Chapter 41

Priscilla was sitting on a chair under a tree. Her left thigh rested on the other, leaving her left leg swinging on her other side. In front of her was a wooden table holding a platter which had a cup on top. She leaned forward and took the cup before sipping its contents. She gently closed her eyes in pleasure as she returned it to the platter. Behind her was a gaping dark opening between boulders. It was a small rocky hill with trees between the rocks. She was sitting at the bottom of it, in a valley. In front of her was another hill which was taller and bigger than the one behind her.

 The winds blew, as gentle as they were, they carried her long gray hair across her face. She wiped them to the side only to see a man standing just before the table, far across her. She had not noticed him before for her mind was clogged.

The man's beards were nicely trimmed under his thick black mustache. He stood there motionlessly with his hands held together before the swell of his crotch. His head was lowered a little, obsequiously. "Gordon, what are you doing here, have you finished with her?" Priscilla asked.

"She was a little troublesome madam, but she has submitted." 

"And the boy?"

"He may have been Master Tempo's most obstinate disciple, but I was his confrere; I know how to break him." 

"I told you to kill him, he is of no value to us." Her brows knotted in displeasure.

"We do not know what you are going to deal with, madam. He is skilled, more than any of us was. If you are to succeed, his submission may be more important than his life." He bowed a little deeper, "But if it is what you want, I will see to it immediately." 

"No," she waved unconcernedly, "Reserve that energy for what we must do. I won't mind adding to my collection another pair of strong arms. Will you take me to them?"

"Right now?" His eyebrows rose.

"Is anything wrong? Are you sure you have succeeded?" Her look became intent, giving him a chill.

"Of course, madam." "Then take me to them."

She gave the dark opening behind her a quick look before following him up the hill in front. They meandered the trees under the canopy of their leafy branches to the other side of the hill. He begun descending until he reached the bottom of the hill, where there was a bungalow facing the opposite side of the hill. They walked to the main entrance and quickly walked to a room. Inside, there was a young man and a young woman seated in opposite corners. They squatted with their arms hugging their knees. On their faces were patches of blood, a sign that they had been tortured. When the two came in, they slid to the walls.

"We are not here to harm you," Priscilla smiled, "there is a problem that once you have helped us solve, we will let you go."

"We are not going to be involved in any of your homicidal acts." The young man protested.

"Gordon, I thought they had submitted." Priscilla turned to the man she had just walked in with.

"Yes, they did." He nodded and walked towards the young man. With face full of horror, the young man coiled to the corner. "You will do as she says, do you understand?" Gordon's look became murderous as he asked. The young man nodded fearfully.

"Sniffer, there is someone who has eluded us for years. His services are now needed. We need you to help us find him." Priscilla said.

"I can only find those who I know. Those whose scents I am familiar with." Brenda looked over coldly, even as she coiled at the corner.

"This is the spectral stick," The stick appeared in her hand and she was looking at it as if appraising it. There was a flash in Brenda's eyes. She almost stood, were she not being held back by something from within, not what they had put on her. "It was forged by the second disciple of Her Celestial." Priscilla looked at her, "It was handed over to its keeper who was to make sure that it did what it was made for. However, three years ago, he gave up the stick and fled. It belongs to him; I believe with it you can trace him." 

Priscilla handed over the stick to Brenda who rose to her feet to receive it. She whiffed certain parts of the stick before directing her eyes at Priscilla. "Yes," she nodded, "exactly three hundred thousand kilometers north east."

"You are going to help us get him, now."

"I am wounded, the best I can do is what I have done." Brenda protested.

"We have no time for games, sniffer. You are going to follow us to where he lives." Gordon grabbed her arm and yanked her closer to him. Jack sent a kick to his head but he was stopped by Priscilla who had lifted her palm up, stopping the leg midair. "You will also go with us; in case we need you."

Priscilla cast a healing spell on them before they left the building. At the entrance, she clapped and a flying van landed in front of them. They entered and it disappeared in the sky.