Thanks again for reading and reviewing! Here LouiseX, since you asked so nicely! A little Christmas Eve stocking stuffer!
I'm off to church...think they'll notice if I sit in the back pew and write on my phone? ;) And maybe if you're all good while I'm gone, Santa Becks will post ANOTHER present.
They arrive at Laura's just as the sun is coming up.
"Wake up Yankee, we are here."
He stretches and rubs his eyes.
"Why didn't you wake me sooner? I could have flown the last leg of the trip so you could get some sleep."
"I was not tired, and you looked like you were having a good dream."
"I was...about you."
"Oh?"
"Mmm...picking up where we left off before Ma-Ti interrupted...wanna hear about it?"
"Nyet," she says, blushing.
"I'll show ya later!"
"Wheelerrrrrrrr."
He laughs at how easy it is to get her flustered.
"Whaaaaaat? It was very tastefully done, this dream of mine!"
"Da, I am sure," she says, rolling her eyes. "Come on, open the door. Here comes Laura."
"Hey you guys!" Laura calls from outside the Eco Copter. "Welcome back!"
"Hello Laura. Nice to see you," Linka says, as she disembarks from their craft to greet their friend with a hug.
"You too. Sorry it's under such dire circumstances. Thank you for coming out on such short notice and so close to Christmas. I hear you have family on the way to visit," she says apologetically.
"Yeah...so actually, I should be thanking you for getting me out of it!" Wheeler jokes.
"I thought you were worried about not being there to keep your family from saying stuff to embarrass you in front of my family?" Linka says.
"I am...and they probably are...but at least I'm not there to witness it. But we really should get moving so we can save those wolves."
"Yes, I just got done checking on them and they have not moved...the male is pacing in what tiny space they have on that ledge. You can definitely tell they're distressed."
Wheeler turns to Linka.
"Got any ideas Babe?"
"Da...we fly up there, you get lowered down in the harness, grab a wolf, and try not to get eaten!"
"I'm sensing a hint of sarcasm," he says.
"Nyeeeeeet."
"Ok, so seriously...other than dangling me in front of the wolves like a juicy piece of meat...any other ideas?"
"Nyet. What about you?"
"Maybe somehow, we can get a cage...or even a large dog kennel...tie ropes to the corners to keep it stabilized, and lower it down from the Eco Copter? If they are desperate, they may get brave enough to climb in, and then we can lower it to the ground where they can scamper off safely into the woods?"
"Perhaps if we put food in the cage, that will make them more likely to get in it?" Linka suggests.
"Yeah, like raw steak or something?"
The Planeteers seem excited to try their idea, but their friend does not seem to be sharing their enthusiasm.
"What is wrong Laura? You do not think they will get into the cage?" Linka asks.
"No, it's not that...it would be worth a shot...but you can't fly the Eco Copter up there...the noise and the wind produced by the blades will cause another avalanche and definitely kill the wolves. No sort of vehicles are permitted up there."
"You mean you've been walking up there every day?! I thought you'd at least have a snow mobile."
"I have one...and any other time, I'd be using it...but not now. But I haven't been walking. It's much easier to go on horseback. I've got three tacked up and ready to go if you want to take a ride up there and assess the situation in person?"
"Da, perhaps some sort of idea will come to us then."
"Lead the way Laura!" Wheeler says as he picks up their luggage and follows the girls.
Meanwhile, back on HopeIsland, the other Planeteers have landed with their guests and are giving them a quick tour before they get back in the Geo Cruiser to go meet up with Wheeler and Linka.
"Those are the guest cabins over there. Kwame and Ma-Ti will take your things to your cabins and you can follow me to the common area where the TV is. There are also books, movies, games...help yourselves to whatever you'd like to do to keep entertained while we're gone. And then the kitchen is right off of it. Wheeler and Linka went shopping so we are fully stocked. Once again, make yourselves at home and eat and drink whatever you'd like," Gi says cheerfully.
When they reach the commons area, she stops and gasps in amazement.
"Oh my! Looks like those two elves were busy decorating for Christmas while we were gone."
"We never got to do much decorating when Linka and Mishka were younger. Her mother died a few weeks before Christmas so her father never got into celebrating and decorating. She does not know that is the reason though. You cannot tell a little girl that we are not celebrating Christmas. We did not want every Christmas to be a sad time for her. We tried to celebrate as much as we could for the kids without upsetting my son. I am glad she gets to enjoy it now and share holiday traditions with your Jason," Grandma says to Mrs. Wheeler.
"I'm afraid Jason probably does not have many fond Christmas memories from his childhood either...but I am sure he and Linka will help each other forget all about the past as they make many new memories together," Kathy Wheeler says fondly.
"Oh Jesus, here we go gettin' all sentimental," Joe Wheeler mumbles to Mishka, who laughs.
"My grandmother loves your son."
"And my wife adores your sister."
"Sounds like your wife and my grandmother will have much to talk about then!"
"And don't get me wrong, I think your sister is a real doll. Sweetest thing ever," Joe says.
"And I think Wheeler is a great guy. I could not be happier that my sister is with him," Mishka adds.
"I'm just not an overly emotional guy."
"Nyet, me neither."
"Soooo, do you like sports?" Joe asks, trying to find common ground with his travel companion.
"Da, I am a big football fan!"
"Great! Let's see if we can find a game! I think the Giants are playing."
"Oh, umm...I meant football...soccer. I am afraid I do not know much of American football. I will watch it though...if you just bear with me and my questions?"
"Yeah, yeah sure! I can teach you the basics. Hey, what about hockey? You got hockey in Russia."
"Da, I love hockey! I played in school."
"No kiddin'? The New York Rangers are playing the New York Islanders tonight. We can watch that after the football game!"
"Sounds good to me. Which team do you prefer? The Rangers or the Islanders since they're both from New York?"
"Technically, the Islanders are my home team...but I'll root for whoever doesn't suck this year!"
"I went to school with the Islanders' goalie."
"You know Nabakov?!"
"Many years ago. We were children. He stuck with hockey. After my father died, we did not have the money for me to keep playing...equipment is expensive. As soon as I was old enough, I started working. I thought that any spare money I made, I would use to get back into playing...but I did not have time. And then our Grandfather passed and I was suddenly the man of the house at 15."
"That had to have been rough...feeling like you had to take care of your Grandmother and sister while you were still just a kid yourself."
"Da...it was not ideal."
"I'm sure my son can relate...I wasn't dead but...I wasn't around. He had to grow up pretty fast too."
"He is a good man."
"I can't take any credit for that...I think that's all because of your sister."
"I am glad she is in such good hands."
"Yeah...speaking of..." Joe stops when he comes around to the other side of the couch and bends over to pick up a shirt with the Planeteer logo and a brown belt with a red star on the buckle. "Odd Christmas decorations, don't you think?"
"That is Linka's belt," Grandma says. "I got it for her for her 13th birthday."
"Is that her shirt?!" Mishka asks.
By now, Kwame and Ma-Ti have returned from putting their guests' luggage in their cabins.
"What is Wheeler's shirt doing here?" Kwame asks.
"Must've got hot drinking this hot chocolate," Joe says, picking up the mugs. "I'll just take these to the kitchen."
"I'll take them, Mr. Wheeler...and umm...Wheeler is always leaving his laundry laying around after it comes out of the dryer," Gi says, trying to cover for her friends.
"And the belt? It was not laundered," Mishka points out, enjoying watching Gi squirm.
"Uh, well...umm...Linka takes it off all the time when she's just sitting around...to get comfortable. Right guys?" She turns to Kwame and Ma-Ti.
"Uh, yeah..."
"Right."
"Ah, I see," Mishka says, knowing that is not the case, but hoping for his Grandmother and Mrs. Wheeler's sake that they believe it. "Where did you say you were going on this mission?"
"Montana. To help my friend save some wolves stranded on a mountain ledge after an avalanche," Ma-Ti explains.
"Perhaps you could use some help? Some extra man power? I am accustomed to the cold and manual labor if necessary," Mishka offers. His real reason being he is suddenly not very comfortable with the idea that his little sister is off alone somewhere with a boy and no supervision or fellow Planeteers to interrupt.
"Uh...yeah...sure!" Gi says, excited at the prospect of the handsome older guy joining them.
"Good idea Mishka...I've always wanted to go to Montana," Joe says, wanting to have a little talk with his son about the consequences of having a baby before you're ready.
"Joe, you can't over do it...you'll hurt you back!" Kathy says.
"I won't over do it. You girls just stay here and relax. The sooner we help get those wolves outta their mess, the sooner we can all get back here and have a nice family Christmas."
Kathy doesn't argue. She's been waiting years for "a nice family Christmas" and she was worried that this latest Eco Emergency would jeopardize that.
"Ok, fine...be careful. All of you."
"Let us go then!" Kwame says.
The three Planeteers and their two new volunteers head for the Geo Cruiser to begin their journey to the north.
To Be Continued...
