Chapter 31 – Behind Door Number Three

  “I don’t know where it came from or why they bothered collecting it, but I stole it fair and square.” – Kurt

  Kurt and Val were feeling pretty good about themselves at the moment. All the opposing elves were probably dead, the core was in the bag, literally, and they were about to get paid for another job well done. They still had to walk back and check with Penny that the energy values had zeroed out but other than that, it was smooth sailing. Except there was one little thing, a tiny curiosity that was just gnawing at them.

  “Where do you think it goes?” Val asked as they stared into the one tunnel they hadn’t explored.

  “Not sure but I think it’s worth checking out.” Kurt answered and they both started down the, as of yet, unexplored tunnel.

  They had collected the core and the loot off the fallen elves from the great hall but had remembered about this one tunnel on the way back. It was the second fork they had seen, turning right and curving away from the main room and above the lower level.

  They cautiously advanced, ready for a surprise or a pocket of resistance. The tunnel seemed to stretch on longer than the others but that was likely just in their minds. Neither of them were exactly keen on finding more to fight but it had to be done, one way or another.

  The tunnel straightened and twisted a few times but stayed mostly ft as they explored. They didn’t come across any of the storage rooms and didn’t see much in the way of mining other than a few rocks that had been moved. After what felt like miles, the tunnel finally ended, or rather expanded.

  Kurt and Val found themselves in a rge, oval room that appeared to be natural in its origin, no signs of digging or mining could be seen on the walls. What they did see was crystals, a lot of crystals.

  Every section of wall had them growing outward at odd angles and in various sizes. Kurt saw most were long and skinny, no thicker than his wrist but he saw plenty that formed in colonies of tiny gems and some that were massive, dominating the room.

  “Ho-lee- fuck.” Kurt said and clicked on his admin light to its medium setting. He aimed the beam upward, casting an umbrel of light to spsh off the ceiling.

  “Yeah, that’s a lot.” Val agreed as she stepped closer and examined one of the bck gems. “Know what they are?”

  “Nope, but I know how to find out.” He smirked and stretched out his hand, absorbing one of the growths into his ring. “Let’s collect them all and head back. We can send a sample with Penny and have them ID the gems.”

  Without further dey, they began sucking up every single crystal and gem in the room. It was a staggering amount that would have taken several trips without the storage rings to help. The task still took them the better part of half an hour to finish. Most of the time was spent chasing down little ones that had been hiding behind rger crystals but were only revealed after the bigger one was moved.

  After the room was cleaned out, they made for the exit, moving much quicker now that they knew the tunnels were most likely completely empty. Once back through the portal they confirmed that the tent energy level had dropped to zero and the rift was essentially dead. Penny detached the rift and let it drift off to be colpsed safely in the void between realms.

  “Want me to take stuff back and have it apprised or sold?” Penny asked when they finished giving her a briefing. Kurt returned the camera that had been clipped to him, he wasn’t sure how much use it would be but figured some scientist would love it.

  “Sure, how much time do you have?” Kurt asked.

  “Umm. A lot?” Penny wasn’t sure where he was going with the question but was shocked when he began making piles of stuff in the portal room. He pced satchels, guns, shields, nterns, swords and the ore in separate piles. He assumed that she could sort through it at her leisure.

  “Then there is this.” Kurt summoned a finger size chunk of the crystal and handed it to her. “Not sure what it is but if you can have the folks find out, that would be great.”

  “Ah, sure thing. I might need to call in some help to move all this.” She said, looking at the piles in shock.

  Val ughed then grabbed her hand and tapped the ring on Penny’s finger. “Forget about this?” she smiled. “Just be careful that you don’t show it off to anyone who might get too curious.”

  Penny chuckled a little and made an excuse about still getting used to the device. She told them to take a couple days off and be ready to work again on Friday. The schedule suited them just fine since they were due for a delivery at any time that afternoon.

  Kurt and Val said their goodbyes before running to the house to get changed and slightly cleaned off. It was approaching dinner time and Kurt had just gotten a text about the delivery truck being on its way.

  They quickly stripped the bed of its sheets and pillows, getting it ready to be hauled away and returned to the kitchen just in time to crack a beer and sit for a minute before the truck rolled up. As usual, the crew was more than quick, in and out within fifteen minutes.

  “That’s a big bed.” Kurt commented, staring at the new king size mattress that repced his old one.

  “Think of all the room for activities.” Val said, bouncing her eyebrows at him.

  Kurt snorted. “I didn’t know you had seen that movie yet.” He ughed a little until he saw her face.

  Val looked back at him with a confused expression. “What movie?”

  “Umm…” Kurt wasn’t sure where to go with the conversation but was saved by his phone ringing. He looked down to see it was Mike calling.

  He answered the call. “Hey Mike.”

  “Kurt, gd to see you joining us in the twenty first century and finally got a phone.” Said the gruff voice on the other end of the call.

  “Yup, it’s a new thing. You got my message I assume?” It sounded like Mike was driving since the call was distorted like he was using the hands-free setting in a car.

  “Yeah, I’m sorry it took so long to get back to you. I was on another job that just wrapped.” Mike said. “Are you home now?”

  “Yes, why?” Kurt asked but then heard a car’s horn beep and the sound of tires on the gravel driveway. “Ah, that’s why.” He hung up the phone and went out to greet their sudden guest.

  Val followed after Kurt, curious to know who had just showed up. When she stepped onto the porch, she would have sworn she was looking at John but somehow bigger. The man Kurt was talking to was almost a carbon copy of the restaurant owner except a couple inches taller and filled out to match the extra height.

  The giant of a man wasn’t alone either as from the passenger side of the pickup, a smaller woman stepped out. In this case smaller was a retive description since she was just as tall as Kurt but nicely complementing Mark if their retion was as she suspected.

  “Good to see you, Kurt.” Mark said and wrapped him up in a bear hug. “Been way too long. I like what you have done with the pce.”

  “You should, it’s all from your company. I think Hailey ran a few ‘extra deliveries’ to check in after I got the roof on.” Kurt commented dryly.

  The woman stepped forward and Kurt gave her a hug too. “Oh, can’t fault me for worrying about you. A young man like you all alone up here, I feared for your sanity.” She said in what Kurt called a ‘Yooper’ accent. She grinned after seeing Val waiting on the porch. “Looks like that might have changed, I see.”

  Kurt waved for Val to join them. “Mark, Hailey, this is Val. She’s my girlfriend and is living with me now. Also, we work together.”

  “Took inspiration from us I see!” Mark boomed with a ugh. “Gd to meet you. I am surprised you tolerate the wolf here.” He said and pulled her into a hug.

  Val rather liked the feeling. It was like being wrapped in a heated bnket that smelled slightly of fresh cut wood. The hug was the perfect length, just enough to make her feel welcome and just firm enough to be reassuring. She rated it a nine out of ten on the hug scale, Kurt’s embrace being the pinnacle for her.

  “Let her go before she suffocates, hon.” Hailey said then pulled Val into another, very simir hug.

  This time Val detected something. She caught a slight whiff of orc and gave Hailey a curious look when they separated. She clearly wasn’t full orc, otherwise she would be rger than her husband.

  Hailey smiled. “Just a quarter dear. My dad liked them big.” Seeing how Val blushed she continued. “And what are you? I don’t recognize… ah, I see.” She paused then amended her statement as Val shifted to show her vulpine features.

  The big woman stepped back a little to survey Val in full. “Mixed? Oh, don’t give me that look. I know the old guard gets uppity about halves, but I don’t give a rip.”

  “I’m Just human so I don’t really know what’s going on.” Mark said in a stage whisper to Kurt.

  “Paranormal society has a thing about half breeds except those that are half human. Don’t know why.” Kurt filled in Mark on the social convention. “Anyway, what do you think about the breezeway?”

  Mark walked over to the area that they wanted to build on. He pulled a measuring tape out of a pocket and hooked it on the side of the house before walking to the garage. He did stop and look at the addition, tilting his head as if wondering where it came from before continuing on. He was sketching on a note pad after taking his measurements, Hailey assisting as they went.

  “So, what are you thinking for this?” Mark called out as he paced the area. “Want it to come up to the porch or do you want a door into the house?”

  “Into the house would probably be best.” Kurt said. “If we could actually do two doors, one to the house and one to the porch, that would be cool. Oh, and the garage, one inside there and another to the addition.”

  “I was going to ask about that. Don’t remember it in the pns or the materials when we dropped them off.” He left the statement hanging.

  Kurt smiled. “Think of it as a sort of home office.”

  “Uh-hu. Whatever you say.” Mike squinted at him. “I won’t pry. I know you well enough to know when you don’t want to answer a question.”

  “We can just ask John about it anyway.” Hailey added.

  Mark snorted. “Good luck, bastard holds them closer to his chest than Kurt ever did.”

  They talked about it a little more and Mark decided to make the structure a little extra wide and add some more to the design so it would blend better. He promised to have the sb and foundation poured the next week, not wanting to wait too long for the next opening between jobs. He also was conscious of the weather since it would be getting a little too cold sooner than ter.

  “So, what’s the total going to come out too?” Kurt asked. He wanted an estimate so he could get the funds from Jay before he had to scramble.

  Hailey was the one to answer. “We could do it for twenty and have it done next week Saturday.”

  “Twenty seems light.” Kurt had made some specifications that were a little on the expensive side.

  “Honest as ever.” Mark said with a shake of his head. “Call it twenty and a favor then. If that helps ease your conscience.”

  “Wait here.” Kurt said and quickly rand down to his workshop and pulled out a couple of the identify rings he made. He locked everything back up and returned just as Val was walking back out with a brace of beers.

  “I think they wanted to hang out for a bit.” She said with a shrug. “Figured it was a nice day to sit on the porch and chat.”

  Kurt just shook his head and smiled when he saw the two giants already seated in the porch chairs. “How about these?” Kurt held out the rings to each of them.

  “I’m fttered dear, but I think I’m a little old for you.” Hailey ughed while taking a bottle from Val.

  Kurt rolled his eyes. “It’s a ring of identification. If you touch someone while wearing it, the spell tells you what they are in general senses. Here try it on and shake my hand.”

  They went through the motions and Hailey seemed shocked after testing it on him and Val. “Kurt, this is too much. One is more than enough to cover the costs of this project, let alone two.”

  “I have over a dozen more just like it.” Kurt said. “Just take these as a favor.”

  “Alright. We will do it for ten and the rings then.” Mark said after sliding his on and watching it conform to him. “John is gonna… He already has one, doesn’t he?” Kurt nodded and he sighed. “Course he does. Lucky bastard.”

  “Alright, so long as your guys get paid.” Kurt said.

  Hailey waved her hand at him. “We can do it out ourselves. Concrete will come do its thing next week and after it sets for a few days Mark and I will just knock it all out. Be like an Amish barn raising.”

  They chatted about nothing of consequence for a while longer, enjoying the afternoon. The construction couple spent most of it getting to know Val, asking questions and sharing a few stories of their own. Eventually, Mark’s phone range and he answered it, only to get chewed out from the other end of the call.

  “Well, that’s out cue to leave. The accountant and office manager just called asking why we weren’t back yet.” Mark said after hanging up.

  “You own the company.” Kurt pointed out.

  “Yeah, and Pat has a real mean streak when the yard isn’t locked up at closing time with all the trucks back in their spots. Something about loss prevention.” Mark said.

  They stood up, went through a round of hugs and several goodbyes before finally driving off. In typical Midwest fashion, actually leaving took longer than it should and involved an escating series of complex hand gestures and phrases.

  “They were nice.” Val commented after they got back inside. “How is it that John and Mark are so… bsé about paranormals?”

  “Their dad mostly. He got himself stranded in a back country hunt in Canada. One of those fly in by float pne deals. Well, bad weather rolled in, and they about froze while the pne couldn’t get to them. A tribe of Orc’s ended up rescuing them.”

  Val cocked an eyebrow. “Orcs rescued humans?”

  “Yup. Weird I know.” Kurt agreed. “Long story short, the old man, James or ‘Jimmy’ made friends with them and ended up visiting often. Kinda an honorary part of the tribe. So, when he came back to his lumber yard, word got out he was friendly with us, and it’s been that way ever since.”

  “Stranger things have happened I guess.” Val said while looking in the fridge. It was approaching dinner time, and she wasn’t sure what was on the menu.

  “Yup, it’s how my parents met. Jimmy and my grandpa were friends and when mom was hanging around the mill one day, she bumped into dad and well, we know how it turned out.”

  “I just have one question.” Val said, closing the fridge door and turning to face him. “What’s the pn for dinner?” Just then her phone pinged and she checked it. “Huh. How about we order out and get enough for three?”

  Kurt looked at her as she responded to the text message. “Know something I don’t?”

  “My friend suddenly had a couple days off and asked if we were busy. I told her we are ordering dinner and got enough for her too.” Val looked back up and smiled. “That way she will feel guilty if she doesn’t show.”

  Laughing a little, Kurt had to respond with a suggestion. “How about Italian. We can order a family meal to go. It even has sad so it’s ‘healthy’.” Kurt pulled out his phone and began ordering.

  “Hmm. Get a big one, she eats as much as you.” Val said. “I will go escort her from the portal to the order if you get food?”

  “Divide and conquer.” Kurt leaned in and gave her a kiss. “I’ll be back in an hour. Drink preference?”

  Val returned the kiss and said she was all set, but Kristi would probably like a mixed drink. Kurt had some to mix already but also wanted to try something new. He quickly looked up some recipes and pnned a trip to the liquor store that also had a walk-in humidor. It was a nice night, and he wanted a cigar, a little treat after the successful clear.

  Keys in hand, he was out the door with Val scampering toward the hub just before him. He ughed and climbed into the car, headed for town while she went to fetch her friend. It was thankfully a short drive thanks in part to country roads being fifty-five MPH.

  At the liquor store he picked up everything he needed for a drink called a ‘French Seventy-Five’ but also a nice bottle of aged rum. He had heard good things and wanted to experiment a little. While in the humidor, he had a slight problem, what to get and how many.

  While Kurt knew what he liked, he didn’t know if Val would also like one and if so, should he get a few or just buy a box. After some hesitation, he decided to grab an entire box of cigars that all came in individually sealed tubes. They would stay fresh, mostly, and the blend was on the mild side, good for any event sort of cigar.

  Making a rather difficult left turn with the evening traffic, Kurt managed to get to the restaurant. While the parking lot was packed, the line for takeout was blessedly short and fast. Within a few minutes, Kurt was on his way home, his car now filled with the smell of Italian food. He resisted the urge to steal a bread stick. He failed.

  *****

  While Kurt went off to get dinner, Val went to collect her one friend within the order. Between her and Kurt, Val probably had the more bor-intensive role. Kristi was a bit of an oddity. On one hand, she was supremely confident in her own prowess. The other hand was her inexplicable shyness and avoidance for anything that could lead to rejection.

  Val understood, it was hard being of mixed heritage and while she herself could pass for human, easily obscuring her nature, Kristy could not. Neither part of her ancestry lent itself to being easily concealed and she suffered because of it. Her looks were… abnormal, to say the least. After several minutes of navigating the halls and teleporters of the order, Val arrived at the room she was after.

  Knock, knock. “Kristi, Its me.” Val said in her most cheerful tone. The thump of feet was quickly followed by the door being opened showing Kristi.

  “Val! Come in.” Said the dragon kin, Kristanazal of Libermount, better known as Kristi the quarter dragon.

  “You’re looking good.” Val said as she stepped in the rather cramped room and gave Kristi a once over.

  Indeed, Kristi was looking good. She had pulled on a tight pair of jeans and a bck long sleeve t-shirt, both of which were nearly skintight on the muscur woman. Her skin was a near match for Penny, being of a tan complexion but her hair was silver in color. Kristi was also tall, nearly as tall as Kurt if not the same height. Her brilliant green scales ran down the sides of her neck onto her cheeks, and Val knew they also ran on the outside of her arms and legs along with spots on her back and chest.

  Val noticed that she had shifted to hide her tail, since the opening in the back of her pants was closed and the muscur appendage wasn’t swaying behind her.

  They quickly hugged, Val feeling the hard green scales under Kristi’s shirt. “Come on, there is someone I want you to meet.” Val said, grabbing Kristi by the wrist and pulling her along. “Don’t worry, he doesn’t bite. Not even in bed.” She said with a bounce of her eyebrows.

  “Wait… I never… but.” Kristi tried to protest as Val dragged her out the door, talking over her the whole time. She didn’t actually put up a fight and allowed it to happen. If Kristi didn’t want to move, not even Kurt would be able to move her.

  Kay_Ship