«Jeepers!» he said, «amI glad to see you! It’s all right, gang — let these guys through. They’re part of my mob.»
Shea made room for him to climb in their chariot, and the spearmen fell back respectfully as Pete directed the driver through the winding gaps in the entanglement. When they had cleared it Shea asked, «How did you get here, anyway?»
Pete said, «It was a pushover. They had me singing until I almost busted a gut. I tried to get this Ollgaeth to send me back toOhio, but he nixed it and said I’d have to throw in with their mob when they came over here to rub out Cuchulainn. Well, hell, I know what’s going to happen to the guys in that racket. They’re going to end up with their heads looking for the rest of them, and anyway I figure that if you go any here after you do your fadeout, it will be here. So one day when this Ollgaeth has me in the King’s ice house showing me some of the flash, I figure it’s a good chance to take along some presents. I let him have one on the conk, snatched everything I could and make a getaway.»
«You mean you stole Ailill’s crown jewels?» asked Shea.
«Sure. I don’t owe himnothing, do I? Well, when I get here, they roll out the carpet and send for, Cuchulainn. Well, I give him a line about how this Maev mob is coming to hit him on the head, like I told him before, but I add that they’re gonna put a geas on all his gang so they’ll go to sleep and can’t do any fighting. That was different, see? They all want to get into the act, but they can’t figure what to do about it. I been watching this Ollgaeth, see, and the line I got is that if he can’t get close enough, he can’t make this geas business stick.»
«That’s good magicology,» said Shea. «Couldn’t Cathbadh send you home?»
«Home? What do you mean, home? They told me to go to it, so I stashed the combination around the place like we done in the army. Then they made me head shamus of the force. Do you think I want to go back toOhio and pound a beat?»
«Now, look here.» began Shea, but just then the gate of Muirthemne loomed over them, with Cuchulainn and Cathbadh beside it, accompanied by a tall, beautiful woman who must be Emer.
The hero said, «It is glad to see you that I am, darlings. Your man is less beautiful than ever, but you will be handselling him to me, for I think that with his help I may escape the doom that has been predicted.»
Shea climbed down and helped Belphebe out of the chariot. «Listen,» he said. «Pete’s already done all he can for you, and we don’t dare go back to our own country without him.»
Pete said, «Look, I’ll write you a letter or something to put you in the clear. Leave a guy run his own racket, will you? This is my spot.»
«Nothing doing,» said Shea. «Go ahead, Miach.»
The druid lifted his arms, mumbled one or two words, and lowered his arms again. «The geas is still upon you, Mac Shea,» he said. «I cannot.»
«Oh, I forgot,» said Shea, and pulled the sword from his belt. «Here, Cuchulainn, this is the sword of Nuada. I borrowed it from the Sidhe for you, and it will have to go back to them after you’re through, with the Connachta, who ought to be here any minute. But it will protect you better than Pete could. Does that leave us square?»
«It does that,» said Cuchulainn, holding the great sword up admiringly. Light rippled and flowed along the blade.
«Now, Miach,» said Shea.
Miach lifted his arms. «Hey, I don’t want.» began Pete, as the chant rose.
Whoosh!
Shea, Belphebe, and Brodsky arrived with a rush of displaced air in the living room atGaraden, Ohio, and almost in a heap. Behind them, the door of Shea’s study stood open. As the trio landed, a couple of heavy-set men with large feet turned startled faces, their hands full of Shea’s papers.
«It’s them!» said one.
The other said, «And by gawd — Pete Brodsky, the synthetic harp, in a monkey suit!» They both began to laugh.
«Hell with that, you punks,» said Pete. «I’ve had enoughIreland to last me. From now on it’snazdorowie Polska! See?»
Shea paid little attention. He was too busy kissing Belphebe.
