Jabari

by Serena Simpson

She pushed at his hand. “That’s not good enough, where there is one there are hundreds.”

  “Then what do you suggest?”

  “We need a plan.”

  Thrice and Slade pulled their chairs closer to her.

  “This is going to be good,” Thrice said with a laugh.

  “I’ve seen that look before, right before we underestimated her on the battlefield.”

  She lowered her voice conspiratorially. “Here’s what I think we should do.”

  *~*~*~*

  The small white lights were trained on the fountain. It shot up in the air with a symmetry that reminded him of Brandi. That wasn’t quite true. Everything reminded him of her. The sound of female laughter became hers. The click of heels on the ground brought back the memory of her carrying her shoes. He saw a female walking down the street with her hair high in a ponytail. For a moment, he was sure it was Brandi with her braids on top of her head. All he could see was her. The pain that one day she would be gone shattered him.

  He knew what gone was. He understood Slade so much better. The rage that simmers deep inside of you because the only person who really knew you or loved you isn’t there. It hurt, this thought that brought him closer to his brother. The image of Brie in her casket was haunting him. He woke this morning with a start because it wasn’t Brie anymore it was Brandi.

  When the time came, he would ask Slade to place the cuffs on him to keep him in his humanoid form. After the funeral, he would have them lock him away until it was safe to be around him. He stared out of unseeing eyes. That time might never come.

  “Don’t move.”

  He heard the male approaching him, but he didn’t care. They sat the hover down a hundred yards away and tried to creep up on him. He could have told him he was created; you'd have to do better than that. But why bother?

  “What do you want?” The male brought back up with him this time.

  “To get paid. You’re worth a lot.”

  “You don’t want to do this.” It wasn’t like him to give his enemy a way out. Sometimes you did what you wished others would do for you.

  The man laughed, it was hard and harsh. It was something he was learning to fit in with the humans it didn’t come naturally.

  He did try to warn them.

  “Get up. If you try anything, I’ll kill you or your human pet.”

  He stood. They surrounded him.

  “I guess it doesn’t matter. I checked, and she is dying. No need to kill her.”

  “Why?”

  “Your new master doesn’t want you to share your life force with anyone except maybe him. Hope you’re into males.”

  “You wanted to kill my mate before I mated with her?”

  “It was either that or bring her along and find a way to kill her while you watched. The first was easier.”

  “You wanted to take from me the only mate I’ll ever have?” He could not understand a species that didn’t understand the sanctity of two people coming together. Even the Scientists understood it. They kept it from the created, used it like a weapon against them, but they understood it.

  “A bit over dramatic don’t you think? Females are plentiful. Please your new master, and he’ll give you one or two.”

  “Take a seat.” One of the males behind him growled. They strapped him in before closing the doors and taking off.

  “I still don’t see why we couldn’t have just transferred him.”

  “He’s wearing something that won’t allow transfer. I didn’t know that until my first encounter with him.”

  “How do you know it’s not a trap? He didn’t even try to fight.”

  The first male pushed a button. “Brandi, where are you?” Jabari’s voice could be heard in the hover.

  “I’m sorry love we’re running late. Sit tight we’ll be there.”

  “I will.”

  “Brandi?”

  “Yes?”

  “Be safe.”

  “I will, promise.”

  “We’ll be on the ship and away from the planet before they ever realize he's gone.”

  “Taking me to my new master.”

  “This is going to be easier than I thought.”

  “Where am I going?”

  “You’ll have to ask the collectors for that information. I don’t ask; I hunt.”

  They sat in tense silence until they reached the ship. The hangar doors opened. He brought the hover in for a soft landing. They waited until the doors closed, and the room was pressurized before opening the door to the hover. The hangar was large with crates lined on one side and separate spaces for six hovers, only two were filled.

  Loud alarms were blaring. “Intruder alert!”

  “Cut the noise.”

  “The ship says there are intruders with us in the hangar. It’s detecting several heartbeats.”

  “Look around do you see anyone here with us?”

  “The ship…”

  “Ship, show me the heart beats.”

  A display came up, but it was empty.

  “Cut the noise. We’ll have to get it fixed on the first decent spaceport we reach.”

  “Where is my merchandise?” A nasal voice spoke over the noise of the computer.

  “Don’t press me the only reason you're alive is because you pay well. Meet me in the conference room.”

  “Move.”

  “I demand to see the captain.”

  “You’re in luck your looking at him. No, before you ask I won’t let you go. Anything else.”

  “No.”

  “Then move. I’m really disappointed you know. I thought you would want to know my name. Try to appeal to my more reasonable side.”

  They walked down a corridor that was white with metal rods at each entrance.

  “I never ask the names of the males I’m going to kill.”

  “Did you hear that?” he asked his crew. “You have me afraid now.” He laughed. “Go get the ship ready to take off.”

  They went left while the crew went right. There was a large double door in front of them that opened.

  Sitting at a table were the creatures that Brandi drew.

  “Lar you captured him.”

  “I told you I would”

  “Why isn’t he chained?”

  “I’m taking him to a holding cell after this.”

  “What the hell! Bridge!” The ship shuddered sending them falling before the artificial gravity was cut.

  The collectors were spinning out of control trying to grab onto the table. Lar was going for the gun he dropped. Jabari switched forms grounding himself on the floor.

  He kicked the gun out of reach before he wrapped his hand around Lar’s throat, his claws digging into his skin.

  “You know my name you can’t kill me.”

  The gravity was back. The collectors fell to the floor. Slade came in.

  “Move, and you're dead.”

  “We’re related can you tell?” Jabari asked Lar.

  Slade picked up the collectors one for each hand.

  “Is the crew subdued?”

  “Yes. Phoenix is teaching Brandi how to navigate.”

  One more memory to keep him warm on the cold nights without her, and he was wasting his time on Lar. He left the room dragging the male behind him. If he was still alive when they reached the bridge, then he would decide what to do with him.

  The lift took years to come and even longer to reach the bridge. Brandi turned and gave him a smile. Her eyes lit up when she saw him. He tossed Lar to Thrice as she ran to him. He caught her when she threw herself at him.

  “I’m driving, flying, steering… No navigating. Phoenix is teaching me everything.” She wiggled, and he put her down following her back to her chair.

  “Thrice bring up the buyer.”

  A non-humanoid picture was put on the screen.

  “He’s afraid of dying. He’s also afraid of females.”

  “What?”

  “I know, right? From what we could learn, his
species doesn’t leave the planet. They believe that females are unnatural and will one day cause the destruction of the galaxy.”

  “Incoming call,” Thrice told her.

  “That’s him. Put it on the screen.”

  “Collector do you have my Ancentrass?”

  “Your collector is all tied up.” She pointed to the corner where Slade placed them along with Lar.

  “I’m Brandi, Jabari’s female mate.”

  “I will not talk to you.”

  “If you hang up, I will bring a ship full of females to your planet.”

  “What do you want?”

  “For you to stop hunting my mate and his people. I have already sent word to your ruling body that if one Ancentrass ends up on your planet that the Defenders of Rios IV will invade and conquer you.”

  “You can’t do that. I know you’re not from that planet.”

  “Actually, I can. I called them up and spoke with the female in command. It turns out that though I am not from that planet, we must be related, or I wouldn’t look like this. She agreed to mount a full-scale attack on your planet. Fortunately for me your close to a class M planet that they are interested in.”

  There was a chime behind the male.

  “That must be someone in the ruling body calling. You better answer it. Remember, don’t make me come down there.” She broke the transmission, and Fie jumped into her arms.

  “Did I hear you hissing at the nasty blob like creature? I was hissing too. Now, what do we do with them?”

  “They won’t stop coming after you,” Quinn told him.

  “I know.”

  He walked across the room his eyes on Lar.

  “Are you going to kill him?” Her voice was soft when she asked touching him in his heart. “I won’t stop you, but I have a better idea.”

  “Strange isn’t it? She’s the only reason you’re still breathing, and you wanted to kill her.”

  “What were you thinking?”

  “I called Ancentrass. It’s a capital offense to come after their people. Especially the ones who are gifted. That would be you. They requested we bring them there for sentencing.”

  “You can’t do that. You don’t know what they do to convicted felons.”

  “They castrate you, then you serve in one of the houses until you die. Which is nicer than what you tried to do to me and my planet.”

  “I love the way you think. Lar I guess telling me your name saved your life.”

  Brandi turned around and followed Phoenix’s directions on how to input the new coordinates.

  Chapter Twenty-four

  Brandi watched as Jabari played with the food on his plate. His brothers were watching him too.

  “Are you going to try them?”

  “Why are they so green?” Thrice asked her.

  She tilted her head, opened her mouth and closed it. “Honestly, I don’t know. It’s a plant and a vegetable.”

  “We tried the broccoli.” Thrice frowned.

  “You don’t have to eat it.”

  “That just means there are more for us,” Quinn told them. “I’ve never tasted them like this.” She took another bite and sighed.

  “Quinn likes them.”

  “You should have seen them when I was trying to get them to eat french fries. They called them little sticks.”

  She lifted her fork with some greens on it and offered it to Jabari. When he opened his mouth, it reminded her of their first meal. If the twinkle in his eyes meant anything, he remembered.

  “I put hot sauce on them. Well?”

  “I need to try them again.”

  “It could be an acquired taste.” She fed him a second forkful.

  He took a bite of what was on his plate and frowned. “Mine don't taste like yours.”

  She showed him how much hot sauce to put on. His brothers followed and soon they were all eating. A smile graced her face as she watched them eat.

  “This is better than the broccoli. Not crunchy.” Akron told her.

  “I have to tell you I like my broccoli to have some crunch. I hate it overcooked and limp.”

  Jabari pushed his plate back. “The food is excellent, but I don’t have an appetite.”

  “You’ve been silent since we came back. What happened?” Slade asked.

  “You can’t just not eat, and you know it,” Thrice said.

  Phoenix turned to Brandi. “We were starved and abused when we were young. Our other sides will no longer tolerate those conditions in our lives.”

  “Now that you're capable of defending yourselves, you will. I get it.” She stood up and moved to sit in his lap. “Tell us what’s wrong.”

  “I spoke to the chieftain on Ancentrass when you were asleep. He told me that only one of his people had ever gone missing. His younger brother. He’s my… You call them uncles.”

  “That’s great right? I mean you found part of your family and your history.”

  “I told him what happened to the brothers I was born with. How I am broken inside.”

  “What did he say?” She laid her head on his chest while she wrapped her arms around him.

  “That I was too strong to break on my own. Whatever happened to me was caused by another being.”

  “How could that be?” Slade demanded.

  “Maybe it was whatever I saw in my hallway.”

  “What happened in the hallway?”

  “We were going to my apartment…” Her head fell back.

  “Brandi!”

  “Tired. I made dinner like I promised.”

  “Don’t, you’re going to be all right.” He stood up. The chair flew behind him in his rush to get to his feet. “We’ll go upstairs and lay down.”

  Fie jumped up on them as Jabari took her to the elevator.

  “It’ll be okay defender, all you need is a little rest.” He met the pain in Slade’s eyes before the elevator closed.

  He laid her on the bed taking off her slippers before he pulled the covers up to her chin.

  “She’ll be okay Fie. As long as we stay by her side, she can’t leave us.” He climbed onto the bed with her. As long as he was awake, she wouldn’t be able to slip away from him.

  “Tell Piper I said I’m sorry, and I love her.” Her hand was on his chest moving in small circles.

  “Stay Brandi, so you can tell her.”

  “I can’t. I feel like one system after the other is shutting down. My body is saying goodbye and giving me a chance to say it too.”

  She looked at him, her eyes asking the question he didn’t want to answer. With a nod, he called Slade and asked them to come. They came through the door one at a time. It reminded him of how they looked and felt when Brie died. It was the same look of horror. They hadn’t known Brandi long, but she was already family. They teased her and loved her. They even argued over whose team she would be on.

  Quinn came to the side of the bed and hugged her.

  “Keep an eye on Jabari for me. Remind him he is loved.”

  She nodded and went back to Mekhi’s arms.

  “I’m going to miss you guys.”

  Slade came and knelt on one knee by her side. “You are our sister. Officially a created even though the defenders want to claim you. We will always be less without you.”

  One by one each brother knelt and declared that she was one of them.

  Jabari picked her up and placed her on his lap. “Brandi, I love you and I always will. I was broken until you stood up to me and showed me what love is.”

  She smiled and closed her eyes. Her hand slipped from his chest. The roar of pain that came from him couldn’t be contained it echoed through the room, the house and the land they called home.

  He rocked her and roared while his brothers stood watch over them. What did he want more than life or even death? To be reunited with Brandi. His brothers flashed before him but wherever they were they were safe and happy. It was selfish, and he knew it, to want her so much. To be so unwilling to let her go. But the o
ne thing he wanted was a lifetime with his mate. His hand closed around the necklace he wore.

  “I want Brandi in my life loving me and caring for me the way I love her. I want it more than my life.”

  He dropped his head.

  “Then that is what you shall have. The day you leave this life so will she.”

  There was no one in the room with them, but he knew that voice. It didn’t matter he didn’t have time to question all he could see was Brandi. Her mouth opened and her body lifted.

  “What happened?” The lights went off, and she knew it was time to move on. No matter how she tried to cling to Jabari, she felt her hands slipping as she left her body. She cried when she looked down because he was clutching her lifeless body like there was a chance at saving her. She walked away knowing that the pain of watching him would only get worse when a voice stopped her. Wait Brandi, it whispered to her. Don’t go far you’ll be needed soon.

  “Mekhi!”

  A black substance was coming from Brandi’s eyes.

  “Don’t touch it.” He left the room and returned with a vial and a large eye dropper.

  “What is that?”

  “It’s what killed her.” He used the dropper to pull it from her face and then placed it in the vial. “It doesn’t take a lot, and it’s undetectable. I only know about it because I saw it leave a dead body once.”

  “What is it called?”

  He shrugged. “I never named it and as far as I know no one else has either. It comes from a planet that is off limits. We have to take it back.”

  “I’ll do it.”

  “Slade, you’re needed here. I’ll dispose of it.”

  “Phoenix.”

  “This is my family too. Get well, Brandi. When I get back were playing war games.”

  “Can’t wait.” He took the vial from Mekhi.

  “Am I really going to live?” Mekhi was already examining her. “Get away from him! Behind you Jabari.”

  “Only you can see me.”

  “The creature I told you about in the hallway.”

  “Not this time. I want you first. You shouldn’t be able to see me. You shouldn’t be alive I went through a lot of trouble to make sure you died. Now I’ll have to do the job myself. You’re standing between me and what I want. Now I’ll take both of you.” He swung his sickle aiming for Jabari’s neck. It stopped not penetrating the field surrounding him.