Author's note: The normal disclaimer- they ain't mine. If I have unintentinally borrowed an idea from another author I humbly appologize. It wasn't deliberate. I'm a voracious reader and sometimes I'll pick up something and not realize it. /If the words are in back slashes/ it means it is telepathy or a close cousin. Words in italics are thoughts. Some of which are better left unsaid. There is a dictionary of unfamiliar words at the bottom of the story.
A Ticket to Ride
A bird call brought Tanner's head up with a frown. Chanu rode up from where he had been scouting ahead. "Wagons are coming," he explained as he lead the group into the brush and out of sight.
Kojae smiled faintly to himself as he watched the young sentinel take advantage of their stop to check his pack members injuries. Not so damaged that he has not claimed a pack and a Bonded. Larabee needs to think less and allow instinct to guide him.
"Stop clucking like an old hen, we're fine," Chris ordered, gently ruffling Vin's hair.
"We aren't going anywhere, son," Isaiah soothed the obviously restless Tanner.
Vin flushed slightly and abruptly stood in his stirrups leaning toward Isaiah. Stretching, the youngster snuffled under the older man's beard and along his neck before pulling away.
Sanchez sat frozen for a second before smiling widely. Looks like he's finally accepted me as one of his own.
"I'll be damned," Vin whispered cocking his head toward the road. "Tinkers," he announced and started back the way they came.
"Tanner hold up," Chris scowled. Reaching out he grasped a rein, stopping the horse.
"Chris, Tinkers are . . . ," Vin began only to be cut off.
"Sh, voices carry," Larabee growled faintly.
"Larabee they's," Vin tried once more only to be hushed.
"Be quiet," Chris hissed.
"Chris," Vin started only to be cut off by a sharp motion of Larabee's hand. Tanner sighed deeply looking over Chris' shoulder.
"Would you be quiet," Larabee snarled.
"He really needs to listen to his Watchman," Chanu snorted softly in disgust.
"Chris does have a tendency to get the bit in his teeth," Josiah admitted in an amused whisper.
Kojae shook his head in exasperation. "Well meet Demetri."
"Well meet Chanu," A laughing voice answered. "Sergi said to be on the look out for a young sentinel. This is the one, or do I seek another?"
Chris spun around to see a brightly dressed silver-haired man sitting in the branches of a tree.
"I am Demetri, my brother Sinjin," the old man introduced and waved toward a shadow that proved to be an equally aged old man dressed just as brightly.
"Kinda hard ta hide this many folks from a Sentinel," Vin smirked.
"What?" Chris spluttered.
"Demetri and Sinjin are a bonded pair," Chanu grinned. "And friends, as is Sergi."
"The grandfather is a conductor?" Vin asked.
"Yes, young one," Demetri answered.
"The old man at the railroad station?" Isaiah looked bewildered.
"Rom, Tinkers is Romany. Looks like Sergi done give us tickets ta ride the underground railroad." Vin bowed deeply to the older pair.
"Underground Railroad? Why would we want to ride another train?" Chris snapped short temperedly.
"It ain't a real railroad, Larabee. Something like the underground railroad has been around in most every society. Folks needin' ta get from here ta somewhere's else without bein' seen use tha underground railroad," Vin explained.
"I'll be damned. Tanner you make some of the strangest friends." Larabee chuckled.
"They help criminals avoid the authorities?" Isaiah looked uncomfortable.
"'Siah, iffen I was tryin' ta run from this court thing. Would yah figure me fer a criminal? I'd be breakin' tha law," Vin studied the older man.
"Of course not, you're trying to avoid people abusing the law for their own profit," Isaiah snorted.
"UNPK woulda took Sinjin iffen they'd ever knowed what he was. Same as they took Mr. Rafe's boy," Vin pointed out.
"Damn," Larabee hissed. "How many sentinels are there? Wait, don't tell me. If I don't know I can't tell."
"We have shipped many 'persons of interest' these last fifty years," Demetri hopped down from his perch with an easy grace belying his age. "A few sentinels among them." Two were lost but our section has never been compromised," the old man said proudly. "So where is it you would go young one, you and your companions. The far north is cold but the Innuit have warm hearts toward guardians. The deserts of this world welcome the watchmen as do the mountains and uninhabitable lands. Not easy places to live but the UN does not persue the Chok-engro into the empty lands. The cost is far to high." Demetri's eyes twinkled.
"About that, I need to be in Cascade by noon tomorrow. I have to be in court," Vin said calmly.
KEKKO! Young fool, there are gami garda, you will be a moarte juggal!" Demetri bellowed.
Kathal, miro phal. Reason must have, hai. Let talk the Ves tacha sedre." Sinjin ordered softly speaking for the first time.
"Explain this stupidity to me," Demetri growled.
"I have this chance. This one chance to shift the way our world views the Watchmen. Maybe, jist maybe, I can help them yet to be born," Vin said earnestly. "I have a good place and family, yes. I will not force them to leave all behind and follow me. They will hunt down and try and kill my bonded if I do not appear. Either I am free or I am dead, I will not hide in the bushes like a rabbit."
Demetri growled and cursed stalking up and down the clearing flinging his hands about as he ranted. Finally the old man stopped and just glared at the wide-eyed Tanner.
"He has choosen his road. It is only for us to help or hinder," Sinjin sighed sadly.
"The UNPK seek to stop you?" Demetri demanded.
"Yes," Isaiah spoke.
"Well I guess it is time to bell the cat," Demetri laughed and patted Vin as he passed.
"Welcome Travelers to the underground railroad," Sinjin spoke to the gathered men.
"We have never tried to smuggle a Watchman into UNPK hands," Demetri clicked his tongue, his unhappiness obvious.
"Which Judge and what court?" Sinjin asked softly.
"There's more than one?" Chris asked in surprise.
"Cascade is a very large city. There are over 20 courts and 40 judges," Demetri answered.
"His name is Jefferson and he's at the main courthouse, Superior Court # 1," Isaiah said reading the copy he had made of the court order.
"Judge Kevin Jefferson?" Chanu demanded.
"Yes," Isaiah nodded after consulting his paperwork.
"They mean to give the boy no chance at all. Judge Jefferson is in Seattle and will not be back before nightfall tomorrow." Chanu snarled. "He speaks with the Central committee about tribal lands."
7777777
By Rail
"We should be pulling into Cascade in about 20 minutes," Ezra warned.
"JW, you stay close and don't draw that gun unless the rest of us, do you hear me?" Buck scowled.
"I hear you," JW sighed. I'm not a little kid and I'm not going to give them a chance to shoot us down because I was waving a gun around.
"Will your mother be at the station?" Nathan asked curiously. Never thought of Ezra having a mother. Thought he was like a snake. Just lay the eggs and go off on your own business.
"Yes, appearances are everything," Ezra sighed. I do hope she's playing the elegant lady instead of the conwoman.
A polite knock on the broken door revealed Andy Tucker standing in the doorway. "We got a signal from Cascade Station." Andy looked worried. "After this I radioed and asked what was going on in Cascade." Tucker indicated the broken door. "There's a huge crowd and Peace Keepers all over the place. Station Master is afraid things will get real ugly. Sherman, that's the Station Master, said they have at least three snipers on roof tops over looking the station."
"We appreciate the warning, Mr. Tucker," Ezra nodded in acceptance of the situation.
"Dammit this is wrong," Andy growled.
"Have to agree with you on that," Buck hissed.
"Peace Keepers are suppose to protect us not . . . assasinate some kid trying to get his side of the story told." Andy Tucker snarled, facing a unpalitable truth.
"Best try and make some plans," Nathaniel said flatly.
A pale faced Amos Tibbs climbed down from the roof of the passenger car next in line. "Andy, Sherman overheard some of the officers talking, their intending to kill ALL these fellas," he blurted nervously.
Andy snarled. "Amos, go forward."
"Andy, you're going to need help," Amos answered stubbornly.
"We're talking obstructing justice or something here, Amos. You've got a wife and kids to think about." Andy reminded softly.
"I am. You think I can face my kids knowing I let folks get killed this way? Nope, I'm in. We're coming up on the bay siding. You uncouple the car and I'll throw the switch and send this car off that way. It won't buy them a lot of time but it's not going to send them into the middle of a shooting gallery and them the targets." Amos began to climb the ladder back to the roof.
"Well Hell! Sometimes that man can surprise the hell out of me," Andy grinned and shook his head. "He's making a whole lot of sense. Any of you know how to use the car brake?"
"I do," Nathan answered.
"You'll be slowing down once you're uncoupled from the train. But it's all downhill to the docks so you'll build up speed. A man's going to need to slow this thing down before it jumps track and ends up in the bay," Andy warned. "The track makes a big loop and you're going to be south or east of the courthouse depending on where you get off. Best of luck, Gentlemen."
7777777
"Well, we're on our own guys," JW announced as the train was pulling away leaving the private car to coast along. "I know how to throw a switch and uncouple the cars. And I'll swear to that in court if I have too." JW looked determined as he watched the small figure of Amos swing back aboard the train in the distance.
"I personally saw you throw that switch and pull the pin to uncouple us from the train," Ezra agreed warmly.
"Good men, those two," Buck said. "Never would have figured your short legs could have made the jump to get back aboard. What with you throwing the switch like that."
I best get set on that brake. It's been along time since I did this, might need some help, Buck. It would be a shame if I couldn't slow us down after JW's hard work." Nathaniel's wide grin flashed.
7777777
"WHOO WEEE! That was some ride." Buck Wilmington stood up shakily and began to shake the dust off.
"Anybody hurt?" Nathaniel stood up carefully, and gingerly checked all his limbs.
"Guess Buck's right, I bounce," JW said cheerfully and rolled out of the thick brush that had cushioned his own fall.
"Ezra! What in hell are you doing?" Buck demanded.
Standish was kneeling in the dirt. Head down, he'd rock back, only to rock forward and lower his face to the sod once more.
"He's kissing the ground," JW announced in disbelief.
"Ah was tendering my thanks to the blessed Terra Firma," Ezra responded huffily before climbing to his feet and carefully dusting off the knees of his pants. "Ah will have you know if the occasion presents itself Ah will shoot Mistah Andrew Tucker in a most inconvenient location. That spawn of Satan indicated the track went down hill to the sea port, at no point did he warn that it was STRAIGHT down." Ezra hobbled off to recover his luggage strewn along side the tracks.
"Get some new pants, Ez. Those are a bit open to the wind," Buck laughed. "That couldn't have been much more than a 3 grade."
"Ah am not in a good mood, Mr. Wilmington," Ezra warned, fingering the rip in the seat of his pants, exposing most of his behind to all and sundry.
"Must have ripped them fancy britches trying to kiss his ASS good-bye," Nathaniel chuckled.
"See if you can find our stuff. I'll try to rustle up a wagon or something," Buck ordered before heading toward a group of gawking bystanders.
7777777
Cascade Railway Station
Maude Standish carefully hid her frightened trembling as she read the mood of the crowd. Ah do hope mah boy has the sense which he was born with and avoids this situation. The Peace Keepers have stirred this crowd into a killing frenzy. That libelous diatribe written by Mary Travis in the Cascade Times most certainly didn't help matters.
Maude exchanged a worried look with Naomi Sandberg. Naomi smiled and had that wild look in her eyes that always caused a chill to run down Maude's back. Whatever is she going to do now?
Romany Dictionary
kekko -no
gami -bad
garda -police
moarte -death
juggal or jukkal -dog
Kathal -go gently
miro -my or mine
phal -brother
hai -yes
Ves tacha -beloved
sedre -child