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I wasn't certain what a milkshake was； but I was sure I didn't want one if they were sold here。
〃Um 。 。 。 thanks anyway； Brockhurst；〃 I said； forcing a smile； 〃but I think I'll pass。〃
The Imp arched an eyebrow at me。
〃Still a little suspicious； eh？〃 he murmured。 〃Well； can't say as I blame you。 Tell you what we'll do。〃
Before I could stop him； he strolled to the counter。
〃Hey； Gus！〃 he called。 〃Mind if I take an extra cup？〃
〃Actually 。 。 。〃 the gargoyle began。
〃Thanks！〃
Brockhurst was already on his way back； bearing his prize with him； some kind of a thin…sided； flimsy cannister。 Plopping down at a nearby table； he beckoned to me； indicating the seat opposite him with a wave of his hand。
There was no gracious course for me to follow other than to join him； though it would later occur to me I had no real obligation to be gracious。 Moving carefully to avoid knocking anything over with my sword； I maneuvered my way to the indicated seat。
Apparently； Brockhurst had been sitting here before； as there was already a cannister on the table identical to the one he had fetched from the counter。 The only difference was that the one on the table was three…quarters full of a curious pink liquid。
With great ceremony； the Imp picked up the cannister from the table and poured half its contents into the new vessel。 The liquid poured with the consistency of swamp muck。
〃Here！〃 he said； pushing one of the cannisters across the table to me。 〃Now you don't have to worry about any funny business with the drinks。 We're both drinking the same thing。〃
With that； he raised his vessel in a mock toast and took a healthy swallow from it。 Apparently he expected me to do the same。 I would have rather sucked blood。
〃Um 。 。 。 it's hard to believe things aren't going well for you；〃 I stalled。 〃You look well enough。〃
For a change； I was actually sincere。 Brockhurst looked good 。 。 。 even for an Imp。 As Aahz had said； Imps are snappy dressers； and Brockhurst was no exception。 He was outfitted in a rust…colored velvet jerkin trimmed in gold； which set off his pink plexion and sleek black hair superbly。 If he were starving； you couldn't tell it from looking at him。 Though still fairly slender； he was as well muscled and adroit as when I had first met him。
〃Don't let appearances fool you；〃 Brockhurst insisted； shaking his head。 〃You see before you an Imp pushed to the wall。 I've had to sell everything…my crossbow； my pouch of magic tricks…I couldn't even raise enough money to pay my dues to the Assassins Guild。〃
〃It's that hard to find work？〃 I sympathized。
〃I'll tell you； Skeeve；〃 he whispered confidentially； 〃I haven't worked since that fiasco with Isstvan。〃
The sound of that name still sent chills down my back。
〃Where is Isstvan； anyway？〃 I asked casually。
〃Don't worry about him；〃 Brochkurst said grimly。 〃We left him working concession stands on the Isle of Coney； a couple of dimensions from here。〃
〃What happened to the others？〃
I was genuinely curious。 I hadn't had much of a chance to talk with Tanda since our reunion。
〃We left Frumple under a cloud of birds in some park or other 。 。 。 figured he looked better as a statue than he did alive。 The demon hunter and the girl took off for parts unknown one night while we were asleep。 My partner； Higgens； headed back to Imper。 He figured his career was over and that he might as well settle down。 Me； I've been looking for work； ever since； and I'm starting to think Higgens was right。〃
〃e on； Brockhurst；〃 I chided。 〃There must be something you can do。 I mean； this is the Bazaar。〃
The Imp heaved a sigh and took another sip of his drink。
〃It's nice of you to say that； Skeeve；〃 he smiled。 〃But I've got to face the facts。 There's not a big demand for Imps anyway； and none at all for an Imp with no powers。〃
I knew what he meant。 All the dimension travelers I had met so far…Aahz； Isstvan； Tanda； and even the Deveel Frumple…seemed to regard Imps as inferior beings。 The nicest thing I had heard said about them was that they were styleless imitators of the Deveels。
I felt sorry for him。 Despite the fact we had first met as enemies； it wasn't that long ago I had been a loser nobody wanted。
〃You've got to keep trying；〃 I encouraged。
〃Somewhere； there's someone who wants to hire you。〃
〃Not very likely；〃 the Imp grimaced。 〃The way I am now； l wouldn't hire me。 Would you？〃
〃Sure I would；〃 I insisted。 〃In a minute。〃
〃Oh； well；〃 he sighed。 〃I shouldn't dwell on myself。 How have things been with you？ What brings you to the Bazaar？〃
Now it was my turn to grimace。
〃Aahz and I are in a bad spot；〃 I explained。 〃We're here trying to recruit a force to help us out。〃
〃You're hiring people？〃 Brockhurst was suddenly intense。
〃Yeah。 Why？〃 I replied。
Too late； I realized what I was saying。
〃Then you weren't kidding about hiring me！〃 Brockhurst was beside himself with glee。
〃Um 。 。 。〃 I said。
〃This is great；〃 the Imp chortled； rubbing his hands together。 〃Believe me； Skeeve； you won't regret this。〃
I was regretting it already。
〃Wait a minute； Brockhurst；〃 I interrupted desperately。 〃There are a few things you should know about the job。〃
〃Like what？〃
〃Well 。 。 。 for one thing； the odds are bad；〃 I said judiciously。 〃We're up against an army。 That's pretty rough fare considering how low the pay is。〃
I thought I would touch a nerve with that remark about the pay。 I was right。
〃How low is the pay？〃 the Imp asked bluntly。
Now I was stuck。 I didn't have the vaguest idea how much mercenaries were normally paid。
〃We 。 。 。 um 。 。 。 we couldn't offer you more than one gold piece for the whole job；〃 I shrugged。
〃Done！〃 Brockhurst proclaimed。 〃With the current state of my finances； I can't turn down an offer like that no matter how dangerous it is。〃
It occurred to me that sometime I should have Aahz give me a quick course in rates of exchange。
〃Um 。 。 。 there's one other problem；〃 I murmured thoughtfully。
〃What's that？〃
〃Well； my partner； you remember Aahz？〃
The Imp nodded。
〃Well； he's out right now trying to hire a force； and he's got the money；〃 I continued。 〃There's a good chance that if he's successful； and he usually is； there won't be enough money left to hire you。〃
Brockhurst pursed his lips for a moment； then shrugged。
〃Well；〃 he said； 〃I'll take the chance。 I wasn't going anywhere anyway。 As I said； they haven't exactly been beating my door down with job offers。〃
I had run out of excuses。
〃Well〃…I smiled lamely…〃as long as you're aware…〃
〃Heads up； boss；〃 the Imp's murmur interrupted me。 〃We've got pany。〃
I'm not sure which worried me more； Brockhurst calling me 〃boss〃 or the specterlike character who had just stepped up to our table。
Chapter Fourteen
〃We're looking for a few good men。〃
…B。 CASSIDY
For a moment I thought we were being confronted by a skeleton。 Then I looked closer and realized there really was skin stretched over the bones； though its dusty…white color made it seem very dead indeed。
The figure's paleness was made even more corpselike by the blue…black hooded robe that enshrouded it。 It wasn't until I noted the wrinkled face with a short； bristly white beard that I realized our visitor was actually a very old man 。 。 。 very old。
He looked weak to the point of near collapse； desperately clutching a twisted black walking staff which seemed to be the only thing keeping him erect。 Still； his eyes were bright and his smile confident as…he stood regarding us。
〃Did I hear you boys right？〃 he asked in a crackling voice。
〃I beg your pardon？〃 Brockhurst scowled at him。
The ancient figure sneered and raised his voice。
〃I said； ‘Did I hear you boys right？'！〃 he barked。
〃What's the matter？ Are you deaf？〃
〃Um 。 。 。 excuse me；〃 I interrupted hastily。 〃Before we can answer you； we have to know what you thought we said。〃
The old man thought for a minute； then bobbed his head in a sudden nod。
〃You know； yer right！〃 he cackled。 〃Pretty smart； young fella。〃
He began to list； but caught himself before he fell。
〃Thought I heard you tell Pinko here you were looking for a force to take on an army；〃 he pronounced； jerking a thumb at Brockhurst。
〃The name's Brockhurst； not Pinko！〃 the Imp snarled。
〃All right； Bratwurst；〃 the old man nodded。 〃No need to get your dander up。〃
〃That's Brockhurst！〃
〃You heard right；〃 I interrupted again； hoping the old man would go away as soon as his curiosity was satisfied。
〃Good！〃 the man declared。 〃Count me in！ Me and Blackie haven't been in a good fight for a long time。〃
〃How long is that in centuries？〃 Brockhurst sneered。
〃Watch your mouth； Bratwurst！〃 the old man warned。 〃We may be old； but we can still teach you a thing or two about winnin' wars。〃
〃Who's Blackie？〃 I asked； cutting off Brockhurst's reply。
In reply； the old man drew himself erect 。 。 。 well； nearly erect； and patted his walking staff。
〃This is Blackie！〃 he announced proudly。 〃The finest bow ever to e from Archiah； and that takes in a lot of fine bows！〃
I realized with a start that the walking staff was a bow； unstrung； with its bowstring wrapped around it。 It was unlike any bow I had ever seen； lumpy and uneven； but polished to a sheen that seemed to glimmer with a life all its own。
〃Wait a minute！〃 Brockhurst was suddenly attentive。 〃Did you say you e from Archiah？〃
〃That I did；〃 the old man grinned。 〃Ajax's the name； fighting's my game。 Ain't seen a war yet that could lay old Ajax low； and I've seen a lot of 'em。〃
〃Um 。 。 。 could you excuse us for just a minute； sir？〃 Brockhurst smiled apologetically。
〃Sure； son；〃 Ajax nodded。 〃Take your time。〃
I couldn't understand the Imp's sudden change in attitude； but he seemed quite intense as he jerked his head at me； so I leaned close to hear what he had to say。
〃Hire him； boss！〃 he hissed in my ear。
〃What？〃 I gasped； not believing I had heard him right。
〃I said hire him！〃 the Imp repeated。 〃I may not have much to offer you； but I can give you advice。 Right now； my advice is to hire him。〃
〃But he's…〃
〃He's from Archiah！〃 Brockhurst interrupted。 〃Boss； that dimension invented archery。 You don't find many genuine Archers of any age for hire。 If you've really got a war on your hands； hire him。 He could tip the balance for us。〃
〃If he's that good；〃 I whispered back； 〃can we afford him？〃
〃One gold piece will be adequate；〃 Ajax smiled toothily； adding his head to our conference。 〃I accept your offer。〃
〃Excellent！〃 Brockhurst beamed。
〃Wait a minute；〃 I shrieked desperately； 〃I have a partner that…〃
〃I know； I know；〃 Ajax sighed； holding up a restraining hand。 〃I heard when you told Bratwurst here。〃
〃That's Brockhurst；〃 the Imp growled； but he did it smiling。
〃If your partner can't find help； then we're hired！〃 the old man laughed； shaking his head。 〃It's a mite strange； but these are strange times。〃
〃You can say that again；〃 I muttered。
I was beginning to think I had spoken too loud in my conversation with Brockhurst。
〃One thing you should know； though； youngster；〃 Ajax murmured confidentially。 〃I'm bein' followed。〃
〃By who？〃 I asked。
〃Don't rightly know；〃 he admitted。 〃Haven't figured it out yet。 It's the little blue fella in the corner behind me。〃
I craned my neck to look at the indicated corner。 It was empty。
〃What fella？ I mean； fellow；〃 I corrected myself。
Ajax whipped his head around with a speed that belied his frail appearance。
〃Dang it；〃 he cursed。 〃He did it again。 I'm telling you； youngster； that's why I can't figure what he's after！〃
〃Ah 。 。 。 sure； Ajax；〃 I said soothingly。 〃You'll catch him next time。〃
Terrific。 An Imp with no powers； and now an old Archer who sees things。
My thoughts were interrupted by a gentle tap on my shoulder。 I turned to find the gargoyle looming over me。
〃Your order's ready； sir；〃 he said through his perma…smile。
〃My order？〃
〃Yes； if you'll step this way。〃
〃There must be some mistake；〃 I began； 〃I didn't。 。 。〃
The gargoyle was already gone； lumbering back to his counter。 I considered ignoring him。 Then I considered his size and countenance； and decided I should straighten out this misunderstanding in a polite fashion。
〃Excuse me；〃