M.Y.T.H. Inc In Action by Robert Asprin

“That’s sweet of you, Guido,” Tananda sez, misunderstandin’ what I was sayin’, “but the day I can’t hold my own against that, I’ll hang it up. Well, off to work.”

“What I mean is …” I try to say, but Tananda is already gone, slitherin’ after Junebug like some kind of feline snake sidlin’ up to a drunk canary.

This is just swell! While I suppose our “army vs. civilians” objective could be achieved by a cat fight between Tananda and Spyder, it wasn’t exactly what we had in mind when we planned this scenario.

As it turns out, though, I needn’t have worried. Watchin’ from the bar, I see Junebug respond to Tananda’s come-on like a first offender latchin’ onto his lawyer, and instead of startin’ a fight, Spyder just stands up and stomps out of the place with a scowl on her face and her ears laid back in her multicolored hair.

“Who’s that talking to your buddy?” Frumple sez, materializin’ in front of me.

I make a big show of lookin’ back at our table.

“Just a broad.” I shrug casual-like, signallin’ for a refill. “Why?”

“No reason. For a minute there I thought she looked familiar is all.”

He heads off down the bar to fetch my drink, leavin’ me a little uneasy. I tell myself there is no reason why the Deveel should recognize Tananda, as her current disguise bears no resemblance to her regular appearance. Still, he is an unstable element in the current equation, and I would just as soon keep him out of it entirely, if possible.

“I thought we were targeting Shu Flie?” Nunzio sez, easin’ in beside me at the bar. It may have been crowded where we were, but people usually manage to make room for someone Nunzio’s size, especially if he’s talkin’ to someone my size.