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  “World of origin.” She repeated that phrase as if she was trying it on to see if it would fit her mouth. “I haven’t noticed anything like that. Why?”

  Elora grinned. “Because my body responded to the new environment in a radical way. I’m strong, fast, and really, really heavy.” Lana looked her up and down. “Your dimension must be much closer, essentially and biologically, than mine.

  “I’ve been given permission to answer anything you want to ask. So. Have any questions?”

  “That guy…”

  “Which guy? Cal Magnus?”

  “Yes. He told me that this is a top secret organization.”

  Elora nodded. “That’s right.”

  “And that I won’t be able to go back to where I’m from.”

  Elora’s face softened with sympathy. “I’m sorry to confirm that. Did you have a family? Were you married?”

  The irony of deliberately fleeing from everything familiar wasn’t lost on Lana. “Be careful what you wish for,” she whispered.

  “What was that?”

  “No husband. No children. Parents. Twin sisters who are a couple of years younger. And a best friend who is going to be in a snit.”

  “That’s a shame. Can I call you Atalanta?”

  “Lana.”

  “Even better. I’m not going to insult you by pretending that it won’t take time to adjust to the idea of never seeing them again. That’s a lot to process. And to grieve over.”

  “What’s going to happen to me now? You’re going to give me a new identity. As a registered alien.” She laughed at her own joke. “And put me out on the street?”

  “No. We’re not going to do that for a couple of reasons. First, because we’re not heartless. And second, because we have to be absolutely sure that you can be trusted not to tell people what you know.”

  Lana cocked her head. “Why?”

  Elora locked eyes with her. “Because you wouldn’t be believed and would end up a ward of the state psychiatric facility.”

  Lana looked away and said, “Oh,” so quietly it was almost inaudible.

  “A lot has happened to you. I know that better than anyone. You don’t have to jump up and make choices today. You can take the time you need to get used to your new situation. We’ll help you find your way. When you’re ready.”

  “You seem very kind, um…”

  “Elora.”

  “Elora. I think I need some time alone? Maybe, after I have a chance to sort through all this, I’ll have more questions.”

  “Sure. I’ll be available to you.”

  “So. I’m not a prisoner?”

  Elora experienced a moment of déjà vu recalling a similar conversation with Storm when she was a new arrival. “You’re a guest of The Order of the Black Swan. What that means is that you will be given the opportunity to earn privileges by demonstrating trustworthiness. When higher ups are satisfied that you won’t run out of here and cause a stir with a tabloid story, you’ll have as much freedom as anyone. You’ll be given the chance to do meaningful work and craft a new life.”

  Lana repeated the phrase ‘meaningful work’ in her head. She’d never thought in terms of meaningful work. Ever. In the past, when she’d thought about work she thought in terms of how much she could make and what would be the least unpleasant way to spend her time.

  “Come on. I’m going to introduce you to the guy who runs this place and then we’ll find you someplace to stay while you’re sorting.”

  “What exactly is this place? All those teenage boys I see around can’t be paranormal investigators. And for that matter, why would paranormal investigators all look buff enough to enter contests? Contests that judge buffiness, I mean.”

  Elora had started to get up, but sat back down. “You sure you’re prepared for the answer to that question? Because the answer may surprise or even alarm you.” Elora looked in the direction of the lounge and glanced at her watch. “Maybe we should move this to the lounge. There’s a bar that’s open by now. This phase of your orientation may go down easier with a shot of bourbon.”

  Lana had to smile at that. “Exactly what my dad would say.” She pushed her chair back. “I’d like to say I won’t need it, but I won’t. Lead the way.”

  As they walked through the Hub on the way to the lounge, Lana noticed that she was getting appreciative glances and smiles from a couple of the outrageously cute guys. She knew she should be feeling dazed and confused and should be looking like she’d been tasered, yet she was more accepting of all the weirdness that had absconded with her life than she thought a person should be. If the sensations weren’t so acute, she’d be sure it was all a dream.

  Elora suggested a couple of giant comfy chairs in a corner next to a friendly-looking gas fire. It was early in the day for drinking so the two of them had the place to themselves. The barkeep on duty brought over two shot glasses and a bottle.

  “Leave the bottle. Oh and could you call down to the Sovereign’s office and get whoever’s on duty to run a Field Training Manual up here? If nobody’s there, call Monq.”

  “Very well, Lady Laiken.”

  Lana downed a shot like a champ, hissed while shaking her head and making a face, then said, “Okay. Lay it on me. Starting with why that chap just called you Lady Laiken.”

  Elora smiled. “We’ll get there soon enough. Let’s get the most shocking thing out of the way first.” She sat back in her chair. “The chief function of this facility”, she waved her shot glass to indicate the environment, “is to control the spread of the vampire virus.” Lana cocked her head. “Yes. Vampire do exist. They were humans who were bitten by someone carrying a virus transmitted through saliva.

  “The buff guys are vampire hunters. Knights of the Order of the Black Swan. The teenagers are students who may be knights one day. We’ve been battling this threat to humanity for several hundred years. If you want to hear an oral summary of how the organization came to be, I will make an appointment for you to have tea with our resident historian slash research scientist slash philosopher slash psychiatrist.”

  She saw Lana’s eyes flare slightly at the mention of the last achievement. “It’s no big deal. When I was making an adjustment to this dimension, I went to see him three times a week. He’s a genius. Also crazier than everybody else in Black Swan put together.”

  “No. I, ah, no.”

  “No pressure, but I think my sessions with him helped. And making friends.”

  A boy with bright red hair jogged over to them and held out a small book with a thick yellow paper cover. “You asked for this?” He handed the book off to Elora and gave Lana an engaging smile, which Elora noticed.

  “Speaking of making friends,” she said, “no time like the present. Malcolm Cavenaugh, this is Ms. Ravin.”

  “Call me Lana.” She gave the kid a little smile.

  “Call me Mal.”

  Elora chuckled. “That’s all kiddo. Come back in a few years.”

  “Yes, ma’am,” he said as he turned and jogged away.

  Elora handed the little book to Lana. “While you’re spending time alone processing, take a look at this. It will help speed along the process of integrating information that your mind is probably telling you can’t be true.”

  Lana took the book and looked up to meet Elora’s eyes. “Thank you, Lady Laiken,” she said pointedly.

  Elora smiled. “Oh, yes. You remember I told you that, after I made the transition to this dimension, I was left with some extras, physically. I made friends with some vampire hunters who had lost a team member. They hunt in teams of four. I applied for the job and got it. The knights usually answer to the title of Sir, when we’re on Black Swan premises at least. Obviously I didn’t want to be called Sir Laiken. It was actually a very old vampire who gave me the title of Lady Laiken, but that’s a story for another day.

  “Now let’s go introduce you to the honcho and see what he says about what happens next. Unless you want another drink?”

 
“Not now, but can I take the bottle?”

  Elora laughed. “Atalanta Ravin. You’re going to be alright.”

  Rev steepled his fingers and pursed his lips from behind his desk as Elora gave him a status report.

  “So we’re here to see what’s next,” she finished the recap.

  “Recommendation?” he asked Elora without looking away from Lana.

  “Let’s give her an apartment where she can spend a little time getting used to the idea of being, um, here. We’ll see where we are in a couple of weeks. Cal’s going to be monitoring, I assume?”

  Rev nodded. “I can give her temporary quarters for a couple of weeks, but she’ll need to wear a bracelet that will set off the alarm if she tries to leave.”

  “Is that the only restriction?”

  Rev looked at Lana. “Young lady. Do you intend harm to this facility or any of its personnel?”

  “No.”

  “Good enough. No other restrictions for now.” He yelled for Mal which caused Lana to jump almost out of her skin. The Sovereign noticed, but she saw no trace of apology in his expression. When the kid came to the door, Rev said, “Locate Cal Magnus and get him in here. Then have Ms. Ravin’s things moved to 313.”

  “Yes sir.” Mal was gone before the last syllable left his lips.

  “Cal can show her to her quarters. Don’t you need to get ready for patrol?”

  “I do. Not that it’s any of your business when I get ready. It’s not like I have ever been late.”

  Lana’s jaw dropped at hearing the tone Elora took with the man who was apparently everyone’s boss. He was dour at best, possibly the least friendly-looking man she’d ever encountered.

  “Hmmm,” was all he said in reply.

  Elora motioned toward the door with her head. In the outer office she grabbed a notepad and wrote down her number. “This is my number. You can call me from a house phone any time I’m not on rotation.” She shoved the paper at Lana. “It’s not just a gesture. I relate to your situation. We’re in an exclusive club of two.” She smiled. “Maybe you’d like to have dinner at my place one night, meet the family.”

  “You have a family?”

  “Yes.” She grinned. “A baby boy. And a husband, too.” As if on cue Ram came walking through the door. “Speaking of Devilish himself. Lana, this is my mate, Sir Rammel Hawking.” Lana tried not to gape, but Ram had his hair pulled behind his ears and fastened with a leather lace. Elora was amused by her reaction. “Never seen an elf before, huh? Ah, yes,” she beamed at Ram, “I remember it well. What are you doing down here, love?” The beautiful elf nodded at Lana as he leaned over to brush a kiss on Elora’s temple.

  “Got a call from the lounge. Kind of early to be gettin’ friendly with bourbon. Thought I better see if there’s a problem.”

  Elora was put out. “The bartender called you to tell on me?” She looked at Lana. “See what I told you? Small town.”

  “What’s small town?” Cal asked from the doorway.

  “Magnus.” Ram said as he offered his hand. Ram wasn’t too friendly. He’d never gotten over the fact that Cal had made a play for Elora, but he shook hands anyway.

  “He’s having dinner with us the first night we’re off,” she told Ram.

  “Oh good,” he said drily.

  “Nice to see you, Rammel,” Cal said. “I need to take care of our new arrival.”

  “Call me,” Elora said to Lana right before they disappeared.

  Rev gave Cal the key to 313 after giving him instructions to go to Monq’s lab and have her fitted with a titanium bracelet wired to set off the entrance alarm within ten feet.

  As they were leaving, Litha was coming in to see the Sovereign.

  “Busy day, hmmm?” she said to Rev.

  “Yeah. What’ve you got?”

  “I’ve been out to the vicinity where she claims the incident occurred. There was a tear, but it’s closing fast.”

  “A tear?”

  “Best word I can think of for it. If you picture the barrier that separates one dimension from another as a fabric that’s more like a tight web than a weave, then you’d have the idea. Considering how much depends on its wholeness - the integrity of worlds, it’s surprisingly fragile and sometimes has weaknesses – like tears. When that happens, things, both animate and inanimate, may seem to simply disappear, but the truth is that they haven’t disappeared. They’ve just been moved out of sight.”

  “But it’s closing?”

  “The barriers aren’t organisms, at least I don’t think so, but they are organic and do mend themselves when there’s a…”

  “Tear.”

  “Yeah.”

  “So we can be pretty sure that she’s telling the truth.”

  “She shows up telling this story about an incident that occurred in the spot where there’s still evidence of an opening? Yes. I think we can safely say she’s telling the truth.”

  “Okay. Good work.”

  “Thank you, Sovereign.”

  “You’re welcome, Mrs. Storm.”

  CHAPTER 4

  After getting Lana’s bracelet fitted, she and Cal found their way to her apartment. She thought it was nice enough and her things had already been deposited there. Since she had scaled back to boat living, her things didn’t amount to much. Clothes, a few books, a few files and photos, not much more. It was amazing how much comfort she took from just that little bit of familiarity. It was like an anchor to reality, her confirmation that she wasn’t insane.

  “Can I help you put your things away?”

  Lana looked back over her shoulder. She had opened the French doors that led out onto the small patio deck and gone out to feel some unconditioned air. “Nice of you to offer, Cal, but what I’d like more than anything in the world is a little alone time.”

  “I understand. I don’t mean I understand what it would feel like to be you. I mean I can understand being overwhelmed and needing to be alone with my own thoughts. I’ll come by tonight. See what you want to do about supper. Maybe you’ll be ready for some company.”

  “Maybe.”

  “This phone,” he pointed to the land line on the kitchen bar, “can reach me. Just dial seven first and then my number.” He wrote his number down on the pad by the phone.

  “Thank you.”

  He gave her his best encouraging smile. “Later, then.”

  “Okay.”

  She heard the door click shut and felt that she drew in the first honest breath she’d taken since she’d heard Myrna say there was no reservation for the Second Chance. She didn’t look in the refrigerator. She didn’t open any of the boxes with her name on them. She didn’t check out the showerheads in the bath. She just curled into a ball on top of the bed and, finally, let herself cry.

  Lana didn’t come out of the guest apartment for a week. She answered the door when Cal came to check on her and when the kitchen sent up food. Elora Laiken called every day to ask if she’d like to get out. The answer was always no.

  On the eighth day Lana answered a knock expecting to see either Cal or a tray of food, but it was neither. It was a smallish man, full head of mostly gray hair streaked with a few brown tangles stubbornly refusing to give up their youthful color. There was a light in his eyes that could have been intelligence, amusement, or insanity. It was impossible to tell which, but she was regretting having answered the door.

  “Thelonius M. Monq,” he said.

  “The shrink,” she said.

  With a little bow, he said, “Guilty. May I come in?”

  “Absolutely not.”

  “What can I say to change your mind?”

  “That you will remove this bracelet or open the front door.”

  “So that what? You could fly free like a little bird?” He giggled, which was a little infuriating.

  “Are you mocking me?”

  “Texas! You’re a mockingbird.”

  “And you’re scary as hell.”

  She started to close the door, bu
t he put his foot in the way and grew serious. “If scaring you out of this space is your most expeditious route to rejoining the living, then I can oblige.”

  “What do you want?”

  “Tea.”

  “I don’t have any tea.”

  “Not a problem. I have lots. Take a shower. Put on something that makes you feel presentable and meet me on Sublevel 2 in my study in one hour. We’ll have tea and chat.”

  “I don’t want to.”

  “We tried this your way and, to use boating terminology, you’ve run aground. Now we’ll do this my way.”

  She bit her lower lip. “Just tea.”

  “And chat.”

  “Do I have a choice?”

  “Absolutely not.”

  She couldn’t keep from smiling just a little. “Okay.”

  “One hour or stage two will be implemented,” he warned.

  “Do I want to ask about stage two?”

  “No. Because you’re going to appear at my door in one hour. Trust me. It’s so much better than stage two.”

  “Alright. I get it.”

  Heading toward the bathroom, she realized she’d never really gotten around to organizing her stuff. Most of her clothes were still in boxes. They’d never been ironed or folded or hung up. So she grabbed a pair of clean jeans, some top siders, and a knit top that might give up the wrinkles if she hung it up in a steamy bathroom. She had to admit that it felt a little bit good to have some reason to get dressed and someplace to go.

  She took the key to her apartment and shoved it down into the pocket of a pair of jeans that were snug, and pushed the knit sleeves up to her elbows. She was grateful that the titanium bracelet was small and good-looking in a perverse sort of way. Like a tennis bracelet without diamonds.

  The first time she emerged from her apartment on her own may have been a small step across the threshold, but it felt like a big jump across an emotional chasm. Looking both ways she saw that the long hallway was completely empty, but by the time she’d reached the elevator, two of the calendar boys were waiting.