[ WP ] You are a mapmaker , part of a secret order of mapmakers who have been inciting wars and rebellion for centuries in order to stay in business updating maps .

Two-thirds of all small businesses close up shop within six years of opening. –The US Small Business Administration. 
 
 The recession had blossomed into a full depression since Janus had first opened up shop. He was managing to stay afloat, or at least neutrally buoyant, on the good graces of the community. A hydrostatic survey of a farmhold here, an aerial map of projected traffic congestion there, whenever he was in dire danger of having to close his doors someone figured out a reason to walk through them. Janus had even taken up attending Church, several churches in fact, as well as the synagogue down on Main Street. It was there, hovering over a brisket at a bat mitzvah that Kyth ambushed him again. 
 
 “ Janus we need to talk. ” Said the disturbingly sweet voice as he passed by the clique of octogenarians who were in stitches laughing. 
 
 Janus looked around but decided it was more likely that he needed psychiatric help then if he really heard that. 
 
 Kyth ’ s small cool hand firmly grasped his elbow. “ Remember that gift I got you, well you won, and I was kinda hoping you ’ d bring me along. ” Her voice dropped to state secret levels. “ I really need to get lost for a bit. Simply being on the lamb isn ’ t enough, I need to ride it into a dark cave and subsist by wrapping myself in its furs and not coming out for mint jelly. ” 
 
 “ Police! ” Janus yelled, “ Um, police are needed here, nowish would be good. ” 
 
 “ Woah woah woah that ’ s a bit dramatic isn ’ t it ” she wasn ’ t as calm as she appeared. 
 
 “ You stole my car! ” 
 
 “ And cleaned your house. ” 
 
 “ You. stole. my. car! ” 
 
 “ You got it back, with a full tank I might add. ” The few cell phones that had started dialing the authorities dropped back where they came from after some shoulder shrugging. She had him there. 
 
 “ I rescued you from a snowstorm and put you up in my home only to awake to the realization that you were a robber, if I had awoken during your burgling I very well may have been run over. ” Janus was now presenting evidence to the Jews gathered around who were solemnly listening. “ For all I know you ’ re packing a concealed weapon as we speak, is there still a warrant out for your arrest? ” 
 
 The crowd leaned in unison to hear what Kyth had to say, clothing sounds and joints creaking matching the sound of breaths being held. “ What? Of course I don ’ t have a weapon. ” She had several as always. “ And I ’ ve never had an outstanding warrant in Canada, I just passed through to Alaska without the proper paperwork. ” 
 
 Janus was quite animated as he reached for his sat phone and grew visibly upset when he remembered that he had left it in the middle of a dense backcountry forest yesterday. He appeared to find his zen then declared “ I ’ m leaving. ” In a very childish tone, before stomping off to the coatroom. 
 
 “ You promised you take me with you right? ” Her small body was coiled and pleading, it physically almost wasn ’ t even there, but emotionally filled the room. “ You promised ” 
 
 “ I did no such thing. ” He repeated his case to the surrounding council “ I did no such thing. ” 
 
 She was still obviously too young to drive, had a stuffed Yeti tucked under one arm, and was wearing 11 rings on 9 fingers. Despite all the counter culture her respectful floral patterned sundress gave her just the right air to win over the crowd. 
 
 “ I said that you have saved my life and that meant you were responsible for me from here on out. You balked that the thought and quoted back to be the ninth rule of hitchhiking: that ‘ the deal is for point A to point B only, or until either person wants to part ways. ’ 
 
 “ See, see. ” Janus looked desperately around the crowd but the only eyes that met his were attached to frowns. 
 
 Kyth carried on fidgeting her feet and playing with her hands behind her back. Public opinion was definitely on her side in the same way that it was against punching schoolchildren. 
 
 “ Then I asked you what you would do if you had no place to go and you were stumped. You looked me straight in the eye, which I could tell was hard because you were obsessed with staring at my hair, ” it was still purple now nicely combed far down her back like a schoolchild. The group cocked their heads and nodded that this was plausible and likely. “ You told me that you could never have left me to die and that I didn ’ t have to worry ‘ cause you ’ d you were looking out for me now. I asked you to pinky swear it and you did. Remember? ” 
 
 He quite obviously remembered, the whole room would swear that they could remember it bright as day and Janus had four contracts in this room alone. His body admitted defeat and took up a stance that let the world know it was waving a white flag, his voice however lost his usual whiney edge and he actually took her hand ( which she kept close to her body so that the stuffed yeti would not fall from her armpit ). “ I won ’ t leave you behind at the ill mercies of whatever troubles have beset you, even though you are most likely not entirely innocent in the matter. ” Her smile was the kind reserved for when fathers gave up reason and actually bought a pony for their child. “ I promise. ” He said with all the tragic pride that would entail someone who was about to crash a plane into the enemy ’ s battleship. He had handed over control, not to these people, but to kismet. 
 
 There was much nodding and murmuring, the Rabbi thought it worthy to bestow a short blessing, even though Kyth ’ s arm waving had sloshed his glass against him soaking his shirt. 
 
 “ Where do you need to go this time Kyth? ” Janus finally mustered the courage to ask. The room fell silent. 
 
 “ Earth. ” The room fell more silent. 
 
 “ Earth? ” 
 
 “ Yeah, Earth. Remember that gift I got you? It was a ticket for the lottery. You won. ” The room was not silent anymore. Reality had obviously taken a short holiday. 
 
 There ’ s a delicatessen on Watson and 3rd that no one goes to. There ’ s no sign, no tables, no till. It ’ s a clean enough place and always seems to have a card game going. The fact that the city manager ’ s a regular might account for the lack of a business license on the wall. Janus was the only walk-in customer as far back as he could remember. Removing his hat at the door he hung it on the rack for the few minutes he would spend there. He skipped his usual smile to ‘ Aloysius ’ and pulled Kyth into a booth. They needed to get a few things straight. 
 Kyth looked around for ninjas and then pulled on a zipper on the side of the yeti. From within she produced a ticket in a plastic sleeve which she kept locked in a miraculous death grip that even Cerberus wouldn ’ t be able to break. A notebook followed. “ I ’ ve already entered the first log. ” She flipped it open spun it around and slid it across the booth.
