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“So what happened to them?” Levi asked.

“I never found out. One day they were there, and then they were gone. I was very young, so it’s all a little foggy. The next thing I remember is being with many other young elves in Christmas Town at the North Pole.” Jebidiah answered.

“Where else would elves be?

“Levi, elves aren’t just in the North Pole. There are elves all over the world. Most of them freelance for Santa as his eyes and ears on the ground. Sort of Santa’s Spies but in a friendly sort of way. I think my mother and father were part of that. Then something happened.”

Levi thought for a moment; he had to be careful here. “So if Santa took you in, why turn against him?”

Jebidiah turned visibly angry. “He may have taken me in but also sent me away. I wanted to be like the other elves, but he made me go to some school in England and then the United States. I had to pretend I was like all the other kids.

“But I was different. Others stayed away from me. I spent all my time with my books studying. I never had any friends.”

“But when you came back, Santa made you an engineer, right?” Levi said, slowing the sleigh as Jebidiah pointed to a landing spot along the river.

“That’s true. But he never let me do anything big. It was just tweaking this and adjusting that. When I finally got to work on something big, he decided not to use it. I spent months alone in my workshop building this sleigh only to have it put into storage.”

Jebidiah stepped down from the sleigh and looked around. “I decided at that moment that if I could only do what I wanted alone, so be it. And I was gonna get back at all those elves for ignoring me all those years, and Santa too. And so here we are. Come on, we have a bit of a walk.”

*****

Mrs. Claus guided the helicopter closer to the now stationary red dot. She swung around as she looked for an opening in the trees.

“Won’t they hear us coming?” Jane said, hanging on with both hands as the earth spun below them.

“Nope,” Mrs. C. said. “We have SSSS on board.”

“SSSS? What’s that?”

“Santa Sound Suppression System. It’s how Santa can land on roofs without making noise so he doesn’t wake sleeping children.”

“Nice,” Jane said.

“You’d be surprised at how many people would love to get ahold of such a system.”

“I can imagine,” Jane said. “Look, there’s the sleigh. And the footprints lead toward the dam on the river.”

“Good eyes, my dear. I saw a spot a little ways back. We’ll land there, hide the helicopter, then follow them. But we have to hurry.”

A few moments later, Mrs. Claus and Jane peered out from behind the trees, watching the sleigh.

“So what are we gonna do?” Jane asked.

“I’m working on that,” Mrs. Claus said.

“Well, you better hurry. Here they come.”

Emerging from the snowy mists, Levi and Jebidiah returned to the sleigh. Levi sensed he was being watched, something he had developed over the years of sneaking around playing jokes, but he didn’t see anyone.

Jebidiah carried a large brown satchel over his shoulder.

“That’s Santa’s flight bag with the list,” Mrs. Claus whispered. “Here’s what we’re gonna do.”

Jane blinked in shock. “That’s it, that’s the plan? Run out and grab the bag?”

“Sorry,” Mrs. Claus shrugged. “Best I could come up with under the circumstances.” And then she sprang from the woods, screaming like a wild woman. Jane hesitated a moment, then followed along.

Levi stopped dead, realized what was happening, and grabbed the satchel. Taking it was easy from the surprised Jebidiah. Too easy, Levi realized. Jebidiah made no attempt to stop them.

The three stood in a semi-circle around him, Levi clutching the satchel while Mrs. Claus and Jane eyed Jebidiah.

“Took you long enough,” Jebidiah said. “Thought you’d catch me by sssurprissse, did you?”

Confused, the three started to back away.

“It will do you no good to run,” Jebidiah hissed. “My friends have already found the helicopter. And my other friends will be taking you back to our little home.” As the words came out, the clearing was filled with the translucent dark ghosts from the Heart of Darkness cave.

He took a step toward Levi. “I knew you’d never really turn on Santa. But it was fun watching your pathetic attempt to fool me.” He snatched the satchel from Levi. “I’ll just take this back…” Then his eyes began to darken, and his forehead furled. “Or maybe I just destroy it right here once and for all.”

“No,” the three shouted in unison. “Don’t, please.”

“You’re right, Mrs. Claus. This is almost as valuable to Santa as you are. Let’s see what he will do when he finds out you and your friends here are my guests.”

With that, he waved his hands and the ghosts lifted the three captives into the air and flew back to the cave of the Heart of Darkness.

Tomorrow: Negotiations and Ultimatums