The Rise of the Omarlo Clan. Rosylan McCallum

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СКАЧАТЬ in a spell. Things going okay over by your way?” said Mrs. Moran as she fanned herself. “Hummmm, wonder what brought you around today. I sure know it was not interest in helping Jared or concern about my comings and goings,” she said with a mischievous smile.

      Collin immediately assured her that all was well with Drak and the farm and that they always cared about all of the Morans. Johan added that they had been out running since early morning and just happened by this way on their way back home. Laughing at their expressions, she told them that they had missed the objects of their interest by several hours. She told them that her daughters were with their father who had set out for the Talcot farm.

      More sightings in the sky had been reported as coming from old man Talcot’s place. People were talking about what Talcot was up to. Since Talcot was something of a recluse, people had asked her husband to approach him. They wanted to find out if Talcot was aware of these sightings or had information as to what was going on. Over the years, Talcot seemed to be most tolerant with her husband, more so than with anyone else in the area.

      Jonas Moran told his wife that though he put no stock into the rumors that were going around, he felt obligated to check into the situation. He and Talcot did have a certain respect for one another, and he wanted to make certain Talcot was in fact okay. The girls asked to go along as company and for the adventure of it. They were curious about old man Talcot.

      Mrs. Moran did add that she was sure if her daughters had known that they would be stopping by, both would have stayed home. She was sure her daughters would be sorry that they had missed them. Johan and Collin took this all in while Johan sent to Drak. They thanked Mrs. Moran for the tea and took their leave.

      <Well, did you receive all of it? >

      <Yes. Come straight home. We have things to discuss. After all of this time, I had thought that nothing would change our way of living. Seems I was wrong > sent Drak.

      Johan and Collin entered the house some time later and headed straight toward the bathrooms. Drak called out that by the time they finished and dressed, Anya would have food waiting for them out on the enclosed back porch. Drak watched as Anya bustled about and was reminded as always of the circumstances of her coming into their lives. He could not imagine having done as well without her. Her efforts were wholly responsible for the home atmosphere that he shared with her and the boys.

      Their house had a twenty-five-square-foot great room, which contained a fireplace and two large sofas facing each other at one end and a large pool table, chair, and small writing desk at the other. Large picture windows on two sides of the walls lit the area during the day and recessed lights in the ceiling lit the area at night.

      Drak finished eating and went into the great room. He sat on one of the sofas to read while the twins finished getting washed and dressed. He heard them going out to the porch to eat. He looked up when they dropped down on the sofa opposite him. They had finished eating in record time and had left Anya to clean up.

      Drak marked his place in the book and closed it, saying, “Before you give me your theories about what is going on, let me say this, I have kept a record of all of the times we heard of reports of sightings near old man Talcot’s farm. Most of the reports, we were responsible for. They occurred during flying practice. I have never had an opportunity to speak to him, but I have questioned some who have when I go to town. Talcot has been a fixture in the area for the last fifteen years. Seems he arrived a year before we did. He is retired, and his farm is not active. He tends to stay to himself. He is known to be a fair but very private old man, which is why he does not bother us as a neighbor. I am worried about the latest reports that occurred during the past two weeks. We did not cause them.”

      The twins looked at each other. For as long as they could remember, Drak never expressed fear or worry. Two sets of eyes watched him. He seemed to be trying to come to a decision about what to say next.

      Johan spoke up, “You said that we were not the cause, so that leaves the planetary guard. Maybe they were flying maneuvers in our area. It’s easy enough for them to conduct nighttime flight training. Has any one cleared it with them?”

      Collin was listening to his brother but also kept an eye on Drak. He could just barely sense the conflicting thoughts in Drak. Drak had lowered his blocks. Collin tightened his mind link to get a better grasp at what was going on. Drak however was more adept in the use of the mind link. The attempt by Collin caused the blocks to be reinstated, temporarily diverting Drak from his meditative thoughts. Now he sensed that Johan had joined his brother in creating a stronger mind link to him. Anya chose that moment to enter the room.

      There they go again, she thought. No talking, just staring at each other. She had given up wondering why they did it. Whenever she asked about it, they would laugh and say that it was a game. Then they would ask her if she wanted to play. Her reaction was to leave them alone, saying she had no time for such childish foolishness. Now that she thought about it, within the last two years, the times of finding the three engaged in the staring game had increased in frequency. Well, let them play their game, she thought. She only wanted to tell them that she would be going to her cousin’s this evening. Knowing from past experience that it would be useless to disturb them, she went to the kitchen and left a note.

      Earlier, she was sorting the dirty clothes in preparation to do laundry when she felt an urge to call her cousin. Her cousin, happy to hear from her, invited her over to go with them to see their daughter in an evening dance performance and then dinner at the local lodge. Not having seen them in some time, Anya was happy to agree to the night’s entertainments. In the note that she left for Drak, she added that she had decided as an afterthought that she would be spending the night. She would be back in the morning in time to fix breakfast.

      Looking around and seeing that everything was in order, Anya went to her room. She packed her overnight bag and returned to the kitchen window just in time to see her cousin’s truck turn onto the roadway leading to the house. She picked up her bag, blew a kiss in the direction of those whom she thought affectionately of as her guys, and left.

      They heard the door close and waited to hear the truck drive away, and they smiled at each other, knowing they had done it again. They had “suggested” through the mind link that Anya call her cousin. And as it had worked every time, her cousin was ready with plans for Anya to take a break and come for a visit.

      In a way, they felt that they were doing Anya a favor. She was such a mothering hen that if left up to her, she never would find time to spend away from the farm. Her belief was that there was something pressing that required her attention. The fact was she loved being around and doing for her “family.” As she was so fond of saying to them, “Unlike a man, a woman’s job is never done.”

      With Anya out of the way, the twins renewed their attempts to break Drak’s block.

      <Good try, but you need more time and practice> he sent to them.

      Aloud, he said, “What has been weighing heavily on my mind is the fact that there is so much that you still need to know. I have always known that this time would come, but it just arrived sooner than I anticipated.” This caused puzzled looks to be passed between the twins.

      “You know that over the years, I have insisted you study among other things the history of the Nissarian system. I had you become proficient in understanding its geography of planets. I drilled into you facts about the political environment it operates under with particular concentration on the planet Racine. This was done with a specific purpose in mind. You needed to know where you came from.”

      The twins began to feel uncomfortable. This was too unexpected. Collin said, “Come from? What . . . adopted? We are adopted?” Then his face blanched. “Kidnapped! СКАЧАТЬ