"I've been helping anyone who bothers to ask," Freddy says, shrugging. I can't pave streets or anything, but I can do carpentry and electric work. I own a hardware store, here in the Nexus."

Freddy gives a laugh.

"I come from a little town in the Midwest and, so far I as I know, I'm the weirdest thing about it. What sort of stuff have you seen?"