"Mornin." Tende greeted as Callen joined his sister and their new friends at one of the booths in The Heavenly Pint. Everyone else was already started. "You ready for another day of Shadowborne?"
Callen's plate was heavy with eggs, bacon, and toast, which he began preparing to eat. He was glad that Sadie, Tende, and his sister were there and seemed to be in good spirits. It helped him think about something else aside from his nightmares.
"God, please, no." Sadie scoffed. "Can't we do something else?"
"Three to one...you lose." Tende teased. "Besides, what else is there to do? Sir Corth is mad busy and hasn't asked us to do anything."
"We could see a movie...something...anything...please?" Sadie whined. "I just don't want to be stuck watching you guys play that game anymore."
"Read one of your motorcycle books." Tende suggested.
"Yeah, 'cause I DIDN'T do that YESTERDAY or THE DAY BEFORE that," Sadie complained. She turned towards Callen and took a breath to say something, but instead gasped in shock. "What are you doing?"
"What?" Callen put the ketchup bottle down. His eggs were covered in the tomato vinegar blend.
"You like eggs with your ketchup?" Sadie asked.
"Some." He grinned as he put some jelly on his buttered toast. He then took a spoon full of ketchup-covered eggs and dropped it on the toast.
"You're gonna eat that?" Sadie watched in horror.
"Yup." Callen topped it off with a slice of bacon. "All of breakfast in one bite."
"Ewww." Sadie gagged.
"Well, excuse me princess." Callen grinned. "You don't know good until you've tried eggs-a-la-Callen." He took a huge bite.
Sadie put her fork down. "I lost my appetite."
"You're missing out, it's quite good." Callen sighed. "Derrick and I made it when we were trying to make hospital food taste better."
"He was my best friend back in Boston." Callen let an exhale gently carry his words as if to prevent himself from crying.
"You alright?" Ania placed her hand on her brother's shoulder.
He nodded slowly.
"You sure?" She asked. "You're not looking so good."
"I'm okay." He answered.
"Probably that nasty egg mix." Sadie joked.
"Is it Derrick?" Ania asked. "Can I tell them?"
"Yeah, among other things," Callen mumbled.
"Callen got a little sick yesterday when we were in the crawl space," Sadie said. "Guess the mold got to him."
"Mold?" Ania sounded skeptical. "You sure?"
“I just got a little dizzy, that's all." Callen sighed. "And I'm overtired."
Ania looked unconvinced but turned back to Sadie and Tende without questioning Callen further. "He was there when the metal demons attacked the hospital in Boston. Hopefully, he made it out fine." She rested her hand on Callen's arm as he lost himself for a second staring into his breakfast mess. "He's pretty resourceful. I think he got out just fine."
"Yeah." Callen gave up on eating. "Hopefully." He wished he could hear the twinkling melody from his dream.
"If he's alive, Sir Dren will find him." Tende said. "That guy's amazing."
"My grandfather mentioned him, what's he like?" Ania asked.
"He's an Army Ranger sniper that got in over his head with an evil voodoo cult in New Orleans." Tende explained. "That's when he met your Grandfather. He was forced awake, and your grandfather squired him. Now they are partners."
"Isn't saying voodoo and evil a bit redundant?" Callen joked.
"Not always." Tende corrected. "It's like anything else. All religions have their dark sides."
"Speaking of dark sides, you guys know why Grandpa asked about fairies last night?" Ania asked.
"He said they were connected to whatever case he is working on here in Philly and Boston..." Callen answered.
"Yeah, fey," Sadie added. "He and Sir Dren were talking about them on the phone. He said something about a fairy mound..."
"Depending on the type of fairy, that could be why he asked us to say on hallowed ground." Tende said. "But, it could be a variety of things. He asked me to begin gathering what we know about pure fey religious rites and rituals."
"Broad topic." Sadie sighed. "Hopefully he gets some clues to narrow your search down."
"Yup." Tende grinned. "Gives him a chance to get some more clues before I start research and listening at Helga's."
"Great...more time wasting time..." Sadie muttered.
"Morning lads." Corth entered the Heavenly pint. "I hope yeh slept some."
"A little," Callen answered.
"Not much," Ania admitted.
"Aye." Corth nodded and rubbed his beard. "I bet. Yeh two look like yeh haven't slept a wink. But, this old dwarf wouldn't have expected yeh to. Me thinks I should have gotten ol' Dr. Brewer to get yehs some sleeping pills."
"There's a lot going on." Callen shrugged.
"Yeah, in a virtual game world." Sadie rolled her eyes.
Corth laughed. "Well, not fer long." He looked at Sadie and Tende. "Thank yeh both fer making me grandkids feel as comfortable here as possible. Yeh know I appreciate it. I just haven't had time to breath in the last few days."
"We know." Tende said. "Hanging out has been awesome. It's like we've known each other forever."
"Actually, that's not far from the truth." Corth chuckled. "And I'm glad to hear it. But, unfortunately, I'm gonna have to break up yer little posse fer now. I need yeh each to do some duties. Sadie, Felix needs yeh. Tende, I need yeh picking up word at Helga's about disappearing children today. Hopefully, that will give yeh some idea where to start with that lore search I mentioned to yeh last night."
"Alright." Tende said. "I'll get to it."
"Aye and Tende, pay attention to anything you may hear about demonic shipping too," Corth ordered.
"Why? I thought you said it was fey." Tende inquired.
"Something's scratching at the back of my mind." Corth stared at the fireplace for a second. The flames made the salt and pepper in his braided beard look orange. "Just call it old hunter's intuition...I don't know if it's related to the kidnaped children, but I know there's something big going on there..." He looked at his grandkids. As fer yeh two, well...I need yeh to come with me."
"Now?" Callen asked.
"Aye."
"For what?" Ania asked.
"Conference with Dr. Webb and...well...some o' our people who just arrived." The old dwarf sighed.
"Who they send?" Rurik asked as he entered the pub from the kitchen. He looked towards Corth raising his eyebrow
"Who do yeh think?" Corth took a mouthful of eggs.
"Fook. Felix is gonna be pissed of something fierce." Rurik roared "This really be that serious?"
"Aye. She has the best relationship with those government spooks that always be poking their noses in our stuff. This one bled over, and the spooks will be up our arses soon..." Corth cursed. "We don't need those amateurs muddying the water..."
"Great." Rurik's voice dripped with sarcasm. "In more ways than one."
"Aye, worse than yeh know," Corth grumbled. "She be placed in charge since Webb's at the Greenland site. Gotta love them fookers. That means we do our work and hers while she gets a vacation."
"Aren't yeh just mister bright-side." Rurik chuckled.
"Aye. Sunshine and glitter. It's always been what dwarves are known for." Corth laughed sarcastically. "Anyway, lads, we better not be keeping everyone waiting."