FicWad

Chapter 5



Jean-Claude would arrive there about two days before the others, so he could prepare them to be received, and all their goods as they arrived. He also had to brace those that were not in the know for what was coming. However, he was extremely glad in where he was going. Since it was there, his movement there would not be suspicious. He was, in a sense, going home. It was not Camden-Rockport, but it was not a short drive up the Penobscot River. They were going to be living in Bangor, Maine. This way, the four that were attending school could continue. This would give even Karin and Ruby the chance to attend school if they wanted, all under the sponsorship of the Brownlicks. Jean-Claude even considered a class or two, but he would have to think about it. He was able to arrive at Bangor International just as the sun set, and he was met by a couple at the gate. There was a handsome looking man linked arm and arm with a beautiful blonde with hair down to her calves. "Jean-Claude, over here," said the man.

Jean-Claude approached and said, "How did you know it was me?"

"Grandfather said to look for the bodybuilder with fangs come off the plane," he said, "There are few, I think, that would fit that description."

He approached, and the woman only came to his chest, as the man came up to his chin. He extended his hand to Jean-Claude, saying, "My name is Gilbert Brownlick, and this is my wife, Bridgette."

Jean-Claude deftly kissed her hand and said to her, "Enchante, mademoiselle!"

"Let's get your bags," said Gilbert.



Jean-Claude could not help but notice the hint of a Japanese accent in her English, and he had to ask, "So, ma'am..."

She cut him off, and said, "Please, just call me Bridgette. We're not in Japannow."

"Okay then, Bridgette," said Jean-Claude,"You kind of answered my question. What brings you stateside?"

Gilbert and Bridgette looked at each other, and looked a bit ashamed. "We were partly responsible for all the mess that happened eight years ago. We should have cooperated with the Markers, but the Brownlicks had always been the ones to get to the Fount of Psyche first, and if there was anything left, she was then sent to the other vampires. We tried to be far more cordial than our ancestors were. They always chained her up as if she were a prisoner. We could not do that. Still, we treated her like an object, and not a person. In these modern times, we should have known better. If we had just taken our time, Anjouwould have had more time to channel James the way she did. She may have lost her friends upon awakening, but her consulting spirits was still strong, and we should have known that. Anyway, if we had, we would have backed off, and let things with Kenta take place. The whole thing with Boris would have been less likely to happen. You would have been able to just settle into Japan, act as a vampire policeman, fertility to all vampires would have happened, and son on. However, because you and Yuriya became fertile, that meant the Psyche was in you, and because of the unique birth, what should have been one child has become four-three here, and one to come."

"That does not explain why you are here,"said Jean-Claude.

"We brought shame unto the family," said Bridgette, "and they told us to leave, and start again somewhere else."

"However," interjected Gilbert, "there was family here that had sympathy on us, and took us in. Since then, we have reconciled, but we must stay here. However, now we have a chance to make up for things."

"You do realize that I want to do here what I did in Japan, or at least start it," said Jean-Claude.

"There is still family here," said Gilbert, "and other vampires that would not take to that yet. Though things are taking off in Japan, it has only made ripples here. You must be careful. Some may not even like you when we get to the manor."

Jean-Claude smiled and said, "I would not worry too much about that!"

"Besides," added Bridgette, "making waves right now could actually be counterproductive. We want you all to have lives, but we still have to keep it discreet until the time comes to put an end to the madness."

As they walked from the baggage claim, Gilbert said, "In concert with all this, is there anything we can do for you?"

Jean-Claude was about to speak, when he began to smile and sniff the air. "There is one thing," he said, with a pleading smile on his face, "If that is what Ithink it is, it's been eight years! May I get some?"

"Some what?" asked Bridgette.

"Ah, the smell of home!" said Jean-Claude, as he answered, "The fried clams!"

Gilbert laughed, and said, "You talk as if you were a vampire just getting his first taste of blood!"

"I know that feeling, too!" said Jean-Claude, "and that smell, after being away from it for so long, is almost as good!"

They all laughed, and said, "I'm sure we can take a few minutes. We have all night!"

He was able to get that, the fries, tartar sauce, and a big tumbler of Moxie. "Now THIS is the taste of home!" he exclaimed.

"Are you from here?" asked Gilbert.

"I was born and raised some in Camden-Rockport," he said, "and I also lived in New Hampshire for a time. This is my old stomping grounds! I get to show my kids all this, and everything this state has to offer. Everyone at the council wondered why I was jumping around so much when the chairman told me where we were going!"

"Well then," said Gilbert, "We shall do all we can to make it a pleasant stay."



They entered a limo, and they went to the hill where the manor resided. Of course, no one knew it was there except the vampires, because of the wards. However, when they approached, Jean-Claude said, "This is a manor? You should have said, 'small castle!'"

"We Brownlicks never do anything half-baked!" said Bridgette.

Jean-Claude got out, and he was greeted by a mixed set of reactions when he approached. Some were genuinely glad to meet someone who had become a legend in many eyes. Others still saw ahalf-breed. Jean-Claude was having problems with his baggage, and one of the teenage ones started to approach and try to help him. However, one male said,"Leave him! He can handle his own bags."

"But papa," said the young girl, "He's our guest!"

The man then showed his true colors and said, "You know well why, and what he is..."

However, that was enough for Jean-Claude. Rather than have this floating around, he had to get a point across. In the blink of an eye, he had his saber out, the man off the ground, and the saber to his throat. "Papa!" the girl screamed, and Gilbert snapped, "Jean-Claude, that is not the way to deal with it!"

He set the man down and took away the saber. The man was agitated, but he was also scared now. Jean-Claude then said,"It is because of that attitude that my parents are dead. It is only because of that attitude that hate continues. You do not teach your daughter well."

He turned to the girl, and said, "I'm sorry, my dear, and I do appreciate your offer for help. I do thank you for taking me in, and I shall help to protect your family in any way I can."

With that, he bowed, and there were some who had trepidation around there. Now, they learned that he could also be polite as well as swift and strong. They saw that he was just as willing to make peace, as he was to defend his honor. The girl then decided to help Jean-Claude with the bags as she accepted his apology, but someone hissed, "We have to have this half-breed here? He would do better as our slave."

Gilbert and Bridgette glared at this one, and Bridgette began to come to Jean-Claude, acting in her normal mother hen way, saying, "Pay the Neanderthal no mind. He just has to learn."

"Wait," Jean-Claude, "I know what I can say."

He set down the bag he was carrying, calmly walked to the man, and said, "You know, like it or not, this'half-breed' does actually love you. He cares much about your well-being, and the well-being of your whole family. I give my love, and I don't expect anything from anyone. However, my wife, who is also a 'half-breed', is coming here with our two miracle children. They are both a key of good things to come, and I would appreciate a might of respect to them, okay."

He started to go back, but then he said,"Oh, and by the way, my kids are very powerful, and they are both very protective of the family. Do yourself afavor, and try not to tick them off, okay?"

He said this with a knowing smile, and went back to the entourage that was escorting him to his room.



There was a bit of trouble with the port when loading up Ruby. The weight in the crate was greater than what was on the bill. They wanted to open the crate to investigate, but there was no time. Thus, they paid the difference on the shipping weight, and things went on their way. Hondo knew that the food he saw must be for her in case she woke up. Therefore, he only took the bare minimums for himself for her sake, and waited. In about a day's time, the 'abducted' were coming to, and it was set this way so they did not starve or dehydrate. In the crates was food or bottled blood, depending on who it was. One thing was the same in all cases. In Karin's coffin, she was coming to, wondering why it was so dark. She noticed that Kannon was in her arms, and she was just beginning to stir. There was not even a photon in...wherever she was...to let her see what was going on. She tried to sit up and hit her head, (this happened to everyone.) However, she noticed that, whatever she hit her head on, it yielded to her. She pushed it up, and she realized that she was in a coffin that was inside a crate. It was then she, (and everyone else,) noticed the note. She set the lid up so she could read, as Kannon was rubbing her eyes, and saying, "Where are we, mommy?"

"Shh, let mommy read this note," she said,"It should tell us something."

She focused in the small amount of light, and began to read. The letter read, (for all of them,) "Many apologies for the way things are at this minute. You, and select others, are all around you, in the same condition for your safety. You are all safe, and none of you shall be harmed. You are all being moved to an undisclosed location in such a fashion that none of you could be followed, nor could any of you be coerced into revealing the location to which you all head. The reason for the move is to protect all those that could be harmed by the Inquisition for use in trying to destroy the chosen children, those close to them, or the Fount of Psyche. Jean-Claude is waiting to receive you, and help all of you be able to resume your lives in this location until the crisis passes. There is enough in the crates to keep you sustained until you arrive, so fear not. You may even be able to talk to one another through the crates, so take comfort. Just be careful that none of you is overheard. Again, we do apologize for how this had to be done. No malice was meant, it is just for your own safety. Be at ease."

The chairman of the council in Japanin care of the Brownlick family signed it. "The Brownlicks?" said Karin, "What are they doing getting involved?"

"Karin, is that you?" asked a voice.

"Is that you, Maki?" asked Karin.

"Dark...confused...disoriented..." Wiener said, and Maki answered, "Its okay, baby, we're okay."

"Everyone, we need to calm down," came Yuriya's voice, "We're all going into hiding for a while."

"Yuriya, you know about this?" asked Karin.

"Trust me," she said, "I thought all this odd, but it is for the best."

"Who else is here," asked Karin.

"The twins," said Yuriya, "Ruby, Fumio, Anjou, and Kenta's in here somewhere."

"Baby?" said Karin, "Where are you?"

"I'm right here, honey," he said.

"Mommy, I'm scared!" said Kannon.

"There is nothing to be scared of, kiddo,"said Anjou, "We're just on an adventure. Have fun with it."

"Well," though Karin, "At least we're safe."

It was then there was a scream in one of the crates, and heard over that was the sounds of someone being pummeled while he was saying, "Ow! Stop that! I didn't know! I thought you were in danger! There was no funny stuff, trust me!"

Yuriya smacked her forehead as she lay back in the coffin, saying, "Oh great! The Brownlicks are going to kill him when they open us up!"

Everyone knew that it was Hondo, but they were surprised by what they heard next. Ruby calmed a bit, and said, "Hondo, I always knew you were crazy, but did you have to care this much? Geez. And, why are you dressed like a ninja?"

"A NINJA!" everyone hollered.

"That's because I am one," said Hondo, and now everyone thought he was crazy on top of stupid. Then Ruby said, "You do realize that there is only enough in here for one person."

"Hey," he said, "I know how to survive on minimums. You'll have enough."

"I should just let you starve!" she snapped, "Its bad enough things are this way, now you have to go and complicate matters."

"Does anyone know where we are going?"asked Maki.

"I have no clue," said Yuriya, "Jean-Claude didn't even tell me."

"Is he involved?" asked Anjou.

"He's the only one that knows anything else," said Yuriya, "and he went ahead of us to prepare for our reception. They're shipping our belongings to us, but in a staggered fashion, so it will be about two weeks before everything comes in. However, the things in Pariscannot be retrieved. That is where the Inquisition hotbed is, and we could not risk a sudden movement there. But, just tell the Brownlicks what you lost, and they will try to replace it."

"Well, I guess all we can do is relax,"said Fumio, "So, what do we do now?"

Kenta got cute, and said, "One thousand bottles of beer on the wall, one thousand bottles of beer..."

That was followed by a collective, "SHUT UP!" and laughter. Then they all shushed themselves, forgetting the warning. However, Anjou noticed that her acoustic was set in the crate with everything else. She opened it up, and there was a note, saying, "Sorry for the scare, Corn Muffin. I thought this might help you all pass the time-Jean-Claude."

With that, she picked up her guitar and situated herself as best she could in the cramped conditions and began to play and sing. Soon, everyone was calmer, and they sang when they knew the song. Indeed this was the start of a strange adventure, and they would all have something to tell their grandchildren or great grandchildren, feeling like they were all a part of some bad spy movie.