Chapter 30: Come What May

May turned into June and life settled into a new normal for the Gordian Ranch and its associates. The new normal included no one traveling alone for any reason and everyone had a shotgun with them at all times. And they trained. They trained individually and together. They competed individually and in teams.

Sean wasn't allowed to be one of the teams because everyone considered that unfair. Instead, Udit devised ways that Sean could attack the others. It helped Sean sharpen his skills and added realism to the personal defenses the others built for themselves.

Despite the increased training, tension remained noticeably absent in the family. The family was worried about what would happen but they were confident that they could handle anything that came at them. Meditation helped calm their nerves but discussions with Pete and Susan helped more. The Sandoval newlyweds convinced them all that they could beat the Brujos.

Reverend Willis was invited to dinner on Saturday, June the fourteenth. He arrived early and visited with Seth, Martha and Sean. He was suitably impressed with Sean's progress. Even knowing what Sean was, the Reverend was surprised at how well he could walk and talk. The meal was pleasant with conversation around the dinner table. Everyone was there except Ben and Pappy. Ben had to work and Pappy was his escort for the evening.

"Where's Pappy tonight?" Reverend Willis asked. "He never misses a meal," he joked.

"Pappy's with Ben tonight," Seth explained without explaining anything.

The vagueness of the answer caught the Reverend's attention because it wasn't normal for Seth. The rancher was precise in his answers as a boy, but since returning from Viet Nam, it had nearly become a fetish.

"Okay, I'll play," the Reverend said grinning. "What's Ben doing tonight?"

"There was a late board meeting so Ben's working late. Pappy said he would stay with Ben so Pete could come to the ranch and be with his bride," Martha said smiling at the newlyweds.

Martha had rejected their objections to being called newlyweds so long after their wedding. "You're the newlyweds until someone else gets married," she explained patiently. "If you don't like it, find someone for Udit or Pappy to marry."

BB had been part of that conversation and had choked on his coffee at the thought of any woman putting up with Udit.

Reverend Willis frowned and asked, "Why does Ben need someone to stay with him?" He looked around the table at the firm jaws and determined looks. He remembered snippets of conversation during the evening that had seemed just a little off. He remembered wondering what members of the family were looking for when one, then another would stop at a window and scan the yard or nearby pastures. Without waiting for an answer to his question he turned to Seth and asked, "What's going on Seth."

Seth looked uncomfortable with the question and looked at Udit for an answer. Udit shrugged and nodded at Sean. Sean sighed and put down his fork before turning to the Preacher.

"Pete and Susan were attacked by a new Brujo," Sean said.

"She isn't a new Brujo," Udit corrected Sean. "She's well over a hundred and fifty years old but we don't know for sure how old she is."

"Well, she's new to us," Sean corrected himself.

Reverend Willis looked confused when he looked at Pete, then Susan, then back to Sean. "How were they attacked? They look okay."

"We're fine, Reverend Willis," Pete said. "We almost shot each other but we broke her hold on us and she got away when we tried to shoot her."

"Broke her hold ... Would someone explain what's going on, please?" Reverend Willis asked.

"She took control of our bodies," Susan elaborated. "I knew what I was doing and couldn't stop myself. I had my shotgun aimed at Pete and he had drawn his pistol and aimed it at me. We used Udit's exercises to break her hold on us and take our bodies back."

The Preacher sat back in his chair and muttered, "I don't think they take drugs. Maybe someone slipped them something."

"Reverend Willis," Sean said sharply. "They do not take drugs and no one slipped them anything. They were attacked by a Brujo, or Witch. An evil woman that practices evil magic. They escaped but it was a close thing so everyone is training so they can better resist the Brujos the next time."

"How do you know there will be a next time," Reverend Willis asked. "Are all of you involved in the paranoid dementia?"

"It wasn't paranoid dementia when a Brujo attacked us at the airport," Pete said defensively. "He took control of Ben's leg and was accelerating us directly into heavy, fast moving traffic."

Sean looked at Udit for a moment, remembering something that the old man had told him. He decided it applied to the current situation. "Reverend Willis," he said in a voice that silenced the others at the table. They recognized that serious tone Sean used when he was going to turn someone's arguments upside down. "Your world view includes many things but even you must admit that it can't include everything under creation."

At the Preachers reluctant nod of acceptance, Sean continued. "You're world view doesn't include Brujos and Magi as current, real world realities. Is that right?"

The Reverend Willis reluctantly nodded again and Sean said, "Yet you profess to believe your bible that talks of Magi worshiping Christ at his birth and not tolerating Witches to live. Did they only exist in the times of Christ or is it possible that what existed then still exists? Can you believe only a part of your holy book without believing the rest of it?"

The Preachers eyes were locked on Sean and he slowly started nodding.

"Brujos are real Reverend Willis," Sean continued softly. "Other names for them are witches and warlocks and they are evil creatures that should not be suffered to live. They are a dark stain on the soul of mankind and need to be eliminated. One of them did attack Uncle Pete and Aunt Susan and they escaped her. They would have killed her if they could but she also escaped them. She will attack again except, this time, she will mount a much stronger attack."

"Can't you stop her?" Reverend Willard asked in a shaken voice. He knew that he should have known better than to cross wits with Sean. It was just too easy to overlook the mind in a one year old body.

Sean shook his head and said, "We don't know where she is and she's probably protected by now. She'll attack again, probably before noon on next Saturday, and she won't come alone."

"You could hide someplace," the Preacher suggested.

Sean shook his head again and said, "That wouldn't work because she's guided too. The Brujos now have the same guidance the Wizards have had for that last couple of thousand years."

"What do you mean by guided?" Reverend Willis asked even more confused. "Do the Brujos have a leader that tells them what to do?"

Sean sat back in his chair, a regular chair with a booster seat, and looked at Udit.

Udit sighed and shrugged his shoulders in resignation. "Maybe we should take out an ad in the paper so we can make sure we don't miss anyone," he grumbled. "Go ahead and explain it. He's one of us now."

Sean grinned at him and asked, "Do you want me to help you write it? I'm learning to write pretty good now."

"Not near well enough for the newspaper young man," Martha admonished. "You don't practice enough."

"I'll have more time after the solstice," Sean promised her with a grin.

"Guiding and leaders," the Preacher reminded them letting some of his exasperation show in his voice.

"Do you believe in God?" Sean asked the Preacher.

"Of course I do," Reverend Willis blurted.

"I know you believe in God," Sean agreed. "You have to because it's your job. But, what I'm talking about is deep down in your quiet, secret thoughts, do you believe in God?"

Reverend Willis was slower to answer this time but he slowly nodded with a frown on his face. He understood exactly what Sean was talking about. He had met Preachers that professed belief but didn't live what they professed. He wasn't like that. "Yes Sean. Even in my secret thoughts, I believe in God."

"Good," Sean said. "Because I'm going to test and expand your definition of what God is with this explanation."

So, they explained about the Dream, and its impact on man down through history. They explained how the Dream had guided the Magi for over 2000 years and about the awakening of an evil that was now guiding the Brujos.

"Are you saying that God is helping you directly?" the Preacher asked in astonishment. He didn't know if he should laugh or be offended.

"Not exactly," Sean said ignoring the Preachers tendency towards disbelief and rejecting their story. "I'm not saying it is God but I'm not saying it isn't either. What I'm also not doing is putting limitations or restrictions on what God is or how he should act or interact with mankind. I think, no, I believe we are dealing directly with one facet of God. It doesn't make anyone else wrong in their belief, but it doesn't make us wrong in ours either." Sean was getting a little angry that his beliefs were questioned. He stopped and took a breath to calm himself before continuing. "Do you have restrictions and limitations on the God that you believe in Preacher?" Sean asked softly.

Reverend Willis sat back in his seat and looked around the table before letting his troubled gaze settle back on Sean. He was silent as he considered the many ways he could answer that question. No one interrupted his thoughts because they were used to having conversations with Udit. A question to the old Shaman that required thought could take ten minutes to get an answer and heaven help the person that didn't sit there until he was ready to answer. If they asked a serious question and wanted a serious answer then they shouldn't be surprised when serious consideration was given to the answer. Everyone waited for the Preachers answer.

"Every time I come here I am entertained and given serious food for thought," Reverend Willis said slowly. "I don't know if I can adequately answer your question, Sean. In my view, I don't place restrictions on my God. I don't limit His actions or abilities either. But, you must understand that what you are asking me to believe is not exactly mainstream belief. I can't answer your question without study and prayer."

"Good answer, Reverend Willis," Sean said nodding in approval. "There is one more thing you might want to consider while you are studying and praying for guidance."

"What's that, Sean?" Reverend Willis asked warily. He realized that he was clearly outclassed when discussing issues with the boy that the boy considered important.

"God was directly involved with mankind throughout the Old and New Testament. Is that correct?" Sean asked. At the Preachers nod of agreement he continued. "He gave direction to mankind and, in some cases, directly intervened. Am I correct?" he asked. The Preacher nodded again and Sean said, "I couldn't find any place in the Old or New Testaments that said He wouldn't continue guiding us. Please let me know if you can find a reference that says that I'm wrong."

Reverend Willis had a sleepless night that night, and many nights after. "Is it possible the boy is right?" he asked himself in more than one sleepless argument that he had with himself.

The week before the solstice saw an increase of practice, meditation and even prayer. They realized, after discussing the Preachers visit, that maybe they had been ignoring a facet of the Dream, or God, or whatever name they wanted to give the intelligence that was helping them.

"My people pray different than Christians. We have many Christians in our ranks but that doesn't negate that fact that our people have a history that must be respected. Does it really matter if a prayer is said on your knees with your head bowed or around a fire and dancing and singing praises?"

"Facets," Sean answered softly. "Different facets of the same diamond."

In one way the week dragged by as they watched and waited for Saturday, June the 21st. The discussion about everyone going to the hospital on Friday so Liz would be there Saturday was nixed.

"The doctor said that I'm not due until the week after the fourth of July," Liz said stubbornly. "That's when I'll go to the hospital. Sean, I agreed to your idea of being protected until after Saturday. I didn't agree to spending the day in at the Yavapai Regional Hospital. As nice as it is, I don't want to spend the day there."

So the Summer Solstice dawned bright and clear on the Gordian Ranch. Sean was awake and outside with Udit when the sun crested the mountains. Both of them studied the land around the Ranch for any hint of danger. Prince and Storm led their coterie of mares in a circle of the ranch in search of danger but found none.

"I hope I'm wrong," Sean said earnestly. "I so hope that I am wrong."

"I know what you mean," Udit said. "Do you still feel like today is the day?"

Sean nodded and said, "I do. If anything, it's even stronger. I know danger is coming but I don't know from where or how."

Udit nodded in acceptance and said, "Then danger is coming. We're as ready for it as we can be."

They met Pappy walking towards the house. He was carrying a Winchester 30.30 lever action rifle instead of the shot guns everyone had been carrying.

"Morning," Pappy said in a gravelly voice. "Ran out of coffee. Figure Martha would have some more."

"Why the rifle instead of the shotgun," Sean asked.

"I can hit what I'm aiming at," Pappy replied. "Thing is, our target may not always be close enough for a shotgun." He patted the stock of the rifle he had leaning on his shoulder and continued. "If we need to reach out and touch someone, this is a better tool."

Sean agreed and was surprised to see Seth with a rifle too. At his raised eyebrows, Seth said, "Pappy and I talked. He made sense. We'll take care of anything that's not close. The rest of the family can take care of the up close and personal issues."

Liz was white faced when she arrived at the breakfast table, about the time everyone else was finished and getting ready to leave. Ben said she was moving a little slower than normal and no one should wait for her. Liz arriving late to breakfast was a normal occurrence at this stage in her pregnancy.

Martha noticed her complexion when she sat down. "What's wrong, honey? " Martha asked.

"Nothing's wrong," Liz said as she pushed a cup of coffee back. She picked up a piece of bacon and dubiously eyed a glass of orange juice.

"Well, you look like something's wrong," Martha said.

Sheila arrived from the cottage and stopped at the coffee pot to fill a cup from the stack. "Ahhh," she said as she took a sip. "BB says my coffee's good, Martha, but it doesn't taste anything like yours." She set her cup on the table and started to sit when she saw Liz's face. "What's wrong?" She asked.

"She says that nothing's wrong," Martha reported.

"Well, that's a bunch of horse apples," Sheila said dryly as she walked around the table. "Liz, you're white as a sheet."

"Well, what do you expect, Sheila? I'm having a baby in a couple of weeks. I'm big as a house. I can't eat more than three bites without getting full and I have to pee every four minutes. Geez. Wait until your time comes and you'll know what I mean." Liz started to run down but she turned to Sean and spat, "And my hormones are just fine so don't think about adjusting anything."

"Nothing needs adjusting," Sean said calmly with a shrug. "Megan is about to say hello to the world though."

Sheila and Liz looked at him in shock for a moment. Sheila broke out in a grin and asked, "Really?"

"No way," Liz protested trying to stand. She didn't make it to her feet. "I am not having this baby today," she announced weakly.

"Maybe we should go to the hospital anyway," Sheila said. "At the very least you'll be more comfortable."

"No hospital today," Liz panted. "I just want to lay back down."

Everyone looked to Ben for his input. He just shrugged helplessly and said, "I'm just her husband. I don't get a say." He looked Liz in the eye and said, "Unless I think you're endangering yourself or the baby. If it comes to that I do have a say."

Liz patted his hand and said, "Whatever you say, honey."

Labor pains started at 11:05.

Liz continued to protest going to the hospital. She was a nurse and knew what gas pains felt like.

"Do you know what dilatation feels like too?" Sheila demanded. "Girl, that baby's coming and you don't have a say in it."

"But," Liz started protesting weakly.

"No Liz," Ben said. "Honey, I love you but this is getting unreasonable. We're going to the hospital now."

Of course it wasn't as simple as that. The question of what vehicle turned into how many vehicles because everyone wanted to go.

"No," Seth said taking command of the fiasco. His deep, parade ground voice instantly stopped everyone in their tracks."Everyone isn't going. Someone needs to stay here and watch the ranch. Ben, you drive your Rambler. Sheila and Liz can get all the way in the back. The back end of that station wagon is big enough to play basketball so we can make them comfortable. Martha, Sean and Udit can ride with you. Pete, BB and Susan can ride with me in the me in the Bronco. Ava and Pappy, guard the ranch." Everyone started moving to their assigned places.

"Susan should ride with us too," Martha said. "I can help guard in the Rambler but Susan will be a lot more help if the baby comes before we get to the hospital."

"She will," Sean said. "She'll be born at noon."

"Stop saying that," Liz protested weakly.

"Good idea," Seth continued ignoring Liz's protests.

"You've got to teach me how to do that," Sean said to Seth in admiration as they hurried to the vehicles.

"Nope," Seth said. "There's only one way to get that training and you don't just learn it. You work for it."

"Udit," Pappy called and trotted up the Shaman before he could get in the back seat of the Rambler Station Wagon. "Do you know how to use one of these?" he asked holding out the rifle.

"I've shot one a few times," Udit said with a smile.

"A few thousand times," BB corrected from beside the Bronco.

"We need extra pillows for Aunt Liz," Sean said. "It's going to be a rough ride to town."

Ava walked up with a double arm full of pillows. "Just because you're a Wizard doesn't mean that you're the only one that knows what to do," she commented.

Sean motioned for Udit to follow him and walked over the Seth. It would be several minutes before Liz would be settled to the women's satisfaction. When Udit arrived Sean said, "Something's going to happen on the way to town. I'm not sure where, but I know something will happen. Poppa, can you lead?" At Seth's nod Sean continued. "I'll ask Ben to stay back enough so that we're not involved with anything that happens to the Bronco. I'll be close enough to help you though. Be careful. Expect anything because anything can happen. And Poppa, I think we need to stop when we're attacked. I'm pretty sure we'll be forced to stop anyway by something but if we stop before we are forced to it will leave them out of position. Okay?"

"Okay son," Seth said. "You be careful too. I love you."

"I love you too Poppa," Sean said and hugged him. He released Seth after a moment and said, "Don't go to fast. It will give them more time to react to us but it will give us more time to react to them too. They might be expecting us to be coming real fast so a slow speed may throw off their timing too. Keep Lightning with you. He'll bark when you're close to the ambush and you can get ready."

"Good idea, son," Seth replied before clapping him on the shoulder and getting in the Bronco.

"Are you sure, Sean" Udit asked as they walked back to the Rambler.

"One hundred percent," Sean replied as he held the back passenger door open for Udit. "I saw it in the Dream. I just couldn't tell where we will meet them on the road."

Martha got in the front passenger seat of the station wagon with a rifle and a shotgun.

"You're loaded for bear," Ben joked nervously. He twitched when Liz moaned her way through another contraction from the back.

"No," Martha said. "I'm loaded for Brujos," she corrected Ben.

"Do you really think we'll see Brujos on the way to the hospital," Ben asked.

"You haven't been paying attention," Martha said in a scolding tone. "That's what Sean has been saying all along, and here we'll be on a deserted road. You haven't watched him this morning either. We're going to have trouble on the way to town, aren't we Sean?" she asked over her shoulder.

Sean scooted forward and confirmed, "We'll have trouble. You two need to wear your seat belts today. It will be safer. Udit and I will too. The extra pillows should protect Aunt Liz and Aunt Sheila and Aunt Susan. I've already talked to Poppa. He's going to lead us but not too fast. They'll expect us to be driving fast so driving slow may throw off their timing and it will give us more time to react."

"Won't they be in more danger, being in the lead?" Martha asked with a frown.

"Yes," Sean said simply. "Driving point will put them in a lot more danger but the priority, my priority is to protect Megan. With them leading and keeping a slower pace, I can protect them too. Besides, they have Lightning with them. I can let them know through Lightning when to get ready."

Ben looked over his shoulder and gave Sean a strange look. "Just how aware is that dog?"

"Enough to give me reason to question the definition of humanity," Sean replied. He didn't explain all the other reasons he questioned that particular definition.

Ben followed Seth's Bronco onto the main dirt road and started dropping back to stay out of the dust. It was 11:38 when the ranch disappeared in the dust behind them.

"Stay within three or four car lengths," Sean instructed Ben. "We need to be close enough to help them."

Sean tapped into the water in the canteen at his waist and started casting his mind ahead of the small convoy. A tendril of thought formed a funnel of air that pulled the dust away so they could keep a clear view of the Bronco. It was hard to concentrate on the road ahead with the moans and cries from Liz behind him.

"We're not going to make it to the hospital," Sheila announced.

"Well," Sean said with a distracted note to his voice. "I did say the she would draw her first breath at noon." He drew more energy from the water and let his mind look at the whole road between them and the hospital, and saw nothing.

"Something's wrong," Sean muttered as he pulled his awareness back and focused on the several hundred yards ahead of the Bronco.

"What's wrong," Udit asked quietly. No one but Sean could hear him over Liz's panting cries.

"I looked at the road all the way to Prescott and didn't see them," Sean muttered over the sound of Liz having another contraction and the clatter of a wooden bridge they were crossing before starting up another hill. "I should be able to feel them. I can feel the people in Prescott, but no people between here and there."

"Maybe they won't attack until we get to Prescott," Udit said quietly.

Sean shook his head as he expanded his focus to include the canyon on the other side of the ridge they were climbing. "It will be before we get to Prescott."

"Is it possible for them to block you from seeing them?" Udit asked.

Sean's eyes widened in alarm and he pushed his awareness out further. "It guess it is possible," Sean said. "Anything's possible but, how would they do it?"

"I don't know," Udit said just a little sarcastically as he searched the side of the ridge they were climbing. "I'm not a Mage. But, assume they can mask themselves in some way. If it were only one or two it would be easy. If they are more than just two or three and they had large animals with them it would be much harder."

Sean nodded and said, "Because it takes a lot more energy to split consciousness for different tasks."

"So, what would your scan look like if it encountered a blockage like that?" Udit asked as he continued searching the driver's side of the vehicle.

They topped the ridge line and the road followed the crest for a couple of hundred yards before it descended into the broad, shallow canyon. The way was a twisting switch back of a road down the side of the ridge. Massive stands of prickly pear cactus covered the sides of both ridges bordering the canyon. Their red fruit hung in startling contrast to the bright green of the pads. The pads themselves were still thick and heavy with the moisture stored from spring rains. An occasional century plant raised a banner twenty feet and more in the air and crowned by a brilliant purple seedpod. Thick clusters of cholla or what is commonly known as jumping cactus covered the lower slopes of the ridges. The canyon floor was choked with Mesquite and Palo Verde trees. Both species sported thorns between an inch and two inches long. The Palo Verde were marked by their brilliant, light green foliage offset by bright yellow flowers.

"Good," Sean thought absently. "Everyone got plenty of water this spring and the water is close enough to the surface for the Palo Verde to bloom," as his mind continued to search for the ambush he knew was coming. It was 11:46 when they started down the ridge

"If they had to many to block individually, they would need to block an area instead," Sean said quietly to Udit.

Udit nodded thoughtfully as he continued searching. "So, what would that look like when you scan?" he asked.

"I'm not sure," Sean replied slowly. They were almost to the bottom of the canyon. The Bronco was just a one more hairpin turn, about a hundred feet from the floor of the canyon.

A bird flew from a tree beside the road that crossed the canyon. Sean hadn't felt the bird until it rose above the trees.

"They're in the bottom of the canyon," Sean yelled and sent to Lightning at the same time. The road traveled along a low bank that was the result of a long ago flood before it dropped into the creek bed that formed the canyon. Sean used his sticky shield to stop the Bronco before it left the bank so they were still above the floor of the canyon.

"The whole road along the bottom of the canyon is shielded," Sean called as he franticly looked for their enemy. "I can't sense anything along the road. I need to get out. I need to touch the ground." It was 11:55 AM.

Sean drew deeper on the water in his canteen and wrapped the Bronco and the Rambler in shields of air as he opened his door. The floor of the canyon exploded upward as a towering rock wall rose from the ground to block the road. Bullets started hitting the air wall Sean had around the Bronco.

"No Sean," Udit yelled as Sean stepped out of the Rambler. His shout was drowned out by Liz's scream of pain.

"I can see the head," Susan yelled to no one in particular.

Sean's foot touched the ground and a knife of air passed between his hand and his side, slicing his canteen in two pieces lengthwise. He felt more than saw a club of air aimed at him and he deflected it, but his shield faltered around the Bronco and he heard bullets pinging off the metal. It was 11:56 AM.

Sean felt a moment of panic. The only water he had available was soaking into his jeans and running down his leg. It wasn't much but hopefully it would be enough. He deflected another club of air and noted the direction it was coming from. The shield he had around the Bronco failed. He didn't know someone could cut a shield like that. A barrage of bullets slammed into the Bronco and around the running form of a dog as Lightning raced back to his side. His dog whirled to face his attackers and Sean rested his hand in its familiar position on Lightning's ruff.

Reaching into the soil, Sean followed the threads of life through roots towards the source of those clubs of air and found her. He started to form his own club when he was distracted by the yowl of a mountain lion. Two large Puma's were running down the road towards his family. Sean didn't even try to control them. He hit their sleep centers with a burst of energy and both cats plowed face first into the ground, asleep. It was 11:57 AM.

Sean sent out a summons for birds and they responded. Hundreds of birds from cactus wrens to hawks rose from the trees and cactus on both sides of the canyon and descended on Sean's attackers. Sean felt Seth's pain as he was hit by a bullet. The continuing pain and anger from Seth was welcome because it meant he was still alive. But it made Sean very angry.

The boy couldn't remember being really angry before. He had read about it and the fighting rage the Vikings once used in their battles. Udit had talked about how anger could cloud judgment and destroy reason in a battle. Sean didn't feel like his judgment was clouded and his reason felt perfectly reasonable to him. These people had killed his mother and father. Now they hurt his Poppa and wanted to hurt his Momma. A cold, bone deep anger washed through him and he drew power. The water from the sliced canteen was exhausted and he pulled power from the moisture in the cacti that covered the walls of the canyon. He reached into the earth and touched the water that was seeping below the surface of the canyon floor. It was 11:58 AM.