Out Cede

By: Mavric Pendragon

 

  Caspar stood on the front of his ornate wooden wrap around porch as the sound of construction removed all peace and tranquility from the place. Running his fingers through his silvering black hair Caspar scanned the horizon for Rorik and Phoebe’s return. On the new homestead that he had purchased it was safer than the city he had sent them to. He knew they could handle themselves, but still he worried about his friend.

  Beside him Rorik and Phoebe’s house was well underway with the foundation dug and poured and the trucks all in position. Once the foundation dried it would be a matter of days before the outside of the house was completed and several weeks before the inside was finished. It was not as fast as Caspar would have wanted, but then again nothing is fast after working with Potenthros. Trying to enjoy what he could, Caspar closed his eyes for a second and inhaled deeply. Clutching his dark braided wooden cane he recalled when he first arrived at the safe house with his wife Kathleen. 

  He was new to his wealth at the time and no kids were in the picture as of yet. The stressors of the day and business of life had made it difficult to get away, so Caspar had started to build this place. The only things not finished entirely were the attic and basement because in the spacious house there was little need to go to either. There was light in every room and windows instead of walls in most of the house. The idea was to be outside most of the day and inside only at night, but even then there were many nights of campfires and dancing and more. The Willowsbies were the life of the party and Kathleen was the life of the Willowsbies. When kids came into the picture most of the glass was covered and the house took on more of a typical look. This was their summer home, so it didn’t have the kids all the time, but the memories were here. There were times Caspar taught his son sports and his daughter learned to dance. Here the kids both spent time with their friends and even met their spouses. There were so many memories for Caspar to hold to and some that hurt. Caspar recalled many memories, fading off into the past he did not see Natu Yusi and Mavric Pendragon come up behind him.    

  “It’s time one of us stood watch sir.” Natu pointed out, “At least sit down so your leg has time to rest.”

  Caspar shuffled to a nearby wicker chair. He did not realize how much pressure he put on his cane until it almost stuck to the porch as he wanted to walk around. Sitting down he let out a soft sigh. Once he was seated, Mavric went inside to get him a glass of gelled water and Natu stood where Caspar was.

  “What are you waiting out here for sir?” Natu hissed.

  His back was to Caspar as he asked and he stood in the military at ease position.

  “I am waiting for my good friend Rorik and his daughter Phoebe to return with the man I sent them to fetch for me.” Caspar gently replied.

  “Only to promise them a home they never truly stay at.” Natu growled. “They will be back only long enough to be told where their next target is and then be sent away. The more successful they are, the less work you have to do later.” 

  Natu’s words were cold and venomous. His black trench coat and hood gave a sense of dread as if he were ready for Caspar’s funeral and the funeral of this enterprise, but his loyalty to Caspar after many years withstood his dark times. Typically he was lighter and cheerier, but since Rorik and Phoebe brought Mavric in he had been dark and brooding. Caspar began to wonder if Natu was beginning to grow jealous of the other Potenthros. He had been the only Potenthros since Rorik’s group faded out and now a hasbeen, his daughter and more have been added to a team. He had been guard, helper, scribe, and anything else Caspar had needed and now others were vying for his positions.

  “That may be the case for a time.” Caspar sighed, “But that house next door belongs to them, and I intend to have them as my neighbors. Besides I sent you out to deliver mail and you seemed reluctant to follow through as requested.”

  Natu could feel Phoebe’s letter seem to burn against his chest in his coat pocket. It was as if Caspar could see through him and it irked him. He needed that letter more than she did, and it didn’t matter anyway she was more a part of the group than he ever would be so what did it matter if she never saw it. The letter was to Unknown and lately Natu had felt like that was all he was.

  “What do you see in them?” Natu hissed, as two sets of headlights lit up the darkening sky.

  There was a beautiful sunset moments before, but the two men did not notice.

  Mavric came back and gave Caspar his glass of water.

  “If you wait you will see.” Casper replied. “Thank you Mavric.”

  The two sets of headlights pulled up. In front Rorik and Phoebe were in their cherry red Ferrari and behind them a black SUV. Rorik and Phoebe got out and then a man in an all black uniform got out of the SUV. His air and attire made Natu appear like he just didn’t feel like getting dressed by comparison.

  “Caspar, this is Beniah Laserwolf.” Rorik introduced as he approached the porch, “Beniah the man seated is Caspar Willowsbi.”

  Caspar put his cane firmly on the ground and used it to rise to his feet. Rorik and Phoebe had done well and Natu would hear Caspar gloat about it later. Favoring his right side, Caspar made his way across the porch with the help of Mavric to get started. Reaching out his hand he gave Beniah a firm handshake and stared him in the eyes.

  “Welcome to the start of greatness.” Caspar welcomed. “It might not look like much, but with all that’s going on around us we need a team before we can get moving. Natu will show you to your room and we will discuss more after you’re settled.”

  Beniah towered over Natu and the difference in height and attire made Natu look like a child. Hesitantly Natu led the man who was a threat to his moving about undisturbed inside. As he was entering the house his phone rang.

“I can’t talk right now.” Natu explained, “I’ll call you back later.”

  Natu hung up and put his phone away before showing Beniah to his room. Once the two of them were inside Caspar welcomed Rorik and Phoebe back.

  "No trouble on this one for you two?" He scoffed, "Good work, but one guard will not be enough. Come in and join me for dinner and I will tell you about your next assignment, should you choose to accept."

  The four of them went into the house unaware that their need for security was watching as another black SUV slowly made its way from near the end of the driveway down the road with its lights off. 

  Inside Mavric went into the kitchen to get dinner while Caspar, Rorik and Phoebe took their places at the dining room table. Caspar was at the head of the table, Roric sat on his right and Phoebe on his left. Grabbing a couple of trivets, Mavric set them in the middle of the table and went back into the kitchen to grab a pot of seafood bisque. The wafting aroma filled the dining room as Mavric disappeared into the kitchen once more. By now Natu and Beniah had joined the others. Natu sat on Rorik’s right and Beniah sat at the foot of the table. Excusing herself from the table Phoebe went into the kitchen to see if Mavric needed a hand while the others discussed their journeys.

  "Did Rorik and Phoebe start this endeavor or you, Caspar?" Beniah asked.

  In the kitchen Phoebe watched Mavric struggling with getting a pan of garlic bread out of the oven while holding a glass pan of double chocolate brownies.

  "Let me help you with that." Phoebe ordered, picturing everything crashing down in a moment if she didn't take control.

  In one fluid motion she pulled another trivet from its drawer, donned a pair of blue floral patterned oven mitts, placed the brownies on the trivet on the counter, moved Mavric out of the way and had the garlic bread tray above her head with one hand while she closed and turned off the oven with the other.

  "Cover those with aluminum foil before they get cold." She ordered, tossing him a roll of foil before leaving the kitchen.

  Dumbfounded Mavric did as he was told before joining the others for dinner. The table was full except for the seat between Beniah and Phoebe. Dishing out his bowl he took a seat. There was a moment of quiet as they all ate, but then Caspar decided to get down to business.

  “Thank you again Rorik and Phoebe for bringing Beniah home.” He began, “Our first order of business is to explain a little bit better of who we are, and second to see who is willing to invite the next member into the company.

  Rorik and I have decided to call this endeavor, Willowsbi Enterprise, because we are planning on growing this group to take on more of a corporate air. This stated, we need help from each of you. For now we will be working from this home with the house next door scheduled to be completed by the end of the month. There will be other buildings and points of interest on the grounds, but we need to be sure this is first and foremost a safe place for Potenthros. In light of this directive we have asked Beniah to join the team and I have received word of another potential candidate for security. The idea is to implement higher security on the grounds and to map out where new buildings would go that would best facilitate a safe and enjoyable place to work. There is much to be done,so as we begin we all will have some overlapping responsibilities until those positions are filled by another candidate. That said, we need to send people out and when they are gone we need to fill their positions in their absence. Do I make myself clear?”

  The others nodded, but Natu sat up a little straighter when Caspar mentioned workloads would be fluctuating. His desire for routine was vanishing before his very eyes.

  “Now, going out is not one of our jobs.” Caspar continued. “It is going above and beyond what is required here, but the more we do it now the easier things will become later down the line. With that said, I know we just had Beniah join the team, but I would like to send out another team to fetch a second security guard to make sure this is a safe place to work, before we bring in workers.”

  “Do any of us have jobs?” Natu jabbed.

  “If you do not know your job by now Natu I don’t know if I can help you, but I will explain it to you later.” Caspar retorted.

  “So who do you have in mind for this next mission?” Rorik asked.

  “Mavric and Beniah are the only two that have not gone out yet.” Caspar began, “Beniah just got here so I would like one of the rest of you to go with him.”

  Mavric leaned forward, moving his empty bowl out of the way.

  “Where am I going?” He asked.

  “South Dakota.” Caspar replied.

  “South Dakota? What is in South Dakota?” Natu interjected.

  “You might be.” Phoebe growled, annoyed at Natu’s obstinance.

  Natu backed up his chair and rose to his feet.

  “Who made you in charge?” He balked.

  Caspar was growing tired of Natu’s behavior and asked Rorik and Beniah to remove him from the dining room. Natu wanted to resist, but when Beniah’s hand curled around his upper arm and fingers touched his palm as if he were holding a walking stick he knew to settle down before Beniah threw him out of the room. Rorik led the way to Natu’s room on the first floor that was behind the dining room down a hall on the opposite side of the dining room from the kitchen. Finally able to speak freely without interruption, Caspar addressed Mavric and Phoebe.

  “I have half a mind to send him with you Mavric, but I don’t know if he will abandon you out there or you will strangle him before you return.” Caspar explained, “Rorik is great, but I need him here if I can to help plan out what we want to do once the house is finished next door.”

  “So that leaves me to go with Mavric.” Phoebe pointed out.

  “Then why did you pose it as a question?” Mavric asked.

  “Natu has been reluctant to do anything that I suggest lately.” Caspar explained, “I would like him to be able to go out on these types of reconnaissance, but since the team has started to assemble I am finding it difficult to get him to move in any direction he does not already want to go. If I demanded he go I fear that he would rebel, but if I gave it as an option he could have just kept quiet to hear what I have to say. He made his choice, I did not.”

  “So what do you have on our assignment?” Mavric asked, pulling out a small leather notebook and black pen.

   “Call it Out Cede.” Caspar replied, “O-U-T C-E-D-E, his name is Cole Ferrus. He is a park ranger at Badlands National Park, and is a perfect candidate for security, especially outside. Your job will be to find him and invite him to join the team. I know what post he usually works, but beyond that it is up to you to persuade him. I will have a Cessna waiting for you thirty miles behind the house in the fields. I will bring you to the plane myself in the morning.”

  Mavric’s pen stopped scratching and he closed his book and put it in his breast pocket. Phoebe growned at the thought of leaving so soon, but her dad had prepared her for these types of activities. She wanted to think about it, but as Caspar had said the faster they got a team together the sooner they could have more of a typical day to day role.

  “Ok, I’ll go.” She moaned, wanting to go to bed.

  “Thank you.” Caspar nodded. “All right, dinner is over, I’ll see if Natu will be up for doing the dishes like he should tonight.”

  “No need for that Caspar.” Mavric said, cleaning up his place and grabbing the other dishes around the table, “I have this.” 

  Loaded up with an arm full of dishes, Mavric made his way back to the kitchen.

  “He thinks he can do everything on his own.” Caspar grumbled, “Just like his father.”

  Phoebe rose from her seat and grabbed the pot of soup. She was tired and worn out, but the others needed help and it seemed as if no one else would lend Mavric a hand. Entering the kitchen she saw Mavric standing at the sink. The hot water was running, and the sink was loaded with dishes, but he just stood there. Giving her a side eye Mavric watched Phoebe enter the room and waited until the door shut before he spoke.

  “Usually no one else comes in after dinner.” Mavric muttered, beginning to wash dishes.

  Phoebe put down the pot of soup next to the pan of brownies and went back out the way she came. Mavric thought she was gone and he could have the kitchen all to himself again, but that was wishful thinking. He wanted to ponder and process what was going on around him in solitude, but almost as quickly as she left, Phoebe was back in the kitchen with the rest of the dishes. She didn’t stay long, but she came up to the sink and reached over Mavric’s arms to grab a damp navy blue cloth that lay atop the faucet head.

  Mavric flicked the water off his hands and backed up. Phoebe was to close for comfort even if it were for an instance. He wanted to be left alone and assumed his tone and stance would tell her that, but apparently not. She was very close for a second and then she took the cloth and went back into the dining room. Alone once more, but assuming Phoebe would be back, Mavric continued the dishes. Thoughts and fears raced through his mind like the running water that swirled over the dishes. He had a file on Beniah and Natu’s work records from Caspar. He even had information on Cole Ferris who they were supposed to pick up. He knew Rorik and Caspar were old friends and even had the names and locations of some of the people that helped move Rorik about, but Phoebe. He let his mind wander into nothingness for a few seconds as he tried to finish the plate he had in hand. The seconds seemed to pass by as an eternity. Phoebe was Unknown. There was no data other than what she told him, what she set up as true. The others could be tested logically while she had to be taken at face value in faith. 

  On top of this getting settled in was taking its toll as well. His room was on the second floor on the opposite side of the house from Phoebe’s and next to Caspar’s. The truck with all his stuff had come in that morning after Rorik and Phoebe left to get Beniah and he still had more to unpack. He was grateful though that Natu and Caspar had helped him finish his workspace in the basement where he could go if he needed a place to recenter himself. Things had been stressful here and now he was being asked to go to South Dekoda to bring in another set of hands. There was so much to do here and he preferred to stay behind, but he assumed that things were weighing down on the others as well and assumed Caspar wanted to keep them from burning out. Natu had done one double run to get Rorik and Phoebe and then the father daughter duo had done two runs to bring himself and Beniah home. Now Phoebe is being sent out for the third time and he was being asked to go out once.

  Processing all this in a matter of seconds Mavric heard Phoebe reenter the kitchen. He had only done half the plates and wanted to be left alone, but his curiosity about the girl he knew virtually nothing about got the better of him. She set the cloth on the counter and began to look for containers to put the leftover away in. Brushing a long brown bang out of her face she searched an upper cabinet before crouching down to check the lower one beneath it.

  “The tupperware you are looking for is in the lower cabinet on the right side of the island directly behind you.” Mavric called out, “The round one with the dark green lid should be amply suitable to hold all the leftover bisque and the rectangular one with the purple lid to its left should be enough to hold the leftover bread.”

  His detailed instructions were queer, but Phoebe followed them. The cabinet was full of all kinds of tupperware containers of an array of colors, shapes and sizes. Everything was well organized but very full. Finding the two containers Mavric called out she placed them on the counter above the cabinet. To her surprise Mavric was correct to a tee and everything fit in them with almost no room to spare, but without overflowing. Leaving the containers uncovered to cool Phoebe brought the pot and pan over to Mavric and placed them on the counter to the left of the sink.

  “How did you know where to find the containers, and which ones to use?” Phoebe asked.

 Mavric did not know how to answer that. There were many reasons why he would know, but he had to think about what he wanted her to know about him. He was asked to join a group where everyone else manifested their powers regularly, but he didn’t see his as powers. Shrugging off the worry of how she would judge his unimpressive ability he came up with a half truth to satisfy her inquiry.

  “I found them while I was preparing dinner.” He lied, “As for the sizes, I just have a knack for judging that sort of stuff.”

  Phoebe could tell he was hiding something. Caspar had asked for a team of Potenthros and Mavric was high on his priority list. If security was high on Caspar’s list why would this man be first and not Beniah followed by Cole? Lifting up the corner of the aluminum that was between her and the brownies, she decided 20 questions over dessert instead of dishes would be a better approach. Neither of them had reason to trust the other, but in order for their trip to go well and their mission a success they needed some semblance of trust.

  “Do you want a brownie?” She asked, “The others appear to have no interest in them.”

  Mavric placed the soup pot in the sink and let it fill with a zillion tiny bubbles until it almost reached the top.

  “Sure.” He said, reaching into a knife drawer blindly and drawing out a steak knife by the point.

  He flipped it up so that the handle was facing Phoebe and the point was still in his grasp, but no more than absolutely necessary. Phoebe raised her left hand up in front of her face, her palm facing her right shoulder and her right hand going the opposite with her right fingertips touching her left palm. Her instincts told her he would throw it at her and then attack, but the knife stood still in his grasp waiting for her to take it from him.

  “I’m not going to throw it.” Mavric assured, holding the knife out.

  Phoebe calmed down and lowered her hands. Taking the knife from him she took a defensive stance before relaxing enough to round the island to cut the brownies. She never turned her back on him as she moved. He was too calculated and knowledgeable of the room to be trusted. She had the door behind her, but he had the potential to hurt her before she could escape. Her father was too far to manifest powers, but while they were in South Dakota he would be even further away. She had to figure this out on her own.

  “My apologies if my nonchalantness came across as carelessness.” Mavric began coming over to the opposite side of the island and leaning his elbows on it. “Kathleen would kill me for doing this.” He muttered as he reached down and pulled out a pair of napkins without looking down. He wanted to break the ice, and having no other ideas of how to, he struck up a conversation setting himself up as a target. “So, we are headed to South Dakota in the morning. What do you want to know about me before we go?”  

  His question caused a wave of questions to wash over Phoebe. She wanted to ask him so many questions, but she was not sure where to start. This whole team was a mystery, but now she had an open invitation to know one member of the team better. Finally settling her mind she took out the brownies, placed them on the napkins Mavric provided and slid one over to him.

  “Why did you agree to come out here?” She asked.

  “I trust Caspar,” He replied, taking a bite of brownie. “This is not our only instance of working together.”

  “You worked with Caspar before we invited you to join him?” Phoebe reiterated.

  “Yes, the skills he taught me equipped me to work at the World Trade Center.” Mavric began, “I was 16 when he first hired me to do some of his filing, and sorting. I worked with all kinds of people and even set up the infrastructure he uses today. I left him six years ago when my position in the World Trade Center opened up and even then it was because he and others encouraged me to. I would not be here now in person or skill without that man.”

  Now Phoebe began to see why Caspar wanted him first. The others were useful, but Mavric had been groomed by Caspar for his task. So now the team was Caspar, his friend Rorik, his employee Natu, his former employee Mavric, the security guard Beniah, and her. She didn’t see how she fit in except that she was Rorik’s daughter and a Potenthros.

  “So, I know I haven’t told you much about myself, but I have to ask. What is it like to be known as a Potenthros?” Mavric cautiously asked, “If you don’t want to answer, that's fine, I’m just trying to understand this place from your perspective.”

  Phoebe’s mind whirled about. She thought all Potenthros were on the run. She thought her life was normal and that people were to be feared. She thought everyone had to fight for their next breath and a mouthful of food.

  “Have you ever been on the run?” She asked, dumbfounded, at Mavric’s questions.

   “Not really.” Mavric said sheepishly. “I’ve always had family around me and a place to stay. I’ve moved a lot but never to get out of danger.”

  Phoebe could not believe her ears. How could a Potenthros that she supposed Mavric was, not be on the run.

   “You’ve never been on the run?” She gasped, almost choking on her last bit of brownie.

  “Not like your dad’s file alludes to.” Mavric shrugged.

  “It’s a nightmare, so much so that I would rather not get into it at this hour, otherwise I will relive it instead of sleep.” She shuttered.

  “That bad, hu.” Mavric commented, “Well I would like to hear about it, but only on your terms.”

  Phoebe appreciated the space. She covered the brownies while Mavric tossed their napkins. If he would give her this kind of respect and space over a conversation, Phoebe was less anxious about the trip, but she still did not trust him. Leaving the kitchen the two of them met up with Caspar in the stairwell to find out when they were leaving. They then went back to the kitchen to continue to talk. The two of them then went to their separate rooms and went to sleep.

  The next morning Mavric woke up and fumbled about his room. The area was a disaster zone with cardboard boxes and plastic totes everywhere. He had one front facing window that had no curtains but instead a cardboard wall allowing light around it, but no way of seeing in or out the window. His king sized bed was a mess and there were clothes strewn all over the floor. A black desk lamp was still on from the night before on a black wooden desk between his bed and the entry to his walk-in closet. The room was stuffy and dark with everything being dark brown or black. It felt more like a cave than a room. The only clean part of the room was the closet. In there clothes were ironed and hung up, an ironing board with a cold iron were set up just inside the left side of the closet door, and bins were neatly stacked and labeled.

  Rolling out of bed Mavric tried to put together an outfit that would work for the heat. He knew better than to wear all black which was his typical attire so he dug through a couple of the unopened boxes until he found a light blue polo shirt, a pair of light blue bootcut jeans, and a pair of black hiking boots. Slipping on his wristwatch, bracelet and necklace he grabbed his knife and sheath and slipped it onto his belt so it hung on his right side. 

  Leaving his room in a manner that would leave him grounded if he were still with his parents, Mavric grabbed a navy blue sweatshirt and a light brown leather jacket. Fumbling to put on the jacket he made his way to the stairs. He wanted to grab some toast or something for breakfast before Caspar left, and also wanted to be ready to go. He was so focused on moving in multiple directions that he was failing in all of them. His sweatshirt went under his jacket and nestled itself into his sleeve. Trying to pull it out he lost his balance on the stairs and would have gone head over heels, but someone caught him. Regaining his balance Mavric turned to see who saved him. In the dim light of the hallway Mavric saw Caspar.

  “Are you sure you’re up for this?” Caspar’s warm voice whispered, “You haven’t even left the house yet and you needed saving.”

  Mavric brushed Caspar’s hand off of him.

  “I got this.” Mavric hissed, making his way down to the kitchen. “I was just up to late last night talking with Phoebe.”

  Caspar appreciated hearing that his team was not just growing in number, but also closer to one another. He knew from Rorik that Phoebe would rather just have it be her and him, but having others who she could open up to would be good, and now she was talking to Mavric late into the night. The two of them headed to the kitchen and Mavric put two pieces of bread in the toaster, and whipped himself up a couple of waffles. Pouring a cup of coffee he blew on it before taking a scalding swing. The bitterness and heat made Mavric make a face that made Caspar chuckle.

  “How do you like this stuff?” Mavric wheezed.

  Caspar poured himself a cup and set it down.

  “First off, I don’t drink it when it’s a thousand degrees.” Caspar informed. “Secondly, I have it every morning.”

  “I typically hit the gym at this hour, but the weights aren’t showing up until we get back.” Mavric muttered.

  “Then I guess you have something to look forward to.” Caspar jabbed, raising his cup of coffee and drinking it all.

  The toaster went off and Mavric pulled a jar of peanut butter from the cabinet before getting a plate. Smearing his toast he got a little bit on his fingertips. Licking them off he did not hear or see Phoebe walk in like a ghost. Not so much because of her all white attire, but because she felt like she was dying and all she wanted to do now was sleep. She moved past Mavric and grabbed a bag of candied pecans with cranberries out of the cupboard. Her outfit was practically glowing in the dim kitchen. She had on a white pair of capris, with a white peplum top and a pair of white converse. Her brown hair was up in a fishtail braid. On the island she had a white thin trench coat. She was not used to this type of attire yet, but it was time to at least try and look the part as she gathered her third candidate for this enterprise. She was now the face of Willowsbi Enterprise and she wanted to look the part.

  “Who’s flying us out today?” Phoebe asked.

  “I have hired a young woman named Nadia Aberg. She will take you out there today and bring you back tomorrow.” Caspar informed, “I will also have a hotel room ready for you for your overnight.”

  Phoebe wasn’t so sure about having a hotel room. Yes she and Mavric had talked late into the night, but she had a deadbolt on her bedroom door that was secured when she went to be alone in her room. She still did not trust him well and she had no trust in this Cole Ferris they were going to meet. Stuffing it she ate her breakfast, at least the pilot was another girl among the growing number of men.

  In a few minutes Caspar, Mavric and Phoebe were approaching the Cessna. It was not much to look at, but it would get them there and back without needing much in the way of an actual landing strip.

  “This is just a temporary solution.” Caspar apologetically explained. “A full blown runway should be underway after we finalize where all the buildings are supposed to go.”

  Mavric shook his head.

  “What won’t this place have?” Mavric teased.

  “That all depends on how well we do recruiting others.” Caspar said, “And how long we can go undisturbed.”

  Mavric and Phoebe both understood the implications of what Caspar was saying. They were going out to get a second security officer for the team before it would be safe to bring in workers. Just because they have abilities does not automatically make them ready for whatever is thrown their way. And soon Willowsbi Enterprise will be a beacon for both those in need and for trouble. Getting out, they boarded the Cessna and watched Caspar drive back to the house.

  “Welcome aboard.” Nadia chirped, “Let’s get this show skyward.”

  Nadia was a young woman who looked too young to know how to operate the aircraft. She had short coily black hair, olive skin, and wore black cat-eye glasses. She wore blue cargo pants, dark grey jordans, and a black tank top. She has a pilot's headset down around her neck and a thin gold chain with a pair of dog tags as well. 

  “Ready for liftoff.” Nadia said in the headset as she put it on her head and started flipping switches and checking gauges.

  The plane took off as the sun began to rise. They would be in Rapid City, South Dakota in four hours. Phoebe took the time to watch out the window, but as she watched the clouds shimmer of gold and silver as the sun began to rise she felt herself slowly drift off to sleep.

  She did not wake up again until the jolt of the plane hitting the tarmac of the landing strip woke her. They were in Rapid City. Getting out, Mavric and Phoebe said farewell to Nadia and rented a jeep Gladiator and traveled out another hour before getting to Badlands National Park. Mavric drove the whole way and as they drove he discussed what he knew about Cole.

  “He will be a tricky one.” Mavric said, “He is very opinionated and reluctant to try to see things differently than his way. According to Caspar he was approached by Caspar himself and has already turned down the offer twice.”

  Phoebe was not sure if Mavric was joking or serious. She was skeptical about the whole operation that Caspar was operating, but to be approached twice and turn it down, he was either going to come this time or be a lost cause.

  “When was the last time Caspar approached him?” Phoebe asked.

  “Six months ago.” Mavric replied. “He told me that he wanted security before you arrived, but your father was easier to get a hold of and more willing to come than Beniah or Cole.”

  Phoebe couldn’t believe what she was hearing. Caspar had come all the way out to this sandbox twice to get Cole to join his team to protect her before she knew he existed. Maybe Caspar was not as bad as she thought, but he was still a man without Powers whose intentions were still unknown of why he wanted Potenthros all in one spot. There may be safety in numbers, but if it was going to take two days to get Cole to Willowsbi Enterprise then why not keep Potenthros scattered so they are not as easily detected. 

  “What else do you know about him?” She asked.

  “Cole is not your average Park Ranger.” Mavric began, “We may have trouble finding him because of his ability.”

  Almost as if on cue the ground began to shake. The jeep tipped up and almost flipped, and Mavric lost control, but then the jeep stopped on its side pinned between what looked like two enormous termite mounds. Phoebe lept out of the jeep livid with the work of another Potenthros. He was close, she could feel it. Running her foot across the surface of the ground she closed her eyes and took a deep breath. She could feel his presence. He was half a mile out and moving fast. The earth around him was moving with him. Tapping into whatever she could muster she became almost like a mole or bat as she detected his presence after every second passed.

  Mavric tried to get out of the car, but was pinned. Taking out his knife he was about to cut his seatbelt when all of a sudden Phoebe stretched out her hand towards him and swiped her hand across her chest with her arm stretched out wide. Almost as if on command the two termite mounds followed how her arm moved and Mavric was back upright in the jeep. The mounds were directly in front of her when a man in a coffee stain camouflage uniform came barreling through them.

  The cloud of dust made as the termite mounds crumbled would have blinded anyone not ready for a sandstorm, but the man and Phoebe were just beginning. Cole had gotten word of Nadia’s arrival and with Nadia typically the nagging of Caspar soon followed. Not expecting a fight, but a talk he had trapped their car, but his misinformation on who was on the plane caused for an unexpected altercation, but instead of words it was of earth.

  Stones rumbled and the earth quaked, but Cole could not seem to get the upper hand. Throwing everything he had at his opponent he could not believe their speed and skill. Phoebe leaped over rocks and darted through the dust clouds as if they were not there. Coming up from behind Cole she encased him in almost five feet of stone up to his chin and the dust settled down.

  Mavric got out of the car. He almost had no time to think, nevermind react. The battle had taken only a couple of minutes, but about thirty yards away from the jeep Phoebe was crouched low to the ground behind whom Mavric assumed was Cole. The man’s bald head was covered in debris from the encounter and he stood contained in what looked like a giant termite mound. Both of them were exhausted, but Phoebe had come up on top.

  “Cole Ferrus, I presume,” Mavric began, “We are here…”

  “I know why you’re here.” Cole interrupted, regaining his breath. “The old fossil Caspar Willowsbi wants me to babysit some little girl so her and her daddy can move in without her feeling scared, and because I am a freak I am perfect for the job. Did I get that right?”

  Cole's way of putting things was harsh, but accurate to how Caspar would have handled situations like this.

  “Close,” Phoebe began, standing up and putting her hands around Cole’s neck. “Just one correction. That little girl you don’t want to babysit…” Her grip grew tighter around his neck, “Is me.” She whispered, before ripping him out of his imprisonment and tossing him back towards the car with one hand.

  He landed about half way before being encased in stone as he lay prone suspended at eye level in a mound of earth. Mavric backed off, Phoebe seemed to have everything under control. He began to think he would need to write an obituary before returning instead of a recruitment letter at this rate.

  “We don’t need you.” Phoebe hissed, “but we need a team to provide a safe environment for people like us.” Her cheeks grew flush as she grew livid. “I’m tired of running, I’m tired of hiding in the shadows. I’m done playing nice and letting people push me around. I don’t care if you’re tired of Caspar Willowsbi. I was told I can’t go home without trying to talk to some sketchy man in the desert, hours away from home, and as far as I can tell if I bring you back in a bodybag my mission is complete.”

  Cole and Mavric both lost all color in their faces. They hadn’t realized where Phoebe was mentally on this trip and now they both were getting an earful.

  “I was told my house was going to be destroyed, moved and rebuilt next to this fossil, and I had no say.” She began, “Then I was told I had no roof over my head until dazed and confused over there joined the team. Then I was told to go get security for my home while the others sat around building bookshelves and relaxed on the porch. So I don’t care what Caspar told you, I want to go home and finally get a good night’s sleep for one.”

  Now she had the floor. More because the others were too afraid to move than anything else.

  “What do you need from me?” Cole asked, staring at the ground that he was expecting to be hurled through.

  “Where is a good place to eat around here?” Phoebe asked.

  Cole’s mind began to race, he wanted the best meal for this woman that he could come up with.

  “There is Salty Steer, next to the Sunshine Inn. I’d be glad to bring you both there. Then we can talk and you can get your good night’s sleep you want.”

  Almost as if on cue Phoebe stood Cole up and let him go.

  “Your lead.” She hissed like one of the local rattlesnakes.

  The three of them hopped into the jeep and headed for the restaurant. After they ordered their food they began to talk business.

  “We would like to offer you a position at Willowsbi Enterprises.” Mavric began, “This would be a live-in arrangement where all your food and housing would be paid for as well as your salary being doubled. You will predominantly be overseeing the grounds as we work on building this company from the ground up. Any questions?”

  “One to start.” Cole began, “Why did Caspar send you, lot to come after me?”

  “As opposed to coming, himself?” Phoebe clarified. “You already turned him down.”

   “Fair point.” Cole agreed.

  “We are also working on a safe place for others like us and anyone at home needs to get ready for new arrivals.” Mavric pointed out, “I think after you we only have room for one or two others. We may be spectacular, but our headquarters is not at the moment.”

  “So I just leave everything and tell my folks and my home turf that I’m gone and then I help out as a groundskeeper.” Cole reiterated.

  “That’s the jist of it.” Phoebe assured.

  “So when does curly fly back?” Cole asked.

  “Nadia is planning on flying back tomorrow morning and sunrise.” Mavric explained.

  “Well then, I best get some rest after we eat.” Cole scoffed, “I don’t know much about Caspar, but if he asked me to come in I’m sure he’d find room for a bodybag in the aircraft.”

  The three of them continued to chat, talking more about how things were for Potenthros in general as their food arrived and through their meal. 

  “We are not seen as people anymore.” Cole pointed out. “People like us used to be seen as heroes, back in my grandparent’s day.”

  “Yes but then everything went sideways around the same time people began leaving earth. Things fell apart and there were some efforts made, but none that made any of us look good.” Mavric pointed out.

  “That’s right,” Phoebe recalled, “Organized efforts to rehabilitate the growing number of Overhumans, as they were called in the day, were made because a select few became the authority of what was and what was not acceptable behavior. They started out well, but then became an exclusive club. The next generation didn’t see the need for organized mobility and things have fallen apart since.”

  They continued to talk until their meals were finished. Then Mavric and Phoebe made their way to Sunshine inn to get some sleep and Cole went home to pack. He was more comfortable talking to these younger Potenthros than to the older Caspar who seemed to only have a business in mind. At least in talking to Mavric and Phoebe he felt that he could relate to them better even though he was older than them.

  Heading to the airport the next morning the three of them were going to return the jeep when Nadia flagged them down.

  “Over here guys.” She beckoned.

  The three of them were about to get out of the car when Nadia came over and leaned on Mavric’s driver’s side door.

  “Don’t get out, the plane is just up ahead.” She ordered, “Just drive on up and once you’re inside we can get going.”

  Mavric looked over at Phoebe and back at Cole with a surprised look on his face.

  “We didn’t come in on anything big enough for that.” He muttered.

  “What are you waiting for, get a move on.” Nadia huffed, hopping into the backseat. “It’s the smallest thing I could get with only a day to finalize all the payments.”

  The others grew worried, what was she talking about. As they drove up Mavric saw the Cessna and began going towards it.

  “Not that one.” Nadia huffed, “Didn’t Caspar tell you how you’re getting home?”

  “No he did not.” Phoebe interjected.

  “Over there.” Nadia said, gesturing to a Boeing C17 Globemaster III.

  The large aircraft dwarfed their car.

  “Just drive on in and we’ll get going in a couple of minutes.” Nadia instructed.

  Mavric did as he was told. It wasn’t that he didn’t believe Nadia, it was more that he didn’t believe what Caspar was doing.

  “Whose car is this then?” He asked.

  “Cole’s, once we get it all tuned up and ready to roll.” Nadia said, "The crew will work on it while we fly so when we land everything will be ready to roll.”

  Cole could not believe his ears. Not only was Caspar taking him in after he turned him down twice, but he had arranged for a car as well. What else was this man capable of?

  The crew got out of the car and took their seats in the plane. They were heading home, back to Willowsbi Enterprise stronger than before. Their team had grown and now home would be safe enough to hunker down and start to build. Things would be a little tight, but the way Caspar kept working that would not be a problem for long. Things had been hard, but now things were starting to get better as they trusted Caspar more and ceded to his plan of greatness.