Phoenix Quest Adventures: First Three Novels
Page 29
“Would you call Jonathan to make sure he’s ready to leave? You know Simon’s sending him along, whether he told us so or not. I’ll call Charlotte. Who knows what she’s up to? It’s been too long since we talked.”
“I know. All of three days.”
Thalia left the room so she could have a little privacy when she spoke with Charlotte. She had always had a close relationship with her, but there were some things Phoe had never told her about the nature of the artifacts Simon sent her to find. The fact that sometimes these things did not come from the same reality everyone takes for granted could make this quest so sinister that Charlotte might not want to get involved with it. The fact that she wanted Charlotte with her to take care of a little boy whose origins she could only guess at, could also be a turn-off to her friend.
While she was on the phone with Charlotte, Peter was talking with Jonathan Kessler. Jonathan was upset.
“Hey, have you seen the news on the Internet about the disappearance of those explorers in Tibet?”
“No, but your dad told us. I can’t believe it’s hit the Internet already. It sucks, doesn’t it?”
“I have a very bad feeling about this. China is already on the defense and the Vatican is preparing to apply pressure. I don’t know what my dad is sending you to find this time, but my gut is telling me that there’s going to be big trouble.”
“We were going to ask you if you wanted to come.”
“Would I? You’re kidding me, right, Peter? It’s like you guys still don’t know my dad at all. He called you to let you know about a job he wants you to do and it’s urgent. Don’t you think I’m already on the jet and on the way to Venice to pick you guys up. Sheesh! For a set of smart people, y’all are still too dumb!”
“Shit! Did you leave L.A. already?”
“We’re about to.”
“Great! Please pick up Charlotte in New Mexico for us.”
Peter hung up the phone, stunned, and turned to Phoe.
“Jonathan’s in the Gulfstream and leaving L.A. any minute. He’ll get Charlotte for us.”
Phoe rolled her eyes and continued her conversation with Charlotte. It was surprisingly easy to convince her. Simple Treasures seemed to have picked up with business exactly where it had left off and the shop assistants had everything under control. Charlotte was bored and feeling a tad bit old and useless.
“I was wondering what I would do with myself besides driving up to the retirement village and checking myself in. I’ll pack my bags and be at the airport in an hour.”
“Jonathan’s on his way. You have half that time to get to the airport.”
“I’ll be there, Phoe. You know that I have always wanted to go on one of your adventures. This will be fun.”
“Among other things, yes. I just got off the phone with Santino, he’s on the way and the limo is at the parking garage and ready to go.”
Peter and Thalia met in the hallway and gave each other a high five.
“The team’s on their way and we’re a go,” he said as she led him back to her living room.
“Between the stuff I keep on the Beechjet and the gear I already have packed, I’m good to go – always. How about you? Have you got to go get your things packed up?”
“Everything I need is in the trunk of my car. It’s at Tronchetto as well.”
“Then all we need to do is pick up some clothes for this little guy.”
Thalia added a few small things she would need to take along in an overnight bag. There were changes of clothes for everyone onboard the jet, except Charlotte and the baby; still, she had some things that had never left her side over the last couple of years. The katana she’d had made especially for her in Niigata, Japan by the first apprentice of the legendary Akitsugu, was the first. The Beretta Px4 Storm handgun she had taken to carrying in a custom-made holster at her hip was the second. She liked it because it was small and didn’t weigh her down when she needed to move quickly. Phoe had never felt the need to carry weapons before she had branched out on her own, despite having been well trained to handle them. But on her own, she had quickly realized that she was no longer dwelling in the strange pseudo-reality that Simon’s quests seemed to always send her on. She had been immersed into adventures that took her to places and in contact with people that required her to actually defend herself. Shit sometimes got thick in the field for her these days.
Eric walked in the door just ten minutes before Peter’s set departure time, flushed from racing the clock to get packed and chasing after Angelo. He arrived downstairs carrying a large bag filled with the things he thought he would need on a trip to Tibet. He set it down in the entry and asked, “Where is that little boy, you who can’t keep himself still?”
Angelo came toddling down the hall, with his dark wavy hair flopping over one eye, looking as cute as a button in the little corner store change of clothes that Thalia had managed to rustle up for him. They were so big that the child would grab hold firmly to the waistband of the shorts to keep them from falling down as he trotted through the house on his little bare feet.
“Tío! Tío!” he called when he spotted Eric.
“Oh, my. Aren’t you the sweet one,” Eric said, picking him up. “You’re going to be a lady killer like your Uncle Eric when you grow up. I can tell.” He looked over at Thalia. “You said his name is Angelo? It fits.”
The two of them came out to the living room where Peter waited.
He tapped the little boy’s shoulder and said, “We don’t have any solid evidence that this has anything at all to do with the Fountain of Youth that Kessler wants us to find. You know how cryptic the old man can be, and how much he loves a good mystery. This tattoo has Thalia thinking that this kid is more than he appears to be and if that is the case, we could have something more than the run of the mill adventure on our hands. For the time being, he’s important enough to keep a close eye on at all times, so do that. At least until Charlotte gets here. Do you understand?”
Eric took a deep breath. Looking after a toddler is always work, no matter where in the world you are. Besides, whatever the tattoo meant, it could only have been put there by a savage. He didn’t want to think about it.
Thalia tapped him on the shoulder.
“Now, you cannot let him out of your sight for one minute. Do you understand?”
Eric swallowed.
“Yes, and I’m ready to go.”
“Then you and I need to go shopping. I have all sorts of things on both the aircrafts, but I don’t have anything that would fit this little guy and I doubt Simon stocks baby clothes.” She picked Angelo up and crooned, “What do you say we get you some shoes and overalls and shirts?”
The doorbell rang just as Thalia and Eric were getting ready to leave with Angelo. Santino Tedesco, Thalia’s personal guide and chauffeur, was there waiting to take them wherever they needed to go.
“We won’t be long, Peter,” Thalia called as they stepped through the door.
Santino held her hand gently while she tried her best to cross the boat landing and maneuver herself into the long seat on the vaporetti safely with Angelo firmly pasted to her hip. Eventually, the other passengers boarded and the door was closed beside her. After a short ride on the water bus and an even shorter walk to the garage, they were comfortably seated in the air conditioning of her limo and Santino went around to start the vehicle.
The Fountain of Youth
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K.T. Tomb enjoys traveling the world when not writing adventure thrillers. She lives in Portland, OR. Please find her at:
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