by Gene Curtis
Mark stopped and faced the four remaining attackers to keep their attention for when Nick came up behind them. “You saw what we did to your friends. There are only four of you left.”
The men spread out and the one on Mark’s left said, “Where’s LeOmi?”
Nick ran up behind Mark and then stood in front of him.
“You can only get one of us with that thing and then you’re ours.”
All motion stopped and Mark realized he’d entered Maode Maharaw, fast moving, something he could do but didn’t really understand how. Upper classmen trained for it and could do it at will, but none of them were able to move near as fast as he did. He couldn’t call it up at will either; it just seemed to happen whenever he felt the need to come to the immediate defense of someone he cared about. He stepped over to the closest two men, severed their sword hands and then stepped back. A seeming half-minute later to Mark motion returned to normal and the hands, with swords, fell to the ground.
Mark said, “You may want to rethink that.”
Mr. Diefenderfer and Mr. Young rounded the corner behind Mark and Nick. “There you are,” said Mr. Young.
The four attackers remanifested leaving the severed hands on the ground.
Nick turned, smiled and said, “Glad to see you.”
The police arrived about ten minutes after the battle, pistols pointing and shouting, “Hands up! Hands up!” for another few minutes while they swept the area. When the primary officer, Officer Beaumont, started questioning everyone for the preliminary report everyone seemed to want to talk at once. The employees of the import shop had watched the battle on the security cameras that were mounted on the outside corners of the building. In a thick New Orleans accent the officer said, “Listen now, this is no gumbo ya-ya. One at a time, please!” He pointed at Ann. “You miss, what’s your story?”
Mr. Diefenderfer motioned Mark and Nick away from the group and said, “I spoke with... Sergeant Rivera to... determine your location. Dominick Polaris works... for the Pennsylvania... State Police. I am surprised... that you didn’t... think to ask... us about his... location. We questioned him... prior to LeOmi’s... entrance at school.”
“I did, but everyone was unavailable due to the fight. Hey, you’re here early.”
“Joel has discovered... how to make... a revitalizing drink... to repair flesh... after a strenuous... workout. He added one... drop of healing... oil to about... a thousand gallons... of an electrolyte... drink mix. It seems to... work quite well... for mental exhaustion... as well. Now... do you have... any idea where... LeOmi might be? She’s not at... Henry’s Ranch.”
Officer Beaumont called, “Mark Young,” and motioned for him to come over. Another officer was there beside him holding two large brown paper bags with swords poking out the top of them. The bottoms of the bags were soaked with blood. “They tell me that you two,” he pointed at Mark and Nick, “faced down four full grown men that had in mind making you into cold cuts. They also tell me that you,” he pointed at Mark, “moved like greased lightning and cut off two of ‘em’s hands.” He pointed to the bags. “What you got to say about that? You some kind of ninja or something?”
Before Mark could speak, Mr. Young said, “These boys will answer none of your trite questions. You call Captain Toutant and tell him that Joseph Young and AlHufus Diefenderfer would like to speak with him... in person.”
“There are forty one bodies here. I need some answers!”
Mark turned his back to the officer and whispered to Nick, “I thought it was a stun gun.”
Nick whispered back, “I upped the power, but it has a tendency to burn out. I’m still working on it.”
Mr. Diefenderfer said to the officer, “Captain Toutant, please.”
It was a half an hour before the captain arrived on the scene. “AlHufus, Joseph, how good to see you again. Twenty years and you haven’t changed a bit. Sorry it took so long to get here. The news media are playing this as a terrorist attack. It’s rather hectic right now. The FBI is on the way. How can I help you?”
Mr. Young answered, “I’m sure that you surmised that this was an attack by the Neo-Phylum. It’s unfortunate that it happened here. They’re after one of our students and we don’t know where she is. We need to find her, but we also don’t need every police department in the world looking for these boys.” He pointed to Mark and Nick. “I’m sure if we had left it to that Officer Beaumont, there would have been warrants issued for them.”
Captain Toutant smiled, “Easy to fix. Come on.” He turned and walked over to the officer.
The officer turned to the captain, “Sir.”
“Officer Beaumont, this is an international incident. The FBI is en route to take over the investigation. You don’t need to question these boys; the FBI will handle that.”
“Sir, I beg to differ, with all due respect. I’m filing the offense report and I need to question these boys.”
Captain Toutant’s voice was low when he said, “Officer Beaumont, you have heard of the CIA, MI-6, KGB, Interpol and organizations like that? Well this is one of those kinds of incidents. You make your report the best way you can, but you will not detain these boys any longer.”
“Sir, I do need their basic information, at least how to contact them.”
“You’ve been told what these boys can do and you’ve seen the evidence. You’ve got more than three dozen bodies here for crying out loud. You don’t want to make these guys any madder than they already are. Beaumont jambalaya comes to mind here, and there won’t be anything that we can do about it. Let the FBI fill in the details, and you can put that in your report.”
CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE
Searching for LeOmi
Mr. Diefenderfer remanifested Mark and Nick back to the front steps at The Seventh Mountain. Mr. Young said as he opened the door, “It’s close to dinner time, we’ll probably find Bekka in The Oasis if she hasn’t located LeOmi yet.”
Nick stomach growled. “That’s good, I’m hungry.”
Bekka wasn’t there, but Shana was. “Bekka is out at Henry’s ranch. She said George, one of the hired hands at the ranch, is trying to call Kinta since they went off together this morning to talk with Henry’s mother. She hasn’t answered her cell phone all afternoon, though.”
Mr. Diefenderfer looked at Mr. Young, “I believe that... Ms. Vanmie knew... Henry. Would you check... with her to... see if she... knows where his... mother lives?” He turned back to Shana as Mr. Young walked off. “When is Bekka... due to check... back in?”
Shana looked at the spot of light on the wall that acted as an indoor sundial; it was quarter ‘til six there which meant it was a quarter ‘til seven in Louisiana. “About fifteen minutes. She said she’d remanifest this time since I’m on duty.”
“We’ll wait for... her here and... grab a quick... bite.”
“I’ll ask Wayne to throw together some sandwiches if that’s okay. That way you can take them with you.”
Nick nodded, “Sounds good,” and his stomach growled again.
They sat at a table and Mr. Young joined them a few minutes later. “Joramina checked her records. Henry’s mother is Cherokee, but she lives in the Choctaw Nation in Mississippi, nothing more specific than that. I also asked Joramina to have a helicopter pick us up at the front steps.”
Mark was puzzled. “Helicopter?”
“A caution against... discovery.”
“Then why not just a car? That’s a bit more normal.”
“Any motorized machine... will not operate... when in close... proximity with the... ground around the... mountain. The helicopter will... hover and we... will use a... rope ladder.”
Mr. Young added, “Auto-cars don’t come beyond the wall for that reason. A dampening field emanates from the labyrinth.”
Nick said, “So that’s why the engineering labs are away from the mountain.”
Shana brought a variety of sandwiches and a few seconds later Bekka walked up. “Mind if I join you?”
Mr. Young swallowed, “Please do and help yourself. What news of LeOmi?”
Bekka selected a pimento cheese sandwich and said, “Nothing yet. George is calling Kinta’s cell every fifteen minutes and she’s still not answering.”
“That’s probably because... she’s out in... the country.”
Shana walked back up. “Here’s a bag for the sandwiches. I figured you’d want to be leaving as soon as possible.”
* * *
Bekka remanifested back to the front porch of the house at the ranch and went back inside.
When everyone was aboard the pilot remanifested the helicopter over the parking lot at Henry’s ranch when Mr. Young showed him the location. George and Bekka came running out of the house when they heard the noise.
The helicopter landed and when the rotors slowed Mr. Young said, “We got back as quickly as we could. Any word on them?”
George shook his head, “Not yet.”
The phone started ringing as they walked toward the house.
CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX
The Crash
There was a light mist settling and the old truck’s wipers just streaked the windshield with a thin layer of grime that caused the lights from oncoming traffic to glare. Kinta said, “I need to stop and get gas, you hungry?”
LeOmi was hungry. She’d been with Kinta all day and neither had eaten. “Sure, what have you got in mind?”
“Well, we can pick up some munchies at the gas station and that’ll hold us until we get back to the ranch or there’s this great little diner about twenty miles up the road.”
“The diner sounds good. I could use a sit down meal.” LeOmi turned in her seat toward Kinta. “I’m curious about something; if it’s none of my business, just say so. When we first saw Ms. Ben Franklin, she pointed at a cardinal and said he was waiting for you. You replied that he’d have a long wait.”
Kinta smiled, “I’m twenty five; next year I’ll be considered an old maid. Choctaw legend says that the red bird will lead you to your true love. Ms. Ben Franklin thinks I should be married. Maybe one day I’ll follow the red bird, but not any time soon.” She pulled into the gas station.
LeOmi said, “You pump, I’ll pay. I’m going to stretch my legs a bit too.” After giving the clerk a deposit for a fill up, she walked around the back of the store and remanifested to The Seventh Mountain. The warm, dry air of the school grounds was a stark contrast to the cool dankness she had just left. She wanted to stay there by the olive tree and let the warmth soak in, but she knew she had been out of contact too long. She jogged in to The Oasis.
Jamal, Chenoa, Cap’n Ben, James and Salina were sitting at the usual set of tables pushed together along with several other students. “Hi guys. I just popped in to let everyone know I’m okay. I’ve been traveling with someone that I couldn’t remanifest in front of.”
“Why?” asked Jamal.
“Long story, but I was following a lead to find out more about the wheel. It was a dead end. I’ll explain later, but I’ve got to get back now before I’m missed.”
Cap’n Ben said, “We’re coming with you.”
“That’d be hard to explain and there isn’t enough room in the truck and it’s raining there and you’re all dressed in tribe tunics.”
Cap’n Ben reached into Aaron’s Grasp and pulled out a pair of jeans and a sweatshirt. “Not a problem.”
Jamal, James, Chenoa and Salina followed Cap’n Ben’s lead. They stood and pulled out normal clothes.
“Okay, if you insist. We’re planning to stop at a diner about fifteen miles from the gas station where we are now. You can meet me there, school field trip thing if Kinta asks. Let’s go.”
Out on the school steps, LeOmi showed Cap’n Ben the roadside diner and he took the rest of the group there. When LeOmi got back to the gas station Kinta was standing out from the pumps’ canopy and talking on her cell phone. The misty rain had gotten harder, a heavy drizzle now. When she saw LeOmi, she held her closed fist out and mouthed the words, ‘your change’. She continued talking on the phone. “Couple of hours or so, we’re going to stop for supper... Skinny Bill’s... no, you stay at the ranch ‘til I get back... bye.”
She closed the phone and said, “Couple of your teachers got worried about you not checking in. They hired a helicopter to go looking for you. Said they’d meet us at the diner. That must be some school.”
“It is,” LeOmi smiled and started walking to the truck.
“Religious school?”
“Not your common type. It’s Zoroastrian, sort of like Christianity, but more into the spiritual side of things and with combat training like Shaolin monks.”
“Kung Fu?”
“No, edged weapons; that’s why I was studying with Henry.”
Kinta started the truck and pulled out onto the road. “How long before you graduate?”
“Five years if everything goes okay.”
“You coming back to the ranch then to be my boss?”
“What? I don’t have two million dollars to buy the place.”
It wasn’t that LeOmi didn’t have two million dollars; her mother had left her nearly that much in the locker where she had stashed the journal. She didn’t have two million to buy the ranch and pay tuition and expenses too.
“Jacque is saving up to buy it. He wants you to come back and run it because he’ll be too old then, so he says.”
* * *
The pilot set down in the vacant lot diagonally across the street from Bill’s Diner and joined the group to go in. Mark was surprised to see the rest of his friends sitting at a large table when they entered. “What the... why are you guys here?”
Chenoa spoke, “We talked to LeOmi about twenty minutes ago and she said that she would be here in about twenty minutes so we decided to pop in. I see you got her message too.”
“Indeed we did... I’m a little... hungry. Shall we order?”
After they ordered, Mark’s head exploded in pain. “YEOW!” He stood, put his hands to his head and bent double. He stepped back and turned in a circle. Then he ran outside. Nick ran after him.
The waitress became almost hysterical, “Oh my heavens, oh my heavens... he isn’t going to die is he? Ambulance... 911... 911.”
“Migraine,” said Mr. Diefenderfer. “It sometimes happens. Calm down. He will be... all right in... a few minutes.”
When Mr. Diefenderfer and Mr. Young caught up with the boys, they were beside the highway running north. Mr. Young used Spirit Sight and then reported, “About a mile up the road.”
Mr. Diefenderfer stopped Mark and said, “Grab on.”
Nick grabbed on too.
* * *
LeOmi thought they must be getting closer to the city when a long string of headlights appeared ahead. She noticed that Kinta had cleaned the windshield and the lights didn’t glare as badly as they had before.
“So, Jacque wants to buy Henry’s ranch?”
“It’s his home, has been for as long as I can remember. They told me he was like a little kid at Christmas when that accountant fellow asked him to stay on and told him he could keep the profits from the ranch. I can see why he was so excited; his dream had been handed to him wrapped in shiny paper.”
“An accountant is leasing the ranch?”
“No, he was the agent for the guy.”
“I’d like to come back and run the ranch; I love horses, but I don’t think that’s what destiny has in store for me.”
What happened next took them both by surprise. The lead car in the long line of cars pulled into their lane right in front of them leaving no time for Kinta to react. For LeOmi things started moving in very slow motion. She saw the other driver’s face. He was smiling. She saw Kinta’s airbag begin to deploy and the hood was beginning to crumple. Her only choice was to remanifest, but where? There wasn’t enough time to pick a safe location, but she was looking in the direction of the oncoming vehicles. The side of the road had to be the best option. Suddenly the
vehicle remanifested between the ditch and the shoulder and Kinta’s airbag was nearly fully inflated. She felt her seat belt lock in place and realized the truck wasn’t traveling in a straight line. Kinta must have jerked the steering wheel to the right. They were heading across the ditch and into the woods on the other side and directly toward a large tree trunk, close enough to it to see the pattern of the bark. Remanifest again! Where? Just to the left of the tree was a bunch of saplings. There!
The truck jostled and bounced in slow motion for what seemed the longest time to LeOmi, but it didn’t hit anything large before it came to a halt wedged between two trees. A moment later things seemed to return to normal speed and she could hear the screeching of tires and the sounds of more vehicles crashing. She checked Kinta, she was breathing and didn’t appear to be bleeding, but she was out cold.
The truck door wouldn’t open and the window was jammed. She unbuckled her seatbelt and used the pommel of her sword to smash it and climbed onto the top of the truck. In doing so, she realized her body was very tired. Back along the path the truck had cleared she heard someone say, “Quickly, before she regains her senses.”
She could remanifest, but that would mean leaving Kinta alone to fend for herself. Would they leave her alone or try to force her to tell where LeOmi was? It could mean Kinta’s death if she left. She remembered her healing oil, but it was too late for that at this point. Whoever was coming was too close. She put her sword back into Aaron’s Grasp and removed her whip. As a weapon, Henry had frowned on it. He considered it a toy, but she liked it. She flipped it up so that the end wrapped itself around the lowest limb of the tree and climbed up. She continued climbing and was somewhere in the middle of the tree when two men arrived below, silhouetted by the light from the headlights.
The first man stuck his head into the truck. “Where is she?”
“Was she thrown out of the window?”
