by A McKay
"Turn Right in one block." He gunned the gas using the shifter with precision. It didn't seem like he was making up ground the ladies were cruising. He noticed more vehicles on the road than earlier if it was possible. He swerved around the vehicles, jumping up on sidewalks and what not, both Zach and Gabrielle holding on to whatever was close as the Jeep made quick maneuvers. He noticed that the police were ahead of them, and several were following them with their sirens blaring and flasher going. “Zach get rid of them and give me the radio frequency with them." In moments, the sirens were blaring and flashers were going. Vehicles parted as if he was Moses at the great sea.
"All officers, this is the federal marshal, we are in pursuit of a corvette, blue and purple in color. Please do not engage, please clear the way, the driver and passenger are known terrorists." He looked back for a second at Zach. "What?" He shrugged and continued to drive. He didn’t know he knew how to lie and make it sound so real.
The police cars were blocking traffic now and the Jeep had a clear path, for the most part.
"Officer thirty, Corvette hitting highway fifty-seven off of highway twenty two Westbound, will not engage." He didn’t need the directions from the officer, due to the GPS. It was still nice to have a confirmation.
"SGA copies, ten-four." Zach said. Slade looked back at him slowing down just a bit.
“What the fuck did you say?”
"Ten nine, agency name again?" was called back on the radio. He could hear Zach typing over the roar of the engine.
"APB for info," Zach radioed back.
"Zach, that is going to inform the Sanctum having a new agency on the computers," He yelled back to him.
"I know, now they know we're not hiding and that guardians will hunt them down." He said laughing to himself. “Secret Guardian Affairs,” he said again, “Not bad for a spur of the moment name.” He ignored him and looked back to the GPS, seeing how close they were.
The GPS was going to say something but was cut off before it could speak. Zach muted it back on his computer. He didn't know how long they followed them, but they finally pulled into a dock just after sunset.
"There they are," Gabrielle said. Slade followed them, for he wasn't going to let them escape.
“Can the Jeep float?” He asked noticing they were in a shipyard.
“No,” Zach said with seriousness in his voice as they parked the jeep next to Nymphs car. They opened the doors in sync and stepped out. He didn't know when, but Zach had the guns in their holsters again, as he handed Slade’s utility belt to him. He slipped the KRISS on his right side.
They crept to the old looking ship that looked to be from the time of pirates. Something was ominous about the vessel only being more intense being at night. The Sails were rolled up and no life was visible. They stepped on the decrepit boat the wood creaking. They tried to hide in the shadows when they heard a splash. Slade quickly looked over the side and saw oars in water, and soon the boat was moving.
“Shit, I guess there’s no going back,” Zach was about to reply when two females appeared at the stern. All three dove, hiding behind whatever they could find.
"Boys you can come out.” Rose Petal yelled to the three morons that couldn’t hide, especially Slade.
"What the fuck.” He laughed at the sight of the nymphs staring right at them. “I guess we are not that good of spies are we?” Zach said
“They knew we were following them?” Gabrielle asked
The two nymphs in their scant covered body tight outfit stood waiting for them to come up closer. Suddenly fire ignited in the torches & the ship took on life.
"Guys, watch your back, Gabrielle especially you, they might be able to use their ability to well screw you." Zach looked at me and blinked a couple of time, “No pun attended.”
"Ladies," He said as all three of them stood looking at them.
"Hi, don't worry it is only us five,” the nymphs stood in a relaxed manner knowing that they wouldn’t be attacked.
“We were warned you would be boarding.”
"Where we going Rose Petal?" He said noticing that she wasn’t being hostile; she wasn’t trying to lure them. It was as if they were ordered somehow to have them go with them.
"I figured you wanted to come to our real home on the other side."
He was about to say something but could hear footsteps running and then a solid impact. "Guys over here now," Summers Rain screamed. He then noticed that Summers Rain just threw someone over the side of ship.
He ran to be by the edge and saw vehicles with lights approaching fast, one motorcycle parked by the edge of the dock, which probably belonged to the guy that now laid with the fishes.
The nymphs were moving fast and with a purpose, the masks flinging out by themselves. The water started to move rising the boat and the waves taking it from shore. He couldn’t see a wheel anywhere, how did they make the boat steer he wondered. Fog started to move in, and the nymphs were standing on a platform, their body rigid, and their eyes intense.
He pointed to the sails, and at the poles. "What the fuck is this boat made of," Gabrielle now approached, very light on her feet.
"I think trees, and they must have a spell on it." He stated as Rose Petal approach, her eyes completely white yet. Her eyes flashed back to normal as she looked at the three stooges.
"I can tell you, what the boat is later; right now we need you two to keep the pests off the boat.”
As he looked at her, he realized that maybe these nymphs were made of something more than what anyone could imagine. "You are a forest nymph and can control wood and trees your partner there is a water nymph and can control waves?" He took a wild guess just as Summers Rain approached.
"Very good," Summers Rain said her eyes flashing back to pupils also. The ship was cruising now, going south.
“Slade this is just a notice, we are on a river," Gabrielle said,
"Not just any river, we are on the Mississippi.” Zach said.
"Yes we are," Rose Petal said, "Zach you seem like you know your land."
"That's because we grew up in the outdoors pretty much.” Slade said patting Zach on the back and he thought he saw him blush but probably was mistaken for he wanted to just fuck them again.
"Yeah, a hick town would do that to you. Then we joined the army as a ranger elite sniper. We know how to survive in any land."
“I would have never guessed, what about the other two.” Both Nymphs now acted as if Slade wasn't there. Slade recounted the conversation, he didn’t say him he said they.
"Slade grew up as my brother, and became an elite hunter, and diver. He is the one to force me to get use to it and love it, and for Gabrielle, we just met her.”
He heard Zach sigh, as the air was changing from the warmer daytime weather to the cold frosty night. "Fuck it’s going to be cold tonight,"
"I'll keep you warm,” Rose Petal said, Summers Rain wasn’t going to be undone and rubbed up on his other side.
“Aren’t you guys worried about the agents,” Slade tried to intrude, but they were already lost in each other. The nymphs stopped though before they were out of sight, and turned to Slade with a glare that could kill a man.
“They aren’t getting up here, trust us.” Before he could ask why, before anything was explained, Slade was so confused. They took Zach with them and left Slade’s sight.
“That lucky bastard,” He said noticing that Gabrielle was near, her eyes following them like a tracer was on them. Then she too walked away, the other way but still Slade now felt alone.
***
The days passed by, faster it seemed each day, Zach was spending days with Rose Petal and nights with Summers Rain. It looked like he was enjoying the trip mostly wearing nothing. Gabriele kept to herself mostly almost in an eerie way. He already thought of her as his sister, but every once in awhile he had a feeling that something was wrong with her. Probably something with Zach, since she stared at him every moment.
Slade sat with his back agai
nst the boat whenever possible taking in the sights and trying to reconnect with his ancestor but nothing came from it. The nymphs said they had glamour on. It was suppose to make their boat look like a fog bank, which should have caused Slade to calm, but he couldn’t.
He watched as cities went by, the people looking at the weird fog bank. He starting to feel the honor to the naïve people that went among their lives not knowing what hid on the other side. They didn’t make any effort to see through it. He tried to concentrate on the noises of the water, but half the time he would hear pounding from a hidden room, and pleasurable moaning of Zach’s lovemaking. Which he said was an art and not an addiction. He didn’t care that he was feeding them, but the nymphs said they could control the life they took. Since he was a guardian, they said they couldn’t kill him either way. He didn’t ask questions, Zach deserved the fun and the pleasure he was getting. Everyone deserved a break; it just was hard for Slade to relax. He changed Zach’s life and he didn’t even ask why, he just jumped on board.
He watched the nymphs as they shared duties so they could claim Zach each moment. He was learning so much about these nymphs, the things the agency would have killed for. Not only did they gain power from their loving, the strongest and purest form of their life, but they could live years in their element without the lust. They didn’t need sleep, as long as they could make love, which was their rejuvenation. He also learned that not only did they sustain life of their elements but also they could manipulate them for their bidding. A bond that they shared with earth that gave them unimaginable strength when they were on their home ground, for Summers Rain it was a river that ran through Rose Petals forest.
He suddenly realized that his pocket had the book in it that they fought for. He could not believe he forgot about it, but with such magic abound he made an excuse for his memory lapse. He opened the book to a random page, “The magic of the Ancient ones,” He read out loud wondering how the book worked. He read the section fast, and learned that the first chief of the tribe wrote the book and that the book would show the way of a guardian. He also learned that not only did the Ancient ones have power, but also the kingdom that they created consisted of every species that ever existed. From elves, to dragons, to vampires, and even some species he had never heard of, including some, he was hoping were extinct. He tried to read the names of some, and could not even imagine what they were. He started to feel the beginning of a migraine from the old print in the masterpiece and put it away, wondering if the book would help find this sacred weapon. He needed to get some sleep before the migraine grew.
***
As Slade walked around the boat, he noticed the two Nymphs staring in the direction they were heading. He had to blink a couple of times; it seemed to be as if the boat was on a path, almost like a road in the water.
"Ladies," Slade said as he approached them, “what is that?” He asked looking at what appeared to be a road in the middle of the ocean that seemed to move with life. Something of it looked familiar, maybe from Scuba Diving or something.
"We are getting closer to the Zone.” Rose Petal said her body getting more intense.
“These currents take us right to the island.”
He tried to remember the distance they went, but it was impossible for him. He didn’t even remember when they got off the Mississippi. “Your kingdom?” He took a steady breath, his heart pounded for land.
"You humans call it the Devils Triangle.” Summers Rain said.
"The Bermuda Triangle," he said taking a deeper breath staring ahead.
As they drew closer, the boat started to rock back and forth stronger and stronger, the waves were becoming violent. Now Zach and Gabrielle joined them, just as water splashed over the bow, soaking them.
"Summers Rain, can't you stop the waves, you’re a water nymph." Zach yelled to the nymph now holding on as tightly as they all were.
"No, this is why it is called the Devil's Triangle. The Reef and the open water for miles around and volcanoes underneath cause these waves," Rose Petal said as another wave thrashed the boat. “Magic, of any type including humans,” she was drenched by another wave, “can’t work.”
“Why?” Gabrielle asked, she seemed to be the only one not getting soaked and wasn’t holding tightly to anything.
The ship was creaking and rocking worst he had ever experienced in a boat. Zach was holding onto the railing with one hand and the other up as if he was on a rodeo, "Slade now this is an adventure.” He said laughing until they were caught off guard and was forced to cough up seawater. Sunglasses were protecting Slade’s eyes from the splashes of water.
"Zach," he yelled, he looked at where Slade pointed.
They stared at a giant reef in front of the ship. The nymphs now joining in staring at the reef, but something was off in their expression.
"You can fix this right?” Zach asked the forest nymph. She looked weaker than before, more drained. Slade stared to Summers Rain who now also looked as pale. They just shook their head, “The Island controls what and who can enter.”
Something about them saying human magic disturbed him, “What do you mean,” Slade asked as he lost his grip and fell towards the hole that led to the rooms. “Human magic,” he asked them as he regained his composure.
“The reef, it’s made out of what you humans call lodestone.” The girls became paler then looked at Zach who was double-checking the gun on his side, “Shit, get rid of your guns?” Rose Petal looked hard at Slade, “The land won’t let you through with those metal contraptions.”
“Lodestone, lodestone,” Slade said to himself re-grabbing the post as the two nymphs dove down to their rooms. They followed them with a slower speed but something about lodestones had Slade feeling uneasy.
“Did you say lodestone?” Gabrielle yelled for the first time with concern on her face. “Of course,” a smile formed on her lips.
“Why, what is it,” Zach stopped and asked.
She ran over to Zach stumbling with the waves, she grabbed his belt that had his guns on. “Take it off,” Zach looked up at Slade, wondering if it was time for some fun.
“You know this isn’t the time,” Zach said, giving his one of a kind smartass grin.
“You idiot, Lodestones, natural magnets”
“Magnets, so?” Zach yelled not catching on yet. Then it hit Slade like a ton of bricks.
“Zach, our guns are magnetic.”
“Fuck.” Zach yelled back, starting to take his guns off as fast as he did for the nymphs for the past week. The two guys started to race though their clothes taking off anything with metal. As they finished checking their person for the metal, something still struck a bell.
They stood there for a while the boat bouncing, “Zach, what did our ancestors say they put in us,” another wave of panic hit the air. This time it was Slade’s turn, “Fuck, this is going to hurt.” The nymphs looked at the two guys in confusion. Both men went and laid on the floor clenching their mouth. They were ready for their necklaces too rip through their bodies.
“Come on, you son of a bitch,” Slade yelled to the reef, the island, the ancestor for putting what he assumed was a curse on them now. They closed their eyes ready for the impact of being pulled down through the wooden ship.
“Slade, we will make it through this,” Zach yelled. Moments past then Slade could feel almost like a hand touching his shoulder.
“My ancestor is here, he will protect me.”
“I can feel mine too,” Zach cried back. Both guardian’s still with their eyes closed waiting for the pain of the necklace breaking from their body.
Then out of nowhere, he felt a slap on his face, and heard the same from Zach. Zach opened his eyes and then elbowed Slade to do the same. The nymphs were standing in front of them, rubbing their hands from the slap.
“What are you two crying about?” Rose Petal asked, he looked at Zach and they looked around, the boat calmed and sat steady now.
“Shouldn’t we have been pulled t
o the center of the sea?” Zach asked Slade looking at him and scratching his head.
“Why?” Summers Rain asked looking at them as if they were mentally impaired.
“We have this kind of stone imbedded in us.” He tried to explain by rubbing where the necklaces laid not hurting or even feeling a magnetic pull.
“Now wouldn’t that be sort of dumb, you guys are supposed to be the kingdom’s elite guards and you think it would try to kill you.” She looked at Gabrielle and Summers Rain, with a look that said their kingdom was in serious trouble if Zach and Slade were the protectors.
“Well, if you put it that way,” Slade replied.
“You two could have told us before,” Zach said looking at the floor and rubbing his neck in shame.
“Didn’t think you would have been babies about it,” Summers Rain replied. The girls followed the nymph up the ladder to the non-violent air above. Slade and Zach looked at each other, and with a heavy sigh, they soon followed suit.
13As they joined the Nymphs on the deck, they were able to see the island. Slade looked behind them and could see the wall of a storm just sort of sitting there not moving. It was as if the island had its own protection.
The island itself was enormous, the side they were coming on had the clear blue Bahamas’ water washing up on the beach and coming back. The sand was white on the beach for twenty or thirty yards. Then the bushes and pine trees, as far as the eye could see. The one thing that Slade noticed was missing was the castle the nymphs were talking about when they first left for the kingdom.
Either way the sight finally worked his muscles to a relaxed state. It was the most gorgeous thing he had ever seen. He could feel the island’s life, the need for him to save her. He didn’t know what troubled her, but he would do anything just like that to save it. Something inside him told him he was home.
The ship hit the bottom and they still had a hundred or so yards to go before they hit the beach. Slade took a glance at the beauty, the beauty that man didn’t touch before we went back down in the ship. After they found the weapon, he would return to the beach, strip to his skin, and swim.