BestTace

by JANA

  He opened the door to step out and Clark and Lois immediately jumped to the ground, gave hello barks, and walked up to be introduced. “I’m so sorry, he just woke up and wanted to say hello. Clark, Lois, go stretch your legs.” And the two dogs instantly ran off the side of the road and then ran over to the guards at the gate to say hello. “Are you all right?” Trace asked the tall man in front of him. The man had the look of an eagle and yet this was a compound of mostly wolves he thought.

  “No harm done. You slammed your brakes before I got more than a little dent. We should pull over; we’re blocking the road in both directions.”

  “Yes, of course. It’s been a long day, I just drove in from Montana,” Trace said as he pulled his truck off to the side. He saw the other guy pull his fender away from the wheel and then drive to the side. Getting back out of the truck, he crossed the road checking on the dogs as he did so. “Is the fender rubbing the tire?” He asked. “Let me introduce myself. I’m Trace Pete from my Aerie in Niarada, Montana.” He held out his hand.

  Grasping his hand the other man answered, “Hello, Trace, it’s good to know you.

  Welcome to Milliken New Council Pack, I’m Shane Arno. I’m also eagle, though we belong to the Pack and not an aerie, which is pretty cool because we hadn’t set out to belong to a pack and our family name means ‘eagle wolf’.” He said with a smile, “And yes, the fender is rubbing the wheel a little, I might need a tow.” They stared at each other intently for a moment. Both of them felt the zing that had gone up their arms. Trace and Shane didn’t feel attraction; it was more of a feeling of familiarity. Like they should know each other. Shane broke the contact first and smiled hesitantly. “That was weird, did you feel that?” He was not sure what was going on.

  “Yeah, I wonder what it means. Does your aerie, I’m sorry, I mean pack, have a Seer?”

  “Not an official Seer, we have Blaine and his mates, Dalton and Kira. We can ask them to touch us and ask if they see something later.”

  Trace nodded to show he understood. “Well, I can pull my truck around and tow you where you need to go. I’m going to pay for the repairs anyway,” Trace said. “It was my fault after all.”

  Shane nodded casually and then looked at the dogs that ran back to their master. He raised his eyebrows and looked at the shifter as if to say ‘really?’

  Trace chuckled and said, “Hey, they make good companions. Besides, I’m not really a cat person if you know what I mean.”

  Shane laughed at the joke, turned to the men standing at the gate, and waved.

  “Yeah, and you named them Lois and Clark? What are they, super dogs?”

  “I was going to get two males and call them after the explorers Lewis and Clark. But when I got to the breeders, these were the last two pups.” Trace laughed along with him.

  The enforcers at the gate were a little suspicious of the stranger and didn’t know if they should intervene or not. They figured that Shane would ask for help if he needed it. But Shane knew how they thought; they would not back away until he gave them the okay.

  The tallest of the guards nodded and then turned back to the gate and walked back inside, while the other waited and watched.

  Shane should not have been surprised the man who waited was his friend Trip, he was in charge of gate security today and there was no way he would let the Alphas down.

  Shane went to his friend to make sure that everything was good. As the two men talked, the tall cowboy in pressed worn jeans, snakeskin boots, western shirt, and a gray Resistol sauntered over, whistled to his dogs, and got back into his truck. He made a u-turn and then pulled his truck in front of Shane’s car, got out and began hooking it up to his tow rig.

  “You good?” Trip asked and Shane looked at the guy who had just hit him and nodded.

  “Yeah, do me a favor though, call Quin and let him know that there’ll be a visitor later. I have to check some things out and get the truck dropped off then I’ll be back.” Trip frowned and nodded. “Something we need to be worried about?”

  “Nah, I think we’ll have something to celebrate if I’m right,” Shane said and left his friend at the gate and walked slowly to where the stranger stood. Shane was about the same height as the man. He had slightly longer hair though, and it shined from being in the sun so much. He loved the outdoors and preferred to be in the open, his eagle liked to know what was going on around him. His round face with deep dimples was more often referred to as cute rather than handsome. His eyes were very different and showed off his shifter side, his mother said. They were dark brown, almost black, and encircled by a thick gold rim, they were his best feature. Of course, she probably said that because his dad had the same eyes. It was freaking him out a little that he was worried about his appearance because he was in the man’s presence. Shane wore his normal well worn jeans that had holes in them, his colorful t-shirt which was one of his favorites; it had a wave and surfer on the front. Plus his standard Birkenstocks that the guys teased him about all the time.

  “I’ll lift the front end up an inch or so, just enough so the wheels won’t need to turn and the back won’t drag,” the stranger said and then stopped and looked at his feet. “Uh, you should probably stand back; I would hate to accidently drop it on your feet.”

  “You seem to be a pro at this,” Shane commented to the tall cowboy in front of him and laughed at the man’s confusion. “I hate shoes; in fact, if I could, I would go without them. Makes it so much easier to shift.”

  Trace laughed and nodded as if it made perfect sense and then said, “I’m used to helping my neighbors. With one person per square mile and a town spread over fifty square miles, you learn to pitch in.” Trace answered. “Okay we’re all set, hop in, and point me where you need to go.” They both climbed into the cab and the dogs jumped over into the back seat. Just before he started his engine, his stomach growled. “Excuse me, maybe after we get you settled, you can point me in the direction of a café or restaurant where I can get a quick meal?”

  “Sure, no problem. For now, hang a left at the first light and the service station is on the next block on the right. Why were you headed to the compound? I’m asking because I’m an Enforcer for the pack and right now to get onto the compound is a little difficult.”

  “Well actually, I came to meet your Alphas. What can you tell me about them? I grew up in an Aerie, and though I’ve met other shifters occasionally in my travels, I’ve only ever lived with eagles,” Trace said to Shane. He was hoping a fellow eagle would take pity on him and help him get settled in this strange new place. He wasn’t accustomed to so many people. And he was glad the pack had left Denver.

  “Do you know about the challenge to our Alpha Quin? This may not be the best time to ask for a meeting with Quin and Jaden. Although Cami would probably love to meet another eagle,” Shane said and rolled his eyes. “If you’re going to spend any time here, you have to know one thing. The female Alpha, Cami, has this thing about meeting other shifters. I mean, you are lucking out because she has already met my family and me, but she will still have a million questions. We have lived with the Pack for too long to give her enough info on the eagles. She’s a wolf now of course, when I first met her she was still human, and it’s been only a year, so she’s still very curious.”

  “Uh, well, I guess that I can tell her what I know. And yes, I know about the challenge. I really pushed the drive because I wanted to be here for it, I left Niarada at about 3 am so it’s been a long day for me. Who should I let know that I’m here? I would rather talk to the Alphas all together, but I can wait if I need to,” Trace asked as he slowly pulled into the service station.

  “Let’s get the car in for service and then head over to my parents’ house. You’ll get a good meal from either Mom or Dad and we can make some calls.”

  “Thank you, that sounds great. Would you mind my asking you what tribe you’re with?

  I’ve been raised with the Salish and recently found out I’m one of the Diné, or Nav
ajo, the Feather People clan,” Trace said to Shane.

  “Wow, I’m also Diné. In Diné culture you take on your mother’s clan, your ‘born into clan’, my mom’s also of the Feather People clan so we’re probably related in some way.

  Mom will know, she still keeps in touch with family back in New Mexico. Dad is a roamer from Ireland and migrated to California in the thirties. He’s a total flower child now, everything natural which fits in with our tribal beliefs of ‘walking in beauty’. He and mom met just after he got out of the Peace Corps, they were protesting the continued removal of Navajo kids to live in boarding schools. The Belegaana thought making them live as whites would integrate them into white society, go figure. All they did was go back to their families, the result? It created a huge culture gap between the generations. We’re still recovering. You know, since we’re the same clan, which makes us brothers by Diné custom and the duty of my family to see to your needs, you know watch over you while you’re here. Give you food and make sure you have a place to stay and everything.” Shane gave Trace a grin and held out his hand. “Welcome to Milliken, brother.” Maybe that was why he felt the kinship and the zing; his eagle recognized him as a brother.

  “Thank you, it’s good to be welcomed. I wasn’t sure what to expect.” This guy sure talks a lot, Trace thought. He’s a good balance for me; people always complain I don’t talk enough, one to talk and one to listen. He wondered about their mate.

  “No worries, now cross your fingers that mom made fry bread, she got the recipe from her mom. Gran is the peck of our Aerie in New Mexico between Windowrock and Shiprock from Chuska Lake to Berland Lake. Good fishing there, I try to migrate down at least once a year. She probably knows your folks,” Shane said with a smile.

  “My parents are gone; they hid with the Salish for years to protect me. I wouldn’t be surprised if your Gran wasn’t friends with my Peck, Genaya, back in Niarada. You know how they like to run everyone’s lives. Genaya gave me the name of my Peck in New Mexico, her name is Niyol, she didn’t talk to me but wants me to come visit,” Trace drawled back. By this time, they were pulling into the drive way of a nice house in Milliken.

  “Wow, that’s my gran, and I feel ya on the visit. She’s always introducing me to her nieces, pecking at me to settle down with a nice Eagless.” Shane laughed in commiseration. “Okay, Trace, first lesson for a Diné eagle, they heard the truck in the drive. We wait for mom or dad to open the door showing they are ready for visitors. See there’s mom now, let’s go.” They hopped out of the cab.

  “Is it okay for Clark and Lois to come along? They’ve been cooped up in the truck for a long time,” Trace asked.

  “Sure thing, mom likes dogs.” Shane said as he walked over to his mother. Trace and the two huskies followed behind.

  “Ya’at eeh Shane.” Shane’s mother spoke the traditional greeting.

  “Ya’at eeh. Mom, this is Trace Pete, Trace, this is my mom, Willow Arno. He grew up among the Salish but he’s Diné.” Shane said. “Actually, he’s Feather People clan like us.”

  “Ya’at eeh Trace, you will be a brother to Shane and I will call you nephew, you may call me Willow or Auntie. Our home is your home while you are here. Please come inside.”

  “Yaut Ay Willow, thank you for having me in your home.” Trace struggled over the unfamiliar greeting. He thought Shane’s mom looked at him a little strangely.

  Trace stood and looked at Mrs. Arno for a minute, “Ma’am, Shane told me that your mother is Niyol, Peck of your original Diné Aerie before you all settled here. I found out that I’m really Diné and not Salish as I was raised. Would you contact your mother and find out anything you can about my mother? She died when I was still a fledgling.”

  “Why of course I will, Trace, do you know when she left the aerie? Please don’t speak her name; it’s against our culture to speak the names of those who are gone. It might call her chindi, her ghost to us. The diné believe all ghosts are evil,” she explained to him with a kind smile.

  “Well I’m thirty two, and I understand they left New Mexico to be ambassadors to the Council two years before I was born,” he said and then was surprised when she gasped.

  “Oh my dear, dear boy.” She started crying, ran over, and put her arms around him. He didn’t know what to do so he just held her. “I’m sorry, it’s just that…” She stopped and sniffled and pulled herself together. “It’s just been so long, my sister.” And she cried a little more.

  “You and Shane are first cousins; which in the Diné means you’re brothers. So you are brothers of the same clan and brothers of the same family.” Trace was shocked; the last thing he expected upon entering Milliken was to find family.

  He didn’t know how to respond.

  “I think we’ll both need some time to adjust to this new happiness. We’ll have a laughing party as soon as we can to welcome you, better late than never. For now, come along, I’ve been fixing fry bread and smoked salmon for Shane, there’s plenty.” Trace looked at Shane and mouthed ‘laughing party’ with a lift of his brow. Shane chuckled, “I’ll explain later, buddy. Go on in and eat, I’m going to make a quick call.” Chapter 3

  Bama stepped out of the Limo at the Parmillo Airport holding her purse and jewelry case and watched as the driver and skycaps loaded her luggage onto three carts. She hoped the three steamer trunks and four suitcases held enough to last her the three to four weeks she needed to get through until the rest of her things arrived. She hated packing in a rush. She stepped through the doors and walked up to the charter counter.

  “Good Evening Mr. Trujillo, is the plane ready?” She asked the clerk.

  “Good Evening, Miss Aguilar, yes the plane is ready to take off as soon as your luggage is loaded. After you step through the doors, a cart will take you to the plane. Enjoy your trip,” he answered with a smile.

  “Thank you, I will.” And she turned to go. She took the cart and was soon at the plane.

  She could see them loading her luggage into the luggage compartment just before she started up the stairs.

  She turned to the Captain standing in the door to the cockpit as she entered. “Julio, so you’re flying me, wonderful. How is your family?”

  “They are all doing quite well, Lucia was disappointed it was my turn to fly and hers to take the young ones. She made me promise to ask you something about shoes, I’m glad she wrote it down because I don’t remember.” He laughed.

  “That’s fine; you can give it to me later. You won’t mind if I spend some time at the controls? I need to keep my hand in. This flight is about four and a half hours, yes?”

  “Yes, that is correct, as soon as we’re out of Venezuelan airspace come up any time,” he said. “You should get settled in now for take-off. Don’t forget to turn off your cell.” Six hours later, she was walking into her suite at the Deco Hotel. She’d left most of her luggage with the plane and only brought one of the larger suitcases, as she’d only be in Omaha for two days. She looked around the room, very nice indeed.

  As she unpacked her clothes, only twelve or so outfits and just the bare minimum of eight pairs of shoes, she ran over the schedule of events in her head. Breakfast with the Mayor and City Council, then a tour of the town, followed by lunch with the Chamber of Commerce, and then she would be free for the afternoon to shop and then dinner with the Board of Directors of the Henry Doorly zoo. She hoped they’d appreciate that she’d brought two pairs of Red Howler monkeys instead of one. Some idiot human at the nature preserve near San Cristóbal had sent a mated pair of Harpy Eagles. That is the favor her mother wanted her to accomplish, releasing those eagles. Bama was descended from the first Harpy People her bloodline had the ability to communicate with all birds. So during the after-hours tour of the zoo, she’d make contact and arrange for their release. And the release of any other avian that preferred life outside. Of course, many birds, not feeling the pull of migration didn’t mind captivity. They didn’t have to work for food or risk their young and lived l
onger lives.

  As a sister city to San Cristóbal, her mother’s duties as mayor had made it hard to refuse the transfer of the birds to the US. As the Peck of the Eagle Parliament, she couldn’t possibly condone putting two eagles, even full eagles into a cage. A four acre bird sanctuary was still a cage to her, Bama felt the same way.

  Bama may have stepped down as head of the covert wing of the Aerie’s army to take on the Ambassadorship, but she hadn’t lost her skills. She’d present the Red Howler Monkeys at dinner. The zoo could keep them, she didn’t care. A species that kills their young to get the females ready to mate belong in cages, besides they’re food. So she would find out at dinner where the harpies were being held, and then she would return and rescue them between three and four a.m. The moon was nearly full so she’d have plenty of light. The next day she would be sympathetic about the loss, explain that they couldn’t possibly let go of two more eagles and leave town.

  Happy with the way she had things planned, she went to bed. Unfortunately, since leaving the plane she’d forgotten to turn her cell back on, so she didn’t get the message from her mother. Bama did not give a thought to contacting her mother. They had made their plans for Denver months ago and Omaha was child’s play to one of her skills.

  She never would have guessed that something had gone wrong with her plans. So far, everything had proceeded according to schedule.

  The next day and night went as expected. The zoo had been understandably upset and she had to take a few more hours than she originally thought to calm them down. Who would have guessed they would be this upset? True, they had lost a total of forty mated pairs; she just couldn’t get worked up about it so it was a good thing she was such a good actress. The rest of the day had gone right on schedule and she was at least happy about that. The officials had been also a little upset that she was leaving so soon after the mishap, she was sure they would continue to try and talk her into giving them more animals, but she explained that she had other pending diplomatic visits before returning home and could not possibly delay her timetable. Thankfully, they had not pressed the issue. She would have hated to have disappeared; it would have raised too many eyebrows.