The next day, just after dawn, Mari was awoken by a loud frantic knock on the front door. For a moment she thought she was back at the apartment in Luz. For a blissful second, she forgot her worries, but that was just it, a measly solitary second of bliss. Mari felt groggy, she had the dreaded hangover. Luckily, she had some painkillers in her drawer, and she popped two of them as the frantic knock on the front door persisted. Thump, thump, thump that was just her head. She sat upright and rested her forehead on her hand and whined.
"Open up, Mari, if your home," a stern voice roared out, she knew it was none other than Ace Harris. Still the irritating knocking persisted. How did he know I was here? She knew she only had a couple of minutes at best to get ready, not even. She got out of bed and looked out the wide window to be sure and there she saw many peace officers wearing riot gear. Two of them also had a heavy battering ram in hand. Do they think this is a great castle door? Ace looked up at her and their eyes connected. "Break it down," Ace instructed without hesitation.
Then she heard the front door being busted open and there was a commotion downstairs as the peace officers charged into her house in an irrupt manner. They were making a right racket. They better not break anything. She wrapped a long black scarf around her pate that covered her whole face except her eyes. She grabbed Ezra's photo and lastly her wallet and then the door to her bedroom was busted open.
"Hands behind your back and turn around slowly," Ace Harris demanded, he had to be first through the door almost busting a gut to get in line first. Mari stood motionless as she placed her hands on the back of her head, still holding the photo of Ezra and she turned around on her heels slowly at his request. It looked as though Ace had not slept for a day and a bit. He was still wearing the same get up he had on last night. "You have the right - "
"I'm going to find my daughter," Mari interrupted Ace. "That is my only right!"
"You're coming with me for questioning," Ace pointed at her as he took a step forward.
"Catch me if you can."
She teleported out of sight.
Again, she evaded the authorities.
Mari had teleported to Leece a big city in the west of Breton. She had been here once before for a holiday during happier times. Now Mari hoped to get a lift to Verkudul. Her sudden appearance in the busy shopping district stunned a few bystanders, many of them clutching packed bags which contained high-end clothing. Some whispered, "Seasonal, Seasonal," the gawkers paid her a confused look whilst others brazenly pointed as they walked by. For someone to just appear out of the blue was a spectacle for some it seemed. Some feared this was the woman the peace officers were after, Mari had to get out of Breton, pronto.
"Catch me if you can," she mumbled as she walked. Where on Talamh that come from? That will only make the unrelenting Ace Harris more suspicious, for sure. After Mari had gone to the ATM and withdrawn a few thousand Kroaling, she eventually reached the main road that connected Leece to Verkudul. A long stretch of road with four lanes in and four lanes out.
She began thumbing and luckily, she didn't have to wait long for a vehicle to pull into the hard shoulder and what a vehicle it was too. A green and white retro camper van, quite the sight to see. Mari always wanted one just like it. Hopefully, they do not recognize me.
"Hey sister," the driver said, he had big bushy hair, yellow teeth, round, tinted glasses and a finely trimmed moustache. "You are going east?" He asked Mari with a dopey accent. No doubt he was a little high.
"Yeah," a timid Mari replied. "Verkudul. If you'll be so kind as to give me a lift. Even just a little - "
"Well you're in luck sister, that's exactly where we're going, go on," he threw his thumb over his shoulder. "Hop on in the back."
The sliding door opened, and Mari clambered on in. Sitting on a second-hand mattress was three guys and two girls.
A man who had long auburn locks was making out with a woman who was thin and skimpily dressed. A lady with mad blue hair and huge tits was in between a man clad in denim with long greasy hair and a chubby man who resembled a goth. Everyone was crammed in along with instruments, backpacks, and other camping essentials. There was a strong smell of weed too and it was intolerably smoky. Mari thought she might get high from the fumes alone. Two joints were being shared. Two more were in the process of being rolled.
Mari knew there and then she had gotten a lift with hippies.
"Hey sister," the man clad head to toe denim broke the silence. "Are you going to the jamboree as well?"
"Jamboree," she repeated slightly confused. "Em-eh-no," Mari replied after a second of brooding. The same man politely passed a joint to her, but she kindly declined and said, "no thanks," with a wave of her hand.
"The festival at Taksim Park is going to be so fucking groovy," the chick with the mad blue hair chimed in.
"Festival? Taksim Park?" Mari echoed. She had heard something about it on the news last night.
"Yea sister, its Sultan Ramzeez' s way of saying sorry to the world."
"Sorry to the world," the hippies echoed in chorus.
"Sultan Ramzeez wants to make peace with the world. Ya see. He has invited everyone to come to Verkudul. it's going to be massive. Jamboree man."
"Jamboree!" The jovial hippies said in unison, waving their hands, sharing a peace sign, and smiling gleefully.
Ah. . .they are so naïve and care free.
"Whats you name sister?" The man in denim asked her. She figured he was the unofficial representative for the hippies. Everyone else seemed rather bashful. He was a few years older judging by his facial hair.
Mari was about to say her real name, yes, she was, but she decided to use a pseudonym, one can never be too careful you see. "I'm, Janis," Mari cutely said feigning a smile.
"Ah, cool Jan" the man in denim replied. "I'm Sawyer."
"I'm Rosie," the busty lady with the mad blue hair said.
"And I'm Limy," the Goth added in a surprising dignified manner.
"And them two?" Mari pointed at the two making out.
"Guys," Sawyer said. The two at the back stopped kissing, but their hands were wandering all over each other's bodies.
"I'm Ash," the thin lady who was skimpily dressed spoke quite snobbish in truth.
"And I'm Lee," the heartthrob of the group introduced himself. He had dreamy gem stone green eyes.
Mari had an eidetic memory, but just to be sure she pointed at Sawyer and said his name and she did that for everyone else. "What about the three-up front?" She inquired.
"The driver is Dusky, Blaze is the other dude and Clover is his bird," Sawyer explained.
The three at the front all said, "hup." that was there hello Mari assumed.
"Hi," Mari answered. "So what artists are playing at this jamboree?" She attempted to make small talk as she tried to get into a comfy position.
"What bands aren't playing," Sawyer replied. "That is the better question to ask."
Rosie was feeling rather frisky and she was teasing both Sawyer and Limy, her hands were wandering around their groins. This free love was a bit much for the usually innocent Mari who averted her eyes as best she could without appearing to be rude that is.
"All the best bands are going to be their man," Ash said. "They'll be Gizmo and YOLO."
"Embers of Turmoil, Jade, and Jude," Sawyer informed her.
"Can't wait to see Modern Racket," Limy added. They even sounded like a headbanger band.
"They're going to be so amazing." Rosie really pronounced the O in so. It was a little annoying in truth.
"Phonic Minds and the Dynamics are playing tomorrow," Lee informed them, "real cool."
"Loophole is headlining tonight," Blaze called out from the front. "That is why we are motoring."
"And Man Feelings are headlining tomorrow," Clover noted.
"Even the Noble Radicals are going to be making an appearance," Dusky pointed out.
"Groovy," Mari tried her hand at hippie banter.
"We need some trips," Limy then said. "Ya know, to get into the vibe."
The rest of the hippies agreed with a nod of the head.
"Yeah come on Blazer give us a we pill," Ash begged.
"I'll show you my big tits," Rosie added. Her hands were by her low-cut top ready to show all.
"Do it!" Was the repetitive chant, followed by, "get em out," and so Rosie flashed her huge natural breasts and then Ash immediately jumped over bodies and sucked on one of the pierced nips.
This was far too much for the innocent Mari to witness, she was gobsmacked. Then the two chicks started going with one another, tongues dancing. Then Mari felt Ash stroke her inner thigh and Mari coiled back, but there was nowhere to go. She had to grin and bear it.
"Come on Blazer give us one we pill," Limy pleaded.
Blazer looked at his partner Clover, who simply said. "Just a pill."
"Alright. Alright," Blazer yielded to peer pressure and then he pulled out a see-through bag with at least a hundred pills in it. Each pill was blue or pink. Blazer dished out one pill each and they were popped immediately.
"Want one?" She was asked.
"No thanks," Mari declined politely she was not anti-drugs, but she was certainly not in the mood to get high. Mari only hoped the driver was not on any form of narcotic, the last thing she needed was to be a victim of a car crash. That would be too tragic.
Not long after these hippies had taken a pill of ecstasy the vehicle came to an abrupt stop. Aside from the typical hippie banter, the journey had been plain sailing, but now there was a checkpoint to pass. Entering the Ishtarian Empire was not so easy. "What is it?" Mari asked she was nervous, but she attempted to hide her apprehensive side as best she could.
"We're at the border of Verkudul now sister," Dusky called out over the rattle and occasional bang of his ancient vehicle. Bet everyone in this queue is going to the jamboree." Dusky added.
Finally, after an excruciating half hour wait and listening to lovey dovely chat, a member of the armed forces asked Dusky to roll down his window, but the window only rolled down half way. "State your purpose for being here?" The general asked.
"Hey man," Dusky said, "we're going to Verkudul for the jamboree man."
"Can I see your license and ticket," the stern general asked.
Dusky pulled out his license and his jamboree ticket from the glove compartment. "There you go, man."
"You two?" The General asked Blazer and Clover and they waved their tickets. "Can I see the back of the van?" The general asked not even adding a please into the mix.
"Give me a ticket," Mari whispered and Clover handed her ticket to Mari.
The doors opened and the general peered inside. "Tickets," he asked. Everyone held their tickets up for the snoopy general to see. The border patrol had a long queue to attend to so after a quick snoop the door was closed and Mari was safe again, she let out a faint sigh of relief. "Come on," the general said waving the van on, the hippies could pass into the Ishtarian Empire without any further disruption. They crossed the recently erected Bridge of Peace. The largest bridge known in Talamh. Connecting Leece and Verkudul.
"Pleasure Man," Dusky held out his arm to wave goodbye.
"Straight on to the jamboree," Rosie said clapping her hands and swaying side to side.
She must be coming up. They all must be. It's been an hour.
Then Mari heard the two worst words she dreaded to hear, but in the back of her head, she knew it was coming. "Let's jam," Sawyer suggested.
"Let's," was the reply from the other hippies.
No! don't jam! She had a look of dread as the hippies picked up their instruments. Mari could only hope they could play, and she also hoped the music would be pleasant. These hippies possessed an array of different instruments. There were two guitars, a mandolin, a banjo and a bongo and other miscellaneous instruments.
"Em. . . do you want the triangle?" Rosie asked Mari.
"Em - "
"Ah go on," the hippies all said a couple of times over. They were urging her to partake in the jam. Goading her to "join in the fun." Join in with torture more like, Mari thought.
Sawyer started an annoying chant. "Join the jam, Jan." These words permeated from the front to the back and back to the front.
"Sure," Mari replied, "why not." She confirmed with a feigned smile. She probably wished she had ear muffs.
"And a one and a two and a," and on three the dreaded jam began.
I should have taken some more aspirin maybe even a pill of ecstasy.
Five minutes in and Mari had a splitting headache. The jam was more like marmite. Mari was slowly but surely going mad. Maybe to a druggie's ear, this might have sounded pleasant, but for Mari, this was torture, pure and utter torture. She would have preferred to hear and see a cat being strangled, and that said a lot for the animal activist Mari. The jam stopped and everyone looked at her, they waited for her to ding the triangle and she did to a resounding cheer and then the horrible jam continued.
This madness lasted almost half an hour on and off. The ecstasy was really starting to kick in for the hippies. Mari could tell, she had been hugged by everyone at the back. She had been endlessly told how beautiful she was by Sawyer and Limy, this left Rosie feeling rather jealous and left out.
Ash had been looking at her phone intently and was oddly looking at Mari. Ash showed her phone to her fellow hippies and Sawyer relayed the news to her. "Em. . . just one thing. Mari Kalentzi," Sawyer said.
Rumbled! "Mari Kalentzi?" She repeated, "I'm Janis."
"Em, what the fuck like," Rosie held the phone in Mari's face. "That's you!"
So it is.
"Dusky, pull over we got to get rid of her," Ash remarked.
"Listen. It's not what you think, I'm no threat. We have been on the road for hours together when did I ever do something untoward?" Mari pleaded her innocence. "Well?"
"Well, according to the news, it says you are a wanted individual," Lee explained. "One of the most wanted Seasonal's in all of Talamh."
"Or at least know something?" Ash pointed out, she had read the whole article apparently. No wonder why Ash had been eyeballing her for the last few minutes.
"Keep driving," Sawyer indicated.
"Fine." was the reply from the front.
Whilst the hippies deliberated about whether Mari should stay or go, Sawyer the ambassador spoke. "Give her a chance to at least explain herself guys. Would you?"
"Fine," was the mumbled consensus.
"Listen, I'm no threat." Mari began.
"Then why are you going to Verkudul?" Lee cut in.
"Fleeing I reckon," Rosie pointed out in a snide manner.
"Only a fugitive would flee," Ash agreed with her female counterpart.
"So right." Rosie again stretched the O in "so" yet again.
"I'm going to find my daughter," Mari said assertively. "I think she might be in Verkudul. I have a feeling she is. I always go with my gut instinct."
"So, you didn't kidnap her?" Limmy asked for clarification.
"No, I did not!" Mari said emphatically. "Do I look like I would kidnap my own daughter! Jennifer be dammed! Look, I'll freely admit. I lied about my name. I am Mari Kalentzi and yes, the authorities are after me, but only I can save my daughter. I know it in my heart of hearts."
Something caught Mari's attention. If these hippies knew she was a Seasonal why were they not shitting themselves? Most Norms freak out when they discover a Seasonal is among them. These hippies were not scared in the slightest. They were content.
Then amazingly Sawyer created a yellow flame.
"You're a Seasonal as well?" She pointed out the obvious.
Sawyer looked at his fellow hippies and each of them created various embers of blue, green and orange.
"We're all Seasonal's," Sawyer said. "you're in good company, but we have a question. Why do you think your daughter is in Verkudul?"
"The only lead I have is this," she clumsily reached into her pocket and pulled out the matchbox. She handed it to Sawyer to examine. Sawyer had a look at it and then passed it on. Eventually, everyone else observed the evidence as well.
"Regina Revue," Lee eventually said as he handed the match box back to her.
"A gentleman's club," Mari replied. "I think."
"And that is where you daughter is?" Limmy asked her.
"I'm not sure if Ezra is at the club or not, but it's the only lead I have. The only lead anyone really has."
"In the news, it says you can teleport," Ash pointed out. "That true?"
"Yeah. It is. It's my bloodline trait ya'c."
"Wicked and cool," were the two words spoken and shared.
"So, why don't you just teleport to Regina Revue?" Rosie asked.
"It doesn't work like that," a frustrated Mari explained. "I can only teleport to places I have been to, or at the very least a place I can see for myself. It also leaves me feeling rather sick when I travel long distances. Dizzy too."
"Right," everyone said in sync.
Nearly every bloodline trait has some flaw.
"We're here," Dusky said. "Where do ya want to be left off?"
"Anywhere will do," Mari replied she didn't know precisely where she was going, yet.
The van pulled up at a lay-by and all the hippies wished Mari good fortuity. "I hope you find your daughter," they all said in their own unique way. They were all sincere.
"Me too," Mari said morosely thinking about Ezra affectionately. She also had parting words of advice for the young naive hippies. "Be careful," Mari announced. "If something does not feel right at the Jamboree get out and dodge."
"It's going to be fine," Sawyer reaffirmed his belief. "The world will be at peace after this jamboree," he sounded adamant. "I know it."
"I hope your right," Mari said, but she had her reservations. Mari opened the sliding door and got out of the van.
"See ya sister," Dusky added.
Mari took in her surroundings fleetingly as the retro van drove off down the street to join with the rest of the hectic traffic. Horns being tooted and the odd curser too adding to the disturbing racket.
Now I must find the strip club; Regina Revue.