Tess nodded her agreement.
“I’m sorry, kids,” said the deputy, “but that’s not going to happen. If you stay here, the Council will be on you before you know it. There’ll be more of them when they come next time. To be honest, I’m surprised you’re still alive as it is.” He looked at Tess. “Your ring was activated sooner than we expected. We hadn’t put our teams in place yet. The Council beat us to the punch.”
Alec glanced at Tess before looking back at the deputy and pointing at the gun in the deputy’s hand. “So, what happens now? Are you hauling us off to jail?”
Deputy Stewart gave a half-smile before putting his pistol back in its holster. “No, I’m not taking you to jail. To be honest, I’m not sure I could force you to go unless you let me.” He locked eyes with both of them. “Look, kids, like I said, I’m sorry, but the life you knew is gone. One way or the other you’re going to have to come to grips with that. Your task, whether you want it or not, is to find the other rings.”
“Why are the rings so important?” asked Tess.
Alec looked intently to the deputy for the same answer.
Deputy Stewart smiled. “That’s way above my pay grade. My task is to help you get things settled here and then send you on your way.”
“Send us where?” Alec asked.
The deputy pointed at Tess. “To her Aunt Iva’s. She’s the brains of the Alliance. But first things first. We’ve got a lot of things to do here before you leave. Our legal teams are already working on smoothing things over with the police and the FBI.” He pointed at Alec. “You’ll need to get the paperwork started on your grandmother’s estate and all that, of course.”
“Will we be able to finish high school?” asked Tess.
Alec remembered her confiding to him how important it was for her to graduate and go to college. He had a feeling both of their expectations in that area were going to be put on hold.
“No,” said Deputy Stewart. “The Council has temporarily pulled out with the arrival of our teams, but they’ll be back in force. You can be here a month at most, then you’ll need to be on your way.” He looked at Tess. “Your ring activated a month early; that’s why our teams weren’t in place. Once the rings start activating, they’re designed to activate in sequence three months apart. You’ll need to be ready to go when the next one starts to activate.”
“Go?” Alec asked. “Go where?”
The deputy pointed at Alec’s right hand. “You’re the one wearing the Ring Defender, so you tell me.”
The enormity of what the deputy was asking threatened to overwhelm Alec. “You’re asking the impossible. These other rings your talking about could be anywhere in the world. I’m only eighteen. Heck, I don’t even have a passport, or money, for that matter.”
“We’ll get you a passport,” said Deputy Stewart. “As for money, the Alliance will supply you with all you need, equipment too. The Alliance has been waiting to help the bearer of the Ring Defender for two hundred years. Trust me, you won’t be alone.”
A soft, warm hand wrapped around Alec’s. He looked over, meeting Tess’s eyes.
“No, you definitely won’t be alone,” said Tess. “You wear the Ring Defender. I wear the Fire Ring. Whatever you need to do, we’ll do it together. Agreed?”
A warmth flowed up Alec’s right hand, moving through his arm and out to his whole body. He sensed his connection to Tess begin glowing with energy. He looked at Deputy Stewart before turning his gaze back to Tess. Points of yellow were flashing in the depths of her golden eyes. He smiled.
“Agreed,” Alec said. “As long as you and I are together, that’s all that matters.”
Tess turned away to look at Deputy Stewart. “So once we leave Covington, we head to Texas to see Aunt Iva. Then what? Then where do we go?”
A vision of a large mountain came into Alec’s mind. The mountain looked familiar. He remembered seeing the famous mountain on TV. The name of the mountain came to him.
“I think I know where the next ring is going to be,” Alec said.
Deputy Stewart and Tess both turned to him and spoke at the same time. “Where?”
Alec smiled, saying one word, “Everest.”
The End.
Acknowledgments
____________________
This book could never have been completed without the patience of my wife, Karen. She has had to put up with me on car rides, shopping trips, and times before movies where I’m writing in a notebook instead of talking to her. That’s not to mention the hours I’m in my office during the day typing on my computer for hours on end. It’s a balancing act to spend time writing because it’s my profession, but also knowing when to put the computer away and enjoy time with my wife and family. I don’t always balance it right, but I’m improving. Thank you, Karen, for helping me keep things in perspective and for putting up with me during the times when story plots are running fast and furious, demanding to get put down on paper. It’s then when your patience is most appreciated.
About the Author
____________________
Rodney Hartman is a retired US Army veteran with over twenty years of experience in military operations ranging from Infantry Private in the paratroops to Chief Warrant Officer flying helicopters during the Persian Gulf War. Mr. Hartman worked for many years as a computer programmer before retiring and pursuing a career as a fulltime writer. Mr. Hartman lives in North Carolina with his wife and family along with their cat, McKenzie.
If you would like to find out more about the author and/or upcoming books, please visit: http://www.rodneyhartman.com/
You may contact the author at: [email protected]
Depending on volume, the author will try to respond to all emails.
Fire Defender Page 26