Chapter 5

Monday Morning Breakfast.

“Cindy is a real treasure chest” Karen thought to herself. The discussion with her last night had lasted well into the evening, almost to midnight, and had uncovered an enormous amount of information about Clan Lambert. The woman had no filters. Once you were in Clan Lambert, you got access to everything she knew. Or thought. Or believed.

The total of six years of conversation with everyone in Clan Lambert, plus the unimpeded communication with Fae, wizards and a couple of ordinary people trapped in crystals in the “Palace” had created a massive storehouse of magical knowledge. This was the nightmare of ethical scientists around the world. Karen could imagine the bible pounders and Koran thumpers around the world demanding the end of this “Travesty of Life”. And Hanks project “Rebirth” would be shut down in biblical America with a resounding BOOM. She could not help but be reminded of a “Twilight Zone” Episode where people were trapped in a machine. Only here, it was each individual trapped in a machine and all of them networked both internally and (through magic) externally.

“And I thought that Dragons were a big thing. This Palace would turn the world on it’s ear, if it were to be known.” Karen thought to herself. This was definitely not something to casually mention to William Webster. He would need a lot of prepping before the curtain came up on this.

The history lesson provided amazing insight into Hank’s mind. “I tuck him in each night and wake him up each morning. We never sleep in the Crystals, so I can run a lot of stuff while everyone else is asleep. I could probably test out of half a dozen degrees right now.” Cindy cheerfully said. “And some of the Runes work on the expression of our minds here, which means we can read, write, and test things for probable results inside of here before they get passed out. Your bracelet was one we had worked on. We never expected it to end up on a Power Mage. Or another Power Wizard. I’m going to have to have a couple of elves and dwarves go back over the original designs to see what happened here.”

Karen thought she could see Cindy in her mind’s eye as a bright, talkative, cheerleader type who happened to be carrying an IQ of over two hundred. And working in a concert with Elves, Dwarves, Orcs, Ogers, and human Wizards and Mages, she had turned tragic circumstances in to at least some measure of victory.

“Want to know something I have not really shared with Hank? In my body I was not magically capable. I would be a battery at best. In here, I am able to simulate any wizard type. Fire, Water, Air, Earth, or Power. I have it all. And boy is it fun to test and then ship out to the school.”

And the history of how each of the captives had been ripped and encased in the individual crystals and then set in a cigar box on a shelf was a horror that surpassed any idea of prison that Karen could imagine. The same treatment for Karudorich (the half breed that did it to most of them here) was everyone’s “Movie Night” Special. The crystal recording of his rip and burn to ash was a favorite for everyone.

“I thought that this sort of film needed popcorn.” Cindy said. “I put my memories of that snack food into a rune expression for a spell and we shared it. It became the most popular snack in here. And it got Ariel to think about the meals she had made and had made for her when she was a Princess of the Elves. Next thing you know, we had a seven-hundred-year cookbook. For everything and anything under the sun.”

Karen was reeling from the memory of this exchange as she went through breakfast. And one of the things she had gotten out of the conversation was a four-dimensional image of Hank Lambert, Leader, Wizard, and young man. Cindy’s parting words last night hung on her mind. “Hank hasn’t been laid really well and frequently in over seven years. Do me a favor and wear the boy out some, will you? He needs it. And he needs someone besides a mental reminder of someone who was taken from him. He deserves better. And we will all be out of here someday. Keep him warm until then, will you?”

Karen thought that the kid was attractive. But she wasn’t sure if he was a good match. “Time will tell, I guess” she thought to herself as she finished her breakfast and went to get dressed for her meeting.

Monday Morning Meeting.

William webster didn’t know how Karen Pullman knew his time was open at ten o’clock. Nor did he know how it was filled in to a confirmed appointment, with the tagline “no calls or other interruptions before eleven”. He hadn’t written it. His secretary hadn’t written it. And it appeared Monday morning when she opened his appointment book. And the same notice appeared in his appointment book. And beside it in his was a notation to bill “Hank Lambert, LLC” directly. And a new client number to charge the time against.

“Well, this is interesting. I wonder what they will do with the invoice?” He thought to himself. “Should I bill them for last week’s investigations? No, probably not”

When the young woman and the little angelic girl appeared at ten o’clock, he wasn’t surprised. Karen had a reputation for being on time. And the Versace suit and slacks and shoes were not out of order for “K” street. Karen looked like she belonged behind his desk, not in front of it.

“Lynda giving you clothing advice?” William asked as an opener.

“Nope. I’m getting it from an apprentice of Chanel who is now in Augusta. She insists that men take women who dress for business more seriously.”

“Well, she has serious taste. That Versace suit is not off the rack, is it?”

“Why, Mr. Webster, you do know clothes.”

“I also pay the bills for my wife. You seem to have come up in the world.”

“Yes, I have. I have my letter of resignation here for you from Milbank, Tweed, Hadley & McCloy. And also, a check from Hank Lambert LLC to cover five five sessions. Last weeks and todays and three more. Fifty Thousand dollars should cover any usual and normal services for this time period. Now what would YOU like to talk about?”

Webster had been around government for a long time. And in legal practice for even longer. This however was clearly an example of Chutzpah that he had never seen before. “Is this an attempt to bribe me?” Webster asked, becoming indignant.

“NO. I am asking no service beyond confidentiality. A Lawyer Client relationship with no limitation on any questions you care to ask about Clan Lambert and all of it’s associated people with the understanding that all of your interrogatories are within the realm of the recognized client, attorney relationship. You can ask any question, I will answer it honestly, with the understanding that those answers and questions do not leave this room.”

“I don’t suborn illegal activity in any agency or company.”

“We totally agree. And we understand that IF you feel that we are acting in violation of the law, that you will want to hold us accountable.”

“You are using We and Us in your language, Karen. I take it that something has changed?”

“Is that the question you want answered? Yes. Something has changed. Remember last weekend?”

“Yes, I do. By the way, the Polycom and the recorder were almost three thousand dollars.”

“Send a bill to Natalie. And will pay for the first one of anything incidently damaged. Like the microphones on the front of your bookcase.” Karen said.

“That’s nice of you. So, what has changed?” William asked.

“I have. I took your advice and tried to do the cold call strategy on Lambert, and I got caught up in it. Nothing illegal. Nothing immoral. Nothing unethical. But it redefined myself, my relationships, and what I was looking for in life. And what I remembered about you is that you want answers, and that you will not stop looking until you get those. And that once you find those answers, you measure them against your personal structure of ethics and integrity and determine the action. You have high standards of Accountability. And that makes you dangerous if you don’t have complete and honest information. But you also realize that complete and honest information does not necessarily need to be public information. That private information that does no harm to others does not need to cease to be private.”

“We agree. There is nothing to be gained by publication of spurious private information that has no relevance to the subject at hand.” William agreed.

“So, we come now to the question of Relevance. Is it relevant that Lambert LLC is a company of Witches, Mages and Wizards, and has in its active inventory Dragons, Dragonets, Gargoyles, Sprites, and other creatures that are often talked about only as Fantasies? Is it relevant that they have acquired wealth, and paid taxes on it, by harmless mining of rivers and streams on public land with no impact on the water or land quality around them? And paid taxes on those results of that mining?”

“What?” Webster asked in shock.

“Is it relevant that the acquisition of this wealth through the construction of and charging of artifacts such as this wristlet of mine is considered private? And that the discussion of these and other elements of MAGIC are being kept private by Lambert LLC, and that we seek to find ways to keep such information out of the public eye? Because it is a private affair?”

“Karen, the potential impact of this is enormous, if it is true.”

“Sure. But what is the relevancy in relationship to life in American today? At what point does this adversely impact the sovereignty, security, or economic livelihood of America? Isn’t someone known for saying “Order protects Liberty, and Liberty protects Order”. Isn’t this a matter of individual liberty acting within public order?”

Karen had just kicked over the biggest stone in William Webster’s wall of honor and integrity. At what point are the actions of an individual adverse to the health of society? And at what point do the talents of an individual have to become public knowledge?

“Ok. You have hit me in my weak spot. So you and this group want me to act as your government counsel. What all does this entail outside of the apparent disappearance of files pertaining to you?”

“William, it’s simple. We are a private company. We have been examined by FBI, IRS and Customs almost weekly. We don’t mind that. There are three women who do nothing but process FRFI’s every day. We don’t want to put them out of work. We process and comply. What we are afraid of is another witch hunt. The likes of Stephenson trying to redact an eighteen-year-old kid because he “Might Know Something”. Which is what we’re looking to head off. We have methods of finding any document or communication that has Hank Lambert, or any subset of that suddenly appear in our office. Just like the stuff that Stephenson sent to you that disappeared. You look at it. And after you have had a chance to look at us, for our behavior and actions, see if it is relevant, and if not, find ways to recommend it be stopped. What we want is an honest, external view of our actions which are outside of the abilities of most Normal people. And an evaluation of what to do to remain inside of a simple but total code of ethics.”

“You are saying that you have a code of ethics, that it complies with the law, and you want harassment to stop.” Webster said.

“Exactly. And we will give you the total truth of our actions, in line with alternatives and consequences, for all of it.

“One hour at a time?” William asked with a laugh.

“No. I’ll give you for your own files here, all of Stephenson’s stuff that we confiscated. You read it, it never leaves here, we do Q&A on it. I am depending on your reputation for integrity.”

“When do we start?”

Karen waved her hand and a small attractive table appeared next to William Webster’s desk. It was styled like his desk. And on top of it and underneath it were three boxes of documents in file folders organized with respect to date and agency. “Here are the total record repositories of all internal and external Lambert documents. From the CIA, FBI and IRS. And Stephenson’s files as well.”

“Karen, I don’t know what to say.”

“Read the documents and next week you can ask questions. Just please, don’t let them leave here.”

“Karen, before you go, what do you think of this Hank Lambert?”

“He is his father’s son. I’ve been working side by side with him for the last week and I pinged him a lot on a lot of subjects. I heard a lot of stories about him growing up and his father and mother. I know that what his father would think is in almost every decision he makes and action he does. Look at his father, I guess. That’s where this man’s integrity comes from.”

And then Karen was gone. And William Webster had some answers. And a lot of reading to do. And on top of the stack of papers, in clear and careful calligraphy, was a document headed “Charter of Clan Lambert, Rules and Code of Ethics.” William read that first. It didn’t take long.

Monday Lunch

“So, how did the meeting go?” Hank asked in the Lounge.

“Good. He’s reading everything I left.”

“Do you think he is ready to get all of the overall picture?” Hank asked.

“Hank, I don’t think I have the overall picture. But so far even the histories I got from Paula, Jeffery, Natalie, Cindy and you tell me that none of the actions and activities were outside of the law with respect to self-defense on your own property. The tomato paste cleanup is funny.”

“It wasn’t at the time. Paula was in a real conflict. She had not been away from slavery for more than two years and was expecting massive blowback. What she got was a cleaning rag. And has been teased ever since.”

“When am I going to get to the Arch Park? I want to meet this Aine person.”

“You will like him. He’s riding herd on seven of his contemporaries right now. And we are trying to find homes for some of them to let them all become groundskeepers.”

“I want to see a healthy dragon. I’ve met enough sick ones. And dragonets too. Hank, cleaning up that place was disgusting. What are we going to do with it?”

“We have some Trolls coming up from Brazil to tear down the walls at the ends of the three tunnels. We start that tomorrow. Want to come with?” Hank asked.