Nikanatedanniell

Chapter 32 Revulsions

They played until the canyon walls blocked the sunlight. Nikki blocked her insecurities by concentrating on the artifacts and the people who left them. As they pretended to be those people, their happy talk about families, make believe and real, slipped easily and comfortingly into English. Nikki compared the way the ancient people must have lived with how the Jessops grew up in rural early 20th century Earth, cold water from the pump, outhouses, horse drawn plows and the like. They agreed that both Howard and Minnie would have been baffled by computers and awed by space travel, and that Howard would have loved split screen TV and dozens of channels. Then he could watch football and boxing at the same time. They talked about family members, new and old, living and dead with the same pleasant warmth.

Debby had set the headlights pointing upward in the centers of each room they were in like a cook fire. As the sunlight diminished, it was easy for Nikki to imagine the headlights as a warm fire. She was so engrossed with their game that it did not surprise her when one light flickered.

"Oh-oh, the battery's going dead," Debby moaned. "Guess we better go in the house."

"Yeah, I'm getting hungry anyway," Nikki replied, still feeling calm and happy.

The sound of an engine nearby brought Nikki crashing into the present. "Liam must be back with Merla," she commented and heaviness descended.

"Merla seems nice," Debby said as she strapped on one of the lights and handed Nikki the other. "I guess it just shows nice people can do dumb things."

As they scrambled over the rubble to the front of the cavern, Nikki prayed for confirmation of her opinion of Merla. The last thing they needed was to enter the house, find Liam nowhere and Iosha gunned down by a ruthless criminal. Much to her relief, when they reached the open door they found the three they expected and Harom, talking cheerfully.

Merla had commandeered a delivery truck belonging to a charitable organization that took donated goods from the city to a thrift store in a small farming community nearby. It seems someone should have donated a set of shocks for the truck. Liam was describing the ride over the washboard road. When he saw Debby, he began to demonstrate how bumpy it was. By the time his narrative reached the dwelling, they were all bent over laughing. Nikki locked eyes with Merla and the two females stopped laughing.

"Thank you for coming," she told the former smuggler.

Merla shook her head, "no, thank you for asking me. All my life I was an outcast. Mother moved us all over. I never had a home or friends. I never belonged. Ever since I learned about the Redeemer, I felt that I belong, especially when I listen to your family.

"I hope tomorrow I can miss the worst holes. The back is loaded. Our cover is delivery people so we will stop at VilMarc and then head back. Harom came because the delivery crew always travels in pairs. I hope that is acceptable."

"It is," Nikki asserted, spoke first to Harom and then to the others. "It is good to see you again. We need to go in so we do not show light."

Merla carried in a sack and put it on the table. "It is customary for a guest to bring a present," she took items out of the bag as she spoke. "Luxian brown bread and Kordan cheese. Not to worry, it is legal. I stopped by my bank before I picked up the truck. I was a smuggler, not a thief.

"You will be sharing the den with us. I will show you where it is," said Nikki and started to the doorway. She got almost there and froze. The Com Unit alert signal sounded. She turned and followed Iosha to the desk. When they read the caller ID, they exchanged worried glances.

"Who is calling Grandpapi?" asked Liam.

Iosha hesitated, "it says Carman Brecket."

"I have a sick feeling about this," Nikki said and took a seat. "You three," she pointed to Iosha, Merla and Harom, "take Debby out of sight," she commanded and added, "please."