Armageddon Run

Chapter Ten

Plato couldn’t believe what he’d just heard. “You are certain of this?” he demanded.

The woman standing in front of him nodded. She was a redhead with a ruddy complexion, an oval face, and calm hazel eyes. Although short in stature, she conveyed an impression of dignity and inner serenity. She wore a loose-fitting yellow dress in immaculate condition. Her name was Hazel, and she was the chief Family Empath, one of the six Family members blessed with psychic capabilities.

“There is no doubt,” Hazel said in her soft voice. “Joshua has left the Home.”

They were conversing only 15 feet from the drawbridge located in the middle of the western wall to the Home. This drawbridge was the only means of entering and leaving the 30-acre compound short of scaling the walls.

“Why would Joshua leave?” Plato asked. “Where would he go?”

Hazel’s maternal features became downcast. “We attempted to take a reading on him, without much success. We believe he is far to the southwest of the Home.”

“And his parents have no idea where he went?” Plato inquired.

“He apparently left without confiding in them or leaving a note,” Hazel replied. “It’s most uncharacteristic of him,” she noted.

“I agree,” Plato said. He nervously chewed on his lower lip. If only he hadn’t been so preoccupied with this Doktor business! He might have noticed Joshua was missing sooner! Spartacus had even mentioned something about it, hadn’t he?

“Don’t blame yourself,” Hazel said.

“Can you read my mind?” Plato asked, grinning.

“No,” Hazel responded. “We’re not able to do that. Yet. I didn’t need to read your mind to determine what you were just thinking. All it took was one look at your worried face.”

Plato turned and gazed fondly at the dozens of Family members, many of them children, playing in the open area between the concrete blocks to the east of the drawbridge. “I’m their Leader,” he remarked. “It is my responsibility to safeguard them from harm.”

“It would be impossible for you to keep track of all of them at all times,” Hazel commented.

“Why would Joshua do such a thing?” Annoyed, Plato smacked his right fist into his left palm. As if he didn’t have enough problems without Joshua pulling a stunt like this!

“Will you send someone to search for him?” Hazel inquired.

“I can’t,” Plato replied. “I can’t spare any of the Warriors to go after him. Six of them are off, about to engage the Doktor, if my strategy has attained fruition. The remaining nine Warriors must stay here to defend the Home should an emergency arise.”

Hazel could readily discern the turmoil raging in Plato’s soul. “Don’t fret over Joshua,” she said to calm his emotional upheaval. “The Spirit will guide him in whatever he is doing.”

“I should have seen this coming,” Plato said berating himself. “He was so quiet and reserved after his last trip to the Twin Cities. I should have realized he was upset and endeavored to discover the reason.”

“Joshua will be okay,” Hazel stressed.

“I hope so,” Plato declared. “I’ll never forgive myself if something happens to that boy.”

“What could happen?”