The Wounded World

A Dialogue of Worlds

The first thing Quin noticed as the world bled into view around them was the smell of dusty books, paper and ink, and brown – as if a smell could also have a colour. Mr. Oliphant's store wasn't dank and moldy like the one in Isabel's castle; it was warm and comforting, even if it was run by a madman. This room didn't have any books in it – it was the meeting room with the table and chairs – but the scent permeated every inch of the place.

"First things first," Quin said, directing his attention towards Mr. Oliphant. "You're going to give back all the books on medicine you took from the people on Path."

Oliphant grumbled and shuffled into the front room of the shop. "I don't have them all, but I'll give you what ones I can," he replied. He began to collect books from various shelves and made a stack on the counter.

"I am going to sneak home and get a clean shirt," John said. "Meet you back here?"

"Two hours." Quin nodded. "Don't get caught."

John slipped out the door of the shop and the little gold bell dinged behind him.

Turning to face the little bookshop owner, Quin straightened his back and broadened his shoulders as much as he could, deliberately increasing his overall level of intimidation. "We will be using your shop to come and go. You will not stop us."

Mr. Oliphant's face contorted, twisting as he seemed to shrink. "Of course not," he whispered.

"If you see my father, as I'm sure you will, you lying sneak, tell him that we will find him and he will wish we hadn't." Quin crossed his arms and glared at the terrified bookstore owner.

"If I see him," Mr. Oliphant muttered.

"I want you to put those books in a bag of some sort, and leave them on the counter. I will be back and if you have done anything..." Quin didn't finish the sentence. He wasn't planning to actually do anything to the terrified bookseller, since he didn't have the authority to do so, but most people filled in the blanks themselves. People tended to believe implications as much as or more so than actual statements.

The tactic was working on Oliphant. He nodded rapidly and wrung his hands, swallowing in large gulps and stuttering incoherent words. Quin ignored the gestures and quickly exited the building, leaving Oliphant's mind to do the rest.

The sky was mostly dark and clouds were drifting aimlessly, casually blocking out the arc of the opposite side of the planet, which glowed slightly as it reflected some of the light of the sun. Quin kept to the shadows and made his way carefully and quietly down the street towards the Globe. No doubt the book was in the building, probably locked up – but then again, if it were being studied, it might be in one of the labs.

Quin frowned as he considered what he was about to do – break into a government building, steal an important piece of evidence, and then take it back with him to some unknown planet. He should have had John come and just read the bloody thing, so they didn't have to worry about stealing it.

The back door of the Globe was a legend, but unfortunately a true legend. A large statue in the gardens – of a naked man with a hedgehog – guarded the entrance. Most of the legends indicated that the other statue – the one of the woman and the porcupine – was where the door was hidden, but Quin and a select few others knew the truth. He walked up behind the statue and pulled a stone out of the wall that contained the water, causing it to split in half and open just enough for someone to enter. The most unfortunate element of this entrance was that opening it caused a waterfall to cascade into the tunnel. Quin ducked in and closed the entrance behind him.

Rarely used, the tunnel was filled with cobwebs, and of course water. A few emergency lights flickered, creating just enough light for Quin to be sure no one else was down there. Hopefully, at this time of night, the large majority of Globe staff would be out of the building – probably at his house, in fact.