The Recruiter Seeker searches the Hub for a Sojourner with a certain type of characteristic to fall in line and abet the Labyrinth Seekers. They probably use bribery and don’t follow through with the reward.
A Scout Seeker reconnoiters the Hub crowd and keeps an eye out for possible victims. They seem to search for Sojourners who are distracted, in a hurry or impaired.
The Procurer Seeker is well connected and works on finding a specific buyer for the primary and secondary Passageways or the valuables for sale on the Stygian Market.
The M Seeker is part of the assassin squad. Their job is to take out any Labyrinth Seeker that is in the custody of the Authorities. They received this name because one of the captured Seekers taken into custody saw someone in the shadows before he was shot. All he had a chance to get out of his mouth was, “M.” Phil called them Malicious Seekers. The philosophy of this Seeker is anyone captured is considered a recreant.
“T,” that’s all anyone has ever called this Seeker, possibly because this individual only deals with technology.
The Sharp Shooter-Seeker (a male) or otherwise known as Cat’s-Paw (a female) is the weapons expert. This Seeker may possibly be in charge of procuring and selling weapons in the Stygian Market.
A smart Sojourner protects himself in the following way: first and foremost they make sure the Passageway door at all times closes and seals behind them. This seems to be a key element in avoiding a catastrophe. Another good measure to take would be to make sure their Passageway Red Book Operation Manual and Passageway Codes are hidden in a location no other Sojourner could possibly find them.
Phil interviewed a Rogue Seeker in his journal. This thief was caught when he tried to pickpocket Phil. Phil had physically detained him and hustled him into the back of a shop that Phil knew the owner.
“Jasen,” as Phil called him, was a young man with messy blond hair and wild blue green eyes. He was five foot nine inches and had a lanky build. Phil backed him into a corner and told him, “I’m going to ask you some questions and if you don’t answer I’m going to take you straight to the Authorities.”
Jasen looked away and said, “You got this all wrong man. You are so stupid.”
Phil told Jasen to look at him and said, “I was smart enough to catch you and I’m smart enough to know when to take you down.”
“Man, you don’t know who you’re dealing with. You’re nothing.” Jasen tried to tell Phil that he just followed other Sojourners and waited for an opportunity to make a living.
“Yeah right, then why did you try to pickpocket me?”
“I thought you looked distracted, and an easy target. I’m hungry man. Give me a break.”
“I’ll tell you what, you answer my questions and I’ll let you go.”
“Let me go now,” complained Jasen.
Phil asked again, “Are you going to answer my questions?”
“No way man. No way, and you can’t make me.”
Phil spun him around facing the corner by twisting Jasen’s arm back behind him so he couldn’t get away. He took off his tie with one hand and began tying Jasen’s wrists together. Jasen realized he couldn’t get away and that this man might just do what he said he would.
Jasen said in a growling voice, “All right man, stop. You’re hurting me.”
“All right what?”
“I’ll talk just let me loose.”
Phil turned him around. “I can’t do that.”
Jasen looked him in the eye and said, “I’ve got to get free. I don’t have time for this.”
“I’ve got all the time in the world.”
Jasen squirmed to try to get free. In an attempt to gain his freedom, Jasen tried to head-butt Phil.
Phil threw him down on the ground. “Wrong move buddy. All I have to do is call my friend’s name from up front in the store and you’re going for a little walk.”
There was a pause before Jasen asked, “If I talk are you going to let me go?”
“If you talk, I’ll let you go. I just want to ask you a few questions.”
“Why?”
“I just want some answers so I can protect my family. I saw the tattoo on the back of your neck. You can’t fool me I know something about what you do.”
Jasen retorted, “You don’t know nothing… You only think you do.”
Phil put the hurt on him by squeezing his arm until the pain became so intense Jasen’s eyes watered. “It’s up to you. I’m losing my patience. You can answer my questions and then go free. No one will ever know you were here.”
“Get up man and I’ll answer one question. Then you let me go, all right?”
Phil acted like he was considering it. “No. You are going to answer all my questions, or we go to the Authorities and they get the answers out of you.”
Jasen sighed. “Man, you know they will kill me as soon as you walk me out of this place in these stupid sissy handcuffs of yours.”
Phil observed the tie wrapped around Jasen’s wrists. “It works…”
Jasen struggled, trying to get up.
Phil pressed Jasen’s body back onto the floor. “Are you ready to talk?”
Jasen barked, “Do I got a choice?”
“From the appearance of things, no. No, you don’t.
“If I pick you up, put you in this chair and you try to run I’ll take you down. That will be the end of negotiations.”
Jasen nodded. Phil picked him up and said, “I ask the questions, and you answer.”
Jasen nodded and Phil plopped him on an old folding chair. Phil opened a folding chair that was propped against a wall, without taking his eyes off Jasen. He sat down, took his Sojourner crystal from his pocket. It immediately flashed.
Phil asked, “How long have you been a Rogue Seeker?”
Jasen stated, “I’ve been a Rogue Seeker now for 10 years.”
“Who works with you?”
“I don’t have any friends or loyalty to anyone other than my clan.”
Then Phil asked, “How did you become a Rogue?”
“I am what you call a throw-away child. The clan found me.”
“How do you conduct business?”
“I watch, and I wait for the moment. Then I seize what I want.”
Phil continued, “What do you look for when you steal from others?”
“I’ll steal anything of value, so my clan can eat.”
“Do you steal Passageways?”
Jasen raised his chin a bit and scowled at the question. “Why should I answer that?”
Phil shrugged. “Freedom?”
Jasen rubbed the sole of his shoe on the floor, and then looked back at Phil. “If I answer that, you’re a dead man, you know that don’t you? If you let me go now I won’t tell a soul about you.”
“I’m confident you won’t tell anyway. They’d kill you first, and then they’d come after me. I don’t think you’d do that to your clan.”
Jasen bit his lip and moaned. “Man, I can’t do this… I’ll be a marked man.”
Phil lit a cigarette, took a puff and blew the smoke to the side. “If you don’t talk, then I will take you to the Authorities and let them deal with you.”
Jasen gave him a contemptuous look. “A death sentence.”
Phil looked at his cigarette. He tossed it on the floor and mashed it, leaving a black mark. “We all have to die sometime.”
Jasen turned away. “Man, if you don’t let me go…”
“It’s all up to you. I told you. I won’t go to the Authorities. This is strictly between us so I can protect my family.” Jasen made an unbelieving face and shook his head. Phil looked right at him. “I give you my word. I just want to protect my family. It’s what you are trying to do, right now, for your clan.”
Jasen studied him. He rolled his eyes. “All right. Let’s get this over with. They are going to be searching for me.”
“Do you work alone?”
“Not always. Depends on the job.”
“How do you find
your victims?”
“Everyone’s watched from certain places in the Hub.”
“What do you do with the valuables you steal?”
Jasen laughed. “Really?” Phil didn’t look amused. Jasen shook his head. “Amateur. We sell them. Can I go now?”
“No. Do all the criminals in the Hub have a way to tell each other apart?”
“I can’t tell you that! Are you kidding? Next question…”
Phil coughed. Then he asked, “Where is the Stygian Market?”
Jasen’s face grew dark as he stared at Phil. Phil just looked at him and observed him. Phil didn’t blink or look away. He waited patiently for an answer. Finally he received an answer.
“The Stygian Market is a very dangerous place.” Jasen tried to explain to him the lengths that Shadow Seekers would go through to remain anonymous and elusive in the background. According to him The Stygian Market consisted of a group of individuals. The majority of Sojourners are not even aware of their existence, let alone the fact that they should be on guard against them. If they do know about them, they wish they had never learned of them. They are the Hub’s dirty little secret. “Some of the people connected to the Stygian Market are very powerful individuals who use their wealth in ways that are harmful to Sojourners, for their own personal gain. The rumor that was circulating around the ‘Unknown’ Sector, before it became squelched, was that even the Master Shadow Seeker reports to someone who is in charge of the whole Stygian Market. The Shadow Seekers don’t collectively decide things on their own.” He shrugged. “No one knows for sure who this mystery individual is. Lots of misinformation gets around on the streets. Let’s put it this way, I don’t know of anyone dumb enough to ever admit knowing the identity of this individual to an outsider because they wouldn’t survive. It would be gruesome.”
Phil wrote in his journal that this would be one of his last entries for several reasons, he was afraid for his family and his life. His purpose for doing this dangerous interview was that he wanted to warn his family about the perils of the Hub. Jasen was only willing to talk because he tried to pickpocket Phil and was caught. He was being held against his will. Phil made him talk at the risk of being handed over to the Authorities. He would then go before the Sojourners’ Council. If Phil turned him in, Jasen would be a dead man for sure because the “Unknowns” do not allow people to give testimony against them.
At the time of the journal entry he found this interview with Jasen to be very challenging. One interesting twist was that Jasen had given Phil the location of a group of Passage Seekers. Phil became paranoid and felt that the Shadow Seekers would somehow learn of this interview and would find a way to watch his every move. Phil wrote in his journal that he was thankful his time as a Sojourner was almost over so he could retire. He had a rich and fulfilling time as a Sojourner. It had afforded him many opportunities he would never have experienced if he had not been born a Sojourner.
Charles looked up from his book and put his glasses in his shirt pocket. Airabelle and the frog were over by Carson. He was winding the cuckoo clock and talking to the frog in a very quiet voice. The frog was croaking back as if they were having an actual conversation. Charles sat up and tried to hear what Carson was saying, but couldn’t. Airabelle suddenly took flight to the perch in her cage. Carson picked up the frog and gently put him back in his aquarium. Charles heard a noise outside. Then, there was a knock at the door.
Carson closed and latched the door to Airabelle’s cage. He opened the door expecting to see Bev. When he opened the door Carson looked right over her head. Then, he looked down and saw Caroline. “Hello Caroline. Have you been here long?”
Charles sat up straight.
“Hello Mr. Jones. We just arrived. Is Charles here?”
“Yes, he’s here.” Then Carson turned with a big smile on his face. He opened the door wider and stepped aside. “Charles, Caroline is here to see you.”
Charles jumped up from the chair and picked up the journals and notes he had been writing. He walked over to the door. “Paw Paw, I am going to walk Caroline to the house if you don’t mind.”
“Go right ahead. I’ll see you in a minute. I need to finish the work I started. Then I will be on my way.”
Charles walked Caroline to the house and went straight to the library. He set his things on the table. “How was your day?”
“Oh, it was fine.” Caroline replied. “How was yours?”
“I helped Nana this morning gather eggs from the hen house.”
Caroline laughed. “Did you gather very many eggs?”
“Two baskets full.”
“That is a lot of eggs.”
“It’s fun to help out on the farm. If you want you can always find something to do to help out.”
Caroline turned to look at the books. “This is an amazing library, isn’t it? I’ve never seen a personal library so large.”
“It’s large all right,” Charles said.
“I like to read.”
“You do?”
“It’s one of my favorite pastimes.”
“Mine too.”
“Books can take you anywhere. What I like the most is that you use your imagination, like the director of a movie.”
Charles looked around the room and pointed to the spine of a book. “Have you read this one?”
“No, not yet.” Caroline laughed knowing the rarity of the Jones’ books in their library and she looked down. Playing along she asked, “Should I?”
“Yes, you should,” Charles said smiling at her. “I know the perfect book, Caroline. The illustrations in it are great.” Charles went to the bookshelf ladder. He wheeled it over to the exact spot and climbed to the top shelf. He knew this book had to be handled very carefully, and he probably shouldn’t be handling it. He put the gloves on that were draped over a step on the ladder and took it from the shelf. He brought it down to Caroline. Carefully he opened the book and turned to the pages Carson had shared with him. “Paw Paw read this story to me when I was little for a bedtime story.”
“Just one bedtime story?”
“No, many over time. He explained the history of the book and about its illustrator. It is the only original copy of this book left in existence. He told me stories about the illustrator who turned out to be a famous outlaw.” Charles was telling her the stories as Carson and Al came into the library.
“Oh Carson, we are just in time for another story.”
Carson saw the look on Charles’ face as they came in and sat down. He asked, “Charles, what book are you and Caroline looking at? Bring it here and let me see.”
Charles brought it to him. “Oh, I see. Well, now this is a special book. Charles, I read this to you when you were just a little boy. Do you remember what I told you about it?”
“Yes, I was telling Caroline what you told me about the book.”
“Caroline, do you like to read?” Carson asked.
“Yes, I do.”
“This is a very special book; would you like to read it?” Charles’ eyes met Carson’s.
“Mr. Jones, you’d let me read a book from your library?”
“Yes of course I would.”
Caroline looked at her grandfather. “May I?”
“Well, I don’t know. Carson that is very generous of you, but a young child with a book from your library… Well, I just don’t know.” Al was looking at his old friend and swallowed hard.
“What good is a book if it isn’t read?” Carson asked. “She can return it when she’s finished. Charles and I would be delighted if Caroline had the opportunity to enjoy a book we treasure. What do you say?”
Did he say: Charles would be delighted? Charles smiled. He thought it would make him happy if she would be allowed to read the story. At the same time he would be on pins and needles until the book was safely returned.
Al looked at Caroline. Caroline bit her bottom lip. “Okay, Caroline if you promise to take care of this book. The books in this library are very valu
able. If something happened to…”
As Margaret entered the room Al stopped. “What is going on in here? Did something happen?” Margaret asked. Al’s tan face suddenly looked white.
“Carson has offered Caroline a book to read from his top shelf collection.”
“That’s wonderful Caroline. It would be a big responsibility though to return the book in the same condition it was loaned to you. Do you think you could do that?” Margaret said.
“Yes, Ma’am.”
“Well, Carson that is very generous of you. Thank you,” Margaret said.
“Charles always enjoyed having this book read to him. I don’t see why Caroline shouldn’t enjoy it as well.” Carson smiled at Charles. Charles smiled back.
“Thank you Mr. Jones. I’ll take care of your book and I will return it to you when I finish.”
“You’re welcome Caroline.
“Al, let’s go and sit in the living room. We can play a game of chess,” Carson said. They left together.
Bev came in the room and smiled when she saw Charles and Caroline with the book. “Margaret, I need your assistance in the kitchen.” Margaret smiled and they left.
Bev called from the kitchen, “It’s time to eat. Everyone please come to the dining room.”
Charles set the book on the library table. He took off the gloves and set them on top of the book. When they reached the dining room only four place settings were on the table. Charles glanced at Caroline and she looked at him.
Bev came in the dining room and said, “Oh, Charles and Caroline, you two are eating in the kitchen if that is okay with you. It is, isn’t it?”
“Sure,” they both said in unison.
Bev walked them into the kitchen. The place settings were on the table. They filled their plates then helped her take the food into the dining room. Al said grace and they both returned to the kitchen to eat. Charles thought about how nice it was to sit at the table with Caroline. They talked while they ate. Neither of them wanted dessert so they put their plates in the sink and went to the front porch.
“That was nice of your grandpa to let me read a book from his library.”
The Xidoran Prophecy Page 12
