“Alright.”
It was bit out of reach for her and so she balanced herself on the boxes once again to grasp it. She stood on them, turned the latch and opened the window but as she did, her feet went straight through the top of one of the boxes. She crushed something delicate-sounding inside of it.
“Damn.” She said.
“What happened?”
“I don’t know. I stepped on something in this box and I think I broke whatever was in there.”
“Are you hurt?”
“No.”
“Okay, I’m gonna come in now.” He said. “Straight across from where you are standing is the light switch. Go turn it on while I climb inside.”
“Um, okay…” Daniella replied with trepidation in her voice. The basement was terribly dark and seeing even a few feet in front of her was almost impossible. As she made her way towards the opposite side of the room, she heard Jett begin to come in through the window behind her.
“How far is it?” She asked.
“Well, I’ll tell ya, you’re just about there.” A strange voice replied.
The sound came from in front of her, in the direction of the light switch. Daniella froze in place, her breath clinched in her throat. For a good second or two, nothing happened and then, the light came on. At the base of the stairs stood a tall, middle aged man. Behind a receding hair line and piercing chocolate-colored eyes he looked at Daniella down the twin barrels of a shotgun.
“Now here I thought you were that damn mama coon again.” The man said. “Come close. Come on now. Let me see your face.”
Daniella swallowed and started to walk in his direction.
“Slow…” he said. “Hands up, where I can see ‘em.”
From behind, Jett called out, “Daniella! Whooaaahhh!!!” He fell through the window and crashed to the ground with a heavy thud.
The man pointed his weapon in the direction of the sound. He squinted and yelled, “Hey, who’s there? You! You come out here. Right now!”
Daniella heard Jett stand and straighten himself. As she stood with her hands in the air, the man pulled back the action back on the gun. A moment later, Jett emerged from the shadows.
“Dad, don’t…” he said.
Daniella watched as the man’s grimace melted into shock and disbelief. He dropped the gun to his side.
“Son, what?” He said. “Is it really you?”
Jett nodded slowly at first and then more quickly as he walked towards him. Seconds later, they hugged. When they broke free, his father said, “Where have you been? When you took off we feared for the worst and after we heard about the manhunt, we…”
He hugged Jett again.
After he released him, Jett turned towards Daniella and said, “Pop, this is Daniella. She saved my life and she’s the only reason I’m still free. If it wasn’t for her, I don’t know where I’d be. Daniella, this is my father, David.”
“Nice to meet you, sir.” Daniella said.
The man smiled and replied, “No, the pleasure is all mine.” He placed the shotgun against the wall, walked over and embraced her. “Come, tell us everything. Mother almost has supper ready.”
***
They ascended the flight of stairs which led into the kitchen.
“Was it that coon again, David?” Jett’s mother asked as she hovered over the stove with her back turned towards them.
“No,” he replied. “It was something much bigger… and uglier.”
“Uglier? What on Earth are you…” she said as she turned in their direction.
She stopped mid-pivot and dropped the ladling spoon to the floor.
“Jett!” she shrieked as she ran towards them. She threw her arms around him and started to sob into his shoulder. Daniella glanced at Jett’s father who seemed to fight back tears of his own. After they completed the joyful reunion , Jett introduced Daniella to his mother in much the same way he had with his father moments earlier.
Jett promised to explain everything over dinner. As they ate over the next hour or so, he recapped all the events of the past six weeks which included his crash, subsequent memory loss, arrest and everything in between. There was one hairy little detail he overlooked however…
Throughout the entire meal, Daniella waited on the edge of her seat to see if Jett would mention anything about his transformation. He didn’t. For now, she decided that if he didn’t want to bring it up, then she wouldn’t either. It did seem strange to her but for the time being, she let it go. During a break in the conversation, Jo turned to Daniella.
“I cannot even begin to tell you how grateful we are to you for helping him.” She said. “After Wyatt died and Jett disappeared, we imagined the worst. Then, when it was all over town that he was the suspect and had escaped… Well, let’s just say sleep was scarce for both of us.”
Daniella nodded. “It’s okay. I know that he is innocent so the decision to help was easy.”
Jett looked at her and chuckled. “Well, if everything that’s happened fits your definition of easy, I’d hate to be around when things get tough.”
Daniella smiled but as she did, Jo interjected. “Well, it’s settled then. You didn’t do it. Just turn yourself in and let the police handle it.”
Before Jett could reply his father said, “Jo, that’s not going to work. They’ve got their sights set on Jett. What we need is time to get this sorted out.”
“No David, please.” Jett’s mother begged.
“Jo, no. I am not going to just turn him over to the police.” David replied. “You know what we have to do. Now go get the map to the cabin.”
“David! Please, the police can protect him.”
“Jo, now. The map.”
Jett’s mother sobbed as she stood from the kitchen table and walked away.
After she disappeared, David turned to Daniella. “You have to understand,” he began. “She already lost one son. She doesn’t need to lose another. This is for the best. She needs time to come to terms with it.”
Daniella had no idea what he meant by that but she felt for the poor woman.
“Excuse me for a second.” David said as he pushed his chair and headed off after his wife.
As he walked out of sight, Daniella looked at Jett and said, “What’s this cabin your dad was talking about?”
Jett shrugged. “When we were young, there was a cabin we’d go to in the summer but we haven’t been there in years.” He replied as he shook his head. “I don’t know why he’d send us there.”
They sat in silence for a minute or so when David and Jo reappeared in the kitchen doorway. Even though her eyes were still puffy from crying earlier, Jett’s mom seemed to have collected herself. David gestured for her to sit down at the table and as she entered, he followed behind her. After they sat down, David unfurled an old piece of paper that contained a hand drawn map. He rotated it upright and slid it into the center of the table.
“Alright…” he said as he pointed towards the middle of the map. “That’s where you are headed.”
“What’s this cabin you are talking about, Pop?” Jett asked. “Is it the same one we went to when we were kids?”
“What? No. No, we sold that years ago…” his father replied. “No, it’s Owen Carmichael’s place.”
“Who?” Jett asked. “I’ve never heard of him.”
“He’s an old friend of ours.” Jo replied.
“Oh…” Jett said. “I don’t understand. Why would he agree to help me?”
“Because he owes us a favor.” Jo interjected. “Your father saved his life years ago, right around the time that we adopted you and Wyatt. Isn’t that right, David?”
“In a manner of speaking, yes.” David said as he nodded. “But, that’s not important right now. What is important is that you and Daniella get there as soon as you can, preferably leaving here at first light.”
Jett grimaced. “Dad, I’m starting to think that maybe I should turn myself in, like Mom and Daniella are saying.” He crossed his hands together on the dining room table and continued, “Being on my own and on the run is one thing but now all of you are involved. The last thing I want is you sitting next to me in jail.”
“I understand, Jett.” David said. “I appreciate that but you let me worry about dealing with the police here in Pine Hill. They’ve been sniffing around since the day you went missing and they ain’t found nothing yet.”
“But Pop…”
“I said no, Jett. That’s final!” David barked. “Show me the respect I deserve as your father and do this for me. Your mother has been through enough.” Jo reached down and caressed David on the shoulder as she stood behind him. He looked up towards her and said, “I’m fine, honey.”
After a brief pause, Jett nodded and said, “Alright, Pop. But if the police do anything to either one of you, I’m back here and I won’t take ‘no’ for an answer.”
“Agreed.” His father replied. “Now, tell me, how did you get here?”
“Oh, Daniella’s car…” Jett said. “It’s parked about a mile away, in a safe spot.”
“Okay, well, the earlier you can get headed north towards Fesser’s Grove, the better. The cabin is about thirty minutes south of there.” His father said. “Even after your drive, you are looking at a one hour hike upcountry.”
An hour long hike? Upcountry?
None of that sounded fun to Daniella. In fact, it sounded awful. She liked to hike about as much as she liked to do spinning classes and half marathons, which was not at all and never.
“Alright,” Jett began. “How will he know we are coming?”
“Leave that to me,” his father replied. “Now, it’s best if you both get to bed. Tomorrow will be a long day.”
As they stood from the table and said goodnight, Jo hugged Daniella. “It’s a shame we don’t have more time to get to know each other a little better. I wish things weren’t so crazy.”
Daniella nodded in agreement. “I know, I feel the same way.”
“When this is all over, we’ll have to sit down and talk about Jett.” She replied. “I’ve got a lot of stories to tell you about that man.”
Jett chuckled. “Daniella, don’t pay attention to her. She’ll fill your mind with all sorts of half truths about me if you let her.”
“Uh huh,” Daniella replied. “Why do I feel like she’s the only one who will tell me what I need to know about you?”
“Women’s intuition…” Jo replied.
“Alright, alright,” David interjected. “That’s enough for tonight. Let’s save this for another time.”
***
The next day they got the early start they’d hoped for and after Jett’s parents saw them off, they trekked back through the woods to Daniella’s car. They hopped in and after a drive of a half hour or so, they arrived at the spot on the map where they’d hike in to reach the cabin.
“Are you sure this guy knows we are coming?” Daniella said as she turned off the engine.
“Well, he’s supposed to,” Jett replied. “My father told me he spoke to him last night but I guess there’s only one way to find out for sure.”
With that, they got out of the car and began the dreaded hike. Under normal circumstances Daniella would have pitched a fit about such a thing but she decided to keep her complaints to a minimum. They walked for about fifteen or twenty minutes. Every so often, Jett would send them down a new trail as he checked their position on the crude map.
“Jett,” Daniella began as they made their way up a switchback. “Why didn’t you say anything to your parents about your um, condition?”
“Is that what we’re calling it now?” He asked.
“I guess,” she said. “Unless you have a better term for it.”
He chuckled. “I’m kidding,” he replied. “I couldn’t say. It’s not something you can just bring up under the circumstances. You know?”
“Yes, I suppose.”
“And besides, I’m not their biological child,” he continued. “I figure that once this is all over and I have time to learn about who I am and where I come from that I’ll find an answer to it. Believe me, no one wants to know more about what the hell happened to me than I do.”
For the next half hour, they continued to gain elevation as they followed the trail on the map. At last they emerged from tree cover and into a clearing and a few hundred yards away stood a cabin.
“There,” Jett said as he pointed in the direction of the rustic structure. “That has to be it. Come on.”
They started to walk towards it and as they did, Daniella looked to her left. The hike up was steep and she estimated they’d climbed a couple thousand feet at least but the journey was worth it. From here, she could see the entire valley floor and forty miles into the distance with ease.
“Wow,” she said as they walked, “it’s pretty up here.”
“Yeah, sure is.” Jett replied.
As they neared the cabin, two dogs approached. Medium-sized mutts. They sniffed around at both of their two legged visitors. Daniella and Jett knelt down to pet them and as they did, one of them licked her face. She giggled.
“I see you met my early warning system.” A voice said from a distance.
The pair stopped and stood. Headed towards them was an older man with a full salt and pepper beard and a head of hair to match. As he walked in their direction, Daniella noticed that he did so with a bit of a limp.
“Yes, we did,” Jett began. “Owen?”
The old man nodded. “That’s what they call me. You David and Jo’s boy? The one in trouble with the law?”
“Yep, afraid so.” Jett replied.
The old man stopped a few feet away. “Nothing to be afraid of up here. ‘Cept of course mountain lions and maybe a bear or two.”
Daniella’s eyes shot towards Jett.
“Bears huh?” Jett replied. “I didn’t think that there were bears this far south.”
“Yes sir,” Owen said. “Good foraging ground this. Plenty of fresh meat for them. It’d be hard for any bear to turn his nose up at it.”
“I see,” Jett replied as he nodded. “This is Daniella.” He said as he gestured in her direction.
Owen nodded. “Pleasure.”
Daniella smiled at him as he greeted her. It was plain to her eyes that although he might be old, he could handle himself out here and that… was no easy feat. Upcountry living wasn’t for the faint of heart and wasn’t something Daniella could relate to at all. The forest would make short work of someone like her, no question about it.
But not Owen.
Though the passage of years shrouded it a bit, it was plain to her that he must have once been a strong man, perhaps a logger or ranch hand. That wouldn’t be unexpected for a man of his years. After all, it was only within the past decade or so that the way in which most folks earned a living in these parts changed.
He was a fighter, she noticed it in the way he looked at her. Underneath the leathered skin and wrinkled brow, brilliant blue eyes sparkled back in her direction. In many ways they mirrored the color of the beautiful turquoise amulet that hung around his neck.
“Max! Diego!” Owen shouted as he focused his attention on the dogs. “Come! Leave them be.”
The dogs turned away from their welcoming committee duties and wandered back up a well worn foot trail that lead to Owen’s home.
“Alright now,” Owen said as he turned his attention back towards them. “I would suppose the two of you are about ready for chow. It’s a good hike up here. Am I right?”
Daniella and Jett nodded.
“Good,” the old man said as he turned and started to head up towards the house. “Food’s about ready.”
They made their way up the steps and into the cabin. Max and Diego took up sentry positions at either side of the front door. Owen limped ahead of them, opened the front door and entered. With each step they took, the pine floor groaned underfoot.
“This here is my place,” Owen said. “It ain’t much but it’s all a man of my years requires. Have a seat,” he said as he motioned towards a simple oak table near the kitchen.
A delightful scent caught Daniella’s attention. “That smells incredible.”
Owen chuckled. “Yep, rabbit stew. Best in the county. My wife’s old recipe, God rest her soul.”
“Oh,” Daniella replied with sympathy in her tone.
Owen grabbed bowls from the cupboard. He placed them on the counter and said, “She’s gone years now. Don’t get yourself worried about it.”
“Alright.” She replied.
Jett sat down in one of the chairs. “So… Owen… How long have you been here?”
As he spoke, the old man stirred the meaty contents of the pot. Without turning back towards Jett, he replied, “Oh, been about twenty five years or so I would suppose. Any spoons on the table?”
“I don’t see any,” Daniella replied. “Do you need me to help you with anything?”
“No, you go on and sit.” He said as he gestured towards them. “Make yourselves comfortable.”
As Daniella took her seat, Owen lifted the pot off the stove and headed towards the table. He placed it in the center and motioned for Daniella to pass her bowl. After he’d filled all of them with stew he took a seat and they began to eat.
“This is incredible,” Daniella said. “It’s so flavorful and rich.”
Jett nodded in agreement. “Yeah, it’s delicious.”
Owen grunted in acknowledgment. “Took me a while to get it just right after the wife passed. She had a way with food. It’ll never be as good as hers was but it suits my needs.”
The trio ate in relative silence for about ten minutes. It seems Owen was a man of few words. That didn’t surprise Daniella. She assumed it was a by-product of being out here all alone for so long. She felt bad for the grizzled woodsman. The isolation must be overwhelming at times. As lunch wound down, Owen picked up his bowl, took it to the kitchen and then paused for a moment.
“If you want to go out alone, take a gun or the dogs.” He said. “It’s never a good idea to wander around out here in the backcountry but if you do, be smart about it. I’m going to get a bit of shuteye. We’ll talk about the next couple of days over supper tonight.”
Daniella and Jett nodded. Owen turned, headed down the hall and into a room on the left where he closed the door behind him.
“A nap sounds like a good idea to me as well.” Daniella said as she stretched. “Are you tired at all?”
“No but you go ahead and rest.” Jett replied. “I’m gonna go for a walk, clear my head.”
“Okay but be careful out there. Remember what Owen said.”
“I know, I will. I’ll see you in a little while.” He leaned in and kissed her on the cheek. Afterward, he got up and walked out of the cabin.
***
After Jett left, Daniella wandered down the hallway and as she did, she passed the bedroom Owen entered moments earlier. As she continued, she made her way to what looked to be a second bedroom at the end of the hall. She went inside and closed the door behind her.
Like the rest of the house, the decor was sparse. If Owen’s wife was alive here at some point, it was hard to tell. Few creature comforts existed and that was doubly true when it came to the bedding. As she lay down, Daniella wriggled in place to try to find a comfortable position. The hike earlier exhausted her and so in spite of the rigidity of the mattress it wasn’t long before she drifted off to sleep.
When Daniella awoke, she felt late afternoon sun streaked across her cheek. She rubbed her eyes, stretched and climbed out of the bed. She had no idea how long she was asleep but she felt refreshed from the brief respite. As she walked down the hallway, she noticed that Owen’s door was open and he was nowhere in sight.
“Jett? Owen?” She called out as she walked. There was no response. She continued to the front door, opened it and walked out onto the stoop. Max and Diego were sound asleep.
“Some guard dogs…” she muttered. Daniella continued out into the yard and as she did, she scanned the area nearby for any sign of the men.
“Jett!” She called out. “Owen!”
She assumed they were off together somewhere and so she meandered around the perimeter of the property. Daniella marveled at the beauty of the wildflowers and surrounding plant life. Just down the path, she noticed a large patch of Elephant Flowers and Yellow Paintbrush grouped together.
She walked down to get a closer look and as she neared, she saw another burst of color beyond a small hill to her left. An immense thatch of Copper Mallow Flowers, King’s Crowns and Alpine Wildflowers beckoned her. Before long, Daniella found herself in the midst of a kaleidoscope of color. She removed her cell phone from her jeans pocket and snapped one photo after another.
“I wish I could get them all in one shot…” she grumbled to herself as she scoured the nearby terrain for a better vantage point.
To her right was a rock outcropping that promised just the view she needed. Minutes later, she made her way up it and out onto the rock’s ledge. She took a series of pictures and paused for a moment to admire the serenity of it all. For a brief instant, she came to understand why someone like Owen might feel at home here. It was a beautiful place.
Satisfied she’d captured the images she wanted, she smiled and turned to head back down the rock when a horrible sound galvanized her attention. It was a low staccato growl which came from behind a nearby bush. The stand of greenery shook for a brief instant until all of a sudden, it appeared.
Daniella recoiled in fright as an immense mountain lion stood before her. She looked in every direction but knew that if she made any sudden moves, the large cat would pounce. Instead, she began to back away in the direction of the ledge. As she moved, the great beast stalked her.
Just as she reached the end of the ledge, she looked down. It was easily a ten, maybe twelve foot drop. If she jumped, she’d survive but a broken leg was a possible result. Frantic, she looked back toward the cat as it approached and screamed, “Jett! Owen! Someone help!!”
The animal stopped, bared its teeth at her and emitted a terrible screech. As it finished, it leaned back on its haunches. Daniella’s eyes darted back and forth, desperate for any last chance of escape. With her eyes fixed on the beast poised to strike before her, she scooted to the very precipice of the ledge.
Bits of pebble and sand tumbled over the edge and she moved to its absolute furthest point. Any second it would jump at her. She had no choice. She would have to make the leap. As fear raced through her veins, she readied herself to do it when the cat finalized the decision for her.
It began to race toward her but instead of jump, Daniella froze in place, gripped by primal terror. Yellow eyes glared at her as the predator closed in but just as he drew within ten feet or so a huge blur emerged from the tree cover to her right and collided with the cat. At first, she had no clue what it was but as the dust cleared, she realized she stared at the backside of a huge grizzly bear. Daniella’s pulse raced. The cat scrambled to its feet and roared at the huge creature that impeded its feast.
“Daniella!” A voice called out from below her. Her head snapped down and to the left where she saw Jett run up the trail with Max and Diego in tow.
“Jett!” She screamed. “Help me!”
Her attention returned to the standoff in front of her. As the mountain lion regained its awareness, the bear stood up on its hind legs and roared. For what seemed like an eternity, the cat held its ground as the two beasts stared one another down. And then, almost as soon as it appeared, the mountain lion bared its teeth, turned and disappeared back into the dense cover.
As it did, the bear dropped back down onto all fours and looked back over its shoulder at Daniella. For a split second, she thought she swapped one predator for another and readied herself to take the leap once again. But the bear growled, turned away from her and started to walk off. To her left, Daniella saw Jett and the dogs make their way up the hill. He stopped in place when he saw the bear and aimed the shotgun at it.
“Jett, no!” Daniella screamed. “Don’t… it saved me. Let it go!”
The bear looked in Jett’s direction and roared. The dogs barked at the immense animal but nothing more. After several tense moments, Jett lowered the weapon and the bear continued into the trees until it disappeared from sight just as the mountain lion had. As it did, Jett ran the rest of the way back up to where Daniella stood.
“Jesus, are you okay?” He said as he arrived and hugged her.
“Yes, I think so.”
“What happened?”
As they walked down from the ledge and back onto the trail, Daniella recounted the events of the past few minutes.
“Daniella,” Jett began. “Owen told us not to wander off without the dogs or the gun. What were you thinking?”
“I don’t know. I wound up over here somehow, I’m sorry.”
“Hmm, it’s alright, I guess. Are you hurt at all?”
“No, I don’t think so.” She said.
“Okay, let’s get back to the house.”
Max and Amigo ran along ahead of them as they followed the trail back to the cabin. Daniella’s hands continued to shake as she walked, the adrenaline fresh in her veins. As they entered the house, Owen emerged from his bedroom.
“Taking a walk?” He asked.
“Uh, hardly…” Daniella replied. Jett helped her to sit down on the couch in the living room.
He turned back to Owen and said, “Mountain lion got after her. I went running towards them with the dogs. By the time I reached her, a bear chased it off.”
“A bear?” Owen said. “Did you…?”
“No, I didn’t have to shoot it.” He replied. “It wandered off in the same direction as the mountain lion.”
Owen looked at Daniella. “Well, I suppose you learned your lesson, didn’t you?”
Daniella nodded. She exhaled a deep breath and replied, “Yeah and not one I ever want to learn again.”
“See to it then,” Owen replied. “You can’t go through life expecting to be rescued. You know?”
“Yes,” she said. “I’m sorry about that. I’ll never put myself in that situation again.”
Owen nodded. “Well then,” he said. “I’ll get supper going. You two make yourselves comfortable.”
Over the next hour Daniella’s nerves started to settle. That was the closest thing she’d ever had to a near death experience and she had no desire to ever repeat it. As Owen prepared their meal he told them stories about the near misses he had over the years. Daniella wasn’t sure if he did it to make her feel better or not but it did.
***
“So Owen,” Jett began as they ate dinner a couple of hours later. “How is it that you know my folks?”
“Knew ‘em from when we both lived in Fesser’s Grove,” he replied. “Long time ago… We were a close bunch back then.” He said as his voice drifted off.
Daniella and Jett exchanged glances across the table.
“We?” Jett asked. “You… and my folks?”
“Yes,” Owen said. “Kane, too.”
“Kane?” Jett replied. “I don’t remember my parents talking about anyone named Kane before to me.”
“No, I don’t suppose you would.” Owen replied. “That was for the best. At least it was then.”
Jett swallowed another mouthful of food. “What do you mean?”
“Hmm?” The old man replied. “Oh, it’s nothing. By the way, I was sorry to hear about their boy, Wyatt. Terrible thing that.”
Daniella reached over and rubbed Jett’s shoulder.
Jett smiled at her and said, “Thanks Owen. Losing anyone is never easy but losing my brother, well, anyway thanks.”
Owen looked at Jett. “Your brother?” He said. “They didn’t tell you, did they boy?”
“Tell me? Tell me what?” Jett replied. “What are you talking about?”
The old man’s spoon clanked against the empty bowl. He stood from the table and started to head back into the kitchen. Before he did, he turned to Jett.
“Wyatt…” he said as he picked a bit of food from between his teeth, “wasn’t your brother.”
Jett laughed. “What? You’re crazy old man.”
Owen walked away from him. “Might be. Plenty of folks would agree with you around here about that. Even so, you ain’t got a blood brother and that’s a fact.”
Jett shot to his feet. “You’re wrong!” He exclaimed. “My parents adopted both of us when we were young. We were infants… from Fesser’s Grove.”
Owen placed his bowl down on the kitchen counter and turned back to Jett. “Half true.”
“What?” Jett scoffed. “You aren’t making any sense at all.”
Owen looked at Jett and chuckled. He rubbed his hands together and walked past them towards the far side of the room. As he did, Jett challenged the old man’s earlier statement.
“What proof do you have anyway?” Jett demanded.
Owen didn’t reply. Instead he seemed preoccupied with the contents of a box on the floor.
Jett grew impatient. “Hey, hello?” He said. “I am talking to you… If you are going to say things like that about me and my family, don’t you think you need to be able to back it up?”
Owen remained unresponsive and focused on his task.
Daniella sensed Jett’s budding disgust. “Jett, please, don’t…”
“Don’t what Daniella?” Jett snapped. “I’m not gonna sit here and let him say shit like that to me.”
As Jett’s emotional state flared further, Owen started to hum while he scoured the contents of yet another box.
“You know what? F*ck this.” Jett said as he stood from the table. “What the hell am I doing here? Come on, Daniella, let’s get out of here. I don’t need his help.”
“Jett, wait…” Daniella said.
“Big mistake boy…” Owen replied with his back towards them.
“Why is it a big mistake?” Jett said as he waived his hands dismissively in Owen’s direction. “Why the hell am I listening to you anyway? This is bullshit. We need to go, now, Daniella. I have to find out who killed my brother and end this whole thing. I don’t why my folks sent me here but it’s a huge waste of time.”
The old man grabbed a thick photo album from the box. As he stood he said, “You discovered something about yourself, didn’t you?”
“Huh? What you are you talking about now?” Jett said.
The old man turned back towards them. His once warm blue eyes seemed dark, almost black… and ominous. He clutched the photo album in his hand and started to walk towards them.
“You…” He said as he stared at Jett. “You’ve got a secret… don’t you son?” As he finished, he walked right up to Jett and stopped a few inches from his face. Daniella’s eyes widened as she looked on in disbelief. The thick tension in the air set her hair on end.
“Get out my face you crazy old coot.” Jett said. “You may be my elder but if you don’t back off, I’ll lay you out.”
Without breaking eye contact, the old man tossed the dusty photo album on the table.
“Do it.” Owen said.
“What?” Jett scoffed. “I would kill you.”
“And I’m right here telling you to do it.” Owen replied. A smirk came to his face. “Unless… you don’t have it in you.”
“Don’t have it in me?” Jett replied. A split second later, a smile broke across Jett’s face and almost as quick, the smile turned it into unbridled laughter. “You’re insane…”
But no sooner had Jett begun to roar in delight than the old man moved at him in a blur. In less than a second, he snatched Jett by the throat and crushed him against a nearby wall. The movement was so fast and violent that Daniella had no time to think, let alone react. The next thing she knew, she turned to see Owen held Jett a foot off the ground.
Around Jett’s neck was an immense brown bear paw. Three inch long claws hovered about his exposed flesh. Daniella recoiled in disbelief as Jett dangled helpless less than five feet away. Jett flailed against the power of the old man yet every movement he made only tightened the grip upon him. As Jett gagged for air, Owen cocked his head to one side. His eyelids drew narrow as he held a man one third his age and twice his size off the floor with ease.
Daniella couldn’t speak.
“You think this is some kind of joke, boy? A game?” He said as he choked Jett even harder.
Jett gasped for breath but couldn’t reply.
“If you do, it’s best you leave here now.” He released his grip and Jett hit the floor with a heavy thud. Outside on the porch, Max and Amigo yelped at the sudden commotion. As Jett writhed in place, he choked and gagged. Daniella scrambled to her feet to help him.
“No!” Owen yelled in her direction. “You leave him be and sit back down.”
Daniella froze in her tracks, unsure of what to do.
The old man glared at her. “I told you… to sit. This does not concern you. I’ve already had my fill of looking after your human hide once today. Now do as you’re told.”
“What do you mean… looking after me?” Daniella said.
The old man scoffed at her question. “You suppose a mountain lion would have just let you run off? Now I said… Sit. Down!”
Daniella’s knees nearly buckled at the implication. As she collapsed into the chair, Owen turned his attention to Jett who’d recovered enough to get back to his knees.
“No one from the clan needs to watch you die, boy.” Owen said as he looked down at Jett. “But die you will if you don’t do exactly as I say. You got that?”
***
Confused, Jett looked up at Owen and said, “Clan? What?”
“That’s right,” Owen replied. “Your bear clan…”
“So you’re…” Jett uttered.
“What? Like you?” Owen said as he looked down over him. “Is that what you were about to ask?”
Jett nodded as Daniella looked on in utter confusion.
“Yes, in a manner of speaking.” He replied. “And I’m not the only one.”
“What? I’m so confused.” Jett replied.
“Come on,” Owen said to Jett as he snapped his fingers in his direction. “Get up. I’ll explain everything.”
He helped Jett to his feet and they gathered around the table. As they sat, surreal sensations overcame Daniella. In some way, she’d managed to acclimate herself to the notion Jett was, well, whatever he was but now to think there was another and maybe many, many more… her vision blurred at the idea of it. The change in her condition did not go unnoticed by Jett.
“Daniella?” He said. “Are you okay?”
“Yeah,” she muttered. “I guess. It’s just a lot to take in all at once.”
Without taking his eyes off the photo album, Owen replied, “Never easy for humans. At least not in the beginning. The idea of us that is…” He looked up over the book in Daniella’s direction. “Better get her a glass of water.”
Jett nodded, stood up and walked over to the kitchen to get her a drink. As he returned to the table, he handed the water to Daniella.
“What do you mean by us, Owen?” He said.
As Daniella took a sip from the glass, she looked in the old man’s direction and awaited an explanation.
“Ah!” Owen exclaimed. “Here’s the one I wanted.” He rotated the album back around towards Daniella and Jett and pointed to a photograph of a small group of people. Still in a state of semi-shock, Daniella could only listen as Jett leaned in over the photo for a closer look.
“Recognize anyone in that picture, boy?” Owen asked.
Jett studied the photo for a moment or two and said, “Yeah, my mom and dad are standing next to each other at the far left.”
“Nope,” Owen said as he shook his head. “Your mother and father are at the opposite end.”
“Wait, you mean my birth parents?” Jett asked. “I thought they died.”
“Yes, they did.” Owen replied. “That’s a picture of them together before your birth.”
Curious, Daniella leaned in to get a better look. “Is that you, Owen? In the middle?” She asked.
“Yep.”
“Who’s next to you?” Jett asked.
“Kane…” Owen replied as he leaned away from the book and slumped in his chair.
Jett looked at Owen and said, “Who’s he?”
“He…” Owen began. “Is the man responsible for Wyatt’s death. He is also the one who…”
“What!” Jett interrupted as he leapt to his feet in utter rage. “Where is he now? I’ll kill the f*cker in his sleep!”
Owen looked at Jett and laughed. “Sit back down, boy.” He said. “You are in no position to deal with Kane.”
“What are you talking about?” Jett replied. “He’s an old man by now, like you!”
“That’s right,” Owen snapped. “And you saw what this old man in front of you was capable of, didn’t you?”
Jett’s aggressive posture eased as Owen spoke.
“Now I want you to imagine a foe with ten times the strength and no moral limitations on how to wield that power.” Owen said. “That, is the adversary you will face in Kane. Now, pay attention.”
Jett stood in a stoic pose for a second or two longer and then sat back down.
After the three of them remained silent for several seconds, Daniella pointed at the picture once again and said, “These people… The ones you say are Jett’s real parents. What happened to them?”
Owen shook his head. “Damn shame, that. All of it.”
“What do you mean?” Jett asked.
“Well, your father and Kane were once very close. I should know, we all grew up together.” Owen replied as he rubbed his chin. He pulled the picture out of the book and looked at it for a moment.
“Life in the clan back then was simple.” He continued. “You mated with another shifter, had some offspring and lived to a ripe old age. And in the beginning, that’s the way life seemed like it would go for all of us as well.”
“What happened?” Jett asked.
“Well, clanfolk usually kept to themselves…” Owen began. “We lived on the outskirts of town, educated our own and never looked to bother no one. But times change and we had to adapt.”
“What do you mean?” Daniella asked. “You had to interact with humans more often?”
“Exactly,” Owen said. “About thirty years back, the clan relocated to Fesser’s Grove and for a long time, even that was fine. We all had our mates by then and things were still going well in spite of all the changes. And then, one day, your father’s mate died. Tragic thing that. Out of the blue. No one could figure out why. In any case, your father was alone.”
“That’s so sad…” Daniella said as she clasped Jett’s hand and squeezed it.
Owen nodded. “Yes. I felt bad for my friend. He slipped into depression for a long time afterward.”
“Well, what happened?” Daniella asked. “I mean, obviously he met someone because Jett is here.”
Owen leaned away from the table again. “Oh yes, there were plenty of available females in the clan interested in a strong, young bear like your father.” Owen said. “But him? After he lost his mate, he seemed to lose all interest in females. That is, until he met your mother, boy.”
“I don’t understand,” Jett said. “My mother wasn’t part of the clan?”
“Nooo, no she wasn’t.” Owen chuckled with a sarcastic tone.
“Well, if she wasn’t part of the clan then that means…” Jett said.
“Your mother was human.” Owen interrupted. “Not a drop of shifter blood in her veins.”
“Humans and shifters can have offspring? How can that be?” Daniella asked.
“They can’t…” Owen said.
“What do you mean?” Jett asked. “I’m here. I’m proof it can be done.”
“Yes, you are here, Jett.” Owen said with a hint of melancholy in his voice. “Angelique, your mother, isn’t…” He leaned back in his chair and looked at Jett in silence for several seconds. “She died giving birth to you, boy. You aren’t supposed to exist.”
“What?” Jett replied. “I… I don’t even know what to say. Is that really true?”
“Afraid so son…” Owen replied. “Your mother was an incredible person, strong. She knew what carrying you to term would mean for her. Everyone in the clan did but I never saw anything but a smile on her face. Bravery like that, I’d never encountered the likes of it.”
Jett leaned over the table and placed his head in his hands. Owen stood and walked over to Jett. He placed his large palm on Jett’s shoulder. In a rare display of empathy he said, “I know it’s a lot to think about but there’s more you need to know, about your father, Dylan.”
Jett sighed and looked up at Owen. “Fine,” he replied. “Let’s just get it over with.”
Owen nodded and said, “Even though every shifter in the clan knew mating with non-shifters was a death sentence for the human, we all accepted Angelique. There was only one who didn’t…”
“Kane?” Daniella replied.
“Yes,” Owen said. “And it wasn’t long after your mother passed that…”
“What?” Jett said.
“Well, let’s just say to this day, Kane’s account of your father’s death is regarded with suspicion by most…”
“What do you mean by suspicion?” Jett said. “What happened?”
“No one knows for certain.” Owen replied. “But one thing is for sure and that’s the only one who returned from their hunting trip alive was Kane.”
“Did he?” Daniella asked.
“What?” Owen replied. “Kill Dylan?”
Daniella nodded.
“I think so…” He replied with an exhale. Owen looked at Jett as he spoke, “No proof of it though. Your father was an excellent hunter, the best in the clan and much better than Kane. In the clan, the ability to hunt is second only to the ability to fight. Your father was exceptional. Gifted beyond measure at both. Everyone knew it.”
“I don’t understand…” Jett replied. “If he was so good, how did he die on a hunt?”
“Exactly,” Owen said as he nodded and slapped his knee. “As soon as I heard the word ‘accident’ from Kane’s lips the day he returned… well… the very first thing I did was get you to David and Jo. They left Fesser’s Grove and never returned. They raised you like a son.”
“So you saved my life?” Jett asked.
“Yes,” Owen replied. “I suppose I did. It looks like you both owe me one doesn’t it?”
Daniella and Jett looked at one another and nodded.
“Then my adoptive parents, they are?”
“Human as well. One hundred percent.” Owen replied. “There weren’t many who knew about us. Still that way. But your folks did which is why they were the only ones I could trust.”
“Why did you leave the clan?” Daniella said.
“That was an easy decision,” Owen replied. “Right around the same time I met your adoptive father’s sister. She was human like them, of course. I married her and we lived here for twenty plus years. We never had any children, obviously. Still, I reckon getting away kept me from being Kane’s next victim. I knew it was time for me to find a new path.”
“I don’t understand,” Jett said. “Why is it my folks never brought us here, told us about you? I didn’t even know my father had a sister.”
“Very, very difficult that. All those decisions.” Owen replied. “But out of respect to your birth mother and the rightful heir to the clan, your father, we all decided it was best to raise you as a human. For a long time that was good enough. That is, until Kane decided it wasn’t.”
“Rightful heir?” Jett said. “What do you mean by that?”
“We’ll talk about it later.” He replied. “Look boy, we don’t have much time. Kane knows you are still alive and he will stop at nothing to…”