The venue and its surroundings were nothing like the rest of the city. Where the other streets had been utterly sundered and filled with throngs of human masses wallowing in their misery, the streets of the downtown proper were more or less pristine. Or at least on par, if not slightly better than those of Toronto.
The businesses here were not run down. The paint on their walls was not flaking off and coming apart. Their windows were not re-enforced with iron or steel bars. Nor had the windows been replaced with cardboard or layers of woods nailed together.
‘Though those windows do look rather thick.’ I mused. ‘Probably bullet-proof glass. Or whatever the better variant of bullet-proof glass is.’
Even the street-facing walls were suspiciously bereft of graffiti. To the point where they looked much nicer and cleaner than those of the neighborhood I had grown up in.
However, a closer inspection yielded more information.
Many of those clean walls appeared as though they had been recently repainted. Some sporting the tell-tale signs of having been painted over more than once in short order. The street corners too seemed to have been recently cleaned up. The base of the light posts still sporting yellow-brown stains that screamed of leaky plastic bags overflowing with all kinds of refuse.
Case in point, I did not fail to notice a few rats wandering around those places. Noses sniffing the ground as if they were outraged that someone had taken their homes and late dinners.
“I guess the city’s trying to draw in more business.” I commented.
“Honestly, it’s all they can do.” Carlyle answered. “Things are bad everywhere, but they are much, much worse here. The city was already struggling before, but the crisis came like a kick in the teeth. This conference wasn’t even going to happen for another few months. But the mayor was tripping over herself in order to get us in and talking about expanding the local agricultural sector. She’s hoping a renewal will bring a few factories back or otherwise propel local businesses up in profits and facilitate their expansion. She’s not wrong to think that and it is what I had in mind too. But she’s hoping that me and a bunch of other rich tycoons are going to invest heavily in this one city. She is in for a rather big disappointment as far as our goals are concerned. I’ll be expanding our businesses all over the globe. Not just here in the states. There’s simply too much to do and not enough manpower to keep the operations running.”
He went quiet for a second.
“That and we REALLY need more food. I know you said you wouldn’t do the mitosis thing and make more of you and I know one of your new siblings is already helping and I can respect the apprehension you have. I won’t push it.”
He paused again.
“But we REALLY need more food. It’s better than the last time, but that’s not saying much. It’s like saying that things aren’t so bad because When the price of food goes up, everybody suffers. When the food isn’t there, it doesn’t matter how much money you’ve got.”
“I don’t know about that pops.” James interrupted. “The people lining up over there sure look happy.”
He was right. Those people walking freely past the police barricades were moving about without a care in the world. Their faces glistening and shining. Their smiles wide and endearing as they strolled about in pristine trendy clothes.
If these guys had been rendered addicts by some manner of interaction with my Magic, then they weren’t showing it. Matter of fact, everything they were showing suggested that they were having the time of their lives. Like this place was a fairytale castle in the sky where all their problems could be dropped off at the front door.
That impression only grew more and more pronounced when Carlyle slowed the car down and brought it to a stop in front of the hilariously opulent carpet that had been laid down on the sidewalk.
'To better hide all those nasty stains on the pavement no doubt.'
Regardless of the reason, the old man soon handed off the keys to one of many valets out there and then another staff member led us inside.
Nobody had stopped to introduce us, but I soon noticed that nobody had to. All the onlooker's eyes had been glued to our group of four the second our car came to a stop and those very same eyes now tracked us as we passed the double doors.
Some were sparing a few glances towards Elsie. A few more were stopping briefly to gape and gawk at the size of my body. Most were not concerned with us however.
It was clear from the get-go that the two older men had drawn the most attention, as the many people crowding in and around the buildings stared at them. In the same manner that a bunch of vultures would stare at an obese water buffalo after it got a bit too lost for its own good.
I had expected reporters to come dashing in then. Kind of like how they swarmed over celebrities and politicians in movies.
No such thing happened.
We were not accosted in the hotel's lobby. Nor were we bothered as we waltzed right past the doors leading to the venue hall. Which was weird, because it looked to me like the party had already started.
Again, I'd half expected one of the overly-dressed staff to cough politely and inform the older gentlemen that the party was this way and not where we were going.
And again, no such thing happened. The staff there merely nodded graciously and regaled us with practiced smiles as they showed us to the reception desk.
'Oh my goodness. This is sooo weird.' I cringed internally.
'How so?' Pool Cecil asked.
'I... I don't know how to put it into words. It feels like I'm bothering all these people when they all gather around and fuss all over me. It... I don't know man. It feels fake and wrong. Like... I know this is their job and all but I really can't help but think I'm coming across as rude when they put on so much effort to pretend like we're the most important people in the room. I don't want to be guided around. It feels weird. Like, I get cleaning rooms and all but I don't need people constantly fussing over me. Does that make sense?'
If you spot this story on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.
'No.' Pool Cecil replied curtly. 'This is how we should be treated all the time. Because we are the most important people in the room. By far. The two older men might be stronger. For now. But that will not be the case forever. I do admit that their mind-blending Skill is formidable. But that doesn't dimmish the fact that this thrice-dammed stone hive is still standing thanks to us. Thanks to our services. Thanks to our awesome might.'
He seemed to get more and more fired up the more he talked.
'I know you have sensed it already. Past the doors we skipped. The signals in that chamber are of the food we grew. The food that our Magic produced for their consumption. To keep them fed and happy and useful. We are being treated like we are better because we are better. The strong will do what they will and the weak will endure what they must. It is the way of things. It has always been the way of things. Tigers do not concern themselves with the opinions of rabbits. Neither should you be concerned about their opinions. They will either do their job and obtain payment or they will not and obtain nothing. What matters beyond that is not your concern. Be proud of what we've done for once and revel in the glory. Let yourself be pampered. Let yourself be worshipped. It is only natural that these Core-less fools should know their place.'
Great.
'I wonder if Julian's therapist is open to new clients?'
Something to consider.
The workers behind the reception desk were, if anything, twice as obnoxiously polite as all the other workers. I stood there next to Elsie and watched as the two older men got their rears kissed and their boots licked to the point where both spots should have been shining. And then I had to sit through two solid minutes of both men acting all humbled while also somehow managing to come across as pretentious knobheads.
Kind of like them saying things like: "No! No! Please don't treat me like my farts smell like roses! Even though they absolutely do! Please don't act like I'm better than you! I mean... I am. But I'm not THAT much better. Oh who are we kidding. Of course we're that much better! Hiuck! Hiuck! Hiuck!"
Mercifully, it all came to an end. So that we were finally able to go up to our rooms.
The four of us entered the elevator as one big block and waited. My mind already wandering when Elsie poked me in the side.
"They've bugged our rooms." She whispered in my ear.
My eyes went wide.
"Don't do or say anything out of the ordinary." Her grandfather whispered afterwards. "It's nothing to be alarmed about. Just a few old competitors getting their claws into some of the new staff. Probably just looking for insider information or blackmail material. Same old same old. There are legitimate cameras here so just act normal and don't say anything."
I clamped my mouth shut. Already cursing the fact that I was the only one here who couldn't read minds.
I quickly strangled Pool Cecil's errant whispers and allowed the three into my head.
'Why didn't any of you tell me this would happen!?' I thought in the most aggressive tone I could think up.
'They usually don't go this far in public spaces.' Carlyle's thoughts streamed in. 'Not in high-class hotels and venues at least. Too many important people from all walks of life come here and not all of them are harmless. Or forgiving for that matter. Ambitious staff members up and disappearing in sudden and mysterious circumstances isn't something that happens often. But it is something that happens.'
He must have read my suspicious right as I was forming them because he followed up without missing a beat.
'And no. I haven't had anyone killed or disappeared for trying to spy on me Cecil. Not in like, three decades. And not outside Brazil. Honestly. Who do you think I am?'
I re-summoned Pool-Cecil into my mind because I decided I'd rather not have those opinions read.
The other two took the hint as well and we ended up riding the elevator in silence all the way to our floor.
Once we got there, I found that each of us had been given their own rooms. With mine being just as nice as everyone else's. Which meant that it held the kind of opulence that would leave French aristocrats short a head or two back in the day.
The bed was massive for once. As was the TV. The bathroom was ample, with a wide tub and tiles hat shone like diamonds. Not only that, but the bathroom also had its own TV. Almost as huge as the one in the room.
The rug too felt like stepping on a cloud, while the sheets smelled like actual gardens with how perfumed they were.
Too bad I couldn't enjoy any of it because of the whole spying thing.
Instead, I went through the motions we'd discussed on the way here. Taking my suit off in the bathroom and taking a long hot bath. Then following that up by putting on some fancy cologne and putting on a different, much nicer suit I'd been carrying in a luggage bag. Apparently to give the impression that we'd been on the road for hours and that all of us needed to freshen up.
Now, this was where I was supposed to kill some time before we all went down together. Maybe by taking a quick power-nap.
Sadly, sleep was the furthest thing from my mind at the moment and it wasn't like I needed to sleep in any case.
So, I picked up the remote and turned on the really-too-big TV.
"And now we come to you live from Blackhill Detroit. Where a group of concerned citizens claimed they saw a coven of witches being carjacked and mugged. The witnesses claim that they saw the witches casting a spell at their attackers. After their car mysteriously pulled up from nowhere. I'm Jane Holland and this is the Channel 6 news."
The Channel 6 news logo flashed on the screen with a flourish. The 3-d Icon moving across a panoramic scene of the city.
"Hello Mr... um..."
"Slitpipes." The one-eyed, toothless man spoke. "Slitpipes McGee is the name. Been in and outa prison seven times in the last two years and I've seen all kinds of holabaloo and witchery! Yes I have sir, yes sireee! Ya'll should run when you see Slitpipes McGee! Coming fer yee!"
"I see. And what did you witness here tonight Mr. McGee?"
The man smacked his lips together to make a wet, pulping sound.
"It was terrible! Terrible! Those poor fools showed up on this really nice car! And I mean REALLY nice car! Like the ones ma grandpappy used to drive in them fancy races! Not like them Nascar and such mind you. Ma grandpappy drove in them really, really, really fancy races. In places with trees and such! I think it must have been a 1962 Shelby Cobra. If my eyes don't lie. But I admit, it was dark out there in them streets. What with all them lights having been shot out last week when the Dry Bandits shot that kid who set them on fire. So I could have been wrong."
He started shivering for a brief second. Then he turned to the side and inhaled something off-screen.
When he came back into focus, his eyes were raw and red and bloodshot.
"Anyways. I was going over my horoscope when I saw them. Like poof! Out of nowhere. I gots no idea where them fancy folks came from or where they'd been before showing up. Like poof! The car was just there! And I knew them right there was trouble or my name ain't Slitpipes McGee! Coming fer yee!"
I blinked. Many times in quick succession.
"Anyways. I was doing a little bit of baby carrots, the good quality kind, and seeing them folks getting carjacked. When all of the sudden, BAM! There it was! Witchycraft! The biggun used a spell to make roaches rain out of thin air! And then he threw them spell right there and drowned those kids in them roaches! Yes he did! Or my name ain't Slitpipes McGee! Coming fer yee!"
"I see. And did anyone else see this incident Mr. McGee?"
"Nope." The old man shook his head. "It was real dark out and folks around here don't help each other like they used to. People get scared you know? No one took them pictures and no one called them pi... I mean them cops. Not a damn one. And when I started telling people what happened, they started calling me crazy! Imagine that!"
"But you did say there were multiple witnesses, right Mr. McGee?"
"That's right! Ma old pal Cindy! She's a rescue! And I love her like no one else in the world!" He turned to a surprisingly well-fed German shepherd next to him.
"Tell them what you saw Cindy!"
Cindy wagged her tail. Looking very happy to be there.
"I see." The reporter said dryly. Then, with a practiced ease, she turned to the camera.
"And there you have it folks. Local man uses too many substances and begins to hallucinate magic. Will he ever recover? Will the police waste resources on this case when there is a serial killer on the loose? Will social services take his dog? More on this story later tonight on Channel 6 News."