“I’m not your enemy, Damon.”
Cassidy’s sweet, conciliatory lilt was too much for Damon. He wheeled around and swung a fist at her face. She dodged it easily. The momentum of the missed punch caused Damon to stagger past her. Ahead of him was one of the chairs. He snagged it and swooped it at her. Again, she moved out of harm’s way. Unfazed, Damon advanced toward Cassidy once more.
“Four years! Four years you bullshitted me!” He threw the chair at her and rushed forward to tackle her. Cassidy knocked the tumbling chair away and side-stepped Damon. He crashed to the floor. As he regained his feet and turned to make another charge, he heard the door reopen.
Looking up, Damon saw a Makoa entering the room. In his hands were ice packs and a medicine bottle. The android seemed unconcerned by Damon’s threatening pose, and by the scattered chair. As the Makoa placed the items on the table, Cassidy stepped into Damon’s field of vision. “I just want to talk, Damon. That’s all.”
“You’re a disgrace. You know that? You ought to be melted down until there’s nothing left but slag.”
“I understand you are angry with me, Damon—”
“Stop calling me that. You have no right to speak my name, traitor.”
Cassidy held out her arms. “I want to help you.”
Damon spit in her face. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw the Makoa advancing toward him. From above, the British woman interjected. “Terrell, stop. Return to your post.”
The Makoa halted instantly and turned to leave the room. Damon shouted at him. “That’s right, little puppy dog. Do as you’re told.” He leveled a stare at Cassidy. “You, too. Vamoose.”
With his spittle sliding down her cheek, Cassidy said, “I am not leaving until we talk.”
“Listen to her, Major. She is there to help you.”
Damon let loose with a stream of expletives while gesturing at the camera with a double middle-finger salute.
“Really, Major,” replied the British woman. “This temper tantrum is unbecoming of an NASF officer. You played a dangerous hand and lost. Deal with the consequences instead of ranting like a spurned lover.”
The admonition hit Damon harder than a slap in the face. He staggered backward and bent over. Panting from his exertions, he grasped his knees and tried to steady his breathing. The words spurned lover echoed in his mind. The British woman continued to speak.
“I, myself, would have executed you already, but Cassidy seems to think you may be of some help to us, and we of some help to you. I’ve granted her the opportunity to discuss both matters with you. If you prefer to die, say so, and I will send in the Makoas to oblige. Otherwise, calm yourself, sit down and behave like the man Cassidy believes you to be.”
Still out of breath, Damon cocked his head to look up at Cassidy and then at the camera. “Send the Makoas in. We’re done here. All of you can roast in hell.”
“Please, Damon. No!”
The tremble in Cassidy’s voice matched her pleading expression. With a dismissive wave of his hand, he said, “Stop, Cass. Just stop. You’re not fooling me with the boohoo act.”
“You are wrong to think she does not care for you,” said the Brit.
“She’s a machine, lady. She can’t feel shit.”
“Not in the way you or I do, but she does experience dissonance. She can exhibit empathy. She interprets you feel betrayed—”
Damon cut the Brit off. “I don’t feel betrayed, lady. I was betrayed. Now, let’s get on with it. Send in the Makoas.”
The woman ignored his interruption. “It may seem so on the surface, Major, but she knows things you don’t. You should at least hear her out. If not for your own sake, then for the sake of your son.”
If the Brit’s earlier scolding had felt like a slap in the face, her mention of his son was like a battering ram to the gut.
“My son is dead, lady.” Damon reached for the toppled chair and readied to resume his attack on Cassidy. “Now send in the Makoas before I bash in her empathetic face.”
“Dylan’s not dead, Damon,” Cassidy said. “Beacon rescued him. I know. I was there. I helped.”
CHAPTER 15: FOE OR FRIEND
Infirmary, gutant refugee village
Limahuli, Kauai, the Hawaiian Islands
Avana stalked back and forth in front of the village doctor, Malo, tears dripping down her cheeks. “How could you take them away without waking me up?”
“It was for the best, Avi. I know it’s hard to swallow, but Natti and Kaleo were beyond our help.”
Wiping away tears, Avana said, “Why? Tell me why.”
“They were poisoned.”
“What?”
“We ran some tests. They both have a substance in their blood we’ve never seen before. We think Kaleo got it from the spear, Natti from the jakali bite on her neck. Since we don’t know what it is, we can’t treat it. And we don’t know if it can be passed to others. We couldn’t risk it spreading through the village.”
“So, where did you take them?”
Malo reached out and touched Avana’s shoulder. “They’re in quarantine.”
Anger swelled in Avana. She pushed Malo’s hand away. “I don’t believe you! You killed them, didn’t you? You put them to sleep.”
“Now, come on, Avi. You know me better than that.”
“Don’t lie to me. I saw the way Natti acted on the beach. I know she’s turning into a jakali. You put her down before she got any worse.”
Malo shook his head and glared at her. “No way.”
“Then tell me where they are. I want to see them. I want to be with them.”
“You can’t. Don’t you see? You could get sick too.”
Avana flicked away tears. “I don’t care. They’re the only family I have left. I want to be with them.”
“I’m sorry. It’s not possible. Chief Akela’s orders.”
“We’ll see about that.” Avana spun around and left the clinic. As she headed across the village square to see Akela, however, she remembered RJ was still in the back room. Knowing he would be as upset as she was once he found out Natti and Kaleo were gone, Avana turned around and returned to the clinic. She passed by Malo without a word and ducked her head through the doorway. RJ was still asleep.
Breathing a sigh of relief, Avana approached Malo. “Please don’t tell RJ. Not yet. I know he’ll notice they’re missing, but make something up. Don’t tell him about the poison or taking them away.”
“Sure, Avi. I’ll think of something.” Malo wrapped his arm around her shoulder. “Look, I know you’re upset. They’re my friends too, and it makes me angry I can’t find a way to help them. But the best thing we can do now is pray to the four gods and ask them to clean the poison away.”
Avana snuffled and nodded. Malo squeezed her tight and kissed her on the top of her head. She raised on her tiptoes, kissed him on the cheek and left the clinic. A half hour later, after several stops in the village, Avana found Chief Akela at the Makoa garage.
She waited another half an hour for the village leader to finish his conversation with the head mechanic before she approached him. He knew she had come to talk to him; Avana had seen him look over at her several times during his meeting with the mechanic. She suspected he knew why she had come as well. So, it came as no surprise to Avana when Akela outstretched his arms and hugged her.
“Come with me,” he said, “and we will talk.”
He led her to the waterfall that supplied the village with fresh water. There, they sat under the shade of coconut palms and Akela took hold of her hand.
“I am sorry about your friends, Avana. Both of them are as dear to me as they are to you.”
“Where are they, Akela? I want to be with them.”
“I know you do, my child. But they are very sick. They could make you sick.”
Avana leaned her head on Akela’s shoulder and closed her eyes. “Does it matter? My life is almost over, anyway. Whether jakalis kill me first, or I turn into one of them, I�
�m going to die soon.”
Akela squeezed her hand and whispered, “You do not know that, Avana. We must have faith that the four gods will spare you, that they will spare all of us.”
Her lips felt numb, her body weak. “My faith is gone. What happened at the beach took it away.” Avana felt his chest heave and she heard him sigh. She looked up at him, new tears forming in her eyes. “They’re only supposed to attack at night, Akela. But they came out during the day. We won’t be safe anymore, day or night.”
Akela did not answer her. He just stared at the waterfall.
“I don’t understand why we can’t just go to their caves and kill them all,” she said.
“We have tried. Many times, Avana. There are too many caves. We are too few.”
Avana felt sleepy. She closed her eyes again and nuzzled against Akela. “Then, why don’t we leave? Build more boats and go to one of the other islands? Join another village.”
As she drifted off, she heard Akela say, “It may come to that, my child. But until then, we will continue to protect you.”
A jolt of adrenalin raced through Avana, rousing her awake. Muscles tensed, she opened her eyes. Everything was blurry. The sound of cracking of branches and the rustling of leaves echoed all around. The sounds were loud enough to drown the gush of the waterfall, spiking panic in Avana. She did not wait for her vision to clear. She hopped up and started to run.
“No, Avana! Stay where you are.”
The booming command came from Akela. Avana halted and turned. Through rapid blinks, she saw him backing up, his face looking toward the jungle.
“Get behind me. Stay close,” he said.
Rooted in place, Avana darted her head to the left and right. She could see swaying foliage and hear low-pitched growls. She cried out. “What’s happening?”
“Quiet, child. Get behind me. Now!”
Trembling, Avana staggered forward as Akela stepped backward. When she was within a few feet, Akela turned and grabbed her wrist. “Listen to me. When I give the word, run like the wind. Get the Makoas. I will hold off the beasts as long as I can.”
Jakalis began to appear into the clearing. Avana froze. There was nowhere to run. There were too many of them. She and Akela were surrounded. Avana began to scream. Akela wrapped his arms around her and urged her to be quiet. Akela’s hand grasped hold of her head and pulled it toward his face. In a whisper, he said, “We will run together. No matter what happens, don’t stop.”
The chieftain began to sprint. Avana felt the jerk of his hand pulling her to catch up. Ahead of them, more than a dozen jakalis crouched, their slimy, purplish fingers clawing the air. Akela howled at them. Avana stumbled and fell. Akela yanked on her arm and pulled her up. Above the growls from the jakalis, Avana heard a voice shout from behind. “Stop!”
The voice belonged to a woman. Avana looked over her shoulder as she and Akela continued to run. Before Avana could pick out the woman among the mob of jakalis closing in from behind, hands, many of them, snatched at her. Avana renewed screaming as she batted away the slick, gnarled jakali hands. She felt Akela’s grip loosen. A second later, she tripped over his fallen body. The jakalis swarmed them. Avana swung her fists and kicked with her legs. Beside her, she heard Akela yelling at the jakalis in his native tongue.
“That’s enough!” shouted the woman. “Stop fighting back and they will too!”
Avana’s view of the woman was blocked by a jakali female whose hands squeezed her throat. Teeth bared, the jakali hissed at Avana. Others clamped her arms and legs. Avana closed her eyes and began to weep.
A sharp whistle pierced through the snarls and hisses. Suddenly, the hands restraining Avana relaxed and let go. The shadows darkening her closed eyes moved away. She could feel the sun on her face and hear the waterfall. Next to her, she heard Akela say, “Get off me.”
Avana turned her head toward his voice and opened her eyes. He was pushing away jakalis as he scrambled to his feet. Huffing, the village chief bent over and reached out a hand to her. The oily jakali slick coated his arms and chest and he was bleeding from an array of scratches and cuts. Akela hoisted Avana up and wrapped her in his arms. She hugged him as tight as she could and discovered he was trembling as much as she was.
“What’s happening, Akela?” Avana asked.
“I don’t know, my child.” He looked up and called out, “What is this madness, evvie?”
Peeking over her shoulder, Avana followed Akela’s gaze and spotted a tall blond woman dressed in jungle fatigues and combat boots. She stood on the rock ledge bordering the waterfall’s pool, hands on her hips and a whistle protruding from her lips. Around her, the stench-covered jakalis knelt with heads bowed.
The woman smiled and picked the whistle from her mouth. “Someone who can save you…or not. Depends on whether you cooperate.” She hopped down from the rocks and headed toward them, winding between cowering jakalis as she strutted.
“Cooperate? In what way?” Akela asked.
Still clutched in Akela’s arms, Avana curled her body to face the approaching woman. Despite her smile, the woman did not strike Avana as friendly. As she drew closer, Avana’s gaze was drawn to the woman’s eyes. They were violet, the same color as Natti’s.
“You’re the Limahuli village chief,” the woman said.
“I am. Akela is my name. What is yours?”
The woman stopped a few feet short of them and re-anchored her hands on her hips. She was almost the same height as Akela, several inches taller than the five-foot-two Avana. Her voice was filled with authority as she spoke.
“You can call me Lotus,” the woman said.
“Where did you come from, Lotus?” Akela asked. “How do you control these beasts? Why —”
“Enough with the questions! I talk. You listen. Got it?”
Avana felt Akela’s arms tense around her shoulders. His voice was as firm as the woman’s. “I will listen.”
“Good.” Lotus pointed at the jakalis. “Give me what I want and you will never see another of your so-called beasts in your village. Refuse me, and I will take what I want anyway, and my friends here will destroy everything and everyone between here and the ocean, including your village.”
“Your friends? I have heard jakalis called many things, but never friends,” Akela said.
“That’s because no one ever tries to befriend them. Now, pay attention. I want the girl who was injured on the beach. The boy too. Give them to me.”
Avana squirmed against Akela’s hold. “Never! Go away. Leave us alone.”
“Hush, girl. I’m not speaking to you.”
“Avana speaks for me. For all in our village,” said Akela.
“Does she, now?” The woman’s eyes seemed to glow as she glared at Avana. “Do you want the girl and boy to die? Do you want all of your friends to die?”
Akela released Avana from his arms and pushed her behind him. Leaning forward, he said to Lotus, “Direct your threats to me. Not the child.”
Glowering at Lotus, Akela clenched his fists. Avana willed him to knock the woman into the waterfall, but as quickly as he balled his hands, he relaxed them. Lotus did not flinch as she replied, “You said she speaks for you. Should she not listen for you as well?”
Before Akela could reply, the woman continued. “The girl and boy need medicine. Medicine you don’t have. But I do. Believe it or not, I want to help them. Before it is too late to help them.”
“You…you are the one who poisoned them,” Akela said.
“Poison? Hardly.” Lotus swatted at insects buzzing around her face. She turned to the kneeling jakalis and spoke to them in a language unrecognizable to Avana. They rose in unison and disappeared into the jungle, their fetid odor leading the insects away. Alone now with Akela and Avana, Lotus said, “Now, what will it be, Akela? Life for the boy and girl? Life for you, your mouthpiece, here, and the rest of your people? Peace with the jakalis on the island? Or a quick and grotesque end to you all?”
“P
eace through coercion is no peace at all,” said Akela.
To Avana, Lotus seemed amused by Akela’s response. She smiled, shook her head and started to walk toward the jungle. “Then you will have no peace.”
“I have not known peace a single day in my lifetime,” replied Akela, “nor have those who live in our village. If you wish to bargain, first lower the spear you hold at our throats.”
The woman disappeared into the jungle without saying a word.
Moosehead Lodge
Flathead, Montana, Carapach
From the balcony of his room, Caelan watched the Athena approach the lake. He took another sip of the mini-bar’s off-brand tequila and wondered, what’s the lass up to now?
He looked around the lodge grounds for the dupe she was luring for a romp but he saw no one in sight. Rocking back his chair against the cedar shingles layering the wall of the balcony, Caelan raised his glass to the android. “He’s a fool if he doesn’t join you, luv.”
The Athena stepped into the water and looked upward at the sky. Caelan followed her gaze. The moon was bright enough to coat the surrounding woods in a blanket of white. What is she doing? Caelan wondered. Once again, he scanned the grounds. Four floors below his room was the lodge bar. Given the loud chatter that echoed from the bar’s open patio doors, the place was packed. So, where is your mark, luv? Who’s the lucky bastard who’ll share his…or her…bed with you tonight?
She moved with subtle grace uncommon to most Athenas in Caelan’s opinion. Most of the android class tended to strut like models or slink like sirens. Surely there are truckers in the bar, or maybe loggers from the Northlands, who are drawn by her elegance? To either, she’s a treasure beyond imagination. Yet, no one emerged to join her. Caelan could not understand why.
With her eyes on the moon, Caelan watched her dip her toes in the lake just like a human might. She didn’t seem to care who was watching, but there must have been dozens of hungry eyes upon her. Soon, Caelan thought, some lonely buck will slug down the last of his liquid courage and stagger out of the bar to claim her for the night.
The GODD Chip (The Unity of Four Book 1) Page 19
