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“Getting caught in time distortions and fighting off a pack of traveling meat-minds. It’s not like I forgot you or anything; this is the first time I’ve been able to get back.”

“They know you’re here.”

“Here, here? Like here and now? Or just in the mall here?”

Faint blue frown lines appeared as he worked that out.“In the mall.”

“Well, gee, that alarm we set off probably had something to do with that.”

“You th…Who’s that?”

Diana jumped as Kris’ hand came down on her shoulder. “You’re talking to a mirror?”

“You’re turning into an elf?”

“Yeah. Okay. Fine. Your point.”

“I thought you weren’t coming in?”

“You were taking too long.”

“Hey!”

Both girls looked up.

“You want to save that? This is not a place you should be hanging around.”

Diana nodded.“You’re right. We’ve got to go farther in.”

Jack’s eyes widened. “Are you nuts?”

“Exactly what I keep asking,” Kris muttered. “But she’s not answering me.”

“Look, both of you, we’re on a scouting mission, trying to find out who or what we’re dealing with darksidewise, and so far, we have found out nothing. There’s nobody around. Nobody lurking. Nobody skulking. Nada. I keep going until I get a look at something. No farther…” She raised herhands as both Jack and Kris began to protest. “…so I don’t cut off my escape route. Unless…” Locking eyes with Jack. “…you’ve got new information for me.”

“About who’s behind this?”

“Well, yeah.”

“No. He’s never come out this far, but I have heard a compelling kind of voice coming out of the storeroom, so he could have been there.”

“A compelling kind of voice?” Diana repeated. “What does that mean?”

“A voice that compels. A voice belonging to the kind of guy who could put all this…” His eyes rolled around the mirror. “…in motion.”

“If notthe big cheese; one of?”

“That’d be my guess.”

“Okay, I’ll check the storeroom for residual energy.”

“Be careful. If you access the possibilities, they’ll know exactly where you are.”

“Really?” She frowned at the mirror. “I never would have remembered something so crucial to my own survival.”

“Well, excuse me for being concerned.”

“Sorry. It’s a polarity thing. They’re bad, I’m good. Opposites attract. Good can, therefore, track evil, no accessing of the possibilities necessary.” Turning to Kris she nodded at the storeroom door. “You coming with?”

“Not so fast.” The mall elf held up a cautioning hand. “Good can track evil?”

“Yeah.”

“Then evil can track good. Can track you.”

“Only if they know I’ve been there. But unless they walk inwhile I’m there, why would they know that?”

“You make it sound so easy,” Kris snorted. “And we both know it isn’t.”

“Well, yeah. But why make it harder than it has to be? You don’t have to come…”

“Right. Again with the ditching as things get tough; not going to happen.”

“Good.”

“Yeah, good.”

Still on her hands and knees, Diana headed for the storeroom, not entirely certain if anything had actually been resolved.

The storeroom seemed empty of anything relevant although it was difficult to tell with all the basilisk sculpture stacked along the walls. She walked to one end then zigzagged her way back. Nothing. No sign of major evil. No minor evil. Not even a hint of metaphysical PMS.

“Where is everyone?” she demanded, yanking at the locked drawers of the filing cabinet. “This is nuts!”

Kris snorted, leaned back against the door, and folded her arms.“Stress much? Look you’ve got to get a bit more relaxed.”

“No. I’ve got to get farther in.”

“Yeah.” The mall elf sighed. “I knew you’d say that.”

Abandoning the files, Diana crossed to stand in front of Kris, her eyes narrowed.“You don’t have to…”

“…come with, I knew you’d say that, too.” She straightened, then leaned slightly forward, capturing Diana’s gaze with hers and holding it. “Now, what amI going to say?”

Hopefully not“get your hands off me you lezzy pervert.” Their faces were so close together, their breath mingled.

Diana moved just a little bit closer.

As first kisses went, it was kind of a nonevent, but no noses ended up out of alignment, no teeth got cracked, and Kris seemed, if not enthusiastic, at least receptive. Diana would have considered it a promissory kiss except she knew the danger in foreshadowing.

“You’re thinking,” she said quietly, “that you’d rather be with me than waiting here in the storeroom all alone.”

Kris nodded, her expression confusingly noncommittal.“Close enough.”

Reminding herself that closing the segue and saving the world had to remain at the top of her to-do list, that she and Kris were now literally from two different worlds, that she was an idiot, Diana stepped back, turned, and cracked open the door to the access corridor. Her line of sight was limited, but she couldn’t hear anyone—or anything—hanging about. When Kris moved up close behind her, a crystal shot glass in the B cup of her slingshot, she opened the door the rest of the way.