Helena Schwarzwald had traveled to America in search of faces. She had been to a couple locations in Africa. She had been to Scotland and Wales. Her journey started in what was known as Black Forest region of Germany. Her journey would likely end in America, success or no. She had two destinations in America. One in Arkansas and another in the desert. It had been a relatively uneventful trip. She was tired. She was tired of having her son "mother" her. She knew her health was failing. She didn't need him reminder her by always being underfoot.

She had a need to see the faces of her father and mother again before dying. She had journeyed to all the most likely locations based on her conveyance. The spirits had indicated these locations. But her power was weak. It was never as strong as her mother's. She couldn't be sure she was understanding what they were trying to tell her. After years of trying to interpret. She finally gave in and made travel plans.

When she told Peyter, he put in for leave and informed her that he was going with her. She loved her son, and at the time was grateful that he would accompany her, but now after months of travel and his persistent questions, she was tired.

They had met the gypsy woman at the Blue Springs. It seemed fitting. The woman had told her that her dreams started approximately 3 years ago. There were 20 and one held the stone. They were not "aware". It would be easy. The woman was scared. Helena smiled. She had that affect on her kind. She had a reputation in the world she walked in.

Now, holding the stone she had searched years, (decades!) for she felt engergized. She suddenly felt 20, no, 30 years younger! She heard voices in the room, but she was enthralled. She could easily search for her mother. Not now though. Later. The voices were growing louder. She pulled herself out of the stone.

"Mrs.Schwarzwald!" Sean was yelling her name and pounding on his desk. Peyter was calling "mama" very loudly, starting to rise into hysterics again. She raised her eyes to meet his.

"How much?" wasn't what she meant to say. She meant to have a polite conversation. Offer to pay her bill and an exhorborant amount to buy the "worthless" rock as a way to compensate for any distress her and Peyter had caused Walker and his friends. But instead she said "How much?" again.

Sean had enough. "I'm sorry Mrs. Schwarzwald, but it's not for sale. Now I really must ask you to leave." He wanted her out of her quick, fast, and in a hurry. Shit was gettin weird. She had stared at the rock for at least three minutes before responding. Leon had come to the door and opened it slightly. Sean could see Gene behind Leon. He waved them on, but he had picked the gun back up. Just in case.

"Herr Walker" her voice sounding deep and soothing, lapsing into a thick Germanic accent that Sean had a hard time understanding "I assure you that we are leaving now and will not trouble you again. I simply must have this rock." She was regaining her composure and trying to use a simple trick of persuasion. Her voice took on the sweet maple flavor. "Please, name your price. I assure you that I have it." She made no move to leave. Sean wanted to sit down, but that might indicate that this was going to last longer. He wanted it over now.

But he saw an opportunity. He had negotiated before. He knew how this game worked. He would simply re-iterate it wasn't for sale for "sentimental" reasons. She would insist and persist. He would laugh and throw out a number so astronomically high that his laughter would die on the air indicating that he was serious. She would be forced to relent. Finally, she would leave.

"Yah, mama can pay it. Please sir. Name your price" Peyter wanted the stone when mama dies, Sean thought to himself. Why the interest in the stone. Is this why they came all this way from Bumfuck Germany? That seemed unreal to him. One Million? No, she might have it.

Sean could use a million bucks though. That would pay off his mortgage and he could pay Gene back for Nowhere. He could finally just go fishing.

He looked at the stone again. This time it was reflecting a blue light. "Or emitting" he thought to himself. He knew the light was coming from the rock. It was blue like the Schwarzwald's eyes. He knew that he would be sad if the rock was gone. He'd have the Blues.

Maybe 3 million. She might not have that and he'd be able to keep the rock.

"Five million dollars. US" came the response. Sean was certain that old Mrs. Schwarzwald did not have that kind of money. He laughed later than he planned. It didn't sound natural like it sounded in his head. Like he'd done other times when less was at stake. Like his career. He laughed again, this time internally. There was a time when his career was more valuable to him than anything else in this world. Including his family. Now he was holding this worthless rock in higher regard than his career. He needed to unpack this later. Maybe with a cocktail or something stronger.

"Great, so we've established that it is for sale! But, so much money! Surely you realize that it is worthless. I was thinking more like ten thousand dollars. US. I can wire the money tomorrow when banks open." Her voice dripped and slithered.

Ten thousand. He could certainly use ten thousand dollars. Then he started thinking about the sheer amount of how much he owed. Sean couldn't do shit with ten thousand. Reality hit him again. He shook his head like a man waking up from a deep sleep, but he'd been awake the whole time. Hadn't he?

"No, I was only joking Mrs.Schwarzwald. It really is not for sale. For, sentimental reasons. You understand." This time Sean laughed at the appropriate time, he tried to seem more natural.

"Oh Mr.Walker. I was not joking. How about twenty thousand for a worthless rock. Surely there is much to be done around here with that much money" there was that tone again that blurred the line between statement and question. Her voice was very soothing.

Helena realized that she had broken the spell with such a realistic number for something that appeared to be worthless. She acted out of fear. She instantly regretted it. She wasn't afraid of paying the five million, she could do that. It would take some very specific arrangements, but it could be done. Besides she wasn't long for this world, the money was not her concern. If Peyter could make that money back, or more, was not even a question. No, she was afraid if she had agreed to that amount Walker would realize the true value of the stone. She probably could have kept the spell intact with a counter-offer of three million. But eventually that spell would be broken as well. She knew he would reject her offer and that she was powerless. She needed a different approach.

Walker was walking towards his office door, that had somehow opened. He was telling her again that it was not for sale. Telling her again that Leon had their tab at the bar. He was telling her in an very American way "thank-you-and-have-a-nice-day" that they never really meant. It made her angry. She stood and tried to not let it show. She smiled.

Sean noted that the smile held the same gritted teeth malice as before. He opened the door fully and the temperature in the office dropped 5 degrees. It had gotten very warm in his office he suddenly noticed.

Peyter had not gotten up yet. Sean thought he always followed his mother's lead. "You will sell us the stone, Mr.Walker. I promise you" it sounded more like a threat. Sean dismissed it as a mama's boy trying to act tough in front of his mother. She would praise him later. Sean smiled. Peyter stood up glaring at Sean. Sean raised the gun slightly so the light glistened off the barrel. They all glanced back at the stone as they passed through the doorway. Sean closed the office door and followed them out to the bar.

The night was cool. They were on Gene's pontoon boat. Sean was sticky from the days events, the dried sweat and oil from his skin left him wanting to jump in. He wanted to talk with Gene more though and he'd been drinking, so he thought it best to not jump in the lake. At night. While drunk. Truth had no reservations and jumped in as soon as Gene killed the motor. After they both had lines baited and in the water Gene finally asked.

"What happened today, boy? I been thinking about it all night and I gotta admit: it's got me spooked. The way that woman was guttering at me... whew!" The last bit came out as a shaking, revulsed exhale. He had said "guttering" Sean knew what he meant. The old woman was muttering in a way that sounded like an angered animal. Something primal or guttural. Gene sometimes mixed his words like that and you had to infer his meaning.

"I'm glad you want to talk about it Gene. She said some things that made me think she was off her meds or something. But, then you did something I never expected either. So before we get into it, want to tell me what it was you said? Don't look surprised. I heard you speak in what sounded to me like German. What did you say? What was being said?"

"She was cursing." Gene said very plainly. Truth was done splashing and wanted to be hauled up. It took both Sean and Gene to get the seventy-five pound soaking wet dog back on the boat deck.

"You mean like curse words in German?"

Truth shook lake water all over the back half of the boat and both men. Gene was shaking his head. "No, like putting a hex on me. You know like voodoo. Satanic. And it was a mix of a German dialect and some Latin."

Sean was surprised again. "You speak Latin?"

"No, not anymore. It's been close to 60 years since I spoke Latin. But I still know some of the words. That stuff sticks with you, ya know" he grinned, remembering his childhood. Gene had never spoken of his childhood to Sean. Sean assumed he was born and raised right here or close hereabouts. Sean knew they never taught Latin in a public school in Arkansas in the Forties.

"So you know some, but don't speak it. You speak German too. I never heard you speak German and Amy never mentioned it either. Wanna tell me what is going on, Gene?" Truth went to the captain's chair and curled up after looking, then sniffing at the cooler.

"Not" Gene had reeled in his line and checked bait "really" as he cast again. As if to emphasize his determination in a way that would deter Sean. He knew his son-in-law well enough to know that he would not let it rest. Once that boy gets something in his head, he doesn't stop until he's devoured it. Gene admired the way Sean could learn just about anything. Gene was just as disappointed when Sean never stuck with anything. This mix of disappointment and admiration was something he shared with his daughter.

"C'mon Gene! That kid almost killed you and that woman was not just some bum off the street. They were high class travelers and had come here for a reason. Was that reason you?" Sean had called Peyter a kid, but there was probably the same age difference between them as there was between Sean and Gene.

"He had as good a shot as anybody in a long time, I'll grant you that. But I coulda taken him. He had soft hands and a soft belly. Besides I had my pistol on me, I just didn't want to splatter him all over the flagstone. We just got that all sealed up."

He would have shoved the bottle into Gene's juglar as soon as he started to reach for the pistol. Sean didn't want to get into a drunken bar argument about who coulda kick who's ass. These were dumb hypotheticals that you laugh about next time you see each other, but they were never deciding anything. "Yeah, he was soft but don't change the subject: what did you two say to each other?"

Gene sighed. "Alright. She was saying that I was the Devil in human form and she was banishing me back to Hell. She was calling on demons and angels to come do her bidding, I think. She was urging the spirits to give her son the strength to end me. She was condemning me to an eternity of pain for my sins and asking for vengeance. At least that is the gist, I think"

"Holy shit. Well she was definitely flying over the cookoo's nest. Good thing we got her out of there with nobody harmed. What a mess. What did you say?"

"I think I said, or I tried to say, 'let her, that be without sin, cast the first blow'. I was basically trying to tell her to calm down and talk it out. That seemed to drive her deeper into reinforcing the incantation."

"Then you said something to Peyter?"

"Yeah, I was telling him that if he killed me he would lose his mother. That seemed to get through to him, but I think he thought that I'd hexed her or something. He was pretty riled up."

"Yes, and after that she stopped what she was doing and started talking to me. For no reason that I could see other than I was there trying to look business-like with a fifteen pound bag of melting ice in my hand. I doubt I looked very menacing."

Sean went silent, played the scene back in his head. He had pulled his line in and had to reattach some bait. He wiped his hands on his shirt, it was the end of a very long day and he didn't care about finding a towel. Truth was up licking Seans fingers. That tail was beating against the side rail. The vibration was likely driving any fish away. Sean was sure they weren't going to catch anything tonight anyway. "Go lay down".

Both men had gone silent. The water was gently lapping against the pontoons. Gene looked over at his former son-in-law. He had never really understood Sean, but he had liked him from the moment Amy brought him home. He was good at everything he tried, but not in a way that made you not like him. Hell, he was good at making himself believe that he was not as good as you thought he was. Gene knew that Sean had to try everything for himself. He'd read something in a book then had to do it himself. Said that was the only way he could "internalize" the knowledge. Whatever the hell that meant. But that boy could do anything he set his mind to, of that Gene was sure.

That humble nature and quiet competence was a night/day switch from some of the boys that Amy had dated up until that point. Gene considered Sean the first man Amy had ever dated. Gene remembered talking with his wife, Rebekah, as they lay in bed that night after meeting Sean for the first time. Her saying that he was going to be Amy's husband and their son-in-law. Gene hadn't doubted it, Rebekah has a way of seeing things.

Gene had been thinking about things too, so now it was his turn to ask questions. "You say 'they were here on purpose'. Why do you think that? They were not here looking for me if that is what you were thinking. I've never seen either of them before in my life. And I'll bet you a dollar to a donut that seeing me there caught her by surprise, based on her reactions. So what makes you think they were there on a purpose?"

"They both, all of a sudden, forgot all about you as soon as they saw the rock." It was Sean's turn to speak plainly.

"That old thing?" The look of befuddlement had spread from Sean's face to Gene's. They both went silent again as Sean simply nodded.

It was late. The fish weren't biting. They were all tired. It had been a long, weird day. It was obvious that nothing was going to get solved tonight. "Let's head back in." Gene nodded and started the motor.