Arizonian Pride

Arizonian Pride Chapter 10

"...... and that's what our 'vacation' was really for — just an excuse for mom and dad to get close to the ranch, convince him to leave, and then tear down to place to look for what they think they can find in the earth there."

Raymond's siblings were sitting with him in the living room of their parents' Old Folk's Home, digesting everything painfully.

"I can't believe our own parents could do such a thing," Malachi gasped, exasperated. "For Allah's sake, he's a retiree! Can't people just leave him in peace?"

"Me neither. You know what's the worst part?" Chelsea spat out. "Mom and dad know they are doing wrong by actively supporting that illegal project. It-it's so wrong in so many ways, yet they still had the nerve to go on with it!"

"That's so mean, and Randy can't even do anything about it!" Serafina piped up in agreement. "They kicked him outta there, and we had to take care of him in our house to keep him out of the way." She looked at the now-empty chair that Randy used to sit on in his room. "I really liked Randy being here. Now he's not here anymore."

Tears fell from Serafina's eyes for the umpteenth time that day. Chelsea and Malachi hugged her emphatically.

"So you guys get it," Raymond commented solemnly. "Our parents could go to jail for all of this."

"J-jail?" Serafina whimpered.

"What would we do after that?" Malachi stuttered, anxious. "We're all still minors. We can't legally get jobs yet. And Grandpa Melvin… he's already retired, too. I don't want to be living on his personal pension!"

"That's what's worrying me the most, brother," Raymond said. "I think that… after all the things they've done, mom and dad still risk going jail, no matter whether they choose to back out or not."

"S-so what are we gonna do?" Chelsea whined.

"I'm afraid we can't do anything to stop them from demolishing the last of Randy's home. It's probably happening now as we speak."

Their gazes fell to the ground. They sat in empty silence. Raymond suddenly looked up with a flash of determination in his eyes.

"But I know that they still have to prepare some things before they start digging on Randy's land. That should buy me some time. Randy himself probably wouldn't go down without a fight, even if just in spirit. Somebody's gotta continue the fight for him, and that somebody shall be me," Raymond announced, his chestnut-brown eyes twinkling.

Malachi gasped. "YOU?! W-what are you going to do?"

"And how?" Chelsea asked.

"I'm gonna do something - anything - that can stop mom and dad's company from claiming Randy's land as their own. Remember all those old photos we saw at Randy's ranch? Most of them were pictures of Randy and his old colleagues from that archaeology club where he used to work. I asked him about the pictures, but he refused to say much about them," Raymond explained, as-a-matter-of-factually.

"So, what about those pictures?" Serafina asked.

"Well, I did managed to learn a few things from them. One, his old boss is called Ralph O'Malley and he is still working at one of the club's branches in New Mexico. He's about Randy's age, I think."

"And two, from how many pictures Randy has taken with him, it seems that he and O'Malley were and probably still are very close friends. I'm pretty sure both of them would still be staying in touch even after Randy retired from work."

"So... you're going to see O'Malley all the way in New Mexico?" Chelsea asked.

"Yes," Raymond nodded. "I believe he is the only person who knows Randy well enough to help me decide what to do about this whole thing."

"But New Mexico is so far away! It's gonna be a long journey, Ray. Do you have a map of the place? I don't think even Chestnut can take you that far all by himself," Chelsea argued.

"Isn't it right next to Texas?" Serafina asked. "To the west, I think. I saw it on the map in Randy's room."

"Yes, it is," Chelsea agreed. "But hey, we've been in Texas all our lives and we know how big this state is right?" The blonde cowgirl looked at Raymond, hoping he would change his mind.

"I know, I know. But let me just explain that I saw the location of Randy's old club on a map he hung up. It's in a very remote area, and going on horseback is the best way to get there. So I'm just gonna take Chestnut there, okay?"

His siblings said nothing. Raymond took a deep breath. "Guys, I know this is a very risky plan for all of us. But, y'know, I just really can't stand seeing someone like Randy face this kind of injustice. The things they're gonna do to his home and his land, and they go against his working ethics and nothing's being done about it! He literally died fighting for what he believed in; for his rights and everything. But no, he was just pushed aside while the only place in the world he calls home gets blown to the ground."

As Raymond spoke, tears began falling from his eyes. His elder brother put an emphatic hand on his shoulder as he wiped them away.

"Raymond? Raymond, look at me," he spoke in soft voice. "I've known you almost all my life. I know you have a very strong conscience, and I really admire you for that."

Malachi sniffed, and carried on. "But do you realise that seeking justice for Randy means we are sending our own parents to jail? What would they say if they eventually find out that YOU were the one who got them busted?"

Raymond suddenly quivered, but Malachi calmed him down. "No, no. Not to blame you or call you a rebellious person or anything - you're nothing like that. You have never done anything against our parents before, and really I hope you don't have to start. You strongly believe in fighting for what is right, but really, I seriously urge you to think before taking any action against mom and dad."

"M-Malachi…"

"Please. I… I don't want this family to break apart."

Raymond hesitated. Would he really fight for a person he barely knew at the risk of splitting his family apart?

He looked up at his sisters. They both nodded at Malachi's words, urging him, too, to reconsider.

Raymond decided to stay on track with his goal.

"Malachi," he said to his brother. "I can see where you're coming from. You care about our family a lot. It's not in my power to decide what happens to our parents. All I know is that our country has laws on shady business like this, and to break them at someone's expense is just wrong. I'm no lawyer. I can't personally throw our parents into prison. But I promise you, all of you," he gestured at all his siblings, "that we'll always be siblings no matter what, okay?"

The four siblings exchanged glances at each other. They smiled at Raymond.

"So… you're gonna do it? You're gonna go see that O'Malley guy?"

"Yes, Serafina. It's a long ride. Don't know how long I'll be away. But I'll come back. I promise."

"Do you think O'Malley will be nice to you?" Serafina asked again.

"Yeah. I'm sure he's a nice person. If someone like Randy can still consider him a friend after all that time, I'm pretty sure he's nice."

The Whitercolls children stood up and embraced each other like they've never embraced before. A smile was present on their faces, despite all the doubts, worries and concerns plaguing their minds.

***

"May Allah bless you and keep you protected on your long journey, my dear brother," Malachi prayed sincerely while gently clasping Raymond's hands.

"Thank you, Malachi," Raymond smiled and accepted his blessings. Malachi bowed to him.

The second child mounted onto his pet mule, a lovely-looking offspring of a male donkey and a female horse. Its white-coloured coat contrasted greatly against its brown-tinted mane.

"C'mon, Chestnut. We've got places to go."

And so, the bravest and most virtuous of the young Whitercolls rode off into the distance. His siblings waved him goodbye as he disappeared from view.

The journey through the rugged, sparsely-populated landscapes took no less than a week, maybe two, Raymond kind of lost count. He couldn't just travel by plane as a mule can't be carried along in the cargo. Chestnut can get claustrophobic, he mused. Plus, a four-legged animal is still the best mode of transport to a location as remote as the Arizonian Archaeological Club - New Mexican branch.

Having traveled to various places with his schoolmates when he was younger, the experienced Raymond rarely had problems in terms of bad weather or lack of funds for food or supplies. He expertly guided Chestnut down the quickest - and safest - lanes and arrived at his destination with little to no injury. Randy's old workplace is badly in need of some renovations, but otherwise it still seemed to be standing strong no matter how old it looked, Raymond judged. He dismounted, tied Chestnut to a nearby wooden post, and cautiously stepped inside.

It was dry and somewhat dusty. What looked like the main reception area of the building was vacant. Raymond wondered where the boss and the staff would be at this usually busy hour.

"Hello?" he called out. No answer. "Hello?" he called out again, a little louder this time. No response. He decided to go look for the head of the club. He listened hard, hoping to pick up any hints to human presence in the building. Suddenly, he heard something from behind one of the doors to his left. He couldn't quite make it out, but it sounded like the squeaking of some rickety old furniture or floorboards.

Raymond approached the door and turned the smooth, silvery knob. Surprisingly, it was unlocked. He opened the door and looked inside the now-silent room. What he first saw chilled him to the bone.

"OH MY GOD!" He cried out so loudly that even Chestnut started thumping his hooves outside, alarmed.