Chapter 7

Romance: Another country heard from:7.

"Medieval Europe?" Sultry asked. "What ever for?"

"It's not really Europe ... it's another planet."

"We'll go!" said the Seven in One, "Hello Sultry, you're looking ... Geese, I almost said Well Fucked." Sultry grinned.

"Didn't Cassie... ?" asked Jack.

"She didn't say we couldn't come back," said the disembodying Powers that Be.

"I distinctly remember her saying..." Jack started but was interrupted.

"She said she hoped she never saw us again," Seven said.

"That's not saying we can't," Six said.

"No," said Four. "Not the same thing at all."

"She heavily hinted that I do my best to avoid..." Jack began.

"We're going!" said Two. "That was the most fun I've had in eons."

Nodding heads.

"WHO IS CASSIE!?" glared Sultry.

"Oops," the hastily recombining Powers said, "Call us." complete with the telephone hand sign. They weren't totally reorganized so there were seven hands holding pretend phones placed to one ear.

"HOLD IT!" shouted Sultry. "NOBODY is going ANYWHERE until SOMEBODY tells ME Who Cassie is! Got it?"

"Yesm," Eight voices ... Jack included. It was supposed to be Yes, Ma'am but people were flustered ... and rushed.

So ... the tale was spun, the ring was shown, Chaos explained, Cassandra's difficulty included.

"WHO ... IS ... CASSIE?!" Sultry shouted again. "Imaginary planets, ancient wars, portals ... that's fine ... but nobody has said who CASSIE IS!!"

"She's Jack's Crossroads Caretaker," Seven spilled the beans.

The hands on hips, direct glare and eyes looking down her nose, Sultry spun and faced Jack, "Caretaker? Just what does a Caretaker do?"

After glancing at Jack to see if he was going to Man Up, Four said smugly, "She takes care of Jackie boy's needs."

Seven slapped him.

"What?"

Jack had the courtesy to blush.

Sultry got this horrified look, "She takes care of ALL your needs?"

Jack turned a lighter shade of pale. His adams apple was swallowing as fast as it could. He was waiting ... waiting for the words he knew were coming. They did.

The voice was nonchalant, her expression mild ... except it didn't make the eyes. Sultry said, "Is she pretty? Pretty was drawn out so Jack could hear each consonant and vowel.

"Yes,"

"Is she prettier than me?"

"Apples to oranges, Sultry."

"WHAT DOES THAT MEAN?"

"You're the most beautiful girl on earth."

"Good save."

"She's unbelievable ... and she's nowhere as pretty as the Damsels."

Bad move, Charley Brown.

"Who are the Damsels?"

And that entailed another lengthy explanation. Jack faltered when the tale reached the REWARD part.

The Powers filled her in.

Sultry took off. Before she went she said, "You better be here when I get back." The Seven got a very pointed look.

She came back while Seven was telling Four what kind and how many idiots he represented.

"You know ... SOMEBODY in Atlanta ought to be able to sell me a gun." Sultry said, "But everybody said I looked too upset." She turned to the Powers, "Do I look upset?"

They nodded.

"Do I look upset?" she asked Jack.