* * * EARTH / MOON – JERRY & DAMIEN (FBI) * * *

Jerry was feeling exhausted, he spared Damien a look as his partner stepped through the portal labelled ‘Singapore’. They had been through all the active portals and as far as they could prove, they all went where they claimed.

They had also discovered that as this was the first day of operation the price was heavily discounted. They both felt tired and drained. It was as if the portals cost energy to use. The leaflets provided by the uninterested clerks manning the shops did state that it cost mana to use the portals, and that no one should use more than one pair of portals in an hour. Something they had ignored.

And then there was the fact that the shops accepted any official currency, and were set up to check the official exchange rate. The shops did not make change if paid in a ‘foreign’ currency.

After one last wide eyed look around the room the two agents proceeded through the large archway, this room was somewhat smaller than the portal room and seemed to be set up to be some sort of waiting office with several secure positions to attend the public. It sort of reminded them of a bank. They went to the only manned position. The dog girl cocked her head when they showed up at her window and just waited.

Jerry showed her his badge; Damian did the same, “We would like to speak with Ms Silvestre please.”

“I work for Portals sir, not MagiTech. Let me check.” She then flipped a switch and spoke into a phone. After about five minutes she dropped the phone and flipped the switch again.

“I was told to remind you your agency has no jurisdiction off the Earth. In fact I believe it has none outside the US of A. Please return to the portal room and take the portal that has a flashing amber light over it. You will be met. I do hope one of you can speak French.”

Jerry gave the cheerful looking dog girl a sour look and headed back to the portal room, they took the suggested portal and stumbled at the unexpected gravity. Jerry looked at the impassive looking alien who awaited them. Somehow the lack of expression mandated by the being’s exoskeleton made it seem even more alien. And naturally it addressed them in French.

“Good day, please follow me,” it said as it rather abruptly turned and headed towards a rather normal looking door.

Damien gave a quick translation as they followed, then he added, “We’re in a new dungeon Jerry, we are now in Blue Lagoon.”

Jerry looked at Damien and nodded his understanding even as he looked round, they were in a similar portal room to the one on the moon. It was considerably smaller and the labels, not surprisingly, were all in an unknown script. It bugged Jerry that it looked like the script on the crates they had seen at the adventurer’s guild.

The door opened into a short passage, one wall of which was mostly glass showing an underwater scene. There were a couple of spindly fish swimming past. They seemed to have four pairs of fins and just looked wrong.

After a short trip in a lift they were ushered into a luxurious office. Mary was standing gazing out of the crystal dome that enclosed the room; she seemed to be communing with a pair of dolphins. She turned when they entered; their guide bowed to Mary and said something in a guttural sounding language. She grinned and replied.

Then she turned to them and said, “Welcome to Mars gentlemen. I understand you wanted to see me. What do you guys want anyway?”

Jerry ground his teeth in frustration. He watched the alien move to stand slightly behind and to the side of Mary. “You must see you can’t just open portals between different countries. The US must have control of its borders. And, just what is your relationship with the aliens?”

“Lewis is the one in charge of the Mock Turtle dungeon. I acknowledge he tends to do what I want. The portals are a way of farming mana. The cash is nice too. We’re not stoppin’ you from settin’ up immigration controls. As for the Aliens, they’re good friends.”

“We? Who is we? And how are you here, on Mars?”

Mary grinned, “Why Lewis Carroll an’ me. Who else? As for Mars, it is too dry for my taste but I figure there’s a market for access. Just as soon be shot of it frankly, there’s plenty of better real estate around.”

“Where? Venus is a hellhole and the outer system is too cold?” asked Damien.

Mary laughed. “Didn’t mean the solar system, where did you think the aliens came from anyway? Or the ice skippers out there,” she waved at a school of the strange fishes that seemed to be watching what was happening in the dome.

“But – but the stars are too far. The speed of light—” said Jerry.

“You’re on Mars, how long did it take you to step through the portal?” asked Mary.

Jerry felt as if the breath had been knocked out of him, he looked up at the big teenager and tried to gather his wits. ‘Damn cocksure teenagers, they always seemed to be convinced they know everything. How is she doing these things? We have to control her for her own good.’

* * * MARS – ROY ANDERSON * * *

Roy watched the scene in the glorified office and wondered what the girl was up to. He was still stunned by what had just happened. They had arrived at the shop and one of Mary’s bodyguards had put on a ring and changed into a duplicate of Mary. She had jumped out of the jeep and headed into the shop with one of the leopard girls.

Then they had driven round the back and entered through a loading gate at the back of the shop. They had arrived at a garage on Mars! And they’d been joined by an assortment of vehicles carrying all the bodyguards. They had all been speaking a language he was unable to recognise, and he prided himself on at least recognising the principal languages.

He had been offered another two skill crystals. He now had another headache but now he could speak ‘common trade (Parthia)’; and he was truly scared of the implications of his truth reading ability.

He watched the scene in front of him and it scared him. The two FBI agents hadn’t a clue that part of the room they were in was hidden by an illusion. And that they were being covered by more than a score of heavily armed goons.

The Silverclaw pack scared him, he recognised veterans, and fanatics, and they were both.

‘Damn it, the girl’s playing with the fibs. And how is she controlling this dungeon? And what was it with that job offer?’ wondered Roy as he watched the alien bow to the girl. ‘Mother? Why is an alien calling her mother? Why do all of her followers... yes followers,’ decided Roy, ‘call her mother?’

* * * EARTH – TOD * * *

Tod and Art made their way back to their base. “Well I recon that was Mary. So what’s going on in Florida?” asked Art.

Tod looked at him and made a helpless gesture.

“What’s up Tod? You seem – distracted.”

“Had some unexpected news, and I’m going to have to think about it. I have to talk to the Commander. It’s tricky.”

* * *

Commander Meadows raised an eyebrow and looked at his second, lieutenant Partlow, then they both looked back at Tod. “So when were you planning to let us know about this proto-dungeon business. And that mean Mary’s one too?”

Tod almost slumped. “She was. At least I assume so but it seemed irrelevant.”

“And now you have a month or two of – of mobility? Then you become – what?” asked lt. Anna Partlow somewhat incredulously.

Tod drew in a deep breath, “Then I become a dungeon core and start setting up my dungeon. I have some ideas, but they are vague. I just wasn’t expecting this.”

“Fine. More problems. I’ll take this up the line and we’ll talk again tomorrow. And you’re both sure you spoke with Mary?” asked Meadows.

“Yes sir.”

* * *

Late on the following morning Meadows called Tod into a private conference.

“Sergeant Harmond, I’m sorry to have to tell you that you have been detached from this detail. You are being reassigned and you are to report to Area 51.” Meadows looked defeated somehow, “Good luck Tod. I suspect you’ll need lots of it.”