Rangerville Trailer Park, Thursday, May 13, 2021, 8:25AM
"You can't really imagine that this Eccentric Erwin really has a keycard to the secret lab's security door," Lucius said. "Can you?"
"Never underestimate the resourcefulness of nerds, Obi-Wan," Molly said. "Especially crazy nerds."
"Obi-Wan," Lucius chuckled.
"Sorry, Star Wars reference," Molly smiled, adding, "It's a movie. Obi-Wan Kenobi is the wise old advisor character. You kinda have that vibe. Not that you're old."
"'When 900 years old you reach, look as good you will not,'" Lucius quoted in a remarkably muppet-y voice. "My daughter is a Star Wars fan," he added. "So, I've kept up with it. I quite like Obi-Wan Kenobi."
"That's right, you mentioned you had a daughter before," Molly said. "Is she back in Henford?"
"She is. We aren't in contact," Lucius said a little sadly. "She's grown and has her own life. She doesn't want to see me... but perhaps someday."
"Oh, I'm sorry," Molly said. A sudden thought occurred to her. "Say... you're not actually 900 years old, are you?"
"No, no," Lucius replied mildly. "It's been a long time since I was only 900."
"Welcome to Curious Curios and More," Eccentric Erwin greeted them.
"Erwin, I want to ask you about the 'and More,'" Molly said, interrupting him.
"Uhhh... what can I do you for?" Eccentric Erwin said, looking suddenly suspicious.
Molly exchanged a look with Lucius. When they'd discussed how to approach this, he'd been insistent that they be honest with Erwin. From his expression, even the sight of Erwin in his holiday-light-colander-hat hadn't changed his mind (like she'd inwardly hoped it would).
She took a deep breath and said, "We're investigating the explosion at the government lab in the crater and the strange things that have been happening since."
"Right," Eccentric Erwin said cautiously. "So, you guys cops? Army? Agency? Aliens?"
"Molly is an engineer at FutureTech, and concerned about her friends," Lucius replied calmly. "I am a lord of the Tuatha de Danann and am investigating in service to the Witch's Council."
"No shit?" Eccentric Erwin breathed.
"No shit," Lucius said earnestly.
"So, what can I do you for?" Eccentric Erwin asked again.
Pushing back the thought 'what the hell is a lord of the Tuatha de Danann' as something to be discussed later, Molly took a deep breath. In for a penny, in for a pound.
"You wouldn't happen to have a keycard for the security doors at the secret lab in your 'and More' inventory," she asked.
"Are you kiddin'?" Eccentric Erwin grinned. "Ain't no way I could have somethin' like that in stock."
Lucius shrugged with what Molly felt was an annoying smug hint of 'I told you so.'
"I can totally get one," Eccentric Erwin continued. "But it's a strictly special-order item. Gotta talk to my contacts about it... and they's gonna want proof."
Lucius just blinked, clearly stunned.
"Proof?" Molly said. "Proof of..."
"Well, first off that you ain't workin' fer the gov'ment," Eccentric Erwin said. "An' second off that you's committed to findin' the Truth about Strangerville."
"Oooo-kay," Molly breathed. "How do we do that?"
"Well, you put together everythin' you know," Eccentric Erwin said. "Copies o' all the evidence you got, everythin' you know 'bout the lab, 'bout FutureTech's involvement, an' whatever you can find 'bout what they's lookin' for in the library ('cause I really wanna know 'bout that). Put it all together into a whatyachallit... a doss-ee-yay... an' give that to me an' I'll talk to my contacts 'bout getting you the keycard you need to get more."
"Right." Molly seriously wondered if this had been as good an idea as it had seemed.
"We give you a dossier of all the evidence we collect, and you give us the keycard we need," Lucius said evenly. Clearly, he'd gotten over his initial surprise.
"That's right," Eccentric Erwin grinned.
"Done," Lucius smiled.
Molly hoped she only imagined the sudden chill breeze that blew up around them and seemed to settle in her bones. Probably not. She resolved to be very careful about making any more agreements with Lucius of the Luxurious Hair.
Rangerville Trailer Park, Saturday, May 15, 2021, 4:30PM
"There we go, Obi-Wan; one dossier containing every clue we've found," Molly said. "Copies of every torn note, faded picture, newspaper clipping, scraps of local history and legend, printouts of blueprints and transcripts of conversations..."
"Courtesy of that contraption of yours," Lucius said.
"That 'contraption' happens to be the most sophisticated (and illegal) eavesdropping station I could build out of whatever I could find the local electronics store, plus some items of questionable legality Eccentric Erwin had in his 'and More' stock," Molly said with pride.
"And let's not underestimate the considerable personal sacrifice I made in planting the listening device in the first place," she continued. "I mean, I let that creep Biobro Brian buy me drinks... and grope me... so I could get close enough."
"Your courage and fortitude in the face of such trials are noted and appreciated," Lucius said with absolute sincerity. "Even if they will not be included in song or story."
"Damn right they won't," Molly huffed. "We're not telling anyone about that part. Ever."
"As you say," Lucius nodded. "But you do feel that results were worth the trials."
"Well, we confirmed that Biobro Brian is growing those strange plants on instructions from the MoD, by way of Bonnie of the Bounteous Bosom," Molly said. "And there was that bit he said about 'not knowing anything about space rocks' which backs up that bit of folklore you dug out of the library. The First Nations story about the purple light in the sky and a big explosion, which probably caused the crater. Strange plants from another world."
"Another Realm, I think," Lucius said. "You do understand that there are Realms other than this one."
"Is this the part where you draw a picture of Yggdrasil and explain about the Nine Realms?" Molly smiled. "Because I liked Thor too."
"Oh, did you know him? Entertaining fellow. We might do better if he were here. Alas, you have me instead," Lucius smiled. "Still, there are many more than nine Realms.
"I have a dread suspicion," he continued. "I believe the source of all this... the Mother, your possessed friends called Her... fell to Earth thousands of years ago, through a great rift in the Veil between worlds. I fear She may have come from one the Far Realms, frightening places on the edge of the Outer Darkness where my people do not venture."
"That sounds bad," Molly said.
"An Elder Being from the Far Realms... yes, that could be very bad," Lucius said. "I hope I'm wrong. Regardless, I didn't include that particular thought in the dossier. It's only a guess and not, I think, one that would be meaningful to our Eccentric Erwin and his mysterious contacts."
"I don't know," Molly shrugged. "I'm guessing Eccentric Erwin has read Lovecraft. I hope you're wrong too, Obi-Wan. I'd really rather not fight any Eldrich Horrors this weekend. Let's get this over to Curious Curios and see about putting in our special order."
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