We know numbered 15 vehicles each one containing a family, going by the sun we were now heading in a south westerly direction, I doubt if any one of us knew were we were headed it was as if there was driving force pushing is this way and that way.

We had a problem at our last stop over, we decided that we stay there for a few days and do some much needed maintainance on the Motorhomes, the nearest town was about 15 miles away and the area seemed safe enough. The kids while having some schooling on our journey were playing in the nearby woods when one of them came running into the camp and told us that a bunch of men had grabbed at least 4 of the kids, straight away the M16`s came out and we set off to gather the rest of kids, Joey Miller ran on ahead to scout the area and see if he could track them back to their camp.

Once we got the remaining kids back to camp we checked on who was missing, Amanda, Julie, Maryanne and Jasmine were no where to be found, two of the guys stayed behind to guard our camp, which wasn`t really neccessary as the women were armed as well and fully capable of defending themselves but it made us all feel better. We returned to were the kids had been and saw Joey heading back towards us.

"I`ve found they`re camp about 3 miles north of here" he simply stated

"Guards?" I asked

"None seen" he replied

Joey was a damned good sight and had saved our butts a few times with his recon skills.

We headed to the camp and as we got closer could here what sounded like a party going on, we slowly and carefully surrounded the camp and advanced. These guys were rank amateurs when it came to chosing a place a camp. The camp was in the middle of clearing with no cover whatsoever, their pickups were about 200yds away and not one one was holding a weapon. Us on the other hand all had combat experience, had worked as a team for years and were armed to the teeth, as they saw us approaching one of them made a dive for one of tents presumably to arm himself, WRONG move, we could see they had been drinking and Billy had shot the fool in the leg, after that no one made a move.

I stepped out in front and told them we had come for the children,one bravado looked at us and asked " why you going to shoot us", "We will if we have to, your choice" I replied.

The man looked me up and down and said you talk big for a runt that`s backed up with armed men.

Steve started laughing and said to the man " you want a piece of him, you can try and the rest of won`t interfere"

I handed my weapon to Steve and straight away the man rushed at me and before he knew it he was flying through the air, when he landed I was quickly on top of him and taking his own knife from his belt held it against his throat.

"Were are the girls?" I said " One way or another we`ll get them back,whether your alive when we do makes no difference to me"

The girls were brought out and they ran towards us " Any of you hurt" I asked, " No" they answered

I looked at the men and told them to be gone by morning or they would be staying permanently and walked away.

As we entered the woods Joey peeled of with another two of guys to make sure they didn`t come after us, they positioned themselves were they wouldn`t be seen.

We got back our camp and started to pack up for an early start, we kept a guard on all through the night but there were no further incidents.

While I was asleep Amanda once again came to me in my dreams "Your journey is nearly at an end, don`t give up and do what ever is asked of you"

The following morning Joey and the guys returned to camp and after we all ate we left the area as fast as we could.

Today we started across the desert, we had plenty of water and food and at the next town bought an old pickup with we filled with Jerrycans of fuel and drove until sunset when we had a meal refueled all the vehicle and started off again, we drove for 2 days and nights before stopping again and then because we were running out of fuel and getting tired.

We rested up for a couple of days did what maintainance we had to do refilled all the vehicles and jerrycans and set off again. Three days later we drove into a small town, it wasn`t on any maps but seemed peacable, nobody seemed to care when 15 motorhomes stopped in the town square, and everyone seemed friendly.

A group of men came towards us and the leader looked at me and said " You must be Rory , welcome to our town."

This took me by surprise

"Do I know you" I asked

"No we`ve never met but we were told you were coming here to settledown" he replied

A group of the towns women led the women and children away to get cleaned up and fed while we accompanied the men into what looked like a conference hall.
We sat down and introductions were made, but it still bothered me how they knew we were coming, even we didn`t know were we had been headed.

The towns spokesman stood up and told us that we weren`t on earth as we knew it, we had gone through a portal that led to parallel universe. The portal wasn`t open all the time only when they allowed it.
How did they know we were coming? well Amanda was originally from this town and had been one of a select number of volunteers picked to study our earth, everything she did was monitored and the problems that arose about Little Amanda`s condition had been seen, they couldn`t interfere but after Amanda died they tried to contact me through my dreams and finally succeeded by projecting visions of my late wife. It was them that had been steering us along our route, they had sent the men that grabbed the children to find out what our reaction would be but ensured us that the children would never had been harmed. They needed to see how far we would go to protect our children while seeing how violent we were.

I was introduced to the man I had fought and the one Billy shot showed no sign of any injury and the pair came over and shook our hands with no animosity showing.

The spokesman stated that if we had commited any unneccessary acts of violence they wouldn`t have allowed us to see them or join their community if we wished to stay. As it was they were satisfied that we only acted to defend our children and ourselves. We adjourned the meeting so we could get cleaned up and a well earned rest.

The spokeman Wlifred came to see me and we talked

"Amanda told me that she had she been thrown out by her family because she was intersexed" I told him

"That was her cover story, she was intersexed but we didn`t expect her to fall in love and marry you. If she hadn`t been killed we would have continued to monitor you both and let you live out your lives without you being any the wiser" he stated

" I would like to meet her family if possible" I replied

He looked at me and I saw sadness on his face "Amanda`s mother died last year and I am her father"