and I'll show you."
"Not a chance,” said Mallory. “But I'm grateful to you, my little green friend. When I wake up, I'm going to write this whole conversation up and send it off to one of those sex forum magazines and let them analyze it. I think they pay fifty bucks if your letter gets published."
The elf lowered his head in defeat. “That's your final word?” he asked.
"Right."
Mürgenstürm drew himself up to his full, if limited, height. “Then I must prepare to meet my death. I'm sorry to have troubled you, John Justin Mallory."
"No trouble at all,” said Mallory.
"You still don't believe any of this, do you?"
"Not a word."
The elf sighed and walked to the door. He opened it and walked out into the hall, then stepped back into the office.
"Are you expecting visitors?” he asked.
"Pink elephants?” asked Mallory.
Mürgenstürm shook his head. “Two very large, mean-looking men with bulges under their arms. One of them has a scar on his left cheek."
"Shit!” muttered Mallory, racing unsteadily to the light switch and plunging the room into darkness. “They were supposed to be waiting downstairs!” He hurried back to his desk and knelt down behind it.
"Perhaps they got tired of waiting,” suggested the elf.
"But they don't want me!" complained Mallory. “It's Nick Fallico they're after!"
"They looked pretty determined,” said Mürgenstürm. “I think they want anyone they can find."
"Well,” said Mallory, wishing he could have just one more drink, “it looks like you may not be the only one who doesn't live to a ripe old age."
"You're going to kill them?” asked Mürgenstürm.
"I wasn't referring to them."
"Aren't you going to shoot them?"
"With what?” asked Mallory.
"With your gun, of course."
"I don't own a gun."
"A detective without a gun?” said the elf. “I never heard of such a thing!"
"I never needed one,” said Mallory.
"Never?"
"Until now,” he amended.
"Do you really think they'll kill you?” asked Mürgenstürm.
"Only if they get carried away. They'll probably just break my fingers and see to it that I don't walk without crutches for a couple of years."
Two bulky figures could be seen through the clouded glass of the office door.
"I have a proposition to make to you, John Justin,” said Mürgenstürm.
"Why am I not surprised?” replied Mallory with a touch of irony.
"If I make them go away without hurting you, will you help me find the unicorn?"
"If you can make them go away, you don't need my help,” said Mallory with conviction.
"Do we have a deal?” persisted the elf.
The doorknob slowly turned.
"What about the ten thousand dollars?” whispered Mallory.
"It's yours."
"Deal!” said Mallory just as the door opened and the two men burst into his office.
[Back to Table of Contents]
Chapter 2
8:53 PM-9:58 PM
Mürgenstürm murmured something in a tongue that was not even remotely familiar to Mallory, and the two figures suddenly froze in mid-stride.
"What the hell did you do to them?” demanded the detective, cautiously getting up from behind his desk.
"I altered their subjectivity vis-à-vis Time,” replied the elf with a modest shrug. “As far as they're concerned, Time has ground to a halt. The condition should last about five minutes."
"Magic?” asked Mallory.
"Advanced psychology,” said Mürgenstürm.
"Bullshit."
"It's the truth, John Justin. I live in the same world you live in. Magic doesn't work here. This is totally in keeping with natural law."
"I heard you chanting a spell,” persisted Mallory.
"Ancient Aramaic, nothing more,” replied Mürgenstürm. “It appeals to their racial memory.” He lowered his voice confidentially. “Jung was very close to it when he died."
"While we're at it, how did you pluck that money out of the air?” asked Mallory, waving a hand in front of the nearer gunman and getting no reaction.
"Sleight of hand."
Mallory stared at him disbelievingly, but said nothing.
"Come along, John
"Not a chance,” said Mallory. “But I'm grateful to you, my little green friend. When I wake up, I'm going to write this whole conversation up and send it off to one of those sex forum magazines and let them analyze it. I think they pay fifty bucks if your letter gets published."
The elf lowered his head in defeat. “That's your final word?” he asked.
"Right."
Mürgenstürm drew himself up to his full, if limited, height. “Then I must prepare to meet my death. I'm sorry to have troubled you, John Justin Mallory."
"No trouble at all,” said Mallory.
"You still don't believe any of this, do you?"
"Not a word."
The elf sighed and walked to the door. He opened it and walked out into the hall, then stepped back into the office.
"Are you expecting visitors?” he asked.
"Pink elephants?” asked Mallory.
Mürgenstürm shook his head. “Two very large, mean-looking men with bulges under their arms. One of them has a scar on his left cheek."
"Shit!” muttered Mallory, racing unsteadily to the light switch and plunging the room into darkness. “They were supposed to be waiting downstairs!” He hurried back to his desk and knelt down behind it.
"Perhaps they got tired of waiting,” suggested the elf.
"But they don't want me!" complained Mallory. “It's Nick Fallico they're after!"
"They looked pretty determined,” said Mürgenstürm. “I think they want anyone they can find."
"Well,” said Mallory, wishing he could have just one more drink, “it looks like you may not be the only one who doesn't live to a ripe old age."
"You're going to kill them?” asked Mürgenstürm.
"I wasn't referring to them."
"Aren't you going to shoot them?"
"With what?” asked Mallory.
"With your gun, of course."
"I don't own a gun."
"A detective without a gun?” said the elf. “I never heard of such a thing!"
"I never needed one,” said Mallory.
"Never?"
"Until now,” he amended.
"Do you really think they'll kill you?” asked Mürgenstürm.
"Only if they get carried away. They'll probably just break my fingers and see to it that I don't walk without crutches for a couple of years."
Two bulky figures could be seen through the clouded glass of the office door.
"I have a proposition to make to you, John Justin,” said Mürgenstürm.
"Why am I not surprised?” replied Mallory with a touch of irony.
"If I make them go away without hurting you, will you help me find the unicorn?"
"If you can make them go away, you don't need my help,” said Mallory with conviction.
"Do we have a deal?” persisted the elf.
The doorknob slowly turned.
"What about the ten thousand dollars?” whispered Mallory.
"It's yours."
"Deal!” said Mallory just as the door opened and the two men burst into his office.
[Back to Table of Contents]
Chapter 2
8:53 PM-9:58 PM
Mürgenstürm murmured something in a tongue that was not even remotely familiar to Mallory, and the two figures suddenly froze in mid-stride.
"What the hell did you do to them?” demanded the detective, cautiously getting up from behind his desk.
"I altered their subjectivity vis-à-vis Time,” replied the elf with a modest shrug. “As far as they're concerned, Time has ground to a halt. The condition should last about five minutes."
"Magic?” asked Mallory.
"Advanced psychology,” said Mürgenstürm.
"Bullshit."
"It's the truth, John Justin. I live in the same world you live in. Magic doesn't work here. This is totally in keeping with natural law."
"I heard you chanting a spell,” persisted Mallory.
"Ancient Aramaic, nothing more,” replied Mürgenstürm. “It appeals to their racial memory.” He lowered his voice confidentially. “Jung was very close to it when he died."
"While we're at it, how did you pluck that money out of the air?” asked Mallory, waving a hand in front of the nearer gunman and getting no reaction.
"Sleight of hand."
Mallory stared at him disbelievingly, but said nothing.
"Come along, John
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