David Robbins - Thief River Falls Run

What if they never came back? “We’re fine,” Jenny said. Plato’s face was etched with sorrow. “Believe me, we’re fine.” Jenny reached out and squeezed his right hand.

Blade, scanning the six dozen faces surrounding the SEAL, saw someone he needed to talk with. “Excuse me.” He smiled at Jenny. “Be right back.”

“Okay.”

Blade made his way through the Family members until he reached Napoleon. “I need to talk to you,” he told the Gamma Triad leader.

“Alone.”

Napoleon grinned, his balding head glistening in the sun, and moved to one side, away from prying ears.

“What is it, Blade?”

“I want to warn you,” Blade spoke quietly. “I talked with Rikki last night. He’ll need your support while I’m away. Can I rely on you?”

“Need you ask?” Napoleon demanded testily. “But what do you have to warn me about?”

Blade glanced around them. “Plato has told me he suspects there is someone, maybe several members of the Family, who might cause trouble while Alpha Triad is away.”

“Oh, really? Did Plato mention any names?” Napoleon inquired, his brown eyes darting nervously about.

“He wouldn’t give me names,” Blade replied. “But he has reason to believe that someone wants to be Family Leader.”

“What?” Napoleon asked incredulously.

“That’s right,” Blade snapped. “A power-monger in the Family.”

“I find that hard to believe,” Napoleon remarked.

“Me too,” Blade admitted. “The Founder was quite explicit in his diary.

The Family must immediately expel anyone suspected of craving a position of power.”

“I’m glad you let me know,” Napoleon said, thanking him. “I’ll keep my eyes peeled for you.”

“I knew I could count on you.”

“May the Spirit be with you,” Napoleon said. “We’ll all be looking forward to your return.”

“Thanks.” Blade shook hands with Napoleon and returned to the SEAL.

Napoleon watched him go. “And some of us,” he said under his breath, “will be looking forward to your return with less enthusiasm than others.”

Blade took Jenny’s hand as the Family members thronged the SEAL.

Dozens came forward to offer their best prayers and wishes for a safe trip.

One of them was Joshua’s mother, Ruth.

“You’ll watch out for my Joshua, won’t you?” she earnestly asked Blade.

“Of course we will,” he assured her.

Ruth gazed at Joshua, tears rimming her green eyes. “Bring him back to us, please,” she beseeched Blade.

“Ruth, you’ll see him again. Trust in the Spirit.”

Ruth nodded and moved away.

The Alpha Triad’s departure was a historic occasion. Except for the Omega Triad on guard duty, every Family member was at the SEAL.

Rikki-Tikki-Tavi came up to Blade. “Take care, and don’t fret over us.”

He would be in charge of the Warriors with Alpha Triad gone. “Keep your mind on the mission. May the Spirit smile on you.”

Plato stepped in front of the SEAL and raised his arms. “The time has come for the Alpha Triad to leave us in quest of essential supplies and equipment we so desperately require. Much depends on them. I know I speak for all of us when I proudly say to these brave men that our love and prayers go with them. We will be waiting eagerly for their return. May the Spirit bless them on this enterprise.”

Many members of the Family applauded and shouted encouragement to the Alpha Triad members and Joshua.

Plato walked over to Blade and Jenny. “The keys are in the ignition,” he said to Blade.

The two men gazed at one another, conveying their affection and mutual respect in one glance.

Plato, impetuously, embraced Blade. “Take care, son,” he whispered.

Blade smiled. “I will.” He turned and faced Jenny.

“I love you,” she said.

“I love you,” he replied. He enfolded her in his arms. “Never forget that.”

“Get going,” she urged him, “before I begin bawling in front of everyone.”

Blade stared into her eyes, holding her hand in his.

“Please, Blade, go.” Her voice was breaking.

Blade climbed into the SEAL.

“At last,” Hickok cracked. “I thought you were going to personally say so long to every member of the Family.”

Blade ignored him. He suddenly felt an urge to get moving, to leave before he changed his mind.

Joshua waved to his parents, Ruth and Solomon. “I’ll miss them terribly,” he stated unhappily.

Blade twisted the key and the SEAL turned over. Those Family members standing in front of the vehicle moved aside.

“Try not to pull a Hickok,” Geronimo advised.

“What’s that supposed to mean?” Hickok rejoined. “I didn’t do such a bad job of driving my first time out.”

“No, you didn’t.” Geronimo chuckled. “If you conveniently forget trying to run over half the Family.” He paused, grinning, then snapped his fingers. “Oh! And what about that tree jumping out in front of you and trying to wreck the transport?”

“Hey, pard,” Hickok said, glancing over his left shoulder at Geronimo.

“When you drive this critter, then you can talk.”

Blade carefully pressed the accelerator and the SEAL moved forward.

He saw Jenny waving, tears pouring from her eyes. Plato had his right arm around Jenny’s shoulders. Blade shook himself and focused on his driving. Up ahead he saw Brian, the Keeper of the drawbridge, assisted by several other men, lowering the bridge, working the massive mechanism, the system of gears and pulleys, to the only exit from the Home.

“I can’t believe it,” Hickok exulted. “We’re finally on our way to the Twin Cities! Ya-hooo!”

“Does he often get this excitable?” Joshua asked Geronimo.

“This is one of his calmer moments,” Geronimo answered.

The members of the Family were running after the SEAL, many waving, the children laughing delightedly, the majority of the adults ebullient.

“The adventure of a lifetime,” Hickok said, his face flushed, “and we’re on it! Who knows what we’ll find out there!”

Blade frowned. “I know what I’m leaving behind,” he said.

“You’ll see her again,” Hickok promised.

“How can you be certain?”

“I won’t let anything happen to you, pard,” Hickok assured his friend.

The gunman playfully smacked the dashboard. “Ya-hooo!” he shouted again.

“You’re certainly in a good mood,” Blade commented. “Star has been a positive influence on you, hasn’t she?”

“That’s part of it,” Hickok agreed, grinning. He wasn’t ready to divulge the true motivation, sparked by the incident the other night. He had made a decision. After they returned from the Twin Cities, he was going to track down the remaining Trolls and avenge Joan’s death. The Trolls had removed his beloved from his life; he would remove every last one of them from this planet, and hopefully assuage his tormenting grief. “Hi-yo Silver, away!” he happily yelled, pleased at the thought of his eventual revenge.

“What in the world does that expression mean?” Joshua inquired.

“I read it in one of the western books in the library,” Hickok explained.

“This promises to be an interesting trip,” Joshua observed.

Blade, concentrating on driving the SEAL, bit his lower lip, thinking of Jenny. Had he made a mistake he would regret for the remainder of his life? Should he have stayed with the woman he loved? Would he ever see her beautiful face again? Clasp her in his arms? Hear her words of endearment? Hickok had said it best. Who knew what they would find out there?

Blade drove the SEAL at a sedate speed, still unsure of his ability and the SEAL’S capability despite his previous experience on the run to Fox. He drove south after leaving the Home behind. They crossed rolling fields, following the guidelines Plato had prepared. A road atlas from the library was their means of navigation. Eight miles from the Home, as hoped for, they found Highway 11. Still passable, the road was cracked and riddled with holes. Portions of the surface had buckled over the years, with weeds growing in the exposed sections.