She closed her eyes and mouthed something before opening them.
"You must mean Lily. May her Spirit be embraced by The Mother Gaia. I'm sorry for your loss." She spread her hands in measured beneficence. "And I'm sorry that I cannot help you. We have had no word since they left, two weeks ago, if I recall. Perhaps Breeze knows where your daughter is."
"That's what we were hoping, Ma'am." Railroad put in smoothly. "Breeze and Lolly were kidnapped yesterday from a hotel in San Antonio. We have surveillance footage of them being forced into a van."
Her expression turned into a solemn sadness, and she shook her head, as if regretting all the evils of the world. It was all Finch could do to keep his demeanor calm. "If you're here, then you must have already looked everywhere in San Antonio. You are devoted to your search, and I will spare who I can, if you have come for help. They are my Family as well."
Finch and Railroad glanced at each other. The look on Railroad's face said he wasn't buying this any more than Finch was.
"Well, Ma'am..."
"Mother. Please call me Mother."
Finch gave her a tight smile. "If you don't mind me asking, why did you leave your last place? When the police came to talk to you, it was abandoned. They said it looked like you had settled down and were getting ready to plant crops."
"For it is with unfettered heart that we follow The Mother Gaia," she recited, smiling at them as if they were young and ignorant. "We are a simple people who live a simple life. There are several farms that we use, thanks to the generosity of the Family, and we give that generosity back to Gaia, the Mother Spirit. By signs and signals, we follow Her guidance. We were shown that we were not to stay at Stone Home, but I have faith that our efforts on the soil and the land there will leave a more fertile wilderness for all the Mother Gaia's creatures." Her smile widened with serenity. "Our ways may be unusual, what you would think silliness, to you, but it has served us well. What is it to us if we exert more effort this season? We serve Her and Her purposes; She has always provided for us."
Finch didn't buy the benevolent attitude she was projecting, but couldn't find any fault in what she had said. But if they left here without finding the girls, the cult might disappear again and who knew how long it would take to find them again?
"Mother," Railroad nodded his head slightly. "You have been very gracious to receive us so late. We hate to intrude when you're so busy getting ready for the season, but it would make us both feel much better if we could take a look around? Just as you don't want a rat in your seed bin, we'd hate to leave here without making sure the vermin who stole Finch's daughter wasn't hiding among your people."
She smiled sadly, as if Railroad’s suspicions made her a martyr. "You're kind to offer, but it would be a waste of time. Please, let me lend you a man or two to help your search. We haven’t much money, but anything we have is yours to help find them. Ah," she said, glancing between them, "but you will not be satisfied with my goodwill." She sat back in her chair. "You may stay the night, among the Family. There is much work to be done, and rules to follow, but if it is the only way to satisfy you, I will accept the blessing of your company. Our generators are not yet running, so you may search in the morning under the full light of the sun."
Finch shifted uncomfortably. Mother had never lost control of the situation, and seemed completely unaware of the crackling tension in the air. "It would be our honor, Ma’am. Mother."
The enigmatic cult leader motioned to a woman standing nearby. "Rain, if you would take these guests to see Storm?" She looked back to them. "And before you go, if you could leave any electronics or outside texts in this reliquary." She opened a large wooden chest next to her, filled with a garage sale’s worth of items. Books, wallets, and phones the size of bricks made up the mess. "I understand if it makes you feel a bit uncomfortable, but it is our rule here and if you're going to be with us, I insist you follow it."
Railroad and Finch looked at each other for a long moment, measuring the risks, before agreeing and fumbling around in their pockets, dropping off their connection to the outside world.
Mother bowed her head to Railroad, and then to Finch. "For one night, or more to come, I welcome you to The Family."
"Thank you," Finch muttered then followed Rain out the door with Railroad close behind.
"So, what do you think?"
Railroad stood at the window, staring out at the inky blackness surrounding the farm. Slowly he ran his thumb back and forth under his chin. After a moment, he shook his head. "Good thing we're on a farm because this whole thing is a bunch of fertilizer."
"Yeah, that's what I think, too," Finch agreed. Railroad had an almost second sense in situations, taking in any given circumstance and devising the correct path to take. His logic was partly why he made such a great sniper, and, like the rest of his team, Finch trusted that logic with his life.
Turning from the window, Railroad sat on the edge of the two cots the cult had given them to spend the night. Finch knew he had messed up by barging into the farm so late, but he blamed it on his need to find his daughter. They should have waited until morning, left the car in a safe location and scoped out the area on foot. Now, they had no surprise. Thanks to Railroad's quick thinking, they had been invited to stay the night - albeit somewhat grudgingly. After helping Storm unload the generators and a few heavy boxes from a small van and fix the corral where the goats were turned loose, they were shown to their quarters by Rain.
They kept their voices pitched low. They were alone in the stuffy little room they had been given on the top floor of the old farmhouse. It was most likely some kind of storage or attic room, but it had only one door to go along with the tiny window set in the top of the eave. It was dusty and hot, but at least it gave them a bit of freedom to talk in whispers without the others listening in. He supposed the cultists felt assured that he and Railroad couldn't nose around without them knowing. However, both men were Navy SEALs and retained years of experience and training that would be no match for their hosts. When they were ready to leave, they would.
"Now we're here; we need to have a look around. The un-chaperoned kind. I have no doubt she's making sure that we don't find even so much as a hair out of place with her flock." Finch rubbed the stubble on his chin before continuing. "I'm kind of surprised she even admitted she knew who they were."
"She's a crafty one. No doubt, she realized that the local LEOs would have found their last place by now just by search. She damn sure wasn't happy we figured out where they went, but she held her cool." Railroad braced his elbows on his knees and leaned forward.
Finch trusted his judgment, so he nodded slowly. "All right. What do you think we should do?"
Railroad lay back on the cot and linked his hands under his head. "We'll wait a few hours and then take a look around."
"Sounds like a plan." He gave a slow nod then lay back on his cot. They had a couple of hours to wait until they could put their plan in action. Until then, he needed to try and keep calm. Like Railroad, Finch knew the woman they called Mother was lying through her teeth. It was itching at him to wait until tomorrow to find his little family, but he had to. Going off half-cocked wasn't going to help things. That's why he was letting Railroad take the lead. He may be younger than Finch, but he had a damned good head on his shoulders and could think rationally without emotions getting in the way. Turning over, he concentrated on even deep breaths. Even though there wasn't an active guard beyond the door, he knew they were being watched. They had to bide their time until they could take a look around without eyes on them.
"I'm coming for you," he whispered into the still air. "Hang on girls, just a little longer."
Chapter 17
Several hours passed and the exterior sounds of the farm died down. There were no more voices, no more shuffling of feet as they carted things around downstairs.
Finch rose to his feet with Railroad behind him. Together, they went to the window and scoped out the exterior. "What do you
think?" he asked in the barest of whispers.
"This house is old, and the floors are squeaky. We might make it to the door without being heard, but without eyes on the layout, I wouldn't want to chance it. The window is a better option."
Finch nodded. "Let's do this."
Carefully, they eased the window up, flinching only when it made a light squeal in protest. When it was as high as it would go, Railroad stuck his head out and looked around. Pulling back, he nodded. "All clear. It's going to be a tight fit. That opening isn't very big."
"It'll be big enough," Finch murmured then began to worm his way out, feet first. Railroad wasn't kidding. The window was narrow, and he had to turn his shoulders to work them out of the space. Gritting his teeth as he felt the rough wood of the facing dig into his back, he forced his body through. Railroad grabbed his wrists as he pushed out then lowered him down as far as he could go. Using the side of the house to brace his feet, Finch pushed off and landed a couple of feet away, barely missing an overgrown rose bush. Crouching down, he surveyed the area then gave a hand signal to Railroad.
Although as tall as Finch, Railroad's shoulders and chest weren't quite as wide, so he was able to push through the window with less trouble. Landing beside him, Railroad took a minute to glance around, then gave the nod. "Fifteen then back here," Finch whispered as they each took a different route from the side of the house.
Both he and Railroad were somewhat confident Lolly and Breeze wouldn't be in the house as the walls were thin and sound carried. In addition to the main house, the property also contained a large barn, a well house, and several smaller outbuildings. While helping them unload one of the vans last night, they had stacked several boxes in the barn, so he felt pretty sure there was nothing there. Likewise, the smaller shed next to the house contained gardening equipment they used to repair the goat pen. He would bypass those two buildings.
If I was hiding a woman and a child, where would it be?
He mulled over the thought for several moments. It would have to be far enough away that a small child couldn't be heard if she were crying or upset, yet close enough to keep an eye on them. Turning toward the well house, he carefully opened the door and, using the tiny pen light on his keychain, checked it.
Empty.
Easing the door closed, he replaced the hasp and pin, then moved on to the next building. It was another storage building that contained a collection of old leather saddles and tack. The one after that was empty except for some rotten feed bags full of mouse droppings.
Checking his watch, he saw he only had a couple of minutes to return to the side of the house to meet Railroad. Gritting his teeth in frustration, he turned away and hurried to the meeting place.
"Anything?"
Finch shook his head. "You?"
"Nothing. But there's a storm cellar a hundred or so yards away. The grass is trampled around it, but there's a lock on the door. I didn't try to bust in, but I'd like to take a better look at it when it gets light."
"Sounds good." He glanced up at the window twenty feet above them."Any ideas on how we get back in the room?"
"Yeah. Back porch to the porch roof. There's a latticework trellis on the front corner. Up that to the second floor, then across the roof to this corner. We should be able to reach to the roof and come down the doghouse and into the window. A piece of cake."
Finch snorted. "Yeah, a piece of cake."
They had been back in their beds less than two hours when, just as the sun was rising, a gentle tap on the door had summoned them. It was a grey, overcast day with heavy thick clouds rolling overhead and a breeze that was welcomed even if it was pregnant with humidity. Going down to a simple breakfast of cereal and fruit, they ate quickly. As they finished, Rain appeared to give them the official tour.
Honestly, Finch was a bit surprised and impressed in how they managed to live off the grid so easily. Except for a few solar panels and two generators set up to run electricity to essentials such as food refrigerators and the well water pump, they shunned any modern conveniences. Even the trailers and RV did not have power on, and although there were slides in the sides of a couple, they were not in use. It seemed they were used sparingly.
Rain took them to a small plot of land on the side of the house that was being cleared. "We'll stay here for a season, planting vegetables that will be harvested for winter." She spoke in a soft clear voice that was about as unthreatening as one could be. "Once the harvest comes in, those of the Earth will spend several days preserving everything for storage." She smiled at Railroad. "I bet you're an Earth. Level-headed and strong."
Finch interrupted her. "You said you'll stay here for a season. If it's planting time, why did you leave Texas?"
She chuckled. "And you're a Fire. Direct and to the point. In answer to your question, Mother commanded it. We had started working the land there, but then we moved on."
Railroad looked at Finch then back to Rain. "Does that happen often? Mother changing her mind about where you stay?"
Rain lifted her shoulders in a shrug. "It happens. Mother speaks with The Mother Gaia. If we are to leave, then we leave. We don't question The Mother Gaia."
Leading them through a small fence, she pointed toward the barn. They could hear the sounds of ringing like metal being struck on metal. "Some of our Fire are working metal today. Tools have to be repaired and new ones made. We don't believe in waste, so if something breaks, it's mended until it can't be any longer and then it's recycled. Would you like to see the forge? I have to warn you, though. It's very hot inside."
"We would love to see inside," Railroad gave her a dazzling smile. Motioning with his hand, he nodded as she led them to the door and stepped inside.
She wasn't kidding. It was hot inside, and sweat rolled off the three people working around a hot coal fire. As they watched, one of the men picked up a piece of metal from an anvil with a pair of tongs and slid it into the fire. A young boy of about twelve or fourteen operated a bellows, keeping the fire hot. The man pulled the piece of metal out, checking it carefully before shoving it back into the glowing coals again.
"Is that a woman?" Railroad motioned toward the third figure swinging a hammer against an anvil.
"It is." Rain smiled warmly. "Ember is very skilled in making small utensils, knives and the such."
"Remarkable." Railroad took a step forward and watched the woman intently for several moments until she returned the blade she was working on to the forge to be heated again.
"If you go through the forge area to the back, we can move to the woodworking area."
"You have woodworkers?" Railroad's smile broadened. Finch knew his teammate worked with his hands as a way to decompress. Currently, several of his tables and wall hangings were being shown in a small gallery in San Francisco that showcased furniture as art. He had a way of making tables that looked like they were slabs of cut geodes complete with beautiful crystal centers. They were garnering a lot of attention, and Railroad's mother was extremely boastful of her son's creations.
Rain laughed at his excitement. "I'm very confident that you're an Earth now. You would fit in well here. Follow me."
The two followed the young woman but kept their eyes open, covertly checking the area as they went. So far, they hadn't seen anything that hinted where Lolly and Breeze might be found. Then again, they were cautiously herded into specific areas and watched carefully. They hadn't been taken anywhere near the storm cellar, but they couldn't tell if it was by design or by chance.
They stopped before a bench where several men worked with wooden mallets and chisels to carve pieces of wood. Curled shavings sprinkled their aprons and gathered at their feet. As they worked, they talked and laughed together. Nearby, a group of women chatted while stripping bark and leaves from masses of vines. Next to them, another woman used the vines to create long strips that she used to weave a basket.
"Is that kudzu?"
Rain nodded. "It is. Zephyr came to us many years ago already kno
wing how to do this. Her baskets are strong."
"Amazing!" Railroad turned back, and his eyes flickered toward the woods. Finch glanced and saw a large man melt into the shadows. Perhaps it was wishful thinking, but that man looked familiar.
His attention was pulled back to Railroad who was crouching beside one of the woodworkers. "You make your tools?"
The man looked around then nodded solemnly. "The forge makes the heads then we fit them with handles." He picked up a round wooden mallet. "We also make our hammers."
Railroad motioned toward the hammer, silently asking permission to pick it up. "I dabble in woodworking, too." With the worker's blessing, he picked it up and ran his fingers over the surface. "It's got a good weight. It looks like ironwood. That makes sense - can take a beating but still light enough to swing efficiently. I've got an oak one I got from an auction. It's been beaten to hell and back but still works well. Do you pad your chisel handles?"
The conversation continued for several minutes until Rain ushered them out of the woodworking area.
"What's that?" Railroad pointed toward a small hump covered in weeds a few feet away.
"That's an old storm shelter. There can be tornados in this area."
Finch looked up at the overcast sky. "I hope that isn't a sign there's going to be one today."
Rain shrugged. "If The Mother Gaia sends the storm, we'll weather it."
Railroad hurried over to the mound, and Finch felt his pulse accelerate as he and Rain followed behind. Squatting beside the worn doors, he lifted a padlock and looked at it. "Why is it locked? You'd think if there were bad weather, the door would be unlocked so people could get inside faster."
"We have small children in The Family. We often keep the more dangerous areas safely hidden behind locks." She started to move away, pointing back toward the barn. "I'm sure that you'll--"
Justice for Breeze Page 13
