The Road To Avea

by Lynn Lorenz

  "It's him." Sarah exhaled. "It's him." The tears came, and she let them run down her cheeks, not bothering to wipe them away.

  Rolf pulled her close and tucked her under his arm. "We found him, Sarah. Everything is going to be fine." He held her, stroking her hair as she sobbed into his shoulder.

  The nurse nodded to Rolf and stepped from the room.

  When it seemed she'd let all the fear, all the worry, all the relief out, she sniffed, wiped her face with her hand, and pushed away from him. "Here's what we have to do. First, we have to find his things. She'll have them most likely. Then we have to disconnect him."

  "Disconnect him?"

  "From all the tubes, Rolf." She pointed to the clear bag hanging on a metal pole next to the bed. A clear tube snaked its way down, across the bed, and into Stefan's pale arm at the inside of his elbow.

  "By the One God! What are they doing to him?" Rolf's face twisted.

  "It's to keep him fed and hydrated. He can't eat or drink, so they put the nourishment right into his blood."

  Rolf shuddered. He pointed to another bag, this one filled with yellow fluid, hanging on the side of the bed. "And that?"

  "Urine."

  "You mean piss? They're feeding him piss?" He gasped and clutched his throat.

  "No, they're catching it as he pisses. To remove it."

  "But how?" Rolf stared at the bag, eyes wide.

  Sarah lifted the sheet. The tube disappeared beneath Stefan's hospital gown near his groin. Rolf bent over and stared at the tube.

  "You can't be serious?" His head swiveled to Sarah.

  "It's serious, I assure you."

  Rolf straightened and rubbed own groin in shared male sympathy. "How do we get him disconnected?"

  "I'll remove the tubes when we're ready." Sarah checked the needle in Stefan's arm.

  "You?"

  "Trust me, it's easier to take them out than put them in." She gave him her own twisted grimace.

  "Then?"

  "Since we have Stefan's wand, you can use it to 'port him back to the alley, and then come back for me. When we're all in place, we'll step back through the door. He'll have to be levitated, Rolf, and I can't do that."

  "Right, leave it to me. When do we get started?"

  "Let me talk to the nurse. I'll find out when the next rounds are, and we'll go from there."

  Sarah left Rolf standing next to Stefan. Looking at his fellow officer, he felt both a deep relief at finding him and a great worry about Stefan's condition. The man he had been so envious of, who had been so competent, clever and maddeningly aloof lay helpless, his fragility achingly brought to the fore.

  "I always liked you, Stefan, even when you were giving me hell." Rolf's mouth twisted.

  Stefan was alive, if not conscious. It seemed Blackmoor would not win, at least, not as long as Rolf could help it.

  "Well, old man, it's you and me again. In a tight spot and outnumbered as usual." Rolf reached out and touched Stefan's arm. It was warm. He gave it a quick squeeze, hoping to give some small comfort. "Don't worry. Sarah's here and you're safe now. We're here to rescue you."

  * * * *

  Sarah waited at the counter of the station for the nurse to return, tapping the toe of her shoe against the floor. A few minutes later, the woman came down the hall and stepped around the counter. The nametag on her chest said Nurse Wallace.

  "Could I have my husband's stuff?"

  "Lemme look." She pulled open a deep drawer at the bottom of the counter and rummaged around in it. "Here it is." The nurse held up a large envelope. "Know what's in here?" After opening the envelope, she peered inside.

  Sarah thought. "Wedding ring, pocket watch, pen knife." She concentrated and then shrugged. "Not sure what else he had on him."

  "Got it right. Except this." She pulled out a small round locket, one side glass and the other gold, the chain missing. A tight curl of black hair lay inside. The nurse looked at Sarah and then back to the locket. "Must be yours. Haven't seen one of these in ages. Grandfather carried one with Grandmother's hair during the Northern Wars five decs ago."

  Sarah bit her bottom lip. He must've taken it the night I found him asleep in my room.

  Sarah's throat tightened as she tried to speak, but she gave up, not trusting her voice. She held out her hand, willing it not to shake, and the nurse dropped the locket into her palm. Sarah picked up the envelope and peered inside. His ring, watch, and knife were there. She poured them into her hand, shoved the watch and knife into her backpack, then put the locket and his ring into the pocket of her jeans.

  "He's old-fashioned."

  "Goes with the long hair. Sounds like a romantic." The nurse smiled.

  "Never thought of him that way, but sure. Thanks, Nurse Wallace." She turned to leave. She stopped a few feet later and turned around. "Next rounds?"

  "'Bout midnight."

  "Staying, if it's okay."

  "Yo. Need anything?"

  "Nope." Sarah returned to the room.

  Sarah's eyes filled with tears as she slipped the ring back on Stefan's finger and then leaned over to kiss his hand.

  "She'll be back at midnight, but we'll be gone before then." She looked up at Rolf. "When we return, we'll 'port him straight to Avalon. Hopefully, the healer there can work with him."

  Rolf was hoping whatever these off-worlders had done to Stefan could be fixed and that their healer's limited skills were up to it. He stared at the hard white casts covering Stefan's arm and leg and shook his head. Reaching out his hand, he felt the coolness of the plaster. "Have they no healers?"

  "This is the accepted method to heal broken bones. They're placed back into position and then held in place with these casts."

  "Why don't they just heal the bones?"

  "The bones heal themselves, but it takes weeks."

  Sarah began to pull off the tape holding the I.V. to Stefan's arm. Rolf watched every movement as she prepared to free her husband. Sarah jerked open a drawer in the table by his bed, searched it, and found a wad of cotton and some tape. She pressed down on the needle with the cotton and began to ease out the thin metal.

  Rolf watched as the needle slid out of Stefan's arm. Rolf's lips parted, yet he held his breath. How long was that thing? When it finally came out, Sarah placed some tape over the cotton. A spot of blood appeared on the cotton, grew, and then stopped. Rolf let out his breath.

  Next, Sarah raised the sheet to check the wound on his hip and gave a soft moan. Then she pulled the tape loose, peeling back the large bandage. Clear fluid wept from the neat stitches in his skin. She counted them. Sixteen. The gash was about five inches long, in a long curve. The skin hung like a flap and they'd sewed it back in place.

  She folded the gown back, revealing the tube running over his thigh and disappearing into the tip of his manhood. Rolf made a strangled sound in his throat. Sarah took Stefan's slack flesh in her hand and cradled it. She pulled out the penknife and used it to cut the tubing and release the fluid in the internal bulb. Then, she gripped the tube and began to pull it out.

  Rolf moaned and his eyes fluttered.

  "Rolf, please! If you faint, it won't help matters."

  "Sorry, Sarah. It's just... just...not right." He shook his head back and forth, rubbing the back of his hand across his mouth, his eyes locked on the tube as it slid out of Stefan's shaft.

  When she had pulled out what seemed to Rolf like an obscene amount of tube, it came to the end and Stefan was free. She placed his member back against his leg, lowered the gown, and replaced the sheet.

  Rolf let out the breath he'd held. They were at a crucial juncture. One wrong move and they would be discovered, possibly killed. He did something he hadn't done in years; he said a prayer to keep them safe.

  "So far, so good." She turned to Rolf and the relief on her face fell away.

  "Whatcha think you're doing?" The nurse stood in the door, her hands on her hips.

  "Checking his wounds." Sarah moved to the end of the bed,
and Rolf stepped up to Stefan's side, blocking the nurse's view.

  "Can't take out his I.V., he needs it." She started across the room.

  "Actually, he doesn't need it anymore." Sarah leapt across the space and pushed the woman against the wall, pressing her arm against the nurse's throat. "He's leaving with us, nurse. Don't want any trouble. Keep quiet and everything will go easy."

  The nurse nodded, her eyes bulging, and Sarah relaxed her grip. The woman screamed. Sarah cut off the sound with the grasp of her hand across the nurse's throat. She struggled for a moment, and as Sarah applied pressure to a vital point, she passed out. After lowering the unconscious woman to the floor, Sarah turned to Rolf.

  "We need to get Stefan out of here. I don't know who heard that, but if the guards come, we're in trouble."

  Rolf nodded and moved toward the bed.

  The door burst open and the guard slid into the room.

  "Freeze! Right there. Put your hands up!"

  Rolf froze. Raising his hands, he turned to face the armed man. Silently, Sarah put a finger to her lips and stepped out of sight behind the door. Rolf moved his eyes slightly to acknowledge it.

  The gun aimed straight at Rolf's head. His heart seemed to stop in his chest and his eyes widened as he faced the weapon. The small black opening at the end of the barrel grew to the size of a cavern as he stared at it, unable to look away, positive he did not want to find out what would come out of that hole.

  "What's going on?" The guard motioned to Rolf with the gun. "Step away from the bed, mister." Rolf swallowed and took a step to the side.

  Sarah reached beneath her jacket and slid her gun out of the holster as she stepped from behind the door. Placing it to the back of the guard's head, she pressed the cold metal to his skull.

  "Drop it or I'll blow your brains all over the wall."

  The guard froze. She pushed the barrel of her revolver against his head again. He lowered his gun to his side.

  "Drop it and kick it under the bed." The guard did as told and the gun skittered across the room.

  Rolf's hands were still in the air as he stared at Sarah. She held the gun easily, carelessly. Her eyes were so cold and hard he had no doubt she would carry out her threat.

  "On the floor and lay down." The guard did it. Sarah pulled the handcuffs from the back of his belt. "Right hand behind your back. You know the drill." The man complied. Sarah knelt with her knee in the man's back as she snapped the cuffs on one wrist, then the other.

  "Now, Rolf, get Stefan out of here." She jerked her gun toward the bed.

  "But, Sarah, leave you?"

  "Right. Just get him to safety and come back for me as soon as you can." When Rolf kept standing there, she snapped, "Damn it, go now!"

  He reached out, touched Stefan and they were gone.

  "Mother of the God!" The guard, watching from the floor, cringed in fear. "Black magic!"

  Sarah shut the door, leaned against it, and pointed her gun at him. "How many more are coming?"

  "A squad. You'll be out-numbered and out-gunned soon enough, you damned witch. You and your magic kind will be killed, promise." He spit the words at her.

  "Shut up, you stupid bastard." Sarah turned the gun in her hand and brought it down on the back of his head. His body went slack. Leaning back, she listened at the door for any sounds in the hall.

  Where the hell is Rolf?

  As if in answer, Rolf reappeared.

  "Sarah. Thank the One God!"

  "Is he safe?" She started toward him.

  "Aye. Let's go." He held out her hand to him just as the door exploded inward. A large man charged through it, gun drawn.

  Sarah leapt in front of Rolf as the man fired. Concentrating, she threw all her majik into her outstretched hand.

  Rolf's hand touched the fingertips of her other hand.

  She slumped against Rolf.

  "Sarah, oh, no!" Rolf held her in his arms, staring into her face. He ran his hand over her body, searching for any damage.

  Her eyes fluttered, opened, and held his gaze. "Don't let my husband catch you doing that."

  A great rush of air blew out of his chest. "I thought you'd been hurt."

  She held out her fist, opened her fingers and showed him the bullet lying in the palm of her hand. Both of them stared at it.

  "By the One God, Sarah, what did you do?"

  "Stopped the bullet, I guess."

  He picked it up, held it up to his face, and sniffed it. "It reeks."

  "That's the cordite residue. What makes it shoot out of the barrel of the gun."

  He stared at her for a long time. "Would you have done it? Splattered his brains?"

  "Yo. To get us out of there alive and back home." She met his eyes with her steady gaze. "But thanks to your fast work, it wasn't necessary." She looked around, then pulled herself from Rolf's arms. "Where's Stefan?"

  The alley was empty. They were at the door, but there was no sign of her unconscious husband.

  "He's hidden. I used an incantation to hide him." Rolf spoke the words silently, his fingers making deft signs. Stefan appeared, stretched out on the ground.

  Sirens went off. Rolf startled, and Sarah cursed under her breath. The long wail rose and diminished on the air. With each rising wail, the sound neared.

  "We've used too much majik, and it's alerted the authorities. The seekers will be on the move. We have to go."

  "Seekers?"

  "Yo. Certain people in this world finely tuned to majik. They can't use it, but they can feel when it's being used and find those who do use it. If they locate us, you can be certain we won't get out of this alley alive."

  Sarah turned to the door and began the incantation. Rolf raised the wand and levitated Stefan to waist height. The sirens screamed around them so close Rolf covered his ears with his hands to block the noise and lessen the pain. Despite it, he maintained his concentration and the levitation.

  "There they are! Here...over here!"

  Sarah turned. An old woman at the end of the alley pointed at them. Closing her eyes, Sarah continued chanting.

  Rolf held his breath and locked eyes with the woman near the street. Even from a distance, he could see and feel the hatred in her eyes. The sounds of large trucks rumbled in the street outside the alley.

  Jerking his head back to look at Sarah, his heart throbbed in his chest as if it would explode. The doorknob solidified. Diving toward it, she twisted it, pulled open the door and stood back. Rolf tore his gaze from the old woman, guided Stefan across the portal and into the room.

  Sarah spun and took a last look at off-world.

  Framed in the doorway, Rolf watched as several armed men ran down the alley toward them, their weapons drawn.

  "Close the door, Sarah!" Rolf's voice broke the quiet of the room.

  One of the guards dropped to his knee, took aim, and fired as Sarah slammed the door shut.

  Chapter 29

  Rolf's cry and the slamming of the door jerked Luci awake.

  Sarah leaned against the door and let out her breath.

  Rolf lowered Stefan's body to the floor and turned to Luci.

  "You're back!" She jumped up, ran to Rolf, and threw herself into his arms. "I was so worried."

  "Darling." Rolf nuzzled her ear as he held her tight, then held her face in his hands, and kissed her.

  She pulled away and turned to Sarah. "I'm so glad you found Stefan." She looked at his broken body. "Sarah, he looks awful. What happened to him?"

  "It's a long story." Sarah's tone told her not to ask more just now.

  "Thank you, for bringing Rolf back."

  "Thank you, for giving me use of him." Sarah nodded to her friend.

  "Now, I need to contact Avalon and get Stefan to the healer," Rolf said.

  Luci reached into her pocket, pulled out his communications mirror, and gave it to him.

  He opened it and held it up to his face. "Creel to Avalon."

  "Avalon here, Inspector."

 
"We've recovered Bane. He's injured. I need two addlers for teleports."

  "Right away, sir. Location?"

  "The safe house we raided in Avea."

  "They'll be there soon. Avalon out."

  Rolf closed the case with a snap. "Sarah, you were incredible." He laughed and ran his hand through his hair. "Stefan is one lucky bastard."

  "Thank you, I think." She sat down in the chair Luci had been sitting in, leaned back, and closed her eyes.

  * * * *

  Stefan heard sounds. Music in the distance.

  No, not music, but her voice.

  He knew it wasn't Sarah. They were taunting him, using her. He wouldn't let anyone in. He had to stay alone in the dark where it was safe.

  Until the end comes.

  Perhaps the end had already come, and this was what was left of him. Only darkness and pain.

  What did he expect? Redemption?

  He'd surely received what he deserved for his life.

  At least for one glorious moment he had Sarah, known happiness.

  He was content.

  * * * *

  Rolf once again stood in front of Thatcher and this time gave him good news. As he explained how Sarah discovered where Stefan was and their mission to retrieve him, Thatcher's body gradually relaxed into his chair.

  "Quite the most amazing things I've ever seen! No horses to pull them, and yet their carriages move. And they have boxes that go up and down inside of very tall buildings." His eyes glowed with excitement at the wonders he'd seen.

  "How is Stefan?" Damon's haggard, drawn face forced Rolf back to his report.

  "Stefan's hurt, but it's not above our healer's skills. Sarah and I took him straight to her. Without Sarah and her knowledge of off-world, we'd still be searching in the wrong places here, or worse, fumbling around off-world and getting ourselves killed."

  "It seems Stefan will owe her his thanks, if not his life again. What are the extent of his injuries?" Damon rubbed his face with his hand.