Chapter Twenty Two
The next morning, the whole group rose bright and early. After eating food supplied by the ranger, they followed Shikatsu across town to meet with the old acquaintance of Jea's.
He led them to the wealthy district of town where all the merchant princes resided. He stopped at the door of a good sized mansion, rapping on the door loudly.
Laguna suppressed a chuckle as the door opened to reveal an amusing fact- elven butlers are the same the world over.
The man that answered the door could have been the twin brother of Baron Chamberpot's butler. He stared haughtily down at them, sneering in distasteful contempt as he let them in.
"Please follow me. My lady has been expecting your arrival." The pompous ass led them to a room on the third floor, explaining, "My lady will be with you shortly. Wait here." And with look that screamed "Don't touch anything," he swirled out.
Jea, not about to stand on ceremony, flopped back into an overstuffed armchair, motioning for everyone to get themselves comfy. "This might take a while, folks."
Shik was half a second behind her in settling himself, and Ambermist wasted no time in finding a comfortable seat. Dumbugg grunted and dropped to the floor right where he stood. Laguna on the other hand, moved to stand next to Jea's chair protectively.
They only had to wait about 15 minutes. The door opened and three people entered the room. One was a well dressed elven woman in expensive silks and lots of jewelry. One, a bodyguard, settled against the far wall. The last was a knight of Greyhawk. The lady and the knight strode over to them.
The elven woman's face broke into a broad smile and she tried to hug Jea. "Oh, Jea! I'm so glad you're here!" she bubbled happily. "It's so good to see you again! How have you been? We really REALLY need your help!"
Jea squirmed out of the hug. "Hello, Natasha. What is it you need?" she asked, her voice unemotional.
Natasha took a deep breath and began, "Well, it started about six months ago. Ya know the old Doomgrinder shell? Well, we turned it into various sized apartments for people and rented them out. We used all the levels except the bottom two.
"Anyway, about six months ago, people started disappearing in the lower levels of Doomgrinder-tenants, worker teams, even children and street bums.
"So far we haven't been able to locate the source. Everyone we send to investigate never returns."
Jea raised an eyebrow, intrigued as to why they needed her. "Yeah, so? Like I care? What did you call me here for? What do you need?"
The knight spoke. "Natasha suggested to the king that perhaps you, who she knew from years before, could get in to investigate and get back out alive to give us a report-"
"Please, Jea?!" Natasha pleaded. "We need your help! You're the only person who I know that can do this! After what you and Shik escaped in the Under-"
Shikatsu had risen to his feet and whispered urgently in Natasha's ear. She looked apologetically at the ranger. "Oh, Jea, I'm so sorry! If I had known you still had nightmares about that I never would have asked. Perhaps we can find someone else to-"
Jea stood up and cut her off, honor and pride overriding fear. "I'll do it. Just give me a day to prepare, and I'll do it."
Laguna put a caring hand on her shoulder. "I'm going with you," he stated in a tone that held no room for argument. He was not about to let his friend and lover go traipsing off into danger by herself.
Jea smiled gratefully at Laguna, mouthing a thank you. The knight looked at Laguna. "You do your order justice, young paladin. Perhaps when your mission is concluded, you will come to the palace to present yourself to His Majesty."
Laguna nodded and before he could open his mouth, Ambermist and Dumbugg spoke up. "We'll go."
Jea smiled at her friends, her heart light once more. "Fine. Give me tomorrow to prepare and we'll go. If there's nothing else?"
Natasha nodded. "Feel free to leave. And thank you, Jea."
The group bounded down the stairs to the main floor, Ambermist and Shik pocketing items as they went. The butler opened the door for them, making a face at Ambermist as she walked out. When she casually flipped him off, he slammed the door in her face-only to have it rebound off her strategically placed foot to slam into his nose.
Laughing, the group trekked down the street a ways. Laguna turned to Jea. "You said there was a library in this city? Do you think we could go there now?"
Glancing at the sky, she replied, "Sure. It's still early. Hey! Shik!"
When the assassin looked at her, she said, "Laguna and I are going to the library. We'll be back later!" Then, motioning to Laguna, they split off from the group, heading for the largest building in Greyhawk.
The next morning, the whole group rose bright and early. After eating food supplied by the ranger, they followed Shikatsu across town to meet with the old acquaintance of Jea's.
He led them to the wealthy district of town where all the merchant princes resided. He stopped at the door of a good sized mansion, rapping on the door loudly.
Laguna suppressed a chuckle as the door opened to reveal an amusing fact- elven butlers are the same the world over.
The man that answered the door could have been the twin brother of Baron Chamberpot's butler. He stared haughtily down at them, sneering in distasteful contempt as he let them in.
"Please follow me. My lady has been expecting your arrival." The pompous ass led them to a room on the third floor, explaining, "My lady will be with you shortly. Wait here." And with look that screamed "Don't touch anything," he swirled out.
Jea, not about to stand on ceremony, flopped back into an overstuffed armchair, motioning for everyone to get themselves comfy. "This might take a while, folks."
Shik was half a second behind her in settling himself, and Ambermist wasted no time in finding a comfortable seat. Dumbugg grunted and dropped to the floor right where he stood. Laguna on the other hand, moved to stand next to Jea's chair protectively.
They only had to wait about 15 minutes. The door opened and three people entered the room. One was a well dressed elven woman in expensive silks and lots of jewelry. One, a bodyguard, settled against the far wall. The last was a knight of Greyhawk. The lady and the knight strode over to them.
The elven woman's face broke into a broad smile and she tried to hug Jea. "Oh, Jea! I'm so glad you're here!" she bubbled happily. "It's so good to see you again! How have you been? We really REALLY need your help!"
Jea squirmed out of the hug. "Hello, Natasha. What is it you need?" she asked, her voice unemotional.
Natasha took a deep breath and began, "Well, it started about six months ago. Ya know the old Doomgrinder shell? Well, we turned it into various sized apartments for people and rented them out. We used all the levels except the bottom two.
"Anyway, about six months ago, people started disappearing in the lower levels of Doomgrinder-tenants, worker teams, even children and street bums.
"So far we haven't been able to locate the source. Everyone we send to investigate never returns."
Jea raised an eyebrow, intrigued as to why they needed her. "Yeah, so? Like I care? What did you call me here for? What do you need?"
The knight spoke. "Natasha suggested to the king that perhaps you, who she knew from years before, could get in to investigate and get back out alive to give us a report-"
"Please, Jea?!" Natasha pleaded. "We need your help! You're the only person who I know that can do this! After what you and Shik escaped in the Under-"
Shikatsu had risen to his feet and whispered urgently in Natasha's ear. She looked apologetically at the ranger. "Oh, Jea, I'm so sorry! If I had known you still had nightmares about that I never would have asked. Perhaps we can find someone else to-"
Jea stood up and cut her off, honor and pride overriding fear. "I'll do it. Just give me a day to prepare, and I'll do it."
Laguna put a caring hand on her shoulder. "I'm going with you," he stated in a tone that held no room for argument. He was not about to let his friend and lover go traipsing off into danger by herself.
Jea smiled gratefully at Laguna, mouthing a thank you. The knight looked at Laguna. "You do your order justice, young paladin. Perhaps when your mission is concluded, you will come to the palace to present yourself to His Majesty."
Laguna nodded and before he could open his mouth, Ambermist and Dumbugg spoke up. "We'll go."
Jea smiled at her friends, her heart light once more. "Fine. Give me tomorrow to prepare and we'll go. If there's nothing else?"
Natasha nodded. "Feel free to leave. And thank you, Jea."
The group bounded down the stairs to the main floor, Ambermist and Shik pocketing items as they went. The butler opened the door for them, making a face at Ambermist as she walked out. When she casually flipped him off, he slammed the door in her face-only to have it rebound off her strategically placed foot to slam into his nose.
Laughing, the group trekked down the street a ways. Laguna turned to Jea. "You said there was a library in this city? Do you think we could go there now?"
Glancing at the sky, she replied, "Sure. It's still early. Hey! Shik!"
When the assassin looked at her, she said, "Laguna and I are going to the library. We'll be back later!" Then, motioning to Laguna, they split off from the group, heading for the largest building in Greyhawk.