Rundimahair: A new hero for a new adventure by Larry Forkner (summer books .TXT) 📗

“That she has, Riley. I can barely believe it myself, but she’ll be eighteen years next month,” Aengus said with a touch of sorrow in his voice.

“Here now, they’ll be no sorrow for our young ones growing up,” Riley said, as he slapped Aengus on the shoulder. “If she wasn’t so grown up, you’d have no one to drive your computerized tractor.”

“I don’t own such a contraption yet,” Aengus said.

“It’s only a matter of time, once you see the old friend discount I’ve set up for you,” Riley said.

“Sure, and it’s true that I like the sound of that,” Aengus said. “Especially since we are very, very old friends!”

“That we are, Aengus, that we are,” Riley said. “It’s a dirty shame you didn’t come see me before you bought that old wreck of a pickup you’re driving.”

“Me old cow got stuck in the muck once too often,” Aengus said, smiling. “Ailbe and a friend of hers finally convinced me to buy a truck. I must admit it’s more than fair to middlin’ useful around the farm.”

“It’s true I did nag him something awful, but I was hoping he’d buy one that wasn’t as old as him,” Ailbe said, chuckling.

Riley laughed loud and hard and said, “One step at a time, me darlin’. The tractor he’s taking home today is so new that the massive rubber tires have yet to touch dirt.”

“We’ll see about that,” Aengus said cheerfully. When Ailbe saw the brand-new shiny tractor her Granda was eyeing, she knew Riley would send that very tractor home to their farm.

For the next hour, Riley showed Aengus and Ailbe a few of his best tractors. It was obvious that it would take Aengus some time to master the high-tech equipment on the John Deere that he finally selected. Fortunately, Ailbe picked up on the technology quickly and easily. It was no surprise to her that he’d selected the same tractor she’d guessed would be going back to the farm with them.

The paperwork would show that someone else had purchased the tractor, and that it was delivered to a small farm in Idaho. In reality, the new tractor had already been sent to Aengus’ farm, via magical portal, created by Ashling and a few close friends. If anyone ever bothered to check, there would be no paperwork showing that Aengus had ever visited Riley’s fine dealership or ever purchased a tractor there.

* * *

Ailbe had convinced Aengus to do some shopping, since they were on a rare trip to the mortal world. She’d talked a lot about stocking up for things they needed around the farm, but she spent most of her time in the stores with the latest clothing fashions for teenagers.

By the time they’d stocked up on all they needed, the camper on the back of their old truck was full to the brim. It would slow them down a bit on the way home, but it had been a nice end to a wonderful day.

“How will we get the tractor to the farm?” Ailbe asked as they drove out of town.

“Nothin’ to be worrying yourself about, dearie,” Aengus said. “Riley has his own magical ways of transporting equipment to secret destinations. He told me he’s already shipped four tractors to Rundimahair so far this month.”

“But none so fine as ours,” Ailbe said.

“Truer words were never spoken, my dear girl,” Aengus said with a smug grin.

They drove on through the night for another hour or more. Ailbe had drifted off to sleep in the passenger’s seat. So it was that she didn’t notice her Granda looking at the rearview mirror, almost as often as he looked at the road ahead.

“What is it that’s troubling you?” she finally asked, after she stirred from her sleep.

“It looks like we’ve got company tailing us for the last hour,” Aengus said grimly. “They seem very anxious to find out where our final destination might be.”

Ailbe was sitting up and looking out the back window in a flash. “We can’t lead them home, Granda.”

“Not to worry, Ailbe. I veered off the road home once I was sure they were following us. “My greatest concern is that if they take us alive, it won’t be long before they know that we are from the lost tribe. Even though I’ve changed course, we are only a hundred miles or so from home.”

“And if they find out who we are, they’ll be so close to Rundimahair that it will only be a matter of time until they find us,” Ailbe said.

“So, it’s either us or them,” Aengus said grimly. “And you can bet your bottom dollar that they brought plenty of firepower.

“Aye, I’m afraid you’re right,” Ailbe said thoughtfully. “But I might know how we can even up the odds.”

* * *

“It’s Ailbe!” Ashling shouted to Eamon and Sean. “I knew someone was reaching out to me.

“What in the blazes could they be wanting at this late hour?” Eamon asked.

“Aengus and Ailbe went to Eugene to buy a tractor,” Ashling said.

“Tell the truth, dear girl,” Eamon said. Aengus wouldn’t be caught dead using modern equipment.”

“It’s a long story, but it’s true. They were on their way home when they realized they were being followed.”

“Saints preserve us!” Eamon shouted. “How close are they?”

“They quickly changed direction, away from Rundimahair, once they realized they had company,” Ashling explained. “But I fear they were only an hour from us when they changed direction.”

“So even if they can lead them away,” Eventually, Grainne will track back to where they were going. That will narrow her search area dangerously close to Rundimahair. I’m thinking that they may soon be right at our back door,” Sean said.

“Perhaps not, if they don’t live to tell the tale,” Eamon said thoughtfully.

* * *

Aengus and Ailbe had been forced to switch from one road to another, trying to evade whoever was following them. The problem with that strategy is it led them onto winding roads that forced them