"That'sright," I commented. "And you made it."

"Youdon't understand!" Frumple persisted, "I was surprised andhorrified when I heard about your deaths."

"Yeah,we weren't too happy about it ourselves."

"Later,kid. Look, Frumple. Right now we have both the ability and the motiveto kill you. Right?"

"ButI…."

"Right?"

Aahzmoved the knife until the point was indenting the skin on Frumple'sthroat.

"Right!"the Deveel whispered.

"Okay,then." Aahz withdrew the knife and tucked it back in his waistband. "New let's talk business."

"I…I don't understand," Frumple stammered, rubbing his throat withone hand as if to assure himself that it was still there.

"Whatit means," Aahz explained, "is that we want your help morethan we want revenge. Don't relax too much, though. The choice wasn'tthat easy."

"I…I see. Well, what can I do for you?"

"C'mon,Frumple. You can honor our original deal. You've got to admit we'velaid one heck of a false trail for your two fugitives. Now it's yourturn. Just restore my powers and we'll be on our way."

TheDeveel blanched, or at least he turned from red to pink.

"Ican't do that!" he exclaimed.

"What?"

Theknife appeared in Aahz's hand again as if by magik.

"Nowlook, you double-dealing refugee. Either you restore my powers or…."

"Youdon't understand," Frumple pleaded. "I don't mean I won'trestore your powers. I mean I can't. I don't know what's wrong withyou or how to counter it. That's why I set you up with the mob. I wasafraid if I told you before, you wouldn't believe me. I've spent toomuch time establishing myself here to risk being exposed by anunsatisfied customer. I'm sorry, I really am, and I know you'llprobably kill me, but I can't help you!"

"HMMM,"Aahz said thoughtfully. "So you're powerless to restore mypowers?"

"Doesthat mean we can kill him after all?" I asked eagerly. I hadbeen hopeful of having Aahz's powers restored, but in lieu of that, Iwas still a bit upset over having been hung.

"You'rea rather vicious child," Frumple looked at me speculatively."What's a Pervect doing traveling with a Klahd, anyway?"

"Who'sa clod? "I bristled.

"Easy,kid," Aahz said soothingly. "Nothing personal. Everyonewho's native to this dimension is a Klahd. Klah… Klahds…get it?"

"Well,I don't like the sound of it," I grumbled.

"Relax,kid. What's in a name, anyway?"

"Thenit doesn't really matter to you if people call you a Pervect or aPervert?"

"Watchyour mouth, kid. Things are going bad enough without you gettingcheeky."

"Gentlemen,gentlemen," Frumple interrupted. "If you're going to fightwould you mind going outside? I mean, this is my shop."

"Canwe kill him now, Aahz?"

"Easeup, kid. Just because he can't restore my powers doesn't mean he'stotally useless. I'm sure that he'll be more than happy to help us,particularly after he failed to pay up on our last deal. Right,Frumple?"

"Oh,definitely. Anything I can do to make up for the inconvenience I'vecaused you."

"Inconvenience?"I asked incredulously.

"Steady,kid. Well, Frumple, you could start by returning the stuff we lefthere when we went off on your little mission."

"Ofcourse. I'll get it for you."

TheDeveel started to rise, only to find Aahz's knife threatening himagain.

"Don'ttrouble yourself, Frumple, old boy," Aahz smiled. "Justpoint out where they are and we'll fetch them ourselves… andkeep your hands where I can see them."

"The…your things are over there… in the big chest against thewall," Frumple's eyes never left the knife as he spoke.

"Checkit out, kid."

Idid and, surprisingly, the items were exactly where the Deveel saidthey would be. There was, however, an intriguing collection of otherstrange items in the chest also.

"Hey,Aahz!" I called. "Take a look at this!"

"Sure,kid."

Hebacked across the shop to join me. As he did, he flipped the knifeinto what I now recognized as a throwing grip. Apparently Frumplerecognized it too, because he stayed frozen in position.

"Well,what have we here?" Aahz chortled.

"Gentlemen,"the Deveel called plaintively. "I could probably help you betterif I knew what you needed."

"Trueenough," Aahz responded, reclaiming his weapons.

"Frumple,it occurs to me we haven't been completely open with you. That willhave to be corrected if we're going to be allies."

"Waita minute, Aahz," I interrupted. "What makes you think wecan trust him after he's tried so hard to get us killed?"

"Simple,kid. He tried to get us killed to protect himself, right?"

"Well…."

"Soonce we explain it's in his own self-interest to help us, he shouldbe completely trustworthy."

"Really?"I sneered.

"Well,as trustworthy as any Deveel can be," Aahz admitted.

"Iresent the implications of that. Pervert!" Frumple exclaimed."If you want any help, you'd better…." Aahz's knifeflashed through the air and thunked into the wall scant inches fromthe Deveel's head.

"Shutup and listen, Frumple!" he snarled. "And that's Pervect!"

"What'sin a name, Aahz?" I asked innocently.

"Shutup, kid. Okay, Frumple, does the name Isstvan mean anything to you?"

"No.Should it?"

"Itshould if you want to stay alive. He's a madman magician who's tryingto take over the dimensions, starting with this one."

"Whyshould that concern me?" Frumple frowned. "We Deveels tradewith anyone who can pay the price. We don't concern ourselves withanalyzing politics or mental stability. If we only dealt with sanebeings, it would cut our business by a third… maybe more."

"Well,you'd better concern yourself this time. Maybe you didn't hear me.Isstvan is starting with this dimension. He's out to get a monopolyon Klah's energies to use on other dimensions. To do that, he's outto kill anyone else in this dimension who knows how to tap thoseenergies. He's not big on sharing."

"Hmmm.Interesting theory, but where's the proof I mean, who's he supposedto have killed?"

"Garkin,for one," I said, dryly.

"That'sright," Aahz snarled. "You're so eager to know why the twoof us are traveling together. Well, Skeeve here was Garkin'sapprentice until Isstvan sent his assassins to wipe out thecompetition."

"Assassins?"

"That'sright. You saw two of them, those Imps you teleported about a weekback." Aahz flourished the assassin's cloak we had acquired.

"Wheredid you think we got this? In a rummage sale?"

"Hmmm,"Frumple commented thoughtfully.

"Andhe's arming them with tech weapons. Take a look at this crossbowquarrel."

Aahzlobbed one of the missiles to the Deveel who caught it deftly andexamined it closely.

"Hmmm.I didn't notice that before. It's a good camouflage job, but totallyunethical."

"Nowdo you see why enlisting your aid takes priority over the pleasure ofslitting your lying throat?"

"Isee what you mean," Frumple replied without rancor. "It'smost convincing. But what can I do?"

"Youtell us. You Deveels are supposed to have wonders for every occasion.What have you got that would give us an edge over a madman who knowshis magik?"

Frumplethought for several minutes. Then shrugged. "I can't think of athing just offhand. I haven't been stocking weapons lately. Not muchcall for them in this dimension."

"Terrific,"I said. "Can we kill him now, Aahz?"

"Say,could you put a muzzle on him?" Frumple said. "What's yourgripe anyway, Skeeve?"