49: Council of War

Daeron called Alex around four while he was in the middle of putting together some beef stew for dinner to let him know that the meeting was scheduled for seven.

“Will Derek be there?” the loremaster asked.

“Depends on when he gets home,” Alex answered. “He may have to stay the night.”

“Well, if he’s back in time, then by all means bring him. Zach will be there as well.”

“Okay, see you then.” He hung up the phone and went back to his preparations.

Around five thirty, Derek showed up. “Hey! You’re back earlier than I thought you would be,” Alex said as he greeted him at the door.

“Marty decided to send me home early even though I knew he was shorthanded,” Derek said as he doffed his coat. “I told him I was willing to stay the night, but he insisted that I leave. I’m not sure what that was all about.” He shrugged as he hung up his coat and began removing his boots. Alex remained silent, wondering to himself if someone had ‘inspired’ Marty to send Derek home in time to make the meeting. Derek took an appreciative sniff of the air redolent of stew and fresh-baked bread as he slipped his feet into a pair of slippers sitting by the door. “Smells good.”

“It’ll be ready in a few minutes. I’ve got some bread in the oven. As soon as it’s ready we can eat. Go freshen up.”

Derek nodded and ten minutes later he was back in the kitchen just as Alex was pulling out the bread, placing it on a bread board and bringing it to the table. They took turns at the stove ladling the stew into bowls before sitting.

“Ah, this is good,” Derek said as he sipped the broth.

“Thanks.”

“So how did your classes go?” Derek asked as he cut off a hunk of the bread, dipping it into the stew.

“Well enough,” Alex answered. “I got a call from Dave Michaelson.”

“Oh? What did he have to say? Any news about Loren’s attackers?”

“They found Loren’s ring in Nolan and are working on tracing it back to the person who sold it to the hock shop.”

“That’s good news,” Derek said, then gave Alex a shrewd look. “What are you not telling me?”

“Ah, well, Dave didn’t call me about Loren but about something else.”

“And? Honestly, Alex, stop dithering about like a school girl at her first dance and spill it.”

Alex sighed. “Farrell escaped last night and all our sources say he’s heading here.”

Derek just stared at him in disbelief. “There’s been nothing in the news about a prison break.”

“I suspect the authorities are keeping it quiet,” Alex replied. “Just as well. Farrell is dangerous and people could get hurt.”

“So what are you going to do about it?”

“We’re meeting at Edhellond in about an hour. Darren said to bring you if you got back in time. Zach will be there and I think Michaelson. We’re planning to send Amroth and Della to Gwyn in Fairbanks."

Derek blinked. “Does Gwyn know?”

“He should by now.”

“Damn!”

“Finish your dinner. We’ll talk about it at the meeting.”

“Yes, Mom,” Derek said, giving him an exaggerated sigh as he resumed eating. Alex just grinned, not saying anything more.

They reached Edhellond in good time. Zach was already there, arguing with Loren, the two of them standing in the middle of the hallway before the doors of what had once been the billiards room and was now referred to as the council chamber.

“…not going back to Anchorage and that’s final!” Zach was shouting.

“Zach, calm down,” Glorfindel said, taking the Mortal by the shoulders.

“I am calm!” Zach retorted, pulling away.

“Any calmer and you’ll blow a fuse, mate,” Derek said with a grin as he and Alex approached. “As Ron would say, take a deep breath and a step back. You, too, Loren. You both are standing way too close to one another. If I were a suspicious sort, I’d think you two were lovers about to do something naughty right here and now for all to see.”

Alex actually laughed, while Zach just goggled at Derek in disbelief. Glorfindel looked as if he were ready to do some serious damage to the Mortal when Finrod showed up, bringing along Amroth, Nimrodel, Dave Michaelson and Sheriff Graff who had apparently just arrived. “Inside, now,” he ordered in a tone that brooked no argument. “We are ready to begin.”

They filed in. Zach still looked mutinous. Alex gave him a sympathetic look that seemed to mollify the younger man. Inside the council chamber were all the other Elves, including the Three Amigos and Nell. Alex and Derek gravitated toward them.

“How’s it going?” Alex asked quietly. “Settling in?”

The four nodded but did not speak for Finrod was calling everyone to order, directing the Mortals to sit at the table while others found their own places. The majority of the Elves sat in the chairs that surrounded the table on two sides. Finrod and Glorfindel sat side-by-side.

“Everyone knows why we’re here,” Glorfindel began. “Our primary purpose is to make appropriate plans to ensure the safety of those who may be targeted by Farrell. Dave, do you have any further news?”

“No, unfortunately. When I talked with Fairbanks an hour ago, they were still looking for clues as to who may have been involved in the escape.”

“A waste of time,” Alex said dismissively. “These are trained agents. They can run rings around the police without breaking a sweat. They would have left no clues for anyone to find.”

“Yes, well, we know that, but the police in Fairbanks don’t, nor would they necessarily believe me if I told them what we suspect,” Michaelson retorted, “The FBI has been called in but what they may or may not know is anyone’s guess. At any rate, it hardly matters. Farrell is not hiding out in Fairbanks nor is he enjoying a strawberry daiquiri on some foreign beach somewhere. He’s here in Wiseman or will be soon enough. I can offer police protection, as can Carl, but…”

“It won’t do any good,” Alex insisted. “Look, Farrell may not be in the same league as I am or was, but he’s trained in the same school as I and he’ll know how to get to anyone he wants to regardless. The only way to ensure that everyone stays safe is for me to put myself out there as a target.”

“Why you?” Vorondur asked.

“You know damn well why!” Alex practically shouted, speaking more angrily than he had planned.

“Alex, stay calm,” Finrod ordered and Alex subsided, though he still glowered at Vorondur who returned his look with one of clinical detachment, as if he were examining a specimen under the microscope. Finrod scowled. “Enough, both of you. Ron, we do not have the time for this. Save it for later.”

Vorondur nodded, relenting. “Be iest lîn,” he said with a nod of his head to Finrod.

Finrod then turned to Alex. “You have a plan?”

Alex shrugged. “Just to keep myself visible. Farrell is going to be frustrated enough when he can’t find Amroth and he knows he can get to me through Derek and Zach as well as most of you or anyone else in Wiseman. If he can’t get to me any other way, he’ll take hostages, forcing my hand. I’m going to make it easy for him.”

“But not too easy,” Glorfindel said, “else he’s going to be suspicious.”

“That goes without saying,” Vorondur said. “He’s going to be keeping an eye on the news, expecting some mention of his escape. When he doesn’t see it, he’s going to be wondering why.”

“I can alert the local station and have them announce it,” Michaelson suggested. “People will remember the…um… trial. They’ll want to be alerted to the possibility of danger.”

“That is only prudent,” Finrod said with a nod. “Please make the appropriate arrangements. In the meantime, we are proposing to send Amroth, Nimrodel and Mithrellas to Fairbanks. Zach, I would like you to go with them. No, hear me out.” He raised a hand to halt the Mortal’s protest.

“There is something you need to know, all of you,” Finrod said after a moment. “We would have told you at the regular council meeting on Saturday, but circumstances have forced our hand.” He turned to where Elladan and Elrohir sat together with Serindë. “Perhaps you would explain, since it was your discovery.”

The Twins glanced at one another and then Elrohir shrugged and stood up. “We got to Fairbanks and after checking into our hotel we went searching for dinner and….”

No one interrupted while Elrohir told them about meeting Gwyn and Gareth and the people of Winter’s Gate, though several eyebrows lifted in surprise during the recitation. When he was finished, he sat down and silence hung about them for some time before people stirred.

“Well, that’s interesting,” Valandur said slowly.

Several people snorted in amusement at the drollness of his tone. “To say the least,” Barahir retorted, then turned to Finrod and Glorfindel. “You met other Elves and you decided to withhold that information until now?”

“We wanted to wait until the usual Saturday council meeting to tell everyone at once,” Glorfindel explained. “Circumstances, however, have forced our hand.”

“So, your idea is to have us form our own SCA group as a cover for training our people in warfare?” Aldarion asked before anyone could comment on Glorfindel’s statement. 

“Yes, though we must not just pretend, we must commit ourselves to engage in the activities of this organization with all sincerity,” Finrod answered.

“You have to mean it in order for it to work,” Alex put in. “It’s like an FBI scam or something similar to what I’ve done for the Agency. It only works if you mean it to work. This SCA thing is a legitimate organization and if you do this, you need to play by their rules and allow for the fact that it’s not an exclusive club. Even the people who are against you, if they want to join, can.”

“Which is why we are proposing to have Mortals organize the group and we will only be involved peripherally,” Glorfindel added. “If it is thought that we are doing the organizing and recruiting for members, then our enemies will have an excuse to naysay us even more than they do.”

“Who do we ask to do this then?” Beleg asked. “Some of the Mortals are our particular friends and their relationship with us is known to all, or so I have been led to believe.”

“And you are correct,” Glorfindel said. “So we need to find someone who is on our side but not necessarily known to be in our back pocket, so to speak, someone who is above suspicion.”

“That’s a rather tall order,” Vorondur commented, “seeing as how the people of Wiseman are already polarized over the issue of us Elves. Everyone pretty much knows where everyone else stands on the issue.”

“True, but there are still people out there who haven’t declared themselves openly one way or another,” Barahir interjected. “I’ve heard of this SCA and similar groups. My impression is that a lot of times a group gets started by college students. Perhaps we should consider looking there.”

“We will have to consider it,” Finrod said, “but in the meantime, we still need to deal with Farrell. To that end, I want Amroth and Nimrodel out of here tonight and on their way to Fairbanks. Gwyn has been alerted to your arrival and will be on the lookout for you. Mithrellas has agreed to go with you and Zach, I know you would rather stay here, but Glorfindel and I would feel easier if you go with them.”

“Well, what about Derek? Why aren’t you sending him away like you’re sending me?”

“What makes you think we’re not?” Alex asked.

“Hey, now, just wait a minute,” Derek protested. “I’m not going anywhere.”

“You’re going to stay at the resort and help Marty out,” Alex said in a no-nonsense tone. “He’s shorthanded, you said so yourself, and you were complaining just this morning that the commute is wretched. You might as well take advantage of the situation. You can look around Bettles or Evansville for a room to rent, like we discussed.”

“And leave you in the lurch?”

“Yes,” Alex said without inflection. “Look, I know you want to stick around, but Derek, this is too dangerous. I do not want to be holding you while you bleed out from a bullet meant for me, and that goes for Zach and everyone else. Farrell is my problem and I’ll deal with him.”

“How, though?” Cennanion asked.

“Well, that’s what I have to figure out next,” Alex admitted and when several people looked to offer comments he raised his hands. “Whoa! I appreciate your concerns but really, I’ve played this game before. Let me do what I do best. Dave, Farrell’s going to need a place to hole up. I doubt he’s so brazen as to register at the Goldmine Inn, but he may check into that motel up in Nolan or even over in Chandalar. You might also check in with the Steiners. Farrell used their farm before and they’re remote enough that no one would know if they’re in trouble.”

“I’m way ahead of you,” Michaelson said. “I sent a couple of my people to the farm earlier and Carl’s got three deputies there as well patrolling the grounds.”

“Good. That’s one less worry,” Alex said.

“I’ll have people make discrete enquiries in Nolan and Chandalar and I’ll alert all the resorts in the area,” Carl Graff said. “He could show up pretending to be doing cross-country skiing or something.”

“Yeah, I hadn’t thought of that,” Alex admitted. “Thanks.”

“So what do we all do in the meantime?” Laurendil asked.

“Keep to your schedules,” Amroth answered, “and be vigilant. Don’t travel alone and don’t wander about, not even in the woods. Finda, you, Calandil, Elennen and Nell are vulnerable where you are. You may consider returning here and commuting to the college until Farrell is dealt with.”

The four in question looked uncertain at the suggestion. “We will discuss it later,” Finrod said, speaking to his son and the youngsters nodded. Finrod looked at Amroth. “If you are going you should go soon.”

“Can’t we wait until daylight?” Mithrellas asked. “That road is bad enough without traveling it at night.”

“It will be better this way,” Amroth assured her. “We’re going to take Barry’s land rover. It’s more reliable than our car. Zach, we’ll follow you back to your place so you can pack a bag.”

“For how long?” Zach demanded with a scowl. “I just got back. I’m tired of running away.”

“Don’t think of it as running away, Zach,” Alex said. “Think of it as a strategic withdrawal before overwhelming odds.”

Several of the Elves snorted in amusement, including Finrod and Glorfindel. “Been there, done that,” the latter said under his breath. Even Michaelson and Graff smiled.

Alex turned to Derek. “I want you to go with them,” he said. “Amroth can detour to the resort and drop you off.”

“What do I tell Marty?” Derek asked.

“The truth,” Alex replied. Derek nodded, though he didn’t look any more pleased by the idea than Zach.

“Is there a possibility that the Agency will get involved?” Daeron asked, looking at Alex and Amroth. “I mean, sending in a team to eliminate Farrell when they realize he’s not following the orders of whoever arranged for his escape.”

“If so, it will be totally clandestine so that perhaps even Maddy won’t know about it,” Alex said, “though I suspect her source will, but whether he tells her is debatable. “

“At this point there’s no telling,” Amroth added. “It would be best to proceed as we have planned and not rely on hypothetical help from others.”

Everyone nodded at that. “Then we will see you on your way,” Finrod said and stood. Everyone else followed suit.

Alex spoke to Amroth. “You want to swing by and pick Derek up after you’ve gotten Zach?”

“Expect us in the next hour,” Amroth said and then Barahir was handing him the keys to the land rover and everyone was saying goodbye. Alex made arrangements to get together with Valandur the next day after his Italian class and then he and Derek headed back to their place. They rode in silence and even when they reached the apartment and Derek went to his room to pack a bag, they did not speak. Alex kept an eye out for the land rover and when he saw the lights, he let Derek know. They went downstairs to be greeted by Amroth, who had the window down.

“All set? Hop in then.”

“Call me when you get to the resort,” Alex said to Derek, who only nodded as he crawled into the back with Zach and Mithrellas. Alex gave Amroth a grimace and the former king of Laurinand returned it with a sympathetic look.

“Good luck,” Alex said.

“And you,” Amroth answered, then rolled the window back up and pulled out of the parking lot. Alex stood there, ignoring the cold, as he watched the taillights dwindle into the distance, disappearing altogether when Amroth turned a corner. He went back inside and wondered if he would ever see them again. He fished out his phone and speed-dialed a number.

“DelaFiore.”

“They just left.”

There was a brief pause. “You okay?”

“Sure.”

“We have someone on watch.”

“Oh?”

“Just a precaution.”

“It’s bloody cold outside. I hope the poor smuck at least is dressed warmly.”

Glorfindel chuckled. “Cold to you, but not to us. This is a game we’ve played before ourselves, Alex. Sleep well.”

“Yeah, sure.” Alex ended the call and sighed. “Like that’s going to happen.”

He went to the window that looked out onto the parking lot to see if he could spot the watcher, but all he saw were cars. Grimacing to himself he settled down to review his lessons for the next day’s classes. Around ten thirty, just as he was thinking of getting ready for bed, Derek called.

“Marty says hi and good luck,” Derek said. “I still wish….”

“Yes, I know, so do I, but I think you’ll be safer there. Hopefully, Farrell will try to get to me sooner rather than later and you can come back.”

They talked for a few more minutes and then hung up. Alex headed for bed, half-convinced that he would not be able to sleep, but as it was, he did indeed fall asleep while more than one person watched over him, one of them unclad.

****

Sometime in the wee hours just before dawn, a vehicle pulled into a driveway in Fairbanks. Four people got out and went to the front door. After ringing the bell, they waited for a few seconds before the door opened.

“Finrod sent us,” Amroth said, speaking in Sindarin.

“Mae govannen. Please come in,” Gwyn said in the same language, stepping aside to let them enter. Gareth was standing in the hallway to greet them as well. Gwyn closed the door and locked it before addressing the arrivals, now speaking English in deference to the Mortal. “I’m Gwyn and this is my brother, Gareth.”

“I am Amroth and this is my wife, Nimrodel, and our companions, Mithrellas and Zachary Austin.”

The brothers stared at them in surprise, their eyes wide with shock. “Er… Amroth and Nimrodel?” Gareth finally asked in a strained voice. “As in, ‘An Elven-maid there was of old, a shining star by day’?” he sang, reciting the beginning of the Lay of Nimrodel. “That Amroth and Nimrodel?”

“Guilty as charged,” Amroth said with a grin, while Nimrodel and Mithrellas both giggled, and even Zach chuckled at the nonplused looks on the brothers’ faces.

“You’re pregnant, aren’t you?” Gwyn asked Nimrodel, making it sound like an accusation. “Daeron didn’t say you were pregnant.”

“Twins, actually,” Nimrodel replied with a smile.

Gareth turned to Gwyn, his tone one of distress, sounding incredibly young even to Zach’s ears. “What are we going to do now, Gwyn? Daeron didn’t tell us we would be entertaining royalty! And she’s pregnant! With twins! What are we going to do with twins?”

The others laughed and Zach grabbed Gareth by the shoulders. “Whoa! Take it easy, man. The twins aren’t due for another, what, eight months?” He turned to Nimrodel for confirmation and she nodded. “Eight months,” he repeated to Gareth. “We’ll be out of your hair long before that, I promise.”

“But… but… no one told us we were hiding royalty!” Gareth insisted. “Daeron said nothing about that.”

“I am so going to kill Daeron when next I see him,” Gwyn growled.

Amroth chuckled and the ellith looked amused while Zach just rolled his eyes. “That I would like to see,” Amroth said, “but in the meantime, just treat us like anyone else. My mortal name is Ryan and Nimrodel goes by Della and Mithrellas is Misty. I think if you just call us by those names we’ll all be a lot happier. I haven’t been king of anything in too long a time. It really doesn’t matter anymore.”

Gwyn looked about to make a comment when Zach’s stomach made an embarrassing noise. Everyone looked at him as he blushed. “Sorry. Dinner was a long time ago and that apple I had as a snack two hours ago wasn’t much.”

Gwyn gave him a smile. “Well, we can certainly remedy that. You want to bring your bags in? Gareth will show you where to put them. We only have three bedrooms, but Gareth and I will double up and we’ll put you two in his room.” He nodded to Amroth and Nimrodel. “Ah, Misty, you can have the spare bedroom and Zachary, I hope you don’t mind sleeping on the foldaway couch in the living room.”

“No, it’s cool,” Zach said, though he didn’t look too happy about it. “And it’s Zach.”

“Good enough. I’ll put breakfast on,” Gwyn said. “Pumpkin spice pancakes alright with everyone?”

They all nodded and half an hour later, their bags put away, they were all gathered around the dining table enjoying a breakfast of pancakes and sausage. At Amroth’s insistence, Gwyn and Gareth told them about the Barony of Winter’s Gate and Gwaith-en-Angbor and the subject of Farrell never came up.

****

Be iest lîn: (Sindarin) ‘According to your wish’.