Under the Sunlight

Chapter 9

The talk with Jenkins went about as well as Stone had imagined. However, despite the caretaker's grumblings, he had agreed to allow Stone to take Max through the Back Door. Flynn had wandered in during the talk so Stone and Cassandra had also gotten the Head Librarian's permission to have Max inside the Library. Because of his age, Baird and Jenkins had strongly suggested he be restricted to only certain areas and be supervised at all times. Flynn honestly didn't see the problem but he was overruled by the others. Stone himself was more than happy to take the restrictions, the idea of Max running free in the Library actually terrified him at the moment. When the boy was older, they could reevaluate the situation.

Today was the day. Baird and Flynn had left the Library on their own adventures. Ezekiel was waiting rather impatiently for the case in Peru. Cassandra was on hand to say goodbye to Max while Jenkins was setting up the Door to deposit Stone father and son near his sister's home.

Max, wide eyed, was standing in the middle of the Annex with his Thomas The Tank Engine suitcase all packed for his trip.

"Now remember," his father was saying to him. "Everything that happens is our secret, right?"

Max nodded but bit his lip. "You and Andra said so. But lyin' is wrong, Daddy."

Jacob knelt down to get to eye level. "You're right. It is. But sometimes secrets are good things," Stone bit his own lip in thought. "Like surprise parties or what you got for someone for Christmas. Right? Those are good secrets."

Max nodded his head. "Yeah. So this is a good secret?"

Cassandra joined Stone in front of Max, nodding her head. "Yep, the very best secret ever. Only special people like us get to know it."

That seemed to get through to Max and his eyes lit up. "Really?"

"Really," Cassandra reached over and hugged him. "Okay, now I'm gonna say goodbye to you and I'll see you in a few days. You have a good time with your aunt and your mom, okay?"

"Thank you," murmured Stone to Cassandra before turning to Max. "Okay cowboy, time for us to go."

Since Jenkins warned Stone about possible turbulence, he picked up Max and grabbed his suitcase with the other hand. They stepped through into what looked like a barn, Cassandra waved at them when they were safely through and then closed the door behind them. Her sigh as she did so much more audible than she would have liked.

"Are you quite alright, Ms. Cillian?" Jenkins asked her as she turned away from the door.

"Oh, sure. I'm just going to miss Max, that's all."

Jenkins only nodded and went off in search of tea. Cassandra sighed as he left. How was she ever going to distance herself from that sweet little boy?

--

Peru was not going well. That was an understatement, Stone thought as he stormed off to his hotel room after yet another argument with Jones. The three new Librarians had decided to stay in Lima instead of using the Door and the Library as home base like they usually did. It was one of Jones' few contributions that Stone had agreed with. They all wanted to prove to Flynn that they could do this on their own and what better way than to eliminate the possibility of running to him and Baird for help?

Stone had been running point on the mission even though it was Cassandra's case. As they'd looked into it further it seemed more one of their big clippings book cases, needing a little bit of all of their skills to solve. Cassandra had no problem stepping back and letting him be in charge. He was the oldest and had leadership skills, Baird had been subtly making him her second for months now. Plus it seemed like she'd been concerned with the health effects of juggling too much at once. Concentrating on her side of the mission was just fine with her.