* * * MARS & EARTH (HAWAII) – MARY * * *

Mary was finally satisfied. The complex of valleys has finally been claimed, dammed and shaped. The domes were all in place and the orbital mirrors were brightening and warming the days. The waters were still pouring in. Her Mars home away from home was finally comfortable. Not that Mars would ever be anything but a folly. But it was a nice bribe to hold out to the nations on Earth.

She cast one last look over the filling valleys and sighed as she no longer had to cling to the portal. Beep Bluey an’ his latest limitations. It did balance some of her power as a dungeon though it did nothing to limit her as a goddess.

She turned and nodded to her new overseer, “À bientôt Jaques, give ’em hell.”

“I will Mother, got a nice crackly radio ready to chat with them lot up there,” replied the crab man with a hissing laugh.

Mary grinned, gave him a thumbs up and transited the portal to Fragatta, then she lifted one shoulder and decided it was time to give Tod the heads up, and to remove her controls before he rooted and discovered them for himself. As her other me was busy in Florida, she decided to head to Maui and deal with it herself.

* * *

After hugging her mother, Mary enjoyed a comfortable couple of hours with her. They chatted and gossiped before Mary headed out of the door. She couldn’t help chuckling at the scene at the mall. She produced her phone and phoned Tod.

“Hiya Tod, Mary here. Can I have a word with you in private? Why don’t you come round to my place?”

Tod glanced at the phone, and at the report that constantly updated itself on the wall mounted faux-television. “Your place? But aren’t you in Florida?”

“Yes I am, and also no ’cause I’m home too.”

Tod clicked the remote opening a window on the big monitor showing an altercation in a mall in Florida. He glanced in confusion at his phone and flicked it to speakerphone mode.

“How can you be next door Mary?”

“Simple, I am. I have something you need to know Tod, so come on round and prove to yourself I’m here in Maui.”

Lieutenant Anna Partlow looked from the screen to Tod’s phone and back before saying, “Take someone with you to watch.”

“Hey Anna no fair. Got somethin’ for Tod, not for anyone else. You’re welcome to keep watch on the house. But that’s it.”

Anna slapped her forehead in exasperation at forgetting a speakerphone worked both ways. “Fine, He’ll be there shortly and Art will stay at the door.”

* * *

When Tod and Art arrived at the house’s front door, Mary open it and grinned at them, “Won’t ber long Art, sorry you have to wait for a bit. Come on in Tod.”

Tod hesitated briefly when he stepped through the door. « Got the dungeon warnin’? Watcha think Tod? »

« Yes I did Mary. Why have you withdrawn your domain from the yard? »

« Too many people have evolved enough to get Bluey’s warnings. I don’t want my dungeon front an’ centre yet. »

Mary led Tod to the lounge and waved him to a chair. When he sat she dropped into her favourite armchair. « Look Tod, got to warn you Bluey’s uppin’ his game, he seems in a hurry. Thing is you have at best two months before you move from bein’ a proto-dungeon to bein’ a dungeon. »

Then when Tod was processing this unwelcome news she reached and made a couple of adjustments before withdrawing her controls. Tod slumped slightly before jerking fully awake.

“Are you sure Mary?”

“Yes. Ask Bluey yourself. Personally I suspect you have ’bout a month.”

Mary watched as Tod consulted the System, he blanched and looked worried. “I’m sorry Mary, but when I become a dungeon the cat’ll be out of the bag.”

“It is already, partially thanks to Bluey. But I’ve been careless too. However, I have a firm relationship with the aliens. I can grant access to the Moon an’ Mars. Got liftwood, not much but enough to sell some full size logs. Then I have access to a livin’ world. It’s a bit chilly at the moment but it’s getting’ better. Think the governments of Earth can cut a deal?”

Tod just looked totally overwhelmed. “What do you want?”

“I don’t want to have to withdraw from Earth. Got family here.”

* * * EARTH (FLORIDA) – MARY * * *

Roy accompanied the strutting girl as she was escorted out of the mall; Chris had not taken the goddess crack well. And naturally considering where they were the fact that Mary had been wearing the MAGA hat had turned her into the natural scapegoat. Lieutenant James had been cursing quietly in his ear ever since, that and identifying the girl’s private security detail. They had begun coalescing out of the crowd in ones and twos.

The lieutenant and his detail had identified fifteen so far, and specialist Hooper has been unable to gauge their levels. That meant they were all over level thirty. Where in hell had the girl found so many high level warriors and rogues. There was even a paladin and a cleric amongst them. And they still hadn’t spotted the leopard girls.

* * *

Mary sauntered out of the mall; she was smiling even as she ignored the two very nervous mall security amateurs who were escorting her out. All because the poor little idiot had had his feelings hurt and the security moron was a flake. She smiled at her Silverclaw pack, they had learned how to blend in on Earth, and their stealth was impeccable. Tessa and Lissa had done a sterling job, the pack had adapted well. No one would ever guess they had grown up as outcasts on Parthia.

As soon as she stepped out of the mall she turned and stared at the two rather unimpressive looking mall guards. Flameheart loomed on her right.

Mary produced a calling card and tossed it at the feet of the guards. “Show that to the manager, an’ tell him I will be boycottin’ his malls. All his malls an’ enterprises. No way in beep will MagiTech, Ocean Clearance and Salvage or Portals plc ever do business with him or any company connected with him.”

« Assa, keep a eye on my sister. Careful with the other guards. Time I taught some of the soldier boys how to use their abilities. I’m sick of seein’ warriors and rangers who are no better than their well trained unawakened counterparts. »

Mary grinned as she turned and headed for her jeep, she had enjoyed seeing the mall guards cringe when Flameheart had unleashed his intimidation. The skills of the second of a pack that had survived and thrived despite all the efforts of the adventurer’s guild on Parthia were formidable. She glanced out of the corner of her eye and was impressed that Roy was still sticking to her.

“So tell me Roy, how well can you use your Truth Readin’ ability? Had it long?”

Roy stumbled as his attention was jerked from the study of his surroundings. He had managed to identify several more of Mary’s unexpected guards.

“How? Ah— I got it when I was integrated by the System. I cost me a small penalty on my experience gains but it sounded cool.”

“How have you trained it? An’ for that matter are you trainin’ sure shot an’ furious charge?”

“What? How can you see I have that? The system showed me what to do.”

“Hmph! Bluey can only give you the basics. All abilities can an’ should be trained to improve ’em.” Mary reached into one of her storage devices and passed him a skill crystal. “Press that skill crystal to your forehead. It has the more basic warrior skills.”

« We’re headin’ for Lewis’ new store on the front. »

Mary jumped into her jeep. Roy noted that the jeep started up while they were still a few paces from it. Something the reports had mentioned but that he hadn’t believed.

* * * EARTH (FBI) – JERRY & DAMIEN * * *

Jerry really hated being in Florida in August. He was more into winter sports, if he wasn’t careful he’d end up lobster red and peeling. He gloried in their SUV’s air-con. He waited quietly while his partner checked in with HQ.

Damien looked puzzled. “Hey boss, we have conflicting reports. Ms Silvestre is reported to be in two places at once. She’s in her jeep heading towards the seafront, the detail assigned to her are maintaining contact. It appears she has her own private security. And then Ms Silvestre is talking with two members of her Hawaii detail at home.”

Jerry glanced at Damien, “Stop joking. We have a difficult enough task in front of us as it is.”

“Sorry Jerry, I’m not joking. We have reports placing her in two places at this precise moment in time. I don’t understand how such a balls up could happen but...”

Jerry spared Damien another look before putting their SUV in drive and setting off. Jerry accepted Damien’s directions and they parked near the waterfront not too far from their target’s jeep. They moved along the sidewalk checking out the neighbourhood as they went.

Their destination turned out to be a small former shop. The sign in the window informed them that today was the grand opening of this branch of Portals. Jerry and Damien shared a speculative look and entered.

“Good morning sirs, how may I help?”

Jerry looked at the woman sitting behind a counter. The shop seemed to be empty. There was the counter, and next to it what looked like two sliding metal doors.

“Excuse me, but just what is this place?” asked Damien.

The woman set her book down on the counter. “This is a branch office of portals. You are in luck, as this is our first day, you may use our portal for fifteen dollars.”

“And?”

The woman just looked at them. Jerry looked to Damien. “They came here, right? And they haven’t left yet?”

Damien nodded. So Jerry came to a decision and bought two tickets. The woman smiled perfunctorily and pressed a button beneath her counter. The door on the right hissed open showing a large room. The two agents stepped through warily and nearly lost their balance in the Moon’s reduced gravity. They found themselves in a large circular room with several closed doors. And one large open archway.

The twin doorway they had come through was labelled ‘Panama City, Florida.’. Many twin doorways were obviously not in use but they did find several with labels. Such as ‘London, England.’ ‘Paris, France.’ ‘Cancun, Mexico.’ ‘Portland, Oregon.’ “Oh Shit!” exclaimed Jerry.