by Lyn Horner
“‘I, Odelion, am a child of the Great Mother Danu. In my youth, she blessed me with a magical knowledge of numbers and how to employ them. Now she has also imparted a dire vision of a time when mankind will be thrown into chaos, not only by wars, plague and famine, but by false leaders who use numbers unwisely to gain power.
In this future time, world money systems will fail, resulting in the fall of nations, both mighty and small. People who believed themselves safe from poverty will lose jobs and property, while the poor who depended on government support will be left destitute. Only the wealthy few will continue to live well, but only for a short while.
Mob rule will turn cities into killing fields as men and women and even children turn into beasts fighting over food and shelter. No one will be safe. Even the very rich will lose their beautiful palaces and precious belongings, as well as their lives in many cases.
Eventually order will be restored, but generations will pass before money is trusted again. So sayeth the Great Goddess.’”
Delilah rolled up the scroll and inserted it into the blue tube which had protected and preserved it for millennia. Then she looked at Leon, waiting for his reaction. He allowed his gaze to stray from the asphalt road, meeting hers for an instant. His expression was grim, rightfully so after what he’d just heard.
“That is an awful prediction,” he said, “but not too surprising. There are prophets among my people and other Native American tribes who have also predicted the world will suffer a terrible downfall. Some believe it is coming soon.”
“Watching the horrors shown every day on TV, I do not disagree.” She stowed the tube in her handbag, sighed and smiled sadly. “Yet, even knowing what lies in store for us, I prefer to live my life as if we have forever. Like most people, I suppose.”
Leon reached over to clasp her hand. “No matter what comes, you and I will be together, I promise.”
Tears welled in Delilah’s eyes. Swatting them away as they overflowed, she raised Leon’s hand to her lips for a kiss. “I love you,” she choked out.
He said the words back to her and tenderly returned her gesture. Feeling lighter knowing he would help her carry her sacred burden from now on, she relaxed. Before long, the motion of the car lulled her to sleep.
* * *
Although happy Delilah had chosen to reveal her last great secret to him, Leon had much to think about. Regardless of what he’d said, he wasn’t sure he believed the prophesy she guarded. At least not completely. Nevertheless, keeping her and the ancient scroll safe now took precedent over every other aspect of his life, even his children and grandchildren. Was he fit for such a responsibility? He sincerely hoped so.
His mind ran in circles, considering safeguards he should put in place once they reached his homeland. Fortunately, the highway was clear of snow and traffic had become much lighter now that they’d left most of the Salt Lake metro sprawl behind. No obstacles distracted his thoughts until, that is, he noticed a silver-gray SUV trailing maybe a quarter mile behind them with one car between them. It looked vaguely familiar.
Reducing his speed, he allowed the intervening vehicle to gain ground and pass him. The driver of the SUV closed in part way but then slowed, staying well back. Why didn’t he catch up and pass like the other guy had? Racking his brain, Leon finally recalled glancing out the window by their booth in the Provo restaurant and seeing the same color and similar model SUV park out front. Uninterested, he hadn’t bothered to watch the driver and any companions come in to eat.
Was it the same car behind them now? Was the driver following them or simply traveling south to some unknown destination? Leon had no way to know, but his suspicions grew a little while later when he turned off, heading toward the town of Salina and Highway I-70 east. The silver SUV did likewise, soon appearing in his rearview mirror, the driver again keeping his distance.
Debating whether to keep going or pull off somewhere and see what the other driver did, Leon decided to go on to Salina. It wasn’t far and once there, he would stop to gas up the sedan and see if the SUV driver did the same. Could be Salina was the guy’s destination, Leon speculated, hoping that was the case.
When he pulled into the Scenic Quick Stop gas station just outside of town, he sat waiting, watching his sideview mirror.
“Are you going to get gasoline?” Delilah asked, yawning as she woke.
“In a minute,” he replied distractedly. Just then the silver SUV drove past without stopping, and he relaxed. “You might want to use the ladies room while we’re here,” he suggested, stepping out of the car. “There are no rest stops or gas stations for the next 110 miles.”
“My goodness, that’s a long way.” Taking his advice, she headed for the restroom while he topped off the gas tank and made a pitstop of his own.
Minutes afterward, Leon turned onto I-70 east, entering the longest stretch of undeveloped interstate in the country. Seeing no sign of the suspicious vehicle that had previously shadowed them in his rearview mirror, he breathed easy, but a few moments later he idly glanced at the mirror again and clenched his fists in anger around the steering wheel. The SUV was back, lurking a couple cars behind them.
“Damn it!” he swore, gritting his teeth.
“What’s wrong?” Delilah asked with an alarmed glance.
“I think we are being followed.”
“Oh, no!” Swiveling in her seat, she looked behind them. “How do you know? There are several vehicles behind us.”
“See the silver SUV two cars back? It’s been trailing us all the way from Provo.”
“Mon Dieu! What shall we do?”
Leon wondered the same thing. He could pull over onto the shoulder and let the creep pass, but he might wait up ahead and jump on their tail again. Stopping to block the road and force a confrontation with the bastard wasn’t an option. There was too much traffic; he’d probably cause an accident and endanger Delilah. Another, grim idea occurred to him. He didn’t like it but . . .
“For now, nothing. This could be a false alarm. There are a couple parks with some great scenery down around Moab, a town we will pass. The guy might just be on his way to do some sightseeing.”
“What if he is not?” Delilah questioned in a small voice.
“Let me worry about that,” he said, reaching to squeeze her shoulder. “Right now, all we can do is wait and see.”
Saying nothing more, she turned her head to watch the passing landscape. He wanted to reassure her but held his tongue, thinking of what he planned to do. If she was scared now, he guessed she would be terrified then.
* * *
Delilah might have enjoyed the scenery, so different from her native country, but the possibility that they were being followed by Hellhounds prevented her from fully appreciating the high, rocky cliffs, with patches of snow here and there, and the sunbaked desert vistas. Her mind kept spiraling around her fear of being captured or, worse, leading her enemies to the other Guardians.
She must trust Leon to deal with the threat, she told herself. He’d shown keen judgement from the start and she knew beyond any doubt that he would give his life to protect her. That realization terrified her. If she lost him to those fiends who’d killed Malcolm, she did not want to see another dawn.
Oh, Great Goddess, do not take him from me, I beg you, she prayed.
Time dragged. Yet, when Leon turned off the highway onto a narrower road, she felt as if they were hurrying toward an appointment with doom. Peering out the rear window, her stomach clenched. “They are still following us.”
“I know. It’s time to shake them off. To do that, I’m going to detour through a National Park. You will get to see some great views.”
“Very well, whatever you think best.”
He drove south for a while then turned right onto another road. Once again, the silver SUV followed. Soon, they came to a sign saying Canyonlands National Park and soon, a visitors center.
“Good, it’s open,” Leon said, opening his door. “There i
s a small entrance fee, which I will pay. Do you want to stretch your legs and come in?”
“Oui, but what about our followers?” She assumed there was more than one. Glancing to her right, she watched in dismay as the SUV parked several yards away.
“If they plan to keep trailing us, they must also pay the fee. We will get to see what they look like.” He got out and she joined him. No one exited the other vehicle, but once they were inside, being helped at a counter, three men walked in.
Delilah darted a fearful glance at them. They looked surprisingly ordinary, but the way each one stared at her for a brief moment before huddling to whisper among themselves made her skin crawl. Turning her back to them, she had not the slightest doubt that they were indeed Hellhounds bent on capturing her and the other Guardians, and forcing them to hand over the scrolls. Something she vowed would never happen.
Leon had also glanced over his shoulder, examining the three before he finished paying the park entrance fee. Appearing unconcerned, he said, “Let’s go,” and gripped Delilah’s elbow, leading her out. “Not so scary, are they,” he said as they slipped back into their rented car.
“No? They gave me the creeps.” She shivered, making her point.
“Don’t worry, we will soon be rid of them.” Starting the engine, he backed up, preparing to drive away. Just as he did, one of the Hounds stepped out of the building to watch them go. “He wants to see which trail we take, as I expected.”
“But they will follow us again,” she said, bewildered by his nonchalant attitude.
“If they are wise, they won’t.” He shook his head. “We will see.”
She frowned at his cryptic comment but refrained from questioning him as he drove onto a dirt road into the park. There was little of interest to see. Then, suddenly, a vast expanse of emptiness opened before them, and she gasped. They were at the top of a wide canyon. The view was spectacular, but gazing hundreds of feet down into the huge hole in the mountainous terrain stole her breath.
“This is Shafer Canyon,” Leon said. “Do you see the trail down?”
“Oui.” The dirt road winding into the depths along steep switchbacks and around sharp curves made her head spin. “Surely you cannot mean to drive down that,” she said in a strained voice.
“Yes, I do. I have driven this trail before, and remember we have four-wheel drive. We will be fine, trust me. Just as I trusted you on that mountain road from Nice to Monte Carlo, okay? When you get too scared, close your eyes.”
She didn’t try to answer as he started slowly down the narrow dirt path. There weren’t even any guardrails. Clutching the edges of her seat, she stared at the cliff face near them, refusing to look at the heart-stopping drop on the opposite side of the car.
Leon swore in Navajo, drawing her terrified gaze. “The fools are following us. I hoped they would get cold feet and turn back.”
“Wh-what will you do now?” She barely got the words out.
“Speed up, I guess.”
“What?! No!” She couldn’t believe her ears.
“I must.” Jaw set, he gave the car more gas and they shot forward down the steep grade, only slowing slightly as they rounded a hairpin curve.
“Sweet Danu! Protect us!” Delilah gulped, feeling the car fishtail before straightening out. Bracing one hand against the dashboard, she squeezed her eyes shut, expecting them to go flying over the edge at any second, to die on the rocks far below.
“Slow down!” she begged, heart in her throat.
“It’s okay. I know what I’m doing,” Leon insisted, somehow making it down another incline and around a second death-defying curve.
She cracked her eyes open as they headed down yet another switchback. Daring a glance back, she saw the SUV edge around the last hairpin turn. “Their driver is going much slower than you,” she said.
Leon gave a dry laugh. “Good. He’s got more sense than I thought.”
Perplexed, she braced again as he calmly negotiated a third dangerous curve just as fast as the first two. When they straightened out on the next decline, she asked, “You expected him to keep up with us?”
He shrugged. “I expected him to try . . . and fail.”
She stared at him aghast. “You thought they would go over the edge and be killed!”
“Should I have let them follow us all the way to my home, so they could capture you and the other Guardians?” he asked in a hard tone, gaze never leaving the road.
“No, of course not. But to deliberately lead them to their death is horrible.”
“Maybe so, but if I am to bring you safely to your companions, I must be as ruthless as they are.” He stopped speaking as he guided the car around yet another hair-raising curve. “They are falling farther back. You should be happy,” he barked.
She turned away, knowing he’d done what he thought best to protect her, yet sickened by what he might have caused to happen. The thought resurrected memories of the woman she’d killed in France and the terrible stain she bore on her conscience, despite having acted in self-defense. How many more people must die because of the scroll she guarded and all the others?
Oblivious now to the dangerous route down the canyon, she stared at the red walls, not really registering what she saw. After finally reaching bottom, Leon raced along another road out of the park. They traveled on in silence, progressing south with no more traces of snow or the silver SUV.
CHAPTER FOURTEEN
Around four in the afternoon, they stopped to eat in a small town. Still upset, more with herself than Leon now, Delilah had little appetite but ordered a chicken salad sandwich and coffee. When their food arrived, she nibbled at hers while Leon tucked into his hamburger and fries despite appearing as unhappy as she was. Knowing she must clear the air between them, she pushed her plate aside.
“Leon, I am sorry.”
He looked up, arching his eyebrows. Swallowing a mouthful of food, he laid his half-eaten burger on his plate and stared at the table, tracing scars on the wood surface with his fingertip. “You do not need to apologize. You were right to be shocked by how I meant to get rid of the Hounds.”
“But you did it to protect me and the other Guardians,” she said quietly, leaning forward to cover his hand with hers. “Yes, I was shocked, but I cannot, do not, condemn you for preventing those villains from carrying out their foul plans. And I am happy we have not seen them since leaving the canyon.”
Leon gazed at her with love in his dark eyes. “I am grateful for your kind words, she’at’ééd.” He raised her hand to his lips for a kiss, sending little tingles up her arm.
She gave a tremulous smile. “You have called me that before. What does it mean?”
“It means my girl or my beloved.” He released her hand and winked. “Now eat so we can get back on the road. We still have a way to go.”
Feeling hungry all at once, Delilah quickly devoured her sandwich, finding it quite tasty now that her heart was lighter.
* * *
“You lost them?” Balor shouted into his phone.
“Y-yes, Master,” John stammered. “T-they led us down a dangerous canyon road with a sheer drop-off of hundreds of feet. The woman’s driver must be mad. He drove so fast that I thought sure they would plunge off the cliff. If I had tried to keep up, I and my companions would be dead.”
Balor didn’t give a damn whether the cowards lived or died, but he might still need them. Struggling for control, he ground out, “Once you were off that road, did you search the rest of the park for your quarry?”
“We tried but the place is huge with many twisting canyons. I-I decided to watch for them outside the park, but we have not seen them exit.”
“So, they either escaped before you got out of the park or they are hiding somewhere within. Correct?”
“I . . . suppose, Master.”
“You suppose? I know!” Balor raged. “Now, because you failed to keep up with them down that so dangerous road, you will search every square inch of the park a
nd the roads beyond. Do not bother contacting me again until you find them.”
“But, Master, if they left the park they are long gone by now,” his underling whined.
“I don’t care. Do as you are told, you dolt!” Balor hit the disconnect button and slammed the phone onto his work table. It took several moments for him to calm down. Then he settled on a chair and called up a detailed map of Utah’s road system on his computer. Quickly pinpointing the national park John had mentioned, he also spotted US-191, a highway running north-south near the entrance to the park. Moreau and her companion had traveled south from Salt Lake City. Unless they were hiding out in the park, he surmised they might continue south down that highway. Tracing the line on the map, he saw it entered the Navajo Nation in far south Utah.
Balor shot to his feet, electrified by a flash of comprehension. The man with Delilah Moreau was described as an Indian. If true and he was Navajo, it made sense for him to hide her in his native land. Extrapolating from that conclusion, he guessed the other Guardians were also secreted there.
Feeling in his gut that he was right, he retrieved his phone and called John back. “Forget searching the park,” he ordered urgently. “I want you to drive south on US-191 to the Navajo Nation. Once there, you are to ask everyone you meet if they have seen one of their men with a dark-haired white woman, and where they went.”
His minion eagerly agreed, obviously picking up on his excitement. Signing off, Balor rubbed his hands together, certain he was close to attaining his goal.
* * *
“This a very lonely road,” Delilah commented, watching the flat desert landscape, unbroken by indications of human existence. In the distance, the horizon glowed red as the sun dipped low.
“Mmm. I do not like it,” Leon said.
“Why?” she asked, glancing at his shadowed countenance. “It seems quite safe compared to the roads we traveled earlier.”
“Perhaps, but it has a frightening reputation.”