“Can you get me a chair for her, please?”
Wil retrieved a chair and placed it alongside Chloe, who reached out with a smile and a hand as soon as they settled Abby.
From outside the kitchen they heard an intense roar that resonated in everyone’s bones. The door pushed open and Caesar poked his head in. The big cat gave a chuff and speared them one by one with his laser gaze. As soon as he focused on Chloe, he leaped into the room, landing inches from her side. He instantly rubbed his head on her legs, his back arching high like a house cat and tried to unsuccessfully squeeze himself between Abby and Chloe’s chair, settling for curling up at her feet. He leaned his leg against her legs, yawned and closed his eyes, apparently fast asleep.
Clyde spoke up. “Well, that tiger’s certainly happy to see you. We wondered what had happened to him. He hasn’t been seen since the Kreyven carried you off.”
Netty accepted her tea from Dezi and took a sip, sighing loudly with pleasure. She then favored Clyde with a response. “And that is exactly as it should be.”
The survivors stirred uncomfortably and Wil placed a chair for her to sit down on. “I think it’s time you gave us some explanations, love.”
Netty’s hand went to Wil’s cheek, stroking it lovingly. She turned to the crowd, her radiant eyes now flashing as she tightened her wings around her body and sat. “As you can see, Chloe is pregnant. The baby is Scotty’s.”
A gasp from the crowd forced Netty to raise her hand.
“Hear me out. This will all make sense to you and then I will answer any questions. The Womb sent the Kreyven to fetch us and bring us back to Oolaha. It appears we have been gone for only a few days, but, in fact, we’ve been gone for over a year. It was quite difficult for Chloe and I, but well worth it in the end . . . as you can see.” She turned to Chloe and shared a smile.
Questions peppered Netty like a downpour in late winter, miserable and unwanted.
“Okay, okay. Let me explain how. The part of the membrane where we disposed of our deceased is actually the entrance to a portal. That is where we set out on the journey to Oolaha. In fact, there are many different . . . you might call them roads . . . in the portal; and many different kinds of road.
“If one were to stumble in without the knowledge of the Womb . . . well . . . you may not care for the road you wind up on. It takes the Womb’s guidance to walk the correct path.
“The pathways are collapsing now. The Womb, as you all know, is signaling us to leave. We will take Baby and Echo with us, of course. We leave in the morning.
“As to Chloe’s pregnancy. It was a reward from the Womb; you all owe her your undying gratitude.”
Netty and Chloe grinned from ear to ear. “I suggest, unless you lovely ladies want children, you better explore some kind of birth control, starting tonight.”
The room erupted, claps and shrieks mixed with more than a few happy tears.
“But how? I thought the Womb didn’t want us to have children. We’re viewed as a scourge on this planet,” stated a perplexed Karen.
“Yes, you were,” continued Netty. “But the Womb, in all its benevolence, always planned to give Homo sapiens one last chance. A chance that would signal you understood life. That you were willing to sacrifice for life other than your own species. Some earnest act that would show hope.
“So . . . the Womb gave you The One.”
The only sound in the room were those of the infants as the survivors digested this revelation.
“But Scotty died. We lost him. How could . . .?”
Netty rose, setting aside her teacup to stand behind Chloe, her face unreadable as emotions flitted over her posture. “I’m sorry to tell you this, but Scotty was not The One. It was always Chloe.”
Again the room erupted with accusations.
“But Caesar was here to guard him,” Kane cried. “I heard Echo tell Scotty, Caesar knew he was The One on the Lucky Lady.”
“No, Kane. You heard Echo tell Scotty he thought Scotty was the right one. The one to be Chloe’s consort. You might recall that Caesar marked Scotty with his urine. He was making the choice indelible.
“Chloe was recognized as The One the very first day Scotty met her on the beach on Sarasota.” Netty looked down to see tears flowing down Chloe’s face as her hand slowly rubbed her abdomen. Netty gave her shoulder a squeeze.
“I know it’s hard to hear this again, Chloe.”
“It’s okay, I understand.”
Netty turned back to the stunned crowd. “Chloe didn’t know it, but Echo was hidden in a baby carriage with one of the dogs so she could join them in a jaunt on the beach. Echo recognized it the minute she laid eyes on Chloe.
“As you know, Chloe lived down the beach with Omar who’d had her kidnapped from Costa Rico as an infant. She had been marked then as The One. It would always be her. Events conspired, sometimes with our help, to bring us to this moment.
“We never knew when she would emerge with the deed that would change your history. We were forbidden to even acknowledge her. When everyone assumed it was Scotty . . . we said nothing. It was a simple deception. Caesar was here to guard her. It was the only interference we were allowed. You assumed it was Scotty being guarded because they were always together.” Netty scanned the room full of astonished faces, recognizing the slow comprehension.
“Remember the night we discovered that Baby held you captive in the Hive, Hud? Scotty was with us, but not Caesar. Scotty had ordered Caesar to stay and guard the women on many occasions. But Caesar would have stayed behind anyway. He’s incapable of leaving her side.” Everyone watched as Chloe’s hand dipped down to stroke the magnificent tiger’s head, getting a rub and a sloppy tongue in appreciation.
Netty continued, “I’m sure you can well understand what happened when Elias died. He knocked Chloe down after striking her. Caesar naturally jumped to her defense with tragic results. But he could no more stop himself than he could stop himself eating or breathing.”
Cobby spoke up. “Is he still forced to guard her?”
“I’m glad you asked. Caesar is no longer under the influence of his implant. But after this many years of conditioned response, he will stay by her side of his own volition.”
Bonnie stood to ask a question. “Netty, this is wonderful news, but how can we be sure the light from the Hive didn’t make our procreation enzymes die off completely? We’ve lived out here for months now and still no one is pregnant.”
“It’s no longer the lights, Bonnie.” Netty reached into her robe and pulled out her hand. She leaned over to spill the contents on the table. Out rolled the reddish mushrooms from the yellow tree that Dezi used as salt.
“My salt mushrooms. No!”
“Yes, Dezi. You were using them as salt. The one thing we could count on that everyone would ingest. A property of the mushrooms alters the pH environment in a woman’s uterus, preventing the union between a sperm cell and the egg.”
“But the mushrooms have all died from a fungus. I tried to gather some today,” said Ginger Mae.
Netty nodded. “That’s true. It was necessary. The reward granted from the Womb to you all through Chloe’s act extends to the entire race. That means the tribe from the Franklin Mines, too. At the time, the Womb felt a strong likelihood that communication between the two groups would cease. So the mushrooms were eliminated.”
That statement was met with raised eyebrows and incongruous bluster from Clyde. Waving her hand to shush him, Salina stood up, her complexion gray and muddy with mourning. “But my Scotty, why did he have to die if you knew all this?”
“I am truly sorry to lose our Scotty, from the bottom of my heart. But the Womb works in mysterious ways, as you know. I cannot question the wisdom of the Womb. I can only be guided by it, Salina.”
“Miss Netty. You’ve left something out. What was this worthy deed that granted such a privilege to us?”
Netty turned to Chloe, hesitation in her voice. “Do you want to tell them, hon?”
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Chloe shut her eyes and nodded her head. Taking a shallow breath, she began the story of Scotty’s death at the hands of the mercenary and brutal flamer. She relived the horror in a halting tale, every harsh moment felt by all in the room.
“So when I discovered the flamer had two chicks . . . I just couldn’t do it. They were so innocent and vulnerable. My bloodthirst for revenge simply dissipated. The flamer is dangerous, yes. But it’s a creature that has only one thing while we have so much more. It has a life. A life that feels pain when hurt, hunger when starving, and loss when its offspring are killed. I knew I did the correct thing, the only thing.
“I don’t hate the flamer for what it did to Scotty. I blame myself. The Womb provided us with the intelligence to learn how to avoid the flamer when it was in our territory to nest. Just as the other wildlife takes cover. When we noticed the silence, we should have heeded the warning.
“The flamer or the chicks didn’t deserve to die for our stupidity. As much as I was still in shock, I knew this to be true . . . in the deepest corner of my soul.”
With those words, Netty concluded, “The Womb was very satisfied. This was but the first deed the Womb will expect from our Chloe. Her potential . . . or gift . . . as identified by Echo, has more potential. It may rest with her.”
Netty looked with pride at Chloe and turned to Abby. “Or with your new niece or nephew.”
A look of wonder transformed Abby.
“Chloe represents what is left of Scotty. Life. An extension of Scotty. And hope. You can leave knowing a piece of your brother lives on.”
“And the pregnancy? How did that come about without cells from Scotty’s . . . body . . . to clone from? I assume that’s how you did it?”
Chloe reached into her pocket and withdrew a folded cloth. Unrolling it, she extracted two feathers and held them to her heart. “Without these, it would not have been possible.” Her voice broke.
“It was a simple matter to clone cells from minute DNA strands found in the skin traces attached to the ends of the feather shaft.”
Abby stood. “If you all can excuse me? I need to be alone for a while. I’ll be here early in the morning to say my goodbyes, but for now I think I need a good soak in the bathing caves. This has been . . . hard.” Kissing Chloe, Netty and Jose goodnight, the now fragile Elder joined the relentless animal progression to the Hive.
Jose closed the door after watching Abby progress safely up the hill to the woods.
“How’s it looking out there, Jose?” asked Cobby.
“No change,” Jose answered curtly.
Salina and Crystal made the rounds again with tea refills. Chloe beckoned to Jose to join them.
“Hi, Sis, you look beat,” he said.
Chloe smiled wanly.
“I want you to take Chloe to your shelter. She’s not ready to face a night alone in her old one . . . with Scotty gone . . . Would that be okay with you, Jose?” asked Netty.
“Sure. Want to leave now?”
Netty and Jose pulled Chloe up from Kenya’s old chair.
Jose grinned shyly. “This baby looks almost ready.”
“Two more weeks to go, I think,” said Chloe, bracing herself on Jose’s arm. “Okay, I’m all set.” She turned to everyone in the room. “Goodnight, everyone. It feels good to be home.” She reached out to grip Netty’s hand, then let Jose lead her out the door.
Netty made her way over to Johno, Cobby and Wil, now huddled in conversation at the table.
“So gentlemen . . . might I ask where Baby and Echo are?”
All three looked guilty as she hovered over them, waiting.
“Sit down, love. We need to talk about a few things,” said Wil.
Quietly, Netty folded her wings, molding them securely to her body before sliding into a chair.
“Baby and Echo never came back. We’ve seen nothing of the nooglets either. It’s been almost three days.” Wil’s voice resounded with trepidation.
Cobby’s temper flared. “And that’s not to mention the parade of wildlife through the settlement. Did you know they’re going through the membrane?”
“Yes, of course. We encountered them when we came out of the portal. It was unsettling. But our only thought was to let you know we were back and safe.” She turned to Wil. “You have no idea what this is about?”
“Not a clue. It started right after you left with the Kreyven and hasn’t let up. Netty, even insects are on the move.”
Johno bobbed his head up and down. “Yes, Miss Netty, yes. I’ve seen this before. It’s similar to the great migration in my homeland.” He stopped himself, gave a strangled cough. “In my old homeland,” he corrected. “The great migration was for food. Many species would participate, even though they all encountered great danger at the Mara River with the powerful jaws of the crocodiles. This migration is very similar, but different. All species are participating.”
“Netty, you must know something about this. Are we in any danger?” demanded Cobby.
Perplexed, Netty felt defensive, “I promise you, Cobby. I know nothing. We need Echo. The Womb does not communicate with me. It’s done only through the minions.”
Johno got up from the table to check on the migration. Smells of musk and rich feces drifted in on a warm evening breeze. “My lord.”
The unexpected terror in Johno’s voice drew everyone to the door. The dark sky flared with dozens of monstrous flamers, all following the migration. Not to feast, but to join; all flying toward the Hive.
“Abby’s there,” cried Cobby.
“Where are they all coming from?”
“Please . . . shut the door. Why take any chances? Just let them pass.” Salina and Crystal shooed everyone back to their seats.
Cobby remained standing. With a look toward Karen and Maddy, who were putting the baby down, he moved back toward the door.
“I think I’m going to scout around a bit. Can someone make sure Karen gets home safely with the baby?”
Wil shook his head and waved.
*
The night tasted wrong. He couldn’t put his finger on it, but Captain Cobby knew it wasn’t just the strange wildlife migration to the Hive. His arms got goose bumps as the last of the flamers flew over his head. Instead of fleeing in panic, the rest of the wildlife continued their placid and stoic climb up the hill.
He had no real fear for Abby’s safety. She was an Elder after all. Her lethal horns had the power to strip the flamers down to chicken bones.
He tried to push thoughts of her out of his mind with no success. He kicked at the dirt as he paced, frustration over their history and his unsatisfying life with Karen getting the best of him.
It was his own damn fault, anyway. If he hadn’t been so timid back in Sarasota, she wouldn’t be leaving now. He remembered the first time she had come to visit him on the Lucky Lady when Jose had taken off to find Salina and his sisters. Long before he found out about her changes. He could feel the attraction even then. His gut clenched with the memory of how he had wanted to sweep her into his arms that moonlit night she had come to see him.
But she had been his boss. He had wanted to remain professional for the sake of some stability in Kane’s life. How would it have looked to Kane if Jose had come home and fired him for making a pass at his girl? He blushed to himself as he admitted he wanted to do more than just make a pass.
He realized Abby had been young and in the midst of her newfound puppy love for Jose. He knew it would wear off in time.
He sighed to himself, raking his strong fingers through his dense and dark curly hair, amazed at the outcrop of sprinkles of gray that had appeared in the time since they’d left the Hive. The difference in their ages had stopped being a factor decades ago; too many decades to count.
But by the time she had turned to him for support, it had been too late. Her changes had intimidated him. Half the time he hadn’t known what was up and what was down as they had made their break from Sarasota to reach the Hive. With all t
he unforeseen complications from the deadly bombs, they had all had enough to cope with without adding a jilted Jose into the mix. Abby had had more than too much to cope with in her life as it was. His decision to just be there to support her was a lasting and painful one.
And then along had come Karen. A good sport, she also knew when not to bug him. She had become a distraction from the pain, a good sport to share a laugh with. Before he’d known it, they were a couple. As the picture of their lives became clearer, he had known he was stuck with her.
The burden of his feelings for Abby colored everything. He had kept it hidden well, but his marriage to Karen hadn’t helped. The baby was a blessing, a hopeful chapter of his life, giving it new meaning. But how long could a guy stay engaged when all the baby could do was smile and burp at you?
The bottom line was the fact that he didn’t love Karen. He never had. It just never came, even as he knew he was grateful in the lonely nights when he felt her next to him.
Cobby’s heart leaped anew; hope bursting wildly after the night of his grandbaby’s birth. He was nuts about Kenya and the kid, and the few stolen moments with Abby had almost made up for the many decades of torment. Unfortunately, he had never found another opportunity to talk to her candidly since. He cursed the flamer under his breath. They had lost two lives that night, and he had lost his chance to tell her how he felt.
He cringed remembering the shape he had found her in today as he spied her heading to the rear of Scotty and Chloe’s shelter. He had followed her, knowing this could be his last chance. It was not to be. He had found her in the midst of an emotional breakdown, feeling the loss of her brother, her home, memories of her mother’s death . . . ‘a life unfulfilled’, she had mumbled.
Finding Ginger Mae appeared to have snapped her out of it, and the news of Chloe’s pregnancy had certainly helped.
He briefly wondered why he had never given Ginger Mae a tumble. She was a rock and good to look at. He remembered how Karen had dogged his heels the first few years in the Hive.
He stopped pacing and admitted his feelings for Abby would have intruded there, too. He took a deep breath, redolent with the exciting aromas that said life was afoot. Taking a last quick glance at the migration up the hill, he headed toward his shelter, completely missing the click of the kitchen door as it closed on the figure that had been watching him.
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