“He did, and his ambitions in the early days were to keep evil at bay. But power does odd things to a person, as does seeing those around you slip away whilst others endure with seemingly eternal life. Robert clearly managed to extend his life and by doing so has formed an allegiance with those wretched black things.”
“You spoke of them back there as if you knew what they were?” commented Matt. “How did you know that they wouldn’t work with him?”
Mrs Argyle adjusted her coat and glanced at Clive, both of them obviously finding the subject uncomfortable. “There were efforts made, during the darkest times in the War, to form alliances with beings similar to those. Not by our side, I must add, but by our enemies.”
“There were Nazi Remarkables?” Owen asked, surprised.
“Of course there were,” Fafnir explained. “Hitler was obsessed with that sort of thing. He started recruiting way before the Allies did. I turned the Führer down personally, although not especially politely.”
Mrs Argyle smiled. “When they couldn’t amass an army capable of fighting us, they tried to access the other worlds using the abilities of those over whom they held power.” Clive shifted in his seat awkwardly. “They managed to locate suitable armies, but couldn’t maintain the portals for long enough for them to transfer to our world.”
“That’s why he needed me,” Owen said, “so that I could pull those rope things through, whatever they were.”
“A bridge,” his father explained. “They were a bridge between the worlds. The Remnant has been working on one for years but never managed to get the phasing right.” He smiled to himself. “Well actually they did, I just happened to throw spanners in the works each time they made progress.”
“But now they’ve found another source,” Mrs Argyle said thoughtfully, “I just don’t understand who helped them communicate with those that built it.”
“There’s only one person with that power,” Clive said.
“That’s impossible and you know it,” Christopher snapped at him.
Clive held his hands up in defence. “I’m just saying, is all.”
“That’s not helpful,” stated Mrs Argyle, “and as Christopher said, impossible. There must be someone else.”
A gloomy silence prevailed, Christopher glaring at Clive. Owen wanted to ask his father who they were referring to, but decided against it. He had never seen him look so angry.
After about an hour or so the truck came to a stop. Clive unbuckled his belt and peered through the window to the cab. “Where are we guys?” he asked.
A loud engine roar was followed by the sight of an aeroplane flying low overhead, making Clive jump back in surprise.
“An airport,” Ken said drolly.
The others unbuckled their belts and Owen opened the back of the truck. He jumped down and helped the others descend. Myrtle stayed where she was.
“Are we going on a trip?” Clive asked.
“You’re not,” Fafnir said and pointed at Owen and Katie, “they are.”
“Granddad?” Katie said questioningly.
“It’s not safe here,” Fafnir said, taking Katie’s hands in hers.
“It’ll be safe if I’m with you!” she said tearfully. “Mum and Dad left me, Fi hates me. I can’t lose you as well!”
“My dear Katie,” Fafnir said gently, “you’ll never lose me. But if you stay here I can’t guarantee your safety, and I won’t be responsible for you being hurt.”
“But you won’t be! I’m strong, I’ve-” Fafnir cut her off by putting his finger to her lips.
“Alone I can easily hide. But I couldn’t shelter you as well, and if they take you it would be nobody’s fault but mine.” Katie collapsed into his arms sobbing.
“Dad?” Owen turned to his father.
“You’ll be safe there, and don’t worry; I’ll come and join you. I need to be here for Jack to begin with.” Owen nodded, feeling guilty for forgetting about his younger brother who would be away for the next few weeks. “Plus there’s some stuff at the house I need to sort out, and I’d like to collect the car, it’s been very loyal over the years.” Mrs Argyle looked sheepish but remained silent. “Plus I need to square things up with those at work who aren’t connected to this lot. And besides, Celia will keep you safe.”
“These two need a chaperone,” Mrs Argyle said smiling. Owen blushed and Katie smiled weakly.
“And I’ll be coming too!” said Ellie happily.
“Quite,” said Mrs Argyle.
“Where are we going exactly?” Owen asked.
“To the Provenance,” she said simply.
“I thought you said they weren’t to be trusted?”
“I never said that,” Mrs Argyle corrected him, “but you’re right, they aren’t. Unfortunately they offer the safest haven available to us.”
“Is that our plane?” Ellie asked, as the small jet that had flown overhead taxied towards them.
“Yes, they’re punctual as ever,” confirmed Fafnir.
“How did they get it here so quick?” asked Clive.
“I may have put in a request before we left the campsite,” said Ken guiltily. “A back up plan, you know.”
“Well it’s a good job we’re here then,” said Clive, “they get rather annoyed if they’re left waiting.”
“More than somewhat,” said Fafnir, and gave Katie another hug. “We’ll see each other again soon, don’t fret.”
“That had better be a promise,” she said.
“I guarantee it,” Fafnir smiled back.
Owen and his father stared at one another briefly, neither sure what to do, not being the hugging types. “Oh come here,” Christopher said finally, pulling his son into an embrace, “I’m going to miss you son. Thank you for coming to my aid.”
“I’ll miss you, Dad,” Owen said, relenting to the tears that had been welling up.
The door of the plane opened, and an attractive young woman disembarked. She was dressed simply in trousers and a t-shirt and waved for them to come over.
“Off you go then!” Fafnir said, and gave Katie a gently push.
“What about you? You will be careful, won’t you?”
“I’ll be fine; it takes more than a secret government division trying to unleash an army of hellish creatures on the earth to keep me down! And besides, I’ve got this lot to keep me out of mischief.” Fafnir gestured towards Ken, Clive and Matt.
Katie laughed and gave him one last hug and stepped back.
“Come along then,” Mrs Argyle encouraged, turning towards the plane.
“What about clothes and stuff?” Katie asked.
“Don’t worry, they’ll have you fully kitted when we get there, and you can freshen up on board.”
“Oh, that reminds me!” Ellie said, and ran back to the truck. From the front of the cab she retrieved Owen’s rucksack, holding it up triumphantly, which Owen accepted gratefully.
Katie nodded and walked to Owen, taking his hand in hers. She gave it a squeeze and he smiled back.
They walked towards the plane, both looking back at the families and new found friends they were leaving behind, each waving back at them.
“Hi there,” the woman at the foot of the plane’s steps greeted them with what sounded like a Spanish accent, “you must be Owen and Katie. I’m Tienne. Please, make yourselves comfortable.”
“Hi,” Owen said climbing after Katie who had just offered a forced smiled in return.
“Are we going to America?” Owen asked Mrs Argyle at the top of the steps.
“South America, to be exact,” the young woman answered for her.
They walked into the plush interior of the plane, which had ten large leather seats on either side of the central aisle.
“Sit wherever you like,” Tienne offered.
Owen and Katie seated themselves in the central set of seats, on either side of the aisle. As Owen settled into his seat he felt something hard jab into his thigh. He felt into his pocket and retrieved the bl
ack stone that he had brought into the world earlier. Unnoticed by anyone, he tucked it into his rucksack.
Ellie now entered the plane and selected a seat at the back of the plane. She was soon followed by Mrs Argyle who chose one in front of Katie, before turning around to address them both.
“Enjoy this luxury,” she said, a twinkle in her eye, “you won’t be seeing much like it for a while.”
“Where are we going?” Owen asked impatiently.
“Into the wild.”
Epilogue
The five men watched as the plane soared into the air above them. As it disappeared into the night’s sky, they turned back to the truck.
“Where to, gentlemen?” Matt asked, having taken up the driving from Ken.
“I’m gonna crawl into a hole and sleep until my bones stop aching,” Fafnir stated, rubbing his back. “I’ve got a place not far away you can all stay at for a few days, until your other boy gets back, Christopher.”
“Sounds like a plan,” agreed Clive, “wake me up when we’re there.” He threw himself into the front passenger seat and closed his eyes.
Ken and Fafnir followed Christopher into the back of the truck, Ken giving Myrtle’s long wavy hair a stroke as he sat down.
“Do you think this is wise?” asked Ken. “Sending them both to those who are, for all intents and purposes, just as dangerous as those we’ve just escaped from?”
“Our options were somewhat limited,” replied Christopher, “but your sister has a way with people; she’ll keep them in line.”
Ken raised his eyebrows, not convinced that the faith in his sister’s diplomatic skills was entirely justified. “Maybe, but they are likely to discover certain facts that could lead them to harbour an intense hatred towards you both.”
“Perhaps, but in time they’ll understand that what we did was for the best,” Christopher replied, sighing.
Fafnir patted him on the back. “Regardless of how they feel towards us, all we can do is be there for them and offer guidance along whichever path they choose to tread. Just as I did for her parents when they made that difficult decision after she was born. Just as you and your wife did for Owen, Christopher.”
“Speaking of whom…” Ken left the statement hanging in the cold air.
“I know,” Christopher said quietly, “that was her.”
“Do you think she knew? Did she realise that the boy was her son?” Ken asked.
“I don’t know,” Christopher said. “Who knows what turmoil she has endured over the last eleven years?”
“They say a mother always knows,” Fafnir said wisely, “and she did seem very protective over the boy.”
“Yes,” Christopher said smiling, “she did, didn’t she?”
Fafnir gave directions to Matt and the truck pulled away, the sun ahead of them as it emerged from behind a cloud.
“One thing that does puzzle me though,” Fafnir mused, “is that hat.
“The Jane Johnson that I knew wouldn’t have been seen dead in a trilby."
~ ρ ~
Ellie settled back in her seat and closed her eyes, listening to the steady hum of the plane’s engines. She couldn’t decide whether she should tell Celia about wh
at she had seen, and even if she did, would she believe her?
The vision of black bodies stretched out in front of her was too similar to what had caused her injury. So it would probably be dismissed as being some form of traumatic flashback.
Maybe it was. But the voice was so vivid, so desperate and scared. If only she could understand what it had meant by the words it had uttered.
“Creed is out of his pit.”
About the author
A. D. Elliott has been writing stories for his own enjoyment since he could string a sentence together. This continued throughout his education, especially during his time as an undergraduate at the University of Liverpool where writing fantastical stories was far more appealing to completing his dissertation.
Finally with a nudge from his family and friends he started to create the world in which seemingly ordinary people who have extraordinary powers inhabit; the world of The Remarkables.
Also by A. D. Elliott
In The Remarkable Owen Johnson series
The Remarkables
Reaching Out
The Remarkables (The Remarkable Owen Johnson, part 1) Page 22