The Time Travelers' Club: Chapter 51 -- Uncle Griff

Griffin Graff, Griff to his nephew and closest friends, had returned home after his escape from the clutches of  Dr. Herkeimer and Bruno. He was bruised and beaten but was recovering quickly.  He had escaped thanks to the help of one that the Club calls The Rescuer.  Only a few people knew who it was and it was intended to stay that way.

Griff lived in a remote modern log house he had designed himself outside of Oslo in Norway. His love of winter, as well as ice fishing, had brought him to the Scandinavian Peninsula.  The house had only three rooms which were simply furnished -- the bathroom, a large storage closet, and a multi-purpose room with the fire pit, which had a metal brass flue that went up through center of the low-pitched roof.   One wall was all glass which provided a panoramic view of a lake with low mountains as a backdrop.

Although word had reached Xavier that his Uncle was safe, he went to see for himself.

"Good to see you." Griff gave his nephew a hug.  He stood about foot taller than Xavier.  

Xavier looked him over.  "Trimmed beard, a few bandages, and lots of rest have restored your health after being batted around."

Griff smiled."Were you worried about me, Vigsters?"  He had given Xavier that nickname when he was ten.  Xavier was visiting one summer and mocked the accent of the local Norwegians. He told him not to or else he would make fun of him.  Xavier didn't stop, until one day when Griff called him "Vigsters" for no reason.  At first, Xavier hated it.  Now, he expected it.

"Ha, not really. You've been in far worse jams that you survived. I think it was nice of The Rescuer to come get you."  Xavier stood by the fire pit to get warm.

"Winter in Norway can be harsh. Will you be able to handle the cold and snow?"  Griff fixed ginger beers for them.

"I will survive. It's only a few words back home to sunny Florida."

Griff settled down into his ratty rust-colored overstuffed armchair that puffed up dust when he sat down.  "So, how's life treating you? I hear you've met the young boy. What's his name again? Sean?"

"Sam.  His name is Sam Henry. He and his Mother live in Lottie's apartment."  Xavier stretched out on a modern spindly-legged sofa facing the windows and sipped his ginger beer.

"What a coincidence.  And how convenient." Griff smirked. "Old lady Steers is good at her work. I wonder how she got him there."

Xavier snickered. "She's got her ways. She tracked him down without even being sure that he was the one."

They sat silent, watching the snow fall.  The fire crackled.  Night had arrived.  Flurries turned into a heavy snow.  The wind howled.

Griff finally broke the silence. "Has his training begun? How good he is? Can he do any of the incantations?"

"Rose taught him how to create an orb. You should have seen his. I think he's going to grow up and be able to make orbs better than she can. Lottie has taught him the time-traveling incantations.  Apparently, he used them better than anyone she's ever trained."

"Interesting. Sounds like we've got a promising one."

Xavier grinned, staring at the fire. "We will have to wait and see. Our job right now is to keep the Doc from getting him."

Griff agreed. "Don't worry. I got plenty on him and his theatrical troupe of bumblers. Got plenty of useful information.  And one hell of a story for you."

Xavier snuggled into the corner of the sofa.

Griff poured more ginger beer, taking a gulp before starting.  "I know he had company while I was there.  The Doc didn't know that I could get in and out of the room they had locked me in.  When they found out, I was tied to the damn chair."

After rubbing his wrists, Griff got up and added a log to the fire, then poked the embers.  The fire flared up.   Xavier could feel the heat.

Griff sat back down. "Apparently, he had captured some poor stooge and tortured him.  Only to find out later he had gotten the wrong guy.  Tinean also got his share of the blame for that mix-up."

"And?" said Xavier.  "Was he your twin?  Or just looked like you?"

"Naw. Barely looked like me. He had been traipsing around South America doing some kind of research on bugs or something such thing."  Griff scratched under his beard, then pulled on the center hairs.  "You'll never guess who it was.  Rose's Dad, Andreas."

"What? You're kidding."

"Nope.  It was him.  They let him go.  I think once they realized they had the wrong fellow, they threatened him.  Told him they'd take care of Rose if he blabbered, if you know what I mean."

"Hmmm...  I find that strange.  Why would they kidnap him?"

"Don't be dumb.  You know why."  Griff nodded.

Xavier agreed, knowing exactly why they had kidnapped him. "Well, hopefully, he didn't spill. Especially if he thinks he's found one of the books."

Griff stretched out in his chair.  "He doesn't know the exact location yet. He's only trying to track it down. Smuggled out of Germany in 1945 by the top man himself.  Great thanks to Frigg, that Nordic beauty, he didn't know what he had when he was still in power.  Life might have been different."