Freezing Shadows, Chapter 82 (Patreon)

Chapter 82: Chatter

Naturally, I told the rest of the Conclave about the letter, and what was in it. Countess wanted to come with me, but she had been ranked highly enough in the old regime that there were still a few quiet, but substantial, bounties on her if she ever returned to Ola Serin. However, she did promise to speak with her contacts, and ensure that news spread about the threat. And she had a contact who could smuggle a team and their equipment across the border.

The others also promised to reach out, if they had contacts in the area. At the very least, most of them could put in a good word with the local spirits, so that would help. But the biggest help, other than Countess giving us a way into the country, was Huntress. There was a ghoul collective in Oralath, what used to be called Portland, and Huntress promised to put in a good word with them, which could mean some extra muscle, if we needed it.

Which was good, because I had little information on how things had changed in Ola Serin since the revolution. Olassalen (formerly Salem), was near where the family home used to be, according to my implanted memories. Before the revolution, the area was not as industrialized as Oralath, which was the sprawl that had been the ‘tourist’ area of Ola Serin. Olassalen was further into the heart of the country, which meant that there had been more efforts to keep things ‘natural’. Or at least to return things to as natural a state as possible, considering that there were plenty of towns in the area where nature had overrun everything, following a couple disease outbreaks that reduced the local population to about 10% of what pre-Cataclysm Oregon had boasted. Of course, that had made it easy for the elves to move in, and claim Ola Serin as their ‘homeland’.

As I headed back out to my Tsarina, I pulled up the team’s comm channel. I needed to get the others up to speed. I knew they’d be willing to help out, but that didn’t mean I wasn’t going to ask nicely, first.

Iceblade: Is everyone free right now?

Shadowgirl: I just finished a training session with my initiatory group, so I’m good to go.

Sexkitten: Just got off shift at the massage parlor, so I’m free.

Babydoll: Was just doing a tune-up on the vans, to make sure they were ready to roll. I can button it up and be ready in thirty.

Twilight: Stream finished an hour ago. Was just watching some movies.

Berzerker: Finishing my workout now. What’s up, Master?

I grinned as I sealed the ‘cockpit’ of the Tsarina, and drove through the gate. It was good having a reliable team. Especially since he knew they were all good enough that they could punch above their weight class, at least a little.

Iceblade: Everyone get to the warehouse, then, for a meeting. A ‘family friend’ from back before the revolution reached out, using a mantis spirit to drop a message at my initiatory group’s lodge. There are bugs in Ola Serin, and the friend calling for help. Probably a big nest, since they’re calling everyone. The whole family, despite everyone going dark after the revolution.

Babydoll: The friend got one of the mantis types to play messenger?

Iceblade: Friend is a free spirit, formerly an ally spirit for my in-game parents. Goes by Shadowkeeper, though that’s not her real name, obviously. So, she has some pull with the spirit community down there. Heard from the mantids that we were ‘in the know’ about the bugs, so she reached out.

Twilight: You know we’re all in for helping take out some bugs, Master. I’ll have some extra capsule rounds with the insecticide sent over for everyone.

Berzerker: Not saying no, but how we crossing the border? The FAN is between Seattle and Ola Serin, after all, and I’ve heard stories about how ‘enthusiastic’ the border guards still are there.

Iceblade: One of the other members of my group has some smuggling contacts for bulk shipments. The kind that will let a team with their vehicles get into the country. I have other contacts that could help smuggle smaller shipments, but they’re in a go-gang, so aren’t really equipped for helping three vans get across a border.

Sexkitten: Say, Alicia’s nephew was originally from Ola Serin. Maybe we should give her a call?

Iceblade: I’ll handle it. Also going to warn my other contact about the danger. And probably do a jaunt on the astral down to the old homestead to let people know we’re coming.

Babydoll: Right. I’ll start loading the drones and ammo. Good thing we restocked after the last job.

I signed off the group chat, and opened up a line to Alicia. She answered on the second chime. Just like always.

“Icy, another middle of the night call? At least you got in before dinner.” I could hear the playful amusement in her voice. “Don’t tell me you have another lost lamb to find a home for.”

“Nothing of the sort, Alicia. I was just calling to check and see whether your sister and Tyler were still staying with you, or whether they had gone back to Ola Serin.”

The playful tone died instantly. “No, they’ve moved to Seattle for the time being. Sis got a job with the local news as a weather girl, since pretty elves are good for ratings. Tyler’s been in rehab, and is getting some training from some people I know. Discipline to help break the habit, and the conditioning. Probably going to end up a sammie one day. Why?”

“Well, a friend from ‘back in the day’ got in contact with me, about some nasty paracritters in Ola Serin, down in Olassalen. Was just checking to make sure you and yours were out of the line of fire.”

Alicia let out a sigh of relief. “Thanks for the heads up, Icy. I’ve quietly informed all my normal teams about the group Tyler fell in with, but I’ll reach out to some old friends on that side of the border, as well. Spread the word.”

“Just remember to do it quietly. They have pull in the Matrix, remember.”

“Which is why I have a mage friend who can send a message without needing to step foot outside the sprawl.”

“Good woman, Alicia. In other news, I’m going to be heading down south in the next couple days with my team. If you have anything you want to send that way, I’d be glad to make a couple deliveries.”

“Nothing for the trip down, but if you could grab a few ‘souvenirs’ on the way back, that would be appreciated, and properly compensated.”

“Send Twilight a list, and we’ll see what we can get while we’re down there.”

“Will do, Icy. And be careful down there.”

“Always, Alicia.”

The line cut, and I switched to calling up Foxy, my contact with the Blacksuns go-gang. She’d gotten changed up by a freak encounter with a manastorm, becoming a literal foxgirl, but she was still hell on wheels, and knew many of the smuggling routes to Ola Serin.

“Well, well. Icy, it has been a while. Unless you count watching you do those self-defense classes in Olasar for the kids.”

I chuckled at that. I’d spent a few hours a week the last couple weeks helping out a self-defense class run by the Blacksuns as part of their ‘neighborhood watch’ activities. (Netted some extra Karma for it, too.) Foxy was one of the gang leaders that understood that if the gang was seen helping the community, the community was less likely to cause trouble for them. Which meant that they didn’t need to spend as much time clamping down on their territory, and could focus on ensuring other gangs stayed out. Plus, teaching kids to fight just meant they had some potential future recruits who already knew how to handle themselves when they got older.

“Hey Foxy. You know I don’t call you direct if I don’t have something to say. You remember that warning I gave you a few months back, about the not-a-cult?”

“Yeah, and you mentioned the Angels, as well, as I recall. Don’t worry, we’ve been keeping eyes on the Better Days Rehab Center. We can’t stop everyone, but we’ve been making sure no one from Olasar heads over there, and put out a couple warnings with other gangs we’re on friendly enough terms with. Gave the Suns an order to not interfere with the Angels, so long as they don’t interfere with us and got an agreement from them to do the same.”

“That’s great, Foxy. Now, as to why I called, a friend from down south just got in touch with me. Indicating that there is some trouble related to the mystic crap the Brotherhood of Unity is doing. I’m going to be heading down to Olassalen soon. Know getting vehicles and gear across the border isn’t your thing, but I figured I’d reach out, just in case you wanted me to pass on any messages or packages while I was down there, or bring some souvenirs home.”

“Hah! That’d be the reason you got all those hotties following you around, Icy. If I weren’t such a dyke, I’d probably try and make you mine. Though, the missus and I have been talking about maybe finding a donor.”

“Well, I’d be happy to fill both you and the missus up as many times as it takes to give you both a litter of fox pups.”

“Promises, promises, Icy. But no, we don’t need anything from down that way. I will give you a couple numbers, though. People to get in touch with down around Olassalen, and in Oralath. Might be they’ll have some more information for you. Very least, they may be able to provide some extra muscle for whatever is going on down there.”

“Thanks, Foxy. I’ll be sure to give them a call.”

“Anytime, Icy. And don’t worry, we’ll keep those Unity types out of our turf.”

I took a long breath as I cut the connection. Those calls had been the easy ones. Now, I was going to have to do something a lot harder. I set the autopilot, and sent a message to Twilight, telling her that I was going out of body while the car drove. She’d watch over the car while it drove itself. I needed to do a quick jaunt, after all, to make sure my ‘family friend’ knew we were coming.

Settling back in my seat, I projected my consciousness to the astral plane. Movement here was at the speed of thought. It only took me a few moments to dart hundreds of kilometers to the south. I didn’t know exactly where the spirit I was seeking would be, but I figured that starting near the old estate would be the best place to start. Fortunately, the implanted memories meant that I knew where I was going, more or less.

The estate where in-game me had grown up looked just like I ‘remembered’ it, on the astral. The Craftsman-style mansion was large, having ten bedrooms, seven bathrooms, a large sitting area, library, an attached gymnasium, and an underground heated pool. Whether the actual house still looked like that was a question I’d have to ask another time. It could take a lot longer for the echoes of the lives lived in a home to fade than one might expect, even if the home itself no longer stood.

And there were echoes, here, coloring the astral. Memories of happier times, privileged lives uncaring of the cost. In the courtyard out front, I could see the glow of the fountain. A set of four stone statues, each of figures in the nude. I knew that pipes ran up through the stone to carry water, but the astral had echoes of fear and terror embedded into those stones.

I knew why, of course. My ‘father’ had not been lucky enough to get out of the country before things became problematic. My mother had hunted the killers down, and made them into that statue. The Gorgon’s Gaze spell she made was the basis for my own Permafrost spell, except that it permanently turned one to stone. I did not know whether those four figures were still alive, or able to see or sense anything. Hearing what some of the beta players experienced with my Permafrost spell, I could only hope they were dead, for their sakes.

“Ah, Miri. You’ve come.”

The voice that echoed behind me sent a shiver down my spine. As expected of the ally spirit of a woman who followed the Seductress mentor spirit, her voice alone was enough to make men weak in the knees. Turning to look at her, I smiled when I saw she was still wearing that barely-there outfit of a sweater dress that left the back completely bare from just below the neck to the midpoint of her round ass.

“Shadowkeeper, it is good to see you. I got your message, and am bringing reinforcements, though it may take a few days for us to get to you in the physical world.”

“Days is fine,” the pinup model alien chuckled. “But do not wait over long, Miri. I would hate to see you fall before the story begins.”