3.32 The Ultimate Tribe

The old, overgrown trail that circled the city walls was the perfect place to let off steam. Still enraged, Torus stormed up the bushy path, rugged enough to calm him down by the time he came upon the Temple turnoff. He hurried through the Laurel gardens and slid into a small door around the back of the building, hurried down a narrow turnpike, dimly lit with light from the chambers below.

         Below the mayhem of the outside world, the Underworld was functioning like a well oiled machine, aside from a few unfortunate delays, dominoes from the disaster in the Grand Courtyard. The Secure Treasury Transfer was almost complete, all the artworks and artifacts were safely in storage, now all they had to do was move the gold reserves.
         Torus inspected the record keeping as he broke the latest news to the Foremen. Due to the Lunie Invasion there had been a last minute Security measure put in place; the gold reserves would be shipped to Ebar. Atalon’s orders!

         "There's a cargo ship leaving tomorrow, space in the hold has already been assigned, the crews are awaiting your arrival" He marked up the shipping tablets, authorizing the change, passed them off to Ra-Ku then pulled Ku aside.

         "Listen. There's one more task I need you to complete..." He reached into his breast pocket and pulled out a crumpled scroll. "Do this job without messing it up and you'll grant yourself immunity."

         The Party Crashers gathered their instruments and props, counted the children, some of them already had a brave aribu by their sides, hearts sold, willing to be led astray at any cost. Josh pondered his own dilemma as he watched the scene unfold. He was officially invited to inspect their nest? He couldn't help but feel this was confirming his hunch of a Divine Intervention, a gift from Medel, he wasn't imagining these things.

         His pulse quickened as she emerged from the crowds again. If he went there, could he smuggle her back? Did he dare kidnap her? He eyed the maintenance door in the wall, pondering the only feasible option, knowing, his key to the Underworld would probably open that door too... He scanned the scene while conducting a realistic debate... The door was surrounded by a hive of activity, no one would notice him slip her inside… In fact, the hive of activity screamed of opportunity to kidnap the beautiful chocolate one! This was it! The time to do it was right now!

         But then what? Where would he hide her? Could he really hope to keep her hidden in his tiny bachelor suite? How would he breed a tribe if he only had his little bachelor suite? Was it perhaps a better idea to follow her back to Lemuria?

         He followed Tika with a longing gaze as she gathered her baskets of honey buns. Did this really have to be over? Reality was, Atalon would never approve of such a trip… He scanned the scene up at the Villa; Atalon was no longer on the balcony... Was he on his way down to the courtyard? Was he mad?

         He pondered the invitation again... It would likely be a one way trip… There was no way Atalon would ever let him come back... What would Nolan do?

         He scanned the crowds for Nolan, quantifying the opportunities that had been promised to him in the New Empire. The gold, the promotion... The truth was, Nolan wasn't even going to be in Atlan anymore, no one had said anything about sending him to Ebar, he had no other connections to the Firmary gods aside from Dion and he lied to Dion today... He was malfunctioning, too now. Reality was, he was already on his way over the cliff. He felt like he was over the cliff until he spotted her again... She was his answer to the cliff… The seeds of perfection.... 

         Did he dare go to their party? Why not? A one way trip to Lemuria had the strongest argument now. If he was half-way over the cliff here, then this real chance to compete with the mighty Malodon, was Medel’s gift and he wasn’t going to turn it down.