(Dean Bartlett's Apartment)
"What has Henry gotten himself into," Dean Bartlett sighed. He wiped his brow with a handkerchief and leaned back into a recliner chair. Although he had yet to retire from his position as Dean, he decided to live in a smaller home and left his house to Jasper.
"Don't worry Dad, we will find him," Jasper assured his father. He lifted Little Maggie from where she stood by the bookshelf and placed her on his father's lap.
The little girl tilted her head back and smiled at the older man. Dean Bartlett gave the child a warm grin, "I know you will."
Maggie walked into the room, placing her cell phone in her front pocket. "I called my dad. He pulled a few strings and found a safe location for the three of you."
"What about my mother," Leam asked with a teary and worried expression as he shifted his eyes from Jasper to Maggie.
Maggie put an arm around his shoulder, "I'm sure she is safe. If he had her, the goons wouldn't have had to life." She gave the boy a squeeze and then turned to Jasper, "Daddy will be here to take them to the airport in half an hour. He thinks it would be best if we don't know where they are."
Jasper nodded and turned back to his father, "They can't torture Little Maggie's location out of us if we don't know where you all are."
Dean Bartlett gave a small grin and picked up the child on his lap, "I'm sure God won't let it come to that." He stood and placed Little Maggie on his hip, "Let's go pack bunny."
Jasper chuckled and raised a brow, "Bunny?"
Dean Bartlett grimaced as he walked past his son," Ah, 'Little Maggie' is too confusing with actual Maggie here."
Jasper held up his arms defensively while Maggie lowered her brows and gave a thin smile, trying to contain her laughter.
The man and woman stood in silence after Dean Bartlett left the room. Leam took a seat in the recliner and eyed the bookshelf.
"We should probably warn Whitney that Ohmbi has searchers in DC," Maggie thought aloud as she took out her phone.
Jasper's hand shot out to cover hers, "Don't worry, I'm sure she packed her family and headed to Russia the day after I visited her." Maggie nodded in agreement and put her phone away. "How would Ohmbi even have goons in DC," Jasper walked towards the window and leaned against the wall.
Maggie took a seat on the edge of the couch and clasped her hands under her chin. "Did you notice their attire?"
Jasper lifted himself from the wall and tilted his head upward, "Yeah, they looked more like businessmen instead of thugs." Maggie continued to dwell on Jasper's last statement while Jasper turned his attention to Leam. "What happened in Saveed after Ohmbi was banished?"
Leam's eyes shifted to Jasper as he patted his stomach, teenage hunger settling in. Jasper heard the growl of the boy's stomach and ran to the kitchen. He brought the boy a few muffins and a glass of milk.
Leam took a huge bite of muffin and gulp of milk before beginning. "Ohmbi was banished for his murderous crimes and evil schemes. He intentionally lied to us so that he could kill the royal daughters and kidnapped my special friend Whitney. In time, the people of Saveed had changed dramatically. I taught the maidservants and man-servants to read and speak the English. The king improved the conditions of his people and the war between the lands of Reviend had finally ended."
Jasper shook his head and lowered his brows, "The war ended...just like that," he snapped his fingers.
Leam gave a nod, "The lands had been quite peaceful, living in harmony as our own separate countries in the rich land, until Ohmbi convinced the king that two cultures could not share a land and one had to dominate. Once Ohmbi was exiled, the two leaders came to the mutual decision to share the land and remain two independent countries, Saveed and Crosspede...never to try and take over the other."
Maggie sprung off the couch and pointed at Jasper, "Do you remember that headline in the paper a few months ago?"
Jasper turned his attention to Maggie and smirked, "What's a paper?"
Maggie rolled her eyes, "Does the name Shultz sound familiar?"
Jasper thought for a moment," Robert Shultz."
Maggie grinned, "As in Robert Shultz the chemist turned business titan."
Jasper shrugged his shoulders, "But why would Shultz be involved with a foreign delegate of a war ridden country?"
"Three words...rare earth metals," Maggie shot up a brow and smirked. "Over twenty percent of Reviend's land mines contain those metals. If Shultz got control of mining rights there, he would make a fortune," Maggie crossed her arms.
"And so would Ohmbi," Jasper's eyes widened. "That explains the war. He wanted both territories so the trade would be more valuable with Shultz. Plus I'm sure Crosspede's leaders would not go for foreigners stripping their land of resources."
"When Henry came along, his plan was ruined," Maggie reasoned. "Shultz must have not been too happy about his deal being ca-put and joined forces with Ohmbi."
"Well then that explains the intruders," Dean Bartlett walked in with a few bags and Little Maggie in his arms.
