Again there was a murmur of assent from his officers。
〃I don't understand；〃 I said； shaking my head。 〃If you don't want to fight； and we don't want to fight； what are we doing here？〃
〃Did you ever hear of loan sharks？〃 Julie asked。 〃You know about organized crime？〃
〃Organized crime？〃 I blinked。
〃It's like government； kid；〃 Aahz supplied。 〃Only more effective。〃
〃You'd better believe ‘more effective；' 〃 Julie nodded。 〃That's what we're doing here！ Me and the boys； we got a list of gambling debts like you wouldn't believe。 We're kinda working it off； paying 'em back in land； you know what I mean？〃
〃You haven't answered my question；〃 I pointed out。 〃Why don't you just quit？〃
〃Quit？〃 Julie seemed genuinely astonished。 〃You gotta be kidding。 If I quit before I'm paid up； they break my leg。 You know？〃 His wolfish grin left no doubt the thugs in question would do something a great deal more fatal and painful than just breaking a leg。
〃It's the same with the boys here。 Right； boys？〃 He indicated his officers with a wave of his hand。
Vigorous nods answered his wave。
〃And you ought to see the collection agent they use。 Kid； you might be a fair magician where you e from。 But〃…he shuddered…〃this； believe me； you don't want to see。〃
Knowing how tough Big Julie was； I believed him。
Giving me a warm smile； he draped his arm around my shoulders。
〃That's why it's really gonna break my heart to kill you。 Ya know？〃
〃Well；〃 I began； 〃you don't have to 。 。 。 KILL ME？〃
〃That's right；〃 he nodded vigorously。 〃I knew you'd understand。 A job's a job； even when you hate it。
〃Whoa！〃 Aahz interrupted； holding one flattened hand across the top of the other to form a crude T。 〃Hold it！ Aren't you overlooking something； Jules？〃
〃That's ‘Big Julie。' 〃 one of the guards admonished。
〃I don't care if he calls himself the Easter Bunny！〃 my mentor snarled。 〃He's still overlooking something。 〃
〃What's that？〃 Julie asked。
〃Us。〃 Aahz smiled； gesturing to the team。 〃Aside from the minor detail that Skeeve here's a magician and not that easy to kill； he's got friends。 What do you think we'll be doing while you make a try for our leader？〃
The whole team edged forward a little。 None of them were smiling； not even Gus。 Even though they were my friends who I knew and loved； I had to admit they looked mean。 I was suddenly very glad they were on my side。
Big Julie； on the other hand； seemed unimpressed。
〃As a matter of fact；〃 he smiled； 〃I expect you to be dying right along with your leader。 That is； unless you're really good at running。〃
〃Running from what？〃 Gus growled。 〃I still think you're overlooking something。 By my count； we've got you outnumbered。 Even if you were armed…〃
The supreme mander cut him short with a laugh。 It was a relaxed； confident laugh which no one else joined in on。 Then the laugh disappeared； and he leaned forward with a fierce scowl。
〃Now； I'm only gonna say this once； so alla you listen close。 Big Julie didn't get where he is today by overlooking nothin'。 You think I'm outnumbered？ Well； maybe you'd just better count again。〃
Without taking his eyes from us； he waved his hand in a short； abrupt motion。 At the signal； one of his guards pulled a cord and the sides of the tent fell away。
There were soldiers outside。 They hadn't been there when we entered the tent； but they were there now。 Hoo boy were they。 Ranks and ranks of them pletely surrounding the tent； the nearest barely an arm's length away。 The front three rows were archers； with arrows nocked and drawn； leveled at our team。
I realized with a sudden calm clarity that I was about to die。 The whole meeting had…been a trap； and it was a good one。 Good enough that we would all be dead if we so much as twitched。 I couldn't even kid myself that I could stop that many arrows if they were all loosed at once。 Gus might survive the barrage； and maybe the others could blip away to another dimension in time to save themselves； but I was too far away from Aahz and the D…Hopper to escape。
〃I 。 。 。 um 。 。 。 thought war councils were supposed to be off limits for bat。〃 I said carefully。
〃I also didn't get where I am today by playing fair；〃 Big Julie shrugged。
〃You know；〃 Aahz drawled； 〃for a guy who doesn't want to fight； you run a pretty nasty war。〃
〃What can I say？〃 the supreme mander asked； spreading his hands in helpless appeal。 〃It's a job。 Believe me； if there was any other way； I'd take it。 But as it is 。 。 。〃
His voice trailed off； and he began to raise his arm。 I realized with horror that when his hand came down； so would the curtain。
〃How much time do we have to find another way？〃 I asked desperately。
〃You don't；〃 Big Julie sighed。
〃AND WE DON'T NEED ANY！〃 Aahz roared with sudden glee。
All eyes turned toward him； including my own。 He was grinning broadly while listening to something the Gremlin was whispering in his ear。
〃What's that supposed to mean？〃 the supreme mander demanded。 〃And where did this little blue fella e from？ Eh？〃
He glared at the encircling troops； who looked at each other in embarrassed confusion。
〃This is a Gremlin；〃 Aahz informed him； slipping a radely arm around the shoulders of his confidant； 〃And I think he's got the answer to our problems。 All our problems。 You know what I mean？〃
〃What does he mean？〃 Julie scowled at me。 〃Do you understand what he's sayin'？〃
〃Tell him； Aahz；〃 I ordered confidently； wondering all the while what possible solution my mentor could have found to this mess。
〃Big Julie；〃 Aahz smiled； 〃what could those loan sharks of yours do if you and your army simply disappeared？〃
And so； incredibly； it was ended。
Not with fireworks or an explosion or a battle。 But like a lot of things in my life； in as crazy and off…hand a way as it had started。
And when it had ended； I almost wished it hadn't。
Because then I had to say good…bye to the team。
Saying good…bye to the team was harder than I would have imagined。 Somehow； in all my planning； I had never stopped to consider the possibility of emerging victorious from the war。
Despite my original worries about the team； I found I had grown quite close to each of them。 I would have liked to keep them around a little longer； but that would have been impossible。 Our next stop was the capital； and they would be a little too much to explain away。
Besides； as Aahz pointed out； it was bad for morale to let the troops find out how much their mander was being paid； particularly when it was extremely disproportionate to their own wages。
Following his advice； I paid each of them personally。 When I was done； however； I found myself strangely at a loss for words。 Once again； the team came to my aid。
〃Well； boss；〃 Brockhurst sighed。 〃I guess this is it。 Thanks for everything。〃
〃It's been a real pleasure working for you；〃 Gus echoed。 〃The money's nice； but the way I figure it； Berfert and I owe you a little extra for getting us out of that slop chute。 Anytime you need a favor； look us up。〃
〃Youngster；〃 Ajax said； clearing his throat； 〃I move around a lot； so I'm not that easy to track。 If you ever find yourself in a spot where you think I can lend a hand； jes' send a message to the Bazaar and I'll be along shortly。〃
〃I didn't think you visited the Bazaar that often；〃 I asked； surprised。
〃Normally I don't；〃 the bowman admitted。 〃But I will now 。 。 。 jest in case。〃
Tanda was tossing her coin in the air and catching it with practiced ease。
〃I shouldn't take this；〃 she sighed。 〃But a girl's gotta eat。〃
〃You earned it；〃 I insisted。
〃Yea； well； I guess we'll be going；〃 she said； beckoning to the others。 〃Take care of yourself； handsome。〃
〃You will be ing back？〃 I asked hurriedly。
She made a face。
〃I don't think so；〃 she said wryly； 〃If Grimble saw us together 。 。 。〃
〃I meant； ever；〃 I clarified。
She brightened immediately。
〃Sure；〃 she winked。 〃You won't get rid of me that easily。 Say good…bye to Aahz for me。〃
〃Say good…bye to him yourself；〃 Aahz growled； stepping out of the shadows。
〃There you are！〃 Tanda grinned。 〃Where's the Gremlin？ I thought you two were talking。〃
〃We were；〃 Aahz confirmed； looking around him。 〃I don't understand。 He w