The Prophecy

by Karen MacLeod-Wilkie

  Quillon led them through a thorough check of each room. They lightly chattered about the paintings, the lovely couch, the intricate needlework on the bed quilt. Nothing was found.

  Assured it was safe to speak, Symba said, “We’ll see if Conrad knows who those guys are. If they’re not from our side, our covers as Quin and Sheila may be blown.”

  The buzzer sounded. Conrad had arrived with the pizza. Quillon let him in. He didn’t want to risk going to the entryway, in case the front door was being monitored.

  As soon as Conrad was inside, they updated him. He reviewed the videotape, but he didn’t recognize the men either. However, he had Quillon enlarge the lapel of one man’s jacket; he was wearing a pin with a military logo.

  They decided to eat the pizza while it was hot, while Conrad shared his report.

  “We’ve been informed the transfer will occur at seven a.m. tomorrow. We’ve planned a fake accident that will block the road where it enters the wooded area. The goal is for Brigid to make the guards and drivers fall asleep. If they try to get around the accident, then we’ll shoot out their truck tires. We need two of your people with two of ours to manage the release of the subjects and two to keep an eye on the sleeping guards.”

  “Treena and I are trained in hand-to-hand combat,” said Symba. “We’ll watch the guards. Quin’s an excellent marksman, so he’s best to set up at the edge of the woods. Evander and Brigid, are you willing to help with the release?”

  They nodded their assent.

  “We’ll have UTVs hidden in the trees for a quick getaway. I suggest we split the subjects up—half go with you and half with us—so they end up in different locations,” said Conrad.

  “Excellent strategy.” Treena wiped her fingers on a napkin. “Since this place is no longer a secure cover, we’ll need to be careful exiting tonight. If we go out in pairs, at staggered times, hopefully we’ll confuse anyone watching the place.”

  “I can leave my car in the lot,” said Quillon. “Around the block to the right is a car rental agency. If I’m in the first pair, I can pick up a vehicle for us. I’ll ditch my disguise because this is who they’ll be watching for.” He closed the empty pizza box and took it over to the trash as he spoke.

  “I’m a cautious kind of guy, so I parked in the lot of a small café near that agency, so I’ll go out with you,” said Conrad. “In the morning, we’ll meet at a small abandoned farm on Rural Route 225 at six a.m. We can take the UTVs from there to get positioned in the woods. Another part of the team will already be out on Highway Ten, ready to stage the accident. Any questions?”

  “I’m wondering if you might have some stones for us?” Evander inquired.

  “Gerarda had a small supply; I have them here,” said Conrad as he reached into his coat pocket for eight dark stones which he placed on the table. “These are rough cuts. If you’d like some polished or fashioned in a particular way, that’ll take more time.”

  “We’re hoping these will be a new protective measure for us,” Evander explained. “We appreciate receiving them before tomorrow’s rescue. If they work as we hope, we’ll be in touch for more.”

  “Conrad, it’s time we expressed our trust in you by sharing our real names. I’m Quillon; Sheila’s real name is Symba. I’d feel better if we leave dressed differently than when we arrived. I have various disguise options stashed in a closet. If I give you the padding I’m using, and we put you in a dress, and if I wear a grey-haired wig, we can pass as a middle-aged couple.”

  Conrad smiled. “Thanks for trusting me. I suspected you wore disguises, but I hadn’t yet tracked down your true names.” He rolled his eyes. “Let’s get me into that dress. I need to get back to my team. I can just imagine their comments.”

  Symba decided on a gypsy look for herself and Treena chose a multi-hued jumpsuit. Brigid took the blonde wig and pulled a ratty cap over it; she wore an ugly trench coat. By slumping as she walked, she completely changed her appearance. Evander wore a cowboy hat pushed low over his head, and a leather jacket and boots.

  Ten minutes after Quillon and Conrad departed, Brigid and Evander went out. Evander pretended to be arguing with her as they walked. Both noticed a dark blue car with tinted windows across the street. They kept going, doing their best to ignore it.

  Fifteen minutes later, Symba and Treena exited. They noted the car as they turned left to go around the block. The car door opened.

  One of the men from the video stepped out and crossed the street. “Ladies, I’d like to speak with you for a moment,” he said.

  “Why, hello there, handsome.” Symba flashed him a smile and flicked the feather boa she had placed around her neck. “What can I do for you?”

  “I’m looking for a couple that lives in your apartment building. They seem to have gone missing. He’s my cousin and I’m very concerned. I’m wondering if you’ve seen him.”

  The man pasted a concerned expression on his face as he showed them a photo of Quin and Sheila.

  Treena took the photo. “We’re new to the apartment complex. I don’t think I’ve seen them around.” She handed the photo to Symba.

  “Not my kind of guy, if you know what I mean. What did you say their names were, and you are?” Symba fluttered her false eyelashes.

  “I didn’t mention names. They’re Quin and Sheila. Are you sure you haven’t seen them?” he pressed.

  “Nope, don’t know them at all.” Symba passed the photo back. “Come on honey, we’re going to be late for our date. Good luck finding them.” She waved her fingers toward the man as they sauntered down the road.

  A moment later, they heard a car door slam. They finally rounded the corner, hearts racing. They stayed in character until they walked down the street by the car rental. A van pulled up and the side door opened. A blonde Brigid gestured them inside. They climbed in and Quillon drove a circuitous route home to be sure they weren’t followed. Treena shared their adventure and that Quin and Sheila’s cover was indeed blown.

  Back at the house, they took time to work with the stones. Brigid tried first. She placed a black tourmaline stone into her jeans pocket. She offered to do some healing work on Treena’s shoulders which were holding a lot of tension.

  Symba kept a tourmaline stone in her pocket as she utilized her gift to sense the energy resonance. “Let me know when you start,” she told Brigid.

  “I’m actually done,” Brigid smiled.

  “I didn’t feel, hear, or see anything,” said Symba. “Can you do some more, but this time I’ll remove the stone from my pocket to see if it’s affecting my gift?”

  Brigid placed her hand on Treena’s left hip.

  Symba waited and then said, “Excellent, I’m not able to pick up the energy through any of my senses, which means the tourmaline should block it from visual, sound, and resonance scanners.”

  “That means anyone using tourmaline will block your gifts,” said Treena. “That’s important for us to know.”

  “At least the tourmaline seems to be working,” Symba pointed out.

  “Evander, why don’t you try to open a small portal to our bedroom,” Brigid suggested.

  Evander stashed his tourmaline in his shirt pocket and placed an amethyst on the table before him. He began to concentrate; as he focused his mind, he began the hand patterns that would assist with the portal opening. Drawing his hands apart, a small window appeared in the air before him, through which they could see a scarlet negligee tossed across the bed.

  “Nice nightwear,” said Symba, grinning.

  Brigid blushed.

  “But again,” said Symba, “nothing shows up. That’s enough, Evander. Don’t waste your energy.”

  “So, an amethyst to keep our purpose strong in one pocket and tourmaline for protection in the other,” said Treena. “We’d best lay out our gear for the morning. Some of the dark stretchy clothing should blend into the woods and be easy to move in. We’ll need jackets as the mornings are still cool. We’ll need snacks, extra water, blan
kets, and, Brigid, your healing supplies. We don’t know what kind of shape those people will be in once we rescue them; we’ll need to be prepared.”

  “I’ll set the automatic start on the coffee pot,” said Quillon. “We can grab some leftover waffles and sausages. Bananas are a quick source of energy. We’ll need to drive out by five-thirty to make our rendezvous.”

  Everyone dispersed to get things ready. Alarm clocks were set, and minds tried to calm into sleep.

  Brigid walked out of the en suite bathroom wearing the negligee and a worried frown. She asked, “Do you think we’ll be able to do it? What if things go wrong?”

  Evander lifted his arm and she crawled into bed. She snuggled into his strong warm body; just being next to him helped ease some of her anxiety.

  “I believe we’re capable of more than we know,” he replied. “We need to trust each other and believe in each other.” He squeezed her shoulder reassuringly. “We’ll be careful, even though it’s risky. We’ve talked through lots of contingencies so we can make adjustments if things don’t go as expected.”

  Evander turned his head for a long, delicious kiss. Brigid sunk into the comfort of being with him. Not knowing how the next day might unfold made each caress more vivid and their loving more potent. Satisfied and sustained, they slipped into slumber.

  ***

  The blare of alarm clocks sounded in each bedroom. Treena bolted to awareness, instantly alert from her training in the Guard. Symba cat-stretched to stimulate her body into action. Quillon ducked his head under cold water to shock his mind awake. Brigid and Evander grabbed a greedy kiss before throwing on their clothes.

  Within five minutes, the team was in the kitchen. Plates were passed around, coffee poured, and leftovers warmed up. Brigid and Symba sat at the table, while Treena rolled her waffle around her sausage and ate it as she paced around the kitchen. Quillon and Evander leaned against the counter, recapping the morning’s strategy. At five-thirty, they were on the road.

  At first, conversation was sparse because of tiredness, anxiety, and concentration on what was ahead.

  Then, Symba spoke. “It feels like our energies are going in a variety of directions. I know I’m afraid and anxious about doing my part well. Some of you may be feeling the same, but can we bring our energies together somehow?”

  “I’ve been picking up on everyone’s emotions and, on top of my own fears, it’s rather overwhelming,” said Brigid. “What if we connected physically to each other? Symba, you can place your hand on Quillon’s knee, and Treena can reach forward to hold your shoulder. We can clasp hands, and Evander and I can do the same. Then, if Evander holds Quillon’s shoulder, we’ll have our circle.”

  Everyone moved to make the connection.

  “Allowing ourselves to fully feel our fear and anxiety is important,” said Evander. “I suggest we allow all the doubts, the critical inner voices talking inside us, everything that is swirling around to be gently released from within our minds, hearts, and bodies.”

  The tension in the van rose up in waves that seemed to crest and then dissipate. Brigid reminded everyone to keep breathing deeply.

  Evander continued. “Even though we have all these mixed emotions this morning, we choose to act courageously and confidently together. We choose to believe in each other, to trust we will each do our best, and to believe our best is enough.”

  Evander invited everyone to repeat the words with him.

  Then, Brigid spoke again. “Through our joined energy, send courage and trust to each other as a gift.”

  Evander concluded. “It is our intention to work as a team, with Gerarda’s people, to rescue those who are being persecuted. We will do our utmost to do so peaceably. Violence is not our first choice and will only be used to protect one another. Let it be so.”

  The others echoed, “Let it be so.”

  “Just in time,” Quillon said. “Our turnoff is just ahead.”

  He signaled and turned down a hardpacked dirt road. A few minutes later, they were at the abandoned farm. A large barn was on the right. One half of the barn door was open, and they could see Conrad gesturing to them to drive the van inside and turn it around. There was just enough clearance to avoid scratches to the van’s sides. Conrad pulled the door closed behind them.

  As they piled out, he welcomed them and said, “We’re able to keep our vehicles out of sight this way, in case there’s any air surveillance. The rest of my team is at the back of the barn where there’s another door.”

  They were introduced to the rest of the team, and they loaded themselves and their gear into the four UTVs Conrad had prepared. Conrad and Quillon took the first UTV with the rifles. Brigid, Evander, and one dwarf took the next UTV. Symba and Treena went with the next dwarf, while the final three dwarfs climbed into the last vehicle. The extra seats would be needed for their rescuees, later.

  Slowly, they wove their way along a dirt track by a stubbled corn field into the copse of woods. When they reached the edge of the woods, near the highway, they positioned the UTVs in two different areas for the getaway: Quillon’s crew would return to the barn and Conrad’s to an unknown location.

  Quillon and Conrad checked for the best sightlines to set up their rifles. Brigid found a stump to sit on, to do some meditative breathing in preparation for her part. Conrad’s phone buzzed. He checked it and gave a thumbs-up. The convoy had left High River.

  There was very little traffic, likely a consequence of the detour signs the military had put out to make their transfer easier. Fifteen minutes later, they noticed activity on the road. A large transport truck and a half-ton trailer were skewed across the road, blocking both lanes. Crates of chickens were scattered all around. One of the dwarfs raised binoculars to scan the road as far as the horizon toward High River. He gave the signal; the convoy was in view.

  It drew to a stop before the scene of the accident. The front vehicle’s passenger door opened. A guard marched forward to assess the situation. Brigid started on the rear and middle vehicles, reaching out to their drivers and guards. She frowned in concentration. Something was wrong. The brain wave patterns were greatly distorted. She released them and decided to try the guards who were with the prisoners.

  She needed to figure out what was going on before the other guards noticed anything amiss. Their brain cells were highly stimulated. She could sense a substance being delivered to the cells via the bloodstream. Regardless of how much she soothed the brains, the cells would become excited again and the guards wouldn’t stay asleep. She needed to halt the delivery of the stimulant. Brigid quickly sifted through her options.

  Suddenly, the internal guards in each truck opened the back doors. They frantically fumbled with their pants, and streams of urine were emitted by each. Brigid had pulled the stimulants out of the bloodstream and distilled them into the guards’ bladders until they were overflowing and demanded urgent release. As relief flowed into each man, Brigid pulsated delta wave patterns into their minds. She felt them slump in their seats.

  The three gunners were out trying to get the chickens back on the truck and move the obstruction so the convoy could get through. She left them alone for the present and successfully targeted the drivers. She nearly chuckled aloud as she watched the guards, who she targeted next, dance from foot to foot, trying to ignore the urge to urinate. They were so caught up in their own agony that they didn’t notice each other slip around the transfer or over to the ditch for a quick leak. Finally, Brigid drew them into slumber as well. They collapsed onto the ground where they were.

  “I don’t know how long I’m going to be able to keep them under. They had some sort of stimulant in their body. The military may have done that as a precaution after finding their guards asleep at the portal. I need to keep my focus on their brain waves; you’ll have to grab Quillon to help with the release,” said Brigid through gritted teeth as she kept her focus on the sleeping men.

  A birdcall from the road was the signal from the accident team
for them to move in. Swiftly, the teams got to work. Two rescuees were pulled from each vehicle in the convoy. Some had to be carried because they were so weak. Quillon arrived with a teenage girl in his arms. Her long brown hair hung limply over his arm as he carried her slight form. Evander walked beside a middle-aged auburn-haired man who was limping. Treena and Symba had their arms around a tall, slender man. He had reddish-brown hair with black streaks around the ears and a beard with white flecks.

  Conrad’s team carried or supported three more people, ushering them into the UTVs as hurriedly as possible. The accident team cleared the road and promptly released the air from the convoy’s tires. Symba quietly spoke to the rescuees to fill them in on what was happening.

  Sweat was running down Brigid’s face. “We need to go. Some will keep sleeping, but I’m having difficulty keeping them all under.”

  “Can you direct me to the ones most likely to awaken?” Conrad asked.

  Brigid held onto her necklace, drawing on its energy to give her a boost. “The guard in the back of the truck at the rear of the convoy, the middle driver, and the guard near the ditch on the other side of the road,” she said.

  “Okay. We’ll give them a bit more assistance in staying out. I have oral sprays of a sedative that should act to keep them asleep. Hold on for a few more minutes.” Conrad passed a spray bottle to one of his team members and to Quillon. The three raced back to the men Brigid had identified.

  The strain on Brigid’s face eased as they returned. “That should buy us a bit more time,” she sighed in relief.

  Conrad climbed into his UTV. “Thanks for your assistance,” he said. “We’ll be in touch.”

  The two teams split up and drove down the assigned paths.

  Quillon and Symba were driving, another skill those from the Fairy Realm had yet to master. They halted before the open field and checked with binoculars to make sure no one unexpected had shown up at the farm. All seemed clear, so they zoomed back along the track. Evander hopped out to open the barn door so the UTVs could be stored inside and they could transfer their rescuees into the van.