Ron Maier is an award winning writer living in Oklahoma. An aircraft mechanic, design engineer and horse trainer, he has been writing all his life. Ron’s critique group wrote, edited and published Braced Against the Wind, recounting the Oklahoma City bombing. He is past president of Oklahoma City Writers, and serves on the board of directors of Oklahoma Writers Federation. He may be contacted through his personal email address at redmaier@earthlink.net.

A Note from the Author, Ron Maier:

I am pleased to present my books to you. My new books, Timeshift and Rainy Tuesday, will be available for purchase soon. To order my earlier titles, click on the book cover or the link nearby. My books are also available from Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Borders and many fine book stores. For an autographed copy, send me a cashier's check or money order for the cover price, plus $3.00. Email me at at redmaier@earthlink.net of your intent to purchase an autographed copy. Amazon.com and Barnes & Noble.

Click here to order Timeshift!

After they left she turned on Noah. "Stop referring to me as your queen. My name is Sylv, or Dark Seeress, or if your feeling especially snotty, Tabizi."

Ben laughed until she asked what was so funny. "Newcomers and old citizens, alike," the Garon said, "believe you really are the Queen of Green Land. Why do you want a demotion?"

"Because Noah wants it to mean something more than a title--and Tor said Tabizi do not interbreed."

Ben ran to the edge of the hut, scanned the sky, and returned to the seat. "I don’t see Tor anywhere--and I’m not likely to.You preach independence to your women, but don’t let it--"

The Amazons returned with the speechless woman. Noah stood and studied her. Pixie faced with short hair that barely covered her ears, she looked up at Noah.

"Aster says you don’t talk. Why is that?--whatever your name is."

She cleared her throat. "My name is Karla. I don’t usually speak when he’s around--but the women know I can talk."

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"Look officer, I know my rights. You can't hold me without a warrant for my arrest. Now let me out of here."

Randsom pointed his finger pistol-like. "Wrong. I can hold you forty-eight hours as a material witness. Call your attorney. He'll tell you the same thing." He went to the glassed-in guest sign and searched for the supervisor's apartment. Hardesty tagged close behind. "But I can't call. The phones aren't working. I simply must get to my office."

Exasperated, Randsom put his hands on his hips. "What's in your office that's so damn important?"

"I can't say. I have some paperwork that I--"

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The nurse's aide entered with baby Joy and handed her to Marian. Karen and Jason followed her into the room.
"We're back," said Karen. "Jason is all settled in the basement room. He even tried the Bowflex---said you had it on the beginner's setting."
Asa smirked. "Beginner's, eh?"
Marian's gasp drew their attention. Pulling down the coverlet she yelled, "This isn't my baby."
The aide gave them a wide grin and exposed the baby's wrist. It had a blue ID bracelet with the words Maguire on it.
Marian ripped the infant's diaper open. "And this is a boy. I had a girl. Now where's my baby?"
"You must be mistaken, Mrs. Maguire. I checked the computer and this is your baby."
Asa handed the baby back to the aide. "Jason, call security."

She gathered five stones from the stream and washed them, searching for their message. Her stomach knotted when she read the message from the fourth stone. Beware. He wants the child.
The glyph for 'he' seemed curious. It smelled of iron and looked like a stick man. It could only mean Ironskin. Kah-tay turned a tearful gaze to Clayfoot.

"Read it. You have the Knowledge, my husband."

He towered over, crushing her to his chest. "Then why do you cry?"

"Read the message of the stones," she said, handing him a damp pebble.

She entered his mind to know his thoughts. Would he discover the same warning?

"You warned me," he said though clenched teeth. "I should have killed him the first time." He turned to comfort her, but she was gone. "Ironskin is no longer my brother, in this world or the next."

She sensed him searching for her, then felt his presence as she stood on a high outcropping over the crystal clear pool. A small dust devil whipped leaves and twigs in circles across the water. The ground trembled and Kah-tay bowed in reverence. Moments later she raised her face to the sky and closed her eyes.

Pressing the new medicine stick to her forehead she said, "Protect us from Evil. Bring comfort and knowledge to foresee the future. Guide us to new understanding."

Pete Thompson and Mary Godwin hovered over Honey when Carie entered the recovery room. A lump started in the pit of her stomach.

What are they doing here? Something must have happened while I. . . .

Tear glistened on Godwins’s face."She’s slipping away, doctor. Blood pressure is weak—pulse thready. Dr. Pete sent blood samples up to pathology."

Carie’s heart raced. "How long ago?"

"About ten minutes, Carie," said Dr. Thompson. He pulled her away from Honey’s bedside so the emotional nurse couldn’t hear him.

"Dr. Thatcher said he’d get right on it. Got Tashi working with him. We should know something in a few minutes. Tashi wanted to cross reference the patients medications." Thompson walked back to Honey.

Carie nodded. "Stay with her, Pete. I"m going up to pathology have a look. Did you send enough blood to run several tests?"

"Two vials. Should be enough. We’ll be here until we know one way or another. From the looks of things, the path team better come up with something fast."

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Darkness came when another cloud drifted over the moon.

"Welcome, Herr Brandt."

A voice from the past sent fear and hatred up his spine. Yurovich stepped from the shadows. The armed guard with him pointed an automatic weapon at Brandt’s chest.

"Oleg Vassily Yurovich, I’ve come to kill you," Brandt hissed.

"What? Out here in the cold?" The man threw back his head and roared laughter into the black night. "Come. Let us talk in front of a warm fire in my dacha. I have fine brandy, too, Comrade." He stood, hands on hips, a vicious smile on his face. "You can tell me of your Valentina. Did you know she worked for me while she was married to you?" His head wagged while he talked. "I disliked having to share her with you, Comrade Willy, but orders are orders." Yurovich turned to the armed man beside him and issued an order to search Brandt.

The guard’s weapon went muzzle down when he approached. Brandt’s hand streaked to the automatic. It came free, spewing a loud, orange-colored pop. The slug roared into the guard’s head. The man flew back against Yurovich and sent him sprawling in the snow.

"I imagine there are few who will miss you, Comrade." Brandt straddled the former KGB officer and grinned into his fear-stricken eyes. "Ernst did a good job sending me to you, son-of-a-dog. Did you have to wait long?" He squeezed the trigger.

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Merriweather stood under the street lamp. watching the red tail lights of Rand’s car fade in the darkness. He had a good friend in the assistant to the university president. He’d almost confessed his guilt tonight . . . needlessly. When Father calls he would have to resist or think of a better way . . . or be more careful.

But it was hard to say no to Father. After all, he was wronged so much by Mother with her men and loud laughter . . . and drinking. And for locking him in the closet until he promised to never tell what happened. She still had to pay for choking Father.

Merriweather opened the door to his apartment, wondering why all women couldn’t be more like Judith Williams. Such a wholesome girl. After locking his door, he thought about brazen Amanda White. Could she be another bad woman, but didn’t ask money for doing that naughty thing?

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