This choice: Bring Keith into the conspiracy • Go Back...Chapter #20Convincing Keith by: Seuzz   You really ought to consult with Caleb before telling Keith what you are doing. But you're also seized by the sudden conviction that things would be better with a third guy involved. At the very least, in case of disagreements, two could outvote one.
"Yeah, it's our conquer the world project," you casually reply. The Caleb-golem's eyes nearly bug out as you scoop up the book and hand it to Keith; "I found this thing at Arnholm's. It looked like fun, so Caleb and I have been going through it."
Keith flips idly through the first few pages and grunts over the Latin. "You can read this crap?"
"An online translator can. It's a book about making magical masks. You know, the kind that let you disguise yourself as other people."
Keith eyebrows arch, so you start to describe it, chapter by chapter: how each spell works and what you can do with them. His interest waxes as you continue, and he exclaims over the devious little tricks that you and Caleb have already tried or thought about trying.
"This is awesome," he says when you're just about through. "You could get in a hell of a lot of trouble with this kind of shit, but"—he nudges Caleb, who is looking quite ill by this point—"it'd be totally worth it, huh? So what game is it for?" He looks back at you with a credulous expression. "D&D module? Something for GURPS?"
"It's not a game," you reply as casually as you can muster. "It's totally real and totally on the level. Caleb and me have done each of these spells already." You point to the new masks. "We're getting ready to do some more."
Keith laughs. "Well, it ought to be in a game. I should go get some of my old campaign manuals, see if we could fit this stuff here into one."
This would be a prime spot to back off and let your secret remain. That seems to be the golem's opinion, because it mouths "Shut up!" at you. But something about Keith's skepticism after your patient exposition angers you. You smile tightly. "Want proof? Here."
You take the mask you made of yourself over to the golem, which is standing rock-still in the corner. You glance mischievously over your shoulder at Keith as you put the mask to its face. For a moment Tilley only blinks—and then he stands up very straight and his eyes get very wide.
For there are now two Will Prescotts in the room. Your naked twin gives himself a little shake, and then cocks his head at the sight of Keith. "Oh, hey Keith, didn't see you there. So it's three of us now." He looks at you. "I was thinking it might be a good idea to bring Tilley in on this."
"Cut the bullshit," you retort. "The thought never even crossed your mind. Anyway, Keith hasn't been officially enrolled yet. I'm just giving him a demonstration. He doesn't believe any of it's real."
"Oh, really?" Your golem grins hard at Keith, who pales and backs away. Your golem advances on him slowly, grinning all the way. He's soon got Keith pressed against an old wardrobe. His eyes roll desperately, and he shoots a pleading glance at you. He gives a small yelp when your doppelganger very quietly says, "Boo."
"Alright, alright, that's enough," you tell your double, who lopes back over to your side with a chuckle. "This is one of those golems I was telling you about. He looks like me and acts like me—which is a hell of a lot creepier than you might think—and he can go out and take my place if I want to disappear without, you know, actually disappearing. It's one of those masks. I copied my image and brain into it, and put it on that pile of earth I told you about."
Keith steps forward cautiously, staring hard at the other Will. He gets very close, and starts to look between your face and its. You double puts his arm around your shoulder and brings his face close to yours; you wriggle out and push him away.
Keith licks his lips. "He really does look just like you. I mean, exactly."
"Of course."
Keith points. "And if me or Caleb put that mask on ... We could go out and pretend to be you?"
"Well, theoretically. This one actually has some of that goop I told you about. If you put it on, you'd be trapped inside it. I could make a copy of you, then hide you inside this guy"—you jerk your thumb at the other Prescott —"and then go out and take your place." Keith turns white and takes a step backward. "Not that I'd do it," you hastily add.
Keith looks back over at Caleb. "And you're on board with this, Johansson?" His voice is a whinny.
"Don't ask my opinion," Caleb replies. "I'm just like mud man over there. Total fake."
Now Keith does begin to look wildly around. "Don't fuck with me, man—" he starts.
"Keep your shirt on, Keith," you jump in before things go too far. "Yeah, that's another golem. But Caleb is still around. He's out pretending to be someone else. In fact, I'm expecting him to call or come by some time this evening."
Keith gapes. "Who—?"
"Jessica Garner."
Keith stares, and then he bends double, almost as though trying to catch his dropping jaw. "Caleb is out pretending to be Jessica Garner?" You nod. "And where's Jessica?"
"The real one? Under the fake Caleb face," you reply, nodding your chin. "Just like I described it to you. We copied her, hid her under a fake Caleb, and Caleb is going around pretending to be her. Look." He backpedals rapidly as you brush past him to the Caleb golem, who prepares for the unmasking by scrambling onto a desk and leaning against the wall. You put your hand to its face, mutter the words, and pull. An instant later the sleeping Jessica appears, slouching over a little. "If you wanna look, hurry up," you irritably tell Tilley, who is advancing very cautiously on you and her. "I have to get this back on her before she wakes up."
He hurries over and looks her up and down. Then he points to her and says, idiotically, "That's Jessica Garner."
"I told you." You put the mask back on, and Caleb reappears.
Keith sinks back to the ground and clutches his face in his hands. "What the hell are you guys planning?"
You hold your hands out in a shrug. "Like you said. To get in a hell of a lot of trouble that is totally worth it."
* * * * *
"Oh my God," Keith moans as he cups his breasts. His breath comes in short gasps. "I always wanted to fondle Jessica, but I never thought I'd do it from inside her."
"Stop being gross and put 'em away," Caleb snaps.
"You had your fun with them last night," Keith retorts. "I know all about the fun you had. You pervert."
Caleb crimsons as he turns to you. "You sure he can handle this?" he murmurs.
"Oh, like we didn't freak out when we got ahold of Eva."
Caleb shrugs. "I guess." But he shoots his own twin a keen-eyed glance. "But I can't believe you voted to let him in."
"Oh, do I start getting a vote now?" the golem asks.
"No," you and Caleb say in unison.
It looks crushed and turns to Jeremy. "You could totally kick their asses," it says to him.
"Not allowed to," he says, crossing his arms.
"Oh, did you have any trouble getting the mask onto Richards?" In the excitement that followed Jessica and Jeremy's unheralded appearance at the clubhouse, you'd forgotten to ask Caleb about his day.
"Nah. Big goof just followed Eva to where I could jump him. He's been a total dick about it, too." Caleb glares at Richards, who glares back. "He wouldn't come, and I had to threaten him, remind him that he had to obey you and that you'd make him hurt himself if he didn't cooperate."
"Jesus!" You suddenly remember your earlier conversation with Caleb's own golem, and you feel a shock of sympathy for the fake Richards.
"Yeah," Caleb says. "We're going to start using my hair in the next couple of golems we make. I don't want fake-Jeremy and fake-me ambushing me or anything."
"We should balance things out, then," you agree. You do a quick calculation on your fingers. "That's, what, four fakes we've made? And I put that stuff, using my hair, in all of them. We should make the next eight be under your control and Keith's."
Caleb's eyebrows shoot up. "We were going for Chelsea and Black and Patterson next. You'd be okay with not taking one of them?"
"Hrm." You tug an ear. "Maybe we could revarnish the masks we already have," you say. "Or make up new copies of some of them, give them to you and Keith. You probably want control of your own sphincter over there." You jerk your head at the Caleb golem.
"That's a point," Caleb allows, "but it'd also be a waste of materials. It's also take time."
"I vote for whatever Prescott votes for," Keith says. You swivel in surprise. He is still concentrating on his bosom, but apparently he has been paying attention.
* Replace old masks with new (non-canonical): "New Golems for Old"   indicates the next chapter needs to be written. |
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