CHAPTER EIGHT
As I left the Mayor’s office I bumped into Wanliet. We walked and talked.
“This Planetary Union’s quite an operation. Pretty slick. Something I might have tried if I started off the way they did,” I mentioned.
“Would that include kidnapping?”
“Could be, I’m flexible. Why do you ask?”
“Lordano and Jedub are gone. They don’t know the place well enough to get themselves properly lost in it, and the town ain’t big enough to have lots of hidey-holes, but they’re missing. So unless they’re passed out somewhere out of our sight and out of their minds, I figure they’re gone, and my guess is the PU’s the only group that would have the desire and fire to try ‘er.”
“It’s only been a couple of hours. They can’t have gone far. I just found out that Pex al-Pex is staying at a ranch outside Caliuga. If those two have been hijacked my money says those idiots are there, stashed at the ranch. I’m planning on a visit there, could be I’ll find ‘em tied up in a closet. But knowing them, they might not even be kidnapped, PU’s might have just offered them free booze or sex, and off they went.”
“Booze or cooze, neither’s good news,” offered W.
“Yeah, can’t say as I’d argue with you on that. The only way those two could avoid saying something stupid and maybe ruining everything is if they’re knocked out or dead.”
“So there’s still hope, you’re saying.”
I grinned. “Yeah. Still no word from the ship on our location, right? I mean, if we have to get out of here quickly I’d like to have a destination this time.”
“Right, nothing. I’m getting an idea, an intuition, about those balls, though. I’ve been thinking back on some vibes, some legends, some myths I heard tell of. It helps that the information banks here date back nearer to the time when I figure the balls were buried, before the legends had so much embellishment. Clues nearer truths. I’ll let you know when I’m more certain.”
“Thanks for that interruption – it sounded like you were going to say something important and relevant, and then -- nothing. Meanwhile, back on Caliuga, we’ve got a problem, W. Our two idiot sidekicks are missing, like as not in the hands of powerful people who probably want to expose us as frauds, and we have no idea how to leave this place. Any other tidbits for me, nice recipes or maybe some poetry?” I can get sarcastic when things are get dicey.
“Sorry. You mentioned the ship and it reminded me of the balls. And the balls remind me that our only course as long as we’re playing at dress-up is to be bold, act the role. Until we crap out, we have to keep rolling the dice. It’s not like we can pick up our winnings and walk away from the table, Jaf.”
I looked at him. Sure, he was a peculiar old coot, but still sharp. “You’re right, of course, W. Sorry I snapped – I don’t know how your mind works, but I’ve seen enough to know it does, so I’ll leave it at that. Any ideas about how to approach Pex al-Pex about our two lost lambs?”
“Assert your authority, make it priority! Let’s find this ranch and march in!”
“I’ve got a better idea. Why march, W? That was the Mayor’s office that I just left. They should be able to escort us, and give us something to ride. That will be much more impressive than showing up on foot, just the two of us. After all, this is the Rekaburb’s affair, too, since the PU’s poaching on their IG!”
Thus, W and I soon found ourselves back on horses, real horses this time, with Sirah leading us to the ‘lair’ – or so Sirah labeled it – of Pex al-Pex.