Lunch finished, we started out towards what we were reasonably sure was the rough location of the enemy’s hideout. Right in the middle of Old City. Independence hall, cobblestone streets, Paddy’s Pub, a location chock full of history and charm. 

 

“That last one’s just because you’re a fan of It’s Always Sunny.”

 

“Who isn’t?”

 

“All the characters are just awful!”

 

“That’s the point. Bad but kind of funny things happening to bad people. Besides, we know that’s not why you hate it.” I started humming as we walked down the street. 

 

“Yes, that’s why I can’t stand that show! That stupid song. Every time, it gets stuck in my head…”

 

“It is oddly catchy. Day man, aaahhaah, fighter of the Night man!” 

 

“I wouldn’t recommend actually visiting Paddy’s Pub, by the way.” Our local guide warned.

 

“Wait, It’s a real place? I thought it was made up.”

 

“It’s real, and even more of a dive than in the show. And they allow smoking.”

 

“They can do that?”

 

“PA lets some bars be grandfathered in to allow smoking, if they only take cash and derive the majority of their money from alcohol sales. Paddy’s is one of them. Constant cigarette smoke, and the only benefit is the beer’s the cheapest you can find in this part of the city. All the rest of it is more upscale like that.” She gestured to a micro-brewery as we walked by.”

 

“Hmm, neat.”

 

“We’re not going. I can’t stand the smell of cigarette smoke.”

 

“I know, but still, it’d be fun to at least see it.”

 

“We’re here for work, not tourism. Did you forget that?”

 

“Almost. We’ve really been seeing a lot of the sights.”

 

“It’s a right here.” Sandra said. We had reached the end of the cobblestone section on Chestnut street, a park full of monuments cattycorner to where we emerged onto Front street. “We might want to cross the street here though.”

 

“I think I can see the marker!” I ran over. Yup. Something Something “here’s sort-of the site where Tun Tavern was at before it burnt down” something something. 

 

“Very articulate.”

 

“Let me just double-check something.” I pulled out the pendulum again, concentrating on our goal. Rather than swinging in the simple axises of earlier, it did a circle, then darted out to the east, before repeating this motion. We were close, but not at the entrance proper.

 

“Where’s the direction it’s pointing?” Sandra asked. 

 

“A somethat that-way direction.” A line of bushes and trees, with empty space behind it. The rush of traffic could be heard emanating up from below.

 

“95? There’s no way we can sneak down there.

 

“Don’t worry, I thought this through as well. First, let's get behind those bushes. We’ll probably also be able to drop the trench coats here as well.”

 

Once in place, the plan continued, Mainly with me digging through my pack. 

 

“Here, you know how to tie this off, right?” I handed the bundle to Sandra.

 

“Rope? We’re rappelling down?”

 

“Yes.”

 

“Down next to a crowded highway, while wearing tactical gear?”

 

“That’s the part I’m working on.” I explained, furtively lighting candles. “Most people use glamors for more superficial things-”

 

“Like removing my hair dye.” Liah scowed.

 

“Like cosmetic reasons or grabbing attention.” I conceded. “But they can do the reverse. You know all about the Hidden Folk using them to spirit people away, luring them off into the land of Fairy. They can be used to conceal. And here we go. I’ll need a bit of quiet.”

 

I concentrated, willing the energy at my core to warp the perception of those who might look at us. On me and Sandra, specifically. Liah already could do this as second nature. If anything I was just borrowing and amplifying her power. 

 

“Honestly I had assumed you’d just muscle-brain the whole thing.” Sandra admitted. 

 

“I am a witch. Give me some credit. Now, who wants to go first?” I asked as I tossed my jacket over the jagged top of the fence. “No one? Okay, follow me then.” With a bit of added swagger, and with the rope wrapped around the figure-8 device on my harness, I hopped over the fence and began my descent, desperately clamping down on the terror from the last time I had done this. 

 

As I descended, something unusual happened. The scent of exhaust fumes faded, replaced by the brackish scent of the river. It grew increasingly stronger, and my surroundings seemed to grow darker. By the time I reached the ground, which oddly enough seemed to be wooden planks, it was nighttime, at a waterfront lit by oil lamps. 

 

Luckily I had landed in an alleyway, hidden from the street. The rope seemed to reach up into the night sky, disappearing into thin air. Not sure what to make of this, I kept an eye out, rifle at the ready, and waited for the others to join me. 

 

“This is odd.” Sandra was the second down. “Unless I’m mistaken…”

 

“It’s happened again!” Liah huffed. 

 

“So we’re…”

 

“In another world, apparently. I must say this is easier than the last time I tried to travel here.”

 

“It looks a bit, uh, RPG-y.”

 

“It does, doesn’t it? I didn’t expect to be coming back here so soon.”

 

“Just so you know, we aren’t fully in the other world.” Liah said. 

 

“We aren’t?”

 

“It doesn’t feel like it. We’re at sort of a, well, liminal space? I’ll admit, it does seem like a convenient place to be based out of. Easy access to the real world, and being able to take advantage of the differences in the flow of time. Though since we’re only dipping our toes in, for lack of a better term, we won’t get the same boost we did during the October incident.”

 

“Only dipping our toes in?”

 

“Just look at us. Despite the cosplay make-up, we’re just dripping in anchors linking us to the world we came from. If it weren’t for our dispositions we likely would have just landed on the side of I-95.” Sandra explained. “If we dropped all our overtly technological stuff we’d likely get trapped here, but we have a pretty solid anchor to help us get back home. 

 

“I guess it’s good to know our body armor can protect us from more than bullets.” I muttered. I reached into my pocket for the pendulum. The directions from it were clear. 

 

A mansion. A large mansion facing the riverfront dotted with sailing ships. While it wasn’t the most conspicuous structure, that would be the castle tower I spotted in the distance, it was still fairly luxurious. You know, since this wasn’t our world, if we came back with a mortar…

 

“No. We’re not blowing up the house. For one thing we need to make sure we actually get the guy.”

 

“It was just a thought. Hey, do you think if there’s time we could check out a fantasy tavern?”

 

“Also no! You know the stories about accepting food in strange lands!”Liah lectured.

 

“Actually…” Sandra started to say. 

 

“We’ll go in, do the job, and get out.” Liah really was doing a good job of taking charge. “No isekai hijinks.”

 

“Fine…”

 

     We got our gear ready, ear protection in and guns out, and slowly worked our way towards the mansion. Despite the late hour, there were plenty of people out and about, mostly longshoremen and sailors in a mish-mash of pseudo historical outfits. The scene looked straight out of one of a poorly-written fantasy novel, like one of the ones where the main character has a status screen.

 

“Do you think we should stop by the adventurers guild first?” I muttered.

 

“Please, stop with the jokes.”

 

After a good ten minutes of creeping slowly, we managed to reach the entrance to the mansion. Digging through my pack, I found another bundle of cordage, which I placed around the door frame. Hooking a few other odds and ends, I grabbed the other two and positioned myself off to the side. 

 

“What spell is this going to be?” Sandra asked? Liah was already sighing.

 

“Explosion!”

 

WUMP

I immediately followed, ready to pie the corner, but enemies were already waiting. Two of them, standing like statues. Wait, they were statues, moving awkwardly. The shattered remains of two more could be seen behind them, mixed in with the remains of the door. I shot twice into the chest of the first one, which shattered as the rounds hit, letting the recoil help carry the barrel over to the second statue. Two more rounds destroyed the second statue. 

 

The rubble settled, though noises could be heard in other rooms of the house. Whatever magical security system this guy had seemed to be waking up. 

 

“Couldn’t you have given us a bit of a warning?” Sandra hurried in, with Liah taking the rear. “And weren’t we going to try and be a bit more stealthy?”

 

“I didn’t see a need, given our surroundings. If anything the loud noises should help be a bit of a shock. We just need to keep up the momentum. Now let’s go!” I moved onwards into the house, pulling a grenade out of a pouch. The first door I found seemed to lead down to a basement. I tossed the grenade down, listening to it clatter in the darkness below.

 

WUMP

 

The hefty thump of Comp B echoed. I followed it with another, then descended. The wreckage of more automatons could be found in the chamber below, the remaining one struggling to raise its arm. A shot from my rifle knocked the arm back. I placed a few parcels from my backpack into the corners before facing the door.

 

It was made of heavy oak, iron-strapped and imposing. But the door knob seemed to be made of brittle iron, and was easily shot through. I cracked the door open, threw another grenade, and waited.

 

WUMP

 

I opened the door. While the grenade knocked out several of the clockwork constructs, more could be seen, glittering in the long chamber that stretched out into darkness.

 

So anyways, I started blasting.