Una Extraña Aventura: A Zeppeli Tale [ON HIATUS}

Chapter Twelve: Practice Makes Perfect

It was 7AM when Carmen was gently shaken awake by a strong hand. Her eyes fluttered open to the sight of her father standing over her. Remembering the strict discipline he had instilled her since childhood, she shot up into a seated position immediately.

"G-Good morning, Papa!" she saluted like a subordinate soldier did to their superior. She looked over his shoulder and saw Vitale on his bed, already out of his pajamas, ready to go outside.

"Morning, Carmen. Get ready. We have something important to do."

Carmen got dressed in jeans, sneakers and a t-shirt before the three Zeppelis entered a rented car that took them just outside the resort area of Maspalomas.

Jeez, I wish we could've stopped by Cafe Tacvba beforehand, Carmen sighed as she took in the sunny seaside view out of her window. Rosalia's coffee would be perfect on an early morning mission like this. Why am I even up so early, aren't we on vacation?

As the nearly complete family drove down, Vitale couldn't help but notice a group of four to five figures standing in bizarre positions, almost like they were partly asleep or not fully conscious, but still standing on both feet.

"What's up with those ragazzi?" Vitale asked as the car whizzed past them.

"There's a problem in the Canary Islands," Alessandro explained. "Mostly here in Gran Canaria. I've heard that it's been really bad for the past two years, but... it's none of our business."

"Why would you choose such a drug-ridden dump for our vacation spot, Papa? I mean, not that I think it's a horrible place or anything."

Alessandro and Carmen stayed quiet, each knowing about the situation for different reasons. Alessandro through his work with the police, whom he had now deemed to be quite incompetent at their jobs, and Carmen through a more up close and personal experience.

This is El Pacto's work, Carmen thought as she tightened her fists on her lap. They seemed to be around my age. They're just kids.

Soon, the family made it to their destination, hills and mounds made of sand that was different from the beaches that surrounded most of Maspalomas. They had arrived at the Dunas de Maspalomas. The golden sand beneath their feet was of volcanic origin, mostly made of pulverized chalk and shells that started out in the ocean around them.

"This is so cool!" Carmen said as she kicked at the sand like a small child. "It's like we're in a real desert. Why'd you take us here, Papa?"

"You can have fun, but there's a more important reason behind why we're here," Alessandro explained. "First, I must tell Vitale the truth. Vitale, the true reason we've come to the Canary Islands is--

"Someone told you to come here and help you with something, right?" Vitale proposed without surprise.

Carmen was astonished. How was he able to tell so suddenly?

"H-How'd you know?" Carmen sputtered out.

"Well, by the way you ask that question, sorellina, you already know the answer. I won't ask you why, but to me, it's quite clear now," Vitale said before turning to their father. "You've basically been glued to Mamma's side since your retirement, and when you came back to the hotel at two in the morning, it was the only logical explanation. You're like two peas in a pod, whether you want to admit it or not, so only something really important could've taken you away from her."

"You're a clever man, my son," Alessandro complimented his older child. "I... see now why the study of Hamon made you feel so trapped. Yes, I do have important things here on this island. And... I don't know what the immediate future holds, but in any case, you both need to be prepared."