The Golden Telescope

14 - FOLLOWED

PORTLAND, OREGON – PRESENT DAY

"Of course, we're having him followed, Inez. We're well aware of protocol. Victor has been keeping a safe distance ever since Jack left the house. He's sitting down at Waterfront Park, talking with his best friend. Well, we expected he would share that information—-No need to be rash. We can deal with his friend later. Yes, we will report any unusual activity."

Lizzie O'Brien ended the phone call and turned to her husband. "Sometimes, that woman acts like she is the only one in the family with either intelligence or powers."

Grabbing her purse from the kitchen counter, she opened the bag and removed a pack of Virginia Slims menthols. Shaking one cigarette loose, she put it to her lips, then lifting her free hand, she flicked the index finger and thumb together. A flame sparked to life, lighting the tip of the cigarette. Inhaling long and deep, she held the smoke in for a moment then exhaled a thick, aromatic cloud.

"I thought you said you were going to quit," Earl commented sarcastically, looking up from the newspaper he was reading.

"I said I am trying to quit; they help when I'm stressed." She took another puff. "And this is an unusual situation. I have the right to feel stressed." Strolling to the back door, she opened it and exhaled outside. "I still don't like the house to smell of tobacco, though."

Back on the counter, her phone buzzed twice. Crossing the room in two strides, Lizzie picked it up.

It was Victor.

They just entered Flanagan's Hobby Shop. Store is closed. Kid used his key. I think they are alone in there. Shall I follow? Lizzie read the message out loud to Earl then looked up expectantly.

"Tell him to wait on the street and pick up the tail again when they leave. At this point, we don't want Jack to suspect we are having him followed. We need to build trust," he said.

"Agreed." And Lizzie quickly texted the instruction to Victor, adding that he should let them know immediately when the boys left the store.

"You know, he's a smart boy," Earl said.

"He's got to be playing out all kinds of scenarios in his mind right now. Wondering what has kept us from talking to him about this before, questioning which family members have magical powers and why he's never met any of them. And I'm sure he's curious about what these new abilities mean, what we will expect of him. We're going to have to proceed very cautiously if we want him to confide in us."

Lizzie turned to her husband and took another drag on her cigarette, blowing the smoke out of the nearest window. "Yes, well, I'd like to hear more about exactly what happened to trigger this episode today. Jack is obviously holding back. You and I both know it takes direct interaction with some kind of magical force to make that ring of yours light up. Clearly, someone inside The Order is attempting to reach out. I want to know who!" She walked to the dinette table and forcefully snuffed out what remained of her cigarette in the crystal ashtray located there.

"As do I," Earl replied. "With your brother-in-law long out of the picture, it baffles me to consider who might be trying to make contact with Jack."

"Yes, and with what intent? We are so close after all these long years of waiting. It irks me to think that someone could be seeking to thwart our plans at the last hurdle..." Lizzie strode past her husband and into the living room, where she took a seat next to a glass top end table and began drumming her long, fuchsia fingernails on its surface.

Earl moved to her side, caressing her shoulders from behind her. "Well, I'm confident we'll be able to put all the pieces together from the intel Victor gathers following them." He bent over and kissed the top of her head, then whispered in her ear: "Patience, my darling."