“Your point, Liara. I’m sure you have one.”
“Do not deign to advise me about things you do not grasp or understand.”
“Or what?”
“This.” Liara reached inside the rude Immortal and pulled out its essence, much as the ancient Aztecs had done with hearts.
“This is the consequence of overstepping boundaries. Your blue essence shall be added back to the pool of life.”
The immortal disappeared from existence.
“Any other complaints?”
Silence.
“Good, now leave.”
***
Life and creation were always thought to be the province of the Creator, not death or destruction. After her display in taking Immortal life, death was back on the menu. She had given it up once, but could not remember why.
***
Tar ordered a litter to be brought as his men surrounded the unconscious Adam lying on the arena sand. Fionna was by his side quickly, and commanded Tar to move even quicker; Adam’s vitals and life force were ebbing, and he needed to be in bed and resting while she found the source of the injury and threat. She commanded all to step away; she would transport Adam to his residence immediately. The journey by litter could be too hard in his fragile condition.
All the family and friends on the platforms were taken by Niona to Adam’s residence while the sisters tended to him. Niona emerged saying that Adam was exhausted and needed rest, but something else was wrong. She said that Fionna would remain inside Adam for a while; she had much to investigate and had ideas what might have happened. But, she wasn’t sure. When she had more concrete ideas or answers, she would re-emerge as soon as possible.
It took less than an hour. Fionna cleared the room except for Niona, Tar, Orsin, Hecate and the wives.
“Let’s talk.”
***
Hecate wasted no time. “What is it?”
Fionna gathered her thoughts. “It’s more like what are they?” It’s not one thing; it’s a bunch of things. And it’s the Book.”
Many of the wives and family members had never heard of the Book; some had. The Gens knew of it, but in their realm, the news was always bad. The two things they wanted to know little about were Sari blades and the Book.
“First let me say that physically, Adam is just exhausted from the training and the fight, though it didn’t seem so. Paulo was exerting all his might, and was beginning to hurt Adam, who just shook it off to show dominance. Paulo began to falter, and that’s when Adam pounced. Paulo’s only weakness was to have his feet severed and bleed to death. Adam got that from the Book that Hecate provided.”
Fionna looked at Hecate. “We owe you … everything. Thank you.”
Hecate said, “But there’s more. A lot more.”
“If it was just recovery, Adam would be back to normal quickly; maybe just a few days. But, Liara has him under her control, and is slowing his healing. She won’t release him.”
Niona and Alana looked at each other and said at the same time, “But why? Makes no sense. He’s done everything she’s asked him to do. What more does she want? Besides, she promised him time after the fight to get things in order.”
“She said to ask Alana and Vera, if we want to know more. And she will release him if we all promise to become her hostages to force Adam to talk to her and bargain when he recovers. If we all agree, then Adam comes back to us intact for the time being, Hecate promises to fulfill her job when she’s told, and Adam makes some promises to her that he must keep. She said not to go crying to the Great Lord; he’s bound by promises made eons ago to her.”
“What does she mean ‘hostages’? And who is the ‘Great Lord’?”
“If Adam meets with her and submits to her authority, and we all agree to do as she commands, she won’t kill us. Whatever deal she has with Adam, she said, never extended to us as wives. She has taken back her powers of destruction, and will test them on us.”
“Is she still inside his mind?”
“Yes. And she wants an answer. Now.”
Hecate said, “I’m a yes, but I need to talk to her first. She promised Adam more than just a week or two. I want to know what she means by ‘I have to do my job when I’m told’.”
“Go then. The rest of us will talk.”
“Well, folks? What’s the vote?”
Everyone nodded yes, no one had anything to say. Alana said, “She didn’t need to do this. Adam would have talked to her and has always submitted to her authority. She wants him alone for some other reason.”
Fionna said, “She mentioned you, Alana and Vera. What did she mean?”
“We can’t say.”
“Can’t or won’t?”
“Won’t. Adam won’t let us say anything, only that it does not involve any of us, Paraiso or Nabataea. It’s something we discovered, but obviously Liara wants to make Adam do something he may not want to do.”
“You must tell us. We have a right to know,” said Misti. All the wives agreed.
“No. It does not affect any of us here, or the Gens or the Nobilus. Adam wants to tell you, just not right now. He wants to find a way around this.”
“Is this about Liara and her Immortals?”
“No. It’s about humanity and our arrogant behavior. That’s all I’m going to say.”
***
Hecate emerged minutes later. “She promises that he can have a year. But I had to promise to do as I am told.”
“And?”
“And I agreed. But that’s not the end of it. Fionna, please go tell her we’re all agreed to be hostages, then she’ll leave. Then please come back right away.”
Fionna entered Adam, spoke to Liara, who then left. Fionna reappeared before the concerned crowd.
“What?”
“I think I may have a way out of this. But I need you all, and Niona, to help. It’s risky, but I think we can beat Liara at her own game. God will be the key.”
“Liara said God won’t help.”
“No, she didn’t. She said God was bound by promises made to her. She too is mutually bound to God for promises she made. She’s trying to distract us. But we carry on as normal. When he’s fully recovered, Hana and the new wives need to …”
“Fuck his brains out? Fast?”
“Well, yes. Back to work as usual. He’s going to be banging all of you like no tomorrow, but my sister and I will be working on ‘Operation Save the Bug’. My idea. Catchy, no?”
“You know what she wants too?”
“Of course. Two can play the ‘enter the mind’ game. She’s smart, but so am I.”
***
When Adam awoke three days later, he was surrounded by all his wives, old and new. The profusion of flowers, rare treats and well wishers notes were pasted everywhere.
“Am I in trouble?”
“Not yet, but while you were asleep, three of your new wives got cranky for lack of attention.”
“We were not,” they said. “We were worried sick. And perhaps a little cranky; just not at you.”
“But Misti helped us with our free time.”
“Vera and Kendra too?”
“How did you know?”
“Wild guess.”
***
Later in the day, Hecate, Fionna, Niona and Alana all huddled with Adam around his sick bed looking serious and nervous. He was feeling much better but seemed uncomfortable with what he searched out in his mind after he lost consciousness in the arena. Blocked memories should not have been part of the equation, but they were.
“Why so glum, chums. I seem to be missing some recollections of what happened after I ridded the world of the last of the Fortizi’s. Bad bump on the head?”
Fionna said, “I wish. The original drop to the ground was caused by simple exhaustion, which was caused by forces specific to you and Paulo being enhanced beings. I guess no surprise there. But then you, and we, had a visitor.”
“Young, beautiful, wants my bod?”
“Old
, formless and wants you dead.”
“Oh, her. I was hoping for better news. Come to fix a date and count the days? Gloat?”
“Nope. Well, yes, she spoke to Hecate about that, but it wasn’t the main reason for her visit. She wants to talk to you alone. Says it concerns the ‘Alana and Vera matter’, whatever that is. Vera and Alana know the details but say it isn’t up to them to tell us. Only you.”
“And we’re all hostages if you refuse her.”
“Say again?”
“She’s going to kill us all, your wives and family if you don’t meet with her.”
“I would have anyway. What a …”
“Adam!”
“Sorry, but if the foo shits, wear it.
Alana asked, “Why a meeting?”
“Can’t be positive, but I can guess why.”
“Care to share?”
“The ‘what’ isn’t good, and I won’t involve any of you in it. Way too toxic. Alana and Vera are not involved either and I’m sure Liara told Hecate just to fuck with her and get even for stealing the Book. I want all of you ignorant and innocent and not part of this mess, except the few who already know.”
Fionna said, “A little late for that, isn’t it?”
“No. In fact, far from it. As for ‘why’, I’m pretty sure I know the answer to that too. Let’s just posit for a moment that there are two choices here. One, I decide. Or two, she decides. Without knowing anything else, which do you think will be worse?”
Everyone was quiet. They knew that anything ‘Liara’ would be bad.
“Next, I wasn’t even sure what I wanted to do yet. Now I have no choice. It isn’t so much what I’m going to have to do, only who makes that decision and what form it takes. Her way will not be good and will scuttle a lot of what we’re trying to do now and in the future. And, to be clear, she will kill indiscriminately.”
“Kill? Is that what this is all about?”
“What else?”
Chapter 40
Three ladies heard a gentle knock of the door. Bitsie and Vera were seated at the dining room table, computers and papers strewn on every square inch of table surface, and runoff on the floor below. Hannah was in the final stages of getting ready for work and leaving so she got the door. It was Hana.
“Hana!” Hannah turned to the other ladies. “It’s Hana. Should we just let her in and make her give us a kiss as the price of admission, or let he in for free?”
“A kiss. Definitely,” said Bitsie. “May two or three.”
Hana, not yet comfortable with human humor said, “I guess I could …”
“Don’t be silly. I was joking,” said Bitsie. “You’re adorable and I might try to cop a feel while I’m at it.”
“A what?”
“Don’t pay any attention to our resident nymphomaniac; she always has sex on her mind.”
Hana laughed, “Since I came here and married Adam, I must admit it occupies quite a bit of my time and thoughts too. You know, Adam has said he is not opposed to having me experiment with wives and trusted friends. Maybe Bitsie ought to teach me how this ‘cop a feel’ works. Adam says all you women have carnal relations with each other and pleasure him too. He thinks since he’s the only male you’re allowed to be with, it’s OK for me to have other experiences with you.”
Bitsie said, somewhat sadly, “I am not with Adam; I am with his cousin, Rafi. Those rules may not apply to me.”
“Does Rafi allow you the same freedom?”
“Yes. He only likes girls, and so do I. Like Adam we make allowances, though Rafi is faithful to me; I am not to him. I wish I could be; he is a wonderful man and I love him without reservation. But I need more than he can give.”
“Do you invite him in to your conquests?”
“All the time. He’s still kinda old fashion, but get’s naked anyway. He still clings to the idea that I will marry him one day. In the traditional way.”
Hana swept over to Bitsie.
“I have no idea what to do, but maybe you can all teach me what you know and desire.”
Hannah dialed her phone to her Lab. “I’ll be a few hours late. Start working and we’ll have our morning meeting this afternoon instead.”
***
“That was fun! I want to do that again, for sure,” said Hana. You humans are so creative. And those wonderful toys, so much pleasure especially those ones that … what do you call it?”
“Vibrate.”
“Yes, those. I loved them.”
“Different than Adam?”
“Different, yes, but better, no. Adam is very attentive and sweet. He asks how everything feels, more of this, less of that. He takes his time and always sees to it that I am first to have my pleasures. And, again, and again, and again. It’s different, and I get to have him alone and then we talk afterwards. He cares for me; for how everything feels to me. We talk serious, we talk silly, he makes me feel safe with him. When we’re together, alone, I’m the only one in his world.”
Vera said, “We all feel that way, sweetie. It’s the ‘Adam effect’; we don’t know what it is, but he has the same affect on all of us.”
“Bitsie? You too?”
“I’ve never been with Adam. We were never friends before all this. It’s not the same now; he’s always nice to me. When I think all the hateful things we used to say to each other, I am sad. But to him, it’s all forgotten. He’s close with Rafi, which means he’s close with me now too. I never thought the day would come.”
“Then we can have more fun later? Just us? I’d like to. It’s so new and, what’s that word, ‘delicious’.”
The ladies laughed.
Hannah said, “Late lunch at two this afternoon, after my staff meeting, then back here.”
“Deal!”
***
Hannah left, so Hana sat down with Bitsie and Vera to talk.
“I came over to ask if I could join your team. Adam thought that it was a good idea, the perfect place for me. I was not going to tell him about our recreation.”
Vera said, “He doesn’t mind. He’s different that way. If you’re happy with us, he’s happy. Period.”
“Anyway, we talked about how I’ve changed since coming here, and he said some things that really rang true. He suggested I speak to you.”
“What did you discuss?”
“Well we discussed sex, and how it’s different, and what that means. And the warlike attitude and isolation of my people. Our gender roles. Male and female attitudes. Culture. Civility; compassion and empathy. Most of what you do here, we don’t do in the wild. He thought that was because of the way we choose to live; humans used to live that way too. He takes the time to ask about how my day went, what I saw, what I learned. What was I curious about. He’s so gentle in every way. At first, I didn’t think it would last, but then every morning, he makes my breakfast and every evening he makes my dinner. Most lunches too. Always calls. Hugs and kisses, long walks and of course the evening walk, which I love.”
“We used to transform and run the Serengeti. Camp out; make love, do Gens things. Then one day, he said he was ready to go, but I asked him if we could stay in the City; in bed all day instead. He said sure but wondered why. I said because I was going to give up my old life; I wanted this life with him. He reminded me I could have both. But I told him I only wanted this life. And only with him and his family. I am accepted by all his family here and from Barrows Bay. They smile when the see me coming. They hug and kiss me and welcome me into their homes. They talk to me. To me. They tell me they love me, let me play with the children who call me auntie.”
Hana a paused.
“I gave up my former life to be a part of Adam’s and this family that isn’t joined by blood, but by love. That’s why I came here to day. I want to be a part of your planning for the future. I have no skills.”
Vera said, “You’re wrong. You are smart and kind. Everything we do must understand at least two perspectives, human and Gens. The Nobilus are easy. The
y love being human. But we need connections to the old world of the Gens. You can be that connection. You are beautiful, kind and have stature.”
“That’s what he said. Have you spoken with Adam?”
“Yes. But don’t be angry with him. It was not behind your back; it was to discuss how much he loves and admires who you have become. He’s not the only one who’s noticed. The people of the City, well at first, they wondered how you would be, how you would fit in, being from the Wildmen. Now they love you. And in such a short time. You can do such good. By example, and by the kind of woman you are.””
“I shall kiss Adam, and you, many, many times and then I shall pleasure husband all night long. This is exactly what I want; he knew it before I did. I think they call that love.”
Bitsie smiled, a newly discovered facet of an old adversary. “They do; indeed, they do.”
***
Hana said, “There was one other thing I wanted to discuss, mostly with Vera, but you too Bitsie. It is about Hannah and Niona; maybe Fionna too. Adam does not believe that all is right between them. He does not believe that all is right between you and your wife either, Vera. He thinks that, although you have begun to co-habit again, that there is still distance between you. Is that so?”
“We sleep in different rooms and there’s no sex between us anymore. I am not attached to her as a I once was; I think she still expects when she whistles, I will come running. I think that many things I saw in her are still there, but, somehow, they have changed from inner strength and example to demands and impatience. She bosses me around, tells me what to do, what to think. She is strong, I grant you that, and she has great responsibility, but the truth is Adam has always respected me more than my own wife. I know he loves me though I show little in return for it. And I don’t mean sex. Like you, he understands that, at least in my case, men are not my thing. Our intimate moments alone are different. He allows me to guide and direct him, to do what I want, not just what he enjoys. He has always been that way. He lets me be in charge and take control. I have never been allowed that by any lover. But with him, he always asks what he can do for me tonight to please me. Sometimes I just ask him to hold me; to reassure me that everything will always be OK.”
Resolution Page 100
