A hansom cab pulled through the gates marking the grounds of a huge mansion near the industrial district. A group of workers on scaffolding stopped painting long enough to watch the new arrivals exit the little carriage.

The driver helped Blair out, holding her hand as she gently lowered herself off the step. The Verez sisters followed, blinking in the sunlight at their new surroundings and covering their eyes. They quickly headed for the shade cast by the large house, apologetically passing by Blair and then waiting for her from the safety of the shadows.

Rip exited last. He paid the driver, leaving a healthy tip. The man tipped his hat, retrieved his step and climbed back to his seat before heading out the gate.

Rip gazed up at the scaffolding and the workers, nodding in approval, watching as glass from several windows were carefully removed. Two men pried open a slim wooden box marked Verstärktes Glas and pulled out glass for a new window, this one enhanced.

The four of them matched Blair’s slower pace up the wide steps to the front. The mansion’s door looked new, and the entire entrance had been completely reworked recently. The door opened and Sergio Cuellar stepped out, his handsome Spanish face smiling with pride. He wore a new business suit.

“Welcome to Wayne Manor! Come in, come in.”

He held the door open for Blair and the sisters. Everyone smiled at him as they filed inside a great room filled with desks, chairs and people.

“Sssso, who is Wayne and why are we in his manor?” Hilda said, looking around at all the hustle and bustle.

“This is the new headquarters of Wayne Enterprises, milady,” Sergio said, smiling. “Sir Coulter bought the house from a Dutch industrialist who has fallen on hard times. His misfortune is our blessing. I think Sir Coulter has spent more on repairs and improvements than on his initial purchase price.”

Hilda grumbled something under her breath about him not answering her questions, but Sergio did not hear. He led them on a little tour.

As they walked through the front room, everyone nodded respectfully at the group. They may not have recognized Rip and Blair, and no one had ever seen the vampires before. But they all knew their boss, Sergio. A young woman rushed over to him with papers on a clipboard to sign. He glanced at them briefly before scrawling his signature, then they resumed the tour.

The number of people thinned considerably once they left the great room. Sergio led them down a wide hallway.

“Weapons testing takes place in this room,” Sergio said, opening a door.

They peeked in and found a large area divided into sections.

“We can shoot guns and fire smaller explosives over there,” Sergio said. “Pistol caliber, only. The area next to it you see with all the glass is sealed for the testing of gasses and equipment such as masks. The climbing wall in front of us, along with all these ropes and cables, are for testing vertical transfer tools. Ah, here is one now. Alissa, please show our guests what you have there.”

A young woman wearing a lab coat approached nervously, carrying something that looked like an armband attached to a small metal box. She held it out for all to see.

“What have you got there, Alissa? Explain it to our guests, please.”

“This is a miniature grapping gun, designed to be worn under the sleeves. We are hoping it replace the bigger ones adventurers use now.”

Sergio smiled and said, “Quite right. Already my wife’s booth in the RVS courtyard has several orders for these, and we don’t even have them yet. But we hope to begin the production line next week.”

“Let’s see it in action,” Rip said,

The young woman nodded and strapped the contraption onto her forearm. She moved toward the climbing wall, where the ceiling extended up through all three stories of the mansion. She aimed at the top of the wall, keeping her hand out of the way, and triggered a switch with her other hand.

A bang sounded as a charge in the wristlet went off, and a small grappling hook flew up to the top of the wall, pulling a line along with it. The hook found purchase and the young woman tested it by tugging. Then she flipped another switch and a tiny pulley began taking up the slack. Her feet left the ground as she quickly levitated up to the hook.

At the top of the climbing wall, she stopped and unhooked the grapple, waving to her audience below. Carefully, she began climbing back down.

“It does not have the range that a traditional gun has,” Sergio said. “That is the only limitation. But we think Venture Society members will like its utility. One can easily go up a floor or two using this device. And you don’t have to pull it out of your pack or interspatial wallet. It’s there on your arm, ready to use when needed.”

“Very nice,” Blair said.

Even the Verez sisters, who could simply mist and move up or down floors and across open spaces with ease, seemed impressed.

“That’s just one of our many weapons and devices. When we run out of ideas, Sir Coulter often gives us five more. And of course, much of what we develop includes improvements on existing items, such as the grappling gun.”

“Very good,” Rip said while Sergio beamed with his praise. “Now, how are the living quarters? Are they ready?”

“Yes. Princess Liza and Princess Hilda will have the best rooms on the top floor. We also have a staff to take care of their needs. They have been thoroughly vetted, by the way, as per your request.”

“Good. And how about the rest of our workers? We need to stick to the rule that no one of German descent is to have a roll anywhere in Wayne Enterprises.”

“You realize of course, Sir Coulter, that Umbria suffers from a labor shortage right now? The press gangs for the Navy does not help matters, even inland.”

“Yes, I’m quite aware. But even if we have to pay significantly higher wages, we need to avoid German workers whenever possible. I have my reasons. On my world, there was considerable anti-German sentiment after the First World War. It was not always fair, and the brush that painted it was far too broad. But in this case, I think it’s warranted. Industrial espionage is a thing, and we want to maintain as much secrecy as possible for Wayne Enterprises as we can. It’s going to really help us in any future conflicts with the Kaiser. And if you think there’s a labor shortage now, just wait until war is declared.”

“You really think there will be war?” Sergio asked quietly.

“We seem to be following my world’s history close enough. It would not surprise me. Either way, we’ll be ready for it. Now, let’s show the princesses their new quarters. They’ll be staying here until we depart.”

Sergio nodded and led the way to the grand staircase.

As they walked, Liza said, “Was not Austria-Hungary in your world’s war, also? Should you be trusting Hilda and me?”

“That occurred to me, yes,” Rip said. “But a couple other things seem obvious. One, you both are older than the Dual Kingdom. I think your loyalties, if they are tied to a region, probably go back to your own instead of this relatively new government that controls your land now.”

Liza raised her eyebrows in approval of the statement while Hilda nodded in agreement.

“Second, you’re like family to us and the RVS. And where I come from, we have a saying. ‘Blood is thicker than water.’ It means family comes first, above all else.”

“Ohhh, I like that saying, Ripley,” Liza said.

Hilda said, “Yessss!”

Both women seemed exceptionally happy as they checked out their new rooms.