The Mask of Omegon (Gwen Farris Book 6) Read online

  “I’ll look into it. So… Should I be pulled off the case? I mean… Conflict of interest here, right?”

  That took a second for the man to parse, but when he answered his words were pleasant.

  “All sorts. On the good side you’re aware of the fact, which means you can correct for it. Do you think you need to be pulled from the investigation? It sounds to me that you have it mainly worked out. Still, if we must, then I can have the work done again?”

  She stopped breathing for a bit, then shook her head.

  “I don’t think so. I’ll keep my eyes open, but I think we can nearly put this one to bed. That means I can focus on…” She was about to say the other cartoon book. The one with her in it.

  Derrick grinned.

  “Having fun with your new friend? You should get with Molly. Westmorland. In the morning however, since she’s likely asleep now, being a sane person. I’m about to turn in myself.” He stood, stretched a bit and then winked at her, which was out of character. “I’d invite you to come with me, but you seem to have a boyfriend already?”

  The look he gave her was slightly alluring. He was a bit older, having salt and pepper colored hair, but not unattractive. The funny thing was that she couldn’t tell if it was serious or not.

  So she shrugged.

  “Well, if that falls through, I’ll keep you in mind? It was kind of fun. I… Really, we should do that, if things aren’t…” She didn’t know what to say toward that end, but the man didn’t laugh at her.

  “I should have suggested it earlier. Well, I need to leave before I try to take liberties and confuse the issue, shall I?”

  He walked out quickly enough that it was hard to tell if he was teasing her or not. The man was acting different however. Inappropriate for his world, but not if he were talking to a Westmorland. That was a thing that she’d noticed a few times before. A lot of the Westmorlands would sometimes forget that she wasn’t one of them. Then they’d act like it was a huge insult to be called a super soldier, once they worked out what they’d been doing.

  Still, if the thing with Tomas didn’t work out, she was doing it. Maybe with several men. The Westmorlands were even pretty safe that way. Some had been getting their sterilization undone, but most of those were women. The men could do it, but that wasn’t the trend yet. So if she wanted to get with some guys, that was a good pool to start with.

  If Tomas didn’t work out, of course.

  She got back to her hotel room directly, teletransporting in easily, being alone. It was a bit strange, sleeping there, but she was tired enough that she didn’t just lie there all night or anything. In the morning she had to take some time to get ready. A full shower, makeup and a nice, but not really pretty, dress. Then Gwen went to a restaurant to get something to eat.

  That killed nearly an hour and a half. It was good enough food, but the tiny portions came one at a time. There was a gap between each of them, too. A single egg, poached, followed by a half slice of toast. Then a tiny dish of fruit. Today it was fresh peach.

  The woman that served her was courteous, but not exactly friendly. That was the norm there however, so she didn’t assume that the woman was spitting all over her food. She had to eat anyway, so didn’t let herself consider the idea. It had probably happened though. Her face had been in the papers, after all and some of the people in the Western Kingdom had to not understand that she wasn’t Katherine. It was confusing, so stuff would eventually be happening. So far they’d all kept it fairly quiet, but sooner or later it was coming back on her.

  She couldn’t even blame them for it.

  Still, spit covered or not, the food was fine. Good even. At the end she paid for her meal and didn’t tip. That wasn’t a thing there. It was reasonable though, coming in at two decs. That was a bit pricy, but not robbery for the service and time investment. Back home that would have been about twenty cents. It was here, too. Except that a cent was worth a lot more, in most places.

  After that she walked for a bit, considering what she needed to really do. Investigating Tomas was, suddenly, a lot harder for her, she realized. After all, she wasn’t asking after the man just to see if he were on the up and up. No, it would be spying on him, in some kind of stalker-like fashion. The girlfriend that was way too concerned with her new boyfriend.

  Not that she wasn’t going to do the basic part of things. Making sure he was actually who he said he was, for instance. Not married. That one was fair even. He hadn’t had a ring on the night before, but no one wore that kind of thing in the Western Kingdom. That was more of a Christian tradition, which this world didn’t have. So you had to count on being told about a wife, if you wanted to know.

  Still, she wasn’t a creeper. It was one of the few things that she could be proud of in her life. That meant working things out the hard way. Starting with what she knew.

  Omegon.

  Which meant finding a store, she thought. One that sold books. Except that, walking down the street, which was mainly empty given how early it was, she saw a news stand. The papers were just that. Newspapers. Just like they would be back home. There were magazines as well however, so she smiled, clutched her hand bag a bit, then approached the older man that was running the thing. He wasn’t fat, but for this place he was slightly rounded.

  On his head there was a funny cap. It was flat, and had a bit of a brim. There was a wooden pipe in his teeth as well, with redolent smoke coming out of the end.

  “Hey there missy. Come out to see the news? We’ve got your Herold, The Daily and even The Scan, if you enjoy that kind of thing. Pretty much anything new that’s in print.” He smiled at her, leering a tiny bit. She would have figured he were about to attack, even a few years before, but now she got that he was just staring with lust in his eyes.

  “I’m… Do you have any graphic novels? Omegon? Or the Gwen Farris things?” She didn’t know if the man would carry that kind of material. As had been pointed out, it wasn’t exactly polite. Even if he had it, the man might not admit it to a woman.

  “I do at that! Behind the fold, of course. Let me… I have the last two Omegon? The last Gwen Farris Investigations as well. Those sell out fast. That do it for you?” He pulled the things out, both seeming to have full color covers.

  She nodded.

  “How much?”

  The man winked at her, then looked up and down the street.

  “Three decs. Or, if you rather, we could trade for it?” There was a wiggling of eyebrows, his slightly wrinkled face seeming devious.

  She got the reference, if only from old movies. From back home, in a different world. It seemed a bit cheap really. She was worth more than a few decs, even if she wasn’t very skilled. She pulled a met from her handbag, then paused, curious.

  “What did you have in mind? As for trade? Not that I’m not just paying, but I wonder what you’d be asking for, if I took you up on it?”

  That got him to chortle. It was an honest sounding thing.

  “Ah, calling my bluff then? Honestly, if you’d said you were good for it… I would have gotten a kiss. On the cheek? Only so much can be done out here on the street, right?”

  She nodded and passed the bill over.

  “I see! Well, good to know, in case it ever comes up. Normally I travel with a friend, but she’s pregnant at the moment.”

  The man smiled and nodded.

  “Bethany Westmorland? I heard about that. Big news, her being with child like that. In The Scan? They cover a lot of stories that get missed otherwise. Would you like one of those? I might as well make a sale, if I’m not going to get to take liberties. That would be a story though, wouldn’t it? Gwen Farris comes by, purchases questionable material from me, then gives me a kiss?”

  Looking up and down the street, she pulled a dec from her change, then, feeling insane, leaned in and gave him a peck on the cheek. No one was watching, after all. He was right though. That probably would make a good story.

  “Just don’t tell your wife until
I get out of town? I don’t need to be lynched.”

  The man snorted, but his eyes shone happily.

  “There was a time when you might have stayed for more than that. Thirty years back, but still…”

  Except that she was in another world back then. Also so horribly deformed that the man wouldn’t have wanted her attention at all. She didn’t mention any of that, however.

  Instead she winked.

  “I’ll read up on things then. Thanks for the help.”

  “Not a problem, missy. Is there something going on here? A real investigation?”

  She wanted to flip a palm up, but had to use her words, her hands both being full at the moment.

  “Nothing major. I have a date, later tonight. The man that does the Omegon books? At least that’s what he said he did. I suppose he could be selling me a bill of goods, to impress me?”

  The guy nodded.

  “That could be. You’re a fine looking lady, so a man might do a lot to get your attention. That… The man that does those is a local. Tomas? Moore, I think. He came by originally to make sure that I was selling his work. Which I already was. It’s decent quality. That be him?” There was chewing on the end of his pipe, along with a serious glance.

  “That was the name I was given. He’s young looking? Pale skin, brown hair and eyes?”

  The older man nodded.

  “That sounds about right. Good. I’d hate to think someone was selling you like that. Especially after the hard knocks you had recently. All of it. You deserve nice things for a while.”

  She took a deep breath, nodding.

  “I hope that happens. Thanks. I’ll go and read these then. Research. I didn’t even know that I had a comic book, a graphic novel, until last night. I hear that it’s basically, um, adult?”

  That got another chortle, but the man didn’t try to grab the thing back.

  “Oh, that it is. Still, there’s worse. At least it tries at a plot. I can order more for you, if you’ll be around for a few weeks? The complete line? Let me know.”

  She nodded, walking away. After all, she might well need more of the things. Her lips felt funny, after kissing him, even if it was just on the cheek. That hadn’t been a big deal however. Hopefully it really would let him have a good tale for others, some day.

  After that she walked back to her room and started to read. With Tomas’ work happening first. Those were… Not bad, if she wanted to be honest.

  The art was good. Black and white inside the covers, but well drawn. The words were a bit old fashioned seeming and forced, and Omegon, who was a rich gadabout by day, seemed to fight things that were a bit more serious than beetle blight.

  Most of the time.

  The mask he wore was the same however, which was interesting to see. There was no explanation as to why however. Not in the two issues she had. Those were both thick however, holding complete stories in each one.

  The Gwen Farris Investigations nearly got her to pass out.

  There was a bit of a story, but it was mainly her doing some incredibly graphic things with her assistant, Bethy West. They did it… Pretty close to everywhere. Using toys, fingers, tongues and in a few cases a handy man or two in order to create variety.

  “Which makes what Tomas did seem far more sensible, suddenly. Even what I did fit the character… Talk about confusing for the poor guy.” She blinked a few times, wondering if the man was ever going to buy her as being herself now. The real her, not just playacting.

  Then, smiling, she read the scandal sheet. The Scan. That had some data for her. For instance, they knew that she wasn’t actually dating Ferdinand.

  Also that people from other realities had been coming to visit them. That was interesting to see. Especially given that they had the name that went with the drawing right. Zack Hartley. No photo, which the rag did have in places, but it really did look a lot like him.

  Nodding to herself she read the whole thing. Then set it aside. She had more important things to get ready for, like a date.

  Chapter three

  Gwen cheated a bit, calling Baron Harrison directly to check on Tomas Moore. The man seemed to be what he said already, but she really did need to be careful. The Baron actually coughed a bit at first, when the name was brought up.

  “Tom Moore? Works in legal… I think. I’ve never had a problem with him. Do I need to look into this? I can have him removed from his position if you need?” The man sounded deep, blustering and a bit worried. Then he’d gotten called to the telestator to talk to Gwen Farris. Who was investigating things for the King. A situation that she was being pretty open about at the moment.

  “Probably not? He seems to be well and truly in the clear. This… It wasn’t a real case. I think that I was sent out to get me back into the world, most likely. Still, checking things out doesn’t hurt anything.” Then, blurting a bit, she went on. “I’m also thinking about dating him. So…” She felt bad, checking up on the guy for personal reasons, but there was an exhalation from the other side of the device she was in front of. She was using the one at the hotel, which was old, but still worked pretty well.

  The five dull lead colored balls, each a bit bigger than a grapefruit, sat on polished wooden dowels. The voice came from the air, between the outside two spheres. The inside two picked up the distortions made by her voice and passed it along to the man on the other side of the system. It didn’t plug into the wall though, being more like radio that way, she thought.

  The Baron sighed then and his voice came across in a much friendlier manner suddenly.

  “Ah! That is better then. You’ll want recommendations for him? I don’t know that he has family in the area, but I can have his direct superior connect with you? I must say, I’ve only heard positive things about the man. A very good worker, conscientious and rather polite seeming. Yes… I can have you contacted there? It won’t be but a moment. Let me…” The line went dead suddenly. People there didn’t say goodbye, since that could become a curse, if done incorrectly. A magical thing that caused you to die, or never see them again.

  They didn’t even say things like see you soon. Technically that would have been all right, but it simply wasn’t the habit. Feeling a bit bemused, Gwen didn’t know what she was supposed to do. Take her hand off the central sphere, of course. That would end the call on her side. Then, she had no idea what was supposed to happen. Things didn’t really work that quickly there. The hotel would probably come and get her, if anyone got in touch asking for her presence, of course.

  Just as she was about to walk out of the space, the device chimed. It was a pretty sound, that was like a soft bell. Nothing jarring at all. Moving back to the device, she touched the middle ball, which turned the thing on. If she were making a call herself, the button on the top of the base would need to be pressed first.

  A female voice came across the line then. It really did sound like she was standing right there, if invisibly.

  “Telestator operator, I have a call for Gwen Farris?” The woman sounded doubtful for some reason. Like that wasn’t a real option.

  “Speaking.”

  The woman snorted softly. Her words were correct however.

  “This is from Barrister John Dempsey?”

  “Thank you. I’m ready.”

  Again, there was a soft snort. It was a bit derisive sounding, to be honest.

  “Hello? Miss… Farris? Baron Harrison asked me to call and give you a recommendation for young Tomas? I can do that, of course. Wonderful fellow. A very good prospect, if you’re interested? Hard working, sober and healthy. All the traits a lady could ask for in a gentleman friend. Here in the office he’s saved our court cases more than once, by dutifully standing in the snow waiting for signatures in the early morning cold. A marvelous man!”

  She smiled, since it was probably a cultural thing. She’d called to be a creepy stalker and so they’d assumed she was just doing her due diligence. Like any normal young lady might. Then they used the chance to talk the
ir boy up, so that he’d get in good with her. The Baron had seemed ready enough to do otherwise, before she’d mentioned the dating part of things. Then he shifted so hard it had probably caused head trauma.

  “That all sounds impressive. I should set up with my mother and friends to get in touch with him, shouldn’t I? Going the other way? I don’t really know how that’s done here.” It was the truth, but the man laughed, as if it were a joke.

  “Oh, that would work, I think. Still, it’s up to him to do that, just as it’s your part to contact his people. Tomas is a good man, however. Truly. Rest assured of that.” He seemed to be running out of kind things to say about the fellow, so she nodded.

  “Got it. Thank you, sir.”

  “Not at all a difficulty, I assure you, Miss.”

  Then the line broke. Which given that the man was at work, simply made sense. Poor Tomas was probably going to be teased about her now. Then again, they might not mention anything to him at all. After all, the Baron wasn’t going to chat with an office man all that often. Tom had mentioned something like that already. His boss may, or may not, depending on what kind of person he was. These people tended to be closed lipped about a lot of things, as far as she’d ever seen.

  Giving the matter a bit of thought, she decided to take a list of names and numbers for him, if he showed up for their date. That he might not… That was kind of the most likely scenario. She’d met the man in a cave, then pretty much played into what had to seem like insane game playing to his mind. Having read what was in her comic book… Well, she’d really done things almost perfectly, given that.

  If he really thought that though, then Beth was a slut. Going around doing things like that with random men in the woods. A person could call her that too, but she didn’t think that would actually work for her. After all, she’d only done anything with one man. Anything real. She’d kissed Christoph, of course. They’d been engaged at the time however.