Special Notes: Sheesh.... I've just gone through my fourth keyboard in a year... and I've worn out three computers and four tablets in two years. They need to make a heavy duty system for writers. *****Audio File***** "Chapter 58 - Forgiveness - Audio File" [The White Raven, Chapter 58, Forgiveness] [Surf Shop, Eagle Province, Planet Darai] Jaco pushed the table two feet to the right and stepped back to look at it. “Maybe over here.” Kit glanced up from a game of Bone-Dice solitaire. “That looks good.” Jaco shook his head. “It’s not centered,” replied Jaco, pushing the table back a foot and then to the left a few inches. Kit rolled his eyes and tossed another roll of the Bone-Dice across the counter at the front of the Surf-shop/Jaco’s house. Kit had given Jaco instructions to arrange his new furniture, and now Jaco had been pushing the table around for twenty-minutes trying to find the right spot. Jaco pushed the table back to the spot it had been originally and held his hands up like a movie producer framing the next scene. The door opened and the little bell hung at the top of the door-frame jingled, startling Jaco. Aliaen held the door open and Caedon followed, carrying a small toaster oven. “Hello, are you open?” asked Caedon, not waiting for an answer and dropping the toaster oven on the counter. “Blasted thing is broken - let me plug it in and show you.” Jaco looked at Kit, but he just shrugged and continued his Bone-Dice game. Caedon started looking for an electrical outlet, leaned across the counter, and finding one plugged the toaster oven in. The toaster oven immediately began producing sparks and a gray smoke rose from the back. “See what I mean,” said Caedon. “The smoke makes the toast taste terrible,” added Aliaen. Sparks cascaded over the counter and down on the dry wooden floor of the building. Jaco’s eyes widen and he leaped forward, grabbing the cord and pulling it out of the electrical socket. “It has a short, you shouldn’t plug it in,” said Jaco softly and dropping his eyes. “Well, it’s a good thing we brought it into the shop,” said Caedon. “So, how long will it take to get fixed?” “I… umm… this isn’t… I mean….” Jaco looked at Kit for help but didn’t get any and looked back at Caedon. “This isn’t a shop,” said Jaco. “Looks like a shop, and I’ll take one of those fishing poles, the red and black one,” replies Caedon. “Those aren’t mine,” said Jaco. “Everything in here is yours,” said Kit. “Do what you like with the merchandise.” Kit leaned over and whispered. “But be careful, they’re Ravens, and you know how Ravens are.” Jaco understood Kit’s joke, but it was only half a joke. Ravens were notorious for negotiating just about anything, and getting the better end of the deal. Jaco nodded and kept his face blank, realizing the two new Ravens were playing a game, and Kit was in on it; Jaco just wasn’t sure what the game was yet. “I’ll give you twenty Eagle-notes for the fishing pole,” offered Caedon. Jaco shook his head. “I wasn’t hatched yesterday,” said Jaco, narrowing his eyes and getting into the game. “I don’t take Province currency. Imperial-Notes only, and that fishing stick is a priceless heirloom, but I’ll let it go for fifty.” “Fifty,” shouted Caedon. Jaco flinched back and dropped his eyes. “I’m sorry, is that too much,” whispered Jaco. Kit stopped rolling the Bone-Dice and looked at Caedon. “You should be grateful you’re getting such a valuable antique for only fifty.” Caedon was obviously very uncomfortable and nodded his head. “You’re right, yes, it’s okay, I’ll tell you what, I’ll give you sixty.” Jaco kept his head down and shrugged. “I guess, if you think that’s fair.” “How about seventy, I’ll give you seventy,” countered Caedon. Jaco looked up and grinned. “Deal.” The fishing pole might not have been priceless, but the expression on Kit and Caedons’ faces were. Aliaen started laughing and walked around the counter to retrieve the fishing pole. “A Jackdaw just played two Ravens like a fine fiddle,” said Aliaen, handing the chagrined Caedon the fishing pole and turning to Jaco. “Moeth tried to warn us you were brilliant, you’ll fit in just fine here, Jaco.” “What’s the toaster oven all about?” asked Jaco. “It was just to break the ice, we were going to try and trick you to teach us to be electronics specialists,” replied Aliaen. “They don’t have a course at the university and there isn’t anyone to teach us.” Jaco shrugged. “I’ll teach you, I don’t mind.” Aliaen looked back at Kit and Caedon. “See, I told you, we should have just asked. Jackdaws aren’t Ravens, we didn’t need to try and be clever, just honest.” “Well done, Jaco,” said Kit. “Yea, you got us,” added Caedon. Aliaen leaned in close to Jaco’s ear. “Since we’re being honest,” whispered Aliaen. “We think you’re really cute.” Jaco’s eyes widened in shock, then Caedon winked at Jaco and he turned as red as a Robin. ***** [Constable’s Office, Eagle Province, Planet Darai] Grant was frustrated and threw the evidence bag with the ransom note down on the desk. A criminal element was using Raen’s absence to move into the Province. The ransom note was for a hatchling that had been missing for two weeks. Moeth’s Ravens had torn the province apart looking for the hatchling, but they hadn’t uncovered anything yet. Moeth had put the ransom money together, but the kidnappers must have sensed the setup; the money remained under a bush five miles out of town for three days before Grant had called it and pulled the money back. Lenya was out in the desert searching every possible hiding place, and Moeth had even brought in Hawk Security Forces, Falcon Investigators, and Commonwealth Law Enforcement - and the Tarlocks were walking a picket line across the desert; at the last update they were thirty miles out. There was one thing he hadn’t tried yet, and it wasn’t something he thought had any chance of success. But, Lenya had recommended he at least give it a try. Grant grabbed the evidence bag and headed outside to his patrol truck. The town was all but deserted, in appearance anyway. Everyone was staying inside. Grant drove along the single-lane coastal road listening to the radio Com-link. The Hawk Security Forces were finishing a sweep of the outer farms, and the Falcons were searching buildings in Eagle Province for the third time. Grant swung the truck down the switch-back to the beach. The paved road ended and the truck raced along the sandy lane towards the Rescue Station. The two rescue Darts left behind when the Albatross left weren’t on the landing pad, they were out over the ocean checking for any unregistered fishing ships. But, it wasn’t the Rescue Station Grant was heading for. He drove past the Com-Building and towards Lord Struthio’s old Surf Shop. Grant pulled up next to the building and climbed out of the truck. Kit was sitting on the porch and Jaco was kneeling in the sand doing something. “Hey there, Constable,” greeted Kit. “I’m here to see him,” said Grant, motioning to Jaco. “We’ve already been through this,” replied Kit. “I was with him the entire time from before the kidnapping.” “He’s not a suspect,” said Grant. “I just need to ask him some questions.” “Jaco, come on over here,” called Kit. Jaco got up and ran over. Grant looked at what Jaco had been doing and shook his head; Jaco had been building a sand-castle. “Lenya says you were one of the best Lone Gunslinger candidates in a long time,” said Grant. Jaco shrugged. Grant held the evidence bag out. “This is the ransom note, I need you to look at it and tell me what you think.” Jaco looked at Kit and then took the evidence bag and read the note. There wasn’t anything particular about the note, other than bad grammar. “Profile, prints, chemicals?” asked Jaco. “Dusting came up with nothing, no identifying chemicals, and the specialists say it was written by someone with a low educational level, but couldn’t identify any particular dialect,” replied Grant. “But, they did identify the paper as having been made in Falcon Province. We tore the airport apart but didn’t find anything there.” “It was written with a quill,” said Jaco. “Nothing unusual there, quills are common place,” said Grant. “It was a turkey quill,” said Jaco. “We know that too, but turkey quills are popular everywhere,” replied Grant. Jaco opened the evidence bag and took out the paper. “It was in an evidence bag for a reason,” said Grant. “They’re done with it, or it would still be at the lab,” replied Jaco, sniffing the paper and then holding it to his ear and crinkling the paper. “Oh for the love of the Goddess, I knew this was a bad idea,” said Grant, reaching for the paper. “Give me that.” Jaco jumped back a step to keep Grant from taking the paper and continued to crinkle it. Grant looked at Kit for help. “Patients like Jaco do that sometimes,” said Kit. “The crinkling sound is soothing to them.” “They’re at the airport,” announced Jaco, and then darted around Grant and ran inside the Surf Shop with the paper.” Grant gave Kit a scathing glare and chased after Jaco. Kit followed Grant inside, the paper was lying on the counter. Grant grabbed the paper and shoved it back inside the evidence bag. “I’m sorry I upset your patient,” Grant told Kit. “I’ll be going now.” “Wait,” said Jaco, retrieving some books from a shelf, a newspaper, and some stationary. Jaco dumped the armful of books and paper on the counter. “See, look.” Jaco held up the newspaper and crinkled it. “It’s not a good crinkle. And look at this stationary, it’s wavy, and doesn’t crinkle right either.” “Jaco, maybe it’s time to take a rest,” said Kit. “No, listen,” said Jaco. “It’s hot, and we’re next to the ocean, there’s humidity, that’s why my stationary is slightly wavy and doesn’t crinkle right. The paper is absorbing moisture in the air, and look at the books, the pages are slightly warped, humidity is ruining them, but look at the ransom note, it’s not wavy, and it crinkles right. ” “Okay, Jaco, that’s enough,” insisted Kit. “Hold up,” said Grant. “I want to hear this.” Jaco snatches the ransom note back and holds it up. “This paper was made in Falcon Province where there isn’t much humidity, then it was shipped here by cargo plane and went into the terminal. Some of the paper was delivered to a local store, but some would have stayed inside the airport where they have environmental control. Nobody else has enough electricity to waste on air conditioning.” “He’s right there, Raen bought a Battle Carrier instead of a power plant,” said Kit. “We’re all living on either solar panels or the two windmill generators.” “That doesn’t mean the kidnappers are at the airport,” argued Grant. “Where did you find the ransom note?” asked Jaco. “It was tacked up on a post in front of the Eagle Mercantile,” replied Grant. “There’s your proof,” said Jaco, grinning like it all made sense. Grant looked at the ransom note and then back at Jaco. The humidity was a good point and might mean something, but he still wasn’t convinced it meant anything more than the paper was new and hadn’t been sitting in the Mercantile. “I think you’re seeing things that aren’t there,” said Grant. “Look, the kidnapper isn’t well educated, it took him awhile to write the note. The kidnapper has a safe hidey-hole at the airport where he got the paper from and could take his time writing it.” “Alright, it won’t hurt to give the airport another try,” said Grant. “There’s more,” said Jaco, shifting back and forth on his feet. “Well, what is it, Jaco,” asked Kit. Jaco dropped his eyes and whispered. “The kidnapper is a Demonian.” “That’s impossible,” said Kit. “No Demonian would ever harm a Daraian, let alone a hatchling.” “You had Gunslinger Michael as a Sociology teacher, didn’t you?” asked Grant, looking at Jaco. Jaco nodded. “I thought so, he warns against overly trusting Demonians,” said Grant. “In the past, only the very cream of the crop from Demonia ever came here to work, we’re conditioned not to suspect a Demonian could harm us.” “The cities on Demonia were destroyed during the war,” said Jaco. “Many of the survivors come from remote primitive villages with little education - and they are all here now.” “Demonia didn’t have criminals,” said Kit, unable to accept that any Demonian could be bad. “They had crime,” said Jaco. “Prince Vengeance became a Gunslinger Law Officer to fight crime, but then he over-threw the legitimate government that had existed for hundreds of years - even their law enforcement was corrupt.” “We could discuss this all day,” said Grant, walking to the door. “You’re coming with me, maybe you can see something we missed.” Jaco turned white. “I can’t go.” “I’m not sure that’s a good idea,” said Kit. “I think it’s an excellent idea,” replied Grant. “You all are treating him like a china doll instead of treating his real problem. Jaco, you’re still a Gunslinger, you haven’t been released from your oath.” “I… I… just can’t,” stuttered Jaco. “I’m not just a Gunslinger,” said Grant. “I’m a Daraian too; you abandoned your mate, are you going to abandon the law you swore to uphold also?” “That’s uncalled for, Constable,” said Kit. “Keal died.” “He did not die,” said Grant. “I checked, Keal is in a coma.” Kit’s eyes turned dark and he stared at Jaco for a moment. “We didn’t know that,” said Kit, grabbing Jaco’s arm roughly. Jaco didn’t resist, he was guilty of the greatest crime a Daraian could commit. Murder could be forgiven before abandoning a mate would. “Is this true?,” asked Kit. “Just kill me,” begged Jaco. Kit yanked Jaco towards the door. “There are far worse things than death, I assure you of that.” Grant got into the truck, and Jaco followed, or more precise, was thrown into the truck by Kit - somehow, Moeth had missed a piece of vital information and Kit was angry. He had been operating under the impression that Keal had died, but that wasn’t the case. Jaco hadn’t suffered a break-down from his mate dying, Keal had suffered a catastrophic injury; and Jaco had broken because of it. Kit ran through what he knew of Keal, and it was very little. All information about Keal had disappeared after the accident, they had just assumed he was killed. Jaco’s treatment would have to be altered to achieve a different result than Kit had intended - Jaco would need to return to his mate in time. “This is Constable Grant, all units meet at the airport causeway, no emergency lights,” said Grant into the trucks radio Com-link, and stirring Kit out of his thoughts. Grant sped along the coastal road back to town and then out towards the airport. The first two Hawk Security Forces were already waiting, and a Falcon vehicle pulled up at the same time Grant did. Grant rolled the window down as the senior Hawk walked over. “Hold everyone here, I have a lead but don’t want to spook them if the lead plays out and they have look-outs,” said Grant. The Hawk nodded. “I’ll get an assault team ready,” said the Hawk glancing at the Constable’s passengers and wondering what the lead was. Grant drove into the airport and parked at the reserved security spot in front of the terminal. Kit pulled the reluctant Jaco out of the truck and the three of them walked along outside pick-up zone and towards the main door. “Lets just walk in nice and slow,” said Grant. “Jaco, keep your eyes open and see if anything jumps out at you.” Grant and Kit walked beside Jaco, observing the passengers buying tickets, saying goodbye to friends and family, or just rushing to their gates. The terminal wasn’t crowded, but there were enough people to warrant a Constable walking through and checking things out. At Gate 12 Jaco stopped to look at the headlines of a newspaper on a rack outside a bookstore. “What is it?” asked Grant. “There’s two Temple Ravens following us,” replied Jaco. “I know about them, they work for Raen,” said Grant. Jaco took the newspaper, leaving Grant to pay for it, and walked out to the center of the aisle, then scratched his eyebrow, then his throat, and continued walking. “I know a signal when I see one, what did he just do?” Grant asked Kit. “He told those two Ravens they were following too close and to drop back,” replied Kit. Jaco walked to the end of the terminal and looked out at the big planes waiting on the runway. Grant caught up with him and stared out the window. “Well?” asked Grant. “Turkey quills,” said Jaco. “What about them?” asked Grant. “Every store here sells them,” replied Jaco. “I said they were popular,” said Grant. “Your wrong,” said Jaco. “They are only popular here because there are wild turkeys running around everywhere. At the hospital I was at they only had Raven quills, and the medical ship that brought me stopped to refuel in Brant Province, and they only had Brant quills. Where are the smaller planes?” “On the other side of the terminal,” said Grant, watching Jaco. Lenya had been right, Jaco was picking up clues, he just didn’t know what Jaco was thinking yet. Jaco walked across the aisle to the north side and looked out at the smaller planes, the planes that would be flying destinations only on Struthio continent. Grant stood next to Jaco, waiting. “The kidnapper bought the turkey quill here in the airport,” said Jaco. “But he stole the paper. All the stores have put their own logos on all the stationary they sell.” Jaco looked over at a staircase. “Where does that go?” “Down to the administrative offices,” said Grant. “Lets go there,” said Jaco. Grant used his passkey to open the door at the bottom of the stairs and Jaco walked the hallway. Another staircase was at the end of the hall, Jaco stopped for a moment and looked down the stairs, then continued to the end of the hall and looked inside an open room. There was a copying machine inside the room, and a woman making copies. Jaco smiled pleasantly and waited until the woman left, then went inside the room and opened the paper drawer and took a piece of paper. “You have something?” asked Grant. “Not yet,” said Jaco, leaving the copy room and heading to the stairs that went down to the lower level administration offices. Jaco could see inside each office through a little glass window at the side of each door. The first office was empty, but the others in the hall had people and desks inside them. Jaco walked to the end of the hall and opened the door; it went outside to a baggage sorting area. Jaco pulled the door shut and walked back to the empty office. “We’ve searched all these offices,” said Grant. “At night, these offices would be locked, the kidnapper would have to get the paper for the ransom note from the copying machine.” Jaco crinkled the paper and then handed it to Grant. “It crinkles the same,” said Jaco nodding at the door to the empty office. Grant used his passkey again and opened the empty office. Jaco walked inside and looked around. There was an empty desk in a far corner, positioned so someone sitting at the desk wouldn’t be seen through the window when security did their rounds. “That’s where the kidnapper wrote the note,” said Jaco. “But where is the hatchling?” asked Kit. Jaco walked to the back wall and put his head against it. “Why is this office smaller than the others,” said Jaco. Grant tapped on the wall. “It’s a false wall.” “The hatchling is in there,” said Jaco. Kit pulled his Talon Dagger and slammed it into the wall and pulled down until the wall had a gash in it. Grant kicked at the wall until it broke apart and pushed his way inside. Lying on the floor, bound and gagged, was a hatchling. Kit rushed to the hatchling. “Ask him where the kidnapper is,” said Grant. “I already know where he is, call your people in quickly and surround the airport,” said Jaco. “The kidnapper knew how to build a false wall, airports do that all the time, so it has to be a Demonian on the maintenance staff. And that’s how he got hold of the key to this office.” Grant called the Hawk and Falcons and they swooped in on the airport and detained every maintenance worker in the airport. The hatchling was in bad shape, but still managed to point the Demonian out in a line-up; the Demonia confessed immediately when Moeth glided into the interrogation room with murder in her eyes and a Talon Dagger in her hand. Four hours later Grant dropped Kit and Jaco off at the Surf Shop and headed back to town. “What do you think is going to happen to him?” asked Jaco. “Don’t know, the Goddess forbids us to harm a Demonian,” said Kit. “Prince Vengeance will probably have to hold a trial.” “Are you mad it me for not telling you Keal is alive?” asked Jaco. “I was, but what you’ve done today will go a long way towards forgiveness for leaving your mate,” said Kit. “But you know what has to happen.” Jaco drops his head. “I have to go back to him.” “Yes, but I won’t send you until you’re ready,” said Kit.