The Andre Miller Saga

Andre Miller 9 The Wait

"What do you mean we can't leave yet?" asked Andre.

"Just what I said," replied Caleb, "The rental agency said we have to stay until the repairs to the door are taken care of, or we void the damages clause, lose our deposit, are in violation of our lease, and could lose the property."

"That's insane! The door will be 4 more days before the contractor can get here, and then 2 days after that for the repairs themselves. Every contractor in town and for miles around are tied up with the damages to the Row." Said Andre referring to Pumpkin Row, the city's magic district.

"I agree with you. But it's in the lease. Tenants must be on-site, or in the vicinity of the site, to supervise any repairs that come from full or partial liability of the tenant." Caleb said pointing at the copy of the lease he was holding.

"Full or partial liability? How is a demonic attack our fault?" Andre was to the point he was almost yelling.

"Easy brother. They say that because we are summoners, we are constantly invoking the risk of spiritual attack, and therefore even if our insurance says it's no fault of ours, the lease says we are at least partially at fault. Speaking of which, the insurance adjuster will be here later today anyways and they want us on site because this is the second claim for demonic attack in 2 years, and may void, or at least increase the cost, of our policy."

"OK, that's not going to happen. I know our insurance policy covers demonic incursion and attack, it's one of the reasons I picked the damn policy in the first place!"

"I agree, and all we're going to have to do is point out that clause and we'll be fine. We'll pay the deductible, and then that will be that. But there is no way around us having to be here for at least another week." Caleb replied.

"If we're here for another week, there will most likely be another demonic attack, that's one of the reasons we're leaving the area in the first place."

Frankie, Tilly, and her brother Kyle walked into the office.

"We have to be here another week?" asked Tilly.

Caleb explained, again, what he and Andre had been going over. "So, that's where we are with that. Our travel plans are on hold until the repairs are done by the insurance-licensed contractor. Which, thankfully, the people we have on tap for the repairs are licensed contractors with our insurance."

"Thank the gods high and low for that at least!" said Andre running his hands through his hair.

"Isn't that going to be risky, given everything?" asked Frankie.

"Yeah kid, it will be, but we don't have a choice. We've got thousands of dollars sunk into this property in just the material costs of the summoning rings, not counting the labor we put in installing them and maintaining them for the past 18 years to lose because the damned rental company has screwed up rules." Said, Andre.

"We just stripped out all but the very basic defenses out of here and the store because we thought we were leaving today. We have no fallback point other than the hotel at this point." Mentioned Tilly.

"I know," Andre said with frustration in his voice, "We've even disabled the summoning circles. If they launch another attack on either place it's toast, plain and simple."

"I hate to be the one to say it because it's stupid, but what about splitting into two groups? Me, Tilly, and Frankie take the trucks and U-Move and head to Birmingham and start getting us settled there. You two follow in the van once you get everything squared away here." Kyle said with his hand up as if to deflect incoming fire.