Chapter 14

Monday 8:10 A. M. Angelo's Alleyway, A.K.A. 'The Nexus'

"MIKE! What the heck am I going to do? I know nothing about parenting human children, much less, Dragons," Rick practically screamed.

"Well, you're off to a fine start. You're worried about everything, and I 'm sure that's one of the prerequisites. Tell you what though. Here's another trick you can do with shields." So saying Mike created a shield shell on top of Angelo's building with a two way door and spell of invisibility built in. This shell conveniently wrapped around the middle section of the oven exhaust vent to keep 'baby' warm at night. "Just use a bit of caution about where you erect these," Mike added, "they tend to last forever."

He then said, "Oh, there is one more thing you can learn quickly."

Picking up a whole 'Bolo' Mike said, "Now, look at this the same way you 'looked' at the apple I made in Lake's Edge."

To Rick's surprise, the 'Bolo' became a woven cloth of rainbows, and opening his eye's he saw Mike grinning at him.

"OK, you 'saw' how it was 'made'. Now, hold out your hand and reproduce that same 'cloth', in your hand," Mike stated.

Rick closed his eyes and concentrated on his hand. Again to his surprise, 'rainbows' began coalescing and, reopening his eye's, he found a 'Bolo' sitting there. "Holy Smokes!" he shouted.

Mike just grinned, and said, "Anything you look at like that, you can reproduce. Oh, and unlike the Clan Elven versions of 'made' things; whatever you 'make' will be very real on the visual level too. Try a bite. I predict a drastic reduction in your grocery bills."

About this time, Stan, who'd been 'peeking' over Rick's shoulder, said, "Sweet, I just got a thirty percent pay raise. Not even my kids can scarf down that much stuff!"

Right after this, Margarethe came back out and, with the disapproval all married women have for bachelor fathers, walked up to Rick, and said, "Hey compadre. Who you got to watch the Muchacha Bebe when you go to work? We could help you know."

Rick, with a nodding head, just smiled while mentally pumping a fist in the air, and his mind screaming, 'THANK YOU GOD!'

'Baby' looked up at this outburst, and mentally sent, 'Dad, keep it down, OK?' then happily went back to slurping and purring.

Monday 2:35 P. M. Chicago City Hall, Office of Henry Davidson

'Oh Lord. What a marvelous Monday it had been so far, ' Henry thought. While mentally reviewing the pruning marks on his department, 'Got rid of that bastard Anderson and seven other nepotistic bloodsuckers and with the best still yet to come.'

As this thought concluded the intercom buzzed, and Alice said, "Mr. Donaldson, Mr. Silvis is here for his appointment.

"Wonderful Alice, send him right in," came the reply.

Turning to Arthur Alice said, with a smile, "Mr. Donaldson will see you now, Mr. Silvis."

Walking toward Donaldson's door, Arthur thought, 'One day running my own section and I'm already recognized by the department head. What else can I get done around here?'

As he entered Henry's office, the great man himself got up and came around his desk. Gripping Arthur's hand and beaming at him, Henry said, "Arthur, how wonderful to meet you at last. I can hardly believe the job you did, in only one day, with Special Projects. Why, it just leaves me breathless. Talent like yours is completely wasted down there and I need a good man to head up a brand spanking new department. Are you up to the job?"

"Certainly, Mr. Donaldson, I can do anything I put my mind to." Arthur responded.

"That's what I love to hear, go get'em spirit! Arthur, I'm certain I've picked the right man for the job, congratulations," Henry nearly gushed. "Can you start tomorrow? We need to make sure that place gets shaped up ASAP!"

"Absolutely, Sir, Just point me in the right direction and stand back," Arthur gushed right back.

Gripping Arthur's hand again, Henry said, "Outstanding. Alice will have the address of your new departmental building waiting for you. Again, congratulations son, make us proud."

A few minutes after Arthur had left for his new duties a soft knock on his door sounded.

"Yes?" Henry queried.

Opening the door enough to poke her head in, Alice said, "Sir, I thought you were going to fire that weasel. What's this new department?"

The chuckle that erupted from Henry made Alice worry for a bit. But then he cleared his throat, and said, "Alice, have you ever seen a diagram of the septic and sewer system for the city? You should look at it some time. All the lines flow down to one outlet point and that inevitably gets clogged about, every three days or so. Since our boy has shown himself capable of running a one man department, I thought he'd be perfect for this slot."

Alice's hand flew to her mouth and the, "OH!" that escaped, summed it all up.

The chuckle emanating from Henry's direction morphed into true guffaws at that point.

Monday 5:15 P. M. Hell, Upper Level 1.5

The scratching on Alzor's portal brought his furious thoughts screeching to a halt. "Enter," was the hissed command.

As the portal opened, one of the lower level servants crawled within and immediately prostrated itself.

"Well?" the question flung out.

"My Lord, Izzag has returned," squeaked the messenger.

"Why did Izzag not come in person?" Alzor's honey dripping voice, asked.

"Impossible, My Lord, Izzag is dead. His remains were discovered, near the Nexus portal by advanced scouts. When examined by sensor beings, 'Elven essence' was discovered in abundance. With something else, something 'unknown and new'," the reply squeaked back.

"Thank you so much for that detailed and uplifting report," came Alzor's reply, along with his frog like tongue that engulfed the hapless messenger.

Alzor had never heard the adage, 'Don't Kill the Messenger Bearing Bad News'. But would not have paid it any mind if he had. He had never heard the Kenny Rogers song 'The Gambler', either, and would not have taken the lyrics 'Know When to Fold' to heart anyway.

Megalomania, as is so often the case, just leaves no room for acknowledging anything greater than one's own desires.

"Scouts!" the screaming summons flew.

Monday 5:38 P. M. Elfrealm Lake's Edge

After getting off work for the day, Stan made a bee line for Elfrealm Lake's Edge, while praying that the Dwarven Clan would still be there. As he cleared the portal, he cast about frantically for a second and finally spotted the Camp still nestled in its valley.

While approaching the camp he was met by none other than Galden himself. Bowing, Galden said, "Greetings, My Lord. What brings you to our abode again?"

Clearing his throat, and flushing with embarrassment, Stan stammered, "Well, um, that bath fragrance that Rick and I used yesterday? Is it possible to have any more of it, um, made up as soap bars and bath salts?"

"Of course, My Lord," Galden responded, as a small hill of bath soap and salts in crystal decanters appeared.