Chapter 10

Saturday 1:38 A. M. Chicago City Hall

Izzag was enraged, desperate and furious, all at the same time. If Demons had been capable of weeping Izzag would certainly have been floating in a small lake by now.

'Donaldson, you bastard', repeatedly sounded in his mind. He knew Alzor would not wait and also knew that three 'mortal' days, was an 'eternity', to an entity like his master.

'I have to do something, but what?' Izzag's mind screamed. 'Might be able to put The Boss off with some glowing progress report, but you can bet he'd want an apology for not delivering instantly.' His mind shied away from the form that 'Apology' would take while glancing lovingly at his barbed tail. 'The Yakuza were such wussies. Losing a little finger was a piece of cake.'

His mind screamed at him once again, 'Think of something ... you idiot!'

Saturday 1:45 A. M. Around the Environs of Angelo's Bakery

Samron wept inside. 'The Japanese were correct, "Duty was a Mountain"', he thought, as he gazed at the forty casualties of this day's work and tried to take solace in the fierce warrior pride that seemed to be his folks' heritage. Then spotting Lannee as she lay recuperating, his soul wanted to rebel at the cost. His own daughter and only child; what else could the Gods of Faery demand?

Shaking himself from this mood he once again thought of all those that stood to help. He was not sure how Margarethe Catrella had known of his tribe's need, but the usual 'saucer' of milk that night, had become 'two gallons' of cream.

His sending of thanksgiving to the Catrellas should have surrounded them both with a blaze of light almost too bright to view. That is, if they had the senses to be aware of it. But, on the other hand, how had she known? 'Puzzling indeed?' he thought.

Once again his own daughter Lannee took front stage in his thoughts. Though her recovery would be slow, it would also be sure. 'But, if she doesn't knock off this Rambo-ella garbage, I'll tan her back side to the point that she'll think Demons are Warm and Fuzzy.' The Dark humor mixed with gratefulness, bubbled up through Samron's mind.

Then turning his mind to a certain Civil Servant, he thought with glee, 'Oh young human. You are so far up shit creek without a boat, much less, a paddle.'

Saturday 2:05 A. M. Apartment of Rick Fields

'The dreams just kept rolling on and to tell the truth, after everything that happened today, ' Rick thought, 'Lord alone knows where they stop and reality -whatever that is any more - begins. I wonder if the shockwaves ever end. Like the Fairy that's on my windowsill pulling guard duty. It's definitely going to take some real serious mental adjustment to get used to being called Lord by darn near every one of the folk I meet. When I tried offering the windowsill guy some milk or sweets, he takes a knee, for God's sake and proceeds to tell me his duty is to Guard, not Gorge. He won't even tell me his name. Says it's unimportant. When I finally took a Werthers candy out there and dropped it off, I swear the guy looked like he was going to prostrate himself. Finally had to get rough with the little guy and told him to knock off the My Lord crap, just treat me like a friend. You'd have thought I'd raped his Mom he looked so scandalized. Took a whole ten minutes more just to get his name and Aldeen is kind of a neat name too. These guys could sure teach the Japanese about Duty! Oh well, tomorrow's another day. Night Aldeen', Rick sent.

'Pleasant rest to you, My ... er ... Rick, ' came the reply in his head, which was just answered by a chuckle.

Saturday 2:07 A. M. Al and Sarah Olson's Home

Another giggle floated through the wall followed closely by a louder sigh of pleasure. The grin spreading over Ella's face just kept getting bigger. 'They, so deserve this, ' Ella thought, 'besides, Mike was right. Making Sarah's day really is way too much fun.'