Chapter Three

“I don’t believe your friend is actually dead,” Rex said into the darkness. 

“How can that be?” Olga gasped.

“My connection wasn’t really all that clear,” he admitted, “but, I got the distinct impression that he was alive and not a spirit.”

“Do you think he was using telepathy too, then?” Ari asked.

Rex nodded.  Then, realizing that no one could see his nod, he followed with,  “Yes.” 

“What makes you think that?” Felix asked as he stepped closer toward where he thought Rex to be.

“It’s more of a gut feeling, than anything else,” Rex said. “I could be wrong since I’m not used to communicating like that, but I got the feeling that he was struggling to connect with me like a human would and not a spirit.”

“I’m no expert on the dead,” Kendra said, “but I can’t imagine that you die and instantly become this all- knowing, all-seeing guru kind of spirit.  Maybe things have to be learned then as well.”

“I won’t argue that, my love,” Rex said with a hint of affection in his voice. “Like I said, it’s just a gut feeling and I could be wrong about it.”

Olga finally spoke.  “When you connected, did he say anything more to you other than for us to keep coming?”

“He said something about it not being safe and to come to him for protection,” Rex informed them.  “I don’t think he’s in the same place that we’re heading for.”

“We have to go to Center Land and get my son,” Kendra said with determination.

Olga reached through the darkness until her hand settled on her niece’s arm. “Of course we do, honey.  No one is negating that.”

“We don’t even know if that’s where he’s referring to, anyway,” Ari pointed out. “We have no idea where this tunnel leads. He may be telling us that it’s leading us to danger.”

“Did he, by any chance, give the direction for us to take to avoid this danger and get to him?” Felix asked.

Rex smiled with satisfaction and nodded.  Again, realizing that one could see his body movements and expressions, he said, “We’re approaching a fork in the tunnel.  We’re to go left.”

“What does right lead to?” Olga asked with curiosity.

“He just said it led to danger.  He didn’t state what kind of danger.  Just, danger,” Rex replied.

“It’s good enough for me,” Felix announced. “Maybe once we’re out of this dark hell we can get our bearings and find out where we are and where we need to go.”

“I need to be able to see again,” Ari whined. “I’d make a terrible blind person.”

“You’d adapt if you had to,” Kendra assured her.

“I pray I never have to,” Ari replied.

“Same here,” Kendra said in a low voice.

“Can we talk now that we know where to go?” Ari asked with hope in her voice.

“If you need to speak, I see no reason why you can’t,” Rex said. “Although, I warn you that I’m a novice at this and I can’t guarantee the information I come up with isn’t crap.”

“That’s reassuring,” Felix said with a tone that was a mixture of humor and annoyance.

“I have no idea how he could have lived through that mess, but I get the impression he’s right,” Olga interjected. “If he did, he could easily be connecting with us. He was trained in remote viewing by the military.”

“Remote viewing?” Kendra said with curiosity.

“My uncle mentioned that a few times while I was  growing up,” Rex offered. “They used people with visionary gifts to spy on the enemy.”

“That they did,” Olga said.

“But, they didn’t have them communicate with them,” Felix interjected.

“No,” Olga agreed.

“So, he might be having trouble communicating even though he can see us,” Felix continued.

“Exactly,” Olga said with obvious approval. “Remember that we have to be able to receive the message that he sends and none of us are very adept in that department.”

Ari grabbed Felix’s hand.  “You managed to survive.  Who’s to say he didn’t find a way as well?”

“You’re right,” Kendra said as she reached through the darkness for her husband. “Let’s get going.  I’m so eager to get out of this stuffy, dark, tunnel.”

“You and me both, sister,” Ari said, firmly, as she tugged at Felix’s hand to get him to move along.

 After suggesting that they, once again, fasten the baby onto Felix’s back so that Rex would be free to protect them if the need arose and Olga wouldn’t be burdened in the event she needed to scry in the darkness again, they quickly prepared to continued down the tunnel.

They walked no more than twenty minutes before they came to the fork in the road that Arthur had told Rex about.  When a cool breeze could be felt coming from the right side, it took a good deal of conversation and deliberation to agree to follow Arthur’s instructions and go to the left.  Rex was the most reluctant, since he wasn’t altogether sure that the information he’d gotten was correct.  Since he’d been right about the fork in the tunnel, they took a chance that he was right about the rest.

After filling their lungs several times with the fresh air that teased them from the tunnel on the right, they headed down the one on the left.

To their relief, not only did the tunnel slowly illuminate with every step they took, but they soon enjoyed the coolness of the fresh air as it swirled through the tunnel.  Its gentle caresses sparked a renewed vigor in each of them for the journey that still remained.

A loud gasp escaped Olga when they neared the end of the tunnel and the form of a tall man stood waiting for them.  Seeing her step falter, Rex placed his arm around her waist to assist her in regaining her composure as they continued walking.

When they stood mere feet from the stranger, all were silent.

“Hello, my love,” Arthur finally said in a warm and emotional voice.  “I thought you were lost to me all these years.”

“I thought the same of you,” Olga managed to choke out. “They told me that your truck was blown up.”

Arthur nodded as he held up his prosthetic hand. “I lost the lower part of my arm, but not my life.”

“Thank the gods,” Olga said in a breathy voice. “Where did you find safety?”

“Can I have a hug and an introduction before we get into that?” he asked.

Her face turned a tinge pink at being reminded of her manners. “Forgive me. We’ve lived in isolation far too long, I think.” 

Reaching for Kendra and Felix, she quickly introduced them; followed by Rex and Ari.

“This is some kind of crazy honeymoon,” Arthur chuckled.

“It’s fine,” Ari said with a shrug. “The honeymoon was Olga’s idea, anyway.  I’ve never heard of a honeymoon.  They don’t do things like that where I come from.”

“So, you won’t miss what you never knew existed, eh?” Arthur said with a raised brow.

Kendra studied the face of her aunt’s  former lover as he conversed with Ari.  His blue eyes had faded to an almost grey, but they still sparkled with life.  What was once thick, almost black hair was now salt and pepper; with it having more salt than  pepper.  His face was bronze and leathered, yet it looked like it would be soft to the touch.  His clothes were clean and in good order.  That, along with the fact that his body was well groomed, made her eager to find out where he was staying.

“Where are you staying?” she blurted out without concern for rudeness.

“Kendra,” Olga huffed. “Arthur was speaking.”

“I’m sorry,” Kendra said. “It’s just that…”

Arthur raised his hand in a gesture for her to stop apologizing. “It’s on me for not being thoughtful enough to realize that you need rest, food, and a bit of clean up.”

Olga chuckled. “That’s a polite way to put it.”

Arthur grinned. “I’m a polite guy.  Or, did you forget?”

She gave him a serious look. “I’ve forgotten nothing about you.”

“Nor I, you,” he said in a throaty whisper.