by Richard Lord
Christina answers her daughter, “Yeah, that’s one way to put it.” The she points at the spot Solstice pointed to. “What’s that about?”
Sara stares. She says nothing but she doesn’t take her eyes of the place they point to.
Brady bellows, “Okay, that’s enough.” He hugs Sara and begins to walk her out of the room.
Illumna begins to speak but Solstice cuts her off and says to Brady. “We heard. Thanks, sis!” She turns and looks at Illumna ready to break down the facts.
Christina jumps in, “What? What did you two hear? I saw the way she reacted. You two were cruel to put her through that if you already suspected the outcome! What did she think?”
Solstice turns to her mother and simply states, “She knew something we did not. Now we do. We’ll work from there.” Then she turns back to Illumna and the two of them share thoughts at neuronal speed.
CHAPTER 59
“The fat lady didn’t sing. She didn’t even show up.” -- from the book of Stephen
Christina looks at Renfield sleeping. She takes the I.V. out of him. She can see by his color he doesn’t need that anymore. She undresses and lays next to him in the single bed. She thinks to herself, “Renfield, what have you done?”
Renfield stirs, rolls over and captures her body with his. Then he whispers to Christina, “Be more concerned with what I’m going to do.” Christina smiles and he kisses her neck and shoulders. Pushing his body further into hers.
Christina thinks to herself, “I shouldn’t let him do this in his health.” He grabs her hand and moves it downward and she thinks, “Or, he needs therapy right now!” Renfield grins at her. She smiles back and the night is lost.
Brady walks into the kitchen and sees his grandaughter and Solstice staring at each other. Both of them with their eyes rolled back. He considers walking away to leave them to whatever the hell they are doing, but he decides to interrupt. “Illumna. Go talk to your mother.” Illumna snaps to and jumps down from the counter she was sitting on and runs off to find Sara. Solstice turns and stares at him. “Come on, Solstice, let’s go finish building Joey.” She gives him an odd look. But follows him as he heads down to her lab.
“So I assume you’ve seen Kasparov play chess?” Solstice says to Brady as they descend the stairs.
“I’ve listened to him speak. He’s has very good at understanding of the world around him and the next moves to make. Not just on a chess board. But you ask this as if you’re advancing your pawn, deux open.” Brady mentions. “I’ve played my fair share of chess, Solstice. Don’t get wonky on me.”
Solstice grins.
Brady walks to her workstation and looks at the monitor. “Ok, the sequencing is done. Those, from what you’ve explained, are the amino acids we need to replace in that sequence. Where do we get those?”
“He has them. We just need to move them.” Solstice replies, pushing him away from her workstation and looking for herself.
“Okay, and how do we do that?” Brady asks, looking at her with complete confusion, but knowing that she knows what she is doing.
“The machine he is in will do it. I pretty much just have to hit ‘Enter’” Solstice responds, while reaching a hand behind her to push Brady further back. She can hear his thoughts and confusion and it’s distracting to her. As she pushes him with her fingertips as she thinks to herself, “Not like that distance changes much, why bother?” Then she leans closer to the screen, as if that it gave her a clearer overview. She begins looking at where what should go.
“I thought we already did that step?” Brady asks, becoming confused all over again.
Solstice says, “Turn and look at Joey and watch. This should be more interesting with a human because we are inherently programmed to recognize each other, in subtle ways that we aren’t inherently programmed to notice in the faces of things like rats, mice, rabbits, etc. That’s why we use them for experimentation. It removes a level of connection. We can’t completely remove a feeling of connection with any mammal. It’s why people keep them as pets. They get some sense of closeness, but they don’t have to really know what the facial gestures mean. That leaves people free to make up their own interpretations to fit their own mood, needs and wants at the time.”
Brady looks at Solstice oddly, but says, “Okay and…?” Solstice hits the key on her keyboard and suddenly Joseph begins to morph right in front of Brady’s eyes. “Holy Sh… What the…” He calms himself and watches and then when it’s over he looks at Solstice and says, “Yeah, I don’t think I want to play chess with you, so take it easy on me. Wow, girl, that was…interesting.”
Solstice turns in her chair and smiles at Brady. “Your Dad’s friend and my sister’s father and my other sister’s grandfather. I’m not going to hurt you Brady. But this is what Dad and Dad_2 did to you when they took you. Just so you know.”
Brady turns to her and barks, “What do you mean?”
“They changed you. Not anything like what you just saw, but they modified some subtle genes which you passed on to Sara through my mother and that’s why Sara is the way she is.” Solstice sums it up in her mind.
Brady looks at Solstice, “Like what and what do you mean how she is?”
“The human brain is capable of a lot of things, but genetically the species has grown to a level where genetically most of those brain functions are not accessed anymore. They turned on some of the genes that access those parts of the brain. That’s why you’re a good detective and why Sara is Dad’s best friend with benefits.” Solstice explains.
Brady can’t decide whether to be angry at Renfield or thankful, but he knows he won’t decide either way so he pushes on. “Okay, so how do we put that”, he points to Joseph, “into that?” Brady points at the model on her screen.
“That’s where it gets tricky. I basically have to teach him how I do what I do. Since he can hear me he should be able to mimic me. He wants a new body, so he’ll pay attention to what I am showing him. Inherently he will know, but we also have to hope once he has the new body, I’ve suppressed enough of his ego that he won’t ever leave it. On the screen I think I got this right, but real life and virtual life are two completely different things.” Solstice discloses.
Brady looks at her. “And you’re willing to take that risk?”
“I have to, I made a deal.” Solstice points out.
Brady rubs a hand over his face and replies to Solstice, “Okay, so how do you teach him?”
Solstice answers from across the room, “Like this.” Brady turns to see a hulking construct move towards him. “See? He heard what I did to get in here. I only have to do this enough times and point at his model after every time and then he should understand what it is he needs to do. He wants out of that body. That’s his primary focus. I can hear that from him, still. So as soon as he understands how I move into other bodies he’ll take the opportunity.”
“So Joey’s like a puppy dog to you right now?” Brady remarks.
“Precisely. Why do you think I chose that model?” Solstice laughs and points at a puppy dog looking model. Brady looks at her wondering if her idea is solid or even a good plan. Then he looks at the model and then back at Solstice and wonders to himself is she’s gone mad. Then he considers that he signed on to help her, so if she’s mad as a hatter, what does that make him? Briefly he considers asking Solstice to run a mercury level test on both of them. Then he realizes she heard the thought and tries to abandon it as rapidly as possible.
CHAPTER 60
“Memory is a funny thing. Sometimes you don’t want it at all, but when you begin to remember, you hold onto it, just to wish it away again.” -- from the book of Phillip
“Mom, what’s wrong?” Illumna asks Sara.
“Nothing at all. Why do you ask?” Sara replies.
“You have been upset and we know about the kitchen and that seemed to upset you, but that happened a long time ago. It worked out. We’re all here. I assume Dad’s fine.” Illumna states.
“He is. He’s with your grandmother right now.” Sara answers.
“Is that what’s bothering you?” Illumna asks. Illumna can hear that Sara is blocking a thought. Something Sara herself doesn’t want to think about, Something that makes her grandmother the quiet person that she is.
Sara smiles at Illumna. “No, that’s never bothered me. He loves her and I love for him to be happy. I know it’s not a ‘normal’ situation, but in life, who’s is? It doesn’t bother me and I sure hope it doesn’t bother you.”
“I suppose I’ve never really thought about it much. I grew up with things the way they are. It’s not like I didn’t hear things from others about their parents supposed ‘perfect relationship’, but as time goes on I saw divorces and worse. What you three have has lasted. I suppose it’s had its ups and downs, but you all seem to get through it. I’m proud of you, my father and my grandmother for that. Although she is younger now, Mom, so you’ve got some competition!” Illumna chides.
Sara laughs. Then she looks at Illumna, “I’m sorry you and Solstice had to hear and probably even see what I saw there.”
“It’s OK, Mom. He came back. It’s easier for us to think about because we know she’s alive now. At the time it must have been terrifying to you and Grandmother to see. We understand that. However, it’s in the past and she is alive now.” Illumna explains to her mother.
Sara reaches up and grabs her daughter and hugs her. “You’re so understanding! Thank you for being, Illumna!” Then she kisses the top of her daughter’s head and cradles her. She stops and announces, “You’re going to be a Mom! I should stop babying you!”
Illumna laughs, “I could have 100 children, but you’ll still be my Mom!” She leans to her mother and relaxes for the first time in days.
Illumna then hears Solstice thinking to Joseph and she shudders for a moment. “What power on Earth would land her daughter’s father in the hands of her sister?”
Solstice hears the thought from Illumna and thinks back to her, “Somebody has to do the dirty work around here. If not I than who?”
Illumna thinks back to Solstice, “I’m not judging, sis. I…how’s my grandfather?”
Solstice thinks back to her, “He’s energetic, but he’s a pain because he wants to understand everything and I really don’t have the patience to train both of them at the same time.”
Illumna grins as she considers her name choice for her daughter.
Solstice says, “I heard that! Bad name choice, Illumna, try again!” then she grins.
Illumna thinks back, ”That’s exactly what Dad said!”
“Well with too neighs, give up on it already!” Solstice thinks back and then adds, “You realize we all still have those cell phones?”
Illumna thinks down the trail Solstice must be headed down, but she finds nothing. She thinks back to Solstice, “I hadn’t thought about it, but why is that relevant?”
Solstice walks over to her desk where hers is and stares at it. Then she thinks to Illumna, as she smashes hers. “Go grab Dad’s and meet me at the lake!”
Illumna understands and jumps up from Sara and runs to the other room, barges in and grabs Renfield’s cell phone. Christina yells, “What the hell are you doing?”
Illumna thinks the answer to Renfield because it’s faster than speaking, then runs out of the room. She continues down the stairs and out into the backyard into the night where she sees Solstice standing by the lake. Solstice turns to her and says, “Go!” Illumna smashes the phones and then specifically breaks certain chips. Then she reaches back to throw the devices into the lake, but instead she clicks into the lake and finds Solstice’s wasted phone and does the same to it. She then dives deep and puts all three devices under a rock and then clicks back to the shore next to her sister.
Solstice looks at her. Illumna is literally doused in lake water and it’s sliding off of her as Solstice says, “Okay, my bad. Good thought, sis.”
“I don’t think people say ‘my bad’ anymore, Solstice.” Then they both laugh and Solstice grabs her and they are back in her lab.
Solstice looks at Illumna and realizes her understanding of technology is sharp, even under pressure. Even Solstice, in a panic, didn’t consider the chips themselves. She turns to look at Illumna, “Okay, this is going to seriously screw with your mind, but better as it happens than after it’s done. Are you going to be okay with this Illumna?” Solstice asks.
Illumna nods and they both walk down the stairwell into the lab in the basement.
Brady stands over his granddaughter and looks at Solstice. “Really, Solstice? Now? I thought you were going to leave her out of this?”
“What’s the point Brady she can hear me.” Solstice responds. “She should see this for herself. The entire rest of her life she is going to think about this and I think it’s better to allow her to be here for it than to wonder.”
Brady reaches to his back and pulls his service pistol. “I think this needs to end!” He walks towards Joseph.
Solstice sighs. Illumna jumps up and yells, “She made a promise, grandfather! She has to keep it! He did something bad, but we don’t know why. The father of her child is dead. I killed him! At least, whatever he becomes he won’t be dead. I know it seems gruesome to you, and to me, but Solstice is more patient than either of us. She has a plan!”
Solstice thinks to Illumna, “Don’t!”
Brady turns to his granddaughter. “What plan?” He looks at Illumna angry but she doesn’t flinch. Brady says, “Never mind. I got it. The reference to Kasparov. You’re trying to find out why they did what they did and who else is involved. You suspect it wasn’t their plan alone, hence why my granddaughter is sitting here soaking wet because of the cell phone thing.”
They both look at Brady. Solstice says, “How did you know that?”
“Solstice, you’re louder than you think!” Brady retorts.
Solstice considers that sentence and throws it over to Illumna to consume and report on. Brady may mean one of or both of the things he just said. Illumna looks at her grandfather while Solstice continues to make her point. “So yes, that is the idea and yes, I can tell you have played your fair share of chess. But do you know Blackjack?”
Brady smiles, “Yes, I knew him. When he was young, I tracked him. He disappeared off the radar. Later it’s said he renamed himself and started a group of likeminded people until things got out of control and he shut that down, for the most part.”
Solstice looks very deeply at Brady. “How could you possibly know to answer that question in that way?” She then eyes the gun he’s put back into his waistband.
Brady looks back at her and says, “I gather he had good intentions, but the road to hell is paved with those.”
“I meant the card game. What’s your plan, Brady?” Solstice asks directly. Listening to his mind as intently as she can hear her sister doing the same.
“I plan on saving the world, just like you.” He turns and points at his granddaughter, “and you!” Then he points upwards and appends, “And them! Get off my back and let’s focus on what gets that done!”
Solstice looks at Illumna as she turns in her chair. “Okay, Illumna, you’re going to learn too.” Solstice’s voice continues from across the room. “So you see how that’s done, right?”
Then, back in her chair Solstice twists around and looks at Illumna for an answer. Illumna looks at her, “Not really.”
Solstice resumes from across the room in her favorite huge, hulking creature of her own design, “Now?”
Illumna waits for her to be back in the chair. She anticipates her sister’s next move, but she still doesn’t know how Solstice does it.
Solstice hears her thoughts and audibly sighs. “Damn! If I can’t teach you, how am I going to teach that?” She points to Joseph, disgusted for so many reasons.
Brady snaps his fingers and leans to Solstice. “I’ve got it!” Brady begins rapidly explaining to both of the girls how to train a Joey. Brady see
ms to be on fire as he gestures wildly with his hands and his face is lit up like the Fourth of July.
The sisters look at him and then each other wondering about this side of Brady they didn’t know, but he’s excited and he has some very good points. Illumna stops questioning why Solstice made the decision to include her grandfather in her work. Solstice too stops wondering why she chose Brady, of all people, to help her solve the problem.
Then Illumna and Solstice look at each other and think, “He’s a Detective.”
CHAPTER 61
“Begin able to do a thing does not make it good. Being able to resist doing a thing requires more power. Therefore, are we not more powerful when we resist?” -- query of Adam’s
“Morning breath, Ren! Let me go deal with it. I’ll be back.” Christina expresses while trying to hold her breath.
Renfield holds her arm and grins. “That doesn’t bother me. Come here!”
Christina gives in because she really does want to kiss him.
After a long embrace that lead to much more than kissing Renfield holds her shoulder tightly. “So the girls were busy all night and Brady is helping them now. I suppose they should eat. I’ll go make breakfast, you kick back.”
Christina smiles at the thought and then kisses him again but states, “You are pretty bad at making breakfast foods. I’ll deal with it.” She turns and looks back at Renfield, “I suppose they figured out the kitchen thing. Since I don’t know, are you going to tell me, or am I going to again be the only one in the house you all keep secrets from?”
Renfield looks at Christina. “What secrets?” He feels a tinge of guilt at even asking that question.
“Well there’s the thing going on in the basement. It has something to do with Illumna because she’s been acting funny. Brady knows because he’s acting smooth. You know because you always know everything. Solstice is definitely involved and Sara is completely freaked out. So spill it.”
