The Ties That Bind

by T. Starnes

  I rolled my eyes, and got punched again by Zoe, "Continue, Tami.”

  "Anyway, she said that since we all got sick after we were evolved ... nope, still not the right word ... that she might also get sick. She said it was probably the body's reaction to the sudden changes it was going through. I will go get her in bed and resting. If it was anything like it was with us, she should feel better after a few hours.”

  Tami gave me a kiss on the cheek, and then went off down the hall.

  I turned to the three women left standing with me, "Okay, it's already really late. Megan, do you mind taking Vicki and Tami home? Tomorrow is going to suck for all of us, but we need to power through. We can try and keep the family meeting short tonight and get everyone to bed early so we can catch up on some sleep.”

  "Sure, Cas, no problem."

  I gave Megan a big hug, and both my girls kisses, before they left. After checking on Mom, Zoe and I settled into bed. Thankfully, Zoe was good at reading my moods, and just cuddled with me so I had time to think. Eventually she broke the silence.

  "You're not beating yourself up about Mom, are you?”

  "No. While I am loath to evolve ... and Tami is right, we need a better word ... anyone else, I don't see how there was any choice in this case. It was that or lose her.”

  "So what has you so keyed up?”

  I was quiet for a moment as I tried to put my thoughts into words.

  "Partially, I am arranging my thoughts for our family meeting tomorrow, but mostly I have had something bumping around in the back of my brain. There is a pattern I am starting to see, but I don't have enough information to make sense of it.”

  "What's the pattern?”

  "It has to do with everyone in my life. There is the sudden ramp up of our relationship. We seriously went from zero to sixty in no time flat. I am not complaining mind you, just saying it is one of the pieces of the puzzle. By itself that normally wouldn't raise any flags, considering how we met and how intense everything was. But, add Vicki to that. First, she was just helping a friend. Then she was interested in me, but not in love with me. Now she is totally in love with me ... of course I feel the same about her. Then there is Tami. My relationship with her is much like with Vicki. It started out as one thing, but did a one-eighty into a pretty serious romantic connection.”

  "Then there is the fact that you girls are as into each other, as you are into me, even though some of you previously had no interest in girls. Plus there is the fact that all of you have no interest in girls or guys outside of our little setup, and you and Vicki actively wanted to add a fourth to our makeup.”

  "Add to that, Rachel, the other day. That was weird. She is totally into Jacob, and yet she was all over me. That came out of nowhere. And then there is Tina. From disinterested, to sisterly, to wanting to kiss me at your party, to standoffish and cold. All of those, singularly, could be explained ... maybe even a couple of them, but all together? No, I feel like there is something I am missing.”

  "Yeah, it is weird. I mean, I guarantee that I love you, and I know Vicki and Tami love you; but you are right about how we feel about each other, and how we feel about people outside of our group. I have thought about that since you asked about it the other day. I actually have no attraction to anyone outside of our group, which is strange I guess. I do think it is weird that both Vicki and I were very attracted to Tami and really wanted to add her to our relationship. I didn't at the time, it felt so natural, but laying here thinking about it logically, there doesn't seem to be an explanation for that. Also, speaking of Rachel, I do feel a little something towards her, too ... and, sorry about this, Tina. But that's it. Tina, Rachel, Vicki, Tami, and you are the only people who I find attractive at all.”

  "Yep, it's a puzzle. We need to go to sleep now. As it is, we are only going to get a couple of hours before school tomorrow.”

  As predicted, the next morning came way too soon. We checked on Mom, who was still feeling sick, and dragged our way to school. We showed up late to the morning run and Vicki, who was normally there with us, hadn't made it yet. I saw Tami had chosen not to run and was slumped on the bleachers. When I collapsed next to her, she leaned over to lie against me while Zoe took the other side. Amanda was smirking when she stopped running and jogged up.

  "You guys look like shit.”

  I shrugged, "Yeah, it was a long night.”

  "I bet.”

  Zoe opened one eye, "It wasn't like that. Mom got sick yesterday afternoon, and was rushed to the hospital. It was after three in the morning when she was released from the hospital. Cas, Tami and I were there all night, along with your sister.”

  "Oh, god ... I am sorry, I didn't know. Is she alright?”

  "Yeah, she is getting better. She is still feeling sick today and stayed home, but Cas thought we still all needed to come to school.”

  "I wondered what happened to Megan last night.”

  "She was nice enough to pick up me and Tami and bring us up to the hospital. Cas was already there and rode in the ambulance with Mom. She stuck around and drove us all home afterwards.”

  I nudged the now sleeping Tami and pulled her and Zoe to their feet.

  "We need to get in guys; it's almost time for class.”

  The rest of the day was a haze. At lunch, none of us even ate, we just put our heads down and took a nap until Rachel woke us up and said it was time to go to class. I begged off from practice by explaining the previous night to the coach and went by to find Mrs. Runkle.

  "Hi, Mrs. Runkle, I wanted to see how the girls did on the test.”

  "As you predicted, Cas, they all aced it. Normally I would have to take their previous school work into account, which for some of them would disqualify them from the program. But, considering your explanation of their sudden focus, and their scores, I am willing to take all three. However," she made sure I was making eye contact, "I am holding you responsible for their participation. They need to take this seriously.”

  "They will. Thanks, Mrs. Runkle.”

  I walked out of her classroom and headed down to the field where Zoe and Vicki were waiting on me. Tami had to run home to take care of some family stuff but said she would meet us at home, later. It's weird, but even though Vicki and Tami lived with their parents, all four of us had started calling Zoe's house 'home.' I knew it would still be more than three years until the four of us were away from our parents and were at college, and living together for real, but Mom was right. We really were all committed to each other.

  My thoughts also bounced to Mrs. Bell. Since our conversation last night, it was like a switch had been flicked in my head. I really was just thinking of her as 'Mom, ' now. I was actually still a little amazed by how fast she had shifted position in my thinking, and also by how happy it made me.

  On and on the thoughts rattled in my head. I wasn't really paying attention when I rounded the corner into the hallway that lead to the field, and walked right into Jake Masuko. I tried to walk around him and he pushed me. Ralph and Tommy, his two cronies, were right behind him.

  "Where you going? You still have to pay for Tony and Tyler.”

  "You know what they say, Jake, if you can't do the time...”

  "You are going to be doing time, in traction.”

  "Jake, I don't want to fight you. I am tired of this shit. But every time you guys have come against me, one of you has left in an ambulance. Do you really want to do this?”

  "Not this time. Tyler may have missed, but I won't”

  I looked at his hands to make sure he wasn't armed, and he wasn't. Just then, there was a shout behind me. I turned to see the Principal walk around the corner.

  "That's it. You three come with me. Threatening violence to another student on school grounds is enough for expulsion.”

  What happened next surprised me. Jake reached out and lunged for Mrs. Polaski. Maybe it happened in larger, more urban, schools but I had never heard of a student attacking faculty like that. He had to reach past me
to get to Mrs. Polaski, putting his outstretched arm right in my path.

  As she jumped back with a shout I grabbed him by the wrist and took control of his arm, twisting the joint in a way that I knew was pretty painful. I kicked out with my right leg, contacting against the back of his knee. Since the joint is supposed to bend that way, there was no actual damage, but his body collapsed like a rag doll.

  Mrs. Polaski took off running, I guess to get help, as his friends tried to rally. When Randy threw a punch meant for my nose, I pushed my upturned hand against the inside of his swing, using my wrist to push out against his wrist, redirecting the strike so it sailed past me. Using the other hand I struck out in an open palm strike just below the diaphragm, pushing all of the air from his lungs. He started to fall backwards from the blow and I grabbed the now falling arm that I had deflected and wrenched out, swinging his dropping body against his friend, sending them both to the floor.

  I stood over them. Tommy had smacked his head on the ground and was dazed. Randy was wheezing and gasping, trying to pull in air, and Jake was holding his wrist. I knew it wasn't broken, but I had taken the joint to just shy of that point. For a little while, it would feel as though it was broken, to him.

  I heard footsteps pounding down the hall and saw one of the police officers assigned to the school and Mrs. Polaski coming up to me.

  "Jim, these three are the ones that tried to attack me. I plan on pressing charges; they are banned from the campus. I might ... MIGHT ... allow them to go to the ABC school.”

  She turned to me, "Cas, I appreciate your help, but I think it would be best if you headed home now.

  "Sure thing, Mrs. Polaski.”

  I didn't wait for her to say it twice, and bolted.

  That, apparently, was the last I would see of Jake Masuko and friends. ABC stood for Adaptive Behavior Center and it was the school districts warehouse for troubled kids. It was actually one town over, and was shared by several of the smaller school districts. Of course, that assumed he didn't spend a long time in jail.

  I made it out to the field and sat down next to Vicki, who was watching Zoe and Tami practice. Actually, that is too strong a word for what they were doing. It was more like choreographed drag-ass. They were really struggling, and their coach was all over them. Eventually, she just told them to go get some rest and come back to practice ready, next time. They met us in the stands.

  "You two look dead on your feet.”

  Zoe slumped against me, while Tami did the same to Vicki.

  "I am so tired I almost walked into a wall," Zoe said with her eyes slowly closing.

  "None of that, we still have to make it home.”

  They grabbed their bags, and we all headed towards the back of the school, when we heard a horn beep. We turned around to see Megan with her head stuck out the window.

  "I knew you guys would be hurting, by now. Get in, and I'll take you home.”

  She actually parked and walked up to the house with us.

  "I figured if I was going to be included in the family meeting, I would just hang out until it started, if that's cool.”

  "No problem. We might not be great company, though. I think all four of us are going to crash.”

  "I figured. I have to get some homework done, anyway, so I will hang in the kitchen while you guys catch a nap.”

  "You don't seem nearly as bad off as we are.”

  "That's 'cause I ain't a dummy. I skipped school, today, and slept.”

  We all laughed as we headed up the stairs. The girls headed to our room while I went to the restroom. I found Zoe already asleep and Tami and Vicki playing tonsil hockey.

  "I thought you were going to get some sleep.”

  Vicki shrugged, "I couldn't help it, she just looked so damn cute.”

  Tami blushed, but hugged herself to Vicki. I crawled over them and spooned in behind Tami. I am not sure if they went back to kissing or not, as I was out as soon as my head hit the pillow.

  Chapter 3

  I felt a nudge against my shoulder.

  "Cas?"

  "Huh?" I didn't open my eyes. I had been having a great dream that involved three beautiful women. I was in that semi-conscious state where you can almost remember what was happening and tried desperately to cling to the dream.

  "Cas."

  I let out a sigh and opened one eye, "Yeah"

  Vicki stared back at me with her ice blue eyes.

  "Everyone is here. It's time for the family meeting."

  I sat up and noticed I was the only one in bed. Both Tami and Zoe were nowhere in sight.

  "They are both downstairs already. You have been pushing yourself pretty hard lately, so we wanted to let you sleep."

  She pulled me up to my feet. We had all fallen into bed still dressed, so I smoothed some of the wrinkles out of my shirt and took Vicki's hand.

  "Thanks, I appreciate that. I guess I am up and ready. Let's go."

  Downstairs everyone I considered part of my family was there, plus Megan. I sat on the couch between Zoe and Tami. Vicky sank down into my lap as the other two pushed against my side.

  "I know we are all beat from what happened last night, but this is important. We talked the other day about our future, and what we should do about ... well ... all of this. Doctor Chang said we are the future. We are the start of what humanity will become. That sounds great, but just being the next genetic step in human evolution isn't enough."

  "Sure we could all live our lives, have kids, they will have kids, on and on. Over time, our genetic line will replace what is here currently and humanity will evolve. But we are talking millennia for that to happen. And that assumes we don't die out ... or get killed off ... like other branches have had happen in the past."

  Megan raised her hand, "Why not do it faster? All it took was to give Mrs. B a little blood..."

  "Possibly. If we can alter people through just a blood transfer and make them capable of passing on the genes, that would be the best case scenario. But here is problem one, we don't know the difference between that and ... the other method."

  Vicki smirked, "Why not bring more girls in, and use the other method. Sounds like fun!"

  "And that brings me to problem two. We don't know the full effects, yet. I am all for taking steps to speed the spread of our genetics, but we need more information. Honestly, until Doctor Chang and Mom can do more research, I want to hold off on that. I think we have some time, a couple of years at least till we have to face that step.

  "So, we just wait?"

  "No. Here is problem three. The spreading of our genetics isn't enough. We have to make the world ready for us. Make it a better place. Face it, if we ... and by 'we, ' I mean all of humanity ... don't change our ways, we might not have a world to populate. We are going through the planet's resources as fast as we possibly can! Crazy people are trying with all their might to get hold of weapons capable of wiping out civilization. No, we need to do something, and that's my plan."

  "What, to change the world?" Zoe said.

  "Essentially, yes, that is my end goal. Before we can get there, we have to get ourselves ready to make those changes. That means pushing our education as far as we can, and using the resources we have to build the tools we need."

  Megan was shaking her head, "I get the education thing but what do you mean using our resources."

  "Like this company I started with Ted and Marcus. If we can make a go of it, I can use that to start investing in our future. Keep an eye out for projects that we can use to our, and humanity's, advantage, or do like Zoe, and find a new hobby. Information will be important. We need to start learning what is really going on in the world."

  Mom looked at me, and then over at Zoe as she asked, "What do you mean 'her new hobby.' Zoe Bell, what did you do?"

  Zoe looked at me and I gave her a brief nod, "I have been, umm, playing with networks and stuff."

  "I believe they call what she is doing: 'hacking.'"

  "Zoe!!"

  "W
hile I agree with your alarm, I think if she channels her efforts it will help us."

  Tami was looking worried, "If you are going to be using your business to get us ready, and Zoe is going to be using her computer, what are the rest of us going to do?"

  "Well, Mom is already set. Her research into the nature of our change is the best thing she can do for us. As for you two, it depends on where your aptitudes lie. You don't have to do anything now, but think about it. Think about what you might be good at, something you will enjoy doing, that can also be used to get us prepared."

  "But..."

  Tami was interrupted by a pounding on the door. Megan, who was standing closest, walked over and looked out.

  "It's Doctor Chang," she said as she stepped back, opening the door.

  Megan was pushed back, almost falling as the doctor burst into the room, and flung herself at my feet. Tears were streaming down her cheeks.

  "I'm so sorry, Caspian. I knew what you wanted, but I did it anyway."

  I pulled her up off the ground.

  "Doctor, what happened?"

  She continued to sob as I walked her over to the couch. She was clutching my arms and her head was buried in my chest. I stroked her hair, and whispered soothing nonsense to her, while I looked in confusion at the girls. They all just stared back at me with the same look.

  "Doctor! (pause) Doctor! (pause) DOCTOR! You need to pull it together. Tell us what is going on."

  She gave a sniffle, and drew in a great breath. Then she leaned back and looked at me, tears still rolling down her face.

  "I knew you wanted to limit people's exposure until we could study it more, and I did it anyway. I am so sorry."

  "Did what?"

  "I injected myself with your blood. I saw the effects on the girls, and on Angela, and I wanted that for myself. I didn't care what you wanted, or had said. All my tests said it would be safe, so I ignored your wishes and did it anyway."

  "While I wish you hadn't done that, I can't say I am surprised. You always seemed so headstrong. I didn't think we could keep you locked down, forever. But, why the dramatics? What happened to make you so upset? Was there a side effect we didn't know about? Are you in danger? Are the girls?"