The Kidnapping King

BART RETURNS

STOCKHOLM, SWEDEN - PRESENT DAY 

 Exiting the Espresso House, Bart turned right onto Vasagatan Street, walking briskly in the direction of the Mac Paidin sister's mansion.

Go to Inez. NOW!

The impulse was intense and compelling. And he was unable to resist it's demand.

What in the world? Why am I going back there?

Bart's thoughts were clear but his actions contradicted his rational mind.

It's like I have no control over my body...what's happening to me?

Turning the corner, he heard a familiar voice behind him, calling his name, "Bart! Bart!"

Spinning around, he saw his dad, running toward him, waving a hand in the air. A strange-looking man in a weird outfit stood behind him.

"Dad!" Bart shouted, then he abruptly turned back around and began running in the opposite direction.

"Bart! Wait! Where are you going?" he heard his dad shouting, but felt powerless to make his feet turn in his direction.

Faster! Run faster! You have to lose them! What in the world?

"Help me, Dad! I can't stop! I can't stop!" Bart yelled over his shoulder as he ran even faster away from his father.

He could see that the strange man was running now, too, pushing past pedestrians on the sidewalk, keeping pace with his dad.

Bart looked around frantically, and shoved past a woman pushing a stroller, "Sorry!" he blurted, abruptly turning to dash down a narrow alleyway. To his surprise, immediately in front of him stood a brick wall, blocking his path. "Oh, no," Bart panicked, bending over and placing both hands on his thighs. Turning around to look at the street he'd just come from, he was confronted by his dad and the other man, standing side-by-side, arms stretched wide.

Bart started to hyperventilate. Removing his ball cap, he wiped the sweat from his brow.

"You're going to have to physically overpower me, Dad. Something in my head is forcing me to return to Inez's house." He burst toward them, zigging and zagging in an attempt to get past them.

"This is magic, Bart," The other man said. Then looking to Bill, "We're going to have to tackle him."

Bill's eyes flew open wide, then he nodded, and they rushed at Bart together. Grabbing him tightly by the shoulders and waist, Bart kicked and screamed to get away.

"No way to move him through a crowd of people like this," Ninian said, "I can get us out of here...but we'll have to port to my home instead of returning to New Grange," he shouted to Bill as they struggled to keep hold of Bart.

"Ok, ok. I'll let Dad know later. Do it!" Bill blurted as Bart stomped on his foot and smacked the back of his head into Ninian's chest with considerable force.

"Ugh!" Ninian wrapped his left arm more tightly around Bart's chest, then released hold of him with his right, and tugged on a brown leather cord hanging around his neck, retrieving a common-looking gray stone at it's end. Grasping it in his hand, he closed his eyes and muttered some words. Immediately, an orangish glow emitted from between his fingers and a brilliant aura surrounded the three of them momentarily before they were transported away from the alley.

NEAR BALTRAY, COUNTY CLOUTH, IRELAND - PRESENT DAY

Bart stumbled to the ground, and rolled over on his back, pushing up onto his hands, which were, surprisingly, pressed into the cool of a soft-dirt floor. Immediately his nostrils filled with the earthy odor of soil and peat...and the smell of burning wood lingered in the air. Looking up he saw rough, bark-covered branches and a thatched roof sitting atop a circular stone wall. All kinds of herbs were hanging, upside down, from the branches, suspended by twine and the furnishings in the space were rustic and handcrafted.