by Gene Curtis
Where could he hide the real one that it would be quickly and easily accessible? One of the guards, one of his captains, with the time machine, someplace else, the choices were plentiful, but he’d have to think on it.
“Sounds like a plan.” He said to Ms. Vanmie, “I think about a dozen should do it.”
He finished the last of his soup and Ricky said, “We kind of skipped over the billboard campaign. Vince has them ready to go and we’ve got the locations picked out. I’m guessing you don’t want Ruby’s phone number or the reward information added to them.”
“The purpose for that was to give them a bit more time being displayed. Go ahead and get them up, we’ll take what we can get. I’m hoping the dream cast will spread by word of mouth.” He turned to Nick, “The cell phone and email campaign should happen as soon as you can.”
* * *
The next morning Mark felt much better as he walked into the officer’s mess. His face and hands were still bright red, but there was only a slight pain when he touched them. His lips were still cracked but the elasticity was back.
The waiter walked over to him as soon as he sat down and put a cup of coffee on the table in front of him. “The usual sir, chef’s choice on steak and eggs?”
He shook his head, “Make it an omelet, chef’s choice.”
Ricky, sitting across from him, said, “Moroccan Chicken and unsweetened tea.” He looked at Mark, “I’ve been up for awhile, thought I’d have lunch.”
He took a sip of coffee, “Ruby was eaten, probably by Nageed Shade. I wonder what she did to fall out of favor?”
“I’ll bet it was because you captured her, couldn’t risk her spilling secrets.”
“Could be. Feel up to a trip to the cemetery after breakfast? You can say no if you want too.”
“A visit to Lance’s grave?”
“That and I want to check the old section. I left something there before to be found, maybe I did it again.”
“I need to pass on that if you don’t mind. Salina is starting the billboard campaign today and I promised to help her.”
“Yeah, she’s going to need help with that.”
* * *
Since it was Saturday, he was riding The General. The cemetery smelled of freshly mown grass and of freshly turned soil as he approached Lance’s grave marker. Once there, he slid off the horse, knelt and whispered, “I’m so sorry my friend. I’m glad to know that the one that killed you is now dead. She’ll never injure anyone else.” He put his hand on the grave. “If I was in this grave instead of you, this whole battle would be over. I know you won’t like it, but I plan to be bold. Maybe he’ll kill me and end this mess.”
He stood, looked at his guards who were holding their mounts back so as not to intrude. He climbed back onto his horse and started ambling toward the oldest section of the graveyard. He didn’t know what he expected to find, if anything at all. He was just following his intuition, something Raphael said he should do and it was something that just felt right.
His guards trotted up beside him and Ray said, “It’s always hard when you lose a friend. You’re going to lose others; it’s inevitable.”
“You don’t have to console me, but you’re right, it does hurt. The thing that makes me mad is the only reason she did it was to show me that she could. I also hate being glad that she’s dead, but I can’t help it.”
“I’ve had a hand in dispatching some evil people, some one-on-one, can’t say I ever regretted it. One thing I’ve learned though, there is always someone worse and you’ll never get rid of them all, but I like trying.” Ray smiled, “When they come, I’ve usually got a grenade or something for what ails them, seems to do the trick every time.”
“I don’t know if Benrah can be physically killed. Truth and Justice Warrior had the perfect opportunity with Benrah’s father to find out and he didn’t bother trying. He just destroyed the temple. I think he instinctively knew it wasn’t possible.”
Ray’s smile turned into a grin, “Like I said, I like trying.”
Mark smiled back, “If we can find where he is, you’ll get your chance, I promise.”
He spent the better part of two hours meandering through the old section and found nothing that held the remotest interest to him, but he didn’t feel like leaving the cemetery. It occurred to him that since something had been hidden here before that he’d have to select someplace else the next time. The obvious answer was The Fifth Mountain, Lance’s school, but that was too obvious. The First Mountain was the oldest one and it had the oldest graveyard. That’s where he’d go next. Even if there was nothing there for him to find, he’d enjoy the solitude and the chance to let his minds relax a little while longer.
He held his arms out and said, “Grab on, I’m going to The First Mountain.”
He’d been there before, but never to the cemetery. They appeared at the front steps and Mark formed the image of the cemetery in his mind. The General took off at a gallop leaving the others behind. An image of them going after a flag appeared in his mind and he realized his horse was remembering the game.
“Sorry big guy, I don’t think we’re going to able to play for awhile.” He formed the image of the others catching up and them all slowing to a canter.
When they did catch up, Samantha, a bit perturbed, asked, “What the heck was that all about?”
Mark laughed, “We used to play flags at school. It was on Saturdays and it started at noon. Today is Saturday and it’s noon. He was just letting me know he is missing the game a little.” He patted the horse’s neck. “I think he’s trying to cheer me up a little too.”
A line of Magi appeared in front of them, swords at the ready. Other lines remanifested on their flanks.
“Hold and identify!” The leader had a thick Arabic accent.
Mark stopped and the others followed his lead. Rudy whispered, “What’s going on?”
Mark shrugged and held his arm out in a formal Magi salute. He spoke in Arabic, “I am Mark Young, chosen of God, student at The Seventh Mountain—”
In English the leader said, “We were not notified you were coming here today.”
This time Mark spoke in English, “I didn’t know I was supposed to notify you. What’s wrong?”
“Nothing is wrong except you being here without proper notification. We have heightened security since the battle in Istanbul. We will report this to the high elder and verify who you are. You will come with us please.” The swords still pointing at them said anything but please.
“We’re not going anywhere,” the major said. “You haven’t identified yourselves and we don’t know you. For all we know, you could be the enemy. And as for your swords, Mark could take you all out with a sneeze. Now, I suggest you lay them on the ground slowly before you make him mad. Then kneel and place your hands behind your backs and we’ll verify who you are.”
The major was right; it didn’t make sense that they didn’t know of him, but their eyes were very bright which told him that they were indeed Magi. He produced the staff. “I am Mark Young and you will please surrender.”
The security force started glancing toward their leader and looking a bit nervous. The leader, stuttering a little, finally said, “You could be an impostor, that staff is well known and so are you. You must come with us.”
“I am Mark Young and I’ll prove it. What legend have you heard that only I can do?”
“There are many legends: controlling the weather, but others can do that. Mastering the labyrinths, but there is no labyrinth here. I do not know how you can prove it here. You must come with us, inside, to prove it.”
“What I am about to show you must remain secret, agreed?”
The leader nodded, “If you can prove it beyond doubt, yes, yes, we will keep it secret.”
He entered Spirit Sight, picked up a marble size stone behind the leader, pulled his hood back and placed the stone in the hood.
The leader said, “That is no proof, my hood could have fallen by its
elf.”
Mark opened his eyes and said, “I suppose it could have picked up a rock by itself too.”
The leader pulled his hood back up and it was obvious he felt the stone slide down his back.
“If you need further proof I can always cut off your hand.”
The major added, “Or your head. Believe me, he can do it. Do you want to see?”
“No, no, that is all right. I believe you to be the real one. Why are you here?”
“I just wanted to visit the cemetery.”
The leader motioned the one blocking his path to stand aside. “Very well, you may do so. Please respect our security when you return. I will report this.”
The major said, “Please do report it and be sure to mention how ineffective it was. Make sure to notify others about your new security procedures especially if you’re going to start making everyone take their belts and shoes off.”
“Belts and shoes, please explain, I do not understand.”
The major smiled, “Neither do I,” as he rode past.
Just before they reached the cemetery, a cat ran in front of The General and stopped. Mark looked to where the cat had come from and saw High Elder Grob standing there. “Greetings my good friend, what occasions this pleasant surprise?”
“My apologies for violating your new security procedures, I just wanted to visit the cemetery. I had no idea we were supposed to check in.”
“No apology necessary my friend. The word of our new procedure has not had time to be properly disseminated, as yet. All the mountains will be adopted in this procedure in a week, maybe a little longer. It is designed to give early warning of certain retribution. Please don’t judge it by what you experienced here this day. That was Donovan’s Ploy, so to speak. I’m sure you understand.”
Understand he did, it was a tactic he had learned and used in flags matches.
Rudy asked in a whisper, “Donovan’s Ploy?”
Mr. Grob said, “If you can wait here a few minutes I’d like to ride with you.”
“Yes sir, we will wait.”
He turned to Rudy, “Fake offensive used to conceal the real offensive.”
“Ah, a feint attack.”
“Actually it’s a double feint. A small force attacks, fakes defeat and retreat then another force comes to the rescue, meanwhile the original force pushes to the real objective while the second force distracts the enemy. The enemy’s best tactic is to neutralize the original force first, but they seldom realize it in time.”
Samantha said, “You sure you’re only fifteen?”
“I’ve been told that I have natural minds geared toward planning, that I see variances in contingencies within possibilities as a matter of course and apply that perception to the larger picture. They also say I do it mostly unconsciously.”
Ray said, “I wish I had you in El Salvador.”
“When was that?”
“Eighty-one.”
“I wasn’t born yet.”
“Well, you know what I mean. Glad to be with you now.”
“Thanks.”
Mr. Grob reappeared and slapped his saddle. The cat ran over and jumped up. “She’s never ridden before, might be interesting.”
Mark said, “She’s a little scared, but she sees that you aren’t. Her trust is in you, not the horse.”
“That is as it should be.” He motioned forward, “Shall we?”
Mark nudged The General into motion and Mr. Grob’s mount came up beside him.
“I like being in the cemetery when I need to think. I think maybe it is the same for you.”
“I’m actually looking for a clue for what I’m supposed to do next. I think maybe you received a report on the visions we had.”
“Indeed, this very morning.”
“Well, I’m thinking I might have left myself some type of information on what I did or what I need to do.”
“After the last, um, incident involving the cemetery we, AlHufus, Joseph and myself, searched for other, um, oddities, and found nothing. It may be of interest to you that last night I dreamed of a friend that I have not seen for quite some time. I have no idea why I dreamed of him, but I feel I should mention it to you. Shimishon is his name. He is a Nazarite.”
“Like Samson?”
Mr. Grob nodded. “Nazarites have a history of keeping things hidden.”
“How would I find this Nazarite should I have need of hiding something.”
“Simple, ride your horse to the top of Ras Dashen, the tallest mountain in Ethiopia. Make sure you’re there at sunset. He will find you. And something you might want to know, he really loves the American drink called Dr. Pepper.”
* * *
The stacks of billboard wallpaper rolls were head high and more than a hundred feet long. Salina held a computer tablet with the location and team information for each billboard. Ten rolls of vinyl paper formed the segmented image. The bundles were tied together with twine and with a paper tag giving the location info on where it was supposed to be placed.
Hundreds of recruits stood off to the side, all dressed in jeans and tee shirts.
Salina pulled a bundle off the stack and called, “I need someone for Singapore.”
A group of four, two of which were carrying long handled brooms, trotted up.
Salina looked at her tablet. “The weather there now is a balmy fifty-five, mostly cloudy and sunset is in twenty minutes.”
One of the four took the bundle and said, “Fifteen minutes is all we need.”
A voice on the other side of the stack called, “I need someone for Melbourne.” It sounded like Ricky. Mark walked around and saw that it was. A team with brooms and a bundle remanifested away as he approached.
When Ricky saw him he said, “Ms. Vanmie left a package for you, said it was a start. The rest will be coming later. She wants to know what you think. I left it in the safe in my office. You still have the combination, right?”
“Thanks and yes, I do.”
He went to the safe in Ricky’s office. There was just one sword in the package and it was pretty close to being identical to the original. Its scabbard was designed to hold the blade in the middle not allowing the edge to touch the shell. The blade cut his thumb just by touching it. He re-sheathed it and put it into Aaron’s Grasp. On to his next task: finding LeOmi. It was mid afternoon, too early for dinner. She could be anywhere.
Back outside he found Ricky again. “Hey, do you have any idea where LeOmi is?”
“She just took a team to New Orleans. She’ll be back in a few minutes.”
He was right; she reappeared a few minutes later. He walked up to her and said, “I need to talk to you.”
“You’ve got the swords already?”
“Just one and I know where I want you to hide it.”
“Where?”
“Ethiopia, but I want you to make a swap after you turn it over. Let them see the real blade and then replace it with the fake without them knowing.”
“When do I leave?”
“Just before sunset, in Ethiopia.”
Chapter 3
There was a slide of small stones when they appeared. The mountaintop was barren of vegetation and it was cold. The sun was approaching the horizon in the cloudless sky giving an orange tint to everything she could see.
Mr. Diefenderfer steadied his mount, pointed to the peak and said, “Make camp there and fast until morning... Shimishon will greet you at sunrise and... offer you food. Break bread with him and wait... for him to ask why you are here. Do not speak otherwise. When you go with him leave... no trace that you were here.”
“Can I just set up camp, leave and come back at sunrise?”
“His people are watching us even now. They will watch over you during... the night. You must remain to show your... resolve. They will take you to their village. They will offer hospitality for three days. Stay with them for that time... no longer... unless they request you stay.”
“Understood.”
�
�You will find some of their customs... rather different. You are expected to know to... give the tenth part of anything... you are given as a sacrifice... especially food. Do this up front... not at the end. Always sacrifice the best of it.
“If they like you they will present... you with a riddle to solve. They will delight should you be stumped. You gain their respect if you do... solve it.
“Revealing that you are a Magi will... gain you their suspicion. Magi originated in Persia... a region they have had many... problems with... many of which have been Neo-Phylum. The choice is yours. If you choose to reveal that... do it up front... which is what I suggest.”
LeOmi nodded, “Thank you sir. Is there anything else I should know?”
“I doubt that you will be offered... single combat... especially after their leader examines... that sword. Word of its remarkable nature... will spread through the community... but rest assured... it will spread no farther.
“Well... off you go... remanifest if you wish to reveal... you are a Magi... leave your horse here and climb... should you wish not to.”
She remanifested to the top, brushed down the horse and placed a blanket on its back before setting up her small tent. Inside, not securing the flap, she set her lantern down, spread out her sleeping bag and sat cross-legged on it. She took out the sword, the fake one, and looked it over. She placed it back in Aaron’s Grasp. She was aware that the lantern was casting her shadow against the tent canvas allowing anyone outside to see her check the sword. She opened the sleeping bag, slid in and lay down as if she was going to sleep. She used Spirit Sight to look around. There were three men around the plateau below the peak of the mountain. They were just sitting, concealed behind rock outcrops.
