* * *
Doss, Velex, Blice, and Zerachiel sit on the floor where they've laid down a blanket and some baby toys. Little Zodiac watches all of them with his large glassy hazel eyes. Every time one of them moves or says anything, the baby starts laughing hysterically. Apparently they are a very entertaining group of misfits. They all try to figure out what they're supposed to do with a baby. The only one of them with any experience with infants is Velex, but he doesn't remember much.
Doss is the one who is freaking out the most, especially when Zodiac looks at him or grabs his fingers. That's what is happening now and his heart is racing. "Guys, what do I do? I think he wants something."
"Why don't you hold him?" Gabriel asks.
"Uh . . . no."
"Oh, come on." Velex says. "He likes you. No little baby archons in your future?"
"No."
"Archons cannot have children." Zerachiel says plainly as he sips his tea. "We were made before the times of DNA replication so there was no way to give us any true means of reproduction."
"Ah. So there's no bullet in the chamber?"
"Exactly."
Doss's face turns pink with embarrassment. "Come on, guys. Do we have to talk about this? It's a bit personal, don't you think?"
Raguel calls over from the table where he's been looking through some holographic maps of the IGR planets after fixing the electricity issue. "Why? Does it get to you a bit, Uriel? I think you secretly wish you could have kids."
Doss stands and walks into the hallway. "I'm not talking about this."
Zerachiel changes the subject. "So, Zodiac doesn't cry much."
Velex smiles as he watches Zodiac rolling around on the blanket. "He's the quietest baby I've ever been around. Sean would cry and cry for days straight and I did all I could to keep him happy."
"Well look who made the little guy." Gabriel says. "How do you think you'd be if your parents were two men as tough as those guys are? You watch. In a few years, Zodiac will be capable of great things."
"I'm concerned about his development, though." Velex says. "His chromosomes aren't normal. He has one x chromosome and two y chromosomes."
"It's not that uncommon, actually." Raguel says.
"But the x chromosome is from a man."
"Well, only time will tell."
* * *
After securing the entire crew in the brig to ensure they won't attempt to leave without him, Jarred finds an open ventilation grate and slips inside. As he continues to crawl through the metal pipes down into Paradise, he has the first hints of doubt seep into his mind. What is he doing? What if he can't find Jayce? What if he gets killed down here and the crew is stranded without a way to call for help? It's too late to change his mind now. If it comes down to that, then surely Katarina will find a way to open the cell. Yes, he even locked her in there. She may be on his side, but he couldn't take any chances. He vows to make it up to her later.
He comes to the end of the tunnel and kicks out the grate which falls down into the darkened street. As he climbs down the side of an abandoned house, Jarred looks around at the city he never wanted to see again. It hasn't changed much since the last time he was here. Apparently, they haven't restored electricity to the city. Or maybe they're using it for something else. The only people moving around out here are small groups of men in red robes and black body armor, more than likely Clark's Blood Force agents. Where does he go from here? He decides to follow some of the soldiers. Surely they will eventually go where Jarred needs them to.
The first group goes nowhere important. Just as Jarred turns down another side street, he remembers where he is. Kazimir's old laboratory is still here and it is the most secure structure left standing after the destruction that occurred here. Could that be where Clark has set up his command center? When Jarred gets closer and sees the swarm of Blood Force agents and the lights on, his suspicions are confirmed. Now his only concern is getting past the guards. In his haste to get down here, he didn't bring any weapons. Even if he had, there's no way he could fight all these guys at once. They appear to be heavily armed and anxious to kill something. Well, he does still have that little section of microgrenade tape in his pocket. Running back down the alley, he quickly devises a plan. If this actually works, Jarred is some kind of a god. Back at the abandoned house, he unwinds the microgrenade tape and adheres it to the side of the building. That should provide just enough of an explosion to draw some attention away from the entrance of the laboratory.
Sure enough, once he detonates it, the soldiers run off in all directions, obviously too excited for something to liven up their monotony. The door slides open when Jarred gets close and he steps into the hallway where all kinds of cables are secured to the walls and hanging from the ceiling. What have they done to this place? Making his way down the hallway, he stops outside each door and listens for any movement. The last thing he wants is to open a door and be met with soldiers. Just when he is about to choose one at random, he hears someone quietly singing from a room at the end of the hallway. When he gets closer, he can't help himself from smiling. It's French. That voice is unmistakable.
Taking a deep breath and preparing himself mentally for whatever he may find on the other side, Jarred places his hand in the hologram and the door slides open. The singing immediately stops. Jayce is sitting on the edge of the bed with his amethyst wings spread out around him. His black hair is tied back in a short ponytail with his bangs in his face where the black cloth is tied around where his eyes used to be. He doesn't say a word, only kneels down on his hands and knees at Jarred's feet.
He must think it's someone else. Do they make him kneel like this? He really looks scared and . . . broken. Jayce has never been a submissive person and to see him like this tears Jarred apart, bringing tears to his eyes. What should he do? All the times he dreamed of this reunion, he never knew what he would say when it finally happened. Maybe words aren't the answer. He reaches out and touches his husband's shoulder for the first time in months.
Jayce immediately sits up and grabs his hand. "Jarred?"
"It's me."
"What are you doing? You can't be here. Clark will kill you. He has cameras in here."
Jarred places his finger against Jayce's lips. "Quiet. We're not talking about that right now. I don't want to talk about death or anything. Let me hold you. That's all I want."
Jayce pulls him onto the bed and holds him in his arms as he delicately kisses the back of his neck. "How did you get down here?"
"I hijacked a ship. I had to come see you."
"You can't stay. He'll be back. Where is Zodiac? Tell me Gabriel was able to get him to you."
He's missed this so much. "Zodiac is safe with the others on Himmel. He's beautiful, Jayce. We have the most perfect little boy."
"I'm glad you like him."
"How could I not?"
Jayce's hands move down to Jarred's knees and he gasps as he quickly pulls away. "Que s'est-il passé?"
"Oh. They found out I'm a Nymph and . . . burned me at the stake. Raguel saved me, but the damage was done."
Jayce is understandably concerned. "Quoi?"
"Everything's fine now. I'm okay as long as I have you. Je t'aime."
"Moi aussi, je t'aime. Ne me quitte pas."
"I won't leave you." Jarred says as he holds onto Jayce. "No matter what happens, I'm not leaving. I need you. I will find a way to get you out of here. I swear it. Do you hear me? I will get you out of here and bring you back to Himmel. We'll be together like we used to be."
"Don't make promises you can't keep."
The door slides open and Clark's steel grey eyes flicker with a cold malice. "Well, well, well, what do we have here?"
Jayce slides off the bed and crawls to Clark's feet where he kisses his shoes and lets out a small pained whimpering sound. "Master, forgive me."
"Hello, Jarred Cunningham."
"Go to hell."
"That's no way to talk to your host." Clark grabs Jayc
e by his hair and throws him against the wall. "Why don't we show your husband how well you've been trained, Jophiel?"
"Master, please don't."
Clark pulls out a whip from his belt and slaps it against the wall next to Jayce who flinches and covers his head with his arms.
"Get away from him!" Jarred shouts.
"You're next, Jarred. You never should have come here."
Jayce pushes Clark away and spreads his wings as the air in the room begins to spin, knocking things over and scattering papers. He grabs Clark's arm and pushes him down to the floor. "Go! I'll hold him off. Get off the planet!"
What? He's not just leaving. "No. I can't leave you. He'll kill you!"
"Go. Take this chance. I can't hold him forever. Goodbye, Jarred."
* * *
With a heavy heart and his mind still back with his husband, Jarred ignores Jayce's screams that echo through Paradise's dark caverns and empty streets. What is Clark doing to him? No. Jarred can't think about that. If he turns around and goes to help him, all of this suffering will have been for nothing. Clark is simply too powerful to take on like this. Even if they could kill him, he's the only person who can disconnect Jayce from the network so they need him alive for that. This is the only way. And Clark won't kill Jayce yet because he needs him for whatever his master plan is.
Jarred crawls out of the ventilation tunnel and into the blazing heat and blowing sand of the wasteland. Before he can stand up, strong metal-clad hands grab his arms and hoist him to his feet. Who the hell is out here waiting for him? Once he is able to see in the bright sunlight, he jumps a bit when he sees the tall thin black-eyed men in silver armor that looks like the stuff Zach found in the mine cart on Vergessen. What little of their skin is not covered by armor is extremely pale. Nymphs. Though these have ankle-length snow white hair in intricate braids with yellow narcissus flowers woven throughout. They look nothing like the black-haired Nymphs he's come in contact with.
The young one with a golden cape and matching feathered helmet gives a quick bow. "Greetings, Jarred Cunningham. We have been following you and observing your actions for a while. You are one difficult man to find."
"Who are you?"
"I am General Apollo Adonis of the Olympus Scouting Regimen. You can call me Apollo. We took the liberty of freeing those poor souls on board your ship. I must say, it's not very nice to lock up your entire crew. I asked who wanted to join us on our upcoming adventure and only two of them volunteered so I sent the rest back to Himmel on your ship."
"You sent my ship away?" Jarred asks.
"Don't look so startled. You won't need it where we're going. The purple-haired woman and the annoying man with the red hat are already on board our transport. Shall we get going? We don't need to keep King Menelaus waiting."
Jarred unwillingly follows his captors towards a space transport. "You guys don't look like the Nymphs on Barren Void."
"Ah. Of course not. We are not outworlders. We are from Olympus and our blood is pure."
"Meaning?"
"We were never humans and we have no human ancestors." Apollo says. "Only the pure are allowed to serve in the military. The impure have their own heathen language and rituals. You will notice the division more once we reach Olympus. We do not associate with the lower classes."
What did he just say? "Hold on. We're going to Olympus?"
"Of course."
"I don't think so."
Apollo walks backwards and smiles at Jarred as they make their way to the space transport. "You don't have a say in the matter."
14
"Welcome home, Jarred. Olympus, home of the most beautiful race of creatures in existence. You bear our mark which means that you have withstood the physical challenges of the nanobots as well as possessing traits of quality breeding. Only the beautiful may live here."
As they fly over the planet, Jarred watches in awe at he lush forests, towering waterfalls, and ancient ruins. The rivers run through apple orchards and around large columned buildings where Nymph women in long white dresses dance and naked ones bathe unashamedly in the warm sunlight. Large gold statues overlook the wheat fields and flocks of white doves fly below the tops of green trees. Out in the fields, soldiers in power armor are practicing drills and sparing. Vines of brightly colored flowers wind around the marble buildings and along the sides of the streets where chariots are pulled by some sort of creature that almost looks like a cow . . . but not quite. Jarred turns to Apollo. "What are those animals pulling the chariots?"
"Horses? Oh, that's right. You've never seen them, have you?"
"No."
"I'll teach you to ride, if you like." Apollo says.
"You ride them?"
Apollo chuckles. "You'll see all sorts of things that are extinct on Earth. We have perfected our planet to provide everything we need for us. It is a beautiful place, is it not?"
"The most beautiful I've ever seen."
"A fitting home for the most beautiful of people."
As Jarred watches them go about their daily lives, something sticks out to him. "Why are all the dark haired Nymphs following the others around?"
"They are slaves. What would you expect them to be doing?"
"Slaves?" Jarred asks, feeling less enthralled by this place already.
"The impure are trained as slaves for the pure from birth." Apollo says. "It's just the way the gods made it. I don't question traditions that have lasted for centuries. Oh, you don't have to worry. You may have been human, but the king has deemed you to be one of the pure. If you like, you can purchase a slave in the city."
"Uh . . . no thanks."
"Suit yourself. Just know that things are very different here. They do not mind being slaves because it is all they have ever known. We are not cruel like humans are to androids. This shouldn't be a foreign concept to you. We know that the woman over there belongs to you."
"I . . ."
"She is, in essence, your property." Apollo says.
"Well . . ."
"You will try to deny that, but facts are facts, Mr. Cunningham. She does not seem to be afraid or beaten down. That is a good thing. We must live in harmony as master and slave. It is the way the gods intended it to be. From what I have seen, you are a benevolent master."
What can he say in response to that? Jarred has never viewed Katarina as his slave, but Apollo does have a point. This is going to be a challenging experience. He looks over at Katarina who comes to sit at his feet and rests her head on his leg.
She looks up at him with a warm smile and nothing but love in her violet eyes. "I don't mind, you know?"
Jarred smoothes her hair. "You're an exception, to be sure. Though honestly, I'm glad you like being with me."
"I wouldn't be anywhere else." Katarina says. "I need you, Jarred."
"I need you too. If it wasn't for you, I don't know where I'd be. Knowing my luck, I'd be dead somewhere after doing something ridiculously dumb. You help to dull down the dumb."
"Yay! I can do something useful."
"You're in a good mood today."
She plays with the pocket of his pants. "Oh. You noticed."
"Well don't stop now. What's up? Am I forgetting something?"
"You've never been a very observant man, have you?"
"You caught me." Jarred admits. "Now tell me what it is."
"Nope. It's a secret. If I still had my slave collar, you'd know."
His eyes narrow as he studies her. "It's your birthday, isn't it?"
"Maybe."
"Well, then I'll make sure to do something special for you. I always do for Jayce."
She holds up her hand. "Whoa now. I don't think I want anything like that. I'm married."
He pushes her playfully. "Nothing like that. Geez. You are embarrassing me."
"Then what do you do for him?"
"Every year, I find the prettiest blooming white tulips and give him one for each year he's been alive. I would write little messages on each of the
petals to let him know how much he means to me. This year I would have given him one dozen."
"Twelve?" Katarina asks.
"Yep. Remember that he's one of the new varieties of androids who mature to adulthood in two years."
"Oh. That's right."
"So when we met, he had been alive for nearly a year and we are basically around the same age in maturity level."
"That's really sweet."
"He loves tulips." Jarred says. "He always wanted to settle down in a house so we could grow tulips. At one point, he had printed off pictures of tulips so he could tape them up around the street we were living on. It was nothing but filthy brick walls and rats, but Jayce wanted to grow tulips so he put up those pictures to make that back alley a little more pretty. I remember coming home one day to the shipping crate we lived in and I found hundreds of paper tulips he had made. They were all over the floor and hanging from the top of it. It was amazing. I'll never forget that."
She seems concerned. "You lived in a shipping crate?"
"It was all we had, but as long as Jayce was there, it was home." He turns away from her. There's no reason for her to see her owner cry. It takes every bit of his willpower to not break down right here.
"Jarred, are you okay?"
He shakes his head and leans against the window to watch the world pass by below him. Even the beauty of this wondrous place can't distract him enough to stop thinking about the only place he wishes he could be. That's in his husband's arms. He would trade everything to have that. Being with him those few minutes in Paradise may have done more harm than good. All it did was reopen a healing wound, but Jarred knows that wound is one that will never heal.
Katarina rubs Jarred's shoulders affectionately. "Apollo, can you answer something?"
"Anything."
"Can you explain the Nymph symbol to me?"
"In ancient Greek mythology, there was a legend where a man was asked to give a golden apple to the goddess who was the most beautiful. As the most perfect race, we have chosen this for ourselves. As for the spider, it is the symbol of unity in the galaxy. The eight legs of the spider each stand for one of the planets. We have Olympus, Earth, Himmel, Vergessen, Verloren, Strafe, Friedhof, and Barren Void. The spider embodies cohesion, cooperation, and the invisible force that binds all of the planets together."
Paradise Awakened Trilogy Page 54
