Wrought Iron, Book 1 of Merlin's Message

Chapter 20 - Hopes

"Augh!" Gavin yelled and sprang up in alarm. He had opened his eyes from sleep to see Dafydd and Mike looking down at him.

"Our fearless leader's kinda twitchy this morning," Mike snarked.

"Obviously overwrought from all the sleep he got whilst we were burning the midnight oil," Dafydd quipped.

"Obviously. Of course, we coulda let him sleep past breakfast. He should be thankful."

"Yes, he should."

Gavin grabbed his camo clothes and combat boots.

"Ha-ha," Gavin grumbled. "I've got a headache, and my mouth is dry as week-old toast. If you two are going to jump-scare me awake with the sight of your faces, you could have the decency to bring something to drink."

Mike grinned and handed over a steaming mug.

Gavin sipped. "Ahh. Okay. I'll let you live."

"Wow. Like, you're welcome, man." Mike chuckled.

"Let him wake up and change, then." Dafydd shared a laugh. "Breakfast and all over there," he waved a hand. "Coldark wants to hear our plans and make some decisions."

"Okay. Give me a minute," Gavin agreed and retreated to the bath area with his cocoa.

Dressed again in his camos, Gavin saw his friends were back in their original outfits. Mike wore his khakis, Dafydd his cargo vest and beret, and Taeko sat with arms folded, wearing her kendo outfit. Flint was back to looking like a street waif. The exceptions were Hannah and Saya. Saya was wearing Hannah's denim skirt and jacket. Hannah had on a female variation of Coldark's kit. Her trousers were indigo, and her shirt saffron. And unlike Coldark's plain black leather vest, Hannah wore one in Lincoln green with gold embroidered trim. Everyone had their packs and weapons close at hand.

"You guys look like you're all set to go," Gavin opened.

Rain still beat upon the canvas roof as Coldark leafed through papers and maps. He frowned and shook his head. Dafydd and Mike were grinning like a couple of wildcats over a fresh kill. Gavin sat down and helped himself to some of the food on the table. He chomped on buttered black bread, and thick applewood smoked bacon.

Almost like home. Good stuff!

"Your friends are painfully proud of themselves for coming up with a plan of sorts," Coldark sniped. "Maybe you should be the judge of it." He looked at Gavin. Taeko nodded without expression. Hannah smiled.

"You tell it, Dafydd," Mike suggested. "Gavin never likes my ideas."

Gavin swallowed bread and some kind of citrus juice and agreed. "True. Mostly because your ideas are reckless and ridiculous."

"Ouch. So, this is the thanks I get for sharing my genius?"

Dafydd stood and pointed at one of the maps.

"I'm going to let Mike tell this. You guys need to listen to him. He came up with this. I just helped with the details."

Everyone got quiet, and Mike stood up.

"Okay, then," Mike started. "Going overland would be a nightmare. We'd be dodging Enforcer airships, wild men, and dinos the whole way-no way we want to be doing that for two months or more. And, we'd still have to cross this inland sea, the Mississippi basin, and this bit of ocean that's not quite the Atlantic yet. Coldark here says the open ocean is too dangerous. From what he says, Jurassic leftovers are still hanging around out there."