Excerpt:
Stephen was just nineteen but he had built up a pretty good reputation as a Monster Hunter all on his own. He wasn’t sure he should be going to Malokey with his parents. He considered himself grown after all. But how could he continue to work for the Witches Council that had treated his mom so badly. He decided that he couldn’t. And there was a part of him that wanted to learn more about his Malokey heritage.
Phil’s home in Witch City was in the Dixie Quad. The architecture was Roman and U.S. Southern with some Ancient Pluto Viso in the mix. Looking down from the sky, the Quad was beautiful. There were many flowering gardens and none of the magnificent statues had as of yet been melted down by the Anti-History Melicones most noted for their wearing of dunce caps, their wearing of their pants down around their knees and their slobbering like panting dogs. Also they liked to pick their noses and flick buggers at people. Over all they were a disgusting bunch but unfortunately they were growing in political power. U.S. President Biden had given them hope that people actually liked being bossed around by their mentally inferior. They marveled with glee on seeing how people took mandate orders from someone who is a total idiot, a liar, and a duplicitous miscreant. Truly, Biden was their kind of man.
Hearthville Serial: Book 7
Episode 27
Any Truth, Proper Grammar, or Correct Spelling is totally coincidental if not accidental.
All characters are fiction. This story is fiction. This story makes no claims about any real person.
By Charles Peters
Copyright 2021
All Rights Reserved
Note that this episode will have scenes dripped every Tuesday onto this same page until end scene and new episode is started.
Scene A …. Tuesday, December 14, 2021
Alice Malokey, her husband Phil Clyde, and their son Stephen Clyde entered Witch City on Alice’s spaceship. The spaceship was too small to make passage to the planet Malokey and so from Witch City they would take a cruise spaceship mostly used by vacationers. But to them it would hardly be a vacation. It would be them fleeing earth.
Although Alice was giving up her position on the Witches Council and there was much regret about that, she was going home. There was some pleasure in that thought. Phil on the other hand was leaving his home and his parents and his best friend Sam Bigalo. He would no longer be a Monster Hunter on planet earth and he did not know what the hell he would be doing on the planet Malokey.
Stephen was just nineteen but he had built up a pretty good reputation as a Monster Hunter all on his own. He wasn’t sure he should be going to Malokey with his parents. He considered himself grown after all. But how could he continue to work for the Witches Council that had treated his mom so badly. He decided that he couldn’t. And there was a part of him that wanted to learn more about his Malokey heritage.
Phil’s home in Witch City was in the Dixie Quad. The architecture was Roman and U.S. Southern with some Ancient Pluto Viso in the mix. Looking down from the sky, the Quad was beautiful. There were many flowering gardens and none of the magnificent statues had as of yet been melted down by the Anti-History Melicones most noted for their wearing of dunce caps, their wearing of their pants down around their knees and their slobbering like panting dogs. Also they liked to pick their noses and flick buggers at people. Over all they were a disgusting bunch but unfortunately they were growing in political power. U.S. President Biden had given them hope that people actually liked being bossed around by their mentally inferior. They marveled with glee on seeing how people took mandate orders from someone who is a total idiot, a liar, and a duplicitous miscreant. Truly, Biden was their kind of man.
Looking down as the spaceship made its approach to land, Steven said, “Sometimes I forget how beautiful this area of Witch City is.”
Phil agreed. “Yeah, but the beauty will probably be gone soon enough with the changes that have been made to the Witches Council. The new council is most likely to side with the Melicones. All the statues will be destroyed. The gardens will be asphalted over to build basketball courts and be called parks because Melicones are too stupid to know that a park should be a green space. All of the grand swimming pools will be filled in with dirt because the Melicones do not like swimming. I guess I am glad that I will not be here to see when they come to rule Witch City.”
Stephen mumbled. “I like to play basketball. And you can’t really blame the Melicones because none of the clothes they buy from China fit right. I don’t think the fucking communists have ever heard of a thing called a tape measure.”
Phil screamed, “Son of mine, If I ever catching you buying clothes off of the rack I will disown you.” His voice quieted. “And anyway, like I was saying, I guess I am glad that I will not be here to see what they do to the Quad.”
Alice nodded. “Or try to stop it. I am so sorry. I thought I was being smart but I got outplayed by Sabian and Madison’s father.”
Phil kissed his wife. “We always knew that we couldn’t save earth. The best we could hope for was to buy it some time and that time has run out. We have to face the fact that we could never save earth from all of its insane people.” Phil looked at the baggy pants that Stephen was wearing. “We may be getting our son off of planet earth just in time. Look at those awful pants.”
“Granny bought me these pants.”
Alice landed the spaceship behind Phil’s large home that some might call a mansion. They made their exit from the spaceship onto the lush green grass beneath their over priced shoes. Stephen said, “Are you going to keep this place or sell it?”
“I am going to keep it though Sam is going to help me maintain it.”
Sam came out of the mansion to greet the trio. Sam was not too happy. “Alice, my son is missing. Rabbit is missing. And you are going to go back to your home planet without giving a fuck. I thought you were a better friend than that.”
“Of course I care. But there is nothing I can do. I am sure Rabbit and Winston and your parents are okay. And Amelia. Victor did what he did to protect them from Sabian.”
“But what did he do? Where did he transport them?”
“Communication to the Outlands has been cut. I have not been able to communicate with Victor or Madison or any of them. I don’t know where he has hidden them. But I am sure they are alright.”
“Can’t you delay your trip?”
“I am no longer welcome here on earth. I am not safe here on earth. And to be blunt, if I become caged, my family will blow earth to pieces. I am running not just for my safety. I am running for earth’s safety.”
Sam frowned. “Have things become so bad they might try to cage you?”
“Yes. The Witches Council is now run by men and women who are that insane.”
Stephen said, “Mom, we can’t just leave with Rabbit missing. We’ve got to help Sam find them. Why don’t you return to Malokey and then dad and I will join you later?”
Alice said, “You and your father might not be safe either.”
“We are Monster Hunters! Since when did being safe ever enter into the equation. Sam needs our help.”
“Well, if you two stay, then I will also stay. But understand that every second we stay on earth, the closer we might be to a battle that we might not can win. The communist and Monsters are fastly taking over planet earth. The world is so upside down the State of Georgia might actually elect someone as its governor who is a black nationalist, who is a total black racist, and someone who is an advocator for totalitarianism. And look at what the Monsters are doing to Australia and Canada. Planet Earth is not safe.”
Sam asked, “Can we just give up on earth and let the Monsters have it?”
Alice screamed. “Can Amelia just keep sleeping? Isn’t there some way you can wake the bitch up.”
Sam said, “We have tried to wake my dear wife up.”
Alice said, “Well. Maybe you have not tried hard enough. Every second God sleeps, things just keep getting worse on her damn planet.”
Stephen looked at his mom. He realized how upset and how torn she was. He knew she was not just angry at the God Amelia but also angry at herself. He didn’t say anything.
Alice dropped down to her knees and she screamed in tears.
Stephen mumbled, “Melodrama, much.”
Alice reached up toward the sky. “Why can’t we save earth from the forces of evil and their Monsters? Why do I have to be such a fucking failure?”
Sam dropped down to his knees and took Alice in his arms. “When we find Rabbit and Amelia, maybe it is you who can wake her.”
Scene B …. Tuesday, December 21, 2021
[Tips Unmet]
In the dim, artificial light Winston stared at Amelia. “Are we really on a ship, in a cave, or is this a cage?”
Naked, Rabbit climbed up a ladder from the water.
Winston looked at his friend. “Why are you naked?”
“I was skinny dipping. The water is warm. It feels good.”
“Caelous put a full wardrobe in my cabin, which includes several swimsuits. I will loan you one.”
“Yeah. No. I enjoy swimming naked.”
Winston walked over to the ladder. He shoved Rabbit back into the water who landed with a splash. Then from the water he splashed Winston.
Rabbit laughed. “I got you all wet.”
Winston climbed to the bottom of the ladder and knelt down. He put his hand in the water. “You say the water is warm but it feels cold to me.”
“The water may take a little time to adjust to but…”
“Your perception is that the water is warm. My perception is that the water is cold.”
“So, sometimes getting used to the water temperature takes some adjusting where the water might feel cold when you first stick your foot or hand in the water.”
Winston said, “Rabbit, I am fairly sure that someone has moved us to a cage.”
“You are crazy. There was nothing that Caelous said or did that indicated he was caging us.”
“I don’t think Caelous is the one who caged us.”
“Your grandfather Sabian?”
“He does not like me but I don’t think he would cage me.”
“Maybe temporarily. Do you think?”
“Maybe but I don’t think so. I think someone else did this to Amelia. I think she is the one who they wanted to cage. We just happened to be with her when it happened.”
“Do you have anything concrete to base your theory on other than your perception of whether the water is warm or cold is different from my perception?”
“Come back on board the boat and get dressed. I want you to sit with me and Amelia for a little bit. And also when your grandparents come around pay attention to them.”
“Pay attention to my grandparents. Wait. Why? What you are saying.”
“I don’t want to fully explain to you what I am talking about. I want to see if you realize it on your own. And you know, maybe I am wrong.”
Rabbit guessed that Winston suspected that Samanjela and Ansil had not been caged and what Winston and himself were seeing were figments in the cage. To what Winston wanted him to notice about his-Rabbit’s–grandparents he wasn’t sure. In truth Winston had noticed Samanjela had been calling on Winston quite a bit to help take care of Amelia. That was sort of odd. And Rabbit had already noticed that Ansil was at times very hard to find and when he was found he looked almost vacant, like he was somewhere else.
Rabbit said, “If my grandparents were not caged with us and what we are seeing are figments, they must be worried. My granny must be frantic about Amelia. She has taken care of her for so long.”
“So you have noticed that what may be a figment of your grandmother has not been taking care of Amelia in her normal way.”
“I’ve noticed. And it almost seems like my grandfather vanishes at times.”
“And he has almost no personality.”
“Yeah. I guess you may be right. I just don’t want you to be right. What are we going to do?”
“What can we do? My grandfather has taught me quite a bit about cages as far as trapping people in them, but I do not have a clue to how we might escape.”
“My father told me that the cages always have a system where you can monitor people outside the cage. Finding the monitoring system would be proof that we have been caged.”
“I remember my grandfather explaining that the reason the monitoring system is in place is that it is used to create the figments. But the problem, from his point of view, is that it does provide the caged person a way to spy on people outside the cage, if the caged discover it. So we need to find the monitoring system or as my grandfather calls it, ‘The Wizard of Oz.'”
“Well, I hope this cage is not as elaborate as the Land of Oz.”
Winston laughed. “Yeah. Well. If we run into Glenda, don’t try to have sex with her.”
“Me. You are the one who takes long showers so you can jerk off.”
Winston nodded. “But you know, thinking about Oz might help us get out of this cage. Every cage I studied did have four quadrants just like Oz. Still, I am guessing clicking our heals together will not get us out of this cage.”
Scene C …. Tuesday, December 28, 2021
[Tips Unmet]
Samanjela and Ansil stood on the ship docked in the cave. They looked around. Samanjela was in tears.
Samanjela begged a question for which she knew Ansil had no answer. “Where could they be? How could they just vanish in the night.”
Ansil offered an answer that he doubted. “Rabbit and Winston could have went to explore the cave to try to find some way out. But they would not have taken Amelia with them.”
Samanjela put her hands to her face. She tried to fight back her tears. “What are we going to do? Wait for Caelous? Leave the ship to try to find some way out of the caves so we can contact Sam?”
Ansil pulled his pants up higher. “My God woman, we are witches. Rabbit and Winston may not know their powers but we know our powers. A spell should not be so hard to get us out of these damn caves. But the question is, once out of the caves will we be safe.”
“Just long enough to get to some communication devices. Then we will come back here in case Rabbit and Winston come back here. And also we will probably be more safe here.”
“Okay. Together or just me?”
“Together. I don’t want to be left here by myself waiting for you and imagining the worst if you take longer than expected.”
“Okay. Together. On Three. One, two, and three.”
They did not go to their mountain top home but to their home that was a few houses over from where Phil had his home in the Dixie Quad. Ansil found one of his phones and at once called Sam.
Sam said, “Dad. Thank God you are calling. I’ve been so worried.”
Ansil said, “Caelous, that is Victor, transported us down into the caves where he has a ship. But son, do not stop worrying. Where are you?”
“Dad, I am over at Phil’s home in Dixie, in the Witch City quad. What did you mean when you told me to not stop worrying?”
“Your mom and I are in our home in Dixie. We are coming to you.”
Ansil and Samanjela appeared next to Sam, Phil, Alice and Stephen. Sam saw at once that his mom was crying.
Sam asked, “Mom. You are scaring me. What has happened?”
Ansil said, “Last night, some time, we don’t know when, Rabbit, Winston and Amelia vanished from the ship. Just vanished. We would have thought the boys were just being boys and off exploring the caves. But Amelia also vanished.”
Sam rolled his eyes up to the heavens. “Oh my God.”
Alice said, “Terrible things are happening. Sabian Blackrock has taken control of the Witches Council. I have resigned.”
Samanjela touched Alice. She moaned, “Dear, oh no.”
Phil said, “The Outlands have been locked. Victor is locked in the Outlands. Iapetus is locked in the Outlands. Others are locked there as well.”
Alice said, “My friend Madison.”
Samanjela pointed her eyes sideways and downward. “Friend. Are you sure?”
Ansil said, “They have locked the Outlands. That breaks the treaties. How could they do that?”
Alice said, “For some reason, some of the Space Alien Witches have decided to steal the earth from the earthlings. Rules and treaties don’t matter to them. They don’t have a clue to how this world works.”
Ansil asked, “Does the political moves they are making somehow connect to the vanishing of Rabbit, Winston, and Amelia?”
Samanjela said, “I thought we were hidden. I don’t understand how they could have found us.”
Sam said, “I think Sabian must of somehow located you. I am going to call him.”
Sabian did not answer his phone.
Sam screamed. “Son of a bitch. Sabian if you think you are going to ignore me then you have another fucking thing coming.”
Sam called Quentin Darko.
Quentin said, “Well. This is an unexpected call. Sam Bigalo. Hunter at large! And that is a fat joke by the way.”
Sam said, “I have no time to replay our old moves on the chess board. And I am not fat. I think Sabian has my son and Amelia. Phil and I need back up. Are you going to give it to me or are you going to be a fucking asshole with more fat jokes?”
Quentin screamed into the phone. “You idiot, of course you have my support against Sabian. How big of an army do you need?”
“I want at least one hundred witches when I raid Sabian’s estate.”
Ansil said, “Son, you need to talk to Sabian first.”
“I called. He did not answer.”
Quentin said, “I will have my people working on a cage that can hold Sabian. It may take at least 48 hours. We need the cage before we begin the attack.”
Alice said, “I will call my brothers. They can have a spaceship with at least 10,000 ready. But they will need 72 hours to prepare.”
Sam said, “Okay. Okay.”
Ansil said, “Son, you know that you are the verge of starting a war. And we don’t know the facts.”
Phil said, “We know that Sabian had the Outlands locked. We know that he had Alice removed from the Witches Council. And we know that God herself is missing.”
Samanjela said, “Sabian’s grandson Winston is also missing.”
Phil said, “And Winston is probably how Sabian found you.”
Ansil said, “I don’t think so. Winston is a good boy. He just happened to be born into a bad family.”
Phil said, “His soul is part of their house.”
Samanjela said, “The House of Backrock is not all bad. There are good souls among them.”
Alice took Samanjela into her arms. “Dear, none of them are as good as you. None.”
Sam said, “Winston is a good person. My mom is right about that. I am not even sure he comes from the House of Blackrock.”
Quentin screamed into the phone. “I just got back from vacation on Camarou. Back up. What are you people saying?”
Sam said, “Sabian Blackrock has taken control of the Witches Council with help from Joesion Grant. Alice Malokey is no longer on the council.”
“Alice is no longer on the council! Joesion is not still in prison? But Sabian and Joesion hate each other. Now they are on the same side. I am confused.”
Alice said, “Joesion thinks Sabian is going to free Napoleon from the cage where he holds him. I expect their alliance will end quickly enough but the damage is done.”
Quentin said, “Will my soldiers and Alice’s 10,000 be enough to capture Sabian?”
Alice said, “My father and brothers and not going to go into a full frontal war. And I have no idea where else we can pull troops. Do you?”
“No. I wish I did. The object is to rescue Rabbit and Amelia. Maybe we can hold Sabian in a cage long enough to accomplish that, but damn, if he has the full Witches Council behind him we are going to be poking the bear big time.”
Samanjela said, “I know Sabian is a fucking asshole bastard but before we prepare for war, we need to talk to him. We need to make sure we know what the hell we are doing.”
Quentin said, “If it is okay Sam, I will call Sabian.”
“He would not answer my call.”
Quentin said, “On second thought, I will call Bilford. Or maybe you should try calling him instead of Sabian.”
Samanjela said, “Let me talk to Winston’s mother Winfrey.” Samanjela quickly made the call before the men folk could sound their objections. “Hello Winfrey. This is Samanjela.”
Winfrey screamed into the phone. “What the fuck have you all done with my son?”
“Please calm down. We have not done anything to hurt Winston. I may hate Sabian…”
“Yeah, who doesn’t?”
“But Winston is a dear. He has been a good friend to Rabbit.”
“They are almost like brothers.”
“Exactly. We would never hurt Winston. But last night, while we were still in hiding on the ship in the caves from Sabian something happened. Rabbit, Amelia, and Winston vanished. We are thinking that Sabian must have found us and did something. Can you talk to Sabian for us?”
“I have your word as witch that you are not playing some kind of game with me.”
“You have my word as a witch and a mother and as a grandmother and as someone who has cared for Amelia herself for ages. I love Winston and Rabbit but let this sink in, Amelia is also missing. And I know for a fact that Sabian was after her.”
“Oh my God. Please do not go to the Witch Media yet. Let me talk to Bilford and we will talk to Sabian just as quickly as we can. Bilford and I came to Witch City to look for Winston. Sabian is still in the physical world.”
“Okay. That is good that you two are in Witch City. To show trust I am going to give you my location.”
Sam screamed, “Mom. No. That is crazy. Don’t do that.”
“Son, we have to show trust.” Samanjela turned back to her phone. “Dear, did you get my location.”
“Yes. I am going to come to meet you without Bilford. I don’t want to put him in a position of having to keep anything from his father. At least not yet although Bilford may have decide his position with or against Sabian soon enough.”
“Okay.”
Winfrey appeared between Alice and Phil. “So, this is what I am thinking. I would like to go to the ship in the caves where you all were hiding. I am pretty good at finding clues and reading history from those clues.”
Quentin spoke into the phone. “Winfrey is really good at that. She has helped me before.”
Winfrey leaned to speak into Sam’s phone. “Hey Quentin. Since they have called you I am guessing they are planning an attack on Sabian.”
Quentin said, “With Alice no longer being on the Witches Council, we are all feeling desperate.”
Winfrey clasped her hands over and under Alice’s right hand. “I had not heard that you are now gone from the Council. These are darker times than I realized. For the record, and I will say it in front of Sabian, I want you back on the Council.”
Alice smiled and patted Winfrey’s hand. “That means a lot to me. And though it is doubtful that I will ever be back on the Council, I would gladly make you one of my commanders.”
Quentin said, “I agree. Winfrey would make a good choice.”
“You flatter me and that makes me smile but my son is missing and I am afraid. I am now even more afraid for Winston than before. Can you get me to the ship in the caves?”
Ansil said, “I am pretty sure that I have got the spell that can get us all there. Are you all ready to make the trip?”
Winfrey said, “I am ready. Let us do this. I want my son back safely by my side.”
Ansil silently, mentally, cast the spell to transport them to the ship in the cave.
Sam elbowed Phil. “Do you smell that?”
Ansil asked, “What?”
“It is the hint of a perfume.”
“It is the same smell from the time we first came here. Just the smell from the water I imagine.”
Sam said, “No. I only know one witch who wears that perfume.”
Phil said, “Wendy Oppers. And she is partial to caves.”
Sam said, “And getting into shit, thinking that she can make a dime.”
Winfrey asked, “Is she a kidnapper?”
“Oh yeah. She is a criminal. There is a Ten Million dollar bounty on her.”
“So does this put Sabian in the clear.”
“No. She is someone that Sabian has hired in the past. But of course he is not the only one who has used her services. Wendy Oppers being involved in this neither clears nor convicts Sabian.”
Winfrey said, “Okay. You’ve told me that is a perfume smell. That is good. I can use that. Let me see if I can follow her moves. Let me see if I can picture her in my mind.” Winfrey screamed, “Oh my God. How big are her breasts. Are they real?”
Sam laughed. “I think they are but Phil and I have had debates about that.”
Alice pulled her husband by the ear. “Seriously. You got close enough to debate whether her breasts are real or not but not close enough to put $10 million into our bank account.”
Sam said, “Alice, you have to understand, Wendy is a slippery one.”
Alice said, “Well, I hope it was you and not Phil who put the body oil on her.”
Sam gave a wicked grin that suggested there was more to what Alice said than just a joke. Phil stared at Sam’s grin and remembered how Wendy had once seduced Sam when they had been trying to lay a trap for her.
Stephen knelt down and picked up a partially smoked cigar. He handed it to Phil.”
Phil asked, “Ansil, is this from you smoking.” Phil put the cigar up to his nose. “Odd.”
“No. And of course I could be wrong but I am pretty sure that was not here before we left.”
Samanjela agreed. “No. I am pretty sure that you are right.”
Phil handed the cigar to Sam. Sam smelt of it. “The tobacco is from Camarou where Quentin said he had just gotten back from Vacation.”
Stephen said, “But if he was on vacation there is no way that he would have known that Caelous had hidden them here. He didn’t seem to know what was going on. Was Quentin lying.”
Phil said, “Wendy Oppers could have contacted him.”
Quentin said, “I have not been in contact with Wendy Oppers.”
Sam stared at his phone. “I forgot he was still on the line. I hate when that happens.”
Quentin laughed. “Yeah. Well. Let me make clear. I am innocent. But it is interesting if that cigar did come from Camarou. For the record, I am in Hearthville. But anyway, there are only two shops that sell cigars there. They don’t have a huge market.”
Sam agreed. “It is a small planet. But they, whoever, could have bought the cigars at any time. The purchase might not be recent.”
Quentin said, “True. Still I am going to make some calls and do some checking. This time I am hanging up. Bye.”
Sam said, “Bye.”
Scene D …. Tuesday, January 4, 2022
Winfrey conjured a special type of flashlight that could cypher bodily shedding to match DNA to some degree depending on how much shedding it had to cypher. Where the flashlight detected Wendy Oppers it would create a 3d hologram of her and the other known people who had been on the ship. It could detect but not create a full hologram of any unknown person who had been on the ship.
Winfrey shined the light in the area where Stephen had found the cigar. Wendy was shown near where the cigar had been but next to her had been another person. The person had blond hair where Wendy had brown hair. Also they had a mustache.
Winfrey said, “Wendy was here with an accomplice. They have blond hair and a mustache. The DNA indicates they are a male.”
Sam said, “Wendy sometimes works with her brother Hinton. He is blond and with a mustache.”
“Okay let me enter Hinton Oppers.”
An image of him appeared next to Wendy.
“So far there is nothing in the DNA to indicate the man with Wendy isn’t Hinton so I am thinking we can assume he was here with her. Is there a bounty on his head?”
Phil said, “$250,000. He is not quite as notorious as his sister but he is wanted. Both of them are going to be very difficult to catch.”
Winfrey said, “They both could still be right here in this cave.” There was silence. Then Winfrey said, “They used a cage to put Winston, and Rabbit into. I am not sure about Amelia.” Winfrey held the replay data coming from flashlight up to where Stephen could see it. “See this. This is the data of them going onto the ship. They didn’t transport. They walked physically. And this is them leaving the ship. Hinton’s weight has greatly increased. They exited the ship onto a small rowboat of some kind.”
Stephen caused a rowboat to materialize it. It was large enough to seat everyone. Everyone got into the rowboat. Stephen sat in the back and caused a small motor to materialize on the back of it and a spotlight to shine in the front of the boat. Winfrey pointed her flashlight into the light of the spotlight. A 3d hologram appeared in the spotlight of the boat that Wendy and Hinton had used in their get away. Stephen followed the hologram to where it had landed on a shore of the cave. Stephen caused a flashlight to appear in everyone’s hand but Winfrey’s who already had a flashlight. They all exited the boat and followed the hologram that Winfrey created with her flashlight. They came to long ladder. The holograms vanished at the bottom of the ladder which suggested that Wendy and Hinton used a transporter spell to travel by magic at that point. Still, Stephen and the rest climbed the ladder. At the end ladder was the basement to someone’s house. From the basement were stairs that led up into the kitchen of a house. From the kitchen the group exited the house.
Samanjela moaned. “We’ve accomplished nothing. I thought we would catch them.”
Winfrey said, “Unless you all have any objections I am going to call my husband Bilford and tell them about the kidnapping. I want him to return to Hearthville to confront his father to see if Sabian will confess that he hired Wendy and Hinton Oppers. Sabian is a pretty good liar so I don’t say the confrontation will prove anything either way but sometimes Bilford can get a reading on his father.”
Sam said, “Okay.”
Quentin called back. “I’ve been doing some checking with some of my contacts. Wendy Oppers brother Hinton has been visiting Camarou. From Camarou he normally travels to Azhom with a man by the name of Meager Ramz. Azhom has been becoming somewhat notorious for its revival of the slave trade.”
Sam said, “Wait. Are you telling me that Wendy and her brother kidnapped Rabbit, Winston, and Amelia to sell them into slavery.”
Quentin said, “No. I am saying that is what Hinton has been involved in lately. I have no idea what Wendy is planning to do with Rabbit and Winston and Amelia.”
Sam said, “Well. Hinton is the one who was smoking the cigar on the ship. We’d already figured that out.”
Winfrey said, I am returning to my Hotel Room to speak with Bilford. It is still possible that Sabian is behind this.”
Alice said, “Yeah. Or not. I don’t know.”
Sam said, “Yeah. Tell Bilford everything so that he knows that there is a big chance Sabian has nothing to do with this. At the same time, let him know that it is still possible that Sabian might be involved.”
“Yeah.” Winfrey snaps her fingers and vanishes.
————————-
Scene E …. Tuesday, January 11, 2022
Winfrey returned to her hotel room.
As Winfrey entered the room Bilford asked, “Where have you been?”
“Samanjela called. I went to see her. Actually Ansil, Sam, Phil, Alice Malokey and Stephen Malokey were there.”
“You should not have gone without me. That was dangerous.”
“Have you and your father ever hired Wendy Oppers?”
“Why?”
“Just answer the damned question and be honest. Don’t be a damned liar like your father.”
“Yes. We have hired her for a few jobs. I don’t much like her.”
“You know. Kidnapping is a dirty business.”
“I agree. She does that kind of shit but that is not what we have hired her to do. We have used her to steal documents, not people.”
“Well. She has kidnapped Winston, Rabbit, and Amelia.”
“Is that what they told you?”
“They had been hiding from your father on a ship down in the caves. The kidnapping happened there. I investigated it.”
“They may have used her. It could be a staged situation.”
“You didn’t tell me that Alice Malokey had been removed from the Witches Council.”
“So you agree it could be Alice trying to get her job back.”
“I don’t agree. Did you know your father was after Amelia?”
“I knew.”
“Then you know why they were hiding down in the cave. And now Amelia has been kidnapped.”
“If father is behind it, I am sure he will make sure that Winston is not harmed.”
“And what if Wendy and Hinton kidnapped Winston and Rabbit to sell them as slaves in Azhorn?”
“Wait! What?”
Bilford quickly called his father. “Dad. Please tell me that you are the one who had Winston, Rabbit, and Amelia kidnapped.”
“Son. What are you talking about?”
“Wendy and Hinton Oppers have kidnapped Winston, Rabbit, and Amelia. Please tell me they were working for you.”
“I hired Wendy to find and kidnap Amelia when I thought I was going to need more leverage. Once things fell into place with Alice stepping down I called the kidnapping off.”
“And you cheated Wendy out of the money you were going to pay her. So she kidnapped my son. You fucking asshole. If my son is sold into slavery and raped, I will kill and cage you myself. Do you understand?”
“I will get Winston back. There is no reason for you to worry about him being sold into slavery.”
“I want Rabbit back and Amelia back and I want Alice back on the Witches Council.”
“Why on earth would you want Alice back on the Witches Council?”
“Because she would not have caused my son to be kidnapped. And you did.”
“Well. I understand that you are angry. And I will get Winston back from Wendy. But there is no way in hell I am going to allow Alice to be put back on the Witches Council.”
Winfrey took the phone. “Listen. Alice’s family could have earth destroyed. Quentin has enough soldiers here on earth to make your life hell even if Alice’s family shows restraint. Alice slipped in a compromise to make me one of her commanders if she is returned to the council.”
“I have an army of my own. Quentin does not scare me. But are you sure that Alice’s family might consider war?”
“Put Alice back on the council.”
“She had me put in prison. In fucking prison. And I am supposed to just look the other way after she had me treated so badly. And even if I am the one who helps get her back on the council she is higher ranked than me because of her damn family on Malokey.”
Bilford took the phone back. “Winfrey will be made one of her commanders. That saves your face. And as far Alice putting you in prison, you were going after Amelia. What the hell did you think Alice was going to do. Just look the other way. You were trying to kidnap God. You don’t try to kidnap God. We both knew that was risky and I figured pretty insane.”
“Okay. Winfrey can tell Alice I will now be Alice’s ally as long as Winfrey is one of her top commanders. That is I will be Winfrey’s ally.”
“Can you get things squared with Wendy and her brother or does Quentin need to send his army after them.”
“I have my own army.”
“Yeah, well, this isn’t about using your army so you can later brag. Before we do any strategic planning, see if you can talk to Wendy and her brother.”
“Strategic planning? What? Wait. Oh. I see what you are thinking. We may need Quentin to calm the resistance, but I agree, let me talk to Wendy first. She may not have an army but she has a gang and a lot of allies and if we can end this peacefully it will be better for everyone. But understand, I am angry that she kidnapped Winston. I may not have made that clear earlier. Winston is an asshole but he is my grandson.”
“I know you love Winston. You just don’t always show it.”
“And son, I also love you.”
Bilford laughed. His father only told him that kind of thing, love, when he had been drinking a bit too much. “Love you also dad. Now go sober up and talk to Wendy.”
Scene f …. Tuesday, January 18, 2022
In a hidden cave, off from where the ship was tied, Merlin sat with Amelia. “My sweet, dear God, if there could be but someway that I might could wake you. And you could begin to cure all of the earth’s problems. My name Merlin, it would again mean something but I promise you that is not why I brought you here. I want you to wake for earth’s sake.”
King Arthur walked up to Merlin. “You know this is wrong. You must return her to Samanjela.”
“I will wake her and she will again be God. How could that be wrong. And until we wake her, Wendy and Hinton Oppers will take the blame for kidnapping her. It all worked out wonderfully.”
“Not for Rabbit and Winston who Wendy and Hinton plan to sell into slavery on the planet Azhom.”
“I plan on you going to buy them.”
“I am not going to go buy two young men and have people think that I am a homosexual. Guinevere and Aleta already think there was some funny business between Prince Valenexual and myself.”
“I must say I also wondered some things when I walked in on the two of you wrestling naked.”
“Shut up.”
Merlin laughed. “But seriously you need to travel to Azhom with Prince Valenexual and Sir Lancelot and make sure that one of you makes the winning bid on Rabbit and Winston. I don’t want those two young men to end up sex slaves. And be sure to have fake ids and wear disguises. I don’t want Wendy to figure out that we are the ones who have purchased Winston and Rabbit.”
King Arthur said, “Let me repeat one more time. You need to return Amelia to Samanjela and we need to rescue Rabbit and Winston from Wendy before she has a chance to auction them off. I managed to get a tracking device on the cage where Wendy put them. I understand you want to wake God from her seemingly endless slumber, but this was all a very bad plan. Let us bring the plan to an end before things get out of hand.”
Merlin screamed, “Earth can not go on as it is going. Something has got to be done. Surely, you understand what I am telling you.”
“So join a turn out the vote group. Don’t kidnap God.”
Merlin begged King Arthur to understand. “If God continues to sleep, then more and more people are going to stop believing in God. And when people don’t believe in God, they stop believing in themselves. They lose touch with their own soul and the longer that last then the more likely their souls are to fall into a sleep. This covid shit doesn’t just risk mortal death but endless sleep for the souls who have surrendered to the madness.” Merlin paused. He clinched his fist. “We need a God who is awake and who is our champion.”
King Arthur said, “There is Iapetus. There is Caelus. And there is Jesus who many Christians believe is God. We can help them give humanity hope.”
Merlin screamed, “We need the true God Amelia.”
King Arthur said, “But she sleeps, and my dear mentor and friend, please find the humility to understand that you don’t have the power to wake God if God does not want to awaken.”
Merlin took Amelia’s hand into his hand. “It is not my pride that drives me to open her eyes and press her ears to the four winds so that she might hear the cries of humanity and understand that we need her.”
King Arthur asked, “Are you sure it is not your pride?”
“Are you going to help me or not?”
“Of course I and my Kingdom will help you.”
A young, somewhat nymphish young man rushes into the cave with his bare feet barely touching the ground. “My sir King, I have terrible news.” Then the young man’s attention turned to the sleeping Amelia. “She is beautiful and I sense dangerous.”
King Arthur said, “Well. Don’t sense too much. What is your terrible news?”
“Tiffany Lane is dying from Covid. She will be back to the Kingdom soon.”
“My Queen Guinevere is dying of Covid. I read her life scripts she had planned. She is dying too soon. She is to die of old age. Not some stupid, queer disease created by…well, whoever.”
King Merlin said, “Well, you know the computer code, time, has been changed by those trying to prevent the over population that destroyed earth in the future.”
“You would defend their monstrous solution.”
“I defend no one but myself and those in my alliance. They are not in my alliance. I simply state what I have been told.”
The young man asked, “Should I plan a full greeting for when our Queen dies and returns to us?”
King Arthur asked, “Merlin, is there anyway we can save her?”
“I already have too much on my plate. I don’t need to be distracted by this.”
“Then I might not can help you. Guinevere is my plate.”
“Fuck. Okay. I will see if I can find what other people are working on. I will see what I can do. But if she has one of the real Covids and not the fake shit they are using to misdiagnose, it is not going to be easy.”
King Arthur said, “Get things prepared for a royal greeting but be ready to call it off if we can save her.”
The young man smiled. “Will do.” He then rushed out of the cave.
King Arthur said, “I am going to her to see what I can find out.”
Merlin rolled his eyes. “Sometimes I hate that woman, your Queen.”
“It could be worse. Prince Valenexual could be your queen.”
Merlin laughed. “I guess. If you say so.”