Everwild

Joh

Nick decided to use a different tack. "Soldier! Your behavior is disgraceful for a sergeant of the Chocolate Brigade."

"Sergeant?" said Zin. "I thought you said I was a private."

"Not anymore." He reached over and painted a chocolate chevron on her sleeve. "You're a sergeant now, and I expect you to act like one."

Zin was overjoyed. "Yes, sir!"

"And if you follow orders and do your job to the best of your ability, you might even make lieutenant."

"Yes, sir! What are my orders, sir?"

Nick had suspected she might be more motivated by responsibility than by threats. "Your orders are not to do anything unless I tell you to," he said.

"Good luck," grunted Joh

"What in the hell do you think you're doing?" he demanded. His sudden appearance and threatening tone of voice set Kudzu barking, and hiding behind Zin. Nick thought about sending Zin away, but decided it was best if she stayed in his sight. Instead he told Joh

Joh

Isaiah looked at Zin, then back to Nick again. Nick could tell he was afraid, but he hid his fear behind anger. "You take that thing and you get it out of Atlanta. Now."

"Who's he calling a thing?" growled Zin.

Nick firmly clasped Zin's shoulder with his chocolate-free hand. "Remember your orders," he said under his breath. Zin bit her lip--literally--as if the only way for her to shut her mouth was to clamp her bottom lip between her teeth.

It was then that Nick realized that Zin was a double whammy. Not only had he brought "Zach the Ripper," but he had brought a Confederate soldier into a city run by a kid who may very well have suffered the life of a slave when he was alive.

"Her name is Zi

"You mean to tell me that thing is a girl?"

Zi

"I don't care what she can do--I don't need help from someone wearin' the gray."

Then Zi

"I don't recollect all that much 'bout my life," she said, "but I do know I didn't join the war to protect slavery. I did it to protect my family--and I'd take off this here uniform if I could, but I can't any more than you can take off those torn pants and rope belt. We's all stuck with what we wore, but not with what we were."

Isaiah still looked angry, but he didn't respond. He just waited to see if there was any more to her defense. To Nick's surprise, there was.

"The way I sees it," said Zin, "there ought not to be problems with skin color in Everlost, cuz Afterlights ain't got no skin, technically speakin', right?"

Isaiah nodded. "I'll do you one better than that," he said. "Hold out your arm."

Zi

"Yeah, how 'bout that!"

"You remember that," said Isaiah, "and maybe I won't have to run you out of town."

"Fair enough," said Zin.

Now that their peace had been made, Isaiah turned to Nick. "So are you just passing through again, or is there something you want from us?"

And that's when the real work began.

CHAPTER 21 Let 'Er Rip

Wi

As they gathered, Nick stood patiently with an impatient Zin. Joh

"If things get out of hand, do I got permission to knock some heads?" Joh

"Absolutely not," Nick told him.

"You're no fun," he grumbled.

When all of Atlanta was there, Isaiah came up to Nick. "Do I introduce you as Nick, Nicholas, or the Chocolate Ogre?"

Nick's instinct was to simply go by Nick, plain and simple--but if Mary was the Sky Witch, how could he hope to be taken seriously if he was just "Nick"?

"Go with the Ogre," he told Isaiah. Mary had invented the name as a smear tactic. Well, it was time he used it to his advantage.

Isaiah raised his hand to get everyone's attention, and in a few moments the murmuring crowd quieted down. "Hey y'all, everybody," he said, in an informal, yet commanding voice. "This here is the Chocolate Ogre, as I'm sure you already know. I've checked him out, and he's okay. He wants to talk to you, so listen up--and don't make him mad, or he'll turn you into chocolate chips or something."

Nick cleared his throat twice. He was nervous, and whenever he was nervous his throat clogged with chocolate.

"Afterlights of Atlanta," Nick began. "I come in friendship ... and to prove it, I would like to present to you Zi

"Zi

"Shut yer trap!" said Zin.

Nick pushed on. "I know you've all heard bad things about the ripper--just like you've heard bad things about me. Well, I'm here to set you straight. The ripper's not going to rip anyone's guts out--"

"I could if I wanted to," said Zin, and Kudzu seconded it with a bark and growl.

"Right," Nick said, throwing her a secret scowl. "But the ripper uses her powers for good." Nick took a moment to let that sink in, then he continued. "We all know that there aren't many things that cross into Everlost--and when things do cross, they get picked up by finders, who charge an arm and a leg for everything. Well, forget about finders-- because if there's something you want, the ripper can get it for you!"

Nick knew he was sounding like an infomercial, but at least he had their undivided attention. He glanced to Isaiah, whose arms were folded, not yet impressed by the show.

"I need a volunteer!" Nick said.

No one came forward at first, then a young girl was pushed out in front by her friends. She looked terrified. Joh

"Don't worry," Nick said to the girl quietly, "this is a good thing." Then he spoke loudly enough for the crowd to hear. "Tell me something you're longing for. Something you truly feel you deserve, that you've never had here in Everlost."

The girl looked up at him with wide, hopeful eyes. "A hot fudge sundae?"

Zin laughed. "Y'already got one! He's standing right in front a' ya!"