52

Parent-napped

As the Land Rover pulled into the long drive leading up to the manor, emergency lights flashed up ahead. The swirling reds and yellows thrust Lottica and Nick momentarily back to the night their parents and home had been blown apart. Their hearts raced.

The last thirty seconds of the drive were tense moments as they relived the disbelief that had presaged their first incredible loss. Was it happening again? How could they cope with with losing their parents twice? There were no dead-parent stories to provide a roadmap for this mad journey.

They pulled up behind two parked police cars. From his side of the car, Nick could see Weirhamatt and Heidein talking to a plump police officer leaning against one of the cars. Their casual demeanor eased Nick's anxiety a bit. He began to open the car door when Bopei reached a hand back.

"Stay," he warned. "Must be peaceful."

"Calm," Ladamei clarified.

Nick and Lottica obeyed as their grandparents got out and joined the three men. They watched as formal greetings took place. The plump police officer stood up straight smoothing his jacket. He appeared awed by the arrival of their grandparents.

"No one seems to be in a big rush over this," Lottica remarked.

"Yeah, I noticed. I'm thinking that's a good thing. If they had found," Nick swallowed, "something, I think they'd be a bit more frantic."

"Remember, no one but our family and Heidein know about Mom and Dad.” Lottica’s brow knitted more deeply in concern. “So, if they're not here, how do we get the police to search for them? Most of the locals think Mom and Dad died in America."

"I think that's why Bopei told us to stay put."

They watched as the group spoke animatedly, sometimes with sweeping gestures. Two other officers emerged from the manor and reported to the group. There was a great deal of nodding, making Nick feel as though he was at bobble-head night at the ballpark. Itching to take some kind of action, Nick squirmed in his seat. He felt rash. Impulsive. Like a teenager. Not quite the cool, dispassionate scientist he strived to be.

Unable to wait any longer, he opened the door of the car and his grandfather's eyes turned from the group of policemen to him. There was no invitation in them, but Nick got out. Lottica gulped a breath and followed.

Grandmother Breima detached herself from the group and met them. "To house, please," she urged, ushering them towards the front door.

Nick whispered, "Where are Dad and Mom?"

"Get in house," came her firm, though not harsh, reply. As she shepherded them around the periphery of the policemen, she stopped briefly, and directed an introduction with the chubby police officer. "Le Thorein, meet our grandchildren, Nick and Lottica."

He bowed as much as his waistline would allow. "So pleased. All Lebreima welcomes you."

Nick nodded gravely, and Lottica managed a cross between a curtsy and a bow. Then their grandmother swept them into the entryway. Nick glanced back as the men casually resumed their discussion.

"What's going on?" he demanded of his grandmother, once through the doorway.

"No one is here. House is empty. Police not know about Deilune and Linda. Lucky," she reported.

"Lucky? How can they search for them if they don't know our parents are missing?" Nick fumed.

"They not here,” she replied. “We not know if they missing. Yet."

"But we saw Beilla and Abzeig following them with a gun. What else are we to think, Ladamei?" Nick grew more impatient.

"Must be careful, Nick. Beilla is powerful. Bopei, Weirhamatt and Heidein try and convince Le Thorein to arrest Beilla for trespassing."

"Trespassing? What about kidnapping?"

A voice from behind echoed Nick's question, "Kidnapping?" Weirhamatt walked in from the entryway and joined them, asking curiously, "What is this about kidnapping?"

Grandmother Breima responded swiftly. “Children pretend. Come, Weirhamatt. I get lunch. Please take children in parlor."

She turned and left. Weirhamatt broke the awkward silence by reaching into his jacket pocket and taking out a folded sheaf of papers. "I have something for you. Come, I’ll show it to you in the parlor.”

Waving the documents, he led them into the parlor and neatly placed the papers on a table near the large picture window. Lottica immediately recognized one of the pages with the drawings she’d seen at the City Hall of the Kareima, Fareima and Astreima and the two empty-hearted children. The image of the children still disturbed her, so she turned her attention to the other documents.

"What are these?" she asked.

"These are copies from the book you saw earlier today."

Nick moved near Lottica. Together they scanned the dozen or so color copies of artwork depicting Lebreiman legends. A particular image on one of the pages grabbed their attention.

"That painting is upstairs," Lottica said pointing to the copy of the canvas they had seen yesterday on their first exploration of the manor. It was the portrait of Le Breima with Hawk, Raven and the three lifestones comprising the Tireima.

"Why did you bring these to us?" Nick asked, guardedly.

"You are Breima. It is your history,” Weirhamatt answered earnestly. “These are some of the earliest depictions of the lore of Lebreima. They tell of the past, and may also hint of the future.”

"What future?" Nick scoffed.

"The past is often prelude to the future,” Weirhamatt continued unruffled. “The location of the Astreima has always been Lebreima's deepest mystery. So many stories, so many prophecies of what it might mean for the lifestones to be brought together. No one knows for sure.

“But first, the Astreima, the Starstone, would have to be found. Many Lebreimans believe the Astreima could be a welcome sentinel lighting the way to a better future for our homeland. I find it a comfort to believe in such a thing, to hope for beautiful beginnings. But, all of this," he gestured to the documents spread on the table, “is still a great puzzle.”

"And we're supposed to figure it out?" Nick snorted. "Do you really think two kids who've been in your country about a day can do what Lebreiman scholars like you have been unable to? What do you expect from us?"

Puffing out his chest, Nick stood in frustration. But his bluster wavered under the patient restraint of Weirhamatt's gaze, and his protest completely crumbled when someone spoke behind him.

"We always expect politeness, and, just possibly, a certain amount of gratitude for bringing what you will need to find your parents, Nikalleit Breima."

Turning to face the speaker, Nick realized how hard it was to maintain a façade of toughness in the presence of patience and intelligence. When he made eye contact with the piercing gaze of Heidein who’d quietly entered the parlor and chastized him, Nick quickly dropped his eyes.

“I’m sorry,” he told Heidein and Weirhamatt. “I just don’t know what you expect us to do.”

That’s when Nick noticed Heidein was cradling something in his long arms. The object was a shadow within the shadow of his dark jacket. He squinted to see what Heidein held, and the sleek form of the Hawk statue from upstairs came into focus. No longer were its eyes aglow. And Nick felt a pang of fear that the statue’s lifeless eyes were somehow linked to his parents’ fortunes.

“We expect you,” replied Heidein, glancing to Lottica, “to trust that Weirhamatt and I care for your parents’ safety as much as you do. And, that our methods for finding them, though appearing medieval to you, are not completely mad.” He held forth the statue of Hawk.

Nick shook his head. “I just don’t get it. How is a statue going to find our parents?”

“One of the oldest sayings in Lebreima is heidein zei,” Heidein explained. “Two words you should learn.”

“Why?” Nick said, lost.

Heidein set the jet black statue down on the table of puzzling documents. Smiling, he patted the sleek head. “Hawk knows.”