Ume turned to him and asked, “Is something wrong?”

Jolted from his thoughts, Besh put the bread in his mouth and chewed, opting to shake his head rather than answer. It seemed that each time Ume spoke to him before her Shades, they stopped what they were engaged in to listen covertly. Their stealth mode was obvious, and just a bit abrasive. Besh washed the bread down and looked into his host's green eyes. Ume inhaled and gave the nod to an unspoken decision.

Ume called to the Shades, “Let's clean up. Save some for those yet to return. If you have work to do, I trust you will finish. If you do not, you may join Besh and me for some brainstorming.”

The Shades moved as a team, quick and efficient. The table was cleared while Ume and Besh remained seated. Tory returned and took a seat beside Ume. Carter, Kalle, and Lexi took seats nearby. Mack took a seat beside Besh.

Ume spoke first. “The Bloodlands have become a restricted zone. As I understand it, the south face of the mountain was damaged in battle, and rocks cover an old cave entrance. Beyond that, I'm clueless, but that is where we need to go. Thoughts?” Ume turned to Carter

Carter removed his cap to scratch thoughtfully in his hair. He replaced his cap and said, “I haven't yet had a chance to do so, but I'll get the distances and terrain. I'll get with Mack to determine military schedules and routes.” Mack gave Carter a wink and a thumbs up.

Ume turned to Kalle, whose expertise was explosives. “Can you get us in unnoticed?” she asked.

Kalle tossed her red hair and flashed a clever smile. “For specialty equipment,” said she, “I'll have to hit up Diedrich, but, yeah. No problem.”

Tory said, “I know a guy that does camouflaged vehicles and stealth tech. He loves a challenge.”

Ume turned to Besh with a broad smile. “My Shades,” she said, “always amaze me.”

Besh searched the faces of Ume's best. He said, “I believe you can get me in, but will we have enough time for a proper search?”

Tory answered with a note of pride in his voice, “We can give you all you need. I'll even throw in state-of-the-art GP wands, shovels, and transport containers.”

Kalle said, “We got you covered.”

Ume said to her Shades, “You're wonderful. What would I ever do without you?”

Mack said, “Don't even try.”

Brea and Raine stepped into the door and stood side by side, dressed in minimal beach wear. Brea said, “We're headed out.”

Ume answered, “Heads will turn. Be safe.”

Waving, the two left. Mack slid a work tablet in front of Besh. He looked at it and first noticed the labeling in bright white letters; Indy Mon. Then, he saw the image on the screen. It was the rock slide on the south face of Thurisaz. That side of the mountain was indelibly burned into his mind's eye.

“That's the normal view,” said Mack, reaching to tap the screen. “This is a close-up satellite view. See the big rock leaning over the rest? That will provide cover while Kalle gets you in.”

Besh turned to study Mack's face. Retrieving her tablet, Mack turned away. “Thanks,” said Besh. He turned to the others seated at the table. “Thanks, all of you.”

Suddenly, Audra stood in the door, eyes red as if she had been crying. Ume left her seat and went to embrace her. She turned briefly to look at Besh before leading the woman away. Besh felt a tightness in his chest. It was the feeling one gets when trouble peeks around the corner. Besh hated the thought, but he would send Marq away before he let him undermine his search for Heaven.

Carter caught Kalle's eye with a meaningful glance, then turned to Besh. “I hate to be the one to tell you,” said Carter, “but, your friend's going to get his ass kicked.”

“I'm sorry,” replied Besh. “I'll talk to him.”

Lexi said, “Marq has his nose where it doesn't belong.”

Mack said, “I can't imagine two men fighting over me, but if they were, I'd have to smack them both. Or a knee in the groin; that'd put them in their right mind.”

To finish old assignments, or to begin new ones, the Shades had left the cabin empty. Besh stood in the dining room door and looked into the living room. Mack busied herself at the entertainment corner while Ume brought a much improved Audra from her room and sent her on her way. Besh joined Ume by the entertainment corner.

“Is she alright?” asked Besh.

Ume answered, “Emotional overload. Better now; she just had to cry it out.”

Besh said, “If Marq is causing problems, I'll send him away.”

Ume replied, “We will sit down with Marq and Alastair. An understanding will be reached.”

Mack turned to Ume with a work tablet. She said, “Stela's in the safe. This is the translation.”

Ume took the tablet, then embraced Mack, saying quietly, “Thanks.” She turned to Besh and said, “Let's go up and take a look.”

In Ume's room, she handed the tablet to Besh and spread her bundled clothing on the single bed. Besh tapped the tablet on and leaned against the door frame to read the first page of the translation. He said aloud, “Laws take, hearts give.”

Ume responded as she idled over her clothing, “My father might have said something like that.”

Besh continued, “Rulings jade, will not forgive.”

Ume looked up and said, “Justice can seem cruel.”

Besh read the second line of text. “Be low, be down, be sodden, south. Could these be directions? There is a down-pointing arrow on this page.”

Ume answered, “You may be right.” She held a top in front of her and asked, “What do you think?”

Besh set the tablet atop a chest of drawers and stepped to the bed. Ume held a short-sleeved top designed with sunflowers. “Nice,” said Besh. “It suits you.”

“Ah, but no matching shorts,” said Ume, searching the bed.

Besh lifted burgundy-colored shorts and held them out to Ume. “This will bring out the green in your eyes,” he said.

Ume took the shorts, smiling. “You have a good eye,” she said. “You should go change. Dress light; this is not Symalton. What do you think, a walk along the lake?”

Besh returned the smile. “Sounds good,” he said.

Ume nodded him toward the door, saying, “Don't forget your glasses.”

The warm sun of Coolah Lake made memories of Symalton seem downright cold. Besh and Ume strode the beach walk like all the other brightly dressed tourists. Ume wore a red ball cap. Besh wore a white ball cap. Ume's sandals made flopping noises, and Besh quietly chafed to be seen in public wearing flower print shorts. Ume took Besh by the arm and pulled him around.

“Stop,” she said. She reached up to touch his FR glasses. “Do this,” she said sweetly, and a moment after her touch, the glasses opaqued.

“Thanks,” said Besh.

Ume took his arm and resumed their stroll. A passing elderly couple gave them a smile of approval, and Ume sighed happily. “Isn't this nice?” she said.

Nodding, Besh pointed out a pier. They sat at the end and dangled their feet above the water. Out on the lake, recreational vehicles raced along, jetting high wakes. A railed fishing boat trailed fishing lines from numerous poles as bellied fishermen drank beer. Besh looked across the lake to the mountain range. He looked southwest and thought of Heaven. Ume touched his hand, and he turned to her face, sad that he could not see her green eyes through the opaqued glasses. She seemed at once both serious and cheerful.

Ume said, “I have no sense of time. Is it the lake, do you think? We should not wander far.” She leaned against Besh with a smile on her face. “Not that my Shades will talk, but there should be a meeting before supper.”

Besh raised his left wrist and said light-heartedly, “Oh, look. I'm timeless.”

Ume sat straight and laughed. She said, “I am happy that you made time for me, for this walk. There should be good news when we return.”

Besh raised his fingers against the horizon, and said, “It's about two. We can take our time going back. We can hold hands and make the old folks smile.” He had said it; he had felt it. He made a silent apology to Heaven.

Ume took his hand in hers, a sweet smile lingering. “Let's do that,” she said.

In their approach to the cabin veranda, Besh sensed a disturbance within. Alarmed voices issued through the open door. Besh ran inside, suspecting a fight. The Shades were gathered around the fray as Marq and Alastair went one-on-one. They grappled violently, knocking back the Shades who sought to intervene. Besh pushed his way through and stood over the two men on the floor. They wore work jumpsuits emblazoned with false tags reading Rex Plumbing. Alastair had Marq pinned and drove his fist against Marq's face without restraint. They rolled, Marq kicked free and stood. When Alastair came to his feet, Marq knocked him down with a roundhouse right.

Besh stepped in and grabbed Marq by the collar of his jumpsuit, lifting him and pinning him against the wall in a single move. Blood dripped from Marq's abused nose onto the arm that held him up. Marq's eyes, fearful at the recognition of his friend's wrath, widened.

Besh held nothing back; he yelled at Marq, “I told you at the beginning, this is about me. Why? Why, Marq? Was I so wrong about you?”

Alastair rolled to his feet and lunged at Marq, his ragged voice screaming, “Roué!”

Eyes locked on his friend, Besh extended his left arm. His fist contacted Alastair's face with a loud report, and Alastair went down. Besh felt hands on his right arm and turned to look. Ume stood there with pleading eyes.

“Do not do this,” she said softly. “Please. We should talk them through it. I can help.”

Besh was breathing loudly; Adrenalin had the upper hand. He looked between Marq's bloody face, and Ume's pleading eyes, inhaled deeply, and found his calm. He dropped Marq and looked around at the faces gathered close. He had gone too far. He turned back to Marq and saw a frightened young man, a friend of four years. He reached out to wipe blood from Marq's chin, wiped it on Marq's shoulder, finally giving his friend a shoulder pat that said, we're good. At last, Besh turned back to Ume saddened to have shown the darker side of his nature. At the end of a long slow exhale, he apologized.

“Sorry,” he said. “I went too far. You've been kind, and we've caused trouble. Say the word, and we're out of here.”

Ume accepted rags from Lexi and handed one to Marq. She used the other to wipe blood from the arm of Besh. She said calmly, “We can talk this out. I know what to do. “ She looked around the room; she looked into the eyes of her Shades, and said, “Besh, Marq, and Alastair, in the dining room with me. Someone find Audra and bring her in.”

Alastair sat on the floor with Raine pressing a cloth against his nose. Besh extended his hand, defying Alastair's anger, and held it there until Alastair took it. In the dining room, Besh stood by the door. Ume sat Marq and Alastair in chairs side by side, the only sound was Ume's sandals as she paced.

She stopped at the head of the table to stare with ire at the abashed fighters. “You are such men,” said Ume accusingly. “Do you think this is only about what you want?”

Brea led a tearful Audra past Besh to Ume. Ume took Audra under an arm and drew her close. She took a moment to wipe tears aside before she returned her attention to the men. She said, “If this is a contest of men, there will be a winner and a loser. I will make this simple. It will be about what Audra wants.”

Ume turned Audra to face her so that Audra's back was to Alastair and Marq. She took Audra's slumped shoulders in her hands and looked deeply into her eyes. “You choose,” she said softly. “You don't have to say a word. Look left for Alastair or right for Marq.”

Audra, hesitant, looked left, then lowered her eyes. Ume motioned for Brea to remove Audra from the room. When the women were gone, Besh walked around the table to stand beside Ume. Both Alastair and Marq were downcast.

“Look up,” said Besh in a commanding voice.

Ume said, “This trouble is past. Marq may continue to help if he so wishes, but not with Alastair and Audra. Audra has chosen Alastair, and that will stand. You two have caused a good fighter to be emotionally insecure, and less efficient. Let this go.”