013 - Opening Moves

 “Run that by me again.” Alistare looked over his glasses at Caspian, and put the pack down.

“The elf clan from whom these half-elves are descended, want me to allow the bad guys to kidnap the kids. The bad guys will take the kids back to their kingdom, on Tywacomb. I’m then to take the parents back to the elves on Tywacomb, who will then proceed to do something about the kids.” Caspian looked disgruntled at this, slumping in the chair.

“That’s awfully cold of the elves.” Mrs. Kevan returned to hear this last bit.

“Tell me about it. As a result, I’ve got to do the hard part in finding and marking them all. Then step aside.” Caspian rested his head on his hand, and his elbow on the table.

“This is going to cause a lot of trouble for the family on this world,” Alistare said gravely. Mrs. Kevan nodded in ascent.

Caspian sighed. “That is part of why I’m taking the parents with me. To have them get the kids back. Better to be doing something, than just to be sitting and waiting.”

“It’s also going to be hard on the family, adjusting to Tywacomb. The culture shock could kill them.” Alistare stood and left, taking his things with him.

“I’m going to leave Cyrril and my stuff here.”

Cyrril squawked from on the roof, at that. Mrs. Kevan just nodded again.

Caspian glanced at the dragon. “You are just too much out of place here. Unless you would rather transform into a cat.”

The little dragon turned up its nose at that suggested affront to its dignity.

Mrs. Kevan spoke up. “What if the bad guys brought more than two, or kill the parents?”

Caspian shook his head. “The prophecy about the kids and the leaders of The Kingdom that sent for them explicitly says that the parents are alive to pursue the kids. As for more than two, I am instructed to stay out of the way; I don’t have the power on this world to fight as I am want to anyway.”

“And how are they going to find the family? Or fit in?” Mrs. Kevan remembered the problems she had when she visited, years before.

“That is their problem. I just hope they do not do too much damage, or hurt anybody seriously.” Caspian had resented this assignment from the start. He wasn’t concerned about any problems the family would have once he was through with them. But he was a bit concerned at what the bad guys would do while here.

Alistare spoke then, coming back with a bottle of juice and some glasses. “Then I guess the next thing to do is get you properly blended in, Caspian. For that, we need to go shopping, much as I don’t like doing that on the Sabbath.”

Alistare and Caspian loaded up and drove to the shops Alistare frequented for himself. They first got Caspian a new suit and shirt, and a pair of shoes and some socks. As Alistare bought the suit, he taught Caspian how to use a credit card. They also got Caspian an overcoat with lots of pockets. Then a few sundries from a thrift store. Last, Alistare loaned Caspian a spare cell-phone. Being Sunday, with the government offices and banks closed, they could not get the paperwork for a legal temporary I.D.

They spent that evening and part of the next day at the local high school having Caspian re-learn how to drive, and how to blend in.

After breakfast, Alistare pulled a string and got Caspian a temporary I.D. With his new I.D. Caspian went to a currency exchange, and traded in some raw gold for sufficient funds to repay the Kevin’s, and for the rest of his trip. For an hour after lunch, Caspian meditated to refresh his memories of the years he spent here, and the skills he learned then. Also to remind himself of how to move about in its society without attracting undo attention. Finally with all things ready on Tuesday morning, Caspian feeling comfortable, left Cyrril and his things at the Kevan house, and took the rental car onto the highway east over the Sierra Nevada Mountains, from Sacramento to the area south of Reno, to find a highly improbable family.

Fortunately as he drove, he was not stopped by the police. He got to Reno and turned south to Douglas County, then backtracked to Carson, to get a motel room. He checked in with Alistare, and got some food. That evening he got a street map of the area, and then went out cruising to find the house of Roxanne Caplan, and her family.

*          *          *

Two dark figures crossed the local highway. They marveled at how easily large scale paving was handled, and then moved on. They were getting close to the first and most likely gathering of targets. All their Royal Liege wanted was the kids, the parents not to even be encountered if possible. To that end, provision had been made to do this as quickly as they could.

Now they continued following the hiking trail south, and scouted for game. They carried enough food for a few more days, but hard tack was bitter compared to fresh roasted meat. They skirted the settlements, not wanting to attract local attention. Fresh food might be found there, but the chance of attracting attention was too undesirable.

Their one other concern was the wizard that had used the circle before them. So long as they moved quickly, they might be able to keep clear of any encounters.

*          *          *

Steven met Rox at the gym during lunch three times a week. Once school got out for the summer, they would start bringing the kids again. They all swam two times a week, in the evenings, and Diana was on a swim team at school.

This Monday Rox was still a bit sore from the tournament the previous Saturday evening. Their main subject of conversation was Steven’s business trip, planned for the last half of the week. Steven had finalized his flight plans this morning, and his motel reservations for Salt Lake, Denver, and Boise. As they talked, Rox was still preoccupied with a vague feeling. Steven noticed this as he spotted for her on the dumbbells.

That evening when he got home, Steven found Rox at the computer, browsing on-line. Her clipboard was next to her, already half covered with notes.

“What’cha doin’?” He put his hands on the back of the chair. She smelled faintly of her shampoo.

“Looking for parts to build another two trucks.”

“Any particular reason?”

“I want to try some things. A few ideas have been percolating for a while. And Josh Fitch has asked for my help with his senior Auto-Shop project for next year. He wants to build up a ’72 Chevy 4-by.” She changed page on the computer, and found some more information, which she scratched on her paper.

Steven read it over her shoulder. “3 chassis. 2 smashed bodies. Motor components. Axles. What kind of axles?”

“I was hoping to find a Dana-60 set up as a front axle. I was thinking of trying 4-wheel steering. But finding one that I like, that was convenient, has been a challenge.” She browsed another page.

It looked to Steven like a military surplus page. Here she found 3 complete Dana-60’s, 4 Dana-44’s, a Dana-70 and a GM 14-Bolt.

“There we go.” She started to scratched on her pad, then went over to the ‘Reserve’ portion of the page, and selected three of the axles: two of the Dana-60’s, one of which was a front axle, and the 14-Bolt.

“That’s going to cost a little.”

“The Camero will easily cover this entire truck. Josh is paying for his. He just gave me a shopping list of stuff to find.”

“Well. I guess I know what you will be doing while I’m on my trip.”

*          *          *

Caspian cruised quietly through the back streets of the towns of the county, the talking navigation box on the console being both a help and nuisance. The main highway bisected the valley that made up the bulk of the villages in the area, as Caspian thought of them. The basic area was not much different than the village he lived in, though his valley was considerably larger. The signals came from the west side of the highway, about halfway between it and the steep mountains that lined the west of the valley. He circled the area on the outer roads, before turning into the roads that crossed through it, the navigation box calling out each road name as he approached it. By the middle of the night, he had localized to the street and house. But he had overstayed his welcome and noticed that the local constables patrol vehicles were in greater evidence as he drove out of the area.

Driving as sedately as he could, Caspian drove back to the motel he had checked into earlier that day, went in and went to bed. Evidently the constables were content not to follow.