#fenixtj

But it flares again. No, something serious...

"What's going on?" She murmurs, trailing her fingers in the flames.

A sign of a sapling.. far from this balance, being mauled

"Something growing, being... harmed, stunted. I should help it? Where?"

The flames pop and seethe and a train station?..rails

"The Baja California?" She names the railroad that runs through the city.

Joyous leap of affirmation

"Oh..... okay. I'll go .... take a look? I could send out some patrols to cover more of the railroad path."

From here the flame seems to be less fussy. It trusts her to know how to manage.

"Ok, ok.... I"ll go now." And she rises. "Phobos?" she goes to find him.

"YEah Boss?" He turns.. he was talking to his brother Demos

She nods greeting. "Demos, hello."

"I'd like to get a couple patrols together, geared for some long-range work. No less than two per patrol. I want them to scout out the situation along the Baja California, report back. No need to take action, but maybe some sustained observation if they find anything worth watching."

"Anything we're looking for in particular, boss?" Demos asks

Jessica frowns, thinking. "I'm not sure. Something... young. I saw a sapling being damaged, hurt."

"Huh.. normally we Redcaps are the ones doing the hurting" Demos says to his brother

"We still might get our chance" Phobos says "I'll get a mix of kiths with different talents and good eyes"

"Thank you. Make sure they're properly equipped, too? Long-range patrol, in the desert in places, so on. If something young is being hurt, might be the patrols could run into trouble."

"Si, we'll make it happen" And the two redcaps go to brow beat others

Jessica closes her eyes and 'reaches out' to the 'Fire. "Good?"

Relief

Soon, the patrols are going out.

Jessica nods, and checks to see what's next on her schedule.

Looks like it's light over all. The Barons (And Tweak) prefer to manage their own fiefs so often when things do come up, it seems to be to settle a dispute over territories and resources. And right now, that's at a minimum. However, there are always those commoners who remember Chappelah and still prefer going to her, or ask for a night by the bale.

And such is the case today "Permission to rest by your balefire?" Caspian DeBuke, one of the only Eshu of that name, asks "Just for the night"

She nods. "Of course. How is the Farmhold?"

"From what I hear, it's fine, but in truth I haven't been there in months," he says "Lots of new babies I hear, including farm animals. There are quests underway by a few... oh, the Spring Corn is probably to die for."

An eyebrow. "Literally?"

"Literally from an Eshu? A thousand voices call out no even as you speak, if any kith is prone to artistic flare in the telling of things, it is Eshu," A flourish and a bow "but the corn's really good this time of year. You should try some"

"Perhaps I'll have the chance when I visit." She agrees. "Is there anything else you need?"

"No no, I'll find my way. " he assures "It's in the feet some say we end up where...

"

Before he can finish, Jessica's phone rings

"Excuse me." She carefully takes the tiny thing out and answers. "Hello?"

"Boss, Phobos here...we found kids... mortal ones.... they're being carted as freight. And boss? It's all girls"

"Where?" She is moving.

"In one of the trains... boss, there are guards. Now Demos and I love a fight, these guys have guns so permission to cut loose? Hell, Jack looks ready to and he's not even a cap"

Ah, the Liam Knight is on the patrols. He's probably about ready to go full batman

"Take them out, save the children. Leave us someone to question."

"Okay, we're at.." And he names the spot "I'll call back in 15 minutes .. if we aint 'done by then it's gone way way south"

"On the way." She gathers a few handy others, not depleting the freehold guard but bringing some backup.

And she's picked up an Eshu tag

"Hope you don't mind, I think this is the adventure I was looking for" Caspian says

"Far be it from me to tell an eshu he's wrong about that.... hop on the back." She's getting on her bike.

And he does

They race off... quickly as they can, but she's pretty sure they won't make it before that 15 minutes is up

She fumbles her phone out and passes it to Caspian. "ANSWER IF YOU NEED TO." She tells him over the noise of the motor.

"Got that" he says

The phone rings just as they come into the sight of it, and he says "Caspian acting as temproary receptionist for Jessica. To whom I speaking?"

angry voices... but controlled "Son of a bitch did not want to die you say? Huh. Kids are okay? Nice nice... Demos bleeding ?"