Chapter 23
The next day we had a meeting with the Governing Committee. They had a lead on where Necko might be. We were discussing who would go after him. I wanted to be the one to go get him. I didn’t care how many wanted to come with me but I needed to go. There was a rumor that Necko had gone to Ireland where a group of Teletrians had settled. Years ago those Teletrians had wanted to live on their own and not under the TEC rules. Apparently Necko was in touch with those people.
The Teletrians had settled a small private Island off the coast from Kilkee. They had the Island all to themselves. No outsiders lived there. If Necko was there we would find him. Kilkee was a small resort town on a peninsula on the west coast of Ireland, with a warm temperate climate. However, the Island they had settled was unknown to most people. It wasn’t even on the map. We had a vague description of how to get there but it would take some time to find it.
We all decided my dad and Alessandro would go. They both knew the area well. They wanted their wives to go and Cruz and I were going. We needed Caio with us, also. Lissandra and Paolo were going, of course. We stick together. Marco insisted on going since we were looking for his dad. And I had a feeling we should take Tio with us, even though he was probably too young. I knew that if I had a feeling I’d better follow it. We told everyone else if they wanted to go they could stay in Kilkee while we explored the Island and then we would call them if needed. We couldn’t all go to the Island at once and alert them. The committee stayed behind but told us to keep them updated of all our activities.
We flew into Kilkee but had to take a boat to find the Island. We chartered a large houseboat with a small boat in tow and some personal watercraft attached. We had a large area to look for the Island in. We passed a couple Islands that were public tourist spots, obviously not the one we were looking for. Our directions said to veer left after the second Tourist Island. We hoped we were on course. We kept track of our distance and direction travelled so we could tell anyone else that would join us.
So Necko from grams village had joined with some Teletrians. The problem is we had no idea how many were involved. Obviously Pietro from the Teletrians and Mario Valenci and his wife from grams village. But who else? How many?
“What if the whole Island is supporting these guys? How will we fight all of them?” I asked my dad. I didn’t know if we were capable of doing this ourselves, now that I really thought about it. I had just been so dead set on getting them that I hadn’t really thought about having to fight against a whole army of them. Maybe I was over-confident. The self-doubt was creeping into my mind again. However this time I didn’t chase it away. I entertained it. We were dealing with ruthless people. People who had no regard for life. They would pursue their goal at any cost. They already had committed unspeakable crimes.
Cruz stepped up behind me, both arms enveloped me with warmth and safety and that familiar zing. “Do not worry, Mi amica. We are on the side of good and right. We will prevail.”
“If only I had as much faith as you.” I turned around in his arms and placed mine around his neck. I was holding on to my anchor, my safety, my rock. At least I had Cruz and my dad and all the others to help me. It was also reassuring to know we had the committee backing us. Maybe I should chase away that doubt and block it away. We could do this.
“Take a look at this.” Dad said to Alessandro, handing him the binoculars. Cruz’ dad looked through them for a while then nodded towards my dad, handing the binoculars back.
“I think we found it.”
“Okay everyone, get ready.” Dad said. “Natalia, text the committee and tell them we are about to dock at the Island. Give them all the coordinates.”
Momma texted the committee and sent them our dead reckoning position from the second Island. I took a deep breath. Cruz tightened his embrace and lightly brushed a kiss over my forehead. He didn’t need to say it but I knew he was telling me it would all be alright; and I felt it would be. Sort of. I felt Cruz’ strength. However, something felt wrong. I guess it was fear.
There wasn’t a launch pad or dock to handle the houseboat so we dropped anchor about a half mile out from shore. The depth transducer indicated we were getting into shallow water. There may have been a better place to dock on the other side of the island but we noticed this side was uninhabited. This would allow a surreptitious approach. We took the speed boat and two watercraft and docked on the rocky shore. Obviously they did not comb the beach or haul in sand there. It was completely untouched and natural. The beach was mostly lava rock with some sandy areas that were covered in shells, pebbles and sticks.
We explored around the perimeter of the island for about a thousand feet in either direction. There was no sign of life. “Maybe this island isn’t the right one. It doesn’t look like anyone lives here.” I said.
“That’s what they want you to think. It’s not by accident, but it’s design.” Dad said. “Everything will be in the interior. We’re just looking for the best approach.”
We continued to scout into the interior, slowly and stealthy. We didn’t want to be seen before we seen them. Once we hiked over the lava rock, the interior was jungle-like with many trees and brush and flowers. No wonder they chose this place. It is concealed from the world. Every few feet we would stop and listen to see if we could read any thoughts or feelings indicating people nearby.
The brush was so thick to walk through we had to constantly cut a path through it. The cutting and walking was causing some noise so I wasn’t quite sure I heard something. However, I stopped to listen and everyone else did the same. “I can hear some voices but I’m not sure what they are saying.” I whispered.
“We must be close to someone. Let’s get a little closer where we can hear.” Dad said.
There was voices and laughing. It sounded like two or three people. Then I realized it was children laughing and playing. “It’s children.” I laughed. “They are talking to each other but their words are foreign to me.”
“You want me to translate?” Tio asked me.
“You can do that?”
“It’s Gaelic. Yes, I can.”
“They must have taught you Gaelic so they could bring you here.” I considered.
“Maybe. I learned several languages. Didn’t you?” Tio asked me.
“Uh…..no.” I laughed. “I struggled with Spanish. But I would guess whatever I would take now it would be easier for me.”
“They are just playing a game of tag. They aren’t saying anything important.” Tio reported to us.
We moved a little closer until we could see them. There were three small children playing in what seemed to be the back yard of a house. As we looked around we could see this was a small village of houses built somewhat close together. There looked to be around fifty homes, about the size of a small neighborhood. We skirted around the edges of the village, still remaining unseen, while we inventoried as much as we could. In the center of the houses was a few stores, a bowery, a park, what looked like a school and a meeting house.
Basically it looked like a normal small town. There were a few people walking through the streets. There were no cars, however they wouldn’t need any. There was a man behind his house cleaning fish. There was a woman at another house working in a garden. There was nothing alarming within our view. Nothing extraordinary. We continued to explore the island beyond the village. We thought that what we were looking for was probably hidden.
As we were proceeding through the jungle, the sound of rushing water began to emerge. The closer we got I recognized the sound of a waterfall. I was excited to see what it would look like but cautious in my movements so I wouldn’t draw attention. Most of our roving was hiking over lava rock. Something I was well accustomed to. As I pulled myself up over a hill, I was rewarded by the most beautiful waterfall I had ever seen. “OMG.” I exclaimed under my brea
th. “I need to snapchat this!” I really wasn’t going to snapchat. There was no time for that. But I definitely wanted a quick pic of this scene. I reached for my phone in my back pocket, but it was gone! “Oh no! It looks like I dropped my phone somewhere. Can I borrow yours, Cruz?”
“Of course you can. Here, take mine. I’m just going to look back a few feet to see if I can see yours. I think I seen something back there a little ways just around the corner.”
“Don’t worry about it. That will waste time. I’ll just look for it later or get a new one.”
“It was just a couple yards back here. It will only take me a second.”
“Okay, but don’t go too far back. It’s not that big of a deal.” I really didn’t want him going back at all but if it was just a few feet I guess it was alright.
I quickly took a picture with Cruz’ phone and then tucked it into my bra so it wouldn’t fall out too. There was a little pool at the bottom of the falls that I would love to go swim in if this were different circumstances. There was no time for that. We explored around the falls while we were waiting for Cruz. This area was void of any signs of life, other than wildlife.
We were ready to move on but Cruz had not returned. That was odd. He was only going back a few feet but he’d been gone about twenty minutes. I told him not to worry about it if it was farther back. “I’m going to go get him.” I told the others. “I didn’t want him to go looking for it. It’s just a phone. I have a bad feeling.” I started back the way we came.
“Oh no you don’t. We’ll all go.” My dad said. We turned around and went back the way we came. After a few feet there was no signs of Cruz. My heart dropped! Where could he be? He wouldn’t go back any farther would he? We kept hiking back the same way. I called him in my mind. Cruz, where are you? This is not funny! Come back, now.
I kept calling him in my mind. I was frantic and worried. Then I faintly heard him answer. I don’t…. know… where…. I am. They…. jumped me…. and blindfolded…. me and…. are taking…. me. I will…. Try…. to contact…. you….. Love you! His words were faint and spread apart as if he were falling asleep.
“Oh no! Cruz! No! You can’t take him!” I meant to say it in my mind but it came out of my mouth. Cruz, keep talking. I’ll follow. I love you too!
“What?” Clariee yelled. “Oh no! Not my son!” She was screaming and crying and I was too. Alessandro hugged Clariee and tried to calm her down and also quiet her down. My dad was doing the same to me.
“We need to follow him! He can’t be far yet! We need to move fast!” I screamed.
“Okay, we will do that. As soon as you calm down. You need to be calm and quiet so we can follow the trail and watch for clues.” Dad said.
“Okay. I…I can do that. Calm down. I’m calm. Let’s just go! We’re losing valuable time!” I sobbed. I was trying to be calm. It just wasn’t working. Clariee was about the same.
Momma put her hands on my shoulders and held me tight. “I call on the powers of the wind and sea and Earth to encircle Talitha and keep her calm.” She said as she raised her head toward the sky. A few minutes later she released me. I felt a calm sensation begin in my feet, swirling around me and up to the tip of my head. Momma walked over and did the same to Clariee.
“Are we ready now?” Dad asked. “Let’s go.” We headed back the way we came but kept looking for signs leading elsewhere. There was brush trampled down in another direction so we headed that way. We followed the trail through the jungle for quite a ways. I kept telling Cruz in my mind that we were on our way and that I loved him. I told him I loved him. Wow. That was a surprise. But I really felt it. The bad thing was he was not sending messages back. That worried me, a lot.
While we were following the path we heard a loud roaring sound coming from a distance. Then we saw a helicopter fly off. “I hope that doesn’t mean what I think it means.” Alessandro said.
“It can’t!” I said. I began running and running through the brush as much as I could with all the obstacles. I kept tripping over trees and brush but I got back up and kept running. I came to a large cleared area where the helicopter had obviously taken off. I fell to the ground and sobbed. “It’s my fault! He went back to get my phone. Please don’t hurt him!” I couldn’t imagine where they would take him or what they would do to him. I was frantic with worry. I had to do something! I couldn’t live with myself if anything happened to him. Why did I let him go back for it? It was just a phone!
Momma and dad were trying to console me but it wasn’t working. I wanted to scream at the top of my lungs. I think I did scream. I wanted to turn back time and forget my phone! This was a nightmare! I didn’t want to go on without him!
“Talli, just remember he is strong and resourceful. He will be okay and we will find him.” My dad said to me but the words were muffled in my head. I couldn’t hear anyone right now. I needed to hear Cruz! Why couldn’t I hear him? My world just crumbled. I was numb, and yet I was in horrible pain as if part of my body had been ripped out. Dad picked me up in his arms and carried me out of the jungle. I could hear everyone talking around me but I couldn’t tell what they were saying. My world faded to black.
Don’t miss book two!
Promised hope
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