Chapter Three. DuBois.

Ryan and Jill Jensen started Preregrine Espresso in 2 BZ, in the ancient time. They pioneered quaint concepts such as pedaler delivery in the former capitol of USA (before the Russian merger) and they were the first coffee house chain to adopt the "Barristro" concept, see Barristro. Because their coffee empire had grown from a tiny alcove at 660 Pennsylvania Ave SE, George Washington City (formerly known as the District of Columbia), Ryan and Jill never lost sight of their roots. Preregrine provided the customer with access to the POP data network and consequently became a popular hangout for the Zolist movement. Preregrine grew along with the power of Zol. Even though Preregrine has replaced Starbucks as the household name for coffee shop experience, it has managed to preserve the feel of a chic and indepenedent neighborhood barristro.



The cold bite of the January north wind added pain to my fear of the Polish Police. As I approached Preregrine, there was a surreal force field which seemed to transport me toward the entrance. Even though I repeated the mantra "Zol IS, therefore I AM," there wasn't a calm nerve or muscle in my body.



The deep and luscious aroma of the Finca Nueva from Guatemala helped rescue me from my paranoia. Almost instantly, the comforting vision of a room full of Zolists, transmetamorphosized by the mitigating effects of their LapZols eased my awareness back in to the comforting arms of Zol.



Spotting Ryan behind the counter was such a surprise and I was genuinely overjoyed to see him.



"Ryan! Zol sneezes on you!"



"And may the wet breeze of his nostrils reach you!," he counter offered, following traditional Zolist custom.



As our hands slapped together, the slight tug of his wrist invited me for a warm hug. All of a sudden the thought of Keya's disappearance seemed to overpower all other stimuli. The rush of sadness and fear returned as we squared off from our greeting. He noticed the change in my demeanor...



"My Zol Derby, who threw cold water on your IGod this morning?"



I studied the tiles on the floor and noticed the pattern of the inlays. Ryan's shoes looked like they came from Germengland, of some lightweight synthetic material--with that new world designer appearance. The sounds of the Zol arch beams, shooting from the eyes of the LapZols all around me made me feel dizzy. That same flood of unmanageable data from my PIS scared me. I thought for a second that my fainting performance from last night was about to have an encore. I felt Ryans hands on my shoulders and he moved me to an open table.



"Derby. It's Keya, right? I know about it. That's why I'm here. Jill had rescued the news from her sluff fund. It had got past me too. I came as soon as I heard. We're working on it."



His nonchalance shocked me. I searched his eyes for any signs of betrayal. "Is he working for them?," I wondered. "Why would he talk so freely?" I was really scared.



"Derby, I've been contacted by Mr. Hasan DuBois. Does his name mean anything to you?"



He noticed a slight squint as I continued to study his eyes and body language for any clues...



"Listen to me Derby. The Polish Police....they're not what they seem. Have you ever heard of Srinagar, in Kashmir?"



Cautiously, I took the bait. "Kashmir, in Chinindia, in the Himalayas?"



"Yeah. A group of dissident American monks, known as Chits, have a community over there. Pretty freaky stuff. They do Yoga without Wii Fit mats and practice all kinds of sacreligious ceremonies. They acknowledge Zol, but only as a prophet, not as the Supreme Sneeze."



I gulped and studied my hands, which were shaking. The vibration of the Zol arch beams grew and it seemed that all the Zolists in the room were being summoned by Zol himself to penetrate my defenses. Like a timid old dog, I surveyed the room. I wondered, "Who is a spy? Who is tuning in to this?" I just about wet my pants when my JetPhone alarm signaled a call from my mom.



Her smiling face appeared on my occipital monitor and I tried to conceal my agitation. "Hi Mom, I'm at Preregrine's. Can I call you back?"



Then I saw the fear in her face. "Derby, there's a man here named DuBois. He's taking me away and said he will contact you for instructions. He promises me I'm in no danger."



And she was gone. Ryan's brow formed a question mark and his calm facade vanished. "What is it Derby."



"They've got my mom."