Jack put a hand up to his eyes to block the brightness of the sun in his eyes to see the Butlers’ daughter. She was a redhead, and her hairstyle was not unlike the wig Madelaine had worn on their wedding day. The Butlers’ daughter—and her hair color, especially—reminded him of his cousins Beryl and Jade back on Earth.
Jack turned, putting the sun to his back to listen politely.
Madelaine said, “That’s quite all right. I’m sorry to have missed her, but I understand she has important tasks to complete. The truth is, I also have an important task.”
Dr. Butler, seemingly as amiable as his wife, said, “Well, we’re happy to help you however we can.”
“I am the Paladin Courier,” Madelaine said.
Immediately, the doctor and his wife frowned and looked at each other as if panicked. Their quick transformation from hospitable doctor and nurse among farmers to suspicious strangers caught Jack off guard.
“So, it has begun,” Dr. Butler said, clearly concerned.
Madelaine nodded. “Yes. Therefore, I need to retrieve the package you have for me.”
Again, the doctor and his wife looked alarmed, glancing at each other as if there was some concern they were unwilling to voice.
“Is there something wrong?” Jack asked, not meaning to speak his thoughts. Madelaine gave him a look that made him wish he’d kept his mouth shut. This time,heshould pretend to be forced into silence for the duration of their visit.
But the Butlers seemed to relax. Dr. Butler said, “I’m sorry. Nothing is wrong, exactly. I’m speaking for myself, of course.” He sent a quick glance to his wife. “I guess I’d hoped they were wrong about what was going to happen and wouldn’t have to employ the Solution.”
Jack wondered what the man was talking about. He knew they were on an important journey, but he was fuzzy on the overall plan. He didn’t think Madelaine knew what the end result was either. But perhaps he was mistaken. Maybe she knew everything and kept her cards close.
Madelaine said, “I hate to be abrupt, doctor, but I am in rather a hurry. If you could retrieve the package for me, I’d be grateful.”
Dr. Butler nodded. “Yes. Of course. I’ll go fetch it. It will just take a few minutes.” He turned and disappeared into the humble, thatch-roofed abode. Their home was larger than many of the others they’d seen, seemingly centered in a common living area surrounded by fields of grain as far as the eye could see.
Dr. Butler and his wife likely had a clinic set up inside with their living quarters, making their home larger than others.
The doctor returned with a tan cloth sack, tied off at the top with what looked like a fairly sturdy rope in the shape of a bow. In the center of the knot was the now-familiar metal oval piece.
Dr. Butler held the bundle out to Madelaine. She took it and tucked it under one arm. “Thank you, Dr. Butler,” she said and nodded once at the man’s wife. “And you, Mrs. Butler.”
Dana Butler had been staring at the far-off skies, where it looked like dark clouds were forming along the horizon. “You’d best be on your way back to the market hub. If the storm arrives before you can safely take off in your ship, you’ll be grounded until it passes over us. That could take some time. Possibly days.”
Jack knew they did not have days to wait around and ride out a storm.
Madelaine twisted around and stared at the growing darkness and nodded quickly. “Yes. We’ll be on our way. Thank you again.”
With a quick wave to the Butlers, Jack followed Madelaine as she practically ran back to the road, where the beast-drawn wagon waited for them.
Jeb waved at them to hurry as he also eyed the approaching storm. Jack and Madelaine went from a healthy trot to a full-out sprint, leaping into the back of the open wagon bed as Jeb clicked his tongue to get the two beasts pulling their conveyance moving.
While the Verdara transportation beasts had an average speed of about thirty miles an hour, and certainly beat walking as a means of transport, it looked like the approaching storm was moving at twice that speed or faster.
“I hope we make it back in time,” Jack said, his gaze fixed on the dark clouds rolling toward them. It wasn’t long before they saw flashes of lightning and sheets of rain coming down in the distance.
“I was going to refuel before we left, but I think we should just jump in, lift off and go,” Madelaine said, trying to gaugehow much further it was to the market hub where the ship was parked.
Jack guessed they were still fifteen minutes away.
“Good plan. We can always refuel once we get out of this planet’s atmosphere.”
“Yep. But it’s going to be close. I hope you didn’t want to linger and do any shopping in the market hub before we depart,” Madelaine said with a grin.
Jack pretended to cross his arms and pout about not being able to do any shopping before they hightailed it out of town, making Madelaine laugh.
He loved to hear her laugh. He’d really missed that laugh.
