Resolution

by Douglas E Roff

  Cindy pronounced them ready to go, but Adam insisted on going too, as did Misti and Kendra. Hecate told Cindy this was unwise. Cindy agreed. Cindy told the three to be ready to roll in two hours from Dietschberg, but the teams in Paraiso left immediately after her call.

  Cindy called Adam and his guards an hour later, and told them what she had done. This wasn’t their op or decision, it was hers, so they had to remain behind. Hecate appeared and told them not to worry, she was going to meet the team there and fix any fuck ups.

  “You’re too important to risk on such a trivial task. I could just implode their heads, Musso and his guards, but you have some driving need to deal with him in person. I respect that, but not your rush for danger. Stay here and let your subordinates do this for you, Manti.

  Adam fumed, but little could be done. It would all be over before he could get there now.

  The plan started early, and there was trouble immediately. The six new guys who arrived earlier came out of nowhere, armed with semi-automatics, and wore helmets with visors. Apparently, these devices had their own air supply, so the gas pellets didn’t affect them at all. As Octavio came through the gate, he was immediately met by the six gunmen. They told him to stop, put down his weapon, and surrender. By then more team members were arriving inside the gate including Cindy and Rod, ready to breach the front door. They could see Musso at the bullet proof front window smiling.

  Suddenly the six guards just collapsed, and Musso dropped to the floor as if the gas had simply had a delayed reaction. The door to the Lab simply burst open, with several guards down on the floor inside the Lab. Six young girls were found and released, brought out to safety.

  Hecate appeared to Cindy and said, “Well hurry up lads and lassies, we haven’t got all day.” Her accent was now British.

  The crew snatched Musso, and the rest went to plan. They were wheels up within forty-five minutes. The two men drove the police cars back to where the cops were still asleep, picked up their rental car, then drove back to the meadow to retrieve the rental van. They left the ambulance there and called the owner later to tell him where it could be found.

  Nothing of the airstrip remained except a thin film of fine dust.

  When they got onboard, they checked the capsule containing Musso, made sure there was plenty of air, and that he was properly bound, and gagged. He was alive and breathing, but seemed to exhibit no signs of being gassed. His eyes, the retinas, should’ve been dilated. They were not, which gave away that he was alive but also that he hadn’t been gassed.

  Cindy turned to Rod, Octavio and the rest of the team. “What the fuck just happened. He isn’t knocked out; he’s in a coma.”

  They all looked at Musso, but no one had a plausible explanation.

  “Hecate! Where are you, I know you’re here. Show yourself.”

  Hecate appeared, this time as a beautiful young woman, but more mature. Less early twenties, and more mid-twenties. She was dressed like all the assault team in battle fatigues.

  “I knew you were there. Did you do this?”

  “Yes. But you’re going to yell at me and I would prefer that you didn’t. Not here in front of everyone. Maybe later. Or let Adam yell at me; he’s very good at that. He’s promised not to yell at me; I don’t understand him at all. I disobeyed him, and everyone else. I just didn’t want anyone he cares about getting hurt.”

  Hecate, as usual, was overexplaining Cindy’s question, and completely misunderstood why she asked it.”

  “Sweetie, I’m not mad at you, I just want to know what happened. That’s all.”

  “Well when you got inside, and those bad men looked like they might shoot you, I did something. You know, stopped them. They didn’t seem very nice to me.”

  “Did you gas them?”

  “No. But this is the yelling part, so no yelling, promise?”

  “Of course.”

  “I imploded their heads. Just the ones with the guns, and helmets though, like you said. Then I put this guy in a coma, and opened the doors to the Lab. Those men were not nice either, so they had heart attacks. Don’t be mad, I know you said no killing. But it happened, so fast, I just reacted. I had to save you. You’re the good guys, right?”

  “Honey, you saved all our lives. We’re not mad, we’re overjoyed with happiness. If you hadn’t been there, we would have been captured, tortured and killed. Hecate, we owe you everything.”

  “I can hug now; I have more physical existence and feelings, so if you, you know, felt like it, you could give me a hug if you wanted. Especially you Cindy.”

  Cindy gave Hecate the biggest hug she could, whispered something in her ear, and gave her a big kiss. The rest of the teams surrounded her, and thanked her, the girls hugging, and the men awkwardly kissing her on the cheek.

  Octavio said, “Thank you so much, Hecate the Immortal.”

  Cindy asked, “Can you stay a while? In Paraiso?”

  “No, grouchy McGrouch wants to see me as soon as possible in Dietschberg. You don’t think he’s really angry with me, do you?”

  “No, I’m certain he’s not. He just misses you. I already talked to him. I’ll talk to him again when you leave, and let him know what a hero you are.”

  Cindy stopped, hugged Hecate again and said, “Don’t forget what I said. When you can, any time day or night. Night being better, as you know.”

  “I’d come tonight if I could, but I think the boss wants me home. He doesn’t like it when I use the other titles for him. What’s with him anyway? Always tons of contradictory rules to follow. I don’t understand any of them.”

  “If you ever figure him out, let us know. We have no idea either.”

  Chapter 22

  When Hecate appeared before Adam, he rushed to hold her. “You weren’t in any danger, were you? Cindy says you were fantastic, saved everyone’s lives and are a hero. They want you on their team. Immediately.”

  “You said no, didn’t you?”

  “No, I said I’d ask you if you wanted to stay here or go off on adventures. Up to you, of course.”

  “Do you want me to leave? Say you don’t.”

  “I never want you to leave me, Hecate. Never. I hope you say no and stay here with me. I need you. I missed you when you were away, and thought with all the new changes in materializing, you might be in danger. I was worried. So were Misti, Beata and Kendra. Especially Beata.”

  “She’s such a baby. But that’s OK. I like her just the way she is.”

  “As I do you,” Adam said.

  “You’re not mad at me then? For not telling you that they were leaving early. And for deceiving Kendra and Misti?”

  “Nobody is mad at you Hecate. Nobody. Me included. Besides you just did what my sis does and stays out of things she can’t change. That was Cindy’s decision, and she made it. And she was right. She’s in charge; my asking to come along doesn’t change anything. I asked, she said no.”

  “I agreed with her, though and told her so.”

  “It was the right decision.”

  “I was afraid you might get hurt. You’re not Immortal, you know. Shit happens.”

  “Reading again? Urban Dictionary?”

  “Yes.”

  “Well, it changes nothing except I adore you a tiny bit more than yesterday, and yesterday it was almost infinity.”

  “You still care for me then? For reals?”

  “I do. Now I think that there are three women who want to see you right away. They were a little worried but pretended not to be. They’re liars, all of them. They missed you. They don’t like you wandering off on capers.”

  “Did they, you know, worry about me coming back or getting hurt?”

  “They did.”

  “Then I shall find my friends and ease their minds. I’m home with the ones I missed and everyone, including my new girlfriend Cindy, is back where they belong, safe and sound.”

  “Warning; they may have naughty designs on you, so be on your guard.”

  “I w
ill. And I … you know, feel this thing, love I think, that it makes me want to die believing I would ever do anything to hurt you. I’m scared Adam. Really scared. I’m terrified of the Creator and what she wants me to do.”

  “Don’t be. We have a long way to go, and we haven’t reached that bridge yet. Perhaps we never will. For now, just be happy, as happy as I am. If she let you do this today, maybe she’ll forget we even exist. This may be a long night and three women here want time alone with you. To welcome you home, to our family, if that’s what you want. You’re a hero.”

  “And to you?”

  “I care for you. And I want you to care for me. The rest we’ll figure out over time. Who you are to me and me to you is still a mystery. I know you care, but love isn’t an overnight thing, and I only know you a little. One day you seem to despise me, the next you’re in love. Honestly, it can’t be both. Either its one or the other. Today was a good thing. It doesn’t’ t prove anything to me yet. It could be an Immortal size deception.”

  Hecate was stricken.

  Adam continued, “But yes, you are definitely my hero too, and therefore I grant you as many wishes as you would like from me. Unlimited.”

  Hecate smiled. “That’s a lot of wishes.”

  “Yes, but if you take one, then you have to stay with me, and take all the others. That’s the catch.”

  “I wish for you to love me, crazy mad love me, and never ever be far from your thoughts.”

  “I’ll try.”

  “Now I can’t leave you ever, no matter how much great sex I plan to have with Cindy, and your wives. And Cindy has a friend I am supposed to visit. They have a place just to themselves”

  “I know. I’m jealous.”

  “Get used to it. You have your work and I have mine.”

  “I like yours better. Except for the killing me stuff.”

  “Tomorrow you start training again, this time with me. Get your rest. We’ll talk first, then go to the martial fields with Misti and Kendra.”

  “Misti too?”

  “Yep. I’ll try to get to bed with you tonight, but Misti just keeps going and going.”

  “Start now and hope she gets tired.”

  “Don’t count on it.”

  ***

  Adam woke up early to find a shimmering, glowing rainbow figure next to him. Hecate had enhanced her ability to remain more human like with greater stability than ever before but explained there was a limit to what she could achieve with her appearance. She told him this was not physical transformation, which could make her vulnerable to all sorts of human dangers, not the least of which is dying. This was her concentrating her essence and combining with other living media to achieve what appeared to be a young woman. Yet, she said, the strain was hard on her and she had to return to her usual self frequently. Her essence couldn’t be seen by humans, so even the glowing Hecate took a little work, just not that much. Returning to her essences was pleasurable, not in the human context, but in the Immortal context. She still grappled with the human concept of death.

  Did they truly not understand that essence was immortal, just not human consciousness as defined by human language? But there was no loss of essence, and that essence contained consciousness and wisdom. All things are conscious in their physical world, she thought, but humans confused the, so called ‘human consciousness’ with the consciousness of all things made of matter and energy within spacetime. Humans think that the only form of consciousness is theirs. Everything else is something else. Perhaps it’s that way when defined by arrogance, and a sense of superiority, and entitlement, and only a new definition, new words, neologisms can make more precise the connection between the two.

  Why else would humans treat all other living and intelligent creatures the way it does. Such monumental indifference to life was almost enough to convince Hecate that the Creator might be right; destroy them all, and start over again without such cruel and vicious beings having a second chance.

  Hecate considered the description of the human condition as defined by their invention of language. So rough and imprecise; how could anything ever be learned and transmitted properly. At times she saw humanity, and the Gens, as base and inferior, not worthy of the gift of life. They both were savage and cruel. But were they savage and cruel? These are human constructs. If a man kills a man, there are consequences. If the new dominant male of a lion pride kills the male offspring of the former dominant male, it’s merely part of lion culture. No other lion intervenes or cares. It isn’t in their nature to be concerned. It’s merely interesting lion behavior, but not “lion murder”.

  She had read that the reason is because human religions believe lions don’t have a soul. Then what does a lion have? Such odd selfish, self-centered beliefs continue to exist on this planet. Yet, in spite of the lack of civilizing progress acceptable to human sensibility, there remains so much that’s good and noble about all things living in this world. While it was far from the Creator’s best effort, had things gone according to plan and had not a miscalculation been made, this planet could’ve been a virtual paradise.

  But it is not.

  Still, when the time frame is infinity, should not the Creator try to fix the problem? Try very hard. That there are humans, Gens and Nobilus still alive that only nominally try to kill each other, certainly must mean it isn’t too late. That this Adam St. James, as imperfect and contradictory as he can be, has a chance to rectify her mistake; that there is still time to change her mind. There must be a way, Hecate thought, and she would find it. If not, she will steal Adam St. James, and his brood and flee to the far corners of the RealVerse, hunted eternally by Her.

  But then she remembered that this plan wouldn’t work because Adam would not flee. And he’d never try to kill her to prevent his death and doom the planet. So, the Creator will win because Hecate would kill him, and then go back to nothingness until summoned again by the Creator.

  Hecate thought Adam would need her badly to have any chance at success. She must do two things; find solutions to this dilemma and destroy all those who oppose him. She mused that maybe this was the true intent of the Creator. Why else would she have sent Hecate here, new and untested?

  Hecate decided she enjoyed “napping” beside Adam more than she believed possible. She could not show her affection in the human way; that was forbidden between hunter and prey. But between the possible, and the impossible, exists a lot of room for affection.

  Given her advances in human interaction, Adam warned Hecate not to confuse love with sex. One may be a component of the other, or not. Sex is fun no matter the reason, it is a physical joy the Creator got right. But love, in all its variations, is different and one does not need sex among adult humans to express love. He said when two are united as one, it was magic. He also warned that humans are fickle, and bonds of sexual attraction don’t always last. A tragedy? No, he said, everything that adds to the facets comprising who we are, who we become though the pain and joy of experience, makes you unique in the world. Experience is just that, experience. Sometimes painful; sometimes joyful, but ever changing until you are honed to the final product you become at death.

  Some sadness, some regret, some happiness. The only true sadness is never knowing love.

  Hecate thought about this a lot. The role of love. She would learn as much as any Immortal could about this mystery and try to know it as does any human, if she could. Perhaps had the Creator ever known love, she would feel differently about Hecate’s mission.

  And this small blue planet.

  Chapter 23

  Adam had tasks to perform today before going to the martial field with Misti, Kendra and Hecate. Adam needed to speak to Hecate about whatever was on her mind, and there needed to be a speedy end to the Musso problem. People had put their lives in danger to capture these four monsters, and it was the only way that Adam knew to get beyond his pathological preoccupation with revenge. The whole situation, tangled as it was with Adam and his training regimen for fi
ghting Enzo and Paulo, tangled also with the elimination of one more obstacle in his path to healing this world and saving it. His retribution needed to be concluded and fast. Hecate was right; this distraction into revenge on the Mussos might prove the means to get everyone on the planet killed.

  Adam went from his quarters to find Misti, and Kendra seated and eating breakfast. Sitting at another table close by was Saldana; she didn’t look like she was in a good mood.

  When Adam entered the kitchen, Saldana spoke right away. “Why was I excluded from going to the martial fields today. Was that your idea? I can still take anyone here, even pregnant, so I should be included. Your training is too important than to leave to these two twits. I’m coming and that’s settled.”

  Misti and Kendra looked at each other, then went back to eating. Both were pregnant, as was Saldana, but she seemed to have less of an appetite than her two other mates. And she was still stinging from being left out of the planning, and ops with Musso. Saldana had worked harder than anyone else to get the information they needed. That the little rainbow girl had only verified what Saldana had already discovered apparently meant nothing. She was angry at being displaced and didn’t see how the new girl could help the future. Wasn’t Hecate the one sent to kill Adam? WTF?

  Saldana concluded quietly to herself that she had to displace the new kid and do it fast. She had not heard about how the op had gone, and what Hecate had done to save the lives of the entire team and capture Musso.

  Saldana said, “It’s time you and I have a talk with Rainbow Girl and get this sorted. She is going to kill you and cannot be trusted here or anywhere else. She’s got to go. You all know I’m right.”

  “Misti had a mouthful of Muesli, but managed to say, “Not me. I don’t think Kendra feels that way, nor does Adam. Hecate saved a lot of lives yesterday and all you’ve done lately is get pregnant and bitch. Granted, we would have found Musso eventually with your intel, and for that we should all be grateful.”