Core Reality Volume 1 Centennial Guard

Chapter 1 - Midnight Pursuit

Outside Philadelphia, November 28,1774.

The glow of the first-quarter moon shines through a thin layer of clouds as a lone rider guides his horse over wooded roads and narrow paths. The rider spurs on his mount to go faster, then takes a shortcut down a narrow deer path that will save time if he can avoid a host of unseen obstacles. The young rider seems to have made a good choice taking the shortcut as he navigates around and over the expected branches and rocks littering the route.

After a long straightaway, the path turns sharply right into a blind curve, and as soon as the rider enters the turn, he spots a low-hanging branch that he narrowly avoids. Immediately after ducking, the rider would have been thrown if not for his horse jumping the recently fallen tree blocking the road. The young rider looks back and realizes that he would have been in trouble had he been heading the opposite direction on the path. He races back onto the main road.

The dark rider slows as he approaches a shadowy area near a stone bridge where he sees the faint silhouette of another rider partially hidden from sight behind a cluster of trees. These are dangerous times, so the rider slows and pulls a device from his inner pocket, resembling the barrel of a pistol but without a handle. The young man aims the device toward the hidden rider and pulls the trigger, causing a flash of fire inside the barrel that can only be seen be someone directly ahead.

The young rider slows as he awaits the appropriate response signal, knowing he may have to make a quick escape if the dark figure is not his expected contact. Concern builds as more time goes by; knowing that as he rides closer, his escape options are dwindling. The young man begins to look for the best escape route based on his proximity to the dark figure, but is relieved to finally see the response signal he had been waiting for. He gallops his horse forward.

The young rider slows his horse and stops next to the dark figure as the clouds clear just enough to allow the light of the moon to reveal the identity of the dark figure. She is a young girl mounted on a beautiful brown horse waving her own signal device at him.

Eli. Good evening, Sybil.
Sybil. Good evening, Eli.
Eli. Signal trouble?
Sybil. Yes, I may have gotten it wet.

Eli smiles and takes the device from her and looks at it briefly before putting it in his saddlebag.

Eli. I shall fix it for you. Got your stick?
Sybil. Yes, very funny.
Eli. Someday they shall sing songs of your exploits.
Sybil. Do not mock me. I run messages for "the Committee," but Father refuses to give me a pistol.
Eli. You are the best rider I know. No need to shoot, just run.
Sybil. Songs, huh?

Sybil smiles, causing Eli to laugh until he sees movement from far up the road. He studies the distant movement, causing Sybil to look as well.

Sybil. Is it Robert?
Eli. Probably, I will signal him after the bend.

The road takes the approaching rider behind a dense patch of trees and out of sight until he reaches the bend in the road that eventually exits the trees and allows a clear line of sight for Eli and Sybil. Eli draws his signal device, points, and fires toward the approaching rider. Eli notices the rider speed up just before the return signal is given.

Sybil. I see the signal, right on time.
Eli. He has sped up. I think he brings trouble.
Sybil. British?
Eli. Indians.

Sybil seems concerned. She has heard many stories about women captured by the Tuscarora, especially during the French and Indian war. Eli can tell she is growing anxious and attempts to calm her down.

Eli. Between your riding skills and my knowledge of the roads, we will be long gone before trouble finds us.

Eli can see her posture relax at the thought just as the third rider hastily approaches and maneuvers his horse between Eli and Sybil, then begins to retrieve two messenger bags from his saddlebag as they talk.