014 - Opening Moves Completed, On To Round 2

Tuesday morning, Rox dropped the kids off at school. She had her flatbed trailer hooked to the truck, and was going shopping. First, she was heading to Reno. She had the axles and some engine components on order. She had also found a transfer case. It was being shipped to her. She would have to pick up the axles from a military depot outside of Los Angeles. That meant a trip with Josh the week after getting back from vacation.

Rox respected the Ford trucks, but preferred the GM’s to work on. Don’t ask about any Dodge truck that was not a Power Wagon. Right now she had Josh’s ’72 GM Long-bed in the yard ready to go onto the lift for him to start tearing apart, once school got out, and he got off work from his summer job. He would be tearing it apart to the frame, and then rebuilding it.

A second frame, an ’86 GM 1-Ton Club Cab Long Bed was also sitting in the yard. Once his frame was stripped, she would take both to be sandblasted clean and inspected for flaws. Any repairs would be done, and then they would start to work. The Club Cab would be shortened to Short Bed length. Rox would have the two trucks juggling around as they were worked on. She had thought about keeping the ’86 when done, and finally selling the one she had now. But that decision could wait. Josh had helped her strip the truck, pull the bed, cab, and front clip off, and then put the pieces aside until needed. After the body, they had disassembled the rest of the chassis and carried the bare frame to the blocks that had been set up for it.

They would repeat the process in the next three weeks with his truck.

Now she drove to Carson, and the GM dealer there. Here she picked up some of the parts she had ordered from them. These were put in the bed of the truck. Then she drove on to Reno and the GM dealer there for more parts. After that, she went to Summit Racing for more parts. The big stuff was tied down to the front end of the trailer; the small stuff went into the bed. Lastly, she drove to Pick-n-Pull.

*          *          *

Caspian sat in his motel with his minimal equipment set out on the bed. He had the map opened, and oriented to the compass. Then he had a glass upside down, with the stone on it. Three swirls were near the top of it south of it, with one each to the relative east and west. Then one of the swirls began moving to the north, and in time swung around the center and went to the north side of the stone. With this, Caspian decided it was time to move, to do some preemptive setting of alarms.

*          *          *

Rox pushed a wheelbarrow with her toolbox in to the trucks, and began looking things over in earnest. She cannibalized a ’91 Suburban, taking the front fenders, the fuel tank, some of the lights, and some internal stuff. Another Suburban yielded a fuel tank, a windshield, all four doors, and a nearly complete wiring harness. Another truck gave up a repairable tilt column. Last, she scrounged little parts from 2 other trucks. Then she hit gold; a ’92 Blazer with an untouched front end. Its back end was mangled beyond repair. She dropped the fenders she had and some of the other odds and ends, and pulled the entire front clip from this Blazer. She left the pristine hood behind. She was going to use a non-stock style hood. She got all of her treasures paid for and secured onto her flatbed trailer, being especially careful of the undamaged windshield.

*          *          *

Caspian did not want to risk the constable’s attention. So he pulled the bits of stuff he needed from his bag, and risked teleporting to near the Caplan’s house. He walked quickly along the road that he had learned was on the back side of the houses among which was the Caplan’s. He stopped at the gravel driveway and picked up a few rocks then he walked back to the corners of the yard and cast a brief spell on the rocks, and dropped a rock at the two corners. Then he walked around the area, and back to the road that fronted the houses, and dropped a stone at each corner of the yard that he had deduced belonged to the Caplan’s. This done, he walked a ways and looking around to see if anyone was watching, he teleported back to the motel, and went out to get lunch.

*          *          *

Instead of going straight home, Rox picked up Alex and Diana from school, and went to the gym. She cleaned herself up, and taught her class. Alex and Diana went to the children’s Swim Class. She told her class how proud she was of their performance at the tournament. Then began to drill them on the things she had noted from their matches.

Rox got home and backed in as Josh rode up on his bicycle. Alex and Diana went to do their homework as Steven started dinner. Rox and Josh used an overhead crane in the garage to unload the trailer, carefully setting things down on blocks from her large pile of 4x4 lumber scraps. That finished they commenced putting together the few things they could. This did not take long. Steven then called dinner, and Josh went home, as Rox went in.

*          *          *

Early the next morning (Wednesday) Caspian sat in the car in a church parking lot and watched the three signals move from the house. He followed them to the school where two stayed. The other went on and then stopped. Caspian caught up to it at a gym. Later he saw a woman go from the gym to her car, as the tracker signaled, and tracked her back home. He checked his list from Judge Kevan, and figured that she was Roxanne Caplan.

Caspian then drove to the other two signals, at the school. These two signals must be Roxanne’s daughter Diana, and son Alex. Caspian decided it best not to loiter, remembering the paranoid nature of the culture. He left and drove around the area more, to familiarize himself with it.

At mid-afternoon the children started moving. Caspian quickly went to where he could watch the house, and saw the bus drop off the kids down the street from the house. Caspian got his first look at the kids, and now knew about what Diana and Alex looked like. After they got home, he drove off again.

Caspian came back one more time to watch Steven come home. He saw a car pull in, and a man get out, and go into the house. Realizing he had seen this man at the gym with Roxanne, he figured that this must be Steven, as he was the only one missing from his list. As he drove out, he passed Rox walking two medium sized dogs.

*          *          *

Roxanne had spent the rest of the day at home. First, she showered using up all the hot water. This felt very relaxing, as the last of the bruises from the tournament faded. She spent the morning in her garage, and the afternoon cleaning the house. She then took the dogs out for a walk, and stopped to talk to Mrs. Winchel, the closest neighbor. As Rox took Tyrell and Dru father and finally came back on her own side of the road, she noticed the rental car cruse though the neighborhood. She thought it strange that a low cost rental car with California plates was cruising the neighborhood. But it did not reappear so she dismissed it.

Steven spent the evening getting ready for his trip, packing his bag, and otherwise getting ready to fly out the next morning. His business had already sent his presentation kits by freight, and he would pick them up when he got to Salt Lake late Thursday morning, and Denver on Friday morning. Once done with the presentation in Salt Lake, he would send that kit to Boise for his Monday morning presentation. Once done in Denver he was taking that kit and driving to Colorado Springs to present on Saturday, then shipping that kit home and flying to Boise for a Monday morning presentation.

Diana and Alex were anxious for him to come home Monday evening. Tuesday they were all scheduled to drive up to Seattle, then catch a ship up the British Columbia coast to Alaska, and spend a week camping in Denali before flying home.

*          *          *

Thursday afternoon found Caspian sitting in a café eating a late lunch. He hated waiting. He had done all he could to track the family short of putting his own trackers on them. If he had to wait longer than a few more days, he would see what he could do to accomplish just that. Caspian’s main anxiety now was where the kidnappers from Krogg were. He had not seen them since landing on Terra, and was operating on a reduced capacity right now, so he could not just magically cast about for them.

Caspian’s main anxiety and frustration was that the elves had constrained him from moving against the kidnappers. In thinking it out, Caspian had come to the conclusion that in their disdain for other societies, these elves wanted to bring Roxanne and her children home to them. Caspian decided that this made these elves little better than the royals of Krogg in their desire. Rather than kidnapping the Caplan’s directly, they would have him stand by and then take them back once they were where the elves could get their own hooks into them. Caspian would see about that, if he could help it.

So now Caspian waited. Then the alarm stone connected to those he had set at the corners of the Caplan’s property went off vibrating across the table, saying that someone from Tywacomb had crossed the lines formed by the stones.

Caspian got up, left enough money, and went out to the car. He headed south, wishing there was enough mana on this world for him to sense what if any magic was being used. As he traveled, some of the swirls on the stone in his pocket dissipated, briefly reappeared, and then disappeared again.

*          *          *

The spy and the warrior rematerialized at the circle of stones, bodies on the ground between them. The spy pulled out the instructions that the wizard had given him, and followed them. In moments, they were riding the ley line back toward their native world.

015 - Bad News and Running Home

Steven finished his presentation. This trip was to meet some distributors about selling some of the product his company made. During his pitch his phone had sounded. He checked it briefly, then turned the ringer off and continued. When he finished he checked his voicemail, finding several messages. The first one was his General Manager. She told him to call immediately, and not to check any other mail until he does. She had cleared his voicemail before sending this one.

Steven called his office.

“Hello, Leticia, this is…”

“Steven. Thank god you called. We have been trying to get a hold of you all afternoon.”

Steven had hired Leticia because she had a reputation for being unflappable. He had hired her away from her prior job. Now, listening to her, she was flapped.

“Steven, the police called, you house was broken into, and Rox and your kids are missing. The police are looking for you, to see if you are all right.”

Leticia stopped for a breath and only heard silence. So she continued.

“Mrs. Winchel, your neighbor, has also called looking for you. She said the police answered a 911 call for your house, and came to ask her about it. She told them that she had seen two dark clothed men prowling around your house, just before the kids came home from school. Then Rox drove home in the truck. Then the police came by here to find you, and I told them you were on a business trip. We tried to call and only got your voicemail. So I figured you were still presenting. Now they need you to call them.”

Steven had felt the world collapse on his shoulders, and his knees give out. He was alone in the room for the moment.

Leticia continued. “I gave the officers your cell number, and told them that you were in Salt Lake on business. They insisted on seeing your office, and were generally behaving like they owned the place. Once they left, I called again, cleared your voice mail, and left the last one.”

Steven’s Marine training began to surface. Leticia had given him what facts she could. Now he needed to act. The phone hung silent as his mind got back into gear.

Steven took a deep breath. “O.k. Get me on the next best flight home. Cancel the rest of this trip.”

“I already have the website open. Will two hours be enough time at that end to get to the airport?”

“Yes. The kit needs packing, but that is not important now. Get that flight, send it to me by email, and meet me at the airport when it lands. Talk to you then.” Steven hung up the phone. He rechecked his voice mail, and logged his laptop computer on to his email.

The second voicemail was from an officer from the Douglas County Sheriff’s office, asking for Steven to call at his earliest convenience, and before talking to anyone else.

Steven dialed the number from the voice mail. He got the sheriff’s dispatcher.

“This is Steven Caplan. I need to talk to Deputy Poulson.”

“One moment.”

A series of clicks and one ring, and a voice came on. “Deputy Poulson.”

“This is Steven Caplan. What’s going on?”

“Mister Caplan, your house was the target of a breaking and entering today.”

Steven paused to let Deputy Poulson continue. “And?”

“And we need to talk to you in person at your earliest convenience. Your secretary…”

“General Manager. Leticia is not my secretary.”

“Pardon me, your General Manager told us you were out of town…”

Steven’s patience was at an end. “And my absence there gives you permission to harass my employees, and not come to the point and tell me that my family is unaccounted for?”

After a moments silence, Deputy Poulson continued. “Whom else have you talked to, Mr. Caplan?”

“Only Leticia. She’s getting me on the next flight. So why did you send people to harass her?”

“We didn’t. They were just sent to find you.”

“Well I’m not there,” Steven snapped.

“You don’t need to get angry at me.” Deputy Poulson responded, keeping calm.

“If you are going to abuse my people I’m going to.”

“We are not abusing your people….”

“Good,” Steven interrupted. “Keep your goons away from my people. The last thing they need is a flock of vultures hanging over them. Now are you going to meet me at the airport, or at my house?”

“I will meet you at the airport. What’s your flight number?”

“I don’t know yet. I will call you as soon as I do know.”

Steven hung up before the guy could say more. He had never trusted or liked the police much. That was why he had his CCW. Even though many were ex-military, as he was, Steven had always felt that most policemen were school bullies that had grown up and found respectable ways to continue bullying people.

Steven logged onto and checked his email. In five minutes he had his flight plans printing on a borrowed printer. He got a call back from Deputy Poulson at ten minuets, told him the flight number and hung up on him again. At fifteen minutes Steven was on his way to the airport. He left his demo stuff behind, to be shipped back to him later. Fortunately the client understood, his stuff would be taken care of by them. Leticia had emailed that she had already called the motel and they were taking care of his bag and clothes there.

At the Salt Lake International Airport Steven presented his flight plans, his I.D. his CCW’s, his computer, its case, and his gun. He left his checked luggage at the hotel, so he had to get his gun checked through in a borrowed lock-box. That done, he got his ticket and went as quick as he could through the security cordon and to his gate.

Once there Steven found a quiet place in the terminal and called Deputy Poulson and told him his flight number and arrival time. He then began peppering the deputy for information.

Deputy Poulson began. “Your neighbor, Mrs. Doris Winchel, had called 911 to report two men prowling around the house, and that the dogs had gone quiet. A deputy was sent by to see. Mrs. Winchel met the deputy in person, and told her everything she saw, from the men, the kids coming home, and Roxanne pulling in, and going inside. The deputy tried the front door, only to find it locked. The blinds were all closed, so Mrs. Winchel took the deputy around back. Here they found your dogs were dead, and the double doors smashed and forced open. The living room had the couches and chairs pushed aside. Mrs. Winchel helped the deputy call your office, but found you were out, so the deputy radioed to have two officers go by to find you.”

Steven did not have a notepad right there, but had learned to commit things to his memory very early on in his time in the Marines. He tried to press Deputy Poulson for more information, but the deputy was hesitant to discuss anything, as opposed to report what was known. In frustration, Steven commented that this paranoia was why he distrusted cops, and hung up again in anger, then paced a bit to cool down.

After an interminable time spent typing his notes on his laptop and emailing them to his home account and to Leticia, he heard the call to board. Now, so long as the airline was its usual efficient self, he would be feet down in the Reno airport within the hour, and after claiming his gun, he could look for his ride home.

*          *          *

Caspian sat in the parking lot of a church building in sight of the Caplan house. The ground here was flat enough, and the buildings sparse enough that he could watch everything from where he sat most of a mile away. He had checked the stone once he had turned the car off, and was annoyed that all three of the local swirls were gone. This meant that they were not just out of the area, but already off planet. Caspian hoped they were kept together, but doubted they would be kept that way.

On the other hand, now Caspian only had to talk to and convince Steven to come, or to just up and kidnap him. But it also meant that his task, instead of taking two adults to Tywacomb, and then to Shalaia, had changed to taking one adult, and then probably tracking down the second and then retrieving the kids, from wherever they would be. It was doubtful that the people from Krogg would want to carry Roxanne very far, and keeping her close to her children was too much danger.

As Caspian thought it out, he liked it less, but also slowly realized it gave him an excuse to annoy the elves, as much as they had already annoyed him. So maybe it would balance out. Presuming nothing else got fowled up. Best not to make any hard plans; just go with the events.

For now he had to wait for Steven to come home. Judge Kevan’s notes said that Steven owned a manufacturing facility, making all kinds of carry-bags. Caspian had not spent much time following him, as he had figured that where Roxanne was, Steven would be as well. But since they had apparently taken Roxanne. . .

The local constables had one vehicle parked at the Caplan’s house. Several had come and gone. It was getting on to evening, and Caspian began to regret not putting a trace on Steven when he had had a chance.

016 - Taking Stock, Sorting Out The Available Evidence

Steven was met at the security cordon by Leticia. At five foot-nothing with dark skin and beaded cornrows from the ghetto, she stood straighter and more distinct than the Sheriff Deputy who stood a head taller than she did. Deputy Poulson was younger than Steven, shorter, and had the earnest look of someone trying to do a thankless job. They all went to the oversized luggage claim, and waited for his gun to clear security, where Steven put it into his computer bag. Steven gave his car keys to Leticia, and went with Deputy Poulson in his police car.

“While we go, I want to ask you some questions. Please speak clearly so that this recorder can hear you.” Deputy Poulson put a digital recorder on the dashboard.

As they went south, Steven opened his bag and reloaded his gun. He then holstered it in his belt, much to the deputy’s nervousness.

“What kind of gun is that?”

“Sig 229 .40 cal.”

“Like it?”

“I prefer a 1911, but it does the job. What can you tell me about what happened?”

“I’m the one asking the questions. First: Your name, address, and occupation.” He tapped on the digital recorder on the dash.

“Steven Caplan. 705 McQueen Road, Gardnerville, NV. Business owner, Caplan Bags and Packs.”

“Where’s the business located?” Deputy Poulson drove carefully south across the Washoe Valley.

“You already know that. It’s at 800 Jack’s Valley Road.”

Both men were obviously antagonistic to each other, mostly keying off of Steven’s mood. But neither was doing anything about it.

“When were you last home?”

“This morning. I flew out of town on business.” Steven was wishing he was driving, or Rox was.

“What kind of business, where?”

“That’s not your concern. But, for your paranoia, you need to know…” Steven took a breath to calm down. “I went to make a presentation to some vendors at the University of Utah Book Store in Salt Lake City. Friday I was to go to some sellers in Denver. Saturday I was going on to Colorado Springs, and Monday to Boise. I was going to make sales pitch’s about making products for them, and having them distribute my products. That done, I planned to come home and take the family on vacation.”

“Will you provide a hard copy of your schedule so that we can check it?”

“It can be arranged.” Steven answered.

“So, what happened today?” Deputy Poulson asked.

“You mean why I came home?” Steven responded.

“Yes.”

Steven started into what happened. “I was giving a presentation, when my phone rang. I shut its ringer off, and completed the presentation. I checked the massages. The first was my general manager. I called her, and she told me about my house being broken into, and my family missing. After arranging with her to get back here, I checked my next message, presumably yours. I then called and talked to you, and told you my plans to that point. That done, I then down loaded my flight plans, and went to the Salt Lake City airport. After checking in, I called you again. Then flew here, met my General Manager and you, and here we are. So what happened at my house? I have some bare bones, but I don’t think I have the full story.”

Deputy Poulson shrugged slightly. “It’s only fair. So far, all we have been able to learn is that two men broke into your house shortly after your kids got home from school. Your wife must have arrived home while they were there and somehow went with them.”

“How did they leave?” Steven took his turn to ask questions.

“We don’t know yet. Nobody saw any strange vehicles, and it appears yours are all accounted for.” Deputy Poulson answered.

“And the dogs? What happened to them?” Steven wanted to know about everything, and the order of events.

“It looks like they knifed both of them.”

“Any blood around, from anybody, besides the dogs?” Steven was not satisfied.

“No. We're waiting for you to lead us through the house to say what might be out of place. You have an awful lot of weapons in there.”

Steven shrugged “And other collected things. I served in The Corps, have CCW’s for several states, and my wife is a trained hand fighter. But you should already know that.”

“Is there anyone you know who would want to kidnap your kids?” Deputy Poulson finally got to the question he wanted to ask.

“No.” Steven answered this flatly.

“Offend anybody lately,” the Deputy probed.

“Just you,” Steven countered.

They drove quietly the rest of the way. Steven thought out just how he wanted to do things, mainly to be calm, and orderly while doing them, and to look for things out of place.

*          *          *

Caspian watched as a new constable’s vehicle arrived. Even from this distance he recognized Steven’s tall figure getting out of the car. Caspian figured it was time to alert Alistare so he could set any thing he might be able to do rolling.

*          *          *

Steven found the house a mess. Another deputy who had been sitting in her car waiting joined them at the door, and followed Steven and Deputy Poulson around with a video camera. Steven looked around the entry way and front hall. Rox’s gym bag was on the floor in the front hall, already tagged. The pocket door to the kitchen was closed, with a bit of police tape holding it that way. The coat tree and umbrella stand looked wrong.

“Where’s her sticks,” Steven ked.

“Sticks?”

“A pair of PR-24’s. You know, standard issue night sticks. Roxanne keeps them on the umbrella stand. They are not there.” Steven pointed at the umbrella stand.

“I know what they are. There weren’t any found while I was first here. Find any since I left?” Deputy Poulson turned to the officer with the camera.

“We have not found any,” she replied from behind the camera. “But we have not moved anything since you left, either. Shall we proceed?”

They stepped over Roxanne’s bag and entered the living room. The furniture was all pushed to the outer walls, much overturned. One of the French Doors to the backyard was broken from the outside, the glass still on the floor. Some rocks and lines of sand formed an octagon in the middle of the room.

Steven looked it over. “What a mess. Why is this all pushed back? What is that junk on the floor?”

The female deputy spoke up. “The lab is analyzing it; we guess its normal sand. Is anything obviously missing?”

Steven scanned the walls and piles of stuff. The crossed M-16s were still over the fireplace. Many other things on the walls still where they belonged, the shelves and pictures relatively undisturbed. “No. Knocked down, tossed about, a few things broken. But nothing apparently missing.”

Steven turned right and went past the top of the stairs and down the hall; the bathroom straight ahead looked fine. Turning the corner Police Tape was stretched across each door. First, Diana’s room on the left, there’s her book bag. The bed had been tossed aside, making a mess of her desk. The closet was closed.

Deputy Poulson spoke. “Looks like she was underneath it, and they tossed it aside to get her.”

They went down the hall further to the next left, into Alex’s room. His book bag was under his bed, also tossed aside, and his closet was open.

Steven sighed loudly, shaking his head. They went to the last door across from Alex’s.

“That door is locked, we can’t get in.” It showed it had been dusted, as had most surfaces.

Steven pulled out his keys, unlocked and opened the door. “Of course it is. Rox and I don’t like the kids coming in uninvited.” The room was undisturbed. Steven unholstered his gun, and put it onto the bed, followed by the magazines. “Nothing here.”

Steven herded the deputies back out, closing the door, but not locking it. “Let’s go check the rest. Are your lab people done?”

“Pretty much, they have already left; unless you discover something as you clean up.”

“Fine. Let’s check downstairs first.” Steven herded the two deputies back out.

Everything downstairs appeared untouched. Steven noticed that things had been lightly dusted.

Deputy Poulson noticed Steven noticing. “Evidently nobody got down here.”

Steven nodded, tested all the locked doors, and checked the library and storage room. Both rooms were undisturbed.

As they went back upstairs, Steven started rambling. “I’m only slightly surprised that there were no gunshots. Rox never liked to shoot. She’s good, but preferred her martial arts, or her bow. All the guns are still where they should be. You’ve dusted for prints, obviously.”

“Yes. Near as we can tell from their trails, they were not interested in anything but the kids. Do you have some photographs of them that we could have? Of your wife as well?”

“Yeah. I can also get you some copies of their physical descriptions. They were done last fall, but they should be accurate enough.”

Steven went back down stairs and into the library. After warming up the computer, he printed out the last files for each child and Roxanne. He printed the latest pictures with them. Once printed, Steven took the deputies back upstairs.

Leticia showed up at that point, with Mrs. Winchel in tow. Leticia handed Steven his car keys, and told him that if he needed anything to call her. She then left. Mrs. Winchel occupied the kitchen, having prepared a casserole and some vegetables for dinner. She made some juice to go with it.

Steven went out back, the deputies in tow. They found the dogs where they lay, slaughtered and outlined. Steven grimaced a bit. This bit of the yard looked like the dogs put up a bit of a fight.

“These fully documented?” Steven motioned to the dogs.

“Yes, but the forensics team wants to ultrasound the wounds to more accurately determine the kind of knife used. They should have been here already. Something must have held them up.” The female Deputy replied as she turned off the camera.

Mrs. Winchel called them in for dinner right then.

She served herself and sat, leaving the food buffet style for the rest who help themselves as they continue working.

The deputies looked at the utensils. “Well, they can’t have been after property. These are real silver.”

Steven dropped his fork and finally broke down.

“Sorry,” the female deputy muttered.

Steven didn’t finish his meal. He got up and righted his easy chair. Then he set the end table next to it right, and set the phone on it. He hung it up and then picked it up and got a dial tone. He then called his brother. Then his sister. Neither one answered, so he left messages. Next he called Roxanne’s parents and left a message on their machine.

As Steven worked the phone, the female deputy left. Mrs. Winchel stayed and cleaned up the dinner, then washed the dishes. Once done with them, she excused herself and left.

Deputy Poulson helped Steven put some plastic sheeting over the broken door, and clean up the glass. They had the pile together when there was a knock at the door. Both men went to answer it, Steven still in some shock, Deputy Poulson on edge.

017 - Everyone Acting Their Part

Steven looked through the peephole. “I don’t know this guy.”

Deputy Poulson looks through. “Oh no.” He sounded a bit put off. “Why one of them? And how did he find out?” He turned to Steven. “It’s probably a private investigator.” He walked away from the door.

Steven shrugged then opened the door, looking down to the man standing there. “Can I help you?”

The man looked Steven over a moment. “Yes; and I can probably help you much more. May I come in?”

Steven looked back at the deputy, who just rolled his eyes, and turned back into the living room.

Steven opened the door. “Come in.”

The short man dressed in a long over coat, probably with a suit underneath, with expensive looking shoes. His sandy brown hair was cut short enough that he could not comb it straight if he wanted. Like most people, he stood shorter than Steven, but to Steven he looked like he worked out a bit. But something about the set of his features connected to a level of personal confidence Steven had not often encountered since leaving the corps.

The man put his hands in his pockets and walked past Steven, looked briefly at Rox’s gym bag still where she had dropped it, and went into the living room. Steven locked the door, and followed. Deputy Poulson was standing by the fireplace, leaning on the mantel.

The PI looked at the room, his gaze lingering on the stones and sand, which had not yet been cleaned up. “Why did they bother with that?” Suddenly he looked up, realizing he had spoken aloud. “Excuse me a moment.”

He pulled his hands out of his pockets. At the same moment Deputy Poulson’s hand went to rest openly on his belt. Steven just moved to sit in his chair, where he could watch these two men. The deputy maintained a steady gaze of daggers at the PI.

For his part, the PI was now ignoring Deputy Poulson. Instead he concentrated on a large glass marble in his right hand, and was muttering under his breath. He moved to the sand on the floor, and still muttering, he pinched some up and sprinkled it on the marble. As he stood up, the marble began to glow like a light bulb. It floated above his palm a moment, then flashed and disappeared.

Deputy Poulson almost cleared leather at that point, while blinking to clear his eyes. Steven was also blinking hard.

The PI looked at Steven.

“Sorry about that. I’m used to people being aware of the flash. Now, in a few moments we will see what happened here this afternoon.” The P.I. spoke as he stood up.

Deputy Poulson was all but growling. “We already know what happened. Who are you, and who sent you?”

“Too right, introductions are in order.” He wagged his finger in emphasis, as he acknowledged the deputy’s existence. “I am an investigator working with Judge Alistare Kevan. He has had me following up on an organized crime syndicate. And it looks like they decided to target your family, Mr. Caplan.”

Caspian was glad that he had taken the time to call Alistare. Between them they had been able to develop a cover story, which Caspian now followed to its letter.

Steven did not say anything, preferring to let Deputy Poulson cross swords. One thing he immediately noticed was that this private investigator spoke very formally in tone, but picked his words as if not quite sure of the language. And his accent most definitely was not local or even western U.S.A.

“Organized Crime? Why would they be interested in Mr. Caplan? I have never heard of that Judge. How would he have jurisdiction to send you, especially as this only happened this afternoon? What was that you just did anyway?” Deputy Poulson had to all but bite his tongue before speaking too much.

“They weren’t interested in Mr. Caplan, just his children. Judge Kevan is over in Sacramento. And I just did something that will allow us to see precisely what happened in this room from the moment that sand entered it.” He waved off all of Deputy Poulson’s questions as if they were so many feathers thrown at him. After considering the deputy a moment, the PI chose to ignore him from that point on. Instead, he just looked around the room.

“If you followed them into the area, why did you not alert local law enforcement?” His dislike was growing by the moment. But he had pulled his hand away from his gun.

Steven finally piped up, when it became clear that the PI was not going to talk to Deputy Poulson. “What do they want with my kids, and did they take my wife?”

The PI took a deep breath and blew it out, deciding what to say. “The first I can only guess at. I know that they aren’t after money. They would have left some kind of card. They want the kids themselves for something. As to your wife, we will just have to wait and see.” He looked around, and opened his overcoat. “Could I have a drink of water?”

Steven got up, walked around to the kitchen, and got a glass from the dish drainer. Then some ice water from the front of the fridge. The PI followed, and looked interestedly at the kitchen. He seemed to be taking in all that was there.

“Does you wife use any steel utensils in her cooking?” He looked at the leather wrapped handle of a large knife in the knife block with all the other kitchen knives.

Steven looked at the kitchen as he handed the glass to the PI. The copper pots stacked in their shelves. The copper and glass pans next to them. The copper and wood cooking stuff hanging from the stove hood. Steven frowned and looked at the PI. “Only her carving set. And she’s been looking for a good ceramic one. Why?”

“Just curious. The silver, here. The china over in its cabinet. Nothing here with any iron in it, except the carving set.” The PI waved his hand at each point and object as he mentioned it. The knife handles sticking out of the block held his attention for a moment longer. One handle was much larger and completely out of place. He then drew into himself for a moment, drained the glass, and set it back on the counter. “No plastic, either.” He then went back into the living room.

Steven noticed that his hands were rough, from lots of manual work. And his stride was strong and noiseless. Even over the squeaky floorboard.

Steven went back into the living room. The PI had taken his coat off, and dropped it across the end of the overturned couch. He wore a nice suit, which looked new. Steven glanced at the shoes again. They also looked new.

Who is this guy, and what is he waiting for, Steven thought to himself. “What’s your name anyway?”

The PI had been gazing absently at nothing and started when Steven spoke. He turned, smiled, and put out his hand. “Caspian.”

Steven took his hand, and gave it a testing squeeze.

Caspian did not break his smile. He just squeezed back, his look becoming amused. “I see you keep in shape. Good.” Their grips tightened, their hands slowly turning white.

Caspian smiled, broke the grip, and turned back to absently looking over the room, putting his hands in his coat pockets. Steven thought this odd; most men he knew who wore suits would put their hands in their trouser pockets, under the coat hem.

Steven lowered his hand and looked at Deputy Poulson who had not moved from the fireplace. He then went back to his chair and was just sitting in it when the light in the room strobed.

“Here we go. Now watch carefully.” Caspian had pulled his hands from his pockets and put them on the couch base leaning over in excitement.

Steven felt his skin begin to goose bump. Deputy Poulson who had been glaring at nothing in Caspian’s direction also reacted as if mildly shocked, and looked around.

The room flickered once more and a globe of white light floated where the marble had last been. Suddenly the globe expanded to fill the room, and all the furniture went into a kind of double image.

It looked solid where it had been for the last while, and ghostly where it appeared as the light filled the room. The images of the furniture and stuff was where it belonged. Movement by the front hall caught their attention.

They turned to see Alex and Diana chase each other into the hall to the bedrooms. The images disappeared as soon as they left the room.

“What’s happening here?” Steven asked, as he stood up to go see where the kids went.

Caspian spoke, getting his attention. “We are watching a replay of what happened here. Right there are your two kidnappers. Take a good look constable.” He pointed at the already smashed door being forced open, and two men walked in.

Deputy Poulson looked at them disbelieving. “This has got to be some kind of hologram or hallucination. What are you trying to put over on us?”

The two were dressed in black trousers and bloused shirts. They also wore leather boots, gauntlets, and vests. The shorter one came in first. He had short cut black hair, and almost nondescript features. He was carrying a bag over his shoulder. From this, he got out two handkerchiefs. The larger one looked almost over built, with a bushy beard, dark brown hair, and a nose that had been broken more than once. Each carried belt knives, and short swords. The larger had an ax across his back, the shorter a bow and arrows in a closed quiver. They lunged across the room. Three heads turned to watch, as the kids again ran out of the room and down the hall.

Steven tried to follow, but there was nothing to see. He missed seeing the housebreakers walk right through him. Shortly the burly fellow walked back with a limp Diana in his arms. He walked right through Steven and back into the living room. Steven turned to follow, when the other walked through him and put Alex on the floor in the middle of the room, next to Diana. The two men then began tossing the furniture aside, starting with his chair. It was eerie watching this happen without any sound.

They picked up the coffee table and dumped it on the couch nearer the outer wall, then picked up the front of the couch, and tipped it on its back. As the image went, it merged onto the solid one, giving it a kind of intensity.

Deputy Poulson turned and looked at Steven’s right, where Roxanne was standing. She dumped her bag off her shoulder, and went back into the front hall. She returned a moment later, with a stick in each hand, and kicked the small guy in the chest as he came at her. He collapsed onto the over turned easy chair. She then began to lay into the big guy. He was shorter than she was, but about twice as wide. She backed him up between the bookshelves and the couch. She was trying to get him open for a good body hit, but he kept blocking with his arms. He caught the sticks, and pulled them out of her hands, just as the smaller guy came behind her and put a handkerchief over her mouth and nose. She collapsed almost instantly.

“Good form and plenty of talent. But she isn’t playing for keeps, or she would have gone for his throat.” Caspian spoke as they dropped her over the second couch, to roll off and land next to Diana.

The big guy dropped the sticks and then helped the little guy turn that couch onto its back. Where it had not yet been moved from. The little guy disappeared into the front hall, kicking Rox’s bag into it as he went.

The big guy pushed and piled the furniture around as the little guy returned, got a jar from his bag, and a handful of rocks. Last, he pulled a compass.

“Of course, he has to find north with this setup.”

Steven and Deputy Poulson both looked at Caspian, neither comprehending.

The eight stones were laid out, north, south, east, west, then the rest regularly spaced. The little guy then poured the sand from the jar between each stone. He waited for the big guy to step inside before closing the octagon. The little guy stepped over the bodies to stand at the north end, the big guy at the south. The little guy took the scroll that the big guy had pulled from the bag, and read from it. Suddenly the stones strobed and the sand crackled with energy. This built to a blinding flash, and everything inside the octagon was gone.

Caspian reached out to the floating ball of light and spoke a word in some bizarre sounding language. The ball flashed, and all the images disappeared. Caspian put the marble back in his pocket.