Fake Me ran her hands over Father’s face and down his arms pretending to examine him. “I’m satisfied he is going to be okay.” The hologram kissed father’s forehead. “Good-bye… Father.”
The scene felt very surreal. Sweat dripped down my neck like I was the one standing next to Father. Even though my father knew the hologram couldn't be me, he reached out and grabbed its hand. “I love you my daughter.”
Palmer grimaced. “Enough of the love-fest. Let’s move things along.”
Once Mr. X saw Father moved safely to the other side of the street, he made the hologram walk closer to Palmer. The grin on his face looked just like the Joker. He signaled his men to grab me, while I watched Father vanish from between his officers’ arms. We’d done it! We’d fooled Palmer. Father knew his enemy well. Palmer really wasn’t as clever as he thought.
The men lunged toward the hologram and their arms went right thought the image. Palmer’s face contorted with rage. “Taylor! You won’t escape for long.”
I sat back and waited for Mr. X to transport me back to the Temple. I couldn’t wait to wrap my arms around Father. I closed my eyes, imagining our happy reunion over an amazing feast. It would be just like old times. I breathed in deep trying to relish my first major victory. Then something moved behind me. A hand clasped over my mouth as I tried to scream. An overpowering spicy fragrance hit my nose. My mind grew fuzzy as I tried to call out again, but my lips couldn’t move.
A familiar voice whispered in my ear, “And you thought you could get away from me.”
Chapter Fourteen
The Ultimate Gift
My eyes fluttered open. A beautiful pale green silk comforter enveloped me like a fluffy cloud. The walls of the bedroom were covered in Egyptian murals depicting a boat floating down the Nile River. I sat up in a bed larger than a California King. This wasn’t Palmer’s place. I was in the Temple of Truth, but where? The answer came when the door creaked open and Mr. X came floating in.
My head spun but I pushed myself up off the pillows. “So you’re the one that grabbed me?”
He nodded. “It was either me or Palmer. Thought you would prefer it was I.”
“Did Palmer attack me? I was way up on the roof, how could he get up there so fast? He and his men were down in the plaza. “
Mr. X smiled. “He apparently has a transporter too.”
“So you saw him and transported to the roof stop him?”
“Yes. I guess you could say we had a transporter duel.”
I laughed. “I’m glad you won.”
“I must admit I enjoyed the look on his face when I pulled you out of his hands, and he reached out for your arm and you vanished.”
How I wish I could go back in time and see Palmer’s face. To have me in his hands and then be so quickly snatched away. “How is Father? He looked pretty bad.”
“He’s here. Would you like to see him?”
I bolted out of bed and quickly fell on my face. Mr. X held out his slender hand. “Please be careful. The drug Palmer used to sedate you hasn’t worn off completely yet.”
Pushing off the floor I forced myself to stand up straight. “Okay, lead me to Father.”
I followed Mr. X down a long winding hallway covered in more murals depicting Egyptian royal life. The Temple really felt like a great pharaoh’s tomb but with out the cobwebs and mummies. We entered a grand salon with twenty-foot ceilings. The mosaic marble floor led to a seating area with three burgundy-red velvet lounges trimmed in gold. Several matching chairs were strategically scattered about. Father lay resting on gilded divan trimmed in bullion fringe tucked in the corner under a large palm tree. He looked as pale as a ghost but thankfully any traces of the blood caked on his face were gone. I pulled up a chair next to him. “Father, you look so much better.”
He gave me a weak smile. “I’ve looked in a mirror. You do not have to humor me.”
“I’m so glad we were able to rescue you. The hologram really fooled Palmer.”
He reached for my hand. “Yes. It was a very smart move. At first I was upset you chose to sacrifice yourself for me. But once I realized it wasn’t you, I breathed a lot easier.” Father stroked my hand. “My daughter, I’m grateful that you didn’t have to risk your life for mine. I should not have trusted Palmer. He was never a man of his word. But I wanted the fighting to be over. So I took a chance.”
I squeezed his hand. “It’s okay. I would have done the same thing. The fighting has been a huge distraction from repairing Heaven.”
He let go of my hand so he could push himself up off the bolster pillow. “It has indeed. I understand the re-humidifier device is having problems. Mr. X told me the machine caused the tremor.”
“Yeah, it was kind of scary. Sure hope we don’t have any more.” Something moving in the back of the room caught the corner of my eye—make that someone. Death Moon got up from a chair at the back of the room. “What is she doing here?”
Father followed my gaze. “Traze has been very useful. Without her information regarding Palmer’s weaknesses, Mr. X would have never been able to fool him so easily.”
He motioned for Death Moon to come over and join us. The sight of her scar made me instinctively scoot my chair away from her. “How can you work with that woman? She murdered Gram and me.”
Traze stood over me with a puzzled look on her face. “Sir, what is she talking about?”
Father smiled up at her. “It’s nothing. Would you mind getting me some chamomile tea?”
“Of course, sir. I’ll be right back.”’
Death Moon darted off like a dutiful servant trying to please her master. “Father, what the heck have you done to her? It’s like she’s had a lobotomy.”
“Once she gave us all the information on Palmer we needed, Mr. X performed a simple procedure to Traze’s memory banks to wipe them clean. Then he modified her personality. She’s totally harmless now. “
“You screwed with her brain?”
“I’m surprised you care after what she did to you and your grandmother. But we Katrans do not believe in killing or imprisoning people.”
I flashed on all the men in cells at the barracks and at Mrs. Schwartz’s house. “But we have quite a few of Palmer’s men behind bars.”
“I set them free. Their memories have been erased and they’ve been modified. They can’t remember anything they ever did with Palmer. They are once again loyal to me.”
Earth would be a much better place if we had such a device. Mr. X had some very powerful weapons up his sleeve. “I guess I understand. You are pacifists like the Vulcans on Star Trek.”
He laughed. “You keep comparing us to a made-up alien race from a TV show. Katrans are real. You are real too. ”
Father had a point. “Sorry. Until I met you and your people those are the only aliens I ever knew. Fictional ones.”
Death Moon came back with Father’s tea. “Here you are, sir. The doctor says you need to rest soon.”
As if on cue, Mr. X reappeared. “Taylor, it’s time for your father to retire. You can return tomorrow.”
Talk about being forced out. I leaned over and kissed Father on the cheek. “Sleep well. See you tomorrow.”
I reluctantly followed Mr. X out into the hall. “Sabrina is waiting for you out front.” He pulled something small out of a fold in his robe. “Here is a new earpiece. I’ve worked around the jamming device Palmer set up so you should once again be able to hear what he’s thinking.”
I had to find out when he planned to invade Earth, so I shoved the device in my ear and clicked it on. There was nothing but static. “I don’t hear a thing. Just a jumbled static noise.”
He laughed. “That means Palmer is using the facilities. I didn't think you would want to hear what his bodily functions sounded like.”
“Wow, the Katrans need to use the toilet? That blows my mind.”
“I do not want to go into details with a lady, but they are very similar to humans in their physiology.”
I noticed he said they. I knew Mr. X wasn’t from Katran. I was just about to ask him where he was from, but then he ducked into his lab. He returned holding a leather satchel. “A present for your grandmother.”
“Can I open it?”
He clicked open the latch and held open the bag. “Certainly.”
Inside sat a hand resting on a velvet pillow. I pulled it out of the satchel. Holding the hand in mine reminded me of a scene from one of the Addams Family movies. I examined the skin and the fingers. The craftsmanship was amazing. Except for a cuff that formed a makeshift wrist, I would have no idea it was a prosthetics. I wiggled the fingers one by one, amazed they moved just like my own. “This is awesome. Gram is going to love it. Thank you so much.”
A large grin took over his face. “Thank you. I think it’s my best work.”
***
I didn‘t know what I was more excited about. Giving Gram her new hand or that I was finally going to visit Senior Heaven. After all of Gram’s wonderful descriptions of the place, I couldn’t wait to hop on the flight to check it out. I clicked off the earpiece. I wanted to enjoy my time with Gram. Not listen to Palmer’s endless conversations about the intricacies of the mothership repairs. What did I care about warp engines and turbo thrusters? I just wanted to know when they were going to invade Earth. But I took notes incase Mr. X could use the information.
As I walked toward the boarding gate, the airliner’s name made me smile: Angel Air. The side of the plane had a cherub angel design that seemed to float above the windows. Of course it wasn’t a real plane, but a hologram. Still, I appreciated that the Boss of Heaven took great pains to make everything familiar and comforting. Death was hard enough to wrap your head around without being reminded of the loss of all the wonderful things about life on Earth. Although the way the airlines packed people in these days took all the joy out of flying, unless you could afford first class. Thankfully, in Heaven everyone flew like millionaires, in their own private jet.
A white suited brunette flight attendant waved me forward. “Anything you need to make your fight more comfortable?”
“Sure, can I have a strawberry smoothie with a protein boost?”
She snapped her French manicured fingers and one materialized in my hand. The flight attendant gave me a smile. “Anything else?”
“Yes, I’d like my boyfriend to join me.”
The flight attendant frowned. “Of course you know that won't be possible.”
“How about a box of Godiva chocolates? All truffles, okay?”
“Of course.” She snapped her fingers again and a small box of truffles appeared in her hand. She tucked it into my weekend bag. “All set to visit your grandmother?”
Another mind reader. “Yes.” I slurped down the rest of my kid-sized smoothie and gave her the empty cup. “Thanks, that was yummy.”
I followed her into the plane and down the aisle to an overstuffed white leather chair at the front of the plane. “Buckle up. Your flight leaves at once.”
It felt funny to sit down on a mirage chair and fasten my seatbelt but I did what she asked. She tapped the back of my seat. “Have a great flight.”
A lightheaded feeling hit me as the jet engines roared to life. I blinked, and by the time I opened my eyes, the plane hovered over a pretty suburban neighborhood. A transport beam appeared over my head and the next thing I knew, I was standing on a beautiful tree-lined cul-de-sac rimmed with stately two story houses, in all the classic architectural styles. Everything from Victorian, Craftsman, Tudor, to French Country homes sat just the right amount of space from each other. I knew which one was Gram’s right away. It looked like a grander version of the French Country home she had back on Earth. The flowerbeds surrounded the house in a colorful embrace. It screamed Gram’s Heavenly dream house.
My heart sank a bit when I noticed the brick pathway had a large crack running down the middle. Senior Heaven was beginning to deteriorate, too. As I walked along the gently curved path I wondered what Gram would be like. She had been in such bad shape the last time I saw her. I banged the lion head doorknocker three times. Gramps opened the elaborately curved wooden door. “Red, so glad to see you. Come on in.”
I strode into the entryway studded with hooks that held Gram’s flower hat collection. Gramps led me into the cathedral ceilinged living room. A large wood and crystal chandelier hung down from the hand hewn bleached wood rafters. The stone fireplace stood two stories tall. It was like walking into a French Country magazine, except for Gram’s passion for flowers. My nose twitched from the overpowering scent of roses mixed with gardenias and peonies. Every flat surface on the tables and the fireplace mantle held several cut glass vases overflowing with fresh flowers.
Gramps led me to the couch. “What do you think of the place?”
I dropped my weekend bag next to the coffee table. “It’s breathtaking. Gram must be in Heaven.”
We both laughed at the irony. ”Yes, she is. I would prefer a cabin in the woods, but I gave her first pick.” He motioned for me to sit on the couch. “Let me wake her up from her nap.”
I settled down on the down-filled cushions. “How’s she doing?”
He gave me a weak smile. “Good, considering.”
I nudged my bag. “I have something I hope will make her feel even better.”
He nodded and walked across the expansive living room and down the main hall. I unzipped my bag and pulled out the box with the hand inside. I placed it on the carved coffee table so she could see it first thing. At the last minute I’d thrown on a bright pink bow. After a bit of noise and the sound of doors opening and closing Gram emerged from the hallway. She wore one of her long-sleeved knock-around-the-house floral dresses. The missing hand concealed by the ruffle trim on the sleeve. Her hair had turned even whiter than before. Understandable after what she had been through.
Gram bent down, gave me a hug, then sat down next to me on the couch. “Pumpkin great to see you. I can’t wait to show you around Senior Heaven. You’re going to love it.” She looked down at the box. “You didn't have to bring me anything. You being here is enough.”
I pushed the box toward her. “Open it.”
“You really shouldn’t have.” With her good hand she nudged the lid off. Gram sucked in a breath when she saw the hand. “Oh, my gosh. It looks so real.”
I helped her fasten the cuff around her wrist. “Mr. X said all you have to do is think about how you want to use the hand, and it will follow what your mind tells it. Might take a while for the mechanics to sync up to your thoughts, but once it does it should feel like your own.”
She held the new hand out like it was a precious vase made of glass. “It’s truly beautiful.”
I pointed to the magazine on the coffee table. “Try to pick it up.”
At first she was a bit tentative. The hand just hovered over the magazine. Her forehead crinkled as she concentrated really hard. First she slid the magazine to the edge of the table, and then she moved her thumb and forefinger together. She grabbed the corner and tried to hold it up but it slipped out of her fingers. Her excitement deflated like a balloon.
I gave her an encouraging smile. “Maybe try something a little easier.” I got up and went over to the kitchen island and brought back an orange. “Try this.”
She was able to grip the orange much more easily. Her smile returned as she squeezed the fruit and it didn’t fall out of her hand. “This hand is amazing.” Gram put the orange down on the table. I watched as she opened and closed the hand. She moved each finger one at a time. Then she balled the hand into a fist. She trotted over to the kitchen and opened and closed the refrigerator. “Your grandfather is going to be so happy to be relieved of his kitchen duties.”
As happy as I felt to see how well the robotic hand worked, exhaustion from my crazy day hit me hard. I stuffed back a yawn and joined her in the kitchen.
“That’s awesome, Gram. You’re really getting the hang of it quickly.”
&nbs
p; “Tell him he did an amazing job.” Gram held up a rolling pin with her new hand. “Look at this. I’ll be making pies in no time!”
It brought me such joy to see Gram playing with her new hand. The smile plastered on her face was priceless. “You mind if I crash? It’s been one event-filled day.”
Gram barely heard me as she picked up various objects, admiring how perfectly the robotic hand functioned. “Sure, Pumpkin. I set out everything you need in the guest bedroom. It’s the third door on the left.”
“Thanks, Gram.” I headed across the living room to the hallway. “See you in the morning.”
Gram nodded and continued picking up smaller and smaller objects. She held up a pen between her fingers. “Look, I’ll be able to write again! He’s a genius.”
Mr. X deserved the name. His robotic hand brought Gram back to life. I gave her a thumbs up and walked down the hall. The walls were lined with pictures I’d drawn when I was little. From my kindergarten through fourth grade period when I thought I wanted to be an artist. The stick figure portraits and horses that looked more like a moose without antlers made it clear I was never going to be an artist. Still, Gram proudly displayed them as if I were the next Van Gogh. She was my cheerleader even when I didn’t deserve it.
I opened the door to the guest room and stuffed back a laugh. Gram had a passion for flowers so no surprise the room was an explosion of roses. The wallpaper, the comforter set, and the drapes were all covered in bright pink and red cabbage roses. I aimed for a large pink rose as I plopped down on the comforter. My head hit one of the pillows, which caused my earpiece to click on. The last thing I wanted to hear before bed was Palmer’s shrill voice. But the earpiece had been turned off for over an hour I needed to listen in to see if I’d missed anything important.
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