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That was Sido’s fault if she had convinced him this would be a walk in the park.
“Don’t think of me as a babysitter. I assure you, my job is to stay out of your way. I’m merely here as a public relations representative. My job is to make sure nothing happens that might reflect badly on the convention or your temple.”
“What are you worried might happen?” I glanced at Leo, and he looked as confused as I was.
“Oh, well, we just try to keep things family friendly. No nudity. No lustful displays.” As he spoke, my lip curled up in disgust, and he must have seen it because he smiled apologetically. “Nothing that might offend the sponsors.”
“I promise I’ll keep my top on.”
At some point while we’d spoken, Sawyer had twisted the pilot around her little finger, because she was now seated in the helicopter’s cabin, wearing a headset and nodding with rapt attention as he explained what each of the buttons did.
So much for dampening her from her excitement over life as a cleric. As it was, I think I was doing a better job recruiting than dissuading.
Who would have thought I might be the ideal person to bring fresh blood into the fold?
It was too bad Sawyer couldn’t be a Rain Chaser. While I wouldn’t necessarily wish my lifestyle on anyone else, I was starting to believe she might have what it took to live this way. She was tough, obviously, and curious to a fault. She was restless and independent. Whichever temple she belonged to she would be a strong addition.
But it wouldn’t be for Seth. Not if the little girl on the beach had been. Rain Chasers were uncommon enough I didn’t think it was possible for two to be born so close together.
“Do you have any particular requirements before we take off?” Teddy asked me, back to jotting things down on his board.
“Requirements?”
“Yes, any special food, drinks, music? Any equipment you might need for the display?”
I was gobsmacked. Was this leprechaun offering to get me whatever my heart desired? Just to do my job?
Maybe Seth could learn a thing or two from this.
“Uh. I’d love a burrito? A copy of Led Zeppelin III…and one of the peanut butter milkshakes from that Gordon Ramsay restaurant?” I wasn’t entirely sure what to ask for.
Teddy nodded, made notes, then tore off the bottom part of his paper and handed it to a young woman who seemed to have materialized out of nowhere. “Very good.”
“Seriously?”
“Of course. Your satisfaction is our top priority, Ms. Corentine. If you’re happy, Seth is happy. And naturally we all aim to appease the gods.” He smiled his wax smile again. I briefly wondered if he might be a robot instead of a real person. He was a bit too perfect.
“All right…”
“Now, let’s get a move on. Lots to discuss before the big show.”
In the air en route to the Grand Canyon, Teddy talked and the rest of us listened. The pilot, still unable to resist Sawyer’s boundless charm, had kept her up front with him, and I was pretty sure at least once he let her take control of the steering.
I based this entirely on her going, “Wheeeeee” periodically and my impending sense of doom that deepened each time.
I guess I might as well have asked Teddy for a pony, because we were probably all going to die before I got any of it.
Teddy continued to yammer on, as if totally unconcerned that a girl who couldn’t legally drive was navigating us through the skies. “Now, we’re hoping to get started as close to seven as possible. It’s a really prime time, and we’re likely to get the most viewership at that point. Do you think that will be a problem?”
“A problem how?”
“I mean, is this something you can control well enough to do it on a timeline, or should we be ready to start filming as needed? Do you need to warm up at all?”
The helicopter seemed to drop a couple feet all of a sudden, and I grabbed hold of a strap dangling from the ceiling. Leo looked downright ashen.
“I could call up some lightning right now if you need proof.” I didn’t mean the words to sound threatening, but considering how pale Teddy got, I guess that was how they came across.
“No, that’s fine. I trust you’ll be able to execute the program without any issues.”
