Redemption

Chapter Nineteen

Chapter Nineteen

                Although her uncle had seemed disappointed in her at first when he brought up her more recent activities, he didn’t really care too much. He had no problem with Niki and Darius spending some time at the ranch, although he did express some concern over the two carnivorous animals that accompanied them, especially Garm, but as long as none of the cattle turned up dead, Niki knew it wouldn’t be a problem. She even mentioned that Garm’s presence might deter actual predators.

                Sergei, on the other hand, seemed less than pleased about Niki showing up. She had tried to talk to him but in three days, he hadn’t even said that many words to her. For some reason, her little brother didn’t have a problem with Darius and she found Sergei bothering him constantly.

                “How long are we going to stay here?” Niki asked Darius on the evening of the third day at the ranch. She ran her hand through her hair as she’d taken to doing ever since cutting it off the morning after they arrived. To help disguise herself, Niki had cut her hair and bound her breasts, passing herself off as a male. Since the rogue Anitreh was known to be female, Niki and her uncle both hoped that no one would think twice about his nephew, Nik.

                “Sergei getting on your nerves?” Darius asked. “It’s nice out here. Peaceful.”

                “Yeah, it is,” she agreed. “But we still got to get back to Seattle. And it’s not like they’re just going to give up on finding me just because we hide out here for a while.”

                “I was hoping they’d assume you’d have kept moving and they’ll start looking in areas that aren’t Montana.”

                “Three days really is enough time,” Niki said. “Without that car trouble, we’d have been to Seattle by now and could be halfway back across the country.”

                “You want to leave now?” Darius asked.

                “I don’t know,” she said with a shrug. “We could stay longer. Telekinesis does come in pretty useful out here and I’m sure Uncle Steven appreciates the help. But I’m worried that my name’s going to get out there and then they might come up here and give my uncle trouble. I don’t want to do that to him. If we’re already long gone, then it can be like we were never here.”

                “Guess you’re right,” Darius said with a sigh.

                “We can leave tomorrow,” Niki said. “Might as well have one last night with family. Even if Sergei isn’t going to talk to me.”

                Steven expressed some sorrow at news of their soon departure – he rather liked having them help out on the ranch, even as inexperienced as they were. It wasn’t quite busy season yet so according to him, it was a perfect time to learn.

                A little while after dinner, the front door opened. Both Niki and Darius looked at each other, fearing the worst. They were on their feet and getting ready to make a run for it, when Steven walked towards the door and soon called back, “No need to worry!”

                Niki hadn’t sensed danger, and so she decided her uncle was telling the truth and relaxed, but stayed on her feet. Just in case there really was something wrong. She heard a woman’s voice, which sounded happy, as did Steven’s voice. Perhaps it was a friend of his that had stopped by.

                Steven walked back into the living room, his arm around a pregnant woman. “Laura, this is my nephew, Nik, and his friend, Darius. They’re on a little road trip and stopped by for a quick visit. Nik, this is my wife, Laura.”