Transition Plan Chapter 96: Searching for Jeanne Part 14

Newlyweds Viscount Jack and Viscountess Jeanne Clayton celebrated their still-recent reunion on their 20th birthdays and the couple played like children once again at 'their pond' deep in the land of the Mangani. The young married couple was safe and comfortable and completely alone except for the pleasant sounds of the animals in the jungle around him. They both joked they never received better birthday presents than each other.

That set the playful tone for what happened next.

They swam after each other, dunked each other without remorse, splashed each other mercilessly, leaped off the high cliffs in each other's embrace, and swung together by vine into the deep cool waters, shrieking in happiness and laughing. Jeanne rode on his shoulders as he stomped around in the water like a hungry croc growling and bucking but she held on tightly pressed against the back of his neck, giggling, and sometimes holding her hands over his eyes from behind to throw him off guard. Her young adult giggle was even more endearing to Jack than when she was a little girl. In between each fun activity, they held hands and whenever she could, Jeanne smothered him in kisses and caresses which Jack affectionately returned.

At the end of one breathless moment, Jeanne reflected in her native tongue, "I missed this Jack. As much as I missed you."

Jack caressed her cheek and whispered, "We have all the time in the world now, cherie."

They were exhausting themselves with their first day of their honeymoon together, and finally fell headlong on the tiny beach beside the pond, wrapped up in a tight hug, breathless and exchanging loving looks for each other. They admired the rings that only hours before they'd placed on their fingers. They'd long since discarded their wedding attire worn back at the small Christian church where all their family and friends had gathered for their simple marriage, were once again dressed as true Mangani mates, and admired each other's young adult bodies. Much had changed in both since childhood. Her anchor tattoo fascinated him – once he uncovered it. They were drawn to each other tenderly.

She gave him the most loving smile she could compose and cooed in heavily accented English, "I love you Jonathan Robert Clayton IV, dear husband. You saved my life rescuing me from Walvis Bay."

He grinned back broadly, and "I love you too, Jeanne Meriem-Marie Jacot Clayton. Getting married to you saved me, dear wife."

The sound of her married name pleased the young woman. Hazel eyes gazed upon opal green eyes with an intensity never before shared between them. There was no question what was next for the new husband and wife as those eyes closed, their lips pressed together, and the couple tangled together on the bank of the pond. The delighted thoughts of all the animals in the jungle were the same as they could all sense the beginning of the human Mangani couple's long-awaited joining, "Korak and his Jeanne will soon be mates."

…

It was that very moment that Jack woke up and sat up ramrod straight in his bed, excited like he'd never been before. He was awash in sweat, and he had to exhale several times to catch his breath and calm down.

"Jeanne… oh my goodness, cherie. It… was… it was… only… a dream…" he could barely whisper.

But what a dream it was. It was still replaying in his head and the only thing he could think about - the dream of an incredible vision of a reunion and union with Jeanne in their adult married future.

He looked over to make sure Lily was still asleep, hoping the intensity of the dream of them playing at the pond didn't make him shout. This would be impossible to explain to her. What he didn't know is that she was faking sleep. She had heard him mutter in his sleep, and she could tell Jack and Jeanne were playing together and sharing intimacy in some kind of wonderful dream, but she knew it was no simple dream. She'd seen it happen once before on the edge of the cliff.

"Your secret is my secret, dear brother," she thought and drifted quietly back to sleep, leaving Jack to his private thoughts.

And what profound private thoughts those were.

Despite the realism, Jack knew it was only a fantasy dream, but a dream like no other. It was more like a prescient vision of their future. Their mental and emotional connection had happened again, never before so vividly, and not ever while they slept. The colors, sights, sounds, and smells of the vision were totally realistic, especially of Jeanne, amazingly attractive as a young adult Mangani female. Somehow he'd managed to share this premonition with her and he could sense that Jeanne experienced it just as intensely as she did. It was also absolutely certain that she enjoyed it as much as he did. The link had been dormant for a number of years. What a spectacular way for them to be reconnected on their 13th birthdays.

He remained stiffly upright in his bed staring at nothing, but gradually he calmed and recalled every moment of the dream again and again, and then suddenly realized, "Walvis Bay? Of course. Walvis Bay! You beautiful, wonderful girl!"

He knew now exactly where to go and thought just how clever Jeanne was to project her thoughts into their passionate shared dream. She was in a place no one ever thought about – so incredibly far away from the western Africa region. Southwest Africa was another former German colony in Africa. This time nothing would stop him from his own quest to save her. This would not be 'another Douala' with its trail of false leads and deceptive promises from people he knew his father should have never trusted. This lead Jack would pursue personally.

She'd also left a clever clue about her kidnapped identity – Meriem. Despite his anger that the kidnappers had forced a new persona on her, he thought it was a pretty name.

He was also really intrigued by that tattoo. It had to be real. She told him in the dream how the symbol was J's joined together as an anchor. It was a perfect symbol of their relationship. And it was wonderful that she dared to keep a secret daily reminder in defiance of her captors of their relationship. Everything about the dream was real, except seeing each other as much older. He got a determined look and vowed they'd be younger when they found each other and really got married.

…

Startled instantly awake by the climactic conclusion of the vision, Jeanne was equally stunned with its vividness, and she sat up from her soft bed, put her hands against her bosom for strength, and gulped for her next several breaths. Their imagined encounter as married future adults got her as excited as Jack was in her own way. It was as if her amazingly handsome and strong Jack and she really had been there at the pond as twenty year olds. Or maybe it was predictive view of something yet to happen when they grew to be twenty. No matter what was real and what was imagined, since their connection was now rekindled anew, at least Jeanne's visionary self got to tell and express to Jack how she still felt, and even more importantly where she was and who she was, so he could do something about it. She grinned about showing Jack her anchor tattoo, which wasn't quite as hidden at 13.

"I love you Jack. For real, not just our dream," she thought and felt the same feeling come back to her from him, but the connection faded quickly as it always frustratingly did. But things were set right between them immediately by that wonderful dream. She had felt his desire to be together much sooner than 20, something she shared.

Jeanne was utterly ashamed of Meriem's far too mature relationship with Jaeger, and she shuddered and flushed from head to toe with extreme embarrassment and disgust about her flirtations with the crime lord.

Margrite heard something in Jeanne's room and tiptoed down to check on her without disturbing Karl-Heinz in their bed. She whispered, "Are you all right, Meriem? Did you have a nice dream?"

"Um… yes. How did you know?" Jeanne felt embarrassed. She fretted what had she said or done in her sleep to waken her surrogate mother.

"You called that sailor's name again. Jack, was it? Several times. Each time a little louder…" Margrite mused.

"Oh my! Uh… I see…" Jeanne answered unexpectedly dreamily.

Margrite noted her reaction and quizzed her, "Jack's more than a dying English sailor to you, isn't he? Or is he even a sailor?"

"Umm… well… I'd rather not say," Jeanne hestitated.

Margrite calmed her surrogate daughter, "I won't pry. You don't have to talk about that part of your life."

Jeanne responded angrily, "You mean the life I was taken from?"

Margrite cast her eyes down, "Yes. Look… um… Meriem… I'm sorry about that. That was not my doing. And I can't undo that any more than you can. I'm doing all I can to make it seem like you have a real family here with us. Not just because I'm being paid to."

Jeanne thought she'd never have another moment like this, especially with the guilt Margrite showed, "Mom. You could let me go and never tell Karl-Heinz. Lie to him and tell him someone else abducted me for 'another job' or I knocked you out. Or we could both run away together. My family would like you. They'd forgive you for your part in this. Especially if you help me escape."

"You know I can't do that. We'd both be dead, honey," Margrite admitted.

"I know. Thanks anyway… Mom," Jeanne expressed with disappointment.

Margrite understood her tone and assured the girl, "Meriem, I'm sorry. Really, truly sorry. Now I know we took you not just from your parents but from someone even more special. But I won't tell Karl-Heinz, I promise. I wish now there was some other way. But sweetheart, I'll never be sorry about knowing you, and thinking of you as the daughter I am unable to have."

Jeanne said sincerely with a smile, "I know. That part is nice. I do feel like your daughter."

Jeanne put her arms around the woman. Margrite, despite her many times with Karl-Heinz, had been never able to conceive. While that was just fine with Karl-Heinz, Margrite really wanted a child by him.

Jeanne was a bit ashamed she snapped at the one friend she had. Margrite got up, and covered her. The woman kissed her forehead and said, "Go back to sleep Jeanne… maybe you'll dream of Jack again. Or maybe you'll find someone like him here with us, and when you're free you can be together in this new life like Karl-Heinz and I am. I know how fond you were of Rolfe."

Margrite had no idea about the budding affair between Meriem and Jaeger.

Jeanne only half-smiled and considered, "Margrite is wrong. I won't find anyone else. I refuse to find someone else. There is no one else but Jack. He'll find me. Especially after tonight."

She reclined back on her bed, alone again, and pondered the ceiling with its sun and star appliqué patterns, placing her arms around herself like Jack did to her in the dream. The dream was first time she'd felt real adult feelings for Jack. Those feelings came in dramatic fashion at exactly the right time, pulling her back to reality of who she should love and care for before things went irrevocably too far between Meriem and Jaeger.

Jeanne said her first prayer of thanks in over a year.

This latest graphic connection was meant to be a warning – a way to jerk her back from this false reality with Jaeger and her abductors. What Jaeger and she had done and what she was about to let him do to her made her recoil. That had to stop without making the crime lord angry or seem like rejection. She had no idea what he would do if she spurned him. She had to continue to 'play him' to survive. Thank God she was three years away from being considered an adult and that Karl-Heinz was like a guard dog for his 'daughter'.

At the same time, Jeanne was extremely angry with herself, and she was absolutely furious with the Godless, morally bankrupt and criminally-minded Meriem inside her that was taking her life over and letting that persona let her commit all these sins and law-breaking activities, only to rationalize excuses why it was 'OK' to do so.

Jeanne vowed never to lose herself again inside Meriem, and to never willingly slip back into the enticing and persuasive ways of the criminal underworld. Changes could not come instantly though or people would be very suspicious. She'd have to keep some habits like smoking and drinking and cursing for pretense and cover. But Jeanne knew that she must be more self-aware of changes going on around her and in her, even if she was still forced daily to play by this ugly world's rules and forced compromises. It all had to be an act for her captors and Jaeger. She could not be seen as a willing accomplice to any of Jaeger's and Karl-Heinz' crimes or she would pay for those crimes dearly along with them when justice inevitably caught up with them. She had to use what she knew to bring her captors and Jaeger and those in Kamerun to justice and aid her escape from the inside and always remain the victim who was always coerced to do their bidding.

Jeanne was 13 now. She was becoming a woman and she was strong and smart enough to do this without being discovered. With that matter settled, she let her thoughts wander back to the experience of the dream with her beloved Jack.

Through her closed eyes and satisfied smile, she knew her feelings for Jack were much more real than anything Meriem felt for Jaeger, and in fact her previously suppressed – even forgotten - feelings for Jack, once again at the surface, were stronger with age, despite the separation. Jeanne felt like Jack and she had just experienced a preview of their honeymoon in their joint dream.

She knew that deep inside Jack's still-pure heart was his desire for a beautiful tender love for 'his Jeanne'. He was the anchor itself in her tattoo. His love for her never changed even with all the changes that were constantly thrust upon her. She could cling to that certainty. This dream was one more proof. The dream or vision or whatever she could call it reminded her that love with Jack was her only true love. And it was because of the strength of that love this connection existed. Her wrongful relationship with Jaeger nearly corrupted what she had and must not ever lose with Jack.

In contrast, Jaeger had simply distracted and mesmerized Meriem with a 'love' of worldly things and a craving for casual physical desires. With Jaeger the attraction was purely infatuation, or even titillation. Jeanne wondered if Jaeger had encouraged their relationship on purpose to further distract and corrupt Meriem, and was in fact using her for his own criminal purposes that competed with Karl-Heinz's own schemes. Jaeger had an ulterior motive for everything, even among his friends. That disgusted Jeanne, and made her angry that Meriem had actually admired that trait in him.

Jeanne reminded herself that she was abducted and a slave to Karl-Heinz and even to 'Mom' Margrite – a paid accomplice to the original crime - despite the seeming sincerity of what the woman had just told her. Theirs was anything but a real family. A real family would look for every reason to help her escape, and not make empty apologies or excuses. A real family, the family who actually cared for her, was nearly 6000 kilometers away, but had never stopped looking for her. He father died trying to save her in Garua, and Jack had come to Douala specifically to look for her. And soon, to Walvis Bay.

Being knocked out of her complacent comfort in her opulent captivity made her recall what she was really missing. She could still see the vibrant beautiful images of 'our pond' in her mind, especially those of Jack's handsomeness, and wanted to be there much sooner than when they turned 20 years. Jeanne considered how to look for more chances to give stronger clues to Jack where she was, and maybe to leverage the latent sympathy and remorse that seemed to dwell in Margrite to let Jeanne escape.

She also realized how obscenely clever Karl-Heinz' methods were, compounded now with her attraction to and temptation with Jaeger. Jeanne would never have a desire to escape if the men had successfully twisted her mind to accept that life with her captors was acceptable. The mental chains were more unbreakable than being physically chained for those horrible first months. Karl-Heinz had done exactly that for four years. She chastised herself not being observant enough until now to truly realize that.

Jeanne also thought of what she knew about Jaeger's crime business and how to leverage it against the crime lord to get people to notice both his illegal activities and discover her being held captive inside his illicit organization. She considered ways to create some discrepancies in the shipping contract terms with Clayton Shipping Limited that the other accountants wouldn't notice, which would force the Count and Jack to come investigate in person. She wondered why she hadn't thought about things like that earlier. And then she could make her move to escape when they got here. She prayed again that Jack had understood that she told him exactly where she was in the dream. Walvis Bay.

…Treehouse. Land of the Mangani...

At breakfast the next morning at the treehouse, Jack nearly bounded down from his room to his mother's fresh fruit breakfast. The twins were wary of a new kind of purple fruit set before them that Lily gathered and were just picking at it. Lily was already devouring seconds. She had a big purple smile and lips covered in the delicious but very staining liquid. In a week or so it might wear off. But 9 year old Lily would wear her meal like a warrior's medal. Jane leaned over, dabbed her fingers in the juice of the fruit in a bowl, and quickly reapplied her jungle eye shadow, and Tarzan winked at her. His heart skipped a beat for his beautiful human Mangani mate, who was a natural as any gorilla, but kept the best of her humanity all at the same time.

"When can I do that, Mom?" Lily asked anxiously.

"When you start maturing, young lady," Jane advised.

"Awww… That'll be forever, Mom," she complained. Jane knew otherwise.

But Lily got over her little snit quickly, and being a secret observer to Jack's dream with Jeanne last night, the girl whispered to her brother, noticed his exceptionally cheerful mood, and teased, "Good dream last night, birthday boy?"

"Shhh. Ask me later," he scolded quietly. She knew what happened.

His sister was the same age Jack was when Jeanne disappeared, but he tried not to think about that.

Amidst casual morning conversation about leaving today to join up with the rest of the family at the new Mangani nest for awhile, Jack asked, "Dad, remind me again. When do you go to Southwest Africa?"

Tarzan thought for a moment and responded, "Oh… about three months. Remember I have to check on how we are doing with the shipping contract with Herr Jaeger. I just sent them a radiotelegraph message of my travel plan. I've been putting it off for weeks but something just made me do it."

Jack had a feeling he knew why.

The ape man continued, "I've actually never been there. Hugh Farnsworth, my Vice President of Shipping Contracts in Africa, did the negotiations. It was just a contract add-on to the deal with the trade company in Douala because they and the Walvis Bay traders work together closely. It still doesn't feel right, even though he made a really good deal with the trade union leader Herr Jaeger. It felt strange. I always conclude the final deal."

Jane made him feel better, "Tarzan, dear, why should you have all the fun of running the family business? You have to trust your people. None of them are anything like Sir Cedric. They're loyal, honest and thorough. And very professional businessmen."

Tarzan shook his head knowingly, "I know, I know… Anyway, I should get the new statement in about three or four weeks in the next shipment of mail and then based on that we can finalize our trip and business discussions."

Jack piped up cheerily, "I'm going with you, Dad."

Tarzan was pleasantly surprised, "Really? I thought you said you weren't interested this time. 'One harbor town looks like another', I believe your direct quote was."

Jack was very perky, "I changed my mind, Dad, because I've never been there before. I like going new places. Southwest Africa has stuff different from all our jungle countries. The whole climate is different. My geography book says they have a huge desert – the Kalahari - in part of the country. And you promised I can go anywhere with you to learn the business as long as I keep my home studies going. I do want to see Southwest Africa. If I am ever to take over the family business, I have to know it all."

"Well, son. I certainly like hearing that," Tarzan replied with satisfaction. Jane smiled at their interaction and Jack's respect for his father and the family tradition.

Jack didn't dare tell his parents about the dream. This was strictly between Jeanne and him. They'd think he was nuts. He'd only told Ndidi when the connection visions started happening, and even she thought it was very weird. He never mentioned the other connections to her since.

Jane was more protective and cautioned, "I don't know, son… That's a very long trip. I need an 'ape man' around the house and the nest I when your father is gone."

"Oh, Mom. Everyone trusts Kirok to lead the family when Dad is gone. I'm still a kid. Even as a Mangani. The war is nearly over. Not a single ship has gone down in the ocean for a long time. Besides, Lily will be oldest child in the family for awhile. She can boss the twins around."

Lily grinned and winked at her brother. Like she didn't boss them around already.

Both twins objected to that, and Paulie complained loudly, "Hey! No fair, Jack!"

Nine year old Lily grinned broadly, and teased him as always. She loved being in charge, "See you, big brother! Why wait? Leave with Daddy now! Maybe I can straighten out all the mess you've done with Nizzie and Paulie. And don't forget to write."

"Hey! Be nice, sis!"

"That is nice, 'big bruver'," she giggled, calling him by the name she always called him as a tiny girl.

They all laughed. All four children got along well even with the usual sibling squabbles, but something about Jack and Lily's relation was very special as the eldest sister and brother.

Jane conceded her oldest children's logic, "All right Jack. You 'boys' need a father/son outing anyway. It's been a long time."

"Besides I can look for Jeanne there," Jack suggested casually with an off-hand shrug, timing it perfectly to look like an afterthought, not the true purpose of the journey for him.

Jane sighed and put her hand on his arm, "Dear, I hate to dash your hopes, but don't be too disappointed. It's been so long, and we've heard absolutely nothing for years. Jacot and his men and you three men track down every clue, and there is just nothing out there. We see every message from every village in this entire region. She's really vanished. There's no trace of sweet Jeanne, I'm sorry to say dear. I worry she's become happy with the people who kidnapped her now or despondent enough to give up hope and just do what they say. Colonel Jacot says those things happen."

Jane didn't want to suggest the more awful reality of her being dead.

Jack was polite but adamant, "Not with Jeanne, Mom. She won't let that happen. I have hope she might be there. If you were a kidnapper and wanted to escape, why not go far away?"

He knew that for a fact as of last night.

She stroked her son's hair tenderly, "You are so good to her. I sure hope you're right. She's going to be really beautiful now."

Jack knew exactly how beautiful but wasn't saying.

Tarzan tried to dial back his expectations, "Well, despite what you think, Jack, I can't imagine she's there in Southwest Africa. None of the French and British Army leads anywhere in Africa indicate she's there. But there is no harm in looking. We do need the time together. Some good man-to-man talks."

That day Jack performed his daily knife fighting skills and arrow target practice with more fervor. He had to be prepared for whatever might happen. Since the kidnappers had kept Jeanne for four years, they would be very reluctant to let her go now without a vicious fight. His mother was completely wrong about one thing – Jack knew Jeanne had a very strong desire to be rescued.

…The next day in August 1918. Walvis Bay. Jaeger's home and headquarters…

Jaeger dropped the latest radiotelegraph communiqué on Meriem's desk as he pecked her lips between drags on yet another cigarette, "Great news, Meriem. Count Clayton and his heir, our shipping contractor, are coming to visit us for the first time. The Mayor wants to have a big social event for them before our business meeting. It's not very often a 'big shot' from England comes this way. Especially the biggest shipping magnate in the world."

Since the Kamerun boss' warning letter to Karl-Heinz sank into the bottom of the ocean, and not a single word of the issues were further discussed, they had no idea this was trouble. And Jaeger didn't think it was necessary to wire the boss of Douala to let him know the Count was coming. It wasn't his business to know.

"The Mayor wants us to cater the event at City Hall since we are hosting the Count," note Jaeger.

Jeanne rejoiced inside. The party was the perfect set up, so Meriem said slyly, "I know the best caterer in town. And I can work with them easily."

Jaeger winked, "I kinda thought you might. Make sure you order some Rieslings we can share. Maybe it will be a special night."

"Dream on, schatzi."

He just smiled. They continued to flirt and he fortunately obeyed the ground rules she established and Karl-Heinz insisted on without pushing the boundaries. He was still convinced she'd give in. Before the dream she would have.

That caterer was another of Karl-Heinz' illegal shadow businesses cleverly associated with Jaeger's crime empire. Meriem had worked with them for other events, mostly in her business intern role, but she had many other talents, including being a good event organizer. Her ability to work with other people already showed when she fit in so well with the Nigerian children and her skills as a gang leader in Douala had transformed to become a social director for the caterer. She was actually very gifted with making arrangements for successful events. It didn't hurt that Karl-Heinz insisted that the caterer's employees work with her, or else.

Further behind the scenes, Karl-Heinz worked his strengths. They'd save loads of money with the city health department who'd look the other way with the bribes Jeanne's abductor gave them to waive the extra fees for sanitation and food quality inspectors because of their 'agreements'. Then Karl-Heinz could overcharge the Mayor – one of Botha's appointees - for those non-existent fees and make a ton of money off this big event. Jeanne would make sure Karl-Heinz got better quality food this time though. Clayton Shipping had made Jaeger an enormous amount of profit shipping their black market goods all over the region and the world. The Count's company was carefully being used by Jaeger to help his syndicate appear as a legitimate trading company because they were using a respected shipping partner. Besides, she didn't want Karl-Heinz' caterer to give her boyfriend food poisoning on the very day she'd be rescued by him.

Every piece of the puzzle of the Count and Viscount's visit to Walvis Bay was coming into place by Jaeger's people, influenced at every turn by the junior bookkeeper, and aided by other forces at work.

A single mental connection from Jack was made a few weeks later, "I'm coming Jeanne."

"Good. Can't wait. Be safe," was the simple reply from Jeanne. She wanted to be specific about where she was, but the mysterious connection vaporized again just as fast as it appeared.

"You OK?" came the question from Margrite while they were washing dinner dishes at their home down the street from Jaeger's. Margrite saw her startle and nearly drop a dish.

"Yes, Mom. Better than I have ever been. The plate was… uh… slippery," she smiled inwardly. Margrite was not so sure about that.

…

Author's Notes: This chapter is dedicated to long time loyal guest reviewer Megan Lyle in honor of her birthday earlier this week. Guest reviewer Lyger 0 is a very insightful reader. Yes, that is exactly what I had in mind. Thanks for discovering that! I hope everyone caught this chapter's more obvious Easter Egg – the sun and star patterns in the ceiling mirror Rapunzel's tower in which she's kept captive, not far different than for Jeanne. A confrontation is brewing. Let's see how it is resolved.