Among the Oil Derricks: Chapter 13: The Final Chapter!

CHAPTER 13

“Hades was arrested yesterday and so was the actor,” Elem said over the phone, “The actress is down at the station with him trying to get him out.”
“Anything else?” Asdis asked, bouncing Athena Rebecca on her knee.
“The kid ran off.”
“Perfect, proceed with our plan. I’ll be out there later tonight.” Asdis hung up the phone and dropped Athena off her lap. Athena’s given name was Rebecca. She had been named by her father after his sister. Asdis hated the girl’s father, so she called the child Athena, the goddess of war and wisdom. Athena was just a little girl, but she already had two identities. Her mother had bought a fake birth certificate for her and made up a father who didn’t exist for her. Now that Athena no longer needed to be nursed, Asdis mostly sent her away to one of her mansions to be cared for by a hired nurse. Asdis believed strongly in education and started Athena learning her ABC’s already. Soon she would hire a tutor to teach her child year round so by the age sixteen she would be smart enough to out test a masters graduate.
The government had no record of her existence. Rebecca had just disappeared and Athena had taken her place unknown to the world. Perfect for high profile crimes.
“Send up Savannah,” Asdis paged. A young woman in her twenties arrived. “Take Athena. Here are your tickets. I am sending you away for a few months. I will arrange everything when I want to see her again.”
“Yes, ma’am,” the blonde young woman took Athena’s hand and walked her out as Athena toddled amusingly to keep up. Asdis watched contently. Athena would have no lack of gentleness with Savannah, but neither would she be spoiled. Asdis hated one thing more than a spoiled child; a stupid spoiled child. Perhaps she hated the former because it was like looking in a mirror that she had no room for. She hated the latter because she hated stupidity and believed that they had no right to be spoiled, they had not brought any worth to themselves. Whatever the matter, Athena would sooner be thrown out of the house than be entertained as a brat.
“Dr. Steffensson,” the page rung.
“Yes?” Asdis asked sharply.
“Your car is here.”
“I’ll be right down.”

It was getting dark and Drake knew he needed to make a decision on where to stay. Why shouldn’t he go back to The Sanctuary? He would like to work on his journals, anyway. Even though it was getting dark, he would rather just walk than take Spero. The Carlyle’s would notice. Dusk was upon him as he walked across the terrain. It was dusty and the brush sharp, but Drake was used to it. For the first mile he hurried, but after that, he sauntered along slowly. The stars were lovely. That was another thing he wasn’t able to enjoy in the city as much. He could hardly see the stars in the city, but here there were so many. Tears threatened and he quickly looked down and wiped them away.
He and Ashley used to go out at night and he would point at the stars and show her constellations he had read about in the library where they spent much of their time. She would then laugh and say that whoever named it that or even saw it must have an imaginations “huger” than her’s and afterwards point towards what she saw and give them silly names like “Ozzie” or “Teddy.” Once she claimed she saw a horse. She asked Drake what was a good name. He shrugged.
“What’s a word for ‘free’ in a different language?” she wondered.
“Libero,” replied Drake, “it means free in Latin.”
“Good, I name it Libero,”  she told him, “because Jesus Christ frees us so we don’t have to be held down by our lot in life or our sin. You see, we might be poor now, but when we die and go to him, we’ll be rich and live in mansions and there won’t be anybody to hurt us. Of course, you’ll be there with me. I won’t like it without you. You’ll live with me, won’t you? I think Jesus wouldn’t mind.”
Drake laughed and hugged her, “Whatever is in heaven, I’m guessing its wonderful. How’s that? No worries.” Ashley kissed Drake’s cheek and promised not to worry. But that was so long ago yet it felt so near.
Suddenly he smiled and looked up at the stars and murmured, “You know, you might not be with me, but maybe you are looking down. Maybe you’ve been praying for me all this time. Whoever is looking down, I know God is. I never knew what it was like to have someone always there except you, and then I was the protector. Now I have one, too, and you are with him!”
As he stood gazing at the stars somewhere not very far away someone was also gazing, but not at stars. They were gazing at him through nocturnal binoculars. “He’s the one,” a low voice mumbled.
A second man nodded slowly, “If anyone knows those caves, the boy will.”
A third man shook his head, “Putting our faith in a boy less than a third our age?”
“Why not? He’ll hardly resist us, not when we’re willing to be tough with him,” replied the first.
“He’s just a kid,” muttered the third.
“Exactly,” answered the only woman among them.
“Will he really know what we need to know?”
“I’m sure of it and if a woman can’t get him to tell, no one can.” Asdis replied.

“The peasant boy shivered in his cell. The ‘hospitality’ of the evil princess now appeared warm compared to this death trap. All was gone now, his street friends, his landlady, his darling sister, and even the prince and princess. All had gone from him now and soon his treasure would be, too, and there was nothing he could do. Even if anyone wanted to help him, they couldn’t have, they didn’t know where he was. But who wanted to, anyway? No one. He was all alone, again.”
Drake’s ears perked. What was that? Someone had entered The Sanctuary. The lights went out, but as soon as blackness surrounded him a yellow glow of a strong flashlight flickered from the other side of the Holy Curtain. “Nice try, kid,” a deep voice growled, “nice try.”
Drake lept up, kicking his notebook away, crying, “Who are you and how dare you pass the Holy Curtain and enter into the Inner Sanctuary without leave?” with as much authority as he could muster. He imagined himself sounding similar to the good guard at the temple ordering the evil princess out of the Holy grounds. Unfortunately Drake’s cry had about as much power as the guard’s had to the princess. None at all.
“Nice imagination, kid, but play time’s over,” snapped one of the men. The two behind him darted forward and grabbed Drake by the arms.
“Let me go!” Drake shouted and struggled, every sound echoing in the cave creating a horrible clatter.
“Oh goodness, Marcus, do let him go!” Asdis entered the chamber and addressed her latest boyfriend, “We only want to talk to him!”
The Marcus nodded at the two men who obeyed, dropping Drake down between them as they sat down.
“What do you want?” Drake groaned, tears filling his eyes. He suddenly felt very alone and in danger.
“Don’t be afraid,” Asdis crooned, “We’re not going to hurt you. It’s like this. I’m an ambitious woman, Drake, and from what I’ve seen of you, you are, too. You won’t go anywhere while I talk will you, my boy?”
“I’m not your boy,” Drake said sulkily, his eyes drying.
“I guess that’s right, you’re no one’s boy, you belong to the state,” Asdis replied patiently, “you love no one and no one loves you. Oh wait, perhaps I’m forgetting the ‘prince and princess.’ They love you, do they? And you love them?”
Drake’s eyes widened in surprise.
“I’ve read your story, guessed the characters, and foresee the ending. Cute story. You are very talented and you seem like a child who needs to be found by someone… someone who has the power to do something about your talent!”
“What are you talking about?”
“I am a single mother with a little girl. Her name’s Athena. She’s an only child and I have to watch over her constantly. You would be doing me a favor if you came to live with her and I would give you everything you could want to make you great.”
“That’s not the only favor you’d want, I bet,” replied Drake.
“No, it’s not. You’re a smart boy who knows about caves and this area. Last year, I realized a way to create a new antibiotic. It’s safer and more effective and might even be manipulated to fix cancers. But the substance needed is nearly impossible to find except - except in a deep cave like the Carlsbad Caverns. What do you say? Athena would love a brother and I have always wanted more children.” Her voice was soft and inviting. She sounded excited and animated in an innocent way. She did not carry the air of someone dangerous.
Drake was not deceived, “No you don’t, you want the caves, even though the process will destroy them. Besides, I know you didn’t find the formula, Dr. Johanson did and, wherever he is, he’ll get mad when he finds out you’re here.”
“Nonsense, I’ve already taken care of him. The police will soon be reporting an unidentified body of a man floating in the Pecos,” the woman told him as lightly as though she were informing him she had killed a mosquito.
“You killed him?” Drake asked softly.
“In a word, no. It was an accident. I had nothing to do with. Do you think I would want my little Athena’s mother to be a murderess. Thoughts! But you have never had a loving mother, so you wouldn’t know.” Drake said nothing but glanced up at the glowering Marcus who stood like a sentinel behind his controlling mistress. He knew that even if she hadn’t killed him herself, Marcus had for her.
“I don’t think you wonder why I don’t announce my discovery to the world, not yet. Dr. Seth can be dead for a few years. As for what I want… the government is so stringent in keeping their precious caves safe. Unfortunately there is no way to get down there secretly from there, but what about another natural entrance? You know all about that, don’t you, now? You’ve suspected for a long time that your “Sanctuary” connected to one of the deep rooms of Carlsbad. Isn’t it fascinating? Forty miles of underground caves connecting one way or another. And you are now convinced of it, yes? You confirmed it. Will you show it to me?”
“Why would I do that?” Drake demanded.
“Drake, you are trying my patience. Perhaps your friends did not realize that harboring a runaway of the state could be called kidnapping, but I know that, and I have pictures that will be concluding proof.”
“I -” Drake hesitated.
“Love is a dangerous thing. Look what it’s doing for you now? It enables you to be used, to be hurt, and to be predictable.”
“That’s - that’s not true,” Drake struggled.
“What has it ever done to you, Drake? All it’s ever brought you is pain! Your parents? Ashley? Mr. and Mrs. Carlyle? You are one of many foster children and I doubt you ever gave them reason to love you. Your horses can’t love you like you love them and this cave is rock! stone! heartless and cold… surely you don’t think that actress loves you? She grew up with kids, you’re just another one to her, not to mention good PR. And the actor…” She chuckled, “the actor! Tell me, Drake, the moment there was any danger, what did he do? He left you! That’s how they are, they care while it’s easy and favorable to them then leave you when it’s not.”
“So you don’t care about Athena?”
“She’s my daughter, I have to take care of her! It would be a contrition worthy of penance to do such a thing as leave her.” Asdis sounded exasperated.
“What do you want exactly? What’s in it for me? And what will I have to do?” answered the boy sullenly, tracing grooves in the rock in front of him with his finger.
“Show us your caves,” Marcus answered for Asdis, “You give us what we need; we’ll give you what you need. Asdis won’t turn you in.”
“I have a huge mansion in the country. You can go there and live with my daughter. You’ll hardly see me if you don’t like to. You’ll be taken care of amply simply for caring for my daughter. When you want, I can teach you my trade and make you useful and rich.”
“What if I say ‘no’?”
“Well then,” her voice changed from an innocent woman to a dangerous one, “Marcus?”
Marcus flipped open a knife and stroked the blade with his thumb, “We have ways to keep you uncomfortable until you do. Now you know what’s at risk. Will you lead us down the Wide Way?”
Drake gathered up his courage which wasn’t hard because of his growing fury. Jumping up he threw a well aimed rock at his captor’s flashlight causing it to drop and break, shouting, “I’ll not show you! I want nothing to do with you!”
The three men and Asdis fumbled around for their spare flashlights and one by one flicked them on. The beams scanned the room until lighting on Drake running towards Crossroads. Two began to run after, but a sharp command stopped them.
“I’ll take care he can’t run away again,” Marcus pointed his loaded gun in the boy’s direction.
“You’ll do no such thing!” a voice exclaimed as two arms grabbed him from behind, “And you’ll be sorry you ever touched him.”
The criminal struggled and threw Derek off him. Two police officers came out apprehended the two accomplices. Marcus grabbed for his gun, but Derek leapt at him regardless of his safety.
“Watch out!” Drake shouted.
The man had managed to get the gun between him and his assailant, pointed it at Derek’s torso as he jumped at him, and prepared to pull the trigger. *Crack* *Crack* Two shots went off. Derek sat stunned on the floor of the cave. His shirt was torn and his side bleeding where the bullet grazed him, but other than that he was not harmed. Marcus, on the other hand, lay with a bullet in his back from Sam Aldridge who had just arrived in the cave. Selena was right behind him. “Where’s Dr. Stefansson?” Both she and Sam Aldridge looked around as several more officers were now in The Sanctuary. Emilie rushed in last.
“Is everyone okay?” she asked in a concerned voice, scanning the faces.
“He’s not,” an officer nodded to the injured villain.
“Oh, but Derek, are you-?”
“I’m fine,” Derek stood up.
“And, Drake! There you are!” She held out her arms and Drake ran and hugged her. “You’re safe, safe and sound,” she sighed, “Praise God!”
“Um… Emilie… while we’re here,” Derek brushed his hair with his fingers awkwardly, “um… we’ve known each other for about three or so years now.”
“Yes and I want you to know that in that time I’ve watched you grow from a selfish boy into a selfless man,” Emilie smiled, keeping Drake near her.
“Oh, you have -” Derek smiled abashed.
“If you step outside, we can clear everything up,” Sam Aldridge interrupted.
“Right, I’ll be right out.”
“What?” Drake asked.
“I’ll explain to you in a second. What were you saying, Derek?” Emilie rested her hands on Drake’s shoulders.
Derek took a deep breath and said rapidly, “Emilie, you’ve inspired me to be a better man. I didn’t know what it was to be a man or to love until you set it on my heart to seek it. And… I love you and would be so blessed if you would spend the rest of your life with me.”
Emilie smiled, “I would love to! But... can Drake join us if he can?”
Derek laughed, “I was actually going to ask that myself. What do you say Drake?”
“One condition,” said the boy.
“What’s that?”
“Someone please explain what you have to work out with the police?”
“Oh, right! Derek, why don’t you do that! I’ll explain it to Drake,” Emilie said. “You see,” Emilie explained to Drake as Derek left, “we did get in trouble for having you. Derek was arrested a little after you left this morning. That is why I didn’t come back. I was trying to get him out. One good thing came of it. We talked a little about engagement and agreed to pray about it. Last night, he called my dad and asked him to marry me. He said yes. My dad’s been praying about it since last year – way ahead of us. ”
“What now?”
“Well, apparently your little brawl helped the investigators who were on the Dr. Johansons’s track get back on the right one,” Emilie told him, “They realized the he was after you, but they couldn’t get in touch, so when they heard about Derek they thought we could all do each other a favor.”
“He’s dead.”
“We know,” Emilie nodded, “which begged the question, who’d killed him? The authorities decided it had to be a rival and that rival turned out to be no other than Icelander Dr. Asdis Stefansson. They did some figuring and decided she’d move tonight and they needed our help to get your help. We had to get CPS approval, but they said yes, so the charges are dropped.”
“Then you and Derek went and found me, you guys told me the plan to lure the bad guys into the cave, make all that racket so you guys could get in unheard and then capture them in the act,” Drake finished, “I was really nervous, actually. I played my part so well, I really did feel alone and helpless. She had me for awhile when she threatened to cause trouble for you, though. That made me afraid, but then I remembered it wouldn’t be alright to cover up for anyone, and you wouldn’t want me to, either, even for you. Never minding all that, though, it was exciting and the caves are saved! What about the formula of Seth’s, though?”
“Faulty,” Emilie answered, “some other doctors did some research and tested it; doesn’t work. I can’t imagine what he was thinking.” Agent Selena Morris who was standing near glanced at Aldridge. “Dirty business that man must have had planned. Good job, Drake. Next time, though, we should just tell the police.” She climbed out of the cave.
Drake laughed following her, “Yes!”
    “What’s wrong?” Emilie asked as the two agents followed her and Drake with grim faces.
    “Stefansson somehow slipped away,” Aldridge replied, “How far back does the Wide Way go, Drake?”
    “I don’t know. I haven’t fully explored it.”
    “We’ll have some men stay here for a couple nights until we can find some professional spelunkers,” Aldridge told Selena who nodded. Her focus was really on an upcoming car.
A social worker stepped out. “I’m with CPS and am here for Drake,” she said haughtily. An officer nodded towards Drake who didn’t move from Emilie’s side. “Drake Byron, we have a foster home ready. Come on into the car.”
Drake frowned, “I want to go back with the Carlyle’s or with Derek and Emilie.”
The social worker shook her head, “No, you’ve caused them enough trouble. Come along.”
“You know my number,” interrupted Emilie hugging him, “We won’t lose contact, okay?” Drake nodded numbly and walked over to the car. He took a deep breath before he climbed in. The back seat, the car, a destination unknown, all over again. He breathed deeply. It would be easy to hardened himself again, but he was done with that. He had to find a new way to deal with this other than having a stone heart. A new way! Drake sent up a prayer to God.
“CPS had changed its mind and decided to press charges,” the agent called before getting into the driver’s seat and driving away.
Everyone was quiet, many indignant. The officers looked surprised. The investigator was angry and Selena were livid. They had given their word! They had said they would drop charges! Derek was shocked and crestfallen, but none was as upset or angry as Emiliei who muttered in a burst of rage, “The - the… if - those! - mm!” She couldn’t speak.
Drake was taken to a new foster home he hated worse than any other, but kept his good attitude up and prayed like St. Patrick everyday. The CPS agents tried to convince him that Derek had been bad to him and persuade him to tell them the ‘truth’. At first he wouldn’t even talk to them. At last he told them the story, the true story and nothing else.
He wrote his story more than ever now. He named his chapter The Beginnings of the Aftermath: The Trials After Hope.
He wrote how the wicked king he had just introduced into the story captured and locked away the prince, sent the pauper to a rich boarding school, and had executed the evil Princess. He wrote how the good princess labored day after day, night after night, often in tears behind closed doors, for the freedom of her prince. The peoples’ hearts were of course for the prince and against the king.
The police and agency kept looking for Asdis but didn’t find her until a few years later. By then, she was more of a skeleton than a body in a shallow grave. Athena’s nurse was found around the same time married with kids. None of the children were the child the officers were looking for. When they asked her about Athena, she simply said that Asdis came three years back, fired her, and took the little girl away. She has no idea where they went. With Savannah’s help they were able to find many of Asdis’ hidden mansions and estates, but there was no sign of the little girl. Her whereabouts remained a mystery for many years after until Selena found her with her uncle who had been on the top wanted list for several years.
Naturally the news got out to the media, but even without Chandler’s help, everyone was on Derek’s, who helped the “boy who saved the caves”, side. Even the more sensible people who did not just follow their feelings and fancies in matters of justice were on Derek’s side and agreed that there was not enough legal evidence to convict him. This was the hope.
Derek now had a lawyer and was out on bail. When the trial date came it was national news. People across the nation watched it on TV and their computers. Drake was forced to testify. He handled his words and answers very well resulting in his testimony working against the prosecutors rather than for as they had counted on. The second big bash to the prosecutors was that Emilie managed to escape testifying at all. She did not even go. Her reasons were legitimate and not disputed. When Derek spoke to her later saying he was alright as long as it was true even if it worked against him, she said its value wouldn’t have been true, anyway, but that was not the reason she had opted out. Her reasons she kept private. Lack of evidence caused Derek to be acquitted.
During that time the police and investigators had gone after the originators of the David Mason Ponzi Scheme, named after one of the major suspects. It was a long drawn out process, but Derek recovered enough money to pay anything that was still owed and have enough left over to start a new life. He was far from wealthy but more content than ever.
“So, after all the fear, all that pain, all that loneliness, the pauper not only found a new life, but he learned he had had friends all along he didn't know, like his landlady who would have understood to the best of human ability if he had just told her. The prince was encouraged to take the throne, but he refused. He would sit in the smaller throne over a smaller realm, because that was his and no other was. The pauper respected him all the more for this. The prince and princess were married and adopted the pauper. They wanted to take him on their honeymoon, but the pauper insisted they go alone. He stayed with his old landlady and her husband who were now his godparents. The prince never lost contact with that one friend he made in captivity. Even though life took them in separate directions, they met several times after the friend was released. And several months later, sitting comfortably in the small palace, the adopted young man gazed out thinking, ‘Sometimes we have to make the choice to go on when forward looks bleakest and backwards look lightest in order to get to the light on the other side, and even then, the road there might not lighten for a while, but now you have hope and it is sure to come, no matter what, even if it is not in this lifetime.”