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  “Okay,” Ulric sighed. “I know. When you have to go, you have to go. But let’s reach an understanding. When I am carrying you, you have to hold it. Understand? Wait for Marle-Marja.”

  Conor smiled and nodded his head, as if he was saying that he understood.

  Pushing and pulling themselves through the tall grass, Baer and Naad-ja-ray came to a rest behind a very large boulder. Drunken laughter filled the night air. Peeking around the boulder, Baer surveyed the campsite. The six Tolls warriors were lined up, one after the other, off to his right. Their hands were tied behind their backs and to stakes that were driven deep into the ground. A large, pot-bellied mountain man stood guard over them, drinking from a mug filled with ale. The rest of the Batar were gathered around a campfire, laughing and finishing their evening meal. The pot-bellied man frowned, turned his now empty mug upside down, shook it, threw it to the ground, and grunted something unintelligible. Belching loudly, he walked off into the grass. Baer could hear the man relieving himself against a rock.

  “This is our chance,” Baer whispered to Naad-ja-ray. “Let’s go!”

  One of the Tolls warriors just happened to be looking in their direction as Baer and Naad-ja-ray crawled out from behind the boulder. His face lit up with excitement. Lifting his right index finger to his lips, Baer signaled him to remain silent. Using a sharp hunting knife that Naad-ja-ray had given to him, Baer cut the rope binding the warrior’s hands while Naad-ja-ray freed the others. Baer motioned for them to follow him back to the boulder. Instead, one of the warriors grabbed Baer’s knife from his hand and rushed off into the grass toward where the pot-bellied man had gone to relieve himself. A moment later, Baer heard a muffled cry as the man’s throat was slit from ear-to-ear. The warrior reappeared, dark red blood dripping from the knife. He headed straight for the Batar sitting by the campfire. Leaping through the air, the Tolls warrior landed on one of the Batar and drove the knife deep into the man’s chest. The Batar mountain man fell backward, a bewildered look of disbelief etched on his face as he hit the ground, dead. Another Tolls warrior grabbed a burning limb from the fire and began to swing it wildly at the Batar, who leapt to their feet and drew their knives to defend themselves. At first, the Tolls had the advantage, as several Batar fell to the ground. But as the fighting intensified, the more numerous Batar began to gain the upper hand. Outnumbered, the Tolls began to fall, one-by-one, their blood staining the tall green grass red.

  Baer stood dumbfounded as one of the Batar broke free from the fighting near the campfire and ran straight at him. A glint of firelight reflected off of the man’s knife. Baer raised his fists in an awkward attempt to defend himself. Naad-ja-ray appeared out of nowhere, jumped onto the man’s back, and buried his knife deep into the man’s belly. The dying man stumbled forward, grabbed Baer by the shoulders, and slumped to the ground, his blood spurting out in waves, staining Baer’s shirt and pants. Lifting his head, the man tried to speak, but before any words came out Naad-ja-ray grabbed the man’s head firmly with both hands and jerked it back hard. A sharp, cracking noise assaulted Baer’s senses.

  Naad-ja-ray turned around just as another Batar, waving an ax over his head, raced toward them. Positioning himself between the man and Baer, Naad-ja-ray planted his feet firmly on the ground and thrust his knife into the man’s chest just as the man’s ax crashed down onto his head. They fell to their knees and then to the ground. Baer watched in horror as Naad-ja-ray twitched several times before dying. Looking up, Baer saw another Tolls warrior fall as two Batar held his arms against the wagon while a third drove his knife deep into the warrior’s chest. All around him, the Tolls fought valiantly, but they were hopelessly outnumbered. Sensing the inevitable, Baer turned and ran through the tall grass as fast as his legs would take him. He soon found himself back in the small clearing where he had left his companions earlier that evening. Knowing their general direction, he ran after them at full speed. Baer ran and ran until his legs were about to collapse under him. Finally, gasping for breath, he stopped, bent over, and threw up.

  Baer looked around, as if awakening from a dream. He was confused and, at first, did not know where he was.

  “Are you alright?” Ulric repeated for the fourth time. “Are you injured? Where are Naad-ja-ray and the others? What happened?”

  Baer’s body shook uncontrollably. Seeing the red stains, Marle-Marja quickly lifted Baer’s shirt, looking for puncture wounds.

  “It’s not mine,” Baer blurted out. “It’s not my blood.”

  “Where are Naad-ja-ray and the others?” Ulric repeated.

  “Dead,” Baer gasped. “All of them.”

  Ulric placed his arms around Baer’s shoulders, hugging him.

  “Everything is going to be alright,” Ulric stated, purposively using a calming, soothing tone.

  Ulric cradled Baer in his arms, rocking him gently from side-to-side in the waist-high grass.

  “He saved me,” Baer started, tears welling up in his eyes. “Naad-ja-ray saved me.”

  “What about the Batar?” Ulric asked. “Were you followed? Are they after us?”

  “I don’t know,” Baer answered, wiping away the tears running down his face. “I don’t think so, but I can’t be certain.”

  Seeing that Baer was in no condition to take the lead, Ulric announced, “We had better get moving. The Toll River is not that far from here. If we walk throughout the night, we should reach it by mid-morning.”

  Ulric led the way though the tall grass, followed by Baer and Marle-Marja, who carried the baby. As the nighttime sky began to lighten, a cool mist lingered across the plains, obscuring the view in all directions. Sensing that they were safe, at least for the moment, Ulric motioned for them to rest.

  As they sat down, Marle-Marja turned toward Baer and stated, “When you are ready to talk about it, let me know. It will help if you talk about it.”

  “I’m not sure that I will ever be ready to talk about it,” Baer answered. “It was awful. Indescribable. I never felt so helpless. There was nothing that I could do. If only they had left when they had the chance.”

  Baer stopped talking, reached over, and gently rubbed Conor’s head. Purposively changing the subject, he asked, “How is Conor doing? Is he okay?”

  “He’s fine,” Marle-Marja answered. “But we don’t have any more berries and we are almost out of milk. Hopefully, whoever meets us at the river will have something for him to eat. Some more of those berries would be ideal. Conor loves them.”

  “It’s a good thing that you have teeth,” Baer stated, picking Conor up and giving him a gentle hug. “Otherwise, how could you chew on those berries? What’s your next trick? I suppose that you will be walking soon.”

  Baer loosened the baby’s blanket and let Conor’s legs dangle to the ground. To his astonishment, Conor stood upright.

  “How old are babies when they stand up for the first time?” Baer asked.

  “Not until they are seven or eight months old, sometimes later,” Marle-Marja answered, staring at Conor in amazement.

  “It looks like we have a new record,” Baer responded. “I wonder what other surprises he has in store for us.”

  Chapter 6

  TOLL RIVER

  They knew that they were close. A cool, moist breeze brushed against their cheeks, signaling the presence of water. Also, the tall grass started to give way to clumps of bright yellow sunflowers and elderberry bushes. As they walked on, sunlight chased away the darkness and small flocks of multi-colored songbirds shot across the horizon.

  “Can you hear that?” Ulric asked.

  “Water,” Marle-Marja answered. “I hear water.”

  Euphoria swept across them as they raced forward as fast as their legs would take them. Five minutes later they were standing on the river’s sandy shore, gazing out across a vast expanse of water that stretched out in all directions as far as the eye could see. The sound of water gently lapping up on the shoreline bathed over them like a soothing salve on an open
wound.

  “It’s warm!” Marle-Marja exclaimed as he waded in and splashed water all over himself. “Come on in. It feels great!”

  Baer took several steps into the river and dove in. He emerged with a huge smile on his face. Ulric waded in, holding Conor firmly in his arms. Just as he was about to bathe Conor, Ulric noticed something moving toward them from upriver.

  “Look over there!” Ulric called out, pointing.

  “What is that?” Marle-Marja asked.

  Baer stood on his toes, trying to get a better look.

  “What is that?” Marle-Marja repeated.

  “It looks like a giant bird,” Baer answered. “It’s definitely not a ship. It’s flying over the water.”

  The three men headed for the shore. As the bird approached, they realized that it was not a bird at all. It was much bigger than any bird that they had ever seen and it did not have a beak or eyes.

  “What is that?” Marle-Marja asked again, retreating a few steps.

  “I have no idea,” Baer stated as it glided in and landed right in front of them.

  “It’s huge!” Marle-Marja exclaimed.

  The feminine voice that had spoken to them earlier, filled their minds.

  “Good morning,” the voice announced. “We are so happy to see you. Do not be afraid. As you may have already guessed, this is not a real bird. It is a transportation device, one that uses hologram projectors to disguise its appearance, in this case making it look like a large bird. It will not harm you in any way. It is perfectly safe. We use it almost daily. Think of it as a ship that flies through the air instead of on the water. We call it a hovercraft. It has been programmed to take you to a safe place, a place that the Batar will never find.”

  A metal staircase descended from the bird’s belly.

  “If you would be kind enough to climb aboard, we can be on our way,” she continued.

  “You want us to climb into that?” Marle-Marja asked incredulously, pointing at the hovercraft.

  “Yes,” she answered. “There is no reason to be afraid. There is room enough for all of you inside. It is perfectly safe. Trust me.”

  “I don’t trust anyone anymore,” Ulric stated, picking up a piece of driftwood and pointing it at the hovercraft.

  “There is no cause for alarm,” she continued. “It is perfectly safe. But we need you to climb aboard now. Several robocameras are headed in this direction as we speak; and the Batar you fought last night have found your trail. They will be here shortly. There is no time to waste.”

  Baer took a step toward the staircase, and then hesitated.

  “There are berries on board,” she continued. “You must be hungry. We also have energy bars that you will absolutely love, fresh water, milk, and self-cleaning diapers for Conor.”

  “Trust her,” a different voice echoed in their minds.

  “Who said that?” Baer asked.

  “Oh my!” the feminine voice called out in shock. “Is that you?”

  “Who said that?” Baer repeated.

  Conor tugged at Ulric’s sleeve. Establishing eye contact, Conor’s voice filled his mind, “We need to leave. We need to leave now.”

  Shocked, Ulric dropped Conor onto the shore and backed away. Conor hit the ground hard, but instead of crying he rolled over, lifted himself into a sitting position, and spread his arms out wide, indicating that he wanted to be picked up.

  “We need to leave,” Conor repeated, this time projecting his thoughts in Baer and Marle-Marja’s minds as well. “We need to leave now.”

  Taking a deep breath, Baer said, “This is not possible.”

  Conor pointed to the staircase and opened his arms even wider. The three men stood still, trying to comprehend the incomprehensible.

  “Alright,” Baer announced after a few more moments had passed. “It looks like we are going for a ride.”

  Chapter 7

  THE ISLAND

  Baer wrapped his arms around a metal pole, closed his eyes, and held on for dear life. He just knew that they were going to fall to their deaths. Opening his eyes for just a moment, he looked down though a viewing portal below his feet. That was a mistake. His stomach growled and churned violently. Grabbing a bag hanging on the wall, he pulled it to his mouth just in time.

  “Are you alright?” Ulric asked, his voice laced with concern.

  Baer rested his head against the pole.

  “Are you alright?” Ulric repeated.

  “Just fine,” Baer answered sarcastically, his arms still wrapped tightly around the pole. “I couldn’t be better. I love flying. I should have been born a bird.”

  As they continued on their journey, Ulric checked all of the cabinets and found some diapers, several bags of berries, a large box filled with energy bars, and many packets of an orange-colored beverage that looked like ale but tasted as sweet as honey.

  Munching on several berries, Marle-Marja pressed his face up against a viewing portal and announced gleefully, “This is great! What a view!”

  Baer forced a smile and gave a quick wave over to his friend, trying his best to give him the impression that he wasn’t the least bit worried about falling. Conor smiled and nodded his approval as Marle-Marja asked him if he wanted to be held up to the viewing portal so he could get a good look.

  Marle-Marja turned toward Baer and asked, “Where do you think she’s taking us?”

  “I have no idea,” Bear answered, still refusing to look out of any of the viewing portals.

  “Based on the sun’s position in the sky, I think that we are headed northwest,” Marle-Marja replied.

  “Aiden told me that the Toll River originates in a northern sea, but the early settlers found the fishing to be poor and migrated south,” Baer stated. “Maybe that is where we are headed.”

  Ulric nudged Marle-Marja, gesturing toward the water far below them.

  “Well, would you look at that,” Marle-Marja stated in wonder.

  A large school of giant rainbowfish, some larger than a grown man, glistened in the sunlight as they passed below.

  “You should come over here and see this,” Marle-Marja stated to Baer. “There is a huge school of rainbowfish passing right under us.”

  “No thanks,” Baer answered. “I am just fine over here.”

  Conor clapped his hands as a particularly large rainbowfish jumped high out of the water and returned with a huge splash. Then, almost as quickly as they had appeared, the fish were gone.

  “I didn’t realize that the Toll River was so big!” Marle-Marja exclaimed as they continued on, passing through several low-hanging clouds.

  “You get an entirely different perspective from up here,” Ulric replied.

  The men fell silent as they continued their flight up the river. As the sun began its descent to the horizon, a flock of white-faced seabirds appeared off to their right. One after another they dove into the river, disappeared, and reappeared, usually with a fish dangling from its beak.

  As Marle-Marja and Ulric watched the seabirds gorge themselves on a school of silver-sided sunfish, Baer stated, “I hope that it doesn’t take much longer for us to get there. It’s going to be dark soon and we have been up here for a long time.”

  “Not much longer,” the voice answered in their minds, causing a very startled Marle-Marja to nearly jump out of his sandals. “We are sorry for the delay. We could fly much faster, but we do not want to bring any attention to the hovercraft. From above, at this speed, the hovercraft looks very much like a large, native bird.”

  “Can you hear everything that we say?” Marle-Marja asked incredulously.

  “Yes,” she answered. “We have sensors on the hovercraft that relay your conversations to us.”

  “How do you do that?” Marle-Marja asked. “How do you speak in our minds?”

  “I was born with the power to read minds and project thoughts and sounds,” she answered. “I inherited it from my mother. She inherited from her mother. It runs in our family.”

 
“Who are you and why are you helping us?” Marle-Marja interrupted, still not quite grasping what she was saying.

  “All that you need to know at this time is that you are safe and that we are here to help you and Conor,” she continued. “He is very important to us.”

  “Important to us?” Baer asked. “Why do you keep saying us and we instead of I? Are there more of you?”

  She did not answer.

  “Why do you have such a keen interest in Conor?” Marle-Marja asked, filling in the awkward silence.

  “You will find out in good time,” she answered. “You must be patient.”

  Despite repeated efforts by both Baer and Marle-Marja to get her to provide more information she fell silent. After a while, they gave up.

  “Well, at least we don’t have to worry about the Batar anymore,” Baer announced, changing subjects.

  “Maybe not, but I don’t think our troubles are over just yet,” Marle-Marja replied. “I don’t trust her. She is obviously hiding things from us.”

  “I am sorry that you feel that way,” she announced in their minds. “Sometimes it is necessary to keep things from you. However, I can tell you that we are taking you to a very beautiful island where you will be safe.”

  “That’s not enough,” Marle-Marja stated firmly. “We need to know more about you and your interest in Conor. For example, do you have a name?”

  “Yes,” she replied.

  “Well?” Marle-Marja asked. “You know our names. Don’t you think that you should tell us yours?”

  There was an awkward pause, as if she was consulting with someone else to determine how to answer.

  “My friends call me Kristi,” she answered. “I would be very pleased if you would all call me that.”

  “Where are you from?” Marle-Marja asked. “Obviously, you are not from around here.”

  “I am from a faraway place,” she started, again pausing as if she was consulting with someone else concerning how to respond.