~6.9~

“Oh?”

“Let’s say I know someone with special talents,” Ed said. “The kind of talent we could maybe use. The kind that’s always in short supply… especially now, I hear.”

“What? Military? We’ve got a lot of that coming in,” the other man said. “Not that we can’t use it. Or when you say ’special’, do you mean special forces? Because I know we can use that. Hell, just bring the guy in. He’ll know who brought him.”

“No,” Ed said. He was choosing his words carefully. Everyone in tribe knew if not the actual truth of the world then the fact that there was a lot more in it, and in Jericho, then most people let on. It was how tribe survived. But not everybody knew as much about this area as everyone else, and not everyone believed as much, either. The last thing Ed wanted getting around was the idea that he was a crackpot. “I mean special-special. Not military. Not… ordinary.”

“Oh,” the man said. Recognition showed in his eyes. Recognition and nothing else, to Ed’s relief. “Are you sure you don’t want to be talking to Mama? Ivan doesn’t really have any business with the witches.”

That had never occurred to Ed, somehow. His first thought had been to go to Ivan, because his first thoughts on how to use this unearthly woman had been dark. She’d managed to get his wallet off him without his noticing, and she’d apparently done the same to others. She lived unnoticed in plain sight.

Maybe Mama could find a use for someone like that.

Certainly Ivan could.

On the other hand, Mama would welcome a messenger and set of eyes who could move around unnoticed, and she could certainly get the poor girl a library card. She would ask less of Liv… maybe use her no less often, but more gently.

And what would Ed get for that?

Mama’s goodwill counted for a lot.

That didn’t mean it was worth a lot.