Do No Harm, Part Six

18 November 2004

"The problem," I said, laying the book down on the counter, "is that I have no idea what I'm looking for." Sergei was standing on the other side of the counter, looking through a newspaper while Nan counted the money for the day in the back. The shop had closed twenty minutes earlier, but she had invited me to come by and work on 'our project,' as they called it. We were still trying to find Alethea.

"And this girl, she is for sure problem?" he asked.

"I don't know! I mean, maybe? She certainly was when she was trapped at the apartment. But I mean, I still feel like I owe it to her to help, you know?"

"Is good of you. But how long do we give?"

"She waited fifty years for John to turn up. I don't think we can assume she's in a rush now."

"And you are looking where he is?"

"He says he is, but I don't know what he's doing about that." Sergei gave a concerned hum and turned the page of his newspaper. "To be honest, though, I suspect she's still in Chicago. Or nearby."

"Why?"

"It's like...it's almost like a gut feeling, you know? That she's not too far away."

"This is real sense, or worry?"

"I don't know yet."

"And your Mistress? Would she know?"

"She...I haven't seen her all month."

"This is odd?"

​"Yes. I don't know what's going on with that, usually I'd see her at least a few times a week."

"She is busy, maybe?" I gave him a tired look and he laughed.

"I'm concerned it's about John."

"Your little night together?" I nodded. "Is she..." He waved his hand, as if trying to remember the word.

"Jealous?" He nodded and pointed at me. "She hasn't been in the past, but...I don't think she much likes him, personally. But I mean, I had just had a terrible day! I was dealing with some shit, you know? I just...I couldn't do another of her games, not that night. I had to try to get a break, just for one night. Sometimes I wonder if the gods really understand what they're doing to us."

"You trust her, though."

"Well, yeah. Yeah, I do."

"Ever since that statue."

"You know, I've been dreaming about that lately. Probably trying to deal with not getting any summons."

"Maybe. Nan!" She peeked out of the office.

"What?" He yelled back something in Russian and she held up a finger and then went back into the office. He nodded at me, then turned back to watch for her. When she emerged, she had her binder for dream interpretation, and walked straight for the counter.

"Oh, no, that's not necessary," I started, but she waved me off as she set the binder on the counter. Sergei rested his hand on her shoulder as he leaned in and kissed her cheek, then headed off to the office.

"Your magic attunes you to the universe, Jackie; and sometimes when it speaks, only our subconscious can hear it. It's worth the little bit of effort to interrogate our dreams a bit when we're wrestling with a big problem." I sighed, and hesitantly nodded. She was right, I just didn't really want to admit it. She gave a single definitive nod and opened her binder. "Now, darling. Tell me all about it."

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