(Link to the beginning) PLEASE SHARE!

Jane dropped the note and looked around. There was no sign of any movement, no disturbed leaves, no trace of Levi or how they’d taken him. But he was clearly gone.

I just start to like the little guy and he goes and gets himself captured, she thought. Think, Jane, think. Think of what they expect you to do, then do the opposite. Knowing the way they used to try to disrupt Christmas would help. But how was she gonna sneak into a rock-covered hill without getting caught herself.

After a few moments, an idea began to form in her mind. If they’d been hiding here all this time they would have more than just this tiny entrance. And, they must have ways to keep watch over who comes and goes.

They’d be watching her. They were probably watching her now. Do what they don’t expect echoed in her mind. They’d expect me to try to get in. They plan on it. Now she knew what to do.

Running as fast as she could back to the sleigh, she hit the emergency distress call Mrs. Claus had told her about. Then, knowing the Heart of Darkness would be watching, she grabbed the reins and flew away.

But she knew she had to go back.

*****

Deep inside the mountain, Levi sat in a chair. He’d gave up struggling as the magic holding him was too powerful. Black wisps of creatures swirled around him. They were almost invisible yet one could feel them near by the sudden cold breeze wafting over him.

It was like they were all trying to study him. To see what an elf was.

One of the creatures was different. This one was more solid, more frightening. Light didn’t pass through him but seemed to be absorbed by him, or her, it was impossible to tell.

“Sooooooo, Leeeevi,” the creature hissed. “I see your friend hasssss decided to heeeeeed our warning and run awayyyyy. I’m am not sssssurprised. Elves are not known for their bravery.”

Levi struggled to rise from the chair. “Oh yeah? If you’re so brave why am I trapped in this chair? I’m just an elf. You afraid of me?”

“Hahhhh, I fearrrrr no one,” the creature hissed.

“What are you, anyway? Why do you hate Christmas?”

“Who sssssaid I hate Christmas? I jussst don’t like the ideaaaa of anything good in the world.”

“Why?” Levi asked, relaxing as he tried to gain information from this being.

“Let me tell you a ssssstory,” the creature said. “A loooong time ago, I was just like youuuu…”

“You were an elf?” Levi asked, not believing his ears, which was saying something since they were enormous.

“Lisssssten and learn. My name is Jebidiah Joseph and I was once part of Sssssanta’s team. One year, Ssssanta asked me to help design a new sleigh. One that was bigger and more powerfullll ssssince the world was growing.

“I came up with a great ideaaaa. It wassss the greatest ssssleigh ever made. But Santa didn’t approve it, he just made some changes to the old one.”

Levi stared at the creature. “And because of that you decided to ruin Christmas?”

“It wassss becaussse of what Santa said to me. He sssssaid the design was too fancy, too showy, it didn’t capture the spirit of Christmasssss. The kids would be disappointed by it. Kidssssss, bah, who caressss what they think?”

Levi scrunched his face up, “But that’s the whole point about Christmas. The kids.”

“Yeah, that’ssss what Sssssanta said. He said even the naughty kids, deep down inside, had the Christmas Spirit, and we needed to do everything we could to help them find it again. He didn’t want a new sleigh, he wanted to just make the old one bigger. It was a wassssste of my time.”

“So now what? Why do you need me?”

“You’re my inssssurance against Jane and her tricks. I’m not convinced she gave up so eassssily. And I have other plans for you.”

“Oh, yeah? What’s that?”

“You’re gonna come work with me. Become my eyessss and earssss in Christmasssss Town.”

“That will never happen,” Levi said.

“We’ll ssssseee about that, my little friend. We’ll sssseee.”

Then Levi had another thought. It was something Santa said about taking one to catch one. “What’s in it for me?” he asked.

The creature paused a moment, studying the elf. “You know, I’ve been watching you for a long time. I was surprised Saaanta ssssent you, with your reputation. But maybe thissss will work better than I thought. What do you want?”

“To be left alone and no more cleaning reindeer pens.”

“My boy, if you’re serious you can have much more than that. You can have the run of Christmassssss town and no more wasting time on kids, naughty or nice.”

Levi sat still for a moment, then raised his hands. “So, let me go?”

The creature hesitated just a moment, then waved his hands and Levi was free.

“Let’s call this a test run. Do anything other than what I tell you and you’ll be back in that chair permanently. That is, until I decide how to get rid of you.

*****

Landing the sleigh just on the other side of the reservoir, Jane waited. Mrs. Claus had said help would come soon as she pushed the emergency beacon, but so far nothing. Then, she heard a dog barking. Oh great, she thought, just what I need, some neighborhood dog drawing attention to me.

Then, in a flash, the biggest dog Jane had ever seen was on her. Licking her face and rubbing against her legs.

“Go, go home. Go away,” she said, wiping dog slime from her face. She tried to push him away but he kept coming back for more.  It was then she noticed the note tied to his collar.

Grabbing the note, she petted his head to calm him then started to read.

“Jane, I’m glad I insisted on the emergency beacon. I hope whatever has happened isn’t too terrible. This is Kevin. He is a remarkable dog. He can find anything and he has a few other tricks. I hope he can help you and Levi,
Best wishes,
Mrs. C

Jane looked at Kevin, “Not sure how much help you’re gonna be. This is a cave we have to get into. You wouldn’t fit in the door of an airplane hangar.”

As the words came out of her mouth, Kevin disappeared right in front of her eyes.

“Hey,” she said, looking all around,” where’d you go?” The she felt something on her foot. Looking down was the tiniest of dogs she had ever seen. “Kevin?”

The tiny talk let out a bark all out of proportion to his bulk then popped back up into his normal size landing on top of Jane and resumed licking her face.

“Hmm, that might work. But we have to be very quiet and careful sneaking back in there. I don’t know how they can see us, but as we get close they will.”

Kevin spun in circles, then started flicking dirt with his back legs. The dirt flew everywhere. It gave Jane an idea.

“Can you look for holes or signs of how they’re watching for us and bury them?”

Kevin spun faster then dashed off with Jane trying to keep up.

After a long, slow crawl up the mountain, and with Kevin remarkably good as finding the Heart of Darkness lookout spots, they made it to the entrance of the cave. Deep inside they could see a reflection of light and heard voices.

“Okay, okay,” Jane heard Levi’s voice. “I’ll do whatever you want. I never liked Jane anyway. She thought she was better than me.”

Jane’s heart sank. She had known deep down inside not to trust Levi, but Santa and Mrs. Claus wouldn’t listen. No matter, she’d get the list without his help and drag him back to Christmastown as well.

She creeped closer until she could see into the inner chamber. Levi was standing next to the creature Jane knew was head of the Heart of Darkness. Kevin, now the size of a squirrel, sat next to her waiting to move.

“Here’s what we’re gonna do,” she whispered to Kevin.

A moment later, Jane felt herself in the grips of many of the ghost creatures. She was dragged into the light and put into the same chair that just a few moments ago held Levi.

“I told you she’d come back,” Levi said, smirking at Jane.

“You traitor,” she yelled. “You’re a disgrace to all elves. When I get my hands on you….”

“It would sssseem you’ve made an enemy of Jane here, Levi,” the creature interrupted. “What a shame you two can’t be friends.”

“I was never her friend,” Levi said. Moving in front of the creature, his back facing him, he winked at Jane. “She’s just a simple little elf who thinks she’s important. Well, she’s not. Let’s just send her back to Christmastown and destroy Santa’s sleigh.”

“What, no!” Jane yelled. “You can’t do that!”

“I can,” said the creature. “And I will. Levi, where do you think she hid it?”

“Oh, it’s not far.” Out of the corner of his eye he spotted Kevin nosing around looking for the list. “Maybe we should take the list and use the sleigh to find a new hiding place.”

The creature paused a moment. “Oh, the lisssst issss not here. I knew they’d come looking sssso I’ve taken precautions. And I think the ssssleigh could be useful, don’t you?”

Levi nodded. “I have an idea.”

“What’ssss that?”

“I drove that sssleigh. It’s not very fast. We can build a better one. Let’s send Jane back in it to Christmastown. That should make them think twice about trying to mess with us.”

The creature paused a moment, the uncertainty of Levi’s cooperation still troublesome. “Okay, how about you go put her in the ssssleigh. Make ssssure ssshe’sss uncomfortable for the whole ride. You can use thissss to move her along.” Reaching into his robe he produced a sparking wand.

“My pleasure,” Levi said, taking the wand and slashing it at Jane. “Now move.”

The restraints fell away and Levi directed Jane out of the cave. She started to speak, but he held his finger to his lips. Once they reached the sleigh, he pushed her in.

“What are you doing?” she said.

“You heard him. The list isn’t here. I’ll play along until I find it. You go back and tell them what’s happened, especially the part about me rescuing you. Once I know more, I’ll get a message to you.”

“And how will you do that?”

“I’ll send Kevin.”

At the sound of his name, Kevin resumed his normal size, licking Levi’s face.

“You know about Kevin?”

“Of course, he’s my dog. He got kicked out of obedience school.”

“That figures.” Jane said, sitting down in the sleigh.

“One last thing,” Levi said, waving the wand and wrapping Jane in rope.

“What are you doing?”

“Proof of my loyalty,” Levi said, snapping a picture with his cell phone.

“You have a cell phone?” Jane asked.

“Duh, doesn’t everybody. Now relax.” He waved the wand again and the rope fell away. “Now go, I’ve gotta get back before he starts to doubt me.”

“But I can’t fly this thing.”

“If I can, anybody can. There’s airsickness bags under the seat.”

The sleigh started to move. “Levi, I’m not sure about…” Jane said, but her words were lost as the sleigh rose into the air and took off toward the North Pole.

Tomorrow: Partnership in Crime.