Eszti Newitz

"Almost out of Pascal's special tea."

She spins toward you, arm raised.

Movement at your peripheral vision.

"Welcome, welcome."

Placid Wolf languishes atop his plastic cup.

The tabletop is splattered with the drying blood of your old friend.

The metal drawer slides out nearly soundlessly, revealing rows of official-looking folders.

"Loneliest... of towns..."

"Back again."

The sounds of plates clattering call to mind the first time you met Eszti. She's waiting for you in the corner of a restaurant occupying…

You were panting from the run over, heart thudding in your ears. Hours late. There was an astral door beside that trash can and an exchange…