by Brock Law
expelling a fierce growl while clutching his strained back. He snatched a paper cup from the table and filled it with coffee. Immobile, Wayne held out his hand for a cup.
“John, would you mind?” Wayne implored.
Adams gave his coffee to Wayne who drew it slowly to his mouth with an achy churn. Adams poured another for himself and one for Will.
“I’m sure you all are in pain,” Hamilton rationalized, “but believe me, it’s better that you stayed here last night. The mall is surrounded by police and the tavern is taped off. We didn’t see Franklin, but he must be inside with the detectives.”
“I hope no one saw you sneaking through the lobby with Vivienne last night,” Will worried.
“Indeed,” Jefferson said again without comfort.
“We should move on from this place at the first opportunity,” Adams suggested.
“That will depend upon what information we can collect from Vivie,” Jefferson concluded.
“Let’s hope she makes a speedy recovery then,” Greene said with a waking voice.
“I hate sitting on the sidelines,” Will interjected. “I need to check in at home.”
“Good idea. You must maintain your appearances. I’ll text you when we know something,” said Adams.
“Have you heard from him yet?” Greene inquired.
“Not since the chef called him,” Adams replied. “Anyone else?”
They all shook their heads.
“So no word about the Grail either,” Will surmised. “You didn’t happen to see it last night before we ran out?”
Greene answered, “The bar was a mess. Franklin’s office in the back was overturned. It’s usually in there in a cabinet with some other antiques. I couldn’t stop to search through the refuse.”
“Likewise, when I saw Vivienne’s condition,” said Jefferson.
“I should have gone back,” Wayne judged.
“There wasn’t time,” Greene consoled. “We got what we came for.”
“Even if they have it, they may not know they have it,” Jefferson reasoned. “Otherwise I imagine they would not have brought Vivienne with them to the tavern. It appeared to me that they were stealing every container they could find. She was clever enough not to completely define the vessel. Let’s hope that ensures that they don’t move far until they can confirm which bottle is the correct one.”
“I did hear them asking her something like that right before we attacked,” Will remembered.
“You mean when you attacked, William, which was excellently well timed,” Washington said as he and Hancock came in from the balcony. “Reminded me a lot of a mad General I once knew.”
Wayne grinned.
“I think it is unlikely though,” Washington explained. “The haste in which Will and I spied them packing up last night leads me to believe they were already on their way out of town. With the Grail in their possession, they may only have gone back to finish off Franklin.”
“Yeah,” Will agreed. “They could be half way across the Atlantic by now.”
“I didn’t realize you were so handy in a fight either, Tom,” Washington complimented.
“Can’t be all bark,” Jefferson informed.
Washington found an open seat next to Will. The President’s hands shook slightly as he applied cream cheese to a bagel, giving away a nervous temper despite his congratulatory support of the men. His uninterrupted preoccupation with consuming his breakfast echoed the malcontent that formed as he considered the consequences of the previous evening.
The conversation died down as both Jefferson and Wayne closed their eyes again. The others ate in silence, occasionally glancing at each other. Will could read the worry on each immortal’s face, quietly acknowledging the severity of the situation, but unwilling to admit defeat. They seemed to avoid the young man’s visual beseeching for hope or clarity, each by keeping his gaze fixed on the ground or the hypnotizing swirl of coffee and cream. Wayne irritated the uncommunicative void by constantly drumming on the sofa cushion with his fingers. Eventually, everyone’s heart rate fell in sync with the distracting irregularity of his beat. It remained the only sound for several minutes until a soft buzzing drew everyone’s attention to Adams.
They all looked at him and straightened up. He looked back, feeling his phone vibrate only twice. With a deep breath he reached into his pocket and withdrew the activated device. His thumb scrolled and positioned something on the interface, which he closely scrutinized. Again he drew another difficult breath and exhaled with a melancholy huff. He powered it down and placed it on the table. His hand quickly withdrew and planted on his forehead. He rubbed both temples, then his eyes. His whole body shrunk with his head as it fell into his hands with shame.
“Franklin?” Hancock intruded.
Adams didn’t look up, but nodded painfully.
“What’s he say?” Madison pressed.
“He can’t find it,” Adams said.
Whatever spirit was left in the room vanished, deflated by communal sorrow. No one spoke after that, or even attempted to address the news with perspective. They all mimicked Adams’ grief. In Will’s mind, however, a brand new fear emerged as he watched how powerless each immortal appeared. Suddenly his heroes became as vulnerable as when they first banded together.
“That settles it then,” Hancock announced. “We need help. I’ll get in touch with the Swiss branch immediately.”
“I’m afraid you’re right,” Adams agreed. “Our means are exhausted. We must entreat aid from the Templars. They may be able to track the Nazis’ movements.”
“I can have the corporate jet available by tomorrow afternoon,” said Hancock. “We’ll break camp here this morning, and relocate somewhere less hostile.”
“We must wait for Vivie and Ben,” Washington pronounced. “She’ll need some time to recover, and he’ll need to handle the fallout. I’m sure he’ll find himself in the national news by lunchtime.”
“Some of us can fly on ahead then,” Hancock replied.
“We must remain united,” Washington urged. “I don’t want anyone wandering alone. Our chase will be expected, and God knows what traps have already been set for us. Can you get the gears turning in Switzerland remotely, John?”
“It will still require our representation to enforce the dire circumstances that we face,” Hancock argued.
“I haven’t forgotten,” Washington reconciled. “Please have as detailed a conversation as you need with Hugues and Godfrey. I’m still hopeful that Vivie will give us some information that will prevent our travel altogether, but if we are to go on the offensive we’ll need their firepower here just the same if our ultimate destination is Europe.”
“Fair enough,” Hancock submitted, “but it will take no small amount of tactless groveling.”
“Understood,” said Washington, “and for what you sacrifice in pride, I shall firmly shoulder blame if our sacred mission has indeed been a failure.”
“I can be ready to embark immediately if needed,” Hamilton said.
“As can I,” Madison chimed in heartily. “I quit my home expecting to be on extended travel.”
Adams shifted towards Will, “William, I assume you have a passport at the ready.”
“Well, yeah,” Will hesitated, “I do, but…”
“Good, you may want to pack heavily,” Adams recommended. “You’ll need all the essentials for a lengthy expedition.”
“But,” Will said with halting abruptness, “I can’t go with you.”
Adams replied with shock, “You can and you must!”
“There’s no way,” Will exclaimed. “I have obligations here.”
“Obligations? What obligations could be of any more significance than this?” Adams grilled.
“I have school, football, my whole life,” Will protested. “I can’t just leave and go to Switzerland for no reason. How would I explain it to my family? I would never make it back by the start of the semester.”
“Trivial by comparison,”
Adams scoffed.
Hancock quelled Will’s worry, “We cannot leave you here alone to suffer the knowledge of what you’ve experienced. You must trust me when I say that your rate of longevity improves in our company. It is our obligation to defend you now, which we cannot do distantly. Your presence has been unarguably magnetic in hastening our clash with Mengele, and your support in recapturing the Grail is just as vital to conserving our existence.”
“I want to help, but going to Europe is impossible,” said Will.
“A phrase this host has not used in centuries. I will provide the means for your passage,” Adams pledged.
“William,” Jefferson said calmly, “I sympathize with your reluctance, but there is no other way to protect all of the things that you will temporarily miss if you do not pursue. If the Nazis are allowed to flee and prosper, the political makeup of the world may again alter course against us. In the interest of preventing another global conflict, your primary obligation should be to track and dispatch this threat upon your aforementioned priorities.”
Madison added, “If you want to preserve a way of life, survival is not enough. You have to stand for something.”
Overwhelmed by perfect rationality, Will held his head in his hands as the others had previously done. As he dragged his fingers wearily over his eyes and mouth, he opened to begin a fresh rebellion. Before he could speak, the bedroom door slammed shut behind him.
“What’s all this excitement?” Martha scolded angrily. “There’s a traumatized girl in the other room, and here you all are chirping away with the morning birds. Having breakfast are
