“But, what happened?” he continued. “Did Savage get him?”
“We hope not,” Enola frowned.
“Yeah, we’d better hope not,” Amelia sounded distressed. “Jack, Pud has the O/A!”
“What! How?”
“He sneaked it away before the police found it this morning,” she explained. “When he showed it to me, it didn’t look very good. Jack, the O/A looked like it was dying.”
“Dying? It’s a machine.”
“I’m just telling you what I saw, what I felt. Its spirit clothes were colorless. It was dying, or at least very sick, and Pud insisted he could fix it.”
“He did,” Enola said. “He did fix it.”
“Sort of,” corrected Cheyton.
“I don’t know what this is all about,” Jack said. “But we’d better find Pud and the O/A before Savage or the police do.”
“What about your mom, Jack?” suggested Amelia. “She works here, maybe she can help us.”
“I don’t know. It’s been hard to convince her of anything lately.”
“Why do we need to convince her?” she pointed at the Tanakee. “All she has to do is see these guys right here, right now and she’ll be a believer.”
“No way!” Cheyton rejected the idea. “We’re not bringing any more humans into this. You’re the ones giving us all the problems. No more colluding with them, got that Ayita?”
“Wait a minute,” Takota argued. “You can’t talk to her like that. She has Eteea, and if she feels she can trust humans, I believe her. I believe her because I feel it too. My Eteea gets strong whenever I’m with Jack, and it’s getting stronger all the time.”
“That’s what I feel, too,” Ayita motioned to Amelia. “It gets stronger when we’re around these children.”
“Give me a break with this Eteea talk!” ordered Cheyton. “You don’t have it any more than I do, and not any more than the rest of the Tanakee.”
“Yes we do,” Ayita disputed. “Just because you can’t feel it doesn’t mean we can’t.”
“Okay, then enlighten me. What is Eteea telling you right now?”
“Well, I, uh…”
“See! It’s unreliable!” Cheyton raised his voice. “It’s uncontrollable and it always will be!”
Ayita bristled. “I don’t need to control Eteea to understand it. One thing’s for sure, though. Jack and Amelia are our friends.”
“Cheyton, listen to them, please,” begged Enola. “You’ve got to try and open your heart to these children. They want to help us.”
“Why is everybody ganging up on me?” he reeled from Enola’s embrace. “All I wanted was to keep us safe. And I was, until he came around,” he pointed at Takota. “Can’t you guys see it’s his fault?”
Takota fought off a fit of rage, feeling as if he might come to blows with Cheyton. Their furtive, sideways glances became direct stares. Before they got the chance, though, a change in the environment made them both pause and take notice. All the Tanakee listened, and each one of them stopped and fell frozen, once again pretending to be mere toys.
“IN HERE, MOMMY! In here!” Lily tugged hard on her mother’s arm.
“Careful, Lil,” Liz whispered loudly. “You’re hurting me, baby.”
“The monsters are in here, Mommy! Right there!” Lily pointed to the Tanakee sitting on the floor.
Jack and Amelia shrugged at each other.
“Hi, Mom,” he waved, flashing a giant grin.
She squinted and placed both hands on her hips. The big, red Winmart on her white shirt made her seem even more imposing.
“Okay, Jack. You’ve had your fun. You scared your little sister. Joke’s over, now. Tell Lily that thing isn’t real, that it’s just a teddy bear. Tell her you’ve been playing a prank on her this whole time. Okay, Jack? Tell her.”
He refused. “Can’t do that, Mom.”
“Jack, I mean it. I want you, once and for all, right here and now to announce to me, Amelia, Lily, and especially yourself that those things are just teddy bears. They’re not real monsters!”
“I can tell you without a doubt they aren’t monsters, unless you make them angry.”
“Jack!”
“Mom, please! Just listen to me!”
Liz tightened her lips and breathed hard. She seemed all at once scared, confused and angry.
Jack continued. “These, these animals. They’re called Tanakee, and they’re from deep in the forest where they’ve lived for thousands, maybe even millions of years undiscovered by science. All they want to do is live in peace, but this man named Archer Savage wants to capture them and implant a device in their brains to make them some kind of interdimensional warriors.”
Liz stood silent. Then she and Lily exchanged a skeptical giggle.
“See?” Mother asked Daughter. “See what I mean? It’s all silly! Your brother’s got a silly imagination, just like his father!”
“What Jack told you is true, Mrs. James,” Takota decided to break his cover and come to life. He’d grown tired of hiding his identity from Jack’s mother. He’d grown tired of making the boy look, in her words, ‘silly.’ But most of all he’d gotten terribly weary of playing the dead game. It was time for action, not cowering in the corner.
“What the..?” Liz stepped backward into a craft table. She didn’t fall but came close.
“I told you so! I told you so!” Lily squawked. “I told you they talk! They’re monsters!”
“They’re not monsters, Lily,” Jack protested.
“No, no. They’re nice,” Amelia explained. “They’re our friends. They need our help.”
Liz covered her mouth, appearing to be fighting back a scream. Then she squinted, scrutinizing Takota. She bent and snatched him up.
“Okay. What kinda contraption have you and your father thought up this time? Remote control, right? And a microphone?”
She forced open Takota’s mouth, visibly shocked by what she saw.
“No microphone in here,” he showed his sharp teeth.
“AHHH!” she tossed him like a hot potato. With some pretty fast reflexes for a human, Jack caught him before he hit the floor.
“Thanks,” Takota said. The boy placed him on his own two feet. He did appreciate the save, though it was unnecessary. He would have stuck the landing.
“No, no…it can’t be,” Liz stammered. “They can’t be real.”
“Why not?” Ayita thawed from her frozen position and stood next to Takota. “We’re just as real as you.”
“What is ‘real,’ anyway?” Enola came to life and joined them, putting her arms around her fuzzy friends. “If you ask me, the one real thing is love. Everything else is an illusion.”
“Oh. My. God,” Liz clutched her daughter. Lily’s expression went from terror to fascination. Takota sensed the little girl warming up to them. Jack’s mother, though, needed more convincing.
“Great, guys,” Cheyton climbed to his feet. “Just great. Expose us to the whole world, why don’t you?”
“Another one!” Liz rattled her head. “How many are there!”
“Mom, listen,” Jack pleaded. “I know it’s a lot to comprehend, but we need you to help us.”
“But, if they’re real animals, how can they talk? Animals can’t talk. Except for parrots. That’s it! That’s what they’re doing. They’re just mimicking, like parrots, right?”
“We’re not stupid, lady,” Cheyton glared.
“No, Mommy,” Lily strode from her mother’s protective wing. “I know what they are—they’re baby Bigfoot!”
“Hey, take that back!” Cheyton took a step toward her.
Enola grabbed his arm. “Cheyton, she’s just a child. She didn’t mean it.”
“Mean what?” asked Liz.
“They don’t like it when you call them Bigfoot,” Jack explained. “It’s an insult.”
“What?” she laughed.
Amelia nodded. “They don’t like Bigfoot.”
“It’s not that we d
on’t like them,” Takota felt he needed to set the matter straight. “They’re just considered to be, well, not very clean or civilized.”
“Or smart,” said Cheyton.
“They stink,” Ayita added.
“They’re our pets,” Enola said. “I had a Sasquatch when I was young and I loved him. They’re wonderful creatures and they deserve our respect.”
“Oh my,” chuckled Liz. “If this wasn’t so weird, I wouldn’t believe it.”
“So you do believe us?” Jack clapped his hands once.
She exhaled. “I have no choice. I have to believe my own eyes and ears don’t I? Unless I’m dreaming.”
“If you are dreaming, then what does it matter?” Amelia pointed out. “That’s what I’m telling myself, because I agree with you. This does feel like a dream. If it is, then why not see where it leads?”
Liz’s straight face blossomed into a smile.
“Oh, what the h—”
“Mom! Language!” scolded Lily.
“Heck,” Liz professed. “I was going to say heck!”
“Thanks, Mom,” Jack embraced her, squeezing so tight she stuck out her tongue playfully. When he let her go, he got to business. “We don’t have time to waste. We’ve got to get you guys out of here, now.”
“But what about Pud?” Enola asked. “And your father’s invention?”
“What about your father’s invention?” Liz seemed befuddled.
“We know where it is. One of the Tanakee has it.”
Ayita frowned. “Pud. And he’s lost.”
Jack sounded confident. “We’ll find him, don’t worry. But first thing’s first. We’ve got to get you out of here before Savage sees you. His people are searching the store as we speak.”
“This is so confusing,” Liz said. “Who’s this Savage guy again, and why’s he after these teddy bears?”
“We’re not teddy bears, we’re Tanakee,” Cheyton corrected her.
“Sorry,” she held up her hands. “Why does Savage want the Tanakee?”
“I told you, Mom,” Jack huffed. “He and his client want to make them slaves and control them like robots.”
“Super warriors,” Takota added.
“Uh, huh,” Liz eyed him. “Listen, little guy…”
“Takota.”
“Okay. Listen, Takota. I don’t mean any disrespect to you or any of your little friends, but,” she held in a giggle. “Why would anyone want to make you into a soldier? I mean, you’re so tiny and cute. You look like you couldn’t even hurt a fly.”
“That’s exactly what we want you to think,” Takota winked.
“Yeah, we may be small, but we’ll surprise you,” said Ayita.
“They’re incredible, Mom,” Jack bubbled over with enthusiasm. “They can do all kinds of amazing things. I’ve seen it.”
“Like what? What can they possibly do that’s so amazing?”
Takota glanced at Ayita. She gave a nod. Without a word he leapt, flipped backward, and kicked off the wall so hard he appeared to fly. After several yards, he twisted twice and landed on two feet. Ayita joined in, shooting straight to the tiled ceiling where she clung like an insect, crawled in a circle, then dropped to the floor. Enola backflipped across the room, punctuating her maneuver with a graceful aerial somersault and landing which would have rivaled any Olympic champion. Cheyton, after initially refusing to budge, bristled at Takota’s antics and sprinted along the corners of Kid Kastle in a blur. Faster and faster he ran, gradually edging up the walls and looping in a gravity-defying feat.
Takota felt he needed to raise the stakes. He gave it nearly everything he had and dashed straight up the front wall, bolted across the ceiling, then descended the back in record time. From there, he propelled onto his feet with incredible momentum, which made the consecutive trips effortless. He felt he could have sprinted on and on forever.
Ayita and Enola gave up their demonstrations and huddled near their human friends, congregating in the corner furthest from danger.
In the sides of his vision, Takota caught glimpses of Cheyton moving with the same agility. Their speed bordered on supersonic—bullets slicing through the air, and if their timing and direction weren’t perfect…
CRASH!
Takota flew over the children into a shelf of books called, The Little People’s Library. The force of the wreck affected Cheyton with similar violence. He remained in place, spinning out of control until he fell in a heap.
Takota hopped to his feet, thinking he’d won. Cheyton imitated the move and jumped into a ready stance. With no clear victor, Takota picked up a chair, tossed it, then caught it with one hand, allowing it to gently come to rest in its original position.
“Ha! That’s all you got?” Cheyton strode to the craft table, rocked it on its side, and allowed it to fall on top of him. Everyone gasped but Takota. He wasn’t impressed. Then Cheyton stood and pressed the table over him, juggling it in the air, first using two hands, then one, then he dropped on his back and used his feet.
Takota clenched his teeth and propped himself against one of the library bookshelves, heaving it up. Cheyton saw the new challenge and let the table drop. He ran to lift the other, slightly larger bookshelf. Takota glared, put down the case, and darted to the center of the room, searching for the heaviest thing in sight. Then the idea struck.
In an instant he was under Liz’s feet, lifting her off the floor.
“Whoa!” she crouched and waved her arms, trying to maintain balance while teetering on Takota’s tiny palms.
“Whoa!” Takota shouted. Something made his stomach queasy. The earth moved under his feet. He realized Cheyton had somehow wedged himself under and forced Takota above his shoulders, forming a living tower with Liz at the top.
“Okay! Okay!” she screamed. “I believe you!”
“Easy, guys,” Jack stepped toward them. “Put Mom down, okay?”
“Him first!” demanded Cheyton.
“I can’t put her down until you put me down!” Takota stated.
“Okay, but that doesn’t mean you won!”
“You both won, all right?” Jack offered.
“That’s bull!” Cheyton argued. “Everybody knows I’m faster. I’m stronger. It’s obvious.”
“Cheyton, put them down!” commanded Enola.
He sighed, crouching to his knees and letting Takota slide to the floor. Liz toppled backward. Takota caught her, holding her upright while she regained her footing.
“Wow!” Lily shouted. “That looked fun! My turn! My turn!”
“Not now, Lil,” Jack told her. “We’ve got other things to do. How’d you like to take these guys home with us?”
“Yeah, that’d be great!”
“Hold on,” Cheyton crossed his arms. “We’re not going to your house. Why should we?”
“It’s just for now, until we can figure something else out.”
Takota nodded, “Jack’s right. The most important thing now is to get out of here before that psycho Savage finds us.”
“We don’t need to do what you say,” Cheyton announced. “I’m still the leader of this tribe. I say we go far away from humans.”
“Cheyton, please,” Enola clutched his shoulders. “We have to stay together. That’s the most important thing.”
“But they want us to trust humans.”
Enola’s voice sounded silky. “It’s all right, Cheyton. Everything’s going to be all right.”
Cheyton was unable to resist. Takota felt the same way. Enola’s outer beauty was surpassed only by her inner beauty. He noticed the same strange, ethereal glow he’d seen earlier. It surrounded her, bathing her in green warmth.
Amelia asked, “How do we get them out of here without being spotted by one of Savage’s goons?”
“I’ve got an idea,” Takota said. “It’s free stuffed animal day, right?”
“Yeah, so?” Jack shrugged.
“So, all you guys have to do is take your free teddy bears home, get it?”
“I think so,” he answered. “You mean we just carry you out all nonchalant and stuff.”
“I get it,” Amelia announced. “It’s called hiding in plain sight.”
“Kinda like what you guys have been doing here in the store all along, huh?” Liz asked, still looking a little shell-shocked.
“So this should be a piece of cake,” said Takota.
“Speaking of cake, we can’t forget about Pud,” Enola declared.
Takota answered, “We have to leave that up to the humans. It’s just too dangerous for us here. After they smuggle us out they can come back. They’ll find him.”
“No,” Cheyton stood firm. “We’re not going anywhere without Pud.”
“We have to find Pud,” Jack reminded him. “He’s got the O/A.”
Takota understood they couldn’t abandon their friend, so he came up with a revised plan. Instead of going straight out the door, Jack, Amelia, Lily and Liz would each carry a Tanakee and take a casual stroll through Winmart. That way, they’d search for Pud while disguised as simple shoppers.
TWENTY-SEVEN
AFTER SPLITTING UP and performing an exhaustive search, practically encompassing every square inch of the store, they met again near the front exit. All eight of them gathered in an area separated from the rest of the building by two sets of automatic, glass double doors, and dominated by bubblegum machines and soda dispensers.
Jack waited for a customer to walk by, then asked, “Anybody see him?”
“Nothin’,” Lily pouted.
“No trace of him,” answered Amelia.
“Mom?” Jack nudged Liz. She seemed to be staring into space.
“Huh, what?” she focused on her son. “Oh. No. I, uh, we didn’t see anything.”
Jack sounded scared. “Now what are we going to do? We’ll never get the O/A back!”
Takota knew desperate times made the mind work in mysterious ways, so he ignored what he thought was Pud’s voice. Funny thing, too. It sounded something like, “I’m in here!” though he felt certain his wishful thinking had conjured it up.
Then he heard it again.
“Did anyone else catch that?” he examined the small space, a gauntlet of machines filled with gummy worms, fake tattoos, jawbreakers, plastic jewelry and an assortment of soft drinks. In the middle of it all loomed a giant glass box with Toy Factory airbrushed in whimsical letters near the top. Inside the enclosure, Takota was reminded of their now former home among the stuffed animals. He saw a colorful assortment of imitation wildlife. There were other things, too, namely a strange metal contraption hanging from the ceiling of the container, a mechanical arm with three long, scary claws on its end.
Jack James and the Tribe of the Teddy Bear Page 19