on the inside than it is on the outside. The door is in
14 Robert Asprin
Deva, but the rest of the house is in another dimension.
That means if we go through that door, the back door
that we've just shown you, we'd be in another world ...
one we know nothing about. That's why we were willing
to leave it sealed up rather than stick our noses out into
a completely unknown situation."
"I still think you should have checked it out," the
bodyguard insisted stubbornly.
"Think again," Aahz supplied. "You've only seen
two dimensions. Skeeve here has visited a dozen. I've
been to over a hundred myself. The Deveels you see here
at the Bazaar, on the other hand, know over a thousand
different dimensions."
"So?"
"So we think they gave us this place because it opens
into a dimension that they don't want... 'don't want'
as in 'scared to death of. Now, you've seen what a
Deveel will brave to turn a profit. Do you want to go ex-
ploring in a world that's too mean for them to face?"
"I see what you mean."
"Besides." Aahz finished triumphantly, "take an-
other look at that door. It's got more locks and bolts
than three ordinary bank vaults."
"Somebody opened it," Guido said pointedly.
That took some of the wind out of Aahz's sails.
Despite himself, he shot a nervous glance at the door.
"Well... a good thief with a lockpick working from
this side...."
"Some of these locks weren't picked, Aahz."
I had been taking advantage of their discussion to do
a little snooping, and now held up one of my discoveries
for their inspection. It was a padlock with the metal
shackle snapped off. There were several of them scat-
tered about, as if someone had gotten impatient with the
MYTH-ING PERSONS 15
lockpick and simply torn the rest of them apart with his
hands.
Guido pursed his lips in a silent whistle. "Man, that's
strong. What kind of person could do that?"
"That's what we've been trying to get you to tell us,"
Aahz said nastily. "Now, if you don't mind, what were
those customers like?"
"Three of them... two men and a woman... fairly
young-looking, but nothing special. Klahds by the look
of 'em. Come to think of it, they did seem a bit nervous,
but I thought it was just because they were coming to see
a magician."
"Well, now they're on the other side of the door."
Aahz scooped up one of the undamaged locks and
snapped it into place. "I don't think they can pick
locks, or break them if they can't reach 'em. They're
there, which is their problem, self-inflicted I might add,
and we're here. End of puzzle. End of problem."
"Do you really think so, Aahz?"
"Trust me."
Somehow that phrase struck a familiar chord in my
memory, and the echoes weren't pleasant. I was about
to raise this point with Aahz when Nunzio poked his
head in the door.
"Hey, Boss. You got visitors."
"See?" my partner exclaimed, beaming. "I told you
things could only get better! It's not even noon and
we've got more customers."
"Actually," Nunzio clarified, "it's a delegation of
Deveels. I think it's the landlord."
"The landlord?" Aahz echoed hollowly.
"See how much better things have gotten?" I said
with a disgusted smirk. "And it's not even noon."
"Shall I run 'em off, Boss?" Guido suggested.
16 Robert Asprin
"I think you'd better see *em," Nunzio advised.
"They seem kind'a upset. Something about us harbor-
ing fugitives."
Aahz and I locked gazes in silence, which was only
natural as there was nothing more to be said. With a
vague wave that bordered on a nervous tick, I motioned
for Nunzio to show the visitors in.
As expected, it was the same delegation of four from
the Devan Chamber of Commerce who had originally
hired us to work for the Bazaar, headed by our old ad-
versary, Hay-ner. Last time we dealt with him, we had
him over a barrel and used the advantage mercilessly.
While he had agreed to our terms, I always suspected it
had hurt his Devan pride to cut such a generous deal and
that he had been waiting ever since to pay us back. From
the smile on his face as he entered our reception room, it
appeared he felt his chance had finally come.
"Aahh, Master Skeeve," he said. "How good of you
to see us so promptly without an appointment. I know
how busy you are, so I'll come right to the point. I
believe there are certain individuals in residence here
that our organization is most anxious to speak with. If
you would be so kind as to summon them, we won't
trouble you further."
"Wait a minute, Hay-ner," Aahz put in before I
could respond. "What makes you think the people
you're looking for are here?"
"Because they were seen entering your tent less than
an hour ago and haven't come out yet," said the largest
of Hay-ner's back-up team.
I noticed that unlike Hay-ner, he wasn't smiling. In
fact, he looked down-right angry.
"He must mean the ones who came in earlier," Nun-
zio suggested helpfully. "You know. Boss, the two guys
with the broad."
MYTH-ING PERSONS
17
Aahz rolled his eyes in helpless frustration, and for
once I was inclined to agree with him.
"Umm, Nunzio," I said, staring at the ceiling, "why
don't you and Guido wait outside while we take care of
this?"
The two bodyguards trooped outside in silence,
though I noticed that Guido glared at his cousin with
such disdain that I suspected a stern dressing-down
would take place even before I could get to him myself.
The Mob is no more tolerant than magicians of staff
members who say more than they should in front of the
opposition.
"Now that we've established that we all know who
we're talking about and that they're here," Hay-ner
said, rubbing his hands together, "call them out and
we'll finish this once and for all."
"Not so fast," I interrupted. "First of all, neither of
us have laid eyes on those folks you're looking for,
because, second of all, they aren't here. They took it on
the lam out the back door before we could meet them."
"Somehow, I don't expect you to take our word for
it," Aahz added. "So feel free to search the place."
The Deveel's smile broadened, and I was conscious of
cold sweat breaking out on my brow.
"That won't be necessary. You see, whether I believe
you or not is of little consequence. Even if we searched,
I'm sure you would be better at hiding things than we
would be at finding them. All that really matters is that
we've established that they did come in here, and that
makes them .your responsibility."
I wasn't sure exactly what was going on here, but I
was sure that I was liking it less and less with each pass-