Outside In (wt)
an excerpt

“He’s a big bugger,” said Deacon, slipping a stone back into his pocket and pulling out a thick cigar from his jacket. He was a tall man himself, and broad shouldered, with surprisingly delicate features. “Glad I didn’t have to fight him.”

“Christ, you’re not going to smoke that, are you?”

“Simple pleasures, Archie.”

“And don’t be so bloody informal either! You’ve got to set an example!”

Deacon laughed, grinning broadly. “To who, Archie? There’s nobody here.”

“Doesn’t hurt to get into practice.”

“Fine, then. Cigars, mister Captain Baine, are one of life’s beautiful, simple pleasures.”

“They damn well are not,” grumbled Baine, standing to his feet. “They stink up the air something chronic, and they’ve ruined your singing voice.”

“Makes me sound gruff and sexy. Ladies like that.”

Baine rolled his eyes and stretched, looking around. They were sitting in a field, the exact same field, in fact, that they’d been sitting in now for almost five hours. By now, they were supposed to have opened up a gateway for them, but it had probably gotten itself stuck at some committee level or other. Most likely Patricia White again, trying to insist on some little bit of legislature, or changing a word to make herself seem important.

“I’m going to bloody well smack her when I see her,” he muttered.

“You don’t know it’s her for sure,” said Deacon, puffing on the cigar and stubbing it out. Fine cigars were a pleasure, but he couldn’t afford them often enough to smoke them all the way through. A few puffs here and there, though, and a cigar could last a long time, especially if you tucked it into one of the cases Erasmus had given him. “Could just be busy.”

“It’s her,” said Baine, shaking his head. “Her and her milquetoast husband, following her round like a little puppy dog. He needs to wake up and give her a good slap.”

“He’d not survive if he did,” Deacon observed. Tilting his head, he listened closely for a moment, then gripped Gil’s arms and dragged him away from the fence. “It’s coming. Over here.”

Baine stood silently for a few seconds, watching as a bright spot appeared in the air, then expanded to form an elliptical gateway that opened onto pitch darkness.

“I’ll never understand how you can do that.”

“It’s a talent,” said Deacon, lifting Gil up onto his shoulders. “Damn, but he’s heavy! Must weigh close to eighteen stone.”

“Really? He looks like he’s not in bad shape.”

“He’s not. He’s just a big bugger. Come on, Archie, get moving before I collapse under him!”

“Manners, Deacon.”

“Sorry – get a move on, Captain.”

“That’s more like it,” said Baine, grinning as he stepped into the portal.