[Ranma][Fanfic] Chasing the Wind - Part 4

[J. Austin Wilde]

-Chasing the Wind-
By J. Austin Wilde
Fission Park Press

J. Austin Wilde, K.B.C.S.
Minister of Propaganda and
Super Critical Reactor Axe Man
Fission Park Press
jau...@aloha.net

Synopsis:

Upon stumbling into the middle of a scientific investigation of 'magnetic
disturbances', Ranma and Akane have their ki's thrown out of balance. This
causes them to suffer from strange nightmares, and they cannot sleep without
staying close to the other.
Hiro Ohata, now working for the scientists, learns of their predicament
and sends them on a trip to London, England to see if anything can be done to
help. The scientists are treated to an inadvertent demonstration of Ranma's
curse instead.
Ukyo, Nabiki, and Kuno are abducted by rivals of the scientists; a
Russian team led by a Doctor Casimir. They are secreted out of Japan and taken
to an unknown place. Ukyo is tortured and interrogated by Casimir's assistant
Ivan Tarchenko.
Kuno breaks free from his bonds and goes berserk on his captors. He
slaughters most of them and sends Tarchenko fleeing. Kuno and Nabiki then take
the unconscious Ukyo and escape from the dacha where they were held.

Part Four:
Nocturnes

Chapter One

Ranma smoothed a little more shaving cream on his face and looked into
the mirror. He held the razor up to his face and drew it across the skin.
Akane came into the bathroom and regarded him with a bemused smile.
"Don't cut yourself," she advised.
"Owww!!!" He cried. A little red welled up on his chin, staining the
white foam.
She laughed at him.
He turned around and gave her a scowl.
"You just _had_ to jinx me, didn't you!" He growled.
She stuck her tongue out at him. "What makes you think you have anything
to be shaving anyway?" She accused.
He turned back to the mirror and dabbled at the cut with a cloth.
"I have just enough of a beard to look bad if I don't shave it."
"What's that? Three, four hairs?"
He dabbled at the cut again, which began to sting as the foam touched it.
"Look, if you don't have anything important to say, than just leave me the
hell alone!"
"Does it have to be important?" She asked coyly.
He scowled again and brought the razor up to his face for another try.
"Yes," he replied. He carefully moved the blade across his chin and
throat.
"Then never mind," she said, and left him to his business.
He shook his head in frustration and then wiped away the remainder of the
foam. He splashed a little of the aftershave Kasumi had packed for him into
his hand. Then he slapped it against his face.
"AAAAGGGGGHHHH!!!!!!!!!"
Akane popped her head back into the bathroom as he screwed up his face in
agony and danced around with fists clenched tight.
"I was going to warn you about that, but I guess it didn't seem very
important." She told him, and then began laughing loudly at him. She ducked
back behind the door frame as he threw his towel at her, and was gone.
**Jeez! What the hell does she think she's doing barging in like that
anyway? If I tried that on her she'd slap the snot out of me and call me a
pervert or something!**
The burning passed in a few moments, throbbing only where his face was
cut. At least he had stopped bleeding. Upon closer inspection he found the cut
wasn't very big.
**I gotta do this for the rest of my life?** He thought glumly. **I'm
lucky I didn't decapitate myself. Either that or I grow a decent beard some
day and never shave again.**
He stepped out of the bathroom and into his bedroom. Akane had left his
door open, and he went to close it. He could hear her humming tunelessly in
the room next to his. The faintest touch of perfume tickled his nose, and he
sighed suddenly at the thought of her.
**Man o' man, this isn't at all what I thought it'd be like...**
He closed the door and changed into a smart looking white shirt and black
trousers. Nabiki had found just the right shade of red for his bow tie and a
sash to match. He set the sash in place and then started on the tie.
Unfortunately he had no idea how to tie the thing.
He struggled with the cursed thing for a good twenty minutes before
giving up.
He put on a short black jacket cut bolero style and opened the door.
**Maybe Akane knows how to tie it. Girls just seem to know these
things.**
He walked out into the hall. Akane was still humming to herself. He
knocked at the door.
"<Just a moment,>" Akane responded in English.
"It's me," Ranma said. "Can I come in?"
There was a long silence.
"Hello?" He asked.
The door opened. Akane was wearing one of the gowns she and Nabiki had
found on the Ginza. It was cream and gold and oh so elegant. Her neckline was
a little more daring than he would have expected from her, showing the
slightest hint of cleavage. Her bare shoulders were accentuated by elbow
length gloves. She had teased the hair about her ears into gorgeous little
wisps of blue-black.
He stopped short and just stared for a moment.
Her eyes twinkled in a smile as she drank in his reaction to her.
"What do you need?" She asked him cheerfully.
"Uhhhhh...." He replied.
She looked him over. **Everything seems all right...** She noticed what
was wrong then as he continued to stare.
"Who taught you how to tie that bow?" She asked.
"Uhh? Oh yeah!" He said, starting back to reality. "Could you help me
with this thing? I knew I should have settled for a clip-on, but Nabiki
wouldn't stand for it."
She clicked her tongue once and motioned for him to come inside.
He did so, and she drew him in close. Her perfume was as intoxicating as
her proximity. Her hands twisted at the bow, pulling and primping at it until
it acceded to her demands.
The hardest part for Ranma was keeping his eyes from her bosom. She
tugged the bow tighter about his neck and he lifted his chin to the ceiling,
flushing slightly as if he'd been caught in the act.
"Keep your eyes level so I can get this straight," she told him. She paid
no attention to his flush.
He lowered his head a little and she tugged again in a different
direction.
"That's a little better, but whatever you did before has made it a little
crooked," she said at length. She moved him back to arm's distance to get a
more complete look at him.
"You really look sharp Ranma," she declared proudly. "Crooked tie and
all."
"I feel like a penguin," he replied.
"Never mind that," she said. She stepped back and twirled around for him.
"What do you think of this?"
"Be honest?" He asked.
"Brutally, I can take it." She replied with a laugh.
"You look all right," he said off-handedly in his best dead-pan voice. He
was trying his best to sound bored.
"What?! Just 'all right'?" She shot back in surprise. "I saw that look
you gave me when I opened the door -you were _spellbound!_"
He shook his head.
"Then what was it?" She demanded.
"Jet lag," he yawned.
There was that characteristic snapping sound from inside her head.
"Oooohhhh!!! RANMA YOU ARE SUCH A JERK!!!"
She picked up a heavy upholstered chair. He bolted for the door.
"Get back here and take your medicine!" She yelled furiously.
"See you at dinner Akane!" He replied and ducked out of the room.
"Vengeance is mine!" He cackled.
Akane set the chair down with a thud. She smoothed out her dress and
touched up her hair. A wicked grin creased her pretty face.
"We shall see, Ranma Saotome. You still have to sleep tonight, and _I_
have to be there..."

Ranma hadn't run far when Hiro Ohata came up the stairs to get them. He
was wearing a black tuxedo with tails, black tie, sash, and carried a top hat.
White gloves adorned his hands.
"Where do you think you're going?" Hiro asked him.
Ranma stopped short, and cast a quick glance over his shoulder to see if
Akane was in pursuit. She wasn't, and he began to breathe easier.
"Dinner, I thought." He replied. "Nice tux by the way."
"Never mind that, where's Akane?"
Ranma looked over his shoulder again. "Hopefully she's still in her
room."
"And you aren't with her?"
"She's trying to drop a chair on my head!" Ranma exclaimed. "Would _you_
stick around?"
"She's your fiancee, you're supposed to be with her," Hiro huffed. "Even
if she _is_ trying to drop a chair on your head. You probably deserve it
anyways!"
Ranma threw up his hands. "Oh great, now you're on her side? Thanks a lot
buddy!"
Hiro caught him by the arm and started dragging him back to Akane's room.
"This is for your own good, Saotome. Kiss and make up, and let's go. Tonight
we dine by the banks of the Thames."
"We aren't eating here?"
"The Professor wants to dine out this evening. Tomorrow night we set out
for our next, ah, 'boojib hunt'. Whatever that means."
They stopped outside Akane's door.
Hiro rapped lightly upon the heavy oak. "Akane-chan? Are you in there?"
"Is that you Hiro?" Came the response.
"In the flesh," Hiro said.
"Is Ranma out there?"
Hiro looked at him; he was busy shaking his head 'no'.
"Yes he is," Hiro said with a smirk. "He has something he wants to tell
you."
"Why do you do this to me?" Ranma hissed.
"Like I said, it's for your own good." Hiro hissed back.
The door opened. Akane stepped out with a gracious smile for Hiro, and a
malicious grin for Ranma.
"Words fail to compare..." Hiro gasped as he beheld her.
She curtsied for him and turned to Ranma.
"Yes Ranma?"
Ranma took a step back.
"Uhhh... You, um, well..." He stumbled.
She narrowed her eyes at him. "Yes...?"
He worked at his bow tie nervously. "What I was gonna say was that you,
well, you know, how you look and all..."
"And how do I look?" She was eating this up, and it was all Hiro could do
to keep from laughing.
His voice lowered a bit. "You look beautiful."
Akane leaned forward, cupping a hand to her ear. "What was that? I wasn't
sure I heard that right."
Ranma cleared his throat. "You look beautiful," he repeated a little
louder.
Her eyes sparkled. "You really mean it?"
**Why do girls ask questions like that?**
He found a little more of his voice. "Of course I mean it."
She offered him her arm. He took it hesitantly at first, then stepped up
to her side when she didn't body slam him. She smiled warmly at him and all
seemed forgiven.
**Or was it? Akane can really hold a grudge.**
Hiro popped his top hat atop his head, and squared it away.
"Much better," he declared of them. "Now that wasn't so hard, was it? You
look like two lovers in springtime. So follow me my dears, the Professor
awaits us below, and I must fetch the Rolls."
He started down the stairs at a cheery gait. Ranma and Akane followed
along behind.
"I was just teasing you," she whispered to him. "It was a joke."
"Tearing open my face with a razor wasn't very funny."
"You act like you were mortally wounded or something. I can't even see
where you did it."
"That's because the aftershave closed it right up." He winced at the
thought.
"That was your own fault," she countered. "You should have known better."
"I was a little distracted by someone."
They reached the bottom of the stairs. Professor McFogg was standing in
the foyer smoking his pipe and studying the sky outside the windows. He turned
around when he heard them talking quietly.
"<Ah, what a fine couple you make!>" He observed. "<It will only take
Hiro a few moments to bring the car about. In the meantime, how are we
feeling?>"
They had both taken short naps after their initial battery of tests. They
had been given thorough physical exams, had blood drawn, provided urine
samples, and answered thousands of questions from several doctors and
psychologists. They were both worn a little thin.
"<Oh we're fine,>" Akane answered for them.
"<Splendid,>" McFogg said. "<I hope you both have hearty appetites for
this evening.>"
Akane turned her head to Ranma. "<Don't worry about him, he's a
bottomless pit.>"
Ranma rolled his eyes. "You should talk," he said quietly.
Akane elbowed him in the ribs as McFogg looked away for a moment.
The Silver Ghost rolled up into the driveway. McFogg opened the door for
Akane and Ranma and then followed them out. A servant took a few instructions
from McFogg as he left.
Hiro was playing chauffeur. He opened the door of the Rolls Royce for
them. Akane stepped in first, then Ranma and lastly McFogg. Hiro closed the
door behind them and returned to his place behind the wheel.
They drove for an hour through the countryside, eventually reaching the
river Thames. A riverside Inn just outside of Windsor was their destination.
The late spring sun still had an hour left before twilight when they left the
car with the valet.
Professor McFogg was apparently a regular at the Stratford Inn. They were
whisked to an outside table that faced along the south bank of the Thames. A
few boats were out upon the calm waters, enjoying the remaining sunshine even
though the air had begun to chill with the quickening breeze.
They enjoyed slices of apples and cheese with chilled glasses of
Chardonnay. Akane discovered that she liked the cool crisp wine; having no
taste for sake whatsoever. She drank down her glass and cajoled Ranma into
drinking just a little himself.
"Don't go getting drunk on me," Ranma warned her as he sipped from his
glass.
"Don't worry about me," she returned.
"I just don't want to have to carry you out of here."
McFogg lifted his glass to them.
"<I know it's only been a day, but how do you like England?>" He asked
them jovially.
"<I'm having a good time,>" Akane replied as jovially. The wine was
giving her new found energy. "<I thank you for bringing us! Aside from our
little problem, it's almost like a vacation.>"
McFogg's eyes gleamed for a minute. "<You like to travel, do you Akane?>"
"<Well...This is really the first time I've ever been away on a vacation.
There was this time I went to China, but I wouldn't exactly call it fun.>"
**Something to do with being kidnapped, probably.**
"<And you, Ranma?>" he asked.
"<Touring around is kinda fun. It just depends on who you travel with I
guess.>" **I don't recommend spending ten years of your life traveling with my
old man.**
McFogg tapped his hand on the table. "<I am glad you brought this up. I
will be leaving tomorrow evening on the next leg of our little search.
Fortunately the next predicted location isn't very far. Would you like to
accompany me?>"
Ranma cleared his throat. "<Um, would that affect the tests we're
supposed to be taking?>"
Akane nudged him under the table.
"<We'd love to!>" She replied.
Professor McFogg chuckled. "<It wouldn't affect the tests at all. Hiro
can have you in Cambridge by nine o'clock tomorrow and have you back by tea.
We won't leave until after supper.>"
"<Then we accept.>" She looked at him sternly. "Right, Ranma?"
Ranma nodded and downed his glass of wine.
"<Splendid!>" McFogg said, truly pleased.
"<Maybe you two could stand in the middle of the next event and it'll
cure you,>" Hiro suggested.
"<Is that possible?>" Ranma asked.
"<It is possible, but it's not something I could guarantee,>" McFogg
replied.
"<I'm willing to give it a shot.>" Ranma said.

Their entrees came; hearty cuts of prime rib and simmered vegetables with
brown rice. They enjoyed their meals with fresh baked bread and honeyed
butter. They also drank another three bottles of wine between them. The
concept of eating with silverware versus chopsticks took a little getting used
to, but Ranma and Akane managed with polite tips from Hiro and the Professor.
They were finishing supper as the last rays of the sun faded in the west.
Ranma noticed that the skies weren't as sanguine as they were in Japan. The
boats were all safely moored, and the lights of downtown London on the
opposite bank now glittered on the darkening waters of the Thames.
Well dressed late evening diners now filled every table and the place was
alive with voices and the clinking of silverware on fine Dresden china.
Waitresses lit large lamps set on wrought iron poles around the outside
tables. The lamps burned a sweet lilac scented oil and filled the Stratford
Inn with a cheery light.
"<I like to take my supper here early,>" McFogg explained to them. "<That
way I can smoke my pipe and enjoy the crowds.>"
He puffed on his pipe to emphasize his point.
Dessert came shortly thereafter; generous slabs of chocolate cake with
ice cream. Ranma accepted that his training regimen was going straight to
hell, and finished his portion with abandon. Akane didn't need any prompting
either. Her cheeks were flushed with the wine and she was a little more
effervescent than at the beginning of the meal.
Ranma was a little buzzed himself. Only Hiro and the Professor seemed
unfazed. He knew how much Hiro could drink from personal experience, and
figured McFogg for a similar tolerance to wine.
He looked with a little concern for Akane. He had never seen her drunk
before, and so what would come of it was anybody's guess. **I just hope she
isn't a violent drunk.**
As the coffee was served, Ranma looked about the Inn.
Anazali was sitting at a table only two away from their own. She looked
into his eyes with her own grey-green and winked at him. Her skin shone in
that peculiar oil on water glow by the lamp light. Her pearlescent white silk
evening gown only accented her peculiar complexion.
He quickly returned his attention to his own table. Akane was carrying on
an animated conversation with the Professor about the places he had been in
his travels. Hiro was scanning the crowds as well, no doubt as part of his
capacity as the Professor's bodyguard. Just once during the meal Ranma had
caught sight of Hiro's Sig underneath the tuxedo jacket.
He looked back to Anazali. She was still sitting there, drinking wine
with an older gentleman and laughing at his jokes. She didn't look back at
him.
Hiro nudged him.
"What's up?" He asked in a quiet voice.
Ranma started for a second. "It's probably just the wine," he replied.
"What is?" Hiro pressed.
Ranma leaned his head in Anazali's direction.
"That woman over there in the white gown."
Hiro made a casual scan of the area and laughed as if Ranma had said
something funny. Akane and McFogg paid him no mind and went on with their
conversation.
"I see her. She's pretty all right."
"That's not what I mean," Ranma corrected. "I've seen her before."
"Oh? When?"
"On the plane from Los Angeles to London."
Hiro clicked his tongue. "Interesting...You realize this is probably just
a coincidence of course."
"I don't know," Ranma said. He looked back at Anazali again, she was
still paying attention to her escort. "There's something strange about her,
and it's not just her weird skin either."
Hiro was sipping water by this point, having set his wine glass down
before dessert. "Oh yeah? Like what?"
"It's nothing I can nail down. It's just a feeling I have."
"Well don't go telling Clay anything like that, or he'll have you
evaluated for psychic powers."
"Huh?"
"Well Mister Clay is our resident parapsychologist. He's a good
scientist, always very thorough with his research I'm told, but he always puts
the weirdest spin on anything we come across."
"Like?"
"Oh I dunno. Magic, ESP, ghosts and that kind of thing."
Ranma gestured to himself. "What, you don't believe in that stuff? Look
at me, I'm a perfect example of the magic curse in action."
Hiro shrugged. "I guess you're right. I still remember that day in boot
camp when it first rained. I thought I was losing my mind when I saw you and
Ryoga change."
Akane looked over at them then.
"What was that about Ryoga?" She asked.
Ranma kicked Hiro in the shin beneath the table.
"Oh ah, we were just talking old war stories," Hiro declared. Akane
shrugged and went back to her conversation with the Professor.
"Sorry," Hiro whispered. "I forgot that she doesn't know. Anyway, about
Clay. He's a good guy and all, but because we have him on the team a few of
our backers are getting edgy. They're worried he'll only bring discredit upon
the whole project."
Ranma looked back to Anazali's table. She wasn't there, but her escort
was. He searched about for her.
"Hey, are you listening to a word I've said?" Hiro asked.
"I'm listening," Ranma replied. He saw her by the boat docks. The outside
patio had a short flight of stairs that connected to a wooden quay. "There she
is," he said at once.
"Now what?" Hiro asked.
"I'm going to go talk to her. Keep Akane's attention away from me for
awhile."
Hiro raised an eyebrow. "What for?"
"She gets insanely jealous for no reason, and she's just a little drunk.
Who knows what'll happen if she sees me talking to Anazali."
Akane sneezed.
"<Bless you my dear,>" McFogg offered. "<Are you coming down with a
chill?>"
Akane looked at Ranma. He smiled for her benefit.
"<No. I'm all right,>" she replied in slightly slurred English. She took
a sip of water and asked McFogg to continue.
"Anazali, huh? You're on a first name basis?" Hiro asked in a whisper.
"Just shut up about it and do as I ask," Ranma hissed. "I won't be long."
"Yes Corporal Saotome," Hiro said with a smart-assed grin.
Ranma excused himself under the pretense of visiting the restroom. He
slipped out of sight in the crowds and worked his way around to the other side
of the patio. From there he made his way to the quay.
Anazali was standing there by the water's edge, watching the lights of
the city against the Thames.
"I was wondering when you would get around to visiting me," she said in
Japanese with her back still to him.
"What are you doing here?" He asked.
"Why the same as you," she offered. She turned around to face him. "I'm
simply enjoying a late dinner and the cool spring evening air."
"You're not trying to follow me or something?"
Anazali laughed softly, a sound rather pleasant to hear. "Paranoia
doesn't become you, Ranma!" Her voice changed tone, becoming low and serious.
"And if I was, do you think I would tell you?"
He thought about her words for a moment before speaking. "Why did you
leave me so suddenly when we were in the lounge?" He asked her. "Why couldn't
I find you afterwards in the cabin?"
"You must not have looked very hard," she countered. "Or maybe I didn't
wish to be seen."
Ranma wasn't buying this. "What do you want with me?"
She laughed again. "Who said anything about wanting something with you?"
She regarded him with her fiery grey-green eyes. "I admit you're a handsome
fellow, but I do hold vows of betrothal as binding. And you have a very lovely
fiancee!"
"I didn't vow anything," Ranma replied, surprised at himself for being so
uncomfortable with the idea.
She cocked her head at him in surprise.
"Oh? You do not love her?"
"I never said that," he retorted.
"Than you _do_ love her."
"Yes."
She reached out with her hand and touched his cheek. She moved with such
a grace and fluidity that he was too surprised to react. Her fingers were warm
against his flesh.

"Than it amounts to the same thing," she said to him. "The truest love is
trust, and what is trust but a vow never broken."
She let him ponder her words a moment, withdrawing her hand to her side.
"Your friends are getting ready to leave," she said to him. "Perhaps you
should join them before they start looking for you."
He turned to look back to the patio. Hiro was helping Akane to her feet,
and the Professor was already standing.
When he returned his gaze to Anazali she was gone. Vanished. There were
two ways off the quay: into the water, or past him. He hadn't felt her slip by
him, nor had he heard a splash.
He looked around in confusion.
**How the hell did she do that?**
Anazali's whispered voice reached his ears. "You won't find a cure at
Maes Howe, but you will be on the right path."
He spun a full circle. The voice sounded so close she could have been
leaning next to him. The quay was deserted save for him.
He returned to the patio. Hiro was helping Akane, who was having a little
trouble standing on her own. The Professor was chatting with an acquaintance
while they waited.
He took Akane from Hiro, who winked at him and started off to collect the
car from the valet. The Professor broke away from his chat and suggested that
they should make for the car. Ranma had no problems with that idea.
Akane was a little giggly and off balance, not exactly what he was
expecting out of her state, but better that than some belligerent shrew. He
took her arm firmly in his and steadied her out of the Stratford, checking
over his shoulder every now and then for a sign of Anazali. There was none.
"Oh Ranma," she whispered breathily, so breathily he could smell the
wine. "You're th' best."
"And you're drunk," he retorted. "I warned you."
"Thas' okay," she said with a giggle. "'Cause I luv ya anyway."
She kissed him on the cheek and nearly fell over in the process.
He steadied her as Hiro opened the door for them. The Professor chuckled
something to Hiro, who chuckled in reply. Ranma set Akane inside the car and
sat down beside her.
"She seemed fine until she tried to stand up," Hiro remarked.
"A good Cabernet Sauvignon will do that, Hiro." McFogg explained with
another chuckle.
Ranma failed to see the humor.
**Oh man, I hope she doesn't get sick,** he thought as she lay her head
in his lap.
The Silver Ghost took them towards Aldershot, and home. The ride was
quiet with Akane drowsing in Ranma's lap. Hiro and McFogg traded various
anecdotes concerning intoxication, but soon fell to silence along the narrow
winding road that led to the former airfield.
They finally reached the estate just before midnight. Akane was a little
more alert, and showed some sign of sobering up. She got out of the car
without assistance, which made Ranma feel a little more at ease.
The Professor bade them goodnight and took his leave of them.
Hiro looked at the two. Akane seemed a little better. Ranma a lot worse.
"I'll be going to bed now," Akane announced. She started walking across
the foyer to the stairs.
"You okay?" Ranma asked her.
"I'm fine," Akane replied. "The wine just hit me a little faster than I
thought it would. I'm okay now."
"I'll be up in a minute," he said to her. He turned to Hiro. "I'm beat. A
nice soft bed sounds pretty good right now."
"And how. I have to get you two to Cambridge tomorrow morning."
Ranma waved goodnight.
"Hey Ranma?" Hiro asked.
"Yeah?"
"What happened with you and you-know-who?"
"It's too weird to try and explain right now. I'll tell you in the
morning."
"I'll remind you if you don't," Hiro said with a grin. "Goodnight,
Ranma."
"Goodnight, Hiro."

Needless to say, Ranma quickly caught up with Akane on the stairs. He
helped her the rest of the way, and together they reached the third floor.
Once again the old question remained.

"Your room or mine?" He asked her.
It took a moment for her to understand what he was asking.
"We'll try my room again," she replied.
He opened the door to her room. Starlight filtered through the window.
The sky was clear and black, the moon not due to rise for another four hours.
The meadow was still and dark beneath him.
Akane began to remove her gown. Ranma decided he should probably step out
onto the balcony for a few minutes and let her change. He opened the doors to
the balcony and stepped outside. The breeze was cool but not uncomfortable.
The fresh air swept away the last of his own fuzzy headedness that wine had
brought upon him.
He thought about Anazali and her cryptic parting words.
**Maes Howe? What's Maes Howe? I won't find a cure there but I'll be on
the path?**
He was startled by Akane's hands closing around his chest from behind.
"You should get out of these you know," she said quietly.
She began to pull his jacket off. He slipped his arms out of the sleeves
for her. She brought her hands around his neck and loosened his bow-tie. He
pulled it the rest of the way off and she went to work at the buttons of his
shirt. He slipped it off and let it fall to the floor.
His heart began to pound in his chest as she unwrapped the sash from his
waist. He turned around and she was standing there in a little white chemise.
Her skin glowed in the starlight.
He found himself taking her close to him. She ran a hand over his bare
chest and nuzzled in against his neck. Her breasts were pressed firmly against
him as she lifted her face to his.
He kissed her lightly at first, then again more deeply. They circled
their arms about each other as she opened her mouth for him. Breaths they
stole when they could, and their hands roamed with abandon.
Of course right before they could get any more serious than heavy kisses
was when the Catalina PBY hurtled thirty feet over the McFogg estate; it's
huge twin supercharged Pratt and Whitney radial engines howling hell-bent for
leather. The whole mansion shook with the Catalina's passing. The amphibious
aircraft wallowed into a shallow turn and flared out above the meadow runway
for a landing.
The mood was utterly shattered. Akane was fairly close to shaking with
fright. Ranma was so frustrated he wanted to scream.
By this point dogs were barking, people yelling, lights coming on, doors
slamming and other sights and sounds of mass confusion as well. The loudest
voice of them all however belonged to Professor Balthazar McFogg:

"GODDAMN YOU HEIRONYMOUS DURANGO!!! WHEN I SAID MORNING I MEANT DAMN
BLOODY DAYLIGHT!!!"

Chapter Two

"How are you feeling, Ukyo?" Nabiki asked her.
Ukyo shut her eyes against the sunlight again. "I ache everywhere," she
said. "My skin feels like it's burning. My head feels like one of Kuno's split
melons."
She tried opening her eyes.
"Oww! Everything's so bright."
Nabiki placed a stream cooled rag over Ukyo's brow, what had once been
her gag. She winced as the cloth touched her hypersensitive skin. Kuno kept
silent watch over them, his sword held at low guard.
"Where are we? How did we escape?" Ukyo asked.
"I'm not sure," Nabiki began. "We might be in Russia."
"Russia...?"
Nabiki cast her eyes over to Kuno, who maintained his stoic vigilance.
"Kuno snapped his handcuffs and fought them off with his sword." Nabiki
explained. Fortunately Ukyo had been spared the grisly sight. "You've been
unconscious for about five hours now, I think."
Ukyo tried to open her eyes again, shading them with her hand.
"Really? The last thing I remember is being locked in the attic. Owww...
What did they do to us?"
Nabiki wasn't sure how she should answer.
"They drugged us pretty badly for the trip from Japan I guess. You must
be extra sensitive to whatever they used on us."
"Yeah, I've got a burn on my arm. I don't remember doing that at all...
You say Kuno snapped his handcuffs?"
Nabiki nodded. "Yeah, it was pretty impressive."
Ukyo scanned her surroundings with shaded eyes. They were hidden in a
little copse of trees in a narrow valley. Green hills surrounded them. A
little stream bubbled pleasantly close by.
"So now what are we doing?" She asked.
"For the moment we're running. I'm pretty sure that after our escape they
will want us dead. We're going to head west for now, maybe we can find a town
and get some help."
"So they, whoever they are, are looking for us?"
"If they aren't now, they will be. Kuno didn't exactly _frighten_ them
off with his sword; and they'll probably want revenge."
Ukyo looked at Kuno for a moment in surprise. The kendoist said nothing,
merely stood there meditating upon something.
"What do we have to fight back with, if we have to?"
Nabiki gestured to Kuno. "We have his sword." She withdrew the little
Marakov 7.65mm pistol she had found in the dacha. "And we have this.
Unfortunately I don't have the slightest idea how to use it. I guess we could
bluff if we have to."
Kuno looked over to them, eyeing the pistol.
"Nabiki Tendo, wherever did you find that?" He asked in surprise.
"I found it lying on the floor," Nabiki replied.
"May I see it?" Kuno asked.
Nabiki handed him the pistol. "Sure thing Kuno-baby. You probably know
more about guns than me."
Kuno studied the pistol for a moment. After a moment he discovered the
magazine release and dropped the clip into his hand. He pulled back the slide,
ejecting a round in the process. The slide remained locked back. He checked
the bore clear and sighted down the weapon's muzzle.
"We have but one magazine for this?" He asked.
Nabiki nodded her head. "I didn't want to spend any more time searching
for another one."
Kuno retrieved the ejected round from the ground. He brushed it off and
studied it. It was a crude version of a hydra-shok hollowpoint.
"Then it shall have to be sufficient," he said at length. "With the
element of surprise favoring us I could prevail against opponents employing
firearms. I do not think even I could do so again without such fortunes. This
shall be our equalizer."
He handed the pistol back to Nabiki.
"Hey Kuno-baby, I already said I didn't know how to use this."
"Than I shall instruct you in the ways of firearms," he replied.
He took back the pistol and pointed out each operating component for her:
magazine release, trigger, thumb safety, slide release, hammer. He squeezed
the stray round back into the magazine. Then he slapped the magazine into the
pistol.
"The weapon is now loaded," he began. "But it is not ready to fire. First
you must chamber a round into the breech."
He placed her hands on his and released the slide. The pistol cycled with
a well worn feeling.
"To chamber a round with the slide in the ready position you must pull it
back as far as it will go, then release it. This will chamber a round and move
the hammer to the firing position. From this point all you must do is aim and
squeeze the trigger."
"If you say so. Now how do you unload it?"
Kuno removed the magazine. "The magazine is no longer in the weapon, but
it is still ready to fire with a round in the chamber. You must carefully pull
the slide back to eject the round." He did so. "Check the bore clear like so."
He showed her, and she peered down into the black empty bore.
He handed her the pistol and made her cycle it several times unloaded to
get a feel for it. Then he handed her the magazine and instructed her to load
it, but not chamber a round.
Nabiki did so. It wasn't as difficult as she thought it would be.
"Not bad," Ukyo observed from the grass.
"Keep the pistol loaded but not chambered," Kuno advised. "We must only
use it when absolutely necessary. However when the time comes, you must
chamber the round and hold the pistol like this."
He put his hands out as if he were holding a pistol. Nabiki did the same
with the Marakov.
"Aim as if the pistol was the end of your finger. Point your weapon as if
you were pointing your finger. Apply an even squeezing pressure on the trigger
until the weapon discharges. The slide will kick back, so take care to keep
the web of your thumb and forefinger low enough on the grip. When the slide
moves forward, you are ready to fire again. If the slide locks back, you are
out of ammunition."
Nabiki practiced squeezing the trigger. "How many shots do I get?"
"Nine," Kuno replied.
"Guess I better make them count."
Kuno pointed to his chest. "Aim for the center of the body. Place two
shots into your target, no more."
Nabiki frowned. "Couldn't I just bluff them?"
"Absolutely not!" Kuno barked. Nabiki flinched at his outburst. His voice
softened as he explained: "The moment you have drawn your weapon you have
committed yourself to use it. Your enemies will assume you intend to shoot
them whether you intend to or not. Therefore they will try to kill you at any
opportunity. Thus you must kill them first."
Nabiki looked down at the pistol in her hands. It seemed very cold and
ugly to her.
"I'm not sure I can do that," she said at length.
Kuno rested a hand upon Nabiki's shoulder.
"The way of a warrior is never easy, Nabiki Tendo. If you wish, I shall
take up the pistol; though it would be foolish to halve the number of weapons
we had at our disposal."
Nabiki returned her gaze to the Marakov.
"I'll keep it," she said grimly. "You'll do us more good swinging your
sword."
Kuno looked sternly into her eyes. "Do not hesitate when the time comes,
Nabiki Tendo. To hesitate would mean your death, and that I do not desire a
whit."
She tried to smile for him. "Neither do I, Kuno-baby."
Kuno seemed satisfied with her resolve. "We must make haste, for the foe
will surely be searching for us now."
Nabiki tucked the pistol into her jeans behind her back. She helped Ukyo
to her feet, and they started off down the valley. Ukyo was still feeling
nauseous, and her eyes were still very light sensitive. The way was slow for
them.
The narrow valley ended abruptly in a steep hillside as the sun neared
the horizon. Nabiki estimated they had traveled about twenty kilometers that
day, and it was either waste time backtracking or try to scale the slope. Ukyo
and Kuno weren't fond of backtracking, as it would only put them closer to
their pursuers.
"Up the slope it is then," Nabiki said. She led the way.
The climb was roughest on Ukyo, who was still weak and nauseous. Kuno
steadied her as she climbed, seeming absolutely tireless. By the top of the
hill he was supporting both Ukyo and Nabiki.
The sun was just dipping behind a range of distant mountains in the west.
Below them were more rolling hills and great expanses of forest. There were no
signs of civilization; not a road, house, or anything to be seen.
"I'd kill for a map right now," Nabiki said tiredly.
"We shall find our way in time," Kuno offered. "For now let us seek
shelter for the night and rest ourselves. Fair Ukyo wanes like the setting
sun."
Ukyo was bent double at the knees panting for breath.
"Boy, whatever they gave me sure took the wind from my sails," she huffed
in exhaustion. "Sorry about this."
"It's not your fault Ukyo," Nabiki soothed. "Hey, it's all down hill from
here."
Ukyo flashed them both a 'V' with her fingers and started down the hill.
Nabiki followed after her, and Kuno walked drag. He looked over his shoulder
upon occasion to spot any pursuers. There was no sign.

* * *

Ivan Mikhailyvich Tarchenko returned to the dacha after Kuno, Nabiki, and
Ukyo had fled. The sights within were beyond even his grim expectations. After
stepping gingerly through the carnage (especially the bloody mess that was
Anatole), he discovered Dmitri wailing upstairs with two broken collarbones,
and he found Fyodor unconscious on the floor. He left Fyodor to look after
Dmitri until he could send help for them. In the meantime he had other
concerns. Like finding his three captives and killing them. The vehicles were
all disabled, and the phone line was cut. He would have to go on foot.
He tried thinking back to that moment when they'd escaped him. He was
certain that he'd seen the man still wearing the bracelets of his handcuffs as
he attacked with his sword. That meant he had broken the chain from behind his
back.
**Clearly I underestimated them,** he observed grimly. **That is not a
mistake I will make twice.**
He reached the airfield after a good walk through the woods.
At the airfield he dispatched a team of four men, heavily armed, to take
a helicopter and search for the three fugitives. There wasn't much fuel to
spare for the helicopter, but he felt the expenditure was necessary. The
team's instructions were clear: find the fugitives and kill them. Return with
their remains.
He made a few phone calls as well. The local authorities were alerted to
three foreign nationals of Japanese origin, who were engaged in acts of
espionage against the Ukraine. The three were to be considered armed and
extremely dangerous. A call went to nearby Odessa to alert the maritime
patrols, what were once part of the KGB directorate, and thus loyal to him.
They would keep the three from escaping by boat across the Black Sea into
Turkey or perhaps Romania.
The last call he made to Doctor Casimir, who was in St. Petersburg
working on a corrected solution for their model.
"Ah Vanya, how is Odessa?" Casimir asked cordially.
"Odessa is the same as always, Doctor."
"You must have interesting news to be calling me in St. Petersburg,"
Casimir observed.
"Yes Doctor. I may have a very good lead on McFogg's activities."
There was a pause.
"Go on," Casimir said finally.
"Professor McFogg may have two Wayfinders in his company."
"What?!"
"Yes Doctor, two Wayfinders. They inadvertently exposed two youths to the
nexus flux as it opened."
"So the next event _was_ Tokyo..." Casimir said quietly. "Go on about
these Wayfinders, Vanya."
"The two appeared fine upon initial examination, however I discovered
that they began experiencing precognitive dream states, and that their
essences had been altered by exposure. They are now co-dependent upon each
other for continued well being. Does this sound familiar Doctor?"
There was another long pause.
"Doctor?" Ivan asked again.
"Yes Vanya, you know it does. Those are exactly the conditions my father
described when he coined the term Wayfinder in 1905."
"The Revolution of 1905, as I recall." Tarchenko added.
"Those were unfortunate times," Casimir replied. "I am only too glad to
have been born after them. 1905 of course was when my father convinced
Nicholas to fund the first search."
"Yes, Doctor. I am well aware of that."
"Well don't keep me in suspense Vanya, where are these two?"
"In London. With Professor McFogg at his estate I'm told. They seem to
think he can 'cure' them of their condition."
"Nonsense," Casimir spat. "Balthazar can no more do that than he can
raise the dead. No, I think I know what he plans to do with them... He plans
to use them to find the end of this merry chase. The Heart of the World."
"Yes, Doctor. I am inclined to agree. Shall I increase the surveillance
upon McFogg's team?"
"Yes of course. But don't do anything rash, Vanya. I know you are eager
to solve this puzzle, but we must proceed cautiously. We are dealing with
forces beyond our feeble imaginations."
"I understand perfectly Doctor. Good day to you, sir."
"Good day, Vanya."
Ivan Tarchenko hung up the phone and smiled to himself.
**Such caution is for weak-willed fools, Doctor. The Heart of the World
cannot be gained by timid action. The Wayfinders are the key, and they must
serve me if they are to be of any use. Now if only I can tidy up this business
Fyodor has left me...**

* * *

" 'Oh for a muse of fire!' "Kuno cried after their latest failure to get
any of their kindling to burn.
Nabiki threw up her hands in disgust. A child of the city she was, and
such primitive skills were anathema to her.
"I could have sworn I had a lighter in my purse," she said in
frustration. "They must have taken it when they searched our things."
Ukyo was feeling a little better, but not much. She huddled next to Kuno
in the waning twilight. Her green eyes caught the glints of light from the
sparks they showered upon the pile of twigs.
"Hey guys, I know a fire would be great; but couldn't someone use the
light and smoke to find us?" She asked at length. "Besides, it's not really
that cold. It is the end of spring after all."
Kuno pondered this.
"Fair Ukyo is correct," he affirmed. "To risk a fire so close to our
point of flight would be most perilous."
Nabiki remembered the helicopter that had prowled around above them
earlier. They were pretty sure what the helicopter was up to, and it served to
reinforce the idea that the Russians weren't going to allow them to just slip
away. The machine gun hanging out the door was a dead giveaway on that issue.
"I guess you're right," she concluded. "If it gets too cold we'll just
have to get a little more friendly."
They sat there in silence for awhile. The last fragile light of day was
spent, and darkness came quickly to the woods. Nocturnal animals began
stirring to life around them. Sounds that would have been ignored in daylight
now became penetrating to the very soul of fear.
"I could sure use something to eat," Nabiki declared. Speaking at least
dispelled the immediate fears she felt.
The other two reluctantly agreed. They had plenty of water, having found
another stream of cool clean water, but none of them had eaten for about two
days. Now that they had nothing to do but think, their stomachs reminded them
of their empty status.
"How far do you think we have to travel until we're safe?" Ukyo asked.
Nabiki shrugged. "I don't know. Maybe if we could find some sign of
civilization we could find out where we are. If we're in western Russia we
could hope to reach Poland maybe. If we're in eastern Russia than we're
probably walking the wrong way. All I know is that we can't give ourselves up.
They want us dead now."
"We cannot persist for long without victuals," Kuno said. "In the morning
we should make every effort to find something edible. Perhaps Ceres will smile
upon us and grant us her bounty."
Ukyo and Nabiki agreed. They didn't have much experience in identifying
edible plants, but they also didn't have much choice. Unless they got lucky
tomorrow and found a village or town, they would have to survive on their own
in the wilderness.
Ukyo yawned wearily and curled up her knees to her chest to sleep. She
lay her head upon Kuno's shoulder and closed her eyes. Kuno said nothing, but
settled in a more comfortable position of seated repose.
Nabiki decided to stay awake for awhile. She didn't like the sounds of
the woods, and if she wasn't expecting the Russians to pounce upon them, it
was a bear or panther or something equally fierce. She paced nervously for
twenty minutes with Kuno watching her idly. Ukyo was by now asleep, her deep
even breaths a comfort to Nabiki, who continued to worry about the okonomiyaki
chef's health.
"Nabiki Tendo, you must conserve your strength. The morrow will be upon
us soon enough, and it is thence that we must expend ourselves." Kuno said
calmly to her as she paced a deeper rut in the ground cover.
She narrowed an eye at him. He bade her join him with his hand.
"Come sit with me Nabiki Tendo. Without adequate shelter I fear that even
this fair spring evening may turn bitter."
Nabiki decided he might be right. In any event she didn't have much
nervous energy left to her. She brushed away a spot on the ground next to him
and sat down.
"Fair Ukyo sleeps, and so must you. I shall maintain the watch for
awhile." He said to her.
Nabiki looked him in the eyes, which were two bright points set against
the darkness of his brow. Starlight and her slowly adjusting nightvision
revealed the high points on his handsome face, which was stern and stoic.
"Why does she have to be 'Fair Ukyo' while I'm simply 'Nabiki Tendo'?
What's the matter, I'm not 'fair' enough for you?"
Kuno closed his eyes for a moment. "I did not mean to offend," he
apologized. "I deem Ukyo 'fair' because she is possessed of not only of lovely
frame and countenance but innocence as well. I find you lovely to behold but
more worldly."
She wasn't sure if she should take his words as compliment or insult. But
knowing Kuno the way she did, for as long as she had, she decided he meant no
ill by it.
"I'm not as 'worldly' as you might think, Kuno-baby," she replied sadly.
"Again, I did not mean to offend." He offered. He examined the cold gleam
of his sword in the starlight. "Put these thoughts out of your mind for awhile
and rest. I shall wake you when I cannot continue."
She yawned in agreement, and curled up her legs to her chest as Ukyo had
done. Unlike Ukyo, she kept a little distance apart from him. Without a word,
Kuno put his arm about her and drew her close. She smiled to herself then, and
lay her head upon his shoulder.

Chapter Three

Ranma awoke to find that Akane was already up and about. He could hear
her humming in the bathroom, and the sounds of water splashing in the tub. He
had a sour stomach and dry mouth and guessed it was the wine.
**I didn't think I drank that much,** he thought sourly. **I didn't feel
drunk.**
He threw off the sheets and sat up in bed. His clothes lay in a pile on
the floor next to the open balcony window. The morning breeze was cool and
moist. A haze of fog greyed the sky.
Akane splashed some more water in the tub, and she broke into a song. It
was one from that Zard album she was listening to on the plane ride, he was
certain.
He rubbed at his aching head. **I'm glad _she_ doesn't get hangovers.
What does she have to be so happy about anyway?**
His thoughts drifted back to last night. How she had come on to him in
the darkness, how close they had come to spending a night far more intimate
than intended. **Before the damn airplane buzzed the house and ruined
everything!** He sighed regretfully. **Blame it on the wine, 'cause I don't
think she would have done that sober.**
Akane had taken a walk by herself after that. He had resigned himself to
sleeping alone for at least a little while, waking only when she settled in
next to him. Without so much as a 'good-night' she had gone to sleep.
He got out of bed and gathered up his clothes by the balcony. He took a
look outside. Sure enough the very plane he had damned sat out on the meadow,
shrouded in gloom. It looked like a vintage propeller driven seaplane, for as
much as he knew about such things.
He let himself out of Akane's room, almost stepping into Hiro as he shut
the door behind him.
"Oh ho!" Hiro cried. "There you are. I had a suspicion you were in
there."
"Of course I was," Ranma countered defensively. "If I don't the
nightmares return. Weren't you paying attention yesterday?"
Hiro flashed him a 'V' with his fingers. "Suuuure. Whatever you say
Saotome, I know it's none of my business anyway."
Ranma scratched his head. "What time is it?"
Hiro consulted his watch. "Half past nine."
"We're late!" Ranma cried. "We're supposed to be somewhere right now!"
Hiro waved him off. "Not to worry. The Professor says we can send you to
Cambridge some other time. I'm here to tell you that brunch will be served
downstairs in the solarium in an hour, and I hope you like German pancakes."
Ranma scratched his head again. "Where's the solarium?" **What's a
solarium?**
"It's on the first floor, take a left at the bottom of the stairs, and go
all the way down. It's a big room with a lots of skylights and big windows.
You can't miss it."
Ranma nodded in understanding. "Okay, so what's a German pancake?"
"You'll find out soon enough," Hiro countered. "Any more questions?"
"Yeah, if we aren't going to Cambridge today, what are we doing?"
"Chasing the wind my friend."
"What?"
"We're going to Maes Howe tonight for the next event. It's a megalithic
site in Scotland, dates back to pre-Roman Celtic times. Clay, Ferguson, Ames,
and some of the others are already there setting up."
**Maes Howe...Anazali knew where we would be going. Does that mean she'll
be there watching?**
"Great, so how are we getting there?" Ranma asked.
Hiro cracked a grin. "Remember our rude awakening last night?"
Ranma affected a grimace as he recalled. "Yeah..."
"Well it's sitting out on the meadow," Hiro finished. "See you at brunch.
Are you going to tell Akane or should I?"
"I'll do it," Ranma answered. "I think I'm going to work out for a half
hour or so. I need to clear my head."
"Don't be too late," Hiro advised. He walked down the hallway.
"Don't worry about me," Ranma called back to him. Hiro waved a hand over
his shoulder and continued down the hall.
Ranma decided he should fill Akane in on the change in plans. He knocked
briefly on the door and let himself in. She was standing by the window wearing
a yellow bathrobe and drying her hair with a towel.
"Hey Akane," he began.
She turned around to face him. "What is it, Ranma?"
"There's been a little change in plans. We're kinda staying here for the
day."
She nodded once. "That's what I figured. We did sleep in a little late."
"Oh yeah, we're having 'brunch' in an hour. In the solarium. You know
where that is?"
She murmured in the affirmative as she finished drying her hair. She
reached for a brush that sat on a dresser with the towel still draped over her
head.
Ranma decided that he should go. He said as much and turned for the door.
"Ranma?" She asked haltingly.
He stopped short of the door. "Yeah?"
She pulled the towel from her head, revealing the slightly damp locks of
blue-black hair that fell over her eyes. She brushed her bangs aside and
regarded him with an apologetic look.
"I'm sorry about last night," she said.
Ranma scratched the back of his neck. "What's there to be sorry for?" He
returned with a weak smile.
"You know, for the way I acted last night."
"Well, it's, you know...You had a little too much to drink, that's all...
I understand." **Are you sorry for making a scene at the Inn or are you sorry
for what happened between us? Arrrgh, I wish I knew what you were thinking
about!**
"You do?" She replied.
"I think so." **Maybe I don't.**
"Okay. Well, I'm going to get changed now," she hinted for him.
He took the hint. "Okay, see you at this 'brunch' or whatever." He closed
the door behind him.
Akane brushed out her hair and thought.
**I really am sorry Ranma. I guess I just got cold feet. It's nothing
against you...Oohhh, why couldn't I have told him that instead? Now he thinks
I'm apologizing for getting drunk and making an ass of myself!**
Her eye caught a bit of color on the floor. She looked down to find his
bow tie lying there on the freshly waxed wood. **I really blew it last
night...** She thought as she picked up the scrap of red silk. **If only that
airplane hadn't scared me out of my wits!**
She set the bow tie down upon the dresser and looked out across the fog
bound meadow. The sun was trying to burn its way through the mist, and she
found a little inspiration in that. **With a little luck maybe I'll get
through to him,** she thought suddenly. **There's always tonight.**

Ranma cursed himself once again. Away from Akane for only twenty minutes
and already he had lost his focus. He couldn't keep his breathing regular,
couldn't keep his balance, couldn't even complete his forms properly.
"How am I supposed to stay in training like this?" He asked himself
aloud. "All that I know how to do is fight, and now I can't even do that!"
He was covered in a sheen of sweat but knew it was all just wasted
effort. He wiped away the salty drops from his brow with a towel and sat down
on the hardwood floor of the Professor's small gym. As he sat and thought
about his condition, Hiro appeared at the door.
"I thought you were working out," Hiro said.
"I was trying to," Ranma replied. "But I'm hopeless."
"Maybe you should train with Akane. At least then your ki would be
balanced."
He thought about that a moment. Sure Akane was not even close to being
his equal in martial arts, but at this point what else could he do?
"I guess we could try it together," he admitted. "I can't see how it
would hurt."
Hiro walked up to him. "I'm here to remind you to tell me about what
happened last night between you and that mystery woman, so spill it."
Ranma took a deep breath before he spoke.
"It's weird. Really weird. I think she's following me."
"How so? I mean, besides showing up at the same restaurant as you."
"She knew about Maes Howe before I did. Even mentioned it by name."
Hiro raised an eyebrow in surprise. "Oh yeah?"
"Yeah. And she seems to know about my condition. She told me I wouldn't
find a cure at Maes Howe, but that I would be on the right path. -She told me
that after she disappeared into thin air."
"Excuse me?"
"You heard me right. She vanished into thin air. There was no way off
that quay but past me, and somehow she just disappeared." He thought back to
last night and the darkened quay.
**Happosai can pull stunts like that, does that mean Anazali knows
martial arts?**
Hiro gave that some thought. "Well... After being around you for awhile I
think nothing really surprises me anymore." He snapped his fingers as an idea
popped into his head. "I think you're a Weird Magnet."
"A what?"
"Clay's got a scientific sounding term for it, but that's essentially
what you are. Weird things just happen around you. Things like transforming
into a girl when you get wet, having a friend who turns into a pig, that crazy
pig-tail of yours that can't be cut without making your hair grow out of
control, throwing ki blasts around like a game of catch -you get the idea. Now
a vanishing woman? No, I'm not all that surprised. My next question is, what's
her game?"
"I wish I knew. I have a feeling she'll be waiting for us at Maes Howe
though."
"You're probably right. Maybe we should tell the others about this."
"No. Let's keep this quiet for now, I don't think we could do anything
about it anyway."
Hiro gave him a puzzled look. "Okay, so what's _your_ game?"
"Just trust me on this," Ranma replied.
Hiro shrugged his shoulders. "Sure thing Saotome. Just remember who's got
your back."
Ranma offered him his hand. "Thanks Hiro."
Hiro pulled him to his feet. "No problem."

They were a little late for brunch, but McFogg didn't make an issue of
it. Akane, Katy Price, and some man in his early thirties were with him at the
table. Akane was wearing a cheery summer dress. Katy was clad in a
conservative tan suit coat and calf length skirt. The man was wearing a
leather bomber jacket and a black beret set rakishly on his head.
"<Ah, here they are now,>" McFogg announced as Hiro and Ranma entered the
solarium.
"<Lost track of time,>" Ranma apologized. He had taken a quick shower and
changed into his Chinese clothes.
McFogg gestured to the man in the bomber jacket. "<You haven't formally
met, but I believe you heard him come in last night. This is Heironymous
Durango. Heironymous, this is Ranma Saotome.>"
**This is the jerk that buzzed the house?** Ranma fumed to himself.
"<How's it going?>" Durango greeted him.
"<Just fine,>" Ranma managed as politely as he could.
"<Please forgive Mister Durango's flippantness if you could please,
Ranma. His thoroughly American lack of sensibilities sometimes wears thin, but
he is of Sterling character.>" McFogg said to him.
Durango gulped down a cup of coffee. "<Sorry about the fly-by, but trying
to put Bettie's Dare down on dry land in the middle of the night is a real
pain in the ass. You have to come in low and slow and there ain't much room
for error.>"
"<So what were you doing coming in at night?>" Ranma asked, a slight edge
of hostility in his voice.
Durango poured himself another cup of coffee from a silver pot. "<Had to
beat the weather getting here. There was a big storm front moving across the
Channel, and I had to get in ahead of it.>"
Katy gave him a dry look. "<And will we be able to 'beat the weather'
getting out of here tonight?>"
Durango ate half a croissant in one bite. "<Depends on whether or not
this goddamn fog burns off any time soon. My gear's not quite up to snuff to
be trying IFR. But don't you worry, I'll get you to Scotland. It's just that
the ride might be a little rough.>"
**Wonderful...** Ranma thought glumly.

* * *

Nabiki woke up to the first rays of sunlight through the trees that
played along her face. She was curled up with Ukyo, who shivered in her sleep.
Kuno wasn't around.
She rubbed at her cold limbs. Kuno had been right about a bitter night.
She woke Ukyo gently, and the okonomiyaki chef stirred with a sneeze.
"Bless you," Nabiki offered.
"I could sure use it," Ukyo replied. She looked around to the wakening
woods that surrounded them.
"I was hoping this would all be a bad dream and I'd wake up in my bed.
Guess it wasn't though."
Nabiki rose unsteadily to her feet. She was weary and weak with hunger on
this their third day since their abduction. She could only imagine how Ukyo
was feeling.
"Where's Kuno?" Ukyo asked.
"I don't know," Nabiki answered. "He was gone when I woke up."
"You don't think something might have happened to him, do you?"
"No, he can take care of himself."
Ukyo stood up. She stretched out her sore and chilled limbs with a gasp
of discomfort. All at once she realized that she needed to go to the bathroom.
Nabiki read the look; she had to go too. "I guess we just find a little
spot behind some trees."
When they had finished, they waited for Kuno's return. The kendoist came
back after twenty minutes. He held a small clump of berries in his hands.
"Breakfast is served m'ladies," he said to them.
"Are they safe?" Ukyo asked.
Nabiki didn't care. She took a few and popped them in her mouth.
"Mmmmmm....Delicious."
Ukyo didn't need any more proof. She ate a few herself and nearly melted
with delight.
"I thought I might whet thy appetites with these that I might persuade
you to join me in a walk. There are several clumps of bushes laden with such
sweet treasures nearby." Kuno said to them.
"Lead on Kuno-baby!" Nabiki cried.
They followed him along what appeared to be a thin wandering trail. After
some time the trail through the trees and thick underbrush opened up into a
little clearing. They could see the purple berries hanging from several
bushes.
The berries were all fat and sweet with juice. Nabiki and Ukyo began
picking them off the branches and eating them as fast as they could. Kuno
however observed some restraint.
"Take care that you do not make yourselves ill. We have had nothing to
eat in several days, and our stomachs are not prepared to go from famine to
feast." He advised.
Nabiki gave him a purple-stained grin. "Kuno-baby, you are a life saver!"
"It was merely chance that led me here, yet I take it as a sign of the
gods' good fortune smiling upon us." Kuno replied.
"Maybe we can find a town today," Ukyo remarked.
"Perhaps, but we must not tarry here overlong. I overheard the sounds of
that accursed helicopter while you slept."
"Then let's gather up some of these berries to take with us and get
going," Nabiki suggested.
They picked enough berries to fill Nabiki's purse and paid a visit to the
stream they had found yesterday for one last drink of water before they
started walking. Their spirits were higher with the fruit's sugar coursing
through their veins, and they forgot their aches for awhile. By noon they had
reached the edge of the woods and the first of another range of hills.
The sun shone hot upon them as they left the shelter of the trees. Kuno
fairly sweltered in his kendoist's gi, but remained as stoic and silent as he
usually did. Ukyo was starting to lag behind a little. She insisted that she
was all right, but it was obvious that the effects of the Russians' drugs
continued to exact a heavy toll upon her.
They stopped beneath a copse of trees to rest. Kuno kept watch while
Nabiki looked after Ukyo. She was feverish and her pulse was fast and thready.
"Lie still for awhile Ukyo. We'll rest here for an hour or so." Nabiki
told her.
Ukyo nodded gratefully. "Sorry Nabiki. I'm trying my best, but it's like
I'm drained of all my energy... I feel a little woozy."
She swooned, and Nabiki gasped in panic.
"Ukyo!"
Ukyo tried to sit up. "I'm okay. I'm fine." She insisted.
"No you're not!" Nabiki countered. "Lie down and rest. I'll be right here
for you."
Ukyo smiled weakly and laid her head down upon the sweet smelling grass.
Kuno offered a brief glance of concern for her before returning his
attentions to the horizon.
"We may have to continue sooner than desired," he announced.
"Ukyo's in no shape to be walking right now," Nabiki returned.
"We may have no choice," Kuno said calmly. "Mine eyes do see a party of
men well armed on the far range of hills. They have our spoor, and will run us
down if we tarry."
Nabiki squinted her eyes at the hills in question. A line of black dots
moved down the slope.
"You can see them from here?" she asked in amazement.
"I can but see only the dark spots of men 'gainst the bright of the
hills."
"Then how do you know who they are, or even if they're armed?"
"As one trained in the arts of modern war I recognize the movements of
men thus trained. If they be trained for war then it follows that they be
armed for it as well. They form a skirmish line to keep all traces of our
trail before them."
"How long until they catch up with us?"
Kuno thought a moment. "If their path is sure they may do so even by
sundown. If they lose the way or tarry at our campsite we may have but a few
more hours grace beyond."
Nabiki looked down to Ukyo. She was fitfully asleep, her breaths coming
swift and shallow.
"I think she's really sick, Kuno. She can't travel on her own."
Kuno nodded sagely. "Than I shall carry her if I must."
He stooped to take Ukyo up into his arms, and then set her carefully over
his shoulders. She murmured something incoherent and draped an arm about his
neck. Without another word he began walking back towards the woods.
"Hey, where are you going? You're headed right for them!" Nabiki
protested.
"If we attempt to cross these naked hills we would be spotted as surely
as we have found our pursuers," he said in reply. "Therefore we must enter the
woods and skirt its boundaries until we may find a path more concealing."
Nabiki grudgingly followed him back into the forest. They kept to the
trees for several hours before finding a narrow ravine that led them west
again.
Nabiki was amazed at Kuno's stamina. He maintained the hard pace even
while bearing the encumbrance of Ukyo.
"Maybe you should set Ukyo down and rest a few minutes," she had said to
him once.
His reply had taken her aback.
"I shall take my rest when this misadventure has reached its conclusion.
Not before. If I am slain by the end of this, so be it, for I shall take my
rest in the grave."
His tone had been so serious that she hadn't mentioned it again. She only
wished he would save his own strength as he had admonished them to do. She
felt they would need his sword arm again before this was through.

Chapter Four

Bettie's Dare was a Convair Catalina PBY-5A; a World War II era
amphibious aircraft. She was painted in an old war era Navy scheme of low
visibility greys and blues. Emblazoned on the nose was a likeness of 50's
pin-up queen Bettie Page clad in scanty leather and lace, and daring the
observer on with a saucy wiggle of her finger. The name 'Bettie's Dare' was
painted in gold script beneath her likeness.
Heironymous Durango was making his pre-flight inspection when McFogg,
Hiro, Ranma, Akane, and Katy Price approached. The pilot slammed shut an
access hatch and secured it with a flick of his wrist. He grinned wildly for
them and gestured to the plane.
"<Hey Professor, how do you like Bettie's new paint scheme?>" He asked
McFogg.
The Professor gave the plane a brief inspection. "<She almost looks
respectable,>" he commented.
"<She'd be mighty upset to hear you say that,>" Durango sniffed.
"<Especially after I went to the trouble of getting Olivia herself to paint
Bettie up on the nose.>" He gestured proudly to the artist's signature beneath
the artwork.
"<Can we please be going on our way Mister Durango?>" Katy huffed. "<It
would be nice to get there in time for the event.>"
Durango made a face at her. He knocked the back of his hand twice on the
hatch and it spilled open. A thin and gangly man peered out from the portal
with a toothy smile.
"<Yeah man?>" He asked in a taut voice.
Durango shooed him inside. "<Come on D-Day, make a hole for the
passengers. They're getting restless.>"
"<Sure man,>" D-Day replied in that quick and taut voice. He stepped
aside for Durango, who pulled the party's luggage up into the plane. When he
got hold of Katy's bag he made a show of how heavy it was.
"<We may need to ditch some weight to get off the ground. I'll keep this
by the door just in case," he said to her.
Katy ignored him and stepped by without a word.
Akane stepped up the boarding ladder next. Durango shifted gears and was
now the epitome of graciousness. He took her hand at the door and led her
aboard.
"<Watch your head Miss,>" he advised politely.
Akane stepped inside to the main cabin. It was smaller than she had
hoped, but not as cramped as she had feared. Three rows of two seats occupied
the rear of the compartment. In the forward end was a small living area and
two hammocks stowed along the starboard bulkhead. A small ladder led up to the
flight deck. The bulkheads were covered with Catalina and war-era memorabilia;
everything from photos of PBYs and their aircrews to pilots' caps, a flight
jacket festooned with patches, and various unit insignias.
Hiro came up behind her. He slapped Durango a 'high five' as he boarded,
and the two exchanged knowing grins. He showed Akane to a seat as she stared
in wonder about the cabin.
Professor McFogg came next and took a seat beside Katy. He had a late
edition of the Times folded under his arm, and he began to read it in silence.
Ranma stepped up the ladder last of all. Durango secured the hatch behind
him. He looked around for a minute as Akane had done.
"<Hey Saotome,>" Durango called as he clambered forward. "<You and your
little lady are welcome up on the flight deck for takeoff. This is your first
time aboard and all.>"
Ranma didn't seem thrilled. He looked back to where Akane sat. She
couldn't have been more excited.
He looked back to Durango. "<We will be right up,>" he replied.
Akane was already out of her seat and taking his arm. "Thank you Ranma,"
she said softly to him. "I know how you don't like flying, so I really
appreciate this."
"It's not the flying that bothers me," he countered. "It's landing and
taking off."
They climbed up to the flight deck. The cockpit was mostly as it was in
the heyday of the Catalina PBY, except for several modern conveniences like
the Pulse-Doppler weather radar, solid state radio navigation equipment, and
GPS system hard mounted in various free spaces. The multipaned canopy was
large and covered the entire cockpit. A large portable stereo system hung from
the aft bulkhead.
D-Day was at the Engineer's station checking his gages. He tapped at them
occasionally when they didn't indicate what was expected. Once satisfied, he
licked the tip of his grease pencil and scratched a check mark on a well worn
laminated checklist.
Durango sat in the Pilot's chair reviewing his own checklists. The
instrument lights flicked on as he thumbed several circuit breakers at his
side. The radio squawked in a perturbed British accent at someone.
"<Tower's a little restless tonight,>" Durango noted.
"<Yup,>" D-Day agreed.
Ranma and Akane watched them for a few minutes as they completed their
checks.
"<Have a seat,>" Durango offered them. He showed them the Co-Pilot's
chair. "<D-Day doesn't need it just yet.>"
"<Nope,>" D-Day confirmed.
Ranma let Akane take the seat, preferring to stand. She sat down in the
well worn chair and gazed across the vast array of dials, meters, levers, and
switches. There was a small pin-up girl photo taped to the console, but she
didn't make an issue of it.
Durango flipped another series of rocker switches. D-Day called out
various groups of numbers in response. Satisfied, Durango pulled out a knob on
the console and moved a lever forward on the divider panel between the Pilot
and Co-Pilot stations.
"<Clear!>" He called out of the side window to the men outside.
One gave him a 'thumbs up'.
"<Contact!>" He cried. He threw a switch.
There was a brief hum, followed by a low whine as the port prop began to
turn. The port engine coughed once, twice, then roared to life above them with
a cloud of heavy smoke and flame from the exhaust pipes. Akane jumped as the
R-1830 supercharged radial piston engine backfired.
"<Damn fuel additives,>" Durango muttered.
"<Oil pressure coming up. Fuel pressure good. Voltage steady.>" D-Day
called from the Engineer's station.
Durango checked the brakes locked and cycled the prop pitch. The plane
seemed to pull towards the left but in reality did not move. He feathered the
prop, and the tension ceased.
D-Day checked his gages. "<Number two temps have stabilized. I'm putting
number two generator on the bus.>" He twisted a few knobs and closed a large
circuit breaker at his feet. The lights flickered again and a bell rang for a
second as an alarm came in and out
"<Ready to start Number One?>" He called to D-Day. He set his choke,
mixture, and throttle positions for number one engine.
The noise was almost too much for Ranma to understand a word he said.
Durango secured his open cockpit window, and it abated a little. D-Day checked
his gages and nodded.
"<Clear! Contact!>" Durango called.
The lights dimmed a little as the starboard engine spluttered and then
roared to life. Akane jumped again, though the smile of excitement on her face
belied any real concern.
"<Oil pressure coming up. Fuel pressure good. Voltage steady.>" D-Day
called.
"<Cycling number one,>" Durango announced. He adjusted the starboard
prop's pitch, then feathered it back.
"<Number one temps stable. Placing number one generator on the bus.>"
D-Day declared. He placed the generator on the bus with a throw of the circuit
breaker.
The Catalina's engine noise was now a steady thrum over their heads.
Durango picked up an apple green headset and dialed his radio to the Heathrow
ATC frequency. He set one headphone against his ear for a minute, listening to
the tower chatter.
When he had a clear moment he placed the microphone close to his mouth
and talked with the tower for a few minutes. He seemed to be having a hard
time with them.
"<Is there a problem?>" Akane asked innocently.
Durango stopped arguing with the tower. He removed his headphones and
smiled graciously for her benefit.
"<Not at all. The tower seems to have misplaced the flight plan that I
forgot to file this morning.>"
Akane blinked twice. "<Oh.>"
"<Not a problem,>" Durango continued. "<I don't need a flight plan for
VFR.>"
"<Only if the tower buys it,>" D-Day mentioned.
"<Stop encouraging me D-Day,>" Durango muttered.
McFogg's voice called from aft and below. "<Is there a problem Durango?>"
"<Not at all Professor, the tower's just giving me clearance now!>"
Durango called back.
**Clearance?** Ranma certainly didn't see the headphones anywhere near
Durango's head at the moment, so who did he get clearance from?
"<You might want to take a seat there at the navigator's station,>"
Durango said to him. "<Buckle up everybody!>"
Akane started to get out of her seat. Durango motioned for her to buckle
up where she was.
"<I need D-Day where he is for this more than I need him there. Enjoy the
ride.>" He said to her as he flipped a series of switches. "<And now to kill
the Mode 3 IFF transponder and the altimeter squawk.>"
Ranma sat down at the navigator's station and buckled his lap belt. He
could feel the power of the engines as Durango throttled up. There was a jolt
as the pilot released the brakes.
"<Time to get this baby off the ground!>" He announced. "<Ready D-Day?>"
"<I'm ready, me bairns are ready; shove off!>"
Durango lit the landing floods. He cranked the flaps down to full, and
adjusted his mixture for takeoff. Next he adjusted prop pitch, and the blades
began digging into the air. The PBY began rolling along the meadow.
"<I'd be happier trying this on the water. Bettie's amphibious, but she
doesn't like dry land.>"
"<I think we need some mood music,>" D-Day called out.
**Mood music?** Ranma thought in confusion.
"<I do too. What about you Akane?>" Durango asked her.
Akane nodded happily. "<Sure!>"
D-day leaned over Ranma to pick out a cassette from a case. He popped the
cassette inside the portable stereo box and cranked the volume. Next he
stabbed the 'play' button and took his seat.
Bettie's Dare began rolling faster and faster down the meadow runway.
From the stereo speakers came a crackle of static, and then the sounds of
Black Sabbath's "Supernaut" issued forth.
"<This is 'mood music'?>" Ranma asked, looking at the empty case for
Black Sabbath Volume 4.
Durango spared him a brief look over his shoulder. "<You were expecting
the Glenn Miller Orchestra?>"
Bettie's Dare clawed its way aloft with a roar of engines, just clearing
the line of trees that marked the end of the field. The PBY climbed to three
hundred feet. Durango pushed the nose over into a shallow turn and throttled
the engines back just a notch. He held the yoke steady with one hand and
gestured to Akane to crank the flaps back up
She did as she was instructed and began cranking the flaps up. Durango
told her to stop and to lock them in place. She did so, thrilling to be
involved if only in a little way. She also noticed that they were awfully low
to the ground.
She got Durango's attention and pointed to the ground.
"<Not to worry; we're just trying to stay under Heathrow's radar,>" he
replied. "<If D-Day will be so kind as to get out the charts, we still have to
find our low road to Scotland.>"
"<On it,> D-Day replied. He consulted several charts by flashlight.
Akane looked back to Ranma and smiled in delight. Ranma was too busy
white-knuckling his seat to reciprocate.
Professor McFogg's head appeared at the top of the ladder.
"<I say Heironymous, aren't we flying a bit low? I looked out the window
to find myself nearly level with a windmill.>"
"<We're gonna keep it under 500 feet for a little while, Professor. At
least 'till we clear Heathrow's control area.>"
The Professor seemed to understand what Durango was getting at. "<Very
well, but do steer clear of populated areas. The noise and all, you
understand.>"
"<No problemo,>" Durango replied.
McFogg's head dipped below.
"<How's everything looking there, D-Day?>" The pilot called behind him.
"<A-OK. Fuel consumption's gonna be greater than planned 'cause we're
staying low, but I estimate a good four hour reserve.>"
Durango checked his own calculated fuel ladder. "<That sounds about
right... I'm gonna need you to get the EW rig warmed up.>"
D-Day pulled a d-ring binder down from a locker. "<Yeah, I guess we could
use the practice.>"
He opened the binder and ran his thin fingers down the laminated pages.
Leaning over Ranma at the navigator's station, he energized the Electronic
Warfare rig; a small box of electronics about the size of microwave oven. The
oscilloscope display came to life, flashing various waveforms in a test
pattern. He adjusted several knobs and let the thing sit for a minute.
"<EW ready,>" he called. He placed a set of headphones on and began to
listen. Several patterns appeared on the oscilloscope display. A second
display on the unit looked like some kind of radar, and three green diamonds
with numbers inside them flashed to life around the center.
"<India band search radar, signal strength two, bearing 0-1-3 true. I'd
say that was Heathrow control. Also getting Lima band altitude radar, signal
strength one, also bearing 0-1-3 true. Last contact is some kind of airborne
sea-search radar, high amplitude, probably an RAF Nimrod, bearing 2-5-7
true.>"
Durango motioned for Akane to hand him a chart. With one hand on the yoke
he checked the bearings D-Day had called versus the actual positions of
radio-navigation and air traffic control radar stations.
"<We're gonna hide from every radar we can for awhile. It's good practice
for when we need to go places we're not wanted.>" He told Akane.
Akane nodded, but she wasn't quite sure she understood.
D-Day offered the headphones to Ranma, who took them out of curiosity. He
listened intently to the warble and whistle and trill of various radar and
radio emissions.
"<What am I listening for?>" He asked D-Day.
"<The warbling sound is a sea-search radar from an airborne surveillance
plane; a Nimrod belonging to the RAF. The steady whistle is an altitude radar
at Heathrow, the low sweeping tones are Heathrow's air-search radar.>"
"<I'm listening to what radar sounds like?>"
"<Sort of. I can adjust frequency sensitivity to listen to other things
too. Check this out:>"
He dialed a knob around. Ranma's eyes lit up.
"<It sounds like people talking.>"
"<It _is_ people talking. You're listening in on a cellular phone
conversation. Remember that the next time you use one.>"
He set the headphones back to the various radar signals.
"<Where did you learn all this stuff?>" Akane asked. She had stepped out
of her seat to see what Ranma and D-Day were doing. Ranma set the headphones
on her ears so she could listen as well.
"<The Air Force!>" Durango and D-Day replied. "<We used to fly 'Varks'
together.>"

* * *

They arrived on Orkney Island shortly after midnight. Durango set
Bettie's Dare down upon a loch, happy to have his seaplane in the water. D-Day
readied an inflatable zodiac boat from a locker under the deck and with
Ranma's help set it up with a small outboard motor.
On the shore Ferguson called to them and waved a green chemlight over his
head. D-Day took Ranma, Akane, Hiro, McFogg, and Katy Price ashore in the
zodiac. The water was still and black as they crossed it. Their outboard was
the only sound to be heard.
Ranma looked out across the water to the land. Tall dark hills framed a
star filled sky. There were only a few wisps of silvery cirrus clouds high in
the sky. The only time he ever saw so many stars was when he and his father
went on training trips in the mountains. He felt a great weight of antiquity
over the place, such that he had never felt in Japan.
Maes Howe was the largest hill, a flattened cone of darkness that the
starry sky faintly backlit. Ranma knew immediately where it was, though he
didn't know why.
"Is that where we're going?" Akane asked him quietly. She pointed at Maes
Howe.
"I think so," Ranma replied.
Ferguson took off his boots and stepped into the icy waters of the loch
to pull the boat ashore. He made a few disparaging comments about how cold the
water was, and any ideas Ranma had about getting out to help were dispelled.
D-Day secured the outboard motor.
Once they were safely (and dryly) ashore, Ferguson led them to the camp.
Six large four-man tents were standing around a raised pavilion. The harsh
glow of propane lanterns lit the pavilion, the tents were all dark. Three
Range Rovers were parked close by. Ranma noted the satellite
receiver/transmitters and the small generator which ran quietly beside them.
Runs of black power and instrumentation cables snaked along the grassy ground.
A few voices could be heard from the camp, but mostly it was as quiet as it
had been on the loch.
Ranma noted the Ferguson's box standing quietly a short distance from the
camp. It's tinny shrill was barely audible if you knew what to look for.
Farther down was another box, and he guessed there were more scattered
throughout the place.
Clay was in the camp sitting at a fold up table drinking tea. Two
researchers were playing cards while another monitored a display. He waved for
them and gestured to the large thermos of hot water.
"<Welcome!>" he greeted. "<Warm yourselves with a spot of tea.>"
"<Where is everyone?>" The Professor asked.
"<Ames and a few of the others went into town to visit the local pub.
They should be back soon,>" Ferguson supplied.
"<As long as they aren't trying to drive out in this wilderness drunk,>"
McFogg admonished.
"<West went with them,>" Clay said. West didn't drink apparently.
"<Anything to report?>" McFogg asked.
Ferguson consulted his notebook. "<We established the baselines today, no
abnormal variances noted. All of our sensors are in place. Clay thinks he's
localized the nexus, it's inside the site -no surprise there I guess.>"
"<A magistrate was out here this afternoon inquiring about our permits,>"
Clay added. "<He also warned us about local druid cult activity. It's getting
to be that time of year again.>"
"<The summer solstice is weeks away,>" McFogg said dismissively.
"<Besides they all go to Stonehenge anyway. And this place was for observing
the Winter Solstice in any event.>"
"<Maybe they know something we don't,>" Hiro said.
"<Possible, given the circumstances.>" McFogg admitted.
Hiro led Ranma and Akane to their tent while the others conferred.
"You two get your own tent; lucky you, huh?" He joked.
They didn't give him any satisfaction with a response.
"Well anyway, here's where you'll sleep. Ferguson said something about a
chemical toilet on the other side of the camp in case you need to go in the
middle of the night. There should be some sleeping bags and foam mattresses
ready for you."
He opened the flap and looked inside.
"Yep," he observed.
"They don't mind if we take a walk do they?" Akane asked.
"No reason why you can't," Hiro answered her. "Just take a chemlight or
two and watch your step. If I know Ferguson, he's got cable runs all over the
place out there. Wouldn't want you to trip and get hurt."
"Thanks Hiro," Akane said kindly.
Hiro bowed for her. "Any time Akane-chan. You kids have fun, but remember
that these guys like to get an early start on the day. Breakfast will probably
be a little after dawn. Good night!"
"Good night Hiro," Ranma and Akane said in unison.
Hiro walked back to the pavilion. Ranma placed their small bags in the
tent and looked at Akane questioningly.
"What's up?" He asked her.
"I just wanted to go up to that hill. I don't know why really."
"That's funny, I kind of did too."
"Then let's go!" Akane cried.
Ranma pulled on his camouflage jacket. "First things first. It's getting
a little cold out here, and I'm sure there'll be a good wind blowing on top of
that hill. Did you bring anything warm to wear?"
iSuch concern!i Akane cried. She reached down into her bag. "I brought a
sweater." She put it on and snugged the sleeves down to her wrists.
They took a few chemlights from a box sitting on the table in the
pavilion as Hiro suggested. McFogg, Clay, Ferguson, Hiro, and Katy were
engaged in a complex conversation the particulars of which Ranma and Akane
could only guess at. Hiro winked at them as they left.
Ranma took the first chemlight and snapped it. He shook it vigorously,
and it began to glow with a red light. He held it in his right hand as Akane
took his left in hers.
They walked across the meadow and up the gradually increasing slope of
Maes Howe. The dark cone of a hill loomed before them. The night was very
quiet with the camp in the distance. Akane looked back once to see the tiny
lights of the lanterns and the great shadows of people moving inside the
pavilion.
"What is this place?" She asked Ranma. "Why is it so important?"
Ranma tried to remember what he learned earlier that day.
"I asked Hiro about it, and he found me some books. He had to read them
for me, 'cause I don't read English very well, and there were some really
strange words in them. Maes Howe is a little weird. Apparently people thought
it was some kind of 'barrow mound'."
"What's that?"
"It's a man-made hill they raise over graves. The book said that the
people who lived here buried their dead in them after a war. They would put
the weapons and armor of the dead in the mound as well as other things they
thought the fallen would need in the afterlife."
"This is a grave?" Akane asked hesitantly.
"That's the weird part. This is a man-made hill, but they never found any
graves."
"This is a man-made hill? It's huge!"
"Yup. They took big blocks of soil and stacked them up. Eventually the
rains and wind smoothed out the mound and grass and trees grew on it."
"How old is this place?"
"The book said almost five thousand years."
They stopped short at a length of chain-link fence above a low wall of
hard packed earth that ringed the hill. By the ruddy glow of the chemlight
they tried to read the sign posted upon the fence.
"I'm not sure, but I'll bet it says 'keep out'," Ranma said evenly.
"Now what?"
Ranma easily cleared the short fence.
"I'm not gonna let this thing stop me from getting a look."
He thrust out his hands and gracefully lifted her over the fence. He set
her upon the grassy slope and started up the hill. Akane was taken along with
him by the hand.
"Should we be doing this?" Akane asked him.
"Don't worry. I'm pretty sure the Professor has a permit to be here, and
even if he doesn't, who's gonna catch us at this time of night?" He gestured
around to the dark countryside. "There isn't anyone but us around for
kilometers anyway."
They came across a great stone that rose up on the slope of the hill. By
the glow of the chemlight they could barely make out faded carvings nearly
obliterated by the passage of centuries. It must have weighed several tons and
was utterly alien on the otherwise gentle grassy slope.
They looked at the stone for awhile and contemplated it's antiquity.
Without much light to see by however, they soon lost interest and continued
on. Akane voiced the desire to look at it again in the morning sunlight.
Near the top of the hill they found a chain link gate that covered an
opening into Maes Howe. Another sign, well abused by graffiti, gave a similar
'keep out' message. The gate was unlocked, and hung slightly ajar. A
Ferguson's box kept its tinny vigil upon the opening.
"Wanna go inside?" Ranma asked her.
Akane clutched at his arm. "Not just yet," she replied.
"What's the matter, you scared?" He teased.
"Maybe a little," she replied hesitantly. "This place is eery. I don't
care if they didn't find any skeletons here, it still feels like a graveyard."
"Well now what?" He asked.
She tugged at his arm. "Maybe we should climb the rest of the way up and
watch the stars."
He followed her lead with a murmur of approval. Truth be known he wasn't
ready to go inside just yet either. **But not because I'm afraid,** he told
himself. **It just doesn't feel like the right time to be going in there.**
Another Ferguson's box sat at the very acme of the hill.
At the top of Maes Howe Akane sat down upon the grass and lifted her face
to the sky. Stars filled the heavens, more than she had ever seen living in
Nerima her whole life. The Milky Way was a bright band of light that spanned
the sky like a bridge.
"It's so beautiful," she whispered. The glorious night had dispelled her
earlier fears.
Ranma sat down beside her. The breeze was chilly, but he found it
invigorating.
"You cold?" He asked her after a bit.
"No, I'm all right," Akane answered, still watching the sky for
constellations she might recognize. Then she snuggled in closer to him with a
grin. "On second thought, maybe I could use a little close company."
He put his arm around her waist and drew her in close to his side.

Katy and Hiro had turned in to their respective tents to sleep. Ferguson
had decided to take a walk. D-Day went back to Bettie's Dare in the zodiac.
That left Clay and Professor McFogg to continue the evening's discussion.
"It's amazing, isn't it?" Clay asked.
"What is?" McFogg asked in reply.
"Those two kids; finding them like that."
"I hadn't expected anything like this, if that's what you mean." McFogg
said, taking a puff on his pipe.
"They fit Andre's profile well enough," Clay observed.
"We shall see tomorrow," McFogg countered. "That is if Maes Howe doesn't
surprise us as Nerima did."
"They're up on the hill right now," Clay said. "Suppose they aren't just
guides but a catalyst?"
"Andre never mentioned something like that in his writings," McFogg said
dismissively.
"What writings could be recovered after the October Revolution that is.
What he could salvage. Who knows, old Casimir may be holding on to some of his
father's works."
McFogg shook his head. "Andre kept nothing for himself, it was too
dangerous for him. His relations with Czar Nicholas cast a great shadow over
him. Andre had to bide his time during Lenin's theological purges, and so
Grigory learned this lesson well."
"So Lenin didn't know?"
"He knew a little about the Czar's project, and that it was related to
the event of 1908, but I doubt he ever understood it's significance. He was
too busy trying to hold power within his own camp as well as stamp out the
White Russians and the surviving Aristocracy to care about some boondoggle in
the Siberian wastes."
"I'm curious Professor, when did Grigory come to be involved with his
father's work then?"
"Just before World War II. Andre had already passed away, and he was
working as an assistant to a theoretical physicist. We met in Stockholm during
a lecture on atomic mass defect and it's relationship to the periodic table of
elements."
Clay laughed. "It's seems like you just came from that lecture,
Professor."
"It doesn't seem that long ago to me, though it's been over fifty years.
I was just a boy then with my father. Andre had sent my father his notes
during the October Revolution, and Grigory wondered if he could get them
returned. My father had long since copied them in the hopes of continuing the
work, and so he agreed."
"Grigory took them back even though his father had abandoned them for
fear of his life?"
"Times were different for Grigory than they were for his father. The
paranormal and the occult were finding acceptance under Stalin's rule as
closet alternatives to Lenin's atheism. Stalin himself maintained a secret
interest in the occult. If not for Stalin's fetish for the occult, Grigory
would have been sent to the gulag long before I met him."
Clay nodded and poured himself another cup of tea. "Hmmmm...It's rather
peculiar to be walking in the footsteps of history, don't you think?"
"We walk in the footsteps of history every day," McFogg remarked.
Clay clicked his tongue in reproach. "Than it's rather peculiar to be
walking in the footsteps of such a _peculiar_ history."
McFogg cast his eyes to Maes Howe, and left Clay's statement unanswered.
"I hoped that like Diomedes and Andre's expedition, one our party would
become the Wayfinder. I did not expect outsiders. Ranma and Akane are fine
young souls, but I fear this may be too much for them."
"Ranma seems a perfect choice, given his exposure to magical phenomena."
"Perhaps, but whether or not this qualifies him is yet to be seen. I
would like to find that they are not the Wayfinders, but in my heart I fear
that they are."
"Why is that, Professor?"
McFogg looked away from the hill, and back to Clay.
"Because the last Wayfinder was killed by the Event of 1908."

End of Part Four

Author's Notes:

1) The Consolidated-Vultee (Convair) Catalina PBY-5 and 6 model seaplanes
served the U.S. and its allies during World War II and in the decade following
the end of the war. Catalinas served as scouts, anti-submarine planes,
transports, and search and rescue planes for downed aircrew. It was a Catalina
that found the Japanese fleet during the decisive Battle of Midway. Catalinas
also proved their worth in the Battle of the Aleutian Islands of Alaska. They
could operate in the freezing temperatures that grounded other planes, and
required no runways or developed airbases for their operations.
Over 1800 Catalinas were built, and of these, almost 900 of them were
designated 5A or 6As -making them 'amphibians', or capable of landing on the
ground as well as the water. The Catalina could seat over a dozen crew and
passengers comfortably. It was powered by two supercharged Pratt and Whitney
R-1830 radial piston engines which generated a combined 2200 HP. The Catalina
achieved a top speed of 220 MPH and had a phenomenal 2500 mile range. They
frequently carried two flight crews for long voyages.
The majority of Catalinas retained only two .50 caliber Browning machine
guns for armament during the war. Aircraft assigned to anti-submarine
operations carried depth bombs, conventional air dropped bombs, and by the end
of the war carried primitive passive acoustic-homing torpedoes.
My technical specs on the Catalina come from the 1946 edition of JANE's
All the World's Military Aircraft. (In case anyone's curious.)
2) Heironymous forgot to file a flight plan with Heathrow. By VFR he
means 'Visual Flight Rules'. Technically all he needs to fly VFR is to inform
Heathrow ATC of his departure and arrival points and his ETA. (Permission to
enter Heathrow's controlled airspace would also be nice.) VFR only applies
within specific visibility guidelines, however.
3) Deciding that he would rather get going than argue with the Tower,
Heironymous takes off. By securing his Mode 3 IFF transponder he can fly low
under Heathrow's effective radar coverage and avoid detection.
(By keeping the transponder active he appears as a blip with identifying
alphanumerics next to it on the ATC screens whether Heathrow's radar can see
him or not! The same goes for the altimeter squawk.)
To assist him in avoiding Heathrow's air search radar, he has D-Day use
their EW rig to detect and evaluate the various radar signals. Think of the EW
(Electronics Warfare) rig as a superwhamodyne fuzz buster. And yes you _can_
listen in on cellular phone conversations with such devices! (Big Brother Is
Watching)
By comparing bearings and signal strengths, a skilled operator can plot a
course to take the aircraft around effective radar range or to 'thread'
overlapping areas of coverage at the point where both radars are at their
weakest. D-Day learned these skills in the Air Force as a co-pilot/bombardier
on a FB-111 'Aardvark' supersonic fighter-bomber. a.k.a. 'Vark'.
4) Maes Howe. More will be explained in the narrative of Part Five.

5) Thanks to Chris Rijk who pointed out a few of my inaccuracies
concerning London and England's precipitation. (Brother, you haven't seen a
dry summer 'til you've lived in Yuma, Arizona!) To Jen Whitton for her
enthusiasm and her wit. (To say nothing of her support by working on a
RGTW/CTW homepage! Mo bhean alainn!)

Free The Nukes!