Jack James and the Tribe of the Teddy Bear (31 page)

THIRTY-NINE

AMELIA’S HEARTBEAT RACED as they approached the county lock-up control station, an angular space fortified by thick glass. Holding Ayita, she glanced at Lily. Pud sat in her arms, unconscious except for a giant smile. She nudged him and cleared her throat. He straightened up. Liz walked between the children, keeping them close. Deputy Morris led them up the two steps into the room.

Buzzing and clicking and chattering. All around, video monitors flickered, tinny voices squawked over unseen speakers, panels flashed with all kinds of colored lights. Two men sat in squeaky chairs. They eyed Morris and the group behind him.

“What’s up, Morris?” the bigger man asked. Amelia gasped at his vivid spirit clothes. “Got a field trip with you?”

Morris answered. “No. Just some family visiting. Thought I’d show them the control center. You guys don’t mind, do you?”

The shorter guard squinted at Liz. He tried to seem intimidating, yet his deep blue aura told Amelia he had a warm heart. For a second, he stared at Ayita, then chuckled to himself. He nudged his coworker and nodded.

The larger man nodded back. “No, don’t mind at all. Be our guests,” he stood. “I’m Ronny, this here’s Kevin.”

“Hey, there,” Kevin perked up for Lily. Brows high, he let his mouth fall open in an enormous, goofy smile. “Is that your teddy bear?”

Lily squinted up at her mom, then tucked behind Pud while glimpsing Kevin out of the corner of her eye.

“Don’t be shy, honey. The man asked you a question,” Liz nudged her.

Amelia saw Pud’s grin creeping back.

“Yeah,” Lily muttered. “You, you wanna see him?”

“Sure,” Kevin pulled a chair next to him. He adjusted its height for the little girl. “Come on over.”

Lily skipped to her seat and hopped up. Leaning forward, she rested Pud on the control panel. “Wow, check out all the gadgets. My teddy bear thinks gadgets are neat.”

“He does?”

“Yeah, and he thinks you’re neat, too. See?” she held Pud close to him. Kevin blinked, then blinked again. His neck loosened, his shoulders fell, and he wilted to the desk.

“Hey! Kev! You okay, man?” Ronny shook his shoulder. He frowned at Morris. “What’s wrong with him?” he studied Liz, then Amelia, then Lily. She cradled Pud and batted her lashes. He pointed. “Those things. They’re the…the things, aren’t they? This is Ben James’ family, isn’t it?”

Morris pointed his gun at Ronny and motioned for him to put up his hands. Ronny obeyed, not before shaking his friend once more. “Kev, wake up, man!”

Kevin stirred, sitting straight. He focused into empty space.

“Kevin? You there?” Ronny studied his partner. “You don’t look so good. Can you hear me?”

Kevin didn’t answer. He typed on the keyboard, his fingertips flying.

“What, what’d you guys do to him!” Ronny shouted. Hands up, he turned to Morris, to Kevin, then again to Morris. “What’s he doing!”

A large monitor came alive with a three-dimensional display of the entire jail structure, bright green graphics showing a virtual, five-sectioned model. Kevin hit a few more keys and a blinking graphic indicated one of the units. The display zoomed in on the area. A picture and some text dissolved on the screen. Ben’s picture. The text:
A-Pod 107.

“It
is
him. It’s Ben. You’re here for Ben James, aren’t you? And those teddy bears—they’re real aren’t they? I can’t believe it. I can’t…”

Morris came down hard with the butt of his gun, knocking Ronny in the head. Ronny’s eyes rolled and he hit the floor.

“Ow!” Liz barked. “Why did you have to be so rough?” Morris didn’t respond. She asked Ayita, “Did you have to make him so rough?”

Ayita protested. “That wasn’t me. That was his personality coming through. He’s slipping out of my eyecatcher, we’d better hurry!”

Kevin banged on the keyboard. The display of the section containing Ben’s jail cell enlarged.

Beep!

The image flashed from red to green. Amelia peered out the large windows.

“There it is!” she shouted. “A-Pod! Come on!” she put Ayita down and led them to the main passageway. Turning right, she sprinted to A-Pod’s door. She twisted the handle and pulled. Though bright and clean, the room was a dungeon. Two levels with long rows of single cells set in pairs back to back. The cell doors were all closed, except for one, A107. The doorway was empty, shadows inside, the sound of voices, low and guarded.

Liz strode in behind Amelia. With her came Lily, Ayita and Pud. She skimmed the first level quickly and spotted the open cubicle.

“That’s it!”

She sprinted right for it, then stopped cold. One of the largest men Amelia had ever seen stepped into the frame, his spirit clothes midnight blue.

Ayita dashed to Liz’s side in one leap. Pud did the same, flanking her and crouching, focused on the big man.

“Where’s Ben James?” she asked.

The man scowled. He gave the Tanakee a curious look. Then he fixated on Liz and instantly his aura eased to a rich sapphire. “You wouldn’t be…”

“Liz?” Ben peeked from behind the man. He wore the orange material clothes of a prison inmate and the purple spirit clothes of a person in love. “Liz, is that you?”

“Ben?”

The hulking fellow stepped back, allowing Ben to squeeze past and fly into his wife’s arms.

“Daddy!” Lily wrapped herself onto his legs.

“Oh, Liz! It’s so good to see you!” he kissed her cheek, then fell to his knees. “And Lily, my love. How’s my little Lilypad? You’re okay?” he squeezed her until she squealed.

“Listen, Liz,” he cried. “I really blew it. I’m so sorry.”

“It’s okay, Ben,” she answered. He didn’t seem to hear.

“I should have listened to you. If I had, then this whole mess never would’ve happened.”

“Ben. It’s okay,” she repeated.

“I’d never be in jail and you wouldn’t be…”

“Ben! It’s OKAY!”

While still embracing his daughter, he opened his eyes.

“And Amelia. Hi, there. Good to see you, too,” his attention roamed to Ayita and Pud. He blinked. “Hello,” he blinked again.

Ayita grinned and raised her fuzzy eyebrows.

Pud waved, showing his teeth. “Hi!”

Ben stood with a start. “What the—you can talk?” he gaped at Liz. “They can talk?”

She nodded. “Among other things.”

“Whoa. So many strange events all at once,” he rubbed his forehead. “Where’s Jack?”

Liz took his hand. “There’s no time to explain. We’ve got to get you out of here.”

“Liz, tell me. What happened to Jack?”

“It’s a long story,” Liz said. “We’ll explain later.

“Did Davos get him?”

Liz looked confused. “How’d you know?”

“I’ll explain
that
later. Let’s get outta here!”

Ben addressed the huge guy. “Ed, you coming?”

“Naw,” Ed waved. “I’d just slow yuh down. You go ‘n do whatcha gotta do.”

The pod erupted. Inmates crowded their small portholes, peering and shouting. Some demanded to be set free. Some bemoaned their jail experiences. Some just yelled. Ed addressed the cellblock.

“Quiet! Don’tcha know who this is! This is Ben James!”

The dissent died down.

“The inventor?” someone asked.

“That’s right. The inventor. And he needs ta go help his family. Yuh know what that’s like? Ta have yer family need yuh? Well his family needs ‘im. So give ‘im a break and let ‘im go. Is that too muchta ask?”

Silence. A cough. Someone started clapping. One person at first, then two. Another joined them, then more. Soon it seemed every occupant in the block was applauding. Amelia saw Liz squeeze her husband’s hand. She leaned and whispered, “Ben, come on. Let’s go.”

As Ayita and Pud led them to the door, Deputy Morris flinched side-to-side.

“He’s snapping out of it!” Ayita yelled. “Come on!”

“Can’t you just hypnotize him again?” said Amelia.

“Not yet. We can’t give someone the eyecatcher when their already under the spell.”

Morris massaged his temples. His spirit clothes took on a twinge of pale orange.

“Forget him,” Liz commanded. “We’re outta here!” she ran into the hall, scanning left, then right. She took Lily’s hand and shouted to Ben. “Come on!”

Both Tanakee retook the lead. They seemed to know the way out. Amelia sprinted behind, catching up with Liz and Lily at the heavy, solid door leading to the front processing area.

“Open it,” Liz said. Ayita shrugged and pointed to the control room where Ronny still hunched on the floor and Kevin sat at the computer with a glazed look. Liz ran to the steps. “Open this door!” she yelled.

Kevin remained still. “I can’t open it.”

“Then who can?” she demanded.

FORTY

THOUGH HIS BACKPACK SCRAPED in the mud, Jack managed to squeeze through the small hollow under the lonely fallen timber. At last, he stood and brushed off his cheeks with the backs of his hands, the one clean part remaining on his entire body.

Whoosh!

His ears rushed with a powerful sound neither here nor there. He tried to ignore it, yet it demanded to be heard. He knew it wasn’t coming any closer. It didn’t get louder or softer. It simply remained constant.

His sight adjusted and the sun appeared different to him somehow. Must have been the heavy mist blanketing the forest, condensing in fine, moist droplets. He breathed in the dampness. The noise drummed hard, threatening to overtake his consciousness. Then a wind, sharp and warm, blustered past. He stepped back, blown over, nearly. The blast of air parted the thick fog layer, a curtain opening to reveal a scene so magnificent, it stirred Jack’s imagination.

A waterfall, and not just any waterfall, but one which seemed to go up forever. It had a lost, hidden allure, tucked away in a forgotten corner of the world few humans had ever beheld. How many people had been there, standing in that very place? Not many. Then he understood what Teresa had meant.
This
waterfall, not that tiny trickle under the fallen log, marked the entrance to the home of the Tanakee, the entrance to Wind Whisper Woods.

He walked to the water’s edge and let the spray wash him off. He opened his mouth. A clean, pure taste. The falls crashed onto smooth rocks, worn by centuries of erosion, forming a deep, azure pool. It was almost tropical, so clear and blue. He wanted to dive in, clothes and all. Almost did. But he couldn’t. Too much at stake for a leisurely dip. His Tanakee friends were in terrible danger, maybe Amelia and his family, too. Everything seemed to be going from bad to worse. And without Takota, he knew he had no chance.

He noticed a path along the falls. Hoping Takota had taken the same route, he followed it into the mist. Near the top, out of breath, he stopped and gazed down, letting the steamy air penetrate his skin. Mossy boulders lined the edge where the river fell in a torrent of vapor. The darkness beyond told of the canyon’s abrupt depth. He stepped with caution, keenly aware of the precipice below.

Ready to find safer ground, he continued up the path. It cut through chiseled basalt, carved by patient, strong hands long ago.

The sound of the falls gave way to other noises. Strange noises. Wails from no animal he’d ever heard. Not a bear, though loud enough to be one. Almost human in its inflection, it rippled through the forested valley sharp and quick. Then it stopped. Jack shuddered. The hair on his forearms stood on end. He remained motionless, though he knew he needed to escape the clearing.

Movement. Behind him. He twisted and found nothing. Then he heard more rustling and twigs snapping. The ground trembled. Something heavy hit the forest floor. He looked again, convinced someone was behind him. Still nothing. He inspected the other direction, then again, spinning and spinning, trying to catch whoever, whatever…

Something touched his arm and he took off sprinting, not knowing or caring where the trail led. He ducked under a branch and almost fell, catching himself with one hand.

Thump—Thump! Thump—Thump!

Heavy, rapid steps behind him. The undergrowth burst with sound. Crackling and pounding and smashing. Jack moved his feet faster, trying to gain speed. He slipped in the dew and fell on his face. He wanted to dig a hole right there and bury himself with the roots and worms. He wanted to become the ground itself and disappear.

His chest pounded with each heavy footstep. He rolled over, deciding it better to see his attacker. Growling, snorting, teeth gnashing. The forest seemed alive with malice. His heart wanted to give up. He had to cover his ears. Then the turmoil stopped. He lowered his hands and listened. Nothing. Not even the murmuring of the waterfall. No birds. No insects. Nothing.

As he caught his breath, a giant shadow darkened the sky over him. Suddenly, he changed his mind. He didn’t want to look, though morbid curiosity had him peeking through scrunched eyelids. A massive figure stood above him, at least ten feet tall. At first, he saw just eyes. Large, dark, radiating power, as if they envisioned things he never could. Then he saw the rest. A domed, sloped head and a wide nose with giant nostrils. It had thin lips that curled over a set of ragged, yellow teeth.

And hair everywhere.

Jack blinked again and again at the fur covered beast. A Bigfoot? He refused to believe it. Must have been a dream, his imagination running wild yet again. Then the wind changed directions. An acrid wave hit his nose, assaulting his sinuses. He coughed, overwhelmed by the bitter scent.

“Man,” he sputtered. “You stink!”

The Bigfoot hurled its massive arms in the air and let out a roar that rustled the leaves and penetrated the woods for miles. It lifted a foot over Jack and clenched its teeth. He knew it wanted to crush him. One firm stomp and he’d be a damp spot on the ground.

Before the Bigfoot finished him off, something small and quick jumped from the trees. Noiselessly, the tiny object landed on the Bigfoot’s skull. The beast dropped its leg, missing Jack by inches, and flailed its huge hands. The little thing ducked and swerved so fast it was a blur. Then it paused, and Jack saw Takota’s frown. Jack didn’t blame him. Who would want to fight that big, ugly, smelly thing?

The Bigfoot swung again. Takota scurried down its neck, causing the blow to miss him and connect squarely with the giant animal’s own cranium.

It only became angrier.

It reached behind, snatched and flung Takota to the brush like an insect. Jack had no indication where he landed. Then a group of saplings shook. Tall grass stirred. Takota rushed out of the bushes, standing between Jack and the huffing hulk.

“What are you doing here!” he yelled.

“I came to get you!”

“Jack, I told you. I can’t do it. I can’t…”

“Takota! Watch out!”

The Bigfoot kicked again. Jack felt the force of its leg brushing past. It didn’t get him, though. Somehow Takota had shoved him out of the way, then scrambled up to the monster’s ear.

“What are you doing, boy!” Takota shouted. “Down, boy! Down!”

The hairy goliath refused to obey. It snarled, exposing its canines, then swatted. Takota darted and the blow landed on the side of the Bigfoot’s own jaw. Dazed, it regained ferocity quickly and searched while Takota crawled from neck to shoulders, then from chest to stomach. The monster slammed a fist. Takota dropped to the ground, and it walloped itself in the gut.

“Oooooffff!”
it doubled over.

Takota leapt onto the beast’s shoulders and yelled again.

“Stop it! Do you understand! Down, boy! Down!”

It snarled and flicked Takota off its shoulder. Takota rolled to his feet. He sprinted to Jack and took his hand.

“RUN!”

“What’s going on?” Jack did his best to keep up. The ground rumbled behind them. “I thought you said those things were your friends. Loyal as dogs, you guys said!”

“They’re supposed to be. I don’t know what’s wrong with it. Bigfoot aren’t supposed to attack Tanakee!”

“Maybe it’s me,” answered Jack. “It doesn’t like me, and it doesn’t like you because you’re helping me.”

Takota responded by running faster and urging Jack to do the same. The crashing and pounding behind them grew louder. The Bigfoot gained on them with each step.

“Come on! Come on!” Takota pressed. Jack’s legs felt on fire and his knee folded under his weight. Before he fell, Takota leaned into him, keeping him upright. The overwhelming din of the Bigfoot in pursuit ceased, replaced by a chilly silence. He and Takota glanced at each other, then they both stared up.

CRASH!

The Bigfoot hit the forest floor in front of them. Takota stood firm, a fraction of the behemoth’s size. He charged with the force of a cannonball into the humongous animal’s ribs. The Bigfoot reeled back, ejecting an ear-piercing howl. It plucked Takota from its fur and threw him. The little fellow coiled and landed on his hind feet. Glaring, he cracked his neck, and attacked again. He struck the massive animal at the waist, causing it to stagger back once more. Jack cringed when he noticed the two battling creatures were moving dangerously close to the cliff’s edge. The roar of the falls became deafening.

“Takota! Watch out!”