Havens Salvation Stave 2 ch 12-1 The Phantom Queens Gambit

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Havens Salvation Stave 2- ch 12-1
The Phantom Queen's Gambit
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Any resemblances to any person living or dead is purely coincidental.
Copyright© 2015 Michele WhiteWolf
Editorial salvation by djkauf
Creative Consultancy by Bailey Summers, and my two girls Anna and Crystal
Ms Mary Adelaide Wilkinson [ my mother ] who dragged me all over the back roads of Colorado bringing those historical souls back to life.
With out all of the efforts from the above this story would never seen the light of an audience.

Phaedrus

“Out of the mists of time
Out of the ooze and slime
Out of the dreadful dawning
Out of the dim wet morning
Of the Earth, I came
And I will not go back “
Milton Geiger

Morganne

For some Eternal s, our longevity has its drawbacks. There are some of us like the mighty Zeus, who after his place in the sun had passed, found eternity so insufferable, that he long ago spread his essences upon the stellar wind, thus is no more. Others walked away from there duties and moved off to lazier less stressful pastures.

That's not my way, my Will and Spirit was forged within the very heart of this planet during its creation. So like my daughter Boudicca I will not surrender or abandon, my responsibility's. I stand by these my mortal children who I have guided in many forms and through several epics. My gambit and intent is that, this time, unlike the several preceding, they will not go back, to start over again.

I needed a agent of action to catalyze the necessary events to set the reactions into motions. That someone world need to be my apprentice but still there own person freely making decisions based on there willingness to do whats right. There has been so many apprentices that have now passed into history, leaving only a smattering of dust, to mark there passing.
I was nearly at the end of my optimism, that I would find some one who would be able, to pass the tests of there honor and character, and willing to make the necessary sacrifices, to make themselves worth of my investing of my personal training. Betty has now proven to being that person. This endearing, and most unlikely of candidates warms my cold hearts. Now that the couple who are to be Betty's key protectors have united our plans can go forth.

So it is one of there own Betty White Owl that will serve the purpose, as my foil, and catalyst, to the next evolutionary step, my children must take, if they are to avoid the long painful fall back into savagery ,yet again.

Sunday Night

Sam

With the yes and no part of the relationship, being settled by our courtship. The two of us now know that on physical and spiritual levels, we are compatible. All it took was us trying to beat the shit out of each other. The cherry on that sundae, was in the end, the two of us saving each others lives. As important as that was, it was only first base. To get to second base and beyond, you need patience and time. Our Body memory’s can be a real bitch, when it comes to the touchy feeley part, of a relationship.
Being in combat has changed James, and I, making us edgy and reactive when around people trying to touch us. I don't know, yet, what theaters James has fought in, but like me, he is the veteran of many attempts, by people trying to kill him.. Both of us have grown very strict boundaries ,concerning our personal space. You don't survive long in combat with out a hard shell protecting your squishes. It's that shell that requires time and patience to allow someone else to touch us in a nice nonlethal way.

James

I had no illusion of being sexual with Sam this evening, us trying to kill each other is the best I was going to get. That fact we were able to take time in the hot springs pool together was amazing. I never realized that I had such a reaction to being touched, so we held hands after dinner which was as close as we are about to get right now. Sam is no dummy she is well aware that the girls and I are different not just in the private security work. She may even know that the unseen exist, just not exactly who or what we are. That's a wolf I need to let out of the bag carefully!

Sam

At about 22:30 hours my and James's phone rang it was my boss who like usual got to the point.

"Sam where are you.?”

"On a date with my Boy friend”

"On a date with a boyfriend ? Damn girl you just won me a big bet !"

"Yes a boy friend, a big strapping Scottish dude, built like a Greek god, type of boy friend."

"Sorry to interrupt, but seriously, I need you at the site. Come on your bike and be desecrate, enter on the uphill side by that old mining road."

"Whats sup boss?"

“Never you mind just get here like I needed you yesterday! “

When I turned to James he looked at me and at the same time we both said “I got to go, duty calls.” Both of us laughed and exchanged numbers promising to get together again real soon.

Whats Normal ?

Marge

Betty was in her booth drinking coffee, like this Monday morning wasn't any different than any other. I had already called Louses telling her Betty was in no shape to go to work today. Bob bless his soul, put up in the window Betty's favorite breakfast just as she came in. No one else here eats a Denver omelet smothered in chilli, side of hash browns and Bobs smoked sausage, at least we can put a smile in her belly.

Louses

When marge called me to say that Betty was in a rough way my first response was “That women is daft, thinking about work.” Grabbing my purse and scarf, I shouted to Samantha that “I was an a mission of mercy” then took off for Bobs.

Betty

Goddess bless Bob before I even sat down he had my favorite breakfast ready for me. This is a community of gifted people but it was sure nice. My plan this morning was to drink coffee and get my poop in a group before trying to go to work. I was so use to just pushing through things, this morning I missed the sign on this door that said pull. I was clinging to the normalcy of my breakfast like a life ring from a sinking ship. Suddenly Louses slid her skinny rump into the seat in front of me.

“Betty why are you up to early for your own good.?”

“Just trying to process the last few days hoping my normal routine would help me feel less surreal.”

“Let me guess, not working.?

“Got it in one girlfriend, I always told people you are sharp,.”

“Betty go home, relax, take it easy. There is no way you are going to feel better by pushing right now. This is not like the flue, there is nothing wrong with you “Ye just gotta get Ye sea legs mate.”

“ Your right this is a great blessing not my run of the mill earth ending disaster. What your saying does make sense I just didn't know what I was fighting with.”

“Betty this is a beginning, not an end, you are no longer limited to mundane practices alone, when called upon, you now pack a lot more influence in negotiations, access to wisdom, and the moxie to make a stand and make that stand stick.

“But the mundane is just as important it grounds us to the necessary parts of life, like my children ,this township, all of my new friends, and family.”

“It's not an all or nothing Betz, I watched Ann over sixty years keep this dream together and on the right path. Very seldom did she demonstrate her raw power. James told me she was good at that years ago when she was laying the foundation for this happening. I only know a smattering of what she buried here for you her successor.”

“Sixty years you just had your kids!”

“Yes Betz I am a member of the union, as well, and you don't know how relieved all of us here, are that you found us. Let me help you through this transition I am experienced with its ins and outs. One thing is you need to start thinking about your future lady, as it is here, and it is now. What's the first thing that comes to mind that you can now change?”

Sipping on my still hot coffee ,blessed be Marge, I cast my mind back to the last month and a half. Thinking, then allowing the answer to surface, rather than forced thinking about it. It came to me.

“I will be able to actually start planing my efforts, and not try to solve everything at once, or on the fly.”

“Got it in one friend, but seriously you did saved us by being able to think on your feet, so whats your first step ”.

“Eating breakfast, and enjoying it in good company. So who else here is of the union?”

“Number 6, that would be telling.”

Battle of the knickers

Betty

Coming home was actually pleasant, for the first time I was free of extreme anxious. Yes I had a lot to experience, but I did have the tools to make that a less uncomfortable experience, for all who will be attending these festivities. The first chore was to start the laundry, Meditate, move the laundry, start another load, meditate take notes, Move laundry just done into the dryer. Start another load, fold dried laundry. Meditate. Perform this cycle many more times than I remember then made dinner.
When the girls got home I had my poop in a group and was ready for the evening, or so I thought. Both of the girl’s had already promised there friends to study that night. So with the rush of the trade winds, the two of them changed clothing and flew out of the house.

I was able to salvage dinner and then make there favorite apple pie. They came home already having eaten and busied them selves in there rooms doing what ever they do, behind closed doors, alone in there room. I try to avoid thinking about it as it causes headaches. So I went to the laundry room to fold the last of the laundry to find the afternoons effort was on the floor scattered. My cool levelheadedness went the way of the passenger pigeon, and my stomping snorting bull came out to play.


In your face

I am still getting use to my increased magical strength, especially when I am upset. It was that even my simple little tricks, ' cantrups ' were super powered. I knew that Anna was the person who went got her clothing change from the laundry basket. She had for the eleven-ty seventh time forgotten to take her clothing back to her room and worst had dumped the neatly folded basket on the floor. I went to Anna's room with the clothing ,both clean and dirty, following obediently behind me like a parade I stopped at her door but the clothing continued into her room flying around Anna like a swarm of hungry mosquitoes. The yowl of her protest registered within the decibel range of a jet engine. With a wry grin on my face I looked into the now destroyed room, sat Anna trying to swim upstream of a continuously playfully circulating stream of her own clothing. The actions of her clothing mirrored my emotions of being trapped in my oldest daughter messiness.

My now knackered offspring was pleading for relief, which I temporally granted her by allowing the clothing to circle around her like how a war party of movie Indians to wagon trains. followed by me coolly stated “ Make it good” .

“Mom whats happening ,why are my clothing attacking me? ”

“Anna I have washed dried and folded these cloths so many times I am sick of seeing them. Most never get on your body before you drop them on the floor trashing all of my hard work. I just found all of your clean clothing knocked onto the laundry room floor.”

“Mom Crystal did that not me!”

Turning to one of my favorite outfits of Anna's, worn to a bare thread by continuous washing.“ Is this true does my daughter speak the truth?”

The outfit gave a strong pantomime that indicated no Anna had not. I returned my gaze to Anna's stricken face. “I see that the victims of your abuse disagree with on on the facts of the matter, do you think you may want to reconsider your accusation.?”

Quickly speaking to the tattling togs Anna recanted her claim, then apologized to her outfit.

“Now young lady you have one hour to separate clean from dirty, then properly stow the clean clothing, or this lesson repeated.”
My ire spent I then returned to the laundry room preparing to repeat the lesson with Crystal. To my surprise I found the room sans of any of Crystals clothing. The washer was running a load and the dryer tumbling away. Smiling to my self I remembered an old 1960s sitcom “It's about time.” and started to hum the theme song to my self.

Stalking Owls

mission log # 2276
Agent Griefer

[personal note] { mission note }

PN
Any moron can give directions, it takes someone smart to give proper ones. Crap it took a good hour to find that damn armored pressure door. Door unlocked as advertised.

MN
Did not open into room as advised but into a tunnel, 10 meters long with broach to the outside.

PN

God I hate tunnels, to many memories that still bleed in my dreams. Thankfully it was only ten meters long. With broach to outside mid way to next locked pressure door. Breach opens out onto a hard to see small ledge overlooking the town. It's a shame that all of this was going away in the end, but they didn't take the hint and just leave. Hell they don't even know whats buried beneath there town. They now hired a 60 year old community organizer to pull there hotcakes off the griddle, to late. She thinks that she is smart enough to keep this fossilized slice of the past safe. She has only made herself a target, our client wants her gone the sooner the better.

MN
Ledge offers excellent conceal to scout the town for the target. Target still hasn't broken cover as of 17:00 hours.

Tide and time

Betty

I decided that with the kids asleep I could allow Lilly and Melisa stand guard while I sort out some of my neglected paperwork. I was surprised that nothing big had happened the last 4 days that I was gone, so the paper work finished early. Next was the E Mail's which was only 100 postings long. Sixty of which were spam leaving only forty to go through, only one of those was of any importance it was from G Man.

He sent me an answer to an earlier asked question about the Power House in our back lot. Everyone here stayed away because back in the 1970 and 1980 the licensing and then operations was put in the custody of a private company who posted the place NO TRESPASSING under penalty of federal standards bla bla bla bla. But I have learned to question if the poster had the proper authority to do so. Simply I did not believe them and from what G man just messaged me I was right.

“Hi Betz Your question is easy to answer your township still retains ownership of the property and the contents with in. Only to operational control was moved to the private sector. “Before you say it yes it was a raw deal.” Then the private company dissolved, and stranded you with a dead dinosaur its liability, and disposal.

The up side is that you also have an intact 1990 era office building, and a service barn with stock room, both are intact. These should be safe to use with some cleaning, and reconnecting the power water, and sewer. The power station it's self is a dead dinosaur that should be stuffed and nailed to a perch. The generational equipment dates back to WW2 or there about with two older Steam donkey engines that were the original power station for Haven. By my educated guess there must be over 10 K tones of scrap metal there if you can bust it apart.

Before it was shut down we made them clean the place up a bit so some poor schmuck would be killed by any thing really toxic lingering on the floor. I can not say its 100% safe to enter, I do not have anything on the structure on that building. It was a WW2 DOD project to power the canning and ration factory your office is sitting on.

The canning part was operated for the decades after WW2 making Gov, food for our military and was finally shut down in the 1980s as redundant. That's yours as well I have again no Idea how creepy or stinky it is down there, so toss a dog in if it comes back alive there may be something useful there. Stay Quiet about that you have enemies who could cause mischief, as it is a rabbet warren of connecting tunnels and escape routs to use in case of fire.

Hope this is helpful I will be sending you copies of the blueprints of what I have on the above ground structures made under county control and licensing. Stay out of the DOD stuff as that could be dangerous, and I do not want my God Daughters orphaned.
Sorry I hoped to bring you better news, But as Judge Bean stated. if there is anything positive to be done with those resources, you would be our best bet to be the one to suss it out.

G Man “

I was positively stoked on this news I have several new play grounds to explore, thanks to our dead solicitor Michael, the map of the canning factory in my files,. If he wasn't dead I would plant a big sloppy one on his bald head and hug him. Again a hand from the grave helping us.

Cryptic Messages

Betty

In clearing the other Emails I discovered one that was only one line and a bunch of attachments.

“Incoming, Duck.”

I put that entire bundle in my spy catcher virus scanner sand box on a sacrificial lap top I use just for that function and allowed that beast to chew on it for a while. Everything came up clean as a whistle so I opened it. What I found was lists single spaced containing inventory lists of cargo containers.

The source of our message was hidden by proxy servers so I could not track its origin. But I did find that behind one of the J pegs was a buried file that I had to decrypt. It wasn't large so it wasn't making the file bloated and easily found.
“Betty a mutual friend ,who understands your situation, informs us that you are in need of some resources that we have surplus of.

"There are more than a few people who have over the years been helped by your many labors. Now that you have joined the club of Township Supervisors we wish to help you while helping our selves. Each of us has contributed surplus equipment and or discontinues items we no longer can use and you can. You will need to separate the wheat from the straw as this stuff comes to you through the “scrap it get rid of it supply stream.

Items will be dropped shipped to you in sea land containers they were stored in so be prepared to park them where ever you can, then sort them later, this is on the QT so don't get us in trouble. Just pretend to be a trash processor, so move the delivering trucks in, and out as fast as you can as they are on our clock or doing a favor for us. “

Do I have my work cut out for me I need to take care of this first thing tomorrow morning, so I will be needing some shut eye soon. I sent Louise a quick not about our wind fall and suggested we use the tarmac apron surrounding the power station as a parking lot for the sea land containers. We needed some one familiar to this type of work to watch dog things into place and sign any paperwork.

Agent Griefer.
ML 22:00 hours

Target still a no show but she has been reported to be down there I still haven't seen her my self.

PN

The women who is my target, is another person who should have known by now to stay out of the way of the big people and what they want. She has already lost a lot being on the wrong side of the equation. My motto is I would rather rule in the reality of hell, than serve in a nonexistent heaven.

MN 23:00 Hours

Mayor left shop at 23:00. To much traffic to night to personally scout, I will deploy drone later.

PN

My dad always told me that a possum can't blame the bumper of the truck that sends it to possum Heaven. It is cause and effect, cause possum stupidly being in the road trying to cross it. Effect truck bumper sends possum to become the blue plate at the road kill cafe. In my story old women White Owl is the possum in the road, I am the truck. End of story, moral stay off there damn road.

ML 00:00 Hours

Dispatch drone I now have scan of area, mapping program up loaded mission log to PAD. Program drone that if I am taken down, to evade and escape the way we came in, with all logs to this point.

PL

Need to get some sleep nothing happening here at this time. Settling in for the night listening to my tunes, the first in the shuffle,
“Don't pay the ferry man,” that's so fitting.

The Missing

I truly love my work commute, leave my office walk fifteen paces to the hallway door, down four steps then thirty six more paces to my door. Even taking the scenic rout, stopping to straighten a picture I hung on the wall, I still made good time, due to lack of traffic.

Unlocking my door and entering I thought I saw Lilly and Melissa partially undressed playing cards. But when I turned around from locking the door both were standing there smiling at me, wearing each others outfits. These kids may look like identical twins but there choice of clothing is not.

“Hi boss ,Mel chimed in, not a peep out of the kids for some time I think they are very asleep.”

As a mother I know silence may be a big problem, I made my way to there bedrooms. Not finding them there I mad a beeline to my ladies lair. Except for the pile of clean laundry on my bed my first inspection of the room things looked untouched. Having been ambushed by my children to many times, I quickly checked their prime spots to hide, my closet, under my bed,. Behind the overstuffed recliner chair. Bathroom behind the shower curtain. and under the sink.

I could feel them but not see them, as I cast about for something I may have missed, I noticed a slight movement of the laundry pile. Knowing laundry piles, usually, don't breath, I quietly lifted the edge of the covers to find my sleeping treasures. Then a wafting of there dead mothers ,my wife's, perfume. This caught me unaware, bringing tears to my eye because I was longing so much to hold her again. The perfume was on one of her's old long night dress, I has stored in a sealed plastic bag. Remembering back to the cold nights in our school buss home all snuggled together under the blankets, brought back the warmth and safe feeling I use to have.

Having just put my sweats over my night dress, it was an easy doff and join the kids, reuniting all four of us slumbering together once again.

Futurus Persevero
[To be Continued]
Remember your comments are the Tiermisu in a writers life our egos need to know how we are doing so please leave a comment.
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I am sorry for the length of time between postings. When you are creating a world you need to develop what's there and a whole lot of other things. That is what I have been writing the whole lot of other things. Enjoy the postings will be more regular.

Huggles

Michele

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Comments

What a neat little trick

What a neat little trick being able to control your laundry in the manner Betty did with Anna and her clothes. I could have used it with my two daughters as they were growing up. Strangely, my two sons were the neat freaks and my oldest still is. This story is still a really excellent one, and I was very happy to see this new chapter appear.
Janice

Slow Courtship

terrynaut's picture

I'm glad you were able to get back on track with this story. I've missed it. I love Sam and James. I'm looking forward to watching more of their slow courtship.

The assassin is annoying and far too patient. I'm a bit worried for Betty. I expect her to survive but I also expect her to get into more trouble. Such is life.

Thanks and kudos (number 13).

*hug*

- Terry