Obsidian Gate - Chapter Seven

* Well, time for another wacky installment. Comments, criticisms, etc. always appreciated. Enjoy! Hope the edits make the chapter a bit more readable for everyone.*

Chapter Seven:
Downloading, The Matrix, and Other Telepathic Quandries

- Earth -

The moon elf sat cross legged as best he could across from the telepath and regarded her soberly. What they were planning was very serious business and, quite frankly, Danthias was terrified. He had never been very good at letting his guard down around people he didn’t know and, even though these people were well-meaning and obviously trying to help him, it didn’t stop Dan from having very real and very valid misgivings about allowing a woman he barely knew into his mind.
“Have you dealt with telepaths before?” Sarah inquired.
Dan nodded, very cleverly hiding the way his palms itched and his throat caught when he swallowed. Like it or not, he had made his choice and he would stick by it. “Then just try to relax and not fight me,” Sarah said, “I will be quick and gentle.”
Dan wanted to reply, “Aww, but quick’s no fun!”, however, he forced his mind and body to relax and go limp. It was over almost before Danthias even realized it had begun. The woman in red removed her gloves and gently put her hands one on either side of the elf’s head. There was a pulse of crimson light as her aura flared and it was done. The woman donned her gloves once more and grinned at Dan.
“How do you feel?” she asked.
“A bit lightheaded, but fine,” Dan replied, “Now, where am I and why am I in chains?”
“The lightheadedness will fade soon,” the woman assured him, “and as for your questions, all the answers will be provided. Just give us a moment to explain the entire situation.”
“No offense, my dear lady,” Dan said, “but I would really rather just get out of here.”
“Hold yer horses, pal!” one of the suits exclaimed, “We’re workin’ on it!”
Sarah turned to the officer and gave him a rather disapproving look.
“Do not push him so, Landen! We must go easy at first. He will not understand everything right away, especially idioms, and he has been through a very traumatic experience. I think he will learn quickly but give him a moment!” she admonished.
Turning back to Dan, who was giving Landen quite a dirty look, Sarah said,
“Please just let us introduce ourselves and tell you what has happened. My name is Sarah Lee and you are?”
“I’d rather not say my name just yet, if it’s all the same to you, Miss Lee,” Dan replied, “It’s not that I don’t appreciate what you’ve done for me but I haven’t lived as long as I have by being a trusting individual. Please forgive me, for now.”
“As you like,” Sarah replied, shrugging, though her tone belied her casual behavior, and she indicated the two officers behind her, “These are Detectives O’Brian and Landen. They were the ones who responded to your situation earlier and they have been trying to sort out the details surrounding your assault.”
Dan glanced at them mistrustfully.
“Don’t take this the wrong way, gentlemen,” he said, “but don’t expect me to be sending flowers anytime soon. I can’t exactly say I’m pleased with the treatment I’ve received at the hands of your colleagues.”
Both Landen and O’Brian looked as if they were about to say something, then thought better of it. Sarah, meanwhile, continued on with the introductions as if nothing had happened. She motioned towards the lawyer sitting next to her and said,
“This is your attorney, Jonas Swift. He will be handling the legal end of our little problem.”
Dan simply nodded in his direction and Sarah continued with her introductions.
“This is Marissa Li Fang and Charlie Hutton,” Sarah said, “Charlie owns the building you were found outside of. He has agreed to let you stay there awhile, provided we can get you out of here. The winsome thing staring at you like you are a side of beef would be my sister, Alexandra.”
“Hey!” Alex exclaimed from where she was standing, “Hermana, that’s not nice!”
“Always nice to be appreciated by a beautiful woman,” Dan said, grinning as he took the woman’s hand in his and lightly kissed her knuckles, “Pleasure to meet you, Alexandra.”
“It’s Alex or Al,” she said, a little breathlessly.
“Very well then, Al,” Dan replied gently, bringing his eyes up from where his lips rested just above her knuckles.
Alex felt herself blush for the first time in what felt like years and internally cursed herself for, once again, letting a pretty face make a sucker out of her. Admittedly, it was hard to be all that upset when said pretty face packed such a yummy package and had such a killer accent. Not to mention that every time his breath gently tickled her knuckles, goosebumps seemed to rise out of nowhere from every inch of flesh she possessed.
“This one’s a dangerous one,” Al thought, as he finally released her hand gently, “and not in a bad way.”
“Oh, pretty please, won’t ch’y’all jus’ tell us yoah name?” Al asked, batting her eyelashes in a teasing manner.
Her tone was one she hoped was lighthearted and gentle. Dan only grinned harder and laughed.
“Asking politely will get you just about anything,” he said, putting just that right amount of harmless lecherousness in his tone to make the woman blush again, “Very well, my name’s Dan.”
Giving Alex one last devastating smile that seemed to melt her right down to her toes, the man looked over at Charlie with a very serious and sincere look on his face.
“I’m not particularly fond of charity,” he said in a very friendly, gentle tone, “Is there any way I can pay you back for your kindness?”
“Wouldn’t dream of it, Kid,” Charlie replied, smiling, “Stay’s long’s ya like. Got plenty t’eat n’ drink ‘round here an’ I’m sure we can find somethin’ t’fit ya so ya don’t have t’go out lookin’ so conspicuous.”
Dan looked down at his wardrobe and cracked a bit of a smile.
“I suppose I do make a rather odd picture in this place,” he admitted, “but I’m serious about paying you back. I always repay my debts and I don’t take no for an answer.”
“We can discuss it later, Kid,” Charlie said, “You just get better an’ let the girls n’ me take care o’ the rest.”
“My thanks,” Dan said profoundly.
“I understand you are a lycan,” Sarah said next.
“Sniffed me out, did she?” Dan said, smiling a little as he looked in the direction of the dangerous looking woman with the large chest.
The woman responded with a bit of a smirk and made a meowing sound in a vague kitty cat imitation. Danthias just grinned a bit wider and chuckled.
“Darn alphas, never can hide from ‘em,” he quipped, then, when he saw the serious expression on O’Brian’s face, he added, “Yes. I happen to be an alpha as well.”
“What breed, if you don’t mind my asking?” O’Brian queried.
“It’s not something I really want bantered about but let’s just say I don’t have a severe allergy to silver, just enough to make my eyes water,” Dan replied.
“Son, that could be just about anything but wolf,” O’Brian replied.
“I know,” Dan said, infuriatingly.
Before they could say anything, he looked right over at Sarah and asked,
“Do I have a right to an attorney?”
“Yeah,” O’Brian said and he proceeded to tell Danthias his rights and explain to him why he had not been informed of them before.
It did not take the officers long to explain Dan’s predicament to him fully and when they were finished, Dan looked over at them and said,
“Thank you. I think I’d like to speak to my lawyer and the ladies alone, then, please. Mr. Hutton may stay as well.”
Landen and O’Brian exchanged looks, then nodded.
“We’ll be needin’ a statement from you later, if we’re gonna get this whole mess straightened up,” O’Brian said.
“You will, but first I need to understand the procedures that need to take place and to understand my options.”
Neither of the officers argued. They simply left the room and locked Dan inside with his lawyer, making sure that Fraser had actually vacated the area, as they left. When he was certain they were gone, Dan graced the girls with a smile.
“Now are you willing to tell us your name?” Sarah Lee asked, not without some form of amusement.
“I'm Danthias Silverbow,” the elf replied, grinning, as he did the best bow he could in his restraints, “My friends call me Dan and we are well met.”
The entire group seemed to relax a little, then Dan looked at them and asked,
"Where are my armor and weapons?"
"We got 'em stashed at Charlie's," Al said, "Didn't think it would look good f'y'all t'be sportin' those in front o' de cops."
"No kidding," Dan murmured, "but that's actually not the most important issue here. I was wearing a necklace the last time I checked, a necklace of moonstones, under my armor and shirt. It seems to have come up missing and I need it desperately."
"Why?" Sarah piped up, curious.
"Have you ever dealt with a cursed lycan before?" the elf inquired.
All of the girls went very still and silent. Marissa nodded slowly.
"Then you know just how bad this could get if I don't get that necklace."
"I am very sorry but we found no such necklace among your possessions," Sarah said softly, "and I assure you, we took very good care of what we did find."
Dan's face fell, pale as moonlight for a moment.
"I believe you," he said quietly, "I just hope it can be found before the full moon comes. I really don't want to be responsible for what could happen if I don't have it."
Then, switching gears, he looked over at the women.
“One problem at a time, I suppose. Now that I know how I was brought here, where exactly is it that I've been taken, besides a jailhouse?”
“You showed up at Charlie’s Nightclub,” Marissa said, finally speaking up, “Downtown Manhatten, New York. You’re in a precinct of the police department there.”
“Never heard of it,” Danthias said.
“We don’t advertise that much,” Charlie said, shrugging.
“No, I mean any of it,” Dan said slowly, “Is New York a country, a city? What about this Manhatten?”
“You’re joking, right?” Marissa said, incredulously.
“Nope,” Dan replied, “Dead serious. Never heard of it. Told you I wasn’t from around here.”
“We got that impression, yes, but where are you from that you have never heard of New York?” Sarah asked.
“Not from this world, I’m guessing,” Dan said.
“Not from Earth, but how’s that possible?” Alex asked.
“Trust me, gorgeous, where I come from, almost anything’s possible,” Dan said, giving her a rueful smile.
“Then let us try this again,” Sarah said, “You are on a planet called Earth, on a continent called North America, in a country known as the United States of America. New York is one of the “states” or parts of that country and the city you are in is New York City. We are in a part of it known as Manhatten.”
“That sums it up pretty well,” Dan said, smiling, “That actually explains a lot. Where I’m from, we have stories, legends, of a place called Earth. If they’re true, everything we’ve heard about this place seems to be pretty accurate.”
“What stories are those?” Marissa asked.
“That it’s a place torn by strife, nearly dead of magic, and very dangerous,” Dan said, “That the environment’s slowly decaying and there are so many people that there’s really no way to control everything. That it’s crowded and desperate.”
“That about sums Earth up, all right,” Marissa muttered.
“Just where exactly are you from that you hear these things?” Sarah asked, genuinely curious.
“A place called Solaris,” Dan replied, “I live in the Unicorn Forest.”
“Not to be rude or anything but is there any way you can prove this stuff?” Marissa demanded.
Dan just smiled.
“You saw what happened when I drank that potion,” he said, “It’s filled with magical energy that helps speed the body’s natural healing process.”
“You’re a lycan,” Marissa replied, “You heal fast.”
“So are you but I’m willing to bet silver slows you down just as much as it does me,” Dan replied.
“Touché,” Marissa said.
“But if ya’ll’re from another planet, how in the heck did y’all get here?” Alex asked.
“Portal,” Dan replied, shrugging, “Some kind of weird magic just sucked me into it and dropped me here.”
“Suppose we believe you,” Marissa said, arms folded, “What can we do about it?”
“Well, I really need to get back home,” Dan said, “Any help in that direction would be appreciated.”
The women all seemed to share a kind of unspoken question amongst themselves. Finally, they just nodded and turned their focus back to Danthias.
“You guys’re taking this awfully well,” Dan commented, “From what I’ve seen of this world, most people would be checking me into a mental hospital right about now.”
“We are paranormal investigators,” Sarah replied, “Our job deals with the strange and unusual. Besides, I was inside your mind, remember? If you were crazy or lying, I would know.”
“True,” Dan said, then after a moment he looked over at Charlie, “So what’s your deal? Why are you so willing to let a stranger into your home?”
“Charlie’s has always been a haven for people like us,” Sarah said softly.
“Like us?” Dan said, confused.
“She means paranormals; lycans, mutants, freaks, the people the rest of humanity would just as soon didn’t exist,” Marissa said.
“I realize what the term “paranormal” means, thanks to Sarah here, but I’m not sure I’m understanding the context,” Dan said, confused.
“It’s basically a term the normal people use for anyone who’s “other,” Marissa replied, “Anyone who’s outside the norm.”
“Other than the lycan thing, I’m pretty well inside the norm for my race,” Dan said, still confused, “How do I qualify as paranormal?”
“The lycan thing would be enough but what do you mean, your race?” Marissa asked.
“Oh, that’s easy,” Dan said laughing, “I’m not human.”
All three of the women and Charlie seemed to stop, as if time itself had paused. Dan, seeing their reaction, frowned a little.
“Is that a bad thing?” he asked.
“Did you say you aren’t human?” Marissa said.
“Yeah,” Dan said, pulling back his hair from his ears, “See?”
All four stared, open-mouthed, for the span of a few moments.
“No way!” Alex exclaimed.
“His ears are pointed just like...,” Sarah began but her voice trailed off in wonder before she could finish her statement.
“But that’s impossible!” Marissa said, staring.
“Well I’ll be damned!” was all Charlie could say, as he stared at the obvious proof of Dan’s heritage, “You sure that ain’t just a mutation of some kind?”
“Positive,” Dan said, smiling.
After a moment, Dan’s carefree smile faded. Everyone was looking at him speculatively, peering at him as if he were some museum exhibit. There was nothing particularly special about him so why should they sit so, with their mouths hanging agape and that curious look in their eyes? Then, everything that had happened to him so far, the reactions of the people around him, all that had occurred since his awakening flashed through his head and his eyes opened wide in sudden understanding.
“You guys’ve never seen an elf before, have you?” Dan asked quietly.
“Never,” Sarah admitted, “Nor have about ninety eight or ninety nine percent of the people you meet on the street. We know they exist of course. There have been reports from Europe about some of the Fae wanting to emigrate to America and start coming into the twentieth century with us but those are vague, distant, almost like a dream, to most of us. We all grew up believing that elves and the such were nothing more than fairy tales, legends based on creatures that may or may not have ever existed. It took a radical scientific discovery and a cultural revelation for most people to even admit that there may be something out there besides humans and that was only within the past three or four years.”
Dan's jaw dropped.
Fairy tales? He had heard the stories of course, how all the non-human races had banded together and decided that human society was becoming too advanced too fast, too antagonistic, and too suspicious of outsiders for them to remain on this plane and how they had all agreed to abandon Earth for a more hospitable home, before it was too late. Apparently, they had done it just in time, before human evolution really kicked off and the Burning Times lead them straight into an era of never-ending human expansion. By the end of that period, there had been almost nothing left of those races who had once shared the vast globe with the dynamic Earth humans. The ragtag remnants that had agreed to stay behind had blended in, hidden themselves away, or died out in the ensuing years, leaving most humans to believe that they had never existed to begin with except as myths and fairy tales, legends which ended up surviving all the way down to the present. Those who had abandoned the Earth had found a new home on Solaris, paving their way with sheer determination but always with the warning to heed the lessons of Earth; do not trust humans too much, keep their expansion to a minimum, and ensure that they respect and care for the land, as they never did on Earth.
All of this mingled in Dan’s head and he understood that these Earth women knew nothing of this history but to have never seen an elf at all? That was truly a horrible thought. On the heels of that realization came another that frightened Dan right down to the bone.
“That means there aren’t any elves here, am I right?” he said.
Sarah simply nodded quietly and dropped her eyes, as though ashamed to admit it.
“No wonder people were freaking out,” Dan said bitterly, shaking his head.
Sarah put her hand on his shoulder, patting it gently, her smile as encouraging as she could make it.
“Don’t take it personally,” Marissa piped up gently, “They just don’t know any better.”
Dan sighed, then looked over at his fellow lycan for a moment.
“Can you hold my arms above my head?” he asked.
For a moment, the woman looked startled, then complied. To the astonishment of everyone in the room, the elf began to bend and twist, curling himself around into a little ball. Straining and contorting gracefully, the elf seemed to bend in on himself. Marissa held the young elf aloft effortlessly with one arm, watching the show with growing amusement. Then, there was a horrid ripping sound, accompanied by a grunt of pain, and the lycan unfolded himself again. The women gasped, as they saw what had happened.
In his teeth, Danthias was holding what looked like a set of lock picks, package and all. The wrapping was slightly covered in gore and the girls could see why. Somewhat high on the front of the man’s left forearm was a tear. They could see a small, jagged wound, now beginning to close, blood still slightly seeping. He gave a quick nod to Marissa, who set him down, and the man began to twist and bend again. How he managed it, the girls never knew but, moments later, the lycan was standing, holding both sets of manacles in his hands. The lock picks, he set under his tongue to cleanse them and gave the women a wink.
“That’s much better,” he commented, “There isn’t a cell or lock built that can hold me for long if I don’t wish to be held.”
Sarah laughed, thinking how much the lycan reminded her of her sister at that moment, then looked over at Danthias,
“Are you willing to talk to us about what happened now?”
Dan nodded, smiled, and plopped down in one of the chairs. All in all, Dan’s story took almost no time at all to tell. When it was over, the lawyer was grinning ear to ear, absolutely certain that he could get a settlement out of the whole thing. He was positive it would never see court.
“What do you usually charge?” Dan asked, curious about Earth currency.
When both the lawyer looked at him astounded and began to protest, the elf shushed him.
“Nothing’s free and you deserve something for your time,” Dan said, “ I meant that no charity thing and, besides, I’m a very generous tipper.”
It took the lawyer searching up the value of gold online for him to figure out roughly what his fees would equate to on Solaris but Danthias eventually had it calculated and considered it chump change for his freedom.
“Soon as I’m out of here, you get paid in full,” he promised.
“Are you willing to talk to the police now?" Sarah asked, smiling.
“You say these officers can be trusted and I believe you,” Dan said, “It sounds like they’ve gone to a lot of trouble to try and protect my rights so, yes, I suppose I should talk to them.”
As Sarah went to inform O’Brian that he and the others could return, Dan looked over at Alex and Marissa.
“Can I stay like this or should I put the chains back on?” he asked.
“Sad to say but Ah think y’all should put ‘em back on f’now,” Alex said.
“Then, would you do the honors?” Dan asked, holding out the manacles to her in one hand and his lock picks in the other.
Alex grinned and snapped the manacles back into place, then washed the lock picks and wiped them clean, stowing them in her back pocket.
“I’ll have to retrieve those later,” Dan remarked offhand, giving Al a devilish smile that made her blush.
“Maybe if y’all’re really nice,” Al replied and mentally cursed herself for not thinking before flirting.
Danthias just grinned, seeming to see and sense her inner turmoil.
“Then I’ll be very good,” he promised, flashing her a wink.
Again, Al blushed, only covering it up just in time to avoid Landen and O’Brian seeing it. Even so, she cursed the elf’s silver tongue and his soft, masculine chuckle seemed to vibrate all the way down her spine.
It took Danthias very little time to relay everything he had said to the two officers. At first, they were reluctant to believe but then, Marissa stepped forward.
“He’s not lying,” she said, “He doesn’t smell human and it isn’t just the lycan part of him. I just couldn’t figure it out ‘cause I’ve never smelled an elf before.”
“That potion did heal him,” Sarah pointed out.
O'Brian nodded, then motioned at the necklace that Dan had taken such pains to get returned to him.
"What's that?"
"A safety precaution," Sarah Lee piped up, "Nothing more."
His eyebrows raised some but after a few more moments of deliberating, O’Brian finally said,
“Alright, let’s go talk to Ewald an’ Russell. It’s time we broke those little punks, once and for all.”
Landen grinned and, for once, O’Brian joined him. With a solemn nod to the Sirens and Charlie, their prisoner in tow, the officers prepared to face down their rivals. They would find out what was going on and nothing would stand in their way.