Living with Spirit Girl: Cp33

Living with Spirit Girl
Chapter Thirty-Three

I informed those around me, “I’m going out as spirit. Not certain what I can do, but maybe I can find something to help.”

As I went insubstantial, I heard the lawyer say, “I am claiming that technology as well.”

I became substantial enough to make a wisecrack, but then heard Honnider’s phone ring and picked it up instead of saying anything. “*Officer Arraelly, you cannot allow my wife to have the technology.*”

The situation was too critical to bother with questions, so I curtly replied, “*It’s a legality, Honnider. Tie it up in the courts.*”

I put the phone down, then went insubstantial. While I knew that I could be seen, I did not worry about it. There was enough commotion from the various groups that I expected them to be more concerned with the substantial threats of each other and not some insubstantial female.

Actually, after a little thought it was easy to determine what to do. There was only one group I did not care about. The various officers of the law I considered on my side, so I would not act against them. Those with the gravity device I felt were independents, so would be taken out somehow. The new players I felt represented a bigger picture, one that really did not belong in our squabble. In looking at what they had done to establish their position, I thought of something to do that would let them know they had intruded in where they were not wanted.

The human vehicles were not like those we used back on my world. I however had paid attention as I rode with others. It also helped that the new group had left their cars running. I regained some substance as I settled in the driver’s seat, put the vehicle in gear, then had a foot press the accelerator.

I had no intention of driving far. I was already a distance from Blake, and did not want to lose time by surpassing whatever distance we could be apart. I drove it past a couple of intersections, then found the brake and brought the vehicle to a stop.

It caught me by surprise when a couple of men waving guns ran right past me. While I moved slow when insubstantial, I wanted the time to study the reactions of everyone to what I did. I did not open the door, but floated up through the roof before heading back to the property. I actually felt my presence up in the air over the road would make me easily seen, but I watched as two men went past me without any indication of noticing my spectral form.

I wondered if those in the truck did see me as one using a bull horn announced, “All right, mafia bastards, you are playing in a game you know nothing about. Go back to your drugs and whores.”

It surprised me that I understood the word ‘mafia’ from my own knowledge. While my connection with Blake surely gave me some basic reference, most of my thoughts were of my own dealing with crime syndicates. With my world being so dangerous, it made sense for people to organize whether committing crimes or not. A number of times I had regular police seeking my S4 status to bypass certain obstacles created by people being paid to protect people they probably would have helped for free. From my own knowledge of dealing with those like the mafia, I felt that I had done the right thing even as I thought about what I would do next.

One of the mafia people said, “Listen, we will pay you five million dollars for your truck and the weapon right now!”

The one on the bullhorn replied, “It’s not worth it. Here, let me show you.”

After taking a guzzle from a bottle, the one kneeling beside the gravity weapon rose to turn it upon a central black vehicle. The police wisely took shots as those in the affected area found themselves moved outside of cover. After the cars settled, the one with the bull horn spoke some more.

“See, this thing does not do much. It’s nifty, but not that great. The police and feds have someone that could work on it. It is thus worth something to them, which is why they are not firing upon us. As for you commie degenerates, you would simply pay us money then shoot us when we partied with the money. Go away!”

I chose to do with another car like I did with the other, although as I moved through the roof I heard, “Hey, Arraelly! You, Spirit Girl, your name is Arraelly, right?” Needing to gain some substance to respond, I decided to continue with what I was doing. “Listen, after you finish with that vehicle, come back and talk to us.”

It did surprise me to hear another amplified voice say, “Officer Arraelly, it would help if you could get some basic negotiation with the guys in the truck.”

I smiled at a mafia guy using a door as a shield from bullets as I gained enough substance to drive the vehicle. As he lifted his weapon, I put the car into gear and stomped the accelerator. I did not give humans credit for the power of their vehicles, as we could get engines to propel us quickly through our liquid environment. Water presented a lot of resistance, but I had worked on land with the military so knew some things about travel over terrain. I held the steering wheel steady as I again covered a couple of blocks, although I did not stop the car as smoothly as I had the other one. As I lost substance to again exit through the roof, this time the ones chasing sent bullets through my form.

Seeing me unaffected by the projectiles I believe is what convinced the man who rode with me to flee. Those that came after me simply jumped in the car and rushed away. As I turned to move back, the others also loaded back up in their vehicles and fled.

I saw those in the truck looking to me, so gained enough substance to run up and ask, “All right, what do you guys want to tell me that you cannot tell the police who are right there listening?”

The one with the bull horn did not use it as he said, “You are a pretty thing. Saw you in those pictures with Fernando Freight Train. Those pages are now sticky.” The others in the truck laughed, but seeing no reaction from me he decided to say something of worth. “Listen, tell the police that if they will drop all charges we will give them the weapon back. Oh, and a case of beer, so we can blame them if they arrest us for intoxication as we go home.”

Like I said, the police were right there, so I yelled, “He says that if you drop all charges and bring them a case of beer they will give the weapon back!”

A police captain yelled back, “We’ll need names, addresses, and things like that.”

The man in the truck asked me, “Was that an agreement?”

I did not feel qualified to answer, so yelled, “Was that an agreement?”

As would expect to happen on my world, some of the local police knew those in the truck. As they provided some information, Mrs. Pritchard’s lawyer stepped up claiming the weapon for her client. Neither side really cared about what the lawyer said. Those in the truck simply wanted to clean their record while the authorities wanted to resolve the situation. Those in the truck had used the weapon, so there was no issue about it working. While on my world there would be a concern for the arrival of a predator, I listened as the two groups dickered on the value of the two options seeking a compromise in their favor.

It came down to the men being assured of one traffic violation being dropped from their record along with no charges for the recent heist. They did not get the case of beer, but were warned that one of them better be sober to drive the truck away. Some did not want to take the deal, but then the generator for the gravity weapon started running rough. Realizing that they could soon be working without the benefit of a special bargaining chip, the men assured the officers of the law that they would accept the offer.

As some officers helped the men unload the weapon, the lawyer again stepped up to assert her claim on the weapon. No one paused in their work. The police captain did inform the lady that she would need to waste other peoples’ time with the issue, but they were just interested in securing the weapon. Seeing me just standing around and watching seemed to have the lawyer think I would care about what she said.

“Officer Arraelly, I am also claiming whatever technology you are using.”

“Let me know,” I replied, “when you see me using technology, as I would more be more than glad to give it to you.”

“Are you saying that you are able to do the things you do naturally?”

“No, I am saying that I want to get home. That device did not work properly on me. In a way, it’s good, as I am not stuck in some foreign body the way Honnider is. It is also good because I believe I can have myself transported home while it is my unscientific opinion that your client will have to decide whether she is going to live with Honnider or not.”

I felt it was good that she paused to consider my words. Until I got another message from Physicist Mosork I had nothing else to do, so I decided to stay with the lawyer until the police finished their business with the guys that had the gravity weapon. It surprised me, but I felt in a good way, when she changed the subject to something that I actually could give an informed opinion on.

“Officer Arraelly, what are your thoughts about my clients accepting Honnider into her life?”

“I have never known him to marry or date. The guy is driven to his work. Actually, being married could be a good thing for him. I always felt that he needed some stability to his life, and a distraction that would provide him with some morals. The man I know only wanted money for his own projects. Never have I found him doing something besides seeking another great invention.”

“There is the issue of him draining the family savings.”

I found myself wondering about the original relationship between Mrs. Pritchard and her husband while giving some information to her lawyer. “Tell Mrs. Pritchard that if she gives him the chance, he will build it back up again. One easy option for that will be making money off that gravity device you are claiming. That device that transported us to this world could also be found to have some money-making potential. Honnider does have some clout with investors, although is also known to go off on another project that drains his finances right back down.”

“Just how much future could there be in having him duplicate the technology of your world?”

“I cannot say. Our world is not that much different than yours. We seem to have figured some things out, while you figured out others. Our water environment has also made certain technologies worthwhile to us while probably being no use to you.”

“Could I have some scientists speak to you?”

I got a little angry at that. “You have Honnider! He is a fountain of knowledge, and he is the one who will need to be dealt with to resolve a number of your issues.”

“Could I have your help in dealing with him? You and he do seem to get along.”

“I’m work to him, so of course he will talk to me.” I stopped with the allowance that I could spend time mediating issues, so calmed myself. “Yes, I will talk to Honnider with you. No, make that Mrs. Pritchard. Tell your client that if she is really willing to see what type of future she can have with Honnider, I will do what I can to get the two of them to talk.”