An EFC Christmas: Part Two "Though the Weather Outside is Frightful"

by Seven


Disclaimer:  Earth: Final Conflict and its characters are copyrighted by Tribune Entertainment Company.  All rights reserved.



Notes from Author:  I am SO happy that people didn't hate part 1! I paid a little homage to Gloria Estefan, one of my favorite pop singers.



**********



The tiny car sped across the freeway, with faint song streams emerging from it. "Jingle bells, jingle bells... jingle alll the wayyy..." The CD whirred to a stop, and Lili popped it out, slipping another in its place.

As the song ended, Suzanne leaned her head on Liam's shoulder. "You're so nice and warm and comfy," she murmured sleepily.

"Well, I'm wearing a coat," Liam responded with a slightly sheepish grin.

"Augur, this one doesn't have a label," Lili said, frowning and holding up an empty CD case. "Any idea what it is?" Augur took a brief glance at it, then turned his attention back to the road. "Play it, and we'll see."

Lili pushed the button on the player. There was a soft whirring, and then the strains of tiny bells was heard, followed by a throaty voice singing, "Silver bells... silver bells... it's Christmastime... in the city..." "Gloria Estefan," Suzanne said, taking her head from Liam's shoulder.

"A little odd, since we are going for Christmastime in the country," Liam announced with a grin. He pointed out the window, where several brown and white blots were seen on a brownish-gray field. "Cows!"

Augur grinned and swayed to the music, not removing his gloved hands from the steering wheel. "Maybe I can rustle up some horses for us," he announced. "After Doors comes, of course."

"Doors?" Liam asked. The word emerged as a moan, his face assuming a look of heartbreak. Lili and Suzanne laughed a little, muffling their laughs behind fuzzy mittens.

"Don't WORRY, Liam," Lili smiled, turning around and giving him a friendly punch on the nose. "Doors is coming for the time of peace and goodwill, and he's promised to behave. His campaign rally ought to be ending right about now, so he'll be coming later today."

"I'm doomed," Liam moaned, pressing his face against the window. But there was a twinkle in his eye and voice that was impossible to miss.

****

The house sat atop the hill like a crown on a gray head, windows shining. The pool next to it was covered, and the formerly green grass was dead and faded, but the brick walls were still vibrantly red, and the pine trees surrounded it like a dark green halo.

Augur grinned as the car bumped up the gravel driveway, coming to rest next to the spacious garage. "Nice sight, ay?"

Liam unrolled his window and stuck his head out, smiling slowly as the car stopped. Suzanne poked him in the foot and wriggled next to him, trying to get a better look.

As Augur unbuckled himself, Lili leaned over and poked him in the forearm. "Augur, you've amazed us again," she said, giving him a "thumbs up" gesture.

****

The interior was spacious, furnished with wooden furniture trimmed in green. The walls were lined with photos from someone's fishing trip, and the occasional hunting trophy. A venerable-looking moose head adorned the doorway to the kitchen.

Suzanne slipped out of her coat, rubbing her arms as she glanced at the cold fireplace. "This place is perfect," she announced, kneeling down and poking at it.

Liam was exploring the bedrooms, each with a double bed adorned in leaflet coverlets, facing a wide-screen TV. He poked his head into the adjoining bathrooms and closets, whistling at the size of each.

He emerged into the living room, holding a square green bar in each hand. "Pine-scented soap, Augur?" Augur, slumped on the couch, smiled drowsily and threw up his hands. "So help me, I love pine-scent." "Explains the dishwashing detergent," Lili called from the kitchen. "Counting furniture, there's more pine in this room alone than in those woods out there."

Augur nodded, then slid to the side on his couch and put his feet on the arm. "I'm tired. I'm going to watch TV." Liam glanced dubiously at the wooden panels on the wall, then squinted at a faint outline in the deep swirls of the pine boards. "There's no TV there, Augur." Augur smiled and slipped a hand under the couch, hitting a tiny button. Liam spun as the wooden panels seemed to separate and glide, spinning to reveal a widescreen TV behind a revolving door. "Wow," he murmured, awed.

"Wow indeed, my friend," Augur said, waving a hand benevolently.

Liam smiled, rubbing his hands together to warm them. "You acted like this place is all rustic and out-of-it, but it's almost as rigged as your place back home." "No computer, though," Augur said wistfully. Then an impish grin crossed his face, as he pulled off his hat and tossed it onto the coffee table. "You like it?"

"It's perfect," Suzanne said, smiling as she emerged from the kitchen, a tray of steaming mugs balanced precariously on her hands. "Cocoa? I made some for Doors, too, whenever he gets here."

"Always the waittress," Liam teased, picking up his mug and smiling at her over the edge. His smile was innocent and fresh. An oddly wistful look crossed Suzanne's face, but she quickly perked up and handed Augur his mug.

As Lili came out of the bathroom, wearing a gray wool pullover, there was a knocking at the door. "Anyone home?" a familiar voice called. Liam instantly choked on his cocoa.

"Jonathan!" Lili called, running to the door and unlocking it. Doors, wearing a red jacket and an uncharacteristic smile, stepped in with the air of a king surveying another's kingdom. He nodded to Suzanne and Liam, then glanced over the room. "I'm sorry I'm late, there was a bit of a jam around the rally."

"You're not late," Liam offered, rubbing his burned chin. "We just got here ourselves."

"Cocoa?" Suzanne offered, holding out a mug. He took it with a nod of thanks. A faint snore sounded from the couch, where Augur was sprawled, fast asleep.

Liam frowned a little at the odd expression on Doors's face, as he glanced around the living room, his harsh face softening a little as he looked. A tiny smile misted the millionaire's face as he looked at the fireplace, the wooden furniture, the moose head over the doorway. "When I was a kid," he said softly, almost to himself, "my parents took my family for Christmas... at a place very much like this..."

"But with a revolving TV," Liam interjected. Lili moaned and jabbed him in the arm.

Doors snapped out of his reverie, then took a sip of his cooling cocoa. "Well, Liam," he said with authority now returned to his voice. "Are you going to help me chop wood, or what?"

Liam smiled a little and nodded.

****

A few hours later, a shout came from one of the windows, as a thin layer of glittering snowflakes frosted over the roof and trees. There was a frantic clatter on the stairs, and five figures burst out onto the front lawn.

"Snow!" Suzanne sighed, as Liam stuck out his tongue, trying to catch flakes.

Lili ran her finger on a tree branch, then blew at the melting flakes, turning them into tiny droplets of water. Augur laughed almost wildly, then shivered at the cold wind that crept into his thin shirt. Doors just watched placidly, as if reliving something.

****

The gentle snowfall did not last long. Soon the cold winds mutated into a howling maelstrom, whirling huge gusts of snow around the house. Inside, the howling was reduced to a murmur in a living room bathed in warm light.

"Now are you glad we went and chopped all that wood?" Doors asked from an easy chair, as Liam and Lili emerged from the basement, each with an armful of wood.

"Are you glad this place is rigged enough that our survival doesn't depend on a fire?" Augur added, clicking on the remote. The TV screen flipped through channels. "I gotta go raid my video stores later--two viewings of 'It's a Wonderful Life' is quite enough."

Suzanne, holding her hands up to the fireplace, sat up suddenly. "Did you hear that?" "No," Augur replied, closing his eyes. "I did," Liam said, dropping his wood with a clatter. "Like a rumble..."

A rapping at the door was heard. As Liam sprinted to answer it, he peeked through the green curtains. "Oh man," he muttered.

"I'm assuming it isn't Santa Claus and his reindeer?" Augur said, sitting up worriedly.

"It's worse," Liam replied, going to the door. "It's Zo'or and Da'an and Sandoval."

TO BE CONTINUED