Spain Trip

“Nathaniel?  Are you acquainted with someone in Spain?”  Wren held a gold embossed envelope in her left hand.  Flipping it over, she inspected the postal mark.  Barcelona.

“We both do,” he said with a smile and snatched it from her.  She gave him a sour look.  “Jasmine.  Two years ago she asked me to come to Spain about now.”

 

“Ah, yes, just after she lost her mother and Diego,” she said.

Nat slipped a fingertip under the flap and pulled it open.  It contained a single sheet of linen quality stationary the color of cream. In gold it read:

“RSVP?” Wren asked.

Nat handed her the card.

“Hmm …” she said. “I think this would be an excellent time to actually use a bit of the vacation time which the Government has so thoughtfully provided.”

“I guess we could take a week and things won’t fall apart.”

Wren lifted an eyebrow.

“We?”

“We, you, me, the kids …”

“Nathaniel, I think that this should be a father-daughter event,” she said. “I believe she needs you alone more than a household full of kids.”

“Two is hardly a house full.”

“You have not notice how they seem to multiply?”

“God, I hope not!”

Wren gave him a flat look.

“Okay, okay,” he said. “I know what you mean. How many are in the pool right now?”

“Thirteen, I believe,” she replied. She placed a hand on his forearm. “Really, Nathaniel, you must go and get to know her … as an adult. You cannot do that with a wife and two overly inquisitive preteens.”

“Yeah, and between you and Mal, you should be able to handle just about anything.”

“Mal is your deputy, not me,” Wren said. “I am merely arm candy.”

Nat snorted.

“Did you just snort at me?” she asked, quite seriously.

“I have trouble imagining you as ‘mere arm candy’.”

She leaned closer and whispered, “Try.”

*****

180066977625

“Yes, Mr. Ryan, how many?” asked the familiar voice of the Wild Hunt’s AI computer.

“One.”

“Would you like to depart now?”

“If it is convenient,” he replied. “I have no idea the time or even the day there.”

“As you will in effect be out of communications with your family, Ghost Archer has provided these,” the computer said. A tiny pair of ‘earwigs’ appeared on the floor at Nat’s feet. He picked them up, examining the tiny devices. “They are capable of interdimensional communications.”

“Pretty small, Spock, nice,” he said. He lifted the phone away from his mouth. “Wren?”

She came fresh from a bath in a lavender robe, hair already curling. “Yes?”

He held out a hand. “A gift from Archer. Spock says it will allow you to talk to me while I am over there.”

“How thoughtful,” she said picking up the device between two manicured nails.

Nat plugged the thing into his ear where is fit along side his Minuteman unit.

“It feels like it molded to our normal comm unit,” he told her.

“Just as long as I don’t feel like I have an ear clogged.” She settled hers in place.

“Test,” he said.

She nodded. “Very thoughtful, indeed.” Her body molded to his every bit as smoothly as the two earwigs and she wrapped her arms around his neck. “Do enjoy your time with her.”

She stood on tiptoes while he leaned down, the differing heights no longer even noticed by either.

“If you need me back,” he said and tapped his ear. “It will only take a moment and I’ll be right back at your side.”

“You do realize that I am perfectly capable of taking care of myself, correct?”

Nat smiled. “Oh, yes, I have seen you in action.”

Her body became weightless as their lips met.

“Give her my love, Nathaniel,” Wren said and pushed away from him to float lightly back to the carpet. “Now shoo …”

“Ready, Spock,” Nat said through the phone.

*****

Nat materialized in the courtyard of a magnificent Spanish villa. On all sides were stacked boxes three and four high. At the middle, sitting on a low wall that encompassed a massive fig tree, was a young man of about 20, in his hand a clipboard with a thick sheaf of paper. He tucked the pen into the clip and laid it on the wall as he stood, hand outstretched.

“About time she called in reinforcements,” he said. “Always a pleasure to see you, Mr. Ryan.

“Good to see you again, Rocky, what’s it been? Four years?” Nat took the younger man’s hand, careful as always not to turn his bones into powder. “How have you been getting along? Working on a degree?”

Rocky chuckled, “No time. I take care of all of Jay’s assets … but she really pays well.”

“Where is she?”

“Gone to Mass,” he replied, glancing at his watch. She should have been here by now.”

The sound of the gate’s latch had them both turning and Jasmine stepped through.

Nat had seen her in just about everything on down to nothing, but never, something like this. Beyond the overall black, the first thing that caught his eye was her makeup. She’d never hinted that she might have any interest in it and the ruby of her lips against the tan of her face, framed by a black mantilla was breath taking. Wisps of her wheat colored hair hid the tips of her ears but left the matched drop pearl earrings that dangle from each lobe uncovered. She wore a bolero jacket of lace to match her mantilla over a modest length black dress Wren would have found interesting, black silk stocking and dangerous-looking black stiletto heels that might have lifted the top of her head to Nat’s shoulder. In her right hand was a well-thumbed Bible and a finger-polished Rosary. In her left, a black clutch bag with a pearl clasp and the same elegant four faced watch she had been wearing the last time he’d seen her.

As she approached he noted a subtle change in her walk. It was no longer a purposeful stride, but languid saunter he had only noted before in Wren. Passing the young man, she handed him her Bible keeping the Rosary wrapped around her hand.

“Dad dee, you came,” she said with a smile, her tone of voice and inflection in sharp contrast to her usual bland California nothing. It reminded Nat of Kerri’s Long Island accent. “Welcome to my summer home.”

Even in six inch heels she had to stand on tiptoes, with the hand with the Rosary against his chest for balance, but Nat helped by leaning down so she could kiss him on both cheeks.

“Matt, where are your manners?” she asked the man Nat knew as Rocky. “Please have the staff serve the drinks in the lounge.”

Nat rocked back on his heels. “You know,” he said. “I vaguely recall this song a man sung about ‘where has my daughter gone’. It seems it is a story of life and growing up. One moment she is this tiny thing he held in his arms and the next … this beautiful woman. Can’t you be my baby a little while longer?”

For a moment the Jasmine he knew was back again as she gazed up into his eyes. “I’ll always be your little girl.” She touched his cheek. “So, where are the others?” The Long Island was back as she looked around the courtyard. “Or do I get you all to myself.”

“Wren felt that multiple pre-teens running rampant might not be a good idea,” Nat said, wiping his eyes. “And she thought I might need a little time to get to know you … as an adult. Looks like she’s been crystal ball gazing again.”

“Where is your luggage? Has Matt settled you into your suite yet?”

She hooked her arm into his and led him into the house.

“I have been here all of thirty seconds,” Nat said as they entered what he gathered was the lounge. A man and a woman, in the uniform of a butler and maid respectively stood waiting.

The room was larger than his cottage with a series of arches along one wall that opened on a portico. Overhead massive exposed beams held up a vaulted ceiling and supported six square black wrought iron and glass chandeliers. To the left was an unlit fireplace flanked by an old blackened trunk with a few books, and a small sideboard with several bronze statuettes. The center of the room held a huge low table surrounded on three side by well cushioned couches in cream and beige. At the juncture of the sofas, a matching pair of round mahogany tables held a lamp and a pair of miniature sand sculptures, two surfers on the crest of a wave, one of a girl, the other of a boy.

The walls of white stucco held an array of pencil and charcoal sketches Nat knew to be Diego’s work. These had been arranged in such a way as to highlight an individual case study by Diego, rendered on paper, then brought to life in stone by Jessy. People, unrecognized by Nat. A church with the same remarkable detail Jessy had shown him so long ago in her castle she made for him on the first day. He, personally, wasn’t exactly artistic, but he had been through enough museums with Wren to know that everything in that room deserved to be in a museum.

“How long can you stay?” Jasmine stopped before a couch. “I really need some sound advice on a few matters.” She gestured that he should sit and together they got comfortable.

“I can stay as long as you’ll have me, or until some crisis develops at home,” he said. “Jasmine …” He scanned the room. “I have to say that this is the most amazing example of art I’ve ever seen and I’ve been to every major, and more than a few minor, art galleries in the world.” He stood and moved over to a bust of a young girl. “Your mother was … I can almost see her breathe.”

She carefully coiled the Rosary atop the clutch after laying it on the table.

“This? This is nothing,” she said as she unbuckled the lethal heels then kicked them off and out of sight under the table. “One of the major problems is in the vault.” As she stood she pulled the mantilla off and held it out to the woman. “Theresa, dinner in the courtyard, one extra.”

Theresa accepted the lace and folded it as she said, “Yes, ma’am.”

She passed Matt and the younger man made a gesture to the butler. He sprawled onto the couch as the servant poured three glasses of a red wine from a decanter. Matt nodded to him and the man left the room.

“So, did you ask him yet?” He said as he lifted the fine crystal to his lips.

“Look, he just got here,” she hissed, glancing at the door and then to the open portico. “I haven’t got him ready yet, just hold your horses. Geez, boys!”

Nat raised an eyebrow. That had sounded more like the Jay he’d raised. She turned back to Nat and threw her arms around him, hugging him as tightly as she could.

“I have to be careful, you never know when the paparazzi are around,” She whispered. “I have to keep up to my image here, but I ‘m used to it. Just don’t freak when I have to be Jasmine again.”

“Little girl, you are telling ME about paparazzi? Did you forget to whom I am married?” He chuckled and held her up, literally, for a kiss on the nose. “Now, what is it that Rocky, Matt over there is not so subtly hinting that you want to ask me about?”

“It can wait, let me show you to your suite,” Jay said, striding over to the door. “I thought Wren was coming so I had the Master Suite done up for you.”

The slight bow and gesture she made after she opened the door was just not Jay. She was switching roles again on him. He stopped next to her and glanced about.

“If you don’t trust your servants, why do you bother?” He asked, his voice pitched low enough so as not to be overheard.

“I will explain over dinner, Dad dee,” she replied, the Long Island back. “Allow me to show you just a hint of my other lives.”

She led him, in that saunter he’d noted when she’d come home, along the covered colonnade to the next room from the lounge.

“The library, in case you have a sudden need for the printed word,” she said.

They mounted an open flight of stairs to the gallery overlooking the courtyard with its stacks of boxes.

“The game room.” The door opened on what in the States would have been called a ‘man-cave’. Billiard table, pool table, darts, even a bar. Though spotless, it had an air of disuse. “The next two rooms are unused bedrooms, each with their own baths …”

They turned left onto a breezeway overlooking the courtyard on one side and a sculpted swimming pool surrounded by an immaculately trimmed lawn, on the other. At the nearer end, shade trees overhung a beam-covered patio with an outdoor kitchen, dining area and a lounge.

“Let me show you your suite,” she said with a touch of excitement. “I thought Wren was coming so I had the Master Suite done for you.”

“She felt that we needed a little father – daughter time,” he said. “Plus a couple of overactive kids would have one of us chasing down behind them. Something we get enough of at home. Besides, they are still in school.”

A second left brought them to the opposite side of the piazza, also an open gallery. This one, however, did not run the length of the courtyard but rather ended at about the halfway point with a single door set in the middle. On the right, nearly to the end of the gallery, what a set of intricately carved mahogany doors and with a touch of the dramatic, Jay pushed them wide.

“Hope this is suitable. It has just been renovated.”

For most of Nat’s life ‘suitable’ consisted of a floor, ceiling and four walls. Since his marriage to Wren, that hadn’t changed, but he had become accustom to something a bit more … palatial. This room, smelling faintly of sawdust and bee’s wax easily matched anything he’d ever seen.

The most eye-catching feature of the room for Nat was not the gigantic slay bed, though it was the focal point of the room, but the magnificently carve archway that created an alcove for the head of the bed. To accommodate the massive bed, twice the width of a California King, and all of nine feet long, the self-supporting arch was easily thirty feet wide and four feet deep.

“I’ll be just next door if you need anything,” Jay said as she opened the single door. On the other side was an obvious bedroom but didn’t look as large as Wren’s closet. When Jay disappeared inside and closed the door, Nat returned his attention to the ‘suite’.

To the left was an oversized, overstuffed chair with a matching ottoman in tan with a dark red leaf pattern. Like the archway, the arms and frame were of carved mahogany in the same design. Just past the chair was a massive dresser and hutch combination, mahogany and carved, again to match the archway. The far end of the room held a sitting area, complete with a fireplace flanked by two arm chairs in a burnt sienna. Two pairs of windows gave way to a view of the Spanish mountains in the near distance. To the right, an open door revealed an opulent bath that Wren would have gone all gooey over.

The last thing that caught his eye was a pair of doors with a glass inset. It looked to be a closet, filled with clothes, the most apparent a row of men’s suits and women’s gowns. He stepped inside and found far more than a few suits. Combat experience had given him a certain sense of surrounding area and this told him the closet shared a wall with the small room into which Jay had disappeared. Unlike the mahogany so prevalent in the main part of the suite, this room was lined in cider. Shelves held rows of boxes, obviously shoes, and below this three rows of drawers stacked five high. He slid one open and found an array of socks.

“I guess packing wasn’t necessary …” he said to himself.

A moment later, he tapped on the single door.

She heard the knock. It was so distinctive to her, the way he carefully rapped. She spoke up just enough to know only her father could hear “ Please enter, I am in the bathroom.

The room was very small in compassion to everything else he had seen. The most noted in the ocean theme room, was the sculptured single bed that sat in the middle of the wall across from him. It was made of a white wood, with hints of pale blue and sea green running through it. The side boards left no access to beneath the bed. It was carved to be ocean currents that flowed to make the foot board. The footboard was a softly rounded wave. The head board was a wooden bonnet in the form of a curl that reached over the head of bed at least a quarter of the length. Upon the curl sat Nat the surfer in the same white wood, riding the wave.

Positioned to each side of the bed were glass top tables in the form of water fountain spouts, made with the same white wood and green and blue streaks. On one table sat a lamp, with a very old gold pocket watch next to it. On the other table sat an intercom system.

To the right of the bed was a wall to wall trophy case, also of the white wood. Into it an underwater tapestry had been carved with a myriad of sea creatures inhabiting a kelp forest. The back wall of the case was nearly covered by black framed awards of academic excellence. Two glass shelves divided the space, each with a specific subject. At the top, photographs of dance recitals, and scenes from various plays. Before each was a playbill and in a few cases, the ribbon present at the time. The central shelf was dedicated to a number of wood carving, each with a corresponding blue or golden ribbon. Trophies lined the bottom of the case representing a variety of sports in which she excelled. Soccer, baseball, surfing, swimming and bowling figured prominently and stood with smaller of their ilk in seeming orbit around them.

Continuing around the room, behind the door he entered, was a small plain desk with a very sturdy rolling chair. On the desk sat a new closed laptop and an in-box stacked with papers waiting for her attention. Above the desk positioned to center over it was a crucifix, with three photos arranged around it. One of the photos was of her, Archer and Raven at the Hunt valley, another of her, Nat, wren and the kids with the cottage in the background, and the last had a black ribbon placed diagonal over the glass, of her, with her mom, Diego and Matt, gathered together on a beach.

The last wall held two closets with a small hall leading to a cracked open door. Though expertly added, he could tell this add on was the reason for such a reduction in her room size. Two sliding doors to either side of the hall allowed access to whatever lay behind them.

Entering the cracked door that should have been a master bedroom, his eyes were assaulted with a mini clothing store. This was not the Jay he knew. He had been lucky to get her change out of her wetsuit for bed. The temperature control unit kicked on, through the glass door he could see a selection of furs. The room was sorted in what would be considered as different social tiers. The section with the unit was surrounded by high end fashion. Closer to the bathroom door across the room was more thrift shop or hand me downs. A familiar baseball cap hung on a hook on the wall next to the bathroom door.

Nat finally reached the bathroom door by navigating a circuitous path and found her seated before a professional makeup station dressed in a white silk robe. Before her was a professional make up station, filled with makeup, brushes and an array of wigs. The cotton pad she wielded to remove her makeup left streaks of her natural color beneath the layer of paint. He leaned against the door jam, watching her.

“So … where do I start?” he asked.

She glanced up at him through the mirror, her smile too bright. “Take a seat, daddy,” she said, patting the counter beside her. “So did you like your room? I was only able to get the kids’ rooms ready. Figured we could shop for their stuff.” The smile vanished. “You can start anywhere you want.”

He gingerly leaned his butt against the counter and crossed his arms across his chest.

“It has been two years since I last saw you, how long has it been for you?”

The phone on the counter began to play an old song Nat vaguely recalled, something about Jessie’s girl.

“I have to get this, I’ll be quick.” She scooped up the phone and touched the screen. “Whatcha need, bro … okay. Yeah, the next two rooms should be four and five … No! Not that one! Have the staff move the boxes then. NO! He’s on vacation … Okay, dinner in thirty, got it, peace out.” She punched the screen again and dropped the phone back on the tabletop.

“Just two years, same as you. We are now on the same time. I felt it was time for you to know all of me, plus I was going to wait ‘til dinner, but there is a reason other than to help me. I want you and Wren and the kids to think of this as your second home.”

Nat mulled it over, “You keep creating more questions than you answer … can you drop me back in my San Diego right now?”

Jay laughed as she wiped the last of the makeup off.

“If you really want to go, yes.”

He paused, watching her face. “It is NOT a request, merely a question.”

She took his hand, “I have lived a very complex life, a very happy, a very fulfilling life but a very complex life. I found it was easier for me to take on roles of what I was expected to be with bits and pieces of who I am. You know mom was on me to behave, to be polite. So in your dimension I didn’t have to worry about me being the one recognized I could be this me. In this world the staff takes it personally if I am not behaving to my social standing and most of them taught me what was proper, thus it is a reflection of them if I am not appropriate. Then, you have the trips with grandma to the homeless camps, Grandpa taking me out in the woods camping. Each of those worlds I kept separate, till one day it was just the way I am. Even you know several sides of me, even blunt Sandy but there are sides very few see at all. You worry so much about me and I am a grown woman. I figured if you meet all of me, you would understand. Plus I have to show you something, because I feel only you can decide what to do with them but we have days. I just want you to feel at home. Like the bed I made you? I was thinking I should have added another foot to the length.”

She unpinned a wig from a Styrofoam head and covered her own hair with it. A comb here, a poke there, a bobby pin or two, and she was finished, the wig indistinguishable from her own hair. He noted the special attention paid to hiding her ears.

“I watch Wren do that,” he said. “The wig, when she’s Giselle.” He shook his head. “I’ll stick to the short look.”

“One must keep up appearances when you are the Lady of the Villa Ramirez,” Jay said in Long Islandese. Beneath the white robe was a black silk blouse with embroidery the color of sangria. “We can talk over dinner but no direct question, you know cloak and dagger talk till we get alone.”

“So chit-chat,” he said. “Lucky I have had a few years of Wren training. The blouse is very … Spanish … do you address the staff in Spanish?”

“The eighty nine on site staff are all bi-lingual. They felt it was their duty to learn English for the Lady of the house. Most of them are generations in the positions. I am not going to crush generations of tradition. I do my part like they do theirs”

“So what is my part?” he asked.

“Your part is to be you. I want you to just be you, getting to know most of me,” She said. “You haven’t said if you liked your suite, nor have you told me if the bed was long enough.”

“The suite is beautiful, the bed is long enough, and have you seen how I normally dress?” He said. “What’s with all the designer … stuff? For Wren, that’s one thing, she’ll have a whole new range of designers, but for me … jeans, slacks, a Polo shirt … I’m done.” His eyes narrowed. “You aren’t planning a fancy ball or anything, are you?”

“Well, there is a festival in town in a couple of days. I’ll be dancing in it. If we go out to eat, you will have to dress up. I couldn’t have daddy going in rags could I?” She paused as she tied a black wrap skirt around her waist and slid her feet into black string knot sandals. “You know if you want direct and blunt just ask me to be Sandy. Sandy tells like it is, but where is the fun in that?” She fastened a ruby studded pin to the edge of the skirt.

“Okay … what about the daddy thing. I know it is correct and prefer it, but … I don’t look old enough to be your daddy. Come on, look at me, I look more like a slightly older brother. People might start thinking the Lady has got herself a boy toy.” He said.

The laughter filled the room, “This town knows my mom and I are elves, and the villa will stand forever and village will thrive. They watched me grow up and my mom never age. To have an ageless daddy wouldn’t be hard for them. They are very intelligent people.”

“Yeah, I guess it is easier for you if non-standard people are as common as they are here. People back home are already talking about me and Wren, I mean Conner’s ten and Wren looks twenty. Same with the rest of us … the government thinks maybe we don’t age the same … just one more reason for people to hate and envy us.”

“Not as easy as you think, daddy.” Her look was momentarily pained, but she shook herself and the smile returned. “Follow me.”

She tugged on his hand and led him back through the maze to the closets where she slid one open to reveal a safe. A quick tapping of 8 7 1 on the keypad and the door popped open. From the top shelf she selected two bundles of euros and another two of pesos.

“Exchange rates make my head spin so if you need it you got it.” She offered Nat the stacks.

“I thought you had cash cards here, like we do.” His tone was teasing. “Why all the cash?”

“Grandpa James had several cases of it hidden around the world. I’ve had Matt collecting everything from all my properties till, we ran out of room. I just tossed all the cash in here.”

“Grandpa James?”

“Mom’s bio-dad. She wrote a book for me with all the assets he left for her.”

“Speaking to bio anything … your uncle, is he still a possible problem?” Nat asked.

A dark look swept over her, but she shook her head as if to erase the pawl.

“He lives,” she said, than under her breath.. “for now.”

“How is that possible, Archer take a couple years off?” Nat said. “I may not like some of your grandfather’s … choices, but I am familiar enough with him to know he’d never let that man live.”

“Because he doesn’t know he’s alive. He travels the Road, like Grandma. I travel the Sands of Time and Space. I can follow anyone who does. When you die, your sand stream fades.” She dropped her head and her voice dropped an octave,, a fierce voice. “His stream is strong. I just need to prepare for battle, for the next time we meet.”

Nat crossed his arms. “And what are you doing to get prepared for this battle?”

“Well, first I am taking care of my affairs so they are all in order. I am arranging Diego’s heir,” the fierceness returned to her voice, “Then I will find somewhere to beef up my powers, unlock the others I just can’t reach. When I am ready, I will hunt him down like a dog. I, as the Lady of the Sands, will remove the Lord from the stream. That is my game plan, but right now, I am only a few months into phase one. I am still working on the rest.” She looked at her watch. “We are going to be late for dinner if we don’t leave.” The Long Island was back.

“So, you going to do this like your grandfather, or your father?”

The cold voice returned, “You once said, it happen on a different planet, who’s jurisdiction is it? He has murdered not only mom and daddy Diego, he killed all but a handful of the Sand of Time travelers. I am the Last Lady. I have to do what I have to do but I am no fool, I will prepare.”

“That is not what I meant,” Nat said. “This is a case of Justice, not Law. Law cannot be served because there is no single jurisdiction but clearly, something has to be done. In that your grandfather and I would agree. That is not what I was asking about. Archer and I go about things very differently. He is a lone hunter, I bring the whole damn army.”

She sighed, her face grim, “I almost got my whole team killed. We didn’t have enough info.”

“I hate to say this baby, but you were a bunch of amateurs. The Wild Hunt is a bunch of amateurs,” he said.

She brightened. “Come on, we can talk later, food first.” His word hurt but she ignored them. She was no amateur, just not trained and experienced enough for what was needed of her.

The courtyard was even more crowded with a line of people adding to the collection by hand and by dolly. Through the gates Nat could see a box truck was waiting with the doors open and a ramp down. “The trucks are being loaded with my baby clothes as we speak.” She gestured at the procession. “Tomorrow …” Long Island was back but Nat was getting used to it. “I need to show something before the auctioneer comes to collect certain pieces. Tonight, we wine and we dine, then sneak off for a talk. I do hope you are hungry. Juan is simply the best chef in this part of Spain.”

They descended the stairs and moved along the colonnad to the dining room.

“Diego sent him to Paris, to Le Cordon Beau.”

Nat watched the staff roll out another stack of boxes.

“How many trucks you have out there?” he asked.

“Six,” she replied. “Wait till Matt starts going through room four and five, that’s my mother’s childhood shoe collection.”

Nat stopped just before the open glass doors of the dining room. “Childhood shoe collection?”

“Sorry we had to move the dinner but the courtyard is a little busy,” she said, ushering him into the room. Rocky was already seated at an oval table surrounded by six very high-backed chairs.

“I grew up with paper plates and sand, little girl,” Nat said.

“Has she shown you the studio yet?” Matt asked with a chuckle.

Jasmine assumed the head of the table, the butler waiting to seat her, but if looks could kill, Matt would have burst into flame. Hastily the boy took a slip of water.

“Matthew, that is not the proper subject at this time,” she said coolly. “After all, dad dee has just arrived. You can’t expect me to spring everything on him at once.”

“So, does he know about the surrogates yet?”

Nat could see Jay was on the edge, what the hell was the boy goading her for?

“Jorge, would you please check on dinner?” she said sweetly.

As soon as the man was out of ear shot she rounded on Matt. “Rocky, if you don’t want me to pound you, you had better stop trying to ruin this for me! Cut the shit!” she snapped in a hiss.

Matt didn’t seem to be all that cowed to Nat.

“You may serve, Jorge,” she called out.

Moments later the maid Nat had seen earlier entered, followed by Jorge. Expertly she maneuvered around the table, placing a delicious looking shrimp salad before each. Jorge, Nat noted, took up a position behind matt.

“Normally, I don’t have much call for the sections of my life to overlap, but I find it to be challenging,” Jay admitted.

Matt picked up a fork and from the way Jorge cleared his throat, Nat almost expected the man to slap Rocky on the back of the head. The boy replaced the utensil and selected the correct one with a roll of his eyes.

Nat smiled at the kid. He’d been on that end of social etiquette training himself not that many years ago. He selected the salad fork, just to show Matt it could be done.

“So, what am I allowed to talk about?” Matt started in the shrimp, with undisguised relish.

Jasmine shook her head slightly, “Let’s just keep things light for now.” She accented his name firmly, “Matthew.”

“I was in Barcelona a few years ago with Wren,” Nat said. “We saw Turandot at Gran Teatre del Liceu and toured Barri Gotic. Pretty big change from Sea World.”

“I have only been here a couple of months. Best I’ve done is hook up with this hot little senorita” Matt glanced at Jasmine, “Someone has me too busy to see the sights.” He turned back to Nat,” Hey, you want to find a bullfight to go to? I really want to catch one of those.”

“You haven’t been here very long, have you,” Nat said. “Catalonia outlawed bullfighting back in, what? 2010. Sure the Spanish government overturned it but unless it’s changed in the last couple of years, no corrida de toros in this area. Why would you want to see a bullfight?” Nat paused. “Oh … wrong … world.”

Matt chuckled. Jay pushed her plate aside, a signal evidently and the servants cleared the table.

“No sweat, pops. It has to get confusing. Hell this one, big change, from Tampa, to Miami, to San Fran, to San Diego,” he looked around the room, “To this. Makes your head spin. You wouldn’t believe all the crap I’ve found out she owns.”

The maid swept in with the next course and though Jay’s attention seemed to be on the woman, Nat could see a couple of daggers when she glanced at Matt.

“Come on, I’m in Spain!” Matt said. “That means seeing a bull fight!”

“Why don’t you head over to Pamplona and join in the encierro? It starts July 6th,” Nat grinned. “Give you a chance to get up close and personal with the bulls. I am sure Jasmine would let you have a little sick leave after … you know, until the hoof marks are healed.”

Jasmine frowned at the lobster tail and steak the maid set before her.

“Matthew? What is this?”

“Figured your Dad, would want his last taste of real food, before all the traditional stuff starts flowing.” He turned his attention back to Nat, “I know I am not fast enough to run with the bulls. I am hoping to be back in the States by then. This fancy living is a bit too much.”

Nat watched his daughter. “Matt,” he said. “You might be needing that sick leave sooner than that …” She was definitely not pleased.

Matt looked pointedly at his watch. “I forgot, got a date!” He nearly toppled the chair getting to his feet. “Peace out!” And he ducked out the door, not quite at a dead run.

“Yes,’ Nat thought, ‘she’s gonna pound him …”

“So,” he began. “Seen any good plays lately?”

“Really, I haven’t had much time of late.” She picked at the lobster. “It seems poor Matt has been overwhelmed with me taking my two year jaunt. His way of expressing it is really irritating, though I am to dance at the Festival Saturday. They are celebrating the new museum I am building.”

“I suppose you have to have somewhere to display your mother and Diego’s work. It’s a good thing. It would be a crime for it to remained tucked away in some vault”

She shook her head, “I will be donating a few pieces, than I am going to auction off a few, but some of them are going back to the original subjects. The rest will be stored.”

She slightly looked off as you could almost see her recalling the memory. The thought brought a smile to her but also brought a tear to her eye.

“This one time Daddy Diego drew this old woman, with a string of children behind her. She was poor. That drawing will go to the children in it, as will other pieces. “The Vault is another matter.” She glanced at the butler, than asked Nat, “Are you finished? Would you like more wine or perhaps dessert?”

“Maybe later,” he said. “What’s the problem with the vault?”

“Shall we take a stroll?” She rose. “Jorge, that will be all for the evening, have a pleasant night.”

“Madam, may I offer your father my service as his personal valet?” Jorge said. “For the rest of his stay?”

“I want you to be you, but it would be an honor for him,” she said.

Nat turned to the man, “Jorge, I am a California beach bum who knows about as much about what to do with a valet as you know how to get out of the Coronado a rip current.”

“I would lay out your clothing, help you dress for daily routines, like you may swim before breakfast or jog. I would inform you of special events on your calendar and a brief summary of current affairs within the villa and the village. I would arrange for any need you might have.” He paused, siding Nat up, “You could use as few or as many of my services you wish.”

“Ya know, as tempting as that may seem, Michaels has been trying the same lines on me for about eight years,” Nat said to Jay. “Jorge, I appreciate the offer and if I need something I will most certainly direct any requests your way, but I am not someone used to others taking care of things for me. I’ve been doing it myself all my life.”

“As you wish.” Jorge slightly bowed then turned on his heel, taking his leave.

“I hope I didn’t break him,” Nat said, watching Jorge’s stiff back.

Jasmine took her father’s arm.

“Let’s take a stroll. Matt’s right you need to see this.” She led him through a portico onto the villa’s grounds. “So ask away.”

Nat smiled, “Are you alive? Are you uninjured? Are you safe? Are you happy? Those are the only things that matter to me. In that order.”

“Well I don’t think I became undead, so yes I am alive,” she giggled as she followed an obviously familiar path into the hills. “I’m not bleeding out and am safe, I am walking next to you.”

“ Well, since all the important stuff is cover, what’s up?”

They rounded a bend in the path and nat found himself before a building, that he knew could not be seen from the Villa. Jay looked up at him, her eyes seeking his.

“Everything in this building is yours. I just want to know what you want to do with it.”

“Mine?” Nat looked at the huge barn. “Are there horses in here?”

“No horses.”

She focused on thumbing a combination lock until it clicked open then slid the door aside. When the door hit the stops it tripped a switch and the interior was illuminated by spots from all sides, all aimed at the center of the floor.

Bathed in the light, the living twenty four foot gemstone statue refracted the light making the ocean curl move through the gem streaked crystals, giving it colors of the sea. A top the curl stood the crystal surfer, Nat at sixteen. The light made the stone hair move as if a breeze was running through it. It was alive, in the light. A small plaque was placed at the base, it read :I’m Sorry.” The only other piece of her’s anything like this, that he had ever seen, was a twelve inch dancing Wren, he kept in the living room.

“It took her ten years to make that,” Jay’s voice barely a whisper. “You should see it in the sunlight.” She needed to know if he accepted, before revealing the last secret of the statue.

“Damnit, Jessy,” Nat whispered, then turned and walked out into the dark.

“Daddy there is more. I have to ask you, they are yours. Every single one she made of you I have collected to give to you, except for mine.” she begged, “Please this is hard for me too. I have to show you the rest.”

“Understand, Jay,” he says, without turning around. “The ONLY reason, I am going back in there is because YOU asked me to, so make it quick. Okay?”

“No, you don’t have to go back in there,” she started, she was sure it was a bad idea.

“I said I would go!”

“Maybe it is best I destroy them. After all they are only rocks.” Nat could see she was nearly in tears.

Nat fought down the anger and said gently, “Show me.”

He followed her back into the building and to the left of the giant. Flanking the large sculpture where a series of him at the same age in various poses and of various stone, from sandstone to marble. One piece was out of place. He remembered that moment when Jessy had let him see Jasmine for the first time … in a cave she’s created out of the Miami sand. The statue’s arms where folded as if around a baby while over his head solid rock blocked his escape.

He pointed at the piece, “Why didn’t she do you?”

“That was my basinet as a baby, before you started your visits. I added it because it is you,” she said then glanced at the only door in the building. “This is what I needed to show you. It is from her cave she made when I was still inside her. Daddy Diego never saw these. They were hidden in her cave beneath her shop. You don’t have to go in here. I will destroy them.”

“If you feel that I need to see them, which you obviously do, then let’s get it over with,” he said.

Jasmine pressed her thumb to the keypad three times and the lock clicked loudly. Gripping the handle, she twisted then pushed it open. Without blocking Nat’s line of sight, she reached in and flipped on the lights.

It was a small room, perhaps once an office, but it was filled with the four sculptures. Three copies of his sixteen year-old self, nude, didn’t surprise him. The fourth piece could have been something Michelangelo would have created. Again, it was him but this time stretched out on a three foot high stone slab. This work was unique in that this Nat Ryan looked broken, dead. Two concave spots was on the base of the platform, they appeared worn as if by centuries of kneeling.

“Tell me what you want me to do with them, they are yours.”

He reached over and flipped off the lights then pulled the door closed.

“I don’t know,” he said and headed back outside.

“I should have stuck to my original plans,” she whispered to herself. “Damn it, Matt.”

Jay secured and locked the studio then joined him outside in silence.

“Daddy, you need a drink. I have some old whiskey in the lounge.”

Nat looked down at her and even in the limited light could see she was pensive.

“Lead on,” he said, offering her his hand.

Instead of taking his hand, she hooked her arm in his. Together they made their way back to the villa in the dark, both silent. Rather than their original exit route, Jay led him around the perimeter of the ground to a patio outside the lounge. Nat stopped and settled onto a low wall.

“Can we sit out here?” he asked.

“We need a little privacy,” she said with a little shake of the head.

Nat rose and followed her into the lounge. She paused and locked the outside doors then crossed the room to do that same with the doors onto the courtyard. From behind the bar she retrieved four bottles. Nat dropped onto one of the couches and she deposited two of the bottles on the table before him. She sat across from him.

There was a faint rustling and several billion particles of sand flowed from every corner of the room. A steady stream seeped under the doors and converged on his daughter, covering her from head to toe. Her Sandy persona. One bottle she placed on the table, the other she used a sandy nail to split lead seal, then peeled it away. The cork made a faint pop when she extracted it and with a little sigh, she settled back into the depths of the couch, her back in the corner, and took four long pulls.

“Okay I screwed that up. So what’s next on the agenda?” She took another swig.

“I never had an agenda.”

“Yeah, but I did. I wanted to answer some questions you had 16 years ago two years ago. You said I didn’t have the whole story but I had more of the story than you did. I wanted you to see, I had the whole story.” She growled a little, “I told Matt you were not ready. No, I had to listen to him. I am sorry if I hurt you.”

“I kinda figured out when you visited me the last time it was just after your mother and Diego were murdered. Of course I didn’t know then,” he said. “You haven’t hurt me, Sandy. This is a whole other realm of pain.”

“Yeah, I can see that. You just didn’t know my mom like I did. Otherwise you would understand. It’s okay. She thought differently, expressed things different. Apple doesn’t fall to far from the tree.” She took another gulp making the bottle half gone. Shit happens and you move on.”

“No, even if I’d known her, I wouldn’t understand,” he said. “That’s the trouble. And expecting me to … well, I am not a telepath, I can’t read someone’s mind, only judge by their actions … by their words.”

“Never expected you to understand her. It would of made it easier for you to understand me if you did. The studio is your moments in time that she let me know, almost like an old photo, she could only create things she placed in her mind. The way she saw them. I wanted to give you, your moments back. I wanted you to see that I knew more of the story than even you did. The cave shit I should have turned them to sand when I found them. She would be pissed I showed them to any one,” She drank a little more, “Drink up big daddy. I have lots more if we need it.”

“She saw moments, moments I can’t remember,” he said. “If it were photographs, I could say ‘I remember that being taken’, but since those moments were only immortalized in her mind … it would be like me asking you what you were wearing on Christmas Eve when you were four … unless you inherited her memory. I am not going to pretend to have even the faintest understanding of your mother … all that talent …”

He ignored the bottles and rested his elbows on his knees.

“Do you want to know what I want you to do with those statues?”

“I’ll get the rock crusher in there tomorrow. I don’t give a shit what they are worth. Not worth me fucking up your life like…” She paused, the sand shifting back and forth. “Like we did.”

“Do you judge me to be so callus?” he asked. “Jasmine, no matter what I think of your mother there is one thing that I cannot deny, she was a genius.” He came to his feet and paced over to one of her pieces. “Look at this!” His fingers didn’t quite touch the stone. “I want those pieces, ALL of them, in a museum, where they belong. I want people five hundred years from now wondering at this KID that inspired such magnificent art. Destroy them? I could crush them for you if that is what you want, but I’d do it with tears in my eyes because no one has a right to destroy a work of art, the likes of which the world will never see again.”

“They are yours. You can have them with you, stick them in a museum, or crush them to dust.” She drank a little more, “I don’t judge you. If anyone is callus, it’s me.”

“I can’t take them to my San Diego, they would be as meaningful there as your paper money,” he said. “Out of context. I want one, I’ll take a closer look to make my choice but the rest … here, in this world, there was a Jessy Ramirez and with Diego, they made art. Keep it all in context. When you open that museum, consider them my contribution.”

“Then I will have the curator collect them. My suggestion would be to add her gemstone wave to the park you made. It is brilliant in the sun.” She polished off the bottle and grabbed the second. “It would mean you accepted her way of saying it.”

“There are things that no one will question, like who is this unknown artist but twenty feet of gemstone?” He shook his head. “That is an impossibility in my world even for any meta. As for accepting her apology? It is the only way that she can, now, so I have accept it, don’t I. But let the one I pick stand for that because that is what I will be doing.”

“Sure big daddy, no probs on this end,” she looked at him still looking at the pieces in this room, “To me all this. Its paper and rocks. Stuff I hold important is already locked up so no one can touch it or see it.”

“What is more important that a glimpse into a person’s soul? Because that’s what art is,” he said. “Doesn’t matter if it is stone or paper or music or dance, it separates us from the apes and machines.”

“Some pieces, yeah, but if you knew how many they did. They seldom let any of them go.” She opened the new bottle, “Daddy Diego,” a sand tear made a track down her cheek.. “He would just give his stuff away.”

“What’s wrong with that?” he asked. “He gave beauty, even if for a minute, to the people he drew. It doesn’t matter if they were ugly …” he pointed to a picture of an old woman. “Look as her. Every line, every crease, she earned. That’s something I don’t think your elves understand. Diego looked for the soul of his subjects … even his buildings.”

She grunted as she took the first sip of the second bottle, “Elf, smelf, I am totally sick about hearing about elfs.” She threw the bottle against a blank wall. “I am the Lady of the Sands of Time and of Space. Just because I have pointy ears, doesn’t mean I am just another wood elf. I am not some kind of fruit cake scatter brain. Or some overly intelligent snob looking down on others. I am the fucking ruler of the Travelers of the Sands of Time and I am…” It looked like she was going to lose it at any moment. She clenched her fists counted Mississippi’s.

“You are what?”

“I am the fucking ruler of the travelers of the sand of times. I have to kill that son of a bitch. Than try and find a half sibling, who he didn’t fucking kill, to take this fucking job. Like any one listens to a fricken elf.”

“And you have to do it all by yourself, right? No one else can help you?”

“That’s why I am here! I have to get this world shit in order. Have Diego’s kid made. So, yeah my sibling with be my kid on paper so you are going to be a grandpa.” She grabbed one of his bottles opening it, “I have to power the fuck up, before he attacks again. The Hunt they can take care of themselves. Your dimension has you. These people are helpless. The Travelers are helpless. Like you keep reminding me I am an amateur!”

“You think my life is nothing than frolicking in the happy elf woods, or this place. No, I have put my amateur ass out there, to make my own way. Than some fricken dragon, some Time lord, some powerful family member, has come in and fuck my life up.”

“How am I suppose to center without Diego?” her sand form cried a river of mud.

“First of all, amateur does NOT mean inept,” he said. “Second, and this is something you need to understand before anything else I have told you … you are NOT alone. I don’t care what Archer does or doesn’t do, you are my daughter and I’ll damn well bring the full power of my teams into play. I can’t do the time travel thing like Archer or even move from Dimension to Dimension so if I can’t get Archer to do it, you lure that shit to MY world. We set a trap for him and I’ll hold him down while you do whatever you want to him.”

The river of tears stained Sandy’s face, the ocean welling her normal calm blue eyes, looked like a stormy sea. “You know I have to kill him.” her voice solid. She took another drink. Confirming his words,”You would let me as you held him? Can you swear to me you would not stop me?”

Nat’s smile was predatory. “Can he use his powers if he cannot touch the earth?”

“No info on that but I have my people collecting info for me.” The streaks started to fade but the eyes stayed the storming sea, “They cannot track for me but are collecting my info so I know how strong I must be. In the end, only I can remove him from the stream. Team, no team, only by my hand will he die, forever.”

“This, my darling daughter, is what I do … my real super power … Give me everything you can.”

She felt lost, her form slipping to flesh, as she drank a little more. “I’ll have Spock send you the file grandpa made.” Her flesh form looked drained, her eyes redden. The tone of sadness, one he had never heard.

Nat took the bottle from her and set it on the table then gathered her in his arm.

“He can follow you through the sand?”

She molded to his chest, the tears seeping through his shirt, “Yes, I can follow him, he can follow me. Only the Lords and Ladies of sand time and space can. Sand of time can not”

“If you popped out, would he come out at the exact same place as you, or close by?”

“Close.”

“And to travel through the sand you must touch it?”

“That is how it works for me but I am still learning what I can do.” She shook her head unable to summons whoever it was she was trying to be, “I am ever shifting like the sands. I need to hold my breath longer. I can travel only thirteen minutes before I have to enter a realm to catch air. He travels nonstop.” He could feel, he was now holding her weight.

“I am betting it is the same with him, to travel the sand you have to touch the sand.”

“I am just not ready yet, there is so much to do. Matt is only one man. I have obligations when I am here. It’s the biggest place they owned, we needed the room. I feel like I am wasting precious time but I have to get everything back the way it should be. I need to find my center.”

“There is no such thing as wasted time when planning,” he said. “And to go into battle in a settled state is preferable to trying to fight when all behind you that is important is in chaos. Now, tell me again why I am a grandfather?”

“I have three surrogates lined up to have Diego’s babies, so his blood lives on. There will always be a blood descent of Ramiez. Mom froze his sperm and some of her eggs. Her eggs kill his sperm but his sperm was accepted by every other egg tested. It’s a Fireoak thing, has to do with the burning. So next week they are getting pregnant. On paper I will be adopting them as their mother and Jorge and Theresa will be raising them and Matt will make sure everything is paid for. So technically, my siblings will be my kids thus making you a grandpa and Wren a grandmother, all done without grandpa.”

“I see …” he said. “And whose eggs are being used?”

“I found a very intelligent artist, multi-lingual human to donate her eggs, she even looked like my mom if she had stayed human.”

Nat stared off into the distance.

“What is it, daddy?” Jay whispered.

“Nothing, just a prod, maybe from beyond the grave. How’d you find this woman?”

“She saw the ad that Matt put up on the internet.”

“Have you met her, in person?”

“She’s been here many times. Matt put an ad up, looking for a look alike for a photo shoot. He then picked the top ten of those who applied. I was to pick who we would approach. I almost went with this one Russian girl. Than in walked April, it was a no brainier. She totally reminded me of my mom. She was willing to donate her eggs for my cause. She also made the most beautiful blown glass I ever seen. So we met many times in order to arrange everything. ” She half smiled, “Was almost like having mom back.”

“Why? Why is she willing to donate eggs? And what’s her background?”

“Matt takes care of the paper work,” she had him sit down with her, “I was just to pick the top three but when I approached April with my mission, she was all on board. So I didn’t need to speak to the others. Diego and her egg hooked up perfect. So it looked like luck was coming back. No one can get mad at me for this. He wanted his blood to live on and I am making it so.”

“Who would get mad at you?” Nat asked. “There are no other Ramirez heirs, right? And it is not like your mother’s family is going to have any say. Either of them.”

“You,” she tried to get the fuzz from her brain, “He’s dead he didn’t give consent. Isn’t it raping him from the grave? I know he wanted it. Mom couldn’t, so I am.”

“Wait a second, what makes you think for an instant I think you’re wrong?” he took her hands. “In my case I was alive and never expressed a desire to have kids to keep my bloodline alive. Diego did want to pass something on, only some asshole kept him from doing that. Diego … I think Diego would say ‘yes, I want this and thank you for making it work’”

“Daddy can you carry me to bed? I think my legs fell off,” she gave a sleepy drunk smile. “We can go hiking in the morning.”

Nat picked her up. “You might want to reconsider that hiking thing in the morning. Maybe after the headache goes away.”

“Jorge has a cure all for that,” she looked into his eyes, “I love you always.”

“Well, I think Jorge is full of it and it is very convenient since I love you always too.”

Nat carefully removed her shoes and tucked her under the blanket. After kissing her good night, he stood, banging the back of this head on the bonnet of the bed. He looked up and ran a finger along the edge, feeling for cracks.

Two faces lightly glowed above her head, one of her mother and one of Diego both looking angelic in the glowing wood carving.

Day 2 (Thursday)

The sun had not risen, as she awoke in a silent panic. The vision in her mind had replayed yet again. The never ending nightmare of her parent’s death. She arose from her cradle bed and entered to the bathroom, picking out a single piece swimsuit and a cotton robe as she walked through the closet. Looking into her mirror, she saw the wreck she had made of her wig. She discard the wig, changing quickly.

She could hear the staff cleaning the mess she had made of the lounge as she headed to the pool. Matt was already seated at the pools edge with clipboard, checking on his list.

“Rough night I see,” he teased as she dove into the water. He waited till she topped the water, “Guess you told him?”

She lapped the pool, her long island speaking “Not everything, I told you he wasn’t ready.” She pulled herself out of the water, the sun now peeking over the horizon.

“Jay, you can’t keep going on like this.” He huffed, “You need someone, and he can handle it. He can pull his big boy pants on and deal, just like you have for the past few years. At least you still have me and him.” He shook his head,” Fine do it your way. So did you sign any of the papers, go through the list?”

She took a seat next to him, “No, I haven’t had time.” She dried her short hair patting it down to cover her ears, “I trust you. Just get rid of it, if you can’t sell, give it away. I have my vault.” She paused, “I really screwed it up last night.” She called to the air, “Spock please move the gemstone wave and the dead man statutes to my vault, put them in the doll house section.”

“So when do I get to use Spock?”

“Hey, I’m lucky I can. If Dad dee doesn’t make this his home, there will be no more Spock use.” She shook her, “I still have to tell grandpa and grandma about the babies.”

Matt wrapped his arm around her shoulder forcing her to rest his head on his chest. “You are doing the right thing. You have to keep your secrets. Sometimes I wish I was like you, so I could fight your battles, but I understand you have to do it. You have to prove to your self who you are. I get that.”

She pulled from him, “I just can’t find my center.”

“I can’t help you there, you had it once, and you can find it again. Give it time, just stay to what you know and stop trying to blend them.” He looked to the clip board, “Now back to work. I expect the stack on your desk back by night fall.” Matt looked torn, “I need to head to Greece, one of the holdings there is giving me troubles. I’ll be back in a few days. Try and chill. Nothing is going to happen as long as your dad is here.”

“Don’t go.”

“Alright I won’t.” he shook his head, “Sometimes you act like a needy little princess, where is my fearless bud.”

“She is hiding behind the princess, ‘til trouble hits.”, She put the robe on and headed to the courtyard, “You coming or are you skipping breakfast?”

“You kidding me, me miss food? Come on!” He followed her, “Steak eggs and cottage fries for us men, you get that gooey slop in an egg shell.”

“Wren tells me that there are things for breakfast other than steak and eggs,” Nat’s voice comes from behind an olive tree. “I like creppes with cherries and melon. But right now I’d settle for a cup of coffee.”

“Hey Pops, I have to disagree. I need real protein to start my day.” Matt turn a chair backwards straddling as he sat at the table.

Nat came to his feet and stepped around the tree wearing nothing but cut-offs.

“Good Morning Dad dee, did you sleep well,” Jasmine went to him leaning in, on her tip toes kissing each of his cheeks.

“I don’t need sleep” he said. “And if I do it is only with Wren in the bed. Now, what am I not ready for?”

Matt chuckled, “Got to love that hearing you both have.”

Jasmine shot him a look, than to Nat, “It’s nothing, food first.” She dragged him to the table. “Food first. “

She rang a bell and the maid brought out Matt’s requested meal for them. Jorge handed Jasmine a glass of red liquid.

“Maybe I get to hear all about it on our little walk-about?” Nat suggested, taking a sip of coffee.

She downed the glass of red liquid, her face scrunching up, whiskey didn’t make her blink but whatever was in that glass must have been disgusting.

“You still have to pick your statue. Than I thought you might like to go to the village and pick up gifts for the family. You never know when you might be called back. We can take the mini van.”

“Don’t take that thing, take the limo!” Matt suggested, “You would think they would have bought some descent cars.”

“So, a couple hours of sightseeing, maybe pick up a few gewgaws, crating up a statue, that kinda thing?” He bit into a slice of toast. “That the itinerary?”

Jorge was staring Mat down as he ate his breakfast. Matt talking with his mouth half full, “Yeah, don’t let her get you off track, she is great at avoiding. You guys need to take a hike.”

Jasmine eyes slanted at him, “I thought we agreed my way.” Matt shrugged grabbing his clipboard, “Have to go inventory baby shoes.”

Nat pointed at the glass of whatever, “That stuff work? How’s the head?”

Jasmine watched Matt leave as she nodded, “No headache.”

Nat grabbed a piece of toast as he climbed to his feet and took a bite.

“Good, but a little fresh air wouldn’t hurt, I imagine.”

He dropped the unfinished toast on the plate and turned to her with a grin. Without a word he scooped her as he had the night before.

“Which way is the vault?”

“I forgotten you don’t need as much sleep as everyone else. I was on day four last night. I should be good on sleep, unless we go clubbing.” She smiled in his arms, “We need to dress for hiking I can not go out like this. Jorge, please set out the hiking gear for Dad dee.” The butler bowed and disappeared. “Okay to my room, I’ll hurry.”

Nat set her on her feet. “Don’t make me drag you kicking and screaming. You know Matt will tell me where it is … and what’s wrong with the way I’m dressed?”

She laughed, “Humor me and change. As for Matt spilling the beans on the vault, he can’t. I never took him there. It has always been off limit except to me and mom.” A flash of worry swept over her, “Don’t you think you had enough for one visit? You might end up …” She stopped in mid sentence. “Let’s go change.”

“I don’t play games, Jasmine, that’s why Wren and I have such a great relationship. I don’t let my teams play games either so unless you are planning to try to beat me at chess, don’t open your mouth without finishing a sentence.” He said sternly. “What’s the worst you can say?”

The air lifted in the courtyard as she struggled to stay Jasmine and still tell him what he wanted, “I don’t want to over load you.”

“For God’s sake, Jazz, I can lift an aircraft carrier, just how big is this secret?”

“Come with me,” she took him up to her room close door behind him. “There is family secrets that are generation old. Grandpa took care of some of it but there is a ton.” The Sandy form breezing in. “I really wish I could stay like this with you. Everyone knows if you have evidence of a crime and you don’t turn it over you are an accomplice right! Well I am an accomplice than. I could of have tossed my own mother in jail with what I have. So your reaction is fucking scaring the crap out of me. You barely were able to handle the studio and that was a gift. I can never show you mom’s life. All of that is in my vault and much, much more”

“Did she break any laws on my world?” he asked. “No, so I have no jurisdiction. Would I make a morality call? No, because I can’t without a lot of information. Would I let you kill that man on my world? Yes, I would, not because of who you are but the fact he is an evil creature who as come to my world to kill someone there, you.”

“Trust me, the information on all is detailed. I’ll take you because to understand me, you have to understand a lot of shit I have had to deal with after they died. I will not be showing you my mom’s life. I think you have had enough of her already. ” She paused, “I don’t think you are ready to handle any more than I have already shown you. I am not going to fuck up this visit anymore than I have to.”

“If you tell me one more time that I can’t handle it, I am going to spank your ass.”

“Yeah, you could try,” Sandy snickered, “Go get changed. I’ll meet you at your room.”

She entered her closet shutting the sliding doors, listening for him to leave before grabbing clothes.

Nat scowled at the clothes laid out on the bed. In particular, he eyed the boots. “Ain’t happenin’ Jorge.” He said and grabbed a pair of cross trainers. “And what is supposed to go in this thing?” He tossed the knapsack in the closet. In under a minute he was dressed and testing out the feel of the sneakers.

A knock came on his door almost as soon as he finished. The look was again different from what he was use to. She wore skinny jeans, cotton plaid shirt, hiking boots, that would of matched his and a straw hat. On her shoulder she carried a backpack with ropes hooked to the outside of it. She looked at him with approval, even with the shoe change.

“Okay, what’s the backpack for?”

“We have a ways to hike and we need our supplies, food, water and the ropes for you. I have to use the emergency entrance for you. Where’s your bag?”

“In the closet, on the floor,” he said. “Planning on leaving the planet or something?”

“No but we will be spelunking for a bit at the end. Hope you are not afraid of small closed in places.”

“If it gets too tight, I’ll just flex.”

“I wouldn’t suggest that. I can’t swim you in and out like mom could have. You cause a cave in, I’m screwed.”

“So, no picking up the mountain, huh?” He shrugged. “Lead on.”

She took his hand and led him down the servant’s stairs and out the back. He could see the far distant landscape of open land with spots of woods. “Daddy Diego loved to hike with me. He said it was cleansing to the soul.”

“Sorta like me just sittin’ on a board out past the break line,” he said. “Don’t get to do that as much as I used to. Responsibility sucks sometimes, right? Usually I just do it as night … never anyone out there then. Sometimes, Wren will come with me but hell, that wet suit gets uncomfortable for her so I usually pack it in before she gets hypothermia.”

“Sometimes! That’s an understatement.” she kept him on an unmark path she knew by heart, the weeds and grass had long ago covered any trail that might have been.”I use to love my summers here, except I missed Matt. He never got to come here, ‘til, well ‘til now.”

Nat chuckled, “He came to my place, what was the difference?”

She half smiled; he could tell she was struggling with something. “Matt was our neighbor in Miami, than we hired his mom and brought them with us to Tampa. He never wanted to come here. He said it was my princess house and he was no prince.”

“What’s wrong?”

“I have a problem and I don’t want to hurt you when I tell you. It’s just the way my life was and no slight was meant.”

“Jeezus, girl, I am your father, you should feel like you can tell me anything. You aren’t dying, right? You pregnant? You’re a lesbian? You’re gonna have a sex change? Usually when a daughter starts talking like this it is something like that. Or they have a boy-friend I will kill on sight. But you know, none of it would matter, I’d still love you.”

“You have to think of how I see my different lives. With you I am Jay your happy little beach bum. When I am Sandy, well you know Sandy. Just like you know a little of Matt’s Jay. You do know points of some of my lives when they overlap but each person brought out a different life.” She paused, “I had a center back then.” She keep her pace leading further and further into the splendor of nature. “Daddy Diego was my center, he made everything happen for me, he made me feel like I was just one. I feel so fracture. I can’t find my center.” The tear rolled but she stayed calm.

Nat puts an arm around her shoulder. “You think I don’t see different aspects of you? It’s in everything you do, but all I see is you, no matter what persona you have to play. If you want to be Sandy for me, that’s okay, if you HAVE to be Sandy on me, that’s okay too. I’d say that you need to be yourself, but you are … this complex person is only one, but she’s an onion.” He smiled. “Many layers, all of them my daughter. Was that as bad to you as it sounded to me?” He kissed the side of her head. “No matter, to me, you’re just Jay.”

“I miss them, so much.” The tears came more, her head leaning against him as she kept them heading over hills. “The angry and hate fed me for a long time. I stayed in Sandy form for almost the whole two years I have been gone. I don’t feel right in flesh anymore.”

Nat stopped and turned to take her in his arms.

“When that man is dead, you can let the anger and hate go but you’ll always miss them,” he said. “I couldn’t kill the people responsible from my mom, and Wren’s parents, but I sure as hell could destroy them and it felt good. Let’s get through what you need to do here, then we can put an end to him.”

“I am only in phase one, starting two and looking for the third phase. Not easy to find a good fit for me. I have ground rules.“ She held on to him in a grip of most her strength, “I have the only weapon that can erase him and it only works if I wield it. At least that is what I was told. If it works, he will be forever gone. His whole stream will vanish. It’s in the vault with the rest of the weapons.” She let him go and pulled him further along.

“What do you mean a good fit?” he asked. “Ground rules for what?”

“One, if these idiots think I am going to share my real look and name and hang out at the bar with them in flesh. They can take a leap. They hired Sandy. Need to know and they don’t need to know. Two I am not the leader or the paper pusher, just a grunt. I already have too much shit I will be taking care of on the side, I don’t need to be wiping everyone nose.”

“Like I told Mark Law once, you’re leader or you’re not, you can’t fake it and having the loudest mouth doesn’t grant you any special consideration.” He looked at her. “Did you find people looking to you for what to do?”

“All the time …” Her being was changing as she spoke, the sands sweeping over her, “Three I can’t be in a family team. I need a team that don’t know who my family is or family that will throw themselves in as a shield. I can’t pump up when I am being protected.”

“That family thing only works if you don’t get involved with the team,” he said. “My team, first the Legacy, then the rest, became family. Hard to avoid. The hardest rule I had to beat into everyone’s head was ‘you do your job first, and then worry about the rest of us after’. I have to be the example for that, what with Wren on my team but I know she can handle anything anyone throws at her,” he grinned. “She reminds me often enough.”

“I understand that, I was close to my last team and nearly got those all killed.” She paused, “That’s when I knew I had to call for back up. If I didn’t they would have all died.” She stopped on a pile of sand atop the hill they just climbed. “He wasn’t interested in them, he was after me. So I got him to chase me but I told you this story.”

“And you nearly got them killed how? Because this man was after you? Did you know it at the time?”

“Yes, there were a couple attempts on me by hired thugs, we got one to talk. He didn’t have all the details, like why this guy wanted me dead but we found out who he was, than it was a game of tag. Little info here and there till by accident we found him. He monologue me the whole low down as he was killing my team.”

“WAS killing or TRYING to kill? Who was your leader? Or did you have to jump in?”

She sighed, “By than I was stuck with the job, NOT ONE of them did what I said. I kept telling keep to your partner double team one dodge the other. Grunt was my brick, I tossed things up and he smashed when they hit. No one wanted to sync up, we needed to sync up.”

“Tell me what would be a perfect team for you? How many in it?”

“Four to five man team. You need your muscle, you need your mentalist, me, the techno geek that hopeful has powers and the guy in charge that spouts off the task and we take care of it.”

Nat flexes a bicep. “Me muscle,” he said “But I’m also the one in charge. What’s your role?”

“Oh! I got another rule, I am not a Charlie’s Angel. This group better be a mix!”

“That means you don’t want to be looked at as a sex symbol, or you don’t want all women?”

“I’m the kick-ass sand surfing bitch that is going to fuck their bad up. No way will I join a chick flick. I might as well stay here and raise kids to prepare for battle.” Sandysaid as she sat on the bare top of a hill.

Nat frowns, “My team is eight women and four men. Does that make it a chick flick or a harem?” He sat beside her. “And I meant what is your roll, not what you can do. I’m the designated ‘target’, my job is to draw fire.”

“You do realize, this hike was just a ploy to spend time with you?” Sandy played with the sand she sat on.

“Of course, I could have flown us here in a few minutes … so, we there?”

“’Til you leave, I have use of Spock. I can just have him teleport us in. So your choice do I show you the secret way in or we go poof?”

“Oh, let’s take the hard way,” he grinned. “Gotta remember, I don’t have access to Spock or anything like it. So I am used to getting there under my own power.”

“Okay please move three feet down the grass area.”

“Three feet, huh?” He obliged and stood with his hands clasped behind his back.

Once he is safely away she disappears into the hill. A moment later a geyser of sand erupts like a fountain and forms a respectable pile that resembles a giant ant hill. It takes under a minute and when the sand settles Sandy is sitting on top of the mound.

Nat spits sand and brushes it out of his hair. “Now I feel like I’m back home.”

“So your options, you can have me seal this up, you jump down or I push you in?”

Stepping over the opening, Nat gives her a little wave and stepped into the hole.

“AHHHHH!!! OUCH!!! HEY!!! STOP!!!”

Silence then, “You didn’t remove the spikes! Now I’m gonna walk funny for a week!”

Sandy dives back down through the sandy coming out of the earth wall next to him. “Who moved my spikes?” She snapped a glow stick handing it to him. “I see fine in the dark but you might need this to find the runes we marked the path.” She set out down the cavern.

“Are we there yet?” he teased.

“I don’t want to hear it, you picked the hard way not me. We could have gone poof,” She paused at an intersection and nodded to the floor. “Daddy, down here, see that flat house shape. That is how you know which turn to make.” The symbol glowed slightly under the light of the stick.

“This is all natural? Or did your mother do it?” He ran a hand over the wall.

“I haven’t been in this part in years, mom showed me in case I needed to get Diego down here. Most of the caves were here but mom did modify. She had to make some parts more stable.”

A few turns later and they stood before a huge metal door with combination lock and the wheeled handle.

“So, where’s the spelunking part?”

“That was if I wanted more time. There are the other paths to get here, Welcome to my vault.” She dialed the three numbers and spun the handle, than tugged on the handle the extra dirt hindering opening the door. Nat reached over and gave it a ‘gentle’ tug.

The door opened with a dim light turning on to reveal a maze of paths through stacks of racks filled with boxes bins. He could see a faint light show in the far corner his stone gem head glowing in a moonlight phase the hair blowing, over the tallest stack of pallets.

“What in hell do you have down here?”

The boxes spaced just a few feet up to reveal an arsenal of weapons, some 30 years old, some new and some modified. “That’s my weapons cache.”

“I have everything important and secret here.”

“Planning to start a war?”

“No, I will just kill one” She looked down the long double side racks of weapons. “I was hoping you would take most of this home with you. It would raise too many questions if I tried to sell them off here.”

“And exactly why would I take them home with me? And why would you want to add to the cache of illegal weapons already on the world market? Why don’t you just destroy them?”

“Let’s face it, you never have enough funding for a team. When you can get a weapon, any weapon is better than none. I figured you could give them out to the new guys or use them for spare parts. In the right hands, they are a tool for Justice,” Sandy looked him in the eye, “My grandfather was a lord of sand of time and space, a hit man and a weapons dealer, If I didn’t collect them, who knows where they be. I was just trying not to waste anything.”

“You do understand that we have an entire government behind us, right? We’re not some loose group of individuals struggling along on what they can skim from the drug dealers they bust.” Nat pulled down a machinegun. “I spent the better part of six years fighting people and all they really had was this. We are metahumans, we ARE weapons.” He tied the gun’s barrel into a tight knot as easily as if it were overcooked spaghetti. “This was what I did with any HARP armory we found.” He tossed the weapon into a corner.

“Okay that takes care of the weapons, I’ll have them gone by morning.” She moved to the next opening, “This is all the body armor we had collected, that’s right no one on your world needs them either.” She stood like a statue, no readable expression on her smooth out face. “This was a bad idea.”

“Jazz, what do you want me to do? Have Spock beam all this stuff to the cottage? Honey, most of my teams wear body armor, if you’ve got something better, I’d love to have it. Your tech is usually higher than mine and I am sure Q would got ape shit. Show me what you consider the best of the best. In fact, if you have something that generates a force field …”

“Force field is the electronic section. Most of this armor was better than my teams starting gear, than we have the plates for robo cop suits.”He could tell in Sandy’s voice something was eating at her, even Sandy though blunt, held things in when dealing with her big daddy.

“Spit it out.” Nat picks up a piece of armor and inspects it. “How the hell did you get all this stuff?”

“My mother left me ledgers of all my grandfather’s assets, I had Matt start with the legal stuff, I took the illegal.” She just stared at him and let it out, “You insulted me, hurt my feelings and pissed me off to boot. I am not my grandfather, you just assumed that when I said sell, it meant illegally. I can’t even give them to anyone here. There is not one shred of paper work to let me. I wanted to do something good but you made it out in your one little sentence that I was going to jump sides. What kind of person do you think you raised?”

“I don’t know about the laws on your world,” he said. “In my world, selling ANY of this stuff would be illegal. That is the law as I know it. Maybe you can sell this stuff at Christies for all I know. And even giving it away would be illegal for me. You talk of paperwork, I’d have a mountain if I tried to even turn it over to my government, and about two years of trying to explain where it came from. No one there except a very few have any idea there are alternate dimensions. Are the law different here? You could just tell me that and not assume that I am up to date on yours. Hell, you’ve had meta-humans, mutant, aliens, elves and God knows what else on this planet for eons. There are maybe a thousand on my world … you know what they classify us as? Weapons of mass destruction.”

Carefully he places the armor back on the shelf.

“They have ‘plans’ to deal with us if we ever go rogue … it involves nukes and ‘possible’ civilian casualties. In fact, we found out about it when our last president wanted to exorcise that option because I refused to take my team into North Korea and take out their leadership.”

“I know I am, a weapon,” she inhaled so deep the sand visibly shifted along her sand breast bone. “I needed help with vault because the crimes of the grandfather now fall on me to clean up. I need advice not judgments. You don’t want free shit than just say no, doesn’t matter where it came from it’s all my crap now. Now as for the armor I can Spock t-port all the armor to the cottage you can call Wren and have her truck it out. It will be a tight squeeze for the exto skeleton. Some of this stuff is also what my different teams had.”

“You want advice, let me wad it all up in a ball, get Wren here, have her cancel the gravity on it and I’ll throw it into the sun. I wouldn’t want a single piece of this to fall into the hands of those idiots on my world. They’d reproduce it and it would spread like the plague. And if it is stronger then what my teams could handle … well, then it is easier to get rid of all the WMDs running around free. Only reason that we ARE still free is because no prison could hold some of us. And what’s this judgment crap? Because I draw a conclusion without all the facts I am judging you? That’s an assumption, kiddo. If I have all the fact first, then it is a judgment.”

“No I will handle it from here lets go back to the villa.” The tone was flat.

“You wanted advice, that’s my advice. Don’t let it loose on your world, either … I’ve seen some of it, and it’s already pretty screwed up. Is this what had you worried? The fact that you have an arsenal? That it is the product of criminal activity?”

“Only the tip of the ice berg. But I can’t just destroy everything. Something’s are not just rocks and paper. I keep saying that you weren’t ready. I guess the truth is I am not ready.” She stopped, “I don’t think you can understand what all this means to me and then have all this other shit dumped on me. I am just me, having to do the job of Archer. Without my fucking center!”

“So sit down and explain it to me, no bull, just straight talk, no hints, no allusions, just hit me with it hard.”

“First, my center.” Sandy slid down the wall of boxes to the floor, “Growing up, I wanted to see you, Diego made it happen, I wanted time with mommy, Diego made it happen, every aspect of my life Diego made it happen. I come home after pounded out some bullies, Diego knew what to do. Every time I felt the splintering of my lives, Diego pulled me back. I centered my life around him. He knew every dark secret and every joy of everything. He understood the weird way I think, just like he understood my mom.”

“He had sixteen years to learn how to be your father,” Nat holds up a hand. “He also had sixteen years to learn how to understand your mother. You grew up with him right there, any time you needed him. He was the one to scare away the monsters under the bed and bandage your scrapes. And because he was who he was, you got a great father. All I ever gave you was the fun stuff. All I ever saw from your mother … I only knew her for a very short time. How can I suddenly develop into Diego? I can’t and I won’t because you can’t treat me like him. I don’t have sixteen years of earned trust and share experience. I thank God you had him … and your mom had him. No man could have been luckier then to have Diego raise his child.”

“NO, you were just as important as he was, don’t be cutting yourself short just because he held a different importance in my life. I didn’t need two centers. Your center is Wren. I know it. I accept it. I know I am not less because she is your center. Doesn’t take away the 18 years of my life that I am still sharing with you, doesn’t make me second fiddle.” Sandy stood back up.” It doesn’t solve my problem, every time I go flesh I keep trying to merge it all together. I tried to center on Matt but there are some things I can’t tell him. Matt thinks I could center with you if I gave you the chance. I think that’s why mom went to a shrink.” she shrugged, “No way I could share with someone like that.” She paused adding. “An outsider.”

“I never considered myself less important than Diego,” he said. “It is just logical that you would be very close to him, and that you could share with him. It is a simple matter of trust. I am NOT saying that you don’t trust me, but honestly, look at the facts. Even now you can’t open up to me because I’m not ready, or you’re not ready. It a leap of faith now, Jazz. You gotta just have faith in me. And by the way, my center isn’t Wren, it is family.”

She didn’t argue she just continued, “If I didn’t have faith in you, you wouldn’t be here, in this vault. You said he raised me, he didn’t do it on his own! You are in there too. I only had three people in my inner circle and you where one of them. You are my daddy. Kind of hard to tell ugly secrets to your father. If you don’t think you can help me center, its okay. It is a tall order. I know no will ever replace them. I was just throwing out a line to snag an anchor till I can deal with all the emotional crap. I can’t fight like I have been, the anger changed just like the hate did, it went deeper, the more I go back to flesh and I can’t use it to center any longer. I want to kill this son of a bitch, I am going to but you didn’t raise a fool.” She sighed, “God I don’t want to go to the outer inner circle. Look you can forget about all this. We can just go back to what you are use to. I will work it out. I have always found a way.”

“Try one,” he said. “Try one ugly secret.”

“Let’s see mild one involving the vault. I have evidence that would put a lot of powerful people in jail. I know there is a group who is still looking for it. We accidently crossed paths while I was dealing in some of the collecting. I know my mom showed grandpa and he took care of some of them but is it justice to pick and choose?” She looked at him, “I choose to do nothing and just sit on it all like my mom did but even if I didn’t there is no one I can give it to. They are powerful people.” She closed the door, turning the handle, he could hear soft mechanized gears moving in the caverns. She turned and started walking back to the maze. “Did you know my mom made hits with her real father, she killed a few hundred men women and children before archer found her at six.”

Nat didn’t make a move when she indicated she wanted to leave.

“Let’s see,” he began. “I had proof that the President of the United States tried to influence me, personally, to use my powers and that of my teams in a covet way outside the boundaries of the United States after I forced the Congress into very specifically limiting our powers to only internal matters. Said President actually ordered me to kill the sitting head of a foreign government. I have recordings of it, both audio and video. Said President demanded that I swear allegiance to HIM personally, not to my country. Since I had already sworn to uphold my nation, which was priority. It pissed him off, he wanted to fire me. I told him good luck with that since the whole team would quit. I also told him it was all recorded to which he demanded that I give him the recordings. Once more I told him good luck with that. At that point I could have taken down the government … but it would have destroyed more than one idiot. I kept silent and he was voted out in a landslide. I’m not Archer, I can’t ‘take care of them’ so yeah, I understand your problem but if your hands are tied, you do what you can. And as for your mother killing hundreds? I am shock that it is that many, but not surprised. Her father was an amoral killer with no qualms about using his daughter. Both our worlds have seen too many instances of children bring used as weapons. It sort of explains her morality.”

“You coming? Or do you like sitting on the floor?” She pointed down a passage. “This way.”

Nat obliged and followed her.

She weaved him past other openings, glancing quickly he could see there was nothing she didn’t have here. The smell of saw dust hit him from one boxed in area. It looked like a wood shop but she kept him moving. “I will show you grandpa’s doll house. Mom said you have been there before. I was thinking the kids could have my carousal.”

“Yes, I’ve seen a bit.” He said.

She enters a corner of the warehouse, the rows of dioramas exactly set up as they had been in the Hunt doll house, the hand carved Carousal at all pristine animals to ride, the work table exactly position as it been. “This is grandpa’s doll house that he left my mom, so she would have protection.” Each box held a scene of a hit. With the people who hired them in the right corner and hit man to left. All hand-carved dolls. “Each box has a number that goes to a file in the next section.” She fingered one of the dolls. “Is it just wood or is it art or is it the curse of my bloodline?”

“He made my mom that carousal. How could you look at it and think monster? He told her there is ‘us’ and there is ‘them’. That part makes sense to me,” she told him. “Does it make sense to you?

Sandy took a seat sidesaddle on a horse. “Do you remember the summer that Rocky didn’t come with me when I was fourteen? That was the summer we broke up. He wanted to kiss me and I broke his jaw.”

“I suspected something, the break up, but broken jaw?”

“Yeah, his eighteenth birthday party,” Her sand face became more defined as she recalled the moment, “He had been distant with me on and off because of age difference. His friends called me a kid. So he had to hang on the sly. I thought it was stupid since I was in the same classes but no. I was a kid. He invited me to his party, toward the end couples started pairing off. Two of his buddies where trying to flirt with me. Like I would ever hang with turds like them. Matt took me to his room to get them to leave me alone. We had sat on the bed like always and he leaned over to kiss me. I backhanded full strength and broke his jaw. Buds don’t make out. I haven’t laid a finger on him since.”

“You sure that ‘buds’ is all you are to him?”

“It was in the terms and conditions of our recirculation agreement. I am a damn Fireoak, as such I will know when I get cursed to some relationship. Matt is not the one, nor do I ever want him to believe he can be. He’s my best friend and that is all I can ever be with him and he knows it. It’s in the agreement he will marry by twenty five and I’ll make sure he is hooked up with someone. I’m not very good at picking them. Longest one lasted four months. He said they get boring.”

“You’re gonna be a tough act to follow, Jazz. Much as I hate to give you maybe bad idea, why don’t you have Archer alter that gene? He can pretty much do anything else with DNA,” Nat suggested. “Doesn’t have to change everything, I am sure he can find one single strand of DNA that’s responsible and turn it off. Besides, you’re only a quarter Fireoak, right? How do you know you are doomed to your mother’s.” he stopped his sentence. “How did you end up with the Traveler thing? Archer changed your mother’s DNA before you were born.”

“One Grandpa isn’t messing with any more DNA on the Ramirez side of the family ever again. Two, because I have the living flame in me, which makes me a Fireoak, no flame, no Fireoak. Josho is not a Fireoak. Three, when he changed her DNA, he didn’t remove the other he just added in, that’s why my mom kept her hair blonde. She had the power of time but their DNA was dominate and suppressed it. He woke mine up by changing me back and forth. At least that is how it was explained to me.”

“That is a pretty fucked up system, this Fireoak thing. Immortal beings doomed to be stuck with the same mate forever and only able to have children by one person. What if one of the pair dies?” Nat waves it away with a hand. “Never mind.” He gestured at the houses. “This is what you meant about powerful people and having something that could put them away. He kept records, names, places, the deal …”

“Everything, even recordings.”

“You’re stuck, like me … what do you do with the evidence?”

Sandy stood, moved across the area to next to the bench and then pointed at a federal building exploding. The two hit men, Jessy at 6 and her father. “What should I do about this?”

“You find out the details,” he said. “How many killed? Who ordered it? What was the reason for it? Regardless it cannot hurt your mother anymore. And she was just about six … But honestly, I’d do what I am going to do when I get home … turn the bastard in. How many of these people that hired your grandfather ever paid for their crimes? How many people out there are still wondering why someone killed their loved ones? How do you feel with your uncle still on the loose? Can you rest? Do you have closure? How would you feel if someone withheld evidence that could put the man behind bars or on death row?”

“That has been my dilemma and I am not sure what it will do to the Hunt. Grandfather took care of some of these but left so many undone. Where is the Justice? I have always found Grandma and Grandpa quite confusing. I love them dearly. I loved my time with them. Grandma said not to worry, that I just think different, like my mother.”

“Have Archer tell you which he handled, then turn in the rest.”

“I won’t give up the dolls, they were special to my mom. I thought the kids might get a kick out of the carousel.”

“The carousel,” he considered. “There’s room at Malibu but the dolls and stuff, you only need to turn over the files. I suppose there are files from around the world? A lot of jurisdictions then and some of those jurisdictions might just bury the stuff, like Russia or China.”

“I will never need it.”

Nat smiled, “You know we will never get Katie off of it.”

“I have no use for it, it should be enjoyed, and it was a labor of love. As for the files that’s what I am afraid of, who can I trust with them?”

“I know what I’ll do with my tapes … Internet. It’ll cause a huge scandal, the guy will probably keel over with a heart attack when his stocks hit rock bottom. I’ll take some serious shit for not turning it in when it happened but people will get over it. Of course it will all be faked … and I’ll be ‘the Lyin’ Giant’ or some such shit …” Nat shrugs.

“With the blood money I have been setting up foundations in the States and here to help the homeless, food banks, and college funds for those who need it. The village here will get one student a year a four year scholarship to whatever college they can get into to. I built a meta jail here already. No good for you or grandpa but most of them it can hold. Than the museum and the new church.”

“Get with James, he taught Wren and me a lot about foundations and scholarships and it is a great idea to turn any ‘blood money’ into something that does good, but you will have to watch out. There are people who lost family that will try to sue YOU for that money, for recompense, damages, whatever, if they know your family was involved and that you have money from it. Even if they don’t know about the money, they may try to sue you anyway. You might want to do everything anonymously.”

“That is another reason why not to turn in the files. Those files are a curse, damned if I do, damned if I don’t, “ Changing subjects she added, “Matt has already set everything up, I don’t know if he got Uncle James help. I really wish he would finish college. He was 4.0.” Sandy’s form shifted to flesh, “I need to warn Matt.”

“Fire his ass, tell him to come back with a degree,” Nat offered. “What do you need to warn him about?”

“Greece, I only told him not to go, I didn’t tell him why.” She looked at her four face time piece, “Daddy, this place is full of secrets of three life times. It will take days to show you everything. I really need to get to Matt.”

“Why shouldn’t he go?”

“Remember I told you about a group still looking for this doll house, they are in Greece. He is having troubles with holdings in Greece. I just asked him not to go and was to distracted to tell him why.”

“So they might be a danger to him?”

“Yeah, It just hit me, I can’t believe I am slipping like this,” she closed her eyes summoned the sand back. “Big daddy we have all the time in the world to go through this. Mind if I poof you to the Villa and you find Matt”

“And do what with him? Tell him what?”

“Just make sure he is still here. He tells me one thing and goes off and does something else just to get a rise out of Jasmine. I don’t think he likes me like that. If he is alone tell him that the Da’tant is in Greece and forget that asset totally. I’ll close the hole and head back after you.”

“I can fly back, no need to spread out my atoms.”

“Then let’s go, the path has changed, get your glow stick ready.” Sandy hurried him through the maze back to the door.

Once back at the bottom of the hole, Nat does a little hop and lands outside.

“Sweet Spock, please deliver the Carousal to Nat’s home in Malibu.” Sandy requested as she filled the hole. “Mind giving me a lift?”

“You can’t tell Spock to deliver it without having a place to put and at least a warning Wren.”

Nat picked her up and oriented on the villa, then leapt into the sky. After a short interval he rotated his body and lands on the lawn beside the pool.

“Too late, it’s on the deck.”

“Were there any KIDS out on the deck? Did the deck chairs and stuff get moved?” Nat raises a hand, “Hold on …”

“You got the deck chairs, two tables, and nearly got Michaels. It is morning there, just like it is here. Oh, and the deck couldn’t take the weight. It was made for people, not carousels.”

“I had been planning to put it on a concrete base.”

“So you want Spock to fix it? I can send you all new stuff from the garage. We have like 20 set of patio sets in there. I need to center. Please hurry, am about to shift in your arms, done freak.” The sand slipped from his arm but firm flesh replaced it.

“Don’t do anything with Spock and why would I freak?”

“It will tickle.”

“Me or you?”

The air of Jasmine took over her, the devilish smile on her lips, “Matt hated it the first time it happen. He said he had sands in all the wrong places.”

“Need to have Mal walk through him once if he wants weird …”

“WE are speaking of Matt. I think he prefers weird. Maybe I will put him on a dating sight. That should come up with interesting results.”

As soon as they landed, Jasmine in a hurried sway enter the house calling out, “Jorge, Jorge.”

The man appeared in the main foyer, from the library.

“Where is Matthew?”

“I have finished packing his bags, he is currently in the court yard, giving instruction on the inventory.” He stated, “Should I summons him for you?”

“Thank you Jorge, I can handle it from here. Please unpack his bags. He is not going anywhere right now.”

She headed for the courtyard, leaving Nat to follow. She enter the courtyard, twenty of the staff was going through the tiny shoes, writing down the info on each pair. Two staff members where entering the paper sheets into laptops.

Matt was speaking as she enter, “Make sure that the auctioneer, gets these tomorrow, than pull the Jessy’s children clothes from room Eleven, that should be enough till I get back.”

“AND WHERE do you think you are going,” Jasmine questioned, drawing his attention to her,”

“Look princess, I changed the flight from the morning one. You asked me to stay so I stayed. I can’t just stop the work if you want to clear all the houses and assets. I need to get to Greece. There is a few million sitting in that account, if they honor it. After their banks went bust, they are settling accounts for less money. They need me in person to verify my paper work.”

“Matt, please come with me.” Long Island Jasmine was not pleased, “There is something I need to question you about. In my ROOM.”

“So you finally got to the stack of papers from last week.” Matt handed some paper instruction to the Staff member he had been talking to, “You get this done by Saturday morning and there is a grand bonus for each of you.” He turned back to Jasmine, “I am coming.”

Jorge stopped them at the stairs. “Just a reminder that Senoir Gomez and his troupe will be here at one. I laid your dress and wig out in your room.”

Jasmine acknowledged, “Thank you Jorge, I had forgotten.” She headed up the stairs with Matt and Nat in tow.

Matt opened the bed room door for Jasmine and let her and Nat enter then turned to walk away.

“Dad dee grab him.” She was blocked by her father, “You need to come in here, Matt.”

Nat stared down at Matt. “You know I can and will. Wouldn’t it better to do this voluntarily?”

Matt sighed, “I have work to do. How am I supposed to get anything done with her pulling me up here to yell at me about something? Fine!” He squeezed into the tiny room with them. “Jay why don’t we get you another room for this. This is crazy small.”

“Close the door please,” her voice was all ready shifting as she pulled off her boot, pouring sand on her carpet.

Matt went to the desk, “You haven’t touched a thing. So why in the hell did I get pulled up here?”

Nat leans against the door.

“Because it happen again, the da tant is in Greece forget that asset. You need to get the staff to do the rest and you check in with them on Skype. I want your ass safely back in the states.” Jay was back.

“Pops, will you tell her that I am a full grown man.” Matt slanted his eyes as he peered at her. “I think I can handle a little paper work at a bank.”

“Daddy will you tell this over grown oaf, that he is in danger. Like I want to lose any one else!”

“I’m the overgrown oaf,” Nat poked Matt with a stiffen forefinger. “He’s the pip squeak. Now someone explain who or what is The DaTant?”

Matt piped up, “That’s a secret society that Jeff James and Jessy James belonged to. They are the one who hired Jeff and Jenny James to do all their hits and the ones who paid them. Than Jeff blew up the building where his wife and Jasmine James where still inside.” Matt thumb through the stack of papers and pulled out a photo of a pin. “This is the pin Jessy wore as a kid. I did the research to find out what I could. So I knocked over a few bee hives doing it but I think I got the most the story.” He turned to Nat. “She thinks just because I am a normal I can’t take care of myself. Can you explain to her that I am a man and fully capable of dealing with whatever happens?”

“Is the threat super-powered?”

“No, but they are professional hit men.” Jay answered, “I have to protect my family don’t I?”

“So, armed killers,” Nat turns to Matt. “Are you trained in weapons combat?”

“Archer taught me a little and I do have a CLP, I go to the range back home all the time. But army combat no.”

He turns back to Jasmine, “Do they know Matt?”

Jay nodded, “They know his name,” Matthew Francis Murphy. That should be enough for them to dig on him.”

To both he said, “Figure the likelihood of someone laying in wait for Matt, what would you give it? Two to one? Ten to one? Jazz, where do you put it? How about you and be honest Matt, I really don’t care how big your balls are. Or you think they are.”

Matt spoke first, “I am no threat. I don’t have what they want. I don’t even know where the vault is and never been there. So the only thing they could gain, is getting to her and she was missing in action for two years. I don’t feel threaten.”

“You are the one poking the hornet’s nest and I gave you the info. They might think you are Jeff James grandson and come after you.” She gave an icy stare at the Matt. “I think it’s more like a timing thing, than an odd.”

“So they want what’s in the vault that someone Matt knows has and they MIGHT think she is dead or something because no one has seen her in a couple years, that about it?”

“That’s about sizes it up” Matt stated.

“I’d snatch you off the street in broad daylight then torture your ass for a few weeks just to make sure you really didn’t know anything, then I’d hang your guts up somewhere Jasmine would hear about them or see them, then I come after someone else close to her or you, until I get what I want. I’d kill your dog, your mother, your old grannie and your kindergarten teacher, all in very ugly ways. That’s Greece, not Utopia, only place I can think of that is worse, at least in Europe, is Sicily.”

Jay folded her arms in triumph, “See he agrees.”

“You,” he points a finger at Jasmine, “Be quiet.” He turns back to Matt. “You have to have this meeting? How much is it worth to her AND the bank?”

”It’s more of tying up lose ends,” He sat on the desk shoving the laptop to the side.”The meeting is at a bank to review the power of attorney papers. I’ve done it a lot. The bank will take a cash hit, they are still recovering from the collapse.”

“Damnit Matt, how MUCH is in it for the bank? Simple question, simple answer.” Nat rubs his forehead. “How important is this money, Jazz?”

“It’s not, I am just giving it all away”

“And Matt, why is it so important to you that you would risk having your balls clamped in a vise and sawed off with a hacksaw?”

“When you put it that way, I guess one lose end won’t hurt.” Matt didn’t seem too happy.

“Never let your ego get you killed,” Nat put a hand on Matt’s shoulder. “That’s one of the first things I have to teach new recruits, you know, the one’s that just discovered their power. It goes for normal people too.” He steps back and point a finger back and forth between them. “You guys are like children and you treat each other like it. Your egos are getting in the way. Put your heads together and come up with alternate plans. TALK to each other, don’t just go off on your own.” Again he points as Jasmine. “That means you too. Always utilize every asset you have, that’s why they are called assets.”

“Yes daddy”

Matt shook his head, “I will try. It just have been a rough few years dealing with all this without her, to have her come back and try and control everything, while depending on me as … Never mind.”

A beep sounded from the unit on her night stand. Jay pressed the button, “Yes”

“They have arrived earlier, should I have them set up, Madam.”

“I’ll send Matt and Dad dee to greet them till I get dressed.”

“Daddy, would you please keep them busy till I get down? Senor Gomez is really quite sweet once you get to know him.

Matt led Nat down stairs and into the courtyard where most of the crates had been removed. The few remaining were stacks neatly to one side of the gate.

An elderly man, Senoir Gomez Nat assumed, was obviously the dance instructor and a tall young man in traditional dance garb waited. A small group of musicians tuned their instruments.

“Buenos días, Sr. Gomez, soy Nathaniel Ryan. M sinento honrado de conocerte.” Nat said with a polite bow.

The elderly man sized up Nat as he came into view. He slightly bowed in return, “No need, I speak good English. Pleasure to meet. So she gets her height from you.”

“As you wish,” Nat replied.

Her quick change was no surprise to Matt. In a long red gown, the broad shoulder straps barely covered her tattoo on her back shoulder, the ruffles trailed behind her, Jasmine dissented the stair case. Her makeup dramatic and bold. Her wheat hair now cover by a black wig embellished with a large red flower. It made her look more like her mother side of the family. As she stepped into the courtyard, the band began to play. She moved in step with her kilted shoes and castanets, dancing the lively flamenco.

To the normal eye the dance seemed flawless but the instructor began correcting her moves as she twirled around the room, until the music stop. Then he pushed the young man to her, “He is no Diego but he will have to do. Begin!”

Again the music started and the two began the Fandango. It was a lively, energetic and happy, dance that was a traditional Spanish dance performed with couples. The two moved in time and the dance seemed almost sensual to the final dip.

“It will do.” The old man seemed unhappy, “You need to practice more Ms. Ramirez. I suggest you two practice more before the performance on Saturday. Your father would have wanted it to be better. You use to do them so well.” He sighed as if disappointed. Jasmine nodded, “It has been a few years since last I danced. I promise I will not embarrass you. I will make the Village proud.” She looked to the young man, “If you have nothing to do this evening we can practice tonight.”

“From the top, the flamenco.” Senoir Gomez ordered.

As Jasmine began again, Matt grabbed Nat’s arm. “How about a game of pool? She will be at this for a while.”

Nat ignores Matt for the moment, watching the man closely. Twice he winced as he noted something wrong in the man’s foot work. Finally, he turned to Matt, “Bit off, isn’t he? Pool? Sure.”

Matt headed to the billiard room, ignoring the dance. He had already racked the balls by the time Nat entered.

“Two left feet or old war wound?” Nat said as he sighted down the length of a stick.

“You know she wanted you to see her dance before you left, she will do better Saturday. Her and Diego would practice those all the time before they came here. I don’t think she ever danced with anyone else but him. Except in the plays and stuff she was in.” He sighed, “This has to be hard for her. Go ahead and break, just don’t break the balls.”

Nat moved to the rack and swapped a couple of balls around. He moved the 1 ball into the left rear corner, then the five ball into the right rear.

“14.1 to one twenty-five?” he asked, and pointed at the scoring beads over the table.

“You wanta make this more interesting? How about for every ball sunk, the one sinking it can ask a truth questions.” Matt suggested.

“Is that what it takes to get the truth out of people now? Why don’t you just ask me? I’ll tell you the truth.”

“Never felt it was right to pry.” He chalked his cue.” And I’m not very good at this game. I just have a few questions because I have been digging in a lot of the history. You got to be wondering about what the hell this is about and Jay is good at not getting to the point. She just expects you to understand what she is doing. She mapped every moment out for a good month.” He chuckled, “That’s why I put a monkey wrench in it. She did her way, you would be in Madrid riding waves.”

“You do know that Madrid is in the mountains … Oh, by the way, you do know also that that one of the exercises I used to practice to control my strength was pool, right? Fifteen in the corner.”

“Nope, first time in Spain just used a city I heard of but you get the jest of what I was saying. She over-planned, made two back up plans and I gave her the reality check she needed.” he grinned, “That little detail was never mentioned to me by Jay. Still I played a little in high school, wasn’t any good at it but it kills time while you hang with your buds.”

“You’re as bad as her, ten in the side.”

“You hang around her enough, it rubs off. So what’s in the Vault?

“Things that can kill you, things that can get you killed and things that will save your life, Oh, and a lot of dolls.”

Matt nodded, “Her mom had a thing for dolls. I am dreading those.” He looked at Nat considering a little, then added, “It is also hard to get you on the same page when I don’t know how many of her personas you knew, how many you know now and if she shared with you about the nightmares, her losing center or blood lust. So I’m asking.”

“Didn’t hear a question, just a statement. However, if I divide it all up … I don’t know, I still don’t know and no and no. You gotta stop monologueing.”

“Yeah, I’ll make it simple for you. So the Blood lust thing, she is obsessed with finding and killing this guy for killing her parents. When dee pops in that is all she talks about. Frinken weirded me out when she popped that one on me. I don’t know how Diego could handle watching the inner fight.”

“I know that she has multiple personalities but I don’t know if it is affected or she’s afflicted. I believe I have seen at least four. Nightmares she has not spoken of but I am not terribly surprised. Seeing your parents murdered in a very gruesome way at any age can fuck you up. As for the blood lust? That’s NOT bloodlust, it is vengeance and I can’t blame her. And so far, none of the ‘hers’ has weird me out. Seven in the corner”

“The nightmares started right after see watched them get murdered. She relives that night every time she sleeps. That’s why she made that bed, you to protect her and them to watch over her.”

“What does she mean by ‘center’?”

“That is her balance point. It’s been like that since forever,” he searched for the right words, “It’s a coping mechanize she uses to deal with the full range of her reality. She calls them her different lives and since she had her powers coming in ever since I knew her, it had to affect her. She never let anyone know about her powers. I saw her do stuff, so I knew.”

“What she calls centering is her playing out all the conflicts in her, raw and hurtful, loving and tender, pain, grief, hatred. I can’t handle it. I can handle some of it but all of it. You have to sit there and see this horrifying play, knowing it’s all …” Matt choked up, “Jay. You have to sit there and not judge but you have to help her find a balance in it. I just can’t. I figured with you being a Meta and seen the blood gut and gore, you could relate better. I want my budd back.”

“There’s nothing she could do that will shock me, and I am certainly not going to judge her because I can understand it. How’d Diego manage?”

“After every visit to wherever, they had special time to play make believe. I knew that meant for me to disappear for two hours. Never thought a thing of it ‘til she needed to center and I was the chosen target.” he was shaken, “She has two years of pent up emotion. Sandy can block almost any emotion when center. She has lived the past two years as Sandy. The more she’s flesh, the more lost she become. I can’t do it again. We are the last of her inner circle.”

“Jorge!”

The man entered the door, “Can I get you anything?”

Dress shoes, like that dancer is wearing? Got any?”

“Yes, you own similar, anything else?”

“You got a flamenco dancer’s outfit up your sleeve?”

“Shirt, yes, coat by tomorrow.”

“Matt, if you don’t record this, Wren is going to kill me.”

“You got it pops!”

“And don’t call me ‘pops’!” Nat raced after Jorge.

“Anything you say POPS!”

Jorge had the black dress slacks and the shirt laid out, he pulled out the socks and dress shoes as Nat entered.

“Remind me to have Jasmine pound him …” Nat said to Jorge.

“As you wish, sir,” Jorge replied as Nat stripped.

Several times he had to slap Jorge’s hands as the man tried to ‘dress’ him.

“I got this!” he said as he finished tying the shoes. “Hey, Jorge?”

“Yes, sir.”

Nat grabbed the man’s head and kissed him on the forehead. “And if you ever tell Michaels that I let you help me dress, I’ll throw you into the Pacific Ocean … from here.”

“I can assure you, sir, that what goes on between us is always confidential,” Jorge managed.

Nat was out the door but stopped at the top of the stairs, to watch and listen to the dance.

Senoir Gomez stopped the music, cursing to the room, “You almost had last and now. Am I watching two chickens scratch?”

Nat shook his head as he made his way slowly down the steps. He held out a hand to Jasmine as the musicians faltered to a stop.

“May I?” he said.

Senoir Gomez waved to the band to play, he was curious, “Begin”

Nat steps off, playing against Jasmine, dancing around her, taking her hand, and moving away. In several places it is easy to see that he is improvising but he never missed a beat or failed to meet her went the dance called for it.

Jasmine knew every curve of his body, every move of his form, she had watched him dance with Wren and knew he could do this. A sparkle of light, ignited in her eyes as she dance in perfect harmony with him never missing a move.

As the dance ended, her took her hand and kissed it, bowing to her. “Thank you, my dear.” Nat turned to the Master and bowed.

Senoir Gomez demanded, “You must dance with her Saturday!”

“That was just improv from what I picked up watching,” Nat told him. “Not sure how long I could sustain the deception.”

“We will teach you! We have the rest of today, tonight and tomorrow! You make her move with perfection.”

“That depends …” Nat said, looking at Jasmine. “On you.”

“Dad dee, I want you to be just you. Do what you would do.” The sparkle still in her eye.

Behind them, Matt is busy buying up everyone’s cell phone, or at least those that filmed the dancing.

Nat lean over and whispered in her ear, “Which way is the most peaceful place you know of near here? And NOT the vault?”

“The Stu….,” she stopped, “it is all peaceful.”

“Come!” Senior Gomez said. “We teach you!”

“Then it doesn’t matter …” He had her up in his arms and in the air all in one breath and within a few minutes, they were back on the ground in a copse of trees near the top of a hill. The villa was several miles in the distance and couple goats acted as if giants carrying girls dropped from the sky every day. He set her on her feet.

“Time to center.”

Day 3 (Friday Morning)

It was a cool evening, Jasmine walked the grounds, ending it at the studio. She unlocked the door, the light clicked on, bathing the circle of statues. Moving from one to other examining every detail of the teen, she had confronted. The boy now the man she centered with, her dad. It had been exhausting to center with him. The end result well worth all her failed plots and plans. She thought to herself, “Matt was right.” She knelt before the half rock cave, stroking the sadden face of the cradling stone man.

He’d get something to eat, then swim 20 miles or so in the pool, get in touch with Wren and talk about the carousel, which she would have already gotten moved. Seeing her figure move through the court yard he, slowly followed her.

“You need a vacation.” Nat said. “Someplace far away from all this chaos, from your uncle. Someplace he doesn’t know exists.”

She regain her feet, “I have no time for a vacation, this was it for a while. I am going to speed my schedule up. I have wasted to much time , sorting out my mom’s things. Matt can handle it. I’ll get Grandpa to watch over him. Just need to find the right fit now.” She looked at her basinet, “This one is my favorite.”

“Right fit?”

“I have a few guidelines, I need, beside the training.” she turned to him, “If I am there Slit will know”

“How does he know where you are, if you don’t travel in the sand?” He asked. “Does that mean you know where he is all the time?”

“No, I don’t know where he is but I could if I looked, that would leave a trail to me. He found me twice, in two different dimensions. I have no doubt he will find me again, if I don’t strike first.” The voice calm and soft not like any of the others. She returned her stare to another figure. “So which one will you keep?”

Nat makes a tour, inspecting each carefully.

“Then if you don’t go into the sand, how does he track you?”

“I don’t know how he tracks me, I know how I track him and if the stream isn’t fresh, it is harder. I have stayed out of the stream since I gave you the warning. My powers are with the sand. I need it to train. If he tracks by my powers, than who knows how soon he will find me. I have consider he might pop up right now. There isn’t enough information yet. It will come.”

“You emptied the tunnel to the vault, did that count? When you become Jay, does that count?”

She looked down at her watch, “Yes, I used my powers. So I left a stream in that sand. It is a needle in a hay stack, too small to notice, when you are looking for the traveler.”

“What does your watch tell you?”

“It just helps me positions for my swims.” She checked it again, “Forth face only moved twice. Once when he was near and attacked my team. The other time, I didn’t see him. I just waited for the attack. It moved for days with no sighting but it stopped. I believe it lets me know when any of the Sand of time travelers or the Sand of time and space are near me.”

“Use Archer’s Road,” Nat suggested. “Walk the Road, drop in a few dozen places and times, use a little power, enough to register to him, move to the next. He’ll be chasing you for months or even years if he picks them up and you set enough lures. Make it random and he’ll have to check each one out, no matter how far apart they are in time and space. If you lay enough, he might stop checking them all out. Give you time to plan and plot and train.”

“I can’t walk the road. I swim the streams, he swims the streams. He can’t follow the Road.”

“How did you get here? Spock?”

“I took an airplane,” she replied. ““Or did you mean how did I get back to this space and time? You know grandma and grandpa brought me back by the way of the road. I can’t get there without one of them.”

“Have one of them take you through the Road. Stop in a bunch of different places and times. Do a little swimming then take the Road out. Go to the next. Scatter bread crumbs all over the place. Have Archer take you back ten thousand years, that’ll confuse him. If he is running all over the place like that, will you know it?”

“She sighed, “It makes sense but I don’t want them involved, at least not in the over all. Yes protect Matt, protect Diego’s babies, this villa and village. I don’t want to be watched over and overly protected. How am I supposed to stretch my powers to full, when you have one of the family taking out the target before I can get a blast? Than If I used grandpa, he would know slit is alive and he will kill him, that’s my job.”

“If you have a huge pile of sand separated from direct contact with the planet, could you practice with that without triggering a ding for Slit?”

“I have never tried it or checked it like that. I am not even positive what will attract him, so I have to be ready.” She pulled up her pant leg, to reveal a dagger strapped to her calf. “I need this and the sword to kill him and remove him from the stream. Archer might kill him but he will still be in the stream. ”

“What are your plans?” he asked, “How are you going to handle him?”

“I have scrapped what I made.” She chuckled,” I was not centered. I will recheck them for ideas, as for now I need to get powered up enough to do the final one on one. If I have an army or if I am alone, I have to take him out. I might only get one shot.” She held a finger up, “Let’s say I am alone in bed and he is over me. No army, I need to fight or die.”

“How do you plan to power up? There a Powers R Us store on this world I never heard of?”

“I am going to train and fight the bad guys and try whatever I can to better what I have and discover what has to be in me. I know there is more to come. I am of the sand and always shifting. So I am sure so will my powers.”

“Come to my world and train,” he offered. “Your grandfather won’t know what you’re doing and we have been training metas for fourteen years now. I know it’s not Archer’s thousands, but I’ll pit my teams against the Wild Hunt anytime. Plus he’ll think it is just to spend more time with me.”

She considered, “If I do, we would have to make a few ground rules and stipulations.”

“Such as?”

“First, I cannot be in direct contact with you and Wren, no one can know who I am. The team would only know Sandy. Second I will not put up with more than two females around me. I can’t stand their drama. I have enough of my own. Three you secure me with ID for Jay Lynn Wayne. Four you get me a cottage on the beach for Ms Wayne to live in, preferable out of the city. Five, I need a ride like another OCC chopper. Six, I need a way to have you for centering when needed.”

“Okay, let me take this one at a time. Do you plan to be part of the Minutemen? There are advantages and disadvantages.”

“You know after all these years, I never paid much attention to the way things work in your dimension. I never thought I would be living there. If the best option is a minute man so be it”

“Okay, as a Minuteman, you get paid, you get legal protection, you get team support, you get all the other things any employee would get, sick leave, vacation, medical, all that. You will also become a US Marshal. We will have to come up with a story that when you manifested you just became sand and don’t remember anything before that.”

“Deb is going to want to Read you, but she has to ask a teammate. She will not trust you if you don’t let her because of that. And if she actually can’t Read you, she still won’t trust you. Do you have any kind of mental defenses, natural, or something from the vault?”

“We can set you up as a new recruit meeting Goliath and Giselle as Sandy. We can have one of my team bring you in. Josh would be cool with it, I think, if you just pop up someplace along the beach. Of course, we don’t have to tell him what’s really going on.”

“I don’t have any mental defense, but you poke in my head and you are going to come out crazy. If she won’t trust me so be it. I won’t agree but I do have some magic jewelry, never had them scanned for what they do. I can lie. I just try not to.”

“Good, wear it. As for the Jay ID, I think I need to do that outside the government so they don’t ask too many inconvenient questions. I just happen to know a guy. He took care of something similar for Ra’ch’el some years back.”

“Once we get the ID, we’ll find a place up the beach between San Diego and LA or LA and San Francisco. We’ll have to insist on cash for Sandy’s stipend, no paper trail. As for the bike? No OCC on my world but there are other places to get one customized.”

“I know, that’s a deal breaker.” he said in mock sadness.

“I was hoping to add to my collection,” she said. “A fully loaded Harley will do.”

“Well, it is not like money’s a problem. Oh, there’s Legacy.”

“My team is Team White, but we are also Legacy. Legacy does the small things, quietly. They’re my inner circle and you won’t be the only XD.”

“Extra-dimensional, you would be number four. Just to show you the kind of trust I have in them, in over a dozen years, no one but Legacy knows that there are people from other dimensions or that other dimension even exist.”

“Sounds to close to you and Wren and a group way to big for me.”

“You’re going to be assigned to Team White,” he said.

“Which is your team. First rule, I cannot be in direct contact with you and Wren.”

“New York, Kansas City, Miami, Seattle, Los Angeles, five teams. KC is more your age.”

“New York is Team red, the oldest. Blue is in Miami, Silver in Seattle and Gold is KC. And Legacy has nothing to do with any of them, not directly.”

“New York, not a chance in hell, Miami, you really want my nightmares at full tilt, Seattle It’s a city, just like Kansas City all concrete. I would be useless. At least the west coast is sandy even in the city.”

“For this to work, there will have to be direct contact, but whether it is Goliath or Nat Ryan is the choice. Honestly Goliath is the better choice since he is the Director of the Minutemen. Everything would be mission related with no outside the team contact. You could disappear at will, and come in only if called. Training would be with someone other than Goliath or Giselle. Hand to hand would be Venatrix with others filling in where necessary. Your contact with Goliath would be strictly at the HQ in LA. We are used to keeping up appearances, Jazz or Nat and Wren wouldn’t have a home life. Neither would anyone else in the teams. We managed to keep Legacy secret from the government and HARP tried it’s damnest to figure out secret IDs, but we have Mercury … so any of us can be in two places at once.”

“Most of our missions don’t call for a full team. We are usually assigned to various duties and even work with the other teams as needed. We’d set you up with a core team, depending on how you power set fits in. Core Team is usually four.”

“You’d get a chance to meet all of the other members, all fifty-four. I can even shuffle people around until you find someone you can work with. We do prefer that you have a set partner but it isn’t necessary. Josh is usually my Team’s wildcard.”

“If I find someone suitable, you will know when I center, till than bounce me.”

“The most important part is trusting your partner and your team and that means doing as you are trained. If you don’t get along, we’ll switch up, same with a core team. I am pretty good at spotting drama.” he said. “I don’t allow it in my teams, that’s why Deb doesn’t work with anyone, she is the Seer and coordinates from her desk.”

“Do you play MMORPGs?”

““Yeah my mom had an elf friend like that. He was out there with visions.” She laughed. ”I have no idea what that is, is something you do in the danger room?”

“We don’t have a danger room, so we use MMORPGs to practice teamworker, it also teaches how to follow orders without someone getting killed. We have a ‘guild’ and we are the top raider guild in the game. You’ll get a computer, learn to play and raid with us. You’ll learn disciple, and also how to lead.”

“Now, centering. What kind of place would you like it to take place in? Remember, we don’t have teleporters or super jets, so we have to drive or fly or walk.”

“Would be nice in an unbugged, sound proof, no surveillance room. Good thing I will have the bike.” She rubbed her temples.

“I have a place but you’ll have to come to San Diego.”

“I still don’t know where I will be so, no biggie we’ll work it out.”

“You haven’t heard where …” he warned.

“So which statue are you taking?”

He pointed to one of him on his board riding a wave and laughing like an idiot. “I think your mother did that one from the first time I took her out on my board. I think the laughing made her think I was crazy but it was just the pure joy of the wave. That’s what I want people to see, the simple joy of doing something you love.”

“I can understand that.” She re-studied his pick, “So where is this secret destination you plan for me?”

“It is sound proof, totally bug free, impossible to servile, well hidden and all rock.”

“Great the one place I can’t escape.”

“We could go out to Barstow … or Lancaster … or Mojave … if you want sand.” He said each place with an exaggerated shiver.

“My place has running water … mostly the waterfall … comfortable furniture … constant climate … and a few animals hanging around, which I’ll make sure are in their poke balls.”

“It doesn’t matter logistics will come once I get found and I get settled in. Now I have to be here for the birth of my kids in nine months or so. Do the photo thing, the legal crap, will need a week off. That is if you want to start this after the festival.

“Soon as you are ready. What are you going to tell Matt?”

“Everything, buds don’t have secrets. He knows I have to do this even if we miss each other. He is needed here. I need to do this. I can’t leave till after the dance Saturday. Can you have a house for me by then?”

“Rent or buy? How big? How far from the beach? And I’ll need data you want on your ID as well. You’ll have to get your driver’s license, we’ll need to set you up a full back story … took about a week for that the last time.

“Jay will need a job for paperwork; I think there is a need for a wood carving at this place I know, you up for that?”

“Buy, on the beach, same size as the cottage with garage attached. Jay Lyn Wayne, use my natural birthday, blonde blue eye. Wood working specialist, everything from custom moldings to building houses. Sold family business to start over in the warmer climate, from Michigan.”

“Buying will take longer even if you pay cash, a least a couple weeks.”

“Guess it is Motel Six and a large storage unit ‘til then. I get one last beam with Spock to get us and some stuff, might as well beam it in the unit, then have trucks move it the house to look normal.”

“Us?”

“You have to get back, too.”

“I meant, you, me, your stuff, has to go all at once?”

“You think grandpa trusts us using Spock. I was not center and messed up with the carousel. Sure sign I am not center, I mess up non-stop.”

“You’ll need to have the storage unit set up and have to be there so you don’t beam into sheds on the side.”

“I have a fix for it. I just have to talk to Spock later, see if he would like it. Got to love the electronic section.”

“I have no idea how Wren explained to the police where that carousel came from ….”

“Not my fault I wasn’t centered.”

Nat raised an eyebrow, “Whose fault was it?”

“The frickin Dragon, it’s always his fault.”

“Have I missed something in this? Did Nick just magically steal a carousel and drop it on my deck?”

“Don’t say his NAME!”

“I don’t have the luxury of dragon blame, not when there are no such things as dragons. God, Michaels … how did she explain it to him?” Nat covered his face with his hands.

Dad, you know when I am off center, stupid shit like that will happen. Diego only needed to center me when I had to switch lives. I can stay a long time if I am not trying to be ten people in one room. Everyone expects one type. No one knows me over there. I can be any one of me to fit in with my base and Sandy , she is Sandy.

Nat returned to his room to find Jorge had acquired the dancing outfit, which was laid out on the bed. Next to it was a note the read: “Be reminded to have Matt pounded.”

Senior Gomes arrived bringing an extra female dancer with them. The man demanded them to do the dance over again and again, till at last by dinner time he was satisfied.

Day 4 (Saturday)

The horse drawn carriage waited in front of the Villa for Jasmine, Nat and Matt. The four black stallions were decked out in festive blankets. Dressed in their dancing costumes, Jasmine took her father’s arm nudging him forward to their ride.

The carriage drove through the packed streets of the village. Formally the festival had not yet begun but the people had. They pulled up to the front of the Museum, the stairs lead to a group of city council members and the Mayor greeted them for the ribbon cutting ceremony. Nat looked to the building remembering the castle Jessy had made for him. This building wasn’t as alive as her work but it was her design.

The whirlwind of duties played out as she kept her father at her side, food, drink, smiles, laughter followed them, Matt staying with them, than the moment arrived. Senior Gomes announced the dance. Every eye in the village looked to the stage, cameras and phones recording the dance. Nat and Jasmine took center stage as the crowd went wild as soon as they made the first move. The music played on as they danced in perfect harmony.

Day 5 (Sunday)

Jay kissed her father good bye, “Make the arrangements, I’ll join you in a few weeks. “ Softly she whispered in his ear, “I will always love you.”

Nat whispered back, “Love you too, Jazz.”

She stepped back, “Now Spock.” The beam of light surrounded him and the statue. Smiling at him with a wave of her hand, her father faded away, back to his dimension.

Matt put his hand on her shoulder, “You didn’t tell him everything did you?”

“No, there are some things a girl can’t tell her dad. It’s not like Diego ever got everything from me either.” She covered his hand with hers, still looking at the now empty space, “I have work to do. I have to put Dad’s needle in a hay stack plan into effect.”

“How long this time?” he asked

“If all goes as planned, I’ll be back within a week.” She stated as she turned, pulling his hand down and to their sides.

“Not what I asked.” Matt looked firmly at her.

“Don’t worry Matt. I will be using a friend to help me with my tasks. I won’t be in the sands. Like Dad said, use your assets. It doesn’t matter how much time passes for me. I will be back with in the week.” She assured him.

“I can’t help it,” his eyes looked to hers.

“Matt you know, just friends.” She led him back into the villa. “I need to summons him, can you behave this time?”

“No I don’t think I can, he gives me the creeps. I’ll get the rest of this stuff gone. Doctor called, all three have been done.” He started to walk away to the court yard but turned back, “Jay, come back to me.”

“I promise, no more than seven days from today.” She headed up the stairs and called back to him, “I love you, big brother.”

Across space later that day.

The tall slender elf with snowy hair held a walking stick in one hand and rested his other on her shoulder. The cloth bound around his eyes made it obvious he was blind. He had been in and out of her life since she was a child. Traeliorn had met his mother before her birth. He was one of the Historians looking for the tales of time, which had been locked from view.

Jay looked on, while the other Historians made the final adjustments to the statues. The twenty-four foot gemstone statue of living stonework faced the ocean of EA. Beneath the curl of the wave was placed the cold dead stone of Nat. The clouds of a storm were rolling in.

Traeliorn softly spoke, “Your mother had mastered an aspect of the flame. I can see the living flame in her work. Will you master it?”

“You know my grandfather Josho had died. They took his flame soul, placing it in a new shell to give him his second life. My grandmother Rav was the last flame bearer. She was all but consumed, when she was freed from her duty. My mom’s flame will live on within all of her work but mainly, with this one, her greatest masterpiece.” The pause was long before she added, “I have no interest in what the flame can do. As you have told me the flame can bring you the greatest joy or destroy your essence.”

“You will always have that option, now you have embraced the transformation to full elf. The people of this plant and you are one, though they no longer carry the flame.” He stated.

She nodded, still watching the placement, “I had to. My dad will understand. His blood still pumps through my veins. I will not allow the flame to destroy me as it did my mother but it is part of me and I cannot let it go. I will learn to center myself, now that I can keep it at bay.”

“Please leave me Traeliorn,” Jay requested, “I will need you again after the storm has past.”

“As you wish my Lady.” He removed his hand from her shoulder. Turning from her, he shimmered through his gate.

The workers left her as she knelt, where her mother had done. “Yes all in context Daddy.”

The wind blew against, his likeness. The storm transforming the surfer into a shadow figure as a flame image grew in the wave. Jessy’s flame image flickered within. As the wind blew in, the air filled with her voice as she sang out to the Ocean : “I am more sorry than you’ll ever know. Your love has touched me so deep in my soul. I am more sorry than you’ll ever know.” Jay cried at the altar of the dying boy. Jay looked up at the flame image, “I tried mom, I tried.”