Episode 2: She's Tougher Than She Looks, Chapter 3

Cassandra was halfway through the second half of the sandwich when the door burst open to admit Jacob, the sound of hurrying footsteps suggesting Jenkins and da Vinci were not far behind. He stopped short at the sight of Cassandra sitting up, sandwich in one hand and mug of coffee in the other. She smiled up at him and he grinned stupidly back.

"Oh, God, they're sickening," Charlene commented quietly from the other side of the room.

"We think we know what happened to Ezekiel!" Jacob blurted out, sitting down on the bed.

"I know what happened," Cassandra told him, at the same time.

"He's in a whole other dimension, that's why we couldn't find him!" Jacob continued, without pausing for breath.

"It's because we were out there at night time," Cassandra continued.

"But this is the best bit," Jacob grinned. "You'll never guess what spirited him away to this place!"

"They're Australian Aboriginal dreamtime spirits called mimis," Cassandra informed him, with an apologetic smile when his jaw dropped. "They're an Australian species of fairy folk."

"You have got to stop doing that to me!" Jacob huffed, deflating slightly. "I still think it's hilarious Jones literally got kidnapped by fairies. Fairies!"

"Fairy folk are not the cheerful, harmless tinkerbells you seem to think them, Mr Stone," sighed Jenkins, catching up. "I'm glad to see you are recovering, Miss Cillian, and taking some nourishment. No, fairies of all types are generally much more formidable than anyone ever thinks them, and the mimi are no exception."

"What exactly are you eating?" Jacob raised an eyebrow at the gradually decreasing sandwich in Cassandra's hand.

"Charlene made me a tuna mayo sandwich," she replied, waving the remains under his nose, "and coffee."

Stone's nose wrinkled. "Hmm. I'll pass, thanks."

"Watch it, cowboy!" Charlene called over. "I may be retired but I can still kick your..."

"As it happens," cut in Jenkins with a sharp look at Charlene, who smirked back unrepentant. "I believe we all have time for something more substantial before we can even attempt to recover Mr Jones. The dimensional door he went through, like so many of its ilk, works best at edges. The edges between two rocks, where it was found, and the edge between night and day, when he found it."

"How long until sunset in Australia?" Charlene asked.

"Three hours, forty two minutes," replied Jenkins. "This may require both of us. Mimi spirits can be highly reluctant to release their captives, and their captives can be equally reluctant to be released."

"What does that mean?" Stone looked round.

"It means that they prey on the emotional insecurities of their victims," supplied da Vinci, who had appeared at a more sedate pace behind Jenkins. "They convince the individual that they would be safer, better off or even just more loved and cared for with them. Oh they seem happy and cheerful enough, but as soon as you try to leave, well..."

The others stared expectantly at the painter. He shrugged expressively, his hands held out palms up.

"You've spent too much time in France," grumbled Jenkins.

"So in less than four hours we have to find a way to get into the mimi dimension, find Ezekiel, persuade him to come with us, and find our way out again?" Cassandra summarised. "And we might have to fight off angry mimis to do so?"

"More or less," nodded Jenkins.

"It's the 'less' part that worries me," added Stone. "The dimensional door only opens at dawn and dusk, and time always travels differently in other dimensions, doesn't it?"

"It does," Jenkins nodded. "That means we'll have to try and get him back here as quickly as you can. I don't know whether time there will run faster or slower, but generally speaking the less of it you spend there the better. If the doorway doesn't open when we get back to it, we'll just have to stay there and keep trying. We can't risk getting lost in there looking for another way out."

"Ah," Charlene nodded. "That's why you need me."

"We can't all go!" Cassandra cried. "What if we get stuck there and there's nobody to tell Flynn and Eve what's going on when they get back?"

"I do believe such newfangled technology as a pen and paper would solve that problem, Miss Cillian," sighed Jenkins. "However, I was not suggesting that we all go. Charlene and I will be needed to help deal with any aggressive responses from the mimis. Mr Stone and yourself will be needed to help track down Mr Jones. Da Vinci can stay."

"I assume you mean 'stay here'," commented Leonardo from the doorway.

"Don't tempt me," growled back Jenkins.

"Either way," cut in Charlene, "We could all do with a hot meal before all this kicks off and I've been meaning to try out that new round the clock Chinese place downtown, so I have two questions. Do we all drive over there and try to spend an hour being normal in public or do we order take out? And who's paying?"

XXXX

Ezekiel sat cross legged in the mouth of the cave. Around him, other thin figures sat, laughing and talking, in a wide circle. Someone somewhere was singing, and in the centre of the circle, a group of figures danced, all hunched over. As they sang and danced, magpies gathered, hopping up to the edge of the circle and into it, paying no heed to the others gathered there. Creatures of all kinds were gathering, all huddled close to the ground, but all drawing closer and closer to the great rock and the cave.

"What are they doing?" Ezekiel asked the eldest.

"They are getting ready to raise the sky," he replied, pointing upwards. "When it is raised high enough, we shall see the sun, and there will be true daylight, and it will be dawn."

"What happens when it gets to night again?" Ezekiel frowned, still confused.

"Then the sky will fall again and you will have been with us for a full day," smiled the eldest.

"Is that important?" Ezekiel asked, with a sinking feeling that he already knew the answer.

"Of course!" The eldest laughed. "For then you will truly become one of us, and shall live as a cherished part of our family forever!"

XXXX

"This is ridiculous," complained da Vinci, dropping his chopsticks in disgust. "How any sane person would have the time to spend learning how to use these infernal instruments is beyond me!"

"Oh, I don't know," smirked Charlene. "I've always found them easy enough to manipulate."

"Why does that not surprise me?" Da Vinci grumbled.

"Tsk, tsk, maestro," she grinned as another king prawn took a flying leap from da Vinci's grasp to the table. "Don't let the chopsticks grind you down."

"Trouble in paradise?" Jenkins enquired, seating himself at the head of the table and looking over to Charlene at his right. She glowered back at him and turned to Cassandra on her other side.

"How are you feeling now?" Charlene asked the redhead. "Better?"

"Much. Thank you," she returned, smiling. "I'm always hungry after..." Cassandra broke off, remembering where she was and glancing around.

"After an 'episode'?" Jenkins supplied.

"I guess," Cassandra shrugged, frowning. "I was hoping that I'd got rid of that word."

"You still might," Jacob smiled, reaching over to take her hand. "Every time you recover faster, don't you?"

"He's right," nodded Jenkins. "You're stronger than you think, and getting stronger still. It'll pass."

Cassandra nodded and looked back down to her meal, taking back her hand to continue eating. She knew Jacob would be sitting there, trying to read her features. Maybe the others would too. Maybe not. Charlene seemed to know what she was thinking half the time already, and usually Jenkins knew the other half. She wondered which of them had worked out just how terrified she was that, no matter how strong she was or might be, it wouldn't be enough to get Ezekiel back. She felt Charlene's hand on her arm and knew the answer.

By the time they returned to the Library, by Jenkins' calculations, they would be heading towards civil twilight in Alice Springs. They headed straight for the door, their plan of attack having been settled in the quietening restaurant. Jenkins checked the door settings and picked up a satchel he had made ready previously. Da Vinci retreated to the far side of the central desk. Jenkins picked up a sword and scabbard and attached them to his belt. The question of necessity died on Stone's lips when he saw Charlene do likewise.

"Colonel Baird usually just brings a gun..." Cassandra muttered.

"I've never trusted bullets much in magical dimensions," shrugged Jenkins, shaking his head.

"Me neither, hasn't stopped me bringing mine," retorted Charlene, flashing a holster and handgun. "Some of us prefer 'as well as' to 'instead of'."

"When did you...?" Cassandra began, pointing at the gun in confusion.

"Oh, honey, I've been doing this job far too long to be caught without any weapons close at hand!" Charlene replied.

"A gun will not work properly in an extra-dimensional space: you know this!" Jenkins hissed. "Ever since we reattached the Library, I've had to remind Colonel Baird of the exact same thing. I did not expect to have to do so with you!"

"Hold your horses, sir knight, I know perfectly well a gun cannot be trusted in the Library. Better than most, believe me," argued Charlene. "I also know that we will be going to another part of this dimension both before and after we steal back our missing thief, and we don't know what kind of trouble we're going to meet there. I think it's safe to assume if we can leave the mimis dimension, they can too."

"True, but..."

"No buts. I have my sword. I have my knife. I will use them first in a fight, especially in the other dimension, but if I really need it, my gun is no use to me sitting in a safe at home."

"Do you always go about armed to the teeth, Charlene?" Cassandra asked as Jenkins gave up and spun the globe.

Charlene gave a dry laugh and turned to her with an odd smirk on her face. "I wasn't always a receptionist, dear."