her desire to play it one hundred per cent safe.
If only I knew that living with a wolf pack would be safe. After my conversation with Tippy, I can’t help being worried.
I try to untie the knot in my stomach. I’ve never met a wolf, so how would I know.
I have to trust that Arlo knows what he’s doing. After all, he has lived in the Labyrinth all his life. I’ve only been here for a day.
“How long are you going for?”
“It could be a few weeks. Maybe longer.”
“I’ll miss you.” I gulp.
“I’ll miss you too.”
“Maybe I could come and visit you—down there.” Even as I say it, the idea of descending to level three, full of packs of shaggy wolves with big fangs, make me very uneasy.
“I’d like that, once you’ve settled in. Meanwhile, Otis will look after you.”
As I put down the phone, I realize I feel quite wobbly.
Not since we lost Mom have I allowed myself to feel vulnerable, not even when Jax was taken off to remand school.
Not even when Dad died. When I got a job at DeVines, the best department store in Sparkle, I worked my ass off to earn money, first to pay for Dad’s healthcare and later so that I could party like everyone else and forget that underneath it all was a big well of sadness.
I’ve hidden behind a facade of brisk confidence, mixed with sass, to get by.
I had food on the table, nights full of entertainment, and I got laid from time to time.
Big deal.
My life back in Sparkle feels like an empty shell now. But even though I love what I’ve seen of the Labyrinth so far, it’s hard to accept that my closest friend is leaving as soon as I get here.
Otis will look after you. Sammy’s words come back to me. Funny, Jax said more or less the same thing earlier today. I’ve always been fiercely independent, but somehow it feels so reassuring, so right to trust my safety to Otis.
I sink onto Otis’s big office chair and wrap my arms around my midriff. I find myself imagining it’s him giving me a hug, his huge muscular arms binding me tight, like he did last night when I was terrified of the thing with a million legs.
Yeah, okay, I’m strong, but I am a wimp about insects.
Snap out of it.
I stare at the Baking for Beasts book.
A big green orc with tusks and red eyes who bakes cakes. Who would have thought he would feel like my perfect guy?
What are you even thinking, Clem Summers? I scold myself, but I can’t seem to shake that dumb smile off my lips. I guess it’s better than worrying about Sammy moving to level three with wolves.
Or, for that matter, the weird and sinister shenanigans that are happening up in Sparkle City.
I heave in a breath and straighten my spine.
Picking up the recipe book, I tuck it under my arm and carry it into the kitchen where it belongs.