by Tom Hunter
Thomas interrupted, “but, this is set in the mountains and maybe the water, what does it have to do with…”
“I’m getting to it, be patient,” Alexia chided softly. “Now, where was I…oh, yes, here it is.
“Many times, they fought. Each time Thunderbird caught Mimlos-whale there was a terrible battle, and all of the trees in that place were uprooted. At last, Mimlos-whale escaped to the deep ocean, and Thunderbird gave up the fight. That is why the killer whale still lives in the ocean today,” she read. Then added, “but here’s the most curious part,” and she paused dramatically.
It was nice to know something Thomas Knight didn’t. The student was teaching the teacher. She almost laughed at his impatient gesture, then put him out of his misery. “To this day, anywhere they fought, no trees grow. Sounds like a desert to me.”
“That’s not too far off from one of my grandmother’s old wives’ tales,” Thomas muttered.
“Come again?” said Alexia, only half listening, as she skimmed the article. Clicking on various links, she opened more tabs, hoping to get further details on the legend.
“Never mind. Nothing,” Thomas shook his head. Why am I having so much trouble focusing?
Alexia looked up, peering at him over the tops of her computers. She was beginning to get worried, though she tried not to show it. She was glad to realize he didn’t see her glancing at him. Thomas hadn’t seemed himself, she thought. Not since they’d come back topside from their adventures in the chamber and subsequent escape, er rescue, she’d reminded herself more than once. Ever since then there had been something at the back of her mind; a nagging feeling she couldn’t quite place.
“Are there any legends closer to Death Valley?” Thomas asked.
Twisting her mouth in thought, her fingers flew once more over the computer keys. She reviewed the links and webpages she’d left open.
“Um, I’m looking, but I don’t see…” Alexia’s voice trailed off.
“Here’s a theory. Do you have a tab open for quake reports?”
Alexia nodded, then realizing he wasn’t looking at her, said out loud, “Yes, I do, as it happens.” She moved to the furthest computer.
Before she could finish, Thomas interrupted, “Great.” Then, “Check the reports for the past few weeks,” he requested.
“Why?”
“Call it a hunch,” Thomas explained.
Alexia moved to another machine. “Let me see.” She scanned the open tabs for what they needed. Then, “Yes, I’ve got the reports here. It was one of the last things I added to the report for Dr. Cunningham….” She paused, surprised at what she now saw in the report. “That’s strange…” her voice trailed off.
“What does it say?” Thomas asked eagerly.
“According to this report…not sure why I didn’t notice it before.” She mentally kicked herself; she should have seen it. “According to this,” she repeated, “the only reports of tremors were around here. It’s as if they were so localized, so small, that they tapered off…” She looked at Thomas over the computer screen, her eyes wide with confusion, though not necessarily surprise. “We’re on a fault line.” Alexia said flatly. Her brow furrowed, berating herself, for not realizing it sooner. How had she missed something so vital? Suddenly, this new awareness seemed extremely important, and her heart raced slightly, as Thomas explained.
“Yes, I know. Death Valley exists because of it. Which means…what?” Thomas asked rhetorically. Then, seemingly changing tactic, he began, “Why do you suppose…?” It had been his theory. But from what Alexia had discovered, he still had a hard time wrapping his mind around the implications. His brain was foggy, exhausted. The cobwebs were getting thicker. Thomas desperately needed a break, and from the looks of her, Alexia did, too.
“Thomas?” she began. “Are you okay?” Thomas Knight should have been flush from the heat of the day. Everyone had almost unnatural tans from their time in the blistering desert sun, and their time in the caves hadn’t alleviated their new skin glow. But, as Alexia watched Thomas, he seemed paler. His skin had a strange, yellow-ish gray pallor, which seemed out of place. It was more than his usual layer of dust. But, there was something else about him that wasn’t quite right; stranger, even, than the layer of film on his skin.
It suddenly occurred to Alexia that on any other day he would have been brushing his beard with that little comb of his. Yet, today, it sat forgotten in his shirt pocket. She hadn’t known him long, but Thomas Knight’s immaculate beard keeping was legendary.
“Yes, yes. I’m fine. My brain is just…scattershot and I can’t focus it into more coherent thoughts than creatures bringing about earthquakes and the implications of the tremors localized just to our area. Neither makes sense.” He was rambling and he knew it, but he didn’t care. He knew Alexia would just listen. She would ingest the information, and would, eventually, come up with an idea or suggestion that hadn’t occurred to him. “Really, I’m simply exhausted. Abby tried to make me rest and eat, but…” Thomas spread his hands wide and shrugged, a wan smile giving his plan away.
“But, you came here instead,” Alexia finished. Thomas nodded.
Alexia hit save on the third computer. Her report would be ready to send in the morning. “We both need to take a break,” she said, echoing his earlier thoughts. “Let’s go back to your tent, put away your projects, and kick back with some sangria. What do you say?”
Thomas Knight’s smile broadened, “I am in! Close your laptops, dear,” he joked.
With a final snap, she closed the last lid. “Way ahead of you, dear,” Alexia retorted. Neither was sure how they’d morphed into endearments, but as long as they only joked about it, they imagined, the reality of their growing attraction wouldn’t be quite so heavy a burden. They had bigger things to worry about than chemistry just now. In unspoken agreement, they laughed, as they left her tent, and walked hand-in-hand to his.
It wasn’t a long walk from Alexia’s tent to Thomas’s. But, she was easy to talk to and their discussion had gone on for much longer than he’d intended. The early dusk had become thicker with night; the crown of the setting sun and the night stars were making their first appearances. There was still just enough sun to cast shadows, making it easier to navigate the dusty paths, and take note of anything unusual. They’d been on high alert since they’d realized how close Noah’s camp now was to theirs.
As they approached Thomas’s tent, Alexia spotted a shadow, “Expecting anyone?” she asked.
“No, why?” began Thomas, then stopped. “Hold on, Alexia,” he cautioned, as she began to walk purposefully toward the tent, hoping to interrupt whoever it was. “I want to see what they’re up to and make sure there isn’t more than one of them. Whoever was in his tent making all the racket was much larger than any man he’d ever seen.
It’s a shadow, you fool! Thomas chided himself. His heart rate quickened, and he watched the giant shadow move inelegantly through his things. Whoever they were, they weren’t being too careful or quiet. I’d think it was one of Noah’s goons, but even they’re more polished than this. Then to Alexia, he whispered, “See if you can round up a few guards while I”—he noticed a shovel not far from his tent—“investigate.”
Alexia nodded at the shovel. Thomas responded, “Well, it’s better than nothing.”
“Fair enough,” Alexia shrugged, as she headed toward the mess tent.
Shovel in one hand, Thomas put his free hand on the tent flap and drew it back. The sound caused the intruder to turn. Thomas froze. He was eye to eye with a giant.
Thomas’ brain struggled to process what he was seeing. As if it couldn’t process the idea of Thomas either, the giant paid him no more mind and turned back to its task at hand, leaving Thomas to sputter and wonder.
Eight
Thomas’ tent had been tossed. Papers, books, artifacts, clothes, and more were strewn about the space. But, that wasn’t what had stopped Thomas short. It felt like a waking dream. Thomas’s men
tal cobwebs were thicker than ever as he shook his head violently, trying to make what he was seeing go away.
The shadowy figure Alexia had first noticed had turned around only briefly at Thomas Knight’s entrance. Unfazed, like a man on a mission, it rifled through the crates and drawers.
The figure before him, though giant-like in size, Thomas observed, seemed only a boy. A teenager, perhaps, Thomas thought, considering the intruder’s countenance and mannerisms. That explains the unpolished searching. At first glance, the man-child seemed afraid. But, then his eyes darkened, and he reached into the folds of the furs he wore.
Who would wear fur in this heat? Thomas wondered, his academic mind detached from the destruction before him.
Then, in the next instant, Thomas Knight raised his shovel and shouted at the figure, “Hey, you!”
It turned and looked down at Thomas. The two locked eyes for a fleeting second, before Thomas shouted again, “What are you doing? Get out of here!”
Exceedingly tall, the intruder screamed in a language Thomas didn’t understand. His furs shook like leaves on a tree, his fist was raised, his large fingers were encircled around something Thomas couldn’t make out. But it was the cold whisper of air, and the glint of steel that flew past his cheek, that had Thomas stumbling back. Suddenly, he knew why the intruder had looked familiar. He’d seen it in cave paintings.
“Stop!” Thomas shouted, not backing down. “You threw a knife at me?”
Thomas lunged at him, the two of them locked in a battle of wills. Neither heard the commotion outside the tent as Alexia arrived with guards, and Pediah, in tow.
Once the guards realized the size of the intruder, cries of, “it’s a giant!” and “Who or what is that?” and a series of rumblings of “I didn’t sign on for this!” added to the undercurrent of fear, even trained guards couldn’t hide. But, it was that very fear which propelled them, as they watched Thomas Knight once again battle something not of their world.
To a man, they rallied, and entered the tent, intent on separating Thomas from his sure demise, it seemed.
While against men his own weight and size, Thomas stood a chance, against this man-child giant, Thomas now found himself on the losing end.
Spitting and snarling, the intruder kicked and clawed at any who got in his way, scattering guards left and right.
Detachedly, Pediah and Alexia realized the intruder wasn’t really trying to hurt anyone. He was in a panic, and simply didn’t know his own strength.
But, Thomas had to be defended. Pediah, closer to the giant’s size with his large frame, reached a pacifying hand toward the creature—almost as if trying to control a spooked horse than a man, Alexia thought.
As the guards shook off his attempts and worked together to restrain him, he worked that much harder to fling them from his frame.
Some wondered aloud where they could take the intruder, should they be able to calm and control him.
Then, a curious thing happened. The intruder stopped fighting. It happened so suddenly, that several guards who launched themselves toward it, fell to the ground, and found themselves looking up. The large man-child made no move to hurt them. Alexia, seeing her opening, reached out her own hand toward the intruder. No one was sure what caused the giant to stop, but they took their opportunity and quickly secured him by tying his arms behind his back.
It was at Alexia’s touch that he’d stopped and visibly relaxed. He looked at her with as close to a quizzical expression as his kind could manage. Was there something familiar about Alexia? Or perhaps that she’d simply reached out a hand?
Alexia imagined it was because she seemed less scary than the other combatants.
Thomas caught a stray look at himself in a mirror. He’d laughed at Abby’s insistence, just the day before, about hanging it in his tent. He wasn’t laughing now, as he took note of his reflection. Guess I’m a little worse for the wear—scratches and a shiner. Was I so involved I didn’t even realize I got punched?
Alexia put a hand on his shoulder. “Are you alright?” She was no stranger to the aftermath of a fight. She’d seen her brothers, and had herself, been in a scrape or two. A Latina girl from the wrong side of the tracks growing up with brothers and helping out in her pop’s shop? Yeah, she could take care of herself.
Thomas looked sideways, angled his jaw roguishly, and rubbed his chin, “Yeah, I’m fine. The knife didn’t hit me.”
Alexia laughed, “The knife didn’t, but he did.” She took a deep breath. “Thomas, tell me the truth. Are you alright? If I have to get Abby right now and she sees you like this, she’ll have both our heads.”
“Really, I’m fine. A few scrapes and bruises—just another day at the office.”
“Glad to hear it,” interjected Pediah, who’d picked up the knife and had been studying it more closely. “Take a look at this, Thom,” he began. Pediah held up the knife to the light, angling it one way, then the other.
“Check it out. It’s beautifully crafted,” said Pediah as he ran his fingers along the smooth handle and the flat of the blade. “And as beautiful as the workmanship is, that’s not what’s gotten my attention. It’s the depressions in the blade that caught my eye.”
“Here, let me see that. Those markings on the blade, those are runes, or at least they look like a type of runic, an ancient druidic language,” Thomas explained to Pediah. “We’ve seen this writing before. Do you recognize it?”
Alexia joined them. Pediah took a step back and drew in a sharp breath. “That looks a lot like the writing on the scrolls and at the doors entrances, over the…caves.” Pediah glanced toward the intruder, now bound and guarded. Alexia and Thomas followed his gaze, realization beginning to dawn.
Thomas nodded and Alexia arched her eyebrows. For a long while, no one spoke.
Pediah finally broke the silence, asking, “Have there been any knives or other weapons discovered below?”
Thomas shook his head, and said slowly, “He must have brought it with him.”
“So, he came from the caves?” began Alexia. “As many times as we’ve been down there, wouldn’t we have…seen…?”
“Or heard?” finished Thomas. Who or what was the intruder? Did he live in the caves beneath Death Valley?
Thomas looked once more toward the now subdued intruder. The guards gathered to escort the intruder out of his tent, to a more secure area Thomas assumed.
“Wait!” he called to them. The guards turned. “Bring him back,” Thomas requested. “I’ve thought of a better place to take him.”
In an effort to further explain, he added, “We”—he looked to Alexia and Pediah who imperceptibly shook their heads—“want to take him to Abigail Hogan. She’s our linguist.”
“He just threw a knife at you and got you caught up in a pretty good scrap,” chastised Alexia. “Do you really want to take him to see Abby?”
“It’ll be fine. She’ll be fine,” Thomas answered.
“What are you planning, Thomas?” Pediah asked cautiously.
Nine
Having just finished her reports for the day, Abby had been getting ready for bed as the hour neared midnight. Suddenly the cool silence of the desert night came alive with activity.
She heard them before she saw them. With a mother’s instinct, she quickly changed back into her daytime attire. She braced herself for whatever was coming. Nothing surprised her anymore, she’d thought to herself. Then, as the headlamps, and flashlights of the guards illuminated what they bore, her knees nearly buckled.
At first, she’d only seen the guards flanking their charge. But, as the bobbing lights met with her own, she saw also Thomas, Pediah, and Alexia Fraga. She would have laughed at Pediah’s cheery “Hiya Abby!” had she not been so taken aback by the entire scene before her.
Thomas put his hand up, just as the large figure amidst the guards got spooked and started once more to struggle. “Abby, wait. You’ll scare”—he turned a sideways glance to the large man-child—“him.”<
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Abby’s eyes widened. “I will?” she shook her head.
It was too late. The giant they’d worked so hard to subdue felt trapped again. Being bound only in ropes, he snapped them easily. The guards were his next target.
“Thomas!” Abby called, “Tell the guards to step away. They’re only scaring him and causing more damage.”
Thomas turned to the guards. “It’s okay. Let him go, guys. We’ll take care of him from here.”
Pediah and Alexia were on one side of the figure. Thomas, leading the now shrunken crew, approached Abby, who held the flap to her tent open. “After you,” she said.
Once everyone was inside, she turned to address Thomas. Robbie came forward. He’d been sitting in the corner editing one of his latest videos—ever the faithful servant of his fanbase.
Though he’d heard the commotion outside, it hadn’t registered. But when he looked up at the nearby giant, his jaw dropped. Setting his phone down purposefully, he stood slowly, and looked at each team member in turn, while keeping one eye on the fur-clad figure. “What the—?” he managed, before Abby cut him short.
“It’s okay, Robbie. I think I know the problem.” Turning to back to Thomas, she asked, “Let me guess, he’s been saying something in a language you don’t understand?”
Pediah and Alexia nodded for him, stupefied that Abby had figured out why they needed her so quickly. But, before anyone else could say anything, Abby sent them all a look that advised silence.