FOUNDLING: LOST AND FOUND

BY CHRISTOPHER TOILKIEN

[ part 33 ]

New and Old Schoolmates

The Cathedral was very elaborately decorated, with large stained glass windows and their aged guide, used to instructing large bored adult tourist groups actually found he was enjoying the four little girls asking pertinent questions. And he did wonder why only four innocuous young religious schoolgirls required two armed guards in constant attendance.

But they had a great time, forgetting who they were and why they were even here. And after a light lunch at the Safe House, were looking forward to the horse show. Flame even appeared calm as the limousine drove them around.

After leaving the Safe House, the Limo had to cross the Daro River at an ancient bridge. Unfortunately it just happened to be the day of the final game were the Spanish National Soccer team had just managed to beat Austria out for the last place to compete for the FAA International Soccer World Cup.

The traffic was horrendous at best, soccer fanatically dangerous at worst. When the Limo finally saw an opening and moved to get in line to cross the bridge, a Fiat charged to beat it out. Unfortunately the driver was both intoxicated and not paying attention. It slammed broadside into the armored Limo, pinning it up against a truck before bouncing off, it front quarter badly crumpled. The armored Limo with its protected motor and bulletproof tires was relatively undamaged, but the eight inebriated young men who were packed into the smaller Fiat, jumped out and began banging on the Safe Houses car doors and hood when the Driver did not exit. And their anger grew to uncontrollable bounds when Peter put the large vehicle into four wheel drive and shoved their car aside as he attempted to free the Limo from between the truck and the impacted fiat, in order to allow its doors to open.

They were a little preoccupied when Flame began freaking out as the drunks began banging on the outside of the car. She shrank into the corner of the back seat, pulling her thin little body into a ball. Her Flaming red hair started to swirl around her head and the inside of the car began to get hot.

Nuage tried to reach her, but Mary Ann and Mitsui got in the way. Then the guards, worried an electrical fire had started, opened up the rear doors electrically and Olivia, shoving her door open, unfortunately reached out and fired a single shot into the air. All the little girls in the back then started to scream.

Mary Ann and Mitsui believing that Japanese criminal mastermind had sent his men after them, and Flame fearing another kidnapping leading to more painful torture.

The driver wrenched the door beside Flame open and began pulling first Flame and then each of the screaming girls out. He saw Olivia go down fighting with four drunks and drew his own pistol as four more ran around the hood of the car, screaming obscenities. He had just yanked Nuage out, sending her sprawling onto the sidewalk with the others, and turned to fire a warning shot over the heads of the oncoming soccer hooligans when the Limo's back seat erupted into flame. Peter turned to see his four charges sprinting away down the sidewalk as his attackers approached and holstering his gun kicked the nearest in the knee to prevent him running after them.

Flame and Nuage's Adventures

Flame ran screaming straight down the wide sidewalk separating the houses built facing the river from the stone pillared and fancy wrought iron railed fence lining the walled banks. Nuage was catching up, leaving Mary Ann and Mitsui trailing behind.

Nuage had been raised at a hidden canyon walled Pueblo near the Grand Canyon. She could ride before she could walk, and ran like a deer when she could. Catching up with city bred Flame was no problem. The exhausted Flame finally dropped to her knees two city blocks from the bridge. As she had soon stopped screaming a block back, none of the pedestrians or cafe patrons sitting outside under umbrellas paid them any heed.

"Let's get out of sight by ducking into this store" Nuage said, pulling the gasping, unresisting Flame into an adult clothing store.

"May I help you?" An inquisitive salesclerk asked.

"We were supposed to meet our guide here, and we ran all the way from the bridge as we are late" Improvised Nuage.

"Well, no one has been looking for you. Are you sure you are in the correct store" She asked.

"Maybe not, can we get out this way?" Nuage inquired as she led the exhausted Flame towards the back of the store.

"Yes, but it only leads to an old alleyway" The sales lady informed the two schoolgirls.

Nuage, leading Flame walked through the rear of the store and pushing on a safety bar to unlock a rear fire door. And found themselves in a narrow, quiet alleyway between four and five story tall old buildings.

They walked towards the far end of the alley, and just before reaching the end, two rough looking men stepped out of a doorway in their path.

One lit a cigarette and as the other followed suite, said.

"And what do we have hear?"

"Two sweet little innocent schoolgirls looking for a white night to lead them to safety?" His companion said, flashing a mouth full of nicotine stained teeth.

Maybe there is a reward for their safe return?" The first suggested.

"I can think of a way we can collect a tight reward and then a financial one" The second replied, advances on the two.

Flame turned and fled back down the alleyway, Nuage right behind, but she was still winded from the initial flight away from the burning car and soon ran out of steam, bending over, hands clasping knees, breathing hard.

Nuage stopped, turned towards the advancing tough's and put up her fists Karate style.

"This one wants to fight" Nicolo, the first one said, reaching into his jacket pocket and producing a switchblade knife. He lunged playfully at Nuage's chest, and howled as she kicked him in the kneecap.

"Little bitch" He yelled and dove his blade for her face. Nuage dodged, hitting the wrist holding the knife and sending it spinning over his head. But the second man took the opportunity to move into range and sent Nuage sprawling with a backhander to the side of her head.

"I will cut up your pretty face up for that" The initial attacker swore as picking up his knife, bent down over the supine Nuage. Just as he was about to slice his razor-sharp blade across her cheek, he dropped the knife, stepped back and held his hand that had been holding the knife with the other.

"Ouch, that got really hot" He said, worried. He then staggered back a few paces, as his hands went up to his head and a scream came out of his lips. He turned and ran, followed closely by his compatriot.

Nuage took the opportunity to scramble back to her feet and saw Flame, standing a few feet away, her red hair dancing as if in a windstorm around her head.

"Nooooo" Was all she got out before Flames right hand stretched out and a basketball sized white sphere leapt out hitting the two fleeing attackers in the back. They burst into a single bright flame and were gone. Leaving a circular jagged edged black spot on the dirty surface of the alleyway.

The stench of brimstone choking her breath, was all that was left.

Nuage walked up to Flame as her hair dropped back around her shoulders.

"Did you have to do that?" Nuage said.

"Yes, dearest friend" Was all Flame replied, and reaching out gripped her right hand in Nuage's left, started to walk back down the alleyway the way they originally intended.

"And I'm supposed to prevent her doing that to one of our sisters?" Nuage said to herself as they walked hand in hand.

At the end, they looked right and left. And seeing the Cathedral perched on the hilltop to their left turned up the street and began walking towards it. They stopped to look into store windows, and sample a few proffered sweets from street vendors wishing to be kind to the two obviously lost little private school girls.

About an hour later the two found themselves in front of the same single man door they had entered that morning with their schoolmates and the two missing guards.

"What can I do for you two" The aged guide inquired as they found him before sitting behind a small desk in that little room, of the two footsore little girls.

"Well we are separated from our guards when the car we were in was involved in an accident just after lunch. Nuage told the familiar smiling face of the old tour guide .

"Really, well then I must keep you two safe until I can find a working phone and have someone arrive to take you in hand" He said standing up and opening the door leading into the Cathedral.

"Follow me and I will lead you somewhere safe" He said as he led them down a colonnaded hallway and then down a pair of stairs. You can safely wait in here," He said unlocking a solid door set in the wall.

Mary Ann and Mitsui's Adventures

Mary Ann and Mitsui were soon outdistanced by the terrified Flame and sprinting Nuage. They slowed down to a walk when they realized no one was following them and at the first side street turned left back towards the Cathedral they could see on the hill above the river.

After about half an hour's walk they arrived at the side door they had entered when they were here that morning and opening the single man sized door walked back in.

Inside was still quiet and cool. The small room was a meeting place for private tours and their mornings guide was sitting at a little table drinking some just brewed tea.

"May I help the young senioritias" He inquired.

"We got separated near the old Daro River Bridge from our guards when the car got into an accident" Mary Ann told him.

"I heard the bells of the fire brigade and police about an hour ago. That must have been your accident" He told the two. Would you like to come inside and rest?" The old man said. "I could then get to a phone and call the Police for you"

That would be very sweet of you" Mitsui replied.

The man then led them deeper into the Cathedral, along a colonnaded passageway and down a flight of stairs. "You will be safe in this small room while I go and find a phone that works" He told them unlocking the door and reaching in turned on the light. Mary Ann saw a small room with a desk and a shelf of old books inside.

"No problem, Sir" and they walked inside.

They were a bit apprehensive when he closed and locked the door behind them.

Mitsui sat on the only chair behind the desk while Mary Ann perused the old books on the shelves. Another door was set in the far wall and another light switch on the wall beside it.

"This chair is as hard as a rock" Mitsui told Mary Ann.

"And these books full of Spanish financial records over a hundred years old" Mary Ann retorted. "How long have we been in here?"

"Over half an hour" Mitsui replied.

Just then they heard the door unlock and their two missing fellow students walked in.

Back Together Again

"Well look who turned up" Said Mary Ann as the other two lost schoolgirls walked into the room.

The four school friends hugged each other and sat on the mat covered floor and exchanged stories of their latest adventures. Nuage altering theirs to just running away from the two thugs, and Flame going along with her version.

By the time their stories were done, Mitsui told the other three it had now been two hours since the first two had entered the room.

"We should try to get out," Nuage said, growing apprehensive.

"Yes the school will have guards and maybe now even the Police involved in searching for us" Flame told them.

"But that door is locked" Mary Ann said.

"Are you sure?" Replied Flame as she reached out for the doorknob.

They smelled something oily burning and then Flame turned the doorknob and the door simply opened.

She peeked out into the darkened hall to find it empty. And then they all boldly as timid church mice slowly and as quietly as they could crept up the stairs and along the corridor back to the entrance room.

"Are you sure that is all you will pay for four sweet little virgins on delivery. I told you one is oriental, one American Indian and the other two a pert red head and a mousy dirty blond. Only a Hundred thousand US for four fresh virgins in your soriglio Sheik " The old man said, as he sat at his little desk , talking on a cell phone.

The four girls were aghast at the transformation of a kindly old tour guide to an aberrant kidnapper. Three of them had already been subject to kidnapping and the painful tortures that followed.

They turned to run, only to discover four rough looking men advancing on them. Mary Ann ounce leading now trailing turned back and ran into the surprisingly strong tour guide. He wrapped his right arm around her chest, pinning her arms to her side, lifting her off the floor, and with his left brought a white handkerchief up to cover her mouth and nose. Mary Ann struggles to set herself free slowly subsided as the chloroform took its toll on her consciousness. When she went limp, he lowered her to the floor along with her three friends.

"Good capture, now bring the van around and lets get them loaded into their shipping crates" The head kidnapper told his four accomplices.